Book Description
At the end of Frank Herberts final novel, Chapterhouse: Dune, a ship carrying a crew of refugees escapes into the uncharted galaxy, fleeing from a terrifying, mysterious Enemy. The fugitives used genetic technology to revive key figures from Dunes pastincluding Paul MuadDib and Lady Jessicato use their special talents to meet the challenges thrown at them. Based directly on Frank Herberts final outline, which lay hidden in two safe-deposit boxes for a decade, Sandworms of Dune will answer the urgent questions Dune fans have been debating for two decades: the origin of the Honored Matres, the tantalizing future of the planet Arrakis, the final revelation of the Kwisatz Haderach, and the resolution to the war between Man and Machine. This breathtaking new novel in Frank Herberts Dune series has enough surprises and plot twists to please even the most demanding reader.
Customer Reviews:
Sandworms...a magical conclusion?.......2007-09-30
If you've bought and read Sandworms of Dune--you must be a REAL Dune fanatic--I am. And for the most part, I've been totally on board with Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson continuing the saga. And you have to suspend a certain amount of belief with any sci-fi, but even moreso with "Sandworms." This book, more than any of their efforts seems to lose steam and even its "Dune" credibility with the "magical" wrapup at the end. If you've made it this far in this series...you HAVE to buy it; it just hasn't brought me back for "re-reads" like most of the others. But hey, genius and creativity aren't bottomless wells.
looks okay.......2007-09-27
i haven't had time to read it yet.
But the book arrived in excellent condition.
The cover art is impressive !
Excellent continuation of a classic story.......2007-09-27
It must be very difficult to write a continuation to a well-loved sci-fi classic even if your Father did write the original. Brian Herbert has succeeded, along with co-writer Kevin Anderson, to build on the original in an almost seamless manner. I have a few nagging doubts about certain developments but all in all this is the culmination of an excellent series of books. Brian and Kevin - well done!
An Editor would have been nice.......2007-09-27
Thank god (leto or duncan?) I'm done. In the end I was entertained, which is the purpose of reading. That being said, it was a tedious effort to get through this final, maybe?, chapter of Dune. There was a good story to be told in the end, but, it seems the authors were being paid for a word count. An editor should have reigned in the repetitiveness. How many times must they say the names of the reborn gholah's? They have a built in reader base that did not need the retelling of plot lines from five, six or nine books ago. The casual reader will not be reading this. KNOW your audience! It would have been much more compelling to have fleshed out characters (pick a ghola, any gholah..) than to keep retelling what the reader already knew by rote.
Others have posted on the many timeline/plot inconsistencies, but, the one I haven't seen is this....most "plot lines" were tied up in the epilouge save one....whatever happened to Paulo who was in a trance on the floor in synchrony? Is he still there in a trance? Did they rebuild around him? He just kinda got left there. Ooops. Indicative of the book.
I was entertained though.
An Ending You Can Live With........2007-09-27
If you haven't read most of the Dune series, Don't Read This or "Hunters of Dune."
This is the Companion Volume to "Hunters of Dune" and is the series finale. These volumes take place in the two to three decades right after "Chapter House" ends and could be viewed as a trilogy.
To make the most sense out of all three, you may want to first read the "Legends," AKA Battles, prequel books that cover material Frank Herbert only hinted at in his original 6 books.
It's an ending most Dune fans should enjoy.
Amazon.com
The perfect first space book for those almost-readers, There's No Place Like Space takes us on a whirlwind tour of our solar system, with a few constellations thrown in for good measure. Cat in the Hat (along with beloved Thing One and Thing Two) straps on his space suit and rhymes his way among the nine planets, presenting important facts along the way. Where else could your preschooler learn phonics and astronomy at same time? "A planet can have satellites that surround it. Uranus has lots of these objects around it" is just one example. This is a fine addition to the library of any young stargazer--few books are written with this many facts furnished in such an easy-reading manner. (Preschool to early reader) --Jill Lightner
Book Description
Blast off for educational fun! Beginning readers and budding astronomers are launched via Seussian sorcery on a wild trip to visit the nine planets in our solar system along with the Cat in the Hat, Thing One, Thing Two, and Dick and Sally.
Customer Reviews:
There's No Place Like Space.......2007-10-03
There's So Place Like Space is a great book for toddlers who are interested in space. Not too complicated but good for learning a few interesting facts about our planets. Written with the rhyme of Dr. Seuss.
Excellent introductory book to Planets.......2007-09-25
I had not realized the effectiveness of this book until my 4 year old started making up songs about the planets, their colors, and their place in space. As I listened to his little songs he sang as he was playing, I realized his information, or lyrics, came from what he learned in this book. Entertaining, fun, educational. You can't go wrong with this rhyming introduction and imaginary travel through space.
