Product Description
Written by two of the world's leading Milton scholars, widely praised as "illuminating" (Times Literary Supplement), "seamlessly written (Publishers Weekly), and "a book of permanent value" (Literary Review), and winner of the Milton Society's James Holly Hanford Award, this magnificent biography sheds fresh new light on the writings, the thought, and the life of poet John Milton. A more human Milton appears in these pages, a Milton who is flawed, self-contradictory, self-serving, arrogant, passionate, ruthless, ambitious, and cunning. He is also among the most accomplished writers of the period, the most eloquent polemicist of the mid-century, and the author of the finest and most influential narrative poem in English, Paradise Lost, which the book examines in detail. What Milton achieved in the face of crippling adversity, blindness, bereavement, and political eclipse, remains wondrous. Here is a fascinating biography of this towering literary figure--the first new serious study in forty years--one that profoundly challenges the received wisdom about one of England's leading poets and thinkers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Weighted Down With Too Much Minutiae
While I agree with the other reviewer that this is a meticulously researched work, I feel as if the authors continually get bogged down in senseless details that have little to do with the narrative of Milton's life. While the research is impressive, the tale requires a lot more pruning of minutiae to be a truly enjoyable read.

Excellent biography
Though not a Milton scholar, I do appreciate this biography's up-to-date scholarly apparatus--one could follow those notes for years--and attention to detail. But the plus is that the book is well written from a narrative standpoint. This is a satisfying work for anyone who loves Milton's poetry and wants to know something about the life and the world that produced it. ... Read more

Product Description
This Halcyon Classics ebook collection contains four science fiction novels and one short story by John W. Campbell, an influential early figure in science fiction.

As editor of Astounding Science Fiction from late 1937 until his death in 1971, he is generally credited with shaping the so-called Golden Age of Science Fiction.Isaac Asimov called Campbell "the most powerful force in science fiction ever, and for the first ten years of his editorship he dominated the field completely."

This ebook is DRM free and includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.


Contents:

The Black Star Passes
Invaders from the Infinite
Islands of Space
The Ultimate Weapon
The Last Evolution
... Read more

Product Description
In 1989, three years after retiring from the NFL, Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell was diagnosed with panic and anxiety disorder. From that point on, his life would never be the same. In his autobiography, Campbell reveals himself as a powerful young man who, with his parents and ten siblings, struggled to make ends meet working the famous rose fields of Tyler, Texas. He accepted a scholarship to the University of Texas, won the Heisman Trophy, and eventually became a three-time winner of the NFL's MVP award. Earl Campbell has been invited to speak to physician and patient groups across the country about his experience with panic and anxiety, and in speaking out, he has saved lives by inspiring and motivating others to seek help for this disorder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Earl Campbell's illness
Real "Panic Disorder" is a very difficult illness,often misdiagnosed and,sadly, self treated.Earl, a strapping, awardwinning, pro football player from Texas gives insight into his war with "Panic Disorder"....a must read for anyone who loves or treats or has this disorder, especially men.This is often diagnosed in women, but affects many men, who very often medicate with alcohol.

Courage
I turned 40 six months ago and suffered my first panic attack shortly aftewards. I was rushed to the hospital, thinking it was a heart attack. I was lucky. The ER doc diagnosed it correctly as a panic attack.

I went to my family physician the next day and he gave me a thorough exam, then recommended a psychiatrist to help me with my panic attacks. He also recommended I read The Earl Campbell Story. I had no idea who Earl Campbell was, since I am not a sports fan but I read the book.Mr. Campbell, your book really helped me.I found the front of the book very helpful, because it described who you were and how great a football player you were. Then when the panic attacks started, I thought I was reading about my own experience.

I think it took a tremendous amount of courage for you to step forward and write this book. It really helped me and I can't thank you enough.

Inspiration to Me!
Ithought the book gave good detail on Panic Disorder and how it can affect anybody. The first couple of chapters went on to long about how he grew up and gave no information on his disorder until later in the book. I believe the book should have began when he started to develope Panic Disorder.

disappointing
Be forewarned that panic does not come into this book until page 83 (of 208).Also be forewarned that it's written at maybe a sixth-grade reading level.(Neither of these is necessarily a bad thing.)

It's a simplistic and lengthy testimonial.There are some reconstructed dialogues that feelartificial, some of the chronology is hard to follow, and people appear out of nowhere or disappear after being identified in detail.

