Book Description
Under Philip the Good, grandson of the founder of the duchy's power, Burgundy reached its apogee. Professor Vaughan portrays not only Philip the Good himself, perhaps the most attractive personality among the four great dukes, but the workings of the court and of one of the most efficent - if not necessarily the most popular - administrations in fifteenth-century Europe. The complex diplomatic history of Philip the Good's long ducal reign (1419-1467) occupies much of the book, in particular Burgundy's relations with England and France. The central theme is Philip the Good's policy of territorial and personal aggrandisement, which culminated in his negotiations with the Holy Roman Emperor for a crown. And due attention is given to the great flowering of artistic life in Burgundy which made Philip's court at Dijon an important cultural centre in the period immediately preceding the Renaissance. All this is based on the close study of the considerable surviving archives of Philip's civil service, and on the chronicles and letters of the period.Philip the Good provides a definitive study of the life and times of the ruler whose position and achievements made him the greatest magnate in Europe during what has been called 'the Burgundian century'.
Customer Reviews:
Fantastic Work - Available Again At Last!.......2002-12-17
Vaughan's series of books on Valois Burgundy have long been a staple for anyone interested Burgundian history and culture. After a long stretch of being out of print, and very difficult to find, these new editions are sure to be welcomed by many historians. Added to Vaughan's work is a fantastic new introduction written for the 2002 edition by Malcolm Vale (another historian I would readily recommend).
While these works may be older, and more recent work has been done on Burgundy, Vaughan's scholarship is still first-rate. A must for the bookshelf of anyone interested in Valois Burgundy, or Northern Europe in the late 14th and 15th centuries.
Book Description
Muhammad Ali cast a blinding light on his sport, on the tumultuous times in which he reigned as champion, and on all the people who surrounded him. That included the fighters brave enough to stand alone, in the ring with the greatest heavyweight champion of all time.
Ali's own story has been told often, but the tales of those who faced him have been mostly overlooked. For each, the moments alone in the ring with Ali changed their lives. FACING ALI tells the stories, in the fighters' own words, of fifteen men from around the world--from famous names like Joe Frazier, George Foreman, and Henry Cooper, to lesser lights like Tunney Hunsaker, Jergen Blin, and George Chuvalo. FACING ALI offers a unique perspective on what it was like to fight Ali, and gives new insights into the character of a boxer who is arguably the most recognized man on the planet.
Customer Reviews:
More enjoyable than informative, nothing really technical, well-written portraits.......2007-09-10
I've been reading a lot of boxing books lately despite not being a big fan, mainly because it seems like the people who are involved in it are some of the most interesting people in any sport. This book is another one which strongly reiterates that. Like many of the other reviews say, you really do feel like you get to know something about these guys, about what they're like as people and nobody comes across as two dimensional.
Another Book on the Greatest Fighter of All-Time.......2007-01-31
Muhummad Ali is the most-photographed, most-written about, most-quoted, and most-popular athlete of all-time. So how does an author come up with a "new" angle on the Ali story that has not already been covered? Well, Author Stephan Brunt comes up with a new tact - 15 fighters who faced Ali in the squared circle tell about their experieces in their own words. This is a unique concept that has not been attempted before in the annals of boxing literature. My hat is tipped to Mr. Brunt for coming up with such a unique angle. I also applaud him for not severely editing the commentary of the opponents stories. The words are there warts and all, especially in the bitterness expressed by Joe Frazier.
The book presents 15 fights, and the individual stories of the opponents are written in vivid detail. Brunt gives a brief history of the opponent, how he became a fighter, how he came to fight Ali, and what happened to him afterwards. The 15 fighters represent several of Ali's best fights, including Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Ernie Shavers. Too bad we could not have read about Ali's greatest upset fight, i.e. Sony Liston's experience in words - now that would heve been eye-popping! (Liston died of an apparent drug overdose in late 1970.)
Brunt does a thorough job with each fighter. He does not so much concentrate on the blow to blow action in the fight, but rather, what the opponent was thinking and feeling before, during, and after the fight. It makes for very interesting reading for boxing fans in general, and of course Ali fans.
I could not give it a 5-star ranking as it was not spell-binding, but for being unique and holding my interest throughout, it deserves a solid 4-stars.
