H Books

WOW... this book is AWESOME!! I am a police officer in upstate New York, and I am very impressed with John's way of telling his story. He gives great details, and it doesn't take much of an imagination to be taken away to the places in his book! I have always been interested in the New York State Police, and just wish I started my career earlier and became a Trooper!
I do wish I had the authors address, as I would very much like to contact him! [...]

I thoroughly enjoyed "One Cop's Story", John Briant showed me an 'inside look' at what life in the NY State Police was like in the middle of the 1900's when the State Police Barracks were called "Barracks" because that was actually where the troopers did most of there living. His portrail of this life in what now seems a by-gone age is a testament to the devotion and spirit of the troopers from the days of many years ago. And Mr. Briant doesn't sugar-coat any of it - he shares the good as well as the bad and together they weave into an excellent story of life on the Force. I truly enjoyed "one Cop's Story" and recommend it to all!

A candid portrayal of the author's 28 year career in the NYSP. A career often fraught with danger and full of personal obstacles but also a career of adventure, excitement and oftentimes humor. The reader will warm to John Briant's sincerity and warm personality. John Briant takes you on a tour of his life while modestly downplaying his often heroic achievements. I know because I worked with him. You will enjoy getting acquainted with this man who epitomizes your perception of what a Trooper should be. An enjoyable read.Wayne E. Beyea, author of "Fatal Impeachment."

One Cop's Story: A Life Remembered has reached and completed its fourth year on the market. It still is selling, especially to young men and women interested in the field of Law Enforcement. The book in its early publication almost made the national market, however it is still alive and well to those readers interested in the field and students participating in Criminal Justice Studies. Hardcovers and soft covers are still AVAILABLE.

Chalet Publishing announces the third printing of "One Cop's Story: A Life Remembered by John H. Briant. The book will be distributed by North Country Books, Utica, NY to regional booksellers. The book will be ready for sale in the middle of October. The reason for the reprinting is there have been numerous requests for this book.

Thank you,

The Publisher

One More Bridge to Cross is an inside look at the Noncommissioned Officers contributions to warfare. By providing direct insight to the Noncommissioned Officer, the author allows the reader to gain a great deal of in-depth knowledge in a short time. He provides the reader with real life experience as well as researched facts that build upon one another and enlighten the reader. A definite read for anyone interested in military tactics and training.

One More Bridge to Cross takes a truly unique approach to studying warfare and military reform. One More Bridge to Cross offers a close look at the moral factors of war that John Poole examines so insightfully in his other books. Most great military theorists (including Sun Tzu, Clausewitz and John Boyd) have emphasized the importance of moral factors. John Poole goes beyond theorizing about these moral factors and examines their importance in conflicts past and present. He shows how the United States has gained strength throughout its history by supporting worthy causes. He gives examples of how upholding moral standards in the conduct of war has contributed to ultimate victory. Finally, he shows how the United States has begun to loose the moral highground in recent times by practicing heavy-handed attrition style warfare. One More Bridge to Cross is particularly relevant to today's war against terrorism, where perceptions of values and morality can sway public opinion at home and rally new enemies abroad.

In this another excellent work from John Poole, the author has chosen to examine the moral aspects of good soldiering by focusing on their application on a tactical level (although his suggestions might be equally well applied on the strategic level.) Don't be mistaken, however. This is not simply a theological tract. The author, a Roman Catholic, probably has more first hand knowledge of good solid tactics than any other "expert" going. He knows how to kill another man, another unit, and/or another tank. His interest, however, is in the proper aim of maneuver warfare: winning the war with an eye on what Liddell-Hart called "a better peace."

It's been over twenty years since the U.S. military formally outlined their emphasis on maneuver warfare (hastily summed up as "achieving our objective(s)") rather than attrition (again, hastily summed up as "destroying the enemy"), and yet our forces still seem bogged down in no-win attrition style wars. Were they to pay closer to attention to the evaluations of gentlemen such as Poole, they'd have a much easier time winning those "hearts and minds" we're always hearing about.

There are, of course, a multitude of religious undertones here, but even the most atheistic amongst us will have to recognize the strategic pragmatism of Poole's suggestions. The bombardment of a city by air may win you some rubble, but it doesn't win you a war. A wake of bodies doesn't make for a victory, and it doesn't lay the groundwork for "peace-keeping." As we've seen, it only encourages resentment and an insurgency.

