Popcorn King: How Orville Redenbacher and His Popcorn Charmed America

Book Description

Chronicles the amazing success of the bow-tied, Norman Rockwell throwback who many believed was the creation of marketers, but actually was supremely genuine.

Book Description

The model for The Great Gatsby’s Meyer Wolfsheim and Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, Arnold Rothstein was much more than a fixer of baseball games. He was everything that made 1920s Manhattan roar. Transporting readers onto Jazz Age Broadway with its thugs, bookies, denizens of the racetracks, showgirls, political movers-and-shakers, and sports stars, here is the biography of the devilishly beloved gangland dandy who reigned supreme when the fast buck ruled and violence stalked the streets of Gotham. David Pietrusza unearths the canny way Rothstein fixed the 1919 World Series—playing all sides off one another so that he alone could not lose—and unravels the mystery of his November 1928 murder in a Times Square hotel room. A masterful portrait of a Roaring ‘20s legend filled with fascinating photographs, Pietrusza’s award-nominated Rothstein cements the place of "The Big Bankroll" as the godfather of organized crime in America.

Customer Reviews:

Goes beyond "the fix".......2007-01-18

Although the 1919 Series is in the title, the book goes beyond that, so if you're a curious baseball fan this book might have more than you are game for. Pietrusza seems to know his New York criminal element of the era, and the books travels down spokes out from the Rothstein hub into these areas, which certainly helps to put Rothstein into perspective, at least from a "buisness" standpoint.

I have uncovered additional info about Rothstein's personality with simple google searches, and in other books; the sources seeming to be reliable. Presuming these are accurate, they do help to supplement what we learn about Rothstein here. That's no big criticism, but the book left me with some unanswered questions about Rothstein's personality -- answers that might or might not be difficult to answer.

Rothstein was not a well-kept secret, even in his era, and there seems to have been enough written about him that I would think it might not be difficult for an author to give us more about his personality. This author choose to focus on dozens of peripheral characters, and if you're a history fan that proves to be illiuminating, but does not always illuminate Rothstein, just places him in a context. Still, readers can argue the "business" of Rothstein and his fellow criminals is the compelling part of his personality, and speaks volumes itself.

Fantastic, historical read!.......2006-04-14

A glimpse into history and a ruthless time in America. Not only a good baseball story but a great read for anyone wanting to learn more about the time period.

The man behind an empire!.......2006-01-21

Without trying to repeat what has already been said, A.R. comes alive in reading this book. He really didn't have many friends, just business associates. His life was all business and that business was making money! He was the ultimate gambler seeing an opening and taking it (no matter who you were - family, friend or foe). A.R. was involved in all types of scams, legitimate and illegal, for the sole purpose of turning a profit. After reading this book - you also find out a few undesirable traits about A.R. such as him being a welsher, and not paying debts on time. He wasn't the most honorable among thieves. This was an interesting characteristic of the book for it isn't one-sided. It gives you the facts about A.R. whether good or bad. This book paints a true portrait of the extent of vice which involved politicians, mobsters, athletes, policemen and of course actors and actresses. There is extensive research with regard to who killed A. R. I found this part of the book to be very interesting to see all the facts and the "behind the scenes" work unravel. It reveals the motives: the who, what, when, where, why and how. The last chapter keeps you very motivated and wanting for more. There were some great quotes from some old timers and I think one can learn a few things from reading this book. The book is recommended to other readers.

Enigmatic man.......2005-08-03

Tackling the biography is Arnold Rothstein is not like undertaking to deal with the life of most equally known men of even the same time. Rothstein was covered, as can be seen in the bibliography, in hundreds if not thousands of articles of the time in newspapers, magazines, books, and legends. The problem is not lack of words written, but lack of actual knowledge of the subject. Simply put, much of what has been written is legendary, apocryphal, repetitive, speculative or downright false, and it must have been an overwhelming task to wade through the junk to find the goods. Pietruszka has done as good a job of it as likely can be done at this remove.

