Politics Books

If you think that modern Israeli books, songs, movies, newspapers, and daily TV represent Jewish values and Israeli interests - don't read this book.

If, on the other hand, you wish to understand why, when, and how the mainstream Israeli cultural and educational establishment degraded to active support of anti-semitic propaganda - this book's for you.

In this encyclopedic in its historical perspective book, Hazony tells us that anti-Zionism, this sickness of Israeli society did not start in Oslo. Zionism and anti-Zionism were born together, half a century ahead of Holocaust.

"If you will it, it is no dream."

And if you will not - it may turn into a dream again.

A masterfully written book with a powerful message.

Yuval Lirov, Practicing Profitability - Billing Network Effect for Revenue Cycle Control in Healthcare Clinics and Chiropractic Offices: Collections, Audit Risk, SOAP Notes, Scheduling, Care Plans, and Coding

This book takes you through the evolution of Zionism over the last 100+ years. It is essential reading for anyone wanting to learn about the unending problems of the land of Palestine.

Hazony is an excellent writer. The book begins as a slow, lumbering read, hard to get into, but you must get through the Introduction and first few Chapters. Then the book begins to roll and you will find yourself unable to put it down. The only complaint I have of this book is that mine is the paperback edition and the print font is too small. Spend a few extra dollars and get the hardback if you are over 40 and need reading glasses.

Yoram Hazony writes and expresses so clearly what has been on so many of our minds when we see Israel today. The anti-Jewish influence shows up on Israeli TV, in Israeli schoolbooks, Meretz party, and such anti-Zionist newspapers as Ha'aretz. Hazony tells us who these people are and what their background is.

The book describes in great detail, the workings of Herzl, Ben-Gurion and Buber. The inner workings of modern Israeli government are carefully dissected. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in the intellectual struggle that is as important to the State as relations with its Arab neighbors. Hazony's unimpeachable scholarship and his fluid writing style makes it an enjoyable must read.

Monty Rainey
www.juntosociety.com

Check it out on YouTube. I love the message of this 7 minute, 39 second recording. The narrarator quotes Napoleon and Mark Twain as the jews' infinitesimal history is told within this time frame. I can't help but think of Daniel chapter 2 and 7 as Mark Twain writes of how the ancient empires of Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome, "made a vast noise" but "faded into dreamstuff". Mark Twain asks, "All things are mortal but the jew...What is the secret of his immortality?"

There is virtually little mention of Islam or muslims in this book which at first seemed a little surprising to me, except that a jewish acquaintance of mine once told me a joke which I think of and chuckle at still. He told me that if you put 2 jewish men in the same room, you will get 3 different opinions! Imagine, if true, what it's like in the Knesset, where there seems to be at least 4 parties and several hundred men and women!

I can't recommend this book enough, especially since I mark myself as an ardent, christian, zionist. I loved Hazony's book about Esther. He writes very clearly and beautifully in English. I highly recommend this!

Zionism began as an idea, in the modern age, amongst mostly russian and european jews in the 1880's. At that time there had been terrible pogroms amongst russian jews and anti-semitic injustices on the european continent as evidenced by the Dreyfus affair in France. Amidst such persecution, the idea of a permanent state for jews was advanced most notably by Theodor Herzl who wrote a book entitled The Jewish State.

This book's content is about the anti-state sentiment prevalent within many Israeli jews and jews elsewhere in the world. The book begins with Hazony telling of his tour of duty within the Israeli army and how enthusiasm for the jewish nation has flagged and lacks the spirit of earlier pioneers like Ariel Sharon, Moshe Dayan, Menachem Begin, Golda Meir, etc. From thence, he begins a retelling, a modern Hagaddah, of the history of zionism and its earliest critics, until the present time. In explaining the generation gap among Israelis, Hazony brings to mind Turgenev's plot in "Father's and Sons". Hazony sees the mostly german or ashkenazi/european professors at jewish universities as having greatly influenced the thinking among Israeli youth. I could readily understand how such thinking could have reached a climax amongst european jews during the decades immediately preceding WWII. Having seen the abuse of power of fascist states, like Italy and Germany in the 1930's, the european jews would without a doubt be extremely wary of any state, jew or otherwise, having any power. They could easily find, I add, biblical evidence to support their claims. Though, I also add, there is biblical evidence to support it. I do love Ahad Ha'am's writing and thinking, mainly that the spiritual state is and should be preeminent over the physical. The reality, however, is, I'm ever more convinced after reading this book, that whether Israel is bi-national or not, there must be a physical, jewish state for the jews to remain alive and breathing on this planet. Although I'm beginning to understand why some jews might be anti-state, given the very recent past and immediate present climate within the international community, it seems to me that these views expressed by jews are very damaging to their own kith and kin and gives ammunition, figuratively and literally, to their murderous foes. Having such a large, critical majority within their own ranks, I find it EXTREMELY UNLIKELY that a totalitarian state could ever emerge from amongst the jews. And if it ever did, there would be a swelling of ranks amongst them of zealots and maccabees. I, frankly, cannot see it (a naziesque state) happening.

