Corporate Governance und Controlling

Book Description

Die weltweiten Bestrebungen zur besseren Gestaltung von Regelungen für die Unternehmensführung und Unternehmensüberwachung üben einen bedeutenden Reformeinfluss auf das Gebiet des Controlling aus, das sich in den letzten Jahren auf allen Wissenschafts- und Praxisebenen der Betriebswirtschaftslehre als klar abgegrenztes Konzept etabliert hat.
Wichtige Auswirkungen der aktuellen Corporate-Governance-Diskussion auf das Konzept des Controlling werden in diesem Buch aus unterschiedlichen Blickrichtungen der Betriebswirtschaftslehre untersucht. Es geht darum zu klären, wie sich vor diesem Hintergrund die Rolle des Controlling aus Sicht der betriebswirtschaftlichen Theorie und Praxis gegenwärtig darstellt und künftig weiterentwickeln wird.

Book Description

The under-representation of women in science is a well-documented fact that is of increasing concern to educators, administrators and government policy makers. This book, for women nearing the end of their formal training and beginning their careers in science, draws upon the experience of successful female scientists in academia, industry and research institutes from across North America and Europe. The contributors provide readers with a broad perspective on life as a scientist. Chapters address topics such as mentorship, networking and balancing career and family responsibilities and discusses the current issues and concerns women face in their careers.

* Details skills complementing scientific training and expertise that are proven to enhance potential for success, including networking and mental toughness
* Provides insights into balancing professional and personal responsibilities
* Written by outstanding female scienctists representing diverse scientific backgrounds and interests
* Offers pracical advice and real-life stories that address currrent issues and concerns
* A professional resource with international perspective

Success Strategies For Women In Science: A Portable Mentor (continuing Professional Development Series)

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Success Strategies For Women In Science: A Portable Mentor (continuing Professional Development Series)
Peggy A. Pritchard
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OHGF8A

Product Description

The study of presolar meteoritic grains is a new inter-disciplinary field that brings together topics from nuclear physics to astronomy and chemistry. Traditionally, most of the information about the cosmos has been gathered by observing light through telescopes. However, with the recent discovery that some dust grains extracted from primitive meteorites were produced in stellar environments, we now have the opportunity to gather information about stars and our Galaxy from the laboratory analysis of tiny pieces of stardust. Stellar grains represent a unique and fascinating subject of study. Their analysis is a breakthrough in research on stellar nucleosynthesis and the origin of the elements. While a number of specialized reviews exist on the topic, this book is the first work that brings together in a unified and accessible manner the background knowledge necessary for the study of presolar grains together with up-to-date discoveries in the field. The book includes exercise questions and answers, an extensive glossary for easy reference, and more than 40 figures and tables from schematic diagrams to electron microscope images and graphs of results from stellar grain measurements and theoretical stellar models.

Book Description

Supercritical fluids behave either like a gas or a liquid, depending on the values of thermodynamic properties. This tuning of properties, and other advantageous properties of supercritical fluids led to innovative technologies. More than 100 plants of production size are now in operation worldwide in the areas of process and production technology, environmental applications, and particle engineering. New processes are under research and development in various fields.

This book provides an overview of the research activities in the field of Supercritical Fluids in Germany. It is based on the research program "Supercritical fluids as solvents and reaction media" on the initiative of the "GVC-Fachausschuß Hochdruckverfahrenstechnik" (i.e. the German working party on High Pressure Chemical Engineering of the Society of Chemical Engineers).

This research program provided an immensely valuable platform for exchange of knowledge and experience. More than 50 young researchers were involved contributing with their expertise, their new ideas, and the motivation of youth. The results of this innovative research are described in this book.

- This book provides an overview of the research activities in the field of Supercritical Fluids in Germany
- Contains results of projects within the research program on "Supercritical fluids as solvents and reaction media" on the initiative of the German working party on High Pressure Chemical Engineering of the Society of Chemical Engineers.
- More than 50 young researchers were involved in contributing with their expertise, their new ideas, and the motivation of youth.

