Reviews (3)

Sound advice even if you don't accept all of his method
Spradley was an advocate and artful practitioner of a particular type of ethnography, informed by symbolic interactionism, that does not necessarily have the spatial contextual character of most ethnography. For example, he studied "tramp" culture, which is a context of a sort, but not like, say the KU med school in Boys in White. Much of this book explains how to conduct his sort of research. Because I generally favor the more traditional contextual approach, I neglected this book in my own book The Ethnographer's Method (Sage). Now I wish I hadn't; the advice on ethnographic interviewing is still very worthwhile for anyone heading off into field research, regardless of their style of "qualitative" study. In fact, I'm using it myself in the project I'm currently launching.

I owe my PhD to Spradley
While reviewing tons of literature searching for the appropriate research methodology for my doctorate degree in corporate innovation, "The Ethnographic Interview" came to my attention. The research paradigm described and illustrated in this work provided a blueprint for the collection and analysis of text-based data. So often quantitative measures are applied before the problem or situation has been truly assessed. Spradley's methods are respectful of the population or culture to be studied and provide a vehicle for the researcher to interact without interferring.

A great step-by-step guide to ethnographic interviews
This is a great step-by-step guide to the theory and practice of ethnography. Provides the theoretical rationale for why ethnography is structured as it is. It is most unique for the well thought out, structured approach to interviewing. Identifies how different types of questions provide different types of data. Gives an elegant taxonomy of questions and shows how each type of question is linked to a different aspect of ethnographic analysis. A must read classic for anyone--academic ethnographics to market researchers--involved with data collection from individual human beings. ... Read more

Book Description

A huge assortment of cognitive therapy techniques described, explained, and demonstrated. This how-to reference provides the therapist with an immediately usable guide to cognitive therapy. It presents over a hundred cognitive therapy techniques, offering for each the theoretical basis, a thumbnail description of the technique, and case illustrations. In this major revision of his 1986 Handbook, McMullin has added seven new chapters, which explain how to teach basic concepts, how to uncover harmful schemas, and how to resynthesize historical and cultural beliefs. In addition, he has tripled the number of examples, dialogues, case transcripts, and illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent breakdown of cognitive techniques
McMullin does an excellent job of taking a fluid process such as therapy and breaking it down into its component parts. McMullin demystifies therapy by breaking the techniques down they are more easily applied in practice. For each technique there are real life examples and application, research and his personal thoughts on the effectiveness of the technique. McMullin also refuses to get lost in the technique and also describes the mechanism of faulty automatic thoughts in excellent detail. This book is designed for especially for professionals, students, but might also be useful to someone who is actively involved in psychology as a client or significant other to someone in therapy. After having read this book I felt much more confident that I would be able to handle situations in my private practice.

A useful and practical text on cognitive therapy
  The New Handbook of Cognitive Therapy Techniques by Rian E. McMullin, Ph.D. offers a wide assortment of cognitive therapy techniques framed and explained by useful case illustrations. It is a practical text that provides the mental health professional with a usable guide to cognitive therapy. Dr. McMullin integrates several decades of clinical experience with his mastery of cognitive theory and practice. Recommended without reservation!! ... Read more

Book Description

This is the only book/video package for cultural anthropology! This book truly incorporates films within the text. This unique package allows the reader to view the films in class or at home. Each copy of the book is packaged with a one-hour videotape including clips from fifteen ethnographic films. One reviewer says, "The greatest strength [is] its unique and skillful use of film clips to enhance learning ... I can think of no better way to extend learning in anthropology than the use of films, and there is no one more qualified to select and present anthropological films than the author of this book." For anyone interested in seeing and reading about ethnographies. ... Read more

Book Description

Knowledge spaces offer a rigorous mathematical foundation for various practical systems of knowledge assessment. An example is offered by the ALEKS system (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces), a software for the assessment of mathematical knowledge. From a mathematical standpoint, knowledge spaces generalize partially ordered sets. They are investigated both from a combinatorial and a stochastic viewpoint. The results are applied to real and simulated data. The book gives a systematic presentation of research and extends the results to new situations. It is of interest to mathematically oriented readers in education, computer science and combinatorics at research and graduate levels. The text contains numerous examples and exercises and an extensive bibliography. ... Read more

Book Description

An autobiography put together from conversations, writings and lectures with Jung's cooperation, at the end of his life. ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Story about the inner life...
This is not a typical biography. Rather than the usual record one might expect about an individuals life, that is, chronological time, events of significance, famous personages met and their influence, etc, Jung records momentous aspects about his inner life, his life long and extraordinary relationship with the unconscious. As he states from the beginning, this book is a reflection concerning his self-realisation of the unconscious and its manifestations. In old age, he realised that so-called outward memories, the temporal existence of the senses, had faded, and what remained were memories of his inner life, which manifested in dreams and visions. He found that he could only write his life in terms of a personal myth, because he believed 'autobiography', as a form of truthful expression, was at best, unreliable. Memory, in other words, cannot be trusted. Thus, Memories, Dreams and Reflections, is a personal 'story' about a man's journey of spiritual enlightenment and self-realisation, the process of the unconscious finding expression in the outer world.

