Society Books

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I re-read this book again this year (2002) after a decade of its first publication in 1988, it still looks amazingly current, especially consider internet's wide adoption since 1995.

It was as though the smart machines and their relationships with human workplace has not changed since 1988. Even in silicon valley where I work, with so many tech companies with managers trained in technology background, their orgazniations keeps failing by repeating the single-minded strategy - replace human with technology.

As long as corporate America keep ignoring the main advice of t this book - that to fully utilize technology you have to understand the non-technical aspects of it (historical, psychological, social) - real productivity gain might be limited, until maybe we move everything to Bangalore, India.

I first read this book back in 1989 when I was working for NeXT computer, and it has remained in my mind as a landmark book. I heard a presentation from a person from Allegeny college that referenced this book. He was discussing the fact that when people are given different tools they solve problems in different ways. If all you have is DOS you abiltiy to solve information problems will be based on what you can do with DOS. But if you had a NeXT... Since reading this book I have tried to apply these concepts to my teaching object-oriented programming and high reuse problem solving techniques. This book really helped me understand that using advanced computers is a lot more then just teaching people a different windowing system. It is about getting them to rethink they WAY they solve thier problems using the cognative styles enabled by advanced software systems. Tim Berners-Lee could never have drempt of the web from a DOS system. But from a NeXT...

Zuboff's book should have been titled "The Future of Work and Power in the Age of the Smart Machine," because while the book does speak to the increasing computerization of the workplace, it does so in an historical context regarding how power has been and might be distributed between worker and manager. Automation is the effort to remove human skill from work, making humans the servants of the "smart machine." Informating is the way in which the computer can potentially change the workplace by distributing "management information" and power to the workers, making them co-equal partners in the enterprise. Zuboff suggests we still have a choice about which way to go, despite our self-protective impulses

I use this text in a course called "Work and Community" because it shows how various disciplines--history, philosophy, sociology, cognitive psychology --can inform discussions about how work is organized, and the kinds of power or authority relationships that workplaces, especially those where computers have changed the nature of work, abound. What's particularly interesting for me is the way Zuboff hits on the sort of literacy encouraged by computerized workplaces, and how information sharing requires real re-thinking of traditional roles of managers. In addition, the historical treatment of management as a developing professional competence would be critically enlightening for those who tend to study "business" as if it were merely a skill to acquire, rather than something with a history to be understood.

There are so many feathered patterns in this book and directions on how to take the basic designs and make your own feathered patterns. Really good instructions too.

Study & you will quickly see that Feathers are THE MOST common quilting motif, next to the grid-line quilting. If you don't agree, then know that they are certainly up in the top 5! Feathers are so versatile and beautiful, formed in the image of bird plumage or if you will, in the shape of a teardrop - both of which are found throughout the entire history of quilting.
Feathers are used for filling space, in your blocks, setting triangles or sashings. You can quilt them in borders-long straight strips, make them undulate & twist, round or oval, place a half, quarter or heart shaped feather motif in your block, in a corner or just draw one on the label you sew onto the back of your quilt for a beautiful continuation of the effect.
No matter where or how you twist, turn, stretch or shrink your feather motifs, once you have perfected this teardrop shape, the possibilites are endless. Try it-you won't be disappointed!

While I hope to own this book someday(when the price comes down a bit)I want those who can just buy it without money concerns to know this. *From a quilter who studies quilting history non-stop, is the local guild librarian & webmaster.Owns a personal quilt related library of over 2,000 magazines & books. I like to pass on tips that will stay with you, not just be good for one or two times. Feathers are here to stay. They have endured the test of time, design and have held fast. You cannot go wrong with this-or any other well written instruction book on how to draw/design feather quilting motifs.

Even though this book is aimed more at the hand quilter, it is very useful for getting inspired for machine quilting.

Infinite Feathers: Quilting Designs by award winning quilting expert Anita Shackelford offers over 100 feather designs in various popular quilting sizes. Color photographs help demonstrate how to apply the simple yet beautiful patterns. Step-by-step instructions guide the aspiring quilter in exactly what to do, and the black-and-white patterns shapes that take up full pages are easy to copy and put to practical use. An excellent resource for enthusiastic quilters who want to add that special extra touch, Infinite Feathers is very user friendly for even the most novice quilter, and offers a wealth of imaginative design ideas that the more experienced quilter will find as invaluable as they are stimulating.

