Minnesota Books

Wavering between four or five stars.

Although he is an academic, rather than being cumbersome, Friedmann's book feels like he sat down and simply wrote off the top of his head all that he knew about the subject. This is a good thing. It doesn't get bogged down and it reads well. It does have explanatory notes, but the notes themselves are interesting and the book is slim. The first chapter is the best, concise introduction to the history of the Chinese city out there. As a planner practicing in China, I even learned quite a bit. Other chapters deal with the migrant mobility, urbanization in the countryside, regional policies, governance, and social aspects among others.
This book is best for someone who does not know much about China but wants quick introduction to what is happening in Chinese cities today.

I have to admit, this wasn't a book I thought I'd read, but I came across it in a college library, glanced through it and ultimately later decided to buy and read it. I was surprised at the odd ways that decisions are made by everyday people, and the misconceptions upon which those decisions are made. Once explained, the reality of some premises was quite clear, and I could even see where I myself had been led astray in my own decision making on more than one occasion. This is a clearly written work that even the average reader will understand and appreciate.

Although Deleuze mentions that this bookfs aim is to make a typology on cinema, for readers, it will be the object of thought more than that. In this book, Deleuze considers many films in which time is not subordinate to movement any longer (the time-image). His way of developing theory is like Bergsonfs one on time and memory, but his theory of time has variations that are reflected in various films and becomes a profound notion of the world with dynamic extension. Deleuze proposes us not only new concepts through films but also the question: What is the world? Deleuze creates a system on cinema as same as he analyzes clearly what is new and what is different from the past films in films of neo-realism or the new wave. While many people have mentioned to genres in films, Deleuzefs analysis of the border between the genres is one of the most precise.

If you had gCinema 1: The Movement-Imageh, this book would be more interesting for you because you could compare the two books. Moreover, this book treats so many films that you must find ones you have ever seen, which makes this book more fascinating.

Harry Boyte has written an approachable book calling citizens to be engaged in our democracy. Using compelling real-life examples of citizen action that has prompted change, the book helps us to rethink the meaning of democracy as not something we elect for but that something that requires all citizens to build every day.

Michael Kackman's CITIZEN SPY: TELEVISION, ESPIONAGE AND COLD WAR CULTURE provides the first comprehensive survey of prime-time secret agents during the Cold War, considering how media depictions of such agents fired the American imagination and helped public approval of intelligence actions. These documentaries also reinforced the media's approval of government policies - until the Red Scare weakened and spy shows turned to criticizing their own ideals.

In twelve essays drawn from papers dealing primarily with the fifteenth century, but spanning England, France, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands, various authors deal with public events- like victory celebrations, signing of a city charters, tournaments, and coronations of a kings- as not only expressions of popular culture but as intercessory actions between the populace and those in power. Hanawalt and Reyerson have divided their collection into four sections that deal successively with municipal and royal relationships, public and private religious expressions, discord in urban ceremonies, and political overtones in public entertainments. Of particular interest is Sheila Lindenbaum's "Ceremony or Oligarchy: The London Midsummer Watch," in which she describes the way a show of power in the processional visibility of the mayor reinforces an oligarchic control over an unquiet city in London of 1521.

A masterpiece. Christopher Fynsk thoughtfully seeks to secure a foundation for the Humanities upon what he calls "The Claim of Language". Enthusiasts of nuanced and powerful thinking - of Heidegger and Blanchot especially - are certain to find this and Fynsk's other books indispensable.

From the author's original poetry about Red Wing in the front, to the catalog pages in the back, this is the most comprehensive guide to Red Wing area stoneware I have ever seen. I borrowed this copy from my father, as it's nearly impossible to find around here (and I live somewhat near Red Wing.) The author has a tremendous sense of humor, and the book brings life and personality to the artisans who created such wonderful pieces of functional art. Book also features several wonderful pictures of one-of-a-kind "lunch hour" pieces, those made by the workers over their lunch hour for informal competition and to bring home to mothers and wives. Highly recommended for both the casual collector and those long since bitten by the bug of "Red Wingus - Collectoritis"

This is an incredible book. The author sketched each bridge on the Mississippi River from New Orleans all the way up to Luling, Iowa (pretty much most of the navigable waterway). The book has proved to be a valuable resource to my own research on the river's bridges.

This is an extremely incisive and thought-provoking analysis of the contemporary literary and critical scenes. Walllen writes extremely well and continually opens profound questions for both typical Left-identified political critics as well as for conservative critics. This a MUST read for any academic in the humanities and for any non-academic concered about the fate of the humanities and higher educaiton. Absolutely brilliant work.