Product Description
Over the past 40 years, there have been few artists who have received as much acclaim and garned as much attention as Jeffrey Jones. From his early comic book work for Heavy Metal and National Lampoon to his popular book covers for such authors as Dean Koontz and Andre Norton to his move into fine art, Jones has inspired generations of painters and artists. This beautiful volume of his personal favorites will only enhance his reputation and cement his standing as one of America's greatest living artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Age of Innocence : Jeffrey Jones a prerafaelite of our time
One of the rarest books of the internationnaly acclaimed works of fantasy artist Jeffrey Jones. Active in the field of fantasy art since the sixties, Jones offers his magical paintings to the eye of the beholder and one whocan truly admire his art will decifer art nouveau influences. This is mostseen in his book Age of Innocence, a tribute to "la femme". Notjust a book about painting more than that a book about the lost beauty offeminine innocence. A masterpiece. Be sure to buy the limited editionhardcover signed by the artist with a specialy numbered lithograph. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Over the past 40 years, there have been few artists who have received as much acclaim and garned as much attention as Jeffrey Jones. From his early comic book work for Heavy Metal and National Lampoon to his popular book covers for such authors as Dean Koontz and Andre Norton to his move into fine art, Jones has inspired generations of painters and artists. This beautiful volume of his personal favorites will only enhance his reputation and cement his standing as one of America's greatest living artists. ... Read more

Product Description
Beautiful pen and ink sketches by renowned artist Jeffrey Jones, with a sprinkling of his painted work interspersed throughout. Interior is black and white, with rich color dust-jacket. Compiled with the help of George Pratt and David Spurlock, with an intro by Michael Friendlander. Includes a conversation with Jeffrey Jones and George Pratt. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Mainly For Jones Collectors
Jeff Jones is one of my favorite fantasy artists.I especially love his impressionistic oil paintings shown on the cover of this Sketchbook.However, all of the art inside the covers is rather sketchy pen and ink work interesting mainly to collectors of Jones.The real plus of this one is the long interview (2000) with George Pratt , a 20-year friend.A much better buy, in my opinion, is THE ART OF JEFFREY JONES, as it contains more of his better works. ... Read more

Product Description

Renowned for its precise, in-depth coverage of international trade and finance, this classic text features a balance of the latest research, critical policy issues, and sophisticated economic analysis.

Customer Reviews (5)

Excellent text for open economy macroeconomics
We used this book in a one semester graduate class for International Economics. We used the book mostly for open economy macro as opposed to trade theory i.e. Chapter 16 & on. Like our professor told us, the book builds on concepts in a gradual fashion starting from the Marshall-Lerner condition right up to the Dornbusch Overshooting Model covering along the way, the basic Keynesian framework, Mundell-Fleming framework and, the policy assignment problem. The concepts helped us trace the causes for UK's renouncement of the Exchange Rate Mechanism in 1992 (and also how George Soros made his billions!). Using the book in this integrated fashion (Theory + Case Study) makes it a valuable addition to one's library.

The Big Picture Missed
Currently I am a student of Professor Jones, one of the text's authors.The text is as drawling and insufficient as Jones' lectures.My first complaint is that there is a crisis of definition.Having only taken one economics course prior, I find that the text tends to move too quickly through topics of international economics, failing to provide illustrative examples so one can better understand how theory is put into practice.Second, the conceptual framework, as in all classical economic theory, is rooted in a place far from reality, a point Jones fails to make clear. The world is not perfectly competitive and does not contain countries equipped with fully developed capitalist institutions (like banking and credit), necessary to make internal economic adjustments in the face of free trade prices.I find the utility of the course to be very low, especially when free-trade is non-existent in the world.Discussions on the state of the contemporary world are sorely needed, if at least to serve as as comparison to the theoretical one constructed by this text. My last complaint is Jones' characterization of "anti-globalizers," those who he claimed "rioted" and were "violent" on the streets of Seatle in 1999 during the meeting of the WTO.The irony is that many of those protesters were advocating for FREER trade, pointing out that US farm subsidies cripple the economies of some underdeveloped nations who primarily produce agricultural commodities. The text's mypopic view of economics will not help those interested in learning how the world economy actually operates.