I got what I was looking for it was very detailed and helpful for the price and easy to understand.

This superb little 159-page guide includes 47 pages describing a bit about naturalists, the history of bugs, their different types, how to identify and distinguish them--and even a few pages on endangered bug species.

What follows are 101 gorgeous, illustrated pages describing the appearance, habits and environments of everything from flies and grasshoppers to katydids and aphids. Kids also learn about boll weevels, moths and butterflies, and common pests and parasites like mosquitoes and ticks.

The book also includes a two-page glossary, two page list of additional resources, and a four-page alphebetized index.

A great starter book for insect lovers of all ages, but especially kids.

As a hmoe schooling mom this has been an excellent tool for the kids. They can look up all the bugs they find at anytime the decide to go bug hunting. It is simple and easy to use. a wonderful resource.

This book (actually the whole series) is wonderful! I have a 4 year old who just loves to page through it and examine all the different kinds of insects. We use this one to identify all the different kinds of bugs that we run into on our walks. The photos alone are worth the purchase price, but the descriptions are also wonderful. I think these are the best field guides out there.

This is THE best field guide for kids. It has excellent photographs and covers many different types of insects, including some regional ones. It is not only appropriate for young children who can only enjoy the pictures, it is also a great book for older children, up to about 12 or so. Any child who has an interest on learning about insects, spiders included, will enjoy this book and its wonderful pictures.

I love this book. Filled with VIVID photographs, this guidebook is compact and durable and begins with a short introduction (a few pages) devoted to teaching about anthropods in general. We use this book all of the time, from identifiying bugs on neighborhood walks, excursions to area parks, or just in the backyard (and sometimes in the house). I can also credit this book for curing my son's phobia of insects. When we saw a bug he was scared of, we'd grab this book and identify it. Looking at the bug and identifying its parts and then being able to call it by name did wonders in alleving his fears! I do wish that this book had more information associated with each insect...such as what it eats and what eats it. But, as a beginner guidebook, this one is exceptional!

This is a book which is simplistic yet at the same time deep and inspiring. It simply leaves you with no excuses. It's length means it is a book you can truly read every day, yet will make you think and inspire you long after you've read it for the day.

Get the book.

For those who are looking for a higher power to guide their lives this book may be of help. It stresses the importance of the human will in all endeavors. Reading this book once will inspire you breifly, but if you can summon the will power to sacrifice an hour each day to devote to reading this book, you will begin to inspire others and amaze yourself at the strength you can summon in your hour of need. You will accomplish things of which you only dreamed. Your efforts will become heroic.

I read a lot of business-marketing books. It's hard to believe that this book was written in 1901. The examples are motivating, although dated. A fast read at 49 pages. It reads like a slightly older version of ThHINK AND GROW RICH. I'm assuming that AN IRON WILL inspired and provided the framework for the Napoleon Hill book. Solid examples. I ordered several copies as gifts. This isn't the kind of book you read. It's the kind of book you study.

As quoted by Marden from this book. This book is all about harnessing the power of your self will to work for you instead of against you. Having a strong sense of will is meaningless if it is misdirected. This work delineates the steps one needs to take to create discipline and willpower to achieve one's goals. It is an absolute must read for anyone who wants to achieve the pinnacle of success in their personal and professional lives.

For those who are looking for a higher power to guide their lives this book may be of help. It stresses the importance of the human will in all endeavors. Reading this book once will inspire you breifly, but if you can summon the will power to sacrifice an hour each day to devote to reading this book, you will begin to inspire others and amaze yourself at the strength you can summon in your hour of need. You will accomplish things of which you only dreamed. Your efforts will become heroic.

Mr Sher writes a well balanced book in a very clear writing style which enables everyone to understand the complex process of negotiations.
Although with sadness I knew the outcome, I still felt hopeful throughout that the team would be able to secure a peace for both peoples.
This book is well balanced, Mr Sher giving fair criticism where due regardless of who it is and despite the disappointing outcome, he does not malign anyone involved.
I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more of the situation faced by all who live in the Land.

Whilst there have been a number of books on this topic such as Enderlin's Shattered Dreams, Swisher's The Truth About Camp David and Dennis's Ross's verbose recollections in The Missing Peace, Gilead Sher's book is by far the best.

Filled with details of every meeting, discussion between Israelis, Palestinians and Americans, it fills in the missing details as to the motives and positions of the principal players in the negotiations. It reveals that the reason for the breakdown in the negotiations was complex and multi-causal, not simply a case of "exposing Arafat's face" as has so damagingly been popularised in Israeli and Jewish circles.

