Events Books

J. Blaine Lewis, Jr. was fired in 1989 from his post of Connecticut state lottery chief. This is the story of his ten year legal battle against the state in which we gain an insight into the politics of lottery management, the courage and integrity of a man in a David and Goliath scenario, and the failure of the legal system to provide justice. It is also a love story of a devoted wife, who in memorium, is driven to vindicate her husband. The message conveyed deserves national attention. What a great story for TV or the large screen.

This book is an inside look at the politics of state run funtions and the effects on honest employees. A must read book!

This book is the story of a man with principles, written by the wife who loved him to the end, and loves him still. It is the factual account of a man who was ordered to lie by his bosses and refused, and was then hounded out of his job by men more concerned with kickbacks than doing what was right. The author backs every word up with transcripts and documents-not a word of it is unsubstantiated. In this little book is a magnified look at the workings of government. Read it and weep.

What is it about Tina Lewis's "Justice Denied" that so fascinated me? I couldn't put it down. I had to know the outcome of a man's decision to remain true to himself and to tell the truth-no matter the consequences. Blaine Lewis was that man and he accepted the disastrous results of that decision. His principles, however, remained in tact. Blaine Lewis could live comfortably with himself. Tina Lewis's book lovingly chronicles his life and their lives during that period. Great and fascinating factual reading.

J. Blaine Lewis, Jr. was fired in 1989 from his post of Connecticut state lottery chief. This is the story of his ten year legal battle against the state in which we gain an insight into the politics of lottery management, the courage and integrity of a man in a David and Goliath scenario, and the failure of the legal system to provide justice. It is also a love story of a devoted wife, who in memorium, is driven to vindicate her husband. The message conveyed deserves national attention. What a great story for TV or the large screen.

It took me awhile to get into this book but it was worth it in the end. Serious book about a very serious issue. Good read and a very deep story.

Stunning. Poetic. Mr. Bernard did not merely "scratch the surface" but more like savagely clawed the surface (smile).

This book exposes or has the reader examine the whys and whats of what we, as humans, do, in all aspects concerning the way we live our lives.

There were times when it got to be to much as I was like "I'm going to read something else as this is too deep even for me," but by saying that it made me want to read more as I became addicted to this book. This book similar and different than when I read "The Darkest Child" was intoxicating.

This book, the characters, all became real and I recognized that this was fiction, but Mr. Bernard wrote this in such a fashion that made it real.

If you want a book that is and will take you on a trip that delves into the human psyche then I stronly recommend "The Last Dream Before Dawn" as it will truly rock YOUR world and have you examine yourself and others more closely.

D.V. Bernard presents a fresh viewpoint of the rising violence and scandal in America in his debut novel, THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN. Twenty years ago, Roland Micheaux's innocence was shattered when his father was executed for heinous crimes. Now, as a successful New York attorney, Roland finds himself face to face with the very thing that he has tried to put behind him. One night in a parking garage his father's persona comes to haunt him as Roland makes a calamitous move that will send his life into a tailspin and cause him to question reality. Roland then meets Jasper Kain, a seer of sorts, who tries to convince him that the world is coming to an end and that madness will take its reign on the city. Kain's prophecies defy rationale, but Roland soon sees that these ideas should not be so easily dismissed.

THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is a flurry of characters, scenes, and plots, but somehow, Bernard coheres it all together into cerebral fiction that challenges reality and sanity. A distinguished entrance into the literary arena, this novel is splendidly written and brilliantly executed.

Reviewed by CandaceK
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This book was a great departure, from what I normally read, which is black fiction, based around romantic relationships. These books are more commonly known as "sistagurl" books. This book was written intelligently, and dealt with issues that we can all relate to in society. This book was a page turner, filled with mayhem, suspense, love, hate, violence, peace, and introspection. This novel makes the reader feel as though they are a part of the story, and I hope it will go on to be a best seller.

Roland Micheaux is no stranger to violence and holds a secret that he hopes will never be discovered. He is sitting on top of the world working as a successful attorney with a top law firm in New York City. Then one day he commits an unspeakable act and his world is turned upside down; and he is left pondering the question of who and what he has become. Leading him down this path of self-discovery is the unusual and elusive Jasper Kain.

Jasper Kain is a mysterious man who seems to just appear out of no where and feeds on evil and chaos. He is one of the most important characters in this book because he seems to hold some influence over all of the major characters.

Alexander Randolph is a Black Republican and Mayor of New York City. In his mind, he is one of the most important men in the world. Even though he has all of these things going for him, Mayor Randolph is not immune to madness.

The paths of these three men cross continuously throughout the book as each of them is touched by the madness and evil of the world. In reading this book, just when you think things can't get any worse they do. THE LAST DREAM BEFORE DAWN is an unusual book.

