The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next

The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
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Scientific progress is never cut and dried

physics from many angles

A mixed bag

The Endless Quest Continues

Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast.

The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, the Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
Lee Smolin
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0618551050

Book Description

In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.

Customer Reviews:

Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08

Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.

I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.

I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.

I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.

I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.

I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.

physics from many angles.......2007-10-05

This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.

A mixed bag.......2007-10-04

At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.

The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:

"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.

"2. There was an intelligent designer.

"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.

"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."

I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.

Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.

One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.

Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".

Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.

Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.

So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.

The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04

I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.

String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?

Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22

I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.

I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.

I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!

Capitalism at the Crossroads: The Unlimited Business Opportunities in Solving the World's Most Difficult Problems

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Capitalism and the New World Economy
A Classic
What Capitalism Could Accomplish
Partner with Prahalad, Valuable Distinct Contribution
Much Assailed Capitalism Is Probably the Only Answer

Capitalism at the Crossroads: The Unlimited Business Opportunities in Solving the World's Most Difficult Problems
Stuart L. Hart
Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131439871

Customer Reviews:

Capitalism and the New World Economy.......2006-06-05

Stuart Hart is an author, instructor, researcher, and lecturer who has written many books and essays on strategic management and the problems/challenges of globalism in the world economy. His consulting services have been utilized by many large companies including DuPont, Hewlett- Packard, and Proctor and Gamble and he has helped these and other companies like them to develop a more Earth- friendly, poverty- reducing approach to solving the world's problems while still maintaining enough economic momentum to stabilize or even improve the bottom line.

The primary focus of this book is the important task that businesses face in the twenty- first century; namely, the task of expanding the world economy, helping third world nations emerge from poverty, and improving the environment. To many, this idea of companies helping other nations, promoting recycling and environmentally sound business practices, and making a profit seems to be one big contradiction. When most people think of business, we think of the bottom- line goal of earning a profit by whatever means necessary; everything else be damned. But like Hart points out, the reality of environmental issues is too important and too critical for business to ignore. And if the right steps are taken, businesses can not only improve the world and its people, they can also reap profits and other rewards in the process. Thus, not only is it the right direction to take morally, it is also the right direction to take financially and if companies move quickly they can establish themselves as leaders in the global marketplace and enjoy the many benefits that their initiative will bring.

Globalism has been one of the most heated topics in economic discussion groups in the past ten to fifteen years. Proponents of globalism feel that it is the best way to spread prosperity all over the world and eradicate a large number of the world's poor. Opponents, however, have been very vocal in their opposition to globalism, citing many key areas where they feel the earth and its people are worse off when large companies expand to other nations. These activists feel that globalism depletes the world's resources at a faster rate; leads to deployment of "sweatshops" and other inhumane treatment of workers; and does little if anything to alleviate the problems of economic distress, inadequate health care, and the like. But like Hart demonstrates in this book, the pro- globalists and the anti- globalists can and must work together to solve these problems. And he feels that private businesses can make this happen by utilizing present technologies that will produce more abundant goods and services, improve standards of living, and leave the environment unaffected and possibly even better than it was before. Hart is a strong believer that much good can be accomplished if companies will simply change their strategy and embrace the idea of global environmentalism and responsibility. New growth areas exist all over the planet and by integrating some of the new technologies with profitable solutions, companies can make money and make a name for themselves as corporate citizens on a world- wide scale.

Much of what this book talks about seems reasonable now that I have finished it, but I admit that I was a little skeptical at first. How, I wondered, could a company implement all of these changes, pay good wages to foreign workers, protect the environment, and still make a profit? It seems like a very expensive proposition but like the author demonstrates, it really isn't a far fetched idea at all. We have to remember that much of the population of the world lives in conditions that are almost completely devoid of any use of modern technologies. Introducing these technologies can improve productivity drastically- so much so, in fact, that it will easily negate the initial expense of establishing the technology in the first place. One example stated in the book is that of Grameen Phone and Grameen Telecom- two businesses that helped establish a cellular phone network in Bangladesh. Money was loaned to women living in the poverty- stricken rural villages so that they could become private entrepreneurs to sell mobile phone service. The loan money was used to purchase a cell phone and a solar recharging unit and the women were then trained and sent out to sell this service. This business venture has proven to be a great success, profitable in many ways. It has raised many people out of poverty, extended modern technology to people who don't normally have this luxury, and protected the environment through the inclusion of solar charging units. All of this was possible simply because a company was willing to take a chance, grant loans, and extend a useful service to a class of people who would never be able to afford cellular phone service using existing business models.

Most of the information presented in this book deals with spreading economic success to the billions of people in the world who occupy the bottom levels of the economic pyramid but what the author talks about can easily apply to other situations as well. Corporate stewardship and environmental responsibility are admirable goals for a company of any size regardless of whether its customers are economically well- off or financially strapped. Hart concentrates mostly on the problems of the third world because it is here that most opportunity exists and where most of the challenges lie. But much of what he talks about could be applied to anyone, including those at the top of the economic pyramid who consume a large amount of resources with little regard for economic or environmental consequences.

I like the way Hart writes this book. It is well- organized with boldface text to break up different topics/subtopics and with notes at the end of each chapter. I also admire the sense of optimism. Hart is convinced that this approach is not only the right thing to do, it is imperative that corporations take action immediately and if they do so and do it right, they will easily reap the benefits. The old ideas that profit is the number one priority, that humans are disposable components of any business, and that the environment is the concern of governments have all become outdated in the modern world economy.