Further complicating the task is the personality of the subject, in this case a man who was clearly highly intelligent, charismatic, and industrious, but was missing some kind of chip to his personal makeup that would have made him fully human. Judging from the book, AR loved the multiplication of money in any way possible, judging everything and everyone useful or not useful based strictly upon the expected financial return. Associates passed in and out of his life and he had no compunction about lying to them or ripping them off or leaving them hanging out to dry, to take whatever heat might come down in his wake, and he'd pick them back up again if there was money to be made with no personal feelings entering into it. It must have been hard to resist his charismatic pull, but harder to actually like the man.

Before reading this book I had known a little about Rothstein, mostly from the gambling/World Series angle. I had been unaware of his deep involvement in drugs and similar financial adventures. I wonder to what degree some of the crimes ascribed to Rothstein are simply a case of saying that because he was involved in this, with so-and-so, he MUST have been involved in that, with so-and-so. Notably, Rothstein's own little black book of records may well have been `edited' by the cops after it was found, and of course the missing sheets are missing. There seems to have been little actual written proof of much of anything Rothstein did, and there are so many conflicting stories and points of view it is hard to know the man's actual deeds with any certainty.

Rothstein's relationship with his wife stands in complete contrast: the one person from whom he did not intend to make money he put on such a pedestal that he found himself unable to approach her as a wife, as a woman, and of course this created further suffering.

I think that this man was a very one-sided genius, essentially an amoral machine. Pietruszka has done an excellent job of trying to separate fact from fiction of his fascinating subject.

Solid work on an amazing man.......2005-04-04

Author David Peitrusza deserves plenty of kudos for his sweeping biography of Arnold Rothstein, the mad credited for fixing the 1919 World Series. In "Rothstein" we have an overview of the man and his times with perhaps too much of an emphasis on peripheral people and events. The reader will be regaled by stories of turn-of-the-century through prohibition era gamblers and big time criminals. Readers will acquire a greater knowledge of the East Coast underworld and some of the prominent figures who walked the line between criminal and legitimate. From casinos, race fixing and high society's degenerate gamblers to crooks both small time and big, "Rothstein" is an excellent account of the times of the famed gambler. Rothstein surely ranks as one of this country's most notorious criminal master minds.
As much as I enjoyed the book I would have liked getting to know the man himself a little better. While readers will enjoy an opportunity to learn what AR, (as Rothstein was sometimes called) did, where and with whom he did it you cannot be sure to understand what made him tick. His childhood and early years are skimmed over while great detail is given his murder and its subsequent investigation. Hopefully someone can come along who will provide a fuller view of Rothstein. For that biographer and anyone interested in a man immortalized by F. Scott Fitzgerald in "The Great Gatsby" Petrusza's book is a must-read. Whatever "Rothstein's faults as a biography, it is still a good read and highly recommended.

Book Description

A THOROUGHLY GROWN-UP LOOK AT A TWENTIETH-CENTURY MUSE OF OUTSTANDING PROPORTIONS

To some she's a collectible, to others she's trash. In The Barbie Chronicles, twenty-three writers join together to scrutinize Barbie's forty years of hateful, lovely disastrous, glorious influence on us all. No other tiny shoulders have ever, had to carry the weight of such affection and derision and no other book has ever paid this notorious little place of plastic her due. Whether you adore her or abhor her, The Barbie Chronicles will have you looking at her in ways you never imagined.

