Cultural Amnesia: Necessary Memories from History and the Arts

Book Description

Forty years in the making, a new cultural canon that celebrates truth over hypocrisy, literature over totalitarianism.

Echoing Edward Said's belief that "Western humanism is not enough, we need a universal humanism," the renowned critic Clive James presents here his life's work. Containing over one hundred original essays, organized by quotations from A to Z, Cultural Amnesia illuminates, rescues, or occasionally destroys the careers of many of the greatest thinkers, humanists, musicians, artists, and philosophers of the twentieth century. In discussing, among others, Louis Armstrong, Walter Benjamin, Sigmund Freud, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Franz Kafka, Marcel Proust, and Ludwig Wittgenstein, James writes, "If the humanism that makes civilization civilized is to be preserved into the new century, it will need advocates. These advocates will need a memory, and part of that memory will need to be of an age in which they were not yet alive." Soaring to Montaigne-like heights, Cultural Amnesia is precisely the book to burnish these memories of a Western civilization that James fears is nearly lost. 110 photographs.

Customer Reviews:

A difficult read,but worth the time.......2007-10-01

Although this book has an intersting premise,it is a difficult book to read.It is written in essay form,and the author's style is not flowing or easy to read.However the content is interesting and does make you think about how we got where we are to-day:by losing sight of,and forgetting the past and important peope in it.
You can read this book a chapter at a time, and leave it for a while since each chapter is an essay on one person.it is not a novel,but a collection of essay/biographies, and includes some very intersting people

Absolutely Must Reading.......2007-09-15

In fairness, I had never heard of Clive James until he appeared on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. I was just blown away and ordered this book the next day. If you want to understand Western culture ... I mean truly understand the culture in which you live, you should read this book. What you learn here is that a whole lot of people you never heard of and a few you have made monumental contributions that you didn't know about. This is the kind of book every person should have in their library as a reference. You can read it at leisure and you should. You should savor it.

Read it at your own perill.......2007-09-11

If you never studied French, German, Italian or Spanish, you will be sorry you didn't. You will be made aware of all you are missing because you can not read the all those untranslated or untranslatable important writers that are fundamental to our civilization. If you know them you will see that for English speakers is very difficult not to be confused by Spanish and Italian. I have found misspelled Spanish words because the Italian spelling was used in the wrong place. Clive James is almost pushing me to start again with German, French and Italian.

convoluted writing.......2007-09-04

just found what I've read so far very digressive and convoluted. He is a much better speaker than writer. haven't given it a full read, but am daunted by the many digressions from the points I'm interested in. don't care about 10 other people whom I may or may not know who really don't have relevance to the person I'm reading about.

Unsurpassed both for content and style.......2007-09-01

This is an amazing book. Clive James was only a dim sound in my limited background before the book was presented to me as a present. When I finished this book, I made the unusual promise to myself to read it again, an unusual decision since I am not thoroughly committed to modern writing and have found nothing that quite measures up to it, either traditional or modern. The essays, it is made clear, were not written at the same time, but were the accumulation of some years of reading and study. The casual reader will be introduced to a number of people hitherto unknown or barely known, mixed in with giants like Tacitus, Keats, Proust, Kafka, the three Manns,and Camus. I cannot ignore James's prose style, which astonishes minute by minute. A must-read for anybody interested in history and the arts.

Once Upon a Game: Baseball's Greatest Memories

Average customer rating:

Once Upon a Game: Baseball's Greatest Memories
Alan Schwarz
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

History | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Big Papi: My Story of Big Dreams and Big Hits

ASIN: 061873127X

Book Description

In Once Upon a Game, Alan Schwarz, author of the critically acclaimed The Numbers Game, assembles a delightful collection of personal memories about baseball from some of the gameâ€™s all-time legends and its most famous fans. Derek Jeter tells how at age ten he declared to his parents that he would be a major leaguer; Ernie Banks recalls the moment he coined the phrase â€œLetâ€™s play two!â€; Mike Piazza recounts his backyard batting lesson with Ted Williams. With intimacy and insight, dozens of the gameâ€™s greatest players remember the finest moments of their careers. Lavishly illustrated and handsomely designed, Once Upon a Game is a one-of-a-kind collective reminiscence. Includes personal reflections from Yogi Berra, Kevin Costner, Reggie Jackson, Pedro Martinez, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Charles Schulz, and more.

The 36-Hour Day, Large Print Edition: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life (Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)

Average customer rating:

Everyone Should Read
An absolute must for caregivers
The 36 Hour Day
The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life
A MUST read for anyone that has an alzheimer family member, or anyone involved in the care of an alzheimer patient!!!!!!

