Book Description
Ralph Nader is known for his lifetime of progressive activism and fearless critique of corruption in American politics and society. Yet in this fresh and inspiring new book, Nader takes a look backward–at a serene and enriching childhood spent in bucolic Winsted, Connecticut, and at the traditions he absorbed within his family. From listening to learning, from patriotism to argument, from work to simple enjoyment, Nader revisits seventeen traditions he learned from his parents, his siblings, and the people in his community, and draws from them inspiring lessons for today's society. Blending memoir and thoughtful inspiration, Nader offers readers a chance to look back on a time in American history when the family and the natural world were central in a child's understanding of how to be a conscientious adult.
Among the seventeen traditions he celebrates:
•The Tradition of Listening
•The Tradition of Charity
•The Tradition of Civics
•The Tradition of Work
•The Tradition of Patriotism
•The Tradition of Simple Enjoyment
In his warmest and most personal writing to date, Nader fondly describes his father's restaurant business and how it taught him about work, community and how to share in the spirits of others; the value of his mother's ethnic cooking and how it defined his relationship with his heritage, and the hours he spent as a child wondering through the undeveloped forests of Connecticut where he learned the value of solitude. In doing so, he reawakens our own memories of the blessings of a simpler time–and of the enduring values of family, community, and love that gave him the courage to lead a meaningful life.
Customer Reviews:
Nader's World.......2007-09-04
Before fast food, fast commuting, IM-ing and countless other electronic distractions, there was Nader's World. He grew up in a little town in northwest Connecticut, where traditions were passed down, people listened to each other, families not only ate dinner together but enjoyed one another's company afterward, the sidewalks were in greater use, hitchhiking was safe, and public service was honorable. This reflection by Ralph Nader explains the roots of his passions: independent thinking, involvement in civic affairs, and insistence on fairness and social justice. He was raised in a loving, nurturing family, where his parents taught by example and used proverbs and Socratic questioning to stimulate the intellectual curiosity of Nader and his siblings.
In contrast to his more cerebral writing, this book is quite readable. I read the whole thing in a couple of hours this Labor Day. Its format is inspirational - albeit with some Tuesday's-with-Morrie-like schmaltz along with Emersonian wisdom - touching emotional chords and revealing a side of Ralph Nader that political pundits often miss.
Ralph Nader's Bridge To A Past Not Dominated By Commerical Entertainment.......2007-08-24
The author of this book succeeds here on several levels. First, Ralph Nader explains himself well: who he is, and how he got to become who he is.
Second, the author explains how growing up in a low-media, high intensity household gave him lifelong advantages, insights, and commitments--things he might not have had he been enmeshed in movies, television shows, video games, rap music, etc.
Third, the author details the family traditions from Lebanese parents that were especially useful to him during his 45 years or so of national leadership of various causes.
Fourth, the author provides a warm evocation of a Christian Arabic family that can aid in improving understanding of Arab speaking people in and outside the United States.
The seventeen traditions that the author discovers in mining his family history are the traditions of listening, the family table, health, history, scarcity, sibling equality, education and argument, discipline, simple enjoyments, reciprocity, independent thinking, charity, work, business, patriotism, solitude and civics. These are traditions, he demonstrates, that his family lived, not just ideals that they mouthed.
Had this book been published the year before the 1992 Presidential election, when the author was toying with seeking the Democratic Presidential nomination, he could well have been a serious candidate for that nomination and changed both his political future and the direction of our country. Without pretentiousness, it shows him to be a man of depth, understanding and roots in small-town America.
The author sketches memorable portraits of his restaurant-owner and politically outspoken father; his wise, loving, and community active mother; his older brother, an attorney and community college founder; his sisters, Ph.Ds with enviable records of scholarship and academic leadership; his nephew, who has a doctorate and ecology, and two nieces, a lawyer and a Ph.D. in infectious diseases. The author certainly has a family committed to education and the welfare of us all.
Elements of the author's crusading zeal are submerged but very much present here. He refers to "these times of widespread conformity and self-censorship." Speaking of his hometwon of Winsted, Connecticut, he notes that "The air and the water became clearer after the factories closed, but the toxic soils and hollowed-out remained, economic tripwires to any new development in the area."
"Today," the author notes, "children everywhere are deprived of expsoure to nature in the same way (as only big city children used to be); they grow up with their eyes, ears, tastes and other senses trained on a corporate world of sensual visual reality--removed, as no generation in human history, from the daily flow and rhythm of history."
The book jacket notes that author was recently named by the Atlantic magazine as one of the 100 most influential figures in American history. This customer reviewer does not dispute that rating and hopes that the author will continue finding ways to speak out and positively influence the American social and political debate.
try not to finish it in one day.......2007-08-10
it is a brilliant book... book that "teaches you to think not to believe" Mr. Nader's life is full of wisdom so are his parents'. I usually don't write reviews but for this one, I could afford not to. you can't read this book and not relate it to something in your life... sometimes you feel that he is talking about you, your life and your family... it is great read...
