Doing Business in Minority Markets: Black and Korean Entrepreneurs in Chicago's Ethnic Beauty Aids Industry (Studies in Entrepreneurship)

Book Description

This book examines black and Korean entrepreneurship in Chicago's ethnic beauty aids industry. In the case of each entrepreneurial group, business activities are heavily influenced by the economic conditions found on the South Side of Chicago. For instance, both groups provide goods and services to black consumers, both groups modify their business practices in response to the depressed incomes and disinvestment in the communities where they are located, and both groups mobilize resources based on ethnicity and social class in order to overcome the economic constraints found in the market setting where their businesses operate.

This book is unique for two reasons. First, it examines the context of black and Korean entrepreneurship from an historical and sociological perspective. Through this approach, continuity and change in entrepreneurial behavior is identified. Second, it examined black and Korean Entrepreneurship within the context of a single industry, the ethnic beauty aids industry. This approach allows for a thorough analysis of networks and organizational interactions between black and Korean entrepreneurs at all levels of this industry manufacturing, distribution, and retailing.

The findings in this book add to existing research on Entrepreneurship in minority communities, and offer a reformulation of theories concerning middleman minority groups, black Entrepreneurship, and economic under development.

Customer Reviews:

In-depth Analysis of Race Relations.......2001-08-07

This is a much needed study. The author looks at two groups -- African-Americans and Korean immigrants -- in the same business and offers important insights into why they have different outcomes in business development. One of the best treatments of the topic I have seen. Silverman goes beyond the typical stereotypes about minority business people, and explains how institutional arrangements impact groups differently. One of the best contemporary discussions of internal colonialism out there.

Much Needed Theory.......2000-10-25

This book breaks new ground. It develops theory in this area while remaining readable and accessable to all readers. It is a must read for policy makers and others interested in designing urban economic development strategies that work. Recommendations for asset based approaches are natural extensions from this work, and the additional consideration of racism as a barrier to full participation in the economy expands the study's impact. As the author masterfully tells us in the introduction, "the invisible hand of the market cannot conceal color."

Much Needed Theory.......2000-10-25

Superb - Balanced Treatment of the Topic.......2000-10-05

This is the most balanced treatment of this topic I have seen in a long time. The author escapes many of the pitfalls of earlier studies. He avoids the easy outs of social pathology explanations for racial and ethnic strife, and he offers a compelling view of the plight of minority (Black and Korean) entrepreneurs that takes broader structures into consideration. Superb.

Broadens the Area of Research.......2000-09-30

This book sheds new light on the study of black-Korean relations. By examining the issue from the perspective of business owners in the same industry, the author avoids many of the limitations of earlier studies. Well worth investigating further.

Commodities Rising: The Reality Behind the Hype and How To Really Profit in the Commodities Market
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Should be retitled "Commodities Bear"

He knows commodities!

Excellent Discussion, Not-so-terrific investment ideas (4.5*)

This is one of the best..

Very intelligent and informed analysis

Commodities Rising: The Reality Behind the Hype and How To Really Profit in the Commodities Market
Jeffrey M. Christian
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably in the World's Best Market

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Money, Bank Credit, and Economic Cycles

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ASIN: 0471772259

Book Description

"Commodities Rising, part memoir and part investment guide, provides a unique and practical perspective that is based on a rare combination of professional experiences."

-Donald F. Larson, Senior Economist, World Bank

"Jeffrey Christian brings twenty-five years of commodity market experience to his thoughtful and insightful new book. A keen analyst, Christian debunks many commodity market myths. There has been a substantial underinvestment in commodity research of late. His book is a 'must-read' for any investor wishing to avoid the pitfalls present in physical commodity investments."

-Terrence F. Martell, PhD, Saxe Distinguished Professor of Finance, Director, Weissman Center for International Business, Baruch College, CUNY;Public Governor, New York Board of Trade

"If you've read one of the recent 'commodity craze' books, you'll appreciate the more careful, thorough account Christian provides here. His anecdotes and analysis will convince you that this is truly an insider's assessment."

-Peter A. Biebel, Vice President, Director of Futures Research, A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.

"In addition to its depth, Christian's book is extremely reader-friendly, presenting commodity issues from various angles. I strongly recommend to anyone interested in commodities that they read this book; and to those still unfamiliar with the subject, I recommend that they take a look. The rewards will be significant, intellectually and possibly financially."

