The Terror of the Machine: Technology, Work, Gender, and Ecology on the U.S.-Mexico Border (CMAS Border & Migration Studies Series)

Book Description

Born of thirteen years of field research, this interdisciplinary work explores the complex intersections of technology, class, gender, and ecology in the transnational milieu of Mexico's maquiladoras, foreign-owned assembly plants located along the U.S. border. Devon Peña examines workplace and community struggles from the perspective of the women who work in the maquiladoras. He describes the workers' struggles for workplace democracy, social justice, and sustainable development. He also observes the circulation of struggle from the factory to the community, highlighting the efforts to establish worker-owned cooperatives in the border region during the 1970s and 1980s. Female maquila workers are typically portrayed as passive, apolitical, and easily exploited. This book, however, presents an opposing view, investigating the "subaltern life of the shop floor"--the workers' informal methods of resistance to hazardous conditions, sexual harassment, and managerial tyranny. Using survey research, oral history, discourse analysis, and site ethnography, the author develops a cogent critique of labor-process theory, a critique grounded on his extensive study of actual workplace politics in the maquiladoras. The Terror of the Machine is a trenchant analysis of the political, cultural, and environmental effects of maquila industrialization and an eloquent and persuasive call for alternatives in the direction of ecologically sustainable and culturally appropriate modes of development.

The Terror of the Machine : Technology, Work, Gender, and Ecology on the U. S.-Mexico Border (Border and Migration Studies)

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The Terror of the Machine : Technology, Work, Gender, and Ecology on the U. S.-Mexico Border (Border and Migration Studies)
Devon S. Pena
Manufacturer: University of Texas Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORX3K8

Book Description

As recently as 1874, no laws yet existed in this country for the protection of children. In New York of the same year, it was the widely publicized case of Mary Ellen Wilson—a nine-year-old girl who had been a prisoner in her tenement home, enduring unimaginable cruelty—that was the first to draw national and worldwide attention to both the social issue of child abuse and to the notion that children are entitled to humane treatment. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) founder Henry Bergh and his attorney, Elbridge T. Gerry, intervened on behalf of the abused little girl. Following this case, the first child protection agency was founded: the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

This examination of the child abuse case begins with a look at Mary Ellen Wilson's life and provides background on the events surrounding the case. It draws upon—and reproduces within the text—numerous primary sources. Mary Ellen's famous court testimony, queries urging Henry Bergh's ASPCA to continue work on behalf of children, articles describing the courtroom scene, pleas from Mary Ellen's family appealing for her custody and published documentation of the trial itself are all offered here for the first time. The extensive amounts of newspaper coverage, family letters, judicial orders and court transcripts presented in this work chronicle the historical case and its effects which have since provided hope for millions of abused and neglected children.

Customer Reviews:

Everything about the Mary Ellen Wilson case is here!.......2005-04-15

Dr. Lazoritz and I are very excited to see this book released to the public. When we wrote Out of the Darkness, publishers did not know where to place it. With this book, there is no such problem; it's clearly the definitive book on the Mary Ellen Wilson/Mary Connolly abuse case. A fascinating piece of American history, and a crucial trial that changed the way we view and treat our children. Please, if you buy this book, come back and write your own review so others can trust someone other than the author! :-)

Book Description

This book is the first to provide a comparative review of agrarian land policy and regulation with 'western' developed economies. Twelve chapters cover specific countries: USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy and Norway. There is also a chapter providing an overview of relevant European Community law and a concluding chapter comparing issues raised in the country-specific chapters. The book provides a unique overview of the subject, and while not intended as a comprehensive guide to legal practice, is a unique reference for academics and practitioners concerned with agrarian law. It will also provide an accessible introduction to the subject for all those who may not be legally trained, but who are concerned with land use, agricultural policy and rural planning.

Book Description

This is the second edition of a highly successful and well-received textbook on the responsible conduct of biomedical and health science research. It is aimed at faculty and graduate students in health science and biomedical science programs. In addition, those on National Institute of Health research grants, administrators at universities, and academic health centers will find it a useful resource. The major changes include new chapters providing overviews of each topic, several new published articles added to the readings, revised case studies as well as further readings and web addresses.

Bioethics and armed conflict: mapping the moral dimensions of medicine and war.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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Bioethics and armed conflict: mapping the moral dimensions of medicine and war.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report
Michael L. Gross
Manufacturer: Hastings Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 7042 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.

