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SOCIALISM (Lib Works Ludwig Von Mises CL)

Published in Hardcover by Liberty Fund Inc. (1981-11-01)

Author: LUDWIG VON MISES

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A Tour de Force Defense of Capitalism

Helpful Votes: 15 out of 18 total.
Review Date: 2005-03-11

It is truly unfortunate that Von Mises is perhaps the most overlooked 20th Century champion of free market capitalism. His brilliant observations have heavily influenced the momentous (and much more revered) works of Friedrich Hayek, as well as subsequent scholars such as Murray Rothbard, Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, and others. Von Mises is the one who towers over almost every other laissez-faire economist (except Adam Smith and few others). His insightful formulations devastated the incessant obfuscations of the socialists and demonstrated, once and for all, the comparative benefits of a free market system.

At the heart of SOCIALISM is the argument that economic calculation is impossible without a free market. Von Mises effectively drove home the need for a market price in order to regulate the supply and demand of human society. Recent proposals for socialized medicine completely deny this importance of the price system: if the price of medicine (for consumers) is zero, the demand will be astronomical, and the doctors and other medical personnel will not be capable of effectively meeting such demand. Few proponents of "universal health care" ever address this concern, which colorfully evidences their lack of interest in -- or understanding of -- Von Mises' penetrating contentions.

"The market is a democracy in which every penny gives a right to vote. . . . Every individual is free to disagree with an election campaign or of the market process. But in a democracy he has no other means to alter things than persuasion. If a man were to say: 'I do not like the mayor elected by majority vote; therefore I ask government to replace him by the man I prefer,' one would hardly call him a democrat. But if the same claims are raised with regard to the market, most people are too dull to discover the dictatorial apirations involved." (p. 490) Von Mises had the presence of mind to fully discern the tyrannical motivations behind most calls for a collectivist arrangement. He knew that the grotesque desires of the elite would inevitably eclipse the true inclinations of man. More than an economic dissertation, SOCIALISM was an expression of human justice, as illuminated by the deference the author paid to the individual autonomy of the common man. Respect for the personal choices of others is, after all, the defining characteristic of freedom.

Regardless of the self-serving configurations of the statists and their innumerable followers, the free market works, as evidenced by the fact that even the poor feely partake in such a system and usually enjoy a much higher standard of living than even the average citizen in socialist nations. As the American federal government continues to expand at an alarming rate, we would do well as a society to better familiarize ourselves with the philosophies of Von Mises and his progeny. Reading SOCIALISM would be a start in the right direction. Those of us who have already surveyed the book should recommend it to as many thoughtful (and open-minded) people as we know. Day by day, one person at a time, we can begin to recover and restore our devotion to liberty as a society. As the author of this tremendous book well knew, the voluntary exchange of a free market will almost always be more efficient and preferable than the coercive force of government. The hollow promises of a big, active, all-intrusive state will always lure a great percentage of our soicety -- most of them well-meaning, but averse to logic and evidence -- yet such dreams always provide the essential fuel for despotism. A return to our federalist roots (in which the states are sovereign entities rather than ineffectual subsidiaries of the federal government) and to the free market principles of Smith and Von Mises would serve us well in our on-going struggle against state-sponsored tyranny.

Truly a Masterpiece

Helpful Votes: 19 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2005-05-28

This is THE definitive work on the impracticality, impossibility and immorality of socialism. Von Mises, who observed socialism first hand before having to flee his home in Europe, and who lived through the age of great collectivist experiments, has written a simply devastating critique. The (supposed) reader below who wrote the review entitled "Propogating Utopian Fallacies", obviously either has not read the book, or completely misunderstood the entire thing. A more ignorant review of this book can hardly be imagined. He makes several dubious assumptions in his review and attributes them to Von Mises. He makes statements like, "Mises doesn't understand," or "Mises believes" and then proceeds to use these statements to try to refute the idea of free markets. He also fails to apply his own logical excercises to himself. For example he states that if Mises were consistent, he would have rejected all government and not just some collectivist programs. Yet the reviewer seems to be a believer in a half-way system where markets are mixed with socialism, "democracy", and government intervention. I guess he must have a monopoly on believing that governments should do some things and leave others to the anarchy of the market. Anyone familair with the rest of Mises's works and with free market and libertarian theory in general can't help but laugh at the claims he makes. This reviewer clearly does not understand property rights based, modern anarchist theory (as opposed to the Rage Against the Machine variety which he makes reference to), nor does he understand this book. The claims he makes in the last paragraph of his reveiw are so outlandish and naive that they do not even warrant a response. An important lesson can be gained here though. Without some prior (correct) understanding of concepts like markets, anarchy, liberty, the true nature of government, and without some understanding of logical processes, it is easy to fall prey to such overly-simplified arguments. I would recommend along with this book, also reading other books by authors such as Mises, Murray Rothbard, Henry Hazlitt, and F.A. Hayek.

The book that turned F.A. Hayek from socialism

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 12 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-10

Does anything else need to be said?

A Towering Intellectual Achievement

Helpful Votes: 37 out of 38 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-26

October 25th 1817- The Bolsheviks stage a coupe in Petrograd and overthrow the Kerensky regime. For the first time ever Marxists seize control of a major nation. It will be several years before the Bolsheviks overwhelm their opponents within Russia. However, one question demands an answer. Will it work? Can socialism at least match the results of capitalism? The full answer to this question came in 1922- the year that Mises published Socialism, an Economic and Sociological Analysis. Here Mises proved that socialism must fail.

Why must socialism fail? The simple answer is because it lacks private ownership and a market for the means of production. As Mises put it "where there is no market there is no price system, and where there is no price system there can be no economic calculation". The full answer has several parts. First, economic calculation requires functioning financial markets. Second, economic calculation requires actual rivalry in markets. Third, economic calculation requires entrepreneurial alertness to profit opportunities. With these three elements in place monetary calculation of private profit reflects true economic costs. As Mises put it economic calculation "is essentially a matter for the capitalists- the capitalists who buy and sell stocks and shares, who make loans and recover them, who make deposits in the banks and draw them out of the banks again, who speculate in all kinds of commodities". Perpetually changing economic conditions mean that- "it is above all necessary that capital should be withdrawn from particular lines of production, from particular undertakings and concerns and should be applied in other lines of production, in other undertakings and concerns". Speculation in financial markets directs resources to the most urgent consumer demands because the most profitable ventures satisfy consumer demand at the least economic cost. Socialism fails because it lacks speculation that takes place only with entrepreneurial rivalry and exchange in financial markets.

