Book Description
In this U.K. bestseller, Lady Arbella Stuart emerges as a most contemporary royal, a young woman determined to shape her own destiny in the midst of her plot-ridden world.
Arbella was niece to Mary Queen of Scots and cousin to Elizabeth I — who indicated that the teenage Arbella was to be heir to her throne. A critical pawn in the struggle for succession, particularly during the long, tense period when Elizabeth lay dying, the young Arbella endured twenty-seven years of isolation at the grand Hardwick Hall, held by her scheming and powerful grandmother.
The accession of James I, Arbella's first cousin, ended the young woman's royal aspirations but thrust her into James's licentious court. Then, at age thirty-five, she risked everything to make a forbidden marriage. An escape in disguise, a wild flight abroad, and capture at sea led in the end to an agonizing death in the Tower. Yet nothing is as remarkable as the almost modern freedom with which, in a series of extraordinary letters — more passionate and extensive than those of any other woman of this suffocating age — Arbella Stuart revealed her own compelling personality.
Customer Reviews:
subject intriguing but book is uneven.......2007-05-15
I read Arbella, England's Lost Queen by Sarah Gristwood becuase the subject matter interested me. Who was this woman perpetually kept as a prisoner by her relatives for most of her short life? Was she that much of a threat to the throne of King James I?
Sarah Gristwood provides lots of pertinent information about Arbella and her relations and sets the stage describing the royal personages and scandals of the day. Yet this biography is uneven at best. At times, it does not flow smoothly and the author consistently interjects her 21st century voice that often gets in the way of the story. Many of the author's comments either needed to be edited or written in a way that flowed in sync with the story and the setting. Here is an example from the book," Arbella may have been at once ill and actively scheming;just because they are after you doesn't mean you aren't paranoid" p.340. Is this last line necessary? Here is another line,"We know she was subject to depression, the "dumps". Is this a direct quote from a seventeenth century source? Somehow, using contemporary phrases and trite aphorisms does not work for a 16th/17th century royal biography. I also noticed there were some typos, unusual for a reputed publisher such as Houghton Mifflin, once again indicating this book needed a more careful editing job.
The author has clearly done her research and does give the reader many sources that give us clues as to who Arbella was, what her motivations were and how she attempted to live her life. However, due to a dearth perhaps of information on Arbella, one still feels something is missing here. I felt as if I really got to know the other characters in the history, such as Arbella's scheming aunt, Mary Talbot and her maternal grandmother, Bess of Hartwick.
Overall, the subject matter was more interesting than the presentation of the material. I think an editing job omitting the author's several cliched phrases that disrupted the flow of the story would have helped. She does pose some intriguing questions and theories and I learned alot about the time period. The Epilogue was certainly complete and well written.
Sarah Gristwood definitely did her research on Arbella. Her theories are thought provoking. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the interjection of her own voice disrupted the flow of the book, created unnecessary distractions and some of the worn out phrases could have been edited out.
Arbella: Englands Lost Queen.......2007-03-09
I found the book quite interesting, especially since it seemed like Arbella was similar to her Aunt Mary Stuart Queen of Scots in some of her actions. Was there much influence on the young girl before the execution of her aunt? There does not seem to be much to confirm this. But then there is the question of the porphyria. Since Mary & Arbella were not blood relatives could the disease cause similarites in response to stressful situations? This book has certainly sparked an interest in myself to investigate such matters. I would certainly recommend this book for those curious in historical biographies.
So far...........2007-02-13
I have had this book for over six weeks, and am only halfway through. It's good, but not engrossing. I haven't had the inclination to continue reading, even though not finishing a book is something I'm fundamentally unable to do, for the most part. It's not that the story isn't interesting; it's just that it's very dry and takes a long time to get to the heart of the story.
