Columbia Books

Al was my mentor in the 1970's and this is an honest and true representation of the man I knew. There will never be another like him.

Albert Shanker had always been one of my heroes . . . yet until
I read TOUGH LIBERAL by Richard D. Kahlenberg, I had not known
too much about him.

That's no longer the case . . . in fact, this excellent biography even
increased my appreciation of Shanker who once told an interviewer:
* "If I didn't have to make a living, I would have done this as a volunteer."

What he did was head the American Federation of Teachers for
well over 20-25 years . . . by doing so, he helped change the
perception of teachers by having them recognized as professionals:

* A professional receives a liberal-arts education, then specialized
training, and then must pass a rigorous exam before beginning
to practice. She participates in an internship, is guided by mentors,
and participates in reviewing the performance of colleagues. Once these
professional responsibilities are met come the reciprocal set of rights:
greater autonomy and higher compensation. In Shanker's vision,
policies like a rigorous national test, peer review, and career
ladders were not just defensive moves against critics
of public-school teachers, they were prerequisites
to the professionalization of teaching.

TOUGH LIBERAL summarized Shanker's contributions to
education in one of the finest concluding paragraphs that I've
ever read:

* In one lifespan, Albert Shanker helped to create the institution
of collective bargaining for teachers, giving them greater dignity
and voice in how they would be treated. He then used that power
to engage in a series of critical education reforms that proved
instrumental in improving and preserving the institution of public
education. Both accomplishments served the larger goal he cherished
above all others: strengthening American democracy. His failure
to convince fellow liberals to extend their support of democracy more
broadly--to racial policy, international affairs, and their views of the labor
movement--leaves open the question: what might society look like
if we tried?

If you want to learn about Albert Shanker and the labor movement in
this country, read this book . . . it will also make a great gift for any
teacher.

In his film, Sleeper, Woody Allen immortalized Albert Shanker as the madman responsible for blowing up the world. That helped to get Shanker known outside of NY, but clearly it wasn't the real Shanker. In this highly readable and often exhilarating biography of Shanker, Richard Kahlenberg shows that while Shanker, the architect of the modern teacher union movement (and, it turns out, so much more) surely understood power and accumulated it, his only "madness" was to seek to empower the powerless and to hold this nation to the democratic ideals it espoused and he so cherished. Indeed, far from being "mad," Shanker was both intellectually and politically brilliant -- a rare combination -- an idealist with both a shrewd and compassionate understanding of human nature and a pragmatist who nonetheless stood firm on principles, a stance that sometimes incurred the enmity of allies as much as enemies. This was also a man who dealt with the high and mighty, but who in his writing and speaking could take the most complicated ideas and make them accessible to ordinary people without ever dumbing anything down. Had Kahlenberg just written a biography of this complex and far-ranging man, that probably would have been interesting enough. But Kahlenberg goes further and roots Shanker in the major political and cultural struggles over the soul of the Democratic party and the direction of this country. Regardless of one's view of those struggles and their outcomes, Kahlenberg's recounting of them cannot help but make you think of missed opportunities and "what ifs" to this day. Politics, race, education, the meaning and practice of democracy -- a heady and vitally critical brew. And Kahlenberg stirs and blends this pot well through Shanker, his meaty main ingredient.

This book is a good source to balance the word and image of Islam and Muslim in the western world. Muslim is not only in Arabian peninsula or Gulf contries, in fact Indonesia is the largest muslim population in the world. Many pictures on the book can give the different side of Islam in Southeast asia. They don't speak arabic, they don't have big nose,they are short, skiny etc. I recommend this book for the people who wants to know Muslim in Southeast asia without reading a long history book.

But there is unbalance information in the book I noticed, specially information about Indonesian muslim in the introduction. Steve Raymer seems doesn't have a good source that he can get the information about Indonesian muslim. Might be because they are so many and he tries to put it in the same ammount as Malaysian which is only about 1/6 or 1/8 of Indonesian in comparison. It is best if he can consult or clarify his information with the Indonesian sociologists, historians, or scholars in order to validate the information. One of the examples is on second page, the picture doesn't not macth the note (citation). The picture is showing the people who are suplicating, is not always in arabic, but he says those people are reciting the koran. This is just small example.
I recommend people who have this book to check with the Southeast Asian people to clarify the information.
More than that, good work and well done.

As one who's lived in Southeast Asia off and on for the past seven years, the thing that strikes me about the book by Raymer are the brilliant photos, yes. But the way they are put together gives a human face to Southeast Asia's Muslim peoples. A fair and realistic look at them is refreshing in light of many Western reports that tout them all as gun-toting extremists.

