Books

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time

Average customer rating:

Mortenson for President! (And the Nobel Peace Prize)!!
Inspiring optimism
read this book
Three Cups of Tea: one man's mission to promote peace...
I concur, a Nobel Peace Prize for Mortenson

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
Greg Mortenson , and David Oliver Relin
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143038257

Book Description

The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban's backyard

Anyone who despairs of the individual's power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan's treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson's quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.

Customer Reviews:

Mortenson for President! (And the Nobel Peace Prize)!!.......2007-06-28

This is one of the most amazing books I have ever come across. Mortenson's humanitarian mission and all of the remarkable journeys he embarks upon to realize his dream are so astonishing that it's hard to believe this is a non-fictional account. His story is beautifully written with a perfect blend of history, facts, narrative, and emotion. All of the characters are captivating and each individual's role in achieving Mortenson's goal is eloquently captured. This book should be found not only in classrooms and libraries worldwide, but in the hands of politicians and soldiers as well. Mortenson's incredible mission to "promote peace...one school at a time" is a brilliant and exemplary way to establish the foundations of peace and harmony for generations to come. Countless humanitarians, scholars, and anti-war activists discuss education as the key to establishing enduring peace, but Mortenson has the heart and courage to actually put such idealistic thoughts into action. The path he is paving towards world peace is admirable in its tenacity and beautiful in its simplicity. His passion and dedication to the most isolated and impoverished of people is moving and inspirational. Three Cups of Tea provides a much needed glimmer of hope for our future.

Inspiring optimism.......2007-06-27

I absolutely love this book! I own 9 copies of it and pass it around to everyone! This story of what one man can do to change the perception of American in the Muslim world is so inspiring. My children are also inspired and are doing a fund raising event this summer to send money to "Pennies for Peace", which is a fundraising arm of this grass-roots organization. Please read, be inspired, and make a donation to The Central Asia Institute. The awesome work they do cannot be done without private funding.

read this book.......2007-06-27

In a world full of discouraging news, this book provides hope. We can all contribute in different ways to promoting the good in humanity internationally. I recommend this book highly and have purchased it for many friends.

Three Cups of Tea: one man's mission to promote peace..........2007-06-27

This is one of the most thought provoking, hard-to-put-down books I have ever read. As a christian, it has changed my entire thinking about Islam and how we should go about stemming terrorism . A must read for every American. Greg Mortenson is a true World Hero.

I concur, a Nobel Peace Prize for Mortenson.......2007-06-26

I just finished the book and I have been electrified by the passion for his Purpose that Mortenson lives. I am sure to him it is all just what he needs to do next. But for those of us still wandering around the mountain in the fog wondering just what we are supposed to do with this life, he is an inspiration and a vivid demonstration of what just one person can do in this world.
And Kudos to him and Relin for writing the story so well. It is as light, hair raising and riveting as it is clear and immediate.

Average customer rating:

Informative
"Please drive up to the window"
Do you want fries with that?
Fascinating and eye-opening look at fast food.
GREAT!

Fast Food Nation
Eric Schlosser
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Super Size Me

ASIN: 0060838582
Release Date: 2005-07-05

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

On any given day, one out of four Americans opts for a quick and cheap meal at a fast-food restaurant, without giving either its speed or its thriftiness a second thought. Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. But the industry's drive for consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America's diet, landscape, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser, an award-winning journalist, opens his ambitious and ultimately devastating exposé with an introduction to the iconoclasts and high school dropouts, such as Harlan Sanders and the McDonald brothers, who first applied the principles of a factory assembly line to a commercial kitchen. Quickly, however, he moves behind the counter with the overworked and underpaid teenage workers, onto the factory farms where the potatoes and beef are grown, and into the slaughterhouses run by giant meatpacking corporations. Schlosser wants you to know why those French fries taste so good (with a visit to the world's largest flavor company) and "what really lurks between those sesame-seed buns." Eater beware: forget your concerns about cholesterol, there is--literally--feces in your meat.

Schlosser's investigation reaches its frightening peak in the meatpacking plants as he reveals the almost complete lack of federal oversight of a seemingly lawless industry. His searing portrayal of the industry is disturbingly similar to Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, written in 1906: nightmare working conditions, union busting, and unsanitary practices that introduce E. coli and other pathogens into restaurants, public schools, and homes. Almost as disturbing is his description of how the industry "both feeds and feeds off the young," insinuating itself into all aspects of children's lives, even the pages of their school books, while leaving them prone to obesity and disease. Fortunately, Schlosser offers some eminently practical remedies. "Eating in the United States should no longer be a form of high-risk behavior," he writes. Where to begin? Ask yourself, is the true cost of having it "your way" really worth it? --Lesley Reed

Book Description

Fast food has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm between rich and poor, fueled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad. That's a lengthy list of charges, but Eric Schlosser makes them stick with an artful mix of first-rate reportage, wry wit, and careful reasoning.

Schlosser's myth-shattering survey stretches from California's subdivisions, where the business was born, to the industrial corridor along the New Jersey Turnpike, where many of fast food's flavors are concocted. Along the way, he unearths a trove of fascinating, unsettling truths -- from the unholy alliance between fast food and Hollywood to the seismic changes the industry has wrought in food production, popular culture, and even real estate.