Science made easy and enjoyable.......2007-03-09
My 2 1/2 year old daughter and 3 year old niece love this book. It gives enough information about the planets and solar system to be educational, but the author also uses classic Seuss elements of rhyming and silliness to keep the kids sustained in attention and entertained. I highly recommend this to any young solar system fans!!
SUPER book for a preschool class.......2006-10-07
I had to go to the bookstore last night to purchase a new book to read to the preschool class I teach. I can say without a doubt this was enjoyed by ALL the children. SO easy to read and accurate too :) They all enjoyed it and I am VERY happy to add this to my book collection!!
Pre-Schooler Likes Better Than Me and My Place in Space.......2006-01-22
We purchased this and Me and My Place in Space for our pre-schooler. While the other book is more scientifically accurate (showing rings around Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus) this book was more engaging for our little one. She sits still while I read every page. The other book is perhaps better for older, more sophisticated readers.
Book Description
The Essential Cosmic Perspective, Third Edition Media Update features a new an effective learning program that uses chapter openers, headers, callouts in the text, and highly-visual chapter summaries to make learning goals more explicit and to tie together important astronomy concepts.
DEVELOPING PERSPECTIVE, Our Place in the Universe, Discovering the Universe for Yourself, The Science of Astronomy, KEY CONCEPTS FOR ASTRONOMY, Making Sense of the Universe -Understanding Motion, Energy and Gravity, Light - The Cosmic Messenger, LEARNING FROM OTHER WORLDS, Our Solar System and Its Origin, Earth and the Terrestrial Worlds, Jovian Planet Systems, Remnants of Rock and Ice: Asteroids, Comets, and Pluto, STARS, Our Star, Other Stars, Star Stuff, The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard, GALAXIES AND BEYOND, Our Galaxy, A Universe of Galaxies, Dark Matter and the Fate of the Universe, The Beginning of Time, LIFE ON EARTH AND BEYOND, Life in the Universe: Prospects for Microbes, Civilizations, and Interstellar Travel.
For all readers interested in important astronomy concepts.
Customer Reviews:
Good book but I believe there are better.......2006-11-27
The good: This book is easy to read and understand, assumes very little of the reader other than a general understanding of current science. Explainations are clear and build logically throughout the book. Very little math - any high school math would be enough to understand what little there is in this book. Information is up to date and the book has many good pictures and diagrams to aid in understanding.
The not as good: I would have liked more in depth detail. I know this is somewhat subjective the book still has nearly 500 pages, however the text often only covers 60% of a page. In comparison to the at least two compeating books "Astronomy Today" and "The Universe" have over 700 pages each and more like 90% of a text page coverage just to grossly compare them. Each of these books also are easy to read, have good pictures and diagrams too.
So all in all this book is good and covers the subject well, but if you wish more detail other books may be better choices.
Everything you want to know, plus a great CDRom!.......2003-04-07
This book is really good, especially for those interested in the universe and its formation. It also comes with a CDRom with video clips and a study guide for students. A useful, and interesting book!
Book Description
people places Second Edition Design Guidelines for Urban Open Space edited by Clare Cooper Marcus and Carolyn Francis A resurgence in the use of public space continues throughout North America and many other parts of the world. Neighborhoods have become more outspoken in their demands for appropriate park designs; corporations have witnessed the value of providing outdoor spaces for employee lunch-hour use; the rising demand for child care has prompted increased awareness of the importance of developmentally appropriate play and learning environments; and increased attention is being focused on the specific outdoor space needs for the elderly, college students, and hospital patients and staff. Now available in an updated, expanded second edition, People Places is a fully illustrated, award-winning book that offers research-based guidelines and recommendations for creating more usable and enjoyable public open spaces of all kinds. People Places analyzes and summarizes existing research on how urban open spaces are actually used, offering design professionals and students alike an easily understood, easily applied guide to creating people-friendly places. Seven types of urban open space are discussed: urban plazas, neighborhood parks, miniparks and vest-pocket parks, campus outdoor spaces, outdoor spaces in housing for the elderly, child-care outdoor spaces, and hospital outdoor spaces. People Places contains a chapter-by-chapter review of the literature, illustrative case studies, and design guidelines specific to each type of space. People Places has a number of features that can be easily incorporated into the design process:
- Clear, readable translations of existing research on people's use of outdoor spaces.
- Performance-based design recommendations that specify key relationships between design and use.
- Design review checklists that help readers plan and critique designs.
- A clearly organized, concise format equally useful to the design practitioner and the design student.
The newly revised edition of People Places also includes:
- Discussion of accessibility issues, including ADA regulations and the concept of universal design; and of design responses aimed at crime reduction.