Reviewed by Simone A. Hawks
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

The fact that Trotsky tried to devise a revolutionary strategy to cope with the issues aroused by the existence of a Popular Front government in 1930s France made this collection of short pieces and pamphlets to remain consistently out of fashion for the next 70 years, as Marxists tended more and more to make a fetish out of Liberal Bourgeois political forms. Therefore the relevance of this book, as a discussion of the shortcomings of said Bourgeois Democracy in terms of the overall sclerosis imposed by it on the Body Politic.

Paris, February 1934: tens of thousands of rightists attempted to overthrow the French government in a violent demonstration. The Radical government was soon replaced with a Bonapartist ruler. How could the powerful working class movement respond? The French Communist Party was moving to the "Peoples Front" alliance with the Socialists and the Radicals, in reflection of Stalin's search for alliances with one or other of the imperialist powers moving towards war to redivide the world. Together with the Socialists, the Stalinists politically disoriented the French workers. Six years on from the 1934 demonstrations, Hitler was able to crush France, and the fascist Petain ascended to power. "Leon Trotsky on France", a collection of writings from throughout those six years, brings the light of Marxism and the experience of the Russian Revolution to bear in showing the way for workers seeking a revolutionary way forward. As the 21st century takes us deeper into a situation like the 1930s -- economic depression, political volatility and instability, rapidly sharpening inter-imperialist rivalry, the rise of ultrarightist forces -- the lessons of the 1930s loom large. With each passing year, books like this one are becoming more relevant for workers and fighters for social justice.

More than a history text, this is a compelling day-by-day analysis of the great political developments in France during the 1930s depression-- and incisive arguments for what working class parties needed-- and failed -- to do to fight their way victoriously out of the crisis. The brutal economic depression and the crisis of capitalist political rule, the approaching world war, the fascist uprising in 1934, the rise of Bonapartist-police state regimes, the great workers strike wave of 1936, the stakes in organizing a workers militia, the political basis for alliances in working class struggles-- all are explained clearly and logically, with the aim of helping working people understand and organize to defend their interests.

Trotsky writes with the experience of a leader of the 1917 Russian Revolution and the early years of building an international communist workers movement. He was particularly familiar with the French workers movement from years in exile before 1917, and spent time in France in the 1930s after being expelled from the Soviet Union by Stalin and his henchmen-- this experience helping him give rich political detail to his writings.

Above all, the questions posed here do not belong just to the 1930s. The perspectives of the capitalists, the petty-bourgeoisie, the workers and the peasants, and the question of leadership of the working class, of the forging of a revolutionary party with a correct program and the confidence to act are issues for today and tomorrow. Trotsky's writings here are invaluable in helping understand and organize in today's world.

Best part of the book -- Part Two: A Program for the French Revolution. For anyone who has had to deal with trade union brass who caution that the union membership must be careful not to alienate the friendly wing of management, for anyone who has had to suffer through debates in parties such as Canada's New Democratic Party, this book helps straighten things out clearly. As Europe thrashed its way through the 1930s, socialist revolution or fascist victory was put on the agenda in country after country. Trotsky goes over all the key issues as they arose concretely in France: elections and picket lines, workers armed defense versus reliance on the middle class, the relationship of general strike to the fight for a revolutionary change in government, how to win over the farmers. He hammers away at the fact that while capitalism was degenerating before everyone's eyes, nothing was automatic, nothing would inevitably change for the better without conscious action and organization by the powerful French working class. He pointed out that he was fighting for the lives of French workers who went into the streets in strike waves, who occupied their workplaces, who fought the police and fascist gangs over and over throughout the decade. And went down to defeat. Difficult to read simply as a historical document since so many issues are of burning relevance today.

France in the 1930s was wracked by mass struggles by workers, fascist, monarchist and other right-wing conspiracies two futures: the future of war, Nazi occupation and the Petain regime that aped fascism, and a victory of workers and farmers like the one in Russia in 1917 and Cuba in 1960s. Battles went on that could have prevented World War two, prevented fascism in Spain, and more.
Trotsky's advice here is not just directed to analyzing the big questions, but also discussing how small groups of revolutionists were affected by these big events, how they could deepen their role in the mass struggle.
With war, and what some call a gathering world depression looming in front of working people around the world, the same questions before French workers in the 1930s are coming before workers, youth, farmers and others who want to fight today. We are fortunate to read these writings by Trotsky to fight to avoid a future of war and fascism.

As an occupational therapist working in the school system, and currently providing assistive technology evaluation, education, and training, I found Living in a State of Stuck to be one of the most influential works I have read in a good number of years. We all have stories, and the individuals that Dr. Scherer has listened to and followed in her book have voices that resonate. I have practiced for nearly 30 years, and her approach feels like coming home to the core principles of the profession I have love. Thank you, Dr. Scherer, and please keep writing.

