Make no mistake: Robbins knows his stuff, he's fair, correct, and surprisingly open-minded. However, this is a transcription of lectures, and the syntax is contorted. He interrupts the flow of every other sentence to insert some qualifier or oral footnote, and the effect can be maddening. This is too much to read for the depth of treatment you will actually get. If you do read it, you will get a pretty swell reading list, but the material is definitely weighted in favor of antiquarian literature and ancient disputes. I personally found it a pleasant read, because I like old books and economics, and I felt a certain affection for the grand old man, but unless you share these tastes, you're bound to be frustrated

This is a collection of lectures given at the LSE. So DON'T think it is a history. Nevertheless, it is a comprehensive journey from aristotle's economica thru the modern era. Good as a reference. Not bad as a read -- but be aware you are reading a transcribed lecture and adjust your expectations accordingly.

A well-organized and well-considered series of concise lectures are codified in this book. This is a substantial, but not overwhelming, chronology of the more influential contributors to economic history and thought.

The intended audience of this book is boys who admire prison convicts and aspire to put a prison experience on their own resumes. If you are such a person, yes, by all means do read this book.

But this is a good book even for those of us who are, at best, minimum-security material. The most impressive part, for me, was what Tookie has to say about loneliness, isolation, lack of privacy, lack of control over one's schedule, and the gradual disappearance of personal connections to people outside the big house.

The story was about life in prison.I enjoyed his book because he is trying to teach kids not to follow in his steps. [Sonia De Luna]

Life in Prison

In the book Life in Prison there is only one character. His name is Stanley Williams whose nickname is 'Tookie'. This character tells about his life in prison and educates people on how it is to be in prison for life. The author does a good job to express the words of Tookie. Tookie tries to send a message to all teenagers on how it is when you make bad decisions.

The story kept me interested throughout the entire book. The authors Stanley Williams and Barbara Cottman Becnel did a great job on keeping my interest by writing how it is to live in a cell with a certain amount of space. The other reason it kept me interested was because the story was written in very strong words that touched your heart.

My favorite part of this book was when they talked about rules that there are in prison. Of course they didn't mention all the rules, but they did mention a couple. For example they have some rules that I would of never thought they had. For example how long your fingernails can be or what size of television you can have. Another reason this story kept me interested was because they talked about hoe some people who spend day after day lose touch with reality which some of them become claustrophobic.

From this book I learned how it is to be in prison. I learned how important it is to stay out of there. Not only do some people suffer from the rules there, but some people get mentally challenged because they cant realize the fact that they are in there for life! I would certainly recommend this book to my friends. I think this would be a great book to read for entertainment as well as to learn a little bit more about life in prison.

This book reads like a good novel. It's informative, and easy to read. It gives a good feel about the "true system administrator" and the issues and goals he/she faces. Eventhough the book needs a newer edition, I'd quickly recommend it to anyone who needs a good book on internet security.

A timely and much needed update to the first edition, Fwais 2.0 is an excellent overview of the current landscape and psychology involving intranet, VPN and Internet host security while correctly addressing the positives and negatives of firewall / internet security and the techniques used by hackers.

The authors start with hacking and security needs analysis, progress thru strategies and techniques, and end with useful security formulas, hypotheses and real life examples. They draw upon their own experiences and observations about network security and host protection to give the reader a well-rounded view of the concepts of security as they apply today. The book is well written with simple examples and antecedents. They have taken great care to explain how hackers work and their methodology. The best thing about the book is that it does not go into great detail about unnecessary finite security specifics and shows what works best while adding value by allowing the reader the opportunity to think for themselves and address their own needs. They maintain the premise that: " Simple security is better than complex security: it is easier to understand, verify, and maintain."(Page 81) while covering the types of attacks not only by method, but also by class, ranging from the kiddie script up to the sophisticated tunneling and VPN methods.

FWAIS 2.0 is a comprehensive guide to the most common security problems while not wasting time on the insignificant. It includes a good set of general rules and the tool sets necessary to secure a network at any level. FAWAIS 2.0 covers current protocols and allows simple guidelines for flexibility in determining your own network needs. It describes the weaknesses in both hardware and software while addressing their relational aspects in easy to understand terms. Written with Freebsd in mind many of the techniques in this edition adapt well to other sources such as Linux, Os/X, Unix, NetBsd, and Solaris.

