Roger Books

History will be very kind to this poet. His work is pitched at a level anyone can respond to. Some of his metaphors are astonishing and more poignant based on the simplicity of the everyday life around the poet. There are no huge ideals just tales of everyday life. This is a spectacular book, and is saddly one of the most underrated I've ever read.

So there I was, in the bookshop, looking for a birthday present (I never give people books I don't first read AND enjoy) when the saleslady thrust this book in my hand and said "Read it." After vain protests that I'd never understood poetry, I opened the book. After two minutes I bought it.

This poetry, unlike the classical stuff that only uses words and phrases that I can't understand, is the stuff of today. Many poems talk of a male in love, but others talk of dying ("let me die when I'm old and in constant good tumour" or something like that), lips, nuclear war, loneliness, poets. This being a collection, even the worst poems are excellent. He uses words in ways I'd never imagined, laying them all over the place. And in a right place.

Somehow, he makes words talk.

An Ode to Roger Fenton's Valley of the Shadow of Death by Ayul M Zamir

The photograph: pale, grainy, and fading
And on the ground, you see them, where they solemnly lie,
like boulders of an ancient river bed
that has since long dried.
Strewn across the valley floor:
innumerable spheres--dark and silent--
spent up cannon balls.

On this desolate land, once, there was a great war, and
many battles, brave men had marched here to fight.
And now across that prized land,
that men had, then, fought so hard to conquer,
now, only rocks and abandoned metal lie.
And not a single soul is in sight

All of the same shape and size, these
round, metallic, man-made spheres.
Can almost feel the texture of those in a sharp focus,
so many lie scattered far and near.
Wonder: what color impressive uniforms,
did the soldiers on march to that war, then, wear.

Looking at this eternal photograph,
you can almost hear that distant rumble.
And feel the ground beneath your feet shake
under the recoil of giant cannons when they thunder.
When volley after volley of heavy metal
was sent soaring high into the air,
both sides knew another battle had begun--
in one more war that was just, honorable, and fair.

And all that metal,
once laboriously molten and carefully cast,
hurled into the air
with each soul shaking blast.
Dispatched, flying across
to land on the enemy--
to hit and hurt him
before he is near enough to be even seen.

That shocking power unleashed on the enemy
That flying metal, now, on its downward journey
Lethal arches drawn by metal balls--
as they, now, race down to find bodies
in that final,
awesome, terrorizing, whistling freefall.

You could trace back their long paths
to earlier fought wars,
and well thought out, rehearsed plans.
Emotions ran high:
military honor, national pride, old resentments,
and long held anger
--thoughtfully, however, on the map, and
carefully--precise lines were drawn.

"We feel just and right about it.
"Conquest is ours in the end.
"That is our Nation's destiny.
"Ours is that God granted fate."
And with that righteous inner strength,
new perfect plans were made.

And a minute ago, in final brave acts,
in the midst of rousing cheers,
they fired the guns
--could feel the ground shake
--they swaggered lightly:
the shocked and awed enemy
was about to meet his fate.

Hot metal balls are landing:
see that mud erupting, and sand flying;
and desperately in all directions--
our wretched enemy is running blind.

"Get ready to charge the stunned-softened enemy, now, boys;
use whatever: knives, bayonets, swords, sticks, hands, or dogs;
glorious victory is ours--
and on our side is the God."

"Of course, few of our brave men too
--honorable mothers--
are left with severed limbs and torn flesh.
And, yes, irreparable damage to hands and feet.
But hear the Heaven greeting those
who fell in the last final battle;
for them, now, let us cheer and ring in the victory."

"And thanks of a grateful country
to those who, now, in the mother Earth's womb
lie for eternity.
At peace--and like in their mothers' laps
lie breast fed, pink, sleeping babies.

Roger Fenton's hundred and fifty years old photograph:
from 1855, of the Crimean war.
An eternal testimony,
a little pale and grainy,
silent, lifeless, spent up cannon balls
strewn across the land
as far as the eyes can see
in the "Valley of the Shadow of Death"
in the past of the future.

Though Roger Fenton may not be a name known to the general public, he certainly is a hero among those who have devoted their lives to the art of photography. Working in the mid-nineteenth century with a novel invention - the camera - Fenton was probably the first to see the possibilities of photography as art.

This magnificent volume shares 85 of the artist's finest photographs, including moody views of the buildings of London, Moscow, Kiev, landscapes of countrysides, delicately composed still lifes and even some of his war photographs, works which compare to Matthew Brady's Civil War photographs.

The accompanying essays and comments are not only highly informative, they also are written with a reader in mind! This is a beautiful and important book about an under appreciated artist about whom we all should know more. Highly recommended, and well worth the price. Grady Harp, August 05

They give their statistics from a study they conducted from 1980-2000. It was a very interesting read. I would recommend to anyone!

