Book Description
“Thousands of people have written to tell me that I am wrong not to believe in God. The most hostile of these communications have come from Christians. This is ironic, as Christians generally imagine that no faith imparts the virtues of love and forgiveness more effectively than their own. The truth is that many who claim to be transformed by Christ’s love are deeply, even murderously, intolerant of criticism. While we may want to ascribe this to human nature, it is clear that such hatred draws considerable support from the Bible. How do I know this? The most disturbed of my correspondents always cite chapter and verse.”
So begins Letter to a Christian Nation…
www.samharris.org
Customer Reviews:
A good "starter book" for atheism.......2007-10-10
"Letter to a Christian Nation" is, as it says, a letter. To a nation. Of Christians. As someone who is already a confirmed atheist, I wasnt't really the target audience for this book. As such, I found it a little lacking in comparison to other works of atheist thought, such as The God Delusion (a very good book), and God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything (a decent, but not as good, book).
Sam Harris makes many of the same points in his book as Dawkins and Hitchens do in theirs, but he doesn't go into nearly the same level of detail as Dawkins or the same amount of polemic as Hitchens. He does make his points, but I felt there was more he could have done.
On the other hand, this is a very, very short book (only about 90 pages... about the same as, to my understanding, Common Sense (Penguin Classics), which I haven't read and should). Due to the length, I guess he wasn't able to go into too much detail. Of course, he could have simply written a longer book...
If you, like me, are someone who is already firmly in the atheist camp, this really isn't the book for you. If you're someone who can feel your faith wavering, and know that you're getting to the point where you're about to divcorce from god (and there's a term I love and will have to use elsewhere), then perhaps you might want to give this book a go. After all, what do you have to loose?
Well, aside from your religion...
thin volume that should be required reading.......2007-10-10
The author doesn't belabor any points - but rather is concise and crisp. I wish I had written it.
Concise, articulate and enlightening.......2007-10-09
Bravo to Mr. Harris. This is a must-read for anyone with children who might consider placing them in religious schools. Mr Harris makes the point that religion is propagating fairy tales (at best) and training our children to be scientifically illiterate (at worse). Personally, I couldn't agree more. Between my graduation from a Christian high school to my PhD in Neuroscience, I had to overcome all the illusions taught in my Christian high school and learn how to think critically. Critical thought has led me on a slow but steady journey away from Christian indoctrination and on to free-thinking athesism. Where I have at times struggled to articulate my doubts, questions, rationale and reasons to 'true-believers' (or my parents for that matter) this book does so in remarkable clarity and brevity. Similar to Dawkins "The God Delusion", this book provides excellent tools to fend off the specious arguments of religious people, but it does so with a bit more tact and grace. While I absolutely loved the God Delusion, I would not recommend it to a Christian, as it is certain to offend their sensibilities from the start. Harris's book may actually get through to them (one can hope!).
Quality.......2007-10-08
This is a good, concise response to the many outlandish complaints against the member of society who have no interest in fabricating a diety to explain away their problems. Some points could have used flushing out, but then it wouldn't have been very concise. I recommend this book.
A solid overview of the problems caused by religion and faith.......2007-10-06
Sam Harris' Letter to a Christian Nation is an excellent overview of some of the major reasons why religion (he talks about Christianity for the most part) is negatively impacting American society. People of all faiths I believe will enjoy this terse review of the problems religion causes on all levels of practice, whether you be an extremist or moderate or not a believer at all. Harris does a good job getting to the point and making concepts easy to understand so that even a six year old might be able to follow - it's even comical at times.
I would recommend this book be read by anyone interested in religion or philosophy in any degree, whether you want to just get a preview of some of the topics being thrown around today between religious peoples and atheists, or as a primer that will prepare you for more in-depth books on religion such as Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion.
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat.
Schlosser's investigation reaches its frightening peak in the meatpacking plants as he reveals the almost complete lack of federal oversight of a seemingly lawless industry. His searing portrayal of the industry is disturbingly similar to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, written in 1906: nightmare working conditions, union busting, and unsanitary practices that introduce E. coli and other pathogens into restaurants, public schools, and homes. Almost as disturbing is his description of how the industry "both feeds and feeds off the young," insinuating itself into all aspects of children's lives, even the pages of their school books, while leaving them prone to obesity and disease. Fortunately, Schlosser offers some eminently practical remedies. "Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," he writes. Where to begin? Ask yourself, is the true cost of having it "your way" really worth it? --Lesley Reed
Book Description
Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Schlosser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning.
Schlosser's myth-shattering survey stretches from California's subdivisions, where the business was born, to the industrial corridor along the New Jersey Turnpike, where many of fast food's flavors are concocted. Along the way, he unearths a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths -- from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, and even real estate.
Customer Reviews:
fantastic book. Thought-provoking and well-documented.......2007-10-16
This book is easy to read, and I highly recommend it to all people who eat out (anywhere, not just at "fast food" places). It was eye-opening for me, and I'm a lot pickier eater (for the better) now when I go out to restaurants. This isn't about just one issue, or a few issues, but an overall idea of what is going on at the other side of the counter. I was expecting a big book that told me simply that french fries were unhealthy but I was surprised to find out about a complicated behemoth that is there trying to get us to eat things we probably shouldn't.
A hard look at not only fast food, but the beef industry.......2007-10-10
WOW...
And I don't say that so much because of the things this books brings to light about the fast food industry. I actually say it because of all the horrifying things I've learned about the BEEF industry! I never would have imagined what goes into raising cattle (the disgusting things they are fed), killing them and then turning them into meat. The dangers that these processes bring upon us as consumers of this beef (mad cow etc.) And the fact that the government is barely, if at all, regulating this?! Because they are "all in bed" with the beef industry! WOW. I am seriously considering from now on buying organic beef. I hope that in the next ten years that this government will start putting in place some better protection for us as beef consumers, at the time this book was written they were not allowed to re-call beef, nor were they able to inspect the factories....definitely a book worth reading and hopefully it continues to get noticed, make waves and bring upon some change.
