Madame Ambassador: The Shoemaker's Daughter

Product Description

A child of manual laborers works her way up to become a U.S. ambassador to Honduras and a celebrated civil rights advocate. Despite a remarkable career, Jaramillo shows that she remains the shomaker's daughter, faithful to the precepts of her Latino family.

Customer Reviews:

An intensely personal testimony of personal courage.......2002-09-06

Madame Ambassador: The Shoemaker's Daughter is Mari-Luci Jaramillo's candid memoir as the child of poor immigrants, and who, with a lifetime of experience in solving problems and fighting poverty and prejudice, earned the distinguished post of being the U.S. ambassador to Honduras. Madame Ambassador is a very highly recommended and intensely personal testimony of personal courage, compassion, and inner strength.

Book Description

Puppets have existed in one form or another in nearly every culture throughout human history. From the intriguing shadow puppets of Java to the romantically challenged Miss Piggy, from African carved-wood actors with outsize genitalia to merry maniac Mr. Punch, puppets are incredibly diverse, reflecting the varied cultures, environments, and personalities of their creators.

In this lavishly illustrated volume, Eileen Blumenthal provides a comprehensive overview of the history and techniques of puppetry, examining the unique nature and abilities of puppets and illustrating the countless roles they (and their creators) have played in societies across the globe for thousands of years. She draws on examples from an astonishing array of puppeteers, performances, and historical artifacts, providing readers with an in-depth view of this intricate world of constructed actors and the eclectic-and often eccentric-artists who create them. With a lively and accessible text and a wealth of illustrations, this one-of-a kind volume will be treasured by lovers of both visual and theater arts. AUTHOR BIO: Eileen Blumenthal is professor of theater arts at Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, and a writer on contemporary Asian and Western theater. She has written hundreds of articles and reviews. She is also the author of Joseph Chaikin: Exploring at the Boundaries of Theatre and coauthor, with Julie Taymor, of Abrams' highly acclaimed Julie Taymor: Playing with Fire.

Customer Reviews:

Puppetry: A World History.......2007-03-08

I have been a professional puppeteer for over 50 years and now concentrate on the History of Puppets
throughout the World from the Mists of Time to the present day.
It is one of the best books I have read on the subject, profusely illustrated and well researched in the main, concentrating on the USA, Europe, the Orient and the Eastern bloc.
My only criticism is that the coverage of puppetry, apart from Punch, is very slight when mentioning the United Kingdom notably Harry Whanslaw who wrote many books on the subject and was a founder of the British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, The Lanchester Marionettes, The Field Marionettes who invented the lip synch for the t.v. series 'The Telegoons'. Many other puppets included Sooty still going strong to-day after many years, Muffin the Mule, Gerry Anderson's films- 'Thunderbird', 'Stingray' etc. I should like to see a Part 2. of this book.

Entertaining, informative and beautiful.......2006-03-10

This book is a wonder. How the author could bring together sthe quantity of scholarly information and beautiful photographs under one cover is beyond thinking.
Even persons who have no interest in the subject will be fascinated and entertained by the variety,ingenuity and artfulness of the puppets.

Welcome but with some reservations.......2005-11-26

This is not a history book told in a chronological order. It is a survey with a point of view that jumbles puppeteers and their puppets into themes. It is extremely well researched, but because of the many, many listings of puppeteers and the odd juxtapositions of their work, it might be hard for a reader to get a sense of which puppeteers were actually more influencial and successful than others. Some very famous people are not mentioned at all, and some, frankly contemporary, mediocre puppeteers are given great mention. Also, the field of children's theatre which is quite important and which many puppeteers take very seriously, is given short shrift.

A Great Gift for Lovers of Beautiful Books.......2005-09-27

"Puppetry is one of the most beautiful books in print, filled with vivid color photgraphs on heavy glossy paper that bring to life hundreds of puppets of all types. Blumenthal is a terrifically witty writer and provides volumes of information that is clearly written and very well organized. While this book is a good addition to one's coffee table, it is also good food for the mind.

two part review.......2005-09-21

This book is a coffee table book---fine constuction and photos but a bit unwieldly to read . As the title implies this book is an overview not an in depth study-- a good beginning.

Average customer rating:

Simply Wonderful!
A Must-Have!

