In Defense of Global Capitalism

Book Description

Marshalling facts and the latest research findings, the author systematically refutes the adversaries of globalization, markets, and progress. This book will change the debate on globalization in this country and make believers of skeptics.

Customer Reviews:

Informative and optimistic perspective on the direction of the world.......2007-04-10

In Defence of global capitalism was, for me, not just an argument for opening up borders and liberalizing economies. It was a statement about the direction of the world. It gives you a well documented, optimistic yet reflected view of the development of the world as a whole the past 50 years and similar prospects for the years ahead. It is a strong argument against the anti-globalist movement who tenaciously seems to argue that the world is slowly going down the drain.

A must for anyone who want facts and numbers to support liberalist views.

Short Course in Common Sense.......2007-03-15

If you want to know how to rid the world of poverty and oppression, answers can be found in this powerful little book. No matter your politics or world view, you'll want to read In Defense of Global Capitalism for the way it is written. Presented as a series of short logical arguments, Norberg shows, in clear concise English and very simple charts, the correlation between economic freedom and prosperity, not just economic prosperity but longer lives, better nutrition, higher education, better working conditions and an improved environment. A smart book, easy to read and easy to understand; give it to a friend.

A must-read if you want to understand why the world is getting better.......2006-07-13

Johan Norberg makes a detailed but clear dissection of the factors that are making the world a better place through increasing global free economy, and the reasons why liberal ("social") policy is not making things any better in countries ruled by populist governments or dictatorships. Honestly, one of the best books I have read in years and a must-read for people who want to understand what has to be done to get rid of poverty and oppression all over the world!

A libertarian view of free trade and economic freedom.......2006-07-11

I was familiar with most of the issues and arguments and evidence presented in this book, but loved it because the book takes an unusual tact in defending capitalism and free trade. Most defenses focus on the good achieved by capitalist societies in terms of wealth and well-being, and this book does hit those topics. This book takes a different angle though that I found incredibly compelling which is to argue the issue from the point of view of liberty.

What an individual does with their property is their business, and almost every issue's first defense in this books was to point out that protectionism, hyperregulation, and scores of other anti-capitalist positions espoused by the left worldwide are in fact all abridgements of individual liberty.

Only after making those points does the author go on to refute (usually quite capably) the 'greater good' arguments that anti-capitalists use to justify their positions.

One issue I was hoping would be better addressed was the protectionist view that wealthy countries are injured when trading freely with poorer countries. The author does go into that, but only touches that base briefly, and not resoundingly enough to sway the skeptical. Instead he argues principally from the perspective of someone interested in how to lift the world's poor out of poverty, which is a fine position, but convincing rich country protectionists is a necessary step along those lines.

Some corrections.......2005-12-04

"Personally I'm in favor of democracy, which means that the central institutions in the society have to be under popular control. A democracy where people have a say over decisions TO THE EXTENT they are affected by those decisions."

And do you actually have a say over the hundreds of thousands of regulations on the books right now? Or the requirements for occupational licensure (many of which include price floors)? Even if you did have a say, a plurality might be against you and win thus screwing you of your home (i.e. emminent domain).

"Now, under capitalism we can't have democracy by definition."

Sure we can, we can have democracy of the consumers who actually consume, purchase, and use goods and services. The most successful businesses are those that can please enough customers. Even a small niche of people can be pleased by things like tatoo parlors, jewelry shops, skateboarders, bikers, sports enthusiasts of any stripe, etc.

"Capitalism is a system in which the central institutions of society are in principle under autocratic control. Thus, a corporation or an industry is, if we were to think of it in political terms, fascist; that is, it has tight control at the top and strict obedience has to be established at every level -- there's a little bargaining, a little give and take, but the line of authority is perfectly straightforward. Just as I'm opposed to political fascism, I'm opposed to economic fascism."

In a truly free market, there is no economic fascism, since there is private competition between so many sellers of goods and services (it's government intervention that reduces choices though and leads to monopolies and oligopolies). It's in socialism, where everything is in monopoly control, and you're forced to pay for it, irregardless of how inneficient or useless you find it, where we're in real danger and we have real economic fascism. The public schools would be a form of economic fascism for instance they didn't allow private schools to exist.

"I think that until major institutions of society are under the popular control of participants and communities, it's pointless to talk about democracy."

So when does legal institutions and police force get put in the sole power of one corporation in free-markets?

