Customer Reviews:
Current and informative.......2007-10-01
I am using this book for my sociology class, and I must say, it has much to say. It reveals a great deal about the role society plays in every part of our lives.Many of the examples given to support the theories of the men and women who helped shape the field of sociology, are up-to-date.
It is refreshing to read a book for class that isn't as old as you are!
I had to have this book for school.......2007-09-15
I bought this book for my sociology class. Though it is an ok book make sure if you order it from here that you get the study guide that should come with it. Study guides enhance your learning of the material. Mine didn't come with one and I have to study harder and read more because of it.
book.......2007-06-12
book was not in great conidition but hopefully i can use still use this edition for my second term of school
Society: The Basics 9th Ed........2007-05-18
This text book is pretty easy to read and understand with today's news incorporated in it. It's great to use in a college course.
take good notes in class.......2007-02-03
you know, if you just take good notes in class you don't need to buy the "required" books for class. and this is multiplied if you continuously start each semester reading and end up not reading anymore. this book is a perfect opportunity to not read.
Book Description
In this, his first major book, Mark Steyn--probably the most widely read, and wittiest, columnist in the English-speaking world--takes on the great poison of the twenty-first century: the anti-Americanism that fuels both Old Europe and radical Islam. America, Steyn argues, will have to stand alone. The world will be divided between America and the rest; and for our sake America had better win.
Customer Reviews:
America Alone is Excellent.......2007-10-04
This book gives a lot of attention to fertility rates in Europe, Scandanavia and the United States. Many other good observations and opinions are included as well. It will give you some insights into what may occur in various countries in the future vis-a-vis the Muslims and non Muslims.
What a sad worldview.......2007-10-01
I can't even begin to describe the serious flaws in this book...
But I gave it one star instead of zero because, if you want to study logic and how to detect subtly and not so subtly flawed arguments, buy this book.
What's sad is he's done actual research (but distorts everything to fit his way of thinking), and some muslims, like some christians, some jews, some whatever, really are dangerous and want to hurt America, but he makes his side of the controversy look like a bunch of, what's a nice word... 'baffoons'.
I think he seriously believes the things he writes in his book, which means he's stressing himselfand others out for nothing, and ultimately, pushing away the moderates that might listen to a more logical argument against religious extremism
Excellent.......2007-09-21
With the many positive reviews already posted, there isn't much more for me to say, so I will just say, "Read a few of the reviews, then, most definitely, read this book."
great wake up!!!!!!!.......2007-09-20
This a wake up to the world. Got to hang in through the beginning, but after that try to get all the details.
An interesting, powerful book.......2007-09-18
I found the book to be well written, even light enough in spots to be humorous. It presents a point of view for
Americans to consider
Book Description
The bestselling author of The Botany of Desire explores the ecology of eating to unveil why we consume what we consume in the twenty-first century
"What should we have for dinner?" To one degree or another this simple question assails any creature faced with a wide choice of things to eat. Anthropologists call it the omnivore's dilemma. Choosing from among the countless potential foods nature offers, humans have had to learn what is safe, and what isn't-which mushrooms should be avoided, for example, and which berries we can enjoy. Today, as America confronts what can only be described as a national eating disorder, the omnivore's dilemma has returned with an atavistic vengeance. The cornucopia of the modern American supermarket and fast-food outlet has thrown us back on a bewildering landscape where we once again have to worry about which of those tasty-looking morsels might kill us. At the same time we're realizing that our food choices also have profound implications for the health of our environment. The Omnivore's Dilemma is bestselling author Michael Pollan's brilliant and eye-opening exploration of these little-known but vitally important dimensions of eating in America.
Pollan has divided The Omnivore's Dilemma into three parts, one for each of the food chains that sustain us: industrialized food, alternative or "organic" food, and food people obtain by dint of their own hunting, gathering, or gardening. Pollan follows each food chain literally from the ground up to the table, emphasizing our dynamic coevolutionary relationship with the species we depend on. He concludes each section by sitting down to a meal--at McDonald's, at home with his family sharing a dinner from Whole Foods, and in a revolutionary "beyond organic" farm in Virginia. For each meal he traces the provenance of everything consumed, revealing the hidden components we unwittingly ingest and explaining how our taste for particular foods reflects our environmental and biological inheritance.
We are indeed what we eat-and what we eat remakes the world. A society of voracious and increasingly confused omnivores, we are just beginning to recognize the profound consequences of the simplest everyday food choices, both for ourselves and for the natural world. The Omnivore's Dilemma is a long-overdue book and one that will become known for bringing a completely fresh perspective to a question as ordinary and yet momentous as What shall we have for dinner?
Customer Reviews:
Corn!.......2007-09-29
I have never read the word "corn" so many times in my life! But corn is, in fact, a rather large part of our lives and we did not realize it. This is a very good book and is quite informative. Thank you.
Brilliant.......2007-09-29
This is one of the first thoughtful critiques of the culture of `big' Organic to appear. It was a decade in coming. Since the advent of stores such as Whole Foods, the ideology of `Organic' has come to revolutionize the way Americans eat. Organic is both an ideology, an ideal and a culture. This book seeks to examine four meals and where they came from. It looks a typical big agriculture diet, that uses pesticides and might be sold at McDonalds or Wallmart. It examines a meal purchased as Whole Foods. It also examines the ancient way of hunting food to survive and the development of agriculture. But its most insightful chapter is the examination of the origins of food purchased in the `big Organic' superstores, such as Whole Foods.
The author tracks the food back to its origins. From a supermarket label that claims the chickens are free range to the house where the chickens are kept in a massive barracks, barely able to move because there are so many. This book shows how the Organic industry is mostly a scam. Organic has outgrown its roots and because the Dept. of Agriculture and the government has not issues rules regarding what is `Organic' it was only a matter of time before most things labeled `organic' were far from it. The ideal of the `family farm' may be on the label of much `organic' food but it mostly comes from factories. A brilliant analysis of what happens when ideals meat the marketplace.
Seth J. Frantzman
a college assignment.......2007-09-28
I bought The Omnivore's Dilemma for a college English course. I'm not sure what I expected, but the result was intriguing. The book offers a detailed look into what exactly we are eating, and I really enjoyed it.
This is a book that I am likely to share with others because it relates to just about everyone and makes you think about the choices our society has made.