Simple Puppets From Everyday Materials
Barara Buetter
Manufacturer: Sterling
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Decorative Arts | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Puppets & Puppetry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Puppet Mania: The World's Most Incredible Puppet Making Book Ever

ASIN: 1895569052

Book Description

Turn an empty cereal box into a friendly hippopotamus, a paper plate into a dancing dandelion, a sock into a snake, a glove into an entire family. Each of the more than twenty types of puppet in this colorful cast of characters can be made with materials easily found around the house. Use toilet-paper rolls and paper-towel tubes, empty cardboard juice cans and juice boxes, wooden spoons and thread spools, old socks and fabric scraps, paper bags, Popsicle sticks, egg cartons, drinking straws, construction paper, yarn, magazines, and much more. Make hand puppets, finger puppets, marionettes, jumping puppets, papier-mache puppets and other fun friends. Decorate a puppet stage and put on a show. Easy-to-follow instructions, helpful tips, and imaginative suggestions encourage kids to explore their creativity. Any type of creature can be made: a wiggly caterpillar or ferocious dragon, silly two-faced tube heads, jiggling gymnasts, a wacky carrot critter or banana buddy-the possibilities are endless. The perfect activity for a rainy day, a leisurely weekend, or any time, puppet-making offers hours of laughter and plenty of fun-and it's a great way to recycle, too! Sterling/Tamos 80 pages (all in color), 8 1/2 x 10.

Customer Reviews:

Simply Wonderful!.......2004-01-31

I bought this book when I started my Day Care business, and needed ideas for simple puppets. This book turned out to be the best out of a series of books I purchased in terms of offering ideas for me and the children. I really like that the ideas for the puppets are based on simple materials that you can find anywhere - including leftover supplies in your own home, like toilet paper rolls or orange juice cans. This teaches children to be resourceful and productive, and to use their imaginations.

Also, the ideas really work well. The puppets are simple, but there are enough ideas to build on that you could make really complex mechanical puppets, or moveable puppets if you like. This is a book that you and your children could grow on. I don't think, however, that if you are going to do art-puppets, this book would be for you, but it would be a good start for someone who has never made puppets before and wanted to get a good start.

The author, Barbara MacDonald Buetter, goes over at least a dozen different types of puppets and many different ways to decorate them. My children never tired of making the puppets. Finally, MacDonald Buetter gives ideas to build different types of theaters, from simple to more complex, and so we had a little puppet show! Wow!

A Must-Have!.......2001-02-18

Simple Puppets from Everyday Materials by Barbara MacDonald Buetter (New York: Sterling Publishing Co, Inc. 1998) is a great resource for imaginative construction of puppets. There is a strong focus on the use of recycled materials. She recommends keeping a box of such materials as paper tubes and plastic tabs just for such projects (and at last I've found a use for all the junk I've been saving!) and lists a slew of materials found in everyday life. These materials are great for use in the classroom since they are so easy to accumulate. The teacher can save such materials and send out a "wish list" to parents to encourage children to recycle and to use their imaginations to solve 3-dimensional building and visual problems.

She starts off with basic construction. Well-drawn, colorful diagrams illustrate how to braid, make chains, create 3-dimensional noses, crowns and cone hats. She instructs the reader to make faces in a mirror and practice drawing different expressions to show feeling and exaggerated feeling. She'll use spoons for a head and body, a glove for a family of people or ducks or a bee with flowers, a folded carton with inside straps as a hinged mouth, upside-down cans as heads, basic hand puppets with variations such as a kangaroo's pouch, wrestlers, jitterbugs and ballerinas with brass-fastener arms and legs, paper plate suns and Humpty-Dumpties with finger legs, tube-sock puppets, papier-mache puppets, and on and on. She even shows how a little salt sprinkled on wet paint can add great texture. There are even instruction of how to make different stages. Carrots and bananas make fun, if temporary, puppets with tooth pick attachments and pretzel eye-glasses.

Some of her most ingenious use of materials are the creation of movable parts. Linked ring paper chains easily move as marionette arms and legs (and trunks!) and even a caterpillar's body. A folded plastic lid makes a very durable "hinged" mouth. Accordion-folded paper makes for great caterpillars and jack-in-the-boxes. She even creates a dragon as variation, adding wings and an appropriate head. The puppet is moved by popsicle sticks affixed at opposite ends. Popsicle Stick puppets can move by hand movements alone, or be pushed upward through a paper cup to create to illusion of, say, a growing flower. She has a variation of a jumping-jack puppet using a spool, a straw and string. With a slightly larger tube over a smaller one, heads can turn, change expression or character, or if moved up and down, have eyes or mouths that open and close. She's very interested in exploring a full range of possibilities and encourages the reader to also do so.

