Felix Holt combines themes of political responsibility and social concern amidst the background of a community that is facing problems involved with the rapid industrialization of the country. Eliot depicts a village caught in a battle between tradition and progressivism. The characters who make up this struggle are brilliantly portrayed. There is even a sweet romantic twist to the story that renders it even more enjoyable. Eliot gives one the impression that in order for society to make advances for the good of all, some people must willingly give up the prosperity and status that accompanies a largely capitalistic state. It is through such noble acts that those less fortunate can gain a voice in a system that constantly represses them. This is the major theme of this incredible novel.

I've heard a lot of moaning this year about how democracy is dead and how much better things were in the good old days. Eliot's unromantic view of human nature is the perfect cure for all that. As she tells it, people were dumb, and cunning, and selfish back then - just as they are today. The biggest difference was that most people weren't allowed to vote: "universal suffrage" was about as beyond-the-pale then as gay marriage is today.

Here's the TV preview version: _Felix Holt_ is a lively mix of barroom treating, soapbox preachers, riots, bribery, "irregularities," and a courtroom scene with a shocking finale! One caveat: readers spoiled on modern pap may find this novel difficult going. But it's worth it.

An excellent survey of Federalism, exploring its origin and development in the United States, as well as the prospects for Federalism around the world. Morley discusses the evils of centralized democracy, and how democracy is controlled by Federalist principles, in the interest of individual rights. He then goes on to explain the effects of the Fourteenth and Sixteenth Ammendments, and the policies of FDR. Factors to restore Federalism in the U.S. are also discussed. Highly educational, and its 1960 copyright makes it more interesting for younger readers, offering a window into the cold war outlook of the 1950's

This is an intriguging perspective of federalism than and now... Felix Morley was a prominent conservative journalist and editor for Human Events. Freedom and Federalism was first published in 1950's and offers an honest assessment of federalism since the inception of the American Republic in 1787. "Federalism," affirms Morley, "is a distinctively American contribution to political art," which makes the reconciliation of liberty and order possible. He also critiques 'democracy' and 'democratism' with a brutally honest and prudent wisdom, which makes Morley a brilliant citizen-statesmen in the spirit of the founding fathers.

"In Morley's eyes," the cover notes, "a government of free men is like a strong-standing arch. The solid stones of which it is built is called freedom. Neither the building blocks of individual liberty nor the arch of freedom will stand secure without the keystone of federalism. It is federalism that holds up the arch. It is federalism that makes possible the preservation of both liberty and freedom. And the name of the arch is Republic-not Democracy." This book affirms that America was founded as a Republic, not a Democracy. Edmund Randolph avows, "The general object," of the constitutional convention, was "to provide a cure for the evils under which the United States labored; that in tracing these evils to their origin, every man had found it in the turbelence and follies of democracy." "The U.S. was conceived and framed as a constitutionally limited federal republic with limits not only on the powers of government but on that of majority rule. Succinctly stated, the fundamental purpose of government was to protect life, liberty and property. The founders were weary of unchecked democracy, majoritarian tyranny and the redistributive threat that democracy posed to property rights. In an absolute democracy, everything is potentially up for a vote, including your God-given natural rights. Under republican government, the rule of law is supreme and the rights of the individual are paramount. Thus, as Morley recognizes, the founders made few concessions to democracy and sought to localize it. Even Thomas Jeffesron, purported to be the most 'democratic' of the founders recognizes that "A democracy [is] the only pure republic, but impracticable beyond the limits of a town."

Morley analyzes Rousseau's concept of the "general will," which is a pretense for legitimizing majoritarian tyranny under the auspices of 'totalitarian democracy.' He points out how the design of federalism thwarts a general will. Morley also has no delusions of grandeur about federalism today. (Note that this book was written in the 1950's.) He rightly recognizes a steady erosion of original intent and the principles of federalism has led to centralization and a precariously unconstitutional balance of power between the federal government and states. It is little wonder that the word 'federal' has taken on a pejorative context while exemplifying centralization and bureaucracy. The word 'Federal' was derived from the Latin 'Foedus,' which translates to 'covenant' and thus 'Federalism' and 'Constitutionalism' goes hand in hand.

