Current Events Books

I was very satisfied with the text book. It is in almost perfect condition and was delievered in a timely fashion. Impressive! Plus I saved a lot of needed money.

One of the major things that striked me about this book is Lauren's acknowledgement that the concept of human rights is not a completely Western creation. Traditions around the world, political, cultural, and religious, have stressed justice and equality.
Lauren's treatment of Human Rights is quite thorough. I have to commend him for the fact that he does not value judgements on any of the events he described. He acknowledges the mistakes made but does not dwell on them.
I also learned a lot of things about history that wasn't touched about in my history classes. I can say that I actually felt smarter reading this book. :)

"For scholars of international human rights, it is difficult to imagine a finer gift on the fiftieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights than this study of the Declaration's complex and far-reaching impact. Paul Gordon Lauren has skillfully combined a detailed history of the legal documents with the political, philosophical, and social contexts in which they developed. He has further enriched his study with the personal visions of leading individuals so that the story comes alive, unfolding with a human drama supported by meticulous scholarly research." -- American Historical Review

Awarded an Outstanding Academic Book for 1999 Award from Choice Magazine

The author Paul Gordon Lauren deserves kudos!! A very well written book on Human Rights Theory. A must for all those who seriously want to go into depth on this subject. The concept of Human Rights is not limited to the western world nor it is proper to say that it has arisen mainly from Europe, an idea which has been very well captured in this book.

I wanted so badly to give this book 4 stars but couldn't bring myself to do it.
The concept of the book is interesting and Mr. Olson tackled it very well. The early part of the book details Mr. Olson's experiences growing up in Iowa, attending the University of Iowa Law School (Go Hawks!), how he came to join the CIA, and gave a brief summary of his career, although I say it was TOO brief and if Mr. Olson ever wrote a biography about his experiences in the Agency it would make a tremendously interesting read. He also mentioned that when he was recruited into the CIA, all he knew about it was what he had learned in Allen Dulles' book The Craft of Intelligence, which is ironic because I ordered that book on the same day as Fair Play. Both turned out to be greatly enjoyable.
The largest portion of Fair Play focuses on different (hypothetical) moral dilemmas potentially faced by Intelligence Officers, with each dilemma being asked in question form, "Would it be moral if..." Following each posed dilemma several people give their opinions and answer the posed question, answering either `yea' or `nay,' and telling why they answered in that way. At the conclusion of each `dilemma,' Mr. Olson himself chimes in and gives some basic background on the issue raised (these are the most informative parts of each section).
In the back of the book is an index explaining certain words and concepts, used throughout the text, that those outside the intelligence community may not fully grasp, which was nice to have as a reference. He also lists some of his most highly recommended books regarding the Intelligence community. Again, nice bonus.
All in all, it's a great book. So, why did I want to give it only 4 stars? ...Because the book wasn't entirely informative, as I prefer. That is to say, the questions were posed and people were allowed to give their opinions. Granted, the purpose of the book is to highlight the various dilemmas and take into consideration various perspectives, but that can grow tired after a bit. At times it made me feel like I was sitting in a moral dilemma debate conference.
However, in taking the following into consideration I feel obligated to give it 5 stars and absolutely recommend it: the informative reference section, the real-world input of the author, and the recommended reading list add a lot of value to the books content. Heck, even the small font causes the pages to be jam-packed with content. And lastly, Mr. Olson does indeed what he set out to do. It's worth the price!

Great book, great intro. to the intelligence field, and gives you a birdeye's view on the little spoken subfield, which is the morality of the intelligence field. Great demystifier of this field.

Fair Play offers the reader a peek into the murky world of espionage. CIA veteran Jim Olson has a unique perspective that few other authors can offer to anyone interested in intelligence. Fair Play is not your standard historical narrative. It is an interactive experience, which invites the reader to participate in fifty realistic and morally challenging scenarios that our spies must contend with. Olson adds further credibility to Fair Play by sharing with the reader a cross section of responses to his very realistic scenarios. These elicited responses are from accomplished professionals, whose vocations vary from the former Deputy Director of the CIA to practicing physicians.
Fair Play includes chapters on Olson's under cover career in the CIA, changing U.S. attitudes toward espionage from the Revolutionary War to the present, and historical, biblical, and philosophical justifications for committing espionage. Armed with this requisite knowledge, the reader is thrust into true-to-life situations that U.S. spies actually face in the shadows today. This approach redirects the reader from the role of arm chair quarterback to active participant by asking what he/she would do in that same situation. Among the many topics covered are assassinations, kidnappings, interrogation, torture, drugs, seduction, sexual entrapment, and blackmail.
Morality and espionage are not mutually exclusive. As Olson says, it is about time someone started thinking about how morality and spying fit together in today's world. The community he continues to serve faces monumental challenges. Its operators need to have a clearly defined moral code with which to take the fight to our enemies. This book represents a great first step towards providing such a moral code to our clandestine warriors.

FAIR PLAY could've been featured in our Military Shelf section - after all, it's by the former chief of CIA counterintelligence - but deserves a much broader reading audience than those who frequent military libraries. FAIR PLAY presents both a survey of the real world of spying and espionage and a concurrent survey of moral and ethical issues involved in spying, and dilemmas which come from field experience every day. The blend of intelligence history, political insights, and social issues makes for a survey which advocates a clearer moral sense in U.S. intelligence officers - and that holds many lessons for civilians as well. Even the general-interest lending library will find it a unique, compelling read.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

In the vast genre of intelligence writing, this book is simply unique. In presenting the moral dilemmas faced by intelligence officers, this work is indispensible--both for practical training for the professionals and for educating the public about the realities of the profession.

