Amazon.com
This first volume of the correspondence of Hunter S. Thompson begins with a high school essay and runs up through the publication of Thompson's breakout book, Hell's Angels. Thompson apparently never threw a letter away, so the reader has the treat of experiencing the full evolution of his pyrotechnic writing style, rant by rant. The letters--to girlfriends, to bill collectors, to placers of "Help Wanted" ads, to editors and publishers--are usually spiced with political commentary. The style and the political animus always seem to drive each other. For instance, an 11/22/63 letter to novelist and friend William J. Kennedy about the day's cataclysm is apparently the birthplace of the signal phrase "fear and loathing." (Thompson summed up the Kennedy assassination thus: "The savage nuts have shattered the great myth of American decency.") And the willingness to write strangers is stunning: this collection includes Thompson's letter to LBJ seeking appointment to the governorship of American Samoa. You might have thought Garry Trudeau was exaggerating in his Doonesbury characterization of the Thompson-based character Duke. He was not.
Book Description
Here, for the first time, is the private and most intimate correspondence of one of America's most influential and incisive journalists--Hunter S. Thompson. In letters to a Who's Who of luminaries from Norman Mailer to Charles Kuralt, Tom Wolfe to Lyndon Johnson, William Styron to Joan Baez--not to mention his mother, the NRA, and a chain of newspaper editors--Thompson vividly catches the tenor of the times in 1960s America and channels it all through his own razor-sharp perspective. Passionate in their admiration, merciless in their scorn, and never anything less than fascinating, the dispatches of The Proud Highway offer an unprecedented and penetrating gaze into the evolution of the most outrageous raconteur/provocateur ever to assault a typewriter.
Customer Reviews:
"debt letter".......2007-08-11
i loved this book. i'm pretty new to HST's books having 1st been introduced to his writing thru a friend who gave me a copy of Fear and loathing in las vegas. i didn't know he'd written other works but found that vegas book really funny. i bought a copy of it yrs later. the proud highway is a really interesting look into hunter's life on a daily basis. the "debt letter" on page 114 is hysterical! a great piece of writing. i've framed a copy of it and hung it above my pc. i love reading it.
There's genius and prophecy in this book, it just takes a while to find........2007-07-18
This book, more than anything, collapses under its own weight. I genuinely enjoyed the read, but in retrospect there were too many times when I skipped to the end to see how much longer the book would go. With exhaustive editing it would be a formidable volume, but certain personal and business letters do no benefit to the collection as a whole.
It almost functions as an autobiography... almost. I have a much better understanding of the late Mr. Thompson now, and admire his unhinged style of correspondence, but could have gotten the same point from less letters covering the same period of time. Like any good punk rock band, the shorter the song the better.
The highest points are his moments of prophecy, which I will not ruin for those who plan to read this book. Hunter's ability to identify patterns and apply them to the political arena is astounding, and his observations on such are the best parts of the book.
This is a good read for a patient reader who is rabid about the godfather of gonzo.
Indispensable.......2007-03-17
As a big fan of Mr Thompson for many years, I became very excited when I heard about this volume. And I was not disapointed when I read it. It is as good as any book he himself has ever written. Although not about any subject in particular, the book tells the story of Hunter S Thompson more interestingly than any biography I've ever read anywhere else. It is also far better than his autobiography "Kingdom of Fear".
It obviously covers a lot of ground, but it never gets boring. Mr Thompsons letters, although not written in the same gonzo style of his books, are still very entertaining and very eloquent. They are obviously more candid, but also a lot less burdened by the "image" of Hunter S Thompson than his post-Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail publications (this is especially true for the second volume of letters, "Fear and Loathing in America"). In his letters, he writes as Hunter Thompson the man, not HST the Legend.
You don't have to be a fan of Hunter S Thompson to enjoy this collection of his correspondings from between 1955 and 1967, but you will love it even more if you've read some of his other works. Then again, people wanting to buy this book are most likely to have read his other works as well.
Higest possible recommendation.
Behind the Curtain?.......2006-11-27
Although I enjoy much of Thompson's work and think of him as a necessary part of our country, I can't help but feel he only let us behind a curtain he carefully crafted for us to see.