Just when you thought it was safe to eat..........2007-09-27
This book is very enlightening and informative. Over the last several months I have been reading lots of books about health and nutrition. This book stands apart from other, not for the quantity of scientific data that it presents, but for the unique perspective it offers to readers. I've always wondered where the myriad ingredients on industrial foods comes from. This book gives you a glimpse of their origins and evolution. This is one of the only books I've ever read that makes you aware that eating can be a moral and political act. It certainly changes the way I think about food. I would have to say that I am much better informed about the consequences of my eating decisions because of this book. Anyone with an inquisitive mind should find some or all of this book to be very valuable.
entertaining vital info.......2007-09-26
I couldn't put this book down. Very entertaining and very enlightening. If you are interested in your health and the health of the planet, you will gain a lot from this book.
Amazon.com
Barack Obama's first book, Dreams from My Father, was a compelling and moving memoir focusing on personal issues of race, identity, and community. With his second book The Audacity of Hope, Obama engages themes raised in his keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, shares personal views on faith and values and offers a vision of the future that involves repairing a "political process that is broken" and restoring a government that has fallen out of touch with the people. We had the opportunity to ask Senator Obama a few questions about writing, reading, and politics--see his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with Barack Obama
Q: How did writing a book that you knew would be read so closely by so many compare to writing your first book, when few people knew who you were?
A: In many ways, Dreams from My Father was harder to write. At that point, I wasn't even sure that I could write a book. And writing the first book really was a process of self-discovery, since it touched on my family and my childhood in a much more intimate way. On the other hand, writing The Audacity of Hope paralleled the work that I do every day--trying to give shape to all the issues that we face as a country, and providing my own personal stamp on them.
Q: What is your writing process like? You have such a busy schedule, how did you find time to write?
A: I'm a night owl, so I usually wrote at night after my Senate day was over, and after my family was asleep--from 9:30 p.m. or so until 1 a.m. I would work off an outline--certain themes or stories that I wanted to tell--and get them down in longhand on a yellow pad. Then I'd edit while typing in what I'd written.
Q: If readers are to come away from The Audacity of Hope with one action item (a New Year's Resolution for 2007, perhaps?), what should it be?
A: Get involved in an issue that you're passionate about. It almost doesn't matter what it is--improving the school system, developing strategies to wean ourselves off foreign oil, expanding health care for kids. We give too much of our power away, to the professional politicians, to the lobbyists, to cynicism. And our democracy suffers as a result.
Q: You're known for being able to work with people across ideological lines. Is that possible in today's polarized Washington?
A: It is possible. There are a lot of well-meaning people in both political parties. Unfortunately, the political culture tends to emphasize conflict, the media emphasizes conflict, and the structure of our campaigns rewards the negative. I write about these obstacles in chapter 4 of my book, "Politics." When you focus on solving problems instead of scoring political points, and emphasize common sense over ideology, you'd be surprised what can be accomplished. It also helps if you're willing to give other people credit--something politicians have a hard time doing sometimes.
Q: How do you make people passionate about moderate and complex ideas?
A: I think the country recognizes that the challenges we face aren't amenable to sound-bite solutions. People are looking for serious solutions to complex problems. I don't think we need more moderation per se--I think we should be bolder in promoting universal health care, or dealing with global warming. We just need to understand that actually solving these problems won't be easy, and that whatever solutions we come up with will require consensus among groups with divergent interests. That means everybody has to listen, and everybody has to give a little. That's not easy to do.
Q: What has surprised you most about the way Washington works?
A: How little serious debate and deliberation takes place on the floor of the House or the Senate.
Q: You talk about how we have a personal responsibility to educate our children. What small thing can the average parent (or person) do to help improve the educational system in America? What small thing can make a big impact?
A: Nothing has a bigger impact than reading to children early in life. Obviously we all have a personal obligation to turn off the TV and read to our own children; but beyond that, participating in a literacy program, working with parents who themselves may have difficulty reading, helping their children with their literacy skills, can make a huge difference in a child's life.
Q: Do you ever find time to read? What kinds of books do you try to make time for? What is on your nightstand now?
A: Unfortunately, I had very little time to read while I was writing. I'm trying to make up for lost time now. My tastes are pretty eclectic. I just finished Marilynne Robinson's Gilead, a wonderful book. The language just shimmers. I've started Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which is a great study of Lincoln as a political strategist. I read just about anything by Toni Morrison, E.L. Doctorow, or Philip Roth. And I've got a soft spot for John le Carre.
Q: What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?
A: I'm inspired by the people I meet in my travels--hearing their stories, seeing the hardships they overcome, their fundamental optimism and decency. I'm inspired by the love people have for their children. And I'm inspired by my own children, how full they make my heart. They make me want to work to make the world a little bit better. And they make me want to be a better man.
Book Description
“A government that truly represents these Americans–that truly serves these Americans–will require a different kind of politics. That politics will need to reflect our lives as they are actually lived. It won’t be pre-packaged, ready to pull off the shelf. It will have to be constructed from the best of our traditions and will have to account for the darker aspects of our past. We will need to understand just how we got to this place, this land of warring factions and tribal hatreds. And we’ll need to remind ourselves, despite all our differences, just how much we share: common hopes, common dreams, a bond that will not break.”
–from
The Audacity of Hope
In July 2004, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Senator Obama called “the audacity of hope.”
Now, in
The Audacity of Hope, Senator Obama calls for a different brand of politics–a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces–from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media–that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment.
At the heart of this book is Senator Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats–from terrorism to pandemic–that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy–where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories about family, friends, members of the Senate, even the president, is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus.
A senator and a lawyer, a professor and a father, a Christian and a skeptic, and above all a student of history and human nature, Senator Obama has written a book of transforming power. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, he says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes–“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”
Customer Reviews:
Hope and Compromise.......2007-10-04
I am particularly struck by the contrast of Obama and George W. Bush. Obama stays in touch with the masses by talking in air terminals and wherever he finds them in public. Jim Wallis (author of "God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It") comments from his meeting the President:
"And he (George W. Bush) really did listen, more than presidents often do. He also asked questions. One sounded lofty, yet it resonated with those of us seated around the room: 'How do I speak to the soul of America?' My answer to that was simple: Focus on the children. Their plight is our shame, I told him, and their promise is our future. Reach them and you reach our soul. Bush nodded in agreement. The conversation was rich and deep for more than an hour and a half.
