Ethics & Other Liabilities: Trying to Live Right in an Amoral World [Paperback]

Harry Stein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 1983

For two years in the pages of Esquire magazine, with no more professional qualifications than a decent consience, Harry Stein examined the battle between right and wrong in the most intimate terms. Now collected in book form, Stein's provocative essays eloquently address many of the real, if unspoken, issues of everyday life, providing warm, personal insights that offer a rich reward beyond good and evil.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Harry Stein has been published widely in the U.S. in many national publications, including a monthly column on ethics in Esquire and a weekly feature for TV Guide. His books include three works of nonfiction and two novels, The Magic Bullet and Hoopla. He lives in New York.

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (May 15, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312265441
• ISBN-13: 978-0312265441
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,008,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How are YOU holding up?, November 6, 2000

By 

Bret Hern (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ethics & Other Liabilities: Trying to Live Right in an Amoral World (Paperback)

Some 15-20 years after being written, many of these essays hold up quite well, but I think it would be interesting to get Mr. Stein's update on them. (Perhaps that was the original pitch for _How I Accidentally Joined the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy_.)

Regardless of where you sit on the social/cultural/political spectrum, there are fundamental issues of character that ultimately must be held dear. Rather than use these issues as a bully pulpit for his own agenda, Mr. Stein writes about them with care, insight, and wit, and in so doing, gives us another fundamental issue about which we can agree: Harry Stein is a fine writer.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining and thoughtful collection of essays, June 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Ethics & Other Liabilities: Trying to Live Right in an Amoral World (Paperback)

As the title imples, Harry Stein looks at a number of life's situations where doing the right thing isn't always the easy thing (or the obvious thing, for that matter.) Originally published as a series of essays in Esquire magazine, this book is an entertaining and thoughtful read.

3 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Pretentious and Unrewarding, August 13, 2003

By 

Harkius "harkius" (Laramie, WY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Ethics & Other Liabilities: Trying to Live Right in an Amoral World (Paperback)

In the book the author himself makes the acknowledgement that he is self-righteous. This, at least, is true and useful. There are some very positive aspects of the book. For example, "A convincing case can be made that the entire free enterprise system is based on envy." Such is one nugget of wisdom from the book. However, a majority of it never rises to that level.

Instead, we are forced to listen to Harry Stein begrudge his friends and enemies and himself the natural human inclinations that we all experience. In addition, he spends a good deal of time trumpeting his own horn about how he doesn't experience those feelings that we all do. It is obnoxious at best and unbearable at worst. Part of the obnoxiousness of it, really, is the knowledge that he is frequently right. Jealousy and revenge are low and should be avoided. But, his crowing about how he does that already is pointless and irritating.

The book suffers from those problems and more. It never really has the inspired knowledge that the back or other reviewers claim. I am truly doubtful that it will change your life. I don't think that anyone reading this book will really change the world. In the end, it is merely an annoyance and doesn't serve any real end.

I would be upset that I had this book if I had purchased it. I would be grateful that I had it if I borrowed it. However, it was given to me by a stranger for free, so I am going to return the favor. I will give it to a stranger and cross my fingers. Maybe (I personally doubt it) it will fall into the hands of someone who will find it useful. Don't buy it, don't read it. Mostly, don't bother.
Harkius