Ghetto Schooling: A Political Economy of Urban Education Reform, is an interesting explanation of the case study done by the author, Jean Anyon. Anyon was a part of the attempted educational reform of the Newark, New Jersey schools in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Although most of her personal contact was with the faculty, staff, administration, parents, and children of the Marcy school, she gives the historical background for the Newark schools system starting in 1860. This history ventures all of the way to the present, which includes her personal experience in the reform process. Although the reform process in which she participated in failed, she did learn a great deal and shared a lot of insight about school reform. Her main point was that reform would not happen until the economic and political systems that surround the schools are transformed, neither would the schools be transformed. (Anyon 13) I found this book to be informative and insightful. Through this reading I have a better understanding of the inner city school setting, and how much help is needed there. Unfortunately, as Anyon point out, money is not the answer. The answer is reform on the larger scale. This book helped me to see this. Additionally, because of my current quest to become a teacher this booked helped me to prepare for some of the obstacles I may face. Although I will probably never teach at a school like those in the Newark district, it is very beneficial to my learning process to see the problem that plague the educational community. I am glad this book was part of my college curriculum.

The book, Ghetto Schooling A Political Economy of Urban Educational Reform, written by Jean Anyon, is an informative book concerning the issues surrounding urban education, funding, and racism among many groups. Ghetto School is divided into three sections, with 8 chapters, providing background of the Newark, New Jersey school system and plight of inner-city schools beginning in 1860 and following through to present day. The results of Anyon's research should be a wake up call for all involved in education, from educators to politicians, and parents. In my opinion, the question is now more relevant than ever. Which factors led to the inadequacy of educational opportunities for urban school districts? Anyon defines her research by "describing the social milieu of isolation and poverty, then illustrate how these conditions affect urban schools. (Anyon 3) When looking back, Anyon has shown the implications for the future, central cities now hold only 29% of the nations population and comprise less than 12% of the national electorate (Judd and Swanstrom 1994, Anyon 1997). As mentioned through her research, the majority of the middle class tax base and industry in which supports both the middle class and school system have relocated to the suburbs. Within these events a deeper problem was created; inequalities within the school system of Newark itself. According to the Council of Great City Schools, large city districts (79%) are funded at a lower rate than are suburban schools; nationally advantaged suburban schools spend as much as ten times that spent by urban poor schools. (Anyon 7) With inner cities holding less than one-third of the total population, convincing voters that change is necessary and needed is a daunting task. To change the past, present, and future, reform of the inner city school is needed. According to Anyon, reform of the Newark inner city school districts will not happen until the economic and political systems in which the cities are enmeshed are themselves transformed so they may be more democratic and productive for urban residents. (Anyon 13) I found "Ghetto Schooling" to be a provocative and educational source of historical information. As a teacher, and future administrator, the need for understanding the vast array of social, political and legal mandates truly dictates not only education, but also the city and state in which they reside. Anyon creates a very realistic in description of past events, many of which are still seen today. The material presented not only punctuates, but makes a very colorful statement of the current economic situation facing many states, including Illinois. After reading this text, I have a better appreciation for the sheer complexity of school funding. Illinois uses three very complicated formulas for determining funding of public schools alone. Anyon's explanation of public education is complete, complicated, and enjoyable.

Jean Anyon's book, Ghetto Schooling: A Political Economy of Urban Educational Reform paints a harrowing portrait of the struggles of those who have a role in inner-city schools. It is written in three parts that address the present situation, reflect upon the past, and look to the future, respectively. The book took several years to write due to the level of research involved for the historical content, but the personal account was based on four years of the author's participation in the reform effort in Newark, New Jersey, beginning in 1992. The reform efforts targeted eight schools in the central section of the city. (On a broader note, the historical text of the book points out that the decline of the schools really began in the 1930s.) The book begins by showing the present state of education within the reform district, but then postulates the reasons for this status by looking at the historical foundations of the problems. In the first chapter of part two, Anyon begins the historical breakdown by looking at early situation with educating the children of the many immigrants who came to Newark beginning in the 1860s. Despite early attempts at reform, the seeds had already been planted for the disenfranchisement seen today. The historical context of Anyon's research design shows decade by decade the continual decay of the Newark schools. Reform efforts were suggested, but never truly implemented. After the period of organized crime and municipal scandals had arrived, Anyon notes that:
"Because there was no rescue of the Newark educational system in 1968, it would continue to limp along, and further generations of Newark children-the grandchildren, the grandchildren, the great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren of the southern rural immigrants-would
join their parents in the ranks of the uneducated and the undereducated. Many would therefore be unable to participate in the economic and political institutions of U.S. society" (p. 127).

This generational cycle of poverty and hopelessness is at the heart of Anyon's determination that changes can only be effective if they consider the sociocultural status and economic plight of those involved. I found the accounts in the book to be a revelation to say the least. I think people like myself who are born and raised outside urban areas live in blissful ignorance as to the true state of education for the thousands trapped in a cycle of poverty and despair. I like that Anyon takes such an honest approach to her research, realizing that to be effective she must be disclose everything she witnessed. The only change I would like to see is the statistical information presented in some type of graph form so that it would be easier to read and interpret. Otherwise, I found the book to be an invaluable read as a future educator. In fact, it has made me think beyond the world of education and to ponder my place among the human race and the responsibility I must take for needs of my fellow man and the generations to come.

These two authors write general books on various military themes. The publisher Brassey generally publishes various books on military subjects.
I generally don't like this publisher as their books are too pricey when compared to other similar military books and the authors have done a wishy-washy job on the text, as usual.