- Procedures for conducting post-occupancy evaluations of designed outdoor spaces.
- Updated and new information on each type of outdoor space, with special attention to hospitals, child care facilities, and campus outdoor spaces where specific advances have occurred since 1990.
- A completely new color-photo section and 50 new black and white illustrations.
Winner of the Merit Award in Communication from the American Society of Landscape Architects, People Places is an essential working tool for landscape architects and architects, city planners, urban designers, neighborhood groups, and anyone else concerned with the quality of urban open space.
Customer Reviews:
If you are a not a specialist, this book is great........2000-03-25
I read this book as part of a research project I was doing about the design of college campuses. I found it to be extremely helpful in my project and I plan on refering to it in the future; I am pursuing a Master's of Landscape Architecture. What I liked about this book is two-fold:
1. Each chapter is a self-contained guide to designing a plaza, park, campus, or playground with people in mind. This important to me becuase I try to focus my designs around the people who will be using them. Each chapter gives useful design tips and helps about the given topic.
2. This book was academic while remaining readable. The authors refer to studies relevent to the topic at hand, but do not become bogged down in theoretical nonsense.
I recommend buying it to anyone who would like a well-organized general design reference book. I would not recommend it to anyone who needs in depth information on any specific topic covered in the book. Check it out from the library if that is your intent.
Average customer rating:
- 'to increase the burden of awareness'
- The phenomenology of space and place
- The Importance of Meaning in Architecture
|
Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience
Yi-Fu Tuan , and
Steven Hoelscher
Manufacturer: University of Minnesota Press
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The Poetics of Space
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The Power of Place (P.S.)
ASIN: 0816638772 |
Book Description
Geography
On the 25th anniversary of its publication, a new edition of this foundational work on human geography.
In the twenty years since its original publication, Space and Place has not only established the discipline of human geography, but it has proven influential in such diverse fields as theatre, literature, anthropology, psychology, and theology. Eminent geographer Yi-Fu Tuan considers the ways in which people feel and think about space, how they form attachments to home, neighborhood, and nation, and how feelings about space and place are affected by the sense of time. He suggests that place is security and space is freedom: we are attached to the one and long for the other. Whether he is considering sacred versus "biased" space, mythical space and place, time in experiential space, or cultural attachments to space, Tuan's analysis is thoughtful and insightful throughout.
Until retiring in 1998, Yi-Fu Tuan was a professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is ranked among the country's most distinguished cultural geographers and has earned numerous honors, among them a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Bracken Award for landscape architecture, and an award for meritorious contribution to geography from the Association of American Geographers. He was recently named the Lauréat d'Honneur 2000 of the International Geographers Union. He is the author of many essays and books, including Escapism (1998) and Cosmos and Hearth (Minnesota, 1999).
Customer Reviews:
'to increase the burden of awareness'.......2007-01-09
This is a seminal text which offers insight into how we are awakened as children to the complex world which exists around, how we navigate, read and atribute meaning to the abstract spaces and places within which we exist. It opens a door to the genetic knowledge which is embedded in everything which exists around and how through our senses even the preception of time and space can be warped by experience.
"The aspects of things that are
most important for us are hidden
because of their simplicity and
familiarity"
L. Wittgenstein
As a thesis [here I stand] it is a delight, fundamental and engaging. It illuminates a wide and fertile field critical to an understanding how we are rooted to place and space.
There are books you read, then there are those which - live with you - you keep them close and consult them often.
The phenomenology of space and place.......2006-06-05
In "Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience," Tuan provides a descriptive account of the concepts "space" and "place," drawing on the work of phenomenologists, anthropologists, psychologists, geographers, and others. He grounds his analysis in a structuralist framework, using anthropological research to illustrate how our experiences of space and place can "transcend cultural particularities" (Tuan 1977, p. 5). Tuan provides an original and intriguing discussion of a wide range of topics, such as the relationship between space and place, on the one hand, and myths, architecture, time, religion, and cognition, on the other. I would highly recommend this work to anyone interested in human geography, cultural geography, urban geography, urban studies, and to anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the importance of space and place for our lives.
The Importance of Meaning in Architecture.......2000-09-12
This book was one of several books I studied to better understand the role of place in architecture and interior design. It helped me understand the importance of working with clients to understand the meanings they infer from the environment around them. In the book, Tuan highlights the importance of meaning and an insider's view. He describes place as humanized space. The contrast of open space with enclosed, comforting areas enhances both. As a person's emotional bond to a space increases, so do familiarity, comfort, and the sense of insideness. Without personal control over space, this emotional bond is slow to develop. To create place, Tuan suggests that memorable architecture should strenghen our memories, enhance the self, and provide layers of meaning to a space.