If there's an intruder in your neighbor's house, you seek out and remove the intruder. You don't blow up the building. If your goal is to show an eastern peoples that you've come to remove an indiscriminately violent dictator, you don't use indiscriminate violence.

One More Bridge to Cross addresses something that often gets forgotten- the training of our souls and establishing a natural moral compass when engaged in combat will instinctively take over as chaos ensues. Fight or flight instincts take over on the battlefield. If training is not effective and becomes a part of ones character, it's left behind in lieu to what already exists in one's moral fabric. This book is about avoiding killing when the opportunity exists in order to minimize loss of life and limb. It's about applying only the appropriate amount of force in order to meet mission requirements. Before going into combat we train mentally and physically with a quick skim over the morality of war, and the mental, physical and moral costs of war without ever realizing what war actually may entail.

So what happens when human beings ignore training of the compass? We have incidences like Abu Ghraib, WWII soldiers say they were only following orders when exterminating Jews, Serbs and Muslims of the Balkans revenge killing each other, Palestinians and Israelis going tit- for-tat, Special Forces Operators being accused of needlessly killing detainees, news reporters concerned about getting stories out without considering their uninformed or biased approaches. All of the above named actions contribute to the continuation of war.

Service members who are not mentally prepared for this reality may become susceptible to mental and emotional illnesses i.e. Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. They may feel guilt ridden for something they have actually done correctly, but do not realize that they had taken appropriate measures because faith in themselves and their training were not reinforced.

Again, war is the ultimate clash of HUMAN WILLS. The ultimate clash of wills is highly emotional for people on the front lines of a battle fields. Unless one has been in a combat environment, one will never truly understand and will attempt to subjugate the importance of the human in combat vice the machine. People die, friends die, and this causes anger, pain and the desire for revenge.

Poole's book stresses the importance of maintaining a moral compass in combat. He is training the subconscious to contend with a reality that some hi-tech supporters of weapon systems do not understand. Killing is killing whether one pushes a button, or the other pushes a trigger. One kills people and calls some collateral damage and perpetuates the fight by providing the enemy a battle cry and information operation tool, the other engages face to face and knows he truly killed a legitimate threat. This is the bridge combatants are forced to cross.

As much as anything, this is a "how to" manual for warriors in the 21st Century. While some things have changed since this book was written in 1999, it is my contention that these much needed changes in ground force organization, training, and tactics were influenced greatly by this book and John Poole's recommendations. There is still a lot more to be learned from the thoughts and ideas this book, and it should be read by more than just warriors. This book would help legislators, parents, teachers, potential recruits, and ordinary Americans (voters and supporters) to understand what has happened to our military forces in the past 50 years and where we have to go to address the wars we are now fighting and those of the future.

John Poole provides a challenge to America's conventional military philosophy - In 1999, America's military leaders were not preparing the military for the current nature of war which some call 4th Generation War and others Asymmetric War and still others Irregular Warfare. In many respects, the reforms that John Poole calls for in One More Bridge are still not in practice. The price for not understanding what Poole has to say will be excessive casualties, disruption of indigenous populations, and erosion of their support for our military objectives. This is the very frightening and realistic picture that John Poole (a retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and former Gunnery Sergeant) paints in One More Bridge to Cross: Lowering the Cost of War. John Poole is a recognized and noted expert on small unit battlefield tactics. He is the author of Phantom Soldier, The Tiger's Way, Tactics of the Crescent Moon, and The Last 100 Yards and has spent twenty-eight years leading and training Marines in small unit tactics, serving two tours in Vietnam.

His thesis is based on the history of the last fifty years from past wars. Poole stresses the need for radically different small unit decentralized training to prepare U.S. soldiers and Marines to fight the wars of the future (remember, this is 1999 that he wrote this). Poole states that change is needed in three areas: implementing effective decentralized light-infantry training, returning the moral quotient to the destruction of war by minimizing disruption of civilian life, and understanding and respecting the enemies' philosophy of war. This requires our military strategists to change their focus from attrition warfare to a more balanced approach with maneuver and Stability and Support Operations (SASO) as the counter. This idea is something that the military-industrial complex has been trying hard to ignore. If one looks at the guidance given to the Quadrennial Defense Review in 2005, however, that guidance seems to reflect a change in the old ways of thinking about how we fight. It is a decided shift toward what Poole was trying to tell us before 9/11.

Poole states that, "Attrition Warfare has become as much a part of American military thinking as apple pie." Modern warfare dictates that the military must add a new philosophy that enables America to win in many different environments in which attrition warfare will lose.

