Reviews (1)

A Complex but Interesting Book
This is a very "wordy" book about a complex man, his life, politics, and beliefs. It is not a history per se of Malcolm X, nor is it a biography, rather it is a collection of ideas within ideas about Malcolm X and what made him tick. I must warn you though it is not as easy book to read, but it rates five stars in my opinion because it attempts to be analytical and non-judgemental about the man and his times. Not an easy task when you are writing about someone as famous as Malcolm X. This is a good book to supplement Alex Haley's book on Malcolm X as it looks deeper into the man and what he stood for. Well worth reading if you have the time and patience. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

The gunmen rose from the crowd and set their sights on Malcolm X. The thunder of shotgun blasts ripped through the ballroom, and Betty Shabazz turned to see her husband float backward, keel over and crash to the ballroom stage. She grabbed her children, hurling them beneath a booth and shielding them with her body while the room erupted into screams and chaos. As she lay there squeezing her family, the Betty Shabazz who was the dutiful and obedient wife of the Civil Rights Movement's most feared leader ceased to be, and the woman who emerged would become one of the greatest heroines of our day.

Betty Shabazz, Surviving Malcolm X is the first major biography of Dr. Betty Shabazz, the unsung and controversial champion of the Civil Rights era. From her early marriage to black liberation's raging voice through her evolution into a powerful and outspoken African-American leader, Betty Shabazz was in constant struggle to bring freedom and justice to her people. Yet, at times her greatest fight was to struggle through tragedy and hold on to her faith amidst the stereotypes forced on her by a culture of racism and the very people she was trying to liberate.

To read Betty Shabazz, Surviving Malcolm X is to experience this remarkable life. With eloquent and intimate prose, Russell J. Rickford puts you on the scene as a young Betty Sanders is taken in by foster parents after a troubled childhood. You are there as Malcolm X comes home from a hard day of railing against oppression to hug his children, dote on his wife and laugh. You dive under the table at the Audubon Ballroom as bullets strike Malcolm down. You struggle with Betty Shabazz as she fights to raise six girls alone while earning a doctorate. You stand triumphant with her as she claims her own individuality and fights to build respect for Malcolm. And you stand watch with her daughters as Betty passes away, a victim of yet another tragedy, but this time after a life lived full.

Russell J. Rickford has conducted extensive research to compile this biography, interviewing more than seventy of Betty Shabazz's family members, friends, colleagues and contemporaries as well as researching countless records and documents, including recently declassified FBI, CIA and New York Police files. This is the first complete look at the life of Betty Shabazz and a new insight into the man who was known as Malcolm X.

Betty Shabazz is the story of a strong woman who faced incredible tragedy and emerged triumphant, compassionate and always full of life. In the end, it is the story of a nation torn apart by hatred learning to heal and forgive. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Excellent
This book gives a lot of insight as well as details from Betty's perspective. At times you feel like you're reading from an autobiography.

Oh MY God
I would of never in my mind think that a person could write this kindof book it is almost like Betty Shabazz is saying tell my story Tell themI feel really glad that I purchased this wonderful workAll women should read it

fascinating
a very interesting, gripping story. you won't be able to put it down. it's about time the black woman's side of things got its due. ... Read more

Book Description

Madonna has long been accepted as a pop culture icon, but this text postulates a greater cultural importance by analyzing her as a postmodern myth.

This work examines how Madonna methodically discovered and constructed herself (often rewriting her past), the nature and extent of her ambition and the means she used to reach her goals. It also details the way in which she organized her own cult (borrowing from the gay community), devised her artistic output, and cunningly targeted different audiences. It also studies the fundamental contradiction—virgin or vamp? saint or prostitute?—that fuels Madonna’s career and describes how Madonna reflects today’s society, its contradictions and its attitudes toward sexuality and religion. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Makes Madonna Make "Postmodern" Interesting
Like so many, I find Madonna interesting. And I agree with the positive reviews of this book -- I really like it. The unique contribution here is the way the author discusses Madonna in ways that make "postmodern" an interesting, understandable, ans useful concept. And believe me, I am no fan of academic writing of or about the posrmodern. But this book can be highly and widely recommended.

Very Interesting Overview of Madonna
Madonna:alot can be said about Her but Boring isn't one of them.thsi Book Explores the Many things that relate too the Artist&personna that is Madonna.this Book is Challenging&also puts Madonna into a Complete Perspective from start too finish.just like the Woman Herself it will keep you wondering more&what lays around the Corner.

Final evidence of Madonna's superior intelligence
In this book GC Guilbert shows how absolutely everything Madonna has ever done is packed with clever references. He doesn't mean that she's a plagiarist, far from it: she just uses her vast knowledge of (popular) culture, in a "postmodern" way. A fascinating read.