-Takamasa Akiyama, Professor of Development Economics, Nihon University, Mishima, Japan, and Senior Advisor, Foundation for Advanced Studies onInternational Development (FASID), Tokyo, Japan Analyze the current commodity environment and look out over the next few years to identify potential profit situations in Commodities Rising. You'll learn how commodities can be used to reduce risk and increase returns in a balanced investment portfolio. Author and commodities expert Jeffrey Christian debunks much of the misinformation currently circulating about commodities and provides a reasoned reality-check you can use to evaluate the claims and promises of various publications and brokerages in the commodity field. Specific issues addressed throughout this book include:

the variety of commodity investments?exchange traded funds, stocks, futures, and options;
commodities in the global economy;
commodity trading/investing strategies.

Filled with in-depth insights and engaging anecdotes gleaned from the author?s 30 years in the commodity markets, this is an invaluable resource for the serious investor or trader.

Customer Reviews:

Should be retitled "Commodities Bear".......2006-08-28

This guy completely rebuffs Jim Rogers' thesis of a new bull market in commodities. Someone is very wrong here and I'll put my money on Rogers being right. Given his assocation with Goldman Sachs, who many believe is now a quasi-government operation, used in order to "manage" the price of everything from the S&P index to the gold price, this book is a disinformation project masquerading as a "rational" and evenhanded analysis of the commodities markets. Much of the information on the growing demand for commodities in China is presented in such a way as to make the reader believe that becauase the average Chinese worker makes less than $2 a day, that, demand for raw materials in China is overstated. He assumes that it would be the average Chinese citizen as the ultimate consumer of these raw materials, and therefore, he says , since they cannot afford to buy " a copper plated" frying pan on $2 a day, that demand for copper would be overstated. The fact of the matter is that the Chinese, have committed to massive PUBLIC infrastructure projects for the next 20 years, that will require huge amounts of raw materials, most of which will need to be imported as China has a very limited amount of raw materials domestically. The author argues that China is becoming a net EXPORTER of raw materials!!! This is simply not true. China is now scavaging the globe trying to buy up whole raw material companies, in Canada, the US, Australia and Africa to meet their projected needs for the next 20 years. One recent example of this was their bid for Unocal, which was subsequently rejected via defacto veto by the Bush administration.

In addition, the US FED and CB's, because of the massive public and private debt obligations will be forced to massively inflate over the next 10 tears or so, or they will suffer a deflationary worldwide depression; therefore, the only prescription will be for continued worldwide growth with relatively high inflation. This fact alone should carry most commodities to multi-year highs, not to mention overall macroeconomic supply and demand.

This author argues that worldwide commodity supplies are catching up with demand, and that may be somewhat true on a short term basis, however, and a macro long term basis , there is no way supplies can meet demand based upon at leat 2 billion NEW consumers who are slated to enter the global middle class in the next 20 years.Even though raw materials may be a smaller component of overall production in the 21st century, there are a fixed amount of raw materials, which at best can be exracted on a linear basis. while worldwide demand will increase geometrically.

I would advise any reader of this book to read Jim Rogers' book and think for themselves.

He knows commodities!.......2006-08-25

One of the strong points of this book was the authors obviously deep understanding of the commodities markets. He talks quite a bit about the metals markets, mainly because he has spent a lot of time researching and trading those markets, but he also goes into detail about other markets too.

I have heard a lot of hype about how China is going to cause a commodities boom cycle. I thought it was strange because a lot of commodites markets are actually going down. Wheres the boom cycle? Mr Christian explains why it is probably a myth. He details how the markets actually work and what happens when commodity prices go up or down.

I also learned a lot from the authors discussions on what the specific uses for the individual commodities are. Like platinum which is mainly used for auto catalytic converters and jewlery. Makes sense now why platinum is linked to auto production, which I never knew.

This book is very informative and gives you a macro understanding of the commodites markets.

Excellent Discussion, Not-so-terrific investment ideas (4.5*).......2006-08-17

In a very pithy, interesting discussion, the author discusses the various aspects of commodities, focusing significantly to dismiss some of the "hype" associated with it. The author reinforces the diversification and hedging benefits of commodities, the need to treat it as a separate asset class and asserts that a lot of money can be made, if done correctly. Point taken. However, the book doesn't really directly address the second portion of the title (how to profit..). No specific investment vehicles or companies or trading strategies are discussed in detail. Limited mention of ETFs and mutual funds is mentioned (no specifics though). Perhaps, the question was supposed to abstract and the discussions at a fairly-high level. If that is the intent, the author succeeds in that (that minor issue takes away 0.5 star from this book!). If you are looking for an excellent discussion on commodities and an intelligent discussion on what the future may hold for it, this is a good book; however, if you are looking for specific recommendations, this book will disappoint you.

