The Best of Willy 'n Ethel

Customer Reviews:

The Adventures of Willy and Ethel.......2002-12-30

Maybe you;re lucky enough to have this strip in your local newspaper - or lucky enough to get "Mr Boffo" or "Cats With Hands". At any rate, Joe Martin is one of the funniest cartoonists that are currently working.

This book, of course, is "The Best Of Willy and Ethel" and it truly is - Willy and Ethel are similiar to Fred and Ethel Mertz or Ralph and Alice Kramden in that they don't have this lovey-dovey huggy kissy relationship and that helps produce the fireworks and laughter.

Give this book a try - I think you will really enjoy it.

Book Description

Technology -- friend or foe? That's a question the cartoonists of The New Yorker have been pondering with no little skepticism -- and answering hilariously -- for decades.

From "portable phones" that were anything but to tiny cell phones, from room-sized computers to handheld wonders, from faxes to e-mails, the brilliant artists of The New Yorker have seen and drawn it all -- the sublime, the ridiculous, and the existential.

Bob Mankoff, cartoon editor of The New Yorker, has culled through thousands of drawings to select the best, the funniest, and the most illuminating cartoons on technology for this collection of 126 cartoons. Readers can also look forward to Mankoff's witty introductory essay.

Customer Reviews:

Great Gift!.......2000-12-09

I think this is the funniest collection of cartoons yet! It's nice to see the traditional style of The New Yorker cartoons up against modern technology. And, not to mention, it's been a great gift with all the gadget-freak men in my life!! My father has been bringing his to meetings and my boyfriend got one for his Computer Science teacher! Congrats to those who own one.

One of the Best Collections of New Yorker Cartoons!.......2000-10-02

This book contains 110 cartoons that have appeared in The New Yorker relating to technology. Most have something to do with computers or the Internet, but faxes, cell phones, and biotechnology also make their appearances. As usual, the cartoons are selected by Robert Mankoff, The New Yorker's cartoon editor.

The book is one of the best collections I have seen of New Yorker cartoons. It also provides Mankoff's best introduction to any of these collections (he usually either doesn't write one, or does less than the minimum), as well as a CD of the cartoons in the book.

I was pleasantly surprised that this collection was done in such a way as to be consistent with technology. Perhaps it is because Mr. Mankoff is a self-confessed technophile. He defends that preference as being better than being a Francophile.

I am tempted to give you all 110 cartoons from the book, but I don't have that much space. Here are a few of my favorites:

Man in room filled with people working at computers talking on the telephone, looking glum -- "No, the computers are up. We're down."

Father to son -- "Go ask your search engine."

Couple on a camping trip holding cell phone -- "Who can we call?"

Couple at a cocktail party -- "You say you love me, but I'm not on your speed dial."

Two dogs operating a computer -- "On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog."

Two men staring at a fax of a man with a tie pressed across his face -- "My God, there's been a terrible accident in our Chicago office."

"Already my computer is outmoded, but I try to tell myself my computer isn't me."

Deputies watching tracking dogs looking at laptop -- "First, they do an on-line search."

Woman to a small boy in a restaurant -- "I loved your E-mail, but I thought you'd be older."

Man talking to a microwave -- "No, I don't want to play chess. I just want to reheat the lasagna."

Man passing telephone booth holding cell phone -- The booth says "Talk in Private 25 Cents"

Man proposing -- "Marry me, Virginia. My genes are excellent and, as yet, unpatented."

Man in hammock -- "America Off-Line"

Couple in bed -- "Not tonight, hon. It'll just wreak havoc with the motion sensors again."

Wife during wedding ceremony -- "I'm delighted to love, honor, and obey, but I'm keeping my electronic rights."

Buffalo with cell phone -- "I love the convenience, but the roaming charges are killing me."

I think you will have a lot of fun with this book. As you can see, the cartoons take turns making fun of technology, those who are having a hard time with technology, and our fixation with technology.

After you finish having many good laughs, consider how many of these jokes are really insights into problems that need to be solved. For example, how can we know whether we can trust those we exchange e-mails with? Are they who they say they are? In many cases, they are not. Be careful!