Average customer rating:
- The Masterharper of Pern
- Finally, background on the Masterharper
- Great if you like Sci Fiction
- If you love Robinton...
- Favorite
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MasterHarper of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
Anne Mccaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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ASIN: 0345388232
Release Date: 1998-01-12 |
Book Description
Pern: a beautiful world colonized by humans, terrorized by the deadly spores called Thread, and defended by magnificent flying dragons. Anne McCaffrey's bestselling tales of this planet have yielded a multitude of unforgettable characters. And now, after years of urging by devoted readers, one of the most popular denizens of Pern takes center stage in a novel that chronicles his extraordinary life.
Along with the dragonriders, perhaps none are so revered on Pern as the harpers, whose songs record history, warn of the coming of Thread, and prepare Pern's people for the future. And no one is more influential than the Masterharper of Pern. The son of renowned composer Petiron and gifted singer Merelan, Robinton is a prodigy from birth and enjoys a special rapport with the telepathic dragons. But it is a time when Thread has not been a threat for centuries, the harpers have fallen into disfavor, and one despotic man is plotting to take over Pern. In this climate of unrest, Robinton will come into his own . . . driven by his belief in music, in the dragons, and in the salvation of his beloved Pern.
Download Description
In a time when the deadly scourge Thread has not fallen on Pern forcenturies -- and many dare to hope that Thread will never fall again --a boy is born to Harper Hall. A musical prodigy who has the ability tospeak with the dragons, he is called Robinton, and he is destined to beone of the most famous and beloved leaders Pern has ever known.
It is a perilous time for the harpers who sing of Thread -- they arebeing turned away from holds, derided, attacked, even beaten. In thisclimate of unrest, Robinton will come into his own. But despite thetragedies that beset his own life, he continues to believe in music andin the dragons, and he is determined to save his beloved Pern fromitself -- so that the dragonriders can be ready to fly against thedreaded Thread when at last it returns.
"At last, Robinton has his own book... McCaffrey adds another absorbingchapter to dragon lore... Readers will revel in this compellingcharacterstudy of a fascinating personality."
ROMANTIC TIMES
"The story takes wing... when McCaffrey's beloved dragons roar and theirriders soar upon the beasts' mighty backs... Fans of Pern will likely beenthralled."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
"McCaffrey succeeds again in depicting the serenity and beauty ofdragons in their symbiotic relationship with humanity on a world calledPern."
BOOKPAGE
Cover art by Brom
Customer Reviews:
The Masterharper of Pern.......2007-10-02
Very enjoyable. Not a book easily put down even if you are not a Pern fan.
Finally, background on the Masterharper.......2007-05-23
I found this history of Masterharper Robinton to be interesting, although some of it seemed contrived (the last chapter). It does fill in many of "the blanks" that we had about the Masterharper, and it explains some of Sebell's background as well.
Overall, I liked it. It is a great addition to the Pern series.
Great if you like Sci Fiction.......2007-05-13
The Pern series of books from Anne McCaffery are great. Better if you read them in order, (look online at her website for recommendations). This is futuristic science fiction, but if you liked Aregon, you would probably like this series too
If you love Robinton..........2007-04-26
There are so many good reviews of this book already. I will only say this: if you love Robinton as so many Pern fans do, this is his long-wished for background story. As well as one of the best Pern books, IMHO.
Favorite.......2007-04-09
I have read all of Mrs. McCaffrey's books and I totally Love them! This one though, The MasterHarper of Pern, is my favorite. It might be just because MasterHarper Robinton is one of my favotite characters, but I think it is the most well written and emotional book out of all of them. If you even partially like her other books I think you will love this one. It is a very good read, especially if you have read or plan on reading all of her other books about Pern.
Amazon.com
Anne McCaffrey's Pern is one of the most memorable worlds in science fiction and fantasy. Humans and their flying dragon companions live in fear of thread, a caustic, deadly material that falls sporadically from space. But when the thread doesn't fall for a long time, people become complacent, forgetting that it is the brave dragonriders who can save them from the periodic threat. But when the thread falls, human and dragon heroes must fight the scourge. This edition encompasses the first three unforgettable novels of McCaffrey's epic series: Dragonflight, Dragonquest, and The White Dragon.
Book Description
Finally together in one volume, the first three books in the world's most beloved science fiction series, THE DRAGONRIDERS OF PERN, by Anne McCaffrey, one of the great science fiction writers of all time: DRAGONFLIGHT, DRAGONQUEST, THE WHITE DRAGON. Those who know these extraordinary tales will be able to re-visit with Lessa, F'lar, Ruth, Lord Jaxon, and all the others. And for those just discovering this magical place, there are incomparable tales of danger, deceit, and daring, just waiting to be explored..
