Public Interest Books

Author makes some statements that children in a marriage will lead to unhappiness. I have two teenage daughters and they do bring unhappiness at time, but this is temporary and there behavior can be corrected, bringing joy again.

Brooks sets out to discover who is happy, and why. The information is likely to surprise you.

For one thing, "Religious people of all faiths are much, much happier than secularists" (p 44). The difference is huge. "Of those who believed there is no way to find out if God exists, a paltry 12% claimed to be very happy people" (p 46). Hmmm...no wonder Dawkins and Hitchens' books drip with unhappiness and malice.

And here's one those famous atheists will really gag on: "Religious individuals today are actually better educated and less ignorant of the world around them than secularists" (p 51).

Married people are happier than those who are single, too. Researchers studied people who seemed alike "but one is married and the other is not, the married person will be 18 percentage points more likely than the unmarried person to say he or she is very happy" (61). This will come a as a blow to the feminists.

Among the nations, North Korea is at the bottom of the happiness scale, with Cuba a close second (p 91). What, atheist communism hasn't brought happiness? Shocker.

On the other hand, mere wealth doesn't help much, once a country has achieved a decent level of health and nutrition. At least the wealth of Japan is not helping. And Mexicans are much happier, on average, than the French.

And here is one I would not have guessed: "For most Americans, job satisfaction is nearly equivalent to life satisfaction. Among those who say they are very happy in their lives, 95% are also satisfied with their jobs" (p 159).

This is a interesting and fun.

This book was motivated by the fact although "the pursuit of happiness" is enshrined in the U.S. Declaration of Independence, "little has been done ... to find out what actually makes America a happy nation" (front inside of dustcover). The book argues that what make America happy are: political orientation, marriage, income (albeit unequal), giving to charity, and work. These are the subjects of the chapters of the book, divided into parts: "The culture of happiness" and "the economics of happiness." The latter is a misnomer for the "business of happiness."

The first part consists of four chapters and the second includes a few more chapters. While Part I focuses on non-monetary matters like family, religion, and such, Part II is mainly about the connections of happiness to money; how money can sometimes "buy" happiness; and why inequality, no matter how bad, does not prevent individual upward mobility. In the end the book concludes that happiness is a personal and internal condition; if someone wants it, he/she must work full-time for it. Among the chapters of Part II, Chapter 8 on giving to charity as "the secret of buying happiness" is simply the greatest.

The book ends with a list of prescriptions for happiness: avoiding extremism, having a religious faith, having a decent family life, serving and protecting freedom, promoting equality of opportunities for all, celebrating work, giving to charity, respecting the humanity of others including enemies, and limiting government involvement in the business of life. Some of the prescriptions derive beautifully from the analyses of the book, and some appear to be ideological afterthoughts - poorly articulated and perhaps not even necessary. But, hey, why stress the negative when the purpose of writing is to communicate thoughts freely? No one should be penalized for sharing their thoughts. A good read.

Amavilah, Author
Modeling Determinants of Income in Embedded Economies
ISBN: 1600210465
http://www.amazon.com/Modeling-Income-Determinants-Embedded-Economies/dp/1600210465%3FSubscriptionId%3D1NNRF7QZ418V218YP1R2%26tag%3Dbookfindercom0e%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3D1600210465

I have read 'Gross National Happiness and I am very disillusioned with it. The first few chapters provided some insights but after that it digressed into cherry picking of data and, what I believe is stretching the facts with misrepresentations and misinterpretations of the data, all to foster the author's conservative beliefs. It is really pathetic from a scientific point of view. When I finished, I was totally disgusted.

The author is supposed to be an academic (even an economist) and claims the book is research. But it is a polemic, in my view. He refers to "averages" when the distributions are clearly non-Gaussian (such as the distribution of income) so he should be using medians - "averages" is not a statistical definition - he should define it as a mean or median but I assume he uses means as they help to make his argument. He uses regression to argue causality when all it shows is a relationship (that may well be spurious). And he jumps back and forth between "findings", beliefs, personal views and "conclusions" - many of which do not logically follow.

I do not recommend this book. If I could, I would have given it zero stars.

