Advice for a Young Investigator (Bradford Books)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Great book to read by every new scientist
  • Critically valuable for those overlooked by peer review
  • not kind of advice that my advisor will give me
  • Advice on how to do research from a Nobel Prize winner
  • True inspiration
Advice for a Young Investigator (Bradford Books)
Santiago Ramon Cajal
Manufacturer: MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0262681501

Amazon.com

Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) was an incredible scientist--he made invaluable contributions to neuroanatomy, including some of the most beautiful scientific illustrations since Vesalius. He was also a popular author, and above all a dedicated teacher, offering fatherly advice to students and young researchers on a wide range of topics. After he achieved success as a scientist, he wrote the first edition of Reglas y Consejos sobre Investigación Biológia (los tonicos de la voluntad) (1916). That work has been retranslated and presented by MIT Press as Advice for a Young Investigator. Although the wisdom contained in this slim, elegant volume is almost a century old, it is as fresh and useful today as it no doubt was then. What student or researcher wouldn't benefit from advice given by a mentor who has carefully examined his own life and career? Translator Larry Swanson writes in the foreword:

Hard work, ambition, patience, humility, seriousness, and passion for work, family, and country were among the traits he considered essential. But above all, master technique and produce original data; all the rest will follow.

Cajal's guidance on such things as the scientific method, resolve, undue admiration of authority, passion for reputation, reading, and "diseases of the will" is priceless. Every page of this little book is filled with read-aloud gems:

If a solution fails to appear after all of this, and yet we feel success is just around the corner, try resting for a while.... Like the early morning frost, this intellectual refreshment withers the parasitic and nasty vegetation that smothers the good seed. Bursting forth at last is the flower of truth.

Whether you're writing a dissertation, conquering writer's block to get that paper submitted to a journal, beginning a new research project, or just starting out in a scientific career, Advice for a Young Investigator will inspire, edify, and amuse you. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

Santiago Ramon y Cajal was a mythic figure in science. Hailed as the father of modern anatomy and neurobiology, he was largely responsible for the modern conception of the brain. His groundbreaking works were New Ideas on the Structure of the Nervous System and Histology of the Nervous System in Man and Vertebrates. In addition to leaving a legacy of unparalleled scientific research, Cajal sought to educate the novice scientist about how science was done and how he thought it should be done. This recently rediscovered classic, first published in 1897, is an anecdotal guide for the perplexed new investigator as well as a refreshing resource for the old pro.

Cajal was a pragmatist, aware of the pitfalls of being too idealistic -- and he had a sense of humor, particularly evident in his diagnoses of various stereotypes of eccentric scientists. The book covers everything from valuable personality traits for an investigator to social factors conducive to scientific work.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Great book to read by every new scientist.......2007-10-01

This book was recomended by Dr. T T Sun, who himself is a great motivator and researcher. I read this book and its incredible. It changes the view of thinking towards science.

5 out of 5 stars Critically valuable for those overlooked by peer review.......2006-01-03

Modern scientific publishers unduly constrain modern observers. Much like the growing gulf between rich and poor, the gulf between the peer reviewed and the independent investigator is widening. Peers can usually accept incremental improvements on what is already accepted, and their role is to maintain those views. However, their own reputations may be at stake if a true paradigm shift is found that weakens the foundation on which their decades of work has been founded. So peers frequently block progress at great expense to the scientific community.

Some bridge this gulf by making their own money and then breaking the rules, like Jeff Hawkins or Mike Lazaridis. Such men can write books or start their own schools, using money to prevent the dismissal that they might otherwise suffer.

But others, with less money, must travel a perilous path with the potential of instant and permanent dismissal when they make wrong guesses, en-route to a breakthrough. For these observers, there is no clear path to "legitimacy", regardless of any talent they may have.

Cajal is a remarkable guide to those who labor alone. His "Advice" is precisely what is needed to avoid most of the mistakes that lead to dismissal. He is both respectful towards predecessors and insistent that the work of all predecessors is to be passed.

Although this book is often criticized for "quaintness" or being "Cajal-centric", I believe that it is more important now than when it was written, and, like Shakespeare, rewards those who can tolerate the differences of language and circumstances that must be accepted to understand it. It is nowhere near as distant as Shakespeare in this regard.