Book Description

Television is where the mass-culture action is. Yet for such an of-the-moment medium, Ken Tucker finds that an accretion of false pieties, half-remembered history, and misplaced nostalgia has developeda situation he aims to correct by sharing his passionate loves and hates about the best and worst of television. He loves James Garner as TVs Cary Grant, and David Brinkley as the only news anchor who understood that being an anchorman was a hollow ego trip. But he hates The Sopranos as The Great Saga That Sags; Miss Piggy as the character that ruined The Muppets; and Star Trek as sci-fi suckiness decked out as utopian idealism. Tucker also reveals the Best and Worst TV Mothers and Fathers of all time. (Hint: June Cleaver will never seem the same again.) Written in the spirit of television itself, Ken Tucker offers up the perfect antidote to the unchecked trends of popular culture. Whatever your tastes, he will do his damnedest to convince you that youve been hood-winkedduped by pixilated mists of memory and bad TV criticism.

Customer Reviews:

Lots to Love, Lots to Hate.......2007-08-03

This book by the EW critic has an interesting premise--he lists something he loves about TV, then something corresponding that he hates. For example, he loves Simon Cowell but hates American Idol.

The irony is that every reader will love/hate this book because some of his opinions are so infuriating you can hardly believe that someone with any type of reputation would be willing to put such silly statements into print. Meanwhile, he says some things so dead right-on that you cheer that someone finally had the guts to write it.

It was fun to hear a serious adult say he loves Full House and TGIF shows--but in the next section he slices apart The Brady Bunch and then throughout the book mentions how the Brady Bunch is the one show he "loathes" the most.

His deep hatred of Star Trek would be acceptable except that at the end he mentions that the last time he saw the show was when he was high on drugs in high school! How can we take him seriously when he hasn't recently gone back to view an episode?

He also mentions along the way that he dislikes the phrase "jump the shark." Yet his book is filled with examples of when he feels a TV show went wrong--so maybe he's just jealous that he didn't think up the phrase.

Ultimately how can you like a TV writer who "loves Richard Hatch" and praises NewsRadio while saying he "hates" Charlie Brown Christmas, the Tonight Show, M*A*S*H and The Smothers Brothers. It's one thing to say shows are over-rated (which would be true of most of those he hates) but to go so far as to say he "hates" something as innovative at the time as Laugh-In reveals a person who doesn't have a proper perspective of the TV world.

And then you turn the page and find a right-on analysis that must have been embarrassing to write, such as stating that Ramona was the greatest kids TV show of all time (I'd place it right up there with Fudge) or admitting his love of trashy Silk Stalkings.

This book has a very skeptical tone to it that doesn't usually come across as hardened in the author's reviews in EW. He loves the stupid and rebellious (Roseanne, Homer Simpson, Laverne & Shirley) and hates any male that shows compassion (the dads on Brady Bunch, Little House and Courtship of Eddie's Father). From now on when I read his magazine's criticisms I'll take them with a grain of salt. But I admire his guts and appreciate that someone would put his reputation on the like to defend what other critics would call fluff--so he gets an extra star to make it above average. I will continue to have a love/hate relationship with this writer who loves and hates TV.

Not Funny, Not Insightful...........2006-10-11

I enjoy reading TV and movie critics to see how a good movie works or a bad show doesn't. In this collection of opinions, Mr. Tucker has no information on why a show does or doesn't succeed. Also, few things are black and white. He either hates or loves a program, period. If he hates it, the show has no merit. If he loves it, it can do no wrong. It appears this book was thrown together overnight after he looked at the TV Guide for titles of shows and just gave his hate/love of it. Worthless unless you think Mr. Tucker's opinion is the best. Also, it is painfully unfunny.

More To Love Than Hate in This Book.......2005-11-11

Television is the one form of entertainment that is considered shameful to admit being a fan of. For example, you never hear people try to prove their intellectual superiority by claiming, "I don't read many books" or "I don't watch many films" or "I don't attend a lot of plays", but very often hear people proudly proclaim "I don't really watch much TV".

Perhaps because TV is seen as a lower form of entertainment, it is a rare treat to find a book such as "Kissing Bill O'Reilly, Roasting Miss Piggy: 100 Things to Love and Hate About TV", which features a series of thoughtful and intelligent short essays on the subject of television.

The book is a nice mix of the predictable and surprising. Tucker praises some deserved critically acclaimed shows like "Freaks and Geeks", while also claiming some shows in this category are actually highly overrated ("MASH"). Tucker berates "The Brady Bunch" for ushering in what he considers to be the ridiculous genre of "so bad it's good" as well as the idea that a show has value just because you happen to be incredibly familiar with it from watching the episodes over and over in your youth. On the other hand, he has high praise for the often-schlocky "Full House". I'm sure "Star Trek" fans around the world are already planning a book burning at their next convention after reading Tucker's harsh critique of that series and all its subsequent spin-offs.