As this review is being written, some 30 Army artillery battalions are being transitioned to more appropriate types of units such as military police, military intelligence, and light infantry in recognition of the fact that our new enemies have neutralized attrition warfare, as Poole suggested. We are learning to adapt, but is it enough?

Poole's new military philosophy was based upon analysis of a new and different enemy, who is not obliging enough to sit still and face the military in massed formations to slug it out, where America's overwhelming firepower would prevail. Instead, he is a phantom living in the hidden jungle vastnesses, treacherous mountains, and maze-like cities, where he organizes his military into decentralized, small mobile elements. America, therefore, cannot destroy the whole country to get him. The French learned this in their defeats in Vietnam and Algiers. Americans saw the effect in Vietnam, Lebanon, Somalia and now Afghanistan and Iraq, but we have been late to adapt.

Poole explains how eastern warfare and military thought is very different. In the East, the decision maker takes everything as a whole and then proceeds with a comprehensive and intuitive bringing together of its every aspect. In the West, the decision maker divides a complex matter into its component parts, and then deals with those parts one at a time with the emphasis on logical analysis. For ground combat, the Eastern way of thinking may have more utility. The Asian large-unit commander is a bottom-up, holistic thinker. He briefs every subordinate (no matter how low ranking) on his overall goals and then encourages them to either make a contribution or get out of the way. As a result, his unit can more quickly adapt to the fragmented and ever-changing nature of modern battle. He exploits what his subordinates accomplish rather than dictating their every move. Does this even vaguely remind anyone of Osama Bin Laden?

In the West, the emphasis was, and still is in some respects, on long-range warfare and large-unit training, i.e., battalion and above. In the East, the emphasis is on short-range warfare and small-unit training, most notably, the individual, fire team, and squad. This means that the Asian soldier generally acquires more of the basic field skills he will need to survive in close combat.

In this book, John Poole tells us that American Soldiers and Marines have always been expert at using their equipment and following orders. Unfortunately, one must know more than that to survive against a loosely controlled and arms-poor but woods-wise opponent. Poole goes on to enumerate those areas where we need to train our grunts and all those who would participate in this kind of war.

Former Gunny Poole reminds us that those best qualified to develop the prerequisite procedures will be the non-commissioned officers (NCOs). By allowing his 30-40 NCOs to collectively design their own portfolio of tactical techniques up to squad level, the company commander will not only give his small-unit leaders tactical decision-making experience, but also he can ensure their non-predictability in war.

Until we reform our military philosophy, these new wars will be costly to our soldiers and the civilians that we are trying to win over to our cause. Read this book!

Walter Diamond played a significant and enduring role in international finance in the latter half of the 20th century. Now with his wife and partner Dorothy at his side he tells the inside and exciting story of the role he played in establishing today's world trade system. The author also provides valuable insights on our international trade program and sage advice on how it can be made to work for world peace. In this book one hears an authentic voice.

This reference canon about the activities of the authors identifies and initiates discussion about many of the otherwise undiscussed, unreviewed activities of the US Treasury in protecting and enhancing America during World War II and American business through 2006. The book includes insights that will clarify the thoughts of future researchers in US economic "policy making" in our new globally competitive commercial working environment. It becomes a book that must be read by the individuals who want to understand the practical implementation of American expropriation of non-allied assets during World War II and the advancement of American business after the war through the creation of tax-free commercial trade zones. It highlights how the "rubber met the road" through the identification of world leader's expectations. We should all be very thankful that the authors got these thoughts down on paper in an autobiographical format.

I read One of a Kind: Learning the Secrets of World Leaders by Walter H. Diamond. This book was fascinating. I couldn't put it down. As an elected official in Greenburgh, NY I also was inspired by the book -- and learned alot about leadership and what it takes to be a good leader. The book should be required reading for everyone who holds a leadership position. PAUL FEINER Greenburgh, NY Town Supervisor

Dorothy and Walter Diamond have been friends of mine since 1985 when I returned to New York from Liberia and was introduced to their work in signficantly helping advance the Liberian corporate program. Subsequently I was involved with the Nevis jurisdiction, and the contribution of Walter and Dorothy to this program was exceedingly worthwhile. Apart from these personal business connections, Walter's post-war assignments make compelling reading and would have an appeal to anyone interested in how foreign assets were dealt with after WWII. The book is fascinating and very relevant today to anyone interested in the global economy and the extent to which offshore jurisdictions play their legitimate part in our world economy.