Book Description

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Burmese marionettes enjoyed a rare and powerful privilege as speakers for both kings and subjects. Never merely for entertainment, puppetry was a high art held in much esteem. Marionettes were means of making people aware of current events; a medium for educating the masses in literature, history and religion; a display of lifestyle and customs. These yoke-thei, 'small dolls', enjoyed greater freedom of speech, dress and movement than live performers. They therefore played a significant role in the development of dance and dramatic arts. The author is a well known Burmese painter, and this lively book is liberally spiced with information about Burma and Burmese ways. It contains a systematic presentation of the Burmese marionette tradition, a tradition in the danger of extinction

Average customer rating:

Mermaid: A Puppet Theatre in Motion
Alice Walsh
Manufacturer: Gaspereau Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

First established in response to the need for live theatre in rural areas, Mermaid Theatre â€“ based in Windsor, Nova Scotia â€“ swiftly rose to international acclaim. Author Alice Walsh uses Mermaidâ€™s productions, from The Happy Prince to Guess How Much I Love You, to tell the story of the companyâ€™s evolution in the history of Canadian theatre. Walsh describes the first steps taken by its founders and provides an extensive look at the development of each production, as well as the creative trends and decisions that have contributed to Mermaidâ€™s stellar reputation amongst children, parents, educators and directors.

Founded in 1972 by Evelyn Garbary, Lee Lewis and Tom Miller, Mermaid Theatre, over the course of 30 years, has incorporated the work of many actors, collaborating authors, educators, youth, reviewers, designers and audiences worldwide. Beginning with the groupâ€™s first seasons touring Nova Scotia with adaptations of fairy tales and fables, Walsh tells the story of Mermaidâ€™s development, going behind the scenes and into the audiences, capturing the spirit of its success.

In the early 1970s, Mermaidâ€™s dramatizations of Miâ€™kmaq legends laid the foundation for its innovative design. This era, remembered by many of todayâ€™s parents, is described from the ground up. Walsh brings us into the companyâ€™s workshop and its early experiments with the masks and giant puppets that would become synonymous with the theatreâ€™s name. What followed was a boldly creative approach to local literature, which integrated an astonishing variety of traditions, including Bunraku, Kathakali, black light, collage and mummers.

Walsh takes a critical look at the personalities and influences that have shaped Mermaidâ€™s evolving style and management as a company. Highlighting key players â€“ Garbary, Lewis and Miller, along with Jim Morrow, Graham Whitehead, Chris Heide, Stephen Naylor and others â€“ she examines the theatreâ€™s growth from a garage in Wolfville to the current multi-storeyed headquarters and full-time staff based in Windsor. For decades now, the companyâ€™s adventurous and amibitous approach to childrenâ€™s theatre has proved successful both on stage and off, with hits like The Very Hungry Caterpillar, When Dinosaurs Dine by Moonlight, Borrowed Black, Gulliverâ€™s Travels, Peter & the Wolf and Sam Slick.

Mermaid provides insight into the business and politics of managing a theatre company, as well as the creative energy and raw materials involved in building and touring productions around the world. In 30 years, Mermaid has become known for its dramatizations of fairy tales, legends, contemporary literature, and most recently, stories for very young audiences. Recreating productions from their inception, through the design and rehearsal phases, to opening night at childrenâ€™s festivals, cultural exchanges and school gymnasiums at home and abroad, Walsh captures the magic of Mermaid. Photographs, quotes and reviews, coupled with Walshâ€™s clarity and comprehensive telling, bring the theatreâ€™s history of inspiring designs to life on the page.

This book measures 5.75 x 8.5 inches and is a smyth-sewn paperback bound in an offset-printed cover. The text is printed offset on laid paper. Included are 32 pages of black & white and colour photo reproductions.

