Reviews (1)

The other side of awareness ...
I do think that the awareness of preventative screening and making women conscious of their health is a positive testament to many runs and galas dedicated to a cure for breast cancer. Treatment options are still evolving but overall, the pink ribbon phenomenon has created the awareness of the disease like never before. What this book does examine is what happens beyond the gala fundraisers ... how does the money raised translate into actual cure outcomes? This is similar to the commens made when AIDS fundraising crossed into a showbiz opportunity. However, despite the pinkwash of breast cancer awareness month ... one thing really seems to be clear ... the condition is top of mind, women are more likely to mind their health, and more money is raised than before towards treatment. Like the saying ... all roads lead eventually lead to Rome .... all efforts eventually lead to a cure in some way, shape, or form. Nothing is ever wasted especially when the intent of many individual fundraisers really is true and comes from the heart.
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Subjects:  1. Breast    2. Cancer    3. Diseases - Cancer    4. Endowments    5. Finance    6. Government - Comparative    7. Health Care Delivery    8. Medical / Nursing    9. Patients    10. Philanthropy & Charity    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Sociology    14. Treatment    15. United States    16. Current Events / Political    17. Oncology    18. Pharmaceutical industries   

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Emigration & Immigration    3. Social Science    4. Sociology    5. English law: criminal law    6. English law: immigration law    7. Reference works   

Reviews (6)

Grossly inaccurate
Although the book does contain truthful and revelant empirical raw data, the author severely slants the truth (and even sometimes makes half-truths to the point of incorrectly naming Presidents) to the point of satisfying her own argument. Although Castro may very much enjoy her deptiction of the sustained need for socialism, my exiled family as well as my Cuban colleagues find the book disheartening as it weaves a fairytale for Castro as the glorious Savior of the Republic. The fact is that although the Republic did need change, it needed sustained political evolution, not revoltuion as found in the Castro regime. As my family is and comes from a family of Cuban politicians trying to advocate such change, her book is a tragic misinterpretation of those great ideals the infant Republic was trying to accomplish. If you are interested in knowing more about what actually occurred, not some socialist propaganda, watch Andy Garcia's movie The Lost City.

elections in Cuba
in response to the review on nov 23 entitled "inadequate and biased". YOu should check your facts. Try reading Isaac Saney's Cuba a Revolution in Motion to read how democracy in Cuba works. Or better yet, go to Cuba during elections and see for yourself. It seems that your review is inaccurate and biased.

Falls a bit short.
Rarely does one find a book concerning the Cuban Revolution in which the author at least makes an effort to keep there political views out of the analysis.Marifeli Perez-Stable is no exception, as her book will either be praised by the left, or critizied by the right.In writing such a biased account her credibility is jepordized; not only because anyone with half a brain will realize this, but anyone with limited study in regards to the revolution see's many flaws.Amongst the most prevelant is the complete neglect of Cuba's "Counterculture" and the booming tobacco industry in Cuba throughout the 50's (she harbors on sugar as if every Cuban was either a plantation owner or slave).Hopefully Cuban books in the future will steer clear of political biases and present the facts, and only the facts. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Rome    2. Caribbean & West Indies - General    3. Causes    4. Cuba    5. Cuba - History    6. Government - Comparative    7. History    8. History - General History    9. History: World    10. Influence    11. Latin America - General    12. Revolution, 1959    13. 20th century    14. American history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. History / Latin America    16. History, World | Latin American    17. Marxism & Communism    18. Revolutions & coups   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (4)

