Albert Speer: Conversations With Hitler's Architect

Book Description

Caught by Politics engages with the paths and aesthetic strategies of German and European exile visual artists, designers and film practitioners in the United States such as Max Beckmann, George Grosz, Hans Richter, Peter Lorre, and Edgar Ulmer. It also explores the degree to which American artists including Walter Quirt, Jackson Pollock, and Robert Motherwell responded to the Europeanization of American culture.

Theresienstadt: Hitler's Gift to the Jews

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Theresienstadt: Hitler's Gift to the Jews
Norbert Troller
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807819654

Book Description

Norbert Troller's unique account of life in Theresienstadt combines his intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the camp with two dozen of his own drawings and watercolors. Troller recounts his two years in Theresienstadt from early 1942 until September 1944, when he was deported to Auschwitz after the Nazis discovered he and other artists were smuggling out drawings that revealed the horrors of Hitler's "model" ghetto. Miraculously preserved by his friends, Troller's drawings and watercolors of life inside Theresienstadt add a compelling dimension to his story. His keen observations of human nature, of the experiences of his fellow prisoners, and of his own existence are embedded within a powerful history of the Theresienstadt atrocities.

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Beware of the forgeries
A beautiful book even at [$$$]
Uplifting & beautiful paintings from a true artist.
Honest Look at one aspect of Der Fuhrer
Who can speculate as to what might have been.......

Adolf Hitler: The Unknown Artist
Billy F. Price
Manufacturer: Stephen Cook
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0961289406

Customer Reviews:

Beware of the forgeries.......2004-03-01

I first bought the German language version of this book in Braunau am Inn, Austria, in 1979. Immediately I recognized many of the paintings and drawings in here to be crude forgeries. Subsequent research has been published which proves many of the material here was forged by Konrad Kujau, later indicted for the Hitler Diaries hoax in 1983. For the record: all of the nude drawings of Geli and Eva are forgeries, all the paintings by "Hitler" post-1918 are forgeries and all the floral arrangement paintings are fakes. In addition, most of the paintings in the color section were done by Kujau.

So why am I giving this book 3 stars, instead of one? For several reasons. First, the book is beautifully produced, on thick, glossy paper and solid linen covers. And there are enough genuine Hitler paintings reproduced to make it worthwhile. Though flawed and loaded with forgeries, it's still a mandatory book for any serious Hitler collection. My favorite forgeries are the ridiculous "deer" paintings, which you'll see. There are absurd, yet passed off as genuine Hitler originals!

A beautiful book even at [$$$].......2002-11-07

Even as a moderate liberal I can see the beauty in this book. This comes in two forms; the well-reproduced colour and black and white plates and succinct readability, and the well made "coffee table" quality of the binding. The colours used are modern today, hiding the age of the publication.
I paid [$$$] for the book, secondhand from the USA. This seems a lot of money but the pride in ownership of such a rare manual takes away the pain of the cost. Many of the paintings show the value and quality of my own Hitler watercolour (Church, Vienna period c.1910).
Some raised eyebrows from the usual...closed-minds, but that makes ownership more enjoyable.
Buy with confidence, this will appreciate in value.

Uplifting & beautiful paintings from a true artist........2002-10-31

I have been to many of the places that were painted in this book. Amazingly where I took alot of the pictures were the same angle that Hitler painted these pictures. The paintings uplifts your spirit by showing the purity and wholesomeness of Germany. This book is amazing. You hear alot of people try to put down Hitler as a aggravated and no good painter and that the reason he put the degenerate art on display was because he was mad that he never got into art school. These comments are from the same liars that has Hitler's original paintings locked away like they will cause a uprise of National Socialist values. The forewords of this Book prove that statement Incorrect. Hitler could have made a Career out of art if he wanted, this book is the proof of that. I salute Mr. Price for not giving any opinion on the political view and /or trying to "Bash" the painter. also for refusing the German Government's ridiculous demand that he characterize Hitler on the cover of this book as the man responsible for the Holocaust. The International War Geneva Law states "All seizure or destruction of works of art is forbidden" so all we can do is hope that the artists wishes are carried out and that ALL the original Pieces go back to an art gallery in Linz. until that day all we can do is Buy this Book and quote a saying off a painting in this book on page 207 it says "WHENEVER FREEDOM IS VIOLATED, THE BEST MEN MEET IN PRISON!"