Overall, Capitalism at the Crossroads is a very good book about business and its critical role in shaping the world economy. Conventional wisdom about what works and what doesn't needs to be tossed aside in favor of (as the author refers to them) "disruptive technologies"- business models that go completely against the established way of doing things and present a fresh perspective tailored to the needs of specific people and cultures that protects the environment and still earns a profit. All of this is possible, and Hart feels it is very important that these large, multi- national corporations wake up and adapt to the new world economy. It is not only economically profitable, it is a necessary part of economic sustainability and world stability.

The bottom line of this book could be summed up as follows: Companies that help other people and protect the environment will be rewarded in many ways, including bottom- line profit, improved living conditions, and a better environment for all. Capitalism is at an important crossroad and the path taken needs to be the one that promotes responsible corporate growth for the good of all.

A Classic.......2006-01-31

The book starts with a overview of the dominant position that is occupied by multinationals in today's global economy. Going by the definition of the term, 60000 multinationals produce a quarter of the global output of products and services. Yet they are owned by less that 1 percent of the worlds population and employ about 1 percent of the world's employable workforce. Meanwhile many of these companies in their race for short term earnings have sacrificed sustainable methods of production. In other words they have done irreparable damage to the earth's environment and created social tensions in many countries. In other words, the pursuit of economic gains is at loggerheads with local cultures and environmental interests.

Then comes the interesting hypothesis termed "The Great trade-off illusion". Earlier companies believed that a certain amount of pollution for example was inevitable and any efforts for its reduction will incur expenses for treatment. This is called "end of the pipeline approach" for treating pollutants. Similarly, large companies serving the top 800 million population of the earth's population adopted similar business models and products across countries and cultures. Two thirds of the population was ignored since it was perceived that this huge segment just cannot afford the goods and services offered by the multinationals.

The author offers a radical approach and introduces the concept of "Triple Bottom-line". How can companies win by offering goods and services that are culturally appropriate, environmentally sustainable and economically profitable. This is not wish or ivory tower theory, but a necessity and practically feasible path argues the author.

To serve the base of the pyramid (BOP) population, companies need to adopt disruptive technologies, incubate them in the BOP markets with appropriate functionality and price points. This also needs innovative business models. One should not look at what is bad ( corruption) or what is missing ( western style institutions) in the BOP segment, but understand and serve their needs through innovative products and services through appropriate business processes.

This is essentially a combination of Prof. Clayton Christensen's disruptive innovations ( The Innovator's Dilemma) and the concept of BOP ( The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid - C.K. Prahalad ).

In my opinion the main take away in terms of an excellent framework for business strategy is the concept of "Sustainable Value Portfolio". Defining the Organization's internal capabilities and external constituencies on the horizontal axis, and managing today's business and tomorrow's business opportunity on the vertical axis, we get four quadrants on which companies can operate. Companies typically operate only on the quadrant of internal capabilities and today's business. This is an approach of incremental improvements and greening. The other quadrant below the horizontal axis is the concept of "extended supplier responsibility" or Product Stewardship taking full responsibility for the product including its recycling, in close interaction with existing customers.

To win in tomorrows world, companies need to operate in and fully leverage on internal capabilities to introduce successful disruptive technologies that can cater to the needs of the un-served four billion population( that will grow to about 8 billion by 2050), or B24B, in a manner that is environmentally sustainable. Companies that understand all the four quadrants well and progressively plan their product portfolio are the winners of tomorrow.

Take the automobile industry for example. The author clearly brings out that till the 1970's this industry produced vehicles that polluted the planet with total disregard to fuel efficiencies. Then the focus shifted to emission norms and recycling of used automobiles. A huge opportunity awaits this sector in exploiting disruptive technologies like hydrogen fuel cells and simultaneously use such technologies to offer low cost transportation in countries like India and China.

The book then gets into a detailed discussion on the BOP realities and the right business models to serve this huge market.

A classic by any account, I personally rate it as one amongst the top 10 business books on my bookshelf. One can feel the author's sense of commitment, deep understanding of and a passion for the topic in every page of the book.

What Capitalism Could Accomplish.......2006-01-16

This interesting and provocative book synthesizes several of the most influential ideas in modern business and distills a new idea: that disruptive innovation at the bottom of the pyramid will solve the crises of environmental pollution, business stagnation and international terrorism at the top. No one can accuse author Stuart L. Hart of thinking small or of lacking imagination. His big ideas are all in place. The only missing element, as he freely admits, is one small detail: how. Capitalism must take a new course, and it's pretty clear what the new course must be, but Hart presents only a vague notion of how businesspeople are to go about turning his vision into reality. We recommend that business leaders read this book anyway, because it will stimulate your thinking about what might be possible. Maybe you'll be the one to figure out how to make the difference.

Partner with Prahalad, Valuable Distinct Contribution.......2005-12-09

Edited to respect new information I did not have before, and thank the person making the comment. Also adding hot links.

The author, who gives full credit to C.K. Prahalad, has been a co-author with Prahalad and they are both credited with this brilliant vision for a new kind of moral capitalism that addresses the needs of the five billion poor.

This book should be viewed as a valuable distinct contribution in its own right, read read with Prahalad's book as well as a third book from Wharton, The Next Global Stage: The Challenges and Opportunities in Our Borderless World As I edit this, I am also remined of Paul Hawkin's Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming, and the forthcoming book by Medard Gabel, Seven Billion Billionaires, with a preview here at Where to find 4 billion new customers: expanding the world's marketplace; Smart companies looking for new growth opportunities should consider broadening ... consultant.: An article from: The Futurist

It also complements Yale Dean Garten's book, The Politics of Fortune: A New Agenda For Business Leaders which calls on business to be more responsible about the state of the world. All of these books contrast remarkably with William Greider's The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy, Clyde Prestowitz's Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions and and John Perkins' Confessions of an Economic Hit Man

The math is quite clear. Business had been focused on high profit margins from the top one billion, with disposable incomes on the order of $20K or so. The bottom of the pyramid, five billion people, with disposable incomes on average of no more than $10 a year, represent a four trillion dollar marketplace.

