Book Description
They were unlikely comrades-in-arms. One was a self-taught, middle-aged Virginia planter in charge of a ragtag army of revolutionaries, the other a rich, glory-seeking teenage French aristocrat. But the childless Washington and the orphaned Lafayette forged a bond between them as strong as any between father and son. It was an unbreakable trust that saw them through betrayals, shifting political alliances, and the trials of war.
Lafayette came to America a rebellious youth whose defiance of his king made him a celebrity in France. His money and connections attracted the favor of the Continental Congress, which advised Washington to keep the exuberant Marquis from getting himself killed. But when the boy-general was wounded in his first battle, he became a hero of two countries. As the war ground on, Washington found in his young charge the makings of a courageous and talented commander whose loyalty, generosity, and eagerness to please his Commander in Chief made him one of the war’s most effective and inspired generals. Lafayette’s hounding of Cornwallis’s army was the perfect demonstration of Washington’s unconventional “bush-fighting” tactics, and led to the British surrender at Yorktown.
Their friendship continued throughout their lives. Lafayette inspired widespread French support for a struggling young America and personally influenced Washington’s antislavery views. Washington’s enduring example as general and statesman guided Lafayette during France’s own revolution years later.
Using personal letters and other key historical documents, Adopted Son offers a rare glimpse of the American Revolution through the friendship between Washington and Lafayette. It offers dramatic accounts of battles and intimate portraits of such major figures as Alexander Hamilton, Benedict Arnold, and Benjamin Franklin. The result is a remarkable, little-known epic of friendship, revolution, and the birth of a nation.
Customer Reviews:
Leadership in the Making.......2007-08-18
Despite the over dramatic title, David A. Clary's ADOPTED SON: WASHINGTON, LAFAYETTE, AND THE FRIENDSHIP THAT SAVED THE REVOLUTION is an exceptional account of the father and son relationship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette during the most tumultuous periods in American and French history. It is a detailed transatlantic narrative that takes readers from the aristocratic tendons of France to the revolutionary battlefields of Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Through letters and documents, Clary shows the roots and foundation of the United States. The narrative is rich with historical accounts and derivatives, Lafayette's family origins as well as the town in which he lived that is international and regional in nature; in particular, Clary's research delves into Virginia history, the battles at Brandywine and Yorktown where Washington and Lafayette developed and honed and complemented each leadership skills. In addition, Clary parallels the French Revolution and the events happening in France to the framework of the US Constitution, which ties in with Lafayette's adoption of political and diplomatic thought, which he experiences in the United States and utilized with great fecundity at an attempt to maintain law and order in his chaotic France. At times the book reads similarly like a novel because of the ornate language that is displayed in the letters that Lafayette and Washington exchanged to each other as well as the ones between Lafayette and his wife, Adrienne, but overall, the passages are engaging.
One of the highlights of the book is its layout. There are beautiful portraits of each notable participant that Washington and Lafayette encountered during this revolutionary period, such as several of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Adams, which was painted by one of the notable artists of the period, C.W. Peale. And the most impressive aspect about ADOPTED SON is the reference section of the book that cite the sources, notes, the bibliographical and archival information, and the chronology of historical events that relate to Washington and Lafayette.
After reading ADOPTED SON, readers may be enticed to learn more about Lafayette as well as view George Washington in a different light as a mentor and a father figure. The book draws along the lines as sentimental, but always reverent towards two of the monumental figures in history. Indeed, this is a book that reminds serious history readers how democracy affected the rest of the world.
How we beat the British to create the United States.......2007-07-02
The author expertly crafts the relationship between Lafayete and Washingotn and details how that alliance bet the British and the Hessians whom were looking to suppres the colonies. No photos , yet an excellent use of illustrations of each key member.
Slow at times...but an elightening read!.......2007-06-30
This book is very slow at times but well worth the read. Mostly you just think of Lafayette as an important figure during the Revolution itself. I had no idea how big a part of things he was after the Revolution ended. Especially for the American Cause. Add in his participation during the French Revolution and I was blown away. If you want to learn about the relationship between Washington and Lafayette and about Lafayette the man, then this is the book for you! You will not be disappointed.
Remembering America's Forgotten Son.......2007-05-01
September 6, 2007 is the 350th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de Lafayette. It is certain to be celebrated in grand style in France. It is uncertain, however, whether the Marquis, a citizen of America, will get the recognition he so richly deserves from the country he helped liberate.
"It is impossible to imagine the American Revolution turning out the way it did without either Washington or Lafayette," writes author and historian David A. Clary. "Lafayette contributed the weight of his native country to Washington's struggle, along with his own fortune....He deserves the credit for the decision to send more money and supplies, an army and navy [from France] to America. The alliance was a difficult one...but it tipped the balance of the war."