As Israel approaches a new round of final status negotiations after a break over six years, the Israeli government should have a good read of Sher's book for instruction. The time for wishful thinking regarding a final agreement is over - an agreement in the spirit of the Clinton parameters remains the best resolution of the final status issues, which as Sher sets out the Israeli government accepted, subject to minor clarifications over six years ago.

Gilead Sher spoke yesterday at the Middle East Institute in DC on the newly-translated English edition of his negotiating memoir, Within Reach. It was a total hit, and anyone who wants the cliff notes should check it out on CSPAN.

I was so pleased to discover that Mr. Sher is not only a great orator and public speaker, but a gifted writer as well. His book explains the negotiating process that Sher directed on behalf of the State of Israel. It was, no doubt, a painful personal ordeal, and in rich detail Sher tells us his point of view--from the Camp David 2000 summit to the dozens of covert meetings all across the world with his Palestinian counterparts.

The Arab-Israeli junkie will not be able to set this book down. It is a must read.

The title of Gilead Sher's excellent book: "Within Reach" The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Negotiations, 1999-2001 - - is deceiving. It suggests a dry, ponderous policy analysis that would only be of interest to experts or students of the Middle East conflict. But what Sher really does is provide a fascinating personal journey through an erratic minefield of diplomacy and policy, personalities and cultures. "Within Reach" is extremely well written, and the anecdotes and insights that are peppered throughout provide a deeply personal look at a complex process. It is a riveting story of our times.

Gilead is my brother, so naturally, I am not objective, then again, knowing him personally, I can attest to his unyielding honesty, extraordinary analytical brightness and deep commitment to a fair solution to the Palestinian Israeli conflict.

Refelecting these qualities, "Within Reach," a best seller in Israel, and published illegally in the Arab Press, provides a fascinating insight into the overt and covert negotiations, detailing the Israeli and Palestinian positions on the core issues of the conflict -- Palestinian Refugees Right of Return, Jerusalem, Settlements, Security and Territories, Water. It recounts the ups and downs of the negotiations, the "players" personalities, the decision making process and the proposed solutions, which will no doubt serve as the blueprint for any future negotiations.

I highly recommend it for anyone interested in Israel, in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and most importantly, in the parameters of a possible agreement for the End of Conflict.

This is a beautiful book and the stories are very unique and inspiring. Being Gentile they are new sotries to me but I am sure to those of the Jewish faith a treasury of long know and loved stories. The illustration are fantastic and I cannot say enough about having this book in my home. Not a book you sit and read strait thru but savor over tiem.

A must have for a wel rounded library.

I ordered this book here, because it was sold out at another shop when I went to pick it up. It will be a Hannukah gift.

I don't know all that much about Judaism, as I'm not Jewish. But it looks to be a very good story and should make my friend smile, and perhaps learn something he maybe didn't know.

Alot of times, I am very pleased with Amazon. They often have products that are discontinued or unavailable elsewhere. It's a great alternative to sitting there, hoping something comes back on a shelf.

Great work!

This is a very pleasant and well- done work. The combination of art work and literary selections provides interest and entertainment. This is not however a scholarly work, and does not explore any of its themes in real depth. It is the kind of book which can be dipped in, and tasted usually with delight. Of the various table- book anthologies on Jewish culture that have appeared in the past ten years or so, this is certainly one of the best.

This book is an amazing work. I can read it again and again for hours!
If you are interested in folktales, this book is for you.
If you are interested in art, this book is for you.
If you are interested in great literature, this book is for you.

A great book with beatuful art and incredable stories. From folk tales to modren setings, this book has lots of stories to warm your heart. I loved it and highly recommand it.

I really enjoyed this book. Gold's writing style is very unorthodox but I think this allows you to feel the emotion in his words. This story really makes you appreciate the issues that these poor Jewish immigrants faced and confirms that the American Dream certainly is possible as we have the luxury today in 2007 to evaluate the situations of many of these character's descendants. These people worked hard and helped each other and therefore made better lives for their future generations.

A book you won't be able to put down. Gold does an excellent job in conveying to the reader the very hard lives of immigrant adults and children who lived in poverty. This book should be part of the curriculum in high schools. Although I was raised in NY I knew nothing about the hardships that immigrants went through in NY.

