Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Few books have captivated the imagination and won the devotion andpraise of readers and critics everywhere as has George R. R. Martin’s monumental epic cycle of high fantasy. Now, in A Feast for Crows, Martin delivers the long-awaited fourth book of his landmark series, as a kingdom torn asunder finds itself at last on the brink of peace...only to be launched on an even more terrifying course of destruction.

A Feast for Crows

It seems too good to be true. After centuries of bitter strife and fatal treachery, the seven powers dividing the land have decimated one another into an uneasy truce. Or so it appears....With the death of the monstrous King Joffrey, Cersei is ruling as regent in King’s Landing. Robb Stark’s demise has broken the back of the Northern rebels, and his siblings are scattered throughout the kingdom like seeds on barren soil. Few legitimate claims to the once desperately sought Iron Throne still exist—or they are held in hands too weak or too distant to wield them effectively. The war, which raged out of control for so long, has burned itself out.

But as in the aftermath of any climactic struggle, it is not long before the survivors, outlaws, renegades, and carrion eaters start to gather, picking over the bones of the dead and fighting for the spoils of the soon-to-be dead. Now in the Seven Kingdoms, as the human crows assemble over a banquet of ashes, daring new plots and dangerous new alliances are formed, while surprising faces—some familiar, others only just appearing—are seen emerging from an ominous twilight of past struggles and chaos to take up the challenges ahead.

It is a time when the wise and the ambitious, the deceitful and the strong will acquire the skills, the power, and the magic to survive the stark and terrible times that lie before them. It is a time for nobles and commoners, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and sages to come together and stake their fortunes...and their lives. For at a feast for crows, many are the guests—but only a few are the survivors.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

The song is becoming a noodling free-jam, November 15, 2005
It's doubtful that any sort of review will stop someone who has read the first three books from reading this long-awaited and justly anticipated instalment. Nevertheless, I'd like to voice an opinion which falls between the extremes which seem to be the most prevalent sort of reponses to this book.

Mr Martin is a great fantasy writer, and I don't think that has changed. However, A Feast For Crows is not up to the standard of this first three in the series. What I suspect HAS changed is the commercial pressure that has been placed on Mr Martin, combined with (I hate to say it) a growing over-indulgence which has been allowed him. When George Martin defends the delays, longer-than-expected lengths, and the seemingly extraneous side-stories, he is fond of referring to Tolkien by saying that "the story writes itself" (or something like that). I don't doubt that Martin experiences this "divine inspiration" like many other great artists, but this time around he seems to have been unable (or more likely, unwilling) to step away from that feeling to undergo the painful process of editing. When the pressure to make a release led to a cutting in half of the anticipated book, thus allowing two books of about 700 pages rather than one of about, say, 1000, it seems that Martin took it as a cue to go easy on the editing. The splitting of the book is itself substantially detrimental, but Martins lack of self-criticism is the real reason why this book is somewhat disappointing. Not everything created by the divine inspiration of great artists is great art.

People who are claiming that there is no plot development, either within the book or for the series, are of course exaggerating. There are certain interesting revelations and developments that will no doubt play a role in the eventual (and I say that optimistically) resolution of the series. Take for (spoiler-free) example the potential rise of the Church of the 7 gods as a major political player, the implied motivations of the masters in Oldtown, the (loss of) direction that Berric Dondarions outlaws have taken, the grand plans of the new king of the Iron Islands etc. However, these sort of developments are only seen accidentally through the characters, who have become the real focus of this book.

This is where Martin seems to have gone astray. The chapters of the three characters who by far dominate this book in terms of length (Cersei, Jaime, and Brienne) are all in turn overly-dominated by a personal theme. Cersei has become paranoid to the point of insanity, particularly with regards to a prophesy she was given as a girl (which, by the way, felt like a new idea of Martins specifically for this book, but doesn't seem to fit entirely comfortably with Cersei's character from the previous books). Jaime is torn between love/trust and hate/mistrust of his sister. Brienne struggles with doubt about her worth in playing the role of a knight as opposed to an ordinary, though ugly, high-born maiden. The problem is that not only are the bigger events of the "game of thrones" made subordinate to these longwinded inner struggles and dialogues, but that they tend not to go anywhere. Admittedly Cersei's paranoia has important ramifications in her final 2 chapters, but is it really necessary to spend her first 8 chapters or so just to give the sense of her paranoia? I feel it could have been done in 3 or 4 chapters, and thereby made more engaging rather than tiresome. The same applies at least as much for Jaime and Brienne.

Speaking of Brienne, I think that Martin has blatently sacrificed the flow of the story within and between books in favour of setting up a "cliffhanger" ending. In the previous books, anticipation for the following book has been achieved by a partial resolution of the characters (Jon Snowe becomes Lord Commander and refuses Stannis' offer, Tyrion kills Tywin and leaves Westeros, etc) and leaves you able to intelligently speculate about their future. Brienne's predicament at the end of her final chapter is a matter that would be resolved in a matter of seconds in real-time, but unfortunately Martin has opted to finish it like a lame soap opera full of cheap tricks to make me watch the next episode, or a typical horror movie setting itself up for a money-making sequel. I dare say she will survive, but I am still left feeling a little more cautious of Martins artistic credibility.

When I say that those three characters dominate the length of the novel, I am not exaggerating. The rest of the POVS are a mixed bag. I thought that the ones covering Dorne and the Iron Islands contained some interesting developments, although they are yet to take on their full significance, which makes them less engaging. I felt Arya had potential to become one of the more interesting characters at the end of the previous novel, but so far (in her 3 chapters) has failed to deliver. Her primary role here seems to be to describe life in the city of Braavos. Sansa's chapters are somewhat interesting but still contain a lot of filler (especially her last one, which I barely skim read up to the last page, something I never felt inclined to do in any of the prevous books). The same goes for Samwell.

Essentially, AFFC contains writing that is as good as any of the previous books, but it is hidden and scattered between too many words, which costs us readers more of our time and money. Martin just seems to do a little too much taking and not enough giving in this instalment, and if things continue like this in the next instalment, he will lose my interest. I'm sure he is aware of the dangers of prolonging a story to the point of tedium. Let's hope that feedback to this book will make him raise his editing game, and get this song back into a refined composition rather than a noodling free-jam.

Well, OK..., November 29, 2006
I have to say this book was a disappointment. The first three books in this series were unquestionably 5-star reading.

A Feast for Crows, however, truly was -- as one reviewer described it -- a chore to get through. I wondered often as I read it whether Martin would have fared better to collapse this book and the sequel, A Dance with Dragons, into one volume after all. The argument that the book would have then been "too long" doesn't wash with me since many of the chapters here -- far too many -- felt like "packing material", popcorn and bubblewrap that you have to get through to get to the good stuff that you really wanted and paid for. A Feast for Crows would have been a far better book if the dross chapters had been eliminated and the pure gold chapters from the next book added in. Ah, well. Too late for that now.

Sadly, in this book, I just got bored. Not only once, but again and again. And I am astounded to say that because Martin is a magnificent writer and storyteller. But I was seriously bored with much of this book.

I did not like Martin's departure from the style of previous books of adding so many nameless ("The Prophet", "The Kraken's Daughter", etc.) point-of-view (POV) chapters. Sheesh. Why not just say their names? "Aeron" ... "Asha" ... Worse still, most of these "secondary" POV chapters were quite dull. I did not like these characters and I did not want to invest my time in them because it is not THEIR story I am interested in in this series. Many of these secondary characters are repellent, dull, and/or unpleasant, and each new character's chapter(s) carried the baggage of (seemingly) 50 to 60 new names and characters apiece. Geeze. I imagine that Martin used this device so that readers would know these were not primary characters, but the problem is that these secondary POV characters are just ... second-rate and dull. If the story of the Ironborn was really worth telling, for example, then I'd rather the author had created a "real" POV character to tell it.

Even the primary POVs in this volume, including Brienne, Jaime, and Cersei, are not particularly likable or interesting, so you don't much care what happens to them either. That leaves about 20% of the book that really held my interest. Only the Samwell, Arya, and Sansa chapters held my attention here, and the latter two characters appear very little in this particular volume. The one good thing about this overall structure was that at least I knew before reading a chapter that I probably wasn't going to enjoy it: "Brienne", "Cersei", "Jaime", "Unnamed" = Not Terribly Interesting. Best not be sleepy if you want to get through any of these chapters in one sitting.

The sharp, knucklebiting, fascinating suspense so ably maintained from chapter to chapter in the first three books is diluted and lame here. I more often than not fell asleep reading these chapters. Yes, FELL ASLEEP. That never happened in the first three books. Never.

In Feast for Crows, Martin greatly presumes upon the residual interest and good will of his readers from the first three books in this series, serving here a pretty skimpy "feast" indeed. Readers are left to root among the piles of bone and gristle and ash for a savory tidbit here and there, some small shred of news regarding a character we actually care about in Westeros or beyond from the first three books. To the author's credit, the pace of Feast for Crows does picks up considerably toward the end of the book, which, alas, once again leaves us hanging for heaven knows how long until the next book is published -- longer still if these particular "King's Landing" POV plot threads are not to be picked back up until Book 6. Patience, more than any other quality, is required of readers of this series.

Even so, I am committed to this series for the long haul. Martin at his worst is better than most writers in this genre at their very best. He is a most gifted and talented writer, and I trust he can get back on course for the next book in this series. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there is someone in this process that can effectively tell Martin, for future volumes in this series, "Yo, dude. This chapter is well written, surely, but it really ought to be cut..."

A Song of Walking and Walking Some More, December 6, 2006
Yikes.

I've enjoyed this series, honestly I have, but the latest entry--A Feast for Crows--has forced me to seriously reconsider whether it has been worth it.

In the first place, frankly, this is no longer the series I'd signed on for. The first novel introduced a group of characters, the Starks, and led us to believe that they would be central to the narrative. Now with most of them dead or scattered, they're almost incidental to it. Since this volume only deals with half of the current "main cast," some of my personal favorites completely disappear (like Tyrion and Daenerys). In short, when I decided to continue on after A Game of Thrones, I didn't know I'd be reading 1000 pages of Brienne and the Iron Born.

Aside from this literary 'bait and switch,' there's also the fact that... well... nothing really happens in this book. Okay, maybe "nothing" is harsh, but it certainly feels like it. *Lots of things* should happen in a 1000 page book, but Martin strives to put all of the relevant happenings at the very end. Before that, characters spend an endless amount of time wandering from place to place. We readers get to meet all sorts of new and extraneous characters, instead of spending time with the countless we've met before. (Though in fairness, given the time between publishings, it's unlikely we'd remember all of those older characters. I can't keep straight who's died anymore... I forget, is Theon dead?) Incredibly, most of the exciting action (battles and the like) take place between chapters, and we only learn about it through conversation after the fact.

Many of the new characters introduced here get their own POV chapter, sometimes one to a character. The series is becoming increasingly disjointed, and there's certainly no kind of resolution for anything in sight. The one real thru-line is Cersei's story. She probably gets the most chapters, and something like an actual plot. Of course, I can sum up all of those chapters to you here with: Cersei hates and is suspicious of/jealous of everyone and everything. Cersei sits around and snapes at everything, over and over again, and lord but it doesn't get much more exciting than that until page 900.