In working with people with disabilities I found Scherer's book gave a different slant on their issues and the use of technology. It was easy reading and informative. The case studies gave examples of the various needs, likes and dislikes and preferences of people with disabilites and their uses of assistive technology. Probably the most important emphasis of Scherer's book is know your consumer and listen. There is no universal recommendation for assistive tech for our consumers.

This book was very insightful and well researched. It includes numerous individuals with disabilities and describes using Assistive Technology in real life situations. It highlights that all persons with the same disability do not use the same Assistive Technology and that above all else, the individual's needs, desires and goals should be considered before the purchase of Assistive Technology. In addition, it also points out that people with an acquired disability may feel differently about Assistive Technology than a person born with a disability. Overall, an excellent read!

Living in the State of Stuck teaches us how to look at assistive technology in a "big picture" perspective. The book discusses tailoring adaptations to particular needs, and how to practically apply adaptations to every day lives. Many people are afraid to use assistive technologies themselves, but expect people with disabilities to embrace adaptations. Scherer talks about matching people with technologies, not because they are a quick fix, and easily accessible, but because that person is genuinely interested in attaining and using the device which THEY have informatively chosen. Scherer uses practical information are stories about people of all ages and disabilities successfully using the latest technologies. She provides online resources, organizations, vendors and a worksheet to assist with matching persons with technologies.

As a rehabilitation professional and an individual with a severe mobility impairment, I found Dr. Scherer's book to be most enlightening. To tell you the truth, I was expecting another dry textbook bogged down with a lot of technical terms and professional jargon. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to read interesting stories about flesh and blood individuals, and the impact their disabilities and the use of assistive technology have had on their lives. It's one thing to read about all the wonderful things assistive technology can provide - it's quite another to read real life examples of its implementation.

I can relate to the author's belief that the technology is only as good as it is perceived to be by the individual that is using the technology, and that a holistic approach to matching the appropriate technology is essential. As Dr. Scherer points out, it doesn't matter how marvelous we as professionals' think the technology is. If it doesn't meet the need of the individual, it is virtually useless. To illustrate the author's point, I can't count the number of times a rehab professional has told me I should do this, or I should use that, or I should do it this way or that way, etc., without ever bothering to ask for my opinion or ideas. However, I have recently had my bilateral long leg braces refurbished, and (per Dr. Scherer's model), I essentially told the orthotist how I wanted it done. The end result - the braces are much more comfortable to wear and skin breakdown at the various pressure points has decreased dramatically!

In life, everyone experiences loss at some point. Whether it's the death of a loved one, losing a job, surviving a divorce, suffering a miscarriage, moving homes, or any other number of changes, Dr. Dan Moseley's book teaches readers how to create new life in the absence of their old, familiar one.

Living With Loss encourages readers to go at their own pace through the dimensions of loss and grief. Dr. Moseley focuses on the space in life that loss creates, allowing room for something new to grow and develop. Unique from other grieving books, each easy-to-read chapter includes a "Good Companions" section that describes the best people with whom to surround yourself as you recover from loss.

Whether you have suffered a loss or are helping someone who has, Living With Loss is an essential resource for any time of grief.

Having been a pastor for 30 years and a seminary professor for 10 years, Dr. Dan Moseley has seen grief lived out by thousands of people, even while providing them with pastoral care. Perhaps more important, Dan has experienced profound grief in his own life. Thus, this book is not merely the intellectual musings of one who has seen grief from a distance, but the profound insight of one who has wandered in the desert of loss and found his way home. We all experience grief and all who read this book will identify with the experience and benefit from the marvelous wisdom contained in these pages.
Dr. Richard L. Hamm

As an avid reader, I have tried to gain an interest in so-called "Self-Help" books. My attempts have failed due to the books being either too clinical, too fluffy (for all of you Saturday Night Live experts out there, they read like a Stewart Smalley episode, "I'm smart enough, I'm good enough, and gosh darn-it, people like me"), too enabling, or too victimizing. I refer to these as "Band-Aid" books.

In his book "Living with Loss", Dr. Moseley, does a wonderful job staying on course with reality and staying away from being a "Band-Aid" book. This book is about owning who you are as a human, which means owning the different components of the healing process when they arise. For instance, he does not make the case that we need to apologize for our anger in a time of loss. Rather, he assures the reader that it is normal and necessary to feel that anger. Conversely, he also explains healing eventually has to come with forgiveness.

