Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in New Orleans

Customer Reviews:

Laugh out loud.......2007-03-16

I read this book just recently. The material made me laugh- Due to my Management storys. I reccomend if you ever Read Dunces you must flollow up with This book.

"...the result of all our travels will be to arrive back where we started, and know it for the very first time.".......2005-10-21

Lucky Dogs hold a Zen quintessence that can only be approximated by the sobriquet "Bourbon Street Steak," and are oddly more satisfying than Café du Monde beignets and chicory coffee in invoking memories of New Orleans and her pleasures.

Are Lucky Dogs, therefore, our petite Madeleine dipped in tea? Proust's ghost will not say, for now is discretion, and these are our memories, after all.

Historian Jerry Strahan has had a very American career. He is a respected and indeed famous and authoritative scholar of military history, but like many a family man needed to provide for his brood with a higher cash flow than itinerant academic leavings would provide, and fell into managing the Lucky Dog operation through those twin hands, fate and opportunity surrounded by less appealing alternatives. Over the decades he grew into the job, and even expanded the operation to Washington, D.C., where I was a happy customer.

Strahan's academic career is only a leitmotif in "Managing Ignatius: The Lunacy of Lucky Dogs and Life in New Orleans" for he places the characters of the vendors he deals with and his colorful memories front and center. For those not in the know, the "Ignatius" of the title is the immortal character of John Kennedy Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces" who has a comic scene selling weenies from a push wagon that is possibly one of the greatest memorable pieces of character and action reinforcing each other in American literature. To describe this scene as classic damns it with faint praise, for it simultaneously captures the character, the city, the soul, comedy, and tragedy in a single sustained breath. It should be a tattoo, and no American high school student should be unfamiliar with it.

And the primary emphasis of "Managing Ignatius" story is that Strahan works with many who are at the margins of employability, yet have personalities that draw you. "Managing Ignatius" therefore should serve as a management science alternative textbook, for indeed Strahan's goal is to sell weenies with a volatile cast and crew. He makes many bricks with very little straw.

Yet, there is a very tender side to his memoir, for Strahan never deprecates nor condemns even the most fricative people he must motivate. Indeed, he often observes that some of his most prickly characters end up being the best and most enduring vendors, and acknowledges that in an odd way many of them have found their calling in life, just as Strahan has found his.

This is an excellent, amusing, informative book that commands attention on multiple levels, and is not simply for tourists of New Orleans or Toole fans. For the story Strahan tells here is like our own as even the soul has a journey in life. In "Managing Ignatius" Strahan tells that story and "...the result of all our travels will be to arrive back where we started, and know it for the very first time." (T.S. Eliot)

Don't be a meanie!.......2005-09-23

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this--a great companion to John Kennedy Toole's A Confederacy of Dunces. What I enjoyed most were the vignettes of collected memories of those who've pushed the weinie carts. I've probably purchased a weinie or two from some of those very people, which reinforces my belief that everyone has a story and that some of our stories are more interesting than others. I'd much rather read anecdotes about the fallen and runaways and drunks and misfits than bios of those more fortunate, like a Donald Trump per se. What you get a sense of in reading "Managing Ignatius" is the importance of life, its simplicity, its pain, its brevity, its humor and joy. There are lots of funny, laugh-out-loud sections in this book. The only detraction is the author's tendency to stray away from the weinie cart pushers and focus on himself and his personal endeavors. These parts I found mostly uninteresting, but not enough to diminish all of what's right with this read. Highly recommended.

Dahlin', Jerry is telling it for True........2004-07-20

I grew up in New Orleans and spent a lot of time in the Quarter eating "Lucky Dogs" aka Bourbon Street Steaks. The characters are not exaggerations. From the shake down cops, to the vendors from Mars, Jerry is tellin' it for true. A visit with these characters is a great way to pass a good time.

"Ya didn't hav ta be there".......2003-11-06

You didn't have to be there, however if you were, you'll know. Now, if you have ever been in the food service industry, regardless of the establishment, you will recognize these characters and know what it is to "manage" them. This is one of very few books that I read over and over again. I relish just opening it up and reading a few paragraphs. I was joyously
surprised with this gift of a book. It is fluid, fun and more factual then you may want to know! This IS New Orleans. I know. I was born, bread, and fried there. This may be a story for "our" eyes only. I can smell the streets and feel the night. The hot, sweaty, sticky nights, and sticky shoes. I can taste the bourbon from the bottom of the cart...I can feel their pain. This is a great read. Read it before you go there,
or read it on the bus home. Moreover, pass it along. This is a great afternoon read wherever you may be. This is a long story, with a long shelf life. Like my life, so far, it just goes on and on and on......