Customer Reviews:

Morgan's Review.......2004-12-15

The Barbie Chronicles was an interesting book to read but keep in mind that it is all about Barbie. There is a good amount of information on her, such as when she was first put on the market, the reaction from the consumers, and the major conflicts Barbie caused. It is incredible to see how much a doll can impact a culture. Barbie caused feminists to become angered at the way they (women) were being inappropriately portrayed. The major dislike of Barbie was her unrealistic look. She was and is very skinny, busty, blond, blue eyed, and at the beginning only white. This sent shock waves through the country. Some parents really had no problem with Barbie, and others wanted to burn her. It was considered a controversial doll to many.
The way in which The Barbie Chronicles was written kept my attention because it was unique. Or it was at least unique to me because it was all in essay form. When reading this book you get all different degrees of attachment to Barbie. You get the impression that there are people out there that absolutely love Barbie and seem to almost dedicate their lives to collecting her and then there is the complete opposite. By the complete opposite I mean that there are people that despise Barbie so much they wouldn't even allow the thought of her in their house. The people that do this are almost always parents and they give an array of different excuses for not allowing Barbie into their homes. All the various excuses come down to the same thing, Barbie's figure. If anyone has a qualm with Barbie it is usually due to the fact that she is deathly skinny and no one wants their kids, especially their daughters around that.
Personally I don't think that playing with Barbie will automatically make you a person consumed by the materialistic nature demonstrated by Barbie. When I was younger I remember playing with Barbie and having a blast but it wasn't like that was the only toy I owned. I enjoyed playing with Barbie's and when I had to part with them it didn't leave me emotionally scared or anything.
So I enjoyed The Barbie Chronicles but I don't think it is for everyone because all the essays in one way or another directly relate to Barbie. When I first embarked upon reading The Barbie Chronicles I had all intentions of using it in order to illustrate that Barbie was a tool used by men to exploit and objectify women but when I completed it I wasn't so sure anymore. Yes, it is true that Barbie doesn't exactly seem like she would make women happy about being themselves since she is "perfect," but reading about how it impacted many people changes that. This book explores many things like why women feel the way they do. Many times throughout the book the possibility of there being other contributing factors that cause women to feel inadequate are displayed.

AN IN-DEPTH LOOK INTO THE CONTROVERSIES AROUND BARBIE.......2000-03-07

Barbie is one of those pop culture icons everyone seems to have an opinion about. This book was fascinating to me because it delved deep into why these people feel as they do and had many very personal essays about people who developed special relationships with the large breasted bombshell. I was happy that many myths about the doll were not perpetuated. Being a Barbie collector I get frustrated when a book is strictly one-sided and claims things that are misleading. Even the Barbie bashers here spoke the truth- a truth that was very interesting to read and helped me to gain a deeper appreciation for all those with passionate opinions about BArbie- they have their reasons!

Great concept, nice execution, but runs out of steam.......1999-12-27

The concept of this anthology is simple: collect high-quality commentary pieces on Barbie, that lightning rod of controversy, and put them in a book. This book comprises both anti- and pro-Barbie writings, and the authors find original issues to analyze (e.g., the lack of adults or old people in Barbie-land, the race issue, baby dolls vs Barbie dolls, etc.). The essays included are well-reasoned and entertaining.

However, there are some problems. First, most of the included works are either opinion pieces or introspective pieces. It seems ludicrous that the forms used to analyze a world based on fantasy and imagination are limited to these two tried-and-true alternatives. Only Denise Duhamel's wildly imaginative poetry gives us a glimpse as to the untouched analytical forms that are thought-provoking and incisive (Only 3 of her poems were included; you can read her entire Barbie work in the book Kinky--an incredible piece of work).

Also, the op ed pieces suffer because of the lack of hard data. No real studies exist on the effect of Barbie on kids. Admittedly, such study would be difficult to execute, but interpreting the Arizona study to be such study is a stretch. Accordingly, we end up with op ed pieces either demonizing or adoring Barbie that rely mostly on opinion rather than fact.

Furthermore, the authors end up making the same points over and over: the comma-shaped feet, the torpedo breasts, the unnatural waist, etc. Good or bad? Each author has an opinion. But is this all we can criticize of Barbie?

The introspective pieces are nice (and some of them very funny), but you can only read about somebody's experiences growing up (or old) with Barbie so many times. Because of this limited palette of format and content, this collection runs out of steam too early.

