Henry Ford: A Hearthside Perspective

Book Description

Named "Businessman of the Century" by Fortune Magazine, Henry Ford is well known for his automotive accomplishments. His achievements extend far beyond this, including induction into five national halls of fame and donation of nearly one-third of his life's fortune to philanthropic efforts.

Henry Ford: A Hearthside Perspective presents a unique view of the life of Henry Ford, looking at his homesites, historic landmarks, and charitable contributions as well as his relationships with family and friends. Through history, pictures, songs, and interpretive biography based on 16 years of research, author Donn P. Werling, director of the Ford Estate, offers the reader powerful insight into the life and thoughts of this remarkable man.

Customer Reviews:

Could use a good edit.......2002-09-19

Donn Werling writes about little-known aspects of Ford's life, especially his home life, so for "Fordophiles" the book is interesting. But it assumes a lot of knowledge about Ford, and often does not explain rather obscure references. The writing is inconsistent, sometimes rambling. If you are looking for a basic history of Ford's life, this is not the book for you. If you are an enthusiast who wants to know more interesting factoids, and are willing to wade through to find them, then get this book.

Henry Ford - a different type of view.......2002-01-15

Donn Werling's book presents a different view of Henry Ford. This book presumes a working knowledge of Henry Ford and all of what he was about. It is a "thinking man's" perspective approach. Mr. Werling is the director of the Henry Ford Estate and takes his approach to Henry Ford as not just a job, but as a truly interested person. It is well worth the investment of your money in buying the book and of your time in reading it.
Rich Jonas-Schererville, IN

Fresh outlook on a unique life.......2001-01-20

Wirling masterfully writes of a historic man whose life affected each of ours. Utilizing one of Ford's favorite places, the hearth, Wirling spins this industrialist's story around song and story recreating history in a simple, yet profound way.

Ford is ever the energetic industrialist, yet his agriarian roots constantly play out. Wirling's style of writing this book fits so well this orientation of Mr. Ford. Delightful read which displays the many interests of this man who was so prominent in many disciplines besides the auto sector that so prominently bears his influence. Delightful work.

Henry Ford: Americana visionary with a social conscience.......2000-07-31

I have just read a facinating book on Henry Ford. What makes this book unique is it's unusual social context, interpretative history, and experiential presentation. As Americans we have a picture of Henry Ford, his industrial accomplishments and short comings; however we have never been taught his social commitment to working people, his fellow workers, and communities.

This book allows you to visualize a camping trip with Henry Ford, an ardent conservation and preservationist, John Burroughs, America's esteemed naturalist, Harvey Firestone, a rubber industry magnate, and Thomas Alva Edison, America's true genius inventor. A social time-line technique is used which allows the reader the opportunity to easily follow such events as Ford's committment to education from industrial trade schools to Tuskegee Institute.

A unique facination of this work for this author-publisher was the perfect placement of text and corresponding photos. This layout allows for maximum visualization of the content. A family can read this work together and then choose to experience the working powerhouse on site at the Henry Ford Estate---Fair Lane, or visit the Upper Peninsula site of the Pequaming Mill and school on the shores of Lake Superior, or enjoy the Grand Ole Opry that Henry Ford helped establish.

This is experiential learning at its best. A blueprint to interpretive history of many unknown facts and stories and musical verse about Henry Ford. Once you read this work, you will want to share your experience with many others. Awards and recognition for creative style and historical context will be forth coming!

Karl W. Grube, Ph.D., Author-Publisher of gamesbygrube.com - Ann Arbor, Michigan

Customer Reviews:

A great look into one of the best hockey schools.......2000-12-11

Simply because I remember most of the later events described in this book unfold during my childhood years, I found this book to be most interesting. It provides a great look into some of the hockey's most profound moments, and describes the system that has produced so many great stars. It is definately a must read for anyone interested in the history of the game.

Something is Missing.......1998-06-25

While this book is most interesting , something is missing. Why does Tarasov completely leave out The Soviet Olympic Team losing to the US Olympic Team in the 1980 Olympics? Herb Brooks was an avid student of Tarasov and would often track him down with a bottle of vodka and pry the master for information he could use to develop his US teams to emmulate the great Soviet squads. Could it be the conflict between Brooks and AHAUS that this portion of Soviet history was blantently edited out? Shame on USA Hockey if this is the case!