The first 82 pages are mainly football, with lots of numbers and stats. There's an entire chapter on his sausage business that reads like a promotional pamphlet:"All of our meals are precooked andspecially sealed with a newly developed technology to keep them fresh. Customers only have to pop them into a microwave oven for three minutes before serving. These meals have become big sellers for us because theyare convenient and taste great" etc. (p. 153). And not only that, but "Today I feel as confident about my ability to make a great-tasting meat product as I used to feel about my ability to run with the football. I think both are God-given talents" (p. 153). There's nothing to tie this to the supposed theme of the book.

We get glimpses of Campbell's "pride" (anger at a doctor's suggestion that he try Prozac, sudden disgust with one who asks him to ingest caffeine as an experiment, lashing out at doctors who, attempting to arrive at a diagnosis, inquire whether he uses drugs), glimpses of his warm feelings, and mere hints at "fear of failure" and an "emotional man". Just when he starts to tell us something interesting, he quits and moves on.

You get the feeling this guy wants to talk about it but he doesn't want to talk about it.

This is also hinted at by some contradictions. In one chapter he can't attend banquets because crowds bother him, but a few pages later he says "My panic disorder has no effect on my ability to function in the business world" (p. 149). If these are both true, some discussion would help.

Many panic sufferers would like to wave this book around as evidence that panicdoes not equate with general wimpiness.It's just disappointing that more substance isn't given here. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Another Grossly Distorted, Quite Biased, Tome In Praise of So-Called "Intelligent Design"
This miserable collection of papers is yet another blatant attempt by Intelligent Design advocates to demonstrate that their idea has ample scientific validity and is not religiously-oriented at all; a conclusion that is quite untenable to hold in light of the harsh, negative verdict rendered against Intelligent Design by Republican Federal Judge John Jones in his ruling in favor of the plaintiffs in the 2005 Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District trial (He concluded that Intelligent Design was a religious idea masquerading as science; a verdict which two distinguished conservative commentators, Charles Krauthammer and George Will, applauded soon thereafter in their newspaper columns published originally in The Washington Post.). Hoping to persuade a potential audience that this volume is balanced, the editors, John Angus Campbell and Stephen C. Meyer (who is a key member of the Seattle, Washington-based Discovery Institute's staff; the same institute which has provided ample lavish funding on behalf of Intelligent Design and its advocates for nearly a decade), have also included some papers by authors harshly critical of Intelligent Design, especially philosopher Michael Ruse's. However, don't be deceived thinking that you will indeed get a balanced presention, both pro and con, on the Intelligent Design" issue, when the book's real raison d'etre is to offer a defense of Intelligent Design for both scientific and science educational reasons. Most of the issues covered are done admirably well in Robert Pennock's "Tower of Babel" and especially, Eugenie Scott's "Evolutionism vs. Creationism", which are far better examples of serious scholarship devoted to this issue than virtually all of the papers published in this anthology ( I also recommend any of the books I've cited in my Amazon.com Listmania! List (http://www.amazon.com/Why-Evolution-Is-Science-amp-Creationism-Isn-t/lm/R1288DTMHQJI13/ref=cm_lm_byauthor_title_full/105-5149275-4621242). Otherwise, if you insist on purchasing this book, then I would strongly advise instead, to think of acquiring one devoted to Klingon Cosmology, since Klingon Cosmology, like Intelligent Design, depends solely upon faith, not reason, in articulating and defending its principles.

A Balanced Volume with Arguments from Scientists and other Scholars Both For and Against Teaching Intelligent Design in Schools
This balanced volume contains essays by both supporters and critics debating intelligent design and whether design should be allowed in public school science classes. The scholars approach the question from the standpoints of constitutional law, philosophy, rhetoric, education, and science.

Legal scholar David DeWolf argues that teachers should have the academic freedom to teach intelligent design in the classroom because of its empirical, nonreligious basis.John Angus Campbell sees intelligent design as the pedagogical and historical antithesis to Neo-Darwinism, both of which must be taught if students are to properly understand biological origins.Pro-design technical arguments reach into many forums: William Dembski finds that many scientific fields already use design reasoning to detect design via "specified complexity," Stephen Meyer applies such reasoning to argue for design of the encoded information in DNA and the origin of life, while Michael Behe argues that irreducibly complex molecular machines were designed.Stephen Meyer, Paul Chien and others argue that there is design indicated by the rapid origin of the animal phyla during the Cambrian explosion. And Paul Nelson, and Jonathan Wells argue that design is the best explanation for homology and genetic convergence in biology.