Jim "Konedog" Koenig
A masterpiece of sports writing.......2007-01-08
Stephen Brunt's excellent book poignantly tells the stories of fifteen men who fought Muhammad Ali. Brunt tells us in his introduction that we generally only hear one side of the story - usually the side of the star of the show. Since there have been few stars who have shone as brightly as Ali in the boxing world (or in the world in general for that matter), the stories of his opponents, even the ones who were champions in their own right, have tended to be forgotten, if not completely ignored.
The stories provide a fresh perspective on Ali through the course of the book, since many of these men developed a relationship with him that transcended their battle(s) with him in the ring, but the spotlight here is directly on the lives of these fifteen men. Each of their stories is unique. Some are funny, some are tragic, some offer us lessons if we care to look. All the stories show us how these men's lives were altered by their moment in the spotlight. With the exception of Joe Frazier, who gets the longest section of the book devoted to him, every man conveys a fondness and respect for Ali even if they had differences with him.
Brunt is a great writer who is able to convey something essential about each of the men he dedicates a chapter to. There isn't a trace of sentimentality and every portrait comes across as being fair to it's subject. "Facing Ali" is a masterpiece of sports writing and belongs on the shelf of every boxing fan.
The Champ Is Here.......2006-12-20
A fan of Muhammad Ali may have seen some of the 15 fighters chronicled in the ring due to replays of numerous matches on the various ESPN channels. But what you have seen is only a fraction of the story, as author Stephen Brunt brings to life the real stories of those who battled Ali in classic bouts or had fleeting fame by stepping into the ring & fighting the long odds of going the distance.
There is Chuck Wepner, who initially learned about getting the match through a newspaper article, and whose "underdog" match gave a screenplay idea to struggling actor Sylvester Stallone; Jurgen Blin, who had to go back to his job the day after the match and Ron Lyle, a tough fighter who came very close to pulling off an upset for the ages.
It is expected that those interviewed would include Joe Frazier and George Foreman, but it's the stories from contenders like George Chuvalo, Joe Bugner and Henry Cooper & longshots like Tunney Hunsaker and Jean Pierre Coopman that makes the book so interesting.
Ali is the thread in all these lives and inside the ropes of a sport that judges courage on the punishment one is willing to take. Most may not have been crowned champions in their pro ring careers, but each boxer took something away from their experiences in facing Ali.
A interesting perspective on the Ali Story.......2006-09-19
A great deal of insight is offered on fighters who for the large part have been gone from the public seemingly months after their bouts with him. it would've been great if Floyd Patterson whose observations about that fight, at that point in his career, would've been interesting for various reasons could not have been included, since he has passed away and had been suffering from certain debilitations toward the end that would've made it impossible for him to contribute to the story. I suppose you can't have everything. One reason would be because Patterson was one of the most eloquent of fighters, not given to bombast or hyperbole.
All seem to have benefited by their encounters and seem to remember him fondly, save for the fighter who gave Ali and the public, Ali's greatest fights, that fighter being Joe Frazier. The Frazier/Ali rivalry was better explained and depicted in Mark Kramm's excellent "Ghosts of Manila". This was just a small glimpse and really didn't explain the extensive history that would explain Frazier's reaction and that particular section.
Some of the chapters were more insightful than others. The Henry Cooper, Ron Lyle, George Chuvalo, Joe Bugner and Ken Norton chapters were quite interesting.
The chapter on George Chuvalo in particular was very interesting.
Anybody who was anybody in those days had to get past George to be a legit contender. Until I read this book he had been a mystery and not much written about him save for his tenacity and his ability to absorb and unreal amount of punishment in the ring, while remaining on his feet. I had wondered what became of him since he seemed to suddenly drop from sight.
Ron Lyle, because of his coming the longest way of any fighter to contend for the heavyweight crown.
Ken Norton, who was the mystery Ali could never solve in the ring although holding one very close and one very controversial victory over him. Ken is an interesting boxer in that he also was quite eloquent and had some very interesting quirks that made him, not a typical Ali opponent.
To be sure this book comes off as a bit of a loving tribute to the greatest heavyweight champion of our time. The author is honest in his assessments of Ali's later years and retirement.
The contrast among Ali's greatest opponents is noteworthy. The animosity of certain of Ali's opponents towards others was quite interesting. I won't ruin it for you by going into it here.
The mediocre opponents seemed to have the greatest appreciation of the greater exposure and the subsequent fame or notoriety gained from having fought Ali and resulting rewards.