The Big Picture Missed
Currently I am a student of Professor Jones, one of the text's authors.The text is as drawling and insufficient as Jones' lectures.My first complaint is that there is a crisis of definition.Having only taken one economics course prior, I find that the text tends to move too quickly through topics of international economics, failing to provide illustrative examples so one can better understand how theory is put into practice.Second, the conceptual framework, as in all classical economic theory, is rooted in a place far from reality, a point Jones fails to make clear. The world is not perfectly competitive and does not contain countries equipped with fully developed capitalist institutions (like banking and credit), necessary to make internal economic adjustments in the face of free trade prices.I find the utility of the course to be very low, especially when free-trade is non-existent in the world.Discussions on the state of the contemporary world are sorely needed, if at least to serve as as comparison to the theoretical one constructed by this text. My last complaint is Jones' characterization of "anti-globalizers," those who he claimed "rioted" and were "violent" on the streets of Seatle in 1999 during the meeting of the WTO.The irony is that many of those protesters were advocating for FREER trade, pointing out that US farm subsidies cripple the economies of some underdeveloped nations who primarily produce agricultural commodities. The text's mypopic view of economics will not help those interested in learning how the world economy actually operates.

Very clear instruction on international trade and finance
I found this book to be a very good learning tool, as the course reader for an introductory international economics course.I find that most textbooks are good as reference, not as learning tools, but this book is an exception.In a very concise manner, it builds theory upon theory of international trade, until the student has developed a strong set of analysis tools.The portion on international finance is good intro as well, even though it does not compare with more specialized texts.This text is sufficient to prepare the reader for any advanced trade issues, with the exception of more mathematically based arguments (which the book does not develop, given its focus on beginners).

Thought provoking, intelligent textbook
This textbook for International Economics is a rarity. It's intelligent, exceptionally well written by the experts in the field. It does include a thorough review of the state-of-the-art theory of international trade and finance. To facilitate learning and yet challenge the reader, the authors equipped each chapter with really tough exercises. Only having solved them one might have an impression that he grasped the metarial really well. Good exercises are an indispensable companion of a student. Here we have one of the best I have ever seen. And I have seen a lot. Superior to other textbooks and highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
From the 1960s through the early 1980s Jeffrey Jones was one of the most respected creators of fantasy and science fiction art. Comfortable as both a book cover illustrator and as a comics artist, Jones gained a large and loyal following that resulted in his being honored with a World Fantasy Award for Best Artist. Renowned for his paintings for the works of Robert E. Howard and Fritz Leiber, Jones' atmospheric style became a major influence on subsequent generations of artists. Though he left the commercial field in the late '80s to devote his full attention on Fine Art, Jones has continued to explore the worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Underwood Books' The Art of Jeffrey Jones is the first thorough retrospective of a major American painter's remarkable career. Printed in full-color on premium art paper, this 9 by 12 inch book features 175 stunning works that finally help us to fully understand Jones' versatility and skill and ultimately his importance to the field of fantastic art. Sometimes heroic, sometimes erotic, occasionally hilarious, and always breathtakingly beautiful, The Art of Jeffrey Jones is the first comprehensive collection of his artwork ever published, making this unique volume a publishing event. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

A Beautiful Map of One Artist's Journey
This book covers Jones from some of his earliest projects to images painted fairly recently. It also sparsely includes his comic work, sketches in the interior covers, and autobiographical snippets originally posted on his website (which is now down until further notice). The cover is very misleading (those knowing Jones know what awaits in the pages, so I assume this is to garner a larger audience).

I consumed all that is Jeffrey Jones after learning about him in History of American Illustration. Jones is the ultimate example of "less is more", and brings an understanding of form and light to the art world that takes little work to appreciate.

When I picked up this book, I never expected this man's words to be as potent as his paintings, but they truly are. I don't know if Jones has written a book, but it's certainly in his league; his vivid descriptions of life growing up are enough for me that I've seen the locations when I close my eyes. Outside of biographical information, Jones has commentary on the ethics of commercial illustration, be it his origins as a Frazetta imitator to his leaving illustration altogether for Fine Art Painting. Reading that part was not fun for me, because it made me rethink my entire career/area of study. But I had to read it, and I'm glad I did.

I wish there was more examples of his comics, or at least more sketches. His website had a walkthrough of his creative process before it closed, but this book doesn't even scratch the surface of that. For what this book does have, it's beautiful, large, and easily one of my favourites in my collection. The price is very affordable. Anything less than $50 for this is a complete steal.

