Modelling Trends and Cycles in Economic Time Series (Palgrave Texts in Econometrics)

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Modelling Trends and Cycles in Economic Time Series (Palgrave Texts in Econometrics)
Terence C. Mills
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Econometrics | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Modelling Non-Stationary Economic Time Series: A Multivariate Approach (Palgrave Texts in Econometrics)

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ASIN: 1403902097

Book Description

Modelling trends and cycles in economic time series has a long history, with the use of linear trends and moving averages forming the basic tool kit of economists until the 1970s. Several developments in econometrics then led to an overhaul of the techniques used to extract trends and cycles from time series. Terence Mills introduces these various approaches to allow students and researchers to appreciate the variety of techniques and the considerations that underpin their choice for modelling trends and cycles.

Modelling Trends and Cycles in Economic Time Series (Palgrave Texts in Econometrics)

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Modelling Trends and Cycles in Economic Time Series (Palgrave Texts in Econometrics)
Terence C. Mills
Manufacturer: NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MUD7Y4

Book Description

Neo-Industrial Organising outlines the fundamental mechanisms at work in transforming traditional 'permanent' organizational structures. The authors draw upon several international companies for empirical evidence including Volvo, Ericsson, Digital Equipment and the Royal Swedish Opera.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, provacative work.......2001-04-08

For all the talk about virtualization, e-business, and post-capitalism, little has been written about how these ideas affect they way in which the new and old merge. This book is an ecellent discussion of the "renewal paradox." ...how stable companies try to integrate unstable project teams in thier fold and try to make both work. The choice, the authors argue, is not one or the other ---but both together. This work is very well articulated and provides excellent fodder for thought to researchers and managers alike. Although this book is authored by four collaborators, not once did I feel that in reading it. Although many references are in Swedish, there are still many gems of literature that the authors provide pointers to. Very highly recommneded.

Book Description

Metal Speciation and Contamination of Soil provides a thorough overview of the biogeochemical processes governing the behavior, transport, and bioavailability of heavy metals in contaminated soils and suggests alternative approaches for effective remediation. This important new book contains contributions from experts in various disciplines who explore the issues from theoretical, experimental, and pragmatic perspectives. Topics include redox chemistry, kinetics of metal reactions, spectroscopic characterization of metal ion reactions at surface, modeling hydrologic transport phenomena and colloid-associated transport of metals through the soil profile to ground water, and remediation alternatives.

Impact of river overflowing on trace element contamination of volcanic soils in south Italy: Part I. Trace element speciation in relation to soil properties [An article from: Environmental Pollution]

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Impact of river overflowing on trace element contamination of volcanic soils in south Italy: Part I. Trace element speciation in relation to soil properties [An article from: Environmental Pollution]
P. Adamo , M. Zampella , L. Gianfreda , G. Renella , and R
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000P6XM0E

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Environmental Pollution, published by Elsevier in 2006. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Volcanic soils affected by different numbers of polluted river flooding events were investigated. Chromium and Cu were the major soil contaminants. Nickel, Fe, Zn and Mn total content never exceeded the Italian mandatory limits. The distribution of Cr and Cu total contents among studied soils indicated that only Cr contamination was related to overflowing events. In polluted soils, sequential chemical extractions revealed a preferential association of Cr and Cu with organic forms. A progressive Cr insolubilization with ageing was observed. Significant amounts of Cr and Cu were extracted by NH"4-oxalate, suggesting metals association with short-range-order aluminosilicates and organo-mineral complexes. Possible methodological drawbacks in the use of the EU-BCR chemical speciation protocol on volcanic soils are discussed. Micromorphology and SEM/WDS analyses revealed Cr and Cu enriched silt and clay coatings in surface and subsurface soil horizons, suggesting a transfer of metal-rich sediments along the soil pore network with water movement.

