Events Books

Many stories of World War II are untold on both sides of the battles fought in the Pacific theater that should be told of the bravery displayed by the ordinary soldier on both sides and the terrors they often faced. This is one such story, based on events that occurred during the Japanese withdrawal from Ramree Island.

How does one look through the eyes of an ordinary man conscripted to fight a war he doesn't really understand and depict what he sees or what is happening around him? Talented author Yasuyuki Kasai has used his understanding of human nature to craft a tale that shows us how men react when faced with certain death.

This is a tale that could be applied to any group of men in any similar situation. The confusion caused by orders that call for defense and retreat at the same time, send Second Lt. Yoshihisa Sumi and his men on a rescue mission to remove as many soldiers as possible from Ramree Island. He must find transport to the island when no boats are available, he is given an inadequate map, arms and food, yet he finds the way to obey his orders.

Both the retreating army and rescuers are unaware of dangers awaiting them as they proceed toward a meeting place. There is a definite tension in this story that will hold your attention. History unfolds as you red and you will understand once again the untold horrors of war.

An interesting tale that I'm pleased to recommend to any fiction fan. History, horror and suspense all mingle with facts that prove life can produce experiences worse than any imagination. It is a read that will open your eyes and I can honestly say I learned something about another side to this war and the men who fought it.

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (4/07)

"Dragon of the Mangroves" is inspired by events of World War II and is based on a true story. This compelling novel is a fictional account of a deadly crocodile attack against a garrison of the Twenty-eighth Japanese Army assigned to Ramree Island, off the coast of Burma. While on the Island Minoru, Kasuga is confronted with a terrible smell coming from a saltwater creek. A local villager tells him it is the stench of death from the breath of man-eating crocodiles that inhabit Myinkhon Creek.

After fierce fighting, the battalion is driven to the island's east coast to evacuate by crossing the creek. As they are ready to embark, Kasuga smells the same putrid odor. He warns his commanding officer of the danger. His sergeant disregards him, and orders the soldiers to cross the creek.

Second Lieutenant Yoshihisa Sumi is ordered to save the survivors of the garrison on Ramree Island. Upon his arrival at Myinkhon Creek Sumi is faced with stark terror.

Kasai demonstrates an amazing insight into the driving force of military men. Some are motivated by fear or cowardice, others by pride, patriotism, heroics, or bravery. But all are moved by a strong desire to live, for self-preservation and for survival.

Although the book is written in the English language, Kasai's commanding word pictures and descriptions enabled me envision and appreciate the references to Japanese cultural and background adding an authentic picture of the Burmese locale.

"Dragon of the Mangroves" is destined to become a classic among the stories of the South Pacific of WWII and among the guerrilla warfare stories of every subsequent conflict.

Books in English about the experience of Japanese soldiers in WW II are rare, although this may change with recent popularity of the movie 'Letters from Iwo Jima.' This novel, 'Dragon of the Mangroves,' is based on a "war story" about a Japanese unit that was annihilated by saltwater crocodiles while retreating through a mangrove swamp. The anecdote itself may be apocryphal but the concept is not totally implausible, as anyone who's seen troops of crocodiles pulling down migrating wildebeests on Discovery Channel can attest. The author, Yasuyuki Kasai, is the son of a WW II Japanese artilleryman and appears to have incorporated some of his father's personal observations and experiences into the story, which gives it a certain authenticity. The novel itself is not simply written from a Japanese point of view but by a Japanese, and so includes many unique cultural elements in the background and plot, especially the foreshadowing. The characters, primarily a heavy machine gun crew and a young officer who went for his commission to escape the drudgery and harsh discipline in the enlisted ranks, are sympathetic and well drawn. The language is not always smooth and the pacing is uneven here and there, but these are minor criticisms. As much a horror story - a la 'Jaws' - as it is a war novel, 'Dragon of the Mangroves' is well worth a read.

Like all books that truly touch you, this book is based on a true story. Yasuyuki shares his experiences as a Japanese soldier fighting in the Burma campaign during World War II. Most people do not know about this deadly crocodile attack that the author describes with such vividness. This horrible story is shared in great detail in this book, a book you will not soon forget.

