943a7157-a1b9-45b7-b533-efe8a2f1769cTrueNewShipBrazilAmazonLargeBooksreviewrank1548015480712654518http://www.amazon.com/Maverick-Success-Behind-Unusual-Workplace/dp/0712654518%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D07126545182841249Ricardo SemlerHardcover9780712654517Import0712654518CenturyEnglishEnglishCentury272Book1993CenturyCentury109700USD$7.007495USD$74.950810005.045907126545185002008-08-15

An unorthodox approach to running a business

Ricardo Semler calls himself a maverick, but he's actually a visionary. Semler, now 49, was way ahead of the curve 25 years ago when he radically altered the structure and philosophy of his father's company, Semco. Long before most businesses acknowledged that employees were thinking, feeling human beings and not timecard-punching robots, Semler rebuilt the infrastructure at Semco, eliminating layers of bureaucracy and allowing employees to decide their own fates. They determined their own schedules, pay scales and dress codes. Semler drastically reduced paperwork; he restricted memos, for example, to a single page. He believed that empowered employees, freed of their corporate shackles, would be motivated, creative and productive. You may find some aspects of that approach unrealistic or totally impractical for your organization. You may even think Semler is crazy. At the very least though, getAbstract believes executives should give careful consideration to his approach. His innovations are still relevant, even a quarter of a century later.07126545185002008-06-26

Great book. Amazing story.

Great book. Amazing story. <br />Lot's of good lessons to be learned here. I read it all the way through and enjoyed the writing style a great deal. A quick read with fascinating stories and good information. 07126545185002008-05-12

One of the best business books ever

I think this book gives In Search of Excellence a run for its money as the all time great. This book really promotes a different way of thinking about the workplace in a much more collaborative way. I can't wait to start his other book the Seven-Day Weekend.07126545185002008-04-07

Humanistic Management on the spot!

I have been strugling about how to have an organization or a corporation that are at the same time efficient and humanistic/democratic. Although people normally receives these types of ideas with reserve, the feeling is that it is almost impossible (take out the "almost" if you wish). <br /> <br />After reading Maverick everything changes. We have heard histories before, for example, ancient Athenas, Robert Owen cooperative success in 19th Century England, Mahatmas Ghandi, and so forth. However, rarely a 20th Century corporation has gone so far as Semco, at least to the best of my knowledge. <br /> <br />If you are interested in "real" humanistic-democratic management, you must have this book in your reading list.07126545185002008-01-18

Thought provoking

<br />Maverick is the story of Semco, an medium size Brazilian company who has set free their employees. The owner, Richardo Semler has been on a journey to continuously improve and innovate their employee related practices. Maverick describes this journey, the steps Semco took, the effect it had and the reasoning behind it. The changes they have gone through is innovate, thought provoking and may be even revolutionary. <br /> <br />What are these innovations? They range from flextime for factory workers, letting people control their own work to more extreme practices like completely abandoning the organizational chart to people who can set their own salaries! Chapter after chapter, Richardo describes these changes, starting with the smaller ones and ending with the large and most thought provoking changes and ending the book with a speculation about how his ideas and Semcos experiences might influence other companies and maybe the general business culture. <br /> <br />Maverick is very well written. It took me 2 days to read it, it kept me reading all the time. Well structured and really builds up to the end. Also the end, for me, was not dissapointing and looking forward to reading Semler's follow-up book. <br /> <br />Very much recommended.B0009S5AVW03215256551591841992159059714115918420342Biographies & Memoirs2327Arts & Literature385084011Audiobooks2365Ethnic & National300960Family & Childhood2375General2376Historical300956Large Print2396Leaders & Notable People3048891Memoirs916928People, A-Z2419Professionals & Academics2429Reference & Collections1043842Regional Canada2430Regional U.S.2437Specific Groups2446Sports & Outdoors300961Travel1000Subjects283155Books2571Workplace355561011Organizational Behavior3Business & Investing1000Subjects283155Books2612General3Business & Investing1000Subjects283155Books394181011Hardcover394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books8589992012http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Partiers-travel-guide-Janeiro/dp/8589992012%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D8589992012211279http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518crPbTB2L._SL75_.jpg7557http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518crPbTB2L._SL160_.jpg160122http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518crPbTB2L.jpg500381PaperbackCristiano Nogueira9788589992015408589992012Solcat EditoraEnglishEnglishEnglish7002795USD$27.95Solcat Editora184Book2007-07-10Solcat EditoraSolcat Editora555202795USD$27.952250USD$22.50190011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewK1QVoHPOlHzNM2fGASm4%2FnOrFHBbQA1SpbblSK0%2FfU38qTeysgUvqmAFU5iHLgqVa79HC7pVLn%2Bnni41I74VTQ%3D%3D2795USD$27.95Usually ships in 24 hours5.040885899920124002008-09-30

Best Rio guide

I bought this and The Hedonist: World Travel Guide to help guide me in planning a multi-city vacation. Both great books. For Rio this is the most extensive book written for young single guys. Clubs, discos, girly places, tourist stuff. It also has some basic Portuguese advice, and some great pictures. The other book covers 20 countries, and turned out to be spot on accurate as well. Man I miss Rio.85899920125002007-10-10

Brilliantly honest

This book isn't written like all the other boring guides. It's hip, it's cool, it's gritty, and by the time you're done reading it you feel like you just made a new friend in Rio. The author does a brilliant job of breaking the 3rd wall and really brings you to his marvelous city. 85899920125332007-06-05

Best Travel Guide!

I went to Rio last year with a friend. She brought two travel guides, and I brought two travel guides. We quickly ditched all the other travel guides, but carried Rio for Partiers around every day we were in Rio. <br /> <br />This book tells you about things only locals know and other travel guides don't teach you. It explains (with pictures) food you will find on the beach and in the street cafes, complete with an estimated cost. The book also explains hand signals commonly used in Rio (very helpful), includes popular phrases, a map, tells you what to pack, what to wear, where to eat, were to go on day trips, and so much more. <br /> <br />The friends we stayed with (Americans) had been living in Rio for several months and said the advice was dead on. They also learned a thing or two from the book. You don't have to be young, or a partier to love this book. If you're going to Rio, you need this book! <br />85899920125112007-03-10

Great reference

I used this book throughout my vacaction in Rio it was great. It gives you a breakdown by day of which clubs are good and type. It was like having your own tour guide. I showed it to a few locals whom didn't even know items that were in the book. 8589992012429322007-01-13