Since this is essentially a book of the author's opinions, the chances of the reader agreeing with even a majority of what the book has to say is probably slim. Even slimmer is the chance of the reader having actually SEEN the majority of shows mentioned. However, to Tucker's credit, his writing is good enough that I was still able to find many of his essays on shows I wasn't familiar with to be interesting.

As some other readers have mentioned, the biggest criticism you could make against this book is that it was poorly edited, with some minor (the Sam Weir character on "Freaks and Geeks" was suppose to be a high school freshman, which would have made him 14, nor 15 as the book claims) and major (referring to the very much alive Richard Moll as "the late") factual errors sneaking their way into the book. I also felt Tucker sometimes contradicted himself probably without realizing it. For example, he criticizes "The Twilight Zone" for taking easy moral positions and masquerading them as being somehow deep and controversial, such as being against prejudice or nuclear war. A fair criticism, I suppose, but then a few pages later Tucker sings the praises of "The Waltons" and points out as an example an episode where one of the characters rebels against tradition and decides to follow her own path in life, which isn't exactly an earth-shatteringly original idea itself.

Still, I am confident any fairly serious fan of television will really enjoy this book.

Good, Could've Been Great..........2005-09-20

American television has been the most maligned, beat-up form of entertainment in modern memory, and why not: a venue that makes stars out of people like Ray Romano, Carson Daly, and countless "Real World" contestants deserves all the ridicule heaped upon it. But generally, most TV critics can do more than simply say "this sucks".

Ken Tucker, a veteran of "Entertainment Weekly" and "New York Magazine", is generally what I would consider one of the better writers when it comes to television criticism. But you wouldn't know that from his book. Slapping together 100 essays about TV with no rhyme or reason does not a coherent book make. Tucker defends his decision as an aesthetic one, but you wouldn't be alone if you thought his actual reason was laziness.

That said, the book is interesting in spite of its flaws: Tucker shows the same wit, knowledge, and grasp of the medium that made his EW reviews so perfect to read. Sure, he beats the same drums that a lot of critics seem to obsess over: "The Sopranos", "Twin Peaks", etc. But Tucker's best wit shines through on his more unexpected choices: who would think a reputable critic would not only love the trashiness of "Silk Stalkings" or Pam Anderson's, um, "body of work", but say so in print?

All in all, Tucker's problem is not his opinions (which, agree or disagree, are his own and that's why he wrote the book), but the simple laziness of the formatting. Back to Tucker's explanation: in the intro, he cites the "clicker" nature of TV watching as being a motivator for the "Love/Hate" Point/Counterpoint nature of his book. Which is fine, if more of the Love/Hates had actually been connected. Tucker goes from one point of praising Jennifer Garner's wig choice on "Alias" to slamming "Star Trek" (deservedly singled out as one of the worst franchises in the history of entertainment). But why? There's no logical reason to do so, even within the "anything goes" boundaries of Tucker's original clicker thesis. This causes an abrupt break from one essay to another. Though sometimes Tucker can actually find a connection between the "Love/Hates" (such as his praise for "Newsradio" while blasting Dave Foley's former job as a Kid In the Hall), they are few and far between.

All of which means that this is a good book, one that you'll enjoy reading over an afternoon perhaps, but it's not "great". And, for anyone familiar with Tucker's more expansive EW reviews (the essays here rarely go over two pages in length), the short little takes leave you wanting more, and disappointed. Surely there's a better book to be salvaged from this mess? If Tucker had somehow organized his book more throughly, perhaps even introducing the concept of chapters and various other topics included without too much expansion, this might be worthy of more praise. I'm not looking for Tucker to contribute a "Lipstick Traces"-esque history of television, but his review of "Buffalo Bill" and "Profit" provide a nice glimpse into the tastes and preferences that make Tucker a fantastic read on most other occasions.

The fact is, this is a good book hampered by the gimmick that may very well have led to its conception. Ken Tucker is a better writer than "Kissing Bill O'Reilly, Roasting Miss Piggy" suggests, but he did himself a disservice with the anything-goes formatting and pace. Intended as quick hits to keep readers from getting bored, it instead often goes by too quickly without leaving much of an impression. Maybe Tucker wanted to steer clear of serious criticism in favor of flighty reader-friendly takes instead. It's a shame, because the result is more scatter-brained than it should have been.

Unbelievably bad.......2005-08-21

Yes, my review is one star, only because Amazon doesn't have zero.

This is the type of book you would expect from some internet self-publishing site. The fact that St. Martins Press greenlighted this project casts serious doubt on their judgment.