The Wisdom of James Allen II: Three Classic Works from the author of As a Man Thinketh, includes; Light on Life's Difficulties, Above Life's Turmoil, The Life Triumphant (Wisdom of James Allen)
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The Wisdom of James Allen II: Three Classic Works from the author of As a Man Thinketh, includes; Light on Life's Difficulties, Above Life's Turmoil, The Life Triumphant (Wisdom of James Allen)
James Allen , and Andy Zubko
Manufacturer: Laurel Creek Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
New Thought | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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The Wisdom of James Allen III: Out from the Heart/Byways of Blessedness/from Passion to Peace/the Heavenlylife

The Wisdom of James Allen : Including As a Man Thinketh, The Path to Prosperity, The Mastery of Destiny, The Way of Peace, and Entering the Kingdom (Radiant Life)

As a Man Does: Morning and Evening Thoughts (Square One Classics)

As a Man Thinketh

Eight Pillars of Prosperity

ASIN: 1889606073

Book Description

James Allen, a 19th century English writer, is best known as the author of the best-selling, inspirational classic, As a Man Thinketh. For over a hundred years, this timeless work has motivated readers to lead more successful, effective, and peaceful lives. James Allen is also the author of over twenty other books, that are lesser known but equally powerful. The Wisdom of James Allen II is the second book in the Laurel Creek James Allen Wisdom series. It combines 3 of his classic works in one volume and includes: Light of Life's Difficulties, Above Life's Turmoil, and The Life Triumphant.

James Allen was an advocate of ethics in all the areas of our lives. His goal was to reveal universal spiritual principles to the masses in order to relieve people of their suffering, empower the individual, and thus uplift humanity. Allen's works focus on teaching personal responsibility, finding the cause of personal problems within our own selves, and revealing how each of us can harness our personal power to master our own destinies. The wisdom contained in his works provides a valuable guide for life.

The Snack Thief (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries)
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For a good time.....

The Third Inspector Montalbano Mystery by Andrea Camilleri - Il Ladro di Merendine - The Snack Thief.

International Intrigue and Murder.

artie65

Won't Grab You But Worth Hanging In There

The Snack Thief (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries)
Andrea Camilleri
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Series | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Italian | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Terra-Cotta Dog: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery

Voice of the Violin (Inspector Montalbano Mysteries)

Excursion to Tindari: An Inspector Montalbano Mystery

The Shape of Water (Inspector Maltalbano Mysteries)

The Smell of the Night (An Inspector Montalbano Mystery)

ASIN: 0142004731
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Book Description

Never has Inspector Montalbano's signature mix of humor, cynicism, compassion, earthiness, and love of good food been more compelling than in The Snack Thief.

When an elderly man is stabbed to death in an elevator and a crewman on an Italian fishing trawler is machine-gunned by a Tunisian patrol boat off Sicily's coast, only Montalbano, with his keen insight into human nature, suspects the link between the two incidents. His investigation leads to the beautiful Karima, an impoverished housecleaner and sometime prostitute, whose young son is caught stealing other schoolchildren's midmorning snacks. But when Karima disappears, the young snack thief's life-as well as his own-is endangered when Montalbano exposes a viper's nest of government and international intrigue.

Customer Reviews:

For a good time............2007-07-03

For a really good time, obtain the audio version of The Snack Thief, put it in your player, and relax, because you're in for a treat. Inspector Montalbano reminds me of Donna Leon's Inspector Brunetti in his determination to see that justice is done while retaining his essential humanity, not an easy task for a cop. In love with the lovely Livia, but not entirely sure he wants to settle down as a married man, Montalbano's insecurities are multiplied when an orphaned little boy lands in his lap. What do the boy's prostitute mother, a murdered Tunisian fisherman, and a Sicilian businessman found stabbed in an elevator have to do with one another? Listen to this skillfully narrated version (by Grover Gardner) and enjoy the scrumptious food, the sunshine of Sicily, and the workings of a great detective's mind, and find out. A great MP3 book for the beach or that long flight.

