Events Books

Liars, Cheaters and Evil doers helps us chart a course for civil debate...not a polyanna treatise, but the importance of real debate,
calling things the way you see them based on information, reason and justice, not hysteria in which relative truth is subjected to the acid tongoue and the basist instincs, but one that tries to articulate points of view in which people of good intent can forcefully disagree in a way that promotes truth rather than inflames the worst in us. It is an ancient desire and De
Luca and Buell should be commended for risking to take up this mantel in these dangerous times.

Before reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I was certainly conscious that the tone of our political discourse has always left much to be desired. In the back of my mind, until the last few years when the demonization deepened, I assumed this was to be expected in adversarial situations like politics and we had to live with it. The last few years, though, has only left me feeling hopeless that the situation has progressed beyond the possibility of it ever being civilized.
Since reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I have become aware that there are so many facets that contribute to the current climate than I ever dreamed of. It is like trickles of water washing down from the melting snows of the mountains. A trickle here, a trickle there, and soon it unites and a mighty river flows. We seem to be in that might river now feeling a force that seems beyond our control.
That is not necessarily so. Reading the thorough and deep analysis of political demonization by Tom De Luca and John Buell will educate on all of the ways in which this situation came about. You can't solve a problem unless you first understand it. This book does that and more. It offers insightful solutions.
This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about having a country that does right by all of its citizens. We can't have serious debate over issues that affect all of us if we can't learn to be civilized, respectful of differing opinions and, most of all, to listen to each other with an open heart. Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! is a first, and major, step toward that end.

Although I agree with other reviewers that this is a much-needed and thoughtful study of a serious problem in American political discourse, I found the text tough going. I suspect that previous reviewers might have some background in Political Science that I lack. Although I have a PhD from the University of Chicago, it's in a Humanities field, and not Social Sciences.

The title suggests a lively, down-to-earth volume, with a lot of specific examples, but instead the book turns out to be dry, abstract, highly theoretical, and filled with the kind of jargon academics use in communicating with one another, while shutting out the general public.

Despite this problem, the book does have many interesting insights to offer, particularly on the role president Bush's religious fundamentalism plays in his political behavior. But that's old news. Anybody who's been paying attention in the years since Bush became president knows that he and his circle are determined to turn the United States into a fundamentalist theocracy, and are succeeding at a terrifying rate.

In a televised speech, co-author Tom De Luca noted: "It's not demonization when you have the goods on somebody." De Luca's book did not succeed in changing my opinion that America is now in the hands of the most absolutely and irredeemably evil people ever to hold power in the entire history of this country-- and we DO "have the goods" on them. But the opposition (the spineless and cowering Democrats) lacks the courage to do anything with the edivence.

This book rewards close reading but be warned-- you're going to have to work to get the message!

In "Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" authors Tom De Luca and John Buell admirably examine the corrosive phenomena of "demonization" in American politics and the harm it has done to our civic discourse and democratic institutions. The scope of their work is breathtaking as they trace the trajectory of "political demonology" in America from its infancy as a clash between puritan conservatism and hedonistic liberalism, to its contemporary manifestation in the virulent culture wars of recent decades as "culture warriors" on both sides of the political divide disparage and demonize their foes. Delving deeper, De Luca and Buell uncover a "moral paradox" inherent in our national character that appears to fuel our need to transform political opponents into enemies. The authors contend that our political culture has now reached a zero-sum impasse engendered by the approximate parity of the two political parties as each seeks victory through mobilizing their core constituencies by exploiting wedge issues and engaging in character-driven politics. Liberals, conservatives, and moderates have all been guilty of this, while those victimized and demonized are very often the most vulnerable among us. De Luca and Buell offer a thoughtful antidote to the polarized partisanship that has seized hold of us. Their goal, a "more generous democratic politics" forged out of a new political covenant based upon true equity and opportunity, is a noble one. This well-crafted and insightful book should be read by everyone who feels strongly that our political discourse must match our best ideals.

"Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" by Tom DeLuca and John Buell is a welcome antidote to the shrill ideological slugfests that fill the airwaves disguised as political discourse. Their simple formula, "proper condemnation requires appropriate distinctions," is a call to end the simplistic retreat to demonization in civil debate, and demands that we aspire to, and require, a higher standard of discourse from ourselves, colleagues, elected officials and the media. This book offers valuable analysis and a hopeful conclusion to so many of us who despair of the current political climate.

