Book Description
The economic boom of the 1990s created huge wealth for the bosses, but benefited workers hardly at all. At the same time, the bosses were able to take the political initiative and even the moral high ground, while workers were often divided against each other. This new book by leading labor analyst Michael D. Yates seeks to explain how this happened, and what can be done about it.
Essential to both tasks is "naming the system"
the system that ensures that those who do the work do not benefit from the wealth they produce. Yates draws on recent data to show that the growing inequality
globally, and within the United States
is a necessary consequence of capitalism, and not an unfortunate side-effect that can be remedied by technical measures. To defend working people against ongoing attacks
on their working conditions, their living standards, and their future and that of their children
and to challenge inequality, it is necessary to understand capitalism as a system and for labor to challenge the political dominance of capitalist interests.
Naming the System examines contemporary trends in employment and unemployment, in hours of work, and in the nature of jobs. It shows how working life is being reconfigured today, and how the effects of this are masked by mainstream economic theories. It uses numerous concrete examples to relate larger theoretical issues to everyday experience of the present-day economy. And it sets out the strategic options for organized labor in the current political context, in which the U.S.-led war on terrorism threatens to eclipse the anti-globalization movement.
Customer Reviews:
The "No Logo" of anti-capitalism.......2006-05-08
Yates' book "Naming the System" is a valiant attempt to explain the failures, contradictions and problems of modern globalized capitalism in terms understandable to every layman. By and large, he has succeeded, though there are some flaws.
His strongest point is reconciling the arguments against the orthodox neoclassical theory of "more free markets = better" with the 'facts on the ground', in the form of valuable statistics and examples from practical experience. He enthousiastically destroys the reformist view of capitalism as followed by many social-democrats and current-day labor union leaders just as much as the libertarian approach. In addition to that, he gives a worthwhile overview of the Marxist interpretation of capitalism and why it is better able to explain certain commonplace phenomena in firm practice than the neoclassicals. Finally, he gives a non-too-critical overview of the great variety of leftist anti-capitalist movements in the world today and some general perspectives on their success, though all this is very vague.
The books great benefits are the easy to understand ways in which he shows the workings of capitalism in the many kinds of injustice felt by (young) leftist-inclined people, giving them a more solid ground for their critiques. However, this accessible approach is also the big downside to Yates' work: "Naming the System" is not in-depth at all, its wording is a little simplistic and childish sometimes, and it is virtually useless to those who already have a basic Marxist understanding of the capitalist world. Nevertheless, the book is worth four stars for its excellent utility as an education book on the Marxist approach for young people (high school and students), much like Naomi Klein's book was for the anti-branding movement.
An accessible and serious economic presentation.......2003-10-19
Leading labor analyst Michael Yates successfully strives to explain why the economic boom of the 1990s benefitted the wealthiest segment of business and society while doing little for the hard-working masses in Naming The System: Inequality And Work In The Global Economy. Aptly discussing a series of related issues including the inequalities that riddle the economic system of capitalism by its very nature (both within and between nations); unemployment and underemployment; contradictions within capitalism; and means for social change that battle for a better world, Naming The System is an accessible and serious economic presentation which has self-evidently been deftly researched and is skillfully argued. A welcome addition to personal and academic Economics Studies reference collections and reading lists, Naming The System is especially recommended to the attention of anyone wanting to understand the rationale behind the importance of placing limits and regulations to ensure a prosperous future for labor and management alike.
Even economists smoke crack.......2003-09-16
This man lives in a world od distorted reality. Economic equality and poverty is bound to exist reguardless of the mode of production. Capitalism allows democracy, which is the most important issue to me. He talks about Cuba in this book... The have to give up freedom and live in poverty, but their literacy level is the same as our's; which system sounds better? Tjis was a well written book wth ample information, so I probably should have rated it better. However, I hate the message that it sends.
But, some of my best friends are economists.......2003-08-16
I am not an economist, but some of my best friends are. And much of my work as a labor law professor, has involved dealing with ideas couched in economic terms. Even so, there is a lot about economics as it is really practiced, that comes as a surprise. Several years, when the news was full of predictions from leading economists about the effects of a new policy on the economy, I asked a group of economists whether these sorts of predictions were based on studies of effects in the world. The economists told me that these predictions none of these predictions were ever tested. All that was ever done was to create simplified theories about how the economy worked and then use those theories to make predictions. No one ever checked to make certain those theories were valid.
Imagine what healthcare would be like if doctors and scientists operated this way. Actually, we don't have to imagine. This is how life was in the Middle Ages when doctors tried to balance the body's four humors, and everyone knew the sun revolved around the earth. The models got more and more complex as reality did not jibe with theory.