Beyond the Founders: New Approaches to the Political History of the Early American Republic

Average customer rating:

Not for general public, alas

Beyond the Founders: New Approaches to the Political History of the Early American Republic
Jeffrey L. Pasley
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0807855588
Release Date: 2003-10-31

Book Description

In pursuit of a more sophisticated and inclusive American history, the contributors to Beyond the Founders propose new directions for the study of the political history of the republic before 1830. In ways formal and informal, symbolic and tactile, this political world encompassed blacks, women, entrepreneurs, and Native Americans, as well as the Adamses, Jeffersons, and Jacksons, all struggling in their own ways to shape the new nation and express their ideas of American democracy.

Taking inspiration from the new cultural and social histories, these political historians show that the early history of the United States was not just the product of a few "founding fathers," but was also marked by widespread and passionate popular involvement; print media more politically potent than that of later eras; and political conflicts and influences that crossed lines of race, gender, and class.

Customer Reviews:

Not for general public, alas.......2005-03-14

SOme good concepts, but essay by Waldstreicher (author of the flat-prosed, over-argued In the Midst of Perpetual Fetes) is typical of his work--dense, poorly written, obfuscatory.

Average customer rating:

It reveals that horrible human nature of both individual and masses
Wonderful
The Many Faces of the Cultural Revolution
Amazing
A shocking look at a remarkable period

Red-Color News Soldier
Li Zhensheng
Manufacturer: Phaidon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0714843083

Book Description

Following World War II, China found itself struggling with a conversion to communism that had wreaked havoc on the nation's economy, causing a devastating famine and extreme economic depression. In 1966 China's leader, Mao Zedong, gave his support to radicals within the communist party who envisioned a revolutionary social upheaval that would destroy all traces of the reactionary past. This was the beginning of a ten-year period of violence and chaos known as the Cultural Revolution. Many top officials lost their positions and numerous provincial governments came under the control of the radicals. The radical movement was primarily led by students who formed organizations known as "Red Guards," which used violent methods to punish people they saw as "anti-Maoists" or counter-revolutionaries. At the height of the Cultural Revolution (1966-70) China's universities were closed and much of its populace was sent to rural "re-education centres" where they were indoctrinated with Maoist policies. It is during this period that Li Zhensheng worked as a photojournalist for the "Heilongjiang Daily", shooting film both for the paper and, as we know now, for himself. While Li worked for a newspaper supporting the Maoist movement and admits he did not think Mao's policies to be incorrect at the beginning of his tenure at the newspaper, his hiding of film was a highly subversive action. As a photographer, Li wanted to document the Cultural Revolution for himself and for others in the future. He put himself at risk by hiding film stills that the government would have destroyed, capturing events of which little or no other visual record exists. Looking at the photos in this book, one sees the difference between the photos published in the "Daily" and those Li hid for himself, allowing for a rare understanding of how the Chinese government controlled media during the Cultural Revolution. The Heilongjiang province where Li worked was crucial because of its proximity to the then Soviet Union. Its main city, Harbin, had been occupied by the Soviets following World War II and was later set up as a communication hub between the Soviet Union and China. It was the communist centre which bred the revolutionary movement, leading to China's unification under communist control in 1949. This Russian influence can be seen in the details of Li's photographs, right down to the city's typically Russian-style architecture. Many of Li's techniques as a photographer borrow from his training as a filmmaker, including his creation of "handheld panoramic" photos by shooting overlapping frames of large panoramas and pasting the stills together to create the illusion of one continuous shot. His inventive techniques and powerful images make Li one of the premier Chinese photographers alive today. This book, which takes its name from the literal translation of Li's accreditation as a photographer approved by the Communist Party headquarters in ! Beijing, is part of the key to understanding one of the most turbulent and still notorious eras of modern history. The book includes a preface, introduction, text by the photographer, chronology, maps, and extensive photo captions for over 400 photos (almost all of which have never been seen before).

Customer Reviews:

It reveals that horrible human nature of both individual and masses.......2006-12-28

Li's photos captured the extreme madness of hundreds of thousands people in China during that so-called Cultural Revolution and it reveals the very dark side of human nature as seen from, for instance, that young woman cheerfully recorded the place, date and time when she saw Mao going by in his jeep, the humiliating punishment of all sorts of people such as Communist Party Provincial secretaries or provincial governors, newspaper workers, peasants, or whoever in huge mass demonstration against so-called "Anti-Revolutionary Reactionaries" to different Red Guard factions infightings they reminded me how Hitler got into power, how Japanese militarism got in total control in Japan in its war efforts, and, believe it or not, how George W. Bush & Co. got "elected" into the White House, they all show that similar built-in weakness of human characteristics- or the human genes! This book tells a lot about all of us. The monolithic political power, century's religious indoctrination are at work around clock and real enlightening secular education around the world is probably struggling in a losing battle. A good book of historical documents.

