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Marriage, when it's right (and usually when it's wrong), is a subject that stirs strong feelings. Gay marriage inspires its own set of passions, with opponents decrying it as a step that will undermine the very fabric of society while supporters posit it as an inevitable next stage in step-by-step acceptance of homosexuality by mainstream America. Appearing as the issue heats ups following President George W. Bush's call for a constitutional amendment that would block the gathering tide of gay nuptials, this polemic by Atlantic Monthly/National Journal writer Jonathan Rauch deftly walks a fine line, both personalizing the subject (Rauch is a gay man with a longtime lover and a lifelong wistful attitude about marriage) and addressing it with an intellectual poise informed by historical and philosophical perspectives. Rauch actually supports the steady-as-she-goes, state-by-state advancement of gay marriage, believing that "same sex marriage will work best when people accept and understand it, whereas a sudden national enactment, where it suddenly to happen, might spark a culture war on the order of the abortion battle." Might? It says a lot about Rauch's temperance that he doesn't forecast an inevitably fractious future for the nation while it sorts through the implications of gay weddings. There are more impassioned perspectives on the issue, but Rauch's positive approach advances the issue with a welcome coolheadedness that actually suits the controversy. This is, after all, a fight over the right of traditional outsiders to engage in an inherently conservative institution. --Steven Stolder
Book Description
A leading Washington journalist argues that gay marriage is the best way to preserve and protect society's most essential institution Two people meet and fall in love. They get married, they become upstanding members of their community, they care for each other when one falls ill, they grow old together. What's wrong with this picture? Nothing, says Jonathan Rauch, and that's the point. If the two people are of the same sex, why should this chain of events be any less desirable? Marriage is more than a bond between individuals; it also links them to the community at large. Excluding some people from the prospect of marriage not only is harmful to them, but is also corrosive of the institution itself.The controversy over gay marriage has reached a critical point in American political life as liberals and conservatives have begun to mobilize around this issue, pro and con. But no one has come forward with a compelling, comprehensive, and readable case for gay marriage-until now.Jonathan Rauch, one of our most original and incisive social commentators, has written a clear and honest manifesto explaining why gay marriage is important-even crucial-to the health of marriage in America today. Rauch grounds his argument in commonsense, mainstream values and confronting the social conservatives on their own turf. Gay marriage, he shows, is a "win-win-win" for strengthening the bonds that tie us together and for remaining true to our national heritage of fairness and humaneness toward all.
Customer Reviews:
A Good Book about All Marriage (and a good wedding present).......2007-09-27
A friend of mine (straight) was given this by a marriage counseler, and he passed it along to me with a comment that it could help a lot of troubled marriages. It is as much a dissertaion on marriage as an argument for gay marriage. It certainly points out, in ways that would be hard to refute, the intellectual dishonesty in arguments against marriage equality. He addresses all of the arguments against marriage equality and lays out a rather simple and compelling argument for it. Anyone who cares enough to debate the issue would do well to read this first. Rauch is a good writer and very smart. You can breeze through this unlike a lot of social commentary, due to his simple and clear writing style. For its genre, it's exceptionally well written, and after reading it, I think the final word in the debate.
a must read for every thinking American.............2007-01-04
Well written with historical facts of society and human dignity. Every one who thinks he/she is a free thinking, authentic human being believing in the constitution of this country needs to read, meaditate and take some social action with the powers that be. We are all one in God...created equal...this write encourages one to be their authentic self when it comes to living in a democracy as a human being with the ability to think. Compassinate and touches the core of the controversy between the so called gays and straights. Let's learn to be human beings and live peacefully with one another.
Enlightening and thought provoking.......2006-03-05
Having read two excellent books, A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom and Public Vows : A History of Marriage and the Nation by Nancy F. Cott I was interested in why anyone gay/lesbian or heterosexual would want anyone to be 'married'.
Fact is contrary to what anyone suggests, what people want is legal protection so that they can visit each other in the hospital, have inheritance rights like conventionally married folks have, as well as all the rights and privileges that heterosexuals who 'marry' have.
Human and society evolve and its my view that we need to look at 'marriage' as separate from legal protection in the form of legal unions. One need not be 'married' with a piece of paper to have a common law marriage, so why not allow the same benefits to those who are not heterosexual? Heck why not have common law marriage be as accepted as someone who has a piece of paper noting time and date that they joined with someone else to become a 'legal' couple?