The issue of economic calculation is economic, but Mises also inquired into the political and psychological reasons behind the socialist movement. He also discusses historical and cultural issues. Socialism is a full-scale treatise, comparable to Smith's Wealth of Nations. Some might think that a book from 1922 might have lost its relevance, but this is untrue. Mises explained principles that are as valid today as they were originally. In fact, Socialism is more relevant today than many recent books on economics. This is because Mises dealt with the real life problems of a dynamic economy, while much of modern economics focuses on static models that apply only to imaginary economic conditions.

Socialism is not only Mises' best book; it is one of the greatest works ever written on social theory. Mises addressed vital issues with penetrating analysis and delivered profound results. All those who are serious about political economy should read this book, but only after having read Menger's Principles of Economics, and before reading Hayek's Road to Serfdom. Those who are less ambitious should read a shorter book by Mises- Liberalism in the Classical Tradition. In any case, Socialism is a towering intellectual achievement. Were its arguments more widely understood many of the tragedies of 20th century state socialism might have been avoided. This book remains important today because it explains why we live in an age of unprecedented prosperity, and how we can achieve further progress. To put it simply Socialism is as indispensable to intellectual development as property rights are to economic development.

A must read for students of economics AND sociology!

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 11 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-23

Mises' Socialism is, perhaps, the most sociologically and economically "sound" theoretical attack on socialism to date. Happily, Dr. Mises' general position has been promulgated in economic journals since the post-war generation, and is the topic of the still relevant "calculation debate." It is not so pleasant that the insights of Mises are largely ignored by the sociology profession (probably because most sociologists continue to be prepossessed by Marxian materialism). However, sociologists who are seduced by the Marxian doctrine will be interested in this theoretical work because it asserts that social life can only be completely transformed, for the worst, under a centrally planned socioeconomic system. Further, Mises' erudition is manifest as he demolishes the work of Karl Marx and other utopians.

The central insight in this text for sociology is that "socialism" must manufacture an "artificial market." That is, a non-private property based market economy where managers will be given incentives in order to perform as private private owners who do business in a socioeconomic system analgous to "rational capitalism." This implication of an overhaul of social institutions (e.g., legal and monetary institutions) is a trenchant one. Hence, the idea of socialism is largely a sociopolitical problem, and one must move outside the perimeters of economic theory in order to address them. And Mises does just that!

The economic and sociological acumen in this work makes the price a steal. I must add, however, that more social scientists outside of economics need to read this tome because one cannot truly understand "society" without an understanding of economics.

Tales From The Networking Community: Networking, Like Life, is a Process not an Event

Published in Paperback by Happy About (2007-06-01)

Author: Dan Williams

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Tales from the Networking Community..On target

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-19

Tales From the Networking Community provides a pragmatic, common sense approach to the art,and skill,of effective networking. Using anaologies, stories and "tales" Dan Williams does a very good job of laying out the basic concepts required to develop and leverage business relationships. A good,quick read!

Helping Others Succeed, Helps YOU in the Long Run

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-29

This book shows readers the importance of establishing a business relationship with other business owners and promoting another business. How better can we live our lives in "Faith, Hope, and Charity" than by promoting a friend's business. A referral for another comes back to you one-hundred fold. This book is a must read for every Home-Based-Business or regular business owner that wishes to make money in the marketplace. Thanks, Dan for showing us the way. Read the book and succeed!

Essential for doing business in the 21st Century

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-17

What a terrific job Dan Williams has done to create an essential guide for doing business in the 21st Century. Williams' understanding of the importance of relationship building and networking in today's marketplace is right on target.
For anyone interested in building a successful and enduring business, this little ditty is a must read.

A PhD Course in Networking

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-17

Any person serious about networking in the business world must read this book and memorize certain passages. There is no reason to re-invent networking when you have this book in hand. Thanks to Dan for a marketing masterpiece written for the layman. Everything I ever learned about networking is covered and placed in proper perspective in this powerful book.

An essential business read

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-11

Business professionals would do well to read this insightful and helpful look into business networking from an author with extensive experience both here in the Washington DC market and in other states as well.

Dan provides an easy read that draws the reader into real life experiences noted first hand from a thought leader of networking.

Jeff Arnette, Professional Networkers Alliance, Chair

Understanding Terrorism and Managing the Consequences

Published in Hardcover by Prentice Hall (2001-07-12)

Authors: Paul M. Maniscalco and Hank T. Christen

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Solid Text with Great Application for Field Response

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2003-01-07

After having to climb through so many books looking for the information I required to understand the issues and response to terrorism I came across Understanding Terrorism by Maniscalco & Christen. What a relief to find a comprehensive, cohesive and no nonsense book.

These authors have done a remarkable job with synthesizing complex data and rendering it into a discussional and informational manner easily comprehended by all emergency planners and responders. The constant reinforcement of "system" play and interoperability as well as a function rather than an agency approach lent great assistance to my team being able to immediately apply the knowledge to the crafting of our contingency response templates.

Great job by the composers, fantastic text for you or your organization!

Effective and operational powerful teaching and tool

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-08

This book is fantastic. It articulates the issues in a discussional format and make sense of the many confusing topics of terrorism planning and response.

I like the fact that the authors have taken the time to include a very robust reference appendix section. It has proven to be unquestionably my go to book on this subject matter.

In addition to the front matter which is invaluable, I now have to only grab one book to reference the myriad of references, case in point is the streamlined access to federal response plan, MSDS sheets, radiological references etc.

If you are an operator, supervisor, manager, planner or instructor this text is for you!

Clean, Concise, Competent

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-28

A lot of books on terrorism response have been written by 'experts'; fine folks who understand the theory, but in reality lack the practical experience. This book is NOT one those.

The authors are well organized, show their writing experience, as well as their provider and leadership experience.

The book is a comfortable read, not a scholarly tome that is an alternative to Xanax. Illustrations are good.

If you have a need to plan for medical response to terrorism, this book is an excellent resource to aid in your preparations.

Well Written and Common Sense Presentation

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-25

The authors of Understanding Terrorism have done a great job with presenting complex and difficult material in a manner that is easy for all responders to understand.

This book covers all the bases and met all of my expectations. It has become a permanent fixture in my response bag should I need a ready reference. Frankly, this is perhaps the best book on the subject for emergency responders that I have seen to date. A great value for the price!

Great Source and Reference!

Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2002-09-20

I was skeptical at first about another book on terrorism. After being disappointed by several other terrorism response books allegedly written for emergency planners and responders, I was very satisfied with Understanding Terrorism and Managing The Consequences.

This book is a breath of fresh air that restores my confidence that responders who have the experience and background of planning for & operating at terrorist events are sharing their expertise & knowledge.

Understanding Terrorism provides you the VITAL information you need to perform your duties as a responder as well as provides security directors & safety managers expanded knowledge on what is expected for their functional areas in times of terrorist events.

The information is provided in a cohesive manner that aids the users with easy comprehension and utility of the material. It also compiles all the needed references under one cover to make your job easier.

The approach the authors have adopted with this book is a big bonus. Frankly I am tired of books that adopt a "shotgun" approach or use theoretical [terminology] to convey the message of safe and effective response strategies; they fail to address the implementation and operational application issues effectively. THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH UNDERSTANDING TERRORISM. This book helped me each step of the way as well as provides me with the benefit of being a "one book" planning and response reference.

Public or private sector emergency managers, responders or security officials, if you are responsible for the emergency response, Understanding Terrorism is the one book you should own, read and use.

Wall of Silence: The Untold Story of the Medical Mistakes that Kill and Injure Millions of Americans

Published in Hardcover by LifeLine Press (2003-05)

Authors: Rosemary Gibson and Janardan Prasad Singh

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Average review score:

Buy this book

Helpful Votes: 16 out of 19 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-05

If you want to know the truth about the medical system and the enormous number of errors and cover-ups within that system, read this book. Well-researched with many shocking and heart-breaking case studies, the book provides answers as well as showing the problems. Thank goodness someone had the courage to buck the system and break down the Wall of Silence for all of us.

Dying for Safety and Accountability

Helpful Votes: 19 out of 24 total.
Review Date: 2003-09-15

What separates Wall of Silence by Gibson and Singh from other books on this topic is the refreshing and bold truth telling contained within it's human stories of pain, injustice and frustration. Not only did the authors shoulder the risks and courage requisite for listening to and then writing about the human face, consequences and devastation of needless medical error tragedies, but they also ferreted out and exposed the ugly truths, told by medical providers themselves, about how the pervasive greed, secrecy and code of silence in the healthcare industry works to bury medical mistakes through a host of means; including blackballing and burying the careers of the competent and ethical medical providers who dare to tell the truth and who place patients above profits. As a medical provider, I can find no better way to encapsulate the meaning and hope of this treatise than through those words offered by the Former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. This book is, as she states, 'A call to arms for families who have had loved ones disabled or die in the pursuit of medical treatment.' And, I can only hope that it could also catalyze a 'Call to Arms' for medical providers who wish to return medicine and healthcare to the patient oriented, compassionate, ethical and hippocratic way of practice.

A Better Book By Far

Helpful Votes: 20 out of 30 total.
Review Date: 2004-11-01

This is a better book by far than the unfortunately better known INTERNAL BLEEDING. It is certainly more honest. It has the clear advantage of being written by people who know and understand the subject ,and unlike Internal Bleeding, it does not suffer the disadvantage of having been written by physicians who, purposfully or otherwise, seem very intent in obscuring the responsibility for medical mistakes.

The authors of Wall of Silence have written an honest and valuable book deciding (to the public's advantage) to let the chips fall where they may. A MUST READ!!

Truth be told

Helpful Votes: 20 out of 26 total.
Review Date: 2004-03-07

This book is a well researched, well written must read for all Americans. The authors share their personal story as well as the stories of others who have suffered at the hands of a careless physician. While the stories will break your heart, they may also save your life, or the life of someone you love. While none of us want to believe that those we trust with our bodies and our lives would neglect a sacred trust, the fact is it is happening all too often. This book delivers the message without hype, fear or hysteria. Read it, share it and take it with you.

First do no harm

Helpful Votes: 24 out of 30 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-18

If even one person dies, that is one too many. But it is not just one, not even 10 or 100 patients who are maimed and dying from health care mistakes. As Gibson and Singh reveal, the numbers are much much higher than that. And anyone of them could be you or your loved ones. Medical errors do not discriminate. Everyone is vulnerable even doctors themselves as patients.

Yes, to error is human but that really doesn't appear to be the problem here. A great deal of the problem appears to be that a percentage of health care providers make multiple errors because no one stops them. According to Grayson and Singh many nurses do not recommend their place of employment to their family and friends.

When people are not held accountable for their actions and the consequences of those actions everyone is endangered. Taking or being forced to take personal responsiblity for your actions and their consequences plays a large part in how many mistakes you make.

I would think it would be every irresponsible health care provider's nightmare to literally have to personally experience everything that they inflict on their patients.

Since health care providers are safe from the magic wishing wand, the next best thing is to guard against such mistakes and be public with the information. It is a matter of ethics. When you are ten and don't want to "rat out" a buddy it is rarely life or death. But health care providers are not ten anymore and it is their ethical obligation to put the safety their patients or potential patients first. Please read this book and tell others about it. All of our lives depend on it.

The Writings on the Wall

Published in Paperback by 22/7 Publishing Company (1990-09-01)

Author: Terry Tillman

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It is both a metaphor to inspire all of us in de-walling.

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-25

I happen to know that Terry Tillman was there before the Wall fell down and was a contributor to the peace process that undermined it and all the other "walls" that divide humanity.

This book is both a record of suffering and joy and a metaphor to inspire all of us in de-walling!

Connects me to the power of humanity and freedom!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-25

I kept this book in my living room for the last 3 years. This book is one of the things that connects me to the power of humanity, the natural order of the Universe and freedom.

Favorite Cold War Book!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-25

This is my favorite Cold War book--Simple, powerful, great photos surrounded by great quotes from great people and the personal observations of a guy who was clearly moved by seeing the Wall come down.

Great gift item!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-25

The book The Writings on the Wall" by Terry Tillman was purchased in multiple quantity, and given to co-workers and friends. All enjoyed the "story" being told, AND shared by the writer. I highly recommend it.

beautifully moving

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-02

I found this to be an absolutely beautiful book. The photographs are amazing and truley moving.

