Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Subjects: Egypt; Civilization; History / Ancient / General; History / Ancient / Egypt; History / Middle East / Egypt; History / Civilization; Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Middle East; Social Science / Archaeology; ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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hardcover book. handbook series no. 3. third and revised edition. New York 1928 on title page. ... Read more

Product Description
Handbook series no 3. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Product Description
The degradation of the modern American culture, including its 2008 financial and economic crisis, and the modern rejuvenation of Asian cultures are best understood within the context of 4,000 years of human history. Such are the consequences of the dynamics of cultural change, responding to societal variables of wealth, energy, and human values. This work provides a unique and formidable science-based framework for civilization development that complements and enhances the work of preeminent historians and sociologists. Accordingly, the foundation for societal progress is placed on restrictive scientific definitions, principles, and concepts of energy and wealth consumption, rather than solely on behavioral perspectives derived from empirical data and historical events. Society's dynamic forces are linked to the cultural deterioration and collapse of Ancient Greece and Rome, Imperial Spain, and Great Britain. Specific chapters are devoted to stagnation of Western civilization, Asian and Islamic resurgence, deterioration of the American culture, and ecological degradation of North America's largest estuary, the Chesapeake Bay; collateral damage of socio-economic profitability. The characteristics of America's current cultural deterioration parallel those of previous great civilizations. These include abuse of wealth and energy resources; excessive individual and national debt; lack of cultural civility, discipline, integrity, and ethics; unaffordable militarism, escalating income and wealth disparities; unresolved crises in health care and public education; and stultifying cultural complexity and bureaucracy. Themes include the underlying principles responsible for the eventual deterioration of all known civilizations; the basis for the recurring, sequential periodicity of civilization success and failure; and the roles and significance of militarism and religion in civilization growth, decay, and rebirth; Addres ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Social thermodynamic physical chemistry mechanism
Wallace has some good stuff here.I just finished the 25-page preface, and of the 300 or so authors I have read that use thermodynamics to explain human social process, this has to be one of the better presentations.To cite one example, on pg. xxiv, he states that same thermodynamically-controlled mechanistic steps that define the operation of molecular events "are also applicable to the social, economic, and political processes that comprise the organizational and functional systems of developing civilizations."Excellent presentation, thus far ... let's hope the rest of the book continues in this direction?

Solid Scholarship
The author, using scientific methodology reminiscent of Einstein's quest to discover a Unified Field Theory, has compiled an impressive array of evidence to explain the rise and fall of great civilizations.
This book draws on wide-ranging scholarship from the academic disciplines of economics, sociology, anthropology, political science, and history.
Dr. Wallace argues that entropy, associated with the historical effects of mechanistic-thermodynamic forces, invariably shapes the evolutionary direction of notable civilizations and nation-states.
As suggested by the book title, how a nation or civilization utilizes its wealth, power, and energy basically determines its longevity. An unwise use by society of such resources in the form of overreaching militarism, frivolous consumption of its manufactured products, and selfishly individualistic societal pursuits all hasten the downward trajectory of a nation-state or civilization. Admittedly, the foregoing brief summary is an oversimplification of the thermodynamic process and omits the many nuanced variations discussed in detail throughout the narrative, but it nevertheless echoes a central idea behind the title theme.
Dr. Wallace's thorough research leaves few stones unturned. Although the narrative is carefully constructed and logically presented, "Wealth, Energy, and Human Values" is not a work which lends itself to a leisurely read. The complexities of Wallace's subject and some of the conceptual theories he cites require full concentration by the reader. The knowledgeable insights gained, however, are well worth the additional effort demanded.
The author's lengthy chapter dealing with the degradation of American culture and systematic abuse of the nation's founding principles provides a comprehensive overview and incisive analysis of our contemporary times. There is little doubt that readers will come away with a better understanding of the cultural malaise which permeates so many areas of life in the United States, including our seemingly intractable economic crisis.
Dr. Wallace's book is a valuable contribution to academic studies which focus of the fate of great civilizations, both past and present. This volume belongs in college, university, and community libraries as well as on the bookshelves of scholars engaged in related fields of research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

amazing scholar achievement
great book on the nahua civilizations in "Central America". this is a must in understanding our Anahuac (Mexican & Central American)history. get this anyway you can. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Ancient crafsmanship and skill
If you happen upon this page it is probably because you are interested in Pre-Columbian Art. If you can locate this book it is highly recommended for the ancient art enthuisiast. It is an outstanding high quality book made of thickpaper stock with beautiful photographs and illustrations. Both the black and white and color photographs of the art pieces are outstanding. The book discusses the aboriginal American art that existed prior to the onslought of european culture. The person responsible for the text is S.K Lothrop, who has contributed and written many good books on the ancient world of the Americas. The period covered is about 2500 years , from 1000B.C. to 1500 A.D. The looting of America(removing the gold and silverart pieces to be melted ) undoubtedly destroyed some pieces forever but there are plenty in this book to atest to the beauty in craftsmanship. The book does not purport to be a history of art but rather a presentation of one of a kind objects that are now housed in museums and private collections worldwide. One of the interesting aspects of this book is the symilarity between the cultures art that was spread from central Mexico, through Central America and into the northern Andes. The art reflects the diverse cultures that were not poitically aligned of the Aztecs, Mayas and Olmecs of Mexico, to a lesser extent from El Salvador, Panamaand Honduras, the Mochica of Peru,and the site of Tiahuanaco located on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca(go ahead laugh, my students would always do likewise at the mear mention) provide some exceptional examples of the indigenous art without borders. If you are interested in something other than the typicalPre- Columbian objects found, that usually emphasize Mexico, than you will enjoy seeing the art from throughout the Americas. There is a tremendous collection of bird feathered artifacts, pottery, metal, both gold and silver, jade,woodand spectacular weavings of textiles that are rarely seen . This book is oversizedand originally published in 1964 in Switzerland and was released in the United States in 1979. The bindingand printing is from Switzerland and as statedbefore is of outstanding quality. This is agood collectors book for the person who appreciates ancient indigenous art, that shows the exotic and artistic integrity of cultures uninfluenced by European values, than this book will satisfy you for many years to come. ... Read more