Book Description
The world's leading expert on the global software industry and coauthor of the bestseller Microsoft Secrets reveals the inner workings of software giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Netscape and shows what it takes to create, develop, and manage a successful company -- in good times and bad -- in the most fiercely competitive business in the world.
In the $600 billion software industry it is the business, not the technology, that determines success or failure. This fact -- one that thousands of once glamorous start-ups have unhappily discovered for themselves -- is the well-documented conclusion of this enormously readable and revealing new book by Michael Cusumano, based on nearly twenty years of research and consulting with software producers around the world.
Cusumano builds on dozens of personal experiences and case studies to show how issues of strategy and organization are irrevocably linked with those of managing the technology and demonstrates that a thorough understanding of these issues is vital to success. At the heart of the book Cusumano poses seven questions that underpin a three-pronged management framework. He argues that companies must adopt one of three basic business models: become a products company at one end of the strategic spectrum, a services company at the other end, or a hybrid solutions company in between. The author describes the characteristics of the different models, evaluates their strengths and weaknesses, and shows how each is more or less appropriate for different stages in the evolution of a business as well as in good versus bad economic times. Readers will also find invaluable Cusumano's treatment of software development issues ranging from architecture and teams to project management and testing, as well as two chapters devoted to what it takes to create a successful software start-up. Highlights include eight fundamental guidelines for evaluating potential software winners and Cusumano's probing analysis, based on firsthand knowledge, of ten start-ups that have met with varying degrees of success.
The Business of Software is timely essential reading for managers, programmers, entrepreneurs, and others who follow the global software industry.
Download Description
"The world's leading expert on the global software industry and coauthor of the bestseller Microsoft Secrets reveals the inner workings of software giants like IBM, Microsoft, and Netscape and shows what it takes to create, develop, and manage a successful company, in good times and bad, in the most fiercely competitive business in the world. In the $600 billion software industry it is the business, not the technology, that determines success or failure. This fact, one that thousands of once glamorous start-ups have unhappily discovered for themselves, is the well-documented conclusion of this enormously readable and revealing new book by Michael Cusumano, based on nearly twenty years of research and consulting with software producers around the world. Cusumano builds on dozens of personal experiences and case studies to show how issues of strategy and organization are irrevocably linked with those of managing the technology and demonstrates that a thorough understanding of these issues is vital to success. At the heart of the book Cusumano poses seven questions that underpin a three-pronged management framework. He argues that companies must adopt one of three basic business models: become a products company at one end of the strategic spectrum, a services company at the other end, or a hybrid solutions company in between. The author describes the characteristics of the different models, evaluates their strengths and weaknesses, and shows how each is more or less appropriate for different stages in the evolution of a business as well as in good versus bad economic times. Readers will also find invaluable Cusumano's treatment of software development issues ranging from architecture and teams to project management and testing, as well as two chapters devoted to what it takes to create a successful software start-up.
Customer Reviews:
Awesome !.......2007-07-20
Cusumano shows us what we, IT professionals, should know about business of software. He also shows us, in a very simple manner, what we must really know about software and its value chain.
Excellent book.......2007-05-01
This book is like a text book. Excellent source of information. Too much emphasis on Microsoft but when this book was written, Microsoft was at the top of their field.
Great insight into the world of enterprise software business.......2007-01-08
Well written, detailed, and insightful, best describe this book. Very helpful for any ISV or software product development manager. Cusamano, having served many of the companies he chronicles in this book, provides a uniquely human "insiders look" into the heart of these monolithic software titans. His insight and clear understanding of trends and business models in the often obscured and esoteric space of enterprise software is incredibly helpful to any "little guy" eager to learn how the "big guys" do it.
Excellent Read.......2006-03-31
The Business of Software is an excellent read and growth tool for seasoned practitioners. Organized in three major sections it explores:
(1) Product vs. services vs. hybrid software organizations' strengths and weaknesses, and how they can change over time (think about your company...!).
(2) Software development strategies and outcomes. At first glance, this section seems less relevant - until you find yourself defending why your latest release is waaaaay late... There are some excellent ideas here that can apply to the creation and roll-out of "core" demos.
(3) Entrepreneurship - successes, failures, and ongoing question marks - the author explores what key factors contribute to the end result. The case studies at the end of this section can serve as virtual mirrors onto one's own organization.
This is good and useful reading, particularly for those who seek to move upwards in their organizations or are contemplating joining a new or emerging company.
Book's value is in provactive questions.......2006-03-13
The most useful sections for technology marketers are in Chapter 2 about strategy, where Cusumano asks provocative questions that will give you a new way of looking at your products, services and company direction.
Also useful is Chapter 4 on best practices, which will give you some benchmarks for comparing your operations and development activities to industry leaders.
Much of the book focuses on presenting detailed analysis of the rise and fall of companies during the technology boom and bust in recent years. The stories can be interesting, but it seems to me that information is getting dated given the challenges that face technology companies today.
Book Description
A Girl's Guide to Growing Up
Being a girl is a lot of fun most of the time. But some days are really difficult. Dealing with a body that is changing before everyone's eyes, increasing amounts of schoolwork, boys, other girls, friends, makeup, clothing, parents. Wow! Life as a preteen or early-teen girl is tough, and that's why every girl has questions about growing up. Fortunately, now you have some help.
Girls: What's So Bad About Being Good? is your new guide to surviving those trying times and feeling good about yourself in the end. Inside, a mom and her daughter—who's about the same age as you—team up to help you figure out what's really important in life and how you can become the person you want to be. You'll find some great ways to handle emotional issues and deal with daily crises as you discover how to:
·Develop a positive self-image
·Maintain healthy relationships with parents, friends, and boys
·Deal with peer pressure, bullies, brats, and violence
·Dream big and turn those dreams into reality!
·And so much more!
"A lively, relevant, and valuable resource that can not only empower but also help girls keep open the lines of communication with the important adults in their lives."
—Marty Evans, national executive director, Girl Scouts of the USA
"A great book for preteen girls! The best of both worlds with the smarts of a mom and a daughter!"
—Karen Bokram, editor in chief, Girls' Life magazine
Customer Reviews:
great book for and "interesting" time.......2007-01-09
What a great book this is - I bought it for my daughter who is at an age where she has lots of questions - some easy to ask, some not. This book has provided a save place for those questions along with work sheets to get her "journaling". I have and will recommend this book to my friends with daughters this age (11+).
Highly recommended.......2004-05-27
I have been reviewing books for girls who are in their preteen years. The interactive book I like best is "Girls: What's so Bad about being Good?" (Authors: Harriet Mosatche and 12 year-old daughter Liz Lawner). The format is teen friendly and inviting. A wide range of topics will captivate young readers. The book is written in a format that will guide and encourage young women to make positive choices. Highly recommended.
Excellent Book.......2001-08-18
This book has everything I was looking for. The best part was that the information was down to earth, stuff I can actually use in my life. When I had my copy at camp, all the other girls kept grabbing it so they could read it too!
Read this Great Advice Book.......2001-07-07
I just finished reading this book, and really loved the fact that you can get advice from a mom and a daughter. The book is funny, has lots of stuff to do, and has loads of interesting and very useful information. The authors really understand kids my age.
