Samuel Bronfman: The Life & Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam

Samuel Bronfman: The Life & Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam
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Samuel Bronfman: The Life & Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam
Michael R. Marrus
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Canada Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q6RJD4

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Samuel Bronfman: The Life & Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam

Manufacturer: Diane Pub.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0788157388

Product Description

As the creator of the Seagram whiskey empire, Sam Bronfman became a mythic figure in the business world, & in the years after his death the legend has developed further & further away from the life. This is the complete story of the man & the business he built. Bronfman was an intuitive leader & manager who knew his industry inside out & set the highest standards for his products & himself. His life makes a fascinating tale of business, power, wealth, & ethnic politics. Sam Bronfman was "a volatile, shrewd, & highly individualistic leader whose technical knowledge & financial acumen remain unchallenged."

Samuel Bronfman: The Life and Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam

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Samuel Bronfman: The Life and Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam
Michael R. Marrus
Manufacturer: Brandeis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0874515718

Book Description

The irascible son of a Jewish pioneer from Czarist Russia whose business acumen built an international company renowned for the quality of its products.

Amazon.com

This definitive biography of Ted Williams provides a balanced portrait of the man, the ballplayer, the war veteran, and the hitter. This last side of Williams--the man in the batter's box, the last player to hit .400, the Splendid Splinter--is the most widely and fondly remembered. But Linn also gets beneath the varnish on the bat, examining the Williams known by teammates and sportswriters as difficult and moody. Finally, this is an assessment of a ballplayer who was frequently ignored by the press, despite accomplishments the likes of which we may never see again on a professional diamond.

Book Description

At first he was The Kid, then The Splendid Splinter and Thumping Theodore - to say nothing of Teddy Ballgame. But the tag that really fits is Hitter. “A riveting retrospective” (Baseball americanca). Index; career statistics; photographs.

Customer Reviews:

Teddy Ballgame gets his due.......2003-10-15

Ed Linn says that Williams was the greatest hitter of all-time, he should have won 5 MVP awards, and his 1941 season was more impressive than DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak. That he gave up his potentially most productive years to fight in two wars says as much for his character as it does for his projected totals. The biggest hurdle to recognition was his rascally personality that alienated hometown Boston sportswriters.

In a media age, it is very hard for accomplishments to be recognized without supporting prose. But in Williams' case, his attitude not only cost him prose, but MVP votes from local sportswriters. Had the hometown scribes written glowingly about his .406 average in 1941 the way the New York papers lionized DiMaggio's hitting streak, he may have won his first MVP. Instead it took time for that accomplishment to be realized, and it continues to grow as the years pass without any .400 hitters. Add the two Triple Crowns he won without getting the award and you have to wonder what sportswriters were doing with their votes.

Linn doesn't comment much on Williams' years as the manager of the Washington Senators. It's just mentioned to say that Williams wasn't cut out to be a manager. He says a little about Williams' service record, but reminds us that he was John Glenn's wingman. And we get just enough about Williams home life to know that he wasn't the best husband. This book isn't about those things it's about Williams the great hitter.

Linn stresses that Williams proved his greatness by the way he played when his tools were diminishing in the 1950s. While the rest of his body was breaking down with injuries his bat could still light up a ballgame. That he won the 1958 batting title at age of 39 is a feat that Linn says is amazing. Linn makes a dramatic telling of his last at bat home run by explaining Williams before and after the contest.

This is an informative and thorough telling of Williams the ballplayer and a good choice if you want to know more about Williams and his era in the big leagues.

What a great book!.......2003-03-29

If you want to know everything you possibly can about Ted and his effect on the game you need to read this book.

The Authoritative History of Ted Williams.......2002-07-09

This is an absolutely FABULOUS book. It details not only the career, but also the life of the greatest hitter who ever lived. I am generally not a big book reader, but I could not put this one down, reading it in a little over a day. I guarantee that if you are a baseball fan, you will love this book!