Where business has gone wrong is in being bureaucratic, immoral, corrupt, and focused on outputs for profit rather than listening for solutions that can be profitable (with low profit margins, very high volume, and transformative effect).

I believe that these two individuals could one day win the Nobel Peace Prize for their work, which could literally save the world. As Jonathan Schell tells us in The Unconquerable World: Power, Nonviolence, and the Will of the People there are not enough guns on the planet to keep these four billion dispossesed from impacting on us negatively. We can help them create indigenous stabilizing wealth in their home countries, or we can die with them as we all suffer the end of cheap oil, the end of free water, and the rise of pandemic disease.

This author is an extraordinary talent, equal to Prahalad. It merits comment that Wharton appears to have displaced Yale as a phenomenal publishing house. For me to find three world-class books on this topic, and for all of them to be from Wharton, is noteworthy.

Much Assailed Capitalism Is Probably the Only Answer.......2005-11-22

We live in a time when the very concept of Capitalism has come under attack from nearly every corner: the religious zeelots who think that only the study of God (THEIR God) should be done, the far left who believe that the Government should do everything, and on and on. Each can present stories of things that Government/Charity/Education or whatever has done better on some task. And they have - developing the Internet, wiping out smallpox - to name just two.

What capitalism brings is innovation into areas where Government would get all kinds of opposition from the various wings. Of one thing you can be sure, the future will not be like the past. We can't say just what problems the future holds, but innovation funded by people who have this idea about how they can get rich will be the answer. Yes, as this author says, it must be sustainable, it must be eco-sensitive.

We are running out of oil, to be sustainable will require a lot of innovation. We must be eco-sensitive, otherwise we all live in a cess pool. No one but capitalism can pull this off.

Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time, Book 10)

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If you must read it, get it at the library.
Surrounded by Enemies
I want my money back.
Very dissapointed
This book is not all that bad. In fact it's actually quite good.

Crossroads of Twilight (Wheel of Time, Book 10)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor Fantasy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0812571339
Release Date: 2003-11-25

Book Description

In the tenth book of he Wheel of Time from the New York Times #1 bestselling author Robert Jordan, the world and the characters stand at a crossroads, and the world approaches twilight, when the power of the Shadow grows stronger.Fleeing from Ebou Dar with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, whom he is fated to marry, Mat Cauthon learns that he can neither keep her nor let her go, not in safety for either of them, for both the Shadow and the might of the Seanchan Empire are in deadly pursuit.Perrin Aybara seeks to free his wife, Faile, a captive of the Shaido, but his only hope may be an alliance with the enemy. Can he remain true to his friend Rand and to himself? For his love of Faile, Perrin is willing to sell his soul.At Tar Valon, Egwene al'Vere, the young Amyrlin of the rebel Aes Sedai, lays siege to the heart of Aes Sedai power, but she must win quickly, with as little bloodshed as possible, for unless the Aes Sedai are reunited, only the male Asha'man will remain to defend the world against the Dark One, and nothing can hold the Asha'man themselves back from total power except the Aes Sedai and a unified White Tower.In Andor, Elayne Trakland fights for the Lion Throne that is hers by right, but enemies and Darkfriends surround her, plotting her destruction. If she fails, Andor may fall to the Shadow, and the Dragon Reborn with it.Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn himself, has cleansed the Dark One's taint from the male half of the True Source, and everything has changed. Yet nothing has, for only men who can channel believe that saidin is clean again, and a man who can channel is still hated and feared-even one prophesied to save the world. Now, Rand must gamble again, with himself at stake, and he cannot be sure which of his allies are really enemies.

Customer Reviews:

If you must read it, get it at the library........2007-09-27

Many, many reviewers have already lamented CoT's lack of plot development and bad writing, so I won't beat that horse. I started this series when I was a young teenager, and I loved the first few books. They were engaging, things happened, and it was a satisfying reading experience.

I'm past thirty now. My tastes have changed, but I still hold dear the fantasy genre even though I'm now well past the target demographic of pimply, slightly overweight gamers pulling all-nighters hopped up on soda and cheap pizza. My advice to those young elven rangers and giant-killing dwarves out there is to save your money on this series. Get the Wheel of Time series at your local library and buy different books from amazon, books that are worth the money. If we stop buying Jordan's schlock, maybe he (or his editors) will grab a clue, buckle down, and end this increasingly irrelevant tale.

Surrounded by Enemies.......2007-09-12

Robert Jordan's epic continues in this book with ever new plot twists and diabolical evil at every turn. Just when the protagonists seem to be settling in to their final positions for the "last battle" new developments turn everything around 180 degrees. I've been hooked on this series for only the past year - thankfully - no waiting a year for the next novel! As with all the others, this is a densely written adventure. It creates a world and characters with such detail that you are completely drawn in - the ultimate in escapism! After finishing a WOT book, I feel bereft for a few days, wondering how all the characters are getting along - they are real to me! The book would not stand on its own - but as a cog in the wheel (no pun intended) it serves its purpose admirably.

I want my money back........2007-08-29

I was a latecomer to the Wheel of Time. I obviously liked it, because I read ten books. This book felt like an episode of daytime television. Nothing meaningful happened, and I wondered if Jordan really means to keep writing the series until they nail his coffin shut. I actually took the book back to the store and demanded a refund. I have NEVER done that with a book before. I felt like I was being exploited by the author for his own pecuniary gain. Very disappointing. You see, I like Egwene and Rand and especially Perrin and the rest of the Scooby gang. And I want to see the story resolved, but I'm not going to read ten more books that don't do anything to get it. I compare this to say, Robin Hobb, who wrote nine books in the same world and somehow never bored me at all.