The culmination of big government machinations such as the Civil War, Reconstruction, New Deal, and the Great Society has usurped the constitutional order and has in many cases reduced the states to mere creatures of the federal government. Morley offers insights on historical developments such as the the Civil War, the problems presented by the 14th Amendment for jurisprudence, the nationalizing effects of commercialization, war preparation, empire building which began after the Civil War and went full circle under Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

I purchased this book just prior to moving to Cincinnati. I found it to be a great help. This book tells almost everything a newcomer needs to know from information about local communities to where to go bargain shopping. When I moved from Cincinnati, I gave this book to the people that bought my home.

The Insiders Guide to Cincinnati is a great city guide. I bought the book shortly after I moved here to get an idea of the sights, museums and restaurants in the area. I got a lot more than I bargained for. Great for anyone moving here or planning to visit.

The book is expensive and in places cartoon copies seem to have been made from old unclear originals. But for those of us comic-book buffs who remember the old Felix with fondness, this book is a must. It plays its part in preserving the older comic art that surely one day must be rediscovered to give pleasure to new generations of children and adults. I can testify that it gave such pleasure to my own children, who are in their early twenties.

I think David is brilliant. A work of the late 20th century's great minds. David is a G-D-send! I love this work. I love David.

Two veterans of World War II, an American and a former German soldier, now an American citizen, describe their wartime experiences in the recently published book, entitled, ONCE ENEMIES, NOW FRIENDS. The American Chuck Miles, raised on a farm in Missouri, was drafted into the U.S. Army in spring 1944. After basic training the Army shipped him to Europe. Having just turned 19, Miles was sent with the 63rd Infantry Division to the front in eastern France in December 1944, at a time when Hitler in desperation ordered a major offensive in the West, which became known as "Battle of the Bulge."
In Alsace, France, on the western side of the Rhine, Miles experienced his first encounter with German troops. He spent Christmas digging foxholes and volunteered as a scout for a dangerous reconnaissance patrol. Later, his unit became involved in heavy fighting with German forces in Gros Rederching, a small town in France. Subsequently, Chuck Miles received the Bronze Star for having defended his position while being trapped behind enemy lines and for having killed 12 enemy soldiers.
In February 1945, Miles and his bataillion finally crossed into Germany. They slowly advanced, conquering town after town, quite often engaged in heavy combat with the enemy. Time and again, Chuck Miles asks the pertinent question why the Germans continued fighting even though they were losing the war:" We knew we had won the war and couln't understand why the Germans kept fighting. People were being killed and wounded each day and some picturesque villages were being damaged when it should not have been necessary"(p.47).
Felix Pfaeffle, barely 16, was drafted into the German Luftwaffe's anti-aircraft corps, also in 1944. He and his unit were ordered to stop the advance of the Allied forces not far from Karlsruhe, his hometown. During Christmas 1944, while the American infantryman Miles was fighting on the western side of the Rhine river, Felix Pfaeffle was stationed only a few miles on the opposite side of the river.
Despite their common and brutal battle experiences, the contrast between the two is obvious. Whereas Chuck Miles fought a just war to defeat Nazi Germany, Felix Pfaeffle was the 16-year old reluctant soldier who was critical of the Nazi regime. He clearly recognized that the war was lost for Germany, and he wanted to surrender to the American forces. However, that could have been very dangerous, as the German Military Police or the SS would shoot any soldier who was caught in an attempt to defect to the enemy.
Whereas Pfaeffle, after a three-month stay in a German hospital due to an injury, was able to hide and thus survive the war, Miles and his unit continued to fight until he was wounded on April 20, 1945 in a small German village, east of Heilbronn less than three weeks before the unconditional surrender of German armed forces.
Felix Pfaeffle, who at the end of the war hoped to come to America, was able to immigrate to the United States in 1951. In 2001, the two former enemies met by chance in Las Cruces, New Mexico, where both had retired. They discovered that both had been fighting 56 years ago as enemies only a few miles apart. The two became friends and decided to write down their experiences. They both describe the horror and destructiveness of the war, their fears and anxieties.
The editor of ONCE ENEMIES, NOW FRIENDS, Dr. Donna Eichstaedt, writes in her introduction that "this book presents a sensitive portrayal of two boys, caught up in the horror of the war, who miraculously survived to meet in Las Cruces, New Mexico many years later--armed this time only with memories and friendship" (p.xii).
ONCE ENEMIES, NOW FRIENDS is a fascinating account of two young soliders engaged in fierce combat at the end of World War II. Their book has just been translated and released in Germany...