An excellent historical biography.......2006-03-31
What I enjoyed most about this book was that it tied together historical figures I had read about elsewhere -- the earls of Leicester and Essex, Bess of Hardwick, James I, Elizabeth I -- in a completely different context and from a widely different perspective. Sarah Gristwood did an excellent job placing Arbella and her struggles within the larger political stories of her day. Her writing, although mostly accessible, does have its moments of insiderism -- such as when she refers to Penelope Rich as Sidney's Stella, for seemingly no reason and without further elaboration. I think you're better off reading this book if you already have a working knowledge of the court of Elizabeth I.
If You Are interested in Stuart/Tudor history.......2006-01-27
If You Are Interested in Stuart/Tudor History,and the Machinations of same, i think you will find this book
of interest>i had never heard of arbella so was interested
to read about who she was.Arbella was in line to inherit
the throne but did not-James I did.Although her life
and death were sad,i would still recommend this. Sarah Gristwood
did a good job regarding the forces and turmoil in play at this
time.
Average customer rating:
- convincing analysis
- Ignorant Armies : Sliding into War in Iraq
- Why we are in Iraq.
- This book will open your eyes to the causes of Gulf War II
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Ignorant Armies: Sliding into War in Iraq
Gwynne Dyer
Manufacturer: McClelland & Stewart
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Future - Tense
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War: The Lethal Custom
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Dying to Win: The Strategic Logic of Suicide Terrorism
ASIN: 0771029772
Release Date: 2003-03-05 |
Book Description
Baffled by how Bush’s war on al-Qaeda segued into war on Iraq? Canada’s leading expert on war unravels the tangled chain of events
The terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001, have unleashed an avalanche of events that is sliding inexorably towards war between the U.S.A. (and possibly its allies) and Iraq. These events are clearly connected yet so hugely different in character and motive that even those who follow the news closely are bewildered by how the war on al-Qaeda in Afghanistan segued into war in the Middle East. In Ignorant Armies, Gwynne Dyer, a peerless commentator on the causes and consequences of war, explains the strategies of the major players: American, Iraqi, Israeli, and Islamist. Alarmingly, he demonstrates that despite the growing bellicosity from the White House, neither the U.S.A. nor the other protagonists in this drama have a strategy that serves their own long-term interests. Worse, they are unlikely to achieve even their short-term goals. But, Dyer argues convincingly, they are likely to smash a good deal of crockery on their way to finding that out.
Customer Reviews:
convincing analysis.......2006-09-15
Rather than "leftist screed," this is a thoughtful and well-reasoned -- and convincing -- analysis. This is the analysis that traditional Republicans would embrace. The current (Bush II) administration apparently did not give half the thought to this matter in all the time leading up to the invasion that Dyer gave to it in writing this book. What a shame!
Read it if you thought this war was about oil. It gives the lie to that canard. This war is, more than anything else, about hubris and economic spoils for megacorporations. So many brave, irreplaceable, and fundamentally decent American soldiers are paying for this folly.
Ignorant Armies : Sliding into War in Iraq.......2005-10-26
Save your money. This book has no neutrality, it's a pale disguise for a left-leaning liberal collection of rhetoric. Not that the read wasn't interesting, it was. This book is an example of what soldiers are fighting for: freedom of speach. Too bad Dyer is so concerned with the politics of the situation and not the reality of the world.
I don't recommend this book for anyone unless you are a political science major looking for liberal perspectives.
Why we are in Iraq........2004-11-05
Not emotional. Treats the people that he is writing about as intelligent individuals, which most of them are, even if you do not agree with the actions of the individuals.
Very enjoyable read.
Extremely prescient, considering it was written before the invasion of Iraq.
This book will open your eyes to the causes of Gulf War II.......2003-05-26
In Canada and around the world, journalist and military historian, Gwynne Dyer, is one of the most respected commentators of international and military affairs. This book is a prime example of his authoritative knowledge of what is going on the world.
This book reveals in intriguing detail and the chain of events that have lead the United States to fight a war against Iraq even when the original pretext of 9/11 seems have no connection. In doing so, Dyer notes that the standard antiwar perception of being only about oil is simplistic, since even Iran at its most hostile to the US has never hesitated selling as much oil to it as possible.