Jung's inner life was certainly extraordinary. From an early age, the sheer power of the unconscious made itself known to him in terrible visions. Jung must have been an unusually grounded child in order to withstand the psychic forces that pushed their way into his consciousness at such a young age. He survived these onslaughts, I believe, because he didn't resist them, but chose to grapple with the images, follow his instincts and, along with the violence of these images, came also a knowingness and feeling of safeness, that he was, even at a young age, following what he was meant to do. It is no wonder he became a psychiatrist, a "doctor of the soul" as he calls it; because by helping others through their personal journeys of realisation, he came to better understand his own.

At the end of Jung's life he maintained that he was not a mystic, a wise man or a sage. He admits that he drank from the stream of knowledge and life, but was not the stream itself. But what is a mystic in the traditional sense of this term? A mystic is one who, through meditation, prayer or other means, achieves direct intuitive experience of the divine. A mystic experiences these 'other realities' and brings their experiences back, in some cases, to share with the rest of us. To the mystic these experiences are real. Taking this definition at face value, Memories, Dreams and Reflections is a record of one man's intuitive experience with the divine. Jung made it his life's mission to express these experiences in such a way as to make them real, and to then formulate them into a psychological method, in the hope of helping others lost and searching for meaning in their lives. Jung was most assuredly a mystic. His writings tell us that there is something greater than ourselves within us, and our task is to grapple and understand this power, that he has chosen to call the unconscious; and by better understanding this greater part of ourselves, we can become more human.

This is a wonderful story about the inner life of a man, a mystic and original thinker.

Wisdom from the inner life in Jung's own words
These writings come straight from Jung's own inner experience and it is his last book before his death in 1961. I have read and re-read this work because at different times in my life I needed to re-evaluate where I was and where I was going. Other books by Jung are more intellectual and scientific, whereas, this autobiography has the wisdom of a person in the later part of life and it was written not so much to teach but to leave with us his legacy. Having myself had a near death experience, I was especially re-affirmed by Jung's own near death experience and his dealings with this phenomenon. His acceptance of his own humanity and his returning from this state to share with us his knowledge and vision is a gift to all of us. It is not easy to return to our humanity and deal with the sufferings we encounter but growth is the only evidence of life. We have to come down from the mountain top and work in the valley. This brings to mind two books written by Hannah Hurnard called Mountains of Spices and Hinds Feet in High Places. Allegories about living our lives with others and not in solitude. Solitude is a wonderful place but if we stay too long we become self-centered, afraid to reach out to others. Another author who gives a good perspective on life is Henri Nouwen and his books Out of Solitude and Reaching Out.

A glimpse into the humanity of the healer
This book does give a good overview of Jung's ideas, and how the developed in his life and interior thought. What I most love about this book, however is the feeling I came away with for Jung himself. It made me feel that he was a deeply compassionate, openminded and rational man, if imperfect as all men. Its greatness is that it puts a human face behind all of the science and ideas of his legacy, and gives the reader an insight of his own inner experience which one can relate to.

Controversial, insightful, self-contradicting...
Admittedly, this is the most important book for those interested not only in the Jungian approach in psychology, but also in the life itself of Carl Gustav Jung. Indeed, this is an autobiography, imbedded in which is most of Jung's theories and quite an adequate outline of his cosmotheory as well.

Now, this being the book that "allows" us a glimpse into the soul of this psychologist, i was for one somewhat puzzled by the overall insight i got. While for the most part i appreciated Jung's bold approach in matters considered heavy taboos in his time (not to mention our time as well for certain particular issues), on the other side i found that Jung is self-contradicting at times, or murky, for lack of a more descriptive term.

Jung dares to look on the "other side" and consider it openly an integral part of "this" side. What others deem as "paranormal" or "supernatural" is to Jung just the other side of the same coin. He discusses the reality under the accepted reality but he is not straightforward about it. If i wanted to take it far enough I'd even say he's not honest about it. He does mince hiw words much too often and stops short of telling you what he really thinks. But this hardly undermines his openmindedness. Same goes for his treatment of religion.

In the beginning of the book he goes to great lengths in his denouncing of the western religion, and yet, all throughout the book he leaves countless hints that he's religious himself, without ever explaining in what sense. This was in my view perplexing.

The part of the book where he details his views on psychotherapy and explains how he approached his patients is definately the highlight of this book, and it should be of paramount importance for those interested in that subject area.

The last third of the book is mostly about Jung's travels. That part, might be disturbing for some, as one can sense that Jung felt some kind of well hidden superiority over the people he encountered. This superiority is often enough brought forward as his surprise over the insights these people offered him, but it still remains a mystery (at least to me) what he actually "took" from these people pertaining to their beliefs and approach in life. If anything, that is.

All criticism aside, this is still essential reading. Jung was a person torn between the desire to explore the off-limits and his fear of being ostracised by the scientific community. In the gray area within that struggle is where one discovers Jung's most thought-provoking theories because that is where he presents himself bare.

Pure Genius
When I first started reading this book, I was highly naïve as to what my possible reactions could be. I never realized that this book would spark an internal flame within me, causing me to yearn for more knowledge and a broader insight into many subjects. It even lead me to come to many realizations about myself and my actions that I could never explain, but turned out to be so true and conclusive.
The extremely difficult vocabulary content did not discourage me one bit, it just made my curiosity grow. Jung amazed me with the beauty of his language choice and writing style and further astonished me with this extensive knowledge on so many various subjects and interesting way of interpreting them. Jung constantly referred to literary works and ideas of other authors and always stressed his references. This was perfect because this was the first book that I've ever willingly read from cover to cover in the psychology field, and it gave me an idea of other books like this one that I could read on topics that I liked and could hand-pick.
The book was most interesting knowing that it was written in autobiography-style and at the end of Jung's life, thus giving myself (the reader) his life-experienced and life-proven philosophies. It was a very difficult read but it was well worth it. I could honestly say that sometimes I just couldn't put it down; and no other book has been able to do that for me. ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Serious Reading: Attention Span Required!
Like some of the other reviewers, I first read S. I. Hayakawa's classic "Language in Action" (later updated to "Language in Thought and Action") before wondering who Alfred Korzybski was and why Hayakawa spoke so highly of him. Eventually I bought "Science and Sanity" from the Institute for General Semantics and read straight through the book in two days.

