With three straight #1 bestsellers and more than 4 million copies of his books in print, the most powerful traditional force in the American media now takes off his gloves in the ongoing struggle for America’s heart and soul.
Bill O’Reilly is the very embodiment of the idea of a Culture Warrior—and in this book he lives up to the title brilliantly, with all the brashness and forthrightness at his command. He sees that America is in the midst of a fierce culture war between those who embrace traditional values and those who want to change America into a “secular-progressive” country. This is a conflict that differs in many ways from the usual liberal/conservative divide, but it is no less heated, and the stakes are even higher. In Culture Warrior, Bill O’Reilly defines this war and analyzes the competing philosophies of the traditionalist and secular-progressive camps. He examines why the nation’s motto “E Pluribus Unum” (“From Many, One”) might change to “What About Me?”; dissects the forces driving the secular-progressive agenda in the media and behind the scenes, including George Soros, George Lakoff, and the ACLU; and dives into matters of race, education, and the war on terror. He also shows how the culture war has played out in such high-profile instances as The Passion of the Christ, Fahrenheit 9/11, the abuse epidemic (child and otherwise), and the embattled place of religion in public life—with special emphasis on the war against Christmas. Whatever controversies are roiling the nation, he fearlessly confronts them—and no one will be in the dark about which side he’s on. Culture Warrior showcases Bill O’Reilly at his most eloquent and impassioned. He is an unrelenting fighter for the soul of America, and in this book he fights the good fight for the traditional values that have served this country so well for so long.
REVIEW
Amusingly scary, hilariously wrong [...]
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You don't have to get far into this book to realise it's more of the same from the man who's filled his own head with so much right-wing, neo-conservative nonsense that he might actually believe it himself. The fact that he believes the Founding Fathers would somehow favour a society in which religion plays a prominent role goes to show how utterly confused his understanding of his own country is; a mistake he makes within the first 3 pages.
This book was so funny that, if it were labelled a comedy book, I would give it five stars. However, the factthat it was published with the intent of sincerely informing people's opinions demands that I give it 1, and even that's not very well-deserved.
Basic summary: buy it for a good laugh, but prepare to be afraid, very afraid when you realise that someone out there is fighting for cultural values... and that man is Bill O'Reilly.
PS - How do you have a "Culture warrior"? That's like calling the book "Intellectual Barbarian".
This book pays tribute to the U.S. Marines, the World's Warrior Elite.
It's all here: Marine quotations, Tun Tavern, Marine slogans, and the revered War Memorial on "hallowed ground." There's much, much more: Blood Stripe, Blood Chit, Battle Colors, the many creeds, the Commandants, and the Mameluke and NCO swords.
The book includes Marine Corps history and heritage. Professionally and without profanity, the author explores the world of U.S. Marines, proud patriots who live in the province of legend. Plus, the text offers satire exclusively for Marine Warriors. Readers find timeless one-liners for the Magnificent Grunts and Marine Air.
"Politically In-Correct" and proud of it! A gung-ho and up-beat look at the premier fighting force on planet Earth.
REVIEW
The Brotherhood The Marines are a brotherhood, or so i am told. I believe they are the best men on earth, joined together to defend our country and faced with tasks that no one else would do. After reading this book, i know that the marines are more than just soldiers, that they are loyal, intelligent, hardworking, humble, powereful people that have chosen a life many dream or or see in the movies, but never experience. This is why marines are better than normal people, and why some people dont like marines. They know that marines are better people, since they make sacrifices most never even think of. This is why i am going to join the marines, so i may one day be part of the glorious brotherhood that is the United States Marine Corps!
SEMPER FI!
Following World War II, Japan's postwar constitution forbade the country to wage war or create an army. However, with the emergence of the cold war in the 1950s, Japan was urged to establish the Self-Defense Forces as a way to bolster Western defenses against the tide of Asian communism. Although the SDF's role is supposedly limited to self-defense, Japan's armed forces are equipped with advanced weapons technology and the world's third-largest military budget. Sabine Frühstück draws on interviews, historical research, and analysis to describe the unusual case of a non-war-making military. As the first scholar permitted to participate in basic SDF training, she offers a firsthand look at an army trained for combat that nevertheless serves nontraditional military needs.
A Warrior Culture will revolutionize your men's ministry. Donny Prater will teach you how to break through the walls the Enemy has built and unite the men of your Church as warriors.
REVIEW
Men's Must Read I have just finished reading Prater's "A Warrior Culture" and was blessed beyond measure. This is a must read for men who recognize that we are in a battle - a battle for our family, our church, our loved ones, and even our integrity. Donny gives practical solutions to problems plaguing Men's Ministry everywhere. Do your family, church, community and self a HUGE favor - read "A Warrior Culture".
