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Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

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Over the course of a thousand years, from 600 to 1600 CE, the Java Sea was dominated by a ring of maritime kingdoms whose rulers engaged in long-distance raiding, trading, and marriage alliances with one another. And the Sun Pursued the Moon explores the economic, political and symbolic processes by which early Makassar communities were incorporated into this regional system.

As successive empires like Srivijaya, Kediri, Majapahit, and Melaka gained hegemony over the region, they introduced different models of kingship in peripheral areas like the Makassar coast of South Sulawesi. As each successive model of royal power gained currency, it became embedded in local myth and ritual. By the time the kings of South Sulawesi converted to Islam at the beginning of the seventeenth century, at least six such models were present in the area. Islam introduced a whole new set of competing religious and political models, adding to the symbolic complexity of the area.

To better understand the relationship between symbolic knowledge and traditional royal authority in Makassar society, Thomas Gibson draws on a wide range of sources and academic disciplines. He shows how myth and ritual link practical forms of knowledge (boat-building, navigation, agriculture, warfare) to basic social categories such as gender and hereditary rank, as well as to environmental, celestial, and cosmological phenomena. He also shows how concrete historical agents have used this symbolic infrastructure to advance their own political and ideological purposes. Gibson concludes by situating this material in relation to Islam and to life-cycle rituals.

Gibson uses anthropological, mythological, textual, and historical analysis to show that Makassar symbolic knowledge does not constitute a seamless whole. It is composed of a complex set of competing models, each with a unique historical genealogy and geographic source. His book will appeal to those interested in the established fields of anthropology, folklore, history, and comparative political science; the emerging interdisciplinary fields of cultural, subaltern, and post-colonial studies; and the origins of globalism and transnationalism. ... Read more

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This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Moody Magazine and Book Company in 1917 in 193 pages; Subjects: Speculation; Depressions; Stock exchanges; Financial crises; Business & Economics / Finance; Business & Economics / Investments & Securities; Business & Economics / Economics / Microeconomics; Business & Economics / Economics / General; History / General; ... Read more

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"History.appears to be repeating itself," Thomas Gibson wrote in 1906 in The Pitfalls Of Speculation. In his review of thousands of financial records over a 10-year period, he observed that a majority of investment accounts ultimately showed a final loss - and that there was a trend toward buying high and selling low. This practical manual features topics ranging from the dangers of ignorance and over-speculation to market manipulation and short selling - including Gibson's relevant suggestions on not only deciding what to buy, but when to buy as well. The Pitfalls Of Speculation is a stock market classic offering a wealth of knowledge and intelligent methods for investment success. ... Read more

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Honorable Mention for the 2008 Clifford Geertz Prize in the Anthropology of Religion!The roots of contemporary Islamic militancy in Southeast Asia lie in the sixteenth century, when Christian Europeans first tried to dominate Indian Ocean trade. Through a detailed analysis of sacred scriptures, epic narratives and oral histories from the region, this book shows how Southeast Asian Muslims combined cosmopolitan Islamic models of knowledge and authority with local Austronesian models of divine kingship to first resist and then to appropriate Dutch colonial models of rational bureaucracy.At the beginning of the twenty-first century, these models continue to shape regional responses to contemporary trends such as the rise of global Islamism. ... Read more

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The most authoritative text for American Government, Government By the People is always one step ahead. Building on a long tradition of clear and accessible writing, sound scholarship, and currency, it has become the most reliable, responsive, and respected text for today’s American government course. Its distinguished author team addresses your needs and the needs of your students in every edition—with the most innovative response to teaching trends, as well as trends in the discipline. With this text’s essential foundation, students will be set to respond—as involved American citizens—to the political issues facing their country, and their world, in the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Good Price, Good Condition
This book was perfect for my summer online college course.The price was right and it provided all the information I needed.

