The Ordinary Business of Life: A History of Economics from the Ancient World to the Twenty-First Century

Book Description

In some of Western culture's earliest writings, Hesiod defined the basic economic problem as one of scarce resources, a view still held by most economists. Diocletian tried to save the falling Roman Empire with wage and price fixes--a strategy that has not gone entirely out of style. And just as they did in the late nineteenth century, thinkers trained in physics renovated economic inquiry in the late twentieth century. Taking us from Homer to the frontiers of game theory, this book presents an engrossing history of economics, what Alfred Marshall called "the study of mankind in the ordinary business of life."

While some regard economics as a modern invention, Roger Backhouse shows that economic ideas were influential even in antiquity--and that the origins of contemporary economic thought can be traced back to the ancients. He reveals the genesis of what we have come to think of as economic theory and shows the remarkable but seldom explored impact of economics, natural science, and philosophy on one another. Along the way, he introduces the fascinating characters who have thought about money and markets, including theologians, philosophers, politicians, lawyers, and poets as well as economists themselves. We learn how some of history's most influential concepts arose from specific times and places: from the Stoic notion of natural law to the mercantilism that rose with the European nation-state; from postwar development economics to the recent experimental and statistical economics made possible by affluence and powerful computers.

Vividly written and unprecedented in its integration of ancient and modern economic history, this book is the best history of economics--and among the finest intellectual histories--to be published since Heilbroner's The Worldly Philosophers. It proves that economics has been anything but "the dismal science."

Customer Reviews:

Poorly written.......2005-12-28

Backhouse tries to give a brief, accessible summary of the history of economics, but the book is so dry that it is almost unreadable. Although Backhouse brings in some social and political background, for the most part he's just listing people and theories. His explanations, designed for non-technical readers, are not mathematically complex, and do avoid unneccesary terminology. But they're written in a choppy, condensed style, without illumination from real-world examples. The result is just not compelling reading. And his decision to take his history back to Greek times doesn't really work: the pre-modern thinkers omitted from most standard histories aren't consciously writing about economics. Rather, Backhouse is inferring economic assumptions from literary or ethical discussions. This discussion is potentially interesting (although it suffers from the same flaws as the rest of the book), but not really the same subject-matter as the conventional history of economics.

Wonderful combination!.......2003-05-05

wonderful combination of history, philosophy, biographies, economics. I rivals Heilbroner in getting my attention and imagination. From Greek economics as getting the most out of your "household" to current issues with understanding Hayek, with explantions of Adam Smith and Karl Marx on the way.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.......2002-12-10

The good news about The Ordinary Business of Life is that it's a wide-ranging history of economic thought from Ancient Greek thinkers to the rational expectations theorists of the late 20th century. Backhouse doesn't idealize his subjects: he scolds modern economists for formulating abstract mathematical models that have little application to problems in the real world.

The bad news is that the book is totally lacking in color or personality. Aiming at comprehensive coverage, Backhouse plods from thinker to thinker and school to school. Giants like Smith or Keynes get only 6 or 7 pages of text; lesser thinkers get only a paragraph or two. The effect is like reading a series of encyclopedia articles.

Non-economist readers looking for an introduction to the history of economics would be better off starting with a book like Robert Heilbroner's classic The Worldly Philosophers. That way they'll be inspired to read some more.

Book Description

Schell and Lanteigne provide a clear, objective, responsible, and readable analysis of the facts of stalking crimes against people in the workplace -- and a practical guide to protecting the organization against them. The authors have taken as their purpose the task of helping to reduce the potential for workplace and personal tragedies. They not only make people aware of the "stalking cycle" and the stages commonly found in stalking incidents, but they give ways to prevent the cycle from escalating into disaster. Their goal is to help organizations develop policies and strategies to identify and suppress stalking before it's too late. Their book is unique in several ways: it expands on other presentations of the topic; it goes into detail about how stalking victims act and react and why they deny that stalking is happening to them, and it provides clinical insights into the ways stalkers think and behave -- and why. Schell and Lanteigne differentiate sexual harrassment incidents from stalking. Their theme: If there is a stalking problem, it needs to be identified and corrected early. They detail various interventions proposed by experts in forensic psychiatry, law enforcement and security, and human resource management. With numerous case histories of real-life stalking incidents and responses from victims and their organizations' management, the authors make clear what can go wrong with an inappropriate intervention, and what individuals, businesses, and organizations can do to turn a psychologically devastating and potentially life threatening situation around. Their "red flag" indicators help readers to understand that a stalking crime may be happening to them. The authors also give readers and their supervisors the resources they need to deal with it. The result is an important contribution to the literature on a growing, extremely dangerous crime in today's organizations, and an essential resource for executives and managers who are compelled to cope with it.

