Delayed Letters From Korea: Thirty Five Korean War Veterans Reveal Their Unique Stories of America's Least Known War

Book Description

When psychologist Richard E. Nisbett showed an animated underwater scene to his American students, they zeroed in on a big fish swimming among smaller fish. Japanese observers instead commented on the background environment -- and the different "seeings" are a clue to profound cognitive differences between Westerners and East Asians. As

Nisbett shows in The Geography of Thought, people think about -- and even see -- the world differently because of differing ecologies, social structures, philosophies, and educational systems that date back to ancient Greece and China. The Geography of Thought documents Professor Nisbett's groundbreaking research in cultural psychology, addressing questions such as:

Why did the ancient Chinese excel at algebra and arithmetic, but not geometry, the brilliant achievement of such Greeks as Euclid?
Why do East Asians find it so difficult to disentangle an object from its surroundings?
Why do Western infants learn nouns more rapidly than verbs, when it is the other way around in East Asia?

At a moment in history when the need for cross-cultural understanding and collaboration have never been more important, The Geography of Thought offers both a map to that gulf and a blueprint for a bridge that might be able to span it.

Customer Reviews:

Shuttling in the mental Star Ferry.......2007-05-17

Once I got my degree in philosophy, I never thought I would read another book about epistemology. I was wrong. Despite being a review of largely psychological research on the functioning of the mind, Richard Nesbett's The Geography of Thought is hard to put down. If you have been brutalized by jargon laden tomes in which it seems that interculturalists are trying to make a profession of themselves by inventing words, here is a straightforward account of experimental evidence from another discipline leading to the conclusion that indeed Westerners and Asians actually do seek, understand, and process information differently.
So, you might ask what value is there in spending over 200 pages to tell us something that we intuitively knew all along and which our intercutlural models already seem to have pointed to? Well, Nesbett is not simply out to prove an assertion but to show us in transparent language how our minds work on different continents and what the relative strengths and weaknesses can be found in how we and others see and understand the world, and, as a footnote what implications this might have on our now and future coexistence on the planet.
Does this explain some of the dynamics of individualism and collectivism, universalism and particularism and other intercultural categories of classification? Yes. But not necessarily in the way we attribute these things to different cultures. Nisbett starts with the dominance of Greek philosophy in Western thinking patterns and discusses the transmission in education and society of the values that tie thinking to language to politics. We get insights in to the nature of rational debate and in particular into our propensity for attribution and dichotomous thinking and behavior. On one hand Westerners are addicted to a view of the world in which things and even personalities are fixed and events are linear, while our Eastern counterparts think of humans as much more malleable and suspect that lines of progress are not linear but invite interruption and contradiction.
The author shows how patterns of early childhood education and language itself both support and are supported by these difference in thinking. As human beings we have the same operating system, but the operating systems are diverse so it is not surprising that the applications programs of our mind bring forth different results.
But, I risk betraying the author by my own classification of the topics he proposes. Let's let him speak for himself in a couple of paragraphs that will illustrate both the lucidity and the pertinence of the discussions he enters into on the basis of what research indicates about our differences:
"The number we get when we divide the lawyer-preference ratio of the United States by the lawyer preference ratio of Japan is forty-one.
"Those lawyers in the U.S. are put to good use. Conflict between individuals in Western countries is handled to a substantial degree by legal confrontations, whereas it is much more likely to be handled in the East by intermediaries. In the West, the goal is satisfaction of a principle of justice and the presumption going into the arena of conflict resolution is typically that there is a right and a wrong and there will be a winner and a loser. The goal in Eastern conflict resolution is more likely to be hostility reduction and compromise is assumed to be the likely result. Westerners call on universal principles of justice to push their goals and judges and juries feel obligated to make decisions that they believe would hold for everyone in approximately similar circumstances. In contrast, in the East, flexibility and broad attention to particular circumstances of the case are the earmarks of wise conflict resolution. As a citizen of prerevolutionary China put it: `A Chinese judge cannot think of law as an abstract entity, but as a flexible quantity as it should be personally applied to Colonel Huang or Major Li. Accordingly, any law which is not personal enough to respond to the personality of Colonel Huang or Major Li is inhuman and therefore no law at all. Chinese justice is an art, not a science.'"
Who's crazy? Who is unethical? Who is smarter? For Nisbett there is not a dichotomous answer to these questions as each system of thinking has its plusses and minuses depending on what the task of the moment may be. Each produces certain things that the other cannot and cannot do some of the things that the other can.
While we are most likely to be dealing with these differences on the micro level of interpersonal interctions, there seem to be significant economic and geopolitical issues at stake as well. The ebb and flow of contemporary events sometimes push us in the direction of Francis Fukuyama's vision of a world where ultimately nothing significantly new will happen and Samuel Huntington's Armageddon of radical divergeance, Nisbett opts for a blended solution resulting from mutual enrichment of our mental styles in conversation with each other. We can only hope that he is right and that the evidence leads Westerners in that direction and the Eastern perceptions of contexts will remain inclusive as we shuttle back and forth on on a mental Star Ferry in a global Hong Kong.