Scholarly Analysis
This book was filled with pertinent information and was a great read.Magleby is a good author.He keep it moving right along and it never became bored.He made an otherwise sleeper into a palatable study material.Easy read and the resale on this was great. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

even if you can't own it, dream about it
Great picture book of black & white photos, color photos, advertising literature, and even a repair section on a guitar with the most beautiful body shape of all - the Gibson Super 400! So even if you can't afford to own it (or keep it), you can dream about it with these pages! My only complaint is that I wish there were less about the Gibson L5 (it's own chapter?) and more details about the Super 400's plain-jane sister, the Gibson Super 300 - and why the Super 300 almost always seems to have a superior acoustic tone to the ornate Super 400 (?). And over the years since this was printed in 1991, the guys have often discussed their differences with the author over measurements and other specifications on this model over the decades. Some of the differences may be due to the highly individual and hand-made nature of these guitars. It may also be due to the common practice at Gibson to use whatever parts were handy and in-stock at the time. But, if you love the Gibson Super 400 like I do, ya' gotta' have this book!

One of the best books on archtops of any kind
The 'Super Four' was Gibson's flagship archtop . Ton Van Hoose dovetails this guitar into not only Gibson's history and lineup but also how it fits in the grand scheme of the classic archtop era. The book has great color photos and shows excellent detail even down to the various cases used by Gibson during this guitar's production life.This book is a must have for any archtop fan, collector or player.

PLENTY of Information Here
Anyone who picks up this book will immediately recognize that Dr. Van Hoose honestly loves guitars.He also picked one of the most finely crafted guitars as his instrument of choice.In page after page, insometimes excruciating detail, he labors over the most minisculedifferences in these guitars, as they evolved from year to year.Just whenyou think you've seen enough, there's a photo section on the guitarrestoration process (of course, the guitar happens to be a Super 400, butbelieve it or not, the process would be pretty much the same for a morepedestrian arch top guitar).The reader is treated to plenty of fine colorphotographs, as well as loads of black and white photos and catalog pagereproductions.Also included is a bounteous appendix, with shipping totalsand the like, as well as Dr. Van Hoose's own analytical contributions(including his ingenious rarity index, derived from comparing an individualmodel's production to the entire production for every year of Super 400production) and opinions regarding the "vintage" guitarmarket.

In short, this book gives the reader the best and worst faces ofmodern stringed instrument (banjo and guitar) collecting.On one hand, youhave an educated and articulate individual who has an obvious appreciationfor finely crafted instruments.To Dr. Van Hoose's credit, he did hishomework and clearly wrote the information that he had gathered (unlikesome other collector/writers).On the other hand, this book, to somedegree, reinforces the popular opinion that acquisition equals expertise. Collectors such as Akiro Tsumura (with his "1001 Banjos" book) orScott Chinery (who had the brainstorm and funds to commission a fleet ofblue guitars from the world's top builders, to add to his already hugecollection) are regarded as experts, whether they can play a note, dress afret, conduct research, or do anything else that would be consideredexpertise when writing about musical instruments.Coincidentally, thisview seems to be held in high regard by top instrument dealers (such asGeorge Gruhn, who wrote the forword for this book).It turns out to be amutually beneficial arrangement, to be sure.

If you obsess over guitars,this is a good book for you.Believe me, a lot of work went into it.Thebook is loaded with plenty of information and a good helping of pictures,and it IS the be-all-end-all for this particular subject.If you don'tobsess over guitars, this book will get old pretty fast.I really DOappreciate the effort that was put into this work, but I think it just endsup being a little too much for anybody but the most die-hard fans. ... Read more

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With a focus on competition for resources, this balanced, but provocative text uses Harold Laswell's classic definition of politics–“Who gets what, when, and how”–as a framework for presenting a clear, cohesive and stimulating introduction to the American political system.

Thomas Dye, along with new co-author Bartholomew Sparrow, has written a lively and absorbing narrative examining the struggle for power that is American politics: the participants, the stakes, the processes, and the institutions.  Numerous feature boxes explore timely issues, draw cross-cultural comparisons, promote critical thinking, and provoke thoughtful opinions.  The Texas Edition of this classic text includes the same coverage as the comprehensive version, but includes 7 additional chapters on Texas politics. 