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Silent Spring, released in 1962, offered the first shattering look at widespread ecological degradation and touched off an environmental awareness that still exists. Rachel Carson's book focused on the poisons from insecticides, weed killers, and other common products as well as the use of sprays in agriculture, a practice that led to dangerous chemicals to the food source. Carson argued that those chemicals were more dangerous than radiation and that for the first time in history, humans were exposed to chemicals that stayed in their systems from birth to death. Presented with thorough documentation, the book opened more than a few eyes about the dangers of the modern world and stands today as a landmark work.

Book Description

First published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water."Silent Spring became a runaway bestseller, with international reverberations . . . [It is] well crafted, fearless and succinct . . . Even if she had not inspired a generation of activists, Carson would prevail as one of the greatest nature writers in American letters" (Peter Matthiessen, forTime's 100 Most Influential People of the Century). This fortieth anniversary edition celebrates Rachel Carson's watershed book with a new introduction by the author and activist Terry Tempest Williams and a new afterword by the acclaimed Rachel Carson biographer Linda Lear, who tells the story of Carson's courageous defense of her truths in the face of ruthless assault from the chemical industry in the year following the publication of Silent Spring and before her untimely death in 1964.

Customer Reviews:

The Facts!!.......2007-08-07

Perhaps her cause was just in writing this book, but her short-sighted ignorance of the repercussions was inexcusable. Because of the ban on DDT which largely resulted from Silent Spring, the WHO has estimated that around 20 MILLION children have died of malaria.

DDT was, & still is, one of the very best insecticides to control mosquitoes, the sole transporter of this deadly disease. Best of all, DDT is very NON-toxic to humans.

The need for DDT is so urgent that even the Sierra Club is justifying it's use inside houses in malaria stricken locations of Africa, South America, & Asia.

Way to go Rachel. Save the Birds, Kill the Children...Wake Up People!!

Important but boring.......2007-06-13

I thought that "Silent Spring" would be an interesting book to read. After all, is supposedly launched the modern environmental movement. However, after reading about 80 pages into the book I started to feel like I was reading the same thing over and over again: pesticides and herbicides are bad and should not be applied to the side of the road. OK, I get the point. I then flipped to page 250 or so, and do you know what I saw? More discussion of how pesticides and herbicides are bad!

Maybe back at that time it was not a self-evident truth that it is a bad thing to go around spraying shit all over the side of the road. But even then, you would think that a disucssion of this matter could be confined to 100 pages or less. A final issue is that the book does not seem to possess a modern understanding of certain subjects (since when do hydrologists refer to groundwater as "underground rivers"?). Although this is not the fault of the book, I do not know why anyone other than a science historian would want to spend much time on it.

Oh Yeah, this book also killed millions of people. The banning of DDT probably led to millions of deaths from malaria. Even today, about 2 million people die from it every year.

A Classic Read.......2007-05-11

Joni Mitchell perhaps most aptly summarizes the driving idea of Silent Spring in her song "Big Yellow Taxi": "Hey farmer farmer / Put away that DDT now / Give me spots on my apples / But leave me the birds and the bees. Please!" While both the book and the song are a bit outdated in the United States as DDT was banned in 1972, it's still an interesting analysis of insecticides/herbicides, societies relationship with science, and the effects a capitalistic driven culture has on the environment. Likewise, the interaction of the natural web and human's impact on it is greatly emphasized. Something I've always found interesting about Carson and her book was the publics (often misogynistic) reaction to her as being "hysterical" and my favorite quote from a board member of the Federal Pest Control Review Board: "I thought she was a spinster. What's she so worried about genetics for?"

last minute purchase.......2007-04-04

My daughter had to have this for English and of course she waited till the last minute. To her surprise, she enjoyed the book and the author's writing very much. As usual Amazon saved the day with a huge selection and fast shipping.