The entire premise of the book revolves around the concept that old style layered security is not as good as it may appear. And that internet security and firewalls are a holistic endeavor of system integration and design. The authors have taken care to show just how difficult it can be to keep up with large network topology and lend truth to the fact that;
"There is no such thing as absolute security." (Page 3)

The concepts found in this book cover subjects such as :

What firewalls can and cannot do, capabilities and weaknesses.
What filtering services work best.
What services and practices are overkill.
Why firewalls are necessary, the risks to servers and the servers relationship to proper firewall installation.
What the steps to hacking are and the methodology used to break into a host.
The why, what and where of limiting services and the tools to secure the appropriate functions.
Types of firewalls and best practices for implementing security while building and designing firewalls.
Why building your own firewalls may be your best solution.
Applying past experiences to your firewall design.
Intrusion detection systems and their role as a network tool in firewall construction.
Honey pot examples showing how the techniques have been used to thwart and frustrate potential adversaries.

This is not a how to book written with step-by-step specific fill in the blanks, connect the dots, detailed mechanical guidelines, it addresses the real needs of the administrator in relation to actual daily situations. As they state on page 213 "-we don't think the hard part of firewall administration is data entry, it is knowing what the appropriate policies are."

The second edition is well documented and includes plenty of good link references, appendices and bibliography resources to help any professional keep current with the ever-changing environment of network defense.

Any organization evaluating current security needs should find the second edition helpful for determining their security goals and a comprehensive guide to help design, implement and deploy firewalls. The second edition is a definite must for any security library, certification-training program or public/private classroom situation.

I recommend Firewalls and Internet Security as the best starting point for anyone who might be considering any changes in company security structure or earning their security certifications.

This is a fabulous book for someone that wants to learn the theories of internet security.

It's written by two people that developed the firewall as we know it today.

They share their stories of actual security breaches, and how the tracked and resolved the problem.

To get the most out of this book you should have an understanding of TCP/IP, UDP, and other internet protocols.

The book takes you through why you need security and developing a security policy. It gives you an overview of TCP/IP.

The book does a good job of teaching you about the different types of firewalls available from firewall gateways, to application gateways.

This is a must have book for all system administrators, not just security folks.

What was the cause of those murders? Why did it occur then, when the affair was going on for years? I have a suggested solution.

It happened a few days after the Halls came back from their New England vacation in the mountains. I think something happened there, where Mrs Hall had a narrow escape from a fatal accident while with the Reverend. She thought about it, and realized that if she had an accident, Reverend Ed would inherit her fortune, and be free to seek another rich wife. Eleanor would be dropped like yesterday's newspaper. Mrs Hall discussed this with her brothers, and they decided to confront the Reverend while he was with Eleanor, so he could not deny the affair, and would be forced to end it. The emotional interaction escalated beyond reason, and the deaths occurred. The best laid plans of mice and men still go astray.

The case was not solved so justice would triumph over the law. The Reverend Ed messed up his own marriage, and destroyed the Mills' marriage. Alive, he would break up another marriage. It was all for the best. When someone poor falls in love with a rich person, the poor person often comes to an unhappy ending. The rich have many resources to accomplish their ends. This is the moral of "Love Story", that love does not triumph over material facts. No matter how hard you wish it were different. Love conquers all? Forget about it!

This well-written book lacks an index, but lists the people involved. Part I tells about the events of 1922. After the murders no indictments occurred! Part II tells of the events in 1926. A divorce action against the former Hall's maid alleged a pay-off to keep quiet. The NY Daily Mirror publicized this, and NJ Governor Moore ordered a new investigation. Four indictments followed. Part III tells of the five weeks of trial; all were found not guilty. The murders were never solved. In Part IV Kunstler fantasizes about it being a Klan killing. No proof is given, he only argues by analogy. No group of men were seen there. I wonder if this is part of a whitewash? There is no mention of public opinion from these times.

