Tzipi Livni (Tzipora)
Sunday, September 21st, 2008The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
“Tzipi Livni” asserts what almost 40% (per the authors) of Americans recognize – that Israel is one of the main causes of anti-Americanism, that the U.S. provides Israel with extraordinary material and diplomatic support, and that many policies pursued on Isral’s behalf jeopardize U.S. national escurity.
Documentation is not wanting for these claims. Israel is the largest recipient of U.S. aid since WWII, amounting to some $154 billion (2005 dollars), and about $500/citizen today. Since 1982, the US has vetoed 42 Security Council resolutions critical of Israel, more than the total number of vetoes cast by all the other Security Council members – and this does not even count those that did not come to a vote because of a U.S. veto threat. At the same time, the Israel lobby is also credited with pushing the U.S. away from Syria (had been providing al Qaeda intelligence post 9/11 and Iran (had supported U.S. airmen rescue efforts in Afghanistan, and offered an opportunity for a major agreement at the time Iraq fell).
This extraordinary support might be justified if there were some great moral reason or security need involved. Our military has not been able to use Israel as a base in either Gulf War, nor could we ask it to help for risk of triggering a calamity in the region. Further, the U.S. has a terrorism threat in common with Israel because of our support for that nation. Thus, Israel is far from an asset to the U.S. As for moral argument, Israel’s past and present conduct involving continual abuse of the Palestinians after stealing their land offers no moral basis for preferring it over the Palestinians.
So how do we explain our extraordinary support for Israel? The answer, claim the authors, is the Israel lobby. AIPAC is the most powerful and best known; however, prominent Christians have also been involved – eg. Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Gary Bauer and numerous politicians believe Israel’s rebirth is the fulfilment of biblical prophecy and support its expansionist agenda. One leading Israel lobbyist even bragged that he could easily get 70 U.S. Senators’ signatures upon a napkin.
Senator Charles Percy’s ouster in 1984 (for insensitivity to Israeli issues) has become the most visible example of the Israel lobby’s influence. Although they make up only 3% of the population, it is estimated that their donations comprise 60% of Democrat donations, and their voters turn out in high percentages.
Influence is not limited to just elections. The Israel lobby also influences key appointments (eg. George Ball was not appointed Sec. of State because Carter knew he would be opposed), monitors professors’ comments, newspaper editorials, etc. Neoconservatives, on the other hand, are pushed by the Israel lobby because of their support for strong U.S. action in the mid-East – most recently for taking action against Iran.
“The Israel Lobby” also provided recommendations. 1)Israel should be treated like a normal state. 2)The U.S. should strongly pursue an end to the Palestine-Israel conflict. 3)Campaign finance reform is essential to a more balanced debate on Israel – eg. public campaign financing. 4)Open debate should be encouraged. (The authors have been precluded from several speaking engagements due to Israel lobby pressure. Also note the adverse reaction to President Carter’s book on the Israel-Palestine conflict.)
Kudos to the authors for shining light on this major problem.
“… East in Turmoil,” featured ap- pearances by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Bill Clinton, Senator Hillary Clinton, Shimon Peres, William Kristol, Representatives …”
Pearls, Politics, and Power: How Women Can Win and Lead by Madeleine Kunin
Great book, I learned about feminism, something that I was a little put off before I read this book. Although feminism, is appropriately mostly associated women with Anglo-Saxon women issues, Kunin who is Jewish, made it more culturally broad than most books. It’s a good introductory feminism book for any person.
I am just about to graduate college, and have never been particularly interested in becoming a politician. Yet, her book finally made me consider it, and also possibly better, has made me encourage other women to stand up and consider the possibility too.
I loved the book, it would be a wonderful graduation gift, of course accompanied by pearls!
“… a new future female prime minister has emerged in Israel: Tzipi Livni. A New York Times Magazine cover story, entitled “Her Jewish …”
Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History by Norman G. Finkelstein
It was largely hearing about Dershowitz’s heavy-handed attempts to suppress this book (including letters to the governor of California) that stimulated me to buy it. As a long-time supporter of free speech, this sort of thing always raises my antennas of suspicion. And it’s clear after reading it just why he didn’t want us to see it! Harvard should be embarrassed to have Dershowitz on its faculty (and in a named professorship, at that). My only reservation about Finkelstein’s book is that it sometimes seems like overkill. From time to time I felt like holding up my hand and shouting “Enough already! You’ve proved your case”.
I read Dershowits’s book (The Case for Israel) when it came out and am embarrased to have found it convincing at the time. Since than, I’ve done a little fact-checking of my own and found the book wanting in ways that Finkelstein doesn’t even discuss: specifically the matter of land-purchases in the pre-1948 period. While techically, a good deal of land was (as D. maintains), purchased by Zionist settlers from its owners, he fails to point out the trickery and manipulation of absentee landlords which was involved in this. Ouch!
“… of Israel,” then Justice Min- ister and current Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni stated (on i December 2005), and the High Court, in …”
A Choice of Enemies: America Confronts the Middle East by Lawrence Freedman
This book is a history of how the U.S. formulated and executed Middle Eastern Policy over a thirty year period from the Presidency of Jimmy Carter (1978-1982) through that of George W Bush (2000-2008). It also provides a useful, but concise summary of U.S – Middle East relations from the end of WWII to 1978. Essentially it provides an analysis not only of each presidential administration’s Middle East Policy, but provides a description of how the policy formation process of each administration actually worked. Not surprisingly it was different for each president.