George Foreman, one of the two fighters, most effected by his fight with Ali, the vilification and pre-fight hype, seemed to be the most diplomatic and I felt there was a certain bit of spin in his retrospective.
Their lives after the Ali fights in certain instances were the more interesting aspect.
Joe Bugner's chapter was quite interesting, particularly the way he viewed and views himself currently. This was belied by his reserved post fight interviews.
Despite all the hyperbole, I do remember that certain of Ali's opponents such as Bugner, Norton, Wepner and Ron Lyle were quite articulate, as much as or more so than Ali himself. Although their analysis and assessments were perhaps, not quite as appetizing to the sportswriter looking for a quotable slogan, catch phrase or personae that would sell.
Overall a good and honest book.
Book Description
The World Development Report 2004 investigates how countries can accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by making services work for poor people. Success in reaching the MDGs will depend not just on faster economic growth and the flow of sources, but on our ability to translate those resources into basic services, especially in health, education, water, and sanitation. Too often, the delivery of services falls far short of what could be achieved, due to issues such as weak incentives for performance, corruption, imperfect monitoring, and administrative logjams. Some countries have addressed the problem by involving poor people in service delivery; the results have been impressive. Giving parents input into their children's education, patients a say over hospital management, and making agency budgets transparent all contribute to improving outcomes in human development. Celebrating the successful innovations--while taking a hard look at some of the failures--this Report offers guidance to policymakers, donors, and citizens on improving the delivery of basic services. It serves to deepen understanding and highlight the importance of empowering and investing in poor people.
Download Description
Too often, services fail poor people-in access, in quality, and in affordability. But the fact that there are striking examples where basic services such as water, sanitation, health, education, and electricity do work for poor people means that governments and citizens can do a better job of providing them. Learning from success and understanding the sources of failure, this year's World Development Report, argues that services can be improved by putting poor people at the center of service provision. How? By enabling the poor to monitor and discipline service providers, by amplifying their voice in policymaking, and by strengthening the incentives for providers to serve the poor. Freedom from illness and freedom from illiteracy are two of the most important ways poor people can escape from poverty. To achieve these goals, economic growth and financial resources are of course necessary, but they are not enough. The World Development Report provides a practical framework for making the services that contribute to human development work for poor people. With this framework, citizens, governments, and donors can take action and accelerate progress toward the common objective of poverty reduction, as specified in the Millennium Development Goals.
Customer Reviews:
Focus on the problem........2004-03-01
Regardless of your political views, opinions about globalization, or general predisposition to the World Bank, the WDR 2004 is an essential publication addressing the issues of poverty and equity in health, education, and socioeconomic terms. Not only are the issues of equity being raised on an international level but intranationally as well. The WDR 2004 takes on the issues and problems that are increasing the disparity between the haves and have-nots within a given country. Without prejudice or preference, this report discusses the failures of institutions, national and multinational, in making the necessary strides to address poverty and the plight of the poor. This report is one of the most comprehensive resources available right now for understanding and responding to the issues of provision and access for the poor to proper healthcare, education, sanitation, clean water and electricity.
Classic Doublespeak.......2004-01-28
MAKING POOR PEOPLE WORK FOR (LOUSY) SERVICES: How the World Bank Impoverishes Third World Countries would be a more accurate title. For balance, see 50 Years Is Enough: The Case Against the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, by Kevin Danaher, and Masters of Illusion the World Bank and the Poverty of Nations, by Catherine Caufield. Let's not forget, some 40,000 children die every day from hunger or hunger-related diseases - all in countries that have been under the thumb of the World Bank for years. Enough is enough. This neocolonial institution must go. Only then will coffee plantations and aquaculture farms again grow food for the people who actually need it.
Book Description
rom the editors of People Magazine comes a fact-packed, trivia-lover's guide which provides the complete lowdown on all of the year's headliners and head turners!Want the scoop on this year in the lives of your favorite celebrities?Or the details on the latest pairings and births of your favorite stars?Or maybe you just want to find out this year's Emmy, Oscar and Grammy winners.No matter what, if it has to do with celebrities and the world of entertainment, the authoritative answer is found in these pages. Packed with essential facts, surprising lists, and troves of trivia, the People Almanac provides the inside story on today's stars and the best in entertainment.