Very dissapointed.......2007-07-05

I really had a difficult time finishing this book and think it could have fit into one or two chapters in his next or last book. Leaves you with very little progress in the story and way too much discription of clothing instead of substance. His first few books were very good. Don't waste your money on this one. Hope the next one is better but I am reluctant to even buy it.

SV in TN

This book is not all that bad. In fact it's actually quite good........2007-04-24

I understand what many other reviewers have written, and that is that this book's pace is too slow. While I agree that its pace is slower than most of the other books, I don't see that as a problem. Life is like that, some days are slower than others. At the end of reading this book, I found that I had enjoyed the time spent once again in Mr. Jordan's world. To all of the negative reviewers out there I say, "Let's see you write something better." Probably less than 1% of them have ever had a book published if that many. The reading world can always use more great (and good) books out there, what it doesn't need is a bunch of whinners.

Knife of Dreams (The Wheel of Time, Book 11)

Average customer rating:

What happens now?
Captivating!
More enjoyable that past few
Stop before you Start
Book 11

Knife of Dreams (The Wheel of Time, Book 11)
Robert Jordan
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Epic | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

Crossroads of Twilight (The Wheel of Time, Book 10)
A Feast for Crows (A Song of Ice and Fire)
New Spring (A Wheel of Time Prequel Novel)
Winter's Heart (The Wheel of Time, Book 9)
Lord of Chaos (The Wheel of Time, Book 6)

ASIN: 0312873077
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Amazon.com

About the Author
Robert Jordan lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He is a graduate of the Citadel.

Amazon.com Exclusive Content

Amazon.com's Significant Seven
Robert Jordan kindly agreed to take the life quiz we like to give to all our authors: the Amazon.com Significant Seven.

Q: What book has had the most significant impact on your life?
A: The King James version of the Bible. That seems a cliche, but I can't think of any other book that has had as large an impact in shaping who I am.

Q: You are stranded on a desert island with only one book, one CD, and one DVD--what are they?
A: The one book would be whatever book I was currently writing. I mean, I hate falling behind in the work. The one CD would contain the best encyclopedia I could find on desert island survival. The DVD would contain as much of Beethoven, Mozart, and Duke Ellington as I could cram onto it.

Q: What is the worst lie you've ever told?
A: It's hard to think of one since I am genetically incapable of lying to women and that takes out 52% of the population right there.

Q: Describe the perfect writing environment.
A: Any place that has my computer, a CD player for music, a comfortable chair that won't leave me with a backache at the end of a long day, and very little interruption.

Q: If you could write your own epitaph, what would it say?
A: He kept trying to get better at it.

Q: Who is the one person living or dead that you would like to have dinner with?
A: My wife before anybody else on earth living or dead. That's a no-brainer.

Q: If you could have one superpower what would it be?
A: That depends. If I'm feeling altruistic, it would be the ability to heal anything with a touch, if that can be called a superpower. If I'm not feeling very altruistic, it would be the ability to read other people's minds, to finally be able to get to the bottom of what they really mean and what their motivations are.

See all books in the Wheel of Time series.

Book Description

The Wheel of Time turns, and Robert Jordan gives us the eleventh volume of his extraordinary masterwork of fantasy that has captured the imagination of millions.... The dead are walking, men die impossible deaths, and it seems as though reality itself has become unstable: All are signs of the imminence of Tarmon Gai'don, the Last Battle, when Rand al'Thor, the Dragon Reborn, must confront the Dark One as humanity's only hope. But Rand dares not fight until he possesses all the surviving seals on the Dark One's prison and has dealt with the Seanchan, who threaten to overrun all nations this side of the Aryth Ocean and increasingly seem too entrenched to be fought off. But his attempt to make a truce with the Seanchan is shadowed by treachery that may cost him everything. Whatever the price, though, he must have that truce. And he faces other dangers. There are those among the Forsaken who will go to any length to see him dead--and the Black Ajah is at his side...... Unbeknownst to Rand, Perrin has made his own truce with the Seanchan. It is a deal made with the Dark One, in his eyes, but he will do whatever is needed to rescue his wife, Faile, and destroy the Shaido who captured her. Among the Shaido, Faile works to free herself while hiding a secret that might give her her freedom or cause her destruction. And at a town called Malden, the Two Rivers longbow will be matched against Shaido spears. Fleeing Ebou Dar through Seanchan-controlled Altara with the kidnapped Daughter of the Nine Moons, Mat attempts to court the woman to whom he is half-married, knowing that she will complete that ceremony eventually. But Tuon coolly leads him on a merry chase as he learns that even a gift can have deep significance among the Seanchan Blood, and what he thinks he knows of women is not enough to save him. For reasons of her own, which she will not reveal until a time of her choosing, she has pledged not to escape, but Mat still sweats whenever there are Seanchan soldiers near. Then he learns that Tuon herself is in deadly danger from those very soldiers. To get her to safety, he must do what he hates worse than work...... In Caemlyn, Elayne fights to gain the Lion Throne while trying to avert what seems a certain civil war should she win the crown...... In the White Tower, Egwene struggles to undermine the sisters loyal to Elaida from within...... The winds of time have become a storm, and things that everyone believes are fixed in place forever are changing before their eyes. Even the White Tower itself is no longer a place of safety. Now Rand, Perrin and Mat, Egwene and Elayne, Nynaeve and Lan, and even Loial, must ride those storm winds, or the Dark One will triumph.

Customer Reviews:

What happens now?.......2007-10-06

Spent the summer deeply immersed in this series. Ran out to buy the next before I finished the last. Really hooked. Now what happens? No more Robert Jordan. This last one may not have been the best, but I'm really disappointed that we may never find out what happens to all those really great characters.....