From the author: Medical ethics in times of war are fundamentally different from those in times of peace, War brings military and medical values into conflict, often overwhelming other moral obligations, such as a doctor's charge to relieve suffering, in the face of military necessity,

Citation Details
Title: Bioethics and armed conflict: mapping the moral dimensions of medicine and war.
Author: Michael L. Gross
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: 34 Issue: 6 Page: 22(9)

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Influenza pandemic preparedness: legal and ethical dimensions.(at law): An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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Influenza pandemic preparedness: legal and ethical dimensions.(at law): An article from: The Hastings Center Report
Lawrence O. Gostin
Manufacturer: Hastings Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1683 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: Influenza pandemic preparedness: legal and ethical dimensions.(at law)
Author: Lawrence O. Gostin
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: 34 Issue: 5 Page: 10(2)

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Medical Harm: Historical, Conceptual, and Ethical Dimensions of Iatrogenic Illness.(Review): An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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Medical Harm: Historical, Conceptual, and Ethical Dimensions of Iatrogenic Illness.(Review): An article from: The Hastings Center Report
Charles Bosk
Manufacturer: Hastings Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on July 1, 2000. The length of the article is 1335 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: Medical Harm: Historical, Conceptual, and Ethical Dimensions of Iatrogenic Illness.(Review)
Author: Charles Bosk
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: July 1, 2000
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Page: 44

Article Type: Book Review

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Mind, money, and morality: ethical dimensions of economic change in American psychiatry.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report

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Mind, money, and morality: ethical dimensions of economic change in American psychiatry.: An article from: The Hastings Center Report
Charles J. Dougherty
Manufacturer: Hastings Center
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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This digital document is an article from The Hastings Center Report, published by Hastings Center on June 1, 1988. The length of the article is 5100 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: Mind, money, and morality: ethical dimensions of economic change in American psychiatry.
Author: Charles J. Dougherty
Publication: The Hastings Center Report (Refereed)
Date: June 1, 1988
Publisher: Hastings Center
Volume: v18 Issue: n3 Page: p15(6)

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Book Description

Used widely in courses and frequently sought as a reference, this 2-volume work features comprehensive coverage of its subject. Volume 1 examines the fundamental theory of equilibrium properties of perfect crystalline solids. Volume 2 addresses non-equilibrium properties, defects, and disordered systems. 1973 edition.

Customer Reviews:

A Solid and Tasty Overview.......2007-10-02

This is the first part of a two volume treatment of solid state physics. The presentation is very clear and to the point as the authors does not shy away from introducing right mathematical tools with tasteful introduction whenever needed. For instance it is the only book of this sort(to my knowledge) which discusses the classification of the critical points of electronic density of states in the context of Morse theory(The pertinent parts obviously).

The only thing that it lacks is a solid discussion of crystallographic space groups and symmetry. Given it`s age there is no discussion of quantum heterostructures(quantum dots, wires etc.) and mesoscopic transport phenomena(this would have belonged to the second volume) either. Other than that it is a very complete treatment.

Yet another aspect of the is the fact that not each and every single step in the calculations is filled by the authors. But then, at some point you have to compromise that to delineate the physical picture at a deeper level so it is by no means a weak point.

Very useful book.......2005-06-19

This is a very useful reference book: very basic and in the same time very broad in scope. At least it is a good starting point for a deeper inquiry in many areas. It is good as well for clearifying simple points when you already have an extensive knowledge of a subject: a good fraction of research paper published nowadays are based on models whose origins are apparently unknown to the authors; Jones&March help to sort out many of such papers as hardly correct.
Of course, you should buy both volumes.

A superb treatise for the theoretical physicist........1999-09-19

This book is indeed the 2nd volume of Theoretical Solid State Physics: Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium. As the subtitle specifies, this 2nd vol. refers to non-equilibrium and disordered systems. It is very complete. About the first 100 pages are dedicated to transport theory, Boltzmann equations and relations to density-matrix approach. Other long chapters are about optical properties and superconductivity; about 50 pages are dedicated to excitations; about 200 pages to the defects of solids. I particularly like this book because the authors make often use of self-consistent methods, like Thomas-Fermi one. The unique pity is that the system of units used in each section is not always clear. No mentions also of the most recent nanostructure objects and atomic-force microscopy. I nonetheless highly recommend it, especially to persons who yet have a knowledge of quantum mechanics. For a good and simpler introduction to solid state physics Kittel's book is probably better; about transport theory I'd recommend also the book by Ashcroft and Mermin. These three, I think, are a really must have.