So all of us have our fates determined by economists whose methods are no more up to date than the 16th century. Consider Alan Greenspan, the hero of the Fed. He and his colleagues for years were convinced that the only way to fight inflation - and inflation had to be fought at all costs - was to raise interest rates any time unemployment fell below 5.8%. The effect was that higher interest rates increased unemployment. In the early 1990's, unemployment began to fall below this danger level, but no inflation appeared. Pressure was put on the Fed not to raise interest rates, enough pressure that they held off. Unemployment plunged ever lower with no inflation. Did the economists admit that their theory had to be discarded based on the evidence/ Of course not. They responded that they needed to refine the theory to account for this aberration from the theory, but the theory was still solid.
Michael Yates does a much better job at leading the reader through classic economic theory and exploring the many ways in which those theories stand unproven - and yet they still rule the world. Yates provides a fair and balanced look at the claims of classic economics for economies and for global trade and demonstrates that there is no evidence to support those claims.
There is no question that Michael Yates is passionate and has strong opinions. He does nothing to hide his views and is fair and open with the reader as he presents his arguments against classical economics and his ideas as to what should replace those disproven theories. I won't even try to summarize the. Yates deserves to be read and his arguments digested in full.
Yates is a wonderful writer and educator. He should be. He had a long teaching career at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, among prisoners, and with unionists. He is clear without ever talking down to his audiences. Over the years he has opened up the world of economics to many of us, and through this book will reach even more. I recommend it strongly.
I am not an economist, but some of my best friends are.......2003-08-11
I am not an economist, but some of my best friends are. And much of my work as a labor law professor, has involved dealing with ideas couched in economic terms. Even so, there is a lot about economics as it is really practiced, that comes as a surprise.
Several years, when the news was full of predictions from leading economists about the effects of a new policy on the economy, I asked a group of economists whether these sorts of predictions were based on studies of effects in the world. The economists told me that these predictions none of these predictions were ever tested. All that was ever done was to create simplified theories about how the economy worked and then use those theories to make predictions. No one ever checked to make certain those theories were valid.
Imagine what healthcare would be like if doctors and scientists operated this way. Actually, we don't have to imagine. This is how life was in the Middle Ages when doctors tried to balance the body's four humors, and everyone knew the sun revolved around the earth. The models got more and more complex as reality did not jibe with theory.
So all of us have our fates determined by economists whose methods are no more up to date than the 16th century. Consider Alan Greenspan, the hero of the Fed. He and his colleagues for years were convinced that the only way to fight inflation - and inflation had to be fought at all costs - was to raise interest rates any time unemployment fell below 5.8%. The effect was that higher interest rates increased unemployment. In the early 1990's, unemployment began to fall below this danger level, but no inflation appeared. Pressure was put on the Fed not to raise interest rates, enough pressure that they held off. Unemployment plunged ever lower with no inflation. Did the economists admit that their theory had to be discarded based on the evidence/ Of course not. They responded that they needed to refine the theory to account for this aberration from the theory, but the theory was still solid.
Michael Yates does a much better job at leading the reader through classic economic theory and exploring the many ways in which those theories stand unproven - and yet they still rule the world. Yates provides a fair and balanced look at the claims of classic economics for economies and for global trade and demonstrates that there is no evidence to support those claims.
There is no question that Michael Yates is passionate and has strong opinions. He does nothing to hide his views and is fair and open with the reader as he presents his arguments against classical economics and his ideas as to what should replace those disproven theories. I won't even try to summarize the. Yates deserves to be read and his arguments digested in full.
Yates is a wonderful writer and educator. He should be. He had a long teaching career at University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, among prisoners, and with unionists. He is clear without ever talking down to his audiences. Over the years he has opened up the world of economics to many of us, and through this book will reach even more. I recommend it strongly.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Labour/Le Travail, published by Canadian Committee on Labour History on March 22, 2005. The length of the article is 1439 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: Michael D. Yates, Naming the System: Inequality and Work in the Global Economy.(Book Review)
Author: Paul Stevenson
Publication:
Labour/Le Travail (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 2005
Publisher: Canadian Committee on Labour History
Issue: 55
Page: 322(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Journal of Economic Issues, published by Association for Evolutionary Economics on September 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1187 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: Naming the System: Inequality and Work in the Global Economy.(Book Review)
Author: William M. Dugger
Publication:
Journal of Economic Issues (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2004
Publisher: Association for Evolutionary Economics
Volume: 38
Issue: 3
Page: 863(3)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
The Pursuit of Organizational Intelligence brings together the writing of one of the best-known academics in the field of decision making and organizational theory. It acts as a sequel to March's earlier Decisions and Organizations. The essays published here reflect the shift in March's thinking, and therefore the shift in teaching of organizational theory generally, towards a "softer", more European approach since the late 1980s.