Captivating!.......2007-10-03

This book as well as all the others in this series are captivating and great beyond an explanation.

More enjoyable that past few.......2007-10-01

It was great to read this book and realize that there is still a lot of life in Robert Jordan's writing. This book reignited the passion with this series that was kind of lost in the last two or three volumes. Clearly, there is a direction in which all the various plot lines are going and you can start seeing the convergence occuring as the world is preparing for "the last battle".

The world of The Wheel of Time was large and complex from the beginning. In this volume there are still many, many events that are going on and many of the various players are present and active. Several sub stories are reaching their climaxes or resolutions. For instance, Perrin succeeds in his attempt to rescue Faile and incidently we learn of the fall of the Shaido and at least one of the Black Ajah. This is accomplished with the help of the Seanchan who are turning in front of our eyes from this nameless, faceless, militaristic society into another group of people and fighters who will ultimately join Rand.

Mat and Tuon continue their bickering engagement and this lines comes to a close with the escape of the party from Seanchan lands and the revelation of Mat's skills as a general. Tuon learns to appreciate more of his qualities while resolving her own position and taking control of her part of the world - in WOT terms, taking off her veil.

Elaine's story is also resolved. She has her own set of complications to deal with and there is a fair amount of humor in how her pregnancy is being depicted. Egwene is given a brief stint in the book and her story continues to evolve, but at least this time she finds outwho her betrayer was and is making solid progress inside the White Tower. And so it goes.

It is clear that threads of the story are being wrapped up. It is also becoming clear how some of the storyline will evolve towards the end and several of the prophecies that get repeated on occasion as they are spoken in a riddle will get resolved.

Even though this is a large book of over 850 pages, there is not enough room for everyone so we see very little of Aviendha, Min, and several others. Hopefully, the twelfth volume will do more of the same and resolve more of the plots.

There were several area that are poorly done, in my opinion. We know that the Last Battle is coming and omens are appearing, but does it really need to be something as hackneyed as someone coughing up beetles as his insides are devoured? Much more original was the scene of the village of dead people, or the changes in the castles... Another poor choice was Rand's lose of his hand. Maybe because Robert Jordan saw Return of the Empire again?

I really enjoyed this book and had a hard time putting it down until it was completed. I certainly hope the next and final volume will be just as compelling. Unfortunately, there are rumors that Mr. Jordan has recently died so I am not sure who will finish the story and how long it will take to complete. Nonetheless, I will read it when/if it comes out.

Stop before you Start.......2007-09-26

Robert Jordan has passed away, so those of you who have read the 11 books in the series will never see it completed by Mr. Jordan. He was at work on the 12th and not final book of the series when he died. I guess it is possible that another author might take up the mantle to finish up the series. Mr. Jordan seemed unlikely to ever to do it himself. I did not care for this long rambling series, but I did like Jordan's writing and his imagination. This seems to be a rough patch for fantasy writers the past few years, David Gemmell, Angus Wells and Robert Jordan to name a few well known to have passed on.

Book 11.......2007-09-19

The story is still too slow in developing. Maybe the last book will finally clear up all the unanswered questions.

Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California (American Crossroads)

Average customer rating:

Lots of Good Stuff
bought for another
A disappointment
An excellent book...a must read!

Golden Gulag: Prisons, Surplus, Crisis, and Opposition in Globalizing California (American Crossroads)
Ruth Wilson Gilmore
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Criminology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Penology | Crime & Criminals | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Forced Passages: Imprisoned Radical Intellectuals and the U.S. Prison Regime
Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis
Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination
Pedagogies of Crossing: Meditations on Feminism, Sexual Politics, Memory, and the Sacred (Perverse Modernities)
Are Prisons Obsolete?

ASIN: 0520242017

Book Description

Since 1980, the number of people in U.S. prisons has increased more than 450%. Despite a crime rate that has been falling steadily for decades, California has led the way in this explosion, with what a state analyst called "the biggest prison building project in the history of the world." Golden Gulag provides the first detailed explanation for that buildup by looking at how political and economic forces, ranging from global to local, conjoined to produce the prison boom.
In an informed and impassioned account, Ruth Wilson Gilmore examines this issue through statewide, rural, and urban perspectives to explain how the expansion developed from surpluses of finance capital, labor, land, and state capacity. Detailing crises that hit California's economy with particular ferocity, she argues that defeats of radical struggles, weakening of labor, and shifting patterns of capital investment have been key conditions for prison growth. The results--a vast and expensive prison system, a huge number off incarcerated young people of color, and the increase in punitive justice such as the "three strikes" law--pose profound and troubling questions for the future of California, the United States, and the world. Golden Gulag provides a rich context for this complex dilemma, and at the same time challenges many cherished assumptions about who benefits and who suffers from the state's commitment to prison expansion.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of Good Stuff.......2007-05-13

As a researcher in criminology and recidivism, this book proved to be very helpful!

bought for another.......2007-02-19

i purchased for a friend who is an inmate

he has praised the book to me

A disappointment.......2007-02-04

This book could have used an editor. I struggled through 200 of the 250 pages (before the notes at the end) before giving up. I was hoping to read an inside account of how the prison unions gained power to promote the building of more prisons, or perhaps an in-depth review of how politicians manipulated the public to be tough on crime. Instead, I find a hard to follow mish-mash of various vaguely related topics (farm worker struggles in the central valley, problems in Latin America, etc.). Although never outright stated, it seems her main conclusion is that California built all these prisons, and then toughened the laws to fill them, because the state wanted to develop land in rural areas. Huh? Could it be that that instead no one else wanted prisons near them, and rural locations were the only place they would be accepted, partly because locals were more interested in the prison jobs? And if this is the conclusion, one would think there would be some analysis disproving that it wasn't politicians getting tough on crime first, and overcrowding then driving the building of prisons in rural areas, rather than the other way around.

