History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers

Average customer rating:

The Hobo Philosopher
This Classic Remains A Great Read!
Excellent compilation of short biographies of major economists
If I could give 10 stars I would
Fascinating Story

The Worldly Philosophers: The Lives, Times And Ideas Of The Great Economic Thinkers
Robert L. Heilbroner
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 068486214X

Book Description

The Worldly Philosophers is a bestselling classic that not only enables us to see more deeply into our history but helps us better understand our own times. In this seventh edition, Robert L. Heilbroner provides a new theme that connects thinkers as diverse as Adam Smith and Karl Marx. The theme is the common focus of their highly varied ideas -- namely, the search to understand how a capitalist society works. It is a focus never more needed than in this age of confusing economic headlines.

In a bold new concluding chapter entitled "The End of the Worldly Philosophy?" Heilbroner reminds us that the word "end" refers to both the purpose and limits of economics. This chapter conveys a concern that today's increasingly "scientific" economics may overlook fundamental social and political issues that are central to economics. Thus, unlike its predecessors, this new edition provides not just an indispensable illumination of our past but a call to action for our future.

Customer Reviews:

The Hobo Philosopher.......2007-09-12

Whenever anyone says to me: I would like to learn something about economics, but where do I start - this is where you start. It is simple, easy, accurate, enjoyable and written for the lay reader. If you want to know more about economics this should be your first challenge. I guarantee after reading this book, you will know more and want to learn more. It could be the best introductory economics book ever. You can trust this guy.

This Classic Remains A Great Read!.......2007-09-10

I read this book 25 years ago, and recently reread parts of it. What a great book! Many of the most prominent living economists have justly heaped praise on Heilbroner's masterpiece. I can only add my hearty agreement.

Excellent compilation of short biographies of major economists.......2007-07-27

Heilbroner (H) does a very good job of providing the beginning ,novice reader in economic history and economic thought a very general summary of the major ideas of the economists he covers.He provides many interesting anecdotal comments,such as Keynes's interest in the size and shape of other people's hands,that are worth the price of purchasing the book.There are,however,some major analytic gaps in H's coverage.I will cover two of these below.

The first major omission occurs on p.68, in the chapter covering Adam Smith,on Smith's view of the role of government in a capitalist economy.Smith spends pp.734-741 of the Wealth of Nations[Modern Library(Cannan)edition] alerting the reader to the existence of a major undepletable,detrimental externality ,with major negative impacts, that resulted from the operation of the Invisible Hand (comparative advantage + division of labor + economic self interest).These negative impacts affect all aspects of the workers' lives-social,political,moral or ethical,intellectual,and martial.It is not just a case of "...the stultifying effect of mass production..." leading to a " ...decline in manly virtues."(Heilbroner,p.68).On pp.9-10 of the WN,Smith discussed the significant role of the worker in providing a continuing series of marginal improvements in the workings of the machinery used in the production process.All such contributions come to a complete stop if the externality problem is not dealt with because the result will be "...the almost complete corruption and degeneracy of the great body of the people".(Smith,p.734).The work force will not be able to make any contribution to the political decision making process of the country.Conflicts will break out both within the family and between families.Smith includes in his solution,which is that general education and religious instruction be provided for all even if they are unable to afford it,the requirement that the workers be taught the basics(reading,writing,and arithmetic) plus geometry and mechanics.The middle class is to also be taught philosophy and science.

The second omission in Heilbroner concerns the discussion of Keynes's GT fiscal policies on pp.274-279.H does not make it clear that Keynes is opposed to cutting income taxes in order to stimulate private consumption spending.Keynes's plan is to seperate the budget into a current and a capital account.The capital account will include borrowed funds(loan expenditure) to finance long run spending on infreastructure projects and public goods that will pay for themselves in the long run.The p.131 quote given by H about the government burying bank notes in abandoned mines for private enterprise to dig up from the GT is misleading.

If I could give 10 stars I would.......2007-07-03

Best book I've read in a long time! I have exams in economics, and usually I read some light "for fun" books during exam times in order to relax. This is one of those books, and I'm learning something!!! Excellent writer!

