FO Books

Professor Sunstein recovers FDR's 1944 State of the Union address from the dust bin of history. The speech makes a compelling case for the proposition that each of us has inherent economic rights; not just civil and political rights. Among these rights are a right to a useful and remunerative job, and the right to earn enough to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter, health care, and recreation.

In part two of the book Sunstein however argues that these rights are not recognized in the Constitution. Rather they are "constitutive commitments," fundamental aspects of how we understand what America is about. In part three of the book he explains why it is that these now universally recognized human economic rights should not be considered Constitutional rights.

Professor Richard Epstein of the University of Chicago Law School, a Fellow at the Hoover Institute, and a scholar of the Cato Institute argues in his book How Progressives Rewrote the Constitution, almost as a counter-point, that the Supreme Court wrongly embraced FDR's social-economic revolution.

Reading these two together permits one to reflect on the role of the Supreme Court in effecting social change, the meaning and limits of the Constitution, and just what kind of a government the founders envisioned; and better understand the real stake in the debates about appointments to the Supreme Court.

For good measure one might also read Sotorios Barber's Welfare and the Constitution, a compelling case that the Constitution authorizes, even requires positive government. In other words, the government is, in fairness to President Reagan, part of the problem; but at the same time it is also a necessary part of the solution.

The idea of the Second Bill of Rights appeared in the classic State of the Union address by Franklin Roosevelt in 1944, and is an underground current of American culture. It was also in part the inspiration for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. That this speech, and the real FDR, is so little known tells us something of the times, but the birth of an idea foretells perhaps its future return. The powers that be don't wish that we realize the incomplete nature of our democracy, and the history of this speech mostly explains the apoplexy of the resurgent right wing. This book explores the history and legal background, and the way this second bill almost became a part of the American system in the 1960's. Everything was in place, and then the election of Nixon stopped the momentum as four new conservative judges were placed on the Supreme Court. The conservative tide after that is the story of our generation and the incoherence, reactionary destruction, and inequality it has spawned. An idea whose time has long since come, and whose second coming we can certainly hope and work for.

This was my fist Sunstein book but it won't be my last. Three chapters (2, 6 and 11) alone are worth the book's price. Sunstein's obvious constitutional experience and social acumen offers depth and insight into many social issues of the day. He caused me to critically understand the definition of "government" and "rights" better than ever. His analysis of Laissez-Faire economic philosophy is the most practical I've ever read.

Although I was interested in the conditions for and results of the "New Deal", I was unaware of FDR's 2nd BOR probably I think, because few ever really gave it its proper emphasis and analysis. Sunstein filled in the missing pieces. His writing is well constructed, logical without becoming oppressive, and flowed nicely. It is a quick read.

The book is more than a historical analysis. It challenged my understandings of the role today of government and the constitution. I've been studying these issues for several years now, so Sunstein accomplished what few others could. It was truly a fresh approach that makes me feel like I understand social issues and their complications better than ever.

His treatment of FDR's Second Bill of Rights was fair and reasoned illustrating both sides of the argument. He thankfully made the discussion relevant to the issues of today and provided tools for me to use in discussions with others.

I've added more of his titles to my wish list. You should too.

Of all the stupefyingly idiotic ideas that, thankfully, never got passed into law, Franklin Roosevelt's "Second Bill of Rights" was one of the all-time worst. Cass R. Sunstein's billowy praise of "St. Franklin" borders on deification and is all at once laughable and nauseating. But underlying it all is the notion that this odious, detestable idea--that it's the government's job to provide people with work, housing, food, etc.--is actually something worth revisiting! That is utterly repugnant to me as it should be to every American. We are a nation of sturdy, self-reliant individuals. We are resourceful, resilient, and industrious. We look only to Almighty God for our daily bread--not almighty government! But unfortunately, history has provided us with enough Karl Marx's, Franklin Roosevelt's and Cass Sunstein's to keep these questions in continued doubt, and urge America Leftward into a European-style socialist gulag. Mercifully, FDR failed to get his attack on American freedom ratified. I can only hope CRS and his ridiculous book will meet with similar failure!