Ranking among the letters of Neal Cassady and...Keats?.......2006-11-18
The late crusader for the weird, the esteemed Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005), is presented in all of his youthly glory in this very fine collection of his letters written from when he was an eighteen year old young poet sitting in a prison cell while his classmates received their diplomas (I feel almost ashamed that I was able to shout loud with my arms held high, graduating from High School, while the last great writer of American literature never was able to experience such an event when he was young) in 1955 to when he was an outlaw journalist coming into his own, basking in the glory of his recent book, Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs.
The wit in the letters, the euphony, the cadence, the rhythm, it's as if they were written by John Keats (1795-1821) himself. This is Thompson's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man; its just about as good as the Windblown World, the collection of the journals of Jack Kerouac from '47 - '54.
Hunter S. Thompson, the last great poet we shall ever glorify...
Average customer rating:
- Extensive & informative compilation and presentation
|
Civil War Volunteer Sons of Connecticut
Blaikie Hines
Manufacturer: American Patriot Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Military
| History
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0970988877 |
Book Description
Reference Book that presents for the first time, the only concise and comprehensive history of Connecticut's involvement in the Civil War.
Customer Reviews:
Extensive & informative compilation and presentation.......2003-01-29
An excellent and thorough collage of disparate, previously hard-to-access details about Connecticut participants in the American Civil War! His workaday knowledge of regimental regalia and its significance and that of numerous accoutrements of the time have produced an enjoyable experience, both on and off the page!
Book Description
Are groups such as the Moral Majority,the Christian Coalition, and the religious right the greatest threat to liberty since Hitler or the last defenders of religious freedom and family values in America? In this revised and updated second edition of Onward Christian Soldiers Clyde Wilcox tells us who they are, what their history has been in twentieth-century American politics, and how they might organize themselves for future political effectiveness. Clyde Wilcox tackles the sticky political dilemma of the proper role of religious groups in American politics and government while showing how the contemporary religious right does-and does not-fit into that context.
They have money, influence, power-and they turn out to vote. They are credited with delivering a significant part of the Republicans' stunning 1994 electoral success, foreshadowed their status as major players in the elections of 1996. "They" are groups like the Moral Majority, the Christian Coalition, and the religious right. But are they the greatest threat to liberty since Hitler or the last defenders of religious freedom and family values in America? In this revised and updated second edition of Onward Christian Soldiers Clyde Wilcox tells us who they are, what their history has been in twentieth-century American politics, and how they might organize themselves for future political effectiveness. He tackles the sticky political dilemma of the proper role of religious groups in American politics and government while showing how the contemporary religious right does-and does not-fit into that context.
Customer Reviews:
Good Summary Introduction.......2007-08-26
This book is a fairly well-balanced introduction to the Christian Right movement in America. Critical, but not demonizing the Christian Right, the book shows that there were a number of waves in which the Christian Right has made a comeback in American politics. Written by a team of solid academics, this is recommended reading for the introductory reader. It is short, and covers a lot of ground in good detail. One shortcoming of the book is its organization, which led to some repetition and redundancy in the book. Not detracting from the overall work, the book serves well as an introduction to the undergraduate reader. What do Wilcox and Larson think? They believe the Christian Right's influence is significant, but also limited. A take-over of American politics or policy does not seem imminent in their view. The legacy of the Christian Right has potential uses, and dangers, but does not in the author's minds pose a grave threat to democracy.
Excellent, great.......2000-03-23
Onward Christian Soldiers? is an excellent book that shows the historical background and the rises and falls of the Christian Right in contemporary American politics.
Average customer rating:
|
Onward, Christian Soldiers: Protestants Affirm the Church (Reformation Theology Series)
John MacArthur ,
Joelc Beeke ,
John H. Gerstner ,
Don Kistler ,
James White ,
John Armstrong ,
Donald S. Whitney ,
R. C. Sproul ,
Phil Johnson , and
Joseph E. Pipa
Manufacturer: Soli Deo Gloria Ministries
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Protestantism
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Protestant
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Ecclesiology
| Theology
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
Sproul, R.C.
