Across Fortune's Tracks: A Biography of William Rand Kenan Jr.

Book Description

William Rand Kenan Jr. (1872-1965) is best remembered throughout his native North Carolina as a major benefactor of his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. But he was also a gifted scientist and business executive. In this first comprehensive biography, Walter Campbell charts Kenan's achievements in areas as diverse as chemistry, dairy science, media management, and railroad and resort development.

While still a student at UNC, Kenan played an important role in the discovery of calcium carbide—the major component in the manufacture of acetylene—which led to the formation of Union Carbide Company. He later created the nation's largest and most advanced private dairy research farm at his home in Lockport, New York. In 1899, he became a consultant to Standard Oil cofounder and Florida developer Henry Morrison Flagler, who later married Kenan's sister Mary Lily. Following Flagler's death in 1913, Kenan successfully guided the vast network of Flagler businesses, as well as his own flourishing enterprises, through a tumultuous period that saw two world wars, a speculative land boom, and a depression.

This biography offers new insights into Kenan's many successes as well as his disappointments, particularly his keen sense of having lived his life in the shadow of others. It also includes the first objective account of the widely reported rift between the Kenans and the family of Mary Lily's second husband, Robert Worth Bingham.

Across Fortune's Tracks: A Biography of William Rand Kenan, Jr. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
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Across Fortune's Tracks: A Biography of William Rand Kenan, Jr. (book reviews): An article from: The Mississippi Quarterly
James A. Ward
Manufacturer: Mississippi State University
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B00097T9WE
Release Date: 2005-07-28

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Mississippi Quarterly, published by Mississippi State University on March 22, 1997. The length of the article is 923 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: Across Fortune's Tracks: A Biography of William Rand Kenan, Jr. (book reviews)
Author: James A. Ward
Publication: The Mississippi Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1997
Publisher: Mississippi State University
Volume: v50 Issue: n2 Page: p414(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Kelly Chase: The Battler, the second book in the Sport Snaps series gives a glimpse into the life of a young man from a small town who refused to accept limitations put on him by others. He made his dreams of playing in the NHL a reality by combining a fierce determination with the hard work necessary to succeed. The kids of the Gateway Locomotives know only too well that Kelly's determined attitude can move mountains and that their smiles and accomplishments can make the hard-nosed Chase go all soft on the inside. Kelly adds his personal photos to the action packed photos provided by photo agencies from around the United States to illustrate the text written by Jeff Gordon, sportswriter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Kelly's tips for kids, his game-day routine, his answers to questions about the game as its played today, and Coach Joel Quenneville's assessment of Kelly as a player and leader round out what is the Sport Snaps series.

Customer Reviews:

Chaser will always be remembered.......2001-03-05

A great book covering the life and times of Kelly Chase. It has many unique pictures and details of the not so easy life of an NHL player. As a Blues and a Chase fan I highly reccomend this book. I know it is one of my favorites that I can read over and over.

Customer Reviews:

A fascinating collection of Gay and Lesbian film lore.......2002-11-22

I believe this is Boze Hadleigh's best book on Gay and Lesbian Hollywood. It covers films with homoerotic themes, as well as more openly gay films, throughout the history of film. Although the book was published long before some of today's more explicit gay and lesbian films, it is an interesting historical perspective of how gay themes were gradually introduced into mainstream Hollywood film.

All the films covered are put in the perspective of when they were made, and critiqued based on the extent of the portrayal of the gay characters. Films with both positive and negative images are reviewed, as well as stories that may have only gay imagery.

Boze Hadleigh is a great historian of gay cinema, but he does take a lot of liberty with his interpretations. Still, this book is lavishly illustrated and well documented, and a fascinating addition to any film book library.

Lavender Screen, The : The Gay and Lesbian Films - Their Stars, Makers, Characters and Critics
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Lavender Screen, The : The Gay and Lesbian Films - Their Stars, Makers, Characters and Critics
Boze Hadleigh
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KYTBUG

Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Average customer rating:

Facinating history of my favourite drink!

