New York Rises: Photographs by Eugene de Salignac

Book Description

From 1906 to 1934, Eugene de Salignac shot over 20,000 stunning 8x10-inch glass-plate negatives of New York City. As sole photographer at the Department of Bridges/Plant and Structures during that period of dizzying growth, he documented the creation of the city's modern infrastructure--including bridges, major municipal buildings, roads and subways. For years, de Salignac's remarkably lyrical photographs have been featured in books and films, but never credited to their author. New York Rises, which will accompany a traveling exhibition, is the first monograph to present this unprecedented work as an aesthetically coherent oeuvre by a photographer with a unique vision. As meticulous in his record keeping as he was creative in his photography, de Salignac left five handwritten logs that identify each negative by place and exact date. This information is complemented throughout the book by narrative captions expanding on themes such as accidents, bridges, workers and the Depression. Essayist Michael Lorenzini unearths primary sources to reconstruct de Salignac's biography and Kevin Moore explores the photographer's work in the context of other masters of the period, including Eugene Atget and Berenice Abbott. Copublished with the New York City Department of Records/Municipal Archives.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful and historically relevant book.......2007-09-02

I purchased this book after seeing the Museum of the City of New York exhibit of this unknown photographer's work and I find it as interesting and aesthetically pleasing as viewing the actual photos in person. Well written, designed and organized, New York Rises is a must-have for anyone who loves photography, architecture, history, New York City or all of the above.

Pretty good, not great.......2007-08-26

I agree that this book is relatively workmanlike and not in the same league as the really great books of photography. The photos are usually more intriguing than gripping in showing how buildings and bridges were actually built in those days. Prospective purchasers should leaf through it before buying, if possible.

New York Rises.......2007-08-23

Beautiful work as expected from Aperture. Fascinating and technically magnificent shots of New York as it was being designed and built

A 'must' for art libraries strong in design history.......2007-07-27

NEW YORK RISES accompanies an exhibition in New York and offers the photos of the first official photographer of the City's Department of Bridges/Plant and Structures, from 1906 to 1934. These black and white shots capture a bygone era of New York architecture, culls a choice selection from over twenty thousand glass-plate negative and ten thousand prints, and brings to the limelight a previously little-known photographer. A 'must' for art libraries strong in design history, and for those featuring New York in particular.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

More historic than artistic.......2007-05-18

I bought this book based on the cover photograph and review which I had seen in the New Yorker; I was looking for some iconic photographs of workers in New York along the lines of the Lewis Hine photos of the construction of the Empire State Building. While some of the other photos in the book are striking, most of them are more a historical record than a great photographic experience. Still worthwhile, but a little disappointing.

Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man

Average customer rating:

The Awful Truth - Michael Could Be A Liar!!!!
Gibberish
Good book
A bigger piece of poo does not exist in print!
The truth Provaled!

Michael Moore Is A Big Fat Stupid White Man
David T. Hardy , and Jason Clarke
Manufacturer: William Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0060763957
Release Date: 2004-06-29

Amazon.com

Someone was bound to go after Michael Moore eventually and this book holds nothing back. An immensely popular figure to political left-wingers, Michael Moore presents himself as a regular working-class guy in a baseball cap with the courage to take some rich and powerful folks to task for their corrupt and deceitful ways. David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke say this populist, muckraker image is pure whitewash. Believing that this charade has gone on for too long, and done too much damage to the U.S., they have written this book to expose Moore as narcissistic and irresponsible and his body of work "as manipulative as totalitarian propaganda." To prove their point, they pick apart Moore's books and movies to illustrate how he is consistently manipulative, dishonest, and, at times, simply absurd. They show how he altered the timeline of Roger and Me in order to unfairly blame things on General Motors that happened before their layoffs, not as a result of them. Regarding Bowling for Columbine, the authors explain how he took quotes out of context and reassembled them to give the impression that people made speeches they did not make---most famously his interview with Charlton Heston, then president of the NRA. They also illustrate how Moore manipulated statistics in his books Dude, Where's My Country and Stupid White Men to fit his theories, making some truly outrageous claims in the process. The authors have certainly done their homework, and it's impossible to view Moore's work the same way after reading this book. "How does a man with so many contradictions manage to blind his enormous trove of followers to how hypocritical he really is? How does he get away with it?" they ask. If the authors have their way, he won't much longer. Now that Moore has joined the ranks of the rich and powerful, Hardy and Clarke have engaged in bit of muckraking of their own. --Shawn Carkonen

Book Description

Watching Michael Moore in action -- passing off manipulating facts in Bowling for Columbine, spinning statistics in Stupid White Men and Dude, Where's My Country?, shamelessly grandstanding at the Academy Awards, and epitomizing the hypocrisy he's made a king's fortune railing against -- has spurred authors David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke to take action into their own hands. In Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man, Hardy and Clarke dish it back hard to the fervent prophet of the far left, turning a careful eye on Moore's use of camera tricks and publicity ploys to present his own version of the truth.

Postwar documentarians gave us the documentary, Rob Reiner gave us the mockumentary, and Moore initiated a third genre, the crockumentary.