Book Description
Imagine you're a young boy—maybe as young as three or four—separated from your family by civil war, traversing deserts and mountains with little food or water, no medical care, and no protection from wild animals. Imagine watching hundreds of boys perish around you from hunger, disease, or attacks by enemy soldiers and wild animals. To most of us, it is unimaginable, but this was reality for "The Lost Boys of Sudan," thousands of young boys who were separated from their families and forced to walk approximately 1,000 miles to reach safe refuge from war and certain death.
For the first time, this award winning book offers readers a chronological timeline of the epic journey taken by these children, beginning in their rural villages of Southern Sudan and ending with their arrival as young men to the United States. Narrated through the voice of Joan Hecht, one of their American mentors, whom they lovingly call "mom" or "Mama Joan;" "The Journey of the Lost Boys" is a compelling story of courage, faith and the sheer determination to survive by a group of young orphaned boys. Because of Joan Hecht's personal relationship with them, she is able to portray their story in a way that most famous reporters and authors cannot. In addition to her extensive research of the political and historical events surrounding the long lasting civil war in Sudan, are the heart-rending personal stories and original drawings of the boys themselves. A must read for anyone interested in the the true story of the Lost Boys of Sudan!
Customer Reviews:
The tragedy of the children of Sudan.......2007-03-31
I can only summarize my comment about this book in a few words. The author Joan Hecht did a wonderful task in narrating the frightening and heartbreaking experience of the thousands of lost boys of the Sudan,Africa's largest country. Their dangerous journey involving thousands of miles in a very hostile landscape is incredible. The author's very kind heart,sincere consideration and admiration for these children is worth more than all the gold of the world. Very highly recommended for young and old.
Learning about Sudan? START HERE.......2006-10-15
This is the book you need to read if you are unfamiliar with the background of the issues in Sudan, the Lost Boys, and the issues faced by refugees who come to America. Ms. Hecht might not be an " academic", but she is the person with an enormous amount of first hand information on these subjects, and she breaks it down into managable pieces. Even if you are knowledgable on these subjects, this book is still useful as a clarifying tool. Ms. Hecht is also very committed, and that comes through on every page.
OUTSTANDING BOOK .......2006-08-11
Readers of this book will be touched by the stories of these incredible young men, who, at an early age, were separated from their parents and families. The atrocities witnessed by the boys are unspeakable. The author has provided the readers with stories that make those who have lived a life without fear take a new appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.
A good term paper.......2006-07-26
The endless conflict in Sudan is another calamity that the press should have been bombarding us with daily for years. A tragedy of such dimensions should torment our collective conscience. This is exactly why it deserves a better telling than Ms. Hecht is able to offer us. The writing is amateurish and the text cries out for the editing it appears not to have been subjected to. Easy streamlining and the correction of some grammatical errors would make the book more readable and more powerful. Ms. Hecht's devotion to the cause of the Lost Boys is clearly sincere and praiseworthy, however, and she does deserve thanks for contributing to making us aware of the atrocities that go on in the world while we turn the other way.
An accurate, heartfelt and well-written account.......2006-06-28
Joan Hecht's "Journey" is in this reviewer's opinion the most interesting and accurate book available on the topic of the Lost Boys. As a former foster father to one of the lost boys and a fellow author and researcher, I recommend the book without hesitation. It presents an extraordinarily complicated situation in a manner that is comprehensible, fascinating and accurate. It gives the reader a true sense of the horror, courage and hope that has gripped a generation of young Sudanese men.
For its rare photos, clear and organized presentation and sincere prose, I highly recommend this informative and inspiring book and thank the author for her outstanding efforts.
Amazon.com
"We are ... at the brink of a new age: what some experts call catastrophic terrorism," write Michael T. Osterholm (an epidemiologist) and John Schwartz (a Washington Post science reporter) at the start of this slim volume. What's more, "the United States is not doing enough to prepare." Smallpox, anthrax, bubonic plague--a smart terrorist could use any of these deadly diseases to wreak havoc on thousands or even millions of Americans. Yet there aren't enough antibiotics and vaccines in stockpile, public-health facilities can't handle a "surge," and most law enforcement agencies have no idea how to cope with a crisis. "I do not believe it is a question of whether a lone terrorist or terrorist group will use infectious disease agents to kill unsuspecting citizens; I'm convinced it's really just a question of when and where," writes Osterholm in the introduction.
Books about disease and bioterrorism have become a subgenre in recent years, following the popular success of Richard Preston's The Hot Zone and Ken Alibek's Biohazard. Living Terrors probably provides the best quick-and-dirty guide to the problem for lay readers, with its harrowing descriptions of why certain diseases are so fatal and its clear assessment of America's disturbing vulnerabilities. Each chapter begins with a fictionalized account of how an attack might occur. In one, Osterholm and Schwartz write of a disgruntled scientist who loads anthrax into a crop-duster and flies over a crowded stadium. The authors believe this kind of sensationalism is completely warranted, given the nature of the threat and federal government's lackadaisical response to it. The point, they say, is "to warn you that the threat of biological terrorism is real without frightening you out of your wits. Instead, we hope to frighten you into your wits." --John J. Miller
Book Description
America is one killer organism away from a living nightmare that threatens all we hold dear....
A deadly cloud of powdered anthrax spores settles unnoticed over a crowded football stadium.... A school cafeteria lunch is infected with a drug-resistant strain of E. coli.... Thousands in a bustling shopping mall inhale a lethal mist of smallpox, turning each individual into a highly infectious agent of suffering and death....
Dr. Michael Osterholm knows all too well the horrifying scenarios he describes. In this eye-opening account, the nation’s leading expert on bioterrorism sounds a wake-up call to the terrifying threat of biological attack — and America’s startling lack of preparedness.
He demonstrates the havoc these silent killers can wreak, exposes the startling ease with which they can be deployed, and asks probing questions about America’s ability to respond to such attacks.
Are most doctors and emergency rooms able to diagnose correctly and treat anthrax, smallpox, and other potential tools in the bioterrorist’s arsenal? Is the government developing the appropriate vaccines and treatments?
The answers are here in riveting detail — what America has and hasn’t done to prevent the coming bioterrorist catastrophe. Impeccably researched, grippingly told,
Living Terrors presents the unsettling truth about the magnitude of the threat. And more important, it presents the ultimate insider’s prescription for change: what we must do as a nation to secure our freedom, our future, our lives.
Customer Reviews:
Armageddon.......2007-08-26
This book by Michael Osterholm is extreamly hard to put down. I have had the privilege of knowing the author because of having somewhat similar backgrounds regarding microbes and other disease producing agents. My respect for Mike is his distinct ability to get his message across both lucidly and with much gravity. All who read this book should heed it's message loud and clear!
Great for hypochodriacs.......2005-05-27
While Dr. Osterholm's suggestions for improvements to the nations biological defense were ingenious and visionary, the rest of the text was to sensational for me to take seriously. The examples of biological attacks were so dramatic that at points I was laughing. The terrorists had some how bypassed all safeties in place without any effort which would not be the case for a large scale attack. Just read "Silent Death" or "Biohazard" and you would understand the difficulty in the types of attacks he was describing.