Fascinating Story.......2007-05-08

The Worldly Philosophers by Robert L. Heilbroner provides a collection of short biographies of great thinkers in the world of economics over the past few hundred years. The book includes well-known economists like Adam Smith, Karl Marx, and John Maynard Keynes, as well as lesser-known individuals such as Robert Owen and Frederic Bastiat. Heilbroner tells the story of economic and political history using the famous economists, or worldly philosophers, in a way that explains economic concepts as they developed within a historical context. The book provides a comprehensive explanation of developments and theories that have led to current economic philosophy.

Heilbroner puts a human side to the often-bleak science of economics by describing the personalities and social situation of the various characters in the story. This makes it easy to understand what was possibly behind their political beliefs and economic models. It also makes it easy to understand their views on issues like the motives of individuals, the motives of the wealthy, the role of labor and land in economic thought, and beliefs about the cause of imperialism. Models of production, consumption, and the distribution of wealth evolved with the growth of society and of political-economic systems supporting capitalism, socialism, and communism. This evolution of economic thought is best understood within the philosophical concept of Hegelian dialectics. Economic ideas changed because of synthesis of previous ideas challenged by new and opposing ideas that result in a new concept or synthesis, which is closer to the truth than the previous thoughts. This appears to be the approach used by many of the economic philosophers. It is also the approach used by Heilbroner to help pull the historical story together throughout his book.

Heilbroner clarifies or provokes thinking on a number of issues and questions that politicians and economists continue to debate and attempt to understand. First, he shines a light on the dichotomy between capitalism and socialism and drives thinking on where along the continuum societies have evolved. He also drives thinking on the interplay between economic models and the larger socio-political environment. This brings into question the impact of government and society on economic models and theories. Economic models are developed given assumptions about how citizens and governments behave under a given set of conditions. The thinking of citizens and governments evolve which could render established economic models relatively ineffective. For example, established economic thinking and models were changed by the industrial revolution. The current technological revolution and information age is again causing a rethink of economic assumptions. No one would have predicted the events of September 11, 2001 and the impact it had on the thinking of citizens and the U.S. government. Reading and thinking about the book's content also left me asking the question - do the fundamentals of economics as a science steer the direction of society or vice versa? Which has a greater influence on the other? This then also led me to ask the question - are economic models largely predictive or explanative?

While Heilbroner provided a comprehensive historical story of great economic thinkers, he left me wondering about who are the more recent economic thinkers. The book was last revised in 1998. However, there is no mention made of recent economists like Milton Friedman and John Kenneth Galbraith. According to the Economist, Friedman is the most influential economist of the second half of the 20th century and quite possibly all of it. Keynesian economic theory is discussed in detail, but Heilbroner did not discuss monetarist economic theory or Hayek's philosophy on neoliberalism.

The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time

Average customer rating:

Inspirational Introduction to Will Durant
Great CD.....full of wonderful historical info!
A place to begin
For all those who slept in their Western Civilzation courses!
hard to follow

The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time
Will Durant
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Story of Philosophy: The Lives and Opinions of the World's Greatest Philosophers
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ASIN: 0743235533
Release Date: 2002-10-29

Book Description

A wise and witty compendium of the greatest thoughts, greatest minds, and greatest books of all time -- listed in accessible and succinct form -- by one of the world's greatest scholars.

From the "Hundred Best Books" to the "Ten Greatest Thinkers" to the "Ten Greatest Poets," here is a concise collection of the world's most significant knowledge. For the better part of a century, Will Durant dwelled upon -- and wrote about -- the most significant eras, individuals, and achievements of human history. His selections have finally been brought together in a single, compact volume. Durant eloquently defends his choices of the greatest minds and ideas, but he also stimulates readers into forming their own opinions, encouraging them to shed their surroundings and biases and enter "The Country of the Mind," a timeless realm where the heroes of our species dwell.

From a thinker who always chose to exalt the positive in the human species, The Greatest Minds and Ideas of All Time stays true to Durant's optimism. This is a book containing the absolute best of our heritage, passed on for the benefit of future generations. Filled with Durant's renowned wit, knowledge, and unique ability to explain events and ideas in simple and exciting terms, this is a pocket-size liberal arts and humanist curriculum in one volume.