What did catch my eye when reading this book is where on page 112 the author notes when dealing with heterosexuals that most who marry want and will have children. Then he write 'But the point here is fundamental. There are at least as many sterile heterosexual couples in America as homosexual ones, and every one of them is allowed to marry. If the possibility of procreation is what gives meaning to a marriage, then a post menopausal woman who applies for a marriage license should be turned away at the courthouse door'. What he doesn't seem to note which I think is important is that in Christian beliefs there is a Biblical belief that if a woman in the Bible could conceive in old age that anything is possible and so the woman would be allowed to marry. Remembering that marriage law is deeply rooted in Judea-Christian beliefs.
Then there is the fact that even in recent years in a southwest state a couple was denied a Catholic wedding because the Priest deemed the disable partner as unable to have sex and thus unable to procreate. Now I know this is splitting hairs, because one need not marry in a church but need only marry at city hall to be 'legally' married.
But its a great book nonetheless because the author challenges the reader to think outside the box which to many anti-gay marriage/union folks don't like doing. I simply would like to challenge the author and others to think even more outside the box, by getting outside the box.
As a widow who was legally married to a great man for thirty seven years, I think of all the times when asked if I was married or he was asked how the word 'married' reeked of ownership, whereas we felt we were a legal partnership in which we both wanted to be for better or for worse. Its the same reason we never had wedding rings since the idea reeked of being branded and neither one of us wanted to have a brand, since we trusted each other not to make a mess of what we had.
And with the advent of no fault divorce and prenuptial agreements I cant see where any sane person can have some romantic idea that Americans marry for love since at least half bail or only marry if there are stipulations. So we are already so close to legal partnerships that I think we need to cut the BS and be honest enough to see marriage for what it really is for (in my opinion) most Americans.
Its an excuse to spend thousands of dollars for a dog and pony show where the attendees bring gifts that an overly materialistic couple don't need, over priced cakes and food, honeymoons that start the marriage off in debt, and a whole business genre that brings in billions of dollars on what is basically a show.
Then the couple who has this marriage license lives in a dream world, has kids they often cannot afford or even want, only to struggle for five, ten years and then split because its finally dawned on them that their views on what marriage was is far different than what it is.
So allow for legal partnerships that prenups and no fault divorce already have in place and lets get real about what is best for people and society. Heck how many people marry because they think that two incomes will get them further than being single? Or how many people marry because they want and expect reliable sex?
Again the book is well worth the read and is a book I think more people should read.
Equality, or Mutual Caring?.......2005-08-02
Rauch is a leading author and contributor to numerous magazines, including the prestigious "National Journal." He is often identified as a "libertarian" and less often as a "conservative." I consider Rauch to be one of the leading writers, gay or straight, in America today.
This book is an appeal primarily to heterosexual conservatives to accept gay marriage, because it will tame gay promiscuity in favor of long-term relationships that benefit not only gays, but society as a whole, giving gays stable and safe environments. I did not find the case compelling.
Why do people marry? The usual reasons are: (1) procreation, (2) mutual care, (3) love, and (4) benefits, although not always in this order. Rauch's argument centers on (2). Yet, obviously, each of these things, except (4), can be done without the benefit of marriage, so except for (4), these are NOT the reasons people marry.
People marry because of (4) and (4) primarily. Only from the ontology of (3) will come (1), (2), and (4) derivatively. This is the only logical reason people marry. I wish Rauch had made this argument, but he focuses instead on (2).
As far as I am concerned, the case for gays marrying is simply a matter of justice, fairness, and equality under the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution. That's the long and short of it. All other considerations are ancillary. All but (4) are available to gays already; so all they want is (4) the benefits that attend to legalized marriage.
Maybe this book will appeal to its target audience (conservative heterosexuals), but I thought it missed its mark.
(...).......2005-06-13
(...) Gay people should have rights too. You can't enforce a ban that takes away someone's rights.
You mention traditions as if they're really reliable... Traditions are meant to be broken. Interracial marriage's not traditional, and it's allowed today, because it's right. Two people who love each other should not have their rights denied. It's just that. We live in America, the land of the FREE. If you can't accept another person's rights, maybe it's not the right place for you to live.
You don't speak for everyone; just because gay marriage isn't allowed yet doesn't mean it's not in people's interest. Some people don't care. Why would you try to prevent something that seems so right? Two consensual adults? Were it a kid and an adult, it'd be a totally different issue. Oh, by the way, it's been a tradition to marry young teenagers back whenever... Again traditions don't hold up; they're not always right
The minorities are important too, and frankly you can't ignore them; issues involving them will always come up whether you like it or not.
