Encyclopedia of American Business History and Biography : The Automobile Industry, 1920 1980, the Iron and Steel Industry in the Twentieth Century

Amazon.com

Bakari Kitwana, a former editor at The Source, identifies blacks born between 1965 and 1984 as belonging to the "hip-hop generation" a term he uses interchangeably with black youth culture ("Generation X" applies mainly to whites, he says). He calls hip-hop "arguably the single most significant achievement of our generation," yet blames it for causing much damage to black youth by perpetuating negative stereotypes and providing poor role models. But this book is about much more than just rap music; it takes a broad look at the state of post-civil-rights black America and the crises that have come about in the past three decades, including high rates of homicide, suicide, and imprisonment and a rise in single-parent homes, police brutality, unemployment, and blacks' use of popular culture (through pop music and movies) to celebrate "anti-intellectualism, ignorance, irresponsible parenthood, and criminal lifestyles." Serious problems indeed, but Kitwana acknowledges that members of this generation have more opportunities than their parents had, and he believes there is still time to make positive and lasting changes.

He looks closely at this generation's worldview, politics, activism, and its high profile in the entertainment world, which has made it "central in American culture, transcending geographic, social, and economic boundaries." Emphasizing that "rap music's ability to influence social change should not be taken lightly," he calls for a more responsible and constructive use of this unprecedented power. Kitwana is concerned about the legacy of his generation, and he wants his book to "jump-start the dialogue necessary to change our current course." The Hip Hop Generation deserves to be read both for its aim and its execution. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

The Hip Hop Generation is an eloquent testament for black youth culture at the turn of the century. The only in-depth study of the first generation to grow up in post-segregation America, it combines culture and politics into a pivotal work in American studies. Bakari Kitwana, one of black America's sharpest young critics, offers a sobering look at this generation's disproportionate social and political troubles, and celebrates the activism and politics that may herald the beginning of a new phase of African-American empowerment.

Customer Reviews:

I highly recommend this book.......2007-02-24

I highly recommend this book in order to understand the post civil-rights black african american situation. Because of the interesting topic and writing style this book was a pretty quick read. Kitwana clarified so many issues: the unemployment crisis, the prison industry, mandatory minimum jail sentences, the drug war as a means to target black men, the gender war between black men and black women, making hip hop into a political agenda, the power of rap music, etc. It is a MUST READ for those who were born into this generation (born between 1965 and 1984) or who do not understand what is going on right now especially in regards to black men (it's written from a black male perspective).

I believe that society is in an awkward transitioning phase between the old pre-civil rights U.S.A. and the new post-civil rights U.S.A. I think once the baby boomers have passed away things will catch up. The hip hop generation (the black counterpart to the mainstream's Generation X) will eventually lead the black community so that issues relevant to the younger generation will finally be addressed... But will it be too little, too late?

The existing one that implements his opinion.......2006-02-21

I like the crisis in african american culture and the hip hop generation because it allows me to know what is going on in the world. Reading that book taught me how to give back to my community if I ever had fortune and fame. It talks about how people should stick together like flies to feces rather than be against each other. It talks about how the military should give money to the community rather than spend money to send people to Iraq and have their lives taken. It talks about how the military should fight for democracy. Those are some of the things that I've benefited from the book. I think the book is interesting. I would recommend the book to anyone who is into stuff like the crisis that african american have.

Add to "What You Should Read" List.......2005-09-28

This is one of the best books for the Hip Hop generation out in circulation. His nononsense views are understandable and shed light on many current issues in society. I think everyone, parent, teacher, community leader, and political assosciate should read this book.

Everything you need to know about US.......2005-08-23

This one is good for the parents of teens and especially for the white parents to know whats up with there children and why they want to be like us. This is the only hip hop book you will ever need. This book was on hit!