Customer Reviews:

Inspirational Introduction to Will Durant.......2007-09-09

This was my first introduction to Will Durant and it did not dissapoint. It was a very quick and easy read as well as being both a great historical refresher and a great insight into the mind of this legendary figure. The book includes top ten lists of the greatest thinkers, poets, and peaks of human progress among others. Durant's commentary is very insightful and his selection methodology is well reasoned. This has inspired me to read more of his works and texts from his Top 100 Best Books for Education.

Great CD.....full of wonderful historical info!.......2007-07-03

Will Durant and his wife Ariel devoted over 50 years to the study of history and philosophy; creating 11 sage volumes of "The Story of Civilization."

His dedication and hard work ultimately earned him a Pulitzer Prize in literature, followed by the highest award granted by the United States government to civilians, the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ford in 1977.

Durant endeavored to make history more than just dates committed to memory and to bring our human heritage richly alive in the men and women who've walked before us and influenced our lives.

Often called THE GENTLE PHILOSOPHER, his words are laced with warmth and humor as he brings these great thinkers to life!

His lists include the best books for an education, the ten greatest thinkers, the ten greatest poets, twelve vital dates in human history, and the ten peaks of human progress.

I have listened to this in the car and have learned that I have many books and authors with which I have yet to acquaint myself!

It's read with wit, warmth, and wisdom.

Highly recommended!

"The most interesting thing in the world is another human being who wonders, suffers and raises the questions that have bothered him to the last day of his life, knowing he will never get the answers."
Will Durant

A place to begin.......2007-03-29

As the Durant himself acknowledges, all lists have their limitations. This is no exception; it isn't perfect and never claims to be. That said, it's an excellent starting point for anyone looking to educate themselves on the history of philosophy and culture. It has an unquestionable bent on western authors, but within that bent, he made his choices based on solid reasoning.
Bottom line: you will have begun to give yourself an invaluable education if you read any of the books or authors that Durant suggests. Therefore, this slim volume is worth more than whatever you're about to pay for it.

For all those who slept in their Western Civilzation courses!.......2007-01-25

Heard THE GREATEST MINDS AND IDEAS OF ALL TIME by
Will Durant, a best-selling historian and philosopher, who devoted his
life to studying human history . . . his efforts earned him a Pulitzer
Prize.

Although I never read anything by Durant, this work gave me
a feel for his writing . . . in addition, it made me realize that though
I have spent many years in both undergraduate and graduate education,
I should now return to many books that I missed along the way if
I want to attain a true liberal arts education.

This book is actually a summation of Durant's work . . . it presents
a series of somewhat brief essays with titles ranging from
"The One Hundred Best Books for an Education" to "The Ten Greatest
Thinkers" and including "The Ten Greatest Poets," "The Ten Peaks
of Human Progress" and "Twelve Vital Dates in Human History."

I particularly liked those dealing with people . . . the ones dealing
with dates and events were less interesting.

Overall, I'd recommend THE GREATEST MINDS AND IDEAS OF
ALL TIME, particularly if you slept in or never took a course in
Western Civilization . . . Durant makes the material come alive,
particularly when he makes such observations as the following:

Confucius was one of the top thinkers. (He then explains why.)

You might as well not lived until you have heard Bach's work.

Balzac is almost as illuminating as life itself.

Miss not a word of Flaubert's MADAM BOVARY.

You will marvel at the delicacies of Anatole France.

Meander through the 1,700 pages of WAR AND PEACE.

Poe is a little bit overrated.

Whitman is our only American giant.

hard to follow.......2007-01-15

this seems to jump around alot, good information just hard to follow

Average customer rating:

One of the best books I've read this year.

151 Quick Ideas to Manage Your Time
Robert E. Dittmer
Manufacturer: Career Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their Employees, Retain Talent, and Drive Performance

ASIN: 1564148998

Book Description

Too many of us live our lives trying to shoehorn our many activities and responsibilities into too few time slots available. Increasingly for business people, fathers and mothers, even kids—(ineffectively) managing the myriad of activities has become an all-consuming chore. And we're so stressed that our relationships and job performance suffer.

Why? Because we organize our time and our lives poorly: We spend five years of our lives waiting in lines, three years in meetings, and two years playing telephone tag! We get interrupted 73 times per day, interfering with our productivity, and take an hour of work home every night, interfering with our family time.