How, they ask, does Moore pull off a proletarian, "man-of-the-people" image so at odds with his lifestyle as a fabulously wealthy Manhattanite? And how large of an impact do his incendiary, ill-founded polemics have on the growing community that follows him with near-religious devotion? Loaded with well-researched, solidly reasoned arguments, and laced with irreverent wit, Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man fires back at one of the left's biggest targets -- politically and literally.

Download Description

Watching Michael Moore in action -- passing off manipulating facts in Bowling for Columbine, spinning statistics in Stupid White Men and Dude, Where's My Country?, shamelessly grandstanding at the Academy Awards, and epitomizing the hypocrisy he's made a king's fortune railing against -- has spurred authors David T. Hardy and Jason Clarke to take action into their own hands. In Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man, Hardy and Clarke dish it back hard to the fervent prophet of the far left, turning a careful eye on Moore's use of camera tricks and publicity ploys to present his own version of the truth.

Postwar documentarians gave us the documentary, Rob Reiner gave us the mockumentary, and Moore initiated a third genre, the crockumentary.

How, they ask, does Moore pull off a proletarian, ""man-of-the-people"" image so at odds with his lifestyle as a fabulously wealthy Manhattanite? And how large of an impact do his incendiary, ill-founded polemics have on the growing community that follows him with near-religious devotion? Loaded with well-researched, solidly reasoned arguments, and laced with irreverent wit, Michael Moore Is a Big Fat Stupid White Man fires back at one of the left's biggest targets -- politically and literally.

Customer Reviews:

The Awful Truth - Michael Could Be A Liar!!!! .......2007-08-17

It took me quite a while to get this book discovered (more than two and a half years after its release). I already own two books (Stupid White Man and Dude, Where's My Country?) and a DVD (Fahrenheit 9/11) by Michael Moore. When I bought them all, it was not necessarily because I'm his fan and agreed with everything he said, but I thought that his pieces of work could be at least entertaining, for talking about controversial subjects which were en vogue.

This time around, I decided to see the flip side of the coin by buying "Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man". At first I thought I would only see pointless and personal attacks to Michael, but the book actually does much more than that.

Basically, this book shows that every Michael's piece of work since his early years with Roger & Me is just a compilation of disconnected and unrelated facts assembled in such a way that the general public would believe the opposite. Throughout the reading, it is possible to find the most polemic points of each of Michael's works with explanations on how a certain "lie" became a "truth" after a good dose of manipulation. The book even approaches the details on what makes a documentary a real documentary and as it seems, none of Michael's movies can really be called a documentary, but just dumb entertainment.

If I remember well the details on how Michael's books and movies were made, the revelations from this book make a lot of sense to me, although I'm still not able to determine who's telling the truth in the end of the day. Maybe both, maybe none.

The only conclusion I'm able to draw is: regardless if this is a book which reveals the real truth about Michael or not, it entertained me a lot, just like Michael's ones. So my five-star rating is for the entertainment this book provided me, not necessarily because I believe in those presented assumptions.

Gibberish.......2007-07-21

Possibly the worst-written, most repetitive book I've had the displeasure to read. Was it really too much trouble for the "authors" to bother taking a writing class?

On the plus side, the pages turned out to be fairly absorbent...so it has that going for it.

Good book.......2007-07-19

It's difficult to write a good book on this subject because the authors are putting facts accurately as opposed to lying to make a good story. Nevertheless the authors do a good job exposing manipulations. And yes, Michael Moore does lie and manipulate facts; nobody non-communist should have any doubts especially after his recent promotion of health care in ... Cuba.

A bigger piece of poo does not exist in print!.......2007-05-14

It's truly amazing how many people will stoop to saying whatever sensational things they can dream up to make money. MM has his faults and truly is self centered, but you have to love his liberalistic attitude, and his willingness to expose the truth. I got the book for free from someone that was unfortunate enough to pay for it: A politics professor that was going to present it to his class. After reading it, he of course gave it away, and he is a conservative. If you love sensationalism and are looking for fuel for your hate fire, this is great kindling!

The truth Provaled!.......2007-04-18

This book answered the questions that Michael left unanswered. Why did he leave them unanswered? Because they faulted his arguments. Michael splices and edits interviews, news reports, and newspapers. Creates COMPLETELY false ads claiming the candidates for president at the time were running them on national tv. This book goes back as far as "Rodger and Me" to explain how Michael had no problem stabbing Rodger (spokesmen for GM at the time) in the back to make millions off of him. "we were friends" explained Rodger. This books shows that Michael can not be trusted. Even if you are the farthest left winger in this country, that Moore is not on your side. Claiming that Americans are idiots and deserved 9-11. and the day after 9-11 was mad because the terrorists attacked the wrong part of the country "should have hit the white house or in texas, the highest republican dominate states" and bumped and forced him to edit his book that was to release 9-12. Michael is not a good American and this book explains all his flaws not only in his books and movies but also through out his life. Great book. Would recommend to EVERYONE even if you like Michael, keep an open mind and read the book. Even the authors of the book read and watched Moore's documentary's.

