Reviews (1)

Miller shows a compassionate side in politics
Given today was Shabbas, I decided what better to do than read and relax. On Thursday, I recieved my copy of The Compassionate Community written by Kentucky State Treasurer Jonathan Miller.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - General    3. Caring    4. Christianity - Christian Life - Political Issues    5. Christianity - Christian Life - Social Issues    6. Compassion    7. Customs & Traditions    8. Religion - Christian Life    9. Religious aspects    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Social Science / Customs & Traditions   

Reviews (138)

Black like me
hello my name is josi, im 15, im in ninth grade. I really enjoyed this book because it shows u how the black people were ridiculed because of their skin color which is like wrong, i think, um the thing that stood out to me was that, if a person was black and wanted to like eat in a resteraunt, they would have to eat in the back of the building and not at a table. Anyways i recommend this book to whomever wants to read this book.

Love this Book - Great Learning Oppotunity
This was a fabulous book!A great read on race relations and the experiences of both black and white.Great learning tool for a class or for your own personal knowledge.It really puts things into perspctive!

Very Powerful
"Black Like Me" is a memoir by John Howard Griffin about he, as a white man, died his skin pigments black and traveled the south as a black man looking for jobs. He observed the differences between how he was treated as a white man and how he was treated as a black man. Published in 1960, "Black Like Me" was a groundbreaking work of literature that stunned the public with plain truth. It awakened white people that they needed to take action and change their ways.
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Subjects:  1. 1920-    2. African Americans    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Ethnic Issues    6. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    7. Griffin, John Howard,    8. Race relations    9. Sociology    10. Southern States    11. Fiction / Fantasy / General    12. Griffin, John Howard   

Reviews (23)

A Practical Realistic Guide
I've been doing business with China now for over 8 years but recently I was asked to bring a small group of fellow business associates to China, since I was considered the "Expert". While I know my business well I certainly would not call myself an expert so I went and ask some other friends for a recommendation for a good book that we all could easily understand. A friend that lives and works in China, recommended China Streetsmart and since reading the book I can definitely say its a great guide and has even given me new ideas how to improve my own business with China.
Hands down the Best Resource Guide on the subject
I read John Chan's title after finishing a 9 year expat assignment in China. I was reading numerous publications on the subject to see how other's experiences compared with my own. Other books covered the typical topics with stories to illustrate the points, but I found many of them dated to the China of today, and too generalized.China is on a rapid pace of change and the practices & customs vary significantly by local area."China Streetsmart" was current, accurately portrayed the regional dynamics of the China business environment, and offered widely applicable & fundamental guidelines to be successful. The recounting of real life experiences were so true to my own, it was uncanny.I only wish I had John's book 9 years ago. If your company or yourself are going to China, then make this book a prerequisite.There's not a single book out there that will prepare you for every situation, but if you read just one, I highly recommend "China Streetsmart" by John Chan.Take it from someone who has been there, the better you're prepared, the better your results.
Handy book to watch out for the dangers
Great book, with lots of pictures and colorful illustrations. The only business book I can read on the airplane and not get bored. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Business & Economics / International    3. Business / Economics / Finance    4. International - General    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Business    8. Business & Economics    9. Business & Management    10. China    11. Investments, Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Aesthetics, Japanese    2. Anthropology - Cultural    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Civilization    5. General    6. Japan    7. Social Science    8. Social conditions    9. Social networks    10. Sociology    11. Cultural studies    12. Social Science / General   

Reviews (48)

It could have become a good book if it was not for...
I started reading this book with great expectations as well as enthusiasm but after a number of chapters I became more and more disenchanted.
A well written popular econ book written for those all ready familiar with basic economics
Reading the reviews of The Armchair Economist show people's amazing lack of understanding of value.What I value is not necessarily what you value AND vice versa.People value things differently from others, and nothing has innate value.Something only has value if you are willing to pay for it (people will assume here that I only mean money, but I also mean paying for something with time, emotion, thought, or any other type of effort, not just money).
Excellent and enjoyable introduction to economic thinking
In this collection of essays, Landsburg introduces the reader to how economists think about the world and teaches a number of fundamental economic principles, from the power of incentives (the lynchpin of economic analysis) to the first and second fundamental welfare theorems (which don't sound interesting, but believe me, Landsburg makes them fun). He examines seatbelt laws, financial markets, government deficits, and the war on drugs, all along giving clear, instructive, and humorous examples to make his points.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Economics    5. Economics - General    6. Sociological aspects    7. Anthropology    8. Business & Economics / General   