As for the reading, it was dry at times, but for the most part interesting. I think it was very well written. It was helpful how it was broken down into chapters dealing with different aspects- made it easy to follow the argument and then grasp the sum-up of it all at the end, and how each part ties together. From the chapters on how fastfood/McDonalds got it's start, to the look at "why the fries taste so good", or what's in the beef, to the look at the meat processing plants...the author certainly seemed to do his homework, because he was nothing if not thorough. If Schlosser were to write a follow up, years down the road, I'd definitely read and will certainly recommend this to friends!
Frightening Truths.......2007-10-09
Schlosser's exposé of the fast food industry makes for terrifying reading. Now that I am aware of the appalling corporate trade practices, I have been sure to avoid McDonald's (except in order to get hold of the complete Happy Meal collections of Hannah Montana and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles- the mantelpiece would have seemed bare without them). However, it is equally worrying to learn about the produce found in major supermarkets. Chicken is frequently known to contain as much as 40% additives. If you ask me, 'chicken' should be just that and it should NOT involve added protein. It is for this reason that I must politely decline Uncle Bruce's invitations to dinner. Since I caught a glimpse of him through the kitchen window (during the final throes of 'injecting' a chicken) I have felt little urge to join him for a Sunday dinner.
Fast Food Nation - Eye opening read.......2007-10-04
This is a very well researched and written tome that I would recommend to anyone interested in how big agribusiness works. Cynical by nature, I'm even more so after reading the book, especially when it comes to politics and big business. If you read nothing else, check out the chapter on the slaughterhouse. Egad.
I look forward to reading Schlosser's other book, Refer Madness.
Eye Opening.......2007-09-29
After reading the book, I became so appalled at the thought of eating fast food again. It's not just about health either. The sad and horrific stories about how factory workers were treated and their working conditions will wake you up. One often knows how bad fast food is, but until you read this, you won't really know just how BAD it is.
Book Description
A simple walk through Washington, D.C. began a profound journey of personal discovery and renewal for Newt Gingrich, one of America's most influential politicians and commentators. At the National Archives, the immortal words from the Declaration of Independence that we "are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights," jumped off the page and into his heart with the simple truth that from day one in our country's history, the Author of freedom was not the state nor even the Founding Fathers. Our basic human rights and freedoms were-and are-"Creator-endowed." Gingrich sounds a clarion call for us to recognize that the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness that we hold so dear are inseparable from a sincere and humble acknowledgement that these gifts are only the Creator's to give. As a bonus, the book includes a "walking tour" of Washington, D.C.
Customer Reviews:
America, the Christian Nation Under God .......2007-09-26
This book was another top notch, highly informative conservative-traditionalist volume that speaks the truth that America is indeed a Christian Judeo nation at heart.
It is so vitally important for American culture to return to our moral religious values, and seek the historical truth that indeed the Founders were very spiritual people who upheld very Christian ideals in springing to life the American nation.
While Thomas Jefferson was a Deist (not an Atheist but one who believed that God had sprung the universe into life with little involvement in the affairs of man), many of the founders themselves were personally brought up in the Christian tradition. I can recall the miracle on Christmas when George Washington crossed the Delaware River to storm the Hessian base camp, or his Thanksgiving Day prayer.
One can come to the logical conclusion that the inspiration of the American idea was spawned from the both the secular notions of the Enlightenment era, and the philosophies of Christianity.
Regardless of those extremists out there who try to twist history into something that it wasn't for PC reasons or their own personal contempt for American Christian ideals, there is no United States of America with out the traditions and philosophies of Jesus Christ.
God, the Ten Commandments, & the teachings of the lord Jesus Christ will always be apart of America.
This is one fantastic book worth your time and money.
Rediscovering God in America.......2007-09-10
The book is an excellent reminder of the source of strength and wisdom that all our founders looked to as they made decisions concerning the founding of America. There is a clear discussion of the separations issue and the foolish conclusion that our leaders did not want God a part of public life. It reminds us of the importance that all leaders in the first 100 years of the country place on Christian faith.
faith is still here..........2007-07-26
Millionaire in 365 Days: The Daily Plan to Get There
America is the MOST faith based country in the world....But ???
Newt is such an interesting guy...it is worth reading to get a sense of the history of how our country's founders and there on saw faith as part of America.....buy it, if you have faith in America as well...
Outstanding.......2007-07-21
I read with interest how our founding fathers consistently built buildings with the reminders that there is a Supreme being, God, who has blessed us with this country, our constitution, and our democracy. There are so many nihilists around us that would destroy all of this. Evil does lurk in this world. A well writtent book, succinct but accurate with historical facts.
Great CD!.......2007-07-16
This CD is very helpful for anyone visiting our nation's capitol. I wish we'd had it before our visit.
Book Description
The American Gospel–literally, the good news about America–is that religion shapes our public life without controlling it. In this vivid book, New York Times bestselling author Jon Meacham tells the human story of how the Founding Fathers viewed faith, and how they ultimately created a nation in which belief in God is a matter of choice.
At a time when our country seems divided by extremism, American Gospel draws on the past to offer a new perspective. Meacham re-creates the fascinating history of a nation grappling with religion and politics–from John Winthrop’s “city on a hill” sermon to Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence; from the Revolution to the Civil War; from a proposed nineteenth-century Christian Amendment to the Constitution to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s call for civil rights; from George Washington to Ronald Reagan.
Debates about religion and politics are often more divisive than illuminating. Secularists point to a “wall of separation between church and state,” while many conservatives act as though the Founding Fathers were apostles in knee britches. As Meacham shows in this brisk narrative, neither extreme has it right. At the heart of the American experiment lies the God of what Benjamin Franklin called “public religion,” a God who invests all human beings with inalienable rights while protecting private religion from government interference. It is a great American balancing act, and it has served us well.