This book is a treat. As one explores Rembrandt and delights in McEntyre's poetic responses, a relationship of exploration and response is created. And through this process we, the readers, are encouraged to first pause with DRAWN TO THE LIGHT and then find our own poems and our own subjects worthy of exploring-a lovely invitation well worth taking.

I loved this book. The poems, like the art work, are beautiful and provocative. And true. I spent a peaceful, prayerful afternoon with it, but am looking forward to working with it at a women's conference and at another meeting where members enjoy experiencing art in various contexts. It would also be a great gift idea for homebound people, for it is both broadening but not intimidating. Experience it for yourself.

"Drawn to the Light" is the perfect book with which to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt's birth. The meditative poems of Marilyn Chandler McEntyre will convince you that no full-blown biography is needed to appreciate the strengths of this artist. Your celebration should involve the opening of heart, mind and soul to Rembrandt's gift of shedding light - illuminating those aches we hold in common - the Joys, also.

Many will have absorbed vague prejudices, that Rembrandt was profligate. Yes, he did suffer his wife Saskia's death in 1642, and a traumatic bankruptcy in the mid-1650s. He was not known to be an active church-goer but his spirituality is revealed through his art. It is evident in his paintings from Biblical themes that his knowledge of these stories was not shallow.

Poet McEntyre must have experienced many different emotions as she studied the paintings, and wrote about Rembrandt's interpretations. Readers, too, doubtless have many varied reactions while studying these paintings, shown here in excellent reproduction.

In reverie I feel as though I've 'audited' three courses : in religion, painting & writing, and there has been revealed a new understanding of Rembrandt's ingenious use of brush & palette. Augmented by one's favored translation from the New Testament, it becomes an unforgettable encounter.

It isn't widely known that the famous "Return of the Prodigal" was left on Rembrandt's easel at his death and later completed by a pupil. The poignancy and power of this story in poetry and painting, foretelling a future of living with consequences - does make us more aware of the universality of an aching need for forgiveness. The painting is a threefold revelation with meditation, and the study of Henri Nouwen's "Return of the Prodigal Son"(isbn # 0385473079) and McEntyre's poem. The world could be transformed by such study, believes this reviewer.

Marilyn Chandler McEntyre, professor of English, is an accomplished poet, with grace and sensitivity that crosses artistic media and achieves great expression in volumes such as 'Drawn By the Light: Poems on Rembrandt's Religious Paintings.'

The layout and print quality of this text is remarkable. The colours leap from the page, even given the relatively muted tones and darker tones Rembrandt often used in his sacred topics. Some of the paintings in this small text are the most famous of Rembrandt's; besides his self-portrait on the cover, the book includes the following:

Two Scholars Disputing; Woman Bathing in a Stream; The Sacrifice of Isaac; Jacob Wrestling with the Angel; Jacob Blessing the Children of Joseph; Moses Smashing the Tablets; Hannah and Samuel; The Reconciliation of David and Absalom; Simeon with the Christ Child; The Head of Christ; Christ and the Woman of Samaria; The Return of the Prodigal Son; The Apostle Peter Denying Christ; Christ on the Cross; Christ at Emmaus; Self-Portrait as the Apostle Paul

Rembrandt had an art for taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary; he also brought the biblical stories into his own time period, in architecture, decoration, style of dress. McEntyre similarly brings the biblical stories and paintings into relief in words that are both timeless and current for the present. One cannot tell if the paintings adorn the poems or the poems adorn the paintings. The details brought out of the paintings, both in McEntyre's words and the highlighted sections of paintings assist in setting a mood of reflection that includes both the big picture and the details.

McEntyre's poetry sometimes seeks the thoughts and emotions of Rembrandt. Other times, the poetry seeks to elaborate upon and seek the meaning brought out in the paintings themselves. Her words invite emotional reflection, spiritual growth, theological inquiry, and a search into the mysteries of life, particularly life with God. God is in the shadows of the paintings; God is in the deep-etched faces of the people; God is in the verse.

God is also in the questions. Perhaps the most powerful piece here, and one of the most famous painting accompanying, is the Sacrifice of Isaac. McEntyre's verse speaks of the questions: 'What kind of God would require such appalling fidelity?' Of course, Abraham was faithful, but not without cost, as McEntrye continues that 'some madness will always haunt him', and Sarah his wife will always mistrust him, her eyes darkened with suspicion.