The Reverend Hall married Frances Stevens, 37 years old, a few years before she inherited millions (with her brothers). Around this time Mrs. Eleanor Mills became active in church affairs. Married at 17, perhaps to escape an unhappy home life, she soon had two children. She sought the mirage of happiness in closeness to her minister. But this minister married for money; love was a secondary concern. Their meetings were not secret from their close associates.

On Thursday September 14, 1922 Mrs. Mills read an article justifying divorce for a minister. She cut it out and called Reverend Hall for a meeting; he soon left to meet her. Mrs. Mills boarded a trolley then walked to De Russey's Lane. Reverend Hall left his house by 7:30PM and was seen walking to this location. They were never seen alive again. Saturday morning 9-16-1922 a young couple went for a walk down De Russey's Lane and turned into a grassy path. They found two bodies near a crabapple tree, then ran to Easton Ave to call the police. The missing couple was found.

Four people who lived nearby heard shots or screams around midnight Thursday (p.31). The affair between the minister and the choir singer became public knowledge. Next month they learned of the testimony of the "Pig Woman". While riding a mule to follow a suspected thief, she saw two men and two women arguing near a crabapple tree. There was a shot, and someone fell to the ground. She heard a woman scream, then more shots (p.70). She had tried to tell her story earlier, but was put off (p.72). Detectives accompanied her reconstruction; it checked out.

I believe that Frances, Henry, and Willie went looking for the missing minister, and found them together. Frances asked Edward to kneel and promise to sin no more. Willie, covering him with his pistol, touched it off. They then chose to finish the job (p.29). Future events would tell of witnesses paid to vanish or forget. Who was paid to kill the investigation in 1922? [If they were to find the missing gold watch buried in the Hall's garden we would know the truth.]

Of the two books and numerous articles I have read on the Hall-Mills case, Kunstler's is the most excitingly written, even though it leaves one not wholly satisfied. Boswell and Thompson's trashily titled volume The Girl in Lover's Lane, (Gold Medal paperback original; Fawcett Books: Greenwich, CT: September 1953 [no title on spine]) seems fairer and is more tempered but is also less thoughtful and analytical. Kunstler's solution is dramatically wrong because he writes The Minister and the Choir Singer like a whodunit: the guilty must be among the dramatis personae. To bring in an outside third party, as Kunstler does (and as many Perry Mason mysteries do, by arranging for the Drake Detective Agency to find facts no reader could extrapolate), violates one's sense of literary fairness. Of course, life is not obliged to follow the laws of literary form.

Curiously, in his earlier Oceana Publications book (New York: 1960) First Degree, Kunstler hints strongly at the guilt of Jim Mills. And Boswell and Thompson, on page 24 of The Girl in Lover's Lane, casually dismiss the answer for which Kunstler earnestly argues. They also hint that the vestryman Ralph Gorsline knew more than he told; unfortunately, Gorsline had died by the time they assembled their story. Barring an unlikely disclosure--e. g., a word from one of the Mills descendants, a diary by the murderer, or a contemporary report that contains fresh data, the Hall-Mills case will probably always be unsettling and unresolved, so it seems unlikely that any solution could be more convincing than Kunstler's, however disappointing it may be.

This is the best roleplaying campaign ever!! I started reading Dragonlance about a year age, and When I found out it was also a roleplaying series, I was excited. But then I learned it was long out of print. This book comes at just the right time, since I plan on starting a small group focused on DL. It covers enough of the original series to be more than accurate with the novels, and also has enough new material to allow for any number of of the wall adventures. This definitely gets a five star in my book. Thanks a lot Steve Miller, Stan! and TSR!

While it's probably more appealing to SAGA Partisans such as myself than to hardcore D&D fans, this deluxe adventure belongs on every DRAGONLANCE lover's bookshelf as a comprehensive guide to the locations and characters of the War of the Lance, as well as one of the best tellings of that era I've yet seen.

I've seen it compared with the original adventures, of which I own about half. In my view, this rewriting lacks some of the encounters and elements of the original, but makes up for that with stronger characters and plotting, tighter continuity, and a greater sense of scope and freedom.