Customer Reviews:

Informative.......2007-06-09

The book is very informative about not only what is put in the food but also how the companies formed, and how it affects society. I worked in the fast food industry and have seen the high turn over rate that occurs. I also know that the companies isn't that sanitary. No hairnets, no gloves, I have witness someone sneeze on their hands and continue making the burger. The same oil used to fry the certain meat is the same used to fry the fries and as a vegan that didn't jive well.

The book although focusing on the fast food companies agenda and inner workings did bring to light that many of your food is not handled properly not just at the slaughterhouse but when it gets to the location as well. It is a book that everyone should read, because if everyone was aware of the events and demanded a change, it would happen.

"Please drive up to the window".......2007-06-06

The first time I read this book, I was working at a fast food joint. Every time I put one of those carnation pink waffles on the grill, all I could think about were the people of Greely, CO and what they went through to make sure that the people whining at the tills get their double cheeseburger. I never realized what went into those combo meals and even though I had a thankless job. After my expeirences in combination with reading this book, I will never work fast food again since everyone looses in the equasion.

Do you want fries with that?.......2007-06-06

This book makes a persuasive case for rethinking the way that America feeds itself. Mr Schlosser has gathered the evidence and is unrelenting in his condemnation of the behavior of the fast food giants. We are taken on a tour of the fast food industry and it isn't pretty!

The saddest part for me was to discover that Subway, which could reasonably be described as a healthier fast food option, is one of the worst companies in terms of the way it treats its franchisees.

We need healthy fast food which provides a fair living for the workers and decent nutrition for the consumer. Not too much to ask, you would have thought...

Fascinating and eye-opening look at fast food........2007-06-01

Wow. What can I say about this other than it really opened my eyes to what I was eating. I am not in the best shape of my life but recently rededicated myself to getting more exercise and eating right. In the past I have tried some fad diets and they would work for a time but they would eventually wear off. This time I decided to take a slightly different approach. I decided to really LEARN what I was eating. And this book told me a lot about what was in those burgers.

I was listening to a Diggnation episode and Kevin Rose mentioned this book so I took a look. From the first chapter to the last, I was totally fascinated with it. The book discusses the history of fast food restaurants, the meatpacking industry and other related areas. It gave me insight into the food production. Now I have more reason to NOT want to eat fast food.

As far as the writing goes, I really enjoyed it. The author spent a lot of time researching and including lots of interesting information. Some of it was disgusting (wait to you read what is really in that McD's hamburger) but it was interesting. The author's style was very easy to read and not dry or boring at any point.

If you want to really learn about what you are eating when you go to McDonalds, Burger King or other fast food joints, I HIGHLY recommend you read this book. As I said above, it is truly eye-opening.

GREAT!.......2007-05-19

An important subject written about ease and skill. Schlosser lets the facts speak for themselves, and the facts are horrifying. This book ranks up there with SILENT SPRING and THE JUNGLE. A must read!

The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America

Average customer rating:

Excellent, readable, and more widely applicable beyond tobacco
One of the best books of the year
A must read!
Outstanding - A contribution to your understanding of America
a must-read

The Cigarette Century: The Rise, Fall, and Deadly Persistence of the Product That Defined America
Allan M. Brandt
Manufacturer: Basic Books
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Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0465070477

Book Description

The definitive history of the cigarette, the product that shaped twentieth-century America--from modern advertising to science, from regulatory politics to our sense of glamour and style.

The industrial manufacture of cigarettes began in the late nineteenth century, but it wasn't until the invention of the modern consumer, advertising campaign--pioneered by cigarette brands--that the product really took off at the turn of the century. The cigarette became an indispensable accessory of glamour and sex appeal: from Marlene Dietrich to Humphrey Bogart to Anne Bancroft, we have imagined stars with cigarettes in their mouths, and imitated them.

The cigarette--the ultimate icon of our consumer culture--serves as a vehicle for historian Allan Brandt to explore critical aspects of American life. From agriculture to big business, from medicine to politics, The Cigarette Century shows how smoking came to be so deeply implicated in our culture, science, policy, and law. In this magisterial book, Brandt demonstrates how the cigarette reflects the most powerful debates of our time about risk, responsibility, and human health. The Cigarette Century reaches across many disciplines to form a broad and compelling synthesis, showing how one humble (and largely useless) product came to play such a dominant role in our lives and deaths.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent, readable, and more widely applicable beyond tobacco.......2007-06-20

This is an excellent book, and not just about cigarettes. As evidence of the "persistence" part of the title, candy-flavored cigarettes have a clear target market (<18 year-old). RJ Reynolds agreed in 2006 *not* to call them luscious names like "Twista Lime", "Mandarin Mint" ... but they can still *sell* them.

So, 40+ years after "The Surgeon General has determined..." in 1964, this is still an issue. SG Luther Terry's political skillfulness in getting that report to happen added him to my list of heroes.

This book is much more widely applicable, because it ably chronicles distortion and obfuscation of science by economic and political interests.

Some kinds of scientific proof depend on long efforts to accumulate evidence, need good statistical analysis. Such are not amenable to simple lab experiments, and even when they are, may well not be ethical. ("Here: try this: we want to see if you get cancer" is properly not done.) Topics whose science is of this sort can be prone to long, drawn-out fights, especially when the scientific results threaten strong interests whose best approach is controversy and confusion.