Marrying gay people is another way to solidify what our country stands for. People have different religions; you can't force YOUR religion on everyone. That's just hypocritical of what our country stands for. Through marriage, gay people's rights will be expanded: tax reduction, legal protection, visitation rights, inheritances, etc. Gay people are denied that, denied acceptance. How is it that they pay tax and not get their voices heard?
It's time for change, and changes are sometimes righteous.
Book Description
With the advent of the Internet, servicemembers are writing more than ever. But are they writing effectively and persuasively? Many are not. This revised, updated edition provides the basics of correct and effective military communication, with emphasis on substance, organization of content, and style, along with editing techniques and military and civilian formats. A concise, easy-to-use guide to efficient communication teaches every writer what he or she should know about the English language.
Book Description
This eye-catching volume combines vivid first-hand accounts of pivotal events in history with authoritative commentary. Revealing startling links among events and people separated by centuries and continents, the epic struggles and bombastic personalities have been carefully chosen for their power to challenge some of the fiercest debates of our present day.
Readers encounter William the Silent, a Dutch monarch whose assassination may have triggered the 1588 launch of the Spanish Armada and led Queen Elizabeth I to create the first known attempt at gun control. Another chapter introduces Rabban Sauma, a thirteenth-century Christian monk sent by Kublai Khan to seek a Christian-Mongol alliance against Muslims. There is also the remarkable story of twelve anti-slavery activists who fought the prevailing business and political establishment of their day to outlaw slavery in England, using tactics that have become tools of the trade for every grassroots movement that has followed.
Filled with fascinating sidebars, narratives, maps, illustrations, and concise biographies, this new volume gathers up the rich details that Western history left on the cutting room floor and turns them into stories that shed light on both vanquished and victor over the ages. With its fresh, design and accessible format, History's Great Untold Stories will be welcomed by the legions of readers who are eager to uncover "history's mysteries" and explore lesser known, non-Western views of world events.
Customer Reviews:
Contains some amazing and little-known pieces of important history.......2007-09-30
Regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum, this book contains some amazing and little-known pieces of important history that ANY young man or woman should read.
One excellent example is the story of the Shimabara Rebellion in southern Japan in the 17th century. As a born-again Christian, I had no idea, even with a degree in history, that this event had ever taken place, or that it in fact was the cause of Japan's extreme isolationism prior to the late 19th century.
Another example is the story of Vitus Bering, the Danish naval hero who led Peter the Great of Russia's expedition across the northern Pacific to find a route to America via Alaska.
Yet another is the quest by Nazi's in Tibet to discover the origins of the so-called "Aryan" race.
As a paleo conservative, one who is anti-Communist and anti-left-wing, I would not recommend the "revisionist-history" elements of this book such as those mentioned by the reviewer who gave this book 2-stars. That being said, there are many valuable historical puzzle pieces in this book that otherwise might go unnoticed by a public already dummed-down by federal educational systems that have been run for years by both so-called "conservative" and "liberal" presidents and administrations.
Not a factual history.......2007-09-04
Regretably, this volume falls into the "revisionist history" category. It is also highly politicized (as in "politically correct" and anti-American). It is also a book apparently intended to influence children.
The author's ignorance and political bias are on display all throughout the book in large and small ways. For example, in a chapter on "the death of Mexican counterculture (read anarchists and Communists), Cummins writes " . . . a U.S. B-52 Stratofortress bomber crashed in Greenland, discharging four nuclear bombs that, through a miracle, did not go off."
Cummins, of course, doesn't mention why that B-52 was on patrol. It was there to keep the Soviet Union and aggressive, militaristic Communism in check.(Several Communist-led wars of "national liberation" which ultimately resulted in the deaths of millions were currently being waged.) There was no "miracle" in the failure of the nuclear weapons to detonate: both the United States and the Soviet Union went to great lengths to insure that nuclear weapons could not detonate accidently. Both the Soviet Union and the United States also took extraordinary measures to recover accidentally lost nuclear weapons from aircraft and submarine accidents. But Cummins chooses to paint the United States as an evil, aggressor at every opportunity, no matter how inappropriate and untrue his assertions may be.
Cummins writes of the Communst insurgency in Malaya, the British effort to suppress it and ends, again, by damning the United States in Vietnam, which was a very different conflict. (The Malayans did not have direct military and economic support from two nuclear armed nations.) Cummins can't resist the urge to insult the Americans by claiming the British won because they brought "less firepower and more brainpower" to their much smaller and very different conflict.