When the discussion officially ended, Bush moved around the room, talking with us individually or in small groups for another hour. I could see that his staff was anxious to whisk him away (cabinet appointments were being made that week and there were key departments yet to fill). Yet he lingered and continued to ask questions. At one point, he turned to me and said, with what I could only read as complete sincerity, 'Jim, I don't understand poor people. I've never lived with poor people or been around poor people much. I don't understand what they think and feel about a lot of things. I'm just a white Republican guy who doesn't get it. How do I get it?'"
Here, in Obama's book, Obama is an ordinary American who has entered a lofty position in Washington, but he has not forgotten the people, not only the people of America, but of Indonesia and Kenya as well.
Obama's style is assertive, with a stunning line or two for each chapter.
Still, I believe Obama isn't spot on. When he speaks of hope, for example, the word opportunity would be more exacting and prospective. While Obama speaks of compromise, it would be appropriate to examine areas of agreement, but work towards independent solutions rather than compromise.
A New Kind of Politics.......2007-09-30
"They are out there, I think to myself, those ordinary citizens who have grown up in the midst of all the political and cultural battles.....They are out there, waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them".
That statement sets the tone for Senator Obama's refreshingly honest look at policy and politics. In this book, you'll find Obama as open to pointing out flaws in conventional liberal thinking as he is to criticizing his opponents on the right. Likewise, he praises certain aspects of Reagan's policy as openly as he criticizes other parts of it, or as openly as he applauds Bill Clinton's policies. Obama's ability to empathize with a differing point of view, yet maintaining a firm belief in his own position is very endearing.
The most interesting aspect of the book, perhaps, is its ability to see today's issues in a historical context. When examining U.S. foreign policy, Obama first walks the reader through the positions taken by Washington, Jefferson, Woodrow Wilson, Nixon, Reagan and others in trying to preserve America's national interests through interventions abroad. Likewise, when looking at the role of faith in American politics, Obama starts by giving the readers a glimpse of the how America's founding fathers thought about these issues, and how the cultural and social changes in the sixties eventually led the religious right to start playing a more active role in politics.
Obama also talks openly about his family, and his experiences while growing up, that have shaped him as a person. While talking about racial issues, he is comfortable talking about personal experiences that offer him hope. He's equally comfortable talking about his initiation into faith, having been brought up by a mother who wasn't religious.
If you're looking to understand the details of policy that Obama would champion if elected President, this book doesn't offer you a lot. However, what it gives you is the framework of beliefs which shape how Obama thinks about politics and policy. It lives true to its title, and offers hope for a new kind of politics, one that would help us all get closer to the American Dream. All in all, a very enjoyable read, and highly recommended.
Uplifting and inspirational.......2007-09-22
Regardless of their political affiliations, it's hard to find a person who doesn't think Barack Obama isn't a decent guy. He never tries to oversell himself and doesn't claim to know everything. He's also very down to Earth and isn't afraid to admit when he's made mistakes. All of these qualities have made Obama a successful politician who may be rewarded with the ultimate prize in November 2008.
However, in addition to being a good politician, Obama also happens to be an excellent writer. I was very impressed with his first book, "Dreams from My Father," which is more of an autobiography than this book is. In "The Audacity of Hope," Obama explores some of the major issues facing Americans today. He does devote a chapter to politics, but also focuses on foreign policy, education, the economy, and family values. Obama peppers his chapters with personal experiences, pieces of American history, and an examination of the current state of affairs. He doesn't offer detailed, step-by-step solutions to these problems, admitting that he doesn't have all the answers. Instead, Obama presents his ideas logically, passionately, and sincerely. He has a very laid-back writing style that is very similar to the way he presents himself when speaking in public. Most importantly, he's very realistic. Obama addresses both sides of each issue and explains his views in a way that's very easy to understand and also illustrates that the senator has a lot of good common sense: something that many of his Washington counterparts are severely lacking.
I'm sure Obama must have at least been considering the idea of a presidential bid when he wrote this book, but "Audacity" isn't just a political text. It's a book about all the things that make America great, and it generates a sense of hope that things have the potential to get a heck of a lot better around here. That alone is enough of a reason to read this inspirational book written by a passionate man who was born to be a leader.
Five starts on the title alone.......2007-09-21
This is a gift for my father so I have not read it. The title and my impression are very positive but I can't help you.
Boring but important.......2007-09-13
I read Obama's memoir "Dreams from My Father" first. Loved it; it read like a novel, or perhaps even a poem. "Audacity of Hope" reads like textbook non-fiction.
Obama is still an astute writer and the subject matter of Audacity of Hope is more important for our country than his personal journey into manhood. My rating unfortunately has been biased by an unreasonable expectation of more dessert than main course. If you're trying to choose one book in order to learn more about the candidate, I'd still recommend "Dreams From My Father" before "Audacity of Hope."
Book Description
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the Taliban's backyard
Anyone who despairs of the individual's power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of Pakistan's treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles Mortenson's quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.
Customer Reviews:
A must read - for parents and teachers!.......2007-10-05
I was skeptical at first, but I could hardly put this book down. I was sneaking in pages at every chance I got. I finished the book in just a few days. It is powerful and motivating book. It makes me value what I have and at the same time strive to serve a part of the world I had practically ignored. I am buying copies for my friends.
My only critique is that I wish it came with a map, with dots at all the schools. The author wrote about this school map in his head - and it helped him feel less alone.
A change your life book.......2007-10-02
This book was required reading for all incoming freshmen in Montana's university system this year, and my book club chose it last spring. At first I had a hard time "getting into" it. The first 50 pages or so I considered not finishing it...there were so many foreign names and places that half the time I couldn't put the letter sounds together to make words I could even understand...BUT THEN!
This book really grasps your soul. Every time I sat down to read I felt a wave of goosebumps over my excitement with this story.
This book is very motivational also. Everything you'll read makes so much sense about changing the world through education, but you'll also find yourself finding lessons and motivation for your own life as well.
I ABSOLUTELY loved this book. I've recommended it to everyone and I've passed my copy on to a friend. I also had the honor of hearing Greg Mortenson speak at a small community library, and he told his story to us like we were friends and family. It was wonderful!