But we can solve these problems. This book presents 151 quick and easy ways to meet these challenges in our daily lives. Each idea comes from the real world experiences of people like you—people who are experimenting with, examining, and discovering unique solutions to the time problems all of us face every day.

These tried and tested ideas work! And now they are available to you. Select those that fit your particular circumstance and try them out! Here are a few:

• Start Your Day the Night Before • Undercommit and Overdeliver • Organize Your Workspace • Block Contingency Time Every Day • Use Voice Mail as a Call Screener • Fight SPAM with an E-mail Blocker

Do more in less time, take control of your schedule, and create a new balance between your work and your family life. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to take charge of your time and increase your quality of life…day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books I've read this year........2006-09-19

Straightforward, timely and humorous, "151 Quick Ideas to Manage Your Time" helps me manage my time more effectively and steer my career in the direction that I want.

As a newly minted public relations professional, the advice about finding a mentor is especially helpful. Setting career goals and objectives - and writing them down in a notebook or journal helps me set the pace of my career and personal growth.

Of any book like its kind on the market today - this one is a must read for the professional struggling with time management and the newbie just getting his or her career off the ground. Buy it today, you won't regret it tomorrow. I'm happy I did.

Average customer rating:

Ideas across Time
Igor Webb
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0072882611

Book Description

Ideas Across Time gives depth to students' writing by helping them make connections between their contemporary world and the important ideas that have shaped it. Beginning with a contemporary selection that ties the chapter's idea to the student's experience, each chapter proceeds to introduce students to significant and influential writers and thinkers. Thoughtful and provoking reading apparatus helps students understand challenging concepts, encourages them to develop ideas in their writing, and prompts them to research new questions.

The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written: The History of Thought from Ancient Times to Today

Average customer rating:

A biased presentation by an incapable author
Opinionated, Prickly, Refreshing
Defense of Mystics
One of the most annoying books ever written...
I wish his middle name was "sayless"

The 100 Most Influential Books Ever Written: The History of Thought from Ancient Times to Today
Martin Seymour-Smith
Manufacturer: Citadel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0806520000

Customer Reviews:

A biased presentation by an incapable author.......2007-09-02

Although most of us would acknowledge some or most of the books picked, it is by no means close to the 70-30 ratio guessed by the author. But what hurts the most is Seymour-Smith's arrogance that grows into plain stupidity on his reviews and method of selection(not to mention coward attacks on defenseless popular authors).
I never bought a book written by such a malignant mind. Save your money, Martin Seymour-Smith not only likes the sound of his own demented voice way too much, but makes sure to affirm that it is the only one that bears truth!

Opinionated, Prickly, Refreshing.......2007-03-15

Many reviewers seem to have forgotten the purpose of the book. It was not to show off the pyrotechnical writing skills of the author or his strong opinions or his knowledge of literature. It was to identify the 100 Most INFLUENTIAL books ever written. The structure is similar to the "The 100 Most Influential People" as is the content. In both cases, it is the religious and spiritual realms that have exerted the most influence with political philosophy and scientific breakthroughs secondary. There may be a greater quantity of the later two but what has truly shaped mankind are the I Ching, The Old Testament, The Upanishads, Avesta, Dhammapada, Analects, The Way, etc.

The author does not timidly offer the easy way out, saying that it could have meant this or that they may have been right. No, he states what he thinks emphatically. For those who blasted his left-liberal stance, they should note that he takes on all comers. He savages the eco prophets of doom as well as the Marxist Left. In the preface he skews Richard Dawkins, the new High Priest of Atheism, by saying his books will NEVER be included because he has contributed nothing original and besides, what he has written is "ludicrous". So tell us what you think, Martin! He omits E.O. Wilson because he treats people like his beloved ants. Yet he has praise for Aquinas and Augustine even as he decried their faith. He distinguishes between popular classics ("Gone With the Wind") and literary classics ("War and Peace"). He skipped Whitehead and Russel for Hegel. So this is not a random selection of "popular" works - a few are obscure.