Customer Reviews:

1st_time_genetic_student.......2007-03-22

This book is extremely difficult for people who are first being introduced to genetics to understand. Since it is being used in beginning genetics courses, this is disturbing. Perhaps if you already have an understanding of the basic concepts of genetics this would be a more useful book.
New terms are not always adequately defined. Often is seems as if the authors prefer to use confusing English games to explain concepts rather than explain information in a straightforward manner. An example would be page 7 when they are trying to explain the difference between "discontinuous" and "continuous" phenotypic variations. Rather that introduce one concept and explain it and then introduce the second concept, they introduce both concepts and then name both of them in a manner such that it is not clear which concept is which without rereading the paragraph several times.
Also, one wonders how current the information provided in this book is. The introduction to chapter 9 refers to an ongoing betting pool concerning the total number of protein-coding genes in the human genome. It tells that the prize for guessing correctly will be awarded in 2003 and talks about the contest in the present and future tense as if it is ongoing and the winner has yet to be announced. It even refers readers to a website to see the contest rules. This is 2007!!! The contest is OVER! The website it refers to is no longer a valid URL! If this little piece of information is so out of date, what else in the book is out of date (and possibly incorrect).
I wish I could say the website associated with the book is useful. Sadly, it does nothing to redeem the book. The animations are somewhat useful. It offers some additional problems, but not near enough. The tutorials it offers for using the NCBI database are often out of date.
The only redeeming factors this book has is that the introductions often talk about interesting problems in genetics. These are followed up with more information about the problem at the end of the chapter. Also, the problem sets with each chapter are good. However, there is not always enough information in the reading to be able to figure out the problem. Fortunately, there is a solutions manual available for this book that is very useful.
Since this book is most likely a required textbook, most people who are buying it do not have a choice. However, it would be nice to see schools pick a book that better explained genetic concepts than this one does. Genetics is a fascinating subject, but the difficulty of reading this book does nothing to encourage the student to pursue further studies in genetics.

Another winner for Anthony Griffiths........2003-03-22

Anthony Griffiths is the principle author of both 'An Introduction to Genetic Analysis' and 'Modern Genetic Analysis.' The former book is in its sixth edition, while the later is in it's second. I highly recommend both textbooks as the best teaching texts I have ever come across. Personally however, I prefer using 'Modern Genetic Analysis' because it is easier to understand, and less frustrating and confusing for students. The 'Introduction to Genetic Analysis' textbook is larger, more annotated, and has more difficult problems. The 'Modern Genetic Analysis' textbook provides a better basic framework on which to build an understanding of genetics, without going into too many unnecessary details that (in my opinion) only confuse students new to the subject.

The second edition of 'Modern Genetic Analysis' is very similar to the first edition, and only about ten percent of the material (at most) has been changed. Most of the problem sets are the same, but have been renumbered. This is actually a teaching advantage because it gives students the option of buying used copies of the first edition rather than new copies of the second.

One major improvement in the second edition, however, is the addition of internet-based genetics tutorials. Students are directed to the various public genome databases on the internet, used by real researchers, and are given practice assignments to do. They are shown how to conduct gene and protein homology searches, how to find open reading frames, and how to access other forms of information from the various public domain databases on the internet. Since internet databases have now become one of the most important tools available to geneticists these tutorials are a welcome addition to this textbook. I highly recommend it.

Greg Doheny (Vancouver, Canada)

An incredible job.......2002-11-18

In the last few years several very good textbooks and monographs in genetics have appeared, due mainly to the success of various genome projects and also to the rise of bioinformatics as a new discipline in biology, computer science, and mathematics. Most of these textbooks have appeared in many prior editions, and comparing these older editions with the newest ones, one can indeed see a remarkable difference in enthusiasm in the authors. They are clearly very excited about the developments in molecular biology and genetics that have taken place and the confidence among biologists that the fundamental understanding of life is finally within reach. Readers can share their excitement by the study of these books, and doing so one cannot help but be marveled by the incredible ingenuity of the scientific methods used to unravel the processes of life.

Of all these excellent books, I find this one to be the best, and my judgment of the book's quality is from the standpoint of someone who is very involved in the algorithms behind bioinformatics and mathematical biology and is attempting to gain, as quickly as possible, the necessary background in genetics. My review therefore will be primarily addressed to those mathematicians or even physicists who plan on moving into bioinformatics.

