The Motion Picture Guide: 1998 Annual the Films of 1997 (Motion Picture Guide Annual)

Book Description

In a first-season episode of The Sopranos, Tony Soprano is once again in conflict with his uncle Carrado "Junior" Soprano. Tony is in no mood for conciliation, but neither is Junior, who warns his nephew not to return unless he is armed: "Come heavy," he insists, "or not at all."

As a work of popular culture, a ground-breaking television series, and a cultural phenomenon, The Sopranos always "comes heavy," not just with weaponry but with significance. The cultures of the United States, Great Britain and Canada, Australia, and even Italy (where it premiered in the spring of 2001) have come under its influence and contributed to the cultural conversation about it. Talk, discourse, about The Sopranos has migrated far beyond the water cooler, and not all of it has been praise.

David Chase's The Sopranos has also received starkly contradictory critical assessments. In the eyes of Ellen Willis (whose seminal essay in The Nation is reprinted in this volume), for example, the HBO series is "the richest and most compelling piece of television -- no, of popular culture -- that I've encountered in the past twenty years... a meditation on the nature of morality, the possibility of redemption, and the legacy of Freud." Others have condemned it for racial and sexist stereotypes, excessive violence, and profanity. These eighteen essays consider many facets of The Sopranos: its creation and reception, the conflicting roles of men and women, the inner lives of the characters, obesity, North Jersey, the role of music, and even how food contributes to the story.

50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth: The Earth Works Group, a Great American Audio Book on Tape: If You Want to Take an Active Role in Saving Our Planet but Don't Know Where to Begin, Start with This Cassette (1990 Pressing, #7211)

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50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth: The Earth Works Group, a Great American Audio Book on Tape: If You Want to Take an Active Role in Saving Our Planet but Don't Know Where to Begin, Start with This Cassette (1990 Pressing, #7211)
Earthworks Group
Manufacturer: Great American
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette
ASIN: 1080172114

Our family physician: A plain, practical guide to the detection and treatment of all the diseases common to this country. Designed for the use by people ... an important thing. ... Take notice [etc.]

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Our family physician: A plain, practical guide to the detection and treatment of all the diseases common to this country. Designed for the use by people ... an important thing. ... Take notice [etc.]
H. R Stout
Manufacturer: Henderson and Smith
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00086WY3C

This Earth Is Ours: Talks about Mountains and Rivers, Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Geysers & Other Things (Bonibooks)

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This Earth Is Ours: Talks about Mountains and Rivers, Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Geysers & Other Things (Bonibooks)
Jean-Henri Fabre
Manufacturer: Albert & Charles Boni
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Mountain Climbing | Mountaineering | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000EHLE22

Product Description

Presentation of physiography facts in "speaking" style, including early mountain-climbing in Alps & Pyrenees.

This earth of ours;: Talks about mountains and rivers, volcanoes, earthquakes and geysers and other things,

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This earth of ours;: Talks about mountains and rivers, volcanoes, earthquakes and geysers and other things,
Jean-Henri Fabre
Manufacturer: The Century co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

This thing called broadcasting;: A simple tale of an idea, an experiment, a mighty industry, a daily habit, and a basic influence in our modern civilization,

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This thing called broadcasting;: A simple tale of an idea, an experiment, a mighty industry, a daily habit, and a basic influence in our modern civilization,
Alfred Norton Goldsmith
Manufacturer: H. Holt and company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General Broadcasting | Radio | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

Normal is as normal does: our contributing writer explains how his online auction habit has shown this concept to be true: There's no such thing as a "weird" ... An article from: Antiques Roadshow Insider

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Normal is as normal does: our contributing writer explains how his online auction habit has shown this concept to be true: There's no such thing as a "weird" ... An article from: Antiques Roadshow Insider
Don Fluckinger
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000NA79J2
Release Date: 2007-02-07

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Antiques Roadshow Insider, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 631 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Normal is as normal does: our contributing writer explains how his online auction habit has shown this concept to be true: There's no such thing as a "weird" collection.(THE LAST WORD)(Column)
Author: Don Fluckinger
Publication: Antiques Roadshow Insider (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 6 Issue: 9 Page: 16(1)