Free Speech 101: The Utah Valley Uproar over Michael Moore

Average customer rating:

A useful companion-piece
Highly recommended.
Endorsements and Reviews for Free Speech 101
An Inside Look at an Unusual Event
A powerful message about free speech and civil discourse!

Free Speech 101: The Utah Valley Uproar over Michael Moore
Joseph Vogel
Manufacturer: Windriver Pub Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1886249318

Book Description

In the fall of 2004, just weeks before the already hostile national elections, the student government at Utah Valley State College (UVSC) made a decision to bring in one of the most controversial figures in America--film maker Michael Moore. The invitation for Moore to speak at a place one reporter described as "one of the most conservative campuses in one of the most conservative counties in one of the most conservative states in the country" resulted in a firestorm of controversy, activity, and heated debate the likes of which Utah County had not seen in years. The story eventually made its way into Time magazine, The Washington Post, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and numerous other publications; it was declared one of Utah's Top Five Stories of the Year.

Written by the student primarily responsible for the decision, Free Speech 101 is the inside story of the decision's consequences: death threats and bribes, an attempted student leader recall, a lawsuit, the recision of donor and legislative funds, and hundreds of letters and emails (both pro and con) when the news became public. The book also gives behind-the-scenes accounts of meetings with donors, legislators, college administrators, and the visits of both Sean Hannity and Michael Moore.

More than just being a narrative of these events, however, Vogel's book plunges beneath the surface, exploring how the visits of Moore and Hannity to UVSC became the catalyst for many important and compelling issues: academic freedom and censorship, the influence of power and money on a university, the divisive and polarized state of politics, the effect of the media, the war in Iraq, patriotism, culture and religion, and faith and fear.

Alternately disturbing and inspiring, Free Speech 101 shows that the First Amendment is by no means easy to uphold. Indeed, it is sometimes viewed as more of a threat than a right, and it takes continual courage and sacrifice to keep this right alive.

Customer Reviews:

A useful companion-piece.......2007-05-23

I saw the documentary, "This Divided State", on the same subject, before purchasing the book. While the book stands well on its own merits, and fleshes out aspects of the documentary, to get the real visual and emotional impact of this sad episode of American "intolerance of diversity of opinion", it is a book best served as a companion piece to the film (which predates the book). On its own, though, Vogel provides enough flesh and anecdotal material (i.e., numerous examples of the emails received) to give the reader a feel for the reality of the situation he, and his partner, so courageously lived through. And providing the entire transcripts of the speeches of both Hannity and Moore ( Hannity was mostly "political theater" and Moore "pep rally"). But again, the real impact of seeing Hannity and Moore in the documentary - as well as their audiences - gives a "brown-shirt" dimension missing from just the printed word. And if there is anything to fear, since Fear - in its multiple forms - is a major topic of the book, it is from Hannity and those that share his position that offer us the most to Fear. But this is a valuable contribution to a trying time for our Republic, even if it does take place in one of the most extremely Conservative states in the Union.

Highly recommended........2007-01-06

Free Speech 101: The Utah Valley Uproar Over Michael Moore, is the story of the conflict generated during Michael Moore's 2004 Slacker Uprising Tour when author Joseph Vogel, then head of student government at Utah Valley State College, dared to extend an invitation for Michael Moore to come and speak. In the center of fiercely a conservative, passionately Mormon state, Moore's liberal and anti-President Bush views were harshly despised by a vociferous portion of the community. The result was offers of bribery, death threats, and legislative pressures aimed at preventing the UVSC from using student fees to fund an allegedly "viewpoint neutral" program to hear Michael Moore's words. Of course, no similar opposition was raised against conservative Sean Hannity's pro-Bush visit and speech. Vogel himself and many others passionately believed in the importance of free speech, and that true patriotism and being an American meant listening to all points of view before making a decision. The hard-fought battle just to allow Michael Moore to speak, and its outcome, is accounted in vivid detail from an insider's point of view - an author who knows well the history of religious persecution against Mormons for practicing their beliefs, and therefore questions why so much intolerance against free speech exists in the state of Utah to this day. Highly recommended.

Endorsements and Reviews for Free Speech 101.......2006-12-26

"No amount of money, no threat of recall, nothing would make [these student leaders] back down. If that doesn't give everyone hope for this country--that it was students in Utah--not Berkeley, not Madison, not Ann Arbor--Utah stood up. I have never seen a group of young people more dedicated to the First Amendment than the students at Utah Valley State."

--Michael Moore, Director of Fahrenheit 9/11

"Quite a remarkable story, and should be made public, particularly these days, with freedom of speech and academic freedom under serious attack ."

--Noam Chomsky, Author of Understanding Power

"Joe Vogel's first-person memoir of one of the fabulously interesting free speech battles of our time, performs two services: First, in contrast to civil liberties books written by reporters and other third parties looking in and trying to make sense of someone else's scene, this book adds to the scarce library of first-person accounts of the battles that define what it means to be an American. Second, Vogel's story gets to the heart of the definition of moral courage, a lesson that it is essential we teach our children and, of course, continually re-teach ourselves. Bravo!"