"Let's have another cup of coffee . . . "

Great read for history and coffee junkies

now it is 3 degrees of separation not 6

Like Instant Coffee - Dry and Flavorless

Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Mark Pendergrast
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Release Date: 2000-04-25

Amazon.com

Since its discovery in an Ethiopian rainforest centuries ago, coffee has brewed up a rich and troubled history, according to Uncommon Grounds, a sweeping book by business writer Mark Pendergrast. Over the years, the beverage has fomented revolution, spurred deforestation, enriched a few while impoverishing the many, and addicted millions with its psychoactive caffeine. Coffee is now the world's second most valuable legal commodity, behind oil, according to Pendergrast, who is also author of For God, Country, and Coca-Cola.

"A good cup of coffee can turn the worst day tolerable, can provide an all-important moment of contemplation, can rekindle a romance," he writes. "And yet, poetic as its taste may be, coffee's history is rife with controversy and politics." For example, coffee bankrolled Idi Amin's genocidal regime in Uganda and the Sandinistas' revolution in Nicaragua. Uncommon Grounds provides some fascinating tidbits. Did you know that coffeehouses helped spawn the French and American revolutions? Or that coffee supplanted alcohol as a favorite breakfast drink in Britain in the late 1600s, and later became a patriotic American beverage after the Boston Tea Party? Pendergrast also details the rise and fall of regional coffee brands in the United States, the role of advertising in the industry, the global economic impact of coffee prices, and the recent emergence of specialty-coffee retailers--Starbucks, for example. Finally, he explores the social and environmental ramifications of coffee and highlights recent attempts to encourage a livable wage and environmental protection in coffee-producing nations such as Brazil. Pendergrast also includes an appendix on "how to brew the perfect cup." This wide-ranging book is a good read for those curious about the history and context behind that morning cup of coffee, as well as for those strictly interested in the business side of the industry. --Dan Ring

Book Description

"Pendergrast has served up a rich blend of anecdote, character study, market analysis, and social history...everything you ought to know about coffee is here."
-New York Times

The first comprehensive business and social history of coffee, which describes how coffee has dominated and molded the economies, politics, and social structures of entire countries. Pendergrast's scrupulously researched and lively anecdotal history provides a window through which to view broader themes of modern-day media and marketing, the rise of mass production, colonialism, women's issues, and international commodity schemes.

Customer Reviews:

Facinating history of my favourite drink!.......2006-10-31

From the early beginnings of coffee's discovery to the maturation of the specialty coffee revolution in 1999 it's all here. Provided of course you live in North America.

We learn neat little bits of history such as how almost all the coffee trees in Latin America are descended from a single specimen. A plant that survived storms, pirates and a fellow passenger to make in to Martinique. As with the previous plant another descendent made its way to Brazil with much intrigue (and adultery). The coffee house revolutions in governments (in France) and science (in England) are also covered.
The beginnings of Latin American coffee are then explored and the inequalities are laid very early. This will lead to a later chapter where the effects of this inequality (or slavery would be a better word) will rip through the heart of Latin America, staining the ground red with the blood of thousands. Before that chapter though we have a full explanation of the growth of coffee and the big coffee companies.
Folgers, Maxwell House, MJB etc. Mixed in with this we start to see the wild price swings and the boom/bust cycles. Brazil by this point is the big dog on the block and starts "valorization". This is an attempt to control prices similar to OPEC. Except coffee is warehoused.
We then travel though the early part of the 20th Century. Here we see the decline in coffee quality from freshly roasted coffee delivered fresh to big supermarket pre-staled pre-ground coffee. Eventually by the mid 60's quality declines further to Robusta laden instant coffee. It seems coffee by this point is only sold by price (the lower the better, taste be dammed).
Thankfully we are brought out of the darkness by the specialty coffee revolution. This is where fair trade and coffee with a conscience start to come to the fore. And consumers finally are introduced to the Italian coffee bars brought to you by Starbucks. While Starbucks wasn't the only specialty retailer its growth was nothing short of phenomenal.

Overall this book is a great read on the history of an amazing bean. My only gripe is that an updated edition is sorely needed.
Also look for a coffee documentary called "Black Coffee"(on DVD) where the author is featured quite prominently. This was the reason I bought this book.

"Let's have another cup of coffee . . . ".......2006-10-07

Resting next to your mouse or keyboard - at a safe distance! - your cuppa steams aromatically. The morning coffee, whether at home or work, is the "kick-starter" of many a person's day. For some, it must be a special flavour, brewed to taste, yet often mixed with sweeteners or cow juice, real or otherwise. For the rest, anything hot and caffeine-laced is sufficient. Yet almost none of us ask where that beverage came from, why we drink it and why North Americans stick with coffee and others with tea. Mark Pendergrast asked, and asked some more and in many places. The result is this captivating book relating the history of our favourite beverage. It must be important if we write songs about it.