I would have included more works talking about the effect of Barbie on Mattel, the toy industry, etc. How about excerpts of the court decision of the case Mattel brought against Aqua for their "Barbie World" song? The court discusses Mattel's portrayal of Barbie and what Mattel hopes Barbie represents. How about including that song's lyrics? Not only were the lyrics funny, they also provided enough fodder for Mattel to file a multi-million dollar lawsuit.

In the end, while the quality of each included piece is high, they only discuss a small portion of that cultural icon named Barbie.

Amazon.com

Yeah baby! Everyone's favorite super-spy lizard is back--and he's decked out in his best Austin Powers attire. This time, your beautiful boss Xtra has been kidnapped, so you must groove your way through a series of worlds and a host of bad guys to free her. Using some simplistic, but effective level maps and an amazing number of screen shots, this strategy guide will take you through the entire Gex 3 adventure. All of the secret codes for the game are listed at the back of the book and strategies for each mini-game are scattered throughout. Basically, this is the ultimate Gex 3 survival guide, and a reference no tail-whipping gecko should be without.

Book Description

Maps of all environments
Battle maneuvers for all enemies
Tactics for all minigames
GEXplicit vehicle strategies
All secrets GEXposed

Customer Reviews:

The ultimate guide to Gex 3: Deep Cover Gecko!.......2000-03-26

The Gex 3 Strategy guide from Prima is very useful, and very fun to use. It shows every tip and trick you need to destroy the evil Rez and save Xtra from the depths of a media dimension! Plus, it has secret codes that you can use in the GEX Vault to make yourself a Gexcellent (excellent) player! Displaying maps of every theme, translating Alfred the turtle's misunderstandable quotes of wisdom, and showing full-color snapshots of the tricky environments is what this great book has to offer! WARNING N64 OWNERS: One secret level, one bonus level, and the Mythology (Greek) Channel level are the only three backgrounds/settings that were made only for the Playstation (Teen rated) version, and are much different from the Nintendo 64 version (rated Everyone). But don't get discouraged, N64 users. This book can still be fun for you!

Another of Prima's hack-'n'-slash jobs..........1999-08-22

...hits the streets with a resounding "thud." It's amazing to me how Prima can keep pumping out this garbage. I guess the only thing more amazing than the low quality of Prima's "strategy guides" is the fact that we keep buying their cruddy books.

I think if people need hints for Gex they got it in this bk........1999-04-25

I think if people need hints for gex 3, well they prety much got what they were looking for. With this book you can help gex save Agent Xtra, Put REZ in the bag!! With this outragous book of secrets you can do anything!

YAH BABY!!!!!!!!!!

I think if people need hints for Gex they got it in this bk........1999-04-25

I think if people need hints for gex 3, well they prety much got what they were looking for. This book is great for me.

Customer Reviews:

Misses out on the important patterns.......2007-08-07

This book is a complete beginner's handbook for enterprise patterns.

1) The "Mapping to Relational Database Patterns" section discusses patterns that are completely intuitive. I recall logically coming to this conclusions when I started programming in Visual Basic in 99. Nothing new in this section.

2) The "Concurrency" section is criminal in nature and assumes that the application runs on high-cost server. Process-per-session? Thread-per-request? Come on!! Has the author missed out on the Reactor, Proactor and Active Object patterns (he does reference ACE but only as a reference). These patterns have been recognized as not scalable in the late 90s.

3)The distribution patterns are clearly incomplete and desire a lot of details.

If you're just starting out,as a System Architect :-), you'll find this useful. Otherwise, use MSDN or ACE for enterprise patterns.

Must have reference for all developers.......2007-07-16

Even if you don't do "Enterprise Application" development, this book is a must have in your library. If you have been developing for more than a couple of years and you haven't seen 1/2 of the patterns in this book, then you are probably doing something wrong and this book could greatly help you.