Many of the incidents Cummins chooses are not those that have "faded from view". Any reasonably serious student of history will be familiar with all the stories Cummins chooses to tell.
Surprisingly, for a revisionist, politically correct history, Cummins does briefly mentions African tribes that were "rivals in the lucrative slave trade, capturing men, women, and children from villages further inland and bringing them to European slavers on the coast." Left unsaid is that there were also Arab slave traders involved. But Cummins is always Cummins: he can't resist falsifying in the name of political correctness. "One scholar has traced the histories of several of them [African women warriors]and found that, like ALMOST ANY COMBAT VERERAN, MAN OR WOMAN, they had trouble adjusting to peactime." (Emphasis supplied.) I've been a student of military history for nearly five decades and know of no study that claims "almost" all combat veterans have difficulty adjusting to peacetime. The canard, however, is a staple of left-wing intellectuals.
Overall, what Cummins has written, for the most part, is not history: it is politically correct, revisionist commentary. I certainly would not recommend it for children because it is not truthful and is more indoctrination than anything else.
Jerry
Book Description
From crusades to world wars, from ancient monuments to bloody revolutions, here is a fascinating tour of the historical events that have helped shape the world today. How did the ancient Egyptians build the Great Pyramid? How did Alexander the Great conquer so much of the world? How did the Vikings accidentally discover North America? Who led the "reign of terror" in the French revolution? Who stormed the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg? Who was Lawrence of Arabia? When was communism born? When did Montezuma rule? When was the Normandy invasion? With perspective, scope, and clarity to great events in history, this book answers these questions and many, many more. Great Events that Changed the World shows children the history of our amazing world in easy-to-follow panoramic tableaux and maps. Filled with superbly detailed artwork and exciting text, this is a valuable and enjoyable source book for the entire family.
Customer Reviews:
Incredible Illustration & History made easier to understand!.......2001-10-17
This is an incredible book!!! The illustrations are wonderful, of course, DK. It describes everything from the Egyptians to WW II very thoroughly. I recommend this book to all ages, and especially to people who like history, but don't want a too detailed version of it. This fantastic book puts all important events of history together, and makes an interesting "walkthrough" out of it. The thing that impressed me most was a map of all the places that were in Alexander the Great's journey, and picture next to each location. So, if you want a book with every imporatnt bit of history in it, but not too long, get this marvellous book.
Average customer rating:
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Events that Changed Great Britain from 1066 to 1714
Manufacturer: Greenwood Press
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 031331666X |
Book Description
This unique resource describes and evaluates ten of the most important events in British history between the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the Glorious Revolution of 1689 and its aftermath. A full chapter is devoted to each event, and each chapter includes an introduction presenting factual information in a clear, chronological order. Longer, interpretive essays explore the short-term and far-reaching ramifications of the events. Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and a full-page illustration. A glossary of terms, a timeline of British history up to 1714, and a chronological list of ruling houses and monarchs help students to better understand the major developments in modern British history, along with their significance and long-term impact.
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Events that Changed Great Britain Since 1689:
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ASIN: 0313316864 |
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This unique resource describes and evaluates ten of the most important events in British history between 1689 and the present. A full chapter is devoted to each event. Every chapter includes an introduction presenting factual information in a clear, concise, chronological order, and a longer interpretive essay exploring both the short term and far reaching ramifications of the event. The ten events covered are:
The Industrial Revolution
The Seven Years' War
The Napoleonic Wars
Pax Britannica
The Reform Act of 1832
The Crystal Palace Exhibition
The Movement for Irish Independence and Woman Suffrage
World War I
World War II
The Thatcher Era Coverage for each event also includes an annotated bibliography of works suitable for students and a full-page illustration. A glossary of terms, a timeline of British history since 1689, a chronological list of ruling houses and monarchs, and a chronological list of prime ministers help students to better understand the major developments in modern British history, along with their significance and long-term impact.
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- Zebrowski's History of the Circle is a great fun book.
- interesting but ...
- Looking For Pi Info? Its Not Here.
- Just what I was looking for (and I didn't even know it!)
- A DECIDEDLY PLEASANT JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF SCIENCE
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A History of the Circle: Mathematical Reasoning and the Physical Universe
Ernest Zebrowski
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
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ASIN: 0813528984 |
Book Description
How past attempts by scientists to discover the perfect circle led to major discoveries of the physical universe.