Then, too, are the articles critical of intelligent design.Celeste Michelle Condit argues that the natural origin of rock bridges provide a useful analogy to defeat Behe's arguments about the supposed unevolvability of irreducibly complex machines.Bruce H. Weber contends that we should not rule out evolutionary explanations, arguing that there are many promising accounts for biochemical evolution in the scientific literature.Massimo Pigliucci attacks the funding sources of design proponents and suggests that natural selection can produce specified complexity.Michael Ruse proposes that critics are far more valuable in intellectual debate than are friends, and goes on to call design "religion," and explains that neither religiously oriented "popular" versions of Darwinism nor intelligent design belong in the classroom. Ruse contends that the science classroom should only teach "professional Darwinism."

This book provides an excellent and readable source of primary literature for and against intelligent design.

why state religion?
I intend to make only several "quick" observations:
Since Denton's Nature's Destiny and Behe's work, and now this current book, for example, it would seem that any "objective" person would be impressed with the material presented. But that's the issue: objectivity.
How a "coldly" objective scientific type such as Sullivan would take personal and emotional umbrage at this issue- in a meaningless universe- strikes me as truly "funny". Afterall, then, why or how would it make any difference? Would it enhance his evolutionary fitness for survival? But that leads me to what I consider to be the most significant point. Let the "sullivans" of this world teach their children what they wish and allow us the freedom to inform our children of all the evidence- without sarcasm and name-calling. Better yet, eliminate the problem completely by ceasing to assume or posit the "state" educational system altogether! Afterall, is this really about whetherSullivan's world-view or mine will be- by the power of the State- imposed on my children? Why in heaven's name do we subject our children to such mental brutality? Are they the "football" in this "game"?

Scaling the Mount Everest of assumptions made by dogmatic neo-Darwinians
It is refreshing that at least some healthy discussion has commenced regarding the literal plethora of misinformation on which most of the assumptions regarding Darwin's theory on the origin of the species are based. This book and others of its kind, though not exhaustive enough to tackle in only a single volume every aspect of the countless controversies surrounding Intelligent Design vs. Darwinism, nicely inspires interested parties to adhere to the principle of searching for truth, not simply accepting verbatim what mainstream academia has been promoting over the past century.

The fact is, most proponents of macro evolutionist theory, when thoroughly questioned, do not even know what it is, have never taken a biology course, nor could they explain the difference between natural selection itself (aka. adaptation, a phenomenon which can be empirically observed as occurring in nature) and the theory that entirely new species of living creatures make the quantum leap from a previous species to a complete other via the motor of natural selection (merely a theoretical model used to explain the broad variation of species, which is not able to be empirically proven through simple observation, only assumed through deduction).

One such lay proponent of neo-Darwinist theory has been busily flaming this very review board. His name is Tom Sullivan of York, Pennsylvania. Due to a sheer lack of understanding of what ID is and an absence of any semblance of objectivity, his reviews are absolutely useless to sincerely interested observers. Instead of simply objectively reporting on the content or value of books centering on the topic of Intelligent Design, he angrily resorts to hyperbole and slander, even basing one of his statements regarding "Christians" on a myth about the flat earth theory, which was maliciously created by proponents of Darwinism themselves, in an attack on organized religion at that time. This is the typical mindset in the world today, which, ironically, has always been the fearful reaction of anyone troubled by attacks on the status quo. This book, and others like it, are at least make a positive step toward dismantling such unhealthy attitudes and is a refreshing attempt at civility.

Even though such attempts may strike fear into the hearts of the likes of Patrick Sullivan, who has cut and pasted a nearly identical review onto this site concerning every single book in this series, the painful but necessary job of blowing over card houses is appreciated by some.

As mentioned above, what should be embarrassing to Mr. Sullivan (assuming he has any self respect) and to others like him is that they are not refuting Intelligent Design at all by slandering young-earth creationists or erroneously stating that Christians once believed the earth was flat.

Intelligent Design, in its principles, contains elements pertaining to the science of observation which are imperative to fields such as forensic science and archeology, to name only two. The proponents of Intelligent Design he and others like him attack cannot be lumped in with creationists in general, and doing so only demonstrates sheer ignorance, or bigoted dismissal, of the distinctions between these groups.

If our quest is to eventually obtain a presentation of truth that is as unbiased as possible, then, against the backdrop of advancements in technology which our information age brings with it, Darwin's theory must be revisited and critically analyzed on entirely new bases - if only to dispel misconceptions, poor assumptions, or worse - myths.

As far as the assertion is concerned that holding the earth to be flat was formerly required in order to ascribe to the Christian faith, here's an excerpt by Wells himself, refuting such claims:

"According to the standard story, Christians used to believe for biblical reasons that the Earth is flat. When modern science demonstrated that the Earth is actually a sphere, that belief became a legitimate target for ridicule. Now, since modern science has likewise demonstrated the truth of Darwin's theory (so the story goes), critics of Darwinism are just as silly as flat- Earthers.