Customer Reviews:
Performance opened up.......2001-05-13
This book is a gem for anyone thinking about how organizations work. The chapter on organizational performance alone is well worth the price of the whole book: For example, "It is not clear tht organizational purpose can be portrayed as unitary, or that the multiple purposes of an organization are reliably constant." This opens the door for intelligence, as interpretation in context, rather than simply as the result of the detached number-crunching rampant in today's organizational studies. Other chapters are very "quotable" also; March has enough status in the field to have attracted notable and articulate co-authors for various sections. I am personally interested in how March and colleagues discuss the role of storying in organizations. I wonder to what extent March et al. still hold out for a truth beyond the stories, or whether they are able to see the truths within them. That just goes to show that this book is capable of clearly describing the essential concerns of organizations in general, and management in particular, while also sparking ideas and debates. Read it, please, then let's engage the ideas by sharing our own stories.
Customer Reviews:
Intriguing, but poorly organized........2002-12-26
This book had a lot of promise, written as it is by an English professor whose hands-on experience might easily translate to the experiences other do-it-yourselfers have. But it's disappointing. Concepts are poorly explained. There is little discussion about what pipe diameters (1/2", 3/4", etc.) are appropriate for what kind of job. He vaguely references working through moving from one diameter to the other, but does not explain why and in what circumstances each pipe is appropriate. Nor does he really put irrigation into a context that probably 90% of homeowners experience -- suburbia. There's discussion about micro sytems, macro systems, etc., but precious little discussion of the all-American suburban lawn. After reading this book, I have no idea what type of pipe and sprinkler is best for my suburban American lawn, and that's a pity indeed.
A great guide for your own professional irrigation system.......2002-10-19
If "practical" means "technical" then the title of this book tells you just what to expect! With sentences like, "Whether you're working with galvanized, slip PVC, or threaded PVC, you will now need a stem to connect every manifold orifice to the orifice in the bottom of each of your irrigation control vales." you can see this is not a quick reference. This book is, however, a detailed manual on evaluating, building, and installing your own garden irrigation system. It helps to evaluate your watering needs and from there follows through to offer specific plans for laying pipes, installing sprinklers, using timers, and system automation. Black and white photos and diagrams help make sense of the more technical jargon (which actually begins to sound like English about half of the way through). A very detailed and specific guide.
Average customer rating:
- great resource for preaching and thinking
- Brilliant!!
- Between order & chaos
- An Important Book
- If you are only going to read 1 book in your life...
|
Maps of Meaning: The Architecture of Belief
Jordan Peterson
Manufacturer: Routledge
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Wandering God
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Dark Ages America: The Final Phase of Empire
ASIN: 0415922224 |
Book Description
Why have people from different cultures and eras formulated myths and stories with similar structures? What does this similarity tell us about the mind, morality, and the structure of the world itself? Maps of Meaning offers a provocative new hypothesis that explores the connection between what modern neuropsychology tells us about the brain and what rituals, myths and religious stories have long narrated. Drawing insights from the worlds of neuropsychology, cognitive science, and Freudian and Jungian approaches to mythology and narrative, Jordan B. Peterson argues that myths and religious stories have a structure determined by the nature of the mind, and play a key role in the regulation of human emotions.
Ambitious in scope and daring in its exploration of ideas, Maps of Meaning presents a rich theory that makes the wisdom and meaning of myth accessible to the critical modern mind.
Customer Reviews:
great resource for preaching and thinking.......2007-06-22
I must prepare sermons weekly, so I look for books like this to help lay a framework for this task. The insights in the book are brilliant and easily confirmed through experience. To the more orthodox Christian and evangelical preacher I would say that if you are thoughtful and discerning with Peterson's material, you need not fear preaching heresy.
Other Amazon reviewers go into more description about the contents of the book than I will. But I endorse the book highly and am glad for the profound insights provided by the author.
Brilliant!!.......2006-12-20
I am going to take Prof. Peterson's "personality and its transformation" class next semester......expecting and excited............
This is a brilliant book, thought provoking and challenging...challenging not in the sense that the language is hard to read, but the thinkings involved are profound and require an open mind to understand and appreciate. Great Work...