Better days, renewed possibilities.......2007-07-21
Family and civic culture that is refreshing, basic, simple, important -- and largely disappeared. Family, community, and teaching by example and participation before greedy 'me' generation individualism when pleasure was being part of community and world beyond just yourself. It seems all too distant and foreign but should not be. This is a book to restore values, inspire young families, and shame an older generation that has lost its principles. You will get a chuckle or two such as the description of the author's mother and her confrontation with GW's grandfather. Get it, share it, circulate it widely. (It took ne less than a day to read.)
Above all, a Paean to Good Parenting.......2007-07-19
Love him or hate him, there's no denying Ralph Nader is a true believer, and is committed to realizing his version of how to make the world a better (mostly safer) place. 17 Traditions is the explanation why. Principles such as Patriotism, Independent Thinking, Charity, and Civics encapsulate the lessons that contributed to Nader's tremendous work-ethic and ability to think critically, instilled in him by a solid, civic-minded upbringing in a tightly knit family. 17 Traditions is an easy read, and Nader has a pleasant narrative voice, even when channeling Whitman or Thoreau (his descriptions of his childhood environment get a little too flowery in spots).
Nader was taught at an early age to respect his elders, to challenge authority when appropriate, and not to take tangible and intangible gifts for granted. In his words, he "had a lucky choice of parents," for whom his affection and love shines through on every page. Nader touts the virtues of a healthy family life, and recognizes that strong, dedicated parenting can solve an awful lot of society's ills, including overdependence on the government. I couldn't agree more. Some of the concepts are outdated, to be sure, and I wish Nader had suggested how to apply Happy Days-era mores and behaviors to today's society; nothing wrong with aspiring to traditional values, though. A brave stance from a progressive guy.
As convincing as he was while generally bemoaning the outsourcing of family services to the market, however, I was less sold on some of the specific lessons imparted to him by his parents. I found at times that Nader's reverence for his folks clouded his ability to critically parse their good advice from the bad.
Nader's mom came off as a killjoy for seizing every event in her kids' childhood as an opportunity for instruction; 17 Traditions is at its most preachy when recounting her tutoring. And while Nader's dad seemed like a smart man and model citizen, he had some cockamamie ideas that weren't necessarily worth recounting, like setting up a "retirement island" for former dictators, to force them out of power and into (an idyllic, cushy) exile; and advocating a national economy premised upon unlimited income but limited wealth (he favored levying exorbitant taxes on personal savings above one million, thinking that it would encourage charitable giving instead of massive accumulation). Lastly, Nader's father, a Lebanese immigrant, gently complains throughout the book about the United States, supposedly out of love (he claimed he spent his time trying to improve his country, and "worked hard to make it more lovable"). I found that odd, and thought that true love, for country or other, is evidenced by satisfaction with the status quo. Try telling your spouse the reason he should lose 20 pounds is because you love him so much.
I most agreed with Nader's traditions of Simple Enjoyment and Scarcity (i.e., frugality), and give the man credit for practicing what he preaches. He appears to be one of simple means who maintains a thrifty lifestyle and shuns wanton consumerism, enabling him to realize value in the simple things and to give charitably to others. Egregious consumerism and the corporations that contribute to the "gimme society" are the bases for a lot of the litigation Nader has engendered (especially in the field of product liability), which in my opinion was initially well-intentioned but has spiraled out of control. An overly litigious society is every bit as pernicious as a hyper-consumptive one.
Average customer rating:
- What a Great Wedding Planning Book
- Wonderful Tool
- Excellent wedding source
- words to the wise
- Wedding planning made easy!!!
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Wedding Planning For Dummies, Second Edition
Marcy Blum , and
Laura F. Kaiser
Manufacturer: For Dummies
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Amazon.com
It's hard to imagine any wedding detail that could have escaped inclusion in the pages of Weddings for Dummies. How to build a chuppah, how to anchor a comb in the bride's hair, who dances with whom and when--everything you ever wanted to know about getting hitched is right here. Fortunately, Marcy Blum and Laura Fisher Kaiser aren't afraid to give an opinion or two (there's a list of "Ten Tacky Temptations We Beg You to Resist"), but most of the information is entirely nonjudgmental. It's best to have a much-married older sister plan your wedding, but if you have to do it yourself, this is the perfect book to tell you how.
Book Description
Congratulations, you’re planning a wedding! Besides obtaining a fancy tuxedo and a stunning gown, organizing a wedding ceremony takes creativity, planning, diplomacy, and nerve. The whole ordeal can seem overwhelming at first, but with a little guidance, you’ll pull off a wedding people will remember for ages.
Wedding Planning For Dummies, 2
nd Edition demystifies and simplifies all the details that go into the Big Day, providing inspiration and innovative ideas to personalize your wedding celebration and, of course, make it fun for everyone—especially you! This one-stop guide is all you need to:
- Design a comprehensive schedule for a snag-free wedding day
- Keep track of expenses with a wedding budget
- Negotiate contracts and surf online for deals
- Get those pesky financial technicalities out of the way
- Plan a weekend wedding, a themed wedding, and other celebrations
- Select a suitable wedding party
- Plan for various customs and rites
- Get the decorative effect you want
- Throw a great reception with music, food, drink, and cake!