Meacham has written and spoken extensively about religion and politics, and he brings historical authority and a sense of hope to the issue. American Gospel makes it compellingly clear that the nation’s best chance of summoning what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature” lies in recovering the spirit and sense of the Founding. In looking back, we may find the light to lead us forward.
“In his American Gospel, Jon Meacham provides a refreshingly clear, balanced, and wise historical portrait of religion and American politics at exactly the moment when such fairness and understanding are much needed. Anyone who doubts the relevance of history to our own time has only to read this exceptional book.”–David McCullough, author of 1776
“Jon Meacham has given us an insightful and eloquent account of the spiritual foundation of the early days of the American republic. It is especially instructive reading at a time when the nation is at once engaged in and deeply divided on the question of religion and its place in public life.”–Tom Brokaw, author of The Greatest Generation
“An absorbing narrative full of vivid characters and fresh thinking, American Gospel tells how the Founding Fathers–and their successors–struggled with their own religious and political convictions to work out the basic structure for freedom of religion. For me this book was nonstop reading.”–Elaine Pagels, professor of religion, Princeton University, author of Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas
“Jon Meacham is one of our country’s most brilliant thinkers about religion’s impact on American society. In this scintillating and provocative book, Meacham reveals the often-hidden influence of religious belief on the Founding Fathers and on later generations of American citizens and leaders up to our own. Today, as we argue more strenuously than ever about the proper place of religion in our politics and the rest of American life, Meacham’s important book should serve as the touchstone of the debate.”
–Michael Beschloss, author of The Conquerors
“At a time when faith and freedom seem increasingly polarized, American Gospel recovers our vital center–the middle ground where, historically, religion and public life strike a delicate balance. Well researched, well written, inspiring, and persuasive, this is a welcome addition to the literature.”–Jonathan D. Sarna, Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History, Brandeis University, author of American Judaism: A History
From the Hardcover edition.
Customer Reviews:
American Gospel - No Answer.......2007-09-28
I have to admit, after reading A Peoples' History of the United States, I had much concern about this book. It seems that it was either going to state that the United States was founded on Christian beliefs or it was going to say that it was absolutely not founded on Christian beliefs. Much to my surprise, the answer was 'sort of.'
As much as one could, Mr. Meacham seems to have taken a middle road, analytical view of the topic. From the origins of separation of church and state to discuss what God and maker were the founding fathers speaking of, the book was found to be most informative an interesting. It seems that some readers will get annoyed because they want the book to pick a side and argue it but instead he presented both parts of the argument and follows history to where we are today with respect to faith, God and government.
His citation system is far superior to that found in A Peoples' History though it was still lacking. He provided a long citation list but only by page with no corresponding reference on said page. I don't know...maybe in popular history books editors feel that when a reader sees a superscript number that they will be turned off. What I would hope is that two editions could be published, one as the book currently is but also one with exact citations so the reader, if she so chooses, can look up a quote or fact and see if it is presented in an appropriate context. Another good thing was the inclusion of entire documents within the appendix to allow the reader to see the source material as it was and to either agree or disagree with Mr. Meacham's interpretation.
Pablum.......2007-09-13
Jefferson, Washington, Franklin, Adams, and Madison were Deists, not Christians. Deism, not Christianity, was the religion of the enlightenment and of the early American intelligentsia. This work is well-intended, but superficial, and only feeds into the big lie that America is a "Christian country." That charade needs to be played out, not played into.
Finally, a Balanced Truth.......2007-08-18
American Gospel tells the truth of the history of religion (primarily the belief in Christianity) in the United States. It is very satisfying because it tells the whole story.
I have been an evangelical (born-again) Christian for almost 30 years. In that time, I have heard people say "America is a Christian nation," and I even went to a lecture by David Barton, founder of Wallbuilders, who claimed that the founding fathers were all Christian men.
I love the Lord and I love to study American history. But when I would hear and read about how Christian the nation was (and many evangelicals want to ensure that it remains so), I always think, "How could this Christian nation have tolerated slavery? How could these Christian men say 'thou shalt not steal,' and then take land away from Native Americans?" I often felt like those I've heard go on about how America was founded by Christians would like for people to forget our country's greatest sins, or believe that Christians had nothing to do with them. In fact, on Independence Day weekend 2007, I went to Church and my pastor gave a message about America, and he said "The battle cry of America has always been freedom." That's a nice thought, but it's just not true.
The truth is that the founders wanted a nation where people could be free in every aspect, including their spiritual beliefs. I'm glad for a book that respects Christianity but does not justify, minimize or ignore America's sins.
Bad history written by a journalist.......2007-08-15
If you want a real historical account and worth while scholarship, I would suggest reading "The Faiths of the Founding Fathers." Meacham is an amateur. Any senior in an undergraduate history course should be able to point out the glaring omissions, half truths and shoddy scholarship. His thesis is not even original. It seems to me Meacham is a reporter who found a way to make money during a time where religion and government are of more concern to Americans. Meacham should stick to reporting and let historians write history.
Meacham has done excellent research.......2007-08-09
Jon Meacham has researched the history of religion (mostly Christianity) in the colonies and in the founding fathers writing. His detail is excellent, and his intrepretations are thoughtful and well supported.
The debates that occurred with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were carried out with the spirit of allowing religious freedom, yet acknowledging that religion played an important role in the lives of citizens and politicians alike.
Before anyone concludes that we declare the U S a Christian nation, it would be well worth your while to review the accounts of our founders as presented by Meacham.
Book Description
The Wealth of Nations
by Adam Smith
It is symbolic that Adam Smith’s masterpiece of economic analysis,
The Wealth of Nations, was first published in 1776, the same year as the Declaration of Independence.
In his book, Smith fervently extolled the simple yet enlightened notion that individuals are fully capable of setting and regulating prices for their own goods and services. He argued passionately in favor of free trade, yet stood up for the little guy.
The Wealth of Nations provided the first--and still the most eloquent--integrated description of the workings of a market economy.