Between order & chaos.......2006-11-04
Despite the shortcomings that have been adressed in the other reviews and that I must agree with, they don't overshadow the many bright and brilliant insights this book has to offer. Moreover, I think the former have much more to do with the technical side and presentation of the thesis than the content side of it, which stands strong, convincing and elegant nonetheless.
To put the latter (well, some of it) in a nutshell - it deals with adaptation, change and learning as it occures in the relation of culture and individual human beings from the comparative viewpoint of mythology and modern scientific knowledge. Having a background of neuropsychology and drawing extensively on thinkers like Piaget, Jung, Eliade and Nietzsche, J. Peterson builds an overarching framework that shows each individual as an active agent at the inexhaustible and laborous construction-site of his own cognitive structures, which is equipped with the tools but not the buildings provided by culture. Each step that is made there towards constructing a viable re-presentational model (a worldview) is a temporary equilibrium and unique synthesis achieved between the dual (inseparable) archetypal principles of order (The Great Father) and chaos (The Great Mother). To the like of a ropedancer, the maintenance of balance between them requires one to constantly shift between the opposing poles - to work out fixed and ordered patterns of thought and corresponding behaviour (or vice versa) on every level of experience on the one hand, on the other - to maintain a degree of flexibility to reorganize in time the existing patterns whenever the changing demands of changing environment make it necessary. Ability to successfully answer this dual challange constitutes the essence of the Hero archetype, a mediator between the Great Mother and Fother. However,
if this balance is not sustained, the system will either plunge into chaos which individually corresponds to psychosis and socially to anarchy, or over-compensates this risk by building impenetrable walls that, while protecting from the forces of chaos, at the same time "wall in" the system and cut it off from any impulse for change and development, and thus from its own sources. In either way, a pathology has occured that necessitates the emergence of the hero, who would heal the sickness first in himself and then in the culture by spreading the self-tested knowledge of cure.
This is certainly an interactional view that doesn't seem to be much cherished nor shared by the narrow "scientificism" of mainstream psychology. As I must confess my frustration with the tehnically (biologically) very complicated but philosophically equally simplistic ways the latter tends to conceptualize mind and its "products", I was most pleased with Peterson's general approach.
It resembles closely that of Hans Peter Duerr's "Dreamtime: concerning the boundary between wilderness and civilization", which is worth checking out if you liked "Maps..".
Another author who Peterson doesn't refer to but would be relevant to the topics he discusses is Gregory Bateson, whose concepts of "deutero-learning" (learning to learn) and "double bind" would offer a parallel framework for speaking about the aquisition of basic premises for communication or fundamental patterns underlying perception of reality and the conflicts inherent in situations when these are being challenged.
An Important Book.......2004-06-24
I am in agreement with previous reviewers. This is an outstanding book and should be higher on Amazon's Sales Rank. The only problem is the writing style. Professor Peterson can write simple, clear prose, as shown at the beginning when describing his personal history. But the academic style in the rest of the book is harder to wade through. He constantly restates and rephrases his ideas, often in the same sentence. This academic prose is readable, but he should have stuck with the simpler style. You can say just as much that way, but to more readers.
Also, some of the "insights" of neuropsychology are merely common sense. Do we really need Russian psychologists to tell us that we pay less attention to startling or threatening stimuli after they prove inoffensive?
This book will appeal to NT types, in Meyers-Briggs parlance. It presents the big picture of human culture and behavior, but in analytic detail. Boy, does it present the big picture! Only cosmological theories get bigger than this. It is the kind of book than can change your world view. It did mine.
If you are only going to read 1 book in your life..........2002-03-11
this is THE book to read! This puts into perspective any of the other books you might read, including religious books like the Bible! This book unlocks the symbolism used in profound writings of history. Talks about the deep symbolism of the deepest human aspirations--unlocks what has been hidden under these murky symbols. Jordan shows us the true nature of the heroic impulses for the individual and for mankind in general, and the failure and fear of the heroic that causes both individual and social atrocities. I cannot say enough about his genius for elucidating these things--gives me new hope for the world. I accidentally met the man at a conference on consciousness, and it was like I met a long lost brother--before I read his book! This is because he has tapped into a great ocean of truth underlying our most cherished symbols. If you are a truth-seeker--whether in science or about yourself and your soul--this is the book you have been looking for. These ideas are a large part of the keys to eliminating the most greivous ills of humanity. One of my top 10 books of all time, if not #1.