Yes, there have been bioterrorist attacks in the U.S. but none of the scale he is describing. He doesnt seem to understand the destinction between biological warfare and bioterrorism that he says he is trying to make. There is a real threat and his underlying message is an important one but the approach was meant to shock instead of to teach.
If your interested in biological weapons or warfare I would suggest "Germs" or "Biohazard" instead. They take them selves more seriously and the detailed accounts of actual biological attacks is more frightening then anything that can be made up.
Excellent, but far behind the times.......2004-02-17
This book presents threat scenarios, and it also presents an 8 point program.
Flatly, Dr. Osterholm doesn't go NEARLY far enough. This prescription and Dr. Osterholm's exposition of threat is far behind the times. I could understand the threat exposition not presenting the leading edge, however, his 8 point program is, today, a Potemkin perimeter. False security is worse than none at all.
Those physicians who think Osterholm is out there in the hype zone just don't understand what the march of science and technology is creating. Let us hope that we are so lucky as to only face a smallpox epidemic or, luckier yet, an anthrax attack. We could survive those.
Understand, I absolutely do not want to see any such thing occur at any level. I am simply pointing out that in todays world the scenarios Dr. Osterholm has presented are relatively minor and his program is grossly inadequate.
A fascinating book on bioterrorism.......2002-12-31
Published in 2000, this prescient book presents the authors' suggestion that the United States will inevitably be attacked with biological agents, and that not enough is being done to prepare for that eventuality. Well, a year later, the first serious bioterrorist attack was indeed launched.
This book studies what agents might be used in a biological attack, how, by whom, what the U.S. government has done, and what it must do. Each chapter begins with part of a bioterrorist scenario, showing how easy and frighteningly effective a biological attack could be. Due to the fact of when the book was written, it is scathing in its review of the actions taken by the Clinton administration, but cannot comment on the bioterrorist attacks of 2001. Nonetheless, this is a fascinating book, one that I highly recommend to anyone interested in bioterrorism.
Still One of The Best On The Subject..........2002-11-15
I first read LIVING TERRORS two years ago, when the first edition hit bookstores. I re-read it this past week (mid-November 2002) and it still chills me... as well it should.
From William Clinton to anti-terrorism czar Richard Clarke to the bioterrorism mavens at USAMMRID and Johns Hopkins University-- the prediction is as unanimous as it is chilling. There will be a biological attack by terrorists --on U.S. soil-- within the next five to ten years.
And when it does, it will doubtless follow one or another of the scenarios detailed in Living Terrors. I've spent the past six hours reading it cover-to-cover, and it is an outstanding book-- the kind of thing that ought to be required reading at all levels of government and the general public. It is that rare combination of solid research and excellent writing to which all non-fiction should aspire.
I spent months extensively researching biological terrorism for my novel on the subject, Final Epidemic-- from Richard Preston to Ken Alibek to the works of Don Henderson of Johns Hopkins, and more. Living Terrors stands among the best of them. Frankly, since starting research on the subject back in November 1999, I've been shocked and appalled at just how vulnerable the world is --and remains-- to biological terrorism. Dr. Osterholm and Mr. Schwartz detail this onrushing catastrophe in a manner that is cautionary without sensationalism-- providing information that, when the inevitable microbe attack occurs, could nonetheless save American lives.
Buy --and read-- Living Terrors. And for your own sake, take this issue seriously, today.
Book Description
In a cop's world it's kill or be killed, but the truth of the matter is that a shooting's aftermath is often the most dangerous time for the cop. This unique life- and career-saving manual contains every shred of critical information the police officer needs to survive the media, investigations and more.
Customer Reviews:
Must have book for all law enforcement officer's.......2007-01-08
This is a fantastic book that is easy to read and makes a lot of sense. Every law enforcement officer should read this book and it should be required reading in all academies. I wish that I had read it before my deadly force encounter, but it was still very helpful in understanding what was happening to me in the aftermath. It has also been enlightening to my fellow officers that heard the incident unfold on the radio and to my family that received the phone call after the incident. It is a must read.
Required Reading for ALL Officers.......2003-10-03
As with any book authored by Christensen, one feels the reality and truth of the content. This book is no different, it is enlightening to all inexperienced and experienced police officers. It should be mandatory reading for all police recruits in the academy as well as veteran officers on the job.
The mind MUST be prepared for what it will go through during a lethal encounter and more importantly, what it will go through after the encounter; unless of course you lost and are DEAD. Then, your loved ones must now deal with your failure to have survived. Do not do that to them ! Read this book, train and be prepared.
"The mind must be trained and then the body will follow." Anthony M. Cataldo www.blackbeltdojo.com
On mental aspects of combat.......2003-03-05
This is a very important book about officer survival. The focus is not on tactics, but on mental aspects of combat, and especially the aftermath of violent encounter.
The book starts with introduction of Survival triangle: You have to survive both physically, mentally, and legally to fully survive an violent encounter. The authors keep that in mind through the book, while the stress is on mental survival. Next the authors discuss the selection process of police recruits, and the nature of violence the police are forced to encounter in their line of duty. Next they give a thorough explanation of fear and it's effects on a person, and they address the issue of training, as well.
The main portion of the second part of the book (about 100 pages) is real-life stories told by cops, and the author's comments of the events. There is not any tactical reviewing, but the incidents are discussed on a psychological point of view. At the end of the second part there is a chapter of psychological injuries, starting from physical effects right after the incident, going to post-traumatic stress disorder and difficulties with relationships with other persons.
The third part of the book covers the treatment of a traumatic event survivor. The authors cover all aspects: What the survivor himself can do, what his superiors, family members, peers and so on can and should do. The authors also stress that there are many different kinds of encounters that can cause post-traumatic stress disorder other than gunfights, and that all participants of such encounter can develop mental problems, not just the ones who pull the trigger. There is also advise to detectives who investigate officer-involved shootings.
All things considered, this book is a very complete package. It is easy to read and the text is not too "scientific" for a layman to understand. This was the first book by Loren Christensen I have read, but it sure won't be the last!
A needed tool for law officers.......2000-07-18
As a former Oakland, CA police sergeant and veteran of a number deadly force encounters, I can recommend this book to all street officers. In 1972 I was involved in an incident with an armed suspect who was killed. Today I can still relate the incident second by second. It will never leave me. This book allows you to gain from experience of deadly encounters without having to go through it yourself. This is very helpful and will certainly save lives. I recommend the book.
Wayne D. Ford, Ph.D, author of Managing Police Stress. docwifford@msn.com
THE BEST BOOK ON THE SUBJECT.......2000-02-07
Finally, the much anticipated book by police psychologist Dr. Alexis Artwohl and 25-year police veteran Loren W. Christensen has been released.
Deadly Force Encounters sold so fast that it went into a second printing one week after it was released.
Caliber Press has praised this book as a must read!
This one-of-a-kind book reveals to law enforcement officers, agencies and citizens the hidden dangers of deadly force encounters.