Puppetry and Puppets: An Illustrated World Survey

Average customer rating:

beautiful and provocative

Puppetry and Puppets: An Illustrated World Survey
Eileen Blumenthal
Manufacturer: Thames & Hudson Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Performing Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0500512264

Customer Reviews:

beautiful and provocative.......2007-06-21

Although I'm a scientist, I harbor profound interests in a wide array of arts. I bought this some time ago just because the subject has always attracted me--ever since, at age four, I used to put on marionette shows for my grandmother with my six-year-old sister. The book is a breathtaking coffee table volume. The illustrations are gorgeous, the facts are interesting (the range of puppets is as comprehensive as the range of the theater arts), and one gleans a very solid understanding of the evolution of the art form from Blumenthal's comprehensive, largely chronologic, development. Buy this--whether to display or, in fact, to read--and you won't be disappointed. That is, unless you don't care a whit about puppets. But who among us was not moved by Ernie and Bert and such?

Shadows of Life: Nang Talung (White Orchid Books)

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Shadows of Life: Nang Talung (White Orchid Books)
Sven Broman
Manufacturer: Orchid Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Thailand | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Nang talung, the Thai popular shadow theatre originated in the southern part of the country, where it is still a very popular form of entertainment. It appeared first in the 17th century and represents a new form of Thai shadow theatre different from Nang yai, the classical shadow theatre from central Thailand. This difference is found in shape, size and composition of the shadow figures, as well as in cast, manner of maipulation, performance, music and stage. 147 shadow figures from two Thai and two Swedish collections illustrate the different characters met with in a Nang talung performance

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Boondoggles, biosciences and . . . a blather

Stimulating addition to an outstanding series

My Personal opinion of "The Best American Science Writing 2005"

A Source of Pleasure

Another Captivating Collection of Great Science Writing

The Best American Science Writing 2005 (Best American Science Writing)
Alan Lightman , and Jesse Cohen
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books
Essays & Commentary | Science | Subjects | Books
Collections & Readers | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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The Best American Science & Nature Writing 2005 (Best American)

The Best American Science Writing 2006 (Best American Science Writing)

The Best American Science Writing 2004 (Best American Science Writing)

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2006 (The Best American Series)

The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2004 (The Best American Series)

ASIN: 0060726423
Release Date: 2005-09-06

Book Description

Together these twenty-seven articles on a wide range of today's most current topics in science, from Oliver Sacks, James Gleick, Atul Gawande, and Natalie Angier, among others, represent the full spectrum of scientific writing, proving once again that "good science writing is evidently plentiful" ( Scientific American).

Customer Reviews:

Boondoggles, biosciences and . . . a blather.......2006-07-10

Today's science writing is growing more interesting and timely in its presentation. These annual collections are nearly always a delight to own. Each essay presents an issue demanding reflection and sometimes action on the reader's part. Lightman introduces this series with a brief overview of the progression of science writing over the years. He cites such classics as "The Silent Spring" and "The Double Helix" as examples. Stephen Gould's and David Quammen's columns paved the way for a wider audience for science writing, he notes. Enough production of this sort has led the way to a variety of styles, formats and topics. He presents just such a spectrum in this collection. With more than two dozen articles offered by an excellent array of authors, Lightman aptly demonstrates how far science writing has come.

With such a span, the reviewer has the choice of summarising them all [see "Synaptic mogul's fine synopsis, below], or selecting a few favoured examples. Given the range of topics and high quality of the writers, that's no easy chore. Choosing Oliver Sacks to begin the series was a wise choice. Sacks, always an expressive narrator, returns with an account of the "creation" of "new" elements. Another "regular" in this series, Natalie Angier, portrays the work of Jacquiline Barton. A woman of remarkable abilities and dedication to further research in the properties of DNA, Barton may well be making substantial changes in our understanding of "the molecule of life". Another biology specialist, Jennifer Ackerman, offers us a story of the quest to save one endangered species, the North American whooping crane. The method of preserving these magnificent birds may seem bizarre, but past efforts have fallen short of expectations. Ackerman's subject, crane biologist Richard Urbanek, leads a programme in which young cranes never encounter humans. This technique, he avers, will make transforming the chicks into their regular environment more natural, enhancing their chances for survival.