Another day in paradise

I've been traveling to Rio for business/vacations for several years now, and have become truly addicted to the culture, and the impossibly breathtaking views of the beaches and the women. Maybe not in that order. I picked up this guide when I was already a Copacabana veteran. It is concise and very helpful for the newbie venturing out into new territory. There is a serious culture barrier here with few people speaking English, so you are pretty much on your own without a running buddy. Yes, Rio is paradise beyond anything you can imagine, and yes, it can be very dangerous, particularly at night time. Your stuff will be stolen on the beach if left unattended. Pickpockets are everywhere. But when you read all the precautions, scams, and advice you will quickly acclimate to the environment. <br /> <br />This book is penned for a great short-time tourist experience, with plenty of sightseeing spots, restaurants, and nightclubs to visit. (club names change often). As far as the women, they are everywhere, and give you the great girlfriend experience that is near impossible to find back home. The language barrier makes it tough to pick up regular girls clubbing in tourist areas. Brazilians tend to hang together. My advice would be to listen to Pimsleur Portuguese tapes prior to your visit to get a rudimentary head start. <br /> <br />For short term visitors looking to save time and want to be smothered in women, for arranging the sure thing just pick up Brett Tate's The Hedonist: World Sex Guide - Single Male Erotic Vacations in Rio, Costa Rica, Thailand, Carribean and much more, which has extensive pay for play advice for Rio and 20 other cities. A word of warning to first time visitors. This place is mesmerizing. Don't surprised if you find yourself hugging a girlfriend at the airport, sobbing in broken childish gringo Portuguese "please don't make me leave." One more thing. You're not that special. She'll be hugging another sobbing guy at the airport in a few days. <br /><i>Rio for Partiers</i> is a travel guide to Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) designed for red blooded tourists. <BR><BR>It outlines, in a step-by-step manner, all the must-see tours of Rio: relaxing tours (exactly where to go to unwind), adventure sports (who to contact for instructions), cultural (the essential tours) and rainy day ideas (what to do in Rio when it's raining).<BR> <BR>It also goes into detail on what every tourist must try: from snacks to tropical fruit juices, to Brazilian cuisine to local drinks. Thirdly, it lays out the nightlife scene, giving each day of the week the best option for: clubbing, live music, street parties or bars. <BR><BR>Lastly, it offers dozens of tips on topics like safety, prices and how to deal with Brazilian boys and girls. But what makes Rio for Partiers even more desirable is that it can save the tourist lots of money: the publishers have partnered with sports instructors, bars and restaurants to get them to offer a discount or bonus to bearers of our book: just show the cupons in the back and you are automatically entitled to free drinks, discounts to daily rates and VIP entrance (no waiting in line) at the best bars and clubs. In short, Rio for Partiers tells you everything you need to know to have a blast in Rio.0975264001174104867217405973110975264028974927050917041Guidebooks17025Reference & Tips27Travel1000Subjects283155Books17168General17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books67576General17157Brazil17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books67578Rio de Janeiro17157Brazil17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books197498011General27Travel1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155BooksR2FFDVUQAHEG59Must Read 'Guy Books' for the Modern DudeR1WC7DMDQCKOZARio de Janeiro Sports and Sex Vacations2GIIZGDD41V96Before going to Brazil3DVSJ4RV9VH2KBooks I've reviewed 2002-200431CGZK5XWQPMBA Brazil Lover's List1556434405http://www.amazon.com/Little-Capoeira-Book-Nestor/dp/1556434405%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1556434405109814http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-T6HWlQyL._SL75_.jpg7550http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-T6HWlQyL._SL160_.jpg160107http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51-T6HWlQyL.jpg500335Nestor CapoeiraPaperback793.319819781556434402721556434405North Atlantic BooksEnglishEnglishEnglish9011595USD$15.95North Atlantic Books1175Book2003-05-06North Atlantic Books2003-05-06North Atlantic Books70602994USD$9.94176USD$1.7652000005.029615564344055112008-01-10

Very nice book.

I'll be perfectly honest. With my short attention span I have at times, I havn't done much in the way of practicing through the use of this book. But what I have practiced using it, I was able to figure out easily thanks to the diagrams and explanations in it. This book was also able to make me hold the interest I first had in Capoeria before finding it with the additional sections that talk about the styles history and the philosiphies behind the art. <br /> <br />If you want a book on Capoeria that will hold your attention for a good long time, than you'll deffiantley want this one! Just don't assume that you'll be able to catch on to the style immediatley though, this book also proves that Capoeria isn't something you can pick up right away. ;D15564344055012007-03-29

great for new capoeiristas

great read for people new to capoeira that want to have a more comprehensive review of the history, music, and game. also has an interesting review of a conference that discusses capoeira in US and Europe, which is very useful to read to learn about the different trends and mestres around. definitely recommend it! 15564344055012007-01-04

Discusses and teaches the Game on many levels

I found this book to be an entertaining and informative read which discusses the game of capoeira on many levels from the philosophy through to movements and drills. It's a well rounded book and I reccomend that you give it a read if you are interested in capoeira (and even in philosophy). 15564344055222006-05-24

Love it

I grant I'm starting out but this book has amazing insight on the philosophy and moves. Reminding that creativity is as important as learning the moves that have come from those before us. He also gives exersies that can be done when a person can't get to the roda of his instructor/mestre. After this book I'm gonna have to read more books about capoeira as well as from Nestor cause he was able to explain more than I thought could be put in a book. 15564344054222006-01-18

Newbie and I got it!!

This book has been out for quite a while now and even now, in 2006 the book is still helpful. I'm new to the Capoeira lifestyle and reading this book has been extremely helpful in gaining more knowledge about the history as well as the many different movements involved with this awesome martial art. <br /> <br />I definitely recommend this book to newbies and more seasoned capoeristas. I may be a little "slow" but while the illustrations are great, I got a little confused when trying to "flow" through the movements but by reading, you'll figure it out and they'll begin to feel right. <br /> <br />Hope this helps...enjoy! The book starts off by giving an in-depth history of the Brazilian art of Capoeira. The last half of the book deals with the movements and techniques of Capoeira, including: offensive and defensive movements, basic kicks, takedowns, advanced kicks and movements, head butts, hand strikes, and knee and elbow strikes. Each of the techniques and maneuvers are vividly depicted by drawings that are very easy to understand and learn from. There is also an explanation of both Angolan and Regional versions of most of the techniques. This book gives a very good description of the history, game, and philosophy of Capoeira. The book contains diagrams showing various positions and movements and discusses attacking and defending strategies and the critical aspects of feinting. Over 100 photographs and illustrations are included.1583941762158394141X1556434049158394155X09381902961513Folk1474Dance521000Performing Arts1Arts & Photography1000Subjects283155Books4435General4402Puzzles & Games86Entertainment1000Subjects283155Books16575General16571Martial Arts16533Individual Sports26Sports1000Subjects283155Books11086921General26Sports1000Subjects283155Books298657General10Health, Mind & Body1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books684278011Dance684277011Performing Arts468206Humanities465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books712992011General AAS684277011Performing Arts468206Humanities465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books712982011General AAS465600New & Used Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books713014011General AAS319654011Qualifying Textbooks251254011Custom Stores44258011Specialty Stores283155Books2ZJ06O2WCRDYECapoeira Detroit Recommended Reading/Viewing2JO08UB3VW6NKThe best books on MMA0394425979http://www.amazon.com/Gabriela-Clove-Cinnamon-Jorge-Amado/dp/0394425979%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D03944259791127995http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XTlU8iqUL._SL75_.jpg7554http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XTlU8iqUL._SL160_.jpg160116http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XTlU8iqUL.jpg450327Jorge AmadoHardcover97803944259790394425979Alfred A KnopfEnglishEnglishEnglish1000USD$10.00Alfred A KnopfBook1962-10Alfred A KnopfAlfred A Knopf2795USD$27.95494USD$4.942095USD$20.9511450005.024503944259795002008-01-14