28: Stories of AIDS in Africa

Published in Hardcover by Walker & Company (2007-05-01)

Author: Stephanie Nolen

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A True Glimpse of Today's Africa

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-14

I read this great book last summer during my third visit to Africa. As the orphan coordinator of a sponsorship program for four secondary schools in southwest Uganda, I have first hand experience with the results of the AIDS epidemic. I found the stories to be not all death and dying as you might expect, but interesting and inspiring. The author is right on target in describing the current situation in Africa, from the descriptions of governments, religions, health care, and also the roadblocks to progress that long-held attitudes and lifestyles present. I gave this book to five family members at Christmas!

A Book That Will Move You -- To Action

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-09

It sounds weird to say it, but I couldn't put this book down. All the stories are so compelling and so well-written. Nolen doesn't tell one story over and over, but tells many stories using very diverse people. Her courage is obvious: she hung out with a long-haul trucker, a sex worker, and people with AIDS who had only days left to live. I was especially intrigued by the stories of the infected ones who became powerful advocates. What this book left me with wasn't the sense that "these people are pathetic victims we richer folk need to help," but that these are resilient, strong, interesting human beings suffering a horrid situation with little or no resources, and we should help them help themselves. As a journalist, I'm in awe of Stephanie Nolen in every respect. As a reader, I'm compelled to respond. I highly recommend the related website, [...], where you can read about each of the 28 briefly, and see a video interview of several. The website and book both give many ideas for how you can help. Start by reading a book that could change your life.

All you need to know about AIDS in Africa

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-12

Stephen Lewis, the former UN Special Envoy for AIDS in Africa, called Stephanie Nole's 28 Stories of AIDS in Africa, "the best book ever written about AIDS". I must admit that I was skeptical- how could a relatively short book of stories encapsulate this massive epidemic? By the time I'd finished the third of 28 stories, I'd changed my mind.

Nolen successfully uses 28 human experiences of HIV/AIDS, gathered over years of reporting on the issue, to tackle each aspect of the pandemic: orphans, access to treatment, medical research, AIDS in conflict zones and within the military, at-risk groups such as truck drivers and sex workers, African political and international humanitarian approaches to HIV, experiences of children, women, elites, couples, families, activists, and the poorest of the poor. Her approach left me more knowledgable, and intermittently heartbroken and ready for action. The book critically examines the role of each actor in the pandemic, from international to local in the present and since the first recorded infection. It emphasizes the complexity of the crisis, most importantly its intrinsic links to poverty, as well as including a vital section on how you can help.

Effectively, Nolen has written a book that provides an overview of the political, historical, cultural, and economic realities of HIV/AIDS in Africa while constantly drawing the reader back to one fundemental point: HIV/AIDS is first and foremost a human issue. She quotes Nelson Mandela (he is the main character in the 27th story), "Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity; it is an act of justice" (353).

As someone recently embedded in the fight against HIV/AIDS (I am currently writing my undergraduate thesis on prevention programs, and have just returned from 10 months working with two grassroots HIV/AIDS organizations in Ethiopia), I would recommend this to laypeople and experts alike!

One in a million

Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-21

The introductory maps seize your attention. "Adult prevalence of HIV /AIDS" on one page and the people represented in the "stories" on the opposite. There's a swath of dark shading across southwest Africa - that's "Over 20%". To the east, the shade is lighter - "15 - 20%", with two darker smudges labelled "Swaziland" and "Lesotho" - islands of tragedy. At the top, "5 - 15%" predominates, lower numbers hiding the intensity of conditions. Stephanie Nolen's subjects' names run across the other map - the individuals whose stories are related here.

The numbers often lead to "AIDS fatigue" - too many big numbers; surpassing our ability to grasp them. The millions of people infected with HIV/AIDS seem beyond comprehension. After consulting the various estimates, Nolen surmises about 28 million for Africa, approaching the entire population of Canada. Each day, something like 5500 will die of the effects of the infection - two-thirds the population of my community. Every day. All year long. The adage runs: "One death is a tragedy, one million deaths is a statistic." Yet, that "million" represents that many "ones", and each one has a story. Nolen gives us those stories, making one person represent a million others. It's a formidable burden for the afflicted and the writer alike, but Nolen's skill effectively allows the reader to take it all in measured doses.

The opening story is, appropriately, a woman. In Swaziland, women don't turn to activism. They were traditionally forbidden to wear pants until 2003 and the right to own property was only granted in 2006. The little nation has the last monarch in Africa - who has thirteen wives and a fleet of autos. Siphiwe Hlophe had borne children with a man who delayed marriage for years. The discovery that she carried the virus was devastating - it suggested she was immoral, when it was her husband who had been philandering. That situation is one of the AIDS' story social disasters. The infection carries the stigma of immorality, a view widespread throughout Africa - and the West. Traditional leaders, missionaries and even family members vilified the victims as "immoral". It was also deemed an affliction of the poor, a mistake leading to many stressful family situations. Siphiwe, transcended many of these issues by announcing her infection and launching an AIDS awareness programme. Nolen gives accounts of other activitists, including a "Miss HIV Stigma-Free".

The other group most affected by the virus is children - either by being orphaned or by infection at birth. Among the former is 14-year-old Tigist Haile Michael of Addis Ababa who is the sole support for a younger brother half her age. Regine Mamba isn't an orphan. At her age, the term is meaningless. But Regine knows about orphans. When Nolen first interviewed her, Regine had 13 of them - all their parents were AIDS victims - by the book's Epilogue, the number had risen to 18. These parentless children lack education, opportunity and exist on a bare subsistence level lacking any skills to provide for themselves or siblings. Across Africa the number of such children is estimated to have reached 14 million today. What is their future? One path, of course, is always open - at least to the girls.

Is it entirely disaster and is amelioration impossible? There are signs of hope for researchers, but one of those will likely raise a few eyebrows. Agnes Munyiva has three children who live across town from where she works. Seeing up to a dozen clients per day, her job makes her a high risk for HIV infection, but that's not the part she keeps from her children. She's a sex worker in a Nairobi suburb, and she's very special. Agnes is HIV immune, a physiological trait that has many, especially AIDS researchers, scratching their heads, but see her condition as a means leading to prevention. The number of immune sex workers is small, and conditions providing immunity vary. Can enough be studied carefully to derive some answers? Does Alice truly fit the "one in a million" status? In what may seem a departure from the theme, Nolen relates the sad story of Western pharmaceutical firms keeping the price of Anti-Retroviral Drugs [ARVs] out of reach of those needing them. Compounding this tragedy of corporate greed is the role of Western financial institutions such as the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to cripple the social services. Through Strategic Adjustment Plans [SAPs - one of the few truly indicative acronyms], Western investors demanded "downsizing" of government employees - read "teachers" and "nurses" - to pay off international debts, thousands were deprived of jobs. Lacking land and the skills to work it, those unemployed quickly became destitute. Add those to the young orphan girls and Alice readily becomes "one in a million". One of those will assuredly displace her from her hard mattress and mud-walled hut.