_DRAGONLANCE Classics, 15th Anniversary Edition_ has become my fundamental reference of the last years of the Age of Despair, and I recommend that everyone with an interest in DRAGONLANCE or in epic fantasy campaigning take a look at it.

I own the original adventure series and have played them several times, but this book still gave me tons of new possibilities to explore!My favorite things Steve Miller and Stan! did were the way they interwove subplots throughout--like the way they used Kitiara and her henchmen, for example--the suggestions for using dragons in a DL campaign, and the way they staged the climax in Neraka. It was much better than both in the original adventure series AND the novel! I also liked the way newer book characters like Ariakan and Dalamar have been placed into the storyline. It's also great to finally get maps and adventure material for Kalaman and Port Balifor!The art was also some of the best that has graced the pages of Dragonlance, ever. I don't think the Companions have looked this good since Larry Elmore drew them way back in "Dragons of Mystery." My favorite illos are the one of Tanis on p.13, Tas on p.17, the one of Sturm on p.18, and the ones of Laurana on ps. 23 and p. 208. I also love the picture of Alhana on her griffon on page 153. I hope Daniel Cramer is going to be doing more Dragonlance art.Another very cool aspect of the book is how the writers managed to write it so it works for two game systems, yet still did it in such a fashion that non-gamers can read the book and enjoy it. (Like my roommate is doing.)If there's any complaint, it that some of the maps are a bit hard to read. I would have liked a bit more definition on some of the terrain maps. There are times when it's a bit difficult to tell a lake from a plain, or the ocean from land.Still, this is definately a Five Star effort!

This book is one in Zondervan's Counterpoints Series, which presents the view of various (mostly) Evangelical writers on theological subjects. This book is sorely needed because Evangelical apologists have had a history of writing critically and polemically of one another (one thinks of the Clark/Van Til debate), with the result of the layman having a difficult time deciding among the various positions.

The problem with this book is either that the writers are too timid or are more irenic than their label would indicate. There are three authors who present variations on the traditional approach: the classical method (Craig), the evidential method (Habermas), and the cumulative case method (Feinberg). These approaches are quite similar, although some differences do arise. When the reader gets to John Frame's presuppositional method, he expects to get a starkly different approach. After all, Van Til was notorious for attacking "traditional" apologetics as "Roman Catholic" or "Arminian." Well, Frame tells us that he agrees with most of what Craig writes. The final writer, Kelly James Clark (who represents the "Reformed epistemological method"), says the same thing.

Perhaps the editor could have selected a follower of Gordon Clark (a rationalist who denied the proofs of God's existence) or a fideist to present a contrasting apologetic method.

Few books have seriously tackled apologetic method, or how Christianity should be defended rationally. The last book I know of that surveyed options in this regard was Gordon Lewis, "Testing Christianity's Truth Claims" (Moody Press, 1976; republished by University Press of America).

This book presents five different approaches, each represented by one of its exponents: Classical Apologetics (William Lane Craig), Evidentialism (Gary Habermas), Culumulative Case Method (Paul Feinberg), Presuppositionalism (John Frame), and Reformed Epistemology (Kelly James Clark).

Much ground is covered concerning the Bible's approach to apologetics, where apologetic arguments should begin, how certain arguments for Christianity are, and so on. I will simply make a few comments.

The presentations by Craig and Habermas are the most worthwhile because they are the most intellectual rigorous and well-documented. They also tend to agree with each on most things and reinforce each others views. While I tend to favor a cumulative case method (influenced by E.J. Carnell and Francis Schaeffer, but with more appreciation for natural theology), Feinberg's comments are the weakest by far. He never mentions the leading exponent of this view in our generation (Carnell) nor Carnell's apt and well-published student (and my esteemed colleague), Dr. Gordon Lewis. Not one word about either one! His comments are brief, his documentation is thin, and he fails to advance anything very creative or helpful, I'm afraid. A better person should have been chosen, such as Gordon Lewis. Frame gives his "kinder, gentler" version of Cornelius Van Til, which still suffers from the same kinds of problems--most notably the fallacy of begging the question in favor of Christianity. Nevertheless, the notion of a "transcendental argument" for theism is a good one, but it should not carry all the weight of apologetics. Clark's material is philosophically well-informed (one would expect this of a student of Alvin Plantinga!), but apologetically timid. Clark almost sounds like a skeptic at times.

