John Wanamaker, King of Merchants: The Wanamaker Digest

Customer Reviews:

King of Merchants.......2004-05-15

Wonderfully comprehensive and well written. Only wish section on Rodman Wanamaker was more detailed, to include more about the Millrose Games and Wanamaker Trophy of the PGA (Wanamaker founded the PGA of America).

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A 19th century career with new millenium overtones.

John Wanamaker: Philadelphia Merchant
Herbert Ershkowitz
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Retailing | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0756761395

Customer Reviews:

A 19th century career with new millenium overtones........1999-08-06

John Wanamaker: Philadelphia Merchant is a fast paced, well researched account of one of America's premiere retailers. The author, Herbert Ershkowitz ascribes Wanamaker's success to beliefs critical to new millenium themes. The importance of business to the community. Advertising as the key to marketing success. Religion as the foundation of society. Must reading for the biography buff; the marketing major; the proactive capitalist and the budding fashionista.

Customer Reviews:

Not much to this book........2006-08-12

I am very disappointed in this book. It was poorly written. On and on throughout the whole book, all you heard about is we went here and we went there and sent this group or that group legging. All I ended up with from the book is a bunch of fractured ideas of a group that travels to football games. Ramblings on and on throughout the whole work - sure, at times there was good information, but it was never expanded on, ever. I want to know what the culture of the 'Soul Crew' was in depth. I want to know the feelings, the thoughts and the personalities of group members. I wanted description and tales of what goes on in such a group and all I got at best was a tiny tiny glimpse. It was a roller coaster throughout the whole book, they would just start to get interesting and then switch to a new topic and fizzle out the reading momentum. The authors say things like they were called the Soul Crew because most of the members deeply liked soul music and then they trail off to something totally different leaving the reader to ask why. What are the connections as to why the Soul Crew likes soul music? There needed to be some depth! This book could have been so much better! The topic is most interesting indeed! I really don't fault the authors for trying - but I must say, for 214 pages of reading I don't believe I got my money's worth. I'm sorry, but I can't recommend this book to others unless it is redone with a professional.

Why The Welsh Are Crap At Rugby.......2003-09-30

Engagingly told story of the violence as a pastime escapades of the Welsh soccer team Cardiff City's Soul Crew. There is a self-deprecating honesty to the book, since Tony and his hooligan mates don't win all their confrontations, and admit to being intimidated by opponents on several occasions. The designer label name dropping exemplifies the sartorial obsessions of the hooligan Casual scene, which appear to be as important as kicking the daylights out of some "up for it" blokes from another firm. The peculiar phenomenon of organized gangs of men (many into their 40s) attacking each other as a sport, in the name of a sport will strike many as repugnant and nihilistic. The sociologists and assorted boffins who attempt to mitigate this behavior by apportioning blame to 'lack of opportunities' and other throwaway vacuous slogans miss the point. Gangs like the Soul Crew exist purely because their members find acts of mass violence thrilling and cathartic. Tony Rivers & David Jones eloquently make this clear.

Book Description

Sharpen your pencil and your wits and try your skills on brain-bending mind-stumpers of every kind! From Solitaire Battleships to wonderfully tricky and intricate mazes, more than 200 super puzzles provide hours of enjoyment.

· Whodunit?: Help Professor of Criminology Dr. Quicksolve and his son Junior solve devious crimes in this series of mini mysteries.
· Be "Letter Perfect": Fill in the grid in this fun variation on a crossword. Every clue leads to a word that begins and ends with a designated letter. The last letter of the preceding word is also the first one of the next. Remember: always work in the direction of the numbers!
· Go on a Word Search: Look up and down, across from left to right and from right to left, and diagonally to find the hidden words. If you're really good, try a hard "guess-the-theme" puzzle!

And there's lots more in store, too.

Customer Reviews:

Too many typos!.......2006-08-01

I was very disappointed with this puzzle book. The variety of puzzles is very limited (not what you'd expect from the description) and the worst part was the tremendous amount of typographical errors. For example, there are story problems where they start the story about "Mike & Dan" and then halfway down the page they refer to "Dan" as "Don." Those aren't the exact names used in the book (I don't have it in front of me), but you get the idea. It's ridiculous. I'm sorry I bought it.