If the foundation of Alice's immunity, shared with a small number of Africa's prostitutes, can be unravelled, the chance of a vaccine increases. That's the quest of Uganda's Pontiano Kaleebu, who's been seeking that preventive step for years. Nolen's chapter on Pontiano is one of the most compelling of the collection. In it, Nolen explains how HIV/AIDS operates in the body, and why both prevention and cure are so difficult to achieve. While the vaccine remains elusive, the "cure" has made hesitant progress. But the drugs work only for a time, then a new form and schedule is required. That means testing, analysis, prescription, scheduling and instruction by health-care workers - many of whom were laid off. The drugs have to be available where and when needed at a price that people can afford. Not easily achieved in Sub-Saharan Africa.

As a Canadian in Africa, reporter for the Toronto Globe & Mail, Nolen is aware of how that nation prides itself on helping those in need. Accordingly, she offers a list of organizations providing that support for the suffering. Those 28 million are still living - minus today's 5500 - and their lives can be extended by ARV compounds. Nolen explains how you can help and what your help can achieve. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada

"I don't think I comprehend..."

Helpful Votes: 8 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2008-01-12

Graça Machel, wife of former South African President Nelson Mandela and, with him, long time activist in the fight against HIV/AIDS, said: "... we can't fill all the spaces that are left." Five and a half thousand people die in Africa every day of AIDS and related diseases, with an estimated 28 million people infected by the HIV virus. These figures are too overwhelming to comprehend and Stephanie Nolen's book opens an evocative window for us into the struggle, the suffering and the hope of ordinary Africans through 28 portraits. From her diverse and multi-year experience and research into the pandemic in a number of sub-Saharan Africa countries, she focuses on the individuals, their families and their circumstances, resulting in an intimate, sometimes heart wrenching, sometimes uplifting, yet always deeply moving and inspiring account of what HIV/AIDS has done and continues to do to Africans: to individuals, relations, communities and countries.

Each chapter starts with a photograph of the primary individual as she or he reveals the tragedy of their lives. Some of them Nolen met only a couple of times, others have become close friends. Her ability to convey their stories vividly and with great empathy brings us as reader not only close to the unique aspects of each "case", but assists our better appreciation of cultural and political traditions and realities in African societies. The critical components of the HIV/AIDS crisis unique to African countries are addressed within the narrative without losing the personal and emotional primacy of the subject matter.

For close to ten years, Nolen, a Canadian journalist for the Globe & Mail, based in South Africa, has been following the HIV/AIDS crisis all over the continent. She has visited families, health clinics, scientists, care centres for AIDS orphans, and activists' organizations. She has walked with health care providers among remote rural communities lacking any medicines, yet trying their best to comfort and help the sick. Stigmas still attached to the infection have meant that misconceptions flourish: those identified with it have been shunned, thrown out of their family's house and left to die. For a long time, testing positive for the virus was perceived by people as an automatic death sentence, resulting too often in changing behaviour patterns. Without any concrete knowledge of this "disease of many names" it robbed families of one young woman or man after another and villages in despair with the ever increasing number of orphans left behind.

Contrary to the long-held prevalent view in Africa as elsewhere - that HIV/AIDS is a disease of minorities and of the poor - Nolen demonstrates the fallacy of this perception that has cost many their lives needlessly. Poverty remains an important factor where nutrition is inadequate, education non-existent, and money for treatment and care is not available. Nolen discusses how traditional societal norms of behaviour still contribute to the persistence of high infection rates, in particular among women. Abstinence, promoted by international, in particular US, aid agencies as a primary method to reduce infections, is only rarely an acceptable option, Nolen contends. Anita in Mozambique stands for many: "None of it" she said, "was up to me". On the other side, there are young professionals, like Lydia in Uganda or Ibrahim in Nigeria, fully aware of their condition, that are still caring for others, lobbying and fighting for access to life prolonging ARVs (antiretroviral medication). What shines through all the stories, is determination and hope despite the odds, the courage, resolve and perseverance that the individuals show in the face of unimaginable obstacles.

A substantial number of books are available on HIV/AIDS and its devastating impact on African societies and demonstrating the need for cheap medicines and vaccines. The human costs in countries where the HIV infection rate may be as high as 30 or more percent is unimaginable in its devastation for generations to come. As Machel put it: "I don't think I comprehend the dimensions of the havoc, disruption, discontinuity". Nolen's book stands out for her insightful descriptions of the human costs as well as the its fluid integration into the stories of aspects of socio-economic conditions and up-to-date science research surrounding the pandemic. Yet, she never loses the focus on the human beings who she got to know and who candidly shared with her their life's story. If you think you can only cope with one book on this subject, read this one. [Friederike Knabe]

50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right

Published in Paperback by Earthworks Press (2006-04-11)

Author: EarthWorks Action Network

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Fight Fire with Fire

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-08-14

This book is really a good read and reference source for those who wish to help fight and rid the country of GOP poision........it does highlight some GOP speak, and it highlights some very useful web sites that can be used in the effort to cleanse America and bring back to our beloved country the true ideals in which it was founded.

My only problem with the book; the authors give readers only a smattering of ways to actually "take out" the cancer of America, such as the lunatic religious right, and hate mongers such as Corsi, Limbaugh, Hannity, Coulter, and Dick Morris.......etc...... There should be more concise efforts to drawn a plan of eradicating the disease of the GOP's lunatics, thus allowing the conversion of more Republicans, who want to become true believers in democracy, such as the recent convert, General Colin Powell!

This book is worth many times the price of the book, if just for the web site leads and quotations found at the bottom of each page.

the fiftyfirst thing you can do

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-12-25

i'm buying copies to give to family and friends. i'm buying copies to hand out to the young, disinfranchised people i meet. it's invigorating and i plan to follow all its suggestions.

The Must-Have Guide to Fight for the Truth

Helpful Votes: 13 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-22

This is the must-have quick reference guide for progressives and moderates. Whether you are an activist, an aspiring activist, or a someone who just wants to have the answers to shut up your conservative friends and family, this is the book for you. This is the handy go-to book for anyone looking to take on the misleading propoganda of the right in today's fractured society.