Clary's "Adopted Son" is a detailed and insightful look into the life of Michel-Louis-Christophe-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. This amazing man, appointed a Major-General in the Continental Army, devoted himself fully to Washington and the American cause and was instrumental in the overthrow of the British in the colonies and his own king in France.
Clary's book is not only tremendously well written, but also richly illustrated. When describing the close relationship between George Washington and his "adopted son", the language is tender and moving.
When he was buried in France, soil from Bunker Hill was placed on Lafayette's grave so that America would always have a claim on him.
OUTSTANDING.......2007-03-12
In an age when we talk about 'freedom fries" as opposed to frech fries, one should read this book. You will get a true, concise picture of just how much we owe to the French during the Revolution!
The book is thoroughly researched and will keep your interest chapter to chapter. As a history teacher, I can honestly say that I actually learned inportant information from this book that will benefit the students in my classes.
A truly materfully written book that will not dissapoint the reader!!
Book Description
Students and professionals bought more than 300,000 copies of previous editions! This new edition draws on the best mathematical tool now available to solve problems. It applies the vector approach for elegance and simplicity in theory and problems whenever appropriate. Other times, for similarly adequate solutions, scalar methods are preferred. This study guide complements class texts and proves excellent for solo study and brushing up.
Customer Reviews:
Might be better with separate outlines on each topic.......2007-03-04
I used this outline for review and with some problems I was having in a course on computational robotics I was taking a couple of years ago and I found this book to be an excellent review that answered all of my questions. However, my stepson used it in his statics and dynamics classes to help with the material when it was being presented to him for the first time, and he said he felt it brushed over some of the material in both classes. Even though this is a hefty outline, perhaps it would be better if they dedicated separate Schaum's outlines to each subject - statics and dynamics - and covered more ground in each subject rather than putting both subjects in the same book. This outline even has one chapter on mechanical vibrations, but it is just barely an overview and hardly gets into the subject at all. It might be best if that chapter were deleted entirely and more space spent on the subjects at hand.
Engineering Mechanics.......2007-01-04
This book was helpful in putting together arguments for problems I was working on.
Good supplementary text.......2002-09-08
I have always liked the Schaum's series of books. They are straightforward and to the point. This text was no exception.
The most important aspect of this book is that it can be used as a supplement to most of the popular texts. I used it along with Beer & Johnston and Shames.
Quite a useful book on a difficult, hands-on subject.
Good supplementary text.......2002-09-08
I have always liked the Schaum's series of books. They are straightforward and to the point. This text was no exception.
The most important aspect of this book is that it can be used as a supplement to most of the popular texts. I used it along with Beer & Johnston and Shames.
Quite a useful book on a difficult, hands-on subject.
A good supliment.......2002-07-02
I have had Statics and will be taking Dynamic's next semester. I bought this book so I could get a head start on next semester as I heard the professor is tough and the material is difficult.
The parts that cover Statics were a very good supliment to what I had learned last semester. Kind of like the Reader's Digest version, I couldn't figure out what parts they had left out. It seemed pretty complete to me. They even covered stuff we didn't. We didn't have anything in our class wrt differential equations, but this book did. Since I have had diff eq, it was nice to see it being put to use and I learned something.
On the Dynamic's side, it is a bit of a tough go. I am using this as a primary/only text and do not have the benifit of an instructor. I am wading through slowly. I wish there was a bit more explination before the examples. This is where an in class text book would be helpful. I believe that this book will be a valuable resource when I actually start the class.
Book Description
This cookbook takes you on a journey throuh south Louisiana's traditions, cultural heritage and the culinary artisries of Cajun food. It is in it's 23rd printng with over 70,000 copies sold. Winner of McIlhenny Hall of Fame Award.
Customer Reviews:
Talk About Good is the BEST!!.......2007-06-27
This is by far the best cook book ever written!! These are truly "Cajun" based recipes and are tried and true! I highly recommend it to anyone that is interested in Cajun Cuisine. It is THE BEST!!!
Talk About Good.......2007-01-15
During my childhood, this was my mother's favorite cookbook - long before it was feasible to access such a wide range of recipes from the internet. She lost the cookbook (and everything else) in Hurricane Katrina, and it has been difficult to replace it. We were so happy to be able to find it on Amazon.com and give it to her for Christmas. Although she has relocated from New Orleans, the cookbook and the recipes that she used from it over the holidays, made us feel at home. The cookbook itself demonstrates authentic home cooking. Each recipe reflects the contributors' individual tastes and family traditions, and the types of cooking and ingredients provide a glimpse into a distinct culture. I find it as much fun to read the recipes and their variations as to cook them.
TALK ABOUT GOOD.......2007-01-15
This is most likely the BEST cookbook in existence, defiantly if you like Cajun food. The fact that it has a binding that allows pages to lay flat, remain open shows how the publisher intended this book to be used, in the kitchen.
Wife wore out the 1st copy I bought her, literally to torn shreds, this is a replacement, and we got it at a great price.