Steve Raymer has done an exceptional job at capturing the humanity of Southeast Asian Muslims through the lenses of the faithful camera. The pictures are breathtakingly beautiful, while the accompanying caption and text serve as an easy-to-read commentary especially for those expecting only an excursion into the subject. His attempt at a sympathetic understanding of a culture that is relatively obscure to the average Westerner is commendable; the journalistic objectivity being a salient feature of the book.

Raymer, in my opinion, succeeded in shattering the perpetuated myth surrounding the perception of Muslims. Not only does he cogently disprove the notion of a monolithic Muslim culture across the Muslim world, but he also demonstrates the existence of diversity with which Islam is practiced in this forgotten region. The cognitive image of either a rich Middle-Easterner or a terrorist brandishing an AK-47 so often associated with Islam must now be relegated to the domain of stereotypes. The book is probably a silent apologist for the peace of Islam.

Caveat emptor for those expecting their stereotypes confirmed and prejudices accomodated; the book is sure to frustrate them.

The maxim that a picture is worth a thousand words had never been truer. The picture is now worth millions of humans.

If your after a book on the Capitol Building, then go no further than this beautifully photographed and well layed out book. Full of rich detail and architectual illustrations.

This building is the perfect imbodiment of the American Democracy, it is an iconic symbol of America the world over. This book does this great building justice, the images are crisp and vivid and the text is almost scholarly. Everytime i enter this building i get a shiver and feel the tingle of goose bumps, and am reminded of what a spectacularly beautiful building it is, and how the building seems to hold the most awesome power. The history in its halls and the majesty of its presence makes the most incredible impression, if you are not moved by this building then frankly you need to check your pulse. If you have any interest in this iconic building or just appreciate beautiful books then i cant imagine you being disappointed in this book.

This is a wonderful book for a number of reasons: its beautiful illustrations, its wealth of detail delivered in a reverent and infectiously enthusiastic narrative, and (most of all) its unabashed defense of classical architecture and passionate call for a return to the style in our great buildings. One has merely to open this book to thank his lucky stars that most of monumental Washington, DC was built before the Marxist-inspired so-called "International Style" and its degenerate stylistic descendants inexplicably washed away centuries (nay, millenia) of Western art tradition. It's appalling to read the sort of vindictives that were hurled against the last exponents of the classical style, men like Bacon, Russel, and Gilbert, by so-called "modernists" when they designed stunning masterpieces like the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, and the Supreme Court Building. And it's galling to see what "modernists" offered the nation as an alternative to classical design: can anyone look at the Museum of American History on the National Mall and not shake his head in sadness? The place looks like an annex to a New Jersey shopping mall.

Reed is a wonderfully able partisan of the classical style, and dismisses so-called "modern" architecture as the "Anorexic" style for its lack of decoration. That may be overly harsh; great architects can indeed produce great buildings even in non-classical styles - the Kennedy Center in Washington is a fine example of non-classical yet non-Anorexic design. But Reed has one undeniably true point: we as a civilization have allowed ourselves to be cheated our of our millenia old Western art tradition by so-called "artists" that have translated their lunatic fringe political views (the International Style was nothing but applied Marxism, designed to reflect the "means of production" to quote standard leftist gibberish) into drab design originally meant for "worker housing" and now applied (ironically) to US government and corporate structures. This "artistic" rabble still to a large degree indulges its proclivities towards lunatic fringe politics, and continues to so savagely attack the classical style (because they in fact hate Western culture and all it stands for) that it has become unthinkable to build a classical structure in the US today. Some are ignorant enough to claim that the classical style makes them "want to throw up," but the best they can come up with is the travesty of soulless design that is present day Houston or any number of Asian cities like Seoul.

The closest we are allowed to claiming our Western heritage anymore is the so-called "Stripped Classical" applied to the new WW2 Memorial in Washington. I suppose we should thank our lucky stars that that we at least got "Stripped Classical" instead of some appalling metal and glass gimmick that - like most "modern" structures - would rapidly deteriorate into a shabby pile of rusty metal, stained concrete, and peeling paint. But like Reed points out, "A building without decoration is like the heavens without stars." Why is "stripped" all we are allowed to enjoy anymore? Because leftist "artists" that can't stand the West, can't stand America, and most of all can't stand the culture from which it sprang browbeat us into standing glumly in "modern" museums looking at unintelligible and ugly "art" (a melting toilet at the Whitney comes to mind) and won't allow us to erect magnificent Corinthian or Ionic columns anymore. Really, it is sad. This magnificent book, at least, shows us what we once had, and what might have been. Let's hope future generations of Western civilization have more courage than we do, and spend their days recovering their own cultural heritage. Perhaps they will once more build for the sake of beauty rather than that of Marxist anti-Western hatred.