Reviews (16)

Some remarkable and important points

Semi-Serious Summary of a Smelly Subject!
"Flushed" provides readers with a world-wide tour of both the earliest and latest in subjects we take for granted and usually would rather not talk about - water and sewage systems.Carter believes today's sewers date from the 3rd millennium B.C. in Mohenjodaro, a city in what is now Pakistan.All the homes had a hole built into the floor dropped into the same brick drain that took out bath water to a cesspit designed to empty into covered sewer mains as it filled up.These mains were tall enough to walk through and emptied outside the city walls into the river.Then the Hellenistic Greeks (350-150 B.C.) shortened many of the old aqueducts, using inverted siphons, and began using lead for some pipes.
A Little Known but Deadly Serious Business
Can you imagine what the world would be like if we still used outhouses, even in the cities? Can you imagine the disease, the smell, the filth? We have to be very glad that Thomas Crapper invinted the flush toilet. And that the community built sewers to take away the result.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Construction - Plumbing    3. Environmental Engineering & Technology    4. General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Plumbing    9. Sewerage    10. Water-supply    11. World - General    12. History / General   

Reviews (12)

The Face of North Dakota
If you are seeking the book on the geology of North Dakota, you can purchase new copies of the 3rd edition (2000) from The State Historical Society of North Dakota museum store in Bismarck for ten bucks including shipping.To find it, search for "museum store book" north dakota.
Great Service from Amazon
Hello,I was apprehensive at first about ordering my book from Amazon but I liked the price and after reading the other reviews I decided to take a chance.I did not want to buy a used book because I did not want to chance getting an 'as is' product. I got confirmation that the book was shipped 2 days after I ordered it and lo and behold to my major surprise, I got the book the NEXT day!! I was very happy about this but even happier when I saw that the book was exactly what I had wanted. Thanks Amazon for the great service. Hey I believe we should give credit where credit is due. As for the actual contents of the book, I will get back to you on that since I just started using the book for my first sociology class.It seems ok so far but I will let you know. Thanks again.

Complete Garbage
This book is ridiculous. Its extremly biased and racist. Total garbage. Its being tossed in the bonfire after this class is over. I have taken two sociology classes, one used "A down to earth approach" I hardly had as bad a taste in my mouth after reading that one than I do with this propaganda. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Social Science    2. Sociology    3. Sociology - General    4. Social Science / Sociology / General    5. Sociology, Social Studies   

Editorial Review

Anyone who's been to a high school or college has noted how students of the same race seem to stick together. Beverly Daniel Tatum has noticed it too, and she doesn't think it's so bad. As she explains in this provocative, though not-altogether-convincing book, these students are in the process of establishing and affirming their racial identity. As Tatum sees it, blacks must secure a racial identity free of negative stereotypes. The challenge to whites, on which she expounds, is to give up the privilege that their skin color affords and to work actively to combat injustice in society. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Psychobabblegobbledygook garbage
This book is trash!!! Dr. Tatum is an embarassment to Spelman College. For a REAL book on race relations read Jared Taylor's" "Paved with Good Intentions." For some reason Dr. Tatum hates white people and writes how she browbeats white people into believing that whites have an unfair advantage over blacks.

Interesting, but not convincing
I found this book to bring up some potentially interesting points, but it failed overall by overlooking other major counter-arguments. It is certainly controversial and will evoke strong opinions either way. I happened to be on the annoyed side.

