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From the vantage point of the United States or Western Europe, the 1970s was a time of troubles: economic "stagflation," political scandal, and global turmoil. Yet from an international perspective it was a seminal decade, one that brought the reintegration of the world after the great divisions of the mid-twentieth century. It was the 1970s that introduced the world to the phenomenon of "globalization," as networks of interdependence bound peoples and societies in new and original ways.

The 1970s saw the breakdown of the postwar economic order and the advent of floating currencies and free capital movements. Non-state actors rose to prominence while the authority of the superpowers diminished. Transnational issues such as environmental protection, population control, and human rights attracted unprecedented attention. The decade transformed international politics, ending the era of bipolarity and launching two great revolutions that would have repercussions in the twenty-first century: the Iranian theocratic revolution and the Chinese market revolution.

The Shock of the Global examines the large-scale structural upheaval of the 1970s by transcending the standard frameworks of national borders and superpower relations. It reveals for the first time an international system in the throes of enduring transformations.

Customer Reviews (1)

They Don't Make Decades Like This Anymore
The 70s. An era sandwiched between the chaotic hedonism of the 60s and the finanical hedonism of the 80s. A 10 year span that began with the Kent State police-state murders and had the BeeGees, Watergate, Pol Pot, Ayatollah Khomeini, Obi Wan Kenobi and Jonestown sprinkled in before the drama-filled year of 1979 ( year, in fact, that merits its own book.) This collection of essays has, like all such books, some good and some not so hot entries. I generally found the economic ones a snoozefest (though the revelation that securitized mortgages started in 1970 was interesting) but the best ones concerned global politics, interdependence and security issues. The eradication of smallpox, a triumph of both medicine and Cold war superpower cooperation, is heralded as an example of the harmonization of human interest, though the author notes this was an under-the-radar low budget program that no one bothered to politicize. Sexual, feminist and decolonization liberation movements are discussed as being the natural successors of the 1960s cultural revolutions, and even rock music's groupie followings are discussed in this context. Overall, for any contemporary history buff,a must read. You may not agree with all of the essayists (the obvious apologist for Kissinger ignored so many of his evil legacies I almost thought he was referring to some alternate universe bizarro Kissinger), but hey, that's what historians are for, controversies, thought provocation and debate. ... Read more

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The Jox/Trapp Murder Mystery, a unique combination of comedy, mystery, and action — with a touch of romance — will keep you entertained from beginning to end, but don’t expect to learn anything.Private Detective Trapp, a brilliant investigator in his own mind, sets out to discover the true story behind the murder of Nolan Voyd, an accountant and friend of Mr. Jox. Detective Trapp and his assistant, Jefferson, are both likeable, yet ridiculously naive.They stumble across clues, which the two inevitably misinterpret, leading to a most outrageous adventure.Complicating the case further, Trapp finds that he can’t help falling in love with the main suspect, Stephanie, whose actions are cloudy, mysterious, and inexplicable, like most women. Through a series of climactic events, the story builds suspense and offers clues that are nearly impossible to decipher…but if you must try, get ready and hold on tight for a wild ride. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

LOL Funny
Not since Inspector Clouseau have there been two more inept--and funny--detectives. If you love over the top, no holds barred comedy, you need to read this book. ... Read more

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The 18th century was a wealth of knowledge, exploration and rapidly growing technology and expanding record-keeping made possible by advances in the printing press. In its determination to preserve the century of revolution, Gale initiated a revolution of its own: digitization of epic proportions to preserve these invaluable works in the largest archive of its kind. Now for the first time these high-quality digital copies of original 18th century manuscripts are available in print, making them highly accessible to libraries, undergraduate students, and independent scholars.
This collection reveals the history of English common law and Empire law in a vastly changing world of British expansion. Dominating the legal field is the Commentaries of the Law of England by Sir William Blackstone, which first appeared in 1765. Reference works such as almanacs and catalogues continue to educate us by revealing the day-to-day workings of society.
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The below data was compiled from various identification fields in the bibliographic record of this title. This data is provided as an additional tool in helping to insure edition identification:
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Bodleian Library (Oxford)

T219900

Dated at head of the drop-head title: July 27. 1761.

