Customer Reviews (1)

Hmmmm
My original review was based on the fact that they had some reviews of a Bill Clinton book.I haven't read this one, but it looks like it should be pretty good.Can't get enough Bucky! ... Read more

Product Description
The attempt to identify the emotional sources of religion goes back to antiquity. In an exploration that bridges science and spirituality, Robert Fuller makes the convincing case that a sense of wonder is a principal source of humanity's belief in the existence of an unseen order of life. Like no other emotion, Fuller argues, wonder prompts us to pause, admire, and open our hearts and minds.

With a voice that seamlessly blends the scientific and the contemplative, Fuller defines wonder in keeping with the tradition of Socrates - as an emotion related to curiosity and awe that stimulates engagement with the immediate physical world. He draws on the natural and social sciences to explain how wonder can, at the same time, elicit belief in the existence of a more-than-physical reality. Chapters examining emotions in evolutionary biology and the importance of wonder in human cognitive development alternate with chapters on John Muir, William James, and Rachel Carson, whom Fuller identifies as "exemplars of wonder." The writings and lives of these individuals express a functional side of emotion: that the very survival of life on earth today may depend on the empathy, compassion, and care that are aroused by a sense of wonder.

Forging new pathways between the social sciences, philosophy, and cultural history, Wonder deepens our understanding of the complex sources of personal spirituality and fulfillment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An opportunity to experience wonder

Just like Heidegger when he proposes that at the beginning of the Greek philosophy the fundamental emotional state was wonder, and that in the modern culture the ruling mood is alarm. The multidisciplinary development that Robert Fuller shows in his book "Wonder" turns out to be an invitation to think about why we have lost the capacity to wonder.While our mood allows it, every minute in our daily routine could be an opportunity to experience wonder.
... Read more

Product Description

When discrimination is race-based, we call it racism; when it's gender-based, we call it sexism. Somebodies and Nobodies introduces rank-based discrimination-or "rankism"-a form of injustice that everyone knows, but no one sees. It explains our reluctance to confront rankism, shows where analyses based on identity fall short and, using dozens of examples, traces many forms of injustice and unfairness to rankism.

". . . a wonderful and tremendously important book on the 'ism' that is far more encompassing than racism, sexism or ageism. 'Rankism' must be our prime target from now on in. Viva Fuller!"-Studs Terkel, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Working

Robert Fuller served as president of Oberlin College and subsequently worked internationally as a "citizen diplomat." He lives in Berkeley, California.

Customer Reviews (32)

For Well-rounded Reading
Always good to find a book that points how the powers that be abuse that power. Good information and worth your while to read it. But as Publishers Weekly points out "the book falls short of providing enough concrete steps on how to fight this abuse, including only two brief chapters." That said I added to my knowledge of bad boss abuse and ways to handle it by reading Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job. It is easy to read and amusing. Great to have both books in one's library.

bleh
This is what feminists and civil rights activists have been arguing for over a century... just re-phrased by an upper-class white male - how typical!

Thank God I've got a name for "IT!"
Fuller contends that the underlying cause of discrimination of any kind (race, gender, age, etc.) is "rankism." If we view males as superior to females, then the rock-bottom, fundamental problem is that we've "pulled rank," we've over-valued males and/or under-valued females. Gender bias is the inexcusable symptom, but there's a deeper problem. We've failed to acknowledge and practice that all humans have equal dignity.

Rank is inevitable in organizations as we differentiate by function and role. Rank is neutral. However, "rankism" raises its ugly head when rank, using the power linked to it, is abused.

We're often oblivious to the abuse of rank. It's the way things are. We're used to those in power being oppressive, or, maybe, we're in charge.In "Seeing Systems," author Barry Oshry describes the predictable experiences of a customer as one of being ignored and the "Bottoms" of the organization as vulnerable and disregarded. After Fuller left posts of college president and physics professor, THEN he felt its full effect.

In my mind, rankism hurts twice. It's a direct attack on the dignity of each person and it robs the organization of the gifts people offer while being discounted.

--Jack H. Bender, author of Disregarded: Transforming the School and Workplace through Deep Respect and Courage

A solution for Abuse of Rank
Fuller has captured one of the most neglected areas of abuse in our day to day life: pulling rank.As Fuller unfolds, every human being at some point in their day or week will use power through their rank or status to get what they want.Fuller exposes this use of rank or status and calls us to live with dignity and respect for all people we encounter, no matter their life status.The final section on dignity and respect are useful in how we might remedy intolerance in today's world.While at times redundant in thought and presentation, the book is important for guiding the reader into a journey of honesty and self awareness of abusing power and status.

Loss of Human Dignity Revealed Through Rankism
Short on pages but long on words, this book focuses well on one topic only:power and its abuse through rankism, with the consequent loss of human dignity.It uses, however, an Emersonian-resounding, high-flown pretty rhetoric throughout that, practically speaking, and particularly in the two-term Scourge of the Bush Regime, can ring fairly hollow at times:

"The nations that are most successful in removing rankism . . . will lead in the next [century]."(Page 11).