This is an excellent book. The author has done a great job in highlighting key phrases of Jefferson in an easy to read compilation. The kind of book you can dip into often.

This book is a beacon of hope in a time of endless attack campaigns and 24-hour talking heads on cable tv. The editor Eric Peterson has done a masterful job assembling some 30 essays by Jefferson, at a time when we truly need inspiration and hope.
Here is but one quote in a section on "Patience"
"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles.... ...Patience will bring all to rights, and steady perseverance on our part will secure the blessed end."
If you are troubled by the state of our country, read this book and be inspired to public service, hope and idealism!!

After reading James Bovards "The Bush Betrayal" and then reading this excellent collection of letters and thoughts from Thomas Jefferson it is inescapable to not see the warnings of as well as the fears of the founding fathers of this nation were very real and foreseen, and that they did their best to set in place as many safe guards as they could in the world they lived in, to try and protect as well as warn the future generations of this nation that we must never turn a blind eye toward those in government.
This work is very well thought out and arranged to bring to a clear focus each area of thought that Jefferson reflected upon during his life both in and out of the political arena.

This is a book that all Americans should read now, and re-read over one's lifetime. The editor has done an incredible job of distilling from over 20,000 of Jefferson's letters his elevating, illumining and inspiring thoughts. It is an insight into the man, the times and the country he so deeply loved and so tirelessly worked to create, nurture, expand and sustain. So many times I found myself exclaiming a "Wow!" over a quote, sometimes smiling, sometimes tearing-up, wistfully, at the depth of his soulful wisdom. Do not hesitate to bring this gem into your home, your library, and your heart.

Light and Liberty reveals the true Thomas Jefferson in all his intuitive grandeur. Thomas Jefferson envisioned and revealed the very qualities that made America evolve into the new model of government and society. In reading his innermost thoughts and ideals we can feel a small glimpse of the light that has, and should guide our country and all humanity into the future.

This book is not only a "must read" for all those who believe in our most basic principles, but also an incredible reference of higher ideals and progressive thought.

This is a clear and concise overview of Marxism. It breaks down the major thoughts of the ideology and presents them in an understandable manner.

This is fantastic book for college students, particularly those who will be presenting research or essays that include Marxism as a topic or thesis. The most difficult concepts of Marxism, such as dichotomy, are easily understood by the manner in which D'Amato has presented them.

In truth, the ideas within this book, as they are presented, has made this book a citation treasure trove for presenting key arguments within several of my essays. The logic that is laid out can be used to analyze a number of historical, cultural, and socio-political topics in a relative manner.

Paul D'amato takes the classical works of Marx and Engels (Capital, Communist Manifesto, The German Ideology, and others) and selectively quotes the trenchant passages and then parses and elaborates their meaning with simple (but not simplistic) explanations. For an example early in the book:

"Greed and selfishness are not the result of bad individual choice, but are engendered by the competitive and profit driven nature of capitalism. A capitalist who is not greedy for profit is a capitalist who will lose out to his more greedy competitors. The problem with the notion that it is only necessary to change people's ideas in order to change society is that this leaves the social structure of society intact. `This demand to change consciousness amounts to a demand to interpret the existing world in a different way, i.e., to recognize it by means of a different interpretation,' Marx wrote of some German idealists of his day. In doing this `they are in no way combating the real existing world,' but are `combating solely the phrases of this world.' The materialist view is exactly the opposite. Morals are derived from particular forms of human social organization. Capitalism breeds greed, not vice versa. In societies that foraged for food and shared it as a collective, greed was frowned upon because it disrupted the functioning of the group." [Page 26]

That short paragraph explained Marx's views arguably better than did Marx himself! Marx's explanation of the same phenomenon takes up thirteen pages in the original text. I truly wish that the political science professors and graduate assistants who taught me Marxist political economy in college had had D'amato's book on their reading list or even used it as the principal text; it's that good.