The 36-Hour Day, Large Print Edition: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life (Johns Hopkins Press Health Book)
Nancy L. Mace
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Learning to Speak Alzheimer's: A Groundbreaking Approach for Everyone Dealing with the Disease
What If It's Not Alzheimer's: A Caregiver's Guide to Dementia
When your Loved one Has Dementia: A Simple Guide for Caregivers
Talking to Alzheimer's: Simple Ways to Connect When You Visit with a Family Member or Friend
Alzheimer's Early Stages: First Steps for Family, Friends and Caregivers

ASIN: 0801885108

Book Description

Revised in 2006 for its twenty-fifth anniversary, this best-selling book is the "bible" for families caring for people with Alzheimer disease, offering comfort and support to millions worldwide. In addition to the practical and compassionate guidance that have made The 36-Hour Day invaluable to caregivers, the fourth edition is the only edition currently available that includes new information on medical research and the delivery of care.

The new edition includes:

-new information on diagnostic evaluation-resources for families and adult children who care for people with dementia-updated legal and financial information-the latest information on nursing homes and other communal living arrangements-new information on research, medications, and the biological causes and effects of dementia

Also available in a large print edition

Praise for The 36-Hour Day:

Customer Reviews:

Everyone Should Read.......2007-10-04

I am so sorry that I did not read this book 5 years ago. It explained why my mom behaves the way that she does. I think that everyone needs to read this because there is not a person alive that does not or will not love someone who has dementia or Alzheimers. It gives medical information that is easy to understand as well as ways to best deal with their loved one. It reassures the caregiver that they need to take care of themselves and it helps them to realize that thier loved one still loves them but is sometimes unable to show it in acceptable ways.

An absolute must for caregivers.......2007-07-27

For those of us who are caregivers, this book is a lifesaver. Before reading this book I was certain that many of the behaviors that my family member exhibits were unique to her. While I often read about Alzheimer's, I never read anything that made me stop and realize that, first, I am not alone, and second, that there are ways that I can handle situations better. This book is full of great suggestions on how to deal with the many behavioral issues that are exhibited by those with Alzheimer's and dementia.

Whenever I have an especially difficult day, I go online to the Alzheimer's page and remind myself how difficult it is for my family member. This book drove home that message, yet more importantly provided me with some tools on how to deal with these issues. I cannot stress enough how much I thought our situation and the behaviors were unique; it is liberating to realize that they are not. As well, understanding why the person exhibits such behaviors makes it much easier to respond correctly.

I wish I could thank the authors personally for this book. I hope they both know that their wisdom, concern and awareness of the Alzheimer patient has made a difference for me, and I am certain has made a difference for many others.

Caregivers -- buy this book, you will find some stress greatly diminished.

The 36 Hour Day.......2007-07-16

The 36-Hour Day is an excellent book for anyone dealing with Alzheimer's patients. It is hard for me to imagine anyone with the disease reading the book, but family members will benefit tremendously.

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People with Alzheimer Disease, Other Dementias, and Memory Loss in Later Life.......2007-07-01

Well-written, easy to read, and comprehansive..excellent resource! I have already recommended it to others facing a future as a caregiver.

A MUST read for anyone that has an alzheimer family member, or anyone involved in the care of an alzheimer patient!!!!!!.......2007-06-11

I can not stress enough just how helpful and informative this book is. My Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer Disease 6 years ago. In those 6 years we have seen numerous doctors, taken numerous tests, spoke to many Social Workers, Home Health Aides, etc. NO ONE gave me the advice, information, suggestions, help, etc., anywhere near as well and thorough as "The 36 Hour Day".
I think so highly of this book and recommend it so much; that just last week, I had a meeting with the Director of Nursing, Head Nurse, and Social Worker at the nursing home where my Dad resides. I highly recommended this book and told the Dir. Of Nursing, it should be mandatory reading for anyone working in the facility.
If you have a loved one or are a care taker of someone with Alzheimer Disease---RUN do not walk, to your nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of this book.

Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent

Average customer rating:

Enjoyable But Lacks "OOMPH"
Good read for Disneyholics
Spinning Disney
I loved the inside stories
Charles Ridgway is a 'Disney Legend' acknowledged by the Disney Company for his four decades of service to Disney

Spinning Disney's World: Memories of a Magic Kingdom Press Agent
Charles Ridgway
Manufacturer: The Intrepid Traveler
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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The Imagineering Field Guide to Disney's Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World
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ASIN: 1887140670

Book Description

Disney Legend Charles Ridgway looks back on over forty years of working with the Mouse, from Disneyland, to Walt Disney World, to Euro-Disney and beyond. Filled with light-hearted and hilarious reminiscences of famous people and outlandish publicity stunts, this memoir will delight Disney fans young and old.

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable But Lacks "OOMPH".......2007-08-16

Charles Ridgway was Disney's public face to the world for almost forty years. In an easy style, he takes us through some of the behind the scenes stories and anecdotes that are of interest to Disney students.
Ridgway is a Disney fan which results in the book lacking any real meat. Gentle memoirs written in a gentle style do not make compulsive reading. The book is imbued with the Disney spirit where everyone loves everyone else and everyone lives happily ever after. Ridgway seems to have only met wonderful people who create wonderful experiences in his lifetime. Thus the book lacks OOMPH and bit.
The author though does have a nice pleasant writing style who takes us through many enjoyable anecdotes and adventures as to how he helped create noise and media excitement around a wonderful brand.