"Participatory economics (PARECON) is the way to go."

What do you think that you're engaging in when you choose to work at another job, gain skills to improve yourself for a higher paying job, or when you shop around to find different prices (cheaper usually)? Or do you mean where the workers control all industry (even that which they don't work in) and force consumer to pay, irregardless?

I'd love to see centralized power eliminated, whether it's the state or the economy, and have it diffused and ultimately under direct control of the participants. Moreover, I think that's entirely realistic.

No, it's entirely magical because you can't have direct control under all the recipients in increasingly larger groups since there's less space to all meet, debate, and more differences of opinion.

"Every bit of evidence that exists (there isn't much) seems to show, for example, that workers' control increases efficiency."

No, because many workers don't have the intellectual skills that the owners of successful business do. And historically many labor unions oppossed the introduction of more efficient technology or ways of doing things.

IF I OWN A CORPORATION, I'M FORCING PEOPLE TO WORK FOR ME OR STARVE (OR WORK FOR SOME OTHER CEO WHO WILL OFFER THE SAME)
THAT "FREEDOM OF CHOICE" IS NOT AT ALL. THAT'S WHAT USED TO BE CALLED 'WAGE SLAVERY" IN MORE CIVILIZED TIMES, NOT VERY DIFFERENT FROM CHATTEL SLAVERY. THAT'S WHY "THOSE WHO WORK IN THE MILLS SHOULD OWN THEM"

What about starting up their own businesses? Or selling themselves off as an entertainer, artist, writer, etc. In a regulate markert, people can hardly start their own businesse, but in a free market, one can start one on scratch, or on the side of another job. The ones who work in mills didn't work their own asses off in life to be able to purchase them, start up the business from scratch, and provide the brainpower that made them successful. Also, you can gain skills, learn new things, and move up in many positions. Many of the so-called "robber barons" came from dirt poor beginnings after all. And in a truly free-market, there is many choices, which can lead to higher wages by many companies (McDonald's for instance provides some money for their employee's college tuition).

A corporation is a form of private tyranny.

Is a small business (which a corporation starts off as) or a private business a form of private tyranny also?

"Its directors have a responsibility to increase profit and market share, not to do good works. If they fail that responsibility, they will be removed."

And they can't force consumers to pay, therefore they need to find ways of creating things that people want.

"They have some latitude for public relations purposes, and the talk about corporate responsibility falls within that territory. But it makes no sense to regard them as benevolent institutions, freed from their institutional role."

It makes no sense to regard them and all businesses as inherently malevolent institutions either.

It is a public responsibility to enforce decent behavior. CORPORATIONS HAVE A LEGAL OBLIGATION, A DUTY TO MAXIMIZE PROFIT. THAT'S IT.

Actually, they don't, but they'll go under if they don't. And profit is what directs all business towards actions that create better products and services.

"CREATING GOOD PRODUCTS, OR PRODUCT THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, OR PROVIDING PEOPLE'S WANTS, OR WHaTEVER IS INCIDENTAL, NOT NECESSARILY A CONCOMITANT. SO IF COPORATIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, DO ANYTHING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, IT'S JUST BECAUSE THERE IS A DEMAND BY THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD TO PAY.
THE SECOND THE DEMAND ENDS, OR THOSE WHO CARE DON'T HAVE MONEY TO DEMAND"

And since when is environmentally safe things not in demand, except by those that oppose new technologies. Plus, pollution is an unintended by-product of industry, but as people find ways to innovate, they almost unintentionally create safer products that are better for the environment.

"THERE WON'T BE ANY MORE PRODUCTS THAT ARE GOOD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. IT'S A RESULT OF THE MARKET FORCES, WHICH ARE NOT DEMOCRATIC."

Sure they are. People are always looking for a good deal, better service, cheaper goods, better quality of life, a better paying job, etc. It's just that it's more subtle than direct and market forces are directly responsible for the creation of wealth, abundance, peace, and prosperity in a society as a whole.

"THEY ARE PLUTOCRATIC (ONE DOLLAR ONE VOTE) IT'S NOT ABOUT SERVING THE MOST PEOPLE, BUT SERVING THOSE WITH MOST OF THE MONEY."