A strong foundation for continued change.......2005-02-06

I appreciated Kitwana's presentation of the current issues facing today's hip hop generation. Interesting and insightfuul was the comparisions of the generation and that of the Civil Rights/Black Power generation. This book stands strong is providing a foundation on which to further examine these issues and to use the strong influential power within this generation to finally begin to resolve them.

Book Description

First published in 1859, this classic volume contains the proceedings of that celebrated assemblage, the First American Chess Congress, held in New York in 1857. It includes the presented papers, the grand tournament games, and sketches of the history of chess in the old and new worlds.

The book of the first American chess congress: Containing the proceedings of that celebrated assemblage held in New York, in the year 1857 (Tschaturanga ... und Quellen zur Geschichte des Schachspiels)

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The book of the first American chess congress: Containing the proceedings of that celebrated assemblage held in New York, in the year 1857 (Tschaturanga ... und Quellen zur Geschichte des Schachspiels)
Willard Fiske
Manufacturer: Edition Olms
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

The book of the first American chess congress;: Containing the proceedings of that celebrated assemblage held in New York in the year 1857 together with ... history of chess in the old and new worlds

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The book of the first American chess congress;: Containing the proceedings of that celebrated assemblage held in New York in the year 1857 together with ... history of chess in the old and new worlds
Willard Fiske
Manufacturer: Rudd & Carlton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00086N10M

Book Description

If you're ready to be inspired, you couldn't pick a better teacher than the team behind many of the design elements in the latest version of Illustrator. Using the templates that ship with the program as a starting point, this beautiful, full-color book teaches a wide range of Illustrator techniques through a series of fun and practical real-world projects--all developed by master illustrators Jerome D. Holder and Barbara J. Mulligan, who created much of the artwork that ships with Illustrator. After covering some Illustrator basics, Adobe Illustrator CS Idea Kit focuses on a series of projects, each of which hones in on a particular aspect of Illustrator through step-by-step instructions, variations (which allow you to customize the projects), and special design tips and tricks. At every point along the way, you'll find an illustration, photo, or screenshot that illuminates the discussion and provides further inspiration. By the end of the kit, you will have created a logo, business card, Web site, 3D icons, photorealistic effects, dynamic type, and more!

Customer Reviews:

Lots of neat ideas........2006-07-27

For a rather small book it has lots of ideas and try-its. I have tried several and they have led to more of my own.

Uses Illustrator resources to the fullest.......2006-01-14

I found this book very helpful. The author makes a consistent effort to use the drawings, templates and tools that ship with Illustrator and use them creatively. The book is especially helpful for projects that need to be completed in a very short time. None of the art or templates is used as is; they are all modified and adapted to the task at hand. I highly recommend this book to the advanced beginner or intermediate Illustrator user.

If you justwant to read one book.........................2004-07-13

......then this is the book. When you shall use an effect or just get inspired turn the pages and here they comes.

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All hat and no cowboy
Excellent!
Lots of Gloss But No Substance
A great book for the novice Adobe user
Finally-A Computer Help Book that makes ENTIRE PROJECTS easy

Adobe Creative Suite Idea Kit
Katrin Straub
Manufacturer: Adobe Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

General | Software | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Computers & Internet | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0321245792

Book Description

Adobe's flagship products--Photoshop, Illustrator InDesign, Acrobat, and GoLive--offer a wealth of creative print and Web solutions when used separately. Use them together, and you're ready to conquer the world--at least if you have this guide! In this elegant yet affordable volume, highly regarded graphic designer Katrin Straub uses easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions and a wealth of full-color graphics to show you how to take advantage of Adobe's brand-new Creative Suite to take your design work to new creative heights. As you work through the lessons in this book/CD package you'll learn about print design basics (how to create CD labels, invitations, newsletters, and slide presentations), Web design essentials (roll-over buttons, banners, kiosks), and the various programs' common features. Just because you know one Adobe product doesn't mean you know them all -- or how to leverage their combined power: For the big picture (and the big productivity pay-off), you need this guide!