UNFORGETABLE ROMANCE. BRAZIALIAN CLASSIC

Stepping Off the Edge: Learning & Living Spiritual Practice <br /> <br />MY OLDER DAUGHTER'S MIDDLE NAME IS GABRIELA BECAUSE OF THIS BOOK. In 1925, the Brazilian town of Ilheus burst into prosperity & modernity as cacao plantations gobbled up the land. Cacao barons built nouveau riche monstrosities and cultivated fine airs. The filthy, starving mulatto girl, Gabriela, wandered into town, escaping famine in the North. Just as Nacib the Arab lost his cook. What would his Cafe do with no cook? Nacib is so desperate he hires the waif. And Gabriela, bathed and clothed, is a beauty who has every man in town panting. Also-- she's a great cook. The Cafe is hopping and Nacib is a mess. Can he hold on to her? A melange of political bosses, concubines, proper wives and daughters. Cheating wives and scandal. The beautiful Gabriela and her food moves through it like a smile. A beloved classic in Brazil.03944259795332008-01-03

Another masterpiece by the late Jorge Amado!!!

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon <br /> <br />Gabriela Clove and Cinnamon is a more than delicious and delightful novel that takes place in the Brazilian town of Ilheus in the mid 1920's. The plot centers on the romance between Nacib, the Arab, and the graceful Gabriela, a mullato beauty that is willing to work for next to nothing as she is running away from famine. This takes time and place when and where the cacao prosperity is changing every aspect of the political and social lives at Ilheus. I chose this book since I had already read Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, also by Jorge Amado, and absolutely loved it. By no chance was I disappointed. This is just another masterpiece by the late Jorge Amado that I just could not put down until I finished and, besides, made me laugh and feel great all throughout the book. I won't give away the plot, but I am telling you, it is one of the finest novels by a Latin-American author that I have ever read. 03944259795132007-08-15

Great Book For First Time Amado Reader

This was the first book I read from Jorge Amado, and it's one of the best books I ever read. I won't give away the plot here, but the novel roughly chronicles the modernization of a small South American township and the politics and drama with it's everyday citizens, primarily the free spirited Gabriela of whom most of the town residents are not quite ready for.A fascinating book on the culture of Brazil.03944259795132007-05-30

I loved this book!

Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon is another one of Jorge Amado great accomplishments. If you've never read a great work by a Brazilian author, you don't know what you're missing. I've already read Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, also by Jorge Amado, and I plan on reading every one of his books.03944259795022007-05-12

Great Book

The book arrived in perfect shape. <br />It's a great book. Jorge Armado is a great Brazilian writer. <br />Good choice!!!Ilhéus in 1925 is a booming town with a record cacao crop and aspirations for progress, but the traditional ways prevail. When Colonel Mendonça discovers his wife in bed with a lover, he shoots and kills them both. Political contests, too, can be settled by gunshot...<br><br>No one imagines that a bedraggled migrant worker who turns up in town–least of all Gabriela herself–will be the agent of change. Nacib Saad has just lost the cook at his popular café and in desperation hires Gabriela. To his surprise she turns out to be a great beauty as well as a wonderful cook and an enchanting boon to his business. But what would people say if Nacib were to marry her?<br><br>Lusty, satirical and full of intrigue, <i>Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon</i> is a vastly entertaining panorama of small town Brazilian life.0307276643029918644X05533744000201441918080213030510425Latin American10311World Literature17Literature & Fiction1000Subjects283155Books394181011Hardcover394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books1931229414http://www.amazon.com/Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu-Master-Techniques-Essential/dp/1931229414%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D193122941476615http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NT9VS6D0L._SL75_.jpg7561http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NT9VS6D0L._SL160_.jpg160130http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51NT9VS6D0L.jpg500405Kid PeligroRodrigo MedeirosPaperback796.81529781931229418501931229414Invisible Cities Press LlcEnglishEnglishEnglish10402995USD$29.95Invisible Cities Press Llc1231Book2005-09-28Invisible Cities Press LlcInvisible Cities Press Llc1658301878USD$18.781902USD$19.022460011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewsOTOy8708n99rKRWubn4aNvXT%2B6fNArdVv7dD4%2BX1uvVHQ6cxTnzgrQ6tOwrb6iJLTtuzWRRNbyiRf0sA9LYYxej78k2rkOl1977USD$19.77Usually ships in 24 hours5.015319312294144002008-08-23

A good read as well as move list

This was a good book. A lot of the other books from this series are really mainly just move indexes with some reading to. This book has a lot more reading about what you should be doing well you are in guard. I think as a beginner this book helped me a lot. I think there was a few times I would not have passed guard and gone on to tap someone if it were not for reading this book 19312294145112008-06-04

the title says it all

this is the essential book for the beginner or intermediate BJJ player. it is likely the best BJJ book out there because it pays quality attention to the nuances of the GUARD and you will not get that at every jiujitsu school. without fundamental knowledge of the proper body positioning required to execute guard techniques, youre going nowhere. <br />futhermore, no matter how good you are as a 'top' position player, without a SOLID guard, youre wasting your time. <br /> <br />rodrigo medeiros is an excellent teacher.... one of the best. this is evidenced by the fact that he shows you the 'finer' points in very clear detail. one begins to wish that the book were much larger in scope and that it covered ALL the techniques from the guard, but no book can really do that. however, if you are having trouble executing or setting up the standard techniques, this book is sure to help. you get a $200 lesson for about 25 bucks. <br /> <br />get to rollin' <br /> <br />19312294145002008-03-05

Essential Reading

I've been training BJJ for about a year now, and I'm on the small side (130 lbs) so I find myself on my back a lot, and I quickly learned the importance of an effective guard. For me this book has probably done more to improve my training than anything else (except actual sparring). I usually fight guys much bigger than me (between 180-220 lb) and until I learned how to use the guard effectively I was basically a grappling dummy for my opponents. But now I'm constantly surprising my training partners and myself with how effective and varied these techniques from guard are, and I credit this book with much of my improvement. The guard is great because you can attack with all four limbs while your opponent can only use their arms. <br /> Kid Peligro is an excellent teacher and offers many of the subtle details that make the difference between submitting and being submitted. For example, the section on breaking the posture and the 4 pages on the basic cross collar choked improved my game more than anything. Everyone knows this choke, but the minor details make it really dangerous, especially when you don't have a lot of muscle to force the choke. Before, most guys I sparred with weren't too worried about my choke, I was convinced I wasn't strong enough, but since reading this book I've put several guys to sleep because they wouldn't even considering tapping and now they try hard not to even let me get a grip on their collar. This opens up many more opportunities to attack with sweeps, arm bars, and omoplatas. What makes this book so good is the authors' understanding of students and the basic mistakes they make, as well as the very clear explanations and photos. The moves are integrated into a complete system that will put you years ahead than if you tried to figure this out on your own. That being said, there is plenty here for higher belts as well. I think the Essential Guard is essential reading for anyone taking BJJ seriously and interested in dramatically improving their Guard game. It should be know that there isn't a lot on the half- guard, it's mostly breaking the the posture, replacing the guard, opend and closed guard, butterfly, spider, and attack combinations. If you want a good half-guard game, I recommend Eddie Bravo's Mastering the Rubber Guard. These two books compliment each other well.19312294145002007-12-19

thank you

Thank you for writing this book. This book gives details about the guard that would take thousands of dollars to learn in a jujitsu school. I hope the authors write a book about how to pass the guard that is as detailed.19312294145002007-09-24