Giant Book of Optical Puzzles/Giant Book of Pencil Puzzles

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Giant Book of Optical Puzzles/Giant Book of Pencil Puzzles

Manufacturer: Main Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0806976330

Product Description

Two books in one

Giant Flip Book: Optical Puzzles/Pencil Puzzles

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Giant Flip Book: Optical Puzzles/Pencil Puzzles

Manufacturer: Main Street
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Puzzles | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1402700490

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Giant Grab A Pencil Book of Seek-A-Word
Richard Manchester
Manufacturer: Bristol Park Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Word Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0884864146

Book Description

Do you like word searches of every imaginable kind? How about conquering Tanglewords, Loose Letters, Tail Tags and Jackpots!? If yes, then the Giant Grab A Pencil Book of Seek-A-Word is for you! Crammed with over 500 up, down, forward, backward, and diagonal puzzles, this collection of super seek-a-words is an easy and entertaining way to increase vocabulary, improve word skills, sharpen the wit and exercise the mind. Guaranteed to challenge even the most savvy puzzle solvers everywhere, everytime, this hodgepodge of seek-a-words provides hours of puzzling fun.

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Giant Grab A Pencil Book of Word Games
Richard Manchester
Manufacturer: Bristol Park Books, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Word Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0884864138

Book Description

Are you ready for the ultimate challenge? Giant Grab A Pencil Book of Word Games has over 400 pages filled with hours of mental exercise and puzzle entertainment. With pages and pages of laddergrams, kriss krosses, mazes, anacrostics, logic problems, figgerits, bowl-a-score-challenges, cryptoquizzes, word arithmetic, star solves, cross sums, spellathons, and just about any other type of word game you can think of. This collection from puzzle-guru Richard Manchester is sure to set your mind racing.

Book Description

Yor've heard from the rest, now learn from the best-Million Dollar Prospecting Techniques Effective prospecting skills are the foundation upon which successful sales careers are built. Now, learn the secrets of effective prospecting from some of the most successful sales professionals in the world. Based on interviews with members of the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table-the top six percent of the international life insurance sales industry-Million Dollar Prospecting Techniques features fascinating and instructive case studies and anecdotes; proven prospecting strategies, systems, and formulas; and step-by-step guidance on all key aspects of sales prospecting, including:
* Attitude, authenticity, and other intangibles
* Locating and qualifying prospects
* Leveraging the telephone's full power
* Making cold calling more effective-and more fun
* Building networks and getting referrals
* Marketing-including a chapter on electronic marketing techniques
No matter what product or service you sell, you won't want to be without this authoritative guide to the art and science of effective prospecting techniques. Also available in the Million Dollar Round Table series: Million Dollar Selling Techniques Paper * 0-471-32549-X * $16.95 USA/$26.50 CAN Million Dollar Closing Techniques Paper * 0-471-32551-1 * $16.95 USA/$26.50 CAN

Customer Reviews:

OK.......2004-06-09

Good book. Follow it and you'll do well. MDRT could update this with suggestions from recent MDRT winners.

Very Good Book.......2004-06-09

I have used, to a degree of success, the suggestions within this book. You must follow and practice in order to become better. I recommend this book for an experienced producer or a entry level salesperson.

I expected more.......2003-01-04

This book reflects a low standard from an excellent organization. It is a mixes plegiarizaton with cliches and fails to deliver anything of substance to those wanting more. As someone who trains financial planners, skip this book. There are better books on prospecting and attitudes about prospecting such as the psychology of call reluctance (see my list of suggested sales books). Others, like SPIN selling do a much better job on the subject of selling in general. Skip this one. Buy one of the others. Demand better from MDRT.

Not worth my time.......2001-08-15

I needed a book on prospecting because I just got started in automotive sales. This dull book wasted most of it's time discussing attitudes and philosophies about selling. Another entire chapter of this 5 chapter gem was devoted to networking at parties (and the only parties discussed in this chapter were ones were lots of successful rich business owners are in attendance-gee thanks).

Basically I ten times more useful prospecting ideas out of one chapter of Tom Hopkins "How to Master the Art of Selling" than this entire book!

An Excellent Tool For Sales Success!!!!!!!!!.......2000-10-08

This book is an excellent tool for the blood of selling which are the prospects. It helps you to develope and learn the technique that you can feel comfortable with and master it. I started using one of their suggestion already have appointments that are not just good, they are profitable. READ IT AND USE IT.