The conflicts over sulfates:acid rain and CFCs:ozone depletion resemble smoking:disease, but the clearest parallel with the latter is the battle over CO2: human-induced global warming.

In both cases, there were:
A) people who believed something (and sometimes exaggerated) well in advance of the science (anti-tobacco moralists, global warming alarmists), and sometimes irritated others by their stridency.

B) people who had economic interests (tobacco companies, oil companies), who took very strong (but opposing) positions. These were sometimes joined by people with ideological reasons for minimizing government regulation.

C) Scientists, who take years to collect good evidence, are careful in their conclusions, but who struggle to be heard though masses of disinformation generated by B), and sometimes wince at exaggerations from A), even as scientific results starts to approach A)'s views.

In both cases, industry funded think-tanks, lobbyists, and a tiny handful of scientists to cast doubt on the science, using similar tactics, and often, employed by the same organizations and people.

As a result Brandt's book is a dandy case study on the twisty interactions of science, economics, and politics, and its lessons may help us analyze other contentious issues as well.

One of the best books of the year.......2007-06-17

Allan Brandt's new book, "The Cigarette Century", is as comprehensive a study on one subject as I've seen in a long time. Written crisply and authoritatively, Brandt covers the tobacco industry from the end of the nineteenth century through today with cigarettes as his main focus. What he has researched, uncovered and passed onto the reader in an expansive (yet truly condensed) form is terrific. His book is a blockbuster.

Cigarettes have been around for a long while in the United States but not until James Bonsack's rolling machine came into play in 1881 (churning out 200 cigarettes per minute) could they be distributed on a wide-scale basis. It wasn't until World War I, however, that the national demand for the product really took off, and did it ever! Brandt's book is a parallel study of American sociological history of the twentieth century as cigarettes have been at the center of so much of our cultural life. Women began smoking in earnest in the 1920s and Hollywood added its own weight with countless movie stars puffing away in countless films to remind the public of the "joys" of smoking. Advertisements abounded and cigarettes were here to stay.

Along came the 1950s and things began to change. This is where Brandt's book really takes off as he begins to shape the "controversy" between the industry and those determined to warn Americans of the risks of smoking. The Surgeon General's report of 1964 declaring smoking to be hazardous to one's health (later packaging warnings reminded the smoker of the same) was a big first step as the public was beginning to question the safety of cigarettes. While more and more research on the dangers of cigarette smoking was made public, the tobacco companies fought tooth and nail to assure Americans that all was well. Lawsuits began to be filed on an increasing level yet the industry was always one step ahead of its detractors. Tobacco companies insisted that safety was a primary concern, but being "remarkably effective in resisting serious health initiatives", they were not. Brandt concludes "we now know a good deal about how this goal was achieved: a careful mixture of reassurance, half-truths, innovative public relations, disinformation, and deception." Calling their actions "the crime of the century", (the title of his epilogue) the author has, by this point, made a careful and compelling argument for that chapter's title.

In my lifetime there have been three major social changes that I've noticed, one being that there are many fewer smokers today in the United States than when I was being raised. Yet, as Brandt points out, tobacco companies learned that if they can't sell as many cigarettes at home they'll export them...with no regard to the health of other nations' citizens. The industry seems to be winning again at the expense of those whose health fails after using their product, creating a pandemic just under the radar screen.

I highly recommend Allan Brandt's "The Cigarette Century". It's an eye-opener, extremely well-written and well-paced, and will either give you a new angle at which to look at cigarettes or reinforce the thoughts you may have had already. I think it is one of the best books of the year.

A must read!.......2007-05-01

I recently picked up this book and wondered if it would be just another pretty cover. What I found was a thorough and eye-opening account of the tobacco industry. I highly recommend this book to history buffs or anyone who is interested in learning about a product that defined this century.

Outstanding - A contribution to your understanding of America.......2007-04-26

Read this book. Read this book if you wish to be an educated citizen. Brandt provides a well thought out discussion of the collision between cigarettes and our consumer culture. I found that the "behind the scenes" look at the activities of a major industy left me with questions about other industries, such as autos and drugs. Perhaps Ralph Nader needs to update "Unsafe at Any Speed". Hopefully Mr. Brandt will write a follow up with more of the details of how Congress was unable to control the cigarette industry.

a must-read.......2007-04-26

Picked this up after seeing the author on Book TV, and very glad I did.
The (well-told) stories in here will enrage you--what dirty dealers the cigarette industry employs! I only wish that the book had included some of the stories about banning smoking in movies, which seems to be the hot new topic, at least in CA. (Though probably *too* new, even for a just-published book.)
One of the best books I've read this year.

The Great Bust Ahead: The Greatest Depression in American and UK History is Just Several Short Years Away. This is your Concise Reference Guide to Understanding Why and How Best to Survive It

Average customer rating:

Excellent Read
Pretty interesting read
Apocalypse maybe!
A WARNING FOR THE USA , UK AND THE WORLD
A CONCISE, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, BLUNT WARNING

The Great Bust Ahead: The Greatest Depression in American and UK History is Just Several Short Years Away. This is your Concise Reference Guide to Understanding Why and How Best to Survive It
Daniel A. Arnold
Manufacturer: Vorago-US
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ASIN: 159196153X

Book Description

The Great Bust Ahead is a concise, straight to the point book laying out in stark terms the case for a coming depression of historically unprecedented magnitude. It will be much worse than the 1930s, beginning perhaps as early as 2009-2010, and last up to thirteen years. Centered on hard fact demographics, the book boldly claims that the data presented are so irrefutable, that the outcome predicted by the book is equally as irrefutable. The compelling proof presented accurately accounts for the detailed trend of the economy from 1920 to today (something never before accomplished), and projects out to 2030 in detail. The book is very easy to read and understand, and requires no prior knowledge of economics. Down to earth things the average person can do to prepare for what is coming are covered. A summary of the catastrophic domestic social and international consequences is offered.