[Edinburgh, 1761]. 30p. ; 4° ... Read more

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Publisher: G.W. Dillingham CompanyPublication date: 1914Subjects: Biography ... Read more

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This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature. ... Read more

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3,000 total ASE Test questions in one simulation software. Updated for 2010 Includes Comprehensive (A1) Engine Repair, (A2) Automatic Transmission, (A3) Manual Drivetrain, (A4) Steering & Suspension, (A5) Brakes, (A6) Electronic/Electrical Systems, (A7) Heating & A/C, (A8) Engine Performance review questions.Software uses a Time Limit of 90 minutes per exam. Features include a per exam timer and per question timer with on/off functions. Software displays 50 questions per exam. User Option to Display the answers after each question or all answers at the end of each exam. Optional Mark for Review Feature. (skip it) and the question will display again at the end of the exam. Option to randomize the questions so they display differently each time you start an exam. Results Review, when you have completed the exam your percentage score will be calculated based on the official Automotive Service Excellence scoring system, displays pass or fail, just like on exam day. ... Read more

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Acknowledged to be the best authority available on rail travel in Europe and Great Britain, the newest editions of these bestselling annual guide offer the most comprehensive revisions ever, including thorough updates on all fares and schedules, information on tours and attractions, daytrips, connection via the Chunnel, and more. 32 photos. 24 maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A useful book on rail travel in Britain
Britain by Britrail 1999 seems to me to be a welcome addition to the field of travel books.

As we all know, the train has all but disappeared from the travel scene in the USA;in the United Kingdom, however, the train isalive and well.In using this book, you come away with the impression thatnot only is the train a viable alternative to other forms of intra-Britain travel, but it the preferred way to go in most instances.

Following anintroductory chapter giving lots of valuable information on train travel inBritain, the rest of thebook is divided into chapters by country by "basecity".For each base city reachable by nonstop flights from the USA, thebook provides some very useful information about the airport of arrival,including the location and hours of things like the banks or foreignexchange counters, baggage storage facilities, and most importantly, thedifferent means of transportation between the airport and the center oftown (time, cost, etc.)In point of fact, the entire cost of the book canwell be amortised by using public transit, rail link, or shuttle servicerather than taxis.

The heart of the book is found in the sections aboutrail travel, and the rail stations which the tourist is likely to use.Ifone is the type of traveler who needs very precise and specific directionsto find things, this book does it all for you.Detailed information foreach station is provided, including the location of the tourist office (ifthere is one), the currency exchange facilities, the location of baggagelockers and/or baggage check room, where to have one's Britrail passvalidated, etc.

Furthermore, the author suggests, for each base city, abrief description of the major places to be visited, as well as a certainnumber of one-day sidetrips to points of interest easily reachable by trainfrom the base city.

Finally, the book provides train schedules fortrains between different base cities.While these are, of course, subjectto change over time, they do provide useful informationfor the traveler,in particular the length of any given trip (in hours and minutes).

Auseful book for anyone planning atrip to Britain.

Got to big and too heavy.
I truly enjoyed and constantly used the 16th edition, 1996-97.I used it constantly, and it never let me down.The discriptions of areas to see were lucid and enjoyable.Never missed a train, and only bought the neweredition in case the time tables had changed.Now I shall have to comparetime tables, and if the same, or almost the same, I shall take the oldtried and true edition back to Britain with me.This newer edition wouldgive me a hernia if I have to carry it about with me. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management, published by The National Underwriter Company on September 2, 1991. The length of the article is 844 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: State legislators once again shift position on McCarran. (McCarran-Ferguson Act)
Author: Matthew Schwartz
Publication: National Underwriter Property & Casualty-Risk & Benefits Management (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 2, 1991
Publisher: The National Underwriter Company
Issue: n35Page: p2(2)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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This research documents the effectiveness of free chlorine for the control of nitrifying bacteria, evaluates the effect of pipe materials on nitrifying bacteria, and determines how DPBs change as a result of the switch to free chlorine. ... Read more

