Practicing Peace in Times of War

Book Description

With war and violence flaring all over the world, many of us are left feeling vulnerable and utterly helpless. In this book Pema Chödrön draws on Buddhist teachings to explore the origins of aggression, hatred, and war, explaining that they lie nowhere but within our own hearts and minds. She goes on to explain that the way in which we as individuals respond to challenges in our everyday lives can either perpetuate a culture of violence or create a new culture of compassion.

"War and peace begin in the hearts of individuals," declares Pema Chödrön at the opening of this inspiring and accessible book. She goes on to offer practical techniques any of us can use to work for peace in our own lives, at the level of our habits of thought and action. It's never too late, she tells us, to look within and discover a new way of living and transform not only our personal lives but our whole world.

Customer Reviews:

Practicing Peace -- Really.......2007-01-22

With so much discussion and dispute about what it will take to bring peace to Iraq and other troubled places in the world today, it is hard to believe that a tiny book of barely 100 pages could even begin to offer an answer. It suggests no commitment of troops or dollars, no complicated strategy, and no national policy. The answer is not easy, and because it requires individual, personal commitment, it may not make headlines. With disarming clarity, Pema Chodron provides a plan that is so practical and so down to earth that it is probably irrefutable.

What can one person do to bring about peace? This book answers the question. I've considered carrying extra copies of the book to give to friends and strangers: maybe this review will encourage you in some way to pick up a copy for yourself.

Inspiring Book .......2007-01-10

This book is a wonderful guide for opening the heart and finding peace within. A very quick, inspiring read.

Buddha at War.......2006-12-06

As others have mentioned, this book is not about the subject of the title (I expected something global along the flip side of Sun Tzu, which it isn't). My son purchased three books on the Buddha at War for a term paper. This book added little to his notes. On the other hand, Pema Chödrön is a gifted writer. This is a good read. The book is very short, so it is also a quick read. You can find the subject of the book on page 85: "In this book I've been exploring the topic of peace at the personal level, the level of each of us working with our own minds and our hearts." If this navel-gazing interests you, Pema does a wonderful job of presenting it. I admit that her writing grabbed me and I read the entire book even though it wasn't on point for its stated topic.

The courage to just be.......2006-11-21

This small book (95 small format pages of text) reflects Pema's prior works. It contains 6 of her lectures edited by Sandy Boucher (author of "Dancing in the Dharma" & "Turning the Wheel"). The chapter titles are provocative (e.g. "Compassionate Abiding & Positive Insecurity"), but the Table of Contents is numbered incorrectly (the small Roman numerals in the T of C are Arabic numbered in the book so each chapter is low by 14 pages in the T of C). As in other books, Pema provides valuable Jarvis Masters' stories from San Quentin, lojong mind training principles (see "Start Where You Are"), & Shenpa or emotional attachment (see "Getting Unstuck" CD set). Her main premises here are that individuals create culture & karma: to change them, change yourself (not unique to Pema), & that mindfulness helps us catch habitual patterns of emotional reaction (often centered on a personal history of attachment & pain avoidance) before they manifest--allowing one to act differently in the present & future. But to succeed one needs patience & fearlessness--p. 44: "learning to sit still with the edginess of the discomforting energy." This is consistent with Frank Herbert's "Dune"--"Bene Gesserit Litany Against Fear:

I must not fear. Fear is the mind killer. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me & through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."

Per "Awakening Compassion," Pema invokes Tonglen whereby p. 81: "Your own discomfort can connect you with the aversion & pain of other people & awaken your compassion." Furthermore, with mindfulness p. 80: "We can see our interpretations & our opinions as just that," you can p. 50: "`Lower your standards & relax as it is.' That's a slogan for patience," & p. 50: "I've come to find that patience also has humor & playfulness." This reminds me of Theodore Tilton's poem:

"Once in Persia reigned a king, Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise, Which, if held before his eyes
Gave him counsel at a glance Fit for any change or chance;
Solemn words, and these are they: "Even this shall pass away."

It seems to me that Pema's "patient abiding" parallels Shamatha (calm abiding) like two facets of the same gem. Thus, with patience we can let the thoughts (Shamatha) or issues (patient abiding) dissolve of their own accord--observing the process vs. the content--p. 71: "Becoming intimate with pain is the key to changing at the core of our being--staying open to everything we experience." The courage to just be.

Very Brave and Important Message!.......2006-11-11

There's a bumper stiker around "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." I have been one who has seen myself as ineffectual in the circumstances of these times. Pema Chodron's work is a truly radical teaching of how we contribute to war and peace and the importance of our individual contributions to the state of the "world" we live in and the world the next generation will inherit. Even if you don't agree with the positions she offers (some of the aspects of the teaching aren't "easy"), this work is thought provoking. Even a little practice of these ideas leads to revelation about our individual importance in garnering peace or creating war. We do make a difference.