I am over 50 years old, so I learned to read and write well during my high school years, largely because I didn't watch much television. I had no trouble reading korzybski's book quickly, in spite of its rather large size. The TV generation, though, may just not have the attention span for a book such as this. Too bad for them!

Korzybski warns the reader early in the book that it contains serious material, and so it does. I found his treatment of "infinity" and "variables" alone worth the effort of reading the book. His material on Ivan Pavlov gave me new information on the contributions of that neglected genius. His treatment of Bertrand Russell's "propositional function" and "theory of types" inspired me to actually read Russell on these subjects. His principles of general semantics have provided me with a useful framework for analyzing early Buddhist psychology, the theme of my Master's Degree thesis.

Korzybski, like Hayakawa and Wendell Johnson, advocates elimination of the "is" of identity and the "is" of predication from our language. Unfortunately, they went on using the verb "to be" in their own writing and this somewhat detracted from the weight their message might otherwise have carried. Still, Korzybski's student, D. David Bourland, Jr., went on to pioneer the use of E-Prime (English without the "is") and I can testify to the worth of following his example. Aristotle's superstitious ghost can now rest in peace.

Korzybski could have written better than he did, but then, the value of the book lies in the ideas he proposed and the intelligent men he inspired. That he failed to spoon-feed those suffering from Attention Deficit Disorder, a modern euphemism for too much television, says more about weak readers than it does about his poor (if indeed we can call it that) writing.

Read the book once, then read it again, and then start putting general semantics to work in your own reading, writing, and--most importantly--thinking. If you don't do anything else in your life, get rid of the verb "to be" and you will have gotten more from Korzybski than you will ever get from another author. The rest of the book will then just amount to layers of frosting on the cake. Warning, though! Once you do, you will hardly ever again read a book or listen to another person speak without recoiling from the dogmatism they espouse with every use of that malignant little Aristotelian invitation to identification, rationalization, and objectification.

A Remarkable and Useful Book
On its publication, Science And Sanity received the high praise of many prestigious scientists, such as W. Horsley Gantt (who had worked with Pavlov), and the criticism of a few self-appointed defenders of science, such as Martin Gardner (who was a philosophy major, not a scientist).

Basically, the book develops a system different from, but similar too, scientific method -- a practical system for applying scientific values and attitudes in any situation, not just in a laboratory. It is a system that, like science, emphasizes checking the facts. For example, take Korzybski's theory of time-binding. One reviewer here described time-binding as "storing information." But if you check the facts (actually read the book), you will find that Korzybski defined time-binding as the ability to pass information from one generation to the next. Because of this ability, human beings progress (at least in some ways), but animals do not. For instance, beavers build dams that are just like the beaver dams built a million years ago, but the stucco houses of human beings today are quite different from the mud huts of 20,000 B.C. Our ability to bind time has made this possible, and animals can't do it (in anything more than a negligible way).

TOP Review
Ms. M. Kendig said:

"What about Science and Sanity 1971?"

"Last spring, reflecting on that question, I dashed off a note on 'Up-Dating an Open-Ended System.' Before I could revise it for publication I got a letter from Russell Meyers and - happily for me - he included his 1971 evaluations of S & S - some paralleling my own, some going far beyond what I'd dare write as a layman, lacking (as I do) Dr. Meyers' professional qualifications in neuro-medical sciences and as a 'learned generalist'. I quote him in full below."

Dr. Russell Meyers said:

"...I have just re-read Science and Sanity (my 8th run) and am so deeply impressed with it as to now say, without reservation, that, disregarding its rhetoric (in the main, its repetitious statements), it is far and away the most profound, insightful and globally significant book I have ever read.

"With some knowledge of the interim developments of science and the socio-political events that have materialized since 1933, I can say in retrospect that any modifications that might now have to be made in the original text would be trivial, mainly technological supplements; none in principle ('structure'-as-function). A.K. has proved far more a prophet than he would ever have allowed himself to fancy. What a tremendous breadth and depth of insight, analytic and synthetic achievement!" [June 1971]

The late Russell Meyers, MD, FSC, was Chief of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Williamson Appalachian Regional Hospital, 1963-; formerly Chairman, Division of Neurosurgery, and Professor of Surgery, University of Iowa, 1946-1963. [Dr. Meyers died in 2001, I believe.]

Substance or Shadow?
The students of Browne and Keeley would have a field day with Korzybski’s work. In fact, anyone attempting to read “Science and Sanity” would do well to have on hand a copy of “Asking the right questions: A guide to Critical Thinking” - to consult with frequently. (That textbook is in its sixth edition, and authored by scholars of no lesser standing than Korzybski.) Open Korzybski’s work at almost any page, and it’s easy to find examples of ad hominem argument, dichotomous thinking, begging the question, and even that notorious failing of novices, the “universal.” For example, Korzybski, with one great paternalistic stroke of his pen, asserts that, “many women are extremely infantile, being poorly developed as human beings.”