States of Denial - setting the record straight
This review is in response to the offensive one posted on this website. Clearly the reviewer who rated this excellent book with one star and made what I regard as slanderous comments about the professionalism of one of the most illuminating thinkers of our time, is driven by ideological objection to Cohen's analysis.
Reader from London--Should Read London Papers
States of Denial: Knowing About Atrocities and Suffering by Stanley Cohen was awarded the 2002 British Academy Book Prize. I didn't know I knew what I didn't know
This is one of those "it should be required reading" books. Although his emphasis is on the larger mass atrocities and sufferings, Cohen examines denial from the personal to the political, from harmless "I'm not eating as many cookies as I really am," to the most horrendous "It's not torture; it's just heavy pressure" to the apathetic, "Gee, 5000 Ruwandans killed this week; I wonder how the Giants did last night." He concisely reviews the explanations of denial--Freudian, cognitive, etc--and neatly identifies the different types, styles, motives and cultural and personal collusions. Cohen's writing is clean, engaging, to the point, neither tediously over-intellectual nor patronzing, obviously well-researched and professional. He assumes his reader is familiar with basic social and political sciences and history and doesn't belabor points others have made. Most importantly, the book is compassionate, not in a gooey, all-is- forgiven and understood sense, but in its acknowledgement of denial as a universal of human behavior. Cohen handles an uncomfortable subject, not knowing what we know, a behavior of which we are all guilty, in a straight-forward, non-accusatory fashion. One has the sense that Cohen has not only being willing to see what goes on in a way that few have the courage to do, but that he has also refused to see, as we all do, and come to terms with his own denials, that his fastination with denial is not only as an observer but as a participant as well. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Criminology    2. Current Affairs    3. Defense mechanisms (Psychology)    4. Denial (Psychology)    5. Government - Comparative    6. International    7. Social aspects    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - General    10. Suffering    11. ATROCITIES    12. Behavioural theory (Behaviourism)    13. CRUELTY    14. Illness & addiction: social aspects    15. Political oppression & persecution    16. Psychology & Psychiatry / Personality    17. Violence in society   

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. Arab countries    3. General    4. Government - Comparative    5. History    6. Islam    7. Islam - General    8. Islamic Government    9. Islamic fundamentalism    10. Middle East - General    11. Political Science    12. Politics/International Relations    13. Religion - World Religions    14. Algeria    15. Egypt    16. Islamic studies    17. Political Science / Foreign Legal Systems    18. Political structure & processes    19. Saudi Arabia   

Editorial Review

During Mobutu Sese Seko's 30 years as president of Zaire (now the Congo), he managed to plunder his nation's economy and live a life of excess unparalleled in modern history. A foreign correspondent in Zaire for six years, Michela Wrong has plenty of titillating stories to tell about Mobutu's excesses, such as the Versailles-like palace he built in the jungle, or his insistence that he needed $10 million a month to live on. However, these are not the stories that most interest Wrong. Her aim is to understand Read more

Reviews (42)

Somewhat interesting, but poorly written
A number of the reviewers sum this up quite adequately.The is not at all scholarly and is a jumbled mess of vignettes.I give it 3 because there are so few books written on the subject and because she tried to be balanced in her reporting.This seems to be a very long winded news article with little depth and real insight.Just a mass of reporting on insignificant experiences she encountered rather than a serious recount of the history.Dissappointed and trying to slog through for any nuggets of insight.Even the brief recount of Congo/Belgium in "The Scramble for Africa" was a much better treatment of the subject, albeit solely focused on Belium's colonial period.

Just OK
What a fascinating subject! I couldn't wait to read this book. I'm sorry to say I was a little disappointed when I put it down, however. This book is an updated version of the memoirs that 19th-early 20th century European and American explorers turned out. After spending some time in the DRC as a journalist, the author seems to believe that her rather brief and privileged experience there puts her in a unique position to tell the world what is "wrong" with the country and its people. Instead of meaningful research and interviews, she presents an endless supply of sketches that render almost all of the events and characters who pass through her pages cartoonish (if memorable). Although I found the book interesting and a fun read, I can't say I found much insight into the DRC or its people and the writer's patronizing tone toward her subject annoyed me.

not as good as King Leopold's ghost, but still worth the read...
After reading King Leopold's Ghost, I was looking for a good synopsis of what happened in the post-colonial era.After a few weeks of searching, I settled on In the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz. Both were fascinating books that give great insight on the problems with the Congo.Both are written in a style that is highly readable, entrhalling and at the same time informative. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Africa - General    2. Government - Comparative    3. History    4. History & Theory - General    5. History: World    6. Political    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations   

Reviews (8)