I thank the Swanson and Swanson team for their excellent light and explained editing of this book, and of Cajal's two volume "Histology", leaving Cajal's meaning as untouched by modern theory as possible.

4 out of 5 stars not kind of advice that my advisor will give me.......2006-01-01

I am a graduate student (not in biology-ralated field) looking for general advice from this book. To my surprise much of Cajal's advice is still applicable not just today but in different disciplines. However, this is not a run-of-the-mill advice book for graduate students, and definitely not kind of advice my advisor will give me. Cajal is very passionate about doing science, and he doesn't hesitate to point out (sometimes very harshly) what he thinks the wrong ways of doing science.

It's expected that part of books are dated (remember it's first releasesd in 1897), but should not deter interested readers from reading it. Sometimes Cajal made comments upon which any readers today will frown, like "A woman [...] is in different to all work related to change and progress". But don't call Cajal a sexist, and don't interpret his work in the value system of the 21st century. Cajal is so enthusiastic about science that few other things matter to him. Anyone can easily feel and understand his commitment to science after reading few pages of the book.

5 out of 5 stars Advice on how to do research from a Nobel Prize winner.......2005-03-12

There are very few top-notch researchers who also are good at teaching others on how to do major research. This is a significant book on the characters required and the methods/process needed to conduct major research. Highly recommended for graduate students as well as young scientists.

5 out of 5 stars True inspiration.......2003-12-06

A good book captures the time in which it was written, and preserves that time for the future. A great book describes all times. Most of this book is great, current and pertinent a century after its first edition.

I was glad to see a scientist describe science as a personal, passionate, maybe even religious act. He describes the progress of a life in science, from young researcher, to professional, teacher, and finally retiree. At every step, he describes the emotional, social, and even spiritual value of that stage of life. Best, he speaks from an acknowledged place within the world of science.

Only a few parts of this book seem dated. Many specifics of a biologist's education have changed, though some - like the Zeiss brand name - have not. Marie Curie notwithstanding, he assumed that men would generally make or direct the real contributions. Women mattered mostly as support for the husband, though he did note that educated and professional women might be the most understanding company.

What he says about scientists is equally true about serious artists - the dedication, intellectual honesty, and rewards are much the same. His examples are nearly all drawn from the sciences, though. That may prevent artists from seeing themselves in his descriptions and prescriptions.

This book is true inspiration. I can't wait to pass it along.
Advice for a Young Investigator
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Advice for a Young Investigator
    Santiago Ramon Cajal
    Manufacturer: MIT Press
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Paperback
    ASIN: B000K4D058
    Advice for a Young Investigator
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      Advice for a Young Investigator
      Santiago Ramon Y Cajal
      Manufacturer: The MIT Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback
      ASIN: B000OR7DPE

      Force Heretic I: Remnant (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 15)
      Average customer rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
      • the lowest rating ive given one yet book 15
      • A new front for the war against the Yuuzhan Vong
      • sort of dull, but still entertaining
      • Eh...it was all right
      • Pretty bad... 1.5/5 stars.
      Force Heretic I: Remnant (Star Wars: The New Jedi Order, Book 15)
      Sean Williams , and Shane Dix
      Manufacturer: Del Rey
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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      ASIN: 0345428706
      Release Date: 2003-02-04

      Book Description

      As the bloodied and weary galaxy faces battle once more, the Jedi take on the formidable task of bringing the last of the Empire into the light. . . .

      From the ashes of the New Republic—torn to shreds by the savage Yuuzhan Vong forces—the newly formed Galactic Alliance has risen, determined to bring peace to the entire galaxy. But first the Yuuzhan Vong must be contained once and for all. And so Luke Skywalker seeks a world long lost to legend: Zonama Sekot, a sentient planet believed to have repelled an invasion by the Yuuzhan Vong decades ago. Deciphering the enigmatic secrets of Zonama Sekot just might turn the tides of a relentless war.

      Aboard the Jade Shadow, Luke, his wife Mara, Jacen Solo, and other Jedi head off into the Unknown Regions, where rumors and clues suggest Zonama Sekot might be found. Yet the mission has barely begun when the searchers stumble into a horrific battle. The Imperial Remnant, in retreat from the mighty Yuuzhan Vong, is about to be destroyed. It would seem those aboard the Jade Shadow have little choice but to leave the Empire to its fate. But these are no ordinary space travelers, they are Jedi. . . .