But the story is totally false. It was pure fiction until it was turned into a phony historical claim by late-19th century Darwinists who used it to slander Christians.

The spherical shape of the Earth was known to the ancient Greeks, who even made some pretty good estimates of its circumference. Christian theologians likewise knew that the Earth was a sphere. The only two Christian writers who seem to have advocated a flat Earth were a 4th-century heretic, Lactantius, and an obscure 6th-century eccentric, Cosmas Indicopleustes.

The modern Flat Earth Myth originated with the 19th-century American writer Washington Irving. In his fictional History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (1828), Irving wrote that flat-Earth churchmen had opposed Columbus on the grounds that he would fall off the edge of the Earth if he tried to sail across the Atlantic. In actuality, Columbus's opponents knew not only that the Earth is a sphere, but also approximately how big it is. Since they (like Columbus) knew nothing about the Americas, it was quite reasonable for them to believe that a voyage to the Far East would not be a good investment.

The Flat Earth Myth remained clearly in the realm of fiction until Darwin published his Origin of Species in 1859. Then two of Darwin's followers presented it as actual history in books that defended Darwinism against imaginary attacks from ignorant Christians: John Draper's The History of the Conflict Between Religion and Science (1874), and Andrew Dickson White's A History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom (1896). The pseudo-historical propaganda of Draper and White has been thoroughly discredited by twentieth-century historians.

Apparently, however, Graur doesn't read much history. Instead, he unknowingly caricatures critics of Darwinism on the basis of a myth that the Darwinists themselves fabricated.

Now THAT's funny!"

ID-iotic trash
This book is more ID-iotic trash from the Intelligent Design (ID) propaganda machine at the primary ID think tank, the Discovery Institute.Did you know that the Discovery Institute spends far more money on advertising and self-promotion than they do on actual scientific experiments?What does that tell you?

Why anyone pays any attention to this religious trash is beyond me.Don't people ever learn?Ignorant Christians once believed that Earth was flat.After several centuries, they finally abandoned that foolishness, but still maintained that Earth was stationary and that the sun orbited Earth, not vice versa.Today, the radical, religious right, descendants of those earlier ignoramuses, are demonstrating their "new and improved" ignorance by advocating this anti-evolutionist ID-iocy.

The ID-iocy of ID was on open display in the science curriculum hearings that the Kansas Board of Education held last May.ID luminaries Meyer (a co-editor of this collection), Behe, Calvert, Harris, Thaxton, Wells, and a host of lesser lights (dim bulbs indeed) testified for ID.The ID-iocy of their testimony has to be seen to be believed.You can read a summary of all of their testimony on the creation/evolution forum maintained by the West Virginia Gazette.(Point your browser to wvgazettemail, then scroll through the list of "Sections" on the left side of the screen."The Gazette Forums" is near the bottom.

Be prepared to be amazed, and I don't mean that in a good way.And feel free to add your own comments!
... Read more

Product Description
This Elibron Classics edition is a facsimile reprint of a 1891 edition by David Nutt, London. Waifs and Strays of Celtic Tradition. Argyllshire Series. No. IV. With Introduction and Bibliographical Notes by Alfred Nutt. ... Read more

Product Description
"This beautifully written work is the best general introduction to Dewey's philosophy. The exposition is greatly enriched by Campbell's provision of the historical context of Dewey's aims and enquiries". -- James Gouinlock Emory University

"Understanding John Dewey will be as useful to those coming to Dewey for the first time as to Dewey specialists. Few scholars combine as well as Campbell does deep knowledge of American intellectual history and skill in philosophical analysis". -- Peter H. Hare Editor, Transactions of the Peirce Society

"A book not merely readable but elegant and lucid, not merely adequate but exemplary in its scholarship. Campbell's exposition is a skillfully crafted matrix in which Dewey's own words achieve a momentum and clarity seldom achieved in their original settings, while a chorus, composed mostly of Dewey's contemporaries, provide illuminating commentary from Campbell's footnotes". -- International Studies in Philosophy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This is a great introduction to an important thinker.
This is a great introduction to an important and often underrated thinker. This introduction is clear and well written so that it can serve as a great introduction to a layperson and not just a philosophy student.

Unfortunately Dewey is one of those figures whose work seems to be better known through reputation and hearsay rather than first hand knowledge. This book is a great way to acquire a real understanding of his thinking because the book extensively quotes Dewey directly while providing useful context.

Dewey has a very practical approach to philosophy and his work is uniquely applicable to daily life so I would recommend this book to anyone. The following is a quote from Dewey that illustrates this point nicely:

"Philosophy recovers itself when it ceases to be a device for dealing with the problems of philosophers and becomes a method, cultivated by philosophers, for dealing with the problems of men."