Honest Look at one aspect of Der Fuhrer.......2001-02-24

More than 50 years after the death and destruction attributable to Adolph Hitler, the mere mention of his name still brings out strong emotions in most people. While his politics deserve the severe criticism most people feel, it is fair to isolate portions of his life for study and to let opinions on those areas be based on their own merits (or lack of), and that is exactly what this book does as it relates to Hitler's artist talents and interests.

Not only does this book refrain from discussing any other aspects of Hitler's life and activities, but it also does not take sides regarding the talent or value of his drawings and paintings. It quotes the opinions of others, both praises and criticisms, but the author does not share any personal opinions he may have formed as a result of compiling the book. He even states that he will only report historical facts and will leave all judgements to the readers.

The book starts with the history of a young Adolph trying to earn a living as a painter and vowing to become a famous artist. It traces his artist interests from youth to rejection by artist school, through his continued interests as he shifts to becoming a writer then politician. Once in power in Germany it discusses his efforts to gather, document, and preserve his earlier artwork as "national treasures." It also discusses the evolution of interest in his work since the war, including forgeries and authentications.

All the above takes place in the first few pages of the book. The remainder simply shows examples of his work, along with titles, dates, and any other known relevant facts.

Any collector will tell you that the most valuable of any sort of collectable will be subject to forgeries, indeed few collections of any size exist that do not contain some undetected or questionable items. This fact should not be used to invalidate the existence of authentic pieces or the value of reference materials which seek to help the collector become more knowledgeable about their hobby.

It is hard to imagine how this author could have been more thorough or more fair with the treatment of this particular topic. This book is easily the best single reference source for those interested in the history of Hitler art and the variety of forms it took. Highest recommendations, without any reservations.

Who can speculate as to what might have been..............2000-07-17

As I read through this book and looked at the recreations of Hitler's artwork, I can't help but wonder what might have been averted had the snot-nosed, elitist, STUPID instructors admitted him to the Art school that he applied to, at least to have given him the chance to prove himself as an artist. Whatever you think of him, he was a gifted artist; maybe not a Michaelangelo or Gogan, but with training and encouragement, instead of the ridicule he got, possibly he would have gone on to become a commercial artist, and six million lives might never have been lost; not to mention a war that might never have happened. Think about it, and get this book, if you can.

AIR WAR AGAINST HITLER'S GERMANY ("...paintings and sketches accompanying the narrative are the work of American, British, and German war artists. Even more graphic are the combat photographs reproduced here! ") (AMERICAN HERITAGE JUNIOR LIBRARY)

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AIR WAR AGAINST HITLER'S GERMANY ("...paintings and sketches accompanying the narrative are the work of American, British, and German war artists. Even more graphic are the combat photographs reproduced here! ") (AMERICAN HERITAGE JUNIOR LIBRARY)

Manufacturer: AMERICAN HERITAGE PUBLISHING CO., INC.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GM83UG

Surviving Hitler In Poland: One Jew's Story

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Surviving Hitler In Poland: One Jew's Story
George J. Rynecki
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1412073987
Release Date: 2006-07-06

Book Description

By the late 1930s Warsaw, Poland, was a vibrant city. It was home to a bustling business community and its historic promenade and outdoor cafés catered to the city's community of artists, writers, and intellectuals. It was a magnificent place to live and visit.

On 1 September 1939, the day the Nazis invaded Poland, that all changed--particularly for the Jewish population. Before the outbreak of the Second World War, Poland was home to the largest Jewish population in Europe. It is believed that prior to the war that more than three million Jews lived in Poland. It is thought that perhaps fewer than four hundred thousand survived the war.

In September 1939, George Rynecki was a Jew living in Poland. He was a new father and just starting his business. The life he had planned was suddenly and radically altered. Instead of focusing on his family and nascent business, he found himself scrambling to outsmart the Nazis and provide for his family. With a combination of courage, wits, luck, and bribery he survived the Holocaust.

