Publications and Media Books

This fascinating survey studies the British people's reaction to the Labour government. It examines key areas of government policy - the redistribution of wealth, pensions, the work-life balance, higher education, home ownership, health, transport, the European Union, and trade unions.

73% of us think that the gap between rich and poor is too large. 90% favour tax and spending policies which reduce this gap, yet the government's policies have widened it. People's top priority for extra spending on benefits is pensions - 41% thought so in 1983, 59% in 2003. Instead, the governments policies are wrecking our pension schemes.

The studies show that more people now use flexible working options, that people strongly supported both vocational and academic education, and that the vast majority aspire to own their own homes, however many obstacles governments and banks put in their way.

In 2004 there was a 10% fall in satisfaction with dental services because it is so hard to find a dentist who does NHS work. Satisfaction with other parts of our NHS held steady, showing how much we dislike the government's privatising our health service.

Network Rail gets twice the public money that British Rail got pre-privatisation. No wonder 96% back improving public transport. It's a pity the survey did not ask people whether they would like the railways to be renationalised.

More and more we oppose the EU, which the government loves. 56% of us would vote against the EU Constitution, 20% would vote for. 57% wanted to reduce the EU's influence, 10% wanted to increase it (compared to 37% and 40% respectively in 1992).

Trade unionists are now far less pro-Labour than they used to be. Given all these findings about what people actually want, it is astounding that anyone still votes for any of the pro-capitalist parties, Labour included, because the parties all oppose what the vast majority of us want.

"Moure is the dean of California art historians... Here is her magnum opus. There is no single volume that even approaches this work in scope, depth and scholarship. Every high school, college and university in the State needs this book. Every serious collector of California art, the humanities and material culture needs this book." West Coast Peddler, Sept. 1999, p. 60

"California Art fills a vast cultural void in art history that has created a general lack of awareness concerning the development of art in this region. It may well be instrumental in changing long-held notions in New York that characterize California as an artistic backwater. In covering such a broad topic, author Nancy Dustin Wall Moure has taken on a daunting task, and has risen to the occasion..." Artweek, July/Aug., 1999, pp. 26-7.

"this volume is the authoritative record of left coast visual history...Miraculously...Moure has...recognized the underdogs of the realm with objectivity and democracy, including members of the school of Mexican barrio muralism." Juxtapoz, January/February, 1999.

"A de rigueur purchase for West Coast libraries and larger collections nationwide." Library Journal, February 1999.

"Her prose is serviceable and clear, the breadth of information impressive." San Diego Union-Tribune, Friday, Dec. 11, 1998, p. E-3.

Winner of Special Mention, George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award, 1999, ARLIS/NA, Art Libraries Society of North America.

This book is perfect as the Charlie's Angels Fotonovel. The pics show the Angels exactly as they are, and have the best scenes from the movie. Nearly as good as the movie itself. Buy it!

College-level collections strong in media history as well as education studies will find plenty to like with Children, Adolescents, and Media Violence: A Critical Look at the Research. Here are the analyses, studies and developmental perspective on media violence issues which focus on evaluating research with development in mind to identify the next research process step. Different forms of media violence, from animation to sports, are surveyed along with the major theories that explain the effects of such violence. Video games are included in chapters which will appeal to undergraduates and graduate students in a range of courses; from media history and communications to psychology and child development.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Although billed as a "textbook," this book is actually for anyone -- parent, teacher, interested adult -- who wants to know how various media affect kids and what we can do about it. Fed up with what you're seeing on TV and at the movies? Read this book! Concerned about school shootings and their link to media violence? Read this book! Want some ammunition to fire back at Hollywood producers who shrug their shoulders? Read this book!

This is the classic text on Chinese brush painting written by a British woman who studied in the traditional manner with Asian painting masters.

Her presentation is thorough (history, tools, technique, pedagogy) and she guides the student through the traditional first four "subjects" that are traditionally studied--the "Four Friends", i.e plum, bamboo, orchid, chrysanthemum--in that order. Mastery of these four subjects thoroughly schools the students in the brushwork required in this style.

Even those who do not wish to paint in this style exclusively should study this work. Western style painting can only benefit from the exquisite sensitivity of brushstrokes disciplined in this tradition.

This has become one of my favorite Dover books. The designs are lovely, and print very clearly. I use these for making greeting cards, but also for making mailing labels. There are really a lot of very fine frames.

CNN's Cold War Documentary: Issues And Controversy is based on the international television news operation's twenty-four part series on the history of the Cold War that generated passionate discussion among scholars and media specialists. This compilation of articles, commentaries, and reviews fairly presents all sides of the debate. The contributors are as impressive and diverse as their essays. This collection of informative and challenging essays is an enduring, welcome contribution to the annals of television journalism and Cold War histories.

I came to the US first in the Spring of 1956 as a Graduate Student at the U of Michigan, Ann Arbor. In 1958 I returned to India and came back on a Green Card in 1966 with my late wife and daughter. I knew a little bit about the "early Indians" in this country, but this well researched book filled in all the gaps. Once I started reading it I just could not put it down. Photographs in the book add an extra dimension. In the 1950s I had heard about the India League and the good groundwork done by Sardar JJ Singh for the independance of India in Aug 1947. I recommend this book as a "must" for all immigrants from India to really appreciate the suffering and dedication of those valiant pioneers.I salute them and thank Mr. Harold Gould for opening our eyes!

Aquest llibre de Jesús Martín Barbero és l'exemple més brillant de les moltes aportacions que la comunicologia llatinoamericana ha proporcionat els últims 20 anys. És un llibre original, informat, profund que ha obligat a revisar la manera com l'emergent comunicació de masses -d'ençà de mitjan segle XIX- pren els temes i els gèneres de la tradició cultural popular. Aquesta filiació directa de la cultura industrial urbana massiva occidental amb la cultura popular tradicional queda exposada de manera entenedora i magistral. Però, encara més, en la intepretació de Martín Barbero s'hi apunta un nou enfoc del complex procés històric anterior: cal abandonar les visions apocalíptiques que presenten la consolidació de la cultura i la comunicació de masses com a responsable de la hipotètica mort de la cultura popular; més aviat, hem de plantejar-nos que el popular s'adapta a la modernitat mitjançant l'industrial/massiu. I és que, contràriament als plantejament dominants i al discurs convencional d'una certa esquerra elitista i aristocratitzant, la llavor subversiva de la multitud -batejada indiscriminadament com a massa- radica justament en la seva capacitat d'incorporar-se a la societat, d'integrar-s'hi, de -literalment- massificar-ho tot... fins poder compartir aquelles formes de cultura que només havien estat accessibles als privilegiats. I això només podia ser possible amb la serialització i la industrialització de la cultura. La massificació apareix així, en l'obra de Martín Barbero, no pas com una simple derrota sinó com a portadora d'elements de conquesta dels sectors populars. Aquesta obra -Delos medios a las mediaciones- en l'original espanyol ja és un clàssic en el tot el món llatí, i només un cert papanatisme d'alguns cenacles anglosaxons està retardant, després de la traducció de la professora Elisabeth Fox, el seu reconeixement entre un major nombre d'estudiosos de llengua anglesa. Un llibre i un autor imprescindibles per a qualsevol persona interessada en els estudis sobre la comunicació i la cultura en el món contemporani.