GB Books

Hidden Minds is a history of the unconscious offering the non-specialist general reader with a fine synthesis which argues that the unconscious is one of the three big ideas of modern science. It may have lost favor recently, but new research in neuroscience and psychology has supported not only the concept of the unconscious mind, but identified its importance in psychology and the arts. The history of efforts to identify and classify the unconscious mind makes for an involving account.

I read this book on a whim - it looked interesting in the new books area of the local public library - and was enthralled. Tallis begins with the Locke/Leibniz disputes of the 18th century and moves to the present. I especially appreciated the attention he gave to Romanticism's views of the unconscious - I had ascribed much to Jung that actually began long before Analytical Psychology - and the career of Janet, whose immense contributions to the concept of the Unconscious have been undervalued as Freud got most of the attention. I enjoyed Tallis' observation that Jung's final personal apotheosis into something like the Wise Old man was the kind of inflation that he tried to cure patients of! All in all, I would heartily recommend this book to anyone wanting an overview of concepts of the Unconscious- it's only deficiency is that it's too short - less than 200 pages, but packed with information, analysis and human insight.

Frank Tillis has done a noble job of showing just how important the idea of the unconscious has been in philosophy and science since the time of Plato. He traces its articulation through Romanticism, psychoanalysis, information theory, computer modeling, cognitive and perceptual studies, and neuroscience. Not only has he got it right, but he shows that at least some aspects of Freud's work have been vindicated by the seemingly contrary empirical approaches of the latter half of the twentieth century. Of course, the term "empirical" is a loaded one, and its authoritative presence is often invoked without deep philosophic reflection. For example, why is a phenomenological analysis of dream material less empirical than a study of the delay response between a brain stimulation and a conscious correlary to that stimulation? Or why is a reductive information model more empirical than one that deals with archetypal formations within the unconscious? Tallis seems to assume an implicit (and narrow) understanding of conceptual and experiental warrant (i.e., the empirical) that philosophically reduces the self to a passing cluster of febrile forms of consciousness that quickly return to the dark origin from which they have come. Specifically, in his conclusion to the book he quickly dismisses quantum theory and its evocation of non-located consciousness as entailing a reductio ad infinitutum that posits something analogous to a conscious homunculus within the brain that stands behind the curtain generating macro-consciousness. Further, he argues that neuroscience and the Buddhist doctrine of an-atman (no self) are conceptually isomorphic. But what about a Hindu notion of atman (infinite self) in its stead, which could really explain the out of the body experiences he mentions? In fact, it may well be the case that quantum theories of consciousness can only work on a Hindu model of the infinite realm and scope of consciousness within and without the finite self. And what about the correlation of the unconscious and telepathy (fairly well documented)? I do strongly agree with Tallis on his call for a unified theory of the correlation between consciousness and the unconscious, although it will most likely come from philosophy rather than the conjunction of dynamic psychology and neuroscience. And I further agree that the evidence for the unconscious is so overwhelming that it has the same status as the evidence for evolution. If fact, evolutionary psychology, which he describes very well, is one place where we can expect great advances (in spite of some crucial gender issues that must be dealt with). My suspicion is that the unconscious is much bigger than Tallis believes, and that the prospects of consciousness are less confined than he asserts. His constricted view is seen, for example, in his slightly distorted understanding of Jung's probes into the unconscious. Specifically, he accuses Jung of being a victim of psychic inflation rather than being a thinker who actually probed its power and worked through and out of it. His total neglect of Wilhelm Reich is even more astonishing insofar as Reich is the one psychoanalyst who really did attempt a unified theory around energy dynamics and sexuality, thus, in many respects, outdistancing Freud. But these comments are somewhat minor irritations on my part. Tallis is a fine writer and every sentence is lucid and well crafted. His rich historical and conceptual knowledege has really nailed home the argument that the unconscious is here to stay. I would urge psychologists, neuroscientists, and philosophers to take this book to heart and gain some perspective on the depths of the self that are so often ignored, repressed, or denied.

I am now a true fan of True Kelley, author and illustrator of "Pablo Picasso: Breaking All the Rules." Instead of presenting information about Picasso--his life and works--she gives the reader/viewer a new way of looking at art. This book is written as a school project/report by a student.