Very satisfied

I found this book very useful and well laid out. I use this book whenever i get busy at work and can't attend bjj class as often as i would like. Very easy to understand with good pictures. My only negative comment is i wish the butterfly guard section was thicker. <div>The nuances of the guard, the most important position in jiu-jitsu, are covered in this instructional guide that teaches practitioners how to put up an impenetrable defense to any opponent. Showing how a myriad of techniques originate in the guard, including sweeps, reversals, and submissions, these drills demonstrate how small changes in hip position and weight distribution can make the difference between success and failure in submission combat. Extraordinarily detailed with tips from leading black belts and down-to-earth advice on what to think about during a match, this guide is instructive reading for even advanced belts seeking to refine their game.<br></div>1931229082193122942219312294570972109714097773159616575General16571Martial Arts16533Individual Sports26Sports1000Subjects283155Books11086921General26Sports1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155BooksR25CBOPV5HI784My Mixed Martial Arts Book CollectionRDQA7ZKCQNQSLGreatest UFC / Pride fighters ever...R26X2XGEXUGE6AThe only Jiu-jitsu books you need.R1PU60YS38N547BJJ BooksR28BJ5E4X7KVZ2Aurum PotabileB001E079D6http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Lest-All-Fall-Down/dp/B001E079D6%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB001E079D6http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Of35D3DJL._SL75_.jpg7552http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Of35D3DJL._SL160_.jpg160110http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51Of35D3DJL.jpg500344Margaret WillsonKindle EditionKindle BookCold Tree PressEnglish1595USD$15.95Cold Tree PresseBooks2007-11-06Cold Tree PressCold Tree Press999USD$9.99100011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewCTnBc%2BRzKlip6FtTXKXjXm6FFsjCn%2BFbRKTKXHabPSojiydqoLieDZ6vryfZXWsgeFu8A%2FIjxhqyIe4O62u9Gg%3D%3D999USD$9.99Usually ships in 24 hours5.0153B001E079D64002008-10-06

An engaging and human story

This book is written by a trained anthropologist, but a dry read it is not. The author tells a very human story in a page-turning way, introducing readers to a place and a people who, for all of their struggles and for all of their differences from non-Brazilian readers, are still portrayed in such a way as to make us all remember how much we as fellow human beings have in common - the need for food, shelter, safety, and yes, even love. In fact, this triumph of love over often heartbreaking circumstances is the central theme and dare I say lesson of the book...and what a timely lesson it is. This book, a crash course in "how the other [less fortunate] half lives," was a great inspiration to me, and a great reminder of how very much a couple of hardworking idealists really can make a tremendous difference in this world. B001E079D65112008-07-15

Essential reading for global citizens

This inspiring, fascinating and great-to-read first person account tells of the founding and development of Bahia Street (www.bahiastreet.org), a grassroots organization dedicated to creating a top quality educational center for girls in an African-Brazilian shantytown in Northeastern Brazil. Co-Founder/Author Margaret Willson exemplifies what Global Citizen Journey aspires to: a deep sense of our interconnectedness with respect, trust and deference to communities to know the best way to meet their challenges. She offers wise insights about the pitfalls of 'do-gooder' impulses and the complexities of racism, class and power, and an extraordinary example of community based change. What's more, Willson writes with the sensitivity and language of a poet. <br /> <br /> <br />In one section she addresses the role of power/patronage in international aid which I found especially enlightening and compelling for my fellow global citizens who yearn to help make this a world that works for all: <br />"I began to think about the giving away of power. Generosity in terms of the donation of material things is comparatively easy. We keep the power because we never give away things we really think we need, and because through giving we increase our social power. We do nothing to destabilize the status quo." "...people start nonprofits for all kinds of reasons, and, generally, the primary reason is not that they want to change the world. Perhaps that is what they think they want to do when they start, but individual development aid projects have a great deal to do with personal insecurity and the desire for power...We have a concrete idea of what a "good" life for others is and what they need to have this "good" life. So, we force ideas upon them...We want to write the curriculum, design the housing project, the water project, the solar project-whatever it is that we think would be best for others...In the end, however, we keep the control of society in our hands. This is also why most projects help people just enough to give them tools to survive, but not to raise them to a level to make them equal with the ruling class. This would be dangerous because we would no longer have control...Central to actual change is the real giving away of power and influence. This is very difficult on a personal level because we want to be recognized for our work, for the things we have done that have actually helped, and for the time we have spent on whatever project we feel strongly about.... But, I began to realize, giving away power is a learning experience of the deepest kind. Through giving away outward power, I realized I had begun to gain internal power...." <br />B001E079D65002008-06-03

A powerful story of poverty and hope

I wasn't really sure what to expect when I picked up this book. I had heard a little bit about the [...] organization through my friends, so I could somewhat guess where the book ended. But I was mostly unprepared for the journey. When Ms. Willson first visited the city of Salvador da Bahia in Brazil, she probably never imagined the impact the city and its people were going to have on her life. As an anthropologist, she lived among the city's poor, learning about their lives and culture and gradually coming to love them. She developed a strong need to give something back, to change the social norms that trapped these people in grinding poverty. Thus was born Bahia Street. But this wasn't just another charity of outsiders trying to impose their vision of a better life. Instead, Bahia Street uses ideas, goals and people from the poorest parts of the city to work for a better life for the girls it educates. This local involvement seems to be critical to the organization's remarkable success. <br /> <br />The depths of poverty in many places in the world is almost impossible for us to contemplate from the comfort of our secure lifestyles. This book takes the reader deep into the poorest areas of Salvador and shows us the daily struggle for survival faced by the people who live there. It is a powerful reminder of the gross inequities that exist between the haves and have-nots of the world, and shows that it is possible for us to make a difference, however small, if we are only willing to listen and trust those in need.B001E079D65112008-04-22

Loved It - Must Read...