--Harvey Silverglate, Co-Founder and Chair of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE)

"To me, Vogel is a hero. This story is not about Michael Moore or Sean Hannity. It's not even about politics. It's about free speech and the soul of America. Jefferson himself said, 'Information is the currency of democracy,' and information can only come through freedom of speech and expression. Joe Vogel recognized that, and, despite his conservative Mormon ideology, decided to host a controversial speaker in Family City, U.S.A. He recognized that the most important speeches to hear are those with which we most disagree."

--Dan Strong, The Cavalier Daily

"In detailing the maelstrom caused by [inviting Michael Moore to campus], Vogel makes it clear that democracy is not something that just happens; it has to be worked for. It is easier to silence opposing viewpoints than sincerely listen. The valuable contribution of this book is to remind us that citizenship is an art, an art we are in jeopardy of losing."

--Dr. David Keller, Director, Center for the Study of Ethics, UVSC

"What [Vogel] learns, and shares with us in this book. . . mirrors on a small scale what is currently taking place in our nation as a whole. The struggle he faces in the student senate could just as well be, and in fact is, taking place in Washington D.C. . .One can only hope that this book is placed into a time capsule, so that one day our children's children can read it and know we tried. . .Mr. Vogel does his country a service by writing this story."

--Jordan Romney, The Free Speech Zone

"Vogel's book should be read by everyone who cares about the state of free speech in America. In gripping detail Free Speech 101 tells the story of the intolerant campaign waged by conservatives -- from wealthy business leaders to right-wing students -- to prevent anti-Bush filmmaker Michael Moore from speaking at Utah Valley State College. As the student government official who invited Moore, Vogel came under heavy pressure -- personal threats, a recall drive, even bribe offers -- to cancel Moore's speech. Vogel resisted these pressures and won a major victory for free speech by bringing Moore to his campus in one of Utah's most conservative counties . Free Speech 101 eloquently attests to the fragility of civil liberty in post 9-11 America, even on college campuses which are supposed to be centers of the free exchange of ideas. Vogel tells the story of this free speech fight, and his own role in it, with passion and real insight. This important case study makes plain the fact that conservatives have a free speech problem. And perhaps the first thing they ought to do to address it is face up to the intolerance in their movement by reading this superb book."

--Robert Cohen, Author of The Free Speech Movement: Reflections on Berkeley in the 1960s

"During the era of political correctness, most of the suppression of free speech on campus has come from the left, exerted against conservatives. In Free Speech 101: The Utah Valley Uproar Over Michael Moore Joseph Vogel shows how censorship can cut the other way, and how some conservatives have not learned the lesson that free speech should apply regardless of whose ox is being gored. Vogel presents a riveting and telling first hand account of the trauma and politics that surrounded Michael Moore's visit to conservative Utah Valley State College in 2004. Ultimately, the college upheld its committment to open discourse, but the remarkable efforts of Mr. Vogel and his allies were pivotal to this result. Vogel's case study is a window into the politics, psychology, and principles that are at stake in emotional free speech conflicts. The book also provides a model of how to defend free speech principles in the face of intense opposition. Lesson 101: free speech will not prevail when it matters unless such individuals as Vogel and his allies stand up and defend it under pressure."

--Donald Downs, Author of Restoring Free Speech and Liberty on Campus

"'Do conservatives fear free speech?' Rather than merely answering this question, Joe Vogel recounts his experience as a Vice-President of UVSC's student body responsible for inviting the 'liberal' filmmaker Michael Moore to speak just weeks before the monumental 2004 presidential elections. Though the story behind Free Speech 101 takes place in Utah County, it is a paradigm example of the struggles that occur as a predominantly conservative community is confronted with new ideas and new voices. As a key participant in the event, Vogel provides behind the scenes insights of the battle for free speech, showing how some may use their politics, power and money to silence ideas that differ from their own.Through his own first-person narrative, Vogel illustrates that the fight for free speech is not an issue only affecting nations and communities, but is an issue strongly affecting each individual member and voice of those communities - liberal or conservative."

--Loyd Ericson, Project Mayhem

"I couldn't put it down. . .[Free Speech 101] is about the personal trials Joe went through to protect the very soul of free speech. The book illustrated how fragile a thing it is and hinted at the idea that we should be out there doing what we can to protect it, whether we agree with what people have to say or not. It was a refreshing thing to read. . .To say that it caused a stir in me is an understatment. . .The book made me want to get up and do something about politics again. . .Any apathy that I may have developed in the last few months has been erased completely by reading Free Speech 101."

--Bryan Young, co-producer of This Divided State

"A fine book and a worthy read. . .At the center of this controversy stood a young man who held to his ideals and would not let his integrity be compromised. . .Vogel's attitude was that it is the voice we most disagree with that we need to hear. He teaches us all, republican or democrat, red or blue, conservative or liberal, open discourse and freedom of speech should never be taken for granted."