Academic but interesting.......2007-05-08

Starts with the catchy premise that Asians and westerners actually think differently, and offers quite a lot of interesting evidence. But it becomes a rather repetitive recounting of many years of academic research at the laboratory level.

Great psychology book.......2007-02-20

This is a book about philosophy and psychology that challenges the idea that there are core cognitive processes across cultures. It compares Eastern (Asian) and Western (European and American) cultures to make the point. It's only about 240 pages and can be read in a day or two. It examines how even our most basic assumptions about core human thought processes don't hold up when viewed across cultues.

This is an excellent book that should be required reading for any psychology student. It not only highlights the power of cultural influences, but is also points out tons of issues to take into consideration while conducting psycholical research.

I give it 4 stars because it might not be as accessable to the casual reader due to the emphasis on psychological experiments.

Fascinating topic, interesting but small experiments - our reasoning isn't all hard-wired. Here, Nisbett overstates his case........2006-12-12

Western Thought - Eastern Thought: are they really that different? On one level all people share universal emotions, drives and motivations - but when it comes to reasoning and judgment, the art of weighing up arguments, there are some clear differences between the more binary or Boolean style of logic and reasoning we trace back to the Greeks, versus the more dialectical style of Asian thinking which is more inclined to embrace paradoxes and see both sides at once.

Nisbett and his associate Peng cook up, or cite dozens of little experiments that highlight some of these differences. The simplest shows three pictures: Cow, Chicken and Grass. Which is the odd one out? Two thirds of Westerners choose the Grass. Two thirds of those Chinese tested chose the Chicken. Nesbitt says that this illustrates the Western tendency to categorise things and to think in terms of nouns (hence cow and chicken belong together) compared to the Eastern style of thinking in terms of verbs and relationships; (Cows eat Grass - hence Chicken is the odd one out.)

Nisbett argues, somewhat repetitively I think, that rather than being hard-wired as humans, we are still very much a product of our upbringing and our cultural environment. One one level I wouldn't argue with this, but the level Nisbett describes is less deep, less profound than he makes out. It explains nuances in our human differences rather than any deep-seated disparity. I work in a multi-cultural research office and we jibe constantly over our Asian or Western ways. In the same manner my family is a collission of European and Chinese. And while I found Nisbett's volume explains some of the subtle difference in perspective I see around me each day, it doesn't address the fundamental sameness of different peoples.

His science could be more rigorous, and his arguments tend to be sweeping in gesture while limited in scope - but Nisbett's volume is still well worth reading. Incidentally I chose the grass as the odd one out, and my wife, who is Chinese, chose the Chicken.

