Love, War, and Other White Lies: A Poetic Diary of Love, War and Other Topics

Book Description

Classic of economic and social theory offers a satiric examination of the hollowness and falsity suggested by the term "conspicuous consumption" (coined by Veblen), exposing the emptiness of many cherished standards of taste, education, dress and culture.

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America's first great economic treatise.......2007-06-07

Boring sciences often require insightful, imaginative writers to make mainstream. So it was with Einstien and theoretical physics, and so it is with economics and Thorstein Veblen as described in this book. Mr. Veblen descended from Norwegian immigrants to the US, and lived in the Midwest from the late 1800s to early 1900s. With a keen eye and insightful mind, he took in the huge economic growth of the US and the beginnings of mass consumerism and corporate advertising in the American population. What he saw was the formation of a middle and upper class that had both idle time and money to spare. Together, this created a leisure class that defined respect, social standing, and self-worth in terms of "pecuniary emulation", i.e. spending money on stuff and entertainment just because one could. Like a zoologist examining wild animals, Veblen picks apart the rituals, clothing, speech, and consumption habits of this newly rich. All of this is recorded and explained in extraordinary and sometimes comical detail in this book. Upon publication, this book became the first great work of economics by an American author, and made Veblen famous. Along with the Great Gatsby, this book provides one of the best description of the American upper class at the beginning of the 20th century.

A classic analysis of how the West sees money.......2006-09-25

This may not be a book to read for recreation, unless you like 1890s verbal locutions, but there are other reasons to read it. The emergence of the economic analysis of Western society might intrigue you. You might discover the origins of such still useful terms as 'leisure class' and 'conspicuous consumption,' among others. You might be curious about author Thorstein Veblen's status-conscious, anachronistic world of working men and idle wives, which reflects upper-class society in his day. Published in 1899, this is a classic in sociology and economic literature, although it is a veritable dreadnought of density. It discusses property, ownership, status and leisure in a turn-of-the-last-century American context. Though scholars call it a 'satire,' the book is neither witty nor ironic. Instead, it is a stolid analytical daguerreotype of a world long gone. We suggest that if you tackle Veblen's old-fashioned, slow-flowing prose, you should do it for the background you may glean and the scholarly satisfaction you may feel when you are done. Instead of Alexander Pope's, 'What oft was thought but ne'er so well expressed,' this book presents what oft was said and usually better, but not as early.

Intresting and applicable.......2006-03-01

This book, although written over 100 years ago is still valid. Even though Veblen attempts to press the application of his thesis a bit too far, the thesis istself still has merit for the 21st century. His thesis, although not stated as such is biblically rooted in Ecclesiastes 4:4, "And I saw that all labor and all achievement springs from man's envy of his neighbor." Interesting perspective on society... worth the read!

The leisure class is working harder than ever .......2005-01-30

I have no idea whatsoever of how true Veblen's analysis of American social reality was one - hundred years ago, or how true it is today. No doubt he did see ' social phenomenom' that were emerging and succeeded in finding the 'name ' for them. 'Leisure class' and ' conspicuous consumption' are part of the everyday vocabulary of the description and analysis of 'social life'. I know that Veblen was particularly hard upon the nouveau riche, those trying to prove by buying and having more that they were as good or better than ' old money'. However I wonder if in ' work ethic' America there is not also another kind of phenomenom, of people of great wealth feeling a special social obligation, as multibillionaires Gates and whether for good purposes or not, Ted Turner have displayed in recent years. I also have a problem with making the concept of ' leisure' an entirely pejorative one. What about those ' surpluses' at the state of the agricultural age which Lewis Mumford said were so key in creating civilization? Isn't it true that in many societies those who do not have to do productive work were freed for higher work of mind and spirit? I wonder then that is whether Veblen's condemnation of the 'leisure class ' is too ' blanket' a one in many ways. And this without denying the truths that great wealth often corrupts, leads to arrogance, and indolence, folly and waste. For years the conception of the US was of a society in which the middle class element was predominant, a society reflecting an equality of opportunity and the fact that the majority of people had been able to in time and through work raise themselves to a good level of life. The decline of the middle class in the sense of the growing gap between very rich and very poor is a fact of life in America. Perhaps this makes Veblen's analysis of a certain part of American society more pertinent. But again I think that there is a counter- tradition emerging in which many of the very wealthy assume that the way to real respect in the eyes of the public is in doing good for others.