Arthur Brooks is to be applauded for writing a book with conclusions based on data. However, he wasn't able to convince me that the methodology for obtaining most of that data is a reliable indicator of happiness. When people are asked "Are you happy?" they may give you an honest or a dishonest answer, but you cannot be sure. Brooks tries to allay this concern by arguing that surveys have replicated the results, but this is still unsatisfactory. If conservatives are more likely to say that they are happy, then this, and only this, is what we can conclude: that conservatives are more likely to say that they are happy. The right question to ask, then, is not, "Why are conservatives happier?" but "Why are conservatives more likely to say they are happier?" The reason could be that they are happier. But you might pose alternative hypotheses. For example, it could be more socially acceptable in America to say that you are happy. Conservatives are more likely to obey this cultural rule. Liberals, atheists, and other cultural rebels may feel freer to break the rule. I'm not proposing this as an actual cause of the results reported in Brooks's book, but the fact that he takes people's responses at face value and doesn't dig deeper is a reason to question those results and is a bit disappointing if you were hoping for a deeper analysis.

I'm one of the readers who suspects Brooks of having a political agenda. The reason isn't simply that he finds that you are more likely to be happy if you are conservative, religious, hard-working, and family-oriented, in addition to living in a society which promotes opportunity but not economic equality, charity rather than government support of the disadvantaged, and limited government. Rather, it is because he focuses on political issues such as these, to the exclusion of other, more benign factors. Does active participation in a sport make people happy? How about owning a pet? Reading novels, shopping, watching TV, going to art museums? How about political activism, foreign travel, great cooking? And what about less benign factors? Does your happiness depend to any extent on what race you are? Why are topics like these missing from this book? By focusing on factors that support the conservative agenda, Brooks does raise suspicions about his motives.

Nonetheless, what is there is interesting, fairly light if not exciting reading, but with a few surprises thrown in.

there are many interesting tid-bits in this slim volume, unfortunately, the author, in a laudable attempt to provide comical/witty commentary, demonstrates a distinct in-ability to do so. in other words, she tries wa-a-ay too hard to be funny...and, she is not. still, if the reader is willing to wade through the unnecessary/uninspired verbage, some good information can be gleaned.

i should also say that ms. gore deserves credit for tackling such an...unusual subject, no doubt she raised a number of eyebrows when telling folks about the book...and i'm guessing there may have been some mild confusion over it's claim to be "an owner's manual"? seems a little, presumptious, margaret, unless there's something you're not telling us... : )

We American guys think we know everything about penises. But the truth is we know about our own--not the penises of our friends or men of other races and cultures. This book shows how circumcision can negate sensation. While USA guys love to parade our penises on nude beached in Europe oh so proud of the so-called superior beauty of a circumcised penis WHEREAS our European friends with their so-called UGLY uncut penises are having the last laugh as they get more of a thrill from their "tool" then we do with ours. The book shows us that the old rant about size NOT mattering is the bunk every guy has always known. Size matters to heterosexual women not to gay men as much. Read this to learn that a penis needs maintenance like an old wooden tennis racquet and needs to "breath" like fine wine.

The Penis Book gives an understanding of the male genitalia, clearly written. It is helpful for any man, from puberty to senior years. This book helps tell you how to have sex, how to keep from getting STD's, and about everything a man needs to know. From testicular cancer to erections, and from the testicles to sex drive, this book helps.

this book was a very compelling look into the wonderful world of the penis this book brought new sexual pleasure to my boyfriend and I after reading this book i am very understanding in the male sex organ it not only cleared up all mysteries about my penis but it also gave way to new information now i ahve a 4 inch penis and i would like to thank the penis book for this....thanx penis book

We American guys think we know everything about penises. But the truth is we know about our own--not the penises of our friends or men of other races and cultures. This book shows how circumcision can negate sensation. While USA guys love to parade our penises on nude beached in Europe oh so proud of the so-called superior beauty of a circumcised penis WHEREAS our European friends with their so-called UGLY uncut penises are having the last laugh as they get more of a thrill from their "tool" then we do with ours. The book shows us that the old rant about size NOT mattering is the bunk every guy has always known. Size matters to heterosexual women not to gay men as much. Read this to learn that a penis needs maintenance like an old wooden tennis racquet and needs to "breath" like fine wine.

I have had the great honor of meeting Mr. Champion and he is a work of art. He is the biggest CON-MAN alive today. Since I had the courtesy of living with him behind bars, he brings a new meaning to the word loser. He is a simple minded predator looking for weak people to take money from to enhance his limited lifestyle. If you do one smart thing in your entire life, DON'T BUY THIS BOOK!