Good Thoughts.......2006-11-14

The book insightfully ties together basic ideas from the east and west through a sociological premise that's interesting and intriguing. Particularly interesting to history buffs is the discussion of the philosophy of the Greeks and Confucius and how they impacted their respective cultures. The book is filled with neat tidbits of understanding that most people never notice and explains how each culture thinks and why. Excellent read for history buffs and social scientists!

The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently .. and Why (Korean Language Edition)

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The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently .. and Why (Korean Language Edition)
Richard E. Nisbett
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Korean | More Languages | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: B000STPMCO

Product Description

Book is in Korean.

The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why.(BOOK)(Book Review): An article from: Business Communication Quarterly

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The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why.(BOOK)(Book Review): An article from: Business Communication Quarterly
Alfred N. Page
Manufacturer: Association for Business Communication
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Business Communication Quarterly, published by Association for Business Communication on September 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1564 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently and Why.(BOOK)(Book Review)
Author: Alfred N. Page
Publication: Business Communication Quarterly (Refereed)
Date: September 1, 2003
Publisher: Association for Business Communication
Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Page: 138(5)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The Geography of Thought How Asians and Westerners Think Differently ... and Why

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The Geography of Thought How Asians and Westerners Think Differently ... and Why
nisbett Richard E.
Manufacturer: The Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UEFKSS

Book Description

Think risotto or polenta, but funkier. Think texture, and the wholesome goodness and flavor of stone-ground corn. And think Cheese Grits Souffle, Blueberry Grits Muffins, Grits Pizza, and the quintessential dish that's been published in The New York Times: Shrimp and Grits. Bill Neal and David Perry love grits, and in this Passionate cookbook they export grits out of the Southern kitchen-and attempt to demystify the food that's fed a region since the Indians offered John Smith and his Virginia colony steaming bowls of "ustatahamen."

Beginning with Basic Boiled Grits, here are 60 delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes starring the Southern specialty available in supermarkets nationwide. Grits for breakfast: Cheese Grits and Fried Grits and of course Red-Eye Gravy. Grits on the side: Corn-Grits Fritters and Jalapeno Grits Casserole. Grits in the main: Louisiana Meatballs and Grits, Eggplant Creole, and Grits, Shrimp, and Artichoke Casserole. Grits breads: Green Corn Spoonbread and Blueberry Grits Coffee Cake.

With grits sources, the history of grits, and a nutritional profile, Good Old Grits will enlighten any needs-to-be-convinced Northerner, and have us all agree with Roy Blount Jr.: "Life is good where grits are swallered." A Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club's HomeStyle Books. 36,000 copies in print.

Good Old Grits Cookbook, have Grits your Way, 70 recipes, Side dishes, entrees, muffins, Breads, Cakes

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Good Old Grits Cookbook, have Grits your Way, 70 recipes, Side dishes, entrees, muffins, Breads, Cakes
Bill & David Perry Neal
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NDLRVU

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easy teaching method

Read more about the book

Review from the Enamel Guild/South Newsletter - Dec 2002

The Art of Fine Enameling
Karen L Cohen
Manufacturer: Sterling/Chapelle
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Jewelry | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Pottery & Ceramics | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Contemporary Enameling: Art And Technique (Schiffer Book for Artists)

ASIN: 1402713495

Book Description

Melting glass onto metal creates colorful, imaginative, and lustrous designs. “Cohen covers the traditional forms of enameling as well as some crossover techniques from other crafts such as raku firing and silkscreen application. Projects by several artists for small items illustrate specific techniques....Will be very useful in public library or academic crafts collections.”—Library Journal.

Customer Reviews:

easy teaching method.......2003-01-09

I really enjoyed this book on enameling. I have always wanted to get involved with this art, but I was concerned that I wouldn't understand any of the terms or processes. I found the book easy to find answers to my questions as I progressed with any steps. I have the opportunity to see many different techniques so I can make decisions on the style I want to use. Keep up the great work - I wish there were books up to this quality level in all the arts!

