Take the Rich Off Welfare

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Thank God the U.S. government has begun to cut funding of the arts, humanities, and social services ... but what are they going to do with all that surplus cash? Although the popular media has been largely mum about it, most of the welfare payments go to large corporations in the form of tax write-offs, subsidies, and plain old handouts. This frightening and enlightening book by the editor of The Tucson Comic News (a monthly collection of comic strips and panels) traces the flow of money into such worthy projects as subsidizing nuclear power plants (the last one was finished in 1973, but that doesn't stop the U.S. government from spending $7.1 billion a year on this vapor industry), tax breaks for the tobacco industry ($41 million last year), and corporate expense account write-offs ($5.5 billion last year). Read it and weep.

Book Description

When the first version of this book came out in 1996, on the heels of "Welfare Reform," it was received with great popular acclaim. As Jim Hightower put it, "At last, the real welfare scandal [is] revealed in one handy little -volume."

But the scandal was still in the making. The total amount of taxpayers' money going to subsidize corporations and rich individuals has grown from about $448 billion to over $800 billion-and the amount of that tax money that comes from those flush companies and individuals continues to shrink.

In this greatly expanded and updated version of Take the Rich off Welfare, Mark Zepezauer still details who's on the government dole and how much they're getting. This time around, though, he has slowed down his rapid firing of the latest names and numbers in order to reveal how it all works. Using accessible language and revealing graphics, he takes the time to explain how programs once intended to profit the public have been warped to benefit only the corporate bottom line; how administrations manipulate the tax code to slide their extortion from the bottom half past congressional oversight; and how the politicians from both parties employ budget doubletalk and paper trickery to make it look as if the economy isn't being sucked further into a sinkhole in order to line the pockets of the few.

A prolific writer of humorous but cutting analyses of government policy and its fallout, Zepezauer provides us with the tools we need to expose the political chicanery of current and past administrations, and make it much more difficult for politicians to play Three Card Monte with our money and our future. To the rallying cry of fiscal conservatives who claim that government must shrink, Zepezauer offers an easy answer. Shrink you.

Mark Zepezauer has worked as a journalist, editor and publisher since 1985. His articles, columns and reviews have appeared in the Village Voice, In These Times and the Arizona Daily Star. Zepezauer also wrote two Real Story books (now published by South End Press): The CIA's Greatest Hits (1994) and the first version of Take the Rich Off Welfare (1996), which have sold over 25,000 and 22,000 copies respec

Customer Reviews:

Listing The Subsidies That You Pay For.......2004-09-25

Taxes are never just to raise revenue, there are always politics involved for preferential treatments. So there will always be those who benefit from tax policies, even if it is called "revenue neutral" (tax the poor more to tax the rich less). The authors list a number of policies that provide benefits for the rich; they call that "wealth fare". This book lists various policies and their costs; you'll rarely find this in your local newspaper. The authors believe its wrong for the rich to steal from the poor (p.8). Lower corporate taxes resulted in huge Federal deficits and higher taxes for the rest of us (p.10).

Government subsidies are fixed amounts of money listed in the budget. Tax breaks receive little scrutiny and are open-ended (p.12). "Military Waste and Fraud" wastes $172 billion a year. But this can provide benefits to the districts of powerful Congressmen, a form of transfer payments. These made the Southwest bloom and the Northeast a "rust belt". Overpriced items may be "Hollywood accounting" for cost-overruns. Reagan and Congress lowered taxes on the rich by raising Social Security taxes on earned income (p.36). Raising the taxable limit could reduce this tax for most people. Page 39 explains the scam of accelerated depreciation. The capital gains tax is a subsidy to the super-rich (p.41). Lower capital gains taxes results in lower growth in the economy (p.44). Page 46 explains how the Federal Reserve damaged and destroyed the Savings & Loan banks. They needed help from Congress for this looting (pp.47-48). Like the other scams, the average taxpayer pays for this too (p.51).