The other problem is that the writing appears like someone trying to sound important, rather than trying to explain something. The sentence structure was difficult to follow, with too many adjectives, etc. Here is an example from page 54: "The pivotal verb 'to reproduce' signifies the broad array of political, economic, cultural, and biological capacities a society uses to renew itself daily, seasonally, generationally." Also, the constant quotes in the middle of the text, apparently to give the air of authority missing in the text itself, was distracting. Why not use footnotes? An example from page 43: "The location of defense and other high-technology jobs (Soja 1989; Oliver et al. 1993) exacerbated the state's residential and income segregation (Walters 1992; Mike Davis 1990; Bullard et al. 1994).

There are a few good points buried in this book. For example, the point that California politicians got tough on crime at a time when crime had already started to decline for two years. Or the fact that the definition of crime determines how many criminals there are - an increasing crime rate doesn't necessarily mean an increase in crime, it can simply reflect a change in the definition of what is a crime (possession of smaller amounts of drugs, etc.). Or that the determinate sentencing we now have was partly a result of prisoners suing to be treated equally under the parole rules, with a very unintended consequence. I wish the book had focused on aspects like these, and had been written in easier to follow language.

An excellent book...a must read!.......2006-12-30

Ruthie Gilmore's examination of California's prison-industrial complex paints a sobering portrait of the effects of the state's post-industrial decline in the past quarter century. Supplemented by numerous charts, maps, and statistics, Gilmore argues that the massive prison-building project that began in the early 1980s was rooted in earlier developments, namely the failure of the "welfare-warfare state" to absorb the numerous surpluses created by political and economic restructuring. Combining theory and historical-sociological analysis, this highly readable book is at once depressing and optimistic; it lays out the facts and guidelines for pursuing meaningful, antiracist struggles against the systemic dehumanization of immigrants, low-wage workers, and youths of color that continues to characterize U.S. political culture.

Women at the Crossroads: A Prostitute Community's Response to AIDS in Urban Senegal

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Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book 1998

Women at the Crossroads: A Prostitute Community's Response to AIDS in Urban Senegal
M. Lewis Renaud
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

AIDS & HIV | Diseases | Medicine | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 9056995316

Book Description

HIV ravaged the African continent faster and earlier than any other in the world, spreading primarily through unprotected heterosexual sex. Kaolack, Senegal is a town where travelers and prostitutes converge, and HIV transmission rates have soared, especially among the prostitutes. Going beyond empirical analysis of risk/behavior data, Women at the Crossroads tells the stories of these women in their own words.
The women portrayed keep their profession a secret from their families and friends, but abide by Senegalese law which states that prostitution is legal for those who register with the police and undergo bi-monthly health examinations. By observing one clinic's successful AIDS education campaign, anthropologist Michelle Renaud demonstrates that information presented in a culturally appropriate manner can, in fact, achieve the difficult goal of behavior change. Although these women claim to be trapped by the social and political forces that have led them to enter prostitution, Renaud

Customer Reviews:

Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Book 1998.......1999-01-30

This book was recently selected as an Outstanding Academic Book 1998 by Choice Magazine.

Average customer rating:

Finally...an honest, down to earth book on finding direction in life

EMBRACING DESTINY'S CROSSROADS
Lucile Stephens Richardson
Manufacturer: Xulon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1600343864

Book Description

"Embracing Destiny's Crossroads" is: The unveiling of the author's real life journey that goes beyond her autobiography in revealing simple life's lessons on what to do when reaching crossroads in your life.

Customer Reviews:

Finally...an honest, down to earth book on finding direction in life.......2007-04-08

Who has not, at one time or other in life, wondered why they were where they were and whether they had made the right or wrong decision? Embracing Destiny's Crossroads helps the reader to gain insight and understanding of why some things happen in life. There are times in life when one regrets the decisions that were made. Dr. Richardson, by sharing real life experiences from her own journey in life, is able to help the reader not only gain an understanding of the purpose behind some of what happens in life but uses her years of experience as a teacher to teach the reader how to pick up and move on, embracing what has happened as a stepping stone to what awaits. What I appreciated most about the book was that it was so down to earth and honest that I felt like Dr. Richardson was sitting right in my living room having a conversation with me. Infact, I normally read a book over several weeks. I read Embracing Destiny's Crossroads in two days. Its one of those books which once you start reading, its hard to put down. I respect Dr. Richardson for being very open about some very difficult and personal details of her life.

America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy

Average customer rating:

The history of the neoconservative movement and its hijacking.
Required Reading
Anarchistically arrogant
Interesting and formidable reading
fake bait and an empty hook

America at the Crossroads: Democracy, Power, and the Neoconservative Legacy

Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

U.S. | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21stCentury
Cobra II: The Inside Story of the Invasion and Occupation of Iraq
The End of History and the Last Man
The Cold War : A New History
The Case For Goliath: How America Acts As The World's Government in the Twenty-first Century

ASIN: 0300122535

Book Description

Francis Fukuyama’s criticism of the Iraq war put him at odds with neoconservative friends both within and outside the Bush administration. Here he explains how, in its decision to invade Iraq, the Bush administration failed in its stewardship of American foreign policy. First, the administration wrongly made preventive war the central tenet of its foreign policy. In addition, it badly misjudged the global reaction to its exercise of “benevolent hegemony.” And finally, it failed to appreciate the difficulties involved in large-scale social engineering, grossly underestimating the difficulties involved in establishing a successful democratic government in Iraq.
Fukuyama explores the contention by the Bush administration’s critics that it had a neoconservative agenda that dictated its foreign policy during the president’s first term. Providing a fascinating history of the varied strands of neoconservative thought since the 1930s, Fukuyama argues that the movement’s legacy is a complex one that can be interpreted quite differently than it was after the end of the Cold War. Analyzing the Bush administration’s miscalculations in responding to the post–September 11 challenge, Fukuyama proposes a new approach to American foreign policy through which such mistakes might be turned around—one in which the positive aspects of the neoconservative legacy are joined with a more realistic view of the way American power can be used around the world.

