Lies My Teacher Told Me : Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
by James W. Loewen
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (03 September, 1996)
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Reviews (282)

A Treat to Read
A nice critique on american educational history and the lies distortions and falsifications that are inherent in the pages of our childrens history books. The author makes no bones about it, history taught as it currently is, is boring, over-simplified, mostly always with a happy go lucky ending of events. The real object was to, of course make those on top appear better, more knowlegeable than the evidence shows...Loewan does a good job with correcting some of the distortions and at the same time he offers suggestions on how to improve the teaching of the subject,by replacing misrepresented history with historical information more closely aligned with the truth is a first step. No wonder revisionist history is so popular, it is so much fun discoveringthat everyone contributed to the planet!!!

Very worth reading...I promise you will learn something new
Many other reviewers have complained about the author's bias in the book.And it is quite true that Loewen has strong leftist leanings and that these leanings come through.

It's still an excellent book, because even though his opinions are present, his complaints about the books and his suggestions for improving them are all based in fact.He footnotes everything and references respectable sources.You might disagree with his opinions, but his facts are well-argued and persuasive.You may or may not agree with his leanings, but amongst his opinions are a lot more facts, and those facts clearly indicate serious problems with our history curriculum.

If the history curriculum literally lies or seriously deceives (for example, saying the US government "challenged" someone whom we actually assassinated), that's a problem, no matter what political leanings you may have.

Good, but filled with an almost Marxist ideology
This book is informative, well written and well researched. It is a refreshing perspective on American history. However, the Lowen seems to be trying very hard to imbue us with his left-wing views. Much of his analysis and many of his conclusions are a major stretch from the facts, to the point where his interpretations are quite annoying. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684818868
Sales Rank: 319
Subjects:  1. Historiography    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Indians of North America in te    6. Indians of North America in textbooks    7. Study & Teaching    8. Textbooks    9. Thanksgiving Day in textbooks    10. United States    11. United States - General    12. United States History (General)    13. Education / General   

People's History of the Supreme Court, A
by PeterIrons
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 August, 2000)
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Editorial Review

The savvy, chatty author ofThe Courage of Their Convictions brings us a scholarly reckoning of the 200-plus years of decisions made by the highest court in the land. Not surprisingly (and justifiably, given his erudite arguments),Peter H. Irons represents the court's work as a never-ending appeal of the powerless to the powerful: of the just over 100 supreme justices who have sat on the court, all but two have been white, all but two have been men, and all but seven have been Christian, whereas the supplicants to our nation's highest bar are typically racial minorities, women, and deviants in some way from the religious and social mainstream.

Taking a representative (if not comprehensive) accounting of the Supreme Court's most significant decisions, Irons puts cultural and political context--and a human face--to the parties involved, painting an absorbing and involving picture of landmark cases that readers are likely to recall but not fully understand. Whether he's explicating the tortuous history of freedom-seeking slave Dred Scott or explaining the "a Jap's a Jap" reasoning behind the legal exculpation of World War II internment camps, Irons reminds us of the court's spotted history while still conveying the deep affection he has for it. (Includes a thoughtful appendix with the complete text of the Constitution and suggestions for further reading.) --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Stimulating interpretation of the history of the Court
In this book, Peter Irons offers a refreshingly stimulating interpretation of the history of the Supreme Court.His approach, which focuses on understanding the personalities on the bench and behind the cases, serves as an invaluable reminder that laws and created and interpreted by people who bring their views and experiences into this process. Irons begins this process with himself; in the introduction he expresses his belief that "the Constitution's basic command is that every person must be accorded the dignity he or she deserves as a human being."(xv)This view serves as the basis for his analysis in the book.

Irons divides the history of the Court into six parts.The first section looks at the prehistory of American law, the period before the ratification of the American constitution.He starts with the colonial era, focusing on the New England region to the exclusion of the other areas.While this distorts a more complete understanding of the broader background, it does allow Irons to more clearly identify ideas and doctrines that are relevant to today's jurisprudential issues.His account of the Constitutional Convention is more rote; all the classic debates are recounted, from the Great Compromise to the arguments over the enumerated powers of the government.