I truly appreciated the writing style that Dr. Moseley chose. The book is written in a conversational manner. Any other style of writing would create more confusion in an already confusing time. His message in the book is clear and does not require a dictionary, assuring that he does understand the human condition in times of loss. The book is one human sharing his life experience with another.

This book will help heal, or help prepare you when that loss does come. I was able to enjoy the book because it kept reminding me that Dr. Moseley truly understands, not the science of psychology, but people.

This is an excellent book on the psychology of grief and loss, with balance and sensitivity in discussing the struggles as well as the potential for new life. It's full of a lot of earthy wisdom presented in language clear as a mountain stream.

Moseley takes readers through not so much stages as overlapping aspects of loss: truly absorbing and naming one's loss; handling the anger and guilt that inevitably come with it; remembering who or what was lost and being grateful for those memories; and cultivating a sense of play and newness in life. There is much emphasis on finding suitable companions to walk with us in our time of loss.

Especially helpful was his discussion in Chapter 8 of the different voices that vie for our attention--voices from the past, from the present, from within, and from the future--and how we can listen to these voices in a way that respects our need for stability and adventure.

A pastor and pastoral theologian, Moseley writes out of a faith perspective, but explicit issues of faith are touched on only at the end, and then with gentleness. This book is suitable for people with any religious background, or none at all. The only requirement really is to have known that universal human experience of loss.

This book by Dan Moseley reaches into a difficult place and helps you find your way out. It is a work that can help a reader make some sense of the losses and tragedies that we all face during our lives. But more than that, it offers something I have never seen before. "Living With Loss" offers suggestions for those who wish to be supportive to the person who has suffered the loss. It discusses, in very clear terms, what kind of actions and words might be offered to help your loved one get through their darkest times. Thanks, Dr. Moseley, for opening your life and sharing your thoughts, so that the rest of us might heal and help others to heal.

There may be no better book anywhere on the subject of the underlying principles of Freedom. Why have men starved for 6,000 years, then in a very short period of time seen prosperity explode? Private Property is one of the keys. The ability of a man to keep what he has earned and dispose of it as he will is a radical concept. The citizen who is protected from the plunder of thieves and of the State can do wonders. If the leaders of every developing nation were to read this book and apply its principles, they could kiss the IMF goodbye and solve their incessant economic woes. This is one of the best five books ever written on economics and freedom. My dad gave me a copy when I went to college - took me about five years to get around to reading it - wow! What I had been missing!

This book can create a general framwork around human history like not too many books that I have read. Expressed in clear language and organized in short, thought provoking sections.

This book, first published in 1947, is both a condensation and an amplification of Rose Wilder Lane's classic The Discovery Of Freedom. With Lane's consent, Weaver retold her story in his own way, making use of her ideas but adding material from his personal experience and from various other sources.

Part One: Comparisons and Contrasts, explores various puzzling questions of history and the concept of human energy. Part Two: The Old World Views, contrasts the fatalistic pagan outlook on life with the Judeo-Christian view of individual freedom and personal responsibility.

Part Three: The Revolution, looks at mankind's three attempts to attain individual freedom: the ancient Israelites, the golden age of Islamic civilization, and the American Revolution. Part Four: The Fruits Of Freedom, investigates the results of freedom, including the flowering of inventive genius that followed. It also explores the concepts of hope versus fear, freedom of choice, the dynamic versus the static, the moral versus the material, voluntary co-operation and the lessons of history.

The writing style is accessible and engaging and there are interesting quotes by people like Thomas Paine, Fredric Bastiat and Isabel Paterson. In an interesting way, the book illuminates many problems still plaguing the world today and traces them back to the ancient conflict between pagan fatalism and the principles of the Judeo-Christian tradition.

Of course there are non-religious philosophies of freedom that are based on reason alone, and the aforementioned Paine was a theist who was opposed to dogmatic religion. But whether one agrees with all of Weaver's points or not, The Mainspring Of Human Progress is a classic that remains an eloquent defence of the principle of individual freedom. The book concludes with a list of references, a bibliography and an index.

On the subject of individual freedom, I also recommend the work of Friedrich Hayek, Ludwig von Mises, Karl Popper, Alfred North Whitehead, Ayn Rand, Stefan Hoeller, Robert Nozick, Milton Friedman and Johan Norberg.

Lucky to have found this one in a "salvage store" that was copyright was 1953. Contains so much information amd simplified that its hard to put down. Enjoyed Mr.Weaver's prospective and I am curious to know more about the author...

At a time when fundamental economic understanding appears lacking, this book (though simplified) makes basic economic principles easy to understand. It is written in a simple format easily understood by all age groups, young folks (junior high school) as well as adults.
I have introduced all of my children to this book and they all agree that it enabled them to have a much better grasp on the realities of economics. If you find Econ 101 boring, read this book. It will provide ample incentive to "dig into" the subject. A "must read."