Tarasov at his finest,a "no-holds-barred" dialogue on Hockey.......1997-06-28

In a blunt and descriptive review one of the greatest hockey coaches ever, points out the differences between hockey his way and hockey "our" way. What made the Russians dominate?? Tarasov reveals the answer...Why the decline of the Russian hockey program?? Tarasov fortells and describes why it happened..Do Russians enjoy playing hockey??...once and for all the father of Russian hockey destroys the myth of the stone faced Russians... For fans who want stories of internatinal hockey..this book has it. For people who want to become familiar with the history of Russian hockey this book will cover it. Coaches will also gain insight into a few of the revolutionary training and tactics that Tarosov introduced to the ice

Book Description

In this engaging and provocative book, S. Craig Watkins examines two of the most important developments in the recent history of black cinema—the ascendancy of Spike Lee and the proliferation of "ghettocentric films." Representing explores a distinct contradiction in American society: at the same time that black youth have become the targets of a fierce racial backlash, their popular expressive cultures have become highly visible and commercially viable.

"Watkins is at his most sophisticated and persuasive when he explains the surprising success of hyper-talented, entrepreneurial, and energetic black artists."—Archon Fung, Boston Book Review

Customer Reviews:

An excellent accessment of Hip-Hop Culture and Black Film........2000-12-25

I highly recommend this book. It is very enjoyable and informative reading that is right on target for insight into the Black Urban Culture, the rise of Hip Hop and it's influence on Black produced American film. It was used as a main text for a Rap and Black Cinema university course successfully. Although very sociology based, it was understood by college students of other majors who appreciated the book's honesty of a much maligned topic.

Book Description

The Spice Girls are one of the most successful pop bands in history. Their debut album, "Spice," has gone platinum six times. Their first book, Girl Power, was an international blockbuster, selling more than a million copies. Following a spectacular 1997, the group kicked off 1998 with hits at the box office and on the pop charts and airwaves. Their first feature film, "Spice World," made a strong US debut, earning $11.3 million in its first five days. Meanwhile, their "Spiceworld" album went double platinum as they scored a major triple win at the American Music awards. Coming off a blitz of nationally televised appearances, including David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey, The Spice Girls return to America in June for their 1998 World Tour. Now Real Life: Real Spice-the first and only official biography of the Spice Girls-goes back to the beginning of this pop phenomena. Together with their family and friends, Emma, Geri, Victoria and the two Melanies talk about their early lives, how they got together, and how it felt when superstardom arrived. Ten chapters chart the Girls' meteoric rise from determined wannabes to the Queens of Pop, in a book packed with family photos, glamour shots, and exclusive interviews. 142 pp

10 x 101/2

230 color & 30 b/w photos

Customer Reviews:

Real Life Real Spice By The Spice Girls [1997].......2005-08-14

This is a great book written by the girls.It includes pernosal Life-Stories wriiten by each girl. The Photos are awesome! If you want a Spice Girls story from 1972-1997 this is really for you.
I have to warn you after you buy this book you'll know so much about the Spice Girls you'll be suprised! It's out of print thankfullly, Amazon offers it. Buy It now!

Great! The Best!!.......2000-11-03

I loved this book! It has amazing photos and stories and tells all about each of the girls different walks of life. I loved it! Geri was always my fave and now I think I understand why she left. As one of her quotes goes "I'm a restless person and I'm not satisfied yet. I don't know what I'm to do yet but something else has to be coming my way." I think that was an amazing and brave thing to do so Cheers Geri!

This is the Best book I have ever read!.......2000-07-29

I may not be a big book reader for my spare time, but I can tell you this is the best book I have ever read. I love the Spice Girls, and Ginger was always my fav, and to find out more about my favorite female in the world, well, is awesome. she is such a cool person and a great writter! I was talking about it at school once, and one of my classmates came up to me, and wanted to read it. she agreed, this is a good book! she couldn't put it down (as I couldn't, either!). it explains a lot, and fills in the holes as why Geri left the Spice Girls. this is her whole life story, and you also get to learn even more about the Spice Girls than you probably knew from before! oh, and if you have her solo album, you might not understand some of her lyrics- but once I read this, and listened to it again, the whole album made sense, and I could relate everything back to her book. it's awesome. a definte for spice girl fans.