Simon Packard is a student in Ms. Brandt's class, whose letter opens this book. The unit on famous artists is almost over and the students now must close the unit with a report on their assigned artist. Simon's twin brother chose Monet, Simon chose Picasso because his parents LOVE his art and have books and prints in every room in the house.

What a clever way to present the life and art of Pablo Picasso--through the eyes and pen of a student (whose age or grade is not disclosed). The book is his report/project, making this (to me) a definite plus in acquiring not only this book, but also all the other books in this series Smart About Art.

Whether you like or dislike Picasso's art will become irrelevant. What this book presents is a real feel for the man and his art and how and why the two developed. The book is a combination of narrative and art, plus the student/writer's evaluation of the two as the narrative unfolds. For example, Simon presents the Blue Period, a reason for it, and his own reaction through his painting of his cat who died (a "blue" painting).

One of my favorite sections was a two-page history of Picasso's wives and girlfriends simply presented with no ugly history. Another favorite is the next to last page. Simon tells how old Picasso was when he died (91) and how many works of art he created (over 50,000). But the stand-out is Simon's illustrating showing Picasso leaping through the air singing "To draw you must close your eyes and sing." Whether Picasso actually said this or Simon created it, this sentence wonderfully summarizes Picasso's modus operandi.

This is a book definitely worth adding to a school or public library for children, probably for ages 9-13.

There is a student in my school in the fourth grade who loves Picasso. His teacher made a display of some artwork concluding a Native American unit. Each child created a cactus with flowers. Thomas's was distorted. I told him his cactus looked like Cubism. His reply blew me away: "That's what it is supposed to be." I have been giving him books on artists since then (I'm the librarian). Wow! Like Simon's "art report" on Picasso, one never knows what students are capable of until they do it!

This book is great for an adult trying to understand Picasso's art from a child's perspective. It does not try to be esoteric but instead keeps things simple which was helpful to me as I prepared for a discussion on Picasso with elementary school students.

This book was a great resource - I had to do an Exploring Arts project on Picasso for both a 3rd grade class and a 1st grade class. I was able to read this book to the 3rd grade class with omitting 4 - 5 pages, but it was definitely not appropriate for 1st graders. During the blue period section, it says that Picasso was depressed because his best friend committed suicide and that Picasso had used (and I quote) "tramps and drunks" as his subjects! It also has a few too many visuals that are better left to older eyes. That being said, it did have some great facts that I hadn't seen anywhere else and the Children REALLY liked this book.

Hi my name is Jill and I read the book Sacajawea; Her True story by Joyce Milton.. The book was great. It is geared toward first through third grade reading levels, but it is a good read aloud for up to fourth grade. The pictures are very colorful and vivid and the text is simple and easy to understand. The book chronicles the important events of Sacajawea's life, beginning with her childhood. The book also includes maps and symbols that are helpful for additional understanding. I would recommend this book to all primary students who are learning about Sacajawea and/or Lewis and Clark.

The students in my reading classes are very interested in biographies, especially biographies of famous woment. Sacagawea caught their interest earlier this year, and we have been searching for more books about her. This one is popular with my readers.

My 5-year-old daughter received this one during the holidays. Although recommended for grades 1-3, my preschooler absolutely loves this book.

My daughter will shyly ask me to read to her and then she will pull this book out from behind her back. It is her current favorite.

My daughter seems to really enjoy books about real people (Laura Engels, Balto, etc.). She particularly likes Sacajawea's son Pomp (he always gets to ride).

She has no trouble with words or names (there are pronunciation guides for Native American names) and she has a very good grasp of the story.

As this is intended for young readers, the story is rather short and simple but gives a good broad look at the whole story. As an adult who has had to read this book dozens of times I also find it enjoyable.

My son is 5 and loves this book, the illustrations are fantastic and it is a nice change from actual photos of snakes. That said, within a few days the pages began to come out of the binding and I had to tape the pages together. My son doesn't care, but to me it is a sign of a cheap, poor-quality binding. I would have returned it if he didn't like the book so much.

My 5 year old son absolutely adores this book. The pictures are terrific and it had a few of the Cobras which are his favorites. It is also filled with very good information on a large variety of snakes. I think any child interested in snakes should take a look at this one. I plan to purchase more of Seymour Simon's books.