Million Dollar Prospecting Techniques (Million Dollar)

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Million Dollar Prospecting Techniques (Million Dollar)
Million Dollar Round Table Center For Pr
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N66FZK

Book Description

Musical genius, visionary artist, enigma -- more than ten years after his death, Miles Davis still looms large as a cultural icon. In this, the first new biography since Davis' death, John Szwed draws on various archives and never-before-published interviews with those who knew him to produce the richest and most revealing portrait of Miles Davis to date.

The shy son of a dentist from Illinois, Miles Dewey Davis III would go through several transformations before becoming the image of cool. Change, says Szwed, was the driving force in both Davis' life and music -- as quickly as he established a new direction in his music and a new identity, he would radically reinvent both. He seemed to thrive on close musical relationships -- playing with jazz greats from Charlie Parker to John Coltrane and working with Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter, and composer Gil Evans, among others -- and yet the enduring image of Davis is of a lone figure, famously turning his back on the audience. He was at the peak of his career, having achieved star status, when he withdrew from the spotlight, spending years as a recluse. These seeming contradictions fueled the myths surrounding the man, but Szwed's insights into Davis' personality and artistic creativity shed new light on his life, from his turbulent relationships to his drug use and mysterious last days. Elegantly written and carefully researched, So What is the authoritative life of an artist who was always ahead of his time.

Customer Reviews:

Musically, A Very Enlightening Biography.......2007-01-01

I read Miles' autobiography in all of it's shocking and hysterical glory regarding his personal life. Szwed's book covers some of that same ground but from the perspective of others, particular some of those whom Miles treated so unfairly (Gil Evans had to plead on his children's behalf in order to get paid). From a personal standpoint the reader will find himself/herself muttering "what a p****" many times while reading this book.

Musically, this book is so much more informative than the autobiography and answers most of the questions regarding the evolution of Miles' music. It was great reading about how "In A Silent Way" was composed via edits and it sent me running for my copy of Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland" to search for the original studio dates to see who got there first. Miles and Jimi were in frequent contact so it's no surprise that the concept of the studio as an instrument were used to create these two masterworks that appeared at roughly the same time. An early review bemoans the fact that over 20 pages were dedicated to "In A Silent Way" while "Kind of Blue" only received 8 pages. But this is actually very necessary as what was going on with the process for "In A Silent Way" was so revolutionary in terms of the music and the whole paradigm of how "records" and musical art are/can be made.

The pages from 280 - 310 that cover "In A Silent Way" through "On the Corner" were a real page-turner for me. So much was revealed about what was going on. I found myself reaching for releases like "Get Up With It" to revisit "Rated-X" and "Honky Tonk" and I was glad I purchased "The Complete Jack Johnson Sessions" and "The Cellar Door Sessions".

The only criticisms I have are:

1. There are some passages regarding recording sessions where the chronology wanders a bit, i.e., we read about Filles De Kilamanjaro, move on and then a little later Szwed revisits that session out of order so one has to pay close attention or will become confused.

2. He gets some of the names of the rock contemporaries wrong, e.g., Johnny Winters instead of Johnny Winter.

3. He's a little off on his release facts when it comes to the 70's band with Liebman and Fortune. He asserts Agharta was not released in this country until 1990 and that is just wrong. I purchased it as a domestic Columbia release in 1976 or 1977.

4. The epilogue was completely unnecessary. This was an effort to rationalize and explain the shabby way that Miles treated others. There is really no excuse for treating people the way Miles treated people. It is a choice, not because he had a stern, standoffish mother or anything like that. I can love the music of Miles Davis and dislike the man's behavior and actions as a human being living in this world.

On the positive side, there is just so much to learn about Miles' musical process and the evolution of that process in this book. This is highly recommended reading, especially for musicians who are interested in creative music.

He was a real jerk, wasn't he.......2006-08-07

I had always been puzzled by the deification of Miles Davis. Yes, he was a good trumpet player and bandleader, but the idolization of him always baffled me. Then again, I cannot figure out why Princess Diana or JFK were deified either.

That said, I guess this is an accurate portrayal of a very complex man. It seems to cover all aspects of him and I admire the author for what seems to be copious research.

The book shows he was a severe druggie, a man who liked to beat his wives, a man who lacked any empathy whatsoever for the feelings of other people, and a total hypocrite.

Some of the people in the book say you have to indulge the artist, that being such a person means he lives outside the normal rules of adult human conduct. I don't buy it.

