This book serves not only as an informative social history of early 20th century Swedish immigration to the U.S., it is simply a delightful story as well. As we are a country of immigrants, almost anyone could look at an obscure man like A.V. Swanson and remember his or her own father, grandfather or great-grandfather. The immigrant's story can be told many times but as the author points out, "(But) each one has been different as a person, and unique in ways of becoming an American." The author is a marvelous and witty story teller. She unfolds the story of her father's life as it began in Sweden in the 1890's, the son of a coal miner, the oldest of ten children, and the hardships he and his family endured. Young Axel Victor Svensson was sent off as a farmhand at age 9 in order to supplement his family's poverty-level income. That experience set the tone for his determination not only to work hard but to work smarter. As a teenager, he caught "America fever" and set his sites on becoming not only an American but a successful one. As Axel Svensson became A.V. Swanson in Chicago, he became the most American of Americans. He chose his opportunities well, applied his work ethic, married and raised a family, established himself as a businessman and community servant in Ames, Iowa and then retired to farm life in his later but still active years. As life gradually slowed down for him, A.V. began his "life review", recounting his adventures that spanned two very different countries. These chapters, along with the author's fine research and a daughter's love and admiration mesh into a fascinating biography. I recommend this book to anyone whose interests lie in history of U.S. immigration, Swedish settlement in the Midwest during the early 20th century and to those who believe that "the stories of all of us need to be told."

Betty Jean Craige explicates here the principles and conflicting dynamics of "political dualism" and "political holism." In seeking to redefine an understanding of patriotism (American or other) more in alignment with the accelerating globalization of societies, Craige offers multiple descriptions and meticulously researched--and very current--concrete examples of the forms this conflicting dynamic assumes. Multiply described as the conflict of "tribalism" vs. "globalism," "Jihad vs. McWorld" (following Benjamin R. Barber's article of that title), "hard-core altruism" vs. "soft-core altruism" (after E.O. Wilson), "purity" vs. "mongrelization" (after Salmon Rushdie), and "Allegiance to Men" vs. "Allegiance to Law" (after co-framer of the US Constitution John Adams), the tension between these competing poles of human behavior has risen, and--according to the author--will continue to rise, in response to the growing interdependence of global economies, communication, migration, and environmental concerns. Her argument throughout is that "while political holism is an ideology driven by globalization, it will always be contested by tribalism of some sort." Although focused on "American Patriotism," Craige's highly readable account touches on many international and/or global issues. Among the incidents she recounts for the insight they offer into her theme are the Islamic reaction to the publication of Rushdie's SATANIC VERSES, the saga of Lt. Col. Oliver North and the Iran-Contra controversy, and NEH Director Lynne Cheney's opposition to public funding by her agency of the TV documentary "The Africans" by Ali Mazrui (an internationally distinguished, Kenyan-born political scientist at the University of Michigan). Craige's analysis of the marketing by the Bush administration of the Gulf War through an appeal to patriotism is highly instructive. She gathers together here in a meaningful context, much information that is difficult to track down, and uses it in a brilliant "rhetorical analysis" of the discourse of words and silences, actions and nonactions, and postures and policies that shaped the selling of this egregious example of tribalistic, politically dualistic aggression as a positively valorized (at least within the US) example of patriotism. In a very enlightening part of this critique, Craige also deconstructs the silence of the American corporate media concerning the dissent from the prevailing US popularity of this war demonstrated by former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and US Representative from Texas Henry Gonzalez. Clark convened an International War Crimes Tribunal, consisting of twenty-two judges from eighteen nations, which charged Bush, Powell, Schwartzkopf and others with "crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity and other criminal acts and high crimes in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, international law, [and] the Constitution of the United States...", and found them guilty. Representative Gonzalez called for Bush's impeachment and submitted a House Resolution (number 86) of five articles detailing the illegal and impeachable conduct of the president in carrying out the Gulf War. How many of us ever heard about either of these highly placed and articulate protests? By their silence, the American media endorsed the unquestioned, uncritical acceptance of patriotism as agressive tribalism. While the tension between "self" and "other"--whether on the level of the individualized ego, the pre-industrial tribe, the cultural or ethnic group or community, or the sovereign nation--has been endemic to the human condition at large for centuries, and thus appears inevitable, Craige holds out hope that we may yet learn the value of cooperation over competition, if only as a last-ditch survival strategy. That the concept of patriotism as something good and true and admirable is still relevant in the increasingly interconnected global village, Craige leaves no doubt. Citing Ramsey Clark's definition of patriotism as "a personal commitment to make one's country honest and just in all its acts" and to "motivate the whole country to be as good a neighbor in the community of nations as the conscience of individuals makes them to be in the communities where they live," Craige clearly believes that this kind of politically holistic, global patriotism must prevail if we, as a species, are to survive. AMERICAN PATRIOTISM IN A GLOBAL SCOIETY is required reading for "Planetary Citizenship 101."