--Dominique Replogle, The College Times

"You absolutely have to read Joseph Vogel's Free Speech 101. It is the granddaddy of all Good Person Being Plagued By Pesky, Hypersensitive Fools stories. . .when reading the book, I couldn't help feeling more sadness on Vogel's behalf than outrage. Here is a very young adult, charged with making adult decisions for the first time, in the community in which he was raised and whose values he thought he shared. Is he a conservative? Yes. Does he love God and America and Mom and apple pie? Yes. Does he believe in the Constitution? Yes. And as a believer in the rightness and justice of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights, he believes that minority speech should be protected. He believes that college is the place to hear all points of view, and to learn to think independently and critically. And to have his community turn on him so viciously for having such an earnest belief in the Constitution is heartbreaking. To watch a community that he'd previously perceived as "educated and enlightened" titter and giggle their way through Sean Hannity's bullying speech, a lecture that strikes Vogel as a "hate rally," is disillusioning. To be a kid standing against so many powerful adults shouting at him and threatening him for two months, adults he was raised to believe in and respect, is crushing. One adult in particular, Kay Anderson, gets so carried away with his quest for vengeance that he nearly becomes a cartoon villain, trying every trick in the book short of twirling a pencil-thin mustache while tying Vogel's fiancée to the railroad tracks."

--Books Are Pretty Book Review

An Inside Look at an Unusual Event.......2006-12-24

For anyone who followed the events surrounding the invitation to Michael Moore to speak at UVSC, or who saw the movie 'This Divided State,' this book is a must. It discusses from an insiders view the manipulations that some area residents, and state legislators, perpetrated in order to thwart the freedom of speech of people in the southern Utah area. That this level of intolerance still exists in an a country that proudly espouses its freedom of speech is shocking, but probably not all that unusual in reality.
The book is well-written, and includes all the details about the opposition to what can only be seen as a reasonable attempt to help students at a large college think about issues in a new way. I only hope that it helped to open doors at UVSC, and that future 'controversial' speakers will be welcomed.
An excellent book!

A powerful message about free speech and civil discourse!.......2005-11-16

I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the book in its pre-publication stage, and it is a fascinating, maddening, gutwrenching look at the cultural divide in this country, as depicted in this one small county in a usually peaceful area of Utah, and its effect on free speech, particularly in our institutions of higher education.

The story draws you in with fascinating (and real) characters, protests, bribery, death threats,lawsuits, and withdrawal of funding--all of which amazes you as a reader, baffles you, makes you ask a lot of questions, and ultimately makes you think about the importance of free speech and how we can protect this right while maintaining civility and respect for opposing viewpoints. This true story took place in Utah, yet incidents like it have been taking place all over our country in recent years with interesting results--none that I've read about that are quite as interesting as this one!

It's a great book for everyone who cares about protecting the rights of free specch, resisting efforts by those who would silence any group in our society, including colleges and universities, and finding a way to help us all learn to talk and listen to opposing viewpoints without becoming fearful,disrepectful, unlawful, and even violent.

I wondered as I read it what the framers of the Constitution would think about this modern struggle for free speech? Order your copy--it's a great read written from the perspective of a courageous studentbody vice-president caught in the middle of the firestorm!!

Average customer rating:

A disappointment
Light but good
Moore is better man now.
What interviews?!?
Pretty good

Michael Moore: A Biography
Emily Schultz
Manufacturer: Ecw Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1550226991

Book Description

Love him or hate him, the world over cannot ignore Michael Moore. Left and right can both agree that this son of a Flint autoworker has single-handedly revitalized liberal politics, and turned his unique style of political filmmaking into an expectation-defying brand. But long before he shocked the nation on the Academy Awards stage, he was picking fights with everyone from big business to friends and compatriots. Without an agenda to prove Moore right or wrong, Michael Moore by Emily Schultz is the first book to tell Moore's life story--from the shy Eagle Scout to the most vocal critic of the Bush Presidency.--Moore's detractors on both sides of the fence claim that he flubs facts, personally and professionally. Brown sorts truth from lies with in-depth research and interviews, and presents a man honestly passionate and professionally conflicted. In his cap and windbreaker--always aware of the power of media--Moore has spent a life refining his image as the everyday rebel. He is a man who, at age 18, ran for the local school board so he could fire his principal, and who spent three years suing a magazine where he worked for two issues. With information never before revealed, Brown looks into Moore's mysterious and disastrous jump from local muckraker to editor of Mother Jones, the runaway success of his first film Roger & Me, and the scandal it caused that lost him an Oscar. Regardless of scandal, Roger & Me became his ticket from his economically devastated hometown of Flint to Hollywood. Was he a hero or villain for his portrayal of the death of small town America? The people of Flint were as divided as the rest of the world would soon be.--As the '90s saw Moore becoming a powerhouse television producer of the cult hit TV Nation, and a best-selling author, the contradictions between success and his roots became ever more apparent. Is the ball cap and jeans uniform incongruous with his Upper West Side Manhattan life? With Fahrenheit 9/11 catapulting Moore to the front of pop cultural recognition, many from his past say that the line between the man and the myth has vanished. Moore has spent his life walking that line, and Brown has written an incisive account that lets readers see beyond the myths surrounding one of the most important public figures of our age.-

Customer Reviews:

A disappointment.......2007-07-05

As a Biography this is a poor effort,it consists mainly of 'what this person and that person' thought of Michael and his productions.There was nothing of Michaels' life that isn't already known. That born in Flint. Mich, he is Irish/ American, once thought of the priesthood and his wife is Kathleen Glyn. I could have done better myself,never having even met the man. I would be surprized if the author has either. A waste of money & time in my opinion.