Average customer rating:
- A gem in the field of American cultural studies
- A must read for Canyon Lovers
- Entertaining and solid scholarship
|
On the Rim: Looking for the Grand Canyon
Mark Neumann
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
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ASIN: 0816627851 |
Book Description
A captivating look at the Grand Canyon as scenic wonder, theme park, national icon, and refuge.
Why do nearly five million people travel to the Grand Canyon each year? Mark Neumann answers this question with a book as compelling as the panoramic vistas of the canyon. In On the Rim, he describes how the Grand Canyon became an internationally renowned tourist attraction and cultural icon, and delves into the meanings the place holds for the individuals who live, work, and travel there.
Weaving history, ethnography, documentary photography, and autobiography, Neumann exposes the roots-the personal and social dimensions-of America's pursuit of leisure. He shows how people visiting the Grand Canyon create their own experiences, even while they are affected by one hundred years of social history and cultural expectations. On the Rim examines the lines between progress and nostalgia, science and spirituality, nature and culture, authenticity and mass production, and work and leisure-all of which crisscross the tourist experience.
To support his argument, Neumann uses evidence from tourist registers and Park Service records, first-person narratives, interviews, and scenes from television shows, Hollywood movies, and popular novels. Heavily illustrated with historical and contemporary photographs, the narrative shifts back and forth between early descriptions of the canyon and modern tourist stories, the past illuminating the present at every step.
From Albert Einstein's visit and the hunt for the fugitive Danny Horning to the everyday experiences of local Native Americans, park rangers, and vacationing families, Neumann reminds us that every trip to the Grand Canyon is a complex journey, fueled by shared expectations but always open to the possibility of surprise. On the Rim is a multilayered, nuanced study of the place and its many visitors.
Mark Neumann is associate professor in the Department of Communication at the University of South Florida.
Customer Reviews:
A gem in the field of American cultural studies.......2002-07-23
This book is as grand in scope as the canyon itself, taking in ethnography, history, biography, and criticism. The thoroughness of Neumann's research, the sensitivity of his observations and the insight and wit of his language are reminiscent of the work of new journalist masters such as Gay Talese and Jane Kramer. Neumann brilliantly documents how "spectator culture" goes far back into U.S. history, into the receding zone of nostalgia that we look to for our origins. Also fascinating are his accounts of how the canyon has been framed by science and religion, and how the canyon's developers staged it in the manner of a theater or museum. I especially appreciated Neumann's sensitive and thoughtful use of tourists' stories. It would have been easy to make fun of the canyon's tourists and to present them as the ultimate mass culture nightmare. Instead, Neumann prompts the reader to think about the popular logics and traditions that lie behind tourists' practices. Neumann concludes with a meditation on why people keep coming to the canyon through "the depths of time"--what they come looking for, what they think they can create or recover. It is a moving finale for this fine book.
A must read for Canyon Lovers.......2000-12-24
Having traveled to the Grand Canyon many times during my life I am always taken in by its true greatness and wonder. This book goes beyond the countless picture books that have been published on the canyon by giving the reader some real insight. The author gives several different perspectives on the canyon that you are not likely to learn by just touring the canyon for a few hours. This book lets true Grand Canyon lovers experiance the canyon in depth and make the reader eager to return and see it from a deeper perspective.
Entertaining and solid scholarship.......2000-01-25
On the Rim is a fascinating study of the power of the Grand Canyon in American Culture. The author's breadth of knowlege is impressive, pulling together elements of anthropology, history, philosophy, sociology and literary/artistic criticism. His scholarship is impeccable, but the strength of the book is his personal stories of the people he has met and his own encounters with the Canyon.
Customer Reviews:
Overall, a very good book for novices........2004-02-18
After reading the others reviews, I was a little hesitant to order the book so I found the book at a local store and flipped through it. I liked it and bought it.
I've been surfing for about 9 months and was looking for guidance learning to cross-step and ride the nose. I'd tried to search the web but all I found was information on longboard skateboards. Although it's simliar, there are some big differences, so I ended up buying the book.
The book gave me the instruction I was looking for regarding how to position my board in the wave and my feet on the board during cross-stepping and nose-riding. It also gave me some good points on surfing waves in general and turning. I found the more advanced tricks a little harder to understand but I think I have the concepts down and am looking forward to trying them out.
I think some of the other reviewers were a little hard on the book for its "lingo." Like any specialty, surfing has its own vocabulary and in order to describe it succinctly you might need to learn a few new words, so be it.
Overall, I think this is a very good book for a novice.
OK... But.......2002-03-14
This book was really only of moderate usefullness. I got better information at my local surf shop.