Are we avoiding speaking about China?It has a great human rights policy, doesn't it?!

". . . we now expect leaders to facilitate and improve our lives, and they themselves speak of being 'hired' or 'fired' by their constituents."(Page 94).

Oh, really?Has anyone heard lately of George W. Bush, Condoleeza Rice, Dick Cheney, Nancy Pelosi spouting off their doubts before the public about their being re-elected?How about Diane Feinstein?Who really has heard any politician talking about being fired by the constituents?What exactly happened with the lives involved in Katrina?

What the book does well, and potently, is make the reader aware of the insults to the individual's dignity occurring on all levels -- and in all classes -- of society, including the family, the workplace, the school or college, the community, the world.

By so doing, the author empowers the reader to redress demeaning speech and actions by others of rank, no matter where it occurs -- and much better than the authors of "Work Abuse" did to empower its readers.

("Work Abuse" is one of the reference books listed at the back of the book in a separate chapter titled "Related Readings," and while it was one of the first books ever to discuss abuse in the workplace, it cannot hold a candle to Robert W. Fuller's more comprehensive, more inclusive, and more insightful approach.)

Having said this, and while I agree with the author that all "ranks, like all races, are worthy of equal dignity" (page 8), the subject of rankism and its relation to the loss of dignity brought me to wonder what can be done for persons who have lost their dignity by selling it for material wealth, for persons who have thrown their dignity away through sloth, destructive drug-consumption, by being unmedicated schizophrenic paranoids, or who are bereft of it through helplessness.

Robert W. Fuller's work doesn't concern itself with these variations on the theme of the loss of human dignity.

This work is entirely an anthem to the inestimable value of human dignity everywhere. I am wholly grateful for his efforts.Robert W. Fuller increased my knowledge and self-awareness immensely by following the permutations on the topic he unmasked through his laser-like focus.
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Customer Reviews (1)

book from my past
The item is in very good condition (just as advertised ) and was delivered promptly . Thanks . ... Read more

Product Description
Nearly 40% of all Americans have no connection with organized religion. Yet many of these people, even though they might never step inside a house of worship, live profoundly spiritual lives. But what is the nature and value of unchurched spirituality in America? Is it a recent phenomenon, a New Age fad that will soon fade, or a long-standing and essential aspect of the American experience?
In Spiritual But Not Religious, Robert Fuller offers fascinating answers to these questions. He shows that alternative spiritual practices have a long and rich history in America, dating back to the colonial period, when church membership rarely exceeded 17% and interest in astrology, numerology, magic, and witchcraft ran high. Fuller traces such unchurched traditions into the mid-nineteenth century, when Americans responded enthusiastically to new philosophies such as Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, and mesmerism, right up to the current interest in meditation, channeling, divination, and a host of other unconventional spiritual practices. Throughout, Fuller argues that far from the flighty and narcissistic dilettantes they are often made out to be, unchurched spiritual seekers embrace a mature and dynamic set of basic beliefs. They focus on inner sources of spirituality and on this world rather than the afterlife; they believe in the accessibility of God and in the mind's untapped powers; they see a fundamental unity between science and religion and an equality between genders and races; and they are more willing to test their beliefs and change them when they prove untenable.
Timely, sweeping in its scope, and informed by a clear historical understanding, Spiritual But Not Religious offers fresh perspective on the growing numbers of Americans who find their spirituality outside the church. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Finally an inclusive spiritual history of the US
The book was my introduction to the research and thinking of Robert C. Fuller.The confident and competent scholarly writing was very helpful to my research as a clergy seeking an advanced seminary degree.Being an unaffiliated clergy, I seek to have interfaith organizations acknowledge the "unchurched" as part of the total spiritual population.It was refreshing to read a book at last, that seems to also count the unchurched, one written with scholarship, clarity and neutrality. The author has consummate knowledge of his topic, yet writes with the requisite emotional distance few religious scholars enjoy.I believe this book could figure prominently in any seminary program which investigates the spiritual and religious history of America without judgment of each unchurched school of spirituality.Non clergy who lead a spiritually independent (unchurched or nearly unchurched) life, would benefit from reading about the extraordinary and often unsung clergy and spiritually gifted who have added so much to the spiritual landscape of America since colonial times.

I couldn't put it down!
It may be difficult to believe that "I couldn't put it down" would be a description for a reader's reaction to a book of this genre, but it certainly was mine!I even found myself flipping to the references every page to something.I read it for personal interest, but started taking notes for better retention, and ended up with almost 20 pages of notes.I will read it again, and probably also buy other books by Mr. Fuller on this subject. Bravo!