The Third Inspector Montalbano Mystery by Andrea Camilleri - Il Ladro di Merendine - The Snack Thief........2007-02-17

In the early hours of the morning Inspector Salvo Montalbano of Vigata receives an urgent phone call, just off the Sicilian coast a fishing trawler was fired upon by a Tunisian patrol boat in the area, one of the workers of the fishing trawler was shot and killed in the confusion. Around 8am that same morning an elderly man is found stabbed to death in his apartment building elevator, Montalbano takes charge of the elevator job he finds this more intriguing besides his overly ambitious second in command Mimi Augello has taken the helm to investigate the fishing trawler unfortunately for Mimi that seems to have just about resolved itself.

Meanwhile the elevator job seems to be taking a completely different shape, Montalbano sets about interviewing all the neighbours who seem more interested in other things but after interviewing the wife of the deceased Montalbano gets wind that her husband had a part time mistress. Montalbano now sets about looking for this beautiful Karima who has just simply disappeared instead his stumbles across Karima's very young son Francois who is now alone, afraid and to survive had been stealing snacks from other children to stop his hunger.

Montalbano for the first time and to his dismay has just become a stand in father, a child without a mother is a desperate situation the hunt is now really on. Montalbano is determined to find Francois mother but new leads are about to break will they take him in the wrong direction or will two cases begin to entwine, government corruption is lurking in International Waters.

Andrea Camilleri really does makes each one worthy of the next with wonderful comic and ironic moments especially the sly comments of Italian life and culture, I found those qualities really amusing, these books are catchy, vibrate with brilliant and kept real witty dialogue. Montalbano mysteries was for me addictive reading on a recent vacation and I'm slowly finding time now to review the lot, this is the third book in the series (Il ladro di merendine) The Snack Thief.

Camilleri has confronted the sadness inherent in some human relationships and it has been dramatised in this novel. A single mother, who has turned to prostitution to survive, then disappears under certain circumstances leaving her young son to his own devices. Montalbano in this book shows his melancholy side but with it comes his honesty and decency, his sense of irony still never leaves him and again never happier when people cut the cr*p and get to the point. Camilleri wonderful narrative technique shines through.

Once again characterisation is strong and wonderful to read, Mimi Augello second in command, remains ambitious and has a real comical side as a dedicated womaniser. Montalbano with his own quality of attractiveness that alerts females of all ages but he remains faithfully to his long time love Livia, who in turn is quite happy to pacify him in darker moods and obsessions.

All Montalbano mysteries start in comedy but end in horror and melodrama but it done with lots of human interest in every plot, in this mystery series you can pick up and start anywhere but I feel the whole series deserves to be read from the beginning it's the best way to get the essence of all that glorious sea food and engross yourself in those fantastic characters.

A special mention to poet Stephen Sartarelli, for the clear translation of each book and for the informative notes given at the back on wording. Thank you.

Another Wonderful Read.

A.Bowhill

International Intrigue and Murder........2005-12-21

"The Snack Thief" by Andrea Camilleri, "An Inspector Montalbano Mystery". Translated by Stephen Sartarelli. Viking Penguin, 2003.

Again set in Sicily, this novel, by Andrea Camilleri, has his Inspector Montalbano deal with murder on the high seas and murder in an elevator in a local apartment building. Although there was no apparent connection, Montalbano works the murder of the Sicilian businessman and the murder of the Tunisian "fisherman" until he makes the link. In the intervening pages, he deals with some CIA-type Italians who deal in "useful massacres" (p. 253) and the good Inspector loses his temper. After knocking down Lohengrin Pera (yes, that is the name the author chose), Montalbano crushes this colonel's little eye glasses with his heel, "...as he'd seen in a movie about the Nazis". (p. 259). The Inspector is more human than most of us. As usual with Camilleri's mysteries, you do not get to understand the title until about half way through the book. Also, as customary with things Italian, food and the description of food preparation, play an important part in the story. The child, Francois, orphaned by the murders, will play an important role in a future book, "The Voice Of The Violin".

Again, Stephen Sartarelli has done an excellent job in translating, and, in the back of the book, there is an interesting glossary of sorts where murky Italian phrases are explained.

artie65.......2005-08-10

Just a easy mystery read. If you like Marcia Muller you will like this author. Enjoyed Terra Cotta Dog equally.

