Events Books

Barry Goldwater's "The Conscience of a Conservative" was one of the seminal manifestos of the modern-day conservative movement, defining conservative positions in both economic policy and foreign policy. It was published in 1960, when, just as today, many conservatives seemed ashamed to identify themselves as such.

Reading this book will give conservatives a sense their movement's roots and the ideological confidence that comes with knowing that their ideas have a long and distinguished pedigree. I sometimes wonder how America would be different today if Goldwater had beaten Johnson in 1964 and the ideas in this book, not those of the Great Society, had been implemented.

Being a conservative is something a person should be proud of. It gives you a perspective of one's ideology. The way our media and our universities are indoctrinating our society is scary. The only way to counteract this marxist point of view is to be informed and this book will actually make you think.

This book is clear and to the point. Mr. Goldwater doesn't waste any time laying it all out on the line about what true conservatism is. My wife and I are adding it to our home school library of required additional reading.

I had heard this book mentioned numerous times on talk radio shows as a major starting point for the conservative movement. It is definitely that and more. Goldwater's overriding idea is the most liberty for the individual balanced by the rule of law. I found his critique of union still on spot for today. His views on dealing with communism are from a position of strength, still a good idea for today dealing with radical Islamic terrorists. I may be unusual but I read the afterward by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and had to chuckle. The first part of his afterward was fine, a tribute to Barry Goldwater, the man. But the last half of it I could see the spittle flying from his lips as he went into a diatribe against the current administration. A short paragraph on how he thought the current crop of conservatives aren't following Goldwater's ideas would have been fine and expected from a Kennedy but half of the afterward? The vitriol used showed me something else I have heard is definitely true. For the political left everything is political, even praising an old enemy.

THE CONSCIENCE OF A CONSERVATIVE represents the touchstone of modern conservatism. In 1960, clearly and articulately, Barry Goldwater made the conservative case on many modern issues: the role of the federal government, federal fiscal policy, tax policy, foreign affairs (although dated now), the welfare state, and many others.

Goldwater believed that economic, political, religious and social freedoms were intertwined and dependant upon one another. For example, free markets were as necessary to a free society as the right to vote and infringement upon one was infringement upon them all. Goldwater was not alone. Towering intellects like economists Hayek, Friedman, Hazlitt and others argued the very same case with profound results.

In the late sixties, another voice would take up these arguments: Ronald Reagan. Building upon the conservative foundation of Goldwater, Reagan would initiate the Tax Reform Act of 1982 and America would enter a period of economic growth never before seen in the world. The principles that Goldwater espoused and the policies of monetarism, lower taxes (supply side economics), and fiscal restraint fueled an economic engine which is still running.

Goldwater was not a policy wonk. He was a conservative with a heart for others and compassion and love for his country. His battle cry was. "Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice and moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." But he didn't let his passion for freedom blind him to the beliefs of others. He valued debate and respected the conflict of differing opinions; he was a gentleman about discourse and politics.

Goldwater issued a warning about America's enemies when he said, "The real cause of the deterioration can be simply stated. Our enemies have understood the nature of the conflict and we have not. They are determined to win the conflict and we are not." These words are as chilling a warning today about America's enemies as they were about Communism fifty years ago.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and George Will both pay tribute to Goldwater in this 2007 version which are worth reading. As for Goldwater, I pray we will see his like again.

Before approaching the text of Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy in America, I had little realization as to the proper content of his prophetic work. To my former understanding, the text was merely a collection of adulation and reflections upon the American way of life by a French observer in the nineteenth century. Upon reading this abridged version of Democracy in America, I found a much more prophetic text which reflected more upon the cultural impact of democratic institutions than upon the praise which should be attributed thereto. While one may fault de Tocqueville for approaching the democratic world with the cutting eye of a small aristocracy, it is quite evident that he accepted the fact that the human spirit was led to greater democratic tendencies and that such was to be taken almost a priori as the state of the world in his era.

The truly important reflection of the work as a whole comes in the considerations which he places upon the consequences of equality which follows from democratic revolutions. The phenomena of hardy individualism and its potential devolvement into individualism were not lost in his reflections. From this hardy individualism, de Tocqueville feared that humanity in democratic times may tend more toward equality and stability than toward liberty. In this, he not only foresaw the simple tendencies of utilitarian artwork and literature but also the potential destruction of civil associations and the devaluation of individual accomplishment and differentiation. It is this latter point, which seems somewhat paradoxical at first glance, which is perhaps the most prophetic of his reflections. In the process of cultural homogenization and individuation, de Tocqueville foresees that centralization of power will become much more likely as the populace views itself to be nothing more than an accumulation of nearly-identical citizens. Beyond this, his fears of the tyranny which could result by the abandonment of liberties by the people are well founded, for a society which wholly forgets the fact that some human beings can stand out is one which can easily allow itself to be subjected to the capricious desires of a powerful state as liberty is wholly forgotten.