A Primer in Understanding the Spiritual, but Not Religious.
Robert C. Fuller, a professor of Religious Studies, says "The United States is arguably the most religious nation on earth."He offers a myriad of statistics to cement the aforementioned notion.The meticulously researched book focuses on about 20% of the American population who are "Spiritual, but not Religious."Fuller states his purpose "is to explore the history and present status of unchurched religion in the United States."

Fuller delves headlong into the Herculean task by elucidating the late 1600s and forward into the 21st century. Our modern times are exposed in the humorously titled chapter, "Barnes and Noble as Synagogue."An enormous amount of information is disseminated.At times it feels like one is reading a textbook for a religion class.However, a history of the seeker is clearly expounded.

William James (1842-1910), the "highbrow intellectual," personifies the seeker.He receives the most coverage, but Fuller covers numerous individuals and topics efficiently, e.g., mesmerism, Edgar Cayce, New Age movement and Swedenborgianism. Fuller explains why spiritualism is appealing to those who "decided that existing churches were both emotionally and intellectually stifling."This book is only a start for anyone who wants to truly understand the emerging complex group labeled, "Spiritual, but not Religious." Nonetheless, a thorough, historical overview of unchurched America is presented.

Bohdan Kot

"American Spiritual Metaphysics" - a historical primer
Robert Fuller's volume on being "Spiritual, but not Religious" should really be called 'Towards a History of American Spiritual Metaphysics.' Writing for an informed but not always scholarly audience, Fuller's book is a work of synthesis. By its own admission it adds nothing substantial to the specific phenomena discussed, but performs a much more valuable function. For what is perhaps the first time, a religious historian has done for American Metaphysics and Spirituality what Jocelyn Godwin did for English-speaking esoteric world (in "The Theosophical Enlightenment.")

Fuller traces the beginnings of unchurched spirituality, and brings to a more popular light what early American religion scholars have known for some time, that despite much hot air to the contrary, early America had a very low church attendance, down to 1/6th of the population around the Revolutionary War. Instead, non-ecclesial forms of spirituality and religious magic, the heritage of Elizabethan occultism, filled much of the practical religious void left by a distant, judgmental Calvinist god. But even at this early stage, Fuller (citing Perry Miller) uncovers that there is a link to immanence and pantheism found even as early as Jonathan Edwards, and finding fruition in a series of religious awakenings, in the early 1800's, after the Civil War through the early part of the 20th century, and in the years from 1960-1975. We see American Swedenborgianism, Transcendentalism, Mesmerism, and Spiritualism linked in a history of religious themes and impulses. We even see both the well-known technical side of Spiritualism, and the lesser known but just-as-vital speculative side, with the writings of Andrew Jackson Davis. Connecting these impulses to the development of Emersonian pantheism, Theosophical esotericism, and the development of Humanistic Psychology in William James, Ken Wilbur, and Carl Rogers, we begin to get a sense of the multi-threaded history of non-ecclesial religion that has grown up alongside more widely acknowledged institutions.

If there is a weakness to Fuller's work it is that the writing is at times not consistent, and well-made points are sometimes re-emphasized redundantly across chapters. As well, the contributions of Amerindian and African/African-American spirituality are mostly absent, although receiving occasional nods. But overall, this pioneering effort deserves high marks for its (extremely overdue) daringness to discuss contemporary Paganism and Goddess worship in the same vein and impulse as Ralph Waldo Emerson's forays, and James' emphasis on personal experience. The price and effort of the volume alone are rewarded by a single chapter, which attempts to draw cross-era generalities between these metaphysical non-ecclesial forms of religion. And for Fuller's concise and consistent rebuke of Robert Wuthnow's, Sydney Ahlstrom's, and Robert Bellah's heavy-handed and opportunistic criticisms of this ongoing, vital, and enduring tradition, he earns praise. This places him more in line with perhaps the other scholar of his stature studying this tradition, Robert Ellwood.

Christopher Chase, PhD Fellow, American Studies

Do Americans Still Believe in Religion?
Quite frequently, when someone talks about religious life in America, it is common to hear news that sounds somewhat negative. "America is not quite as religious as was in the past", experts say. "They don't have the commitment to religious places of worship like they once did and they don't follow the strict moral code of their ancestors".

Author Robert Fuller is a professor of Religious Studies at Bradley University and he has studied extensively about this "flight" away from traditional religion. But what Fuller has found is that Americans are still believers in a higher being and they still consider themselves moral beings. The difference between now and then is that today, Americans tend to express their religious feelings in a more inward way, and they don't participate actively in organized religion. This is the new face of religion in America, and it is examined in this book, "Spiritual, but not Religious: Understanding unchurched America".

Fuller points out some revealing statistics that shows the movement of Americans away from tradition houses of worship and over to a more personal relationship with God. Americans don't like the standardized formula that is so prevalent in most churches. They want to express themselves in their own, unique way. And they want to rely more on the power of their own minds to get in touch with spiritual feelings.