THE book to read on Miles Davis -.......2006-06-09

In a way this is really a review of some of the prior reviews, above; it's odd that so much bad writing on popular music and jazz gets so highly praised, and yet when a book of the caliber of this Miles Davis bio appears, everyone qualifies their praise, and adds silly things to boot - like one reviewer's comment that Miles "himself had once heaped abuse on the likes of Louis Armstrong." Simply not true and there is no source for this. Szwed's Miles Davis book is a must read, a living antidote to the stacks of bad books on jazz and pop music these days, written by an academic who KNOWS the music, who can wrtie, and is one of the most perceptive critics on the planet. Read it -

A Man Pursued by His Own Devils.......2006-01-30

Yale jazz historian Szwed established his credentials with an excellent biography of jazz eccentric Sun Ra (Space Is the Place: The Life and Times of Sun Ra [1997]). He has now written an engaging biography of the talented trumpeter, Miles Davis. The story of Davis's tormented life and his tumultuous relations with men and women is enough by itself to ensure the book's interest but Szwed brings special strengths to the subject of Miles as artist (which Miles clearly, and above all else, was).

At times, Szwed's description of the artistic and creative milieu of Davis's times disrupts the narrative flow of the book, but Szwed's judgments always illuminate: they are especially helpful in understanding an artist like Davis who was keenly attuned to the musical currents -classical, jazz and pop-of his day and whose music often consciously responded to them.

Szwed is in addition a perceptive analyst of Davis's music throughout the trumpeter's long career. To me, this is a special strength of this excellent book: Szwed makes clear to me the musical aesthetic that shaped Miles's decisions as he moved further and further away from conventional jazz forms and techniques. If there is a flaw in Szwed's book, it is in the digressions: they break the narrative flow, but they also enrich the reader's understanding of the musical world in which Davis made so many bold and ultimately successful choices.

Highly recommended. David Keymer. Modesto CA.

Accessible introduction to Miles Davis.......2003-07-05

I found this to be a good book, although I'm not sure I would place it ahead of the other two Miles biographies out there. Szwed writes engaging prose and keeps things moving along throughout while writing in a good voice for this type of thing. Chambers book seems to be better researched,though, and it seems that Szwed relies heavily on secondary sources and the Troupe interviews with Miles Davis from the 80s. Personally, I distrust some of Miles' comments on his art from the 80s as he was heavily wrapped up in a star persona by that point. I felt the book was stronger on the bop period and the 60s and seemed to rush headlong through the 80s. This is kind of a pity because Szwed's is the only biography written since Miles' death and more interpretation and a stronger stance on Miles' later period would be illuminating for this contraversial period in his art.

The book seems to be written more for those interested in miles the artist and miles the man than miles the musician. There is not too much musical analysis, and I didn't have too much of a problem with that.

Chambers book goes into greater detail and is still my first recommendation for those seriously interested in Miles, but this can be a good intro and will definitely give folks a greater sense of this powerful figure of jazz.

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So What The Life of Miles Davis
John Szwed
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0SNDW

Book Description

From the acclaimed author of Warriors of God comes a riveting account of the pivotal events of 1492, when towering political ambitions, horrific religious excesses, and a drive toward international conquest changed the world forever.

James Reston, Jr., brings to life the epic story of Spain’s effort to consolidate its own burgeoning power by throwing off the yoke of the Vatican. By waging war on the remaining Moors in Granada and unleashing the Inquisitor Torquemada on Spain’s Jewish and converso population, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella attained enough power and wealth to fund Columbus’ expedition to America and to chart a Spanish destiny separate from that of Italy. With rich characterizations of the central players, this engrossing narrative captures all the political and religious ferment of this crucial moment on the eve of the discovery of the New World.

Customer Reviews:

An Agreeable Tour.......2007-08-30

A smoothly written summary focusing on events in late 15th century Catholic Spain, but touching also on political intrigue in Portugal, the Vatican, among the defeated Moors, and elsewhere. The Inquisition, the expulsion of the Jews, and Columbus' at times clumsy efforts to win support for his initial voyage West are covered in some detail. This book is not intended for the historically learned or professional scholar. Rather, it is an agreeable tour through a fascinating and significant era in European history. I recommend it to lay readers who enjoy history while also taking pleasure in a well told story.

