History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

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Twelve Royal Ladies
Sidney Dark
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Some of the royal ladies found in this volume were more sinned against than sinning. As to others, there is no doubt as to the category in which they belong. Catherine de Medici ranks as one of the great villains of history, but the author contends she was innocent of most of the crimes of which she has been accused. Catherine the Great has little to commend her, especially in the line of private morals, but it must be admitted she left a profound impression upon her times. Other subjects discussed are: Mary, Queen of Scots, a subject of endless controversy; Louise de la Valliere, mistress of that gay monarch, Louis XIV; Maria Theresa; Marie Antoinette; Josephine; Bloody Mary of England; Sophia of Hanover; Christina of Sweden; and Caroline of Brunswick.

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Golden Twilight: Alaskan Historical Series #3 (Heartsong Presents #748)
Kathleen Y'Barbo
Manufacturer: Barbour Publishing, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Historical | Romance | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1597893919

Product Description

Fiona Rafferty has always had a healing touch, and she's determined to become a doctor. But in 1899, Fiona's father will not hear of it. No daughter of his will pursue a career outside the home, even if it means shipping her off to Alaska to live with her brothers' families-and to hopefully find a husband. Fiona decides to tolerate her exile only until she can find the perfect opportunity to escape, then return to civilization and enroll in medical school. But she didn't expect to meet Tucker Smith, an exasperating man who confuses her plans by stealing her heart. Can Fiona include Tucker in her dreams for the future, or will a secret from his past cast darkness over their love?

The Golden Years Become the Twilight Zone

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The Golden Years Become the Twilight Zone
Ron Irvine , and Desiree Irvine
Manufacturer: Xulon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Aging | Aging Parents | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Accessories:

ASIN: 1591606187

Twilight of a Golden Age: Selected Poems of Abraham Ibn Ezra (Judaic Studies Series)

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A major medieval Jewish poet

Twilight of a Golden Age: Selected Poems of Abraham Ibn Ezra (Judaic Studies Series)
Abraham Ibn Ezra
Manufacturer: University Alabama Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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All Hebrew Books | Hebrew | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0817308784

Customer Reviews:

A major medieval Jewish poet.......2006-10-23

Abraham Ibn Ezra 1092-1167 was a major medieval Spanish Jewish poet, thinker, Biblical Commentator, grammarian. He is a major figure in transmitting the heritage of Andulusian Jewry to European communities. During his thirty years of wandering he lived in poverty, producing works in a number of areas including brief powerful poems a selection of which is presented in this volume.

Where lurks '30s radio? KKNX knows.(Columns)(Tune in AM-840 radio and enter a twilight zone where The Shadow and his pals never faded out)(Column) : An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)

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Where lurks '30s radio? KKNX knows.(Columns)(Tune in AM-840 radio and enter a twilight zone where The Shadow and his pals never faded out)(Column) : An article from: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR)
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR), published by Thomson Gale on September 30, 2005. The length of the article is 553 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Where lurks '30s radio? KKNX knows.(Columns)(Tune in AM-840 radio and enter a twilight zone where The Shadow and his pals never faded out)(Column)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) (Newspaper)
Date: September 30, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: E3

Article Type: Column

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul: Heartwarming Stories for People 60 and Over

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Chicken Soup for the Golden Soul: Heartwarming Stories for People 60 and Over

Manufacturer: Health Communications, Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739410326

Product Description

Through touching, entertaining and inspiring stories, this latest Chicken Soup collection shares the stories of people sixty and over who are redefining the expression "better with age" by greeting life's joys and challenges with grace, vibrancy and a positive attitude. Chapters include: Staying Young at Heart, Living Your Dream, On Overcoming, Reminiscing, On Love, Sharing With Others and Ageless Wisdom. Although especially written for those sixty and over, each story conveys timeless truths about how anyone can live with maximum meaning and enjoyment.