Excellent Biography.......2001-01-19

Biographies often waste time describing things like the "childhood home". While this book gives an overview of Williams' early life, it focuses on his historical impact on baseball and his attitudes toward the game. Linn does an excellent job of measuring Williams statistically and creating the perspective of his career that, as a 34 year old, I did not get to experience first hand. An understanding of each season, his teammates and adversaries, creates for me an appreciation that did not exist before. Some great segments on Ted's mentality toward the game and hitting specifically, was great not only for me but also my 10 year old. Note: this is a biography NOT an instructional manual - see The Science of Hitting for the "other half of the story.

HITTER is like a triple off the Green Monster..........2000-06-10

Ed Linn's HITTER is a excellent biography on Ted Williams life and baseball career. It's a solid 400 pages about Williams, his youth, his personality quirks and flaws, his talent at hitting a baseball, and his glorious seasons at Fenway Park. What Ed Linn does best is to write about The Kid's best seasons and comparing them to other baseball greats using statistical analysis. Also the many stories about Williams' war with the Boston Press. Linn was very careful to write both the good and bad of Williams, and is not afraid to criticize his behavior. The only reasons why this book isnt a home run is because I feel that there could have been more details in certain situations,or maybe Linn suffers from the same problem as Ted Williams had in front of the Fenway Crowd, they both did such a good job that you just wanted a little more from them.

HITTER The Life and Turmoils of Ted William

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HITTER The Life and Turmoils of Ted William
Ed Linn
Manufacturer: Harcourt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJOSBY

Two or Three Things I Know About Her: Analysis of a Film by Godard (Harvard Film Studies)
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How to Read A Film

Two or Three Things I Know About Her: Analysis of a Film by Godard (Harvard Film Studies)
Alfred Guzzetti
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0674915003

Customer Reviews:

How to Read A Film.......1998-05-22

Guzzetti's study of the Godard film appeared before the advent of home video. Indeed, Two or Three Things I Know About Her was released for the first time on video by New Yorker Films in 1997. Guzzetti provides a text which is designed for the reader to begin an in depth study. The book's layout provides a frame by frame analysis. More than a film script, the book matches each line from the film, with its corresponding image (albeit in b&w) reproduced alongside in widescreen. How to read a film indeed!

Book Description

Drawing on her interviews with dozens of celebrities, Michele Karl offers examples and actual photographs of the collections of some of our favorite stars. From John Travolta and his aviation memorabilia to Sarah Ferguson with her favorite china, this book offers a sneak peak at what over 50 celebrities love to love. Includes a section on celebrity-inspired collectibles.

Customer Reviews:

A fun, light read will fascinate any celebrity fan who is also a collector........2006-12-12

Here's a new twist on the collector's book: a handbook based on the author's interviews with dozens of celebrities that reveals the keepsakes they treasure and gather. You have to be as much a celebrity fan as a collector to appreciate the dual focus of What Celebrities Collect!, but such an audience will appreciate the color celebrity photos, 'did you know' sidebars of collecting tips, and insights on not only what celebrities collect, but how large their holdings are. A fun, light read will fascinate any celebrity fan who is also a collector.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The Compleat Cruciverbalist: Or How to Solve and Compose Crossword Puzzles for Fun and Profit
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The Compleat Cruciverbalist: Or How to Solve and Compose Crossword Puzzles for Fun and Profit
Stanley A. Kurzban
Manufacturer: Van Nostrand Reinhold
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0442257384

Amazon.com

Certain data-communication protocols hog the spotlight, but all of them have a lot in common. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet explains the engineering problems that are inherent in communicating digital information from point to point. The top-down approach mentioned in the subtitle means that the book starts at the top of the protocol stack--at the application layer--and works its way down through the other layers, until it reaches bare wire.

The authors, for the most part, shun the well-known seven-layer Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol stack in favor of their own five-layer (application, transport, network, link, and physical) model. It's an effective approach that helps clear away some of the hand waving traditionally associated with the more obtuse layers in the OSI model. The approach is definitely theoretical--don't look here for instructions on configuring Windows 2000 or a Cisco router--but it's relevant to reality, and should help anyone who needs to understand networking as a programmer, system architect, or even administration guru.