You must read this book!
Buy it, read it, pass it on, give as a gift.......2007-10-01
For everything else that has already been said about this book. I agree. I also have to add that it is a page-turner. I had a hard time putting it down. I didn't expect that. I expect to be inspired and then, be unable to finish this worthy book. Instead, I was fascinated, enthralled, encouraged and rooting for Greg. I'm not finished the book yet, but I came online to order a copy for a friend. I highly recommend it.
Three cups of tea.......2007-09-30
I rated this book 5 stars. I had no idea who Greg Mortenson was until my
wife recommended his book to me. My only familiarity with Pakinstan and
Afhganistan was what I read about these countries in the news about the
Afghanistan-Iraq wars. I have a totally different concept of the people of these two countries after having read Greg's book. They are peaceful, loving, caring, intelligent people interested in the welfare of their children, whether male or female, and intent on educating them and
preparing them for the rest of their lives. I was so glad I read this book. It really opened my eyes.
If only we all took the step to reach out.......2007-09-30
Magnificient! If only we all took the step to reach out and make this world a better place for each unique human being on this earth. I couldn't put this book down because Greg is actually doing it on an amazingly large scale. If only each child in the world had the opportunity for education.....we can erase if only
Average customer rating:
- Unbelievable In This Day and Age
- Real Life Horror
- No good ending here
- Lack of remorse in Oklahoma
- Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star...
|
The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
John Grisham
Manufacturer: Doubleday
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Legal System
| Government
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Penology
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Sociology
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Murder & Mayhem
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
True Crime
| True Accounts
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 0385517238
Release Date: 2006-10-10 |
Amazon.com
John Grisham tackles nonfiction for the first time with The Innocent Man, a true tale about murder and injustice in a small town (that reads like one of his own bestselling novels). The Innocent Man chronicles the story of Ron Williamson, how he was arrested and charged with a crime he did not commit, how his case was (mis)handled and how an innocent man was sent to death row. Grisham's first work of nonfiction is shocking, disturbing, and enthralling--a must read for fiction and nonfiction fans. We had the opportunity to talk with John Grisham about the case and the book, read his responses below. --Daphne Durham
20 Second Interview: A Few Words with John Grisham
Q: After almost two decades of writing fiction, what compelled you to write non-fiction, particularly investigative journalism?
A: I was never tempted to write non-fiction, primarily because it's too much work. However, obviously, I love a good legal thriller, and the story of Ron Williamson has all the elements of a great suspenseful story.
Q: Why this case?
A: Ron Williamson and I are about the same age and we both grew up in small towns in the south. We both dreamed of being major league baseball players. Ron had the talent, I did not. When he left a small town in 1971 to pursue his dreams of major league glory, many thought he would be the next Mickey Mantle, the next great one from the state of Oklahoma. The story of Ron ending up on Death Row and almost being executed for a murder he did not commit was simply too good to pass up.
Q: How did you go about your research?
A: I started with his family. Ron is survived by two sisters who took care of him for most of his life. They gave me complete access to the family records, photographs, Ron's mental health records, and so on. There was also a truckload of trial transcripts, depositions, appeals, etc., that took about 18 months to organize and review. Many of the characters in the story are still alive and I traveled to Oklahoma countless times to interview them.
Q: Did your training as a lawyer help you?
A: Very much so. It enabled me to understand the legal issues involved in Ron's trial and his appeals. It also allowed me, as it always does, to be able to speak the language with lawyers and judges.
Q: Throughout your book you mention, The Dreams of Ada: A True Story of Murder, Obsession, and a Small Town. How did you come across that book, and how did it impact your writing The Innocent Man?
A: Several of the people in Oklahoma I met mentioned The Dreams of Ada to me, and I read it early on in the process. It is an astounding book, a great example of true crime writing, and I relied upon it heavily during my research. Robert Mayer, the author, was completely cooperative, and kept meticulous notes from his research 20 years earlier. Many of the same characters are involved in his story and mine.
Q: You take on some pretty controversial and heated topics in your book--the death penalty, prisoner's rights, DNA analysis, police conduct, and more--were any of your own beliefs challenged by this story and its outcome?
A: None were challenged, but my eyes were open to the world of wrongful convictions. Even as a former criminal defense attorney, I had never spent much time worrying about wrongful convictions. But, unfortunately, they happen all the time in this country, and with increasing frequency.
Q: So many of the key players in this case are either still in office or practicing attorneys. Many family members and friends still live in the same small town. How do you think The Innocent Man will impact this community and other small rural towns as they struggle with the realities of the justice system?
A: Exonerations seem to be happening weekly. And with each one of them, the question is asked--how can an innocent man be convicted and kept in prison for 20 years? My book is the story of only one man, but it is a good example of how things can go terribly wrong with our judicial system. I have no idea how the book will be received in the small town of Ada, Oklahoma, or any other town.
Q: What do you hope your readers will take away from The Innocent Man?
A: A better understanding of how innocent people can be convicted, and a greater concern for the need to reimburse and rehabilitate innocent men after they have been released.
Book Description
John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction, an exploration of small town justice gone terribly awry, is his most extraordinary legal thriller yet.
In the major league draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the State of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory.
Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits—drinking, drugs, and women. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.
In 1982, a 21-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder.
With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.
If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.
Customer Reviews:
Unbelievable In This Day and Age.......2007-09-30
I read this book thinking it had to be another Grisham work of fiction because if the story were true, America is in trouble.
This story is riveting, fast-paced and shows how truly horrible our justice system can be for those who can't afford a "Johnny Cochran".
I couldn't put this book down. The more you read the more you can't believe it really happened. Thank goodness for the pictures of the people in this story, it really brought home the fact that it's a true story.
Excellent job by Mr. Grisham.