Rather than a detailed analysis or encyclopedia of types, this book takes a sweeping look at the meaning and making of military uniforms. Featuring color photos on the making of uniforms as well as historical lithographs, this book is a nice addition of any military history library.

This book not only covers the evolution of uniforms, but the use of uniforms throught history to bring identity to combatants. The use of uniforms as pycological weapons, and the economy of color, why some color uniforms were use in place of others. Conferderate gray for instance. This book is not only worth the price, but worth sharing with others. It will be enlighting to both the armchair historian and the serious millitary acadenic.

Although it appears to contain some good information, one's confidence in its accuracy is underminded by a lot of incorrect information. Some of the statements made are even contradicted by the photographs in the book. A very lengthy section describing the cap badges of the British Army could have been better done with pictures. On the plus side, the colour illustrations were great. On the whole I expected more of this book.

For a easy to read overview of the organization, equipt and uniforms of the British Army of WW1, this book is quite good. It has many interesting photos but the artwork plates are of only average quality. Some interesting indexes in the back. For the price, I was hoping for a bit more. I would buy one of the Osprey WW1 titles first but Bull's book is a good second.

hi im only 16 and im doing a school play and this book helped with all our costumes . that is all i have to say

bye Cartel

I approached this book with great eagerness, and by the time I was finished, I loved some aspects of it and hated others. The writing was excellent, the description well done. Janet Rochester was a sympathetic character. But I hated the Jane Eyre of this book. I can't believe that the warm and loving Jane Eyre, who so warmly embraced Adele (Rochester's possible illegitimate daughter) would have held her own daughter at arm's length for reasons as petty as jealousy or insecurity. This Jane Eyre was so cold it took time on a tropical island to get her to be loving with her daughter-a little far-fetched. I cannot imagine her being anything but totally loving with any children of hers fathered by Rochester. I was also very disturbed by the incestuous overtones of Janet's thoughts about her father. I thought it was inappropriate. The whole Rochester family seemed a tad Freudian to me, not the loving family I envisioned.

The trouble I've found in reading this novel is that I cannot put aside the feeling that no one other than Jane Austen should have the right to continue her own work; putting aside that thought, however, I still find it hard to praise a book which is born of a pen so obviously inferior to that of Austen. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, this weak imitation is not a worthy successor to the original piece. One should not pass off recycled words and ideals as continuing in the Austen tradition. The author's comments on this review board trouble me a great deal,although her personality is irrelevent when we're judging her pen; few objective judge of literature would declare this a good sequal to P&P, and the need to cite someone else's opinion in a short posting so full of stylistic and grammatical errors shows a real insecurity regarding one's own work and total contempt for opposing views and criticisms which I find shameful in a writer. Instead of reading this thin scrap of a book, the reader would benefit much more were he to re-read Austen's rich original.

I waited a long time to get my hands on this book, as the inter libery did not hold a copy. ... I was very disappointed in the story it started out well but I found that it lacked something. The story is mainly about Charlotte Collins and her daughter whom the youngest of the Darcy's son's falls in love with. To me it needed more bite to the story, as it was too short and I felt that more could have been added which would have made the story much more interesting

The subtitle of this novel is "A gentle, Jane Austen-style joke," and it provides an appropriate lens through which to view this charming short novel. The characters -- chiefly the mature Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth Bennet, and Mr. Darcy, as well as Charlotte's daughter Eliza and Elizabeth and Darcy's son Henry -- are nicely imagined and true to Austen. The author touches on how the Austen's characters and their children would respond to the intellectual climate of the early Victorian era, which adds interest to the story. Newark's playful references to characters from other Austen novels may not suit everyone's taste, but will likely amuse others who share her fondness for all of Austen's characters.

The book has some good pics of well-made models. However, the text written largely by the featured modellers themselves have a boring repetitiveness to it all. It would appear that the modelling experience is fairly similar throughout.

Very nice book with examples of works of well known military and historical modellers, mainly 54mm and bigger. It's intresting to read about their techniques, ideas and themselves.

I would describe this book as an "artbook" or picturebook on miniatures. So if you are looking for that, get this book. On the other hand, if you are looking for a book an miniature modelling techniques it's less suited. It only has a small chapter with some basics on it. The masters do mention some intresting ideas between the lines though.

This book is really for the birds. Given the fact that there are now very good specialist books on camouflage schemes and their development, why did the authors of this even bothered to come up with this book?
I can't see this as being of use to serious military historians nor to laypersons as this is a fringe topic.

If your a sadistic freak, who collects nazi artifacts on ebay in his spare time, and reinacts famous battles in your backyard, my guess is you will be disappointed with this book, as it is not a "compehensive refrence" of every piece of camoflage ever worn...ever. To me this book is laid out nice, with photos of camo that are aesthetically pleasing, but not of any historical importance. Don't try to make this book something it's not. I don't even think there is any others like it.

My overall summary:

Good refrence for graphic designers. Bad refrence for armed forces enthusiasts.

If you buy this book as an overview of the history and evolution of camouflage with full examples, you're going to be exceptionally disappointed. If, however, you want a reasonably good survey of current and historical infantry camouflage uniforms, this is a good reference. I've found it to be a useful tool for wargamers...

if you enjoy reading, then re-reading paragraphs and then entire books, by all mean buy this. At times the author is quite insightful, though mostly seems to be voicing (in language no longer used) an external opinion on what the graphic design world is about. I wish I had done more research about this book and it's author before shelling out for it.

This book sucks!! This person could not have been a REAL cop. He is a legend in his own mind. This book is 95% fiction. Who is he kidding. No wonder the Newark Police Department Fired him! It basically reads like a very poorly written police run-on report. SAVE YOUR MONEY AND TIME WITH THIS NONSENSE. Steve Y.