Abstract This paper reviews "Struggle and Survival in the Modern Middle East," a collection of biographies of twenty-four Middle Eastern men and women, edited by Edmund Burket. The author of this paper asserts that the sheer number and variety of these biographies undermines current stereotypes about the Arab mindset and challenges elite-centered accounts of how the Middle East has changed in modern times. The paper explains that the book is organized chronologically, tracing the history of the Middle East through the biographies. The paper provides a synopsis of several of these biographies and looks for commonalities, even among the diversity of stories.
From the Paper "Hibgo, an American truck driver, lived his life in Middle East and ended in United States. He started his challenging job of truck driving in iran by developing his own grop of drivers. The challenging nature of the truck driving profession in Iran during this formative period necessitated a truck driver's involvement in a guild. The guild served a variety of crucial needs through a network of shared information and credit based on mutual trust. In the 1930s Hagob became part of a guild consisting of Armenian and Assyrian members, who maintained their ties for decades. He and the others proudly wore their guild's insignia, a jeweler's handcrafted replica of the front portion of a transport vehicle."
Tags: Arab, Islam, anthology, essays, social, biography, Iran, muslim, christian
Abstract Jazz is the dynamic tension between the expected and the improvised. Miles Davis was brought up torn between his well-to-do white-emulating upbringing and his black heritage. Davis not only bridged this gap but helped create entire new musical vocabularies throughout his long and varied career as a jazz trumpeter. This report shows his evolution and his continuing influence on other musicians, as described in his biography, "Miles Davis: A Biography," written by Ian Carr.
Paper Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Childhood
Further Development
Evolution, Addiction, & Resurrection
His Influence on Music Today
Concluding Remarks
References
From the Paper "He worked with and was a catalyst for Tony Williams, Jack DeJohnette, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and countless others(p234). Many times in his career it had been declared that he already "peaked" and was a remnant of the 50's, of bebop, of cool jazz, of fusion jazz. But he never let himself grow complacent and become an icon of the past. By not producing unless he had something new to say, he was able to continually stay relevant, and re-invent himself every few years (p183). "
Abstract This paper reports on "Paul Robeson: A Biography" by Martin Bauml Duberman, which tells about the man who made a name as one of the most famous black singers and actors of the twentieth century. He achieved his success at a time when racism and discrimination were prevalent and he fought against these ills and became an activist on these and similar issues. He further ran afoul of the political forces of the time because of his communist leanings and this reduced his ability to work in his later years. The paper explains that, in this book, Duberman provides a detailed account of Robeson's life, an in-depth biography that covers Robeson's life and work, including material from his letters and other writings as well as interviews, newspaper and magazine articles, and so on.
Abstract This paper is a brief biography of Herbert Hoover's life, and offers highlights of his beliefs on what it means to be an American.
From the Paper "Herbert Hoover is one of the least appreciated or understood of our presidents. A few months after he became president, the worst economic downturn in United States history disrupted the lives of nearly every American. Droves of people were unemployed, and masses of displaced families roamed the countryside looking for work and wishing for simpler times. Being the most prominent elected official, Hoover was blamed for the calamity and he took responsibility for it enacting different programs and initiatives to help Americans through the trying time (Smith 112). Although his heart was in the right place, and his motives and purpose pure, Hoover's philosophy of rugged individualism was an ill-suited theory to fit the turmoil of his time. While he came from humble beginnings and was forced to adapt to the world around him at an early age, his stubborn refusal to allow government to intervene in an economic crisis became his political suicide."
Abstract This paper is a biography of Edgar Allan Poe along with a literary analysis of his poem "Ulalume: A Ballad". This essay includes an extensive biographical sketch of Poe to perhaps aid the reader to better understand his works. In addition, the author examines Poe's use of rhyme scheme, meter, and repetition, and overall interpretation of Poe's intended meaning.
From the Paper "The poet and critic, Edgar Allan Poe is considered one of the greatest American authors to have ever written throughout literary history. He composed many short stories and poems from the late 1820's to his death in 1849. Because of the believed complex nature of his psyche, it is vital that the reader know Poe's background and influences in order to analyze his poetry properly."
Abstract This essay is a detailed biography of the American novelist, Bernard Malamud. It describes some of his most famous works and the themes behind them. The essay speaks about Malamud's hard childhood and upbringing in Brooklyn, New York. It describes his family and how they are portrayed in his novels.
From the Paper "Bernard Malamud was an American novelist and short-story writer. Born to poor parents in Brooklyn, New York he was educated at the City College of New York and the infamous Columbia University. Making something of himself, from 1961 he taught at the Bennington College. A Jew, Malamud has touched upon them in every novel and short story in great detail. Although his first novel, The Natural released in 1952 is a fantasy about a star baseball player, most of Malamud's writing as in his second novel, The Assistant written in 1957 is concerned with Jewish themes and reflects the sad, impoverished Brooklyn scenes of his childhood. The Fixer (1966), for which Malamud received a Pulitzer Prize, is a poignant novel (based on a true story) of the suffering of a Russian Jewish workman sentenced unjustly to prison. "
Tags: Bernard, Malamud, America, novelist, Jew, Brooklyn, NY
Abstract This paper analyzes the book "Absolut : Biography of a Bottle" by Carl Hamilton and discusses the story of how Absolut Vodka emerged as an unknown product and with a unique marketing strategy managed to conquer the United States market.