'Jeffrey Jones is the greatest living painter' -- Frank Frazetta
I have enjoyed this book for years, looking through it several times a month. Jeffrey Jones is one of the finest artists of our time. The published novel covers in the beginning sometimes had a Frazetta feel, but I understand that if a publisher gives you an assignment, one must do it in order to feed his/her family. I read in the book that Jones became a bit 'difficult' in the opinions of his editors as he did not wish to do exactly as they wanted, it was uninspiring and bored him. Still, many of the early novel covers are more than mere illustration art, the intellectual artist coming through and saying more than most. Either way, the public loves it. After doing novel cover paintings for a few years, Jones made a leap into fine art (one reason why I find his work more important than Frazetta, but you can't compare illustration to fine art and expressionism, which Fritz never did). Jones' fine art has such power and mood/atmosphere. I see that Jones admired Klimt, as evidenced in some of the paintings of females.
I hope the Fenner's do another Jones retrospective. I would like to see more 'Jones Touch', 'Idyl' and 'I'm Age', which further seperate Jones from other artists with the seemingly whimsical writing/poetry. This artwork as well as many novel covers and fine art is very difficult to find anywhere, so please publish more!!! !! !

Great images. Just Buy it...
I waited around to get this title. if you're thinking over it, just get it. Images of these paintings are well worth the money.

Great Bookfor the money
This is an incredible book. 160 pages of color plates. As an artist, I really appreciate the detailed close ups of some of the paintings, where you can see every brush stroke. The color quality of the plates is very high. Lots of fantasy female figurative paintings in this book. Jeffrey Jones has a real gift for light and shadow, color, and painting the human form. Many of the color plates are 8" x 11" or 9" x 12". and could actually be cut out and framed.

Good but not enough
Dozens and dozens Jeffrey Jones' wonderful paintings are beautifully produced in this fine book.Unfortunately, there is very little in the area of his sketches, and almost nothing of his comic work.

It might be argued that Jones' most original creations were his *Idyll* and *I'm Age* strips for National Lampoon and Heavy Metal.Certainly his work with pen-and-ink is nothing short of extraordinary.(I work with pen-and-ink myself and am in awe of his modeling techniques.)This book gives us only one single page of Idyll and one single page of I'm Age.

Because of these disappointing omissions I am tempted to give this book only two or three stars, but I give four stars in the hope that the Idyll and I'm Age strips will be collected together at a later time.They are brilliant, and from an artistic standpoint they are at least as important as the paintings. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Focuses more on the bureacracy than the bureau
This audiobook is a serious and rather dry history of how the FBI evolved. It focuses much more on the political, strategic and legal frameworks which created and formed the bureau through its history. Issues are considered at very high level, only rarely illustrated with anecdotes at the street/law enforcement level.

There's some interesting stuff in the book and you leave it better informed and with a different perspective on the FBI - but it is hard work at times and not a pacy true crime book like Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets. Having said this I found the more recent history fairly engaging, so perhaps my lack of engagement with other sections of the book was due more to a lack of familiarity with the cast of characters than the content.

The audio book reader is adequate but prone to repeated basic errors (i.e. reading 'character' for 'charter') which tends to distract.

Seller is integrity with their rating of used books
I ordered a used copy of "The FBI:A history" and it was rated by the seller as being in excellent condition.
What was received was an underlined copy, with notations beneath,and above paragraphs as well as in the margins of the book.
When I contacted the seller and told them of the condition of the book received, they immediately sent a replacement that was in the condition stated. I would certainly buy again from this seller

FBI History
The book had many good points about the beginning of the FBI and progress of growth of the FBI

Puts American Critics of the FBI to Shame
It says something about the bankruptcy of the American Left that this book, the best critical history of an American institution, was written by an Englishman.

Dr. Jeffreys-Jones is largely free of two intellectual flaws of U.S. leftists. First, he is free of the Fuhrer Prinzip which poisons American liberals. American Leftists make their heroes into demi-gods and when those heroes have flaws, they need scapegoats. J. Edgar Hoover is the perfect candidate for scapegoat and if his record needs to be twisted to fit the role, so be it. Jeffreys-Jones has too much integrity for that. He presents Hoover in all his strengths and weaknesses. He shows just how much of the political spying was ordered by such liberal icons as FDR. In this he complements Richard Gid Powers' fairmindedbiography.

Second, he avoids the Manichean tendency of his U.S. counterparts to demonize any entity they criticize.The author finds as much to praise as to criticize about the Bureau. This makes the criticisms more credible.

The author views the history of the Bureau through the prism of race, which initially seems odd. The FBI after all is not the affirmative action police; they are assigned all sorts of crimes. An agent I knew in 1968 told me that his office spent the bulk of its time tracking stolen cars that had been dumped across state lines. And while minority agents should make up more than 16% of the total special agents, most elite government jobs are even lower. Only the military has anything approaching the proper numbers.