These prophetic words should be read by all reflective Americans as we continue to move toward a larger centralized state and clamor with greater intensity for security in all forms (be it physical or social), for such equalizing security can only come at the cost of the liberties which allow the individual to actually have the worth which we intellectually affirm that he or she has.

As an American living in Europe, I read with great interest Alexis de Tocqueville's book about a European experiencing America.

Like most people, Mr. de Tocqueville started out with a characterization of the United States, believing that the country's early 19th century prosperity was a function of its distance from rivals in Europe. But after his famous trip, he concludes that the real difference comes from each side's view of risk taking. It's an insight as relevant today as it was when it was written.

Mr. de Tocqueville predicted that the growing issue of state's rights would lead to bloodshed (it led to the Civil War -- though he wrongly predicted it would eventually lead to a breakup of the union, he was very nearly right on that point as well); he predicts the fledgling country's industrial rise and its emergence as a true world power; he recognized the symbiotic role between industry and democracy at a time when they were believed to be unrelated. His insights into the American psyche, optimism, and ambition at times seem timelier than most op-ed pieces.

More than a century and a half after it was written, I am hard pressed to conjure the name of a better commentary about America and Americans. It is an astonishing feat considering the brevity of Mr. de Tocqueville's four-month visit, his youth (he was in his early 20s), and early stage of development the country was in. But the result is something that shouldn't be skipped by any serious student of the political and social essence of the United States.

I have three complaints about this edition of Tocqueville:
1) Nowhere in the book is the translator credited. This violates basic principles of publication and scholarship.
2) This is in fact an abridged version of the original English-language translation by Henry Reeve, dating from sometime before 1862. Unless you want to re-create the experience of a modern Frenchman confronted with de Tocqueville's somewhat archaic French by reading the text in somewhat archaic English, I would seek out any of the more recent translations: there are at least three.
3) The ellipses, that is, the abridgements, have sometimes been made to conceal some of the author's less flattering views America. In fact I suspect this is a "patriotic" abridgement. For example, in the second chapter of part one, Heffner has omitted references to some of the excesses of Puritan law in New England which the notoriously even-handed Tocqueville had cited.

Praising this book is a bit like saying Huckleberry Finn was one of the great American novels - it's a profound statement of the obvious. Even so, it must be said: Alexis de Tocqueville's magnum opus is a brilliant sociological analysis of America, with his genius made all the more evident by how applicable his observations about 1830s America are to its twenty-first century counterpart. Everything from the solidity of America's political infrastructure to the disquieting trend toward anti-intellectualism are explored in this massive work, and his gift of analysis is matched only by his gift for prophecy (can you believe that he predicted a conflict between America and Russia before the rise of Communism?). An amazing book, and necessary reading for anyone who wishes to understand America, rather than merely talk about it.

As a former reviewer has stated this edition takes quite a bit of liberty in excising the less flattering aspects of Tocqueville's views of America. In fact the entire section on race-relations has been excised --perhaps it was deemed too controversial? This kind of editing is even more unacceptable in our age of open communications and hopefully open minds. Find another edition.

This book contains the memoirs of John Hockenberry, a well-known journalist who is disabled. Hockenberry takes us through a blow-by-blow account of the accident which left him paralyzed from the chest down. He explains the nature and extent of his injuries and describes his experiences in the rehab hospital where he learned how to manage the needs of daily life from his wheelchair. He then takes us through the details of his young adult years, his education, marriage, and career. The only aspect of the book that I did not like was that Hockenberry occasionally gets a little heavy-handed with philosophizing. The extensive self-analysis, however is understandable, since this is very much a book about coming to terms with his life-to-date and his culture.

