Book Description
Ferdinand Alvarez de Toledo, the third duke of Alba (1507-1582), is known to history as "the butcher of Flanders." The general who carried out Philip II's repressive policies in the Netherlands, he was responsible for the massacre of thousands of men, women and children, considering it better to lay waste an entire country than leave it in the hands of heretics. Alba came to represent for contemporaries as well as for future generations the unacceptable face of Spanish imperialism. In this intriguing re-evaluation, Henry Kamen narrates the duke's personal history, looking beyond the conventional image to reveal motives and to explain rather than simply to condemn. Kamen examines the early years of Alba's life, his travels over the whole of Europe, and the complex military and political career that made him Spain's leading general of the imperial age. Drawing on the duke's rich and expressive surviving correspondence, Kamen explores Alba's beliefs and considers his infamous actions within the contexts of his time and of the monarchs-Emperor Charles V and King Philip II of Spain-whom he served.
Customer Reviews:
The Spanish Tyrant.......2006-10-07
This is a relatively short, but nonetheless well-written book. Kamen does a good job at trying to appreciate Alba's formation as a child and young man and how this might have affected his outlook in later life. He also finds the time to reflect upon Court politics under Charles V and Philip II - very important when considering what might be termed as Alba's political role.
But it as a military commander that Alba made his name: the author, while describing events, tries in addition to assess Alba as a commander and to place his reputation in a proper context. It's almost inevitable though that a large section of the book is devoted to Alba's tenure as governor of the Low Countries in the early years of the Dutch Revolt. It is then that Alba's reputation (certainly but not exclusively in Protestant Europe) as a tyrant was formed. Kamen does not attempt to debunk that - rather he asks the wider question about what the Spaniards were attempting to achieve by sending a figure like Alba to Brussels. Even then, the aim was not clear - was the revolt a religious one, a nationalistic one, or one based upon economic grievances? It was certainly not the case even at the time that everyone viewed armed intervention as justified - and of course once committed the army was extremely difficult to control and costly to maintain. It seems that the lessons of military commitment without a clear appreciation of the nature of the problem to be addressed have not been learned between 1567 and the present day.
In all, a well-researched and interesting study.
G Rodgers
Alba revealed.......2005-06-30
A well-researched (and in truth I expected nothing less from this author) biography of the Iron Duke. Kamen does a great job in uncovering the Duke's life, ideas, views on faith, policies, people, behaviour; demonstrates his strengths as a "fabian" tactician and his weaknesses as Governor of the Spanish Netherlands; shows the results of Alba's policies in the Netherlands. Dealing with what the practical man of our times would call "facts and figures", Kamen recreates with great success the political situation in which Alba's ideology is constantly formed throughout his life. In all a must for those who are fascinated by Fernando de Toledo!
As far as style is concerned, this book is an easy and pleasant read, professional and yet not too..."pompous", something the casual reader might find tiring sometimes. The notes are interesting, and limited as much as possible, while at the same time nothing is omitted. Some extra material is also handy (biographical notes on the closest relatives, family tree, etc).
Enjoy!
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Canadian Journal of History, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2005. The length of the article is 833 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The Duke of Alba.(Book review)
Author: G.B. Paquette
Publication:
Canadian Journal of History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40
Issue: 3
Page: 501(2)
Article Type: Book review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on July 13, 2001. The length of the article is 422 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Washington, el Duque de Alba y la Eurotasa. (en el pondo).(impuestos en la Unión Europea)(TT: Washington, Duke of Alba and the Eurotasa.)(TA: taxes for the European Union)(ArtÃculo Breve)
Author: Rubén Manso
Publication:
Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 13, 2001
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 123(1)
Article Type: ArtÃculo Breve
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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The Duke of Alba
Harold Bloom
Manufacturer: Riverhead Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MC4ETE |
Amazon.com
"For virtually every episode described in these pages," Oxford historian Martin Gilbert remarks, "a complete volume could be written." Cramming 19 years into just over 900 pages of text (the maps, photos, index, and bibliography easily stretch the full length over 1,000) is a daunting task, but Gilbert rises to the challenge with a panoramic effort, offering a genuinely global perspective that, coming after several looks back at the "American century," serves as an excellent reminder that there's a whole world beyond the borders of the United States.
