(160 pages)

Letters to a Young Contrarian (Art of Mentoring) by: Christopher Hitchens publisher: Basic Books released: 2005-04-12 ISBN: 0465030335 $11.16

Christopher Hitchens is a great writer who I follow with interest, making a point to read him whenever I can. For example, I never miss his currently regular column in Vanity Fair which generally tends to be interesting and provocative. In fact, I find most of his work to be interesting and provocative, even when I find him irritating and we disagree. (Though, to be honest, I sometimes find him irritating even when we do agree.)

Of course, isn't it the job of a "contrarian" to be irritating? I'm not sure Hitchens would put it so blatantly, but he isn't afraid to give his opinions in the most explosive way possible, even as he back-pedals and occasionally puts on a show of (false?) modesty to remind us that he could be (and has been) wrong. I have to admit, I find these displays of fallibility somewhat jarring in the face of his general unflappability but it does have the effect of humanizing him somewhat.

In any case, he does a good job of doing what this book requires: asserting the importance of what he does and encouraging others to do the same. He uses people he admires well to support his arguments and I find I admire many of the same people he does. He also is willing to poke holes in the universally worshiped and keep forgotten atrocities in front of our faces, both qualities that deserve admiration.

If his form of atheism is as useless and closed-minded as a fundamentalist's in a religious sect--well, I can take it. It serves as a reminder that, though passionate, single-minded people can often cut right to the heart of an issue, they are rarely looking for debate. And yet, they provide those of us who are continually searching with the fuel for our intellectual fires. Hitchens always provides fuel that burns well and hot.

This was a fascinating read, for the primary reason of discovering how the mind of one of the most controversial writers around today functions and processes information. Truly interesting

Hitchens constantly reminds his students that their primary targets for derision and out right rejection are those who "come from authority" or otherwise claim to have authority and only use it for conservative and reactionary purposes.

Without getting into a discussion of how this book may contradict his later writings about the Iraq War, both sides of his writing provides interesting insight.

I recommend this short book.

This is a simple and elegant series of letters written to a hypothetical student. Only a cynical could fail to admire and value Christopher Hitchens' "Letters to a Young Contrarian". This short book contains all the advice a student of twenty first century society should want or need. We get a marvelously unadulterated dose of the author's hortative aesthetics. Every letter is marked with a characteristic polish that creates a pedagogical elegance.

The book is written as a series of letters which are timely and timeless.

I bought this book as a gift for a young writer and journalist. I read it before giving it as a gift. I am very pleased with it as a gift and hope that the advice falls on fertile soil. I am also very pleased with the book as advice for my own personal causes.

These letters continue to be a priceless source of insight and wisdom as the student continues to evolve as an activist. We can all see ourselves in these wonderful words and we can witness what we aspire to be.

These letters fill the reader with hope. There is hope that society can evolve to a rational enlightenment. Hope is alive and we are not doomed to repeat all the follies of history.

What impressed me so much was the incredible precision and care in each of the letters. The commitment to explore the unconventional and contrary positions is a commitment to personal integrity. This commitment is a social contract that is a prerequisite to democracy and to civilization.

The author's choice of examples and counter examples clearly illustrate his intention to inspire the next generation of social thinkers.

I highly recommend this book to every person who wants to become an agent of change. It will probably be more useful to aspiring journalists, scientists, mathematicians and writers. People who simply enjoy the wonder of reasoned inquiry will delight in the book also.

The advice can hardly be paraphrased with any justice to the subject in a short review. For the most part, the author be gives advice about being eternally vigilant and persistent in the face of unrelenting opposition. There is no limit to human anti-intellectualism so there must be no limit to reason. Patiently embrace the struggle and make it your own. Understand that the sources of irrationality and prejudice are petty, private, archaic and primeval urges.

All of these things he discusses with incredible wisdom and lucidity. The author centers, assures and illuminates the student.