Customer Reviews:

The history of the neoconservative movement and its hijacking........2007-09-04

OK, I am not a neoconservative. However, I wanted to know a little more about this movement since many in the Administration are deemed neoconservatives. Fukuyama makes his point that real neoconservatives didn't want to go to war in Iraq. An element of the neoconservative movement made that decision much to the dismay of most leading members. He then cites the reasons why the Iraq War was not on the neoconservative agenda. I am not sure his different shadings of political movements made sense. What does make sense are the wrong reasons we went to war in Iraq.

This is a politics book and attempts to put a political label on what neoconservatives, conservatives, and liberals are. I am not sure we can put everybody in a political category. However, the book gave me a somewhat better idea what neoconservatives stand for on the foreign policy agenda of this country.

Required Reading.......2007-09-02

The past success of Francis Fukuyama has created high expectations for each new book and he does not disappoint us with America at the Crossroads. The book is an excellent primer for understanding the state of the foreign policy of the United States. The scope of this work is more narrow and focused than his classic The End of History and the Last Man, which is arguably one of the greatest non-fiction books of the twentieth century.

This new work is focused on American foreign policy after September 11th. The contentious and confusing topic is expertly analyzed and explained by Fukuyama in a manner that is understandable to the layperson, yet thorough and complex. It is a thought-provoking analysis that is unusually non-partisan. Extremists from both the left and right political circles will not find countenance in this book. Professor Fukuyama is astutely fair in his criticism of the Bush Administration and, yet, carefully realistic on what the U.S. options are in fighting Islamic terrorism.

This book is highly recommended to anyone who wants to broaden their understanding of the foreign policy matters. It should be required reading by all presidential candidates and the media who cover those candidates. It is a rarity to find this combination of complexity, evenhandedness, and readability in one book.

Anarchistically arrogant.......2007-07-13

With The End of History and The Last Man, Fukuyama provided neo-conservatives and their political acolytes with the academic legitimacy they did not have otherwise. So the world and history was no longer moving thanks to the free play of its inner contradictions but it had reached its end. Fukuyama, fifteen years later, does not criticize this basic idea of his, but criticizes the neo-conservatives who turned this anti-historical pronunciamento into the policy that led to the Iraq catastrophe. Fukuyama is thus totally unaware of his responsibility. But he shows clearly how Iraq has become a major mistake and hence a major hindrance and handicap in the aftermath of Iraq. But he does not change his idea that America is the only superpower in the world, not understanding the change occurring right now under our own eyes with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization that brings together, among others, Russia, China, India, Kazakhstan, etc. He still goes on advocating that the US has the sole responsibility in the world to promote democracy. Yet he concedes two points. That has to be done through rather homogeneous coalitions, not understanding the world has to be managed collectively with and by everyone. He also concedes that democracy and regime change has to come from within a country and not from outside. And yet he advocates the voluntary association of some states around the US to promote and impose the US point of view and interest. He even goes one wide step further by considering the UN should be sidetracked and replaced by an array of organizations that would overlap over one another. The examples he defends are the International Organization for Standards (ISO) and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), two absolutely opaque and non-transparent organizations bringing together private interests and enabling these to establish their rules and impose their power. ICANN is an archetypical case since it only depends on the US Commerce Department and it regulates the Internet through extensions and addresses. Fukuyama forgets to state what ICANN did at the beginning of the War on Iraq at the demand of Washington: it clicked the extension "iq" out, grounding all internet relation inside or from Iraq and all internet relation from outside Iraq into the country. It erased Iraq off the map of the Internet and global communication. And this imperialistic approach is consistently repeated from beginning to end in this book, even if it seems to consider the war on Iraq and the global war against terror were two fundamental mistakes. He is so far away from reality that he scholastically asserts that Moslem militants are young people born from Arab immigrants in poor and deprived suburbs in Europe, themselves being poor, deprived and largely uneducated, as if the French had not seen highly trained technicians moving into these groups as soon as the late 1980s and as if Glasgow and London did not reveal that place of highly educated people in these groups. And the conclusion he borrows from Madeleine Albright is typical of his own stance: "Americans deserve to lead because they can `see further' than other people." This is plainly vain and can turn into arrogance in no time.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine & University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne

Interesting and formidable reading .......2007-05-14

This is a dense book on political theory. It covers the origins and future direction of the neoconservative movement. Primarily a personal essay by analyst (and former neocon supporter) Francis Fukuyama, it meanders, digresses and, at times, makes a call for action. He includes enough academic material to make both interesting and formidable reading, even for those with a serious interest in government. This is not about everyday politics, but about underlying ideas and concepts, although the author does not clearly state what he thinks will happen after the neoconservatives are removed from power - or even how soon, or if, that might happen. He reserves his recommendations for the last chapter, but the book's opaque presentation and unfortunately stilted language blunt his usual bite about the role of the neoconservative movement. We recommend this book primarily to those who have followed Fukuyama's earlier works or who are very interested in political theory. Serious poly sci students will find it rich and substantive.

fake bait and an empty hook.......2007-01-29

I am both impressed and disappointed with Fukuyama's latest work. What impresses me is Fukuyama's incredibly extensive knowledge of American history (including the history of American ideas) and his savvy with respect to American foreign policy. In America at the Crossroads he shows his brilliance as an astute critic of neoconservatism and the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war. I reckon I must be impressed with what is in the book. My disappointment, then, must be owed to what is not in the book; namely, a robust alternative to neoconservative ideology, which Fukuyama promises in the introduction, but never delivers.