The Four-Day Win: How to End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace Four Days at a Time

Average customer rating:

The Four Day Win
Good book, terrible editing
Glad I did not listen to the negative reviews
The Four Day Win: End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace
Small Bites, Small Nibbles

The Four-Day Win: How to End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace Four Days at a Time

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live
The Best Life Diet
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The Beck Diet Solution: Train Your Brain to Think Like a Thin Person
If I'm So Smart, Why Can't I Lose Weight?: Tools to Get it Done

ASIN: 0743564154

Book Description

The Bestselling Author of Finding Your Own North Star

Reveals How to Change the Way You Eat, Four Days at a Time

Everyone knows how to lose weight: eat less, move more. But so many dieters who know what to do still don't do what they know. Why not? Because they don't understand the brain-body dynamics of weight loss. Now, cutting-edge research has revealed that millions of dieters following typical weight loss programs are actually programming themselves to get fatter.

In The Four-Day Win, Harvard-trained Oprah Magazine columnist Martha Beck, Ph.D., reverses this trend and teaches dieters to get lean from the brain outward. The Four-Day Win tells how to reverse the brain-body programming that makes you fat, so you can create a new, leaner and healthier body . . . for good. As empathetic and funny as she is informative, Martha Beck observes that:

Traditional dieting relies on the ability to go numb or to override physical and emotional feelings.

Overeating is a self-calming compulsion similar to OCD -- dieters turn to food (and lots of it) when they're deprived of comfort.

Overweight people can reverse the brain-body programming that is making them fat. Instead of attacking their bodies, they can learn to support them.

Dr. Beck helps you to think thin and end your compulsion to overeat, and includes a Jump-Start weight-loss program that will help you shed pounds in the best way, both psychologically and physically. An inspiring and enlightening challenge to everything you think you know about losing weight, The Four-Day Win provides you with an easy and fail-proof way to change your life.

Customer Reviews:

The Four Day Win.......2007-08-23

I purchased this book because of my enjoyment of the author's monthly articles in Oprah magazine. I am half-way through it, and am finding much good information. There is too much of the irreverant humor, though, bordering on slapstick. As I have no more than ten pounds to lose, this may not be what I need as I don't have a background of struggling with eating disorders or problems. I love Martha, but I cringe at the over-use of this type of humor to get the point across.

Good book, terrible editing.......2007-07-30

I really like this book's gentle approach and it coincides with things that I've noticed about myself in the past. For example, at times when I'm giving myself lots of options and not really worrying about my weight, I tend to stay the same or even lose weight. When I'm actively dieting, I have wider swings of either losing or gaining weight. Not to mention the fact that after 20 years of dieting more or less continuously, I am sixty pounds heavier than I was when I started. Common sense should tell me that what I've been doing is not working. I am excited to get started with this program. Unfortunately, while I was impressed by the substance of the book, the book was distracting in its poor editing -- words left in where a sentence was obviously re-written, double negatives, too much "humor" that is not particularly funny. Most egregiously, in Chapter 14, the book discusses "12 EASY beliefs" and the author repeatedly refers to them as the "dirty dozen" but the book lists only 7 of these "myths." Come on people!

Glad I did not listen to the negative reviews.......2007-07-24

So glad I did not listen to the negative reviews, although there are not many. This book address lots of things I never worked on before, with a unique way of doing so. Have not had it long so will have to wait and see about the weight loss. But I have every confidence that it will happen.
I already can feel the different attitude I am having.
Go for it!

The Four Day Win: End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace.......2007-07-19

We all know that in order to lose weight we have to eat less and move more. This seems like a simple and obvious concept, so why doesn't it work. Why is it that the harder you try to lose weight (eating less and less and exercising more and more) the more likely that you end up craving junk food, binging, and eventually giving up? The Four Day Win gives us the answer.

Losing weight and being healthy isn't about willpower, starving ourselves to death, or exercising until we pass out. In fact, stubborn will-power is actually the problem. The key is listening to our needs and being kind to ourselves. Simplistically put, once we care to stop, listen, and understand our true needs, we soon realize that instead of dealing with our anxieties, our fears, and the things in our life that cause us stress, we tend to self medicate with food. It's seems so much easier to eat that chocolate cake than deal with that relationship issue or that job we hate. Then, we turn around and beat ourselves up because we weren't strong enough which makes us hate ourselves that much more causing us to binge. It's a horribly unloving cycle.

I'm eating less and I'm moving more but most of all I am paying more attention to my inner self these days. I'm constantly learning about myself while developing healthy self soothing and rat park strategies. I'm happier, healthier, and far more hopeful after having read this book. Four days really can change your life for the better.