Yet there are a lot of rewards by looking at the Bureau from this angle. First, the author brings the history of the Bureau back almost 40 years earlier than the traditional birthday of the FBI to a time when the sole task of federal investigators was to support civil rights of African-Americans. He also points out that the Bureau has been hampered by a lack of diversity in dealing with the Mafia as well as in investigating Muslim terrorists.

The author says some annoying things.
Some of them are the result of his having to wade through a mountain of material written in large part by a lot of crackbrain simpletons. For instance:
1. The only reason John McNamara was not convicted of the bombing of the Los Angeles Times was because he pled guilty to avoid the death penalty.
2. The Abraham Lincoln Brigade was not a group of democrats with only a handful of Communists involved. There were a few dupes who joined up, but any honest history of the Spanish Civil War will admit the dominance of various Communist factions. There were no George Orwells among them.
3. Dr. Jeffreys-Jones falls for a conspiracy theory involving the attack on Pearl Harbor which is absurd on its face.
4. Louis Freeh did not leak a memo because of a "report" that President Clinton was receiving funds from the Chinese government. The FBI was able to track the fund transfers and the only reason no one was indicted was because the Clinton Justice Department refused to prosecute.

Some relevant but inconvenient points are omitted. The homophobia Dr. Jeffreys-Jones accuses the Bureau of was certainly encouraged by Bill Moyers' orders on behalf of LBJ for the FBI to provide a list of gay Republicans for blackmail purposes. And he accuses the FBI of not coordinating information with the CIA before 9/11, but he fails to disclose that the Clinton Administration made such sharing of information illegal.

And some of the annoying elements are purely Dr. Jeffreys-Jones own prejudices. There may be valid criticisms to make about the undermining of the Chilean and Nicaraguan governments, but that they were democratically elected is not one of them. The Allende government was duly elected in Chile but engaged in massive voter fraud thereafter and the Sandinista came to power peacefully (it is a bit of a stretch to say they came to power "democratically") they simply refused to hold elections. To argue that these governments were democratic is grossly misleading. The Nazis came to power by Constitutional means and I, for one, believe that the world would have been saved a lot of hell if some 1930s version of the CIA has toppled the "democratically" elected Nazi government.

But these failures should not deter even a conservative from reading this valuable book. It is rare to read a leftist who discusses the FBI with the respect it deserves and many of the author's criticisms of the Bureau are strengthened by his giving the Bureau credit where credit is due.

This book is the product of something called The FBI Project, a European effort to create a European FBI. Given the demographic trends in Europe, which will see Muslim majorities in much of Europe well before the end of the century, it is encouraging to see a European considering the need for a racially sensitive federal police force. That the project is basing its efforts on the FBI is a tribute to the Bureau.

Very Good History of the FBI
The FBI is a meticulously researched book about an American institution.Unlike most other FBI books, the focus is not on J. Edgar Hoover, but on what might be called the rest of the FBI story.The book covers the origins of the FBI beginning with the creation of the Secret Service during the Civil War and the growth of federal law enforcement leading to the creation of the FBI in 1908.

This book makes some surprising findings such as the fact that as of September 10, 2001, there were only 6 Muslim FBI agents and only 21 FBI agents who could speak Arabic.This was a major factor in the success of the terrorists on 9/11.Another factor was the lack of communications and cooperation with the CIA.

This is a great book about the FBI.Its only weakness is a lack of detailed info about J. Edgar Hoover the man and whatever illegal activities that he was up to. ... Read more

Product Description
The most complete guide to business valuation written by industry-leading valuation specialists! Handbook of Business Valuation Second Edition In this thoroughly revised and updated edition of the number-one guide to business valuation, nearly 50 experts provide expert advice and guidance on all facets of the subject. This is a single-source guide to valuation approaches and methods, in addition to all of the procedures necessary to accurately value a business. The Second Edition of the Handbook of Business Valuation enables you to find precisely the information you need; just go directly to the chapter concerning the topic you are interested in. There is no need to read the entire volume—it’s quick and easy. This is the only valuation book you need. It provides chapters on valuing specific businesses, such as: software companies, radio and cable stations, medical practices, home-based businesses, and many more, plus a special chapter on researching business valuation information on the Internet.

• An entire chapter on commonly used rules of thumb
• Business valuation from the perspective of the buyer, seller, lawyer, lender, and others
• All updated information, plus much that’s new
• Important sections on family limited partnerships, intellectual property issues, minority interests, and much more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent
This book that i bought is of great value. Its gives a lot of insight on business valuation. I am an accountant by profession and it is indeed of great use to me. This is my first purchase from Amazon. At first i was very hesitant to buy this product on line. I thought whether this will reach me. Trust me I received my book well in advance. I live in Fiji Islands. I dont know whether lot of ppl even know about this place. Its miles away from United States. But yes i did receive my book on time and I am looking forward for further purchase in the near future.