Further in the text, McEntyre explores another famous painting, the Return of the Prodigal Son. Here she speculates on the painter's gaze, as well as the human condition -- so little in life is private, and even reconciliation comes with a great cost. The prodigal son receives forgiveness, but the painting, like the gospel parable, is just a snapshot. The prodigal now returned will continue to bear his brother's enmity and be in his father's debt. McEntyre compares this with the attire of the prodigal -- that he will wear his past as a hair shirt regardless of the more festal vestments he dons over himself.

In all, this is a fascinating and wonderful text, a great meditation tool, and great for new insights into these important paintings.

E Pluribus Unicorn was one of the very first speculative fiction books that I had ever read. It became an immediate favorite of mine. I have lost count of how many times I have read it over the intervening years. Every time I read it, I find new favorites. I also always find something new to notice.

These are stories that have more in common with fantasy and/or horror than with traditional science fiction. I tend to look at Sturgeon as one of the ancestors of Slipstream, because despite the fantasy trend, he draws from nearly every subgenre in speculative fiction. "A Saucer of Loneliness" is a great example of his ability to powerfully mix his base ingredients.

I would recommend this to readers of any time and virtually any age. Although originally published in the 1940s and early 1950s, these stories have aged very well. The subject matter is complex, psychological, and often adult. This shouldn't hurt the experience of the younger reader, but they will take away different things than the adult Sturgeon fan.

Since Amazon doesn't list the stories in the volume, I'll do so here. An asterisk next to the list means that it is one of my particular favorites:

The Silken-Swift
The Professor's Teddy-Bear
Bianca's Hands
A Saucer of Loneliness (*)
The World Well Lost (*)
It Wasn't Syzygy (*)
The Music
Scars
Fluffy
The Sex Opposite
Die, Maestro, Die! (*)
Cellmate
A Way of Thinking

Theodore Sturgeon is one of the best science fiction writers on the planet, and this anthology bears that out. From the shortest to the longest, these stories evoke emotion and interest from the reader that keeps you coming back for more. A masterpiece!

This is one of the best collections of short fiction I have ever read. Sturgeon does things with prose that are usually only done with poetry.

"E Pluribus Unicorn" is a collection of 13 short fiction stories from one of speculative fiction's best known authors. There are no science fiction stories; instead there is a mix of horror and fantasy. The stories were written between 1947 and 1953 and with the exception of one story were all published before in a variety of the magazines from that era. In addition, there is an "Essay on Sturgeon" written as an introduction to the book, by Groff Conklin.

Most of the stories are very good, and two of them have been recognized recently by the SF community. "The World Well Lost" was awarded the Spectrum Hall Of Fame award in 2004 (In a tie with "Slow River" by Nicola Griffith, and "Swordspoint" by Ellen Kushner). "A Saucer of Loneliness" was nominated for the Retro Hugo for short stories (eligible in 1953) which were given out in 2004. The remainder of the stories are also worthwhile reading.

This book is an excellent recording of the civil rights movement as experienced by one of Martin Luther King's lieutenants. Young describes in detail the experiences he has while first growing up in New Orleans, then while being active on Martin Luther King's side and aiding him in his efforts. He then describes his successful campaign to become a Congressman from Georgia. Indeed, in taking that step, he fulfilled one of Martin Luther King's expectations - the rise of all minorities into all aspects of public life.

Heard AN EASY BURDEN, written and read by Andrew Young--an
early adviser and colleague of Martin Luther King who went
to become the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations,
among other things.

The book provides a stirring account of the civil rights movement,
starting in the 1950s . . . it got me thinking about the role not only
played by both King and Young, but by many other leaders of the
time . . . in addition, it gave me a different perspective on how hard
this must have been; i.e., to fight for change without being violent.

The author is quite candid in his views . . . just has been the case
throughout his life, he is not afraid to mince words (or opinions)
and while some may disagree with what he says or the way he says
it, you will gain an increasing respect for the man if you read AN
EASY BURDEN.