To relative newcomers to genetics such as myself, the learning of molecular biology and genetics can involve a huge amount of memory work. To the more mathematically-inclined reader, the memorization of facts can be most unpalatable. The learning of the material in this book will also involve such extreme exercises in memory, but there are a few strategies that the authors employ that, even though they were directed at a general readership, actually serve to make the learning much easier for the mathematician or mathematical biologist. These are the use of concept maps and the assigning of "challenging problems" at the end of most chapters in the book. These serve effectively to make the reader think through and interconnect the many concepts, which for the mathematician who is used to the economy of thought that mathematics brings, is an absolute necessity for the learning experience. Also, the authors are well aware of the need for students to learn how to analyze data and interact with online databases, so a lot of the material in the book is written to address this need.

Even from merely an aesthetic point of view the book is exceptional, as the soft colors used in the illustrations are very beautiful, and actually serve to make the learning of the material very pleasureful. And in addition, the reader can access the book's Website and follow the many animations that were put together for the book. And here again, the playing of these animations increase the speed in which one can learn the subject.

The authors also ask the readers to consider the impact that biotechnology and genetic engineering will have in the upcoming decades. One of the most dramatic, and I think the most important paragraphs in the book is the one in which the authors state that "the public cannot relay on reports published in the general media for the kind of critical evaluation needed to make informed personal and political decisions. Nor can it be left to experts, who have their own biases and agendas. There is no substitute for acquiring the kind of basic knowledge of genetics that is essential to all informed decisions." Their goal is provide the background that will allow the reader to differentiate between bad and good claims about genetics, and to think critically about both the negative and positive aspects of genetic research and genetic engineering.

Customer Reviews:

Genetics.......2007-10-01

This book takes a while to get to the point and has a tendency to repeat itself. Aside from all the digressions and redundancy, not a bad read.

Very good introduction to genetics.......2001-10-31

I'm very impressed with the excercises in the end of every chapter. The excercises are fun and not too difficult.
The material is very well illustrated. Again, good work .

The first genetics text with a "DNA-first" approach.......2001-03-11

Genetics has traditionally been taught with the topics in historical order, starting with Mendel and only later reaching molecular genetics. However, it is much more logical to explain Mendelian genetics in the context of molecular genetics. (No other science abandons a logical building-up of concepts in return for historical chronology!) Griffiths and colleagues are the first to write a text with this preferable and long-overdue approach. Their overall organization is the best that I've seen. While many of the chapters are very well written, there are some parts of the book that are substandard and hopelessly jumbled, such as the chapter on mutational mechanisms and DNA repair. As this is a first edition, I am optimistic that these problems will be ironed out in the second edition. Another criticism is that the figures are adequate but not outstanding; the artists should take lessons from their colleagues who worked on Genetics: From Genes to Genomes by Hartwell and colleagues. Despite its drawbacks, I prefer this text to others that are available.

Uncoordinated Mishmash.......2000-02-21

This textbook is a mess! Certain sections such as those that deal with classical transmission genetics are reasonably good. On the other hand, those sections that deal with recombinant DNA/genomic technology and the molecular basis of cancer are very weak. The writing in these sections is convoluted, and the level of coverage fluctuates wildly between oversimplification and mind-numbing detail. The book does not seem to have a clear target audience in mind, and the authors appear to have not spoken with each other during the writing. Considering the relative strengths of their earlier text, "Introduction to Genetic Analysis," this new effort is all the more disappointing.

Definitely readable, but not much depth.......2000-02-09

The text is certainly reader-friendly...good layout, font, and spacing (very important 3am in the morning when you're cramming) and very good figures. However, its very readability seems to stem from its lack of content; the genetics text that I had used in high school seemed to have more detail than this one, which is generally used as a college textbook. A very basic textbook for an introductory genetics class, nothing more.