The Second World War, as one might expect, holds a central position in the text, occupying the entire middle third and exerting a powerful hold over the events preceding and following it. The opening years, for example, contrast the efforts of many world leaders to maintain lasting peace despite the rise of Nazi Germany. The years after the war see Europe--and then the rest of the world--divided up between the two power blocs engaged in a new, "cold" war. Gilbert neatly compresses his theme of the defense of liberty, and the lessons learned in the fight against authoritarian regimes, by noting that "in 1938, Neville Chamberlain had spoken of Czechoslovakia as 'a far-away country of which we know nothing.' Truman said in 1950, 'Korea is a small country thousands of miles away, but what is happening there is important to every American.'"
Book Description
The world was still reeling from the ravages of the century's first Great War when a dramatic and inexorable chain of events set it afire once again. In the Second World War, forty-six million people would lost their lives, and deep and lasting upheavals would cast the world's social and political life into turmoil for decades to come.
Martin Gilbert's three-volume history of the century continues with an enthralling narrative that documents the attempts to preserve human values, to maintain the rule of law, and to uphold the rights and dignity of the individual. Gilbert shows how the conflicts of nations and the aspirations of their rulers served both to threaten humankind through war and civil war, in many regions of the globe, and to create a fairer and more fulfilling life for hundreds, even thousands, of millions of people. For more than four decades, the United States and the Soviet Union -- joint victors in the struggle against Germany and Japan--struggled to establish the primacy of their respective systems, while the specter of nuclear war threatened to become a terrible reality.
The world was still reeling from the ravages of the century's first Great War when a dramatic and inexorable chain of events set it afire once again. In the Second World War, forty-six million people would lost their lives, and deep and lasting upheavals would cast the world's social and political life into turmoil for decades to come.
Martin Gilbert's three-volume history of the century continues with an enthralling narrative that documents the attempts to preserve human values, to maintain the rule of law, and to uphold the rights and dignity of the individual. Gilbert shows how the conflicts of nations and the aspirations of their rulers served both to threaten humankind through war and civil war, in many regions of the globe, and to create a fairer and more fulfilling life for hundreds, even thousands, of millions of people.For more than four decades, the United States and the Soviet Union--joint victors in the struggle against Germany and Japan--struggled to establish the primacy of their respective systems, while the specter of nuclear war threatened to become a terrible reality.
Customer Reviews:
Gilbert zone.......2002-09-17
Have read the third volume of this series first and having glanced at the first one (both are as brilliant as any other 20th century history book), it appears to me that this period is the one Gilbert is really a master of. Also, comparing the presentation (which is chronogical), with other acclaimed books like Penguin History Of The 20th Century and Hobsbawm's 'A Short Century', I like this one much better. Its to his credit that inspite of presenting the events year-wise, the merit and positioning of his analysis of the broad sweep of events in not affected negatively. The narrative is easy to follow and one does not tend to get lost even if the book is picked up after a couple of days gap.
The most interesting feature of the book is the contemporary opinions of people, quotations, reports - they make the narrative come alive. I was finally able to really understand the rise of the Third Reich and the events which led to the war and (as an example) could relate it (in a way) to why the US insists Iraq be 'contained'. The complusions/motives of the actors on stage are very well explained with good insight into their personalities (with anecdotes and comments to back it up).
The book is more British-centered that the US, but that only makes it more refreshing.
For my money, he's the best writer if you want to understand the 20th Century. Next is the Penguin Book Of 20th Century history. Hobsbawms book provides good analyis but, I think, does not tell the story very well. The Oxford Book Of the 20th Century is a sham.
One reason for the greatness of this book could be that it does not tell you any more or any less than you would need to know in order to grasp why things happened the way they did in this tumultous period. The series is in 3 huge volumes, unlike the other books mentioned above, and gives the author enough scope to write to his hearts content (how fortunate that this was just right for me!).
What else? Well, its really difficult to read at night coz the size makes it difficult to hold - dare I suggest splitting the current 3 into 6 volumes!
Second Book of a Great Series.......2001-12-10
There are many good reviews here so I'll keep it short. If you're looking something that covers the period in a general way with lots of relevant details thrown in then get this book. It's very readable for a history book that covers so much area and the chronological setup is very effective at giving you the sense of the times. I read this series from book 1 to 3 and recommend that as it gives you the best flow and all the events build on one another. I think some people are overly critical here. For what this book is and was meant to be it's a very worthwhile read.
