Cultural Arts Books

This book is the foundation of the research of the Gullah dialect as a serious subject. Being an Afrcan-American himself. Dr. Turner won the confidence of Sea Island Gullah speakers in the 1930s and won their confidence in providing a window to their lives and folkways. The result was this book, which was probably the first that did not patronize Gullah speakers as being backward and ignorant as some (sadly) still do today.

The central section of this book, which deals with linguistic similarities between West Africans and Gullah speakers, is primarily for linguists. But the chapters on Dr. Turner's acquaintance with the Gullah speakers anmd his collection of their tales of slavery, religion, and life expereinces make for interesting reading for the layman. Overall, a great window into a subject that had long suffered from mockery and ridicule. It shows the Gullah speakers in their pride and dignity.

Berth Lindfors has done an impressive job, cover to cover. There is a sucker born every minute, and unfortunately a great number of individuals are unwillingly caught up in the trade that allows showpeople to sell their tickets. This book shows how a variety of human "specimens" have been treated like animals to sell world's fairs, circuses, etc.

The authors fall short of mentioning that animals have been treated like animals too -- for example, the Bronx Zoo's exhibition of a San tribesmember in a cage with an orang-utan was demeaning for both the former and the latter. But the book shows us in a striking way the problematic nature of the human obsession with cages and the spectacle.

Excellent study of the dynamic of racism, sexism, imperialist greed, and the roots of prejudice.

Although I tend to disagree with a lot that's in here the criticism is nevertheless quite good. If you enjoy art & cultural criticism then this is a wonderful compilation to dig into.

This is the most illuminating, up-to-date, and entertaining history of gambling in the West that has yet been published. I was a student at the University of Salford (UK) when I had to read this as part of a course on the sociology of gambling. Reith's style is scholarly, yet accessible. This text stands as an example of how interesting and diverse the historical/ cultural development of gambling has been, and of how much gambling can tell us about modern society and, as such, stands as a riposte to the yawn-inducing tedium of the 'problem gambling' school of books on this topic, which consists of a bunch of safety-merchants/salesmen who (presumably) aspire to scholary wisdom, yet fail miserably to say anything useful about one of the most fundamental of human traits: the itch for play. In short, Gerda Reith's book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in why anyone would take a chance on anything (and not just gambling).

What a wonderful book!! Anyone who likes Alaska at all should own a copy. Even if you are not interested in Alaska I recommend this book just for the sheer beauty of the photographs. Fred Hirschmann, your photographic brilliance is on full display. Suzan Nightingale, your thoughts and essays couldn't be better. This is Alaska!!

Whether you live in Alaska or travel across it by cruise ship or air or some other means--this beautiful book is for you. On each glossy page there lies something for every tourist and local. Rich photos of the common cruise ship sights, from the deep blue glaciers of the inside passage to little Skagway sitting on the hillside, all the the cruise ship ports are captured by Fred Hirschmann's lens. Aerial views of Anchorage, Juno, Mt. Denali--it's all here followed by interesting explantions of life in Alsaka. I originally saw this book in a little shop at the Port of Juno and immediately wanted it, but it was only for display--how happy I was to search and find it here on Amazon! I highly recommend this book--large, clear photos and excellent journalism will keep your memories of Alaska in perfect order and will bring your friends into the bountiful beauty of the land with which you fell in love.

We are in a heated debate if the picture on pg. 26 is Hooper Bay or Tooksook Bay. Hooper Bay is not located on an island. The pictures are very nice. We are enjoying the book.

As Alaska's natives confront the realities of modern living which are changing not only their culture but their familiar environment, they're drawing strength in renewed attention to their heritage - and Alaska Native Ways: What the Elders Have Taught Us is an important tribute to this strength. General-interest libraries as well as Native American specialty collections receive an oversized, coffee-table-type display of gorgeous full-page color photos by Roy Corral, with accompany text by Natives and an introduction by Will Mayo. The text is ten essays, one from each of Alaska's Native cultures, which explores and teaches one special value common to their teachings over the generations: as such they provide not only a tribute to, but a celebration and re-affirmation of Alaskan Native ways in a lovely, highly recommended display piece.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

My husband and I saw the book in a Safeway store in Homer, AK in September but didn't buy it then as it was expensive and we were running out of room to bring things home. I ordered it for my husband, then gave it to our adult son for his birthday and he liked it as well as we did. So I've ordered another one for my husband.

This book stars from the position that Science Fiction is a reflection and reinforcement of cultural and political assumptions:

"Cultural production is not a neutral sphere, just innocent entertainment. Moreover, the artefacts of cultural production are thoroughly ideological, bound up with political discourse, struggles, agendas and policies." (p.46)

I'm sure that many SF fans would be initially bewildered at the analysis of Deep Space Nine, Space: Above and Beyond and Independence Day amongst others contained in this work. Yet each is closely argued.

The examination of the Borg as an enemy is eye-opening:

"the Borg represent the opposite of the Thatcher principle. Where the prime minister thought there was no society, only individuals, to our eyes the Borg appear to have only society and no individuals. They/it are the embodiment of the Western fantasy of communism/socialism, as well as virtually all Asian cultures, especially Muslims in their current incarnation."
(p.77)

The writers are not afraid to draw attention to the similarities of the bad guys as aliens and the designated bad guys here on Planet Earth. Independence Day in particular is taken apart for the blatant propaganda it was. The purpose behind it is made clear:

"America is a consciously created artefact, as is its self-image. The manufacture of this self-image must be sustained through its cultural products to imprint itself on a heterogeneous population, to forge them into a choherent body by passing them through not just a social melting-pot but an ideological forge."
(p.36, quoting Ziauddin Sardar).

By looking at how the US dominated popular culture presents "aliens", "others" and "enemies" we can learn a lot about unspoken, assumed and underlying values. What this book shows is that "Western" society is neither as tolerant or sophisticated as some would like to imagine.

An original photograph (1860's), of a rarely photographed subject (IF EVER?), of the author's married mulatto and white great-grandparents is placed in the center of the book's vivid graphics and engrossing narrative. In an era of extreme racial violence (and with interracial sex and marriage illegal (state constitution) in Alabama until 2000) the author lets the reader SEE how it is and why the author's great-grandparents risked their lives to marry and raise a family. The intertwining of the author's oral and photographic family history allows the reader to witness why AMERICA'S DIVERSITY is it's greatest asset!

This book examines the differences in communication strategies between Japanese and American Business people. Comparisons are made in terms of who initiate the interaction, who speaks the most, backchannelling in communication, and how their speech strategy differ from each other. Yamade concludes that Americans usually speak direct to the point and speaks the most in an interaction when he/she initiate the conversation, while Japanese try to familiarize themselves before getting into business. Other notable Japanese conversation strategies include bringing in examples, silent shifts in conversational topics and frequent backchannels. Yamada makes reference to other authorities in cross-cultural communication between American and Japanese business people, and criticise them in mentioning "talk things over" when communication with Japanese businessmen fails. This is not a wise move as Japanese people prefer silence over talking, and the attempts to "talk things over" may farther complicate the situation. I recomment this book to business people who need to deal with Japanese clients or trying to make a new relationship with Japanese business partner(s). I also recommend this to students and researchers alike who are studying the differences in communication strategies between American and Japanese. This book is not an 'introduction to business' type book like one by de Mente, but is a result of a detailed research into American and Japanese communication styles. The quality of insights into Japanese culture is also helped by the author's background, who is a second-generation Japanese living in America.