Amato, Booth, Johnson, and Rogers have written a thorough, scholarly, and smooth reading book that documents important changes in the state (and nature) of marriages in the U. S. over the past 20 years (particularly, comparing data in 1980 and 2000). Their work covers a wide range of dimensions with particular focus on things like social connection (by couples) with others (friends, family, institutions, organizations, etc.) and the implications of these connections. Their work also encompasses changes in attitudes about marriage and divorce in this period of time, as well as changes in roles and expectations of partners in marriage.

The book notes the increased isolation of couples from others, particularly as couples engaged in shared activities and commitments. Couples do best when engaged in some significant shared commitments outside their relatoinship, such as to groups, clubs, church, and efforts to help others. So, this trend toward growing isolation is concerning. They note the one exception to this trend is in involvement in religious organizations, particularly churches. There is a movement toward increased rather than decreased activities of this nature in this period of time.

One of the sets of findings that I found particularly fascinating is that attitudes towards life long marriage and inhibition of divorce grew in the direction of traditional beliefs with regard to marital commitment. I had not expected this finding (I am a psychologist engaged in marital research and know the authors and their work well). However, it was not hard to "expect" it once one sees it. Specifically, the divorce rate per 1000 people in the U. S. peaked in 1981 and the authors essentially find a modest, but significant swinging of the pendulum back in the direction of what most people clearly aspire to (if not able to achieve) in marriage: "til death do us part." The analysis of what is associated with these attitudinal shifts and what is not is fascinating.

Overall, the book is crammed full of very clear, digestable findings on trends in marriage. The background research here is stellar and this is as fine of a team of family scholars as exist today. What is particularly delightful is how readable this text is. There are no tedious presentations of the underlying math, yet they make very clear how they arrive at the various conclusions and what variables are or are not controlled for in specific analyses.

I highly recommend this book. If you like this subject and are of research and/or social observation, you will like this work.

America's Highest Destiny: The Causes Of Nine-Eleven And A Bold Vision Of America's Role In The World by professional mediator/facilitator Roger L. Plunk is a clarion manifesto exhorting America's duty to promote democracy, human rights, and peace. As the world's only remaining superpower, America bears the responsibility of what Plunk calls "moralpolitiks", in using its wealth and knowledge to improve the entire world. Individual chapters cogently examine the troubled areas of Afghanistan, Israel and Palestine, and Iraq, looking at America's recent actions and recommending bright courses of action for the future. A welcome contribution to Contemporary Political Science collections, America's Highest Destiny is highly recommended as thoughtful and thought-provoking reading.

This book was such an enjoyable read. With no wasted words, this book got strait to the point. If found myself both informed and entertained, and ultimately convinced that America does have a Higher Destiny to reach out for. Without political bias most books are marred by, this book clearly reflects objective opinion and insight on some of the most important matters facing our country today.

In these days of unquestioning patriotism, Whitcomb reminds us that our foreign policy has not always been consistent with our
democratic ideals.

Read this book to get an important view on the history of the United States. You may not always agree, but it is a thoughtful
work.

In these days of unquestioning patriotism, Whitcomb reminds us that our foreign policy has not always been consistent with our
democratic ideals.

Read this book to get an important view on the history of the United States. You may not always agree, but it is a thoughtful
work.

"American Health Care" is a collection of multidisciplinary essays supporting the argument that government and business must assume appropriate roles within health care to effectively change it. Working within these seemingly disparate roles, government and business should focus on how the private health market can further the health care system's ability to provide social services as a function in the marketplace.

The book challenges the concept that government can effectively manage the nation's health care. This model -- the authors collectively suggest -- was questioned by the public through a lack of support for the 1993 Clinton health care reform package. The editor compiles the analyses of expert economists, physicians, lawyers, and historians to explain the underlying rationale behind the public hesitancy to accept the notion that government should and can fix the deficiencies of the US health care system.

'American Health Care" provides insight that allows learned readers to speculate about where markets can take health care now and in the future. Its authors recognize that there are no fast solutions coming down the pike. This work presents concepts that are intended to generate constructive conversation toward the improvement of health care. The ideas are supported through the substantial notes and references accompanying each chapter.

Topics of discussion covered by the contributors represent four major policy areas that provide stumbling blocks to system-wide change. Essays in the first section contain discussions of the issues involved with health insurance financing, including an in-depth analysis of the Medicare program. In part 2, contributors look at health care services and institutions, antitrust issues, and reform at the state level. The effects of regulation on the drug approval process and its impact on patient care is examined in part 3, and the final section of the book looks at issues involving liability, licensing, and the health care fee structure.

The Independent Institue of California is a public policy education and reserch organization the aims -- through its various publishing programs -- to redefine the debate over public issues. In "American Health Care," it has provided ample scholarship to do so.

The collection of original essays in this volume is impressive. Together, they explore the history and current state of government policy toward health care in the United States. Each essay is clear and relevant. And the proposals make great good sense. Health care is far too important a service to be left in the hands of politicians and bureaucrats. This book helps explain why.