- Handle gifts, registries, rings, photos, and the honeymoon
Packed with tips for saving money and common kitsch you should avoid, this is the ultimate guide to satisfying everyone on the Big Day. You’ll discover the confidence you need to make the wedding of your dreams come true with Wedding Planning For Dummies, 2
nd Edition!
Customer Reviews:
What a Great Wedding Planning Book.......2007-08-06
This book was a life saver to me as I planned my wedding . It covers everything that you can think of from invitation etiquette, to wedding ceremony set up, to how plan your reception. I found this guide to be indispensable! It offers loads of sound advice, direction, and suggestions--it gets down to the specifics like what the difference is between a Pomander bouquet versus a Nosegay bouquet, or how to set up a Chuppah etc.. The authors give fantastic advice on how to handle all kinds of tough wedding situations and dilemmas. For those that have no clue and not the foggiest idea of where to begin to those that have a good amount of wedding know how-- this book will be an enourmous amount of help!
Wonderful Tool.......2007-03-20
I love this book! I purchased this book back when I first got engaged because I have never even participated in a wedding before and had no idea where to begin. Every time I go somewhere that we'll be talking about wedding stuff (which tends to be everywhere even though I don't always feel like talking about the wedding), I take it with me. Someone will ask me a question, and I'll just look it up. This book is wonderful if you need a place to begin or if you just need a reference book for all the crazy etiquette that weddings entail.
Excellent wedding source.......2006-09-04
This book was the number one resource for us while we were planning our wedding. We had many wedding magazines and books, but this was the by far the best. Eventually the others were pushed aside and we relied on this as our only source. There are many great tips for weddings of all types and sizes. The authors gave great advice and tips while offering humor (which is well-needed during the stressful times such as narrowing down the guest list). I highly recommend this book to couples looking to purchase one source to cover it all! Thanks Laura!
words to the wise .......2006-03-17
It certainly covers a lot of ground, evenly and fairly concisely.I am an older male and I read a lot, but knew absolutely nothing about weddings.My partner suggested I buy the book,wise woman .If you are a man and feel trepidation around this largely female undertaking, read this book, and read it well.It is up to date and as a core virtue is not attached to selling you something you do not want or cannot afford.It only asks that you be satisfied and happy with your informed choice.Besides covering the rather effete items such as dress,and who goes where when, the nitty gritty on prenups, how to handle the caterers and who gets paid when, are also included. Read it again as the wedding details and decisions start to fall into place and you will be of some help to yourself as well as her.Occasionally you will be asked what you think.Occasionally you will have to weigh in to save your sanity.These things do need planning input by guys,and its a life learning experience -for most of us pleasantly, I hope!If you put yourself out of the loop, you really are a dummy. Together you actually can do it, and this is a good exercise.
Wedding planning made easy!!!.......2005-10-09
It is a very handy reference even for a small wedding. Gave a lot of great ideas for the wedding and reception. The wedding etiquite advice included in this book was also very helpful!
Amazon.com
Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition--including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics--along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.
The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing "sweet" foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)
Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out. --Erica Jorgensen
Book Description
Used as a reference by students of acupuncture, this is a hefty, truly comprehensive guide to the theory and healing power of Chinese medicine. It's also a primer on nutrition--including facts about green foods, such as spirulina and blue-green algae, and the "regeneration diets" used by cancer patients and arthritics--along with an inspiring cookbook with more than 300 mostly vegetarian, nutrient-packed recipes.
The information on Chinese medicine is useful for helping to diagnose health imbalances, especially nascent illnesses. It's smartly paired with the whole-foods program because the Chinese have attributed various health-balancing properties to foods, so you can tailor your diet to help alleviate symptoms of illness. For example, Chinese medicine dictates that someone with low energy and a pale complexion (a yin deficiency) would benefit from avoiding bitter foods and increasing "sweet" foods such as soy, black sesame seeds, parsnips, rice, and oats. (Note that the Chinese definition of sweet foods is much different from the American one!)
Pitchford says in his dedication that he hopes the reader finds "healing, awareness, and peace" from following his program. The diet is certainly acetic by American standards (no alcohol, caffeine, white flour, fried foods, or sugar, and a minimum of eggs and dairy) but the reasons he gives for avoiding these "negative energy" foods are compelling. From the adrenal damage imparted by coffee to immune dysfunction brought on by excess refined sugar, Pitchford spurs you to rethink every dietary choice and its ultimate influence on your health. Without being alarmist, he adds dietary tips for protecting yourself against the dangers of modern life, including neutralizing damage from water fluoridation (thyroid and immune-system problems may result; fluoride is a carcinogen). There's further reading on food combining, female health, heart disease, pregnancy, fasting, and weight loss. Overall, this is a wonderful book for anyone who's serious about strengthening his or her body from the inside out.
Customer Reviews:
Whole Food Healing.......2007-09-01
This work integrates ancient notions of yin (coolness and saltiness) with
yang (sweetness, ascending and energy). Chronic diseases; such as, arthritis
benefit from avoidance of calcium inhibitors, coffee, too much meat/protein, alcohol, refined sugar, increased salt, avoidance of nightshade veggies i.e. tomato, potato and eggplant.