Article Type: Column

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Turkey talk: this month, as our culinary cogitations turn to all things turkey, we thought we'd ask the pros what they do at home with the quintessential ... bird. : An article from: Food Processing

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Turkey talk: this month, as our culinary cogitations turn to all things turkey, we thought we'd ask the pros what they do at home with the quintessential ... bird. : An article from: Food Processing
David Feder , and Diane Toops
Manufacturer: Putman Media, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0009GQB0S
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Food Processing, published by Putman Media, Inc. on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1176 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Turkey talk: this month, as our culinary cogitations turn to all things turkey, we thought we'd ask the pros what they do at home with the quintessential all-American bird.
Author: David Feder
Publication: Food Processing (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: Putman Media, Inc.
Volume: 65 Issue: 11 Page: S16(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Who can you trust? This year's Hollywood blockbusters reveal that the thing we fear most may be lurking right in our own backyards. (culture in context).(the ... of darkness): An article from: U.S. Catholic

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Who can you trust? This year's Hollywood blockbusters reveal that the thing we fear most may be lurking right in our own backyards. (culture in context).(the ... of darkness): An article from: U.S. Catholic
Patrick McCormick
Manufacturer: Claretian Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B0008FIC1Q
Release Date: 2005-07-30

Book Description

This digital document is an article from U.S. Catholic, published by Claretian Publications on October 1, 2002. The length of the article is 1421 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Who can you trust? This year's Hollywood blockbusters reveal that the thing we fear most may be lurking right in our own backyards. (culture in context).(the heart of darkness)
Author: Patrick McCormick
Publication: U.S. Catholic (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 1, 2002
Publisher: Claretian Publications
Volume: 67 Issue: 10 Page: 42(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The last things of this age and the coming of our Lord: In five chapters : a short treatise, scriptural and comprehensive, for the busy pastor and layman

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The last things of this age and the coming of our Lord: In five chapters : a short treatise, scriptural and comprehensive, for the busy pastor and layman
E. J McKay
Manufacturer: Mitchell Printing Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Book Description

Hawkman and Hawkgirl have lived many lives over the centuries, all ending in a painful death. As the mystic Highwayman comes to St. Roch, seeking to claim Hawkmans tortured soul, its a deadly battle for survival. But first, the Winged Wonders must survive a revenge-seeking Thanagarian Hawkwomanand then a confrontation with the powerful Black Adam.

Customer Reviews:

Graphic SF Reader.......2007-09-03

After this, this particular Hawkman series starts its slow decline, and not so slow cancellation. However, the Hawkman series with Johns writing and what he came up with is definitely worth a look, particularly for the relationship between the characters, and his brutality in the bits where he is actually fighting, making him somewhat different than the other heroes, rather than just a generic flying guy.

Just A Tad Short Of Perfection; Still Extremely Powerful.......2007-03-15

The first thing that should be pointed out about "Hawkman: Wings Of Fury" is that, while the previous volume ("Enemies & Allies") reprinted #s 7 - 12 of the 2002 ongoing, this volume inexplicably skips #s 13 & 14 and starts with # 15, reprinting that issue through # 22. Perhaps the other issues are in another collection somewhere or perhaps they're only available in their original form. Nevertheless, those issues are the ones that follow up the cliffhanger from the end of the Enemies & Allies collection, and have some major revelations in them, so I'd recommend tracking those two down before reading the issues in "Wings Of Fury". They're excellent, and usually not too difficult to find.