Favorite Cookbook.......2006-11-07
I've had this cookbook for many years, and it is my favorite.
I'm from New Orleans, and these are authentic Cajun recipes. There are many ways to cook a specific dish, and I find the various recipes reflect these personal touches. You cannot go wrong with "Talk About Good".
Real Food.......2006-09-09
I actually bought my copy while I was in High School. Twenty years later it is still a good source of inspiration and variety.
If you like good food and the joy of life, pick up a copy and enjoy yourself!
Book Description
Acclaim for the prizewinning* Lafayette
"I found Mr. Unger's book exceptionally well done. It's an admirable account of the marquis's two revolutions-one might even say his two lives-the French and the American. It also captures the private Lafayette and his remarkable wife, Adrienne, in often moving detail."
-Thomas Fleming, author, Liberty!: The American Revolution
"To American readers Unger's biography will provide a stark reminder of just how near run a thing was our War of Independence and the degree to which our forefathers' victory hinged on the help of our French allies, marshalled for George Washington by his `adopted' son, Lafayette."
-Larry Collins, coauthor, Is Paris Burning? and O Jerusalem!
"Harlow Unger has cornered the market on muses to emerge as America's most readable historian. His new biography of the marquis de Lafayette combines a thoroughgoing account of the age of revolution, a probing psychological study of a complex man, and a literary style that goes down like cream."
-Florence King, Contributing Editor, National Review
*Selected as Best Book of 2002 by both the American Revolution Round Table of New York and the Fraunces Tavern Museum
Customer Reviews:
Inexcusable Historical Mistakes.......2007-07-29
This is an extremely disappointing book of "history"? As one earlier reviewer indicated, the book contains some appalling historical mistakes. Here are two that blew me away because they are so completely inaccurate and so obvious - on page 60 "Saratoga had been America's only military victory since the beginning of the war" - well I guess Concord, Trenton and Princeton must not have been victories!!! On page 120 regarding Benedict Arnold, "...Arnold suffered a crippling wound in the disastrous American assault on Quebec...and his injuries left him reluctant to assume anymore battlefield commands". Of course this is completely inaccurate since Arnold was certainly never "reluctant" to take on any military command and in fact his most successful military actions, (as you can find in any basic book on the Revolution) Valcour Island and Saratoga, occurred long after Quebec.
I simply can't believe these inaccuracies (along with many other questionable statements) were allowed to be included in a history book, where were the editors! I was really looking forward to reading the chapters on the Lafayette's involvement in the French Revolution (since I am not too familiar with that period) but since the ARW content is dubious at best I decided not to waste my time and possibly be led to believe inaccurate facts that I do not have the knowledge to recognize.
Finally, the book seems to white wash Lafayette to the extreme and makes him appear to be the most important and sometimes only player in a number of the most dramatic events of the war, other than possibly Washington. For instance there is little about Franklin's involvement in winning French support for independence. The best portions of this book are the letters the author has included. Lafayette was certainly one of the most important and noble people in the history of our country - but I'll have to find another book to satisfy my interest in him.
Factual errors are inexcusable!.......2006-10-16
This book is apparently not well researched and has at least three errors so far and I am not a fifth finished with it.
For one on page 71: "After signing the treaty, (The Treaty of Alliance between the United States and France) Franklin, Deane, and Adams were officially presented to the king..."
Unger means Arthur Lee, not Adams. The treaty was signed on February 6, 1778, the presentation ceremony was March 22. John Adams didn't arrive in Paris until April 8.
This is pitiful and I could list the other errors and I certainly will if it is requested. But I resent the time involved to do it, they are not my errors! Why the Library Journal claims this is a "well-researched" biography one can only speculate. The (few?) errors make the whole suspect. A sad event for publishing. Perhaps we should wait another 20 years for an accurate book.
Written very simply..........2006-08-08
This book is a good starter on the life of Lafayette. It's quite heavy on information, and delves into the great relationship he had with General Washington. But the book seems to be written at a level most people should've eclipsed by the time they left high school. We must be told over and over, in flowery language, many of Lafayette's attributes or how he was thought of by Americans. Going over it once or twice is enough, because if you believe the man is great (and I agree w/Unger) then it doesn't need to be boosted up like the authors seemingly does. A good book, but it could be better.....
Le Marquis est magnifique!.......2006-05-24
Recently completed this very well researched and well presented biography! The book is easiliy readable, but not simplistic, detailing many aspects of both the American and French Revolutions, and the Marquis de Lafayette's involvement in both.
The author takes something of a " glass half full " approach to this prominent historic figure, presenting him often as the
" Last Knight " and finding little fault in his actions, but the amazing early American reaction to his heroism and belief in democractic ideals justifies this approach. An excellent text for any American or European history buff!
A great, fast overview that makes you want to go deeper.......2006-05-08
Very readable and entertaining. I hadn't felt before that I had the whole picture of the French Revolution, but of course, Lafayette lived it. You can read this book in a weekend, and feel prepared to delve into more detailed histories.