Arthritics also need to reduce wind dampness with black cohosh, devil's claw and ginger herbs. Sea veggies; such as, hijki and wakame have the highest level of calcium or 1300-1400 mg. per serving. Kelp has approximately 100 mg of calcium and dried wheatgrass has 500 mg. In addition, calcium should be taken with Vit D and an appropriate level of sunshine. Silicon in plant fiber assists in calcium metabolism.
This book would be extremely helpful in managing the nutrient load
processed by the body as a result of whole food ingestion and vitamins.
Hmmmm.........2007-08-18
Some wonderful pearls of wisdom. Unlike the true Chinese principles, Pitchford is very biased and towards vegetarianism pointing out the political reasons why to be a vegetarian and why "flesh" eating is so horrendous for the earth, your soul, etc. I much prefer the balanced, non-judgemental approach of Linda Prout Live in the Balance: The Ground-Breaking East-West Nutrition Program and/or Daverick Leggett Recipes for Self Healing andHelping Ourselves - truly non-biased, balanced simple in his approach, informative. The Leggett books can be ordered from http://www.meridianpress.net/ and are much less expensive than Amazon.
A way of Life.......2007-06-27
When you make the decision to get your health back, this book is a great start, I am amazed at how often the principles my mother employed 50 years ago pop up in this book. Beside my Mums guiding hand Mr Pitchford lays it out as it is, My thanks to him.
Indeed a Classic.......2007-05-12
I got this book 3 or maybe 4 years ago and I still use it for reference AND still reading it from time to time- each time learning something new. This book is like a giant sign-post pointing you to investigate deeper whatever dietary advice you might be interested in...
It is not perfect, but as compassionate and non-dogmatic (as much as a vegan-orientated book can be), I'd say it is very close.
Molly Stubbs.......2007-04-25
I bought this book six years ago in the Unity Church bookstore and have referred to it regularly ever since. I was having gastro-intestinal problems at the time, and several (mainstream) doctors had said they couldn't help me. I believe this book has helped my manage some of my health issues, but not all. The book is very thorough, and gives the reader a good sense of the healing properties of almost all commonly-used foods.
Having said that, I think there are some serious downsides to this book and Mr. Pitchford's approach. First, I think he is very extreme and biased, and too quick to refer to every frightening or negative study that shows why you should not eat a certain food or product. For example, he advocates avoiding any food or cookware with aluminum, citing a study done several decades ago liking aluminum with alzheimer's disease. After going into a panic, I threw away all my aluminum cookware. As it turns out, the results of that study were never repeated, and even the Sierra Club is no longer supporting that theory. He cites countless other frightening studies as well, many of which have not been vetted by the scientific community or the community of nutritionists and dietitians.
Another major problem with the book is that no normal person could possibly follow his recommended diet plans. I am a pretty disciplined person when it comes to food and cooking, but I could not in a million years follow all of his recommendations. For one thing, I would never be able to eat out or travel again. By the way, I lived in Japan for four years, and they sure as heck don't eat like this.
Finally, The recipes in the book are bland and boring. Hats off to anyone who can actually eat that stuff.
Average customer rating:
- A Fun Book
- Outlandish, Outrageous Fun
- Janice is NO lady, but she's VERY funny!
- It's always fun chatting with Janice, but this isn't her best effort
- more janice! less check please!
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Check, Please!: Dating, Mating, and Extricating
Janice Dickinson
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ASIN: 0060763914
Release Date: 2006-05-30 |
Book Description
The outrageous Janice Dickinson -- former star of TV's America's Next Top Model, bestselling author, and glam girl extra-ordinaire -- now brings her patented blend of hard-won romantic wisdom and diva chic to her first-ever dating guide. Loaded with uncensored dish on her romantic sagas -- and her stranger-than-fiction bedroom adventures -- Check, Please! unveils Janice's dating dos and don'ts, culled from her three decades at the top of the fast-track world of modeling, and a rich, racy life of dating, mating, and extricating.
With the same voracious charm that propelled her into the arms of some of America's most eligible bachelors, here Janice shares her secrets to landing men, loving them, and letting them go. From first dates and old flames to primping, cheating, and sizing things up, Check, Please! is a girl's guide to an irreverent, extravagant love life.
Some titillating tips from Check, Please!
Lesson #2: Wanna Get a Guy's Attention? Ignore Him!
Lesson #13: If He's Got His Eye on the Door, He's Already Halfway Through It
Lesson #28: Don't Do Anyone You Might Regret
Lesson #40: It's Okay to Want More, More, More
Lesson #47: Don't Follow Trends -- Start Them
From the unfettered hedonism of her modeling days -- spent in white-hot one night stands and steamy affairs -- to her crusade to find Mr. Right today and tomorrow, Check, Please! is a fun, over-the-top vicarious thrill ride as only Janice can deliver it -- with a core that's surprisingly real. Check, Please!
Customer Reviews:
A Fun Book.......2007-01-21
Janice Dickinson has a great sense of humor. While you may not agree with some of the things suggest, things she has done or the choices she has made, she doesn't brush them under the carpet. She's bold, she's honest and she tells stories with a twist of humor. A fun read.