Oh my gosh....This is the best book ever! Spice Girls Rule!.......2000-04-29

This book is wonderfully written. The Spice Girls are brilliant recording artists and now they're brilliant authors too! I definately think you you should read this if you're a Spice fan and even if you're not, you'll still enjoy the book. It is a real attention catcher. Tou won't be able to put your book down! Spice Up Your Life by reading this!

REAL LIFE:REAL SPICE.......1999-12-10

This book is undoubtedly the best book I've ever read. It tells the story of pop music's biggest phenomenon, the Spice Girls. Learn about Mel C's hundreds of awards, Emma's early modeling career, Victoria's many hair styles, Geri's Girl Power!, and Mel G's cute side. If you love the Spice Girls, this book is definitly for you. Also check out Geri Halliwell's new book If Only. Girl Power!

Real Life: Real Spice The Official Story

Average customer rating:

Real Life: Real Spice The Official Story
The Spice Girls
Manufacturer: Zone/Chameleon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UETJ5S

Average customer rating:

Real Life Real Spice the Official Story
Spice Girls
Manufacturer: ZONE BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000SGOAZ2

Average customer rating:

Awfull

Buy it now before it becomes too rare!

Your better off creating your own campaign setting.

The greatest setting ever created by TSR

My Favorite Setting

Birthright Campaign Setting (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition/3100)
L. Richard Baker , Colin McComb , and Sue
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Dungeons & Dragons | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Entertainment | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
Science Fiction & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
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Blood Enemies: Abominations of Cerilia (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition: Birthright, Campaign Accessory/3101)

Tribes of the Heartless Wastes (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, 2nd Edition: Birthright, Campaign Expansion/3147)

ASIN: 0786901438

Customer Reviews:

Awfull.......2000-10-07

The story of the campaign was borring and far too simple. It was a fight between the forces of evil and the forces of good. At the end the forces of good as in all romance stories won. BORING BORING BORING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Buy it now before it becomes too rare!.......2000-08-07

Wonderful - you can be a king!, and everything is detailed for your character to run a breathtaking campain in Cerila!

Your better off creating your own campaign setting........2000-04-22

The game is way to confusing, and I couldn't stand it. So I created my own campaign setting with similar rules, and it was much better.

The greatest setting ever created by TSR.......1999-01-11

For over 15 years i have adventured from one setting to the next. Not until i entered Cerilia, have i had so much interest and excitement in a single campaign. The mixture of blooded kings, large scale wars, and single adventures, no setting has more to offer than Birthright. If you have been waiting for that one setting to take your gaming to the next level, it's here.

My Favorite Setting.......1998-10-13

Birthright is the best setting I have ever played in. Low in wizardly magic so magical items are quite rare. Very diffrent demi-humans inculding immortal elves (one race only) and Dwarves with usually short beards. Not to mention 5 distinct human races. Goblins and goblin-kin (orcs, gnolls, etc) are no longer just beasts but are as "human" as elves or dwarves. A great world for those who like thier games to have things to do with kingdoms. Best part is the ability for players to easily be kings.

Birthright (AD&D Campaign Setting, 3 Books)

Average customer rating:

Birthright (AD&D Campaign Setting, 3 Books)
*
Manufacturer: TSR
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KBACY8

Amazon.com

Standards, argues Jeffrey Zeldman in Designing With Web Standards, are our only hope for breaking out of the endless cycle of testing that plagues designers hoping to support all possible clients. In this book, he explains how designers can best use standards--primarily XHTML and CSS, plus ECMAScript and the standard Document Object Model (DOM)--to increase their personal productivity and maximize the availability of their creations. Zeldman's approach is detailed, authoritative, and rich with historical context, as he is quick to explain how features of standards evolved. It's a fantastic education that any design professional will appreciate.

Zeldman is an idealist who devotes some of his book to explaining how much easier life would be if browser developers would just support standards properly (he's done a lot toward this goal in real life, as well). He is also a pragmatist, who recognizes that browsers implement standards differently (or partially, or not at all) and that it is the job of the Web designer to make pages work anyway. Thus, his book includes lots of explicit and tightly focused tips (with code) that have to do with bamboozling non-compliant browsers into behaving as they should, without tripping up more compliant browsers. There's lots of coverage of design and testing tools that can aid in the creation of good-looking, standards-abiding documents. --David Wall

Topics covered: Why Web standards (such as XHTML, CSS, ECMAScript, and DOM) are good for everyone, and why site designers and browser makers should move towards standards compliance.