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars the lowest rating ive given one yet book 15.......2006-10-13

      ok,first of all,im still po/d that the most dangerous sith ever was introduced 3 books ago and still hasnt been used by book 15.so i guess either the new writers have no respect for the previous books in the series or for some reason they chose not to use a god-like sith .this goes back to my points from before.everybody loved anakan solo and chewbacca.both get offed.and both of the solo twins went down the dark side earlier but the dark side was gone by the next book.not worked out just simply dismisssed.thats why i gave this book a lower rating than the previous 14 books in the series.the republic and empire are working together in this one.but theres a ton of poliyical bs they have to bore the reader with 1st to get to that point.jacin solo and a much older danni start a romance.the vong are out being vongs and blowing up planets and sacrificing prisoners.tahiri is still very much depressed over anakan solo even to the point of having schizophrennic-like episodes.nom anor is realizing some mind blowing truths about the vongs spiriyual beliefs the hard way.a lot of interesting stuff happens with him in this book.there is a search going out for a living planet.a new characheter is introduced.hes chewbaccas son,lumpawarrump.not that that makes them killing chewbacca in book 1 ok.an air battle pitting the republic and empire vs the vong goes down along with 3 battles for planets.the vongs lowest caste "the shamed ones" began questioning the truths about the vong gods,threatening to destroy thier most fundamental beliefs.so the vong began slaughtering them.thats about it.of course.I LEFT YOU MANY SUPRISES.anyhow,this book is really hust a jumbled mess.its somewhat interesting but not all that exiting.its a 400 plus page story that couldve been told in 250.and its slow to read,as was book 14.i hope this isnt a trend developing.with only 4 books left,somebody better start picking up the slack or i will be very disappointed.

      4 out of 5 stars A new front for the war against the Yuuzhan Vong.......2005-11-29

      I really enjoyed this book. Sure, there is some review in the beginning of the book, but not as much as some reviewers would have you think. There is plenty of new material as the main protoganists go off in two different directions on two very different missions, but both designed to ensure the survival of the newly formed Galactic Alliance.

      Leia is leading one expedition to reconnect severed links to the Galactic Alliance. They will find surprises on the way. The suspense is evident in several instances through the first stage of this mission and a familar enemy along with a stange alien will make their presence felt.

      On the other side of the (not the MLS champion L.A.) Galaxy, Luke is leading another expedition to the Unknown Regions with a stop at the Imperial Remnant. Surprise, surprise, they too will meet with a familar enemy. Political intrigue and a very Latin Americanesque approach by the Grand Admiral typify the reaction of the Empire to the unwanted visitors.

      Along the way, we see the continued struggles of Tahiri as well as the development of the young Jedi. There is some repetition of information worked into the story in the form of informing new protoganists of what is happening. However, if you haven't read previous books, you will really miss out on much of the storyline.

      3 out of 5 stars sort of dull, but still entertaining.......2005-09-03

      this is the first adult star wars book i have read. it took halfway through the book just to get to the first lightsaber duel, which wasn't really a duel at all! had good cover art, though.
      there were good things about this book and bad things. entertaining, but if you want a better read, i recommend destiny's way.

      3 out of 5 stars Eh...it was all right.......2004-12-17

      What was going on in this book? Some character development and then none at all. Complete luck that Luke's party stumbled onto the Battle of Bastion. This whole book was very up and down. First 60 pages it took me three months. Then I started to ease my way through it. It was a rough read. Definitely could have been better. And it's way to long for so much nothing. It was very average and my lord what do the Ryn have to do with anything? Plus these two authors need to quit it with calling Han and Leia "Anakin's Parents" nonstop. Plus this whole thing with Tahiri is quite annoying. And don't Han and Leia and the military Twin Suns Squadron have more important things to do than go to small insignificant planets and stop them from falling to the Vong? Shouldn't they be fighting the true war? What is going on? The next two better explain what's going on...