Theoretical Solid State Physics. Vol. 1: Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium

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Theoretical Solid State Physics. Vol. 1: Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium
William, and March, Norman Jones
Manufacturer: Dover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WN42MM

Theoretical Solid State Physics (2 vols): Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium (Vol. 1) and Non-equilibrium and Disorder (Vol 2)

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Theoretical Solid State Physics (2 vols): Perfect Lattices in Equilibrium (Vol. 1) and Non-equilibrium and Disorder (Vol 2)
William; March, Norman H. Jones
Manufacturer: Dover Publications, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000J31L2O

Customer Reviews:

Recommended.......2007-02-15

Published in 2005, this book contains 60 short stories by 40 writers from most of the countries of the Arab world. The works date roughly from the 1930s to the 1990s, with the majority from the 1990s. As is common with anthologies for this region, for most of the stories information is lacking on the year of first publication.

Older writers include Mayy Ziyada, Suhayr al-Qalamawi and Ulfat al-Idilbi, born in the late 19th/early 20th centuries, while Nura Amin and Umayma al-Khamis, born in the 1950s/60s, are among the youngest. Others include Samira Azzam, Layla Baalabakki, Salwa Bakr, Ihsan Kamal, Buthayna al-Nasiri, Alifa Rifaat, Nawal al-Saadawi and Hanan al-Shaykh and more recent, less well-known authors. Many of the stories are quite short, averaging four pages.

The pieces are grouped by the categories of growing up female, love and sexuality, male/female relations, marriage, childbearing, self-fulfillment, customs and values, and "winds of change." The intention's to introduce the English-speaking reader to Arab women's ways of life, currents of thought, and creative expression.

The editor/translator selected the stories based on their artistic merit, the desire to include a variety of viewpoints and a wide range of subject matter reflecting "current interests and concerns of Arab women, from feminist issues to social and political problems to cultural and moral dilemmas," and her own personal preferences. The preferences reflect a feminist and apparently secular outlook. Most of the works present women struggling against traditional social values, restrictions or double standards, or show the effects on women of such values.

Stories enjoyed included the ironic "International Women's Day" by Salwa Bakr, in which a male teacher speaks to elementary schoolchildren about the need to appreciate women, but has trouble following his own advice, while the headmistress stands by listening idly and considering her own problems; "The Closely Guarded Secret" by Sahar al-Muji, in which a woman guards carefully an unnamed secret all her life from parents and husband, preserving a sense of self; "A Successful Woman" by Suhayr al-Qalamawi, in which a woman from the countryside seeks love and success in Cairo, gaining and losing something in the process; "Homecoming" by Fadila al-Faruq, which shows a woman who returns to an unnamed Arabic country after living in London and experiences severe culture shock; and "I Will Try Tomorrow," by Mona Ragab, in which a writer's attempts to work are interrupted continually by the demands of raising her children. And Samira Azzam's "Tears for Sale," which shows the mask a person wears, and how death can strip it away. This was among the most affecting stories in the book, though in this case an even more sensitive rendering in English exists in another collection.

If anything was missed in this anthology, it was more stories written from an explicitly positive and religious perspective. Or maybe, that explicitly involved distinctly religious values as opposed to social ones.

Something that came close to being positive was Alifa Rifaat's "My Wedding Night," in which a woman overcomes her distress on the first night, comforted by a Biblical story and the memory of a pure love from her childhood, and finds that she and her husband can talk to one another and move beyond their anxiety.

Any serious collection that presents literature from this part of the world in English merits applause and attention. I'd certainly recommend this book. Other books to be recommended are Salma Khadra Jayyusi's 1056-page Modern Arabic Fiction: An Anthology, also published in 2005, and Denys Johnson-Davies' Anchor Book of Modern Arabic Fiction, published the following year.

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Windsor Beauties: Ladies of the Court of Charles II

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Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Restoration England
Restored gem
Recommended especially for lay historians and writers planning to pen court life period pieces
Useful collection of Stuart social portraits

The Windsor Beauties: Ladies of the Court of Charles II
Lewis Melville
Manufacturer: Victorian Heritage Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Painted Ladies: Women at the Court of Charles II

ASIN: 1932690131

Book Description

"The Duchess of York wished to have the portraits of the most beautiful women at Court," Anthony Hamilton wrote in the Memoirs of Count Grammont. "Lely painted them, and employed all his art in the execution. He could not have had more alluring sitters. Every portrait is a masterpiece."