The factual errors are mind-boggling. Sorry, Ken, Hans Conreid did NOT narrate Fractured Fairy Tales on Bullwinkle. Actors Gaillard Sartain and Richard Moll are NOT dead as of this writing (August 2005), so they were probably alive in 2004 when you wrote this book as well. Actress Jane Curtin does not spell her last name as in the "curtain" you hang from a rod. Johnny Carson did NOT do the Tonight Show for 31 years (it was 29 and a half). Jack Benny's famous reply to "Your money or your life!" was "I'm thinking, I'm thinking!"...not "I'm thinking it over." Michael McKean did NOT participate in Spinal Tap before Laverne & Shirley. You only missed that one by a decade. Batman did NOT premiere on ABC in 1964. You're getting closer, it was 1966. The word "forgotten" is spelled with an "e" at the end; not an "o." The detective on Miami Vice was Tubbs; not Stubbs. And is an "informercial" the same thing as an infomercial?

These are factual and grammatical errors I found by reading perhaps HALF the book. It is categorized by stupid "love-hate categories, so it's easy to skip over shows or genres you don't care about. But I now know that Mr. Tucker, who somehow manages occasional employment by respectable magazines, LOVES Ricky Nelson, "Full House," Aaron Spelling, Simon Cowell, Richard Hatch, "Silk Stalkings," Lisa Bonet, and "Welcome Back Kotter,"
but HATES "M*A*S*H," Johnny Carson, "The Price Is Right," "Mystery Science Theater," "Family Guy," and PBS. Talk about being out of touch with the reading public. He bounces all over the place, flinging his mindless meanderings toward the wall, but in the end, nothing sticks.

This book adds nothing to anyone's perspective of TV. There's no depth, or new information here. Apparently Mr. Tucker spent a couple weeks spewing out a like/dislike list, and a gullible publisher sent this one to press without editing, fact-checking, or apparently any regard to buyer appeal. I get the feeling someone got called on the carpet for this one. It's inexcusable.

Average customer rating:

Nudism as Exploitation

Making Sense of Filmic Nudity

Great book

Not just another book about film

Cinema Au Naturel: A History of Nudist Film
Mark Storey
Manufacturer: Naturist Education Foundation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0974084409

Book Description

The quirky world of nudist film is revealed at last. Cinema Au Naturel brings to life many long-forgotten films such as Elysia: Valley of the Nude, The Monster at Camp Sunshine, and Take Off Your Clothes and Live. In his account of the history of nudist film, Mark Storey introduces readers to the best and the worst of these cinematic portrayals of clothes-free life. From the 1930s through today, filmmakers have exploited, documented, and argued for nudism. Cinema Au Naturel is the first book devoted to these tantalizing films, and shows them worthy of both lighthearted and serious consideration.

Customer Reviews:

Nudism as Exploitation.......2007-03-23

Cinema Au Naturel may only be 288 pages long but it packs a lot of good information into those pages. Author Mark Storey became a fan of those corny old nudist movies of decades past (primarily the `30s to the `60s) and researched the subject. The result is an entertaining and informative book on exploitation filmmaking second to none. Along the way he covers censorship, the Golden Age of exploitation (including nudist) films, and what the courts had to say on the subject.

Storey breaks down the subject of nudist exploitation films into the following periods: classic, late, and contemporary. He then looks to what the future will bring to the genre. At the end, Storey lists his "top twenty" nudist films and explains his choices. You may not agree but Storey certainly backs up his words.

Is Cinema Au Naturel worth the purchase price? Definitely, especially if you're interested in nudist history. Nudist films, along with magazines, whatever the motivation for producing them, served as most folks' introduction to the world of nudism/naturism. Some were good emissaries, some merely tawdry excuses to show female flesh on the screen, but they did provide that first glimpse into a different, often misunderstood, world for many. Marl Storey has gone a long way toward filling in some of the gaps in nudist history with Cinema Au Naturel.

If history, or nudism/naturism, or films are among your interests, you'll find that Storey's book, Cinema Au Naturel, scores on all three levels.

Making Sense of Filmic Nudity.......2005-09-03

This reference work provides critical reviews and in-depth background information on a wide range of motion pictures and videos concerned with nudity. Storey has zealously researched the subject and supplies many leads in the endnotes and appended filmography. The volume itself is profusely illustrated with black & white and color photos. These include cinematic stills, publicity graphics, and portraits of performers, directors, writers, etc. The dating of the titles which the author evaluates span from the first decades of the last century to our own day. For the most part, the works reviewed derive from England, the U.S., Germany and France. Included are fictional narratives as well as documentaries, arising out of contexts as varied as exploitation movie-making and pro-nudist proselytism. Storey is himself a naturist. His writing style is incisive, quick-paced, and at times humorous. He teaches philosophy at Bellevue Community College (Washington State) and is on the editorial staff of The Naturist Society journal.