As the book makes clear, the U.S. has held two remarkably consistent strategic goals for this entire period: the security of the State of Israel; and the security of Middle Eastern oil production. Yet in a volatile region like the Middle East events well beyond U.S. control often erupt to disrupt the most carefully planned policy implementations. Freedman recounts for example how President Carter’s tenure was defined by the Iranian Revolution and its subsequent hostage crises, even though Carter really wanted to be remembered for establishing peaceful and enduring relationship between the Israelis and Palestinians. Often the success or failure of U.S. policy in the region was a function of being able to cope with unexpected events or unintended consequences that suddenly threatened one or both of the strategic goals. Reading this book one is struck by how dicey even the best formulated policies are for this region.
Of course Freedman devotes a good deal of attention to the current administration and its involvement in Afghanistan (and Pakistan) and Iraq/Iran. He attempts to trace the thought processes that gradually coalesced into what was known as Operation Iraqi Freedom and its aftermath. In doing so he identifies the emergence of the doctrine of preventive war and concept of a Global War on Terror. He then tries to provide a balanced summary of U.S. operations in Iraq up to the current partially successful surge that has brought a measure of stability to that unhappy country.
In the end he suggests that the U.S. might be well advised to adopt a Middle East Policy similar to that suggested by Ken Pollock in his latest book, “A Path Out of the Desert”, which the book reviewer of the UK Magazine, “The Economist” suggested should be read together with the Freedman book. Both by most standards are pretty good books.
“… of July 14, having viewed the report, foreign minis- ter Tzipi Livni, who had been impressed by the early levels of international …”
Shackled Warrior: Israel and the Global Jihad by Caroline Glick
Caroline Glick realizes that we live in dangerous time. Sadly, many of our leaders and fellow citizens underestimate the threat of Islamic nihilism. Burying our heads into the sand will supposedly make the problem disappear. The intellectual virus of political correctness further hinders our ability to defeat our foes. Indeed, we are shackled warriors. Glick’s warnings must not go unheeded. There may no be too much time left. This book is very important. You should obtain a copy as soon as possible.
“… a nuclear Holocaust. Who can cause Ehud Olmert, Amir Peretz, Tzipi Livni and Yuli Tamir to take the steps required to protect …”
Foreign Agents: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee from the 1963 Fulbright Hearings to the 2005 Espionage Scandal by Grant F. Smith
A lot has been said in some books about the many Jewish organizations who lobby day and night in the high spheres of our society in order to push, blackmail, intimidate our government officials who in the end have prostituted themselves in favor of the zionists.
This book is a wonderfull piece of reading material and has an abundant amount of documented cases in which the author Grant F. Smith unmask the lies that the so called journalist tell the American People every day. The news media, television, radio, newspapers, magazines are controlled by this group of people (The Jews). They have the money, they have the resources, the power, they hold key high ranking positions in our government and they are aided by the neoconservatives and the Christian Evangelical who dance to the tune of the Israel Violin.
With great and admirable courage President Jimmy Carter started to tell the American People the truth about Israel’s crimes and their abusive behavior against the Palestinian People despite the fact that many times The United Nations Security Council Resolution has told Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories up to the 1967 borders. But Israel has never complied with any United Nations Resolution thanks to AIPAC and all the jewish organisations who lobby in Congress, the Senate, the Administration. In other words Israel is telling the U.S. what to do.
It is a shame that most of the People of the United States do not even know about the existance of these parasites who from one side are stealing the land of the Palestinian Natives and on the other side they are literally stealling billions of U.S. dollars, goods, military equipment even nuclear warheads etc, etc. from the American People who do not even know about this nonsense.
We send our children to Iraq to spill their guts. More than 4,000 of our soldiers have died in this unnecessary, unprovoked, illegal war and the case for going to war was build with a bunch of lies. And all this was done in order to make Israel safer.
It is time that Americans wake up and see the truth, it has been too much
“… met with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Tel Aviv on Thursday to discuss the ongoing efforts …”
Politics In Israel: The Second Republic by Asher Arian
“… were joined by a second tier of activists that included Tzipi Livni (who, as the daughter of a prominent leader of the …”
Suzanne Gershowitz from the American Enterprise Institute has said: Many academics focus upon Israel only in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Arian, a political science professor at Haifa University, goes far beyond, describing in-depth the functioning of the Israeli political system with emphasis, in this second edition of Politics in Israel, on the five years since Israel’s repeal of direct prime ministerial elections.
Arian is not clear about the parameters of the “second republic,” but it appears to refer to the period following the 1967 war when a national unity government allowed former Irgun leader Menachim Begin to re-enter mainstream Israeli politics, an event which would help break Labor’s monopoly. The background he provides on Israeli political machinations makes Politics in Israel essential reading.
Politics in Israel offers an exhaustive picture of Israeli society, providing statistical analyses of the country’s economy and population, tracing the evolution of its political parties, and discussing the relationship between Judaism and Israeli politics. Further, Arian has structured his study for ease of use. Rather than chronicle Israel politics from their start, he divided Politics in Israel into chapters on the political elite, political parties, electoral behavior, public policy, administration, and local government. Statistical tables detail everything from basic election results, to previous professions of the Knesset (parliament) members, to public perceptions of each party’s commitment to major issues.
Rather than obfuscate with detail, Arian reveals the idiosyncrasies of the Israeli political system often unnoticed by journalists and ordinary citizens, such as how party politics functions in a system of government built around multiparty coalitions. He uses comparison with the U.S. Congress to explain different perceptions of lobbying and the unique role of Israel’s military in its political society. He shows how the Knesset often operates with little transparency, suggesting that Israeli politics are best considered as “being of the closet and not of the caucus.”