This book is written by a dedicated Marxist-Leninist. I am most definitely not one (though I have sympathy for the Marxist critique of capitalism). However, not being one to judge a person by her or his political convictions, I gave this book a look when I saw it in a university library bookstore. It was actually quite well-written, and I ended up buying it. I'm about 100 pages in, and I have to say, it's not a bad book at all for introducing the thought of Marx and Engels (plus some Lenin, but not TOO much). The author also quotes several non-Marxist anthropologists, sociologists and economists to make his points, so he's definitely a well-read guy. Although I'm not done with the book, I'd recommend it. There isn't a whole lot of emotional rhetoric, as you might fear; there's only a clear, straightforward, sophisticated (yet easy-to-understand) presentation of Marxist ideas. So if you are interested in understanding the ideas of classic social thinkers like Marx, but don't have the time or inclination to suffer through their dense original works, then for Marx I'd say this book is not a bad choice for an intro.

If you want some original Marx, a very good place to start is Karl Marx on Society and Social Change: With Selections by Friedrich Engels (Heritage of Sociology Series), edited by Neil Smelser.

This book truly blew my mind. What did I know about Marxism before reading this? Not a lot. Now I feel ready to take on the world

There are plenty of philosophical and political guides to the ideals of Marx, but few which draw the connections between ideals, politics and social issues as does The Meaning of Marxism. It's a blend of explanation of philosophy and politics with links to contemporary issues, and provides a survey of just how Marxism was to transform the world. Chapters provide the perfect introduction for students from high school to college levels who are new to Marxist thinking and who wish to relate Marxism with contemporary social and political perspectives.

I wonder why this book did not come to my notice little earlier! I have read this book only recently and have greatly admired the writer. The writer, Professor Emeritus Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri, of the University of London, has done an oustanding work that should be appreciated by we all. It is a work of a commendable magnitude accomplish by an oustanding scholar. I fully agree with Professor Mitchell Reiss that books on international relations are many, but I am yet to come across a book that may be found comparable with Professor Rai Chowdhuri's "Nuclear Politics: Towards A Safer World".

This book should be read by everyone who are concerned about world security.

Hats off to Professor Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri !!!

Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri has done a great job. The book is really brilliant, with a very enriching history of the nuclear weapons and related power-play of the last five decades.

A worthy book. Everybody should read it.

I was just spellbound when I started reading this book. The Prologue is so philosophical! I have not come across a similar book in International Affairs in recent days!

This books covers from Plato and Aristotle to President George Bush Senior. A masterpiece of work for newcomers in the fields of Politics and International Relations, in order to have a thorough conceptualisation of what is going on ... in nuclear politics.

This work deals with the destructive potential of the `ultimate weapons' and at the same time the ways of dealing with the problems these weapons might pose to international peace and security. The book helps both generalists and the specialists understand how the policies of nuclear-weapon states affect our lives. The book covers the period from 1945 to 2003 and examines essential parts that both political acts and actors must play before any negotiation process can begin, if the objective is to end proliferation and eventually bring about abolition of nuclear weapons.

The book is a considerably good piece of literature. I enjoyed reading it and have reasons to believe that others will enjoy this book too.

I have gone through every details of this book and, I recommend this book all persons who look beyond themselves. I believe this book will be liked by all. Emeritus Professor Satyabrata Rai Chowdhuri deserves kudos for doing such a wonderful work.

Me and my Mother loved this book. It really opened our eyes to whats happening out there.

Good briefing on run-up to Iraq war. Now a bit dated (Sept. 2003), so doesn't include much on rise of Iraqi resistance. Still, the history sections on colonialism in Mesopotamia make for an informative background to current quagmire. Noteworthy also for detailed account of horrendous effects of US-UN sponsored sanctions, surely one of the great crimes of recent history. Book's thrust fits well with US's strategic drive to dominate planet, using oil as key control lever.Though not an "in depth" treatment, all the relevant bases are covered, particularly the deceptions used to cover the criminal invasion. There's also a handy appendix capsulizing the salient deceits for quick reference. Those expecting a strong ideological denunciation from Mr. Everest may be disappointed. Although his characterization of imperialist designs is straightforward, I think it's fair to say that the book could have been written by a muck-raking liberal. Recommended for ease of access and breadth of coverage.

I saw Mr. Everest on Book TV (C-SPAN) today (May 23)--would love to have him lecture at my college. He's done his homework on this one. He brought up two other topics that I researched during the last two semesters and he hit the mark on both (gay marriage and women's rights). After watching him, I went to Barne & Nobles to purchase this book. They did not have one copy. Needless to say, I'm ordering from Amazon.