Customer Reviews:

All hat and no cowboy.......2004-04-29

Once again a Peachpit/Adobe Press book has convinced me that no one involved in the production of their books ever reads and goes through the book (either before or after it's printed) to either proofread it or otherwise look for errors. Nor do many of Peachpit's authors acknowledge there inevitably will be errors and setup and publicize a web page for the book's errata. Straub keeps up this fine Peachpit/Adobe Press tradition by not providing one either. This book is certainly not for anyone with experience with the individual apps in the Creative Suite but because of so many errors and omisions it's not for beginners either. Don't waste your money on this book unless you're buying it for the many nice illustrations!

Excellent!.......2004-02-13

This book is great! I just bought Adobe Creative Suite and, although I am familiar with Photoshop and graphics programs, I was a bit intimidated by all the new features. I didn't feel like buying the more expensive 'Classroom in a Book' for each application and went to look for a book which combined all programs in one instruction book.

This book by Katrin Straub is just what I needed. She uses real world projects to show you what's possible with each of the programs in CS and how to integrate them. The layout and instructions are clear and easy to follow. The projects are about high quality design & very inspiring.

Of course, this book does not replace the (online) manuals, but it does not pretend to. However, after using this book, I know what to look for in the manual. Katrin just handles each subject with enough depth to get you going, but not so much that you get bored with details which you do not need yet.

I hope Katrin Straub will publish some more books!

Lots of Gloss But No Substance.......2004-01-29

This book is the weakest of the Adobe help books I've read so far. I feel it has some serious shortcomings.

Let me put all this in perspective by giving you an idea of my Adobe skill set and what I was hoping to get from this book. I've worked extensively with Acrobat for about three years and Photoshop Elements (PSE) for almost as long. I've been through most of the Classroom in a Book for GoLive 6.0 and LiveMotion 2.0 Recently, I purchased Creative Suite Premium. Through the Classroom in a Book (CIB) for InDesign CS I've become fairly fluent with that program and I've transitioned from PSE to PhotoShop CS very nicely, but still consider myself a beginner with that program. I've had no trouble with GoLive CS and LiveMotion is not part of the Adobe Creative Suite lineup, so that's a moot point. I've had minimal exposure to Illustrator. I do have the CIB for all the major pieces of CS, except Acrobat, so what I'm lacking, I'll pickup at my own pace when I'm ready.

What I was hoping for was a real nice way to tie all these applications together and have fun in the process. That's what the promo blurb promises. Sadly, the projects fall far short. The style of project reminds me of a kids' creative crafts book adapted for computer users. The book is also full of errors and omissions, beginning with the first chapter.

In "An Overview" the author cites Creative Suite being available in two versions, Standard and Pro. The Standard designation is correct, but Adobe lists the other version as Premium, not pro. This may be minor, but it sets the tone for the rest of the book. Not enough validating of examples and checking for completeness of information.

The first project is not fully presented. For the first lesson, you are to design a postcard. Using PhotoShop and Illustrator. Sadly, PhotoShop is drastically underutilized. The student uses it only to check the pixel count of a canned graphic. No image manipulation is performed. Too bad, as that is PhotoShop's forte. Even as a beginner, I could think of a lot more creative uses for PhotoShop. The Illustrator template is easy to use, but I feel the wrong tool was used here. InDesign could do this job simpler and is much more amenable to layout tasks which is what this exercise is reduced to. There is no guidance for using Illustrator to create any graphics. In fact, the student is left on their own to figure out how to properly insert and format text once you've positioned the canned graphic. Oh, yes, and to create your own text while your at it. There is no sample text included in the book.

And so it goes through out the book. I did not expect total hand holding, but I was looking to make better use of this fine collection of tools. While it is much more expensive, I'd suggest buying the individual Classroom in a Book for each application. The lessons are more accurate, complete and provide a higher level of instruction than the Creative Suite Idea Kit. If there is a plus side to this book, it is the graphics. The illustrations Ms Straub uses are wonderful. I only wish we were let in on how she created them.