I am somewhat bemused here: As I understand it, Aristotle didn’t have a great opinion of women, yet Korzybski claims to have dispensed with Aristotelian thinking entirely. Korzybski adds that, not only are women “exhibitionist” (given to spurious ornament such as “shiny buttons”) they “foster” this failing in the helpless male of the species as well. (Military uniforms have shiny buttons too!) And so Eve takes the fall all over again. Of course, other social groups are not exempt: Korzybski similarly dismisses “primitives” and “mental patients.”

I am comforted to know that there are others (and male at that!) who are prepared to challenge Korzybski’s thinking. Martin Gardner put it very nicely indeed, as reported by the previous reviewer. Perhaps the greatest pity, however, is that Korzybski seems to have been so embittered by his experience of war - in marked contrast to men like Victor Frankl, whose post concentration camp philosophies I am much more inspired to live by.

There is no doubt that language informs behaviour. But, like Plato’s shadows at the back of the cave, semantics have no substance without their source. In my view, Korzybski spends too much time focussing on the shadows.

Korzybski's Hyper Organum
"Science And Sanity" remains the most important book written in the last century, unread by the majority of people , while not understood by some who have.
Alfred Korzybski, as a result of his experiences came to formulate a system capable of explaining anomalies which Aristotle's 'logic-methodology'(Organon, c.350 B.C.), further Francis Bacon's revision(Novum organum,1620) continue to ignore. For example rediscoveries of non-identity: Heraclitus(c.500 B.C.)- one cannot step into the 'same' river twice; infinite-values(non-dichotomy): Georg Cantor(1874)- finite variables generated between others; non-elementalism: Lao-Tse(c.600 B.C.)- the whole is not the sum of the parts; non-allness: Bertrand Russell(1910)- a proposition about 'all' propositions cannot include itself; hence non-universal: Albert Einstein(1905)- laws are not eternal 'absolute' truths but relative(contextual), hence variable dependent upon method of investigation, otherwise asserted by David Hume(1739)- the 'uniformity' of observation to 'universals', is falsely based on 'habitual association of ideas';etc.
Morpheus when asked 'what is the Matrix'? Replied: "It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth". Similarly 'aristotelian-conditionality' codifies 'reality' such that facts become ignored. The 'realities' include the generation of abstractions upon abstractions(for example, use language to speak about language- Josiah Royce 1855-1916, hence self-reflexiveness; but including the non-verbal perceptions, visualizations,etc), the phenomena causal by noumena(thing(s)-in-themselves) the external event(s), of which we confuse assuming as the 'same'. This appears something that Siddhartha Gautama(Buddha) in part realized, for when asked 'what reality was', he simply raised a rose over his head then while smiling said that the rose is forever beyond words.
Korzybski's(1921) Time-binding first introduced in "Manhood Of Humanity", entails the human capacity to improve on the accumulated abstractions of others, then transmitting it for future generations. While the point of Ivan Pavlov's(1906) experiments on 'conditionality', entails that animals can only form 'associations' due to the limits of their nervous systems: an expectancy concerning two 'stimuli' involving a 'response repertoire' dependent upon circumstances- after A.Dickinson(1980) along with N.J.Mackintosh(1983). Such that animals do not time-bind. However when humans 'copy animals in their nervous reactions', such 'identifications'(treating an abstraction, anything, etc., as the 'same' by the ignoring['filtering' out] of facts) lead only to non-survival, delusional unsanity, causal in disrupting the time-binding process. As David Hume(1739) argued, 'associations' are false relations between two events occurring (hence ordered) in spatio-temporal contiguity, 'habitual' because their contingency is not certain. As such Korzybski had realized that Aristotle's paradigm structured 'reality' in terms of 'identifications'.
Apart from the Non-Aristotelian paradigm, Korzybski introduces General Semantics a Science of values (replacing Aristotle's 'elementalistic logic'), concerned with a consciousness of abstractions(free of 'identification(s)') based on an empirical(not a priori) order of evaluation(event(s)-insight-logic) modelled by the Structural Differential, having an equivalence to a theory of sanity(Psycho-logics) involving a human organism-as-a-whole-in-an-environment.
Which Douglas M.Kelley used successfully in the European theatre of World War II on soldiers with psycho-neurotic 'reaction' patterns, which for the most part had developed under combat stress. Reported in a paper, "The Use Of General Semantics And Korzybskian Principles As An Extensional Method Of Group Psychotherapy In Traumatic Neuroses", in "The Journal Of Nervous And Mental Disease", September 1951.
This book therefore not only becomes fundamental for the philosophic-scientific-enterprise-as-a-whole as a time-binding process, it becomes essential even for the 'ordinary person' as an orientation to 'reality'.
As Ted Falconar(2000) puts it: "The Aristotelian thinker is one of the captives of Plato's cave, who think the shadows are reality".
However since this book will create problems in understanding, I suggest you might first read Korzybski's "Manhood Of Humanity", along with Susan with Bruce Kodish's "Drive Yourself Sane". ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Very readable, clearly written, good examples
While rather simple for some of the more advanced counseling students in my pastoral counseling class, this book proved to be an excellent primer in basic helping skills. It was a good review for me as well (I have over 20 years experience in rehab counseling).

Solid writing, easy to read, and informative
I first used this book in my graduate program in a class for communication and leadership. This skills taught in this book are outstanding. Now, I plan to use the ideas from this book in my own career, as well as helping an undergraduate peer staff at a university learn the basic helping guidelines. This book is highly recommended.