Opening by relating the Ethiopian myth of the goat-herd wanting to learn why his charges danced about in the bush, Pendergrast quickly traces the spread of coffee elsewhere. Coffee houses, beginning long ago, became quickly popular as gathering places. News and gossip were swopped over steaming cups. Patrons didn't exactly dance about as the goats did, but there must have been something more than just lounging about. The coffee house, viewed as a den of vice or worse, sedition, has been banned by various insecure rulers. Charles II of England, fearful his reign might go the way of his father's, tried to shut them down. He was correct, since the howl of protest might have generated another rebellion. The king withdrew the ban.

While coffee houses remained in place, some becoming gloriously decorated institutions, it was the home market that enlarged the role of coffee. Pendergrast tracks that shift with a colourful history of coffee's economic growth in the Western Hemisphere. As tea was consumed in Britain in a form of support for the East India Company, so did coffee rise as part of North American patriotic fervour. The nascent United States took up coffee with alacrity, the habit made easier by the proximity of the growing nations. The author notes that once coffee took root in Brazil, that nation became the backbone of the coffee industry.

Coffee's status as a cash crop, however, made it vulnerable to numerous forces - not the least weather. Grown at various elevations, but rarely on environmentally stable plains, coffee is subject to storms and frosts. Like grape vines, coffee is also vulnerable to a virus infestation. Prices rise and fall in a highly unpredictable market. Pendergrast notes how at the beginning of the 20th Century, the US penchant for cheap coffee led the government to make early attempts at meddling with Brazil's domestic economy. It was easy to claim Brazil's growers and wholesalers were "fixing" prices by storing millions of bags in warehouses, when their real intention was price stablilisation.

Pendergrast traces the growth of this industry with a fine flair for detail. Price shifts, marketing techniques, changes in tastes and the growth of dealers from small shops to national chains are all covered well. While there are many names and control shifts about in various locations, the author keeps us with him as he recounts the interactions. There is little technical to distract or delay the reader - he keeps the chemistry of coffee tucked away in a final chapter. To reach that point, however, the reader is guided through the founding and expansion of such names as Folger's, Hills Brothers and A&P. It's not all pleasant reading, of course. We must pause to cope with the palate-insulting phenomenon of "instant" coffee [you don't actually drink that stuff, do you?]. There are a few unpleasant people to meet. However, we also learn that with home-served coffee being served by sometimes abused housewives, some enterprising women entered the coffee trade arena. Some of these did so well they are legends in the industry.

This is an excellent book on a "hidden" topic. To understand why coffee prices shift and wobble, why this is the second most valuable resource in the world, why one brand is a delight to drink while another goes down the drain after the first taste, this is the place to find out. While you're ordering your copy, i'll just nip off to the kitchen for another cuppa . . . [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Great read for history and coffee junkies.......2005-12-16

I am an admitted Starbucks addict and History Channel junkie. Both of those traits made this book a total blast to read. Sure, it is a little slow at the beginning, but if you stick with it you learn how Coffee has influenced world economics, the marketing industry, and even our language.

Pendergrast does spend the majority of his time analyzing Coffee's impact on America, so if you are not an American I have to wonder how enjoyable this book would actually be.

Nevertheless, after making it halfway through the book I was able to confound my local Stabucks baristas with my seemingly endless knowledge of coffee trivia.

If you are a serious historian, this book may not be academic enough for you. If, however, you are a "Cliff Claven" type like myself, you will get a real kick out of this.

now it is 3 degrees of separation not 6.......2004-09-22

Everything we do, everything we buy has an impact far around the world. This is an excellent study of these links through an in depth review of the coffee industry. Pendergrast has researched the significant political, business, and economic history of the industry and its role in the US relationship with Latin American, African and Asian coffee producing countries. The information is academic quality but throughoughly readible.

Pendergrast certainly would not ask us to give up this amazing drink, but the book does help to lift the veil of ignorance surrounding the impact our decision has and our role and responsibility in the economic process called the "invisible hand" of capitalism.