It was the 1980 eruptions at Mt. St. Helens that got Hockenberry his big break with NPR. Hockenberry was covering the reports for a local radio station in Eugene, Oregon, where he was living at the time, and his reports drew the attention of the national NPR news editors. They never suspected that their intrepid Oregonian journalist was in a wheelchair until the day he was not able to phone in a report before the deadline because he couldn't locate an accessible phone. NPR found that Hockenberry was quite talented at finding, writing, and reading news stories, and brought him to their headquarters in D.C. Later, Hockenberry was chosen to be the Middle East correspondent for NPR, stationed in Jerusalem. It was there, far from home and the Americans with Disabilities Act legislation, where Hockenberry faced tremendous challenges that taught him much about the human family.

Although I had listened to countless news reports from Hockenberry on NPR, I never knew about his disability until I heard him giving an interview on NPR about this book. The thought of someone who is paralyzed from the chest down voluntarily navigating through a war zone, managing to transport himself through terrain where wheels can't go, is simply mind-boggling. Hockenberry doesn't tell these stories to boast about his strengths- -instead, his goal is to explain how he is an ordinary person with his own foibles and problems. But his problems aren't insurmountable, thanks to his creativity and determination, and to the willingness of others to meet him partway at times with compassion or a shift in habits or expectations. He's not asking to pull less weight than others because of his disability, but only to be allowed to pull the weight in the ways that he is able, without barriers placed in his way.

Working in Jerusalem gave Hockenberry a unique vantage point for observing the US and its relation to handicapped people. He writes "It is very American to make these ironclad distinctions between the individual merit of a person and opportunities for advancement that have to do with family connections, wealth, wheelchairs, race, and other intangibles...In America the primary virtue is in doing something `despite the wheelchair,' or `even though you are black or a woman.' Succeed by incorporating what makes you different into your goal and you are perceived as having cheated." Later he notes "In America access is always about architecture and never about human beings. Among Israelis and Palestinians, access was rarely about anything but people. While in the U.S. a wheelchair stands out as an explicitly separate experience from the mainstream, in the Israel and Arab worlds it is just another thing that can go wrong in a place where things go wrong all the time." Hockenberry notes how far people in Jerusalem were willing to go out of their way to help him when the terrain was inaccessible, and contrasts that with his experience trying to use the New York subway, where most people refused to even look at him, let alone offer to assist him in stations without elevators.

Having lived in the Middle East myself for five years, I think Hockenberry was probably right about Israelis and Palestinians more readily acknowledging the humanity of situations involving access for wheelchairs. But I'm not sure that non-disabled Americans are intentionally uncompassionate. As Americans, we are taught that disabled people wish to be independent and don't want any attention drawn to their special circumstances, and they don't want us to push their chairs or grab their white canes. We assume that because there is a law guaranteeing access for all, that access exists and is sufficient and already present in the buildings where it is required. Once the law has been put in place, we assume any needs have already been met. Most of us are unfamiliar with the needs of disabled people- -we don't know how to act around disabled people, what we should do, and what we shouldn't, so perhaps that's why we try not to see the disabled. In that respect, this book fills a dire need: it brings us into the day-to-day life of a remarkable yet ordinary disabled person, introducing us to his life story, dreams, and desires.

From buying it (i think) 2 days early and reading over a very nice summer weekend in june 1995, i knew this book was - just- different. Amazing use of the language, probably the best crip biography to date (and it's well over a decade now. Based my Honors Thesis in College on what Hockenberry wrote in this book, traveled miles and miles to see his off broadway play, speaking dates across the country, and even got to know myself - and him, better as well, he ain't on nbc anymore, but this still stands as probably one of the must reads in disability studies or crip liberation.

I shared some of John Hockenberry's book with folks at an elderly home in Alphabet City, NYC. They enjoyed his writing as much as I did, and I'm sure many of them could relate to his experiences in a wheel chair. Hockenberry's words were inspirational to all of us.