Read more about the book.......2003-01-08

The Art of Fine Enameling is not just for practicing enamelists, it is for the collector and art lover, too, as the book includes so many beautiful photos and easy to read descriptions of the major enamleing techniques. As a how-to book, it is for both the beginner and the more skilled enamelist and works well as a text book because of it's easy to read desciptions and it's comprehensive troubleshooting section.

You can read more about the book at
http://www.kcEnamels.com/enamel_book
which lists the Table of Contents, shows you each of the project pieces, includes some additions to the book like a list of photo references of each artist's plate in the book and more.

Review from the Enamel Guild/South Newsletter - Dec 2002.......2003-01-03

Seldom am I so impressed by a book that I feel you absolutely must have it, but I can't imagine anyone interested in enameling not having it. This hardcover book contains 160 fully packed high quality pages with 423 color plates and 13 demonstrative sketches. Twenty artists have contributed a wealth of knowledge on their own unique variations of enameling techniques. The projects are: Basse Taille created by etching with natural elements by Ingrid Regula; Champlevé by Katharine Wood; a Cloisonné Brooch created directly in the setting by Karen L. Cohen; Decals and applications of other embellishments by June Jasen; Fusion Inlay Under Enamel by Charles Lewton-Brain; Ginbari Foil Embossing by Coral Shaffer; Grisaille by D.X. Ross; an amazing 8 page mosaic Limoges project by Ora Kuller; Liquid Enamel and Glass Ball Additives by Judy Stone; Minimal Firing (2-3 firings) Enameling by Averill Shepps; Mounting large enamel installations by Marian Slepian; Plique-`a-jour Pierced-heart Pendant by Diane Almeyda; Raku-fired Bowl by Jean Tudor; Separation Enameling by Tom Ellis; Sgraffito Plate and Stenciled Tile by Sally Wright; Silk Screen for Enameling by Ute Conrad; Stone Setting Within an Enamel by Dee Fontans; Torch-altered Metal with Cheesecloth Stencil by Roxane Riva; Torch-fired Beads by Aileen Geddes; and Vessel Forms - how to successfully enamel vertical surfaces - by Sarah Perkins. Additionally, there are Photo Galleries scattered throughout the book representing another 51 of the finest enamelists, with a total of 71 represented in the book.

Each chapter is laid out beautifully and clearly: Tools, Materials, a short overview, Metalwork, Enameling, and Finishing, each in numbered steps. A highlighted box prior to the overview lists Techniques to Know with page references to instructions covered at the beginning of the book. Another lists colors needed to replicate the project as illustrated. "Notes" throughout include helpful hints such as how to avoid problems with a specific instruction, or special touches the author might add at this point. "Tips" include where to find specific tools or supplies. The 3" margin is filled with clear step-by step photos.

The book opens with a brief history and then a complete glossary of terms, techniques and tools used in the book. I thought it brilliant to place these terms first as an integral part of the book instead of an afterthought at the back. The Enamelists' Tool Kit was not just a complete list of everything you could need, but warnings and instructions on how to maintain a safe studio - also important information before jumping headfirst into a project.

The section on Enameling Application covered every possibility, including tools, with referrals to project pages, and firing, including supports, heat sources and their care. Studio Basics, Tips and Tricks included where to scavenge tools, when to high fire, and excellent photos of the four stages of firing. Cohen clarifies the 6 grades of sifting and when to use each with a fine chart. Her helpful hints throughout, such as capturing silt with coffee filters when washing enamels, are wonderful and highlighted so they are easy to spot. She continues with sections on test firing and color analysis, computer-aided designs, metal patterning, soldering/fusing, metal preparation, wirework, basic enamel applications, foil application, finishing , metal finishing, and mounting. Then she added a miscellaneous section, in case she forgot anything. There are 31 tips in these sections alone. Written by Cohen, this information is referred to in every chapter in the highlighted "Techniques to Know" boxes. The final chapter confronts 14 common enameling problems with 56 possible causes and solutions.