Larry Everest does a great job of making the "big picture" of the hidden Bush agenda in Iraq and the Middle East obvious and clear. This book will open your eyes, and will make you angry when you understand and realize how unethical, immoral and illegal our agressions against Iraq and the entire Middle East.

I just saw Larry Everest on CSpan as well. This man is no nutcase-- he makes the kind of sense that gives a chilling credibility to one's worst suspicions and fears about what is going on in this country right now. I knew nothing about him or his book but I'm about to buy it innediately!

I just recieved this book some days ago and I just cannot put it down (well you know what I mean). It is VERY well constructed, and previous knowledge of the "Gemstone Files" and connected theories (I see them as truths) need not be a requirement for this reading. This is in NO way to undermind/understate this superb book. I have shown it to people who know little or nothing of the Onassis-Kennedy connection conspiracy, how even just reading the introduction sparked intrest in some of the most non-believers I know (or have talked to about these subjects). This is a true 5 star book... If any of the subject matter makes you wonder, question or as I said just spark some interest. Get this book! Other popular books on the Gemstone Files are also worthy reading... The full Gemstone Files will be released soon, and all the skeptics that still believe that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone will be in for a BIG surprise. The Kennedys were right on, dismantle the CIA, crack down on mob activity (well infused within the CIA) and get the United States of America back on a rightous track. Something we are suffering from since the "cold-war" and the "arms-race"...to today with the Bush (let's kill more people and lie to the American public) USA I feel so ashamed to be a part of. But I am only a man, a civilian, who feels he deserves to know the truth like the rest of the America and the world should. I am not a patriot at all (at least not in the right-wing way), I do love the USA and our country. This is why these books that reveal how corrupt our government is, and globally connected to other countries for well, POWER SUPREME are SO important. The couragious people who revealed these hidden truths, are primarily dead and from "suspicious circumstances" are no conincidence... Read for yourself. Be Aware, beware and be a "true" American. Big Brother is upon us and growing day by day. Project Seek is a great starting point for those seeking to piece the "Global Puzzle" together...piece by piece it will come out.

Peace everyone and I wish it was as simple as that...

Gerald A. Carroll spent years researching the Gemstone File history, and produced the best volume of documentation and analysis yet available. Well written and great reading, reads like an excellent mystery story but it's all true.

Gerald Carroll did a marvelous job of seeking out the truth behind the "Skeleton Key to the Gemstone File." With several hundred pages from Bruce Porter Roberts' original Gemstone papers published in "The Gemstone File - A Memoir", "Project Seek" is still an excellent, well-written and well-researched supplement for people who want to understand more about what has happened to our world over the last 50 years.

I worked for Hughes during the time of the event described as his "kidnapping." At the time, the entire Staff on Romaine street was in a major uproar, ostensibly because of a "falling out" between Hughes and Noah Detrich. However, the behavior of some members of the staff subsequent to this event have convinced me that a great degree of truth is contained in Gemstone.

This thick new volume on the famous Gemstone Files is complete with additional research and photos. An extremely valuable book that looks into the roles of Howard Hughes, (Aristotle) Onassis, World War II conspiracies and the Kennedy assassinations in the light of a mysterious document known as the "Gemstone File."

My optimism shines when a state that is known for progressives, bible thumping, and other forms of collectivism (take your pick), produces a rational voice that is seldom heard in the local papers. Jack Criss delivers a straight-forward defense of individual rights and free markets in his book, _Ready, Aim, Right!_.

This is a collection of Jack's writings over a fourteen year period that covers our culture, politics, business, local issues, and even a few book reviews. Also, Jack has a section dedicated to personal issues where Jack discusses his father, family, children, and of course his beloved Minnesota Vikings.

If Mississippi had only a few more voices in sync with Jack's, the state would be a beacon on the road back to restoring the founding principles of our country. Kudos to Jack for a job well done!

This book offers a very enjoyable read.