There are some mistakes in this book. The "average full-time farmer is worth $700,000" (p.56). That's not as much as it sounds: 200 acres at $2,000 an acre, house and barns about $150,000, supplies and tools another $150,000 (your estimates may vary). That is for a small owner-operated business. While they may quibble about subsidies, food is cheaper in America than elsewhere, and you don't find people dying from hunger as in earlier times (p.57). [Isn't it cost-effective to have people die from excess feeding in their 60s than from TB or hunger by age 30?] Their price for a barrel of oil is far out of date (p.67). Page 73 explains why the credit for foreign taxes can ship US jobs abroad.

The authors want to tax municipal bonds because the wealthy benefit more (p.74). The real problem is that states continually borrow more and more to create this tax-free income; that's why states now have such huge debts. Federal salaries and pensions can be reduced to save money and taxes (p.81). Page 83 explains the scam of corporate owned life insurance! The diatribe against "nuclear subsidies" sounds like it was paid by Big Oil. Nuclear power is big in France, Japan, and Saudi Arabia; why not here? The minerals and oil depletion allowances are tax breaks disallowed to wage earners. Page 102 makes the mistake of claiming that tax breaks keep gasoline prices lower; actually the higher prices in Europe are due to higher taxes!

The authors document many types of government subsidies. But don't the same laws exist in many other countries? Various groups collude to create laws that benefit them or their businesses. It just depends on whether you want the greatest good for the greatest number.

A pinko's view of the tax code.......2000-10-21

I guess this is what passes for a thoughtful review of the tax code for a liberal. I'm sure the author has no desire to give "tax breaks" to individuals any more than those greedy corporations. Besides attacking expense deductions as a "tax break," the class-warfare demagoguery always ignores the ultimate beneficiary of tax breaks to corporations, which are the company's workers and its stockholder. Oh yeah, the stockholders are just greedy rich people anyway, right?

Short and to the point!.......2000-09-27

The next time some smug nabob starts muttering under his/her breath about the drain on our economy caused by the proverbial `welfare mother' (you know, the one that's driving the Cadillac), you can put em' in their place armed with the wealth of info contained in this short but well written little book.

As `Take the Rich Off Welfare' aptly points out, welfare really does suck a lot of money from our treasury, but it's not the poor and needy in this country that benefits from this bonanza. As a matter of fact the word `wealthfare' is more applicable, because that's who's really benefiting- the wealthy.

Very brief, but meticulously researched and with sources to back up every fact, `Take the Rich off Welfare' is a great introduction to the big wide world of graft in America. If you've ever been curious about who has their foot in the back door of the treasury- check out this fine book.

Enraging and revealing study of subsidies,etc. to the rich........1999-02-06

This is the most comprehensive summary of tax write-offs, subsidies and other welfare schemes favoring the affluent and powerful that I have ever encountered. Well documented! Should enrage the average tax payer.

Oh, one example disproves a whole book, I see...........1999-01-22

The reader below has missed the point. This is a marvelous book that would be beneficial for every American to read.

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Take the Rich Off Welfare

Manufacturer: PLUTO PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GTGMX4

Book Description

Offering a solid grounding in the historical and contemporary concerns of the field, Central Currents in Organization Studies I & II presents an innovative and thematically coherent selection of seminal articles. This eight-volume set provides an essential benchmark reference to any library concerned with the field of organization studies.

Presenting the most influential and provocative contributions to the field, this major work reviews the development of organization studies, including both mainstream and more innovative topics, leading through to recent debates on the status of organizations.

In addition to over 160 key original articles included in the collection, the each set opens with an introductory editorial essay by Stewart Clegg setting out the rationale behind the selections, and providing an illuminating discussion of the development of organization studies and its theoretical foundations.

Book Description

Offering a solid grounding in the historical and contemporary concerns of the field, Central Currents in Organization Studies Volumes 5-8 presents an innovative and thematically coherent selection of seminal articles. This four-volume set provides an essential benchmark reference to any library concerned with the field of organization studies.

