Events Books

Medals of Blood is truely destined to be a classic. Even though the author claims it is a fictional tale you can see the truth screaming out at you from between the lines. I believe many untold truths have been exposed in ths book. It's a clever way to tell the world how so many of our tragic events came about. This is a must read!

This book was a great reading experience. The author tells the story as being fiction but I believe there is much more truth than fiction here. perhaps the author had to call it fiction to keep big brother off his case. I hope to see more books by this author. This book needs to become a movie fast.

Medals of Blood
B. L. Watkins Jr.
Have you ever wondered what really happened to the POWs left behind after the Vietnam War? Did they die in captivity, or was there something far more sinister behind their total disappearance? Could their existence have embarrassed the U.S. government to the point that they took action to see that no evidence of these captured soldiers would ever be discovered? What about other so-called terrorist actions over the last twenty-four years? Join Colonel B.L. Watkins and the soldiers of the elite third Black Ops. detachment and learn of their involvement in the removal of threats to our national security. Learn the truth behind the American POWs, along with other buried secrets of our government. Find out about the covert missions of the Special Forces, such as the doomed flight over Scotland, the truth about the death of the world's most loved princess, the assassination of a president's son, and who really may have been behind the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center. Learn why Saddam Hussein was allowed to live instead of being assassinated during Desert Storm, and what really goes on while America sleeps. Medals of Blood answers these questions and many, many more.

Have you ever wondered what really happened to the POWs left behind after the Vietnam War? Did they die in captivity, or was there something far more sinister behind their total disappearance? Could their existence have embarrassed the U.S. government to the point that they took action to see that no evidence of these captured soldiers would ever be discovered? What about other so-called terrorist actions over the last twenty-four years? Join Colonel B.L. Watkins and the soldiers of the elite third Black Ops. detachment and learn of their involvement in the removal of threats to our national security. Learn the truth behind the American POWs, along with other buried secrets of our government. Find out about the covert missions of the Special Forces, such as the doomed flight over Scotland, the truth about the death of the world's most loved princess, the assassination of a president's son, and who really may have been behind the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center. Learn why Saddam Hussein was allowed to live instead of being assassinated during Desert Storm, and what really goes on while America sleeps. Medals of Blood answers these questions and many, many more. This book is great. If you want to know more about what the US Special Forces do then this is the book to open your eyes to the truth.

Medals of Blood is one of the most interesting books I have read in a very long time. It tells the reader of the horror behind war and the effects it leaves on a soldier. It also reveals the more believable side of ths US Special Forces. They have been painted as heroes who never do anything wrong. This book shows the reader that even America has its share of dark secrets. There is a sense of reality being hidden by a cloak of fiction that makes you wonder if this book is more of an autobiography of the author rather than fictional tale. ????? I would highly recommend this book to all.

Excellent text for the communication specialist or media analyst in search of background on how the American public gets its news about breaking stories -- especially those in which the US Government has a clear policy interest. "Media Access and the Military," using the 1991 Gulf War as a case study, gets as close to "tell it like it is" as we are likely to get on this subject.

For someone who experienced the Gulf War on assignment in Israel and got the report of the Iraqi attack through CNN moments before hearing the first Scud missiles slam into Tel Aviv, "Media Access and the Military" by Judith Raine Baroody is a fascinating read. An extremely insightful, carefully researched analysis of the Gulf War, the study looks beyond the pyrotechnics and smart and not-so-smart bombs that captured public imagination at the time to the crucial role of the press and its interface with the warriors. It's a story not often told, but told here extremely well -- by a seasoned diplomat who is also a scholar and former TV anchor. It is clear that this book will be the definitive statement on the subject for years to come and an absolute must-read for the military and embassy professionals who are called upon to handle public affairs issues during our next war.

Readers in international affairs will greatly benefit from reading "Media Access and the Military." The first and last chapters offer a lively discussion of freedom of speech, of what is considered for public knowledge during a war and how this issue is resolved from the point of view of the press and also from the military point of view.

Journalists and researchers will find the appendix very useful, as it includes the research questionnaire and the list of interviewed persons.

The book also offers a concise history of the Gulf War. Scholarly books have no obligation to be "a good read," but I found it extremely interesting.

For someone who experienced the Gulf War on assignment in Israel and got the report of the Iraqi attack through CNN moments before hearing the first Scud missiles slam into Tel Aviv, "Media Access and the Military" by Judith Raine Baroody is a fascinating read. An extremely insightful, carefully researched analysis of the Gulf War, the study looks beyond the pyrotechnics and smart and not-so-smart bombs that captured public imagination at the time to the crucial role of the press and its interface with the warriors. It's a story not often told, but told here extremely well -- by a seasoned diplomat who is also a scholar and former TV anchor. It is clear that this book will be the definitive statement on the subject for years to come and an absolute must-read for the military and embassy professionals who are called upon to handle public affairs issues during our next war.