The result of Smith’s efforts is a witty, highly readable work of genius filled with prescient theories that form the basis of a thriving capitalist system. This unabridged edition offers the modern reader a fresh look at a timeless and seminal work that revolutionized the way governments and individuals view the creation and dispersion of wealth--and that continues to influence our economy right up to the present day.
Customer Reviews:
Surprisingly readable.......2007-09-12
If you have any interest at all in Economics, you'll want to go to the source. This is the source. Adam Smith lays the groundwork for the study of Economics in this very readable treatise.
Though he is discussing 18th century Britain, the topics he discusses have direct analogs in the modern American economy. Taxes, trade, money, monopoly, tarrifs, and international trade balance are all tackled with aplomb.
He really lays into Mercantilism and blasts the protectionism it engenders. Never anything less than a champion of the common man, Smith decrys monopolies and other taxes on those most unable to afford them. Though he seems to be a total free marketeer, he takes great pains to examine the types of taxes which would be useful and prudent for a government to levy.
Once or twice may be fine, but Smith uses this construction for almost every sentence in the book. It is just a stylistic gripe, but the length and complexity of each sentence make digesting the information quite a bit more difficult than it otherwise could have been. I would not be at all disappointed to see this book translated to a more modern style.
Again, if you're interested in Economics at all, this book is the place to start. There is so much good information here to be absorbed and pondered. I recommend it highly.
Adam Smith was a fabulous writer!!.......2007-08-13
Do not be dismayed by the book's substantial girth! The Wealth of Nations is not only an essential, brilliant, philosophical read for anyone interested in economics... but, it is also thoroughly entertaining and even humorous at times.
Seminal work from the father of economics.......2007-05-25
Nobody seriously involved in economics can do without this exhaustive work, originally published in five volumes as An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. This classic is a pragmatic and accessible milestone in the history of economics. Its author, Adam Smith, is woven into every economics textbook. However, Smith's theories, which today often are recounted mostly in fragments, frequently incorrectly, reveal their entire social and economic innovative power only in context. Smith burst onto the scene at a time when absolutist national states monopolized the world's precious metal reserves and tried to increase their own wealth through stringent export policies. These states were motivated by an entirely new concept about national wealth: that it stemmed from the work of the country's people, not from gold. Based on that idea, economic markets should balance themselves as if guided by an "invisible hand," impelled by each individual's self-interest. The state has to provide only an orderly framework and specific public goods and services. Even though Smith's image of idealized economic and social harmony may have developed a few cracks over the course of time, his ideas have inspired many well-known economists during the past 250 years, including David Ricardo, Vilfredo Pareto, Friedrich August von Hayek and Milton Friedman. We highly recommend this seminal work.
Go with Bantam.......2007-02-12
If you're wondering which Wealth of Nations to purchase, get the Bantam paperback. This is Smith's complete and unabridged final version of the Wealth of Nations. It provides footnotes on Smith's wording, the historical context, and the differences between Smith's 5th edition and previous editions. In addition, the margin of the pages contain useful notes which summarize Smith's writing. For the price, this is clearly the superior choice.
Now, if you're wondering whether you should undertake such an endeavor, let me just say that Adam Smith was a professor of rhetoric. He explains everything so precisely, yet so comprehensible. Smith's writing is by no means difficult; I actually found it a surprisingly easy read given its antique nature. Once you get through the first chapter, you get quite used to Smith's writing style. If you put adequate time and energy into it, it's not hard at all.
A must read if you are in economics.......2006-09-02
The works of Adam Smith are an essential part of universal culture, especially for economics. The introduction to the book places you at the time it was written, which makes it even more valuable.
Book Description
The inspiring account of one manÂ's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti- American reaches of Asia
In 1993 Greg Mortenson was the exhausted survivor of a failed attempt to ascend K2, an American climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through PakistanÂ's Karakoram Himalaya. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of an impoverished Pakistani village, Mortenson promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time—Greg MortensonÂ's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.
Award-winning journalist David Oliver Relin has collaborated on this spellbinding account of MortensonÂ's incredible accomplishments in a region where Americans are often feared and hated. In pursuit of his goal, Mortenson has survived kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, repeated death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. But his success speaks for itself. At last count, his Central Asia Institute had built fifty-five schools. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.
Customer Reviews:
Admire the Commitment and Accomplishments, but..........2007-10-15
What Mortensen accomplished with commitment and perseverance is undoubtly a great humanitarin effort. However, the book is irritating to read. Mortensen's name is used so many times over and over it is distracting. "Mortensen this" and "Mortensen that"! It reads like Mortiensen is a demi-god and it really presents like this when you realize he is a coauthor. Why not write this inspiring story in "first person"?
The humanitarian effort is inspiring if you can get through the book!
A book every American should read.......2007-10-15
An excellent story and very well written. It is particularly timely today given what is going on in that part of the world. It certainly gives much to think about. I would recommend this to everyone I know.
Timely.......2007-10-14
This story provides much needed insight to the central Asian world. Greg Mortenson is a true hero for all humankind.
Seeking to understand other cultures and creating peace.......2007-10-14
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Three Cups of Tea, and have recommended it to many. I found it hard to stop reading it, finished it in only a few days, and was sorry there wasn't more to read. The story itself was exciting, and had many cliff-hangers, but at the end, the messages of peace, charity, and understanding other cultures were the feelings that endured.
I couldn't put it down!!!.......2007-10-12
I started to read this book because of an assignment, and ended up not being able to put it down until I was finished reading it cover to cover. If you have limited time like me, make it worth your while and read this book.