Al Gore surely loves this.......2007-03-26

Hurrah for "sustainability" and "biodiversity"! Down with the human race!

Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (The Manifesto Series)

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Rachel Carson's Silent Spring (The Manifesto Series)
Alex MacGillivray
Manufacturer: Barron's Educational Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0764128671

Book Description

From the final decades of the eighteenth century to the present day, a relatively few social and political documents have been written and circulated, then have gone on to change the course of human history. The Manifesto Series surveys some of those documents, presents an account of each manifesto's immediate impact, then explains how and why its influence spread to a wider audience. Brief and concisely written, each title in this series makes engrossing reading and provides readers with insights into the dynamics of modern history. Each title in this series is enhanced with approximately 70 color illustrations. Lengthy excerpts from Rachel Carson's compelling Silent Spring are presented in this book, with extensive commentary and analysis. Carson's book, published in the 1960s, exposed the hazards inflicted on the earth's environment by powerful industrial concerns. Her book focused especially on the harmful effects of DDT, while on a broader level it also questioned the domination of our culture by modern technology. Silent Spring thus became a springboard for a multitude of environmental movements and reforms which, to the present day, influence all of our lives for the better.

Toxicology and Pesticide Use in Relation to Wildlife, Organophosphorus, and Carbamate Compounds

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Toxicology and Pesticide Use in Relation to Wildlife, Organophosphorus, and Carbamate Compounds
Gregory J. Smith
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Organophosphorus and carbonate pesticides are used as insecticides, herbicides, nematicides, acaricides, fungicides, rodenticides, and bird repellents throughout the world. Today, organophosphorus and carbamate pesticides use is widespread on agricultural crops, rangelands, forests, and wetlands. Toxicology and Pesticide Use: Organophosphorus and Carbamate Compounds summarizes what is known about these pesticides from wildlife toxicology literature and discusses the potential hazards to wildlife by examining toxicity, environmental persistence, and use patterns of the pesticides. This information is critical to anyone involved in agriculture or agribusiness because of the impact of recent EPA rulings regarding the administration of these chemicals to crops. The book will interest toxicologists, environmental toxicologists, agrichemists, and all researchers involved in the study of the impact of these chemicals on the environment.

Acrolein hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates a synoptic review (SuDoc I 49.89/2:23)

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Acrolein hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates a synoptic review (SuDoc I 49.89/2:23)
Ronald Eisler
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, National Biological Survey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010W2PA

An analysis of the population dynamics of selected avian species;: With special reference to changes during the modern pesticide era, (Wildlife research report)

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An analysis of the population dynamics of selected avian species;: With special reference to changes during the modern pesticide era, (Wildlife research report)
Charles J Henny
Manufacturer: Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife; for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

California. Game Management Branch. Game bulletin

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California. Game Management Branch. Game bulletin
Robert L Rudd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Horticulture | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: B0007EJM2Q

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Chemical Trends in Wild Life
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
Manufacturer: OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation & Dev
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

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Chlorpyrifos hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review (Contaminant hazard reviews)

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Chlorpyrifos hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review (Contaminant hazard reviews)
Edward W Odenkirchen
Manufacturer: Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Insecticides & Pesticides | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00071AERG

Diazinon hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review (Biological report)

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Diazinon hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates: A synoptic review (Biological report)
Ronald Eisler
Manufacturer: Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Dept. of the Interior
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00070V2AK

Diflubenzuron hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates a synoptic review (SuDoc I 49.89/2:92 (4))

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Diflubenzuron hazards to fish, wildlife, and invertebrates a synoptic review (SuDoc I 49.89/2:92 (4))
Ronald Eisler
Manufacturer: U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B00010EB54