Fabulous guide for research and practice.
We just completed a doctoral level seminar by using this book to guide process research. It's fabulous. While the book is certainly appropriate for teaching basic counseling/helping skills at the upper undergraduate and graduate levels, I also believe it has applicability for advanced practicum and research. Good work! ... Read more

Book Description

This reader introduces learners to the most significant topics in the field of anthropology of gender—drawing not only from classic sources, but also from the most recent, diverse literature on gender roles and ideology around the world. It features high quality introductions to each section of articles, broad geographical coverage, and the most current research available.An extensive range of topics includes the relationship between biology and culture as it pertains to gender issues; gender and prehistory; the cultural construction of gender and sexuality; women and the state; and the impact of development and the global economy on women.For an awareness and understanding of the sociology of women and gender roles. ... Read more

Book Description

Organized categorically and based on solid research, Levinthal introduces many of the controversies related to drug use and abuse with a focus on health and preventionWith a strong emphasis on prevention and education, this book covers the effects of abuse from a biological, psychological, sociological, and health perspective. Solid research supports the frank and informative manner in which the material is presented to readers.The book addresses drug-related topics in every aspect of life with information on inhalants, over-the-counter drugs, nicotine, caffeine, and more. For students, or people working with drug related topics in the fields of psychology and health. ... Read more

Book Description

Turning critical feedback into a constructive message can be a difficult skill to conquer. This book will guide you through the process of learning how to receive critical feedback, developing skills for self-talk, understanding how to give constructive feedback effectively, and handling atypical problems. Feedback is a very powerful communication tool that delivered properly can benefit everyone with a clear and helpful exchange of information about what’s working and what’s not. The techniques outlined in this book for coping with fair or unjustified critical feedback are essential for effective communication.

Learning Objectives:To learn how to receive critical feedback.To present useful coping mechanisms for handling critical feedback.To show how to give constructive feedback fairly and effectively.To discuss handling special problems. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

GreatFeedback ideas
I would highly recommend the book "Giving and Receiving Feedback" by Patti Hathaway,CSP to anyone who wants to improve their business or personal relationships building constructive communication.

On a personal note the planning sections and suggestions can help me redirect some of the things I have been doing and improve my relationships. One of the suggestions I liked the best concerned giving reviews.When giving a review present the negative first, then end the review on an upward appraisal note.

If the only section in the book was the section on the difference in how men and women communicate it would be worth buying the book for,but there are so many more great ideas you should be ordering the book now instead of reading this review.

Patti has done it again
I found this book easy to read, and packed full of helpful information, tools, suggestions and hints.The author included several self-tests for you to discover how you communicate and give feedback.Then, once you knew where your weak areas were, there was ample material to assist you in improving.Charts give examples, case studies allow you to picture how to use what you've learned, exercises offer practice, and the graphics are
appropriate and memorable.This book is for anyone who wants to improve his/her communication skills (and who among us doesn't want to do that!?).

Patti covers the differences in men's and women's communication approaches, overcoming negative self-talk, and a DASR (Describe, Acknowledge, Specify, Reaffirm) technique that will guide you in your communications whether with spouse, parent, child, friend, boss, or acquaintance, throughout the rest of your life. I highly recommend it for everyone to read! ... Read more

Amazon.com

This book caused quite a ruckus when it was released 25 years ago because it directly quotes the sexual fantasies of dozens of women, ranging from the "very common" rape fantasy to lesbian affairs to unusually explicit scenarios that are unmentionable here. While author Nancy Friday maintains that My Secret Garden served to free millions of women from sexual oppression, there's still a need today to get rid of the guilt that millions more still feel when it comes to fantasizing, having orgasms, and making one's sexual wishes be known. "How could it be, you might ask," she writes, "that women today, at the turn of the century, would still think they were the only Bad Girls with erotic thoughts? What kind of prison is this that that women impose on themselves?"

My Secret Garden has the prurient appeal that made it one of the most passed-around books in high school study halls (it boasts chapters titled "Insatiability" and "The Thrill of the Forbidden"), but its premise, underneath the tales of lusty longings, is a serious one. Friday, also author of My Mother, My Self and Women on Top, is appalled at how parents, especially mothers, instill in their children a deep fear of sexual pleasure, and she advises how to do away with this stultifying force. While Friday can get a little histrionic at times ("Women's lust ... could bring down not only individuals, but society itself"), that doesn't make this book any less enthralling. --Erica Jorgensen ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Has a variety of memorable and exciting stories.

Ten years ago, this was the first book of erotica that I read.
I still remember many of the fantasies and stories vividly.
These range from the "standard" to the extremely daring.
The mixture of real events and fantasies is very stimulating.
The women recount near-incidents that became lifelong fantasies.
Many readers may enjoy having old encounters stirred back as such.

My Secret Garden
I first read this book 25 years ago. It was the "Hottest" thing I had ever ever read. I was a mother of two young children. It was nice to know that other women had fantasies and that they were just plain fun and nothing to be ashamed of. I am 25 years past my shyness now but am glad to know the book is still in print.

Nancy Friday's Pseudo-Psychopathology-of-Sex Book
This is so funny. Back in the bell-bottom days, Nancy Friday basically put out an add and got a bunch of women to send her their sex fantasies. Then she picked out the most deliciously perverted ones, left out the tame boring ones, and passed her book off as "research" into the "average" female's sexual imagination (haha).

