Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
A Self-Published Term Paper, Nothing More, December 2, 2004
This review is from: Eco-Terrorism & Eco-Extremism Against Agriculture (Spiral-bound)
I gave 1 star only because Amazon doesn't let you give zero or, in this case, negative stars.
Save your money. Miller and Miller make a few points and have certainly done their homework to back up those points, but I fail to see where any new information is being revealed, nor do I see any interesting new thoughts or theories on Ag Terrorism.
After reading the author's bio, being a Ph.D. in ag science myself, I was interested to check out the numerous achievements listed in Miller's author bio. I searched ad nauseum for any information I could find on the "hundreds" of courses he has taught and came up with nothing. I found equally as much when searching for any media appearances, editorials, or other contributions. I found he has some scattered experience in middle management positions in various farm bureaus, but nothing to indicate the extreme scope and depth of experience and expertise his bio claims.
My experience was much the same when I looked for any other work he has done to back up the claims made in his author bio related to his law experience and frankly I found very little. What I did find was nothing of significance.
If his education and experience are truly what is stated, he has done a good job of covering up his tracks. It does not reflect in the work nor does anyone in this field seem to know who this author is.
In a nutshell, I believe this self-published term paper would get an "A" in a college course on modern ag issues, but it serves no purpose to anyone who is close to the issues discussed in the book. The author's bio and creditials are inflated and largely unsubstantiated. Look at the price of this "book" - it seems a shameful attempt by the author(s) to make money on a compilation that any college sophomore could put together, and then misrepresenting its value with a misleading bio and questionable (at best) creditials.
May I suggest a worthwhile book on this subject?
"Terrorism, Radicalism and Populism in Agriculture," by Luther Tweeten.
Tweeten is Professor Emeritus of Agriculture Policy and Trade at Ohio State University. This author's credentials are real, the book is well written, published by a reputable publisher and 100 times more valuable at $59 than the ridiculous price on Miller's mediocre drivel.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Well-Written Report on Eco-Terrorism, November 30, 2000
This review is from: Eco-Terrorism & Eco-Extremism Against Agriculture (Spiral-bound)
I purchased this book for research on a term paper I was doing for my Environmental Biology class. Every day, it seems like we read in the papers or see on the news that someone has chained themselves to a tree, or there are people in rubber rafts blocking whaling efforts on the sea, or destroying ski resorts to stop development from encroaching on forests. I wanted to research the subject in depth, and this book is the place to start! This book is written like a master's thesis. It carefully makes its case against ecoextremism and ecoterrorism, and presents facts, figures, and incidents fairly. Several very interesting court cases are explained in this book. EarthFirst! in particular is examined quite closely as being one of the key movers and shakers in the eco-extremist movement. All outside sources cited in this book are carefully footnoted, which is a big help for people like me who need more sources for their bibliography! The authors draw on conservative and liberal publications alike. They discuss how government regulation on the environment has become a nightmare for some public citizens, while other citizens feel that the government has not gone far enough in regulating the environment. Everything is covered, from Julia Hill's living in a tree called Luna, to the Earth Liberation Front's destructive acts at the Vail Ski Resort and at Michigan State's agricultural labs. There are chapters on the forest industry, agriculture, genetically modified foods, government interference in the private sector, almost every area of the environment. Al Gore's book in particular is addressed and de-bunked. There is a WONDERFUL chapter on how the media is manipulated by extremist groups when the media doesn't even begin to understand the subject of the environment. This book is a good place to start on the subject of ecoterrorism. It is a good read and chock-full of top-notch info ready-to-use for research. People in the media, people who work for environmental causes or agencies, and individual environmentalists would do themselves a favor to have this book for ready reference. My only complaint was the binding. It's a spiral notebook sort of setup but the cover page is regular paper. I like the spiral notebook setup since it stays open, but the covers should be heavier stock.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
A Call for Temperance in the Face of Crisis, August 16, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Eco-Terrorism & Eco-Extremism Against Agriculture (Spiral-bound)
This book is generally well-researched, with an extensive and balanced bibliography. It is valuable as an information source for research. While the author makes some excellent points about the ineffectiveness of environmental legislation, his argument against environmental extremism is flawed for this very reason. Extremists and activists are motivated by the very ineffectiveness of the legislation that the author himself points out, and many people who are concerned about our quality of life are often driven to take extreme measures to simply be heard above the din of corporate-controlled politicians and the advertising of over-consumption. The author does not seem to realize that if the natural world was not being destroyed at such an alarming rate, extreme measures would not be needed. Some would say that advocating temperance in a time of extreme crisis would be irresponsible. The British called the American Revolutionaries terrorists, while we remember them as freedom fighters. It's all a matter of perspective.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
|