I especially enjoyed the ending:
Everything I know now convinces me that the struggle to eliminate
racism, war and poverty is a burden, but in America, with all the
freedom and opportunity afforded us under our constitution--in the
most productive society in human history--it is an easy burden if
we undertake it together.

Andrew Young, former mayor of Atlanta and official in the Carter White House, details his time as an assistant to Martin Luther King Jr. in this work. After some semi-interesting biographical background, we get a good view of the inside of the civil rights movement. Young shows all the conflicts within the movement and the spiritual values that kept it going in face of adversity. A very fine work on the topic for those of us who were not alive during the movement and also showing how hard it truly was on those involved. It truly made me realize how difficult it is to stand up peacefully when met with violence and oppression - numerous times I thought how poorly I would have reacted to such violence. For those who call King soft, nonintellectual, conformist, attention-seeking or weak, this book should dispel those myths.

An Uneasy Burden is a wonderful read. One major reason is that this autobiography is not about self praise or telling a one dimensional story. I usually do not care for most autobiographies. Young is very honest and candid, often critical of himself and some events or occurences within the Civil Rights Movement.

I really liked the spiritual themes that were so present within this book, "My Yoke is easy and my burden is light," and "For unto whomsoever much is given of them much will be required." If you are searching for purpose and growth within your life I highly reccomend this account from Young. This book made me think long and hard about what direction and what I can do for others who are in need or are hurting.

One of the most interesting things is Young's dramatic account of the march in St. Augustine and Selma. I do not agree with all of Young's politics but I have really found him to be an inspirational and genuine person. Andrew Young was a man searching for purpose, and he found purpose in life. He has a lot of spiritual insight and delivers it in an authentic narrative.

Eerey Toscin in the Cryptoid Zoo is a fun read from beginning to end. Each character is someone completely unique. (Who wouldn't want an 8 lb spider living in your backpack as your best friend?) Through Kevin's descriptions of each personality I became quickly endeared to them. Their adventures through the Zoo are fresh and unexpected and I looked forward to what they would be up against next. Eerey is one of those books that can be enjoyed by all ages. Great characters and adventures for the young, puzzles and hidden commentaries on life for the rest of us.

Eery Toscin is an odd little girl. Desiring to live life in the dark, though she claims to be afraid of it, she resides in your bedroom with her pet, an eight-pound spider named Eightball.

This book, however, takes her well beyond her comfortable confines and into the world of the Cryptoid Zoo, a zoo designed to house animals "which do not exist." This world is full of animals with extraordinary features. Some talk, some do not. Some have big teeth, some can fly, while others are quite invisible. All have in common one trait; they exercise the reader's imagination.

The one fly in this delicious dessert is a dobbleganger who has locked the real zookeeper away and is bent on destroying the zoo and its inhabitants, including Eery and her cousin. In the end, of course, our heroine, small as she is, overcomes the evil with a little help from animals concerned with saving their zoo.

While more modern in theme, this book reminded me of the days when I read Tom Swift books by flashlight under the covers. If you have a young one at your house, use them as an excuse to buy this book. Just don't let them know you have it until after you've read it.

Eerey Tocsin is a wonderfully inventive and exciting story, good for all ages. Kevin Noel Olson has a strong sense of voice and care for his craft. The narrative flows well and leads the reader easily into Olson's imaginative world. I highly recommend this book.

Opening this book is unlocking a door to worlds tantalizingly familiar and marvelously unknown. At times reminiscent of Doctor Dolittle, Alice In Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz while at other times all three and more rolled into one, "Eerey Tocsin in the Cryptoid Zoo" is a dizzying, original tale. It is a journey of discovery about the world around us and the uniqueness within us.

Kevin Noel Olson has an author's voice that speaks to the young and adult reader and commands rapt attention from both groups. It is educational & exciting, and carries more than a hint of menace. The author weaves scientific facts, classic & modern myth, fantasy, riddles, creative problem solving and interesting perspectives on the world we think we know into an adventure that doesn't show the seams of its joined themes. He crafts a story that invites the reader to take part in an adventure that educates while it thrills, and does so with a very playful sense of humor.