What a delight this book turned out to be. Buy a copy of this book for every young person you care about. They can read it again and again to gain insight and create a purposeful life. Some young people will cynically dismiss the relevance of the message, but no one who reads it can miss the message. Life on autopilot, accepting standards and norms without reason, is to life without human purpose.

Even the most cynical alive person can give pause to enjoy this wonderful collection of sweepingly thought provoking letters.

The author says to "Do justice, and let the skies fall." This leads to a calling of confrontation, argument, and troublemaking. The author advocates a life of being perpetually at odds with the mainstream. "Humanity is very much in debt to such people."

I highly recommend this book.

Despite the attribution to Voltaire, the famous line `I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it' was probably never stated by him. Regardless of who said it, it is difficult to muster opposition, especially when concerning Christopher Hitchens. I can safely say I disagree with Hitchens on many issues but find it hard to personally criticize a man who clearly has no concern or regard for how others perceive his eloquently expressed opinions and positions. However, `Letters to a Young Contrarian' is not a work detailing Hitchens' views but rather an attempted explanation on what drives him to be a fighter against conventionality and tenaciously attack those he feels to be harming society. Written, as the title would suggest, in letter format, we see the one-way correspondence Hitchens engages with a student, eager to learn the art of contrarianism, a choice Hitchens warns which is consuming and often self-destructive. Uncharacteristic of Hitchens, he offers some rather poignant reflections of his own experience and offers no sugar for the consternation of serious readers. Nevertheless, the emphasis is that, regardless of the pain, `dark nights of the soul' or apparent lack of reward that are guaranteed to make up the life of a contrarian, it is life worth living and one which hopefully more people shall feel obliged into.
An excellent piece of writing which should offer valued mentoring for anyone, regardless of affiliated opinions, who is repulsed by the idea of staying silent.

This is a simple and elegant series of letters written to a hypothetical student. Only a cynical could fail to admire and value Christopher Hitchens' "Letters to a Young Contrarian". This short book contains all the advice a student of twenty first century society should want or need. We get a marvelously unadulterated dose of the author's hortative aesthetics. Every letter is marked with a characteristic polish that creates a pedagogical elegance.

The book is written as a series of letters which are timely and timeless.

I bought this book as a gift for a young writer and journalist. I read it before giving it as a gift. I am very pleased with it as a gift and hope that the advice falls on fertile soil. I am also very pleased with the book as advice for my own personal causes.

These letters continue to be a priceless source of insight and wisdom as the student continues to evolve as an activist. We can all see ourselves in these wonderful words and we can witness what we aspire to be.

These letters fill the reader with hope. There is hope that society can evolve to a rational enlightenment. Hope is alive and we are not doomed to repeat all the follies of history.

What impressed me so much was the incredible precision and care in each of the letters. The commitment to explore the unconventional and contrary positions is a commitment to personal integrity. This commitment is a social contract that is prerequisite to democracy and to civilization.

The author's choice of examples and counter examples clearly illustrate his intention to inspire the next generation of social thinkers.

I highly recommend this book to every person who wants to become an agent of change. It will probably be more useful to aspiring journalists, scientists, mathematicians and writers. People who simply enjoy the wonder of reasoned inquiry will delight in the book also.

The advice can hardly be paraphrased with any justice to the subject in a short review. For the most part, the author be gives advice about being eternally vigilant and persistent in the face of unrelenting opposition. There is no limit to human anti-intellectualism so there must be no limit to reason. Patiently embrace the struggle and make it your own. Understand that the sources of irrationality and prejudice are petty, private, archaic and primeval urges.

All of these things he discusses with incredible wisdom and lucidity. The author centers, assures and illuminates the student.

What a delight this book turned out to be. Buy a copy of this book for every young person you care about. They can read it again and again to gain insight and create a purposeful life. Some young people will cynically dismiss the relevance of the message, but no one who reads it can miss the message. Life on autopilot, accepting standards and norms without reason, is to life without human purpose.

Even the most cynical alive person can give pause to enjoy this wonderful collection of sweepingly thought provoking letters.