The series is, at least, consistent in that the worst things always happen to the best characters and things can always be counted on to go wrong (unless you're a villain). While it was once possible to say that Martin was being "realistic" in showing that, sometimes, bad things happen to the heroes... well, it's almost ridiculous now, in how nothing good ever seems to happen to anyone who could be described as "virtuous." Though, of course, very few of the remaining characters could so be described. Most have been decapitated well before this novel. There is a line between "realism" and "sadism," and it isn't all that "fine." Martin has crossed it some time ago.

Man, I was looking forward to this book. But really what I was looking forward to was a sequel to the novels that had come before it. Instead, this book (and, increasingly, the series) abandons the characters who have come before and, rather than offer any resolution, creates new conflicts spiraling off into the aether. It doesn't deal with any of those conflicts, either. Instead, it contents itself with having all of its main characters walk from locale to locale, talking, thinking and dreaming but never doing.

George R.R. Martin has taken up close to 4000 pages now, more than three times what Tolkien used in The Lord of the Rings and more than twice War and Peace. He has accomplished very little for all that, and given us little hope that there's any relief in sight. His preferred method of resolving conflicts seems to be having his characters abruptly die, and so that's how I figure he'll tie the loose ends here. It's all rather depressing, if like me you feel you have to finish what you start. Martin is capable of good, snappy storytelling--his graphic novel which takes place in the same world, The Hedge Knight, was really quite good. But it has one large advantage over A Song of Ice and Fire in that it has a beginning, middle and end. A Song of Ice and Fire, on the other hand, seems to be nothing but an endless middle. (The fact that it's a series doesn't mean it can't have both rising and falling action and resolutions to conflicts sprinkled along the way. Examine almost any other series, ever, for examples.)

Not all of these flaws are new to the series--in fact, they've been there since almost the start--but over time they're becoming more and more inescapable and damaging to the overall experience. Two stars for this novel. If things don't rapidly improve, and there's no reason to expect them to, we'll quickly find ourselves at a solitary star. A shame.

A Feast For Statisticians, November 20, 2005
OK, I did something a little different in this review. Soon there will be literally hundreds of reviews for this book, all giving similar reasons why people like or dislike A Feast For Crows. Instead of adding, and probably losing, my voice in amongst the clamour, I've done a bit of mathematics for you. I actually went through the book and noted which characters had chapters of their own and how many pages each of those chapters had, then I figured the numbers out as percentages (yes, I know, I need to get out more). So now, for your literary edification and illumination, I present to you a list of what actually happens in the book, according to my calculations (all rounded off).

CERCEI: 22.5%. That's right, folks, the Lannister Queen has more than one page in five, and nearly one page in four, devoted entirely to her point of view. If you've always wanted to know what goes on in her scheming little mind, then boy, do we have a show for you! Considering that there are thirteen people altogether who get chapter viewpoints of their own, Cercei's 22.5% share means that, on average, everyone else only gets 6.5% each. You could say that Cercei has the lion's share (terrible pun, I know).

BRIENNE: 17.5%. Next on our little list comes the Maid of Tarth. Most of the time we spend with her is on character development, rather than juicy action. Not that there's anything wrong with that at all, but you've been warned. If you were expecting her to become Lara Croft: Tomb Raider reborn, think again. Also, of some small statistical note, more than 60% of the pages in this book are devoted to the female character's points of view. Just so you know.

JAIME: 15.5%. The ever-more-interesting brother, and erstwhile lover, of Cercei continues in his evolution from out-and-out bad guy to, well, kind of a good guy. We're going to have to read the next book to see which way he jumps for sure, but so far he's certainly more inclined towards honesty and honour than he seemed to be in the first couple of books.

SAMWELL: 9%. The first character with less than ten percent of the ink investment is Sam. One of the more down-to-earth minor characters from the previous book, he gets fleshed out a little more here (excuse the pun).

SANSA: 8%. One of the few remaining Starks, and one of only two who get chapters of their own in this book, Sansa is also evolving as a character. In this book she is very slowly starting to show signs of an independence that she heretofore lacked. Of course, with only three chapters of her own, she doesn't show much. Not that she was ever on the front lines of either political intrigue or physical combat.

ARYA: 6% The only other person from House Stark with chapters from her own viewpoint. Arya has always been an interesting character to me. Her moral ambiguity, like Jaime's, is stretched further in this book. I'm a little nervous as to how she'll shape up in the end. At this point, it's a little difficult for me to tell, though I have optimistic expectations.

WHO? WHAT? HUH?: 21.5%. Seven people, some of whom are hardly mentioned, or not mentioned at all, in previous books, have their own chapter or two each in this book. So more than one page in five is from the viewpoint of someone you probably can't remember reading about before. And half the time the same viewpoint doesn't come up again in this book at all.

TYRION, JON, DAENERYS, STANNIS, DAVOS, ETC.: 0%. These characters don't appear at all. We have to tune in to the next episode for updates on their adventures. I wondered about this when I bought the book and saw that the maps at the front only showed Westeros.

So there you have it. If you're here reading reviews because you've gotten halfway through the book, don't like it, and want to see what everyone else thought, then I'd recommend that you keep reading. Slog through a few more pages; it does pick up at around the halfway mark. Although, in my mind, the endings for the various characters are fairly anticlimactic. Nothing is really resolved, unlike the previous books. And it's going to be the same for the next book, apparently, since Martin says that it will only focus on the characters who were expected to appear in this book but didn't.

I've given A Feast For Crows three stars, where the previous books in the series would have each earned at least four stars from me.

The Story Continues (for the characters you don't care about), June 13, 2008
The George RR Martin Books have been great so far. Each book is close to 1000 pages. They're medieval fantasy, but there are no elves, dwarves, healing spells... etc. If someone dies, they're dead. Characters even die from infections in these books.

The Chapters in the books are all named after Characters. Each Chapter is written in the Point of View of the named character. So, you'll see that there are two sides to every conflict. You also get to see what motivates the characters and why they behave the way that they do. The books are full of political intrigue and action. They're unique in their own way and usually pretty exciting.

With that said, this book stays consistent with the story. The previous book, A Storm of Swords, ends with a lot of cliffhangers. This book answers none of the major cliffhangers and talks about the minor characters. It's 1000 pages devoted to the characters that aren't involved in the cliffhangers. It drags on and on and the whole time you're waiting to hear about the exciting stuff from the previous book.

This book is like a Star Wars Movie about Greedo, Admiral Akbar, Sandperson #42, and that Blue Jedi Chick that got punked in the last movie. You'd be asking yourself where are Luke, Leia, Darth Anybody?! You'd even settle for some C3-PO. But you don't get any of that.

At the end of the book, George RR Martin apologizes and says that he wrote too much. He says that the next book will deal with the cliffhangers. If the next book doesn't answer these, I'm done with the series.

In 'A Storm of Swords', the major cliffhangers dealt with Jon Snow, Arya, Dani, and Tyrion. Jon, Tyrion, and Dani aren't even in this book and Arya makes a cameo appearance. Instead this book is about Jamie, Cersi, Brienne, Sansa, and George RR Martin introduces a bunch of new characters when it feels like he already has way too many.

You can skim this book, or skip it if you want. I'd recommend waiting for the next book, A Dance with Dragons, to come out and see if the series is still worth reading.

Extremely disappointing 1000 page sequel goes absolutely nowhere, March 4, 2007
I guess it's a little bit silly to declare in a review of Book 4A that I'm a big fan of the Song of Ice and Fire. After all, why else would one have waded through 3,000+ pages?

In fact, I felt Book 3 was perhaps the best installment to date. Perhaps it was for this reason that I was so bitterly disappointed with A Feast For Crows. Having read many of the other reviews, I can only repeat what many others have already cited as its most glaring deficiencies.

Most obvious, how can an author pen 1,000 pages of prose that fail to advance the already 3,000 page storyline even a little bit (with the possible exception of the Iron born). Two of the most intriguing threads, Tyrion and Daenerys, do not even make an appearance. It is only at the conclusion of the book that this is explained and very poorly so.

"The more I thought about that, however, the more I felt that the readers would be better served by a book that told ALL THE STORY FOR HALF THE CHARACTERS, RATHER THAN HALF THE STORY FOR ALL THE CHARACTERS". Martin

ALL THE STORY? Did anyone else get all the story? Instead, he arbitrarily ends the story for these characters no further along than when he started. And we must wait for another partial installment featuring the characters of most interest. And what choice do we have? We've already invested in over 4,000 pages of reading.

Even more troubling is that Book 4B will not even address the numerous cliffhangers left from Book 4A, most specifically Arya and Brienne. Book 5 will not likely be published until after 2010. How many will remember the background for these characters at that time (or will Martin spend 250 pages bringing us back up to speed).

I can distinctly recall thinking that with writing as good as Martin's, storyline resolution was not even necessary. Book 4A has proven me wrong. Excellent writing that leads nowhere soon becomes frustrating. Martin has disrespected his readers with this obvious cash grab. But again, I feel trapped after putting in the effort to read the first four installments.

Quality read - just be patient for ADOD..very patient. Good thing I like rereadaing ane relistening to this series...., November 9, 2005
I'll start out by saying that I couldn't wait for it to come out and bought the UK edition and got it on Oct 18th and then sped my way through it in a few days.

The general reader complaint with the book of course is the omitted POV chapters. However, had you been following along at George R.R. Martin's website you would have know that the book is really half a book as a result of publisher pressure and their reluctance to produce an 1000+ (possibly closer to 2000) page book (the bottom line rearing its ugly head).

Mr. Martin would have preferred to make it a single book, but what resulted is a good compromise of full character arcs for half the "cast".

Some have complained about the lack of chapters for Arya and Sansa, but quite frankly it makes a good deal of sense. Both characters are in situations where there is little going on that they can alter given that they are still children and are both students, learning their craft from their respective mentors while maturing towards adulthood. That is when they will be able to really make a difference in the world. More than anything, time has to pass for them to do this and extra prose would just take away from that goal.

A Dance of Dragons which will contain more Arya and give us back Danerys, Tyrion, Jon, Bran, etc is essentially the other half of the book and will tie things together and move us into the future and a bit too. At the very least DOD will be a longer book than this volume, probably somewhere between ACOK and ASOS so we'll at least have something meaty to read (and reread while we wait for book 6)

It does not look like books 6 and 7 though will be cut in half the same way 4 and 5 will be as the compromise does do a bit to reduce the richness of the overall story. What would be nice is after Dance of Dragons comes out is a timeline of the plot. Thus readers could go back and read book 4 and 5 together in the chronological order as originally intended. (Then I think we will have a 5-star book).

As for the writing style, nothing has deteriorated in terms of Mr. Martin's approach and the quality. It is still excellent and the quality of his prose remains consistently good.

The characters all have wonderful depth, all having their particular strengths and flaws giving them a richness that makes them feel like real people (I think we all know someone like Cersei who thinks she is smarter than everyone around her and gets in well over her head, relatively speaking of course) and not the same old tiresome archetypes and clich�d protagonists and antagonists of other series.

The plot, logically so, has slowed down a bit. A Storm of Swords was a book where major changes occurred for some of the major players in this world and those characters that remain must now rebuild their power bases and their lives, which as in real life, tends to happen at an incremental pace.

I highly recommend all current readers to stick with it and keep the faith. New readers go grab a Game of Thrones.

This Feast is more of a light snack... meagre fare compared to the raging Storm of Swords, November 10, 2005
First off, can I make a small request:

- People stop rating this book based on the fact that the narrator in the audio version has changed. Fine, we get it. I'm sure all of Ron's fans are as disappointed as you are. Aside from telling us something we already know you're only distorting the book's rating with your baseless 1 star votes. Enough.