Replying to the previous (first) reviewer: The author of UNTOLD LIVES is indeed a different Elizabeth Scarborough, whose first name, Pauline, is never used professionally. She is a historian of psychology and this book is a collective biography of the earliest women psychologists. It deals with science and psychologists as scientists, but is neither fiction nor fantasy! The "other" ES, I believe, is Elizabeth ANN Scarborough, who has published both with and without the middle name. The ACE edition of her THE GODMOTHER identifies her as a resident of Port Townsend, Washington.

This no-doubt excellent biographical book is written by a DIFFERENT Elizabeth Scarborough than the science fiction/fantasy author whose books appear on the rest of this page. Please do not confuse this serious non-fiction work with the fictional titles by the other author with the same name.

This no-doubt excellent biographical book is written by a DIFFERENT Elizabeth Scarborough than the science fiction/fantasy author whose books appear on the rest of this page. Please do not confuse this serious non-fiction work with the fictional titles by the other author with the same name.

This book details the Columbia University student revolt in 1968. It provides a very detailed, readable, amazingly inside view by the then editor of the Columbia Daily Spectator.

It's been nearly 40(!) years since I read this book.

I was in New York at another university when the revolt occurred. It was a shocker! But, when I first read the book in 1969 I was now a graduate student in a university undergoing its own student rebellion. In addition, the graduate students in the world-esteemed department I was in revolted against the department.

We used this book as our textbook! Really. There was some terrific advice of how to deal with those in power when you had no institutional or other supposedly 'legitimate' claim to power. Knowledge, of course, gleaned from the on-the-job training at Columbia.

For example, I'll never forget its advice of never allowing them to get you to sit down. (Because once you do you've been co-opted back into the usual power/control relationship. You know, "Sit down in your seats, boys and girls, and we'll discuss this calmly.")

This book comprises an essential document of the event, and anyone interested in it, or those times more generally, would do well to read it.

I checked out this undeservedly out-of-print book from the library while living in the Columbia University area in the late 1990s. I come from a journalistic family, and "Up Against the Ivy Wall" struck me as the single best piece of at-the-moment journalism I had ever read. The scope of the reporting of such a contentious time is amazing; it has little of the tunnelvision you normally expect from even the best journalists in such circumstances. I had to keep reminding myself that....the authors were college kids, too--only a few awkward references to sexual antics reminded me of that. What an achievement! Please, somebody, bring it back into print.

This is the definitive account of how a small group of radical students at Columbia University convinced hundreds of undergraduates that class struggle, the Vietnam war, and racial divides could all be addressed by taking over several campus buildings and dumping Grayson Kirk. That many students today look longingly at the 1968 episode and try to emulate it suggests they haven't read this book and learned its lessons.

What is truly fascinating about "Up Against the Ivy Wall," is how it captures the division within the radical ranks, specifically between the SDS and SAS. That black students took over their own building and barred white participation surprised the white radicals who had started it all, and illustrated how the radical message had splintered into a dozen causes--from opposing the construction of a gymnasium in Morningside Park, to scoring the administration for supporting a Defense Department arms initiative, to criticizing the University structure as necessarily oppressive to students, staff, and community. The resulting confusion doomed the movement. Administrators who didn't want to listen to the students' pointed to the changing message as another reason to ignore them or just to call in the police (whose brutality on this occasion is graphically detailed in the book) and end the uprising. Faculty who sought to work out a compromise saw the confusion in the student ranks and the intransigence of the administrators and simply threw up their hands in frustration.

Today's student radicals ought to read this book to learn how not to conduct a massive campaign, for any cause. Because if you look at Columbia today, you will find a University with all the institutional arrogance of its predecessors, and not the least bit in fear of students who look to failed methods of change for guidance.

As a child author Elsie Hulsizer spent her summers sailing in a small sailboat with hr parents, and as an adult she and her husband spent their summers sailing out of Puget Sound and up the straight of Juan de Fuca - also to windward, where they explored the west coast of Vancouver Island over a twenty-year period. VOYAGES TO WINDWARD: SAILING ADVENTURES ON VANCOUVER ISLAND'S WEST COAST charts these journeys and discoveries, using the author's photos to present their journeys in a set of vivid adventures which will appeal to both armchair readers and would-be Vancouver Island sailors. A gorgeous display of color photos throughout makes VOYAGES TO WINDWARD an exciting visual display, spiced with high adventure and not a few practical tips.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

What a wonderful book, the photographs are stunning, the stories of all the places along the west cosast of Vancouver Island are compelling. Elsie Hulsizer's book is a pleasure to read. From her descriptions of this rugged coast to her portraits of the people encounterd along the way, you will enjoy every story and anecdote. I encourage anyone who enjoys adventure, natural beauty, historical perspective or sailing to order this book. Whether for your own pleasure or as a special gift, this is a delightful book.