Where the book falls down, I'm afraid, is in its judgments about other works of intelligence writing. Olson's list of the best books for a professional library include two that have been discredited as historical works. He also repeats the mythical canard that Winston Churchill allowed Coventry to be bombed during World War II so as not to let the Germans know their communications were being read; he needs to read David Stafford, Martin Gilbert, and R.V. Jones on this score. Being taken in by [...] or by myths are disturbing failings for a former chief of counterintelligence.

Strother, a Texas bred Democrat consultant who served as a mentor to better known figures such as James Carville, recounts his experiences in the rough and tumble world of politics. In many hands, this could have been a very factual, dry and boring book. Luckily for the reader, Strother is an uproarious storyteller.

The son of a fervent union man in Port Arthur, Texas, Strother more or less falls into the political consulting business by default. He begins his career in Louisana, a hotbed of corruption and questionable ethics. Thru his journey, we relive his often painful and hilarious campaign experiences with country singer Jimmie Davis, Gary Hart and Bill Clinton.

Current politics are dirty business and not for the weak of heart. Idealists are often rudely discarded before they even realize what's happened. Strother considers himself a man of integrity in a profession that increasingly looks at such a trait as a weakness. He not only has to deal with Republican adversaries but underhanded tactics by members of his own party. Strother is honest in his analysis of his work and colleagues and spares no one including other Democrats who employed dirty tricks against his firm.

No matter what side your political beliefs fall, this is a good read if you want to understand how politics work behind the scenes.

I had the pleasure of visiting with Raymond last week in Montana,and hearing him tell some of the stories that were not in the book was an interesting evening.

Even though I have lived in La. all of my life so many of the stories in the book I had never heard!Raymond brought them all to life.

Books about politics by insiders get most of the business right, but only Ray Strother tells you what it is really like to work in national politics in plain, unhyped prose.

Ray Strother's chronicle of the industry that brings us our leaders is fascinating. His story is also an "American Success Story". From the giants of the U.S. Senate includingRussell Long (recently passed) and Lloyd Bentsen to today's leaders in the Senate - Mary Landrieu, Blanche Lincoln and Zell Miller - Strother has woven a tapestry of stories that enthral and make us consider our democracy.

This is a first-rate, fast-read of an industry that is seldom discussed but that brings us world leaders. Ad agency execs marvel at their brilliance but at the end of the day they sell sugar water to children. Strother has given an insight to a world seldom seen, but of importance to all of us.

Get the book - read it and pass it around. This is one of those books that flys below the radar but could become a movie.

happy reading

Raymond Strother's warts-and-all memoir of his life as a political consultant is a fun, must-read for all students of American politics. Strother's career began when there was still some innocence in campaigning, and winds up during the frustrating years of ego-driven hacks whose self-importance overshadows their candidates, to the detriment of government. Ray Strother's genuinity was formed the old-fashioned way: he grew up poor and learned to appreciate other people.

Strother's tales of Southern political skirmishes will entertain. He's a smooth storyteller who should write more, now that he's out of the maelstrom of the Washington kill-or-be-killed consultant circuit.

Caveat: I am a Republican, and although Strother's life has been spent around Democrats, his tales are compelling across the board.

A must read for anyone serious about their freedom. The history of copyright of the world is covered. Larry makes this accessible to anyone and puts copyright and fair use in the context of the original creation of copyrights.

This book is not only a history lesson on copyright, but it shows how big corporate enterprises obtain and used material, through the same methods they now want to deny the general public, in order to get to the powerful presence they are today.

Example: Disney using lots of old fairy-tales which were in public domain. And today they fight for everything never to go into public domain in order to keep profit to themselves, while at the same time going after creative use that would expand our culture and art.

This book is worth the price just to hear the constant process of American culture - be a pirate, fend off "the man" to build your industry, become "the man," then go after the pirates who are presumably cutting into your business. Money makes hypocrites of us all. Please, RIAA, don't sue me for reading this book (although I'm sure you'll find a way, if there aren't any grandmothers or poor college students you can harass).

This book is excellent. Lessig's argument is thorough and well-developed, showing why the copyright laws affect all of us, from producers of copyright material to consumers and creative innovators building off of previous work. A great, and important, read for anyone, especially those interested in learning how Big Media in bed with Congress has successfully limited the freedom of typically law-abiding citizens to empower the old corporations and enfeeble the upstarts.

Whether conservative or liberal or anything in between, the book should really "strike home" and make you understand just how important it is to have a free culture.

I heard Lawrence Lessig speak at a conference earlier in 2006 and it was one of the best presentations I'd ever heard. So it will come as no surprise that his book is written in the same to the point, easy to follow and conscise style.

It's historical research sets the foundation for a look at things to come on the Internet as new technology threatens established media, much the same way as Lessig points out it did in previous centuries. The pirates of yesteryear are the corporations of today who threaten the pirates of today. He is humble as he describes his defeat in the US Supreme Court and proactive as he puts some suggestions forward to resolve the current crisis affecting copyright on the Net.

Couldn't put it down and have already purchased Code 2 by the same author.

Bart Jones, in my opinion, wrote one of the best biographies about a man who might lead South America in a revolution that will upset or at least seriously impress all of us. As he makes very clear, Hugo Chavez is brillent, sleeps little, moves around a lot with restless energy, has a definate goal, an admirable goal, and is on his way to reaching it.