Fantastic Little Book! "Once Enemies, Now Friends: Two Soldiers Tell Their Stories of World War II" is the story of two young soldiers who fought on opposite sides during the Battle of the Bulge and the latter part of the war. In the first part of the book, American Chuck Miles, relates his war experiences while the second part covers those of German Hitler Youth, and then soldier, Felix Pfaeffle. The book is further supported with reminiscences of other Germans who were caught in the maelstrom during the closing days of WW2. The book is fast-moving with lots of action and human interest tidbits. The book's writing was prompted by the chance meeting of the two authors, who were invited to share their war experiences with students in El Paso. After listening to each other, they decided to compare notes and that is when they discovered that they were both involved in the same theater of the war a half century earlier and that they lived only a block apart in Las Cruces, NM. The historian, as well as the lay reader will glean much from this delicious little morsel.

This is an in depth reference for every aspect of horizontal and vertical geometry. Contains base theory, then all of the necessary equations for calculating sight distances, vertical curve lengths, horizontal and vertical curve obstructions. Some of the values used should be cross-referenced with values from the AASHTO Green Book, as some of the design values in the book may be out of date. Also discusses spiral curves, compund curves, unsymmetrical vertical curves. There are equations, detail narratives, and example problems in this book, that I have not seen in any other manual. An excellent companion to your Green Book, CERM, and HCM.

This book is an excellent reference if you are performing any type of engineering or surveying work that involves spiral or vertical curves. Though it is an older book, the collection of formulas is unsurpassed. Just ignore the pictures of '57 Chevys cruising down the highways. :)

With the removal of Saddam Hussein and the Taliban from power and American troops spread across the globe engaged in a war on terrorism, empire has become a hot topic in Washington

Notwithstanding our current overseas commitments, a strong strain of isolationism has been characteristic of American foreign policy since the formative days of our country. Washington's warning against "permanent alliances" in his Farewell Address of 1796 was cited by successive generations of politicians to justify an isolationist foreign policy.

While Washington's warning is often discussed, the internecine political rivalries surrounding Washington's address are not.

Felix Gilbert examines the background to the address quite capably in To the Farewell Address: Ideas of Early American Foreign Policy.

He first examines the geopolitical context of the late eighteenth century, particularly the U.S. relationship to Europe's power structure. He argues that early American distaste for the diplomatic status quo and desire for separation from the Continent's power politics can be directly linked to the concepts of British political theorists. America's early leaders brought these ideas to the New World, giving them a uniquely American flavor.

Gilbert's eventual focus is on the political climate during the end of Washington's tenure as President. The administration was beset by infighting, with federalists and republicans staking out different positions on issues, including foreign policy. Washington, seeking to bring both sides together, asked Alexander Hamilton to revise an address that had been prepared at the end of his first term, which was authored by Hamilton's rival, James Madison.

Hamilton, eager to rework Madison's views, exchanged several drafts with Washington, and the final product bears his imprint, particularly on foreign policy matters. Through an analysis of this correspondence, Gilbert is able to trace these views regarding limited American engagement in the world from the theorists to their eventual place in the address.

To the Farewell Address is a short, succinct account of the progress of an idea that has had great impact on American foreign policy. It is an important read for anyone interested in understanding the roots of U.S. foreign policy.

As some declare Washington to be the new Rome, it is important to remember from whence we come. But as Gilbert notes in the final paragraph, the standard view of the Farewell Address as a purely isolationist warning is flawed:

"Because the Farewell Address comprises various aspects of American political thinking, it reaches beyond any period limited in time and reveals the basic issue of the American attitude toward foreign policy: the tension between Idealism and Realism. Settled by men who looked for gain and by men who sought freedom, born into independence in a century of enlightened thinking and of power politics, America has wavered in her foreign policy between Idealism and Realism, and her great historical moments have occurred when both were combined."

I read Felix Gilbert's _To the Farewell Address_ in an undergraduate course on US foreign relations. This is a book that exemplifies how a short, concise, yet informative history can be written.

Gilbert discusses how ideas about foreign policy in the eighteenth century related to actual US diplomacy. Although the Latin headings of some chapters may be intimidating, the prose is not. The book flows and does not lose momentum in exhaustive analysis or a burdensome number of pages. At 169 pages, this book can be finished in a weekend.