A MADONNA BOOK FOR INTELLIGENT FANS
At last a book about Madonna that can be enjoyed by academics AND fans. There have been two or three collections of highbrow essays by various university eggheads that were a bit too hermetic. "Madonna as Postmodern Myth" is "intellectual" but crystal clear.The subtitle pretty much sums it up: Georges-Claude Guilbert does show the way the diva "rewrites" just about everything -- always cleverly -- and especially old Hollywood stars. Besides, it's a very feminist book, but a sexy feminist book (yes, it is possible). I'm sure every Cultural Studies professor is going to want to read it, as well as every Madonna fan who's ever wondered why it is exactly that makes her / him adore the "self-constructed" star, beyond the obvious: she's unique. ... Read more

Book Description

Martini Man goes beyond the simple caricature of the boozy lounge singer with a penchant for racy humor to reveal the substantive man behind that mask. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

A good look
This book is a nice, basic look at Dean Martin's life. I am a Frank Sinatra fan and of course became interested in Dean as well. I watched several biographies of Dean Martin and so I had a good overview of his life. This book helped with some details, mostly his movies. The author talks a lot about Dean's movies and I found this helpful, but had I already known all of Dean's film roles I probably would have found it tiresome after a while. However, I'm glad I read the book. It was helpful on dates and smaller details that are glossed over in television biographies. I recommend this book for new Dean Martin fans. If you are a diehard Dino fan, this stuff won't be news to you. Its an easy read.

Martini Man - The Boring Story of Dean Martin
I was anticipating a great book about Dean Martin as I was pleased with Schoell's work on The Rat Pack book he co-authored with Quirk. This book was highly disappointing. It delved way too much into details about the movies Dean made and the people involved in those movies. I was hoping that it would examine Dean's life, his attitudes, his relationship with the Rat Pack, mob and of course, all those women. The book, Living in the Dirty Business of Dreams. by Tosches is by far a better examination of Dean's life. Sorry Schoell but: Everybody don't love your writing sometimes. Ooooh, how's all these people get into my room?

Author Apparently Wants to Be Roger Ebert
I read this book thinking I'd pick up some interesting insights on Dean Martin, his partnership with Jerry Lewis, and his friendships with people such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. While "Martini Man" does present some interesting information about the aforementioned subjects, too much of the book, as other reviewers have noted, contains endless movie reviews of Dean's movies. I mean, do we really need every plot turn of every movie Dean ever made? I think the reader would have preferred to read about Dean's relationships, and, while some of that is there, the bulk of the book seems devoted to detailed story descriptions of Dean's movies.
There is very little discussion about Dean's recordings, and his career as a singer. Dean, when he wanted to, could really sing, and it's a shame Schoell did not spend more time discussing Martin's music.

Vancouver wash does not Know talent!!!
While the book is a bit of a dissapointment, and does not really discuss the things one would want to truly know about Dino,I am more amazed that one of the people that wrote a review for this book called Dean an "Overrated talent" and that TWO BIT HACK Jerry Lewis a genius. Other than the partnership with the truly GIFTED Dean Martin what has that arrogant no talent ever done that would be considered worthwhile, and please dont mention the Nutty Professor because he even admitted that the suave version of the professor was him doing a POOR Dino imatation,and the best thing about his telethon is when he is not on screen.If I were you I would also get my facts straight on the music of Dean because the song list is endless Volare ,aint that a kick in the head,oh marie,return to me,welcome to my world ,the things we did last summer,kiss,your nobody till somebody loves you,memories are made of this,imagination,Please dont talk about me when im gone,All of these in addition to the ones you mentioned and I could go on and on.The same goes for his movies academy award nominations for The young Lions,and Rio Bravo and criticaly acclaimed movies such as Kiss me stupid(something YOU probably hear often....then again NOT)and Some Came Running,and of course Ocean's 11.The man was also a civil Rights activist,and received an award for donating huge somes of money to charitable organizations.All this just to say Martini Man was not a great book but still more interesting than anything written about Jerry Lewis and the guy from Vancouver Wouldn't know talent if it jumped up and bit him on the ass.

A straightforwardly presented life story
Superbly written by William Schoell (the co-author of "The Rat Pack"), Martini Man: The Life Of Dean Martin is an informed and informative biography of the famous celebrity and entertainment legend Dean Martin (1917-1995). One result of this authoritative biography is to dispel the public image of Dean Martin as a ladies' man and hard drinker who casually used and tossed aside comrades, colleagues, associates, and ladyfriends alike. Martini Man also defends Dean Martin's memory against allegations that he was a "Mafia singer" claiming that Martin's contact with gangsters was inevitable and unavoidable as they owned the best clubs and most popular casinos of the day. Martini Man is an upbeat, detailed, thoroughly researched, and straightforwardly presented life story that is a "must read" for the dedicated legions of Dean Martin's fans. ... Read more

Book Description

From the 1930s to the early 1960s civil rights law was made primarily through constitutional litigation. Before Rosa Parks could ignite a Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Supreme Court had to strike down the Alabama law which made segregated bus service required by law; before Martin Luther King could march on Selma to register voters, the Supreme Court had to find unconstitutional the Southern Democratic Party's exclusion of African-Americans; and before the March on Washington and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Supreme Court had to strike down the laws allowing for the segregation of public graduate schools, colleges, high schools, and grade schools.