Thank You

Highly technical
Good treatment of the subject for specialists, but a book I like better is "Unlocking the Value of Your Business", which seems to produce the same bottom-line results, but faster and simpler.

the amazing book
This book tell about how I can estimate and calculate value of company or asset. It's very simple language and easy to understand.Having read this book, I know much about business valuation. It'sexcellence book. ... Read more

Product Description
This lively book traces the history of American secret intelligence from the founding of the nation through the present day. Rhodri Jeffreys-Jones argues that while the intelligence community has had some successes, it has also played a confidence trick on the American people, inventing threats instead of analyzing them and demanding too many dollars for its services. The Preface to this new edition shows how intelligence boosters have taken advantage of 9/11. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Sloppy Research
I consulted this book to see what this British author had to say about Allan Pinkerton, founder of the Pinkerton Detective Agency and the forerunner of the Secret Service during the U.S. Civil War.The author's brief account of Pinkerton's "Molly Maguires" investigation was shockingly inaccurate and misleading.This book is an embarrassment for Yale University Press.

"Is this common knowledge?Needs to be foot noted."
If the last history I read (The Age of Gold: The California Gold Rush and the New American Dream) was written at the level of the USA Today, this book is written at the level of the Weekly World News.This book is a series of broad value assertions in the most purple of prose without attribution or logical argument, apparently under the impression that no argument is necessary if the assertion is bold or biased enough.

If this were a first term paper by a 10th grade high school student, the English teach would have wasted a red pen circling sentences and writing "Is this common knowledge?Needs to be foot noted."

But this not a first term paper by a 10th grade high school student, it is an "academic" history text published by Yale University Press.

I wonder if this is what passes for scholarship in the Ivy League these days.

Poorly written, poorly edited
The other customer reviews capture the weaknesses of the book. I would only add that a review laying out these weaknesses at greater length and with more precision was published by Piero Gleijeses in the Journal of Interdisciplinary History, vol. 34, #3. A brief extract:
"Cloak and Dollar adds virtually nothing to our previous knowledge of the CIA, and, worse,
it is riddled with old chestnuts and misleading statements. It is, almost invariably, shallow."
As he indicates, the problem does not lie with the central theses of the book, which are quite reasonable. But the research is uneven at best, and the presentation surprisingly weak on a number of levels. Gleijeses recommends Evan Thomas' The Very Best Men, which I have not read myself.

Poorly written, spin-o-rama, but some interesting stories here
I agree with the first three reviews -- very poorly written.

But a bigger problem is the amazing spin he puts on every event.He is incapable of any charity toward those he dislikes (mostly modern conservatives). For example, he makes no effort to mask his utter disgust for Bill Casey and the Reagan administration.This is fine, but it probably explains his unfounded conclusions about them.Casey started talking back in the early 1980s about American intelligence needing to target groups besides the Soviets, as new enemies were emerging.Instead of crediting Casey for being a visionary, Jeffrey-Jones dismisses this as a cynical attempt at job security, knowing that the Soviet Empire was near collapse.Never mind that virtually no one expected the Soviet downfall even when it happened 6 or 8 years later.

Similarly, Jeffrey-Jones makes general statements without supporting evidence -- the US supposedly pumped huge amounts of money buying up the French news media to counter the rise of the French Left, supported Corsican gangsters, etc.In the end, J-J claims, the French Left failed, not because of such sinister American tactics, though, but the conservativism of the French people.(see p. 156).No evidence for this is presented, no figures or footnotes for the wild claims made etc.

J-J is anecdotal, sensational, imbalanced.And yet, there are some great stories imbedded in all the propoganda and hyperbole.The stuff on George Washington (whom J-J admires) is wonderful.

If you read this book for the stories, just do it with alot of salt.

Poorly written in the passive UK tense
The British have a perculiar way of writing, that, coupled with the passive tense, makes this book a nuisance to read.Puruse the on-line exerpts provided by Amazon for a preview.

Other than that it's a good book, not that I've read it, but from what I've heard.