Even if you do know 1/2 or more of the patterns in this book it is a great reference to the details of these patterns. Unless you are a Sophomore Software Engineering Student I'd recommend this book over the GoF book. Gof is a must have too, but if you can only have one. Get this one!

Must read.......2007-04-05

This is a must read book if you are a developer, architect or in anyway related to technology.

Great reference for building business apps.......2007-03-13

For me, this book is an invaluable reference for building business apps.

Want help choosing a framework? Want some guidance for solving common business problems? These patterns help solve these kinds of problems.

NOTE: I have tried to find other sources for these patterns, and I have only found Fowlers website, which is really only a summary and recommends purchasing the book.

This book has examples in both Java and C#. You can certainly use these patterns in .NET.

Under .NET you are not actually forced to use the Table Model. I think the purpose of this book is to help you realize this.

There are frameworks for .NET that use the Domain Model and Data Mapper patterns, but you would never know this unless you were familiar with the patterns in this book.

For me, reading this book didn't allow me to write new code, but it did allow me to understand my choice to use a particular framework/technique over another.

Educates you on Enterprise Architecture.......2007-03-10

As a newcomer to enterprise architecture this book educated me on possibilities for decisions to be made in designing an enterprise architect. It will also give you a language for describing existing characteristics of an existing enterprise application which may use some combination of the patterns describe in this book. The discussion of where to keep session state for a webapp was particularly helpful to me.

Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture

Average customer rating:

Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
Martin Fowler
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Professional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUF9XY

Average customer rating:

Patterns of Enterprise Application Architecture
Martin Fowler
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7EJQG

Amazon.com

Like his renowned Capote, Clarke's Get Happy is an addictively readable bio of an addict genius. We learn that it wasn't just the Hollywood moguls who mangled Judy Garland's soul. Yes, MGM's Louis B. Mayer did paw her teenage breasts, exacerbate her insecurity by calling her "my little hunchback," feed her uppers and downers ("bolts and jolts"), and repel the U.S. drug czar's personal attempt to get her into rehab. But the true villain was Judy's diabolical stage mom, Ethel Gumm, who fed her pills at age 9. Judy's heart belonged to her daddy, a kindly theater owner cursed with pederastic yearnings that evidently got the family run out of various towns, once by a man named Doc Savage. Daddy died young, and Judy kept hooking up with older men, including two probably gay husbands, one of whom cheated on her with her daughter Liza's husband. Her first best girlfriend in Hollywood (and probable lover) turned out to be a studio spy. She knew at least one of her agents, nicknamed Loeb and Leopold, robbed her blind, but since betrayal was everybody's way of life, she just laughed it off--and died dead broke. Judy cheated on Liza's dad (and her own great director) Vincente Minnelli, with still-handsome Orson Welles, who was cheating on Rita Hayworth. "People like me don't grow up easily," Judy once said. Most people in this book deserved to go up in flames, but only nice Margaret Hamilton, playing the Wicked Witch of the West, actually did so in a filming accident. She recovered; Judy didn't. It's fascinating to read about Judy's self-immolating life. But for a jolt of joy afterward, I prescribe the CD Judy at Carnegie Hall. Clarke lets you know what the songs cost, and what they mean. --Tim Appelo

Book Description

She lived at full throttle on stage, screen, and in real life, with highs that made history and lows that finally brought down the curtain at age forty-seven. Judy Garland died over thirty years ago, but no biography has so completely captured her spirit -- and demons -- until now.

From her tumultuous early years as a child performer to her tragic last days, Gerald Clarke reveals the authentic Judy in a biography rich in new detail and unprecedented revelations. Based on hundreds of interviews and drawing on her own unfinished -- and unpublished -- autobiography, Get Happy presents the real Judy Garland in all her flawed glory.

With the same skill, style, and storytelling flair that made his bestselling Capote a landmark literary biography, Gerald Clarke sorts through the secrets and the scandals, the legends and the lies, to create a portrait of Judy Garland as candid as it is compassionate.

