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Describes the career of Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Steve Carlton, only winner of four Cy Young awards. ... Read more

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The "truth" about PiL, but not including Lydon's version...
...if there is one.

This book is about as thorough as possible with regards to the story of Public Image Ltd without the input of it's longest-lived member, John Lydon. Therefore, much of it's anti-Lydon spin must be taken with a grain of salt. However, since the vast majority of the other contributors, which are impressively well in excess of 50% of the people involved (Keith Levene, Jah Wobble, Jim Walker, etc.), it can't be ignored either. It isn't a bash-Lydon book, but some former band members had some significant problems with him, as they did with each other. Different versions of the same incidents makes for interesting reading.

A book by Lydon would be very welcomed to balance all that is contained within this volume, however, whether or not he is a "nice" person or not is irrelevant... it's the music that matters. The true value of this presently reviewed title does not lie in the personality conflicts beyond how they might have impacted that final product. It's real worth lies in the fact that it is the first title to attempt an in-depth look at one of post-punk's most important bands, Public Image Limited. The fact that much of it's contents are from interviews with former members yields an authenticity to it not found elsewhere. There are details regarding how and why songs were written, under what circumstances the tracks were recorded, who was involved, and as importantly, who not and why. After reading this, I learned more about this band than I've known since 1978 when I first heard and started collecting PiL albums... quite an achievement.

This book also includes a good discography of PiL and solo material from 1977 to 2004 as well as some rarely seen photographs of the early members.

Highly recommended with the one caveat that Lydon's input is missing (and the book's title is sort of misleading). But considering who and what it does contain, certainly there is much truth within. And for sheer entertainment value, it is well-assembled and hard to put down.

so far...
i am half way thru and so far so good,theres alot of new public image info that i did not know,and the interviews with keith levene and jim walker are fair and revealing. ... Read more

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"Written in an engaging style and based on solid scholarship, this work by Argote-Freyre should make us wonder how we have gone this long without an authoritative treatment of the life and times of the man second only to Fidel Castro in his importance to twentieth-century Cuba.A sorely needed contribution."Lisandro Perez, Florida International University

Pawn of the U.S. government. Right-hand man to the mob. Iron-fisted dictator. For decades, public understanding of the pre-Revolutionary Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista has been limited to these stereotypes. While on some level they all contain an element of truth, these superficial characterizations barely scratch the surface of the complex and compelling career of this important political figure.

Second only to Fidel Castro, Batista is the most controversial leader in modern Cuban history. And yet, until now, there has been no objective biography written about him. Existing biographical literature is predominantly polemical and either borders on hero worship or launches a series of attacks aimed at denigrating his entire legacy.

In this book, the first of two volumes, Frank Argote-Freyre provides a full and balanced portrait of this historically shadowed figure. He describes Batista's rise to power as part of a revolutionary movement and the intrigues and dangers that surrounded him. Drawing on an extensive review of Cuban newspapers, government records, memos, oral history interviews, and a selection of Batista's personal documents, Argote-Freyre moves beyond simplistic caricatures to uncover the real man - one with strengths and weaknesses and with a career marked by accomplishments as well as failures.

This volume focuses on Batista's role as a revolutionary leader from 1933 to 1934 and his image as a 'strongman' in the years between 1934 and 1939. Argote-Freyre also uses Batista as an interpretive prism to review an entire era that is usually ignored by scholars - the Republican period of Cuban history. Bringing together global and local events, he considers the significance and relationship of the worldwide economic depression, the beginnings of World War II, and in Cuba, the Revolution of 1933, the expansion of the middle class, and the gradual development of democratic institutions.

Fulgencio Batista and most of Cuba's past prior to the Revolution of 1959 has been lost in the historical mists. Cuba had a rich and fascinating history before the Marxist Revolution and the reign of Fidel Castro. This captivating and long-overdue book uncovers it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The good, the bad and the ugly
Unfortunately in Cuban history there are very few good guys and an abudance of the bad and the ugly. No doubtsFulgencio Batista is one of the latter. In this well researched and written book, Frank Argote-Freyre provide us with a very good insight in the particular of Cuban history of the 1930s and the emergence of Batista as a military and political leader.Definitely it is not a biography since it is apparent that not enough information is available on the private life of the then young and emerging strongman. But it is an excellent account of a very traumatic period in the history of Cuba and the role played by Fulgencio Batista in it.