Won't Grab You But Worth Hanging In There.......2005-06-01

While on vacation, my wife started The Snack Thief but couldn't get passed page 10. I started reading it by the pool and tried to drive through it. By page 80, I was turning page after page. In the end, I enjoyed the book. I enjoyed Inspector Montalbano. But it took awhile to get there. Had we not been lounging by the pool, I probably would have put it down. With so many other great mysteries out there, I'm reluctant to pick up another Inspector Montalbano book because I worry I'll have to bore through another slow beginning. So, if you don't mind working through the first 80 pages, it's an entertaining book. If you're someone who must be captured by page 2 (like my wife), this book is not for you.

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The Snack Thief
Andrea Camilleri
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ617S

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The Snack Thief
Andrea Camilleri
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ5LY2

Nevada's Paul Laxalt - A Memoir
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An uncommon book from an uncommon politician

An uncommon book from an uncommon politician

An uncommon book from an uncommon politician

Good Biography & Good History

A great politician

Nevada's Paul Laxalt - A Memoir
Paul Laxalt
Manufacturer: Jack Bacon & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Political | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | United States | Historical | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0930083091

Book Description

Autobiography of Senator Paul Laxalt of Nevada. Laxalt was Governor of Nevada during the state's transition into corporate gaming. He worked with Howard Hughes and with Governor Ronald Reagan of California. When Reagan became President, Laxalt was known as "the first friend." An excellent memoir full of western history.

Customer Reviews:

An uncommon book from an uncommon politician.......2000-06-10

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor of California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

An uncommon book from an uncommon politician.......2000-06-10

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal and enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

An uncommon book from an uncommon politician.......2000-06-10

Most political autobiographies seem to be written by the same professional writers--they all sound the same. Not so with this book. It is clear from the start that Senator Laxalt really wrote every page. First, he is willing to admit the mistakes he made over his life--truly rare for an American politician. Second, the writing style is informal and enthusiastic. You know what he likes and thinks. Senator Laxalt had an interesting life. Although one may have doubts in the beginning about how interesting political life in Nevada is, many fascinating stories come from the book--the Senator's complicated relationship with Howard Hughes, how he treated alleged Mafia figures, how he stopped the war between the State's leaders and the FBI, and, of course, his long friendship with Ronald Reagan, who served as the governor California at the same time as Laxalt served as governor of Nevada. For a man from a small State, Laxalt was in the middle of many interesting situations. My only complaint is that he left lots of stories out of the book. At nearly 400 pages, I am sure he felt that he needed to stop, but I would have been interested in learning more about his years in Washington as the best friend of the President. The book is very readable, and it ended all too soon. Hopefully the Senator will write a second book.

Good Biography & Good History.......2000-04-06

This memoir by Paul Laxalt is well-worth reading by those who value a book that is not only well-written, but also substantive. Written in a conversationalistic style, it reads like a good story. It is the story of the evolution of a fascinating life by Laxalt, including his early years growing up in Nevada, his military experiences at the end of World War II, his family (which is rich in Basque character), and the development of the career that Laxalt is most known for, which is politics. Laxalt - in the tradition of his Basque heritage, was a reluctant entrant and a reluctant political figure through much of his career. Prefering the value of a hand-shake and veracity, the behavior & semantics inherent to politics was something that he viewed with skepticsim, yet understood the importance of public service and of the need for change in the political arena. His career spanned a broad spectrum, from D.A. to Lt. Governor to Governor to the U.S. Senate. Setbacks occurred & lessons were learned, which made Laxalt a "seasoned" person in not only Nevada politics, but national politics as well. His governorship of Nevada coincided for 4 years with the neighboring Governor of California - Ronald Reagan. This political relationship turned into a valued personal friendship, resulting in Laxalt often being referred to as the "best friend" of Reagan during his Presidency, and one who Reagan could rely on for honest advice. As opposed to many others who worked close with Reagan, Laxalt remains true to his strong sense of Basque loyalty & writes about Reagan in an insightful manner, while respecting the privacy of a "true friend." This book is valued reading for people interested in varying subjects, including the history of Nevada and the West, contemmporary political history in Nevada and the West, and the rise of Ronald Reagan to the Presidency & his performance in office. As a final note, because of its adroit writing style done in a conversational and story-telling manner makes it a valued read to not only an audience interested in the aforementioned subjects, but also a good book for potential use in college political science classes. It is highly-recommended.