Good read for Disneyholics.......2007-08-08

If you've ever wanted to know some of the ins and outs, and behind the scenes info about DisneyLand and DinsneyWorld (more WDW) this is the book for you.

Spinning Disney.......2007-08-01

This is one of the best books that I have read in over 5 years, if you are a fan of Walt Disney or the Disney Parks you'll greatly enjoy it. When reading this book it's almost as though you were in the room with the author who was speaking to you telling these stories. There are places in this book that will touch your heart and bring a tear to your eye. This man lived an amazing life with the Disney Parks and it shows. Buy the book you'll be happy that you did.

I loved the inside stories.......2007-06-20

I have been a Disney fan for years and years. I think that this book is interesting because it's written from the view of a true insider. All the stories of working for Walt were great. I also loved the stories about each of the theme parks opening.

Charles Ridgway is a 'Disney Legend' acknowledged by the Disney Company for his four decades of service to Disney.......2007-06-04

Charles Ridgway is a 'Disney Legend' acknowledged by the Disney Company for his four decades of service to Disney, so SPINNING DISNEY'S WORLD: MEMORIES OF A MAGIC KINGDOM PRESS AGENT is a key to understanding the Disney structure. Ridgway's ingenuity in publicizing and creating the Disney magic is revealed in chapters that cite Disney history and his major contributions. Readers need not be Disney fans to appreciate this survey: any business collection, especially those featuring public relations titles, will find SPINNING DISNEY'S WORLD holds plenty of marketing insights key to understanding Disney's attractions and public relations at its best.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
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Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Memories Are Made of This: How Memory Works in Humans and Animals (Maps of the Mind)

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Memories Are Made of This: How Memory Works in Humans and Animals (Maps of the Mind)
Rusiko Bourtchouladze
Manufacturer: Columbia University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0231120214

Book Description

Memory enables us to make experience meaningful and to form coherent identities for ourselves and intelligible perceptions of others. Indeed, our ability to imagine, anticipate, and create the future is directly commensurate with our ability to retrieve and recollect past experiences.

But for all its vital importance in human cognition, for all that it seems so ordinary and obvious, memory remains in many ways as complex and mysterious today as it seemed to ancient philosophers. We need only to think about the "tip-of-the-tongue" experience to wonder how memories are formed, where they reside in our brains, and why some are retained, while others are forgotten. What is the difference between long- and short-term memory? Can memory be strengthened? Memories Are Made of This is an account of current memory science that offers answers to these and a host of other questions, comprehensively distilling much diverse and

rigorous science. It delves into the biology of memory functions and researches into the

mechanics and genetics of memory and the importance of emotions, particularly those resulting from trauma, in the memory process. Of special focus are investigations of cognition in other species. Are we the only animals who remember and forget? If not, are there commonalties in the memories of different species? The book also surveys our understanding of the effects of injury and disease on memory and concludes with an assessment of emerging pharmacological efforts to preserve and protect our memories and, in turn, ourselves.

Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam

Average customer rating:

a random and beautiful encounter
. . arriving at the place where you started. . .and knowing it for the first time
moving
Great book!
From another Vietnamese's perspective

Catfish and Mandala: A Two-Wheeled Voyage Through the Landscape and Memory of Vietnam
Andrew X. Pham
Manufacturer: Picador
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Paradise of the Blind: A Novel
The Sacred Willow: Four Generations in the Life of a Vietnamese Family
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Shadows and Wind: A View of Modern Vietnam
The House on Dream Street: Memoir of an American Woman in Vietnam (Adventura Books)

ASIN: 0312267177

Amazon.com

A great memoirist can burnish even an ordinary childhood into something bright--see, for instance, Annie Dillard's An American Childhood. So what about a really good writer with access to a dramatic and little-documented story? This is the case with Catfish and Mandala, Vietnamese American Andrew X. Pham's captivating first book, which delves fearlessly into questions of home, family, and identity. The son of Vietnamese parents who suffered terribly during the Vietnam War and brought their family to America when he was 10, Pham, on the cusp of his 30s, defied his parents' conservative hopes for him and his engineering career by becoming a poorly paid freelance writer. After the suicide of his sister, he set off on an even riskier path to travel some of the world on his bicycle. In the grueling, enlightening year that followed, he pedaled through Mexico, the American West Coast, Japan, and finally his far-off first land, Vietnam.