| ( S )
| Authors, A-Z
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Theology
| Religious Studies
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 157358102X |
Customer Reviews:
Nothing Unifying Here.......2000-04-27
I bought this book with the hope of reading how top contemporary Protestant scholars address the issue of ecclesiology espoused by Rome and the Orthodox. It left me sadly disappointed. The chapter that addresses the four marks of the church defined in the nicene creed did not attempt to reconcile Protestant perceptions of those terms with the historical understanding of the council fathers. None dealt substantially with Eph 5:32. I was further saddened that one author criticized the piety of Catholics on the basis of his understanding rather than taking the time to just ask some of them why they were doing it. All guns trained against Catholicism while the Eastern Orthodox hold nearly identical views on ecclesiology. Perhaps someday a book with less rhetoric and polemic will attempt to address issues that build understanding rather than polarizing divisiveness.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth a read.......2002-12-12
The Chicago Tribune's northern Europe correspondent from 1920-40, Day used his base in Riga, Latvia to report unflinchingly on the realities of Soviet tyranny and Red subversion in the Baltic. Banned from entering the USSR, fired from the Tribune at the instance of the U.S. State Department, Day threw in his lot with the brave Finns and their German allies during their anti-Bolshevist crusade. Onward Christian Soldiers bristles with Day's insights and reminiscences of northern Europe -- Scandinavia, Germany, Poland, Danzig, Lithuania, and his beloved Latvia, Estonia, and Finland in the years between the wars. With an introduction by legendary Tribune correspondent Walter Trohan, Onward Christian Soldiers pulls no punches on the Jewish role in Communism and on Britain and America's hypocrisy in posing as defenders of Christian civilization.
Average customer rating:
|
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER
Manufacturer: White and Allen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GS11MW |
Average customer rating:
- Onward Christian Soldier : The Spiritual Journey Of Stonewall
- History the way it should be written!
- About the Book (Author's description)
|
Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey Of Stonewall
Michael Aubrecht
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Spirituality
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Christianity
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 1413761895 |
Book Description
My religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to always be ready, no matter when it may overtake me. - Thomas Jackson
Customer Reviews:
Onward Christian Soldier : The Spiritual Journey Of Stonewall.......2006-02-21
This is a masterful work done by one who takes the time to document the facts. Many are unaware of the spiritual side of Confederate General 'Stonewall Jackson'. This book does not rewrite history. However, it does give us a closeup view of the heart of a man who seeks God in his pursuit to be all he can be while acknowledging the sovereignty and providence of the Almighty God of the Bible. A 5 star work, indeed.
History the way it should be written!.......2005-03-09
Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of Stonewall, by Michael Aubrecht, Publish America, 2005, 1-4137-6189-5.
Michael Aubrecht's Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of Stonewall, is an historical account of the military, personal, and spiritual life of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. It is certainly enlightening to say the least, providing a seldom seen perspective on the great southern Civil War leader. Actually, Mr. Aubrecht's writing technique and perspective are seldom seen in secular books on any historical figure and provides a delightful way to read and obtain such perspective on this much loved Confederate general.
Written in such a talented, smooth and articulate way, you could easily believe Albrecht's General Jackson is the hero of a historical novel. Yet Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of Stonewall presents the facts of his life and Christian faith, but reported in such a manner as to not get in the way of an entertaining story. This is American history you will not have to struggle to read and understand. Mr. Aubrecht has an impressive writing talent and it shines through this highly polished book. If there is a downside to this book, it must be that it is a quick read and you come away wanting more.
Careful to not to get overly dramatic, descriptive or bogged down in useless facts about General Jackson's daily life, Mr. Aubrecht lures you from one life-changing event to the next, from one chapter to the next. Using writings, quotes, newspaper clippings and other sources that support the story, each chapter sheds light on the General's personal life, its many sorrows, and his deep and growing faith.
Stonewall Jackson was so much more than what our high school history books told us. Read this gripping story of how this historical American figure came to the point of nearly changing our nation's structure. I see the American Civil War's southern perspective a bit more clearly now having read Onward Christian Soldier: The Spiritual Journey of Stonewall, a saga of character, faith, and courage--and so will you.
Dennis A. Beaudry, Columbus, Ohio, author of A Meeting in the Air and The State of Christianity.
