JOHN WAYNES AMERICA: The Politics of Celebrity

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This book poses an interesting question: How is it that John Wayne came to embody a certain politics for America? In giving his answer, Wills flashes his usual encyclopedic knowledge of intellectual and cultural materials. He knows his Aristotle and his Groucho and knows when to use them. The knee-jerk analysis of Wayne's status is that he was a blustery flag-waver. Wills's answer is more subtle: that Wayne "stood for an America that was disappearing or had disappeared." And according to Wills, Wayne did this in different ways at different stages of his career. In his early successes (such as Stagecoach), he represented naive virtue; later he would portray the dark acceptance of responsibility (Sands of Iwo Jima). And finally, he moved on to model a conscious acceptance of the anachronism of all such individual honor (The Shootist).

Customer Reviews:

The Most Serious and Egaging Wayne Biography.......2007-07-31

Wills, author of many other works, including the amazing Lincoln at Gettysburg, sets an examination of Wayne's films squarely in the American zeitgeist - given them added heft and importance.
Wills will appear at San Francisco's Grace Cathedral on October 15, 2007, for a conversation with Dean Alan Jones. It will also be webcast live and archived for later listening. More information is available at: http://www.gracecathedral.org/calendar/detail.php?eid=1053.

Engrossing biography of the Duke!.......1997-05-11

An immensely engaging analysis of the actor who for many years was the #1 most popular film star in the world, even many years after his death. The author diagnostically and exhaustingly detailed perspective of Wayne the actor vs. Wayne the man is what sets it apart as a landmark bio. You will not be displeased. In one chapter the author discusses the fact that, after having seen "High Noon" he was so upset with the scene wherein Coop throws his marshall's badge into the dusty road that he was instrumental in seeing to it that the script writer was investigated and later forced out of the country after being suspected of pro-communist leanings during the McCarhty witchtrials. Wayne is ultimately admired as an artist yet condemned for his staunchly conservative political views

A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes : North America North of Mexico (Peterson Field Guides)

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Five stars!
A waste of money
An indispensible guide to fish
Far from great
Finishing the Trilogy

A Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes : North America North of Mexico (Peterson Field Guides)
Brooks M. Burr , and Lawrence M. Page
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America
A Field Guide to Mammals: North America north of Mexico (Peterson Field Guides(R))

ASIN: 0395910919

Book Description

The first comprehensive field guide to freshwater fishes - covers all 790 species known in the United States and Canada. More than 700 illustrations, most in color, show identifying marks. Also includes 377 distribution maps and additional drawings of key details.

Customer Reviews:

Five stars!.......2007-01-17

Great book with lots of pictures of species. I hoped that there would be photos for EACH species of fish but there was not. Each fish is documented though even if there is no picture for each. Many species are shown. I still have to give it 5 stars. This book is a great size too. It is not oversized. Perfect for travel.

A waste of money.......2006-10-07

This book may be of interest to an icthyolgist, but it's not much use to a fisherman. The color illustrations are very poor. They all have a washed out yellowish tint, and thus the illustrated fish tend to look all alike. The non color illustrations are better, but the book relies mostly on descriptions.

An indispensible guide to fish.......2006-03-01

I perform wildlife surveys for corporations all over the east coast. Half the weight of my equipment is Peterson Field Guides, which give me quick and easy identification of flora and fauna found and often eliminates the need for dicotomous keys and microscope work. This particular guide has helped me puzzle out a lot of small fish I come across. Well written, excellant illustrations, an important part of my library.

Far from great.......2004-09-30

This book has some of the worst fish illustrations i have ever seen. Text is far too brief. This volume tries to cover too much and does not cover anything well....