... Read more

Product Description
Understanding Research: Becoming A Compotent and Critical Consumer, first edition, teaches students how to read research articles and can be used as a core text in an introduction to educational research course or any course that focuses on teaching students how to read research articles.It can also be used as a supplementary text in courses that cover both producing and consuming research.This is the only text available that focuses primarily on teaching students how to read research articles. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent
I read this book while doing research for a book I am writing.It provides an excellent over of of research written in a way that will help a novice understand.I would recommend this book for anybody looking to get a handle on how to use, apply, and evaluate research -- college undergraduates as well as masters level students working on a thesis.

A good foundational book on research papers
This is a good book for obtaining a basis understanding of research papers. It starts with the basis concepts of a research article. What is research, what is the question, who answered the question, etc. Then proceeds into the core of introduction, method, results and discussion.

Interesting, simplified
This is not a bad book for research theory, not one of the best, nor one of the worst. It is relatively simple and easy to read.

Research with a twist of humor
This is a great book for anyone new to research or wanting a review. It is easy to read, takes you step by step through the process and the authors actually tell you when its time to put the book down and take a break so you don't get on 'overload' - that bit of humor is sprinkled throughout the book. Good examples shared. I highly recommend it!

Review
The book has been very good and useful in understanding research, especially the differences between qualitative and quantitative. ... Read more

Product Description
Ideal for allied health and pre-nursing students, Alcamo s Fundamentals of Microbiology, Body Systems Edition, retains the engaging, student-friendly style and active learning approach for which award-winning author and educator Jeffrey Pommerville is known. It presents diseases, complete with new content on recent discoveries, in a manner that is directly applicable to students and organized by body system. A captivating art program, learning design format, and numerous case studies draw students into the text and make them eager to learn more about the fascinating world of microbiology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

very happy
this book arrived quickly.I was very happy to see that it was virtually a brand new book.It ws clean and crisp, just the way that I like them!I will definately make more purchases.

Poor Packaging
The book arrived in about 3 weeks, within the time frame they said. However they could have used more care in the packaging. When I received the book, two corners and the spine that was on the same end were bent, and did not quite resemble a new book. There wasn't any packing material inside the box, how did they think the book could survive the journey all the way from London, eventhough I was told that it'd be shipped out from the United States. ... Read more