Wonderful.......2004-06-11

This isn't just a history book laced with photos; this is also a personal view on the Cultural Revolution from the photographer's point of view. Informative and emotional at the same time. Wonderful.

The Many Faces of the Cultural Revolution.......2004-03-22

For those of us fascinated and puzzled over the cultural revolution in China, here are photos to bring to life what we've been reading.There are many faces to study. This document seems curiously objective even though the author has his own story to tell of being treated unfairly. I would not describe the photos as shocking to those who have studied these events in China's history. This is a great companion to any other narrative one might be studying on the subject. Also, the author is a remarkable person. This is another work on the cultural revolution where I come away feeling gratitude toward the author. Li Zhensheng has a more benign story in comparison with some other personal accounts that were part of my introduction to this subject. I enjoy this additional perspective. There is much to see here.

Amazing.......2004-03-14

For those readers whose knowledge of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution is limited to film, here is a document that shows that some of the films that portray these scenes were not exaggerated. These photographs do much more work than most documentary photographs. There is something uncannily immediate about them, as though the events depicted happened only yesterday; sometimes it is as though they were still happening. The text that accompanies the photographs follows the story of the photographer and his work through these years, and is interesting and well written. I came away from this book with the feeling of horror at fascism that I have never felt before. This book communicates something original and timeless about the human condition that I believe is priceless and rare. If you can't afford this book, you should seek it out at a bookstore and read it.

A shocking look at a remarkable period.......2003-12-22

Although the photographs are the main focus of this book, the accompanying text is also illuminating as an individual's account of his experiences of the Cultural Revolution. The text has, of course, been written with the benefit of hindsight - and one gets a sense of retrospective self-justification coming in. The passion that the period inspired amongst the younger generation is also evident, however.

The photographs are, of course, contemporary accounts of the living through that period, and consequently have the power to shock significantly. The "struggle session" photographs of senior party leaders undergoing "self-criticism" are particularly horrific. The concluding photographs of a "victor" of the Cultural Revolution on her way to her execution after the restoration of a more normal society also have a big impact - though curiously there is a sense of the pathetic about the woman that Li captures.

Amazon.com

In Throwim Way Leg, Australia-based mammologist-raconteur Tim Flannery recalls scientific expeditions in the wilds of New Guinea that convey both the thrill of discovery and the negotiations necessary to bridge huge clashes of cultures. A world expert on New Guinea's fauna, Flannery has discovered 20 new species during his two decades of research. Yet his ability to convey unalloyed adventure in his taletelling makes these scientific expeditions read more like hair-raising, funky Redmond O'Hanlon-style travels than disciplined, scholarly field trips. Energy and danger run high.

Terrific thunderstorms and aircraft mishaps rattle Flannery during his travels. Yet the most memorable quality of Throwim Way Leg is Flannery's incorporation of humans into the natural world he writes about, often contrasting the jungled New Guinea denizens with stark modern technologies. He writes rich profiles of those he has met, and his images are memorable and meaningful: crowds of people gaping at a single television set; the remote landscape of Mt. Albert Edward dotted with cattle, Swiss chalets, and the smoky fires of the Goilala people; the malnourished Yapsiei greeting him reeking of the "sweet, sickly smell" of grile, a form of ringworm.

Ultimately, Flannery looks ahead and sees that the age of discovery is not at all complete in New Guinea, as so much remains unknown. But, in an often-told tale, modern political forces are at work, reshaping those unique natural and cultural environments that Throwim Way Leg explores with such vigor. --Byron Ricks

Book Description

Flannery travels to the unexplored regions of New Guinea in search of species that science has yet to discover or classify. He finds many -- from a community of giant cave bats that were supposedly extinct to the elusive black-and-white tree-kangaroo -- and along the way has a wealth of unforgettable adventures. Flannery scales cliffs, descends into caverns, and cheats death, both from disease and at the hands of the local cannibals, who wish to take revenge on his "clan" of wildlife scientists. He eventually befriends the tribespeople, who become companions in his quest and whose contributions to his research prove invaluable. In New Guinea pidgin, throwim way leg means to take the first step of a long journey. The journey in this book is a wild ride full of natural wonders and Flannery's trademark wit, a tour de force of travelogue, anthropology, and natural history.

Customer Reviews:

Interesting story - biological and anthropological.......2006-08-20

Flannery is the Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum. This book recounts several of his expeditions in Papua New Guinea and Irian Jaya in the 80s and 90s.