Ancestor by Scott Sigler
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Ancestor free audiobook download
What can I say, I have listened to all of his books in audio format via podcast, but the book, WOW…. awesome…… From Earthcore to Ancestor, Infection to The Rookie.. he just keeps delivering books that engage you at the first page, then rollercoaster you all the way to the end. I cant recommend this book enough, HECK, I cant recommend any of his books enough, they all rock.. I would say he is the next Steven King, but honestly, hes beyond Steven King (as with regard to Steven Kins latest writings) and hes dead on with Stevens original works, thats how good Mr Sigler is! he deserves the same amount of attention as the most notable writers, and all the sucess that comes from his writings…
I dont see Mr Sigler getting all the praise that he should, afterall he has released his best work for free (great marketing), so, its on us, to be objective in our reviews, and mine still stands, he is one of the best writers that I have encountered in a VERY, very long time and the pleasure of reading his works is all mine!
Good Job Mr Sigler, keep it up!
Scott Sigler’s writing is fast, fun and furious. This book is a quick read and left me wanting more. This isn’t your typical “gore-fest” horror novel. Sigler takes a unique subject and injects enough tech stuff without it tripping all over itself. I’ve read too many books where the author spends way too much time trying to explain the technical jargon that the story gets lost. Sometimes you just got to believe that the stuff, no matter how far-fetched, can really happen.
Wow. Wow wow wow wow wow. What a book! Edge-of-your-seat, action-packed, SUPER book! Sigler is an awesome author and I’m looking forward to his future books.
Wow.
The Forever War by Dexter Filkins
Sunday, September 21st, 2008This will, I think, become the classic book of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. It is non-political and consists of multiple snapshots rangng over many years, not always in chronological sequence. These are Filkins’s carefully selected memories of his life as a N.Y. Times reporter on the front lines, as well as his experiences on 9/11 at ground zero.
He makes no effort to “explain” the turmoil of the Middle East, but one puts the book down with a new understanding of some of the powerful and destructive forces at play. He is respectful of the U.S. military and his sketches of the bravery of the Americans fighting against bad odds, most of them only teenagers, is very moving.
Politics don’t even intrude in the brief chapter on Ahmad Chalabi, it is rather a sketch on the personality of this complex and slippery player in the power struggles of the time.
I recommend this book as a companion to the excellent “Imperial Life in the Emerald City” which documents the appaling stupidity of U.S. policy in Iraq flowing down from the top. The “Forever War” balances that with the street smarts courage of our military. Still, Filkins would, I am sure, agree that imposing “democracy” by military force guarantees a forever war.
This is a powerful book, well and clearly written, by an experienced and compassionate observer.
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman required reading
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Gilman’s novel is even more relevant today than when it was first printed. More than merely a narrative of female intellectual oppression or a critique of late 19th century social mores, “The Yellow Wallpaper” documents a practice that was common among the middle and upper class. Known as the “rest cure,” women who displayed signs of depression or anxiety were committed to lie in bed for weeks at a time, and allowed no more than twenty minutes of intellectual exertion a day. Believing that intellectual activity would overwhelm the fragile female mind, “rest cure” refers to the prevention of women from thinking, relying on the assumption that the natural state of the female mind was one of emptiness. Seeing as how the women were confined to empty rooms with no exercise or stimulation of any kind, the obvious consequence was that the women became still more anxious, which reinforced the convictions of the doctors and husbands that their wives needed further rest.
The “rest cure” was prescribed most commonly to women who had recently given birth. Suffering from what we now know is post-partem depression (caused by hormonal fluctuations of seratonin that result from the female body adjusting to not having a fetus to delivering hormones to), women were locked up and kept from seeing their newly born children.
Gilman’s book, therefore, is not only an American literary classic, but it also provides insight into America’s social history; a history which will not be forgotten as long as people continue to carefully read this psychologically wrought story.
Gilman’s novel is even more relevant today than when it was first printed. More than merely a narrative of female intellectual oppression or a critique of late 19th century social mores, “The Yellow Wallpaper” documents a practice that was common among the middle and upper class. Known as the “rest cure,” women who displayed signs of depression or anxiety were committed to lie in bed for weeks at a time, and allowed no more than twenty minutes of intellectual exertion a day. Believing that intellectual activity would overwhelm the fragile female mind, “rest cure” refers to the prevention of women from thinking, relying on the assumption that the natural state of the female mind was one of emptiness. Seeing as how the women were confined to empty rooms with no exercise or stimulation of any kind, the obvious consequence was that the women became still more anxious, which reinforced the convictions of the doctors and husbands that their wives needed further rest.
The “rest cure” was prescribed most commonly to women who had recently given birth. Suffering from what we now know is post-partem depression (caused by hormonal fluctuations of seratonin that result from the female body adjusting to not having a fetus to delivering hormones to), women were locked up and kept from seeing their newly born children.
Gilman’s book, therefore, is not only an American literary classic, but it also provides insight into America’s social history; a history which will not be forgotten as long as people continue to carefully read this psychologically wrought story.
Source: LibriVox | MP3
Length: 32 minutes
Reader: Michelle Sullivan
The reader: I don’t know anything about Ms. Sullivan, but she certainly sounds as if she is a theater-trained actor. Her American voice brings out the character of the narrator as an intelligent, curious woman shackled by her husband’s misplaced care. My only complaint is that Ms. Sullivan tends to make her “s” sounds too breathy. The recording has a slight hiss, but not so bad that it interferes with understanding the words.
Angler – The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman
Sunday, September 21st, 2008“Angler” is the code-name used by the Secret Service to refer to V.P. Cheney. “Angler” the book tells the story of V.P. Cheney’s role in the Bush administration – from his selection as candidate, his initial moves before even taking office, to his ability to influence decision-making throughout the Bush term, and does this in a calm, credible manner.
Selecting a Running Mate: Bush asked Cheney early on, and was turned down. This, per Gellman, only increased Cheney’s appeal. Bush II had witnessed tensions between his father’s White House staff and those looking out for Dan Quayle’s future; Cheney, in addition, had told him about problems between Nixon-Ford, and Ford-Rockefeller. Bush did not interview a single candidate before settling on Cheney. Further, Cheney negotiated his expanded role at the beginning – “I want to be a real partner in helping you reach decisions.”