Modern Genetic Analysis & Solutions MegaManual w/Interactive Genetics CD: Integrating Genes and Genomes

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Modern Genetic Analysis & Solutions MegaManual w/Interactive Genetics CD: Integrating Genes and Genomes
Anthony J.F. Griffiths
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Genetics | Evolution | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0716797992

Book Description

It's a jungle out there. And survival is never a given. Somehow, a blind, defenseless tiger kitten must evolve into a deadly, efficient predator; a chimp must learn to distinguish edible plants from lethal poisons; a baby buffalo must be able to pick its mother out of a herd of hundreds. Contrary to common belief, not everything is "hardwired" -- or instinctual -- in the animal kingdom. Many skills a wild animal needs to thrive, to grow, to be what nature intended, must be developed through play, painstaking teaching, and often treacherous trial and error. The coming-of-age processes of the myriad creatures of plain, forest, ocean, and jungle are truly fascinating and often astonishing natural events.

In Becoming a Tiger, Susan McCarthy, co-author of the critically acclaimed New York Times bestseller When Elephants Weep, offers readers an in-depth look into the amazing ways baby animals learn not only about themselves, but about their world and ours -- and how to survive in both. Based on extensive scientific research done in the lab, in controlled "natural" settings, as well as in the wild, her findings provide stunning new insights into the lives and development of Earth's nonhuman inhabitants -- not only tigers, but lions, bears, bats, rats, birds, dolphins, whales, apes, elephants, and dozens of other species.

Sharing stories and discoveries at once captivating, funny, breathtaking, provocative, and heartwarming, Susan McCarthy carries us on a remarkable journey into untamed places, immersing us in the fascinating, complex, and hitherto unimagined societies and cultures of the beasts and birds. Along the way she shines a brilliant new light on subjects scientists, biologists, and zoologists have only begun to explore, revealing startling truths about the behavior, and sometimes humanlike foibles, of creatures great and small.

Warm, informative, and beautifully written, Becoming a Tiger is an enthralling reading experience for animal lovers everywhere. In the transformation tales of playful pups, big-footed cubs, and scrawny chicks becoming deadly hunters, able foragers, and deft nest-builders are valuable and enriching life lessons for members of our own inquisitive, ever-developing species.

Customer Reviews:

She read the scholarly journals, so you don't have to.......2006-07-26

This book consists of literally hundreds of vignettes. McCarthy has read widely in the literature on animal behavior and learning, and she summarizes the findings here. One after another. After another.

Each summary is one or two pages, and they are grouped into chapters by the lessons they tell (identifying your species, communication, and so forth). Many of these summaries involve great stories or fascinating anecdotes. But the organization of the book makes these whole lesser than the sum. It is mind-numbing to read these vignettes one after another. Instead, I found myself reading this book, putting it away for a while, and then coming back. It would be a good book to bring on a bus or train if you commute that way.

Each vignette is well-written. McCarthy also likes making witty asides, and these are generally quite funny. So this is an enjoyable way to take your medicine - - it's certainly easier than reading the academic literature in the journals!

Her footnotes were hilarious!.......2005-04-18

I love books about animals. Love all the little trivia. Susan is an excellent, engaging writer - nothing boring or pompous about her style. If I could have another sister, I'd sure pick her. Obviously, she is strong, independant, positive, caring and her own woman who appears to be hugely happy in living a GOOD LIFE. Most of all, loved her crazy little footnotes - uplifting and silly - and sometimes passages in the book also shared this humor. I get tired of stodgy, know-it-all types and Susan surely ISN'T one. She doesn't come across as the snotty "expert". That is appreciated! The only downside for me was in not knowing a portion of the animals she was writing about. Some were pretty obscure for this gal from Kenosha, WI. Great job to Susan. You're a credit to YOUR species.

She wades through the mundane - so we don't have to!.......2005-02-18

This is a book I took out from the library, couldn't quite finish before it was due and found it so fun that I logged onto Amazon and bought my OWN copy! I found Ms. McCarthy's writing buoyant in a genre that seems to arc gracelessly from pedantic to smarmy and back again. Here's an author who has done we animal lovers a great service in wading through piles of research papers, theses, and obscure writings - filtering through, collecting the gems. She seems to have made a life's work out of talking about animals with those who spend a lot of time with them (researchers, zookeepers, breeders, etc). All without being judgmental. Thus we are allowed to enjoy the observed grace and earthy dignity of the animals as they make they ways through their lives, whatever their circumstances. There are those who adopt an in-your-face method of alerting all to their opinions, and then there is this unique book that allows us to glean an ethic that beckons from in between the lines. It's deceptively light tone only just softens a deep and abiding respect. And her asides crack me up.