The authors help officers understand how to stay alive when faced with a kill-or-be-killed threat and gives them information and resources on how they and their families can survive the personal and professional pandemonium that follows.
From training tips and first person accounts by officers who have survived deadly threats, to the impact on the officers' familes and traumatic incident debriefings, this remarkable book offers a wealth of information about deadly force encounters. It is a must read for officers, command staff, mental health professionals and citizens.
Chapters include:
Shocking personal accounts of officers and their families The Survival Triangle: Physical, legal, psychological The nature of police work and violence Mastering the psychobiology of fear Perceptual, memory and cognitive distortions during traumatic events The 4 R's of deadly force training Recognition and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder Making yourself stress resistant The four tyupes of traumatic incidents Helping officers' families Administrative guidelines for agencies Peer support recommendations Guidelines for investigators on investigating shootings and interviewing officers The components of a comprehensive officer survival program
Book Description
America is under attack. The threat of bombs and bullets and every other form of terrorism comes mostly from Islamic extremists. But a powerful threat also stems from homegrown anti-Americanism from the left of the political and cultural spectrum. From "comedians" working for leading Democrat candidates who call the American President " . . . a piece of [expletive deleted]," to the candidates themselves who try to whip up feelings of victimization and anger in ethnic minorities, to universities that preach that America is the main villain on Earth and that 9/11 was richly deserved . . . a full-court left-wing propaganda press is on to drag America through the mud and sap America's resolve to fight and win the war on terrorism.
Why? Where does this anger at America by Americans come from? Certainly not from reality, since all available historical comparisons tell us that America is the most enlightened, open, and forgiving of nations and the one that offers the most opportunity to its citizens.
In Can America Survive? authors Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth examine this anti-American rage, providing plentiful and outrageous examples from campuses to foundations to Democratic candidate debates to liberal "fund-raisers" that openly tout hate as their message. The authors then attempt to plumb the psychological wellsprings that generate this anger: Is it infantile narcissism? Is it a desperately incomplete maturation process? Is it competition with patriarchal figures?
The authors attempt to create a psychological road map that explores what the psychological roots of this national self-loathing might be. This is a unique approach, attempting to explain political beliefs in terms of psychological background, and the authors believe that it's the only approach that works, since a realistic appraisal of America would not allow as much rage as we see in daily political discourse.
Finally, the authors offer a plan for how to fight back: They recommend educating your children in such a way as to develop pride in their country, suggest specific reading materials, offer ways to raise your voice to talk back to the major newspapers and TV networks, and even discuss how you can work fearlessly in university settings so that the left doesn't dominate political discourse.
Can America Survive? is a portrait of what is clearly wrong with the national mood, where that malady comes from, and how those who still believe in America can work in their communities and in the nation to preserve the republic.
Customer Reviews:
Problems.......2006-10-04
The problem with writing a rebuttal to the extreme left is that people begin to think that radical liberal views are characteristic of all liberal views. This book is a great disservice to the debate between liberals and conservatives. By allowing conservatives to feel content in their ideology by bashing the far left obliterates any rational inclination to consider valid points from the "other side" that everyone should think seriously about. America has descended into an extremely dangerous form of arguing - that of getting a point across and winning the argument, regardless of facts. I hope people will begin to draw conclusions from facts and not from rebuttals to the perversions of the far left.
A Strong Stand for America.......2006-04-17
Firstly, this not an unabashed attempt by conservatives to bash liberals. Instead, as the authors verify (albeit a bit late into the text), this is a rebuttal of those in the extreme left who truly hate America. The line of argument tries to expose the extreme good being done by America and capitalism in the world. I think that it is necessary to affirm these goods and continually strive to better America further (as the authors proclaim). Envious hatred of America is never an edifying force. The act of dissent must always be one that builds up and never aims to tear down. It is against the crowd of those attempting to tear us down that the authors argue.
My disagreements with the authors are as follows:
They often begin their discussions with a variety of quotes that are taken from a variety of radicals, drawing their argument into an almost ad-hominem fallacy (as noted by another reviewer). However, this can not be fully maintained, for they do not use the character persons quoted to disprove their arguments. The real problem with this is that it could be interpreted as a narrow attempt at researching the views of America haters. Of course, I will argue that it is often difficult to discern a unified front in extreme liberalism because of its (often part and parcel) denial of objective truth and subsequent elevation of subjective understanding as the ultimate goal. (This is, of course, not meant to make humans into purely subjective computing machines. Instead, I mean to emphasize that a grounding of truth is necessitated because anything else would be a contradiction and yet this contradiction is often maintained by the elite for the sake of being "enlightened", but I digress.)
Furthermore, they are a bit too optimistic about capitalism's ability to lift up the world. I do think that the freedom in capitalism can do much good. However, we must never hope, like communism does, that we humans can work out perfection on our own. There is always the chance for humanity to fall. The authors do not directly assert this but lean that way at times. In all fairness, they hint at the advantage of capitalism: freedom is given to all. Next to the possibility for corruption, we must also acknowledge that we are also directed toward the Truth. Therefore, freedom must be maintained for all, a point truly made by the authors, although masked by an almost overzealous fideism in capitalism.
Finally, their review of "Phariseeism" is incomplete and also unreflecting upon the notion of wealth. I do not, however, read with a hermeneutic of suspicion. Based on the other ideas of these writers, I think that they have just chosen not to address this greatly and directly (although a brief mention is made with respect to gross extravagance).
In Conclusion,
All-in-all, however, this book gives a refreshing look at America. It serves as a reminder of what all we have done as Americans. From this we must take our forward thrust. This tradition must always remain a key motivating factor in progress. From the great things done in America, we must go forward in the hope of always helping our brethren in the world.
Made me feel better about things.......2005-09-01
The authors put recent events in perspective with facts and insightful thinking. A great alternative to the mass media "spin".
Just Another Liberal/Left Bashing Book.......2005-08-26
...but stated in an ever so "reasonable" way.
While reading this, I felt at times as though I was seated at an upper-crust dinner party, listening to a child of privilege tell me why: "things are really NOT bad at ALL--well, at least not for ME."
The child of privilege is Ben Stein (whose Dad worked for NIXON, by the way), and yes, I'm sure that for HIM things are NOT bad --at all.
Brilliant Analysis on What's Wrong with the Radical Left.......2005-02-13
Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth's "Can America Survive" is a thoughtful, extensive look at what is wrong with the radical anti-American Left. Theirs is not an angry polemic against them, but instead, one replete with extensive quotes from those on the Left, pointing out their errors of omission and fact on issues ranging from the state of the U. S. economy, American imperialism, the nature of the conservative movement in the United States, to the moral blindness of the left. In thirteen succinct chapters they point out what exactly is wrong with the Left, issue by issue, and close with their prescription for America's survival. Throughout this book I was impressed by the authors' decency and keen sense of fair play, even when I disagreed strongly with them, most notably the chapter on Environmentalism with its emphasis on Global Warming (I believe their interpretation of the data - which is akin to Michael Crichton's in his latest novel - is scientifically incorrect, but nonetheless, I respect their position on this issue.). Indeed, they respect the opinions of distinguished liberal Americans such as comedian Al Franken and Hollywood producer Norman Lear, noting that they should be regarded as patriotic Americans even though their political views differ substantially from the authors. However, they are greatly concerned by the immense, deep-seated anger shown by the Left, "The Rage of the Left", wondering whether it may prove as divisive to the country as the Civil War. Both Ben Stein and Charles DeMuth are active in the Hollywood media industry: Stein, the son of the late Herb Stein, the distinguished economist who had worked in President Richard Nixon's administration, is a commentator and actor; DeMuth is a screenwriter. Anyone interested in the return of civil, well-reasoned, political discourse between the Left and the Right should regard this book as essential reading.