Viva Veblen!!!.......2004-05-21

This is one of the most thought provoking books I have read in a long time. Veblen leaves no stone unturned in his dissection of America's upper class and the unconscious traditions that lead them, and us. It is not hard to understand the volcano that erupted with this books publication. The Penguin edition is also set in an elegant Caslon typeface that reads beautifully.

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The Theory of the Leisure Class
Thorstein Veblen
Manufacturer: Dodo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1905432038

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Reviews from The Int'l Journal of Politics, Culture,&Society
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BOOK REVIEW, July 11, 1999
Authors are amazed at the current Veblenian revival
LONG overdue

Thorstein Veblen: Victorian Firebrand
Elizabeth Jorgensen , and Henry Jorgensen
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Customer Reviews:

Reviews from The Int'l Journal of Politics, Culture,&Society.......2000-06-27

Excerpts from the International Journal of Politics, Culture, and Society, Vol. 13 #2, Winter, `99: ``Though not entirely successful in depicting the `essential' Veblen . . . .[this new Veblen biography] is essential reading for students and scholars of Veblen. It cannot replace Dorfman's but it deserves equal billing,'' Clare Virginia Eby. ``Flaws and imperfections notwithstanding . . . . their book has entered the sholarly literature on Thorstein Veblen and will henceforth be obligatory reading for anyone wishing to know him,'' Russell H. Bartley and Sylvia Erickson Bartley.

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE BOOK REVIEW, July 11, 1999.......1999-09-09

. . . . Stanford alumni Elizabeth and Henry Jorgensen have written a clear, engrossing biography that corrects significant errors in previous accounts, but they can't overcome the central problem, Veblen himself . . . . Veblen returned to Palo Alto in 1927, 18 years after Stanford fired him for supposed "immorality." . . . .the signal achievement of this book (flawed mainly by the Jorgensens' too-brief sketches of Veeblen's thought): demonstrating, once and for all, that Veblen was not an unscrupulous womanizer. Though implausible oin its face, that reputation has gone largely unchallenged for half a century, mostly because Ellen Veblen blackened her husband's name so well.

Authors are amazed at the current Veblenian revival.......1999-06-11

The authors undertook this project because they believed that a man with such cantankerous ideas must have had an interesting life. Those who had written about him before were earnest in their approach but did not convey an appreciation of his unique personality. Now with the current interest in the millenium, there seems to be a Veblen revival. The WALL STREET JOURNAL of January 11, 1999, devoted a full page to fifteen of the ``Best and Brightest Economic Thinkers Who Made a Difference.'' In this Pantheon of those ``who challenged the conventional wisdom'' and whose perceptions ``changed the way millions thought and lived'' were Saint Thomas Aquinas, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mill, John Maynard Keynes and Thorstein Veblen. Other recent accolades to Veblen are found in Adam Goprik's article in the April 26-May 3, 1999 issue of THE NEW YORKER, and John Carroll's column ``Conspicuous Presumption'' in THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE of May 3, 1999 Alex Beam of THE BOSTON GLOBE in his colum (April 21, 1999) entitled ``The Love Song of Thorstein Veblen'' had this to say about out book: He observed that he was turned off by books that sort of dragged the sex lifes of their subjects in by the heels, and said: ``Not every distinguished man's sex life is worth researching. . . . But Veblen, the enfant terrible of the turn-of-the century economics profession, enjoyed not just an interesting sex life, as his latest biographers Elizabeth and Henry Jorgensen make clear, he enjoyed his life in full. ``There can be no such thing as a dull biography of Veblen, and this one does not disappoint. ``The man who would later anathematize the titans of capital was a cradle contrarian . . . While Sioux marauders were killing fellow Norwegian homesteaders in Minnesota during the 1860s the boy Thorstein sided with the Indians. . . . [He was also] A-religious--- `If there is a difference between religion and magic I have never seen it.' [Thus] Veblen disdained hsi family's prairie Lutheranism and mocked the pieties of America's golden age. ``He was at heart an anthropologist. THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS represents field work among the grandees who sent their children to the universities where he taught, and among his censorious in-laws. . . . His trenchant analysis of what came to be called male chauvinism in his essay, `The Barbarian Status of Women,' made him ever more unpopular. Escept perhaps, among women. ``Veblen attracted intelligent women, who shared his contempt for male ritual. Even for the serious-minded Jorgensens, it seems impossible to separate Veblen's life story from his love stories. His first wife, Ellen Rolfe, destroyed his academic career by tattling about her husband's affairs to the presidents of Stanford and the University of Chicago. After trudging all night through a blizzard to visit his second wife [-to-be] in `Nowhere,' Idaho, Veblen contacted double pneumonia, which crippled him for life. ``The Jorgensens correctly note that even his most famous writings seem thick and turgid to the modern taste. But he was the rarest of birds in 20th-century Amderica: a dangerous thinker.''