This set opens with an introductory editorial essay by Stewart Clegg where he explores issues concerning the scientific status and moral philosophy of oganization studies.

Book Description

Very significant advances have been made in downy mildew research since the last major text on these oomycete fungi and the diseases they cause was published in 1981. The emphasis in this new volume is on evolution and phylogeny, control with chemicals including those that manipulate host plant defences, mechanisms of resistance, virulence and the gene pool of wild relatives of crop plants. Additionally, definitive lists of binomials and authorities provide a key reference source. The book is relevant to anyone with an interest in these unique biotrophic pathogens, either in their own right as causes of damaging diseases or as model systems for research on host-pathogen interactions. It should be read by: students, teachers and researchers in academic and research institutes; research and development personnel in the agrochemical industries; agricultural and horticultural advisers, and other extension workers.

Advances in Downy Mildew Research, Volume 2 (Developments in Plant Pathology)

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Advances in Downy Mildew Research, Volume 2 (Developments in Plant Pathology)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1402026579

Book Description

Emphasis in this second volume of Advances in Downy Mildew Research is on the biology of compatible interactions, forecasting and epidemiology, host specialisation, genetic variability amongst pathogen populations, novel methods for detection and systematics, and induced resistance. Two chapters focus on the related oomycete Albugo candida, which shares many pathogenic characteristics with the downy mildews and provides a valuable comparative pathosystem. Contributions on specific downy mildews include Bremia lactucae, Peronospora destructor, Peronospora sparsa, Peronospora viciae, Plasmopara halstedii, Plasmopara viticola, Pseudoperonospora cubensis and Sclerospora graminicola. Review chapters on compatibility, forecasting and systematics consider a broader range of downy mildew fungi, and compare them with other oomycete and biotrophic pathogens. The book is relevant to anyone with an interest in these unique biotrophic pathogens, either in their own right as causes of damaging diseases or as model systems for research on host-pathogen interactions. It should be read by: students, teachers and researchers in academic and research institutes; research and development personnel in the agrochemical industries; agricultural and horticultural advisers, and other extension workers.

Book Description

Ecological theories and hypotheses are usually complex because of natural variability in space and time, which often makes the design of experiments difficult. This book describes how to design ecological experiments from a statistical basis using analysis of variance, so reliable conclusions can be drawn. The logical procedures that lead to a need for experiments are described, followed by an introduction to simple statistical tests. This leads to a detailed account of analysis of variance, looking at procedures, assumptions, and problems. One-factor analysis is extended to nested (hierarchical) designs and factorial analysis. Finally, some regression methods for examining relationships between variables are covered. Examples of ecological experiments are used throughout to illustrate the procedures and examine problems. This book will be invaluable to practicing ecologists as well as advanced students involved in experimental design.

Customer Reviews:

underwood.......2007-06-09

Good guide for the whole scientific community...citated in all the original articles of the last years...without it you can't pubblish anymore on the most popular and important scientific ecological journals.
Very good and written in an easy form.

Conceptual and logical in approach.......2007-02-20

The book is focus on the author's field, it is ecology and on benthic invertebrates. This book is great for people who wants to study community ecology as prof Underwood tries to explain the principles of statistics, how to design your study against pitfalls before conducting it in the field. The numerous examples set to analyze their variances, how to analyze samples and the assumptions made in analyzing samples. All of these are covered by a field practicing ecologist whose book is destined to be a classic in ecology and statistics.

essential book for ecologists.......2000-08-27

This book was one of the best purchases I made upon starting my graduate career. It is extremely well written and de-mystifies the process of hypothesis testing and experimental design and analysis. I consider this book a must for anyone starting out in the field of ecology who has questions about experimental design or analysis.