Hazony ends his book on a positive note, seeing that even amongst the jews, once the idea for the state is amply fleshed out within the realm of ideas, the support for the jewish state will be amply manifested, and freely embraced. One so often forgets the lessons of one's own life or the life of his or her people. I watched a documentary recommended by an Amazon friend called, "The Refugees of Silence" about jews in palestine, many of whom had managed to survive the holocaust, who immediately thereafter were herded into refugee camps, having been denied residence in all other countries of the world. The jews there were still powerless to do anything for their own relatives, in their own backyards. Such stories were totally new to me. But, as Hazony reveals in this book, even at times when support for the State of Israel was greatest, as that in May 14, 1948, the critics against it, within their own people, began to loudly voice their views. So, I still believe my jewish friend was right-for every 2 jews, at least 3 opinions! The war for the state amongst them in the realm of ideas continues today too as in my favorite YouTube selection which ends with these thoughts:

"Once you know who you are, where you come from, what meaning the past has for your future, you bring great meaning into your life. And when you do that, you bring great meaning into the world."

Yoram Hazony knows how to tell a story. He is not the arrogant intellectual who speaks from his ivory tower. He introduces himself so we know his family background and his personal stand of the Jewish question. The introduction is worth the whole book. There he succintly summarizes the book, points to Israel's troubles, gives names, origins and main developments. Puts the main characters on the scene, and we follow them through the years of Israel's modern making. It's the zionists vs the anti-zionists; the intellectuals (who nevertheless benefit from, and are accomplices of the Israel state they so decry) vs the common people who want to live free (specially if that means as a Jew). It's a tale that has become wide spread over the western world: the fight to win the minds and hearts of the people through the influence on the mass media. The tactics are detestably simple, but nonetheless they work, in the name of peace and justice the Israelis (Jewish and non-Jewish) are to give themselves up to their Arab neighbors, short of leaving the country or committing suicide directly. The book is comprehensive in its scope, and I wished it would be a little more succint in some developments that detract from the main story, but it definitely makes its point by not leaving any thread missing. Forceful and convincing.

Martin Buber epitomizes the intellectual anti-zionist from the ivroy tower (the Chomsky of the Israeli state). On the other side stand (or stood) the Founders of modern Israel, standing above all Ben-Gurion. With the Founders, of course, are the people, fewer every year because, bottom line: common-sense is the least common of the senses when challenged by the deafening noise of the professors and their billionaire friends (See Gore & Soros) and the media. It's sad to the point of upsetting to see how Buber and his clique wouldn't even have the refugees from the Holocaust when they were stranded in European camps come to Israel, while the university professors where safe and partying in Tel Aviv.

A last point I want to mention is that the very survival of Israel through all these years is nothing but a miracle, and you don't have to be a theist to see it. Surrounded by enemies within and without, reduced to a tiny territory, a speck in the back of the threatening Arab Empire, Israel lives, and flourishes.

This book interprets Zionist history as a sort of political battle between what I'll call the Right and the Left. Let me explain what I mean by Right and Left and then tell you where Hazony is in this spectrum.

People on the Right want to, as a priority, help themselves and their close allies. That's what they know they can be good at. When this plan works, they become more productive and the whole society benefits. But there is a risk (that the Right is willing to take), namely that they'll help themselves so much at the expense of others that society as a whole will not benefit. And from there, it is a short step to harming society enough so that they are brought down with it.

People on the Left want to, as a priority, help all of society. That's what they know they can be fair at. When this plan works, the people they help generally reciprocate, and everyone benefits. But there is a risk (that the Left is willing to take), namely that the rest of society may benefit a little, but only by taking advantage of the Left and its allies. And from there, it is a short step to having thugs, not the rest of society, become the ones who truly take advantage of the Left's support, so society as a whole is harmed.

I'm on the Left and Hazony is on the Right. I'm first and foremost a citizen of the world. He's first and foremost a Jewish Israeli. And in this book, Hazony makes some interesting points about those in Israel who have gone too far off course on the Left. But I was always concerned that Hazony was about to go off course to the Right.

Hazony's targets are those who feel that Zionism is no longer needed (as well as those who feel it was never a good idea). I have no problem with that. Hazony describes the Biltmore Conference in May of 1942 at which the delegates voted overwhelmingly (478 to 4) for a Jewish state. There's no doubt that a Jewish state was needed then (both for Jews and for human society as a whole). And there is no reason to believe that it isn't just as necessary today, if only to protect the Jews of Israel. In addition, why aren't those asking for an end to Zionism asking for an end to French nationalism, German nationalism, and an end to all other nationalities?

Hazony discusses Herzl in detail. And he shows how the British wound up adopting the infamous White Paper in May of 1939 that certainly made a Jewish state a necessity, whether one was established or not.

The author shows how Ben-Gurion really tried very hard to establish a Jewish state. And how some on the Left, especially Buber, went overboard and tried to avoid doing anything that might require the use of force.

However, I think Anita Shapira is right to say that Hazony's Ben-Gurion comes across as monolithic, and that Hazony does not discuss the times when Ben-Gurion emphasized that Zionism is simply part of human rights, and that Israelis were to be free people within the family of nations. Clearly, these types of statements, making Israel a state for everyone, sound much better to me than they do to Hazony. I think Hazony ought to have presented a more nuanced and more accurate picture of Ben-Gurion. He should have told us that Ben-Gurion for many years regarded modern Zionism as unconnected to ancient Jewish history. On the other hand, Hazony is correct that once Israel became a state, Ben-Gurion began to talk more about ancient Israel. And this is actually not a big issue for me: we all know that many Israelis take ancient Jewish history very seriously and many do not.