Rather, Dyer details the combination of US domestic political oppurtunism coupled with the current US administration's obsessions, Israeli diplomatic efforts to maintain US support and US corporate interests that have led to a war most of the world never wanted. Dyer can explain this better than I can and I invite you to explore for yourself.
The only drawback is that he fully admits that this book was finished in early Febuary this year and so he could only speculate as the possible consequences to the Iraq War. However, that itself is still intriguing for the paths current events could have taken, or indeed they still might.
In other words, if you are tired of the murky spin of Bush and the boys or the kowtowing American media, then this book represents a refreshingly sober and insightful alternative view.
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The Ignorant Armies
Manufacturer: Harper & Brothers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HL5IW2 |
Product Description
The exciting story of the desperate Anglo-American campaign against the Bolsheviks in North Russia at the end of the Great War. An epic of human endurance and courage that provides a key to understanding Russian-American relations today.
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Ignorant Armies
Fraser
Manufacturer: Arsenal Pulp Pr Ltd
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Ignorant Armies
Karen Alkalay-Gut
Manufacturer: Cross-Cultural Communications
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ASIN: 0893043400 |
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The ignorant armies
E. M Halliday
Manufacturer: Harper
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ASIN: B0007DK3ES |
Customer Reviews:
The Ignorant Armies.......2001-02-26
E.M. Halliday's "The Ignoant Armies" tells of the saga of the American North Russian Expeditonary Force (ANREF) sent to battle the Bolshevik forces in 1918. Originally sent to help the White Russian Foces supporting the Czar in the early days of the revolution and to creat a zone of influence for the British. their mission become murky in the works of the Versailles Treaty and Wilsons 14 points. Hallidays narrative uses information from interviews with the actual combatants to give us an excellent view of what life was like for the common soldier, who were overwellmingly American, in the fron lines. Also, the personalities of the generals and politicians whose indecisiveness often cost these soldiers their lives. Halliday mixes both the military and politcal maneuverings skillfully giving us a balanced picture of an often ignored part of out history. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Amerian history.
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Ignorant Armies (Warhammer)
Manufacturer: Boxtree Ltd
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ASIN: 1852833734 |
Book Description
The most comprehensive and accurate treatment of the public budgeting process on the market, this book offers a thorough treatment of the entire subject, with an emphasis on state budgets. Public Budgeting in America, 5/E is user-friendly, with a no-nonsense approach that offers readers a solid theoretical treatment of key constructs that underlie public budgeting in America. It includes case scenarios, practical examples, and instructional exhibits of working budget documents and analysis, as well as supporting data to demonstrate key concepts. Topics include: budget formats and preparation; modern budgeting; budget behavior; applied analysis; processing; operating budgets and accounting; capital budgeting and debt administration; revenue systems; and internal service functions. For individuals employed in the fields of public budgeting, financial management, and public finance.
Customer Reviews:
Fits the bill.......2006-02-22
As required reading for the University of Richmond Public Budgeting and Finance course, Spring 2006, this small book is one that I will probably use for reference material even after the class.
The cover and binding is a classy,dark hunter green, the printing easy to read, and the subject matter is one everyone who pay taxes should read at least once.
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Deficit Hysteria: A Common Sense Look at America's Rush to Balance the Budget
Arthur Benavie
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
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Financial Accounting (6th Edition) (Charles T Horngren Series in Accounting)
ASIN: 027596308X |
Book Description
The political consensus in the United States today is that the nation avoid deficit spending. But as virtuous and unassailable as that goal sounds, it has fallacies and dangers. In a lucid, nontechnical writing style, Benavie shows that deficits can be either good or bad and explains how to tell the difference. Deficits, or government borrowing, can be beneficial or harmful depending on what the government does with the money. Preventing such borrowing, Benavie points out, would be comparable to preventing one's family from borrowing money to buy a house or to put a child through college. Deficits can be beneficial to the nation's economic health in three main ways. When the economy slumps, a deficit, which is automatically created, helps to reduce the severity of the recession. When the economy is seriously depressed, boosting the deficit may be the only cure. Finally, deficits to support such investments as basic research, cleaning up toxic waste, and rebuilding inner cities are crucial to the economic health of future generations.