Making Civil Rights Law provides a chronological narrative history of the legal struggle, led by Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, that preceded the political battles for civil rights. Drawing on interviews with Thurgood Marshall and other NAACP lawyers, as well as new information about the private deliberations of the Supreme Court, Tushnet tells the dramatic story of how the NAACP Legal Defense Fund led the Court to use the Constitution as an instrument of liberty and justice for all African-Americans. He also offers new insights into how the justices argued among themselves about the historic changes they were to make in American society.

Making Civil Rights Law provides an overall picture of the forces involved in civil rights litigation, bringing clarity to the legal reasoning that animated this "Constitutional revolution", and showing how the slow development of doctrine and precedent reflected the overall legal strategy of Thurgood Marshall and the NAACP. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very informative but dry
This book is a decisive history of Thurgood Marshall's actions and the effects that he had on the civil rights of African-Americans while he worked with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). His successes, failures, and discussions of his effects make it a very informative book. It is quite obvious that the author spent a great amount of time researching his topic of choice. The book is absolutely full of quotes from people of the time and very detailed factual accounts of events. Unfortunately, the content is not written in an extremely appealing matter. It tends to drone on and on about various cases and actions which have no major significance in history nor in the life of Marshall. If you can read through the dry spots, though, its a great book. You can really get a felling for the social climate of the era as well as the thoughts and feelings of Marshall himself. As a research tool, this was definitely the most valuable book I came across. If I was rating this book based on its information it would be an easy five. Ultimately, it is a good book for pleasure reading but not the best. I would have to say that Juan Williams' Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary is the best. If you are interested in Marshall's career, though, you want to look at Tushnet's other book Making Constitutional Law : Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court, 1961-1991. ... Read more

Book Description

"Mozart's need for love had grown uncertain of itself in earlychildhood. His feeling of being unloved found constant confirmation in hischanging experiences over the years, and the intensity of his unsatisfied desireto be loved, detectable as a dominant wish throughout his life, very largelydetermined what had meaning for him and what did not."From the book One of the most important social thinkers of our time provides a hauntingportrait of Mozart's life and creative genius. German sociologist Norbert Eliasexamines the paradoxes in Mozart's short existencehis brilliant creativity andsocial marginality, his musical sophistication and personal crudeness, hisbreathtaking accomplishments and deep despair. Using psychoanalytic insights, Elias examines Leopold Mozart's carefully honedambitions for his son and protege. From the age of six Mozart traveled with hisfather, performing in the major courts throughout Europe. The elder Mozartworked on his son "like a sculptor on his sculpture," and this deep bond formedthe lietmotif in understanding Mozart's early talent and complicated psyche. Mozart chafed at the constraints of Viennese courtly culture. Growing up in asociety which viewed musicians as manual laborers producing entertainment forthe court, he fought for an independent livelihood. Vienna's aristocracyultimately turned its back on the composer, who faced mounting debts, no work,and no prospect of fulfilling his innermost desires. He died feeling that hislife had become empty of meaning. Elias ponders the concept of genius, which he sees as a complex marriage offantasy, inspiration, and convention. In exploring the tension between personalcreativity and the tastes of an era, he gives us a book of startling insight anddiscovery. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A delightful essay
This small volume might be the perfect gift for the aficionado who owns all the other important biographies on Mozart.

Norbert Elias was a sociologist by profession. Looking at the life of Mozart, he asked what influence did the society in which Mozart grew up have on his development as an artist. Elias did not try to explain the nature of genius in terms of sociology, as the subtitle of the US translation implies. Rather, he tried to put Mozart's genius in perspective. The German title of the book made this quite clear: "Mozart. Zur Soziologie eines Genies", which translates roughly as "Mozart: Sociological aspects of a genius". The charm of the book really lies in the fact that Elias did not try to explain away the mystery of genius.

As a small extra for anyone who has ever wondered why so many important composers came from German speaking countries (Bach, Haendel, Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, etc.), whereas France and England produced few composers of the same stature during this period, Elias's essay has a neat, little theory which provides some answers. It also warms the hearts of economists, by the way. ... Read more

Book Description

Considering the fact that he was one of the greatest golf course architects in the history of the game, Dr. Alister MacKenzie has long been something of a puzzle-if not a mystery.He liked to wear kilts, but he wasn't a Scotsman.He graduated from medical school, but he never made a living at it.He designed spectacular courses, but he was not a good golfer.At the height of his career he was one of the most sought after designers in the world, but he was nearly broke when he died.