No actually, it's about serving the most people, since those that help out more people get better profits. For instance many people like Wal-Mart since it provide cheap affordable goods and services. That's why Wal-Mart became so successful in the first place. John D. Rockefeller was able to find a way to refine more oil, which made it cheaper to rich and poor people alike, making him rich, and Henry Ford was able to adopt mass-production technologies in creating automobiles, which made it cheaper for society as a whole to buy one, etc. They were able to help out the most people. Of course, you don't have to help out the most people. You can simply help out enough people and still make a profit.

"FOR INSTANCE, MANY PEOPLE WANT TO EAT ORGANIC FOODS, OR A SOLAR PANEL THAT WILL HELP THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT THEY CAN'T AFFORD IT."

That's because of supply and demand. There isn't a whole huge supply of solar panels (probably because Sweden makes so many of them and restrictions on international trade prevent them from coming over here at a decent price). And solar panels don't provide as much energy sometimes as oil or nuclear energy. As for organic food, it's bad for the environment. Organic food takes up much more space and land than genetically-modified food (leading to shorter supply usually and thus, more money) and most scientists (especially biologists and geneticists) believe that
organic food on the whole isn't any better really than GM food.

"IN FACT, IN THE MEDIA--WHICH ARE CORPORATIONS-- SINCE THEY MAKE THEIR MONEY FROM ADVERTISNG, THEY ADJUST THEIR AUDIENCE TO THE MORE AFFLUENT AUDIENCES WHO HAVE PURCHASING POWER AND RAISE ADVERTISING RATES. THIS UNDOUBTEDLY AFFECTS THE WAY THEY REPORT, BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE ADS TO OTHER NEWSPAPERS. CORPORATIONS ARE EXTERNALIZING MACHINES-- THEY MAKE OTHER PEOPLE PAY FOR THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION, THEIR MISTREATMENT OF WORKERS"

Actually most of them don't. Not when they privately own their own land for instance. And their mistreatment of workers is rectified by other market forces like an abundance of employment opportunities (which regulations stifle), being able to start their own business (which regulations also stifle), and adoption of better, more efficient technologies, which leads to safer workplaces and greater productivity (which leads to higher wages).

"ETC What is called "globalization" is a specific form of international integration, designed and instituted for particular purposes".

Yeah, getting cheaper goods and services to people. Which brings more wealth to people.

"There are many possible alternatives. This particular form happens to be geared to the interests of private power,"

All human beings are private individuals.

"manufacturing corporations and financial institutions, closely linked to powerful states."

They're only closely linked to powerful states when the state regulates the economy and intervenes in it.

"Effects on others are incidental. Sometimes they happen to be beneficial, often not. What is called "free trade" has highly protectionist elements. What is at issue are investor rights agreements, not free trade."

You're right on this account, but this is just proof of the problems of government intervention in the economy, not free trade, which these agreements aren't examples of.

The protestors, including the AFL-CIO, have good reasons to oppose investor rights agreements that insist on very high protection for property rights (often resulting, in fact, from taxpayer subsidy), but little or no protection for the rights of flesh-and-blood people, including rights of working people -- both in the US and in other countries.

They're rights should be the same as others. Natural, not man-made, government provided.

That's not oppostion to "free trade."

You're right, it's opposition to regulation of and intervention in the economy.

"They're mostly unaccountable to the public."

Actually they are, otherwise they fall out of business and go bankrupt probably.

"Of course they are not real persons, they are immortal,"

What about the ones that go bankrupt or swithc CEO's, etc.

"A slave in 1850 was better off than a slave in 1750.Is that a justification for slavery?"

Actually, what made slaves slaves was that they didn't have economic and personal rights to life, liberty, and property (including that of their own labor).

"After 1917 Russia underwent very significant economic growth,"

You mean during the period of the massive famines due to collectivist farms.

"He understood (like the US during WW2) that massive state expenditures can rescue a morbid capital economy from collapse. The economy was booming and Germans were living a lot better."

Check your history on this one. There were tons of shortages in Nazi Germany, which led to much of Germany's misery.

"THINGS LIKE PRIVATE SECURITY OR PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE BEING DISMANTLED BECAUSE THEY'RE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE THAT YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT THE DISABLED WIDOW ACROSS THE STREET, OR ABOUT THE EDUCATION OF THE POOR KID DOWN THE BLOCK"

Since when is private security being dismantled. Notice the word private. That's a capitalist business. And the dismantling of the public schools is because they're inneficient. Public schools used far more money per student than private schools, yet go nowhere. In the U.S. we had far more litterate children when we started as a nation then we do now, yet no public education.