The book is a bit heavy on the marketing history of the industry, but to business people or economists this is a one of its strongest aspects. It is also important to understand the history of coffee consumption in the US (and has implications for other products we buy.) Quite simply, Americans bought crappy coffee just because of the advertising and brand strategy. It is amazing to me how much longer it took Americans to realize the potential for much better tasting coffee. It does give hope to all entrepreneurs, because this seems so obvious to us post-Starbucks, but it is only very recently that gourmet coffee companies figured out that we might want something with flavor.

If there are broader lessons from this book, it is to re-examine what we buy. What do we buy that is just good marketing and yet is an inferior product in some way. I like to believe that most Americans would not want to buy products that are made with slave or child labor or with environmental practices that are killing people in another country. Obviously the real world is not so black and white, but I think the same principle applies to everything we buy. Ideally, we will continue to evolve as a society and consider these factors when we choose our coffee. It is the beauty and potential of our economic system that we CAN push Starbucks and other companies in that direction just buy what we choose at the coffee cart or in the grocery aisle.

Like Instant Coffee - Dry and Flavorless.......2004-07-07

The subtitle of this book is: The History of Coffee and How it Transformed Our World. I thought I was getting into a book about the role of coffee in the waves and trends of world history.

However, Prendergast almost entirely ignores the rest of the world (while repeatedly remarking how Europeans drink more coffee than Americans) and writes, instead a literature review of coffee industry publications, going into tedious detail of the advertising wars between coffee companies in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Occasionally, the author finds himself remarking about how coffee consumption in the industrialized world helped institutionalize atrocious poverty in coffee-growing countries, but then eschews considered analysis in order to get back to the oh-so-enthralling decades-long battle between Maxwell House and Hills Brothers for market share.

Prendergast repeatedly refers to how Americans' taste for coffee is, objectively, poor - one feels he does this as compensation for what he knows is a weak narrative.

If you are looking for a book which considers the 'world' as 95% America and chapters full of quotes from fin de siecle coffee advertisements, you've found the right one. If you are looking for a careful anaylsis of how coffee has changed the world, you'll need to keep looking.

UNCOMMON GROUNDS : THE HISTORY OF COFFEE AND HOW IT TRANSFORMED OUR WORLD
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UNCOMMON GROUNDS : THE HISTORY OF COFFEE AND HOW IT TRANSFORMED OUR WORLD
MARK PENDERGRAST
Manufacturer: BASIC BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KUTEDO

Uncommon Grounds: the History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Average customer rating:
Uncommon Grounds: the History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
Mark Pendergrast
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N75ADW

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The New Bowling Trivia Book

The New Bowling Trivia Book

The New Bowling Trivia Book
Donald Williams
Manufacturer: Evergreen Pub. Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0923568522

Book Description

Whether you bowl once a year or twice a week, The New Bowling Trivia Book will entertain and enlighten you. This fast-paced, humorous, and fun look at some of the little-known but real-life facts about bowling is the perfect gift for the avid or casual bowler. Packed with bowling facts and filled with history, records, and oddities, this amusing collection will help you know everything about bowling you never thought to ask.

Customer Reviews:

The New Bowling Trivia Book.......2003-12-08

I purchased this book for my father, who is an avid bowler. He just loves it. He has taken it with him to various PBA events and had bowling celebrities autograph the pages where they were mentioned. He and they get quite a kick out of it.

The New Bowling Trivia Book.......2003-11-26

If you are a bowler or know a bowling enthusiast, this book is a must have. The book is filled with facts about when and how bowling began to the modern day game and everything in between. There is not only trivia but some short quizzes to test your bowling knowledge. The book is fun and was written with a sense of humor. I enjoyed it and recommend it!

Average customer rating:

The bowling trivia book
Donald Williams
Manufacturer: Williams Bowling Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: 0964710005

Book Description

This exceptional, full-color Maya Press title -- produced by Alias, the software's creators -- offers a brand-new approach to teaching modeling and animation using the characters from the Academy Award-winning short film The ChubbChubbs. You'll find instructor-led tutorials, scene files, artist interviews, and Maya Personal Learning Edition on the enclosed DVD.

Customer Reviews:

An Interactive Way to Learn Maya.......2007-05-07

This book was a great way to learn the concepts of Maya. It is colorful and engaging. The book uses fun examples to teach the reader about creating animations.

