Clarke Books

Hilda Neatby's "So Little for the Mind" was
published in 1953 as a major indictment of
the Canadian "public education" system. Like
all serious attacks on the establishment
schooling system in yesteryear and today, it
was met by derision from the "professionals."

She writes,"[M]any who read the book, including many professional educators, found the indictment not only basically unjust but expressed in harsh and even hysterical terms. Unfortunately most of the written replies which appeared in numerous educational and other periodicals were themselves somewhat hysterical. There was an unfortunate failure on the part of any leading professional educator to give a calm and reasoned reply" p. v

Like Arnold Bestor in the same year and
Bernard Iddings Bell a bit earlier, and
Rudolf Flesch a few years later, she lambasts
the mainstream government system pretty
hard:

"Instead of using their enormous new resources in material equipment, knowledge and skill to cope with their tremendous task, they [pragmatist schoolmen] frittered them away in making school life easy and pleasant, concentrating on the obvious, the practical, and the immediate. Democratic equalitarianism encouraged the idea of a uniform low standard easily obtainable by almost all. Special attention was given to all physical, emotional and mental abnormalities, but the old-fashioned things called the mind, the imagination and the conscience of the average and of the better than average child, if not exactly forgotten, slipped into the background." p 15

To find out just how bad the government
schools were by the 50's, also read
Arthur E. Bestor, "Educational wastelands:
the retreat from learning in our public
schools," also 1953. And "Crisis in E
ducation;: A challenge to American
complacency" by Bernard Iddings Bell,
1949.

The author confesses that the multilayered nature of racism is so complex that theory requires ample examples in order to consolidate any sense of final understanding. Yet he does not live up to this promise. The piece is bereft of instructive examples. The few examples the author offers never quite rise to the level of providing solid explanations of the content of his theories. Many pregnant possibilities seem to have been overlooked and left out even though they begged for exhibition and illustration: The whole of contemporary U.S. society, post-Apartheid South Africa, and Brazil's so-called racial democracy, were just a few examples that would have been wonderful illustrations of the utility of the author's often heavy-handed theoretical machinery.

Clarke drew on three broads areas: sociological/anthropological, Freudian psychology, and Melanie Klein's Object Relations psychology. And although on more than one occasion, he alludes to a fourth area, social psychology -- an area that arguably is at least (if not more) important than all the others combined. By not including the latest findings from social psychology -- the author leaves a gaping hole in his analysis and may have missed a golden opportunity to provide clarity without all of the sexy, but often superfluous, theoretical complexity that both sociological and psychoanalytic explanations provided.

I believe that there is a fundamental flaw in the author's reasoning. It is the idea that racism is a universal phenomenon and that the most we can do is understand it. The idea that it can be fixed goes well beyond the scope of his inquiry. In the first instance, it seems clear that Professor Clarke unwittingly blurs the distinction between xenophobia and racism when it suits his fancy. There is a great deal of difference between the personal "fear of difference" and the collectively organized idea of "committing genocide" to maintain social and economic prerogatives. These of course are horses of two very different colors. To maintain that they are the same is to subsume what is to be demonstrated.

What ever else may be theoretically true of racism, it is a fact that it manifests itself most prominently in permissive (that is easily manipulated and conformist) but fertile social psychological environments. It seems to this reader that even the author's favorite bugaboo, the explosive affective nature of racism can be completely accounted for (if not explained) by proper attention to how the rewards and punishment structure of racism is regulated by the levers of society which are always under clear "social psychological control." At a very minimum, the influence of the social psychological layer, arguably the weightier of the three, cannot be ignored altogether.

It seems to me that this rather obvious oversight renders an otherwise very interesting, complex, and well-crafted piece, intellectually suspect: An inordinate amount of time is spent discussing the minutia of the psychoanalytic basis of the affective content of racism - using the pristine mind of the infant as the psychological laboratory. It is so many angels on the head of a needle. As well, a great deal of unwarranted weight is given to the intellectually impotent, socially irrelevant and ideologically laden, sociological explanations. And oddly this is done without even mentioning the role sociology (or psychology for that matter) plays in maintaining and perpetuating racism, especially in most Western societies.

Why commit theoretical Hari-Kari only to better understand the affective content of racism? Is this not the very place in the analysis at which the social psychological explanations could have come into play and done the heavy-lifting -- no matter what the origin and composition of the affective content may have been? And anyway, since when has a poverty of understanding about racism been the primary problem? We all know what it is when we see it even when we cannot define it. Is understanding racism really our most important problem? How about teaching white people to learn to live without all of its hidden advantages? It seems to me that this is a far greater problem than the mere understanding of racism.