The descriptions and commentary are jewels - his skewings of Hegel, Chomsky, Martin Luther and Newton are worth the price of the book alone. One can argue with "Candide" (represents the Enlightenment) or Malthus's
"The Principle of Population (included because Malthus was wrong and policies deriving from this were harmful). The one, similar thing uniting all these books is their promulgation of an idea that has changed mankind for better or worse. This collection proves that by far, "the pen is mightier than the sword".

Defense of Mystics.......2006-06-06

I'm rather dismayed at the unending assult on MSS's choice to include esoteric literature.

I think we tend to forget the vision of the book is to outline the 100 most influential books. Nowhere is it stated that any of the literature is going to be weighed on the basis of truth or in the case of philosophical texts, judged by how well they can explain what we percieve to be real (the basis by which we typically judge philosophical texts.)

The inclusion of Sufi, far and near east, as well as mystic ideas--and MSS's defense of them, represent the influence those ideas have had on that culture.

Various esoteric ideas have been practiced indepth on the continent of asia and the middle east. These ideas are best understood by esoteric groups, groups to whom many of those in political and social positions go to for advice.

These ideas, as practiced by those who understand them, have no doubt had unimagingable influences on the climate of these regions for thousands of years.

We can hope to, in a book of summary, understand fully these ideas, and the impact they have. For instance, G. I. Gurdjieff is listed as the author of All and Everything, one of his texts. He, in this book recieves a token amount of pages in explination. The book in question is roughly 1,300 pages, written fully in allegory.

While some might be quick to dismiss MSS's election of texts, perhaps this springs partially from a misunderstanding of the ideas conveyed.

One of the most annoying books ever written..........2005-06-26

I can echo all of the existing reviews: Martin Seymour-Smith (MSS) was an arrogant and opinionated curmudgeon who insisted on thoroughly injecting himself into each and every chapter of this book. He had a discursive and highly elliptical writing style that quickly became tedious. He died just before this book was published.

Other reviewers have already correctly mentioned that MSS hated Christianity, bureaucrats, and political correctness. Well, he also hated science and capitalism. MSS wasted considerable ink laying out one rabid mini screed after another. These are littered throughout the book.

In summary, MSS was a sourpuss and a complainer, who missed no opportunity to inject himself into each topic, and yet offered no coherent or systematic ideas of his own.

MSS also seemed enamored of mystics and cranks. In one notable example, MSS emoted glowingly about Mohammed. On p.129 - MSS wrote "Mohammed was undoubtedly a true mystic..." Then speaking of the Sufi mystic Rumi, MSS wrote "if a man of his genius could acknowledge Mohammed as an authentic prophet, then so can and should we."

MSS spent more ink and page real estate on a crank like Noam Chomsky (5 pages, 1/2 of which is about Chomsky's hard-core left politics rather than his contributions to linquistics) than on David Hume (3 1/2 pages).

So what is worth it? I give it a grudging "yes" and 3 stars ("It's OK"). The book had three strengths. First, this book is organized in a way that makes it easy to read small chunks at a time. Second, it gives a broad overview of some intellectuals and writers you might never have heard of. To give but one example in my own case, I had never heard of Mary Wollstonecraft before, and I was fascinated to read about her. Finally, MSS does just enough justice to most of the books by describing the historical and social milieu in which it was written, and by occasionally recounting some interesting facts and anecdotes about the various authors.

I wish his middle name was "sayless".......2005-03-22

This was an interesting and useful book but Mr Seymour Smith is very opinionated and injects his opinion into every area of the book.

His personal politics also come to the fore much more often than necessary and welcome.

If you can get it at a deep discount it is worth it.

Politics, Language, and Time: Essays on Political Thought and History

Average customer rating:

Erudite, judicious, elegant

Politics, Language, and Time: Essays on Political Thought and History
J. G. A. Pocock
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Visions of Politics (Vol. III)

ASIN: 0226671399

Book Description

In his first essay, "Languages and Their Implications," J. G. A. Pocock announces the emergence of the history of political thought as a discipline apart from political philosophy. Traditionally, "history" of political thought has meant a chronological ordering of intellectual systems without attention to political languages; but it is through the study of those languages and of their changes, Pocock claims, that political thought will at last be studied historically.