Here are her early years, during which her parents sowed the seeds of heartbreak and self-destruction that would plague her for decades ... the golden age of Hollywood, brought into sharp focus with cinematic urgency, from the hidden private lives of the movie world's biggest stars to the cold-eyed businessmen who controlled the machine ... and a parade of brilliant and gifted men -- lovers and artists, impresarios and crooks -- who helped her reach so many creative pinnacles yet left her hopeless and alone after each seemingly inevitable fall.

Here, then, is Judy Garland in all her magic and despair: the woman, the star, the legend, in a riveting saga of tragedy, resurrection, and genius.

Customer Reviews:

Come On, Get Crappy.......2007-07-02

I agree, this is a mean-spirited book. I use it occasionally for reference, since it is one of the most modern issues on Judy's life... But I think it says more about the author than his subject. I have a problem with someone who needs to tear women down. I get no sense of compassion from Clarke for the performer whatsoever. Further, the writing approach is clinical and nasty (which some people enjoy). I felt that was the focus, and it overlooked some valid points contributing to who Judy was. For one thing, she was an artist who hauled herself from one end of the planet to the other, giving live performances all her life. No less, she wore high-heeled shoes, which is not all that great for a woman who is perimenopausal, and just popped-out 3 kids. I never see any writers mentioning that! From the time she was a kid, she was the bread-winner for all her family members, trusted the wrong people, never had the right kind of management, and basically dropped-dead doing the only thing that gave her a sense of power and self in the world: singing. It's so fun being female! From the perspective of a feminist (me) who understands there are thousands of women out there, young and old, who have no idea how to command respect in their lives, this story is sad and pathetic. Judy never wanted it that way. She knew she was a victim of the chauvinism of times. From the time she was two, she was groomed to be a people-pleaser. She did whatever she had to, to make things work. In the end, she saw herself as nothing more than a "singing piece of meat". So from that angle, you might find something interesting here, and learn from it.

authentic personality portrait.......2007-01-28

This was a powerful book, skillfully written. I cannot verify that all of the facts are accurate, and I did wonder how the author found out so much about Mr. Gumm's private life, for example. What struck me as completely authentic is the author's portrayal of Ms. Garland's personality and behavior--mainly because he does not take the step of analyzing it in the psychiatric sense. I personally think that her behavior is a fairly classic case of bipolar disorder, exacerbated by the pills she took and the fact that she was in a business that has extreme highs and lows itself. Clarke never tells the reader this; he might not have been aware of the parallels to the characteristics of someone with a bipolar disorder. The fact that he draws this rich picture while not trying to convince the reader of his "diagnosis" gives this an authentic feel. Clarke does not seem to set out to prove Garland was bipolar, but his descriptions of her behavior seem to support that hypothesis.

I was equally impressed with the author's pacing. The shock of Judy Garland's early and untimely death is echoed in the way the book is written--it ends abruptly, as did her life.

I definitely recommend it.

Gripping read could benefit from a photo insert or two.......2007-01-26

It's all here: the tumultuous and suffocatingly pressure-ridden childhood; the tragic and naive crushes on gay (or unavailable) men; the fantastic, stellar performances; the unstoppable addiction to pills and alcohol--all in one neatly compact, albeit somewhat gossipy, read. This book is well researched and accessibly written, and gives a fair nod to Judy's roots, delving ever so lightly into her background, and her parents (as well as grandparents). My only complaints are there should be more photos nestled within, and I would have enjoyed reading more about her interactions with her children, especially Liza, in what should have been her middle age. The light treatment of later years made me feel as if the author was anxious to wrap the book up, giving only a cursory glimpse into the post-Syd times...Overall, however, this is a largely empathetic, if not accurate, portrayal of one of the 20th century's greatest performers. Judy's story will touch your heart.