LONG overdue.......1999-05-04

Thorstein Veblen's reputation has not fared well in the hands of his biographers. The worst bio by far ("Thorstein Veblen and his America" written by Joseph Dorfman in 1934) has sat in libraries like so much toxic waste waiting to mislead another scholar.
Between 1993-95, Veblen's Minnesota childhood home was restored at great trouble and expense. Like most scholars, the restorers started with Dorfman and immediately discovered how full of inaccuracies it was. Then the letters of Andrew Veblen (Thorstein's older and "respectable" brother) were discovered. They were written to protest the distortions of Dorfman's manuscript. They were extremely accurate and eventually would guide virtually every aspect of the restoration.

It was only a matter of time before a new generation of Veblen bios would be written based on the new information. Rick Tilman's "Intellectual Legacy.." was the first, and in many ways the best. But his book was written for serious Veblen scholars.
The new Jorgensen bio is not at all daunting. It is well-written, well-research and very enjoyable to read. It focuses on the significant women in Thorstein's life--his amazing mother, his charming sister Emily, his quite crazy first wife, and his extremely helpful second wife.

This emphasis would not have been my first choice, but since TBV was the only political economist of his age who would be remotely acceptable to a modern feminist, it was certainly appropriate. In fact, the Jorgensens seem to believe that of all the "heresies" that got Veblen in hot water, his enlightened views on women in society were possibly the most problematic.

Outstanding! Every person who has ever been remotely interested in Veblen should read this book.

The Place of Science in Modern Civilization

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The Place of Science in Modern Civilization
Thorstein Veblen
Manufacturer: Transaction Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0887388086

Thorstein Veblen and the Enrichment of Evolutionary Naturalism: Rick Tilman

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Thorstein Veblen and the Enrichment of Evolutionary Naturalism: Rick Tilman
Rick Tilman
Manufacturer: University of Missouri Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Social Scientists & Psychologists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0826217141
Release Date: 2007-04-20

Product Description

One of America s most influential social critics, Thorstein Veblen authored works deeply rooted in evolutionary biology and American philosophical naturalism. Now one of today s preeminent Veblen scholars ranges widely over the man s writings to show how evolutionary naturalism underlies his social theory and criticism, shapes his satire, and binds his work together. Veblen s evolutionary naturalism, with its unflattering evaluation of America s self-selected special place in the international arena, casts doubt on today s foreign interventions, and it also provides a much-needed antidote to the resurgence of creationist thought in American culture. Rick Tilman shows that Veblen s ideas are still valuable to contemporary social scientists indeed, that his method of analysis and values are sorely needed to help us avoid wasteful consumption, predation, and the persistence of religious superstition.