Download Description
Here, finally together in one volume, are the first three books in theworld's most beloved science fiction series by one of the great sciencefiction writers of all time, Anne McCaffrey: Dragonflight,Dragonquest, and The White Dragon.
Those who know these extraordinary tales will be able to re-visit withLessa, F'lar, Ruth, Lord Jaxon, and all the others. And for those justdiscovering this magical place, there are incomparable tales of danger,deceit, and daring, just waiting to be explored....
Cover design by Richard Aquan
Cover painting by Michael Whelan
Customer Reviews:
Pleasurable and wonderous!.......2007-09-10
This trilogy and the Harper Hall trilogy were the first adult SF-Fantasy I read as a voracious 7th grader. I felt so very grown up, even when I had to look up words and re-read pages to understand the socio-political machinations. I loved the world of Pern and it set a benchmark in my mind that few authors have met since then. I recently rediscovered these books in my childhood cache. Twenty-five years later, I'm as enthralled as I was then. Now that's good fiction!
There be Dragons!.......2007-08-24
I have had a lifelong love of all things dragon and have long been a fan of Anne McCaffrey and her Dragonriders of Pern series. Such a fan, that I've read my paperback versions again and again until the only thing holding them together were rubber bands! Thus began my quest to find hardbound copies and thanks to Amazon this became a reality. Anne McCaffrey's Pern, dragons, and their riders capture the and imagination of young and old. I recommend this series to avid SciFi/fantasy readers as well as anyone that enjoys a well written, action packed story. After all, just yesterday, space flight was considered Science Fiction!
Excellent Book.......2007-07-31
The concept of genetically altered Dragons so that a colony can prosper is an amazing concept. I love these books!
Great book.......2007-07-27
I have been reading the the Dragonrider books for many years. I never tire of them. Great story, great writing.
EXCELLANT.......2007-06-14
As with all the Dragonrider books """***EXCELLANT***"""!!!!!!!!!!
Average customer rating:
- "The survival of the coffeehouse depends upon its ability to meet present day needs..."
- Can Great Good Places exist in today's world? (4.2 *s)
- Think, eat, drink, act, buy local....
- Finding a Great Good Place
- Rebuttal to Lance Mertz's Review
|
The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Bookstores, Bars, Hair Salons, and Other Hangouts at the Heart of a Community
Ray Oldenburg
Manufacturer: Marlowe & Company
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Celebrating the Third Place: Inspiring Stories About the "Great Good Places" at the Heart of Our Communities
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ASIN: 1569246815 |
Book Description
The Great Good Place argues that "third places" - where people can gather, put aside the concerns of work and home, and hang out simply for the pleasures of good company and lively conversation - are the heart of a community's social vitality and the grassroots of democracy.
Customer Reviews:
"The survival of the coffeehouse depends upon its ability to meet present day needs...".......2007-04-06
The project of The Great Good Place is to demonstrate why public spaces-- particularly gathering spaces-- are essential to the health of the community. It is an interesting and attractive thesis-- one that will speak clearly to most of his intended audience. Who does not harbor a nostalgia (even if an inherited nostalgia) for the town pub or the "place where everybody knows your name"?
Oldenburg does a good job building his case. He looks at characteristics and benefits of third places and then chooses examples from history and other cultures to illustrate the ideas.
A friend of mine remarked that The Great Good Place was one good idea repeated over and over again for 300 page. Not entirely fair, but there is some truth to it. The book also suffers from being oversold. For instance, the publisher's subtitle implies that hair salons are part of the topics that are covered. In fact, they are barely even mentioned. I suppose that the publicity that this relatively academic text made it nearly irrestistible for the publishing house to try to spice things up for the average reader.
Honestly, three stars might be the most fair rating for the book. In addition to what feels like some occasionally thin material, I feel that the author elides or ignores the potential negatives of his third places. All the same, I ended up rating it four stars because I generally agreed with his ideas. That agreement made me predisposed to enjoy it. So for me, the fourth star is because I found it pleasant to read.
Recommended for people with an interest in the social value of public spaces.
Can Great Good Places exist in today's world? (4.2 *s).......2006-08-09
This book is a heartfelt and nostalgic lament at the loss of vibrant local communities and the disappearance and exclusion of the various shops and places that facilitate the spontaneous, daily neighborhood interactions that are essential for viable communities. As the author notes, American society has undergone tremendous changes since WWII: sprawling suburbanization, an automobile culture, and reliance on home entertainment, mainly television. The isolating tendency of these developments is reinforced by planners and zoning commissions that do not permit neighborhood hangouts like taverns, cafes, and the like to be located near developments of "dream" homes with their sculpted lawns.