Small Bites, Small Nibbles.......2007-07-18

Most of my adult life, I have been able to maintain, with relative ease, the same weight. Then, here comes midlife. And with it, a crisis or two. Factor in stress and a slowing metabolism, a more hurried pace, various anxieties, and the softness glued itself stubbornly to me and would not let go.

I can't say I have ever been among those who follow the latest diet trend. Pshaw. None of them have ever made sense to me. I got it: eat less, move more. Everything else is doomed to fail. I'd seen it enough among friends and colleagues: longterm, diets fail. To remain healthy lifelong requires a lifestyle, not one of suffering and deprivation, but one that can be maintained with ease and, yes, even pleasure. That's for me.

I picked up Martha Beck's book with great interest. I had recently read and enjoyed her book, "Finding Your Own North Star: Claiming the Life You Were Meant to Live." Now, here was a respected life coach and psychologist who debunks diets and disdains suffering as a way to lead to healthy living. She speaks of attaining "thinner peace." Diets, after all, are stressful, and the last thing we need in the typical American lifestyle is more stress. Indeed, recent studies have shown that the same amount of calories ingested by stressed animals and animals at peace turn into fat on, you guessed it, the stressed animals, while the calm ones remain at a healthy weight. Beck is onto something scientifically sound.

Another important item Beck has understood well is our short attention span. Four days. We can do just about anything for four days. If we approach any change in our accustomed routines, if we do it in small bites, small bites eventually accumulate into a big pie (so to speak). If we do not overwhelm ourselves with immense and heroic goals, we might just be able to conquer this gremlin.

Her approach is almost frustratingly gradual. But that is as it should be. Gradual changes can sneak up on us to become life-transforming. And any change begins in the mind, in the spirit, deep in the heart where all our anxieties breed.

Since I began reading Beck's book, I can honestly say without any deprivation (I still eat at restaurants with my friends, still munch out of the party snack bowl, still eat popcorn while watching a movie), I have been shucking off, gradually but permanently, the extra bit of softness midlife gifted me. I am also feeling a thinner peace. Being at peace, for me, may have been the most crucial factor in this, as I have come to believe that in the past years, I was carrying the "weight of my emotions."

Beck's book is effective and it's downright funny to read. With various thoughtful questionnaires, she prompts us to think about what brings us stress, what brings us peace, and how to work with that. She teaches how to quiet the voices in our head, how to identify emotional hunger versus physical hunger, how to feed both. Have a nibble of chocolate - and read. Four days at a time.

Average customer rating:

Recommended for all writers/artists/musicians/etc...
Inane babble,
Do Artists have a Political Role?
A fascinating read in the wake of Fahrenheit 9/11.
manifesto for a generation

Artists in Times of War (Open Media)
Howard Zinn
Manufacturer: Seven Stories Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1583226028

Book Description

Throughout his lifetime, radical historian Howard Zinn has emphasized the crucial role that protest and civil disobedience play in energizing and directing social change. In Zinn's worldview, the rebel who challenges government and authority is usually the one who leads the most progressive advances in peace, welfare, and social justice. "To criticize the government is the highest act of patriotism," writes Zinn. In this new collection of four essays-three of which are previously unpublished-the author of A People's History of the United States writes about the unique role of artists, activists, and publishers in working toward change.

Howard Zinn is a world-renowned historian, author, and public speaker. In February, 2003, he celebrated the publication of the millionth copy of his masterpiece, A People's History of the United States.

Customer Reviews:

Recommended for all writers/artists/musicians/etc..........2007-03-30

It is important for all painters, writers, musicians, actors, photographers, etc. to read books like this one because it is important for artists to ask themselves poignant questions such as, "What is the political effect of my art?", "Should I take on political topics to express how I feel about certain issues?", and "What are the potential benefits/consequences if I do?" Zinn's book offers a springboard toward thinking about these questions, and he puts forth some powerful arguments that, not only should artists create political works, but that when artists do, their works have potential that nonfiction works can never have.

Inane babble,.......2007-03-08

Its a shame Howard Zinn is residing in the bosom of Western Society. This tome rambles and rambles with his inane observations. Zinn is in the same vein as Nietzsche, he uses his hammer to destroy, not to build solution.

Do Artists have a Political Role?.......2006-10-05

Howard Zinn makes fine points about how Artists are the voice of conscience for nations. An artist's role is to tell the truth as he or she sees it. True artistic endeavors are truth, whether music, painting, sculpture or writing - truth through emotion or satire. Artists show us the truth whether we can see it or not. Joseph Heller told the truth of war, even when war was still patriotic social obligation. Mark Twain was the ultimate satirist, against imperialism and no one can accuse Twain of unpatriotism. Who else? Bob Dylan, e. e. cummings, Thomas Paine, Emma Goldman, and others.