This book is overwhelmingly well- organized and leaves out nothing. The artists represented are amongst the best and so are their projects, which can be created in any studio. It's a treasure. It belongs in every studio and every school. Don't miss it!

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The Art of Enameling: How to Shape Precious Metal and Decorate It With Cloisonne, Champleve, Plique-A-Jour, Mercury Gilding and Other Fine Techniques
Margaret. Seeler
Manufacturer: A & W Promotional
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0442313519

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Ellamarie Woolley: A retrospective exhibition, September 3 through October 16, 1977, San Diego Fine Arts Gallery
Ellamarie Woolley
Manufacturer: Fine Arts Gallery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006WVWNQ

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Enamel Medium for Fine Art
Margarete Seeler
Manufacturer: Dorrance Publishing Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Glass & Glassware | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0805939423

Book Description

Gardens are sites that can be at one and the same time admired works of art and valuable pieces of real estate. As the first account in English to be wholly based on contemporary Chinese sources, this innovative, beautifully illustrated book grounds the practices of garden-making in Ming dynasty China (1368–1644) firmly in the social and cultural history of the day.
Who owned Ming gardens? Who visited them? How were they represented in words, in paintings, and in visual culture generally, and what meanings did these representations hold at different levels of Chinese society? How did the discourse of gardens intersect with other discourses such as those of aesthetics, agronomy, geomancy, and botany? By examining the gardens of the city of Suzhou from a number of different angles, Craig Clunas provides a rich picture of a complex cultural phenomenon—one that was of crucial importance to the self-fashioning of the Ming elite.
Drawing on a wide range of recent work in cultural theory, the author provides for the first time a historical and materialist account of Chinese garden culture, and replaces broad generalizations and orientalist fantasy with a convincing picture of the garden’s role in social life. Fruitful Sites will appeal to all students of China’s cultural history, to students of garden history from any part of the world, to art historians, and to readers engaged in Asian and cultural studies.

Fruitful Sites: Garden Culture in Ming Dynasty China (Reaktion Books - Envisioning Asia)

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Fruitful Sites: Garden Culture in Ming Dynasty China (Reaktion Books - Envisioning Asia)
Craig Clunas
Manufacturer: Reaktion Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Garden Design | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0948462884

Book Description

FRUITFUL SITES: GARDEN CULTURE IN MING DYNASTY CHINA (ENVISIONING ASIA)

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FRUITFUL SITES: GARDEN CULTURE IN MING DYNASTY CHINA (ENVISIONING ASIA)
Craig Clunas
Manufacturer: Duke University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

China | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000LZBOHM

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Chinese Herbs in the Western Clinic : A Guide to Prepared Herbal Formulas Indexed by Western Disorders and Supported by Case Studies
Andrew Gaeddart
Manufacturer: North Atlantic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KXQ16E

Book Description

Few writers are as integrally bound to a place as Pablo Neruda was to the landscape of Isla Negra on Chile's coast. From his arrival there in the late 1930s to his death in 1973, Neruda captured Isla Negra in images fundamental to an understanding of his work. It was, according to Martin Espada, at Isla Negra where Neruda "in the company of his muse, walked alongside the source of his most lyrical inspiration, the sea...and discovered a new way of seeing, as the ocean became a living metaphor for the infinite riches of the world." The poems, selected from three volumes of Neruda's work, are presented with photographs of Neruda and his house in an attractive gift format.
Nobel Prize-winning poet Pablo Neruda , who died in 1973, remains one of the most influential voices in world literature.

Customer Reviews:

brilliant.......2001-03-13

there are not enough words for this book. enticing and mesmerizing, Neruda remains to me one of the greatest lovers of life. An acute observer of surroundings, a revolutionary, a lover, a man of the world and of the senses. this book is a whirlwind of poetical autobiographical moments and what a wonder it is. recommended to be read quietly and in an atmosphere undisturbed.

a masterpiece.