Customer Reviews:
Explains every situation I come up against.......2007-10-07
I bought this book last year in preparation for coming to Japan and enjoyed it greatly. Then, on arrival, I continued reading it and found it helpful in avoiding many of the pitfalls one experiences when trying to do business in Japan. Now, 10 months on, reading it again, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It's as if the author has been following me around and written about my daily experiences here. I have many books about Japan and the Japanese Way, but none express so succinctly or directly the day-to-day experience of working in a Japanese context. You must read this book if you are working or doing business in Japan.
Dense but impressive.......2007-08-16
The Japanese have a much more complex, almost religious, relationship with their own language than speakers of European languages, and they tend to believe that no non-Japanese can learn it. (The fact that some do tends to upset them, as being out of the natural order.) There are many words and phrases in Japanese that encapsulate attitudes and built-in beliefs and the author selects 230 for investigation and explanation, relating them to attitudes and actions by Japanese-speakers and explaining how English-speakers can best deal with the situations they relate to. This includes numerous aspects of the Japanese dependence on form and formality, cultural control and conformity, group-think as opposed to individuality, group responsibility and social guaranty, reverence toward government, and other parts of the Japanese psyche that are difficult for foreigners to understand. In most cases, he also discusses the applications of a concept to business negotiations, but the possibility of the reader becoming enlightened about all things Japanese is much wider than that. This is a book you should take notes on.
Great Learning Tool.......2006-07-23
This book is fantastic! It is a great learning tool for the language and meaning of the Japanese language! I highly recommend this book!
A Window into a Unique World.......2006-06-01
This book demystifies the Japanese culture.
What does it mean when a Japanese person offers to 'show you their stomach'? (P120) How do they 'take the pulse of the situation'? (p268) What is 'a life without a soul?' (p148)
There's so much packed into the 394 pages to digest. Luckily each word or phrase is a short chapter. The reader can chew it over in a leasurely manner.
Essential reading.
Excellent roundtrip into Japanese spoken lifestyles........1998-11-27
Knowing that Japan uses it language differently than English, but not why, I found this presentation provided numerous insights.
Customer Reviews:
quick and to the point.......2007-02-08
I thought this book was very good. I know of no other that gets to the point more quicky without delving into lengthy narratives about the history, culture etc. As a frequent traveler and student of Mexican culture for over 40 years, I can attest to it's honest and factual information. If your going to Mexico for business or pleasure, get this book!
Good data but Catholic basher.......2006-12-13
As a frequent traveler to Mexico over the last 25 years, I enjoyed a lot of the explanations in the book, but found the ever-constant references to the Catholic church as being the root of Mexico's problems more than a bit overdone.
Extremely boring.......2006-04-26
I love to read, and tried hard to read this one. It has its interesting points, but the book just seems to ramble. The best word I could think of to describe it is "boring".
Deceptive Title.......2006-01-31
It is a good book - great, in fact.
However, the book shares both title and ISBN# (it's the same book!!!!) as: "NTC's Dictionary of Mexican Cultural Code Words : The Complete Guide to Key Words That Express How the Mexicans Think, Communicate, and Behave". This was especially frustrating when I purchased both books as a special offer through Amazon.
I contacted the publisher and Amazon both, but did not receive a satisfactory answer (ie; they will continue to sell the same book with a different title and cover only). Fortunately, Amazon WILL give you your money back if you return it!
A Mexican opinion if you don't mind.......2005-05-30
First, I've got to say that the "NTC's dictionary of Mexican cultural code words" (1996) offer to be sold with this book is exactly the same! I bouth "There's..." right from this site but it has the ISBN of the dictionary (0-8442-7959-5). It has the same cover as shown here. Go there (just skip the NTC's in the search bar) and you'll even find another same commentary. Now, I'll go to the contents. I left this review in there as well, just slightly different though.
These books are terrible. I can well make my commentaries because I am Mexican by all sides and know Mexico. I will mentions chapter 120 mostly since it may be the worse one. The rest of it is just bad.
I am well aware that it's not up to NTC and Boyé to publish one point of view or another. But they must publish quality works. So, wat wuld yu tink if one of iour writers wrote as I do in thys sentense? This dictionary is full of orthography mistakes and bad translations all over. One reader has already said it, but he didn't realize to which extend. That's normal from a non-Mexican. Let's see some examples of words and famous sentences around Mexico:
By the way, Boyé's translation is BT, Actual Meaning is AM and commentaries is CM
"Robar no es verguenza. Robar y que lo agarren es verguenza"
BT: It is not a shame to kill; but to kill and get caught is a shame. (Chapt. 37)
AM: Stealing is not a shame. Stealing and get caught is shame
CM:
1)The meaning is depressing, but far less immoral.