Eerey Tocsin, her cousin Edict that could pass for a werewolf or a troglodyte, an orangutaur named Loofah, Mongolian death-worms, an invisible boy that idolizes the legend under the bandages of The Invisible Man, Claude Rains, or the host of other beings inhabiting the mysterious Cryptic Zoo are all fleshed out in colorful style, even when you can't see them. Books that are so visual with their storytelling transcend the printed medium and allow the reader to think they've gotten a DVD player implanted in their brain. Works destined for other forms like animation and feature films jump off their pages and hustle their fans into getting them made for all to see on the silver screen. "Eerey Tocsin in the Cryptoid Zoo" is one of those works.

Es un "manifiesto" en el sentido estricto: explica lo que anda mal en el mundo y propone un programa para resolverlo; su nombre "comunista" fue vindicado a unos tres lustres más adelante con la Comuna de Paris, cuando los humildes plebes crearon un Estado nuevo y equitativo.

Para quien tenga el compromiso social, es una lectura provechosa; para quienes que están enojados con la injusticia y quieren cambiar el mundo, es una lectura obligatoria.

Escrito por un par de jóvenes de menos de 30 años, da argumentos contundentes de porque no sirve el capitalismo -todos aplicables a su versión más reciente y feroz, llámese "globalización", "privatización" o cómo sea.

La semana antes de que escribo esta crítica, el presidente de México echó al presidente de Cuba de una reunión internacional de "desarrollo" por haber sacado a la luz datos como las tres personas más ricos del mundo cuentan con una riqueza que equivale a los ¡48 países! más pobres del planeta.

Este dato hace eco a mi parte favorita del Manifiesto -la segunda (sección)- donde Marx y Engels burlaron duro a la hipocresía de los burgueses. Toman los exactos argumentos con que los poderosos denunciaron a anarquistas y comunistas de la época, y los refutan mostrando que éstos son precisamente los pecados de los mismos burguesas: por ejemplo, denunciaron a los comunistas por buscar establecer una comunidad de mujeres, pero ¡es el capital que las obliga a vender sus cuerpos! Entonces son los comunistas que podemos abocar para la liberación de la mujer, no el flamante mercado libre.

Lo mejor expresandonos qué es el comunismo. ese fantasma que inevitablemente tendrá que llegar.....

Este es la edición más útil de la obra clásica de 1848 de Carlos Marx y Federico Engels, fundadores del movimiento comunista internacional. La exposición del método científico de analizar la historia y los crisis del sistema capitalista, la perspectiva de lucha de los trabajadores para tomar el poder político y forjar una nueva sociedad, el socialismo; la discusión de consignas y medidas prácticas para la organización del movimiento de los trabajadores, todos son cuestiones imprescindibles para nosotros al comienzo del siglo XXI. Incluye los prefacios de Marx y Engels a las ediciones de 1872 y 1890.
La edición de Pathfinder es la más importante porque incluye un artículo escrito en 1938 por León Trotsky, quien junto con V.I. Lenin fue dirigente principal de la revolución rusa de 1917. Trotsky explica que "el manifiesto comunista" sigue siendo de suma importancia hoy en día. También analiza los cambios en el mundo capitalista desde 1848, incluyendo el desarrollo de los monopolios económicos, el papel del estado, las relaciones entre las distintas clases sociales, y la creciente unidad de condiciones de luchas de los trabajadores y agricultores de todos los países del mundo.

El manifiesto representa la mejor manera de abrir los ojos a las generaciones futuras en pro del comunismo y en contra de este modelo neoliberal en el cual estamos inmersos. Una forma lúcida de reaccionar ante las imposiciones imperialistas del NORTE.