I found it of interest that Criss discusses his own "odyssey" from "Marx, Ginsberg, Siddhartha, long hair and 'Rock Against Reagan' ... to Ayn Rand, Aristotle, Ludwig von Mises, Voltaire and business meetings," as he puts it in the Preface of his book. He praises "laissez-faire, individual freedom, high culture"-values "most often identified with the Right," while having no sympathy for the Libertarian Party (though he clearly agrees with the LP's core principles and "party message").

All this seems pretty "Right-wing" to me, including some of his stances on the current war.

But Criss is no traditional conservative, since he takes issue with the "Family Values" crowd in the GOP.

Criss has a fightin' style to his writing: very colorful and very entertaining. Even when you disagree with him on any specific issue, you marvel at his way with words.

The book is not all politics, however; I was most enchanted by his various musings on his personal life. A tribute to his father and his reflections on becoming a father offer the most poignant moments in the book.

Well done!

Jack is a breath of fresh air....it is a great refreshing departure when a person can stand and deliver his opinion
on matters without folding before the status quo. I respect his intelligence...his insight and his courage.

Edward S.
Jackson, MS

It often seems today that the voice of reason is trying to make itself heard above a howling, never-ending hurricane of perilous irrationality. It shouts, it pleads, it warns, it explains. Sometimes, it even damns the stubbornly, consciously deaf. It knocks on the doors of men's minds with the same persistence that the hurricane rattles and buffets those doors.
But most people, it also seems, can barely hear that voice because they have taken refuge from the endemic irrationality in reason-proof states of mind. They cannot be blamed for fearing the hurricane; they seem to think that the irrationality is a natural phenomenon, and that they are powerless to stop it. They think their only option is to ride out the storm and pick up the pieces after it has passed. Regrettably, when they lock out irrationality, they also lock out its antidote.
The number of American periodicals in the print medium that consistently promotes reason in men's affairs can be counted perhaps on the fingers of two hands. Almost without exception, these are conservative publications such as The New York Sun and the Washington Times, which unfortunately leave reason behind when the subject is abortion, the promotion of "family values" as government policy, and religion. Perhaps the only newspaper in the country that does not exhibit this dichotomy is The Orange County Register in California.
Jack Criss, career editor, journalist and former talk-show host, is also one of those exceptions. Ready, Aim, Right! is a collection of his writings covering fifteen years of shouting, warning and explaining in a variety of prominent Mississippi business publications. However, Jack Criss does not plead, whine or beg. Should the welfare state be abolished? Yes! Should the government, local and federal, get out of the lives of Americans, and protect their rights instead of violating them every day and everywhere citizens turn? Yes! Should the government cease its policies of fraud, deceit and extortion via Social Security and the income tax? Yes! Should the government abandon the education racket that accomplishes rampant illiteracy at the cost of billions? Yes!
Where in the original Constitution, Criss might cause a reader to ask himself, is the clause or article that grants the federal or any state government the power to "manage" the economy and the lives of Americans? And if such a clause or article exists, wouldn't it nullify the balance of the Constitution? He refuses to allow Americans to forget their rights and the original purpose of government, first enunciated by the Founders. Wherever he detects dishonesty, scams, lies, and outright robbery by career politicians and bureaucrats, Criss is on top of it, exposing it all. He does so with style, wit, frankness and integrity, virtues no longer apparent in most journalists today, either in the print or the broadcast media. His is a voice that should be heard and heeded.
We hope Criss's next book project will be a collection of his radio interviews, which should also make interesting and infuriating reading. They are discussions with notables ranging from populist demagogue Jesse Jackson to philosopher of reason Leonard Peikoff.

I am the author of "Ready, Aim, Right!" I must say that I am very proud of this work on many levels: I believe that the ideals of classical liberalism (i.e., Enligtenment values such as this country was founded on) find voice in my essays. Individual rights, the defense of the market along with those who create and produce in it, high culture, reason as an absolute, et al, are some the values I defend vigorously and cogently in a way that I believe is unprecendeted. As an autodidact---and business owner--the essays in "Ready, Aim, Right!" come from the frontlines of the modern, non-tenured boardroom. My perspective is that of a self-taught philosopher who is also a business owner. I attack and vivisect, yes; but I also propose solutions in a clear, often humorous and highly personal way. I urge you to buy the book. As a salesman, I would appreciate the business! As a classical liberal who is disenchanted with both the Right and the Left I will also add that you will find these essays unlike most commentary you might read today. Thank you.