If I could rate this fractionally, I'd give it two and a half stars. The book is written in a readable manner, but the content is not worth the reading. The illustrations add the extra half star. Clearly below average usefulness.

A great book for the novice Adobe user.......2004-01-12

This book was perfect for starting me out. As a beginner in the area of graphic design and having little experience with the Adobe software line, I just wanted to learn the basics. Each chapter is setup to guide you through a typical project (creating a newsletter, postcards, CD labels, web pages, etc.) from start to finish. The instructions within each chapter were very easy to follow and there were plenty of figures to look at. After going through a few of the chapters and playing around on my own I felt quite confident in editing and creating my own images in Illustrator and Photoshop and then using the images to create my own PDF documents. This book is definitely recommended for any novice who wants to learn how to create with Adobe.

Finally-A Computer Help Book that makes ENTIRE PROJECTS easy.......2004-01-08

I got this book yesterday and I can't put it down! It's brilliant! Easy, clear 1-2-3 step directions for specific projects, utilizing all the different Adobe programs together for that project! Instead of having to wade through several dense manuals for different programs, to compile instructions for all the specific little tasks that add up to one project (and worrying about which steps I should do first?), I can just open this book and immediately go to work, availing myself of all the major Adobe programs as needed. Having an easy workflow actually spelled out is making all the difference! As a professional photographer, I'm always in need of fresh promotional materials. I'm excited that I - a design neophyte -will now be able to EASILY create quality postcard mailers (file-ready to send to an outside printing company, if I choose), make snazzy labels for my photo CD's, and - gasp - actually even create a new website for myself! This book is a must, and I hope for more like this one.

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ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR IDEA KIT
BARBARA HOLDER, JEROME MULLIGAN
Manufacturer: Adobe Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Adobe Illustrator | Graphic Design | Computers & Internet | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OUGGCM

Amazon.com

Late antiquity--that period of history between 250 and 800 C.E.--was a unique and notable era, when the Roman and Sassanian empires spanned a great arc from the Atlantic coasts of Europe and Morocco across the Mediterranean, into the Balkans, and through the Middle East as far as Afghanistan. Historians have tended to dismiss this era as the decline and fall, and little more. In contrast, the editors of Late Antiquity (all esteemed professors at Princeton) make a great case for this era as the source from which our modern culture sprung. During that time, Constantinople and Baghdad came into being, and paganism took hold of people's imaginations so strongly that it's still with us today. "Much of what was created in that period still runs in our veins," they say, such as the codification of Roman law, the Jewish Talmud, the basic structure and doctrine of the Christian church, and the birth of Islam.

There are learned essays on topics such as Islam, the Christian triumph, and sacred landscapes; habitat, war, and violence; and empire building; as well as a timely piece on barbarians and ethnicity. But these essays, fine though they are, make up but a small fraction of the volume. The lion's share belongs to the alphabetical guide, an A-to-Z encyclopedia of more than 500 entries on items such as almsgiving, angels, bathing, circus factions, contraception, eunuchs, dendrites, Huns, monks, prayer, and pornography. With erudition and clarity, these editors redefine late antiquity, and provide a remarkable source of information for students, sages, history buffs, and antiquity enthusiasts. --Stephanie Gold

Book Description

The first book of its kind, this richly informative and comprehensive guide to the world of late antiquity offers the latest scholarship to the researcher along with great reading pleasure to the browser. In eleven comprehensive essays and in over 500 encyclopedic entries, an international cast of experts provides essential information and fresh perspectives on the history and culture of an era marked by the rise of two world religions, unprecedented political upheavals that remade the map of the known world, and the creation of art of enduring glory.