Great stuff. Why is it not available?.......2000-01-25

I just purchased this book of poetry. Wonderful stuff! Exquisite translation. Why is it no longer available? I keep this in the same place as my collection of Elliot poems. But these are warmer, deeply personal reflections of a life. It is like walking through a man's memories while he tells you what each one meant to him.

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Isla Negra.
Pablo. NERUDA
Manufacturer: Buffalo: White Pine Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000U8UO2Q

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Isla Negra: A Notebook
Pablo (Alastair Reid, translation) Neruda
Manufacturer: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OWMJ3K

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MEMORIAL DE ISLA NEGRA
Pablo Neruda
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000MTSN7Q

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Memorial de Isla Negra
Pablo Neruda
Manufacturer: Editorial Seix Barral
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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Memorial De Isla Negra 5 Volumes
Pablo Neruda
Manufacturer: Editorial Losada
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000PS55JI

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Memorial de La Isla Negra
Pablo Neruda
Manufacturer: Editorial Seix Barral
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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review on neruder at isla negra

Neruda at Isla Negra: Poems
Pablo Neruda
Manufacturer: White Pine Press (NY)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Amazon.com

Gabriel Garcia Marquez considered Pablo Neruda the greatest poet of the century. Besides his poetry, he left the world a legacy of love for humanity and for the power of language to change society. In this bilingual collection, photographs of Neruda's beloved house at Isla Negra are combined with his own words of explanation and his inimitable poetry.

The house, of which Neruda says, "I don't know when it was born into me," faces the Pacific Ocean, subject of many of the poet's meditations. In Neruda's prose poem, "The Sea," he sketches the vast timelessness of the Pacific: "It was so large, wild and blue that it didn't fit anywhere. That's why it was left in front of my window." Like time itself, the ocean is so unfathomable that anyone can disappear, "and the water doesn't know it."

The poem "The House" shows the relationship of house, stone, and man when he imagines stone as a previous home and says, "I touch this stone, and for me it hasn't died: / it's what I was, what I will be." This beautiful collection of poems is like a scattering of thoughts on the shore that Neruda has strung together into a song of life. --Susan Swartwout

Book Description

poems & photos from Neruda's Chilean home

Customer Reviews:

review on neruder at isla negra.......2002-05-13

one of my favorite of the five translations. Descriptive and imaginative you can truly enjoy the peoms through the translations.

Pablo Neruda En Isla Negra (Coleccion Imagen Latente)

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Pablo Neruda En Isla Negra (Coleccion Imagen Latente)
Sara Facio
Manufacturer: La Azotea Editorial Fotografica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Artists, Architects & Photographers | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Foreign Language Nonfiction | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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"Like the world is absurd.That's why I write about it."

An outstanding biography

not definitive bio but it still fascinates the richler lover

not definitive bio but it still fascinates the richler lover

Illuminating overview of Canada's funniest novelist

Last Honest Man, The: Mordecai Richler: An Oral Biography
Michael Posner
Manufacturer: McClelland & Stewart
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Barney's Version

ASIN: 0771070241
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Book Description

Novelist, essayist, satirist, and iconoclast, Mordecai Richler made an international reputation with such contemporary fiction triumphs as Barney’s Version and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz. His death in July 2001 prompted heartfelt tributes from around the world that acknowledged his humour, intellect, soft heart, and irrepressible curmudgeonliness.

The Last Honest Man documents the writer’s public and private lives through the words of his family and friends, colleagues and rivals, editors, writers, filmmakers, drinking pals, snooker buddies, and many others. To borrow a phrase from his long-time editor, Robert Gottlieb, this unusual biography captures the grumpy and the high-spirited man, the generous and the distanced, the enthusiastic and the sardonic, the hungry and the fastidious, the man who was awkward in crowded social situations but consummately at ease in Winston’s bar in Montreal.