It is with the discussion of the beginning of the Court that Irons' narrative comes to life and the pattern of the remainder of the book emerges.In presenting the history of the Court Irons concentrates his account on specific cases that best illustrate his argument.Though episodic, this provides for a clearer presentation of the evolution of the Court's overall jurisprudence over time.This is evident from the first with his analysis of John Marshall.Irons sees the Court initially focusing on questions of property rights, of which Marshall was a stanch defender.Such defense often came at the expense of the rights of debtors, farmers, and African Americans, though Marshall excelled at writing opinions that advanced his interpretations while depriving opponents of any grounds on which to launch political challenges.

The enshrining of property rights also provided critical legal support in defending the institution of slavery.The legal battles surrounding slavery and its aftermath occupied the Court for most of the middle third of the 19th century and comprise the third section of Irons' book.Here the author focuses on Marshall's replacement, Roger B. Taney, as the main character in his account, stressing the fundamentally racist (and in Irons' opinion, unexamined) views that lay behind Taney's flawed legal defense of slavery.Irons' account of the Dred Scott case is one of the best parts of the book, offering a good introduction to the people behind one of the most controversial decisions in the Court's history.By contrast, his discussion of the Court's jurisprudence stemming from the Civil War is one of the its most disappointing sections, while his analysis of the Reconstruction-era cases over civil rights focuses more on the legislative efforts and constitutional amendments passed than on the Court's role in limiting the extension of the rights supposedly granted by these measures.

With the Civil War resolving the issue of slavery (if not that of the role of blacks in American life), the Court's docket was increasingly occupied with cases involving economic rights.Irons' coverage of these issues comprises the fourth section of his book.The Court he chronicles during this period was comprised of unabashed defenders of business interests who consistently limited government's ability to regulate economic activity.Irons attributes these views to the backgrounds and connections of the justices of the period, most of whom were former railroad attorneys who maintained (unethical) connections with private interests.The generally conservative mentality also prevailed in matters of civil liberties, where opponents of unabashed capitalism fell victim to laws passed during World War I that made disloyal speech illegal - laws that were generally upheld by the Court.

It was only during the New Deal of the 1930s and the aftermath of President Franklin Roosevelt's "court-packing" plan that the Supreme Court that the Supreme Court changed course and endorsed governmental regulation of the economy.This opened a new era in Supreme Court jurisprudence, one focusing more on cases involving individual rights rather than on economic matters, and is the subject of the final two sections of his book.Here the author is in his element, having written on civil liberties before (and even being directly involved in the history of one of the topics he chronicles, that of the Japanese internments) and his solid narrative ends the book on a strong note.

Irons' interpretative lens offers a refreshingly different account of the history of the Court.Whereas previous historians have often written about the Court as if it were a faceless entity dispensing legal philosophy, Irons shows how the justices' preconceived legal and political ideologies often shaped the law.While some readers may disagree with Irons' ideological perspective, it does introduce a much-needed perspective into examining the impact of the Court in the context of its times.Yet Irons' work is undermined by the poor editing of the book.The text is plagued with historical inaccuracies which, though minor, often create doubts as to the veracity of the broader argument.Even more egregious is the poor job in checking the endnotes, with the reader often forced to comb through the bibliography in search of the full listing of the work cited.Again, while relatively minor, it suggests a slapdash quality that can undermine the broader insights of the book.

Such problems require the reader to treat this book with a degree of wariness.Nonetheless, Irons has written an engaging account of the history of the Supreme Court, one that stimulates the reader and helps them to better understand the role of the Court in shaping the development of the nation - and how it continues to influence us today.

An Excellent Introduction to the Supreme Court
This book provides and excellent introduction to the Supreme Court. This particular book approaches the Supreme Court's history through the lives of the individuals at the center of many landmark decisions. This includes the Justices, the individuals who brought the cases, and even the politicians of the time.

The outcome of this approach is a history that doesn't simply provide a dry reading of the facts of a number of legal cases; instead, Irons' approach addresses the relevance of the cases to the above mentioned individuals which also helps develop a sense of the Court's importance in the development of the Nation.