The story, with some of a mandala's repeated symbolic motifs, works on several levels at once. It is an exploration into the meaning of home, a descriptive travelogue, and an intimate look at the Vietnamese immigrant experience. There are beautifully illuminated flashbacks to the experience of fleeing Vietnam and to an earlier, more innocent childhood. While Pham's stern father, a survivor of Vietcong death camps, regrets that Pham has not been a respectful Vietnamese son, he also reveals that he wishes he himself had been more "American" for his kids, that he had "taken [them] camping." Catfish and Mandala is a book of double-edged truths, and it would make a fascinating study even in less able hands. In those of the adventurous, unsentimental Pham, it is an irresistible story. --Maria Dolan

Book Description

Winner of the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book PrizeA New York Times Notable Book of the YearWinner of the Whiting Writers' AwardA Seattle Post-Intelligencer Best Book of the YearCatfish and Mandala is the story of an American odyssey-a solo bicycle voyage around the Pacific Rim to Vietnam-made by a young Vietnamese-American man in pursuit of both his adopted homeland and his forsaken fatherland. Andrew X. Pham was born in Vietnam and raised in California. His father had been a POW of the Vietcong; his family came to America as "boat people." Following the suicide of his sister, Pham quit his job, sold all of his possessions, and embarked on a year-long bicycle journey that took him through the Mexican desert, around a thousand-mile loop from Narita to Kyoto in Japan; and, after five months and 2,357 miles, to Saigon, where he finds "nothing familiar in the bombed-out darkness." In Vietnam, he's taken for Japanese or Korean by his countrymen, except, of course, by his relatives, who doubt that as a Vietnamese he has the stamina to complete his journey ("Only Westerners can do it"); and in the United States he's considered anything but American. A vibrant, picaresque memoir written with narrative flair and an eye-opening sense of adventure, Catfish and Mandala is an unforgettable search for cultural identity.

Customer Reviews:

a random and beautiful encounter.......2007-07-09

i was travelling alone in Lhasa, Tibet and found this book in Makye Ame restaurant. i started reading and couldn't put it down. it gave me true enjoyable solitude on my lonely journey. loved it. i spent the last two days reading it in that restaurant. ordered a copy from Amazon last week and i can't wait to finish it.
my heartfelt thanks to Mr Pham!

. . arriving at the place where you started. . .and knowing it for the first time.......2007-07-09

`I am a mover of betweens' writes Andrew X.Pham. . . `I slip among classifications, like water in cupped palms.' And in his award winning Catfish and Mandala he takes his readers into those `betweens' with him Viet-kieu, `foreign' Vietnamese, Pham sets out from San Francisco on his rickety 18 speed bicycle riding the Pacific Rim, first up the coast to Seattle, then through Japan, and finally arriving in Ho Chi Minh City from where he begins his odyssey through Vietnam, seeking to understand his relationship to the country of his birth, and the people, and his culture.

The ride he takes us on becomes, for the reader, as spiritual as it is physical. We feel every bump in the road, we push up the hills, we are cold, wet, hungry, ambivalent at times, and we suffer from chronic dysentery. Pham meets people who reject him, who taunt him, and those who, often after initial distrust, befriend him for part of the journey. While he is `pedaling and pushing' alone to Hanoi and back , on a journey everyone advises him is too dangerous, the narrative ebbs and flows through his childhood, through the escape on the boat, through the struggles of his family.

Pham moves comfortably from the specific, the particular, like his recollections of Scarface, Bugsy, Redeye, or Bagman and Mechanic, or the roasting ears of corn dripping with pork fat and scallions, to the philosophic - and then the poetic. It is little surprise he has been linked to writers like Thoreau, Kerouac, Steinback.. . I might add William Carlos Williams,T.S.Eliot or Carl Sandburg. He speaks at once of Vietnam and of his uncertain place there and of the US- and in so doing speaks to all of us who now count among the millions who have left homelands and no longer fully understand what home is, and who `move between.'

By the end of Pham's journey we begin to understand what that is, and value it.

moving.......2007-06-09

This story of a family's escape from Vietnam is a captivating memoir. The author combines his family history with richly detailed descriptions of the landscape of Vietnam. Very well-written and moving.

Great book!.......2007-04-30

Born in Vietnam and came to America at the age of 2--this book is such a great read. It's quite a feeling to see so many of my own thoughts and conflicts regarding my heritage written out this way. Highly recommended.

From another Vietnamese's perspective.......2007-02-23

Overall, this book is well written and has its good moments. As a Vietnamese who came to America at the same time frame and age as the writer, I can't help but to dislike the writer as I read the book.

First of all, I think the writer has a condescending view toward Vietnam and the people. He tries too hard to describe the negatives while not trying to even understand the reason for the state of the country and the people. I feel that the writer sensationalizes, even bordeline fictionalize, his story to appease to the readers. In the book, the author tried to describe the character Kim as a victim of the society, yet, he goes on to use her and skip town so he wouldn't have to face her. He paints such a negative picture of everyone that he met on the road. I wonder why he even took this trip. This author is the reason why Vietnamese Americans are so dislike in Vietnam. The author came back to the country without any knowledge nor understanding, and sadly, all he can do is whined.