I want to keep my review short because, if you have not read this book, reading my review will take up some of the time in which you could be reading the real book. When "Moving Violations" was first published, I heard a review of it on NPR. John Hockenberry is an NPR alum so I expected the book to be almost as good as the review led me to believe. I ordered it from Amazon and devoured it in almost no time. It was actually better than the radio review had led me to expect. A month later, I got a call from Seattle that delivered horrific news. My 21-year-old son had been in a contest with gravity and gravity had won. Although he had just had 18 hours of surgery, there was no way to know if he would ever walk again. Through the years since that time, I have read "Moving Violations" many times. It initially gave me entrance to a new world and was much more helpful to both my son and I than all the rehab publications combined. I knew, from the moment I answered that phone call that both my son and I had crossed into the Twilight Zone and nothing would ever be the same again. The Twilight Zone, however, had at least one map. My son's journey was, and continues to be, unique (as all such journeys are). I did feel, from the very beginning, that we had a preview of some of the directional signposts and even some of the scenic overlooks. I cannot help but think that our family has been living and learning about this new life in a richer way than would never have been possible if we had not read this book. As soon as my son came home from rehab it became clear that he had lost his will to live. I had a captive audience and started reading "M V" aloud. It is well written and mirrors many of the dilemmas in the life of a young male with spinal cord damage. I think it only took two days for my son to get interested enough that he started reading it himself. This book was truly one of the first things that helped him recover his will to live. Living with a catastrophic spinal cord injury is not even at the bottom of the list of interesting travel sites, and while I cannot believe that anyone would take that path voluntarily, "M V" is proof that, along with the horror, there can be adventure and possibilities in life; possibilities that could be so easily missed. So...READ IT! While spinal cord injury may never be a part of your personal life, sooner or later something awful could be. As the Eagles remind us, "The wolf is always at the door." In whatever guise the wolf presents itself, you will have learned something useful about what to do when or if the wolf appears.

Read this book almost ten years ago. Still can't stop thinking about it. Did all this really happen? Is it happening still? Funny, sad, courageous, all of that, and more than that. Poetic, quixotic... almost other-worldly. Spun from the mind of a visionary, a comic, a journalist, with voice as warm as maple-syrup, familiar and self-deprecating, surely in this account we know what it's like to be Hockenberry, as certainly as he lets us know what it's like to be anyone else he writes about, talks about, covers with an excellence and professionalism rarely matched in journalism, and the chip on his shoulder which still gets him the job he wants, the location he wants, and then run out of town on a rail, that is, after they run him into town on a rail. The 1990 ADA cuts both ways, this book will stay with you, long after the prosaic rocks skips and eddies endlessly on a modern day Walden Pond, that is one man's life... on wheelies.

If you read only one book this year, make it this one, and

be sure to laugh with the author, in all the right places.

Clearly written, well thought out, well supported and utterly infuriating.Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy

Never before has a VP of the USA been so influential and so power hungry. USA citizens should take heed. An intellectually challenged president manipulated by the VP. This is scary stuff!

This Pulitzer-Prize winning book by Charlie Savage should have received five stars. I give it only two. To learn why -- read on.

Savage is a good writer and his trenchant analysis of how the neocons have nearly destroyed our Constitutional system is basically correct. His story is also important and needs to be told.

The problem is Savage's naive acceptance of the official yarn about 9/11. In the very first chapter Savage displays his personal ignorance when he reviews the events in the White House bunker -- and gets it wrong. What is incredible is that Savage didn't bother to research this himself. It appears that he simply accepted as bible the version of events reported by Bob Woodward in the Washington Post.

There is no excuse for this lapse of critical thought.

The problem is that the version of 911 reported by Woodward in his 2002 series was largely fabricated -- a lie. It does not reflect what actually happened. It was fabricated for a reason: because Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta just happened to be present in the bunker with Cheney on 911 and witnessed what transpired.

Check out Mineta's testimony before the 911 Commission in May 2003 -- and you will discover what I am referring to. Mineta places Cheney in the bunker as early as 9:20 am. What is more, he actually overheard Cheney give the treasonous order to stand down -- as Flight 77 was approaching Washington. Mineta told how a young man, probably a Secret service staffer, came in and warned of the approaching plane. "It's 50 miles out" the young man said. Then it was "thirry miles out" -- then "ten miles out." The young man asked Cheney if the orders still stand. Cheney shouted: "Of course they still stand...Have you heard any different?" Mineta told the commission this was Flight 77 -- no mistake about the ID of the plane. In short, his testimony was incredibly incriminating. No doubt, is why there is not one word about it in the 911 Commission Report.

For this reason -- it was obvious in the immediate aftermath of 911, long before Mineta testified before the commission, that his presence in the bunker posed a grave problem for Cheney. The White House had little reason to think it could count on Mineta's loyalty. He was a civil servant, after all, not a neocon---the only Democrat in Bush's cabinet. It is now clear that the White House responded to this "threat" by proactively attempting to head off trouble. How? By rewriting history. What else?

Late in 2001 the well-known journalist Bob Woodward was invited to conduct a series of interviews about September 11, as seen through the eyes of the president and his staff. Woodward (a glory hound) was only too eager to oblige. As we know, he thereafter served as court historian. The result, beginning in January 2002, was a series of retrospective articles in the Washington Post about 9/11.