This book starts out with basic concepts and runs up all the way into complicated animation details. It would be a great book for any level - but absolutely perfect for someone starting out, and looking to become a Maya pro.

worst....guidebook.....ever..............2007-03-28

horrible. as some have said, names are misused, images are confusing,
greatly lacking in explanation. i've been banging my head against this thing for two and a half weeks and i give up. clunky workflow examples and frankly outdated pipeline. anyone interested in a book like this would do themselves a favor by checking out Gnomon Studios or Digital Tutors. they present more sophisticated and intuitive workflows. save your money and use the manual that came with your software as reference with the video guides available from the above mentioned companies. it'll save you from the inevitable ulcers Learning Maya 7 will cause. p.s. been using EIAS since '95. Not new to this game. hope the review helps.

Apparently quite good.......2007-01-09

I gave this as a gift, but the recipient told me it's an excellent resource and well worth the investment

Good for Starters.......2007-01-04

This book was used in my Intermediate 3d Animation course and it's pretty good for the basics of rigging a bipedal character. However, the book tends to be inconsistent with some of its naming conventions for certain bones while rigging, which could confuse a beginner. For example, when they go through and tell you to name all your bones, they tell you to name the "knee" joint "up leg", then a few chapters later, they refer to it as the "knee joint" instead of "up leg."

Perfect.......2006-08-17

This is exactly what i was looking for, i think this is an amazing book if you want to learn....you have to get it.

Book Description

This offical biography documents Siouxsie and the Banshees unsteady birth through their creative height with 1993's Superstition album and their split in 1996. Now reformed, they are launching their Best Of... album in 2002. The book features exclusive interviews and photos and is written by personal friend and journalist Paul Mather, from London.

Customer Reviews:

Really good insight.......2007-10-07

The author of this bio does a great thing. He shuts his f#@king mouth and lets the band do the talking. The book really gives an insight into the band that I never had. Good creative insight, and a little naughty gossip as well. Good read, Great band

Definetly Difficult To Put Down!.......2007-02-15

Siouxsie and the Banshees tells you like it is. Period. They talk about everything from their childhood, drugs, alcohol, traumatic experiences, etc in such vivid detail that you literally feel like you are experiencing it! I think all books about celebrities should be just like this: straight to the point and honest! However, Sioxsie and the Banshees draw you in with their colorful way of speaking......and believe me, their life will be stuck in your head.....no, seriously.

GET THE BOOK!!!!

A roller coaster tale of rock-and-roll survival and success.......2005-10-28

I have a casual interest in Siouxsie and the Banshees and recently decided to add their 'best of' to my CD collection. On a whim I decided to get this biography to find out the stories behind some excellent songs. I must say how impressed I was with what I learned about the band and the personalities within. I can sum it all up by saying it's a story of chance, hard work, an over-whelming desire to be different, drinking, a seemingly never ending succession of guitar players, more drinking, some drugs, persistance and artistic integrity. With more drinking! Starting from a point of not even knowing how to play their instruments right through to crafting some song arrangements which are quite exquisite, Siouxsie and the crew really made their mark. This book delivers a blunt and to-the-point account of how they managed it. A very interesting read for anyone whose single buying years started in the late 70s and who has an interest in the late punk/new wave/pop genre.

prelati.......2005-09-07

Rock biogs are a motley lot, and I think I make a good benchmark reviewer for this as I like a lot of the Banshees early stuff, but always got the impression Siouxsie was a bit of a punk prima donna. I was pleasantly surprised by this, as it's nicely put together, a good read, and I left with a great deal more respect for and understanding of Ms Sioux and crew. It's not going to change your life - punk's had far too many unrealistic aspirations laid on its shoulders by scene asskissers over the years - but this book's both an entertaining and informative take on all things Banshee.

a terrific read.......2005-06-12

This is one book I just can't put down. I fell into the Banshees quite by accident in 1984, having discovered them via their connections to the Cure's Robert Smith. Hyaena was my first purchase, and although I felt like something of a "Johnny-Come Lately" fan I have followed them ever since. This great book tells the warts and all story of the band, from their chaotic, what-a-shambles beginings through their many trials and tribulations, to their ultimate break-up and unfortunate reunion. For fans this is a MUST. If, like me, you have always assumed that Sioux's last name is Dallion, as is it spelled in many alternative rock source guide books, then you will learn that it's actually Ballion. And that's just the begining.