This is one of the best.........2006-07-12

I've read quite a few books and periodicals on commodities; Jeffrey Christian's book is the most comprehensive I've seen on the subject and it's written in a manner which makes it easy to understand. He has some terrific insight as to how commodities enhance your asset allocation or stock and bond plan, the "myth" behind the superheated growth in China and also made quite a solid prediction how some of the speculative excess would come off the commodities markets in 2006! Overall, a solid, educational read and I recommend it.

Very intelligent and informed analysis.......2006-06-23

This book is vastly more informative, balanced, and insightful than other books on the subject. The author has been involved in the commodity markets for many years and his experience and knowledge comes shining through. Thankfully, he doesn't have anything to sell. Yes, you can make a lot of money in commodities, but you better do your homework and you better not succumb to the marketing pitches from brokers and others in the industry. This book shows you how.

Constitutional history of the United States from their Declaration of Independence to the close of the Civil War,
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Constitutional history of the United States from their Declaration of Independence to the close of the Civil War,
George Ticknor Curtis
Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00085GC7C

Constitutional History of the United States, from Their Declaration of Independence to the Close of Their Civil War (Two Volume Set)
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Constitutional History of the United States, from Their Declaration of Independence to the Close of Their Civil War (Two Volume Set)
George Ticknor Curtis , and Joseph Culbertson Clayton
Manufacturer: Lawbook Exchange Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Constitutional Law | Law | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1584771291

Book Description

Curtis,George Ticknor and Joseph Culbertson Clayton. Constitutional History of the United States from their Declaration of Independence to the Close of the Civil War. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1889, 1896. Two volumes. xiii, 774; x, 780 pp. Reprinted 2002 by The Lawbook Exchange, Ltd. LCCN 00-065554. ISBN 1-58477-129-1. Cloth. $250. Curtis [1812-1894] was a prominent New York patent attorney whose interest in Constitutional matters led to the publication of two works on the subject. Of this, arguably his most important, DAB praises it as "...likely to remain standard. This work is the classic treatment of the Constitution from the Federalist, Websterian point of view." Dictionary of American Biography II:614. Volume I is a revised edition of his first, highly-regarded work on the subject, History of the Origin, Formation, and Adoption of the Constitution of the United States that was originally published in 1854 and often cited by the Supreme Court. Volume II was edited posthumously from the author's notes, covers the period from the adoption of the Constitution to the close of the Civil War and includes a substantial appendix. The appendix includes numerous historical documents such as The Provisional and Final Constitutions of the Federal States, various anti-slavery tracts published circa 1833, an Analytical Index to the Constitution of the United States and the Amendments thereto, a Bibliography of the Constitution compiled and annotated by Paul Leicester Ford in 1896, which incidentally praises this work: "The two volumes constitute the most convenient apparatus for the study of the Constitution." Each volume is thoroughly indexed.

Corn and Its Early Fathers
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Corn and Its Early Fathers

Manufacturer: Michigan State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HM4XHW

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Corn and its early fathers
Henry Agard Wallace
Manufacturer: Michigan State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Crop Science | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DO54C

Corn and Its Early Fathers
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Corn and Its Early Fathers
Wallace & Brown
Manufacturer: Michigan State
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q5LH9C

Book Description

Osmoregulation and Drinking in Vertebrates presents some of the most exciting recent advancements in the area of osmoregulation, from the control of gene expression to whole animal response. The volume discusses the differences and similarities in the drinking response between a number of vertebrate groups including both aquatic and terrestrial organisms. As such, this volume will be of interest to all those working in the fields of marine and freshwater biology, comparative physiology and endocrinology and molecular biology of ion transporters and water channels.

Book Description

Whether processes in the natural world are dependent or independent of the scale at which they operate is one of the major issues in hydrologic science. In this volume, leading hydrologists present their views on the role of scale effects in hydrologic phenomena occurring in a range of field settings, from the land surface to deep fractured rock. Self-contained and thought-provoking chapters cover both theoretical and applied hydrology. They provide critical insights into important topics such as general circulation models, floods, river networks, vadose zone processes, groundwater transport, and fluid flow through fractured media. This book is intended as an accessible introduction for graduate students and researchers to some of the most significant questions and challenges that will face hydrologic science in the twenty-first century.