Real Life Horror.......2007-09-29
"The Innocent Man" is a chronicle of Ron Williamson (former minor league baseball star), his life and ordeal as he was wrongly accused of murder and sentenced to death row as a result. He was forced to suffer this horror for 11 years until finally the system began to work for him, but only through the diligence and persistence of attorneys assigned to him years later, Mark Barrett and Barry Scheck, his loving mother and persistent sisters, in particular, his sister Annette. The cruelties and disrespect by the officers and District Attorney Bill Peterson that were inflected on him were horrifying. The shabby police work and "junk science," as well as the district attorney's expert witnesses (a majority of them picked from men and women serving time for horrendous crimes themselves) and brought to the stand to testify against Ron, was not only incomprehensible in itself but the fact that the Judge allowed their testimony to stand and control a man's life sentence is abominable. Ron's hometown of Ada, Oklahoma completely turned on him and he was proven guilty without a shred of hard evidence as was his friend, a respected 7th grade Science teacher, Dennis Fritz, merely by association. The book goes on to tell Ron's sad story as only it can be told by such an esteemed author/attorney as John Grisham. I would highly recommend everyone read this true story; it is a real eye opener as to how our justice system can go astray with the wrong people serving in our trusted government positions.
No good ending here.......2007-09-27
I seldom read Grisham but found his first non-fiction work hard to put down. The story of Ron Williamson has no happy ending. Not for Ron nor the young woman who was so brutually murdered.
Grisham does an excellent job of drawing us into the story. If you have never experienced justice (or lack of) in a small town you need to read this book. Had Ron lived in New York City or even Dallas he may have gone unnoticed wandering the streets and babbling like a mad man. But not in Ada, OK.
Lack of remorse in Oklahoma.......2007-09-26
This story had a tremendous impact on me. I support the death penalty but was abhorred to see how flippantly it was applied in Ada Oklahoma. Read this book first and then log onto District Attorney Peterson's web site to read his defense of his actions that were the subject of the book. The first thing he displays on his website is the American flag. Then he has a lengthy and tedious defense of all the minor points in Grisham's novel. He provides statistics on the probability of innocent people being convicted of felonies as if this is excuses him for almost sending an innocent person to his death. Peterson tries to blow off Grisham as an anti-death penalty advocate. I truly fear for the soul of Mr. Peterson and the good people of Ada Oklahoma - a bit of remorse and repentance for what they almost did to an innocent man would help them when they meet their Maker. Hiding behind the American flag might help now but certainly not later!
Had it been a work of fiction I would have given it 1 star..........2007-09-18
... but it's not. It only looks like fiction in bad taste. Instead, this truly happened as described.
I'm not summarizing the story as the editorial reviews and most reviewers before me are quite descriptive.
May I just say that I think that every judicial system has its share of faults and flaws, but what's revealed in this book is simply astonishing and unbelievable from beginning to end. I can only hope that it rattles a few consciences whilst increasing awareness to prevent disastrous consequences for those involved.
As it always happens when I read J. Grisham's books, I've appreciated and enjoyed the clear and well structured narrative, even more so on this occasion. Being a real-life story, I'm sure it must have been quite a task to extrapolate all the relevant facts from all the interviews and paperwork generated by this case during the years, in order to present them clearly to the readers.
Unless you already know the epilogue, try not to peek at the photographs published right in the middle of the book. Some are quite revealing for the yet-to-be-read rest of the story. They don't actually "spoil everything" -in fact, whatever unfolded after turning those pages kept me on the alert and as incredulous as ever- but I still think it would have been preferable to print them at the very end of the book.
A part from that, "The Innocent Man" is highly recommendable.
Book Description
The number one seller in the market, this mainstream marriage and family text combines a balanced scholarly and applied approach with a unique theme, "making choices in a diverse society" The text achieves an excellent balance between the sociological and ecological or family systems theoretical perspectives, while including coverage of family dynamics and interpersonal relationships. Lamanna and Riedmann's coverage offers insightful perspectives on diversity, including different ethnic traditions and marriage and family alternatives.
Customer Reviews:
Marriages & Families: Making Choices in a Diverse Society .......2007-09-16
this book is a course book,it has what I needed for the course,it was in excellent condition upon receipt. Thank you for your prompt service w/the delivery of this book
Interracial relationship data in book is biased.......2004-12-29
I study close relationships of all kinds regardless of race. I have noticed something troubling about books such as yours. I have noticed many texts are off base or one sided when discussing heterogamous or "interracial" relationships involving black men. Rather than present a balanced picture of heterogamous relationships within the black community, the authors of this text deliberately took a stance which casts a negative shadow on black men in heterogamous relationships even going so far as to quote an article in a popular magazine as a source. This is a text book. There's no room for unsupported opinions from popular media. All arguments should be fairly presented and documented with a diversity of academic sources because you're influencing the minds of students who are relying upon your "expertise."
One ludicrous claim in this text was the notion that black men trade successful positions in society for white women of lower status in order to gain status. This is a very old myth that only perpetuates negative stereotypes of black men. Studies have found NO correlation of that type, it's just a pernicious myth! (Golden, 1954; Heer, 1974; and Monahan; 1976). Think about it rationally. When you consider the stares, negative comments and potential social isolation black men who marry outside of their race experience, do you honestly see that as raising status? The reality of the situation renders the "status" argument moot and demonstrates it is a ridiculous assumption.
Please stop printing these damaging unsupported myths about black men!
Other than this grossly distorted section, the book was a good overview of marriage and family issues within our culture.
Book Description
Women are constantly being told that it's simply too difficult to balance work and family, so if they don't really "have to" work, it's better for their families if they stay home. Not only is this untrue, Leslie Bennetts says, but the arguments in favor of stay-at-home motherhood fail to consider the surprising benefits of work and the unexpected toll of giving it up. It's time, she says, to get the message across -- combining work and family really is the best choice for most women, and it's eminently doable.
Bennetts and millions of other working women provide ample proof that there are many different ways to have kids, maintain a challenging career, and have a richly rewarding life as a result. Earning money and being successful not only make women feel great, but when women sacrifice their financial autonomy by quitting their jobs, they become vulnerable to divorce as well as the potential illness, death, or unemployment of their breadwinner husbands. Further, they forfeit the intellectual, emotional, psychological, and even medical benefits of self-sufficiency.
The truth is that when women gamble on dependancy, most eventually end up on the wrong side of the odds. In riveting interviews with women from a wide range of backgrounds, Bennetts tells their dramatic stories -- some triumphant, others heartbreaking.
The Feminine Mistake will inspire women to accept the challenge of figuring out who they are and what they want to do with their lives in addition to raising children. Not since Betty Friedan has anyone offered such an eye-opening and persuasive argument for why women can -- and should -- embrace the joyously complex lives they deserve.
Customer Reviews:
Please read this book.......2007-10-03
I am a female attorney who has been practising family law for 26 years.