Lastly, while I find Irons' book to be a good read and a good introduction, I must concur with an earlier reviewer who accuses Irons of allowing his personal politics too much sway. While I do not have the legal knowledge to discuss the factual issues, it is clear from the outset that Irons elevates those justices whose opinions are aligned with his own viewpoint and disparages others who aren't.

However, in spite of Irons' biases, the book provides an excellent view of the Supreme Court, and I would recommend it to anyone trying get a grasp of what the Court is all about.

A good start for an overview of the history of the Court
Mr. Irons does a commendable job interweaving the history of the framing of the Constitution in the first chapters of the book, with the application of its principles through the years.The importance of the political climates in which important decisions were handed down is well covered and informs the reader of how external influences impacted certain decisions.The evolution of application of important principles such as incorporation of the Bill of Rights through the due process clause of the 14th amendment is well presented.

Mr. Irons also effectively presents personal attributes and facts not only of the justices who decided these important cases, but of the attorneys and clients who brought the cases before the Court.I recommend this book to anyone who seeks to gain a greater understanding of the cases and controversies which have shaped the application of our Constitution. ... Read more

Isbn: 0140292012
Subjects:  1. Courts - General    2. Courts - Supreme Court    3. History    4. Law    5. Law and politics    6. Legal History    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Political aspects    9. Supreme Court    10. United States.    11. History / General   

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will be Killed With Our Families: Stories from Rwanda
by Philip Gourevitch
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 1999)
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Editorial Review

"Hutus kill Tutsis, then Tutsis kill Hutus--if that's really all there is to it, then no wonder we can't be bothered with it," Philip Gourevitch writes, imagining the response of somebody in a country far from the ethnic strife and mass killings of Rwanda. But the situation is not so simple, and in this complex and wrenching book, he explains why the Rwandan genocide should not be written off as just another tribal dispute.

The "stories" in this book's subtitle are both the author's, as he repeatedly visits this tiny country in an attempt to make sense of what has happened, and those of the people he interviews. These include a Tutsi doctor who has seen much of her family killed over decades of Tutsi oppression, a Schindleresque hotel manager who hid hundreds of refugees from certain death, and a Rwandan bishop who has been accused of supporting the slaughter of Tutsi schoolchildren, and can only answer these charges by saying, "What could I do?" Gourevitch, a staff writer for the New Yorker, describes Rwanda's history with remarkable clarity and documents the experience of tragedy with a sober grace. The reader will ask along with the author: Why does this happen? And why don't we bother to stop it? --Maria Dolan ... Read more

Reviews (169)

Startling
We Wish to Inform You is a landmark piece of non-fiction.The writing is excellent and engaging.The situation covered - the Rwandan slaughter of Tutsis by the ruling Hutus - is frightening in that it truly shows the worst in humanity.The descriptions are vivid and alive.

However, I do have a couple of issues with the book.The first is that Gouravitch definitely has a bias in relating this story.It leaves one with a feeling of only hearing half the story.Although this is possibly inevitable, a more balanced presentation would have helped me better understand the rationale for genocide, if one can possibly be found.

Secondly, I got lost in all the acronyms and the names.An appendix with a list of the acronyms would have been very helpful in following the events described.So too would a list of the main contacts that Gouravitch uses in his book.Many of the names are very long and unfriendly to English-speaking ears.Again, the book would have been easier to read and even more powerful with these listings in an appendix.

But overall, the book is extremely enlightening and deeply troubling.If you read this review before reading the book, begin an appendix of your own as you read.Your work will be well rewarded.

Cheese Sandwich
You must read this book! Then lend it to everyone you know!

Gourevitch's book made me understand what it was like living in in Rwanda in March 1994, Before the genocide (Cheese Sandwich)

Just get this book!

A truestory
In this well researched and beautifullywritten book about the genocide in Rwanda, Philip Gourevitch did a brilliant job not only in telling us about the genocide, but also in making us understand the intricate history of the landthat made the genocide possible and the aftermath of the genocide. The book moved me from the opening to the last pages. What I particularly liked about this work by Gourevitch is the fact that it is easy for a non-African or non-Rwandan mind that has no knowledge of Rwanda to understand the story. The analysis was perfect and the criticism deserving.