I read this book 17 years ago and I continue to use what I read to this day almost every day of my life. Once you read this book, the words stick in your mind. When you least expect it, the words will penetrate through your anger and you can suddenly take control of the situation in your own mind. It teaches you that it takes two to argue and no one can make you feel or think anything that you don't allow them to. To allow someone else to dictate your self worth is giving them power over you that only you should have. Self esteem was always a problem for me and through this book I have learned and recognized that the worst thing about arguing is that you go for the heart. Back and forth the argument goes and the problem often gets lost because you are each trying to hurt the other one with words. And each time you argue the same arguments from the past always come up until you have a lifetime of arguments that never get resolved. This book helps you resolve the arguments, once and for all. The greatest thing about this book is that your arguing partners don't have to read it for it to work. It helps "them" if they do, but most importantly it helps you. It teaches you how to have control over your own thoughts and anger. It teaches you how to argue, and what is important and what is not. It teaches you how to be a happier you and to hold on to and build your self-esteem up and keep it there, no longer in danger of losing it over someone else's opinion of you. But the most helpful lesson was tolerance. It teaches you that our expectations of others are sometimes more than they are able to give. What someone elses best is, may not be ours, but it's all they are able to give at that particular time. Everyone has asked, "What more do you expect of me?". At that particular time you feel as if you have done everything you can, with no more left to give or do. You can't understand why the other person can't see that. But aren't we all guilty of doing that very same thing to others? This book brings out these points and so much more. But it doesn't just bring them out, it tells you how to deal with it and solve these problems. If you are having trouble sleeping at night because you rerun problems and conflicts through your mind instead of sleeping, this book is for you. Read it, use it, sleep at night!

This book is grrrrrrrrrreeeeaaaattttt! For all of us who have stacks of important papers to file when we have more time, but never get around to it, because we have no time, this is the ideal book. Very easy to use. I leave it in the kitchen, so it's always on hand to place important papers/information into. When we leave to go on vacation, I give it to a family member so in case of emergency they'll be able to find our personal, household, work, insurance, etc. information. It also helped my husband and me to know where to find our individual and shared financial, insurance and personal information (emergency and otherwise- passports, marriage certificates, driver's license numbers, credit card numbers, etc.).

Job well done on directions for recipes for beginners. All ingredients lists are easy to follow. Availability of ingredients-excellent. Pictures would be helpful but descriptive instructions are complete enough.

Nearly 20 years had passed between my graduate statistics courses and needing to do some regression analyses for my job. This book quickly refreshed my memory, taught me new insights for the first time, got me comfortable with what I was doing after a long absence from performing statistical analyses, and actually got me digging for deeper understanding beyond what I simply needed to know to get the job done! Practical, with applied examples that workers in human resources, quality, and team-based problem solving can use. I skimmed through a lot of texts at bookstores looking for something I could use - that met my needs - and found nothing. I took a chance on Applied Statistical Methods and won! I highly recommend this book for those such as myself that need a quick refresher.

I am a licensed clinical psychologist. I have MANY child assessment and therapy reference books. This resource is by far the most useful. The authors combine impressive knowledge of pertinent research with extensive hands on practical experience. The resource is also very practical as it includes reproducible assessment instruments.

This curriculum guide is excellent especially for first year special educators who are required to write family-friendly IFSP/IEP goals. It lays out goals for children, the previous skills they have to acquire to meet those goals, skills that will come next, concurrent skills, as well as how to set up your classroom to elicit the goals. WONDERFUL WONDERFUL! I would not recommend the companion measurement however because it is VERY time-consuming.

A truly well written docu-drama that will hold your interest throughout. The story line is based on historical fact and the charactors bring it to life. I highly recommend it...

John McKee

Bagamoyo has enough going on that it's a book you can sink your teeth into. At the turn of the century, Englishman Richard and his African friend Luke search for adventure and fortune in Nairobi. They find themselves in the railroad camp of Tsavo and encounter the man-eating lions that drag away some of the workers. Eventually they arrive at a mission run by an American missionary, Ida, and her African friend Grace, and they form into two romantic couples. Meanwhile, Richard's uncle Montague is on his own mission, wandering through Africa trying to find a way to remove a curse which kills people he loves. This is the story of the pioneers who settled Africa and find the beautiful, the strange, the mystical, and the danger from animals and nature. The book brings into focus the effect that the railroad had on the native tribes, and the reaction to the settlers by the Mau-Mau cult that vowed to retaliate. Bagamoyo takes us into the historical setting of the European settlement of Africa, and the adventure, romance, and tragedies of two couples... one black and one white. I wouldn't call it a classic, but I give it a 5 for good, satisfying reading.