Although atomic physics, cosmology and recovering animals into their natural environments are always enticing reading, most of us remain concerned about human affairs. In dealing with our species and its many aspects, Lightman proves at his best and worst in assembling this collection. A campaign to eradicate polio in India, related by Atul Gawande, portrays the paucity of resources available to the medical workers. While expensive wars continue to impede progress by diverting resources, dedicated technicians strive to overcome the limitations imposed on them. In protecting public health, artificial issues such as "bioterrorism" have diverted attention from more immediate and pressing concerns. Philip Alcabes tots up the funds and personnel used in combating a minimal threat in contrast to the real problems of natural epidemics. He finds the Bush administration's focus a medical boondoggle. A new, more socially challenging topic has emerged in recent years. Some health issues, Robin Marantz Henig reports, may deserve focus on your "ethnic" origins. Certain afflictions appear to attack blacks more often or virulently, than whites. The first "ethnic medicines" are already on the market, with more to follow. Is this "racism" on the part of the pharmaceutical firms, or is it a valid market niche that should be followed by other drugs? And who will determine how they should be prescribed?

Inevitably, "American Science Writing" collections must deal with evolution by natural selection. Darwin's great insight is still subject to challenge in that nation. Lightman turns to one of the great nature writers, David Quammen, to provide a case for the defense [why Darwin needs "defending" is left unsaid]. Quammen, in one of the leading articles here, provides an excellent overview of how natural selection works. Quammen's style clarifies many aspects of evolution and is readable by anybody's standards. The only problem seems to be in bringing those who need to read the article to it.

Natural selection in the animal kingdom must raise the question of where humanity fits in the scheme. Many commentators have resisted the inclusion of our species in the process. In this collection, Lightman inexplicably inserts one of these objectors. David Berlinski's article on evolutionary psychology is less an example of "science writing" and more of an assault on a nascent science. His approach is formulaic by now - decry the lack of "hard evidence" on the roots of human behaviour. Since nearly everything in behavioural studies is by inference and comparison with other species, his complaint is groundless. Unless he's indirectly advocating detailed, controlled experiments on a wide segment of the human population, the chances of providing for his demands is close to nil. Berlinski, who must know of studies in sociobiology and palaeoanthropology, steadfastly ignores these indicators. Why Lightman felt the need for this kind of polemical blather remains a mystery. It can't be from a paucity of available material. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Stimulating addition to an outstanding series.......2006-03-22

I look forward every year to the annual edition of this series and its competitor, Best American Science and Nature Writing. Since there are way too many good magazines published I gave up long ago trying to keep up with them, and this book/series serves two useful functions. First, it provides a delightful sampler of science-related writing of the past year, and, second, it often introduces me to some new writers as well as familiar names. It is the kind of book that has repercussions: I have never failed to follow up by buying additional books, either books by the authors represented or books referred to in the selections (WARNING: This book could be dangerous to your budget!)
The series editor provides a certain stability and may ensure some breadth to the selections, but each volume bears the stam of the interests of the guest editor. Given Alan Lightman's literary bent, it was therefore not surprising to see someone like Diane Ackerman included.
This was probably not the best of the series, but it nonetheless was not one I would want to miss.

My Personal opinion of "The Best American Science Writing 2005".......2006-03-15

I am a scientist. U of Michigan. I am 61
I make synthetic gem and laser crystals for a living. I read many scientific journals weekly. I think this series of "The Best American Science Writing" is extremely good with always very up to date topics. An absolutely great selection of articles written by or about top people and topics each year. I use this series to help keep me up to date on everything scientific. I highly recommend the entire series.

A Source of Pleasure.......2006-03-07

Every year these little anthologies deliver a wealth of essays and articles. Whether they are "best" or not is in the eye of the reader, but nearly all of them are always more than worth reading, and some of them can change the way you see the world. Not bad for a few bucks.

Another Captivating Collection of Great Science Writing.......2006-01-26

Each year I am thrilled when this book comes out, along with its equally good competitor of the same format (Best of Science and Nature Writing, 2005). This year, my kids gave me one of each for Christmas. This book has 27 articles from 16 magazines. Without further ado, I will briefly summarize or provide a provocative quote from each essay for you. If at any time you feel inspired to quit reading this review in favor of the real thing, you will not be disappointed.

Introduction, by this year's editor, Alan Lightman, who made the final selections: "So far, not a shred of experimental evidence supports string theory. However, some of the best theoretical physicists in the world are infatuated with it."