¿Que hacer? ¿Que podemos hacer: trabajadores, agricultores, jóvenes-- viviendo todas las consecuencias de la creciente crisis capitalista? ¿Y cómo hacerlo juntos, y no en formas aisladas e ineficaces?
Este libro contiene muchas materiales para estudiar, aprender y aprovechar sobre estas cuestiones tan importantes. Se trata sobre todo de experiencias de trabajadores socialistas en Estados Unidos, pero las lecciones son bien relevantes en cualquier parte del mundo. ¡Un libro de historia y de acción obrera!
Analiza el desarrollo de la sociedad capitalista desde los años 70, el impacto de los movimientos de mases para los derechos civiles del pueblo negro y los chicanos, las luchas reivindicando igualdad para las mujeres, la lucha en contra la guerra norteamericana en Vietnam. También ricas experiencias de lucha obrera: la huelga nacional de los mineros de carbón, la lucha para organizar el astillero Newport News y más. Y cuestiones de tácticas y estrategias para organizarse: relaciones entre obreros de conciencia de clase y la burocracia sindical, propaganda y agitación, organización y formación de un partido de vanguardia de los trabajadores.
Me gusta mucho la sección de fotos, que presenta imágenes vivos de los seres humanos envueltos en distintas luchas del pueblo trabajador.
¡Léalo y compártelo con otros compañeros y compañeras!

To understand the world you need this book. Since the middle
1970s life for working people in the US has been the ups and downs of attacks on our standards of living, little depressions,booms,more attacks, more wars, racism, even threats of fascism, a stock market crash, and now a looming world economic
crisis. The documents assembled in this book from the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s chart this development from the standpoint of the Socialist Workers Party. Just as importantly, they chart the lessons and strategies of building a working class response to
this change, and the creative experience of the SWP in building a revolutionary workers party into the twenty-first century. Some day this book will rank with Lenin's What is to be Done, Trotsky's History of the Russian Revolution, and Cannon's Struggle for a proletarian party among the tools socialist workers use to change the world

To understand the world you need this book. Since the middle
1970s life for working people in the US has been the ups and downs of attacks on our standards of living, little depressions,
booms,more attacks, more wars, racism, even threats of fascism, a stock market crash, and now a looming world economic
crisis. The documents assembled in this book from the 1970s, the 1980s, the 1990s chart this development from the standpoint
of the Socialist Workers Party. Just as importantly, they chart the lessons and strategies of building a working class response to this change, and the creative experience of the SWP in building a revolutionary workers party into the twenty-first century. Some day this book will rank with Lenin's What is to be Done, Trotsky's History of the Russian Revolution, and Cannon's Struggle for a proletarian party among the tools socialist workers use to change the worl

El sindicato es demasiado débil. La dirección es un amigo del patrón.
Toda la gente se queda con los que hablan su lengua y en la cafetería no
se mezclan con los demás. Uno quiere luchar junto por los demás, a favor
de todos los trabajadores, ¿pero cuando vamos unir? Este libro es un
manual para los decidios a tomar un próximo paso. Plantea como debemos
ser internacionalistas; pensar y actuar en términos internacionales;
usar, cambiar y transformar nuestros sindicatos en armas políticas y
sociales en contra todos los súper ricos. Tenemos que construir la
unidad de todos las "razas", entre hombres y mujeres, entre los
inmigrantes y los trabajadores "nacidos en los Estados Unidos". Sobre
todo, tenemos que construir el partido revolucionario de los
trabajadores más consciente y más solidario de todos. El premio para
este proceso es un futuro realmente humano: tomar el poder político, tal
como los trabajadores cubanos hicieron hace más de 40 años -pero aquí en
las entrañas de la bestia imperial yanqui-. Esto es un libro por cada
trabajador y trabajadora consciente.

I had to read this book for my State and Local Government class. I'm not from Minnesota (although my roommate is and insists that he was voted in as a joke - but whatever), but this book gave lots of background and plenty of information for Non-Minnesotans. Writer Jacob Lentz gives a short background before going into the story of Jesse Ventura's campaign, and then analyzing Ventura's victory in the last chapters. This isn't a "celebrity" book. You won't find any information about Ventura's wrestling career here. But for those interested in political science and why Ventura got elected, this book makes for a fascinating read.

Having been a fan of Lentz for years, I feel that this book is the pinnacle of his writing achievements to date. As another member of the "Jacob Lentz Official Fan Club" put it, "This book will hurt your brain and make you weep". Lentz has established himself as one of the pre-eminent American authors of the mid-late 1990's era and hopefully, will continue to impress the American public with his eloquent verbosity. Bravo.

This is a great book. Read it and weep over the beauty of the prose, the breadth of the insight, and the joy of being a human alive and reading.