      2 out of 5 stars Pretty bad... 1.5/5 stars........2004-07-24

      Of all the New Jedi Order books I've read, I must say this is by far the worst.

      Where to begin? Well, the plot itself isn't really that bad - Luke and company go to find Zenoma Sekot, while Leia, Han and the others go to round up support for the Galactic Alliance - as I said, not bad. Even this has problems though. Based on the occurences in the novel, the Yuuzhan Vong are obviously expending a fair amount of resources to defeat possible attackers on their borders - and what is the Alliance doing while this is going on? Nothing. No offense, but after scoring a huge victory in Destiny's Way, the Alliance appears to be back to the New Republic's way of sitting there and doing nothing until they are attacked. The logistics just didn't make sense to me, and it wouldn't have been that difficult to include a new section devoted to say Wedge or Cal Omas or even Admiral Ackbar.

      As the plot is really the work of LucasArts though, and not of the writers themselves, any failings in the overall story department can be forgiven. What really made the book dissapointing for me was the writing style of the authors.

      In my opinion writing teams rarely work, as authors simply have different views, goals, opinions and thoughts - combining the work of two authors into a single book (or set of books) is a bad idea, in my mind. This is just the start of the problems however.

      Firstly, there were no chapters in the book. I can't understand the purpose of this besides forcing the reader to see the "Part" that they are currently reading as a single collection of actions and thoughts - which they really weren't. The lack of spacing between the four sections (not to mention a long prologue and longer epilogue) was offsetting to me, and I missed the deliberate pacing of chapters that all the other New Jedi Order books have. Heck, most books have them. As I said, unless it was some failed attempt at novel artistry, there was no point to it, and just aggravated me.

      Secondly, the book went far too much in spurts and stops. Almost useless portions of the plot would be given huge amounts of space, while the conclusions to battles and character depth were rushed, barely mentioned, or forgotten altogether. While I did enjoy the burgeoning love relationships between Jag and Jaina and Jacen and Danni (though I still believe Jacen and Tenel Ka should be together), nothing else really seemed all that well done to me, almost as though the writers were looking to find a niche in the story where their talents could shine.

      Thirdly, I found it nearly impossible to follow the flow of the writers words. A paragraph of character thought, for example, would follow normally through a pattern of logic, then suddenly, the character would arrive at a totally different conclusion than I would have ever thought of, or what I thought Williams and Dix were leading me towards. It felt as though the two writers were either confused in the writing of the book, or still attempting to discover their characters and those characters' place in the novel. A prime example (on a larger scale) is with Saba, who, from the prologue, I thought was going to be a main character throughout, but eventually only showed up in any importance at the very end, once again, like the writers just weren't sure what they wanted to do with the characters. For such an important area of the arc plot (ie. finding Zenoma Sekot and possibly dooming the Yuuzhan Vong), it was dissapointing to see the writers meander their way through.

      Lastly, the imprecise battle tactics. I had absolutely NO understanding of what was going on during the space battles. None whatsoever. It was really quite sad that the only description of the battles was "The Empire was winning," or "they were on their heels" (those aren't real quotes obviously). It really hurt the book on the whole, as it was practically a nail in the coffin.

      I have several other points which also bothered me, but there is a word limit to this review and there's no real point in going on, as anyone reading this will get my point. I didn't enjoy the book at all. I'm almost certainly going to skip over the next two novels as well and pick up with The Final Prophecy, in the hopes of some restoration of the series before Dix and Williams completely destroy it. No offense intended.
      Remnants of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • lost-lacanian truly lost
      • Haunting, Captivating, Unspeakable
      Remnants of Auschwitz: The Witness and the Archive
      Giorgio Agamben
      Manufacturer: Zone Books
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 189095117X

      Book Description

      In this book the Italian philosopher Giorgio Agamben looks closely at the literature of the survivors of Auschwitz, probing the philosophical and ethical questions raised by their testimony.