An outstanding book with a clear leanguage........2000-07-14

Anyone has experience the fear of start reading any statistical book because most of the classic text always confuse us with very sophisticated formulas and terms. Underwood book for me is written in a extreme clear leanguage and examples. I teach this kind of courses and my students find easy to use even if is a foreign leanguage to us. I hope this would help you. Regards, Rafael.

good to read, great to review.......2000-04-06

This is really an excellent book. Concepts are presented in a straightforward and intuitive way. This is great for getting concepts the first time and also works really well as a review/reference text. Anyone who has felt frustrated while using Biometry (Sokal and Rohlf) to learn an unfamiliar statistical concept related to ANOVA should consider this book. It is a good complementary text to that one.

Experiments in Ecology: Their Logical Design and Interpretation Using Analysis of Variance

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Experiments in Ecology: Their Logical Design and Interpretation Using Analysis of Variance
A. J. Underwood
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MV2B90

MORE STRANGE HIGHWAYS
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Double your knowledge, double your fun!

Get A Proofreader - PLEASE!!!!!

Too much emphasis on credibility!!!

An improvement to Strange Highways but...

This One Is A Keeper!!

MORE STRANGE HIGHWAYS
JERRY, D COLEMAN
Manufacturer: Whitechapel Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Exploring the Darker Side of America... Strange Highways: A guidebook to American mysteries & The Unexplained

Mysterious America: The Ultimate Guide to the Nation's Weirdest Wonders, Strangest Spots, and Creepiest Creatures

Hunting the American Werewolf

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The Unidentified & Creatures of the Outer Edge

ASIN: 1892523426

Book Description

Take another trip into the darkest corners of the unknown with Jerry Coleman as he returns to the back roads of America in search of more of the strangest cases in paranormal and Cryptozoological history! Now with nearly four decades of research into the unknown, he goes in pursuit of even larger prey, delving again into current cases of Bigfoot encounters, ghosts, weird monster sightings, phantom creatures, unsolved mysteries and mysterious black panthers that should not exist --- but do! Once again, Coleman opens his case files to the public and reveals little known encounters of the unknown that have never appeared in print before. You will never look at those wooded roadways or quiet forests in the same way again! In this second eerie collection, the author presents a new collection of ghost encounters, Bigfoot and mysterious ape sightings, evidence of anomalous panthers, Thunderbirds, strange but real creatures, exposures of a few paranormal hoaxes and even a complete how-to guide on how to became a Cryptozoological investigator! Another amazing book of carefully investigated cases and first-person accounts of the unknown!

Customer Reviews:

Double your knowledge, double your fun!.......2006-11-20

After being off line for a long time due to some boring medical issues, I finally have the privilege of writing my second review of this delightful sequel and companion volume to "Strange Highways". In fact, Jerry sent me my volume about a year ago personally, and together with the first book or standing alone, I could not ask for a better crypto-fest.

Without being shallow or perfunctory in any way, Jerry smoothly takes us through many recent years of his crypto research, providing actual fascinating research data to back up his easy, fluid style, and near the end, actually adds some fun recipes for "crypto cooking" for researchers who like to camp out for a cookout. Even though "More Strange Highways" is excellent as a stand-alone unit, I highly recommend buying the first one if you already haven't, and of course any future volumes, which I devoutly hope he will write and publish in the future.

Thank you, Jerry, for enlarging my vision of the magic and mystery of cryptid life once again.

Get A Proofreader - PLEASE!!!!!.......2006-05-22

This book contains a strangely large amount of typos, grammar and spelling errors, and mangled English composition. I started keeping track of all the mistakes in it for my own amusement, but soon gave up in exhaustion. There is simply no excuse for any professionally produced publication to reach the public in such a state. Whitechapel Productions, have you no shame?