Book Description

Nyborg sets out to prove that classic ideas of the mind, learning, and memory must be re-examined through the lens of modern biology. Neuroscience and the biological and biomedical sciences have advanced far beyond the limits of 19th century neuroanatomy, and we now know that chemical neurotransmitters and circulating hormones act to alter electrical brain activity and structure. At the same time heredity is now recognized to be not as omnipotent as in the "Nature/Nurture" debate of the last century. Nyborg examines these issues, and he shows that recent research in the molecular and brain sciences makes it possible to develop alternative research programs that apply empirical, quantitative, natural science principles and methods in order to unravel intricate problems like human nature and society. He concludes this work with a new approach--Physicology--the study of physico-chemical processes behind body, brain, behavior, and society. This book will be of great interest to behavioral scientists, and all concerned with the impact of physico-chemical processes on the changes in ourselves and our societies.

Customer Reviews:

Some very depressing evidence & ideas presented here!.......2004-02-21

First off, a very interesting & well written book, even if it was very depressing. This book completely supports my suspicions about sex hormone level & intelligence, & makes it clear that a trade-off situation exists between the two. Ever since i had begun to take notice of the huge differences in physical type between the men & boys who performed exceedingly well, myself included, & those who performed exceedingly badly in intellectual matters( i.e. school) i became conviced that the differences had at least some major correlation with their owners respective achievements. What i noticed was that the brilliant, high acheiving, towering I.Q. male students were almost always of non-virile appearance, many of them, like me, having exceptionally unmasculine facial features on small, narrow shoulders & pencil-thin necks, & commonly looking somewhat older & more mature than the low acheiving, much more virile looking students. These differences are not the result of a lack of body-building or physical interest on these student's part, but a reflection of meaningful biological differences. There exists a trade-off between high virility & intellect, meaning that most of the very brightest among us have low male hormone levels, resulting in their characteristically androgynous appearance. Now, Nyborg's book offers no proof, but has enough solid evidence to support this hypothesis, as well as my own personal observations. I am also one of these very high acheivers i mention, with the typical unmasculine phenotype i have described, no doubt the result of my very low serum androgen levels(290 ng/dl). I have always desired to look very rugged & highly virile, but now i doubt that it's biologically possible considering the trade-off hypothesis proposed here with it's sufficient support. No wonder the faces of the great philosphers look so much more gentle & feminine than the faces i see at the local bodega. Too bad that a "distinguished" face cannot be a highly masculine one. Less masculinity=more intellect? Ever notice that slum dwellers are rarely lacking in high virility? Now, notice the huge physical & mental differences you observe between a group of corner thugs & a group of Mensa members. Shocking? Overall, the thought that high-virility cannot be possessed at once with high intellect is very depressing to me, at the very least. Yes, we all want better brains, but at what price? The incompatibility of braininess & virility i've personally observed, & now read about, is hardly a completely desireable & acceptable expense. But nature is not kind in this. I can tell you one thing, & that is that i hate being an androgynous male, regardless of my having a very high I.Q. Other men, though, may not mind this situation.

The book categorizes people of particular hormone levels as "Hormotypes", & the study & categorization of them as "Hormotyping". For males, "Androtypes" & "Androtyping" are the categorization & methods used. Females are represented by "Estrotypes" & labelled by "Estrotyping". All this would play right into the hands of the feminists, who've been arguing all along that high androgens have polluted our society with crime, *lowered intelligence*, marital strife, under-age sex, & descrimination. The evidence that Nyborg, et. al. bring to the table reinforces all that, like it or not.
Well, buy the book if you want a very interesting read, but just don't expect it's material to be enjoyable; & you won't find it so unless you're a feminist who's been waiting for this kind of support.

Product Description

New edtion now available. Please see: Alpine Sierra Trailblazer 5/E, ISBN: 0978637100 Thanks & Happy Trails!

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource.......2006-06-28

This is the third guide we've used in this outdoor series. The Kauai and Golden Gate books have become mainstays in our hiking collection. I like their system for organizing their activities according to region and this one follows the same format. It spans the area from Yosemite's Tioga Pass, takes in Ebbetts and Monitor and Carson passes and covers south Lake Tahoe's turf. This is the author's home base and they certainly have the credentials for knowing all the best trails and sightseeing backroads.

