The Folk and the Education of Private Ambrose

Book Description

There is a myth that a small bug called an earwig is able to enter men s minds. I decided to write about the earwig as a benign creature. I would deny the myth because of my granddaughter, Kate, who is frightened of them. Then one of the earwigs, named Charles, appeared in my story to verify the myth. Now, I was stuck. Kate s mother, my daughter, suggested an alternate direction: my autobiography. Good enough. But gradually, the earwig myth and my past began to merge. Closer, closer, and closer the folk (the earwigs) have come to practice their mythical talent. My autobiography, joining with the obligatory scene, seemed imminent. The background was the Aleutian Campaign on Kiska and its aftermath and World War II. It was a three-and-a-half-year experiment and a conclusion to my private answer to war.

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Book Description

"My work has had nothing to do with gay liberation," Michel Foucault reportedly told an admirer in 1975. And indeed there is scarcely more than a passing mention of homosexuality in Foucault's scholarly writings. So why has Foucault, who died of AIDS in 1984, become a powerful source of both personal and political inspiration to an entire generation of gay activists? And why have his political philosophy and his personal life recently come under such withering, normalizing scrutiny by commentators as diverse as Camille Paglia, Richard Mohr, Bruce Bawer, Roger Kimball, and biographer James Miller? David M. Halperin's Saint Foucault is an uncompromising and impassioned defense of the late French philosopher and historian as a galvanizing thinker whose career as a theorist and activist will continue to serve as a model for other gay intellectuals, activists, and scholars. A close reading of both Foucault and the increasing attacks on his life and work, it explains why straight liberals so often find in Foucault only counsels of despair on the subject of politics, whereas gay activists look to him not only for intellectual inspiration but also for a compelling example of political resistance. Halperin rescues Foucault from the endless nature-versus-nurture debate over the origins of homosexuality ("On this question I have absolutely nothing to say," Foucault himself once remarked) and argues that Foucault's decision to treat sexuality not as a biological or psychological drive but as an effect of discourse, as the product of modern systems of knowledge and power represents a crucial political breakthrough for lesbians and gay men. Halperin explains how Foucault's radical vision of homosexuality as a strategic opportunity for self-transformation anticipated the new anti-assimilationist, anti-essentialist brand of sexual identity politics practiced by contemporary direct-action groups such as ACT UP. Halperin also offers the first synthetic account of Foucault's thinking about gay sex and the future of the lesbian and gay movement, as well as an up-to-the-minute summary of the most recent work in queer theory. "Where there is power, there is resistance," Michel Foucault wrote in The History of Sexuality, Volume I. Erudite, biting, and surprisingly moving, Saint Foucault represents Halperin's own resistance to what he views as the blatant and systematic misrepresentation of a crucial intellectual figure, a misrepresentation he sees as dramatic evidence of the continuing personal, professional, and scholarly vulnerability of all gay activists and intellectuals in the age of AIDS.

Customer Reviews:

A fabulous reading.......2006-06-05

This book is probably the best book on how to ground and use Foucault in relation to contemporary social movement politics - an incredibly important rejoinder to the depoliticized, sterile versions of Foucault that do the rounds today in British sociology departments etc.Halperin is one of the best (and certainly most entertaining) readers of the History of Sexuality Vols 2 & 3. Do yourself a favour & get it!

An Outstanding Classic!.......2005-10-13

This is the best book I have ever read on Foucault, no contest--though one must be clear that Halperin is EXPLICITLY NOT attempting any general and comprehensive explanation of Foucault's life work and thought, which Halperin makes quite clear, though there seems to be some confusion below regarding this point. In fact, the tone of some of the reviews only serve as a demonstration of some of Halperin's points.