He's the opposite to Douglas Adams. In approaching some similar topics in his `Last Chance to See' Adams was primarily a writer. Flannery is primarily a biologist - the writing came second. Thus there's not the wit, and the style is often understated. In some cases this is quite charming as he pretty casually relates some harrowing incidents (such as getting stuck alone in an underground crevice). In contrast his vocabulary can get a bit ostentatious: he'll use always use a word like `ossuary', for example, rather than graveyard, and in one case he used a word I've forgotten now that from the context must mean something like overeating, but didn't even appear in my complete Macquarie dictionary. (Ah, another amazon reviewer had the same problem, although they were impressed by the obscure vocabulary, while I was unimpressed by same: 'farcarted' gets nothing from any online dictionaries - the only place it turns up in a google search is in these perplexed amazon reviews. Maybe it's an in-joke.)

These are exotic places and creatures, and Flannery capably recalls some real adventures. Part of the strange appeal of this book is shaking your head at some of the near-insane deprivations and risks his biological obsession has entailed (hence the insightful description of another reviewer, `bloody mad scientist'). Moreover half the fascination is anthropological. He generally does very well walking the line between eulogising and demonising the tribal Papuans. He ably conveys some of the dilemmas of contact between ancient and modern, such as the time when in all good faith he acceded to requests to sharpen all the knives in a village, but then was appalled to see several villagers accidentally cutting themselves deeply because they'd never had anything but blunt edges. He does tend towards the assumption that any loss of traditional culture is automatically bad, but honestly allows us to see some ugly things that challenge this assumption.

Towards the end of the book, as much to his chagrin as ours, we're not able to merely enjoy the excitement of discovery of species because of the context of ugly mistreatment of Irian nationals by their Indonesian conquerors. I got the feel that none of us wanted this to be a `political' book, particularly not a partisan one, but in telling his story it becomes unavoidable. Flannery again to his credit is very careful not to say `all Indonesians', or `all the mining company workers', but sadly his biological expeditions are somewhat overrun just at the end by encounters with some brutal racism, at times incidental, at others structural.

Amazing scientist, unexceptional writer........2006-05-16

Without a doubt Tim Flannery ranks with the world's greatest scientist/explorers. He has a wealth of fascinating and valuable tales to tell from his travels to New Guinea. However, the book has little coherent structure. It's just a series of (mostly) unrelated stories, like he might recount over dinner. The details of his trips are incredible, but by the time I was half way through, I began losing my interest and felt I was re-reading previous passages.

Breathtaking, humorous and poignant.......2004-09-09

Flannery is one of a kind. He is to New Guinea what Perry and Amundson are to the poles, a first-comer .... one of the first to explore and document the stone age peoples of the mysterious island wilderness in the last days of its age of innocence.

Yes, there are cannibals, with bones in their noses and gourds worn on their penis, yet Flannery somehow manages to get the reader to empathize with these people, to understand their foibles and traditions, and to feel regret that their ancient ways are going, going, gone ... forever. Take the chapter where he goes in pursuit of the Bulmer's Fruit Fly Bat -- you suffer with him the agonies of failure and the desperations of the search, and the exhilaration of success. Or follow along with his learning experiences among the native tribes and come to actually understand the hows and whys of the way the led their lives, even to discovering there were (to the natives) valid reasons for their rare acts of cannibalism.

Although he describes some of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world, the reader comes to know that Papua New Guinea will never rate very highly as a tourist destination, but you'll have to read this book to appreciate the reasons why.

Think you couldn't possibly be interested in such things? Try twenty pages of this charming book; the images will lived in your memory forever.

Hooroo, Tim! Bonzer yarn, mate!

Exciting and sometimes hilarous natural history book.......2003-05-26

I thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful book! In it, mammalogist Tim Flannery regales us with tales from his many years in New Guinea, searching for new species of mammals on the island, the second largest in the world. A difficult island to work in - highly mountainous; extremely few roads, most villages so isolated that they can only be reached by small planes flying to landing strips hacked out of the jungle; parts of it some of the rainiest spots on earth, some areas receiving 11 meters or more of rain a year; possessing many dangerous animals ranging from crocodiles to snakes to huge spiders; tropical diseases and parasites a real problem in many areas (including malaria and scrub typhus, from which Flannery almost died from when bit by an infected tick) ý Flannery had his work cut out for them as he spent over two decades on the island, both in the eastern half, the independent nation of Papua New Guinea, and the western section, Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia.