" Viva Batista"
I do not know if this review will ever be published by Amazon. In my opinion this book is very good. Fulgencio Batista was one of the best presidents of the republic of free Cuba. During his regime backwardness, poverty, and ignorance was not prevalent. Law and order was enforced to the max, and that was to control the malcontents who were out to destroy democracy in a booming Island with a bright future. Batista made only one mistake, and that was that he became complacent, and the left wing immediately took advantage of the situation to lie and deprive the Cuban people of their freedom, by installing a senile ideology that has turnedaround the country approximately 200 years back in time, making it one of the most impoverished countries in the world. It's humiliating to see how a country so rich in everything has been destroyed by a communist system that never worked any were else! We need more Batistas to bring back Cuba to reality, democracy and normality in the Island again. I'm sorry to disappoint all the left wing sympathizers out there. But, we Cubans had it made before the current sorry government took over in January 01, 1959.With the current Government, Cuba has nothing to offer to the world, except ignorance, pestilence, famine, and backwardness, what a shame. And who needs that! Buy the book, I highly recommend it! I'm looking forward to the second part.

Too repetitive
What is a fascinating story of the rise of a poor sugar cane cutter to the presidency of Cuba at age 39 is diluted buy the continuous repetition of the same events over and over again.The book should had been told in one half of the pages used and it should had included volume two.

The Leading Authority on Cuba
Frank Argote-Freyre has set himself above other experts on Cuba with the publication of his first volume on Fulgencio Batista. I have never before read an account of any person, or any era, that was better. Talk about disciplined and documented academic research, or talk about lively, easily-read prose, or talk about honest, unbiased analysis, and you have to put Argote-Freyre in the top tier of biographers. As for analysts of Cuba's sad experience, Argote-Freyre has no peer.

Excellent account of life in Cuba
This two part biography of Batista attempts to paint the dictator in a new light.The author is very proBatista but does raise some interesting and new perspectives on the man.This first book is about Batista's early years up through the point where he is elected president.It does an excellent job of showing US influences on internal Cuban politics. The various presidents that were Batista's puppets show the level of corruption that runs not only through Cuba but throughout all of Latin America.The narrative account does a great job of shedding light on how Cuba looked in the precastro years and in this case shows how transformative the years before Batista really were. It was a time where Cuba was finding its national image and forming itself as a nation.The book is very well written and provides an interesting account on Cuba during this time period. In short highly recommend. ... Read more

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Perfect for any arts library strong in interior design and architecture
Cathy Strongman's 100 HOUSES: MODERN DESIGNS FOR CONTEMPORARY LIVING provides a rich sourcebook of modern private houses of all styles form around the world, displaying a range of settings, design options and challenges, and both exterior and interior features. A visual treat, it's perfect for any arts library strong in interior design and architecture.
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Hun's Buddy
"Hun Sen: Strongman of Cambodia," examined the past and present personal, military, and political life of Hun Sen.Written very simply, this book says a lot with few words.The writing style made this a quick, yet informative read to the contemporary Cambodian neophyte.

Because of the tender tone towards Hun Sen, a reader will contemplate the relationship (if any) that existed between the husband-and-wife authors and the subject of this biography.The Mehtas claim that during several hours of personal interviews with Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rainy that Sen never once asked to preview what the author would write about him in his biography *before* publication.I doubt this is true unless, 1. the author and Hun Sen made an agreement and/or 2. They were and still are, close friends and associates.There is a sense of "buddy," in this book.There is not necessarily anything wrong with this if the authors would make note of it.

Hun Sen is an intelligent individual who attained sensitive, sophisticated, and important posts within the government at a young age and in ascended quickly in a short period of time.(We should be cognizant of the fact that there isn't a lot of competition when almost everyone else was murdered by the organization he served in, the Khmer Rouge.}

Previous to his political career Sen commanded Khmer Rouge military men, where he was spotted early on as a capable, intelligent, and pragmatic individual.This said, Hun Sen claims to be ignorant of the more than 1 million men, women, and children, who had their heads bashed in by wooden clubs and metal bars, by the organization he had dedicated and risked his life for.