The definitive study of this important issue, written with clarity, effective argumentation and comprehensive research. The oral history or the negotiations between the press corps and the Department of Defense is perhaps the most interesting and accessible portion of this TEXT, and gives an insight into the evoling nature of government/media relations.Overall, a valuable contribution to the field.

I love everything this author puts out. This book is no exception. I call it and anointed imaginaton.

This was a fascinating book on events and lives immediately after the flood. It's sad how men's hearts are unchanged. Envy, jealous, pride, self-righteousness, and selfish ambition (among a host of other sins) are clearly portrayed in the lives of Noah's off-spring.

I liked how Canaan was portrayed as a very humble man who desired to know God, even though he was cursed due to his father's sin.

I highly recommend reading the book Noah (by the same author) prior to reading this. It will fill in many details.

Melchizedek is one of the most intriguing people in the Bible. I think because so little is said about him. Mrs. Traylor brings him out of the Bible and into your home. Even though this book can stand alone, I would recommend that you read it as a sequel to "Noah" (ISBN: 0970027419). One of the things that I admire about Mrs. Traylor is her research. And you can tell that she has done a lot of research on him from how well the story flows together. This book is also a great lead in to her book "Abraham" (ISBN: 0842359753). But be prepared, no matter if you read this book as a stand alone or with the others, to be entranced, entertained and to enjoy this book and to be saying, "HHMMMMM" a lot. I have read this book several times and have enjoyed it each and every time. Along with always finding new "stuff" in it. For anyone, Christian or not, I would recommend this book.

This book is superb! Ellen Gunderson Traylor is a very talented author who makes the story about Noah and his descendants so interesting! This was the first book I have read written by her and I found it impossible to put down. I recommend this book to all Christians and I know I will read her other works too

I have read most of the others in the series and this is one of my favorites. It fills in some of the gaps of the life of Melchizedek that are mentioned the her other book 'Jerusalem, City of God'. Starts from the time when he was born, as a grandson to Noah, and we trek through the journay of his founding of Jerusalem. Recommend it to all readers. Tremendous book!

Nothing in mankind is beautiful without a lot of effort - democracy and freedom in the Islamic world is no different. "The Modernization of Islam and the Creation of a Multipolar World Order" is a look the gradually changing world with a focus on the middle east and the Muslim world. Comparing the modern conflicts of today to how World Wars I and II began to purge Europe of its absolute monarchies, "The Modernization of Islam" is a thoughtful study of global transformation, offering an optimistic viewpoint of the region for a change. Highly recommended for community library religious and political collections.

What will be the final outcome in Iraq? Is it possible to spread democracy throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa? How bad is America's economy? Could the Euro or gold surpass the dollar? These are just some of the questions debated in barbershops, at kitchen tables and on talk radio shows around the nation and world.

Dr. Susmit Kumar offers answers to those questions and provides solutions in his new book, "The Modernization of Islam" "There is not much America can do to stop the rise of Islamic Militancy in Iraq. Unfortunately, the extremists rising to power is a necessary step in the birthing process of democracy," reveals the previous member of the prestigious India Administrative Service, which influences and implements government policy

The Founding President of the Prout Institute of United States draws parallels between early 20th century Europe and present day Islamic society, "Had Europe not endured the labor pains of World Wars I and II, it might still be ruled by Monarchs." Dr. Kumar further explains after Islamic nations succumb to the grips of extremists, the people will eventually rise up against fundamentalism.

"It is at that point the majority of Islamic nations will become secular and democratic, like Turkey," he continues. Once Turkey gained it's independence in 1923, nationalists introduced several radical political, cultural and social reforms including closing the Islamic courts.

Dr. Kumar points out that it has remained free ever since shedding its fundamentalists' rule, "Despite being 99 percent Muslim, Turkey has been a fairly successful example of a secular democratic state for over 80 years." He adds that before a democratic rebirth can occur in Iraq or any other Islamic nation, the labor pains have to take place.

The war in Iraq has become the nation's most debated issue because of all that has been committed and allocated to fighting it. "But we have to leave," Dr. Kumar powerfully contends. "We cannot do anything more there and it is costing us our people, money and resources."

According to Dr. Kumar, the more than $2 billion spent per week by the U.S in Iraq should be spent on Americans or not at all bearing in mind the growing trade deficit ($700 billion per year) and budget deficits. In last 7 years, America's debt has increased from $5 trillion to $9 trillion, and, he adds, "The latest bestseller by a Nobel Prize winner in Economics predicts the total price tag of the war may surpass $3 trillion considering the indirect costs of veteran care."
These factors worry Dr. Kumar, "Taking advantage of our dollar being global currency, Fed just prints dollars whenever it feels necessary. Because of our huge debt, OPEC is considering a switch in oil pricing from the dollar to the Euro. If the Euro makes further gains and takes over has the global currency, a potential doomsday scenario could play out for the U.S. economy affecting America's military might." If America eventually faces this situation, it would be constrained financially and militarily leaving Middle Eastern and North African allies even more vulnerable.

