A fairly well written book considering how dry the subject matter is. Some of the jokes they use to lighten the load is very very funny stuff.

Very interesting. I picked up the book and thought, "Hey, why not try to learn table-tennis." Now, at least I know my serves and I feel that I am progressing well for a beginner.

some listmania recommended this book as a initial introduction to institutional economics. but it's not good for such purpose. as a balance sheet between old and new institutional economics, it serves its purpose but as a intorduction to IE sui generis, it doesn't at all. for such purpose, it's not focused at all and points are dispersed over various theory and opinions. and to serve its initial purpose, contrasting OIE vs NIE, there is no opinion of the author himself. it often makes readers deviate the line of argument. if u need an introduction to IE, u should find other like Geoffrey M. Hodgson's ' Economics and Institutions'.

A very useful book. Rutherford categorizes the two schools of institutional thought, surveys the thought in each school, addresses the key differences between the two schools of thought on issues such as abstraction vs realism, formalism vs qualitative analysis, etc.

For anyone who doesn't already know, old institutionalism started off as a reaction against the lack of realism and awareness of historical evolutionary processes in Neoclassical economics. It was therefore sharply opposed to Neoclassical thought. New institutional thought is an extension of the neoclassical framework, still operating on the assumptions of (bounded) rationality and utility or profit maximization, to the analysis of institutions. There is therefore a significant tension between old and new institutionalists, with old institutionalists attacking many of the assumptions inherent in the new institutional approach which are still essentially imported from neoclassical economics. Both the old institutionalists and the new institutionalists see the new institutional economics as a progress forward: the old institutionalist just dont believe the new institutionalists have gone far enough. They are probably right!

If you are looking for a good, quick introduction to Sartre's Philosophy, I would not start with _Introducing Sartre_ from Totem Books, but with _Sartre For Beginners_ from Writers and Readers Publishing.

_Introducing Sartre_ focuses more on Biographical information, and brief Literary analysis of Sartre's novels and plays, than on his Philosophical works and their meaning. The illustrations are frequently just "fluffy" caricaturization instead of helping us understand characterization. Why would I want to struggle with trying to determine which figure is supposed to be Aron, Nizan or Sartre?

The book lacks a Glossary (which is further indication of its Biographical/Literary approach rather than Philosophical), and there is no Bibliography (all references must be gleaned from within the text.)

While as a whole, the book was a somewhat interesting read, the weakness of its philosophical examination allowed me to only rate it 3-Stars.

I just finished reading this and was amazed at how much I enjoyed reading about this man's intellectual challenges. While I didn't agree with everything he put forth, I did appreciate his attempt to say what he felt regardless of what others might say in response. While at times [many to be honest] he comes off as a whining, melodramatic, lonely, malcontent there is still something about his body of work that coerced me into attempting to understand the origin of my thoughts and actions over the years. Well worth the few bucks it takes to make it your own!

if you haven't read Malcolm X's Autobio with Alex Hailey then this is a Must read to starting out with His work.this Book goes over different details of His Life,upbringing&outlook on the world at the time.a Real Good Book on a Very Important&Influential American Figure that Forever Changed the Way History would be mentioned&go Down.

This book by Bernard Aquina Doctor gives a nice history of Malcom X, a black leader of the 60's. A leader of the Black Muslims as well as the Black Rights movement alongside (and many times seemingly against) Martin KLuther King Jr. Aquinas lays the ground work by discussing Malcoms childhood, who his father was which would prove to be pivotal later in Malcom's life. Growing up poor and oppressed by the WW2 and the KKK among others, Malcom fought his way to the top and demanded to be heard by all. He was shot and killed at one of his lectures by one of the Black Muslims in 1965. Reccomended for those interested in Malcom X's ideas, as well as those curious about the black movement and some philosophies that went with it.

This is a highly technical book. Brush up on your latin before you purchase it. Illustrations range from a few side views of whole clumps to individual plant photos. If you are interested in the molecular structure, this book is for you.