Book Description
As one of the first titles in Atlantic Monthly Press’ “Books That Changed the World” series, America’s most provocative satirist, P. J. O’Rourke, reads Adam Smith’s revolutionary The Wealth of Nations so you don’t have to. Recognized almost instantly on its publication in 1776 as the fundamental work of economics, The Wealth of Nations was also recognized as really long: the original edition totaled over nine hundred pages in two volumes—including the blockbuster sixty-seven-page “digression concerning the variations in the value of silver during the course of the last four centuries,” which, “to those uninterested in the historiography of currency supply, is like reading Modern Maturity in Urdu.” Although daunting, Smith’s tome is still essential to understanding such current hot-topics as outsourcing, trade imbalances, and Angelina Jolie. In this hilarious, approachable, and insightful examination of Smith and his groundbreaking work, P. J. puts his trademark wit to good use, and shows us why Smith is still relevant, why what seems obvious now was once revolutionary, and why the pursuit of self-interest is so important.
Customer Reviews:
A Waste of Time if You Want to Understand Adam Smith.......2007-10-02
I got this book because I wanted to read something on Smith, an author who is not, contrary to what is repeatedly said by other reviewers, difficult to read or superseded by later writers. What I quickly realized was that O'Rourke has no intention of seriously engaging with Smith at all and that the book might easily have been written without his having read the Wealth of Nations at all using a research assistant to pull out some quotes to sprinkle around. That he didn't read the book is the only explanation for the presence of so many gross errors in the book, such as when O'Rourke lumps labor unions together with chartered companies, etc. as a market distorting institution that Smith abhors; whereas, as any reader of the book knows, Adam Smith is quite explicit in his defense of collective bargaining for workers and condemns the laws of his day that impede workers' ability to organize. Whatever one thinks of these matters, Smith was clear as to his own view.
There is also a generally philistine and puerile element to O'Rourke's style and humour which I found extremely grating. If you are interested in work of Adam Smith, don't waste your time with this book. Just because O'Rourke didn't read the original doesn't mean you ought not to. So save your money and but a copy of the Wealth of Nations itself if you haven't read it already.
Recommend highly.......2007-09-02
P. J. O'Rourke makes Adam Smith's master work come alive with witty asides and modern examples to succinctly illustrate principles that Smith had expanded upon at daunting length. Everyone who thinks they might someday want to go into business, run for office, vote, or engage in intelligent conversation should read it, as should those who just want thought-provoking entertainment. The lengthy "dictionary" of quotations in the back is an added bonus.
A terrific guide to the ideas and writings of Adam Smith - with some jokes, too.......2007-08-13
Adam Smith has been written off my many people who find themselves too sophisticated for his 18th Century views. Each time, it is they who prove themselves and their ideas dispensable. Adam Smith continues to influence new generations of people trying to understand not only economics, but what Smith called Moral Sentiments. Was Smith a Prophet? Of course not. Did he get everything right? No. But there is more right there than you will likely find in a library full of most other writers on economics who think they know more than Smith.
However, there are many fundamental concepts that have become central to our understanding of how human beings interact and create wealth that some of us treat him with a kind of devotion and veneration. We probably overdo it. Still, like scripture, he is more often talked about than read. And that is why the wonderful humorist P.J. O'Rourke wrote this book. It is a short guide through Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" (a much shortened title).
O'Rourke also gives us a brief view of Smith's "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" and a very brief look at Smith's life and times. As O'Rourke quote William Kristol, most of us only read in Smith. It is just so long and dry and tied to his times, it takes a special reason to read every darn word. O'Rourke did so he could write this book.
While there is much to enjoy in the book, O'Rourke has created a dictionary of Smith's best sayings (lightly edited). He also provides a list of other readings and points you to the best editions of Smith's works.
This book isn't just a funny book that riffs on Smith. Yes, O'Rourke is great at making things funny, to the point you will laugh out loud. But his humor is most often insightful rather and it is a way of getting the reader to take in the point thinking he is getting dessert. I like this insight from page 62:
"A recurring lesson in "The Wealth of Nations" is that we shouldn't get greedy. And no people are as rapacious and grabby as those who work for the public good. They don't want mere millions or billions of dollars to satisfy personal avarice. They seek the trillions of dollars necessary to make life on earth better for everyone. The World Bank should content itself with private good, from which all good things flow"
Yeah, it isn't that funny. But it is concise and right with a nice bite.
Get it, read it and enjoy it. And, hey, you will probably learn something. Especially if you haven't read Smith (or even read much in his writings).
This was my O'Levels assignment!.......2007-07-25
This is the best book I have read so far this year. The author succeeds in presenting this heavy work in an entertaining and humorous way. I think anyone reading this book will be encouraged to read the Wealth of Nations and inquire more on Adam Smith, if they haven't already done so.
The Wealth of Nations, a book of free-market thinking and a book that shapes the world to this day, was first published in 1776, the year The United States of America gained its independence from Britain. The book was instantly recognized as being fundamental to an understanding of Economics. The original edition totaled over nine hundred pages in two volumes, which was considered long. It is a large volume because Adam Smith felt he was at the end of his life and he wanted to say all he could. In fact, The Wealth of Nations was orally dictated, significantly contributing to its length.
According to P.J. O'Rourke, to understand The Wealth of Nations, you also need to read Smith's first book, The Theory of Moral Sentiments. But now with On The Wealth of Nations, you don't need to read either, or so the book back cover claims. In fact, this book reads like a Cliff Notes, with laughter added.
Adam Smith only wrote three books, the third, on law, being left uncompleted.
P.J. Rourke shows us why Smith is still relevant today, why what seems obvious now was once revolutionary, and how the division of labor, freedom of trade, absence of government interference (the famous two words, `invisible hand'), and pursuit of self-interest espoused by Smith are vital to the welfare of mankind. There is nothing inherently wrong with the pursuit of self-interest. That was Smith's best insight. Smith further gives suggestions on how governments should be run, and how various classes of men should behave. Smith illuminated the mystery of economics in one flash: "Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production."
Far from being an avatar of capitalism, Smith was actually a moralist of liberty. O'Rourke says, "it's as if Smith, having proved that we can all have more money, then went on to prove that money doesn't buy happiness. And it doesn't. It rents it." (I just love this quote!)
