2024-07-17 Just finished this today. Excellent. Love the message - Africa needs to rediscover and reimplement it's roots in free enterprise to allow al2024-07-17 Just finished this today. Excellent. Love the message - Africa needs to rediscover and reimplement it's roots in free enterprise to allow all the individuals and countries in the continent to become rich.
Beautiful recounting of a brave and tenacious young African woman's journey of discovery and mission to help her fellow humans.
Grounded in the enlightening historical account of many African countries, but primarily Senegal, where she was born and feels is home. Ms. Wade's entrepreneurial, personal, and righteous experiences are joyous, gut-wrenching, fascinating, and very hopeful.
Though I am not as happy with the ending chapter or two, I devoured this book and think the messages is so timely and important that I highly recommend it....more
2024-06-01 I finished the book 5-6 days ago and am now updating my review of each story below. 2024-05-21 Started this about 10 days ago. Some is fasci2024-06-01 I finished the book 5-6 days ago and am now updating my review of each story below. 2024-05-21 Started this about 10 days ago. Some is fascinating. Some is creepy. The author seems a little too into some politically correct ideas for me, and does not seem to deal with (understand) classical liberal ideas. But he sure seems to voice various Marxist, Labor Union, interventionist, and generally statist ideas. However, I did note a flavor of anti-bureaucratic/anti-government control comments in one of the stories. He also seems pretty pessimistic about the human condition, even though some of the passages are very pro-humanity.
I'm about 65% into it and looking to finish to have a better idea of what it is all about. The book is a compilation of short stories/novellas:
Tower of Babylon - about miners brought into Babylon to work on expanding the tower past the barrier that the heavens have become which halted progress on building the tower. The sense of dread for what is coming permeates the story.
Understand - man who went into a coma due to being drowned gets revived by a new drug... and enhanced to have genius + mental and some physical powers and what he does with them, and what another patient who also needed and got the drug, a little bit before him, does too. LOVED some of the descriptions of the new mental state/powers, but the description of and dichotomy with his and the other person's philosophy left a taste in my mouth that I don't like.
Division by Zero - a logical flaw, that involves this disallowed mathematical operation, can drive you mad. I thought it was pretty neat till I figured out this was not going to end well.
Story of your Life - Fascinating story. Was the basis for the interesting movie "Arrival." Charming description of a linguist's (with the help of a physicist's) trying to communicate with aliens by learning their language, written and spoken. Concurrently her notes to her daughter about impressions of the daughter and their lives together and not, with some appearances of the father too. Not sure I have come to terms with the unexpected ending and how time and future events are dealt with yet. The key is Fermat's Theorem, and that is not exactly in my wheelhouse. Will need to reread that part, at least. And maybe see the movie again too.
Seventy Two Letters - Very funky futuristic story set in the past with references to 1800s Victorian England, but with robotic toys of clay. The 72 letters are a type of program/instructions for toys &/or automatons ... and humans? It's a bit confusing. The story is about "nomenclatures" (and others) playing god with creation of future humans & robots, to save the human race from expected extinction. Many "divine powers" are discussed and situations described for various individuals to act their parts. Lots of funky biological terms are used (autonym, euonym, ontogenic encoding, etc.) Good and evil, good and bad motives, power & helplessness, you know, that sort of stuff. This story could be related to the AI debates about its limited/unlimited capabilities. ON this score, the story is actually pretty good in showing some of the significant limits and potential abuses of AI. But I prefer other ways and qualities in discussing such things. The work of Adam Thierer on "Permissionless Innovation" is much more to my liking.
The Evolution of Human Science - More AI doomy scenarios. Worth thinking about, yes, but I'm not as enthralled about his scenarios vs. others and their uses of actual historical reality in seeing the most important forces and potential outcomes. I mentioned Adam Thierer's work for the previous story and it fits for this one too. David Friedman's "Future Imperfect" may be another alternative that I prefer too, though again, not fiction, just reasonable, and mind stretching logic. Interesting to see the use of the word "hermeneutics" in this story. Reminds me of a faction of Austrian school of economics, economists in the 1980s who got into that rubric. I was not impressed then, or now. But maybe my confusion and dislike just shows the limits of my brain/abilities?