The Life and Work of Dr. Alister MacKenzie by Tom Doak, James Scott, and Ray Haddock uses detailed text, four-color photograpy and vintage maps, drawings and pictures to bring together many pieces of the puzzle.Questions about his boyhood, his military service, his many design trips in various parts of the world, what made him so good at his craft, and why his name is rarely mentioned at the second-golf course he ever worked on, are all answered.Golfers, golf historians, and students of golf course architecture will learn a great deal from this interesting biography.

Fact: When MacKenzie designed what would become one of the most famous courses in America, he forgot to include a 9th hole.

Fact: He once wrote that: "I have always wanted to live where one could practice (golf) shots in one's pajamas before breakfast..."

The Life and Work of Dr. Alister MacKenzie: A biography on one of golf's most eccentric, interesting, brilliant, colorful, and sometimes sad characters. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Life and Work of Dr. Alister MacKenzie
A collaboration of love - not only for Dr. MacKenzie but the essential history of the game of golf. Insightful, textured prose combined with correspondence, primary architectural renderings by Dr. MacKenzie and photographs, this work is the finest published on his life,and his life's work. This book comes with my highest recommendation and should be an integral
addition to every golf library. ... Read more

Book Description

"The definitive biography." DSLos Angeles Times ... Read more

Reviews (3)

blonde, beautiful, and doomed...
I seem to have read the Marilyn Monroe biograhpies backward, because so many of the ones I've already read (including Norman Mailer's, Gloria Steinem's, and Barbara Leaming's) used Guiles' _Legend_ (or his first Marilyn book, _Norma Jean_) as a reference and guide. This book is truly incredible for its in-depth look into a confusing, tragic life; especially since Marilyn often embellished her past.

I especially enjoyed Guiles' treatment of her decline. He never judged; he was sympathetic and kind about her lateness, dependence on drugs, and occasional fits of bitchiness. Unlike other biographers, Guiles didn't place all that much emphasis on her barbituate addiction, which I felt was kind of refreshing. Her death was handled eloquently, steering the reader toward a suicide verdict, carefully negating other reports.

I have only a couple of minor complaints; I think if I could I would give the book 4 1/2 stars. Twice near the beginning of his biography, Guiles points out that Marilyn was "not naturally pretty." He said it about Norma Jeane when she was starting to model, and again about Marilyn after some of her plastic surgery. How could he say that? It just seems like an odd statement to make about the greatest sex symbol of all time, especially because of her vulnerable, luminous quality. Also, regarding her marriage to Jim Dougherty, it seemed that Guiles took every word Jim said as gospel, when he would have as much reason as Marilyn to embellish that situation to his benefit (and no more proof than she had, and of course when Jim wrote his book, she was already dead).

On the whole, this is the best book on Marilyn Monroe, comparable only with Donald Spoto's biography. I recommend it to all readers, not simply people who are already Marilyn fans.

Powerful and Moving
Mr. Guiles again gives an in-depth and touching, personal, human side in his biography of Marilyn Monroe. I highly recommend this book, and all his Hollywood biographies to anyone who wants to learn about the story behind the famous and beautiful faces on the silver screen.

Speaking as fellow Platinum Blonde this book was....
Awesome! I loved every page, I read with a desire! This book had so much information on Marilyn Monroe it was scary. It gives the 411 on all her stories and how she came to be-and die- one of the most glamourus women in Amercan Culture ever! The devine Ms. M's fairy tale started out by chance, and gives light on how Marilyn really was and how she came to be. I would recomend this book to everyone! ... Read more

Book Description

In the last twenty years of his life, Marshall McLuhan published a series of books that established his reputation as a world-renowned communications theorist and the pre-eminent seer of the modern age. It was McLuhan who made the distinction between "hot" and "cool" media. And it was he who coined the phrases "the medium is the message" and "the global village" and popularized other memorable terms including "feedback" and "iconic."

McLuhan was far more than a pithy phrasemaker, however. He foresaw the development of personal computers at a time when computers were huge, unwieldy machines available only to institutions. He anticipated the wide-ranging effects of the Internet. And he understood, better than any of his contemporaries, the transformations that would be wrought by digital technology -- in particular, the globalization of communications and the instantaneous-simultaneous nature of the new, electric world. In many ways, we're still catching up to him -- forty years after the publication of Understanding Media.

In Understanding Me, Stephanie McLuhan and David Staines have brought together nineteen previously unpublished lectures and interviews either by or with Marshall McLuhan. They have in common the informality and accessibility of the spoken word. In every case, the text has been transcribed from the original audio, film, or videotape of McLuhan's actual appearances. This is not what McLuhan wrote but what he said -- the spoken words of a surprisingly accessible public man. He comes across as outrageous, funny, perplexing, stimulating, and provocative. McLuhan will never seem quite the same again.