Pocock argues that the solution has already been approached by, first, the linguistic philosophers, with their emphasis on the importance of language study to understanding human thought, and, second, by Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, with its notion of controlling intellectual paradigms. Those paradigms within and through which the scientist organizes his intellectual enterprise may well be seen as analogous to the worlds of political discourse in which political problems are posed and political solutions are proffered. Using this notion of successive paradigms, Pocock demonstrates its effectiveness by analyzing a wide range of subjects, from ancient Chinese philosophy to Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Burke.

Customer Reviews:

Erudite, judicious, elegant.......1999-03-11

JGA Pocock's classic collection of essays, primarily encompassing the early modern world, recognize fully the importance of words as historical actors, and as analytic tools to understand arguments as they lay without doing antiquarian OR materialist violence to texts. His interest in discursive fields and the early modern text is more epistemologically rigorous than cultural studies, and more accessible than a great deal of poststructuralist work in this area. The general reader may not be interested in my technical comments, since plainly the essays in this volume are a joy to read for their own sake. Either theoretically or via the crystal-clear style of the author, Pocock leaves a reader coming away newly aware that "Language is Power."

Concepts of Space: The History of Theories of Space in Physics: Third, Enlarged Edition

Average customer rating:

Struggle to define and understand fundamental concepts
An encompasing, albeit overtly scholarly, look at "Space".

Concepts of Space: The History of Theories of Space in Physics: Third, Enlarged Edition
Max Jammer
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0486271196

Book Description

Historical surveys of the concept of space considers Judeo-Christian ideas about space, Newton's concept of absolute space, space from 18th century to the present. Numerous original quotations and bibliographical references. "Admirably compact and swiftly paced style." — Philosophy of Science. Foreword by Albert Einstein.

Customer Reviews:

Struggle to define and understand fundamental concepts.......1998-05-22

This book shows just how tortuous has been the struggle in physics (and science in general) to arrive at and comprehend its fundamental concepts. The very first paragraph in Einstein's foreword is worth the price of the entire book, if one truly understands what Einstein has said. Most of us came into physics via ordinary textbook courses, where unfortunately most of the approach was to quickly master the equations and their methods of application. Somehow we never understood that the very foundations of physics are still very much at issue, and our teachers either did not realize this themselves, or considered such musings trivial, or were just too busy to enlighten us. Most of us think that things like space, mass, time, charge, field, potential, zero, and unity are obvious, and it can come as a major shock to one's system to find out that they are not. Most such fundamental concepts still do not have a satisfactory definition. Jammer's book, while cumbersome by its very scholarship, does give one a grasp of just how difficult the foundations problems -- such as the nature of space -- really are. If one is seriously interested in this sort of "deep" problem, then one must discover the literature oneself. Jammer's book is a must. I gave the book a 9 instead of a 10 because of its overall ponderous nature, but highly recommend it to anyone who is deeply interested in the foundations concepts of physics, how we got where we are, what we did along the way, what we may have yet missed, and just how firm or shaky are our concepts today. We also recommend Jammer's other studies of the concept of force and the concept of mass.

An encompasing, albeit overtly scholarly, look at "Space"........1997-10-13

A very deep book, filled with excerpts in native languages from ancient Greek to modern German, French, and Russian, and with tensor mathematics and other such nonsense. If you want to have your concept of space and time ripped out from under you and your horizons dramatically broadened, check this one out!

(BTW, I gave this a 9 instead of a 10 solely because of the weightiness of the material.)

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Memoir
Average customer rating:

Well played

I didn't want it to end!

An eloquent, worthwhile read!

Bittersweet

At times, brilliant. But in the end, it falls short.

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time: A Memoir
David Goodwillie
Manufacturer: Algonquin Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1565124650

Book Description

Fresh out of college and following a brief and disastrous stint playing minor league baseball, David Goodwillie moves to New York intent on making his mark as a writer.

Arriving in Manhattan in the mid-nineties, Goodwillie quickly falls into one implausible job after another. He becomes a private investigator, imagining himself as a gumshoe, a hired gun—only to realize that he's more adept at bungling cases than at solving them. When, in his stint as a freelance journalist, he unveils the Mafia in a magazine exposé, he succeeds only in becoming a target of their wrath. As a copywriter for a sports auction house, he imagines documenting the great histories hidden in priceless artifacts but finds himself forced to write about a lock of Mickey Mantle's hair. Even when he seems to break through, somehow becoming the sports expert at Sotheby's auction house—appearing on major news networks, raking in a hefty salary—he's lured away by the promise of Internet millions...just in time for the dot-com crash.