My main criticism is that I would go even a little further than Halperin with respect to Foucault's actual purpose or mission in _The History of Sexuality_. I would say that, with volumes two and three, Foucault has shifted his purpose from a general "history" (hence the title) of the rise of "sexuality" to a deconstructive and very narrow focus on certain discourses in antiquity that ostensibly SEEM to mirror our own while actually being quite alien to it. It just so happens that these ancient discourses are about men. From this perspective, all the complaining of a small but very loud minority of feminists merely reflects a failure to understand what Foucault was doing. He wasn't trying to give us a general history; rather, he became fascinated by how the ancient world's most familiar discourses (which are about men) could, in fact, be extremely different, by the demonstration and analysis of that difference. As for general history, Foucault repeatedly refers the reader to Dover's _Greek Homosexuality_, which was published between volumes one and two, and which he just as repeatedly tells us he accepts in basic outline. Feeling there was no longer an urgent need for a "history," he gave us his actual second and third volumes. Should he have given us a hint he was changing course? He did!--in the introduction of the second volume. Readers need to learn to be a bit more active--though, clearly, as original, good, and rigorous as the thinking and analysis may be, it does make for a rather uniquely structured set of books.

Wonderful Book!.......2005-08-03

I thought Halperin's book was great. What I can't believe is the reaction his book has gotten from the other reviewers. You would think that of all people Foucault fans would not be homophobic or heterosexist -- and yet this is common with heterosexuals interested in Foucault. They often say, "It's what he said that is important, not what he was." As if there were a difference, which, of course, there is not. Straight people often attempt to colonize gay thinkers (Wittegnstein, for example), and the first thing they do is hide from others the sexual orientation of these thinkers as much as they can. Then, when someone mentions how awful gay people are based on what he or she saw from skewed footage of a Pride parade on the news, do these colonists ever say, "Well, not all gay people are silly and frivolous: look at Foucault, look at Wittgenstein, look at Alan Turing, and a whole host of other famous minds." No, they keep quite about all that and nod their heads in agreement. Tisk. Tisk.

english departments and cultural studies.......2004-08-10

I very much enjoyed Prof. Halperin's early book, *Before Pastoral.* There, his familiarity with classics and with the pastoral and bucolic traditions led to insightful observations about important literary modes, their definitive characteristics, and their evolution. Unfortunately, *Saint Foucault* is symptomatic of a problem that has been plaguing English departments for some time now: English professors dismiss their primary object of study---literature---as "bourgeois" or "elitist" or "oppressive" or "economically superstructural," and they become dilettantes in a mish-mash of fields that they end up calling "cultural studies" or "cultural poetics." As his work was received in North America, Foucault had a great deal to do with that shift in English studies. Nonetheless, I do find it amusing that Halperin can create an only half ironic "cult of personality" around the very man who argued that the category of the individual "subject" was infinitely less important than a transpersonalized, discursive and ultimately ill-defined "POWER/KNOWLEDGE." Whatever my serious reservations about Foucault's ideas may be, I know for sure that he would find the idea of a "gay hagiography" very unsound.

Daft and Incoherent.......2003-12-31

Don't be mislead by the dust jacket. It promises that Halperin answers those who disagree with him, but it doesn't. I was especially looking forward to Halperin snarking back at Camille Paglia for her devestating review of his book "100 Years of Homosexuality", but Paglia's infamous "Junk Bonds and Corporate Raiders" is never addressed. When he does approach his dissenters, it is in a roundabout, inconclusive, Foucaltian way. Very irritating.

The worst thing about Halperin is his dependence on theory and on other theorists. He doesn't seem to know that there are sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, biology, etc.) which might address his Queer Theory dilemmas. Instead, we get incessant name-dropping and logrolling. A disgrace.

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Saint = Foucault: Towards a Gay Hagiography
David M. Halperin
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKJLTW

Average customer rating:
Saint Foucault. Towards a Gay Hagiography

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I32G5Q

Average customer rating:
Saint Foucault: Toward a Gay Hagiography
David M. Halperin
Manufacturer: Oxford Univ Pr on Demand
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KY1QFE

Average customer rating:
Saint Foucault; towards a gay hagiography.
David M Halperin
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK8ATY

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Saint=Foucault; Towards a Gay Hagiography

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000I2U21M

Book Description

By understanding five key principles — Thought, Moods, Separate Realities, Feelings, and the Present Moment — we can discover a new mode of living that doesn’t repress natural emotions nor allow us to become overwhelmed by feelings and thoughts. We are raised to believe our happiness depends on outside circumstances. Yet Carlson shows that happiness has nothing to do with forces beyond our control. In fact, our natural state is contentment. He teaches us how to recognize that state and do everything we can to foster it. From the author of Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff, You Can Be Happy No Matter What is a navigational tool that guides listeners through life’s trials and restores the joy of living along the way.