Book Description

Best-selling author, designer, and web standards evangelist Jeffrey Zeldman has updated his classic, industry-shaking guidebook. This new edition--now in full color--covers improvements in best practices and advances in the world of browsers since the first edition introduced the world to standards-based design. Written in the same engaging and witty style, making even the most complex information easy to digest, it remains an essential guide to creating sites that load faster, reach more users, and cost less to design and maintain.

Readers will learn from Jeffrey's insights as he demonstrates how web standards are driving search engine friendliness ("findability") and the Web 2.0 applications that have reinvigorated the medium and the online marketplace. Readers will discover new techniques to make CSS layouts work better across multiple browsers and ways to make web content more accessible.

Customer Reviews:

really good.......2007-10-01

The book arrived on itme and in great condition. It is a great book, information and helpful.

You MUST Get This Book!.......2007-08-20

No doubt about it, this book is a requirement for anyone who designs or codes web sites. Zeldman's wit and passion for web standards is evident from the moment you open this book. It is by far one of the best books I have read in a long while; it's easy to read, very informative, and very enjoyable. I wish all computer books could be this amusingly educational. Designing with Web Standards is a permanent fixture next to my computer and I am look forward to any future books Zeldman may author.

It's changed the way I code web pages.......2007-05-13

Fantastic book. It's changed the way I code web pages. There's really no reason not to design with web standards - it's actually easier than the way we've been doing it all these years, and this book will show you exactly how in 250 pages or so.

Fun read, lots of case studies. Good, short and to-the-point illustrations. While it's not structured as a reference, I find myself using this book that way, from time to time. This book is completely language agnostic, and I think it should be on any web developer's bookshelf.

Web Standards & Accessibility.......2007-04-21

Important things to consider before you open the cover and start your exploration through this +400 page book.

I'm really sure the target audience is not of someone who has just started making websites or applications, but someone who is atleast at the point were they could code an entire site by hand in notepad and know the inner workings of most web elements. You know CSS, XHTML, and doctypes. How important web accessibility is. this book will give you the true understanding of why people are pushing the use of web standards.

This is not a how to code and entire application from scratch tutorial like a wrox book.

THE book to give somebody who learned html in the 1990s.......2007-03-14

This is the perfect book to give to somebody who leanred non-symantic html markup in the 1990's. The prose is the best of any technical book I have ever read. If you do html design and work with people who learned how to do it the old way, this is the book to force them to read to get started doing it the right way.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting story about the CIA's first CI chief........1999-01-01

I read this book several years ago, and found it to be very interesting and worthwhile. James Jesus Angleton was one of the early members of the CIA - a graduate of Yale which, at one time, was one of the primary recruiting grounds for the CIA. Angleton, according to the author, cut a very shadowy figure in an already shadowy world. Some of Mangold's text seems biased against Angleton, such as references to "The Trust" - an early counter intelligence operation created by Feliks Dzerzhinsky, the founder of the Cheka. Angleton placed great emphasis on understanding this old operation. Mangold seems to deride this practice of Angelton's, which I felt was unfairly judgemental. Mangold, however, also describes an operation headed up my Angleton which caused the ruin of some productive CIA officers. All in all, though, the book is very interesting, and manages to submerge the reader into the world of counter intelligence during the cold war era. Counter Intelligence has been described by those who have practiced it as a "Wilderness of mirrors". After reading this book the reader will gain an appreciation, even if only superficial, of how nerve-racking the job could be - not knowing whom you can trust.

Cold Warrior - James Jesus Angleton - the CIA's Master Spy Hunter

Average customer rating:

Cold Warrior - James Jesus Angleton - the CIA's Master Spy Hunter
Tom Mangold
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Canada
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 067169748X

Average customer rating:

Interesting but thats all.

Well-Written Obligatory History Science Revealing Amazing Facts

Historical nit-picking aside

His-Story is slowly being unravelved

A must have

They Came Before Columbus: The African Presence in Ancient America
Ivan Van Sertima
Manufacturer: Random House Trade Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
Expeditions & Discoveries | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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Stolen Legacy

ASIN: 0812968174
Release Date: 2003-09-23

Amazon.com

This controversial book by Ivan Van Sertima, the Guyanese historian, linguist, and anthropologist, claims that Africans had been to the New World centuries before Columbus arrived there in 1492. Citing--among other things--the huge Negroid-looking Olmec heads of Central Mexico and the similarities between the Aztec and Egyptian calendars and pyramid structures, Van Sertima pieces together a hidden history of pre-Columbian contact between Africans and Native Americans. He also puts forth the possibility that Columbus may have already known about a route to the Americas from his years in Africa as a trader in Guinea. The ideas in this book have been debated and discussed since its first publication in 1976; even those who choose not to believe Van Sertima's theories should take his argument seriously. --Eugene Holley, Jr.