A few bones more bones to pick. The editor refers to Francis Schaeffer as a presuppositionalist. This is false; he was a verificationist with more in common with Carnell than with Van Til. Gordon Lewis's fine essay on Schaeffer's apologetic method in "Reflections on Francis Schaeffer" makes this very clear. None of the writers address the great apologetic resources found in Blaise Pascal. I also found at least two grammatical errors.

Nevertheless, as a professor of philosophy at a theological seminary who teaches apologetics, I found this volume very helpful and useful. But let's not get so involved in methodological concerns that we fail to go out in the world and defend our Christian faith as objectively true, existentially vital, and rationally compelling (Jude 3)!

Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Philosophy Denver Seminary

I got my copy from Amazon a few weeks ago and the day I received it I could not put it down. This is a wonderful text. The book covers five various apologetic methods from five well known scholars who promulgate and defend each of their own views. Moreover, once each of these five scholars have written why they use a particular method, the other four have an opportunity to respond. The responses are by far the best part of the book. However, the actual essays that cover the five methods give the reader a better grasp on that particular method. This book is helpful in several ways. First, it provides the reader a fairly exhaustive treatment of each of the various apologetic methods. Second, it allows the reader to actually see what proponents of the each of the various methods are saying about each of the other methods. Third, it includes some of the best, if not the best, scholars in each of the various methodologies covered. The contributors include, William Lane Craig (Classical Method), Gary R. Habermas (Evidential Method), Kelly James Clark (Reformed Epistemological Method), Paul D. Feinberg (Cumulative Method), and John M. Frame (Presuppositional Method). The only downside to the book that I can see is the idea that some may think that their particular method was not accurately covered by the scholar at hand. In other words, the Presuppositionalists may wonder why John Frame was used instead of someone else, etc. However, I believe that each method was given a fair assessment and the initial essays with the responses will make the book a wonderful reference for many years to come.

An excellent book written by William Steven Prince. The book is centered around Mr. Princes Uncle, Percy Stevens and the Troopship Tuscania. The book ends with the Goldstar Mothers pilgrimage to war graves in 1930. I recommend this book for anyone who had family aboard the Tuscania.

Crusade & Pilgrimage is a historically acurate account of the World War I troopship Tuscania which was torpedoed and sunk in the North Channel between Ireland and Scotland. The book is centered around Percy Stevens, a soldier in the 20th Engineers. Percy, perished the night the Tuscania went down. Crusade and Pilgrimage also touches base with the Gold Star Mothers pilgrimage to war cemeterys in Europe in 1930. I highly recommend this book for anyone who had family aboard the Tuscania. The many photos in this book helps illistrate the events as you progress through the book. Book was written by Percy Stevens nephew, William Steven Prince in 1986.

"New England" by Vermont chef Molly Stevens is part of a series of six American regional cookbooks published by Williams-Sonoma. (Others are "Pacific Northwest," "California," "The Southwest," "The Heartland," and "The South." Beautiful color photos of the prepared dishes accompany most recipes. What I like most about this cookbook is the emphasis on classic New England cooking: New England Boiled Dinner; Red Flannel Hash; Yankee Pot Roast; Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onion; Lobster Rolls; Steamer Clams with Broth and Drawn Butter; New England Clam Chowder; Baked Beans with Molasses; Blackberry Slump; and Gooseberry Fool.

Chef Stevens updates the traditional Harvard Beets recipe and offers her take on others such as Salt Cod and Potato Cakes (offered with tomato salsa as a starter); and Roast Cod Fillets with Horseradish Dill Sauce (based on a Kennedy family favorite dish). Also, I like these: Shaker Herb Salad and Seafood Grill with Nasturtium Butter.

Nutritional analysis is given, per serving, and there is a food glossary. Some ingredients may be hard-to-find outside of New England though, and no mail-order sources are given. I would also have liked some menus included. However, this cookbook has recipes for year round, and I recommend it for its authenticity and appeal.