Oliver Sacks: The story of how scientists have created new elements based on what could be predicted from the Periodic Chart of the Elements.

James Gleick: The grand new exhibition on Isaac Newton at the New York Public Library correctly portrays him as the genius of rationality and order that he was. His fingerprints mark every part of science, but they left out a major part of the story. Newton was heavily into alchemy and other pseudoscience, was a social disaster who had no friends, and was chronically poisoned by the mercury he experimented with. His works ended up being a pivotal event in the emergence of the age of science from centuries of dependence on superstition. His complex and tormented soul might represent the conflict between science and superstition.

Frank Wilczek: A discussion of Newton's second law of motion, F = ma. Force is "insubstantial" and has no independent meaning. For these reasons and that it has no algorith, Wilczek had problems with it as a student. He elaborates...a little over my head, but that's OK.

Peter Galison: As any pilot knows, the standard compass is problematic in aircraft because it leads and lags in turns, acceleration, and deceleration. Einstein addressed this problem as an expert witness because of technical skills he learned in the patent office.

William Broad: Reversal of the Earth's magnetic fields appears to have started in earnest about 150 years ago. The author discusses earth's long history of magnetic reversals and present implications for power grids, satellites, ozone holes, migratory animals, and extinction of species.

K.C. Cole: The only life we know is built on a scaffolding of carbon that floats in bags of water. As we search (SETI) for other life in the universe, why are carbon and water necessary - or are they?

Dennis Overby: Looking for planets: "What seems indisputably clear is that our knowledge of the universe is dwarfed by our ignorance."

Jim Holt: Some of the more fanciful speculations of top cosmologists about the eventual fate of the universe.

Natalie Algier: Women in top-level science are scarce - A close look at multiple award-winning chemist, Jacqueline Barton.

Jennifer Couzin: The competition and conflict between two prominent researchers studying the genetic causes of aging - in graduate school, one was the mentor of the other.

Robin Henig: Should we look for biological determinants of race. Sociologists say no, calling race a social convention, even its study causing a variety of pernicious consequences. Genomics and Medicine says yes, and a new drug, BiDil, has been niche-marketed specifically for African-Americans.

Mark Dowie: Dr. Stuart Newman applied for a patent for a "chimera" - half human, half something else. Not that he wanted to create one - the idea of a chimera so revolted him that he wanted to keep anyone else from doing it for 27 years. Six years later, it's still in court.

Gina Kolata: Some groups focus on cells taken from human embryos. Some focus on adult stem cells that have mysteriously survived long after their original mission is over. As the two lines of research proceed along parallel lines, researchers say it is too soon to bet on which, if either, will yield cures first. Meanwhile, the political problems over the use of human embryonic stem cells goes on.

Philip Alcabes: "The stranger spreading germs is a metaphor, and largely an empty one. Bioterrorism is not a public health problem, and will not become one."

Laurie Garrett: AIDS is poised to explode in Vietnam. US money is being held up because the Bush administration will not support condom use or a needle exchange program.

Atul Gawande: The WHO is in the closing stages of a campaign to wipe out polio. The author accompanies a WHO team to a poor region in India, where they try to limit the damage from a new outbreak.

Jerome Groopman: Can a positive attitude lead to a better outcome in fighting disease? Can the natural anxiety that accompanies cancer do the opposite? New information collected in scientifically valid ways suggests that the answer is in contradiction of the popular belief. "As to the mind-body connection, I told Julie that I knew of no data whatsoever that supported the notion that her natural feelings of anxiety or her moments of despair would accelerate the growth of her disease."

Ben Harder: Maggots still work in removing dead and infected tissue. While most US medical institutions don't use maggot debridement therapy, it is still a viable option for ulcers from bedsores, diabetes, trauma, burns, or flesh-eating bacteria.

Jennifer Ackerman: The author follows a group of "craniacs" who are trying to bring these remarkable species back from the edge of extinction.

Edward Hoagland: This author spent his childhood in a love affair with nature that has continued throughout his adult life. He now wonders whether humanity will survive current assaults on our environment.

David Quammen: Since about half of Americans doubt evolution, National Geographic magazine commissioned the author to compose a primer for the general public. The evidence is there, and it is not "just a theory."

David Berlinski: Although evolutionary psychology is convincing and is one of my favorite subjects, the author correctly points out how difficult it is to gather hard data on a soft science.