I had to read Wealth of Nations for my O-Levels, and I got a B, the highest score in my class. I was hoping for an `A' actually, but I didn't have O'Rourke's book at the time.
Some interesting quotes from the book:
"Every tax, however, is to the person who pays it a badge, not of slavery, but of liberty. It denotes that he is subject to government, indeed, but that, as he has some property, he cannot himself be the property of a master."
"To improve land with profit requires an exact attention to small savings and small gains, of which a man born to a great fortune...is very seldom capable."
Never complain that the people in power are stupid. It is their best trait. In recent years we've seen a variety of powerful figures barter their authority for the gratification of childish vanities. Perhaps the Saudi royal family will be next to suffer the fate that Adam Smith described: "Having sold their birth-right, not like Esau for a mess of pottage in time of hunger and necessity, but in the wantonness of plenty, for trinkets and baubles, fitter to be the playthings of children than the serious pursuits of men, they became as insignificant as any substantial burgher or tradesman in a city.
In 1776, Britain was the most powerful country on earth. The reason for this, wrote Smith, was plain: "That security which the laws in Great Britain give to every man that he shall enjoy the fruits of his own labour, is alone sufficient to make any country flourish."
Military power depends on economic success. Economic success depends on freedom. "No regulation of commerce," Smith wrote, "can increase the quantity of industry in any society... It can only divert a part of it into a direction into which it might not otherwise have gone."
The rulers of Great Britain have, for more than a century past, amused the people with the imagination that they possessed a great empire on the west side of the Atlantic. This empire, however, has hitherto existed in imagination only. It has hitherto been, not an empire, but the project of an empire; not a gold mine, but the project of a gold mine...It is surely now time that our rulers should either realize this golden dream, in which they have been indulging themselves, perhaps, as well as the people; or, that they should awake from it themselves, and endeavour to awaken the people. If the project cannot be completed, it ought to be given up...Great Britain should free herself from the expence of defending those provinces in time of war, and of supporting any part of their civil or military establishments in time of peace, and endeavour to accommodate her future views and designs to the real mediocrity of her circumstances."
"What institution of government could tend so much to promote the happiness of mankind as the general prevalence of wisdom and virtue? All government is but an imperfect remedy for the deficiency of these."
One reviewer on Amazon.com had the following to say:
"Socialism can work, but it requires people with the qualities of saints. The difference between O'Rourke's rant and the reality of earthly socialism was aptly seen by Leacock, who explained `socialism won't work except in Heaven, where they don't need it, or in Hell, where they already have it.' "
Adam Smith died on July 17, 1790, leaving us a book that is still shaping our way of thinking! His stoic attitude toward death, recorded in his Moral Sentiments, was as follows: "Walk forth without repining; without murmuring or complaining. Walk forth calm, contented, rejoicing, returning thanks to the Gods, who, from their infinite bounty, have opened the safe and quiet harbor of death, at all times ready to receive us from the stormy ocean of human life."
If you find The Wealth of Nations too long or too hard to read, then read P.J. O'Rourke's On The Wealth of Nations, and you will understand all the major concepts of Smith's book.
Interesting and VERY funny.......2007-07-12
I really, really enjoyed this Book on CD.....I think it made it much better than if I had just read the book. Listen to the jokes was really cool. Lots of very good information.
Average customer rating:
- Not that bad
- A College Students Opinion
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The American People, Brief Edition: Creating a Nation and a Society, Volume II (Since 1865) (5th Edition) (MyHistoryLab Series)
Gary B. Nash ,
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ASIN: 0321316428 |
Book Description
A condensed version of The American People, Fifth Edition,
this engaging text examines U.S. history as revealed through the experiences of all Americans, both ordinary and extraordinary. With a thought-provoking and rich presentation, the authors explore the complex lives of Americans of all national origins and cultural backgrounds, at all levels of society, and in all regions of the country. A vibrant four-color design and compact size make this book accessible, convenient, and easy-to read.
Customer Reviews:
Not that bad.......2006-12-05
This book is rather nice in its presentation of rather mundane information. The details of specific events can be scarce, but for a small history book.
A College Students Opinion .......2006-07-16
This book was used in my American History 1865 to the Present class. Basically we followed the textbook and started post-civil war. Anyway, I found this book to differ from most High School text books. High school textbooks are usually overflowing with detail, dates, names, etc. I remember reading them and wondering "What in the world is my teacher thinking? I'm never going to remember all of this!." However, I find after reading this book that I prefer those 600 paged hardcover books rather than this. The American People Volume II should never be used as the prime textbook in a history class. It's descriptions of events are very scarce and I have often found myself seeking other sources to find out what I am reading about. For example, there were about 3 pages describing the Native American conflicts in the late 1800's (Which was also turned into a SIX EPISODE mini series called Into the West. This shows how little is told about these conflicts in the book.) and there was a mentioning of a Dawe's Act. However, the text went to say what caused this act and what resulted from it (2 sentences each), but it did not say what it actually was. This has been the case for many other Acts, Bills, and Laws that are mentioned. This is also not a note-taking book. The descriptions of events are so slim and undetailed that there is nothing to note about them, and I find myself moving on in the reading and not remembering much. Therefore, I would have to conclude that I prefer those large high school history textbooks in comparison to this brief history. At least with the detailed books you can get more of a rounded picture in your head of what is being described, rather than just basic facts such as "Wheat was farmed in the Great Plains." One last comment: the text is also a bit juvenile. Each chapter begins with a story of a family or individual and it is as though you are reading Little House on the Prairie. So before you buy this, make sure that it is absolutly required.
Customer Reviews:
An awful algebra book.......2007-07-09
For the price, you would expect a textbook that goes over algebra in enough detail to instil the student with confidence and the ability to work with algebra with ease.
Unfortuntaely this is not the case. The textbook does a terrible job explaining concepts, with many not included at all. The book contained a lot of questions, but the type of questions for which one should be able to answer in college algebra are unrelated to the text examples because they are a different type of question.
