Product Description
Things Hidden Since the Foundation of the World presents a highly original global theory of culture. Here, in his greatest work, Rene Girard explores the social function of violence and the mechanism of the social scapegoat. Girard's vision is a brilliant and devastating challenge to conventional views of literature, anthropology, religion and psychoanalysis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

One of the great books of the 20th Century
Girard was a contemporary and colleague of the early deconstructionists, a French intellectual and professor of literature whose fascination with Cervantes, Dostoevsky, Proust and Shakespeare led him to approach texts as though they demonstrate the dynamics underlying human behavior.This is, of course, the antithesis of the deconstructionist perspective that literary texts are self-referential rather than tools for understanding external reality.Girard has spent the intervening half century exploring anthropology, sociology, psychology, history and religion through the lens of textual analysis, with astonishing results.It is one of the ironies with which history is replete that methods intended to deconstruct literature have been put to use by Girard to give it new, and powerful relevance. This book, and the rest of his work, will change the way you view the world.The more widely you have read, the more profoundly it will inform you.

brilliant
A profound and well-documented book about the origin of religion, its meaning and use in society and causes for the declining interest in religion in our time.The system Girard explained at its best, but not as readable as some of his other books on the subject.

reorienting the x-y-z of the occident
This book takes the form of a dialogue between Girard and two psychiatrists, Jean-Michel Oughourlian and Guy Defort.If you are already familiar with Girard's work concerning the relationship between mimetic desire and violence, sacrificial rites and scapegoat, then you will find this book indispensible. If you have an opinion -- pro or con -- about Christianity, you will want to read this book. The title of the book is a quote from Mathew 13, 35, and not without purpose. Here, Girard discusses in depth the nature of Christianity, the most sacrificial religion, in terms of the theories he's been formulating over the years. The whole business of murder and deification permeates much of primitive Mediterranean religions -- Abel and Cain, Romulus and Remus, etc -- and the sacrifice of Christ and subsequent deification follows the same pattern of displacing mob guilt. Biblical exegesis, certainly, but much more than that. This book and Girard's work as a whole helps one to understand above and beyond the question of either sentiment or faith why Christianity as a religion still holds sway in this secular age, and from where it derives its staying power. A real milestone in intellectual detective work, it will cause you to hear a wake-up call. And in stereo, too, if you read also his good friend Michel Serres' book ROME: The Book of Foundations.

A creative,fascinating trip inside the works of civilization
It has been now about 20 years since I first read the original version of this fascinating work, as it was published in France. Reading it again today I still have the same feeling of witnessing a major breakthrough inour understanding of thelink between human nature, civilization andreligion, a landmark of the highest caliber. Only now can I detect itsinfluence in the French intellectual establishment - the 70s being not veryfavorable to a work that sheds an unexpectedly new and enhancing light onChristianity (yet certainly more unsettling for the religiousestablishment, I believe.) As a scientific, I was striken at first by thesimplicity and the precision of the mimetic theory and its startlingramifications into the phenomenons of victimization mechanisms,sacralization, religion and foundations of civilization - all of itdisplaying a clarity and logic that I was more accustomed to find in"hard" sciences, I must say... I advise newcomers to Girard tostart with this book which is the most synthetic. A must read for allmodern westerners. ... Read more

Product Description
The conservative newspaper columnist locates the sources of contemporary social problems in the libertinism and atheism of the 1960s, and makes a case for returning to traditional beliefs in God, family, and country. 150,000 first printing. $150,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

only the names have changed
The issues are about the same as they were from 1990 to 2010. I don't buy the anti-gay bukwash I hear that is tiresome by now, however what he says about 90's is seemingly the same about 2010 with Obama. It is a shame that a 20 year old book can still hit the nail on the head from so long ago. Ashame.

Some things never change
Cal Thomas traces the history of liberal politics and gives a brilliant defense of conservative values. Though the book is now 15 years old, it deals with many moral, political, and religious issues that are still very contemporary. My only wish is that he would have expanded some of the op ed columns into full-length chapters.

A Defense of Social Conservatism
Cal Thomas is one of the most important conservative columnists in America, and this collection from the first half of the 1990s contains some of his most hard-hitting columns ever.Rush Limbaugh wrote the foreword for this volume, in which Thomas speaks out for faith, family, and traditional morals, and in which he argues against big government and liberal indoctrination in the schools.If there could ever be such a thing as a manifesto for social conservatism, this book might be it.

As a High School Teacher, Cal is RIGHT ON!!!
Despite the fact that this book is over ten years old, it still hits hard.I found myself in tears many times over the fact that Cal is speaking the truth.This is an excellent read for those of you who have had it with our government trying to be all things to so many people.

As a veteran High School teacher for many years, our schools are headed for catastrophe unless things are changed.The parents, or should I say lack of parenting is unbelievable. The baby boomer generation has failed miserably in the area of raising its young.

As Cal points out, Bill Clinton was a perfect example of a sixties generation Icon.Popular, yes, but immoral and without godly character.

Cal's big point is that we have no absolutes anymore.Our kids don't know right and wrong, and I as a teacher can't tell them!We live in such a society, where God is an entity that doesn't matter much for most people.