Unfortunately, George's father, Moshe Rynecki, was not so lucky. Moshe, an artist who lived in Warsaw, refused to leave the city. While George was unable to save his father from deportation to the Majdanek concentration camp, at the end of the Holocaust he was able to retrieve many of his father's paintings. Moshe's paintings, which are realistic depictions of Eastern European Jewry, were obviously personally important to George, but are also of historic importance; they portray a people, a culture, and a community that was almost completely annihilated by the Nazis.

This memoir, read in tandem with viewing Moshe Rynecki's paintings, provides a more complete picture of the Eastern European Jewish community, and the Rynecki family in particular.

If you are interested in this book, you might also be interested in Jewish Life in Poland: The Art of Moshe Rynecki (1881-1943).

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Hitler and the Artists
Henry Grosshans
Manufacturer: Holmes & Meier Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0841907463

Exiles + Emigres: The Flight of European Artists from Hitler

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Exiles + Emigres: The Flight of European Artists from Hitler

Manufacturer: Angeles County Museum of Art
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 087587178X

AMERICAN PIMPERNEL: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE ARTISTS ON HITLER'S DEATH LIST

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AMERICAN PIMPERNEL: THE MAN WHO SAVED THE ARTISTS ON HITLER'S DEATH LIST
Andy Marino
Manufacturer: Hutchinson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OGH8SM

Artists against Hitler Persecution-Exile-Resistance

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Artists against Hitler Persecution-Exile-Resistance

Manufacturer: Inter Nationes Bonn
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HOEKE6

Amazon.com

"Beyond the smoke and mirrors of the runway lies another part of the fashion world." It is there that Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Lucian Perkins finds the most compelling images: über-waif Kate Moss sipping champagne decked out in an undershirt, jeans, and a bogling network of curled hair extensions. Design maven Isaac Mizrahi fretting over a voluminous skirt. Glamour-pusses Naomi Campbell and Veronica Webb lolling around, waiting for their curlers to set, while the clock ticks at the rate of $250 per hour. Perkins gets up on the runway, too. He turns his camera on his colleagues, who form an impenetrable wall of extra-long lenses and tripods. He looks out into the audience, where he finds the gender-bending RuPaul, Southern belle Dolly Parton, and actress Mira Sorvino parked amid the ubiquitous fashion editors and buyers and socialites. And he follows the impossibly fabulous creatures as they strut their wares down that most glamorous corridor--the runway.

The unusually long and narrow shape of the book is an excellent format for Perkins's atmospheric panoramic shots, and leaves room for quotes by Azzedine Alaia, Coco Chanel, and other fashion fixtures to accompany the smaller images. Readers who don't share original supermodel Iman's fashion ennui--she's quoted as saying she "couldn't get excited about another dress"--should be more than sated by the 100 fantastic photos of frocks, gowns, and shifts in Runway Madness.

Book Description

Bargain Books are non-returnable.

The unexpected runway moment, the candid dressing room expression, the steely eyed scrutiny of the front-row denizens. Runway Madness is a personal invitation to New York's infamous Fashion Week. More than 100 arresting photographs by Pulitzer Prize- winning photographer Lucian Perkins many never published until now tell the behind-the-scenes story of this unparalleled fashion event. Perkins captures the models up-close and personal: Kate Moss without make-up, Naomi Campbell in curlers, and Shalom Harlow, Amber Valetta, Christy Turlington, and many others in high pomp as well as unguarded circumstance. Also exposed are the fashion editors and buyers, journalists, and stars whose high-visibility presence is essential. Quotes from fashion insiders provide a running commentary and captions by Washington Post fashion writer Robin Givhan explain each image. The beat, the lights, the cascade of beauty and color: this is not only a performance, but also a performance art. Long and lean like the runway itself, Runway Madness is the total high fashion experience.