      "In its form, this book is a kind of perpetual commentary on testimony. It did not seem possible to proceed otherwise. At a certain point, it became clear that testimony contained at its core an essential lacuna; in other words, the survivors bore witness to something it is impossible to bear witness to. As a consequence, commenting on survivors' testimony necessarily meant interrogating this lacuna or, more precisely, attempting to listen to it. Listening to something absent did not prove fruitless work for this author. Above all, it made it necessary to clear away almost all the doctrines that, since Auschwitz, have been advanced in the name of ethics."
      -- Giorgio Agamben

      Customer Reviews:

      3 out of 5 stars lost-lacanian truly lost.......2006-02-04

      Having read Lost-Lacanian's review of Agamben's 'Remnants' and then read the book, I must say that Agamben did not live up to his reviewers opinion of him. The book's argument is compelling in places, but by no means intruiging overall, and far from new. If Agamben aims to adjust ethical terms by using auschwitz as limit situation (which is by no means wrong) he can only do so by 'correcting' actual survivors' testimony, and placing himself in a position of having a truer knowledge of life in the camps than those who were actually there. Auschwitz is by no means simple to write about, and Agamben's book is not worthless, though something of a bad first step towards his proposed project.

      5 out of 5 stars Haunting, Captivating, Unspeakable.......2005-04-26

      I read this book after having read Agamben's big book "Homo Sacer." I found the analysis of bare life (homo sacer) in that book to be so fascinating that I picked up "Remnants," to see where else Agamben might go. This book is some of the most compelling theory I have read to date. The book has three major categories of analysis: the witness, the musselman (literally, the muslim), and shame. Each of these three categories have to do with the inhuman quality of being human and the speakability of that which is unspeakable. Indeed, Agamben deploys subtle thought in order to construct these internal contradictions that actually played on in the extreme case of Auschwitz. As one might expect from the title, this book is haunting. The testimonials given of the Musselman are particularly disturbing. Indeed, the experiences of Auschwitz is unspeakable. Perhaps, most startling is that Agamben argues our modern political paradigm is basically a sedated Auschwitz in which all of us can be turned into Musselmen, indeed, the musselman is that inhuman potential within our humanity. In short, this book is haunting, captivating, yet, unspeakable in the topics it tackles and the issues with which it wrestles. If you are not acquainted with Agamben, then, you might first be taken off guard by his verse and thesis style. But once you get in the flow, the form of his writing adds to its content.
      Aftermath: The Remnants of War: From Landmines to Chemical Warfare--The Devastating Effects of Modern Combat
      Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
      • The Horror
      • Hit or Miss, and no solutions
      • Fascinating...readable...compelling
      • "Aftermath" sobers the rush of war.
      • Not bad for a first effort
      Aftermath: The Remnants of War: From Landmines to Chemical Warfare--The Devastating Effects of Modern Combat
      Donovan Webster
      Manufacturer: Vintage
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

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      ASIN: 067975153X
      Release Date: 1998-05-12

      Amazon.com

      Donovan Webster, a former editor at Outside magazine, has written an eyewitness account of the impossible tasks involved with removing armaments that continue to kill after war has ceased. Between 110 and 120 million land mines are planted in the soil of more than 64 countries. The exponential numbers point to the staggering difficulties Aftermath details: each year more than 5 million new land mines are laid, and only 100,000 are cleared; a new mine costs $3, but removing one costs between $200 and $1,000. In Angola, there are more than 15 million mines, two for every citizen. Webster traces the deadly legacy from the French battlefields of World War I to Vietnam and the Persian Gulf, describing the work of sappers in a compelling story that brings to light the horrifying legacy of warfare.

      Book Description

      In riveting and revelatory detail, Aftermath documents the ways in which wars have transformed the terrain of the battlefield into landscapes of memory and enduring terror: in France, where millions of acres of farmland are cordoned off to all but a corps of demolition experts responsible for the undetonated bombs and mines of World War I that are now rising up in fields, gardens, and backyards; in a sixty-square-mile area outside Stalingrad that was a cauldron of destruction in 1941 and is today an endless field of bones; in the Nevada deserts, where America waged a hidden nuclear war against itself in the 1950's, the results of which are only now becoming apparent; in Vietnam, where a nation's effort to remove the physical detritus of war has created psychological and genetic devastation; in Kuwait, where terrifyingly sophisticated warfare was followed by the Sisyphean task of making an uninhabitable desert capable of sustaining life.

      Aftermath excavates our century's darkest history, revealing that the destruction of the past remains deeply, inextricably embedded in the present.