Fuller writes mostly about the history of spirituality in America and the trends of the past two centuries that have gotten us where we are today. He doesn't dwell much on the present state of spirituality and why Americans are increasingly attracted to this as an alternative to traditional religion. This is one of the drawbacks of the book, in my opinion. It's good to know about the history and how we got where we are. But I would like to know more about the present- day spiritualists and why they feel so strongly about their mode of practice.

Fuller presents some good, thought- provoking material on the history of spirituality in America and what we can expect in the future. The nation is becoming more and more diverse all the time, and that includes diversity in religious beliefs as well as in cultural backgrounds. Churches will need to find more and more ways to accommodate these "drifters" who prefer their own method of religious practice to that of customary churches. If churches ignore this, Fuller predicts that they will continue to lose more and more members. Something must be done if American churches hope to grow and thrive in the new century. ... Read more

Product Description
Robert Fuller’s bestseller Somebodies and Nobodies diagnosed and named the malady of rankism — "what somebodies may do to nobodies."In this sequel, he further explores the social and psychological costs of this problem and counters it with the vision of a "dignitarian" society. Drawing on his experiences as a scientist, college president, and public diplomat, Fuller identifies rankism as the chief obstacle to achieving the American vision of liberty and justice for all — and he spells out the steps required to eradicate it. Beginning with a call to action, the author exposes what is at stake by demonstrating rankism’s poisonous presence in politics, business, and even personal relationships. By way of solutions, he offers alternative dignitarian models for several fundamental parts of society, including education, healthcare, politics, and religion. All Rise illuminates the subtle, often dysfunctional workings of power in all our interactions, and shows why change is not only desirable…but vital. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

All Rise Book Review
When I received the book and started reading, I could not believe it is real. It had answers for questions that have made my life miserable for many, many years and I couldn't figure out what was happening.
Coming from Europe I took people's comments at face value, and I was trying to understand where the cultural differences are not bridged to allow the unspoken misunderstandings creep in my social and professional life, and tear me down.
I did not see the whole picture until I had the rankism concept presented, with all its nuances and depths.
It was only then that the social dynamics behind rankism surfaced behind the cruelties and setbacks. The most important thing was that it didn't happen only to me because my English is not perfect, not because I am speaking several languages and that looks suspicious to some, not because I am a woman working in a man's field.
I am very grateful this book was written, and I feel very fortunate to have it.

A great "-ism" but a shallow book
People often seem to have a tendency to take the established conceptions and authorities for granted. But currently the absolute authority of the few "somebodies" higher in rank is only leading us to a DEAD end. In the long run, it can be dangerous for one to take anything as the final, unquestioned truth.

The term "rankism" means basically the unmindful use of the power attached to a permanent rank. And as a concept it is great, but in my opinion this book is providing only shallow critique. And honestly, I didn't like the political views in this book. What the author of this book provides here is really only the "-ism," and nothing else.

Manfiesto for Transpartisan Democracy and Moral Capitalism
Over the many years, roughly 3,000 books of which 850+ have been reviewed here at Amazon, with a few exceptions all of the authors at the top of their game, I have never encountered a book quite so straight-forward or quite so vital to our future.At 54, I simply did not understand the fundamentals of "all men are created equal" until this author pointed me to the one word I was missing: "dignity."

This book is nothing less than revolutionary, nothing less than the manifesto for the new politics of transpartisanship and being developed by Don Beck and Jim Turner and Reuniting America (80 million strong and growing).

At the very highest level, the author suggests that "rankism" or the abuse of rank, not to be confused with the proper use of rank and authority for the good of the group, is an umbrella term that encompasses racism, sexism, fascism, and even (I add) fundamentalism that excludes "the others" and offers an almost cult-like sense of belonging to the "initiated."We are all in this together, and with one word, DIGNITY, the author has completely shredded all excuses for abusing others, and opened the door for a new politics of one for all and all for one.The Republican and Democratic parties are, in my personal view, toast.Not their individual candidates, mind you, but the two parties, both of which violated their Article 1 responsibilities for keeping the White House in check, both of which have treated "the other" party as the enemy, with arrests, venomous attacks, slander, and other monstrous behavior.

Norman Cousins and his book, "The Pathology of Power" is still the best all-around dissection of the corrupt nature of unchecked power, but this book is in my view the single best lifeline for those who would seek to embrace bottom-up power, the power of the We, the Us, the collective intelligence of everyone from janitor to Epoch B swarm leader.

As an intelligence professional, and as an estranged moderate Republican who did what he could to oppose the war on Iraq based on lies from Dick Cheney and Paul Wolfowitz, I found the author to be utterly compelling and relevant when he reviewed how rankism silences or ignores dissent, and consequently leads to disaster.His examples are brilliant, from the shuttle disasters to nuclear power plant short-cuts that have almost led to Chernobyl-level melt-downs in the USA.