I won't bore you with all the things that are good about this book (as usual, Sunstein's scholarship is first-rate, his prose is easy on the eyes even as the ideas are challenging to the mind). I'll get straight to my two problems with the substance of his advocacy of Roosevelt's "Second Bill of Rights", which encompass social-welfare rights not included in our actual Bill:

1) While Sunstein is careful to thoroughly review just about all possible objections - political, economic, legal, and moral - that one could throw at the idea of an expanded array of social-economic rights, the one he spends most of his time on is an attack on the "laissez-faire" idea that classic first-bill rights, such as freedom of speech, religion, property rights, and freedom of contract, are cost-free and don't require an active "government".

Sunstein shows that they do. But, the problem here is that he is demolishing a straw-man. I don't know of *any* modern "conservative" thinker who would disagree with the idea that a free market requires a significant amount of government - an elaborate legal system to enforce contracts, remedy fraud, document transactions; police and military forces to protect property, etc. Sunstein even quotes key free-market philosophers, such as Friedrich Hayek, to that effect. The only ones who truly believe in a literal absence of government are anarchists, and most conservative thinkers despise anarchists as much as they do leftists. No, the issue isn't whether we should have government or not have it, the issue is how *much* government we should have. By attacking an opponent who does not (or at least no longer) exists, Sunstein dodges that issue.

2) After addressing several objections to a Second Bill, Sunstein addresses the one of most concern to me: That Roosevelt's plan to "take from those who have large amounts of resources to ensure decent amounts for those who would otherwise be in desperate need" amounts to an immoral theft of property. In my view, the only people that i or any other citizen should be required, at point of bayonet, to support are members of my immediate family. If i am starving and my neighbor has plenty, it may be the right thing for him to give me food, and he may be worthy of condemnation by the community if he refuses to help me, but in my opinion he should not be required, by governmental force, to do so. To make my neighbor responsible for my well being would be morally wrong, a brutal violation of their right to dispose of what they earned as they see fit, with the caveat that they should be taxed to pay for essential government services that benefit everyone, such as police, fire, military, legal- the apparatus needed to protect "first bill" rights.

This is the real rub, because as Sunstein notes, many provisions in the "Second Bill", such as Social Security and a right to public education, have pretty much become law anyway. What hasn't become law, and what Sunstein really wants, is a welfare state that provides expanded housing, food, shelter and medical care for the poor, and not just at a bare minimum, but including enough spending money so that they can participate in the broader culture via purchase of consumer goods, too. Sunstein rejects the notion that people require only the "bare minimum for survival", saying that poverty is "relative", and in our affluent society people will not feel like "whole citizens" unless they have a lot of what they see others enjoying on television.

On pages 205-206, Sunstein addresses "my" point about the morality of "taking from the rich to give to the poor" by arguing that if one is to say that taking from the 'haves' to give to the 'have-nots' violates the rights of the 'haves', one would have to agree that "people have a right to their current holdings, and any dimunition amounts to a rights violation". Sunstein says that this position is implausible, because it is only the existence of laws and public institutions that make those holdings possible. He says "without public support, wealthy people could not possibly have what they own.... those who denounce government largesse as a violation of rights disregard the extent to which their own rights are a product of government".

That's it! That's his reply. In my opinion, it is totally inadequate, because if we take Sunstein's argument seriously, government can diminish any of our rights at any time for any reason, simply because it is government that protects them. If GW Bush wants to enact a law that allows the FBI to wire-tap anyone without a warrant at any time they please, or shut down newspapers that criticize the war in Iraq, one couldn't cry foul about one's rights being violated by an intrusive government, because by gosh it's only by the grace of government that we have any rights at all!

Since to me this was the key issue that Sunstein had to address and in my opinion he failed to do so, i was unconvinced by the thesis of the book.

My first WWI book. I was fascinated at what they went through, above and beyond the physical discomfort of any other war since. The Marine aggressiveness was there in WWI just like every other war. My favorite WWI memoir.

The writing goes for a pithy Hemingway style, but falls far short of Hemingway. And some of the sections aren't interesting. But some of the book is earth-shakingly poignant. The bit that hit me was the author's describing the mind of the soldier who has seen such horror he knows God does not exist. And he makes a vow to abide by that belief. And then when he's shot and dying, the boyhood memory of a country church springs to mind and he yells, "Oh, God" and feels guilty at betraying his new found atheism.

Mackin's memoir of his experiences as a Marine in the First World War was good, but not great. The experiences he shares are not uncommon to fighting men in any war, which makes the book seem a little cliched. I was also irritated by his references to himself in the third person ("the kid"). With that said, however, it is one of only a handful of memoirs by Americans who served in France, and as such is worthy of attention.

