5 comments about The Corpse Walker: Real Life Stories: China from the Bottom Up.

1. I read this book after seeing a positive review in the Chicago Tribune and it did not disappoint. Each story of everyday Chinese citizens and their struggles was very memorable, touching and thought-provoking. As an American, I also found it very enlightening, and thought the stories were so important that I recommended the book to family and friends.
   
   The Corpse Walker is the kind of book you will think about long after you've finished reading it!



2. As Studs Terkel did for American workers in "Working" and other books of oral history, so Liao does for the Chinese in this wide-ranging collection of interviews. From landowners to restroom attendants, from former Red Guards to Tiananmen parents, from professional mourners, feng shui practitioners, and fortune tellers to safecrackers and human traffickers, Liao encourages the ordinary people of China to tell their extraordinary stories.
   
   A dissident poet and journalist who has himself been imprisoned, Liao has talked to everyone. Twin themes of incredible cruelty and quiet endurance run through the interviews. Some of the exchanges are hilarious, many of the accounts are deeply disturbing and tragic, and all of them portray the rapid changes China has undergone since the 1949 communist victory.
   
   A Red Guard tells of torturing a school principal who had dedicated his life to the revolutionary cause, only to be accused at the start of the Cultural Revolution of forcing Western science on his students. The principal committed suicide. When asked if he ever felt he had gone too far the former Guard says:
   
   "I was born into a family of blue-collar workers. The Cultural Revolution offered me the opportunity to finally trample on these elite. It was glorious. I couldn't get enough of it."
   
   The human trafficker, Qian, interviewed in prison, describes how China's shortage of girls led to his success in the kidnapping and forced marriage business. He discovered the money to be made by selling his own daughters. "What do they know about happiness?" Qian responds when Liao expresses distaste. "My daughters are the children of a poor peasant."
   
   Liao does not bother with Western journalism's objectivity. After Qian brags about his lying skills, Liao concludes the interview: "If I were the judge, I would first cut off your tongue as punishment. It deserves to be cut off."
   
   No one has escaped China's political upheaval. The title interview, "The Corpse Walker," describes an old custom in which, back in unpaved China, people who died far from home would be taken on foot back to their families. But what starts out as a rather colorful, curious tale of an outmoded profession turns tragic as mob bloodlust and class hatred intervene.
   
   The Cultural Revolution transformed a generation. Education was devalued, lives were blighted, torture and execution were common. The stories are heart-rending, but most of the tellers are more philosophical and fatalistic than bitter.
   
   There is overall agreement that life in China is better these days, though many find the preoccupation with money ironic and a few lament the passing of their professions. The professional mourner describes how funeral rituals have changed, incorporating pop songs and limos. "People are not what they used to be. They don't even pretend to be sorrowful."
   
   These very particular, individual stories breathe life into swathes of history. A Buddhist abbot describes an old woman's generosity during the widespread starvation of the 1960-61 famine, an old man tells of forsaking his bright revolutionary future for the love of a politically incompatible woman during the Cultural Revolution, a peasant matter-of-factly demonstrates the still destructive power of superstition (and the gulf between city and country) in "The Leper."
   
   Liao's sympathetic and insightful interviews paint a complex, often breathtaking portrait of a convulsive period in a vast land.



3. Here we learn how Mao's Cultural Revolution relentlessly destroyed China's civil life and its entire working infrastructure, millions of decent, innocent citizens.
   
   There is so much suffering in these documents of survival on the streets, back alleys and in the desperate countryside that I put the book down many times only to pick it up again the way a tongue seeks the sore tooth. Do not look for a happy ending.
   
   What remains of this debacle is the deep humanity of the Chinese people. Corpse Walker is excellent background for the novels of current Chinese writers such as Ha Jin.



4. I wanted the book to be more than it is. It claims to contain the 'real life-stories' of some of China's social outcasts. Are these authentic, first-person accounts of life as it was suffered on the bottom rung? I wish they were. Instead they are recollections (not transcriptions) of conversations, written down after the fact of the author's meetings with his subjects, reworked by the author and others still later, then translated from Chinese into English. The voices of the characters of these tales were hard to hear, and I was left to wonder who was saying what to whom.



5. ... this book is little more than a diatribe against the Chinese government. Not that I am a fan of the Chinese government, it deserves many of the hits it receives, but this book seems deliberately edited to make things seem as bad as they possibly could be. I wish we could have heard these people talking in their own words. Many times I was wondering what was true and what was made up. Still, for all of that, it is an interesting read ... just take it with a grain of salt.

5 comments about The Extreme Future: The Top Trends That Will Reshape the World in the Next 20 Years.