Dr. Kumar offers an economic solution to that would help not only America, but also those countries struggling so badly financially that their people fall prey to the beliefs of Islamic Extremists. He advocates an economic system that increases the purchasing power of individuals, not the gross national product, "Developing the home-grown strengths of various societies and their peoples will allow them to participate on a more equal basis in the world to come."

He concludes by disclosing, "Democracies are built on equality and extremists fear it. That's why eventually equality will be the foundation of the modern Islam."

Dr. Susmit Kumar gives us new hope that whatever is happening in the world today will have a beneficial outcome. Modernization of Islam carries the art of sharing with the reader a vein of optimisms by linking together an impressive mass of documented information (with 640 references/notes) regarding recent and past history concerning religion, politics and economy as well. Some information may be disturbing at the first glance as not all the truth indeed is revealed at the time of the historical facts. Millions of people may be benefited by expanding the vision of society beyond the apparent clashes of civilizations. This book definitely helps to prepare the mind of the reader for the unavoidable changes that history artfully jot on the global canvas towards a new world order.

Ac. Vimaleshananda Avt.

Dr. Kumar presents a fresh analysis of current events in "The Modernization of Islam". As the U.S. economy continues to weaken, so too will U.S. support weaken for its client states in the Islamic World, enabling fundamentalist groups to vie for power in the short term. However, the long term vision for the future is hopeful and benevolent, with a true democracy taking hold where local people control their local resources and economy. A must read for those interested in the upheavals we are witnessing today.

I read the book Modernization of Islam by Dr. Susmit Kumar. It is a very good book to understand economic and political problems and its solution. I came to know about a new socio-economic theory Prout(The Progressive Utilization Theory). It seems to be a solution for present economic crisis.

This is the first book I would recommend to anyone wanting to understand (1) the agenda of Muslim extremist groups, and (2) what draws people to their "cause".

Kepel argues that the extremist groups have been around since the departure of the European imperialist powers, seeking to create a "pan-Muslim" state as an alternative to the secular nation-states that occupy the region today. Naiive, groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood were easily subverted, repressed and generally thought of as harmless until the assassination of Anwar Sadat.

Citing the poverty, lack of opportunity and political repression as the fertile ground that created these groups, Kepel sympathetically goes on to discuss their agenda - essentially that "secular" "nation-states" are alien and counter to the history and culture of the Islamic world. Truly and outstanding book.

This is the work that made the now imminent French scholar of Islamism famous. Kepel was more or less the first scholar to frame "Muslim Extremism" as 1) an extremist phenomenon and 2) a real political threat to the region in such an explicit fashion. As such, this work has been much debated and criticized; however, it still remains a classic in the field.

Ideally, Kepel's work should be read in tandem with Mitchell's work on the Muslim Brothers as Kepel himself seemed to see this work as the follow-up to Mitchell's groundbreaking work. Mitchell's work stopped at the incarceration of the Brotherhood after the Free Officers now longer found their support politically desirable or expedient, and basically, Kepel's picks up at that point-the inhumanity of the prisons, the gallows, and the torture rooms.

Unlike Mitchell's work, however, Kepel's study is not confined to a study of the Muslim Brotherhood but is a study of the radicalization of the Islamic trend in Egypt which splinter into many factional, competing parts-at times as a result of state initiatives as under Sadat. The differing policies of the Nasser and Sadat regime are compared, the influence of Sayyid Qutb emphasized, the moderation and political compromise of the Muslim Brotherhood emphasized, and the desperation and impoverishment of the violent groups such as al-Jama'at al-Islamiyyah and Takfir wa-l-Hijrah are cited as their sources. These all became classic themes in the field. Kepel's work demonstrates that the sources of political Islam are as varied as its social manifestations.

This is one of the most comprehensive and well-documented study and analyses of the islamic fundamentalist groups in modern Egypt that has seen the light up to the present. I read it from start-to-end in a run, so involving is the matter it researches as the way in which it is written. An authoritative essay and a source of information on one of the most shocking issues of the last (and present) century, focused on one of the less known areas about religious terrorism. The translation from the French edition is accurate and confiable. A title you can not miss if you are engaged in studying the subject or merely in knowing more about it. Highly recommended!