Customer Reviews:

ETHIOPIANS HAVE NEVER BEEN JEWS!!!!.......2007-08-15

What on earth is the point of inventing Jewish roots concerning these deceptive Ethiopians (or the so-called Black Jews, another invention!!!) when everybody knows too well why they became Jews: only because it was the only possibility for them to immigrate to Israel only for economic reasons (to flee their undescribable poverty).

THERE ARE NO BLACK JEWS!!! THE BLACKS WHO ARE JEWS ARE CONVERTED JEWS! END OF THE STORY OF THE SO-CALLED BLACK JEWS!!! BUT THE BLACK JEWS REFUSE TO CONVERT (KIDDING THEMSELVES THAT THEY WOULD BE JEWS!!!) AND THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT EVEN JEWS!!!

Were these Ethiopians Jews in Ethiopia? NO! NEVER EVER!! They were Christians! A significant number of them in Israel returned to their Christian faith even though most of them decided to keep being Jew because they felt it was safer for them to do so in Israel (despite the fact that there is freedom of faith for Christians and Muslims)!!

In the history of the Jewish people, there has never ever been members of the Jewish people who were black. Never! Blacks can become Jews today through conversion if they convert without inventing false stories but there is not a group of Jews in the history of the Jewish people who were black Jews! NEVER!
I already hear some people reading my comments who might be tempted to say that I am racist but I am telling these people that I am fine accepting blacks who convert to Judaism without inventing false stories in order to convert. To invent false stories in order to convert renders the conversion process completely invalid!!

To have converted Jewish Orthodox these Ethiopians do not make them Jews in any way simply because they used deception to convert to Judaism with the goal of immigrating to Israel ONLY FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. They converted only to flee their awful poverty that they were suffering in Ethiopia where they were living in mud huts and nearly all of them, except their leaders, were completely illiterate (they could not read nor write and they did not have access to the simplest books or writing items!!). Later on, these American Jews who have pushed them to convert gave them books, taught them how to read, and more.

Why did they become Jews? American Jews who did not want to move to Israel felt guilty by their lack of willingness to move to Israel. They were working on outreach projects in Ethiopia and saw that these people were potentially ready to convert in order to move to Israel with the only goal of fleeing their poverty. They made them Jews by teaching them Judaism, giving their leaders Old Testament books to read and so on. Worse, they invented for them Jewish roots, telling the Jewish world that these Ethiopians were Jews!!! What a shame!!
Then, they showed movies of them with Jewish items and praying and they told the viewers of these movies that they have kept Jewish traditions for centuries!! What an awful deception!

All these books on the so-called Ethiopian Jews and the movies about them, they are all completely invented stories where these Ethiopian are given completely invented Jewish roots!

This book deserves a zero because it is based on pure lies!! That is as simple as that!!

Who Puts Up The Barriers To Understanding And Why.......2007-02-25

The research is impeccable and the conclusions cannot be denied.

Author Yosef A.A. ben-Jochannan impressively gets past the lies and false accounts that unfortunatelty has become religious doctrine to bring new meaning to the birthplace of civilization in mother Africa.

With a focus on Ethiopia and Egypt, the two lengthy pamphlets that make up the book puts into proper perspective the rich sciences, technologies, histories and languages - written & spoken - that emerged from these societies. There is a special emphasis on the creation of the white myths that deny the black Jewish faith - for example, the real history surrounding Ethiopia's Black Messiah -its rightful place in religious doctrine.

The research began in the 1930s, with material updated through the early 1980s. The layout is in pamphlet form from that era, which makes for a very difficult read. But the reader will learn through patience.

In the Dedication, ben-Jochannan writes, "This aspect of the history and heritage of the Black Jews is dedicated to all oppressed African People whose religion differ from those who control the power of life and death over most of us. Out of this it is hoped that a better understanding between African People will prevail in spite of religious differences. Remember; Religion is Nothing More, or Less, Than a Belief. And That Any One Of Them Is As Godly As Another."

As one, the truth shall be known. As one, love will truly reign supreme. As one, life, death and salvation will again have its righteous meaning.