This book has it ALL, even bestiality and incest. Read at your own risk.

David Rehak
author of "A Young Girl's Crimes"

A Rare Find for the Sexually Intelllectual
I first read this book on the shelves of my public library when I was still a teenager, and I'll NEVER forget that first rush. WOW - someone else actually has these ideas going through their head?!

Mind you, that was 10 years ago. I've re-purchased the book many times over, because I keep on losing it or giving it away. This book is a fantastic combination of the psychology behind women's sexual fantasies and the actual fantasies themselves. I'll be honest - I haven't masturbated to these fantasies in years.. although I did constantly when I was still a teen.

This book opened my eyes up to the 'taboo' of sexual fantasy, and helped me understand at a crucial time in my life that fantasy is healthy and a necessary part of anyone's life. I no longer have ANY sexual taboos.. and it's mostly because of this book.

Not what I expected...
When I first bought My Secret Garden, I was expecting to read some hot steamy erotica. And this is book is not exactly erotica. It's more of the lines of educational research, but in my opinion no longer relevant because this book was written in the 1970's and was a taboo shocker when it came out. I'm writing this review in 2004 and nearly 30 years later we've pretty much know everything by now and I certainally was not shocked when I read it.

But I think My Secret Garden is very sincere and honest. Nancy Friday is obviously a very intelligent person, though she tends to blab on and on and really doesn't get to the point, I lose interest in what she is saying. The women write about what turns them on or about past sexual experiences, but rarely get into explicit detail about their fantasies, which I was expecting.

My Secret Garden is a good book if you want to learn more about women and their different concepts of fantasies, but if you're looking forward to reading detailed erotica, I'd look elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

develop self-directed learning
This book was part of a graduate course I took. It is a very good tool for promoting and instilling habits that produce self-directed learners. I was not only able to help my students by reading this book, but I also helped myself become more self-directed. I recommend this book to parents and educators. ... Read more

Book Description

In this fast-paced information age, how can Americans know what's really important and what's just a passing fashion? Now more than ever, we need a source that concisely sums up the knowledge that matters to Americans -- the people, places, ideas, and events that shape our cultural conversation. With more than six thousand entries,The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy is that invaluable source.
Wireless technology. Gene therapy. NAFTA. In addition to the thousands of terms described in the original Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, here are more than five hundred new entries to bring Americans' bank of essential knowledge up to date. The original entries have been fully revised to reflect recent changes in world history and politics, American literature, and, especially, science and technology. Cultural icons that have stood the test of time (Odysseus, Leaves of Grass, Cleopatra, the Taj Mahal, D-Day) appear alongside entries on such varied concerns as cryptography, the digital divide, the European Union, Kwanzaa, pheromones, SPAM, Type A and Type B personalities, Web browsers, and much, much more.
As our world becomes more global and interconnected, it grows smaller through the terms and touchstones that unite us. As E. D. Hirsch writes in the preface, "Community is built up of shared knowledge and values -- the same shared knowledge that is taken for granted when we read a book or newspaper, and that is also taken for granted as part of the fabric that connects us to one another." A delicious concoction of information for anyone who wants to be in the know, The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy brilliantly confirms once again that it is "an excellent piece of work . . . stimulating and enlightening" (New York Times) -- the most definitive and comprehensive family sourcebook of its kind. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Essential Reference Material
Want to look up cultural references in Denis Miller's rants? Can't remember what the Byzantine empire did? Feel like your loosing your memory? This book can help!

Yes, I'll admit the title does have a certain haughtiness and presumptiouness to it, but this book is packed with information. The topics covered are quite broad, and I guess it would HAVE to be if the goal is to ensure cultural literacy. Including all the things you should have learned in highschool had you been paying attention, this book is a great refresher course in everything from History, to Literature, to proverbs and idioms in the English language.

It has a bit of a western bias, which is sort of what I'm getting at when I say the title presumes alot. Perhaps an alternate title (and I mean this without cynicsm) would be "what most Americans don't know about America but should." I include myself in that category, by the way.

The best thing about this book is it's organization. At first, I was wishing it was all alphabetical, but then you realize that grouping entries in catagorized chapters is better. Additionally, the bites of data are concise and easily digested, enough to answer a question and provide enough information for you to look elsewhere if you want in depth explainations.

An unlikely coffee table book.
The pictures aren't flashy. The text isn't eloquent. But, this book delivers exactly what the subtitle suggests, "What Every American Needs to Know." Full of up-to-date and well-organized content, the book provides answers to everyday questions, in addition to being a source for research. (Writers of college papers will find this a very useful tool.)

Although I am not one to pick up a dictionary and read through it, I typically cover several pages at a time when I reference this book. While reading the text of one piece, I often find myself intrigued about, and looking up, another topic.

Every home should have a copy of this book!

"Tight Lines!"
~..~..~.. ><((((*>

great investment!
I came across the previous edition of this book by a coworker of mine and have not been able to keep my hands off it! I had to get one not only for myself but for my friends and family. This book has basically EVERYTHING you need to know- from proverbs to world history to science...if you have a question, there is literally an ANSWER in that book! Personally, I plan to read the whole book! It is that great! Buy it, you won't regret it.