Dr. Hafez focuses in the intifada campaign of suicide bombing for his research on motives for suicide bombers. He outlined the motives of the organization's that prepare, support and dispatch the bomber as well, as a different one that that of the bomber, which is analyzed. The community/ society motives for support the campaigns is also analyzed. Since I have read the majority of the reference use by the author, I need to say that his work is a valuable one for this issue, easily read, short and precise, and a likely and useful framework.

Knowledgeably written by Mohammed M. Hafez (Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City) Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making Of Palestinian Suicide Bombers is an insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada that began in the year 2000 and continues to be a primary weapon among Islamic fundamentalists. Providing western readers with an in-depth understanding of the deaths, war, killings, and reasoning and rationale to these terrifying and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Manufacturing Human Bombs creates an intricate detailing of Middle East mentality, lifestyle, honor, and progression of those who elect to become suicide bombers and those who elect to employ them. Manufacturing Human Bombs is very highly recommended reading to all students of the Middle Eastern culture, the suicidal extremes of the bombers themselves, the attitudes of the victimized society that breeds them, and the issues surrounding phenomena of suicide bombers in countries such as Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

Knowledgeably written by Mohammed M. Hafez (Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City) Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making Of Palestinian Suicide Bombers is an insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada that began in the year 2000 and continues to be a primary weapon among Islamic fundamentalists. Providing western readers with an in-depth understanding of the deaths, war, killings, and reasoning and rationale to these terrifying and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Manufacturing Human Bombs creates an intricate detailing of Middle East mentality, lifestyle, honor, and progression of those who elect to become suicide bombers and those who elect to employ them. Manufacturing Human Bombs is very highly recommended reading to all students of the Middle Eastern culture, the suicidal extremes of the bombers themselves, the attitudes of the victimized society that breeds them, and the issues surrounding phenomena of suicide bombers in countries such as Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

Knowledgeably written by Mohammed M. Hafez (Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City) Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making Of Palestinian Suicide Bombers is an insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada that began in the year 2000 and continues to be a primary weapon among Islamic fundamentalists. Providing western readers with an in-depth understanding of the deaths, war, killings, and reasoning and rationale to these terrifying and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Manufacturing Human Bombs creates an intricate detailing of Middle East mentality, lifestyle, honor, and progression of those who elect to become suicide bombers and those who elect to employ them. Manufacturing Human Bombs is very highly recommended reading to all students of the Middle Eastern culture, the suicidal extremes of the bombers themselves, the attitudes of the victimized society that breeds them, and the issues surrounding phenomena of suicide bombers in countries such as Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

Knowledgeably written by Mohammed M. Hafez (Visiting Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri, Kansas City) Manufacturing Human Bombs: The Making Of Palestinian Suicide Bombers is an insightful and chilling study of the Palestinian suicide bombers during the Al-Aqsa intifada that began in the year 2000 and continues to be a primary weapon among Islamic fundamentalists. Providing western readers with an in-depth understanding of the deaths, war, killings, and reasoning and rationale to these terrifying and seemingly indiscriminate attacks, Manufacturing Human Bombs creates an intricate detailing of Middle East mentality, lifestyle, honor, and progression of those who elect to become suicide bombers and those who elect to employ them. Manufacturing Human Bombs is very highly recommended reading to all students of the Middle Eastern culture, the suicidal extremes of the bombers themselves, the attitudes of the victimized society that breeds them, and the issues surrounding phenomena of suicide bombers in countries such as Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, and Afghanistan.

Title is misleading. Trotsky tries to point out how the state reacts to individual terrorism (political assasinations). His condemnation of terrorism by both the state and those who call themselves from the left is a wonderful reader.

Most people are concerned with finding eternal truths. Certainly preservation of the only form of intelligent life we know of is a noble aim, in other words the survival of our species. Yet something horrible happened in human history about six thousand years ago, and we became "a house divided against ourselves." And as long as society remains unjust, rebels who fight for freedom and equality will be defending ourselves against slanders of violence. Real revolutionaries abhor and denounce indiscriminant terrorism, because it is both immoral and counterproductive. September 11, 2001, was a classic case in point. Even though the choice of targets laid bare the World Trade Center and the Pentagon as monuments to ruthless avarice and violence, such acts do nothing whatsoever to unite or mobilize the exploited in their own liberation. But they DO however immediately mobilize the exploiters to deepen oppression and violence: Kabul was bombed that same night, and both Afghanistan and Iraq were devastated by wars, and the White House frantically scours for its next target. Trotsky denounced the grotesque hypocrisy of those who sermonize pacifism to the exploited while managing to not notice that the wealthy employ us to kill each other to protect their ownership of resources and manufacturing. Consider this book as a companion to Trotsky's pamphlet, Marxism and Terrorism, with a cogent explanation on why individual terrorism relegates workers to the role of spectators while opening their movement to provocation and victimization.