The free world is so fortunate to have Walter and Dorothy Diamond. For the last 50 years or so, they have traveled the world at the behest of foreign leaders to help advise them on how can they better help their people. The countrymen of over 100 nations now can live better, more productive lives because of the tireless efforts of the Diamonds in establishing Free Trade Zones around the globe. This book, "One of a Kind" is an interesting, detailed account of the Diamonds youth, people they have met during their life, and their global travels. A fascinating read.

Bill Pearson Neiman-Marcus,White Plains, NY.

Nolo Small Business Start-up Kit for California provides excellent information for those starting your own business. I've highlighted sections throughout the book!

simple and clean, rather go through all of the sites to search what you actually need to register your company, this book guide you through that. also, book v.s. web sites, the book gives you more insight to cross comparison on all the legal structures that you need to choose, pros and cons, to make you select what fits you, instead of reading laws on the web only tell you what is LLC and etc. I will keep it although I formed my company after reading this book.

If you are thinking of starting your own business in California, especially if you have never done it before, you will find that this book is worth its weight in gold.

This resource takes the complication out of starting a business, contacting the right agencies and doing things legally. It cuts through a lot of confusion, has an encouraging tone and presents what you need to know in a very logical and easy to understand format.

I often recommend this book to my small business clients and find it to be a useful general reference. It also points to many other good resources and is a good value for such a comprehensive book.

It is well written and easy to understand. Not a lot of legal jargon that you have to wade through, but legal nevertheless. I will continue to use it for a reference.
Thank you for such a easy to read and understand book!

This book saved me a lot of money by allowing me to form my own one-owner California corporation. I liked the fact that it explained why it wasn't recommending certain things so that you could decide whether it was worth it to you or not.

The only area that I felt it could have explained things more thoroughly was that while it explained how to issue initial shares, it didn't explain at all how to issue any subsequent shares (e.g., in case your corporation was about to run out of money and you (the owner) wanted to buy more shares to inject more capital). It just said to consult a lawyer. So I had to inject more capital via a loan instead. If it's that complicated, then perhaps the author should warn people to slightly overcapitalize the corporation initially.

This book provided a good overview of lawns. There were many clear color pictures included, and the text was simple to read. I would have preferred a little more detail for the techniques described in the book. For instance, aerating was given only a paragraph or two and didn't have details on tools, spacing, or depth. This book, however, detailed information on how to read a grass seed or fertilizer label. This book is good for a novice, but if you want to get serious about your lawn, find a book with more details and that is more up to date.

The best, most comprehensive lawn book I've found. Very helpful illustrations and descriptions of various grasses, weeds and pests. Discusses lawnmower types and maintenance, compares types of sprinklers and recommends when to weed and feed. Covers everything you'll need to know.

This is a great book all about lawns. Great pictures and useful reference information.

However, this book is the older version of the newer "Scotts Lawns: Your Guide to a Beautiful Yard." I know, because I purchased both of them. They are both by the same publisher, and contain many identical pictures. Of course, the pictures of generic fertilizer and lawn equipment in the Scotts version have been replaced with Scotts-brand items. But, the Scotts book is larger, newer, and contains more information. So, if the branding doesn't bother you, I recommend buying that one instead.

You would think grass was the easiest thing in the world to grow. That is until you actually own your own house and you realize that this whole grass growing thing
is not exactly a picnic in the sun.

Not only can overwatering kill your grass, you can end up with all sorts of problems if you fertilize too much. We are talking about burning grass, planting the wrong grass seeds and living to see your grass take on Amazon like proportions.

I've done it all. I?ve planted the wrong grass seeds, repaired patches (successfully after purchasing this book) and learned other lessons in how to maintain a lawn.

Contents:

What Makes a Great Lawn
Lawn Care
Building A Better Lawn
Problem Solving - weeds, insects and disease.

The next time you drive by a home with a perfect lawn, you might wonder if they own this book. It sure has all the secrets for how to mow, repair and fertilize your lawn.

One thing this book taught me was to read the back of the bags of grass seed. 't grow in certain areas, or not as well. I had this whole lovely patch of Annual Bluegrass that did fine until the summer when it died out and left bare patches in the lawn. Don't even ask me about crabgrass.

Are you interested in knowing why your yard has developed fairy rings or necrotic ring spot, this book gives you hints and tips on the types of grasses that are susceptible and how you can control the problem with chemicals or by planting a different type of grass.

Before you plant a new lawn or move into a house that has one, get this book fast!