Mackin's book is a spare, at times profound and almost poetic evocation of the life of a Marine Corps grunt on the Western Front in World War I. The dominant theme is of how men accommodate themselves to the appalling realization that they are in a hopeless situation in which they will be killed, and there is nothing they can do to prevent it, and that no one other than their comrades will ever fully appreciate this predicament: "The folks at home will never know the truth."

Mackin writes of the thrill and terror of battle, the feelings of fear and elation, and the awe at seeing other men die: "It is always a show, no matter how terrifying."

To deal with this world of fear and death, men developed a sarcasm for weakness: "They make a bitter joke of things to cover feelings"; "We learned to close our minds to the memory of men who fell. We took the way of living day to day . . . We learned to laugh at everything in time. It carried us." Men lost their youth, and in some ways matured, and in other ways were permanently scarred: "There was no singing now . . . The faces had changed. . . . his scars would be deep, and never, never leave his eyes."

"Suddenly We Didn't Want to Die: Memoirs of a World War I Marine," by Elton E. Mackin, has an introduction and annotations by George B. Clark and a foreword by Lieutenant General Victor H. Krulak, USMC (Ret.). Clark's introduction notes that Mackin was born in New York State in 1898 and enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1917. This book evokes the combat experiences of Marines in Europe during WW1.

I found this book quite stunning. The sections often read like prose poems or very short stories. Mackin is graphic in describing wartime violence and suffering, but his writing is also at times quite beautiful. The narrative opens with the Marines preparing to advance upon German-held Belleau Wood. Mackin follows in particular the career of "Slim," a Marine who becomes a runner (battlefield messenger).

Mackin covers a number of subjects: encounters with German troops, relations with civilians, relations between "old-timers" and green replacement troops, and the dangers of the runners' job. The book contains many interesting technical details about war in that era: weapons, fortifications, poison gas, etc.

The narrator's voice is often ironic, satiric, sarcastic, and even bitter. But his voice is also humane--he sees moments of kindness and tenderness in the midst of the hell of war. At one point the author cites Walt Whitman. Like Whitman, Mackin is irreverent yet compassionate, with an eye for detail and a knack for rendering humanity in both its tragedy and beauty. This is a valuable addition to the canon of United States war literature.

"Who's Pushing Your Buttons" is one of the best books I've ever read on conflict resolution. This is a really useful book that helps you to take charge in very difficult situations. It is encouraging to know that your relationship with someone difficult is not completely hopeless.

Dr. John Townsend begins this book by presenting the reasons someone in your life is a button-pusher. The first chapter analyzes the problems you may be encountering or at least it explains the reasons people are button-pushers.

In a way, this book is as much about working on yourself as it is about getting another person to change. Most of the book deals with issues you can handle yourself, like getting a life vs. being obsessive about a troublesome relationship. As you work on yourself the situation can start to change. Simply by spending more time away from the problem it can get better. That is just the start of how to deal with problems. Dr. John Townsend has quite a few good solutions that involve setting boundaries and at times withdrawing from difficult people. This seemed to work well with relatives that were out of control.

Most of the advice in this book seems to work well within a marriage relationship. My husband and I take turns being each other's button pushers. He thinks I talk too much about certain subjects (I analyze a lot) and I think he talks too little about subjects important to me. So there are some topics we just have to avoid. That was something that wasn't addressed in the book - avoidance of dangerous topics that cause anger.

This book is much more in favor of taking the bull by the horns. For lasting change and a peaceful relationship sometimes you have to make difficult decisions that could cause a temporary loss of comfort. While this book doesn't advocate a total separation I think that might be useful in some relationships. The author believes there is hope for everyone but does believe you should get help if your relationship has turned violent.

So if you are in a relationship where someone is driving you crazy you might just have a button-pusher on your hands. According to this book, there is hope and you have more control over the situation than you realize. I can highly recommend this book to anyone struggling in an abusive relationship. The ideas in this book will help you with relatives, friends, work associates and marriage partners. It is great to know that you can turn any relationship around with God's help and a bit of wisdom and persistence.