I'm note sure what the previous reviewer is talking about but his comments have nothing to do with this book and it is obvious he has not read the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Contains all of John W. Campbell's Don A Stuart stories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Shame on NESFA for no Search Inside The Book showing table of contents
While I offer kudos to the publisher, NESFA, for republishing these classic SF works, albeit in inconvenient hard cover, I would suggest that, should they wish to actually sell any of their anthologies, they set up Search Inside The Book so potential purchasers can peruse the Table of Contents before buying. Not to do so is nothing short of incompetence. Get on the ball, NESFA.

Don A Stuart alias John W. Campbell
This volume contains the story which is probably the most frightening is all of science fiction or fantasy - "Who Goes There".It has been made into a movie twice - titled "The Thing".None of them send the chills up and down your spine like John Campbell's writing style does.He has a skill in writing that takes you right there with him.
This is a must read book.

Essential John W. Campbell, Jr.
First, a brief note: the following review is predicated on the assumption that the reader of it is familiar with John W. Campbell, Jr. (Don A. Stuart) and his works.

This book A New Dawn: The Complete Don A. Stuart Stories (Nesfa's Choice Series, Volume 22) contains all of the short stories written by John W. Campbell, Jr., the editor of ASTOUNDING STORIES/ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION/ANALOG SCIENCE FACT-SCIENCE FICTION from 1937 until his death in 1971. He wrote many stories, including all those here, under the pseudonym Don A. Stuart and while he did not write many stories after he became editor of ASTOUNDING, what he did write was of the highest quality.

Many people have read WHO GOES THERE? which is his most famous story, having been made into a film twice now [The Thing from Another World (the better version of the two), and The Thing (Collector's Edition))](and the basic plot element has been used many more times) but this particular edition of Campbell/Stuart's short stories, beautifully printed and bound, is the way to go if you don't already own a copy of this story (and even if you do!). NESFA's (New England Science Fiction Association) books are all priced reasonably and are printed and bound to a much higher standard than run-of-the-mill books.

Anyone buying this edition will be pleased both with its content (most important, of course) and with its presentation. It is a beautiful book.

In addition to John Campbell's stories, it contains an excellent appreciation and semi-biography of Campbell entitled "The Man Who Lost the Sea," written by Barry N. Malzberg. I suspect that John Campbell would have been annoyed to see this article in print - he did not like to see himself as the subject of any article - but he would have grudgingly appreciated its literary quality. I can tell you that it brought back many memories to me!

Amazon sells most, if not all, of NESFA's science fiction books (all of which are produced to the same high standard). I highly recommend them all in general and this one in particular. ... Read more

Product Description
THREE AGAINST THE STARS!

A sky pirate armed with superior weapons of his own invention...

First contact with an alien race dangerous enough to threaten the safety of two planets...

The arrival of an unseen dark sun whose attendant marauders aimed at the very end of civilization in this Solar System...

These were the three challenges that tested the skill and minds of the brilliant team of scientist-astronauts Arcot, Wade, and Morey. Their initial adventures are a classic of science fiction which first brought the name of their author, John W. Campbell, Jr., into prominence as a master of the inventive imagination -- long before he became the editor of Astounding/Analog and changed the field of science fiction forever! ... Read more

Product Description
The life of southern US Supreme Court Judge John Archibald Campbell reflects nearly every major development of 19th-century American history. He participated in events ranging from the Indian removal process of the 1830s to Reconstruction. This biography follows his life and political history. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Political biography of a Supreme Court justice and attorney.
John Archibald Campbell's life and political philosophy illustrate the difficulties that Southern moderates faced in developing and implementing asolution to the problems of slavery and secession.Campbell opposed bothslavery and secession. Campbell's legal gifts eventually led him topractice before the United States Supreme Court and subsequently to anappointment to the Supreme Court itself.During his service on the SupremeCourt Campbell opposed the Filibusterers in the New Orleans region, wrote aconcurring opinion in the Dred Scot case, and rejected nullification by thecourts of Wisconsin.As a moderate Campbell was vilified by both Southernfire-eaters and Abolitionist radicals. Campbell served eight years(1853-1861) on the Supreme Court before resigning to become an assistantsecretary in the Confederate War Department.After the war he practicedlaw in New Orleans where he eventually became the lead attorney in theSlaughterhouse Case.His views in this case prepared the way for the broadinterpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment in the Twentieth Century.Thisbook gives a very solid story of the life and labors of an important lawyerof the 19th Century. This political biography is the first full life ofJohn Archibald Campbell.It will be of great use to students of theSupreme Court, American history, and legal scholars as well as those whoenjoy good biography.It belongs in most libraries. ... Read more