Until we fear a knowable God, we don't have much hope.Thank you Cal, for having the courage to write about the truth, knowing that so many people are going to be against you.

Depends on what really matters
If you like Cal Thomas and his rightwing spew, then you'll love his lying propaganda in this book. Not recommended for liberals, moderates, and good conservatives. ... Read more

Product Description
Lords of Things offers an intriguing interpretation of modernity in late nineteenth and early twentieth century Siam by focusing on the novel material possessions and social practices adopted by the royal elite to refashion its self and public image in the early stages of globalization. It examines the westernized modes of consumption and self-presentation, the residential and representational architecture, and the public spectacles appropriated by the Bangkok court not as byproducts of institutional reformation initiated by modernizing sovereigns, but as practices and objects constitutive of the very identity of the royalty as a civilized and civilizing class.

Bringing a wealth of new source material into a theoretically informed discussion, Lords of Things will be required reading for historians of Thailand and Southeast Asia scholars generally. It represents a welcome change from previous studies of Siamese modernization that are almost exclusively concerned with the institutional and economic dimensions of the process or with foreign relations, and will appeal greatly to those interested in transnational cultural flows, the culture of colonialism, the invention of tradition, and the relationship between consumption and identity formation in the modern era. ... Read more

Product Description
"This is a unique contribution that blazes a new path in post-phenomenological inquiry.The attention to things is unprecedented in recent philosophical literature and Scott's approach is refreshing and original."÷Edward S. Casey

The Lives of Things gives an account of lives that give rise to language and thought and that appear beyond the reach of language and thought. ... Read more

Product Description

Magic has stepped out of the movies, morphed from the pages of fairy tales, and is more present in America today than you might expect. Soccer moms get voodoo head washings in their backyards, young American soldiers send chants toward pagan gods of war, and a seemingly normal family determines that they are in fact elves. National bestselling author and award-winning religion reporter Christine Wicker leaves no talisman unturned in her hunt to find what's authentic and what's not in America's burgeoning magical reality. From the voodoo temples of New Orleans to the witches' covens of Salem to a graveyard in north Florida, Wicker probes the secrets of an underground society and teaches lessons she never dreamed could be taught. What she learns repels her, challenges her, and changes her in ways she never could have imagined. And if you let it, it might change you, too.

Customer Reviews (10)

Very Disappointed - not what I expected, I give it a don't bother rating
I read this book with great expectations of a "real" book on the topics in the title of the book, and was very disappointed to see it was not that at all.

It appears to be more of a sort of log of this journalist writing about her journey learning about the subjects and doing interviews regarding the topics in a semi-fiction sort of style.

The title appears to be misleading and sensationalistic in order to sell the book. I'm sorry I didn't have the opportunity to review this prior to purchase. I hope the other Christine Wicker book on Lily Dale I ordered isn't more of the same.

Some are hits, and some are misses. This one is definitely a miss.

No we're in Hawaii
First...
dear open minded explorers after truth,
... let us state our bias. We are mentioned in this book numerous times, and for that alone we tend to love it. Also, Christine Wicker spent a day with us for our interview and we liked her very much. She is a lovely, intelligent woman, and we really enjoyed the time we spent with her.
This is a well written and informative book. We thought at the time, and told her so, that she should write more on elves, otherkin and faerie kind (well, we would, wouldn't we?) than she did and we feel the book suffered somewhat for not having done so. Still, it really is a well written and informative book on the subject, and we do very much recommend it.
[...]

Not especially magical
Christine Wicker set out to investigate alternative magical religious practices in the United States. Noting that the popularity of magical belief is growing, and turning up in unlikely places, Wicker's book seeks to understand how and why magic is turning up in unlikely places. The result, Not in Kansas Anymore, is part travelogue, part personal reflection, and part religious study. Wicker takes us through Voodoo, Wicca, Vampirism, and other magical traditions currently practiced in the United States. The point of this book is not so much to come to any great conclusion about magical religions as it is to experience the journey. And for Wicker, it is indeed a journey. This book is infused with much of Wicker's personal reflections. As an experienced religious journalist (that is, journalist who covers religious topics) Wicker is used to treading in the realm of the spiritual, and she has been forced to think about her own place in the larger spiritual-paranormal world. Clearly, she's open-minded, and her own interactions with magical religious traditions are an important component of the book. Thus, we see plenty of personal interjection, when Wicker explicitly considers her own experiences and beliefs. She finds some of the traditions she observes more appealing than others, and she feels more spiritual energy surrounding some than others. Ultimately, while I found this book engaging enough, I was disappointed too. I was hoping that the book would be more argument-driven, and I found that that combination of personal reflection and journalistic reporting detracted from one another. I'd rather have read two books on each of the above topics, rather than trying to digest both in one book. Each could use more development.