Book Description

They Came Before Columbus reveals a compelling, dramatic, and superbly detailed documentation of the presence and legacy of Africans in ancient America. Examining navigation and shipbuilding; cultural analogies between Native Americans and Africans; the transportation of plants, animals, and textiles between the continents; and the diaries, journals, and oral accounts of the explorers themselves, Ivan Van Sertima builds a pyramid of evidence to support his claim of an African presence in the New World centuries before Columbus. Combining impressive scholarship with a novelist’s gift for storytelling, Van Sertima re-creates some of the most powerful scenes of human history: the launching of the great ships of Mali in 1310 (two hundred master boats and two hundred supply boats), the sea expedition of the Mandingo king in 1311, and many others. In They Came Before Columbus, we see clearly the unmistakable face and handprint of black Africans in pre-Columbian America, and their overwhelming impact on the civilizations they encountered.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting but thats all........2007-07-05

This book raises a few interesting issues but that is about all. Did Columbus discover America? Obviously not as there were people inhabiting the place when he arrived. Had people from the 'old world' traveled to America before Columbus? There would be no reason to suggest that they had not. We have found coins and jewlery from Norse cultures and in this book examples of African art and culture also.

Concerning some images such as statues are art. Yes, they could be African, most likely Native American, possibly influenced by Africans. I mean the thing that is often forgotten is that contary to popular belief our ancestors did not just sit about their own private villages or towns never daring to travel. We have numerous travel books from adventurers and oral tradition to prove otherwise. The peoples of the south Pacific who colonised the islands there, the numerous 'Rihla' books in Arabic and 'Seyahet-name' in Persian and Turkish.

People did travel, there are travel books from Arab manuscripts of adventurers who went to Northern Russia and Eastern Europe, Masudi who went into the Indian jungles the list is endless so there is no reason to asume that Africans may or may not have traveled the Atlantic to the Americas and if in sufficiant numbers settled there.

Where the book does start to go to far is to claim that there was some African influence on nearly every aspect of Native American culture. This form of cultural imperialism is no different than the European kind.

An interesting book, I liked the tale of the Mali king who sailed away leaving his kingdom. Worth reading but with a pinch of salt.

Well-Written Obligatory History Science Revealing Amazing Facts.......2007-04-25

In the meanwhile (from the book's 1st publishing in 1976) it has become widely accepted that the Vikings preceded Columbus in the Americas considerably. It is also popularly known today that Columbus never set foot on American mainland soil personally on any of his travels. Yet, it is still argued by many African Americans that Black Africans arrived in the Americas simultaneously with the very first "Columbian-European" ships onwards - as slaves - and therefore are as naturally or not "Americans" as the Euro Americans today. Why so shy? Ivan Van Sertima proves neatly that Black Africans preceded Columbus in the Americas in at least half a dozen eras, some of those even preceding the Vikings considerably. In fact, that the Americas never have been as completely isolated from Africasia (including Europe) as commonly believed, with accidental driftings from e.g. Japan, Oceania, Europe and Africa all along - even vice versa. Most fascinating are the PLANNED travels by Black Africans to the Americas, ranging from the Egyptian-Phoenician joint (ad)ventures, via the (Black) Mali Empire of 1310/11 and the Moorish-Arabs. While some of these didn't leave that many traces in the Americas, some introduced botanical revolutions in the "Old World" upon return, others caused considerable influences in the famous civilisations of the Americas, such as the Olmecs, Mayas, Aztecs, socalled Incas and many others.