Average customer rating:
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People's Friend 2004 (Annuals)
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Book Description
For the "fearful to the fearless", Approaching the Standards is an innovative, user-friendly approach to jazz improvisation. Designed for the individual or group, each of the three volumes of this play-along CD contains eight classic jazz tunes. Each volume features a jazz group demo recorded by top pros in a jazz gig setting, clearly written musical examples, jazz vocabulary, transcription opportunities, informative composer insight and a useful discography. Everything you need to begin improvising or to improve your jazz skills is included in Volumes 1,2 and 3, available for C, Bb, Eb and Bass Clef instruments.
Book Description
The book is designed to open flat while being used, and the texts point out important details to be observed.
Full-size versions of William Veasey's acclaimed waterfowl decoy patterns. Simple, workable patterns will be useful to both the novice and the expert wood carver.
, 33 patterns, 17" x 11"
Amazon.com
Even though we all learned that "slow and steady wins the race" back in grade school, most of us tackle problems with the brute force of logic. Cognitive scientist Guy Claxton wrote Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind to show us another way. As he says, "voices of philosophy, poetry and imagery are relatively weak in a world that largely assumes that only science and reason speak with true authority." Yet that very authority suggests that there are many problems better served by slower, more intuitive thinking, rather than the linear, logical process Claxton calls the "d-mind."
Laboratory studies of subliminal perception, problem solving, and creativity point to a cacophony of intelligent voices murmuring just below our conscious levels of awareness yet influencing our behavior in subtle ways we are only just beginning to understand. Claxton argues persuasively that this unconscious intelligence is just what we need to handle complex situations, and that our culture's misplaced emphasis on logic and reason to the exclusion of all else is foolish, and even hypocritical, as most scientists will readily admit to abandoning their left-brains on occasion for bursts of nonlinear, inspired thinking. But his prose is never preachy; in fact, he sounds as warm and wise as the Buddhist monks he has studied with. If you're looking for a new way of thinking about thinking, you'll find it in Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind. --Rob Lightner
Book Description
In these accelerated times, our decisive and businesslike ways of thinking are unprepared for ambiguity, paradox, and sleeping on it." We assume that the quick-thinking "hare brain" will beat out the slower Intuition of the "tortoise mind." However, now research in cognitive science is changing this understanding of the human mind. It suggests that patience and confusion--rather than rigor and certainty--are the essential precursors of wisdom.
With a compelling argument that the mind works best when we trust our unconscious, or "undermind," psychologist Guy Claxton makes an appeal that we be less analytical and let our creativity have free rein. He also encourages reevaluation of society's obsession with results-oriented thinking and problem-solving under pressure. Packed with Interesting anecdotes, a dozen puzzles to test your reasoning, and the latest related research, Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind is an Illuminating, uplifting, stimulating read that focuses on a new kind of well-being and cognition.
Customer Reviews:
Deep Thoughts with Solid Research and New Ideas.......2006-04-14
In this wide-ranging, scholarly study, Guy Claxton does a superb job of showing the reader how complex consciousness is, and why, in our awareness, things aren't what they seem to be. You might think from the book's title that this is largely a metaphysical or philosophical discussion. That's hardly the case. Claxton presents numerous results from psychology experiments that show, unequivocally, that we are not primarily rational beings, but rationalizing ones. In other words, we invent reasons to justify doing the things that we do, but these ideas are more likely to be intellectual alibis than the real motivations for our behavior.
You may think that you consciously make moment to moment decisions about your life. But Claxton convincingly shows us that the mysterious "undermind," as he calls it, has more to do with who we are and what we do than our conscious, logical, linear mind. The "d-mode", our deliberate thinking style--the one we perfect in our years of schooling-- is the most commonly accepted model of how our minds work. However, the experimental evidence suggests that d-mode thinking has relatively little to do with how we make most of the decisions in our lives. The d-mode actually comes up with plausible reasons that justify our actions, but it isn't the source of those actions. The conscious mind's job is to focus a lot of attention on a particular problem and maintain a coherent sense of ourselves: but these processes all come after the fact of our inner decision-making. In fact, people often seem happier with their decisions in the long run, if they think less about them from the outset. It is in this sense, that "think less" makes one more intelligent.
Contrary to our training, Claxton shows us that in many situations, our slower mind is much more effective at running our lives than our more efficient fast mind. The undermind is especially good in ambiguous situations, where information is undefined and uncertain. In our fast-paced lives, we often demand instant results based on objective, linear data-production systems. But Claxton argues that we would often be better off to slow down and let the subconscious solve our problems more spontaneously. This idea is not just a values-based belief: it is backed by empirical studies such as subliminal research experiments and small-group studies.