It sure helped me while I was living in my beautiful big house with the large kitchen.

Ok, so I'm not missing it too much. The yard was a lot of work. Now I relax on my deck and read books while the lawn-care guys zip along in their riding mowers. Ahh, bliss.

Make your life easier with this book. I promise you, you don't want to live without this book for two years like I did.

Essential Lawn-care book! The Best I've seen.

~The Rebecca Review

In the past I have always hired services to care for my lawn. This past year I decided, for a number of reasons, to do it myself. I bought a nice mower, a fertilizer spreader, and this book. The information contained in this book was extremely helpful to a novice like me. I also followed the program set forth by the fertilizer manufacturer I chose and mowed and watered according to the advice set forth in this book.

Frankly, I was shocked by how quickly my lawn improved. You have to understand that my lawn was basically dead and full of weeds. It seemed like it was mostly weeds. But getting the lawn mowed properly, with some good fertilizer and weed control and sufficient water creates amazing results.

This book helped me understand different grass types, weed varieties and how to treat them, how to select fertilizers and how much to apply based upon grass type, how much work you want to put into your lawn, and soil types. Your lawn can take as much work as you want to put into it, but the minimum amount can be pretty low. I probably picked a medium amount because of all the recovery I had to accomplish. My neighbors routinely complimented the lawn and by the end of the season it wasn't much work at all.

This book is concise, well illustrated, and very informative. It sure helped me and I believe that if you are a beginner like me, it can be of great help to you.

Peace, Love and Healing: Bodymind Communication & the Path to Self-Healing: An Exploration was a book for myself when I was battling Lymphoma. It was a great deal of help and support for me. Since then I have given it to others diagnosed with cancer.

This is a great book for anybody but especially for cancer patients like myself. The book was very inspirational and uplifting. I highly recommend this book.

I just love Bernie Siegal, and admire his openness and willingness to speak out and risk the ridicule of the traditional medical community. It seems his ideas really are important in healing!

I've submitted essentially the same review for Love, Medicine and Miracles as for Peace, Love and Healing. I read Love, Medicine and Miracles first and then Peace, Love and Healing and also recommend that others read them in that sequence: Peace, Love, and Healing is very much a continuation of the earlier book. Having said that, the most important thing is for anyone facing a health crisis to read them both. The sequence in which they're read is less important than that they be read--and absorbed.

I was introduced to these books shortly after having been diagnosed with cancer by another person who was (and still is, unfortunately) dealing with some major health issues. Although I've read tons of stuff relating to cancer and, especially, treatments of various types and stripes, I can't think of anything that provided greater value and (even) guidance to me during those challenging days, mainly because getting the "head" right is half the battle--and the half of the battle that far too many completely neglect. One of the things that Bernie makes imminently clear to the reader is that he/she, the reader, has a great deal of influence over the course of his/her illness. That's an important message to someone feeling powerless. Plenty of powerful examples, thought exercises, etc. The messages are uplifting, hopeful, life-affirming, empowering, and above all, realistic.

Although I was vaguely aware of the mind-body connection before reading these books, I now understand that psychoneuroimmunology (if that is an unfamiliar term, you will become familiar with it by the time you've read Peace, Love and Healing) is real and can potentially be harnessed to the patient's great benefit: change the mind, change the body.

Naturally, I can't do justice to these books with a few short sentences here. But here's the bottom line: these books should be read by anyone facing a health crisis who sincerely wants to get well. But they should also be read by anyone who has a friend or loved one facing a health crisis. Read them yourself before you send them on to the friend/loved one. You'll find them valuable both for yourself and also for helping your friend/loved one deal with it. The books should be read by anyone facing a life-threatening illness, but their value transcends cancer (or other serious illness) self-help by a long shot, valuable as that is. Even if your present health seems to be good, you should still read these books. They will help you live more effectively even if you never get sick. And they will surely equip you to deal with a major illness if you ever have to face one.

Bernie Siegel writes in a very conversational-easy-to-read style in a book packed with information, facts, and understanding which is helpful for everyone regarding the connection between mind-body healing. Bernie Siegel helps us to take responsibility for our own health and to work as a team member with medical professionals in a co-operative style of relating.
Having fairly recently been diagnosed with an advanced cancer this book helped me to see cancer in a new light.
Everyone would bemnefit from reading this book for their health in general.

There are many reference books for Pilots. This is carefully designed by the Federal Aviation Agency as a test preparation reference. It is good, authoritative and has been upgraded relatively recently.