Howard Zinn is right and we are all artists in a time of war.

A fascinating read in the wake of Fahrenheit 9/11........2004-07-03

This slim volume (I read it in an hour) by famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) revisionist historian Zinn is direct and to the point: "It is the job of the artist...to think outside the boundaries of permissible thought and dare to say things that no one else will say." Of course, what Zinn thinks that artists should be saying is to speak out against war in ways that traditional journalists do not, CAN not. He cites Catch-22 by Joseph Heller as a case in point: "If, right after World War II, someone had written a nonfiction book on the ambiguities of war and the atrocities committed by the supposed good guys...such a book would have been difficult to publish. But...artists can be sly. They can point to things that take you outside traditional thinking because you can get away with it in fiction."

This makes me think of the movie Fahrenheit 9/11 and how remarkable it is that Michael Moore has broken through that wall to bring forth a nonfiction artistic statement about the current administration and war. I think Zinn would be pleased. Now if only someone would make some of the movies he suggests in this book (the story of Emma Goldman, the Ludlow Massacre, the Phillipine-American war to name a few).

manifesto for a generation.......2004-03-23

Dr. Zinn does a great job in this collection of essays letting a new generation understand that an untold section of American history involves, as Dr. King put it in his last speech, "our right to protest for right." This manifesto which urges people to speak out on what's going on no also includes historial precedents of this in his discussion of stories Hollywood doesn't tell (It$ not hard to gue$$ why). But in either case, read this book and then FIGHT THE POWER!

Average customer rating:

Mixed bag

Other Times Than Peace
David Drake
Manufacturer: Baen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1416520767

Book Description

In the past, the present, or the future, life is grim and often short for the few who protect the many, usually for little pay, less gratitude, and dim prospects of growing old.

*A squadron of fighter spacecraft, their mother ship destroyed, are lost in the interstellar void, with little hope of finding their way home.

*A Roman soldier, serving both his emperor and creatures beyond his comprehension, must destroy a usurper who is the catspaw for beings from another world with very unpleasant plans for this one.

*Two battle-scarred Vietnam veterans battle the insectoid horror abducting humans for a purpose to which death is infinitely preferable.

*The alien enemy at war with humans and their allies has blown up Halley's comet. Can Earth uncover the reason for this apparently meaningless act before it's too late?

*And two new Hammer's Slammers adventures.

Soldiers battling throughout space and time, as only David Drake can portray them, doing what they have to do to keep the darkness away from hearth and home, even if they have little chance of surviving to return there.

Customer Reviews:

Mixed bag.......2007-05-06

I have read most of David Drake's novels and many of his more recent short stories. This anthology contains older stories, including some that he classifies as horror. I had read two of the stories before, but the others were new to me.

Unsurprisingly, the early stories lack the polish of his later works. Some stories tie into later series or characters, which fans may find interesting. The standalone stories were of equal quality to the tie-in stories.

I give the book 3 stars because I'm not a die-hard Drake fan, and some of the stories were not well-written. (Die-hard Drake fans should add one star.) Despite the rating, I do not regret buying the book: none of the stories were klunkers.

A Time for War, A Time for Peace (Star Trek)

Average customer rating:

Star Trek
Warp Speed Ahead!
Emotional climax and a good intro to post-Nemesis Trek
A Time to... conclude... in spectacular fashion
A Time to End

A Time for War, A Time for Peace (Star Trek)
Keith R. A. DeCandido
Manufacturer: Star Trek
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0743491793

Book Description

On the cusp of their epic battle with Shinzon, many of Captain Jean-Luc Picard's long-time crew were heading for new assignments and new challenges. Among the changes were William Riker's promotion to captain and his new command, Riker's marriage to Counselor Deanna Troi, and Dr. Beverly Crusher's new career at Starfleet Medical. But the story of what set them on a path away from the Starship Enterprise™ has never been told.

UNTIL NOW.

Following the scandalous Tezwa affair, the Federation president's resignation forces an election, with the future of the United Federation of Planets to be determined by who emerges victorious from a hotly contested vote. But it is the fate of the entire galaxy that may actually be decided on Qo'noS, as the Federation embassy is seized by terrorists whose actions expose intrigue reaching the highest levels of Klingon government -- and it will take all of Ambassador Worf's skills to keep the fragile Federation-Klingon alliance from collapsing. And while this potential intergalactic chaos looms, Commander Riker finds his plans for command and marriage soured by a brutal, high-level inspection of the ship from which the crew may not escape unscathed....