Cheney’s Role in Staffing Positions: Cheney’s commanding role on major appointments was without precedent. He recruited candidates, pre-interviewed them, and escorted them for Bush’s approval in Austin. For State, Bush already set his sights on Colin Powell, and Linda Chavez for Labor (she withdrew after a nanny-scandal). Cheney brought in Rumsfeld, Whitman (EPA), and O’Neill (Treasury).
Cheney did not stop at the cabinet – 2nd and 3rd ranking officials (eg. Hadley, Bolton) could be vital allies. In policy fields he cared about Cheney placed people even deeper in the bureaucracy. The list did not include most of the Friends of George from the Republican Governor’s Association.
“Scooter” Libby was made national security advisor, chief of the V.P. staff, and assistant to the president.
Cheney Gets Personally Involved: Early on (12/03/00), Cheney got his imprint in on the economy by suggesting a recession looked likely – setting the stage to blame Clinton and cut taxes. Cheney also attended almost all NSC meetings and briefed Bush afterwards (Rice did also – separately.) Cheney joined the regular Wednesday lunch of the president’s economic team (secretaries of labor, commerce, and treasury, also the budget director), and the National Economic Council, the weekly Senate Republican caucus (LBJ was the last V.P. that tried – he was blocked by the Senators; Cheney pointed out that he was President of the Senate).
Also, the White House created a panel called the Budget Review Board, with Cheney as chair. Overseeing the budget was exactly the find of serious, boring work that Bush disliked, and Cheney thrived in the vacuum. Conflicts with OMB went to the Board, and no one appealed further to Bush.
Cheney also usually sent a staff member to Norquist’s Wednesday anti-tax luncheons. Cheney had abandoned Milton Friedman’s “no free lunch” maxim for Laffer’s supply-side economics – despite serious objection from his long-time friends Paul O’Neil and Alan Greenspan.
Unlike most of his rivals and even the president, Cheney knew what he wanted. One of his first assignments to staff was a fast-track review of Clinton’s departing executive orders, accompanied by an order to stop associated operations at the Government Printing Office. (Cheney knew that regulations have no force until printed in the Federal Register). He also got Bush to freeze hiring for everyone whose paperwork wasn’t complete.
Cheney then finagled an office on the House side – close to the action on tax-writing. Greenspan began weekly visits to the White House – mostly to see Cheney. One important result was taking Greenspan out of 100% opposition to the Bush tax cuts.
Cheney worked With Andy Card to undermine Sen. Chafee’s opposition to the bush tax cut, and convinced Bush to stand firm against Jefford’s threat to bolt the party is not given additional Special Education funds. (Cheney reasoned that the R’s had already de facto lost control, and did not want to reward threats.)
The Energy Task Force: Cheney asked for chairmanship of the task force on energy. Prior to starting, he directed an assistant to devise a structure that would leave the task force beyond reach of the Federal Advisory Commission Act (Hillary’s undoing). This was achieved by limiting “membership” limited to employees of the executive branch. When challenged, Cheney convinced Bush to fight disclosure, contrary to most other advisers; his aim was to set a precedent and gain power.
Environmental groups were limited to a single meeting, and used up half the time making introductions; regardless, Cheney did not attend. An early goal became to walk Bush back from support for reducing CO2; Cheney was aided by four R Senators’ requesting clarification from Bush. EPA Secretary Whitman sensed a problem, scheduled a meeting with Bush, but was beat by Cheney’s presenting a proposed response to the Senators.
How did he do it – his energy task force portrayed the scientific debate as complex, and unresolved. Bush hated wading into that sort of situation and usually told experts to come back when they had hammered out their facts. Cheney also called for smarter policy and technology to avoid the choice between less energy and greater pollution.
Cheney sat in on the president’s daily briefings – AFTER receiving the briefing himself earlier in the A.M. Thus prepared, he was able to shape the president’s briefing as well as make comments of his own.
Following these paths gave Cheney awareness and involvement in much of went on in the White House early on. From here on he was in an ideal position to play a leading role, detailed in an interesting and credible manner by “Angler,” in the Bush administration. This included not just influencing decisions but also ensuring they were carried out – eg. “defanging” new source EPA rules for coal-fired power plants. Still another source of Cheney’s strength was his long-term relationships with numerous members of Congress, which he sometimes strained with slanted and stretched versions of reality (eg. describing Iraq’s dangerousness to Rep. Armey to convince him to support war).
Bottom Line: “Angler” shows V.P. Cheney did not acquire his power and influence by accident – it was built through his experience and learning in prior decades at the top levels of government. Clearly he has transformed the nature of the office, and was aided in doing so by an uninvolved, incurious president who was also a poor manager (eg. failure to follow-up directive to Rumsfeld to begin Guantanamo trials, to back up Rice vs. Rumsfeld; to quickly realize “Brownie” was incompetent – Cheney did).
On the other hand, Cheney’s ignoring warnings pre-9/11 (along with Bush), sometimes duplicity, and lack of pragmatism in favor of erroneous policies (eg. resisting information requests, even from the 9/11 Commission; almost marching the administration over the cliff regarding reauthorization for internal eavesdropping; lack of sensitivity to growing opposition to the Iraq War) are serious, irredeemable flaws.
Finally, to be fair, it should also be pointed out that Cheney was scrupulous in avoiding possible personal gain from his actions
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James
Sunday, September 21st, 2008This is an early examination of a deterioration of the human psyche. It’s a dark psychological thriller told by a woman who finds herself scattered by fleeting emotions and unseen torments. From the start, the protagonist’s mind seems to flow in several different directions, showing the portrait of a very insecure woman. I think that the purpose of the lengthy language is to serve as her very personal outlook on the situation, on herself. Henry has put himself fully in her position to achieve the purpose of forcing the reader to do so as well.