Amazon.com ReviewA quick stroll through the toy aisles in any American superstore splits gender as neatly as Moses did the Red Sea. On your left, the pink and purple ghetto reserved for girls intent on dolls and their endless accoutrements; to the right, the swaggering, bare-chested superheroes with bulging plastic muscles doled out to boys. Once out of the toy store, a gazillion more real and imaginary "tough guys" like Bruce Lee and Sylvester Stallone, Clint Eastwood and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and James M. Cain and Ernest Hemingway lope across the social radar. It's only in the last few decades that a battalion of "tough girls" hailing from toy stores, comic books, films, TV, and video games have carved out their own clearly lucrative niche. "In a culture where women are often considered the natural victims of men, tough women rewrite the script," says Sherrie Inness, author of Tough Girls. Whether you like them or loathe them, she adds, these cartoonish femme icons flexing muscle and attitude expand the acceptable scope of gender roles in the public consciousness. Deftly exploring how images of toughness and femininity play out in pop culture, politics, the military, and business, Inness also pays heed to how and why women's punches get pulled. --Francesca Coltrera
REVIEW
It made me angry. I read half the book and got so angry I couldn't finish it. The author argues that Dana Scully of"X-Files, Xena, Emma Peel of "Avengers", Thelma & Louise, Wonder Woman, Bionic Woman, Captain Janeway of "Voyager", Ripley of "Aliens" etc. all have their toughness defused by having feminine characteristics or clothing. What the author seem to want is one dimensional characters. Having feminine characteristics does not make characters less tough. Only the "bad guys" in films are portrayed as totally tough. Tough men in films are not without their softer, more "feminine" side. No one would find them compelling or sympathetic otherwise. The author says, "In many ways Ripley and Janeway are tough, but their toughness is lessened by emphasis placed on their maternal and nurturing sides." (page 119) This is ludicrous. Nurturing and positive "women" traits do not negate toughness. In point of fact, it increases it. When one can show a softer side, that shows that one is not insecure and overly dominant and aggressive. Innes states,"Thus toughness for Ripley is not some new feminist ideal, where she takes the best part of femininity and masculinity and forges them into a type of toughness that has not been seen yet" (page 107) In this line the author seems to indicate that toughness combined with "feminine" traits would be the best ideal for women, yet she successfully dismisses all the women who show "feminine" characteristics as not tough. I believe the character of Janeway has a great combination of what I would call womanly toughness. Having her hair down and being in a soft nightgown when she was suppose to be sleeping does not turn her into a victim. Innes writes, "Even if Picard had awakened to find Q in bed with him, such a scene would be interpreted far differently than the scene with Janeway. Q is viewed as a male predator who might threaten Janeway sexually but never Picard." (page 117). Q is not viewed as a threat at all; he is more of a comical character. The interpretation of this episode sounds hysterical, like a person overly sensitive to insults. In other words, the author comes across as untough, not Janeway. In point of fact Picard did wake up to find Q lying next to him and Picard pulls the covers up over his naked chest. (Episode: "Tapestry, U.S. airdate Feb. 28, 1993). I also take exception to the idea that clothing is always a meter of toughness. If a woman decides to wear pink frilly blouses than she is still the same tough woman. The idea that clothes are a meter of personality is what lawyers say to try to blame women for "getting" raped. The author has a more stringent requirement for women to be tough than men. Men can wear sexy outfits, have romance, save and be nurturing to children, be tender, and still they are tough.However, the author says if a woman character shows these same characteristics than her toughness is lessened. Hogwash! I am disappointed with the book because I feel it does a great disservice to women.
This colorful, informative book explains the amazing civilizations of ancient China and Japan--cultures that existed for thousands of years before Europe developed or America was discovered.
REVIEW
Fusion of Two Great Books Apparently the publisher joined two out of print titles, Step Into... Ancient Japan (The Step Into Series) by Fiona Macdonald with Step into the Chinese Empire Chinese Empire (Step Into Series) by Philip Steele to forge this book. I've ordered it and hopefully my information is accurate! The remainder of this review is actually my review for "Step into Ancient Japan" and hence would only apply to the Japan half of the book. I have other books from the Step Into series and they are organized in the same manner.
This book is part of an excellent series of non-fiction books for children on cultures from the past. While the title of this edition states "ancient", the focus seems to be on the period of the bushido and samurai (it does briefly cover the Jomon period). Fiona Macdonald did a great job, as usual.
There is an abundance of beautiful, full-color pictures (mostly photographs, but a few illustrations) of famous art, buildings, and maps on every page. Each two page spread covers a specific topic and is organized with a paragraph or so of text surrounded by the photographs with interesting facts or expanations. It does not appear too cluttered and again, these pictures are almost entirely real examples of the culture, not just illustrations. A descriptive timeline is also included on the preliminary pages. The glossary and index are useful too.
Fifteen do-able activities/crafts/recipes are found throughout the book: samurai helmet, shell game, rice balls, carp streamer, screen painting, homemade paper, Noh mask, votive dolls, ikebana flower arrangement, fan, fox netsuke, origami box, calligraphy, kite, and clay tea bowl.
I also highly recommend Exploration into Japan (Exploration Into) for a more in-depth, yet still interesting history of Japan for kids. If you're looking for more crafts and some info, try Japan (Make it Work! History). Also, The Japanese (Ancient World) has some good information about the culture of Japan as well.
The Mystic Warriors of the Plains offers readers an extraordinarily detailed view of the daily activities of the peoples of the North American plains, including the Sioux, Cheyenne, Pawnee, Nez Perce, Comanche, and many others. Used by Kevin Costner as a resource text for the motion picture Dances with Wolves, this is an extraordinarily in-depth examination of the day-to-day lives of the North American plains Indians, with over one thousand illustrations and thirty-two four-color plates. Covering everything from social customs, personal qualities, and government to types of weaponry, achievement marks, and the training of Indian boys, The Mystic Warriors of the Plains is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Plains Indian lore that will delight and inform everyone interested in understanding the native peoples of the Plains. "Magnificently and accurately ... conveys both the tragic ironies and splendors of the rich plains civilization." —Newsweek "Fascinating detail that gives a better idea of the plains people than mere description can do...."—Navajo Times
REVIEW
Mystic Warriors a technical source, not a story. The Mystic Warriors of the Plains uses a respectful and sensitive--but not fawning--tone that is perfect for anthropological history. It contains a huge quantity of detail about plains culture, with an emphasis on the material culture of the Siouxan peoples. However, the abundance of detail makes this a book that is difficult to read in anything but small doses. Further, the author implicitly treats Native Americans as a thing of the past. Use this book as a reference or browse it at bedtime, but don't try to read straight through it