1. The book contains a lot of preening; the author seems to think it is important to remind us (anecdotally) how many huge companies and heads-of-state he's interacted with. Many of his predictions range from poorly explored (he talks about a hydrogen fuel economy without addressing the fact that hydrogen is just a transport--not a readily available source of energy) to the absurd (predictions that teleportation will be available within decades, given the fact of photonic teleportation which doesn't even slightly approach the complexity of disintegrating, transporting and reintegrating an object!) There's also a lot of political advocacy here; I'd have simply preferred an analysis of technological and cultural trends along with research to back it up.



2. 70 pages are missing from this version on sale. My review is the only place that mentions this Key fact.
   Try the paperback version or even another vendor.



3. I heard about this book during a presentation by Howard Rheingold at a Rotary Honolulu luncheon. I jotted the name of the book down and bought a copy.
   
   This book has given me a broadened perspective on where our world is today in regards to business, technology, medicine, security, terrorism, population, immigration, the environment, energy, and even what it may mean to be human during the remainder of this century and beyond.
   
   The book is divided into 12 chapters. The first chapter sets the premise: The future can be extreme. The future can be bright, or it can be dark. The concept of "Future-Readiness" is introduced, and how the degree of awareness and readyness can change the probable outcome of the future. Dr. Canton also describes a process of looking at the future to determine the extremes, the causes of the extremes, and thus the choices that can be made today to shape the future.
   
   The next eight chapters address various factors which we are living with today which will have a bearing on how the future develops. These topics include: Energy, Prosperity/Poverty, Human Capital, Medicine, Environment, Globalization, Security, and Advanced Science.
   
   The last three chapters serve to pull together the information in the first nine chapters to "plug in the crystal ball" and examine how the confluence of factors will impact the future of the individual, and the global future with an emphasis on China and the U.S.
   
   Granted, there are some pretty wild and imaginative "predictions" of specific inventions, such as teleportation of matter, but the public thought Leonardo DaVinci crazed when he suggested that people could fly with the aid of machines.
   
   For me, the chapter with the most impact was the last chapter: The Future of America and Democracy. This chapter is a "call to service" for America, and the world. It very powerfully urges that we the people, government and business, consider taking certain actions to address the challenges that face our communities, our nation, our world, and humanity.
   
   This was both a thoroughly enlightening and entertaining read. Two years after publication, this book is prescient and timely reading for anyone who wonders "Where are we going?", "How are we going to get there?", "What could go wrong?", but most importantly "What can we do?".



4. DAVID HOULE'S "THE SHIFT AGE" OPENS OUR EYES TO OUR OWN INCRERDIBLE TIME OF TRANSFORMATION.
   
   IN A TIME WHEN THE SPEED OF PROGRESS CAN RENDER RECENT INNOVATIONS OBSOLETE BEFORE OUR MORNING COFFE COOLS, OUR ABILITY TO INFLUECE THE DESTINY OF MANKIND AND PLANET EARTH WILL REQUIRE A STEADY HAND. HOULE'S ABILITY TO CONNECT THE DOTS AS THEY SPEED US INTO THE FUTURE PROVIDES US WITH A MACRO VIEW OF HOW OUR WORLD WILL BE SHAPED BY SIX CRITICAL FACTORS.
   
   TECHNOLOGY
   ENERGY & GLOBAL WARMING
   TRANSPORTATION
   DISINTERMEDIATION
   INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
   MEDIA
   
   THE ONLY CHALLENGE WITH "THE SHIFT AGE" IS SOME REDUNDANCIES IN THE USE OF COLUMNS WRITTEN BY HOULE TO DEVELOP FORWWARD MOVING COMNCEPTS. OTHERWISE, THIS IS A GREAT READ. HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF THE REDUNDANCIES, I GAVE THIS BOOK 4 0F 5 STARS.
   
   IN ALL, THIS IS A VERY INSIGHTFUL AND FORESIGHTFUL BOOK REGARDING THE WHOLE OF HUMANITY AND THE PLANET WE LIVE ON.



5. I purchased this book for a college class. According to the syllabus, I will be reading it in about two weeks, so I cannot tell you if the material is valuable or not. However, after skimming through it, it appears to be well organized.

No comments about When Giants Fall: An Economic Roadmap for the End of the American Era.

5 comments about The Trouble with Africa: Why Foreign Aid Isn't Working.

1. Robert Calderisi does not know the trouble with Africa, so I don't understand why this is the title of his book. One of the problems we face is so-called experts claiming to have answers to our problems when they have no idea what's going on. This book is mostly a bunch of nonsense. Ultimately if you want to know about Calderisi's life, this book is for you.



2. IF you want to get a great idea of the screwed up programs and screwed up governments of the continent, then read this book. The author does a great job descibing the situations and their historical significance. I learned a lot about Africa. He tells things people don't want to hear.