I read the book and learned a lot. I've also seen Mr. Champion on many TV shows during the past year. Dateline NBC, Sally Jessy Raphael, The Leeza Show, Barbara Walter's The View (several times), Crook & Chase, The Discovery Channel, just to name a few. I look forward to seeing Mr. Champion on other TV shows. I love how he scams people on hidden camera and then gives us advice on how not to be victimized. Mr. Champion's life should be made into a novel or a film. I leared so much from the book and it seems that every time I turn on my TV, there he is again. Thanks for allowing me to share.

I thought Brett Champion's book was very cute and funny. It gives readers the advice we need so we won't fall victim to con artists. I recently saw Brett on one of those late night talk shows where he was discussing his acting career in movies and television. I think he is a great actor! I especially love watching him on TV con and scam all of those people on hidden camera. You have to be a great actor to walk away from a crowd of people with over 100 of their credit cards. I bet within a year he will be nominated for an Oscar. Great book. Charming guy. I'll be watching Brett and his career rise to the top. And, of course, I'll be looking for Brett in acting roles on television and movies. What an exciting life Brett has!

I've read the book and it's fabulous. I've seen Brett Champion on television many times and he is very charming and exciting. I wish him great success with his new book, movie, and sitcom deal. He certainly has paid his dues and deserves it. "America's Guide To Fraud Prevention" is definitely the best book I have read so far this year.

Mr. Champion has surely scammed many people and is doing a positive thing with his book and appearances on several talk shows. He seems like he is sincere in turning his life around,but one wonders whether or not this is a facade to cover up his true intent. After all, he lived a life of lies and deception for most of his life. Character is a difficult thing to change.I know several people who have dealt with Mr. Champion and the results have not been too positive. But the book is humorous, fun and easy to read if you want an overview of a true con artist!!

A prescription for whipping American Society into shape in the tradition of Plato, Thomas Aquinas and Karl Marx. The premise is that Americans have too much freedom, not enough responsibility and Etziona puts forth a "Communitarian Manifesto" to fix that.
The book came out just after Gary Hart's challenge to the media to just try and catch him with his girlfriend. They did, and this demolished his presidential campaign. Henry Sisneros was promoted as a communitarian but his political career went down in flames over a similar private affair.
Etzioni advised the proletariat to ignore the personal foibles of public leaders and dwell instead upon their efficiency as governors. In the tradition of Plato's republic, the author sugggests a trained ruling class with the Priest-Kings drawn from Etzioni's own profession-Sociology. His other prescriptions will have a familiar ring to readers of his earlier work "The Active Society." They include work/residential communals where there would be no need for private automobiles, a zero-growth economy with a reduction and leveling of personal wealth and a great deal of community servitude of the involuntary variety.
Etzioni's works do change with the times. The earlier work suggests that men become involved in low consumption activities such as male bonding encounter groups and basket weaving a-la-Mohandis Ghandi. In the time of the current book, family values had become a platform issue and the author swapped basket weaving for taking time away from work to nurture children and build the family unit.
This book excited a mild amount of interest on college campus(s) and has faded into the background. The communitarian movemeent persists and may gain a significant following in the unpredictable future. Some readers may applaud the jacket picture of Etzioni and Al Gore walking arm-in-arm while others will swear they hear the distant beat of jackboots echoing in the distance

Communitarianism - as proposed in Amitai Etzioni's "The Spirit of Community" assumes the moral legitimacy and truth of your community's assumptions about your life. It offers an external morality without epistemology, theology or logic, without any messy philosophic notions of essence or virtue, without judge or jury. It offers a slap-dash recipe for suffocating Stepford communities where neighbors are encouraged to interfere in each others lives. And this call to action is not grounded firmly in a basis of friendship, common humanity or agape caring as in Scott Peck's work on community building.

Mr. Etzioni himself should not be pointing any fingers. His communitarian morality represents either an ineptly presented or a cleverly muddled patchwork of positions with a little something for everyone. His occasionally tempting construct was designed to attract supporters for an underlying agenda of campaign reform in Washington, which he openly states must be leveraged from a position outside of politics through the political energy of a new social movement tied to morality.

The self-declared "single core thesis" on which Etzioni states Communitarianism is based is that "Americans .... can now act without fear. We can act with out fear that attempts to shore up our values... will cause us to charge into a dark tunnel of moralist and authoritarianism that leads to a church-dominated state or a right-wing world."