Now onto the Feast. I hope you have less of an appetite than fat Sam Tarly, because, sad to say it, this book is less than fulfilling. It's not bad, as such. But after five years of waiting, this book *is* a disappointment.

Forget the excuses from the rabid Martin faithful about his publishers forcing him to split the book: Martin had more than ample time to tell the story HE wanted to tell, and if he's failed to do so, that's his fault alone. He made the choice to reserve the more important and interesting characters for "A Dance with Dragons", not his publisher. Martin says so himself on his web page.

So let's cut the publisher some slack here and admit that Martin, despite warnings about "A Storm of Swords" being too long, has simply failed to rein himself in. Brienne's chapters, for example, are around 120 pages of wandering the North achieving next to nothing. There are roughly 100 pages of Cersei and Jaime that, frankly, could have been halved and told in only one POV. Why do we need BOTH their perspectives on what's happening in the first part of the book? No need at all.

Let's also not forget to mention the worrying obsession Martin has with heraldry and tracing family trees. As I read yet another page of some longwinded explanation of who-is-the-cousin-of-you, I could almost sense Martin's desperation. I really think that, for much of this book, he simply didn't know where he was going. No doubt he had a stronger vision of some arcs, such as Cersei's, which does improve after a time, but in others, he merely seems to be treading water.

When you consider how much stage time Brienne had, the mere 3 chapters each devoted to Sansa and Arya look criminal.

The other complaint I had were the new single POVs based in Dorne and the Iron Islands. Although they did a decent job of showing us these new places, they completely broke the flow of the book. Whereas the first three were incredibly well-planned, with all the POV's connecting perfectly, "Feast" seems to leap around like a fish out of water. There's no central narrative, no proper pacing.

A word about the writing. It's still very good. Despite some worrying Jordanesque anality with regards to heralrdy, genealogy, and virginity(!), the writing remains of high quality. That said, there were some things in "Feast" that I never expected to see: mentions of things like The Horn of Dragon Control which reminded me far too much of Dungeons and Dragons. In addition, Cersei's "prophecy" backstory was one of the weakest pieces of writing I can remember in the entire series. As for Sam accidentally bumping into Arya in Braavos...

Finally, I have to mention the cliffhangers. There are, at last count, around 8 characters who may or may not be dead. All three of the "major" POVs in this book end in cliffhangers. After waiting so long for "Feast", and knowing that most of the cliffhangers in this book aren't going to be resolved for 3+ years - until book 6 - this was very, very cruel of Martin. Constant cliffhangers are a WEAK device. Please stop them, George. Let's have some closure for once.

Overall, the book isn't anywhere near as bad as some of the reviews make out, but it's also comfortably the weakest in the series. Reading a book isn't like trying to debate religion: it shouldn't be that hard for an intelligent person to draw a solid and accurate conclusion. Ignore the 5 star reviews, ignore the 1 star reviews. Take "Feast" for what it is, don't expect an awful lot, and you might enjoy it. Let's just hope Martin is back on form for the next book.

This is a rather late edit, but I thought it'd be nice to add this: I believe GRRM is a very down-to-earth guy who seems to be very in-touch with his readers. Unlike the egocentrical denialist Jordan, I'm sure Martin recognizes his work has flaws and will be looking to rectify the problems in future novels.

While I have no problems with Martin's work being critiqued, I do have a problem with some of the negative comments being made about the man. Martin is a good guy. He's due a stumble occasionally - what author isn't?

It all started out so well, September 4, 2008
The series was off to such a great start. Then, a bunch of things happened. The time between books got longer and longer. The amount of story that happened in each book got less and less. The amount of meaningless content in each book went up.

I agree that he's lost control of his story. Either he thinks anything he writes can get longer and longer, and that it's excused by that Tolkien quote he uses ("The tale grew in the telling"), or that he can excuse it by saying the book is too long for physical binding. Both should tell him something.

I would like to see his story lines become tighter, with fewer meandering reminiscences and back-references, and for him to shrink the time between books.

JK Rowling had some of the same problems, with the books having more and more fluff. In her books 4 and 5, it was possible to see whole pages that contributed nothing to the story, where in books 1 through 3, it was possible to miss something if one was inattentive for just a sentence. However, she was able to get her series back on track, and wrap it up with a great #6 and #7.

I see a disturbing similarity between his series and the "Wheel of Time" series. With Robert Jordan, I was at first realllllly worried that he was taking too long, and I was hoping that he would pull things together. After Book 9, I didn't give a damn any more, as I waited for the price of the used hardcover to drop to a buck before I bought one.

I'm half-expecting that this series will end the same, with me not giving a damn. I really do hope he can resurrect the series and get it back on track, but I'm not holding my breath. I've canceled my pre-order.

How many editors does it take to build a bridge?, March 11, 2006
A Feast For Crows is an incomplete bridge. Hopefully it is a bridge to somewhere we want to go - certainly the characters, pacing and the quality of writing from the previous books in the series would lead us to believe that Martin is worth following. Unfortunately, this instalment suffers from editorial inattention. While the other books pulled me through them in a matter of days apiece, `Crows' let me proceed at a trudge, and I took nearly a month of intermittent reading to complete it.

Having scanned the various postings here regarding book size and marketability, I have to assume that Martin got caught in a struggle between his editor's sense of what size book could be sold, and his own desire to continue weaving his complex and myriad plot threads. I should be clear that length is not the issue here - Martin has proven that he is more than adept at managing complex storylines across thousands of pages. Rather, this book feels like a next-to-final draft instead of a final version.

A couple minor examples:

In previous books, characters are initially re-introduced into the narrative with a two-sentence summary of their highlights from past volumes. Once they're back in the flow, he (rightly) drops such prompts. But in `Crows' we get these kinds of summaries repeatedly - in some cases almost every time a character's POV comes up. Thus, we hear 5 times about Brienne of Tarth's past engagements, etc., etc. There's no new information presented in such passages, just re-statement of things we've already heard.

Similarly, Martin occasionally re-states very basic observations/descriptions almost word-for-word. Mid-book, Cersei observes that Grand Maester `Pycelle had been old as far back as [she] could remember...', and then 32 pages later, Martin begins the next Cersei POV with the words, `Grand Maester Pycelle had been old for as long as she had known him...'

These are not criticisms of Martin as author but rather of a distracting lack of editorial focus. Such problems did not plague past works in the series, and will hopefully not reappear in future volumes.

One other aspect of the book negatively impacts the pacing. A ridiculous number of pages are spent in people's dreams. These are mostly passages that dump in volumes of back-story (and occasionally foreshadowing), but they are extremely repetitious and generally offer little in the way of new or vital content. Once again, a good, focused editor would have helped Martin consolidate such passages to clean up the overall ebb and flow.

Much of what happens in `Crows' will no doubt prove important to the series overall. As I said at the outset, the book is a bridge in the overall arc of this story; many characters are transitioning from what they were and maturing into what they must become. But `Crows' is an incomplete bridge, and one can only hope that the editor(s) helping Martin execute his blueprint will be more attentive to detail in future volumes, or not a few readers may abandon the path. ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of the world’s most beloved and bestselling writers takes his ultimate journey -- into the most intriguing and intractable questions that science seeks to answer.

In A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson trekked the Appalachian Trail -- well, most of it. In In A Sunburned Country, he confronted some of the most lethal wildlife Australia has to offer. Now, in his biggest book, he confronts his greatest challenge: to understand -- and, if possible, answer -- the oldest, biggest questions we have posed about the universe and ourselves. Taking as territory everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bryson seeks to understand how we got from there being nothing at all to there being us. To that end, he has attached himself to a host of the world’s most advanced (and often obsessed) archaeologists, anthropologists, and mathematicians, travelling to their offices, laboratories, and field camps. He has read (or tried to read) their books, pestered them with questions, apprenticed himself to their powerful minds. A Short History of Nearly Everything is the record of this quest, and it is a sometimes profound, sometimes funny, and always supremely clear and entertaining adventure in the realms of human knowledge, as only Bill Bryson can render it. Science has never been more involving or entertaining.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

SHIPS WITHIN 24 HOURS NEW BOOK FROM PUBLISHER US HARDCOVER 7TH EDITION STILL IN THE PLASTIC WRAP WITH ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE BOOK INCLUDED GREAT BUY!!! ... Read more

Reviews

Most opaque prop text out there - be mad at ur prof if they choose this one, December 11, 2010
Dukeminier has the unique gift of making even simple topics as opaque as possible. You will need supplements, lots of them, because of the awful way this book is structured, cases chosen, the odd phrasing and, in particular, how future interests are presented. Want proof - Look at "Acing Property" supplement where they give you a special appendix for the way Dukeminier presents things, particularly Rule Against Perpetuities - something already too complicated on its own that Duke manages to foul up further. I really wish law professors would destroy the forced demand for this terrible (more so than most prop casebooks, and achievement in itself) text.

Ok, September 20, 2010
This was the only book out of the ones I ordered that I had expedited. It unfortunately was one of the last books to arrive. Just wish it would have arrived sooner. In great condition though. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Prepare yourself for a journey through the world of Patton Oswalt, one of the most creative, insightful, and hysterical voices on the entertain­ment scene today. Widely known for his roles in the films Big Fan and Ratatouille, as well as the television hit The King of Queens, Patton Oswalt—a staple of Comedy Central—has been amusing audiences for decades. Now, with Zombie Spaceship Wasteland, he offers a fascinating look into his most unusual, and lovable, mindscape.

Oswalt combines memoir with uproarious humor, from snow forts to Dungeons & Dragons to gifts from Grandma that had to be explained. He remem­bers his teen summers spent working in a movie Cineplex and his early years doing stand-up. Readers are also treated to several graphic elements, includ­ing a vampire tale for the rest of us and some greeting cards with a special touch. Then there’s the book’s centerpiece, which posits that before all young creative minds have anything to write about, they will home in on one of three story lines: zom­bies, spaceships, or wastelands.