Product Description
Contrary to arguments that television is detrimental to democracy, Entertaining Politics explores the role of new political television in shaping a changing civic culture. Jeffrey P. Jones shows how viewers understand and make use of the increasingly blurred lines between 'serious' and 'entertainment' programming and argues that alarmist critics who predict the end of politics in the age of television have misconstrued the role of the medium and the commitment of audiences to both TV and public life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Entertainment and Political Discourse
Entertaining Politics: New Political Television and Civic Culture by Jeffrey P. Jones (Communication, Media, and Politics: Rowman & Littlefield) (Hardcover)
examines humorous political talk shows on television-Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Dennis Miller Live. This book challenges the assumption that these shows have dumbed down politics, as well as the idea that television in general is a primary cause of civic disengagement. By investigating the production, content, and audiences for such programming, Jeffrey P. Jones contends that these shows provide important alternatives to traditional elite political and news sources. He shows how these comedic political commentators have revived political humor as an accessible and potent means of political critique in times of postmodern crisis. Bridging the fields of political communication and cultural studies, Entertaining Politics makes the case for how and why popular culture is an increasingly powerful force in shaping our civic culture-and why this may be a positive thing.
Excerpt: When I first saw the program Politically Incorrect, I wasn't particularly en¬amored of it. I didn't disdain it like some of my colleagues; I was simply in¬trigued. Now here is something different, I thought, something that is overtly violating the implied rules of televised political talk. Although I never partic¬ularly enjoyed watching the Sunday morning talk shows or the shouting matches of the overly conservative hosts on cable television, they did define the standard. Here, though, was a comedian with a mullet discussing politics with the guy who played Batman on television when I was a kid. Say what? I, like other viewers, initially enjoyed seeing this odd mixture of celebrities from various public venues presented in a different light, hearing what they had to say and marveling at their intelligence, articulateness, or outright stu¬pidity.
But, as I watched, what increasingly became clear to me was that this pro-gram was not operating under the same linguistic or epistemological guide-lines that I had come to accept as the normative ideal in discussing politics. Instead, it sounded like political discussions found in most every venue out-side of the institutions of television or the university-shortsighted, ahistori¬cal, laced with the latest media buzz, prone to diverting comments, and gen¬erally dependent on the "truths" offered by personal experiences. It also was refreshingly honest, impassioned, diverse, stimulating, witty, and smartly commonsensical when push came to shove. Indeed, the prevalence of com¬mon sense as the primary means for thinking through and arguing political issues is what hooked me intellectually. I had previously studied Rush Lim¬baugh and his claim to commonsense thinking in the populist early 1990s, but his talk never seemed very commonsensical to me-it was just mean-spirited bigotry driven by fear.
As I began to watch, listen to, and study Politically Incorrect, however, I realized that this program, which had recently moved from cable to network television, was truly something different. Whenever I overheard conversation about the show or mentioned it to people outside the academy, I real¬ized that many of them enjoyed it for the humor, guests, and issues it de-bated. They seemingly didn't entertain the logic used in the dismissals of the show by political elites and cultural critics that this was some unholy mar¬riage of entertainment with politics, primarily because they didn't take it too seriously (which critics always did). At some level, they seemed rhetorically engaged in the conversation it offered as well as generally amused by this televised cocktail party.
This book, then, began as a project to study this program in greater detail, including my perceptions of a disjunction between audience appreciation for the show and academic/elite disdain for it. The project, however, changed considerably from its first appearance as a dissertation to include other programming from the same mold-Dennis Miller Live and The Daily Show. What's more, the world also changed during that process, beginning with a presidential impeachment and continuing through to election deba¬cles, horrific terrorist attacks, and stunning foreign policy initiatives. What became clear during this time is that what I call New Political Television-with its biting humor and satire and its honest and commonsensical talk by people not directly linked to the political establishment-has been a central location on television for the interrogation of political issues from a critical perspective. Here I have found voices on television that consistently ques¬tion and ridicule the patronizing lies, twisted logic, and taken-for-granted as¬sumptions of both government and news media in a time of crisis.
What follows, then, is an in-depth look at new political talk shows and their audiences, the humorous entertainment talk programming that ap¬peared in the 1990s in the programs Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, Dennis Miller Live, and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. These shows, I ar¬gue, have challenged normative assumptions about who gets to speak about politics on television, what issues will be covered and in what manner, and how audiences can engage politics on television beyond simply deferring to expert knowledge. Furthermore, they challenge the boundaries between "serious" and "entertaining" programming erected in the network era, which increasingly have come to be seen as artificial. Finally, the shows have be-come a primary location for new public rhetors that consistently challenge the policies advanced by political elites and the sense-making on which those policies are founded.
In this process, the reader will note that I have attempted to bridge the fields of political communication and cultural studies-theoretically, methodologically, and rhetorically. Political communication and political sci¬ence's interest in civic participation and political norms, values, and cultureare linked here with cultural studies' recognition of culture as a complex process of meaning-making. By my reading, cultural studies has retreated from its early beginnings as a means of interrogating the relationship of cul¬tural production directly to the state. Similarly, political science continues to expend energy focusing on the formal political arena with minimal attention to the cultural factors that often precede political action. The traditional bounded nature of politics (culturally and academically) has transformed into a more porous position in media and culture, and our methods, ap¬proaches, and targets of analysis should reflect those changes.
I have attempted to be both expansive and narrow in my analysis, perhaps to the dissatisfaction of readers who are overly committed to one particular approach within these fields of study. Although I discuss Dennis Miller Live and The Daily Show as part of this move toward a hybrid genre of political talk, I have intensified the investigation of Politically Incorrect to examine the specificity of its production decisions, content, and audiences who watched it. And although I examine issues related to civic engagement, the focus is clearly on how this particular slice of television programming is a contributor to our overall political culture. Again, detail and specificity nec¬essarily sacrifice an analysis of a wider range of texts and a wider range of subjects in a book this size.
... Read more

Product Description

The founding of Home Box Office in the early 1970s was a harbinger of the innovations that transformed television as an industry and a technology in the decades that followed. HBO quickly became synonymous with subscription television and became the leading force in cable programming. Having interests in television, motion picture, and home video industries was crucial to its success. HBO diversified into original television and movie production, home video sales, and international distribution as these once-separate entertainment sectors began converging into a global entertainment industry in the mid-1980s. HBO has grown from a domestic movie channel to an international cable-and-satellite network with a presence in over seventy countries. It is now a full-service content provider with a distinctive brand of original programming and landmark shows such as The Sopranos and Sex and the City. The network is widely recognized for its award-winning, innovative and provocative programming, including dramatic series such as Six Feet Under and The Wire, miniseries such as Band of Brothers and Angels in America, comedies such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and Def Comedy Jam, sports shows such as Inside the NFL and Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, documentary series such as Taxi Cab Confessions and Autopsy, and six Oscar-winning documentaries between 1999 and 2004. In The Essential HBO Reader, editors Gary R. Edgerton and Jeffrey P. Jones bring together an accomplished group of scholars to explain how HBO's programming transformed the world of cable television and how the network continues to shape popular culture and the television industry. Now, after more than three and a half decades, HBO has won acclaim in four distinct programming areas -- drama, comedy, sports, and documentaries -- emerging as TV's gold standard for its breakout series and specials. The Essential HBO Reader provides a comprehensive and compelling examination of HBO's development into the prototypical entertainment corporation of the twenty-first century.

