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Book reviews for "Mattersdorf,_Leo" sorted by average review score:

What Is Political Philosophy: And Other Studies
Published in Paperback by University of Chicago Press (1988)
Author: Leo Strauss
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Complicated Introduction to Strauss
This book isn't a good place to start if you're new to Leo Strauss. In fact, unlike the reviewer above me, I would discourage Straussian neophytes from this collection. Although the book is rich and very representative of the wide range of philosophical concerns (perhaps except for Machiavelli) that dominated Strauss' thought, the essays almost always refer to previous debates/issues raised by other philosophers and/or Strauss' earlier writings. "On Tyranny" for instance presumes knowledge of the Starussian-Kojeve debate-dialogue over Xenophon's Hiero. The last essay on "Kurt Riezler" is really, at least in some sense, a bold assessment of Martin Heidegger's thinking and its effect on Germany during WWII and after.

All the essays date from the 1950s, a period that was very prolific for Leo Strauss. Moreover, this collection testifies to Strauss' on-going debate with prominent scholars of the moment, who have lost some significance in the passage of time. Every selection, except for the 16 book reviews from the 1950s, is a revised lecture; thus Strauss had a particular audience in mind when he offered his remarks (in the brief preface he indicates where and when he spoke/published each essay).

The cleanest and purest essay for the novice, in my estimation, is "On Classical Political Philosophy". Yet even here, Strauss assumes awareness in his audience of what, and who, defines "Classical Political Philosophy" and how "Modern Political Philosophy"(what and whom explained, but also assumed) have distorted the original teaching of classical political philosophers. All things considered I would encourage new readers interested in Leo Strauss to read "City and Man" first (my personal favorite).

These comments don't lessen my estimation of the magnitude, intensity and gracefulness of "What is Political Philosophy". It is certainly worth owning and reading. Albeit, I found this book so wonderful precisely because it refreshed my memory about things that Strauss taught me in his other works.

Make this the first book you buy by Leo Strauss
Strauss was a master at examining the political philosophy of the past and thus he was able to point us towards many of the lessons we have forgotten from past philosophies today. This work contains his key contribution to modern political philosophy with his great essays "What is political philosophy", "Political philosophy and history", and also a nice collection on such thinkers as Xenophon, al-Farabi, Maimonides, Hobbes, and Locke.


The Wisdom of Human Kind
Published in Paperback by Conexus Press (1999)
Authors: Leo Tolstoy, Guy De Mallac, and Guy de Mallac
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A great book from a great author!
This is the greatest book that I have ever read in my life. Within this book there are answers to all that human beings seek in order to be happy. It is a how to book if one is interested in living a moral life and in becoming a more complete human being. Leo Tolstoy with Guy De Mallac has written a masterpiece, a truly great piece of work from one of the most justifying minds of our times, Leo Tolstoy.

Tolstoy's capstone achievement of unified religious thought.
Tolstoy (known today only for his novels) attempted to complete his philosophical conceptions by unifying the basic moral conceptions of all religions and this is a condensed (and more manageable) form of his final work. Although emphasising pure Christianity it also blends this with traditional eastern concepts and creates a good complete summary of proper moral behavior. He seems also to convey a certain passion and love, giving the book a spirited tone. It preaches non-violence and even vegetarianism. I was surprised to learn that Tolstoy's ideas were much regarded 100 years ago and even were an inspiration for Ghandi. Depending on your background in world religions, the contents may or may not provide you with any new knowledge. It is certainly not out of date or only for readers of Tolstoy's novels. Five stars, although there may be better books out there (?).


Witchcraft the Old Religion
Published in Paperback by Citadel Pr (1987)
Author: Leo Louis Martello
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The Best
This is the best book on Witchcraft I have ever read. Instead of presenting the beliefs and practices, it presents the history and substance of the religion. Because it is not a "Wicca for beginners" book, but rather a "Wicca for outsiders," the information within is completely free of fluff. It is also highly critical of Christianity, which is refreshing in this age of selling short your beliefs in order to avoid sounding offensive. This is the best book I have seen as far as asserting that Wicca actually HAS a historical basis.

Thought provoking....
This book is highly opinionated and NOT for the closed minded.It states the true history of witchcraft as a religion and spiritual practice, not what christians have deluded themselves in thinking it as.It brings up many facts to provide support for it's controversial subject matter.This is a book that is educational and a true test for christians saying witchcraft is evil.


Wolves of Darkness, The Collected Stories of Jack Williamson, Volume Two
Published in Hardcover by Haffner Press (05 November, 1999)
Authors: Jack Williamson, Frnak R. Paul, Leo Morey, and H. W. Wessolowski
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Great tales from the Golden Age of pulps!
Jack Williamson has the skill to capture one's interest right from the first sentence of a story and hold it, drawing one in to read on and discover the mystery and wonder that follow. He has a very visual style and in the title story Wolves of Darkness he provides a scientific explanation for lycanthropy instead of the usual supernatural rationale. He also describes a process that sounds very similar to the way that micro-processors are made today! And this was in 1932, some 20 years before even the transistor was developed, let alone micro-chips! When this story was written even the vacuum tube was still a rather new thing.

Williamson writes in the pulp fiction style of the day, which is somewhat repetitive and tiresome at times, but since the going rate for a pulp magazine story back then was a half cent a word or less, it's understandable why an author would "flesh out" a tale as much as possible! Even so, these stories still hold up well.

This is a handsome volume, well-made, with colorful reproductions on the endpapers of the covers of the old pulp magazines in which the stories originally appeared. This book is a must-have for all Jack Williamson fans and all science-fiction/horror fans in general!