A model of extreme economy.......2006-12-15

I normally don't write short reviews, but this biography, without question, is the most finely written work of its genre ever written. I have read several thousand books, and in this book I would cut only two words. There are very few big words (shades of Hemenway), because there doesn't need to be.

"Get Happy" Review.......2006-11-06

Everything you ever wanted to know about Judy Garland. A complete historical and psychological profile, yet still easy to read. Very interesting.

Average customer rating:

Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland
Gerald Clarke
Manufacturer: Random House Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Actors & Actresses | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0316855952

Average customer rating:

Get Happy: the Life of Judy Garland
Gerald Clarke
Manufacturer: Delta
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N7JR36

Book Description

This book unravels the ethnic history of California since the late nineteenth-century Anglo-American conquest and institutionalization of "white supremacy" in the state. Almaguer comparatively assesses the struggles for control of resources, status, and political legitimacy between the European American and the Native American, Mexican, African-American, Chinese, and Japanese populations. Drawing from an array of primary and secondary sources, he weaves a detailed, disturbing portrait of ethnic, racial, and class relationships during this tumultuous time.
The U.S. annexation of California in 1848 and the simultaneous discovery of gold sparked rapid and diverse waves of immigration westward, displacing the already established pastoral Mexican society. Almaguer shows how the confrontation between white immigrants and the Mexican ranchero and working class populations was also a contestation over racial status in which racialization influenced and was in turn influenced by class position in the changing economic order. Partly because of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which granted U.S. citizenship and other rights, parts of the Mexican population were integrated into the emerging Anglo society more easily than other racialized groups. A case study of Ventura County highlights declining political and economic fortunes of the Mexican elite while showing how Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, and Indian populations were permanently relegated to the bottom of the class structure as unskilled manual workers.
The fate of the Native American population provides perhaps the most extreme example of white supremacy during the period. Popular conceptions of Native Americans as "uncivilized and "heathen," justified the killing of more than 8,000 men, women, and children between 1848 and 1870. Many survivors were incorporated at the periphery of Anglo society, often as indentured laborers and virtual slaves.
Underpinning the institutional structuring of white supremacy were notions such as "manifest destiny," the inherent good of the capitalist wage-system, and the superiority of Christianity and Euro-American culture, all of which helped to marginalize non white groups in California and justify Anglo-American class dominance. As other racialized groups assumed new roles, Almaguer assesses the complex interplay between economic forces and racial attitudes that simultaneously structured and allocated "group position" in the new social hierarchy.
California remains a contested racial frontier, as political struggles over the rights and opportunities of different groups continue to reverberate along racial lines. Racial Fault Lines is an invaluable contribution to our understanding of ethnicity and class in America, and the social construction of "race" in the Far West.

Customer Reviews:

almost faultless.......2001-01-31

Almaguer has given us a useful history of racial attitudes and white supremacy in nineteenth century Cali. Avoiding a "binary"-- or black/white-- understanding of racial relations, Racial Fault Lines traces the unique racial sagas of Mexicans, Chinese, and Indian peoples in their encounters with "white" Californians. Almaguer could do more to investigate interactions among such groups ACROSS the categories of "racial otherness": Mexican, Chinese, and Indian. SOme readers will also question his chronology and wonder to what extent the 'origins of white supremacy' in California might have begun much earlier than the mid-nineteenth century, where his book focuses.

Average customer rating:

A good introduction book for grown-ups

A Little dated, but very good introduction

Great read, excellent price

Great Introduction and not only that.

Great coverage of automata!