3. For those that can go this way and that, there is trouble in Africa, there is trouble with Africa. Without placing blame squarely on the shoulders of the guilty, there will be no resolution. While the author lived only a couple of places in Africa, the indictment of the continent as a whole is not too far from the mark. Foreign aid does not work, because they are getting too much of what they really don't need which is lots and lots of money and no way to manage it except stealing it and whisking it away to banking institutions abroad. There are far too many well meaning Americans and Europeans that see the problems with a filter and fail to grasp the magnitude of the problems on the continent. For instance, instead of sending people to live in Africa, to learn and understand what is going to work, everyone sends money, money and more money. Someone props up this dictator for 10 years or so and then wonders why he spits in their face when the winds change and we ask him to behave. Africa and the Middle East were the two areas that were carved up by colonial powers in the 1800s and 1900s, the middle east is beginning to recover and come into its own, Africa is in far worse shape. This book does bring ideas back to the discussion regarding why it is in turmoil and how the rest of the world can manage it.



4. The evidence given is more anecdotal and 'desk reviewish' than based on solid research. The author indulges a bit too much in touching on his personal life business which a reader is unlikely to have bought the book to want to read about. Nevertheless there are many conclusions that are worthy and valid.



5. I think Books like this are part of the reasons why it has become so necessary for Africans to begin to voice their opinions on the constant degradation and misrepresentation of the continent. This Author and those that agree with the author's perceptions fall into the category of what I like to call a "post-imperialist syndrome" that's plaguing a majority of the Western community.
   I think it's time people stopped playing ignorant and take sometime to fully understand and do the right research on the African continent. I have an advice: Go to Africa, live there for up to three years (not in hotels) and find out the truth about the continent. And please for all these so called experts or professors who believe they understand everything about the genesis and present state of Africa, I'll advise they start spending their time on other projects they understand because Africa doesn't need people like them.
   Reading books like this further confirms the reason why Africans need to stand up and change all this B.S. Good thing is a new generation of Africans are on the rise and we are out to shut all this nonsense!!!

4 comments about The Limits to Capital, New Edition.

1. I was attracted to this work becaues i'm interested in Marx and have read another of Harvey's books "The Condition of Postmodernity." Harvey is an erudite scholar who's formal education is in georgraphy, but his research has produced accessable and powerful studies beyond his origins. "Limits to Captial" is a complete and balanced account of Marx's economic work centering upon his major text "Das Kaptial." Harvey has does a intense study of Marx and Marxist scholarship (Lenin, Rose Luxingberg, and others) to produce a systematic and dialetical account of Marx's critique of Captialism. Even though harevy pays attention to the importance of Hegelian dialetics this book is accessable to to readers who do not have strong philosophic of economic backgrounds. If your are interested in Marx and/or captialism this is an excelent inroad to begin your studies. A detaled biblography of cited sources is a gem for continuted research. His book on postmodernity is also excelent.



2. David Harvey is actually a geographer, but from reading this book, one would think him one of the great political economists. Based on this work alone, he should be in the popular range of Stiglitz, Schumpeter, Milton Friedman etc., but it is not likely that such 'honor' will ever befall a Marxist theorist. Nevertheless everyone interested in Marxist economics, for whatever reasons, simply must read this book.
   
   Harvey's discussion of capitalism from a Marxist perspective is extraordinary clear, sharp and thorough. So much in fact that it is probably the most consistently in-depth exposition of capitalism from every aspect since "Capital" itself. This also makes it hard to review it, since one hardly knows where to begin.
   
   Fortunately for political economy newbies (and this book is definitely the best kind of "introductory overview" you could give to an intellectual person), Harvey starts at the same point "Capital" starts, then works his way through. First he gives a clear exposition of the general framework of Marxist theory: the law of value, the differences between value, use value and exchange value, the mode of production etc. All this is done quite well, though there are of course many many such general descriptions available in print. Harvey does seem to skip over the "transformation problem" somewhat, which may annoy those who consider it a major hurdle. Harvey, in my view with good reason, does not.
   
   The next two chapters discuss production, distribution, surplus value and its realization and the relation to supply and demand. Particularly useful here are his explanations of the importance of the concept of value composition of capital, and the reduction of skilled to simple labour, where he addresses one of Von Böhm-Bawerk's better critiques of Marxism.
   
   The next part of the book is perhaps the core of the book. Here, Harvey delves into the organization of capital, the various forms which it can take and how these interrelate, and the tendency of the rate of profit to fall. He shows how the various manifestations of capital can interfere with each other's functioning and how this creates the tendency towards crises. He then posits the problem of overaccumulation (rather than underdevelopment) as the first 'layer' or 'cut' of crisis theory.
   
   After the reader has grasped all this, the second crucial part of the book follows in a rapid manner, introducing first the problematic of fixed capital and its relation to the law of value, and then the role of credit in capitalism. The first is not very satisfactorily resolved and is in my view probably the weakest part of his theory. Alan Freeman has since given a quite different solution to the same issue, but that does not seem to really solve the problem either. Perhaps this is one of the things Marxist political economy has yet to fully solve.
   
