Butler Books

Failure in British Government: the Politics of the Poll Tax by David Butler, Andrew Adonis, & Tony Travers Anyone who advocates changing our system of government to a parliamentary system should read this book before he sticks his other foot in his mouth. It reads almost like one of Dr. Dörner's experiments. It is a story of how some seemingly intelligent politicos come up with an idea that can charitably be called assinine and push idea right through all the so-called checks and balances of government in order to make it policy. Neither the Opposition, the House of Lords, the Monarch, the press, nor the civil service lifted a finger to stop it. Indeed, the only opposition officially given to the poll tax was from the fringes of the far left. Nevertheless the poll tax of 1990 produced the same effects as the poll tax of 1381: riots in London (the same parts of London even), widespread tax evasion, government finances in shambols, and the end of some promising careers. "What a botch up. What a bloomer. What a gaffe, bungle, goof, fluff, fiasco, boner, clanger, howler and flop. What a fatheaded, boneheaded, dunderheaded, muttonheaded, knuckleheaded, chuckleheaded, puddingheaded, jobernowled wash-out of a cock-up," opined the editor of the Sunday Times with typical understatement. It was so awful that some of its participants defend their actions by pleading incompetence and its leader, Thatcher, still hasn't learned the lessons from the disaster. (The lesson: Progress comes not from implementing bad, old ideas but bad, new ideas.)

i really love this book....its so full of mixed emotions, you have got to read this.....

This indispensable, 3-volume reference is written by leading construction lien and bond experts from each of the fifty states (as well as District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam and American Samoa). It provides authoritative coverage of mechanics' liens, payment bonds, performance bonds, and bid bonds, along with comprehensive coverage of the statutes and analysis of the key cases in each state. There's even a chapter on Federal Payment bond law.

Fifty State Construction Lien and Bond Law guides you through similar and contrasting requirements, both between public and private projects, within the same state and among the different states. You also get all the necessary forms for preserving liens and related payment remedies, as well as guidance on how to use them.

I have used this text very successfully with high school students as well as college freshmen. Instead of the usual categories and abstractions, Butler concentrates on the process of getting an effective paper written quickly.

I have just finished reading this great book. Sheridan was a British resident of Manila during America's victory over Spain and the subsequent annexing of the Philippines. Being British, he presents an unbiased view of the conflict. This book is part of Solar Books "Filipiniana Reprint Series." It was originally published in the year 1900. It should be rquired reading for any Americans who think that we did wonderful things in the Philippines at the turn of the century. America did horrible things in the Philippines and our government has never adequately addressed the atrocities that were committed in the name of benign assimilation. This book is well written and educational. It inspires anger, but it shows the indomitable spirit of the Filipinos who fought for freedom against incredible odds and brazen American duplicity.

Got a lot out of this engaging and entertaining new book. Very straightforward, easy to implement business advice. Butler gets it--he understands the many facets of business and what it takes to succeed. I highly recommend.

The most memorable lines from my first read of this smart work are from the second sermon, first page, quoted as follows: "A man can as little doubt whether his eyes were given him to see with, as he can doubt of the truth of the science of optics deduced from ocular experiments. And allowing the inward feeling, shame, a man can as little doubt whether it was given him to prevent his doing shameful actions, as he can doubt whether his eyes were given him to guide his steps. And as to these inward feelings themselves - that they are real..."

Some years ago I've read for the first time a book from Ms Butler (1947-2006). I was captivated by her amazing imagination and quality of her prose and became instantly a fan of the author. This first impression was corroborated as I read more and more of her writings.
Unfortunately for us, her fans, Ms. Butler has recently passed leaving the "Parable" trilogy unfinished and I'm sure many delightful stories unwritten.

She was a highly talented writer and Sci-Fi Hugo and Nebula awards winner.
All her books showed a rich mixture of imagination, complex and interesting characters and conflictive situations to test their mettle.


Here the reader is presented with Octavia's last novel.

"Fledgling" is a typically Butler's product.
She explores in depth, in a relatively short text, the intricacies of symbiosis between human and alien specie.
This subject was already researched by Octavia in her amazing trilogy "Xenogenesis". Both stories refer to symbiosis and how this affects human mind producing very different attitudes from rejection to uncensored adhesion. This time she focuses in the alien subject.

In the novel the author recreates successfully vampires' myth starting with a young one who has lost all her memories and should explore the world to discover who she is and what she is.


This book is very representative of Ms. Butler's universes. Do not miss it!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

If you want to start a food not bombs group or just want to know more about the movement this book should be your first stop.

Fabulous collection of suspenseful stories -- many with realistic surprise endings and some with a whimsical flavor. If this was a paper book, it would be a real "page turner"...