Review: Taking Ourselves Seriously and Getting it Right / Harry G. Frankfurt

“In his Tanner lectures, Harry Frankfurt continues his exploration of the nature of human agency and practical reasoning. Love, and other “volitional necessities”—things about which we cannot help caring—anchor us in the world and provide us with ends for our actions. Without love, or other kinds of volitionally necessary caring, we would not have an answer to the fundamental question of how we should live. This is a very important essay, written by a first-class philosophical mind, and animated by a humane outlook. It will be of interest not only to philosophers, but also to all those who look to understand the springs of human action.” —Debra Satz, Stanford University

"Frankfurt delves into the ideals of rationality and love, compares the two, and declares love the winner in defining self-commitment to our actions (which is "getting it right"). These arguments are related in superbly written prose and stand well on their own...The commentary, likewise, is well written and presents the reader with an enhanced framework and relevant, thought-provoking objections. "—Library Journal

Click here to see this item in our library catalog!

Review: The World is Flat : A Brief History of the Twenty-first Century / Thomas L. Friedman

I'd forgotten the pleasure reading good prose brings. Friedman not only writes well, but does so on an important subject- globalization. He states, "It is now possible for more people than ever to collaborate and compete in real time with more people on more different kinds of work from more different corners of the planet and on a more equal footing than at any previous time in the history of the world."

He claims, "When the world is flat, you can innovate without having to emigrate". But, how did the world `become flat'? Friedman suggest the trigger events were the collapse of communism, the dot-com bubble resulting in overinvestment in fiber-optic telecommunications, and the subsequent out-sourcing of engineers enlisted to fix the perceived Y2K problem.

Those events created an environment where products, services, and labor are cheaper. However, the West is now losing its strong-hold on economic dominance. Depending on if viewed from the eyes of a consumer or a producer - that's either good or bad, or a combination of both.

What is more sobering is Friedman's elaboration on Bill Gates' statement, "When I compare our high schools to what I see when I'm traveling abroad, I am terrified for our work force of tomorrow. In math and science, our fourth graders are among the top students in the world. By eighth grade, they're in the middle of the pack. By 12th grade, U.S. students are scoring near the bottom of all industrialized nations. . . . The percentage of a population with a college degree is important, but so are sheer numbers. In 2001, India graduated almost a million more students from college than the United States did. China graduates twice as many students with bachelor's degrees as the U.S., and they have six times as many graduates majoring in engineering. In the international competition to have the biggest and best supply of knowledge workers, America is falling behind."

Friedman sounds the alarm with a call for diligence and fortitude - academically, politically, and economically. He sees a dangerous complacency, from Washington down through the public school system. Students are no longer motivated. "In China today, Bill Gates is Britney Spears. In America today, Britney Spears is Britney Spears -- and that is our problem."

Questions I wish Friedman had explored in further detail are:

1. When should countries do what benefits the global economy, and when should they look out for their own interests? (protectionism, tariffs, quotas, etc.)
2. What will a `flat world' mean to the world's poor? (those living in Haiti, Angola, Kazakhstan, etc.)
3. What cultural values (or absence thereof) are contributing to the West's loss of productivity, education, and excellence? (morality, truth, religion, meaning, hope?)
4. How will further globalization effect cultural distinctions? (Are we heading towards a universal melting pot?)
5. What will a `flat world' mean environmentally - particularly for those countries on the verge of an economic explosion?

Provided by John Zxerce from Amazon.com

Click here to view this item in our library catalog!

Review: The Road / Cormac McCarthy

In a barren, ashen landscape that was once the United States of America, a weary man and his young son are traveling south in search of the ocean. They scavenge for food and shelter, and they must constantly avoid marauding bands of fellow survivors who would prey on them. The one thing that sustains them on their way is their ferocious love for each other. The Road is the story of their heartbreaking journey.

Every now and then, when we need reminding, a great writer shows us one possible future for our species if we continue on the path to self-destruction. In 1957, Nevil Shute gave us On the Beach, and now, 50 years later, Cormac McCarthy has given us an eloquent new version of the same cautionary tale. We didn't listen then. Perhaps we can learn something now.

Click here to view this item in our library catalog!

By Tom S., for Amazon.com

Review: The Time Traveler's Wife / Audrey Niffenegger

Book Review

• Author: Niffenegger, Audrey
• Monograph Title: The Time Traveler’s Wife
• Publisher: San Francisco, CA : MacAdam/Cage
  

Audrey Niffenegger’s wonderfully crafted love story spans the time space continuum. What could be described as a science fiction or fantasy novel really becomes a character driven story that looks at the intertwined lives and the sustaining love of two people. Time travel is the driving force and the constant theme of Henry DeTamble’s life. But the driving force and largest impact on Clare DeTamble’s (nee Abshire) is Henry who she meets at the tender age of six; and Henry is 36. He will visit her on occasions he tells her to record based on a list that he memorized from her childhood records. Time never skips around for Clare; she wades through it one second after the next like the rest of us. When they finally meet in real time; Henry is 28 and Clare is 20 and the tables have turned. Clare knows all about Henry, but Henry has never met Clare. The science is explained behind Henry’s time travel, and though it is not realistic, it is more science then fiction. There is a lot of discussion of the repercussions of playing with events that have already happened. But always the real story is with Clare and Henry’s and their family and friends. The character stories and their lives are never overshadowed by the adventures Henry unwillingly finds himself on, more enhanced by his adventures.

This book is intended for adult audiences. There is both sexual and violent content. The intellectual and ethical debates of the book are best understood by a more mature audience. The book was an international best seller, and has been optioned to made into a motion picture soon. Because of the themes and the incorporation of lyrics, poetry and prose from other sources, this book could easily be studied in a modern literature class by an academic English program and therefore might be suitable for an undergraduate collection. However, because of the popularity and quality story this book should be picked up by most North American public libraries, at least in the main branch location.


Click here to view this book in our library catalog!

Sarah Strahl

Indiana University School of Library and Information Sciences

The real blog and video source for L526 Koha 5

This blog is for Koha Group Five. We will be doing all of our video and/or pod blogging with reviews.