If that sounds unbelievable, you will know for sure after reading this book. I have reviewed parts (!) of other revealing books as a bit of a fishing, theories in need of scientific validation (The Africans Who Wrote the Bible); as maybe flawed proofs for general truths to be enhanced by more modern reasonings (Stolen Legacy); as less than circumstantial evidence (AFRICAN ORIGINS OF FREEMASONRY: Treatise of the Ancient Grand Lodge of Khamet). This book, however, in all parts manages to convince with overwhelming scientific hard evidence, simply un-disprovable. To quote the book's conclusion: "The African [pre-Columbian] presence is proven by stone heads, terra-cottas, skeletons, artifacts, techniques and inscriptions, by oral traditions and documented history, by botanical, linguistic and cultural data." Astounding to read today that Columbus himself was very much aware of African contact with the Americas preceding him, in fact this being the reason to pursue those travel( route)s in the first place. That the nautical skills of most of the preceding Africans by far outmatched those of Columbus - even up to the Europeans till the 18th century. That the king Abubakari himself of the Mali empire, which dwarfed the Roman empire, crossed the Atlantic on a first contact mission very daringly. Not to mention the very specific and very complex parallels between several ancient American and African cultures.

After reading this book, what strikes me as more amazing than the facts revealed, is my previous vague might-or-maybe-belief of them, as I had basically heard of the respective "theory" of the book's title, but without any proven specifics. Being fairly educated on this for my interest in Africa I did know before that it is accepted facts that the ancient Egyptians dug a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea and successfully sent a shipping expedition around Africa. That the Phoenicians became a sea travelling people. That the Egyptians knew that the world was ball-shaped and were masters of astronomy. That they were master-precision builders geometrically and astronomically. That the Polynesians were able to travel to and settle on Hawaii, Easter Island, New Zealand and Madagascar with ships not even resulting from an extraordinary megacity building society. More recently I had learned that the Egyptians and Phoenicians travelled to the British Isles by ship, even into the Baltic Sea. That the East Africans sent ships to India, even China, transporting gifts for the emperors such as elephants and giraffes. And so on and so forth. How was it possible not to automatically assume, Africans could and would send ships to the Americas?! Only because the white-skinned Europeans (largely) wouldn't and couldn't?

The latter fact isn't that surprising either. East Africa is the cradle of humanity, (lighter) black the first skin color. White is one of the last phenotypes emerging so far, for one of the last inhabitations was Europe (having been under ice a lot). Everybody knows that at the time of the pyramids getting built (no matter in which time line version), nothing of the sort happened in Northern, Central, not even in Southern Europe. And after the Greco-Roman cultural collapse, Europe was plunged - on purpose by the religious rulers - into the Dark Ages of mis-education or rather no-education. Sciences and (e.g. nautical) skills were re-introduced by the (largely Black) Moorish-Arab empire(s), stretching into Iberia. It is also no surprise that we have been misinformed on Africa. In order to sell mass-enslavement (again originally in order to demolish the rivaling Egyptian Black Isis religion, spreading in Europe) of the once venerated Black Africans to their European (Christian) subjects, the white rulers had to invent the propaganda that Blacks wouldn't even be humans, but wild apes. In those three lights this book's content appears very natural and not at all like a "controversial theory". The latter is one of the reactions I got for reading this book (publicly, silently by myself). Another reaction was that this is a typically (19)70s book: "Stuff like that was written back then.", ending the interest in this book. Knowledge isn't a fashion! It has to be enhanced by constantly building up on itself. If you never keep up, the gap will only widen. Someone third had never heard about this and couldn't believe it, as he has been misinformed that no pre-colonial civilisation existed in (supposedly) landlocked (Black) Africa. (For this specific purpose of balancing this lack of information I advise to read When We Ruled: The Ancient and Medieval History of Black Civilisations as a preparation for this book.) But then again, during the last couple of (publicly reading) weeks I was approached three times by strangers, commenting their amazement that I could read (as a RastafarI), and IF I could that I indeed would chose to do so. Two of them in all seriousness suggesting, I would only pretend (being able) to read to falsely impress people. Which reminds me of Ivan Van Sertima's words in this book: Racist conditioned people are rather willing to believe the absolutely absurd - Erich von Däniken's science fiction that aliens from outer space built the African and American pyramids - than accepting the most obvious, easily provable reality that it was Black Africans (in combination with the Native Americans).