But there is another side to Mr. Chavez.

I recommend that Mr. Jones read the life of Huey Long, who came from an immodest background in Lousiana, surrounded by the poor an oppressed, worked his way through enough college to meet his needs and was on his way to making a serious run for the U.S. presidency, all for the successful work he did for the poor. And he did a lot. But his passion was for power, not just helping the poor.

The depression produced a lot of these guys, the ones in Itly and Germany come to mind.

Being dedicated to the poor can be dangerous.

We have been receiving a one-dimensional, Bush Administration-driven perspective on Hugo Chavez. Bart Jones paints a complete picture of this Venezuelan Abe Lincoln. It helps us ordinary readers to remember that we certainly have no reason to dislike a man just because he is unpopular with the rich and influential. Jones's experience as a Maryknoll missioner and an AP reporter in Venezuela give him the depth of knowledge and discernment necessary to dissect a complex figure such as Hugo Chavez.

Since retirement a couple of years ago, I have read over a hundred books on Latin America, and political science...subjects I never studied in college. This is one book I place near the top of the list. It is accurate, unbias, and reads like a great novel. If only people could/would take time to become better informed, we could have a better world. By the way, another good book on Hugo Chavez is by Nikolas Kozloff.

I thought this was a great book and really gives the inside scoop on Chavez's life and ideas--since he is a leading political figure of the times and and especially of change in Latin and South America it behooves us in the US to know what motivates him and what he has done-even if one is not personally fond of him-I happen to be a great admirer of his and loved this book!

Journalist Bart Jones's detail-laden HUGO! tells the story of Venezuela president Hugo Chavez, the complete story that America's corporate "news" media ignores. And reading the HUGO! passage regarding the Venezuelan people's demand for Chavez's release after moneyed interests overthrow his administration in 2002, you realize this book also tells the story of that South American country's citizens. World history is nothing more than the wealthy few attempting to steal from and dominate the poor masses. In Venezuela, the rise of Hugo Chavez personifies the people establishing democracy, the most radical notion in humanity's chronicles.

Read HUGO!

Not often does a career FBI manager write his uninhibited expose of the FBI. Street agents will stand up and applaud loudly. FBI deskjockeys will cringe behind their desks preferring to believe FBIHQ press releases. I so enjoyed the book I attempted to get my copy autographed but the author's email address is no longer in use. Nota bene: SAC Smith's comments on the Squiggly Box (aka polygraph) is alone worth the price of the book-----and is a chilling caveat to those who might even consider having their lies detected by wires, waves and wiggly lines. Suggest a followup: the 9/11 books by Peter Lance.

Great Book. Anyone who's followed history and current events for any length of time must be aware of the FBI's arrogance, public failings, and history of horrible decision making (overall, in general terms..certainly not everyone in the oranization). Much (or most) of it through horrible management. It's documented nearly every day. I.C. Smith details just a few of these instances in his book (along with, of course, the ubiquitus political, white house, and DOJ interferrences). It's no wonder he left the FBI soured.

Interestingly, he even mentions the FBI's trend towards a paramilitary dress code and mentality. Apparently many individuals in the FBI feel cool wearing paramilitary clothing and brandishing automatic weapons. He says the FBI has changed a lot since he began...much of it not being for the better. As an aside, I'd like to hear his opinion on these "national security letters" and their publicized
abuses.

Great book for those who want a better understanding of the FBI and why they do the things they do.

This is an interesting book with serviceable writing that will leave you uneasy about the state of our intelligence gathering and security. The 3 stars are more for writing style but there is a lot of merit in the content.

The author relays, at first, many good stories from what sounds like an honorable career with the FBI. Even as he wades more deeply into the swamp of corruption in the state of Arkansas these episodes have an almost folksy travelogue-esque style with a report-writing quality that is still readable enough to do the job. I had to remind myself that his manuscript was scrubbed through a sanitizing process by at least FBI and CIA agency reviews before publication.

Still we see interagency rivalries, incompetent bureaucrats, inappropriate political interventions, the ever-dysfunctional state department along with internal agency problems. He closes with some sobering observations on crisis of leadership and the FBI's drift away from its mission and missteps that made it a less than stellar player in the road to 9/11 and after. I found the last chapters most worth the read for this.

Taken in conjunction with the excellent (and highly recommended works) Terrorist Hunter, and the Third Terrorist, this book completes a picture of an agency in trouble.

I recommend these latter 2 books first for more info on the war with terrorists, but if you have time, Mr. Smith's memoirs are a nice read. And his book does, indeed, have a treasure trove of insights into the headlines of the 90's and bureaucratic bungling that will drive you crazy.

Smith's autobiography of his career with the FBI provides an outstanding view of many faces of the FBI. Smith captures the good, the bad and the ugly. Reading the book helps the reader to understand some of the Bureau's great achievements and failures.

The book provides a useful look into the culture of the FBI, a culture that has both great achievements and failures. Like so many other governmental and private organizations as more information is passed to headquarters through the information highways, micromanagement increases and leadership decreases. Clearly this was the case at the FBI.

Published after 9-11 the author offers some very insightful comments on what could have been done and what should be done in the future. Smith also traces the debacles at Waco and Ruby Ridge to leadership failures at the FBI headquarters and the appointment of a HRT leader with no experience in the area of hostage rescues or swat operations.

