1990 Books

I bought this book just for reference. But when I started to read the book I realized that some common things I have grown acustom to was actually a problem in the car. And this book showed me how to fix the problem. I was able to rebuild the entire front end of the car myself!! This book saved me thousands in labor...

I would rate it 10 stars!! But I can't!!!

I think that the book is extremely helpful. The only problem (so far) that I can't fix with this book is - How do I fix the rattle of the air ducts above the headliner with out butchering the headliner?

Thanks

Carlos Escude provides a strikingly original approach to international relations theory, using Argentina as a frame of reference. He finds mainstream theory lacking from the perspective of peripheral states. He claims that both realist and liberal theories lead to normative flaws harmful to the interests of citizens.

Escude convincingly explains the problem with the language of international relations discourse. The unconscious discussion of states as if they were individuals by these theorists has negative effects on the citizens in peripheral states. When the state is viewed as an individual, its constituent parts are considered to be subordinate to the whole. This language, he
argues, legitimizes the state and allows for repression of its citizenry.

He attacks the realism of Waltz and Morgenthau on a number of issues but especially their refusal to theorize about states that are not great powers. Escude rightly points out that peripheral countries can and do destabilize the international system and thus should not be excluded from analyses.

Furthermore, realists do not consider that other goals, such as economic development, might be more important to some states than political military power. From this perspective, Escude is closer to Rosecrance than to traditional realist analysis.

Yet Escude claims to share Morgenthau's methodological approach to theory, and he thus terms his theory peripheral realism. Both peripheral realism and realism support self-interested behavior. However, Escude asserts that it is futile to attempt to design a scientific international relations theory and thus emphasizes the normative elements of peripheral realism.

Many realists would object to his terminology. Escude believes that peripheral states should commit themselves to economic development. This includes acquiescence to the great powers, which have the ability to negatively affect development in the periphery. Policies that focus on citizen welfare, Escude argues, will contribute to national well-being.

The title of the book is quite misleading, as the volume is only minimally concerned with Argentina and much less so with Menem.
Instead, it pulls selected examples from Argentina's foreign policy in order to highlight Escude's points. Escude asserts that Argentina's nonconfrontational foreign policies since 1989 have been citizen-centric.

The withdrawal of Argentina from the Non-Aligned Movement and its decision to cancel the Condor II, according to Escude, contribute to eliminate obstacles to Argentine development, although they do not in themselves generate development. Although Argentina's social and economic policies under Menem have probably not been citizen-centric, Escude claims that in the foreign policy sphere, the elimination of traditional confrontation with the Western great powers constitutes a damage-control that is in itself citizen-centric.

While Escude's analysis is thought provoking, many scholars will disagree with his conclusions. International relations theorists will likely resist Escude's assertion that they are partially responsible for the underdevelopment and repression in many parts of the South. Furthermore, Escude's insistence on Third World submission to great-power dominance will make more than
a few scholars uncomfortable.

Escude's book is an extraordinary challenge to state-centric theories of international relations. The book's name is misleading, inasmuch as it has little to do with the Menem presidency in Argentina. Rather, it is an analytical critique of international relations theory that focuses mainly on the exposure of the fallacious analogy whereby the state is to the interstate system what the individual is to the state. The ultimate logical consequence of this fallacy leads to thinking in anthropomorphic terms.

For example, "freedom" vis-a-vis the state is clearly an asset for the individual and a value to be redeemed from an ethical point of view. But in order for the state to be absolutely "free" in the interstate system, it must not only be powerful but must also subject its citizens to tyranny: otherwise it is bound by constraints. Almost all mainstream Anglo-American international relations theory suffers from this logical flaw. Escude exposes it clearly, and goes on to show that the normative consequences of this flaw are more serious the weaker a state is. Hence, weak states have a greater obligation to pursue "citizen-centric" foreign policies. It is in the interests of the citizens of weaker states that the pursuit of interstate power be left to powerful states, who are the "rule-makers" of the interstate system. It follows that Kenneth Waltz is wrong: states are not "like units", and they do not have the same functions in the system. Escude posits the existence of three types of states with three types of functions: states that command, states that obey, and rebel (or rogue) states.