A great politician.......2000-04-04

I have admired Paul Laxalt from afar for many years -- now I know why. His engaging and easily read memoirs will be good going for anyone interested in Nevada, or the Reagan years, or recent American political life.

Following Laxalt from his political roots in Carson City to his role at the pinnacle of American power is fascinating. To me, the author's straightforward humility explains his success and stands in contrast to most of our present leaders. Maybe poise, common sense and a limited self-interest are the ingredients that matter most in our politicians.

River of Forgotten Days: A Journey Down the Mississippi in Search of LA Salle
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A River of Remembered Days

River of Forgettable Days

An attempt to combine North American history with family fun

River of Forgotten Days: A Journey Down the Mississippi in Search of LA Salle
Daniel Spurr
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0788197541

Amazon.com

The Mississippi, winding brown spine of America, provides the backbone of this elegiac book by writer and boating enthusiast Daniel Spurr. In simple, forthright language, his River of Forgotten Days intertwines the bittersweet tale of Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle--who, in the 17th century, became the first European to navigate the length of the Big Muddy--with the author's own adventures on the Mississippi in a homely but durable fishing boat named Pearl.

Much like the river, Spurr's prose flows at its own pace, shifting rhythmically between the historical facts (so far as they are known) of LaSalle's journey and Spurr's own pilgrimage, born of a childhood fascination with both La Salle and the untamed "pre-American" wilderness that seduced--and often destroyed--early European explorers. Accompanied by his seven-year-old son (whom he hopes to wean, if only temporarily, from his Game Boy), Spurr searches out touchstones of La Salle's epic voyage. Some are unspoiled enough to induce reveries of ghostly wolf packs and buffalo-darkened plains; most are soulless suburban outposts offering only cracked asphalt and empty beer cans.

All is not lost, however; River of Forgotten Days brings to life a true American icon, a still-powerful river where, despite levees stretching from Illinois to the Delta, a whiff of pre-America remains for those who care to seek it out. And, especially important for those of us who live far from the mighty Mississippi, Spurr's book includes photographs and illustrations of both the river and the historical sites and people associated with it. --Rebecca Gleason

Book Description

A poignant voyage of discovery down the great Mississippi.

Praised by such authors as John Barth, and George V. Higgins, Dan Spurr's gently powerful memoir, Steered by the Falling Stars, captured the hearts of readers with its story of death, rebirth, and redemption and its evocative description of life under sail. Now, Spurr takes us on another adventure, a voyage into not only the heartland of contemporary America but also back into the rough and ready days of exploration and discovery 250 years ago.

Following the trail of the enigmatic French explorer Rene de La Salle, Spurr takes his seven-year-old son Steve and his grown daughter Adriana down the Mississippi from Chicago to New Orleans in the rundown, underpowered Belle. Throughout the journey, the juxtaposition of modern America on the river's banks and the untamed wilds of La Salle's day, as revealed through journals and historical documents, illuminates the changes in the land and its people over the intervening centuries.

The inexorable flow of Spurr's clean and honest prose mirrors that of this greatest of American rivers. The voices of the river's denizens and the keen observations of the author's young and wide-eyed shipmates take us deep into the heart of an ever-changing American landscape.