About the Book (Author's description).......2005-02-17
This is a story about faith. A story filled with the kinds of heartache and hardships that would leave many of us questioning our own beliefs. It is a love story that is filled with sorrow, testimony, hope and despair. It is a story that reaffirms the power of prayer and that all things in Him are possible. Ultimately, it is the story of a man who suffered greatly, but chose to embrace the Will of his Savior as the foundation for a legendary life. Onward Christian Soldier presents an intimate portrait of Confederate General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. Unlike the countless military studies that have come before, this inspirational book focuses on both the spiritual and historical milestones in the life of this American icon.
Product Description
PUBLICATION DATE SHOWN IS COPYRAIGT DATE SHOWN ON SHEET MUSIC --
THIS IS A TEACHING PIECE FOR STEEL GUITAR (SELLER BELIEVES) -- THERE IS A STUDY QUESTIONAIRE ON THE BACK --
Average customer rating:
|
ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS
Manufacturer: Noontide Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H2ANV2 |
Book Description
As we approach the twenty-first century, we are entering a new era-an era of water scarcity. We have taken for granted seemingly endless supplies of water flowing from reservoirs wells, and diversion projects; access to water has been key to food security, industrialization, and the growth of cities. In this book from the Worldwatch Institute, Sandra Postel explains that decades of profligacy and mismanagement of the world's water resources have produced signs of shortages and environmental destruction. She writes with authority and clarity of the limits-ecological, economic, and political-of this vital natural resource. She explores the potential for conflict over water between nations, and between urban and rural residents. And she offers a sensible way out of such struggles. Last Oasis makes clear that the technologies and know-how exist to increase the productivity of every liter of water. But citizens must first understand the issues and insist on policies, laws, and institutions that promote the sustainable use of water.
Customer Reviews:
The Whirlwind Tour.......2003-08-30
This book is like one of those European tourbuses that promise to escort you through twelve countries in just seven days. If you're just there to make some deliveries, it's quite convenient. If you just want to have something to talk about with your friends, it's a means. If you've never been to Europe and want to familiarize yourself, it's exhausting.
I write this review over five years since the most recent edition, so the staying power of the book is clear. But it is ripe for a newer edition. An up-to-date copy of "The Last Oases" would be an excellent reference. And the original bibliography is certainly worth buying the whole book in any case.
This book is divided into two sections. The first, called "Trouble on Tap", is an overview of the water situation in many countries throughout the world. It looks at supplies, type and amount of use, and political factors. This is the weaker part of the book. Under each chapter heading, various countries or regions are addressed, and each time a new place name appears, clusters of concentrated statistics pop up like mushrooms after the rain. This approach makes actual assimilation of the facts nearly impossible. It relies on some fundamental understanding of the geography of river basins, politics, agricultural practices, etc. I think that rather than structuring the chapters according to engineering, politics, or farming, a better approach would be to deal with geographical regions one at a time. It's easier to grasp a host of facts about China than facts about a hairball of dams in China, Egypt, the U.S., and Russia.
The second part of the book, Living within Water's Limits, discusses how the world is solving its water problems. This part of the book was most interesting. When Postel describes, for example, industrial cooling you can place yourself inside a factory and walk through the steps with her. Her vivid explanation of microirrigation processes puts you out in the fields under the baking sun.
Mercifully, this book came before the craze for overwrought poetry and literary reference that has swept the science popularizing book field. The writing throughout the book is clear without melodrama or pedantry. The problem is one of structure, and (sadly) creeping obsolescence.
Water - what's it worth?.......2002-08-05
Sandra Postel published LAST OASIS - FACING WATER SCARCITY back in 1992, year of the RIO Conference on Development and Environment, also called the Earth Summit. Re-issued in 1997 (with a new introduction) it formed the basis for a PBS documentary in the series "Cadillac Desert". Is it still relevant today? So much has been written on water issues since, from environmental concerns to promoting the privatization of water, that the question is valid.
Still, as we approach the 10-year review conference of RIO in Johannesburg, politicians, government officials, economists, environment and development experts and activists meet to take stock of what happened to the many promises of RIO - reflected in Agenda 21. In this context, it is interesting and useful to read LAST OASIS with a view to weighing the global water situation today against the problems and possible solutions outlined ten years ago.