This book was written over 20 years ago, long before anyone focused on the possible consequences of a growing menace to humanity in the guise of Islamic fanatics calling the masses back to the founding tenants of Islam. Kepel lived in Egypt and spent a lot of time researching and reading what was happening in the 70's and 80's as well as examining the causes and consequences of Islamic calls to jihad and having Muslims continue their conquest of the earth in the name of Allah.
This book shows how Egypt's experiment with socialism resulted in a corrupt, dishonest, and totally failed state. Kepel points out the costs of this experiment by showing that the state created a horrific perfect storm, using the establishment of Israel as the ultimate bogeyman to deflect the masses attention away from the failures of socialism. Essentially the Egyptians were no different than the other kleptocracies in the Middle East and held the hand puppet of Israel as the focus of attention while the other hand deprived the general population of any semblance of a decent standard of living. Kepel's insights into the assassination of Sadat because of his overtures to Israel were most enlightening, essentially showing that Sadat was killed by forces he had nourished with years of hatred toward modernity. Carter and his advisors probably still do not understand to this day what damage they did in the Camp David accords when Sadat traded Soviet handouts for American ones. The view held by the vast majority of Muslims in the Middle East of the American-Zionist plot to overtake the Middle East was cemented and fermented in the accord. It took another generation for it to come to fruition in 9/11, but it all started there. Kepel was not aware of Carter's funding of the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan in the 70's at the same time so is not able to link the beginnings of bin Laden's lunatic fringe groups as well. Another interesting observation by Kepel, which is now becoming more apparent is that the Islamic social code of the separation of the sexes lends itself to sexual frustration on the part of the massive numbers of young and horny Muslims so that the lure of 72 virgins may well be the primary recruiting tool for the jihadists to get them to be a "martyr" by committing suicide and getting the sex they cannot get in their own societies.
Having traveled throughout Egypt many times myself, I can say that the classic "jelly bean" theory has come to pass. Feed the bear a jelly bean to ward him off will only work as long as you still have jelly beans. When you run out, be prepared to be the next meal of the bear.
A great book, especially given its date of publication. It was far ahead of its time. If only the idiots in the US State Department, CIA, or FBI had read it, the prime instigator of the first attack on the World Trade Center would have been banned from the US instead of being allowed entry after the Egyptians arrested him for his terrorist activities in the 1980's.

This is without a doubt one of the best and most readable texts on the subject of the rise of Islamist movements in Egypt. It also works as a fitting sequel to Doanld Mitchell's groundbreaking volume - the only one of its kind ever translated into Arabic - on the Ikhwan al-Muslimin, the Muslim Brotherhood written almost two decades earlier. The book describes the social, historical and economic context behind the Islamist movements neither resorting to apologetic arguments or righteous accusations. Kepel shows that Egyptian Islamist organizations have adopted a variety of approaches that are, more often than not, peaceful such as to effectively constitute what may be civil society in Egypt. Indeed, such organizations as the Islamic Brotherhood in Egypt have recently shown that some compromise is possible with the representatives of the status-quo as well as with rival factions by participating in national elections, such as to avoid a civil war scenario. The Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt now opposes government policy from a legal and regulated official position but it faces pressure from more radical Islamist groups.
Nonetheless, intractable socio-economic problems have made it ever more difficult to contain unrest. The continuing reduction of the public sector since the late '70s and the failure to stimulate private economic enterprise has made it even harder for Egypt to sustain the precarious economic conditions that stimulate Islamist unrest. Although the Egypt achieved significant development in the '50s and '60s, it has pursued misguided economic policies that have fallen short of their potential. The benefits of the oil boom after 1973 and the Sadat-Mubarak economic liberalization policies that followed were mismanaged. Economic liberalization was primarily directed in the speculative construction and real estate sectors and failed to attract foreign investment in other labor intensive and professional areas. Unemployment persisted as the State reduced spending in conformance to IMF debt re-structuring that by 1986 brought about a gradual erosion of the human development achievements of the '50s and '70s. The series of economic reforms benefited the already wealthy. Islamist organizations have also gained popularity by absorbing the void left by the declining State.
Support and membership for such organizations has cut across class and income barriers and is representative of the frustration of a large portion of society, and youth in particular, with the current political establishment in Egypt. The government has not offered viable solutions to problems of unemployment, housing shortages, deteriorating municipal services or the poor quality of health care and education. Kepel also shows that Islamist organizations have solved problems that the government has been unable or unwilling to confront. Unlike government and private banks, the Islamic Brotherhood has operated Islamic Investment Companies (IIC) since the mid-'70s that have provided a real positive rate of interest. Ultimately, in view of chronic economic difficulties and the Government of Egypt's inability to adopt serious reform and tackle the problems of poverty and unemployment seriously makes Egypt very vulnerable to the zeal and violence of militant Islam.

This is a profound book. I found myself writing the author to thank him--for sharing this story and this part of our history; for sharing so intimately of his father's life and the choices he made (I am inspired by his faith and actions); for exposing the realities behind the headlines and the snippets of history that were in our history books; for sharing his own journey; and overall for writing such an important book.

Essential reading for anyone interested in this dark chapter of the civil rights movement. The book is based on thorough research into personal and public files and on personal memories. The argument is spellbinding at three levels: 1)an account of precisely what happened when Orville Faubus tried to defy the federal law; 2)a highly sympathetic account of the support by the Presbyterian (white) pastor Dunbar H. Ogden for the nine students attempting to register at the school; and 3)a deeply moving account by Ogden's son, a renown theater historian, concerning his own search for understanding after fifty years. The book is a superb success.

Well written and gripping, this true story is one of the most interesting books I have ever read.