There aren't many adventure guides that feel as personal or are multi-use like this one. We cross country ski, fish, hike, camp and mountain bike so for our family it's a perfect fit.

Best All Around Guide for Tahoe south.......2005-11-03

Since I live downslope from Yosemite and Tahoe I consider it my backyard recreation area. Cross country ski trails, hiking trails, trails bordering the Great Basin, they're all in here. I like to fish and this serves as my river guide too. It's very user friendly and has a real personal touch. These guys are trail experts and list all the good ones and those less traveled. My son and his wife have gone to Hawaii with their Kauai book and tell me it's also a winner.

Two for Tahoe.......2005-07-22

Two books you most definitely need if you're hanging out at Tahoe is this one and the Tahoe Rim Trail guide. This area has some of the best hiking in the western U.S. We found both books to be extremely current and clearly written.

So far we've used them for both dayhiking and and overnight backpacking trips up at the north end of Lake Tahoe and due south around Carson Pass. Having two to compare has given us extra ideas for sidetrips. We're a family of four and have gotten alot of use from these top notch trail resources.

Wildflower city.......2005-07-16

My first visit to Lake Tahoe last week and not knowing where to go I picked up this travel guide. Off trail and on trail the seepsprings were alive with yellows, blues, oranges and it's only going to get better. Some of the hikes at the higher elevations are still snowbound but there are plenty of listings around the lake to keep me going. The list of dayhikes in this book is staggering and since it's written by locals has real credo. You can't beat all the clean air up at Big Blue.

Heading out to the Sierrras.......2005-06-24

A book that's multifunctional and balanced for those of us who like to bike and hike. I've been lucky enough to get a spot in the Markleeville Death Ride for the past three summers and have always depended on this book as a crosstrainer when I'm not pedalling the passes.

You can't beat it for its coverage of the Sierra range that's still completely wild and undisturbed. As far as I know, this is the only book in existence that ground zeroes in Alpine County and feathers out north and south to Yosemite and Lake Tahoe. I own two other of the Trailblazer books and they're all top notch.

Book Description

The first edition of this extremely popular two volume Greek text has been successfully adopted in many high schools and colleges; the organization and approach used by the authors, make it an equally effective tool for those who would enjoy learning the language on their own.

The set is designed for a two semester course at the introductory level. This second edition incorporates the authors' improvements and corrections gathered from users' commentary. Those who are currently using the first edition will find this update valuable, those who are seeking a Greek language text will find Greek: An Intensive Course one of the most complete and accessible books on the market.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best.......2007-10-05

The first big surprise when you receive this text is its size and weight, but I cannot say enough concerning the excellence of this text (for its value can be measured in every ounce annd inch). However, one of the better aspects of this presentation is that it leaves virtually nothing to guess work. Essentially, every question the student may have had while plodding through the rugged terrain of alternative texts is answered in black and white as soon as the subject is encountered! Of course, this means that the student MUST READ EVERYTHING ! (yes, even the small print ... and everything ... Everything ... is explained right down to the minutest detail!). This text is definately not for the light hearted and is really intended for the serious-minded student grammarian. While there is a good deal of vocabulary presented, the emphasis is on repeated use of only a select few words (in all their numerous forms) in order to demonstrate the entire concept of Ancient Greek inflectional usage. I found this to be an exceptionally efficient and most workable technique. Vocabulary learning can be done on one's own, while the grammer must be studied intensively if one is to truly master the language. The primary emphasis is (as it shoud be) on the six principle parts. Once these are sufficiently mastered, everything else falls into place. I was also impressed with the almost immediate introduction to what are usually felt to be the more complicated aspects of the language and are therefore most often held until later or last (i.e., subjunctive, optative, etc.). But these are the more useful aspects of the language and help to lend that all important extra dimension to a comprehensive feel for the language. One of the great problems of presenting a language of any kind in textual format is that it must be represented in linear sequence. Humans do not learn their native languages in that format, nor do they successfully learn fluency in foreign tongues in that way. However, I beleive that this text does everything to counter the adverse effects of the sequential nature of textual language learning in regard to this exceeding rich and ancient language, which is exemplary in both its poetic and analytical nature. I might also add here that about 1/3 of the text is acutally a detailed appendex to be referred to afterwords when the student is ready for the more intricate (but not necessarily essential) grammatical elements. This is not a text for those interested primarily in a reading knowledge of the language. For that you might try Peckett & Munday's most excellent little text "Thrasymachus." (Refer to my review of that book under the appropriate heading).