Book Description

The mysterious beauty, harmony, and consistency of mathematics once caused philosopher Hilary Putnam to term its existence a "miracle." Now, advances in the understanding of physics suggest that the foundations of mathematics are encompassed by the laws of nature, an idea that sheds new light on both mathematics and physics.

The philosophical relationship between mathematics and the natural sciences is the subject of Converging Realities, the latest work by one of the leading thinkers on the subject. Based on a simple but powerful idea, it shows that the axioms needed for the mathematics used in physics can also generate practically every field of contemporary pure mathematics. It also provides a foundation for current investigations in string theory and other areas of physics.

This approach to the nature of mathematics is not really new, but it became overshadowed by formalism near the end of nineteenth century. The debate turned eventually into an exclusive dialogue between mathematicians and philosophers, as if physics and nature did not exist. This unsatisfactory situation was enforced by the uncertain standing of physical reality in quantum mechanics.

The recent advances in the interpretation of quantum mechanics (as described in Quantum Philosophy, also by Omnès) have now reconciled the foundations of physics with objectivity and common sense. In Converging Realities, Roland Omnès is among the first scholars to consider the connection of natural laws with mathematics.

Book Description

3 masterpieces from one of the Victorian era's most brilliant and celebrated feminist novelists--George Eliot, née Mary Ann Evans. Middlemarch, her most well-known work, paints a rich and varied portrait of English society. Eliot focuses especially on the idealistic Dorothea Brooke, a woman who, lacking a creative outlet of her own, dedicates herself to her husband's legacy. In Silas Marner, a tale filled with mystery and emotion, an embittered man retreats from the outside world, thinking only of work and money. Then his wealth is stolen from him-and a young foundling comes into his life and changes everything. Also included: the short story Amos Barton, which heralded Eliot's arrival as a writer when it was published in Blackwood's magazine in 1857.

Customer Reviews:

Like wading through melted chocolate.......2007-01-10

This is definitely an important book by an important female author. It's a lot a page turning, but well worth it. Take your time and enjoy.

Middlemarch Silas Marner Amos Barton (Great Classic Library)

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Middlemarch Silas Marner Amos Barton (Great Classic Library)
George Eliot
Manufacturer: Pollard & Moss, in 1888
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

George Eliot (Middlemarch, Silas Marner, Amos Barton)

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George Eliot (Middlemarch, Silas Marner, Amos Barton)

ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0641663838

Book Description

World War II changed the face of the United States, catapulting the country out of economic depression, political isolation, and social conservatism. Ultimately, the war was a major formative factor in the creation of modern America. This unique, twelve-volume set provides comprehensive coverage of this transformation in its domestic policies, diplomatic relations, and military strategies, as well as the changing cultural and social arenas. The collection presents the history of the creation of a super power prior to, during, and after the war, analyzing all major phases of the U.S. involvement, making it a one-stop resource that will be essential for all libraries supporting a history curriculum.

This volume is available on its own or as part of the twelve-volume set, The American Experience in World War II. For a complete list of the volume titles in this set, see the listing for The American Experience in World War II [ISBN: 0-415-94028-1].

Pearl Harbor in History and Memory: The American Experience in World War II, Volume Four

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Pearl Harbor in History and Memory: The American Experience in World War II, Volume Four
Walter Hixson
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MVF18S

Stalin's Last Crime : The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors, 1948-1953
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Superb Description of a Dictator's Spinmastery

Stalin's Purges: Numbers Alone Do Not Tell the Story

Paper trail to nowhere

Stalin's Last Crime

Interesting and Detailed Examination of Stalinist Terror

Stalin's Last Crime : The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors, 1948-1953

Manufacturer: Amazon Remainders Account
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: B000F6Z4TQ

Book Description

A new investigation, based on previously unseen KGB documents, reveals the startling truth behind Stalin's last great conspiracy.

On January 13, 1953, a stunned world learned that a vast conspiracy had been unmasked among Jewish doctors in the USSR to murder Kremlin leaders. Mass arrests quickly followed. The Doctors' Plot, as this alleged scheme came to be called, was Stalin's last crime.