With the intense political conflict of the most expensive presidential campaign in American history and the hotly-contested primary campaigns that led to the national conventions in 2008, Politics in America’s theme of the constant competition for power and resources–“who gets what”–has never been more relevant.

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent!Book new like.
I will buy again from this seller.Book in excellent, like new condition!Included CD

Great Deal!
This is a serious seller who tries best to satisfy customers.
I strongly recommend him.

p.s. The product is like new.

Politics in America, National Version by Thomas R. Dye [Hardcover]
I am well satisfied with the purchase of this book, Great seller and price.

good overview of government, though a bit biased
Overall this book is a good overview of the american political system. The structures of the beurocracy, executive, congressional, and judicial branches are covered very thoroughly. However, I found that the author inserted a bit too much of his own Republican biases in it. There is a whole section devoted to "government waste" - a common election tactic by Republicans. While it is true that the government is wasteful- all beurocracies are to some extent- a recent survey showed the US gov't to be the 3rd most efficient in the world. Also, sprinkled throughout the book are convinient three paragraph long and very shallow "Counterpoints" which try to convince readers of republican principles from the flat tax to the abolition of affirmative action. The most egragrious offenses come in various profiles "people in polics" of various leaders in politics. Invariably, the Republicans profiled have their personal strengths asserted with a folksy charm, while the Democrats are given a far away overview as well as mention of some trivial personal faults (Barbara Boxer's overdrafts from the House banks- a trivial issue in the big picture of things- is in her bio). And of course there are also the "Liberal ratings" in it- with the late Paul Wellstone topping the list. In addition to all of this, the general wording of the book and word choice used betrays the clearly Republican biases of the author. Overall the book is not a bad book, it does a good and thorough job at outlining the structure of the federal government, however, reader beware of the biases of the author.

Good introductory-level textbook.
I just finished taking a class called "Introduction to AmericanPolitics" and this was our only textbook.I found the textbook to beeasy to read, clearly written, and factually accurate.I fear that manystudents, like myself, who have already studied some in this area may findthe book to be too simplified, and will get bored reading about the basicsof material which is already familiar to them.The book is great for thenovice, but is definitely not upperclassmen material. ... Read more

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This seventh edition covers the whole field of mercantile law and particular attention has been given to the law of sale, hire purchase, negotiable instruments, close corporations and company law. It also includes a new chapter on competition and intellectual property, fields which have become increasingly important in commercial life. The previous chapter on services contracts has been replaced by a new chapter on labour law. This book should be of interest to practising lawyers, accountants, company secretaries and students. ... Read more

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I.
The Vision of the Century
THE arts pursue their completeness, their full resources as instruments, across the imaginative uses that are made of them, and commonly attract the most fervent and gifted minds at the point of exploration. Doubtless not all imaginations are well served by the contemporary system of vision and design; some are attracted to their hurt; others, holding aloof, must work without the added force and heat that the vivid focus of curiosity and emulation and a common sentiment supplies. The crepuscular spirit, bat or nightingale, had no instrument in Greek plastic art; the aerial mystery of nineteenth century painting was unfriendly to clear majesty of form. But whatever may be urged ? against the imaginative weather of that century, at least it saw in England and France the last stages of growth in one of the arts of design, that of Painting, and lent the complicity of mood that the particular advance demanded.
Sculpture, in this sense, was complete with the G