Fascinating, Fun, and Informative
In 'Not in Kansas Anymore' author Christine Wicker takes the reader on a personal exploration of the history of witchcraft and occult practices and the various ways those roots are manifesting in contemporary American culture.This is not a textbook study, it's more a really riveting conversation with someone who had a lot of great experiences in the field firsthand.The tone is very gripping and as a reader I discovered I was learning an awful lot and having a very entertaining time doing so.Quite well done and perhaps the most glowing praise I can give is that it prompted me to buy Ms. Wicker's previous book, 'Lily Dale'.

A Thoughtful Book
Herself a nonbeliever, Wicker makes a sincere attempt to understand her subjects. She even takes part in a few magic rituals. Though she doesn't experience magic in the classic ways it's understood (some undeniably magical happening as proof of the supernatural), she undergoes a transformation with each experience - and, in that sense at least, experiences magic. The experiences change her and make her more confident, and give her, I think, a deeper appreciation for people with beliefs outside the mainstream. Wicker has written a book that is a lot more thoughtful. well-researched (the sources/bibliography section is long and wonderful), and less than sensational than her title leads you to believe. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an innovative book that addresses the question of how consumers make decisions about what is good and what is bad in popular culture.

• An entertaining and informative guide to the range of aesthetic criteria that goes into judging mass culture's most celebrated texts and objects - from Batman to motor bikes, and pop stars to internet pornography

Customer Reviews (1)

quick driveby of popular culture
McKee takes us on a quick and informal survey of current popular American culture. The book was chapters by various authors, each on a particular famous object or person. One subject is which of the Batman short series comics is the best. The book suggests that it is "The Dark Knight Returns", which may already be familiar to some readers. Another chapter talks about who the best basketball player might be. The choice is Michael Jordan, which is probably correct.

As you can discern, the subject varies considerably between chapters. Another example is the choice of best action console game. Grand Theft Auto. Quite notorious to many fans and detractors.

The book won't take you long to read. ... Read more

Product Description
In this innovative study, six women and men from Eastern Indonesia narrate their own lives by talking about their possessions--domestic objects used to construct a coherent identity through a process of identificationand "self-historicizing." Janet Hoskins explores how things are given biographical significance and entangled in sexual politics, expressed indualistic metaphors where the familiar distinctions between person and object and female and male are drawn in unfamiliar ways. Biographical Objects is an ethnography of persons which takes the form of a study of things, showing how the object is not only a metaphor for the self but a pivot for reflexivity and introspection, a tool for autobiographic elaboration, a way of knowing oneself through things. ... Read more

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No description available ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

A must-have background reference for any thorough-going post-modernist criticism
I think most scholars and educators in the history of philosophy would put this in the top ten most important philosophical works of the latter half of the 20th Century, despite whether one largely agrees with Foucault's views or not.

This is because the work has had enormous influence not just in philosophy, but also in literary criticism, historiography, social psychology, theology, and a host of other disciplines within the humanities and social sciences.

What I think is interesting is that if you are either a friend or foe of deconstructionism, you will find plenty to appreciate in this book.In fact, even if you can't stand (or can't understand) what deconstruction is all about, you can safely give Foucault a try.Though very heavy reading, he is far more structured and organized in his argumentation than, say, Derrida.

If post-modern meta-theory (i.e. discussion of how we might take a step back and judge whether the very principles of how we form theories may be called into question) is of interest to you, in any field, then you probably will be glad for having read this book.

About this edition: It's a shame they did not keep the print of the painting, Las Meninas, on the cover -- as an older paperback version had borne.Foucault talks about this painting at length in the book, and there is no replacement for seeing it.A black-and-white print on the inside is not nearly as nice as the larger, color one that was on previous covers.

The key to postmodernism
This was an eye-opener for me. Not so much that Foucault's insights are convincing, but in reading him I achieved a first glimpse of how much of the language used by academic writers conversant in "theory" is taken from this book. After a little time spent reading this, I felt more comfortable with academic writing. Not so much that I understand better what the scholars are saying, but it's now clearer whom they are parroting. It consequently lets me know where an author's allegiance lies.

Amusing diversion
More a curiosity and an exploration in the mental discipline of standing rigor up to total relativism. Read this classic if you're (a) interested in the roots of the nascent deconstruction movement (b) thick skinned enough not to be distracted by the author's biases.

I read it out of a desire to see my suppositions challenged; it succeeded well for that.

Review specific to Random House / Vintage printing only
The 1994 Random House / Vintage edition astonishingly does not include an index.Without an index, the text is virtually useless for students and academics.One is forced to rely on Google Books in order to find terms in the text.If you intend to use this book for anything more than casual reading, avoid this edition.

read it
This book has dramatically changed the way I conceptualize reality.It is hard to follow but incredibly insightful. It will hurt to get through but once you do, you might consider practising your best Mr.Universe pose and claiming -- in the words of the the "Governator" --"No pain, no gain."

I recommend the following steps to understanding this book:
1) read once;
2) see a psychiatrist;
3) read again;
4) think;
5) read again
6) understand.

Im only considering step two. I might just skip it and go strait to step 3.