Some useful parts, but much less than it could be.......2002-01-28
As a longboarder, I found this book quite disappointing, and at times even insulting. Mr. Werner treats longboarding as an inferior form of surfing that only people unable to shortboard would bother with. He seems to feel that all longboarders secretly wish to be shortboarders, and he spends a lot of time discussing the ways in which one can do shortboard maneuvers on Bill Stewart's modified longboards.
The interviews with Bill Stewart are the worst part of the book. To listen to Mr. Stewart one would think that he invented the longboard, rather than just an interesting variant.
This book does have a number of useful tips and photographs, and is worth looking over at the library. However, it is critically flawed by the author's failure to present longboarding is an art form in its own right, rather than just the next best thing to shortboarding. Many supurb surfers prefer longboards, and feel as I do that classic longboard surfing has a lot more artistic and spiritual potential than does most shortboard surfing. Watching a great longboarder hang ten sends chills down my spine; I've never seen a shortboard maneuver that could compare.
If you are stoked on longboard surfing, I highly recommend watching videos of Joel Tudor and classic surf movies like *The Endless Summer* and *Big Wednesday*.
Only surfing book worth rereading..........2001-06-18
...there is some significant information in this book that doesn't show up in other fluffy beginner's books.
For example, I'm new to surfing (been out about 8 times), and I've reached the point where I'll get killed if I continue doing push-ups through waves of any reasonable size. I keep coming back to this book because this is one of the few beginner's manuals in my stash which tells you about "Scoot 'n Shoot" and "Slice 'n Duck" to deal with paddling out through larger and larger waves.
The book is essentially split into a beginner's section (on how to catch waves, paddling out, being in trim, etc...) and then an intermediate/advanced section on cross-stepping, turning, cutting back, noseriding, etc... I mean it's really wonderful to have a book that shows me what I can look forward to, even though I don't expect to be doing 360's or floaters anytime soon.
I've yet to find a book this comprehensive on longboarding - I dare say that if I were stuck on an island in the South Pacific with nothing but my stick and one book, this one would be it.
If you can overlook the shortcomings of this book, I'm sure you'll get something out of it.
I continue to get hints out of the book after every reread... ...advice in the book begin to make a lot more sense after some experience.
Oh yeah - the lingo in the book makes it a little difficult for the first time read, but with the glossary in the back, it's not that bad. In fact, wouldn't you rather learn what "digging a rail" really means so you can communicate with your fellow surfers in their language?
Hope you already know how to surf..........2001-06-04
This book is written by a shortboard surfer who has taken up longboarding. It is written from that perspective. This is not a good book for beginners.
I am a longboarder with 2 seasons of limited experience. From this book, I gained a knowledge longboard design and how to choose one to suit my needs. I also gained info on techniques to get past the breakers. I didn't get much else.
I was looking for a good explanation and diagrams of etiquete, good starting techniques. I found brief explanations, again, written from a surfer-to-surfer perspective. I found more detailed info free while surfing the web.
I also agree with another review that the language of the book is surfer lingo (dude) and seems out of place for an instructional book.
I'm selling it back. I'll look for a good instructional video.
Book Description
The most up-to-date and authoritative introduction to critical theory available, this acclaimed dictionary provides an ideal overview of the full range of theories, schools of thought, and theorists. Whether it's Arendt or Woolf, object relations or orientalism, postcolonial theory or postmodernism, readers will find incisive entries on the work of key figures, powerful summaries of the crucial debates, and clear explanations of both the links and differences between the various thinkers and schools.
"Remarkable for its comprehensiveness. . . . It is certainly a reference work I will want to have on my own shelves." (David Lodge)
Customer Reviews:
More an Encyclopedia than a Dictionary.......2007-10-08
A DICTIONARY OF CRITICAL THEORY by David Macey is one of those books that ought to be held in one hand while the other holds another text on literary theory. It is no easy task to succinctly summarize let alone analyze an imposingly long list of terms, writers, movements, and schools of critical thought, but Macey has come close. Assume that a reader is about to try to plow his way through the denseness that is the thought of Lacan. As a preliminary, that reader would be wise first to read the general background to Lacanian thought before navigating a way between Lacan's distinctions between the Real and the Imaginary stages of infantile growth. Or perhaps that reader feels a lack of understanding of Freud's oedipal issues. Macey is where to begin.