This is the version of 911 history that Savage relied on for the first chapter of his book.

How could Savage be so naive? In fact, Woodward simply wrote what he was told. His series in the Post presented a White House-friendly version of events. No surprise that one of the stories Woodward recounted was the famous episode in the bunker. In Woodward's redacted version, however, Cheney is the man of the hour who rises to the press of terrible events. The same young man approaches the VP and warns about the incoming airliner. But, of course, in this revised history the timeline has been pushed back: Now it is almost 10 am -- and the plane is Flight 93, not Flight 77. Now the plane is 80 miles out, not 50.

There is another BIG difference. This time instead of a stand down -- it is a shoot down order. When the young man says, "There is a fighter in the area. Should we engage?" Cheney responds by giving the difficult command to shoot down the plane. But the young man hesitates. As narrated by Woodward the tension in the room mounts. The plane is closing fast and is now only 60 miles out. The young man repeats the question and again Cheney gives the command. But the young man still hesitates. "Does the order still stand?" he blurts out. Cheney finally snaps and says, "Of course it does!"

Woodward's revised version of 911 is more colorful, but there is a problem. It is a fabrication -- a complete lie. In fact, it deviates just as sharply from the official narrative presented in the 9/11 Commission Report as it does from Mineta's account, since at no time on September 11 did Flight 93 approach anywhere near as close as 60 miles to the White House. This crucial detail is the fly on the windowpane that exposes the fraud.

Someone please inform Charlie Savage that he got his 911 history all wrong -- backwards. There is no excuse for this. He is a fine writer. It is simply incomprehensible that Savage -- a strong critic of the neocons -- would swallow hook, line, and sinker their version of the 911 "attack." If half of what Savage reports in his book is true -- and I have no doubt that much more than half is true -- then the neocons are easily capable of murdering 3,000 Americans in a false flag attack on 911 to vastly increase the power of the White House and catapult America into two unnecessary wars.

This is exactly what they did -- and shame on Mr Savage for not figuring it out. He's lucky I didn't give him one star. So readers - please beware. You must view the analysis in TAKEOVER through a critical lens, making allowances for Savage's failure to comprehend who was behind 9/11. There is no question that Cheney and Rumsfeld and others were personally involved in the attack.

Well written (sic) liberal tripe promoting a biased opinion with half-truths and exaggerations. Previous reviewers must have had a meeting to compare notes at a local Democratic Caucus. Skip it.

A lawyer and journalist, Charles Savage, writes like a journalist and summarizes complex legal issues clearly. He demonstrates how Dick Cheney , since being President Ford's Chief of Staff, has worked constantly to expand presidential power, and as Vice President has consistently and effectively argued that neither Congress nor the courts may check imperial presidential power. An excellent book.

Thought it would have more written by Frank McCourt. Even though, I still appreciate great photographs, especially having to do with 9/11.

Simple and to the point, yet poingint and touching, this book shows like no other how the world's greatest fire department dealt with the aftermath of tragedy.

Outstanding It shows the amazing grief and resolve of New York and its firefighters. It is is visual history of the Sept.11 attacks and their aftermath

I was moved to tears reading this, not only having witnessed the 9-11 atrocities firsthand but as a widow I know the pain suffered by the widows of those brave firemen that perished that day. This book is a must-read along with the others that are listed. I cannot say enough about it, God Bless Those Brave men.

As you are reading though the tribute to the fallen, you see thenamesof each of the lost Firefighters scrolled across the bottom of the pages. Each page left me more and more with a sense of loss. I did not lose anyone that fateful day, yet, we all lost. The words you read are quite moving, the pictures mean more than the words and poems. Yet i am most moved by the names of those precious and brave firefighters name across the pages from the front cover to the back cover.

There are parts of the book that are clearly written in the immature style of a teenager (colloquial speech) and parts that have been edited so much that they seem to come from an entirely different person. The overall book is choppy in terms of style, although the organization is excellent.

I would have preferred that the author articulate more clearly his emotions that accompanied his experiences. I would have hoped that his editor/professional writing mentor would have worked on making the story more compelling. I was a bit sad to get to the end of the book and not feel inspired. I felt like it was an "interesting story," but inspirational--not quite.

The captions below the photos should either not exist or tell additional information that is not contained in the text. I was annoyed to read a summary statement below the photo that I had just read on the previous pages.