When I first started out, I represented many women who were married in the 1940's, 50's and 60's, when society felt that every woman's place was in the home. As a result, many "displaced homemakers" suddenly found themselves facing poverty in their old age. My own generation (the baby-boomers) all seemed to gravitate towards careers, so the displaced, poverty-stricken homemakers would be a thing of the past, right?
Wrong.
I am stunned to discover how many women in their 20's and 30's (the so-called post-feminist generation) are opting to become stay-at-home moms.
What is the problem, you ask?
In one word - DIVORCE.
And don't say it'll never happen to you. After all, I'm sure you buy smoke detectors, don't leave matches within your children's reach, don't leave candles or a stovetop unattended - but I'll also bet you also have homeowner's insurance, in case the unthinkable happened and your house caught on fire.
I've known so many women who tried so hard to be terrific wives, great mothers - and still found themselves divorced. Making sure you always have marketable skills so that you are able to support yourself and your children is like buying homeowner's insurance.
Of all the divorced SAHM's I've known, very very few are able to return to the workforce and earn enough money to support their families in the same lifestyle they enjoyed during the marriage. Sure, you can always get a minimum-wage job as a sales clerk or a waitress, but it will not buy you a middle-class lifestyle. Well-paying jobs will go to either a) recent college graduates, with newly-learned marketable skills or b) people who have spent the last 5, 10 or 15 years working their way up the ladder.
This book is a must-read, especially for young SAHM's who are confident that their marriage will last forever and that they will have no trouble re-entering the workforce any time they choose. I do have two criticisms, though: one, it is repetitive (one needn't repeat the same thing over and over to make a point) and it focuses almost exclusively on upper-middle class women, who are only a minority of the population.
Actually, upper-middle class SAHM's often suffer the worst, financially and emotionally, from a divorce, since they tend to have the most unrealistic expectations about the workplace (especially those who never worked outside the home at all) and they experience the biggest drop in lifestyle.
The men, on the other hand, tend to do very well after the divorce, simply because they have always had a well-paying career, without interruption, and after the initial financial hit (splitting the assets and paying child support) they keep on earning a high income, year after year.
Use of Ancedotal Evidence Left Me Frustrated and Confused.......2007-09-27
I would not recommend this book. It's a shame really, b/c I think Ms. Bennetts has a good message. Unfortunately she seems to base many of her points on ancedotal evidence. The writing style was a bit choppy and I couldn't figure out if Ms. Bennetts simply chose the wrong ancedote each time or if she truly wants women to not only support themselves, but to drive fancy cars and live in fancy houses.
Her apparent emphasis on material wealth repeatedly seemed to undermine her intentions. And the use of ancedotal evidence just compromised her authority. Perhaps I should have been tipped off at the start of the book when she used her mother as an example of a woman that was able to balance family and work successfully without reprocussions. (Too bad she doesn't emphasize the fact that her grandmother provided the childcare.)
Another example is when she put down a stay-at-home mom for driving old cars in order to live in a wealthy neighborhood with a good school system. Ms. Bennetts seemed to imply that the mother should go back to work so her family could afford new cars and other such luxuries. Surely this wasn't her point, or was it?
I was looking for a book that would support my decision to remain a working mom; however, examples like these throughout the book left me questioning the true message of the book and left me frustrated.
SAHMs Beware.......2007-09-27
Women do bash each other too much, but that's probably because we are all trying to be good at so many contradictory things -- and are afraid we're failing at all of them.
This book has jumped right into the "mommy wars," and been bashed accordingly.
Even though young women want to do life differently than their mothers did (who - trust me - wanted to do life even more differently than THEIR mothers did), we all keep circling around the same problem: We want our families to flourish. We just don't want to become penniless and futureless doing it.
This highly readable book argues that combining work and motherhood is tough but possible and even rewarding. Bennetts contends that depending on husbands to earn all the family money is very risky, and she is quite believable when she describes the many ways that this way of life can go wrong.
Bennetts is also not buying many of the "reasons" that have become fashionable for mom's total surrender of jobs, money, and benefits. She is at her most entertaining when she dissects today's version of the weary cult of motherhood, in which only mom's incessant hands-on attention is presumed to create conditions in which an infant can even survive.
Entertaining and thought-provoking.
Wise Counter Argument to Stay at Home Mom Phenom.......2007-09-10
As far as this topic goes, I've always been a live and let live kind of woman, although I would personally not be comfortable totally relying on a man to support me financially. All the women in my family have worked. I grew up with a working mom, who was a stay at home mom, until she found herself widowed with an 11 month old daughter. When I would hear those "I didn't even know where the checkbook was" stories from women who had either been abandoned or did the abandoning, I always thought...where the heck was your brain? Even if you are a housewife/full time mother, you are and ADULT in your home and should share in the responsibility of guiding your family's financial future. I have a very dear friend who is a stay at home mother and home schools her children. She does part time sales, but guess what..she does the books! Her husband wouldn't dare make a financial move without her and it works for them. Conversely, I have friends who also have husbands who earn a good living, but they work, because they feel they are able to contribute more. As a single woman, it is sometimes daunting to think that I am fully responsible for my financial future..but after reading this book, it reminded me that even if I were married, I would still be fully responsible. I'm also a fairly conservative person, but I have to say, I've seen the church and conservative politicians try to hammer home that the BEST solution for families is to have the mother at home while the father worked. But even GOD allows for personal choice, and if I remember my Bible correctly, the Proverbs 31 woman worked both inside and outside of her household. To me the best solution is to do what works for you. If you feel that you should stay home, then stay home. If you feel that you should work, then work. Each choice, like most choices, comes with its pros and cons. However, whatever your choice, in life, you should always make it a priority to educate yourself and develop a skill.
A Relevant Warning to Women.......2007-09-07
This book serves as a warning to all women who have children or are thinking about having children, that you can't always depend on a man to support you. For women who are thinking about dropping out to raise children they need to think of the long term consequences of their future earning power.