This collection of articles by Russian revolutionary leader Leon Trotsky is an important contribution to the discussion on how to fight against an inhumane and brutal ruling order. It discusses the social roots of terrorism, and argues strongly that it is an obstacle to developing the organized leadership necessary for millions of toilers to take destiny in their own hands and transform society for the good of all humanity. Trotsky bases his observations on the long history of terror in Czarist Russia, and counterposes it to the successful mass revolutionary struggle led by the Bolsheviks that did topple the Czarist regime, established a workers and peasants government and overthrow capitalism.

This pamphlet also includes two articles from the 1930s. One explains why Trotsky and other revolutionary opponents of the Stalinist dictatorship that developed in the Soviet Union did not resort to terror. Another discusses Herschel Grynszpan, a Jewish youth who assassinated a Nazi official in Paris in 1938. Trotsky identifies with the emotions that led to Grynzspanýs act and calls for workers protests to stop the French government from executing him. But he argues ýto all those capable of self-sacrifice in the struggle against despotism and bestiality: Seek another road! Not the lone revolutionary avenger but only a great revolutionary mass movement can free the oppressed.ý

Other valuable writings by Trotsky on this question include: ýHow the Workers in Austria Should Fight Hitler,ý ýIndividual Terror and Mass Terror,ý and ýA Revolutionary, not a Terroristý all from Writings of Leon Trotsky, 1935-36. See also, Their Morals and Ours and History of the Russian Revolution, by Trotsky, and The Changing Face of U.S. Politics, by Jack Barnes.

... This collection of essays by one of the leading revolutionaries of the 20th century provides a much-needed critical perspective on terrorism. Not from a moralizing point of view, but to show that by relying on individual ýheroicý acts of violence like assassinations of government leaders, terrorist tactics ignore and devalue the masses of people as the most important agent of their own liberation. Though his examples are drawn from Hapsburg Austria, Tsarist Russia and Nazi Germany, when you read his words, you can easily see the relevance to liberation struggles taking place today from Palestine to Ireland to the Philippines. I especially like the way that Trotsky sympathizes with the hatred of the gross injustice that breeds terrorism, but at the same time explains that individual terrorist tactics are doomed to fail.

In "Marxism and Terrorism," Trotsky disparages people (mostly Anarchists) who seek to bring about the revolution prematurely by staging acts of "terrorism" such as assassinations of factory-owning capitalists and local politicians, or the bombing of factories. He says that such actions only move public opinion in favor of the capitalists, while the assassinated persons are easily and quickly replaced, and the oppressive social system itself remains largely unaffected. In Trotsky's own words, here is the situation which follows from an overt terrorist attack by an angry member of the working class: "The smoke from the explosion clears away, the successor of the murdered minister makes his appearance, life again settles into the old rut, the wheel of capitalist exploitation turns as before; only police repression grows more savage and brazen" (p. 10). Trotsky's perspective--which is also, in this case, Marx's--is that history is inevitably moving toward communism all on its own. The more the workers are exploited, the greater will be the number of people who side with them. Eventually, according to Marx and Trotsky, worker exploitation will become so bad that a critical mass of the people will see the "true face" of the for-profit economic system, and will take over the state in order to put in place a different economic system where everyone has ownership. Trying to speed up this inevitable historical occurrence by staging small-scale terrorist attacks is not just ineffective, but actually counterproductive, says Trotsky.

Probably the most striking thing about these writings, for me, was the realization of just how badly original Marxist thought has been distorted by the Latin American revolutionaries, beginning with Castro and Guevara. When you read this, it's almost as if Trotsky is speaking out directly *against* these groups, albeit 40+ years before they ever came to exist! The Latin American theory of GPP ("Prolonged Popular War") and Guevara's theory of FOCO warfare were both built on the idea that a tiny group of determined Marxist individuals can successfully foment a revolution. How? By taking to the countryside and staging hit-and-run attacks on government outposts (which is in fact exactly what was done by Castro's Cuban rebels). But such attacks almost perfectly fit Trotsky's definition of "terrorism," which as already noted he thought to be entirely counterproductive.

In a single twenty minute sitting, this tiny volume really helped to consolidate all that I've learned about Marx and Marxism over the past couple of months. I *highly* recommend it as a starting point for the student of history who is interested in understanding Marxism (which every student of history should be). It may be the best $3.50 I've ever spent on a book!