Besides the obvious difficulty in the notion of "shoring up" values, this statement is not a premise. "Trust me you liberals and libertarians, there is nothing to fear in supporting my as yet unstated proposals to curtail your self-centered freedoms," Etzioni seems to coo reassuringly. His self-declared premise does not undergird any of the recommendations he subsequently proposes - but it is the basis on which he selected them.

He suggests "notching" rights established in the constitution - after all if you have a right to privacy how can the community find out what you're up to? He states individual conscience is not enough to inspire virtue, and that communities should marshal focused social pressure to force people to do right. He later expresses dismay that the public pays so much attention to the private scandals of politicians. Hey - attack Washington about something that really matters and save the moral nit-picking for the neighbors.

The family should be strengthened, he says. Somebody should be home with the children. Etzioni repeatedly says it doesn't have to be the wife. It is a suggestion already among the compromises couples routinely work out without this communitarian guidance.

When he talks about the farm boys raised in moral homes and working for other farmers in moral family-like settings, it's interesting to note how ineffective his externally imposed morality really is. The minute these farm boys head to the city they turn into reprobates according to Etzioni.

Just as an aside, he notes we are all born half a human and must find wholeness in marriage. He declares flatly that thousands of productive single and divorced people are "damaged" goods, "in every sense of the word." This is common knowledge according to Etzioni, with no need for argument or supporting evidence for this outrageous dehumanization of significant portion of the population.

With no real premise stated, the first two sections of the book set the communitarian table with a smorgasbord of many flexible cheerleading-type phrases and many contradictory statements. Even the books opening bit - the pathetic flag-waving "We hold these truths" says very little in specific terms. Yes - -"We can do "A" (fill in some appealing but vague proposal) without offending you by causing "B" (fill in some authoritarian horror.)

No where in this patchwork of moralizing and reassurance do we find Etzioni's motivations for stitching this crazy quilt together. It's not until the third section "The Public Interest." that we come to a clear sequence of cogent reasoning - which I propose is the underlying motive for the entire unwieldy structure in first two chapters. In this section he targets big-monied special interests in Washington. "What is missing is a wide recognition that special interests are at the core of our systemic problems, a consensus powerful enough to unlock their grip on our legislature," (Page 221). Great. but does does his legislative end justify his means?

What Etzioni really wants is a "neoprogressive, communitarian," legislative solution:

Finance congressional elections with public funds." (Starting on page 234)
"Curb the flow of private money into the coffers of members of congress.
Impose a ban on PACS."
Reduce the cost of running for office by offering free TV and radio ads.
Promote disclosure of the political process by lobbyists sign into a registration book each time they visit a congressional office.
Enhance the enforcement of all rules, old and new
Enhance the role of political parties - Channel campaign contributions through political parties rather than directly to individual candidates. (Isn't that the so-called "soft money" that is so hard to track.?)

To get these reforms Etzioni has a plan: "There must be a new source of political energy sufficiently powerful to over come strong opposition and to propel far reaching changes..." (Page 226) "Historical experience suggest that social movements are the source of the needed political energy... They command cadres that mobilize the rank and file to what ever social action is called for..." (Page 230)

From the text of "The Spirit of Community" it's hard to avoid concluding that entire moral construct of Etzioni's communitarianism has been built to sign people up so later they can be called out to vote for his legislative reforms.

As a member of an about-to-be-oppressed minority, I'm taking my damaged goods over the to American Civil Liberties Union. My wallet suddenly seems one ID card too light.

I had to read this book for my political science class, and completed it well ahead of the due date. Etzioni writes a book that clearly targets what he believes is wrong with our system, where the wrongs came from, how we can fix it, and then he ends with a call for us to join him in his Communitarian movement.

The problem, he believes, is that there is an over-emphasis on individual "rights." Everyone these days believes that they have so very many rights, and that stating a right is an END to any argument. What we really need, Etzioni believes, is a new system where we have several layers of communities within communities that take care of one another.

He also discusses the need for a large reformation of our money-driven political system, and a desire to sweep our teenagers away from places like McDonald's, where the only thing acquired is a paycheck.

The family must be restored as well, because family values are gone these days. Parents should weigh their children into account before divorcing, and laws should be made to make divorcing less easy.

Sadly, Etzioni goes a bit too far and loses sight of the American Dream in the end. There is no way that the U.S. as a whole will ever give up our success-oriented system and start devoting all of our time to one another. It's hard to imagine achieving a "community" in gang-ridden South Central L.A.