America at Twilight: How the Golden Dream Can Be Saved

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America at Twilight: How the Golden Dream Can Be Saved
Alfred Lindsey
Manufacturer: Sovereign Pubns
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

The Golden Dawn : Twilight of the Magicians

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The Golden Dawn : Twilight of the Magicians
R. A. Gilbert
Manufacturer: Aquarian Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KL02XE

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The Golden Dawn: Twilight of the Magicians
Israel Regardie , and R. A. Gilbert
Manufacturer: Borgo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Dreams | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

General | New Age | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Rosicrucianism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0809570033

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A fine exit

Golden Twilight
David S. Shedloski
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

Golf | Biographies | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Golf | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Having been granted unprecedented access to Jack Nicklaus, the Golden Bear, author David Shedloski provides incredible insight into the heart and character of one of the worlds greatest golfers. From the champion that he has been, to the remarkable comeback after hip replacement surgery, Golden Twilight is a behind the scenes look at an incredible champion.

Customer Reviews:

A fine exit.......2001-08-17

This book is the story of the Jack Nicklaus's farewell tour of the 4 majors. After hip replacement surgery, Nicklaus decided that 2000 would be the last year he would attempt to play in all 4 of professional golf's major championships. In a way, the timing worked out great. He was not normally exempt for the U.S. Open, and he assumed that 2000 would be the last year he would be granted a special exemption to play. I guess I am of the age that I really don't quite remember him when he was at his dominant peak of golf in the 70's. I just remember his great wins at the U.S. Open and at the Masters when most people had written him off as being too old. So this book is confirmation of his role as probably the greatest golfer of the 20th century, but is is sort of sad at the same time that it isn't until the age of 60 (!) that Nicklaus has to admit to giving into father time. He admits that he can't apply his ferocious will to get the ball in the hole when he wants to anymore. If you are a fan of Jack or of golf in general, this book is highly recommended

Twilight of a Golden Age (Judaic Studies Series)

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Twilight of a Golden Age (Judaic Studies Series)
Leon Weinberger
Manufacturer: Univ of Alabama Pr (Txt)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 9997644158

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful book!.......2007-09-11

When I ordered this book, I don't know what I expected. I absolutely despise reading, and this book is not small by any standards. However, it is an excellent (and quite interesting, I might add) perspective on the life of the "melancholy clown," and I assure you that you will learn more about him than you ever wanted to know! If you're thinking of ordering this book, go for it!

dudely's book.......2002-11-24

this book is so great & filled with things about dudely moore.
in it you will see that he had good times & bad. You will learn about his life story & how so great he was. As a person &
actor as well . you get to learn about his two son's & his wifes too. In all i think it book is the best of dudely moore that i have ever read. He was so wonderful in his music & movies . Now you will get to learn about his early childhood & about mr moore himself. Buy this lovely book. Dudely will thank you for it. we miss you dudely :)

The book was one of the better books that I have read........1998-04-11

Mr. Moore is a very talented person, and reading about him in this biography was most interesting. When learning of the many hardships he faced, the reader must possess a stone heart to not be filled with compassion. I highly recommend reading this excellent book.

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Dudley Moore: The Authorized Biography
Barbra Paskin
Manufacturer: Pan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUX3KU

Book Description

A compilation of writings on the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of Ayahuasca

• Includes 24 firsthand accounts of Ayahuasca experiences and resulting life changes, including contributions from J. C. Callaway, Charles S. Grob, and Dennis J. McKenna

• Discusses the medical and psychological applications of Ayahuasca

Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic Amazonian plant mixture that has been used for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years by native Indian and mestizo shamans in Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador for healing and divination. Many Western-trained physicians and psychologists have acknowledged that this substance can allow access to spiritual dimensions of consciousness, even mystical experiences indistinguishable from classic religious mysticism.

In Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca Ralph Metzner, a pioneer in the study of consciousness, has assembled a group of authoritative contributors who provide an exploration of the chemical, biological, psychological, and experiential dimensions of ayahuasca. He begins with more than 20 firsthand accounts from Westerners who have used ayahuasca and then presents the history, psychology, and chemistry of ayahuasca from leading scholars in the field of psychoactive research. He concludes with his own findings on ayahuasca, including its applications in medicine and psychology, and compares the worldview revealed by ayahuasca visions to that of Western cultures.

Customer Reviews:

Well worth the read.......2006-01-27

Ralph Metzner's book Ayahuasca: Human Consciousness and the Spirits of Nature (1st edition) and Sacred Vine of Spirits: Ayahuasca (2nd edition) is an excellent overview of modern conceptions of Ayahuasca and where and how they originated.