Table of Contents

Contents; PAGE; I THE VISION OF THE CENTURY; II THE IMAGINATION OF THE CENTURY 17; III THE OLYMPIANS DAVID INGRES; IV THE TITANS GOYA BLAKE GERICAULT DELACROIX DAUMIER; V LANDSCAPE CROME COTMAN TURNER CONSTABLE COROT ROUSSEAU; 3° 3> 36; 41 43 45 48; 5' 56; 59 61 64 66 71 78 81; vni; CONTENTS; VI FRANCE: HEROIC ART FUSED WITH LANDSCAPE;; TITAN SCULPTURE ; ETCHERS 86; MILLET 86; CHASSERIAU 91; PUVIS DE CHAVANNES 95; RODIN 98; MERYON 105; LEGROS 107; VII ENGLISH ART, GRAND, PHILISTINE AND 'DECADENT' 109; ETTY no DYCE; STEVENS; WATTS ,,8; MADOX BROWN 120; WILKIE ,23; HOLMAN HUNT I28; MILLAIS; KEENE; ROSSETTI; 113 "5; 131; ?35; '37 BURNE-JONES I42; VIII REALISM 145; COURBET MANET WHISTLER DEGAS; HS 149; 154; 158; CONTENTS; ART OBJECTS; IX; PAGE; IX 'IMPRESSIONISM' l6l; MONET r6i; THE S ... Read more

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Cambridge Literature is a series of literary texts edited for study by students aged 14-18 in English-speaking classrooms. It will include novels, poetry, plays, short stories, essays, travel-writing and other non-fiction. The series will be extensive and open-ended, and will provide school students with a range of edited texts taken from a wide geographical spread. It will include writing in English from various genres and differing times.Tess of the d'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy is edited by Rex Gibson, Director, Shakespeare and Schools Project. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (207)

Tess - hero or fool?
I know this is great literature, and I'm glad I finally read Tess of the D'Urbervilles, but I could not get past the fact that our plucky heroine Tess is a bit of a twit.While the injustices done to her may have reduced a lesser person to perpetual self-pity, Tess actually comes out the hero and pulls herself together, making a real life for her away from her family and her tormentor, Alec D'Urberville.It's only when she meets, falls in love, and marries Angel Clare that she begins acting the twit, the fool, and the loser. For some bizarre reason, she decides to be excruciatingly honest with her newly-wed husband (on their wedding night, no less), about her past trouble, involving apparently a rape, and her child born out of wedlock. I suppose it's hard for modern audiences to understand Angel's reaction (leaving her) when he realizes that she is not a virgin. Ah yes, the hypocrisy of Victorian culture.I understand that there's a huge sub-text going on in this novel about the social hypocrisy of the Victorian age, but it doesn't make sense that our formerly plucky Tess would now allow herself to fall to pieces.

Great story, in all.The writing itself, however, is not great.Hardy's prose is really rambling, roundabout, and he just does not get to the point.Sure to wear out even the most patient modern reader.So, great literature, although Tess is a twit and the writing itself is rambling.

Life Matters
Hardy writes beautifully, tells stories, evokes feelings and describes landscapes, times and cultures that touch the reader's core.

Read this novel for the story and description, savor it later for the depth of existential questions and half-answers.Hardy is an early modernist, raising the big questions, describing the loss of classical innocence and hinting at potential paths to solutions.But, he does not provide definitive answers.His work suggests that the time of certain answers is permanently gone, to be replaced by a difficult journey, at best.

Man has a burning need for significance and meaning, but can find neither fully.Character is the most important thing, shining through all situations ... but it is partially shaped by fate, chance, history, family, society and the environment ... and while potentially noble, ultimately inadequate to fully address the challenges of life.

The reader leaves the book exhausted from the journeys, the hopes and the many pursuits.The flow of life and history continues in spite of the heroine's choices.In the end we are left with a bittersweet memory of this life which Hardy personally inserts as narrator, "will never be forgotten by those who knew her".
Perhaps this is the best current answer to the ultimate questions.

The book is just okay for a classic...
Was it me or could I just not muster up sympathy for Tess? I just wasn't drawn into her character. Thus, I wasn't completely into the novel.

Bad cover condition
Bad cover. Half of the book is ruined because the spine has come unglued...false product description!

A Classic Theme In Life
I rapidly read this book in high school for a test the next day.I knew that I wanted to read it again because it was so good and I was missing the subleties.I loved it.The theme is that our lives are goverened by what we think of ourselves.Poor Tess was so wrong, but for the times understandable.Hardy writes without including the graphic details, but the story remains.A story that is suspended in time. ... Read more