I tend to dislike films or books that depict mental illness as an organized or curable disorder. Something that can be easily fixed by medical advances or hope alone. The truth of the matter is much more dark. Insanity is not something to romanticize about, although there is certainly speculation of mental illness furthering artistic insight. (an example would be Virginia Wolff, or Vincent van Gogh) But Henry James does not view the woman’s hallucinations with hope for her recovery.
The author has always shown particular interest in insanity, not from the vantage point of an onlooker or professional…but from the direct and unaltered view of the person suffering the hallucinations.
There actually are ghosts in this book, but the kind that are much more sinister and real in that they only exist to this one woman. She’s alone in her hallucinations, completely unable to share the nightmare that has taken over her mind, left to bare it by herself. I think that’s truly more frightening than the thin plot of any other ‘ghost’ story.
I recommend this book for several reasons; it has an intriguing plot, is an exploration of psychological aspects, and ends with a suspenseful finale.
The reader: Ms. Doolin sounds like a professional. Her reading is polished, using pauses and inflection to great effect. I found it interesting to compare the voice of the narrator from the first chapters where she is bright and innocent to the later where you can hear the suspicion in her voice. The other characters are not given full-fledged voices, but Ms. Doolin alters her diction and pitch enough to let us know who is talking. The recording is clean and noiseless.
Source: Librivox
Length: 5 hr, 43 min
Reader: Nichole Doolin
The Given Day by Dennis Lehane
Sunday, September 21st, 2008In a splendid flowering of the talent previously demonstrated in his crime fiction (Gone, Baby, Gone; Mystic River), Lehane combines 20th-century American history, a gripping story of a family torn by pride and the strictures of the Catholic Church, and the plot of a multifaceted thriller. Set in Boston during and after WWI, this engrossing epic brings alive a pivotal period in our cultural maturation through a pulsing narrative that exposes social turmoil, political chicanery and racial prejudice, and encompasses the Spanish flu pandemic, the Boston police strike of 1919 and red-baiting and anti-union violence.Danny Coughlin, son of police captain Thomas Coughlin, is a devoted young beat cop in Boston’s teeming North End. Anxious to prove himself worthy of his legendary father, he agrees to go undercover to infiltrate the Bolsheviks and anarchists who are recruiting the city’s poverty-stricken immigrants. He gradually finds himself sympathetic to those living in similar conditions to his fellow policemen, who earn wages well below the poverty line, work in filthy, rat-infested headquarters, are made to pay for their own uniforms and are not compensated for overtime. Danny also rebels by falling in love with the family’s spunky Irish immigrant maid, a woman with a past. Danny’s counterpart in alienation is Luther Laurence, a spirited black man first encountered in the prologue when Babe Ruth sees him playing softball in Ohio. After Luther kills a man in Tulsa, he flees to Boston, where he becomes intertwined with Danny’s family. This story of fathers and sons, love and betrayal, idealism and injustice, prejudice and brotherly feeling is a dark vision of the brutality inherent in human nature and the dire fate of some who try to live by ethical standards. It’s also a vision of redemption and a triumph of the human spirit. In short, this nail-biter carries serious moral gravity.
De zonde in het deftige dorp by Johan de Meester
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Zip file of the entire book (238 MB)
…but I have to tell you that David Burnie rocks! I was looking for an earlier edition of this book (Tree) that we got from the library to see if I could get a used copy, and I am thrilled that DK came out with a new edition.
My daughter is 5, and so a lot of these DK books are too “busy” for her. However, this book by David Burnie was just right. (Of course, I read the text aloud.) The photography held her attention well, and all together we spent a couple hours over the course of a week looking at this book where she asked me a MILLION questions. Burnie covers everything from what kind of seeds different trees generate, to how logs are fashioned into boards at a saw mill, to how acid rain “burns” forests.
On the other hand, this book would not be too young for a jr. high or high schooler who was looking for some general information about trees. The text is not at all baby-ish or dumbed-down. I learned a lot myself.
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life by Alice Schroeder
Sunday, September 21st, 2008When Alice Schroeder met Warren Buffett she was an insurance industry analyst and a gifted writer known for her keen perception and business acumen. Her writings on finance impressed him, and as she came to know him she realized that while much had been written on the subject of his investing style, no one had moved beyond that to explore his larger philosophy, which is bound up in a complex personality and the details of his life. Out of this came his decision to cooperate with her on the book about himself that he would never write.
Tacitus’ Annals Vol 3 by Tacitus Publius Cornelius
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Tacitus is well worth reading; his history is given from the point of view of a Roman, so different form the Jewish viewpoint that I have previously read. To see things from another viewpoint is very useful to one’s thinking and understanding. And to see the corroboration with the New Testament is also very useful.
Zip file of the entire book 228 GB
San Francisco Nude by Hisaka Kojima
Sunday, September 21st, 2008An anthology of works by several dozen photographers from the San Francisco area. The book presents a mix of color and B&W images of male & female models, some nude and, oddly, some not. There is a wide variety of styles including fine art, erotica, glamour and photojournalism; and images vary from breathtakingly exquisite to trite and amateurish. Overall a very mixed bag.
Gone To Earth by Mary Webb
Sunday, September 21st, 2008I first found this book in the bargin bin at my local bookstore before I took a trip overseas. I read it on the plane ride over and I’ve read it 2 or 3 times since. I have to say that Mary Webb’s story of Hazel Woodus is really one that gets under your skin. She weaves a very complex character that is both maddening and pitiable at the same time. I really like this story and I highly recommend it. The only reason that I didn’t give it the 5 star rating is that sometimes the regional dialect she chooses to write in, is a bit much. I understand why she has it in the book, but at the same time, trying to figure out what they are saying is a bit difficult. All in all, this is a great book and I feel that you’ll enjoy reading it.