A great insight into the world of the 'forgotten superheros', the people who deliver the news of the tragedies that occur. This is very interesting, giving lots of different points of view from across the affected area. It could have done with more pictures and photos, but the stories of the pressure-filled newsrooms paint a good enough picture to keep you interested throughout this book.

The authors do an amazing job of letting the stories stand on their own in providing readers with a rare and engaging look at how the press responded to a national tragedy. Even just one year later, Running towards Danger, is already an important piece of American history.

The photographs and the reporters' accounts of their September 11th experiences are a piercing and necessary reminder to all Americans of why the war on terrorism must be won.

From Library Journal Reviews ; October 1, 2002 Tuesday By Audrey Snowden
The Newseum, an interactive museum of news located in Arlington, VA, was operating as usual on September 11, 2001. After seeing smoke billowing from the ravaged Pentagon, its staff members immediately closed the museum and worked through the night assembling an exhibit of wire service photos from around the world. This book is the outgrowth of that initial exhibit. What sets it apart from the plethora of books on 9/11 is its focus. Told chronologically through 100 first-person vignettes and 75 powerful color and black-and-white photographs, the book covers the varied experiences of members of the press. Big-name anchors weigh in, but the stage belongs to the reporters and photographers who usually work behind the scenes. Authors Trost, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, and Shepard, award-winning media critic, provide a firsthand - and very human - look at the process behind the coverage, revealing how the immediacy of ongoing television and Internet coverage helped journalists, photojournalists, and anchors shape a nation's perception of a tragically unique day. A valuable addition, especially to school libraries. - Audrey Snowden, formerly with Clark Univ., Worcester, MA
Newseum with Cathy Trost & Alicia C. Shepard. Rowman & Littlefield. 2002. c.256p. photog. ISBN 0-7425-2316-0.

This is a round of fraternal applause for American journalists, who earned everyone's sincere respect on September 11th. Journalists from all levels of the profession who were on the story are interviewed. Their tales are then spliced up and laid out in chronological order, from onset to post-traumatic jitters. The professionalism on display here is absolutely superb. Most people have some idea of how hectic the job of getting the news produced each day is. Here we have the spectacle of these brave professionals getting the job done minus most of their familiar tools and surroundings, and plus a soul-sucking fear that they or their colleagues are about to die. No smirks, no condescension, no "women and minorities hardest hit" credentializing.

So is this book an adequate tribute to them? Yes. Can't go wrong. The text is punchy and hot-off-the-presses, and the photos really crackle. There is a problem, though.

The book seems to discriminate against Foxnews. Apart from a screenshot of Shepard Smith and a photo of a correspondent at the Pentagon, Foxnews is excluded from this collection. This is very strange, since Foxnews is based in New York and is the number four American news network, behind the networks and ahead of CNN. Could it be that the Newseum staff who edited this book don't consider those eeeevillll conservatives to be *real* journalists? That's a nasty thought, but what other explanation could there be? Even a reporter from the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, in town for a fashion show and caught up in events, is quoted multiple times. To be sure, staff from the Wall Street Journal are quoted extensively, as their offices were hardest hit.

Apart from that, the book is gripping. The journos' professional instincts snapped into action. Taking to bicycling when traffic congeals, giving the cordon police the slip, phoning Mom to relay a report second hand, the ingenuity and dedication is impressive. There's also a seldom-reported sensitivity. Some reporters pitch in with relief efforts. Some cry along with the sobbing victims they are interviewing. There's only one case of a reporter getting the bum's rush, from some firemen who were trying to catch their breath.

We get all meat in this book. The actual TV broadcasts that day were teeming with hastily miked-up guests experts, helping the gabbling anchors fill air time until actual news got into their earpieces. But ever the pro, Peter Jennings signaled for silence on the set when the towers came down. No comment was necessary.

It might have been nice to include a story or two from a West Coast news outlet. When the attacks happened, I couldn't get into any of the national news websites. I finally connected to the Sacramento Bee's site. The webmaster was frantically posting up wire photos and rolling copy through, with what must have been a small, sleepy crew.