Product Description
This book describes the physical microenvironment of living organisms. It presents a simplified discussion of heat and mass transfer models and applies them to exchange processes between organisms and their surroundings. Emphasis is placed on teaching the student how to calculate actual transfer rates, rather than just studying the principles involved. Numerous examples are provided to illustrate many of the principles, and problems are included at the end of each chapter to help the student develop skills in using the equations and to gain an understanding of modern environmental biophysics. The book is an engineering approach to environmental biology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An excellent introductory text or quick reference
Campbell's text is a classic. It stands up as well today as when it was first published. The book provides a thoughtful and clear introduction to biophysics and its many practical applications. While this book may not have the depth of information on specific topics as some others, it provides a thorough foundation for those interested in the field and is an the perfect springboard to more advanced text. It is also and excellent quick reference for those who study land-atmosphere processes on a daily basis. It is replete with the equations and tables of physical parameters that are commonly used and give clear instructions on their proper application. I would strongly recommend this book as a classic in the field.

A dense book for a complex topic
Campbell is thorough in his approach to biophysical analysis of multiple environmental scenarios.As a text book, it is fairly dense and provides hints on how to solve specific problems throughout the text.However, finding those hints is sometimes fairly tricky.The equations presented are the latest version of the equations, but some may produce skewed answers in extreme condtions.Living in interior Alaska, some of Campbell's formulas and tables just don't cut it for winter and high-latitude conditions.All in all a solid book though, despite it's initial density and sometimes insufficient clarity.

excellent and unique update in the subject
This text is an excellent companion for anybody dealing with transfers of energy and water in the biosphere, particularly at the plant-canopy level. Badly needed since the only comparable textbook is Monteith & Unsworth- a little outdated and more physically based than this one, which is morebio-oriented and includes current remote sensing use. Excellent reference,and well organized course textbook. There are some mistakes but I know of asecond edition appearing this year which will correct them. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Thatcher should be every girl's heroine
The mid-90's pop band Spice Girls called the ultimate Girl Power as Margaret Thatcher. The British singers were on the money because Thatcher was a revolutionary Prime Minister. She kept her own counsel and could not be manipulated by the popularity polls. This account of her political career is the ultimate study in what Henry Kissinger once said "power is the ultimate aphrodisiac". Churchill and Thatcher proved that Britain produced two formidable leaders who survived Machiavellian daggers over and over again and got their way before being ousted.

A Woman of No Impotence
While she was still Leader of the Opposition, Margaret Thatcher paid a visit to Yugoslavia, where she had a meeting with President Tito. The conversation turned to China, where Chairman Mao's widow had recently been stirring up trouble for the leadership. Tito remarked that he disapproved of women interfering in politics. "I don't interfere in politics, " declared his guest, eyes ablazing, "I AM politics."

Therein can be found both the secret of Margaret Thatcher's success and the seeds of her downfall. Her supreme confidence helped overcome widespread doubts that a woman could lead her party and her country, but in the end her arrogance alienated the very people she needed to retain power.

Thatcher's story presents a unique challenge to political biographers, largely because her overpowering personality and strident views make a fair assessment difficult to achieve. The writer has to tread a fine line between hagiography and demolition job. Happily, John Campbell's book manages to avoid these pitfalls, and his account of Thatcher's life and times is even-handed, thorough and highly readable. The first volume
of Campbell's biography - The Grocer's Daughter -covered Thatcher's early life and career, concluding with her arrival on the threshold of Number Ten. This second volume concentrates on her entire eleven-and-a-half years as mistress of Downing Street, as well as the aftermath of her removal from power.

The first thing to say is that it's a huge read - over 800 pages. But this is no more than the subject deserves, given Thatcher's dominance, not only in her role as Prime Minister, but also as an inveterate meddler in the work of her ministers. From health and education to local government finance and foreign affairs, there was barely an aspect of policy which Margaret Thatcher did not seek to influence.

All the important events of her premiership are there - the three election victories, the Falkands, Westland, the miners' strike, the Poll Tax, and her dramatic departure at the hands of her own party. But the book goes beyond the big stories to put her premiership in a wider context.Take housing: Campbell shows that Thatcher's policy of encouraging council tenants to buy their own homes, while prohibiting local authorities from building new houses with the proceeds, led to a massive shortage of affordable housing, and by extension to the high
numbers of homeless people still seen on British streets today.