Book Description

Authored by a very eminent geneticist, this text gives students a thorough appreciation of the development and potential of analytical genetic techniques. Beginning with a consideration of both the classical mendelian and the molecular biological aspects of genetic analysis, the book goes on to discuss progress in three key areas of genetics. Firstly the elucidation of the detailed structure and overall organization of the genome; secondly the way in which genetic differences at the molecular level account for heritable variation in populations; and finally an explanation of how the genes control the metabolism and development of the whole organism. Professor Fincham takes as his theme the links between classical and molecular genetics, and throughout the book shows how the combination of these two approaches can be a powerful tool for the advancement of genetic research.

Book Description

Together, Bruce Lee and his comrade, friend, and mentor James Yimm Lee changed the world of martial arts forever. During the period known to martial arts aficionados as the Oakland Years (1962-1965), the two men lived and trained together, and their mutual collaboration evolved into the now-famous fighting art known as Jeet Kune Do. Remembering the Master chronicles this formative period in Bruce Lee's life for the first time ever. Family members, students, and friends share anecdotes and stories, while writings by prominent martial artists—including Al Novak, George Lee, Al Dacoscos, Leo Fong, Eric Lee, and David Cox—reflect on the men's profound influence and enduring legacy. Never-before-published photos from James Yimm Lee's own scrapbook convey a vivid sense of the people, places, events, and experiences of this exciting era.

Book Description

Learn In Your Car Mandarin Chinese is now available in the only language learning system which is designed to teach a foreign language in your car as you drive, without the aid of a textbook. Listeners learn Mandarin Chinese pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar. Convenient to use while driving, working out....or anywhere!

Customer Reviews:

Very Effective Series.......2007-07-01

I have used Level one for a year and Level two for six months and have found them to be excellent. The language is clear and sequential, often recycled, with ample pauses for repetition, and the compact guide book is well done, too. (I have been an ESL teacher for 28 years and speak fluent Japanese, so I know a little about language learning.) I don't know how this series would be in isolation since I study Chinese twice a week with a native speaker and focus only on conversation, as do the CDs obviously. Also, I have not tried other "In your car" Cds. One thing for sure, when I am going from point A to point B in my car, it is not time wasted; these CDs help me greatly to learn a difficult but important language. I am more than satisfied with my purchase and look forward to Level three.

Language learning in a car..........2007-04-27

I was quite excited to begin learning Mandarin in my car, however, I quickly realized this technique was not one for me. If you cannot learn without some sort of visuals, then this method is also not for you. While the words were clearly stated, I had a horrible time trying to retain anything. Also, as I did not intend on traveling to China any time soon, asking for directions to the bathroom or how to change over my money seemed irrelevant.

Behind the Wheel Chinese is Far Better.......2006-06-03

Learn in Your Car Chinese is a good basic course but it has several major defects.
What bothers me about the course is the obvious lack of sentence building techniques.
It is not bad with vocabulary and 'canned sentence' learning.
I must recommend you try Behind the Wheel Chinese in addition to or in lieu of Learn in Your Car Chinese.
The presentation is far better, you learn to speak your own sentences and you get a lot more vocabulary for the money.

Great review and practice!.......2006-03-09

In my Chinese studies so far, I've used Pimsleur, New Practical Chinese Reader, Learn in Your Car Chinese, Instant Immersion Chinese, and a live tutor. The most direct comparison is Instant Immersion as it is also a low cost listen-and-repeat course.

At this point, since Penton Overseas has not yet released Level 2 and 3 of Learn in Your Car Chinese, Instant Immersion covers more. The materials seem to be logically organized in both sets. However, Learn in Your Car is much better in my opinion. It comes with a beautiful transcript, including different colors for new words to make it easy to follow. The script includes the English, the Pinyin pronunciation, and the Chinese characters. Instant Immersion does not come with a transcript. Further, Learn in Your Car's speakers seem to have a more authentic accent and pleasant voices (I've found the female Chinese speaker's voice in Instant Immersion to be grating).

Overall, it has been very effective in reinforcing words and sentence patterns covered elsewhere and in introducing a few new words as well. Can't wait for levels 2 and 3!

Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese: The Complete Language Course (Learn in Your Car)

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Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese: The Complete Language Course (Learn in Your Car)
Henry N. Raymond
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1591257026

Book Description

Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese is now available in Levels Two and Three. Also available, the three level Mandarin Chinese Complete Language Course which additionally includes an exciting Travelogue DVD of China! Listeners can continue to develop their Chinese language skills, and pronunciation as well as additional grammar and vocabulary. The Listening Guides feature entire recorded script in English, pinyin, and Simplified Chinese characters, as well as additional grammar and language usage notes.

Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese Level 3 (Learn in Your Car)

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Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese Level 3 (Learn in Your Car)
Henry N. Raymond
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 159125695X

Book Description

Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese Level 2 (Learn in Your Car)

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Learn in Your Car Mandarin Chinese Level 2 (Learn in Your Car)
Henry N. Raymond
Manufacturer: Penton Overseas
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1591256585

Book Description

Book Description

In the spirit of Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack, Eric Utne, founder of Utne magazine, presents "an almanac for residents of the blue states," to help you awaken your connection to nature wherever you live and to celebrate every day of the year. The almanac includes an Ephemeris of the motions of the Sun and Moon, and where to look for each of the planets; plus, Doc Weather's Pretty Good Weather Predictions. We'll bet Doc's more accurate than any of the other long-range prognosticators out there. A month-by-month Field Guide to Urban Flora and Fauna where you live - what's budding, blooming or fruiting, mating, birthing or hibernating now, in your neighborhood? Learn the scientific facts and legendary lore of common urban critters, like pigeons, rats, coyotes, and more…Tune your soul to the rhythms of nature. Calendar of the Soul. We offer meditations and practices from western and eastern contemplative traditions. Every week of the year includes medita! tions you can use to harmonize with the rhythms of the natural world.

Plus… Living Urban Treasures, Urban Sanctuaries, Essential Places, Survival Strategies, Civilizing Ideas. SEASONAL POEMS by Rumi, Mary Oliver, Robert Frost, Thich Nhat Hanh, and others to enter the soul mood of each week. QUOTES Proverbs, famous sayings - timeless wit and wisdom. Plus, the story behind various holidays, festivals and historic events, famous peoples' birthdays and death dates, proclamations, songs, recipes, astronomical events - all chosen to deepen your sense of the living year.

Customer Reviews:

Baby Boomers' Almanac.......2005-08-24

A book of days with essays which are quick reads on some of our favorite people--Hellen Keller, Martin Luther King Jr., Ghandi, as well as modern lesser-known remarkable people and places. The almanac is chock-full of information about nature, treading lightly on the earth, and becoming one with our true nature. Poetry, music, and recipes round out the feast for the mind and spirit. Soul food in almanac form!

Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac 2006: Celebrating Nature And Her Rhythms in the City (Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac)

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Great information & Refreshing Perspective

Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac 2006: Celebrating Nature And Her Rhythms in the City (Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac)
Eric Utne
Manufacturer: Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac Eric Utne, Publ
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0976198916

Book Description

For urbanites surrounded by towering skyscrapers, traffic jams, and swarms of people, nature can be difficult to find. City life can make people feel disconnected from nature, making it all the more important to find ways to connect with nature every day. In the spirit of Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac, Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac 2006 provides valuable, accurate information to help readers everywhere get a daily dose of nature. Tailor-fit to cities across North America, the book explores urban flora and fauna, showing what's out and what's blooming each month and explaining the science behind such urban favorites as raccoons and crows. There's also a year's worth of weather predictions, a guide to the sun, moon, and planets, weekly meditations, and much more. A playful and portable guide, Cosmo Doogood's Urban Almanac, 2006 is just the thing for anyone looking to integrate the natural world into each and every day.

Customer Reviews:

Great information & Refreshing Perspective.......2006-03-09

There is a wealth of information about the cycles of our natural world in the Almanac. It is very useful and also refreshing to have someone help us focus on the rythmns of the earth and moon while living in he city!

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