This book was introduced to me through a friend - they were so passionate in explaining the book I knew I had to read it, and I did...in one sitting. It is a great book full of a variety of knowledge and information written well enough to read in one sitting. Learned so much about the people of Bahia, non gov groups, the work involved in setting up non-profits, not just in the U.S. - and on top of that the amazing story of the woman who made Bahia Street actually happen and all those along the way who have been affected...B001E079D65112008-04-15

Riveting Story and Lesson in Humanity

This book provides amazing insight into what it is to be human in this world. You will put down the book having a real sense of faith in humanity after reading the work, thoughts and experiences that Margret has so unselfishly put down on paper. You feel you are in Bahia experiencing the people, food and culture all the while. This is a must read for anyone traveling, especially, to Brazil.“Dance Lest We All Fall Down” is a gripping first-person account of one woman’s experiences living in a Brazilian shantytown. She, a white American anthropologist, joins forces with an African-Brazilian shantytown activist to change the violence and despair they see around them. Their pledge to the residents to create a top-quality educational center for girls becomes a turbulent journey that takes us from the shantytowns of Northeastern Brazil to urban Seattle to high-society London. With the author, we experience a world of drug dealers, street urchins, and capoeiristas, English socialites, power-hungry “do-gooders,” and wise teachers. This is a true story of insight and inspiration, courage, passion, and intrigue.1000Subjects1Arts & Photography2Biographies & Memoirs3Business & Investing4Children's Books4366Comics & Graphic Novels5Computers & Internet6Cooking, Food & Wine86Entertainment301889Gay & Lesbian10Health, Mind & Body9History48Home & Garden10777Law17Literature & Fiction13996Medicine18Mystery & Thrillers53Nonfiction290060Outdoors & Nature20Parenting & Families173507Professional & Technical21Reference22Religion & Spirituality23Romance75Science25Science Fiction & Fantasy26Sports28Teens27Travel283155Books618073011Kindle Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books157360011General157359011Poverty305951011Politics & Current Events154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store157494011Children's Studies157488011Social Sciences157325011Nonfiction154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store157509011Philanthropy & Charity157488011Social Sciences157325011Nonfiction154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store157560011Feminist Theory157559011Women's Studies157325011Nonfiction154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store158217011Portuguese158194011Instruction158192011Foreign Languages158125011Reference154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle StoreB0014ENOG8http://www.amazon.com/Accidental-President-Brazil-Memoir/dp/B0014ENOG8%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0014ENOG818199http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nBN4TNPmL._SL75_.jpg7549http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nBN4TNPmL._SL160_.jpg160105http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51nBN4TNPmL.jpg500328Fernando Henrique CardosoKindle Edition981.064092Kindle BookPublicAffairs1495USD$14.95PublicAffairs1320eBooks2007-03-26PublicAffairsPublicAffairs999USD$9.99100011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewyoWyPytLzARZL4NyrGkuck5Zir6T5rxXJXiA0viHmFcmxePyEDwO0cST6I5WN3sWHyO6La5wlr%2BRDnxbdtIBOQ%3D%3D999USD$9.99Usually ships in 24 hours5.0143B0014ENOG84002008-08-24

Well-written, full of information about Brazil and Brazilians

I heard about this book in Brasilia, Brazil earlier this year, from a citizen of Brazil. It is a very good insight into the nation and the "accidental president". I learned a lot about this important country and why it looks to Europe and why the USA is less important to it. I recommend this book highly for persons wanting to learn about Brazil and for those who enjoy politics. B0014ENOG85112008-07-18

Informative and sincere political memoir

This is an intriguing and informative political memoir, and I would highly recommend it to anybody interested in recent Brazilian history and politics. First of all, let me share the observation that there really don't seem to be many good books on contemporary Brazil. I am a non-specialist when it comes to Brazil and so I've been searching for some journalistic accounts, travelogues, etc. I was kind of led to this book because it was about the only thing I could find on recent Brazilian politics, but it ended up being a very rewarding read. <br /> <br />There are two primary reasons that Mr. Cardoso's memoir succeeds so well. First, the subject matter, modern Brazilian political history, is intrinsically interesting. Second, and most importantly, however, Mr. Cardoso is a truly engaging and oftentimes humorous writer. This is somewhat of a surprise given his academic background. Mr. Cardoso was a fairly successful sociologist before entering politics, and I half expected that dry academic language to show up now and then in his memoirs, but that is certainly not the case. In fact, Cardoso has a very good sense of humor regarding his academic disposition, and how it has both helped and hindered him in political life. <br /> <br />One point that might be of relevance to those considering whether to read this book: you might be somewhat disappointed if you are only interested in very recent Brazilian history. Practically the first two-thirds of the book detail Mr. Cardoso's life BEFORE he assumed the presidency. Cardoso brings a very interesting perspective to Brazil's turbulent political history, as he was born into a very powerful military family. His grandfather was a leader of the revolt that brought down the monarchy, while his father was an influential figure under the Vargas regime. Cardoso expertly explains the various elite conflicts that kept Brazil in a state of perpetual political instability for much of the 20th century. As a result of a military coup after WWII, Cardoso was forced into exile, as were many other intellectuals. He spent some of this time in Chile, and one episode recalls a party he attended at Pablo Neruda's house, where he met not only the host but future Chilean president Salvador Allende. He was eventually allowed to return, but his dissatisfaction with the military regime that refused to relinquish control induced him to enter the political fray as an opposition figure. <br /> <br />Roughly the last third of the book covers Cardoso's time as president. Cardoso here describes the challenges he faced reforming Brazil's inflation-addled economy (and protecting Brazil from the global financial crises of the late 1990's), fighting corruption, and fixing some of the country's endemic social problems. The latter include the HIV crisis, in which one can reasonably say that Cardoso's administration was successful, and agrarian reform, a problem which still persists to this day. There are also several sections in which he details his troubled and fluctuating relationship with Lula, Brazil's current president. Finally, some of the more interesting episodes recounted in the book are Cardoso's encounters with and impressions of various other world leaders. He had a very close relationship with President Clinton (who, incidentally, writes the preface to this book), and while his praise for the ex-American leader is undoubted sincere, it might to some seem a bit excessive. His impression of George W. Bush is evidently less favorable, and Cardoso even recounts one conversation in which our president asked in surprise, "Do you have blacks down there in Brazil, too?" <br /> <br />In sum, pick this book up if you are interested in Brazil, Latin American politics, or political memoirs more generally. <br />B0014ENOG84002008-06-21

Fascinating and easy-to-follow

In The Accidental President of Brazil, Fernando Henrique Cardoso provides an entertaining look at his unusual career, from his privileged childhood by the beach in Rio, to his sociology research in the shantytowns, to his exile during the military dictatorship, to his entry into politics and taming of Brazil's runaway inflation. An engaging and personable narrator, Cardoso provides fascinating contextual details of Brazilian history as well as the colorful personalities who have shaped it, like Emperor Dom Pedro II, Getulio Vargas, Janio Quadros, and Lula Da Silva. Throughout the book, Cardoso's love for his country and commitment to the poor are apparent, as is his conviction that sensible leaders, guided by good will and tempered by serious policy debate, actually can solve large problems in large countries. B0014ENOG85112008-03-01

Great Read!