Great book.......2004-01-14

Dr. P. Rapoport's review of this book is excellent. I agree this really is an amazing work and is well worth picking up for someone who is interested in clothing-free expression. I have found it truly invaluable in helping to organize a local film festival with others about naked freedom. I would like to give a review from the viewpoint of a non-naturist/nudist who is active in clothing-free advocacy on public lands.

Mark Storey is, without a doubt, the most qualified person to take on this project. He discusses nudist/naturist film and video within the context of naturism and nudism, and he goes beyond. He brings up many of the important issues and addresses them extremely well. The book is quite comprehensive and well-researched. For these reasons, this will be a tough act to follow. I finished the book feeling fully satisfied with such a comprehensive work.

There are significant works though which may exist outside of the nudist/naturist context which deserve serious discussion, perhaps in the broader context of clothing-free expression. Also, I would like to see that future editions include a DVD with excerpts from significant works.

I would take issue with his choice of "top-twenty" nudist films. I would agree that all of those listed are historically significant in the history of the development of nudism/naturism, but in the general context of clothing-free expression in film there is more out there of significance, and some of the latter might be much better suited for introduction to clothing-free freedom for one who is looking for something inspiring. The distinction should be made, perhaps there should be two lists.

My own recommendations for those looking for films that have significance in clothing-free expression that are not included in this book would include (and these can be found at http://www.bodyfreedom.org/guide/film.html): Naked States, by Arlene Donnelly Nelson; Naked World (released after this book), by Arlene Donnelly Nelson; Being Human, by Lisa Seidenberg; Burning Man Festival, by Joe Winston; among others out there.

Bottom line, get the book and also check out the videos above! Happy reading and viewing! :)

Not just another book about film.......2003-08-26

This book fills a big gap by engagingly bringing together much fascinating material. Readers will probably find it absorbing indeed, even if they have an interest in only part of the subject.

Of course, it helps to be curious about nudity. Is there someone who isn't? (Okay, no one has to admit it.)

Throughout Cinema au Naturel, Storey offers pointed but polite observations on films, nudity, sex, censorship, American socio-cultural history, and much more. He encapsulates the history of nudist films mostly within the exploitation genre (which may not mean what it seems) and expands definitions and connections to make it all fit seamlessly together. Along the way are welcome discussions of the MPAA and the infamous Hays Production Code from the 1930s, the history and theory of nudism in America and elsewhere, and the people behind nudist books and films, like authors and producers Jan Gay, Doris Wishman, Craven Walker, and Edin Velez.

Supplementing all this are illustrations. These are no grainy video stills -- but posters, covers, and other art of considerable historical value. Later in the book are recent color photos of nudists in various settings being as normal as can be. At the end is a selection of the "top 20" nudist films. And Storey indicates where to find this material.

Because most readers will be unfamiliar with them, much of the book describes what goes on in and behind many nudist films, from the early examples close to the turn of the 20th century, to a few only recently released. With a sharp eye and even sharper mind, Storey analyzes as he goes, never obtrusively but always lucidly, often with doses of quiet humor.

He doesn't shy away from controversy, whether over a film such as Peter's Day in the Sun, or over numerous governmental edicts to Rescue the Declining Morals of America. One state board censored references to pregnancy in a film, claiming that "the movies are patronized by thousands of children who believe that babies are brought by the stork, and it would be criminal to undeceive them."

That was 80 years ago. What has changed in body-phobic, hide-and-peek, protection-by-repression America? This book is a subtle exploration of that question among others.

For many, it's admittedly hard to distinguish nudity from sex, exploitation from information, and nudist films from porn. Over the course of this thoroughly researched and finely written book, those challenging complexities become life-affirming as they reflect, interact, and change. Far from a book only about film, Cinema au Naturel is that rare item, a splendid sorting out of a whole lot of things that matter.

Average customer rating:
Essential Repertoire for the Young Choir, Level One, Tenor Bass (Essential Elements for Choir) Performance/Accompaniment CD Pak, Disc 1 and 2

Manufacturer: Hal Leonard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: 0793596912

Average customer rating:
Essential Repertoire for the Young Choir: Essential Elements for Choir, Level 1, Tenor Bass
Janice Killian , Michael O'Hern , and Linda Rann
Manufacturer: Hal Leonard Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0634007793

Book Description

CDs include full recordings of all selections in Essential Repertoire for the Young Choir (Level 1 Tenor Bass) with tenor and bass each in a part predominant mix. Students may study their own part with the other parts in the background. Ideal for section practice and individual study.