I'm two years older than the author and came to United States when I was nine. What the author faced is not unlike any other Vietnamese refugees' story. I wonder about some facts and timeline in the author's recollection of his childhood. Base on the events that were stated, the author must have a photographic memory at such a young age. Some of his memories were a bit far fetched. One has to wonder if the memories were really his or a collection of someone else's memories.

As far as the difficulties in a new country, GET OVER IT!!! Every Vietnamese had to endure the similar situations. My father was a high ranking government official and he too had to work as a janitor. My mother who was a teacher, had to work on a assembly line making seat belts. I grew up in Fresno picking oranges and tomatoes. My wife escaped Vietnam by herself at the age of 16. We all survived and thrived on our experiences. There were many, many more Vietnamese who endured much worse fate than Mr. Pham. I find the author's self-indulgent story annoying by the end of the book.

Overall, I think the author tries a bit too hard writing about himself and forget the real victims, his motherland and the Vietnamese people. As much as the author wants to convey of his noble character, I find his views lack of empathy and understanding for Vietnam. I happen to be very proud of my roots and appreciate all that Vietnam has to offered, even with all of its imperfections. Sadly, Mr. Pham reflects many Vietnamese Americans that have turned their back on their roots. I'm proud that I was born in Vietnam and will be proud of my heritage everyday.

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th

Average customer rating:

PERFECT!BEAUTIFUL!THE BEST BOOK OUT THERE!
A MUST
THESE MEMORIES ARE FOREVER!
A Beautiful Read of A Guilty Pleasure
Fan of the Films? BUY THIS BOOK!

Crystal Lake Memories: The Complete History of Friday The 13th
Peter M. Bracke
Manufacturer: Titan Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Guides & Reviews | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Making Friday The 13th: The Legend Of Camp Blood
Book of the Dead: The Complete History of Zombie Cinema
Halloween: 25 Years of Terror
The Burning
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ASIN: 1845763432
Release Date: 2006-10-01

Book Description

When Friday the 13th premiered in 1980, the film introduced moviegoers to a new kind of cinematic terror - shocking, visceral, graphic and relentless. Spawning ten popular sequels to date, the series has become the most successful horror franchise of all time, and the character of "Jason" an icon known around the world as the first name in evil. Now, uncensored and in their own words, over two hundred alumni of the series recall a quarter-century's worth of behind-the-scenes stories - the struggles, feuds, foibles, controversies and calamities.

Fully illustrated with over five hundred never-before-seen photos, rare archival documents and production materials, this is the ultimate oral and visual memoir of the most successful horror franchise in the history of motion pictures.

Customer Reviews:

PERFECT!BEAUTIFUL!THE BEST BOOK OUT THERE!.......2007-09-27

THIS TRULY IS THE BEST BOOK OUT THERE!IT'S SO HIGH CLASSED!IT'S WRITTEN,AND PUT TOGETHER IN AN APPROPRIATE ORDER.ALL THE PICTURES ARE IN GREAT DETAIL.THE PAGES ARE GLOSSY.ALL THE CAST MEMBERS,AND THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH FRIDAY THE 13TH MOVIES ALL TALKED ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS,OPINIONS,FEELINGS,AND IDEAS ABOUT EACH MOVIE.THE PARAGRAPHS ARE BIG,AND REALLY INTERESTING.EVERYBODY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THEIR LIKES,AND DISLIKES OF CERTAIN SCENES THEY DID.THIS BOOK IS SO ENGROSSING!YOU WON'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN.YOU REALLY GET TO KNOW THESE PEOPLE BY JUST READING THE PARAGRAPHS.I GOT THIS BOOK AS ONE OF MY PRESENTS,AND IT WAS MY FAVORITE PRESENT!

A MUST.......2007-09-24

NOW THATS WHAT YOU CALL A BOOK.... GREAT INFO AND THE BEST COLOUR PHOTOS IVE SEEN IN A WHILE... A MUST FOR ANY HORROR FAN... DONT THINK ABOUT BUYING IT, JUST HURRY UP AND GET IT!!!!!

THESE MEMORIES ARE FOREVER!.......2007-09-24

THIS BOOK IS EXCELLENT!IT'S BEAUTIFUL!ALL THE PAGES ARE GLOSSY,AND IT'S EASY TO READ.IT'S PERFECTLY PUT TOGETHER.IT'S IN THE PROPER ORDER FOR THE READERS CONVENIENCE.EVERYTHING'S IN HERE-NOTHING'S LEFT OUT.ALL THE PICTURES ARE IN GREAT DETAIL.YOU CAN SEE EVERYTHING,AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING.EVERYBODY INVOLVED WITH THESE MOVIES TALKED ABOUT HOW THEY REALLY FELT ABOUT DOING PARTICULAR SCENES,AND THEIR OWN PERSONAL FEELINGS ABOUT THE MOVIES.THE PARAGRAPHS ARE BIG,AND THEY'RE THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BOOK.EVERYBODY'S CONVERSING AT DIFFERENT TIMES ABOUT DIFFERENT TOPICS,ISSUES,AND THINGS IN GENERAL.THIS BOOK'S SO INTERESTING,AND AMAZING!I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL THE FRIDAY THE 13TH FANS!DEFINITELY ADD THIS TO YOUR FRIDAY THE 13TH/JASON VOORHEES COLLECTION!