In my opinion, Hazony exaggerates the importance and extent of antizionism in Israel, both historically and at present. Yes, there are a number of people in Israeli academia who present a revisionist and inaccurate view of history. And that is a serious matter. But most Israelis have no trouble telling the difference between the human rights in Israel and lack of human rights, especially for Jews, in neighboring Arab nations.

I think Hazony is not asking the reader to accept Zionism uncritically. And he's certainly not asking Israelis to be greedy or unjust. Far from it. He's asking all of us to reject antizionist lies. And he's asking Israeli Jews to demand their rights as human beings rather than allow themselves to be pressured into adopting the political positions of their Arab neighbors.

The issue of whether Israel is a Jewish state or not is similar to the issue of whether France is a French state or not. Until we're ready to get the French to abandon their flag and national anthem, I see no reason to ask if the Israelis ought to abandon theirs. And that's why I think this book is worth reading.

Kevin Sheehan has simplified the great qualities of important leaders and placed them in an entertaining text. A gift which I have passed on to my dearest friends, this book is both inspirational and educational. My highest recommendation.

Poignant, powerful stories. Beautifully written with a distinctive and important design. This book's not to be missed--by you, your friends, your business colleagues. Bravo!

Within his book A Leader Becomes A Leader, Kevin Sheehan delightfully illustrates the essence of true leadership. He poignantly definies a diverse group of past and present leaders; while exploring their life events and characteristics of greatness. Encourage your friends, family and coworkers to read this motivational book!

The author does a phenomenal job of breaking the topic down into small manageable and inspiring readings; also covers a great cross-section of leaders and the characteristics that made them successful. I ordered a dozen copies as executive and motivational gifts.

J. Kevin Sheehan presents a celebration of what's possible in his biographical snapshots of great leaders. By focusing on the unique character traits of outstanding leaders the author transforms the mysteries of leadership into something very real. He answers the question "what made them great?" in an extremely concise and inspirational style. Great as a corporate gift or graduation present. My children have used it for school projects and I have found inspiration for my own business. No home or school library should be without this most valuable tool.

I've been camping in Maine for a few weeks... Mainers expect you to have one of these. They say "get out your DeLorme's" not "do you have a map?" Some people I've met have pointed me to the right page without looking at the back.

The details in this atlas are great! All of Maine's public reserve land and campground are clearly marked. If you are trying to do some real camping in some remote areas, get this map. This is a must if you are going to be doing anything outdoors in ME. I never thought I'd say a map is fun to read.

After reading reviews on Amazon, I bought this book with a couple of others for my sister-in-law who moved to Maine. Within a week of moving to Maine, they got lost and used this atlas to find their way! They really like it.

This is the bible of maps of Maine. And most, if not all, other states have a version available. The first time you use it will probably make the purchase worthwhile.

If you like maps and spend any time in Maine hiking, paddling, or traveling backroads, you must have this. It is fun to study and indispensable for exploring Maine.

The detailed maps are great but guys...no use looking for a road map of Maine, I mean the whole state as it doesn't exist: incredible! so do order a map in addition!!

"The Naked Capitalist", first published in 1970, is a review and critique of a much longer book, "Tragedy and Hope", first published in 1965. While the references are inevitably dated, this book contains insights that are essential for understanding our current situation. While I wholeheartedly recommend it, it important to take into account the book's context and point of view.

This book must be understood as an attack from the right on "Tragedy and Hope" -- not the 21st century neocon right, but the old fashioned right that may be best thought of as a libertarian point of view these days. Mr. Skousen's approach is consistent with his conservative religious background (LDS) and his background in law enforcement (FBI and later Salt Lake City Chief of Police). Skousen's academic background is reflected in his exegesis of "Tragedy and Hope".

I thought his defense of J. Edgar Hoover and Joe McCarthy was thought provoking, and not to be dismissed out of hand as most left-leaning people would tend to do. By illustrating the clear link between the Eastern Establishment and Communism, the author perhaps provides a better understanding of the criticism of corporate media as "Liberal". Corporate owned media did at times cover the issue of Communists in government in a way that tended to downplay the extent to which the government, particularly the State Department, was infiltrated by Communists, which could lead a right-wing or even a neutral observer to believe that the fourth estate had Communist sympathies.

But that's only part of the story. The corporate owned media has also had a history of covering up the extent to which Fascism has infested USA finance, corporations and government. One example from the time span that Skousen focused on, but which he failed to mention, is the Fascist plot to overthrow the US government shortly after the start of FDR's first term. Jules Archer's recently re-printed book, The Plot to Seize the White House: The Shocking True Story of the Conspiracy to Overthrow FDR, tells this story persuasively. The earliest incarnation of the HUAC (House Committee on Un-American Activities), the Special Committee on Un-American Activities (1934-1937) actually investigated not only domestic Communist activities, but domestic Fascist activities as well, including the plot just mentioned. Contemporary press coverage of the Congressional hearings and the plot itself was shameful for the most part, particularly the coverage by Time magazine and the New York Times. They covered the story in a way similar to later coverage of UFO and Elvis sightings, poking fun at the very suggestion that such a plot could even exist.

While I am grateful that Skousen wrote this unique review/critique of "Tragedy and Hope", I would urge readers to take "The Naked Capitalist" as a point of departure in their study of the power elite, not the final word. The plutocrats who run things behind the scenes take on many guises, using politicians and movements across the political spectrum to further their malevolent aims. They quite obviously used both Fascism and Communism simultaneously for a time and have moved on to other totalitarian movements, such as neoconservatism and various religious movements. Focusing excessively on these movements and philosophies only serves to distract us from discovering the actual puppet masters.