Zip file of the entire book – 278MB
The Shack by William P. Young
Sunday, September 21st, 2008By habit, I am suspicious of books that are popular, especially in the Christian market. I read The Shack guardedly expecting for Oprah’s New Age type religion/philosophy.
I was pleasantly surprised with this stirring and unforgettable story about God’s love and spiritual healing.
This is a fiction book. Missy’s death is a metaphor for an ugly, dark place hidden so deep that it seemed beyond God’s healing reach. Mack spends the two and a half days with the Trinity learning about himself and God and relationships in the shack which is transformed into a mansion in an Eden-like garden for the weekend.
I smiled, cried, pondered, prayed, and repented as I read this over two days. The main focus of this book is on God’s love, God’s mercy, and the importance of us loving and forgiving others. I came away from the book refreshed.
Once I felt comfortable the author believed in salvation by faith through grace and that Jesus being the only way, I let down my guard and basked in this well written book full of hidden treasures. This is a novel you read with a highlighter.
Those who view Christianity only as a religion with rules to follow will learn that faith and love don’t come from theology or rules they flow from a relationship with God.
Why is The Shack so Popular?
Young approaches the popular topic the love of God and human suffering in a story. Jesus taught in parables and object lessons becasue we learn well from stories. Young’s story is an attempt describe a God’s character to his children. But God’s character is essentially indescribable. We can only understand a part of God’s characteristics by what we know and experience in human relationships.
People in our culture have a need to connect with God as a personal God beyond the holy and omnipotent. Our reverence and wonder about the presence of God make hard to grasp God in terms of intimate family relationships such as God as Papa (instead of an unseen force or an abstract will).
Young presents an easy to relate to version of the trinity of three persons with unique personalities spending a few days casual friendly folksy conversation and home cooked comfort meals. Easy enough for a child to understand, loving, warm and rich.
If you have been hurt in your life through church or religion or experienced the pain of legalism or rejection of judgmental attitudes this book will especially touch you. I have been hurt a lot in churches so I was profoundly impacted.
There is such a chasm between God’s holy being and our imperfect world that it is simply hard to understand God’s mercy and loving actions with unworthy man. The Shack gives us a grasp of the depth of the love of God and it is beyond comforting, it is exhilarating!
The Controversy
Any book that includes conversations with God is bound to receive criticism. How can anyone put words in God’s mouth? But the critics seem to forget the book is a fiction story by a man telling a story about God’s love to his children, not a book on theology. It is Young’s perception of God.
I was not in total agreement with The Shack (I am not in total agreement with several of my favorite authors). I don’t expect any book but the Bible to be perfect. Books are like watermelons; you have to be willing to spit out a few seeds.
I read many of the heresy hunters posts and some of them say some things that just are not true. The article “Is the Shack Heresy?” by Wayne Jacobson addresses each of the problems the critics bring up.
The predestination folks (particularly Tim Challies) seem to have the most problems with the book (the teachings in The Shack–God loves everyone– do not agree with predestination. See the video series for a full explanation).
A Feminine God?
I imagine the hardest part for Christians to grasp is God being first presented to Mack as a female. Its easy to understand a knee jerk reaction. I was cautious when I read this but not completely turned off I have a limited understanding of the masculine and feminine parts of the image of God(becasue of my studies in Hebrew roots). When Adam was first made, he was both male and female, formed in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).
The Shack is not trying to reinvent God as a female, but revealing that God is beyond race and gender. The main character in the story Mack was abused by his father so the author presents a comforting mother type at first, later in the book (once the earthly father issues are solved) God is presented as the Father. Harper’s Bible Dictionary explains the Bible uses both male and femal imagery to show the charter of God:
Although masculine images for God dominate (e.g., king, judge, father, brother, shepherd, etc.), it must be recognized that feminine images are also frequently used to describe God’s activity. Among these are images related to feminine anatomy (e.g., womb and breasts) and feminine function (e.g., conception, pregnancy, childbirth, maternal nurture, etc.).
In the story, Papa explains that there is no hierarchy in the holy trinity–there is no need becasue each serves each other. It is a thought provoking description and my jury is still out on this section. But I have no problem questioning this and gleaning from the rest of the story.
Turkey Bacon
I was very disappointed that God served bacon for breakfast. My 30 year old son helped me with this. When we discussed it he said (tongue in cheek) “Hey mom, it is probably the same turkey bacon you serve.” I was enjoying the story so much I didn’t want this part to ruin it. So in my mind–it is turkey bacon.
Christians can agree to disagree in non-salvation issues and still love each other.
To fairly critique the book I would ask the question: What did Mack learn from his weekend with God?
The Shack is not about theology or religion, but about the sweetness of an intimate relationship with God through Christ.
Mack is reminded of basic truths found in God’s word that he allowed forgot during his great sadness. The truths are given in an unconditional casual conversation format that may make some people uncomfortable.
Mack learns that he doesn’t really trust God and “Trust is the fruit of a relationship where you know you are loved” (p 126).
Mack discovers that God’s desires an intimate love relationship with each of us. He learns God wants him to spend time with Him and intimately communicate with Him, to enjoy fellowship with Him, to trust and follow Him, and to give his life meaning and purpose. He learns that God can use all things, even sin and evil to develop this relationship for good (Romans 8:28).
Mack discovers the depth of God’s grace (Ephesians 2:4-5) . He learns that he can not be self-sufficient and realizes he has been made acceptable through Jesus Christ and Him alone. He learns he will not find God through guilt or condemnation. He understands God is lovingly and patiently waiting on Him to submit (1 Peter 5:7).
Mack is reminded of the two most important commands–to love God and love others (john 13:35). Mack already knows he must forgive others as Christ forgave Him but in the shack he is helped through the process.