The foreword by Tom Wolfe provides a twenty-first century perspective on McLuhan's life and work, and co-editor David Staines's insightful afterword offers a personal account of McLuhan as teacher and friend. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very enjoyable introduction to Mozart
It seems the most popular budget classical music label, Naxos, not only makes most of the Western musical output available at very reasonable prices (no top stars who demand absurd fees make this possible), but it has also issued three very nice boxed sets of recordings on cassettes and CDs (I have the latter) that together give you a quick, fairly accurate, and quite enjoyable survey of three major topics. Perry Keenlyside's (NA 314412) is on three tapes or CDs and more or less delivers what the title promises in about 3 hours and 40 minutes. The text is considerately divided into sections--"Mozart, the child prodigy," "January 1762, the first journeys," "Paris and London, 1763-4," and so on--with tracking cues for each section. The narration and quotations from letters and journals of the time are accompanied by the appropriate music drawn from the bottomless Naxos catalogue. Nigel Anthony is the narrator, aided by Paul Rhys (Mozart), Edward de Souza (Leopold Mozart), with David Timson and Anna Patrick in "other parts." I have not seen the original books to see how much of an abridgment this is, if at all, but that is immaterial. The voices are personable, the information digestible, the whole project very worth while, especially at the price. My only objection to the Naxos recordings of books in the low recording level that makes it a bit difficult to hear on a walkman set up on (say) a noisy train. But this should offer no problem to home hearing or even in your car. These sets are really perfect listening for long trips. ... Read more

Book Description

First published over fifty years ago, Isaiah Berlin's compelling portrait of the father of modern Communism has long been considered a classic of modern scholarship and the best short account written of Marx's life and thought. It provides a penetrating, lucid, and comprehensive introduction to Marx as theorist of the socialist revolution, illuminating his personality and ideas, and concentrating on those which have historically formed the central core of Marxism as a theory and practice. In turn, Berlin presents an account of Marx's life as one of the most influential and incendiary social philosophers of the nineteenth century and depicts the social and political atmosphere in which Marx wrote.

This edition includes a new introduction by Alan Ryan which traces the place of Berlin's Marx from its pre-World War II publication to the present, and elucidates why Berlin's portrait, in the midst of voluminous writings about Marx, remains a classic account of the personal and political side of this monumental figure. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS
Isaiah Berlin's biography of Karl Marx is as erudite as it is compelling. Taking one of the more controversial and laborious men of the twentieth century as his subject matter, Berlin weaves the intricate and sometimes confounding thoughts of his subject into a patterned and complex whole.

Karl Marx is treated fairly in this book--neither with sycophantic adulation nor with profound cynicism typical of other treatments of Marx and his philosophy. Perhaps because of the political consequences of Marx's ideas, the negative overview's of his life have emphasized his tempermental side, the irony of being funded by an aristocratic Engels, or the silliness of his labour theory of value premise (shared by David Ricardo). Meanwhile, on the other side, there are writings on the life of Marx that stick to his genius, his profound impact on the world, and further entrench his cult status.

It is this latter part that I found most interesting in Berlin's work--the exploration of Marx's temper tantrums with anyone who should deviate from Marx's conception of how things must be. Proudhon, for instance, is castigated by Marx. So, too, is Feuerbach and the Young Hegelians (Berlin muses about whether or not this has to do with the mighty influence these have had on Marx's own thought and Marx's desire to be seen as a wholly original thinker). Bakunin does not escape public ridicule when they differ on the value of the State as a mechanism to be used by the proletariat. Bakunin, of course, did not believe in hierarchical orderings of any kind--whether in capitalist industry, or in the socialist state--and issued proclamations and gave speeches to that effect, explicitly cautioning people about the possibility of the government violating the freedom it was supposed to secure. Marx was not impressed, and consequently mocked him openly. Engels was perhaps the only man to escape the eventual polemical wrath of Marx, saving himself from such a fate possibly because he simply agreed with whatever Marx said, and indulged him in most everything else.

Still, what comes across most forcefully is the life of a man steeped in ideas, and interested in the fundamental, radical underpinnings of society as a whole. Marx is often enough considered a genius of the highest calibre, with impeccable literary credentials to back it up. It is this attention to minute detail, and his incredible analysis of society (or rather, the historical 'movement', if you will, of human relationships which reciprocally interact with the concrete, material conditions of their existence) that makes this praise seem a bit understated.

This singular fact--Marx as a man of ideas, and the fact of the practical consequences of his ideas--is touched upon in a self-conscious bit of irony by Berlin. For Marx explained that it isn't ideas that do anything, really, but are, instead, the consequences of material conditions, these conditions being fundamental. And yet it was the writings of Marx that sparked several revolutions and formed the primary cause of the one in Russia which stuck around for a while (no one is here implying a monistic view of history... the lessons Marx tried to teach are not entirely lost on me).

What we're left with is an incredibly vivid picture of Marx, the man (not the myth, or the legend; although a little bit of both is tossed in for spice). Berlin does a masterful job, so anyone picking this book up should find it entirely enjoyable.