He calls community enhancing places "third" places because they fall just behind the home and workplaces in terms of time spent, though in his estimation are no less important. They are a necessary complement to domestic and work lives. He discusses the general nature of "third" places, as well as specific examples, including European pubs, sidewalk cafes, and coffee houses. Several characteristics are generally found in "third" places. The places are inclusive; titles and status are checked at the door. They are usually unpretentious buildings without a lot of distractions that detract from conversation and camaraderie. The same-sex nature of most such places eliminates self-conscious formalities of dress and behavior. According to the author, one could hardly exaggerate the benefits that both individuals and communities derive from gathering in "third" places. The enhancements to a viable democracy are especially noted.
Virtually all "third" places have disappeared from the American scene; they have not been a part of new development since WWII. The German beer gardens and vibrant small town streets long ago vanished. Now taverns, coffee shops, and the like, often located in strip malls, are populated with strangers having arrived via automobile, not to mention the prevalence of loud music and other diversions that further inhibit conversation. A larger social tendency is to simply remain encapsulated at home surrounded by technical gadgetry like HDTVs, DVD players, computers, iPods, CD players, etc. This circumscribed, isolated world must bring smiles of joy to the automotive, oil, real estate, finance, and construction industries as well as the huge consumer goods suppliers. It's difficult to see how broader democratic views necessary for our society will be developed in these restricted, lonely environments with only the simplistic, if not misinforming, patter of the corporate media available.
The notion of close communities is hardly an unequivocal good. The author scarcely acknowledges that communities can be highly coercive, requiring strict adherence to prevailing community practice, and exclusionary to those who differ in some manner. It is doubtful that the open-minded, gregarious men of the author's communities are as ubiquitous as he implies. However, there is no doubt of the severe ramifications to both individuals and the larger society in the near total absence of active communities. Furthermore, the author's forays into the psychology of the sexes and the desirability of separation in relation to his third places seem flawed.
There will be no return to main streets in small towns and urban neighborhoods associated with manufacturing where the residents worked and associated with each other on and off the job. Today's reality is the complete divorce of place of residence from workplace locales, not to mention the 24/7 nature of work with extended hours. Workplaces can and do take on some of the characteristics of the author's "third" places, though his caution concerning power differentials in workplaces is not to be taken lightly. Likewise, voluntary associations, including churches, and the vast array of activities associated with raising children afford opportunities for socialization, though generally falling well short of the open ideal that the author postulates.
The residents of the communities of the past were not wiser than we are today. They did not plan their communities. The communities were a result of population size, and the co-location of homes and work. They had no political power to define their communities, but it was not particularly needed. But that lack of or eschewing of political power is entirely inadequate in this era of vast trans-national corporations dominating nearly every facet of our lives, including those aspects that define communities or the lack thereof. It is a fallacious claim that we do not have a "planned" economy, as though that happens only under socialism - the fact is, we do. The suburbanization of America, the vast highway network, the rise of the gasoline-powered automobile, and dominance of vast media empires supported by gadget manufacturers are due to the private planning of huge corporations. But these private acts have profound public and social consequences, yet citizen input is never requested or in some cases is suppressed by various means. Community enhancing measures will never again just happen. The exercise of political power will be required. But of course that assumes that a sizeable percentage of the citizenry understands what community requires, actually wants community, understands the obstacles, and is willing to back candidates in sufficient numbers and locations to effect change. In today's propagandistic and free-market capitalistic world that is a very high hurdle indeed. More likely, pseudo-communities will continue to be built, drawing upon the language but not the substance of community.
The book is thought-provoking. The author captures well that we are encapsulated in our private worlds with only marginal means to connect with others, unlike the easy sociability that once existed in some places. However, his emphasis on looking longingly at communities of the past will help little without accompanying suggestions about how to turn around our social structure. The author really does little of this. In a democracy, it is through political power that social change driven by citizens can occur. We can all see how change occurs that is dictated by huge private entities; that is the principal reason that "great good places" have essentially disappeared. It is even possible, though again most unlikely, that empowered citizens could create better and broader communities than those described by the author.
Think, eat, drink, act, buy local...........2006-02-06
Drawn by the concept of a "third place" as described by this book and referenced elsewhere, I thought I'd read to find out what this was about. In the end, this was a fascinating and thought provoking book. Mr. Oldenburg posits that much of our societal ills today are resultant from a lack of free association. That is, the places where people congregate / hang-out are disappearing because of urbanization, industrialization, etc. One example, the German beer garden (and its descendant in the US with early German immigrants) as a family affair - as, economically, there didn't seem to be any reason for such an institution in an "American" community, this venue slowly disappeared or devolved into the bars we know today - focused on serving alcohol to the subservient and willing. In fact, Oldenburg points out, the beer served in the beer garden was weaker than what we know today because the point was not the beer - the point was the association and conversation within the community, among families.