Product Description
Fourth Revised Edition. People in poverty face challenges virtually unknown to those in middle class or wealth--challenges from both obvious and hidden sources. The reality of being poor brings out a survival mentality, and turns attention away from opportunities taken for granted by everyone else. If you work with people from poverty, some understanding of how different their world is from yours will be invaluable. Whether you're an educator--or a social, health, or legal services professional--this breakthrough book gives you practical, real-world support and guidance to improve your effectiveness in working with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 1995 A Framework for Understanding Poverty has guided hundreds of thousands of educators and other professionals through the pitfalls and barriers faced by all classes, especially the poor. Carefully researched and packed with charts, tables, and questionaires, Framework not only documents the facts of poverty, it provides practical yet compassionate strategies for addressing its impact on people's lives.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent tool for educators.......2007-10-03
I just went to a one-day workshop on Ruby Payne's book and found it to be extremely valuable. I teach in a school of 2500 students, 30% of whom live in poverty. This book was an excellent tool to teach the concept that students living in poverty (especially generational poverty) often live by a different "code" than the middle class. With that said, our public educational system is largely based on the middle class code, which these students may have a hard time fitting into. Payne gives a great overview of the issues that impoverished students MAY be facing, and I don't think her work can be taken as an "all or nothing" view. Obviously, not every person reacts that same way to any given situation. However, Payne's information opened my eyes to the disparities in my classroom, and gave me a great deal of insight into students' behaviors.
This book does not perpetuate poverty--it gives educators invaluable tools to reach out to and engage our students who are living with the realities of poverty every day.
Everyone should read this book.......2007-09-23
This book is almost a workbook. It presents the culture of poverty in a way that is easy to understand and helpful to all. This should be required reading for teachers.
Beware Ruby Payne.......2007-09-18
This book perpetuates the institutionalized racism and classism that creates students who are unsuccessful in schools. Payne, whose "research" is anecdotal at best, completely unverified at worst, suggests that teachers teach to poverty, instead of fighting the social injustices that cause it. She works from the deficit theory of poverty, which has been widely discredited since the 60s, and her anecdotal examples are racist stereotypes.
This book makes white, middle-class teachers think they understand poverty, when in reality, the advice she gives teachers perpetuates poverty and does nothing to address the complex causes of it. Ruby Payne is laughing all the way to the bank.
A must read for any type of educator/counselor.......2007-09-12
This book presents a comprehensive view of the way people in different areas of society think; what things are important to them, where their priorities lie. It has tools for working within the area the student or client lives and ways to facilitate movement from one area to the next.
Classist drivel.......2007-08-28
I honestly can't believe that school districts pay a great deal of money for Ruby Payne's books and programs. While they may have slick packaging, scratch the surface and you will find damaging anecdotes that stereotype those living in poverty. Under the guise of helping to understand and improve the lives of these individuals, it serves to portray them as coming from a culture that is deficient and must be fixed to fit "our" mold. In addition, it proposes that there is a "culture of poverty". This theory has been disproved.
Save your money. Or, better, yet, by something by Jonathan Kozol.
BTW, there's a reason she self-publishes...
Amazon.com's Best of 2001
Essayist and cultural critic Barbara Ehrenreich has always specialized in turning received wisdom on its head with intelligence, clarity, and verve. With some 12 million women being pushed into the labor market by welfare reform, she decided to do some good old-fashioned journalism and find out just how they were going to survive on the wages of the unskilled--at $6 to $7 an hour, only half of what is considered a living wage. So she did what millions of Americans do, she looked for a job and a place to live, worked that job, and tried to make ends meet.
As a waitress in Florida, where her name is suddenly transposed to "girl," trailer trash becomes a demographic category to aspire to with rent at $675 per month. In Maine, where she ends up working as both a cleaning woman and a nursing home assistant, she must first fill out endless pre-employment tests with trick questions such as "Some people work better when they're a little bit high." In Minnesota, she works at Wal-Mart under the repressive surveillance of men and women whose job it is to monitor her behavior for signs of sloth, theft, drug abuse, or worse. She even gets to experience the humiliation of the urine test.
So, do the poor have survival strategies unknown to the middle class? And did Ehrenreich feel the "bracing psychological effects of getting out of the house, as promised by the wonks who brought us welfare reform?" Nah. Even in her best-case scenario, with all the advantages of education, health, a car, and money for first month's rent, she has to work two jobs, seven days a week, and still almost winds up in a shelter. As Ehrenreich points out with her potent combination of humor and outrage, the laws of supply and demand have been reversed. Rental prices skyrocket, but wages never rise. Rather, jobs are so cheap as measured by the pay that workers are encouraged to take as many as they can. Behind those trademark Wal-Mart vests, it turns out, are the borderline homeless. With her characteristic wry wit and her unabashedly liberal bent, Ehrenreich brings the invisible poor out of hiding and, in the process, the world they inhabit--where civil liberties are often ignored and hard work fails to live up to its reputation as the ticket out of poverty. --Lesley Reed
Book Description
Millions of Americans work for poverty-level wages, and one day Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that any job equals a better life. But how can anyone survive, let alone prosper, on $6 to $7 an hour? To find out, Ehrenreich moved from Florida to Maine to Minnesota, taking the cheapest lodgings available and accepting work as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart salesperson. She soon discovered that even the lowliest occupations require exhausting mental and physical efforts. And one job is not enough; you need at least two if you intend to live indoors.Nickel and Dimed reveals low-wage America in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generositya land of Big Boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate strategies for survival. Instantly acclaimed for its insight, humor, and passion, this book is changing the way America perceives its working poor.
Customer Reviews:
Thank you.......2007-09-30
I got it in time for class, actually ahead of time. Fast delivery, great price, item was exact.
Absolutely honest and real.......2007-09-29
As I read this book, I found myself nodding my head repeatedly. Barbara Ehrenreich's words are true. I know because I LIVED THEM. Her experiences were my own over the past five years when I found myself unable to continue the professional career I had chosen and moved to a new city to start over. Big mistake. Although interviewers were thrilled to hear that I had a college degree, I couldn't find a job that would pay me more than $9.00 an hour--and don't think I didn't try.
Basically, I thought it wouldn't be too bad, because like she says repeatedly, poor people find a way to get by, don't they? I must also admit that I had a bit of snobbishness going in, thinking that with my skills I would rise to a manager's rank in no time. Boy, was I mistaken. I wound up working next to people who had worked in the same jobs for five years before they got a promotion (and whose wage was within a dollar of where it had been when they started). I also found that there was a sort of layer of management, that a promotion may only be in name only, like shift manager, but that those are the first jobs cut in lean times because that pay rate is slightly higher than others.