This is one of the most needed books for students today. The collaboration between unlikely allies and their story is just what students today need to read to be able to have strong examples of unity in times of important social and political growth. As a school librarian, I find this a must in my library not only for students but as a vital resource for teachers. We still have a tremendous amount of segregation in our schools today.This book is just the tool we need to revisit this issue and reflect on our committment to social justice.

This is the most readable page-turner from an academic publisher since Tom Clancy's first book. It's a true story with an unlikely hero: an aristocratic pastor from the old-style Deep South who led the 1957 integration of Central High School in Little Rock Arkansas because his conscience drove him to do it. In close partnership with Mrs. Daisy Bates, a feisty black female newspaper editor, Reverend Ogden kept up the struggle until the first black student had graduated (Ogden smuggled the young Dr. Martin Luther King into the ceremony). By then,Ogden had become an influential national spokesman for civil rights. Along the way he had to face his own doubts and depression, financial hardships, and terrible tragedy in his own family. His reward was to be fired by his congregation and forgotten by history, but he lived to see the outcome of the great revolution he had helped start. If any tale can be both a true inspiration and a great read, this is it.The Long Shadow of Little Rock: A Memoir

Maybe "Context of No Context" was a good book, but "My Pilgrim's Progress" isn't even a bad book. It's a hoax on the reader. It's one long, repetitious, self-justifying bleat! Is the author senile, or just soused? He should have called it "My Long Day's Journey Into Night."

I'm torn about this book and don't really know what to rate it, since I found it wildly uneven. But ultimately I think there are enough interesting insights and thought provoking ideas to warrant 4 stars.

Trow meditates on cultural values and attitudes, using examples such as the front page of the NY Times as jump-off points for his reflections. Many of these are very penetrating and allow you to see the development of the country since 1950 in a new light. In particualr, his analysis of the major cultural threads operating at 1950, and the way that TV ended up winning almost by default, was excellent.

On the down side, despite the title the scope of the book is very narrow. There is little coverage of anything that has happened since 1960 or so. The book is also rather geographically limited, as Trow is very focused on New York City, upper class intellectual NYC, to be exact.

I also found the style to be very distracting. Trow writes in a stream of consciousness fashion, which to me really cripples the book and was almost enough to make me knock off another star. He rarely comes out and states an idea, but instead dances around the issue for 15 pages, constantly getting sidetracked and going off on tangents. In the end, you are forced to go back and fill int he blanks to figure out what he was actually trying to get at. Maybe it makes me old fashioned, but in non-fiction I like writers to actually spit out what they're trying to say, rather than playing games and being cutesy.

And as another reviewer mentioned, he has a bad habit of coining new phrases and terminology, which is annoying and makes the book harder to follow than it needs to be. The fact that he often dances around the definition of his terms in the same way he does other things only makes this habit more obnoxious.

But on the whole, I'd recommend the book, since it will challenge you and make you think about recent history, as well as restoring a bit of perspective to modern society and its roots in the post-war period.

George Trow pointed out elsewhere, in somebody else's context entirely, that a truly privileged, a privileged-from-birth, person was able to, well, analyze, assimilate, interpret remarkably quickly---quickly enough; that quickly---questions of power and privilege in a way that someone who had merely been stunned by them (someone who hadn't had the "privilege" not to be stunned by them) was not. Trow has the grace and congeniality in "My Pilgrim's Progress" to make clear that he's not as privileged as he might sound, or was not at all privileged in the way the Roosevelts, or even the Eisenhowers (whose cultural shock waves he documents), were. Neither was he irremediably stunned. Since his father's position (as an East Coast journalist of a certain vanished kind) was wiped out at the same time the Roosevelts "disappeared"---as forces to be reckoned with, in government or in ethics---or Eisenhower (a military man who'd sensed something wrong in the military and in the country as early as 1959, '49?), Trow is able to describe, because he's seen, several kinds of illusion at close hand, and a deeply contemporary, deeply American denial. (Call it longing.)

In this book Trow is the same stylist he's always been--with greater or lesser irony--in all his writing. He still plays around with Mrs. Rittenhouse (except she's last year's Mrs. Vanderbilt, or this year's Diana Vreeland). And he still, sometimes, defines his vocabulary while he's first using it in a sentence, or not long before--while you're still catching up. But "My Pilgrim's Progress" (the title goes right back to Louisa May Alcott, and then some) is the clearest and the most self-declaring of any of his satires, essays, "speeches," or plays. And maybe also the funniest. (It would be a trip and a thrill to hear someone reading the entire book out loud.) The origins of "Perhaps you can force me to tell you" (one of the great Trow-satire sentences) are here, but in their own clothes. The 1963 World's Fair makes another appearance, kittycorner to where it clearly was in "Context of No Context." That book's fedora hat is redefined--or refined. Questions of irony and emotion turn out not to have been easy questions in the interim--for any of us.