Oswalt chose wastelands, and ever since he has been mining our society’s wasteland for perversion and excess, pop culture and fatty foods, indie rock and single-malt scotch. Zombie Spaceship Wasteland is an inventive account of the evolution of Patton Oswalt’s wildly insightful worldview, sure to indulge his legion of fans and lure many new admirers to his very entertaining “wasteland.” ... Read more

Editorial Review

An in-depth look at all topics covered on the exam, from Cardiovascular to Renal to Gastroenterology and more

Two full-length practice tests—one in the book, one online

Detailed answer explanations

Tips on tackling the computer-based test format

Complete review of Professional Caring and Ethical Practice in the Synergy Model

Advice on the toughest question types, with practice questions in every chapter

Kaplan’s proven test-taking strategies

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

In unrelenting flow of choices confronts us at nearly every moment of our lives, and yet our culture offers us no clear way to choose. This predicament seems inevitable, but in fact it’s quite new. In medieval Europe, God’s calling was a grounding force. In ancient Greece, a whole pantheon of shining gods stood ready to draw an appropriate action out of you. Like an athlete in “the zone,” you were called to a harmonious attunement with the world, so absorbed in it that you couldn’t make a “wrong” choice. If our culture no longer takes for granted a belief in God, can we nevertheless get in touch with the Homeric moods of wonder and gratitude, and be guided by the meanings they reveal? All Things Shining says we can.Hubert Dreyfus and Sean Dorrance Kelly illuminate some of the greatest works of the West to reveal how we have lost our passionate engagement with and responsiveness to the world. Their journey takes us from the wonder and openness of Homer’s polytheism to the monotheism of Dante; from the autonomy of Kant to the multiple worlds of Melville; and, finally, to the spiritual difficulties evoked by modern authors such as David Foster Wallace and Elizabeth Gilbert.Dreyfus, a philosopher at the University of California, Berkeley, for forty years, is an original thinker who finds in the classic texts of our culture a new relevance for people’s everyday lives. His lively, thought-provoking lectures have earned him a podcast audience that often reaches the iTunesU Top 40. Kelly, chair of the philosophy department at Harvard University, is an eloquent new voice whose sensitivity to the sadness of the culture—and to what remains of the wonder and gratitude that could chase it away—captures a generation adrift.Re-envisioning modern spiritual life through their examination of literature, philosophy, and religious testimony, Dreyfus and Kelly unearth ancient sources of meaning, and teach us how to rediscover the sacred, shining things that surround us every day. This book will change the way we understand our culture, our history, our sacred practices, and ourselves. It offers a new—and very old—way to celebrate and be grateful for our existence in the modern world. ... Read more

Reviews

An exceedingly creative and thought provoking book!, December 31, 2010
It's rare these days to find a philosophy text with such immediate relevance to our current circumstance, descriptively examining our contemporary context with such breadth and substance, provoking more questions than answers. This is a fine read, relevant for academics but also for all of us who struggle for sense and passion in our pluralistic age. The book is discussed by David Brooks in his op-ed piece for the New York Times on New Year's Eve. A fitting invitation to reflection as we turn the clock forward yet again.

the shining things, January 1, 2011
This is an extraordinary and thought-provoking effort. Rarely does a book strike a chord that resonates over such a broad spectrum of humanity. The historical background plus the knowledge of the literature needed to accomplish this task is daunting. Changing lives by giving hope to those of us searching for something to grasp onto and finding answers in everyday simple observation and gratitude for our surroundings on a daily basis will surely change many lives immeasurably. Cudos to Dreyfus and Kelly

Like the Ancients, We Can Experience the Sacred, December 31, 2010
All Things Shining provides some philosophical basis for the practice of "mindfulness," with an emphasis on shared experiences. This book gave philosophical support for mindfulness. The authors explored the problem of how in the past, there were certainties in thought that don't really exist today. We still experience great moments but in between them is more anxiety than there used to be. However, we can choose to experience life in ways that bring meaning to every little thing.

A central idea is that changes in belief in God, over time, introduced new choices of how to think about things. Instead of thinking a tragic event happened because it was God's will, as our antecedents often believed, we're more likely to have trouble attributing it in a manner that preserves a feeling of well-being. This can interfere with a general feeling of gratitude. Gratitude is desirable for living the good life.

It was interesting to me that All Things Shining tracked with positive-mental-attitude frameworks such as found in the book, The Secret, which among other things claims that good things come to those with a grateful attitude. The focus on gratitude makes sense on many levels. After all, we know we're much more likely to do something nice for others when they are grateful for the last good thing we did for them.

Dreyfus and Kelly show us a way to reintroduce the idea of the sacred in our lives through translating what used to be sacred into contemporary meanings. I found value in their approach, and I may look at certain events differently and treasure them immediately, recognizing them more often as sacred when they occur.

Old Hat, January 1, 2011
Nietzche covered this same ground over a hundred years ago in "The Genealogy of Morals" and like works. Although not without value, the present authors' work is not as insightful, interesting, or as entertaining as Nietzche's provocative ruminations. ... Read more

Editorial Review

With her disarming, intimate, completely accessible voice, and dry sense of humor, Nora Ephron shares with us her ups and downs in I Feel Bad About My Neck, a candid, hilarious look at women who are getting older and dealing with the tribulations of maintenance, menopause, empty nests, and life itself.

Ephron chronicles her life as an obsessed cook, passionate city dweller, and hapless parent. But mostly she speaks frankly and uproariously about life as a woman of a certain age. Utterly courageous, uproariously funny, and unexpectedly moving in its truth telling, I Feel Bad About My Neck is a scrumptious, irresistible treat of a book, full of truths, laugh out loud moments that will appeal to readers of all ages.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If it would shock you to learn that Benjamin Franklin didn't discover electricity, you'll appreciate this take on hundreds of historical legends and debacles. Historians and humorists alike may be surprised to learn that:

Samuel Prescott made the famous horseback ride into Concord, not Paul Revere. As a member of Parliament, Isaac Newton spoke only once. He asked for an open window. On April 24, 1898, Spain declared war on the U.S., thus starting the Spanish-American War. The U.S. declared war the very next day, but not wanting to be outdone, had the date on the declaration changed from April 25 to April 21.With these and many other stories, leading humorist Leland Gregory once again highlights both the strange and the funny side of humankind. ... Read more

Reviews

Light reading on a weighty topic!
I really enjoy trivia and I really enjoy history so it was nice to see them combined in a really funny collection. This is a collection of entertaining short, historical tales flavored with pieces of trivia and stupid acts through the ages. Leland Gregory has also peppered these narratives with "punny" jokes that are sure to make you crack a smile.

Fun Read
This is a fun book. The entries are one page little-known facts and anecdotes from history. I found the entries to be from slightly interesting to Wow! Plus, there are several laughs thrown in along the way. The one page entries made this perfect bedtime reading for me.

totally worth it impulse buy
I purchased this at my local Borders Books. Unintentionally. They had it up at the register, and being a history fanatic, and a fan of all things trivialesque & stupid, I impulsively purchased the book. I'm so glad I did. As another reviewer said, the book is full of everything from, "Oh, really?" to "OH WOW!" and very 'punny' jokes.

Totally worth the money. I'm glad it was on display, or otherwise I may have never known of it's existence. ... Read more

Editorial Review

National Bestseller 

A New York Times Notable Book
An O, The Oprah Magazine Terrific Read of the Year
A Huffington Post Best Book of the Year
A New Yorker Favorite Book of the Year
A Chicago Tribune Favorite Nonfiction Book of the Year
A Kansas City Star Best Book of the Year
A San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year
An Entertainment Weekly Best Book of the Decade

The true story of one family, caught between America’s two biggest policy disasters: the war on terror and the response to Hurricane Katrina.
 
Abdulrahman and Kathy Zeitoun run a house-painting business in New Orleans. In August of 2005, as Hurricane Katrina approaches, Kathy evacuates with their four young children, leaving Zeitoun to watch over the business. In the days following the storm he travels the city by canoe, feeding abandoned animals and helping elderly neighbors. Then, on September 6th, police officers armed with M-16s arrest Zeitoun in his home. Told with eloquence and compassion, Zeitoun is a riveting account of one family’s unthinkable struggle with forces beyond wind and water.


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Definitive Indeed!
This new edition of the RTS is worth buying even if you already own an earlier edition. The editor has included important material on how this book was developed and interpreted.

As for the book itself, the Road to Serfdom explains the rise of totalitarianism in twentieth century Europe. Yet it also made a more general argument concerning the incompatibility of democracy and comprehensive central planning. Hayek argues that the pursuit of socialist ideals leads to totalitarianism. While socialist ideals seem noble to many, those who persist in realizing these ideals will find it necessary to adopt coercive methods that are incompatible with freedom. Thus socialists must choose between their egalitarian goals and the preservation of individual liberty.

Hayek describes how Europeans came to expect progress, and became impatient for faster progress. The liberal reforms of the 19th century delivered unprecedented economic progress. Much of this was directly due to scientific discovery. The role of free competition in promoting scientific discovery was less obvious. Europeans increasingly came to believe that scientific planning of society itself could accelerate greater progress.

Europeans also changed how they thought about equality and freedom. Insistence upon freedom from want displaced the yearning for freedom from coercion. Democracy came to be seen as a means of realizing an increasing number of social goals, rather than as a means of preserving freedom. To Hayek, these were dangerous errors. Democracy could only work effectively in areas where agreement upon ultimate ends could be attained with little difficulty. A democratic government could enforce general rules of conduct that applied to all equally (i.e. free speech and free association). Democracy can never produce agreement over policies that affect specific economic results. One always gains at the expense of others in such matters. Such Economic planning places impossible demands upon democracy. This is because pursuit of specific ends requires timely and decisive action. Democracies move too slowly to attain specific ends, so arbitrary powers of government will grow. A planned economy will ultimately require acceptance of dictatorship. This is a dire consequence, as it is the worst sort of tyrants who are most adept at wielding dictatorial powers.

Some might say that these arguments are unduly pessimistic. Hayek points to the examples of Hitler and Stalin to support his case. Of course, these are worst case scenarios. Have not England, Sweden, and the US adopted large welfare-regulatory states without such tyranny? This is a fair point, yet we should remember two things. First, Hayek claimed that centralized control of the economy would destroy freedom ultimately, but gradually. Second, Western nations have not yet gone as far in planning their economies as did Russia and Germany in the 1930's. The fact that we have yet realized the horrible results of Stalinism implies neither that were are safe from despotism in the future, nor that our present situation is entirely satisfactory. One can easily argue that we have already started on the wrong path. For instance, Hayek's chapter on `The End of Truth' applies to modern political correctness.

Hayek wrote this book not only to warn people about the limits of democracy and the incompatibility of planning and freedom. This was the start of his project concerning the abuse of reason. His warning is also about the tendency to overestimate the abilities of even the best and brightest individuals. Not even the best and brightest can comprehend modern societies. Socialists who favor comprehensive planning, and even modern liberals and conservatives who want to plan part of society, proceed on a false assumption concerning human reason. Ultimately, Hayek makes a strong case for limited constitutional government. To expect more of democracy than what Madison and Jefferson intended invites disaster.

The Road to Serfdom is a profound defense of commercial society and limited government. The RTS also is where Hayek started his 'abuse of reason' project. To fully appreciate Hayek's genius in the RTS, one should read his subsequent books in this project- The Constitution of Liberty and Law Liberty and Legislation V1-3.

The RTS has its critics, mainly on the left. Due to its insightful nature the Road to Serfdom has produced hysterical responses from the left. Leftists despise the RTS simply because it strikes at the core of both democratic-socialist or Marxist beliefs. Some serious scholars have attacked the RTS (i.e. Farrant and Levy) but their objections are misguided. The Road to Serfdom stands out as a true classic, as timeless as it is insightful. It offers insights that are relevant to our current problems with growing Federal spending and regulation. Read it completely and repeatedly.

Ahead of his time
Over 30 years ago, when I was in graduate school, this book was nowhere to be found on any Political Science or Political Theory reading list. I suppose part of the reason was that once the Nazis and Fascists had been defeated, their ideas were no longer seen as important. The question then was whether or not Communism would succeed. Furthermore, then and now, many people in academia had no complaint about government power as long as their side holds the power.

Hayek skillfully deflates that delusion by showing how the very economic powers of government created by the Social Democrats were the powers the Nazis used to consolidate their power.

This book was published 64 years ago but is as timely today as it was then.

Too bad we aren't taking this advice
Friedrich Hayek, the Nobel prize winning economist, wrote this brilliant classic as a critique of government intervention and manipulation in markets. I am neither an economist nor a political scientist, but I was led to this book after watching with horror the recent outrages that are consciously being inflicted on us by our elected officials, most recently the bailout and socialization of the two giant mortgage lenders, Freddie and Fannie. I couldn't remember that I ever received any share of the loot when those companies were making huge profits and their CEOs were earning tens of millions per year, but now I find that our elected officials have written a blank check in my name, the taxpayer, to bail out these companies' losses and stupidity, and then handed the check to a group of unelected officials (and, surprise, surprise, those two companies spend hundreds of millions on congressional lobbying). Privatize the gains, socialize the losses: sounds like a win-win situation for somebody.