The original title in Spanish of this book is "The Realism of Weak States". Commercial reasons probably led the publishers to use a misleading title in its English-language version. References to Menem's administration in Argentina are found only as examples of a foreign policy shift, from state-centric to citizen-centric policies. This is clearly visible in Argentina's alignement with the United States; its signature of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty and the dismantlement of the Condor II ballistic missile project, all of which were undertaken during the 1990s. Whatever appraisal Menem's economic and social policies may warrant, it is clear that his foreign policies were a contribution to world governance.

Prof. Carlos Escude may be a "colorful character" who is often on Argentine television (as another reviewer claims), but he is also the author of numerous academic books in Spanish, holds a Ph.D. from Yale University, and has been Visiting Professor at Harvard's Department of Government. His "Introduction to peripheral realism", published in Stephanie Neuman (ed.), "International Relations Theory and the Third World" (St. Martin's Press, 1998), is obligatory reading in courses from Columbia University to West Point.

Monroe Price and Mark Thompson have assembled a fantastic array of scholars, thinkers, and lawyers who each bring to bear a unique perspective on the intractable relationship between media and conflict. From Alison DesForges's discussion about the impact of hate speech in Rwanda to former U.S. State Department official Jamie Metzl's discussion about United States actions in Somalia, Kosovo, and Serbia the book answers many interesting questions but raises many more. Of particular interest were Eric Blinderman's chapter which discussed the legal rules surrounding, what he terms "information intervention," and Stephanie Farrior's discussion about the legal principles related to hate speech.

Forging Peace focuses primarily on the problems of media management in conflict and post-conflict situations. More specifically it examines situations where Western democracies, the United Nations, the OSCE and even the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have attempted to transform the media sector in third party states. By examining the legal and political context of the new interest in media before, during, and after conflict, the contributors make current trends more visible and illuminate the relationship between speech and force in international affairs.
Together the contributors consider how international law is changing to encompass, reflect, and channel intervention practices. They each from various academic, legal and diplomatic perspectives look at `information intervention' through the lens of human rights principles, especially those relating to restrictions on hate speech and the right to receive and impart information. They examine the distinctions between State-authorized and rogue uses of media to incite conflict; between authorized and unauthorized incidents of information intervention; and between preventive intervention as opposed to that directed towards resolving conflict. And they test some of the justifications that are articulated for different forms of information intervention, actions that range from mere monitoring of broadcasts to the total reformulation of media laws, and ultimately the seizure or bombing of transmitters, and full-blown cyberwarfare.

Evelyn Farkas has written a brilliant book about how we should think about separatist movements in decided countries, and what the United States can do to prevent the type of secessionist wars that have destroyed societies and ruined millions of lives around the world. This book is a must read for policy makers who will be dealing with divided states, and for anyone interested in thinking deeply about what can be done to prevent the disasters that have occurred in places like Bosnia and Ethiopia. I could not recommend this book more highly.

As an avid student of history and politics, I really enjoyed reading this author's analysis of US policy and learning about ethnic conflict and how it affects individuals and families.

I now have a deeper understanding of the issues that the US is faced with around the world including the current situation in Iraq.

What makes this book truly special is the author's ability to incorporate a first hand account of many events. Clearly this author can talk the talk and walk the walk.

I strongly encourage anyone interested in a deeper understanding of the US Governments policy making engine and/or ethnic conflict and how it effects those caught in the crossfire to purchase this book.

Excellent book on Fr. For. Legion Operation. The pictures and narratives are worth the price of the book. Yves Debay has done a great job on this book. Highly recommend it to any and all FFL admirers.

Great book, Yves Debay presents a fact filled description of the current FFL operations...Great pictures also.