As we move towards a "private property society" and focus on "property rights" as we seem to understand them, the ability to be social, without prior planning, is slowly eroding. Simultaneously, the places to "hang out" are disappearing as a consumer driven market seems desirous of generating the most profit for the fewest people (corporations). Because of a desire for inexpensive goods, a local business, owned and operated by nearby residents, is next to impossible - especially in the face of the mass market competition from large corporations.
I think Oldenburg hits the nail squarely on the head. As I drive around (in a car-based economy), it's increasingly difficult to find a place to "hang out" and/or become a regular. (1) Restaurants are driven towards specific time limit for customers in hopes of turning a larger profit by serving more customers; (2) American bars are not conducive because service deteriorates if you choose not to imbibe and those that also serve food follow (1); and (3) the notion of coffee shops not driven by 1 or 2 are few and far between. Even assuming that there are such places of the "third place" variety, it more often than not requires a car to get there (not to mention paying to simply park near a place).
Anyone interested in property rights, humans as a social animal, and the notion of a "community," should read this book.
Finding a Great Good Place.......2005-12-28
I discovered this book after reading Willaim Raspberry (Washington Post Writers Group) commenting on his retirement. He found the newsroom served as the Great Good Place for him and rued that Americans don't have "informal gathering spots where one finds not just escape but camaraderie, conversation, friendly argument and pleasant conversation with regulars."
The civic solidarity and building of community that such a place fosters is sorely needed in America. I think that is one of the reasons for the dedication Rotarians give to their service organization. The weekly lunch meetings are structured, rather than informal, but otherwise fill the need for a Great Good Place.
I'd also suggest to those seeking a such a place, to check out their public library. Particularly in a small town, it can be the place where regulars run into each other and fall into discussion. Finding a spot where one can sit and chat without bothering students and readers depends on each library's layout.
Rebuttal to Lance Mertz's Review.......2004-07-22
I'm fascinated by your review of Ray Oldenburg's book _The Great Good Place_ without have read it. That's rather like a child saying he doesn't like spinach without having tried it.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Ray when I was editor of _The World of Beer_ out of Milan, Italy, when Alan Eames ("The Beer King"), who damned well lived in a small town - 300 - in New Hampshire, recommend the book to me. After reading a copy I made a point to meet Ray upon my next trip back to the United States.
Ray is indeed from small town America. He began his teaching career in Round Rock, Texas, back when the population was about 2,500. Today he makes his home near Pensacola, Florida. And has lived in a succession of small towns.
Ray's premise is that CITIES in America have lost their third places and we're the worse off for it.
Fabulous book, interesting man.....
Joel Jacobs
Commerce, Texas
US Navy, retired
Average customer rating:
- Great if you like Sci Fiction
- What can I say?
- The Skies of Pern
- The Skies of Pern
- read this book!!
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The Skies Of Pern
Anne Mccaffrey
Manufacturer: Del Rey
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Similar Items:
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The Masterharper of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
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Dragonseye
-
All the Weyrs of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern Series)
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The Chronicles of Pern: First Fall (The Dragonriders of Pern)
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The Dolphins of Pern (Dragonriders of Pern)
ASIN: 0345434684
Release Date: 2001-04-03 |
Amazon.com
Anne McCaffrey's Pern series has been running successfully for so long that most of the Dragonriders' original problems have been solved. In The Skies of Pern, she confronts her standard cast of characters with the consequences of those solutions, consequences that are a whole new set of problems. Now that the Red Star has been pushed to another orbit, there will only be a few more ravenous Threads descending from it for them and their dragons to fight--and what role will that leave for them? They have successfully reclaimed Earth's lost technology--and suddenly everyone with a craft that might be outmoded, or who is phobic about surgery, is on the rampage, sabotaging and smashing and making up rumors. These fundamentalist Abominators are sure that something terrible will happen if the old ways are not gone back to--and sure enough, fire descends, on cue, from the skies.
Anne McCaffrey's tales of genetically engineered dragons and a lost colony that has declined into feudalism are ultimately SF rather than fantasy because they are about finding solutions to problems, solutions that involve working with what you are given to start off with; The Skies of Pern is all about elegant solutions to credible problems. --Amazon.co.uk
Book Description
Thanks to Anne McCaffrey, millions of readers have soared the skies on dragonback, shared the thoughts and dreams of the great dragons of Pern, and risked life and limb to safeguard the planet from the deadly threat of falling Thread. With the Dragonriders of Pern, McCaffrey has given us more than just an extraordinary masterwork of imagination. She has given us a whole world—and has taught us to fly. Now, in this triumphant return to Pern, Anne McCaffrey takes us on an adventure as surprising and unforgettable as any that has come before . . .