Let me also say that if you are looking 50 simple ways to take on the Right, this book will give you that and much more. Yes, it does have 50 areas in which to take on the Right, but it provides several options for doing so in each of the 50 areas. Therefore, you can choose some or all of the options depending upon what you choose. Moreover, it lists resources where you can go for assistance or more information.

But "50 Simple Things" does not stop there. Need a list of progressive news sources: it's in the book. This book is chock full of internet web sites and web logs to help you coordinate with others or gather more information. Media watchdogs: they're in the book. In fact, there are so many internet sources listed in this book that I became physically tired of linking to all of them.

But this book is not just for internet geeks like me, it has phone numbers for organizations that you can contact. Ideas for campaigns and campaign volunteers. Little ways that you can stick it to the Right.

This is the handiest quide for progressives and moderates I have yet to see. I have read many books on progressive issues, but none match "50 Simple Things" in ease of reading and coverage of major issues. And the best thing is that "50 Simple Things" is about simple things everyone can do and it is set out in a concise book that is less than 200 pages. All of the things you need in a small, very portable format.

Fighting the Right

Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2006-07-10

This is a great resource for anyone concerned about the direction our country is being moved in. It's time for the "common sense" majority to stop being silent witnesses.

Plenty of inspiration for people of any age or income level

Helpful Votes: 9 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-24

As the title states, this book describes a number of things that anyone can do to counteract the Right's strong influence in present-day America.

Some of the actions included require little or no effort. Join a progressive group, be it local or international. Take back control of the American political vocabulary. Donate a subscription to a progressive magazine to your local library. Become familiar with the parts of the Bible that support progressive positions. Visit alternative news web sites. Also, visit right-wing sites to begin to understand the Right.

Some actions require a little more effort. Adopt a blog. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper (even if your letter is not printed, it might encourage the editor to print a similar letter). Did you know that the Pledge of Allegiance was written by a Christian socialist named Francis Bellamy? Talk to your neighbors, and to your congressperson's local office. Attend local meetings, like school board, city council or planning and zoning commission; the Right will be there. Support public education, along with local arts and artists. Stand up for science in the classroom. Volunteer for a political campaign.

For the committed individual, become an expert on a particular subject. Look for right-wing spin in your local media. Start your own media. On Election Day, become a poll watcher. Spread the word the "person of faith" does not automatically equal "conservative." Last, but not least, why don't you run for office?

The only part of this book that may cause disagreement is the assertion of the publishers that the Democratic Party needs to be reformed back into the progressive party it once was. Like it or not, America is a 2-party system, and reforming the Democratic Party is easier than starting over with a third party. On the other hand, many people in America believe that the Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans, and, therefore, not worth saving.

Aside from that, this is a gem of a book. It contains plenty of inspiration for people of any age or income level. Even if the reader can do only 1 or 2 of the things mentioned in this book, it will help to change the tide in America. This book is very much worth reading.

Armageddon, Oil, and Terror

Published in Kindle Edition by Tyndale House Publishers (2007-09-01)

Authors: John F. Walvoord and Mark Hitchcock

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Excellent Book and Easy to Read!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18

This book is an update to what the late Dr. John Walvoord originally wrote. The timing for this book could not have been more perfect. This book is very easy to read without getting too academic. It gives a lot of information and is easy to understand even for the average reader. Buy this book!

Job well done

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-05-19

It is a wonderful book with extensive Biblical support for the ideas presented. It helps clearify many questions that christians ask (or should ask) themselves about the end times, what the Bible teaches about it and how christians should respond to the events they witness each day on the news. Highly recommended book.

Armageddon, Oil, and Terror

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-11-24

Upon reading Armageddon, Oil, and Terror, I will say that this book is an easy read. This is the first Biblical Prophecy book which I have read, and I was impressed by the simplicity of the subject matter. The only criticism I have is that the book is quite repetitive, introducing the same common theme of America's oil addiction over and over again. While this warrants frequent attention, I feel it was a little overdone. However, despite this, I would recommed this book to anyone. I have to say that I learned a lot from reading this book.

"TIME IS RUNNING SHORT!!"

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-29

"God wants us to grow in Knowledge..." We may not be financially rich, but we are definitely blessed with knowledge... I am so grateful to God for giving me the opportunities in reading books like these. They are priceless.

This book will change anyone's lives, as it changed mine. Before, I simply thought all are just merely coincidences. Until God intervened and made me realize things... One of His ways is letting me read these kind of books. I have read a lot of books and watched a lot of documentaries but this is ONE OF THE BEST. It is simple to read and practical. It reads like the Current Headlines. This is one of the books out there that is very easy to understand. Everything is excellent in this book(15 STARS!!). I would highly recommend this book to anyone. I know God has a purpose why He let me read this book.

I already gave copies to my loved ones and I ordered more as gifts.

Pls. buy this book. Together, let's spread the good news that our salvation is indeed at hand. Doing research and spreading the good news are some of the ways to Glorify God. TIME IS RUNNING SHORT, and God wants to save many lives. It's an honor to become one of God's instrument in saving souls. I already started sharing my blessing of Knowledge. Thanks God a lot of people do listen. Indeed, God is giving all of us a lot of chances to believe in Jesus' sacrifice.

As the book clearly supports, "THE RAPTURE OF THE BELIEVERS OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE NEXT PROPHETIC EVENT, AND IT WILL HAPPEN ANYTIME SOON." Just read the headlines... Increasing Crime Rate, Drugs, Gang activities, Global Warming, Natural Disasters, Nuclear weapons , Oil blackmails, Political Conspiracies, Pornography, Terrorism, etc. All of these are predicted in the Holy Bible, which was even written thousands of years before the birth of Jesus Christ!! Logic would tell us it's not just a simple coincidence. "THE FINAL STAGE IS SET FOR THE END TIMES." It could happen anytime soon. Besides, the Holy Bible is proven to be 100% accurate throughout all time. It never missed any of the 500+ prophecies that have been fulfilled. And it has been fulfilled LITERALLY!!

History is HIS STORY. God's story. Remember, God gave us free will. He is not bound by Time; therefore, He can see the future. God is doing everything to save our souls because He loves us so much.

Ever wondered why the Holy Bible is one of the only books that has been banned for public education? Because it is the TRUTH!!