I must finally express my disappointment with the inclusion of a vitriolic attack by Al Smith on FDR's New Deal policies in an appendix. Al Smith had preceded FDR both as Governor of New York, and as a Democratic presidential nominee. Smith lost the nomination in 1932 to FDR, who, unlike Smith in 1928, went on to win the election. There is the argument that while Smith had maintained his previous progressive beliefs, the Democratic Party under FDR had moved on to Socialist tendencies. (In other words, the Democratic party left him, he didn't leave the party.) However, if Skousen were to choose a disaffected Democrat to criticize the New Deal, he could not have picked a better example of a sellout, a turncoat, and perhaps even a traitor, than Al Smith. Smith was first of all a sore loser, and secondly had by that time become a 100% owned asset of the Eastern plutocrats, the very class that "The Naked Capitalist" rails against. Smith was a prominent member of the Liberty League which sponsored the Fascist plot against FDR I referred to above. I again refer to The Plot to Seize the White House: The Shocking True Story of the Conspiracy to Overthrow FDR for details.

By suggesting that Al Smith was still the brown bowler wearing "Happy Warrior" in 1936 that he had been in the 1920s disingenuous to put it mildly.

This book (The Naked Capitalist), along with the book "The Bilderburg Group", explains exactly what is going on in Government. The power of the men in the secret groups are dangerous to all Americians, and there are many in our Government at all levels. They are the Bilderburgs, Council of Foreign Relations and Trilaterial Commission, determined to make us a socialist country.

If this book were written by anyone less credible, you'd have to pass it off as conspiracy theory nonsense. But Skousen is anything but a conspiracy theory nut. He is a very well respected scholar. So what makes this book so infuriating is to realize both political parties are being swayed towards collectivism and totalitarianism through the robber-barons' self-percieved notion of good for the world and their "generous" donations to non-profits that promote this communist agenda. Thus, the Naked Capitalist reveals the wealthy elite to be promoters of exactly what would destroy not them, but the vast middle class of America. Ever notice that Karl Marx was fighting against the Bourgesie and not the aristocracy? The Bourgesie is the middle class. The rich want us middle-classers to simply revert to the equitable poverty of socialism while they continue to live luxuriously at our expense. This is a must read.

If you're curious about who really pulls the strings... you'll want to read this book. This book may not be the end to all things related to conspiracy, it is a great beginning.

A Christian Review of, "The Naked Capitalist" By W. Cleon Skousen


"A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, scrapes with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing. There are six things the Lord hates, seven of which are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood. A heart that devices wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and a man who sows discord among brothers." Proverbs 6:12-19 RSV

The above verse if the first thing that came to my mind once I finished reading this fine book. Skousen in "The Naked Capitalist" is really describing the events from 1913 through the 1960's that will someday lead to The New World Order. There have been so many great reviews on this book on Amazon.com that I would encourage the reader to not only read this review but the others as well. Skousen's book is a summary of Dr. Caroll Quigley's (a professor of Bill Clinton, and an insider to the New World Order boys) Book "Tragedy and Hope" in which Quigley being an insider and allowed to review the CFR's (Council On Foreign Relations) documents for two years in which he decided to write a book since he felt that there was no way we could stop this socialist empire now. Here are some of the highlights from this book that stuck out to me:

We were actually making post war plans to World War 2 a whole two years prior to entering the war (this is where we got the United Nations from).

The international bankers financed two conservative candidates to split the vote so Woodrow Wilson would be elected to office. Woodrow Wilson signed into law the Federal Reserve which is actually a private banking system. This took the power of making money away from congress and gave it to a private bank. (Does anyone recall the bible verse that says, "The borrower is slave to the lender.")

The international bankers are in Europe, the United States and setting up shop everywhere. Since they came into power they have set up communist government after communist government because it's easier to work with a dictator and get rich than it is with a free society.

These bankers will usually finance both sides of a war, and have been linked to just about every war since they took power. They also make a lot of profit, and as Skousen points out their oil plants and businesses are conveniently not hurt even though thousands upon thousands may die for their gain.

I enjoyed Skousen's ability to break down the Korean War and show how (with facts that are documented from sources in the back) Communists within the United States working in high positions of power were playing both sides. The plan was for the U.S. to fight for South Korea, oh but wait, we were supposed to lose. When our military was TOO good there were 100,000 Red Chinese waiting for them. Our military was not allowed to take our Chinese supply lines or to go in and take territory. I mean the communists in Washington had it all set up and we were supposed to lose. What right did our military have actually being good.

The CFR (Council On Foreign Relations) is a front group by the international bankers (like the Royal Institute Of International Affairs is in Europe) . This council works for the international bankers and supports socialist causes.

The builderberg group is a small group of elites that meet once a year and plan the direction of the world and it's propaganda for the next year. It is very secretive and if someone finds out your invited your invite is automatically revoked. Group made up of large corporate heads, political leaders, media elite, and the international bankers.

Tax exempt foundations are influencing public policy and directly influencing our schools. They are pushing propaganda and dumbing down our society. These foundations oddly enough are places the big corporate big wigs and international bankers can stash their money and not get taxed.