The original set of "Beauties" painted by Lely were, as we find from James II's catalogue, eleven in number, their names being Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland (née Villiers); Frances, Duchess of Richmond and Lennox (née Stuart); Mrs. Jane Myddleton (née Needham); Elizabeth, Countess of Northumberland (née Wriothesley); Elizabeth, Countess of Falmouth (née Bagot); Elizabeth, Lady Denham (née Brooke); Frances, Lady Whitmore (née Brooke); Henrietta, Countess of Rochester (née Boyle); Elizabeth, Countess de Grammont (née Hamilton); and Madame d'Orleans.

It will be seen that in this list of "Beauties" Anne Hyde, Duchess of York, does not figure; but since she was responsible for the collection, it would be peculiarly ungracious to omit her from a volume that treats of it. Also, she deserves inclusion for her supreme courage in selecting the sitters-for what must the ladies who were not chosen have said and thought of her?

Nor in the series are Nell Gwyn, Louise de Kéroualle, and the Duchess Mazarin; but no account of the social life of the Court of Charles II can possibly omit mention of them, and therefore something has been said about each of these ladies.

The new Revised Edition restores Melville's masterpiece of the intricate relationships and day-by-day account of court life in the reign of Charles II of England. This edition also adds a new glossary, bibliography, and extended footnotes for the lay history reader. Also included are first-ever translations of French language poems, letters, and epitaphs of St. Evremond completed by Coby Fletcher.

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating Behind-the-Scenes Peek at Restoration England .......2007-01-22

Without repeating what other reviewers have said about the content and composition of this book, I do want to reiterate that it is an excellent and fascinating study of life in Restoration England. (For newbies, that refers to the reign of Charles II.) While there are some problems with readability that the original author (Charles Melville, in the 1928 edition) did not fully resolve, such as smoothly incorporating all of his quotes into the text--it is nevertheless a greatly enjoyable book. As much of it comes from diaries and correspondence that were contemporary to the time, the reader is treated to the uncensored opinions that people only write privately, or at most, to one or two other people--usually--but we get to "eavesdrop" as it were. Rich, gossipy, full of small details that delight--it's a painless history lesson. You learn about the period, the monarch, and the mistresses (many of them, at any rate) by people who were there. It is not a scholarly book, which I mention as encouragement for the casual reader; but it is a fabulous introduction to the time, and to a great many amazing characters that you will find yourself wanting to know even more about, afterwards. That's what I call history at its best! Many thanks to Victorian Heritage Press for publishing this valuable work.

Restored gem.......2006-08-29

Reviewed by Joanne Benham for Reader Views (08/06)

Samuel Pepys was born in London, England in 1633. He attended Cambridge University, graduating in 1654 and became a well-known man of business in London, with an insatiable thirst for knowledge as well as an appetite for pleasure. In 1660, Pepys began keeping a diary in which he recorded all of the details of his life in London.

At approximately this same time, Count Grammont of France arrived at the English court after being banished from the French court of King Louis XIV for seducing the King's mistress.

Lewis Melville used the memoirs of Count Grammont and the diaries of Samuel Pepys extensively when he wrote this book in 1928. The book is a fascinating look into the inner workings of the royal court of King Charles II of England woven around a series of pictures commissioned from Sir Peter Lely by Anne, Duchess of York, who wished to have portraits of the most beautiful women in the court. The eleven portraits were called "The Windsor Beauties" because they were originally hung in the Queen's bedchamber at Windsor Castle.

This revised edition, supervised by Victor R. Volkman, retains the original text. To help the reader better understand the political and social issues of the time, Mr. Volkman has added a large glossary as well as extensive footnotes. He has also added a proper bibliography for anyone who wishes to do further reading.

The Windsor Beauties is the first of a series of restorations Mr. Volkman hopes to do, introducing the great literature of the 17th and 18th centuries to a new generation of readers. I spent several wonderful hours reading this book and then many more online as I started reading more and more about the people in this book.

Recommended especially for lay historians and writers planning to pen court life period pieces.......2006-01-12

The Windsor Beauties: Ladies of the Court of Charles II is the newly revised edition of the classic 1928 text. An absorbing masterpiece that meticulously and faithfully renders the day-by-day interplay of court life during the reign of Charles II of England, especially focusing upon those women notable enough to be immortalized in a portrait project at the behest of the Duchess of York, The Windsor Beauties is sparsely illustrated with black-and-white copies of the famous portraits. Yet the real draw is the eye-opening, unrepentantly honest written account, now enhanced with a new glossary, bibliography, extended footnotes for lay history readers, and the first-ever translations of French language poems, letters, and epistles. Highly recommended especially for lay historians and writers planning to pen court life period pieces.