Book Description

It was a year packed with unsettling events. The Panic of 1857 closed every bank in New York City, ruined thousands of businesses, and caused widespread unemployment among industrial workers. The Mormons in Utah Territory threatened rebellion when federal troops approached with a non-Mormon governor to replace Brigham Young. The Supreme Court outraged northern Republicans and abolitionists with the Dred Scott decision ("a breathtaking example of judicial activism"). And when a proslavery minority in Kansas Territory tried to foist a proslavery constitution on a large antislavery majority, President Buchanan reneged on a crucial commitment and supported the minority, a disastrous miscalculation which ultimately split the Democratic party in two. In America in 1857, eminent American historian Kenneth Stampp offers a sweeping narrative of this eventful year, covering all the major crises while providing readers with a vivid portrait of America at mid-century. Stampp gives us a fascinating account of the attempt by William Walker and his band of filibusters to conquer Nicaragua and make it a slave state, of crime and corruption, and of street riots by urban gangs such as New York's Dead Rabbits and Bowery Boys and Baltimore's Plug Uglies and Blood Tubs. But the focus continually returns to Kansas. He examines the outrageous political frauds perpetrated by proslavery Kansans, Buchanan's calamitous response and Stephen Douglas's break with the President (a rare event in American politics, a major party leader repudiating the president he helped elect), and the whirl of congressional votes and dramatic debates that led to a settlement humiliating to Buchanan--and devastating to the Democrats. 1857 marked a turning point, at which sectional conflict spun out of control and the country moved rapidly toward the final violent resolution in the Civil War. Stampp's intensely focused look at this pivotal year illuminates the forces at work and the mood of the nation as it plummeted toward disaster.

Customer Reviews:

Villains and Heroes of the Pre-Civil War.......2005-07-09

This book has a lot to tell people even if they think they know all about the Civil War. It covers the year 1857 and Mr. Stampp makes a persuasive case that this year was the year that made the Civil War inevitable.

Bad Presidents often get stigmatized with the reputation that they were merely ineffectual. Often, this allows the really bad Presidents from getting off the hook for active wrongdoing. Herbert Hoover for instance is hardly known for instituting the first Presidential break-in of political enemies which became common practice among almost all of his successors until Richard Nixon was caught. And people remember Bill Clinton for Monica Lewinsky, not for being the first President to receive bribes from Red China. So it is with James Buchanan, whose intervention in the Kansas controversy was so outrageous that he brought about the collapse of the Democratic Party and the dissolution of the Union. Stampp also makes it clear why Stephen A. Douglas deserves his reputation as a great man.

Stampp gives you a flavor of the year, so much that you almost feel that you are there. I would have preferred more cultural news - what the people were reading, what was playing in the theaters - but there is no reason for complaining about a book which didn't get written. As it stands, this is a splendid acheivement.

The year that broke the Democracy.......2002-08-30

Kenneth Stampp, one of the country's most distinguished historians, focuses on the pivotal year of 1857. The new president comes into office as a reconciliation Democrat, pledged to unite the country, with his party in firm control of Congress. Many predict that the new Republican Party will wither away in the calmer times ahead. Instead of that, events in Kansas, the Dredd Scott case, the panic of 1857, and struggle within the Democratic Party between Northerners, Unionists and Fire Eaters (proto-Secessionists) wreck the party and leave the Republicans with a clear road to the White House. The President's rigid response and limited point of view leave his party in ruins. The future seems to belong to the radical Republicans and the Disunionist South.

The book is quite well written, and flows like a suspense novel, even though you know how it will end. I read most of "1857" in one sitting, eager to see what would happen next. "Nation on the Brink" was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in the year which it appeared,but lost out in a very strong field.

Another reviewer complained that Stampp centered his argument on 1857 and neglected things which came before. That is the focus of the book, which is not an introduction to U.S. history. I don't believe that too much background is required, but David Potter's "Impending Crisis" is a good book if you want to study the 15 years before the war, and would provide a good companion to "Nation on the Brink".

Finally, it should be noted that Stampp is reluctant to draw conclusions, spending most of his time reporting the events of the year-- perfect for people who know a little about the era.

America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink.......2002-07-25

America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink by Kenneth M. Stampp is a work on how the nation was in 1857, a pivotal year, where sectional conflict spun out of control. The Civil War is just four years in the distance and the mood of the nation is of unrest and there are forces that are plummeting the nation toward disaster.