2)The real saying is a bit different
" " (originalsentence not showed)
BT: Respect (for all people) is the foundation of peace.
Pag. 264, chapt 119
AM: Respecting others people's rights is the peace.
CM:
The Original sentence is "El respecto al derecho ajeno es la paz"
Vacile, relajo, relajientos
BT:
-Vacile: to vacillate, to dilly-dally, to never make up one's mind, to avoid responsability.
-Relajo: chaos.
-Relajientos: people who introduce a caotic element into everything they do, ....and to be more interested in human relatios and spiritual things than in hard work and sticking to projects they start.
AM:
-All of these terms are synonyms.
Vacile is "vacileo" and is used especially when poking fun at someone in an easy way, NOT in a mean one. It just means kidding, goophy or maybe teasing. This term is regarded today as childish and you'll hardly hear it.
These terms do imply some chaos, but they simply mean having fun; nothing to do with spiritually at all. We use normal terms for the meanings attached to these ones: irresponsible and disorganized.
-Boyé got this definition from Mexicans, but from anthropologist ones. Most intellectual can't see reality.
Boyé never showed much real contact with Mexicans. It even seems that he was thye typical foreigner in any nation that self-segregates to his/her own community or contact the locals very little. It even seems that his single one friend was someone called "Mike" who as any other rich Mexican worships rich countries (or any foreign nation) I don't exaggerate when I say "worship". One of the readers at Amazon.com made really harsh judgments of Boyé since he didn't mention a single Mexican woman amongst his many commentaries of them. But as I read the book I found she was right, Boyé's bases are extremely weak. I can almost say that whenever he doesn't base his information with Mike's knowledge, he relies in intellectual's opinions that he doesn't even mention often, barely one big name like Octavio Paz, let alone a bibliographical reference. And as I said in the former table, most intellectuals usually can't see reality. The incredibly bad translation of "relajiento" is a very good example; the anthropologist who stated its meaning blew things out of proportion. It was like saying that "having fun" means being promiscuous, taking drugs, etc. Yes, "having fun" can mean that but only in strange exceptions; it has a saner meaning, like when a mom drops her kids in school and tells them "have fun".
Not only Boyé didn't show good knowledge of Mexico, he didn't show it of USA either. He said in chapter 120,
Americans and other Anglos, on the other hand, have been programmed to regard personal responsibility as a positive attribute.
Sorry guys, it turns out that I have also been to your nation and I always strove to get to knows American people unlike the typical foreigner self segregated foreigner. I even married one of you! -that's why I bother to look for a book to explain Mexico to my wife. Not only this, I also lived in Illinois, the tort state where people have sued for things like a hot coffee! So, please don't publish such works from people pushes others to use derogative terms like "egg-heads" And remember, the sentence above is just one example of his very doubtful opinions.
The best indication that he didn't melted with us is that when beginning the book he mentioned that we over agree. I've heard it in two other publications as well. That's wrong, but I think that's the first impression of foreigners in Canada, USA and Mexico (something in common). I also had that impression of Americans when I just arrived USA. As I got to know you more and more I found out that it's almost all the other way around. It's the same with Mexicans. So, you've got a good tip to tell biased writers when they say this.
In short, Boyé's book has the worst of the two current American trends, liberalism and conservative. Like a liberal he pretends to understand foreign things but ends up focusing most in the bad side of people -the best example are feminists- And as conservative he appeals to baseless or even hypocrite righteousness. His is too liberal biased on his views of Mexican history. Why did he disagree with a huge group of Mexicans in USA (Chicanos) for trying to take American culture when most of book is about the worst of Mexican people? Saying that they were rejected is a bad answer. Again, I know it's not up to NTC to check an author's views, but for the same freedom of expression I write this letter. A negative book can be published about any nation.....well except France because they're expert brain-washers (just read "French or Foe?" or Culture Shock: France) There have been people both in here and the dictionary's site who said we shouln't be angry. Most of them would be angry too if a book like this was written about their countries.
Boyé might well be right in his negative views of us (easy job to look at defects) I can tell that since I know it since birth. Yet, you must do things right. This book is a freshmen scratch work, it's dishonest to sell it.
Book Description
This is an ideal introduction to the Chinese language and culture for business people, students, and travelers. It sheds light on the character and personality of the Chinese by examining the meaning, historical significance, and use of more than 300 Chinese expressions. This practical guide will help readers anticipate Chinese behavior and avoid cultural faux pas.
Customer Reviews:
Ugh..........2007-06-02
I am a student of Mandarin Chinese, and that is why this book looked so appealing.
This book is nothing more than the opinions of an amateur anthropologist. As others have said, it is full of value judgments and is condescending. It contains no references or citations. It could have been written 100 years ago. Its only value is as a study of what arrogant authors will churn out to make a buck. The suggested pronunciations are of limited value because they are incomplete and without tones. There are some interesting parts and it is a very easy read, but I wouldn't trust any of it to be 100% accurate.