Bottom Line: I could go on and on.... Read the book it's only about 125 pages, but it is loaded with some of the most important information you could want or know about our government and the New World Order.

I work with refugees and orphans from around the globe and find this book to be the most realistic and informative of it's kind. Selling people, mostly women and children is a harsh reality around the world. This book is informative and a must read to help wake up our world and start taking action. Very informative, emotional and well written.

Many people think of slavery as a high-school history lesson related to the Civil War, but that's hardly the case. Slavery has been a tragic part of world culture for thousands of years and exists to this day.

Fortunately in recent years, several well-organized groups have been fanning out around the world - providing educational materials to volunteers and taking direct action in many cases to change laws and free slaves.

If you're on the verge of purchasing this book by David Batstone, a leading authority on modern slavery, then you're already interested in this issue and what you really want is a hands-on, heavy-duty book that investigates modern systems of human trafficking.

This is the book you want. It carries an advisory to readers: "This book deals with mature subject matter." That's because this is grim stuff about slave laborers, child soldiers and enslaved sex workers.

Batstone is professor of ethics at the University of San Francisco and, for six years, also was executive editor of Sojourners Magazine. He understands the issue - and the actions needed. In the final section of the book is an extensive overview of groups and Web sites around the world that can help to connect you with this modern-day abolitionist campaign.

Words can't describe this book. It's disturbing and heart breaking but it's reality and it's accurate. The author is credible and it makes the book all the more real. The stories and facts are intriguing. I had some knowledge of the topic before reading but was blown away by the details when I read this book. The book has prompted me to talk with friends and family about small ways in which we can help. If everyone thinks they can't help in such a huge problem, it'll never be corrected. If everyone helped in a small way, it can make a huge difference. This book is HIGHLY recommended!

I've only read three books on the subject of modern day slavery and human trafficking, but this is by far the best. It covers varying types of bondage, with just enough detail to grasp the horror of it, but combined with hopeful stories of everyday men and women making a difference - small and large.

I highly recommend this as the right mix of statistics and stories. This is one I can suggest to those who are just learning about modern day slavery - it's not overwhelming or cynical.

When I first found this book, it looked interesting. Little did I know how much it would change my life. Within weeks of reading it, we had submitted it as a "Common Reader" book at our University and this past fall, 2,500 students consumed the book. We brought the author to campus and not long after, he asked my wife and I to serve as state directors for the national campaign.

The books reveals modern-day slavery in a clear, concise and moving way. Batstone travels between the stories of the slaves and those who work to rescue them. It angers and inspires and is a primer for anyone who wants to get the basic info on slavery. There are a lot of good books on this issue - such as those written by scholar Kevin Bales - but this book has a universal appeal that those books do not, making it a good book for those in middle school all the way through university-level education.

Out of all the books I have now read on the subject, Batstone's is the best "general understanding" book out there. A perfect platform from which to launch deeper investigation into human trafficking and slavery. Also, check out the web site - www.notforsalecampaign.org.

This is quite simply an amazing story told by a human being who lived by faith alone.

"Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work in Her Own Words" relays the powerful, uplifting message of the "silver-haired woman dressed in navy blue slacks and shirt" who devoted 28 years of her life praying for world peace in a very avant-garde fashion. She went by the name Peace Pilgrim, an alias she chose because, similar to a pilgrim, she was a "wanderer with a purpose:" world peace. Peace Pilgrim envisaged a world without war and suffering, and sought to make this vision a reality by walking over 25,000 miles, across each state, "as a prayer" to inspire others to pray and to promote world peace. Though details about Peace Pilgrim's life before the Pilgrimage are scarce in this book (as the compilers wanted to focus solely on presenting the pilgrimage in her own words), we get a glimpse of who Peace Pilgrim was before her pilgrimage and a strong image of who she was during those 28 years. In chapter 2, titled "Growing Up," we find that Pilgrim was raised on a small farm, and did not live a life of luxury, yet knew how to appreciate what she had including her closeness with nature. We can perceive that Pilgrim is quite humble and serene through the stories she shares throughout the book, but it is most apparent in the struggle she articulates at the end of chapter 2: "I was trained to be generous and unselfish and at the same time trained to believe that if I wanted to be successful I must get out there and grab more than my share of this world's goods...these conflicting philosophies confused me for some time..." This inner conflict culminates in a plea to God, "Please use me!" Fed up with having too much while other's had too little, Pilgrim started out on her 28-year journey without money, food, or transportation. She traveled by herself, and depended on the generosity of others for food, transportation, and housing. Pilgrim spoke at universities, appeared in newspapers and on television, delivered messages from the mayor to Tijuana Mexico to the mayor of New York City, and had many interesting encounters, including run-ins with the law who jailed her for vagrancy on several occasions. With her she carried three peace petitions: one for peace in Korea, the second for the implementation of a Peace Department in the US government, and the final one for world disarmament and reconstruction. Whether good or bad occurred on her pilgrimage, she used her experiences to inspire others to find inner peace and to allow that peace to pour outwardly onto the world through dialogue and giving.