There appears to be a pattern of international detachment in all the contemporary genocides our world witnessed. DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, EYE-WITNESS TO GENOCIDE, POL PLOT CONFIRM THOSE PATTERNS. It is appalling to learn that the Rwandan genocide happened in the presence of French soldiers, news agencies and international humanitarian groups. It is even more disheartening to learn that the UN was aware of what was going on and the big powers did nothing to stop it. ... Read more

Isbn: 0312243359
Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. Current Affairs    3. Ethnic relations    4. Genocide    5. Government - Comparative    6. International    7. Politics - Current Events    8. Politics and government    9. Politics/International Relations    10. Rwanda    11. Political Science / General   

Hardball : How Politics Is Played Told By One Who Knows The Game
by Chris Matthews
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 November, 1999)
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Editorial Review

Hardball, first published in 1988, is like a modern version of Machiavelli's The Prince, only much more richly illustrated, with anecdotes drawn from talk-show host Chris Matthews's stint as a congressional staffer (where he worked for, among others, renowned Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill). Discussing such basic principles as "It's not who you know; it's who you get to know" and "Don't get mad, don't get even--get ahead," Matthews not only dishes out choice Washington insider info, he has over the years inspired many readers to apply his principles for political success to their own professional lives. ... Read more

Reviews (62)

A good read for idealists too
Politicians are masters of getting their way, and this book explains how they do it.If you're an idealist (I consider myself one), you can learn from this book even as you avoid the dirty tricks that Matthews discusses.You don't need to agree with Matthews's perspective to learn from it.

Matthews does tell stories of some rather unprincipled, manipulative tricks.There's more to it than that, though.My favorite lesson of the book is its emphasis on the importance of other people (including opponents) in advancing one's goals.Matthews writes, "Regardless of your religious or philosophical preference, you cannot afford to be a solipsist, someone who believes he exists alone in the world.Focusing on your own ego is a guarantee of failure.The smart politician never takes his eyes off the OTHER fellow's ego."

My own spin on another important lesson of the book:getting someone to think something isn't the same as getting someone to DO something.How often do we see someone passionately arguing for a cause but doing nothing to advance it?Matthews looks at that issue from a couple of different angles (conceding principles to cause action, and advocating principles while covering up inaction).There are lessons, I think, for those who want to influence both thoughts and actions.

If you abhor politics and manipulation, read the book for perspective and not advice.I think there's stuff in here to enlighten the most hardened idealist...and, well, if you don't buy any of the rest of my review, this book may give you a helpful understanding of tricks that others might play on you!

Political Maxims Through Parables
An essential read for anyone getting involved in politics. Chris Matthews teaches political maxims through parables. Learn how Presidents Reagan, Johnson, Kennedy, and many others used the lessons espoused in this book to get to the top. If I had a friend who was getting involved in politics and wanted to read only one book, I'd give them a copy of Hardball -- and then get out of their way.

Inside Politics
Chris Matthews set out to write an honest rulebook on how the game of politics is played and he did just that. It is a nonpartisan guide. Matthews believes that the rules of politics apply to every human life, not just to senators and congressmen. Here are some of the rules of politics as put forth by Matthews:

1. It is not who you know, it is who you get to know. Washington is like working in a big Company where it is who you know is more important than what you know. The key to your success in life is based upon your personal relationships. Nearly everyone in Washington owes their job to a personal friend.

2. All politics is local.

3. It is better to receive than give. Ask for help. The more someone invests in you, the more committed they become to seeing you succeed. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "If you want to make a friend, let someone do you a favor."

4. Dance with the one that brung ya. It is about loyalty to your side. Think about the loyalty that Ronald Reagan had to the conservative movement.

5. Keep your ememies in front of you. Great politicians always stay on speaking terms with fierce opponents to show strength, obtain useful information and because they know that they may have to call on the opponent as an ally some day.

6. Don't get mad, don't get even, get ahead. Focus on getting past your adversaries.

7. Leave no shot unanswered. Always respond to attacks quickly and effectively by attacking the credibility of your opponent, ridicule your opponent, and reverse the attack so it backfires against your opponent.