"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE
GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, JESUS
CHRIST, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM
SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL
LIFE......." John 3:16

For those who wants to have a more solid foundation, watch this excellent documentary. Apocalypse and the End Times

An excellent book that dwells about ALMOST EVERYTHING. Mysteries of the Universe: A Revolutionary Commentary on UFOs, Aliens, Angels, Pyramids, Bible Codes, Reincarnation, the Antichrist...

Will You Survive in a World Gone Mad for Oil?

Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2008-02-16

Will you be alive during the time that Dr. John F. Walvoord describes as The Decline and Fall of America?

In his 1974 publication, ARMAGEDDON, OIL AND THE MIDDLE EAST, Dr. Walvoord predicted that a worldwide shortage of oil will precipitate the initial scenario leading to biblical Armageddon. In 2007, Dr. Walvoord's son, John E. Walvoord, and co-author Mark Hitchcock revised, updated, and renamed the book ARMAGEDDON, OIL AND TERROR. Although senior Dr. Walvoord died in December of 2002, the revisers used additional material "...drawn from his other works and conversations during the last two years of his life."

The new book proposes that twelve, biblically predicted, major "events" will occur in a possibly-soon-to-come sequence leading to Armageddon. Reading about Event #1, the world's desperate struggle for oil, may open your eyes to the shocking possibility that life as we know it in the United States may dramatically change to that of a third-world country. The last of these twelve events will be followed immediately by the return of Christ to the earth.

As do most conservative, evangelical Bible scholars, Dr. Walvoord bases his teaching of prophecy upon a literal (grammatical-historical) interpretation of Bible Scriptures. This view leaves room for the interpretation of some words and phrases as being symbolic or figurative, but it insists the Bible means what it says unless allegorical meanings are obviously intended. (The "Beast," for example, symbolizes the Antichrist, but "one thousand years" means one thousand years.)

This very readable book is as timely and current as your daily newspaper. Whatever your view of prophecy, read this book now! It may change your life.

Edwin Scroggins is author of Bible Prophecy in a Nutshell: A Mini-Survey of God's Great Plan of the Ages

Augustus Caesars World

Published in School & Library Binding by Scribner (2000-01)

Author: Genevieve Foster

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Very readable histroy for everyone!

Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-10-29

I really enjoyed this book for several reasons. First, the engaging style that invites the reader into the world of Octavian and many of his contemporaries such as Herod the Great, Tiberius, Cleopatra, Cicero, Livey, and many others. You come away from this book feeling as though you experienced something of the past. It is though you were there and lived through it yourself. Second, this book is a history of religions in that it focuses on the world religions of the first century all over the world. You learn about the religions of Rome and how they were evolving, as well as Judaism, Christianity, Buddism, Mithraism, Hinduism and many more besides. The story of the Roman and Greek gods are told. Third, festivals and there meaning are focused on. This is particularly true of December 25th and how the various religions treated this date. Other festivals are taught about as well, like the Jewish passover. Fourth, the calendar and how it come into being is another great feature of this book. One learns about astronomy and astrology as well as how all of the months and days of the week that are currently used in the west were named. Fifth, the founding and history of various cities are told. Finally, one can not leave this book without sensing that he has taken a trip back in time. The one negative about the book was that the author takes a religious stand that "all roads lead to god". There is very little negative treatment of the various religions. Most people and religions are cast in a very positive light. Octavian was likely a little meaner and cold hearted than he comes off here. Of course, if Octavian was telling the story himself then he may have told it like this since we are all the hero of our own story.

Wonderful

Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-06

One of the best all-ages history books. :) Gorgeous illustrations, useful family trees, all told in a friendly and familiar style; not dry and academic at all.

Happy to see this still in print!

Helpful Votes: 10 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2004-04-27

What a wonderful book and introduction for a young person to learn about the Romans, and the way they lived! I remember first being introduced to this book in the 9th grade, when I had a mild obsession with the Roman Empire. This book has stuck with me for a long time. It is written in an entertaining manner, and makes these people seem more real and human than some stale 3rd person account of how things were. Each historical figure is depicted as people with the same basic fears, hopes and desires as everyone else, in relation to the society in which they live. It of course being for children is toned down as far as some of the facts we know or speculate today about these people (ie I, Claudius) but it gives a great account of how an individual of the day might have lived, and it is not just about Octavian/Augustus himself, but the people around him and alive at the same time, sometimes even in another country. This was the world of that time, and was a fascinating period of history. This type of book can easily open up a historical interest for a young person for life. I myself searched 10 years ago to find a used copy of this gem, remembering it from high school over 10 years prior, and successfully found a copy in an old book shop. I was thrilled to death to read it again, even after reading several translated histories from the Roman Empire.

Highly recommended!

Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-04-19

I cannot say enough good things about this book! I just finished reading it before using it for homeschooling, and am amazed at how much I learned! If only they used history books like this in when I was in school, I may have had an interest in history.

The books covers from Octavian at age 18 (when his uncle Julius Caesar is killed), through his death. The beauty of this books is that it covers world events during the time period as well as daily life in Ancient Rome. It's wonderfully well rounded and the illustrations are a nice bonus.

I will absolutely read her other historic fiction books and I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this one!

Not just for kids!

Helpful Votes: 46 out of 47 total.
Review Date: 2002-03-23

One of the great bonuses of parenting is that you get to introduce books to your own kids that wowed you when you were a kid yourself. Sometimes your children love the books as much as you did; sometimes they don't. But in either case, you get to revisit with old friends and see how much you and they have changed and retained over the years.

Some of my best book friends when I was a kid were the wonderful illustrated histories of Genevieve Foster, and the one I loved most was *Augustus Caesar's World.* I recently introduced it (and a few others: *Washington's World*, *Lincoln's World*, *John Smith's World*, *Columbus's World*) to my 8 year old, and he's discovering the magic in them I did so many years ago.

There are three qualities to *Augustus Caesar's World* that make it so entertaining and educating. The first is that it's incredibly well written. Foster has the gift of breathing life into historical accounts. In reading about Cicero's execution or the life of Siddhartha, for example, one experiences all the dreadful waste of the one and the liberating wonder of the other. Second, the book is wonderfully illustrated by Foster herself. The illustrations are themselves instructive: along with individual scenarios, she provides time-lines, illustrated most fetchingly, that conveniently encapsulate events and persons. Finally, Foster's histories are really world histories. In *Augustus Caesar's World,* she focuses on the events leading up to the end of the Roman Republic and the establishment of the Empire (roughly, 44BCE to 14 CE). But she doesn't limit herself to Roman history; she also examines events taking place across the world during the time frame in which she's working: the druids in Gaul, Hindus in India, Confucius in China, Mayans in the Americas, and so on. She even includes intellectual history: the origins of Christianity and Buddhism, the Upanishadic culture of the Hindus, etc. Her aim is to give the reader a wide angle of vision, and she succeeds wonderfully.