The book is evocative of the beauty and charm of the remote places of the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Interesting local history is complimented by vivid photography and captured the experience of sailing the West Coast. A very enjoyable book.

This book is very helpful. It provides a world of information that will help anyone be able to get around and get involved in their community.

This is one of the greatest resource books I've ever used! It is so comprehensive, in that it provides resource information for everything from professional associations to book clubs. I'm a Guidance Counselor for the US Army, and I've used it on several occassions in counseling women on career matters. What was really astounding was that all of the phone numbers I called were correct! Many of the organizations are National and therefore are not only helpful to women in the Washington area, but for women throughout the country as well. The only other thing that I could say is thankyou , to the author for providing such a valuable tool for women. It has enriched and enhanced my life in many ways.

This book relenquishes a wealth of information and services that are available in the Washington D.C. area.

This is probably the best organized and informative kayaking/travel book I own. The large area maps are coupled with more detailed local maps to provide enough context and continuity. I am travelling to the Clayoqot area for several days of solo paddling, and this book provided ample helpful information.

A very useful book, and I'll consider the others in the series, now.

One minor quibble is that the book is color coded (which is good), but the matching "breakout" trip descriptions are printed in colors to match the section. Yellow-on-white is nearly impossible to read.

While I haven't yet used this book in the field, I have found it to be really good for planning my upcoming trip. It has lots of the right kind of information to help better anticipate what to expect and how to be prepared. The organization is great as are the illustrations/graphics, and I can say this having written a guidebook of my own (Paddling Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks). I look forward to the east coast edition coming out this summer.

this book is well written and researched and really made me want to change my up coming plan for day trips on the west coastof VI by kayak and instead spend a week doing so..camping along the way -

oh well next trip -

very handy book for planning such an excursion

Five stars are not enough. This work is quite thorough and entertaining. I now fancy myself somewhat of a military film guru thanks to the education from Jeremy Arnold and Jeanine Basinger.

Knowledgeably written by Jeanine Basinger (Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, Wesleyan University), The World War II Combat Film: Anatomy Of A Genre is a close and detailed study of an entire class of movies (over 1,000 films in total), pertaining to World War II. Originally published in 1986, The World War II Combat Film has now been completely updated and significantly expanded. Enhanced with a thorough filmography, The World War II Combat Film is especially recommended for military movie buffs and an invaluable addition to academic Cinematic Studies and Film History reference collections.

This is a very good, readable book that not only traces the development of the WWII combat film, but also discusses how genres change over time.

Basinger takes the WWII combat film to see how genres work. She did this because, obviously, there were none made before December 7th 1941, so there are no "lost films" in this genre. Thus she sees how genre elements come together gradually (the prototype phase), snap into place as a perfect model (the archetype), are used by skillful directors for powerful films that transcend the norm (masterpiece) and then lose their effectiveness and are inverted or combined with other genres to try to attract an audience (decadence.)

She looks at combat films from the 1940s to the 1980s, so she doesn't talk about all films made in Hollywood in 1941-5. If a film doesn't have a lot of combat, she ignores it. However, she does discuss many films and besides showing how genres develop, she shows how the combat film changed. The focus on a platoon of average Joes (Guadacanal Diary) eventually gives way to a focus on an elite force (Where Eagles Dare, for instance).

A very informative and thought producing book, perhaps the best by Basinger.

This is probally one of the best Zen books I've ever read!!! Lin-chi (Rinzai) speaks in a clear manner easy to understand. Like a true master he knows how to get straight to the "heart" of Zen. It's no wonder a school of Zen is named after him.

A wonderful translation of an essential text for all Zen students and practitioners. The Zen teachings of Lin-chi (Rinzai) pack the force of a nuclear blast. The record of Lin-chi foregoes any pretense to gradual guidance and delivers its Zen message in raw, heavy bucket-fulls.

Burton Watson's translation of The Zen Teachings of Master Lin-Chi (Sung edition), like his other translations, is exceptional. Without sacrificing either the letter or the spirit, Mr. Watson makes the Record of the seminal Zen master Lin-chi (Rinzai) accessible to English readers with all the clarity and force of the original.

With his usual high standard in regard to scholarship, Burton Watson provides extensive notes to each section. He also includes translations of the two alternate versions of two sections of the Lin-chi lu in Ming editions of the Ku-tsun-su yu-lu, and a decent glossary.

The translator of this should be Burton Watson; it looks to be a new editions of the Shambala Dragon edition of 1994. check with publisher so you will provide your readers with accurate information