Not inspired writing.......2001-04-11
Since this book is full of history I enjoyed it but it is not inspired writing. Sometimes it seemed plodding. Much of the account of World War II consisted in a continuing catalog of German atrocities and losses in air raids. I cannot say Gilbert has a good sense of proportion. Some insignificant things get mentioned (McDonald's gets a sentence) and important things are omitted (U.S. politics is the subject of the merest nods). Even the birth of Israel is directly mentioned only in telling that the U.S. recognized it minutes after it was proclaimed. I was glad to finish this book, and I am not sure it'll be worth while to read Volume III. There is a bibliography (heavy on books published in England) but no footnotes or source notes.
Gilbert's Masterful 2nd Volume of His 20th Century History!.......2000-10-22
British historian and academic Sir Martin Gilbert (knighted by the Queen in 1995) has a well-deserved reputation as one of the most authoritative academics on the subject of the twentieth century, and has written perhaps more prolifically than anyone else on various aspects of this remarkable epoch. Indeed, he has written such a torrent of different books on everything ranging from a multiple volume biography of Sir Winston Churchill to histories of World War One, World War two, that a complete accounting of his efforts would require more space than is available for the review. Thus it should come as no surprise that he has written a three-volume overview of the twentieth century itself. What is so surprising is how engaging, entertaining, and accessible each of the three volumes is to the reader.
In the second volume Gilbert masterfully guides us through the events that mesmerized and profoundly affected the whole world, from the Depression of the 1930s to the efforts of various world leaders to construct a workable peace in the face of the mounting hostility from a Nazified Germany. Of course, the drift into the Second World War and the conduct of that massive conduct is the centerpiece of the book, and in the effort Gilbert illustrates just how well he can provide an interesting, provocative, and intelligible overview of such a mind-boggling war involving so many people in so many far flung places throughout the world. This really is history that has been shorn of all its externalities, stripped to its bare essentials, clipped free of all its celebrities, all its petty nonsense, and its hoopla, to concentrate only on that which is central, consequential, and the core of the stuff of history. In Gilbert's capable hands we come to better appreciate just how momentous the torrent of worldwide changes were, sweeping away all that went before them. This is a book that engages the reader in the spectacle of the transformation of our world from everything autocratic, traditional and rigidly controlled to all that became so characteristic of the century thereafter; democratic, irrational, murderous, and wildly chaotic. With an amazing and delightful eye for absorbing detail, Gilbert threads his way through the particular personalities, events and issues as they arise chronologically.
This is the one accurate criticism I have read about which may be directed at the book. He does stick fairly much to a faithful chronological narrative. Yet, given the plethora of events, issues, personalities and changes occurring throughout the world, any other organization would suffer from other problems such as maintaining context for the reader, so one can appreciate all that faced a particular leader in a given situation. Understanding how the multitudes of actors, issues, and countries are involved and intertwined lends itself to better comprehension, at least in this reviewer's mind. After all, it is mind-boggling to understand in the last hundred years the western world transformed itself in almost every dimension imaginable; technological, scientific, social, economic, and philosophical. To attempt to do justice to this wide panoply of revolutionary change requires a certain perspective and rigorous discipline to do so, especially in the 3,000 or so pages allotted to the overall work.
The narrative herein works its way fatefully through the events leading up to and including the Second World War, and allowing for a better understanding of the world that emerged from the cauldron of that conflict, guiding us through the tragedy of this most unnecessary of wars, and shows us how the various national interests and ideologies involved not only during the war but in its aftermath set the stage for what follows. One is struck by how masterfully Gilbert threads his way through this most essential lesson of history; i.e., how the past and what it holds profoundly sets the stage and writes the script for all that follows. From London to Berlin, from Moscow to Washington, from Singapore to Paris, we follow the story of our own century as it unfolds, and the act of finishing this particular volume only whets one's appetite for the next volume, which picks up the thread of the story of this century in the early 1950s in the midst of the world's adjustment to the new political stand-off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Enjoy!
Historical overview written the old-fashioned way.......2000-09-01
Martin Gilbert -- that's Sir Martin to us Yanks -- is to 20th century history like Isaac Asimov is to everything else. He's a machine, churning nearly 60 history books on Winston Churchill, the Holocaust, Jewish history and the two World Wars among other subjects. Without a trace of ego or any talent for self-promotion, hands down, he earned the title of the hardest working man in the history biz.