Finishing the Trilogy.......2001-10-30

It might interest the reader of this review (since your looking at the book) to know that while fresh water only represents about 1% of the available aquatic habitat on earth over half of the known species of fish live in it. I'll leave it up to you to find out why. Peterson Field Guides have a winning formula, find an expert, set them up with a good illustrator and see what comes out. This book finishes the trio that covers all of the fishes likely to be encountered by a North American fisherman, diver or naturalist. Like the Fishes of the Atlantic Coast and the Fishes of the Pacific Coast it is well organized, well written, all inclusive (of species) and as informative as space will allow. If you are curious about fishes in general or encounter fresh water fish with any kind of regularity you owe it to yourself to find out what they are. And, if you live in North America you should have this book.

Identity and Power in the Ancient Andes: Tiwanaku Cities through Time (Critical Perspectives in Identity, Memory & the Built Environment)

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Identity and Power in the Ancient Andes: Tiwanaku Cities through Time (Critical Perspectives in Identity, Memory & the Built Environment)
John Wayne Janusek
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415946344

Book Description

The Tiwanaku state was the political and cultural center of ancient Andean civilization for almost 700 years. Identity and Power is the result of ten years of research that has revealed significant new data. Janusek explores the origins, development, and collapse of this ancient state through the lenses of social identities--gender, ethnicity, occupation, for example--and power relations. He combines recent developments in social theory with the archaeological record to create a fascinating and theoretically informed exploration of the history of this important civilization.

John Smith's Chesapeake Voyages , 1607-1609

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John Smith's Chesapeake Voyages , 1607-1609
Helen C. Rountree , Wayne E. Clark , and Kent Mountford
Manufacturer: University of Virginia Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Jamestown Project

ASIN: 0813926440

Book Description

Captain John Smith's voyages throughout the new world did not end--or, for that matter, begin--with the trip on which he was captured and brought to the great chief Powhatan. Partly in an effort to map the region, Smith covered countless leagues of the Chesapeake Bay and its many tributary rivers, and documented his experiences. In this ambitious and extensively illustrated book, scholars from multiple disciplines take the reader on Smith's exploratory voyages and reconstruct the Chesapeake environment and its people as Smith encountered them.

Beginning with a description of the land and waterways as they were then, the book also provides a portrait of the native peoples who lived and worked on them--as well as the motives, and the means, the recently arrived English had at their disposal for learning about a world only they thought of as "new." Readers are then taken along on John Smith's two expeditions to map the bay, an account drawn largely from Smith's own journals and told by the coauthor, an avid sailor, with a complete reconstruction of the winds, tides, and local currents Smith would have faced.

The authors then examine the region in more detail: the major river valleys, the various parts of the Eastern Shore, and the head of the Bay. Each area is mapped and described, with added sections on how the Native Americans used the specific natural resources available, how English settlements spread, and what has happened to the native people since the English arrived. The book concludes with a discussion on the changes in the region's waters and its plant and animal life since John Smith's time--some of which reflect the natural shifts over time in this dynamic ecosystem, others the result of the increased human population and the demands that come with it.

Book Description

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lincoln at Gettysburg brings his eloquence, wit, and on-target perceptions of American life and politics to this fascinating, well-drawn protrait of a twentieth-century hero. In this work of great originality—the biography of an idea—Garry Wills shows how John Wayne came to embody Amercian values and influenced our cultoure to a degree unmatched by any other public figure of his time. In Wills's hands, Waynes story is tranformed into a compelling narrative about the intersection of popular entertainment and political realities in mid-twentieth-century America.

Customer Reviews:

Long on movie-making, short on America.......2006-06-17

Anyone seriously interested in John Wayne's position as America's icon needs to read this book, which is filled with information about the making of his films and the evolution of his career.

But for the rest of us, the book doesn't come into focus until its conclusion, which, while thought-provoking, comes as an anticlimax. Only at the end does Wills discuss the relationship of Wayne's dominant screen persona with America's self-image. Up till then it's mostly movie-making. All of Wayne's key films are discussed, but almost always with the emphasis on who did what and how. Wills approaches the meaning of the individual films with surprising diffidence for a tough-minded political commentator.

Straightforward and fair-minded though it is, "John Wayne's America" doesn't fulfill the promise of its title.