It would be a good leisure read for high school students (or anyone for that matter), although as an example of good quality writing, I wouldn't suggest it.

A wonderful book that will give you a firsthand account of the situation surrounding child labor in South East Asia.

The Kielburger story is one of an incredible journey that he took as a twelve year old to explore the problem of child labor. The "journey" has continued since then into his discovery of the problem all over the world, in addition to his solution through his organization. They build schools, spread awareness through lectures (and their website www.freethechildren.com), inspire young leaders through their programs, and so much more. This is a story that needs to be told over and over again to whomever in hopes that the world can work together to "Free the Children" all over the globe. Get this book and pass it on to any one and make sure they pass it on....

Craig and Marc's stories are so amazing. I used to think that I can't make a difference in the world because I am only 14 years old. This book taught me that even the smallest of actions can create a ripple that affects more people than I can ever imagine. The ideas in this book are really quite simple, but when articulated so clearly by Marc and Craig, it just makes so much sense.

Craig Keilburger is an amazing man and is one of the Worlds greatest heroes. I have learned more from this book then any in the whole world. Even Social Studies!

Harry Browne is why I became a Libertarian. He presents the Libertarian standpoint in a down to Earth matter that is easy to follow. Harry you're still the greatest. R.I.P.

This book opened up my eyes. I now clearly see what direction the country needs to head in order to be both free and competive in the world. Bravo, a master piece of facts and conclusions

I became a libertarian gradually, but it wasn't until I watched Harry in a televised 3rd party debate in 1996 that I really became aware of him and got more interested in the Libertarian Party. He seemed so trustworthy and reasonable, and unlike the other candidates, everything he said MADE SENSE!

By 2000 I had begun to be active in the Libertarian Party, and traveled to see Harry twice during that campaign, once in Philadelphia while I was on a business trip in Eastern Pennsylvania, and once in Marin County, California. Harry signed our copy of The Great Libertarian Offer, and we got a chance to speak with him at the Marin County event. I believe he said that very day was his wedding anniversary. He obviously would have rather been with Pamela then, but Harry and Pamela made many personal sacrifices for the cause of liberty.

I am intensely saddened to hear of his death last evening. I'm trying to see what I'm typing even though my eyes are full of tears. Harry meant so much to me. His 2000 campaign inspired me to get more actively involved in politics: I ran for local office in 2001, and for Congress in 2002. I often referred to Harry's books and web site for ideas on how to answer questions and present my own views in a more compelling, concise way.

The world has lost one of its best men. Thankfully, Harry's legacy will live on through his many books and other writings, and through the memory of millions of fans like me. But the world will never be the same without him.

Harry, thank you.

Kevin Bastian
Encinitas, California

Harry Browne is an "IN YOUR FACE" Thinker. He does brilliantly in this tome. He defends Libertarianism quite well and for someone like me (a former Republican), his writing style shocks! Not just what he says but how he says it is both a breath of fresh air and at the same time shocking. Luckily Browne is still around to tell us all of the evils of big government (of all sorts) that sadly continues to grow in this so called War on Terror. Luckily I came across the Party (in detail) and Harry Browne some 4 or 5 years ago. I am glad it saved me from the silly political/intellectual path I was on. Listen folks, read this, and you'll see what Liberty is really all about.

Harry Browne's Great Libertarian Offer is a call for a return to the principles that made the United States the great nation it once was. Browne lays out a precise and coherent blueprint for returning to the American ideal of individual liberty and freedom. Browne cogently points to how the rapid growth of the Federal government has led to more crime, danger from abroad, and the destruction of liberty in America.

Browne calls for reducing the Federal government to only it's constitutional functions enumerated in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. He calls for abolition of the welfare state, a reaffirmation of the 9th and 10th amendments of the Constitution, and a return to Jefferson's maxim "peace commerce and honset friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none".

Browne calls for freedom in health care by abolishing medicare, medicaid and other socialist programs. He also calls for the gradual abolition of Social Security by selling off Federal assests and replacing SS with private annuities.

This book is a snapshot of what a Libertarian administration would be like. A fun and fantastic read!

For decades I've been wandering about with a mish mash of semi-contradictory ideas about the constitution. Mr. Amar has managed to correct, justify, and reframe most of them into a (_thoroughly_ documented) coherent whole.

