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

Book Description

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

Customer Reviews:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?

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good buy, long wait
Not so good
First-hand account of ecotourism projects around the world
Snoozer
Ecotourism the inside perspective

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise?
Martha Honey
Manufacturer: Island Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559635827

Book Description

Ecotourism is defined as "responsible travel to natural areas which conserves the environment and improves the welfare of local people." Many see it as a panacea for developing nations-a source of clean development that can bring wealth to rural communities while simultaneously helping to preserve pristine environments. But has the reality lived up to the promise? And is that even possible.

In Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, Martha Honey presents an overview of the ecotourism industry and a first-hand account of ecotourism projects around the world. Based on interviews and visits to ecotourist hotspots in Latin America and Africa, she offers a vivid description and analysis of projects that meet the goals and standards of ecotourism as well as those that claim to be ecotourism but in reality fall short. She presents in-depth case studies of seven destinations (Galapagos, Costa Rica, Cuba, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa) that serve to illustrate the real world of ecotourism. For each, she offers an ecotourism scorecard, grading it on its adherence to the enumerated principles of ecotourism and sustainable development.

Honey addresses topics such as the evolution and principles of ecotourism, where profits go, and the mechanics and politics of the tourist industry as a whole. The case studies highlight the economic and cultural impacts of tourism development on indigenous populations as well as on ecosystems. Honey also surveys current thinking and policies of environmental groups, and looks at how political situations, human rights records, and natural resource management influence travel decisions.

Ecotourism and Sustainable Development provides a unique and compelling look at the promise and pitfalls of ecotourism. It is the only such account of worldwide ecotourism available today, and is an important guide for students and researchers involved with international development, geography, or tourism, as well as for anyone interested in becoming a more environmentally sensitive traveller.

Customer Reviews:

good buy, long wait.......2005-09-27

The book was in great condition and I saved a lot of money. However, it took almost a week to get my shipment, even though I paid for express delivery.

Not so good.......2004-04-11

Disappointing tome with numerous factual mistakes and a lack of understanding of those the author is interviewing. The book is far too dependent on paper sources and fairly clueless on the ground.

First-hand account of ecotourism projects around the world.......2002-04-07

Martha Honey argues that the responsibility of ecotourism operators stretches far beyond their physical impact on the land. She argues that real ecotourism must involve seven vital and interrelated characteristics: travel to nature destinations; minimizing negative environmental impact; building environmental awareness; direct financial benefits for conservation; financial benefits and empowerment for local people; the respect of local culture; and the support of human rights and democracy. Her book is an excellent account of worldwide ecotourism.

Snoozer.......2001-03-14

I cannot believe I paid money for this book. We need information about ecotourism, particularly in the developing world. But the author shows no first-hand knowledge. She includes a lot of reports and obviously attends many policy meetings. But outside of the classroom, I do not think this book is of much use.

Ecotourism the inside perspective.......2000-02-10

I found Martha Honey's book to be thought provoking and informative. During the Fall semester of 2000 I plan to incorporate this text into my tourism studies course. The author successfully addresses the truths and myths surrounding the latest buzz in travel "ecotourism" and brings it together with real-world nation studies topics. I strongly recommend this book for anyone wanting to examine this topic to the fullest.

The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development

Average customer rating:

A useful textbook.
A Completely Finished Puzzle

The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development
Patrice Franko
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0742553531

Book Description

Thoroughly revised and updated, this text provides the basic economic tools for students to understand the problems facing the countries of Latin America. In this third edition, Patrice Franko analyzes challenges to the neoliberal model of development and highlights recent macroeconomic changes in the region. Including charts and tables with the most current data available, the book also offers a wealth of new boxed discussions and vignettes. After a brief historical overview, Franko builds a contemporary model of regional development. She explores the contradictions of growth, especially in the context of overcoming intractable problems of poverty, education, health, and discrimination. Franko focuses on factors of competitiveness, including labor markets, technology, and infrastructure challenges. Liberally interspersed with examples and case studies, the author successfully combines theory and its application in the real world.

Customer Reviews:

A useful textbook........2007-01-12

This is probably the most useful all-round textbook on Latin American economic challenges currently on the market. An important strength is its comprehensiveness: unlike some alternatives, Franko does not dwell on issues of macroeconomic management to the exclusion of important socioeconomic issues such as education, health, rural development, and inequality. The book is evidently designed to support a one semester course, and could be used for either advanced undergraduates or graduate students.