Teeming with the vibrancy of a city in hyperdrive, Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time recounts a dizzying and enthralling search for authenticity in a cynical, superficial—and suddenly dangerous—age.

In his heartbreaking and hilarious struggle to become a big-city writer, Goodwillie becomes something more: an important voice of the lost generation he so elegantly describes.

Customer Reviews:

Well played.......2007-07-21

Experience is what makes great writers, but not the kind gathered from classrooms or the great indoors. Oh, and sometimes that experience gets in the way of writing. "Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time" chronicles its author's leap from a small college in Ohio to the metropolitan lightning rod of New York City, and the odd jobs and mistakes amassed along the way. He has an unnerving knack for capturing characters: these are the same people I encounter every day, but he made me see them as if for the first time. The story is the coming-of-age of a city as much as it is the coming-of-age of its author. It's a memoir of an imperfect, work-in-progress life, but underneath the calculated cleverness and snappy comebacks is a love song to the past, the present, and the unfurling future of NYC, center of the universe. It's pretty solid proof that with enough work, life sometimes lets itself be written down. Plus, it's not a bad piece of writing. Definitely worth it. Now I want to move to NYC.

I didn't want it to end!.......2007-06-01

I am so grateful that I saw a small blurb about this book in a magazine! I tore it out and carried it around with me for almost a year and FINALLY bought the book. I couldn't put it down - which is unusual for me, as I typically don't finish books. I didn't want it to end. Myself approaching 40, I could identify with the author's experiences. Reading it made me want to talk to him and compare "war stories". Looking for another memoir by authors in this generation. Loved it!!!

An eloquent, worthwhile read!.......2007-05-11

A lot of memoirs are being written these days, and I for one am growing a bit weary of them. I pass them in the bookstores and say, "Oh, another story about a struggling writer and the sludge through which he has to trudge to rise above? No, thanks." This being said, Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time is a different story altogether.

The story of David Goodwillie's life is a good one. The baseball player/Sotheby's auction expert/Private Investigator/Busboy, etc, etc, has lived an interesting life, and his writing does it justice.

In the hands of a lesser writer, this book could have been a disaster of cliche recountings of drug use, high-society Sotheby underground parties, post-college angst, and baseball metaphors. Instead, it was an interesting peek into the true uncertainty that can lie before a newly graduated college student with ideas and ambitions, but not enough of them to do what he feels he should be doing. It's a typical, relatable story, peppered with surreal happenings (such as Goodwillie at one point in time being followed by the Mob for writing about their effect on the garment industry...a subject he became interested in through work as a private investigator).

Goodwillie eloquently (the writing in this book is often beautiful, but not in a wimpy way) interweaves the story of his adventures as a young man in mid-1990's dot-com boom (turned whimper) New York with the story of how he got there. Growing up in England and New Jersey, playing baseball, coping with the divorce of his parents. Though the book seems to be marketed as a "coming-of-age" story centered around the "young hopeful writer in romantic New York" plot, I was more attracted to the story of Goodwillie's upbringing and the experience of parental divorce at a formative age. Again, Goodwillie is extremely cautious while walking a well-beaten path, and his recollection of the events reflect that: it doesn't seem redundant.

The most impressive aspect of this book, in the end, is that Goodwillie remains somewhat of an enigma to the reader. Neither self-indulgent, nor a parade of his various successes and triumphs, the writer simply tells the story as he remembers it, without overloading the reader with unneccessary insight and "life-changing" conclusions. In the memoir-heavy bookshelves of today, Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time is a worthwhile read.

Bittersweet.......2007-03-07

I read this book in two days, hardly aware that I was stuck in an airport. While certain sections made me smile, it was not what I would consider an amusing tale. Perhaps because this speaks so strongly of my generation I couldn't help but feel like I was there with David, on edge and looking for answers. The emotions this author pulled from me stayed with me for days, a sure sign of a talented writer.
I can't wait to see what comes next.