In the fifty years since Stalin's death many myths have grown up about the Doctors' Plot. Did Stalin himself invent the conspiracy against the Jewish doctors or was it engineered by subordinates who wished to eliminate Kremlin rivals? Did Stalin intend a purge of all Jews from Moscow, Leningrad, and other major cities, which might lead to a Soviet Holocaust? How was this plot related to the cold war then dividing Europe, and the hot war in Korea? Finally, was the Doctors' Plot connected with Stalin's fortuitous death?

Brent and Naumov have explored an astounding arra of previously unknown, top-secret documents from the KGB, the presidential archives, and other state and party archives in order to probe the mechanism of on of Stalin's greatest intrigues -- and to tell for the first time the incredible full story of the Doctors' Plot.

Customer Reviews:

Superb Description of a Dictator's Spinmastery.......2004-02-23

As someone familiar with Russian history, I enjoyed this book. Among others, it debunks the myth that Stalin was weak and out of touch at the time of his death. The fact is he was clearly in control up until the time he died. Reading this book also raises more questions than it seems to answer. For example, how does this plot fuse with his foreign policy? The military? Was this strictly an internal affair or actually a prelude to Nuclear War with the United States? Although beyond the scope of this book, the reader was left wondering how Khruschev, Beria, Malenkov, et al worked out power arrangements after Stalin's death. We know, of course, that Beria was shot in December 1953; but what formed the BASIS for each person's power in what was clearly a lawless state?

Stalin's Purges: Numbers Alone Do Not Tell the Story.......2003-12-07

When the Second World War was over in 1945, First Secretary of the Communist Party, Joseph Stalin seemed to be at a personal peak of power. Despite monumental losses of dead Russian soldiers and civilians, Stalin had led Russia to a victory over Hitler and National Socialism that left him in control not only in Russia but of all of Eastern Europe as well. Further, because of his earlier purges in the late 30's, there was no one left to challenge him either within the Communist party or outside it. Yet, in STALIN'S LAST CRIME, Jonathan Brent and Vladimir Naumov picture a Stalin who, by the time of his death in 1953, was far from the omnipotent ruler that most Russians assumed he was. Brent and Naumov present Stalin as a man who could not change to match changing times. When the war in Europe was over, Russia was not the insular country it had been just ten years earlier. An increasing number of Russians had an equally increasing contact with Western, and hence, democratic ideas and values. The horrors of the war reaffirmed in the collected minds of Russians of the need for a legitimate government that followed its rule of law. The once all consuming fear of Stalin had diluted to the point where some of his less visionary peers would dare to contemplate in the pages of PRAVDA no less of who would follow Stalin once he was dead. Finally, there was Stalin's health, which by the late 1940's had regressed to the point that his Politburo comrades might legitimately wonder about the line of succession. Stalin took note of all this and was determined to turn back the clock to 1937 when he could purge millions of his countrymen merely by snapping his fingers. But by 1949, he could not do so. He needed more, and the so-called plot of the Jewish doctors allowed him to crank up the old machinery that would spin out huge nets to catch anyone whom Stalin suspected needed killing.

Much of the first half of STALIN'S LAST CRIME is a minute examination of the death of a party comrade, A. A. Zhdanov, who unexpectedly suffered a heart attack and was ordered to recuperate at Valdai, a health resort for members of the Soviet political elite. Zhdanov died there, and Stalin saw in his death the first filmy web of a plot that he knew would ultimately ensnare at least as many as he purged in the 1930's. Brent and Naumov progress from Zhdanov's death to blaming that death on a cabal of Jewish doctors. From there, they detail how Stalin began laying traps for nearly the entire leadership of the Soviet Secret Police, the MGB. Hundreds of high-ranking MGB officers were purged. Thousands of Jews were rounded up and shot or sent to a gulag. Clearly, Brent and Naumov portray a Russia that was only in the first stage of Stalinist immolation. Yet, when Stalin died, the entire apparatus of destruction came to a thankful halt. Russian society returned to a business as usual routine. The gloomy concluding chapters of STALIN'S LAST CRIME suggest that the monstrous vision of a bloody thug leader does not necessarily end with the death of that leader. In fact, many of the inner circle of Stalin's closest comrades were themselves arrested and shot by Stalin's successor, Nikita Khruschev, who decided that to hold onto power might require a Stalinist approach to housecleaning: a new broom must sweep most thoroughly every generation or so. Stalin's own virulent form of anti-semitism as suggested by Brent's and Naumov's subtitle: The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors, well indicates that for Stalin at least, recycling Soviet anti-semitism must always give way to creating demons that only he could vanquish.