From the Paper "The first step in the story is the proposal Gunnar Broman, head of Sweden's top advertising agency, made to New York executives in 1978. At this time the belief was that all good vodka came from Russia. In reality, vodka had been being produced in Sweden for centuries, but the cultural belief in America was that vodka came from Russia."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed personal biography of Salinger, his youth, growth as a writer and religion. It also shows a critical evaluation and analysis of most works (Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Bananafish, more...) Elements of style are thoroughly examined and a review of other critical analyses are presented.
From the Paper ""Jesus, he has a helluva talent." The esteemed Ernest Hemingway has found one of the few ways accurately to describe J.D. Salinger. Truly one of America's most amazing authors, J.D. Salinger has rocked the modern world in a field where words of praise are scarce and criticisms are abundant. Inciting the adolescent populace with passion, Salinger calls attention to particulars in our society and questions the ethicality of people. ...
Abstract This biography includes details of childhood, family life, professional life, personal life and drug addictions, successes and failures, criticisms, and connections between his personal life and his works, namely how his characters were inspired by his family members. Also included are quotes from Williams himself.
From the Paper "Some authors, throughout their lifetimes, continue to produce good novels and publications until their death. Tennessee Williams, however, wrote a few good plays, including The Glass Menagerie and A Streetcar Named Desire. After 1962, Williams wrote very little that earned him money or respect. Although critics were nearly unanimous in later years with negative criticism, Williams was still considered to be a great American writer. His career could be justified by analyzing his family background and the "emotional currents" in his life, as well as the events in his life that led to such unsuccessful writing ("Williams, Tennessee" DISCovering Biography)."
Abstract This paper discusses "George Washington: A Biography" by John R. Alden, in which he not only focuses on Washington's success as an outstanding general, but also tries to show his readers Washington's personality, his nationalist character, lifestyle and experiences. The paper shows how, in his book, Alden gives his readers a variety of perspectives of the American Revolutionary War and how the victory related to Washington and his way of managing his troops.
From the Paper "Alden thinks that Washington had grown enormously in stature during the Revolutionary War. He calls Washington "a man of unquestioned integrity" and a man who quickly learned to trust his own judgement. Alden also gives and example of the relationship between the Congress and Washington himself by indicating that Washington sometimes railed at Congress for its failure to supply troops and for the bungling fiscal measures that furstrated his efforts to secure adequate material. At the same time, though, Alden describes that Washington's relations with Congress and with the state governments "exemplary" during the Revolutionary War, which was strongly related to his ability to deal with the civil authority."
Abstract The writer of this paper explores the journey of the main character in Joseph M. Marshall's biography "The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota Story" as one of immense conflict and personal change. This paper compares the main character of Crazy Horse to Jesus Christ. The paper discusses how Jesus was betrayed by those who were close to him just as Crazy Horse was.
From the Paper "The final scene shows Crazy Horse putting up one last fight against those who have been out to get him for so long. They are trying one last time to get him to surrender himself, but he refuses. Surrendering to the white men would be a rejection of all the morals that he upheld throughout his life. This would mean that he would not die as a hero but as an anti-hero. He would be giving up all that he stood for and would forsake those who followed him."
Tags: jesus, christ, book, review, biography, literature
Abstract This paper presents a critique of Kenneth Bilby's "The General: David Sarnoff and the Rise of the Communications Industry," a biography of one of the most important figures in mass communications, the man who headed RCA during its formative years and whose life mirrored the development of the industry. The paper finds the book well-researched, sometimes overwritten, respectful but not fawning, and important in acknowledging the historical importance of its central figure.
Tags: Sarnoff, RCA, communications industry, mass communications
Abstract This paper presents a biography of Canadian actress Kate Reid, considered one of the foremost actresses of Canadian theatre. It discusses her personal philosophy as an actress. The paper describes her professional debut and style of acting. It mentions plays she appeared in in Canada and New York. The author expands on her film and television work.
From the Paper "Kate Reid long considered one of the foremost actresses of Canadian Theatre was born Daphne Kate Reid in November in London England. She spent the first years of her life in England until the death of her father when she and her mother moved to Oakville Ontario ..."
Abstract This paper is a biography on W.E.B. Du Bois. It deals with the Du Bois' importance and significance to American History. In this article, the writer focuses on Du Bois' public life. The writer also discusses Du Bois' idealogy and his ideas regarding civil rights.
From the Paper "According to David Levering Lewis in his book 'W.E.B. Du Bois The Fight for Equality and the American Century', William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was born in Massachusetts. Du Bois was graduated from Fisk University and Harvard University and studied two years at the University of Berlin. He was the first black American to receive the degree of doctor of philosophy from Harvard. Du Bois founded the Niagara Movement, a group of African-American leaders committed to an.. "
Tags:Biography, W.E.B Du Bois, racial activist, Crisis, Niagara Movement, founder NAACP, socialist, segregation, Booker T. Washington, Pan African movement, exile
Abstract There is little question that music has defined James Taylor's life and there is little question that it reflects him as a person. This paper examines Ian Halperin's biography on Taylor, "Fire and Rain", and suggests that Taylor's music is a product of his troubled life and that music as an industry is part of a larger consumer culture that frequently destroys musicians. In addition, this paper argues that this book is written in the self-destructive artist's genre and this approach to writing Taylor's story gives it a poignancy and power it would not otherwise have.