With absolutely stunning photographs and accurate definitions, this book is a landmark in publishing. The authors have created an illustrated dictionary using state-of-the-art imaging techniques. The nearly 1000 color pictures, the majority photomicrographs, are crisply reproduced. The book's strength is in presentation of details of cellular structure, so important for identifying mosses and their ilk. This book will be useful for years to come. This is not a book for the beginner; without solid training in general botany it is likely to be overwhelming, if not impenetrable. This is a reference book, not a text. For the beginning student of mosses, however, it can be a stepping stone to mastering this fascinating group of land plants. The only caution is for northern hemisphere botanists: almost all the subjects are drawn from the flora of New Zealand. Although the images might illustrate a term well, a North American reader will never encounter most of the species depicted.

Malcolm Crook, author of the very interesting Elections in the French Revolution (1996), has produced a short study of Brumaire. Those already well familiar with Brumaire and the events leading up to it will probably not learn very much new reading this book. Those who would like an overview of the advent of Napoleon, as well as a précis of current historical thinking on Brumaire and the Directory will benefit from Crook's work.

This volume is obviously intended for use by university students. It opens with a brief factual recounting of the events of the coup and an examination of the varying interpretations of that event, including the Bonapartist legend, the Republican tradition, the Marxist interpretation and an overview of current perspectives. This is followed by a concise history of the Directory, a lengthier exposition on Brumaire itself and a short history of the progress from Brumaire to Consulate to Empire. 40 pages of 'Illustrative Documents' that include extracts from representative historians, proclamations, memoirs, laws, letters and other documents allow the reader to get a feel for the tenor of the times and perhaps form his own opinions of these events. These documents are all keyed to appropriate sections of the main text. Also included is a glossary of terms and a useful eight-page bibliographical essay. There are no footnotes and, at times, quotes in the text are inadequately identified. The volume is indexed.

The "meat" of Crook's book, of course, is Brumaire itself. Crook manages to produce a largely dispassionate and factual account of the coup. Naturally, a book entitled Napoleon Comes to Power is going to focus primarily on Napoleon's role in the events, but this to an extent de-emphasizes the fact that this was a conspiracy undertaken by a number of individuals who had varying interests and ambitions. Nor could Bonaparte have accomplished the change of regime single-handedly. By focusing primarily on Bonaparte the reader doesn't truly get a good feel for how a conspiracy of these diverse opponents of the Directory became Bonaparte's bid to "come to power." This is presented as the natural outcome of the coup yet one doesn't really get to know why this became so -how Bonaparte went from one element of a broader conspiracy (and a late-comer, at that) to the primary beneficiary of that conspiracy. Although Crook doesn't mention it, perhaps Bonaparte's fellow-conspirators let him take the leading role so that if the coup failed Bonaparte would be the leading fall-guy (Crook fails to emphasize the risk the conspirators were taking in the event of failure; success was not assured). Then again, perhaps it was Bonaparte's personality as a man-of-action that led him to eventually take the leading role. Or that perhaps it was the public, identifying the coup as Bonaparte's, that thrust him so firmly into the leading position.

Crook, following current trends, downplays the threat to Bonaparte in the Council of Five Hundred, referring to Bonaparte being "jostled." D.J. Goodspeed in Bayonets at St. Cloud (London: Rupert Hart-Davis, 1965, p. 147) says that several of the deputies rushed him and that the burly deputy Destrem caught Bonaparte by the collar and shook him, pushing him "to and fro." Nor does Crook mention the fistfights on the floor of the Council or the cries of "Vive Bonaparte!" from the public in the gallery. Not attempting to write a narrative history, Crook downplays the drama of the event. Crook takes no stand on the controversy over Bonaparte's fainting spell in the Orangery, whether from nervous exhaustion or from fear or some other cause. Crook also fails to make clear that the grenadiers, who cleared the Orangery and sent the toga-clad deputies scrambling from the windows, were not from the regular army but were actually Grenadiers of the Legislative Guard. These men owed their loyalty not to Bonaparte but to the Councils. They had no real self-interest in supporting a coup. This is why these troops had to be convinced, one way or another, to forget their duties as the guardians of the assemblies (Sièyes believed at one point that the grenadiers were about to seize Bonaparte).