Paper trail to nowhere.......2003-11-22

For all its admirably meticulous documentation, this book does not pierce the mystery of the Doctors Plot. For all the correspondence, interrogation transcripts and memos excavated from the Soviet archives, one archive remains forever closed: Stalin's implacably bloody mind.

Brent and Naumov chillingly recreate the omni-paranoiac climate among the Soviet leadership in the late Stalin era. These people had survived wildly irrational purges in the Thirties, but they best of all knew on what shaky ground they stood. Any hint of independence, any perceived threat to Stalin's dominance, could land them in the execution cellars.

The trouble is, Stalin rarely confided his plans to paper, so there is no smoking gun to be found. This sheaf of documentation fleshes out what the people involved said, certainly, and when they said it. But as the authors admit, they are not really much closer to learning the purpose of the whole grim charade. We don't even get as much detail in some instances, such as the Stalin-ordered murder of the prominent Soviet theater director Solomon Mikhoels, as was available in some Soviet-era books.

The elusiveness of the authors' task is illustrated by their use of sources. In addition to the archival material, they draw material from the memoirs of Molotov, Khrushchev, and retired NKVD assassin Pavel Sudoplatov. The authors are perfectly above board about the general unreliability of these memorists, so it says something that, even with the availability of the archives, they are reduced to consulting those books.

This admirable but ultimately unsuccessful book demonstrates the enduring mystery of the evil of Stalin.

Stalin's Last Crime.......2003-09-17

Fascinating well researched subject matter but somewhat ruminative and tedious. I found that could skip through many pages and find that the same events were being described yet again.

Interesting and Detailed Examination of Stalinist Terror.......2003-08-27

This is a fine-grained look at Stalinist terror. Based on original archival research by the authors and additional new information published primarily by Russian scholars, this book is a careful examination of the so-called Doctor's Plot, the last gasp of Stalin's systematic terrorization of Soviet society. The Doctor's Plot was a conspiracy fabricated by Soviet security organizations purporting to show an organized effort to undermine the Soviet State by destroying its leadership via negligent or murderous medical care. The Plot was viewed previously as an irrational and relatively (compared to the great purges, executions, and deportations of the 20s and 30s) minor aspect of Stalinist state terror. The authors argue that the Doctors' Plot was actually the likely prelude to a planned major convulsion that would reproduce many features of the great purges of the 30s. This is impossible to prove definitively but the authors make a good case that the Doctors' Plot was developed carefully by Stalin to eventually start a series of purges and trials that would result in a large scale terrorization of Soviet society. The authors also place the Plot in the context of other important Stalinist campaigns of the period, notably the anti-Semitic actions that preceded and are to some extent coincident with the events of the Doctors' Plot. In this case, the attack would expand to involve a wholesale assault on Jewish citizens of the Soviet Union. The authors conclude that Stalin pursued this end as a means of maintaining his absolute power and that only his death in 1953 prevented terrible atrocities on a scale with the crimes of the 20s and 30s. The result probably would have been something similar to the Cultural Revolution in China.
A surprising aspect of the book is the apparent demonstration of how relatively difficult it was for Stalin to piece together the Plot. The book contains fascinating details such as Stalin's dissatisfaction with coerced confessions because they were too inconsistent to be used for credible public show trials. There are also remarkable episodes of some figures in the Soviet securiry organizations criticizing documentation of these purported crimes. As the Soviet State matured, it appears that there were expectations that Soviet justice, claimed by Stalin to be essentially perfect, had to meet some realistic and rational expectations. This type of relative resistance probably only increased Stalin's desire to unleash a major purge.
Some prior reviewers comment that this book is not smoothly written. This is a fair comment as the authors use quotations from original documents and much of the text is a very careful analysis of the signficance of the original documents. In my opinion, however, this approach enhances the value of the book. The extensive quotations give readers a very good sense of the Kafkaesque and bizarrely bureaucratic nature of Soviet repression in a way that a more conventional approach cannot accomplish.
The book includes also a discussion of Stalin's death. Following the suggestion of the American scholar Amy Wright, the authors argue that Stalin may have been poisoned by Lavrenti Beria, the out of favor former head of the security services, with the anti-coagulant warfarin. This suggestion based on the fact that Stalin died from a cerebral hemorrhage and had a gastrointestinal hemorrhage during his final illness. This is plausible but his final illness is typical of individuals dying from major hemorrhagic strokes and gastric erosions (so-called stress ulcers) are fairly common in acutely and severely ill individuals and may cause significant gastrointestinal bleeding. It is more likely that Stalin died as a consequence of years of untreated hypertension.