Where the constitution is unclear, he quotes the debates and letters of the founders explaining what they meant. Where there is modern debate, he footnotes where to look for different viewpoints. Where there was debate during the writing of the constitution, he tells you who said what and why.

That would probably be enough to earn 5 stars, but he somehow managed to turn an erudite treatise on the history of one government into a page-turner. I don't know how, but there it is...

Wow, I learned more about the consitution then I ever could have imagined. I didn't have any idea about many of the themes and debates over the constitution and it's amendments. I'm a novice at political thinking, before the presidential campaign I could've care less about politics. Some of this is a bit over my head since I don't have a background in law or political history. However, Mr. Amar explains it well enough that most should understand. I can't recommend it enough for anyone interested in the constitution.

What an absolutely fantastic reference! Much of this book's praise has been sung by previous reviewers, but I'd like to add that I especially appreciate Amar's powerful paradoxes and equally profound "what-ifs." Buy the man's book so he blesses all of our futures with even more jewels of his erudition.

This book is at once a very scholarly and entirely accesible history of the US Constitution and 27 Amendments. It can be read by pretty much anybdy, without any revious knowledge of the law or history required. Reed prevides the reader with an engaging story, as well as giving an ample number of endnotes that add extra insight and pieces of information to the reader.

Although there are some tedious places, the book has a number of very valuable and interesting insights - especially the topics of the Second Amendment, the Eleventh Amendment, and the "privileges and immunities" clause stood out for me. He does a good job interweaving historical context and the text of the document. There are some unexpected emphases and omissions:for example, it emphasizes slavery more often and more heavily than I expected for an issue that was resolved 140 years ago, and there was a little less on the Bill of Rights and on executive power than I was expecting, although those are more contemporary issues. His chapter on the path, pre-Civil War to the 13th amendment, was terrifically concise but there is very little discussion on the issue of habeas corpus during the war. These aren't complaints, just notifications; overall it was very stimulating. Like most constitutional scholars, he has some outside-the-box interpretations that are obviously developed to accomplish a particular outcome but these are fruitful to reflect on as well.

The 41st Century is full of mysteries. Like what happened to Ancient Yankees who lived in North America? Why did they die out and how did they live. One day a tomb, untouched, is found and it gives us a glimpse of what these Ancient Yankees were like in the 20th Century. Sacred items, musical instruments, and the sacred point will make you laugh and wonder how much of OUR knowledge is based on such conclusions?

Motel of the mysteries is a fun, easy read.
Everyday items are seen in the light of future archeologists, with interesting, funny and sometimes insightful interpretations. Good book to share with others.

My students are looking at ancient cultures and what a great book to start with. We learn about making inferences from observation and our own prior knowledge. This book is great on teaching this.

Absolutely enjoyable, all age readership done with genuine style and that utterly necessary dose of humor so lacking in our modern world. Motel of the Mysteries truly does show what happens when we, the "modern" researchers, imprint our beliefs and values on a prior culture. It is most definitely worth reading. I bought several copies for my friends.

Archaeologists spend so much time thinking about the past, and it's inevitable that occasionally we wonder just what those in the future will think about us. This does, of course, poke some fun at the profession and the logic employed in how we come about our conclusions, while making you wonder just how wrong we might be in that regard. A must-read for archaeologists with a sense of humor, though just about anyone will find this humorous and entertaining.

I have always wanted to get a copy of this particular work of MT's under one volume. This appears to be it!

It doesnt take comments from people such as myself to speak of the brilliance of Mark Twain (Samuel Clemmons). His body of work simply speaks for itself. If you are new to Twain's work I would highly reccommend that you try reading this novel first. It is short, entertaining, witty, and beautifully portreyed. This novel is worth absultely every penny you pay for it!

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice

Short and very sweet. The Diaries present a charming and enlightened view of the relationship between the First Humans. Written late in Twain's life, the Diaries are considered his most personal work. Contain typical Twain wit, iconoclastic thinking and sardonic good will. Adam's later entries are believed to reflect Twain's feelings for his beloved, deceased wife, Livy. Adam and Eve's love for each other and Adam's grief for Eve moved me to tears. Beautifully illustrated.

I truly loved this book and have shared it with many people. Few books are so funny and end with such a good heartwarming message. Not everyone, I have found, thinks it is as funny as I do as their humor obviously needs a little refining. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes to laugh, has a sharp wit, and likes the Twain type of writing style and charm it posesses.

unique and intriging. fun and fast to listen to. very creative.