Moving on to the Trade Paperback in question, # 15 kicks off the three-part arc 'The Thanagarian', the first storyline in the 2002-onwards ongoing to tie in the Hawk history from the late80s/90s - the Katar Hol (Thanagar's version of Hawkman)/Shayera Thal (Hawkwoman, from Thanagar)/Hawkworld aka. the planet Thanagar, etc. - into the current status quo with the reborn versions of the original Hawks. Although this arc is clearly one of the weaker ones in recent years's Hawk history, it's still an exciting, imaginative and rewarding tale with its own standard of excellence; by saying all that I guess I'm showing how high I feel the overall bar on the Hawkman books of this era has been set. In normal circumstances it would have seemed amazing, but there's a noticeable drop-off from #s 1-14, mostly involving an inconstistency with Hawkman himself. I know Carter has an unusually high level of loyalties toward his allies and friends, but it seemed uncharacteristic for him to be so condoning and unfazed by the recklessly destructive actions of one of his colleagues. It's not like he's letting anyone get away with murder, and I know there's a very definate savage side and a tendency towards impulsiveness within Hawkman himself, but something about the situation in question just didn't ring true. Apart from that, 'The Thanagarian' is a fine arc, drwaing multiple elements from the '90s Hawkman stories skillfully enough to provide a real treat for all of us who enjoyed that era of the Hawk mythos in addition to the current one. The art, as usual, is tremendous - detailed, expressive, and dynamic, and enlivened by some of the best coloring work in comics coutesy of John Kalisz.

Hawkman 18 & 19 are both single-issue stories, which you can't really say too much about in a writeup like this without giving everything away. No. 18, while not set in the past like Hawkman # 7, is similar in tone to the 'Past Lives' story presented there in that it delves again into the area of past incarnations of the series's characters, this time focusing of Carter's past life as Koenraad Von Grimm in centuries-ago Germany. Unfolding both in brief flashbacks to that time and in the present frame during Carter's stay in the city where he once lived, it's a powerful, emotion-driven story that adds even more depth to the continuing Hawk saga. José Luis Garcia-Lopez steps in as guest artist and gives a unique look to the story that well captures the historical feel. Scot Eaton and Ray Kryssing step in as guest penciler and guest inker for # 19 and bring some wickedly cool looks to the characters. Number nineteen brings Black Adam into the pages of Hawkman (as well as another, more surprising-to-see character who's captured excellently by Eaton and Kryssing). This issue fits in with the recurring issues over in "JSA" where they were building up with Black Adam into a major storyline, one that would reach its culmination in the "Black Reign" event (available in Trade Paperback under the JSA banner). Excellent issue in its own right, excellent issue as part of a longer, gradually developing plot in the JSA and Hawkman ongoings.

Regular artists Rags Morales and Michael Bair return for the 3-part "Headhunter" saga. The Headhunter is a new character expressly created for the purpose of becoming one of Hawkman's great perpetual arch-enemies (like Lex Luthor for Superman or The Joker for Batman, for example) and the character gets off to a great start. He's a mysterious, vicious killer who's got some really different things going on; he seems like the kind of being a horror movie could center around, or who would stalk through the pages of a horror anthology like Vertigo's "Flinch". A great foil for Hawkman who, along with Hawkgirl, are continuing throughout this whole collection to be defined as two of the main pillars of the DC Universe. The "Headhunter" arc also sees a 'cutting-loose' kind of event that the series has been feeling like it could erupt since day one. One small glitch in the story with the timing is its only flaw, in a scene where the police outside should be rushing a building but inexplicably don't, just to give two characters a chance to have a verbal confrontation that should have taken place at a different spot in the tale. Apparantly, though, there wasn't room, and it got squeezed in where it didn't fit. This kind of thing doesn't happen often in Hawkman, and it doesn't happen often in anything writer Geoff Johns is penning, but it managed to slip in here. A minor quibble, overall.

And overall, the verdict on "Wings Of Fury" is that it drops a tad below the previous two Hawkman Trade Paperbacks, but is still a whopping good volume, probably a nine or 9.5 on a scale of ten. The stuff in these Hawk collections is some of DC's most essential reading.

Yuckie Yuckie.......2006-02-22

I loved Hawkman as a child growing up in the 60's. he was my favorite member of the JLA. I got this book to share some memories with my 8 year old but beheadings are a little too gross for me. I guess I'll try to find a Classic Anthology with some reprints from a simplar time.

Hmm...ok.......2005-08-09

Whilst the prequel Endless Flight provides the reader with a cliffhanger which drives you to pick this one up, the end result doesnt do justice.

In some twisted way, WOF falls short of the mystery cum action that usually gives Hawkman readers the buzz that they love so very much.

And what's the deal with Kendra? Are they back together or not?