The only thing marring this important work is the introduction by Alfred Kazin which maligns the novel and Michael Gold and leaves the reader wondering if the publisher is really trying to promote the book. The introduction probably is the result of old grudges from bygone politically motivated "cultural wars" between Jewish writers. The author's widow was deeply upset by the underhanded and cowardly introduction.

"Jews without money" seems to me far more remarkable for its political positions than for its writing. Gold is, to put it bluntly, not a particularly skilled wordsmith. His limitations are obvious from the first page. Nevertheless this novel/memoir makes for fascinating reading. The book consists of a series of loosely connected vignettes from the life of a child growing up in the Lower East Side at the turn of the century. Gold wants to capture the sights and smells and sensations of that world, and while his prose is not quite up to the task, the reader still comes away powerfully moved.

What seems to be unique about Gold's account is his political bent. Rather than softening or sentimentalizing his experiences, he picks at scabs and pulls back the curtain to reveal horrors to his readers. As a devoted socialist, he wants to expose the evils of unrestrained capitalism. What that means for him is, rather than denying anti-Semitic stereotypes, he revels in them. Gold he wants the reader to understand that they are the result, not of Jewish culture, but of the effects of American ghetto poverty upon the Jews of his neighborhood. Povery, he aruges, turns potential into corruption. His is a world in which people will do anything for a few pennies, often all that stands between them and starvation. On the other hand, his world is also populated by characters who remain strong despite their suffering: his mother, who would rather go hungry than see a stranger starve; the foolish store-owner, who loses her livelihood because she cannot stand to turn away the poor. There are also desperate prostitutes, rapacious pawn brokers, crooked businessmen, and dreamers and schemers of all sorts.

This book lacks the literary ambition of Henry Roth's "Call it Sleep" or the narrative power of Abraham Cahan's "Rise of David Levinsky" (in my opinion, the finest novel ever about the Jewish immigrant experience). This is a political tract, and sometimes its dogma is rather irritating, even offensive. Nevertheless, it is a significant and important document of early 20th-century Jewish culture, and deserves to be read.

This is a masterpiece that has lost none of its power since it was first published 70 years ago. The book hooks you from the first paragraph and never lets go.

Can't say anything bad about it. My Children have all of these in this series and really enjoy them. Makes them think! I have had some great discussions with my children after they have listened to these CD's. Great stories with Biblical discussions of Creation vs. Evolution. WOW! We are Loving it!

Jonathan Park Volulme V: The Explorers Society: Jonathan Park Radio Drama (Jonathan Park) Fun and exciting! We enjoyed listening to these with our 9 and 12yo sons on a very long road trip. It speaks of various places around the world and peaked our interest to find our more about the subjects & locations. Great for geography and history buffs as well as those who want to explore the creation side of the evolution/creation debate.

The Jonathan Park audio dramas are some of the finest entertainment you can purchase for your family. They are exciting and fun, but at the same time educational. Our children, ages 7 through 14, listen to these dramas over and over.

This set and the entire series are superb for kids. The action and adventure in the stories grip children's imaginations. The morality is wholesome and parents have nothing to fear on that end. Science is woven into the stories and kids learn a lot (I have learned my share too!). Supplemental materials are available on an online website to reinforce the science behind the stories. My kids listen to them over and over. I should note that I am speaking of two boys, ages 6 and 8 and they have been listening for about 2 years.

This is a keeper in our home. We have all 5 sets and love them all. My kids have really learned a lot about evolution vs. creation. They listen to them over and over!

Hello....I have yet to read the book...but i am lucky...becasue J.Todd Wilsons father (Mr. Jon Wilson) is my american history teacher at my highschool and he had a copy today and i read the first few pages and i told him that i had to get a copy of my own! its wonderful...ima also getting it signed by the author....hopefully :)

I really like this book. Even though a im not a person who gets bullyed around myself, I can see where many of these situations could of taken place. I belive this book really captivates the true reality of getting bullied at school.

This is an awesome book. It captivates you takes you places you never want to go. I can't wait for more books from this exciting author.

Wilson's tale of a bullied young man is powerful, moving, and intense. Never before have I read such a riveting portrayal of the brutal torture some high school kids experience today. This book is choc-full of hardened reality, a story that never once lets go of you...not even after the last page! Kick is gripping, powerful, and a journey everyone should encounter! Wilson's main character, Evan, has quite a story to tell. You've never heard or read anything quite like this!