Good organization but disappointing content
The organization of the work is excellent and many of the chapters (including those written by John Baylis) were clear, concise, and easy for a graduate class to follow.Unfortunately, other selections in the work are diffuse, rambling, or awkwardly-written.Moreover, despite an attempt to provide a balanced perspective on whether globalization is actually occurring, the work tends to support the globalization argument without providing strong evidence.Baylis' brilliant initial chapter actually presents a plausible case against globalization.Finally, despite the importance of nationalist and religious-based ideologies in motivating transnational behavior, these concepts receive less coverage than, for example, feminist theories.I had to construct an entire unit on Christian and Islamic principles of transnational relations from supplementary materials.Although I might assign Baylis' first chapter as required reading, the quality of the writing in the remaining 400+ pages is too inconsistent to be a good text.

Great piece of academic work
This book helped me understand my initial international relations module at college. It is concise, informative and provides detailed analysis of key issues, and sets out typologies on how best to understand international issues.

I belive it is fantastic
I�m a master degree student from Colombia. I was searching an international relations book focused in globalization matters and I found it. It is very clear, easy to understand. I�m very happy to pourchased it. I recommend you ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Globalization    2. Government - Comparative    3. International Relations - General    4. Political Process - General    5. Political Science    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics/International Relations    8. International relations    9. Political Science / International Relations    10. Politics | International Studies   

Reviews (4)

Fighting the good fight.
Darrow takes the reader through some of his most famous cases and explains the philosophy with which he approached his career and the law in general. Any reader interested in the history of the period should find his accounts fascinating: Eugene Debs, John P. Altgeld, the MacNamara Case, the Loeb-Leopold murders, and the famous Scopes"monkey trial" case are just some of the points touched upon in the Darrow autobiography.
Pessimist by Profession
Interesting for style as well as insight into courtroom tactics, psychology of jurors, crime and muckraking.His basic premise about jurors: If he can get them to imagine, he can get them to doubt.So his approach, always personal, was perpetually appealing to imagination.It worked, mostly, even when clients were guilty.It's his reliance on reason that makes him a skeptic.Causation is the basis of his world and personal views. Seeing the effect of the law, he argues that judging is worse than judgement, and he would dispense with both.He is at some pain to describe what he gave up to plead, rather than the life he gained by it.His seriousness can be attributed to the injustices he saw, effects he attributes more to chance than choice.He espouses the theory of continental drift, in 1939! A sharp mind interested in everything.As he says himself, if he had to do it over, . . . he'd have been a scientist.

A Must Read Book for Lawyers-Want-to-Be
This book successfully captured the life of Clarence Darrow, who is no doubt one of the greatest attorneys of the early 20th century.His abilities to defend the indefensible are most extrordinary.I will certainly recommend this book to anyone espeically pre-law or law school students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1857-1938    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Darrow, Clarence,    6. General    7. Lawyers    8. United States    9. Biography: general    10. Darrow, Clarence    11. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    12. USA   

Reviews (6)

Another handsome collection of writings from El Sup
Without a doubt, Subcomandante Marcos is one of the most important present day writers and activists in the Americas. "Our Word is Our Weapon" is a huge collection of his essays and short stories about the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas.As such, I highly recommend it for peace and justice activists engaged in Latin American solidarity work, the anti-corporate globalization movement and indigenous struggles. Moreover, it is an interesting study of grassroots participatory democracy in action. Read it and be inspired!

The man is a myth
Subcomandante Marcos is not just a man, he is a myth in his own lifetime. The cult of personality that surrounds him is completely deserved. His poetic voice is so sharp and poignant you can not help but feel sympathetic for his Zapatistan cause.
A movement of Now.
Too often those of us who seek social justice for people who have been traditionally oppressed tend to just reminisce on the past.Read more

Subjects:  1. Government - Comparative    2. Latin America - Mexico    3. Politics / Current Events    4. Social Science    5. Sociology    6. Sociology - General    7. History / Latin America   

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance    2. Business/Economics    3. Foreign trade regulation    4. Free trade    5. General Agreement on Tariffs a    6. Government - Comparative    7. International    8. International - General    9. International Relations - Trade & Tariffs    10. Political Science    11. Politics/International Relations    12. Regionalism    13. World Trade Organization    14. Economics    15. International trade    16. Law    17. Political Science / International Relations / Trade & Tariffs    18. Political Science and International Relations    19. Trade agreements & tariffs   