Very well presented book, with good quality photos and its very informative about all the aspects of snake life : reproduction and evolution of a snake is all covered here. Very good book for snake lovers or just someone that is curious about snakes.

Yes I love the book because it was more than one story. There were about 36 stories in all, not just one big one. They were more of Halloween stories but they were all good for any time. I had 2 I really loved that I want to tell you about. One of the stories was the "Golden Arm." She loved it so much that she told her husband that when she died she wanted to be buried with it. But the husband was thinking what he could do with all that gold.
I thing I said just enough but you should read the rest.
I would think if you liked to read not too scary books then this is the book for you. It's not too scary, but it is funny.

One of the only books at a library I would indeed read when checked out I had to find it again. I paid a pretty penny for it but well worth it. Had to share it with my daughter. I love ghost stories and so does she. The thing at the foot of the bed is hilarious if told right. The milk bottles is sad and a sweet and true story along with the hitchhiker. Read them and then read them again. It's hard to grow tired of such good writing.

I had this book as a kid and have always remembered it. I read it over and over again. The stories are still vivid in my mind as are the ghost tips at the end, such as when a dog or cat is staring at something, and you can't see anything. It is probably a ghost and if you look between their ears, you'll see the ghost, too.
The book "disappeared" from my parent's home years ago. It would be fun to read it again after all of these years. Best ghost story book ever.

Purchased this book for my granddaughter for Christmas. She was very pleased. Thanks.

I bought this book to read to my Kindergarten class. The book provides information on several different tribes and their culture. Although I found it to be a bit "wordy" for 5-year-olds, I showed the interesting and colorful illustrations and summarized the parts I felt they needed to know. Overall, a good teaching resource and I will use it again.

This book is WONDERFUL for showing children (and adults) that there were different types of Native Americans...with different homes, food, customs, etc... No more, "everyone lived in a teepee" Great way to link geography to social studies. Simple enough to read alone (for 3rd-5th)but better if EXPLAINED along the way, using a map and looking at natural resources. I have used this book for YEARS in my classroom, and it always amazes the kids.

Well written, organized, easy to read, brief, and engaging overview of Uganda: the geography, history, politics, people. Lots of photos.
I recommend it for those who want an overview of the country.

This is a good Oxfam publication. It was fairly concise and informative. I was, however, let down by its short length. Another 100 pages would have been nice.

This Oxfam Country Profile is the most up-to-date overview of contempory Uganda that is currently available. Mr. Leggett has written an objective narrative that covers the major issues facing Ugandans today--education, health, politics, regional conflict, and the economy. Also included are a brief history, current statistics, and additional references. Written with compassion but without sentimentality, the material is presented both from a general perspective and as seen through the eyes of individual Ugandans. The book is profusely illustrated with high-quality photographs. Affordable, essential reading for those planning to travel to Uganda, or for anyone with an interest in the country and its people.

Lebanon has been an arena of struggles among the United States, Russia, Syria, Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the Palestinians, etc. Books have focused on these struggles so often that observers and readers fail to recognize the important role played by the Lebanese elites themselves in the affairs of their own country. Dr. Dib captured the essence of Lebanon's own warlords and merchants who cater to the political class regardless whether policies or activities are in the best interest of their country or not. This seminal work covers and analyzes Lebanon from 1900 to 2003. The Arabic edition published in Beirut is now a best seller and comes under the title "Umaraa al-Harb wa tujjar al-haikal". This book is important for university students, researchers and policy makers.

I was looking for the most recent account of the events of Lebanon with a socio-economic background and a historical overview. The book by Dr Kamal Dib was the answer for my search. It is 350 pages long with statistical annexes and an index of keywords. It covers a rarely visited angle of Lebanese politics and economics: the families and warlords who rule the country and prevent attempts to modernize the state and reflect the wishes of the highly educated population. Lebanon has seen it all: wars, assissinations, corruption, political turmoil, and massacres. yet its reslilience is demonstrated in the miracle rise of Beirut from the ashes in 1990 and the subsequent reconstruction and development. Dib's book is never boring, filled with anecdotes yet academic and factual. I would recommend it to university students, academics, business people and policy makers in government and in think-tanks.