Customer Reviews:

A River of Remembered Days.......2001-04-09

When I saw La Salle in the title, I was almost put off this book, but I am glad I took the time to look a bit further. Being a Mississippi River travelog buff, I hoped to find something of interst in this book and indeed I did. Skipping all the entries on La Salle and focusing only on Daniel Spurr's here and now story, I felt as if I were traveling along with him as "a fly on the wall" in the cramped quarters of Spurr's boat, Pearl. The author and his family seemed to be involved with the waters and the banks of this river as opposed to just skimming past to be getting somewhere. I empathized with the author over the myriad uncertainties, irritations and feelings of guilt that go hand-in-hand with parenting. I understood the deisre to introduce his young son to a world far removed from the two-dimensional-virtual-reality vortex Steve was fast becoming addicted to. Travel can be about getting away from or going toward, but I think this story was ultimately about going along WITH. And in this case, I think Mr. Spurr and his children were traveling in spirit with the son Peter, who died in a train accident. I felt a deep heartache coming through in Spurr's words, but also his hope of renewal and his sense of the circle of life. Pre-America barely exisits anymore within the 48 contiguous states, but along the banks of The Mississippi, this author came close to finding it, in spirit and in fact.

River of Forgettable Days.......1999-05-03

I want to be sympathetic to an established writer, so John Eastman's review from Jan, 99 sums it up for me in every detail. I ate up the History in his book, which was my reason for reading, but the kid stuff drove me crazy (I've got some of my own), and the writing, exclusive of the historical part, was bad. I think all poor Dan Spurr needed was a good honest editor.

An attempt to combine North American history with family fun.......1999-01-09

This book is as much, or more, of a parental odyssey than a historical one. What information Spurr presents on LaSalle and current thinking and research about this fascinating French explorer is solid and intriguing. Far less engaging, at least to this reader, is Spurr's own family story. Long, dreary episodes tell us considerably more than we want to know about father, mother, and children (his wife mercifully escapes our scrutiny); he even quotes at length some of the clever little bedtime stories he makes up for his son. While all of this wordage is significant to him, no doubt -- and even mildly interesting, perhaps, to other daddies and mommies -- it provides a less than enchanting gift to the general reader. The book belongs on the parents' shelf of "what I did with my kids last summer" rather than with serious historical travelogs. One comes away with the impression that the relatively minor focus on LaSalle emerged as an incidental by-product of a family jaunt. Also, Spurr is not an especially gifted writer, making some of his too-frequent, ruminative, pretentiously insightful passages less than crystalline at best, murky and obscure at worst. Unfortunately, his prose comes alive only when he's discussing his boat or his kids. We learn precious little about the mighty river itself, its dwellers and endless permutations. Spurr's bankside activities mostly revolve around acquiring fuel for his boat. Still, Spurr's book is worth reading for its useful gleanings about current discoveries relating to LaSalle -- one must just tread a lot of water in order to find the good stuff.

Customer Reviews:

A Well Researched Biography.......2001-06-21

This book is a biography on the late Gerald L.K. Smith and is the culmination of over a decade of research on this controversial figure. Glen Jeansonne is to be commended for this book. He is really a historian's historian, in that he probed every available archive to compile this biography. Jeansonne admits that he spent ten months of fulltime work in the University of Michigan archives to uncover anything he could to illuminate Smith's life. He waded through 10,000 pages of FBI files to turn up new information on Smith as well. I've spent some time myself probing through dusty boxes in an archive, so I can appreciate the effort Jeansonne went through. This exhaustive research gives a full account of Smith's career as a demagogue, an anti-Communist crusader, a strident anti-Semite, and a builder of religious shrines.

The book traces Smith's life from his humble beginnings as a poor farm boy who was a descendent of a long line of preachers up to his retirement in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where he built a statue of Christ and oversaw the construction and presentation of "The Passion Play", which still runs to this day. What comes across most strongly in this book is the intense energy that Smith had throughout his life. He graduated from Valparaiso in less than three years. While this may not seem significant, during this time he held down several jobs and also preached at several congregations during this time. This boundless energy lasted until the end of his life, as Smith ran numerous anti-Communist organizations, made endless speeches, and produced enough tracts and pamphlets to fill a stadium. Jeansonne says Smith's output eclipsed both Toynbee and the Durants, a notable achievement, to be sure! I especially enjoyed the full account of Smith's alliance with Charles Coughlin and Francis Townsend in an attempt to unseat Franklin Roosevelt in 1936. It was during his tenure with the Union party that Smith became a national figure, and he coasted on this acclaim for years afterwards.