Franko's text is not without its weaknesses. The updating of macro developments from the first edition was undertaken somewhat randomly. Discussions of different viewpoints on Latin American development issues sometimes make overly schematic use of stock figures ("the structuralist", "the neoliberal") that risk becoming caricatures. There is no discussion of the so-called "Washington Consensus" as a whole (indeed the term does not appear in the index). And Franko discusses the thesis of secular decline in commodity prices in an uncritical manner that suggests she may be unaware of recent more skeptical analyses. This said, the book does not suffer from obvious systematic biases, and makes a good-faith effort to present different viewpoints without forcing them down the reader's throat.

A Completely Finished Puzzle.......2001-02-10

"The Puzzle of Latin American Economic Development" is, most of all, an incredible clear book. By beggining with a review of the differences between the concepts of economic development and economic growth, Patrice Franko places the study of the Latin American economy in its appropiate framework. The analysis of the historical evolution, while simple, gives a solid overview of many of the roots of the current economic and social problems of the area. Finally, her wide analysis of typical areas of economic development such as agriculture, health and education highlights problems that are sometimes forgotten by the political actors. It is an indispensable book for those who want to get initiated in the fascinating subject of Latin American Economic Development.

Who Gains From Free Trade: Export-Led Growth, Inequality and Poverty in Latin America (Routledge Studies in Development Economics)

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Who Gains From Free Trade: Export-Led Growth, Inequality and Poverty in Latin America (Routledge Studies in Development Economics)
Vos & Ganuza
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415770440

Book Description

Since the late 1980s, almost all Latin American countries have gone through a process of far-reaching economic reforms, featuring in particular trade, financial and capital account liberalization. At first the reforms seemed to be working as promised and trade expanded. However, at the turn of the century, the economies have shown unstable and rather dismal growth. Some argue trade liberalization is partly to be blamed for this.

Who Gains from Free Trade examines the extent to which trade reforms have been an important source of the slowdown of economic growth, rising inequality and rising poverty as observed in many parts of the region. This volume presents an comprehensive analysis of this important topic, utilizing research based on 16 country narratives of policy reform and economic performance; rigorous general equilibrium (CGE) modelling of the economy-wide effects of trade reform for all country cases; alongside application of an innovative method of microsimulations to assess the employment and factor income distribution impact of policy reforms on poverty and inequality at the household level.

The study finds that trade liberalization and the switch to export-led growth are not the cause of the growth slowdown in Latin America. Nor are they the cause of rising poverty and inequality. If anything, the impact on growth and poverty in general has been positive, but very small. Thus, further trade opening is neither the solution to the region's economic woes, nor should we expect any disastrous implications for aggregate poverty.

Llamas, Weavings, and Organic Chocolate: Multicultural Grassroots Development in the Andes and Amazon of Bolivia

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A Not MIss
it makes you feel good!

Llamas, Weavings, and Organic Chocolate: Multicultural Grassroots Development in the Andes and Amazon of Bolivia
Kevin Healy
Manufacturer: University of Notre Dame Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0268013268

Customer Reviews:

A Not MIss.......2006-11-06

This is a valuable set of case studies on development projects that actually benefit the grassroots. Although set in Bolivia, many of the lessons apply to other parts of the developing world. The book is well written and would be a great text for a course in development studies.

it makes you feel good!.......2004-06-16

The intimate travel details and encounters with prospective project developers in Bolivia are revealed in this book. You read about the many projects that the IAF has sponsored, successful at times and not, it is great to know that these projects have been throughly researched by IAF employees.

It makes you feel good to see U.S. dollars go into super positive grassroots projects.