Browsers and students alike will find it handy
New Dictionary Of Cultural Literacy provides a basic, working knowledge of cultural changes and literary topics which range from concepts of the digital divide and Kwanzaa to pheromones, spam, and different cultural icons which have changed over the centuries. The chapters are organized by general topic (world history, American history, politics, psychology and sociology) and provide an A-Z reference for each chapter. Browsers and students alike will find it handy.

the very first paragraph of the very first entry is wrong
The Jewish Bible and the Christian Bible are not the same book. Referring to the Jewish Bible as having/being the "Old Testament" is not only inaccurate, it is extremely disrespectful. That such a glaring error appears in a third edition should be an embarassment.

I shudder to think what errors lurk on less well known topics. ... Read more

Book Description

Using data from cultures and languages throughout theworld to highlight both similarities and differences in humanlanguages—this book explores the many interconnections among language,culture, and communicative meaning. It examines the multi-facetedmeanings and uses of language and emphasizes the ways that languageencapsulates speakers' meanings and intentions.Includes new section on Narratives (Ch. 4) and Language Ideologies (Ch. 13). Features Interactional, situational, and social functions of languages.> For anyone interested in Language and Culture, Anthropological Linguistics, and Language and Communication. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

An excellent text for Language, Culture & Society courses!
Nancy Bonvillain is one of the top anthropological linguists in America. This is one of the best text books on the subject that's ever been written. It includes clear explanations and excellent cross-cultural examples. It follows the major traditions set by American linguists and anthropologists in the study of language description, language structure, language acquisition, language change, and the ways in which language reflects differences in cultural values, beliefs, and practices cross-culturally. It's a handy book to use in the undergraduate linguistic anthropology course and students enjoy it.

Language, Culture, and Communication
I'm trying to wade through this book for a class. It's like trying to run in shoulder-deep mud. I cannot make out what the author is trying to say. I'm considering dropping the class. ... Read more

Book Description

In this must-have resource, "two teachers from Minnesota" share their successful use of the simple concept of 5-point scales to help students understand and control their emotional reactions to everyday events that might otherwise set in emotion escalating reactions. Whether it is inappropriate touching, obsessions, yelling, hitting or making hurtful statements to classmates, this clearly illustrated book shows how to break down a given behavior and, with the student’s active participation, develop a unique scale that identifies the problem and, just as important, suggests alternative, positive behaviors at each level of the scale. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive volume reflects recent anthropological research and controversial developments, while integrating features in each chapter to spark and maintain reader interest. A focus on applied anthropology discusses the history and types in the United States and shows how the work of applied anthropologists is playing more of a role in the planning of possible solutions to various global social problems—including AIDS, disasters, homelessness, crime, family violence, and war.This book offers an introduction to anthropology, cultural variation, and using applied anthropology and medical anthropology to address global social problems.For individuals interested in exploring the far-reaching aspects of anthropology. ... Read more

Book Description

"An important, sophisticated and complex monograph . . . Both the theoretical analysis and the empirical findings constitute major contributions to cross-cultural value analysis and the cross-cultural study of work motivations and organizational dynamics. This book is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in a historical or anthropological approach to cross-cultural comparisons."
--PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY

The Second Edition of this classic work, first published in 1981 and an international bestseller, explores the differences in thinking and social action that exist among members of more than 50 modern nations. Geert Hofstede argues that people carry "mental programs" which are developed in the family in early childhood and reinforced in schools and organizations, and that these programs contain components of national culture. They are expressed most clearly in the different values that predominate among people from different countries.

Geert Hofstede has completely rewritten, revised and updated Cultures Consequences for the twenty-first century, he has broadened the book's cross-disciplinary appeal, expanded the coverage of countries examined from 40 to more than 50, reformulated his arguments and a large amount of new literature has been included. The book is structured around five major dimensions: power distance; uncertainty avoidance; individualism versus collectivism; masculinity versus femininity; and long term versus short-term orientation.

Reviews (8)

Excellent for academic inquiry, not for bedside reading
In reference to the previous reviews, there is considerable critique of Hofstede's work throughout the academic community and Amazon.com is not the ideal place to get a feel for the value of this book. Also, the survey was not given in English around the world; it was translated into the appropriate languages and retranslated back into English just to ensure that the translation from English was accurate. However, this does not mean that other problems with the survey do not exist.

If you are seeking an understanding of what is currently known about culture and how to compare cultures, this book is essential. I don't mean that I think it is good. I mean that no reputable research on cultural values will fail to include Hofstede's work because it has been so influential, even for those who despise it. Those who agree use this to reinforce their perspectives. Those who disagree use this to frame counter-argument. It is essential.

It should be understood that this is academic literature. Only those committed to understanding the deep and complex issues associated with differences among cultures should even attempt to read thus. It is more like a reference book. I have only read probably half of it, myself. However, I learned more in that half than I have in many whole books.

For experienced readers and thinkers only.

Pure Garbage! Academic Quackery! A Joke! Cold Fusion!
Two important points: First, language and culture are inseparable. Second, this entire survey was done in English and therefore was flawed from the very beginning.

As for all of the reviewers, Amazon and otherwise:

1. No one has demonstrated any foreign language skills or published any peer-reviewed studies on this subject in native languages. Furthermore, who would trust a cross cultural survey performed on England or the U.S. but done completely in Michelin (French) or Nissan (Japanese) or Haier (Chinese) or Hyundai (Korean)and not in English and not outside of any one of these companies? (IBM and English language surveys)

2. Hofstede and Trompenaars try the "bigger is better" fallacy and both fail. Large numbers hide the truth and have NOTHING to do with the kind of people surveyed, the questions asked or the number of people surveyed in each group (sample sizes).