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A blessed king who strives for peace and justice; the round table where only the most gallant knights may sit; the dramatic quest for the Holy Grail; a fateful romance that destroys a dream: the epic story of King Arthur never fails to stir the imaginations of readers everywhere. This outstanding illustrated version adds to Sir Thomas Malory's skillful recounting with original artwork that creates a unique vision of Camelot. Some of these breathtaking, elaborate watercolors and pens-and-inks have hung in museums, including the depiction of the Tintagel Castle, the Sword in the Stone, Merlin and Nimue, and Guenevere rescued from the stake. With remarkable accuracy, Anna-Marie Ferguson captures every nuance of the historical period-the knights' shining armor, the intricate architecture, and the English forests with their abundant flora and fauna. Yet she also revels in the fantasy, with mysterious and magical landscapes, misty and moonlit. These legends have always been a treat for the mind-and now they are a feast for the eyes, too. The legends of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table have inspired some of the greatest works of literature--from Cervantes's Don Quixote to Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Although many versions exist, Malory's stands as the classic rendition. Malory wrote the book while in Newgate Prison during the last three years of his life; it was published some fourteen years later, in 1485, by William Caxton. The tales, steeped in the magic of Merlin, the powerful cords of the chivalric code, and the age-old dramas of love and death, resound across the centuries. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (8)

An epic disappointment
Having enjoyed Arthurian legend in modern retelling, I thought it behove me to go back to an early source. If you are expecting a rousing good story in the style of Mists of Avalon, or Mary Stewarts quartet, or even the Once and future king/The sword in the Stone, you will be quite let down. If you want bare, basic recitation of events (mostly repeating in pattern) then the book is what to expect.

What a disappointment. Vast tracts of the story are just about Sir, X,Y or Z encountering Sir A, B, C in some forest, jousting like boars, either killing one, or coming to a gentleman's agreement that the loser go to King Arthur's court. Incredibly tedious, no character generation, England seems spottedby bored knights just looking for a joust with convenient castles just dotted about.
At the least the beginnign about Arthur was intriguing, thought the Roman Emperor stuff stretches credibility even in fiction.
The book shows us that medieval chivlary was not as portrayed in modern retellings. Knights such as Tristram sleep around, get into love triangles etc. Horses are killed deliberately in battle, the only form of entertainment seems to be jousting, and few deeds seem to be of intrinsic good worth, in the modern sense.Even Tristram, a so called great love story, falls into the formulaic element I describe above. Everynight seems for theduration of his moment in the book to be passing good, and be the best in the world. Tristram kills a hundred knights in one day by hand, again not credible and not even written with any sense of epic. His love story with Isould does not capture the reader, I simply don't care about him or Isould.

There is nothing like a modern novel ( perhaps to be expected as this is touted as the first thing approaching a modern novel ), no character generation, no motivation etc.
I remember Monty Python's spoof of this, a bunch of crazy English actors (but well educated) prancing around jousting and carousing. They meant the movie as a spoof, but were not too far from the book in many respects.

What a shame!

A Good Read...
Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur is the culmination of twenty one smaller books written by Malory while incarcerated during the late fifteenth century.Little else in known about Malory himself, however, this romance of Old England draws its material from accounts and legends of chivalrous English Kings, and today inspires and entertains creative minds of all backgrounds.Legend has it that the adult King Arthur is based on a Roman General who claimed lordship over the Anglicans after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire.Verifiable facts regarding the historical origins of King Arthur and his knights, if there are any, are very scarce.For this reason, as well as speculation regarding how much of Malory's work is factually based, it is near impossible to discern fact from fiction in Arthurian Legend.This same conundrum holds true for other anonymous or unknown Arthurian authors as well.
As the title implies, Le Morte D'Arthur describes in great detail the life and death of King Arthur of Camelot; it also gives an account of the lives and intertwining relationships of King Arthur's knights, lords, women, and other members of his court.Themes central in Le Morte D'Arthur are chivalry, honor, loyalty to one's King, Country and God (in that order), as well as what the aforementioned traits are not.In his work, Malory provides a plethora of examples to illustrate these themes.
At the time it was penned, there were several kings in Briton.In the eighth book, it is clear that loyalty in Arthurian times was paramount.Queen Elizabeth of Liones, upon dying to bear her lord's son inquires of her lord (the king)'s well-being.She is more concerned with her king's life than her own.Elizabeth was more than a wife and queen, she was also her king's humble servant.In the first chapter, Tristram's father, King Meliodas, is hunting when he comes under the spell of a `lady [not his wife the Queen] [...] and he was taken prisioner (238).'As time persisted, his wife `waxed great with child [...](238)' and missed her lord.Taking a gentlewoman (midwife) with her, she races into the forest to find her lord.Queen Elizabeth did not make it far into the woods before going into labor:

When ye see my lord [,] [...] recommend me unto him, and tell him what pains I endure here for his love [,] [...] and that I am full sorry to depart out of this world from him [.] (239)

Even in the face of death, and uncertainty for the life of the child, Queen Elizabeth was primarily concerned with the wellbeing of her king.
In all of circumstances, the noblest of persons in Le Morte D'Arthurare always loyal to their kings.
Books XV-XVII, Pp. 205-270 in the second volume, hold the conclusion of King Arthur's quest for the Sangreal, or The Holy Grail.After being commissioned by God, King Arthur summons his most elite, loyal knights to aid in his quest.What unfolds in those three books could be called the greatest story of chivalrous bravery in Romantic Literature.Knowing full well that only the purest, chaste of all the knights could find the Sangreal and bring it home to Camelot, the knights waged tremendous battles, searched tirelessly, some even died, to uphold their holy covenant with their king, their God, and their holy quest.
At the time Malory was writing Le Morte D'Arthur, he had to imagine that only the most wealthy would be reading his work, for the simple fact that they were the only people who could afford to learn to read.This edition targets a more mature, educated audience, judging by the subject matter, language, and tone of the work.
From this is sprung an illustration of the differences between one hundred years of style and editing.At some point in one's life, I recommend reading Le Morte D'Arthur.It would be best if the reader is a little older, a little wiser, when the book is read.A targeted, more educated audience would better appreciate the plot complexities and historical/religious/contemporary themes of the work.As with any literary work, it is best to always acquire the most recent edition in order to read a more modern translation.



-Ben Taylor

The once and future king...
Sir Thomas Mallory was a great one to write the adventures of King Arthur and his knights - a knight himself, he led a life of intrigue and adventure, albeit not one that always lived up to the ideas of chivalry he penned at the heart of the Arthurian legends. Mallory did not invent Arthur; he is one of the principle medieval chroniclers, having time (he was in prison with nothing else to do, after all) to set down in prose stories he'd heard throughout his life. These were popular tales, not always told in the same way with the same details, as is true of most oral legends and transmitted stories, much to the later frustration of scholars and readers. The earliest printing of Mallory's stories had his authorship suppressed by Caxton, one of the better-known publishers of the time.

The earliest Arthurian legends date back as far as the late Roman times in Britain. Controversies abound, but many have settled on a late Roman or Romano-British general named Arturius - however, given the linguistic nature of the name (it is derivative of ruler or leader), it is impossible to know if this was in fact a name or a title, and the legends may be compilations of the acts of many leaders bearing the name. There was also a Welsh leader with the name/title Arddu, 'Dark One', who is sometimes conflated into Arthurian legend. Arthur was celebrated in the pre-Norman times for the order and stability he represented; Arthur was celebrated in post-Norman times for his campaigns against Saxons. Arthur continues to be an intriguing character, today reminiscent of ancient mysteries as well as pagan and new age ideas as well.

In any event, Mallory doesn't attach specific dates to his tales. The book actually consists of many tales. The first is entitled 'The Tale of King Arthur', which introduces the figures of Merlin, Gawain, Uwayne, Pellinore, Morgan le Fay (the Celtic war goddess Morgana, dressed up as Arthur's sister) and others, and includes the sword-in-the-stone event. While this text has been modernised by Keith Baines, there are certain crucial lines left in Mallory's English, including this most famous one:

Whoso pulleth oute this swerd of this stone and anvyld is rightwys kynge borne of all Brytaygne

Following this tale, Mallory includes many of the famous tales in Arthurian legend as stories more or less complete in themselves, but still linking to the other tales. 'The Tale of Sir Lancelot du Lake' is a knight's tale indeed, with no fewer than twenty horseback duels back-to-back. 'The Tale of Sir Gareth' is a similar spirited tale, less well known. 'The Book of Sir Tristram of Lyoness' makes Tristram and Iseult, famous by other writers as well, into lovers, this time with a more happy ending than usual. The lesser known 'Tale of Arthur and Lucius' describes battles and skirmishes with the emperor, but never really captured popular imagination.