Outlandish, Outrageous Fun.......2006-10-02
A FUN Read.
The sub-title says it's about Dating, Mating and Extricating. But I wouldn't take it too seriously. Sure, it's fine if you're a rich, six foot, supermodel with a body that's the very best example of what high priced plastic surgeons can build. Instead just read it for fun, in the same way we like to see the super houses of the rich and fameous.
And fun it is.
It's a description of a life where men are falling all over themselves to go out with her. It's the description of a girl getting ready to go on a skiing trip with a boy friend who goes out to buy $3,000 worth of clothes for the trip. It's probably not going to be of much practical help to the woman who finds herself single again, a few pounds overweight, with three kids to take care of. Instead, just read it for it's outlandish fun.
Janice is NO lady, but she's VERY funny!.......2006-09-25
A lady? Are you kidding with all the f-bombs she drops in this books? Still, it's the very thing to shake folks up. In her book, this Zza Zza Gabor of the 21st Century gives us ordinary people a peek into her egocentric "fantastic plastic" world. Normally, that would just annoy me, but I had to laugh at some of the "meow" factor in this book...and let's face, it she does dispense good real-life advice when it comes to dating...stuff that people NEED to hear rather than what they want to hear...and from the voice of true experience rather than some smug but clueless married woman.
Dickerson's advice is brutally honest and is given with a healthy dose of sass...and I like how she doesn't believe in all that "Rules" crap, nor does she put all the blame on dating failure exclusively on the female of the species like so many advisors do. I especially LOVE her comment about the men who are fat "trolls" but still expect to have a supermodel on their arm...it's about damn time someone said that to those megalomaniacs LOL. Her comment about the Twinkies had me nearly rolling on the floor laughing...crude but hilarious!
Note I am not claiming this book is illuminating, socially redeeming or profound. If you want that then I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere, but just for a bit of shadenfreunde inspired laughter at her and other folk's expense, then this is where you want to be...
P.S. I love the forward by John Lovitz too...he's as nervy and funny as she is...so did she sleep with him or not, that's what I want to know! That info could probably fill an entire book, eh? LOL
It's always fun chatting with Janice, but this isn't her best effort.......2006-09-13
Dickinson is a larger-than-life talent at modeling, hosting, and writing funny tell-all memoirs. She dished about her long, hard climb to the top of the supermodel world in No Lifeguard on Duty, and then she updated American on her life as a sober, wisened, hard-working mom in Everything About Me is Fake...and I'm Perfect. She's already revealed the most shocking and titillating anecdotes from her super-life, so her third book is packaged as a dating guide featuring her "patented blend of hard-won romantic wisdom and diva chic." She even manageds to dredge up a few more dating and bedroom antics to throw in her advice chapters.
The tossed-off tell-all anecdotes which worked so well in Dickinson's first two memoirs fall flat in this format. The book meanders with advice that applies more to six-foot, size-zero supermodels than to the average American woman. Sure, there are fun moments listening to our unapologetic narrator, but it appear that the books was constructed from scraps of shocking tales rather than as a whole entity. Dickinson's other books succeeded because they had a structure, a message, and even life lessons (as subtle as they may have been.) This is a mish-mash of tales masquerading as an advice book, and since when does an advice book need a glossy, dozen-page photo shoot of the (very beautiful) narrator in glammed-out poses?
more janice! less check please!.......2006-09-11
OMG! i thought the book was just like the title says dating, mating, abd extricating but its just another janice story. i thought it will be funner, its just about her experience with men.
Book Description
From sitcoms and soap operas to talk shows and movies, Americans are in love with the idea of a white wedding. The happy bride and groom smile from the covers of fashion and entertainment magazines, and appear in TV commercials to sell everything from life insurance to antacid. Fascinated by this national obsession, Chrys Ingraham peers behind the veil to question the meaning of weddings in American popular culture.
What she finds is nothing less than a wedding industrial complex. The wedding industry does a thriving business with annual revenues in excess of 30 billion dollars. The average cost of a wedding is over $19,000, with 2.4 million couples getting married each year. White Weddings is the first book to investigate the underside of this recession-proof industry, exposing how weddings are used to sell a heterosexual fairy tale.
Ingraham draws on popular media, such as bridal magazines, children's toys, feature films, television, and advertising to reveal how they regulate gender, sexuality, race, and class. Weddings mean more than just flowers and flatware, but are part of a belief system that relies on romantic and sacred notions of heterosexuality to maintain the illusion of normalcy. This entertaining and insightful book will make you think twice about ever wanting to catch the bouquet.
Customer Reviews:
Highly Recommended!.......2007-04-26
Chrys Ingraham, in her book, White Weddings, shows a behind-the-scenes look on the wedding industry. She effectively presents to the reader the ugly truths about the diamond industry, racism in wedding catalogs, homosexuality, and what happens after marriage. This excellent book opened up my eyes to what goes on behind such a supposedly "beautiful" occurrence in females' lives. This book not only opened up my eyes to the wedding industry, but to other matters as well, such as child labor, animal abuse, and sex trafficking. White Weddings was an inspiration to me to go out and see what I can do to help change the world in order to make it a better place. Fortunately, there are people like Chrys Ingraham, who want to make the world a peaceful and just place for everyone to live in. I also highly recommend her other books as well!