I'm grateful that Foster's histories are being republished. They don't patronize kids by resorting to silly gimmicks that supposedly make learning more palatable (or at least more marketable). Instead, they make history fascinating the old fashioned way: by showing that it's a great story in its own right. They're a great discovery for my son, and a great rediscovery for me.

Barbarians Inside the Gates: And Other Controversial Essays (Hoover Institution Press Publication, No. 450)

Published in Paperback by Hoover Institution Press (1999-02)

Author: Thomas Sowell

List price: $18.95

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Average review score:

Cuts the Mush

Helpful Votes: 14 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-17

Thomas Sowell writes about the most important issues facing the United States today. He is a brillant and insightful thinker who cuts through all the crap and sloppy ideas that the counter-culture has been pushing on us over the past several decades.

Dr. Sowell gives a rational argument for common sense in major issues of society, economic, political, legal, racial and educational.

I love this guy and plan to read more of his books. I even begun writing my legislators. Thomas, I hope you don't mind me using your ideas when I do write them.

Thanks again for putting together these essays that cut through all the cerebral mush.

Classic Sowell

Helpful Votes: 29 out of 29 total.
Review Date: 2004-10-17

The book is a collection of his short articles, organized in the following categories; Social, Economic, Political, Legal, Racial, Education.

Sowell's logical and concise arguments hit like a hammer blow to those on the political left how tend to disagree with him.

The title of the book comes from the first essay in the book. The relevant line in the essay is:

"The Barbarians are not at the gates. They are inside the gates -and have academic tenure, judicial appointments, government grants and control of the movies, television and other media."

Rome didn't fall in a day. Events which caused the fall of the Roman Empire happened decades before Rome fell. Sowell gives us a warning on the future of the USA and some hope that society can improve.

Thomas Sowell provides tolerant insight.

Helpful Votes: 4 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-26

If you have an open mind in religion and politics, or if you think you have, then Thomas Sowell is for you. He shows us how faith, spirituality, equality and social responsibility can fall into place. Sowell is not intimidated by the people in power. His shows us how tiny the difference is between education and brain-washing, between a capitalist democracy and fascism. My only criticism is that he asks us for the ultimate reason, for common sense and rationality. People are about love and relationships and not about reason. He asks the right questions, but we need to find the right answers.

Thomas Sowell=5 stars. No, make it 10

Helpful Votes: 42 out of 45 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-05

While I've read plenty of work by plenty of writers influencing my beliefs on one issue or another, Thomas Sowell's writing has had a much more profound influence on my thinking: it's changed the very way that I view the world around me. As America becomes more divided and less free, Thomas Sowell is one of the only places I can reliably turn for an interesting dissident voice. In this collection of remarkably succint and insightful essays, Sowell pokes at the foundations of the prevailing ideologies of the day until the whole house of cards comes tumbling down. Although he's typically assigned the simplistic label "conservative," Sowell's analyses go well beyond the tired, often irrelevant divide between the "left" and the "right." Sowell isn't trying to get elected or win any popularity contests, and he doesn't have an ideological axe to grind; he's just a guy with a great deal of respect for logic, truth, and the founding ideals of this country. Indeed, Sowell dispenses with the drivel spouted by politicians of both parties as he cuts through what he calls the "mush" that typically passes for informed debate these days. Sowell has written much about the self-satisfied "anointed" who hold so much power and shape so much of the debate in this country, and he launches a frontal assault in these essays against every bastion of their power. No one is spared from Sowell's disdain for our self-appointed betters: politicians, welfare statists, race hucksters, feminists, the media, the judiciary, and most of all the educational establishment that has sold generations of kids down the river in the name of feel-good "progressive" ideas. Although he typically writes with the utmost restraint, Sowell can be outrageous and sometimes even hilarious, as in this little nugget: "Liberals love to say things like, 'We're just asking everyone to pay their fair share'. But government is not about asking. It is about telling. The difference is fundamental. It is the difference between making love and being raped, between working for a living and being a slave." There are plenty more such penetrating insights to be found here, along with an avalanche of facts, to go along with Sowell's justified contempt at America's modern-day elites. If you read Thomas Sowell and you're not quickly converted to his way of thinking, well then, as someone once said, "You can't handle the truth!"

I am in agreement with the other reviewers

Helpful Votes: 51 out of 55 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-24

Thomas Sowell is more than just a critical thinker: he has a penchant for expressing his ideas with a clarity with which it is difficult to argue. He uses that uncommon commodity known, for some strange reason, as "common sense."

Sowell points out`the ludicrous incongruities of the liberal "philosophy" in terms so plain and unvarnished that only one attempting a proctological examination on themselves could miss it.

An example: "The point of being a superpower is so that no one will attack you and require the sacrifice of more and more young Americans like those buried in this cemetery. We were attacked at Pearl Harbor because we were sitting ducks who had allowed our military forces to dwindle away until we had an army smaller than Portugal's--and not enough equipment even for this small force." Page 7.

Or: "Multiculturism is one of those affectations that people can indulge in when they are enjoying all the fruits of modern technology and can grandly disdain the processes that produced them. None of this would be anything more than another of the many foibles of the human race, except that the cult of multiculturism has become the new religion of our schools and colleges, contributing to the mushing of America. It has become part of the unexamined assumptions underlying public policy and even decisions in courts of law." Page 19.

Or: "Much of the current uproar about IQ differences between blacks and whites does not get down to the rock-bottom question: What is there to explain? The average score of blacks in IQ tests in the United States is about 85, compared to a national averge of 100. Is that unusual? No. It is not." He goes on to explain that various groups of various ancestries have had IQs of 85 at various times and places, and he names some of them, and says that the phenomenon is not peculiar to the United States, and he admits that he doesn't know why. Even American aoldiers of the First World War had lower IQs than our soldiers of the Second World War. Page 176.

This is a man to be reckoned with, and these essays are valuable for their insights, most of which effectively puncture widely and emotionally held ideas, especially those that are deemed "politically correct," and institutionalized unquestioned dogma of the liberal anointed who think they are qualified to tell the rest of us how to think and act.

Joseph (Joe) Pierre

author of Handguns and Freedom...their care and maintenance
and other books