Sadly these same institutional deficiencies would later prove to be part of the fabric of failure which allowed 9-11 to happen. The Marines stress a culture where the opinions and experience of the senior NCO's are respected and nourished. Sadly the FBI evolved to an organization that failed to maintain high ethical standards and leadership in its headquarters and in doing so betrayed the Nation and the great people in the field.

Smith wanders in and out of international intrigue and then returns to handling high profile domestic cases.

It is not a true history of the bureau, but, rather one agent's journey through a distinguished career at the FBI at a time when its leadership was not up to the quality of the men and women in the field and the challenges it faced.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspects of the book are the allegations that top management of the FBI lied to Congress and others on the issue of critical matters relating the 9-11. Perhaps this is part of the culture that grew after the Bureau promoted senior leadership that had lied under oath about Ruby Ridge and had destroyed documents relating the the issue. Smith points out that the FBI was warned years well in advance about the number of Muslim fundamentalist students taking flight training in the US and after the fact claimed not to have had the resources to have conducted an investigation. With warning from multiple offices, Smith believes that an average analyst would have concluded that there was a real threat. Hence the claim by Freh that there were no signals was simply false. Smith also asserts that the FBI never concluded a complete review of the many documents captured in Manila years earlier. Not only did these documents related to Al Qaeda plots to bomb American aircraft but they also had the potential to relate to the Murad office building bombing.

Highly recommended.

UPDATE
The recent release of a book by the agent in charge of the Oklahoma bombing incident in which he seeks to put to rest any claim of a broader conspiracy has the look and feel of that which IC Smith fought against. Arriving just as Hillary would be vulnerable to any disclosure that the investigation was flawed, the book has the look and feel of another favor to the Clinton administration of which there were far too many.

If there's one thing that can be said about the FBI it is that they try to keep a spotless image with the public. What exactly goes on inside the FBI? I. C. Smith comes forward with this account of his personal experiences as a Special Agent in Charge. Mr. Smith takes the reader on an autobiographical tour around the world including diplomatic experiences, terrorism, and the many times the FBI ignored mounting internal evidence that could have prevented tragedies. This is the inside story told from his point of view. It not only exposes bungling within the FBI but also examines some of the corrupt systems in which the FBI must work. As Special Agent in Charge of the Arkansas office he had unique insight into and a lot of problems dealing with the corrupt political system through which Bill Clinton rose to become governor and then president. Mr. Smith pulls no punches and includes lots of names in the book including Janet Reno, Rafael del Pino, the Clintons, and Kenneth Starr. Inside: A Top G-Man Exposes Spies, Lies, and Bureaucratic Bungling Inside the FBI is highly recommended, entertaining, and enlightening.

The book is only 105 pages long, but it explains the US/British foreign policies that wanted the war, how the evidence necessary to invade was manufactured, and also the misreporting of the war by the media. It's extremely concise and valueable. The author even manages to squeeze in some semi-tangents that are important. My favorite one is the discussion of the Democratic Party and their belligerence - I just get tired of hearing that the Democratic Party is an anti-war party.

A third of the book is devoted to explaining why the invasion was sought after (as well as the occupation of Afghanistan). Then the book moves to focus on the realities of the war's fighting, and how it is covered. After the end of all "major combat operations" in May 2003 the continued attacks on US troops was blamed on Hussein, who was captured in December 2003. After the fighting continued, it was blamed on foreign interference. The administration said a provisional Iraqi government was needed. After the "free" elections on January 2005 the fighting continued. Since then, the administration has been blaming it on al-Qaeda and other foreigners, which Arnove shows not to be the case. These steps of blaming a domestic resistance to other causes is strikingly similar to that of Vietnam. After facing continued resistance, our policies changed to describe and fight those false causes (strategic-hamlet program-->search-and-destroy operations-->pacification program-->Operation Phoenix-->Vietnamization (which was only initiated after the Tet Offensive of 1968 awakened people to the grim truth of the war). Also discussed in this portion of the book (what's really going on over there) is the liberalization of Iraq's economy - It's straight from the IMF/World Bank playbook. The last section of the book argues, after looking at why the invasion occured and what's happening there now, that we should leave Iraq and provide aid until they're back on their feet.

I'd also recommend that an interested reader look into Bush in Babylon: The Recolinisation of Iraq and America's confrontation with revolutionary change in the Middle East, 1948-83.

Q: How many pages does it take to make a compelling case for immediate withdrawal from Iraq? A: Apparently not many when you have logic on your side!

It is a myth that Bush & Co.--though misguided--had the best of intentions at heart when they ordered the military invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. And this unfortunate myth prostrates the antiwar movement when it deludes itself into believing that a bloody occupation stemming from an illegal war can somehow be salvaged into something beneficial for anybody besides Halliburton.

Anthony Arnove's book explains the real roots of the Iraq war in the context of power and profit (not misguided humanitarianism), summarizes for the reader three years of blood-spattered occupation history, provides eight excellent reasons for immediate withdrawal and then discusses the ABC's of anti-imperialist struggle drawn from the history of the Vietnam War.

This isn't a catchall antiwar book to give to your chicken hawk uncle at the next family reunion. This is a book for the 50 million Americans who already consider themselves part of the antiwar movement and want some real answers about stopping the blood-letting. Or as the author puts it, "...the U.S. left in particular needs far greater clarity about the reasons for the war, the political context of the war, and an effective strategy for ending it." (page 98)

This is the most articulate, politically sophisticated yet easy-to-read appeal to bring our loved ones home now that I've read since the war began.

But don't trust this synopsis--read the book.