Flannery is a highly accomplished scientist, having discovered 16 new species of mammals in Melanesia, many of them in New Guinea. Many of these and others are described in the book, and make for fascinating reading. We meet the Black-tailed Giant-rat, the bite from its two centimeter long razor sharp incisors much feared by the inhabitants of the island. The Three-striped Dasyure, a vividly marked rat-sized marsupial predator, one of New Guinea's few mammals active during daylight hours. The Snow Mountains Robin, one of the rarest birds in the world, found in the high alpine regions of the Meren Glacier in Irian Jaya, one of the very few equatorial glaciers in the world. _Antechinus, a small carnivorous marsupial notable in that the male only lives for 11 months, existing only to breed. The diminutive, dingo-like New Guinea singing dog, which arrived in the islands some 2,000 years ago. The six o'clock cicada, a tremendously loud insect that received its name from its trill it emits roughly 6am and 6pm daily. The famous Birds of Paradise, breathtaking in their beauty, several species of which are extremely rare. He also describes the Long-fingered Triok, a black and white skunk smelling possum with the fourth finger of each hand a great elongated probe for finding insect larvae; you never know what he is going to find next lurking in the barely explored misty peaks and dripping jungles of the island.

Three of the most remarkable animals are ones that Flannery discovered or in one case rediscovered. One is _Maokopia ronaldi_, an extinct marsupial herbivore that once dwelt in the high mountain forests. Panda-like in appearance, size, and probably habits, Flannery named this new genus and species from fossils he found in Irian Jaya. Bulmer's Fruit-bat, a bat though extinct for 12,000 years, the largest cave dwelling bat in the world, Flannery was elated to have found them alive in extremely rugged western Papua New Guinea. The one though that Flannery is the most proud of discovering was the Dingiso, a new species of tree-kangaroo he found in the alpine areas of Irian Jaya, a beautiful black and white animal, surprising tame, threatened but fortunately partially protected by native taboos against harming them.

However, as remarkable as all of that is, one could argue that the real stars of this book are the people of New Guinea, particularly the indigenous Melanesian peoples that Flannery spends a great deal of time with and clearly loves. Much of his time researching in the field he was based out of the villages of such people as the Wopkaimin, the Telefol, and the Goilala where he became fast friends with many throughout the island, in both countries, viewing them not as savage barbarians, but as noble, often quite kind people, their older generation vast repositories of cultural and natural history lore. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the books were the many stories about life in those villages, some of the tales tragic, others heartwarming, and many hilarious.

Particularly fascinating was what he wrote about the history of cannibalism on the island. Apparently it did exist in the not too distant past, actually in the living memory of some of the villagers he encountered. Though not an every day occurrence by any means, cannibalism was an important part of New Guinea life; indeed, one group Flannery spent some time with, the Miyanmin, were once avid raiders, and actually referred to the neighboring Atbalmin people as ýbokis es bilong miplea,ý which more or less translates into something like ýour refrigerator.ý Though cannibalism is now a thing of the past, its effects are still felt he writes, as villages once got some of their population from raids of other villages, the adults of that village were consumed and the children raised as their own; now, that is no longer a source of new people for villages and some are facing some depopulation as a result.

Flannery sounds several cautionary notes in his book. Several species of New Guinea mammals and birds are in serious danger of extinction from over hunting. Though New Guinea is still a land largely without roads, more and more appear all the time, opening up virgin lands for hunters, loggers, and miners. Indeed in Irian Jaya the latter two are devastating ever larger sections of the island; the massive Freeport mine, which exports over ten million dollars worth of minerals daily, has destroyed large sections of forest with waste mine tailings.

He also worries about the future of the people, particularly in Irian Jaya. He believes that in an attempt to make that land more like the rest of Indonesia it is causing not only environmental damage but also cultural damage. Indeed there are concerns over human rights abuses in Irian Jaya, of dissidents disappearing, of remote villagers forced to wear modern clothing and abandon their pig eating culture by distant Muslim politicians, who often find native culture abhorrent.

Recommended.

Heights of discovery.......2002-06-12

If Tim Flannery isn't the luckiest biologist in the world, then perhaps he's the hardest working. He possesses a spirit of adventure that may exceed both. His twenty years of exploring the mysteries of New Guinea are superbly outlined and related in this engaging account. Although a mammalogist by profession, his interests range far beyond any academic discipline. We follow his efforts to meet and gain acceptance by the remote peoples of the New Guinea highlands. They are a diverse lot, and every new contact is fraught with uncertainty. He introduces us to the teasing pleasures of New Guinea pidgin, a language adopted by indigineous peoples to cross the nearly 1 000 languages that exist on the island.