Customer Reviews:
Zebrowski's History of the Circle is a great fun book........2002-02-04
This is not a text book, but an fun read that discusses
interesting topics from physics and math.
It explains things so well that I wish I had Zebrowski as a professor or could find textbooks written by him.
I think the lengthy first review below as well as examples from the other reviews give a good idea of the contents of this book.
It's a joy to read, and to use when explaining things correctly to others.
interesting but ..........2001-11-26
An interesting read which could have benefited from the
attention of a diligent editor. Sadly, historical details
are often muddled and in the later chapters the author
indulges in some freewheeling speculation regarding high
energy physics while quoting undergraduate level journals
as sources.
Nevertheless, all of the subject matter and most of the
text is well worth a look.
Looking For Pi Info? Its Not Here........2001-07-16
The first chapter BREIFLY addresses pi, so this not a good source for those of you that may have drawn the same conclusions about the title that I did. However, if you've ever wondered why there are 360 degrees in a circle and how that relates to time or other interesting trivia, this is a great source. I do recomend it to anyone with an intrest in the basic concepts of Physics which somehow work themseves in everywhere. The title would be more acurate if it removed "A History of the Circle" and just left it with "Mathmatical Reasoning and the Physical Universe" because it lacks far to much of the first subject.
Just what I was looking for (and I didn't even know it!).......2000-12-08
What a delightful discovery! This book served to effortlessly broaden my knowledge about applied mathematics. I have to recommend this book to all - and especially towards those, like myself, who are frustrated with our own mathematical ignorance... I am a bit of a compulsive book buyer and I don't always make an effort to read each book in my huge collection. I'm very happy I made the time to thoroughly read this one!
A DECIDEDLY PLEASANT JOURNEY INTO THE WORLD OF SCIENCE.......2000-01-22
The beauty of Ernest Zebrowski's book, A HISTORY OF THE CIRCLE, is that it was written for everyone, not just for science professors. The author never talks down to his readers. Clearly, Mr. Zebrowski is not just a superb scientist and mathematician: he is also a skilled writer, teacher, philospher, and historian. Like Lewis Thomas, he has a wonderful way of making science come alive. He transports you back into time and makes you feel as if you are right there watching some of the most intriging moments in human history unfold before your eyes. I learned so much from reading this book. You can pick up any chapter at random and find yourself captivated by a fascinating anecdote, a compelling biographical sketch, a thought-provoking question, or a delightful little tidbit of information. The author made me think about things I have never thought about before. Reading this book has given me a newfound appreciation for the importance of the circle as well as a newfound respect for the truly remarkable feats of our early scientists, mathematicians, and architects. So whether you're learning about the life of Albert Einstein or the death of Archimedes; whether you're trying to figure out why old fenceposts were deliberately spaced 9.417 feet apart or how how the ancient Egyptians could have possibly managed to erect thousands of 20-ton blocks 48 stories high; or whether you are discovering that an experienced hunter is often smarter than a computer or that terrified peasants rioted when the Gregorian calendar was adopted because they believed that the pope was actually stealing 10 days of their lives...you will enjoy reading, or even just skimming, A HISTORY OF THE CIRCLE. This book will change the way you look at nature: you will see things you never saw before. It might even change the way you look at yourself. I was delighted to discover, for example, that I was made of stardust, but I must say it was a bit unsettling to learn that I am now a tad older than the sun which, according to Mr. Zebrowski, is "barely middle-aged."
Books:
- Getting Pregnant: What Couples Need to Know Right Now
- Getting Your Child To Sleep and Back to Sleep: Tips for Parents of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers (Lansky, Vicki)
- Growing Up Happy: Captain Kangaroo Tells Yesterday's Children How to Nuture Their Own
- Guia Practica De La Salud Emocional (Bolsillo Edaf)
- Habits of a Child's Heart: Raising Your Kids With the Spiritual Discipline
- Hands : Growing up to Be an Artist
- Heartbreak and Heart Disease: A Mind/Body Prescription for Healing the Heart
- Helping Someone with Mental Illness: A Compassionate Guide for Family, Friends, and Caregivers
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- How Good Parents Raise Great Kids: The Six Essential Habits of Highly Successful Parents
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Why Marriage Matters: America, Equality, and Gay People's Right to Marry
Same-Sex Marriage: Pro and Con
Same-Sex Marriage and the Constitution
What God Has Joined Together?: A Christian Case for Gay Marriage
Why Marriage?: The history shaping today's debate over gay equality