Too much emphasis on credibility!!!.......2006-05-08

I never wrote a review until I read the "thunderbirds" book by Mark Hall. I recently purchased both Jerry Coleman books, "strange highways" and "more strange highways" in hopes of getting different perspectives on thunderbirds. I noticed immediately that it seems that Jerry does get out and dig for data and I agree with his findings...the kid probably wasn't carried by the birds. That still leaves us with a mystery as to what species the bird may be. Other than that, I didn't see much of anything that really interested me in these two books. My biggest complaint and I must SCREAM it out is about witness credibility!!! How can these guys interview someone 1, 2, 3, or more times and determine that they are credibile? Furthermore, regarding the road trolls which although interesting seem coincidental, how does the fact or implied fact that the witnesses are "white socks, rednecks, and pabst blue ribbon", church going, pillars of the community make them more credible?? Consider the road trolls for example. The sightings are in the south, correct? A minister from the south says he saw one, correct? Why is he suddenly more credible than anyone else? See the review from Traveller's Rest below. This is the Bible belt and the assumption I guess is that ministers from the south don't lie. If that's the case, then ask a young southern baptist preacher if he masturbates. What happens to his credibility then? The point that I am trying to make is that from my very short experience with these type of books by these type of authors is...too much emphasis is placed on ASSUMED credibility of the witness!!! Truckers never lie, ministers never lie, and little ol' ladies in knitting circles never lie. Yeah. The big question is....do those folks see something (possibly just a glance or maybe under less than ideal lighting or under the influence of "wide-eye" pills) and perceive it to be something that is much more extravagant than it actually was??? And what's with reviewers copying reviews of other people. If it's said once, then it's probably said enuff for everyone...trav rest.

An improvement to Strange Highways but..........2006-05-04

This book is overall better than Strange Highways. Jerry's writing skills are improving which makes this book a much easier read than S.H. before which was chock full of mis-spellings, run-on sentences, and jumbled sentences which made no sense at all. It would be really nice if Jerry continues writing for someone at Whitechapel to invest in a good proof-reader. That stuff aside, this book is a little lighter on case studies than the first yet Jerry does something that other cryptozoo persons won't do...he uses a common sense approach. For example, if that phantom panther looks like a jagaurundi, acts like a jaguarundi, then hey! Who knows...it may actually be a jaguarundi. Jerry uses a common sense approach which is refreshing. Not only that, but it seems he takes a few stabs at Loren along the way (look up sexual behavior of Bigfoot in Loren's book and then read Jerry's jab in this book). His case studies on Road Trolls was very interesting (I was expecting some beast straight from LOTR not a pegleg, hairy, homeless looking person). I bought both Strange Highways books together and after reading the first, I really wasn't eager to read the second book. However, this is much improved and as mentioned before, I think Jerry may be the only "light" of common sense out there regarding these phenomena. He should definitely continue to keep things balanced.

This One Is A Keeper!!.......2006-04-15

This book gave me the direction that was needed to reach many down to earth conclusions and at the same time balanced the possibility that some conclusions might never be realized.

I found the content of the book down right enlightening! All too often "these" authors insult your intelligence by penning tall tales without proof. Apparently only to incite the na?ve or gloat in their ability to fool the impressible. Jerry D. Coleman does not do this in any form or at any time. Coleman reports the cases and researches the information and more times than not develops the investigation in a hands on approach giving the reader real places, names and events.

In Chapter ten titled "The Silent Woods Around Us" author Gerry Bacon lays out great fundamental techniques and experienced insight for the novice Cryptozoologist. Bacon warns the amateur or the gullible to be wary not to jump to false conclusions based on partial sightings, odors or strange noises. I must admit that much of what he touched on I have been guilty of however since reading "More Strange Highways" the hikes through the woods have opened up an entirely new experience!

This book is a keeper!

Marie Myers

The Bobwhite Quail Book: Classic Upland Tales
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The Bobwhite Quail Book: Classic Upland Tales

Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1592284191

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From bush, trail, and sky, savor the tales of these memorable hunts for a favored bird.

Book Description

Robert Olen Butler, winner of the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction, teaches graduate fiction at Florida State University — his version of literary boot camp. In From Where You Dream, Butler reimagines the process of writing as emotional rather than intellectual, and tells writers how to achieve the dreamspace necessary for composing honest, inspired fiction. Proposing that fiction is the exploration of the human condition with yearning as its compass, Butler reinterprets the traditional tools of the craft using the dynamics of desire. Offering a direct view into the mind and craft of a literary master, From Where You Dream is an invaluable tool for the novice and experienced writer alike.