HARE BRAIN, TORTOISE MIND will get you to re-evaluate a lot of assumptions you have about yourself. Who is really in charge of your life? Who are you? These are the sorts of questions that this book evokes and once Claxton gets your attention, he doesn't let go. After presenting the empirical evidence Claxton goes onto to explain their significance in religious thought and social history. But the main point throughout is that we need to respect, cultivate, and develop our intuitive, whole-brain thinking processes. And that wisdom, in the largest sense of the word, is a lot more than bits and bytes that flow through our PDAs and laptop computers. Because what makes for really profound thinking isn't only a profusion of data and information: it is also an awareness of the uncertainty and totality of relationships that sustain life in all its forms.
This book is like a bottle of good wine. It just gets better as you keep reading. Claxton encourages us to follow our intuitions and develop ourselves into complete beings rather than logical, numbed, rational robots. Readers who enjoy this book may also appreciate Tor Norretrander's THE USER ILLUSION and Carl Honore's IN PRAISE OF SLOWNESS.
(Dr. Simeon Hein is the author of OPENING MINDS and PLANETARY INTELLIGENCE and composer of the CDs EARTH DREAMING and OPENING SKIES.)
mind opening.......2006-02-12
There were more than a few times during the reading of this book where I thought "that makes total sense", or "this one idea alone is worth the cost of the book". Mr Claxton answered things that I had thought about but was never able to fully figure out or put into words.
The author talks about thinking less to understand more. I have read about that in other books, like The Breakout Principle, that talked of thinking on something, then letting it go, and the answer will come. Guy Claxton explained it better and now I understand why I constantly get answers to my questions and thoughts when I am doing mindless or simple repetitive tasks like running or driving.
This is an excellent book that answered many of my questions on how the mind works. It also answered questions I did not even realize until after I read about it.
Lafontaine was right all along. You need the turtle........2003-05-31
The author takes gutsy stands. He considers the "Left brain Right brain" concept obsolete. According to his research, the mind's skill set is a lot more fluid than that. Everything the left brain can do, the right brain can do to, and vice versa.
His theory focuses on two main thinking modes:
1) intellect (d-mode); and
2) intuition (undermind).
He believes that optimal cognition is reached through a balance between these two modes of thinking. One is not better than the other. Thinking modes can be used in effective sequences.
He indicates that many challenging problem solving situations can be tackled through four stages of thinking:
1) Preparation in D-Mode,
2) Incubation in intuitive mode,
3) Illumination in intuitive mode, and
4) Verification in the D-mode.
The above is a good description of the scientific method from a psychological framework. This approach will help you out in both school, and business situations.
Mind Boggling.......2001-06-02
This is a terrific book if you have any interest in understanding your fellow humans and yourself. Claxton is a clear enticing writer with a rich source of research and background on his subject. The chapter on attention was particularly useful.
A fabulous book for getting your thinking straight........2000-03-03
The author is the ultimate teacher, presenting his material in several forms and different ways till you "get it". He filled a gap in my thinking about how we do things, showing me the third leg of the conscious, the cerebellum and now the unconscious in mediating our actions. He showed me how to use my mind to much greater advantage and he cleared up some of my thinking about Joseph Campbell's myths and psychoanalysis. I will now write down the pros and cons of material and back off, content that my "undermind" will sort things out to some extent.
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- Phoenix: The Lonely Empress: Elizabeth of Austria
- Prince Charles: The Sustainable Prince
- Prince Of The City: The True Story Of A Cop Who Knew Too Much
- Princess Diana : Her Life Story 1961-1997
- Red Room Rendezvous
- Royal Survivor: The Life of Charles II
- Sarah: The Life of a Duchess
- Shadows Of A Princess: An Intimate Account by Her Private Secretary
- St. Margaret Queen of Scotland
- The Camera and the Tsars: A Romanov Family Album
Books Index
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Charles the Bold: The Last Valois Duke of Burgundy (History of Valois Burgundy)
John the Fearless: The Growth of Burgundian Power (History of Valois Burgundy)
Philip the Bold: The Dukes Of Burgundy
The Valois: Kings of France 1328-1589
The Promised Lands: The Low Countries Under Burgundian Rule, 1369-1530 (The Middle Ages Series)