It is a time of hope and regret, of endings and beginnings. The Red Star, that celestial curse whose eccentric orbit was responsible for Thread, has been shifted to a harmless orbit, and the current Threadfall will be the last. Technological marvels are changing the face of life on Pern. And the dragonriders, led by F'lessan, son of F'lar and Lessa and rider of bronze Golanth, and Tia, rider of green Zaranth, must forge a new place for themselves in a world that may no longer need them.
But change is not easy for everyone. There are those who will stop at nothing— not even violence—to keep Pern and its people pure. And now a brand-new danger looms from the skies . . . and threatens a catastrophe of unimaginable proportions.
Once again, the world looks to the dragons and their riders to solve the crisis and save the world. But now, as the friendship of F'lessan and Tia begins to bloom into something more, unforeseen tragedy strikes: a tragedy destined to forever change the future—not just of the two young lovers, but of every human and dragon on Pern . . .
Download Description
Beloved characters, and a brand new threat, prove that dragons will always be needed in the skies of Pern. The first Dragonriders of Pern novel in three years features McCaffrey's most popular characters: F'lar and Lessa, from the original trilogy, their son, F'lessan, and, of course, the dragons.
Customer Reviews:
Great if you like Sci Fiction.......2007-05-13
The Pern series of books from Anne McCaffery are great. Better if you read them in order, (look online at her website for recommendations). This is futuristic science fiction, but if you liked Aregon, you would probably like this series too
What can I say?.......2007-05-13
What can I say? It's Ann McCaffrey, Doesn't get any better. Only arthur that I can read and makes me feel good about myself and humanity. Love dragons!
The Skies of Pern.......2007-05-12
ALL of Anne McCaffrey's Dragonrider books draw me into them so that I become a part of Pern and feel all the emotions of the people involved. Except for Lessa. I've known to many women like her and have not liked any of them.
The Skies of Pern.......2007-01-09
I just love the Pern Series. I feel like I am right there along with the characters.
read this book!!.......2006-10-17
this is a great book. all i can say is that i hope this is not the end of anne mccaffrey's pern books. i want more on the characters in this book!!!! the book is well written and i never wanted to put it down!!
Book Description
How did the universe begin? How hot is the sun? How long does it take to get to the moon? Find out the answers to these questions and more in Magic Tree House Research Guide: Space, Jack and Annie’s very own guide to the secrets of the universe. Including information on stars, planets, space travel, life on other planets, and much more!
Customer Reviews:
Snazzy Resource.......2007-08-08
The kids realy like the animations and presentations of this book. While it is definately not boring, the planets themselves get only one page each of factual info in super small text. The solar system overview chapter was great for group reading and was primarily what I used from the book, including a photo of a meteorite in comparison to the size of children. Translation: great as a fun addition to learning but not to replace hard fact texts and in-depth lesson plans.
----You don't need to read the accompanying Magic Tree House fiction book in order to use this research guide.
Not a fan of the Big Bang Theory.......2004-07-27
My kids love these research guide books from Magic Tree House writers but this one was a disappointment. One whole chapter was devoted to the big bang theory which we personally don't believe in. They should have skipped this chapter and focused on facts.
Space Travel.......2004-03-30
Once you are 100 miles above Earth, you are in space. Anything beyond Earth's atmosphere is space. There are a lot of planets, stars, and space rocks in space.
A spacecraft travels in space and carries supplies and people. A spacecraft has to go 25,000 miles per hour to get away from gravity and get into space. Spacecrafts have rockets to lift them into space.
Fuel is burning in the rocket at very hot temperatures. The hot gasses come out from the bottom and push the rocket up. Rockets were used 1,000 years ago as fireworks and weapons by the Chinese.
The Soviet Union and the Unites States had a race to have a spacecraft go into space. The Soviet Union sent the first satellite into space. A satellite is something that travels around a planet. The Soviet Union won that race. The United States put its own satellite into space and the race began.
An astronaut is a person from America that is trained to go into space. A cosmonaut is a person from Russia trained to go into space. A person from Russia, or a cosmonaut, orbited the Earth in less than two hours. He was the first person to orbit the Earth.
The United States and the Soviet Union had a race to get someone into space first. John F. Kennedy made a challenge to send someone to the moon before the 1960's were over. A lot of people worked for that goal.
Books:
- Son of the Morning Star
- Standing in the Spaces: Essays on Clinical Process, Trauma, and Dissociation
- Stephen Hawking's Universe: The Cosmos Explained
- Superconductivity: Part 2 (In Two Parts) (Superconductivity)
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Extravagant Universe: Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)
- The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe
- The Historical Development of Quantum Theory
- The Illustrated Brief History of Time, Updated and Expanded Edition
Books Index
Books Home
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