Good luck. ... Read more

Product Description
The popular radio talk-show host and right-wing reactionary speaks out on a variety of controversial issues, including AIDS, teenage sex, abortion, the environmental movement, Congress, the IRS, feminism, and more. 150,000 first printing. $75,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (130)

Almost 20yrs later
It's scary but ..After almost 20yrs, I decided to pull down my hardcover copy of the book, which I bought when it originally came out. I wanted to see how he stood the test of time on some issues. Would you believe that almost 20yrears later he's still relevant, elegant and right on the money?From class warfare, to Taxes, to the Environment. Rush Limbaugh's commentary in this book is STILL completely accurate.

Yes I'm aware that my statement will cause liberal heads everywhere to explode. that's fine..just do me a favor...ladies and gent..well can't really call them that since they tend to be rude beyond belief so how about boys and girls instead?Okay boys and girls if you're head is going to explode try and give me a little warning so I can put on my rain poncho. I don't want to spend my time doing laundry just to get the blood and brain stains out of my clothes.

That being said. By all means..if you don't own this book..why not? Get it and read it. I suspect some will be as pleasantly surprised as I was at how accurate it still is.

Why do people put up with his rudeness?
"The Ways Things Ought to Be".How would he know?He's an idiot.

I don't understand why some people put up with his rudeness to guests and callers.The American ideal and value is to let everyone speak their own opinions and be listened to respectfully, without interruption and/or deliberate misunderstanding.

All this talk about "conservatives" being "good guys" and "liberals" being "bad guys is a case of extreme stereotyping.Stereotypes are always inaccurate and unjust.Both groups, "conservatives" and "liberals" are composed of millions of individual human beings each with their own unique viewpoints & opinions.The American ideal and value is peaceful and willing cooperation and understanding between groups.

Real "liberals" are nothing like the stereotypes that these wannabe "culture warriors" are putting out.So the "cultural warriors" have an "us-vs-them" siege mentality (never a good thing) against an "enemy" that doesn't really exist; they had to invent one.The American ideal and value is to promote cooperation, understanding, and acceptance of persons as they really are as well as living honestly.

It is these American ideals & values that have made the USA the greatest nation on Earth.These ideals & values have made this country a free land, and it remains that to this day.I love the USA and am proud to be an American citizen.I consider myself a middle-of-the-road liberal with my own unique viewpoints and tangents.

Worth Reading Again.
I have had this book in my library for years. In light of where we are in this country, it's worth another read. Rush saw the light long before this country started down this socialist path that we are on.

The radio show in a book----witty
The way things ought to be, but cannot.Rush says, a radio show analyzes specific events within a time frame, thus making it difficult if not impossible to write a book in the same format.Even though his radio show is top notch I questioned whether he could write an effectual book.Rush quips he is no great writer.I would agree, nonetheless the book does impact by amplifying what the people believe; he is also witty, humorous, and gives good arguments.Actually, it reads like the radio show----not much is new.

The book begins with his early years as a disc jockey and the resurgence of AM talk radio.The short chapters are many, and some of the subjects Rush hits on are abortion, the absurd, Reagan and the eighties, congress, Hollywood, utopianism, the media, God, and of course, liberalism.He does not mince words, so at times he uses language that I found unnecessary in order to get the point across.His last words were, the Nation has no more money and liberalism is on the way out.This is where I think he is wrong: The government keeps finding money it doesn't have and liberalism seems to be surging.

I remember back in my mid twenties when I began to break from political liberalism: The Rush Limbaugh show was a major influence.Rush has his faults, but he is a man of wisdom and faith, a great thinker, and as far as a radio host goes, polite.He is a true crusader for freedom and liberty, and has become one of the most misunderstood and misquoted men of our time.

Lord bless
Scott

Rush's First Book
Rush Limbaugh wrote "The Way Things Ought to Be" in 1992, after his national radio show had been on for four years.In this book, El Rushbo tells the story of how his show went national and comments on many of the issues that were part of the national conversation in the early Nineties.While many of the issues are no longer topical, the principles Rush uses to address them are timeless.

As Limbaugh warned then and still warns now, the GOP gets into big trouble when it abandons those principles, as evidenced by the last eight years.The grandees of the Republican Party would do well to read this book and return to the conservative agenda that resulted in the historic victories of 1980 and 1994. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive and entertaining account of the most significant events, individuals, and social movements of African-American history is presented in a concise, easy-to-read format. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Good, But Narrow In Scope
Although "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History" is a great way to learn about how people of African descent have shaped America, it is sorely lacking in information about other races. Why not mention the many contributions made by Asian Americans or Irish Americans? I just feel that the book is a bit ethnic-centric, and focuses almost entirely on the African American experience, to the detriment of other racial experiences in America. I can only hope that an Asian American or Irish American child doesn't read this book and come away with the impression that their own racial groups didn't have anything to offer America.
Perhaps an updated edition can come out which doesn't ignore other ethnicities' history so blatantly.

1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History
Great book - would recommend to others.Shipped timely and was in the condition as stated. Would buy from this vendor again.

Joe
I think that this book is to the point and has a lot of information.

1001 Things Everyone Should Know About African American History
Because African American History is inexorably intertwined with American History, this is a must read book for all Americans. The history that one may have been taught is incomplete without incorporating African American History into the entire fabric of American History.