With apologies to James Brown, and the reader as well, Gilbert's brand new bag is this little opus called, "A History of the Twentieth Century," slated to come out in three volumes. The first volume covered one-third of the century, and its sequel covers the years 1933 to 1951.
This is quaint, old-fashioned history, the kind that drive New Historians batty. Gilbert breaks down the century into years and writes a chapter on each year. He's not interested in looking back and drawing inferences and interpretations. He's not even interested in pointing out trends or advancing any particular political agenda. This is history in the here and now, as immediate as the day's newspaper. The result is a book you can open to any page, and be instantly captivated by the story.
Not surprisingly, Hitler and World War II dominates this book, opening as it does with the rise of the ex-German Army corporal, consolidating power after only three months in office, and ending with the executions of his officers for war crimes. Also present in a large measure is Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union, and their catalog of cruelties take up most of the book.
Those of us who've quite had our fill of WWII history did not look forward to the prospect of looking back. I've read the books, seen the documentaries, watched the History Channel (motto: All Hitler All the Time), visited some of the places and even gamed the battles and campaigns from tactical to strategic. Could this really tell me something I haven't learned?
As it turns out, it does. Gilbert's genius in writing history is in constructing a fascinating chain of stories. His narrative flow is interrupted only when he turns to an extract from a contemporary account, or by brief footnotes in which Gilbert drops the authorial mask to relate a personal anecdote or reveals a pertinent fact that wouldn't otherwise fit into the chronological narrative. His "here and now" technique means you can dip into the book at any place and find some interesting nugget of history.
The result is something like an extended mini-series, with the narrative shuttling among the main characters and locations, with brief subplots that may or may not be equally important. The 1947 chapter, for example, opens with Gen. George C. Marshall reporting from China that neither the Communists nor the Kuomintang want a negotiated settlement or a coalition government. Following that is a one-page summary of the struggle over the rest of the year then an eyewitness account of life during the winter in a Manchurian city under Kuomintang control. After that is a series of brief stories, many taking less than a page. Various countries execute German officers for war crimes, German prisoners-of-war are repatriated back to the fatherland, Britain and France sign a mutual-aid pact against Germany, the coffins of 6,248 American war dead are returned home and given a memorial service in Central Park, attended by four hundred thousand people, more peace treaties signed, not-so-free elections held in Poland, the Truman Doctrine was issued in which anti-Communist aid was given to Greece and Turkey, the Marshall Plan formulated, the next stage in the decline of the British Empire formulated with the independence of Burma as led by Aung San, who was later assassinated. In a footnote, Gilbert mentions that San's daughter, Suu Kyi, was two years old. She would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 while under house arrest by the military government.
All this in about 10 pages. And so goes the rest of the book, over 927 pages, 38 pages of maps, and an extensive bibliography and index.
As I mentioned before, some historians look down at this basic attempt at recalling the past. In his review of the first volume, historian John Charmley in the London Daily Telegraph called this, "`titbits' history, useful for Trivial Pursuit, but not much else."
But there are many ways to learn the history of our times, our past, our heritage, and Gilbert employs the method by which we all learn it: by a direct telling of the facts as they occurred. It is fundamental to our learning, because it allows us to sort through the facts and derive meaning from them. Gilbert leaves it to others to provide their interpretation of what's important and what's not, and there is certainly no lack of historians elbowing their way onto the stage to do just that. But the process has to start somewhere, and Gilbert provides a readable, entertaining and sometimes terrifying and heartfelt guide. One sees no reason to ask it to do anything more than that.
Book Description
Infinite in All Directions is a popularized science at its best. In Dyson's view, science and religion are two windows through which we can look out at the world around us.
The book is a revised version of a series of the Gifford Lectures under the title "In Praise of Diversity" given at Aberdeen, Scotland. They allowed Dyson the license to express everything in the universe, which he divided into two parts in polished prose: focusing on the diversity of the natural world as the first, and the diversity of human reactions as the second half.