AMAZING
Now a senior at a predominantly white boarding school, I regret not having read this book earlier in my high school career. I have fought many battles surrounding racism and simple ignorance at what I believe to be no avail. Beverly Daniel Tatum, Ph. D eloquently points out our society's problems concerning race and offers many tactics on dealing with racial confrontations and issues.
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Subjects:  1. African American children    2. African Americans    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Ethnic Studies - African American Studies - General    5. Psychology    6. Race identity    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. United States    10. Whites    11. African American Studies    12. Education   

Reviews (1)

THIS BOOK IS SELLING FOR .75 BY 4 SELLERS AT LEAST ON HALF.COM BROUGHT TO YOU BY EBAY
AN EBAY WEBSITE: HALF.COM IS SELLING THIS BOOK AT .75CENTS!! MUCH EASIER TO WORK WITH THAN AMAZON!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1960-1980    2. 1980-    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Social Science    5. Social Situations And Conditions    6. Social conditions    7. Social problems    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. United States    11. Social Science / Sociology / General   

Reviews (2)

Happy
I have no concerns with the product and am happy with what I've paid for.

One of the better textbooks on American ethnic groups
All in all, I'd have to say that this is one of the better textbooks on the market today dealing with American ethnic groups (but that's not really saying much). My biggest critique with such textbooks is that, all to often, they engage in culturalist essentialism. Furthermore, it is often implied that all members of said group behave in this fashion and "practice" this culture. The obvious fallacy of such an approach is that it fails to acknowledge that ethnicity is an emergent (rather than primordial) phenomenon, and that culture changes over time.
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Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Discrimination    3. Ethnic relations    4. Ethnicity    5. Race relations    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. United States    10. Social Science / Sociology / General    11. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (3)

gooses review
this book was boring.Evrything in here was either stuff you could look up in the dictonary and that you wouldn't need to because the terms went by other words as well, or common sense that you would know by guessing.This book reads similar to books made in the era of black and white television whos goals were to dispense facts and not to entertain thus saving space and money.Because of this it sounds just like an instruction manual except for the fact that most instruction manuals arent this long.If you plan on reading this book all the way through good luck its a 282 page instruction manual. If I could have I would have given it a negative one star review

Like Reading for Fun!
Learning cultural anthropology through this book is a joy ride.When I was reading, it actually felt like I was reading a New York Times Bestseller!This book captures you attention and it is never boring.I had to read this book for my intro to anthropology class and you can only imagine how fun studying for this class was.I've learned so much from it and I would read it again when I have the time!

Not intimidating to new cultural anthropology students
There is little wasted space in this book.It is to the point.This brevity for me was ideal, but for some readers, perhaps they need more examples.For use in a classroom setting, this is an especially usefulwork if used in conjunction with a readings from cultural anthropology textsuch as "Conformity and Conflict."The two complement each othervery well. More specifically, I found the latter part of MFH especiallyinteresting-- the chapters dealing withgender, the world system, andstratification. MFH should not only appeal to those within the field ofcultural anthropology but also should draw the attention of studentsworking within the sister disciplines of history and sociology. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Social & cultural anthropology    7. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Reviews (8)

Forget What's In It... Where Is It?
In 1998 Pierre Bourdieu's *Distinction* was voted by members of the International Sociological Association to be the sixth most important sociological treatise of the 20th century: but if Bourdieu's "theodicy" for the cultural market of the hexagonal 70s maintains its appeal today we have plenty of reasons.Presented with a country in stasis and a market full of options, Bourdieu took the liberty of declaring the case for economic determinism airtight: in his theory of social fields (presented to the reader in a variety of ways) we are given "templates" for freedom of economic choice which maintain their plausibility *in the breach*. A Must Read!
This is a fantastic explication of how social class prearranges our tastes and interests.I disagree with the reader who thinks that it is not applicable to American society--to the contrary.It is true that American culture is not so obviously stratified in the exact same ways as French culture (of the 1960s, I would add, when Bourdieu collected his data).Also, in American culture there is less of a tendency to exploit the social markers (dress, etc.) that one might find in Europe, and it's hip nowadays for the middle-class to adopt the style and dress of the street (e.g., hip-hop); nevertheless, I'd say that this is a veneer of street-cred, and that if you were to look at how the middle-class actually lives compares to those where hip-hop originated, you'd find some pretty significant differences. read it for the diagrams
Distinction is the most cited book from Bourdieu, one of France's most prolific scholars.The book tends to assume that its readers are familiar with his key terms, developed mostly in _Outline of a Theory of Practice_ and _Logic of Practice_.Although it is the most cited, beginning readers of Bourdieu should probably start with _Partical Reason_ to get a handle on these concepts before getting involved in this larger tome. Read more