This kind of disastrous socialism is exactly what Hayek critiques in devastating form in this book, specifically government control of the economy. Apparently, they say, this book has been very influential, but a layman could certainly never tell by looking around. Hayek was writing from the perspective of a central European who had recently witnessed first-hand the unfolding development of National Socialism (Nazism) in Germany, and he is warning that the exact same attitudes and policies that had been followed in Germany were uncritically being followed by the Allies, merely at a few years distance.

He begins by recollecting the ideals of old, classic liberalism, "the forgotten road". Of course, in Hayek's context, "liberal" means the true, historic liberalism of limited government, free markets, and private property, not "liberal" in the bastardized sense somehow hijacked by Leftists to mean unlimited government, socialized markets and massive forced wealth redistribution. He looks at the rise of collectivist thinking versus individual (it's all for the greater good); the problems of central planning in a democracy (someone in power makes the economic decisions for everybody else); the downfall of the Rule of Law (government is no longer bound by fixed rules announced beforehand but instead possesses arbitrary power limited only by its own discretion); the inextricable link between centralized economic planning and totalitarian regimes (if we're going to follow a plan, someone's got to force everyone to follow it); the problem of deciding how the society's production will be distributed; a chapter showing that "nothing is more fatal than the present fashion among intellectual leaders of extolling security at the expense of freedom" (Republicans apparently didn't get the memo); how in a socialized economy the worst individuals inevitably rise to the top (Really? Can it be? Obama and McCain?); the necessity of manipulating truth in a socialized society; and the fact that Nazism was a direct outgrowth of socialism and socialist ideology.

The relevance of the points enumerated above does not require comment. We are running madly down the road to serfdom, which is the road of socialism. Unfortunately for those of us who are being dragged along against our will, history is not neutral, and we will suffer the consequences of other peoples' decisions, just as the Jews in Germany did and the Russians in the Soviet Union did. Socialism has always led to poverty and oppression, and freedom, on the rare occasions it has been tried, has produced unparalleled prosperity. Hayek shows in detail why. We've decided to give socialism another try. God help us.

It will convert you into a libertarian
I read it at the University, here in Guatemala, where my University has a library that is called Ludwig Von Mises and the Auditorium's name is Friedrich Von Hayek.

Once you read this book, it is impossible not to believe in freedom and to know that freedom and big interventionist government are not compatible concepts.

The principles are so basic that you do not need to be an economist (I am not) to understand them. If people do not trust themselves to make decisions because "people are ignorant or greedy" then they will give someone else the power to decide for them (government) that is the road to serfdom. People will lose their freedom to decide which insurance, retirement plan or things to buy, which charity to help, these decisions will be made by powerful burocrats (that maybe who friends of someone in government) that will know what is best for you. Big taxes so government will decide better what do do with the money you earned.

I have seen my government follow all these steps that go to the road of serfdom and I have seen exactly the results Hayek points out, I have been seeing that happens for 20 years (since I read the book). The book is so logical that after reading, if you have common sense and do not have a burocratic position to defend, you will definitely become a libertarian.

True Liberty Is Not the Freedom to Take From Others...This Book Explains Why
This is a new version of "The Road To Serfdom." Although it is a classic, I had never read it until now. I appreciated the additional information about how it was developed and interpreted. I believe Hayek is brilliant in his perception of with is the big picture regarding the results of the various political philosophies. It is not any easy read, but it is worth reading.

Primarily this book explains the rise of totalitarianism in twentieth century Europe and extends it to an argument concerning the incompatibility of democracy and comprehensive central planning. Hayek argues that the pursuit of socialist ideals leads eventually leads from socialism to totalitarianism.

While many think that socialist ideals are noble, those who implement socialism will find it necessary to adopt coercive methods that are incompatible with freedom of the poeple. Thus socialists must eventually choose a big central form of government that sets aside their egalitarian goals as it destroys individual liberty.

Hayek describes how Europeans tried to accelerate greater progress and freedom from want by giving up individual freedom from coercion. Their form of democracy came to be seen as a means of realizing an increasing number of social goals, rather than as a means of preserving freedom.

Hayek believes these were dangerous errors, especially for those countries like Germany and Russia, which ultimately required the acceptance of dictatorship. This is a dire consequence, as it is the worst sort of tyrants who are most adept at wielding dictatorial powers. The fact that other European countries have yet realized the horrible results of Nazism or Stalinism does not mean that they are safe from despotism in the future. It only says they are just moving toward it more slowly.

Hayek wrote this book to warn people about the limits of democracy and the incompatibility of social planning and freedom. Socialists who favor big government and its comprehensive planning, and even modern liberals and conservatives who want to plan part of society, proceed on a false assumption concerning human reason. Ultimately, Hayek makes a strong case for limited constitutional government. To expect more of democracy than what Madison and Jefferson intended invites disaster.

I believe "The Road to Serfdom" is a profound defense of our U.S. Constitution and its form of limited government. Because of that I give it 5 stars. I can see why this book stands out as a true classic. It is both timeless and it offers insights that are relevant to our current problems with growing Federal spending and regulation.

I also beleive it wakes people up and will get them to join the new American Revolution that the Tea Party started in order to take back the Government and make it responsible again. If you love America and want to see it continue to be free for your children, then I highly recommend you read this book ASAP.

A WORD OF CAUTION: If you read this book and begin speaking out or taking action to defend Liberty, there is a very high chance that those who embrace social governmental control (and the removal of our U.S. Constitutional rights) will become offended. And, because they don't have a regard for following laws (because they equate liberty with the freedom from moral discipline), they might try to accuse you of false wrong doing (i.e. lie about you and perhaps call you a racist) and otherwise try to harm your reputation.

Therefore, I would highly recommend getting another book called, Wild West 2.0: How to Protect and Restore Your Reputation on the Untamed Social Frontier. As a Patriot, it is inevitable that you will run across people who will try to ruin your online reputation (like they do to other conservatives). This book tells you exactly where to look for the problems that Liberals might cause for you and then how to repair them.

A major SOURCE (not always credited) for many of today's trendy writers
The Road to Serfdom by F.A.Hayek


(Note: I own and have READ this book) (...)

Short review: strongly recommended. A timeless classic. An analytic exposition of the same old re-cycled, cancerous, glib, smug nonsense that we hear endlessly repeated so often today. Namely that (yawn) Capitalism and the Free Market are unjust, inequitable, and dying anyway. No good has ever (EVER) come from rich, corrupt businessmen. They are exploiters and parasites. They need to be replaced by a benevolent, kind, compassionate 'planned' society. Administered by an Elite body of Federal Planners in Washington, who are wise and kind, (a tear trickles down our cheek), and who consist heavily of academics, intellectuals and Supreme Court Judges. We need more Government bodies, because they are fair, balanced, and wise. We need more rules, regulations, taxes and government inspectors to help business and private investment. (All kneel....)

A heavy read, requires concentration and dedication, and be prepared to look up many references. Some long paragraphs, some convoluted sentences, some ponderous pronunciations, but a work, written roughly between 1938 to 1944, which can be used as a stunning blue print to understand today's misleading representations by left wing extremists and political agitators. .What we see today in America is nothing new. The poorly read, uninformed, short sighted, activists, eager as ever to mount the barricades, but quite unwilling to sit, read, listen... and think.
It's the Old Marxist Brigade, the dreamers and the malcontents, revamped, with changed colors, new rhetoric, and lots of Utopian promises of 'free lunch' for all. In fact, they are intent on their own personal gain and self aggrandisement. Power politics as usual. Hayek foresaw it all, and described it for us in this incredibly clear sighted and clairvoyant work. This book has been an important inspirational source for many of today's more popular trendy conservative writers, although, so it seems, most will not admit to it. (With the exception of Mark Levin in his interesting "Liberty and Tyranny")

Long review: I like an author who entitles a chapter "Why the worst get on top" (chapter 10). I've often wondered the same thing. On page 160 he says: "There are three main reasons why such a numerous and strong group with fairly homogeneous views is not likely to be formed by the best but rather by the worst elements of any society."
He then gives "three main reasons", which I suggest are well reasoned, well thought out, and ring remarkably true of today's self appointed saviours of the exploited masses. Check it out yourself.
I'll quote you part of his third reason:
"It seems almost a law of human nature that it is easier for people to agree on a negative program - on the hatred of the enemy, on the envy of those better off - than on any positive task."
P.162: "Collectivism has no room for the wide humanitarianism of liberalism but only for the narrow particularism of the totalitarian."
Chapter 2 is called "The Great Utopia", and if you're a bit of a weathered cynic like me, you'll enjoy it. Page 77 contains the classic quote from Tocqueville "Democracy and socialism have nothing in common but one word: equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude".
On p. 78, Hayek says: "There can be no doubt that the promise of freedom has become one of the most effective weapons of socialist propaganda and that the belief that socialism would bring freedom is genuine and sincere. But this would only heighten the tragedy if it should prove that what was promised to us as the Road to Freedom was in fact the High Road to Servitude..."
Chapter 11 is called "The End of Truth" and you have to smile. Maybe Hayek was a secret time traveler. Maybe he visited America in the year 2009. If he did, then he penned the opening paragraph of this chapter for Americans today. Read it, you might like it. He continues on page 172: "The moral consequences of totalitarian propaganda....are of an even more profound kind. They are destructive of all morals because they undermine one of the foundations of all morals: the sense of and the respect for truth."
Chapter 13 is called "The Totalitarians in our Midst", and must have been written yesterday. It contains so many quotable quotes, I shall limit myself to two: "...there is scarcely a leaf out of Hitler's book which somebody or other in England or America has not recommended us to take and use for our own purposes." (p.195)
Or how about this one, same page: "Individualism must come to an end absolutely. A system of regulations must be set up, the object of which is not the greater happiness of the individual.... but the strengthening of the organized unity of the state for the object of attaining the maximum degree of efficiency..."

This book is a classic. The introduction by Bruce Caldwell is detailed.
My two minor grumbles would be:
1) that some of the sentences are very long winded. Lots of clauses, juxtapositions, conditional statements. I read a lot, but I frequently found myself forced to re-read a sentence, and sometimes a whole paragraph. Hayek crams a lot into every word. Anybody who says this book is an 'easy read', with 'smooth prose' possesses a much higher IQ than I do.
I still can read any page in Hayek, and enjoy it. It's a rich offering.
2) So why in heck are there only 44 reviews so far of this masterpiece on Amazon? Many authors today, with over 1,000 reviews, widely feted with lots of rah-rah-rah and prime time hoopla-la-la, clearly show Hayek Road-to-Serfdom influence in their work. They don't always admit it.
For my money, THIS is a major source for many of today's writers. Yup, you have to work at Hayek. He's not easy. Roll up your sleeves. Take notes. You can't watch the 'Commie News network' (CNN) at the same time, do the crossword, and listen to your favorite rapper. But Hayek is overwhelmingly well worth every effort.
A truly great, gripping, far sighted classic.

The Road to Serfdom Revisited
This is Friedrich Hayek's magnum opus. It is so, however, not because it his most insightful, his most deep, or his most innovative book (his more specialized works in political philosophy and economics claim those titles), but because it is the opposite, that is, a general book, and because this is the kind of book that the world most needed then, and most desperately needs again now.