2006 Update: In late 2002 when this book was published, in addition to the massive depression beginning towards the end of the decade, it forecast:
1. The economy, as reflected by the DJIA, would resume its upwards march in late 2002 or 2003. This is exactly what happened.
2. The DJIA would have a snap-back to 13,000 to 14,000 and the FTSE to 6,000 to 7,000 by 2004, but delayed possibly by wars/politics/terrorism/scandals. This is exactly what has happened. Although still delayed from the full snap-back for the reasons described, the DJIA is now over 12,000 and the FTSE is over 6,000.
3. The inflation adjusted DJIA returns from 2003 to 2012 would average 7% to 8%. So far, with the delayed full snap-back, inflation adjusted DJIA returns have averaged a more modest 4%, as would be expected.
4. Interest rates would increase from 2003 onwards. This is exactly what has happened.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Read.......2007-05-14

Pros:
1. Brief: to the point, no fluff book(let)
2. Logical: Numbers support theory all along
3. Simple: Easy to understand
4. Value: Could save your shirt

Cons:
1. May sound too negative
2. May not consider all factors into forecasting

Pretty interesting read.......2007-05-12

This book and the argument that it lays out is pretty eye-opening. It shows you, through logical argument, how the demographics of our country will impact our coming future economic health. With these baby-boomers greying and falling from their peak spending years, our country will experience a downshift that will really challenge our concept of prosperity... A must read!

Apocalypse maybe!.......2007-01-15

This book, written specifically for citizens of the US and the UK, is one of the most sobering I have ever read. To the layman at least, it appears to be argued logically enough, the basic idea being that in the western economies the spending of individuals constitute the lion's share of GDP. In the next few years some 100m baby boomers in the US will start to leave the highest spending age group (45-54). As people nearing retirement tend to reduce their spending and start to withdraw their savings from more risky investments such as the stock market, this will cause a depression even deeper than the 1930s and stock markets to dive. The book forecasts that some 30m may become unemployed in the US alone. (A similar picture emerges in Japan though the age band is lower.) Almost every major stock market move in the last century or so can be accounted for by such demographics. These apocalyptic events are forecast to happen any time from 2009-2013 and it is recommended people be out of the stock markets by 2010 at the latest. The depression may last to the mid 2020s.
I just wonder how globalisation may affect the situation, both in terms of increased exposure of western companies to Asian markets and the vast numbers of increasingly wealthy Asian middle class who might invest some of their spare cash (and there may be an awful lot of it) in foreign markets. It must have been somewhat difficult for western individuals to invest directly in Asian markets, and vice versa, even in 1987 but in 1929 it must have been all but impossible.
I cannot agree either with some of the steps recommended to protect oneself either. If currencies weaken then treasury bonds may not quite be the saviour they are portrayed. The traditional safe havens in times of turmoil - precious metals such as gold and silver - are not even mentioned. This may be because they are traditionally associated with inflation. However, they also come into their own in times of currency crises and "funny money" i.e. when the money supply threatens hyper-inflation. Investing in foreign stock markets such as India and China, nations which should continue to grow strongly for the foreseeable future surely should also be considered. With such strong growth in Asia, I find it difficult to believe another of the book's predictions which is that the oil price may possibly fall as low as $5 a barrel!
I consider this book - and others like it - to be a warning as to what might happen rather than what will. Nevertheless, if it prompts individuals to review their investments and to diversify accordingly it will be no bad thing. I just fear so many people may be so indebted for years to come that they won't be able to.

A WARNING FOR THE USA , UK AND THE WORLD.......2007-01-12

I believe this should be on every aware person's desk because Daniel A. Arnold offers a summary of what we ( consumers, merchants, investors, miserable wretches) need to know in the How Not to Sink Financially Department. It would appear that sensitive persons already know too well that there is a giant problem in America (deficit spending, personal credit cards, individual/state/corporate debt, a general "We will worry about that, tomorrow"). This is the "thinking" among those who should know better. The attitude or I should say baseless emotion is a red flag. How we can preserve our legitimate plans for tomorrow, covered in this special chapter, is what I see as Dan Arnold's thurst: A forward-look. The straight-forward no-nonsense language and presentation gives a busy person a balm of reading these instructions from a knowledgeable author who does not talk down to the reader.
Above is referring to what I believe to be the best chapter. It is entitled "What On Earth Can you Do?"