I picked up this book to begin a lesson in the history of Brazil, of which my boyfriend is a citizen. This is by far the best history book I have ever read. Fernando Henrique does a wonderful job of telling the story of his country intertwined with the story of his family, giving the reader a better understanding of his unique perspective of his country. It is informative and entertaining at the same time. Highly recommended.B0014ENOG85122007-06-27

Cardoso - good timing for Brazil

I really enjoyed this book. Cardoso tells the story of his rise to power in a very humorous manner and fills the gaps with Brazilian political history. Cardoso comes off as a very likable man and treats opponents with a fair hand. Cardoso was obviously the right man at the right time for Brazil. He beat Lula twice and Brazilians can be happy for that. Cardoso introduced the real, redistributed farm lands to poor families, brought free HIV medicine to Brazil, fought against corruption, and privatized the phone company - allowing hundred of thousands of Brazilians to get connected. By the time Lula was finally elected, he had no choice but to accept Cardoso's policies because they work for Brazil. Cardoso brought Brazil into the modern age. I love Brazil and have gained a great deal of respect for Cardoso. Excellent read.<div>Fernando Henrique Cardoso received a phone call in the middle of the night asking him to be the new Finance Minister of Brazil. As he put the phone down and stared into the darkness of his hotel room, he feared he'd been handed a political death sentence. The year was 1993, and he would be responsible for an economy that had had seven different currencies in the previous eight years to cope with inflation that had run at 3000 percent a year. Brazil had a habit of chewing up finance ministers with the ferocity of an Amazon piranha.<br><br> This was just one of the turns in a largely unscripted and sometimes unwanted political career. In exile during the harshest period of the junta that ruled Brazil for twenty years, Cardoso started his political life with a tentative run for the Federal Senate in 1978. Within fifteen years, and despite himself, this former sociologist was running the country.<br><br> And what a country! Brazil, it is often said, is on the edge of modernity, striding with one foot in mid-air towards the future, the other still rooted deep in a traditional past. It is a land of sophisticated music and brutal gold-digging, of the next global superpower and the last old-time coffee plantations. It is gloriously ungovernable, irrepressibly attractive, and home to the family, friends and extraordinary life of Fernando Henrique Cardoso. This is his story and his love song to his country.</div>B000OV1BVMB001D2131EB000UFP9BUB000PC10O8B0014H4VR62375General2Biographies & Memoirs1000Subjects283155Books3048891Memoirs2Biographies & Memoirs1000Subjects283155Books618073011Kindle Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155Books154788011Political154786011Leaders & Notable People154754011Biographies & Memoirs154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store154793011Memoirs154754011Biographies & Memoirs154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store156592011South America156584011Americas156576011History154606011Kindle Books133141011Categories133140011Kindle Store1931229368http://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Fighting-Techniques-Brazilian-Jiu-Jitsu/dp/1931229368%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1931229368148205http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VKBP5EKML._SL75_.jpg7561http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VKBP5EKML._SL160_.jpg160130http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VKBP5EKML.jpg500405Royce GracieKid PeligroPaperback796.81529781931229364711931229368Invisible Cities Press LlcEnglishEnglishEnglish10872995USD$29.95Invisible Cities Press Llc1272Book2005-04-01Invisible Cities Press LlcInvisible Cities Press Llc2388431857USD$18.571745USD$17.452790011ATVPDKIKX0DERhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/home.html?seller=ATVPDKIKX0DERNewnewBGbMf5dOpYFCMu4XgXZ8xZUkJx4Ltw6bejmffjUZtb%2FpvHasRDVhHDXEDb66%2BazeQuLmqGOjzYnMJfDp%2BleNpw%3D%3D1977USD$19.77Usually ships in 24 hours5.014319312293685002008-02-14

No Complaints

Just like I said about UFT vol.2,this is a sport bjj book for begginners.About one in every four moves shown in this book can be translated to mma competition. <br />The moves inside are divided up as follows; <br />1)Takedowns-22 moves <br />2)Guard Passes and The Turtle Position-21 moves <br />3)Side Control-17 moves <br />4)Mount-17 moves. <br />5)Rear Mount-8 moves. <br />Once again,Royce links the moves together and this is an excellent book.19312293685002008-01-03

Great reference, with reservations.

This is a great reference book on BJJ techniques. However, I do agree with other readers that this book really does not cover UFC technicalities (i.e. strikes). Would definitely recommend for someone studying ground techniques but not for NHB/UFC training.19312293685222007-01-11

Great Book!

Any fan of Jiu-Jitsu will love this book! My husband read it constantly. Great illustrations and step-by-step directions on how to do each move. A++19312293685222006-12-12

Ultimate Fighting Techniques

Royce Gracie is at his simplistic best,Teaching moves that are simple and will be remembered in the ring. Royce Gracie is the only man in octagon history to defeat 3 oppenents in one night 3times to win the first 3 out of 4 UFC Championships. 19312293685222006-11-29

Plenty of pictures but very few submissions

This book will teach you a lot of very basic drills and ways to move from an offensive position to a stronger offensive position and in many cases teaches you how to defend those same advances. The book has very little about armbars, leg locks and figure 4 triangle leg chokes (although it does have a really cool one to use if you're already mounted past your opponents guard). You'll become efficient at understanding terms like guard, half guard, mount, back, side control and how to move from one position to a stronger using proven techniques. I give the book 5 stars because the techniques presented are well taught using pictures and easy to understand language. This book focuses mainly on techniques used to attack your opponent, today I'm ordering the second book of the series on ground game defense, after all, there's nobody better at defending a ground position than Royce. Royce Gracie presents an array of fighting strategies specifically designed to succeed under the rules of mixed martial arts competition. Traditional Brazilian jiu-jitsu techniques are combined with new grappling and striking maneuvers to offer practitioners an incredible array of attack options. Royce Gracie's personal tips on training, competing, and sustaining mental stamina, which helped him achieve an unprecedented string of victories at the Ultimate Fighting Championships, are also included.1931229449193122945719312290820977731561097773153716575General16571Martial Arts16533Individual Sports26Sports1000Subjects283155Books16577Judo16571Martial Arts16533Individual Sports26Sports1000Subjects283155Books11086921General26Sports1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155BooksR1JMUXJU30ZOOXPreparing For The Martial ArtsR26X2XGEXUGE6AThe only Jiu-jitsu books you need.R1PU60YS38N547BJJ BooksR28BJ5E4X7KVZ2Aurum PotabileR1R5ZQCB65U6Starting a Grappling Library2T093PHSK2UX1Warrior books. For internal and external conflict.3GKXVLIZFK5LJComplete MMA Training1OSSM5S6T49NJGreat Books on Jiu Jitsu0615207529http://www.amazon.com/Lusty-Traveler-Complete-Tourism-Vacations/dp/0615207529%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D0615207529575743http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NnR0cUfFL._SL75_.jpg7544http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NnR0cUfFL._SL160_.jpg16093http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41NnR0cUfFL.jpg500292Wiley CooperPaperback97806152075200615207529Sex Tourism PublishingEnglishSex Tourism Publishing116Book2008Sex Tourism PublishingSex Tourism Publishing1499USD$14.991000005.012306152075294132008-07-05

Love it!