I've found that reading relationship books and trying to practice unconditional love has been what keeps my marriage together. Each book I read gives me new ideas and I try to put them into practice as soon as possible. I have noticed that as I change myself and try to be a better person, my relationship with my husband and family is better. So I really agree with the author's ideas of working on yourself first so you can be a good example of how to live out the Christian life. I'm not perfect but thirteen years of marriage has made me a better person. So it is worth sticking it out during troubled times. Here are a few more items I've found to be very helpful:

Cracking the Communication Code: The Secret to Speaking Your Mate's Language
How to Get Your Husband to Talk to You
The Five Love Languages: How to Express Heartfelt Commitment to Your Mate
Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
For Women Only: What You Need to Know about the Inner Lives of Men
The New Physics of Love: The Power of Mind & Spirit in Relationships (Six Cassettes and Study Guide Box Set)
Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus: The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex

~The Rebecca Review

I purchased this book on the basis of a radio interview with the author which I heard. The book was interesting but not as useful as I had hoped. It has an element of inflexibility that weakens it.

This is a great practical advice book! Easy to read. I highlighted a number of parts and have already passed it on to a family member.

I bought this book because I needed some support in dealing with a couple button pushers in my life and was not disappointed in this books teaching. In this book Dr. John Townsend explains that dealing with a button pusher takes a plan and that leaving is not an option in a love relationship, in fact he states boldly that leaving is for wimps.

This book has opened my eyes to may things here are a few
1- We must not be dependant on the person, we can live with and love a difficult person and still change and grow ourselves
2- That we must set boundaries and consequences and those consequences must be appropriate.
3- Even though I focus on the other persons attitudes towards me, what is it about me that draw's out those attitudes in others, how do I push buttons as well.
4- God is ultimately in charge and although it may look like the other person is not learning anything or having to deal with the nasty behavior, all people pay for their actions one way or the other and you cant run from God and he will in fact make things more difficult on the person in order for them to repent and return to him.

Although this book is no landmark on the subject it does offer solid ideas and help on a difficult subject and I would recommend it to anyone trying to get a grasp on living in a difficult relationship.

While I find this a pretty good book, and appreciate the approach the author takes, I really was a bit unnerved by the constant quoting of scripture and references to Jesus. If you do not belive in Jesus, or sin or heaven/hell and...I was really put off by suggesting that one reason your button pusher does what he does may be due, in part, to demonic forces.

I wish that I had known the strong Christian slant of this book before I purchased it. I am not Christian, and I am not comfortable with the constant bible thumping. But there are some sound ideas and suggestions.

I had to...as the saying goes, "Take what I want and leave the rest." Some might not be a great match for this book base on what I found.

Book seems to be what I was looking for to send to my son who is teaching in South Korea.The lesson plans were easy to adjust to the kids and the adult programs.

This book works fine for ideas, but it doesn't have a great deal of resources for reteaching.

I teach 5th grade and have used many of the lessons in the book. I like how they have a sheet I can use if I need it. Many times I put it on the overhead and use that way. I have seen a definate improvement in my students writing. I shared it in a writing class I am taking and many teachers ordered it, they were so impressed.

This book is fantastic! Our son (age 9) is extremely bright and a good reader and has always been an excellent student. Now in 3rd grade, there is an emphasis on writing in his classroom and for some reason he developed what the teacher described as a "mental block" about writing, because he didn't know how to get started. He would get anxious and upset and end up in tears, saying "I don't know what to write."

I bought a few different books to help with the challenge, and this book was by far the most valuable. It got him past his mental block. He and I do one mini-lesson each week at home, on the weekends when we are relaxed. The mini-lessons are short, focused and fun. In just a few short weeks, our son has made progress both at home and in the classroom. I even consulted with a professional tutor in our area, who said that we were on the right track by using this book - she was very impressed with it.

Thank you Adele Fiderer!

The 4th grade at our school decided to try this book out after a writing inservice where the presenter used over half of the book for her material. I have to admit, we're only half way through the book, but the results so far have been awesome. The kids are really showing huge jumps in their writing ability. The lessons are short and sequential. Each one has blacklines to repo or make overheads. The students are really starting to see what good writing looks like, and they're doing it. My favorite part is that this isn't a textbook with pages of theories but a real usable book that an overburdened elementary teacher can pick up and start using effectively immediately.