The treatment of the network layer, at which routing takes place, is typical of the overall style. In discussing routing, authors James Kurose and Keith Ross explain (by way of lots of clear, definition-packed text) what routing protocols need to do: find the best route to a destination. Then they present the mathematics that determine the best path, show some code that implements those algorithms, and illustrate the logic by using excellent conceptual diagrams. Real-life implementations of the algorithms--including Internet Protocol (both IPv4 and IPv6) and several popular IP routing protocols--help you to make the transition from pure theory to networking technologies. --David Wall

Topics covered: The theory behind data networks, with thorough discussion of the problems that are posed at each level (the application layer gets plenty of attention). For each layer, there's academic coverage of networking problems and solutions, followed by discussion of real technologies. Special sections deal with network security and transmission of digital multimedia.

Book Description

Computer Networking provides a top-down approach to this study by beginning with applications-level protocols and then working down the protocol stack. Focuses on a specific motivating example of a network-the Internet-as well as introducing students to protocols in a more theoretical context. New short "interlude" on "putting it all together" that follows the coverage of application, transport, network, and datalink layers ties together the various components of the Internet architecture and identifying aspects of the architecture that have made the Internet so successful. A new chapter covers wireless and mobile networking, including in-depth coverage of Wi-Fi, Mobile IP and GSM. Also included is expanded coverage on BGP, wireless security and DNS. This book is designed for readers who need to learn the fundamentals of computer networking. It also has extensive material, on the very latest technology, making it of great interest to networking professionals.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books on computer networks.......2007-05-23

Certainly the best INTRODUCTORY book on computer networks. And ONE of the two best books on computer networks (the other being Computer Networks by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, however the two are written in a very different style.)

Brilliant work! The book describes computer networks in an very very interesting manner, with practical real world scenarios and examples, explaining how things works in real world with examples of internet, together with very interesting notes on great events in the computer networks field. The fundamental networking concepts are described and explained in a great way. The figures are outstanding helping in understanding the thoery even more. As the title suggests the chapters discuss network stack layers top to down, i.e., the first chapter dicusses the Application layer, and so on.

However regarding the contents, I think Andrew S. Tanenbaum's book covers more which is also due to the fact that this book is written with Internet as an example, therefore it mostly covers the major topics in the computer networks.

The topics are explained in very much detail. However for this reason, this book may not be ideal for someone who wants a quick revision of the network concepts.

In a way, a negative point of the book is that sometimes it is overloaded with too much unnecessary information.

Very highly recommended! Dont think, go for it, especially it if it is your first book on computer networks.

Good book for starting out in networking.......2007-04-28

This is a great book if you are starting out in the computer networking field. It is also a good compliment to "Computer Networks" by Andrew Tanenbaum. This is not a book for someone well versed with the basic concepts as it lacks the depth and details.

This book looks at the networking concepts from the software engineer/ computer science perspective rather than computer engineer/ electrical engineer one.

It explains many of the concepts with very simple everyday analogies and the simple language makes it very readable. The book does miss out on many emerging technologies, like sensor networks, mesh networks, etc.

Also the lower OSI layers like physical, MAC lack the details and information worthy of a basic book. The application, transport and network layers are covered well since this a primarily a software engineer's look at networking.

Overall, its a good book for beginers(specially for computer science) but not for intermediate or experts in the field .

Fast Service.......2007-02-11

I bought this book for my son in college...if anything...thank you for the great service and fast shipment..it made it prior to the start of his class..

Great Book.......2007-02-06

I like the book very much. It is very up-to-date on emerging technologies and very explanatory. However, I was expecting to see solutions to exercises. A great book indeed.

nice that they use 5 layers instead of 7.......2007-01-25

[A review of the 3rd Edition.]

Kudos to the authors for eschewing the traditional 7 layer description of the Internet. Too complex. Instead, they give a clear and pragmatic understanding of 5 layers. Physical, data link, network, transport and application. A very logical subdivision. From this flows the User Datagram Protocol and TCP/IP.

At the network layer, there is a good airing of common routing algorithms, used by Cisco and others. Including broadcast and multicast routing. These are very efficient methods of using the available bandwidth; especially for applications like video being viewed by many people.

Wireless and mobile networks also get a mention. Important since in the developing world, more people are likely to have a cellphone than a computer. There are different issues here, compared to fixed landline networks. Like mobility management.

The only possible drawback about the text is the brief discussion on IPv6, the next generation Internet. If you need a comprehensive discussion, seek a different book.