Customer Reviews:

some good points.......2007-09-03

I heard good things about this book from a creative writing teacher. I came to it with high expectations. I was a bit disappointed. The author's discussion on 'dreamscaping' is helpful. Robert Olen Butler gives some good points and many things to consider and keep in mind when writing fiction but the book comes across in such a way as the author is saying it is "THE" way to write. Having read a few of "how to write" books I think it is one of MANY ways to write but not "THE" way. It also has a lack of generosity of spirit. He names well known, (loved by many) writers and criticizes in a very self righteous way (saying they are making non art) and claims to know their writing motivation. This is a defensive way to come at teaching someone how to write. Writing is a completely individual experience. We can get tips from one another but basically we have dance to the beat of our own demented drummer (excuse the lapse into cliche). The book is well worth a read but if I was on a desert (or a dessert island) and could only take one "how to write" book with me it would not be this one. The book I would take would be Natalie Goldberg's classic "Writing Down The Bones" which is a completely different approach to writing than the approach of Robert Olen Butler.

A genius revealed.......2007-06-03

"Dreams" writing fiction is the best, very best and most insightful, step-by-step explanation of the potential peak experience, and the ultimate achievable creative writing possible -- truly rewarding reading of anyone who is a serious student of writing and creative writing teaching, as I am. While the process may not be achieved by every reader it sets the boundry potential that is the ultimate. Hats off to R. O. Butler. I had to get some of his earlier
writings to more fully understand where he's coming from. And, it turns out to be where most of us would like to get during a writing career.

Interesting.......2007-03-08

This was a very interesting and helpful book, more intense than the usual writer help-books.

Evaluation of Butler LImited.......2006-10-11

From Where You Dream
by Robert Olen Butler

Published: Grove Press
Number of Pages: 269, including the Introduction by Janet Burroway and an Appendix
containing the text of Butler's short story "Open Arms"
Year Published: 2005
Price: $13.00
Widely available at chain book stores and on-line (ISBN: 0-8021-4257-5)

Ideal Audience: From Where You Dream would be of interest to a beginning writer of any age who is either looking for an easy read of good advice or considering attending a writing workshop and wants an idea of what to expect.

Brief Summary: Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Olen Butler constructed this book from material culled from the lectures and workshops he delivered during his 2001-2002 tenure as Eppes Professor of Creative Writing at Florida State University. At the suggestion of Burroway, he allowed his lectures and workshops to be taped and asked her to edit them for publication. The book is in three parts: "The Lectures," edited from transcripts of five lectures with titles such as "Yearning" and "The Zone"; "The Workshop," four sections of exposition, excerpts from short stories, and transcribed commentary from Butler; and "The Stories Analyzed," three student pieces with some analysis (appearing in transcript form) from Butler, the stories' authors, and other workshop attendees.

Butler's suggestions for writers are basic (write every day), personal (make notes on 3 x 5 cards and rearrange them to identify needed or irrelevant scenes), occasionally simplistic (keep a journal), and generally reassuring (bad writers never get blocked). He is a strong advocate of writing from from sensory impressions rather than from the intellect. Because much of the material was delivered orally, the tone of the book is casual, and its content is peppered with anecdotes and examples from Butler's own writings.

In the Introduction, Burroway acknowledges she "cut and shuffled" content for a more cohesive text. Thus, although the lectures read well, their value to teachers, either as an example of a sample lesson plan or for workshop ideas, is limited.