Light but good.......2006-03-07

Ok, I will admit it, I am a Michael Moore devotee, have everything he has done and will confess that he can do no wrong in my eyes.

With that in mind, I bought this book and found that it was a quick and easy read. Gave a history of Moore from his school days until today and was quite breezy. There was not a lot of depth in the book but I gather this is due to Moore, while being a very public figure, is quite guarded about his own life.

Overall, it is a good overview of Michael Moore and will serve us well until Moore himself writes his biography.

Moore is better man now........2006-02-03

I just finished the book and I think Emily did a wonderful job. It was awesome to see the pictures of Michael Moore when he was younger. Flint and the world should be grateful to have such a man. Also I found it interesting on all the things about Flint Michigan I never knew. It was also good to see Ryan Eashoo again be talked about, I read about him last year trying to get Michael Moore into his high school hall of fame. I also seen him on the news. What a great young man, he reminds me of a young John F. Kennedy.

To the world we hope Michael Moore can do more good! :)

What interviews?!?.......2005-12-20

I haven't even seen the book, but I just read its review in the Washington Post, which points out that there isn't a single interview with Michael Moore cited by Schultz in her bibliography. Whether this is her fault or Moore's, why does the publisher say above that interviews inform this biography??? Not true.

Pretty good.......2005-12-18

Sure, this isn't the entire Michael Moore story, but the guy's still alive and from what i can tell, protective of his privacy. "A Biography" does put his often conflicting stories in order and perspective and the really well researched chapter on his ousting from Mother Jones should be hilarious to anyone who's survived publishing or lefty politics. Best of all, the book doesn't try to knight him or drag him through the mud. It just tells his story in clear, and sometimes even witty, language. Best: a long interview with tv nation producer John Deleverany (aka Crackers the Crime Fighting Chicken!) . And yes, the skinny hippy photos are pretty damn cool.

Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left

Average customer rating:

A troubling look at a complicated man
a book about us
An enjoyable read...
The Emperor's New Clothes, Again
A symptom of the problem, not the solution

Forgive Us Our Spins: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left
Jesse Larner
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 047179306X

Book Description

"Well written, witty, and wise. Jesse Larner's book goes well beyond its brief: it helps us understand where the left has been going for the last few years, and where it might end up."
—GEORGE MONBIOT, columnist, The Guardian (UK)

"Forgive Us Our Spins is a very smart and well-researched book about the ever-controversial Michael Moore. Larner does a great job at showing why Moore's political and cultural adventures often do more damage than good. And Larner is a man of the left who doesn't make excuses for the right. A concern for decency and the quality of public discussion in this country shine through in this book—a healthy antidote to not just Michael Moore but also the intellectual clowns of the right, like Ann Coulter and Michael Savage. Let's hope Larner's voice is heard by many."
—KEVIN MATTSON, professor, Ohio University, and author of Upton Sinclair and the Other American Century

As the 2004 presidential election approached, Michael Moore repeatedly expressed confidence that his film Fahrenheit 9/11 would have a powerful impact on the outcome of that bitter contest. The talking cogs in the right-wing media machine were happy to agree with him. They foresaw that Moore and his flawed, shallow, and factually sloppy film would be major factors in motivating and energizing their base.

Left, right, or in between, everyone has an opinion about Michael Moore. His books reside on bestseller lists, his films are unfailingly controversial, and his politics range far to the left of any elected official on the national scene. So why is he the only voice capable of bringing progressive issues and ideas to public awareness? What message should the Democratic Party glean from his immense popularity? What impact will Moore and his work have on the future of the left?

In Forgive Us Our Spins, you'll meet Michael Moore as you've never seen him before. This witty, well-written critique of America's most commercially successful radical examines Moore's life and work, reveals the personal history that underlies his political passions, and takes a clear-eyed look at his controversial trouble with the facts.

Love him or hate him, you can't deny Michael Moore's political stature. Is he the champion the left has long yearned for or the kind of friend that's more dangerous than an enemy? Read Forgive Us Our Spins, then decide.

Customer Reviews:

A troubling look at a complicated man.......2007-03-22

I was drawn to this look at Michael Moore because the author, like me, shares many of Moore's liberal/left views, yet, as the title suggests, he also is bothered by both Moore the person and Moore the filmmaker. I wanted to find out why.
Larner is persuasive in delineating some of Moore's deceptive methods. Example: Contrary to the whole implication of "Roger and Me", Moore did indeed interview Roger Smith of GM - and at length. As Larner suggests, this and other misrepresentations (like the obvious distortion of depicting happy Iraqi children in Saddam's Iraq, pre-war) serve to give ammunition to the Right and detract severely from his cause.
But in the end I was disappointed with this book since it fails to give Moore enough credit for the enormous success he has had in shining light on injustice in our country. At the end, my clear impression was that Larner basically supports our war in Iraq and can't forgive Moore for "Fahrenheit 9/11".
So read this book, if you wish, but then do as I did and also read "Citizen Moore" by Roger Rapoport, another liberal. Rapoport also describes Moore's shortcomings, but he does the great service of quoting both people who know Moore, like Ralph Nader, and Moore himself at great length. He editiorializes very little and lets the reader sort out for him/herself the strengths and weaknesses of this very talented and complicated man.