The book starts off with a brief history of the available data on this most powerful of entheogens. Next Metzner delves into modern trip reports of the experience by mostly well-to-do professionals, doctors, psychiatrists, etc. In this section, the book does tend to get a little fluffy and new agey in its descriptions. Here, too, I was disappointed that he did not offer/include indigenous descriptions of the experience.

While at first this book had difficulty drawing me in, it wasn't until the end of the trip reports section, probably around page 150, that a startling story, so identical to one of my own, really grabbed my attention into the book as a whole. The stories previous to this one were also similar to my own, as I have seen the snakes, etc., myself, however the other stories often didn't draw me in as this one in particular had as it twisted around my soul like a boa.

About 2/3 into the book it becomes clear why Metzner has chosen these particular stories. He uses the stories to show a sort of universal archetypal imagery found within the experiences as well as using them to show the overall personal benefits and healings gained by each individual's direct experiences with the sacred brew. He makes especially clear the importance of "la purga" or the purge, which are the effects of Ayahuasca to cause vomiting to cleanse the body and soul. However, I questioned if this was done while possibly omitting negative reports, not of trips, but of Kanaima related issues (see Dr. Neil Whitehead). Though I must admit that my own numerous experiences were indeed along the same lines of self-recognition and self-responsibility laid out in the work.

Next Metzner calls on the famed Dr. Dennis McKenna to break down the chemistry and history of Ayahuasca, as McKenna with his brother Terence were pioneers in the research on DMT and Ayahuasca. Next Metzner calls on Dr. Charles Grob and Dr. J.C. Callaway to give an excellent (yet self limited) history on Ayahuasca from its studies to its effects on human psychological behavior, drug addiction, etc. Finally he ends the book with a well thought out and in some places admittedly speculative conclusion on the possibilities to the fulfilling of human consciousness on a Gaian or global scale.

Not the most profound read, but well worth the read. I'd give it a strong 4.5 star. A necessary addition to any ethnopharmacological library. However, I should mention that the best material is said to be The Antipodes of the Mind : Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience by Dr. Benny Shanon. I will point out that I have not had the chance to read Shanon's book yet, but it has come highly recommended by many leading experts in the field and is on the top of my to read list. Shanon is published by Oxford.

Ayahuasca Reader : Encounters with the Amazon's Sacred Vine

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A compilation of texts translated from several languages

Ayahuasca Reader : Encounters with the Amazon's Sacred Vine

Manufacturer: Synergetic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customs & Traditions | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0907791328

Product Description

The AYAHUASCA READER is a four-part celebration of a sacred plant which grows in the Amazon rainforest and which, throughout the rainforest history, has been instrumental in allowing medicine men (and others) to leave their bodies behind and travel with their souls. Their experiences and the invaluable information they return with are so impressive that many anthropologists have felt the inclination to question them about these trips and the mythologies of their ancestors regarding them. Hence, part one of the AYAHUASCA READER consists of information divulged in such interviews. Part two consists of essays by (or about) the scientists themselves upon experiencing Ayahuasca in ceremonial settings. Part three discusses the use of Ayahuasca as a present day religious sacrament, and finally, in part four, well known celebrities from the literary world discuss their experience of Ayahuasca. All of this renders the AYAHUASCA READER the most comprehensive collection ever written on the subject, with essays translated from nearly a dozen languages. The many contributors include Françoise Barbira Freedman, Wade Davis, Philippe Descola, Allen Ginsberg, Jean Langdon, Peter Matthiessen, Dennis McKenna, W.S.Merwin, Richard Spruce, Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff, Mario Vargas Llosa, and more. As the myths within confirm, Ayahuasca has been a means of reconnecting with the invisible layers of the cosmos for millennia. Not surprisingly, the myths make for very fascinating reading in and of themselves, and certainly no study of world mythology is complete with them. The additional scientific, religious and literary points of view, then, are all wonderful bonuses. There is a lot at work here: As if the various stories from these disparate groups were not enough, there are depictions of the artwork of the indigenous peoples, photographs of a few of the Ayahuasca practitioners (including Ginsberg), a copy of a Brazilian watercolor depicting Ayahuasca, a copy of an oil painting depicting visions induced by the plant, and much more. From the religion section there are hymns a plenty, and from the literary section, as much eloquent prose and spirited poetry as a reader is likely to find in any literary anthology. Only a sacred vine (and perhaps a universal craving for a narcotic that promises at the end, you see God ) could so beautifully tie all these riches together.