Worst of all, Etzioni descends into Reagan/Eighties bashing in the first few pages! Sure sign of a socialist loser. Ah well...nice try at disguising your TRUE agenda, Etzioni. While I don't agree with his ideas, this is still a good book to read, and that's why it gets a high rating. Check it out if your beliefs are rock-solid, or else you might swept into following this stuff.

Communitarianism, I believe, is the natural, common sense philosophy towards personal, social and political life that the majority of this nation holds. Before Dr. Etzioni and his cohorts in the DC area gathered, no one had put into words what many of us have felt and believed. The world is not one of absolutes; there are many shades of grey. Individual rights cannot rule supreme and the needs of the community cannot always overrule the needs of the individual. There has to be a middle ground and I believe this book speaks to that middle ground.

Many people find it easy to complain and degrade our social and polical structures and people in general, without suggesting any solutions. Dr. Etzioni provides clearcut resolutions to the problems of our day, such as drug use, AIDS, and even the corruption of our politicians.

What strikes me most about this book is how Etzioni shows that Americans have come to feel entitled to "rights" that are not really rights, and all this without having any responsibilities in turn.

If you wonder constantly how the ACLU can mount so many campaigns against laws that seem perfectly reasonable to you, or if you are tired of hearing kids getting kicked out of school for giving a friend a cough drop (no drugs at all!!!) then you will enjoy this book. I couldn't put it down.

We want LIBERTY.
LIBERTY FIRST & FOREVER.

Communism-Police State in New Guise.

Amitai "Karl Marx" Etzioni is really just re-dressing the old Communist
argument in the new form of Community.

Community are by definion a form of coercion, i.e. police state. We do not
want values, lifestyles, thinking imposed by the community.

We want and need LIBERTY. We want free speech, free association.
People want to be free to live their own life and free from a life they do not
want.

Readers Beware. Community is just one word for a police state, like the
Marx-Lenin police state that caused 50 million death in the 20th. century.

We want LIBERTY, not the false, fraud, sham called community.

One reviewer here says that this book isn't in English. Well it really has NO language. Each section has just a heading to identify the geographic location of the airport and the architect and a year. It doesn't tell you if that year was when the airport terminal was proposed or when it was finished.

There is NO other information! Nothing about the cost, the size of the building, to say NOTHING about how this terminal is different than any other terminal building. The architectural renderings are very detailed--so much so that they look like photos and might be in some cases. It just leaves me cold and unsatisfied.

Some years ago I encountered another similar book also sourced in Germany. It seems to be in a rare genre that includes only visuals and almost no words. I need more than just pictures. If you do too, DON'T buy this book.

I returned it and took the effort not to recover a few bucks but as a protest about the lack of information in this book.

I like this book but its language isnot english.
next time books must be send me english please..
I did not read any info about this.

If you dont care about architechture and design and hate staying for hours at the airport, then this book is not for you. But if you like good architechture and design and a trip to an airport to you is like a trip to a museum then you are going to like this book. i like to build and design miniture airports and this book inspires my a lot and gives me lots of ideas. the photo and paper quality are excelletnt and the price is a real bargain for 400 cool pages.

Airport Design, is quite similar to its sister publication, Aircraft Interiors. Like the inside of an airplane, most people don't really think much of the airport that they are travelling in and out of. In the past, an airport was simply a transition point. Today, the concept of airport cities are becoming a reality, where the airport is its own entity and profit center.

Airport design is not a book for those looking to create airports from an architectural perspective, but rather a picture book of various airports around the world.

The book showcases what airport designers are trying to accomplish, to make airports more appealing places. Airports now are often mall-like, with high-end stores and restaurants. Airports of old were often small and cramped. Newer airports are often measures in millions of square feet and offer amenities well beyond basic travel services.

Airport Design showcases about 50 airports from around the globe, from Atlanta to Zurich. Surprisingly, the book leaves out any mention of middle-eastern airports. This is surprising as Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport was recently placed first in a survey amongst 40 European airports, and the new Dubai World Central International Airport is soon to be the world's largest.

To understand the scale of the Dubai World Central International Airport; it will have an annual cargo capacity in excess of 12 million tons, which 300% more than what FedEx has in Memphis. Its passenger capacity will be in excess of 120 million passengers, which is also 300% more than Atlanta Hartsfield, which for the time being is the world's busiest passenger airport.

