Bank

Broz provides an easy to read text. His premises are clear, leading to true understanding. I've read much on this subject, but never such a complete work. It is as economical as can be expected; and I would argue more general than others have claimed. I highly suggest this book, and thank Dr. Broz for his contribution.

Broz's "The International Origins of the Federal Reserve System" is a excellent example of how single-case qualitative empirical research should be done. By providing a detailed formal theory framework, Broz is able to derive specific hypothesis about the development of the Federal Reserve in a manner that is both scientifically rigorous and historically detailed. While comparison with other cases would have been helpful (and neccessary if the model is to be generalized), this book is one of the best qualitative works in political science in general and political economy in particular in years.

You can't find a more accessible text for this topic. I have scoured the librarys of academia and find that this text is not only readable and enjoyable, but it is superior in its treatment of subject matter. A look at the index will tell any reader that Mr. Broz's volume is the compleat guide.

Don't miss your chance to read this welcoming introductory text.

"It was the autumn of 1956. That night I had made love to Ann for the first time." Thus the narrative begins in this facsimile edition of the great 1954 fictional story of Geri, Ann, and Manuel on the Left Bank of Paris.

Think of this story as the illustrated version of Kerouac's "On the Road" for the bohemians from abroad living in Paris at the same time.

Anyone who has visited Paris has seen the young people living in cars, sleeping on the Metro and on park benches, and panhandling while enjoying the dubious pleasures of illegal drugs and the inspiration of great jazz. Well, it was like that in the early fifties, too, as this book so brilliantly displays.

Before going further, let me caution potential readers that the book openly discusses sexual topics (including sexual transmitted diseases), drug use, theft, and other crimes. No one will find this book as an exemplar of "right" living. In addition, some of the photographs are sexually suggestive or involve partial nudity. I have rated this as a five star book for its photographic essay and accompanying text. I would have rated it very low for the lack of morals that it projects if that were the basis of my rating.

Like "On the Road," this fictionalized account is based on real people. The central figure is Australian Ann, an artist who lived with Geri. Mexican Manuel met Ann through Geri, even though Geri eventually fell in love with him. The author followed these young people through Paris for months to capture the brilliant moments of their lives, and added a spare commentary to tie it together.

Ann had orange hair and black around her eyes. "She danced like a negress" in the jazz club where Manuel first saw her. When Manuel told her that she said, "Thank you. I'd like to have a child by a negro. They are so elegant. Gentle and restful, too." Manuel reports, "I fell in love with her."

Over the course of the book, Ann takes many lovers and her relationship comes and goes with Manuel. So he is always on the outside looking in. This is literal as well as figurative, because he was often living on the streets while she had a place with Geri.

The photographs are the heart of the story. And they tell a dynamic story indeed of a vibrant and fascinating young woman who easily drew others to her. You will see the power of her personality and attractiveness in almost every image. Men stand straighter and move in languid circles to match her every twist. You can feel the pounding jazz and the self-confidence that take turns in animating her.

Her power over Manuel is intense. She eventually starts going with an American sailor. When the two of them go for a meal, Manuel is jealous and eats in the same restaurant in order to watch them. Unable to pay, he is arrested and spends two months in jail. He is sure that this has impressed her. The photographs capture the American and the jail where Manuel is sent in equally powerful images.

Ann's artistic work is nicely captured in a series of images that feature her work in progress as well as finished canvases.

Each of the photographs is very dark, often with graininess that suggests seedy surroundings -- which these were. The compositions are both complex and spontaneous. It must have taken remarkable patience to capture both simultaneously.

Part of the book's appeal is that it will make you feel quite young, and remember how intensely you felt at that age. The book is remarkably effective in that way.

After you finish enjoying the book and its noir environment, I suggest that you think about how the energy and intensity of youth can be directed into more constructive pursuits. What challenges can be made to be as much fun as partying nonstop in Paris cellars while great jazz pounds? Obviously, whatever you come up with should be sure to include its own fair share of partying, to celebrate important progress. I wonder if working for Habitat for Humanity abroad or doing missionary work could hold or be made to hold this kind of appeal. What do you think?

Live vividly with every cell of your existence . . . in pursuit of a worthy cause!

Melbourne, Australia, September 2000. I have recently been sitting at Vali Myer's feet, listening to her marvellous stories about the people and places she lived in Europe from the late 40's. She set me straight about some things that appeared in "Love on the Left Bank" Her name was never "Ann" although she was married to Rudy Rappold, her name has always been Vali Myers! So, sorry for my mistake in assuming Ann had been Vali's name, it never was!

This beautiful facsimile edition of "Love on the Left Bank" by Ed van der Elsken, (originally published in 1954) is a photographic narrative of the artists, writers and other creative characters that gave the Left Bank, Paris, its distinctive bohemian flavor. Through Ed van der Elsken's evocative black and white photography we participate in the cafe and street culture of the famous "Latin Quarter."