Mack learns God works through everything including our brokenness and sadness (Philippians 3:8). When we are separated from our prideful flesh (the carnal, corrupted life) through grace and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us He will gradually bring us to the restful place of humble dependence, wherein we can consistently receive the grace that leads to intimacy. Beautiful, loving intimacy!
Mack learns God wants us to be made complete in Christ (John 6:44-45). God wants us to be of one mind with Him. God wants us to make His ways our ways, His thoughts our thoughts.
I came away from the book feeling loved and secure with a strong desire to cultivate my relationship with God through His Word. How can that be a bad thing?
A Soup of Alphabets (free Audiobooks 002)
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Zip file of the entire book 35MB
My second grade class loved guessing what word the boy would spell next to get him out of his predicament. They were so creative in their ideas and came up with multiple solutions to the problems. It even got them excited to try out spelling new words.
Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty by Jeff Pearlman
Sunday, September 21st, 2008When the first chapter of a non-fiction football book starts off with future Hall Of Fame receiver Michael Irvin stabbing a teammate in the neck with a scissors… and blood is shooting all over the room… and the intensity of the lurid details… on and off the field… regarding the famed “dynastic” Dallas Cowboys of the 1990′s… never lets up for the next three-hundred-fifty-eight pages… you know you’ve got a great book in your hands. Any true football fan, regardless of what team you root for will want to read this book. There are so many riveting… outlandish… insider… stories… that you will constantly want to stop reading for a moment or two… just to call one of your buddies to tell him what you just read!
This book has it all. From the “humble” beginnings (as far as wins and losses that is… nothing about any of the key individuals in this story could ever be considered humble!) concerning the 1989 Cowboys who had a one-win fifteen-loss season… to the three-time Super Bowl Champions. The author smoothly gives you detailed background information on everyone from owner Jerry Jones to coach Jimmy Johnson to Troy Aikman/Emmitt Smith/Michael Irvin/Nate Newton/Charles Haley/Deion Sanders… and every Cowboy large… small… or in between… who effected the team on or off the field… good or bad. Absolutely no punches are pulled.
From drug busts, that included Michael Irvin and teammate Alfredo Roberts being caught with 10.3 grams of cocaine, more than an ounce of marijuana, assorted drug paraphernalia and sex toys… and oh yea… two strippers… to shocking exposes regarding eventual FIVE-TIME-SUPER-BOWL-CHAMPION Charles Haley who would expose himself… and “pleasure-himself”… in front of teammates in the locker room… training room… and meeting rooms… to famous quotes from players, that truly thought they were above the law, are provided… such as when three-hundred-sixty pound Nate Newton said: “WE’VE GOT A LITTLE PLACE OVER HERE WHERE WE’RE RUNNING SOME WHORES IN AND OUT, TRYING TO BE RESPONSIBLE, AND WE’RE CRITICIZED FOR THAT, TOO.”
Did you know that when former Cowboy owner Bum Bright sold the team to Jerry Jones… that one of the conditions of the sale was that Jones had to fire Tom Landry? Landry was probably the most popular man in Texas, but Bright couldn’t stand him. How did the Cowboys code of ethics compare to other big name NFL teams? One Cowboy said: “WHEN I WAS WITH THE REDSKINS COACH GIBBS WOULD SAY, “OK FELLA’S, DON’T MESS WITH STREET DRUGS OR STEROIDS, BECAUSE THAT’S NOT HOW WE DO THINGS HERE.” COACH JOHNSON ON THE OTHER HAND, WOULD SAY, “DON’T MESS WITH STREET DRUGS OR STEROIDS, BECAUSE THE DRUG TEST IS IN A WEEK AND YOU DON’T WANNA GET CAUGHT.” “IT WAS OBVIOUS JIMMY LACKED SOME CHARACTER IN HIS PURSUIT OF GREATNESS.”
It’s all here in exquisite detail. Nothing is held back. The way players… coaches… and owners… really feel! Who they think is stupid… who is smart… who had courage and who didn’t. One Cowboy whose valor won over his team was Troy Aikman, of whom linebacker Garry Cobb said: AS A ROOKIE AGAINST THE CARDINALS AIKMAN “WAS KNOCKED COLD FOR NEARLY FIVE MINUTES BEFORE BEING HELPED OFF THE FIELD. TROY EARNED ALL OUR RESPECT. HE GOT KILLED AND REFUSED TO CRY. I’VE BEEN ON THE FIELD WHEN QUARTERBACKS CRY, AND IT AIN’T PRETTY. DAN MARINO WAS A CRIER – “WHOSE MAN WAS THAT! WHERE’S THE BLOCKING! WHAH!” “BUT AIKMAN – NEVER. AIKMAN WAS A MAN.”
The author, Jeff Pearlman, magically, and seamlessly, weaves a story that gives you equal servings of statistical game information… unwavering disections of diverse psychological profiles… including Jerry Jones’s jealousies and Jimmy Johnson’s insecurities… and the sensitive human backdrop’s… such as Michael Irvin… the third youngest of SEVENTEEN CHILDREN… who never had his own bed until college.
I recommend this book highly to any football fan.
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Tacitus Annals Vol 2 by Tacitus, Publius Cornelius
Sunday, September 21st, 2008I read this book for a graduate course in Roman history. It is an indispensable primary source for students of Roman history.
On the first page of his Annals of Imperial Rome, Tacitus wrote that Octavian “seduced the army with bonuses, and his cheap food policy was successful bait for civilians.” Tacitus’ description of Augustus’ transformation of Rome from a republic into an empire is most illuminating as well. “Upper-class survivors found that slavish obedience was the way to succeed, both politically and financially. They had profited from the revolution, and so now they liked the security of the existing arrangement better than the dangerous uncertainties of the old regime.”