From: a very inspired student
Ranting instead of argument.......2005-10-13
I began this book expecting to agree with much of it but was very disappointed. The author is ranting instead of calmly stating a realistic argument. If I understood correctly, she believes that the Wedding Industrial Complex (with some vague notions of society and government) CAUSES women to desire marriage, view themselves as princesses and then spend as much money as possible on the wedding.
Although her argument is far-reaching her facts are extremely narrow- (she spends a chunk of the book repeating herself with magazine advertising statistics).
If her point was to let us know that many business owners within the wedding industry do not operate out of good will but are in fact out to make as much money as possible, point taken. But I knew that before I read the book.
A vitally important work... .......2004-10-05
In writing this book Chrys takes great risk in exposing "Weddings", especially "White Weddings" as an unneccessary rite of passage -- She brings to light in vivid raw detail why our society 'views' them as normal.
This is not a 'nice' book, a 'feel good' book, one that at the end you say 'oh how wonderful' -- instead it is an important piece that everyone needs to read.
"Writing this book has been a wrenching experience." In having the privilege of being one of Chrys's students, I've had the opportunity to see first hand -- what a process writing 'white weddings' was. There is heart in this book, sometimes one of steal, but nevertheless one with enduring spirit. In Ingraham's epilogue she writes, "What allows us to imagine possibilities? To continue to live shrouded in romance is to participate in and benefit from such atrocities. Confronting the reasons for which we need romance is to see what it conceals. Critiquing the heterosexual imaginary is one step in that direction."
I've never looked at the wedding industry the same since reading this monumentally significant text. Never before has Ingraham's work been as important as now.
Read this before the walk down the altar.......2004-08-22
This book blows the lid off of marriage. What is suppose to be the most important day in couples life has turn into a frenzy of consumer glutteny. I was astonshed at how diamonds an american symbol of love is a an oppresive force for the people who mine them. This book will make you cry.
Ingraham's critic is too narrow.......2004-05-17
I read this book while studying both contemporary North American and cross-cultural weddings and marriages. Ingrahms book describes the "white wedding" a white upperclass affair as discriminatory and exclusive. She focuses on the institution of marriage being perpetuated by old white folk and major corporations. Unfortunatley she does not expand into the universality of marriage. I do not recomend this book. It is narrow and inconclusive.
Average customer rating:
- A simple, three-step process for meeting any woman
- Best Dating Book for Men Available
- Very Helpful
- Duh
- Great Book!
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Take Action: How to Meet Women and Get Dates
Kenneth Scott
Manufacturer: Personal Development Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Interpersonal Relations
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Love & Romance
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Dating
| Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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Personal Transformation
| Self-Help
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
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Customs & Traditions
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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Similar Items:
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Woman: The User Guide - What Every Man Should Know, Volume I - How to find meet, and date women in today's world
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How To Find, Meet And Date A Beautiful Woman
-
How To Meet The Right Woman: A Five-Step Strategy That Really Works
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Don't Be Afraid To Ask!! How To Date A Beautiful Woman, Third Revised Edition
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What Really Works with Women: Do What Works, Get What Matters to You
ASIN: 0975591401 |
Book Description
Take Action! How to Meet Women and Get Dates explains exactly how you can take charge of your life and date the women you really want to go out with!
You will discover:
-What women think about being approached by men (based on their survey responses)
-The three steps to meet any woman
-How to strike up a conversation with any woman without an introduction
-Actual sample dialogues of conversations of men approaching women
-How to quickly and easily become more physically appealing to women
-How you can develop a positive attitude about approaching women and conquer any fear you may have
-The single most important key to meeting women
Customer Reviews:
A simple, three-step process for meeting any woman.......2005-02-07
A happily married, 37-year old attorney residing in Houston, Texas, Kenneth Scott has spent years studying the subject of male-female relationships and how men can improve their dating lives. Now he has distilled what he has learned into an informed and informative dating guide filled with practical, insightful advice on how men can greatly expand their possible dating options by learning to meet women anywhere. Readers are provided with a simple, three-step process for meeting any woman, plus learn how to strike up a conversation with any woman without an introduction, and even learn how to continue the conversation -- including asking for her phone number. Thoroughly "user friendly", Scott provides several sample dialogues of en approach women that show exactly how to successful do this. Also included is are detailed results of a survey of women answering exactly how they feel about being approached by men. If you are new to the dating scene, or returning to it after an absence of years, then give a careful reading to Kenneth Scott's Take Actions: How To meet Women And Get Dates.
Best Dating Book for Men Available.......2005-01-11
I have read a lot of books on this subject and Take Action is by far the best. It made me understand how important it is to understand the woman's point of view. The chapter with sample dialogues was really good. Overall, it really motivated me to get out there and try to meet girls, instead of just thinking about it.
Very Helpful.......2005-01-08
This book was very good at helping me to focus on the basics of meeting women. No silly theories or women bashing, just the ABC's of going from seeing a good-looking girl to approaching her and getting her number. I especially liked the section on the survey of women. I'd recommend it to any guy who would like to meet a lot more women.