Customer Reviews:

You can be happy no matter what .......2007-03-27

Like the Secret I gave to my wife since she thinks these cds are helpful. So from what I can tell she likes listening to all the self help just a different way of looking at help and positive thinking.

My inner monologue says, "Eh . . . .".......2007-03-24

I don't think there is anything revolutionary here but there is some good common sense. Yes, we have an inner voice constantly talking away and, yes, it's good to realize when to discount that voice and, yes, we need to realize other people have their own 'thought systems' and inner voices going all the time and, yes, we need to live more in the moment. Perhaps I'm too happy already, but I didn't find much more here than some good reminders and the writing, while clear, was average.

Turned my life around -slowly.......2007-03-10

I have been reading Richard Carlson's books for about 8 months now. I started with this one. I have been struggling with depression for years. Looked everywhere and tried a lot of different things. Carlson's books have slowly over 8 months turned my life around. I usually read a little from one of his books everyday (I have several). Try it! You'll like it!

A must-have for worriers.......2007-03-07

This book is absolutely revolutionary in its ideas and concepts. It will completely help anyone who worries. This book is so simple and yet its ideas ring true. I am telling all my friends that if they need a book to read, this is what they should get and share with thier friends as well. This book has helped to change the way I think to a more positive healthy way. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Good Enough.......2007-02-09

Yeah, it won't cure schizophrenia and it's not a panacea by any means. But it is effective for 90% of us. Our amazing imaginations can torture and screw up our lives because we won't accept that, just because we think it, it doesn't mean it's rational. Holding on to our fears or negative thoughts gives us a false sense of control. This book doesn't encourage that creepy, disconnected, forced, cheerful stuff. It helps you find peace when you can so that when you get knocked down you will have strength enough to get back up again.

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective

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Help yourself
You Can Be Happy No Matter What
Not for everybody
Great book on taking care of your mental health
Good Stuff

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective
Richard Carlson
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Happiness | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1577315685

Book Description

Many people believe they can only be happy when their problems are solved, relationships improve, and goals are achieved. In this simple guide, Dr. Richard Carlson shows readers how to be happy right now — no matter the situation. His plan, based on the principles of Thought (thoughts are voluntary, not involuntary);Mood (thinking is a voluntary that varies function varies from moment to moment and these variances are called moods); Separate Realities (everyone thinks in a unique way and lives in separate psychological realities); Feelings (feelings and emotions serve as a barometer for when one is “off-track” and headed for unhappiness); and the Present Moment (the only time when genuine contentment, satisfaction, and happiness). This timeless book guides readers through life's challenges and restores the joy of living along the way.

Customer Reviews:

Help yourself.......2007-09-27

A basic concept of life changing significance explained in simple terms by the author. A forehead thumping wake up call for seekers of truth and the narrow path. With this book in hand, you have a chance to help yourself to experience life at a higher level.

You Can Be Happy No Matter What.......2007-08-17

For many of us, happiness is a goal that we never seem to achieve. We closely examine our unhappiness and fret over all the issues in our lives. We know in our hearts and our very souls that if we can just earn a little more money, deal with a childhood trauma, or get married that we'll finally be happy. Unfortunately, once we succeed in these endeavors, a whole new set of issues appears and we find ourselves still unhappy.

Life doesn't stop just because we read a self help book or decide to work on our issues. There is no secret formula that magically absolves a person from facing the challenges that we all experience. The ups and downs of everyday life will always be there. However, you can choose how you feel about yourself and your life. You can see problems as defining you as a failure or as a bad person or you can see them as merely a natural part of life. You can try to make your child act just the way you want or nag at your husband because he's not perfect or you can get some perspective and see that these little things aren't all that important in the scope of your love and happiness.