Pilgrim died in 1981 in a head on collision in route to her to an event in Indiana, yet her words live on in this book compiled by her close friends. The book comprises interviews, news articles, poetry, and other literature that serve as remnants of Pilgrim's message. Her friends hoped that through using Pilgrim's own words, readers could understand her mission as she understood it, and that "her words and spirit will continue to inspire." Indeed, we get a sense of Pilgrim's character and what her vision was as she explains to us exactly how she prepared for her pilgrimage through spiritual purification and discovering inner peace. While relaying her story, Pilgrim simultaneously teaches us how to find inner peace as well. This aspect of the book makes it both a memoir and an inspirational guide. Quotes from people who had met and were touched by Pilgrim's life are included at the end of the book, which makes the book more compelling because it shows the positive responses people had to her pilgrimage. Unfortunately, the book does not focus much on Pilgrim's life before her journey, nor does it tell us if her petitions were successful. But, as the compilers state, "these specifics...can be found elsewhere." We are not left with biographical facts, but a lesson on spiritual growth.

She's got a beautiful message to pass along, one for our modern age. It's the same wisdom and insight of Buddha and Jesus as well as all the others. I gotta tell you though, this book is offered, free of charge, on the website.

From 1953 until 1981, this lady walked more than 25,000 miles carrying in her blue tunic her only possessions. For nearly three decades she crossed America bearing the simplest of messages: this is the way of peace--overcome evil with good, and falsehood with truth, and hatred with love. Peace Pilgrim talked about peace among nations, between people and the most important, inner peace. "I talk to groups studying the most advanced spiritual teachings and sometimes these people wonder why nothing is happening in their lives," said Peace Pilgrim. "Their motive is the attainment of inner peace for themselves--which of course is a selfish motive. You will not find it with this motive. The motive, if you are to find inner peace, must be an outgoing motive. Service, of course, service. Giving, not getting. Your motive must be good if you work is to have good effect. The secret of life is being of service. ... I've met a few people who had to change their jobs in order to change their lives, but I've met many more people who merely had to change their motive to service in order to change their lives." She talks of purification of thought, motive and desire and relinquishment of self will, the feeling of separateness and the attachment of material things. She says, "No one is truly free who is still attached to material things, or to places, or to people. ... It's all right to use them, that's what they are for. But when they've outlived their usefulness, be ready to relinquish them and perhaps pass them on to someone who does need them. Anything that you cannot relinquish when it has outlived it's usefulness possesses you, and in this materialistic age a great many of us are possessed by our possessions. We are not free." And about trying to control people she says," Anything that you strive to hold captive will hold you captive--and if you desire freedom you must give freedom." Peace Pilgrim speaks of relinquishment of negative feelings. She says of worry, "Worry is not concern, which would motivate you to do everything possible in a situation. Worry is a useless mulling over of things we cannot change." She says no one can hurt you psychologically unless you let them. It is a choice. She says of her steps toward inner peace, "There is nothing new about this. This is universal truth." She says she speaks of them in everyday words in terms of her own personal experience with them. She speaks of living in the highest light you have and you will receive more light. She said the higher self and the lower self war against one another. The higher self has been given names by religious leaders as inner light or the indwelling Christ. When Jesus said, the Kingdom of God is within you, he was referring to the higher self. She said Jesus was called the Christ because his life was governed by this higher governing power. She speaks of the oneness of all creation and oneness with that which many call God. She states that the struggle is over when you will to always do the right thing. She says if your life is overcrowded, you are doing more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things.
She says if your life is overcrowded, you are doing more than is your job to do in the total scheme of things. Submission to good is to be plugged in to the source of universal energy. Peace Pilgrim states that she took no money for speaking and if money was mailed it was used for printing materials that were given away to people seeking the truth. She says you cannot obtain truth by buying it. Nor should it be sold. "Those who have the truth would not be packaging it and selling it, so anyone who is selling it, really does not possess it," she says. I suspect many of the later gurus like made themselves rich from reiterating her concepts with a more sophisticated twist. Friends of Peace Pilgrim give this book away free of charge.
Trish New, author of The Thrill of Hope and South State Street Journal.

A good read and a handy source of both inspiration and wisdom.
namaste!

Professor McMillan has written an eminently readable book on the markets. He uses short sentences, rarely makes use of technical jargon and has thrown in numerous real world examples. As a reader, you will be surprised with the sheer depth of material that he covers.

It is a real pity that he passed away in March, 2007. Perhaps, if he were alive today and were inclined to update this book, he might have added a chapter on Google and its search/ads market place; maybe, even commented on the recent brouhaha surrounding on "Cap and Trade" systems (which have been installed to reduce carbon emissions but in turn might reduce growth!); and most important to me, he might have thrown in an analysis of the role of speculators in oil markets. But all of this is mere speculation on my part because Professor McMillan is no longer with us.

He spends the first half of the book exclusively on the five aspects that are needed for designing a market. They are:

1. Information must flow smoothly.
2. Competition must be fostered.
3. People who form the market must be honest and stand up to their end of the bargain.
4. Property rights must be protected but not overprotected.
5. Side effects on third parties must be reduced.

I've decided to commit these principles to memory as I design my market simulator.

a fantastic review of the idea, basic history, and pros and cons of market economies. McMillan writes in a very accessable and yet erudite way, and his personal experieces (which he shares) demonstrate his authority on the subject. In looking for a good, basic introduction to macroeconomic ideas this is a helpful read. If you ever encounter leftist or rightist ideologues or a college student who is enticed by communism (a great IDEA, even McMillan agrees), this is a good reference book to silence unfounded criticisms. McMillan is empirical in his reasoning and his potent examples from history and real life are very helpful.