Book Description
Secretly, pornography consumed his life and was aiding the dissolution of his already unstable marriage. He prayed for God to do what ever it took, to stop him. However, the path from darkness to light was more dreadful and heart wrenching than he could have imagined. Immediately following the prayer he discovered his wife's affair. The infidelity brought him to his knees. His heart was plagued with pain and agony. His mental status deteriorated as the images of her affair possessed his mind endlessly, yet he could not bring himself to succumb to true forgiveness. In the painful effort to reunite with her he realizes he has to overcome his own struggles.
If you are struggling with betrayal of infidelity, entangled in addictions, or have been victim to childhood molestation you will relate to this book. You are not alone. Freedom awaits you.
Customer Reviews:
good books.......2007-09-24
Thank you for the speedy sending of hte books I ordered. They arrived in great shape and were immediately ready to use with my clients. Thank you.
Victory Over Adversity.......2007-09-04
I found it a remarkable journey, for the author to overcome all he had locked within him. His victory is inspiring. My eyes filled with tears as I read the personal letters to his wife and others who hurt him. This is one book I have found in which the author relates to the reader at an unparalelled level. This is a must read for anyone hurting and in need of healing or finding THE WAY to healing and letting go. Being at peace with ones self is a rarity and here you will find it. From small town Mississippi to the unknown of Korea and back John Oarc is proof .... you cant run from your suppressed emotions or wish them away but you can find a way to overcome them . This book is so much more than whats on the surface and a journey worth taking with the author. This book should be appealing to anyone searching for a way to cope , forgive and be free of their emotional chains . Triumphant and inspiring. My money was well spent !!!
Dispelling myths about the sexual abuse of boys.......2006-08-20
One of the leading myths, still widely held, is that boys are immune to the effects of sexual abuse, that as males they can be expected to handle that situation, forget about it, and get on. As John Oarc's book reveals, this is almost never the case. Sexual abuse of boys has devastating and lasting effects. His personal experience and his struggle to heal and overcome the effects are extraordinarily well documented. His is a hero's journey and one that makes the reader glad to know him. A terrific read.
Excellent & Unique.......2006-07-09
Though there are many books written about child sexual abuse, this book is unique in that it is one of the few books written by a male survivor of child sexual abuse. It is powerful in its simplicity, yet illuminating in the courageous struggle required by survivors if they are to reclaim their voice and move towards healing.
An up front look at an often ignored subject - sexual abuse of boys.......2006-07-08
The author relates his own devastating journey after being victimized as a child. He tells of it's unfortunate affects on his life as a boy and teen. He tells of the emotional pain he endured as an adult trying to cope with the psychological trauma inflicted on him all those years before. He relates how he was eventually able to start of the path of recovery and how he found a source of strength in his Higher Power.
This book is a candid look at the devastating affects of this terrible crime committed against young boys. A must read if you or someone you love is a male victim of childhood sexual abuse.
Book Description
Getting through high school and deciding what will come next can be a confusing process for teenagers. Unfortunately, counselors and administrators are often too busy to give students the individual attention they need to get the most out of the experience.The Real High School Handbook empowers students with practical information and real-life stories - about courses, grades, testing, communicating with teachers, and postgraduation options - essential to making informed decisions about their high school careers.
Customer Reviews:
Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2007-06-23
THE REAL HIGH SCHOOL HANDBOOK is just that: a guide to everything that a teen going into high school needs to know to survive and thrive.
The topics that this book cover include but are not limited to: credits and requirements, grades, test taking: SATs and ACTs, special education, extracurricular activities, how to juggle homework and employment, allying to college, and organizations that you can call when you need help. There are also quotes from students who did well in high school and also a few who wish they had worked harder.
Susan Abel Lieberman is a student mentor and has also written a few other self-help books.
This is a really insightful book and could be very useful for a nervous high school student. THE REAL HIGH SCHOOL HANDBOOK might be very motivating for a struggling student who thinks that school is a waste of time. There are many reasons given why you should work really hard in high school so that you can have a brighter future.
Reviewed by: Taylor Rector
Recommended reading for 9th graders.......2007-03-23
Good source of information and guide for what requirements are needed during high school in order to apply for college.
An Excellent Resource!.......1999-09-06
I bought this book a while ago, because it looked informative and interesting. (Not to mention that I will be starting high school next year!) I started to read it, and was very glad I had bought it. Of course it tells you all that usual stuff about doing what you want, finding out what you like, and stuff like that, but it also has very practical information. It even has other resources and places you can go for help. I really recommend this book. Read this book, it's worth it.
Informative, readable, and full of good advice........1998-02-10
Susan Abel Lieberman has written a book that should be on the shelf of all high-school students and their parents. The Real High School Handbook is filled with solid information and advice, and colorful examples from the lives of students.In an engaging conversational tone, Lieberman challenges her young readers to take responsibility for their own futures-- and on page after page, she shows them specific ways to do that. It's clear that Lieberman has spent a lot of time time with high school students and knows the ins and outs of the high school scene. She has heard it all from--"it's the teachers fault,"--to "I just can't do it." Her answers to students' familiar laments are good humored, and straightforward. She's almost certain to capture the attention of students complaining about teachers, when she writes,"Just as every batter doesn't face an equally good pitcher--or umpire--every student doesn't get an equally good teacher. Whether a teacher is good or not,'fair'or not, the student, like the batter, is the one being graded on what happens." The Real High School Handbook is a terrific bedside-table book. Students will find themselves turning to it again and again--when it's time to make summer plans, calculate GPA's, apply to college or a job.They'll also find it invaluable when they want encouragement and reassurance. The Real High School handbook is a much needed guide to success for all students!
Informative, readable, and full of good advice........1998-02-10
Susan Abel Lieberman has written a book that should be on the shelf of all high-school students and their parents. The Real High School Handbook is filled with solid information and advice, and colorful examples from the lives of students.In an engaging conversational tone, Lieberman challenges her young readers to take responsibility for their own futures-- and on page after page, she shows them specific ways to do that. It's clear that Lieberman has spent a lot of time time with high school students and knows the ins and outs of the high school scene. She has heard it all from--"it's the teachers fault,"--to "I just can't do it." Her answers to students' familiar laments are good humored, and straightforward. She's almost certain to capture the attention of students complaining about teachers, when she writes,"Just as every batter doesn't face an equally good pitcher--or umpire--every student doesn't get an equally good teacher. Whether a teacher is good or not,'fair'or not, the student, like the batter, is the one being graded on what happens." The Real High School Handbook is a terrific bedside-table book. Students will find themselves turning to it again and again--when it's time to make summer plans, calculate GPA's, apply to college or a job.They'll also find it invaluable when they want encouragement and reassurance. The Real High School handbook is a much needed guide to success for all students!