And then in a few weeks things were back to normal. NPR's Loren Jenkins blurted in an interview that he would "smoke out" and disclose the location of any U. S. troops on a secret mission, if it meant getting the story. The TV news people harrumphed at Fox for wearing lapel flags, fearing that the sight of the national flag on the set would signify support for the Bush administration and not the country as a whole. Reuters insisted on calling Arab terrorists "militants", and putting "terrorism" in skepticism-implying quotation marks. The liberal pundits covered the Afghan war like children in the back seat whining "Are we there yet?" New York Times editorial page editor Howell Raines concluded that the war on terror was Vietnam II, and used his page of that august newspaper to try to block further retaliation. But even with all its faults, the American press is mano-a-mano the greatest in the world. It's inspiring to see this record of how great it was on a day when it laid its faults aside.

I loved this book. It covers the history of Open Source and explain WHY people do open source and HOW they make it happen!

The Success of Open Source in a not a just wistful paean to Linux as the title would suggest. Rather, it is two books in one.

The first book is one of the very best recapitulations of the open source movement and all of its predecessors. The second book is about how something that just seemingly shouldn't work, works so well, and how those principles behind its working extend to more than just the open source movement.

The author, a university professor, draws liberally from the traditions of historians, economists, sociologists, and psychologists to paint a compelling picture of why the forces behind open source are not going to go away any time soon. Read in best companion with The Cathedral and the Bazaar, which IS a bit of a wistful paean to Linux, it illuminates its subject wonderfully.

Steven's book brings a rich articulation of the social practices innovations unleashed by the Open Source collective: a new understanding of private property that better fit the tech forces and the challenges of the present. His book it is not a model; it is not the list of the 10 reasons why...; it is not the defense of an emerging theory; but an historical account in which anecdotes, facts, historical moment, tentative hypothesis, set the background to allows the reader to reshape her/his own questions. The book gave me a perspective I have been testing with IT architects, programmers, software designers...I feel myself much more prepare to engage in conversations about the future in a meaningful and effective way. Thanks to the author!

For the serious reader (and who indeed thinks open source is hilarious?), Weber provides a detailed history of how this idea developed. He traces it from the advent of unix in the 1970s, and the generous (ie. low fees) licensing terms by ATT. Which led to the BSD Unix that flourished in the 80s. Also during this time, GNU took off.

But the bulk of the book deals with the 90s onwards. Especially as linux grew from Torvalds' seminal contribution. Its intellectual roots in unix and GNU are studied. We also see the rise of the Free Software Foundation and Apache, as articulate enablers and promoters of open source. All of which was aided by the invention and meteoric growth of the Web. This played a vital role in enabling a global audience of programmers to hear of and contribute their efforts.

I'm a commercial software developer, and found the author's history of the UNIX culture and the story of its evolution into what we now call Open Source to be fascinating. That alone made it a good read for me. Add in the thought provoking analysis of the "whys" (the real point of this book), and it's a killer combo.

Warning: the book is *full* of sentences like "Pluralism at many different levels is being enabled by communications technologies and by experimentation with property; together, these are reducing the marginal cost of adding voices toward an asymptote of zero." Despite that, I've been able to read it at the pace of a thriller, not a textbook.

I WISH I COULD HAVE GIVEN IT 500 STARS! READ IT! THAT'S MY ORDER! Man I love this book!

I can't speak for others, but in my case I was always of the impression that campaign finance was the best solution for the country. I bought into the idea that there was massive corruption in government, and that a way to curb this would be through restricting contributions from large donors. This is what I was always led to believe, so naturally I would be for campaign finance reform.

After reading Bradley Smith's book, however, my view on the issue has completely changed. He documents in great detail the harm of campaign finance, how it can restrict the political speech of challengers and grassroots movements, and ultimately how the reform process will never end if it continues, and will only bring on more restrictions to help close "loopholes" in the current set of reforms.

Though I believe there is still a great deal of discrimination and corruption in politics (just look at the voter caging that took place in the 2000 and 2004 elections), I no longer am of the viewpoint that money is THE key factor in this problem, and limiting its use in the campaign process will only hurt the average US citizen's means of obtaining information and supporting a candidate in a monetary sense, rather than promote an even playing field for all those involved in an election.

I greatly appreciate Professor Smith's analysis. If nothing else, the rarely heard opposition to campaing finance reform is set forth clearly in this book. There is, however, some shortcomings in his analysis.