Great Resource.......2007-09-23

I must begin with a caveat: when this book says "intensive", it means it. It is a dense book, and not for the casual student. That said, it is an excellent resource for everything Greek-related, from declensions to conjugations to syntax. It does help to have an understanding of another classical Indo-European language, such as Latin or Sanskrit, but it is by no means necessary, nor is Ancient Greek the only language for which it is true that knowing a related language is helpful in learning it. Generally speaking, I have to agree with Percival L. Bright, a few reviews down.

This book begins with a brief introduction to Ancient Greek in a historical context, then jumps right into the language itself. Each chapter covers a number of grammatical topics, each with an introduction to the topic (the verbs section introduces the concept of mood, voice, tense, and so on; the nouns introduce case; adjectives introduce adjective agreement; etc.). I have to disagree with the reviewer who called the text "vague"--it is anything but vague.

Overall, the book is an excellent introduction to Attic Greek, very detailed and very complete. The only complaint I can possibly see is that the vocabulary used is fairly small (although learning the vocabulary from the sample texts at the end of each unit can supplement it).

As a quick aside: this book is also a fair introduction to some basic elements of Indo-European grammar common to the classical IE languages, such as aspect and case.

Excellent book for the intrepid language student........2007-08-23

Greetings! I am using this book to train myself to think in and speak Ancient Greek, just as I used Living Latin: a Contemporary Approach to do the same in Latin. I am floored at how good this book is. Each item is presented with a clear explanation and then followed by a pertinent drill to reinforce the lesson. There are enough exercises on each section to not only provide ample material for practice, but also to expose the student to the various arrangements that a particular construction may occur in. For instance, because of its case system, Greek has particularly flexible word order. So, the subject may appear most anywhere in the sentence, as may the objects of the verbs, verbs, etc. This can prove most disorienting to someone without experience in highly inflected languages, of which Greek is one. Therefore, it is of the highest import that the student be confronted with this reality from the onset and that he get over it quickly. This book pulls no punches, and all the cases, different syntactical patterns, etc. are presented from the outset. One word of caution: while language learning always presents the learner with some degree of frustration, this book might frustrate some students to the point of giving up. The cause is the massive amount of ancillary general grammatical material presented in the first stages of the book. To prevent this, I highly recommend that the student first become familiar with at least the rudiments of grammar, including the parts of speech, the characteristics of the parts of speech (such as case for nouns, aspect for verbs,etc.) knowing what 'inflection', 'case', 'conjugation' mean and having a basic grasp of syntax. Any person who can read Greek should know these things anyway, and knowing them has the added benefit of improving one's understanding of his native tongue. Doing this will greatly ease the burden of using this book, as the student will then be able to focus on learning Greek, and not have to divide his attention between learning Greek and learning general grammatical terms. A good book to learn these things is Harvey's Elementary Grammar and Composition, which is for sale here on Amazon. I am also writing a book on these matters, which I will make freely available on my website, which I am working on, even today. If you are interested, check out my profile from time to time and I will put the link up when it's ready. Good luck and have fun!

p.s. As always, sorry to be a windbag, I just want to help you make an informed decision and make your experience with this book more pleasant.

Hora transit, opera manent.

Well done.......2007-07-21

This book is very well done for what it sets out to accomplish. The grammar is presented quickly and coherently. The drills are useful, and the emphasis on sentences and reading equips the student rapidly with skills that they will use in scholarship. True to the classic first year Greek grammars, this fine text will certainly find a place beside them.

Could have been better. Really........2007-06-16

I respect that it's hard to write a complete course of Greek to be finished so quickly, but this was so mediocre. The order which the authors chose to present the grammar just does not make much sense. It goes through a vague introduction and then the verbs hit you. Instead of going through different kinds of morphological and syntactic concepts, you get verbs and verbs and verbs...with a couple little things at the end of everything. Then there's a break for some nouns...and then it's back to death by verbs.
Aside from its poor decisions as to the best order with which to provide information, the book also uses more-complex-than-necessary terminology for things (like Genetive of the Undivided Whole instead of just Partitive Genetive) and invents unnecessary systems for various kinds of clauses. Perhaps this was an attempt to provide some sort of strategy for translation, but it was only mildly helpful. The book gives frankly no helpful suggestions as how to actually translate.
The book is not all bad, however. It has a good glossary and index in the back...it seems very complete. I would not recommend this book to anyone who does not already have an understanding of a language such as Latin. However, for someone experienced in Classics it would do the job decently.