This book is the best biography I have ever read, and I am a first wave baby boomer who knew very little about Will Rogers before finding a poor copy at a garage sale a few years ago. I was instantly drawn into the amazing but true life he lived to the fullest.

I agree 100% with the first reviewer about the book. Will Rogers is now on my short list of people I would love to have met, and also to have as a pal. The book has interesting photos scattered throughout, and makes you wish we had someone today like Will to tell us the truth about things happening in Washington. He lampooned all politicians, but they all loved it because of the gentle way he did it. He could entertain anyone with his words, cowboy skills, and his honest demeanor. He also was quite an adventurer in the golden age of air exploration, and later was a natural at polo. Just read it.
It is exceptional, particularly because it is true.

This book is a joy to read not only because of its subject, Will Rogers, but also because of the manner in which his story is told. Most biographies that I have read have struck me as somewhat impersonal. That is to say: the authors told their stories as an outsider might see them with few, if any, intimate details. But this biography is different, and that makes it rather extraordinary and quite unique. As I was reading the book, for example, particularly in the early chapters, those concerning Will's family history and early life, I sensed that this author truly loved the man about whom he was writing. (And, I must say, "who wouldn't?") It was almost as if the book had been written by a member of Rogers' own family or by a very close personal friend. The book was that intimate and personal, and I was captivated.

As for the subject of the book: I can't imagine a more interesting, entertaining, or remarkable man to read about than Will Rogers. He was an expert with the lasso, a circus performer; wild west show attraction; vaudevillian; stage performer; star of the Ziegfeld Follies and Ziegfeld Frolic for nine years; a silent movie actor; motion picture star; humorist; newspaper columnist; author; world traveler; friend of the high and mighty; and, most importantly, a humble humanitarian who never lost sight of the fact that he was just another man in God's creation. I doubt if there was ever a man, woman, or child that Rogers ever met who didn't like him. And, as he said, he never met a man he didn't like.

Will was also a Cherokee Indian who was part Irish and part Scottish, but who turned out to be American through and through. This is all the more remarkable when one considers that he was born in the Indian Territory, which later became Oklahoma, in 1879 and was born into a family which, along with the rest of the Cherokee Nation, had a long history of abuse at the hands of the white man. One would think that with that history Will might easily have become a bitter and resentful man. But strange as it may seem, Will Rogers went on to become the quintessential American and the most beloved American of his time. How he did that and how he lived his life are the subjects of this book. And it is an inspiring story which should be read by every American man and woman, and especially by every child during his or her formative years.

My advice to any reader who wants to learn about this truly great American and wonderful human being; wants to learn more about American history or the history of American entertainment; or simply wants to teach his children how better to live their lives, should beg, borrow, or steal a copy of this book, or as a last resort get a copy from the library. I think you'll truly enjoy reading it and, in the process, will learn more than you can imagine about the real world in which we live, for what Rogers had to say in his day is just as timely today as it was back then.

Roger L. Nichols provides a well-written summary of American Indians in US History from 1500 to present, while including a thoughtful discussion on the debates surrounding American Indian origins. This text best serves a novice to the topic, or a quick reference to those seeking chronological confirmation. This comprehensive monograph reflects current trends in the field and so serves as an important refresher to previous attempts by other great scholars.

A single volume narrative history, American Indians In U.S. History by Roger L. Nichols (Professor of History, University of Arizona) is the 248 volume in the simply outstanding University of Oklahoma Press "The Civilization of the Amerian Indian" series. Intended as a brief survey for students and general readers, American Indians In U.S. History explores the stories of a wide variety of tribes, as well as the central issues faced by tribal leaders during each era. Tracing the American Indian struggle for sovereignty and resistance from assimilation into a cultural melting pot, American Indians In U.S. History is an eye-opening introduction to the endurance and legacies of America's first settlers.

This book conveys the words of a young Union soldier who was captured and taken to the Southern prison they called Andersonville. This detailed account taken from the diary of Charles Hopkins tells a story of survival and horror. It makes you imagine trying to survive in a disease riddened prison with barely any food or fresh water. Read this book because it will be one you will never forget

This first person account provides a wealth of insight into the day-to-day rituals of "life" in one of the most forbidding Civil War prison camps. Throughout his trials, however, Charles Hopkins never loses his faith in humanity and even manages to endure with a sense of humor. His uplifting story bears testimony to the strength of the human spirit under fire. Hopkins' style of writing is descriptive and conversational, and works well with the enlightening information and photos supplied by editors Mr. Styple and Mr. Fitzpatrick. I highly recommend this book to all who are interested in the Civil War and in becoming acquainted with one of its many unsung heroes.

No question about it. It is the greatest book on angelfish and butterfly fish. It is full of the photos for the identification.

As yet another in his series of reef fishes this one does not disappoint. Another great book with fantastic photos and info, a definite must-have for the serious saltwater hobbyist.