Sir Ronald Syme relied heavily on the work of Tacitus for his cogent narrative of Octavian’s rise to power as Augustus. Syme’s in-depth study of Tacitus’ life and work was published in 1958. Tacitus’ historical accuracy was doubted for centuries and Syme made a project of re-evaluating the accuracy of his historical writings. Syme believed that Tacitus was in a unique position to write about the birth and early political history of the Imperial period in Rome due to his very active political life. Tacitus had served as a senator, consul, and proconsul of Asia. In addition, he was known to be an excellent orator in his day. In his writings, Syme believed that Tacitus provided excellent accounts of Augustus’ rise to power and his career as Rome’s first Emperor.
Tacitus delved into the machinery of the new government, including Augustus’ use of patronage as well as his many thwarted attempts at planning for his own succession. What Syme found was a man that grew very adept politically and whose political maturity rapidly developed at an early age. At eighteen, he was named as heir to Julius Caesar. He grew into the greatest Roman princeps spanning fifty-six years until his death. Augustus knew that to retain power he had to maintain the general consent of the governed. He astutely maintained order not by following the constitution or past precedent, but by using the tremendous resources at his disposal. Augustus kept the plebeians in check making sure they were fed, kept them amused with games, and constantly reminded them that he was protecting them from the oppression of the nobiles.
Augustus became the “leader of a large and well organized political party as the source and fount of patronage and advancement.”
Recommended reading for those interested in Roman history, military history.
Zip file of the entire book 111 MB
The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
Sunday, September 21st, 2008First of all, I LOVED this book, and the more I think about it, the more I love it. I was saddened to see that Oprah chose THE STORY OF EDWARD SAWTELLE for her book club since I feel it cheapens the book. Oprah’s books are for the most part, so mundane and ordinary, and THIS book is anything BUT. It is interesting to see the short, nasty comments from people who evidently read Oprah’s selections. Very nasty. Most of them didn’t even read the book, or read it and didn’t “get” it.
I am also surprised to see that Oprah has her own page for this book; is this page for readers of Oprah’s books only? Because THE STORY OF EDWARD SAWTELLE has had it’s OWN page at Amazon since its publication, with hundreds of reviews, most of them good to excellent. This is weird. Oprah seems to be an entity which does not include any but her own.
This is an extraordinary book, full of love and full of characters who have a huge capacity for love, for learning, for living. The premise may come from HAMLET, but this is a book in a category all its own, and is true literature.
From a comment the author made about the lack of “a boy and his dog” books, I read THE CALL OF THE WILD after this book, and THAT is also a fabulous piece of literature. I sobbed in certain sections of both books, and actually was afraid, at first, that I would not be able to read a book about dogs because of my deep love and respect for them, but these two books are so beautifully written, and timeless, that it was a pleasure to read them. They have become a part of me.
Please, people, do not be put off by the nasty notes appearing here. This is a remarkable book, certain to win all sorts of literary prizes, full of the stuff of life and so beautifully written that it will stay with you long after the last page.
Selected Ghazals of Ghalib by Mirza Ghalib
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Zip file of the entire book (29 MB)
I highly recommend this book to all lovers of urduu poetry. It is particularly useful to serious students of the Ghazal form for whom interpreting Ghalib has always been an “issue”. Not only does Dr. Niazi dwell at length on the imageries used by Ghalib, but in many cases also gives contextual references to incidents in Ghalib’s life to help interpret a couplet better. Again, some couplets/terms (eg. kAGhazI paErahan) are understood only within a historical/social context – and Dr. Niazi provides the same in such cases. Note that each couplet is followed by a LITERAL (not idiomatic) translation and then by an elaborate explication. The explication also addresses multiple inherent interpretations if they exist. Dr. Niazi also points out, in many cases, erroneous interpretations that are in vogue.
Budding/Fledgeling poets may use this work to enhance their own understanding of symbols and idioms as used in urduu poetry (in addition to making sense out of the obscurity that is Ghalib). For established scholars this book can serve as a ready reference (or sanity check!).
Note: While the couplets are presented first in the original persian script, they are also transliterated using the roman script for the benefit of those who do not read the original.
Raffles, Further Adventures of the Amateur Cracksman by E. W. Hornung
Sunday, September 21st, 2008H. R. F. Keating wrote (in Henderson’s Crime & Mystery Writers) “I put E. W. Hornung’s stories about A. J. Raffles, gentleman cracksman, squarely besides the Holmes tales of Conan Doyle (Hornung’s brother-in-law). Both sets of stories seem to me to have that feeling of absolute rightness, perhaps the surest way of distinguishing that hard to define thing, ‘the classic.’”
Zip file of the entire book 163 MB
She and Allan by H Rider Haggard
Sunday, September 21st, 2008Rider Haggard did an astonishingly good job of bringing together his two most venerable characters. I completely disagree with Mr. Greene and his review. We read Quatermain stories to feel comfortable in the company of an old friend. By the time this novel was published, we were aware of nearly all that hunter’s foibles, and there was not a whole lot that needed to be elaborated here. We already know his thoughts and reactions before he himself does. We already know his views on spirituality and destiny and love and friendship and loyalty. Ayehsa also behaves just as we would expect–evasive, vague, saying one thing one minute then something quite different the next. It’s impossible to pin her down. But she is another we know well and can anticipate and feel comfortable just being close to. It’s Umslopogaas the Zulu and the provenance of his Axe that are the real attention grabbers here. And there are some marvelous battles to be relished vicariously as we learn about that Axe.
And just as some say that Sam is the real hero of the Lord of the Rings, for it is no more and no less than his steadfastness that gets Frodo to the end of the quest, so Hans’ s role also needs to be raised up, for it is his pithy but invariably wise remarks and his own version of steadfastness that are the “heart” of the Quatermain stories in which he appears. Would that Haggard had written more of Quatermain and Hans!!