The author says to "Do justice, and let the skies fall." This leads to a calling of confrontation, argument, and troublemaking. The author advocates a life of being perpetually at odds with the mainstream. "Humanity is very much in debt to such people."

I highly recommend this book.

(358 pages)

Ted McKeever Library Book 2: Eddy Current (Ted Mckeever Library) by: Ted McKeever publisher: Image Comics released: 2008-12-29 ISBN: 1582409781 $16.49

Eddy Current is insane. At least that's what the world deems him to be. The very same world he intends to save. A window of opportunity opens, literally, allowing our hero to escape the asylum he calls home. Bed-check isn't until 6am, giving him 12 hours of freedom to accomplish his hero-given quest. Joined by a massive wall-of-a-woman called Nun, Eddy will live an adventure filled with the depths of humanities darkest crevices, as well as the heights and power of friendship and redemption. A Don Quixote for the 21st century, Eddy Current will stay with you long after you've finished reading. From one of the most critically acclaimed graphic novelists of our time, Ted McKeever, this volume features all 12 issues of Eddy Current, plus unused art, and a slew of extras.

(128 pages)

Numerical Modelling of Eddy Currents (Monographs in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Vol 32) by: Andrzej Krawczyk, John A. Tegopoulos publisher: Oxford University Press, USA released: 1993-11-25 ISBN: 0198593821 $162.00

Numerical methods for solving low frequency electromagnetic field problems--many of which refer to eddy currents appearing in various electromagnetic devices--have been developed and utilized with increasing success in recent years. Originally such problems were tackled by analytical solutions limited to simple geometries and linear materials. In practice, however, all electromagnetic devices have complex boundaries, include non-linear materials, and may be treated exclusively by numerical methods. This book provides a systematic, mathematical simulation of existing methods and discusses the discretization of relevant equations. Methods described include finite difference, finite sums, finite element, boundary element, and some variants. Physical connotations of methods and problems are also given. Written by top experts in the field, this book fills the need among professional electrical engineers and graduate students for both a theoretical and practical approach to this important topic.

(1288 pages)

Comparative Corporate Governance: The State of the Art and Emerging Research by: Andrzej Krawczyk, John A. Tegopoulos publisher: Oxford University Press, USA released: 1999-02-18 ISBN: 0198268882 $288.00

This book comprises a comprehensive survey of the most recent research being done on corporate governance in the triad -- Europe (with particular emphasis on Germany and the UK), the US and Japan. The comparative nature of the research brings forth new insights which studies conducted within one system may fail to produce. The contributors to this volume represent a unique sample of scholars from throughout the triad and across disciplines.

(272 pages)

Basotho and the Mines (Codesria Book) by: Eddy, Tshidiso Maloka publisher: Codesria released: 2000-09-05 ISBN: 2869781288 $34.95

This major study of migrant labour in Lesotho, concentrating on the period between 1980 and 1940, considers the position of Basotho migrant workers in South Africa, Lesotho's dependency on migrant labour, and the social and cultural consequences on communities, when men are sent away to work. The author provides in-depth analysis of migrant labour drawing predominantly on primary historical sources, and bringing in aspects of political economy, and cultural and social history. Some of the central questions addressed are: balancing structure and agency; how Basotho migrants coped with death and mourning in the mining compounds; the social history of commercial beer-brewing and commercial sex in Lesotho; the relationship of these factors to the system of chieftainship; and missionaries and the British colonial demonstration. The narrative is framed by the histories of colonialism in Lesotho and South Africa, and assesses the impact of colonialism on the geopolitics of these two interdependent countries.

(132 pages)

Basics of Induction Heating Volume 1 by: Chester A. Tudbury publisher: John F. Rider released: 1960

Presenting the fundamental principles of the induction heating art and of commercial induction heating equipment

Plastic Forks (Books 1 through 5 Limited Edition) by: Louis Cartz publisher: Graphitti Designs released: 1990 ISBN: 0936211245

Books 1 through 5 in a limited edition of 1200 signed by Ted McKeever. Great collectible for the McKeever fan.