For those looking for a pictorial overview of some of the world's most pleasing airports, Airport Design will be a gratifying read.

This book saved me. The "Sarnoff Squeeze" is miraculous. I use it before speeches and musical performances, and it is fool-proof. Read this book carefully, and practice, and I bet you'll get results.

This is an excellent book for people who want to overcome their public speaking fears. Sarnoff teaches techniques that stop the nervousness that overcomes us before our presentations. Her book is also easy to read.

Perhaps my fear is a little too severe for this tape, but I did not find it at all useful. I was looking for a way to mitigate my physical symptoms and the author's suggestions/tips did not help in any way.

I just started graduate school and thought this book might help me overcome nervousness during the many presentations I'll have to do. This book offers very general tips for many different speaking situations (business, tv interview, etc.)and just a couple of techniques for controlling nervousness. If you're looking for a book that focuses more on controlling nerves and less on what color to wear or the perfect lighting for your face then you really should look elsewhere.

This book turned out to be a little gem.
My employees keep borrowing it from my desk.
I struggle with clutter, stress and remembering the 'Big Picture' at work.
This book actually presents Feng Shui in a way that is understandable,
practical and has ideas that can be implemented immediately.
I loved the beauty of design, hip illustrations, inspirational quotes and
page after page of Feng Shui ideas that I can use around the Office.
Chapter titles include: Feng Shui for you Desk, Stress Relief, Prosperity, Around the Office and on the Go.
Keep it on your Desk and Enjoy!
Monique J.

This book seemed pretty minimal, without much information after reading several other feng shui books. If you haven't read any other feng shui books, it would probably seem more interesting. This is a very light, very simple read, possibly a good gift.

Feng Shui has always confused me until reading this book. Office Feng Shui has simplified the mystery of it all, down to the simple basics to create a clear workspace. And it's easy and fun to read! The changes I made to my office after reading this book have been tremendously helpful, and I was able to implement them so quickly. In my busy schedule, I don't have time to study up on Feng Shui, so this book was perfect.

Aphoristic, not grounded in any theory, and unhelpful for my purposes. I was looking for something more than a statement or two about a topic per page. Written to showcase the illustrations, not the content.

Good grief. So here we have it, once more it is the Bush administration's fault. All of us evil conservatives want to beat down people of color. Give me a break.
Don't bother with this one, it is just one more screed from the left that robs people of hope. This book is damaging to your soul. If you listen to it you will get exactly what it portends. Ignore it and believe in what is possible. This is America. Anyone can do anything they set their mind to. Read "No Excuses" by the Thernstroms instead.

Ron Walters is a distinguished historian of race in America. In this book Walters presents an intelligible explanation for a phenomenon he chooses to call "White Nationalism." He refers mainly to the backlash against affirmative action and the ongoing attack on the 14th Amendment's application of equal protection and rights to historically discriminated groups. Walters manages to encompass "neoNazi crazies" and "Gingrichites"
within a single paradigm which denies the moral legitimacy of the claims of African-Americans for unfulfilled justice. Walters's paradigm is especially interesting when stretched to the post 9/11 new imperialism of America's special and exceptional mission to civilize the world. He sees this as a renewal of Kipling's call to Teddy Roosevelt to "take up the White Man's Burden" and extend our special virtues to the benighted of the Third World. The book is well document and by no means a simple screed or jeremiad from a liberal Democratic perspective.

This is an extremely well written analysis of how American policy is designed to keep African Americans eternally at the bottom. Walters does a tremendous job of breaking down the Reagan years and connecting the dots to today. It's clear that the main thing keeping Blacks in a reactionary state is a lack of information. I wish that WBAI (The Global Black Experience show in particular) would contact Mr. Walters about possibly doing a weekly commentary. His insights are necessary to the survival of the least informed group in the country.

Walters undoubtedly identified some ongoing public policy problems in America, but he selectively ignores others. I am empathetic to most of his argument, but wonder why he had not devoted more time to critiquing the 'centrist' Democratic Leadership Council for also being conservative.

Blacks have become almost solidly Democratic voters since the 1960's, but constructive criticism of 'friends' is always important to effective policymaking. Bill Clinton's signature of 'welfare reform' and welfare's post-war blatant racial stereotyping as a haven for black 'baby machines' should have waranted more pointed critique from this very text.