Duh.......2005-01-08
I can't believe that I read this book. I'm single again, after a five year relationship and felt out of "game shape". I thought that I needed to rethink strategies for meeting women(other than bar flys). But what I actually found out suprised me. This book is about absolutely nothing- exactly 2 hours of nothing. All it says is that in order to meet women, you'll have to approach woman- DUH! That's it- honestly!
I actually feel ripped off for buying this book and am searching for my reciept and the Amazon.com return policy.
Would you believe that I think that I'm actually dumber for reading this book! Guys...don't waste your money or two hours of your time believing that this will be entertaining reading (it's not).
Great Book!.......2004-09-09
Take Action! provides a sound step-by-step plan to overcome the obstacles that prevent us from having the social life we desire. I read it last month and it has motivated me to get back out into the dating world. I needed a little extra push and this book was right on the money. I highly reccomend it to anyone who wants to jump start their social life.
Average customer rating:
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Home: The Blueprints of Our Lives
John Edwards
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Popular Culture
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Customs & Traditions
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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Marriage & Family
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
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General
| Parenting & Families
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General
| Arts & Photography
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Rich & Famous
| Leaders & Notable People
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Social History
| Historical Study
| History
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Look Inside Entertainment Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
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Look Inside History Books
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Look Inside Nonfiction Books
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Look Inside Parenting Books
| Trip
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Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers
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Four Trials
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The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream
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Living History
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Final Beginnings: The Tunnel
ASIN: 0060884541
Release Date: 2006-11-14 |
Book Description
Most of us can trace the shape of our lives back to a physical place--a childhood home that played an enormous role in defining how we see ourselves and how we choose to make our way in the world. In Home, John Edwards has collected nearly 60 moving stories that reflect how these places, in many ways, are the blueprints of our lives. Home features uplifting, touching, and engaging narratives from all kinds of people across the country--everyday Americans with deeply inspiring stories share the pages with well-known figures from entertainment and religion, from politics and sports.
American Homes
Visit the childhood homes of four contributors to Home:
Eadie Churchill |
Kathryn Cline |
Tommy Franks |
John Glenn |
In the pages of Home, you can visit the early homes of:
Mario Batali
Benicio Del Toro
Bob Dole
Tommy Franks
John Glenn
Danny Glover
Nanci Griffith
Sugar Ray Leonard
Maya Lin
Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Steven Spielberg
Vera Wang
Rick Warren
... and many more.
Through words, photos, and illustrations, Home paints a moving picture of America at its best--a country where people, no matter their background, no matter their circumstance, can build a great future. One by one, these different stories reveal our common story--a story that begins with the home we grew up in, the values it gave us, and the hopes that we share.
Book Description
Overcoat Day. Welcome Summer Party. Monthly Pizza Blast. Bus Stop Party. These are just some of the enjoyable and inventive new traditions you 'll find in The Book of New Family Traditions. Life isn't like it used to be, and we need to invent new traditions for today's families. Meg Cox guides you through the simple steps that help families fully cherish all of those special moments and milestones, help heal the wounds of trauma and loss, and strengthen that indomitable spirit of identity within a family. With The Book of New Family Traditions, your family can create the kind of celebrations that lead to everlasting happy memories. When author Meg Cox became a mother in 1994, she started a personal quest to find inspiring, contemporary family rituals. She sought rituals that were simple but profound, practical and yet lots of fun. Using her skills as a journalist, she spent more than three years interviewing diverse families all over the country and compiling a collection of inventive new traditions. In this book you'll find fresh ways of commemorating established holidays like Thanksgiving and July 4, Passover and Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. You will also find original observances for birthdays, bedtime and dinnertime, not to mention a whole compendium of unexpected traditions: sports rituals, pet rituals, homework rituals, vacation rituals and family meetings, among others. The Book of New Family Traditions provides a wealth of fun, easy and creative new celebrations for your family for every occasion.
Customer Reviews:
This is a keeper! .......2005-07-26
This is the perfect book for a new family or the perfect and a very unique gift for baby showers and weddings. Traditions are so important in molding our family identities. The author knows that its more than just the 10 big holidays - Meg Cox encourages all of us to celebrate Everyday by adding traditions and rituals to our lives!
Highly Recommended!.......2003-06-06
This book is filled with so many wonderful ideas it's actually uplifting to read. And as you do, you get the feeling that no matter how busy your life is, there's a family ritual that's just right for you. If you want to discover simple, practical things you can do to enhance the texture of your relationships with your children, this is the book to buy. Meg Cox's creativity, vision, and committment to families ring through on every page.