This outstanding book makes the case for the immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from Iraq. This would meet the democratic demands of the Iraqi people, and also of the American and British peoples. In a September 2005 New York Times-CBS News poll, 52% supported the immediate withdrawal of US troops.

Arnove sums up, "Every single argument the Bush administration made to justify the invasion of Iraq has turned out to be false. Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction, posed no imminent threat to the United States, and had no connection to al-Qaeda or to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Iraq was attacked not because it had weapons of mass destruction, but because it did not (a fact that has not been lost on other potential targets of U. S. intervention). U. S. soldiers were not greeted as liberators, and the occupation has not paid for itself, or required few troops, or been quickly concluded. Nor has the occupation made the world safer or reduced the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Indeed, it has made Iraq, the Middle East, and the world far more dangerous."

From the start, the war on Iraq was a huge lie. As Arnove writes, "The attacks of September 11, 2001, provided the pretext the Bush administration needed to portray an offensive war to reshape the Middle East as a defensive measure to protect the people of the United States."

Everything we are told about the war is untrue. For example, we are told that the occupation troops conduct a humanitarian war on the ground. In reality, the USA is waging war largely by massive, unreported, bombing: the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing alone dropped more than 500,000 tons of bombs on Iraq between May 2003 and December 2005. We are told that there is no national resistance attacking the foreign occupier, just terrorists attacking civilians. In reality, for every attack against civilians, there are a hundred against the occupying forces.

British governments have always lied to us about matters of war and peace, of security and the national interest. This Labour government is different only because its lies have been more stupid, so that we have rumbled it more quickly.

Arnove's book lays out, in a pretty straight-forward manner (105 pages, not counting the foreword, afterword, appendix, acknowledgement, and notes) the case for pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq immediately. I read a few other books about Iraq before reading this one, and I would suggest that to any reader, just so they have a frame of reference while reading it. Arnove tries to use well-known quotes and facts to support his argument, and this helps, but there is still so much information on such a complex issue, that I think it would be difficult to read this and fully comprehend it with no prior knowledge of Iraq.

Arnove makes a very compelling case. What's sad is that he's using readily available information to make it, and yet we're now sending more troops to Iraq.

I think the only fault of the book is expecting that it will drive people to action. Arnove isn't really presenting anything new, just laying all the facts out for us in a very clean, logical way, almost like he's writing his thesis. While this style might work if Arnove were a lawyer convicting Bush of war crimes, it just serves to further highlight how this administration works above the law and gets away with it. Even with this much clear evidence against the war it continues on.

This should be mandatory reading for anyone who has bought into the lie filled Bush regime change rhetoric regarding Iraq. A Neocon filled US administration which has been proven wrong in virtually every single one its Iraq pre-war and current engagement contentions.

From "Mission Accomplished", to "Bring It On", to "...the insurgency is in its last throes..." to lies about active WMD programs, lies about Yellow Cake material from Niger, lies about Saddams mythical connections to Al Qaida and 911, this book helps unearth many of the utterly false, and utterly illogical claims told by the current Bush Administration in D.C. regarding their oil based, "Project for the New American Century" military actions in Iraq.

Another reviewer above stated the following, "Suppose the US pulls out and Mr. Arnove is proven wrong. A civil war breaks out."

Hello, a civil war had already broken out in Iraq in case you missed the last 3 years of activity over there!!! That's what the insurgency is, it is a Civil War action! A civil war initiated solely, 100% by the Bush Neocon doctrine in Iraq beginning in April 2003. As far as the war spreading further in the Middle East, there was no war in Iraq prior to the US military illegally attacking that country in 2003. Again, there was no war there! And there is nothing to indicate that our continued military presence in Iraq is reducing the insurgency after 3+ years of occupation. In fact, all logical signs are that it is merely fueling futher insurgency recruits and fueling further deaths in that civil war.

And what happens if the Iraq Shiite cleric Al Sadr, an extremely anti-US fundamentalist, is eventually elected the majority leader of Iraq, which could easily happen given that he's in the majority Shiite sect. Do we then remove him from power because Iraq elected him in a "democratic" fashion, but we now disagree with whom they elected?

The attempt at analogy between US highway deaths versus military deaths is comparable to believing that "Fox News" is "fair and balanced" reporting. If you believe that you probably also believe that there is no civil war yet being waged in Iraq too, LOL.

Very good read, and if you want further information on the real motives behind the Bush Administrations Iraq regime change, do a google search on "The Project For a New American Century" and read up on the true motives behind this illegal war of Don Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz and other Neocons whom Bush has surrounded himself with.

I found Mr. Hursts account of his experiences during the the civil rights struggle in Jacksonville, Fl during the early 1960's to be the most compelling, riveting, and accurate that I have ever read. It forces you to remember where you were and what you were doing on those dates and times. Excellent! A must Read!!
Allen F. Nash
Book Investigator
Ocala, Fl.

We have a myth in this country, propagated perhaps by an exaggerated faith in the nature of our ineluctable liberties, and our much vaunted "free press." The myth says that the truth is something that has natural buoyancy, and that given the slightest opportunity it will rise of its own accord. But sometimes painful truths are suppressed by the media to preserve the comfort level of the status quo, and strenuous efforts by courageous people are required to bring it forward into the light. Rodney Hurst's powerful new book, It was never just about a Hot Dog and a Coke focuses on just such a struggle: the struggle to reveal the truth about the events that led to a dark and shameful moment in American history, and a transformation of how America viewed segregation in the south.