This is the "official" FAA text on the subject.
However, it took some determination to get all the way through.
I much preferred Rod Machado's book. His humor can be a bit corny but you'll get through the book and understand the material much better.

Rod Machado's Private Pilot Handbook: The Ultimate Private Pilot Book

I needed the PHAK for my aviation class @ SIU and the bookstores here were out. How they were out of PHAKS when there's only 70 students I don't know. I ordered it off of amazon and it was exactly what I was looking for.

FAA issued book. I used this book to prepare for the Private Pilot's License Written Test (ie. Ground School test). I haven't taken the test yet, but so far so good. This book was required by the ground school.

This book is definitely the best introductory book to the main aviation concepts I ever read.
Each issue - from flight static and dynamics to FCS, propulsion, avionics and navigation, weather theory and influence, flight and ground operations - is considered in this book with a technical, but easily understandable, approach. The book is, as a matter of fact, an introduction and, therefore, is not suggested to experienced readers. It's, in any case, a five-star introduction.

My mother just loves Egypt stuff and this was bought as a mother's day gift. I previewed it (just to see) and it is beautiful. I even caught myself reading it, as it was full of information and details. I've never seen an Egyption book like this before, and don't think I will ever come across one again.

If you want a succint and fascinating guide to understanding Egyptian art then this is for you. Arranged in a most unique style, Wilkinson's book captivates the reader and moves him into a richer understanding of Egypt's language and art. Richly illustrated, this masterpiece for the layman traces the impact that the Egyptian language had upon the ancient forms of art. It provides the reader with some basic information as well as specifics which will assist the layman in understanding and appreciating this great civilization. It moved me to purchase the companion volume which I cannot wait to read. Having been to Egypt twice, I can only say that this book is a MUST for anyone who is planning to travel there. I only wish that I had discovered this book before I went there! The only thing better would be if the author himself led you on a tour to this enchanting land!

Art language, the signs by which we interpret the meaning of art, is a specialized study. I would recommend this book to anyone who would like to approach Egyptian art on a deeper level than a simple visual feast. Prof. Wilkinson has explained many of the common themes used by ancient Egyptian artists in simple terms, so that anyone who cares to read will be able to understand and appreciate the work in depth. I have found this book invaluable. The book is richly illustrated and the line drawings by Troy Sagillo are exquisite. Wilkinson has opened a path for me that I knew was there, but could not find.

Wilkinson is a professor at the University of Arizona (or was) and I believe may still be directing that institution's work in the Valley of the Kings. As he points out in this volume, one of the things often missed in regards to Egyptian art is that it is intended to be "read". Even paintings and objects in the round are often constructed using hieroglyphs. The author gives a well written, organized overview of the rudiments of learning to see into Egyptian art more of what the artist intended the viewer to see. Very nicely illustrated with an excellent selection of examples.

What a wonderful book!

The author takes 100 of the hieroglyphs used in writing Egyptian, and used in Egyptian art. (Symbols are identified by the Gardiner code number.) He dedicates 2 pages to each symbol - the right-hand page gives an analysis of the meaning and uses of the symbol, and the left-hand page, through line drawings and photographs, illustrates how the symbol is used.

Whether you study it page by page, or just dip in and browse, this book can be used, with profit, by anyone interested in the language or art of ancient Egypt.

"A modern classic. Dewey's lectures have lost none of their vigor...The historical approach, which underlay the central argument, is beautifully exemplified in his treatments of the origin of philosophy."--Philosophy and Phenomenological Research

"It was with this book that Dewey fully launched his campaign for experimental philosophy."--The New Republic

Dewey's philosophy is hard for some people to get into, or take seriously, because his whole body of concerns and ideas are present behind every sentence-- so, even though his language is plain-spoken, it is "saturated with meaning," to use one of his phrases. So it takes real work, and he doesn't always succeed in keeping the foreground clear, while remembering the background. It's DOING philosophy, rather than merely writing ABOUT it. This book is a great example -- what does philosophy do for us, how does it contribute when it is woven into the other enterprises of life, and what ideas in philosophy stand it the way of its making a living contribution. The book is full of dramatic, and even radical thinking, but in quiet, reflective language that requires relaxed, persistent attention.

Written shortly after World War I, John Dewey's classic RECONSTRUCTION IN PHILOSOPHY offered an introduction to the philosophy of pragmatic humanism, arguing against traditional philosophy by suggesting their fountains in self-justification were flawed and proposing an examination of core values based on other criteria. Published in 1948, this Dover reprint of the enlarged edition is an important guide to any college-level philosophy collection.