8. Only talk when it improves the silence. Know when to speak and when to listen.

9. Always concede on principal. In many cases, the best way to achieve one's goal is to concede the argument. Great politicians often negotiate by telling their adversaries exactly what they want to hear. By conceding the principal at issue, they manipulate their critics into accepting their views.

10. Hang a lantern on your problem. When in doubt, get it out.

11. Spin, spin & spin. Always turn negatives into positives.

12. The press is the enemy.

13. Have the reputation of power. Political leaders become powerful by appearing powerful. There are six ways to appear powerful. They are: play your strengths, lowballing, sandbagging, creating new commandments, passing the buck, and put your opponent in a "put up or shut up" position.

14. Positioning yourself to the voters as they desire to see you. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684845598
Subjects:  1. 1945-1989    2. Careers - General    3. Current Affairs    4. Government - U.S. Government    5. Political    6. Political Process - General    7. Politicians    8. Politics    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Politics and government    11. Politics, Practical    12. Politics/International Relations    13. United States    14. Business & Economics / Careers   

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
by Barbara Ehrenreich
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2002)
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Editorial Review

Essayist and cultural critic Barbara Ehrenreich has always specialized in turning received wisdom on its head with intelligence, clarity, and verve. With some 12 million women being pushed into the labor market by welfare reform, she decided to do some good old-fashioned journalism and find out just how they were going to survive on the wages of the unskilled--at $6 to $7 an hour, only half of what is considered a living wage. So she did what millions of Americans do, she looked for a job and a place to live, worked that job, and tried to make ends meet.

As a waitress in Florida, where her name is suddenly transposed to "girl," trailer trash becomes a demographic category to aspire to with rent at $675 per month. In Maine, where she ends up working as both a cleaning woman and a nursing home assistant, she must first fill out endless pre-employment tests with trick questions such as "Some people work better when they're a little bit high." In Minnesota, she works at Wal-Mart under the repressive surveillance of men and women whose job it is to monitor her behavior for signs of sloth, theft, drug abuse, or worse. She even gets to experience the humiliation of the urine test.

So, do the poor have survival strategies unknown to the middle class? And did Ehrenreich feel the "bracing psychological effects of getting out of the house, as promised by the wonks who brought us welfare reform?" Nah. Even in her best-case scenario, with all the advantages of education, health, a car, and money for first month's rent, she has to work two jobs, seven days a week, and still almost winds up in a shelter. As Ehrenreich points out with her potent combination of humor and outrage, the laws of supply and demand have been reversed. Rental prices skyrocket, but wages never rise. Rather, jobs are so cheap as measured by the pay that workers are encouraged to take as many as they can. Behind those trademark Wal-Mart vests, it turns out, are the borderline homeless. With her characteristic wry wit and her unabashedly liberal bent, Ehrenreich brings the invisible poor out of hiding and, in the process, the world they inhabit--where civil liberties are often ignored and hard work fails to live up to its reputation as the ticket out of poverty. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (798)

Now you know. (more)
Finally someone speaks up as to the disgusting conditions the lower class have to put up with in the work place, and the inadequate sums they are paid.
It's like this in EVERY job hovering around the minimum wage mark.
The treatment by superiors is maddening and humiliating.
It is exhausting to go through this existance.I'm glad for the author that she had a way out after her research was all finished up.
Most of us don't.
There's something wrong in this country.We have the largest income gap of any industrialized nation in the world.The only thing that keeps the poor from revolting is that, like the author alludes to, most believe in the "promise" of a better future.They've been fed the line that "if you just work hard everything will turn out all right"....I don't think a better line of propaganda exists in this life.(Which is probably so effective because it wasn't originally intended as such.At one time it was actually true, or so I'm told)It keeps the have-not's docile.For a few more generations at least.
Read the book and maybe you'll understand why your waitresses eye twitches when you throw a hissy over an overcooked steak.Or why you just don't always get "service with a smile":The employee helping you hates his job and subsequently; you.(Logical or not.It's an anger induced by a hopeless situation, and your presence and expectations only exacerbate the issue.)So next time you think about complaining to management because the guy in the polo shirt "didn't act very friendly", just remember:Paroxysms of rage aren't restricted only to Postal workers.