Reviews (1)

Brainy prof painlessly debunks gridlock assumptions
I had very low expectations, to be sure. All said and done, however, this is a v. fine book, considering that my brother-in-law wrote it.Read more

Subjects:  1. Civics & Citizenship    2. Government - U.S. Government    3. Law    4. Law and politics    5. Legislation    6. Political Process - Political Parties    7. Political aspects    8. Politics - Current Events    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Politics/International Relations    11. Public    12. Separation of powers    13. United States    14. Jurisprudence & philosophy of law    15. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    16. Political Science / Political Parties    17. Political structure & processes    18. USA   

Subjects:  1. Europe - Russia & the Former Soviet Union    2. Government - Comparative    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. International Relations - General    7. Political History    8. Political Science    9. Politics - Current Events    10. Russia (Federation)    11. Russia - History    12. European studies    13. Political Science / International Relations    14. Russia   

Reviews (16)

Nothing you probably already didn't know
I tend to agree with "PNC2007" on that this is a very generic book on law school admissions and survival.I'm not a law school student (yet) that's why I was looking for some information.Like many For Dummies books, the book tries to be humorous and claims to give you the "insider secrets," but there's really absolutely nothing "secret" about what the author dispenses in way of advice.Want to get into a good law school?She says you need a high LSAT score, a high GPA, a good essay, and good recommendations.Duh.Don't we already know this?I mean, if you didn't already know this, you really shouldn't be even thinking about attending law school.The author spends two or three chapters letting you in on some studying tips.You know what?These ain't tips; they just tell you to "do your homework; organize your studying schedules; study hard."Duh, again.If the message is that law school is really tough, you don't need a 350-page book peppered with bogus humor to learn that.
Regal Legal Boook
John Ventura gives very strong and detailed information for many legal wheelings and dealings.He covers may situations the average person might find him/herself in, and the majority of this book is outstanding.The only problem is that I try to absorb all this knowledge, but it's so detailed that you have to read it more than once to keep it in your head.

Good read, but should look into other topics...
This book was a good read.It will help calm your nerves before entering the first year of law school.Law 101 was also and excellent book.However, in retrospect, I would concentrate on learning about getting a job (resumes, interviewing, cover letters.)You will be expected start this right around finals time of your first semester.Most people were worried about their first finals and got a late start on this.It is easy to fall behind and once you are there it is difficult to catch up.Most people found that the job search was last on the priority list until after first year classes were over.You will be well ahead of the game if you are prepared for a job search.It will allow you to concentrate more on studying.While the first sumeer jobs aren't crucial they can provide good experience for landing second summer jobs.Also, reading about different law specialties is a good idea.You don't have to know what you want to do going into law school but the sooner you have a direction the better. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. General    3. Graduate Departments And Schools    4. Higher    5. Law    6. Law (General)    7. Law schools    8. Law students    9. Legal Education    10. Legal Reference / Law Profession    11. Students & Student Life    12. Study and teaching    13. United States    14. Advice on careers & achieving success    15. Education / Students & Student Life    16. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    17. Study & learning skills    18. USA    19. Universities / polytechnics   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Construction Management    4. Construction contracts    5. Engineering - Civil    6. Legal Reference / Law Profession    7. Management - General    8. Taxation    9. United States    10. Building construction & materials    11. English law: environment law    12. English law: planning law    13. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law    14. Technology / Engineering / Civil   

Reviews (1)

A Must Read for Any China Watcher
I am fortunate enough to have been a student of Professor Peerenboom's at the UCLA School of Law where he practically teaches the contents of this book in his Comparative Law: China course.Read more

Subjects:  1. China    2. General    3. International    4. Jurisprudence    5. Law    6. Law reform    7. Legal Reference / Law Profession    8. Rule of law    9. International Law    10. Jurisprudence & General Issues    11. Law / Jurisprudence    12. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law   