I say this because Professor Hayek's work is essentially a restatement of the age-old principles of classical liberalism, dating at least back to the Enlightenment, in light of the then seemingly insurmountable approach of socialism, which Hayek feared (rightly) would lead to a totalitarianism just as deadly as that of Nazi Germany. Hence Hayek's thesis is twofold: it is a warning against the path Great Britain was on at that time (which is a path well-trod by the twenty-first century), which Hayek believes leads to slavery, to misery, and to totalitarian control; at the same time, Hayek makes these critiques in light of the central tenets of old liberalism (to be clear to reviewers, this liberalism has nothing to do with modern day "liberalism") - free markets and individual liberty.

As for Hayek's analysis itself, it is nothing short of brilliant. Again, Hayek more meticulously works out the details of his political theory in works like the "Constitution of Liberty", but here he is at his best, providing the big picture of the threat of socialism, in all its guises, and what it represents to any country which values individual freedom. A number of chapters will seem prescient, such as "The End of Truth" (Orwell's 1984 clearly borrows from this), detailing how under a totalitarian regime, truth becomes a matter of utility for the ruler, a pliable tool rather than an objective goal to be sought and conformed to. Most scary, Hayek shows how this is partly accomplished by the manipulation of language.

There are two things, however, which make this book so accessible, and therefore serve as the quintessential introduction to classical liberal thought. First, it is remarkably conciliatory towards opponents. Hayek is not a firebrand or an ideologue, but an intellectual, who holds strong views, but knows and respects members of the opposite camp. Hence, he dedicates this book, "to socialists of all parties," and never lowers himself to the level of diatribe or rambling. His earnest goal is to open his readers' minds to ideals that are perishing, and he knows eristic does not accomplish that. This alone allows the book to stand in marked contrast to any contemporary book. Second, however, Hayek's book is still read because though the circumstances have changed, it is as relevant as though it were written yesterday. As Milton Friedman says in his introduction, during the first half of the twentieth century people praised socialism but practiced capitalism; today, we praise capitalism but practice socialism. We are moving, sluggishly it is true, but certainly nonetheless, down the same road that Hayek feared sixty-six years ago. We are traveling down the road to serfdom.

Do Not Stop Here!
This book has come across some recent popularity after Glenn Beck dedicated an entire show to this book.

I picked up this book a year and a half ago. It is truly a tremendous book, and one that provided me motivation to continue my studies at a fervent pace.

I suggest Glenn Beck fans should not stop here. The Austrian school is going to open your eyes. If you have not already, I highly suggest you begin to look into studying the many important works of Murray Rothbard and Ludwig Von Mises. Rothbard particularly had a tremendous ability to make complex subjects simple and actually pleasurable, so fear not if you are at all turned off by studying economics. It is much too important to push aside. If you do not wish to buy the books, you can download e-books absolutely free on the Mises Institute website. Also, the site offers free articles, lectures, and audio downloads on subjects including economics, history, and libertarian thought.

Especially relevant in today's world
This book contains the most notable works of F.A. Hayek, the famed, Nobel-prize winning economist who explained yet again why democracies are best based on free market capitalism, and that socialism tends to lead to tyranny.

Hayek demonstrates how socialist governments, motivated by political considerations, can't help but interfere with markets. But economic principles are like the law of gravity...they can't be altered at the whim of a state bureaucrat, so government tampering usually results in cycles of clumsy tampering, suboptimal economic performance, financial crisis, and greater intervention. Hayek would argue for solutions based on individual freedoms while limiting government's ability to intervene in markets, but socialists see it differently. Instead, they demand greater and greater powers, claiming that only greater intervention can fix the problems their actions have caused. To the extent that people buy into this thinking and vote to grant governments ever more power, economic and personal liberties are surrendered, eventually resulting in tyranny and totalitarianism.

One of the other interesting points Hayek makes is that socialism and it's characteristic centrally planned economies tends to concentrate power in a small band of political elites. In this type of system, only the most corrupt and politically ruthless tend to advance, and over time it gets to be increasingly difficult to oppose them. Leaders, unable to offer real growth and prosperity, turn to things like thought (media) control and other nefarious means to stay in power and advance their socialist agendas.

It's also important to understand that this book, while scholarly, has its roots in a far more pragmatic and patriotic place. Written in 1944, Hayek and some of his peers were afraid that the drastic government market intervention surrounding WWII would be carried forward after the war, and the entire world would settle into a Soviet-style socialism. At the time, the Soviets were seen as successfully managing their economy through central planning, and socialism was the darling of intellectuals around the globe. Hayek, fearing this outcome, organized numerous meetings among the world's leading economic minds, and eventually, his book would have a dramatic impact on economic thinking for people in general as well as economists. Milton Friedman writes on this topic and it makes a fascinating read.

Although Hayek used Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union for most of his examples, it's striking to see current events through the lens of this book, whether the mortgage lending crisis, AIG, GM, Cap and Trade, US health care system intervention and so on. Although few disagree with Hayek's principles, it is as though we need to relearn them every so often. Indeed, Hayek isn't the first (or last) to advocate these principles...Hobbes, Locke, Adam Smith, Milton Friedman and so on have been pointing the way for most of the last three centuries. Perhaps "Hope and Change" is just easier to believe in than sober, economic policies of individualism and personal freedom.

Very highly recommended and should be required reading for patriots and voters trying to make sense out of today's march towards socialism. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The best-selling book ever on classroom management and teaching for student achievement with over 3.3 million copies sold. The book walks a teacher, either novice or veteran, through structuring and organizing a classroom for success that can be applied at any time of the year at any grade level, pre-K through college.

The book is used in thousands of school districts, in over 100 countries, and in over 2,000 college classrooms. It's practical, yet inspiring. But most important, it works!

The new 4th edition includes updated research, photos, and more examples of "how-to" along with an implementation DVD, "Using THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL" featuring Chelonnda Seroyer.

This is the most requested book for what works in the classroom for teacher and student success. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Reviews

good...but lacking. an incomplete edition., January 11, 2006
While this story is truly an essential writing of Dostoevsky, it lacks the appropriate context to be read as sold in this copy. If you are interested in reading "The Grand Inquisitor" without reading the rest of The Brothers Karamazov, I would recommend the Guignon edition, sold for only a little more. This work includes the two chapters preceeding "The Grand Inquisitor" as well as what Dostoevsky intended as the refutation for this tale, "The Russian Monk," which follows this legend. Dostoevsky did not intend for this to be separated from the book as a whole, but I think it could be legitimately done when read with a little more context than is present in this copy. Additionally, this alternate edition includes a very complete introduction by Charles Guignon, which is much more informative than the brief one by Anne Fremantle provided in this copy.

It is important to remember that "The Grand Inquistor" was not Dostoevsky's final answer in The Brothers Karamazov. Reading this edition alone provides a flawed view of both Dostoevsky's writing and philosophy and The Brothers Karamazov.

I would recommend reading the book as a whole instead [and I particularly recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation for that: it is much more accurate to the original Russian]. Or at a minimum, reading the other edition of this book. Either way, you will get a more complete glimpse to the genius of Dostoevsky, which this fails to provide.

The Grand Inquisitor is truly an essential read, but not in this presentation of it.

Powerful, provocative, and more relevant today than ever!, October 25, 1997
This is the best short piece I've ever read. This fictional dialogue between the head of the inquisition and Jesus is more than just a metaphorical commentary on the debate over whether or not humans willingly give up their existential freedom in order to avoid the sometimes awesome responsibility that accompanies it. Dostoyevsky's classic also serves as a powerful critique of institutional religion and, by implication, all institutions (gov't, education, corporations, welfare system, etc.) who offer "bread" in exchange for the sacrifice of free choice. A "must read" for educators, social scientists, politicians, organizational consultants, policymakers, and corporate executives.

The Grand Inquisitor reveals much about Human nature, November 16, 1998
The Grand Inquisitor argues that the coming of the Messiah during the Spanish Inquisition is a hindrance to the Catholic Church and to humanity as a whole. He explains, ?nothing has ever been more insupportable for a man and a human society than freedom.? The returning of the Messiah can only disrupt what the Catholic Church has done to rid humanity of this cursed freedom that God has bestowed upon humans. The Inquisitor goes on to list three temptations that the Catholic Church has remedied. ?The first temptation: the problem of bread.? The Inquisitor feels that it is better for the Church to give human society the gift of human bread -- declaring falsely that it is heavenly bread -- than it is for humans to take the actual heavenly bread. ?And we alone shall feed them in Thy name, declaring falsely that it is in Thy name. Oh, never never can they feed themselves without us.? ?The second temptation: the problem of conscience.? The Inquisitor says, ?Nothing is more seductive for man than his freedom of conscience, but nothing is a greater cause of suffering.? He proposes that the Church has successfully lifted this freedom and hence the suffering. ?The third temptation: the problem of unity? The Inquisitor goes on to say, ?But with us all will be happy and will no more rebel nor destroy one another as under Thy freedom.? The Church provides unity for the people. All of these temptations have been lifted from the human conscience by the church. ?We have corrected thy work and have founded it upon miracle, mystery and authority.? Thus, the Messiah has no duty coming back to this world and will be destroyed, as a heretic would be. This book gives many insights to human nature. It does not answer any questions, it simply asks the right questions. All who have at one time questioned human nature should read this novella.

Yes, Read the whole thing!, May 8, 2005
I don't see how you can isolate "The Grand Inquisitor" chapter from the novel in which it is situated, The Brothers Karamazov. I think that knowing who is telling the story, who he is telling the story too, what the story means to each of these people, and what the consequences of what the Grand Inquisitor have to say, are ALL important; important because it is a great novel and important in understanding the grand inquisitor!!!!!!! My suggestion: Buy The Brothers Karamazov instead of this. It's excellent.

Perfect edition!, February 5, 2010
There are some books that everyone should read, and this is one of them. The idea was so fresh for its time and remains intriguing to this day. Whether or not it was Dostoevsky's intention to skewer the church, he certainly succeeded at doing so. He took the church's use of Jesus to achieve its ends to the next level by brilliantly constructing a tale that takes place during the Spanish Inquisition in which the church decides that a newly returned Jesus is wrongheaded and a hindrance to the church's power thirsty ways and condemns him to death. It's a brilliant work, full of truths, and excellent food for thought. I can't recommend this book enough.

Thought Provoking, July 8, 1998
Dostoevsky does a wonderful job portraying a tainted church (Spanish Inquisition and the catholic) in an effort to prove how important a pure religion is as well as a pure government and other authoratative institutions. His depiction of man's self-induced hopelessness in the work is a call for man to empower himself through his faith, something the prisoners of the society under the Inquisition have not done. The final action between Christ and The Grand Inquisitor is not ambiguous, but in fact shows the man that God is all-encompassing and all-forgiving.

A Story witnin a Story - One of the Greatest., October 18, 2009
When I first went to Russia, I was told by a Russian friend that Dostoevsky's "Brothers Karamazov" was required to understand the Russian. I read it and learned so much. I discovered in the chapter titled "The Grand Inquisitor," not only great writing, but as usual, a "third side" of the Russian coin that I always talk about. For if the author was giving Ivan, the narrator of this chapter, a tirade against the Catholic Church, which seems obvious as it was a tale set in the Spanish Inquisition. But it was and is something much greater than that. It was also a veiled attack on the autocracy of Czarist Russia and a prescient view of causes of the violent revolution that followed shortly after this was written. But even beyond that, it is a clever and grand statement for the silent omnipotence of the Christ.