At times, brilliant. But in the end, it falls short........2007-01-13

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time, by David Goodwillie is one of those books that at times fascinates the reader with insight, pace and plot. At other times one wonders why the author and his editors included often tedious and disjointed chapters that far from enhance this memoir of New York. As a native New Yorker, and one who lived there before and during the author's coming-of-age in the Big City novel, I usually am biased and get a kick out of these types of reads. New York is like no other place - that is clearly true. But one cannot help but sense that Goodwillie was reaching for a McInerney-type of novel, or perhaps even a shorter Tom Wolfe's style of New Journalism. Sadly, Goodwillie, who at times in this book is clearly brilliant, falls short. When writing in a more reflective and less journalistic manner is when the author is at his best. And there was plenty of that. Unfortunately, just when he grabbed my attention with his own style, his editor seemingly either allowed, or even encouraged, some unrelated drivel to waste several pages, if not chapters. If he had cut out about 50 to 75 pages and focused more on the personal and societal implications of an individual trying to cut it in New York in the Age of the Internet (and its conflict with his desires as a writer) this book could have been very good. It was not.

Average customer rating:

Best Lennon Bio
a wonderfully written account on the pros and cons of lennon
Here we go again
This book is an interesting read.
Best Lennon I've read! SIX STARS!!

Come Together: John Lennon in His Time
Jon Wiener
Manufacturer: Faber Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0571135765

Customer Reviews:

Best Lennon Bio.......2001-12-08

This book amazed me on how accurate and truthful it was. It contains many many quotes of Lennon which supports every bit of information presented. I originally borrowed the book from a library for a school project and was very unhappy about having to give it back! I would have loved to have kept it. It is a must have for any John Lennon fan.

a wonderfully written account on the pros and cons of lennon.......1999-10-28

It is true that Lennon had much to learn about politics.It is also true that he had even more to learn about life.He even had much to learn about music (he would have been the first to agree with the last point),but he had something that only a select few people from his "genre" had,and that was desire to be heard.Naturally,when he was heard he had much to say.When he got the opportunity to say it,he had much tendency to speak it with words that made only sense to the ones who lived in his world (or at least wanted to).There were a few messages he made,however,that did not only affect millions of lives,but may have even changed it for the better.This was a power he began to realize during the height of his success with the Beatles,and it scared the hell out of him.Probably beyond what any of us could possibly concieve,it ripped him to shreads.Yoko helped much in the way of opening him up,but in using him as a puppet (as many did),she really only made matters worse.It was not until just before his death that he really began to realize that what he wanted in life was peace and good music.Not the peace of the world,but peace of mind for himself.The book Come together captures this emotional roller coaster ride better than any book written on the subject.Next to Barry Miles' "Paul Mccartney:many years from now" it is without question the most honest and well written account on one of the greatest pop culture stories ever told.And it is written with wit and wisdom,as well as sympathy for a man that was terribly misunderstood,even by his own self.Something to be read numerous times,especially the account on the "more popular than Christ" contreversey.Lennon is a true icon for this century,but he was also very human (more than most),and this book portrays this fact very well.

Here we go again.......1999-10-11

Everyone knows a book about The Beatles, or any one of them, especially Lennon, is a guaranteed sell/ source of income. And those who cannot resist will write one. Lennon's political "activism" is hyped beyond that it was. He was naive in politics, as especilly shown by his bothering with (being used by) Rubin and Peel, both of whom I knew, and knew for what they were.

This book is an interesting read........1999-06-02

I have been obsessed with the beatles and john for about a year and have read many books about them. It was nice to finally find a book that concentrated more on John and his political life rather than the break-up or drug use. This is a must read for anyone tired of the usual stuff. It has lots of great stories and tidbits.

Best Lennon I've read! SIX STARS!!.......1999-01-10

Wiener describes wonderfully, and with great interest to the reader, how Lennon inter-related with people close to him as well as events around him. It is an excellent commentary on the sixties as well as much of the seventies. Being exactly ten years younger than Lennon, I considered myself the prime age (13) when the Fab Four made it big. The "Summer of Love" fell between my junior and senior years in high school. I felt part of the times. Wiener, however, only demonstrated to me how much I missed, and how little I understood! COME TOGETHER is highly recommended not only for my generation, and my parents' (who thought they knew it all), but especially the younger generations who love the music, and want more.

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