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Doctors' Plot of 1953
Yakov Rapoport
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Eastern Europe | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0674214773

The Doctors' Plot of 1953 A Survivor's Memoir of Stalin's Last Act of Terror, Against Jews and Science

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The Doctors' Plot of 1953 A Survivor's Memoir of Stalin's Last Act of Terror, Against Jews and Science
Yakov Rapoport
Manufacturer: Harvard U.P.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0N98Q

Stalin's Last Crime: The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors: 1948-1953

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Stalin's Last Crime: The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors: 1948-1953
Jonathan, & Vladimir P. Naumov Brent
Manufacturer: Harper Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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20th Century | World | History | Subjects | Books

Structural Stability and Morphogenesis: An Outline of a General Theory of Models
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An Ingenious Classic

the only thing he left out was black holes

Thom Sctructural Stability and Evolution Explanation

Structural Stability and Morphogenesis: An Outline of a General Theory of Models
Rene Thom
Manufacturer: W. A. Benjamin Advanced Bk Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0805392777

Customer Reviews:

An Ingenious Classic.......2002-11-16

Rene Thom was the primary force behind the creation of Catastrophe Theory, and this is the book that brought his ideas forth. (This is actually the English translation of his original French edition.)

Thom uses topology as his primary mathematical tool for describing and investigating catastrophes and stabilities. As such, this is primarily a qualitative, not a quantitative, approach. The advantage of this is that it allows Thom to spend a great deal of time discussing general characteristics without getting bogged down in formulae or proofs. Indeed, the book is largely text, interspersed with graphs and only the occasional polynomial or differential equations.

And Thom is very insightful when discussing those general characteristics. Along the way he comments on everything from embryology to societal structures as viewed from the perspective of catastrophe theory. Much of the value of the book is buried not in the technical results as it is in his understated comments and speculations regarding the myriad of applications he investigates. Alot of careful and deep thought is present, and there is a significant amount of pregnant wisdom inside.

I originally came to read Thom via the profound books of theoretical biologist Robert Rosen. As someone not conversant in topology or catastrophe theory, I can say that there were some parts that were a technical struggle, but the content is well worth the effort. Someone versed in the math of dynamical systems and topology would be the more typical target audience.

But I stress again that the technical value is equalled or surpassed by the insights Thom brings to understanding physical systems of many types.

Since there are no publishers notes here on Amazon, I will list the table of contents for you:
--------------------------------------------
Introduction
Form and Structural Stability
Structural Stability in Mathematics
Kinematic of Forms; Catastrophes
Elementary Catastrophes on R4 Associated with Conflicts of Regimes
General Morphology
The Dynamic of Forms
Biology and Topology
Local Models in Embryology
Global Models for a Living Being (Metazoa)
Models in Ultrastructure
The Basic Problems of Biology
From Animal to Man: Thought and Language

the only thing he left out was black holes.......2001-10-18

I would say his book is very visionary and inspiring of thought. You need some mathematical maturity to understand some of his notation, but there isn't a lot of it. It's more of a science book than a math book in my opinion. His pictures of examples of all of the kinds of the 7 catastrophes were very insightful. This caused me to think of examples on my own.

Thom Sctructural Stability and Evolution Explanation.......2000-03-10

Thom stablished the foundantions of a new and powefull tool of exploring the non linear behaviour of the physics and byological phenomena. It's impossible to understand the universe and the life evolution whithout help of the catastrophe theory.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Planning, published by American Planning Association on November 1, 1997. The length of the article is 3748 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 supplier: National parks and their neighboring communities are collaborating on issues of growth and tourism. Since the parks draw a total of 63 million visitors annually, facilities are quickly overtaxed and rural towns overrun. Plans to manage overcrowding include using mass transit to reduce cars and parking, relocating employee housing and facilities outside the parks, and limiting visitor services.

Citation Details
Title: National park or bust: gateway communities cope with the crowds.(includes related article on park planning)
Author: Kurt Culbertson
Publication: Planning (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 1997
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: v63 Issue: n11 Page: p4(6)

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