Bottom line: the dignitarian approach dramatically increases the chances that we will get a particular policy or budget or process RIGHT.

The author teaches us that insulting behavior from above is a precursor to exclusion, abuse, and I would add, genocide--see the work of Dr. Greg Stanton on the web.Isolating any one group is the first step in making them "sub-human" and thus acceptable as targets for mass murder.

I worked hard in the 1980's to shift the US Government away from its focus on military hardware geared to the Soviets and Chinese, and toward what General Al Gray, then Commandant of the Marine Corps, called "peaceful preventive measures."I am warmed and impressed as this author makes the point that "dignity for all" is the ONLY "pre-emptive" strategy that will work both at home and abroad.See my reviews of "Class War," "Working Poor," "Rogue Nation," "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" and "The Soul of Capitalism" for a broader understanding of how all that our American leaders are disgracing America and making us less safe.

The author tells us that DIGNITY respects every contribution at every level.From this I take dignity to be the foundation for TRANSPARTISANSHIP, which embraces all individuals while recognizing that "Unity08" like the takeaway of the debates from the League of Women Voters, is a thinly guised effort to keep the two-party spoils and pork system alive.

The author teaches us that dogma is neither dignified nor sacrosanct.It is the opposite of dignity.

The author devotes an entire chapter to the importance of creating new models of understanding, something that humans are uniquely qualified to both do, and communicate and discuss.

He teaches us that humility is essential to an open mind, and essential to successful leadership.I fear that I have been lacking in this area my entire life, but now I embrace this term and am moving forward.

The author equalizes the role of the experts (who we learn are wrong 45% of the time in "The Wisdom of the Crowd" and the end-users, the citizens.

The author brings together and simplifies an entire literature in four ideas: shared governance; 360 degree reviews and evaluations, collaborative problem solving, and--this is huge--CONSTITUTIONAL reviews every five to ten years.Henry Kissinger in "Does American Need a Foreign Policy" and General Tony Zinni in his most recent book both tell us that our current government is DYSFUNCTIONAL.In my view, the most dysfunctional aspect is the "winner take all" approach to both the Cabinet and to Congressional leadership positions.We need a COALITION government that restores both the balance of power and the balance of ideas.

The author tells us that when authority loses credibility, the ship of state is on the rocks.See Max Manwaring's "The Search for Security" and Will and Ariel Durant's "The Lessons of History" to understand why legitimacy and morality, respectively, are the non-negotiable foundation for our future.

The author provides 10 ways to combat rankism, and provides a 17 item conclusion as a guide for leaders.Finally, the author joins with the relatively recent declaration of the United Nations, to wit, that sovereign nations should NOT be allowed to violate human rights, a universal right.On this see Philip Alcott's extraordinary book, "The Health of Nations."

The author errs in identifying only 1 billion in poverty.Not only is the number five billion.See C.K. Prahalad in "The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid."

This author and this book save our Republic and the world with one word: DIGNITY.

The Pathology of Power
The Global Class War: How America's Bipartisan Elite Lost Our Future - and What It Will Take to Win It Back
The Working Poor: Invisible in America
Rogue Nation: American Unilateralism and the Failure of Good Intentions
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
The Soul of Capitalism: Opening Paths to a Moral Economy
The Search for Security: A U.S. Grand Strategy for the Twenty-First Century
The Lessons of History
The Health of Nations: Society and Law beyond the State
The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid: Eradicating Poverty Through Profits

A special recommendation to managers and businesses.
In the prior SOMEBODIES AND NOBODIES the author identified 'rankism' as a form of workplace abuse: his ALL RISE: SOMEBODIES, NOBODIES AND THE POLITICS OF DIGNITY continues the subject, exploring the personal, professional and social costs of rankism and providing strategies for change. Rankism is a barrier to liberty and justice for all and is as dangerous in society as it is within an organizational structure: ALL RISE argues for a society in which rankism is identified and not tolerated, moving outside the business arena and providing tips both businesses and politicians can appreciate. This becomes, then, a recommended pick for college-level libraries strong in either business or social science.

READ THIS BOOK!!!
This is one of the best books to come along in a long time - maybe only second to "Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

