Clifford Scott has written a pretty good book on a pretty interesting figure: Lester Frank Ward (1841-1913), one of the first professional sociologists in the United States. Ward's influence went far beyond academic circles, making him an important figure of 20th Century American liberalism. //Lester Frank Ward grew up in extreme poverty in rural Illinois. His life took a turn for the better with the advent of the Civil War. Fighting for the Union, he was wounded, moved to Washington D.C., and got a relatively easy job as a government clerk. This position gave him the time to go to college and become a paleobotanist; for several years he classified plant fossils for the United States Geological Survey. At this point, he decided to study society from an evolutionary point of view. This decision ultimately made him famous--president of the American Sociological Association, the author of many books, and, according to one overwrought biographer (not Scott), "the American Aristotle." //Ward's two most important theories concern evolution and education. He argued that the "social darwinists" of his own time were wrong to assume that man was like every other animal, passively adapting to his environment or dying out. According to Ward, this passive evolution was "genetic" evolution. People did not have to rely on genetic evolution, because the human mind gives human beings the chance to change their environment for the better. This was planned, intelligent, "telic" evolution. And, because government was society's largest, most powerful institution, government had the greatest role to play in guiding society to a better future. An activist government, Ward argued, should guide society to new heights by helping all its members--especially its worst-off members. //Education was central to telic evolution. Ward wanted the state to make it easier for people to become educated, arguing that the distribution of political power in society is determined not by who owns property, but by who has more schooling. The upper classes have more power (and presumably serve as an impediment to telic evolution) because they keep poor people ignorant. //In retrospect, Ward's theories don't hold up well. Ward had a mania for weird classifications (different types of societies, different types of governments, etc.), and today many of these categorizations seem pretentious and just plain implausible. This is the fate of all armchair sociologists, but in Ward's case more than many others, one has the sense that he believed in his own ideas mainly because they bolstered his political agenda. //Scott emphasizes--though probably not enough--that Ward's political views were more influential than his social theories. From his days as a clerk in Washington (where he defended the rights of African Americans) to his old age in the Progressive Era, Ward was an early advocate of the welfare state, the regulatory state, and many of the ideas we now associate with liberalism and the Democratic Party. By the turn of the century, a generation of activists had latched on to his theories because they provided a "scientific" justification for social reform. At the end of LESTER FRANK WARD, Scott includes a letter from the young Frederic C. Howe, later to become a high-level New Deal bureaucrat. Howe thanked Ward for "the new interpretations you have given to life, to society, and to the role of men and women. . . . " While Howe overemphasized Ward's role, his statement contains a kernel of truth. Ward may have been a second-rate sociologist, but he was a first-rate ideologue, and insofar as society has evolved along the lines he advocated, Ward could take some credit, were he alive today at the ripe old age of 161.

This book is written by a newsman of the late 1800's. His attempt at times to make the exploits of his chief character a little bigger than they were sometimes gets in the way. However if you can be disciplined enough to read through it you will find a pretty accurate picture of the man who was probably General Crook's favorite scout and a key player in the death of Crazy Horse. Maybe not quite the villian in the Crazy Horse death as many think, but possibly not entirely sqeaky clean. Worth reading for those who have more than a passing interest in the Indian Wars of the latter half of the 1800's.

This book is a good read and includes some wonderful, large pictures. There are many facts about the various houses, etc. that are contained in this book that I haven't found in other books on Frank Lloyd Wright's works.

However, the text often doesn't relate to the pictures on the pages, which makes it 'uncomfortable' and awkward to read and refer to the pictures at the same time.

Still, I'm happy to have this book in my library... and it's a good price as far as these sorts of books go :)

This book was written during the post-assasination hype following Jesse James' death. The author claims to have gotten much of his material from Jesse's wife and mother. They deny they contributed yet apparently did receive royalties. The author writes a good story and quotes many good first-hand sources, though make allowances for hype-driven inaccuracies. It's good reading.

It is undoubted that any serious library of classic English humour will contain this title, for it would show complete lack of literary candour to be without this `bible of the intellect'.

Not too many books cover the subjects of Copperheadism during the Civil War or how such a group of people ever evolved. Klement truly defines the persons or people who were Copperheads of the north that heavily favored democratic policy and beliefs during the 1850's to 1870's period of time. It was interesting to read how postwar northerners defined Copperheads as anyone who sympathized with the south during the war when truly some Copperheads favored anti-war policies and states rights. This book is very detailed about popular northern democrats and political figures who were at odds against the Lincoln administration. This book covers a lot. For example, details about economic strongholds on midwestern farmers helped define an anti-war sentiment as prices were being controlled by northeastern interest groups such as railroad companies and republican authority. Many midwestern political opinion and feelings about the war are covered while the mid-atlantic states fight the Lincoln administration in favor of the south succeeding. Klement brings a very detailed look at how Copperheadism evolved and fought to survive as an ideal way of life for some northerners who refused the war, Lincoln and a northern stronghold over the south. I simply can't recommend a better book for covering such a heavily defined and detailed topic that Klement presents.

I bought this book and it came with a cassette tape. I found it to be extremely good in the pronunciation of the words that are given in the book. It is not a dictionary or a words manual, it is a book that tries to give a sound basic working knowledge of the most commonly used spanish phrases and words to people who speak english. But I have found it exceptional for pronunciation. It gives you a real understanding of the way words should sound and pronounced. The tape also gives the pronunciation and sound of the words. Excellent. Radcliffe.

This book of Frank Morley was the first one that I bought, when I started collecting books about Literary landmarks in Great Britain. I'm much interested to read, where great authors and poeets found there inspiration. Frank Morley guided me through England and with him I "met" a lot of minor authors and poeets (William Cowper, Thomas Gray)who also deserve a place in English Literature.

I haven't read the bible for 40 years. I decided to reread it, and found that even the new jazzy translations are often undecipherable. Most it them sound stupid, to be blunt.

I asked my pastor about a Bible Commentary. He suggested the Harper, which I found at a local bookstore. You need a truck for that one.

I simply wanted to know things such as "Who was Matthew?" and other minor, but interesting questions. And I didn't want to ruin my abdominal muscles carrying a Concordance or Commentary.

I find this took to be just about what I wanted. It's superficial, but good lord, to get all the material in the bible, with depth, you need a huge book.

In short, this is just right for me. It doesn't appear to be biased, it isn't filled with cloying hosannas to God. By the way the paperback version is a[lot less expensive.] [$].

Jerry O'Dell

I bought this bookfor the sole reason that Frank DeFord's name was attached to it. I wanted to see how this veteran 'sportswriter' would handle the topic of love and war. I have to say that he did a good job. He deftly describes pre-war Japan, and remains true to historical fact, for the most part. The love story between Cotton and Miyuki is somewhat 'Harlequin-esque' - (Lots of lingering looks, heavy breathing, unsaid declarations of love, descriptions of longing etc.) However, the strength of the story more than compensates for the romantic corniness - I was hooked. I would go as far to say that I would recommend it to my husband, who generally avoids romance tales.