Perhaps, the most important thing I gained from You Can Be Happy No Matter What is the importance of taking time out. Like most human beings, when I'm in a low mood, the world seems darker and my problems more difficult. In the past, I thought that I had to solve these issues as they came up. As the author states though, real problems won't disappear when you are feeling more yourself. Little irritants that don't really matter will simply fall away. Then, you can work on your real problems and actually have a clear mind to do so.

Not for everybody.......2007-04-05

This book isn't for everybody; it certainly wasn't for me. Granted, I was so unimpressed that I didn't finish it, so take that as you see fit. This book reads like a college essay, covering the same points over and over and over and using exaggerated and sometimes unrealistic examples. The book talks about how thoughts aren't reality and how everyone's perspectives are different - common sense things like that.

This book mainly brings people back from the edge to an equilibrium state by pounding some basic principles into their minds. I feel I'm already at the state he tries to bring you to, and his suggestions won't make a person like me happier.

If you're looking for common sense and equilibrium, I recommend this book, but if you're looking for something more, I'd say to move along.

Great book on taking care of your mental health.......2007-03-28

I was traveling and bought this book to have something to read and bought it because it had a foreward from Wayne Dyer. I wasnt disappointed. The author covers five points to happiness and all of them are in my circle of influence for sure. Sure I might know these when he points them out but the way he explains them is great. It is simple, easy to read and if you do what he says they work. I have been impressed with the results of the book. Great read with impact.

Good Stuff.......2007-03-15

The book is very good at bringing up points that most of us already know but we don't use wisely. I think it is a good refresher course on "life". Great book, I definitely recommend it.

Average customer rating:

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective
Richard Carlson
Manufacturer: New World Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective

ASIN: 1577310853

Book Description

Hometown Potluck Favorites serves up yet another reason for families and friends to break bread and celebrate community. This cookbook redefines potluck for the 21st century. Among the 100+ recipes, you will discover a wide variety of flavors, such as Creole Lasagna, Tequila Shrimp, German-Style Sausage and Potatoes, Oriental Chicken Slaw, and Tiramisu. Of course, if you're a die-hard fan of Tuna Noodle Casserole and Carrot Cake you'll be pleased that traditional favorites are included. Simple chapter organization—appetizers, chicken, meat entrées, seafood, sides, and desserts—makes it easy to find choice recipes. Taste-tempting photography also inspires. Are you an on-the-go cook? If so, you'll appreciate simplified meal planning; each recipe has two ingredient lists—one for a small group of four to six people and another for larger gatherings of eight to twelve. Make-ahead tips and use of store-bought products cut prep time in many recipes. When toting a dish to a picnic or party, special instructions ensure food safety.

Customer Reviews:

The BEST!.......2005-12-07

I have to say, I have a fetish for cookbooks! This, however, does not mean I cook alot!! But this cookbook is set up so perfect! I love the photos of EVERY recipe. The ingredient list is easy to skim over and clear to the point directions. And the recipes are great! I made 3 of them over the Thanksgiving holiday/hunting season and all were a hit! I am trying two more over the Christmas holiday. I love that they have the amounts for large or small groups. I checked this book out of our local school library and am now going to buy it. Recipes you can use over and over! I am also making 3 of the recipes for my son's class dinner at school this week!!

I love the way it's set up.......2003-11-01

This book is great--there are pictures for every recipe, and amounts for making the recipe just for your family, or for a large gathering (ie. for 4 or 8). It's spiral bound inside the hardcover, which is nice. And the recipes are very do-able and sound really good (I just got it and haven't had a chance to make them all yet). My mom wants a copy too.