Almost makes it!.......2006-03-07

I enjoyed the book to some extent but I have a few problems with it. Too often I get the feeling that Wills is driving a tack with a sledge hammer. Far too much on the directors in Wayne's career, especially John Ford, and not enough on Wayne himself. Too much buildup here.
I also disagree with Will's accessment of some of the "important" films in Wayne's career. "Big Jake" was just another "let's crank out a John Wayner" in my opinion. The familiar tension with the female lead that we usually saw with Wayne, a mundane plot, and Richard Boone's portrayl of the villain is so bad it borders on parody. And "Rio Bravo". Critics of Wayne's films seem to love this movie for some reason. It is by far the best of the later Hawks movies. But that isn't saying much. It's an okay movie but that's all. On the other hand I was pleased to see Wills give some ink to "Tall in the Saddle". It amazes me how many so-called John Eayne fans I have encountered who aren't familiar with this film. This is more or less an extended "B" movie but it was well filmed and well casted. And just plain fun to watch. It was important to the development of Wayne as Wills points out. This book is a good read but could have been a lot better. It's very thick in the middle and very thin at the end.

Lots of Backgound.......2003-12-07

John Wayne's America is based on the figure John Wayne. Garry Wills has put so much backgound into this book that it really blowns u away. Not in a bad but the reading of some 300 pages with discriptions of just about everything kinda gets boing after a while. I grew up watching John Wayne with my father and the way that Garry Wills describes him is not what I would picture the duke as being. The book was good though to pass the winter of kansas by. So I'm sure that a more experienced read would come to say that my review was false. However, this is an opinion review and that was my opinion of this book. Garry Wills is a good writer he just doesn't show his best work in this book.

Spotty Trail.......2001-08-23

This is a maddening book, so full of promise it never really delivers on. Yet I've read it twice, something I don't usually do. Though some might argue, the subject is an important one: the mythic stature of John Wayne as American hero. Given his unparalleled popularity over the years, Wayne's elevation poses some serious questions. Namely, how did this fame come about, and what does the elevation of a cowboy actor to national icon reveal about ourselves. Understanding this revered status should at least tell us something about the mind-set of American men, if not women (Wayne has never been as popular with the latter as with the former, Wills observes). I think it helps to get at the way Wills presents the Wayne phenomenon to target three levels.

First, there is Wayne the person, the man. Wills doesn't devote much space to this level, though the book's subtitle, i.e. "The Politics of Celebrity", might suggest otherwise. Very little is presented of Wayne's personal life or controversial political stances. Most of what is presented are efforts to either debunk popular fictions from the early years, or to pass along opinions of others, which about the man are usually unflattering, (Ford's disapproval of Wayne's lack of war service). Clearly the author believes Wayne's mythic status comes from the screen and not from the private individual.

The second level is Wayne the actor, the commanding screen presence. Despite many insights along the way, Wills falters badly by spending way too much time on seemingly irrelevant details of John Ford's personality and film style, many of which (the diagrams of seating arrangements in "Stagecoach", for example), shed no light on Wayne the actor. Wills' s preoccupation with Ford to the exclusion of Wayne is a serious defect, which may imply that the author found Ford the more compelling of the two, and could not restrain himself. Yet it is not Ford who is enshrined in the national consciousness, it is Wayne.

The third level is the most important: Wayne the mythic figure, the mirror in which we catch our own reflection. Here Wills both succeeds and fails. He succeeds by linking the Wayne figure with some of our most enduring national myths: unbounded western horizons, uncorrupted primitive, Jeffersonian ideal. But here in the book's last chapter, which should bring together the preceding 300 pages but which is only 12 pages long, there is no real synthesis of what has gone before. There is no effort at showing how, despite the many pages given over to him, Ford' romanticized vision of the Old West shapes the Wayne myth, or how that same vision embodies enduring national myths, or how to a lesser degree Hawk's vision taps into those same legends through the Wayne figure. In short, Wills fails at this crucial third stage to adequately fill in the blanks between Wayne the actor and Wayne the myth.