Smith's primary allure was his oratory, which was so extraordinary that he outdid some of the greatest orators in American history. Huey Long, who employed Smith to proselytize for his Share the Wealth program, quickly recognized Smith was a better speaker then he. H.L. Mencken wrote that Smith was better than William Jennings Bryan, Robert Lafollette, Billy Sunday, and a host of other speakers. Smith even upstaged Coughlin at the Union party convention; an impressive feat when one considers that Coughlin had the largest radio audience in American history. George Lincoln Rockwell, the founder of the American Nazi Party, wrote that he would walk miles to hear Smith speak. Jeansonne points out that while Smith's oratory was impressive, it seldom moved many to sustained action. Smith's primary goal with his oratory was to win converts to his own cause and help build his mailing list. Although Smith did wield some power with his voice, his attempts to turn this power into political influence largely failed. Smith had a canny way of turning powerful people who initially wanted to help him, against him. He managed to alienate Douglas MacArthur, Henry Ford, Sr., and Charles Lindbergh, which led to Smith's rapid expulsion to the fringes of political life. His anti-Semitism didn't help, either. Smith once called Eisenhower a "Swedish Jew", and he had a tendency to call anyone he didn't like a Jew or a Communist.

Jeansonne intersperses his book with attempts to discover why Smith was the way he was. Jeansonne seems to think that Smith's stern religious upbringing made his value system so rigid that he saw any attempts at change as an attack upon his own values. Even into old age, when many people tend to moderate their views to some extent, Smith was as vitriolic as ever. His attacks on Jews escalated into the world of bizarre fantasy, and his paranoia reached epic proportions, as Smith saw conspiracies against him and America under every stone.

The biggest downfall with the book is the choppy way it was put together. You can tell that some of the chapters were articles before becoming part of this book. The book really should have been edited better, as there are several repetitive sections that should have been removed. Highly recommended for someone interested in depression-era politics or far right movements.

Gerald L. K. Smith, Minister Of Hate
Average customer rating:
Gerald L. K. Smith, Minister Of Hate
Glen Jeansonne
Manufacturer: Yale Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ORQG8E

Book Description

"This book takes you to places you think you don't want to enter, to people you think you don't want to meet, to lives you think you don't want to live--and makes you rethink all your assumptions. It reveals the tremendous strength and humanity of those who are usually ignored. And as you pay attention, your own humanity expands."
---Susan Stamberg, special correspondent, National Public Radio

In its heyday, close to one hundred thousand men found shelter each night in flophouses along America's largest and most infamous skid row, the Bowery. Today, only a handful of flops are left, their tiny five- and ten-dollar-a-night rooms home to fewer than a thousand men, mostly long-time residents. In a handful of years, this world will be gone.

In Flophouse, documentarians David Isay and Stacy Abramson and photographer Harvey Wang chronicle this vanishing world through the voices and portraits of a number of those residents, interspersed with photographs of their surroundings. The men come from all manner of backgrounds, and the rich variety of the tales they tell is a testament to the number of ways the bottom can fall out of life in America, even in prosperous times. This book warrants comparison with Walker Evans and James Agee's Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, but the authors were inspired most directly by Joseph Mitchell, who wrote about some of these same flophouses with an honest warmth and an acceptance of life as it's found. Shimmering with humanity and utterly devoid of false sentiment, Flophouse is a powerful reminder that even on the margins, life defies all attempts at reduction.

Customer Reviews:

Very Interesting.......2005-12-09

The book portrays life at the bottom. It surely shows not all of the men are crazy, drug and alcohol abusers. Some of them through the ups and downs in life never choose to go up again, or maybe to try up again. This may have been decided in a purposeful way or possibly life just became to heavy a load to bear, only they know. I was impressed with how many of them were completly content with their life and were willing to live out their days as they were. We should never judge unless we have been there so lets wish them luck and leave them alone.

a GLIMPSE into the life of flophouses.......2004-06-05

Flophouse Life on the Bowery showcases 4 cheap hotels in the Bowery district of New York City. These places are rented out by men & they are a cubicle type room the size of a jail cell. About 100 to 200 men live side by side in these little rooms in 4 or 5 story buildings that are built over a restaurant or some other kind of business. There's a community bathroom. The book explores 4 hotels & a few residents of each. Most of these people stay inside all day & watch tv, sleep, eat, & get drunk or do heroin. The subject of flophouses is interesting, however, this book really lacked substance. There wasn't enough information about the history of the hotels or the residents. It didn't devote much space to the people who own these hotels or the people who work there. Each page has a picture of one of the residents, his name, room number, & his "story" or any statements he wanted to make. Some of them were only a couple of paragraphs long! It's just a glimpse into their lives & doesn't offer any solutions to the problems these people face either.