As somewhat of a pundit and a native Minnesotan I had been waiting for ANY analysis of Ventura's victory beyond our abysmal newspapers' and Ventura's own "We shocked the world." After having just begun this remarkable book I wondered why I had no other works by Mr. Lentz in my library. This smart, crisp analysis is extraordinary in both its breadth and depth. Simply page through the bibliography and footnotes and you will understand what I mean. This would be a perfect addition to any class (or individual) interested in the rising third party movements in our country, and will pleasantly surprise both the novice and the seasoned pundit with it's readability.

The book is a unique compilation of information that cogently makes the case that poverty is largely misunderstood by the non-poor, mis-diagnosed by politicians and pundits, and the remedies usually prescribed are nearly always nostrums and panaceas which only add misery to the miserable.

The book lists commonly held but untrue myths about poverty and poor people, and gives evidence that such attitudes are the heritage of English law established nearly 500 years ago and carried forward into the colonies and later states. Think of "Oliver Twist" and the social norms and attitudes toward poor people of that time - that's out heritage.

The book is a comprehensive deflation of the overwrought fear mongering, character assination, and easy dismissal of the poor. It proposes a down to earth, realistic focus on and admission thatlow wages are the root cause of most poverty in America today. The author, Bill Quigley proposes adoption of a constitutional amendment to establish a right to a job that pays a living wage to all Americans who can work. Polly Anna? That's what was said about Child labor laws, minimum wage, mandatory overtime pay, social security and many other rights and protections we now take for granted. Additionally, the book details the cost of poverty to Americans, who in truth are now subsidizing commercial enterprises. That subsidy comes by way of their taxes, used to supplement the income and the survival of workers paid so little that they and their children cannot live without "public assistance". Most poor work!

If you are opposed to the concept, I urge you to read the book nonetheless, if only to know more about how history has shaped our views, prejudices and laws dealing with poverty issues and the poor. If you have a better answer to reducing poverty and its costs - go for it!! But learn a little reality before you define the problem. Read this book.

While I would like to see everyone in America able to achieve a good job at a wage that feeds their family and houses them comfortably, the facts of economics fight against this dream. Creating a Constitutional Amendment to guarantee a right to a good-paying job is foolish in the face of the basic economic laws of supply and demand. Someone supplies a job based on their need for the labor; someone agrees to do the job based on their willingness to work and their need for money, and the number of competitors willing to do such work and qualified to do the work. While I nearly cried when I visited the Tenement Museum of the Lower East Side of New York, and while I believe in the reforms that moved workers out of sweatshops, sweatshops still exist and immigrants coming legally or illegally to the US are doing labor for less than minimum wage. Why? Because they need the money, and the competition abroad from lower wage earners make our minimum wage unprofitable for business.

How do we bridge the gap between low cost foreign work (where even high-tech and skilled jobs are flowing) and our own cost of living, which is admittedly high? This book has NONE of the answers. Merely passing a law cannot push back the massive forces of economics. The author suggests Lester Thurow's solution of a massive government jobs program. The last time this was tried, it created sinecures for those privileged to land a government program job, and didn't teach anyone marketable skills. Even HeadStart is paying low wages to teachers, neither improving their skills or improving the readiness of the hapless client children who are supposed to be getting an education from this low-paid government job holders. There are countless examples of why what Dr. Quigley suggests has already failed, and passing a Constitutional Amendment is just another brick on the way to a failed socialistic system that costs the American worker a percentage of what they earn and throws it away on those who don't produce (the bureaucrats and their clientele that are not meeting market needs.)

Why don't we find a way to make American products and services in demand, free up business to fuel an economy with high demand for all labor services? Remember when unemployment was so low, jobs went begging? It was barely five years ago. We can have that again, and have even the poorest able to find work at more than minimum wage. But not this way.

It's an enticing proposition: eliminate poverty as we know it, simply by giving everyone the right to a job and a living wage. But is it valid? This is the question I kept asking as I made my way from chapter to chapter.

A key problem Quigley doesn't even address: the globalization of labor. It's not just low-skilled manufacturing jobs that American companies outsource to China et al. nowadays. It's white collar desk jobs too; highly educated Indians gladly take $5,000/year for a job that would cost $50,000 in the US. It's a king's ransom for them, but for us, it's illegally below minimum wage. This is a problematic anomaly which stands as a major threat to America's economy. If we implemented Quigley's constitutional amendment, the threat might loom closer still. The author's utter silence here was most disappointing.