A Beautiful Read of A Guilty Pleasure.......2007-08-08

I just received my copy of Crystal Lake Memories as of yesterday. Since opening up the box that it was packaged in (packaged beautifully by Amazon..Thanks Guys! You're the best!!!!) I was not able to put it down. This is truly a definitive book on one of the most storied franchises in the history of american film making. From the beautiful cover, to the foreward and preface by Sean Cunningham and Peter Bracke, a tapestry woven in beautiful shades of crimson red begins to take shape. I have been a film of classic "horror" films since I was a teen, and yes, Friday the 13th has been and always will be one of the hallmark pictures within the genre that was so much a part of my youth. One should not take these films too seriously, and I have certainly gained a new perspective of these films since reading through the this beautiful book.

One reviewer stated so appropriately that it was a "bloody" shame (sorry guys) that such a book was not available for films such as "Alien" or "Halloween". Although I do reserve hope that such volumes will be written and rendered for devotees of those particular film franchises. They are certainly deserving. In short, my purchase of Crystal Lake Memories is one that I am happy to have made. It is beautifully rendered in every way, shape and form. Beyond the shade of crimson red, lyes a deeper and more sentimental look at everyone involved with this franchise. From the veteran filmmakers, to the effervescent actors and adoring fans, this book documents it all with tremendous detail and devotion. Kudos Mr. Bracke for bringing us such a fun and informative read.

Fan of the Films? BUY THIS BOOK!.......2007-08-07

As a huge "Friday the 13th" fan I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book. It's the most indepth look at each of the films, and the TV series out there. Peter Bracke culled together interviews with almost everyone in Hollywood who was associated with one of the films. There are countless stories by the cast and crew of each film. You are presented the good, the bad and the ugly details of each production. The book is broken into sections by movie title, and almost everyone involved in that particular movie gets to speak about their experience, most do so without pulling any punches. I can't recommend this book highly enough to fans of the series.

To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander

Average customer rating:

U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI.
An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy
Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'.
Finally!
Excellent to see in an english translation

To the Last Salute: Memories of an Austrian U-Boat Commander
Georg von Trapp
Manufacturer: University of Nebraska Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Military & Spies | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Austria | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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World War I | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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Agathe von Trapp: Memories Before and After The Sound of Music

ASIN: 0803246676

Book Description

The Sound of Music endeared Georg von Trapp (1880–1947) and his singing family to the world, and it also showed us how desperately the Nazis wanted Captain von Trapp for their navy. In To the Last Salute we learn why. Trapp’s own story of his exploits as a submarine commander during the First World War is as exciting as it is instructive, bringing to stirring life a little-known chapter in the naval history of that war.

In his many guises Trapp describes life as captain of Austro-Hungarian U-boats in the Mediterranean and Adriatic seas, emerging by turn as the Imperial Austrian naval officer, the witty observer of international politics, and the indefatigable and ultimately heartbroken patriot opposing the Allied enemy. He relates deadly duels with submarine sweepers, narrow escapes and excruciatingly close calls, and the spectacular sinking of cargo and war ships—all the while maintaining a keen sense of the camaraderie of seamen from every corner of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A picture of a lost time, a portrait of a remarkable character, a window on early submarine warfare: Trapp’s story, in English for the first time, offers a rare combination of human interest, historical insight, and true life-and-death adventure.

Customer Reviews:

U-boats and insights into the geopolitical situation of Austro-Hungary in WWI. .......2007-10-09

This is reasonably light read broken into bite-size chapters covering a variety of experiences surrounding the author's service as a WWI Austrian U-boat captain, the boat technologies of the time and the everyday impact of the politics as Austria's empire unraveled. Austria's relationship with it's wealthy and larger German ally is seen from another perspective as well as the polyglot nature of the many ethnic groups belonging to and participating in the Austrian war effort. A fine military account from the man responsible for "The Sound of Music."

An engaging and moving memoir of life in the Austrian Navy.......2007-09-26

To the Last Salute is Georg Ritter von Trapp's memoir of commanding a U-boat in the Austrian Navy during World War I. While his style of writing does take some getting used to, von Trapp provides an engaging and suspenseful tale of life on a primitive submarine during an oft-neglected period of military history. The book also gives us an insight into von Trapp as a man, more insight than one finds in other books on the life of his famous family. His accounts of the horrors of war and the loss of his beloved navy at the end of the war are especially moving. For those interested in von Trapp, the Austrian Navy, World War I, and the history of submarine warfare, the book will be especially useful; anyone interested in the story of an intriguing, thoughtful, and courageous man will enjoy the chronicle of von Trapp's adventures as well.