Computer Networking: Top Down Approach Featuring Internet Environments

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Computer Networking: Top Down Approach Featuring Internet Environments
Kurose , and Umar
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0877786429

Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.)
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Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.)
Reinhart Koselleck
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Practice of Conceptual History: Timing History, Spacing Concepts (Cultural Memory in the Present)

Critique and Crises: Enlightenment and the Pathogenesis of Modern Society (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought)

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Memory, History, Forgetting

ASIN: 0231127707

Book Description

Widely considered to be the most important German intellectual historian of the postwar period, Reinhart Koselleck has had a profound influence on contemporary historiography. With a new, interpretive introduction by the translator, this revised and corrected edition of Koselleck's most acclaimed work is once again available in English.

With the advent of modernity in the late eighteenth-century every aspect of human life was radically transformed, including the experience of time. As the ever-accelerating pace of the modern world left people with briefer intervals of time in which to gather new experiences and adapt to social and technological changes, the demands that were placed on the future correspondingly increased. The promises of modernity -- freedom, progress, opportunity -- began to produce expectations and hopes that broke free of the present and projected utopian visions of unbounded possibility onto the future. In this provocative and erudite book, Koselleck explores the shifting perceptions and conceptions of historical time that have emerged over the past two centuries. Relying on an extraordinary array of witnesses and texts -- from politicians, philosophers, theologians, and poets to proverbs, lexica, Renaissance paintings, and the dreams of German citizens during the Third Reich -- Koselleck argues that the past and the future have become "relocated" in relation to each other, and that "history" has emerged as a new kind of temporality with distinct characteristics and ways of assimilating experience.

Chronological time is generally tied to social and political actions, to the concrete experiences of human beings. Yet in reality historical events and epochs intermingle and overlap, transcending strict temporal distinctions that can be derived from physical or astronomical phenomena. In the present context of globalization -- where many cultures and perceptions become superimposed upon one another -- the modern world faces not only temporal acceleration but also historical disorientation. Koselleck believes that any given present is simultaneously a "former future" that was once defined by specific terms and ideas. By analyzing the semantics of historical time, Koselleck brings into focus the far-reaching impact that conceptions of time have on social organization, revealing that human history results as much from structure of temporal experience as from the contingencies of uncontrollable events.

FUTURES PAST: ON THE SEMANTICS OF HISTORICAL TIME. Translated by Keith Tribe.

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FUTURES PAST: ON THE SEMANTICS OF HISTORICAL TIME. Translated by Keith Tribe.
Reinhart. Koselleck
Manufacturer: MIT Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VWHGU4

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Futures Past: On The Semantics of Historical Time
Reinhart Koselleck
Manufacturer: MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQMGKC

Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.)

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Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.)
Reinhart Koselleck; Foreword-Keith Tribe
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQ0PUU

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Futures Past: On the Semantics of Historical Time (Studies in Contemporary German Social Thought.)
Keith Tribe Reinhart Koselleck
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQ0PZ0

Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World
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Unoriginal and dogmatic.

Great insight into the EU from one of Europe's great leaders

A must in the library of ANYONE interested in international affairs

This was a brilliant book

Full of Recommendations from Lady Thatcher

Statecraft: Strategies for a Changing World
Margaret Thatcher
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060959126
Release Date: 2003-03-25

Book Description

I wanted to write one more book -- and I wanted it to be about the future.

Few leaders have stood on the brink of change to the extent of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher. Now this commanding world figure draws upon her unrivaled political experience to comment on the threats that democracy faces at the dawn of the new millennium and on the role that Western powers should play in the world's hot spots, especially in the aftermath of September 11, 2001.

Reflecting on the lessons of the Cold War, Thatcher outlines the foundation of U.S. dominance and its responsibilities as the only global superpower. She offers prescient observations about the dangers posed by Balkan instability, rogue states, Islamic extremism, and international terrorism -- and suggests strategies to counter them. In addition, she examines current trends in Russia, China, India, the Far East, Europe, and, particularly, Great Britain. Noting how every contemporary problem evokes demands for a global solution, Thatcher also warns of overreliance on international institutions at the expense of nation-states.