The epic miniseries comes to a shocking conclusion -- one that will leave the Star Trek universe changed forever!

Customer Reviews:

Star Trek.......2007-08-23

I have enjoyed the series and it is a nice fit between the two movies. They help match everything up and gave me a good time reading them.

Warp Speed Ahead!.......2007-03-23

A hostile takeover of a Federation embassy? An insane presidential candidate? Will and Deanna getting married? Will gets his own ship? It's all in a day's work for Starfleet. In this spectacular book there are four different plots and many subplots. There are so many twists and turns that you won't want to put the book down. Romance, adventure, action, and drama are all combined in the astounding book that will lead Star Trek fans into a whole new universe of adventure! I highly recommend this book!

Emotional climax and a good intro to post-Nemesis Trek.......2006-10-02

I stopped reading Pocket Book's Trek Novels after the Dominion War brokeout. I felt that this was an attempt to turn the Trek Universe into a grimmer and grittier place, ala' Star Wars New Jedi Order series of novels. Fortunately, thanks to the firm guidance of Chief Editor Marco Palmieri, my fears were misplaced. This is the first Trek book I've read in five years, and I'm extremely pleased with what I've read.

The book is very much a novel-long version of LOTR's 'The Scouring of the Shire'. So whereas David Mack's action-packed duology provided a plot-driven climax, the focus here is on providing an emotional climax for our heroes. It takes a masterful author to hold the reader's attention when the denouement isn't driven by explosions and action-sequences. Fortunately, Keith R.A. DeCandido is up to the task.

For those (like myself) who aren't all-that familiar with recurring characters such as Presidential candidate Nan Bacco, or Lieutenant Commander Vale, this novel is a good introduction. Especially as DeCandido really really does know how to write for these characters. There's one amusing 'Who's On First?' sequence between Nan Bacco and her Chief of Staff that had me laughing out loud.

But even more importantly than that, its blindingly obvious that both Editor Palmieri and author DeCandido are fully acknowledging one aspect of the Dominion War that's sometimes been lost in all the excitement. Can the Federation still hold onto its high-minded ideals, after fighting for its survival for almost a decade? With the election of two idealogically opposing Presidential Candidates, its a turning point for the United Federation of Planets. Will they continue on the path of conquest and war? Or will they turn back to the high-minded ideals that they once championed? Its a hard won idealogical battle, and I'm delighted that DeCandido and Palmieri had the intellectual and moral courage to debate these issues within this novel. More power to them! The Federation has become harder and more dangerous, but it hasn't compromised the idealism and optimism of its creator, Gene Roddenberry. Its for this reason that I like this editorial direction of Trek, far far more than the NJO novels.

After reading this novel, I'm very much looking forward to seeing what Marco Palmieri and his band of merry men (and women) come up with for future novels. For those who (like me) stopped reading Trek after the Dominion Wars brokeout, this novel is the perfect launching pad.

A Time to... conclude... in spectacular fashion.......2006-08-04

Following a nine book series chronicling a year in the life of the Enterprise-E, Keith R.A. DeCandido makes an appearance in this wonderful series to wrap together loose ends, and to, at the same time, unknot the string for the future of the Star Trek novel franchise.

"A Time for War, A Time for Peace" follows David Mack's stellar dulogy, and in bringing the series to a conclusion is able to easily outdo what most would expect from a `mere' wrapup book.

Make no mistake, this is no mere wrapup book.

It's easiest to begin by citing the two most 'unsatisfying' aspects of the novel first, mainly because there were really only two that came close to deserving the adjective unsatisfying.

In the months of intrigue, backstabbing, plotting, and death that has been wrought throughout the "A Time to..." series, we have seen how, at her core, the Federation was being run by a cadre of over-ambitious, though well-intended, politicos. With hands dabbling in everything from cover-ups to Section 31, and with the subsequent resignation of President Zife, one would have expected a much more heated (and more detailed) telling of the story directly surrounding the presidential election. Of any storyline in the book, this one got an underwhelming treatment - and yet it remains a strong contribution to the Star Trek ethos. (It helps if one knows that a follow-on novel, "Articles of the Federation" is forthcoming from DeCandido, who promises that it will provide the reader with the political intrigue and `West Wing' quality that many expected when learning of this aspect of the "War/Peace" story.)

The other relatively weak storyline, and the one I found even more 'unsatisfying', was the inspection of the Enterprise. This inspection tour provides, essentially, an excuse to work in Scotty and to give our heroes some comic and serious moments. Yet, even this is sin is pardoned. DeCandido, while knowing that Scotty on the cover will help sell a book, still managed to do him genuine justice - especially given the light in which his character was portrayed in the TNG episode "Relics".