Memory Lane
I personally know how accurate Mrs./Ms. Ehrenreich is! I was homeless after losing an average paying job in New England and eventually had to settle at a major retailer NOT Walmart!

More affluent people might be inclined to blame me 100% for my experiences,butI tried everything, including proposals for free work in exchange for skills upgrades and positive references and there were no takers. I went to college for 20 years to get a degree.

I have found in my work experience that there is a grand illusion of an abundance of good jobs when in fact good,decent jobs are very scarce and most of us have to settle for jobs essentially run by some benevolent but most NOT,dictatorships operating as corporations. For me, America has not been ripe with opportunity,rather 1-step from being homeless nearly my whole working life.After 20 years of working several simultaneous jobs,sometimes up to 4(2 FT/2 PT)to pay for school and "get ahead", the end result is a retail job working for a company that blasts the airways with wholesome,friendly,warm imagery and happy,healthy employees who look taken care of. The reality is I have not had health insurance for a decade, have little or no ability to increase income through such vehicles as overtime and find an abundance of employers who don't know me but judge me and will not offer me an opportunity to help them and myself. Where were all the opportunities and jobs when i needed it? Would any of the personnel managers who dutifully sent me a rejection letter feel bad if they knew i became homeless when all I asked for was a job with a liveable wage?

A Broader Horizon
Nickel and Dimed is the insightful product of Barbara Ehrenreich's experiment in journalism.She took it upon herself to set out and try to live on minimum wage (just slightly more than), in order to gain first hand knowledge about plight of the poor. For a year, Ehrenreich gave up her comfortable, established, upper-crust life, and ventured into three different regions of the country to try her hand as an unskilled laborer. Cushioned only by her car, laptop, and $1000 start-up allowance per move, she headed for Key West, Portland, Maine, and Minneapolis. On her journey, three guidelines Ehrenreich set for herself were that she not rely on her higher education, never become homeless, and always take the highest-paying job available. She ended up working various stints from waitressing to housekeeping to retail at Wal-Mart.

Through her own experiences, Ehrenreich attempts to paint an honest picture of the lives of the working poor. Although it's a great challenge to be able to do this in a relatively short time (and with "emergency funds" to fall back on), she does get her message across. She concludes that it's next to impossible to survive on minimum wage. At times having to take on two jobs at once, imagine having to provide for a family in addition to taking care yourself. A serious impediment too is that these workers often can't afford medical coverage.

As Ehrenreich experienced first hand, living a day-to-day existence puts incredible strain on both the mind and body (not to mention spirit), which is thoroughly exhausting, even if you're "lucky" enough to have a "sit-down" job. This and other points in the book help dispel misconceptions that the poor are lazy and that they can always find a better job. However, as Ehrenreich discovered, even "unskilled" work, requires some set of skills, and not everyone has them.

I think this is a book that everyone will benefit from. It's a quick and easy read. Ehrenreich's humor always comes through (I love the parrot), keeping this serious subject from becoming too weighty. It definitely sheds light on a realm that largely goes unnoticed and unappreciated, in the shadows of society. We could all use a healthy dose of humble-medicine.

... Read more

Isbn: 0805063897
Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Labor    3. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    4. Minimum wage    5. Politics - Current Events    6. Poverty    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Social Theory    10. United States    11. Unskilled labor   

White Teacher (with a New Preface)
by Vivian Gussin Paley
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (14 March, 2000)
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Reviews (8)

truthfulness is liberating
What struck me about the book is the author's willingess to be open about her lack of understanding about racial barriers. The writing is self-reflective without being self-loathing.It's honest and very engaging.

Multicultural Education
In White Teacher, Vivian Gussin Paley describes her experiences as a young teacher.She tells of her reactions when faced with a classroom full of children who are different from her.By recounting her experiences as a child and reflecting upon them, she is able to better understand why certain children behave in certain ways.These reflections, given in a narrative form, inform the reader of the thought processes of Paley.Through these examples, one is able to better understand what the author was experiencing.