Customer Reviews:

A compilation of texts translated from several languages.......2001-02-24

Ayahuasca is a sacred drink of the indigenous peoples of the Upper Amazon and Orinoco basins, and is used for divination, healing, and other cosmogonic/shamanic purposes. The Ayahuasca Reader: Encounters With The Amazon's Sacred Vine is a compilation of texts translated from several languages on the ayahuasca experiences. These accounts including indigenous mythic narratives and testimonies, religious hymns, and narratives related by western travelers, scientists, and writers who came into contact with ayahuasca in a variety of contexts. The Ayahuasca Reader is a seminal, benchmark publication and will be of intense interest to students of Amazonian indigenous culture, Native American spirituality, and metaphysical studies.

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King fianchetto defences (including King's Indian defence) (Contemporary chess openings)
Drazen Marovic
Manufacturer: B. T. Batsford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0713402504

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King's Indian Defence 2 - White Fianchetto Variations (R.H.M. Survey of Current Chess Openings)
Lajos Portisch
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Ring-bound
ASIN: B000VUM2FU

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King's Indian Defence 2 : White Fianchetto Variations ( Classical Fianchetto, Panno, Yugoslav, Etc.)
Lajos ; Panno, Oscar ; Kavalek, Lubosh ; Bronstein, David ; Andersson, Ulf ; Grefe, John Portisch
Manufacturer: R. H. M. Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MDHMGA

Book Description

In recent years, New Yorkers have been surprised to see workers they had taken for granted—Mexicans in greengroceries, West African supermarket deliverymen and South Asian limousine drivers—striking, picketing, and seeking support for better working conditions. Suddenly, businesses in New York and the nation had changed and were now dependent upon low-paid immigrants to fill the entry-level jobs that few native-born Americans would take. Immigrants, Unions, and the New U.S. Labor Market tells the story of these workers' struggle for living wages, humane working conditions, and the respect due to all people. It describes how they found the courage to organize labor actions at a time when most laborers have become quiescent and while most labor unions were ignoring them. Showing how unions can learn from the example of these laborers, and demonstrating the importance of solidarity beyond the workplace, Immanuel Ness offers a telling look into the lives of some of ! America's newest immigrants.

Customer Reviews:

Si se puede.......2006-07-15

No other book brings to life the work and struggles of new migrants in the United States. Ness sets the stage for the impending crisis that the labor movement will most certainly confront in the years to come. The book is eye-opening political-economy that points to new strategies and directions for the labor movement and the broader the working class. Striking is the absence of unions, labor institutions, and a party capable or willing to support the new realities of what is effectively the post-NLRA era.

Workers Organize Workers.......2006-05-20

This book is far and away the most important book on labor in many years. While it covers immigrant laborers in the U.S. the book can be applied to U.S. workers as well. The book counters the intuitive notion that migrant workers are too afraid to organize. In fact they are the most likely to organize! Then the book provides a road map for all labor organizing, both immigrant and U.S.-born workers. Of all the books I have read, this book provides the most theoretically sound approach to labor organizing and mobilization in a clear and concise manner. The book is accessible to any reader and, without hubris or jargon, explains in a clear way that it is workers who organize first. Power is consolidated for the workers by unions. But even without unions, the book shows us that workers are more willing to take risks and are much more militant than their unions. Written clearly, the book is the best book on immigrants for university students. In my class, I found that students were so enthusiastic that the book in fact sparked discussion without my intervention. Bravo to Ness.

Mobilizing Immigrants and Consolidating Union Power.......2006-01-09

This is one of the very few books that addresses the issue of worker organizing and the importance of migrant workers to the oranized labor movement. The AFL-CIO increasingly recognizes the need for immigrant workers as they form a larger part of the labor force in low-wage jobs amenable to organizing. Unions have a range of responses to this newfound worker militancy, from complacency to building power and support for workers otherwise left to their own. Unlike other books, Ness shows that migrant workers from similar backgrounds tend to have strong ties to their co-workers. In fact, these strong ties contributes to solidarity and the will to confront rapacious employers. Surely U.S. workers have much to learn from migrants whose bonds of solidarity are reinforced by common religious, national, language, and ethnic identities.
U.S. workers are no less militant if confronted with identifical circumstances as immigrants. However, the rise in contingent work contributes to fewer bonds of solidarity as native-born frequently move from job to job as they seek out individual gains--mostly without success.