I too learned from my coworkers not to work too hard, not just because management will expect more from me but that they'll expect more from everybody; that good behavior is so rarely rewarded; and that employers will outright put your health in jeapordy without a thought to consequences. Insisting on something like a breathing mask when working with noxious fumes or kneepads when doing lots of floorwork will label you a troublemaker and an outcast.
Most surprising of all, however--and something BE does not discover--is that people quit these jobs because THERE ARE A MILLION OTHER JOBS OUT THERE THAT WILL DO THE SAME THING. That was probably the biggest surprise. There is no reason to stay at one job when another will give you the same money and treat you just as badly. These are not employers who care about resumes and work history (indeed, resumes are considered superfluous and if you bring one, it will be shifted off to the side in favor of applications which often say DO NOT WRITE SEE RESUME). In fact, sometimes it works better for people to shift from job to job as life circumstances change. A woman might quit her day shift at CVS in favor of the graveyard shift at the supermarket during the summer while her kids are out of school because the babysitting arrangements work better, then at summer's end go to work for Arby's during the day again. Of course, that only happens with the flexibility of transportation. If you are counting on public transit or someone else to give you a ride, there's little recourse but to make do with what you've got.
While a few of Ehrenreich's conclusions seem farfetched--I did the pee test several times and think it's wise, especially for those who use machinery, handle kitchen knives, and are driving company vehicles--she hit the nail on the head when she explained that companies OWN their employees for the time that they're there. Things like scheduled breaks, limits on conversation even if the work is getting done, and video orientations are demeaning and dehumanizing. And that doesn't even mention things like hour cuts or schedule changes. Imagine what it's like to travel an hour by bus to find out that your schedule was changed, and that you're now working TOMORROW--even though the bus fare you just used and the fare to get back is the last money you have until your paycheck comes in four days. That happened to me twice--I borrowed money from my boss to manage it.
The wage itself is a problem. I was okay on the basics, but only bought two pairs of shoes each year (about $25.00 each) and bought discount everything--soap, shampoo, toothpaste. You don't really know it until you're there, but a little piece of you cries inside when you have to say no to a pack of gum or a cup of diner coffee because all the money you have is exactly enough to pay the gas bill.
I won't get into great detail about my housing situations, except to say that I ended up staying in an abusive relationship for a while because I had nowhere to go, then lived with a guy who spent four months on the Internet after he lost his job because his name was on the lease too and I couldn't take him off without his permission. Are there ways around these situations? Sure...and in fact lived in a shelter for a little while. However, in the first situation I was obligated to three months of the rent, and in the second could not afford court fees to evict him, which is what my building manager said I would have to do. When I was insensitive enough to mention offhandedly to other women at the shelter that I didn't really want to live in substandard housing, they all gave me a look of stiff disbelief and resentment. Substandard housing was a way of life for them, even WITH abusive spouses. So housing is absolutely is a concern, especially where there are children involved.
At any rate, this is a book to buy that conservative you love dearly and wish would understand how the rest of the world lives. Take it from me--it's the God's honest truth.
The Awful Truth about the Movers and Shakers and Those they Move and Shake.......2007-09-28
At times I could not put NICKEL AND DIMED down. Although Barbara Ehrenreich has a sense of humor (and anger), she can't hide the sadness she witnesses. I am certainly going to look upon waitresses, maids, and hotel and house cleaners differently from now on--they'll get that tip or the full 20 percent, even if the service is not great (because I know why).
Here are some examples of her graphic and to-the-point style:
"Let's talk about s..t, for example. It happens, as the bumper sticker says, and it happens to a cleaning person every day. The first time I ecountered the s..t-stained toilet as a maid, I was shocked by the sense of unwanted intimacy. A few hours ago, some well-fed [...] was straining away on this toilet seat, and now here I am wiping up after it. ... I should explain that there are three kinds of s..t stains. There are remnants of landslides running down the inside.... (p. 92).
"...A coworker once advised me that, although I had a lot to learn, it was also important not to 'know too much,' or at least never reveal one's full abilities to management, because 'the more they think you can do, the more they'll use you and abuse you.' (p. 195)
"When someone works for less pay than she can live on--when, for example, she goes hungry so that you can eat more cheaply and conveniently--then she has made a great sacrifice for you, she has made you a gift of some part of her abilities, her health, and her life. The 'working poor,' as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect. ... To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else." (p. 221)
The only negative I found in NICKEL AND DIMED is Ehrenreich's short ranting (or so it seemed) against unionizing big powerful merchants which pay dirt-poor wages. Yep, to join you have to pay dues, but "united" members can get more of the benefits and pay they deserve than a person alone can. Just imagine shutting down such a national or international chain so the workers can be paid more than $6.00 to $7.00 an hour, and have to work two or three jobs to just get by!
Should be required reading in every high school in America!.......2007-09-22
Barbara Ehrenreich did impeccable research into the lives of people who bag our groceries, serve our food in restaurants, and work in those giant discount stores that happily take our money.
This was an exhausting walk in the shoes of people we assume must be living better lives, because, after all -- This Is America!
Read the book and ask yourself, why are there Americans working two or three jobs and still can't live an "American" lifestyle? Buy some extra copies and send them to your Senator and Congressman. It's time to create a way out of working poverty.
very readable and thought-provoking.......2007-09-16
This book grabbed me from the first page and I couldn't put it down. It was laugh-out-loud funny in parts, tears-to-your-eyes sad in others, touching and thought-provoking all the way through. It is a glimpse of the lives of people who are truly struggling just to live. I hope that it is being used as a text in business, economics, sociology and political science classes!
Books:
- Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout All the Relationships in Your Life
- Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson
- Test of the Twins (Dragonlance Legends, Vol. 3)
- Texas Hold'em For Dummies (For Dummies (Sports & Hobbies))
- The Archive and the Repertoire: Performing Cultural Memory in the Americas (A John Hope Franklin Center Book)
- The Complete Visual Dictionary of Star Wars: The Ultimate Guide to Characters and Creatures from the Entire Star Wars Saga
- The Culture of the Cold War (The American Moment)
- The Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town
- The Location of Culture (Routledge Classics)
- The Lost Boy: A Foster Child's Search for the Love of a Family
Books Index
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