   Harvey's demonstration of the role of credit is however masterful and extremely enlightening for the many who are confused by the vast array of forms in which credit appears in modern society. His emphasis on the importance of understanding the so-called "fictitious capital", that is advanced capital not yet backed by actual value through production, allows him to show the second major appearance of crises in capitalism as well as explaining the theory of rent in Marxism, which forms the subject of the chapter thereafter. He corrects Marx' somewhat excessively anti-distributive theory of rent and explains the role of agricultural technology. Harvey is in many parts of this chapter rather confusing in his terminology, but a careful reader can certainly grasp the issue.
   
   At the end of the book Harvey can finally follow up on his own area of expertise. By explaining the role of spatial and temporal relations in the flow of capital and the necessity of 'exporting' the internal contradictions of capitalist social relations, he is able to form a theory of imperialism that is largely in accordance with that of Lenin, but without the theory of underdevelopment. It also puts a good perspective on Marx & Engels' many journalistic articles about India and colonialism. Finally he combines this with the earlier two aspects to form the third 'cut' of capitalist crisis theory, which takes every aspect of capitalism in its modern appearance into account.
   
   On the whole, Harvey has done an unparallelled and magisterial work in creating an exposition of capitalism that is at once as in-depth as "Capital" and much clearer (and shorter!) than that, although of course without Marx no such thing could ever have been made.
   There are a few things nevertheless not covered (fully) in the book. Harvey pays surprisingly little attention to urban geography and (sub)urbanization as a factor in capitalism. Furthermore his theory of the state is a hodgepodge of different roles, which he never unites into one whole. Finally, people experienced in handling Marxist theory might have problems with Harvey's generally structuralist approach, which leaves relatively very little room for the autonomous significance of class struggle. Harvey mostly relegates that to the fields of production processes and labour mobility. Because of this, Lebowitz' "Beyond Capital" should probably be read alongside it as a complementary contribution, analyzing the same from the side of wage-labour.



3. In my opinion, Limits to Capital is the best path to Marx's political economy, and in a sense it's an update of Capital. Harvey explains Marx, and introduces some new concepts such as 'spatial fix', 'socially necessary turnover time of capital' etc. Together with Mandel's Late Capitalism, Limits to Capital is the most significant contribution to Marx by a contemporary writer. (The radical geography journal Antipode had a special issue for the 20th year of Limits to Capital.)
   
   However, Harvey revisioned some of his thought later, with 'The New Imperialism'. He introduced the notion of 'accumulation by dispossession', I don't know why, limiting the 'reproduction on an enlarged scale', and thereby limiting the validity of class conflict. This imperialism issue blurs all the contemporary accounts of capital accumulation. He is now an Arendtian. Good luck with that, but we miss the Harvey of Limits to Capital.



4. 
   Tough read but essential, November 2, 2008
   By J. Johanning "bussho" - See all my reviews
   
   I'd give it 5 stars if it were a somewhat easier read (afraid that a lot of people who would benefit it will give up following the argument), but it may be the best commentary on Marx's economic theory available. It's a difficult book only because Marx's theory is itself complex, and it is complex because reality is.
   
   In these times of crisis in our economy, worse than anything for almost a century, it is essential for us to understand why events are happening as they are, and while Marxian economic theory is obviously not perfect, I think it is far closer to true than most of what you can see in print today. Harvey not only gives us an accurate interpretation of Marx, but goes beyond him and amends him in many respects. Read and learn.

5 comments about From Third World to First : The Singapore Story: 1965-2000.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Lee Kuan Yew. Besides being a genious at governing the man is a gifted writer. The book is full of information for those, like me, that were curious about how this gentleman, along with his associates, pulled out the feat of transforming an underdeveloped society into a model society. He, almost singlehandedly, achieved what other countries and societies with far more resources only dream of. Pick this book if you wish to learn and, at the same time, be entertained.



2. I loved this book. Lee is insightful and a great writer.
   
   His chapter on Taiwan, however, was mad hypocrisy. He critices Taiwan for "pulling away" by teaching in schools primarily the history/geography of the island instead of China, as before. Funny this is coming from a guy known for getting rid of all Chinese-language universities in Singapore. He spoke about ensuring he brought Malays along in his trip to China, and conducting meetings in English, to ensure China recognizes Singapore's unique identity.
   
   Also funny was Lee KY's attributing Lee Teng-hui's provocative behavior to Lee TH's Japanophilia and being "powered" by the spirit of the Bushido warrior." Yet throughout the book Lee KY talks about how British he is, e.g., his habit of drinking tea in the morning! Furthermore, he spoke of the great sentiments associated with attaining British knighthood, which according to him, was the greatest honor he had ever received. I couldn't help laugh when reading the British knight accuse the Bushido warrior of Japanophilia, when he himself is brimming with Anglophilia.



3. great book. lee is the most impressive character i've ever read in history book.