I hope I can express how excited I am about this book. As an economics amateur, I recommend this book to anyone with even a sliver of interest in politics, international development, or contemporary social issues. John McMillan's book, Reinventing the Bazaar, presents in a logical and detailed manner the inner workings of markets: both their strengths and weaknesses. McMillan demonstrates very compellingly the idea that markets and all of their necessary appendages are simply tools used to facilitate efficiency. In his words, "the market system is not an end in itself, but an imperfect means to raise living standards. Markets are not magic, nor are they immoral." Usually the goal is increased economic efficiency and therefore increased standards of living, but those same principles which promote efficiency in markets will increase efficiency almost anywhere they're properly applied.
The key, he explains, is to establish the framework and the rules in such a way that the principles acting through the actions of the market participants can work to create an efficient outcome. It's basic economic theory to state that markets are the best way to coordinate the actions of millions of people, but McMillan explains further. Those essential building blocks of market economies, that is prices, and the pursuit of profit, and competition, are necessarily sustained by a good market design. Good "market design" he explains, entails well defined property rights, the free flow of information, and other critical ingredients. In today's modern and incredibly complex economy, more often then not this requires that the government take some hand in establishing this efficient market design.
One of the most exciting things about this book is that I truly feel it gave me a rational basis on which to judge government policies. If anyone, from the right or left, has any desire to gain a greater grasp of what constitutes good public policy, I recommend they read this book. For example, both China and Russia have privatized in the past several decades but with completely different results; chaos and economic stagnation in Russia while smooth growth in China. The difference is how they implemented their market policies. The same with an example of California's privatization of energy in the 1990s; inefficiency and price gouging because of stupidly designed government policies. McMillan's point is that some things work, and other things don't. The key is to have the right supporting market conditions, either by government policy or by culture, or else the market economy can't work.
Anyways, this book is amazing. Click the button, buy it, read it, ponder it deeply, and walk away with a new perspective on the world around you.

Well organized, very well researched, surprisingly readable prose for an academic, and a well balanced mix of case studies from a wide variety of actual markets and more abstract reflections based in good part on these studies. I'm not giving it the full accolade of 5 stars because of some repetitiousness and a "target audience" problem: most readers will either find themselves reading relatively long passages that teach them nothing new (if they're already well-grounded in microeconomics) or else faced with some concepts that are pretty hard and not adequately taught in this book (if the readers lack any previous study of microeconomics) -- that's a difficult problem to solve, and I don't claim to know a solution, but Professor McMillan hasn't found one either. Nevertheless, I'd recommend the book to all levels of readers, as just about everybody will get many useful notions and ways of thinking from it, and it is, all in all, quite pleasant to read from cover to cover.

I had never expected to give a 5-star review to a book about markets. But this book is a very even-handed description, favoring a case-by-case approach to "market design". Government is neither all bad nor all good, and markets are neither all good nor all bad, in this view. Nor does McMillan wrap markets in the mantles of politics and/or religion, a la Milton Friedman, George Gilder and others. The writing style isn't as felicitous as Tim Harford's "The Undercover Economist", which covers a lot of the same economics theory as this book; nor is this book quite as quick a read. But it has more real-life examples and more intellectual depth overall, while still being very much a popular, non-technical book. Like Harford's book, this one gives orthodox neoclassical economics theory (Arrow-Debreu, equilibrium, supply and demand, and other "Econ 101" stuff) more credence than it merits, but McMillan's pragmatism and professional humility somewhat compensate for this defect. Sadly, John McMillan passed away in March 2007 from cancer while still in his 50s. This book assures us that such a reasonable voice won't vanish completely -- which is lucky for us, since such voices have always been in short supply.

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing your expertise with us in this highly recommended book that is both easy to read and to understand.

If you are are an adult child with aging parents, this valuable book is a must to read!

Joanne Harmon(WI)
Certified Senior Advisor (CSA)
Certified in Long Term Care (CLTC)

I highly recommend this book for everyone that loves their parents or grandparents and want to help them stay at home as long as possible. The amount of information in one single source is fantastic. I found the book easy to read and informative, great for anyone who is looking for help.

I found "The Senior Solution" easy to read, filled with practical information that I can use and bring to the attention of the people I serve as a loan officer and insurance producer. Now is the time to think ahead and prepare for your own possible long term care needs. Long Term Care Insurance is the way to ensure your peace of mind and protect the assets you've worked so hard for.

I've recently had the opportunity to read "The Senior Solution" by Valerie Van Booven-Whitsell, RN, BSN, PGCM. This book looks at the issues faced by seniors and their adult children, it covers all aspects of challenges that seniors face and gives clear, concise workable answers to them. This is a book whose cost is a worthwhile investment for seniors and their families as well as the advisors that work in the senior marketplace.

Kenneth R. Clark
Certified Senior Advisor

Having seen four of my family members, including both sets of parents and in-law parents who have needed special care and attention during periods of aging, disability and dying, I had to learn by trial and error. Unfortunately, many times it was by error.

Valerie has clearly and concisely covered a very difficult subject in a very easy to read, relatively short book. She is to be commended for including such areas as VA Home Aid and Attendant Services Grants. I had never heard about them before. She also establishes reverse mortgages as a viable way of handling financial needs for seniors aged 62 and over. At the end of the book is a very comprehensive reference guide to several outstanding websites.

All in all, this book is outstanding....especially as more and more people are aging and joining the "sandwich generation"!