wild man of painting
Bob Natkin was a classmate while I was a student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.The book doesn't tell you how hard he worked at painting in an atmosphere that hated abstraction for the most part.Urinating in class?, I don't remember it. He did cry when Paul Wiegardt wouldn't put him in the honors room. " But, I'm good :said Bob" He said the same thing again when I ran into him at art expo in Chicago.He asked to be excused to go to the Chicago Symphony in Kathleen Blackshear's Composition criticism class. Blackshear used his absence tell about when she juried a religious art exhibit at Warner's book store not far down Michigan Ave. from AIC . Natkin had a painting left there from the Exhibition Momentum show. Ms. Blackshearpulled out the painting "good size" maybe 50 to 60 inches square.It was a glue size painting. On it Natkin had scraffito of vaginas in an over-all pattern. Blackshear put it in the show. Kathleen said; " It was the most religious painting in the show."He broughta similarly large painting for criticism one day ,he lived in the U of Carea on the south side. He had carried that painting by hand all the way from his studio. You couldn't take it on the bus or train.The book is interesting ,he was a character. He swore a lot in school. I think some of the stories of this period of his life are questionable.His work at school was very experimental,he was fond of violet.Found in some of his later paintings.Natkin appearance was scruffy ,unlike the college boy appearance of Robert (Clark) Indiana blue blazers and white shoes with pink rubber soles. Bob N. favored the crew cut.Natkin bought up many of these books so that they wouldn't land in remainders. There is a lesson here, if you have the enthusiasm for something ,work hard at ,produceyou will ultimately succeed. A lesson learned from Kathleen Blackshear's class doing the work outside of class and bringing them in for discussion and review is the best studio class.Students often get into each others way in studio classes. The book gives an account of the life and art interests of Natkin.Some things I suspect Natkin made up about himself.He was a real character, you knew he wasaround.The book is full of Natkin's life work from student work tothe time this book was published. winston hough ... Read more

Product Description
William Andrews of Hartford, Robert Fuller of Salem and Rehoboth, Lazarus Manley ofCoventry and Mansfield, and John White of Hartford and Hadley. By Edward H. Little and Mary NaomiFoster. 384 pp. 70 photos, charts and illus; 4,641 entry Every Name Index. Penobscot Press. 1991.

This prize-winning book, now in its second printing, encompasses a wide range of families from the earliestgenerations of eastern Connecticut while concentrating on the four settlers named in the title. ... Read more

Product Description
Robert Karplus, a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, USA, became a leader in the movement to reform elementary school science in the 1960s. This book selects the enduring aspects of his work and presents them for the scientists and science educators of today. In an era when `science education for ALL students' has become the clarion call, the insights and works of Robert Karplus are as relevant now as they were in the 1960s, '70s, and '80s. This book tries to capture the essence of his life and work and presents selections of his published articles in a helpful context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Love of Discovery
Once upon a time, science was taught in classrooms using wordy textbooks and a chalk board. There were no practical lessons and there was no room for exploration. Then a man called Bob Karplus came along and changed all that.
"A Love of Discovery" describes the achievements of Bob Karplus in transforming American classroom science.
Karplus initiated the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) in the early 1960s which aimed to find methods of teaching students of all ages scientific concepts in a way that would excite and inspire them about science. Their method was essentially, "Don't tell me, let me find out." They guided students through practical problems allowing them to make their own observations about the world.
The editor of "A Love of Discovery", Robert G Fuller, states in his introduction that the book is "an attempt to support the claim that several of his contributions to science education are as important today as they were when he first made them." In one sense the book achieves its aim. It introduces a new generation of readers to Karplus' work. It places many of his key papers in one easy volume. However to some extent the book also fails this aim. The many contributors are eager to point out the success of Karplus' program, its translation into numerous languages, and its use in schools across the world. However all this success gives the feeling that the book is redundant: We don't need to hear about Karplus because we already know.
The structure is a slightly awkward mix of plain-English introductory chapters written by ex-colleagues, and Karplus' own research papers. The juxtaposition of these two styles does not work particularly well. The introductions to Karplus' papers are filled with praise for the man and his work, but seem to have only a loose association with the papers they are supposed to be introducing. The resulting structure means the book loses momentum and the ideas presented do not seem to build upon the one before.
Nonetheless, the book is a valuable one in that it is a tribute to a man who achieved so much in his work. The difference that Karplus' research made to science education is clear. Many science educators would find Karplus' methods a useful tool in their classrooms today. ... Read more

Product Description
Well-organized text designed to complement graduate-level physics texts in classical mechanics, electricity, magnetism and quantum mechanics. Topics include theory of vector spaces, analytic function theory, Green’s function method of solving differential and partial differential equations, theory of groups, more. Many problems, suggestions for further reading.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Simply Brilliant
In my eyes this book is must-have if you want to be introduced in theoretical physics. The authors understand to invite you into in a never boring journey of deeper understanding. It would have been wise for me to study this book when I began with the graduate level of my studies. I like the introduction to the calculus of variations very much. Finally the introduction of Green functions are more clear than I ever saw before. Simplygreat, if I could get back in time this book would have helped me a lot.

Must have
If you are a graduate student in the field of physics, this book is a MUST HAVE. Inevitably as an undergraduate you will be ill-prepared for what you are expected to know as a graduate student in physics. This book as thoroughly filled in the mathematical gaps that I was missing. This book was used as a text for my Methods of Theoretical Physics class and I can say that it is clearly leads you through every topic without much confusion. I will be using this text as a reference for years to come.