Customer Reviews:

Insightful Photography.......1998-12-09

I was fascinated by Perkins' book examining the fashon industry---something that was quite foreign to me. His insightful photographic analysis of the industry and the people opened a new understanding of this activity so foreign to those of us in west Texas. His photographs conveyed the the energy, the joy and despair, anxiety and confidence that accompanies modeling. A great "inside look" by an immanently accomplished photographer.

AWSOME!.......1998-10-19

The books cover caught my attention, I picked it up, looked at it and knew I had to buy it. As a photographer I found this book to be a new way of looking at the world of fashion. "Runway Madness," takes you on a journey of what happens backstage during a fashion show. This book is perfect for anyone who likes fashion and photography.

Book Description

Stories include - Net Dreams, Tales of the Velvet Fist- Occupational Hazard, Cat of the Curse People, Time Piece, Hold That Thought, Sweet Water, Savin' all My Love For You, Rescue 911 a.d.

Customer Reviews:

Puts the 'come' in 'comedy'.......2004-05-31

Science fiction sex comedy - it actually makes sense, and this is done very nicely. The vignettes are all well drawn in Foglio's amusing style, and are all gentle and consensual. Some (maybe most) are a little kinky, but there are no dark or hard edges here.

I have trouble calling this erotic, even though every tale (and occasional tail) is 'anatomically explicit.' Foglio's stories are just too comical and cartoonish. The SF angle allows for some otherwise improbable premises, so there are many different angles on mankind's oldest entertainment.

The series is funny, affectionate, and memorable. You may not remember any one story a month later. The happy, funny tone is what's worth a return visit, maybe again and again.

Good, Clean Filth!.......2001-11-15

I love XXXenophile!

Too much erotica is violent, misogynistic, and takes itself too seriously. XXXenophile, by contrast, is non-violent, girl-friendly, and funny as hell.

I would recommend XXXenophile (any of the collections) for any adult who likes good comics; but I would especially recommend it for people looking for well-written, entertaining erotica (even if they're not into comics).

There are very few books that are genuinely sexy and uproariously funny, but this is one of them.

Too funny!.......2000-05-28

I love Phil Foglio's work. Rife with explicit content, this is not for the meek. I highly recommend it for the short stories contained, only because the artfully drawn caricatures are worth waiting for. I poured through this volume (and have already done so with the other four) with wild abandon. Comic, inventive-the situations the stories are based upon are really quite varied and they hold the readers' interest-and also overtly perverse, I thoroughly enjoyed this collection. I am a Phil Foglio fan for life!

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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Evasion by Default
What's Beneath Your Syntactic Interface?
Buy this book...please!
Interesting, but Over Priced
Witty, Funny, and Like, Right On!

The Evasion-English Dictionary
Maggie Balistreri
Manufacturer: Melville House Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Synonyms & Antonyms | Dictionaries & Thesauruses | Reference | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0971865973

Book Description

"Maggie Balistreri takes dead aim at the 'Like, whatever' faction of English speakers . . . clear-minded grammar wins out in the end. Bravo."-Garrison Keillor

This scathingly funny dictionary of euphemisms translates the, like, banalities of contemporary speech.

Customer Reviews:

Evasion by Default.......2007-05-18

"The Evasion Dictionary" by Maggie Balistreri is a excellent volume to aid authors in the construction of dialogue. How does a character answer a tough question without telling all of the truth, yet not lying? A gold mine of illustrations that will spark the most staid of imaginations.
This is a book to read in-as-of-itself, it trains the ear to eavesdrop with perception. A fine addition to a sparse field.
Nash Black, author of "Qualifying Laps" and "Taxes, Stumbling Blocks & Pitfalls for Authors 2007."

What's Beneath Your Syntactic Interface?.......2005-08-18

Maggie Balistreri's critique of our masked, substantively evasive dialect offers humorous, albeit troubling, insight into how much of the social fabric, the prevailing belief structures and cultural processes, are entrenched in mass denial, subsisting on and predicated upon the avoidance of truth and meaning within common, everday conversations and exchanges.
Think of it as speaking in riddles. Unfortunately, it's done considerable damage in shaping the broader public discourse.