Mark Solms: By the 1980's, Freud's notions of the id and ego were considered hopelessly antiquated. New developments in brain research, however, are producing results that fit surprisingly well with his theories. Certainly it's becoming increasingly clear that a good deal of our mental activity is unconsciously motivated.

Ellen Ullman: The author caricaturizes the difficulties researchers have in creating artificial intelligence (AI) by pointing out the problems a robot would have in enjoying fine cuisine. In a moment of introspection - while in the supermarket check-out lines with its conveyor belts, credit card machines, and bar-codes - it occurred to her that we should perhaps worry more about humanity becoming robotic. This is the only article that was chosen for both books.

Andrea Barrett: This novelist was thrust into a situation of working independently, but alongside, various other scholars from varied disciplines. She was forced to think about how very differently scholars, on the one hand, and poets and novelists on the other, approach their material.

Diane Ackerman: "I remember one chilly morning in California, when a colleague and I held just-tagged monarch butterflies in our open mouths and warmed them with our breathe, so that they could fly to safety."

A delicious treat to read and a definite 5 stars.

The Best American Science & Nature Writing 2005 (Best American)

Average customer rating:

great collection
a text book i won't try to re-sell
A focussed farrago
Stimulating addition to an outstanding series
a mixed bag

The Best American Science & Nature Writing 2005 (Best American)

Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Essays & Commentary | Science | Subjects | Books

Nature Writing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0618273433

Book Description

This year's editor, the Pulitzer Prizewinning author Jonathan Weiner, noted for his "philosophical and poetic mind" (New York Times), brings a new perspective to the year's best, most provocative writing on science and nature. Contributors include Sherwin B. Nuland, Malcolm Gladwell, Oliver Sacks, and others.

Customer Reviews:

great collection.......2007-10-16

Another great year of science writing. There is a lot of great stuff in this collection. I read these books every year and this one never disappoints.

a text book i won't try to re-sell.......2007-02-18

this book has alot of heavy science talk, but the lamen issues are easy to follow. the articles are most interesting, and after i read them i felt smart.

A focussed farrago.......2006-03-27

This collection of essays shifts from the usual scattered melange of topics in this series. Weiner has opted to focus rather more closely on selected areas. In this volume health and medicine gained much of the ink. Given the sources and market, the decision has merit. Certainly the issues discussed are worthy of close attention. The narrower topic approach hasn't allowed any slipshod writer to sneak in. All the articles command your attention - and are worthy of it. Well-written, informative and current, the selection is a treasure of quality.

Weiner opens the collection recalling his childhood fascination with atoms. He actually thought he saw some in a moment of dizziness. This "insight" leads him to note how physics and biology are gently merging through the growing field of molecular biology. Understanding genes means understanding molecular activities. More importantly, there are medical implications that we are only now beginning to understand. At the very root of our existence, organic molecules exist as both contributers and threats to life. Robert Kunzig's essay on deep sea sediments and other holdings of microscopic life show these places are also storehouses for methane. Once likely the dominant gas in our atmosphere, global warming may release floods of it again, compounding the "greenhouse effect". In a step up on the molecular complexity ladder, Sherwin Nuland discusses innovative "enhancement" technologies to improve appearance and prolong life. Various hormone "therapies" are already in use with more to come. Jenny Everett's essay on prompting children's growth using manufactured growth hormone struck a nerve with this reviewer. My son endured the daily injection programme for many years. And essays on stem cell research show how the research has become more political than scientific in the US.

In the US, space research is an on-going topic, but the loss of the Columbia during its return from orbit re-ignited the debate over manned versus robotic missions. In an unusually [for him] ascerbic essay, Timothy Ferris declares the use of astronauts costs far more than multiple robot spacecraft missions, and adds that threats to human life aren't worth the risk. The issue of "private enterprise" in space is examined, while the true aim of space exploration, providing an alternative home for our species is also discussed. One of the significant prompts for our emigration, climate change, is the topic of a book review essay by Bill McKibben.