a book about us.......2007-02-27

Jesse Larner's book is a refreshing page-turner and (despite his occasional lapse into outright silliness over blogs) largely right on the money. It is refreshing because here is someone who believes in social justice; believes in unions; is outraged at Caterpillar because it is a union-busting company (don't hear that very often, do you?); offers the most plausible explanation of how the 2000 Election was stolen before a single voter walked into the voting booth I have ever heard--and who is outraged at Michael Moore.

But this book is not really about Michael Moore. It is about us. It is about a political debate that "is couched in terms of blind ideology"; about a culture that prefers the simple, emotionally satisfying story about "good and evil" to an honest analysis (or even an assessment of our own interests). In such a political culture, when the time is right (and after the 2000 Election, 9/11, and the Iraq War the time was very right indeed), a Michael Moore, an Ann Coulter, and many, many others find a receptive audience, can become quite wealthy and can come to "represent their" side in the popular imagination, at home and abroad.

And that, as Larner points out is destructive indeed. It is destructive in the first instance to "their side" but in the long-term it is destructive to the whole point of politics which is supposed to be about reasonable, pragmatic compromise. And so I highly recommend that you read this book. Not so much for what it says about Michael Moore but for what it says about us.

An enjoyable read..........2007-02-01

Jesse Larner's "Forgive Us Our Spins" is a refreshingly even handed response to the Age of the Polemic. The media culture at this point in history is filled with single-minded, manipulative propagandists bent on dividing American voters. Whatever the intent behind it, the tactics of such a movement are questionable. There are additional questions of what effect all this media razzle dazzle has on elections and the culture overall.

In his book, Larner takes on the left's most ubiquitous spin master, Michael Moore. I am a fan of Michael Moore which is why I read the book. Larner is perhaps less of a fan, but he does seem to share Moore's politics. He looks into Moore's background, analyzes his films, and takes a more general look at Moore's place amidst other notable polemicists like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh.

The book works best as a companion to Moore's work. I was less compelled by it as a comprehensive look at the media age. Larner doesn't seem to have any conclusive data about the effect of Moore's work (and political presence) on the elections. At best he can speculate, a limitation he seems to acknowledge. He ends the book by challenging collegues on the right to do similar investigations into their polemicists. Fair enough.

Larner doesn't dwell enough on what I consider to a be an important point: there is a difference between polemics that take on institutional power and those that attack people. Michael Moore is a critic of consolidated power and its representatives. His right wing collegues often attack minority groups who have very little power, like gays and lesbians, single mothers, and illegal immigrants. That is a rather large distinction in my mind.

I don't know if this book will add much to the national discourse, but it is an enjoyable read.

The Emperor's New Clothes, Again.......2006-11-08

When I saw Michael Moore's Columbine, I was made very uneasy by his manipulative use of certain scenes - for instance, his interview with Charlton Heston followed by the elaborately self-serving placement of the photo of a murdered child. And while I certainly agreed with Moore's anti-gun lobby position, I thought his `explanations' for American violence were simple-minded, to say the least.

So it was with interest and a degree of relief that I read Jesse Larner's biography-cum-political commentary - a critique from the left - on Moore and the American left. I'd bet it will stimulate a lot of thinking and discussion among people hungry for a genuine approach to developing progressive American positions.

Larner writes in a fluent, accessible style - and while documenting some of Moore's less savory approaches to both film-making and politics, he maintains an appreciation for Moore's strengths that's a nice counterpoint to the unsubtle and dishonest behaviour he details.

Finally, the book offers thoughtful (though depressing) insights into the current position of the American left.

Susan Berlin

A symptom of the problem, not the solution.......2006-11-06

FORGIVE US OUR SPINS: Michael Moore and the Future of the Left, by Jesse Larner. FIVE STARS*****