THORSTEIN VEBLEN'S THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS

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THORSTEIN VEBLEN'S THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS

Manufacturer: New American Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H49KYG

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Thorstein Veblen
John Patrick Diggins
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0691006547

Book Description

Fired by Stanford and the University of Chicago but recommended by his peers to the presidency of the American Economic Association, Thorstein Veblen remains a baffling figure in American intellectual history. In part because he was an eccentric who shunned publicity, he has also been one of our most neglected. Veblen is known to the general public only as coiner of the term "conspicuous consumption," and to scholars primarily as one of many social critics of the reform-minded Progressive Era. This important critical biography--originally published as The Bard of Savagery and now appearing in paperback for the first time--attempts both to unravel the riddles that surround his reputation and to assess his varied and important contributions to modern social theory.

The Theory of the Leisure Class: With an Introd. by John Kenneth Galbraith

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The Theory of the Leisure Class: With an Introd. by John Kenneth Galbraith
Thorstein Veblen
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Theory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION.
Thorstein. Veblen
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0141023988

Book Description

The perfect books for the true book lover, Penguin's Great Ideas series features twelve more groundbreaking works by some of history's most prodigious thinkers. Each volume is beautifully packaged with a unique type-driven design that highlights the bookmaker's art. Offering great literature in great packages at great prices, this series is ideal for those readers who want to explore and savor the Great Ideas that have shaped our world.

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Absentee Ownership: The Case of America
Thorstein Veblen
Manufacturer: Beacon Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IRTY0C

Book Description

When Baby Steps was first published in 1993, it was named one of the 10 Best Parenting Books by Child magazine. Now, this popular guide to baby's first two years has been completely revised to incorporate the latest research on the young child's developing brain and behavior, including brand-new material on temperament, language, and memory. Baby Steps pinpoints the important events in an infant's life, examining them month by month for the first year, and in three-month intervals during the second year. Beginning with a 'miniguide' to early development, the book goes on to a cover such important subjects as sleep, crying, colic, motor development, social play, and toilet training. Developmental hints and alerts throughout the book provide parents with a clear understanding of the full range of 'normal' behaviors for each phase, helping to allay common anxieties. An accessible, concrete guide to infant and toddler behavior, Baby Steps takes much of the guesswork out of parenting.

Customer Reviews:

Concise and Worthwhile for new parents on Child Development.......2007-08-13

I purchased this book because I want to make sure that I keep a keen eye on my child's development the first year. This includes, knowing when something is wrong, knowing when he is behind in developing and normal activities that my child enjoys each month as they progress. This book provides all of that in a concise month to month format. Each chapter is broken down into the following sections: Overview, Images in Development (includes, to name a few: Motor Control, Perception, hearing, cognition, vocalization), Developmental Close-up (includes, to name a few: sleep/wakefullness, motor reflexes,crying, colic).
I don't have a lot of time to read about these things and don't want a book that talks over my head and this book is perfect for this requirements. For example, one of the things my infant does is to bend his arm at the elbow and place his palm nex to his head while the other arm is straight at his side. I thought this was just a cute thing he did but upon reading the book realized this a reflex called "tonic neck reflex" and should disappear by month six. If it has not then my child needs to be tested for a neurological disorder.
As a parent, it is imperative to know what to look for as your child develops. A pediatrician can only diagnose what he sees or what you tell him about. I would not have known to look for this reflex and its continued existence past 6 months without this book. This is just one example of how this book has helped me.
I recommed this book over the Dr Spock books anytime. If you want a book on how to calm your baby in the first three months of life you HAVE to get the book and DVD called" The happies baby on the block".
Happy hunting for the perfect book!

helpful.......2006-02-25

I think this book is a helpful guide. It is a quick, easy read when you are using it by the month. "Baby Steps" gives an accurate overview of where your child is at physically and emotionally--just as the title says. I feel like it sheds light on the mystery and subtlety of a new baby for a first time parent.