Statecraft is an incisive treatise on power in the age of globalism, written by a legendary world statesman with a matchless combination of principles, experience, and shrewdness.

Customer Reviews:

Unoriginal and dogmatic........2007-10-05

Margaret Thatcher is not breaking any new grounds in this book. This was the biggest disappointment. Her analysis was not honed to perfection. Unfortunately, there was nothing else to distinguish it from any other book filled with political blubber.

I did not expect her to boast about "American Achievement". It is as if she turned into Tony Blair. I was hoping for some independent thinking from an eminent personality. Instead, the book is filled with "America - good, the rest of the World - revere America" kind of deal. Her one-sided, and not necessarily irrefutable, opinion screams from every page.

She is not the first person to anatomize the statecraft and this work is not exuding anything convincing.

The dullness of the text also stands out. It lacks in character and style. It reads very much as a textbook.

I would not call it a waste of time, but it is close to it.

Great insight into the EU from one of Europe's great leaders .......2007-08-22

One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is the negative comments on The EU especially why it is not very democratic for Europeans - anyone looking to forecast the future of the EU will find this section very interesting.

A must in the library of ANYONE interested in international affairs.......2006-03-25

What can I say? Lady Margaret Thatcher has written a brillient summary of the world's problems as well as its opportunities. She combines a knowledge of the world problems matched by few along with her experience of having met many of the particulars and visited many of the countries of which she writes. She interweaves stories of her encounters with world leaders and other important figures to add an element of personal flair to the work.

Lady Thatcher begins with a discussion of the American achievement of leading a coalition to defeat the Soviets and their aspirations to global domination. She then goes through region by region, analyzing pertinent facts and discussing both problems and opportunities. Following many sections, Lady Thatcher specifically itentifies recommended policy prescriptions that are sensical and easy to understand. She talks about Russia, the dynamic economies of Asia, including both Japan and their perculiar place vis a vis many other Asian countries as well as the troublesome Chinese regime and their continued threats towards Taiwan. Sino-philes won't be happy at what she says about China in many areas, especially vis a vis Taiwan.

She also discusses many areas where the West has failed or at least been misguided. Human Rights and the failure in the Balkans are among them. She spends two chapters talking about Europe and Britain's relations with it. She details Britains contributions to the EU, the EU's inconsistency with liberty and democracy and how Britain must use their bargaining strength to negotiate a fairer deal for Britain within the Union. She then talks about capitalism and discusses how many people simply do not understand capitalism and how it is supposed to work.

The postscript brings us back to the beginnings of personal liberty. Runnymede in 1215, the site of the signing of the Magna Carta. From these humble beginnings, the Anglo tradition of the liberty that rightfully belongs to freemen was established. It then bore fruit later in Britain as more and more people came under the category of freemen before Britain spread this concept of liberty around the world. This is the unique and invaluable gift to the world of Britain and the other English-speaking peoples - peoples who have the unparalled ability to make human liberty work and this be a beacon and a light to the rest of the world. In many senses, this is what the entire work is about.

This was a brilliant book.......2006-02-18

Where to begin with all the good things to be said about this book?

1. The writing was very easy, concise, and light. Especially helpful were Thatcher's "bullet point" synopses at the end of each section to underline and clarify what she thought most relevant.

2. Her analyses were very perceptive-- especially those of China and her experiences with its (extremely dishonest) leadership. How many people know that China is the major seller of WMD to places that would wreak havoc at any opportunity? (One example is that China sold to both sides during the Iran-Iraq war.) Thatcher's delineation of different areas in the Middle East was also very interesting. Western people tend to think of it all as one homogeneous place, but this is not quite correct.

3. In addition to being very perceptive, her analyses of different countries and regions was also very frank. People who are in political positions frequently master the art of saying nothing at great length. Not so for this text.

4. Looking at the bibliography, much of her discussions were informed by very serious authors, such as Hayek and specific examples of things that had gone wrong in places like the Soviet Union. Many political commentators (Noam Chomsky) blather on endlessly about abstract Utopias and don't study things that have actually happened when making their suggestions. One example of this was on what might realistically happen if Britain further integrated with Europe and implemented certain ideas of which the other Europeans seem fond (statism, corporatism). It is interesting that the best discussions of what certain ideas really mean in practice have been carried out by people who actually went about the business of managing a state-- and how different these ideas are from those of intellectuals/ professional talkers.