Subjects:  1. 1945-    2. Aesthetics, French    3. Anthropology - Cultural    4. Civilization    5. Culture    6. Esthetics    7. France    8. Social Science    9. Social classes    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. Sociology - Social Theory    13. Social Science / Sociology / General    14. Sociology, Social Studies   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. Communication    4. Communication, International    5. Intercultural communication    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Sociology - General    9. United States    10. Communication Studies    11. Interdisciplinary Studies    12. Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication    13. Sociology, Social Studies   

Reviews (3)

Sound advice even if you don't accept all of his method
Spradley was an advocate and artful practitioner of a particular type of ethnography, informed by symbolic interactionism, that does not necessarily have the spatial contextual character of most ethnography. For example, he studied "tramp" culture, which is a context of a sort, but not like, say the KU med school in Boys in White.Much of this book explains how to conduct his sort of research.Because I generally favor the more traditional contextual approach, I neglected this book in my own book The Ethnographer's Method (Sage).Now I wish I hadn't; the advice on ethnographic interviewing is still very worthwhile for anyone heading off into field research, regardless of their style of "qualitative" study.In fact, I'm using it myself in the project I'm currently launching.

I owe my PhD to Spradley
While reviewing tons of literature searching for the appropriate research methodology for my doctorate degree in corporate innovation, "The Ethnographic Interview" came to my attention.The research paradigm described and illustrated in this work provided a blueprint for the collection and analysis of text-based data.So often quantitative measures are applied before the problem or situation has been truly assessed.Spradley's methods are respectful of the population or culture to be studied and provide a vehicle for the researcher to interact without interferring.

A great step-by-step guide to ethnographic interviews
This is a great step-by-step guide to the theory and practice of ethnography.Provides the theoretical rationale for why ethnography is structured as it is.It is most unique for the well thought out,structured approach to interviewing.Identifies how different types ofquestions provide different types of data.Gives an elegant taxonomy ofquestions and shows how each type of question is linked to a differentaspect of ethnographic analysis.A must read classic for anyone--academicethnographics to market researchers--involved with data collection fromindividual human beings. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Archaeology / Anthropology    4. Interviewing in ethnology    5. Social Science    6. Sociology    7. Sociology - General    8. Anthropology    9. Ethnic studies    10. Social Science / Anthropology / General   

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Reviews (2)

State of the art
This one is easy to review: If you want to know the state-of-the-art on scientifically-informed thinking about ethics, buy this book. It is superb. Exciting Overview of a Scientific Approach to Morality
There are two virtually undiscussed background assumptions to this volume, which consists of four major papers, each with a set of ten or so expert, cross-disciplinary, commentaries. The first is that there is acharacteristic human morality that is exhibited in almost all societies,from the simplest hunter-gatherer society to the most complex high-techmarket society. The second is that one studies morality not by abstractlytheorizing on the basis of logic and intuition alone, has has been thehabit of philosophers, but by treating morality as a material force andstudying it scientifically as an evolutionary and structuralphenomenon.Read more

Subjects:  1. Ethics & Moral Philosophy    2. Ethics, Evolutionary    3. Philosophy    4. Anthropology    5. Biological anthropology    6. Philosophy / Ethics & Moral Philosophy    7. Psychology   

Reviews (1)