Chapter 1 is a brief explanation of Dyson's attitudes toward religion and science. Chapter 2 is a one–hour tour of the universe that emphasizes the diversity of viewpoints from which the universe can be encountered as well as the diversity of objects which it contains. Chapter 3 is concerned with the history of science and describes two contrasting styles in science: one welcoming diversity and the other deploring it. He uses the cities of Manchester and Athens as symbols of these two ways of approaching science. Chapter 4, concerned with the origin of life, describes the ideas of six illustrious scientists who have struggled to understand the nature of life from various points of view. Chapter 5 continues the discussion of the nature and evolution of life. The question of why life characteristically tends toward extremes of diversity remains central in all attempts to understand life's place in the universe. Chapter 6 is an exercise in eschatology, trying to define possible futures for life and for the universe, from here to infinity. In this chapter, Dyson crosses the border between science and science fiction and he frames his speculations in a slightly theological context.
Customer Reviews:
A Meaning for Scientific Thought by a Master.......2007-08-12
As always with Freeman Dyson, this book is a provocative exploration of a set of interesting and often unusual themes in nature, thoughtfully related to the larger issues of the day. In "Infinite in All Directions" Dyson searches for meaning on the diversity of the Earth's ecosystem, the inner workings of the universe, and the place of humanity in our larger cosmological structure. Presented originally as a set of lectures at Aberdeen, Scotland, in 1985, the chapters of this book have a familiarity and sensitivity to events of the time that one might expect. This is both a strength and weakness of this book.
Dyson's interest in the origins and evolution of life emerges clearly in this volume, and this discussion sparked in part by the debates over abortion and creationism is most welcome. His concern for cold war issues, especially a lengthy discussion of the place of Austria, seems someone archaic more than twenty years later.
Somewhere in the middle is Dyson's admittedly important perspective and provocative essay on "nuclear winter," a theory advanced by Carl Sagan and others in the 1980s that suggested that a nuclear exchange between the superpowers would trigger a worldwide ice age. He questioned the theory with some excellent points drawn, as he said, from his background. Indeed, science may be autobiographical, Dyson writes, for Carl Sagan drew his analogies for "nuclear winter" from his studies of the cold, dry environment of Mars and the dust particles in its thin atmosphere. This is one approach, Dyson concludes, but not the only one and he drew his analogies from the London fog. "We both use the same mathematics and both work with the same laws of physics. Why then do we reach different conclusions?" (p. 262). As he notes: "If the atmosphere after a nuclear war is filled with dry soot, the temperature on the ground will fall and the Earth will experience nuclear winter. If the atmosphere is filled with wet soot, the temperature on the ground will stay roughly constant as it used to do under a London fog. The severity of a nuclear winter depends on whether the soot-laden atmosphere is predominantly dry or predominantly wet" (p. 263). Moreover, since we live on a water-dominated planet Dyson believes that such a nuclear exchange would trigger the type of ice age that Sagan advanced.
This does not mean that Dyson saw no threat to humanity in nuclear weapons. He certainly did. In fact, he spent considerable space ruminating on the choices that scientists must make with confronting such scientific questions. In all cases, the mode of science is to seek to disprove or at least modify any new theory. Doing so helps to self-correct the state of knowledge, and there is no higher calling in science. "Every new theory has to fight for its existence against intense and often bitter criticism," Dyson comments (p. 258). He then adds, "On the other hand, nuclear winter is not just a theory. It is also a political statement with profound moral implications" (p. 259). In such a situation scientists face a dilemma that cannot be minimized. They may take their normal approach as scientists and seek to disprove the theory, which Dyson believed in the case of nuclear winter would be successful, but doing so would provide the decision makers with cover for belligerent actions. As he wrote: "So my instinct as a scientist comes into sharp conflict with my instinct as a human being...What does a scientist do when science and humanity pull in opposite directions." (p. 259). He offered three possible solutions, one ignoring humanity and seeking to disprove the theory, another embracing humanity and nuclear winter as a theory. A third option, one followed by most scientists in the "nuclear winter" debate, was to privately seek to disprove but publicly to support the theory. He offer this succinct statement of this third approach: "it will not do us any good in the long run to believe a wrong theory, but it will not do us any good in the short run to attack it publicly, so let us keep silent and reserve judgment until the facts become clear" (p. 260). Dyson, like many others, chose that third option in the "nuclear winter" debate.
Dyson's discussion of "nuclear winter" is an especially useful object lesson in the nature and conundrums of scientific thought and practice. For those who hold the mistaken belief that scientific understanding is objective and linear will be well served in reading this case study. Scientific understanding is infinitely more complex, convoluted, interesting, and significant than most believe. Apply this issue to the major scientific debates of the present, of which there are many, and it is apparent that there are few easy answers.