Paley's intention is to prepare future readers for the experiences she has had by giving the reader her reactions to them.She tells the reader what worked to make a bad situation better, as well as what did not.Most of the cultural differences Paley describes occur between her, a Jew of European descent and the African-American children in her classes.However, many of the lessons and principles used apply to all children.Her examples include children with different learning styles; comments taken out of context; children who are excluded from a group and those forming the groups based on a singular characteristic.The majority of the classroom settings are in half-day kindergartens.

This is a wonderful book for anyone who has ever had, or will face a multicultural situation - that would include pretty much all of us.There is an added value in this book for potential teachers.Paley shows how to effectively validate children's perceptions of the world and make them feel value and self-worth.

lovingly and brutally honest
I stand in awe of Vivian Paley for the amazing self honesty she displays in examining her deep down attitudes towards race, which so many people would rather mouth cliches and not face up to. This book should be read inconjunction with Kwanzaa And Me, where the author continues to grow andchange in her perspective. This book should be read by people of all racesin all professions,not just teaching. ... Read more

Isbn: 0674002733
Sales Rank: 77752
Subjects:  1. African Americans    2. Classroom management    3. Early Childhood Education    4. Education    5. Education (Elementary)    6. Education / Teaching    7. Education Of Black Students    8. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    9. Kindergarten    10. Preschool & Kindergarten    11. Students & Student Life    12. United States   

The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization
by Thomas L. Friedman
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (02 May, 2000)
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Editorial Review

One day in 1992, Thomas Friedman toured a Lexus factory in Japan and marveled at the robots that put the luxury cars together. That evening, as he ate sushi on a Japanese bullet train, he read a story about yet another Middle East squabble between Palestinians and Israelis. And it hit him: Half the world was lusting after those Lexuses, or at least the brilliant technology that made them possible, and the other half was fighting over who owned which olive tree.

Friedman, the well-traveled New York Times foreign-affairs columnist, peppers The Lexus and the Olive Tree with stories that illustrate his central theme: that globalization--the Lexus--is the central organizing principle of the post-cold war world, even though many individuals and nations resist by holding onto what has traditionally mattered to them--the olive tree.

Problem is, few of us understand what exactly globalization means. As Friedman sees it, the concept, at first glance, is all about American hegemony, about Disneyfication of all corners of the earth. But the reality, thank goodness, is far more complex than that, involving international relations, global markets, and the rise of the power of individuals (Bill Gates, Osama Bin Laden) relative to the power of nations.

No one knows how all this will shake out, but The Lexus and the Olive Tree is as good an overview of this sometimes brave, sometimes fearful new world as you'll find. --Lou Schuler ... Read more

Reviews (347)

Impressive, but somewhat repetitive
Thomas Friedman definitely has an impressive repertoire of experiences all over the world.His knowledge of "how the world works" is unique in that he's seen almost everything politically there is to see.Friedman began as a reporter for the NY Times in the middle East with firsthand experience of the Arab-Israeli conflict that never ends.Yet while his accounts of that experience (see "From Beirut to Jerusalem") were more a historical analysis, the Lexus and the Olive Tree attempts to explain how the concept of globalization affects countries economy and the general well being of humans.

But it's simply too repetetive.I felt that in every chapter Friedman was making the same point: that globalization leads to a better economy.That in order to succeed as a company, you need to fully expand, open yourself up to complete scrutiny, and--if you decide to start a new country--be sure to have a proper set of laws in place before you allow free market capitalism to reign.His "software vs. hardware" is a good analogy, but in general he makes up too many terms for phenomena he's seen around the world.The "global herd," "globalution," and "electronic sheep" are just a few examples.

His writing style is very amusing and makes for an easy read for the most part--until you realize that you're reading the same thing you just read in the last chapter.He has vast experience and a good objective view of the world, but he doesn't really talk enough about third-world countries and how they are often negatively affected by globalization.

Still, a highly recommended read if you're interested in seeing exactly how technology is affecting the way the world works, and the impact on those who fail to live up to the trend.To get a more updated view of how he thinks globalizaton will affect the world in the future, check out his new "The World is Flat."

All in all, Friedman's a great writer and you will not be disappointed from reading this book.