Written soon after the First World War, Reconstruction in Philosophy by James Dewey attempts to lay out a program for making philosophy adapt to the needs of a new time and age. As man's experience has changed in the modern era, so must philosophy change; philosophy must evolve in order to explicitly address those issues from which it originally arose - those dealing with the everyday concerns of man. It is contemporary philosophy's (in 1919) detachment from man's real life and goals that Dewey wishes to diagnose and address. Philosophy must break the bonds of tradition and become entirely secular; the scientific method which revolutionized man's life must be embraced by philosophy - the facts and experience oriented spirit of science must pervade the reconstruction of philosophy.

It is the rise of science as the great shaper of human life and culture that constitutes the greatest change in human experience. Pre-historic man's life - which, according to Dewey, consisted of brief periods of food gathering and the rest of long periods of reverie - gave rise to conceptions of the nature of man and the world. As men's culture advanced, so did men's accounts of the nature of man and the world; these developments culminated in the works of the classic ancient thinkers, notably Plato and Aristotle. These were philosophies that denigrated ugly matter and imperfect change, and idealized perfect, eternal forms. These philosophies, and those in modern times which carry their influence, place ultimate value and ultimate reality in otherworldly or extra-sensory things - in the Forms, Celestial Spheres, the Categories, etc.

The Pragmatic method proposed by Dewey seeks to dispense with the old dichotomies and idealizations and transform knowledge and philosophy from the "contemplative to the operative." Science broke the old dogmas about the physical universe and philosophy should similarly make experience the test of our principles; abstractions, principles, generalizations, etc. should service concrete action, not the other way around. "The true is the verified," writes Dewey. This is the method by which logic, epistemology, morals, politics, etc. should base its reconstruction.

Dewey's program, it may be argued, only serves to relocate rather than resolve some of the main issues of philosophy. How exactly the methods of science are to be absorbed by philosophy, and whether philosophy does in fact differ from the sciences only in its degree of generality are unanswered questions. While deriding "fixed and final" end in ethics, Dewey posits "growth itself as the only moral end." And by defining society as "the process of associating in such ways that experiences, ideas, emotions, and values are transmitted and made common," he makes both the individual and the state subordinate to this process. Have we not traded one thing to subordinate ourselves to for another? This is not to say that Dewey doesn't offer a framework that perhaps allows us to offer more satisfying answers to philosophy's issues (which is just what Dewey argues for); its just that he is proposing a new methodology for answering those issues, not (in this work at least) offering specific answers, or defending in a satisfying way the assertion that his program is in the first place tenable. These comments aren't mean to trivialize Dewey's program offhand, but to point out the sort of questions he raises which should be answered.

For a much more fruitful and rigorous defense of a pragmatic-type approach to some of philosophy's central issues, see Susan Haack's Evidence and Inquiry: Towards Reconstruction in Epistemology (for the title of which she borrowed from Dewey). This work by Dewey, however, is required reading for those who wish to study the American Pragmatist school.

John Dewey, as I've heard, was never comfortable with labels. Throughout his career he shifted from and to many rubrics: pragmatism, interactionism, instrumentalism, transactionism, experimentalism. Truth be told, all of these are present in "Reconstruction in Philosophy" and partly because of that, this is probably the best intro to Dewey available.

Dewy has a bone to pick with traditional philosophy. Not only has it lost track with real, as opposed to academic, problems (anyone walking down the street can tell us this) but it never really was that good at depicting real questions and descriptions anyway. Take comcepts like Plato's ideal forms and Kant's a priori. Neither of these are teneble in any realm of experience; rather, they were a misguided quest to explain the permanance and stability of the world.

Dewey's book is an attempt to pull the carpet out from under their feet; science and inquiry using its methods shows us that the world changes and if anything, stability is something that is felt by us - not inherent in the world. Thus a prioris, ideal forms, seperation of the noumenal and phenouminal amongst other current 'problems' in philosophy - all based on the idea of permanant/transitory dichotomy - are not only wearing thin, but are fast showing to be irrelevant. From this, he builds the groundwork of a philosophy in between rationalism and empiricism. Taking from rationalism an admiration and recognition of reason's power to direct action and combining it with empiricims fascination with experience, Dewey creates a philosophy that puts the spotlight not on one or the other, but on both as leading to and taking from eachother.