The Crossroad (Amish Country Crossroads #2)

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The Crossroad
Sequel to the postcard
A fitting end indeed
Blindness Mended by Love
Very enjoyable read

The Crossroad (Amish Country Crossroads #2)
Beverly Lewis
Manufacturer: Bethany House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Romance | Fiction | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads #1)
October Song
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The Sunroom

ASIN: 0764222120
Release Date: 1999-11-01

Book Description

A Captivating Tale Set in the Heart of Amish Country!

After the dramatic conclusion to his discovery of a long-lost postcard, journalist Philip Bradley simply cannot forget the Amish people he met while on assignment in Pennsylvania particularly Rachel Yoder and her young daughter, Annie. Rachel's cheerful outlook, in spite of her blindness, and her appealing, uncomplicated lifestyle beckon Philip amid the high-paced existence of his New York career.

Philip's newfound knowledge of the true reason for Rachel's loss of sight spurs him on to uncover what he can about the possibility for a cure. In Lancaster County, Rachel has her own ideas about the way her vision might be restored, and it doesn't include the local healer and his black box. Now, Rachel firmly believes the God she serves is the only One who can grant her sight, but as the memories of the trauma she suffered begin to resurface, Rachel questions whether she can bear the agonizing road to recovery.

Drawn back to Lancaster County over the Christmas holidays, Philip struggles with the vast gulf separating him from the beautiful Plain woman. Rachel has suffered unbearable heartache; will his growing affection for her only bring more of the same? Or must Philip and Rachel sacrifice a future together for the sake of all they know and love?

Customer Reviews:

The Crossroad .......2007-08-23

This was a great book well written. I could not put it down I read the whole book in one day. I Love Beverly Lewis books. I had read one and I am hooked I am now in the process of trying to get all of her books to read.

Sequel to the postcard.......2005-09-09

The sequel of the Post Card. From an ordinary post card to a life of two people who are from different worlds. Read to see how they are brought together.

A fitting end indeed.......2005-05-14

This book is the perfect sequel (and conclusion) to the story of Rachel Yoder and Philip Bradley.
It left no end untied, no strings hanging, and basically ended on a very high note.
What more can I say? Read it!

Blindness Mended by Love.......2004-10-31

An amazing read and a real page turner. Philip has to return to New York and the hustle and the bustle. Rachel learning to cope with her blindness and her mother's urging to visit with the local healer and his black box.

Philip while home begins to research about Rachel's self-inflicted blindness and how to bring her eyesight back.

He returns to Lancaster county for Christmas to see if he can help Rachel regain her sight. And to see if the feelings he has for her are reciprocated. Trying to bridge the gap that has separated them is no easy task but Philip is willing to try anything. Among the people he tries to live but finds it very hard.

Rachel's parents aren't much help either. Trying to keep their daughter safe from outsiders they practically shun him.

Philip and Rachel are relucent to see where these feelings could lead them and unsure of how their two worlds could mesh together. Neither share with each other what is in their hearts. Until a visit with a friend shows Philip that he need to tell Rachel everything he feels for her.

Very enjoyable read.......2002-11-17

This pair of books about a traditional Amish family and a modern man was an enjoyable read.(The Postcard and The Crossroads) Lots of human interest, a little mystery, and insight into another culture.

Crossroads: The Multicultural Roots of America's Popular Music with Audio CD (2nd Edition)

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Highly recommended!

Crossroads: The Multicultural Roots of America's Popular Music with Audio CD (2nd Edition)
Elizabeth F. Barkley
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0131930737

Book Description

Innovative and lively, this comparative and integrative study of the multicultural music of the United States explores the music of Native Americans, European Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans–the five broad groups that constitute American society and that have complex, unique, and often intermingled musical traditions that are reflected in contemporary American music. It features a blended historical/social, ethnic, and musical approach; strong contemporary focus; and coverage of a wide variety of musical styles. Music in Multicultural America. Native American Music Traditions. The Roots of European/Anglo-American Music Traditions. The Roots of African American Music Traditions. The Roots of Hispanic/Latino Music Traditions. The Blues. Jazz. Gospel. Cajun and Zydeco. Country. The Urban Folk Revival. The Ethnic and Racial Roots of Rock 'n' Roll. Motown, Soul and Funk. Tejano, Banda, and Contemporary Mexican. Caribbean and Salsa. Asian American Music. Hip-Hop and Rap. For anyone interested in American Popular Music.

Customer Reviews:

Highly recommended!.......2006-09-07

This lively and accessible book explores the musical traditions of five broad groups - Native Americans, European Americans, African Americans, Latino Americans, and Asian Americans - with particular interest in how those multicultural roots have intermingled to create contemporary American music.

Along the way, author Elizabeth Barkley achieves a near impossible feat: presenting concise and candid histories of each cultural group, in addition to equally concise and clear explanations of the stylistic elements of their music. These elements are reinforced by the companion CD, which provides 18 listening examples with commentary.

My only criticism is that the book suffers from inattentive editing. For example, the first citation in Chapter One is "Ibid." Several photo captions apparently include layout notations not intended for readers' eyes, sometimes to a mildly humorous effect. The content deserves better.

Though designed for college students with no prior musical training, this book will be invaluable to high school and college music teachers wanting to infuse more diversity into their coursework, or for social studies teachers wanting to infuse more popular culture. I would also recommend it to those specifically interested in African American music since - not surprisingly - about half the chapters touch on it in one way or another. Highly recommended!

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