Solid enough, but not as good as the previous two volumes (or JSA)........2005-08-05

It's been said that as a comics writer Geoff Johns can do no wrong, and "Wings of Fury" will do nothing to dispell that belief. It is, however, a step below Johns' best work on the Hawkman character. The primary problem is that Johns begins a deconstruction of the character (a storyline which continued even after the writer left the book). But Hawkman has had the most screwed-up continuity in comics for a generation. It was only through a herculean effort in the JSA series from which Hawkman spins off that Johns was able to straighten it all out. And now, he is tearing it back down within just a few years? That makes no sense.

On another note, the book suffers a bit from the loss of series regular Rags Morales, who totally redefined Hawkman's look in the first two volumes.

The highlight is a guest appearance by Black Adam, which serves as a prequel of sorts to the excellent JSA: Black Reign trade.

RECOMMENDED.

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Not theory, but practice
Stories of US ace
Master arm on...Master arm on....
Good reading, and not just for fighter pilot wannabe's
Good jet combat action described between the covers

Wings of Fury
Robert K. Wilcox
Manufacturer: Atria
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0671747932

Book Description

They are America's best fighter pilots -- from the Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Heroes who push the envelope with their machines, their bodies, and the will to fight and win on their...

WINGS OF FURY

Here, these airborne warriors reveal themselves as never before. Ride shotgun with TOPGUN pilot Dale "Snort" Snodgrass as he becomes the first student pilot ever to land an F-14 Tomcat on an aircraft carrier. Silver Star winner Rob Graeter recalls a Cold War close call as he flew his F-15 Eagle over Soviet waters -- almost triggering World War III. Feel the adrenaline as Brian "Rocky" Fitzpatrick remembers test-flying the F/A-18 Hornet when it suddenly went haywire, leaving him with a crippled plane, a faulty parachute -- and a very long way down....

From the training grounds of Miramar to combat in Vietnam and Desert Storm, these are the stories of those who defend our skies -- and the dramatic evolution of modern air warfare.

Customer Reviews:

Not theory, but practice.......2006-05-19

There are many books about modern fighter aircraft, their weapons systems and the pilot training but this one stands alone, as it gives many practical details which are not known or not mentioned by the theorists. While reading this book I learned for the first time the drawbacks of the modern pulse doppler radars, the tactics that the opponents of the USA adopted in order to counter modern weapons like Sparoows and AMRAAMS, the harsh realities of fighter pilot training and duty and many descriptions of mock or real air to air battles against Libyans, Iraqis and Soviets. Well worth the time and the money.

Stories of US ace.......2002-11-03

As a hardcore flight simulation fans, I am more interest on the exciting battle fields in the sky. I have read "Strike Eagle" before, I would like it more with comparsion. However, the last parts "Victory in the Desert" can satisfy me, just feel I stay at Eagle, Tomcat's... seat to fire a missile on the Migs to form a huge fireball to shine the dark.
The first three parts, it decribes some ACEs' background, stories, families, careers....Overall, it is a great book for flight readers. Check Six.

Master arm on...Master arm on...........1999-12-07

I've always dreamed of being a fighter pilot....this book really conveys what I imagine it might really be like...it goes beyond "top gun" or some of the other movies of that ilk... If you know any technical details about how jets really work, or even if you don't, this book really will give you a better sense of what really goes through a pilots mind both in combat and in training. As the subtitle says, the period covered by the book is vietnam up through and including the gulf war, and the author does a good job of putting his recounting of pilots stories into context by discussing the contemporary American fighter tactics during each relevant period. You'll feel the pilots frusterations at the limitations of their radar or the information available to them, and you'll feel their excitement as they move in for the kill. Most of all though, I got a sense of the professionalism that is bestowed in our pilots through their training. In any case, I heartily recommend buying this book, you won't regret it. Check six!

Good reading, and not just for fighter pilot wannabe's.......1998-04-29

Here's a review I posted on a flight simulator forum, for all of us PC virtual fighter pilots. I decided to post it here as well, for those who enjoy aviation and excitement but who don't really do much flight simulator flying.