Michael Posner draws on dozens of interviews conducted in London, New York, Montreal, and Toronto to present an unusual and compelling portrait of this complex man and artist.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

"Like the world is absurd.That's why I write about it.".......2005-10-03

In my humble opinion Mordecai was one of the most interesting and colorful characters that Canada ever produced.No doubt,anyone who ever read anything he ever wrote or ever listened to anything he ever said,either loved or hated him.Especially those people who were pompous,stuffed shirts or otherwise full of themselves would be setups for him to tear into shreads and leave in tatters.Quebec language idealogues,righeous Jewish who set rules for him,or in fact anyone who managed to get his goat,was fair game for his satiric target practice.
I have read most of his novels and being about his same age,plus having had a friend who also grew up near where Mordecai did ,and also lived in Montreal,for quite a few years,I am able to relate to so much of what he wrote about.Reading Richler one can really understand what it was like to live in
Montreal,what being Jewish,French,English,subserviant,or an outright rebel really meant.You couldn't,or would you want to be anything but what you decided to be.Mordecai reminded me of my friend and even myself when I lived there.I first came to Montreal in 1959,and being from the Maritimes,and not speaking French,was automatically classed as English,particularly by the French.One day this guy tells me that I have a poor attitude for a person living in Quebec and being only a minority.I told him that that if I was the only person in Quebec who didn't speak French,I wouldn't consider myself a minority.I don't think he,s gotten over that yet..but that's his problem,not mine.
Meanwhile,back to this book,the author has given us a very deep insight into the personality ,thinking and character of the Mordecai we all,at least some of us,came to love from his writings and gut renching statements he entertained us with for a time that was all too short.I often wondered what he would have been like as he grew older.You know,Mordecai never really got older,his knife just got sharper and sharper.
Some of the comments from the family,friends,business associates,croonies,etc are priceless,such as:
"That is what should be on his tombstone:"Here lies Mordecai,a mazik par excellence."
"He died too soon."
"He's laughing up his sleeve.He's putting it on for them."
"He was an ond fashioned heterosexual male all the way through."
"But he never forgot he was a Jew.He was buried in a plain wood coffin."
and a couple by his editorial cartoonist friend,Terry Mosher:
"The air of fame is heady.Make sure you don't inhale."Mordecai didn't inhale."
"A lot of people complain and bitch.They're whiners,but they're not rascals,and he was a rascal."

An outstanding biography.......2005-03-08

This is an outstanding biography and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the life and family of Mordecai Richler. The author has done a fantastic job putting together a fascinating life story from what must have been hundreds of interviews with those who knew Mordecai Richler best, including his immediate family and the people he grew up with, went to school with, and worked with.

not definitive bio but it still fascinates the richler lover.......2004-04-17

This is not for those looking for a definitive biography. Its a wondeful read however. I wasn't sure I would like a book full of interviews but it works really well in this case. This is a must have for any aspiring writers. It makes Richler, who had impeccable work habits when it came to his craft, accessible and encouraged me to read or re-read Richler. Anyone who is a fan of Richler will really enjoy this book.

not definitive bio but it still fascinates the richler lover.......2004-04-17

This is not a definitive biography. It is an oral biography with interviews of family friends and hanger ons in Richler's life. As an admirer of Richler it still enthralls me however. While there is nothing terribly new here the book does a good job at summing up what we knew, loved or despised about the Canadian Icon. I wasn't sure I would like a book that was just interviews but somehow it works. It provides several views of particular incidents in Richler's life. And it adds Richler's comments here and there as well in an effort to clear up any muddles. Anyone who is an aspiring writer should read this book.

Illuminating overview of Canada's funniest novelist.......2004-03-27

Although written with the cooperation of Richler's family, Posner's oral biography avoids turning the author of Duddy Kravitz and St. Urbain's Horseman into a CanLit saint. Like many writers, Richler had his mood swings, but his absolute determination to find a balance between the literary life and happiness is inspiring. It would have been nice to have an index and a photographic insert, but these are quibbles. Posner has used his access to the family and friends of Richler to good advantage. Highly recommended for those interested in the Commonwealth literary scene of the fifties and sixties, screenwriting, and Richler's many fans across Canada and around the world.

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