By extending the commonly accepted chronological and territorial boundaries of the period--to encompass Roman, Byzantine, Sassanian, and early Islamic cultures, from the middle of the third century to the end of the eighth--this guide makes new connections and permits revealing comparisons. Consult the article on "Angels" and discover their meaning in Islamic as well as classical and Judeo-Christian traditions. Refer to "Children," "Concubinage," and "Divorce" for a fascinating interweaving of information on the family. Read the essay on "Barbarians and Ethnicity" and see how a topic as current as the construction of identity played out in earlier times, from the Greeks and Romans to the Turks, Huns, and Saxons. Turn to "Empire Building" to learn how the empire of Constantine was supported by architecture and ceremony.

Or follow your own path through the broad range of entries on politics, manufacturing and commerce, the arts, philosophy, religion, geography, ethnicity, and domestic life. Each entry introduces readers to another facet of the postclassical world: historic figures and places, institutions, burial customs, food, money, public life, and amusements. A splendid selection of illustrations enhances the portrait.

The intriguing era of late antiquity emerges completely and clearly, viewed in a new light, in a guide that will be relished by scholars and general readers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Not quite what it seems.......2007-02-15

This is an odd book that gives the appearance of being a general reference, but in fact it is just a collection of essays in two parts: longer articles such as "Religious Communities" and "War and Violence", and an alphabetic section of short articles on a wide variety of topics. This second part is maddeningly arbitrary: three columns on the Himyar tribe, for example, but no entry for the Alans. Entries for people are particularly spotty, with the emphasis on religious rather than secular figures. Anyone looking for a late-antique version of the Oxford Classical Dictionary will be disappointed. Nonetheless there is a wealth of information here, covering a wide variety of subjects. The scope includes the growth of Islam, which is well represented in both sections.

NOTE: The long essays in this book have been published separately as Interpreting Late Antiquity: Essays on the Postclassical World.

Don't Overlook This One.......2005-09-05

This is a massive history text well worth the price tag put on it. First, the scholars who assembled this work are first rate - Peter Brown (Princeton University and author of "Augustine of Hippo"), Oleg Grabar (Islamic scholar at Princeton) and Bowersock (Ancient Historian also at Princeton) - these three men alone have gathered a storehouse of contributors that takes up 5 pages in the back of the book. So the research for this text is overwhelming.

Second, the period that is covered is, I believe and agree with the authors, a crucial period in world history (from the middle of the third century to the end of the eighth century). Therefore, the range or scope of what is covered is quite broad. This period in history saw the rise of the Islamic religion, the growth of the Christian religion, a shift in power throughout Europe from Roman Rule to various rules of Barbarian peoples, Byzantine, Turks, Saxons, and many more. So the cultural landscape went through many changes which still has a strong impact on us today.

The sections are separated by some really great illustrations and photos. Many of the illustrations are art works from the period, or pics of artifacts, relics, etc. These help to strengthen the overall 'feel' of the work.

The book itself is formatted as follows: The first section of the book consists of essays ranging from How history is done to philosophical traditions, religious communities, military histories, landscape, building and developing people/nations to how civilizations lived. These essays are written by top notch scholars from Henry Chadwick (a prolific medieval scholar) to Patrick Geary, Director of the Medieval Institute at Notre Dame University).

The second part of the book is a type of encyclopedic/Dictionary formatting. This section is arranged alphabetically by topic/people/places/issues/etc. In this section detail is not wasted, from how languages developed to how people used medicine during this period. Quite exhaustive.

Overall, this is a great reference tool for every student of medieval history (or even world history in general). It is as complete as it can be for what it covers and how it covers the material present. I have referred to this book many times over the past five years in my research. I recommend this text!

Oh well!.......2005-06-20

Great Illustrations but unfortunetly the text is not its equal. For the amount of money that it cost me, I was disappointed. You are better off buying Peter Brown's "The World of Late Antiquity"
which is light years away from this.