I get the feeling the author intended a deeper work than is there in the result, but instead got sidetracked on underdeveloped details that end up shedding little light on the Wayne phenomenon. Too bad, because there is an important project still unfulfilled. Certainly Wills has the skills to bring it off. I only wish he had.

A fresh look at a great Actor.......2000-09-29

This book is essentially a discussion about an idea.

American values, & culture came to be influenced by the films & film roles of John Wayne, & the author explores that in great detail.

Book Description

The book focuses on the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Western Montana and the Canadian province of British Columbia.

John visited each of the 60 communities described in the book. The survey results give the reader information on real estate, economic drivers, community services, cultural, entertainment and recreational opportunities, climate and proximity. The communities are small to medium size and the larger urban communities of the Northwest are not included, i.e., Vancouver, B.C., Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, Spokane.

The book is designed for those looking for places to retire, second homes and vacation properties. Also finding it useful will be those folks who can work from their homes and rely upon telecommunications to conduct business. Finally, folks who simply want to escape stressful urban environments will also find it helpful.

Why You Need This Book!

Do you find city noise, traffic and crime depressing? Have you been looking for a place where the air is fresh and the water pure? Do you want a place where you can afford a vacation home? Do you want a place where a retired person can stretch the pension? Are you one of the fortunate who doesn't have to live in the city to make a your living there? Do you long for peace and quiet, the songs of bird, clear skies, friendly folks and views that take your breath away? Then this is a book that you won't want to miss!

Customer Reviews:

A Great Resource.......1999-01-22

I enjoyed reading the book very much. I have visited a number of the places mentioned and found his information to be accurate. He provided information about locations I had never known even though I had lived there.

It also works well as a guidebook when vacationing

The Journey of Ephraim & Manasseh - God blessed America and England for a reason, and Iraq's Oil is not that reason.
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The Journey of Ephraim & Manasseh - God blessed America and England for a reason, and Iraq's Oil is not that reason.
John Wayne Manning
Manufacturer: John Wayne Manning
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0974424609

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THE ROAD MOP TO PEACE IN IRAQ, ENGLAND & AMERICA,S TROUBLES.

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The Truth Will Set You Free
The TRUTH hurts...and the truth is Bush is worse then....
Information you won't find anywhere else
More trash from a Bush hater
Beware of the "investigative journalist"

America's Nightmare
John Stanton & Wayne Madsen
Manufacturer: Dandelion Books, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1893302296
Release Date: 2003-05-05

Product Description

It is said that "the truth hurts, yet the truth will set you free." John Stanton and Wayne & Wayne Madsen drill down to the nerve and deliver the full story about America's Media & Language, War & Weapons, Internal Affairs and a variety of other issues pointing out the US "crisis without precedent" that was wrought by the US Presidential election of 2000 followed by 9/11. "At a time when the American people and, indeed, the people of the world, find that facts are in such short supply, this book is a must read. In times such as these, the truth is one of the greatest of all casualties. This book provides quick First Aid to those who seek relief from the propaganda and disinformation that flood the major information channels." -- Cynthia McKinney, former U.S. Representative, Georgia

Customer Reviews:

The Truth Will Set You Free.......2005-02-20

This was a great book. Very informative and finally one that exposes the Conservative Mafia that runs this country. The Bush administration, the junta, is a maniacal filth machine run by a bunch of thugs.

The smear campaign that they used to malign Jessica Lynch - the despicable Rove character assassination machinery soon went into full gear when she admitted they fabricated and lied about her situation in Iraq, hyping her capture for blatent political purposes, the Hollywood-like production used by White House and Pentagon propagandists to document her rescue from an Iraqi
hospital, where she was receiving medical treatment for her injuries (and not abuse by Iraqi soldiers) Poor Jessica found out what it is like to go from America's wholesome young heroine to an accused tart. All this, merely for confronting the evil Karl Rove. And Jessica was not the first, nor the last innocent person to incur the wrath of the White House.