A CONCISE, EASY TO UNDERSTAND, BLUNT WARNING.......2006-11-09

Like most reviewers, I found this brief book to be a highly believable warning of the coming huge depression. How can you argue with a thesis that accounts for the US economy's ups and downs in detail for nearly a century!! Unlike the few, (like Special K below), who completely miss the key message, IT IS DEMOGRAPHICS that controls everything. Any economist will tell you that 70% of GDP is simply us (we are the demographics) spending our paychecks and, as Arnold points out, it's more like 90% when we add the government's spending of our taxes which they take from our paychecks. Arnold's thesis is a better developed version of noted economist Dent's theory that specific demographics always control where the economy is going. It's not really theory anymore - it's plain commonsense, which is what comes out in Arnold's book. Dent also predicts a massive "Mother of all Depressions" starting around 2010. Special K and his ilk, who are quite happy I'm sure to (correctly) attribute the coming Social Security crisis solely to demographics but want to insist that the economy in general cannot possibly be, are the ones that are going to lose everything in what's coming. Go read Arnold to understand (concisely WITHOUT 200 extra pages of added irrelevant "fluff") that demographics is really all that counts - and why. My God, he even shows how the Japanese near depression from 1990 to 2003 was caused by exactly the same demographic data within Japan. What more do you want? Read it.

The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power

Average customer rating:

Amaze
It's interesting to know the past to forecast the future...
The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
The Prize: The Epic Quest for OIl
good overview of the international history of oil

The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
Daniel Yergin
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
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Amazon.com

Daniel Yergin's first prize-winning book, Shattered Peace, was a history of the Cold War. Afterwards the young academic star joined the energy project of the Harvard Business School and wrote the best-seller Energy Future. Following on from there, The Prize, winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, is a comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil. Founded in the 19th century, the oil industry began producing kerosene for lamps and progressed to gasoline. Huge personal fortunes arose from it, and whole nations sprung out of the power politics of the oil wells. Yergin's fascinating account sweeps from early robber barons like John D. Rockefeller, to the oil crisis of the 1970s, through to the Gulf War.

Book Description

Pulitzer Prize Winner -- and Now an Epic PBS Series

The Prize recounts the panoramic history of oil -- and the struggle for wealth power that has always surrounded oil. This struggle has shaken the world economy, dictated the outcome of wars, and transformed the destiny of men and nations. The Prize is as much a history of the twentieth century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous -- from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm.

The cast extends from wildcatters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement -- and great importance.

Customer Reviews:

Amaze.......2007-06-19

This book is the better form to say what means the oil in the world. The history is well clear end real. There are many important information and who is curious or needs to know the subject this is a perfect one.

It's interesting to know the past to forecast the future..........2007-06-14

I really appreciated Daniel YERGIN's book.
The history of oil is crucial to try to solve the huge demand for future oil. History tells us that oil is limitless in virgin deserts...

The Prize : The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power.......2007-06-12

Excellent, well chronicled book showing the inside of the oil world history. Amazon shipment was a slick execution which makes the book more valuable..This book is a must-have for oil and gas pros.

The Prize: The Epic Quest for OIl.......2007-05-12

Outstanding history of oil politics, economics and foreign relations. Even though this book was published in 1991 the information is not stale and the information on Sunni and Shia conflicts were well known when this book was written. Yergen who is also the author of "Commanding Heights" the proclaimed PBS documentary is an excellent writer. Althought I came late to the table to read this book it is still as valuable today as it was when first published. If you are interested in oil and oil policy this is a must read.

good overview of the international history of oil.......2007-04-15

This is an excellent book on the role of oil in the world economy. What makes it better than many other books is that it has a truely global view of the oil industry throughout its long history. Its also not written for experts. Its a very accessable book.

Yergin shows how America dominated the world of oil in the first half of the 20th century and how managed its decline in the second half of that century. He shows that the basic problems of the oil industry (overproduction, underproduction and voliatile prices) have consistantly repeated since the beginnings of the industry.

If there is a flaw, its that Yergin doesn't give enough coverage to the oil industry in Africa and its role in the global oil trade. It gets occasional mentions, but not the comprehensive coverage the middle east gets. The same comments apply to an extent to south america. He could have also done a better job in explaining how oil money tends to distort economies from Alaska to Norway to Saudi Arabia in the same general ways.

The final chapter of the book is dated and some of its speculation about the future didn't hold up very well. But if the reader wants an introduction into the history of the global oil business and how it affects the countries involved, this is a useful book.

The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance

Average customer rating:

Comprehensive, interesting and relevant book
A book about the history of a family
America's Gilded Age
The history of JP Morgan par excellence!
In Depth, to the Nth degree

The House of Morgan: An American Banking Dynasty and the Rise of Modern Finance
Ron Chernow
Manufacturer: Grove Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0802138292

Book Description

The winner of the National Book Award and now considered a classic, The House of Morgan is the most ambitious history ever written about an American banking dynasty. Acclaimed by The Wall Street Journal as "brilliantly researched and written," the book tells the rich, panoramic story of four generations of Morgans and the powerful, secretive firms they spawned. It is the definitive account of the rise of the modern financial world. A gripping history of banking and the booms and busts that shaped the world on both sides of the Atlantic, The House of Morgan traces the trajectory of the J. P. Morgan empire from its obscure beginnings in Victorian London to the crash of 1987. Ron Chernow paints a fascinating portrait of the private saga of the Morgans and the rarefied world of the American and British elite in which they moved. Based on extensive interviews and access to the family and business archives, The House of Morgan is an investigative masterpiece, a compelling account of a remarkable institution and the men who ran it, and an essential book for understanding the money and power behind the major historical events of the last 150 years.