As always, Freeman Dyson's work is challenging and thoughtful. "Infinite in All Directions," despite some essays that are a bit out of date, is a worthy contribution which all would profit by reading.
POetic Writing with an Internal Contradiction.......2003-12-06
It has been noted that some of the best writing around can be found in the scientific world and this book is a confirmation. It is divided into two sections that the author describes as reflecting two meanings of the title - the infinite quality of the universe and the infinite responsibility of mankind. The essays are erudite, entertaining, informative and more than anything (especially in the "universe" section) demonstrate that the nature of science and humanity's involvement in it is complex, sometimes contradictory and at times perplexing.
Life is explored in all its variations - how it started, why it's complex, how it will end, what it means. Then the second part falters a bit. The author can be forgiven some of his remarks due to the date of publication as he goes on about the (former) Soviet Union, peace, NATO, Star Wars, Nuclear Winter, etc.
The problem with non-political types formulating policy is that over time the perception grows that Barbra Streisand is as knowledgable as Colin Powell or Freeman Dyson knows something that Madelaine Albright doesn't or that Jerry Falwell or Dr. Ruth or some college professor has the answer to the complex social problems of the day.
The peaceful manner in which the potentially explosive end of the Cold War was guided by those familiar with the situation is a rebuke to all the talking heads. A good essay on "Star Wars" and its meaning and potential was followed by some out of the box speculation on ways of dealing with the Soviet State. What was infuriating was the notion pushed by Dyson that scientists and intellectuals are peculiarly inclined toward peace. Do farmers, steel workers, bankers, programmers and chefs desire a nuclear war? Who created those weapons if not scientists? He, like many, dreams of a Star Trek world of universal peace, an end to racial and religious strife and a focus on scientific and artistic achievment. It sounds noble but in no way reflects our evolutionary heritage.
Another absorbing journey with Freeman Dyson........1998-07-12
Mr. Dyson is one of the most respected and distinguished physicists in the world. He is also a great science writer for the layman. Although a gentle and gracious man by nature, Dyson is not afraid to take on the sacred cows and unfashionable areas of science, and it is obvious that there is little beyond his powers of comprehension. When I read Freeman Dyson, I feel as though I am in the presence of supreme, but very kindly intellect. This is a collection of 17 lectures that touch on many subjects, including 6 on biology. Unplug the phone, lock the door--whatever it takes to have some quiet time to yourself--and read this absorbing and thoughtful book. It will change the way you look at the universe around you. This book will also introduce the you other fascinating books that you've never heard about but will wish that you had.
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Downstream and Upstream Ecologists: The People, Organizations, and Ideas Behind the Movement
Jean Mercier
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Social Services & Welfare
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ASIN: 0275959279 |
Book Description
Although environmentalists and ecologists all over the globe share certain basic goals--less consumption, less waste, less energy use--there is a bewildering variety of ideas, concepts, and theories, some incompatible with others, that is associated with the movement. Indeed, one might more accurately think of a series of movements rather than one "movement." Mercier divides the movement into downstream ecologists--sometimes called environmentalists--who are essentially concerned about the quality of the air, the water, and the soil, and the upstream ecologists, who essentially believe that the deterioration of the quality of the air, water, and soil is a symptom of some larger (upstream) phenomenon. The upstream ecologists, in turn, are divided into subgroups, among them the Social Ecologists, who are the inheritors of the traditional positions of the left, and the Deep Ecologists, who attribute the state of the environment to a "modern," excessively specialized and segmented outlook that eventually leads to a loss of sensitivity and a disregard for nature and our environment. Using the image of the protoplasm, the viscous matter that contains the living cell, Mercier concludes by relating these and other patterns to a postmodern aesthetic which, itself, is strongly influenced by our changing communication environment. A major analysis that will be of importance to policymakers, scholars, and researchers involved with environmental issues and contemporary social patterns that go beyond the environment per se.
Books:
- The Encyclopedia of New Jersey
- The Fall of Constantinople 1453 (Canto)
- The Federalist Era 1789-1801
- The French Revolution: Conflicting Interpretations
- The Guns of August
- The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History
- The Illustrated Directory of the Civil War
- The Illustrated Encyclopedia of the Civil War: The Soldiers, Generals, Weapons, and Battles of the Civil War
- The Landscape of History: How Historians Map the Past
- The Library of Congress Civil War Desk Reference
Books Index
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