James Buchanan, the President at the time, throws his support on the wrong side of the Kansas Statehood issue, in New York City there are bank closures, unemployment starts to skyrocket, and the Supreme Court, in a fit of judicial activism, hands down the Dred Scott decision. We see the proslavery and antislavery groups taking a more serious attempt to win favor with the Congress. The Mormon Utah Teritory can't have Brigham Young as their governor.

All this turmoil splits the Democratic party in two. Stephen Douglas splits the party against James Buchanan, repudiating and humiliating the president, which further devastated the Democrats, forcing the Untied States closer to the Civil War. This book is interesting and told with a flowing and well documented prose that is narrated with clarity.

I found that once you start the book, the author takes you to this unsettling year and makes you believe that you are actually there. With political frauds and urban gangs making the experience real, the author brings us to a time, in the nation's history, where William Walker can conquer Nicaragua and make in a slave state. This book opens ones eyes to the era where crime and corruption were attempting to take the country and rebellion wasn't far behind.

This is a good read to the prelude of events leading upto one of the Civil War and we get to see the country's mindset, something very hard to project, but the author seems to convey it quite well.

Very good summary of turning point year of American History.......1999-07-07

The author concentrates on events in the year 1857 to illustrate how America got from there to the Civil war. Featuring such landmark events as the Dred Scott decision of the supreme court, the ineptness of the Buchanan administration, and the financial panic, Stampp attempts to show how this year was a turning point in our history. The problem is that he attempts to do so in a vacuum, ignoring events that went before and after, so that the view is somewhat distorted. All the same, it shows many events that are unfamiliar to the reader and enlightens on how we entered, and could have avoided, a major internal conflict only four years later.

Average customer rating:

America In 1857 - A Nation On The Brink
Kenneth M. Stampp
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000INDK5G

Average customer rating:

Aivotal Year

America in 1857. a Nation on the Brink
Keneth M. Stampp
Manufacturer: Oxford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000O5XJ72

Customer Reviews:

Aivotal Year.......2007-06-09

Professor Stampp is faced with the problem all historians must come to terms with; picking a date when events can be hung to make the movements more understandable to us. It is impossible to say that between december 31, 1856 and January 1, 1857 some important movements were begun, some politicians came to the forefront, some social upheaval occured that changed out history and there was no earlier action that affected this or later action that resulted from these phenomena. At first thought the reader might wonder why Stampp did not pick the year 1856. Certainly many things occured that year that changed our history. The beauty of Dr. Stampp's effort in this volume is that he brings us to the beginnings of the repercussions of those acts in putting the country's fiture in jeopardy.

This is a well researched and written book which complements And The War Came.

Average customer rating:

America in 1857: A Nation on the Brink
Kenneth Stampp
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKFFNI

Average customer rating:

America in 1857 a Nation on the Brink
Kenneth M Stampp
Manufacturer: OXFORD UNIV + PRESS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000QBBBOM

Book Description

"Loeb tells us to put all our eggs in one basket, and watch the basket."
-John RothchildFinancial Columnist, Time magazine

"This book is very special in my life. It is the very first Wall Street book I ever read. After reading 1,200 additional finance books, The Battle for Investment Survival's principles and concepts are still valid for consistent success."
-Victor Sperandeo Author of Trader Vic on Commodities

In The Battle for Investment Survival, the turf is Wall Street, the goal is to preserve your capital at all costs, and to win is to "make a killing without being killed." This memorable classic, originally written in 1935, offers a fresh perspective on investing from times past. The Battle for Investment Survival treats investors to a straightforward account of how to profit-and how to avoid profit loss-in what Loeb would describe as the constant tug-of-war between rising and falling markets.

Customer Reviews:

Timeless Trading Tips.......2007-09-21

I'm amazed that this book was published during the mid 60's but the trading rules that gerald loeb advices is the same trading rules that I use until now. It just show you that the Stock market never changes. Trading pyschology stays the same because fear and greed will always be part of the trading cycle. If you want to get down to the basics of stock trading read this book.

Like prospecting for gold.......2007-09-11

This book contains lots of valuable gold nuggets but you have to find them. The book is not well organized, more than a narrative, it is a reference book but without an index. Once you have marked it up, it will become a useful reference book. I use little 3M colored tabs to do so but I think they no longer sell them.

