A challenging economics overview that may need to be read more than once.
A second-generation economist lays out a highly challenging, seven-step framework for grasping mind-bending economic principles.
Palda (Pareto’s Republic and the New Science of Peace, 2012), who, like his father before him, earned a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago, issues a frank warning in his preface. What follows, he cautions, is not predigested economics-made-easy for dilettantes with a momentary interest in the dismal science; this will be the hard stuff, albeit distilled to offer the possibility of understandability. The reward for readers who persevere, he says, will be a glimmering comprehension of economics, not only as a rapidly evolving science, but as one of the crowning humanities, laden with insights into what holds societies together and what brings them to ruin. It’s distinctly disappointing, then, when the opening chapter, on the weighty subject of substitution, sinks at once into a tedious explanation of how price and budget will determine how many cans of caviar and beans a consumer may buy—which unfortunately elicits the cliché of economist-as-bean-counter. Happily, the book recovers nearly immediately, and the concept gradually emerges in its overarching splendor, ably explicated by the author. He backs up his apprenticeship program with liberal references to a select group of economists, including a few Nobel laureates. He then considers questions of time, chance, space and equilibrium from an economic perspective, which leads to final chapters on game theory and control. That said, the book’s often opaque economics jargon can be overwhelming, and whole pages may go by with average readers catching no more than smidgens of meaning. However, the author surely deserves credit for at least occasionally offering clear glimpses into vast fields of economic thought and for making such material a little less alien to committed readers.
A challenging economics overview that may need to be read more than once.Pub Date: Nov. 23, 2013
ISBN: 978-0987788047
Page Count: 292
Publisher: Cooper Wolfling
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.
A Westerner recalls his journey into China’s interior in the late ’80s.
Schwartz’s 1987 journey into China’s interior balances “a China of the mind against the stirrings of a culture hungry for modernization.” It’s clear from the outset that his trip is no vacation. In addition to partaking in the calming meditative practice of zazen, he documents the political and economic discord of a nation in transition, while also exploring his own psyche on the 10,000-mile unescorted trek. The excursion, pursued with academic vigor, is a culmination of his early fascination with China. His intense studies also provide a reprieve from strained relations with his father and struggles with sexuality. He achieves varying degrees of success with his objectives: spending a night in a Chinese monastery, ascending a Buddhist holy mountain and a pilgrimage to Lhasa, Tibet, all against a backdrop of dao (the way), te (innate power) and wu wei (effortlessness). In his earnest writing, Schwartz describes people who have often lost their connection to history in favor of consumerism. The lamentation is mostly detached as he insightfully recognizes sociological and cultural constructs, such as an escaped pet bird symbolizing flight from oppression. Refreshingly, Schwartz doesn’t sermonize; readers will be presented with frustrating travel minutiae—he fibs to obtain a better train ticket and gets annoyed with temporary travel companions—rather than arcane lessons in philosophy or religion. The detailed descriptions of frustrating ticket purchases help illuminate the difficulty in reaching the ultimate destination, geographically and psychologically, yet some details, such as the items on food menus, aren’t as intriguing. Other times, Schwartz’s account is (perhaps unintentionally) humorous when it diverges into seemingly mundane observations, as with the amusing anecdote of Schwartz helping robed monks sweep while he wears his Tang Dynasty T-shirt. (The monks recognize that they’ve got “a live one.”) The 25-year-old account could have benefitted from comparisons to China today. As it stands, the scant one-page afterword is hardly sufficient for giving this journey a broader perspective. Still, the astute religious survey and portrait of Chinese–Tibetan relations will make the book useful for historians, travelers, natives and cultural explorers.
A discerning historical journey that could use more context.Pub Date: April 25, 2012
ISBN: 978-1470094898
Page Count: 260
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.
A pioneering Latin actor chronicles his life on and off the stage and screen.
Sometimes acting is heart and soul; other times it’s technique. Henry Darrow says he’s given himself over to both, but, perhaps more pointedly, he embraces his roles as work. This “lightning in the bottle” was so dubbed because of his obvious love of labor, as well as his renowned versatility and resilience in the professional and personal realms. His satisfaction in acting derives not only from starring roles, but also from the so-called little parts. The tenacity to “out perfectionist nearly anyone” helped him become the first actor of Puerto Rican heritage to star in a TV series. That gig on “The High Chaparral” was preceded by a 10-year personal climb, an ascension attentively recounted in the first third of the book. The middle section is even more detailed, covering various aspects of the western series that catapulted him to fame. The final third covers his life post-“Chaparral,” including not only his TV roles, but also his role as an activist promoting Latinos in the industry. Darrow and Pippins skillfully intersperse the historical context with thoughtful analyses and often-lighthearted vignettes regarding various gigs and circumstances. Darrow’s contemplation of an Anglo name change, for example, is managed amusingly; however, the deeper subject of ethnic identity is treated with focused consideration. The authors adeptly blend such identity issues with the broader entertainment landscape in which, ironically, Darrow’s career direction was partially the result of the western genre’s decline and a backlash against violent programming. Nonetheless, the biography’s unfolding often reflects Darrow’s penchant for performance. The collection of his quotes can sometimes seem less than remarkable, although a train of thought regarding emotion is particularly inspiring. However, maintaining interest in Darrow’s life after “Chaparral,” including his smaller TV roles, could be a drawback for casual readers.
An entertaining, well-organized account for fans.Pub Date: Feb. 29, 2012
ISBN: 978-1593936884
Page Count: 392
Publisher: BearManor Media
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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