Ed van der Elsken's photographs have been exhibited in Paris, the Netherlands, London and New York. In "Love on the Left Bank" its impossible not to notice his adoration of Ann, "the girl with orange hair who danced like a negress." She appears throughout the book., with her entourage of men. The camera follows her intimately, like a jealous lover, into the bedroom she shares with a girlfriend, to the bars and cafes where she dances passionately, and glancing over the shoulders of her friends and the many men who swarm around her.

Van der Elsken gives us this rare opportunity to see the young Vali Myers, (formerly Ann Rappold) who is now recognized world wide for her amazing and magically intricate paintings, first begun whilst she was living hand to mouth in Paris in the 1950's. Some of Vali Myer's earlier drawings are also included in this unique book, which is yet another reason why it is a must for collectors of art and photography.

I'm 47 and have been an avid bank fisherman most of my life and have read many books on the subject...but, not in many years as they all always said the same things. Not so with this book...a whole different approach, different rigs, different equipment, etc. I've put into practice many of the things in this well written, well illustrated book and have found them very rewarding. One thing...if you fish for carp and get tired of them picking and dropping your bait...find out what a hair rig is and how they hook themselves. European techniques and equipment are great...and this book tells you how.

If you want to learn how to catch big fish read this book! Modern Bank Fishing takes us Americans one step past using doughballs for carp and catfish. Mike doesnt even put the bait on the hook anymore, he puts it on a little string tied to the hook leaving the hook bare. Thats crazy right? Now the hook is bare, how is this going to work? The fish inhales in the bait, the hook goes right along with the bait, the fish figures out something isnt right with this meal and tries to spit it out, the bare hook then digs in and the fish set the hook themselves! This is a cool way to catch big fish and is easy to learn. Mike tells us the easy ways to make and use this hair rig as it is called. Mike also introduces us to chumming for carp and catfish as well as showing us some of the new tackle for bank fishing. Mike advances us from using forked sticks stuck in the mud to bite alarms and even how to make your own bait.

I have a fairly large collection of fishing books. Most I have read once and they now sit on my bookshelves getting dusty. Modern Bank Fishing is an exception. I find myself taking it down over and over. It is both an excellent source for someone learning European bank fishing methods and a fine reference for later. It is also fun to read. Keyes is a witty and interesting writer. I promise you will learn valuable skills and be entertained at the same time.

This book, given to me by a friend, is helping my marriage become more peaceful and loving. Being more aware of how I can become a better wife to my husband, has made him a better husband to me. I was going to pass my copy to a friend, instead I think I'll buy her one of her own and re-read mine a couple more times.....

This book is a must read for all women (and MEN!). It gives great practical advice based on Christian principals and the author's own stories are humorous and can be related to easily. A excellent book for graduation gift, wedding gift or to a friend in need. Looking forward to the next book from this author!

I really enjoyed this book. It gave some very practical tips for balancing work and family life. Also enjoyed the author's personal stories. I could truly relate. I think both women and men could benefit from this very heart warming book especially if they are struggling with discovering their purpose in life and how all the puzzle pieces fit together. I highly recommend The Multi-Faceted Woman!

All of Carolyn's books are funny, and Murder Well-Bred is no exception. To horse people, the most important thing in a book is accuracy - nothing peeves us more than reading a book that has horses in it and trip over inaccuracies on every page. Banks' books are "equinely" accurate, entertaining, and fun!

But I gave it to all my horse-loving friends, because this Carolyn Banks, set in Mexico, is sooo funny and true. ( you'll never drink the local water anymore.)

I haven't read a book this much fun in a LOOOONG time! Being a horse person myself, I can appreciate her horsey descriptions (which are right on) and her other "bodily function" descriptions are a hoot. A great mystery which I'd love to see on the TV screen.

I'm not sure why, but this book just completely captured my imagination and ran with it. This is one of m favorite books of all time. What I really love, though, is the copy I read was a musty old tome, probably printed in the 30s or 40s, from my library, that just had the mosr wonderful smell and the comfortable, dusty feel. If at all possible, read a copy like that.

What would the Old West have been without the Mustang? Frank Dobie regales the reader with tales ranging from the legendary Pacing White Mustang to more obscure but nonetheless fascinating legends such as Blue Streak and Starface, to insight into the mysterious origins of the breed.

I read this book for the first time years ago, and I still can't get enough of it! This book is must-read for any horse lover or Wild West enthusiast!

Dobie tells the story of the impact that the introduction of the horse had on life in the Americas, with an emphasis on the American West. His historical research is good, citing a number of written sources (and even giving new perspective on Fremont or Pike).

But the real color of the book comes from his anecdotes, many of which come from discussions with cowboys and mustangers who lived through the final days of the open range in the American West. Great color, great stories throughout!

Highly entertaining, yet with good research and historical value. Wonderful insight into the character of horses.

well, recently i have been reading lots of books and annalysing them, the most appreciating of the books was a book by Lynne Reid Banks called my Darling Villain. its about the class differentiations between the english society (ies) during the early 20th century and how the author portrayed each class was just astonishing. the contrast can make one move and feel all emotional. it is really touching and one could say its " book to its perfectionate". i can almost certainly gurantee that this book would let one feel emotionally touched and would certainly reccommend it to anyone who is interested in such variation in class society in Britain during the war.