This is one of the funniest books ever written. I never even saw the show. I frequently quote the book. This is a great book for anyone who has ever left his home state. You can really relate to the depictions of each city and state. Even if you've never left your home town, you should buy this book. I haven't read Harry Potter yet, but I assure you that this is better reading. I would recommend buying a copy for every one of your friends, or two copies for yourself. It's that good.

This was the funniest and best book i have ever read. I was a big fan of the show and this book made me like it even more (if that's possible). You have to read it if you like the show or just in a bad mood. It will cheer you up. I read this book over 8 times during work. BUY IT!

Being a huge fan of the TV show, I greatly anticipated reading this book. Amazingly, the book exceeded all my expectations. It is without a doubt the funniest book I've ever read. I've found that opening to a random page and reading for a minute always leaves me laughing out loud. If you're into humor that is a little offbeat and subtle, this book is definitely for you.

This is hands down THE funniest book I have ever read. I meant to just read a little bit, but when I picked it up I couldn't put it back down. I finished the whole book in a day.

It is totally unique. They certainly have a perculiar sense of humor, but I think that anyone who is not easily offended would find it funny.

The whole thing is written as if it were completely factual a completely factual account of a trip through the U.S., which of course it isn't.

If you enjoyed the T.V. show, you have to read the book. It is unforgetable.

This book is crucial to every aspect of my life. Most importantly, it determines those with whom I "hang." When I meet someone new, I let them flip through my copy for a few minutes. If they aren't on the floor laughing and begging me to borrow the book for a day within just a few moments, they are automatically excluded from receiving the benifits of my friendship. (They don't know yet, but there aren't really any.) In severe cases, I will have offenders arrested. This book is my life.

Chris Mooney presents a fascinating inside look into the politics and personalities behind hurricane science and scientists. With the possibility that global warming can increase the destructive power of hurricanes, a formerly non-controversial topic became highly politicized in a short amount of time. Predictably, scientists were in two basic camps: one believed global warming makes hurricanes worse, and one believed that global warming (which may not be occurring) does not make hurricanes worse.

Although Mooney keeps the pace moving along, by the time you finish this book, you may know more about hurricanes than you bargained for. At times, the book is almost too detailed for its own good, but if you know at least a little basic meteorology, you should be able to handle all the atmospheric science thrown into the book. Good book on a fascinating subject.

This is an exceptionally well done example of scientific journalism.
It presents a balanced review of both sides of the global warming ->
hurricanes issue while recognizing that the consensus of scientific opinion is that global warming is a real phenomenon.

Chris Mooney has written a fascinating account of one of the more complex issues associated with global warming -- the possibility of increased hurricane activity. Ever since Katrina, this issue has been central in public debate about the consequences of enhanced greenhouse warming on our planet. However, linking greater hurricane intensity to global warming is less straightforward than understanding the melting of glaciers and polar ice, desertification, or the rise in sea levels. Mooney explores this complexity and the different approaches to science of the main protagonists. The result is a fascinating and subtle account of personalities and science issues -- more nuanced, and hence more accurate, than many journalistic perspectives on the science behind global warming.

This is a good book, but not quite as good as the other reviewers suggest. I suspect that how much you like this book depends, in part, on how much you agree with the author's views. Put simply, although the book purports to be an objective overview of the interaction between science and politics, Mr. Mooney makes it clear which side he thinks is right. Those skeptical of global warming tend to be marginalized as out of touch, cranks, or biased by "special interests." This detracts from the book in a significant way because it casts doubt on the accuracy of the analysis. Indeed, in several places, the author seems to go out of his way to downplay data that undercuts the "global warming is making hurricanes worse" thesis that he endorses.

Having said that, the book is still very readable and full of information about hurricanes and the history of their study. Whenever the author is not talking about global climate change, his account of the science and the scientists is engaging and clear.

In sum, worth reading if you have any interest in hurricanes, but take his discussions of the state of global warming science with a large grain of salt.

It was probably a coincidence that this book reached our library just as I started teaching an online meteorology class at a local university. Whether or not, I found it invaluable in directing the discussions for this class since global warming is the most significant current issue for this science, and all roads/students/newspapers etc. lead directly to the issue.

For such a topic that is wrought with both political and emotional issues, I thought Chris Mooney did a wonderful job of presenting all the sides. There are never just one or two sides in any science. I saw that when I did research in HIV encephalitis in med school. It was amazing not only the good research that was done and reported but also the quacks that came out of the woodwork. They could have done reasonable and valid research prior to their introduction of mistaken theories and concepts, but boy, if you insisted they were wrong...even if it did turn out later they were wrong, they would cling to those theories like velcro. Not only did they cling to the theories, but if they couldn't get published in recognized peer reviewed journals, they started up their own journal!

This inability of both scientists and politicians to admit to mistakes about previously held beliefs is a real problem in science. Not just in meteorology, though I can see from Mooney's book that due to the attention that hurricanes brought to global warming, these guys who are often social inept were thrown into a maelstrom they didn't have the foggiest idea how to contend with (weather puns definitely intended).

I recommended this book to my students, and I don't do that often. I will continue to refer back to this book because it put very well the divides that not only exist in science, but even among communities and families concerning this issue (my husband is a wait-and-see guy, while I am one of those people who think we should do whatever we can possibly do to minimize our impact on climate).

Great book...great discussion.

Karen Sadler