Iowa Books

As a lover of music and theatre I was thoroughly engrossed in this astonishing feat of family 'portraiture' of three people dedicated to their art. Although I had not previously known anything about this particular theatrical dynasty, many of the other names, plays and operas were not unfamiliar to me and I was fascinated to discover how they were connected to each other. Stanislavsky, Meyerhold and Chekhov are household names in the theatre world, but it is always enriching to learn something new about them. And because our opera and theatre traditions in the West developed separately, it is interesting to see how closely allied they were in Russia and then see how the Russian tradition in turn influenced ours. As for the Komissarzhevskys themselves, I was carried along with their joys, hopes and disappointments. I only wish I'd been alive at the time to be able to sit in a darkened auditorium and witness their genius, whether it be singing, acting or directing.

The author has obviously consulted and collected a great deal of material in the writing of this book. He gives the reader a balanced view by the many wonderful reviews, both 'good' and 'bad'(and sometimes funny), of the various performances. The excellent quality of the photographs helps to bring these people and their work to life, re-creating the atmosphere of the age.

"Domestic cattle are ubiquitous" the authors begin. They back this up with statistics: cattle produce 90% of the world's milk, 30% of it's meat; globally, there is one bovine for every four humans; cattle represent the largest sector of agriculture throughout most of the world, and the dominant one in many countries. That is particularly true throughout the developing world which contains 70% of the global cattle population, and where demand for livestock products is expected to treble over the coming four decades. These facts set the context for this book. The cattle sector in tropical countries is an enormous and valuable resource, on which hundreds of millions of people are heavily dependent, and which faces historically unprecedented pressures for change. The authors have set out to document these cattle populations, their past and present, and even to map their future. I believe they have succeeded well beyond their declared ambitions. In effect, this book is a compendium of three separate works. The first section, titled Origins and History, is the most authoritative and coherent account of the domestication of cattle of subsequent movements of cattle, with the expansion of human husbandry, and of the place of cattle in evolving societies. A preliminary chapter reviews the archaeological evidence, and subsequent chapters deal with the spread of cattle types and systems in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The previous literature in this area is not very satisfactory. The further back one goes, the fewer the facts and the greater the room for unchallenged speculation. Much of the accepted wisdom has been based on little more than assertions of position by individual scholars. The authors have carefully reviewed all of this earlier work. They have rejected some theories such as that of Epstein and Mason on sequential migration from Western Asia as the source of African cattle. In other areas, they have strengthened our confidence in existing interpretations. They also have the good sense to identify the large areas where judgement must be withheld for the moment. Clearly, this section of the book was written some time ago. This means that there is little discussion of the exciting new layers of information that are coming from studies on molecular evolution in cattle populations, though these are noted in the last section of the book, under new technologies. This new work has already greatly clarified such questions as the origins and interactions of the Zebu and Taurus strains in Africa, and will undoubtedly lead to a much more complete picture of the origins and spread of cattle. In future editions of Payne and Hodges, it should have a substantial place. That being said, this review of the subject is better than anything that precedes it. Over 50% of the world's 800 or so identified cattle breeds are to be found in the tropics. The second section of Tropical Cattle is a detailed catalogue which covers 211 of the most notable of these. It begins with a discussion on breed classification, and moves on to breeds of Asia, Africa and Latin America. This section can be compared with Mason's " World Dictionary of Breeds Livestock" (1996) and Maule's "Cattle of the Tropics" (1990). It also updates Payne's own "Cattle Production in the Tropics" Volume 1 (1970). It is less lavish (no colour) than the recently published "Cattle Breeds - an encyclopaedia" by Marleen Felius. It is as comprehensive as such a catalogue needs to be. The place of such inventories of breeds will eventually be taken by the electronic database being assembled under the FAO led Global Animal Genetic Resources Program. Freed from the limitations of the printed medium, this will have the capacity for layers of information at whatever level of detail will be required by different users. The third section of the book, entitled "Breeding Policies", looks to the place of cattle in tropical farming systems and in particular to their genetic management and improvement. The coverage of the literature in this field is excellent, and the discussion thorough. It is informed by the experience of both authors over many decades of observing and advising on improvement of cattle in tropical countries. Their convictions are clear and unequivocal: programmed models of genetic improvement from developed economies have little chance of success, because appropriate breeding and production objectives are much more diffuse, and because the infrastructure they need (AI, recording systems) often does not exist. Likewise, breed transplants from the developed world more often than not fail. The case the authors make is persuasive and convincing. They go on to review the spectrum of cattle breeding strategies available. These range from cautious improvement of adapted local breeds, through a series of cross-breeding options to, in exceptional circumstances, breed replacement. Each case is different, and above all, requires careful study of the needs and motivation of cattle owners. They, and not governments or international agencies, ultimately control cattle breeding policy. This is a book of serious scholarship and yet with a very practical intent. For a long time into the future it will undoubtedly be the best source for those interested in the origins, background and breed variation in cattle throughout the tropical world. It will also, I believe, be the essential starting point for those professionally involved in the improvement of cattle and cattle production systems in developing countries. The wisdom and the lessons of the past have been

College-level collections strong in literary criticism must have this study, which integrates and examines three works of criticism: Gertrude Stein's THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF ALICE B. TOKLAS, Toklas's own THE ALICE B. TOKLAS COOK BOOK, and WHAT IS REMEMBERED. The idea of autobiography is probed as both the genre and the writers' methods and approaches are examined. Chapters deconstruct the true story idea and provide many points for study and examination.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The best book about the Truman presidency. The books outline of Truman's power to prusuade is marvelous. There are many books about his Presidency. This book is about his power. It is a must read for Truman buffs or those who enjoy reading about the Presidency.