Postel, a long-time specialist in environmental issues, traveled across the globe to review problem areas as well as conservation initiatives and solutions first hand. In addition to giving us an overview of the problems, she also outlined projects and initiatives representing a variety of approaches to address the challenges: either by living with and adapting to water scarcity or by finding solutions for preserving and replenishing the finite clean water resources available to us.
When it was published, Postel presented a comprehensive examination of the causes for water scarcity across the globe. Although not up-to-date anymore in terms of statistics, her analyis of the issues and her review of danger zones have not lost relevance. We are still facing the same dramatic divide: On the one hand, close to one billion people live without access to clean water and their daily requirements can only be met through enormous physical strain, in particular on women and girls who are the traditional water carriers. The inaquate water resources threaten the mere survival of the majority of the world's poor who live on the land and off the land to secure their livelihood with small-scale subsistence agriculture. On the other hand, water in industrialized societies, and also increasingly by the elites around the world, is treated as a cheap commodity: too often wasted and its safety jeopardized through carelessness and/or through industrial pollution. A major culprit in the long term destruction of safe water resources was then and remains today large scale agro-business. Postel argues the reasons for that and also reviews alternative and small-scale systems that have proven to be successful in delivering good crops as well as reducing the strain on the soil and the water table. Postel's 1999 book "Pillar of Sand" focusses on irrigation systems.
It is only unfortunate that the book was not updated in 1997 (or since). Some of the encouraging initiatives Postel described were "pending" or in progress and it would be good to know if any of them have come to fruition.
Is LAST OASIS still relevant today? Yes, it should be in any collection of books for those interested in and concerned with this most fundamental of environmental issues. It is a good starting point for informed debate on the future of water availability and safety. Will future generations debate a right to clean and adequate water ? Postel's call for a new ethics on water and the development of a "water security" system do not go quite that far, but she makes a strong case for it. She argues on two major fronts. Water conservation can be achieved and encouraged through "proper pricing" of water and by creating incentives for wise water use. If industries, and in particular agriculture had to pay the real cost of water, efficient and ecological systems would be designed. Complementing this policy of water pricing would be a new "water ethic". This ethic would focus on our responsibility for comprehensive water ecological systems; it would have to accommodate our short-term needs for water with our long-term responsibility for water conservation. Postel knows that this ethic would require a major philosophical shift and that it would lead to other fundamental questions on quality of life, on the need to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots. It would change the agenda for economic growth towards ecologically based sustainable development.
Last Oasis: Facing Water Scarcity.......2000-02-08
For anyone who is interested in water supply issues worldwide, this book is for you. I especially like the way the author is objective and presents both a realist and idealistic endevor. I am from West Texas so I am concerned about water. The book gives great information dealing with how private business has been able to cope with water scarcity, and how farmers are using new methods of irrigation to provide food for the world yet conserving water. Also, it shows how these projects would have never taken place if government did not take action. It talks about water scarcity globally, and makes us understand how this can affect us locally.
Books:
- The Story of Chicago May
- The Tale of the Rose: The Love Story Behind The Little Prince
- The Walk West: A Walk Across America 2 (Walk West)
- Tris Speaker: The Rough-and-Tumble Life of a Baseball Legend
- Twice-Upon-A-Time: Born and Adopted
- Two Sides of the Moon: Our Story of the Cold War Space Race
- Ulysses S. Grant: The Unlikely Hero (Eminent Lives)
- What Can I Bring?: Sharing Good Tastes and Times in Northern Virginia
- When Presidents Lie: A History of Official Deception and Its Consequences
- Where Was Patrick Henry on the 29th of May?
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists
- Scourge of the Seas: Buccaneers, Pirates & Privateers
- Outlines of Chinese Symbolism and Art Motives
- Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle
- Lust in Translation: The Rules of Infidelity from Tokyo to Tennessee
- iGenetics: A Mendelian Approach
- My Life
- Art Diary International 2002-2003: The World Art Directory
- Great Northern Kingdom: Life in the Boreal Forest
- WILD FLOWERS BOTANISING BRITAIN
Fear and Loathing in America : The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist
The Great Shark Hunt: Strange Tales from a Strange Time
Screwjack: A Short Story
Kingdom of Fear: Loathsome Secrets of a Star-Crossed Child in the Final Days of the American Century
Hell's Angels: A Strange and Terrible Saga (Modern Library)