Wolves among us and other great tales!
This is a handsome book, well-made, with colorful reproductions on the endpapers of the covers of the old pulp magazines in which the stories originally appeared. Some of these grand old pulps can still be found on auction sites and in second-hand book stores, and they're worth collecting, not only for the stories but also for the wonderful illustrations. The quality of this book and the early Jack Williamson tales make this volume worth its rather high price.

I wanted particularly to read the short novelette Wolves of Darkness, because I'd heard it was the precursor werewolf tale to his later classic Darker Than You Think, and I was not disappointed! Williamson has the skill to capture one's interest right from the first sentence of a story and hold it, drawing one in to read on and discover the mystery and wonder that follow. This book is a must-have for all Jack Williamson fans and all science-fiction/horror fans in general!


101 Computer Answers You Need to Know
Published in Paperback by Ziff Davis Pr (1995)
Authors: Gina Smith and Leo Laporte
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101 Computer Anwsers You Might Already Know
This Book Is A Great Book With Computer Anwsers. It Gives You A Question With A Anwser Following. This book is exclent for begining users. I recomend this book all the time. Leo Laporte is an exclent author and has two television shows, Call For Help, And The Screen Savers. Which both air at 7 and 9 eastern standered time on ZDTV. Over all this is an exclent book with a great author.

-I'm Brian


142 Fun Things to Do in New Orleans
Published in Paperback by Into Fun Co Pubns (01 August, 1999)
Authors: Karen Foulk and Leo Fortuno
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Good Reference to Native & Tourist
I am from New Orleans, and this book was a great reference. You can discover the city, and even learn more about fun things and the historical places to see in New Orleans, and not just the night life! - Which is great, but we have days too and they are worth the time to explore this beautiful city of ours.


60 Super Simple Crafts
Published in Paperback by Lowell House (1996)
Authors: Holly Hebert, Leo Abbett, and Holly Herbert
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Yes really simple
Well, I really thank to the author of this book. It is very useful for everyone especially who wants to try new things. read it all, try it!


60 Super Simple More Magic Tricks (60 Super Simple)
Published in Paperback by Lowell House (1999)
Authors: Shawn McMaster and Leo Abbett
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EXTRAORDINARY MAGIC BOOK!
I just got this for my little cousin as a birthday present. He doesnt kno much about magic and by the next day he just was popping out with amazing magic tricks that i couldnt believe with my own eyes that he could learn them so fast. This books is very easy to understand with easy directions. And its a very nice magic starting place for anyone who wants to learn magic. i for one love magic. its mysterious and amazing and very very entertaining to watch people cheer up and be amazed by simple tricks. i highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to start out at magic. this is the one!


Africa and the Discovery of America
Published in Paperback by A & B Book Pub Dist (1992)
Author: Leo Wiener
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Could change your opinion on how you see Africans
The big argument in the biased academic community is about the Olmec enigma. People were shocked when they found heads in Central America that did not look like aztecs or Mayans,but pre dates their civilzation by many years. The head they found seem to resemble a African. People have seemed to critize people like Van sertima,but never seem to do any reserch about Africans themselves. Western academia knows that Columbus was not the first to America,but we keep getting feed the same dogmatic material. It seems in the academic world we are back to the world is flat argument when it comes to history. The academic just don't see any plausibility in Africans reaching America before the Europeans,even though Thor Heydral has made it clear with his experiments of Tirgris,Ra,and Konticki it does not take alot to sail to the new worlrd.
The king of a African empire called Mali was Abubakari,which was brothers to Mansa Musa. MUsa told a scholar in Cario about the plan of his brother to sail betond the Atlantic. Musa had enough skill and money to complete this mission. The question is however how far did Abu bakari make it to sea. People around Mopti Mali still construct vessels worthy of sea travel. They build and use these boats to transport salt up and down the Nigera river. The other thing which makes this possible in Brazil they have found markings which are very similar to the Made langue of Vai. The other clue that leads people to believe this is the winds which are around the Atlantic seem to lead right to Brazil. Accounts by Cristobal Columbo himself seem to describe a black race of people described to have traded with the Taino Natives of Hispanola as it was named by the spainish invading forces. Devaca also desrcibes maninka living around Texas area.
In the recent conquistidors this is explored by the narrator. He also read quotes from the conquestidors themselves.

So Abubakar equipped 200 ships filled with men and the same number equipped with gold, water, and provisions, enough to last them for years…they departed and a long time passed before anyone came back. Then one ship returned and we asked the captain what news they brought.

He said, 'Yes, Oh Sultan, we travelled for a long time until there appeared in the open sea a river with a powerful current…the other ships went on ahead, but when they reached that place, they did not return and no more was seen of them…As for me, I went about at once and did not enter the river.'

The Sultan got ready 2,000 ships, 1,000 for himself and the men whom he took with him, and 1,000 for water and provisions. He left me to deputise for him and embarked on the Atlantic Ocean with his men. That was the last we saw of him and all those who were with him.

And so, I became king in my own right."
Mansa Musa, talking to Syrian scholar Al-Umari.

I also recommend checking out the PBS documentary THe conquestidors,because it clarifies quite a bit also. In Brazil there exist a species of plantins called Musa X. What is the only explanatory reason that has the name it does. You makie the judgement,but I am convinced. Not bad for a skeptic of Afrocentrism


African Genesis: Folk Tales and Myths of Africa
Published in Paperback by Dover Pubns (1999)
Authors: Leo Frobenius and Douglas C. Fox
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An excellent introduction to African folk tales and myths.
Leo Frobenius and Douglas C. Fox's African Genesis covers the folk tales and myths of Africa, providing a range of simple stories and illustrating them with adaptations of prehistoric rock paintings and portraits of modern Africans. An excellent addition to any ethnic collection.


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