Macey's text is arranged alphabetically, as any proper dictionary should be, but this text is more encyclopedia than dictionary. Part of the not-so-obvious problem I have with Macey is the same that I have with any author who seeks to encapsulate all the knowledge of the world on one issue in one book. The question of authorial bias manifests itself not only in what is included or excluded, but also in the even-handedness of its treatment. Macey tends to smooth over any areas of political controversy that arise all too often in a discourse that is fraught with potential conflict. For example, as I was reading the entry on Noam Chomsky, the MIT linguist who has for years been an outspoken critic of both the United States and Israel, hardly anything was written that might cast an aspersion on Chomsky's own biases. What was presented was a rather technical explanation of Chomsky's linguistic theories, a matter of concern only to other linguists. I was surprised by Macey's omission of Frederick Jameson, one of the most outspoken Marxist critics of this century. Still, Macey's text is an indispensable tool for those who wish to learn how words affect ideas.
Strengths and Weaknesses.......2006-04-24
Yes and no. For some time, I have referred to the Penguin Dictionary of Philosophy. This I have found to be particularly helpful. I thought I might find the same with the Penguin Dictionary of Critical Theory. But first, what is critical theory? While there are several possible definitions, perhaps the following would make most sense. Scientific theory, in whatever field, uses "instrumental reason" for the purpose of "manipulating the external world". Critical theory might be said to be theory which examines the instrumental reason itself.
The Dictionary of Critical Theory is strong from the point of view that it is broad in the information it provides. It sketches e.g. both the origins and the outcomes of metaphysics, or both the early and the late work of Jacques Derrida -- and it gives one a good feel for the mood among academics, and for caveats one should be aware of. It is strong from the point of view that it succeeds in reducing vast and complex subject matter to concise and manageable entries -- and it is generally up to date. It also has a very useful bibliography at the back (80 pages).
I would consider it weak from the point of view that it is not as comprehensive as it might be. I looked up "systems theory". Nothing. I looked up "axioms", "coherentism", "Michael Polanyi". There was nothing -- where there might have been, at least, a single-line cross-reference. I would also consider it weak from the point of view that it sometimes seems too technical to be useful. For instance, I looked up "metalanguage". This, it says, is "a technical or second-order language used to describe and analyse a natural or first-order language". A dictionary, surely, is intended to be more explicatory than that.
The book is useful -- and I would rather have it than not. This is the first impression in paperback, and hopefully future editions would overcome some of the present shortcomings.
Book Description
The bestselling MechWarrior phenomenon continues
Exarch Damien Redburn has called for the election of his replacement. As Paladins assemble, vying in the nomination process, Heather GioAvanti and Jonah Levin investigate suspicious activities swirling around this high-level gathering.
Download Description
"Exarch Damien Redburn has called for the election of his replacement. Paladins assemble from all corners of The Republic, vying in a lively nomination process that threatens to turn the election into a bloodbath. Paladins Heather GioAvanti and Jonah Levin are both conducting investigations into suspicious activities swirling around the edges of this high-level gathering. It becomes clear that more than one group intends to disrupt the election of the Exarch. Through political influence, assassination, or rebellion, each of these cabals ultimately seeks to place its own candidate on the Exarch's seat-and whoever controls the Exarch controls The Republic. But Damien Redburn refuses to allow his successor to be a puppet. He is willing to throw a few 'Mechs and a secret agent or two at the situation to get the result he wants-even if what he wants may be a surprise to his operatives."
Customer Reviews:
Best Dark Age Novel Yet.......2007-04-04
I gave up on Mechwarrior after trudging through the 1/2 dozen novels following Stackpole's "Ghost War". Two years later, I picked up where I left off with "Fortress of Lies", which I actually found to be quite good. My joy was short-lived and I died a little on the inside when I read what I believe to be the worst book in the series - "Patriot's Stand". Even though the writing got better after that atrocity, I was on the verge of giving the serie up for dead. Fortunately, "Hunter's of the Deep" caught my interest, not because it was great, but because it was different and I found it interesting, if not inconsistent with what we should expect. "The Scorpion Jar" was definitely the light at the end of the tunnel and has helped to reassert my intnerest in the Mechwarrior series. Granted, there is VERY little mech combat in this book, but it is packed full of the back-stabbing politics that made Battletech so engrossing. I would say, without reservation, that this is BY FAR the best book in the series so far and has me looking forward to what's to come (even though I see a lot of what's to come has gotten terrible reviews). Thanks, Jason Hardy, for restoring my faith in the Mechwarrior series!