On August 27th of 1960, more than two hundred white segregationists armed with axe handles and baseball bats attacked 35 unarmed black teenage members of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP as they sat peacefully at a Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Jacksonville, Florida. This horrific and shameful attack, designed to prevent black people from being seated and served, received virtually no coverage from the major media in the Jacksonville area, and only surfaced in the national news by virtue of the strenuous efforts of the local NAACP, black news papers and the determination of the black community. Jacksonville police did nothing to prevent the attack, and in fact, encouraged it. The attack triggered serious violence between whites and blacks in the Jacksonville area, and came close to triggering serious armed conflict. One of Hurt's themes is that irrational hatred and prejudice can only be preserved in social institutions when vital facts are suppressed, and ignorance is preserved. Newspapers and other media of the white community in Jacksonville, could have reported the truth about the attack, what lead up to it, and what followed it. They could have tried to defend what happened from a segregationist point of view. Instead through neglect and deliberate effort, they tried to suppress and distort news about the entire sequence of events.

Although Mr. Hurst, now in his sixties, was the sixteen-year old leader of the young people involved in the famous sit in, he makes his extraordinarily convincing case not as an angry propagandist, but as a thoughtful historian. He felt the need to write this book from the "inside" perspective because, as he successfully argues, the best local coverage at the time came from black newspapers that were not read outside that community. The local white papers covered these events minimally, in a distorted fashion, or not at all. In addition the national press--and many of the books written on the subject since those days--simply got the facts wrong. What Hurst provides in a way that has not been revealed before is the full social and cultural context in which these events unfolded.

The Jacksonville of 1960 was a profoundly segregated one, and Hurst paints a powerful and fascinating sketch of the lives of black people in that segregated reality. Denied access to many white institutions, black people had their own theaters, their own barbershops, beauty shops, haberdasheries, shoe stores, and newspapers. As the picture of that reality emerges, Hurst makes a powerful case (based on facts, not rhetorical assertions) that the preservation of segregation was based on deep rooted lies. Schools were much more poorly funded than white schools, undermining the claim that blacks schools were separate but equal. Ironically, many of the black schools were names after Confederate generals whose names were then impressed on books, documents, and the cement of the institutions themselves. In one case, a school was actually named after the Confederate General who founded the KKK! White church audiences in Jacksonville were often treated to sermons in which biblical passages were cited to justify the morality of segregationist policies. Hurst also cited many instances in which opportunities were curtailed for talented young people, including some remarkable athletes whose rise was impeded because of their color.

For young Hurst, the first step toward reclaiming his history was through a wonderful set of adult role models in the community, including series of remarkable teachers in his high school who taught students to value themselves and take pride in their community. He mentions many of them fondly in the book--in particular, his history teacher, Rutledge Henry Pearson, who laid the prescribed text aside and taught students the history of black people, locally and nationally. In the process Pearson helped students develop a sense of esteem and self-value that lead to an understanding of the oppressive nature of the segregated system under which they lived. EDUCATION was the tool of self awareness, and teachers like Pearson helped set students on the path to recognizing their condition. Other adult leaders in the local NAACP helped members of the Jacksonville youth Council of the NAACP decide that something needed to be done to change that condition. That decision, arrived at by the students themselves, led to the peaceful sit-in at a Woolworth's lunch counter, and triggered a terrifying confrontation with the white community.

Hurst's account of what unfolded is full of chilling and fascinating moments. We hear how weapons were gathered for the attack as police looked the other way. We hear accounts of how one local paper tried to persuade a wire service not to report the unfolding story for national coverage. (The wire service refused). We are made cognizant of the astounding courage of the black students who were willing to be physically beaten to stand up for their rights. We witness the bravery of a remarkable young white man, Richard Parker, who joined the sit-in, and had to be rescued from a white mob by young members of a black gang called the "boomerangs."

Over time, American and world opinion has recognized the heroism of the brave teenagers who challenged segregation and were beaten for it. The sit-ins have even been honored by a commemorative stamp. As Mr. Hurst explains, the demonstrations were about "human dignity and respect. Lunch counters were just visible and convenient venues to attack racial discrimination."

Whether you are black or white it is hard to read this book without experiencing grief, horror and dismay over these events which happened only a few short decades ago. WingSpan Press deserves kudos for printing it--but this book should have been published by a major press. (Any university press in Florida, for example would have been enhanced and honored by printing it.) It is my hope that in the future, historians will look to this excellent little book to get the inside story of what really happened at a sit-in at a white lunchroom in Jacksonville in 1960. What lead to it--and what followed. There is history to be ashamed of here--but also heroes to be proud of. This is a book that every American who cares about truth and history should read and appreciate.

Quoting from the back cover:

"On August 27, 1960, more than 200 whites with ax handles and baseball bats attacked members of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP in downtown Jacksonville who were sitting in at white lunch counters protesting racism and segregation. Referred to as Ax Handle Saturday, It was never about a hot dog and a Coke chronicles the racial and political climate of Jacksonville, Florida in the late fifties, the events leading up to that infamous day, and the aftermath."

This informative memoir is about a dangerous time. The events are a part of our history, and through Rodney's story we learn more about the people and groups involved and the courage it took to sit. The book is well-written and well-edited. Thanks, Rodney, for taking the time.

Kaye Trout
Reviewer

The title, "It was never about a hot dog and a Coke!" was enough to make me want to read this book. I had to know more.

There are numerous historical characters from the civil rights movement in this book; some many may not have heard of. You will find them, and the time frame interesting; I did.