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive, interesting and relevant book.......2007-03-03

This is a great story told well. Chernow is an amazing researcher and a very good writer. I agree with some of the reviewers that the earlier parts of the book are better, but his description of the transformation of the capital markets in the late 20th century and the House of Morgan's role in this transformation is interesting and relevant. This book increased my understanding of the banking and investment banking worlds. My only quarrel is that, at times, I thought Chernow editorialized too much detracting from the story. Like many financial journalists, I got the sense that he is not a big fan of capitalism. Perhaps that's unfair, but if he simply told the story without some of his asides, the book would have been even better.

A book about the history of a family.......2006-12-14

This is an interesting book about the history of the Morgan family. It tends to drag on and is not as good as Chernow's other books about finance (notably Hamilton). I was expecting quite a bit more on JP Morgan and the book did not deliver in that way. Despite those two flaws the book is filled with such good information and is so well organized that it still deserves five stars I would just know you are not buying a book solely or even focusing on JP Morgan.

America's Gilded Age.......2006-11-10

Ron Chernow is good at writing in great detail while making his books interesting. "House of Morgan" is well documented as are all of Chernow's books. This book is the interesting story of big banking in the United States and abroad during the period of 1850-1900. Chernow goes beyond the earlier years of the J. P. Morgan empire to the present; giving an introduction to Morgan/Chase as we know it today. The early founder, Pierpont, was ruthless, secretive and rich. The book is a long one, and took awhile to read, but it was worth the time.

The history of JP Morgan par excellence!.......2006-10-26

A much more engaging and beautiful account on the life of the Morgan family and their banking legacy has been outdone by this work from Ron Chernow.

The book covers all aspects of the Morgan family and even discovers long forgotten family secrets. It dwells into the minds of these great capitalists and takes the reader deep into historic moments in American financial history. The overall grandeur and majesty of some of the most powerful men to have ever walked the earth, men who saved the U.S. from financial ruin, is evident in every page.

Read this one and you will love it!

In Depth, to the Nth degree.......2006-04-22

I read Chernow's awesome book on Rockefeller and expected the same from this treatment of America's first uber-bank. For some reason the narrative just seemed half as interesting as the Rockefeller book. This work primarily seemed to be lots of facts and figures and a historical timeline-- the interesting anecdotes and sidebars available in Rockefeller seemed to be somewhat lacking here-- either that or I've become jaded in what entertains me.

Overall it's certainly the definitive work on the subject to be sure, but I was hoping on a little more entertainment as the thing is a telephone book. And anyone can read a telephone book for a hundred pages-- 500 pages takes dedication.

Average customer rating:

Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused
The Real McCoy.
It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way
Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate
Great book and great shipping time

Sharks in the Desert
John L. Smith
Manufacturer: Barricade Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

When the Mob Ran Vegas: Stories of Murder, Mayhem and Money
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Las Vegas: An Unconventional History

ASIN: 1569802742

Book Description

The story fo the evolution of the gambling racket from mobbed-up vice to corporate success story as told through the biographies of the men who made it happen.

Customer Reviews:

Sloppy, Fragmented and Unfocused.......2007-03-22

This is a book that appeals to no one. If you're not already familiar with Vegas history, it is not a good place to start. And if you already know something about Vegas, it will not teach you anything new.

In theory, the structure of this book seems like a good idea -- devote a chapter each on the movers and shakers who built Las Vegas. The problem is that they all influenced each other, so separating them results in an arbitrary, fragmented, sometimes difficult-to-follow, narrative. Even the chapters themselves tend to jump back and forth in time and place. Structurally, the book just doesn't work.

Then there's the problem of sketchy information. Smith doesn't go into great detail explaining the why's and how's of events, leaving the reader with a great longing to know more about the individual characters of these men and what makes them tick. If you're looking for some good dish on Vegas -- which is what the snappy title promises -- there are better choices.

Compounding the reader's frustration are the numerous typos, spelling, and grammatical errors. Smith either had no editor or edited this himself. It feels like a first draft in serious need of a major rewrite and fact checking. It's difficult to believe Smith makes a living as a journalist. He must have a good editor at the Review/Journal.

The Real McCoy........2007-03-05

This book gives you the real story behind the Vegas gaming legends. Nobody does justice to this topic like John L. Smith. His research is impeccable.

It delivers on the title but in a less than thrilling way.......2006-10-31

This book is a fun read if you are someone who is familiar with Las Vegas. The book indeed delivers on what the subtitle, "..The Founding Fathers and Current Kings of Las Vegas" states. Each chapter is more or less devoted to discussing a specific person and the impact they had on setting the stage for the evolution of Las Vegas. I imagine those of you who have never been infatuated with Las Vegas will want to pass on this one.

Based on some of the anecdotes, it seems amazing that some of the Vegas hotels are still open today. The mobsters and the so called "straight laced" owners who ran (or still run) the hotels come off as either extremely brilliant or totally incompetent. It is no wonder that most of the Strip hotels have all been swallowed up by one or two companies. The author also seems to question if some hotels are completely honest when it comes to gaming.

The problem I had with the book was perhaps I was expecting something more chronological and dramatic. Instead, the book is like a compilation of old newpaper columns that are all put together in one place(of course, maybe that is not a surprise since the author is a newspaper reporter). Much like other books of that nature, the reading becomes almost repetitive and seems easier to take over a long haul rather than a week or two of reading cover to cover. Also note that there are a few typos and errors that make it seem like someone did a spellcheck with a computer rather than really proofreading it.