Read with a grain of salt - or other spices..........2007-08-28

This book is nicely written - compelling enough to keep one turning the pages. If one reads it as a work of historical fiction, the this book is quite enjoyable.

I'm no historian (that's why I purchased the book, after all), but I immediately sensed the author's factual transgressions and wayward perspectives. One need not be an historian, however, to note the one-sidedness here. I couldn't think of a concise way to sum up these shortcomings; and then I read the previous reviews: Journalist.

So what we have here is not a thoroughly researched, thought out, analytical account of an historical event. Then again, should one expect such writing from a journalist? William Shirer (Rise & Fall of the 3rd Reich)set the bar pretty high. He did have an advantage - having lived through the historical event in his book. So, I'm willing to cut Reston some slack. But without setting the bar as high as Shirer, Reston still falls far short of my humble standard for history books.

Would recommend the book. But don't go around quoting it among history scholars - unless, that is, you want to be confused by the facts.

One of the best writers.......2007-07-25

Being historical in nature one would think this would be a tough read. But, Mr. Reston has written this in such a way as to make it very interesting while at the same time perserving historical data, times and places. I was quite amazed. To gain a knowledge of events of the past and see those events repeated or attempted by others such as Hitler and the Jews left a deep inpression upon me. I would encourage everyone to read this book and be awakened by its revealing contents.

This is why journalists shouldn't write history.......2007-07-22

It's bad enough when journalists use their superficial, misleading style in writing "news" or books on modern topics. It's worse when they apply this to real history. Reston takes controversial events from 500 years ago and presents them (with no attribution) as established fact. This book is also slathered with a thick layer of political correctness, violently attacking Christianity for what was undoubtedly a dark period in its past, while gushing over the wonders of Islam. There is no mention that the West has progressed beyond that stage since then, while the religious toleration, spirit of scientific discovery and philosophical debate which abounded in Islam in the 15th century is nowhere present in Islam today. A good question might have been why? As an example, one would take from the book that the institution of African slavery was a Christian European invention, when the Portuguese and Spanish encroachment into the trade was merely an effort to steal this lucrative business away from its Moslem directors, then as today. One will come away from this book with little more knowledge than when one started. Half of it is garbage, half trivial, and you can't even tell which is which.

The Modern Era Began Here.......2007-06-30

If one is looking for a starting point for the advent of colonialism, for the genesis of eastern versus western religious fanaticism, for the rise of European nationalism, one would could do no better than to read James Reston's, "Dogs of God". As he conjectures, 1492 was the year that all the elements of change began to appear and flourish thereafter.

Greed, mysticism,intrigue and power all played key roles in the demagogical minds of the European monarchs and religious leaders-most particular those of Spain and Portugal- as they attempted to outmaneuver one another for control of both the Old and and New Worlds. In their zeal to dominate and subjugate, they set in motion the notorious inquisition and the enslavement and displacement of tens of thousands of lives at home and abroad.

One must hasten to remind oneself that the events portrayed in "Dogs of God" occurred a mere 500 years ago- not that long in comparison to the 6000 years of recorded history- and the vestiges of those catastrophic days are visible today. People are still being terrorized, murdered, bought and sold by government sanctioned edicts. Misguided religion still influences those in authority. The remnants of foreign interventions upon newly emerging and struggling nations are still evidenced throughout the world.

"Dogs of God" helps to bring into perspective what we perhaps have known all along about how we have come to be where we are. It was frightfully grotesque then, as it is disconcerting to read about today.

Old World, New World; Columbus, medieval Spain, and the dawn of the modern era.("Dogs of God Columbus, the Inquisition and the Defeat of the Moors" by ... An article from: The Weekly Standard

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Old World, New World; Columbus, medieval Spain, and the dawn of the modern era.("Dogs of God Columbus, the Inquisition and the Defeat of the Moors" by ... An article from: The Weekly Standard
Peter Hannaford
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000I2K3BQ
Release Date: 2006-08-29

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on August 14, 2006. The length of the article is 1172 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Old World, New World; Columbus, medieval Spain, and the dawn of the modern era.("Dogs of God Columbus, the Inquisition and the Defeat of the Moors" by James Reston Jr.)(Book review)
Author: Peter Hannaford
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 14, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 11 Issue: 45 Page: NA

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Amazon.com

Here are a few facts Kathleen Hall Jamieson thinks you don't know about politics: most presidents try to keep their campaign promises, most candidate ads tell the truth, campaign rhetoric has not become more negative in recent years, reporters don't represent the content of candidate speeches very well, and attack ads don't depress voter turnout. There's more, but the point is clear: the conventional wisdom about politics is often wrong. Jamieson, a University of Pennsylvania dean and frequent guest on the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, is determined to set the record straight.