Mr. Hurst was born in Jacksonville, Florida; in 1944. He lived through the time of segregation and activists; being recognized as an activist, and member of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP. Mr. Hurst later became president of the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP. He has been married to his wife Ann for forty-one years. They have two sons, and two granddaughters.

Although this is a book about the civil rights movement of the 50's and 60's in Jacksonville, there is much more to this story; as seen through the eyes of a person that was there and witnessed Ax Handle Saturday. As a reader, you'll get a perspective of truth about living in that era from one who did. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in the civil rights movement and segregation that used to be in the southern states.

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (5/08)

"It was never about a hot dog and a Coke!" is author Rodney L. Hurst's first-hand account of the sit-ins in Jacksonville, Florida in the 1960s. Throughout his lifetime Hurst has been a very active and influential member of the Jacksonville community. He has served on the Jacksonville City Council. He was the first African-American to be a TV co-host in Jacksonville. He was the Executive Director of Florida's Construction Industry Licensing Board. Besides these and other accomplishments, the one that this book centers around is the time period in which he was involved with the Jacksonville Youth Council NAACP. He joined at age 11 and became President of the group at age 15.

During this era everything was segregated. There were restrooms specifically designated for "Coloreds" and ones for "Whites." There was even s a separate section of The Florida Times-Union newspaper that had a black star at the top and was "News For and About the Colored People of Jacksonville." This section of the paper was not included in home deliveries to white households so white people of the time knew little about the achievements and news in the black community. Among other areas, this segregation also applied to the educational system and to lunch counters in department stores, which is the main focus of Hurst's book. As President of the Jacksonville Youth council NAACP group he played an influential role in leading the sit-ins at these lunch counters in the 1960s in a protest of segregation and racism. As the title of the book implies, these sit-ins were not "about a hot dog and a Coke," they were about "...human dignity and respect. Lunch counters were just visible and convenient vestiges to attack racial discriminations."

Although the sit-ins were peaceful demonstrations, the reactions by the white community were not always so peaceful. There was one incident that was dubbed "Ax Handle Saturday" that occurred on August 27th, 1960 in which mobs of white people attacked black shoppers with ax sticks and baseball bats.

"It was ever about a hot dog and a Coke!" is a look at the events by someone who truly lived and breathed them. It is a first-hand look at the civil rights movement of that era that has not become misconstrued by going through numerous sources. Throughout the book are numerous pictures of the people involved and also some of the few pictures of the events that took place. One of the pictures included is a disturbing one taken on "Ax Handle Saturday" which features an innocent bystander splattered in blood from being attacked. These pictures give you a true sense of just how horrific the events were that took place.

I lived in Jacksonville for a short period of time so the references to certain streets were familiar to me but most of the history of the black community in that area was not at all. I feel like I learned a lot by reading Hurst's book, "It was never about a hot dog and a Coke!," and I think it would be a wonderful addition to the required reading list of any history class or to anyone who wants to educate themselves of the events that occurred in America's past.

Want to know what happened to Larry Kane after he got off the Beatles tour? Check out "Larry Kane's Philadelphia". Here's a great yarn by a great newsman, a look at one of America's oldest and most colorful cities as seen by arguably the best local newscaster in America. I'd only visited Philly once before reading this, but learned a lot about everything from its hardball politicos to the tough-but-caring quality of its people.
Larry was there to meet, talk to and report on just about everything and everyone in the area for 35 years- and on three stations. Filled with a bottomless supply of anecdotes both gritty and witty, the book not only takes you to "Rocky"'s turf but far afield- did you know he went all the way to Anchorage, of all places, for a papal audience? (He had one in the Vatican too.) Larry's open-hearted, warm personality worked well for him in front of one of the toughest audiences around- ask anyone who's seen those raucous Philly sports crowds- for many years, and it works here too. In short, Larry Kane's a class act, and Philadelphians are incredibly lucky to have him. I'd have been proud to watch him myself- even if I wasn't raised on "Rocky", cheesesteaks, and "da Iggles"!

Larry Kane retired from KYW 3 in December 2002 after 40 years of broadcasting.

I really enjoyed reading _Larry Kane's Philadelphia_ by Larry Kane. I really liked Larry Kane. When I was in high school, I was up until 11:30 almost every weeknight watching Larry Kane on KYW-TV 3 (also known as CBS 3) at 11.

In April 1994, when Bruce Hamilton and Jennifer Ward were the co-anchors of the station's newscasts weeknights at 6 and 11, things weren't going good for KYW 3. So, they got Larry Kane to replace both of them and be the sole anchor weeknights at 11.

It was really fun seeing Larry being the sole anchor weeknights at 11. I really liked his reporting and how he signed off. I really liked the fact that he WAS the newsman in Philadelphia. He was better than Ken Matz (his successor at WCAU-TV 10 when Kane went to KYW-3, and also his predecessor when dealing with affiliates, because when Kane came to KYW, it was then NBC. Because the station's parent company then, Group W Westinghouse, bought CBS, the station became CBS, WCAU became NBC. Thus, Matz was his successor at NBC's local affiliate in Philadelphia, because he was the lead anchor at WCAU) or even Larry Mendte, his successor at KYW (and even Matz's at WCAU).

I feel that after reading th book, Larry Kane showed excellence in broadcasting in Philadelphia, more than Ken Matz, Larry Mendte (Mendte has lived in the Philadelphia area most of his life), or even Tim Lake, Mendte's successor at WCAU.