A useful historical guide.......2003-05-30

The book 'Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World', edited by G.W. Bowerstock, Peter Brown, and Oleg Grabar, is a wonderful collection of essays and encyclopedic articles on the period on a fascinating period of transition and change in the history of the West. This is a period often overlooked and neglected, for it is a period of confusion and uneasy description; the Roman Empire has fallen, but the medieval world has yet to rise. Literature from this historical period is rare, both in terms of history and literary output; the medieval world looms large over late antiquity due to the rise of literature that is more easily accessible to those in the modern world.

The first section of the book consists of interesting essays, as listed below:

Remaking the Past, by Averil Cameron
Sacred Landscapes, by Beatrice Caseau
Philosophical Tradition and the Self, by Henry Chadwick
Religious Communities, by Garth Fowden
Barbarians and Ethnicity, by Patrick J. Geary
War and Violence, by Brent D. Shaw
Empire Building, by Christopher Kelly
Christian Triumph and Controversy, by Richard Lim
Islam, by Hugh Kennedy
The Good Life, by Henry Maguire
Habitat, by Yizhar Hirschfield

To give but one example, in the article 'Sacred Landscapes', Caseau traces the development away from public sacred spaces such as temples to the god to a resacralisation of Christian spaces, which had originally grown up in house-church environments with communal meals short on exclusively sacred spaces, particularly in light of early Christian apologists who saw distinct paganism in the sacralisation of space.

The remaining two-thirds of the book consists of an encyclopedia of late antiquity, including articles on places, events, people, and ideas. This is a wonderful reference, and, sitting next to my Encyclopedia of the Middle Ages, a much-valued collection and much-used book.

Sometimes called 'The Dark Ages', in fact the historical period between the classical Roman Imperial times and the Medieval period was a period of transition and disarray, but was far from the uncultured, unlettered and uninspiring period it sometimes seems. This volume will help historians and others reclaim a little more of their own past.

Part Brilliant, Part Dull.......2002-05-05

Late Antiquity is a series of eleven essays covering an array of topics related to Europe and the Middle East from 250 to 800 C.E. Like every collection from a variety of authors, it represents a mixed bag. At its best, like Beatrice Caseau's "Sacred Landscapes," it is eye-opening and provocative. (Caseau describes for us how pagan temples became Christianized, or how Christian holy sites were transformed into Muslim sites - a question that likely would never occur to the lay reader, but once asked demands answering.) Not every article is as enticing however. For example, Henry Chadwick misses a great opportunity with "Philosophical Tradition and the Self." Rather than relate to us just how individuals in late antiquity viewed the self, Chadwick chooses to desribe debates between late antiquity writers; only professors hopelessly lost in academia could possibly care about Iamblichus' criticisms of Porphyry.

The final half of the book is taken up with an encyclopedia, whose entries are . . . eclectic. The Emperor Maurice is absent, for example, but Ephrem (a Syrian deacon and hymnist) receives nearly two columns of treatment. Nor is there an entry for Arianism, but the Donatists get an extensive write-up.

There is much to enjoy and learn from in Late Antiquity. The articles by Cameron, Caseau, Geary, Shaw, and Lim alone make a trip to the local library well worthwhile. Whether the book is a must for the lay reader's library is more difficult to say.

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Late Antiquity: a Guide to the Postclassical World.(Book Review): An article from: Canadian Journal of History
Kevin Corrigan
Manufacturer: University of Saskatchewan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Canada | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008FVM1S
Release Date: 2005-07-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by University of Saskatchewan on August 1, 2002. The length of the article is 1040 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: Late Antiquity: a Guide to the Postclassical World.(Book Review)
Author: Kevin Corrigan
Publication: Canadian Journal of History (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2002
Publisher: University of Saskatchewan
Volume: 37 Issue: 2 Page: 323(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World.(Review)(Brief Article): An article from: The Antioch Review