Gilbert focuses on the period from 1776 to 1796, culminating with Washington's Farewell Address. In doing so, Gilbert provides depth and insight to this formative period of US diplomacy. The roots, context, and controversies of US diplomacy from 1776 to 1796 are described and explained in the book. Much of Gilbert's analysis is still relevant to this day. In general, the book is a scholarly, yet short and enjoyable read.

The book is great, if you are running a cronicicle with kuei-jin, some mages, Dark Kingdom wraiths, or Shen Shapechangers. But westerners stay away. The culture difference would be brutal (;->). Otherwise, a good book. PS- Don't try and do the story, but get the sword

Disregard the idea of a story it brings if you want. It could limit you. But storytellers know how hard it is to create and keep a full guide of an area, complete with NPCs. This guide has it all, even the maps, havens, characters, plots, you'll ever need to get a full world of darkness crossover. If you like storytelling with all types of characters this is the book to have.

Salten's 1929 children's story bears little resemblance to the famous animated version; no saccharine tale, this little masterpiece presents the story of the value of Life in the forest. In his Foreward to the original novel, British author John Galsworthy praises two elements of BAMBI: the realistic depiction of the challenges facing deer and other woodland creatures, as well as the light-hearted style of dialogue and witty comments on human nature. Translated into English, this literary gem has delighted readers for three generations, truly having earned its classic status.

Born into a large family of deer, Bambi is not yet congnizant that he is the son of a prince. More observant and thougtful than the other fawns, young Bambi learns many harsh lessons about survival against Nature, other animals, and most of all Man--described as the ubiquitous, merciless predator with the pale face, HE. After winning his beloved Faline, Bambi matures over the seasons; but an essential part of his education is provided by his solitary mentor, the old stag. Can Bambi learn enough from him (and other species) to save his family from hated humankind, or will he study merely for his own self-preservation?

Beneath the author's charming tale in which animals act and sound much like the humans they fear, there remains a serious underlying theme: man' wanton destruction of the forest for sport or amusement. Hinting at our moral obligation Salten subtly shames us--and our faithful pets--for blatant disregard or disrespect of nature. Disney's version is fine, but until you have read the original, you don't really Know Bambi. A story of personal growth and a gentle study in compassion, for readers of all ages.

This is an excllent book. It describes every detail. When you read this you will actually think that you are really there where the event is happening. My daughter who is 12 loved this book so much that she has already read it 4 times. It's about a young deer who grows up to be a handsome, strong prince. He faces many hard and sad times, and you may even cry a couple of times but it is a wonderful book! Your children will love this. If you like reading about animals you should love this story!

Don't let the cartoons fool you. This book is an excellent afternoon's read. It is lyrical in its descriptions of both the forest and the animal personalities that abound there. You will no doubt find people you know mirrored through these accounts. I was very much touched by chapter 8 - only mature adults will truly appreciate it! The story is honest and thought-provoking. I recommend it to teenagers and adults. I don't really know that it is good for children to read until they are fairly advanced as it introduces death plainly and touchingly.

If you liked the movie, which I did, I'm sure you would like "Pearl Harbor: The Movie and the Moment". Not only does it have plenty of color images, movie stills, sketches, storyboards, maps, blueprints, computer graphics, behind the scenes information, and more, it also tells about the actual history of what happened on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor. I liked reading the actors, producers, and writers comments in the book. I especially liked reading about the Eagle Squadron. Teaches you Eagle Squadron slang in the book!

I think that even if you didn't like the movie that much, this book has plenty of information about the history of Pearl Harbor so I'm sure you would be satisfied with it. Enjoy!

I just bought this book and it totally blew me away. Contrary to another review here, I find almost every page of this book to be extremely informative and jam-packed with information on the real attack and the making of the movie, with LOTS of movie photos and a lot of historical photos too. Also included are short bios of movie characters, quotes about the movie and the event from cast and crew, and storyboards and a timeline of the events of that day. I HIGHLY recommend this!

The Book is a joy to read and look at. The movie was very good, and for the critics, when do they ever say a movie is good. I have yet meet a co-worker or friend, who has had one bad thing to day about Pearl Harbor the movie. But the critics are my judge of movies if they say its bad then its a Must go see, for you know you will enjoy it.