Bunch of too short anecdotes.......2005-01-14

As was described in other reviews, This book in big, unorganized heap of too short anecdotes (half page), which become boring very quickly. One of worst kind of popular science book. May be her talent are better suited for other fields.

Compelling, Moving, and Hysterically Witty.......2004-11-02

This book is amazing! "Becoming a Tiger" offers fascinating details and insights into the lives of animals, from the familar kitty cat to the ferocious tiger to birds and chimps and killer whales and all sorts of beasties. The author, McCarthy, lays out compelling arguements about the learning capabilities and intelligence of animals (which I've never questioned, by the way, having had pets all my life). More, McCarthy does so in an easy to read, witty (wink-wink) writing style that had me laughing out loud over and over again, often in tears. In fact, I brought this book with me to Hawaii as my "beach book," and quite honestly, I was more engaged in reading it than in enjoying beautiful Waikiki. I also brought it to the dentist, which was a mistake, because I ended up bursting into uncontrollable giggles in the waiting room after reading a particuarly hysterical account of animals trying to mate. People were staring at me while I tried desperately hard not to laugh, which only made me laugh harder. They probably thought I was on drugs. I was most certainly enjoying this book!!! My favorite stories (and there are hundreds of stories, by the way) include the chimp that wages war against an electrical socket, the dolphin that scrapes algae off its aquarium with a sea slug, and the aforementioned mating chapter (the tigers are especially amusing). I can't tell you how many times I've read these particular jewels to friends and family. The first chapter may feel a little "academic" as you read it but, trust me, the dry discussions about the theory of so-and-so quickly end, leaving 200+ plages of fascinating animal behavior. FYI: When I bought this book, I also bought David Attenborough's "Life of Mammals," which ended up being a great help since "Life of Mammals" has beautiful color pictures and descriptions of many of the animals that "Becoming" talks about, like macaques (which I had never heard of before).

Becoming A Tiger : How Baby Animals Learn To Live In The Wild

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Becoming A Tiger : How Baby Animals Learn To Live In The Wild
Susan McCarthy
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEMRQM

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bad publication practices

Very Disorganized - Don't Like Selection of Exercises

Dumbbell Fitness: It's Amazing What a Dumbbell Can Do
Stephen P. Antonetti , and Susan Ramsden
Manufacturer: Healthy Learning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Accessories:

Tanita BC533 Glass Innerscan Body Composition Monitor

ASIN: 1585187305

Book Description

In the world of fitness fad and fashion, the dumbbell remains a simple, low-tech and inexpensive piece of exercise equipment that can produce great results, in a very short length of time.

Dumbbell Fitness offers an effective and efficient means for improving muscle strength and increasing muscle size. Dumbbells offer a versatile form of resistance exercise that is adaptable to almost everyone's time, space and financial circumstances. Dumbbell Fitness covers the principles of strength training, exercises to gain strength, and complete dumbbell training programs for beginners as well as advanced users. Also covers flexibility and endurance exercises, nutrition, and bonus natural exercises that require no equipment.

Customer Reviews:

bad publication practices.......2006-02-01

First of all, this book looks like it was photocopied instead of printed. Some of the pictures are dark and some are hard to distinguish.

Still, it does have some value as a workout guide, which is why I gave it 2 stars. But there are other, better quality, books out there.

Very Disorganized - Don't Like Selection of Exercises.......2004-09-14

As the owner of both this book and "The Great Dumbbell Handbook", I recommend the latter book, and strongly recommend against buying this book.

By my count, the main exercise description section of this book contains approximately 30 exercises, and the main exercise description section of "The Great Dumbbell Handbook" contains approximately 45 exercises. Some of the dumbbell exercises that I regularly do, such as the Shoulder Shrug, and the Deadlift (and more) are not included in this book.

The formatting of the exercise description section of this book is a disorganized mess. It's common for an exercise description to begin at the bottom of one page and continue on the next page, and sometimes there is a page turn in between the two sections. The photographs that accompany the exercises are poorly organized, and sometimes inappropriately placed.