Now, to the genuinely positive -
DeCandido is able to capitalize on the deep emotional bonds forged in earlier novels (especially Mack's) and deliver a story - not about political intrigue or technology, but about the crew of the Starship Enterprise, one that allows them to shine as beacons. Sometimes they shine in spite of their flaws, sometimes because of them. He gives us a satisfying way to look at the events that have transpired over the preceding eight novels, to process them cohesively, and to then move through the events of Star Trek: Nemesis and into the era following the Shinzon debacle.

DeCandido gives particularly good treatment to the relationship between Riker and Troi, as well as wonderful depth to Will's attempts to recruit a crew for the Titan. The emotion that flows from this novel and the setting that it provides for the upcoming series "Star Trek: Titan" make this book less of a conclusion and more of a tie-string between "A Time to..." and "Titan", one that leaves the reader wondering what is next, and what more is to come.

I can't help but recommend this novel to you. If you enjoyed David Mack's duology, then this conclusion will truly leave you eagerly awaiting the next wave of novels that pick up the story where DeCandido so artfully leaves off.

A Time to End.......2006-05-25

After the stimulation and excitement of the other books in this series, A Time for War, A Time for Peace by Keith R.A. DeCandidio was somewhat disappointing-- instead of going out with a bang, the series went out with a whimper. However, there are some stellar moments, particularly for Worf and his son Alexander. The book's underlying menace of the high-level inspection of the ship never really manages to be anything more than a tickle of a menace. In fact, this book is more of an extended epilogue for the first books in the series. However, it is nice to have time to see everything wrapped up and see how the various Star Trek characters went to their new places in the universe. Even the presence of Wesley is not as annoying as it usually is as the Star Trek Universe has finally figured out what to do with him. It's like visiting with old friends after many years and catching up on what all has happened with them. And, as always, it makes me want to go and watch all of the Next Generation Episodes (or at least the ones from the last 4 years!) and movies on DVD so I can see those old friends again and again.

War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton, and the Generals

Average customer rating:

A portrait of the 1990s from the viewpoint of the 1990s?
Halberstam does it again
Wars abound
cogent, critical analysis of Presidents and their foreign policies
Infomative and Engaging

War in a Time of Peace: Bush, Clinton, and the Generals

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0743508408

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and the author of 17 books, David Halberstam has a gift for bringing current events alive and putting them into historical perspective in an engaging way. In many respects, War in a Time of Peace serves as a sequel to his classic The Best and the Brightest in its examination of how the lessons of Vietnam have influenced American foreign policy in the post-Cold War era. Beginning with the Persian Gulf War, Halberstam discusses the political shift in emphasis from foreign to domestic issues that ushered in the first Clinton administration. Despite the fact that Clinton, along with much of the country, preferred to focus on the home front, the U.S. nonetheless found itself drawn into conflicts in Haiti, Somalia, and the Balkans--events that reflected American discomfort with the use of its military forces abroad while at the same time acknowledging that much of the world is dependent upon the U.S. for both guidance and support. The book also highlights the many nonpolitical factors that have influenced these political changes, including a generational shift in national leadership, the modern media's emphasis on entertainment over foreign news, a leap in military technology, and American economic prosperity that has rendered foreign policy largely irrelevant to many citizens.

Halberstam is a master at presenting well-rounded portraits and telling anecdotes of the personalities that have created U.S. policy, casting new light on well-known figures such as Clinton, Colin Powell, and George H.W. Bush, as well as supporting players such as Anthony Lake, Richard Holbrooke, James Baker, Madeleine Albright, General Wesley Clark, Al Gore, and many other influential American leaders of the past decade. Having covered many aspects of American history and foreign policy since the early 1960s, Halberstam is uniquely qualified to report on an era in which the U.S., and the world, has changed so dramatically. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

In this long awaited successor to his #1 national bestseller The Best and the Brightest, David Halberstam describes in fascinating human detail how the shadow of Cold War Vietnam still hangs over American foreign policy, and how domestic politics have determined our role as a world power.

Halberstam brilliantly evokes the internecine conflicts, the untrammeled egos, and the struggles for dominance among the key figures in the White House, the State department, and the military. He shows how the Vietnam war has shaped American politics and policy makers. Perhaps most notable is what happened under Clinton when, for the first time in fifty years, a president placed domestic issues over foreign policy.

With his uncanny ability to find the real story behind the headlines, Halberstam shows how current events in the Balkans and Somalia act as a fascinating mirror to American politics and foreign policy Sweeping in scope and impressive in its depth, War in a Time of Peace provides fascinating portraits of Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Kissinger, James Baker, Dick Cheney, Madeleine Albright, and others to reveal a stunning view of modern political America.