If you can stick with this type of book, you will probably enjoy it. Now this is the first book about Las Vegas I have read so I can not compare it to anything but I've got to believe there is probably something a bit more compelling.

Las Vegas history: from mob to corporate.......2006-03-16

The complete saga of Las Vegas from its early roots with the mob to modern corporate times is presented in a lively history of the city's real rulers in SHARKS IN THE DESERT: THE FOUNDING FATHERS AND CURRENT KINGS OF LAS VEGAS. Many made their fortunes developing the casino business the city is most famous for today - but many myths have surrounded their activities - myths which columnist Smith dispels in an investigative history which tracked mobsters and their connections to the city's rich and monied.

Great book and great shipping time.......2006-02-17

I received this book almost right away. It's a very good summary of the people of Las Vegas written by someone who knows, John Smith.

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy

Average customer rating:

What price low prices
All that power...!
The Truth! Wal-Mart is destroying America! Very Well Written
The world Wal-mart made flat
The REAL Wal-Mart

The Wal-Mart Effect: How the World's Most Powerful Company Really Works--and How It's Transforming the American Economy
Charles Fishman
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143038788

Book Description

Wal-Mart isn't just the world's biggest company, it is probably the world's most written-about. But no book until this one has managed to penetrate its wall of silence or go beyond the usual polemics to analyze its actual effects on its customers, workers, and suppliers. Drawing on unprecedented interviews with former Wal-Mart executives and a wealth of staggering data (e.g., Americans spend $36 million an hour at Wal-Mart stores, and in 2004 its growth alone was bigger than the total revenue of 469 of the Fortune 500), The Wal-Mart Effect is an intimate look at a business that is dramatically reshaping our lives.

Customer Reviews:

What price low prices.......2007-06-10

This book is a must read. It's amazingly even handed. Mr. Fishman presents the facts as he's been able to gather them, then let's you draw your own conclusions. The world economy is changing and Wal-Mart is close to the heart of that change. A vitally important book. What price will we pay for low prices?

All that power...!.......2007-05-30

It is a "must read" book. Many large corporations are becoming powerful worlwide factors affecting economies. It was a very helpful introduction to the world of retailing, manufacturing and state "control". Useful for researchers, academia and consumers. Includes good, bad, and grey areas. It shows a serious effort from its author. I liked it. It made me wonder what this and other corporations are determining in small countries like mine [Costa Rica] -in which Wal-mart is already present-, and if there is a possibility to use all of that power to achieve more social and environmental benefits...

The Truth! Wal-Mart is destroying America! Very Well Written.......2007-05-26

This book is very well written. It captures you on each page and you don't know if they are against Wal-Mart of with Wal-Mart on some pages. Ultimately, he describes how Wal-Mart is responsible for not only delivering us low prices but is also responsible for delivering high prices everywhere else. They are ruining cities, crushing small businesses and schools and ruining the lives of people in other countries, and they are and laughing all the way. Each business crushed is another stamp on the side of their truck. It's awful. When will America wise up and see this isn't good for us. Kick 'em out!

The world Wal-mart made flat.......2007-05-21

Charles Fishman is a lot like Thomas Friedman, only on a limited travel budget. Both authors look at the world, collect data, talk to a lot of people and pundits, write best-selling books and take on an air of expertise. What they both really have is this "Gee whiz, can you imagine that?" view of the world. Much of their writing offers little real insight or recommendations and sometimes only very little food for thought. They sell a lot of books and this apparently causes their audience to confuse writing for thinking, speaking for knowing, and words for wisdom.

Wal-mart is huge - duh! Fishman would probably liken them to the Death Star in "Star wars," while a Wal-Mart executive likens the firm to Baby Huey - young, huge, immature, and prone to making large but largely innocent errors. Neither simile works. All the apocalyptic hyperbole about Wal-mart taking over the world economy or outsourcing all of America should be taken for just that, hyperbole. Fishman laments (p. 241) that the twenty largest firms today account for twenty percent of the nation's economy, while twenty years ago it took thirty firms to capture twenty percent of the market. What he fails to discuss is who used to be among the top thirty firms back then and where they are today. And he ignores the fact that the American economy has grown so much that the dollar value of the economy outside the control of the top twenty firms is growing even faster. And he completely ignores the world economy, growing faster still. And, like Friedman, he ignores the lessons of history. Twenty years ago, IBM and Japan would have been the villains in this book, not Wal-mart and China. Forty years ago it would have been General Motors and the Soviet Union. Fifty years ago, Bethlehem Steel and... well, no foreign country, as the world economy was in pretty bad shape after World War II. It probably would have been the UAW.

Fishman attacks Wal-mart for making use of government health care for their employees at a time when many large American firms are clamoring for even more of that. He ignores the failed effort to force Wal-mart to spend more on employee health care, known to be bad business practice by the states and, for that matter, ruled illegal by the courts. He reports stories of American employees making quality products being displaced by cheap foreign labor making shoddy, low-quality goods. These displaced employees then shop at Wal-mart knowing better than anyone that they are buying cheap, shoddy, low-quality goods. Fishman and these displaced employees, along with millions of other Wal-mart shoppers, confuse price with value. Fishman is dismissive of the growth of stores like Target and Kohl's, stores that ignore the "low prices always" motto and replace it with a better shopping experience. He can't really grasp why Wal-mart same store growth is waning. He shows little interest in or appreciation for Wal-mart's efforts to go green, to save energy, to share ideas. Maybe they are responses to criticism; and just maybe, these acts are too little, too late to stave off the decline of Baby Huey.