What more can you say. Funny, accurate, and fits in your pocket. Everything you need to prepare for your Rio vacation. A great investment for guys that are traveling all the way to Brazil.06152075295242008-07-05

Disneyworld for Guys

My friends and I went to Rio for a bachelors party. We had the best time and owe much of it to this book. It's anyones guess if the groom will actually go through with the wedding. One of the guys in our crew booked a hotel that was not listed as "guest friendly" and he had to pay 150 extra just to bring a girl back. Don't get ripped like that, buy the book and save the hassle.06152075295242008-07-05

Awesome.

It's a firsthand insider's perspective that you won't find in any other book: what to do, where to go, places to avoid, etc. Where to meet local women. <br /> <br />I saved time and money using this guide, and after my vacation can say it's accurate, and helps you find the best party spots without screwing around. If you're single or just looking to mingle, this book is what you want. <br />06152075295232008-07-05

Thumbs Up

I was so surprised on how accurate this book is. Rio is a true male bachelor's paradise. One of my male friends that travels the world put me on to this book. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to be in this fraternity of world class sex tourists. 06152075295232008-07-05

Delivers the Goods

Bought after searching Amazon for a singles vacation guide. <br />Great book. Advice for fishing, hotels, and most importantly, sex tourism. <br /> <br />Complete travel advice on: visa requirements, tour companies to use, taxis, hotels, and the brothels and bars to check out. For daytime activity, you'll find all the tourist stuff as well. Short, sweet and to the point. A fun read.'Lusty Traveler' is the world famous, all-inclusive sex tourism guide. Entertaining, informing and loaded with well-researched advice, this book is an absolute must-have for hedonistic adventurers. Don't waste time and money on another disappointing vacation. Release your inner porn star and experience the pleasures of Rio as a seasoned expert. From the upscale brothels to the dive sex shops; from the "guest" friendly hotels to the one-hour pit stops - no subject is taboo, and every moral line is crossed. Women are judged based on attractiveness, affection, and value. Reviews are firsthand, unscrupulous, and any trace of political correctness is left for dust. Want to negotiate a great deal? Read Wiley's invaluable advice. Humorous personal accounts amuse and polish off key points. Of course, less provocative topics, such as the best restaurants and "must see" attractions, are also covered. All the necessary details are provided - addresses, phone-numbers, websites, and prices. Even a brothel map is included to help you find your way. Use the list of "guest" friendly hotels and apartments to choose the perfect love den for late night trysts. Do you want to talk dirty in Portuguese, but do not have time to learn? Check out the chapter on Portuguese vocabulary and phrases. Your dates will be delighted by your mastery of their native tongue. This is the most accurate and up-to-date reference on the market; don't settle for anything less. The world's most beautiful women are waiting. Live the life you deserve.0975264001B0010SIKEY0975264028858999201267578Rio de Janeiro17157Brazil17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books172765Beaches17025Reference & Tips27Travel1000Subjects283155Books400272011Paperback394184011Mass Market401237011Trade394174011Binding (binding)388186011Refinements283155Books618083011Printed Books618072011Format (feature_browse-bin)388186011Refinements283155BooksROW0K5LBVOOQ4Sex booksRHF9I5WDDU1FVSex Vacation GuidesR2N8EWSYMOEFO8Travel GuidesR40VJENRVFS5PBachelor GuideRX882A9RUGOQBSex Tourism GuidesR2M6NMI7Q11QC0Rio through the Back DoorRWI4WG4VLNTKWSex Tourism GuideRXI8U16NBLL8GTourist GuidesR90FBPU8QLC26Great Sex Tourism GuideB0007GPPZWhttp://www.amazon.com/Tristes-tropiques-Atheneum-paperbacks-Le%C3%8C%C2%81vi-Strauss/dp/B0007GPPZW%3FSubscriptionId%3D05ERXYTS89KFGEPQR5G2%26tag%3Dthebookrevi0b-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB0007GPPZW3016975Claude Lévi-StraussUnknown BindingAtheneumEnglishEnglishAtheneum404Book1967AtheneumAtheneum385USD$3.850700005.0102B0007GPPZW5112007-08-27

Into the remote parts of South America

I like to travel and to observe the cities, landscapes, the plants and animals and the human inhabitants of the countries I go to. So does Levy-Strauss, and he is a fantastic observer, much more sharp-eyed than I could ever hope to be, and a highly entertaining writer. In this classic he talks about a wide range of observations from a number of corners of the world, but mainly about South America. <br />The book deals with Levi-Strauss' time as a teacher in Brazil and his trips into the South American hinterland; his escape from Nazi-occupied France; His later expeditions to visit remote tribes in the Amazon; and an assortment of observations about such diverse topics as the frustration of the traveler to never encounter the true, pristine state of a culture, the Indian caste system and the division of public and private space in different parts of the world. The book is full of fascinating anecdotes: My favorite one is how a native chief from observing Levy-Strauss grasped the social importance of writing, but not its role in information storage and transmission. He bluffed to impress his underlings and drew freshly invented line configurations on a paper. This leads Levy-Strauss to observe that from the invention of writing to its universal knowledge a few millennia passed, during which it did not serve to liberate the masses, but to control them. Such wide-ranging philosophical associations are frequent and were very enjoyable to me. The book is, however, definitely not only a collection of anecdotes, but in parts a very detailed description of the life of some of the native tribes he visited in the Amazon. Drawings of artifacts, patterns used in body-painting and photographs supplement the text. We are given both anthropological descriptions of the lifes of these peoples, their social organization, attitudes and material culture, as well as Levy-Strauss' personal experiences when living among them, sometimes his friendships with members of these tribes. Of course these people were strongly affected by the contact with European civilization, often to the worse. We also learn about these developments. There isn't really much direct explanation about his theoretical approaches to anthropology. This is the kind of book which made me wish that I could have been an expedition member of Levy-Strauss' team. Highly recommended.B0007GPPZW5112005-06-28

A journey down the savage river of mind and memory

I often review works which I have read long ago. Upon beginning to write about them I invariably discover how much time I gave to something which seemed so worthwhile at the time, and which I have almost completely forgotten. I then ordinarily do some catch- up learning about the book. And my review becomes an amalgalm of distant past and most recent present impression. And meanwhile the heart of the book is forever unknown to me and lost. And my review is only a minor tracing an impression both of the book itself and what of my mind knew when reading through it. <br />This certainly applies to my reading of this particular work, ,the one work of Levi- Strauss which I remember reading with any degree of real understanding and pleasure. His making of a life and career as an anthropologist which are a good part of the first part of the work interested me then. <br />The long travelogue and explorations into Amerindian society and mind, interested me less. <br />I understand though that the real voyage is into and along with the mind of Levi- Strauss itself, a mind much more complicated than I was ordinarily used to meeting and ingesting . <br />I do remember however the somewhat majestic tone, the tone of restrained sadness of quiet mourning which seemed to go through the work as Levi- Strauss met with worlds being lost and deterorating , in part through their meetings with the very kind of Western mind he himself exemplified. It is the mind destroying the object in the process of knowing it , as the Western explorers of these tribal societies transformed them out of their own natural state by meeting with them. <br />For Levi- Strauss and this I remember, the ' primitive mind' is not ' primitive at all' and may be in its linguistic complexity and social structure far more intricate than the ' civilized ' as it were sophisticated worlds we believe we live in. <br />I read this work as a way of being acquainted with a great mind, a mind which to my mind proved to be quite elusive and even distant. <br />But clearly the exploration made by Levi- Strauss of his own inner and external worlds is one which calls to the curious human mind and heart in its quest for understanding ' of the other' <br />Montaigne took a trip in the Brazilian jungle in the twentieth <br /> century, looked in the mirror and saw the face of Levi- Strauss.B0007GPPZW5882005-05-24