Not an easy read, but a complete one
This book is complete and concise. Often concise means missing details, but not in this case. This is not an easy and breezy read. It is a densely packed little book with each page full of critical information on approaches to problems, so it will likely be slow going - it was for me. In the end, however, you will understand the information being presented at a price tag that is often one fifth of standard modern textbooks on this subject that do not do nearly as good a job. Also, often a book this old means either a lack of figures or very small handwritten ones. I found this book to be well illustrated for a text of its age, and good illustrations go a long way in explaining mathematical concepts.

For the mathematics of physics I have two recommendations - this one for a "teach a man to fish" approach, and Mathematical Methods for Physicists, Sixth Edition: A Comprehensive Guide for the "give a man a fish" approach. This latter book is a great reference and also has some cool results you won't find in other books, such as how to transform between any two coordinate systems, however it is a terrible textbook. Strangely enough, the table of contents is missing from the product information so I include that next:

1 Vectors in Classical Physics
Introduction
1.1 Geometric and Algebraic Definitions of a Vector
1.2 The Resolution of a Vector into Components
1.3 The Scalar Product
1.4 Rotation of the Coordinate System: Orthogonal Transformations
1.5 The Vector Product
1.6 A Vector Treatment of Classical Orbit Theory
1.7 Differential Operations on Scalar and Vector Fields
1.8 Cartesian-Tensors
2 Calculus of Variations
Introduction
2.1 Some Famous Problems
2.2 The Euler-Lagrange Equation
2.3 Some Famous Solutions
2.4 Isoperimetric Problems - Constraints
2.5 Application to Classical Mechanics
2.6 Extremization of Multiple Integrals
2.7 Invariance Principles and Noether's Theorem
3 Vectors and Matrics
Introduction
3.1 "Groups, Fields, and Vector Spaces"
3.2 Linear Independence
3.3 Bases and Dimensionality
3.4 Ismorphisms
3.5 Linear Transformations
3.6 The Inverse of a Linear Transformation
3.7 Matrices
3.8 Determinants
3.9 Similarity Transformations
3.10 Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
3.11 The Kronecker Product
4. Vector Spaces in Physics
Introduction
4.1 The Inner Product
4.2 Orthogonality and Completeness
4.3 Complete Ortonormal Sets
4.4 Self-Adjoint (Hermitian and Symmetric) Transformations
4.5 Isometries-Unitary and Orthogonal Transformations
4.6 The Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors of Self-Adjoint and Isometric Transformations
4.7 Diagonalization
4.8 On The Solvability of Linear Equations
4.9 Minimum Principles
4.10 Normal Modes
4.11 Peturbation Theory-Nondegenerate Case
4.12 Peturbation Theory-Degenerate Case
5. Hilbert Space-Complete Orthonormal Sets of Functions
Introduction
5.1 Function Space and Hilbert Space
5.2 Complete Orthonormal Sets of Functions
5.3 The Dirac d-Function
5.4 Weirstrass's Theorem: Approximation by Polynomials
5.5 Legendre Polynomials
5.6 Fourier Series
5.7 Fourier Integrals
5.8 Sphereical Harmonics and Associated Legendre Functions
5.9 Hermite Polynomials
5.10 Sturm-Liouville Systems-Orthogaonal Polynomials
5.11 A Mathematical Formulation of Quantum Mechanics
6 Elements and Applications of the Theory of Analytic Functions
6.1 Analytic Functions-The Cauchy-Riemann Conditions
6.2 Some Basic Analytic Functions
6.3 Complex Integration-The Cauchy-Goursat Theorem
6.4 Consequences of Cauchy's Theorem
6.5 Hilbert Transforms and the Cauchy Principal Value
6.6 An Introduction to Dispersion Relations
6.7 The Expansion of an Analytic Function in a Power Series
6.8 Residue Theory-Evaluation of Real Definite Integrals and Summation of Series
6.9 Applications to Special Functions and Integral Representations
7 Green's Function
Introduction
7.1 A New Way to Solve Differential Equations
7.2 Green's Functions and Delta Functions
7.3 Green's Functions in One Dimension
7.4 Green's Functions in Three Dimensions
7.5 Radial Green's Functions
7.6 An Application to the Theory of Diffraction
7.7 Time-dependent Green's Functions: First Order
7.8 The Wave Equation
8 Introduction to Integral Equations
Introduction
8.1 Iterative Techniques-Linear Integral Operators
8.2 Norms of Operators
8.3 Iterative Techniques in a Banach Space
8.4 Iterative Techniques for Nonlinear Equations
8.5 Separable Kernels
8.6 General Kernels of Finite Rank
8.7 Completely Continuous Operators
9 Integral Equations in Hilbert Space
Introduction
9.1 Completely Continuous Hermitian Operators
9.2 Linear Equations and Peturbation Theory
9.3 Finite-Rank Techniques for Eigenvalue Problems
9.4 the Fredholm Alternative for Completely Continuous Operators
9.5 The Numerical Solutions of Linear Equations
9.6 Unitary Transformations
10 Introduction to Group Theory
Introduction
10.1 An Inductive Approach
10.2 The Symmetric Groups
10.3 Cosets, Classes, and Invariant Subgroups
10.4 Symmetry and Group Representations
10.5 Irreducible Representations
10.6 Unitary Representations, Schur's Lemmas, and Orthogonality Relations
10.7 The Determination of Group Representations
10.8 Group Theory in Physical Problems
General Bibliography
Index to Volume One
Index to Volume Two