The case studies in this book will be instructive to international unions in seeking out new strategies for organizing immigrant and native-born workers alike. This book is the most important contribution to the literature on labor organizing in recent memory, and provides the basis for understanding the labor struggles of the early 20th century when mobilized immigrant workers formed unions and were consolidated by the national unions. This book offers hope to all of us as the government seeks to marginalize immigrants through imposing draconian laws and weaken their legal status as workers.

An Immigrant's Guide to NYC on $1 an Hour.......2005-09-09

Professor Immanuel Ness brings a lot to the lectern in this story of spirited, but impoverished immigrant workers organizing in New York City. Ness is a professor of political science. He's written widely on cities. And his years as a union organizer give him instant street credibility.

All this experience and knowledge is effectively woven into his book, Immigrants, Unions and the New U.S. Labor market The title is accurate although Ness rarely strays far from the battles in New York's five boroughs. New York is a kind of testing ground. Immigrant workers in New York City make up more a than half the labor force. The low wages of these immigrants explain why New York County has the biggest spread between rich and poor in America -- It's in these organizing campaigns that the struggle to keep America from sliding back to the pay and conditions of the Gilded Age are being determined.

Ness focuses on three campaigns: Mexicans who work in Korean deli's, Pakistani limo drivers; and west African grocery store workers. With dozens of candid interviews, he takes us inside these immigrant communities, to hear the voices of New York's most silent workers.

Everyone knows that immigrants have it hard. But Ness forces us to see just what it means to be delivery man from Mali and be forced to live on $1.00 an hour - plus tips of course - while working for A&P's Food Emporium.

These workers are so exploited they aren't even permitted the status of workers. They're "independent contractors" "a fiction that allows employers the right to ignore the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (1938) regulating minimum wage, maximum hours and safety conditions. The upshot is that the grocery baggers from Mali wind up making that $1.00 an hour - which is more than they would make in Mali but not as much as Americans made a century ago. .

Ness shows us how these immigrants nevertheless have been able to come together to demand dignity, rights and a few extra dollars - at great risk, despite threats of physical harm, deportation, and job loss. It's not exactly workers of the world unite. But a triumph of the resilience of traditional social bonds which somehow survive even in the Global City. Plus it turns out they can mobilize a lot of outside support - the Mexican workers in Korean deli's got help from State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer who obligating sued the employers for back pay; a formidable community campaign sprang up on the Lower East Side to support the workers when they went on strike; the Mexican Consul-general got involved, too.

Ness' most surprising finding is that American unions - the institution you might expect to be leading the charge on behalf of the most exploited workers - the established unions - are mostly missing in action or actively undermining the immigrant organizing campaigns. There are some splendid exceptions, like Ernesto Joffre the former Chilean miner, jailed for subversion under the Pinochet dictatorship who went into exile here in New York and became head of an exemplary garment workers local. But mostly organized labor is too busy patrolling its jurisdictional boundaries to give more than perfunctory help. Almost immediately after Joffre's untimely death, his parent union liquidated support for the organizing campaign. A shady longshore union located in New Jersey wound up with sweetheart contracts with several of the Korean deli's.

Ness' accomplishment is dual: anthropology of New York's newest immigrant communities and a political science of the city's unions. It adds up to the most valuable account yet of the astringent realities of immigrant organizing in America.

Hope At Last for Migrant Workers.......2005-08-20

Immigrants, Unions, and the New US Labor Market is the most timely and intelligent examination of the implicatoins of the expansion of global capitalism on international migration. The book provides real life evidence of the human spirit of solidarity among migrant workers. This stirring book offers a roadmap for unions and employers of the eternal struggle for dignity among an outcast population that now forms an important component of American labor. This penetrating book is indispensable to understand the plight of migrants and how social conditions and human experience shapes the actions of working people. I commend the author.

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