Hell Is the Absence of God - Chiang LOVES to go back and forth with the reader, showing the ideas and benefits of one line of thinking, then abruptly changing to show the problems with it by advocating the/an opposing view. Again, I found this story fairly confusing, and not very satisfying. But not terrible, just more funky than fun or helpful.
Liking What You See: A Documentary - this ending story again repeats the formula of describing one side of a philosophy/technique - this one is "calliagnosia" to "cure" "lookism" then giving some critiques of it, then back to promoting it, then back to critiques - back and forth, back and forth, throughout the story. Lots to discuss... and consider, since some of what this is all about seems highly relevant for the coercive debates/policies/actions taking place on campuses, in congress and state governments right now. But the coercive nature of such policies, and the non-reversibility & actual non-treatable harm of actual real-life policies/operations/actions seems to be pooh-pooed here in this story.
The author seems far too cavalier with individuals lives needing to be controlled by those individuals themselves to my mind, even though he appears to consider that issue in some/most of the stories. But I believe if you look, most of the stories end with self-determination/independence and freedom getting the short end of the stick. But I may be wrong - the stories are pretty complicated and end on varying notes with not always clear implications....more
2024-05-14 Finished early this morning - what a neat book! Excellent ending - the big tension and mystery was not revealed till the very end. Cool endi2024-05-14 Finished early this morning - what a neat book! Excellent ending - the big tension and mystery was not revealed till the very end. Cool ending - quite fitting. Such an uplifting book.
I don't think that Eliot has much clear to say about economics or politics (except how sleazy the latter can be in some significant aspects), but her clarity on morality, exalted purposes of life, the value of an intense pursuit of the truth and other important aspects of life is unequaled!
I have shared many quotations from the book below, to give you plenty of snippets of what I thought were often rare insights or turns of phrase that were just delightful, or profound.
2024-05-08 About 55% into this and this is turning into a very big mystery story too, besides all the other things Eliot describes. Becoming a real "page-turner."
2024-05-06 only about 35% into this so far, but am enjoying it very much. A note on the edition I am reading. It is a Kindle Edition, though I am not sure it is the one here highlighted. The one I am reading has some significant deficiencies: - far too many annoying and sometimes confusing typos (leading me to wonder if a word I don't recognize is really the word that should be there or a typo?) - no table of contents - sure would be nice to have that for reference, navigation, etc. - no editor notes - which would be very helpful for the words, phrases and references that are not able to be found in the pop-up dictionary & Wikipedia references that the Kindle edition DOES provide
Funny that the book, so far, is NOT mostly focused on the title character and his political type. Exploration of that type was one of the main reasons I actually started reading the book. But since I have continued this far, and am looking forward to finishing, you can probably tell I find other aspects of the book quite compelling.
2024-03-28 I finished the book last week and have been mulling it over and trying to get through all the highlights and notes I took (a great number f2024-03-28 I finished the book last week and have been mulling it over and trying to get through all the highlights and notes I took (a great number for such a short book.
Let me just list a few things I remember and liked and disliked: Liked: - Emphasis on entrepreneurship, entrepreneurs and their focus on providing value to consumers/customers. Their explanations of these concepts are top-notch and well placed. - Historical examples of some great businesses and entrepreneurs who really created huge value for their customers: Wedgewood China co., Sears Roebuck & Co, Rockefeller's Standard Oil Co., Singer Sewing Machine Co., etc. - Some good references to Ludwig Mises and other Austrian economists, as well as some other management theorists such as Peter Drucker were very positively done.
Did not like - or at least am unsure of: - Milton Friedman's theory of Shareholder value as the ONLY legitimate value for corp. managers - In some respects, I agree, that this is far too narrow, takes the focus away from customers and creates a short-term focus for management, at the expense of the opposites. But in other respects, it is crucial for Owners to be able to hold management to one standard - long-term profit and loss. All other criteria are too squishy and can be manipulated by management at the expense of shareholders/owners... and the customers. - Financialization - the Authors biased their impugning of this concept with only talking about short-term incentives. They totally ignored the fantastic and very real examples of the long-term focus of investors and management on customer service at such firms as Amazon and Genentech - bucking the author's critique. - Surprisingly the authors gave little account for how government regulations and policies screws up management focus on customers and eliminates huge value creation for customers. They were of course good in listing government regs as a negative, but they put it very low on their list of problems that caused the "Aberrant" nature of Capitalism these days. - The authors also seemed incredibly naive about the positive promises of the digital revolution and high tech solutions for the "Aberrant" problems, with VERY few actual examples to help encourage the reader to believe them. As someone who lived and worked in Silicon Valley from 1995-2021 at several "digital revolution" companies (Verisign, E-Trade and others) and worked with and watched the promise of the digital revolution quite carefully, I can tell you there are as many or more problems with how people are dealing with it in terms of screwing up the basic positive values of capitalism and customer focus, as there are positives. I am very sad to report!