Politics and Instant messaging make for weak MechWarrior.......2005-07-06
The writing in this story was quite detailed and the story certainly supplies background for current events in the MechWarrior universe. Unfortunately, there are very few MechWarriors making war with their 'Mechs in this book. There are only three actual battles in the story; all are short, none involve more than a single 'Mech and none of them have any real relevance to the story. Instead, the book presents a mystery to the readers with the perpetrators exposed almost from the beginning. While the protagonist works to solve the mystery, the story is supplemented by pages and pages of the politics of the Republic as well as the details of instant messaging that occurs between primary and background characters. Much of this makes for dull reading. The author could have spent a few these pages providing a little more background on the murder victim, as that character certainly merited more detail for anyone who has not read many BattleTech books. One additional note on a detail that particularly bothered me: I seriously doubt that a kick to a large man's back could sever a renal artery. Those arteries are very well protected at the core of the torso by a thing we call the rib cage. I encourage the author, in future MechWarrior books, to apply his skill at detailed description to battlefield exploits.
Excellent reading.......2005-02-24
I usually don't enjoy books like this, as I find them boring and slow to develop. However, The Scorpion Jar is an excellent novel that everyone will enjoy. With the fast-moving plot, boredom is nearly impossible. Often times I stayed up into the night reading it; I couldn't put it down. The only downside was bloodshot eyes in the morning. This book is a necessity for everyone's bookshelf.
Great read for newbies and hard-core game nerds alike!.......2005-02-18
I am new to the BattleTech universe, but a couple of people in my Jane Austin book group recommended this title. I was hesitant, as I am not normally into Science Fiction, but once I started reading, I couldn't put the book down!
My main problem with SciFi is that character development and thematic construction are usually sacrificed in favor of technological mumbo-jumbo, frenetic action, and buxom women. I was pleasently surprised to find that Jason Hardy is able to keep the pace fast and furious, but, with great economy of words, develop characters that I really cared about. In addition, I was intrigued and, frankly, quite moved by Hardy's underlying thesis about technology's effect on interpersonal relationships vis a vis the many and exciting battles that make up this work. Also, Hardy does an excellent job of juxtaposing the violence and action with some "laugh-out-loud" humor. Hardy must have sat at the knee of some seriously funny people growing up to have learned to write like this. I would love to meet his inspiration, be it some comedian, or possibly an older brother.
My only quibble with the book is the underuse of one of the most fascinating characters, "Brigham". I felt that, were his role expanded, he had the heroic qualities to be a major protaganist, sort of an "Atticus Finch in the 25th Century".
All in all, I thought this was a fine work by one of our up and coming young writers. I would encourage everyone to read it. I am currently learning German so I can read the rest of Hardy's works.
Victor's Last Stand!.......2004-12-08
Do you know what's wrong with the Inner Sphere of 3134? Well, Victor Steiner-Davion, ancient Paladin of the Sphere, certainly has an idea. As he prepares to break the dire news to his fellow Paladins when Exarch of the Sphere Damien Redburn calls for the election of his own successor, Victor's life of semi-retirement gets interesting once more. Unfortunately, two nightly assassins are a bit much to take on for an old warrior well past his 100st birthday. But then, Victor Steiner-Davion never really expected to die peacefully of old age anyway ...
Fans of classic BattleTech have to give credit to author Jason Hardy for not letting Victor just pass away in his sleep. Actually, the entire story is based on the question what dark secrets Victor had discovered that someone wanted him dead. And who?
Jason Hardy is a newcomer to writing BattleTech - but you won`t notice. Known perhaps for his two excellent, action-packed novels set in the Crimson Skies-roleplaying universe, his Mechwarrior-debut couldn't have been much better - although the story doesn't allow for a lot of battlefield-action, as Paladin Jonah Levin investigates the prospect of corruption and murder at the highest levels of The Republic. But that's just fine. It's about high time to learn something about what's really going on in the The Republic, considering this is volume #13 of the Mechwarrior Dark Age series already. Of childish, petty faction leaders and their pointless bickering we have had about enough recently, thank you!
Jason Hardy's writing style and skills are fully up to the task, making The Scorpion Jar a nice change after the total failure of volume #12 Hunters of the Deep", that really brought the series deep down, so to say. 313 pages (in finer print than usual, but also with ultra-short chapters) provide sufficient quantity. Believable characters, a storyline worth following, well-written and brief dialoge scenes and enjoyable - if rare- battle sequences make this book a page-turner. The fact that Hardy's sense of humor hits home and fits like an Atlas` foot on a scout vehicle doesn't exactly hurt, either. The layout of the story reminds me on some of Michael Stackpole's books, especially the cloak-and-dagger stuff, which takes up most of the plot. But Jason Hardy's protagonists are much less talkative than Stackpole`s, which gives the story a healthy pace. Easily one of my favorites beside #8 Fortress of Lies" and a strong buy!
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