4. This book is a detailed account of Singapore's history beginning from its independence and its development to a first world country under Lee Kuan Yew's leadership, and the second part is Lee's diplomatic relationships with different nations and his dealings and views on their leaders.
   
   It is a very entertaining and insightful read, Lee goes deep into details in problems looming over Singapore in its infancy and in developing the nation to feed its population. How he tried to persuade the British to maintain its military base there to protect Singapore from its two dangerous neighbours and communism from China and in within, and when failed how he placed utmost importance in building a working army to defend itself.
   
   Lee realizes the importance of a clean and competent government, whereby he believes a good paycheck would help curb corruption and an anti-corruption agency with a high degree of power was formed to further prevent it. He was able to gather a group of honest and able people to form an efficient government, which was vital in building any nation.
   
   He created a safe and secure environment through the rule of law and honest public administration to attract foreign direct investment to build up factories in Singapore, this was essentially the main driver behind Singapore's phenomenal growth. Through this he created thousands of jobs and gave the Singaporeans adequate livings.
   
   He knows the importance of human resources given that's the only resource Singapore has, he stresses on education and the English language to effectively connect Singapore to the world. He had to close down the Chinese-speaking Nanyang University because most graduates had a hard time finding job.
   
   He also gave explanations on some of his rather controversial actions in suing newspapers and political opponents, which seem reasonable.
   
   Overall, he has done a remarkable job in creating an honest and efficient government, a sound legal system with the rule of law, excellent infrastructure and he was able to provide jobs and a good living to his people. All these are the factors to Singapore's miraculous transformation. And on top of that, he retired from his prime ministerial post and passed on the baton, albeit still holding a senior minister post.
   
   All in all, Lee has done a spectacular job in transforming Singapore to the only other first world country in Asia aside from Japan, heads off to him.



5. The book is very good in its sincere attempt to delivery the story on how Singapore was built. Perhaps with an intention, on the side, to 1) lay down guidelines that other asian countries could follow, and 2) further promote Singapore to foreign investors. His emphasis on discipline and strict public policies--that may be deemed oppressive in other countries--to jumpstart progress could be well-intentioned points as well. The reader cannot miss the pride on every passage that highlights the successes of Singapore as a small state-country.
   
   But not everyone can agree with Lee Kwan Yew's setting-aside, for example, of a free press. Freedom of expression is a right; the fruits of progress is not complete without it.
   
   An authoritarian government cannot hide, as well, the hypocrisy that is probably vital to compromise certain liberties, in exchange for a 'highway' towards progress. Sometimes one can also see how money is used in Singapore to discipline, and as a only parameter in decision. One case in point: a young professional Singaporean shared a story that Lee Kwan Yew once pompously said that as long as he is alive, there will be no casino in Singapore. Well, yes, he is still right, there are two casinoes now being built simultaneously in the Marina area! And what with the Geylang red-light district that the government has to acknowledge quasi-legally? Is the rationale for both of these is that they are still business ventures that Singapore will still profit from in the end?
   
   Lee's omission of his own compromises/hypocrisy in fact weakens the book's commentary and criticism of other countries' priorities. (He has tons of advise and lay downs on neigbors in southeast asia--taiwan, philippines, malaysia). Singapore is known as a good place to work at, but not to live in.
   
   The book is very thick. Ive concentrated most of the history on early Singapore (good read!) and some opinions on the state of asian countries today. There are some repetitions and convolutions as well. I think this book could have used a good editor before publishing.
   
   Still a good buy, but 3 stars only for not being as in-your face that I would have personally wanted. Hypocrisies that he should still acknowledge (and explain).

5 comments about Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent.

1. Keep the good work upp!



2. This history is told from the point of view of the oppressed people detailing the horrible conditions in Chile during the Industrial Revolution.



3. A friend recommended this book and I thank him for making me aware of this. Africa and its problems I am very informed about, but what is going on in Latin American no. To become aware of the products we enjoy such as coffee and sugar, cotton and not knowing of the pain and agony involved in other lives is inexusable in to-days world, hopefully through this book people will become informed.



4. "Open Veins Of Latin America" has not lost its importance in almost 40 years of circulation, today more than ever, Eduardo Galeano's poetic journey through the history and suffering of Latin America is a vital work of scholarship and observation, it is a record of how the Americas were born and grew. From the Spanish Conquest to the Cuban Revolution and beyond, Galeano touches on nearly every key moment of Latin American history and brilliantly shows the reader how the events of the past helped shape the status of the present.
   
   Part of the genius of this book is how Galeano manages to chronicle in fine detail the history of Latin America but also clearly shows how certain economic orders were established, any reader who wonders who countries like Bolivia and Peru have such wide gaps between rich and poor, white and indigenous communities, needs to read this book. In breathless detail Galeano takes us through the Spanish conquest, using historical documents and eyewitness accounts to record the suffering and terror indigenous communities endured for the sake of imperial expansion. Galeano brilliantly connects the dots between the economic and social models established at the time and the current conditions of these countries today, consider Bolivia, where racial tensions are indeed flaring up again due to the election of an indigenous leader, Evo Morales.
   