PURE AND PROPER INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
Let me say that if you are looking for a biography of Marx's life you had better look elsewhere. There are no long chapters about his school days, his relations with his Sisters, Mother or Father. You will not find detailed references to every argument Marx had or every aspect of his squallid and, at times, extremely personally irresponsible lifestyle. You must look elsewhere for those details.

This book is about ideas and the struggle between ideas. It is about Marx emersed in the ideas of his time and how those ideas shaped his thinking, whether changing his ideas, borrowing or regjecting them outright Berlin has a wonderful, at times unique grasp of the issues and the ideas of the times that Marx lived.

Starting with a broad description of the Rational-Empiricist debate and the Hegelian reaction to empiricism, Berlin describes Marx as a unique German Hybrid of British Empiricism married to a searching German Hegelian spirit, dissatisified with the traditional historical interpertations offered by Hegel and his German offshoots, the Young Hegelians.

Along the way Marx comes across a uniques set of millenarian and social theorists of his time; Proudhom, Bakunin, Engels, Lasalle, Feuerbach and others, whom all, even though perhaps disliking Marx personally, respected his argument style, his learning, and his deep insight into the problems of the time.

I would not classify this as a beginning book on Marx. There is a lot of ground covered here and if one does not have at least a thumbnail sketch understanding of the times, the social and political issues, then there will be a chance that the author will loose some of his readership. Berlin's prose has been described variously as dense and hard to understand. It may be for some readers. But Berlin is not excessively wordy (it is a slender volume), but he does have the ability to cover a lot of ideas and currents in a single sentence. It is this juggling and keeping in mind of a lot of ideas and concepts in a single sentence that may necessitate one to reread certain sentences, or at least know the concepts to which he is referring.

If you do have general outline of the ideas of the age then you will love this book. I sat down thinking that this was my "serious reading." I fully expected it to be a labourious process to get through this book. Instead I was profoundly surprised by the breath and depth Berlin covers in his lucid prose.

I found it hard to put the book down.

There is no analysis of whether Marx was right or wrong. Of how his ideas become to become the bible of the oppressed on the earth or how it eventually was transmogrified in some cases to justify the mass killing of those who stood in the way of historical materialism. This is a book of ideas, and as such the ideas discussed of Marx, his contemporaries, and his intellectual primogeniteurs are a ripping good read.

Shows how capable philosophers can be.
The philosophical side of this book might be a strong support for the idea that philosophy was in bad shape when Nietzsche found it. The political side of the book ought to establish that it was no wonder. Before I bought this book, I had a copy of THE POVERTY OF PHILOSOPHY by Karl Marx, which was written when Nietzsche was quite young. It was an attack on the thoroughly political view of economics which had been adopted by Proudhon. According to Berlin, "Marx was convinced that Proudhon was constitutionally incapable of grasping the truth; that, despite an undoubted gift for telling phrases, he was a fundamentally stupid man; the fact that he was brave and fanatically honest, and attracted a growing body of devoted followers, only made him and his fantasies more dangerous;" (Berlin, p. 87). In a move that is sure to remind historians of how often Communists turned against others who thought that they were on the same side, Marx's book attacked the roots of Proudhon's system in Chapter 2, The Metaphysics of Political Economy, with his usual summary of Hegel. "As to those who are not acquainted with Hegelian language, we would say to them in the sacramental formula, affirmation, negation, and negation of the negation. . . . Instead of the ordinary individual, with his ordinary manner of speaking and thinking, we have nothing but this ordinary manner, pure and simple, minus the individual." (Marx, p. 115).

Berlin is capable of providing summaries of the issues, even admitting that "Marx took immense trouble to demonstrate that Proudhon was totally incapable of abstract thought, a fact which he vainly attempted to conceal by a use of pseudo-Hegelian terminology. Marx accused Proudhon of radically misunderstanding the Hegelian categories by naively interpreting the dialectical conflict as a simple struggle between good and evil, which leads to the fallacy that all that is needed is to remove the evil, and the good will remain. This is the very height of superficiality: to call this or that side of the dialectical conflict good or bad is a sign of unhistorical subjectivism out of place in serious social analysis." (Berlin, pp. 85-86).

The current clash of civilizations might be considered as stupid as anything that Marx analyzed in Proudhon's system, by those who are sure that philosophy is a style adopted by the good side, while anyone who has adopted the politics of mounting destructiveness has all the faults which the free world has always attributed to communism. Plenty of poisons have entered this contest in the last 155 years, since Karl Marx tried to side with the rising class while arguing against their unexamined notions of good and evil, but philosophies have been as powerless on this kind of question as Nietzsche might be considered absurd for attempting to encompass powerful ideas. People who can't relate to this book must lack an appreciation for something that philosophers always wanted, even in the days of the pre-Platonics. It might be considered tough to read, having been revised little since it was Isaiah Berlin's first great book in 1939. I thought it was better than a lot of what I have tried to read about Hegel, and I wasn't trying very hard.