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence: Second, Enlarged Edition
Philip C. Jackson
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Artificial Intelligence | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Computer Mathematics | Artificial Intelligence | Computer Science | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
Questions & Answers | Education | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Essence of Artificial Intelligence

Introducing Artificial Intelligence

AI Application Programming (Programming Series) (Programming Series)

Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach (2nd Edition)

Artificial Intelligence: A Guide to Intelligent Systems (2nd Edition)

ASIN: 048624864X

Book Description

This comprehensive, easy-to-read survey of how machines (computers) can be made to act intelligently explores problem-solving methods, representation and models, game playing, automated understanding of natural languages, heuristic scene analysis, specific artificial intelligence accomplishments and other related topics. With 132 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

A good introduction book for grown-ups.......2007-01-15

I was thinking of purchasing an introductory book on AI for my 14 year old son since he was so interested in robots and automation. Apparently, this book is beyond him. I am not sure whether there is an AI book for children.

A Little dated, but very good introduction.......2006-05-11

Having last been printed in the mid 80's some of the information is getting a little dated at this point, but for anyone new to the subject it is a very good read and an excellent introduction to the feild of AI.

Great read, excellent price.......2004-03-09

I actually picked up this book at the discount bin at a local bookstore. I had always been interested in A.I research, and this deal was irresistable. However, I think this book is worth alot more, and provides more insight into the field than many of the current popular books on the subject.

This book basically goes into A.I research and leaves alot of the philosophical issues at a minimum. Basically you can look at this as a real text book about the subject of A.I. By my expirience, it isn't easy to find outside of the popular science market.

The topics that this book covers is extensive. The first few chapters go into subjects like Game Theory, and the problem-state models of A.I. He also gives a very extensive overview of the contruction of the human brain and its paralells to finite state machines. What I found particularly interesting was his coverage of many Turning Machines. Later, the author takes you into more rigorous examples dealing with problems of Theorem proving. And definitely one of the most interesting chapters was his coverage of natural languages.

I have owned this book for about 2 years, and although I do not read it faithfully everyday, I do find myself reading this book extensively for periods of 2-3 months. The material will demand a great deal of work on the behalf of the reader. As this book deals with many abstract concepts in mathematics that can be confusing to the untrained reader. Admitedly, i had to stop reading this book for a little while and take 4 months to get to a functional level of linear algebra, before I could fully comprehend the tranformation he showed chapter 6.

This is a must buy for anyone who wants to get their feet wet in the field of A.I. And with such a small price tag, you really cant lose.

Great Introduction and not only that........2000-06-22

I was searching for a book that will introduce me to artificial intelligence concepts; and although this book seemed old (1985), I bought it because of it's low price. Then when I opened it for the first time I was amazed how great it is. It worths a whole lot more. I soon found out that some concepts are for ever, and no matter how old they will be current in the future.

Great coverage of automata!.......1998-08-05

This book has really good coverage of various topics. It even gives a tuple definition of cellular automata on page 348 and an example using that definition for Conway's Game of Life on page 349! A great value!

For David: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence : Second, Enlarged Edition [Paperback...

Average customer rating:

For David: Introduction to Artificial Intelligence : Second, Enlarged Edition [Paperback...
Philip C. Jackson
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Biliana Cicin-Sain and Robert W. Knecht are co-directors of the Center for the Study of Marine Policy at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware and co-authors of The Future of U.S. Ocean Policy. (Island Press, 1998).

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coastal resources management.......2001-07-09

Philippines has been known for its great tropical underwater lifeforms. Living here is a great opportunity to discover and adapt on its enviromental impacts. Yet, Filipinos scarcely understand and less dessiminated regarding protection on its coastal resources. Until now and still is one habit of Filipinos by doing an illegal way of fishing which we called it Dynamite fishing and/ cyanide fishing. As a citizen, i am very much concerned and depressed which is why i am working with a government agency specialized in managing coastal resources to uplift fisherfolks spirit of conserving our marine life as a source of its living by not over exploiting it. Coastal Resource Management leads fisherfolks to its legal way of fishing as well as giving them information on alternative livehood. Coastal Resource Management is one way of saving our mother earth, abolished poverty and respect God's creation.

management plan integrated.......1999-05-04

alternative activities fisheries and productivities activities, the processes and cicle to generated this processes

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