It is oddly silent on this and other issues where the Democratic Party moved to the right, in an attempt to siphon off the 'Gingrich Revolution' of 1994.

His book also is problematic because he does not (as other scholars from Gloria Anzaldua to Dorothy Roberts have done) recognize that one's public policy experiences intersect with MULTIPLE idenities. A black low-income lesbian woman with disabilities has a much different social experience than a rich white heterosexual able-bodied man or even a black heterosexual man without disabilities. It it currently impossible to lump 'black people' and 'white people' together into one hedgemonic group as he apparently did throughout the book.

Because we live in an era of Alan Keyes and Condoleeza Rice, I also wish there was information on the apparent paradox posed by Black conservatives. I don't personally have to like their policies to recognize the challenge to Walter's thesis; some individuals are both conservative AND black. Hopefully future editions of this book will address that area's inherent sociopolitical complexity.

Beautifully explained and portrayal of one of the world's finest city.
I really enjoyed learning more about places I had visited while in Paris.

Anyone who has come to know and love central Paris--the 'theme park' areas that capture its historical essence--will find this book charmingly evocative. In the sense of being able to revisit those places, many of them typical tourist attractions, the book is satisfying. The problem of not duplicating the precise angle and POV of the original 'then' photographs, raised by another reviewer, is relatively trivial and technical. The 'now' shots capture their subjects well. No photographer will 'see' a scene, place or person the same way and from an aesthetic standpoint the 'now' photos are satisfying and professionally executed, and book production is first rate.
If one had to carp, and that's what a review is for in part, one might wonder why the authors did not take the opportunity to broaden their canvases slightly to include 'then' paintings--such as the paintings executed from the balloon's-eye view conceived during the 1871 siege of the city (able to be seen today at the brilliant Le Bourget Musee de L'Air et de L'Espace) vs. 'now' photographs, for example to illustrate the notable Peripherique, and to compare previously fallow pieces of the city 'then' vs. their current situations, such as, for example, the stunning La Defense structures.
All in all, however, for what it is, the book is pleasing and will bring back many happy memories to Francophiles. Of course there are innumerable books of photos covering Paris, and naturally there are favorite places not covered in this book or not handled the way the individual reader might like, but on the whole this is a workmanlike job that captures its subject competently.
(Apologies to readers who will note, correctly, the absence of appropriate French accents in this review--not offered by Amazon's word processing system.)

Paris is, I think, the second most beautiful city in the world (full disclosure: I live in Rome, which is tops in my book) and so I was eager to take a look at this book when I saw it at a friends' house.

I was already familiar with the Then and Now series after receiving the Rome edition of the book for Christmas, and after seeing this book I can only conclude that what I had chalked up as weaknesses in the Rome book may just be faults in the series.

The central idea for the book is charmingly simple: the left-hand pages feature old photos of some of Paris' best-known spots, and the right-hand side of each page is made up of modern shots of the same sites.

The biggest problem is hard not to notice: the angles of the photos on the right are very often not taken from the same angle as the older images. I found this to be so puzzling as to be irritating. I think it shows a lack of planning on the part of the book's editors, and it also robs the reader of being able to make a complete comparison between the way things were and the way they are -- a process that is the book's very raison d'être.

I admit my patience for such sloppiness had already been tried with the Rome book, but the sins seem even greater here.

I also rue the absence of a table of contents listing the photographs in order, another weakness that now appears to be a characteristic of the series.

I'm not sure how likely these issues are to be solved in future editions, since by my count nearly 30 photos would have to be re-shot in order to solve the largest problems. But if the editors would like to release a book that reaches this volume's potential, they'd better get snapping.

I think this is a good book if you are looking for models to improve urban transportation in United States. When I bought it I expected to get something wide: something that could be useful outside USA, but the book is more specific, but still a good book. It is very economic and econometric.

This book provides an economic analysis of traffic in urban America. Using data from major cities, the researchers try to uncover the problems with our current urban transportation networks and offer economically sound solutions. Among the problems noted are congestion from suburban traffic and poorly used heavy rail systems. Among the solutions proposed are new rail networks and a time-sensitive toll on all urban highways. The only point that disappointed me was the analysis the purpose of travel and how it was interlaced with the ideas for solutions, but otherwise this was a good text. The reader should be warned that this is a specialized economic report, not written on the popular level. Undergraduate and graduate seminars could find this book very useful for discussion or as a basis for further study.