As for his political career:
The commonly held perception that Sen was a "puppet" of the Vietnamese can be considered by some to be an over-simplified and inaccurate generalization.The authors did note the necessity of Vietnamese logistical support and aid in order for Sen to move to remove the Pol Pot regime.

Many of the individuals and organizations involved in recent and present Cambodian politics are described in this book: UNTAC, FUNCINPEC, BLDP, and the CPP (Cambodian People's Party).Hun Sen was and is shrewd and effectively utilizes a divide and conquer political strategy.

As for the extremely rare and parsimonious sprinklings of negativity toward Sen, at least there is some generic listing of accusations and complaints directed toward Sen by his domestic and international critics and adversaries.But the criticism by the author toward Sen never went deep enough to be considered a truly objective piece of work.

Interestingly, the author failed to mention Hun Sen's wife and her body guards pouring 5 liters of acid on a young women's head, disfiguring her for life.Reason: he was cheating on her.

"Aid" Organizations:
As more NGOs workers have flooded into Cambodia bringing their nihilistic lifestyles, millions of dollars in the name of "aid" and "help," the rate of poverty has INCREASED in Cambodia.So we must therefore ask, "where is the money going?"

You fill in the blanks.

NGOs and the UN are more exploitive than they are useful, as is the Cambodian government.Put these two together, and you have a society that will always be the runt of the pack.A socieety that will always be behind in almost every conceivable category imaginable.

Sad, but true.

This said, this is a book worthy of reading if you keep in mind of its slant.A Cambo newbie can learn more about contemporary Cambodian politics and its players, the different factions, idiosyncrasies, and recent history of Cambodia.

Hun Sen: Benevolent Dictator
When I think of the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen, the first phrase that comes to mind is "benevolent dictator." The terms may seem oxymoronic; nevertheless the title proves suitable.

It is arguable that Cambodia has never, throughout its long history, been a stable nation. The threat of war and annexation have always glimmered on the horizon;since the time of Angkor.It is a land where power is amassed by the edge of the sword, and control is maintained by armies, not democratic rule.The ideals of Western democracy are foreign to Cambodia and as such, may only emerge following years of enforced stablity and political socialization.

At present, Cambodia is undergoing a transition.There is a budding attempt to evolve from a post-conflict, authoritarian nation, into a modern, developed democracy.Still, if this metamorphosis is to be successful, it must be guided by a strong hand.In the case of Cambodia, this assertive leadership is embodied by Hun Sen.

Since his earliest political involvement, Hun Sen possessed a sincere interest in the well-being of Cambodia. His main catalyst for joining the maquis was the overthrow of King Nordom Sihanouk and the subsequent emergence of the Lon Nol regime. Like many Cambodian's who found themselves entrenched with the early Khmer Rouge, Hun Sen was not a radical communist fighting for a socialist ideology, but rather had become disillusioned with the Lon Nol regime and sought the restoration of monarchy.

It seems that Hun Sen was able to recognize the merits and flaws of communism from early on. He realized that in order for socialism to be successful, it is necessary for a leader to possess a malleable policy, not one impervious to changing variables.

Originally seated in Cambodia's political leadership following the toppling of the Khmer Rouge regime, he remained ardently socialist in order to maintain the flow of foreign aid and other necessities from Cambodia's socialist allies.However, as time passed and the political situation in Cambodia changed, so did Hun Sen's leadership strategies.

Hun Sen has been willing to put aside many grievances in order to benefit the development of Cambodia-for example, following years of strife and disagreement with King Nordom Sihanouk, has been willing to concede some power in order to maintain the peace and stablity of Cambodia.

It is apperent the Hun Sen possesses a vision of a peaceful and prosperous future for Cambodia, and perhaps it is his belief that he and he alone is able to make this future a reality.