Good information but details are missing
This book is a great source of Black history. I have the 1996 edition, and noticed that Carter G. Woodson and details about the Black Wall Street in Oklahoma are missing. How could the Father of Black History not be included in any book with Black History facts? The Black Wall Street is one of the biggest tales of Black wealth, and it too is missing. The missing info is disturbing. ... Read more

Product Description
This study draws on the author's long standing interest in the reification of social relations. Its rationale lies in the question about property, ownership and knowledge which these essays bring together. If the world is shrinking in terms of resources and access to them, it is expanding in terms of new candidates for ownership. The essays touch both on the claims people make through relations with other imagined as relations of body substances, and on the increasing visibility of conceptual or intellectual work as property. Whether one lives in Papua New Guinea or Britain, cultural categories are being dissolved and reformed at a tempo that calls for reflection - and for the kind of lateral reflection afforded by ethnographic insight. ... Read more

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Product Description

Whether enemy or ally, demon or god, the source of satisfaction or the root of all earthly troubles, the penis has forced humanity to wrestle with its enduring mysteries. Here, in an enlightening and entertaining cultural study, is a book that gives context to the central role of the penis in Western civilization.

A man can hold his manhood in his hand, but who is really gripping whom? Is the penis the best in man -- or the beast? How is man supposed to use it? And when does that use become abuse? Of all the bodily organs, only the penis forces man to confront such contradictions: something insistent yet reluctant, a tool that creates but also destroys, a part of the body that often seems apart from the body. This is the conundrum that makes the penis both hero and villain in a drama that shapes every man -- and mankind along with it.

In A Mind of Its Own, David M. Friedman shows that the penis is more than a body part. It is an idea, a conceptual but flesh-and-blood measuring stick of man's place in the world. That men have a penis is a scientific fact; how they think about it, feel about it, and use it is not. It is possible to identify the key moments in Western history when a new idea of the penis addressed the larger mystery of man's relationship with it and changed forever the way that organ was conceived of and put to use. A Mind of Its Own brilliantly distills this complex and largely unexamined story.

Deified by the pagan cultures of the ancient world and demonized by the early Roman church, the organ was later secularized by pioneering anatomists such as Leonardo da Vinci. After being measured "scientifically" in an effort to subjugate some races while elevating others, the organ was psychoanalyzed by Sigmund Freud. As a result, the penis assumed a paradigmatic role in psychology -- whether the patient was equipped with the organ or envied those who were. Now, after being politicized by feminism and exploited in countless ways by pop culture, the penis has been medicalized. As no one has before him, Friedman shows how the arrival of erection industry products such as Viagra is more than a health or business story. It is the latest -- and perhaps final -- chapter in one of the longest sagas in human history: the story of man's relationship with his penis.

A Mind of Its Own charts the vicissitudes of that relationship through its often amusing, occasionally alarming, and never boring course. With intellectual rigor and a healthy dose of wry humor, David M. Friedman serves up one of the most thought-provoking, significant, and readable cultural works in years.Amazon.com Review
David M. Friedman's A Mind of Its Own is a cultural examination of the penis, from ancient Sumer to the present. Friedman convincingly suggests that humankind's various and contradictory attitudes toward the penis have been instrumental in mapping the course of both Western civilization and world history.

Friedman begins with pagan attitudes: ancient Greeks considered the penis a measure of a man's proximity to "divine power," while the Romans, whose generals were known to promote soldiers based on penis size, saw it as an indicator of earthly strength. Thanks to the spread of Christianity, the "sacred staff became the demon rod"--a fearful manifestation of the devil. Theology gave way, grudgingly, to science. In the Renaissance, anatomical discoveries allowed for the possibility that this "agent of death" was, in fact, only a "blameless instrument of reproduction." Subsequent chapters discuss the penis's role as a racial yardstick; its "defining role in human personality" as asserted by Freud; its politicization;and finally, through the likes of Viagra, its objectification as a "thing ... impervious to religious teachings, psychological insights, racial stereotypes and feminist criticism."

Friedman's study of what he calls the "symbolic muscle" is filled with fascinating side trips (castration cults, ancient graffiti, the anti-masturbation "semen-retention movement," aphrodisiacs through the ages, and, to modern eyes, risible medical practices with the likes of monkey glands), as well as a rich cast of characters (Leonardo da Vinci, John Kellogg of cornflake fame, Kate Millet, Clarence Thomas, and Walt Whitman). The book is informal, but well researched (and documented), entertaining but not cute, wide-ranging but not sketchy, and simultaneously irreverent and respectful. --H. O'Billovitch ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

interesting historiography
*A Mind of Its Own* started off fantastic, opening with how witches were burned for having contact with the "devil's rod".However, the book's ending wasn't quite as great, concluding with impotence and Viagra.

Friedman presented how the penis was viewed, throughout history, through various lens: historical, social, religious, psychological, medical and feminist.My only problem with this book was that the last half was mostly medical (Freud, psychology, psychoanalysis, penile reconstruction, testicular transplants, impotence, etc.).So, the end became a little dry.