Loeb is a momentum player rather than a long term buy and hold investor or a day trader and much of his advice is pertinent to his investing style. But I found other ideas much more interesting, specially the ones about capital management. A lot of what comes out of academia and earns Nobel Prizes is appropriate for funds, mutual, hedge and others, but not necessarily for the individual investor. For example, one concept in particular that dogs funds is volatility which they equate to risk. Often an individual investor can ignore short term volatility if his investment horizon is measured in years as opposed to funds that measure performance on a quarterly basis. For funds volatility is risk. For individual investors it need not be. Once you realize the different needs of individuals vs. collective funds, you can appreciate Loeb's advice and apply it to your own investing style.

This is a book worth reading but make sure you mark the places where the gold nuggets hide.

a good review.......2007-08-24

although written decades ago, its still has some good info. Not a book for beginning independent investors. more for someone that has been trading awhile and likes a refresher course. a good read in all.

Stock trading bible for many.......2007-07-27

This is the book Nicolas Darvas and William O'Neal both used as their "Bible" in stock trading as they both made millions. Since these men are my mentors through their writing and I admire both of them I had to read this book. I was not disappointed after years of reading and trading this book took me to a new level and improved my style. If you only take away a few principles from this book it will pay for itself many times over, if you study it and use it with dedication you will eventually become a millionaire through smart investing. Gerald Loeb was a top broker for E. F. Hutton and also made a fortune in his own account. He opened my eyes to very important concepts and made them clear. For one, stocks are for selling, people buy them so they can later sell them for a profit. So what we are looking for is simply a stock that others will buy in hopes of a future profit. A stock's prices do not top out at the height of the underlying businesses fundamentals, they top out when expectations for the the future is the highest. We should not look for a $1 profit on a thousand shares of a stock it would be better to look for a $10 profit on 100 shares. We should not even risk our capital on a stock unless it has the potential to increase by at least 50% in a reasonable time maybe 12 months. Do not over diversify for portfolio he agrees with Warren Buffett that we should but all our eggs in one basket and watch that basket carefully. It is actually safer to invest with companies you know inside and out. Buy a stock by starting with a small initial buy, if the stock goes up by more, but only buy after your first purchase makes you money, if it does not sell because you were wrong. This is a small taste of the wisdom this man has given us with his 40 years of experience. This book was originally written in 1935 with its last update coming in 1965 its wisdom is priceless and timeless. This edition by Wiley investment classics is nice and will be the center piece or your stock trading library and one of the few you will ever need.

Kelly Optimization Criterion meets an Old School Trader.......2007-03-13

Before there was John Kelly and Edward Thorpe, it appears that Mr. Loeb knew early that concentration with a well thought out plan was much better than a diversified portfolio. As some have said, and as I apprehend to be somewhat true over the years, a diversified portfolio are for ones that don't know what they have as a diversified portfolio tends to let the losers run, and teases one to take early profits on the winners.

Mr. Loeb is not totally anti buy-n-hold, just that he advises that one should spend more time on studying and trying to find a more sure, or statistically possible, big thing verses just hoping for market averages. As Mr. Buffett ascribes, one should only have twenty (20) punches and use those punches very wisely. If so, and if followed, then toss in some Charles Munger and some Kelly Optimization and bet big.

Is this method for all, probably not, but the experience Mr. Loeb provides should help all to both become better investors and evaluating advisors whom ascribe their sometimes suspect knowledge that really is a veiled sales pitch. His wisdom still passes the test of time as it still reads somewhat contemporary though written many years ago.

All in -- A good compilation of articles and book, and the hardback edition should be a part of any serious investor's collection.

Average customer rating:

The Battle for Investment Survival

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000FICOLA

Average customer rating:

The Battle for Investment Survival
G.M. Loeb
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NPW34I

Average customer rating:

The Battle for Investment Survival
G. M. Loeb
Manufacturer: Hurry House Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J9XYDM

Product Description

"In substance, this book is 'hard-boiled', realistic, at times unorthodox. It promises no short cuts to wealth; neither does it take the 'sour grapes' attitude that Wall Street is a snare and a delusion. Rather it is a succinct, straight-forward, uncompromising revelation of stock market technique and philosophy by one who has been successful enough to make his views worth recording." Quote from Foreword, page V, The Battle for Investment Survival.

Average customer rating:

The Battle for Investment Survival
Gerald M. Loeb
Manufacturer: Simon and Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000E1CASA

Average customer rating:

Battle for Investment Survival
Gerald M. Loeb
Manufacturer: Fraser Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MISYGC

The Battle for Investment Survival (Wiley Investment Classics)

Average customer rating:

The Battle for Investment Survival (Wiley Investment Classics)
Gerald M. Loeb
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N66KO6

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