Fascinating 'guidebook' for your babies develpment........2005-12-20

The book covers child development from birth to 24 months, with a chapter corresponding to a month of the childs life. Each chapter covers Motor Control, Perception, Vocalizations, Cognition, Social Development and one or two other topics such as crying, physical development milestones, socializing etc.
I've found it fascinating to watch our twin boys develop and read about their developmental progress in this book. It's very easy to read, gives a lot of information without delving too much into actual physiological reasons for behaviours/abilities like a lot of other Developmental guides.
My only complaint is that the print quality of the book is very poor, and my copy also had sections of text actually missing due to printing errors. Hopefully these problems will be rectified, as it really is an excellent read and I'd highly recommend it for new parents!

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Over 40 vintage illustrations are included!

A great addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!

A terrific tour of 75 years of favorite recipes

75 Years of All-Time Favorites: Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Breads, Desserts (Better Homes and Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Meredith Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0696206331

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Over 40 vintage illustrations are included!.......2001-06-25

In 1922, Better Homes and Gardens magazine arrived in readers' homes for the first time as "Fruit, Garden and Home." The name was changed in 1924. The back issues of Better Homes and Gardens chronicles the rich historical perspective of America's love of cooking. This is actually a collection of the best recipes in the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine. There are more than 230 recipes. Some are classic, some are new. They were chosen to celebrate the magazine's 75th birthday.

There are also winning recipes from reader contests, favorite recipes chosen by readers and carefully selected and tested recipes that reflect food favorites from each decade. Nutritional facts are included with every recipe. Low-fat symbols are found on healthful recipes and original artwork from past issues of the magazine is a nice touch.

A unique "Menu" section helps you plan a special-occasion meals. The recipe suggestions are from chapters throughout the book. You will also find recipes for breakfasts, snacks, salads, appetizers, breads, cakes, cookies, main dishes, side dishes, sauces and desserts.

Some of my favorite recipes include: Almond Twirl Bread which you could really dress up for the holidays with candied fruit or edible flowers, Holiday Shrimp rounds and Winter Fruit Bowl. I am working up the courage to make the Italian Crème Cake, which really is not that hard to make, but has a few layers. The Coffee Éclairs are also to die for and are filled with coffee ice cream. You will also find the recipe for French Silk Pie on pg. 279. I made the Pumpkin Cake roll and loved it. You could make it for a party in October. If you want to impress your guests to no end, do take a look at the Almond Raspberry Torte. It is called a "showstopper" for a good reason. It will also serve 16 people.

I won this cookbook but would have bought it if I had seen it in a store. The cover is red, white and blue with that delicious picture of a shortcake with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries playing in whip cream. Who could resist?

Better Homes and Gardens has a recipe contest all the time and you can enter your recipes, well one day I decided to enter a contest and actually won something! If you have a good recipe, subscribe to their magazine and enter the contests and you never know what might happen. One of your recipes might be in an anniversary edition one day. My recipe isn't in this cookbook, but maybe it will appear in some form or another one day and will be a fun surprise.

"I wish you happy memories and happy moments in your kitchen! And remember, what you cook today will be tomorrow's fond memories when your children look back and pick their all-time favorites." -Jean LemMon, Editor in Chief

Enjoy and Happy Cooking!

A great addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!.......2000-03-04

Drawn from the pages of Better Homes And Gardens magazine, this compendium of main dishes, side dishes, breads and desserts is gorgeously illustrated with full-color photographs and each recipe is carefully laid out with an ingredients list and step-by-step instructions that can easily be followed by even the most novice kitchen cook. From Appetizer Cheesecake, Mexican Chef's Salad, and Tropical Fiesta Steak, to Meatballs Stroganoff, Sizzling Vegetable Sandwiches, and English Toffee Ice Cream, 75 Years Of All-Time Favorites is a classic cookbook and a welcome addition to any kitchen shelf.

A terrific tour of 75 years of favorite recipes.......1999-06-11

I love this book! It's visually very appealing, and while it has receipes from years gone by, they are all updated and very tempting. Everything I've tried from this book turned out successful and all have become my family favorites. It's a beautiful book and would make a nice gift to a cookbook collector as well as a valued resource in your own collection.

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