   The worlds Galeano paints are rich in detail and fascination, heartbreak and hope. We visit forgotten cities in Peru, once paved in silver, now condemned to misery, we explore the mines of Bolivia where indians lose their lungs to fumes and tunnels and we step into isolated villages in Brazil, where the ghosts of dead miners are said to still hold Mass on rainy evenings. Key historical events are described with visceral energy such as the outbreak of civil war in Guatemala after a U.S.-backed coup, the eruption of "La Violencia" in Colombia where thousands perished in a bloody rampage following the assassination of a progressive candidate for President. Galeano cheerfully bashes fascists including right-wing groups trying to stop Salvador Allende's nationalization of copper in Chile by warning parents with false propaganda that their children will be flown to the USSR or Cuba for indoctrination. Galeano also tells the cold hard truth about the military junta that ruled Brazil (with U.S. help), including their pass time of burning books.
   
   "Open Veins Of Latin America," like all great books, enthralls, educates and makes the reader aware. Historical figures we don't hear much about in normal textbooks come alive in Galeano's writing, fascinating figures like Nicaragua's Sandino, Mexico's Hidalgo and Zapata and Peru's Tupac Amaru reveal a heroic tradition of resistance against imperialism and repression. Some complain about Galeano's Leftist leanings, but much of what he records is simply based on fact, on documented history. Events like the Cuban Revolution, the Mexican Revolution and Haiti's slave uprising are thrillingly chronicled and their outcomes explored with keen insight.
   
   Latin America remains a place that fascinates many, it is a complex region that is politically, ethnically and religiously diverse, Galeano manages like few writers have, to capture it all in this beautiful volume. "Open Veins Of Latin America" has so much information, so many stories, characters and histories that a full review does not suffice to explore it all, for those who wish to really KNOW about Latin America, this book is a must. It is a history of economies, countries, bloodshed and tears, and most importantly, of people.



5. ...that only goes to the old, tired and overused idea to blame the U.S. for every problem affecting Latin America. From the difference in the way our different colonial economic paths began, to portraying the Castro regime as the "true" liberators of the hemisphere.
   
   The mere "omission" of Latin America's cultural political traits, and their endless propensity towards all too central governments and all to corrupt leadership through the ages becomes conveniently omitted. Al to show (regardles of the facts) that the social class contradictions are located at the international level between the have and have not states.
   
   Just another attempt to create another American guilt trip. And a laughable one at best......

5 comments about Oil on the Brain: Petroleum's Long, Strange Trip to Your Tank.

1. I read this book as part of a review group associated with the petroleum industry. I have over twenty years of experience in the refining industry, so most of the information this book contains in that regard held little new information. However, it's important to point out that the book also didn't contain any misinformation. My experience with production and trading is limited, so I picked up a great deal of information on those aspects. If you are not familiar with the oil and gas industries, and would like to know the "how and why" of them, I would recommend this book highly. The author not only discusses domestic (US) production and supply, but also foreign areas, such as Nigeria. In short, I think this book represents the broadest, and easiest, source of information a lay person would find useful as a starting point for exploring an industry that affects all our lives.



2. OIL ON THE BRAIN is a survey of virtually every facet of the oil market and industry, from gas station to national policies. The author spends time at each segment, collecting information, interviewing the players, and experiencing whats happening.
   
   The book is well written, interesting, and provides a detailed overview of our friend gasoline.



3. Especially relevant in these days of high gasoline prices, this book is everything you ever wanted to know about gasoline. It starts at the gas station and traces back to distributor, refinery, oil rigs, etc. all the way back to the countries that supply our crude oil. The book was first published in 2007 - before prices soared. It provides a thoughtful discussion of the mechanics and politics of gasoline. It is a
   "must-read" for everyone who complains about the high cost of gasoline



4. The title is very inspirational. Americans rely on the stuff oil is used for more than anyone else. But we don't spend much time thinking about it. Oil on the Brain tries to change that with a comprehensive exploration of what oil is and where it comes from. The geopolitics of how we "negotiate" getting it and paying for it are greatly revealed. Geopolitics are only briefly explored(war and between-war posturing)



5. Lisa does an excellent job of detailing the fundamentals of the oil business. In fact, I applaud her ability to convey some of the more obscure parts of the business in simple, lay person's terminology. Unfortunately, beginning with Chapter 7 she intertwines the facts with her personal opinions often critical of leadership which she is ill-equiped by any stretch to judge. There is a certain emotional content conveyed that is humanly appealing but misleading to unsuspecting readers. This type of emotional content grounded by perception only propagates and inspires ignorance to the general public that reads her book. She should take credit for her exceptional ability to condense such a large topic into a small bounded work but it is a tragedy that such talent is lost in arrogance. The content is admirable, the reading pleasant, but the undertone is disrespectful.