Being from the Philadelphia area, I was pretty intrested in what Larry Kane would write about. Larry tells good stories and helped me fill in what little details on stories that were reported when I was a kid.You almost have to cheer on a guy who went back to Phildephia to report news despite it being a "smaller market" than New York.If you don't really know the Philadelphia area you my be lost reading this but if you know Philadelphia , you'll be pleasantly suprised at how detailed this is and even laugh out loud at a good Ed Rendell anticdote

A great book for those interested in recent Philadelphia history and culture, or those just looking for an insight into major market TV news. The book seems to reflect Larry's on screen persona: fast paced, open, sometimes cloying, but never dull. Larry's seen a lot of history in his career, and relates it in a highly entertaining book.

Larry Kane, a Philadelphia fixture for 35 years, has outdone himself with this book. It's really well written, and takes you on an unusual ride through the tv business. So far, I understand in its fifth printing, and no wonder. This book should be read by anyone interested in improving the quality of tv news.

I especially enjoyed Kane's self deprecating sense of humor, and his description of Philadelphia. It makes me want to get to know Philadelphia.

Liars, Cheaters and Evil doers helps us chart a course for civil debate...not a polyanna treatise, but the importance of real debate,
calling things the way you see them based on information, reason and justice, not hysteria in which relative truth is subjected to the acid tongoue and the basist instincs, but one that tries to articulate points of view in which people of good intent can forcefully disagree in a way that promotes truth rather than inflames the worst in us. It is an ancient desire and De
Luca and Buell should be commended for risking to take up this mantel in these dangerous times.

Before reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I was certainly conscious that the tone of our political discourse has always left much to be desired. In the back of my mind, until the last few years when the demonization deepened, I assumed this was to be expected in adversarial situations like politics and we had to live with it. The last few years, though, has only left me feeling hopeless that the situation has progressed beyond the possibility of it ever being civilized.
Since reading Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! I have become aware that there are so many facets that contribute to the current climate than I ever dreamed of. It is like trickles of water washing down from the melting snows of the mountains. A trickle here, a trickle there, and soon it unites and a mighty river flows. We seem to be in that might river now feeling a force that seems beyond our control.
That is not necessarily so. Reading the thorough and deep analysis of political demonization by Tom De Luca and John Buell will educate on all of the ways in which this situation came about. You can't solve a problem unless you first understand it. This book does that and more. It offers insightful solutions.
This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about having a country that does right by all of its citizens. We can't have serious debate over issues that affect all of us if we can't learn to be civilized, respectful of differing opinions and, most of all, to listen to each other with an open heart. Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers! is a first, and major, step toward that end.

Although I agree with other reviewers that this is a much-needed and thoughtful study of a serious problem in American political discourse, I found the text tough going. I suspect that previous reviewers might have some background in Political Science that I lack. Although I have a PhD from the University of Chicago, it's in a Humanities field, and not Social Sciences.

The title suggests a lively, down-to-earth volume, with a lot of specific examples, but instead the book turns out to be dry, abstract, highly theoretical, and filled with the kind of jargon academics use in communicating with one another, while shutting out the general public.

Despite this problem, the book does have many interesting insights to offer, particularly on the role president Bush's religious fundamentalism plays in his political behavior. But that's old news. Anybody who's been paying attention in the years since Bush became president knows that he and his circle are determined to turn the United States into a fundamentalist theocracy, and are succeeding at a terrifying rate.

In a televised speech, co-author Tom De Luca noted: "It's not demonization when you have the goods on somebody." De Luca's book did not succeed in changing my opinion that America is now in the hands of the most absolutely and irredeemably evil people ever to hold power in the entire history of this country-- and we DO "have the goods" on them. But the opposition (the spineless and cowering Democrats) lacks the courage to do anything with the edivence.

This book rewards close reading but be warned-- you're going to have to work to get the message!

In "Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" authors Tom De Luca and John Buell admirably examine the corrosive phenomena of "demonization" in American politics and the harm it has done to our civic discourse and democratic institutions. The scope of their work is breathtaking as they trace the trajectory of "political demonology" in America from its infancy as a clash between puritan conservatism and hedonistic liberalism, to its contemporary manifestation in the virulent culture wars of recent decades as "culture warriors" on both sides of the political divide disparage and demonize their foes. Delving deeper, De Luca and Buell uncover a "moral paradox" inherent in our national character that appears to fuel our need to transform political opponents into enemies. The authors contend that our political culture has now reached a zero-sum impasse engendered by the approximate parity of the two political parties as each seeks victory through mobilizing their core constituencies by exploiting wedge issues and engaging in character-driven politics. Liberals, conservatives, and moderates have all been guilty of this, while those victimized and demonized are very often the most vulnerable among us. De Luca and Buell offer a thoughtful antidote to the polarized partisanship that has seized hold of us. Their goal, a "more generous democratic politics" forged out of a new political covenant based upon true equity and opportunity, is a noble one. This well-crafted and insightful book should be read by everyone who feels strongly that our political discourse must match our best ideals.

"Liars! Cheaters! Evildoers!" by Tom DeLuca and John Buell is a welcome antidote to the shrill ideological slugfests that fill the airwaves disguised as political discourse. Their simple formula, "proper condemnation requires appropriate distinctions," is a call to end the simplistic retreat to demonization in civil debate, and demands that we aspire to, and require, a higher standard of discourse from ourselves, colleagues, elected officials and the media. This book offers valuable analysis and a hopeful conclusion to so many of us who despair of the current political climate.