Wal-mart has mastered logistics and supply-chain management to a level that wins universal admiration. They flattened the world well before Friedman noticed. When Hurricane Katrina hit, Wal-mart, not government regulators or regulations worked best to solve problems. But being good at what you do and very big makes people envious, curious and suspicious. What Fishman seems to really despise is Wal-mart's ability to keep secrets. He seems intent on opening up Wal-mart's books, to force them to tell the world and their competitors their market volume and share. He thinks the government should force Wal-mart to be more open, just as the government "forced" auto firms to achieve higher fleet gas mileage. When Wal-mart says they hope to double the mileage of their trucking fleet, Fishman seems to prefer another useless, inefficient, ill-advised government program.

The unwritten lesson is that if you want enduring, sustainable value in your purchases, your life, and your economy, you'd think twice before shopping at Wal-mart, and maybe you wouldn't shop there at all. And you certainly would not purchase any state lottery tickets. Or smoke cigarettes. But that doesn't make Wal-mart evil.

The REAL Wal-Mart.......2007-05-15

For a writer setting out to write about the largest retailer in the world, it would be easy to fall into one of two typical narratives. The author could be amazed by the growth of a small southern "five and dime" into the largest retailer in the world in a couple of short decades and become a cheerleader for "always low prices", or the author could adopt the perspective of those who see Wal-Mart as Godzilla, growing radioactively while stomping all those who come in its path.

In his book "The Wal-Mart Effect", Charles Fishman avoids these easy stereotypes, and through careful research and a story-telling manner, describes not just a business, but a phenomenon that has had an impact both for good and bad far beyond what any of us, including the founders and employees of Wal-Mart, could have ever expected. His description of bacon fryers, lawn mowers, pickles and underwear, and those who design, make, distribute and sell them (both for Wal-Mart and for its competitors) goes beyond the nuts and bolts of retail competition and touches on the heart of capitalism and consumerism and the choices each of us makes daily in our own life.

Fishman makes clear the meaning of the maxim "all things are connected". From Chilean salmon to cast-iron lawn sprinklers, his examples show us that the purchasing decisions we make in our small towns across America have a global impact. He also confirms what many have suspected, that they also have a local impact, putting pressure on smaller "downtown" retailers while making more items affordable to lower income wage earners (whose wages may be lowered because of "the Wal-Mart effect?").

There are no easy answers, and Fishman doesn't offer any. He does offer a clear-eyed, balanced analysis so we can make our own decisions, more aware of their impact and their unintended consequences.

History of the American Economy with Economic Applications

Average customer rating:

best on the subject
Rockoff is the greatest American Historian ever.

History of the American Economy with Economic Applications
Gary M. Walton , and Hugh Rockoff
Manufacturer: South-Western College Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0324259697

Book Description

Tying America's past to the economic policies and debates of today and beyond, HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY WITH ECONOMIC APPLICATIONS presents economic events chronologically for ease of understanding and to provide continuity and provides you with a firm foundation in the evolution of American economic history.

Customer Reviews:

best on the subject.......2005-02-21

This is definitely the best introductory book there is on the subject. This was a supplemental book for an undergraduate class of mine, but I read it anyway. The authors lucid writing allows this book to be thoroughly understood by all readers despite their backround in economics. I truly believe that this book should be required reading for all history, political science, finance, sociology, and economics majors.

Unlike most books on the history of anything, this book starts from the beginning. The authors start off discussing explorers and empires and then go into colonization. Extremely informative on the economics of different regions in colonial America and the Industrial Revolution.

Rockoff is the greatest American Historian ever........1998-12-13

Rockoff gives a brilliant account of the history of the American Economy and is possibly the best American economic historian in US history.

Manufacturing the Future: A History of Western Electric

Average customer rating:

An almost complete history
Great background for understanding the Internet age.

Manufacturing the Future: A History of Western Electric
Stephen B. Adams , and Orville R. Butler
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521651182

Book Description

Manufacturing the Future: A History of Western Electric is the first full-length history of the Western Electric Company, the manufacturing arm of the Bell System. As a manufacturer in the communications revolutions in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Western Electric made new products such as telegraphs, telephones, an early computing machine, radios, radar, and transistors. The book demonstrates, through Western's 1882 acquisition by Bell Telephone, that vertical integration was a lengthy process rather than a single event. It also shows the coming of age of industrial psychology and describes the advent of civil rights in corporate America.

Customer Reviews:

An almost complete history.......2007-06-27

Now that Lucent Technologies is gone, swallowed up by the French Telecom giant, this history of Western Electric could be completed. For now, we'll have to do with this comprehensive edition written when Lucent Technologies still had an apparently bright future. What becomes clear is that Lucent's downfall stems from a series of decisions beginning nearly a century earlier in which the manufacturing unit's interests always took second place to those of the Bell operating companies and AT&T.

On the downside, it's a bit of an "official" history from the point of view of the corporate higher-ups. It would have been interesting to contrast their veiw with those of the regular employees. Still, it's probably the best available history of this important institution.

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