Williams Sonoma is perhaps my favorite food store, and I was pleased to see that they came out with a series of books based on the United States regions' cooking and food. I was very interested in the New England book because of that region's specialties. The book looks great and has some very good recepies as well. I was interested in Molly Stevens's treatment of the fishing industry (particularly with codfish), and she does a good (albeit not deep) overview. For those interested in a deeper examination of codfish I recommend Mark Kurlansky's Cod. But I recommend this book for anyone interested in being introduced to the region's food.

Not mind-blowing, and the scenarios at the back seemed thrown together in a bit of a rush, but the core of the book worked well and was useful to me as a GM. The background history, geography and political scene were good, easy to use and had plenty of fun game hooks in them. The individual islands and their inhabitants were well-described and colorful. I have used Aegis as a base for my players and was delighted to be able to flesh it out better with this source book. This and 'Planet of Darkness' make a nice pair of opposites (in terms of contents, not quality).

The System Guide to Aegis was a very informative book on the governments and powers that run the system and a few adventure hooks too. All in all a rather good book to add to your shelf of alternity books, it provides much information about bluefall (the system's water dominated planet) and the deepfallen (bluefall's sentient race). If you have the cash, then get the book. The only thing i didnt like was the art, but the info was great.

"Habits of the Heart" is the authors' attempt to conduct a sociological study of "middle-class" American ideals and values. The book was somewhat revolutionary when first published (the early 1980s), primarily for exposing the pervasive individualism (and resulting alienation and isolation) in modern American life. The authors show how the classic myth of the rugged American individualist has been compounded by the modern pscyhotherapeutic culture, and simultaneously stripped of the more communitarian aspects of civic republicanism and biblical religion that provided an historical counter-balance. The result is the now-common (but poorly understood) view that one is totally autonomous, entering and conducting all social relations on the basis of pure self-interest - a view that is doing a great deal of damage to families and to the American social fabric as a whole.

The book, however, has a number of flaws. For a study based upon interviews with hundreds of individuals, the authors fail to support their assertions with either statistical data or detailed case studies (except for the first chapter, which is the most interesting part of the book). Instead, the text is a steady stream of broad generalizations, occasionally sprinkled with carefully-selected examples, and the authors' historical analysis. And, unfortunately, their analysis clearly reflects their positions in establishment-liberal academia. They reject (especially in the new Introduction) the logical suggestion that the rejection of traditional religion and morality is largely to blame for rampant individualism and social break-down. Instead, embracing an economic determinism worthy of Marx himself, they suggest that free-market capitalism and the decline of labor unions are to blame. Similarly, they call for greater communitarianism, and note that modern "therapeutic" worldviews provide no sound basis for such communitarianism. However, the authors are unwilling to embrace a sound basis for it, either, repeatedly pointing to the civic-minded and caring values of "biblical religion" (a.k.a. Christianity), but then declaring that a return to traditional religion is no longer a viable option. In short, the authors of this important work betray the same relativism and postmodernism that is behind the very individualism they decry.

HABITS OF THE HEART is a tour de force whose insights into America are as relevant today as they were nearly twenty years ago when the book was published. It was hailed at that time as an instant classic of sociology, and compared to such influential works as MIDDLETOWN and THE LONELY CROWD. If anything, its insights are even more pertinent now. It endures because it wrestles with America's eternal contradictions. Given the persistence of these contradictions and their cynical exploitation by those in power over the past two decades, it remains as fresh and compelling as the day it was published.

The subtitle "Individualism and Commitment in American Life" is the main trope guiding the book, a bipolar perspective that neatly describes the American inability to reconcile the "utilitarian individualism" of Hobbes' "war of all against all" as exemplified in the liberal economic philosophy that grew up with America, with the "expressive individualism" of Whitman and Emerson which developed as a reaction to (in Henry James'' words), the "grope of wealth." The final chapter which elucidates "Six American Visions of the Public Good" describing them as three pairs of conflicting visions: "The Establishment versus Populism," "Neocapitalism versus Welfare Liberalism" and "The Administered Society versus Economic Democracy." But because they are dualistic does not mean they are exclusive categories. As Bellah and his fellow authors describe it, these competing visions often hold as many similarities as differences.