Crook has produced a balanced treatment of the rise of Napoleon. Napoleon Comes to Power presents a clear and concise overview of the Directory and of the coup itself. The lengthy section of documents translated by Crook gives the reader a real feel for the times and affords one the opportunity think for one's self. The modest price of this volume is also a plus. A Napoleon buff who wants a good summary of the events of Brumaire or a relative newcomer who is just starting to discover the era would both profit from purchasing this little volume. As Goodspeed's Bayonets at St. Cloud is out of print and Albert Vandal's L'Avenement de Bonaparte is unavailable in English Crook's is the best book available on Napoleon's coming to power.

Crook, author of the excellent Elections of the French Revolution, presents a short, concise look at Napoleon's coming to power in 1799. Although Crook explains how the coup was organized, exactly how Napoleon, who was a late-comer to the conspiracy, managed to wind up with all the power remains something of a mystery. The book includes as a "bonus" a lengthy section of translated documents to let you study the events first hand.

Contrary to Elijah Muhammad, Malcolm X has won more than his due share of attention. But he gained renown mostly for reasons having to do with his personal odyssey from petty thief to political figure of international stature, his black nationalism, and his scintillating rhetoric-not because he was a key figure in the growth of Islam in the United States. DeCaro fills this gap with an intelligent focus on his "religious life." Like Clegg, he relies on extensive research of primary documents; he finds much that is new about the man he terms a "religiously driven revolutionist." 5 In particular, he shows where Malcolm X's famous Autobiography is either lacking important information or slanted to make a point; what Malcolm X actually did during his last year (after leaving the NOI and becoming a mainstream Muslim); and the parallels in Malcolm X's dual conversion (to the NOI, to Islam). From an Islamic viewpoint, On the Side of My People is of special interest for the way DeCaro pulls apart the myth Malcolm X had propagated about having learned of mainstream Islam only on reaching Mecca in April 1964; in fact, we find out here, he had for many months, even years, been tending in that direction. Reaching Mecca for Malcolm X was less a revelation than an opportunity to come out of the religious closet.

Middl East Quarterly, December 1998

It was fantastic to read a religious biography of Malcolm X. Although DeCaro does go over Malcolm X's political activities (it would be rediculous to do otherwise!), he presents Malcolm X's life in its religious context, for example outlining the ongoing tension between the Nation and Orthodox Islam and how this affected Malcolm, whereas most biographies do the exact opposite. His book focusses primarily around Malcolms two conversions - firstly to the Nation, and the second to orthodox Islam. He also outlines the religious melting pot that Malcolm X came out of, and shows how these influences helped mold and shape him throughout his life. In doing this, he gives Malcolm a lot more religious credit than past biographers have done, and points out some probable biases in "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" (remember, in this book Malcolm originally intended to show how Elijah Muhammad had miraculously and single-handedly saved him, and therefore probably didn't give himself due credit). DeCaro goes on to explain how Malcolms second conversion was not an instantaneous transformation that occurred when he set foot in Mecca, but rather the climax of a change that had been building for some time. For me, DeCaro's book was thorough and well balanced. He didn't try to portray Malcolm as a hero or a villian or anything else, but rather just presented his life from the point of view of his 'religousness'. The book is written from DeCaros PhD dissertation, so is very well referenced, and he is careful to point out his own biases. The only qualm I had was that DeCaro did not have a huge number of interviews with people who knew Malcolm, but he admits this himself in the introduction, and he more than makes up for it with his use of other primary sources such as FBI files, prison records etc. So yeah. I loved it. Read it.

This is a very good text book, for the serious cook or professional baker. This book has a lot of good information and recipes. I recommend this cookbook for anyone truly interested in baking. This cookbook is not for the novice baker.

I really enjoyed the recipes/formulas in this cookbook. I am chef/baker and have seen loads of cookbooks, and this is very intense, bakery book. Made for the serious baker or professional.

The last book in this series didn't quite live up to my expectations. The other books were wonderfully realistic with great mysteries and dashes of teenage romance. This lacked both. The mystery was boring and predictable. There was no romance at all in this book. Do yourself a favor and read the first six books in this series. They are much, much better.

i enjoyed this entire series thoroughly! i look back almost ten years after initially reading them with a smile.