No, this is not yet another demolition job by a petty critic of Michael Moore, exposing to horror his errors and contradictions with the aim of toting up his moral worth. Nor is it a hagiography of Moore as working-class hero.
It is interesting to see Jesse Larner actually defending Moore from various right-wing silliness. Larner agrees with many of Michael Moore's values, perhaps more than Moore himself, because he pays close attention to how well they are served in the changing American climate. But after much research, Larner does not find Moore to be a useful or honest advocate of these values.
Larner is a great story-teller, with a keen eye for telling events and humorously appalling details. Moving along through a hundred compelling and verified incidents, Moore's story unfolds with balance and perspective, and not a single trace of malice. Larner does not rub his hands with glee when he discovers that Moore is an American success story who keeps his place through calculation and a chillingly self-regarding coldness, and that his written and movie work is distinguished not only by playfulness, but by considerable lying and cheating. Up to now, when others have found inaccuracies and willful distortions in his work, Moore has brushed them off as right-wing vilification or says his movies are made to be only entertainment. But Moore makes serious claims for his work; he wants above all to be taken seriously, and Larner grants him his wish more fully than he himself could imagine.
One of the book's charms is that Larner indefatigably informs himself about the subject-matter of each of Moore's movies in turn. He probably knows more about the history of Flint, Michigan than Moore does... and more about how Moore picks and chooses from it. He presents a concise and convincing analysis of the GOP's ruthless theft of the Florida vote; he gives the essence of the Second Amendment and why it does not support indiscriminate gun-toting; and he travels to San Francisco to give us the story of Moore's brief and destructive term as editor of Mother Jones--and to Crawford, Texas (where Moore did not go) to find the Texas citizens who showed "Farenheit 9/11" not far from Bush's ranch, and to explore the environment in which it was received.
Larner argues that, although propaganda and demagoguery pervade the style of the right, and the major TV coverage which the rich and well-connected command, the left simply cannot afford that kind of discourse, either financially or politically. Enjoy Michael Moore's films for the pleasures they bring you, which include a look at events and personages not usually available on TV, but do not assume their absolute factuality, nor look to Moore as a democratic leader. (Moore gave his support, with angry fanfare, to Ralph Nader in 2000.) Liberals must question their leaders and look for those who answer in good faith and candor.
Anyone who has ever wondered why the Democratic Party could not hold the allegiance of a majority of Americans who agree with them on the major issues, not to mention the 9.8 out of 10 who do not share the fortunes of George Bush's major contributors, should read this book with fascination. It is, finally, a history lesson about the workings of American populism, from the point of view of a liberal-leftist who thinks the recuperation of his party is a matter of emergency, possibly of survival. And Larner even-handedly challenges conservatives to question the vicious crackpots who freely roam their side of the debate.
To follow Moore, in Larner's view, is to live in a simple-simon world of unreal simplicities, a religious world, in effect, of the saved and the damned, with a high priest whose ends justify his means. Larner is one of those who addresses himself to the problems of his time with toleration for those who disagree and attention to those who are uncertain. It is that latter group we democratic liberals must convince, not by inviting them to jump on the bandwagon, not by tricking or stampeding them, but by approaching them with respect.
For Larner, the left's connection with Moore only undermines its chances of creating a political climate of freedom, fairness and tolerance. The story he tells is gripping: once he got rolling, I could not put it down. And however I might quibble with a few of his conclusions, he makes it obvious that Moore, whatever else he may be, is a symptom of the problem we face, not its solution.

The World According to Michael Moore: A Portrait in His Own Words

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Get to Know Michael Moore

The World According to Michael Moore: A Portrait in His Own Words
Ken Lawrence
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0740751220

Customer Reviews:

Get to Know Michael Moore.......2007-01-05

Quick easy reading book. Fun, humor, and truth in the Michael Moore style. If you like him, you will like the book.

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Collected Poems - Humphrey Moore

Manufacturer: Lutterworth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The magic of making up
CHILDREN AGE 10 AND UNDER WILL LOVE THIS ONE!

Dynamic Duos (NBA Fast Breaks)
David Moore
Manufacturer: Scholastic Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0590120794

Book Description

When Caleb finds himself transformed into a dog and is unable to tell his wife his true identity, he decides to become her companion.

Customer Reviews:

The magic of making up.......2001-08-05

In this delightful Steig classic Kate and Caleb argue over something silly. A furious Caleb wanders into the forest and falls asleep under a tree. While he dreams, a witch turns him into a dog. He comes home, of course, but can only bark. The bereft Kate wonders what became of her faithful mate, fearful that he did not know how much she cared, until one night robbers steal into the house, her dog scares them off and the witch's evil spell is undone. When Caleb is once again himself, he resumes a loving life with Kate. A great story to show kids that while grownups sometimes argue, they still love one another, and usually make up.

CHILDREN AGE 10 AND UNDER WILL LOVE THIS ONE!.......1998-08-30

MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTER LOVED FOR ME TO READ THIS STORY TO HER IN THE EARLY 80'S. LITTLE DID I KNOW I WOULD END UP WITH A GRANDSON NAMED CALEB.

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Florence (KY) (Images of America)
Michael D. Rouse , and Tim Moore
Manufacturer: Arcadia Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Florence is the largest city in Boone County and the second-largest city in Northern Kentucky. Formed in 1830, the city was for much of its history a small community surrounded by farms. During World War II, what was to become the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati International Airport was constructed nearby. This, combined with the construction of Interstate 75 in the late 1950s, started the building boom that drastically changed the community and began the huge growth in population that still continues. To commemorate the community's 175th anniversary, this volume presents Florence from its early history to the 1960s. It depicts a Florence that is relatively unknown to the majority of those living here. The images herein are courtesy of longtime residents as well as local church and public archives, with many being published here for the first time. Photographs illustrate the site of a Civil War skirmish and, perhaps most notably, local author John Uri Lloyd, who saluted Florence of old in his book Stringtown on the Pike, which gave Florence its nickname.

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George Whalley: Remembrances
Michael Moore
Manufacturer: Quarry Press (CN)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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