A good book to complement your bookshelf but.......2007-03-19
not a good book to form the basis of your understanding of Chinese culture, by a long shot. While other reviews have gone into detail about the author's lack of understanding of Chinese culture, or rather his bias, it's the two critical aspects of Chinese written language Mr. De Mente neglects that is even more important - namely the lack of emphasis on calligraphy and the radicals (sub-characters) that make up each character.
This complexity is what gives Chinese so many more dimensions and to have him continually delve into the same theme of a subservient and troubled non-individual culture takes so much away from that.
Now for the good. The author does give you a lot of information, but only in passing. The remaining legwork remains yours, which is what an author should do in the first place - inspire you to want to learn on your own. This is a decent source to refer to for research or if you are simply curious about Chinese. While his bias is inherent, it is not altogether off the mark given the standard of living in China even in this day and age. Refusing to embellish and feed the Western reader ambiguous Eastern mysticism easily distinguish the writer from the typical writings about Chinese culture and language.
With all that said, this is only a work you should buy AFTER you have already formed an informed and detailed opinion about Chinese culture and thought. If not, you will definitely get an inaccurate impression that will only harm your ability to learn. Great tidbits and trivia all along the way, but skip this incomplete guide if you don't have time to burn.
Fraught with language errors and cultural misconceptions.......2006-02-27
The author paints China as this complex system of mannerisms and beliefs, when people are just people here in China. If you want a truly real perspective on China, I suggest you buy another book. If you are going to be on a plane for 14 hours, then it might be worthwhile to flip around in it, as it touches on a few interesting topics.
Although the book tends to get it right on the larger scale of things, I thought the author must have been a person who collaborated the book from previous texts while on a "study vacation" of no more than 2 years in China. As soon as I read the first section on love, I hastily flipped to the front of the book to see when this book was published; horrificially I discovered it was first published in 2000 and furthermore would like to note was horrified as I was sure the book must have been published in the late 80s.
There are so many language errors in this book, even of the Chinese characters written on the top of each section, that this author lost all credability with me immediately. The author attempts to portray that he is an expert on the subject of China, but I kept wondering the entire time: "Who edited this book? They should have caught these language errors." For example on page 26 entitled "Engaging in Melancholy", the correct romanization of the character should be qiu, not chou; and the first thing I thought of was "stinky" (which is one of the translations for the word chou).
Another culturally insensitive, completely erroneous, and embarassing mistake is that the author contends that the word 'haole' (a Hawaiian word) translate to "white pig", while discribing other cultural ways of terming foreigners (see page 145). Having absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the book and being completely in error, I wish the editor or the author would have removed the unnecessary comment.
Furthermore on page 145 the author asserts the term yang gui zi means "ocean ghosts", when in fact the character yang was used specifically to describe foreign things or items during the Opium War (things coming from beyond the ocean), during which this specific use of the language came out. The term should be corrected to mean "foreign devil".
Again, page 404 title "A Chinese Nooner", the correct romanization should be wu xiu, not wu xin, or more colloquially refered to as zhong xiu.
Anyway, maybe I am being picky...but this book does not represent China. If I could take the subjects in this book and write my own paragraph on them, I think it would be a lot different. That's the beauty of China, everyone takes away something different. I just have a lot more positive view than the author.
This book deserves 5 stars..........2004-02-18
But I'm going to give it four because the fort collins reviewer who points out the author's "bitter, judgemental, and condescending interpretation" is actually correct. I wouldn't characterize De Mente so harshly, but as much as the author loves and understands Chinese culture, it's clear that De Mente just doesn't get it. He points out, for example, a quotation from Mao Zedung who said that the Chinese are like grass. If you mow them over, more will grow to replace them.
De Mente uses this example to shock western sensibilities and show how far "behind" the Chinese are in individual rights. Yet this is what makes China China: the focus on society and not the individual.
For what it's worth, though, individual rights are coming to China because the Chinese want them. And so De Mente's judgements while perhaps inappropriate are not irrelevant.
Personally, my biggest criticism of this book is that every Chinese word he presents is accompanied with his own transcription that I found worthless. I would've preferred that he used pinyin with tonal markers. But that's a small criticism considering the focus of the book is the exposition of each word, a collection of maybe a 100 essays, that give wonderfully concise -- and ignoring the subjective judgements, accurate -- summaries of Chinese culture.
Interesting, but very condescending.......2004-01-02
On the positive side, the format of this book is wonderful and easy to read, and the commentaries are educational and often insightful. However, this book is suffused with a bitter, judgemental, and condescending interpretation of Chinese culture. De Mente portrays the Chinese as misogynistic, ruthlessly authoritarian, and socially backwards, pointing to an obviously negative experience De Mente had living there.