2024-03-18 started book a few days ago, soon after I watched a webinar discussion of the book with the two authors, a moderator and commenter. It was pretty good and dealt with issues I have been concerned about for almost 50 years, so I bought and started the book. It is only about 90 pages long, so should not take that much to finish.
The beginning of the book was not all that clear or compelling. But it then started to get very interesting in talking about the beginnings of capitalism and the industrial revolution in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The references mostly fit my readings, but there were some new observations to me - some that make sense and a few I doubt.
2024-03-18 This book was the choice of a book group I am in, and I did not choose it to read otherwise. But I love the group and other members, so I r2024-03-18 This book was the choice of a book group I am in, and I did not choose it to read otherwise. But I love the group and other members, so I read it and am glad I did.
It is a non-fiction telling of a harrowing, deadly and ultimately ridiculous mission of the British government of 1740, as part of the little known War of Jenkins Ear, vs. the Spanish.
The author does a very gripping job of telling the tale after doing extensive research into the: - time period 1740-46 - logs/diaries of those involved - court martial hearings papers - books and other documents about the war, mission, shipwreck, hearing, etc.
The ability of some of the crew to survive the horrors of the mission is pretty incredible to believe. The descriptions of the reality of the imperialist policies of the British government, such as the coercive "impressment" of many crew members is well done and quite a reminder of how much more "gentle" our world is today comparatively.
The descriptions of how the local "savages" were better able to survive the conditions where the crew was shipwrecked was a nice contrast in the language used, if not the mentality of the people concerned.
The justice of the court martial hearing/proceedings was a bit of a shock to realize after going through all the misdeeds by so many of the crew and officers, but it was something very good to ponder, depending on one's point-of-view and what one wanted to get out of it.
So, if any of what I have written above peaks your interest, I highly recommend the book....more
2024-03-18 Just finished this morning. What a great little book! Highly recommended for those who: - would like to get some clear and often humorous th2024-03-18 Just finished this morning. What a great little book! Highly recommended for those who: - would like to get some clear and often humorous thinking and writing about subjects such as: The Law, Justice, Government, Violence, Plunder, Trade, Socialism, economics, morality, etc. etc.
- might be amazed and pleased to read an author who explained problems and solutions for society >170 years ago, but which is just as readable and applicable today, as it was then
- would enjoy reading a short book of essays by probably the greatest economic essayist ever
The other 4 essays in the book (besides "The Law" noted below) are:
"That which is seen, and that which is not seen" (60pp) - This chapter motivated and guided Henry Hazlitt in his writing of his best selling book: "Economics in One Lesson."
"The Candlemakers Petition" (4pp) - so cool - dealing with the unfairest competitor of all.
"A Negative Railroad" (4pp) - some ideas/policies are so foolish, it takes a Bastiat to call them out.
"Government" (15pp) - simple rules for what government is/isn't and consequently what it can/can't do and should/should not try to do.
Enjoy.
2024-01-07 Started reading this book today. Wonderful collection of essays by Bastiat that starts out with his most famous work: "The Law" (64 pp.). I've read this essay (which has been published as a short book by several organizations) several times over the past 45 years or so, but not for a quite a while. I believe I have read all the other essays included too, but also not for quite a while. It is very neat to be getting back to this classic statement on such important topics as: What is the Law? A Fatal Tendency of Mankind Plunder - the crucial concept, and just how common and pernicious legal plunder is. How to Identify Legal Plunder - many names Slavery and Tariffs are Plunder Proper function of the Law Fraternity - voluntary vs. forced etc. While the writers, examples and a few of the ideas referred to in the book may not be current, the main ideas are as real, current and imposing on us today as the day Bastiat wrote this essay in 1850. I'm looking forward to savoring (again) the rest of The Law and all the other essays in this short - 156pp book, which include: "That which is seen, and that which is not seen." "The Candlemakers Petition." "A Negative Railroad." "Government"
Hope you have a chance to enjoy and profit from this book too. Our country and the world need so many more people who have read, understand and communicate the ideas in this book very much, to be able to live in a world governed by peace, prosperity, human thriving and justice.