5 comments about The Conservative Nanny State: How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer.

1. This book gives a great introduction to how a variety of industries get breaks from the system, so for example, how drug companies take tax money (through the NIH) and then after succesfully creating a new drug, patent it to create a monopoly. It's a wonderful introduction to what's wrong in our mixed market economy.



2. You'd have to be the proverbial ostrich not to know that in i-pod America, the rich are getting richer, the poor poorer, while the middle class qualifies as an endangered species. What is not so well known is how redistribution is aided and abetted by government policy. Conservatives, as Baker notes, have been very successful in dressing up their windfall as the unbiased workings of the marketplace. Thus the citizenry accepts unfavorable results as the outcome of the glorified market god, in whose name things ultimately turn out for the best. Baker's slim volume (100 pps.) aims at showing how despite the smoke and mirrors, the god actually resides in Washington DC, in enumerated programs and policies directed toward funneling wealth upward. These measures and their rationale are kept in place by governmental machinery he dubs the "conservative nanny state" (cns).
   
   Far from opposing government intervention in the economy, the cns uses intervention effectively in behalf of established wealth. The quarrel between liberals and conservatives is usually framed in terms of a liberal welfare state vs. a conservative free market. But, as Baker points out, these terms are seriously misleading. Both sides favor government intervention. Where they differ is over who gets the benefits, while the success of the cns lies in their ability to deflect public awareness from govn't actions that benefit the rich at the expense of the rest of us.
   
   Baker examines a number of these biased policies showing how they funnel wealth upward. These prove to be enlightening discussions. However, what's unusual about the sections is his proposed remedy, which is essentially to let the markets operate free of the cns. For example, crippling health care costs have been sky-rocketing. They can be reduced, he points out, by allowing a greater supply of foreign physicians to immigrate. Or, consider long-depressed wage hikes. These can be resurrected, he argues, by curtailing the Federal Reserve's power to pump up depressing interest rates in the name of fighting inflation. Similar market-based solution are recommended for other cns biases.
   
   It would be easy to assume that the author is a libertarian insisting on free market principles. But he's not, at least from my reading. For he proposes letting the govn't compete in the marketplace with private business, a definite anathema to classic libertarians. Hence, in his view, govn't should offer medical insurance to compete with private insurers for the consumer's buck. How well all this would work out is up to the reader to decide. Still, it's educational to examine how far cns policies depart from the hallowed conservative principle of non-intervention, and how effectively these measures are masked from public awareness.
   
   One important arena not examined is the defense industry. It's a multi-billion dollar complex, the proceeds from which largely funnel upwards and, it would appear, a mother lode the cns regularly taps into. Why Baker doesn't examine cns activity in this highly significant sector is unclear to me. Perhaps, it's because solutions are not as amenable to market operations, or maybe because the topic is simply too big to be included with the others. Anyway, don't expect an expose of Lockheed-Martin et. al. and the cns in these pages. Nonetheless, the book is well worth the read, particularly for Chapter Five on bankruptcy and the cns's little-known role as both national and international debt-collector.



3. It is a myth that the rich, or market conservatives in the author's lexicon, unremittingly favor the operation of free markets with absolutely no government intervention. In fact, quite the opposite is the case. The author examines several key areas that show the lie of the idea that the rich favor free market outcomes.
   
   1. Both the gov and professional organizations limit the numbers of doctors, lawyers, and other professionals including the entry of foreigners. At the same time, rampant and/or illegal immigration floods lower-wage employment markets and some technical jobs. On the one hand, wages are artificially high, but suppressed on the other to the detriment of the greater good.
   
   2. The Federal Reserve uses monetary policy to increase unemployment and thereby lower wages of the lesser skilled, while limiting the inflation detested by bankers.
   
   3. Corporations are entirely government creations, yet conservatives obscure that point which permits unchecked CEO pay. In actuality the government could mandate governance rules that would likely curtail CEO pay excesses.
   
   4. Copyright and patent laws in essence grant monopolies to the detriment of the free flow of goods and services, which can in fact be harmful as in the case of restricting the availability of needed medicines.
   
   5. Conservatives support legislation to restrict the ability of individuals to seek redress in courts for harm under the name of tort reform. In actuality law suits are a market form of regulation in lieu of government intervention. Obviously, protecting the rich trumps market principles.
   
   6. Free market advocates supposedly advocate choice. So why is there such fear on the part of private enterprise of people choosing Social Security and/or signing up with Medicare for both health care and prescription drugs? The fact is that private business is highly inefficient compared to those programs and can't really compete. Therefore they look to government to limit choice.
   
   7. True conservatives have always had low regard for gambling and certainly insist on its being heavily taxed. But when it comes to Wall St speculation, which is what day-trading is all about, they turn a blind eye to taxing and thus limiting the undisputed harmful impact of speculative transactions.
   