There were a lot of information and tidbits that I didn't know about the penis.I'm sure that we're familiar about the Greek and Roman's view on and culture around the penis.However, there are so much more to know about these people.The pagan and the religious views were interesting as well.It was amazing to see that the early Christians had numerous dialogues on the penis, especially the semen.

I was very interested in reading about the history of the correlation between penis size and race.This wasn't about how a race or an ethnic group have been stereotyped on their penis size.It was more about the white view of the black penis and how they responded to it.

The feminist view on the penis was enlightening.I've always wanted to know exactly how it started and it pretty much made sense.However, it was interesting to see how the penis have divided women among themselves, despite them being avowed feminists.

I think there are so much more that Friedman could have covered in the cultural history of the penis.I wish that Friedman had included the pop cultural view of the penis.I can only think of one example that Friedman did.He mentioned Robert Mapplethorne's (sp?) (who was gay) controversial photo of a semi-erect black penis.Speaking of gay, I'm surprised that Friedman didn't bring up the homosexual view of the penis.

Nonetheless, you're going to read about so many people who have made a contribution or an impact on the penis. Such people are Da Vinci, Thomas Clarence, Freud and so many more.If you've always been curious how the penis have been viewed throughout history, then this book is for you.

Wow!
I learned a whole lot about the history of the Penius that they don't tell you anywhere else! And I'm only in Chapter 2! Nicely written and easy to follow. Reads like a story rather than a weighty text book.

Got Penis?
Ok, those who get squeamish over penis need not apply here.This book is covered in it from cover to cover, and men and women alike will find this an interesting dissection of it.The author gives us a history lesson in the penis from ancient times to the current day erectile dysfunction boom.He focuses quite a bit on Mr. Frued, obviously for the fact that this man was penile fixed and injected his theories right into modern day psychology textbooks.I found the most interesting part regarding the racial penis, as it was a new look at racism in America and abroad.

I was a bit disappointed that the book didn't include much pop culture regarding the penis.However, the areas the author chose to look at were very appropriate and provided new insight on that organ both men and women find fascinating.

More Than Expected
I had seen this book on Amazon before and by-passed it, thinking that it would be little more than an anthology of dick stories, past and present.Do not make that mistake.This is a well-researched book that investigates the religious, scientific, racial, political and psychological dimensions - pun intended- of the penis throughout Western History, from Ancient Greece to Viagra.On the other hand, do not fret that it is a dry tome;the author presents the material in an entertaining manner with just the right amount of ribaldry.So interesting is the book that I read the entire 300+ pages in two sittings.

a wonderful and wonderfully thorough book
it's not often i pick up a non-fiction book as engrossing and entertaining as this one.it was like a novel i didn't want to put down until i finished it.friedman presents a wonderfully detailed overview of, as the title promises, the cultural history of the penis.this includes the place of the penis in religious history, freudian psychoanalysis, feminist theory, racism, and psychopharmacology.the author provides enough background and context that it's like reading a well-constructued primer on each of those subject areas.most highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Molotch takes us on a fascinating exploration into the worlds of technology, design, corporate and popular culture. We now see how corporations, designers, retailers, advertisers, and other middle-men influence what a thing can be and how it is made. We see the way goods link into ordinary life as well as vast systems of consumption, economic and political operation. Thebook is a meditation into the meaning of the stuff in our lives and what that stuff says about us. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Why some designs remain the same and some are constantly changing
Where Stuff Comes From: How Toasters, Toilets, Cars, Computers, And Many Other Things Came To Be As They Are isn't just a review of invention history: Molotch spoke with product designs, marketers, and everyone involved in making everyday products part of our lives, surveying design options, the psychology behind consumer choices, and more. The origins of each product involve a life and evolutionary process: Molotch explains why some designs remain the same and some are constantly changing.

A must read
Harvey Molotch gets network thinking. More than that, he does it. In his book, "Where Stuff Comes From", he shows, with brilliant simplicity, the complex web of interactions that lie behind creation and production of the everyday stuff that surrounds us. This is a book that every thinking designer should read. Actually, it's a book that anyone who cares about the world we live in should read. Sensible, humane and thoughtful, it brightened up my day. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Media scare tactics
I knew that the media exaggerated certain situations in the news but I had no idea how far off statistically these concerns are from the truth.What this book does is not only show what the problem isn't, but what the true problems are that we need to address. The real problems are getting lost because they are more complicated than what can be said in scary sound bites and harder to solve.This book helps to put all the, supposedly, scary things into perspective.I consider myself a skeptic but I watch alot of media and some of it got by me this book helped me to sort it out. ... Read more