Interesting But Difficult Work
Isaiah Berlin, in his work "Karl Marx," concentrates on the philosophical development of one of the most influential social thinkers in modern history. Through an examination on Marx's critical analyses of the ideas of his intellectual contemporaries (including Feurbach, Fourier, Saint-Simon, and Proudhon), Berlin explores the many influences that helped shape Marxian thought. Although Marx's immediate successors minimized the impact of Hegel upon Marx's ideas, Berlin maintains that Hegel's influence was essential for the formation of Marx's socio-economic philosophy.

I read this book for a college course and found it very challenging. Often I would have to read over passages several times to even begin to understand the gist of it (and maybe not even then). Of course, the subject matter is very complex. One just beginning to study Marx may want to seek out a more simplified overview of Marxian thought first before tackling this one.

Best intro out there
This is simply the best Marx biography out there bar none. It isn't really in the 'biography' genre because Berlin focusses on Marx's ideas more than on the details of his life. Berlin shines in that he's very familiar with the now rare and unavailable writings of dissident English economists and French and German Socialists that Marx based his thought on, as well as the standard philosophical influences like Hegel. As a philosopher he's able to comprehend Marx and his thought as existing within the philosophic tradition, not somehow disconnected from it, and because of this Berlin is able to give a fresh, relatively unbiased, exposition of Marx himself-no dogma required. Beyond tracing Marx's philosophy the book is great because Berlin has reconstructed a sort of timeline of Marx's life itself, which was full of moves, changes in careers and changes in affiliation with different political groups. Through this, from discussing the intellectual environment Marx grew up in to cataloging the ups and downs of his philosophy, the real Marx comes through. It would be invaluable just for the historical material alone. Marx emerges not as the Soviet Union would want him to be, or as sympathetic hard line Marxists might, but as he really was philosophically and historically for his time. Buy it now! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How long will these questions go on?
On the eve of another Marilyn movie, "Blonde", I pulled this book out of my library and re-read it.The photos are amazing, and included in the book are official documentation copies that spur furthur contemplation about her death.

Will the questions and the responsiblitiy of her death ever be publicly accountable?I doubt it.

For those still fascinated by this lady, you will enjoy this book and find the facts well researched. Look at THESE pictures and tell me she is not one of the most fascinating, captivating, intriguing women of the world. She died in her prime, and she left the most beautiful part of her in everyone's memory.

That is SO "Marilyn", and someone took full advantage of that and of her.

Excellent Content - The Story Fits Together Perfectly
This book is fantastic!Not only does it outline Miss Monroe's life in great detail, it also explains her death.Which, until this point, hasseemed unexplainable.In order to truly understand her life and thereasons behind her sometimes obscure behavior, a complete, yet disturbingchronology was outlined by the authors.The book names her murderers andsurprisingly, some of them were her trusted "friends" who -acting under strict orders - completely double-crossed her.The shamelesscover-ups by a disgraceful group of people quickly followed her death andapparantlystill continues today.A truly sad look into an Americantragedy, this book should be written into a script and shown to the entireworld!

A stunning revelation for all Marilyn's fans!
I was truly amazed to read this book about the new revelations surounding Marilyn Monroe's death. First, the authors are able to examine all the evidences one by one, they ruly put you in that investigation! Since many false arguments about that subject have been said;one question remaining and this is what that book answered: WHO KILL MARILYN MONROE AND HOW? So, that's all I can say; just read that book yourself and you will find out the truth. Also, the book take a look at how Marilyn manage herself great about her last weeks, her futur ambitious plans, the way she want her carreer to go...In one word, it show Marilyn like she was; vulnerable, poignant, happy; on her own to find a new way to explore in her life. Unfortunately, she just don't have the time to do it. P.S. Sorry for my english mistakes...I'll hope you enjoy this book as much as me. Have a great reading! ... Read more

Book Description

Detailing the childhood lives of famous artists, this series begins with composers, showing young readers some of the amazing things that have been accomplished by children. The stories both educate and inspire children to be creative, work hard, and follow their dreams.

Niños famosos esta dedicado contar los cuentos sobre las vidas infantiles de los músicos, artistas y escritores, mostrando su genialidad, creatividad, y sus obras a todos los lectores pequeños. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I can only write in English!
I am so sorry the reviewer bought tthe Spanish edition by accident. My books are translated into 17 languages!
I am English living in London and can only write in English.
i wish I knew how the mistake was made. I hope any other families who want to read my books in English dont buy the Spanish or Chinese versions by mistake!