   There are a few more examples by the author, none of which can be seriously disputed. The book has the tone that things could be different: just point out the hypocrisy of the rich and reform will follow. Really?
   
   The author can hardly be unaware that we live in a class society in which the major institutions for inculcating the idea that markets are neutral and work for us all, namely educational and media institutions, are basically owned or financed by the rich. A few dissenting, fringe views are permitted here and there, but basically major dissent concerning the justness of our society is dealt with swiftly: removal or exclusion from school or job, or flagrant suppression.
   
   The situation is more than just setting forth the facts before the public. Probably never before in our history has market ideology so permeated our society and given the rich so many effective tools to disseminate information favorable to their class interests. As far as any effective forces opposing this situation, can anyone honestly say that the Democrats at this point are willing or even want to reverse any of what the author points out any more than do the Republicans. The answer is no.



4. I'll be brief, because the other two (longer) negative reviews I tried to post for this book disappeared into the ether.
   
   While I agree that there should be no welfare for the rich (or the poor), I could find no idea in this book with which I could agree. The author does not have a clue about how economies work. He is merely rehashing long discredited Progressive and Socialist dogma.



5. This is a neat little book. Dean Baker is an economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research - a think tank with tons of fresh ideas - and he knows his stuff. He offers his take on issues such as trade agreements, monetary policy, CEO compensation, intellectual property, etc. and with each of these demonstrates how the interests of the rich dominate. For example, proponents of NAFTA support "free trade" for manufacturing goods produced by low skilled workers but oppose free trade in high skill occupations (law, medicine, accountancy, etc.) which leads to a great divergence in the income distribution. In each of the chapters Dean Baker argues clearly and persuasively. Do you want to know what share of private R&D spending in pharmaceuticals goes to unnecessary copycat drugs? Do you want to know why a corporation cannot exist in a truly free market? Do you want to hear why marginal productivity does not determine CEO pay? Get this book.

3 comments about Mindful Economics: How the US Economy Works, Why it Matters, and How it Could be Different.

1. This book is the perfect counterbalance to mainstream economics. Magnuson provides real world information about the US economy and its history, and suggests ways to begin building real economic alternatives. The book contains much useful information and is accessible to people who have no background in economics. Mindful Economics is very informative and an interesting read.



2. This book is perhaps the best economics book I have ever read. It covers so much, is beautifully written and is just amazing. You'll learn so much from his work.
   
   I am an economics major with a poly sci minor, and, this book is just so much macro/mirco concepts nothing has come close.



3. For decades now, economic history has been deliberately suppressed in colleges and universities by a group of very deluded academics who worship Ayn Rand and her ideology of selfishness. Margaret ("There is no society") Thatcher and Alan (It's not my fault) Greenspan are among her devotees. Also known as the Chicago School, they launched their first major master plan using Pinochet in Chile in 1977 to overthrow the democratically elected socialist Allende (on 9/11 of that year, by the way. It was a disaster but they called it a success. (Mission Accomplished!) Various members of these minions went on to loot national currencies from Wall Street, and indoctrinate our country into a embracing selfish greed and gains at the unjust expense of others.
   
   Then we were hoodwinked into NAFTA and CAFTA. Banks went national and credit was released from it's cage with no training. Extremely important and effective legislation from the 1930's that protected us by keeping separate the various components of financial and insurance worlds were repealed. Crazy hyper-leveraged financial instruments made unsustainable debt levels a game of hot potato. What is worse though is that we are being mentally manipulated and tricked by opposite-speak everywhere we turn. We are being deprived even of unambiguous language to describe economic and political subjects.
   
   "Free Markets" are anything but democratic, or "free" for that matter. When we say we want to bring democracy to a country, we really mean forcing them to sell us their resources at pennies on the dollar and stripping the country of its assets. It doesn't matter, Democrat or Republican, "Wealth Creation" is really "Debt Creation," and both parties will strive to protect financial paper, no matter how inflationary, at the expense of productive capital and the general prosperity of all Americans except a very few. (Ralph Nader is the only candidate who has for 40 years demonstrated that he is capable of resisting the puppet strings of Wall Street, and by the way, he is on the ballot in 45 states, most likely including yours. You have no more excuses!!)
   
   Joel Magnuson's work is one of the greatest steps I have seen toward restoring economic literacy to America. This is a marvelous text that is easy to read and understand without oversimplifying anything. He tears the curtain from the Wizard's booth and reveals the humbug of micro and macro economic mathmatics, among so many other things. He offers lists of questions to ask the Chicago School instructors in class as each subject comes up. If you like making your professors and instructors actually earn their share of the higher education booty, you will love this feature. It is also reasonably priced, unlike most college texts that are obscenely over-priced in their anything-but-free market bookstores.
   
   Buy extra copies of this book. You will want to lend them out and give them away as I do.