"An adreneline rush injected straight into your heart. This is some of the best jet combat reports as told to the author by the pilots who flew them. If you like the movie 'Top Gun' but felt it wasn't technically correct, you'll love this book. If you loved 'Top Gun' simply because it featured combat jets going really fast, you'll love this book. Strap on your speed jeans and push the throttle past the final detente, because there's two contacts at angels 10 and they're jinking back across your beam..."

Good jet combat action described between the covers.......1998-04-27

If you've ever seen the movie 'Top Gun', or have been to an air show, or have flown a PC flight simulator, or have watched CNN's broadcast of Desert Storm, or watched any movie with a jet fighter in it, or have wanted to do any of these things, then you'll want to read this book. This is a recounting of some of the best jet combat incidents as told to the author by the pilots who flew them. The stuff is a direct adreneline injection through the heart. A great read for rush junkies, speed freaks, and combat pilot wannabe's. If you 'feel the need, the need for speed' then you'll love this book.

'I have two bogies at angels ten...' will mean something to you. It will mean that your heartrate is about to accelerate as those General Electrics start to spool up. You can almost feel the throttle being pushed up past the last detente as you slide the master arm switch to 'On'...

Average customer rating:
FJ Fury in Detail & Scale (Includes All Straight Wing & Swept Wing Variants) - D & S Vol. 68
Inc Detail & Scale
Manufacturer: Squadron/Signal Publication c.2003
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N29OUM

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The Fury of Gabriel's Wings Silent Screams Diary of a Serial Killer
J. Stephen Mahone
Manufacturer: Fury Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0974704903

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WINGS OF FURY: FROM VIETNAM TO THE GULF WAR - THE ASTONISHING TRUE STORIES OF AMERICA'S ELITE FIGHTER PILOTS
Robert Wilcox
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I1C9GE

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Hawkman: Wings of Fury, Vol. 3 (Hawkman)
Geoff Johns
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Superheroes | Graphic Novels | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417688416

Average customer rating:

A high point for Dragonlance, 5 Age

Disappointing. Very little new was revealed.

UNH!!! UNH!!! UNH!!! UNH!!!

Perfeito

WINGS OF FURY (Dragonlance Fifth Age Dramatic Adventure Game)
Douglas Niles
Manufacturer: Wizards of the Coast
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Niles, Douglas | ( N ) | Authors, A-Z | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books | Alternate History | Anthologies | Arthurian | Contemporary | Epic | General | Historical | History & Criticism | Magic & Wizards | Series
General | Dungeons & Dragons | Gaming | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
Entertainment | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
Science Fiction & Fantasy | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books
ASIN: 0786907223
Release Date: 1998-03-24

Customer Reviews:

A high point for Dragonlance, 5 Age.......2005-06-12

Setting aside the controversy of the re-release of Dragonlance as a profoundly changed world described in a SAGA system rules set, and taking Wings of Fury on its own merits... I'm impressed.

It's chic to note TSR's decline in the late Nineties while describing a RPG item of the time. The idea is that TSR could do nothing right, had no talent left, only looking for the buck, etc. Admittedly, quality control took a slide, but it wasn't universal.

Wings of Fury does a wonderful job of expanding the centerpiece of Dragonlance: The Dragons. Doug Niles -- while not the first name you'd think of in RPG writing -- can be relied on to deliver competent work. Artwork throughout is above average. Numerous sidebars in the books add color or highlight rules.

Inside are two books and a map:

Book One is Dragonlore: A Treatise on Ansalon's Dragons.

Book Two is Wings Over Ansalon: Dragons of a New Age, Part Five.

Poster map is of the Dragon Isles, a semi-mythical archipelago dominated by dragons, but also the home of numerous other thriving cultures. A whole campaign could be set here by an inventive referee. The concept is very similar to the Council of Wyrms box set (1994; ISBN 1560768576).

Wayne Gralian
Wayne's World of Books
WaynesBooks.com

Disappointing. Very little new was revealed........1999-02-25

The 5th Age Dragons are one of the most interesting parts of the current Dragonlance SAGA, yet nothing new or "interesting" is really revealed about them. Save your money for something else.