Sample Excerpts

Butler's essential message is the necessity of writing from feelings:

But here's a certain kind of journal that might be useful to you: at the end of the day or beginning of the next day, return to some event of the day that evoked an emotion in you. Record that event in the journal. But do this only - only - moment to moment through the senses. Absolutely never name an emotion; never start explaining or analyzing or interpreting an emotion. Record only through those five ways I mentioned that we feel emotions - signals inside the body, signals outside the body, flashes of the past, flashes of the future, sensual selectivity - which are therefore the best ways to express emotions. (p. 28)

The following passage is typical of Butler's advice and style:

Point of attack, which introduces the conflict - the particular manifestation of a character's yearning - is an important notion because when you write a story you need to make sure that something is at stake. It doesn't need to be an external thing; it must have inner magnitude, though. Your character's yearning is deep and important; you need to treat it with respect. (p. 44)

Butler philosophizes about teachers, writers, and teachers of writers, as in the following:

It seems to me that a lot of literature classes go wrong because the teachers, unintentionally but often intentionally, give the impression that writers are rather like idiots savants: they really want to say abstract, theoretical, philosophical things, but somehow they can't quite make themselves do it. So they create these objects whose ultimate meaning and relevance and value come into being only after they have been subjected to the analysis of thoughtful literary critics. . . In how many literature classes have you heard it asked, "What does this work mean?" As if it had no meaning in the mere reading of it. (p. 108)

Primary Strength: Butler is at his most useful and entertaining when he is sharing personal anecdotes about his own writing, especially when his stories are coupled with passages from his own work which he then unflinchingly critiques.

Primary Weakness: The book's substantive content is quite thin (nearly a third is taken with texts of his own and others' writings), and his emphasis on writing from the emotions doesn't address the role of intellectual discipline in the writing process, the development of technique, or revision.

Urgency Rating: Teachers should browse this book and be familiar with its content so they could recommend it to beginning or young writers.

Kettler on Butler - page 2

Unique take on writing... but irritating attitude.......2006-09-18

I have mixed feelings about this book... 80% of which are negative. The author is arrogant and dislikable. He starts off by declaring "all of the fiction you've written is mortally flawed". In other words... "Toss everything you've written so far - I know it's horrible! Feel lucky you found me, for I'm your savior. You'd be nothing, as a writer, without me!" He goes on by telling that his way is the ONLY way to write anything good. He sneezes and talkes down, with an air of superiority, about "our non-artist colleagues" - genre writers, basically taking away all their work merit. The guy says one thing after the other that irritates the hell out of me! Not to mention how crazy he sounds. He talks a lot about your unconscious, your "white-hot center", how you should "enter the zone" - he teaches that, in order to write good fiction, you need to enter in a trance-like state, delirious, completely irrational (as if you've taken too many drugs and alcohol combined!). Anything that you write in a mildly rational, thinking way is automatically [...] Weird, weird guy. I don't like him a bit. Junkies and alcoholics, on the other hand, will probably love him!

The only redeeming things that I can say about this book (up to page 70, where I stopped), is the chapter about yearning (the importance of getting your characters always wanting something), and his advice on dreamstorming stories rather than just brainstorming them. (I daydream a lot to come up with plot ideas, and to me it works much better than consciously trying to come up with stuff.)

Book Description

Mapping Asia presents an authoritative selection of the most important antique maps of Asia and the Middle East produced from the time of Alexander the Great to the early nineteenth century, by cartographers from England, France, Portugal, Holland, Turkey, Italy, and China. A fascinating visual chronicle of the maps and their makers, this book explores the history of Europe's discovery of lands to the east, from Constantinople to present-day Alaska. It tells the stories of the thriving trade that linked east and west beginning with the ancient Silk Road, the explorers #151; such as Magellan and Sir Francis Drake #151; who continually searched for new lands and routes to reach the east beginning in the fifteenth century, and the indigenous peoples who struggled to retain their autonomy in the face of European missionary activity and influence.Mapping Asia reproduces in full color 80 beautifully rendered and rare maps, more than 40 of which have never been published for the general public. Each map is accompanied by an accessible essay that provides extensive background on the mapmaker and how the map was originally produced, and describes the geography, sites, and details on the map. Most of the maps feature fascinating flourishes, cartouches, and curious details, such as camel caravans making their way across the Silk Road, illustrations of native plants and animals, battle scenes and cityscapes.

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