One of the reasons I am reading this book of essays I have previously read by Bastiat is that I am: - the co-director of The Mont Hamilton/Bastiat Society of San Jose area - the co-founder/director of the Bastiat Society of Northern Michigan and - advisor to the organizer of the planned Bastiat Society of Boston area For more information on The Bastiat Society, just do an internet search and you will find plenty of information on it at the website of the organization AIER. Or feel free to message me....more
2024-01-02 Just finished this novella a couple days ago. Funky book. Not really my style. Does a good job of explaining the fundamental moral problem 2024-01-02 Just finished this novella a couple days ago. Funky book. Not really my style. Does a good job of explaining the fundamental moral problem with socialism/communism, and the first regime to embrace that idea - the USSR. The idea is that citizens are to live for the state, not the other way around. The perniciousness of this idea is described in the purpose of the prison and the affect it has on the prisoners, the guards as well as the commandant.
The idea of the book is about the plan of the wife of one of the prisoners to free him. It is not your typical plan. It involves a some interesting psychology and philosophy, but I don't think I buy it.
The artist who drew this graphic novel has talent, for sure. But I'm not sure I buy his style, or perhaps his interpretation of the characters.
The guards and commandant are drawn in so grotesque a style, that it was a turn-off. The prisoners were reasonable, except for the main one, who was made to look like a super-human, muscleman. The woman was drawn beautifully and very seductively - nice - but incongruous with all the other characters, though perhaps not her husband.
I really like most of Ayn Rand's work, but this one is not quite right for me. It does follow the psychology/philosophy of another one of Rand's stories, the play: The Night of January 16, so that fits for me....more
2023-12-30 I want to read this book so much, if only to partially solve this wonder:
I'll bet that it has no small part to play in the little marvel I 2023-12-30 I want to read this book so much, if only to partially solve this wonder:
I'll bet that it has no small part to play in the little marvel I notice most every day, or at least every time I go to the grocery store:
How I can buy a 16-20 oz container of blueberries for under $6 or 7 and sometimes far less - most any time of the year.
How is it possible for all the people involved to be paid well enough to be willing and able to do their part in making that happen?
It seems utterly amazing to me that this delicate, perishable, nutritious, delectable treat can be grown, harvested and shipped from Argentina, Chile, Peru or wherever to a dinky town in northern Michigan (or most anywhere in the US) for such a nominal price. HOW in the world is that possible?...more
2024-03-18 I finished this book about two weeks ago, a couple weeks after our book group discussed it. I was mad that I could not finish before the di2024-03-18 I finished this book about two weeks ago, a couple weeks after our book group discussed it. I was mad that I could not finish before the discussion, since I was really getting into the book, and wanted the full experience of having it all read before the discussion. But the discussion did help me see the need to finish the book.
The book's subtitle: "How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous" is a topic that I have spent many years reading and thinking about, discussing and even writing book reviews and e-mails on. The multi-disciplined nature of this book: economics, history, and primarily psychology was of interest too, since the first two I have read and studied much of, but the last, not so much.
I hope this review has the parts I highlighted attached below, since there are many and they could be useful.
Generally, I thought the book was a net-positive, since it highlighted some important factually history.
One of the points was brought up in the Prelude, then discussed in more detail several other places in the book: the spread of literacy throughout the world was quite clearly due to the Protestant Reformation, or at least so closely follows the spread of Protestantism throughout the world, that other explanations seem dubious.
Another point highlighted and emphasized in the book was the remarkable enrichment of the world - vastly increasing human population and per capita wealth - due to the Industrial Revolution, and capitalist and other (he focuses on one) institutional policy/norm in particular
That this Harvard professor has written a best selling book that highlights just these points is a real positive to me, in this age of wacky anti-industrial, anti-human policy preferences of environmentalism, wokism, post-modernism, etc.