The easiest way to illustrate this problem is with an example. Let us turn the tables and use De Mente's style to do a silly definition of "Liberty" in American culture: "The American concept of liberty has created a culture that is exclusively focused on the self centered pursuit of indulgence, entertainment and wealth. This corrosive desire to be free of any form of social obligation prevents the healthy formation of any family or communal relationships. Although a growing number of Americans are being exposed to the benefits of Chinese culture, it is unlikely that this trait will ever be fully exorcised from the American psyche until several generations have experienced life in a society that understands and values responsibility and respect."
The last few sentences of this example were actually lifted right out of the book, but with the value judgements reversed. As you can see, this commentary may be true, educational, or even insightful, but it is obviously offensive and condescending when there really is no need to be. If you are using this book to learn about Chinese culture, keep these cautions in mind, as De Mente vents frustration on Chinese culture in almost every definition.
Book Description
Since its original publication, Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business, the pioneering work on the subject, has been the standard guide for Westerners doing business with the Japanese--either here or abroad. In this new edition Boyd Lafayette De Mente, who has been living and working in Japan for more than twenty-five years, examines those characteristics that epitomize the Japanese character and business personality. De Mente explains how concepts from daily life extend to dealings in business and how loyalty to the family and nation applies to professional relationships as well.
Throughout this book De Mente offers invaluable advice to Westerners wishing to do business with the Japanese. In an all new chapter De Mente compares the Japanese and Western approaches to business pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each. This is the one book on Japanese business structure and practices that offers explanations for what appears to many foreigners to be confusing and contradictory behavior by their Japanese counterparts. As part of a rationale for Japan's economic achievements, De Mente has formulated "Japan's Five Commandments for Success," which he presents here for the first time. No other hook is as informative about the cultural factors that shape business practices in Japan. The insights that De Mente has gathered as the results of his long experience in Japan are presented on every page. No one who goes East with the intention of doing business with the Japanese should do so without first consulting Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business.
"I am delighted to see this revised and expanded edition of a book that has become something of a classic over the decades. Boyd De Mente's long experience in Japan . . . has given him a keen insight into the cultural factors that shaped and still control management practices in Japan."
-- Yasutaka Sai, Vice President International Japan Management Association
"This book is 'must' reading for anyone with even a marginal interest in Japan and Japanese business."
-- William K. Nickoson, President Asia Dynamics (Japan) Ltd.
"Until foreign businesspeople fully understand and learn how to cope with the cultural factors underlying Japanese society, particularly such elements as discrimination and egotism, they will not be able to understand or work effectively with the Japanese. Boyd De Mente's Japanese Etiquette & Ethics in Business provides the basis for this understanding, along with practical advice on bridging cultural differences."
-- John Artise, Vice President Drake Beam Morin, Inc.
Customer Reviews:
More useful for doing business *in* Japan.......2002-12-30
Content: DeMente seems to know what he's talking about (this author was recommended to me by an instructor in Chinese culture). Although I've dealt with Japanese business people for many years, I've not been to Japan, and therefore have no basis to completely judge the book's content. Based on what I do know, though, this book is best read as instruction in how to deal with Japanese business people when doing business *in Japan* (as opposed to doing business with Japanese companies and their representatives in the U.S.).
Structure: Overly repetitive, poorly structured and in some places, clearly outdated. The last criticism is to be expected given the dramatic change of status Japan has undergone in the past decade. The first two criticisms might be ameliorated by two factors: One, my own preferences are certainly playing a large role here. I prefer to have information delivered in a logical (to me) and concise manner. This is especially true for an instructive book -- one would expect creative writing to contain flourishes. Two, perhaps this *is* creative writing, and DeMente is showing the reader what dealing with a Japanese mindset is really like.
Japanese Ethics and Business.......2002-10-13
This is one of the best books I have read on Japanese Business and Ethics. The author gives an explanation on the character of the japanese. Explains the differences between doing business the japanese way and the western way.The author gives a history of the japanese and gives stories on how the japanese think and act. You will gain so much knowledge from this book about the japanese. I will recommend this book to anyone that is going to do business in Japan or with the japanese in their own country. A must read.
Effective Use of Stories.......2002-10-03
Not only is the author knowledgable about the topic, but I like the manner in which he makes his points through real life anacdotes. I use the same technique in my book: The Constant-Sum Approach to Business Success".
This is a must read book for people doing business in Japan........1997-07-11
Superficially, Japan and the US are quite similar: In their cities, there are tall modern buildings, well dressed people hurrying to appointments while talking on cellular phones as well as the hustle and bustle of any large Western city. These similarities will seduce nearly every American who seeks to do business in Japan into thinking that the business practices of the country will be the same as in the US. The truth is that the cultural differences are so vast and subtle that they are often beyond the comprehension of the majority Americans. In Japan, there is a high expectation of a certain standard of business etiquette and failure to achieve this standard could doom any hopes of doing business in that country. And, unfortunately, many Americans, unknowingly, are unable to avoid this pitfall.