Throwim' Away Leg, New Guinean pidgin for a journey, is an appropriate title for this book. Flannery's 15 long-term expeditions took him over most of the island, meeting the people, tracking animals and assessing the changes in the ecology. It is difficult, in this jet travel age to comprehend the impact of "remote people," but Flannery has done it. He's adept at sharing the wonder he felt in his travels. We feel his fears, his joys of discovery, his sadness at the incursion of industrial civilization in an unprepared land. Flannery's account is given with an astonishing detachment. He recognizes the needs of both the indigenous people and the invaders. Cannibalism, so abhorrent to "civilized" readers, is placed in its true framework as viewed by the New Guinean mountain peoples. He's aware of the population pressures on local resources among the tribes, not excusing, but imparting rare understanding of the reality of life in wilderness.

The author's love of wildlife is made clear throughout the book. An encounter with three-metre-long python that tried desperately to throttle him is related with incredible compassion. One can only sympathize with the pilot and passengers who shared the cockpit of a small aircraft with it on its journey to Port Moresby. Flannery's real feelings, however, are for the varieties of tree kangaroos living on the island. He asserts the high point of his travels was the classification of a rare black and white species of this creature. High point, indeed! Three
thousand metres up in the New Guinean highlands, local hunters brought him the chewed remains of two "Dingisios" - enough to identify and describe this rare animal.

Flannery's enthusiasms and vivid desriptive powers make this book an unforgettable read. His descriptions of the impact of outsiders, from both East and West, portray a land under immense stress. Not only Western mining and lumber companies, who have seared the landscape with roads, mines and felling, but Indonesia's settlement programmes come under his penetrating gaze. He recognizes their needs, but urges better forms of accomodation are required. The biological story is conveyed well integrated with social, political and environmental issues. An all-encompassing study, this book will give the reader many fresh insights and topics for further reflection.

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Not Enough

A Banner Day Read

Tales from the Mets Dugout
Bruce Markusen
Manufacturer: Sports Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Essays & Writings | Baseball | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Amazing Mets Trivia

Double Blackjack: The Best and Worst Deals made by the New York Mets in their years of existence

For Mets Fans Only

Bad Guys Won

Pedro, Carlos, and Omar: The Story of a Season in the Big Apple and the Pursuit of Baseball's Top Latino Stars

ASIN: 1596702176

Book Description

Markusen tells tales about the many fascinating teams of one of the most colorful franchises in Major League Baseball, as well as stories about dozens of memorable New York Mets personalities.

Customer Reviews:

Not Enough.......2007-07-19

This book had some good stories and was a quick read, but to barely mention Mike Piazza doesn't make any sense. He was the face of the franchise and led them to the subway series in 2000. The book mentions him in passing and basically notes that he wasn't a good fielder. Strawberry is hardly mentioned as well. It makes no sense.

A Banner Day Read.......2005-04-02

Tales from the Mets Dugout understands the history and hysteria that come with being a Mets fan. The book has some nice but not overused photos and it packs a lot of information in less than 200 pages. Living in the shadow of the monolithic Yankees, Mets fans know they have ruled the city for just a handful of seasons over the last 43. While the next 1969 or 1986 seems a lifetime in the coming, Mets fans can at least embrace a team that's seen more excitement than some franchises have experienced in a century of play. The Mets have never had a no-hitter, but look at the pitchers who came up through the system and tossed them with other teams: David Cone, Dwight Gooden, Mike Scott, Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan . . . The Mets drew 700,000 people in 1979, and eight years later were the first New York team to draw 3,000,000 . . . the Mets have won three NL pennants but only one Met has been Championship Series MVP. Obsessing over the Mets for a lifetime, I thought there was nothing I didn't know about the club, but Bruce Markusen came up with new stories and new angles, including several trades that never happened: the Mets almost traded Jerry Koosman for Fred Patek, Tommie Agee almost went to the Red Sox (instead of the Mets) in a deal for Carl Yastrzemski, and the Mets could've had Dickie Thon for Elliott Maddox, but owner Linda de Roulet thought the Angels' top-notch prospect had too much of a baby face! Perhaps the most shocking nugget of all unearthed by Markusen was a telegram from the president of the Yankees congratulating the '69 Mets. The man even said he was rooting for the Mets. Now that's amazin'. The book's pretty good, too.

Americanism: New Perspectives on the History of an Ideal

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Americanism: New Perspectives on the History of an Ideal

Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807830100

Book Description

What is Americanism? The contributors to this volume recognize Americanism in all its complexity--as an ideology, an articulation of the nation's rightful place in the world, a set of traditions, a political language, and a cultural style imbued with political meaning. In response to the pervasive vision of Americanism as a battle cry or a smug assumption, this collection of essays stirs up new questions and debates that challenge us to rethink the model currently being exported, too often by force, to the rest of the world.