Can you read Spanish?
It was not totally obvious that this book was written in Spanish. Okay, now that the book is in our home, and I have taken a second look at the picture of the cover, I wonder if I should have known when I ordered. On the other hand, there are books about other composers in their youth, written by the same author, which are in English. The pictures in the book are sweet and the kids like to look at the book, but no one in our household can read the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Published to coincide with the celebration of Marilyn Monroe’s 75th birthday in 2001, Blonde Heat combines new research, exclusive interviews, rare movie stills, and dozens of behind-the-screen photos to present a revealing look at the enduring star who exemplifies Hollywood sex appeal and glamour.

This mesmerizing biography exposes the untold details behind Marilyn’s screen tests; her television broadcasts; the scenes cut from her films; and the story behind her last, unfinished movie. Readers will uncover never-before-revealed information about Marilyn’s 30 motion pictures, her 1946 Fox screen test and opportunities as an extra, her television ads, and even her part in the televised birthday party for President Kennedy.

Blonde Heat features over 40 firsthand recollections with the friends and colleagues who knew Marilyn best—including such notable screen legends as Ginger Rogers, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and director Billy Wilder—as well as her own costumer, drama coach, make-up artist, and stand-in. Featured as well are exclusive interviews with those who have never before spoken publicly about Marilyn Monroe until now, such as actress Jean Peters, former wife of Howard Hughes.The result is the definitive, no-holds-barred look at the professional life of this legendary but troubled star.

Features exclusive interviews with such stars as:
Billy Wilder
Eli Wallach
Ginger Rogers
Jack Lemmon
Jean Peters
Tony Curtis ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This is a wonderful book
Elsewhere on Amazon I have reviewed another book by Richard Buskin. To be honest, it was probably one of those books that a starving author has to take on from time to time. Miraculously, and probably to his publisher's absolute delight, he also happened to make a great job out of it, writing with real commitment. Then I discovered (through Amazon) that Richard Buskin had written a book on Marilyn Monroe. I'm interested in Hollywood as an entity as well following as the movies (I like reading about the way that the studios operated in earlier decades) and as I was interested in seeing what else Buskin had done I decided to buy. Well, this one is in a different league to the previous book. This, clearly, is a subject the author has really wanted to write about. It simply comes across. Not that Buskin is without a judicious critical eye - he seems like a fan but he has not lost his critical faculty. When something was good he says it, and vice versa. The result is what simply has to be the definitive book on Monroe's film career. To my mind, Monroe fans should get this book even if they don't buy all the others. She was many things to many people, but she was a film actress first and she made some great movies. Also, it's witty, well researched, incisive, profusely illustrated with some great Monroe pics, and it draws upon many interviews done exclusively by the author, including Jack Lemmon, Ginger Rogers, Tony Curtis and Billy Wilder. Terrific.

Needs more
While the book is a wonderful insight into Monroes movies, it doesn't follow through. He should have taken one step further. He should have given a daily log of her filming as to when and what certain scenes were filmed, something like the new book on Judy Garland. Also, many scenes were deleted in NIAGARA; BUS STOP and several others, he doesen't go into detail about exactly what scenes were cut, where they should have been placed and WHY they were cut. He cites just a few of these, but there were many, many more. For instance, I have read that over 20 minutes were cut from THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS. Where there any of her scenes? If so, what were they. Even if she wasnt't in the scenes it would have been interesting to know what they were. There were big gaps in NIAGARA and I had read that her best scenes were cut. FINE..WHAT WERE THEY?? Mr. Ruskin should have investigated and reported them. Until a complete book is written about the exact making of her films (only her major ones), I won't be satisfied. Perhaps Mr. Ruskin can write a supplemntary to BLONDE HEAT and include all the missing links.

Excellent book
Excellent book , reminds my of The encyclopedia of Marilyn Monroe. It is basically a biography about all her films!! It lists each one and gives you excellent in depth ifo about each one. I would definatly recommend this book if your a fan you shouldnt be without it in your book collection...

Learning about Marilyn the Actress
"Blonde Heat" is enjoyable as a thorough appreciation of Marilyn Monroe's film career, an overview of the waning days of the Old Hollywood from the vantage point of Twentieth Century-Fox and a fun look at pop culture, 40s- and 50s-style.
Of course, what's most important is the book's star, Marilyn, and Richard Buskin's research and interviews reveal the part of her legacy that's rarely, if ever, discussed-- her acting. The reader learns the origins of her unusual mannerisms and how and why her acting skills evolved. The book also traces her increasing assertiveness over the direction of her ultimately too-short film career.
You don't have to have seen many of Marilyn's films to find this book entertaining. In fact, "Blonde Heat" should make you want to go out and rent all of her movies, even the ones that she had bit parts in!
Bravo, Richard, for a job well done!

A close-up examination of Marilyn Monroe's achievements
Film enthusiasts with a special affection for Marilyn Monroe won't want to miss Richard Buskin's Blonde Heart. It covers her screen career, providing a close-up examination of her achievements, talents, and progress as a screen actress and containing the complete credits, cast and story line for all her appearances. Black and white and color photos abound. ... Read more