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THE TIPPING POINT is the biography of an idea, and the idea is quite simple. It is that many of the problems we face - from crime to teenage delinquency to traffic jams - behave like epidemics. They aren't linear phenomena in the sense that they steadily and predictably change according to the level of effort brought to bear against them. They are capable of sudden and dramatic changes in direction. Years of well-intentioned intervention may have no impact at all, yet the right intervention - at just the right time - can start a cascade of change. Many of the social ills that face us today, in other words, are as inherently volatile as the epidemics that periodically sweep through the human population: little things can cause them to 'tip' at any time and if we want to understand how to confront and solve them we have to understand what those 'Tipping Points' are. In this revolutionary new study, Malcolm Gladwell explores the ramifications of this. Not simply for politicians and policy-makers, his method provides a new way of viewing everyday experience and enables us to develop strategies for everything from raising a child to running a company.Amazon.com Review
"The best way to understand the dramatic transformation of unknown books into bestsellers, or the rise of teenage smoking, or the phenomena of word of mouth or any number of the other mysterious changes that mark everyday life," writes Malcolm Gladwell, "is to think of them as epidemics. Ideas and products and messages and behaviors spread just like viruses do." Although anyone familiar with the theory of memetics will recognize this concept, Gladwell's The Tipping Point has quite a few interesting twists on the subject.

For example, Paul Revere was able to galvanize the forces of resistance so effectively in part because he was what Gladwell calls a "Connector": he knew just about everybody, particularly the revolutionary leaders in each of the towns that he rode through. But Revere "wasn't just the man with the biggest Rolodex in colonial Boston," he was also a "Maven" who gathered extensive information about the British. He knew what was going on and he knew exactly whom to tell. The phenomenon continues to this day--think of how often you've received information in an e-mail message that had been forwarded at least half a dozen times before reaching you.

Gladwell develops these and other concepts (such as the "stickiness" of ideas or the effect of population size on information dispersal) through simple, clear explanations and entertainingly illustrative anecdotes, such as comparing the pedagogical methods of Sesame Street and Blue's Clues, or explaining why it would be even easier to play Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon with the actor Rod Steiger. Although some readers may find the transitional passages between chapters hold their hands a little too tightly, and Gladwell's closing invocation of the possibilities of social engineering sketchy, even chilling, The Tipping Point is one of the most effective books on science for a general audience in ages. It seems inevitable that "tipping point," like "future shock" or "chaos theory," will soon become one of those ideas that everybody knows--or at least knows by name. --Ron Hogan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1148)

Fun Facts but Mostly Anecdotal
The Tipping Point can be a fun read but not as substantive as Gladwell's other popular titles such as Outliers. His work is based on personal observations and case studies, not on scientific evidence. His over simplification of some social behaviors only takes away from the complexity of the issues themselves. A pleasant read overall with many interesting stories.

A very vivid explanation of diffusion
A good and very vivid book for marketing professionals. The book explains with very clear and concrete example how the diffusion of innovation happens and how information and word of month is transferred.
A must read for any person working on marketing or PR

The point
The Tipping Point

The book shows three majors agents of changing, they are:

-The law of few: there is one of few people that start everything, the influence factor. There are three majors' categories of few:
Connector: People that have the ability to connect people to the world.
Mavens: information specialist. They have a great knowledge in the market, and their point of view is respect and influent to the market.
Salesman: Persuaders, they try to uses their charisma in order to influence the market and sell it.
The author has used the principles from Pareto to explain that 20% controls the remaining 80% of the market.

- The stickiness factor: There is something that stays in the mind of people, could be logos, jingles, TV or Radio advertise. So this will trigger the new trend. And be to able to captivated new consumers and sustain repeat business.

-The power of context: This is a combination of the two prior factors. The company should dominate all contexts in order to succeed. In order to achieve its goals a company must understand its products or services and the markets that they are competing.

I agree with Gladwell, the author of the book. The success of a venture is related to the level of understanding that the business has in itself. To achieve our market share goals we should know what is best the strategy that we can influence the market, and we should this strategy to pursue it goals.The decision maker of the venture must get what kind of market it must be implant to start this influence. So information about the market is crucial to success.

An easy read
The tipping point was a very well written book. It was easy to understand the concepts the author wrote. He uses examples that are very effective with reinforcing his points. I believe this book would be best read by an individual who enjoys understanding how people and society react to each other. I do feel though the author was trying to write more than what was needed, almost as if the publisher had certain amount of pages needed for the book to be published. Some of the examples the author used were understood within the first couple of pages and yet the author decided to write more to drill the idea into your head. I would have much rather the author have made the final chapters called `Backup' for those readers who needed additional examples to understand the concepts.

cool~
There is an old saying in China: a camel that shoulders lots of goods and it can move very slowly. However, if you put one more straw on its back, probably the camel will fall down. In my opinion, this is a tipping point which means a very small thing can have a huge impact on the whole thing. Gladwell (author) expresses three sectors in his book: the law of the few, the stickiness factor, and the power of context. In the law of the few part, Gladwell has the opinion that connector, maven, and salesman are three crucial parts during the information transmission period. I think maven is the most important role in the three parts. Also, a good maven is very difficult to find. You will find it is easier to do business and make you well known once you have a sound maven circle. In the stickiness factor part, Gladwell emphasizes on how to put information into people's mind. Finally, Gladwell talks about the power of context. He has the idea that surroundings do have great impacts on humans' thoughts as well as behaviors. In Gladwell's mind, it is not wise to create surroundings but to utilize trends of the changes of surroundings' in order to activate the "epidemic".