Specifically, from the latter 19th century until the depression both The Establishment and Populists recognized there was and needed to be a moral component in American public life. The Establishment side was represented Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth," while on the Populist side were economic socialists such as Eugene Debs. The mores of the that time, de Toqueville's "habits of the heart," were still moralistic, still partaking of the ideal of the legacy of Jefferson's freeholding citizen even capitalism shook America off its foundations.

Of the next pair, Neocapitalism (which rose to its greatest heights in the form of Ronald Reagan) and Welfare Liberalism (exemplified by FDR), while they have different means look to the same ends according the authors. The first seeks to empower citizens through the "war of all against all" and keep the country competitive by unraveling the safety net. Slackers and failures must not be encouraged to take advantage of the winners because it is morally debilitating for society as a whole. Welfare Liberalism on the other hand believes that the net should be stronger because it has less confidence in the Market God believes in better chances and social justice, but still views Americans as individuals who must be encouraged in the Hobbesian war.

Of the last two visions, Felix Rohatyn, is the poster boy for the Administered Society -- a continuation of the Progressive ideal of scientific "mastery" a la Lippman, while Michael Harrington represents Economic Democracy. As compared to Rohaytn, who endorses a "partnership" of elites who work to adjust and balance the multiplicitous machine of political, economic and social interests, Harrington would spread out the decision making to at least nominally include the people. Harrington admits this would require a massive reorientation of consciousness -- an unlikely event in the view of the authors. But ultimately the authors say both sides endorse a similar kind of governance by expert, without moral content. The authors saw this last pair dimly stirring when they wrote this book in the mid-80s. Their prediction is perhaps half true as we have also witnessed the covert reassertion of NeoCapitalism in the last three administrations, if especially the current administration.

Along the way they also trace the politically neutralizing penetration of the individualistic "therapeutic mode" into religious life, the loss of "communities of memory" based on shared values, along with the "second language" of religious and republican virtue. All have which have acted to depoliticize American culture. Where once there was a language of sin and redemption, there is now only the therapeutic language of the self, a radical self which is encouraged by the therapeutic mode to consider one's self and one's happiness as paramount and thus mirrors and supports the ideology of the free market. We richly deserve the oxymoronic label of "private citizen."

This dualistic strategy is supplemented by the touchstone use of Alexis de Toqueville's political and sociological insights to show how the seeds of much of American life today were sown early on. A fairly effective narrative trope, it serves their often stated goal of showing that it is through our shared history, our communities of memory, that we may see how others confronted the shifting landscapes of political economy, that we may today find a way to stop or at least hold at bay, in the words of Habermas, the "invasion of the lifeworld by systems logic." They maintain that such a course cannot be found through nostalgia for older institutions that once stood athwart the Mega-State. Many of those institutions, such as traditional churches, were paternalistic and discriminatory. Still social movements such as abolitionism grew out of them and were sustained by them. To recognize how the message of freedom forged by the founding generation has been reforged into a double-edged sword to enforce radical individualism, and destroy religious and republican morality and virtue. Government by a managerial elite, a kind of "democratic despotism" which de Toqueville saw as a potential of individualistic American mores has arrived.

As an example of the earlier language of America, they cite as an example Martin Luther King deployment of the language of the Bible and republican virtue in his "I Have A Dream" speech. His ringing biblical cadences, his use of "My Country 'Tis of Thee," and the words of the old Negro spiritual: "free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last," evoked our foundational civic and religious language. Bellah, like King, helps us remember and recapture the earlier language of America.

HABITS OF THE HEART is a tour de force whose insights into America are as relevant today as they were nearly twenty years ago when the book was published. It was hailed at that time as an instant classic of sociology, and compared to such influential works as MIDDLETOWN and THE LONELY CROWD. If anything, its insights are even more pertinent now.