Book Description

Now in a second edition, this book explains Latin America's economic, political, social and cultural transformations, its association with globalization and search for modernity, and how these transformations are affecting the people of the region. Using a political economy approach to unravel these concepts, the emphasis is placed on interpreting the macro-level structures that frame the transformations taking place. Updated and revised to include more student friendly features, the authors have substantially rewritten the material, including three new chapters, to examine the challenges facing Latin American in the twenty-first century.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent analysis of current issues in Latin America........1999-03-28

The is a most impressive analysis of economic, political, social and cultural life in Latin America. This excellent book offers an holistic approach to understanding these changes, relating them to the wider processes of modernization and globalization. An international group of scholars with impressive credentials and from a wide range of disciplines attempt to contextualize their different disciplinary foci within a broad political economic approach that provides a critical yet balanced view and detailed analysis of the neoliberal policies pursued by almost all countries in the region. They contend that a new political economy is being contructed in Latin America, as national economies become radically reconstructed and transformed, democracy becomes the instituional norm, and new social arrangements are being created. The constestation and alternatives to this new global modernity are also explored. In sum, this excellent book fulfills a much needed market niche for students, scholars, and the educated avid reader, who require an interdisciplinary and contemporary approach to Latin American development.

Roberto Cabello-Argandona

Complete, coherent political-economic analysis of Lat. Am........1999-03-28

Robert Gwynne and Cristobal Kay have put together an impressive and timely analysis of current trends in Latin American Development. The coverage of the countries of the region is excellent, as is that of their economic, political, and social trends...The range of issues raised and the quality of their documentation make this an excellent text for teaching and for research. Prof. Bryan Roberts, University of Texas at Austin

The Politics of Latin American Development

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The Politics of Latin American Development
Gary W. Wynia
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521389240

Book Description

This popular introduction to Latin American politics probes behind the current events and reveals the fundamental economic and political dynamics shaping events and driving policy. Using the paradigm of politics as a game, domestic and foreign players are identified and the rules that govern their interaction are described. This analytical framework is then used in detailed analyses of the strategies of development that have dominated Latin American politics. Chapters are devoted to democratic reform, military authoritarianism, and revolutionary politics with detailed examples from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Venezuela. This third edition brings all national cases up to date, analyzing the rise of democratic governance as well as the challenges presented by unprecedented foreign debts. Special attention is given to the restoration of constitutional democracy in Argentina and Brazil, and a systematic comparison of the movements in those countries is developed. More information and analysis on Cuba and Nicaragua are provided and emphasis is given to the 1988 election in Mexico. New material on the foreign debt crisis, the Roman Catholic Church, and the armed forces is also given.

Progress, Poverty and Exclusion: An Economic History of Latin America in the Twentieth Century (Inter-American Development Bank)

Average customer rating:

A Fascinating Way to Study History!!!

Progress, Poverty and Exclusion: An Economic History of Latin America in the Twentieth Century (Inter-American Development Bank)
Rosemary Thorp
Manufacturer: Inter-American Development Bank
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1886938350

Book Description

What did the Latin American economies achieve in the course of a hundred years? Per capita income increased fivefold, yet today it is lower in proportion to the industrial countries than it was a century ago. Modern infrastructure was built and industry grew to 20 percent of GDP, but the region's share of world trade was halved. Social indicators such as life expectancy and literacy improved dramatically, but inequity and poverty worsened.

This comprehensive economic history examines the political, institutional and economic forces that shaped Latin America's complex and often paradoxical development process over the twentieth century. By examining quantitative data alongside the region's political economies, the book provides historical context for the development strategies, choices, successes, and failures of the Latin American countries.

Commissioned by IDB President Enrique V. Iglesias, the book draws on studies and consultancies prepared by a number of specialists on Latin America. A comprehensive Statistical Appendix provides regionwide and country-by-country data in such areas as GDP, manufacturing, sector productivity, prices, trade, income distribution, and living standards.

Moving chronologically through the century, the book focuses on two dramatic waves of expansion that shaped regional growth: first, an export boom as the century began, and second, import-substitution industrialization corresponding to renewed expansion of the international economy following the Depression and the two World Wars. Following the debt crisis of the 1980s, Latin America at century's end has returned to where it began, with reliance on the free market and export-led growth. However, the book outlines the changes in economic structures and approaches that make today's economic scenario radically different from the old.

