Eras Books

Alanson B. houghton was a name lost as an important player in 20th century American history. Matthews work
helps connect the dots between the end of WW1 and Hitlers' invasion of Poland and illustrates Houghtons'
prescience in world affairs.Wonderfully written piece that weaves the various players in U.S. and European
government into an understandable story of diplomatic successes and failures leading to WW2.

Again and again on the mainstream media we hear the question, "What happened to the world we knew just 50 years ago?" expressed in variety of ways. Dr. Tiedemann's book gives a thoroughly researched, documented and evaluated answer. Although he provides an answer to this question, Tiedemann does not claim to know "all the answers."

Postmodern philosophy teaches that truth is in the mind of the believer. We create our own realities and there we live: If it feels good, it must be okay. "The way to peaceful coexistence," he writes in his evaluation of that philosophy, "is to learn, as best we can, what each others' realities are in order to understand why people think they way they do." That way lies peace on earth, the postmodernists claim -- we just learn to accept others for who they are and we can all get along.

That, of course, presupposes that the "others" WANT to get along with us. Bin Laden and al Queada being prime examples of those who hate us because we're not Muslims and would destroy us for that reason only.

The postmodern claim that we should learn to live "authentically" and "in harmony with others" presumes, of course, that we are not doing those things to the best of our ability. Postmodernism focuses on the negative in our present and past. Truth does not exist; self-awareness and self-response is our proper focus.

Thus postmodernism shifts our society from its traditional value of building community to the divisive "me first" ideology. In attacking traditional American values of religion, morality, hard work and self-sacrifice, the postmodernists rail against those values, calling them prudish, bigotry and racist.

Tiedemann traces the root of postmodern thinking to the Sophists of the 5th Century B.C. and follows it through the French philosophers and Soviet class warfare, presenting its rejection in every age.

To the American Traditionalist, Tiedemann's warning about the postmodern attack on Christianity is especially revealing. "In postmodern circles," he writes, "no single topic on the human condition comes under more vicious, and yet shallow, attack than that of Christianity. Evidence of this stems from the fact that the subject is broached in almost every book on the topic of postmodernism."

Indeed, we see these attacks every day -- from the ACLU lawsuits to court rulings denying Christian expression in every public phase of society. And we keep asking "why?"

This book clearly defines postmodernism in terms of our everday lives. It shows where it came from, how it developed and the result of it in American society today. It most effectively answers the questions most of us are asking about how we got to where we are today in everyday life in the USA.

Now -- in the interest of literary ethics: I think I've provided a fair overview of the book. It was written by my son; I'm very proud of him.

This book is the frist books that I have read that deals with social work internationally. Each chapter has a case study that helps understand and apply the items discussed within that chapter. The book even helps students in social work who want to do there social work practium overseas to have ideas on what to do and why! It is a very impressive work! Read it if you are interested in international social work!

Never a truer word written! The message of this author is simple, yet bold and courageous.

As a 4th-generation Unitarian (Universalist) myself, I never had the luxury of having a starry-eyed vision of the denomination. Many people who first encounter the faith as adults are victim to just that. Their almost palpable joy and relief at finding religious liberalism and embodied within a faith so different than the one in which they may have been raised -- one with which they may have strongly disagreed, one they may have felt completely disillusioned with, one they may callously have been abused by -- seems to blind them to reality.

There is no perfect faith, there is no perfect religion, and there is no perfect denomination - not even Unitarian Universalism.

Any institution created by and/or entrusted to human beings will be subject to the laws of human nature. That includes Unitarian Universalism. The denomination would have been (and still will be) well served to keep its feet firmly planted on the ground, remaining ever vigilant about its institutional introspection and mindfulness.

This book, written by an outsider (a non-UU), has had the courage to tell difficult truths simply and with clarity. Had Unitarian Universalism been the beneficiary of its wisdom much earlier (and had chosen to actively embraced it), there very likely would have been a 5th generation of UUs in my family. Sadly for the denomination, they did not ...and so there is not.

While it's too late for my family, it's not too late for those who are currently proud to call themselves UU and find the faith and it's fellowshipping deeply enriching to their lives and their spiritual journeys. But, heeding the wake-up call of this book and choosing to ardently foment substantial major change within the faith is needed to ensure that the future of the faith -- those children raised in the bosom of UU religious liberalism - will remain committed to the denomination.

I was once one of those children, yet that chance was squandered. Now an adult, Unitarian Universalism is a denomination with which I have strong disagreements, feel completely disillusioned with, and was callously abused by. Durall's book has touched upon some aspects of the discontent felt by other former UU children like me who now consider ourselves "recovering UUs."

this was a great book and a must read

Designed for the college classroom, this is a wonderful summary of the Progressive movement. It covers the debate about the role of government in American life as well as the pursuit of social justice. The author though defines racism as oppression of blacks and does not include any treatment of Asians. Still a great book.

This is a book to refer to and enjoy many times. The photographs and doll examples are wonderful!

I am a fiction writer, and I have a very old copy of this book that sprouts post-it notes from almost every page. I find I always have it open on my desk when I'm writing, and, in fact, it's where my cat sleeps when he joins me in my study. I'm working up the courage to strip the book of all the post-its--some of which have been there for four or five years. I'm tempted to buy the new edition, but I don't like the look of it. If you can't find any other, however, buy the new book in good condition, because you'll end up referring to it time and again.

Written for an informed citizen, this soaring account ought to be
tucked under your arm for awhile. Since 2001, this reader has been
racing through Colin S Gray, Robert Haass, Keith Payne, Robert Kagan,
Robert D Kaplan, and so on. If you need perspective, then this book
cannot be praised enough. Superior.

Well I have an essay in the book so of course I'm going to say this modern history anthology is great and that you should buy it. So go buy it!