As one example, the description of the Leg Curl starts in the middle of one page. Below the description of the Leg Curl are two photographs of Lunges. To view photographs of the Leg Curl, you have to turn the page.

As another example, the description of the Single-Dumbbell Triceps Extension begins at the bottom of one page. You turn the page, and at the top of the page are two photographs of the (double-dumbbell) Triceps Extension. Below the photographs of the (double-dumbbell) Triceps Extension is the rest of the description of the Single-Dumbbell Triceps Extension, and photos of that exercise.

Rather than being labeled by exercise name, the photographs are labeled by number, such as Figure 2-5, Figure 2-6, etc.

In at least one case, the photographs do not match the exercise. The photos that accompany the Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raise are of the Standing Bent-Over Lateral Raise. To make matters worse, the text states "Performing this exercise in a standing position places too much stress on the back." The end result is that the book contains two photographs of the unsafe-version of the exercise, and no photographs of the safe-version of the exercise.

In my opinion, compared to this book, "The Great Dumbbell Handbook" offers more exercises, better exercise descriptions, bigger and better exercise photographs, and vastly better organization and formatting. "The Great Dumbbell Handbook" even does a better job of discussing the pros and cons solid hexagon dumbbells versus adjustable dumbbells.

Average customer rating:

Everyone should have the whole set

The BEST book

Too good to be true

A Wall Of Books In The Palms Of Your Hands

Even Better Than The Original

The Great American Bathroom Book, Volume 2: The Second Sitting
Stevens W. Anderson
Manufacturer: Compact Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1880184109

Customer Reviews:

Everyone should have the whole set.......2007-08-30

Okay - Where else are you going to be able to read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand in 5 minutes? Granted, you lose some of the nuances, and finer details which often times make a book a novel, but if you haven't read these classics, don't really have the time to read the whole novel, and you feel you've missed out as a result -- then this lexicon of classics is for you.

GABB has listings for everything from religions to quotations to one-sitting readings of classic summaries.

Highly recommended.

The BEST book.......2007-02-04

Quite possibly the best kept secret on shelves of bookstores today!

I absolutely agree 100% with the reviewer who wrote, A Wall Of Books In The Palms Of Your Hands" . I couldn't have said it better. A joy to read. Especially when I'm not feeling well or traveling, I put this book in my messenger bag and get lost in its engaging summaries of all manner of famous books.

I also love the quotes sections. LOVE IT.

Too good to be true.......2005-09-12

Wow, Being a Python fan since I first saw it in 1976 I have followed and seen every thing done. So, when reading the account of Eric's "Greedy Bastard Tour" I came to the end where he describes how he brought this idea for a musical on Broadway to life, I instantly had to know all I could. Then it happened. I was blessed to watch the Tony Awards live, and he did it;, This little guy brought the heart and soul of Monty Python's Flying Circus to life and won the Tony for Best Musical. This soundtrack is one of the best I have heard. Fantastically mastered, and, well, Monty Python through and through. Classic scenes from "The Grail" come to life as music. "I'm not Dead yet" and "Camelot" are just plain great. But, the new additions are the shining light. "Our song That Goes Like This", I think, is the best number in a musical I have ever heard...challenging Tommy and JCS. All I can say....BUY THIS!

A Wall Of Books In The Palms Of Your Hands.......2003-12-12

I read a rather snooty review of Book One and wondered why an individual like that would bother to read such a book as this? Well, I am not like that person. For me, this series of books is wonderful. Most of all, it satisfies my need for a wide span of general knowledge and also of trivia. There is a personal satisfaction in knowing a little something about a whole lot of things. If you are reading this review, you are the type of person that has heard of most of these summary titles but never read most of them. Maybe you skimmed it in high school or college and wrote a book report on it. Or, the title was on your college "reading list." Maybe your dad read that book when he was a little boy. Read it now! Or, at least the summary. Besides book summaries, there are lots of other little bits of data. I read incessantly and I have used these book summaries to decide on which books I want to read in toto. Perfect for people that expect to wait in an airport or a doctor's office, or outside the mall for your spouse. I even bought a book cover that conceals that it is a "Bathroom Book".