In Ivan's story (he being an atheist) to his brother Alyosha (he being a wannabe priest) the Grand Inquisitor in Spain sees a returned Jesus walking out of a city having healed a girl. The Inquisitor orders Jesus arrested and then visits him in jail. The wizened Grand Inquisitor lectures the silent Jesus on the folly of freedom and individual choice and says to him, "There are three forces, the only forces that are able to conquer and hold captive forever the conscience of these weak rebels (the people) for their own happiness--these forces are: miracle, mystery, and authority." As the monologue continues, the whole rationale for an autocracy (be it religious or political) is explained. Also growingly obvious is the fact that Jesus, in his silence, is winning the argument. In the end, Jesus is set free.

My post-Soviet experience in living in Russia and doing business there I at times ran into this mentality: the idea that good, if any, will come from some unexpected outside source (miracle); that man is not ordained to be responsible for his own welfare and progress (mystery); and that guidance and protection come only from constant dependence on and obedience to someone else (authority). Today that situation is changing with the young, but it still pops up at times.

Yes, I agree with some of the other reviewers that in is better understood as part of the whole novel (hence the 4-stars.) But, it still has a stand-alone lesson to teach us all.

Frederick R. Andresen, Author, "Walking on Ice, An American Businessman in Russia"

Very Interesting Premise, October 11, 2009
I loved the premise of the Grand Inquisitor. There is something all so curious about what Jesus was thinking during the Grand Inquisition. It is also interesting to see Dostoevsky's perspective of the church and human nature as they surrender their freedom to the church so easily. It is a very interesting read.

The Grand Inquisitor is a Russian Russian story, January 25, 2006
The 'Grand Inquisitor ' is the central chapter of Dostoevsky's great work , "The Brothers Karamazov". In it the brother of intellect Ivan tells a story to the saintly Karamazov brother, Alyosha. He tells of how Jesus came once to Spain in the time of the Inquistion .He tells how Jesus performed a series of miracles which caused the people to cry out for him. He tells how the 'Grand Inquisitor ' whose exposition fills a good share of the text, tells why Christ must be banished and the Grand Inquisitor must continue to rule. The essence of his message is that the people cannot endure freedom. They are not really able to bear responsibility for themselves and must be fed, spiritually protected by an authoritarian power, the Grand Inquisitor and the Church.
This assumption that the people cannot bear their own freedom seems to me very Russian. It is I think quite difficult for an American who supposes that freedom is natural and most desirable, to understand this.
Dostoevsky as usual in powerful, dramatic, psychologically penetrating prose creates in this work one of World Literature's great chapters.
A number of readers have rightly commented that it is preferable to read this chapter in the context of the whole novel. But it too can be read and understood on its own terms.
One more point which comes to mind is that here the Church is made to be the instrument of interfering with true freedom. ... Read more

Editorial Review

SO WHAT?

How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience

MARK MAGNACCA

Supercharge Your Success by Answering the One Question That Everyone Cares About:

Answer the “So What?” question quickly, succinctly, convincingly—every time!

Practical techniques, examples, and exercises proven with thousands of winning salespeople.

Straight from Mark Magnacca, one of the world’s leading sales consultants.

For all your personal interactions—in business and in life!

It’s tough, but true—the people you’re trying to communicate with, sell to, or convince don’t really care about you. Nor do they care what you’re offering them—until they understand exactly how it’ll benefit them. If you recognize that one hard, cold fact—and you know what to do about it—you’ll make more money, achieve greater success, and even have more fun!

In this book, world-renowned sales consultant Mark Magnacca shows you how to answer the “So What?” question brilliantly, every time—no matter who’s asking it or what you’re trying to achieve. This book will transform the way you communicate: You’ll use it every day to get what you want—in business and in life!

Editorial Review

From two of our most fiercely moral voices, a passionate call to arms against our era’s most pervasive human rights violation: the oppression of women and girls in the developing world.

With Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn as our guides, we undertake an odyssey through Africa and Asia to meet the extraordinary women struggling there, among them a Cambodian teenager sold into sex slavery and an Ethiopian woman who suffered devastating injuries in childbirth. Drawing on the breadth of their combined reporting experience, Kristof and WuDunn depict our world with anger, sadness, clarity, and, ultimately, hope.

They show how a little help can transform the lives of women and girls abroad. That Cambodian girl eventually escaped from her brothel and, with assistance from an aid group, built a thriving retail business that supports her family. The Ethiopian woman had her injuries repaired and in time became a surgeon. A Zimbabwean mother of five, counseled to return to school, earned her doctorate and became an expert on AIDS.

Through these stories, Kristof and WuDunn help us see that the key to economic progress lies in unleashing women’s potential. They make clear how so many people have helped to do just that, and how we can each do our part. Throughout much of the world, the greatest unexploited economic resource is the female half of the population. Countries such as China have prospered precisely because they emancipated women and brought them into the formal economy. Unleashing that process globally is not only the right thing to do; it’s also the best strategy for fighting poverty.

Deeply felt, pragmatic, and inspirational, Half the Sky is essential reading for every global citizen. ... Read more

Editorial Review

 
A black swan is an event, positive or negative, that is deemed improbable yet causes massive consequences. In this groundbreaking and prophetic book, Taleb shows in a playful way that Black Swan events explain almost everything about our world, and yet we—especially the experts—are blind to them. In this second edition, Taleb has added a new essay, On Robustness and Fragility, which offers tools to navigate and exploit a Black Swan world.



*2nd Edition, With a new essay: "On Robustness and Fragility" ... Read more

Reviews

Lost in Extremistan with nothing but a Bell Curve
If, as Socrates would have it, the only true knowledge is knowledge of one's own ignorance, then Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the world's greatest living teacher. In The Black Swan, Taleb's second book for laypeople, he gives a full treatment to concepts briefly explored in his first book "Fooled by Randomness." The Black Swan is basically a sequel to that book, but much more focused, detailed and scholarly. This is a book of serious philosophy that reads like a stand-up comedy routine. (Think Larry David...)

The Black Swan is probably the strongest statement of enlightened empiricism since Ernst Mach refused to acknowledge the existence of the atom. Of course, in theory, everyone today is supposed to be an empiricist - all right-thinking intellectuals claim to base their views solely on positive scientific observation. But very few sincerely confront the implications of rigorous empiricism. Specifically, few confront "the problem of induction," illustrated here by the story of the black swan.

Briefly: observing an event once does not predict it will occur again in the future. This remains true regardless of the number of observations one adds to the pile. Or, as Taleb, recapitulating David Hume, has it: the observation of even a million white swans does not justify the statement "all swans are white." There is no way to know that somewhere out there a black swan is not hiding, disproving the rule and nullifying our "knowledge" of swans. The problem of induction tells us that we cannot really learn from our experiences. It makes knowledge very problematic, if not impossible. And yet, humans do behave -almost without exception- as though they believe that experience teaches us lessons. This is forgivable; there is no better path to knowledge. But before proceeding, one must account for the limits that the problem of induction places on our claims to knowledge. And humans seem, at every turn, to lack this critical self-awareness.

In one of the many humorous anecdotes that seem to comprise this entire book, Taleb recounts how he learned his extreme skepticism from his first boss, a French gentleman trader who insisted that he should not worry about the fluctuating values of economic indicators. (Indeed, Taleb proudly declares that, to this day, he remains blissfully ignorant of supposedly crucial "indicators" like housing starts and consumer spending. This is a shocking statement from a guy whose day job is managing a hedge fund.) Even if these "common knowledge" indicators are predictive of anything (dubious - see above), they are useless to you because everyone else is already accounting for them. They are "white swans," or common sense. Regardless of their magnitude, white swans are basically irrelevant to the trader - they have already been impounded into the market. In this environment, one can only profitably concern oneself with those bets which others are systematically ignoring - bets on those highly unlikely, but highly consequential events that utterly defy the conventional wisdom. What Taleb ought to worry about, the Frenchman warned, was not the prospect of a quarter-percent rise in interest rates, but a plane hitting the World Trade Center!

Yep, the precise facts of 9-11 were actually presaged by this French gentlemen, as a rogue wave that just might be lurking over the horizon. And, to the contemporary American mind, this is THE quintessential Black Swan. Of course, the Frenchman's insight was just a coincidence - the thing with Black Swans is that they cannot be foreseen.

Taleb explains that conventional social scientists use induction to collect data, which is then plotted on the good old Gaussian bellcurve. With characteristic silliness, Taleb dubs the land of the bellcurve "Mediocristan" - and informs us that it is the natural habitat of the white swan. He contrasts Mediocristan with "Extremistan" - where chaos reigns, the wholly unexpected happens, power laws and fractal geometry apply and the bellcurve does not. Taleb's fictional/metaphorical 'stans' share something with the 'stans' of the real world: very ill-defined borders. Indeed, one can never tell whether one is in the relatively safe territory of Mediocristan or if one has wandered into the lawless tribal regions of Extremistan. The bellcurve can only help you in Mediocristan, but you have no way of knowing whether you have strayed into Extremistan - beyond the bellcurve's jurisdiction. This means that bellcurves are of no reliable use, anywhere. The full implications of this take a while to sink in, and are sure to cause huge controversy. In July, Taleb will debate Charles Murray (author of -what else?- the Bell Curve). I'll let you know who wins.

Taleb frames his whole argument much more entertainingly than I could here, and he bolsters it with an astonishing command of both cutting-edge social science and the entire history of philosophy. This is an astonishing work of serious philosophy, and it reads like pulp fiction. Readers who enjoyed FBR will find here the same dry wit, the same literary erudition, and deep sense of the absurd that made that book so much fun. But this is better, by an order of magnitude - easily the best book I have read in 5 years. I smell a timely pop-science bestseller here to rival Gladwell or Surowiecki, but this is also a classic that will be read for decades to come.

Many important ideas, many flaws that detract from the message
This is an entertaining and enlightening book, and fairly easy to read. It has an important message regarding how the world works; that the world is governed not by the predictable and the average, but by the random, the unknownable, the unpredictable -- big events or discoveries or unusual people that have big consequences. Change comes not uniformly but in unpredictable spurts. These are the Black Swans of the title: completedly unexpected and rare events or novel ideas or technologies that have a huge impact on the world. Indeed, Taleb argues that history itself is primarly driven by these Black Swans.

It is convincing argument, entertainingly presented with plenty of sarcasm, and indeed, anger, by Taleb. For example he rails against the academic community, economists (including specific names), and Nobel Prize committee. Considerable numbers of his arguments "ring true" to me, that is my experience in life confirms that they are more accurate than the traditional approach. Like any important work, 90% of what is in the book is not original; that does not make it less important. Taleb's contribution is in integrating the material together, and showing how these different ideas are tied to the Black Swan.

The themes include: winner-take-all phenonomen, numerous effects of randomness on the world, the invalidity of the Gaussian Bell Curve to most things in world, concepts of scalablity, numerous instabilities in the world, especially the modern world where information travels so quickly, the fallacies about people's inability to predict the future. The importance of these ideas, Taleb's ability to weave them together into a single theory, and the ability of this theory to change the way you look at the world, means the book easily deserves my highest recommendation.