In short, anyone who worries what some very specific changes---in America, in the media ("hyperactivity," Trow calls this one), in the world---have been doing to our insides (our "selves") should read this book. It's short itself, given all the information--the reporting--that it sums up. It is in no way a "self-help book"; just a very clear diagnosis, no more baffling than any other specialist's. But this specialist is with us in our sense of urgency. He's been trying to take the time; and here he does.

Having been raised by television, it has been pretty hard for me to focus on reality, that is, the human exchanges of power that must have, in the first place, created television (right?). I was born in a sub-suburb in the middle of the midwest, with one or two cultural roots that abruptly stopped after my grandparents, who don't really talk about stuff like cultural roots anyway. Well, then I read Mr. Trow's book and it blew my mind clean off. It did this because it demonstrated to me precisely why it has been so bloody hard to find something in life and language deeper than television and hollywood movies. The linguistic way out of TV and Hollywood was, of course, the liberal arts. But as thrilling, interesting and mysterious as the liberal arts were, I never managed to make them as central a part of my consciousness as is, say, Star Wars. This is why: the liberal arts have always flourished in an environment of cultural connectedness to the flow of history and of real human power in terms of values "deeper" than money. To George Trow, who is perhaps the only real old world Harvard-educated WASP alive who is able to watch television alongside folks like myself--speak both languages, as it were--the liberal arts are visceral. To me they are mostly obscure and dry, with flashes here and there of accessibility. The polyglot author of "My Pilgrim's Progress" showed me, in cruelly stark relief, just what my cultural and lingustic coordinates are on the world-historical grid. For that, I thank him--I think.

In "My Pilgrim's Progress," George W. S. Trow abandons the impersonal, incantatory voice of his celebrated 1981 essay "Within the Context of No Context" for a free-flowing, deeply intimate act of performance art on the page. If the astounding "No Context" was a late 20th century "The Waste Land", then Trow's newest book is his "Krapp's Last Tape." With razor-sharp wit, brilliant insight, and what can only be described as a broken heart, Trow pours into a tape recorder his analyses of an eclectic series of "Mainstream American Cultural Artifacts" (everything from the front page of the February 1, 1950 edition of The New York Times to the films of Alfred Hitchcock to the documentary "Elvis 56") in order to achieve the possibility of compassion and forgiveness for what he understands to be five decades of personal, cultural, and spiritual "abandonment." The depth of pain and urgency - the life and death personal stakes - behind the author's voice raise what might have been merely a rambling, anecdotal memoir into a work with enormous power. "My Pilgrim's Progress" resonates with the intimacy and significance of a death-bed confession. It is a gut-wrenching, remarkable, "feverish" monologue about our contemporary American history. An extraordinarily moving book.

A deeply thoughtful and lovingly written exploration into the mysteries of Christianity and the true beauty of this spiritual path.

Although I am faithful in attending church and in studying Christianity through ordinary instructional materials, I feel strongly that something is radically missing in my own understanding and experience of the Christian Mysteries. As I began reading this book, my prejudice was that it would probably be [bad]---more or less. In seeking better understanding, I am willing to look down different dead end streets. After reading the book, I cannot reasonably say it is a dead end.

One strong departure of the author's understanding from Orthodox teachings (here, I don't mean the Eastern Orthodox religions, but more populous, American versions of Christianity) is "physicality." Both the Virgin Birth and the Resurrection are ordinarily understood as physical events. This author understands neither as a physical event. However, in his approach or understanding, the non-physicality of these events does not actually make them "less real." Certainly, the numerous theologians from my church will object to that.

According to the author, most of us receive only the "outer" teachings of Christianity. These are not substantially complete. The more fully developed understanding was made available only to an Inner Circle of believers, originally consisting mainly of The Twelve (apostles). The inner circle experienced greater teaching, both in a theoretical sense and in an experiential or transformational sense. From ancient times to the present, these inner teachings have been brought forward continuously, but only to a restricted audience of Occultists of the tradition. That is the view propounded here. While outlines of the deeper teaching are stated or at least hinted in the text, it does not really give them in a very direct or explicit way (not as in a textbook). Many convincing scriptural citations and citations from the Fathers of the Church are provided to support the thesis that the message itself is carried mainly in elite secret societies. In a sense, the author sounds almost like a Mason in his writing.

For more details or "how to" the reader is refered to the author's book on Gnani yoga and others of the author's writings. On the one hand, the author writes in a credible and mostly self-consistent way and supports a creditable, if quite alternative, view of Christian history. On the other hand, I'm not sure that it is very useful. For the practical-minded reader, it does relatively little good to have the "real" teaching locked away in some secret society somewhere (of course, somewhere secret). If we can't learn it, too, isn't something unsatisfactory or something missing? For me, it is. To be entirely satisfactory, the reader should have a good way to get in on the good stuff, too. Christianity is not a spectator sport.

This book explains Christianity as it was in its early days, before teachings were added or removed. "Mystic Christianity" was passed down from generation to generation of occult teachers & helps to explain why the teachings of modern Christianity are contradictory. It is a very powerful book.