This particular deficiency is widely adhered to on an unconscious level, to the extent that it's accepted as 'normal'.
Let's suppose that the majority of a population shared a common mental illness, a soul sickness; isn't it possible, even likely, that over time, a greater percentage of them would be unable to acknowledge the disease ...*as a disease?*
And by that postulation, wouldn't the afflicted then in turn deem those not likewise effected by it as the ones who are sick, weird, bad, wrong, etc?

With people generally unaware of this process(and likely uninterested in it)they are incapable of acknowledging how cognition and grammer are fused in a manner indicative of a deficient, or at least insufficient, mode of consciousness and expression which is congrous to self deception, mass deception, and in turn, self and societal censorship.

This elaborate process largely stems from the "Just Do It" corporatized mentality. The underlying, strategic message of "Just Do It" is DON'T THINK. That is, don't think beyond the superficialities of life: of a mindless, wage slave existence relegated to the various conformities of rampant consumerism, and all it entails to define human worth and "success" on such terms.

When people don't think beyond those terms, when the customary, daily round of life is beset with a deluge of incentives and inducements toward desensitization and immediate gratification rooted in the manipulation and exploitation of innate human insecurities, often through induced signals and social cues concerning inadequacy, fear, anxiety, the result is an unthinking, non critical, homogeneous conformity among the populace where the surrender or denial of critical thought, genuine expression and emotional respression is widely encouraged, enabling an overall acceptance and exaltation of a unique spiritual and intellectual paralysis.
Logically it follows that since most are environmentally impacted and absorbed into this deficiency, its symptoms and manifestations are largely viewed as the opposite of what they really are, allowing for a delusional, happy consciousness. Language reflects this.

My take on what Maggie is addressing in her book isn't a random social trend, and that there isn't necessarily a direct correlation with this dilemma and a person's overall intelligence or vocabulary; it's an inevitable byproduct of poisonous, corporatized values.
The proof is how corporate power, which is basically the hierarchy of government, so obviously benefits in every way from the crisis of social and spiritual declivity.
The greater the degree of ignorance, apathy, and general disharmony, the greater profits to be made from human misery, and the more draconian measures that can be implemented by exploiting the symptoms which then serves to frighten people into being less independent minded and more stupified, perpetuating the cycle.

The psychological dynamics of these cycles are fairly simple to figure out provided people are encouraged to do so.
If they're not sufficiently roused into paying attention to matters of great public import(something that the media should do but of course does just the opposite)than naturally, the people's language and efforts of communication are going to reflect a particularly narrow mindset.

"Loyalty to petrified opinion never broke a chain or freed a human soul" ~ Mark Twain

Buy this book...please!.......2004-03-23

Contrary to what the author thinks, I blame the viral use of the word 'like' - the precursor to the computer virus - on ... Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. Who didn't let that little munchy craving, paranoid pothead infect us all?

The word is everywhere, ubiquitous, nonsense and useless. Finally, finally, finally, someone exposes the term for what it is - evasion. She breaks it down and reveals its many uses. Other terms such as 'whatever' are give due treatment as well. The book is linguistically sound and is humorous, if you get the joke.

I cannot recommend this book enough if you wish to expose the virus and root it out of your vocabulary.

Interesting, but Over Priced.......2004-01-17

I liked the book, althought some of the sections seemed stretched. My only real complaint is over the price ... . Pulling the pamphlet sized book from the Amazon box left me feeling a bit cheated.

Witty, Funny, and Like, Right On!.......2004-01-12

In this witty and extremely funny little book, Maggie Balistreri, has been able to step back and listen, really listen, to not only what we, as a culture, are saying, but how we say it, and bring it all home, to our attention.

Balistreri not only has provided humorous examples of office-speak, relationship banter, parenting jibberish, and teen-speak, but she makes you think about what you are saying, really.

Two of my favorite sections are "whatever" and "like." I had no idea there were that many different meanings attached to the word "whatever." And, "like" is my favorite pet peeve of today's English.

The book is such a delightful read, I could hardly put it down, and was unable to resist reading passages to my friends, especially those whose speach patterns were found in the book.

The book was so enjoyable, I could not resist a second read as well.

Well worth your time and money.

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