If I can make time to review my extensive notes from reading the book, I will add more....more
2023-10-13 Just bought this and am greatly looking forward to reading. I have known the author for quite a few years and seen several presentations of 2023-10-13 Just bought this and am greatly looking forward to reading. I have known the author for quite a few years and seen several presentations of his on the topic of this book. Those presentations were very solid and a book length treatment seems like a great idea.
The opening statements of the book, comparing the # of banking crises in Scotland vs. Britain and Canada vs. the US where the first countries in each comparison pursued a relatively free market in banking, vs. the highly regulated 2nd country was super revealing.
I'll bet you should check out this book to if: - you are concerned about prices climbing to crazy levels - you want to know about bank and business cycles - and if they can be stopped, or at least curtailed - you suspect government policies might have something to do with banking problems - you don't like subsidizing big banks - you would like to see unemployment/bankruptcies moderated - etc....more
2023-10-11 I just finished the first story "Ragged Dick" a couple days ago - a rereading for a book club discussion coming up in a few days. Loved it.2023-10-11 I just finished the first story "Ragged Dick" a couple days ago - a rereading for a book club discussion coming up in a few days. Loved it. A few years ago I had first listened to the book and liked it so much I listened 3-4x! See my review on Goodreads of a different (pb?) edition., since there is no Librivox audio edition listed. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... I bought this Kindle book a few days ago so that I would have the actual text, instead of just listening (which I did again anyway on a little car journey a few days ago also.) I chose this edition, since it was cheap and had 10 (out of 70!) of the famous author's top stories - very handy and thrifty.
Wonderful book - highly recommended. Great values promoted in this story: honesty, hard work, perseverance, good humor, charity, respectability, importance of a good education, saving, good habits, self-discipline, positive attitude, good friends and friendship, etc. Luck is acknowledged as helping, but capitalizing on it, and not relying on it, is shown to be the key.
(Reminds me of the quote of a famous attorney in Chicago when asked about his luck in winning trials and becoming generally successful: (paraphrasing from memory - "I somehow seemed to gain more luck in my career the more hours I spent in the law library compared to the golf course.)
Great historical insights on survival (without government welfare mentioned at all). Note the prices for goods/services in the book and compare them to today! Note how easy it is to get a good education at very reasonable cost.
I do see some typos and other glitches in this edition, but they are quite minor, for such a low cost edition, that provides so much value.
2023-Oct - The 2nd story "Fame and Fortune" shows how corrosive and negative envy and an entitled attitude can be to all. This story was a nice continuation of the main characters in Ragged Dick, with more added and nicely varying plot, action and conflicts.
These stories are 160 years old, from when society was VASTLY materially poorer! Think of the possibilities for today, with the same values, and present wealth levels!
We need many more books like this, written about modern situations, issues and settings.
2023 Nov - 3rd story - "Mark the Match Boy" - another good one, with another poor street boy profession highlighted - selling matches. Good reinforcement of positive values and fighting difficulties in circumstances, bad influences, bad values, etc. The economics of the business is quite instructive for the time and in a timeless way too. Wonderful.
2023-12-5? - 4th story - "Rough and Ready" - Rufus' nickname is well deserved - a bit rough around the edges, but basically very, very good, and super dedicated to his little sister and always ready for opportunities to help her, his customers/employers and himself. The benefits of honesty and hard work/dedication to what is right and good, vs. idleness, envy, sloth, vindictiveness, etc. Great lessons. Neat story, as usual. No one is perfect, which is what life is really like. But some people are so down to earth, basically good, that you can really count on them. And facts matter. And good questions to actually reveal fact from fiction is important. Crucial.
2023-12-07 Just finished the 5th story within this book: "Ben, The Luggage Boy" - another wonderfully uplifting story. This one is about Ben, who left home at the age of 10 due to his wanting to be independent of his father, who had wronged him. He finds out how difficult earning one's way in the world can be for someone that young, but survives. He also learns about the importance of doing more than just surviving day-to-day, and some really important things in life. The basic math skills exhibited in all the stories is great. Even though most of the "heroes" of the stories - the young boys - have had very little formal education, they all seem to understand basic math, and regularly calculate earnings/day (or partial day) and whether it is more profitable to do one thing or the other, how much time is needed to work for meals, or a room, or a cigar or a Bowery show.