UNH!!! UNH!!! UNH!!! UNH!!!.......1999-02-21

Man! This is AWESOME!!!! That's all I can say. I'm speechless, really

Perfeito.......1998-10-21

Um guia completo de dragões. Explica como funciona o poder dos dragonlords. Não tem defeitos. Um produto ideal para qualquer jogador de Dragonlance.Inclui tambem uma aventura nas dragon islands. Perfeito !!!!!!

Book Description

"What do you want?" is a constant query put to economic and globalization activists decrying current poverty, alienation and degradation. In this highly praised new work, destined to attract worldwide attention and support, Michael Albert provides an answer: Participatory Economics, "Parecon" for short—a new economy, an alternative to capitalism, built on familiar values including solidarity, equity, diversity and people democratically controlling their own lives, but utilizing original institutions fully described and defended in the book.

Customer Reviews:

very badly written.......2007-04-03

Definitely. We cannot count on Mr. Albert's ideas to move away from capitalism.

There is no "after capitalism".......2006-11-21

Because there is no "before capitalism." A stupid, stupid book designed to trick people into communism.

Better books on participatory economics out there.......2006-03-17

To find out about participatory economics, I read two books, The ABCs of Political Economy by Robin Hahnel and Parecon by Michael Albert. I would recommend the former over the latter. Admittedly, they cover somewhat different ground. The former critiques basic concepts in neoclassical economics in light of political economy and is not meant as a detailed exposition of participatory economics (parecon). But in defending political economy, Hahnel explains the moral foundations behind parecon's system of remuneration and parecon's critique of markets much more clearly and concisely than Albert does. And Albert's book is so turgid and repetitive that you arguably get a clearer picture of the parecon system (and of the various criticisms of the model) from Hahnel's one chapter on the subject than you do from Albert's whole book. Hahnel's book is a model of how to popularize complex ideas without condescension or oversimplification. You finish the book feeling he has equipped you to think for yourself. In his care to craft comprehensible prose, Hahnel is consistent with his own belief in popular democracy and open debate. Hahnel also practices what he preaches by debating with alternative points of view, quoting from other authors, referring to other traditions, and providing ample footnotes.

By contrast, Albert's style contradicts his avowed commitment to democracy and non hierarchical discourse. He writes like a member of the "coordinator" class he condemns. His writing exemplifies what Richard Lanham, in the tradition of Orwell, has called the "official style," a style laden with abstract nouns linked by prepositional phrases and passive verbs, a style designed not to communicate ideas clearly, but to overawe the reader with pseudo-scientific abstractions connoting bureaucratic mastery over reality. Moreover, unlike Hahnel, Albert largely ignores the long tradition of other authors who have speculated on the subject of life after capitalism and provides no footnotes or endnotes and only a very skimpy bibliography. He does not review other proposed systems of non-market, democratic planning and dismisses market socialism in only 1 1/2 pages as another version of class society. He thereby does little to discourage readers from fallaciously inferring that if they oppose capitalism they must favor the particular system he is proposing (notice how even the book's title, "Parecon: Life After Capitalism," encourages this fallacy). Although he does rehearse various criticisms of parecon, his summary of critics is cursory and brusque, his defense of himself long-winded and blustering. Hahnel, by contrast, carefully and respectfully articulates other perspectives before stating his own position.

In case you think I'm being too harsh, here are two examples of Albert's style (you could find similar sentences on almost every page):

"Different abilities to benefit from competitive exchange can also result from more accurate predictions about uncertain consequences or from differential knowledge of the terms of exchange (which in turn could stem from genetic differences in this particular 'talent' or differences in training or, more often, from different access to relevant information)."

As Lanham notes, in bureaucratic prose like this, you never know who is doing what to whom; agents and actions are obscured beneath heaps of abstract nouns. But that sentence was easier to digest than many. Try this one:

"Suppose in place of top-down central planning and competitive market exchange, we opt for cooperative, informed decision-making via structures that ensure actors a say in decisions in proportion as outcomes affect them and that provide access to accurate valuations as well as appropriate training and confidence to develop and communicate preferences--that is, we opt for allocation that fosters council-centered participatory self-management, remuneration for effort and sacrifice, balanced job complexes, proper valuations of collective and ecological impacts, and classlessness."