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Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World.(Review)(Brief Article): An article from: The Antioch Review
Kathleen Wildman
Manufacturer: Antioch Review, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Antioch Review, published by Antioch Review, Inc. on January 1, 2001. The length of the article is 322 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: Late Antiquity: A Guide to the Postclassical World.(Review)(Brief Article)
Author: Kathleen Wildman
Publication: The Antioch Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 2001
Publisher: Antioch Review, Inc.
Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Page: 114

Article Type: Book Review, Brief Article

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

The Ozark region, located in northern Arkansas and southern Missouri, has long been the domain of the folklorist and the travel writer--a circumstance that has helped shroud its history in stereotype and misunderstanding. With Hill Folks, Brooks Blevins offers the first in-depth historical treatment of the Arkansas Ozarks. He traces the region's history from the early nineteenth century through the end of the twentieth century and, in the process, examines the creation and perpetuation of conflicting images of the area, mostly by non-Ozarkers.

Covering a wide range of Ozark social life, Blevins examines the development of agriculture, the rise and fall of extractive industries, the settlement of the countryside and the decline of rural communities, in- and out-migration, and the emergence of the tourist industry in the region. His richly textured account demonstrates that the Arkansas Ozark region has never been as monolithic or homogenous as its chroniclers have suggested. From the earliest days of white settlement, Blevins says, distinct subregions within the area have followed their own unique patterns of historical and socioeconomic development. Hill Folks sketches a portrait of a place far more nuanced than the timeless arcadia pictured on travel brochures or the backward and deliberately unprogressive region depicted in stereotype.

Customer Reviews:

Place as an idea.......2002-08-11

I am drawn to books that analyze the complex relationship between people and places. Brooks Blevins illuminates the Arkansas Ozarks both as a place and as an idea, and shows the tensions that emerge when a place becomes an idea. The book's subtitle suggests that it is a history, which it is, but I found it intriguing more as a history of the idea of place in general than as the history of a specific region.

Blevins shows the Ozarks where 19th century settlers and their descendents farmed cotton, harvested timber, made barrels, and did other work that drew from the region's resources. Yet, none of these economies was successful on a large scale. The real place was too disconnected, with its interruptive hills, streams and hollows, to allow for large-scale production. With the exception of the far northwest plains areas near Fayetteville, the region never experienced significant economic growth. Farming needed to grow in scale to succeed (hence today's agribusiness), but these hills did not offer enough open expanse to make such farming profitable or even technologically possible. Many left the region for opportunities picking apples in Washington state or cotton in the Delta.

Those remaining adapted by marketing the idea of the Ozarks as place--in this case, a traditional Americana of banjos, fiddles, and homespun crafts. Entrepreneurs with an eye on the tourism industry sold Eureka Springs, Mountain View, and other Ozark towns as centers of Americana folk tourism. Tension grows in Blevin's book toward the later chapters when we see the people having to emulate folk music and craft traditions that were steeped in a romantic idea held by a nation that had left such quaintness behind.

Blevins suggests that residents were displaced by immigrants from the Midwest and elsewhere who were more willing than the locals to play the parts required by this idea of folk Americana. Middle class white retirees from troubled cities in the South and Midwest and elsewhere have moved into the Ozarks, perhaps in search of this illusive idea of a more simple life. It is the same comforting world that has lured world weary music buyers to the soundtrack of "O Brother, Where Art Thou?

The most obvious characteristic of the postmodern time in which we live is that image is reality. The idea of France as portrayed in Disney theme parks, for example, is as real as France itself and less messy. This is an age of simulacra. Blevins' book does not directly make such cultural critiques, but leads the reader to them. Having just spent a relaxing week in the Ozarks, soaking up the music and culture, I then was left to question what I had experienced. The three musicians I played guitar with in front of the grocery store in Marshall-were they doing so because they wanted to or because a larger idea of place engulfed them and tacitly directed their behavior to conform with its folk tourism economy?

In the end perhaps it doesn't matter. My new friends seemed genuinely happy and invigorated by their region's musical identity. A region could be known for worse things than great music. And the Ozarks is the home of Wal-Mart, perhaps the most obvious example of mass marketing economic success.