5. As a conservative, Thatcher went back and analyzed a bit about how silly certain neo-liberal ideas have been shown to be later. (It seems like this is almost never done. People talk about this or that leftist idea and when it turns out to be laughably stupid just sweep it under the wrong and move on to the next banality.)

All in all a very, very good book that is worth the purchase price and a second read.

Full of Recommendations from Lady Thatcher.......2005-10-07

This books reads a little like a cook book for world leaders. Lady Thatcher presents each topic and then provides specific recommendations that she hopes that today's leaders will embrace.

My favorite chapters are when she discusses the cold war, European politics, and capitalism. Her views about some of the Asian cultures (particularly China and Japan) are interesting and educational. About the only chapter that I would find myself starting to skim was when she covered the Balkan Wars.

Overall, an interesting read...especially if you admire Lady Thatcher. Although I wish everybody in Washington, DC would read this book, it probably is pretty much for political junkies.

Statecraft Strategies for a Changing World

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Thought-provoking

Statecraft Strategies for a Changing World
Margaret Thatcher
Manufacturer: Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0W2FW

Customer Reviews:

Thought-provoking.......2007-07-23

In this brilliant book, Thatcher discusses the state of the world at the start of the 21st century and the way forward, drawing on her considerable experience and keen insights. Chapter One: cold war reflections, touches on many subjects from the information revolution to the victory of the West in the cold war. Chapter Two looks at the American achievement including the concept of a unipolar world, military preparedness, defence technologies and missile defence.

Chapter Three deals with Russia, the legacy of communism, the role of the IMF, the failed economic reforms, the country's relations with its former Soviet colonies and what remains of its military power. Part One of Chapter Four explains why Asia, with half of the world's population and a third of all dry land, matters so much. Part Two deals with the Tigers: Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia, whilst Part Three is devoted to Japan. The next chapter, Asian Giants, deals with China (including Taiwan and Hong Kong) and India.

In Chapter Six, rogue states, religion and terrorism are discussed, with particular reference to North Korea, Islam, Iraq, Syria, Lybia and Iran. In Chapter Seven, Thatcher discusses human rights, genocide, the Yugoslavia and Rwanda criminal tribunals, the international criminal court and European court of human rights.

Chapter Eight investigates the Balkan wars whilst Chapter Nine is devoted to the European Union. Thatcher investigates the roots of the European idea, the European economic and social model, the pensions crisis, the common agricultural policy, the Euro currency as a means towards a superstate and the bureaucratic, anti-democratic nature of the EU.

Thatcher warns against the creeping loss of sovereignty to unaccountable EU bureaucrats who have only contempt for democracy. The next chapter looks at the current situation of the UK by investigating all the options of how her country might extricate itself from this mess. She advises Britain to stick to the Pound and to renegotiate the structure of the EU.

The last chapter strikes a devastating blow to the critics of capitalism by illustrating how well the free economies have been performing as opposed to the shackled economies of the remaining authoritarian regimes. She also dissects the absurdities of the global warming scare and discusses globalism and its enemies.

The postscript deals with accountability and the Magna Carta in a delightful description of Thatcher and her husband's visit to the memorial at Runnymede. She concludes the book with the observation that the political culture of the English-speaking peoples has given the world the ideas that power should be limited, force should not overrule justice plus the conviction that individuals have an absolute moral worth.

There are 20 full color photographs, 13 maps and 8 tables that enhance this highly readable and illuminating text. Bibliographic references are scattered throughout and the book concludes with a thorough index.

Margaret Thatcher : Volume One : The Grocer's Daughter

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Book Description

"Fascinating and insightful. . . . I cannot recall a book that has made me think more about the nature of thinking." — Richard C. Lewontin

Harvard University

Everyone knows that optical illusions trick us because of the way we see. Now scientists have discovered that cognitive illusions, a set of biases deeply embedded in the human mind, can actually distort the way we think.