Mallory saves the best for last, with three major tales - 'The Tale of the Sangreal', the Holy Grail; 'The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere'; and finally, 'Le Morte D'Arthur'. The tale of the Holy Grail continues into the present day in various fashions; here is contains strange glosses of the Old and New Testaments, as well as a good number of miracles, as one would expect from the Grail. The last tale, the death of Arthur, is probably the most famous, and the best written.

Even though an English knight, the courtly fashion was after a French design for many centuries after the Norman conquest, and this French influence in notable in the stories, from their titles to their plots and characterisations, including the places Mallory uses.

This edition is illustrated beautifully by Anna-Marie Ferguson who studied art at Southampton College, and is known for similar graphic representations in collections of fairy tales, a literary form not dissimilar to the Aruthurian saga.John Matthews has provided a good edition of the text of Mallory, complete and unabridged here.

Arthur lives on into the modern world and beyond.

A beautiful book!
The core story of Arthur: how he defeated the Saxons and saved the Britons is completely absent in this late Medieval canonical version of the Arthur story.What we have is an English re-telling of the tales the French told about him, ultimately going back to Welsh sources.Arthur is clearly portrayed as English in this re-telling, and has all the apparatus of a 15th Century monarch, such as Parliament, tournaments etc.In a sense, this book summarizes the whole cultural experience of the Middle Ages!This particular edition of the book is absolutely beautiful!It has nice, large print and is decorated brilliantly throughout with paintings of the legends with a lovely Medieval-Celtic-mysterious theme.
The main storytelling strategy employed is that of the unexpected: there are always knights, ladies, giants, wizards, sorceresses and strange beasts popping up, requiring the knights to take some kind of action.
The stories can get quite crude at times, both sexually and otherwise (the parts involving giants and maidens is quite disturbing actually!), and we have to throw out our traditionally held ideas of what knighthood is all about in order to appreciate what is really at work here.'Gentle maidens' are not 'gentle' in the modern sense, but rather 'powerful/upper-class' and seem to have a penchant for slaying their enemies and causing just as much damage as the knights do: HARDLY the sterotype we are accustomed to regarding ladies in the time of 'knights in shining armour'.The 'sword' fights tend to end up with a grappling match on the ground where one knight finally removes the other's helmet and beheads him with a knife.This is raw and ready stuff, and it will show you to what degree children's books in our culture have led to a popular gross misunderstanding of the original tales.
The author, Malory, whoever exactly he was (and he CERTAINLY was NOT a criminal) must have thought of Arthur as an English hero deserving an English edition recounting his deeds.Researchers say that he stuck to re-telling the plot of the French stories, as if he thought he were getting at the 'truth behind the legend' to tell the 'true' story of Arthur.He seems to have had first hand experience in battle, as the fighting in the book is very realistic and he seems particularly interested in telling us about the thousands of fights in detail.A major part of the story is how Arthur conquers Rome: something that none of us would ever believe was there unless we had seen it written in the book!Merlin, believe it or not, dies (well, not exactly dies, but is out of the story anyways) near the very beginning of the book!Arthur has sex with anyone's wife he wants to!There are so many things in this book that you won't believe could ever have been written in this, THE tome of Chivalry!The Middle Ages is always in style, and it is always incredibly popular.This is the kind of book you can enjoy many times, and it is moreover REAL Medieval fantasy stuff, not the pulp-fiction-fantasy stuff so common at every bookstore.Read this book written by a real knight about 'real' knights!The spirit of the Middle Ages is one we can all enjoy and benefit from in our much more complex modern lives.

A classic epic to be cherished forever
Knights...wizards...fair ladies...castles...magic.
We've all grown up with it and we've always loved such tales. The Arthur Legend will always be among my favourites and one of the most popular and familiar stories ever. Sir Thomas Malory tells this fantastic legend from beginning to end in beautiful language. Le Morte D'Arthur is everything-- action, adventure, romance, fantasy, drama...and it's full of good old-fashioned lessons and morals. It's a beautiful reminder of forgotten ways, countries, people and events that are brought to life in our imaginations. I certainly would recommend this book to anyone who loves classic legends, exciting characters and epic wars and love stories. Also to anyone who is very patient. It can take a long time to get through 896 pages. ... Read more