The narrative explores the author's poignant return to his hometown of Coos Bay, Oregon, revealing the stark transformation from a thriving lumber port to an economic disaster due to corporate greed. Through a blend of personal memories and historical context, the book addresses critical issues of globalization and its impact on local communities. Al Sandine passionately advocates for a better future, offering insights that resonate on regional, national, and global levels, making it a compelling read for those concerned about the consequences of economic changes.
The history of the United States has been largely shaped, forbetter or for worse, by the actions of large groups of people. Rioters on a village green, shoppers lurching about a labyrinthine mall, slaves packed into the dark hold of a ship, strikers assemblingoutside the factory gates, all have their place in the rich and sometimes tragic history of the American crowd. This unique study traces that history from the days of anti-colonial revolt to today’s passive, "colonized crowds" that fill our sports arenas, commercial centers, and workplaces. In clear and lively prose, Al Sandine argues for the progressive role crowds have played in securing greater democracy, civil rights, and free speech. But he also investigates crowds in their more dangerous forms, such as lynch mobs and anti-immigrant riots.The Taming of the American Crowd explains how the crowd as an active subject of change—often positive, sometimes not—has been replaced by the passive crowd as object of control and regulation.Today, the imperatives of mass society organize people in large numbers to consume goods and conform to permissiblebehavioral patterns; not to openly contest power. But, with the world entering a new period of economic uncertainty and mass protests erupting across the globe, it is time to reversethat trend. This book shows us the history of the untamed crowd and urges us to reclaim its legacy.
What Cortes Brought to Mexico and How It Destroyed the Aztec Civilization
254 stránok
9 hodin čítania
Set in 1519, the narrative follows Hernan Cortes and his band of Europeans as they journey from Cuba to the Mexican mainland, confronting the Aztec Empire. Driven by ambitions of conquest and wealth, these adventurers viewed themselves as crusaders in a noble cause. Their quest for gold and power was facilitated by advanced weaponry, native disunity, and devastating Old World diseases, which ultimately led to their triumph over the indigenous population. The story explores themes of heroism, greed, and cultural clash.