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"Pulitzer Prizewinning journalist David Halberstam chronicles Washington politics and foreign policy in postCold War America. Evoking the internal conflicts, unchecked egos, and power struggles within the White House, the State Department, and the military, Halberstam shows how the decisions of men who served in the Vietnam War, and those who did not, have shaped America's role in global events. He provides fascinating portraits of those in power -- Clinton, Bush, Reagan, Kissinger, James Baker, Dick Cheney, Madeleine Albright, and others -- to reveal a stunning view of modern political America. "

Customer Reviews:

A portrait of the 1990s from the viewpoint of the 1990s?.......2007-02-21

As I finished this book, I couldn't help think how out of date it feels. Although Halberstam mentions terrorist threats on the very last page of the book; the African embassy bombings, the USS Cole attack, the Khobar towers bombing, and President Clinton and Sandy Berger's chase after Al Queda appear nowhere. Honestly, most of the other large-scale foreign policy incidents of the 1990s (Somalia, Haiti, Iraq) take a back seat to the Bosnian and Kosovar conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. This book's subtitle could aptly be "The Vietman War and its impact on the American foreign policy response to the break-up of Yugoslavia."

Nevertheless, War in a Time of Peace is a very good read. Although it could be editted a little better (there are many repititive bits and some sloppy portions of narrative), Halberstam's familiar prose style keeps things moving. It is clear that many of the key players were interviewed and the book provides great insights on George HW Bush, Bill Clinton, Brent Scowcroft, Sandy Berger, Richard Holbrooke, James Baker, Colin Powell, Wesley Clark, and many other 1990s powerbrokers. Although not as good as The Best and the Brightest or The Fifties (an underrated Halberstam classic), I am glad that I read this book. If you want to learn more about some of the tough decisions of the Clinton presidency, which ostensibly started as the domestic policy presidency, and the way we looked at security threats (and politcal threats) in the 1990s, this is a very good book. Too bad the events of 2001 to 2003 have changed the world completely and we can never go back to the safer (and simpler) 1990s.

Halberstam does it again.......2007-01-04

David Halberstam delivers another masterpiece in his book on how the Balkan crisis came about. This book is very fair condemning Bush Sr, Clinotn and all of the generals including Colin Powell for their actions in this area. The United States dropped the ball in stabilizing this region leaving it to the European Union to debate about. Our unwillingness to commit troops has led to more than a decade of crisis and halberstam delivers the story in great detail. Highly recommend if you are just starting to learn about the crisis as it is a very fair and well written account.

Wars abound.......2006-07-02

The end of the Cold War at the beginning of the 1990s seemed to usher in a new era of hope, promise, and peace. This book shows that the last expectation was wholly false. The 1990s saw more American military interventions into other countries than any other decade of American history. Haiti, Iraq, Mogadishu, Kosovo and Croatia are some of the numerous battlefronts on which American troops were sent to serve. This book chronicles this decade, and shows how the US was inexplicably drawn into each of these conflicts one by one. Key throughout most of these episodes was a Clinton administration that was reluctant to go to arms. This book shows how many times it was pressure from the media, Congress, or the opposing party (Republicans) that convinced the Clinton administration that force was necessary. In a way, this book resembles Halberstam's classic on the Vietnam War; the Best and the Brightest. In both cases, a reluctant president was slowly but steadily cornered into committing troops. This book highlights the major characters involved in the military excursion of the 1990s; Colin Powell, Tony Lake, Al Gore, Richard Holbrooke, Madeleine Albright, various UN officials and government officials of other countries.

All in all a great book. This should be required reading for any course on modern American history, or modern world history. I highly recommend it.

cogent, critical analysis of Presidents and their foreign policies.......2006-06-22

This analysis of policies of George H.W. Bush and William J. (Bill) Clinton offers a cogent, critical, where necessary, analysis of these Presidents and their foreign policies. It also offers an analysis of the shortcomings of both men, in domestic, as well as foreign relations. It shows the strengths and weaknesses of Bush and Clinton.
Bush, the economy, which may have cost him the election. Clinton, foreign policy and a military diminished by cuts, to promote the domestic agenda, which, some might feel made us more vulnerable. It's well read and gives a fairly detailed analysis in a short space of time [refers to abridged audio cassette]. Worth listening to, and makes me wonder if Mr. Halberstam would write an analysis of the current Bush's policies [or perhaps, lack of policies, save to tick off (to put it politely) those who'd seek America's downfall, e.g., radical Islamists, North Korea, Iran, and others, what he'd make of it. Let's hope he does.