However, the book does have many flaws, unfortunately -- unfortunate because I believe they will take away from the credibility of the message, which is in important one. The are numerous minor flaws such as, for example, the inexplicable invention of a fictional author (disclosed a few pages later), when certainly there must have been some real example that would have worked better. Another example is repeated jabs about the French; these may be amusing but I just don't think they have a place in work like this. There are also diatribes against specific people, including famous economists, which, though amusing, and possibly justified, demonstrate a high level of anger by author and take away from his credibility. Often he also overreaches, for example in saying the usual combination of anti-abortion and pro-death penalty or the opposite combined views of pro-abortion and anti-death penatly cannot be explained logically, when in fact widely known theories such as George Lakoff's (in Moral Politics) have explained hows these groups of views are entirely consistent.

Another flaw is that Taleb seems to go a little toward the extreme of saying that we can predict almost nothing about the future, and though he does not say so explicitly, this seems to imply we have no moral responsibility to the future. This, combined with Taleb's advice to the reader about their behavior based on the "Black Swan" view of world just rubbed me the wrong way, for several reasons. One is that Taleb personally has very little in common with most people; never having as far as I know had a regular career (essentially what he calls non-scalable, e.g. dentist, engineer, baker) he nevertheless recommends that people choose these kinds of careers rather than a scalable career (e.g. financial trader, author, actor which are subject to a few lucky successful people and a lot of failures). This advise is odd first because Taleb is in a non-scalable profession (derivatives trader, then hedge fund manager) -- indeed it appears he is quite wealthy. Even more odd because he says all these types of non-scalable types of work are boring and evens makes sarcastic comments (the book is extremely sarcasm heavy) for example about dentists being able to do well by diligently drilling teeth for 30 years. The second things that bothered me is that Taleb seems be somewhat amoral to me; in this type of book where plenty of his own emotions come through, plenty of his personality, he has plenty of criticism of others for their wrong models and wrong view of the world, and how this has hurt the world, but there remains a lack of moral responsibility to his advice.

Perhaps the best comparison I could make are to other important works that do not suffer from these flaws, for example the Age of Fallibility by George Soros and Irrational Exuberance by Robert Shiller (1st and 2nd editions). But probably Black Swan will sell better than either of these because of it's "edginess," i.e. aggresiveness; I personally have a distaste for this approach.

Despite my criticisms, the main ideas of the book as so important as to merit reading and indeed great consideration. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this report, Cathy Davidson and David Theo Goldberg focus on the potential for shared and interactive learning made possible by the Internet. They argue that the single most important characteristic of the Internet is its capacity for world-wide community and the limitless exchange of ideas. The Internet brings about a way of learning that is not new or revolutionary but is now the norm for today’s graduating high school and college classes. It is for this reason that Davidson and Goldberg call on us to examine potential new models of digital learning and rethink our virtually enabled and enhanced learning institutions.

This report is available in a free digital edition on the MIT Press website at http://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262513593.

John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning ... Read more

Reviews

A reflection on the effect of new technologies on higher learning, January 11, 2010
The "Digital Age" that we live in has been the subject of many (too many?) books, articles, essays and blogs in recent times. Everyone who has not lived in a cave in the last few years realizes that the pace of technological advancement is increasing, and many of the traditional forms of communicating, working and shopping are continuously being redefined. Despite all of this, the role and the form of higher education have hardly changed, aside from PowerPoint presentations replacing most writing-on-a-blackboard styled ones. On the other hand, it is unclear whether any of these new technologies do in fact aid the learning process. As someone who has implemented many of these trends in college classes that I had taught, I have to admit that the jury is still out on the actual impact that the new digital technologies can have on students.

This short book raises many interesting points and it provides references to several novel learning and publishing tools that I will be happy to try out. The book itself was written using some of those tools in a very collaborative process. It provides a prescription for implementing many of these tools and techniques in academia. However, it is not clear to me what exactly would the implementation of those tools and teaching techniques accomplish. In fact, there is very little hard analysis in this book that one can find in most social-science publications. Overall, this book provides more starting points for further consideration than actionable ideas for further development of higher education. It is a worthwhile read if one doesn't expect too much.

Not Supported By Scrutiny, August 12, 2010
Davidson and Goldberg state that changes in communications technology in recent decades demand concommitant changes in how schools, especially colleges and universities, educate our young. I agree. But our authors take that premise and run with it in some directions which I don't believe are supported by the evidence.

Our authors insist that conventional education, with its hierarchical social groupings and insistence on individual work, will prove completely unsustainable in coming years. I wonder if they have read their history seriously enough. Their warnings repeat, nearly verbatim, statements made when moveable type, film, and television challenged former paradigms of learning. A time traveler from 1975 might be astounded to see that videotape hasn't rendered teachers obsolete.

They go on to extol "virtual" educational models which take place without "the contiguity of time and place." Which sounds good, but my own experiments with structural flexibility teach me that, if I don't require my students to be in a room at a certain time, more than half of them will never do the reading or write their assignments more than a day in advance. I doubt even Goldberg and Davidson believe that classes without classrooms will ever be more than icing on the cake for advanced students. They concede early on that "most virtual institutions are, in fact, supported by a host of real institutions and real individuals."

Though some students love learning enough to be self-motivated, they are not the majority. Many, if not most, regard classes, even within their majors, as a nuisance. I would love it if my students had enough ambition to undertake the kind of team tasks Davidson and Goldberg describe, but anybody who has taught more than one or two semesters knows that if you get three students per class who don't need to be prodded, you are one lucky cuss.

I found one comment our authors quoted to be all too telling. A respondent to an early draft of this paper insisted that "open-ended assignments provide the opportunity for creative, research-based learning." This is true, for those willing to embrace such opportunity. But this respondent sought out and answered back to a scholarly paper; I might get two students per semester with that level of ambition.

I would absolutely love to assign more open-ended research projects. I would love to let my students take ownership of the learning process. But I have learned the hard way that they usually will not. I had two students drop my class this past semester because, even with five days' warning, they considered a ten-question reading quiz on a twenty-page chapter too onerous.

Likewise, these authors repeat the claim, which I keep seeing lately, that Pokemon teaches youth important matematical and reasoning skills. I don't doubt this. But my colleagues in the Math Department tell me that only a handful make the leap that allows them to apply Pokemon-based math skills to diverse real world applications. Most still rely on the institutional classroom to make that connection for them. Regular students still need the skills and structure only a conventional four-wall classroom can provide.

Consider Wikipedia, which the authors extol, claiming that professors disparage the site without merit. Yes, its many user/editors keep it up-to-date and Open-Source. Yes, the collaborative model ferrets out innacuracies. But even laying aside the limits of a tertiary source, its programming model leaves it vulnerable to pranks and hacks by idiots. Even that wouldn't be so bad if students utilized their discretion to screen out obvious bunk, but they don't. Too many students receive content uncritically, and I get papers riddled with inaccuracies.

Institutional schooling has survived past changes in the media and cultural landscape because it works. Sure, it will have to adapt to the influence of the new technology, just as it has before. But as long as most youth need mature guidance to take on the skills and responsibilities of adulthood, there will be a place for a classroom with a clear leader judging progress. Davidson and Goldberg claim the old models have become obsolete, but that just doesn't bear up to scrutiny.

Will formal education adapt and evolve to a new reality? Should it?, June 28, 2010
This kindle "book" is sort of a preview of a much larger work the authors are currently writing. In reality, this should be read like a very long magazine article exploring how the digital age may affect and is affecting higher education in particular and to a lesser extent elementary and secondary education.

The "book" begins and ends, to its disadvantage, with a lot of jargon-filled commentary such as: "We contend that the future of learning institutions demands a deep, epistmogological appreciation of the profundity of what the Internet offers humanity as a model of a learning institution." (loc 50) Yes, yes, yes. This is college writing at its classic wordiness.

Fortunately, once we get into the heart of the paper it gets quite interesting and more reader friendly. There are some big, important questions being asked here, such as, "Why go to college to get information when it can be found in 3 seconds on the internet?" and "Is the purpose of college really to learn skills under the tutelage of acknowledged experts?" (If that is so, why was my smallest class at Indiana University 8 people and the average was around 40?)

The authors seem to be leaning away from the traditional expert model of the university and embracing the collaborative model of the Internet. They use the model of Wikipedia, which is the poster child for what is right and wrong about the internet. Anyone can edit it, which means anyone with knowledge can add to it, but vandals can also damage the site or ignorant people can include their "facts" as well. One of my high school students added his own name to the site for the band Korn as a "spoon player". It stayed up there for months.

But, this model has strengths as well. As a group, we certainly know more than we do individually. The trick is using the experts to weed out the inaccurate information. The authors are especially interested in global participation - they are imagining projects with participants from all over the world, which is easily possible right now with sites plenty of online sites, not just public ones like Wikipedia. What they don't have is an answer as to how to connect the experts with the students all over the world and make sure that the "facts" that are being learned are actually facts.

The meat of this paper is quite interesting and would make for a great classroom discussion. What will education in the future look like? What will college mean in the future - will it mean that an area of knowledge has been mastered or will it mean that the holder of the degree has demonstrated the ability to work towards an abstract goal for an extended period of time? I think the latter has been reality for a while now and the diffusion of information technology will only make it more so.

Raises Important Questions But Answers Them in a One-Sided Way, August 21, 2010
"The Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age" is a free Kindle redaction of a larger book to come: "The Future of Thinking: Learning in a Digital Age." It proceeded from the MacArthur Foundation Reports on Digital Media and Learning, based on a collaborative work on this subject. The thesis of this Kindle book is that "the single most important characteristic of the Internet is its capacity to allow for a worldwide community and its endlessly myriad subsets to exchange ideas, to learn from one another in a way not previously available."

As a teacher and priest, and one interested in how the new technologies are changing us, I found the book fascinating and that it raised many important issues. In short, I find that the book makes the reader aware of how the world is changing, especially the world of education, and makes the reader think about the relationship between technology, especially the Internet, and education. However, it makes promises based on misunderstandings of human nature and behavior without acknowledging the limitations and failings of Internet technology and the ways we use it.

The first chapter is titled "The Classroom or the World Wide Web? Imaging the Future of Learning Institutions in a Digital Age." It argues that institutions of learning have changed far more slowly than the modes of learning offered by the Internet. Furthermore, rival institutions of learning such as the Internet challenge traditional institutions such as the hierarchy of teacher and student, credentialing, and restriction of admission. While these ideas are provocative, I find that there is a one-sided presentation that only looks at the possible positive outcomes of Internet learning and overstates its case. For example, it's unlikely that the hierarchy of teachers and learners will ever be abolished, even if the nature of these may change. There will always be some who, through experience, position, or wisdom, become the leaders of others. Also, the authors seem to assume that the fact that the Internet democratizes in terms of opportunities people have will necessarily result in equal outcomes. However, as in every other area of human behavior, people will not use the Internet equally, and, thus, there will be an inequality of outcomes. The section on participatory learning was useful. But here, again, the authors do not adequately deal with the issue. They raise the issue of growing dropout rates and the divide between those who are educated and those who are not, but they offer no solution - only a vague promise that participatory, networked learning will make things better. In extolling Wikipedia as a collaborative, participatory, networked work, the authors don't address the fact that Wikipedia is often inaccurate and that people with power, whether corporate (such as government, corporations, or political groups) or individuals (such as hackers) can manipulate information.

The rest of the chapters are titled "Pillars of Institutional Pedagogy: Ten Principles for the Future of Learning," "Challenges from Past Practice" and "Conclusion: Yesterday's Tomorrow."

Throughout the book, it's clear that Marshall McLuhan's proverb, "the medium is the message" becomes important in answering the question of what the implications are for Internet for education. In summary, this work raises a lot of the right questions about technology and education but answers them in a one-sided way.
... Read more