Great observations
I read this book a couple years ago, and now I listen to the audio book now and then on my way to work. I love Thomas Friedman and his style of reporting. What I love even more are his wonderful observations of globalization and different interpretations of it around the world. Friedman does not just lay out blanket statements. He makes an effort to understand, and make others understand what other cultures think of world issues, and why they feel that way.

What's a Lexus?
The title of the book says it all. The Lexus luxury car is a well-known brand in the U.S. alone. His vision of globalization is a very narrow one because of his lack of exposure to the real world outside the U.S. and of the ivory towers of academia. ... Read more

Isbn: 0385499345
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Capitalism    4. Economic Conditions    5. Economics - Theory    6. Free trade    7. General    8. International - Economics    9. International Relations - General    10. International economic relatio    11. International economic relations    12. Politics - Current Events    13. Social aspects    14. Technological innovations    15. Business & Economics / General   

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies
by Jared Diamond
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (April, 1999)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Editorial Review

Explaining what William McNeill called The Rise of the West has become the central problem in the study of global history. In Guns, Germs, and Steel Jared Diamond presents the biologist's answer: geography, demography, and ecological happenstance. Diamond evenhandedly reviews human history on every continent since the Ice Age at a rate that emphasizes only the broadest movements of peoples and ideas. Yet his survey is binocular: one eye has the rather distant vision of the evolutionary biologist, while the other eye--and his heart--belongs to the people of New Guinea, where he has done field work for more than 30 years. ... Read more

Reviews (699)

There is no master race
The western colonising pioneers have left a legacy of racial bias to their descendants. Wherever white folk have taken civilisation to the savage native populations the indigenous peoples have suffered destruction of their own cultures (which were invisible to the colonizers or regarded as proof of the natives' savagery)and racial vilification. The superiority of western culture, as perceived by Europeans, has been taken as proof of the superiority of Europeans themselves and the inferiority of the colonised peoples. Surely, the arguement goes, if they had been as intelligent, hard-working, creative or favored by God as the Europeans, they would have developed advanced cultures as the Europeans have done.
Diamond's book is a brilliant riposte to that racist arguement. He shows how domesticatible plants and animals were the key factor in the development of farming allowing the abandonment of a hunter and gatherer existence. He shows that the so-called inferior cultures lacked those resources. He shows that the development of farming allowed specialisation in production, the development of an army and resistence to disease through close contact with farm animals which are the ultimate source of most human infections. He shows that colonising forces were able to subdue indigenous populations by infecting them and carving them up with their superior weapons.
Once again science demonstrates the folly of racial supremacy theory. Good on you, Jared!

Guns, Germs and Steel
An interesting book, which tries to explain the emergence of western civilization as the dominant culture in our times. Revealing though it is; it failed to explain a lot that defied the views postulated. A great read though. Collapse, Disciples of Fortune, The Third Chimpanzee are other interesting books to read.

A highly informative book with an intersting title ...
Sometimes back I read "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared Diamond. No doubt a fantastic book which deserves five stars ... It talks about how the environmental factors contributed towards the evolution of humans.

Some of the questions he tries to answer ...

1. Why some Hunter-gatherers in some places moved on to farming and others did not?.

(The author suggests that when cost-benefit analysis is done, in some cases hunting-gathering was better(for example ... it takes time to plant and grow the plants) and other cases it was not.The author emphasizes that the benefits of planned farming were enormous ... it enabled humans to grow more food in per square unit of an area. This in turn enabled population growth.)

2. Why only some plants/vegetables were domesticated?

3. Why the Eurasians were more successful in plant domestication (b'cos of their latitudinal layout) whereas not that successful in African/American continent (due to to longitudinal layout)?

4. How plant domestication lead to Trade?

5. How reading/writing/languages got propagated all around the world?

The book has wealth and wealth of information backed up with real evidence pointing towards facts. Highly, highly enlightening book ...

-Sachin ... Read more

Isbn: 0393317552
Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Civilization    4. Ethnology    5. History    6. Human Geography    7. Life Sciences - Evolution    8. Social Science    9. Social evolution    10. Sociology    11. Evolution    12. Sociology, Social Studies    13. World history    14. Reading Group Guide