Infomative and Engaging.......2006-03-20

A solid explanation of what happened in the Balkan's vis-à-vis US foreign policy. When reading books on recent history or current events I try to take into account the author's political bias and maintain vigilance for hidden agendas. Mr. Hablerstam's book appears to be an even-handed treatment of the subject. Like many Americans, I struggled for understanding of the events in media accounts of the conflict. This book was written in an easily understandable and engaging style. It offers about as thorough an understanding of the Balkan crisis that can be accomplished in a single volume. I highly recommend this book.

CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!

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CCEL Classics CD: works by Saint Augustine, John Calvin, John Donne, Julian of Norwich, Brother Lawrence, Martin Luther, Saint Teresa of Avila, Thomas Aquinas, Thomas a Kempis, John Wesley, and more!
Dr. W. Harry Plantinga
Manufacturer: Christian Classics Ethereal Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: CD-ROM

General | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

A Time for Peace: The Legacy of the Vietnam War

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A Time for Peace: The Legacy of the Vietnam War
Robert D. Schulzinger
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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A Time for War: The United States and Vietnam, 1941-1975
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The New Deal: The Depression Years, 1933-1940

ASIN: 0195071905

Book Description

The Vietnam War left wounds that have taken three decades to heal--indeed some scars remain even today. In A Time for Peace, prominent American historian Robert D. Schulzinger sheds light on how deeply etched memories of this devastating conflict have altered America's political, social, and cultural landscape. Schulzinger examines the impact of the war from many angles. He traces the long, twisted, and painful path of reconciliation with Vietnam, the heated controversy over soldiers who were missing in action and how it resulted in years of false hope for military families, and the outcry over Maya Lin's design for the Vietnam Memorial in Washington. In addition, the book examines the influx of over a million Vietnam refugees and Amerasian children into the US and describes the plight of Vietnam veterans, many of whom returned home alienated, unhappy, and unappreciated, though some led productive post-war lives. Schulzinger looks at how the controversies of the war have continued to be fought in books and films, ranging from novels such as Going After Cacciato and Paco's Story to such movies as The Green Berets (directed by and starring John Wayne), The Deer Hunter, Apocalypse Now, and Rambo. Perhaps most important, the author explores the power of the Vietnam metaphor on foreign policy, particularly in Central America, Somalia, the Gulf War, and the war in Iraq. We see how the "lessons" of the war have been reinterpreted by different ends of the political spectrum. Using a vast array of sources--from government documents to memoirs, film, and fiction--A Time for Peace provides an illuminating account of a war that still looms large in the American imagination.

Peace Time: Cease-Fire Agreements and the Durability of Peace

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Peace Time: Cease-Fire Agreements and the Durability of Peace
Virginia Page Fortna
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

War & Peace | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Non-US Legal Systems | Perspectives on Law | Law | Subjects | Books

General | International Law | Law | Subjects | Books

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Committing to Peace: The Successful Settlement of Civil Wars
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ASIN: 0691115125

Book Description

Why do cease-fire agreements sometimes last for years while others flounder barely long enough to be announced? How to maintain peace in the aftermath of war is arguably one of the most important questions of the post--Cold War era. And yet it is one of the least explored issues in the study of war and peace. Here, Page Fortna offers the first comprehensive analysis of why cease-fires between states succeed or fail. She develops cooperation theory to argue that mechanisms within these agreements can help maintain peace by altering the incentives for war and peace, reducing uncertainty, and helping to prevent or manage accidents that could lead to war.

To test this theory, the book first explores factors, such as decisive victory and prior history of conflict, that affect the baseline prospects for peace. It then considers whether stronger cease-fires are likely to be implemented in the hardest or the easiest cases. Next, through both quantitative and qualitative testing of the effects of cease-fire agreements, firm evidence emerges that agreements do matter. Durable peace is harder to achieve after some wars than others, but when most difficult, states usually invest more in peace building. These efforts work. Strong agreements markedly lessen the risk of further war. Mechanisms such as demilitarized zones, dispute resolution commissions, peacekeeping, and external guarantees can help maintain peace between even the deadliest of foes.

What Life Was Like in the Time of War and Peace: Imperial Russia, Ad 1696-1917 (What Life Was Like)

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Great picture book

What Life Was Like in the Time of War and Peace: Imperial Russia, Ad 1696-1917 (What Life Was Like)

Manufacturer: Time-Life Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Japan | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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Eastern Europe | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

Russia | History | Subjects | Books

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Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
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What Life Was Like in Europe's Romantic Era: Ad 1789-1848 (What Life Was Like)
In the Land of the Dragon: Imperial China Ad 960-1368 (What Life Was Like)

ASIN: 0783554591

Customer Reviews:

Great picture book.......2001-09-24

In this series, I would rate this book quite highly. The text is eminently readable and covers many social aspects of the period from a Russian perspective. With great pictures, some by Ilya Repin, complementing the text, this book admirably delivers on its contents.

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