This is a defense of participatory economics written as if by a government policy wonk. For a clearer, more concise and effective defense, I'd turn to Hahnel.

It starts the ball rolling..........2005-06-04

If you're a Hobbesian type who feels that life is brutish, short, and that people are basically animals that need to be continually monitored, goaded into working, etc., then you'll probably find Albert's views offensive. TINA doctrine, (There Is No Alternative), is a powerful ideological force which Albert seeks to counteract. At the heart of this book is the concept of human nature and how this affects the ability to construct a more just economic system.
The first argument in support of TINA is typically along the lines of "without work and punishment, what would motivate people, because they are basically selfish?" Albert's latter chapters address this philosophical yet reality-based question head-on. He uses a compelling example. If you saw a large adult grab an ice cream cone out of a child's hand, pushing the child to the ground, what would you do? Albert says that of course, most of us would be outraged and may even come to the defense of the child. If humans are so animalistic and depraved, then why aren't more people pushing and shoving? Could it be that the forces around us, versus only our "inner selves," push and shove on us to make it more difficult to be good samaratins. Despite 24 hour, "me first," "screw you, hooray for me" individualism married to ultra-social-Darwinistic capitalism, people care about others and the values of commnity. Of course the state wants to convince us that we are under constant threat and that it is the police that keeps order. Oh really? Then why do they lose control of a crowd during a riot? I guess we need one policeman per person to keep us in check. Maybe we have such a thing as inner humanity and morality, which actually lessens the need for a police state.
I've often found another TINA defense funny. People often act that if capitalism weren't around to monitor people, the motive to work would mysteriously vanish. My response is, how do (did) tribes survive? Did Native American groups just sit around and starve without the "benevolent" foreman to "motivate" them along? Do local villages in all parts of the world today lounge around, waiting to be given direction? Heavens to Betsey, how DID any of us achieve human progress and purpose before capitalism? I mean, it's all of 300 years old. Compare that to, say, Ancient Egypt, and there's no contest, right? Albert aruges that work, producing value, is an essential part of being human. It is the alienating kinds of labor that the majority of the world is involved in that's the problem. Note that the top 20% who get to experience more autonomous and creative work ususally scratch their head trying to figure out why everyone is "whining." Albert points out that this same group also gets a) paid more even though they experience less harsh labor conditions, and b) gets more of a say in important political decisions! Under our current system, the message is "one-dollar-one-vote." If you aren't college eduated, you don't deserve a living wage, etc.
Albert rightly points to examples of unemployed communities taking back factories and turning them into productive entities. The only difference is that THEY, the WORKERS are the ones doing it, not state-owned socialism or market capitalism. The activism of the unemployed (who most automatically picture as lounging around and being stubborn at the same time) is tremendous in South and Central America.
It would take some time to implement Albert's ideas, mostly because the ideology of capitalism is more entrenched than we realize. Our entire system of hierarchy, where education supposedly equals merit (typically measured and reinforced via standardized tests), comes to bear in even the most liberal of the upper 20%. "I wouldn't want to do MENIAL work. That's what I went to college for" as if menial work isn't valuable and that we simply expect certain groups to do it (after all, they deserve to do it because they aren't smart or special like us).
I recommend this book for those interested in learning something new about something old...human nature.

Just another attempt at brainwashing the masses.......2004-02-17

This book is good for two audiences:

1. People who are socialists and want to read more ways they can implement their big plans to destroy capitalism.

2. People who are reasonable/capitalists who want to read a laughable proposal to unite the masses and bring down the great evil capitalist societies of the world.

So basically this book is suitable for anyone. But seriously, it is simply another way to say "Down with successful people! I deserve an equal share of the economic pie just because I'm a human and I'm equal to everyone else!" and other familiar chants of the far, far left wing. It's actually quite amazing to me that people still propose such nonsensical "progressive" ideas to implement socialism and can keep a straight face. Some people are incapable of reason and/or learning apparently. This book tries to counter the common (as in common-sense) attacks on socialism and uses the familiar notion that past attempts at socialism were different or implemented incorrectly and that this new great revolutionary book has the answers to make sure the next attempt is successful.

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