Everything You Think You Know About Politics... and Why You're Wrong is messy and disjointed, but in a thoroughly enjoyable way. It's essentially a collection of essays--more than two dozen of them--on narrow-focus topics such as whether local TV or local newspapers do a better job of covering politics, the value of candidate debates, and press bias. Jamieson sometimes shares authorship credits on chapters, and most essays are marked by her determination to confound expectations. Not every chapter will interest every reader, but political junkies will find plenty of material worth perusing on these pages. Sometimes Jamieson's claims are provocative: "The gender gap in political knowledge is real.... Men answer more questions about candidate positions correctly than do women." She also argues strenuously in favor of media soundbites--they really do communicate political information effectively, she believes. Readers who intend to keep pace with the twists and turns of the 2000 election season will do well to thumb through this book: it's written with them especially in mind. Everything You Think You Know About Politics... will boost knowledge about how politics works and why campaigns and the media behave as they do--as well as increase readers' pleasure in observing the whole process. --John J. Miller

Book Description

From a media expert and network commentator, an engaging guide through the welter of misinformation-generated by politicians and the media alike-that surrounds political campaigns

Here, at last, is the book for anyone who ever wondered how the media extravaganzas we call political campaigns really work. Everything You Think You Know About Politics...and Why You're Wrong explores why the American public, seemingly so eager for "unspun" information about candidates and their positions, invariably ends up feeling manipulated by our political process.

Challenging the reader with strategically placed quizzes, well-known commentator on the media and politics Kathleen Hall Jamieson surveys the existing public record on voting patterns, campaign promises, and all manner of electioneering and comes up with an engaging mix of analysis, surprising factoids, and political cartoons. This book separates the facts from the convenient fictions that deter Americans from caring about the processes and outcomes of elections.

Customer Reviews:

Boring presentation, but very useful information........2004-10-01

I've long felt that the critics of negative advertising have over-simplified negative advertising by lumping perfectly fair criticisms of a candidate's record into the same class with ad hominem attacks.

At last we have some statistical analysis which differentiates and shows how to properly use negative advertising without suppressing voter turnout.

The author concludes low key ads that "contrast" one candidate's record and views against the other do not suppress voter turnout and may even increase interest in a campaign. Great stuff there that I intend to use in my brother's race.

Having given the author her due for the good information she presents, reading this book is tedious. After I managed to plow through the first 2 chapters I couldn't take it anymore and skipped to the summary.

The author also states some things as fact which I consider to be personal opinions, such as her critique of the Pat Robertson, Warren Rudman imbroglio. A regrettable flaw in an otherwise scholarly book.