As Marius Deeb from Johns Hopkins University wrote, Dib, an economist by profession, has written an interesting book, especially with respect to the economy and business practices of Lebanese merchants and bankers. The author's survey of how the Lebanese banking sector emerged from the 1940s onwards is outstanding. The role of the powerful Intra Bank in the Lebanese banking sector and the financial crisis that engulfed it in 1966 are fully covered. Dib claims that the Lebanese political establishment plotted against Intra Bank, which had become by then the largest bank in Lebanon (with assets and reserves amounting to 56 percent of that of the whole Lebanese banking system's total) because it was predominantly owned and run by Christian Palestinians.

Despite the Intra Bank crisis, Lebanon's economic golden age continued until 1974. The lira, its mighty national currency, survived the first decade of the war in Lebanon and collapsed only in 1985. The author traces the destruction of the Lebanese economy as a result of the wars that overwhelmed Lebanon from 1975 until 1990. He also provides a very useful statistical appendix.

The political dimension of this book leaves much to be desired, however, as Dib either misinterprets events or simply omits them. He fails to explain the reasons for the fall of the Lebanese currency, in particular the political factors. He has no clue why battles raged between the various factions nor why leading politicians and major religious figures were assassinated. Finally, he hardly mentions that the Assad regime in Syria waged its terrorist war against the Lebanese polity for three decades.

If I was looking for information on shoes and knife sheaths and scabbards from these finds, this is the book I'd want. It's amazingly complete in that regard.

Unfortunately, I'm looking for information on girdle pouches and bags, which is not really present here.

I may keep this book in case I develop an interest in making period footwear (there's even a fold-out timeline of what sort of shoes was found where and from what time period!), but I may sell it on to someone who wants it more than me, too.

This is a really excellent compliment to the medieval London excavation books. However, It gives a much more rounded impression of the leatherworking industry, including tanning, tools, and peripheral industries revolving around leather. For people trying to understand the industry of Medieval England and indeed most of continental Europe, as well as those who want a glimpse into the daily life of a medieval European, this book gives a great deal of bits and pieces that allow one to come away with a much fuller understanding of the structure of medieval society.

What does it take to be an executioner? What kind of man must one be in order to push the lever and "drop" a man or woman into the hereafter? After thoroughly reading through this book three times, I still cannot answer that question. I have privately wondered if I had been born in similar or identicle circumstances during the same era, could I have performed the job. In all honest, I cannot answer that question either, despite my hardcore opposition to capital punishment.

"Executioner, Pierrepoint" is the life story of Britain's last Chief Executioner, written by Pierrepoint himself and revealing, perhaps for the first time, the secrets of the gallows in Great Britain. Whether you are good, bad or indifferent on the issue of capital punishment, "Executioner, Pierrepoint" is a very good read, if you can get past Mr. Pierrpoints very "British" style of writing. The slang terms, and phrases that he uses struck me as being very common to what one would expect to hear in Great Britain during the first half of the twentieth century. I could almost hear in my mind his accent coming off the pages. His autobiography was well written and he did a good job of leading me through his life story beginning as a child in World War I, the turbulence of World War II, the changes in public perception about capital punishment in Britain during the 1950's, and ending with his retirement in the late 1950's all without boring me in the slightest. In fact I found it difficult to put the book down.

I would definitly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about history or penology. I believe that you will find it as informative as I did.

A truthful, direct, plain-spoken autobiography. Albert had been born into the business - both his father and his uncle had the job, if you can call it that. At the start of the 20th century the job was done by part-timers & freelancers who had other day jobs or small businesses. A hangman might get a couple of hangings a month, traveling to various prisons across UK to kill condemned prisoners. For Albert, growing up poor in rural Yorkshire, the job offered an apportunity to travel, plus he really wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. Albert never thought much about moral/ethical/humanistic issues - he let the judges and the juries think about those weighty matters. Instead he threw himself into becoming the best craftsman he could be. Since hangings were customarily performed at 8 am, he perfected his technique to such an extent that entering a condemned prisoner's cell as the prison clock struck for the first time, he'd have a body dangling from a perfectly still rope by the time the clock struck for the 8th time. In the end Albert came to believe that capital punishment was no deterrent but only satisfied society's need for revenge. A gripping read to the last drop.