Wonderful Literature Review
I think that David Buss has assembled a cohesive and thorough overview of evolutionary psychology.This book offers an in depth examination of the standard topics.I believe that this area of psychology will benefit scholars in the social sciences a great deal in the future, as it will lend some substantial connection to the life sciences.I would also recommend Barret,Dunbar, and Lycett. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Physical    2. Developmental - General    3. Developmental Psychology    4. Evolutionary psychology    5. Human Evolution    6. Life Sciences - Evolution - Human    7. Physiological Psychology    8. Psychology    9. Psychology & Psychiatry / Social Psychology   

Reviews (1)

Thoughtful and well-designed anthology.
The book is great in providing several opinions on a particular unit studied.This way students (who are most often the readers of this book) get more than just a biased opinion.The context sections that follow the main text provide readers with additional information on the subject as well as the ideas for writing compositions.Furthermore, the book incorporates very well many diverse subjects including psychology, history of the Western Frontier,sex and gender, as well as several others.It contains many contemporary authors and provides the students with examples of different writing styles.In other words it's a great book for an English class or even for future reference and ideas. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. College readers    3. Composition & Creative Writing - General    4. English language    5. Interdisciplinary approach in    6. Interdisciplinary approach in education    7. Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy    8. Problems, exercises, etc    9. Rhetoric    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Language Arts & Disciplines / Composition & Creative Writing   

Reviews (14)

Depressing view of the future
The other reviews give you the flavor of this book so I will bring up a few items they and the author ignore. First, it is a vivid illustration of the more general problem in the world of what constitutes "help".If what one does causes more misery in the long run then it is clearly not helpful and this is what nearly all of the "aid" to the third world does.Anything that prolongs lifespans, increases child survival or increases standard of living is eventually disastrous as prosperity is ultimately bought at the expense of the future.The whole world is going down the drain but Africa is the worst case and likely by mid-century, and certainly by it's end, there will be starvation, disease, social violence and war on a staggering scale and as a permanent state.The world has only one problem--too many people--and only one solution--decrease the population at any cost.Of course it's not politically correct to say anything about it and certainly not to do anything really effective and Dettwyler is in a delicate position. These people seem to average a dozen pregnancies and above all they need birth control.
A Drop of Water in the Wide Ocean
This is a good insight into the malnutritional anthropology study of the women and children in Mali. At the very end, her work left me with the feeling that her work is just a drop of water in the wide ocean of the malnutrition dilemma worldwide. So much is needed to be done, yet the man power and the funding for this cause are very much lacking.
Excellent introduction to African life
I am not an anthropologist but a tourist who has visited Africa and is interested in learning more about African people. I found Katherine Dettwyler's book an excellent introduction to how real people live and deal with their lives in Africa. Dettwyler tells us how mothers and children interact, the way families view their children, what day-to-day life in rural Africa is really like. I found it fascinating especially because Dettwyler talks honestly about her reactions to what she found. This book shouldn't be restricted to anthropoogy students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Case studies    2. Children    3. Cultural And Social Anthropology    4. General    5. Health - Nutrition    6. Health and hygiene    7. Infants    8. Mali    9. Nutrition    10. Nutritional anthropology    11. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural    12. Sociology    13. Fertility, Human   

Reviews (1)

Interesting
This collection of essays is insightful but far from comprehensive, a good starting point for further discussion on commodification. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Commerce    3. Economic anthropology    4. History    5. Public Policy - Social Services & Welfare    6. Social Science    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Commerce - Social aspects - Addresses, essays, lectures    10. Social & cultural anthropology    11. Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural   

Reviews (40)

Religion not explained
I was very disappointed in this book, and not just because it is difficult.I was mainly disappointed because rather than explaining religion, Boyer explained the "transmission" of religious beliefs.He explains the influence of "memes" (cultural archetypes)on people's beliefs, but he doesn't explain why some people reject them and believe something else.

Worth the effort
I would give this book 5 stars for its content, but only 3 for its style.The information contained here is enlightening, thought-provoking, and very rewarding, but it does take an effort to read.
Et L'homme Crea led Dieux -
Does anyone know of an English tranlation of this book? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - General    2. Archaeology / Anthropology    3. General    4. Psychology of Religion  &