The organization of the book is horrendous, as it is filled with tidbits of information throughout, going offtopic throughout.
I cannot recommend this book at all, as it just adds to the stress of a math course. Please consider other options if you want to spend your time learning and not frustrated trying to decipher the book.
If you are wanting an easy time with college algebra, I strongly suggest Barron's Algebra The Easy Way and Idiot's Guide To Algebra
Very detailed and helpful.......2006-06-15
This book was very helpful and detailed. I did my algebra class online so I didn't have a teacher right infront of me when I had a question. Luckily, because of this books' specifity and detailed explinations, I was able to answer my own question and not have to go through the lengthy process of e-mailing back and forth with my teacher to get an answer.
Book Description
In August 2003, at the age of thirty, Rory Stewart took a taxi from Jordan to Baghdad. A Farsi-speaking British diplomat, he was soon appointed deputy governor of Amarah and then Nasiriyah, provinces in the remote, impoverished marsh regions of southern Iraq. He spent the next eleven months negotiating hostage releases, holding elections, and splicing together some semblance of an infrastructure for a population of millions teetering on the brink of civil war.
The Prince of the Marshes tells the story of Stewart’s year. As a participant, he takes us inside the occupation and beyond the Green Zone, introducing us to a colorful cast of Iraqis and revealing the complexity and fragility of a society we struggle to understand. By turns funny and harrowing, moving and incisive, this book amounts to a unique portrait of heroism and the tragedy that intervention inevitably courts in the modern age.
Customer Reviews:
Important read for understanding the reality of Iraq today.......2007-10-06
If you feel it is important to understand what is happening in Iraq today, this book needs to be added to your reading list. The author's perspective, that of largely unempowered administrator of a province in Iraq, is both valuable and unique. Rather than the purely political or military viewpoint, you are given a look into the reality of the daily challenges being faced by those charged with trying to make things work on the ground... the implementers, not the policy makers or military men. The view is not a very pleasant or hopeful one.
The style of writing is sometimes dry and some may find it rather boring to read often repetitive accounts of setting up and administering programs, and dealing with constant political infighting among the factions. It can also be frustrating and tedious to read about hard working, well-intentioned people trying to accomplish things against great odds, only to see everything go for naught (again and again and again). But for me at least, it was the information and insights that were buried within the mundane details of Mr. Stewart's day to day accounts, and the reasons for the many failures that were the most revealing and added most to my understanding of what we are up against in Iraq.
My conclusion after reading the book was that the quote from Milton, "It is better to rule in hell than serve in Heaven," seems to perfectly sum up the attitude of the leaders of the various factions there. Until that attitude changes, the hope for a functioning democracy in Iraq appears to be mostly wishful thinking at best.
WHERE HAVE AL THE QAEDA GONE?.......2007-08-28
In the absence of an index, I can't easily verify whether Al Qaeda get only one solitary mention (and that as just one of a list of suspects) in all the 400-odd pages of this book. They are conspicuous by their absence throughout, and that strikes me as being one of the most significant aspects of the story. To this day I am hearing about the need to defeat Al Qaeda in Iraq, and to this day I am puzzled as to what makes that so important. If we want to find their local operatives who actually plan the bombings in America and Europe we ought to be searching in Europe; and if we want to find their main leadership we should look in Afghanistan or Pakistan. However if the Al Qaeda presence in Iraq is as insignificant as it might seem from Stewart's narrative then it adds to the sense of confusion regarding the coalition's objectives.
Stewart served for a year as Deputy Governorate Coordinator in two provinces, often being left in effective charge. He was no more than a freelance contractor, but his previous experience ensured that his job-application was gratefully snapped up by HM Foreign Office, doubtless short of volunteers from within its own ranks. He restricts his narrative to what he saw at first-hand. He took up his post in a genuine attempt to make the ostensible coalition objective of a democratic and peaceful Iraq work, and he does not analyse or evaluate that and the other supposed objectives. However his direct involvement included reporting periodically to Bremer in Baghdad, and anyone able to put 2 and 2 together in such a manner as to make 4 and not 22 can easily read between the lines. Imagine the following pronouncement from the colonel in charge of strategic planning, for instance. 'What we are hoping to do is to lay out some philosophical underpinnings of a plan...to begin a journey of discovery for building a more cohesive implementation of plans and policies in the five core areas.' A fine time to be getting round to that in April 2004, Stewart seems to say. Elsewhere he notes Bremer's MBA from Harvard and it's not hard to read into what he says his exasperation at the know-all fatuity of Bremer's 7-point plans for privatisation and such like and at the ghastly gobbledegook ('best practice gaps analysis' etc) in which language seems to function not as a vehicle for thought but as a substitute for thought.
Back at the ranch Stewart was having to confront the realities of the situation. There were, he says and I believe him, some genuine successes before and independent of Gen Petraeus. The trouble was -- few if any Iraqis believed in the successes; or if they did it was not for long. Any seeds of improvement the coalition was sowing had roots too shallow to have much hope of permanence. Stewart's own despairing conclusion comes in his last sentence - however bad the native Iraqi movers and shakers might be, local loyalties always revert to one or other of these, and foreign-imposed improvements, some of them real others just speculative and hopeful, do not stand a chance in this culture. He was trying to make order out of chaos, but they preferred the chaos. He was trying to win hearts and minds, but the minds never stayed with him for long because the various men of power and influence had their own fluid and shifting agendas and alliances, and whether anyone's heart was ever with him is anyone's guess.
It stands to elementary reason that Stewart was in no way opposed to the occupation of Iraq. He went there at all because he believed that some good could come of it. As I read his account, he sees no prospect of success for it now, although he is not explicit about whether a totally different approach might have fared better. He was battling with bureaucracy, incompetence, ignorance, infighting, grandstanding and pretence from Bremer's outfit in Baghdad, opposition to his own role from his own coalition military let alone from the populace he was trying to help, and near-ludicrous ineptitude from the Italian component of such military day in and day out. He was improvising most of the time, and while he has no illusions that his snap decisions were always or even mainly right, the real truth of the matter seems to me to have been that in most cases he didn't rightly know whether he had been right or wrong, because there was no real criterion for judging of that.