The first chapter are a philosophical survey of how philosophy went wrong; particularly in Ancient Greek and early Christian philosophy (both having a love affair with absolutes outside of experience). The second chapter focuses on the mistakes when philosophers, like Francis Bacon, widened the chasm between the real and experiential and the ideal and rational.

From here, Dewey proceeds piece by piece to show what was wrong and how to fix it by making clear tht scienctific inquiry (the equal interaction between subject and object) leaves no room for absolutes, forms or a prioris (or at least, not in any pragmatically useful sense). By extension, things like formal rules of logic above experience, non-experimentalism in moral or political theory and psychology that includes the individual without an equal part of the social; all of these become little more than unfounded but continually persisting glorifications.

For the reader interested in Dewey, naturalism, instrumentalism or the implications of pragmatism, this is a great introduction. From here, I suggest Dewey's "The Quest for Certainty" followed by "Experience and Nature", topped off with "Human Nature and Conduct".

Thank you so much - the book arrived in fantastic condition and I enjoyed it very much.

--Beth :)

In this entry of the popular Rina/Peter Decker series, Kellerman assures us of more Jewish history and customs as the victims in this one are of the Jewish faith. This time the double-edged mystery sends Peter and Rina to Israel to track down the sons of a wealthy diamond magnate and his wife. Did the boys kill their parents? Add to this, the search for a friend of Rina's from New York, who comes to California for a visit with her three children and then mysteriously vanishes as well---to Israel. Add a cool ice queen named Kate Milligan, a shady partner named Shaul Gold, add a few other nasties and Kellerman sends her heroes off into a labyrinthine plot.
Kellerman's a good writer and as she progresses, she tries to focus more on plot and suspense, and not so much on Rina's faith. It does seem surprising though that she manages to slight other religious beliefs while sanctifying her own? Hopefully, as she progresses she'll take some clues from her husband Jonathan and write more substantial works.

I had trouble putting down this book from the very start -- it's a real page turner with a well-plotted mystery -- two of them actually -- keeping you going. The mysteries involve a family who has disappeared out of the blue -- he's a California diamond dealer, so perhaps this was part of a theft -- and a woman and children who arrive unexpectedly for a visit with Detective Decker and his family -- her husband is also a diamond dealer in a Chasidic community in New York. As Decker goes about trying to solve the disappearance of the California family, odd things begin happening with the New York family who are visiting -- they also disappear. Is there a connection?

The mystery takes Decker and wife Rina to Israel, a major diamond cutting/dealing country.

I learned a lot about diamonds and Israel reading this book, and for the most part really enjoyed it. The dialogue was more natural than in some Kellerman books I've read. But -- her pro-Jewish, anti-everything else sentiment was present in this book again, this time in an anti-Moslem bias. Why are metal boxes on door frames considered good religious practice but painting a doorway blue (as Moslems do) treated as superstitious? It seems to me that the customs of Orthodoxy Judaism are unusual enough that Kellerman should be more tolerant and openminded about the practices of other faiths.

Peter Decker and his wife Rina are enjoying family life with her sons and their new baby daughter when Rina's old friend Honey Klein asks to come visit. Rina is surprised because they hasn't been in close contact with Honey in recent years, but she agrees to the visit. Meanwhile Peter works with his partner Marge on a case involving an entire family who have suddenly vanished. The husband is a diamond dealer, and there are many motives for a possible murder, most of them having to do with money. Coincidentally, after Honey comes to the Lazarus home, her husband, also a diamond dealer, is mysteriously killed. Peter's quest for the truth in these matters eventually takes him and Rina to Israel where they pursue missing persons from both of these cases. As usual, author Kellerman weaves interesting facts about the orthodox Jewish religion as well as Peter and Rina's evolving family life. The trip to Israel adds an extra dimension to the story, and the total package is very satisfying for a mystery reader.

In my book 'Sanctuary' is one of the best in the Peter Decker/ Rina Lazarus series. The story revolves around the missing husband of Rina's friend. The search takes Rina and Peter to Israel where we are treated to a fascinating tour of the West Bank and the diamond trade in Israel. What makes this entry so important today is the portrayal of the continuing conflict and violence that shapes Israel's future and her people. It is a pleasure to read a book that is both thoughtful and fun to read.

My only other suggestion if you are new to Faye Kellerman is to start at the beginning with 'Ritual Bath' to see the relationship between Rina and Peter unfold. Then read all her books in the order in which they were written. Its a great series.