Campbell's thorough research shines brilliantly throughout the book, but U.S. readers may find this depth of detail just too much information to take in. During some passages, even my eyes started to glaze over at so many references to obscure events and personalities from Britain's political past.

Of greater interest may be the sections covering Thatcher's dealings with Ronald Reagan. Thatcher apologists often claim that Britain's standing in the world grew taller as a result of her strong support for the U.S. President.But Campbell makes good use of Reagan's archival papers to reveal the true relationship of these political soulmates.

While they undoubtedly got on well, the President rarely let their friendship get in the way of his policy objectives.Thatcher believed they were working as partners to save the world from tyranny, but Reagan failed to consult her even on such important matters as the invasion of Grenada (a British Commonwealth territory) or his suggestion to Mikhail Gorbachev at the Reykjavik summit that the US and USSR should abolish
all nuclear weapons. Even so, Thatcher never lost an opportunity to catch the presidential ear.Campbell recounts Reagan breaking off from one of her many telephone rants to observe: "Isn't she marvellous!"

One of the most enjoyable sections of the book focuses on the burnishing of the Thatcher image, especially in the later years of her premiership. Campbell documents the change from the clothing of a "middle-class mimsy" to the power-shoulders of a leading lady, and her increasingly imperial airs. The regal touch was most memorably on show when she emerged from Number 10 to announce "We have become a grandmother."But
the author also offers a reminder of her qualities as a consummate actress.In 1990 she delivered a conference speech in which she compared the new bird of freedom logo for the Liberal Democratic Party to the dead parrot from the Monty Python sketch.She had never seen the routine, but delivered it with perfect timing to laughter and cheers from her audience.The following month, she was an ex-Prime Minister.

Margaret Thatcher's fall from power was pure political theatre, and those of us who watched it unfold on our television screens will never forget those dramatic days.The big question in my mind was: could Campbell's account rise to the occasion?The answer:a resounding yes. Every twist and turn of the spectacle is followed, without recourse to melodrama or purple prose, and what could easily have been a disappointing damp squib of a section turns out to be a fine account of a political career in meltdown.

For me, the most intriguing part of the book describes Thatcher's life after leaving Number 10. Politically-speaking, she was dead in the water - there is no role in the British constitution for an unemployed prime minister.But Campbell is astute enough to highlight the human aspects of her new situation. Only days earlier, she was being feted by
President Mitterrand at Versailles. Now, shorn of the Downing Street machine, she had difficulty even using the telephone to find a plumber. Thatcher's refusal to adapt to her new situation caused her successor much grief, and the book relates the despair which John Major felt at her off-stage sniping , especially when he was trying to rebuild bridges
to Britain's European partners.

Having already documented the lives of two former Prime Ministers - Lloyd George and Edward Heath - Campbell is able to view the Thatcher years with a historical perspective. The conclusion of this book, however, is disappointing. A work of this magnitude deserves a resounding finale, but instead it runs into the sand, offering little more than a couple of pages to sum up Thatcher's impact.It's not a bad ending, but I feel that the author could have done justice to the rest
of the book by bringing together more effectively the various strands of Thatcher's life.

That said, the book is a masterpiece of political biography,
meticulously researched and written in that enviable style which both informs and entertains.It may be too soon to call it the definitive biography of Britain's first woman prime minister, but the next time an author sets out to write Margaret Thatcher's premiership, this is the first book they should turn to.
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Customer Reviews (3)

Fine Text and Pictures
I have nothing to say save to second the favorable responses of Hough and Book. The need for one note of qualification led me to write. Mr. Hough's (justified) fondness for Stuart Davis perhaps led him to refer to him in terms which might, misleadingly, that this work contains some significant reference to that artist. It does not. Some passing mention is made of Sloan's fellow illustrators in his early Philadelphia newspaper years, but it is only Robert Henri whose relationship to Sloan is investigated.
Well illustrated and, only occasionally too academic, I found the book to engaging reading and viewing.

Helen Farr Sloan's journey
Sloan's last wife is responsible for this catalogue. I am looking forward to the exhibition at the end of this month at the University of Chicago's Smart Museum.John Sloan was a high school drop out,( as was Stuart Davis). His meeting Robert Henri was transormational to him: He read more . He walked more. All of the Ash Can painters walked to absorb and find subjects in New York City.Most worked as artist/reporters.They did very sophisticated drawings for newspapers during this period. They were inspired by Aubrey Beardsley and the Ukiyo Japanese prints. Stuart Davis was a fan of Beardsley and was one of the influences that led him to abstraction.The catalogue has repros of Sloan's graphic work.I am pleased that the art world has come out with so many good books about these artists. I believe that the Abstract Expressionist have follwed them in their interest in subject matter...the city.They also follow the painterliness of John Sloan and George Bellows.Sloan was a long time friend to Stuart Davis.In Davis we find remnants of the Ash Can painters.Helen Farr Sloan died in 2005 she is responsible for the story of John Sloan as from the time she spent as his student ,to the time they were man and wife ,she kept notes and records of his thinking on art.The catalogue contains essays on different aspects of Sloan. I would like to see all of the paintings in the show,in this catalogue. But, nonetheless the book willbe a good seller.