The Truth
By Mike Palecek
(Writers Publishing Cooperative 223pp)

Against the backdrop of history, we have the story of a small-town mailman - whose son is one of the U.S. casualties during the Occupation of Iraq - and his almost inevitable realization of the cruel, deceptive and cynical context within which many sons and daughters continue to sacrifice their lives..

Mike Palecek's latest book `The Truth' is a vital book on a vital subject: Democracy (of any definition) is threatened in the United States more than any time in her history - not only by the erosive events enacted by the Bush Administration (and the events are many, both in domestic and foreign affairs), but also by the inertia in response, or non-response, by a truly frightening number of the American public.

The book is organized with even-numbered pages carrying quotes of significance to the point of the lockdown of America (from Goebbels, from Goering, from Ari Fleischer, - but also the wonderful and inspiring words of such human beings as St. Augustine, as Thomas Jefferson, as well as writers and thinkers and journalists ranging from Helen Thomas to William Shakespeare..) and the odd-numbered pages relate the story of Pete Penny. Either the quotes alone or the story would be fully satisfying, but together they serve in creating an acute tension of the individual life in historical context. This same tension is further played out in the very very funny sections that run throughout an otherwise almost Kafkaesque unraveling of the life of one man. The extremely comic attend the tragic of both the story and history's narrative - just as the ludicrousness of an absurd `President' underline the daily horror: The horror of the Administration's avarice and lies in a bloodshed which shows no signs of abating; the mockery and indifference to much that the American people have valued; the ravaging of any American dream.

It is without hesitation that I urge everyone to read this book: For those who are lost in the chaotic events of our times, it is illuminating; for those who are familiar with the aspects that Mike describes, his lucidity and fine perceptions further organize our thinking.

`"I found out the truth, man, but it's better to stay stupid, go to ball games, smoke cigarettes and fish from the shore. Figuring it out's not the hard part. It's what are you gonna do, now, man? That's when it gets tough. What you gonna do now?"'

- Sheila Conroy

International Progressive Publications Network
www.ippn.ws

Dr. Carman's research is thorough, well written and concisely presented. A worthwile read for those who are interested in the discourses of agriculture, economics and politics.
"U.S. Agricultural Response to Income Taxation is the first extensive look at how income tax policy affects agriculture in the U.S. Surveying a significant body of research, Carman documents the effects of federal income tax on production and investment decisions in agriculture, farm size, and, prior to 1986's tax reform act, tax-shelter investments by non-farmers.
Guiding a reader through tax and farm policy with helpful flow charts and graphs, Carman discusses the impact of income taxes on land prices; decisions regarding machinery and equipment, orchards, and livestock; management practices that take advantage of cash accounting; capital gains tax and depreciation provisions; and tax equity. He also examines the interactions of income taxes with social security taxes, estate and gift taxes, and corporate income taxes.
This book concludes with a timely review of how various tax proposals, from a fiat tax to a consumption tax, might affect farmers and agriculture in the U.S." U of I press

Stitt's analyses of the five poets are superb and full ofinsights, butperhaps most striking is his use of the philosophy of modern physics, fully explained in the introduction and developed throughout. An impressive performance and an excellent book overall. Beautiful design too!

Peg Mullen is an Iowa farm wife whose son Michael was killed in Viet Nam. Her story was told by others in "Friendly Fire." This is HER side of the story and it's a powerful story at that. She documents in plain speak the terrible agony of a mother who not only has lost her firstborn, but who has to endure the obfuscation of the United States government in keeping her from the truth. It was Peg Mullen vs. The US Army and Mrs. Mullen won. Peg is a long-time activist and her crusade against war and other nonsense makes "can't stop" reading. There are incredible moments of pathos -- Peg's detached recitation of the day she learned of Michael's death -- and moments that cause your chest to swell with pride as when she toppled a candidate for a top defense post. Mrs. Mullen went up against the President of the United States and Mrs. Mullen won. You'll be better for reading this wonderfully moving, inspiring account of the tragedy of "Unfriendly Fire."

Never would I have thought I, a New York City boy, would need an encylopedia of Iowa. Imagine my surprise when I did - and even greater surprise to find that a) a book like this existed and b) it was an amazing read!

Sarah Hutt blends information with entertainment and creates a memorable and complimentary guide to all things Iowan. I'm a fan now!

As anyone who has walked the walk can attest, the University of Iowa campus is a beautiful place. After examining this book, others can experience some of what is there. It is a vibrant university, from the athletic events to those of a more mental bent. Most of what you see in this book is the exterior of the major buildings as well as some of the favorite hangouts of the students. While no set of photographs can ever capture all that is a university, this collection of snapshots comes as close as it possible to do so.