This is an entrancing account of how real Russians overcome the exigencies of daily life in present-day Russia. The author, a fluent Russian-speaker, lived for a year as just another teacher at a Moscow secondary school. Unlike other writers (cf Colin Thubron) where a travel writer or journalist bases an account an accoun on interviews, often conducted through an interpreter, Dora O'brien participated fully and was invited to share her colleagues' lives as one of them. Structured around the powerful effects of the seasons, the book provides real insights into the ups and downs of ordinary people's lives. The book is un-put-downable.

This is an entrancing account of how real Russians overcome the exigencies of daily life in present-day Russia. The author, a fluent Russian-speaker, lived for a year as just another teacher at a Moscow secondary school. Unlike other writers (cf Colin Thubron) where a travel writer or journalist bases an account an accoun on interviews, often conducted through an interpreter, Dora O'brien participated fully and was invited to share her colleagues' lives as one of them. Structured around the powerful effects of the seasons, the book provides real insights into the ups and downs of ordinary people's lives. The book is un-put-downable.

This book at times was boring, but it is kind of meant to be that way. It's a book on war gaming leading up to the liberation of Kuwait, the politics of how the first Bush administration heroicly gathered a large coalition, the tactics, and execution for victory! It is still worth the read even if your not into military weapons and technology.

This book gives a thorough explanation of the troops and equipment used during the Persian Gulf War and the build up to the war. The authors dig to find the most accurate numbers. Also give expert analysis on the Iraqi army and coalition forces in terms of diplomacy and experience. Also good background on the history of the region. I give the book an A.

Hard to explain why artists need this book without sounding pretentious. Richter questions not only the conventions of art, but his own decisions and intentions. Sometimes he contradicts his younger self. And he's fine with that. The book is at once unsettling and comforting. Anyway, one more book I don't lend out.
(On another level, it's a lively read as an autobiography of sorts: The insistently radical young artist gradually matures into the quietly subversive elder statesman.)

An astoundingly philosophical book concerning painting. Richter's entries reveal a depth to his practice seldom articulated so profoundly by a visual artist. I think this book is an essential read to people seriously engaged in the practice of painting. Not a light read, but extremely thought provoking and engaging.

In a very real sense this book focused on applied philosophy. It is an answer to those who might feel that all of philosophy is so much academic banter and never filters its way into the actual issues of the day. This book introduces philosophy and shows how it relevant it is. The ideas reflect the time and the culture, and they help to shape its future development. The tools that the philosopher uses-language, logic, reason, intuition, etc.-also shape and are shaped by the culture.

The book is divided into five parts: Methods of Inquiry (dealing with sources, nature and validity of knowledge, commonly known as epistemology, along with science and its relationship to philosophy), Man and His Place in the World (classical questions about the nature of man and the mind, and what is the self, again in terms of the realities of scientific progress; this section also deals with freedom and determinism and shows how our lives and experiences contain elements of each), Types of Philosophy (Naturalism, Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Analytic Philosophy and Existentialism/Phenomenology, along with areas in which all of these types agree and disagree), the Realm of Values (questions of values, ethics, morality, aesthetics, and this is where oriental philosophies were introduced), and the Social Scene (civil liberties and the rule of law, individualism and governmental control, and the philosophies of history and education).

The topics brought up in the social scene are so crucial to today's world, where invective between liberals and conservatives is so often slung. There is such a gulf of misunderstanding between people and we are too muddle-minded to work our way through it. The questions of big government ("constitution doesn't call for welfare" versus the notions of "common good or social contract") versus individualism are critical in a society where democrats are considered synonymous with communists and republicans are considered de facto fascists. The philosophies of history cover Spengler, Toynbee, Sorokin and others-these are thinkers who truly influenced their time and the ensuing generations.

There is a lot of treatment at the beginning of the book to the epistemological questions; I'm not sure if I would have led with this. As Woody Allen said: "Is knowledge knowable; if not, how do we know this?" As this very ubiquitous textbook popularizes philosophy, it's worth taking note of the fact that these issues may turn off a lot of students. Tying philosophy too closely to science and giving too much credence to scientific methods of inquiry also has its risks. As Durant, Roszak, Mumford and others have pointed out, science and technology are often given too much power over the humanities, and they are better placed inside the fold of humanistic study (this is not necessarily an anti-progressivist view, and need not take away from the scientific method itself for the practice of science).