Book Description
Since the 1950s, the federal government has relied on the peer review system for funding academic science. Peer review, however, is under attack for being a biased system that helps rich research universities get richer. As a remedy for these biases, university presidents and members of Congress have turned to the earmarking of science projects and facilities in the federal budget. Funding Science in America explores both the pros and the cons of the academic earmarking issue and explains why this issue has caused a rift within the nation's science community.
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Budget and Control: Reforming the Public Sector in Latin America (Inter-American Development Bank)
Humberto Petrei
Manufacturer: Inter-American Development Bank
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ASIN: 1886938415 |
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New methods of public management are transforming the structure of modern governments. These methods, sometimes called managerialism, essentially adapt private sector management principles and practices to the public sector.
Although in theory Latin American governments prepare their budgets according to programs, for the most part they are still input-based--focused mainly on what the state plans to purchase. This approach should be replaced either by output-based budgeting, a system geared towards goods and services to be provided by the state, or by results budgeting, which focuses on what the state proposes to accomplish.
Budget and Control examines the institutional arrangements required for the countries of the region to reform their budget and control systems. The book is based on two decades of reform experience in the leading countries in the field of budget preparation, evaluation and control, with case studies of six Latin American countries. Public officials and policymakers working with budgets, as well as students of development economics, will find this book a valuable tool.
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Incentive-Based Budgeting Systems in Public Universities
Manufacturer: Edward Elgar Publishing
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ASIN: 184376170X |
Book Description
Financial incentives play an important role in the behavior of public institutions of higher education. Incentive-Based Budgeting Systems in Public Universities examines alternative uses of these financial incentives, and reviews the consequences of their implementation.
The contributors to the book explore diverse areas including:
• faculty behavior in an incentive-based environment
• effects on teaching, evaluation of decentralized approaches to budgeting
• efficiency implications at the state level
• the ramifications of revenue flux on institutional behavior.
Case studies from the University of Toronto, the University of Michigan and Indiana University are also presented, and the volume concludes with recommendations regarding possible implementation strategies.
The first to analyze the implementation of various permutations of incentive based budgeting in public institutions of higher education, this book will be of enormous interest to policy makers, trustees, administrators and faculty members of these institutions. It will also appeal to those involved in higher education programs offering courses in the economics and finance of colleges and universities.
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The Deficit and the Public Interest: The Search for Responsible Budgeting in the 1980s
Joseph White , and
Aaron Wildavsky
Manufacturer: University of California Press
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ASIN: 0520076508 |
Book Description
Political time is counted, not in years, but in issues--the depression defined the political era of the 1930s just as the cold war did the 1950s and civil rights the 1960s. Today the federal budget looms as the dominant issue by which all others are considered and has become a concern which catalyzes debate again and again in our nation's capital. In this definitive new work, Joseph White and Aaron Wildavsky describe and analyze the struggles over taxing and spending from Carter's last year through the Reagan administration.
The battle of the budget is largely about how we define the role of the government and its relationship to the people. It is a story of congressional horsetrading, partisan posturing, and technical tricks that affect billions of dollars. It is also a story of politicians operating within constraints set by both public opinion and political interpretation of economic reality. Though budgeting has always been important, its impact on the national agenda has grown dramatically in the last decades.
Based on extensive interviews with participants and thorough use of documentary sources, this book both explains how budgeting works so the reader can see what is at stake in seemingly arcane disputes and locates budgeting within larger ideological trends in American society. It also explains the relationship of the budget to media, party and policy activists and explores the ways in which the deficit represents a crisis of self-confidence in the ability of our institutions, preeminently Congress and the presidency. Along the way, it provides a uniquely comprehensive account of the entire budget problem, exploring Gramm-Rudman, tax reform, and the continuing stalemate around this issue.