A great gift for a friend who loves art
It is an excellent book on John Sloan.A catalog of a show they put on at the Delaware Art Museum.The information on Sloan is complete and engaging.Reproduction of the art is fine.

Good coverage of the period of his art career from 1908 to 1920 when he was working in New York City.This is the most interesting period of his art.Anyone who is interested in this period of art for America will find this a good worthwhile book. ... Read more

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John Campbell investigates how consciousness of the world explains our ability to think about the world; how our ability to think about objects we can see depends on our capacity for conscious visual attention to those things. He illuminates classical problems about thought, reference, and experience by looking at the underlying psychological mechanisms on which conscious attention depends. ... Read more

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This textbook is intended as a comprehensive introduction to the biology, care, and production of domestic animals and freshwater fish raised to provide food, as well as pets kept for companionship and recreation. The authors teaching and research experiences in agriculture, animal and dairy sciences, and veterinary medicine provide the professional expertise that underpins the clearly written discussions of advances in animal sciences affecting humans globally. Coverage includes breeds and life cycles of livestock and poultry; nutritional contributions of animal products to humans; the principles of animal genetics, anatomy, and physiology including reproduction, lactation, and growth; animal disease and public health; and insects and their biological control.Each chapter stands on its own. Instructors can assign higher priority to certain chapters and arrange topics for study in keeping with their preferred course outlines. The text has been classroom-tested for four decades in more than 100 colleges and universities at home and abroad. Additionally, it is pedagogically enhanced with glossary terms in boldface type, study questions at the end of each chapter, more than 350 illustrations, and historical and philosophical quotations. These useful features aid students in comprehending scientific concepts as well as enjoying the pleasures derived from learning more about food-producing animals, horses, and popular pets.TABLE OF CONTENTS:1. Animal Agriculture 2. Breeds and Life Cycles of Livestock and Poultry 3. Animal Products 4. Companion Animals 5. Horses 6. Aquaculture 7. State of Being of Domestic Animals 8. Fundamental Principles of Genetics 9. Principles of Selecting and Mating Farm Animals 10. Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals 11. The Application of Endocrinology to Selected Animals and Humans 12. The Physiology of Growth and Senescence 13. Anatomy and Physiology of Reproduction and Related Technologies in Farm Mammals 14. Artificial Insemination 15. Physiology of Lactation 16. Physiology of Egg Laying 17. Ecology and Environmental Physiology 18. Principles of Nutrition: Plant and Animal Composition 19. The Physiology of Digestion in Nutrition 20. The Nutritional Application of Vitamins to Human and Animal Health 21. The Nutritional Contributions of Minerals to Humans and Animals 22. Animal Disease and the Health of Humans 23. Selected Insects and Parasites of Significance to Humans and Animals 24. Ethology and Animal BehaviorAppendices: Common Terms or Names Applied to Selected Farm Animals Convenient Conversion Data Tables of Weights and Measures Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in the United States and Its Territories Alphabetical List of Elements and Symbols / Glossary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good
Another satisfied purchase.The book was in great condition and it saved me so much money going through Amazon. ... Read more

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Networks of Power in Modern Greece provides exciting new perspectives on Greek history and society. The collection presents pioneering work on the Greek merchant marine and the role of women in the Greek War of Independence. Local perspectives transform common assumptions regarding the function of miracle-working shrines and the place of religion in the early nineteenth century. Essays show how clientilistic networks linked the nationalist heroes of the Macedonian Struggle to the anticommunism of the Civil War, analyze the populist radicalism of Andreas Papandreou, a figure who dominated Greek politics in the final decades of the Cold War, and emphasize the ambiguities of a "modern Greece."

Additional chapters by leading anthropologists, such as Renée Hirschon, Roger Just, and Juliet Du Boulay, apply an ethnographic approach toward the understanding of social institutions and practices, from divorce to sacred foodstuffs. Written in honor of the classical historian John Campbell, the multidisciplinary essays challenge conventional ideas of Greek nationalism and social development and touch upon broader issues, including the emergence of nation-states, the relationship between familial and ideological conflict, and the continued relevance of religion in modern life.