Customer Reviews:

A Fascinating Way to Study History!!!.......2001-02-10

"Progress, Poverty and Exclusion. An Economic History of Latin America in the 20th Century" is a fascinating book from the cover to the annexes. The contrast between a XX th century modern city and a shanty town showed in the cover gives the reader an initial idea of the position of the writer regarding Latin American economic development. Poverty, exclusion and income concentration are problems that are inherent to the vast majority of Latin American economies and Rosemary Thorp makes sure that the reader remembers that throughout the book. Her social focus is perfectly compatible with a serious economic analysis based on well-documented facts and statistical data. Every student of Latin American history, politics and economics should have this book in his or her shelves. Furthermore, any scholar dealing with Latin American issues should not forget to read Thorp's work "every morning" to remember what is that the Latin American economies achieved in the course of a hundred years. Finally, I highly recommend accompanying the reading of this book with another masterpiece, "The Economic History of Latin America" by Victor Bulmer-Thomas

Average customer rating:

INSIGHTS INTO A DIFFERENT WORKING PARADIGM
Extremely Biased
Absolute Garbage
all you ever wanted to know about Cuba
One of the most remarkable stories of our time

Cuba: A Revolution in Motion
Isaac Saney
Manufacturer: Zed Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1842773631

Book Description

This overview of modern Cuban history focuses on the country's post-Soviet economic collapse, the measures that President Castro's government took in response, and their ensuing results and impact. It neither paints Cuba as a perfect society nor universal model for Third World development. But it does show that Cuba demonstrates that even relatively small countries can pursue a path of economic and social development while avoiding the problems endemic in the rest of Latin America. The author argues that the country's political stability is not merely the result of authoritarianism, but that the Cuban political system incorporates important elements of democracy that encourage participation and help generate public support. Cuba today continues to have huge problems, but the wider significance of the Cuban Revolution rests on its practical demonstration that it is possible to pursue radical and humane development policies which are at complete variance with the increasingly criticized nostrums of neoliberal economics being foisted on the rest of the world.

Customer Reviews:

INSIGHTS INTO A DIFFERENT WORKING PARADIGM.......2007-09-24

In this literary composition, brief yet comprehensive, Isaac Saney is making the case that:

"The Cuban experience offers significant insights into not only a different paradigm, but a paradigm that has largely been successful--especially given the objective limitations of a small, poor, underdeveloped island nation--in utilizing the country's resources and wealth for the public good."

Saney's work shows a deep understanding of history and the difficult, complex and contradictory process involved in the transformation of underdeveloped countries, from poverty and backwardness into more sustainable, developed and just societies.

As he stated, "For Cubans, history has not yet met its `end'. The present is not detached from what has preceded it. This is the context that frames the oft-repeated slogan, `Socialism or death'..."

Any attentive reader may point out that Saney's work appears to be too sympathetic to Cuba. Such a reader may have a valid point.

Notwithstanding, the said alert, objective reader may also concede that the main argument presented in the book is carefully researched and presented.

Although Saney resides in the high tower of academia, his writing style borders on down-to-earth journalistic. Not completely, but he has made the book comprehensible by the broadest cross-section of readers.

"Cuba A Revolution in Motion" is a good book. I recommend it highly!

Extremely Biased.......2007-01-26

Please read this book with caution. As has been stated before, the author, Isaac Saney, shares the views of Castro's regime, and says so here: http://www.sevenoaksmag.com/features/17_cuba.html

Furthermore, there are several gaps in logic. The first is Saney's insistence that Cuba improved because of Castro's Revolution in health care, literacy rates, etc. However, he does not explain why this "socialist utopia" has the highest political incarceration rate per capita (higher than Stalinist Russia) and has thousands of Cubans trying to escape to the US (with 77,000 dying on the journey.) Since I assume these people are not fleeing from good health care, Saney is obviously wrong in some part of his evaluation.

Secondly, Saney states that equality between the races increased because of the Revolution. This very interesting because Batista, the President that Castro overthrew, was black himself (which Saney never mentions). Furthermore, as of now, 80% of Cuba's prisoners are black, whereas its government hierarchy is 100% white. Obviously, this equality is non-existent, and Saney is again misinformed.

These great inconsistencies can be explained by noting that one of Saney's main sources is Fidel Castro himself. As can easily be seen, on almost every page is at least one statistic attributed to Castro. These statistics are presented as absolute truth, apparently without any thought that Castro might be lying.

Therefore, on a whole, Saney is revealed as a naive socialist who is too enamored by Castro's policies to see his monstrosities. So much for caring about "the people".