Subjects:  1. Anthropology - Cultural    2. Anthropology - General    3. Argentina    4. General    5. Human rights    6. Political Anthropology    7. Political Discontent And Violence    8. Political crimes and offenses    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Social Science    11. Sociology    12. Terrorism    13. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law   

Reviews (1)

Before the Law: An Introduction to the Legal Process
Before the Law: An Introduction to the Legal Process ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil Procedure    2. General    3. Legal Reference / Law Profession    4. Political Science    5. Politics/International Relations    6. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law   

Reviews (4)

A useful and engaging work on contemporary Syria.
This engaging and often witty work asks the basic question, "how do rituals and symbols that are widely understood to be false or absurd help to support a regime?"Her answers help to complicate our understanding of the relationship between state symbolism and legitimacy in authoritarian states.
Analysis of Syria's pseudo-cult of personality
When I first traveled to Syria in the late 90's, I found the eerie, creepy phenomenon of what Wedeen terms Syria's state cult to be the most inscrutable, absurd and mind-boggling feature of the entire land-scape.After Asad's death, the succession of his son, Bashar, saw the ubiquity of his father's visage decline noticeably but still it did by no means disappear. Brilliant
One of the best studies I have ever read on the nature of power and domination.Wedeen asks the simple question of how Asad is able to keeppower in Syria when all of the people know that all of the state propagandais false.Her elegant answer gets right to the heart of what makes a rulerpowerful.Asad rules not through totalitarianism, but throughauthoritarianism.What's the difference?A ruler who controls everythingthat the people think (like in North Korea) is not really dominating them,they just don't know any better.But a ruler like Asad rules because thepeople fear him and become unable to dissent as a result of Foucault-iandiscursive practices.Read more

Subjects:  1. Government - Comparative    2. Language Arts & Disciplines    3. Political    4. Political aspects    5. Political culture    6. Politics / Current Events    7. Politics and government    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Rhetoric    10. Symbolism in politics    11. Syria    12. Cultural studies    13. Political Science / General    14. Political science & theory    15. Propaganda   

Reviews (3)

Good Advice for All
I've been running a video game company that is now over 10 years old. It is refreshing to read a book that distills the important information, approaches the industry with a clear mind, and promotes useful thought even for veterans. Well done!

A lifesaver
I manage nearly 50 software engineers at a fortune 500 company. Once I got this book, I realized that our engineer contracts are extremely weak given the volatile nature of many software developers (something I've personally witnessed), and if anything ever went wrong under our existing terms, we'd be in a very litigious situation. Thanks to the information presented here, however, I've been able to outline a strategy for our legal department to consider for a revised draft that could potentially save our company millions of dollars and countless manhours of paperwork in averted lawsuits and other such nightmares. Take it from me-- most engineering managers and entrepreneurs are not as well versed in legal issues as they should be. This book was a huge eye-opener and I recommend it highly.

Finally, somone that knows something about law!
This is a great book for anyone that wants to know the actual details of media related law and intellectual property, but doesn't have the time to get a law degree. I own a small software and web company and we are constantly paying attorneys to review "potential" copyright, patent, and other infringements. I have wasted so much time paying for legal advice, but it seems like these experts never can give me a straight answer. I have been looking for a book that can be understood by a non-attorney, but that has explicit examples of copyright law, trademarks, what is legal, and what is not. After reading this book, I feel 100x more confident now, and I immediately no longer need legal advice in many areas, I KNOW the law in the areas, and can be confident that my decisions are reasonable. I highly recommend this book to any executive or business person that is in the intellectual property loop, but is sick of not understanding what is what. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Books: General    2. Computers    3. Computers - Games    4. Entertainment & Games - General    5. Reference - General    6. Video & Electronic - General    7. Computer games    8. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General    9. Law for the lay person    10. Laws of Other Jurisdictions & General Law   

Reviews (1)

A good reader for certain students
This book is ambitious.It is not your basic primary source reader as it seeks to bring (as is suggested in the title) the "west" into a global context by emphasizing sources which discuss notions of cultural, ethnic, religious, and national identity.
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Subjects:  1. Government - Comparative    2. History - General History    3. Political Science    4. Politics/International Relations    5. World - General