The Deficit and the Public Interest offers a wide-ranging "solution" to the deficit that encompasses several ideas: the authors demonstrate that institutions have performed better than their members and critics believe, and they contend that extreme solutions would likely be much worse than the original problems. Further, they redefine the problem as one of reducing interest costs so the deficit becomes manageable, and they proffer political advice on how to make this approach politically acceptable, both at home and abroad.
This meticulously researched work provides an invaluable journey through the last decade of American politics. In its theoretical depth and incisive new approach to policymaking, The Deficit and the Public Interest lends a fundamentally new understanding of the place of the federal government in American society.
Book Description
There was a time when no government in the United States had a coherent budget system. Jonathan Kahn tells the story of how a small, energetic band of reformers waged a successful campaign in Progressive-era America to introduce fundamentally new systems of public budgeting into many cities, nearly every state, and ultimately the federal government. It is a story that has remarkable resonances today. Kahn suggests that budget reform transformed understandings of citizenship and political accountability while facilitating a conceptual leap from seeing government as a random agglomeration of administrative fiefdoms to envisioning a coherent, interrelated, and unitary state. Kahn argues that public budgets are more than simply technical tools for allocating government resources. They are also cultural constructions that shape public life, state institutions, and the relations between the two. Reformers "invented" the budget, Kahn explains, and then marketed it through exhortations, exhibits, and demonstrations that were replicated throughout the United States. Kahn explains how budget reform narrowed and contained popular engagement with government by promoting new notions of accountability and representation based on passive oversight rather than active political participation. Finally, budget reform transformed federal governance by creating the apparatus to conceive, order, and control a unified executive branch.
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Fixing Health Budgets: Experience from Europe and North America
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
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ASIN: 0471964972 |
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The notion of a fixed health budget seems self-evident: a public or private payer sets a time-tied ceiling on expenditures. Such a definition, while correct, is nonetheless far from sufficient. In actual practice, the key issues revolve around not only the `what, but also the `who and the `how of establishing and maintaining periodic health care expenditure ceilings. The design and implementation of fixed budgets in health systems—not to mention their success—varies considerably between countries, within countries, and between health sub-sectors. Fixing Health Budgets: Experience from Europe and North America reviews the impact of financial reform on the quality and delivery of health care in Austria, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, the UK and the USA. It outlines how far countries have moved to adopt fixed budgets and how management on a macro-, meso- and micro-level of the various systems is coping with the challenges and conflicts between the providers, patients, community and society. Its message has relevance for health care providers, public policy analysts and health economists worldwide, as well as providers of health education and social services.
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Participatory Budgeting in Brazil: Contestation, Cooperation, and Accountability
Brian Wampler
Manufacturer: Pennsylvania State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0271032529 |
Book Description
As Brazil and other countries in Latin America turned away from their authoritarian past and began the transition to democracy in the 1980s and 1990s, interest in developing new institutions to bring the benefits of democracy to the citizens in the lower socioeconomic strata intensified, and a number of experiments were undertaken. Perhaps the one receiving the most attention has been Participatory Budgeting (PB), first launched in the southern Brazilian city of Porto Alegre in 1989 by a coalition of civil society activists and Workers' Party officials. PB quickly spread to more than 250 other municipalities in the country, and it has since been adopted in more than twenty countries worldwide. Most of the scholarly literature has focused on the successful case of Porto Alegre and has neglected to analyze how it fared elsewhere.
In this first rigorous comparative study of the phenomenon, Brian Wampler draws evidence from eight municipalities in Brazil to show the varying degrees of success and failure PB has experienced. He identifies why some PB programs have done better than others in achieving the twin goals of ensuring governmental accountability and empowering citizenship rights for the poor residents of these cities in the quest for greater social justice and a well-functioning democracy. Conducting extensive interviews, applying a survey to 650 PB delegates, doing detailed analysis of budgets, and engaging in participant observation, Wampler finds that the three most important factors explaining the variation are the incentives for mayoral administrations to delegate authority, the way civil society organizations and citizens respond to the new institutions, and the particular rule structure that is used to delegate authority to citizens.
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