For contrast, go to the Florida Keys and watch the bored pseudo parrot heads churn out plastic versions of old Jimmy Buffet tunes. Here the idea of place becomes stifling, preventing the natural evolution of a society. And the sheer number of tourists landing for an hour or two on cruise ships has driven locals to the role either of acting out Buffet-like parts or hiding. Blevins' book makes us aware that regions that become too closely identified with a particular mythology can become prisoners of that mythology. He implies that such has happened in the Ozarks, but I see enough vibrancy and cultural authenticity (whatever that may be) to feel comfortable with this idea of place. It is one I will return to, albeit with a slightly more critical ear and eye.

A fascinating study and very enjoyable reading.......2002-04-09

Hill Folks: A History Of Arkansas Ozarkers And Their Image by Brooks Blevins (Professor of History, Ozarka College, Melbourne, Arkansas) is an informed and informative cultural history of the Ozark region that ranges from northern Arkansas down to southern Missouri, and the people who have settled and lived there since the early nineteenth century. A detailed portrait of a land and its people, filled with subtle nuances of daily life through the centuries, Hill Folks is a fascinating study and very enjoyable reading, and a highly recommended addition to Ozark and Arkansas history supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and Their Image.(Book Review): An article from: Journal of Southern History

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Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and Their Image.(Book Review): An article from: Journal of Southern History
Michael B. Dougan
Manufacturer: Southern Historical Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on August 1, 2003. The length of the article is 598 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: Hill Folks: A History of Arkansas Ozarkers and Their Image.(Book Review)
Author: Michael B. Dougan
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Refereed)
Date: August 1, 2003
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 69 Issue: 3 Page: 746(2)

Article Type: Book Review

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Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior, Second Edition
Michael Gazzaniga , and Todd F. Heatherton
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
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Binding: Hardcover

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During the past decade, unprecedented advances in neuroscience have revolutionized the field of psychology, posing exciting new questions and reinvigorating classic lines of inquiry. In Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior, brain scientist Michael Gazzaniga and social and personality psychologist Todd Heatherton integrate the latest findings in cognitive, social, developmental, personality, and clinical psychology in a text perfectly pitched to the undergraduate student. With coverage of cutting-edge research, an exciting interdisciplinary approach, and a talented author team, Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior captures the dynamism and energy of contemporary psychology.

Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior

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A Complete Introduction

Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior
Michael S. Gazzaniga , and Todd F. Heatherton
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0393975878

Book Description

Major principles and contemporary themes drive this narrative overview of the field touching on the latest ideas and findings in biological, cognitive, social, developmental, personality, and clinical psychology. Gazzaniga and Heatherton provide the latest insights on a wide array of topics and issues including the growth of children's minds, the ways we learn, the impact of serious head injuries on behavior, the reasons why we discriminate against one another, the possibility of changing our personalities, and the causes and treatments of psychological disorders.

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Quick & Easy.......2005-09-24

The transaction was quick and easy. Book came within the week from when I ordered it. Also, the book was in perfect condition, as said.

Alternative to Hardcover - Ebook.......2004-09-11

As an alternative to the Hardcover edition, please consider the eBook (PDF Version) which is split into Part I and Part II. Pricing for the eBook versions is considerably less than the hardcover.

Search for "Psychological Science: Mind, Brain, and Behavior" in the toolbox, or directly to ASIN B0002VC6SG and B0002VC6SQ for the eBook versions.

A Complete Introduction.......2004-01-13

This book is very complete introduction to psychology. It has clear diagrams and is written well. A good textbook to a more complete understanding of the basis of psychology. Woot.

Psychological Science - The Mind, Brain, and Behavior (Custom Edition)

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Psychological Science - The Mind, Brain, and Behavior (Custom Edition)
Michael Gazzaniga , and Todd Heatherton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0393927237

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Custom Edition for Mt. Holyoke College

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