My Darling Villian is about Kate, a middle class girl and her boyfriend Mark. It shows how class difference really does effect every day lives and their are class differeces everywhere. It's very well written and easy to read. It's my favorite book

My Darling Villain is narrated by 16-year old Kate Dunhill, who lives with her middle-class parents in London. It is sensitive and detailed in its description of the highs and lows of growing up. The underlying theme of this book ( and many others by Lynne Reid Banks ) is that of conflict and reconciliation. In Kate's life these are between parents and children, brothers and sisters, the upper, middle and lower classes, Jews and Non-Jews, Kate and her friends, teachers and relations, and the strong conflict between men and women. For me a defining moment in the book takes place on a family outing to the British Museum where Mr Dunhill finds Kate and her mother discussing Kate's new boyfriend. He rolls his eyes dramatically (well, he is an actor ) and calls upon Heaven to witness that women have no earthly right to claim equality with men when they cannot keep their minds off sex even when surrounded by the greatest works of civilisation. ( And you'll have to read the book to find out Mrs Dunhill's clever retort ! ) As we experience the full richness of emotion with Kate, the reader sees that this is an accurate and lovely portrait of teenage life, especially for anyone nostalgic for the 1970's. I strongly recommend this book and any other by Lynne Reid Banks , particularly The L-Shaped Room

Just thought I would let you know that my daughter's 1st grade teacher loves this book. She says it is her favorite. She loves it so much that the class had a play with it! It was so cute and so neat! Had to buy the book!

This book is an wonderful exampl that shows how children often use their wild imaginations to escape into a world of fantasy!

I ordered this book for my niece's sixth birthday. She loved the illustrations, because they correspond so much to her imagination! I met Tim at Bob Jones University. He works for the press as an illustrator while attending school full time. He is very willing to use his wonderful talents. His is also very kind and courteous. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to supply their imagination with a little bit of realistic creativity! -Scott Norris

Mr. Cowen provides great depth and analysis about an often ignored period of US history. Despite the apparent boring subject matter, the book is quite entertaining. On my recent vacation, I took this book, Harry Potter and Bill O'Reilly's "No Spin Zone." Believe it or not this was the book I could not put down on the beach.

A masterstroke of economic insight.Cowen's attention to detail is unsurpassed and will leave you breathless. Goodbye Paul Erdman - Hello David J. Cowen. A must read if ever there was one.

Hands down this is *the* best book on *the* most important early bank in U.S. history, the Bank of the United States, or BUS. The brainchild Alexander Hamilton, one of the greatest minds in financial history, the BUS was by far the largest early US bank in terms of market cap and reach; it was the only chartered bank that could branch across state lines. Although owned by private persons, the BUS, in conjunction with the US Treasury, functioned as a central bank. Cowen convincingly argues that it did a great job, thwarting a panic in 1792, stopping inflation later in the decade, and serving as a lender of last resort in the early nineteenth century. Cowen also carefully traces the early history of the BUS, from its hot IPO, through its development under long-time president Thomas Willing, through its emergence as a central bank, to its eventual demise at the hands of radical agrarian politicians.

Based on the BUS's balance sheets, and what must have been years of painstaking archival research, _Origins and Impact_ is virtually irrefutable. Historians, economists, public policymakers, and Wall Street bankers will all enjoy, and learn from, this important, provocative, original book.

Our Dream, A World Free of Poverty, demystifies that strange word "development," making it the perfect gift for anyone unfamiliar with the efforts of thousands of professional men and women working to end poverty alongside people in parts of the world far less well off than our own. Sandy Granzow has been able to capture with extraordinary pictures and informative prose the positive and hopeful results when people are given the tools and resources to solve urgent and pressing human problems. The book is a wonderful way to see up close what the lives of people in cultures very different from our own are like and to realize all over again how remarkably interconnected we are as a human family. This is a book that should uplift and inspire us each to reach out a helping hand and actively fight for bringing balance and justice to all parts of the world.

It was fascinating to see what Timbuktu really looks like. The book also shows an Estonian town covered with smog so thick that it looks like falling snow. A local cement factory was the problem, and the book tells of a successful World Bank effort help the locals clean up the city. A great book for people who like international photographs.

"Our Dream" is, above all, an astonishingly rich display of high quality photographs of ordinary people in developing countries going about their day-to day activities. It devotes much attention to children, at school, at home, at work. It also give much attention to people engaged in improving their conditions, getting ahead. The mood is largely upbeat, with cheerful colors and cheerful faces, but the images are not contrived, nor are they too narrowly selected. It may come as a surprise to many of us living in prosperous nations that poor people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America find joy in life, even in the most barren of circumstances. There is plenty of data to document the stories, but the author has done an admirable job of keeping the reader's eye on the photographs, which reveal over and over again the beauty of the human spirit.