Ordinary Time: Cycles In Marriage, Faith, and Renewal, written by Nancy Mairs, is a very inspiring adult faith memoir. This book is about a woman's search for God's presence day after day. Nancy writes about her life, highlighting some major events such as illnesses, raising children, and infidelity in her marriage and discusses these situations as a Catholic feminist. She also discusses her faith journey in great detail.
I would recommend this book to others. Nancy presents very tough issues that we all can relate to at some point in our lives. She inspires her readers to examine their own faith journeys, because she is so honest when relating her feelings and thoughts. As a reader, the only negative I found with the book is that it jumped around a lot and at times, it was hard to follow. I believe it would have been more helpful if the story had been presented chronologically.

Ordinary Time is a collection of essays by Nancy Mairs documenting her spiritual journey through a fatherless childhood and adolescents, marriage, parenting and infidelity, conversion and acceptance in the Catholic Church as a self proclaimed feminist, illness and death. Nancy's journey is often an upsetting one as she maneuvers through her life trials. She is very frank about her feelings and life experiences. I was drawn into her story and was in awe as she described her families struggle through her husband's battle with cancer. This was accentuated when later we discover that she is also dealing with a debilitating illness. Her strength and reliance on her spirituality guided her through the "Ordinary Time" of life.
I found myself often feeling confused during her story as she does not arrange her journey chronologically. Despite this quirk, which at times was really more of an annoyance, it kept me interested in the story because I were never sure what she might reveal next. I was encouraged the strength she displayed during her many struggles in life. She wrote with such a candid voice that I felt like a good friend sitting around the table having coffee sharing our frustrations. Being a Catholic women myself, I could relate to the feelings of frustration that she had with the Catholic Church but at the same time being attracted to the richness of the history, tradition and teachings of the Catholic Church. I would highly recommend this very easy to read spiritual journey.

~
First of all, Mairs is an extraordinary prose stylist. "Each life must hold one, I think: one pain that overarches and obscures all others, one haunting irreversible fault for which one can never atone." There is no other living prose writer who regularly makes me put the book down, take several deep breaths, and then gingerly pick it up again to go back and find out what hit me. This is, I suppose, what the word "breathtaking" originally meant.

Second of all, Mairs wriggles between categories with perverse delight: I'm not surprised that some reviewers here express bewilderment. She's never quite where you expect her to be. Catholic activists don't write explicitly about their own sex lives. Inspirational writers don't admit to screwing up on their child-rearing. Feminists don't point out that there was no possible way male authorities could have avoided stifling their voices while they (the feminists) were in a dysfunctional relationship with God. If you're looking for a book to pet you and sooth you and reassure you that everything you already think is exactly right, you've come to the wrong shop.

But third -- most surprising of all, given all this -- Mairs is humane, inclusive, tender, and loving. This book is about adultery. In Mair's hands, adultery becomes the paradigm for the human relationship with God: we have all been unfaithful, and we have all felt betrayed. Okay. Then what comes next? What do we do with these betrayals? How do we look at them steadily, and turn them into a deeper love and a more meaningful faith?

Painfully, that's how.

I love this book. I don't know if you will. Probably not, unless you're one of those people who has to touch paintings to feel the stipple, shut yourself in closets to see what the dark looks like, and touch ice cubes with your tongue.

Autobiographical reflections of a convert to Catholicism, about her committed struggles with marriage and with faith. ("A Catholic feminist? Dear God, couldn't I please be something else?") What I love about this and all of Nancy Mairs's books is her uncompromising honesty about the difficulties of living a human life, and the way she shows that joy and gratitude and humor can be found right in the midst of the big mess we're in. I'm on my third or fourth copy of this book because I keep giving it away. This and "Waist-High in the World" are my favorites by Mairs.

This is a very important and useful book for me. Nancy writes essays about her life from a spiritual perspective. She includes everything that is important in her life: conversion, prayer, sickness, family life, finances, the poor in spirit and health.

I was raised as a Catholic and spent 35 years away so I can relate to Nancy's comments about the difference between the church hierarchy and the people. They each have different needs and actions. I prefer the people and have learned to diminish my strong feelings of criticism of the church hierarchy so that it doesn't keep me from being one of the church people and taking care of my spiritual needs.

This is one of the most important books that I have read.

A good textbook. It has different types of examples and pictures for different types of learners.

I used Giancoli as my primary text in high school, and found it to be a superb text. I think those complaining of a lack of worked problems are missing the entire point of this text and the essence of studying physics. This book is about understanding physics principles and the equations you use to solve physics problems. You will find that with this understanding (certainly provided by this excellent text), the need for mindless ploughing through physics problems is lost. You will be able to solve physics problems on the basis of your conceptual understanding of the problems. So many students rely on rote learning and repetition by doing hundreds of questions. Sure, you might be able to attack similar problems for the next week or so, but as soon as you stop practicing, the skill is lost. True mastery of physics comes from appreciation of principles, not mere recognition of patterns in problems...this text will help you achieve such an appreciation.