F. I........2005-07-06

This book as other books by Dr. Ben-Jochannan, is very informative.
The subject matter with regards to the creastion of the Bible, due to the influences of expecially Egypt is illuminating and really makes sense also the matter of whuch came first, the chicken or the egg is also the DENIAL of what Jewish(Hebrew)really is.
Suggested reading for ALL.

The Rarest of the Rare: Stories Behind the Treasures at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Average customer rating:

Great subject, great text, great photos.

More than a mere listing or summary outline of specimens

A TRULY OUTSTANDING BOOK!!!!!!!

A delightful and entertaining book

Something for everyone!

The Rarest of the Rare: Stories Behind the Treasures at the Harvard Museum of Natural History
Nancy Pick , and Mark Sloan
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060537183
Release Date: 2004-10-26

Book Description

Where do you find Nabokov's butterflies, George Washington's pheasants, and the only stuffed bird remaining from the Lewis and Clark expedition? The vast collections of animals, minerals, and plants at the Harvard Museum of Natural History are among the oldest in the country, dating back to the 1700s. In the words of Edward O. Wilson, the museum stands as both "cabinet of wonder and temple of science." Its rich and unlikely history involves literary figures, creationists, millionaires, and visionary scientists from Asa Gray to Stephen Jay Gould. Its mastodon skeleton -- still on display -- is even linked to one of the nineteenth century's most bizarre and notorious murders.

The Rarest of the Rare tells the fascinating stories behind the extinct butterflies, rare birds, lost plants, dazzling meteorites, and other scientific and historic specimens that fill the museum's halls. You'll learn about the painting that catches Audubon in a shameful lie, the sand dollar collected by Darwin during the voyage of the Beagle, and dozens of other treasures in this surprising, informative, and often amusing tour of the natural world.

Customer Reviews:

Great subject, great text, great photos........2005-09-10

I've wandered through that musuem and been impressed, but this book brings my appreciation and awe to an entirely new level. I don't know whether to make a return visit or just reread the book whenever I need to be reminded of that treasure house in Cambridge. Nancy Pick's text is like a curator tour of the collection highlights; the best tour you could imagine.

More than a mere listing or summary outline of specimens.......2005-03-11

Museum enthusiasts and natural history buffs alike will find the museum stories in The Rarest of the Rare: Stories Behind the Treasures at the Harvard Museum of Natural History are enhanced with nearly a hundred color photos by Mark Sloan as images accompany descriptions for some of the unusual specimens housed at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, with Nancy Pick explaining the special importance of each. The Rarest Of The Rare is more than a mere listing or summary outline of specimens as author Nancy Pick reveals just how the item was collected and where, as well as noting the diverse financial and collector contributors who often performed extraordinary feats to get the specimen to the museum.

A TRULY OUTSTANDING BOOK!!!!!!!.......2004-12-10

This is a gem of a book. A rare combination of science, history, and photography. The book presents the history of Harvard's Museum of Natural History and the great scientific treasures it holds. Nancy Pick's wonderful writing style includes historical information on how the specimens came into the collection and on the scientific importance of these specimens. You get to see material collected by Lewis and Clark, Captain Cook, Darwin, Nabokov, and many, many others. There is something here for everybody: birds, insects, orchids, mammals, fishes, reptiles, etc. This is truly an outstanding book.

A delightful and entertaining book.......2004-12-07

The Rarest of the Rare is an excellent and entertaining look at many of the truly unique and historically-significant treasures found at the Harvard Museum. It is very well written, with just enough information to capture your attention and imagination, but not so much as to be boring; together with the exceptional photographs, this makes for a wonderful addition to any natural history or museum buff's library.

Something for everyone!.......2004-11-13

This is a beautifully produced book, as carefully designed as a "coffee table" book, but without the cumbersome size and off-putting price. The book will appeal both to those with a cabinet-of-wonders curiosity and to those who are more interested in the scientific relevance of this great museum's holdings. Aside from its production, there are three great stars to the book. First, its writing: clear, humorous, informative and narratively driven. Second, its photographs: gorgeous, telling, often interestingly angled. Finally, its selection: a wide-ranging collection of different kinds of objects with very varied histories and significances. -- Again, everyone will find something in this book, and most people will find a lot indeed.

Book Description

i Agendas for Sustainability /i considers the processes used for devising global environment and development agendas and provides practical suggestions for their future development and influence.

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