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars The Horror.......2007-10-04

      As the title would suggest, Aftermath deals with the consequences of war ordinance in every day life. I was particularly interested in the lingering effects of World War I, a war fought nearly 100 years ago. There are amazing accounts of the bomb clearing squad searching uninhabitable areas of the French countryside and turning up thousands of live and/or unexploded shells from battles fought in 1918. The stories of the millions of people slaughtered in the great wars of Europe is unsettling in and of itself, but the descriptions of Russian fields that are still strewn with the bones of these soldiers is unfathomable. The details of more current events puts a more contemporary perspective on the aftermath of conflict and makes one realize that the technology may change, but the mess still remains. Aftermath is an easy and engrossing read for anyone interested in history, military or otherwise.

      4 out of 5 stars Hit or Miss, and no solutions.......2004-12-19

      The chapters on UXO remediation in France, and the Boneyards of Stalingrad were gripping. I could not put down the book during these chapters. I have walked these areas of France, and his descriptions of the people and the terrain are perfect. I found that the Nevada Test Site, and Vietnam chapters were a bit sleepy. As a Gulf War Veteran, I enjoyed the chapter about mine clearing in Iraq, but think others may find it plodding.

      I have a vague understanding of the Toelle situation in the final chapter, and I am not sure my information agrees with the authors. He may be dealing with some employees with alterior motives.

      What I found lacking in this book was anything writen about lessons learned from clearing UXO's. Donovan observes a lot, but he doesn't yield any analyzed solutions to expedite remediation of UXOs gleaned from his experience.

      5 out of 5 stars Fascinating...readable...compelling.......2003-05-31

      I did not expect his book to grab me the way it did, yeah I'd read about all the land mines left in Iran etc. but to learn about the extent of unexploded munitions left worldwide from conflicts dating back a century was a shock. Mr. Webster took me around the world to places I wouldn't have imagined, the affluent young French wife who found her son playing in the yard with live German artillary shells, the plains of Russia still hiding live munitions, even a forgotten test range that is now a San Diego suburb where children playing found live unexploded artillary.

      Twenty, forty, a hundred years later this stuff is unstable and more dangerous than new, triggers have deteriorated, anything can set them off, and men go to work daily risking their lives to clear high explosives from places that were once battlefields and now are parks, farms, and residential areas.

      This was one of those books that left a permanent impression on me, Mr. Webster's frank narrative showed a world more dangerous and unpredictable than I ever imagined.

      4 out of 5 stars "Aftermath" sobers the rush of war........2002-11-24

      Mr. Webster has documented a sobering and horrific walk through time. He has described the international problem of Unexploded Ordinance (UXO) from past wars, which continues destroy lives even 80 years later. We have all been exposed to the images and the glorious stories of armed conflict over the decades, which society teaches new generations to honor. Much of the sheer inhumanity, the utterly cold necessity of combat is ignored. Mr. Webster traveled the world to seek out the continuing reality of sudden death, perpretrated by soldiers long gone or dead.
      This reader, even while working in the field of disposing of such items safely, was stunned to learn how widely the problem spans the globe. The brutal maiming and death of hundreds of people, the inestimable expense of cleaning up the trash of war will do doubt continue for decades, if not centuries. I admire Mr. Webster for his unenviable task of collecting these horific stories to share with people who know nothing about the massive problem.
      This collection of observations is a must-read work for anyone who wants to know more about the struggles of millions of common people around the world. I would have liked to have more detail in many sections, hence the four stars. Still, a very moving portrayal of a deadly serious issue.

      4 out of 5 stars Not bad for a first effort.......2002-04-09

      This comprehensive, informative - and at many-times shocking - revelation on the forgotten leftovers from modern military campaigns is as timely as it is readable. I found it informative without being too preachy - meaning, even if the author was out to lay a collective guilt trip on us about the military campaigns of Western nations, it either didn't work or he did a great job at showing impartiality.
      The Remnants of War (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
      Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
      • A Very Interesting Thesis
      The Remnants of War (Cornell Studies in Security Affairs)
      John Mueller
      Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Hardcover