2023-12-11 6th story - "Rufus and Rose" - Returning to Rufus (Rough and Ready) and his sister Rose, the continued saga, where the thoroughly nasty "step-father," James Martin, returns to wreck havoc, and he gets nastier and more dangerous with the aid of even more sinister conmen, but Rufus is up to the challenge. The problems of overdrinking or smoking are demonstrated well, so moderation or abstention benefits are made pretty clear.
2023-12-11 7th story - "Tattered Tom, or the Story of a Street Arab" - Well, well - this is the story of a young street girl, with only a mean and worthless "granny" to help her survive. She would rather be a boy, so acts similarly to the boys, and can take on any of them, if they are near her size, if she needs to. I loved her attitude, grit, "pluck" and turns of expression. And so does the ship's captain who has come back to the city to see his sister. He takes a liking to this plucky little gal with the boy's nickname (Did you know the expression Tomboy dates back to at least the 1870s?) and sets her up in a seemingly decent situation, vastly better than she endured with "granny." But things don't go as planned and granny reappears for some pretty tense and hopeless situations. But Tom is up to the trying situations, and never gives up, but rather somehow always makes lemonade out of the lemons she is served.
One little quirk was that at one point the captain's sister called Tom by the name Tom said may have been her real name: Jenny. But then later in the book, without any explanation, all of a sudden she is being called Jane. I dunno what happened.
2023-12-18 8th story (only 3 more to go!) "Paul the Peddler" - has a mother and brother, but their husband/father was killed a year or two before the story begins, so Paul (and his family) had a better beginning than most of the other stories' "heroes", but they are living in much tougher straits than they did previously, and he, at only 14 or 15 is the main breadwinner. His "peddling" is his own invention, and it is kind of mini-lottery. But since it does well, and he's honest, he attracts tough (and dishonest) competition, that makes life very difficult.
Side Comment: One of the extra neat things about these Horatio Alger stories is that honest competition is shown to be natural and lauded, and dishonest competition is shown to be semi-rare and bad for everyone - including the perps of course.
Things get sorted out in all the stories with mostly private actions and a minimal amount of government police/courts action, kept to just the basics of justice. No government "regulators" are involved at all, except just one (so far) that stifles honest trade with prohibitively expensive licenses/taxes.
Such a simple, reasonable and accurate description, yet how many books, movies, high school and college classes, TV shows, political speeches or laws have it all backwards these days?
The story continued by plowing some new as well as reinforcing some existing fertile ground. Entrepreneurial thinking, economic calculations, financing a new business and the importance of trust, friendship, high morals and fast, decisive actions. Reputations and the different profit levels/needs of varying businesses (pawn shops vs. big name jewelers in particular), which included hints on discovering fair vs. foul dealing, were all very valuable to this reader, and probably most anyone who reads the story
However, there were several little, somewhat unbelievable, lapses too, which made it less real and much more reliant on luck as a key device.
2023-12-24 The 9th story "Phil the Fidler" - Filippo, the young Italian immigrant was "sold" by his poor father in Italy to a "Padrone" who treats him and the other boys he has "bought" like a slave. They are all forced to work for their living on the streets of NY, fiddling for hand-outs, provided little to eat and required to turn over all their money to the Padrone, to repay the money he gave to their fathers (but not to them). Very tough life. One of Phil's friends dies of exposure, sickness and the resulting ill-treatment. But Phil succeeds by his wits, perseverance, strong character and some luck, of course, though he had his ill-luck too and close-calls, but persevered. Kindness and open-hearts by a couple who were also gravely treated by fate was another warm and fuzzy aspect to the story. Another excellent story.
2023-12-26 The 10th & last story in this book: "Slow and Sure: THE [continuing] STORY OF PAUL HOFFMAN THE YOUNG STREET-MERCHANT. Excellent ending story to this wonderful volume. Paul's rise is by no means a sure thing, but his strong work ethic, seizing of opportunities when they present themselves, attention to his family and friends and even strangers all help him along. Remembering his humble beginnings and treating others with kindness pays off in more than just feeling good about himself. The plucky and dirt poor character Julius is introduced to very good effect. He and Paul both benefit from dealing straight with each other.