Interesting History of the True Life "Captain" from the 'Sound of Music'........2007-08-22

Captain Georg von Trapp's Memoirs were published in Austria in German in the 1930's. One of his Grandaughters (an offspring of one of the real life von Trapp Family Singers)has translated her famous ancestor's work into English and now we can all see why the Evil Nazi's were so set on getting "The Captain" into their Navy when they took over Austria.

The work is very short and von Trapp has a matter of fact writing style similar to that of U.S. counterpart Gene Fluckey in his memoir of the USS Barb. Unlike Fluckey however von Trapp had to go to war in an antequated obsolete gasoline powered Austrian U-boat which was barely a step above the Turtle or the Hunley. A german U boat Captain told him upon going inside the ship that he "was lucky to be Alive". In addition he had to deal with a multinational crew that grew more restless as the war went on and their countries began to break away from the Hapsburg yoke.

The memoir is a good glimpse of a theatre of WWI which is barely mentioned, the Naval War in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean. Very little has been written of the War at sea between the Austrian navy on one side and the Italians and the French on the other. Most I have seen have dealt with the Royal Navy in the Dardanelles.

The book also begins with some von Trapp Family background and reveals many interesting facts such as the Captain's first wife was English and many of 'the children' were a lot older than 'sixteen going on seventeen' when they escaped Austria. Sadly when the Captain died of lung cancer in 1947 it may have been related to all of the gas fumes he inhaled on the poorly ventilated u boat during the war.

Finally!.......2007-08-08

I've wished for this book to be translated into English for a very long time! It was worth the wait.

I've always wanted to know more about Captain von Trapp, in his own words and this book is as close as I am going to get. It did not disappoint as it provided a window to see the Captain, the man.

I could not help but believe this book was more a compilation from a journal he may have kept. I also could not help but believe, if not for his modesty, there was so much more he could have shared.

Perhaps, without realizing it, he showed us many sides, least of which were his tender and compassionate side. How many military captains do you know would allow a rescued kitten to live on board his submarine?

I gave this book five stars, not so much for literary greatess as for the enjoyment received from reading it and having a few more questions answered.

It should be enjoyed by all Sound of Music fans and I believe those interested in history will enjoy it as well. Even though I knew the outcome, I could not help but hold my breath as he told of daring escapades while captaining his u-boats. I found myself, while reading about his experiences, thinking of the movie, K-9, The Widowmaker.

My only complaint, it was only 188 pages log. :-(

Excellent to see in an english translation.......2007-06-27

I had known of this book for many years, and had even thought about seeing if a publisher would be willing to entertain a translation. It was wonderful to see a member of the family lead the effort and have a copy back in print and in english after too many years out of print. It is a wonderful story of a patriotic naval officer, of a now absent navy tell of his adventures as the most successful captain of the Austro-Hungarian Navy. His work with his crew (from all over the empire) dealing with bureaucratic officers, sinking ships in an old sub, that his German peers recommended not taking to sea (they thought it unseaworthy and an antique), and then further adventures in a French sub, sunk then raised to strike again against them is intersting. Those who have read Lowell Thomas' account, or Edwyn Gray's books on the German WW1 submarine service will find this a very different tale and one worth comparing to other efforts.
For those who wondered where the Captain in the von Trapp family singers came from this fills in a void covering elements of his older children and first wife. Through his first wife, he was related to the inventor of the modern torpedo, who had set up a factory in Austra-Hungary before WW1.
The book is well written and reads quickly, and tells the tale of a dedicated and talented patriot in an prior phase of his life, which was later known to the world in song and story.

Average customer rating:

On The Homesickness Of Modern Man
Exile's disease

The Future of Nostalgia
Svetlana Boym
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Present Pasts: Urban Palimpsests and the Politics of Memory (Cultural Memory in the Present)
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ASIN: 0465007082

Book Description

What happens to Old World memories in a New World order? Svetlana Boym opens up a new avenue of inquiry: the study of nostalgia.

Combining personal memoir, philosophical essay, and historical analysis, Svetlana Boym explores the spaces of collective nostalgia that connect national biography and personal self-fashioning in the twenty-first century. She guides us through the ruins and construction sites of post-communist cities--St. Petersburg, Moscow, Berlin, and Prague--and the imagined homelands of exiles--Benjamin, Nabokov, Mandelstahm, and Brodsky. From Jurassic Park to the Totalitarian Sculpture Garden, Boym unravels the threads of this global epidemic of longing and its antidotes.

Customer Reviews:

On The Homesickness Of Modern Man.......2002-11-30

"How to begin again? How to be happy, to invent ourselves, shedding the inertia of the past? How to experience life & life alone, "that dark, driving, insatiable power that lusts after itself?" These were the questions that bothered the moderns. Happiness, and not merely a longing for it, meant forgetfulness & a new perception of time."