I first read this book 15 years ago and have just finished reading it for the nth time(lost track). This is one of those books that you will want to read over and over because each time your eyes will be opened in new ways. Mystic Christianity will give you a new vision to the concepts and misconceptions taught about the Christ. If your are someone who believes there is more to Christianity than they teach you, if you want to see "the bigger picture" then this book is a must.

This book fundamentally changed my viewpoint on Christianity. I would recommend it to any who are truly interested on learning more about the life and spiritual development of Christ. It will help you on your spiritual journey. However, I didn't agree with every theory put forth. Nonetheless, it is a good read.

To try and describe the content of the book is futile. You have to read and re-read it several times to get the full impact.

God Bless.

Grobman's 'Nations United' is concise and to the point, laying out the case against the U.N. logically, persuasively in a short book that's well researched and well documented. Whether or not you support the U.N., it's an engrossing book that's well worth the read.

We all know that there is an organization called the United Nations. But many of us are a little suspicious about it. Is it effective? Is it counterproductive? In this book, Alex Grobman shows how the UN has dealt with a member nation, Israel. And what he shows is scary. I think it demonstrates that there is something intrinsically wrong with the entire concept of the UN.

The point is not that the UN is bad for Israel (although that is manifestly true). The point is that the UN is simply bad for human civilization. In an attempt to build a foundation for a global human society, I think we've created a cornerstone for a wacky global tyranny that threatens scholarship, justice, and prosperity.

This book does a good job of exposing the UN's libels and demonization of Israel. There is a focus on the infamous "Zionism equals racism" resolution of 1975 (which was repealed in 1991). And there is an analysis of how much damage that resolution caused.

Should the UN be reformed? Some people say it ought to be. As the author relates, others are not so sure. And I think that the UN ought to be outlawed. But no matter what your opinion may be, this is an interesting book.

Some people say that the UN is useful just because it brings people together to talk. But I think when it merely gets used to applaud lies, it is being astoundingly destructive. I feel that it is bad that the UN has sided with aggressors so often. But I think this book shows that perhaps the worst problem with the UN is that it acts as a huge megaphone for lies.

The book begins with a short introduction to Zionism and anti-Zionism, showing the international scope and political nature of anti-Zionism. Following that is a discussion of Soviet bloc policies towards Israel. After that is a chapter analyzing the Zionism = Racism resolution. Next we see more on the history UN's attitude towards (and present obsession with) Israel, including that of the non-governmental organizations.

The book then shows some of the rather long-standing antisemitic propaganda (including blood libels) that led to the Zionism = Racism resolution. And there's a discussion of Arab and Jewish responses to that infamous resolution. Following this, there's a chapter on the uses and consequences of holocaust denial.

The final chapter tells us about some recent UN behavior, including the 2001 Durban conference, the UN investigation of the battle at Jenin, and the UN ruling on Israel's security fence.

Perhaps best of all is an excellent bibliography. While the entire book is under 200 pages, over 20 of those pages are used for a bibliography of books and more than 10 additional pages contain a bibliography of articles.

I recommend this book.

As far as I am concerned, any book that exposes the United Nations as an apostate organization bent on the erosion and even destruction of Israel and its western allies is well worth reading. That puts Alex Grobman's book, NATIONS UNITED: HOW THE UNITED NATIONS UNDERMINE ISRAEL AND THE WEST, on my short list of `must reads'. Grobman glaringly illustrates how the U.N. consistently betrays its own charter by failing to support the Jewish state; a nation created in part, by the United Nations.

Dr. Grobman begins his work at the conclusion of WWII, giving a precise analysis of the groundwork surrounding the establishment of Israel. He then takes the reader through the progression of events that have caused support of Israel, by the U.N., to deteriorate to the point of implacable antagonism and opposition. Such events are detailed as the former Soviet Union's disdain for Israel and the mounting dissent of the increasingly more powerful Middle Eastern Muslim countries, whose U.N. membership currently outnumbers Jewish membership by 23 to 1.

You will also glean valuable insight as to how the finances of the U.N. (which comes largely from the west) are being used to promote an anti-Semitic and anti-Western worldwide agenda; how the U.N uses primarily anti-Israel and secondarily anti-Western propaganda to mask the truth of oppression and fanatical leadership of many of the Muslim member states.

Dr. Grobman goes on to illustrate the plethora of ways in which the U.N has aided and abetted atrocious behavior and mishandling of funds by the Palestinians. The reader's attention is also directed to the June, 2006 U.N. Human Rights Council meeting where the primary focus was human rights violations against occupied Arab peoples (Palestinians), but human rights violations in places such as Darfur, Uzbekistan, Mexico and Sri Lanka went completely ignored.

The summary conclusion of Dr. Grobman's brilliant and critical work here is that the United Nations is like a cancer to world society whose time for dissolution is long overdue. The corruption (Oil for Food) and consistent pressing of political agendas has gone on for far too long and it is critical to the future of western civilization that this spurious organization designed to protect human rights be brought to justice for its corruption and terminated from existence for its failure to hold itself to its own charter laws.