The elapsed time from 1976 hasn't only given us a much better overstanding of the ancient American cultures, but has confirmed Ivan Van Sertima by disconfirming him, which should be taken into consideration: Ancient North Africans from the Egyptians via the Pheonicians (including Carthage) to the peoples of the Arabian Peninsula once had been black/much more black than described in this book. It is also known today that the ocean traveling East African Swahili culture became much less Arab influenced and that much later on than previously averred. It has been revealed that Egyptian history has been enviously faked to appear much younger by an initial Berlin Egyptologist, whose "findings" got copied ever since. Thus, the 1st dynasty didn't start some time in the late 4th millennia B.C., but in the early 6th millennia B.C. The first known mummification isn't anymore from Fezzan, "3,500 B.C.", but Uan Muhuggiag in (Black) Libya, ca. 7,500 B.C. Chemical analyses of Egyptian mummies have further proven American contact: Residues of cocaine. (Plus of Australian eucalyptus, by the way.) Most certainly, genetics have advanced in quantum leaps, yet I am not aware of any studies looking into the pre-Colombian African connection. In other words: Even where since 1976 Ivan Van Sertima has been overtaken by ever fresher knowledge (human knowledge currently doubles every 5 years), his statements get confirmed ever more. If the next print of this book fails to include an update, after well more than 30 years, indeed a rating star may be subtracted then.)

A note on the one-star populists on this review site: There are tons of them. None of them, I repeat: not a single one of them even attempts to disprove any of Van Sertima's proofs. (One corrects a bit, but of irrelevant specifics not concerned with the major question.) All they do is to hurl statements of disbelief, based on nothing else but layperson opinions, at the potential buyers of this book. With the only intent to prevent as many people as possible to read this book. Because they are not reasoning with the other reviewers, as the former do not argue as if having read the book and/or as if attempting to convince the other reviewers. The focus is solely on the potential new readers. Superficially, they seem all logical. But all, I repeat, ALL of their arguments are dismissable with ease. That's what I have done a lot in my comments of such populist reviews. I will give one example. Early on in the debate several reviewers claim, because close-by Madagascar is populated by Polynesians, not Africans, no Africans by all logic could have travelled to distant America. Sounds sensible? Well: Van Sertima makes proof of the Egyptians, largely in connection with the Phoenicians as well as the Mali empire travelled to America. Not the East Africans off the coast of Madagascar. Take a look at a globe or a Peter's Map: America is four times closer to Mali than Madagascar (by sea route). Additionally, a map of currents and winds provided in the book shows perfectly that Africans from the ancient Mali empire (i.e. the Senegalese/The Gambian coast) are able to basically float to America without trying, while having to counter winds and currents to get to Madagascar. At the time of the ancient Egyptian canal non-existant, the Egyptian-Phoenician ships would have to have travelled almost completely around Africa to get to Madagascar, even much further away than from Mali. And when they had the canal, they travelled around Africa the other direction. Also: It is historic fact that Vasco da Gama "discovered" India for one reason only: Hiring a Black Swahili sea guide showing him the way. Also: It is even false that no Africans populated Madagascar. It was only that the Polynesians had a much bigger overpopulation problem on their largely small islands, causing much greater emigration pressure, i.e. they quickly outnumbered the Black Africans on Madagascar. Yet, the populists' argument even supports Van Sertima: The Polynesians are/were still largely black, supposedly posessing inferior to white European civilisation. Yet they are by far the most spread out people the world has ever seen - all by ocean travel (with no original ship surviving till today). Last not least the Arabs came into contact with Black, Polynesian, Chinese, Viking and Greco-Roman ship-building knowledge and nautical skills. Why wouldn't they be able to reach the Americas?

Historical nit-picking aside.......2007-04-10

Historical cultural nit-picking aside, this book did an excellent job of blowing away my own blind spots regarding the likelihood of multiple pre-columbian voyages to (and from) the Americas. The author provides historical, archeological, and linguistic evidence and indications of African voyages to the Americas, including written accounts by early European explorers. The author also writes well-crafted 're-enactments' based on valid sources that make the past come alive in the mind's eye of the reader. While this makes for great reading, it may be outside the norm of Euro-American academic culture, weakening the credibility of his thesis in those circles. Each chapter comes with an extensive bibliography. Having read modern accounts of individuals and groups surviving trans-oceanic voyages on small disabled craft, all of his accounts are plausible, most are convincing, none seem far-fetched. The only thing that's really shocking is the lack of published follow-up research and books since Ivan's book was published more than thirty years ago. A great read.

His-Story is slowly being unravelved.......2007-02-27

One of the most enduring myths in the Americas is that Columbus discovered America in 1692. In fact Columbus did not discover diggly. He was actually very late on the scene. The Africans "discovered" the Americas hundreds of years before. The population was already there. They just wanted to know what was on the other side of the big water, and thought they would go and visit. Some of the Africans came by accident, pushed by the trade winds. Others like Abubakari the Second came to the Americas in 1310 by way of a planned expedition, with hundreds of people, provisions, boats, etc.