In Inevitable Illusions, distinguished cognitive researcher Massimo Piattelli-Palmarini takes us on a provocative, challenging, and thoroughly entertaining exploration of the games our minds play. He opens the doors onto the newly charted realm of the cognitive unconscious to reveal the full range of illusions, showing how they inhibit our ability to reason—no matter what our educational background or IQ. Inevitable Illusions is stimulating, eye-opening food for thought.

Customer Reviews:

Is Reno west or east of San Diego?.......2007-08-09

Did you say east simply because Nevada is east of California? It's actually west of San Diego. In inevitable illusions (sic), Palmarini, the mediator of the great debate between Chomsky and Skinner, presents a fun and light-hearted overview of the field of decision science. I may have liked the book more than some, for when I first read it I had not actually ever heard of decision science. Now I'm working toward a PhD studying it. The book is chocked full of great examples that would help any teacher illustrate the subjects covered. One of my favorites, when discussing intransitivity, is Palmarini's example of the French survey in which participants said that to be in good health was not important for happiness while maintaining that bad health would be the number one most important cause of unhappiness. His explanation of "Dutch booking" is excellent, as is his explanation of the "Monty Hall Paradox." It's alarming how many people don't get this problem, and that controversy over it continues. A recent edition of Parade magazine contained an article in which the author claimed that saying there is 50/50 odds on the last two boxes IS the correct interpretation. Not so of course. Palmarini also offers an even more mind-boggling version of the Monty Hall Problem, this one involving three prisoners about to be put to death. Great fun.

Too many promises.......2007-07-04

This book is a nice review of the work of two prominent psychologists, Tversky and Kahnenan. If you are familiar with their work, there is little reason to read this book. If you are unfamiliar with their work, the material is slow going, interesting at times, but a bit tedious.

Academic With Little Practical Application.......2007-06-13

This book reminds me of a girl I knew once -- she promised a lot but never delivered. If you're a psychologist or a statistics professional, you may enjoy this book, but if you're looking for pragmatic insight on how people make decisions, check out How We Know What Isn't So by Gilovich.

A Tough But Rewarding Read.......2007-03-27

This was a tough read for me because this book covers a lot of concepts related to probability with which I've always had trouble. Nevertheless it's a humbling eye-opener to know that we sometimes make decisions based on faulty reasoning but are not even aware of it. And it's not a matter of education or intelligence but appears to be the way our minds work. With awareness and experience we can identify and emerge from these "mental tunnels" and make better decisions and especially avoid potential disasters. For me, this book will require one or two more reads before it is fully grasped. My only real criticism, and therefore why I do not give it 5 stars, is that the author addressed critiques of his point against one particular individual in a tone that borders on mean-spirited. It's a rather jarring detour in an otherwise challenging book.

Mental Tunnels & Hopeful Avoidance.......2006-08-27

Inevitable Illusions is worthy of any collection for the study of human nature and its sometimes cognitive tricks that our evolutionary adaptation has not caught up to in an ever increasingly innovative, and busy world. The author gives warnings to his (these) "Mental Tunnels" we sometimes go down to our detriment via studies that have confirmed and via illusions that we play on ourselves in a very enlightening and educational way. These warnings are irrespective of whether the illusion is visual or probabilistic in nature. The many examples vary from the probabilistic in the "Monty Hall Dilemma" or the "Third Prisoner Dilemma" to the failure to account for the conjunctive aspects of mathematical scenarios.

Though this book is good, if you have not previously read either of Cialdini, Gilovich, or Plous, I would maybe start here but don't pass on the other author's works. The point the author wants to leave one with is the knowledge of the Mental Tunnel and a hopeful wish that once we have been advised of the tunnel, we may avoid them in the future (but probably doubtful) but wishing anyway.

Inevitable illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule our Minds.(Review): An article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics

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Inevitable illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule our Minds.(Review): An article from: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics
Nora Miller
Manufacturer: International Society for General Semantics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from ETC.: A Review of General Semantics, published by International Society for General Semantics on June 22, 2001. The length of the article is 1107 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: Inevitable illusions: How Mistakes of Reason Rule our Minds.(Review)
Author: Nora Miller
Publication: ETC.: A Review of General Semantics (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2001
Publisher: International Society for General Semantics
Volume: 58 Issue: 2 Page: 235

Article Type: Book Review

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