Breezy and fun yet deep and meaningful........2003-06-04
Meg Cox's latest book is a winner! Culling from interviews with families nationwide and from her own astute observations, Cox shows us how rituals can strengthen our family bonds, can help to ground us (especially helpful in such uncertain times as these have been) and can provide us with meaningful memories. Just as rituals add pizazz to daily life, Cox's book brings a fresh and vigorous perspective to the body of literature on the subject of tradition. Brimming with stories and tips, wit and wisdom as well as colorful illustrations, this book is tantamount to the Whole Earth Catalog of rituals. A creative way to teach good values.
a joyfull and insightful reading experience!.......2003-05-16
This book of new family traditions is so reader-friendly and so comfortable to pick up and browse that I can hardly get my copy out of the hands of my co-workers...The presentation and style are perfect for the topic and the information presented is easy to digest and creative enough to encourage our own ideas on the topic. This book is ideal for new parents but even us older parents of teenagers. This should be on the bookshelf of every one who cares about family or has one and wants to celebrate that special and loving relationship!
Something for every family.......2003-05-08
I love this book! I found it at the library, and now I have to buy my own copy. It's got a variety of ideas for everyone- for example, for Winter Holidays- traditions for a Solstice Celebration, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa. And ideas for all ages from toddler/preschool age to graduation. And, most importantly, it explains why rituals are important in building a strong family- what the elements of a successful family tradtion are, and how you can create your own.
Customer Reviews:
Pathways to Recovery.......2007-08-31
Pathways to Recovery is an excellent book for recovery from living with an Alcoholic or just help with having healthy relationships.
Very pleased.......2007-06-08
When I received the book, I was very pleased with the appearance, not bends, or anything in the cover. Delivery was very fast.
Paths to Recovery.......2007-02-17
This book is a treasure to have, and is an excellent book for anyone who is folling the Alanon program.
The Most Substantial of the Al-Anon Books.......2006-07-18
This is such a valuable book for anyone who's ready to get down and do real Al-Anon work.
Concise, rich writing about each step followed by questions skillfully designed to elicit true feelings which so often are blocked by old thought patterns.
If I could have only one Al-Anon book, this would be it.
Customer Reviews:
Outstanding Legal and Theological History of Marriage.......1999-05-08
This outstanding contribution to scholarship in the history of law and religion analyzes the interplay between Christian theological norms and Western legal principles in family life. Departing from Voltaire's quip that the Christian family is either "a little church, a little state, or a little club," John Witte, Jr., Jonas Robitscher Professor of Law and Ethics at Emory University School of Law examines the theology and law of the family in the Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, and Enlightenment traditions.
The account begins with the development of the medieval Catholic canon law of marriage in an effort to combat the phenomenon of "secret marriage." Indeed, Witte reveals that prior to the systematization of the canon law and the sacraments, couples could proclaim themselves to be married with none of the public ceremonies, present witnesses, and festive celebrations that would become the classic wedding accoutrements in subsequent centuries. Given the disarray of the canon law and the sacramental system before this medieval synthesis, any couple who thought they were married probably were married.
The social and covenantal dimensions of marriage replaced the sacramental dimension as the hallmarks of the theology of the family in the Protestant Reformation, which Witte examines in its Lutheran and Calvinistic expressions. It was in this era that many of the trappings of the modern wedding, such as witnesses and church ceremonies, came into existence. The Anglican tradition encompassed the sacramental, social, and covenantal models in a commonwealth model that linked the common good of the couple, their children, the church, and the state in a model that became increasingly egalitarian and democratized, tracking political progress within the British commonwealth.
The ironic result of the development of marriage law and theology in the Christian West is that the move toward greater regulation and publicity in the Catholic, Reformation, and Anglican traditions was eventually largely overturned by the Enlightenment notions of contract and rights. Marriage came to be conceived largely as a private and completely voluntary contract--a bargain struck seemingly at arm's length by parties seeking the most intimate of associations. The Enlightenment model is, in essence, the model that is our legacy in the present day. It is this journey from sacrament to contract that characterizes marriage in the West and has led us to where we are today in the law and lore of marriage and family. Witte's work is a remarkable chronicle of the social practices, legal doctrines, and theological foundations encountered along the way.
Books:
- The Story of Ernie Pyle.
- The Sunlight Print Kit: Materials, Techniques, and Projects for Homemade Photography
- The Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook
- There's a Nightmare in My Closet (Pied Piper Book)
- Ultimate Bar Book: The Comprehensive Guide to Over 1,000 Cocktails
- Weapon: A Visual History of Arms and Armor
- Whiskey River (Take My Mind): The True Story of Texas Honky-Tonk
- Who Built America?: Volume Two: From 1877 to Present (Who Built America)
- You Want Me to do What? An Illustrated Book on the Joys of Fellatio: Explicit Techniques
- 100 magic miles of the Great Barrier Reef : the Whitsunday Islands
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Labyrinth of Solitude: The Other Mexico, Return to the Labyrinth of Solitude, Mexico and the Uni
- Rogue Planet
- Out of Avalon: An Anthology of Old Magic & New Myths
- Rainbow Bridge II: Link With the Soul - Purification
- Landscape as Spirit: Creating a Contemplative Garden
- Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach
- Middle East and Africa: International Dictionary of Historic Places
- The Teachings: Drawn from African-American Spirituals
- How Much is an Ecosystem Worth
- Warrior Spirit Running to the Sound of Gunfire
An Unreasonable Man
Civic Arousal
A Power Governments Cannot Suppress
Nemesis: The Last Days of the American Republic (American Empire Project)
The Ralph Nader Reader