Even Better Than The Original.......1998-08-01

It's just brimming with humor and drama, hundreds more of the world's best books trimmed down to easy-to-read two-page summaries. Read "War and Peace" "The Stand," even The Bible in twelve minutes! Dozens of literary classics, as well as classic plays, operas, world religions, amusing quotes, anecdotes, philosophy, trivia galore, Shakespeare, Salinger, Confucious, and every other important author around can be found here. Wonderful for leisure reading, brushing up on your cultural literacy, preparing for a movie, or refreshing your memory about a book you read a long time ago. This book is for any occasion.

Customer Reviews:

Vigilante Justice is Better than No Justice at all.......2007-09-24

I am always careful about books written by journalists from back East, especially when they deal with Montana's vigilantes. Frederick Allen, however, has made a worthwhile contribution to a controversial field.

I gave him five stars, although I do not entirely agree with some of his conclusions. It seems to surprise him, for example, when Plummer and some of his contemporaries started bouncing off the walls mentally after shooting somebody.

My experience in law enforcement has been that such behavior is normal. There are some sociopaths out there who just like to kill and don't feel any emotion about it, but they are few and far between despite what Hollywood scriptwriters would like you to believe.

This is a well written book, but it didn't change my opinion that the vigilantes cleaned up a situation that had spun out of control at a time when nobody else would, or could. The country was, after all, engaged in a bloody Civil War and the struggling miners in Montana's goldfields needed something to restore order in their isolated, vulnerable communities. Vigilante justice proved to be better than no justice at all.

History versus "Stretchers".......2006-08-29

People who hate "High Noon" have been known to cite the goings-on in Idaho Territory of the 1860s as proof that an enraged citizenry would never back down from outlaws. According to "eyewitness accounts," a locally formed vigilance committee rounded-up Sheriff Henry Plummer and his bloodthirsty compatriots and, with the aid of lots of rope, soon put an end to the rampant murder and robbery in the gold camps.

While this account made for excellent melodrama, it was a bit too pat to stand the test of time, and of late, had become the center of some arguing and fist shaking in the vicinity of Alder Gulch. Frederick Allen painstakingly examines the players and their times. His conclusions will not please the revisionists nor the vigilante apologists. While the vigilantes started out with the best of intentions and went after the worst of the thugs, their focus was lost in the chaos and power struggles of their era. Like many mavericks, they went from being heroes to embarassments.

But Allen confirms that Henry Plummer, George Ives & Co. were not martyrs of misdirected justice. It's too bad the vigilantes didn't have the forsight to stop while they were ahead.

First rate scholarship in a reader friendly format.......2005-10-24

This is the type of book that gives University Presses a good name. The author is a former political editor and columnist with the Atlanta Constitution and commentator for CNN. He has managed to write a scholarly yet reader friendly book that challenges some standard accounts of the famous Montana Vigilantes and their sometimes extra-legal activities. In what was the deadliest chapter of vigilante justice in American history, from 1864-1870, in excess of 50 men were hanged in Montana. The majority were inocent of capital crimes and a disturbing numer were innocent. This is a riveting book that will, in addition to bringing the reader up to date on a significant chapter in western history, cause one to ponder the significance of the Vigilantes on our current political debate over the war on terrorism. This is first rate scholarship in a reader friendly format. Highly recommended.

A fair and balanced - and thorough - look at the Montana vigilantes.......2005-10-23

One tends to associate the dark legacy of lynching almost exclusively with the South of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but in point of fact the most extensive episode of vigilante justice in American history actually took place in the Montana territories in the 1860s. The Montana vigilantes have long been hailed as heroes in Montana (Montana Highway Patrolmen, for example, still bear a patch honoring these men and their cause), men who took upon themselves the obligation to rid their community of dangerous individuals. In this thrilling historical account, however, Frederick Allen pries open the chinks in the vigilante movement's historical armor to show that their brand of frontier justice eventually descended into something much darker and much less defensible.