Amazon.com
The aging of the baby boomers could cause a severe labor shortage--an "economic catastrophe"--and many businesses are unprepared, according to Beverly Goldberg. In Age Works, Goldberg says there are not enough younger workers to replace the mass of retiring baby boomers in the coming decades. If businesses are to succeed amid "this demographic shock wave," they need to adopt a "new social contract" with workers, especially skilled ones. A lot of older workers are currently retiring early because of downsizing and age discrimination, writes Goldberg, vice president of the Century Foundation, a New York think tank. She writes: "Corporate America will be forced to create a work environment that will turn a graying, disillusioned workforce into eager workers. This challenge is enormous." Goldberg points to corporations such as McDonald's and Days Inn that are already creating the sorts of flexible, part-time jobs with benefits and promotion opportunities that attract retirees back to work. She details how Oracle and GTE fill technology jobs with innovative training programs for older workers. Age Works is intriguing reading for business leaders worried about their future staffing needs, as well as for anyone interested in the far-reaching effects of aging baby boomers on the economy as a whole. --Dan Ring
Book Description
We Americans have always thought of ourselves as a young country -- brash, innovative, full of vigor. However, the uncomfortable truth is that America is getting older. The nation's median age was twenty-five in the 1960s, but today more than half of us are over thirty-five. By the middle of the next century, there will be more Americans in their seventies than in their teens. This demographic shift will transform all aspects of our society, but nowhere will its effects be more evident than in America's workplaces. In ten years, the massive baby-boom generation will begin to reach retirement age, but few companies have paid attention to the fact that there are not enough younger workers to replace them. The challenge to corporate America, as Beverly Goldberg argues in Age Works, is to reinvent the workplace to make it better fit the needs of all employees, especially the older workers it must retain in order to thrive.
The task will not be easy. The waves of downsizing, outsourcing, and cost-cutting of the 1980s and 1990s created a generation of disillusioned employees, many of whom now eagerly look forward to retirement as a way to escape the anxieties of corporate life. More Americans than ever are retiring early, but what is most surprising about these early retirees is that they are not spending their days playing tennis, golf, or shuffleboard. Rather, they are starting businesses, doing volunteer work, and pursuing intellectual interests. They are working, just not within the corporate world.
The challenge to the business community, Goldberg argues, is to find ways to hold on to these talented individuals. Age Works shows how corporations such as Whirlpool, GTE, and Days Inns have changed their corporate cultures to be more receptive to the needs of older workers. Goldberg debunks the myths about older workers' capabilities, showing how forward-looking companies have successfully taught high-tech skills to a generation that was not brought up with computers. She also proposes innovative reforms for the way we think about the concept of retirement itself, offering new ways of thinking about pensions, Social Security, mentoring programs, flex-time, and flex jobs.
With effective tips for rebuilding company loyalty without making guarantees of lifetime employment, Age Works is an indispensable guide for employers who must respond to a rapidly changing workforce. It is also essential reading for all Americans who are concerned about our nation's economic vitality in the twenty-first century.
Customer Reviews:
Age Works.......2000-08-26
If managers think they have problems attracting and retaining human capital in today's economy, they haven't seen anything yet. Get set for the massive wave of retirements over the next ten (10) years. Beverly Goldberg conveys a compelling picture of why managers need to learn the value of recognizing, retraining, and retaining older workers. Age Works is a wakeup call to those caught up in the wastefulness of our "throw away" society. Older workers are a precious resource that can ill afford to be squandered. Ms. Goldberg demonstrates a better path and presents concrete ways for managers to benefit from the graying of America.
Where to find older workers?.......2000-04-13
I read Age Works with great interest since I have been involved with this problem for 25 years and have recently published a web site exclusively for older workers. It is a free non- profit referral service. Go to seniorjobbank.org
Where Have All the Workers Gone?.......2000-03-06
Workers these days are like snow shovels in a South Carolina blizzard - not enough to go around. Some of the causes are simple statistics: economy up, unemployment down, working-age population falling, employers' demand outstripping supply. But others are cultural. Large corporations, the traditional source of jobs, are often perceived as uncaring engines of depletion, exhaustion, and downsizing. The young are choosing options, from lifestyle to stock, while workplace veterans opt for the dignity of early retirement over the desolation of forced termination. Employers' alternatives are stark: expand their supply, increase their appeal, or prepare for shortfalls and belt-tightening. Recruitment, retention, recession - remorse.
Were companies to examine their own assumptions on hiring and firing, they would find a pervasive and self-destructive premise: old is bad. But as Beverly Goldberg argues in _Age Works_, employers - indeed, society as a whole - have built this premise on an ill-considered, ill-defined congeries of prejudices and presuppositions. Believe it or not, Americans age 55 and above take fewer sick days, adapt to new technologies successfully, and are more loyal to their employer than are their colleagues thirty years younger. And perhaps more importantly, they may be the only untapped workforce available. As hidebound organizations throw fortunes at untested youth, others more far-seeing (including Travelers, GTE, and Baxter Health Care) actively recruit, train, and depend upon senior workers. In a shrinking labor market, corporations and their HR departments may find a surprising competitive advantage in coaxing older employees away from the brink of an often sterile and impoverished retirement.
Eager to dismiss this challenge to their standard practices, naysayers and doomsayers will demand proof. Fortunately _Age Works_ reads more like a position paper than a business book, and like any good position paper, it's loaded with facts. Age Works is the ideal volume for anyone itching for a statistical analysis of the American workforce 1950-2050, in all its hues and strata. Arguably Goldberg's love of statistics verges on addiction, but in the pharmacy of authorial dependence, statistics are a pretty benign habit. More distracting, although again less than fatal, is the book's policy-wonk style. Goldberg stands foursquare in the school of tell-`em-what-you're-going-to-tell-`em, tell-`em-, tell-`em-what-you-told-`em, and _Age Works_ sometimes reads like an executive summary that cannot bear to end.
Nonetheless, _Age Works_ is a cogent, serious, undeniably well-supported piece. Even those who resist the proposed solutions (admittedly the book's weakest section) will find the diagnosis difficult to dispute. Like it or not, America's workforce will continue to grow smaller and grayer over the next twenty years. And by the time the population bounces back, corporations' hiring practices will have appealed to all ages - or to none.
Graying Means Payoff.......2000-03-03
For a decade we've heard a steady chorus of despair about the graying of America--that graying means paying, in the words of one leading credit. Beverly Goldberg, in this carefully researched, tightly argued, fluidly written, and ultimately extremely important book, shows us a different path. She demonstrates that older Americans are a potential boon to the economy and to the bottom line of forward thinking companies. She shows that they are a group that brings considerable experience and great stability to those that will make use of their talents. And she supplies a roadmap for how we can get there--as indivuals, as companies, and as a society. A great read and a great contribution to the growing body of literature about navigating what may well be the great demographic transition in our country's history, the aging of America.