Despite that lapse, I recommend a reading. Its diverse facts and figures, while often repetitive, can be eye-opening. The numbers suggest we pay for poverty one way or another. At present, we subsidize parasitic employers and grant wealthy corporations obscenely generous loopholes. Redeploying our public assets to help the less fortunate into dignified employment might be a good idea. I smile at the simple beauty of it.

Two people that I respect very much have this to say about this book.
Lani Guinier, Harvard Law Prof and co-author of Miner's Canary says:
ýBill Quigley draws on the common sense of Thomas Paine, the moral inspiration of Martin Luther King, Jr., and the political wisdom of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to issue a bold challenge for our society: to guarantee people who want to work the right to a job at a living wage. In a brave and witty book that is both visionary and practical, Quigley reminds us that if once-radical ideas like social security and the abolition of slavery can become realities, then the current partnership between poverty and work can be upended too.ý
Sr. Helen Prejean, social activist and author of Dead Man Walking says: "Bill Quigley's book makes us believe that America can really change for the better and provide a decent job and a fair wage to hard-working families. This is a very important book. Bill brings a lifeteim of knowledge and commitment to this; and he really shows us, step by step, how it can be done."
This book points out that over 45 million people in the US live in poverty. Over 30 million work and earn less than $8.20 an hour and another 15 million people are either out of work or working part-time and would like to be working full-time. I review the real facts and stories about poverty in the US today, especially among the working poor. After reviewing our history and surprising public and religious support for the right to a job and the right to a living wage, I call for a constitutional amendment guaranteeing every person the right to a job at a living wage.
Hope this helps explain what it is about. Peace!

"Episodes of the Cuban Revolutionary War, 1956-58" is Ernesto Guevara’s own account of the final 2 years of the revolutionary war that led to the first socialist revolution of the Americas. Ernesto “Che” Guevara, born in Argentina in 1928, became a central leader of the Cuban revolution of 1959. Many people in the United States today know only a romanticized version of this outstanding communist leader through such things as the recent film, “The Motorcycle Diaries.” "Episodes" is an unexaggerated, honest account of how the last years of the Cuban revolutionary war were conducted. This marvelous book tells the real story of how the young, adventurous Ernesto Guevara – whose compassion for and interest in the peoples of Latin America shows even in “The Motorcycle Diaries” – became Che Guevara, the committed, Marxist leader. Full of warmth, eloquence, and, at times, poetic sensibilities, Che’s diaries show us how the Cuban communist leadership was forged in battle; how the revolutionary combatants cemented bonds with peasants in the countryside and with workers in the cities; and how a popular revolutionary government was built on these foundations. This book is a must-read for any revolutionary minded fighter today.

Why does Cuba provide doctors for underdeveloped countries throughout the world-something which far richer countries are unwilling to do? This book by Che shows how Fidel Castro's revolutionary movement has always taken the moral high ground, going back to their triumph over hated dictator Batista. Che documents the reasons for this in these articles, many of which were written as the fighting was going on. He discusses the revolutionaries' respect for the peasants and the way the peasants helped to move the revolutionaries toward a deeper understanding of the class forces involved in the Cuban revolution. This made it possible to integrate many peasants into the revolutionary army. Che describes the care that was taken to treat rank and file enemy soldiers well, especially the wounded. His crystal clear writing style and fine sense of humor are based on a total grasp of the situation. This book includes two superb articles on Che, one by his comrade Fidel Castro and another by the editor, Mary-Alice Waters, as well as valuable notes, glossary, chronology, and index. While amazon may list this book as unavailable from time to time, it is always available from booksfrompathfinder listed under "new and used" at the top of this page.

Che's unique and splendid writting style manifests itself in this excellent book, detailing the myriad battles and episodes of the Cuban Revolution. A must for all!!!

First, a great book! Second, the author is none other than Che Guevara. Third, humorously and eloquently written, Che explains a revolutionary's fight for a better life in Cuba leading up to the victory in 1959! A must read for any Che or Cuba fan!