This is a must read for anyone who has as much as a minor concern for the future of our world.

Monty Rainey
Junto Society

Written by Jewish historian Alex Grobman, Nations United: How the United Nations Undermines Israel and the West is a stinging indictment of anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism, and anti-Israel speech and action, especially as seen in the United Nations in modern history and the present day. Chapters briefly summarize the origins of Zionism, decry the UN's 1975 Z=R resolution that declared Zionism to be "a form of racism and racial discrimination" (this resolution was repealed in 1991, yet Grobman maintains that repercussions remain), discuss the reprehensible usage of Holocaust denial as a weapon and its consequences, describe modern anti-Semitism in the context of Z=R, and much more. The final passage, "Is the UN Worth It?" crystalizes Grobman's doubts about the failings of this international institution. Part history, part ardent defense of Israel and its practices, part political manifesto, and entirely critical of the UN, Nations United is heavily researched with an extensive list of articles and an index, and worth reading for its insights into the conservative Zionist perspective regardless of whether one agrees entirely with its claims.

This well-researched work chronicles the founding of the United Nations, its role in the recognition of Israel in 1948 and the subsequent history of relations between the two. Unfortunately the world body's attitude towards Israel started to deteriorate soon afterward as Grobman's analysis reveals. This change was brought about by the USSR in alliance with Arab states, later joined by the so-called Non-Aligned block of nations. The book explores the origins and development of the transformation in detail.

The UN became a hotbed of Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism; this strategy culminated in the disgusting 1975 resolution equating Zionism with racism. Although the US finally managed to have it revoked in 1991, the sinister forces behind it were not stopped by the end of the Cold War. The hostility towards Israel and the West did not cease and these agendas are more active than ever, with a majority of member states issuing an unending stream of condemnations against Israel while ignoring the murderous acts of terrorist groups and criminal states.

One of its more loathsome "achievements" was the World Conference Against Racism, the unrestrained Anti-Israel hate-fest which took place in Durban in 2001. The author shows that the organization thrives on Antisemitism while remaining willfully blind to atrocities in places like Rwanda, Chechnya and Darfur. It is obsessed with the deligitimization of the Jewish State and continues to disseminate anti-US and anti-Israel propaganda through its plethora of agencies and associated non-governmental organizations.

The book provides answers on why the UN has failed so miserably with almost every single crisis that it was intended to solve or ameliorate. One of the main reasons is projection: the hatred of successful societies deflects attention from the abject failure of the accusers' own miserable countries. Another is that the privileged UN bureaucrats are in it for themselves, forming part of the set of parasites called "transnational progressives." These fat cats pursue their self-serving agendas by using the money of Western taxpayers.

Another illuminating book covering some of the same ground is Tower of Babble by Dore Gold, whilst Global Deception by Joseph Klein and The Beast on the East River by Nathan Tabor show how the UN has become a threat to the security and sovereignty of the USA. Dominated by power-hungry bureaucrats, shady billionaires and special interest groups, Turtle Bay is nothing else but a pestilential swamp of corruption, nepotism and even drug dealing, as revealed in The UN Gang: A Memoir of Incompetence, Corruption, Espionage, Anti-Semitism and Islamic Extremism at the UN Secretariat by Pedro Sanjuan. Finally, the collusion of the mass media and the details of the Oil-for-Food scandal are brilliantly covered in Eric Shawn's The U.N. Exposed.

Nations United provides detailed information on the history of the Middle East conflict and on the nature of the UN. Copious notes at the end of every chapter plus an extensive bibliography provide an impressive collection of sources for further investigation. The book makes a valuable contribution to the literature on this corrupt and criminal organization.

United Abominations

This story of a city government responsive to community people and empowering them to build better communities through small grants and support is inspiring and hopeful...both for our neighborhoods (especially those so often left out) and people, as well as for a kind of government that partners with people to make things happen. Stimulating and gives ideas that can be replicated elsewhere. Mary Nelson

Neighbor Power is an excellent book! Smart. Funny. Inspiring. If you're interested in Seattle---or if you're interested in community building---or if you're interested in how local government works (and sometimes fails to work)---or if you're just interested in people and you like hearing good stories---read this book.

As a resident in a transitional neighborhood, I find the example and stories in this book inspiring. The book is informative with examples of individual contributions make a difference as well as the power when people organize.

This book is both inspiring and full of practical information. I recommend it to anyone interested in working at the grassroots level to make cities better places to live.

It was cheering to learn that, in a city obsessed with reaching impossible consensus before acting, things are actually getting done here. I also learned some delightful details about when, where, and how certain Seattle landmarks were born.

If you're an activist, you'll find some concrete, useful theories and techniques on how to accomplish your goals. I'm no activist. But reading about these small, very important changes--made by common citizens--could make an activist out of anyone.