3.McSweeney points out in 1/02 Human Relations page 94 that the number of "respondents in 15 countries was less than 200". In the 1960's, the Philippines (part of this 15) had at least 30 million people on 6000 islands with 100 different dialects. Gallup polls in the U.S. alone are generally 5,000 people from a wide cross section, not a single company like IBM. His samples sizes are meaningless. Some samples were less than 100 people per country.

4. Those who think that any group of people can be reasonably described by 5 bipolar characteristics or even 10 simply are novices and have no place in academia. Furthermore, those who believe that the Russians, the Pakistanis, the Brazilians, the Irish and the Japanese can be characterized by a COMMON set of descriptors, have no language skills and no understanding of culture whatsoever.

5. It's doubtful if Hofstede or any commentators on either side have any significant overseas living experience outside of their home country's military, government, university or even home country company (i.e. subsidiary) using the local language and managing most affairs by themselves. They are all inexperienced and have no clue which questions to ask.

6. Those who believe that they have the capacity to do an analysis (survey instrument construction and collection/analysis) of more than 3 countries competently, except for a few Europeans working in Europe only, are delusional and possibly arrogant.

7. The belief that the one-dimensional analysis of country through one company, native or foreign, can yield any sort of reflection of even that one country's culture should be an obvious fallacy. Does anyone believe that Deal & Kennedy's 1977 survey instrument could be used outside of a Western country?

8. When respondents know the intent of a survey, the danger of bias is very high. When managers know the intent, the threat to the subordinate responders is even greater. Page 103 McSweeney 1/02 Human Relations, elucidates Hofstede's methods on this point.

9. The Confucianism dimension is nothing more than cultural condescension and severe academic laziness by Hofstede.

10. Hofstede and others have created a result and then found data to "prove??" their contrived result. Given the lack of qualifications, the unwillingness to ask the right questions and the unwillingness to even allow the IBM data speak the truth, there is nothing academic or reliable here.

The 1000 word limit is insufficient to detail all of the mistakes here. Suffice it to say, Hofstede's work is truly, the "Cold Fusion" of cross-cultural studies.

critiques of Hofstede
Pass the salt please. As already acknowledged in these reviews, there are sustained critiques of Hofstede. e.g.
Nigel Holden "Cross-Cultural Managment - a Knowledge Management Perspective" Harlow : Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2002.
"Hofstede's model of national cultural differences and their consequences: a triumph of faith - a failure of analysis." Brendan McSweeney in Human Relations, 2002, 55 (1)
"Beyond models of national culture in information systems research", by Michael Myers & Felix Tan in the Journal of Global Information Management,2002, 10 (1).
"Hofstede never studied culture" by Rachel Baskerville 2003 Accounting Organizations and Society 28 pages 1- 14
Those using this book should take it with a large grain of salt.

What Lies Beneath
From earlier reviews it is clear that Hofstede's research claims are controversial. The reviews have been extraordinarly laudatory or have very sharply questioned the verasity of Hofstede's research. So, I decided to read the book and the journal article cited in one of the reviews. The conclusions of that article are clear from its title: B.McSweeney "Hofstede's model of national cultural research: A triumph of faith - a failure of analysis", Human Relations, 2002 Vol.55,(January) pp.89-117. Human Relations is, I know, a very highly rated scholarly journal. All articles published in it are independently refereed, so there must be some merit in McSweeney's critique! I found his article to be very clearly and carefully written and to be very convincing. Whilst looking for a copy of the article, I discovered that Hofstede had replied and McSweeney had responed. Both reply and response were published in Human Relations in November last year (Vol.55, No.11). In my view it's "game, set, and match" to McSweeney. His demonstrations in his response of the flaws in Hofstede's "validations" are I think devastating. So, my recommendation is, if you plan to read Hofstede's book make sure you also read the three articles in Human Relations: McSweeney's critique; Hofstede's reply; McSweeney's response.

IBM Defines Your Nation's Culture ?
I'm kind of surprised by the voting on the reviews thus far. The glowing tributes which don't address the book critically are classified as helpful; the one which point to Hofstede's methodological problems, and cited further information in a leading management journal is seen as unhelpful. What should a review do ?

Well, how about this for food for thought. IBM, which is the organization Hofstede built his theory around, is now being accused of being complicit in sustaining apartheid in South Africa in the period of his research. Are we happy that this kind of a company is defining our understanding of nations' culture ? And how accurate a picture of South Africa's culture it presents ? And what about the other countries ? ... Read more

Book Description

In this revision of their ground-breaking book, the authors offer an even more balanced, integrated, and applied text. In addition, the book's multidimensional framework, integration of the biopsychosocial dimensions for assessing social functioning, attention to foundation knowledge and diversity, and use of case studies to illuminate the applied aspects of HBSE content all combine to give readers an experience that is meaningful and exciting.Using a unique, multidimensional framework for assessing behavior, the authors look at biopsychosocial development across the life span. Essentially, the framework provides a concrete tool for the reader to assess human behavior from a perspective that truly reflects the values and knowledge base of the social work profession. Lively and comprehensive, this book succeeds by helping students connect foundation knowledge with practice concerns. ... Read more

Book Description

In this accessible text, David Morgan explains the fundamental principals of learning and cognition while employing the central organizing theme that the notion of learning and cognition are best conceptualized as processes that allow animals, including humans, to adapt to complex environments over time. ... Read more