Is it not precisely at the interface of the two layers of "social structure" and "psychological affect" that social psychology comes into play? That is not to say, that psychoanalysis does not also make valuable contributions at this interface, as well as all along the way. But look at the cost-benefits ratio? For each shovel full of Sociological psychoanalytic manure, the reader is required to work his way through the whole history of psychoanalysis and through all of the permutation of empty sociological theories, and what does he get in return? A slightly better understanding of the affective content of racism from the point of view of the human laboratory, the infant mind. How can we be sure that such results are upwardly compatible through the human organizational chain? And if it is upwardly compatible, in the end is this not just more reductive obfuscation? In short, and on balance, is it all worth it -- especially when the promised examples have not been forthcoming?

But even from the psychoanalytic angle, there are additional questions to be raised. A reasonable theoretical alternative for explaining racism, as it is manifest in most Western societies is heavily mythical and symbolic. This suggests that the notion of a social drama is a better theoretical construct than is a vain search for the illusive missing psychological "affect." In particular, I refer to the idea of a social drama, the drama of (white) masculine heroics, and the sociobiological drama designed to protect the mythical "pure white gene" -- and all that this entails:

To wit, most racism in Western societies is a thinly veiled psychological drama played by white people on themselves to protect "their" white women from the sperm of the "masculine Other" (mostly non-white men - but especially black men). And here I am appealing indirectly to, and invoking the theoretical machinery of Ernest Becker, Otto Rank, Joseph Campbell, Kenneth Burke, Hugh Daziel Ducan, among others. Even a cursory review of contemporary Western race-based societies will suggest that this is a more apt, productive and theoretically more sound construct, one that arguably, is more appropriate to fit existing structures of most racist societies.

At some point Occam's razor becomes the center of methodological and theoretical concern and not just a disposable utilitarian throw away. Conceptual clarity, and economy of explanation often go hand in hand with the most efficacious constructs and theoretical organization. That is to say, they become an overriding concern. One cannot speak about racism more economically or with more conceptual clarity than by mentioning the drama of the "white Alpha male fears" and his search for more control over the world through his myths, simulated heroics, and rituals of dominance. There is a great deal of psychological affect packed into this very convenient theoretical construct if the researcher would only look for it.

And while I am a strong proponent of Melanie Kline's work, especially as expressed by Robert Young in his incredible book Mental Spaces, her collection of "constructs" as Clarke pointed out so well, also have their explanatory limits. Why did the author not try to expand and then apply her notion of "projective identification" to the societal or cultural level? Is that not what Freud would have done were he alive? Why leave these very potent ideas hanging in the conceptual air?

I believe these intellectual oversights and conceptual disconnects all beg a deeper hidden question: What has been the role of Western Civilization in the perpetuation, consolidation and maintenance of racism? Is racism truly a universal phenomenon, or a mere product of a much damaged and warped white Western mind?

If the study and analysis of racism itself must be sacrificed to the gods of racism itself, where indeed does that leave Western humanity, which rests firmly on a foundation of centuries of racist exploitation? It makes it easier to understand why Mahatmus Gandhi, when asked what he thought about Western Civilization, answered: "I think it would be a good idea."

What Gandhi undoubtedly was trying to suggest is that Western thought, the Western worldview and even Western consciousness (and now we must add Western scholarship) is so deeply embedded in its own incestuous relationship with its own self-defined notions and myths, the most prominent of which is of course white supremacy, that Westerners have no clue as to how bereft of morality, and corrupted their humanity has actually become.

Research on racism surely cannot be made another casualty of the very thing it is attempting to study.

Is the only option open to the rest of humanity that of listening to the white man's complicated defense (couched in theoretical clothing) as the only and final truth about racism?

Just suppose for a moment that white racism and white morality, and white humanity are not at all what it is cracked up to be, that is it is not universal at all, but just happens to be one more component, among the many other strains of out collective humanity? What then do we make of this sophisticated academic attempt to hide the white deficit in humanity beneath a cloak of universality?

Five stars for a deep, thoughtful and wonderful ride!

Sixteen-year-old Japanese pop maven, Kiyoko Katsuda, may be a self-proclaimed superstar, and eye candy to basically every guy she comes in contact with. But that's as far as it goes, for this Japanese diva has a boyfriend. And, while she and Matteo may be an extremely long-distance couple, they're happy, and that's all that counts. However, when Kiyoko - raised by a diplomat father in basically every fashionable city in the world - is offered the chance to intern at FLIRT Magazine, she jumps at the opportunity, and before she can snap her fingers, is swept away into fashionable New York City, where she will make the crowded streets her own. However, when she isn't assigned the intern beat that she was hoping for - fashion - and gets stuck with music, she's quite disappointed. But it only takes her a short while to realize that music is her thing. And, while fashion is an exciting, trendy hobby, her real passion is creating a soundtrack to the runway that she calls life. Kiyoko, however, has other things on her mind than buckling down and getting to work. She's finally out on her own, and while she's glad to be given so much independence, she feels that her way-too-early curfew is making it difficult for her to enjoy the finer things in life - like clubbing 'till all hours of the night with some of her newfound friends. But when she realizes that she's got a knack for DJ'ing, as well as a definite talent for spinning records, she finds that maybe this internship is giving her the exact thing she needed: a push in the direction of her possible future.