Tough But Not Discouraging
This book seems to be a rarity.Although the matrial seems at first to be sophisticated and advanced to grad or undergrad students using it, it still doesn't discourage them or myself from continuing to try to grasp it.In fact it seems to do the opposite and draw one in to keep trying over and over again to improve your comprehension. (This can't be said for a lot of"difficult" textbooks out there).

I think it's in the tone of the authors that makes this book so engaging.It seems to me to be written in a sort of conversational style, and while the authors realize that this is tough stuff to digest, their tone lacks any hint of snobbery (for lack of a better word).They're also good at getting straight to the point.

Yes, it may take three, four, or maybe more readings to understand certain sections, but in some way this title makes one feel like there is a light at the end of tunnel, and it provided a lot of "Ah Ha" moments for me after such multiple re-readings.

Not only an excellent book for it's wealth of information, but also very engaging.

Excellent math reference for physicists
As the title says, it's one of the best books for mathematics in physics. Not simple at first glance (not indicated for first students, I guess), but good to review some math... ... Read more

Product Description
The late 1980s have seen an explosion of interest in an unconventional, and sometimes bizarre, set of practices and beliefs commonly called the New Age movement.Led by such visible figures as Shirley MacLaine, thousands of Americans have turned to a wide range of self-help methods and philosophies geared toward spiritual fulfillment and, particularly, healing of the body, including acupuncture, channeling, and crystals. What all these methods seem to have in common is an attempt to eschew conventional medical treatments, to move beyond the mysteries of the body to those of the psyche and soul.But as Robert C. Fuller demonstrates in this fascinating and surprising new book, such "alternative" forms of healing are nothing new in American culture.
Going back to the early nineteenth century, Fuller asserts, Americans have relied on a bewildering assortment of unorthodox medical systems that represent a characteristically American strain of religious thought--a belief that spiritual, physical, and even economic well-being flow from an individual's rapport with the cosmos. Drawing on a wealth of historical, psychological, and sociological information, Fuller's story begins with such early health reforms as homeopathy, hydropathy, and Thomsonianism (which held that all disease was caused by cold and could be cured by heat). Though fairly conventional in outlook, they signalled the appearance of metaphysical elements that were destined to erupt in later movements.Fuller then looks at mesmerism and Swedenborgianism, which sprang up in the 1830s and 40s. Both of these movements were extremely popular in America, promising a triumph of piety and spirituality over the weaknesses of the body and mind, and changing the way thousands of Americans looked at modern medicine. Fuller traces this increasing metaphysical dimension, first in the early practices of osteopathic and chiropractic medicine, and then throughout the twentieth century in such varied and colorful systems as crystal healing, rolfing, spirit channeling, holistic health, and even Alcoholics Anonymous.
Fuller argues that these healing movements have played an important role in American religious life, offering people a more vivid experience of a "sacred reality" than do most organized religions.His fascinating and sympathetic look at this thriving, and peculiarly American, mode of religion will interest a wide range of readers interested in American religious, cultural, and medical history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

WHAT CAME BEFORE "NEW AGE HEALING"?THIS BOOK EXPLAINS...
Robert Fuller is a professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Bradley University.This book is a fascinating and informative history (published in 1989, at thecrest of the "New Age" movement in popular culture), beginning in the early 19th century, of alternative health movements.

Beginning with movements such as Mesmerism and Swedenborgianism, and proceeding to figures such as Samuel Thomson (the "father of American herbalism," who "surmised that there was only one cause of disease, cold, and one cure, heat"), and then covering the early practices of Hydropathy (originated in Austria by Vincent Priessnitz), which was first strongly advocated in this country by Joel Shew.Fuller also covers briefly the influence of Ellen G. White (the "prophetess" of the Seventh-Day Adventist movement) in the field.

Extensive treatment is given to Daniel David Palmer (founder of Chiropractic), with Fuller observing that "Today's chiropractor is well aware that there is no single cause of disease." He also covers Andrew Taylor Still and Osteopathy, noting that "There is... strong evidence suggesting that Palmer borrowed freely from Still's teachings in the development of his own system."

The book finishes with a section on "New Age and Crystal Healing."

This book is highly recommended reading for anyone interested in Alternative Healing, New Age Healing, and particularly the history of such practices. ... Read more