Crafted by a cast of both rising and renowned intellectuals from three continents, the twelve essays in this volume are divided into two sections. The first group of essays addresses the understanding of Americanism within the United States over the past two centuries, from the early republic to the war in Iraq. The second section provides perspectives from around the world in an effort to make sense of how the national creed and its critics have shaped diplomacy, war, and global culture in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Approaching a controversial ideology as both scholars and citizens, many of the essayists call for a revival of the ideals of Americanism in a new progressive politics that can bring together an increasingly polarized and fragmented citizenry.

Book Description

The Boston Red Sox are one of the most storied sports franchises in North America. Steeped in tradition, they represent a veritable treasure trove of baseball lore. From the earliest days of a promising young pitcher named Babe Ruth, through the glory years of Foxx, Williams, and Yastrzemski, to the present era of superstars such as Garciaparra and Martinez, the Red Sox epitomize all that is grand about the grand old game. Over the years they've been blessed with some of the most colorful and engaging characters ever to don a major league uniform -- Bill "Spaceman" Lee, Dick "Dr. Strangeglove" Stuart, and Dennis "Oil Can" Boyd, to name just a few. Tales from the Red Sox Dugout captures the flavor and atmosphere of the Red Sox dugout. You'll find this book as irresistible as a sunny afternoon doubleheader at Fenway.

Customer Reviews:

Easily read and enjoyable stories about a classic team.......2004-05-03

The Boston Red Sox, by nature of their long history and years of frustration, have had a colorful cast of characters from which this book draws lovingly. Offering anywhere from one to many stories about players past and present, the authors offer anecdotes about countless humorous incidents that gave the Red Sox some of their charm.

Featuring many stories on the greats whose numbers are retired (Williams, Yaztremski, etc.) and current favorites like Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra and many more, the book is easy to read and provides a reader with appreciation for some of the best Boys of Summer.

Interesting Red Sox stories.......2001-01-25

It isn't necessary to be a Red Sox fan to enjoy reading this book. It's good to read of the crazy stunts that some of the ball players pulled. I remember a lot of the older players like Ted Williams and Pesky and more of that era. VERY GOOD READING!!

I love Nomar!.......2000-10-21

I love Nomar Garciaparra, and the cover shot of him and Pedro Martinez alone is worth the price of the book. The photo, the articles about him, and his back-cover endorsement of the book made me buy it. But I soon realized there is a lot more to this book! As a relatively young Red Sox fan, it made me realize that the Bosox have a long, colorful, and very funny history. I would highly recommend this book to all Red Sox fans! In fact all baseball fans will enjoy this book.

For Baseball followers everywhere.......2000-09-23

Baseball's history is replete with many colorful characters, towering heroes, magnificent records and streaks of fortune, both good and ill. Certainly the Boston Red Sox have had more than their share. I found "Tales from the Red Sox Dugout" highly informative and entertaining. It's clear that author Jim Prime and his colleague Bill Nowlin have a deep love for this team, its history and many of the players that have made the Sox legendary.

The book is a collection of summaries, ordered alphabetically by player. Each summary includes background on the player, information on their accomplishments and one or more very amusing anecdotes. Several sections are well illustrated by Bob Jackson - you can see almost see the ball reflected in Carlton Fisk's eyes as it flies down the left field line. Perhaps its my bias as a baseball fan, but this sport seems to produce more laugh-out-loud stories than any other I can think of.

Buy and read this book - you'll learn why the mouth of Pedro Martinez may be as formidable as his right arm; why it's a good thing that GQ did not publish during the career of Carl Yaztrzemksi; why Bill Lee finds Gerbils praiseworthy; what might happen if the Splendid Splinter were to face the Big Unit. You will also learn about the humanity of several players and about their personal efforts in regards to the Jimmy Fund that helps young cancer victims in New England. The section on Ted Williams obviously reflects the passions of the authors and it's clear that the commitment to the team and players continues in their profile of Nomar Garciaparra.

Highly recommended that you add this book to your baseball collection.

Tales from The Red Sox Dugout.......2000-09-19

If success is measured by the journey as much as the destination, then the Red Sox embody success. Few teams are able to elicit such loyalty, such enthusiasm, such love. Prime captures some of the spirit of this indominable team through annecdotes told by and about memorable players and events. This is the type of book that makes you late and is destined to be coffee-stained.It brims with little-known baseball lore, not just the stuff of legend but also the minutiae which inspires boisterous laughter in the gym, the kitchen, the barber shop - wherever die-hard baseball fans discuss the game. Good natured and intelligent, this book reveals the Red Sox for what they are, a team steeped in tradition, shaped by blunders as well as "bests", and unparalled in integrity. Enjoyed it immensely!Terrific read!