Absolute Garbage.......2005-04-19

This book is a complete joke. Saney' book entirely ignores the cold hard facts about Cuba, with its obvious pro-Castro slant (though he vehemently denies it). I have yet to see a review on ANY unbiased website that praises the book. This book is 100% socialist propaganda from a hack professor at some no-name Canadian college.

The book focuses on the "Special Period" of Cuba history, from the fall of the Soviet Union up to the present, discussing the "gains of the revolution." Anyone who has studied pre-Castro Cuba knows that Cuba actually had a world class economy, health care, and education system before the revolution. It was not the decrepit hell-hole Castro and his supporters want you to believe it was.

Still don't want to believe it? Based on statistics provided by the United Nations, in 1959 Cuba's health care system was better than France, Germany, and Japan's. Today those countries are head and shoulders above Cuba.

Saney has no idea what the real world is like. He is so enveloped in the Castro cult that he has completely denied the testimonials of people like Leonel Cordova Rodriguez (a Cuban doctor sent to Zimbabwe and then kidnapped by the Cuban government in 2001) who testified before the UN as to the poor conditions of health care in Cuba. And people like Dr. Hilda Molina, an internationally recognized neurosurgeon in Cuba, who has testified on numerous occasions as to how "medical tourism" is further destroying Cuba's already poor health care system.

all you ever wanted to know about Cuba.......2005-03-04

This is the most complete, concise and thoughtful look at Cuba available in any media form. If you can only read one book about Cuba, this is it.

One of the most remarkable stories of our time.......2004-04-26

"Cuba: A Revolution in Motion" by Isaac Saney offers a balanced, intelligent and highly accessible look at the current condition of the Cuban Revolution. Professor Saney's work shatters the mainstream caricature of Cuba as a nation that history has left behind. To the contrary, the author describes the dynamic and ongoing processes through which the Cuban people have struggled to achieve social justice. As Dr. Saney has demonstrated in this excellent book, the modern Cuban experience is without doubt one of the most remarkable stories of our time, offering insights about how humanity might secure a more peaceful, stable and liveable world.

Dr. Saney is an Associate Director at Henson College, Dalhousie University in Canada. He is a frequent visitor to Cuba and conducts scholarly work in the fields of international development, political economy and law. The author is skilled at explaining Cuban political philosophy and helps us understand how the Cuban decision making process reflects the collectivist values of its society.

The book has six chapters. The first is about the history of Cuba especially as it relates to slavery, U.S. economic dominance and Cuba's dependence on the Soviet Union. The so-called 'Special Period' that began as the result of the collapse of the U.S.S.R. is also covered in detail. Dr. Saney tells us that despite extreme economic hardship and mounting hostility from the U.S., the Revolution has been reaffirmed by the Cuban people. The author describes the many reforms that have been implemented in order to stabilize the economy and ensure that commitments to social justice remain intact for all its citizens.

The second chapter discusses governance, perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of modern Cuban society. Dr. Saney states that the goal of the Cuban political system is to "extend democracy to both the political and economic spheres" by enshrining these rights in its constitution. In practice, free elections, unions and mass organizations allow for Cuban democracy to act as a force that shapes society from the bottom-up.

Chapter three addresses race and inequality. Dr. Saney shows us how Cuba has transformed itself from a highly-stratified society to one of the most egalitarian in the world. The author contends that the Cuban state's eradication of the economic basis of racism offers proof that the "abolishment of the capitalist order [is] an indispensable step towards the elimination of racism".

Chapter four is on the topic of crime and justice. Chapter five is about U.S. and Cuban history with an emphasis on recent events. While the Cuban justice system as described by Dr. Saney appears to compare favorably to most others in Latin America, ongoing U.S. hostility has meant that Cuba must make special provisions in its law to protect itself. If Cuba is to be castigated for punishing mercenaries, spies and other aggressors, then it is not unreasonable for the U.S. to cease its ongoing economic embargo, subversive activities and hostile rhetoric.

The final chapter focuses on the lessons learned from the Cuban experience. Dr. Saney discusses Cuba's significant contributions to the world community in organic farming, biotechnology and health care. Other noteworthy accomplishments that the author highlights include the Cuban military's support of Angola (which was a critical factor in freeing the South African people from apartheid) and the leadership role that Cubans have played in various international human rights organizations. The author also believes that the Cuban people will be successful in protecting socialism even as it opens its economy to foreign investment.

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