Idea overload and totally interesting

Tristes Tropiques, surely one of the great books of the twentieth century, is Levi-Strauss at his intoxicating, idea-overloaded best and an elegy for a world that colonialism and then globalisation have doen their rational best to annihilate. <br /> <br />Levi-Strauss, like most thinkers who come up with new ways of describing the world-- those who Richard Rorty calls "inventors of philosophical vocabularies"-- has of course been mis-read and his ideas mis-applied, as we see with the much-hyped "creation" and then "demise" of "structural anthropology." The real pleasure of this book, which mixes fascinating accounts of Levi-Strauss' travels in Brazil in the '30s with autobiography, and adds chapters on the Maya and ancient Hindu (Indian) civilisations, is in its sheer mass of artfully arranged detail and its endless, provocative play of ideas. <br /> <br />Levi-Strauss stays conversational, descriptive and straightforward, avoiding academic jargon and obscure references. He assumes you know the basics about people like Freud, Marx, Darwin and the Buddha, and then shows you a trip through largely non-industrial societies which unfolds from anthropological description into deep philosophical speculation on the meaning of society and life. <br /> <br />In Brazil, Levi-Strauss watches an illiterate but canny chieftain use his anthropological fieldnotes to intimidate his illiterate tribesmen subordinates, and speculates on the parallel origins of writing and slavery. In Matto Grosso, he meets a butcher fascinated with elephants, since "he could not imagine so much meat in one place." On the banks of the Amazon, a non-industrial tribe is dying, hypnotically lost in the symbolic intricacies of an ancient social system that makes its citizens inbreed. In India, Levi-Strauss watches Islam and Hinduism-- the "locker room" and "mother" religions-- wage symbolic and then real war post-Independence. <br /> <br />The book starts as anthropology, turns into philosophy, and ultimately becomes a critique of the West, driven by "reason" and technology to shake off what Levi-Strauss calls the "thick blanket of dreams" with which non-industrial civilisation arranges the Universe into Meaning, which remains for the industrialised world the greatest and unanswered question. <br /> <br />But Levi-Strauss does not idealise the primitive. His point is that through the study of those and that which are different, a kind of "ideal model" of society-- one which will never exist-- can be built in the imagination, and people can evaluate their world by reference to this community of mind. <br /> <br />This is a remarkable book-- easy to read, engrossing, and endlessly thought-provoking.B0007GPPZW5782004-01-21

Grounding Levi-Strauss's Structuralism

This is Levi-Strauss most readable book, and it is a fantastic introduction to the "why" behind his interest in structuralism. There are hints of the various methods and approaches that he uses in later works, but this book shows why he was to develop structuralism in later works. The writing is clever and eloquent, and various conclusions he made about cultural diversity address contemporary concerns in a highly articulate and responsible manner. Read this book before delving into the other writings of one of the 20th Century's most important anthropologists.B0007GPPZW418202003-12-29

Parrot Flambee

One way to gauge who's in among fashionable academics is to read the catalog for the "Writers and Readers' Documentary Comic Book" series. Sartre has an entry, and so does Derrida, and Lacan. Thirty years ago, you would have expected to find an entry in this index for Claude Levi-Strauss. No more. Translations of his principal works appear to persist in print, but the sales numbers are look low, and he seems almost to have disappeared from the trendy book reviews and such. This is perhaps a matter for at least idle curiosity: Levi-Strauss is surely no more abstruse than his magisterial contemporaries - but no less so; one is perfectly willing to be relieved the obligation of ever picking him up again.<p>With one exception. In style and temperament, Tristes Tropiques is so different from almost everything else Levi-Strauss wrote that it is hard to believe it is written by the same man. Oh, the primitive tribes are there, and a brief personal intellectual history, that offers a bow to Freud, and Bergeson, and Saussure. In my own copy, which I first read about 1980, I even have a pencilled notation "structuralism" - this at page 375 (Pocket Books edition, 1977). But there is almost none of the portentous vacuity that you had to cope with in the so-called "serious" works.<p>What you get instead is Levi Strauss the raconteur, full of travelers' tales. He dines on roasted parrot, flamed with whisky. The termites make the earth rumble. Virgins are made to spit in pots of corn, to provoke fermentation - but "as the delicious drink, at once nutritious and refreshing, was consumed that very evening, the process of fermentation was not very advanced." You almost expect the anthropophagi and the men whose heads grow beneath their shoulders, that you meet in the Voyages of Sir John Mandeville, Knight. <p>Laced through it all, you get a kind of austere sadness which is either (a) a tragic view of life; or (b) a kind of self-indulgent posturing, depending on your temperament for skepticism. "Every effort to understand," he says, "destroys the object studied in favor of another object of a different nature." Or: "Anthropology could with advantage be changed into 'entropology', as the name of the discipline concerned with the study of the highest manifestations of [a] process of disintegration."<p>Well, call me anything the like, they say, as long as you call me for dinner. It might even be an elaborate con. But so, for that matter, might the stories of Herodotus were you get the same mix of the eclectic and the tolerant, the surreal and the sly. Herodotus, we may note, is one of the first great works of Western literature. Let's hope that Levi-Strauss is not one of the last.First published in 1955, Claude Levi-Strauss's accounts of his researches among the peoples of the Amazon is a fascinating study and influential in understanding the organization of human society. He writes of myths and superstitions, modern cities and ancient villages, and each page is packed with anecdotes and observations. Photos & illus."I hate travelling and explorers," famously declared Claude Lévi-Strauss, but how fortunate for readers that he should overcome his loathing to write about his experiences among the indigenous peoples of the Brazilian interior, including the Caduveo, Bororo, and Nambikwara tribes. Those who know Lévi-Strauss and <I>Tristes Tropiques</I> by reputation only will be pleasantly surprised by the intimate tone that colors even its most precise anthropological sections, as well as the autobiographical passages at the beginning, in which the author recounts how he fell into his career and how, shortly after the Nazis occupied Paris, he was forced to flee to America in a grueling sea voyage. Twenty-five black-and-white photographs of tribespeople, as well as numerous line drawings, accompany the text. 039332043X022647484408813308410805210385046509516X11312Native American Studies11298Special Groups11232Social Sciences53Nonfiction1000Subjects283155Books67576General17157Brazil17150South America17128Latin America27Travel1000Subjects283155Books