"The modern opposition between tradition & revolution is treacherous......"

So opens the second chapter of Svetlana Boym's "The Future Of Nostalgia" after she has traced the roots of the concept from being identified as a DISEASE of Swiss exiles into a recognition of the problem of all mankind at the start of the 21st century.

I hope I'm not wrong in saying that I think that this book may be an important new cornerstone in art, poli-sci & philosophy. I like this book THAT MUCH....

Ms. Boym's book fell into my hands quite serendipitously as I was researching material for my own novel; I was doing a search on "hypochondria" for a character I was trying to delineate with a certain kind of homesickness, and up popped the heading "Hypochondria Of The Heart" for an interview with Ms. Boym in a newspaper from Harvard University where she is a professor of Slavic Literature. The premise for her book deeply intrigued me since she elucidated some similar points that I had been trying to frame in my own work. I hurriedly ordered her book from our local library, anticipating something groundbreaking.

I wasn't disappointed. This book traces a link between poetry, philosophy & politics in the modern age which is rooted in nostalgia, the longing for home & the feeling of loss due to a disctinctly modern concept of time.

However, this is no futile deconstructionist tract, nor is it a conservative tome yammering on about the pervasive influences of the enemy in a "See? We told you so!" smug-but-ineffective posturing.

What Ms. Boym does is show both healthy & unhealthy effects of nostalgia on history & memory. The first part of the book lays out what the modern conception of time has done to modernity, popular culture, conspiracies & collective memory, et. al. This clarifies the reality of the problem of modern life not as meaningless, but a somatization of symptoms attributed to to fractured parts of humanity, cultural & individual.

She doesn't stop there, however. Boym is savvy enough to show examples of her position in parts two & three of the book.

Part two shows the impact of longing for return on Moscow, St. Petersburg, Berlin & Europe in general. This cements evidence for the concept of modern time on TRADITION, by showing
what particular post-Communist cities do to reinstill history after years of trying to synthesize it.

Part three cleverly goes to the other side for a balance by showing the longings of exiles like Nabakov,Brodsky & Kabakov.
In this mode, the idea of nostalgia affecting historical tradition is expanded to included the revolutionary INDIVIDUAL going against the grain & what they expected their hopes to gain them apart from their homelands.

All of this could be very boring however, except that Ms. Boym exhibits a clear & rich style, making this book a terrific read. I found myself wanting to read it again, not because of confusion, but because of the wealth of insights that flow forth from her.

This is the first book I've read to give any useful & pragmatic perspective on our seemingly fracturing globe these days, not because it points out what is going on, but because it takes the idea of "home is where the heart is" and shows what might have happened to the heart.

I feel that this book is universally useful to all political stripes and many different fields of the humanities. I'll wager that this may turn out to be one of the first most important books of the 21st century. Why? Because I feel a wiser & more articulate human being from reading it.

Exile's disease.......2001-06-23

This amazing book has been efficiently described by its Editorial Reviews. It is ingenious, absorbing, and by turns difficult and thrilling. Do not be misled by the kitschy or simplistic associations you might have to the term "nostalgia." Exile, either voluntary or forced - no small thing either way - is its precondition.

Many, but far from all, of the examples and references are Russian and Eastern European. Each of the seventeen chapters is an essay of depth and precision. They are greatly satisfying: rich and dense with associations and references from art and literature, and the entire span of recorded human history.

Boym names Part One "Hypochondria of the Heart," and variously introduces her kaleidoscopic interests in nostalgia - as an "epidemic." Nostalgia, she asserts (and proves convincingly) is "the disease of an afflicted imagination." It afflicts those who would become assimilated to their new worlds - as well as those who (variously and often highly individualistically) resist. The second section, "Cities and Re-invented Traditions" contains five chapters that focus on Russian and European conceptions and realities. The final part, "Exiles and Imagined Homelands" is my favorite. Its chapters cover among other things the excess of souvenirs to be found in immigrants' apartments (knickknacks of identity and remembrance that would not ever be displayed back home); cyberspace, which "makes the bric-a-brac of nostalgia available in digital form"; the persistence of immigrant eccentricity; the preservation (and transformation) of attitudes, and various phenomena of adjustment. Some of the personages discussed (for there is never mere name-dropping in this book) are Adam and Eve ("the first exiles") Ovid, Telemachus, Oedipus, Odysseus, Walter Benjamin, Freud, Hanna Arendt, painter Ilya Kabakov, Joseph Brodsky, and Vladimir Nabokov - to name a few.

I loved this book. There isn't a slow page in it. Boym is passionately interested in art, history, psychology, signs and symbols, literature, urbanism, politics, and people. She's a deep thinker who is guided by her considerable ability to keep several balls in the air at once, to teach with clarity, and to really understand what makes people tick. There's a good index and over thirty pages of notes that enable a lot of further reading in this big and interesting subject.

A great book that deserves more than five Amazon stars.

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