The perfect book to study physics. Many pictures and great problems. It applies physics to everyday life and makes physics very interesting. A great book for all levels of study: high school, college, university, grad school, etc.

This is without a doubt the worst text book I have ever had to use. Often times when you take 100 level classes you have not been exposed to alot of text books, so one book is as good as any other. But seriously, this book sucks.

When doing kinematics I copied the problems out of the book and then used my Statics/Dynamics book (Applied Mechanics Engineering Technology 8th ed.) to solve them. When i was doing pressure and gas problems I used my old chemistry book(Chemistry: The Molecular Science) to solve them.

Why did I do this? Because Giancoli's formulas, theories and laws are buried in huge blocks of text. In the other books if I needed a formula, it was highlighted, bolded, or in it's own outlined block. Giancoli lumps problem solving and examples it into paragraph form, the other two books break the problem up and write it out in the same manner in which you would write it were you to solve the problem.

Oh, and the study guide STINKS! Don't waste your money on either book and tell your professors to get a different book too!

While I wouldn't call this a bad book, I find myself rather frustrated with it. It seems to me to be most ideally suited for those who either have a natural inclination for physics or those who have plenty of spare time in which to contemplate solutions for the problems. (Unfortunately, I have neither.) The chapters themselves are actually fairly well done, but, in my opinion, not well enough to provide all the necessary information and insights to successfully solve the problems. I've opted to discontinue my attempts to work through this book in favor of Cutnell and Johnson's text of the same title.

Having used this text for a number of years, I believe it effectively introduces students to critical thought and its application in a variety of arenas. It often does so in a humorous or otherwise entertaining manner, e.g., cartoons, spoofs, etc. Unfortunately, the one major drawback is the thinly veiled political bias, revealed through the extensive use of examples directed toward criticism of right-wing pundits, politicians, etc. A truly critical thinker will recognize that, contrary to the view expressed in one of the alternate reviews of this book, the authors clearly have an axe to grind (whether they do it consciously or unconsciously). Critical thinking should be as politically objective as possible. The purpose is to equip students with the cognitive skills to become informed and responsible citizens, employers/employees, and family members, equally able able to crique Bill Maher and Rush Limbaugh. Texts and courses that incorporate subtle political indoctrination arm the Right with justification for their claim that higher education disseminates liberal idealogy. Higher education should be as objective as possible, despite that fact that the overwhelming majority of academics identify with the Left. I am also critical of the lack of answers to exercises in the Instructor's Manual for some of the chapters, e.g. 6 and 7.

I used this book in a Philosophy class, it was horrible. The book is boring, and difficult to get through, I found it confusing and not helpful when I had questions.

I needed this book for my Critical Thinking class. I wasn't very fond of my professor but this book has made all the difference. It is extremely easy read, it's fun, entertaining, very informative, and very contemporary. It deals with the major issues of the modern era. I would recommend it to anybody because it helps extend readers thinking and perception of the world. I simply loved it. Keep in mind that the first few chapters are a little bit technical so it may seem boring at first. But don't let this scare you.

This is an excellent book, with no axe to grind--other than promoting clear thinking. It covers a lot of ground, is accessible, yet not superficial. I have used it in class for years in its various editions, and the examples, discussion, and even cartoons are always of the best quality. Students love this book, and for good reason.

I've assigned this book, in several editions, for more than twenty-five years. Which means, of course, that I've not found a better text for an introductory course in Critical Thinking. It is lucid, entertaining, and relevant to current events -- thanks to its frequent revisions. (It is now in its tenth edition).

Thankfully, Nancy Cavender has kept the text in print with new editions, following the death of Howard Kahane in 2001.

The book was in good condition and was received in less than a week. For price and shipping time I would recommend.

I was very pleased with my purchase of California Politics & Govt. The book was in great shape and was just like new. The shipping time was wonderful.

I've got the latest, sixth edition of this book, and I am very impressed. Relevant, well-organized, and very-well written, this book is a firt-rate primer for those interested in California politics. The book is written in the style I appreciate the most: to the point and matter-of-fact, without needless theorizing and editorializing.