José Martí's "Our America": From National to Hemispheric Cultural Studies (New Americanists)

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José Martí's "Our America": From National to Hemispheric Cultural Studies (New Americanists)

Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Latin American | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 082232265X

Book Description

Considerable attention has been given to Cuban poet, essayist, and activist JosÃ© MartÃ’s 1891 essay âNuestra AmÃ©rica,â but relatively little has been paid to the rest of the journalistic work that MartÃ produced during his fourteen-year exile in the United States. In JosÃ© MartÃ’s Our America, Jeffrey Belnap and RaÃºl FernÃ¡ndez present essays from Latin American, Caribbean, and U.S.-based scholars who consider MartÃ’s rich and underexplored body of work and position MartÃ as an emblem of New American studies.
A Cuban exile from 1881 to 1895, MartÃ was a correspondent writing in New York for various Latin American newspapers. Grasping the significance of rising U.S. imperial power, he came to understand the Americas as a complex system of kindredâbut not equalânational formations whose cultural and political integrity was threatened by the overbearing aggressiveness of the United States. This collection explores how in his journalistic work MartÃ critiques U.S. racism, imperialism, and capitalism; warns Latin America of impending U.S. geographical, cultural, and economic annexation; and calls for recognition of the diversity of America’s cultural voices. Reinforcing MartÃ’s hemispheric vision with essays by a wide range of scholars who investigate his analysis of the United States, his significance as a Latino outsider, and his analyses of Latin American cultural politics, this volume explores the affinities between MartÃ’s thought and current reexaminations of what it means to study America.
JosÃ© MartÃ’s Our America offers a new understanding of MartÃ’s ambiguous and problematic relation with the United States and will engage scholars and students in American, Latin American, and Latino studies as well as those interested in cultural, postcolonial, gender, and ethnic studies.

Contributors. Jeffrey Belnap, RaÃºl FernÃ¡ndez, Ada Ferrer, Susan Gillman, George Lipsitz, Oscar MartÃ, David Noble, Donald E. Pease, Beatrice Pita, Brenda Gayle Plummer, Susana Rotker, JosÃ© David SaldÃvar, Rosaura SÃ¡nchez, Enrico Mario SantÃ, Doris Sommer, Brook Thomas

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Startling, Honest Reflections
A different, compelling and intelligent book on 9/11

Trauma at Home: After 9/11

Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Essays | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Mental Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Terrorism | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

September 11 | Current Events | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Medicine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0803271085

Book Description

The terrorist attacks of September 11 brought the effects of trauma home to millions in America and throughout the world. Initially the attacks created a sense of paralysis and a narrative void. Now we find ourselves struggling as a nation to remember and rebuild. The distinguished writers in Trauma at Home confront September 11 from a variety of personal, cultural, scholarly, and clinical perspectives. Bringing together wide-ranging reflections on understanding, representing, and surviving trauma, the book offers readers an array of analyses of the overwhelming events. Through the lenses of cultural studies, trauma studies, feminism, film and literary criticism, psychoanalytic theory, and through poetic and photographic images, the contributors use their disciplines to help make sense of the incomprehensible.

These essays and reflections address loss and examine our changed modes of perception, relations with others, and sense of home. Trauma at Home contains meditations on the personal and cultural aftereffects of trauma and provides analyses of the historical echoes of Hiroshima, the Holocaust, and Vietnam that the attacks evoked. Collectively these essays replace the silence of shock and disbelief with the possibility of dialogue—even as they also recognize the impossibility of providing a single cohesive narrative for the trauma of September 11.

Customer Reviews:

Startling, Honest Reflections.......2003-12-13

Trauma at Home is the most thoughtful collection of responses to September 11th I have seen. Every essay is a reminder of what I think we've begun to forget, as individuals and a nation: how the event startled us out of our ordinary methods of understanding and acting in the world. The book begins with Toni Morrison's elegy, 'The Dead of September 11': 'But I would not say a word until I could set aside all I know or believe about nations, wars, leaders, the governed and ungovernable.' Judith Greenberg has collected a remarkable number of essays that find their authors in the process of figuring out how to think once they've been startled out of all they know or believe.

A different, compelling and intelligent book on 9/11.......2003-10-03

So much of the analysis about September 11 is trite and packaged that I found this book especially refreshing. You have leading academics, writers, pyschoanalysts and others probing beneath the easy conclusions to offer real insight about 9/11. Greenberg's own essay is one of the best, but you will also learn and benefit from many, many others.

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