Edited to add: another book you should check out for concise exposition of radical political theories such as socialism and anarchism is The Great Political Theories, Vol. 2, by Michael Curtis. It's succinct and it's only $7.99 on Amazon. It's also considered somewhat of a classic for introducing undergraduate students to political philosophy. And a free online resource that is great for introducing Anarchism is the Anarchist FAQ (just google "Anarchist FAQ" and you'll see it, it's published by over a hundred different websites).

. I recommend this book for his discussions of the media and of advertising--his critique of AOL is worth the price of admission alone.
. When Radford is addressing the press, he's right on. As he accurately points out, the media's efforts to keep the populace worked up and scared yields some untoward results, for example, fear legislation. He's right on the money.
. His crusade, that we as Americans are lacking critical thinking skills, is an accurate assessment. But when he addresses matters of science and law, he's sometimes off the mark. Although he labels himself as a skeptic, it seems much of his approach is that of the modern American cynic--if you can attribute an action to base motives, then you must be right.
. On matters of law, I wish he and other writers would understand that the making of a claim, or even the filing of a lawsuit, is evidence of nothing beyond the claimant or counsel could afford the filing fee. A court judgment means something. A settlement sometimes does and sometimes doesn't. But filing a complaint means nothing.

I have to be honest, I don't watch a lot of news programs. I don't watch my local news nor the endless parade of talking heads that work the 24 hour news desk on any of the big cable news channels. There is a good reason for this . . .I was able to recognize much of what Ben Radford mentions in his book - cross pollination of products and their producers, advertising disguised as news, and that not all experts are as objective as they should be.
While Ben writes about the problems in the journalism and advertising trades, there is also the suggestion that the integrity and objectivity we desrve from the media at large will only be offered if we demand it.

Written in the spirit of Vance Packard and Ralph Nader, Ben Radford delivers a blistering critique of the subtle media forces that vie for our hearts, minds and wallets. Acerbic and witty, this is a provocative, engaging book that would be ideal for college media classes.

Robert E. Bartholomew, Ph.D.

By far one of the most useful books to be published in recent years, Media Mythmakers provides essential information that all people, especially those living within the USA, should arm themselves with.

The media is a powerful force in our lives - in our thoughts, our beliefs and most importantly, our actions. Radford examines this force with a critical and objective eye, dissecting its elements and penetrating the motivations, meanings, and effects it has upon civilization. Even the most cynical reader may be horrified by what Radford uncovers. Fascinating examples are provided throughout this well-written book. Best of all, however, are the realistic solutions for change.

As an editor, Radford is more than qualified to examine this realm and he does so with great skill. I was happy to discover that the book was extraordinarily well organized and written. I can see it used as a basis for many high school and university courses in journalism, communication and critical thinking. In an improved world, it might also be used by activists, media professionals, decision-makers, politicians - even concerned parents and students of life.

The reader is left with a media literacy that will serve them well throughout life and is necessary in our time. I highly recommend this book to one and all.

The fourth estate is supposed to expose nonsense in the public interest, but in this book, Radford exposes how the media itself purveys nonsense, betraying its contract with the American people.

Should be required reading for everyone -- arms you with the weapons you need to defend yourself from the daily onslought of error, half-truth, and ratings-pandering fake news.

There are hundreds of examples in this well-researched book of how the media distorts facts and displays its bias (not liberal or conservative, per se, but a coporate bias that panders to viewers who want spectacle, not facts).

Not since Neil Postman has there been a media critic who is so on the side of the critical thinker and so incisive in his critiques of the power of the media.

Highly recommended.

On March 15, 1979, General João Baptista Figuereido assumed power as the fifth military president of Brazil and extended an amnesty for all political crimes, both by state security agents and by opponents to the regime. While this amnesty assured there would be no trials for human rights abusers, ironically, it provided an opportunity for the most serious movement to challenge the practice of torture by the regime itself, that of the Brasil Nunca Mais project. It is the story of this project that Lawrence Weschler narrates in the first half of this book. Weschler explains how, during a very limited period of access, the members of the Brasil Nunca Mais project team were able to photocopy the carefully catalogued archives of the Supreme Military Court in order to make them public to the world. They filled a void in Brazil in taking up activities that the state never would- mainly that of telling the truth about this dark period in Brazilian history. Of course, the resulting report, Brasil Nunca Mais, speaks for itself. But Weschler's account of how it came to be is illuminating and as relevant today as when it was first published. It is particularly poignant that only recently, in November of 2005, did the Brazilian government move to declassify dictatorship-era files. Perhaps this signals that the Brazilian government is willing to fully engage with the legacies of the dictatorship, but for the time being Weschler's book offers one of the few windows on this shameful past.

The section on Uruguay is also thoroughly engaging and recounts all the anxieties of a citizen-initiated campaign to bring former torturers to justice. Weschler's skillful eyewitness accounts make the reader feel as if the petition drive were happening right now, as opposed to two decades ago.