This is not an ordinary textbook. It is not boring or pedantic. Gerston and Christensen present a fascinating panorama of California politics. The book has ten chapters, each of which contains valuable insights and interesting details. The authors completely succeeded in presenting factual information, including tables and graphs, in a way that does not overwhelm the reader or make him want to skip over these things. This masterful integration of factual information into the flow of the narrative makes the book truly enjoyable.

I have a Ph.D. in Political Science; and I rely on information from this book when I get ready to lecture on California politics in my American Government and Politics course in the college I teach. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to get acquainted with California politics. And even advanced students of the subject, will find the up-to-date information in this book a valuable tool for understanding California's politics and society. Pick up this awesome resource today.

This book will never stand on its own. It attempts to introduce far too many ideas in too few pages. It's a lot like Cliffnotes. Used alone, the reader will be left with a skeleton of concepts and ideas...

The book is a muddied introduction to the organization, history, and sociology of the state. Ideas are dumped, not explained. Half of the names appear in only one sentence. It left me unable to remember or care about some of the 50+ names. Sections are seldom coherent.

I ended up using the TOC to draw up my own organized outline. I filled in the pertinent details using wikipedia and ca.gov. And I paid attention to the newspaper. It worked much better.

this book is very very good

An excellent book. Comes highly recommended. However, I recomend reading the book Zhuan Falun first. I have read this many many times and each time I read it I find more inner meaning. Excellent!

This book is a lecture of Mr. Li Hongzhi in United States. It's particulaly lectured towards the people, most of them are Chinese people in America. This book is very profound, further the explanation of Falun Dafa principles in the book "Zhuan Falun". For Falun Dafa practitioners, this is a book which could help a lot and explain the common questions that a people with high academic degree may have.

This book is composed of several sections, including the lectures of Mr. Li in New York and San Francisco. It also includes some questions and answers that the practitioners put forward in the last section of the series of lectures. Particularly, this book gives a very detailed description on the composation of the universe and is very helpful to expand a practitioner's capability.

I read it for over ten times and benefit a lot every time I read it. I seriously and strongly recommend this book to people who is interested in Falun Gong.

this book is very very bad

lies, all lies

manipulative, deceiving, evil

I needed this book for a class, so I'm not sure of how it compares with similar books. It provides a good overview of the considerations one would need to make when starting a business. I'll keep this book on the shelves, even after I finish the class.

This book provides a good research methodology which covers the
essential elements of starting and operating a small business
from scratch. The author covers the operational and legal issues
in clear English. There are references to another work entitled
"Businesses You Can Start Almanac by Adams". Typical new businesses cited by the Adams work are:

- Traffic Control consultants
- Therapeutics
- Technical writers who translate legalese or computerese into
understandable English
- Personalized Child Books
- Systems Integration
- Time Management Training
- Corporate Training
- Nutrition Consultant
- Standardized Test Preparation
- Manufacturers Reps
- Mystery Shoppers
- Freelance Writers
- Government Contract Consulting
- Efficiency Experts
- Outdoor Adventures
- Noise Control via Dosimeters
- Herbal Products Distributors
- Greeting Card Senders
- Graphic Designers and a plethora of others

The book is a good reference guide for anyone contemplating the
start of a small business.

Now in a completely updated and expanded fourth edition, Steps To Small Business Start-Up: Everything You Need to Know to Turn Your Idea into a Successful Business continues to be an excellent and comprehensive "how to" guide for aspiring entrepreneurs needing to learn and implement proven step-by-step methods for launching their new business. All of the mechanics for starting up a business are included from choosing the business that best suites you, to using technology to advantage, to researching the market for profitable customers, to protecting your business via copyrights, trademarks, patents, and proper insurance. Also covered are such vital elements as staying legal with appropriate permits and all the financial issues from bank accounts to cash flow to keeping adequate financial records. Each chapter includes information on how to best utilize technology (including the Internet). Steps To Small Business Start-Up is further enhanced with the inclusion of forms, worksheets, samples, and examples. If you are thinking of beginning your own business, home-based or otherwise, begin with a thorough reading of Linda Pinson and Jerry Jinnett's Steps To Small Business Start-Up.

This book was very dry. If you already have a business in mind and are ready to start it;this book may give you some ideas. It is a good book, but if you are still in the concept stage contact SBAonline.org or look for another.