The book has been put together from such notes as the author managed to take and retain, but in conditions of such pressure some of the material depends on his memory. I have no reason to suppose that any of these are unreliable, and mental honesty is shiningly apparent throughout, not least in his candour about the minor lies he felt he had better tell from time to time. Whether his own bravery was apparent to him I can't tell, but it's apparent to me. There is much quiet tongue-in-cheek humour, and the tongue comes right out of the cheek in his account of the exploits of the Italians, who were, in the homely Lancashire phrase, as much use as a one-legged man in an arse-kicking competition. His particular angle on the events is one that we don't often see recorded, let alone recorded as well as this. It does not purport to give the wider picture, but he is free of the temptation to blow his own trumpet, and I expect future historians will derive more solid benefit from Stewart than from, say, the memoirs of Gen Franks. He stayed his year's course, he had nothing more to stay for, and he leaves me wondering what the rest of them, even the admirable Gen Petraeus, can possibly hope to achieve. There were successes before and independent of him, they put down no roots, and it looks as if lasting successes will require divine intervention rather than human generalship.
What a wonderful story.......2007-07-06
Rory Stewart is a gifted story teller. I started this book one morning to "check it out" and had a hard time putting it down. His recollections of his year in Iraq, from August 2003 to June 2004 are some of the most non-partisan, honest and heart-wretching stories I've yet to read on this war. His youthful naivete, his non-military outtakes on Iraq in parts make his story all the more readable as it could have been told by any outsider looking in.
He doesn't put the blame on one person, but on everyone, from the US, British, Italian military and the Iraqis themselves. (Although I had a feeling the British forces in Nasiriyah were disgusted with the Italians in their area...) He doesn't boast about his accomplishments like a former military officer would, and he does mention his own faults at not being aggressive enough with some local sheikhs. But it's all obvious that dealing with tribal warfare takes more than blunt negotiations or quick reaction forces. What the Coalition failed to do from the beginning was win the "hearts and minds of the Iraqis."
A civil war was looming already in 2003, with the Sadrists and Badr gang finger-pointed as the big evil doers. Three, four years later nothing much has changed in that respect.
From dealing with corrupt sheikhs, police chiefs and huligans in the streets, Rory had to get reconstruction project started and kept getting held back by dissatisfied locals wanting their share of the corrupt pie. Rory also gave out praise for some people he met then who are big players today: Generals Petraeus and Odierno.
This book is an honest portrayal of life in a war zone. From sudden, incoming mortar rounds to kidnappings and gunshots found on corpses later on. Rory held back his emotions when recalling his story, which makes this so much more interesting than the many other books that want to blame the war's failures on just Bush, the military generals, or the Iraqis. This book is not about who is to blame, but rather why success as westerners see is so hard to come by in this part of the world.
Rory shows that the Iraqi culture is not an easy culture to live with. Its people are friends one minute, and deadly archrivals the next when it comes to tribal mentality and its focus on revenge. His stories make one realize why success in Iraq for the Coalition will come slowly and at a great cost.
The easy-to-follow verbage, the laymen's terms of military tactics and the in-your-face descriptions of daily events make this book a must-read for anyone interested in Today's Iraq. This book should be translated into Arabic so that the Iraqis can read about themselves and how juvenile they come across to all non-Iraqis.
I am definitely going to keep my eyes open for any more works by Rory Stewart.
An Insightful Account of the Futile Quest for Democracy in Iraq.......2007-07-01
Rory Stewart, a 30-year old British diplomat, pulls no punches in this fascinating account of futility in south-eastern Iraq. Despite the best-laid plans of mice and men (Rory is definitely in the later category), the avarice, cunning, deceit, and outright skullduggery of the typical Iraqi leader (at least in Amara) threatens to undo every good thing that Stewart and the Coalition attempt to do in Iraq. Small wonder - a people that have been repressed for over half a century are suddenly encouraged to vote, demonstrate, choose their own police chief, etc. Rory shows quite clearly why democracy is both impossible and alive and well in post-invasion Iraq. Impossible because the CPA envisions "democracy" as a pro-Western government, while Iraqis clearly don't want women to be seen or heard (Sadrists murder a quiet but educated doctor in the streets), nor are they willing to accept the leadership of anyone not from their own tribe or clan. And yet democracy is clearly thriving as long pent-up emotions, leadership, and social norms well to the surface as every group tries to get their leader in power in order to collect the perquisites of office. In the last chapters, Rory makes a nice indictment of the utter incompetence and cowardice of the Italian military contingent that took more than 7 hours to react to Sadr mortaring as well as failure to do anything as snipers closed in on the CPA compond. With friends like these...
Stewart starts out believing in the basic good of all mankind, but after being labeled "Hitler", mortared by politicians that he helped earn a voice at the table, deserted by the same leaders that he helped install, etc. he comes to the realization that the liberal perspective just doesn't work.
Although not necessarily an indictment of the invasion of Iraq, Stewart points out the incredible challenges of putting a broken society back together after war, in particular when one culture (Western) intends to pose its values on another (Iraqi). The real winner in all this - Iran.
Upbeat and hopeless about Iraq.......2007-06-27
I love this book! If there's any book that seductively explains why our adventure in Iraq is mostly doomed, it's this one. Rory Stewart writes so well, with spot-on black, observational humor about his experiences as part of the coalition government's effort in a remote part of Iraq. It's funny, but in that rueful way that nudges the reader to understand that the issues in Iraq have much to do with us and the other outsiders, but even more to do with longstanding cutlrual rifts and rivalries. The problems were tehre before us and will remain long after we are gone. Maybe every american taxpayer could have a copy of this book?
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