A Miracle, A Universe is a thoroughly well-researched and thoughtful contribution to general human rights literature and should be read by anyone with an interest in social movements and human rights activism, not just those with an interest in Latin America.

Considering myself to be a young leftist, I had just read Michael Moore's books "Stupid White Men and Dude, Wheres my country?". Of course this was childs play to real writings and i decided to up myself a level. Being born in Australia of Uruguayan parents and living in Uruguay for a few years I already had some base knowledge on the tortures and dissapearences across Latin-America, this book told me more than I could of ever imagined. It opened my eyes to the reality of the situation and just how much the Brasilian and Uruguayan people had suffered, as well as all those other people who faced horrible fates at the hand of dictatorships. The author is completely nuetral and criticises both sides accordingly. This book was the turning point in my life, having always been one of those people that say, "I cant read books, i get to the 5th page and im bored". Now I read them by the dozen, my thirst for knowledge is unstoppable and i owe it to this book. Upon completion I had many emotions flowing through me, but one true desire overpowered them all...then and there I swore to do everything in my power to end these kind of abuses.

This book reads like a work of journalism. It was good because it explained the economic and social conditions that spawn totalitarian regimes and military takeovers. Very good bibliography if you want to further your study. Good Interviews. Very Thorough and Fair. More than I would have been. Names, Dates, and the history behind the story is always given.

An incredible book that describes a few horrific cultures of dictatorship that will hopefully be forever unrecognizable to people in the United States. The most fascinating parts of the book are the theories of how the dicatorships came to be (the Tupamaros in Uruguay and the backlash of the military, etc.); even more incredible is how the leaders of the respective dictatorships stayed in power out of necessary compromises with the government(some are still in power, which will be difficult to swallow after reading this book). It is, in the end, a hopeful book with a warning: "¡Nunca más!" The book asks "how do you come to terms with those that tortured?" (especially in the incredible situation of passing someone who tortured you in the street, described by someone in the book) Another point the author makes is that there can be forgiveness after such horror, and if there's not there may just be more torture. A very worthwhile read, but not for the squeamish.

Lastly, the book provides a good introduction to a much neglected country: Uruguay. There are very few accounts in English of Uruguay, and this is probably the best I've seen. I have also visited Uruguay; it is a fascinating country and well worth a visit. You get a real appreciation for the friendliness of the people after reading what a lot of them went through during "la dictadura."

This is a magnificent book about a terrible subject. From the sixties through till the mid-Eighties, almost the entire continent of South America fell under the sway, or rather the boot, of military dictatorship. The dictatorships were, without exception but with varying degrees of vigour, active in torturing political prisoners. Weschler does a masterful job in describing the various forces that contributed to the overthrow of democracy throughout the Southern cone (not the least of which was American insistence on training Southern militaries and police forces in counter-insurgency in the hope that Castro's example would not spread further south), but the book's focus is not only the depravities of the two regimes -- Brazil and Uruguay -- but on the efforts of survivors of torture and imprisonment to make their oppressors see and recognise their evils.

The first section, 'A miracle, a universe' recounts the incredible efforts that went into collating and publishing the account Brasil: Nunca Mais (Brazil: Never Again), a book which set forth the policies of systematic torture and denial of due process practiced by Brazil's dictators. The truly remarkable aspect of the work was that all the material was obtained from the regime's own archives, over a period of several years, and at great personal risk to the authors. It's an inspiring story, and one that demonstrates the power of the written word.

The second and longer part of the book, 'The reality of the world', centres of the efforts of a committe in Uruguay to call those accused of torture during the country's decade-plus period of military dictatorship to account. In an effort to hasten reconciliation (or so they claimed), the civilian government declared an amnesty for those imprisoned for subversion under the old regime; later this amnesty was extended to those who tortured their political enemies. A group of concerned citizens began an exhausting referendum campaign to put the second amnesty to a vote. Weschler makes their task as exciting as a Hollywood thriller, without ever losing sight of the horror and tragedy which had been their inspiration. It's a beautifully structured, patient, and gorgeously written piece of work. An afterword makes some more general claims about the need to speak up on the subject of torture. 'The scream that comes welling out of the torture chamber is thus double -- the body calling out to the soul, the self calling out to others -- and in both cases, it goes unanswered. Torture's stark lesson is precisely that enveloping silence: it aims to take that silence and introject it back into its victim, to replace the flame of subjectivity with an abject, hollow void.' It is through reading books like Weschler's, and discussing and acting on his suggestions and the example of those in Brazil and Uruguay and elsewhere, that this silence can be partly drowned out. The book deserves -- indeed, demands -- a wide readership.