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      ASIN: 0801442397

      Book Description

      "War . . . is merely an idea, an institution, like dueling or slavery, that has been grafted onto human existence. It is not a trick of fate, a thunderbolt from hell, a natural calamity, or a desperate plot contrivance dreamed up by some sadistic puppeteer on high. And it seems to me that the institution is in pronounced decline, abandoned as attitudes toward it have changed, roughly following the pattern by which the ancient and formidable institution of slavery became discredited and then mostly obsolete."—from the Introduction

      War is one of the great themes of human history and now, John Mueller believes, it is clearly declining. Developed nations have generally abandoned it as a way for conducting their relations with other countries, and most current warfare (though not all) is opportunistic predation waged by packs—often remarkably small ones—of criminals and bullies. Thus, argues Mueller, war has been substantially reduced to its remnants—or dregs—and thugs are the residual combatants.

      Mueller is sensitive to the policy implications of this view. When developed states commit disciplined troops to peacekeeping, the result is usually a rapid cessation of murderous disorder. The Remnants of War thus reinvigorates our sense of the moral responsibility bound up in peacekeeping. In Mueller's view, capable domestic policing and military forces can also be effective in reestablishing civic order, and the building of competent governments is key to eliminating most of what remains of warfare.

      Customer Reviews:

      4 out of 5 stars A Very Interesting Thesis.......2007-08-01

      An interesting book that claims that war is an outdated concept and is obsolete. Although many (including myself) would take issue with this thesis, this is a through provoking work worth a look. My personal favorite item is the table comparing the death totals of the various Rambo movies. Hats off to you Dr. Mueller, you have provoked thought and discussion in a creative manner.
      Remnants of Empire in Algeria and Vietnam: Women, Words, and War (After the Empire)
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Remnants of Empire in Algeria and Vietnam: Women, Words, and War (After the Empire)
        Pamela Pears
        Manufacturer: Lexington Books
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Paperback

        Women Writers & Feminist TheoryWomen Writers & Feminist Theory | Books & Reading | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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        ASIN: 0739120220

        Book Description

        Remnants of Empire in Algeria and Vietnam proposes a new approach to Francophone Studies through an examination of four specific Algerian and Vietnamese novels written in French by women. The connections between their works and shared colonial history lead us to a deeper understanding of postcolonial literature.
        AFTERMATH: THE REMNANTS OF WAR.
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          AFTERMATH: THE REMNANTS OF WAR.
          Donovan. Webster
          Manufacturer: Constable
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover

          GeneralGeneral | Military | History | Subjects | Books
          Military ScienceMilitary Science | History | Subjects | Books
          ASIN: 0094773904
          European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War: Final Report
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War: Final Report

            Manufacturer: United Nations Pubns
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Paperback

            War & PeaceWar & Peace | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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            ASIN: 9290451866
            European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War: Final Report
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              European Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War: Final Report
              United Nations Institute for Disarmament
              Manufacturer: United Nations Institute for Disarmament
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback
              ASIN: B000P7JJSC

              Product Description

              In English The illicit trade, accumulation and use of small arms and light weapons, and the presence of explosive remnants of war, exacerbate conflict, threaten human life, undermine development and hamper the recovery of war-torn societies. The spread of small arms and their misuse are often related to the vicious circle of poverty, insecurity and underdevelopment. This report aims to provide the European Union with an overview of small arms and explosive remnants of war problems and current responses, as well as an analysis of selected European actions in these areas and an assessment of their effectiveness.
              Explosive Remnants of War: Mitigating the Environmental Effects
              Average customer rating: Not rated
                Explosive Remnants of War: Mitigating the Environmental Effects

                Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Hardcover

                GeneralGeneral | Military | History | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Conventional | Weapons & Warfare | Military | History | Subjects | Books
                Military ScienceMilitary Science | History | Subjects | Books
                General & ReferenceGeneral & Reference | Technology | Science | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0850663032
                Gulag: Remnants of War
                Average customer rating: Not rated
                  Gulag: Remnants of War
                  Peter Schwarzlose
                  Manufacturer: Monika Press
                  ProductGroup: Book
                  Binding: Paperback

                  GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
                  ASIN: 0977699501

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                  1. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963
                  2. Anna and the King of Siam
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                  5. Biko
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                  7. Bone Black: Memories of Girlhood (Bone Black)
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