However, Columbus was very important. With his coming, came the slaughter of native people and the theft of their lands, and the beginning of the degradation of the African in the Americas.

This book is very academic. But it is an excellent read, if you can get through it. There is much information, and will surely broaden your body of knowledge.

A must have.......2007-01-04

All interested in the true history of Africans, African Americans, and the Americas must read this book.

Average customer rating:

They Came Before Columbus
Van Sertima Ivan
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UERIZ6

Average customer rating:

Vacuum Bazookas, Electric Rainbow Jelly, and 27 Other Saturday Science Projects.

The bazooka is a good experiment

Interesting Book

Vacuum Bazookas, Electric Rainbow Jelly, and 27 Other Saturday Science Projects.
Neil A. Downie
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Research | Education | Science | Subjects | Books
Experiments & Projects | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books
Methodology & Statistics | Experiments, Instruments & Measurement | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0691009864

Book Description

How do you crack nuts with a piece of string? Reverse gravity? Cobble together a clock out of a coffee cup, a soda bottle, and some water? Use a vacuum cleaner and nineteenth-century railroad technology to fashion a makeshift bazooka that can launch paper projectiles? Create a rainbow in a block of Jello? This is a one-volume romp through a whole array of counterintuitive science experiments that require little more than common household items and a sense of curiosity. Prepare to have your surprise sensors on overload as Neil Downie stretches math, physics, and chemistry to do what they have never done before.

This book describes twenty-nine unusual but practical experiments, detailing how they are done and the math and physics behind them. It will delight both casual and inveterate tinkerers. Of varying levels of complexity, the experiments are grouped in sections covering a wide field of physics and the borders of chemistry, ranging from dynamic mechanics (''Kinetic Curiosities'') to electricity (''Antediluvian Electronics'') and combustion (''Infernal Inventions''). The chapters are titillatingly titled, from ''Twisted Sinews'' and ''Mole Radio'' to ''A Symphony of Siphons'' and ''Tornado Transistor.'' More-detailed explanations, along with simple mathematical models using high-school level math, are given in boxes accompanying each experiment.

Armchair scientists will welcome this edifying and entertaining alternative to idleness, not least for the buoyant prose, enriched by historical and literary anecdotes introducing each topic. With this book in hand, tinkerers, whether dabblers in science or devotees, students or teachers, need never again wonder how to impress friends, the judges at the science fair, and, not least, themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Vacuum Bazookas, Electric Rainbow Jelly, and 27 Other Saturday Science Projects........2007-04-12

The technical language was easily understood and presented in a clear interesting manner.
Mr Downie has inspired me to have a real go at these projects.
As we say in New Zealand "Sweet As".

The bazooka is a good experiment.......2002-03-19

I enjoyed the book, but so far the only experiment we've done is the vacuum bazooka, for which I recommend using a wet vac and small water balloons as ammo.

Interesting Book.......2001-11-11

I've only had this book for a few days, but have found the projects unusual and offbeat. For the most part, they are not a rehash of old science projects. They are well described and each one has a good description of the science and math behind them. The illustrations are not overly detailed, but they do the job quite well. I found it a little odd that the description of what the project is about is separated from the chapter on the project. The summaries of what is interesting about the projects and simply what they do is in the front of the book. If you open to a project within the book, you'll wonder what the real appeal of the project is until you go to the front of the book.

The author is quite a tinkerer and at least one of the project toys is patented. I believe a few others are heading toward patents.

Several projects require access to a small amount of Mecanno (or Erector) set parts. These companies almost do not exist it the U.S. any longer. However, Brio recently started distributing Erector sets again. I'm sure one could find substitutes for the Mecanno parts at a local hardware store or maybe even make them.

Book Description

Is African wildlife threatened by the economic practices of Africans? Should trade in ivory and rhino horn be banned altogether? The issue of wildlife conservation in Africa has captured the public imagination in the industrialized world, where the view prevails that wildlife must be saved and preserved at all costs in the interests of global environmental good. However, casting wildlife conservation as a politically neutral issue masks the complex economic, political, and social realities of African communities. Rosaleen Duffy presents the search for a solution to the human versus wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe as a case study of wider issues in the realm of global environmental politics.

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