Greek and Intensive Course Appendix to the Preliminary Edition

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Greek and Intensive Course Appendix to the Preliminary Edition
Hardy and Quinn, Gerald M. Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GWGALU

GREEK - AN INTENSIVE COURSE - 2 Books: Preliminary Edition and Appendix to the Preliminary Edition

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GREEK - AN INTENSIVE COURSE - 2 Books: Preliminary Edition and Appendix to the Preliminary Edition
Hardy ; Gerald M. Quinn Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JVEMWM

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Greek: An Intensive Course
Hardy Hansen and Gerald M. Quinn
Manufacturer: Fordham University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ULNFF6

Greek: An Intensive Course: Appendix to the Preliminary Edition

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Greek: An Intensive Course: Appendix to the Preliminary Edition
Hardy ; Quinn, Gerald M. Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VXH9T6

Greek: An Intensive Course: Preliminary Edition

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Greek: An Intensive Course: Preliminary Edition
Hardy ; Quinn, Gerald M. Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000VXCYRS

Greek Basic Course Level Two w/ 19 cassettes (Multilingual Books Intensive Foreign Language Cassette Series)

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Greek Basic Course Level Two w/ 19 cassettes (Multilingual Books Intensive Foreign Language Cassette Series)
P. Sapountzis , A. Sapountzis , and S. Oblensky
Manufacturer: Multilingual Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Plastic Comb
ASIN: 1582140235

Book Description

Greek Intensive Course (Intensive Tapes series)

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Greek Intensive Course (Intensive Tapes series)
S. Oblensky , A. Sapountis , and P. Sapountis
Manufacturer: Multilingual Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1582140227

Book Description

Use the course that works! Designed by the Foreign Service Institute this series is simply the best most complete way to learn Greek. This course provides introductory materials in modern spoken Greek for the student who wishes to achieve a working command of the language currently spoken by educated Greeks. The style is neither entirely demotic (colloquial) nor strictly formal. The Greek orthography is used from the beginning so that the students learn to read what they have learned to say. The second and third levels carry the student further into the grammar and vocabulary of spoken Greek, and gradually introduce the more formal spoken and written forms known as 'katharevousa', used on formal occasions by all educated Greeks, and commonly encountered in the press. Level One has 16 tapes; Level Two 18 tapes; Level Three 6 tapes.

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Greek: An Intensive Course
Hardy; Quinn, Gerald M. Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0823210669

Average customer rating:

GREEK: AN INTENSIVE COURSE. Preliminary Edition
Hardy & Gerald M. Quinn. Hansen
Manufacturer: Fordham Univ. Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O3QLQK

Book Description

The magnificent pages of medieval missals, books of hours, brevaries, and bibles sparkle with detail illuminating the world in which they were created. This splendid volume, featuring some of the finest illuminated masterpieces from the exceptional collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, details the remarkable collaboration and craftsmanship that went into the creation of these delicate treasures.

Close-up details show the intricacies of the various techniques used to create these fragile and rarely seen works. By helping the reader to appreciate the individual elements of illumination--the initials, borders, illustrations, script, and binding--Rowan Watson brings the world of the scribes, illuminators, and book dealers to life, and sheds light on the cooperative religious communities in which many of them worked. Watson also looks at the survival of illumination after the printing press and its revival in the 19th century in the hands of such pioneering designers as Owen Jones and William Morris.

Customer Reviews:

A GREAT book for manuscript research and comparison!.......2005-06-19

As a collector of medieval manuscripts, I found this book a wonderful resource for studying and researching within my own manuscripts, as well as others in the world. It's a very colorful and illustrated book, with many magnified and enlarged photographs of manuscripts so that the reader can get a better look at details! I recommend this book to any person who already collects manuscripts, or anyone who is simply interested in them, and needs information. You will find great history and background information within the pages of this book, as well. The "exhibit" in this book displays some of the most beautiful and inspiring manuscripts from the Victoria and Albert Museum. All 25 have good information and great photographs so that the reader can get "up close" to these priceless manuscripts. My applause goes out to the author, Rowan Watson, for a job WELL DONE!

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