The section on Man and His Place in the World deals with the philosophical questions that adolescents love the most: who am I, what is the self, what is reality, what is the mind, what is freedom. This is all the fun stuff and the section that asks the big questions that draws in the curious young minds.

The "types of philosophy" leads back into dry definition of terms, but this is necessary. The progression from naturalism (only empirical things are real) to idealism (ideas are real), to realism (both the objects of our senses exist and the knowing of these objects also exist) and to pragmatism (which emphasizes both experience and experimentation, and allows us to look pragmatically at the consequences or ends to see what is real) is a telling one in the history of our own (for those of us who are Western) culture, and it invites the reader to test one's own beliefs against the schools put forth. Analytic philosophy and existentialism/phenomenology are the most constructs discussed; the former deals extensively with linguistic studies and the latter is associated with problems of existence and alienation in the modern world.

The section on values, ethics and morals raises a lot of questions that should concern any critical thinker; this section discusses what it means to live a moral life. This is also the section that veers into religion, and there is a very good exposition on the variations of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam that are prevalent in the world today. This is also the only section that deals with Eastern philosophy and religion such as Hinduism and Buddhism. In all, these issues are so vital in this age of "crusading" our value-perspectives in the post cold war world.

In all, the book is an excellent foundation for a beginning inquiry into philosophy. It is a highly readable textbook that will help you understand why you care about philosophy and give you the tools to pursue further study.

As a new student of philosophy, I must admit that I was assigned this title as a text in class. Though, as text books go, it is suprisingly thin (450 pages), it is packed with definitions, explanation, comparisons, and reflections. I found it easy to read, and most enjoyed the separate introductions (with quotes) of nearly all leading philosophers throughout history. Also very helpful, the suggested readings (at the end of every chapter) allow you to immediately find sources of greater substance on very specific subjects. The authors even included brief descriptions of each book, to further narrow your search. I would have to rate it as the best textbook yet, on a difficult subject to introduce in a cohesive manner! I will be reading other texts by these authors - without being assigned to them!

I may know the names of typical German dishes, but that doesn't help me decipher a menu when I'm visiting a restaurant in Germany. With a limited amount of time (and thus a finite opportunity to pig out on regional specialties), I wanted to make sure I was picking the best stuff to eat.

We took this slender tome with us on our last trip, and we were extremely glad we did. What's this dessert prepared with Muskatnuss? Ah, nutmeg! How do I ask for a hard-boiled egg at breakfast? (If you don't specify, I learned, you get it soft-boiled.) And so on.

We definitely had fewer surprises. And we able to order what we really wanted. The book also includes a section on regional specialties, so we knew enough to order Maultaschen when we had the opportunity to do so, not to mention an idea of what would arrive on the plate.

In addition to the Hungry Traveler Germany, I also have the Marling Menu-Master Germany (which appears to be out of print, alas). Both are very good, earning 5-stars unquestionably, though this book is a bit larger (and thus may be awkward to carry; it fits okay in a fanny pack). If I had to choose, I'd take the Marling book with me on a trip, because it's organized by restaurant menu sections, rather than alphabetically. It's also small enough to fit in a pocket.

This one, though, has little extras that make it worth reading all the way through. For example, it warns you not to try to bring back any meat products (which I should have read before trying to bring home Black Forest Ham), and suggests made-in-Germany food related specialties that won't bother Customs at all (ranging from Christmas gingerbread to cutlery and table linens).

It's a pleasure to browse through this guide.

It's just the thing to use to translate Deutsche Spezialitaten, the German-language version of Culinaria Germany, the lush, big food book that describes the delicious cuisine of Germany, region by region, or you can use it in a German supermarket to decipher labels. Plus, it's handy for translating German menus.

At 289 pages, it's a bit too thick to carry in a pocket, next to your body. Plus, it's a bit fragile, with its paper covers and perfect binding. So carry it in a purse, fanny pack, jacket- or cargo pocket.