Product Description
This bio-bibliography focuses on the life and career of Jennifer Jones, reexamining her as a uniquely talented actress rather than as the wife and protegd'e of David O. Selznick. "a superior reference work. A concise biography is followed by a chronology, a filmography, a listing of radio, theatre and television credits, a list of awards and nominations, and an annotated bibliography." Classic Images ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for researchers
The Greenwood Bio-Bibliography series of books offers valuable information for researchers and others interested in locating printed information about film stars. It gives detailed lists of magazine articles, books, newspaper articles, etc. with information about the content, photos, etc. of each article. The biography is brief (under 100 pages) but very well written and engaging and is good for those looking for a general synopsis of her life. For those looking for a juicy biography with more content, you will probably want to look elsewhere (actually the only full length biography of Jennifer Jones so far is "Portrait of Jennifer" by Edward Epstein). This book also includes some wonderful black and white photos. ... Read more

Product Description
"North American Spies" takes a new look at the history of espionage in the United States and Canada since 1898. A new generation of scholars and journalists use the latest verifiable evidence to tackle some of the most important, yet little known, events in recent history. They argue in particular that Soviet secret agents may have been behind the theft of secret Churchill-Roosevelt correspondence in 1940; that President Truman's shadowy advisor, Admiral Souers, was the real architect of the CIA; and that Britain generated a home-bred McCarthyism similar to that of the USA. These essays also contain an attempt to apply literary criticism to American spy fiction, as well as offering an extensive introduction which gives a historiographical framework for the study of North American intelligence history. The book features a scholarly history of the Defense Intelligence Agency and concludes with a guide to further study designed to help teachers in schools, colleges, polytechnics and universities. Casting new light and interpretation on some controversial recent historical events, it opens up a subject which is often shrouded in mystery and deliberate misinformation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

AMERICAN Baptist 101 for Small Groups...
Since I belong to a church (Riverside in New York City) which is affiliated with two Christian denominations - both the United Church of Christ, and the American Baptist Church USA - I felt the need to explore just exactly what Baptist theology was all about. (Certainly I've seen how unatractive SOUTHERN Baptists behave as a denomination - though it is certainly unfair and un-Christian to paint all Southern Baptists with the same brush that of acting UN-Christ-like (esp. in regards to matters of religious dogmaticism and social justice.) FYI: Southern Baptists split from the northern Baptist church over the slavery issue, and the northern Baptist churches took on the name of American Bapists.

So I picked up this small group resource of 14 themes inherent to Baptist theology (but probably more specifically AMERICAN Baptist churches). The themes are: (1) Soul Freedom; (2) Believer's Baptism; (3) The Bible; (4) Priesthood of All Believers; (5) Religious Liberty; (6) Autonomy of the Local Church; (7) Ministry of the Laity; (8) Discipleship; (9) Evangelism; (10) Worship and Communion; (11) Issues of Faith; (12) Prophetic Role; (13) Diversity; and (14) Mission. I found it to be light and interesting reading - meant for folks who are looking to join an American Baptist congregation and wishing to explore the Biblical basis and history of this particular denomination. No doubt about it - Riverside is neither your typical ABC or UCC church - so while I found most of the themes reflected in how we 'do' church - the issue of Evangelism or Mission (by members) not at all emphasized. Of course that is the beauty of ABC and UCC denominations that each church may be found to be very different from one another within their own specific city, state, or part of the country. It was a helpful book for me... and I think that many of the themes mentioned about American Baptists, relate to UCC churches as well, so this may be a good resource (adapted obviously) for churches which are UCC as well, or part of both denominations.
... Read more

Product Description
Every year more than 1,000 North Americans travel to Nicaragua to volunteer their labor. These "brigadistas," as they are called, spend between two weeks and three months as volunteer agricultural workers harvesting coffee and rice side-by-side with Nicaraguans. Brigadista presents, in their own words, some of these volunteers' experiences and the feelings these experiences generated. The author captures and conveys these experiences and feelings through interviews, articles, journal entries, photos, and descriptive pieces written by the volunteers. What emerges is an important first-hand account of Nicaragua, its people and its politics. ... Read more