In the early 1860s, Montana was a wild country overrun by thousands of men clamoring for the new-found gold in its rivers and streams. Even as gold camps began appearing overnight, there was no government of any sort to oversee justice - just miners' courts to settle disputes over claims and the like. The nearest outpost of territorial authority lay hundreds of miles west of the Montana frontier. Thus, it is easy to see how lawlessness could prevail under such conditions; it manifested itself most particularly in the form of stagecoach robberies on the paths leading away from town. A man could lose a whole season's worth of gold dust in the blink of an eye, and such hold-ups could turn deadly on occasion. What could the settlers do to secure their safety and safe passage back to the States or elsewhere? There was no legal system in place in the territory, there were no cells to hold prisoners, and there were no courts or judges to adjudicate cases. There was a sheriff, however, a fascinating man named Henry Plummer - and he really stands at the core of the entire drama. He came to be suspected of complicity in the robberies and murders in the area, and this growing sense of doubt in their sheriff served as the final impetus for the leading men of Bannack and Virginia City to take the law into their own hands. Plummer was among the 21 men hanged during the first six weeks of 1864. There will always be a level of debate as to Plummer's guilt or innocence, and Allen examines this fascinating man's life in great detail. The real question is how a man twice convicted of murder could have become a sheriff in the first place, but this speaks to the true remoteness of the Montana territory in those days.

In all, 51 men were killed by the vigilantes over a six-year period. Allen agrees with the consensus opinion that the early stage of the movement was justified, as there is evidence that all 21 of the men lynched in the first six weeks of 1864 were guilty, dangerous men - including Henry Plummer. Were the story to stop there, the Montana vigilantes would deserve nothing but admiration for bringing order and security to their local community. They did not stop, however, and their activities inevitably devolved into acts of personal vengeance and the very perversion of justice. In that first crucial period of early 1864, accused men were given trials of a sort, their fates usually decided by the entire community. Hangings took place in broad daylight, and the identities of the vigilantes were in no way kept secret. As time went on, however, men were summarily executed by individuals acting upon little more than their own authority. With no hope or manner of defending themselves, it is very likely that some innocent men were hanged - and there can be little doubt that many of the guilty had not committed crimes serious enough to warrant death.

As is always the case in history, the most fascinating aspect of this whole story is the lives of the men involved. Allen identifies the vigilantes as leading citizens of the area, an unusual amalgamation of men both for and against the battle for Southern independence being waged during that chaotic time. Politics came to play a significant role in the whole saga, as the appointed leaders of the newly-established Montana Territorial government did themselves no favors by immediately alienating the significant number of Democrats among the local populace. This new government was ineffective at best, with the executive and judicial branches nullifying each other's authority - and this provided the pretext for the vigilantes to continue their operations.

A Decent, Orderly Lynching really is a fascinating book. Allen brings to life the mining camps of gold-rush Montana, recreating all aspects of society there on the remote frontier. He offers penetrating assessments of the men at the heart of this story, those on both sides of the hanging rope, drawing a sharp distinction between the early, honorable activities of brave men determined to establish order in their lawless region and the excesses of those who continued to pursue vigilante justice after Montana's new territorial government had been established. Through it all, he maintains an objective air, making his own judgments based on the evidence in hand - and his research efforts were impressive, to say the least. The story of the Montana vigilantes is a most telling part of the history of America, and Allen has done a superb job telling that story to those of us unfamiliar with it.

A compelling look at a mythic Western story.......2005-06-18

This amazing book works on three different levels. It is first of all a compelling, action-packed narrative of Montana's vigilante period - carefully researched, engagingly written, and peppered with memorable characters and dramatic action. Western fans will love it. But Allen does not stop there. His brilliant examination of Henry Plummer, the mysterious and elusive sheriff-protagonist, adds deeper and darker shadings to the story. This is less a black-and-white tale of heroes and villains than one about how power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The author does not trade in the romanticism surrounding the vigilantes. Finally, and most remarkably, Allen's book can be read as an allegory about the uses and misuses of all governmental power. In the nineteenth century, Montana's besieged citizens cried out for help against their version of terrorists -- only to discover belatedly that the response by unchecked governmental authorities could be equally lawless. Who would have thought that the Vigilante Trail led to Abu Ghraib?

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