I recently obtained an advanced copy of Wilson's KICK and I must say I was floored! The book totally rocked! The unique thing about the book is that it not only deals with an adolescent who has struggles with bullies, teachers, and his family, but it's a fascinating, true-to-life tale of what verbally and physically brutalized young people experience. It's not some watered down parable that makes everything all rosy and happy. This book is real! It made me feel angry, upset, angered, and at time sad! But all in all it made me think, step outside the box and evaluate the main character's struggles and decsions, but some of what I have experienced in my own life as well.

I read with interest Janet Freedman's book, KENT ISLAND and was saddened by the great loss of American landscape, folkways and individual freedom that goes along with the vast real estate grab that has been occurring everywhere on the East Coast of the United States during the last 50 years. Except for a few state and federal parks, the coastline is completely owned by the wealthy. Where there were once families and communities engaged in agriculture or seafood harvesting we now have a blight of ticky-tacky housing and high rise hotels. Where there were once farmers and watermen working the land and the water there are now yachtsmen and other pleasure boat owners filling our bays and inlets to such an extent that nobody can derive any pleasure from fishing or sailing.Wherein lies the "pleasure"? And its not just the coastline. Here in Pennsylvania, truck farmers and orchard owners daily give way to the lucrative offers of land speculators. Soon we will be getting all our fruit from Chile or Peru because all the excellent arable land in the northeastern U.S. will have been turned into suburbia. GARY WHITTLE

I've never been to Kent Island but am familiar with the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Janet Freedman brings Kent Island and its history alive in her book. I can 'see' her family and the landscape. I can 'smell' the shore and its inhabitants. I can 'hear' the wildlife.

I've recently taken several literature classes at our local college and have come to appreciate the importance of listening to individuals as they relate their own personal history. Janet's book is like listening to an oral history account of a time that might easily disappear from memory if not recorded now.

Her book makes me want to stop at Kent Island, not just bypass it while traveling to some other location. I want to be able to experience what she experienced in what truly seems a lost Eden.

Thanks Janet Freedman for bring your past to life!

Freedman captures the historical saddness and lost beauty found all over the United States. Anyone can relate to the loss of heritage and land to corporate explosion. She brings to light the need to remember a simpler time. I loved this book.

This book is a wonderful tapestry of history and memory that makes for a warm, enjoyable read, despite its message: what is lost. From Native American Matapeake Indians to Baltimore's great fire, and the "second" Bay Bridge construction, the history reveals the natural resources, economy, and community values of early Kent Island, and its present reality of tract housing, expressways, and strip malls. Freedman's microcosm of Kent Island is a macro for what's happening all over the U.S. Character and charm are no more. We live in vinyl boxes and shop the same chains. As you drive around your town, have you ever really looked to see how ugly most of the landscape is? Try it. The book's images are quite extraordinary though. The author's memories and cherished photos of family and place possess an honesty that reached out for my own distinct early memories, and begged me to appreciate them. She also reinforced my appetite for finding value and beauty in simple things and ways that deserve human note and care. A few of my favorite parts of the book: Recipes Served on the Porch, My Mother's Coat, and the twelve days of Christmas. This book was personally enriching for me, and it's a wake-up call for those of us who've known a finer quality of life. We do know better. Janet Freedman came right out and said it.

Janet Freedman seamlessly blends history and personal remembrances in this charming account of family and place. Her grandmother's farm and the surrounding area are brought to life through the memories of a child, the commentary of family and friends, and detailed research. One need not be familiar with Kent Island to feel a stir of nostalgia for the simpler times she describes.
No romanticized sentiment is found here. Hardships are made clear ("the shocking cold of January linoleum" in an unheated bedroom, for example, or a coat handed down through six children), but they are tempered with descriptions of the bounty provided by land and water and the reassurance of routine. The security offered by close family ties is evident throughout.
Emphasis is placed on accurate and fond description of the region, though recent comers might be hard pressed to reconcile the dirt roads and general stores of Freedman's childhood with the asphalt and strip malls of today's Kent Island. A selection of period photographs augments the author's colorful prose, giving a visual record of structures that have fallen vicitim to "progress" and the people who helped shape this story.
Sadly, the book's poignancy is derived from what we've lost; the concept of controlled development has come too late to save much of Kent Island's appeal. Freedman's work will stand as a testament to what was and a warning of how quickly such things can be lost.