Powerful ideas re: the aging workplace.......2000-02-29
Since the idea of totally retiring is not something that appeals to me, I found the suggestions for building different kinds of flexible work arrangements very thought-provoking. The numbers in the first couple of chapters will help build a compelling case for allowing those who want such arrangements to have them. I also found the stories of those who wanted out fascinating-they are an indictment of companies for the ways they handled downsizing and mergers. It clearly is time for all businesses to rethink their dealings with the people who work for them and to reconsider the value of older workers.
Book Description
Have you ever wondered why we're here, what it all means? In Life! Why We Exist. And What We Must Do to Survive, Martin Walker reveals that the laws of space and time shape our form and purpose, and that by acting on this purpose we can ensure the continued survival of life on earth. Life! guides us toward the inescapable conclusion that life's persistence is our number-one goal; this goal not only shapes everything we do, think, and feel, but holds our future in the balance. With its compelling and fascinating description of the origins of morality, spirituality, politics, and love, Life! stands on its own as a work of great literature. In its contribution to human understanding, it is the most important book since Darwin's The Origin of Species. Why do we exist? Why does anything exist? Rationalists would argue that the answer lies in a complete and comprehensive understanding of the physical aspects of the universe. Those with a more spiritual outlook might claim that science only tells part of the story, that the ultimate answer rests on faith. And philosophers may raise an eyebrow at any attempt to achieve an ultimate answer. But what if we were to trace a path from the origins of the universe to the present day, examining how the forms of existence have appeared and developed over time, would we be able to discern some pattern and purpose that is otherwise obscure? Martin Walker has spent his life seeking to understand why things are the way they are. Martin studied Physics at St. John's College, Oxford, and now lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, Hope, his daughter, Dorothy, and his son, Zane. The idea that the meaning of life can be found in the fundamental principles of existence came to him during a waking dream on a trans-Atlantic flight. Martin did not rest until he had uncovered the principles that shape our dreams, hopes and fears. In Life!, he shares the fruits of his discovery. Part scientist, part philosopher, part poet, Martin succeeds in bridging the gap between science and spirituality in prose that is compelling, inspirational, and seductive.
Customer Reviews:
a great read.......2007-07-10
I enjoyed this book very much. It touched on so much, and did it in a smooth, understandable, and poetic manor. Being someone who hasn't gone to college yet, but has spent the last three years trying to educate myself, I felt this one book said more then many others I have read. It will be read again, and I will recommend it to anyone as a great book to add to your collection.
Toward a morality based on life rather than religion or authority.......2007-02-19
This is a philosophic work written by a physicist, grounded in rationality and empiricism. Walker begins with subatomic particles and ends with life itself and how it should be lived. A central assertion is that life exists because it perseveres whereas things that do not persevere tend not to exist. There is something Buddha-like and iron-clad in this utter simplicity that is arresting.
Walker ultimately argues that we have a moral responsibility to persevere and to do things that tend to make the life form itself persevere. What I found striking is his assertion that persistence itself is a kind of force or rule of the universe.
He uses the example of a chess game. The rules of the game are of a different kind of stuff than the players and the pieces. The rules exist independently of the pieces and the board. As Walker says, "the rules don't appear in the pieces and the board." (p. 10) The rules exist independently of any game and exist whether a game has ever been played or not. (I like to say they exist on the ether.) Every thought I ever thought exists and will exist until the end of the universe and beyond, and every thought I ever thought existed before I was born.
It is obvious that Walker has been influenced by Schopenhauer who saw "The World as Will and Idea." But Walker does not use Schopenhaur's terms although he acknowledges Schopenhauer's influence. Instead Walker speaks of "persistence" and "concept." The will of the world is its persistence, and the ideas are concepts.
The ancient and always contemporary question, "Why is there anything at all? Why isn't there nothing?" is something that Walker attempts to answer but of course does not. He does explain why hydrogen and helium and carbon and iron atoms continue to exist in great numbers whereas some other configurations of electrons, protons and neutrons exist only momentarily and/or in lesser numbers. His main point is that there are rules (as in the chess game) that "determine the tendency for something to exist--the chance of it coming into being, and the likelihood of its remaining in existence." (p. 24) Unstable elements decay. Stable elements persevere. The interesting thing is Walker's assertion that the rules exist prior to and independently of matter and energy.
This simple idea is startling. There was something prior to the Big Bang, is what he is asserting. There was something prior to space and time. That something guides and shapes matter and energy. Moreover, "the concepts of extension in space and progress in time, the rules of this existence, came before and live outside the material universe." (p. 10)
Walker makes it clear that he understands that we do not experience the world directly, that the objects that we see and touch are conceptual objects, not the objects themselves. He explains that conceptual objects are sufficiently like physical objects for our purposes as evolutionary beings. Our perceptions are utilitarian, one might say. A brown chair is brown although in fact it is white with light in some places and dark with shadow in others because it is a conceptual chair that we see, and we miss the subtleties that do not relate to the chair's utility for us. We do this with everything in the world because it would be far too complex (and of little or no evolutionary value) to see things more precisely.
Another of Walker's interesting ideas is that the persistence that living things exhibit in reproduction is similar to the persistence of nonliving things. But what persists is not the individual but life itself. He sees our tendency to exist as being manifested on three levels, the individual, the group or species, and the life form itself. (No "selfish genes" here!)
Persistence then is the foundation upon which all morality is built. His is an "objective morality" that does not rely on doctrines or authority, but, as he argues, is derivable directly from the way of the universe and the way of life. I believe he is correct in this, and that his book is very much worth reading for this alone.
Consequently, Walker sees that our sense of morality does not and need not come from religious texts or teachings and that it is largely innate, a consequence of our ability to put ourselves in another person's position along with the ability to recognize that if we always acted according to what we would want for ourselves (cf. the golden rule) society would benefit.
Walker writes, "...the totality of material existence...is transitory and conditional... We came from nothing and we will return to nothing. What happens in between has meaning and importance only to the extent that we grant it such meaning and importance." (p. 99)
Although this statement is one with which an existentialist would agree, Walker believes that existentialism is a mode of rejection. (p. 99) He also doesn't like the kind of spiritual asceticism that is otherworldly, believing it to be "morally wrong" since "The religious devotee seeks to absent himself from the rigors and responsibilities of persistence." (pp. 99-100)
Near the end of the book Walker deals with free will. He acknowledges that free will may very well be (as I believe) an illusion. Nonetheless, he points out, it is an illusion that we cannot help but entertain (and I agree). And then he makes a nice argument to see free will as "the ability to resist and turn away from the instinctive, natural but nonconscious striving...," adding, "Free will means simply a will freed of the constraints of the nonconscious..." (p. 119)
One final bit of wisdom from the wise, articulate and always very fair Mr. Walker: "As conscious beings...We can conceive of things that don't exist and could never exist. We can therefore appreciate that material existence is not a necessary condition, and neither does it encompass all conceivable possibilities." (p. 99)
Fascinating book.......2007-02-08
Like life itself this book evolves from the begining of time and how life began to human existance and all the aspects of our consciousness. This book is for anyone looking for some rational explanations of how we got here to understanding the human condition. I highly recomend it.