The Japanese language is rich with expressions that conceptualize certain feelings or attitudes that are literally very foreign to Westerners but are key to the Japanese way of seeing things. De Mente's explanations of these phrases and sayings are both useful vocabulary lessons as well as effective insights into the Japanese business mentality.
When my friends ask me for advice on conducting business in Japan, I regularly refer them to this book for a quick heads-up on business etiquette and ethics prior to their visit. Without exception, everyone reported that the book gave them the additional perception and savvy that was especially helpful in understanding and dealing with their Japanese counterparts.
In addition to giving basic insight on the how-to's of doing business in Japan, De Mente's book could a valuable primer for our diplomats and trade representatives who seek to improve relations with our important Asian neighbor.
I have read many books on this topic and have found none to have the depth and the richness as this one. After reading this book, one will naturally seek additional information in De Mente's many other books on this subject. Even if you are able to afford a cultural consultant to dispense expensive advice you will find Japanese Etiquette and Ethics in Business to be a thoughtfully written handbook that gives much insight into the ways of doing business in that country.
Average customer rating:
- I thought it covered the nessicary information
|
Lafayette: Hero of Two Nations
Keith Brandt
Manufacturer: Troll Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding
 History
| Subjects
| Books
| Africa
| Americas
| Ancient
| Arctic & Antarctica
| Asia
| Audiobooks
| Australia & Oceania
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Europe
| Gay & Lesbian
| Historical Study
| Large Print
| Middle East
| Military
| Military Science
| Russia
| United States
| World
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Europe
| History & Historical Fiction
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0816717710 |
Book Description
The "Easy Biographies" series focuses on the childhood and young-adult years of famous men and women who overcame obstacles to achieve greatness. Inspirational and informative reading for students with big dreams.
Customer Reviews:
I thought it covered the nessicary information.......1999-01-20
If you (like me) have to do a report on Marquis de Lafayette get this book! It's at a good price and it ships very quickly!
Book Description
This cookbook features a unique menu section with authentic Cajun recipies . It is adorned with 12 full color prints by acclaimed "Blue Dog" artist George Rodrigue. It contains a wine reference guide, special occasion menus, wild game recipies, party planning hints, and a spice and herb guide. It is in it's 7th repint and now is available in hard cover. It has won the McIlhenny Hall of Fame Award
Customer Reviews:
Talk About Good 2.......2007-01-15
This book, like it's younger brother TALK ABOUT GOOD is an excellent cookbook that is practical in every sense, not some idealized collection of rarely used concoctions.
This version has a short story before each section that tells about the culture that created the foods.
As with the 1st edition, and the IIIrd edition, the binding allows this book to remain open to the page being used, a requirement in the kitchen. Again, this is a USEFUL COOKBOOK, not a book that lives on the living room table.
If you liked the 1st book, get this one, and be prepared to get TALK ABOUT GOOD III, it is also a keeper.
Great Sequel.......2000-12-09
This a the sequel to the first Talk About Good, but is good and complete enough to stand on its own. I recommend it highly as I do the first one. The artwork by Rodrigue is wonderful and the recipes are truly authentic. A necessary edition to any kitchen, Cajun or not.
Aptly subtitled "A Toast to Cajun Food".......1999-01-03
This cookbook is an excellent source reflective of South Louisiana (i.e., "Cajun") culture. The recipes are interesting, easy to follow, and have been "tested" on family and friends of Junior League members.
As interesting as the recipes are the illustrations by internationally known painter George Rodrigue of Lafayette, Louisiana. His paintings and comments accurately portray the Cajun culture, and give an insight into the Cajun way of life. You will even learn the meaning of the expression, "Laissez les bons temps rouler".
If you want to know how to make a good gumbo, many delicious ways to cook seafood (after all, the Cajuns invented the idea of "blackened" fish), or what to do with some of the game that your mighty hunters have brought home, this is the cookbook for you!
Books:
- America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It
- An Unmentionable Murder (Last Hurrah for the WWII Manor House Mystery)
- Andrew Carnegie
- Atlas Major
- Birds in Brazil
- Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army
- Blown Away: The Rolling Stones and the Death of the Sixties
- Blue Latitudes: Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before
- Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality
- Bound Hearts: Shameless Embraces (Books 6 and 7)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
- History: Fiction or Science
- Why the Markets Went Crazy: And What It Means for Investors
- Best Entry-Level Jobs, 2007 Edition
- Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future
- Government by the People, Teaching and Learning, Classroom Edition
- Case Concerning Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo
- Understanding Healthcare Financial Management, Fourth Edition
- C++ Design Patterns and Derivatives Pricing
- Mushrooms: A Quick Reference Guide to Mushrooms of North America
The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution
George Mason, Forgotten Founder
For Liberty and Glory: Washington, Lafayette, and Their Revolutions
Washington's Spies: The Story of America's First Spy Ring
Union 1812: The Americans Who Fought the Second War of Independence