Unlike many books or business reviews which I have read before, in my mind, this book is different because that I can take advantages of many ideas in this book in my daily life. When I see the law of the few, the Chinese NBA star Yao (a player in Houston Rocket) comes into my mind. In the advertisement of "Gatorade", Yao does a good salesman job. He influences almost every Chinese despite his/her job or age. For example, people under the age of 25, they worship Yao because he does an excellent job in the NBA. The old people they also like Yao for the reason that Yao does many charity jobs in China. During the activities named "basketball campaign on campus", he is a good connector: "Gatorade" was not a famous brand in China before, however, much more people know this brand after the "basketball campaign on campus" activities due to Yao's efforts. What is more, many students in China do love basketball. Lots of them are Yao's fans. Inevitably, some mavens come out. They do lots of researches on Yao's statistics, what is more, Yao's habit. Once they know Yao likes drinking "Gatorade", they will learn many things about this drink. There is no doubt that these mavens will drink "Gatorade" and recommend this sports drink to their relatives, friends, and people who are unfamiliar with them.

In one word, this book is very useful for business people. By reading it, we know how little things can change a lot. Also, we know connector, maven, and salesman do exist and their voices are important for any business. What is more, sometimes, if you are able to think beyond your conventional thought, probably you will find a different world (case: "38 people saw an accident and no one reported"). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Completely useless as a biographical work
Anyone who is interested in reading about the real life of Alf Wight, aka James Herriot, should avoid this book. It is full of major factual inaccuracies, all of which stem from the author's lack of research. Sternlicht makes the fundamental mistake of assuming that the Herriot books are accurate autobiography, which they are not - Alf Wight deliberately fictionalised many aspects of his life in order to try and preserve his anonymity as much as possible.

Read this book if you want to believe in the fictional "James Herriot universe", but if you want to read an accurate, factual account of the life of the real Alf Wight, read The Real James Herriot: A Memoir of My Father by Jim Wight.

Shameless Research
The author of this ' book ' is a part-time professor of English. You would think with this in mind that he might have bothered to get his facts correct. James Herriot was a wonderful man, and deserved his story to be told with accuracy. The author of this book should be ashamed. Don't waste your money, there are so many better things to read.

Inaccurate book
This book can not be considered non-fiction. The book is full of inaccuracies. So many in fact that the book is useless as a biography of Alf Wight aka James Herriot. Sternlicht shows Wight graduating college in 1937 but in another part of the book the date is listed as 1938. The correct date is 1939. The author also claims that Wight was in the RAF from 1943-1945 when it was actually 1941-1943. He even has the name of his son wrong listing it as Nicholas James when it's James Alexander. There are many more inaccuracies in this book which makes it wise to avoid reading it.

"All Things Herriot" is all things bright and beautiful
I would just like to say that I have been a fan of the great James Herriot and his writings for many years. His books have transported me to places of green pastures and bittersweet memories of the English countryside and theanimals that lived there. This book, "All Things Herriot: JamesHerriot and His Peaceable Kingdom" has captured the reality behind theman who had brought us down those craggy pathways to the sweet,heartwrentching stories of our animal friends. Thank you for this book andfor helping us to better know the man behind it all.

A comprehensive, illuminating critical /literary biography!
All Things Herriot: James Herriot and His Peaceable Kingdom is just what its title implies: a comprehensive overview of all of the works of James Herriot (pen name of James Alfred Wight),skillfully interwoven with abiography of the famous veterinarian/writer. The book's author, SanfordSternlicht, is a professor of English at Syracuse University and was for atime a Visiting Fellow at York University; his perspective on Herriot andon his beloved Yorkshire is informed and fine-tuned, and the tone of AllThings Herriot is on the whole warm and appreciative. Sternlicht examinesall of Herriot's major works, as well as his compilations and juvenilepublications. He points out the unifying themes in all these works in avery clear and direct way --the recurrent archetypal stories of birth,life, and death (which, as archetypes, will forever have universal appealand will stand up well to repeated readings), and Herriot's message thatsuffering (animal and human) is "...the great, perennial challenge toall our humanity. Our response to suffering is ultimately how, as societiesand individuals, we are to be judged." (All Things Herriot, p.76)Other facets of Herriot's appeal, which Sternlicht brings to the fore sowell, include his beautifully-drawn and intricate portraits of theYorkshire people, and of course, the animals, as well as Herriot'sseemingly limitless store of heart-wrenching, gorgeous descriptions of thewild beauty of Yorkshire itself. This critical/literary biography nevertalks down to the reader, and more than once I pulled out my trustydictionary to ascertain the full meaning of a passage -- but I enjoylearning new things and I'm sure that most readers will find this astimulating read! Sternlicht's style is direct and immediate and colorful(not unlike Herriot's!), and I found it a joy to read. It made me want tore-read all the Herriot books, armed as I am with so much new understandingof Herriot and his world.This is a must for all Herriot fans and forthose who have yet to discover his work. It is a fascinating and thoroughportrait of not only a caring healer, a professional in his field, but (amazingly) a very gifted storyteller as well. ... Read more