Useful collection of Stuart social portraits.......2005-10-31

As an editor and biographer, Lewis Melville (the pseudonym for Lewis Saul Benjamin) produced numerous works of literary and social history. Though written nearly a century ago, his books on such figures as William Makepeace Thackeray, John Gay, and Lady Mary Wortley Montagu persevere as well-written and insightful studies of their subjects. This book is something different, a collection of chapter-length biographical studies of women who were prominent in the court life of King Charles II. Eleven of them were noblewomen who were the subjects of a series of portraits commissioned from Peter Lely by the Duke of York, to which Melville added studies of the Duchess of York, Nell Gwyn, Louise de Keroualle and the Duchess Mazarin.

First published in 1921, this book has been reissued by Victorian Heritage Press in a revised edition, with explanatory footnotes, translations, and a glossary added. This is obviously a labor of love, one designed to make Melville's enjoyable accounts accessible to a new generation of readers. Though the research could have been more solidly based (I had a problem with the reliance on Wikipedia as a source, especially when the shelves overflow with so many excellent scholarly works on Stuart England), this is a welcome resuscitation of a useful study of the English upper class in the 17th century.

Book Description

How can decisionmakers charged with protecting the environment and the public's health and safety steer clear of false and misleading scientific research? Is it possible to give scientists a stronger voice in regulatory processes without yielding too much control over policy, and how can this be harmonized with democratic values? These are just some of the many controversial and timely questions that Sheila Jasanoff asks in this study of the way science advisers shape federal policy.

In their expanding role as advisers, scientists have emerged as a formidable fifth branch of government. But even though the growing dependence of regulatory agencies on scientific and technical information has granted scientists a greater influence on public policy, opinions differ as to how those contributions should be balanced against other policy concerns. More important, who should define what counts as good science when all scientific claims incorporate social factors and are subject to negotiation?

Jasanoff begins by describing some significant failures--such as nitrites, Love Canal, and alar--in administrative and judicial decisionmaking that fed the demand for more peer review of regulatory science. In analyzing the nature of scientific claims and methods used in policy decisions, she draws comparisons with the promises and limitations of peer review in scientific organizations operating outside the regulatory context. The discussion of advisory mechanisms draws on the author's close scrutiny of two highly visible federal agencies--the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. Here we see the experts in action as they deliberate on critical issues such as clean air, pesticide regulation, and the safety of pharmaceuticals and food additives.

Jasanoff deftly merges legal and institutional analysis with social studies of science and presents a strong case for procedural reforms. In so doing, she articulates a social-construction model that is intended to buttress the effectiveness of the fifth branch.

Fifth Branch, The: Science Advisers As Policymakers

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Fifth Branch, The: Science Advisers As Policymakers
Sheila Jasanoff
Manufacturer: Harvard Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KXTIK0

Book Description

A collection of the finest nature essays on the seashores, beaches, and reefs of the world. The Lyons Press is proud to announce the second book in its series of nature anthologies in partnership with The Nature Conservancy--the renowned conservation organization over 900,000 members strong, that works to protect the biodiversity of our ocean. In this volume we celebrate the coastal regions of the world with twenty-two literary works that range over three continents, two oceans, and a hundred and fifty years: Charles Darwin on the island shores of the Indian Ocean; John Muir on Alaska's coast in the 1800s; Rachel Carson on the reef flats of Florida; Barry Lopez on beached whales on the Oregon coast; Rick Bass on the effects of tourism on an island paradise; and more.

Customer Reviews:

A Review of the Seacoast Reader.......2001-02-27

This is an excellent collection of essays that anyone could enjoy. Authors ranging from Mark Twain to Henry David Thoreau, from Barry Lopez to Charles Darwin, share their experiences about the seacoast. These essays touch any subject of interest (such as surfing, the Hawaiian Coast, whales and coral reefs) and would be a great gift to anyone interested in the ocean/coast. I had to read most of the essays for my college english class and I have never enjoyed reading these passages as much as any other textbook assigned to me. This is definately a book I will want to reread again and again. I will be eager to find the rest of the series (subjects include mountains, rivers, endangered species, deserts, forests, etc) as soon as they are published. This book is truly refreshing and opens the senses to the coastal environment around you!!!

Excellent Gift-Something for Everyone.......1999-12-31

A collection of essays, rather than short stories, this is a very entertaining read. Different views, different shores, all centered on the sea. Notable: Mark Twain's account of a Hawaiian trip; Barry Lopez's essay on beached whales and Jan DeBlieu's story of a Cape Hatteras storm. Well edited, ideal beach reading. A wide-ranging assortment making this a great gift for everyone on your list.

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