Academically Challenged.......2004-04-12

Given the book is from Kathleen Jamieson I was a tad dubious the book would offer objective information. I've seen her commentary on PBS multipe times and she is a reliable spokesman for the Democrats. I thought perhaps the written word may provide her more latitude to provide alternate viewpoints, or at least express a more thorough examination of political issues than is possible in her tv clips. I could not have been more mistaken. The reviews on this page accurately describe most essays as dull, which they are. Anyone who is even remotely in touch with news sources outside of the Today Show is aware of the "sound bite" culture we live in, and the consistent disparity between public pronouncements of our elected officials and the telling details. Ho hum - we really don't need a dozen essays to tell us this. More telling would be a thorough examination of WHY this phenomenon persists, which requires more analysis of the news media which drive our political culture. Face it, most of what politicians do is performed with one finger in the wind, and that wind is largely blown from the network news studios. If they approve, then there is no problem; if they criticize and question, then our friend the politician has a problem. Preening on tv is the coin of the real for most politicians today, not the art of statecraft. The homogenous make-up of the news opinion leaders is proven left-leaning. Exhibit "A" is Walter Cronkite, once the most "trusted man in America" and now an outspoken liberal, who is also known for once saying in order to be a good journalist one HAD to be liberal. Have a look at the cumulative public and private pronouncements of Tom Brokaw, Jane Pauley (married to Gary Trudeau), Dan Rather, Judy Woodruff (married to the liberal Al Hunt), Peter Jennings, Barbara Walters, Diane Sawyer, Connie Chung, etc., etc., etc. They are all Democrat-friendly and critical of Republicans. When was the last time you heard ANY network anchor express admiration for Ronald Reagan? Of course you have not, because it hasn't happened. This is why the book is a yawner, it is mostly liberal academics decrying the state of political discourse in this nation, but they can't point the finger at the culprits of chronic misinformation because they are, in fact, their liberal brethren in the main-stream news media. Why, I may ask, is the nation over 2 years removed from economic recession, yet nearly 50% of the country still believes we are in recession? Putting aside your feelings on the economy, the empirical fact is we are NOT in recession. This is an indictment of the news media, that the people are so terribly misinformed about something so important as the economic state of their country. They should be ashamed at their terrible reporting, but dont' bet a lobster on it. They are certainly proud, as they have somehow saddled a Republican president with the image of a bad economy in an election year. Clinton's economic numbers were not much better than Bush's, yet the media consistently trumpeted his handling of the economy (which was in strong growth when he came into office, and was in negative growth when he left). For a truly informative book on understanding the underpinnings of American political discourse, ignore this book and pick up "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman. It is neither liberal nor conservative, but the watershed work on how our basic cultural values limit what we are capable (collectively, not individually) of understanding about politics and the nation in general. Good times come and go, but stupid is forever. The title of Ms. Jamieon's book is as misleading as its contents, and the perfect embodiment of the empty-headed academic pseudo-insights we'd all benefit by avoiding.

A real yawner.......2004-04-01

A very interesting title, but it does not live up to its name. A lot of compelling statistics, but after awhile I began to question the statistics. For instance, the author credited Clinton with the economy improvement (with a tax increase!) on page 24, when it is doubtful any President can take credit for such a broad "promise" because there are too many things the President has no control over. You may as well credit Clinton for promising the sun will rise every morning.

The book is definitely pro-Clinton, which makes me suspicious of the data being gathered. For instance, on page 64 the author states that Clinton was being misquoted about "lying" about the Lewinsky matter. Most people would say that Clinton may not be lying, but was definitely not forthcoming with the American public. The book paints Clinton as keeping more of his campaign promises as being hardworking, dedicated, and more even handed than Bush or Reagan.

The problem with this book is it is passed off as being a textbook (I pity the students who have to use it), but itself leaves a lot to interpretation. They lumped a lot of promises and comments which are meaningless into their sample to make it more credible. But most campaign promises are useless and just rhetoric at best.

One good part of the book was when they dissected actual speeches (not very many, so don't get excited) and then proceeded to show how the networks chop them up for the sound bites on the news. If they had more of that type of reporting, the book would be more interesting and actually mean more.

Too bad. A good analysis would have been interesting. This book is a Clintonite trying to make a case for Bill Clinton being the greatest President of the 20th century and how the press maligned him. Could have been written by any Democratic operative.

Informative? Yes. Dry? Yes........2003-04-23

There is no argument Jamieson knows her stuff. The problem is this book reads like a textbook. Interesting at points, yet not a real "page turner."

Knowledge Backed With Data.......2001-10-02

This author deserves high praise as she bases her findings on original data. Many political books only present an author's opinions, which are useful in their own way. This book presents academic interpretation of survey findings.
This book explores how contrasting political information is useful in mobilizing support for candidates, yet false political information does tend to be recognized by voters for being incorrect and is rejected and leads to political backlashes against the candidate making the false statements. Further, the manner in which media reports campaigns is a major influence on how voters ultimately form their opinions.
This is an excellent book grounded in documented evidence. Readers interested in politics will find this one of the best books ever on politics and the media.

A book for devout campaign watchers.(Review) (book review): An article from: The Masthead

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A book for devout campaign watchers.(Review) (book review): An article from: The Masthead
Bruce Davidson
Manufacturer: National Conference of Editorial Writers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from The Masthead, published by National Conference of Editorial Writers on December 22, 2000. The length of the article is 676 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A book for devout campaign watchers.(Review) (book review)
Author: Bruce Davidson
Publication: The Masthead (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 22, 2000
Publisher: National Conference of Editorial Writers
Volume: 52 Issue: 4 Page: 17

Article Type: Book Review

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