Average customer rating:
Animal Investigations: Research and Critical Thinking Activities
Judy Bliggenstorfer
Manufacturer: Good Apple Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0768202191

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Color by Design: Paint and Print with Dye
Ann Johnston
Manufacturer: Ann Johnston
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

Dye | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Textile Arts | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Color by Accident: Low-Water Immersion Dyeing

Dyes & Paints: A Hands-On Guide to Coloring Fabric

Complex Cloth: A Comprehensive Guide to Surface Design

The Surface Designer's Handbook: Dyeing, Printing, Painting, and Creating Resists on Fabric

Shibori: The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing

ASIN: 0965677613

Book Description

Fast, Simple, and Exciting...

Color by Design shows you how to dye cottons and silks in an incredible range of colors and patterns--without changing the feel of your fabric. Using every tool imaginable--from brushes, sponges, stamps, and blocks to rollers, sprays, silk screens, and more--you will discover an endless array of techniques. Right away you will be able to create your own distinctive marks and colors, and with practice, you will create intricate designs with confidence and spontaneity.

*.....Color by Design offers:
*.....48 exercises with crystal-clear directions, step by step
*.....Recipes that can be prepared ahead and instructions to store them
*.....More than 120 color photos of sensational fabrics, with how-to captions
*.....Information and options for more experienced dyers
*.....Special chapters on water-soluble resists and on dyeing blacks

Average customer rating:

Worth it!

review

Well, it was ok...

The best book ever written on toddlers

You will refer to it again and again

Parenting Your Toddler: The Expert's Guide to the Tough and Tender Years
Patricia H. Shimm , and Kate Ballen
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Pregnancy & Childbirth | Women's Health | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Household Hints | How-to & Home Improvements | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Marriage & Family | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Child Development | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Toddlers | Babies & Toddlers | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old

Emotional Life of the Toddler

Positive Parenting from A to Z

Parenting Guide to Your Toddler

Setting Limits: How to Raise Responsible, Independent Children by Providing Clear Boundaries (Revised and Expanded Second Edition)

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 020162298X

Customer Reviews:

Worth it!.......2007-09-14

This book is not bulky, yet covers a variety of important toddler topics. It has greatly influenced many of my parenting choices. It is an easy read that proves to be an essential for any parents wishing to be informed and assured.

review.......2002-04-03

I read this book and it didn't really teach me anything new that I didn't already know. The only thing that stood out to me is something the author suggested that I definitely do not agree with- that you let toddlers of equal size and strength battle it out for toys. Think about it... I found the book "How to raise an unspoiled child" much more helpful and respect the authors approach and credibility.

Well, it was ok..........2001-12-22

We'd been determined to not read any books, and generally follow instict in raising our son - though admittedly, that becomes more difficult as he gains enough attitude and verbal acuity to talk back. This book was fairly good, but not a page turner.

The best book ever written on toddlers.......2000-06-06

This is the best book ever written on toddlers, with the most practical advice and information. Best of all, it is easy to refer to when you don't have time to read. Pat Shimm and Kate Ballen are geniuses!

You will refer to it again and again.......1999-03-28

A must have for parents of toddlers. You will refer to it again and again. Contains very helpful advice and really helps one understand their child.

Parenting Your Toddler : The Expert's Guide to the Tough and Tender Years

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Parenting Your Toddler : The Expert's Guide to the Tough and Tender Years
Patricia H.; Ballen, Kate Shimm
Manufacturer: Addison-Wesley Longman, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXVPFS

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Average customer rating:
G. Braque 1882 - 1963: An American Tribute - April 7 - New York - May 2, 1964 - Saidenberg Gallery (Fauvism & Cubism); Perls Galleries (The Twenties); Paul Rosenberg and Co. (The Thirties); Knoedler & Co., Inc. (The Late Years and The Sculpture)
John (editor) Richardson
Manufacturer: Public Education Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Braque, Georges | ( A-C ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000H4R4VM

Average customer rating:
Braque : The Late Years
John/ Bowness, Sophie/ Monod-Fontaine, Is Golding
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Braque, Georges | ( A-C ) | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000OROL7C

Customer Reviews:

If God Spare My Life.......2004-10-16

Should be required reading for anyone interested in English history, Church history, or Bible translation. A great read, a wonderful introduction to Tyndale, and an inspiration to "fight the good fight".

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