2023-12-30 Just received a GREAT compliment on my review and what I think about this book from a dear and very learned friend: "This [book] is what I need to read to [her granddaughter] when she’s a little older!" WOW!!!! YES, indeed. It is going on my list for my reading to our grandkids, if/when we ever have any....more
2023-08-16 Finished listening to this last Sat. Very cool book. I Found out about it via a book club I just joined. We had a wonderful discussion of t2023-08-16 Finished listening to this last Sat. Very cool book. I Found out about it via a book club I just joined. We had a wonderful discussion of the book, its author and the book/author's milieu.
First, the audible edition I listened to was first rate - really good narrator who made all the characters come alive, especially with their various accents, from Milton/Manchester area (which to my ear sounded quite like Scottish) to proper London to rural south England, during this 1840s/50s time period. However, because the Milton/Manchester dialect was so thick, it caused me to miss some content, unless I had time/energy to go rewind and listen again, or yet again sometimes. The realism of the narrator got in the way of my comprehension and speed of enjoying the novel, in other words. But I don't begrudge this edition, but rather only my bad hearing and comprehension abilities. If you listen to this edition, I hope you have a little easier time than I did with certain tough parts... and enjoy it all at least as much as I did!
The characterizations were excellent too - very vivid and believable. Some of the main characters were quite heroic, some were frivolous/ditzy as hell, some dour and mirthless, some scholarly and wonderfully witty, some dull and sad, etc. They ran the gamut.
The themes/ideas in this novel were super worthy of great discussions and presentation: - honesty - honor - wealth and poverty - culture and ethics - worker conditions, pollution & workplace safety - unions, strikes, productivity, market conditions, finances, etc. etc. - communications - the difficulties and importance of same - love and standards for appropriate affections - so much more
The author was a contemporary of the (now) much better known Charles Dickens and he acted as her editor, getting her to modify her title for the book and probably much more, which was first published as a serialized story in a magazine where he held that position/power. Much in this book is supposed to deal with similar themes in Dickens' "Hard Times" which I have not yet read, but may because of this book.
I really liked how Gaskell portrayed the two main characters as being originally quite prejudicial to their own background/area/point of view, but that upon being exposed to new & different facts and perspectives, they changed their views to fit objective reality. That is a very positive thing, which I admire and loved reading about.
Gaskell's style of writing was superb.
Highly recommended.
And I watched the 2004 BBC TV adaptation series (4 episodes) and loved it. Some differences with the book (of course) but most were inconsequential, and the actors, script, set, etc. were all very well done....more
2023-07-07 Started reading this a few days ago after seeing at least two significant reviews that seemed to get important parts of the story wrong. I 2023-07-07 Started reading this a few days ago after seeing at least two significant reviews that seemed to get important parts of the story wrong. I am "friends" with both authors (on various social media), have met one in person and have significant respect for both. The review I read just did not seem to mesh with what I thought the book authors would write, and it is a very important topic to me, so I had to get into it.
It is slow going. Not because the writing is bad, but because of what the authors are saying, how controversial the topics are and how precise they are attempting to write. I have been studying this subject for over 45 years, so I have a huge amount of time, energy and overall commitment to the ideas presented here.
So far, some is right on the money. Some if off the mark. Some ignores, (purposely?) important ideas/people/books or at least gives them short-shrift.
More comments to come as I keep reading. Only ~40 pages in so far. 2023-10-11 I'm about 80 pages into it so far. Getting better, but still slow going. The footnotes are generally very helpful... but add to how slow I can go. But they are sometimes quite revealing in what they say or don't say. I have many notes scribbled in the margins. This is going to be a tough book to review. I don't even know if I accept the basic framework of topics that the authors use to explain/judge libertarian ideas and writers....more
2023-07-04 Finished this yesterday. Really good, but pretty narrowly focused on the theory of prison order and the factors that promote or disrupt orde2023-07-04 Finished this yesterday. Really good, but pretty narrowly focused on the theory of prison order and the factors that promote or disrupt order in prisons, with a few comments at the end on how this relates to the non-prison world.
So, if you are into this topic, the book is highly recommended.
The author is a very good writer, very clear, very compelling and fair/objective.
Impressive work.
I liked the author's first book: The Social Order of the Underworld better, since it was more broad-based and appropriate for laymen. This book demonstrates the incredible expertise of Skarbek and the general applicability of his theory on governance. Adds depth and breadth to his ideas in The Social Order of the Underworld....more
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