It will be most interesting to see just what continuing role Hun Sen plays as Cambodia continues to grow economically and democratically. ... Read more

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Belzoni
The beginning is very uninteresing. Belzoni's epypt adventures are not mentioned until your half way through the book.

the great belzoni
This is an excellent book.It is like taking the trip of a lifetime back to early 19th century Egypt ... Read more

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The study of emotion has always been a central part of psychology. Previous editions of this well-known book have helped to guide students and psychologists through the main concepts and research in the field. Over recent years the expansion of work on emotion, particularly the interplay between emotion and cognition, has helped to underline the importance of concepts of emotion, not only for psychologists but also for philosophers and social scientists more generally. This new edition has been radically revised to focus almost entirely on concepts and theories of emotion, without detailed discussion of the underlying empirical research. This textbook provides a uniquely comprehensive survey of the main current theories of emotion, and those past theories that have contributed significantly to the development of the field. Students and scientists who read this book should gain a considerable knowledge about the study of emotion, and also about the nature of theory construction. Well written and accessible, and covering concepts of emotion in the social sciences generally, this text will appeal to a wide range of readers in psychology, philosophy and the social sciences. ... Read more

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One of the best of it's genre.
Strongman has completely rewritten this 4th edition.You will not find a more thorough and engaging review of past and current theories of emotion anywhere.When read along with Panksepp's "Affective Neuroscience", the reader will have a very solid and comprehensivegrasp of the current state of emotion research. ... Read more

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Following the tremendous success of Merrell's New London Architecture, this book presents an entirely new selection of the most exciting building projects of the twenty-first century in London. The architectural renaissance of Britain's capital continues in the new millennium with the design and construction of ever more striking and imaginative buildings of all types to serve the needs of the city's population. Projects range in size and budget from such landmark structures as Wembley Stadium and the forthcoming `Shard of Glass' (London Bridge Tower) to such cultural projects as the Young Vic theatre and Britain's first architecture gallery, near Tate Modern; from offices, schools and hospitals to shops, hotels and private houses. With stunning photographs, drawings and renderings accompanying critical texts, this book offers a compelling portrait of a city eager to embrace the best of the new.

Profiles over 110 new architectural projects, both large and small
Authoritatively written and lavishly illustrated throughout
An essential reference for anyone interested in the changing urban landscape of one of the world's most vibrant cities ... Read more

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The four papers in this volume deal respectively with aggression and anger, conditioning and fear, dopamine and anticipation and separation distress. The aim of these papers each of which presents details of very recent research, is to explicate the links between emotional experience and behaviour and their neural substrates. Following the neuroscience approach, a position piece by Heinz Kronne and two of his colleagues at mainz brings us up-to-date on their interesting work on emotional arousal and coping mechanisms. thereafter are two position pieces with evolutionary themes with his customary elegence, George Mandler offers some of his recent thoughts on emotion, particularly with respect to his constructivist position. He develops this into a discussion of evolution and culture in the development of anger and aggression. Then Alan Fridiuna considers Darwin on emotional expression and takes apart how people have interpreted it. Still on the theme of facial expression, klaus Scherer offers some intriguing and far-reaching suggestions on how the face expresses both emotion and thought.Tony Manstead and Roselyne Edwards describe their research on emotional competence in children, particularly addressing the problems of causality. Joe de Revira introduces the topic of emotional climate, an important concept that he broadens even further in a consideration of local, national and political matters. Jeanette Haviland and Ruth Goldston from Rutgers develop a description of what they term "passionate and emotional qualities in personal narrative" and Keith Oatley and Elaine Duncan provide an analysis of emotion in everyday life. ... Read more

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This book is about the Booker Prize – the London-based literary award made annually to "the best novel written in English" by a writer from one of those countries belonging to, or formerly part of, the British Commonwealth. The approach to the Prize is thematically historical and spans the award period to 1999. The novels that have won or shared the Prize in this period are examined within a theoretical framework mapping the literary terrain of the fiction. Individual chapters explore themes that occur within the larger narrative formed by this body of novels - collectively invoked cultures, social trends and movements spanning the stages of imperial heyday and decline as perceived over the past three decades. Individually and collectively, the novels mirror, often in terms of more than a single static image, British imperial culture after empire, contesting and reinterpreting perceptions of the historical moment of the British Empire and its legacy in contemporary culture.

The body of Booker novels narrates the demise of empire and the emergence of different cultural formations in its aftermath. The novels are grouped for discussion according to the way in which they deal with aspects of the transition from empire to a post-imperial culture - from early imperial expansion, through colonization, retrenchment, decolonization and postcolonial pessimism, to the emergence of tribal nationalisms and post-imperial nation-states. The focus throughout is primarily literary and contingently cultural. ... Read more

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Recounts the Old Testament story of Samson's remarkable strength and Delilah's betrayal of him to the Philistines. ... Read more