One paycheck away..........2002-06-17

The reason we are so drawn to (and, in the same breath, repulsed by) books such as this one is that they show us the truth that is locked up inside of us. They present a side of reality many do not see in pursuit of the paycheck running from the fears presented in this book. And, yes, the reasons why they are at the 'flophouse' is infinitely complicated.

The photos are stunning and the stories are minimalist which has a gripping effect. The photos and the stories open up a world that is almost mythical. Penetrating is the word that comes to mind.

Study them, feel them, connect with them, learn to love them. But do not judge them and do not run from them. Hold onto them and, in the midst of our bustle and struggle, keep them dear in our hearts. And, if one is so compelled reach out, not as veoyeurs, but with compassion, sharing with, realizing that our human wholeness is dependent upon such individuals as these whose lives may be unlike anything we could imagine.

For only when we are willing to get 'real' and walk in the valley of the shadow of death, and this with others, can we ever really become human. These characters are but a shadow of aspects of our own selves.

Eye-Opening.......2002-02-04

Turn away. Turn quickly away. My first instinct upon glancing at this title was consistent with Middle Class America's natural reaction to social despair. Cautiously intrigued, I reached to the top shelf in my suburban neighborhood's local library, and pulled down into my comfortable suburban world an enlightening pictorial in brief. With mixed horror and wonder, increasingly awed at these victims of circumstances, reading "Flophouse: Life on the Bowery" was a real look, a first look, into sunken faces and disheveled lives. Black and white photos say the thousand words their subjects never will. The human condition, bare, innate, is plainly presented without pretense or censoring. How very similar, how frighteningly normal, were the lives of these men before the loss of job, wife, or sanity deposited them here, teetering on the brink between life and death, heaven and hell, New York City's Bowery. Read this book, count your blessings and your spare dimes.

Flophouses.......2001-12-21

I live in a modern day "flophouse", but it is a palace by comparison to the Bowery beaus. Marginalized by themselves and society, many still find community and purpose in their shared
space. Some do not make it out alive. Most seem to have given up on big dreams but it's the little ones (like the shoeshiner) who states that if one of us can make it, we can all make it. I love reading about of these mens' lives, but I also admit to an uneasiness that they will never leave the relative safety of a flophouse. That this is the best there is for many of them, and watching them adjust to these facts in each vignette is tender.

Average customer rating:

A little gem...

Harvey Wang's New York
Harvey Wang
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Flophouse: Life on the Bowery

ASIN: 0393306925

Customer Reviews:

A little gem..........1999-05-28

"(Harvey Wang's New York is) a little gem that celebrates the obscure New Yorkers who represent the city's diversity..." -Entertainment Weekly.

"Wang's photos are direct, arresting, even soulful, and his character's stories are surprisingly poignant...No matter how many millions of stories are in the Naked City, these are sure to linger in your mind." - Los Angeles Times .

`I can conceive of Harvey Wang's New York as readily as Liebling's, Walt Whitman's or Edith Wharton's...(the book is the product ) of a man who, like Balzac, intuitively understands the primacy of work in the lives of working people." -Albany Sunday Times Union.

Milton Rogovin: The Forgotten Ones
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Milton Rogovin: The Forgotten Ones
Dave Isay , David Miller , Harvey Wang , and Milton Rogovin
Manufacturer: Quantuck Lane Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 097145485X

Harvey Wang's New York
Average customer rating:
Harvey Wang's New York
Harvey Wang
Manufacturer: NY: W.W. Norton (1990).
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ROFDHE

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