The subtitle "Individualism and Commitment in American Life" is the main trope guiding the book, a bipolar perspective that neatly describes the American inability to reconcile the "utilitarian individualism" of Hobbes' "war of all against all" as exemplified in the liberal economic philosophy that grew up with America, with the "expressive individualism" of Whitman and Emerson which developed as a reaction to (in Henry James'' words), the "grope of wealth." The final chapter which elucidates "Six American Visions of the Public Good" describing them as three pairs of conflicting visions: "The Establishment versus Populism," "Neocapitalism versus Welfare Liberalism" and "The Administered Society versus Economic Democracy" is the best example of this dualist view of America, but as Bellah and his fellow authors describe it, these competing visions often hold as many similarities as differences.

Specifically, from the latter 19th century until the depression both The Establishment and Populists recognized there was and needed to be a moral component in American public life. The Establishment side was represented Andrew Carnegie's "Gospel of Wealth," while on the Populist side were economic socialists such as Eugene Debs. The mores of the that time, de Toqueville's "habits of the heart," were still moralistic, still partaking of the ideal of the legacy of Jefferson's freeholding citizen even capitalism shook America off its foundations.

Of the next pair, Neocapitalism (which rose to its greatest heights in the form of Ronald Reagan) and Welfare Liberalism (exemplified by FDR), while they have different means look to the same ends according the authors. The first seeks to empower citizens through the "war of all against all" and keep the country competitive by unraveling the safety net. Slackers and failures must not be encouraged to take advantage of the winners because it is morally debilitating for society as a whole. Welfare Liberalism on the other hand believes that the net should be stronger because it has less confidence in the Market God believes in better chances and social justice, but still views Americans as individuals who must be encouraged in the Hobbesian war.

Of the last two visions, Felix Rohatyn, is the poster boy for the Administered Society -- a continuation of the Progressive ideal of scientific "mastery" a la Lippman, while Michael Harrington represents Economic Democracy. As compared to Rohaytn, who endorses a "partnership" of elites who work to adjust and balance the multiplicitous machine of political, economic and social interests, Harrington would spread out the decision making to at least nominally include the people. Harrington admits this would require a massive reorientation of consciousness -- an unlikely event in the view of the authors. But ultimately the authors say both sides endorse a similar kind of governance by expert, without moral content. The authors saw this last pair dimly stirring when they wrote this book in the mid-80s. Their prediction is perhaps half true as we have also witnessed the covert reassertion of NeoCapitalism in the last three administrations, if especially the current administration.

This dualistic strategy is supplemented by the touchstone use of Alexis de Toqueville's political and sociological insights to show how the seeds of much of American life today were sown early on. A fairly effective narrative trope, it serves their often stated goal of showing that it is through our shared history, our communities of memory, that we may see how others confronted the shifting landscapes of political economy, that we may today find a way to stop or at least hold at bay, in the words of Habermas, the "invasion of the lifeworld by systems logic." They maintain that such a course cannot be found through nostalgia for older institutions that once stood athwart the Mega-State. Many of those institutions, such as traditional churches, were paternalistic and discriminatory. Still social movements such as abolitionism grew out of them and were sustained by them. To recognize how the message of freedom forged by the founding generation has been reforged into a double-edged sword to enforce radical individualism, and destroy religious and republican morality and virtue. Government by a managerial elite, a kind of "democratic despotism" which de Toqueville saw as a potential of individualistic American mores has arrived.

As an example of the earlier language of America, they cite as an example Martin Luther King deployment of the language of the Bible and republican virtue in his "I Have A Dream" speech. His ringing biblical cadences, his use of "My Country 'Tis of Thee," and the words of the old Negro spiritual: "free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I'm free at last," evoked our foundational civic and religious language. Bellah, like King, helps us remember and recapture the earlier language of America.

Along the way they also trace the politically neutralizing penetration of the individualistic "therapeutic mode" into religious life, the loss of "communities of memory" based on shared values, along with the "second language" of religious and republican virtue. All have which have acted to depoliticize American culture. Where once there was a language of sin and redemption, there is now only the therapeutic language of the self, a radical self which is encouraged by the therapeutic mode to consider one's self and one's happiness as paramount and thus mirrors and supports the ideology of the free market. We richly deserve the oxymoronic label of "private citizen."