All the planting of bogus stories in the media, production of counterfeit documents, the theft of campaign materials and internal documents, production of false witnesses, electronic eavesdropping, misuse of government resources, unethical political polling techniques, intimidation of minority voters, and "whispering campaigns" to advance the sordid agenda of the
neo-conservative, extreme right wing of the Republican Party.

Nothing would make me happier than seeing Karl Rove and all his cronies, including President Bush "frog marched" out of the White House in handcuffs for thir criminal activity and for undermining and ignoring every document that the framers of our country have written.

The good people of this nation have got their own 'Most Wanted' list" of senior Bush administration officials and it would not
be a complete list without Rove's name on it.

In an era when the battle cry is, "If you're not with us, you're against us," one can't help but see all the smoke and mirrors designed by Rove to mask his special brand of political conniving - a brand of subterfuge and chicanery that is copied from his Teutonic cousins who practiced it so well in the 1920s, '30s, and '40s.

The American people need to be afraid of this administration - to be very afraid. As it was once said, not very long ago, for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. The American people are doing nothing to stop this onslaught of fascism.

One of the previous reviewers called the author of this book a Bush hater. No surprise there. There's a lot to hate about Bush and he's well deserving of it.

The TRUTH hurts...and the truth is Bush is worse then...........2004-06-14

...Clinton when it comes to fabricating facts and using deliberate deceptions and falsehoods to manipulate public opinion. From tax cuts based on an economic bubble that already burst, to lies about Saddam's weapons of mass destruction, and everything inbetween, George Bush has proved he's no conservative. If anything, he's a 'Dixiecrat'...tied to oil and extractive industries, agri-business and economics based on destroying the middle class on behalf of the rich and the multi-national corporations. Say what you will about Ronald Reagan, he cared deeply about the middle class and the American dream. And George Bush is no Ronald Reagan; Ronald Reagan would NEVER have sold out the American people for a handful of conglomerates and a bunch of lunatic pro-Israel religious ideologues. Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater would be turning over in their graves at what Bush has done to our proud nation. This book has some flaws, but's it has succeeded in putting together a handy summary of the truth about the Bush2 Administration. It's definately a good read.

Information you won't find anywhere else.......2003-12-26

This book is a collection of essays written between December 2000 and January 2003. The essays cover a wide range of topics, including propoganda in the U.S. media, the role of Sun Myung Moon in the current administration, global arms trade, the CIA international death squad, the relationship between the House of Saud and al Qaeda, Draconian government practices since 9/11, and the overarching role of oil in U.S. foreign policy. These essays were not written for entertainment purposes but to reveal the realities of life here and abroad since the Bush administration came to power. Quite simply, you will find here information that you will not find anywhere else. Very little of it is pleasant, but I challenge anyone to refute the facts presented by these two noted researchers.

More trash from a Bush hater.......2003-12-02

The recent review about "Wag the Turkey" was based on the lie that Bush ate Thanksgiving dinner in Iraq during breakfast, not dinner time. This was a lie, not very investigative. ANy book recommended by the wacko former Congresswomen McKinney needs to be avoided.

Beware of the "investigative journalist".......2003-12-01

If you want to see the quality of reporting from Wayne Madsen, visit the Counterpunch website and search for an article entitled, "Wag the Turkey". Mr. Madsen claims that President Bush flew to Iraq and made the US Soldiers to eat Thanksgiving Dinner for breakfast and that the Washington and New York press corps are covering it up. Funny stuff!

The Ross Hannas: Living, Laughing, Loving (Meet the Missionary Series)

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The Ross Hannas: Living, Laughing, Loving (Meet the Missionary Series)
Wayne Grinstead
Manufacturer: B&H Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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America, Why I Love Her
John wayne
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

America, Why I Love Her

ASIN: 0671223135

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