First, take this passage (there are other analogous ones in the book that prove a similar point) from page 71:

"(Steve) Forbes indicated that he would not have sought the nomination had former congressman and secretary of housing and urban development Jack Kemp decided to run. Kemp chose not to run in large part because he did not want to engage in fund-raising. Had Forbes been able to donate to Kemp the $25 million he planned to spend on his own campaign, Kemp might have run and would quite likely have been a frontrunner for the Republican nomination."

It is easy to see that from this bit (and others) that Professor Smith does not wish to gloss over that fact that money in fact DOES affect politics. Later on that same page he entertains a thought experiment in which all campaign contributions were banned to see who would run in such a scenario. He admits that those with the most name recognition (athletes, celebrities, incumbents, succesful business persons active in their community, etc.) would be able to win. And importantly, he says that those who would win in the experiment wouldnt be much different than those who win now. It would seem then, that name recognition or fame also affects politics.

Thus, the following two things Professor Smith does not challenge: money affects politics, and name recognition affects politics. Now, it is also apparent that money affects name recognition (think TV ads). Given that Professor Smith does not argue with these things, an proponent of reform is unlikely to be swayed. For proponents the unconstested fact that money affects politics (and can buy at least some degree of name recognition) is enough to justify contribution limits. So, it would have been better to see Professor Smith adress more directly the proponents onjections.

I also find lacking that Professor Smith does not mention much about spending for state or local elections and how money affects politics in those instances. For example, in the Austin, TX city council elections recently, 4 Democratic candidates with near identical views ran. The election came to a runoff between the two top contenders, both of whom had TV ads while the other two did not. Does this disprove Professor Smith's arguments? No, but it would be better if he discussed local elections as well.

This book changing my way of thinking 180 degrees. I was a huge John McCain and Campaign Finance Reform fan, but I read this book just to see what the other side had to say. I am sure glad I did! Smith points out many problems with alleged reform on mulitple levels. If you are interested in campaign finance reform, however you may feel about the subject, I suggest you read this book.

As the best known critic of campaign finance reform, Bradley Smith makes strong arguments not just against the legislation itself but against the philosophy underlying the entire movement. This is important, because many supporters of reform refuse to acknowledge that any case against their rationale exists. Many critiques of campaign finance legislation focus on proving that not nearly as much money is spent on campaigning as the public has been led to believe, or that the proposed legislation would give certain types of grassroots groups an unfair advantage over others. Smith's attack goes much further than that. He demonstrates why, in the long run, strict regulation of campaigns will harm everyone by crippling their ability to channel their talents into meaningful participation in the political process.

The first half of the book serves as a comprehensive survey of arguments brought against reform. He begins by analyzing why the proposed legislation would give incumbents enormous advantages over challengers. From there, he discusses how the term corruption has been expanded to mean anything that a legislator does to respond to the wishes of constituents who helped contribute to her campaign-whether or not a causal link can be established between particular contributions and particular legislation. He concludes it with a section on how limits placed on monetary expenditures made to pay for speech are, in fact, limits placed on speech itself because the expenditure of money to pay for speech is inextricably linked to speech itself.

In the second half, he deconstructs philosophical arguments used to justify reforms and turns them on their heads. He starts by pointing out that supporters of reform typically ignore the fact that most non-monetary means of influencing politicians are not distributed on an egalitarian basis. Thus, simply removing private contributions from our political system will not make everyone equal overnight. He develops this point by discussing the traditional notion of political equality-that "...Citizens are free to use their differing abilities, financial wherewithal, and personal disposition to become more or less active in political life, and to attempt to persuade their fellow citizens to vote in a particular manner." He points out that campaign finance reform is nothing more than an attempt to narrow the pool of individuals afforded this freedom.

He concludes by hammering this point home: "...Because the First Amendment...makes no distinction between the different types of political influence, it allows a maximum number of voters to participate and helps to prevent any one faction or interest from gaining the upper hand in political debate." This Madisonian indictment of the campaign finance movement goes above and beyond merely attacking various legislative proposals as incumbent protection schemes. It cuts through all the political rhetoric and reveals what campaign finance reform really is: an attempt by a coalition of elite groups to cast the rules of political debate on their own terms.

If you're concerned about free speech, read this book. You won't be disappointed.