There are pieces dealing with lighter issues, perhaps the most entertaining being the account of "The Homeless Hacker". Adrian Lamo made sport of the security walls of corporations, the military and the mighty New York Times - the Grey Hat invaded the Grey Lady. Lamo faced a prison sentence when the essay went to press. Clifford Stoll of "The Cuckoo's Egg", tracked down the history of the first "pocket calculator". Stoll's account seems almost humorous, until you discover how the calculator was designed. Finally, as nearly always appears in one of these collections, Natalie Angier lays down a challenge. Are scientists remaining unwarrantedly mute as religion challenges their foundations? It's a question fraught with wide-spread implications - from funding to whether schools will be able to continue producing highly qualified researchers. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Stimulating addition to an outstanding series.......2006-03-22

I look forward every year to the annual edition of this series and its competitor, Best American Science Writing. Since there are way too many good magazines published I gave up long ago trying to keep up with them, and this book/series serves two useful functions. First, it provides a delightful sampler of science-related writing of the past year, and, second, it often introduces me to some new writers. It is the kind of book that has repercussions: I have never failed to follow up by buying additional books, either books by the authors represented or books referred to in the selections (WARNING: This book could be dangerous to your budget!)
The series editor provides a certain stability and may ensure some breadth to the selections, but each volume bears the stamp of the interests of the guest editor. This year there were an unusual number of writers that I do not normally associate with science, such as Malcolm Gladwell, but the ideas were still stimulating. Dining with Robots was so much fun that I e-mailed a number of people the reference and provoked quite a discussion. That is the kind of writing I enjoy!
This was probably not the best of the series, but it nonetheless was not one I would want to miss.

a mixed bag .......2006-03-16

A mixed bag is good -- there's something for everyone. But I felt that there were too many "essays" and too many book reviews that I didn't think strictly belonged. Other pieces, though, were stellar.

The Best American Political Writing 2005 (Best American Political Writing)

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The Best American Political Writing 2005 (Best American Political Writing)

Manufacturer: Thunder's Mouth Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Political | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

History & Theory | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1560257717

Book Description

The Best American Political Writing 2005 is an annual compendium that culls from the nation's most influential news sources to provide the most incisive, controversial, and entertaining writing about the notable names and events of 2004 and the first half of 2005. From the 2004 presidential election to the reconstruction of Iraq; from Social Security reform to the future of the Supreme Court; from the war on terrorism and who is next to repairing American ties with Europe; editor Royce Flippin provides a diverse collection of insights, opinions, and analysis on the political events that shaped the past year.

With selections from leading publications, including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker,the Nation, Foreign Affairs, Time, Harper's, Vanity Fair, and the Atlantic, as well as think tanks such as the American Enterprise Institute and the Brookings Institution. In addition, writings from the nation's top political commentators, including Ron Suskind, Peter Beinart, James Fallows, Joshua Green, Naomi Klein, Michael Wolff, Christopher Hitchens, and Philip Gourevitch, among many others, are also featured.

The write stuff.(The Best American Science Writing 2005 by Alan Lightman)(Book Review) : An article from: American Scientist

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The write stuff.(The Best American Science Writing 2005 by Alan Lightman)(Book Review) : An article from: American Scientist

Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Science & Technology | Subjects | e-Docs | Formats | Books

Book Description

Modern Forests is an environmental, institutional, and cultural history of forestry in colonial eastern India. By carefully examining the influence of regional political formations and biogeographic processes on land and forest management, this book offers an analysis of the interrelated social and biophysical factors that influenced landscape change. Through a cultural analysis of powerful landscape representations, Modern Forests reveals the contention, debates, and uncertainty that persisted for two hundred years of colonial rule as forests were identified, classified, and brought under different regimes of control and were transformed to serve a variety of imperial and local interests.

The author examines the regionally varied conditions that generated widely different kinds of forest management systems, and the ways in which certain ideas and forces became dominant at various times. Through this emphasis on regional socio-political processes and ecologies, the author offers a new way to write environmental history. Instead of making a sharp distinction between third-world and first-world experiences in forest management, the book suggests a potential for cross-continental comparative studies through regional analyses.

The book also offers an approach to historical anthropology that does not make apolitical separations between foreign and indigenous views of the world of nature, insisting instead that different cultural repertoires for discerning the natural, and using it, can be fashioned out of shared concerns within and across social groups. The politics of such cultural construction, the book argues, must be studied through institutional histories and ethnographies of statemaking. In conclusion, the author offers a genealogy of development as it can be traced from forest conservation in colonial eastern India.

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