Kiyoko may be the wild child of the FLIRT interns, but she's a wild child with personality who will ultimately appeal to readers of all personality types - whether you're a shy sweetie, or an outspoken honey, much like Kiyoko. Kiyoko is one of the most entertaining characters to hit this series. Her fashion sense is to die for, and hipster-chic; while her lingo is fresh, innovative, exciting, and catching - meaning you'll be repeating her "chatspeak" long after you have finished the book. You hear, lads! Out of each of the FLIRT interns, Kiyoko definitely receives one of the biggest life lessons, and even though it takes her a bit to come to terms with it, she most certainly does. Kiyoko is an intriguing character who will most certainly live in your memory for years to come. High fashion fun that continues even after the last page has been turned!

Erika Sorocco
Book Review Columnist for The Community Bugle Newspaper

This book was written by my great aunt, (my maternal grandfather's sister) Bessie Julia Clarke Drouet, to describe her experiences with friends, acquaintances and relatives, during the sittings she held at her homes in New York City over a period of several years. Her intent was to help and comfort people grieving for deceased loved ones: She wished to assure them that the soul does not die.
Aunt Bessie was a painter and a sculptress, and the photos included in the book are of sculptures that she did. As she describes in this book, she was convinced that her sculpture was influenced by the spirit of Rodon. In modern terms this might be described as "channeling."
I'm fortunate to own one copy of this book in its original binding, which is a sky blue cover, with the title in gold letters, and having gold-colored liners inside the cover. The pages are gold edged. My copy is signed and inscribed by her to my uncle, her newphew, Donald Clarke.
I'm delighted to see that it is still being read by some people.
May I ask who owns the rights to this book now? I and my one living brother are her only descendants, as she had no children of her own.

Barbara I. Coaker

Excellent. I think global citiznship should be on the American curriculum.

Electra Hamilton has big plans but she'll soon learn that everything isn't going to go the way she expects. She's a leading contender for the major position - probably because she's the only contender. But what she's most excited about is the simple fact that her best friend Samuel will be arriving in just a few days and his arrival means that Electra will finally experience the Big Event.

Electra may have been expecting Samuel but what she gets is his older brother Drew Bolinger. Drew's never approved of her relationship with Samuel and has always made Electra feel insignificant so the last thing she wants is to learn that he's planning on staying in town for the next three months. To make matters worse, Drew has to deliver the news that Samuel isn't coming. He'd gotten married and hadn't been brave enough to tell her himself.

The last thing Electra wants is to have to put up with Drew's condescending attitude for any length of time but it doesn't look like she has much choice since he'll be staying at the main house where she's a caretaker. What Electra doesn't realize is that Drew is a man on a mission. He's determined to show her exactly how he feels about her . . . and there's nothing even remotely brotherly about his feelings.

All of Electra's friends think that he's perfect for her. Her man hating cat even proves to be traitorous and accepts him. How's a girl to handle the overwhelming emotions that Drew's presence in her life is causing? Well, there are a lot of issues that have to be dealt with first but gradually she realizes that Drew's protective instincts and attitude toward her are more of a turn on than she'd ever been willing to admit - until now.

J.A. Clarke gives readers a reason to smile all the way through this storyline. Electra and Drew are fun characters whose differences make their story a true pleasure to read. I loved the emotional upheaval that Drew's appearance causes for Electra and got a huge kick out of his confusion over the `Big Event.' There are many characters and situations that add an exciting flair to this tale and keep you reading through to the end to find out how everything turns out for Electra and Drew.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)

THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY NOT OUT OF PRINT. IT IS SOLD IN ALL MAJOR BOOKSTORES IN AUSTRALIA.

An outstanding biography of one of Australia's most enigmatic modern writers, told with enthusiasm and realism. Sharon Clarke brings to life a man who was tossed in the ocean of inner turmoil, trying to come to terms with rejection and isolation, struggling to self-discovery.

This little book is pretty neat. It's packed with articles from "back in the day" when the GS1000 and it's derivatives were new. There's an article about engine mods, as well as Dunstall parts and some other interesting stuff. Fun to read what the press thought of these great bikes back when they were new.

Nick Clarke [who also writes under the pseudonym of Jeff Charles] writes with genuine panache about the escapades of Ivor Belling,a British public relations executive during the swinging sixties when all the pretty girls let it all hang out. The lucky guy has admitted that the novel is largely autobiographical but the girls' names of have been changed to protect the guilty! A graphic highly readable erotic novel.

this is a great introduction to compilers. there's no advanced stuff inside, and i think that's what makes the book very readable. after reading it you will know what are object files, symbols, linker, loader, recursive descent parsing, how the processor executes code.

unfortunately there are many "c++ programmers" that don't know how the program turns from source to executable and this book will definitely fill the gaps.