That Which Persists, Exists.......2007-01-21
Disclaimer: Although under no obligation to review this book, I did receive a complimentary copy from the author.
For as long as people have existed, they have wondered about the meaning of life. From this has sprung the worship of spirits, animals, the sun, and God(s) - the study of physics, consciousness, and evolution - and a vast collection of literature and art. In the author's words, "As science knocks down each door, philosophy and spiritual inquiry regroup behind the next."
In this ambitious and delightful book, Walker boils it down to "Persistence." Life wants to persist on three levels: individually, at the species level, and collectively as the whole of life. Hunger, thirst, and self-protection are representative samples of individual persistence. They are ultimately responsible for our social interactions and our sense of ethics and morality. The sexual urge indirectly leads to the rearing and nurturing of our children.
Persistence drives the topic in each chapter. In the Big Bang and cosmology chapter, protons, neutrons, and electrons persist while more exotic particles did not survive the cooling after the Big Bang. Carbon based life-forms persist because, among other reasons, they propagate their patterns on to the next generation. Individual genes and collections of genes persist through the competition of natural selection. Consciousness and the availability of concepts make it possible for people to further the persistence of the third level of life - an impossibility for other species. Our moral analyses focus on all three of the author's categories - individual, species, and life as a whole. Naturally, there are shades of gray everywhere in deciding on a moral action, but the bottom line is that the most moral approach is the one that is most helpful in aiding the persistence of all three life forms.
Walker does not get into evolutionary psychology or game theory (Tit for Tat and beyond) - the details about how persistence might have shaped a system of human ethics, but that's another whole book. I just brushed up on particle physics, so I thoroughly enjoyed his 25 or 30 page cosmology section. The whole idea of religions thinking they guard the only door to morality is a hot issue with me, so it's easy to like this author's approach to human ethics. Finally, to write a science book such as this apparently without teaching and research experience seems to me quite a feat, and I congratulate this author on his fine effort.
Life in a Nutshell!.......2007-01-15
Martin G. Walker is certainly not shy. In "Life! Why we exist...And What we Can do to Survive" he tackles subjects that have been the main problems of philosophy for centuries - namely why we and everything else exists and what we can do to make our lives count. These are not easy questions. There is and old Punch cartoon, in which a child asks her father:
"What's that, Daddy?
Father: "A Cow"
Child: "Why?"
Why a cow? is actually a very deep philosophical question and one that I am as yet unprepared to answer. Yet Walker thinks he can answer this one and others like it, or at least give it a good try.
At the start I have to say that the author is an Amazon Friend and that he sent me a copy of his book to review on the understanding that I would in no way guarantee how that review would turn out. He readily agreed to this and I duly received a copy in the mail.
In "Life!" Walker nicely frames the major questions of existence, based in part on his understanding of Schopenhauer and on his own experience. He uses Schopenhauer's "Will" as the main driving force of life in the universe (or at least on earth- the only place that we know that life exists), but replaces it with "persistence" ("Will" sounds too Germanic in the bad sense to me anyway). By this he seems to mean something like a drive to persist. This characteristic of persistence is what drives living things to continue and fuels evolution through mutation. I might note that Walker uses mutation in a way that would disturb some biologists. He thinks of it as a mainly positive force, but many modern biologists point out that most mutations are probably deleterious. Walker seems to believe that organisms may to some extent direct their own development, rather than simply being the passive result of random mutation and selection. Some modern biologists may tend to agree, as shown by the recent popularity of ideas from evolutionary development. These ideas include the hypothesis that mutations within the so-called "junk" DNA can alter organisms significantly over a relatively short time and that organisms possess a genetic "tool kit" in the form of such versatile coding segments as HOX genes, which can then code for quite different developmental stages, depending on the organism involved.
Walker does disagree with Schopenhauer in that the philosopher discounted consciousness as anomalous, while Walker sees it as an important continuation of the persistence of life. Indeed, consciousness may be more wide spread in the animal kingdom than is normally allowed, especially in light of studies on primates, other mammals, some birds and even a few invertebrates. It certainly requires consciousness to have a moral system, as Walker states in his discussion of morality.
Walker defines morality in terms of the persistence of life and here I find his arguments most interesting. The existence of morality in human societies has been one of the most controversial of topics, with religious fundamentalists going one way (absolutes laid down by God) and evolutionary scientists, especially evolutionary psychologists, trying to show that evolution dictated morality through necessity usually involving close kin and often parasitic "memes." I think Walker has hit on something valuable here. As I understand it, Walker sets moral structure on a foundation of expanding responsibility, beginning with the individual and extending outward to the family, allies, community, and society. In each case morality is the result of selecting for the persistence of life, which results in the major benefit for the larger group for the longer run, and which may also benefit the individual as well, although not always by as much in the short term. In essence I think that Walker would agree with the Kantian view "Do not that, which if everybody did it, would destroy society."
To nitpick for a bit, I will note that I did find one fairly major error of historical fact on p. 69 where the author implies that the emperor Claudius came to the throne after the murder of Julius Caesar. Any Roman historian knows that in fact Octavian Caesar (later known as Augustus) invented the emperorship after his uncle, the dictator Julius Caesar, was murdered in the Forum by disaffected Roman senators. Augustus was followed by Tiberius, his step son, and than by the predecessor of Claudius, Gaius (Caligula) Caesar, who was murdered by the Praetorian Guard - Claudius then being proclaimed emperor. This is, of course a quibble and has little to do with the main premise of the book, but somebody should have caught this howler!
Whether one agrees with Walker's views on the meaning of life, this book will certainly stimulate the reader to delve further. I will leave to the reader to determine if he has finally succeeded in his very difficult task. But, for the sheer audacity of the title alone, the book is well worth a read.
Books:
- The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus
- The Christian Theological Tradition (2nd Edition)
- The Cold War: A New History
- The Daily Bible: New International Version: With Devotional Insights to Guide You Through God's Word
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Establishment Clause: Religion and the First Amendment
- The Faiths of the Founding Fathers
- The God Delusion
- The God Delusion
- The Gospel of Judas
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- What Went Wrong
- New York State Of Mind
- Family Resemblance
- History: Fiction or Science
- Iron Fist, Lead Foot: John Coletti and Ford's "Terminator"
- The Celestine Prophecy
- One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey
- Giants of Enterprise: Seven Business Innovators and the Empires They Built
- Fast Cycle Time: How to Align Purpose, Strategy, and Structure for Speed
- County Business Patterns South Dakota 1999
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Software That Sells : A Practical Guide to Developing and Marketing Your Software Project
Eric Sink on the Business of Software (Expert's Voice)
Micro-ISV: From Vision to Reality
The Four Steps to the Epiphany
Microsoft Secrets: How the World's Most Powerful Software Company Creates Technology, Shapes Markets and Manages People
![The World Is Flat [Updated and Expanded]: A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century](http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0374292795.01.THUMBZZZ.jpg)
