E-Book of the Week: Irrational Security : The Politics of Defense from Reagan to Obama

Wirls, Daniel. Irrational Security : The Politics of Defense from Reagan to Obama.
Baltimore, MD, USA: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2010.

Daniel Wirls describes Irrational Security as “a purposefully compact critical history of the relationship between military policy and national politics from 1989 to 2009.” In this survey of the modern military-industrial complex, Daniel Wirls demonstrates that when it comes to national security, America is beholden to the results of hawkish policies and commitments to excessive military spending, regardless of whether Democrats or Republicans control Congress or the White house. National security policy, in Wirls’ critique, has derived largely from efforts to satisfy various domestic interests rather than genuine security concerns.
Previewed by John Breitmeyer.  Click here to read the book.

E-Book of the Week: Management Across Cultures

Steers, Richard M., Sanchez-Runde, Carlos J., Nardon, Luciara. Management Across Cultures: Challenges and Strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

According to the authors, in a survey among US college students, only 7 percent could identify the national origins of many of their favorite brands, including Adidas, Samsung, Nokia, Lego, and Ericsson. In particular, quality ratings of Nokia cell phones soared when students believed (incorrectly) that they were made in Japan. This book addresses how management works in different parts of the world and, equally important, why these differences occur. With chapters such as "Communication Across Cultures," "Culture, Work and Motivation," "Inside the Managerial Mind," "Developing Global Management Skills," and "Leadership and Global Teams," this work digs deeper into the underlying reasons for global differences, and this information can help managers be more effective in their work or students become more familiar with global issues in the field of management. Two appendices, the first on models of national cultures and the second on OECD guidelines for global managers, offer more insight into expanding communication literacy amongst cultures.

Previewed by Joanne Helouvry, Head of Research and Instruction. Click here to read this book.

E-Book of the Week: Counseling Practicum and Internship Manual

Hodges, Shannon. Counseling Practicum and Internship Manual: A Resource for Graduate Counseling Students. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 2010.

This book is an excellent tool for graduate counseling students as they apply for and complete internships and practica. It provides helpful advice on how to select and apply for internships/practica. It also walks students through some of the issues they will probably face while completing their internships/practica, including ethical issues, multicultural issues, how to manage stress, crisis intervention, and how to terminate the counseling relationships at the end of the practicum/internship. The book also addresses practical matters such as clinical writing skills and what students can expect during the classroom component of their internship/practicum and their site supervision.

Previewed by Danielle Whren Johnson, Digital Access Librarian. Click here to read this book.

E-Book of the Week: Children's Nature

Paris, Leslie. Children's Nature: The Rise of the American Summer Camp. New York: NYU Press, 2008.

Drawing upon camp archives as well as the writings of children (diaries, letters home), Paris presents a history of the American summer residential camp, the aspirations of the adults who created them (physical and moral invigoration for their children, temporary liberation from parental duties for themselves) and the experiences of the children who attended them from the late 19th century through the 1930s. As the nation became increasingly industrialized, many adults began to see summer camps as a way of recapturing a simpler time when contact with nature was more common. Early camps catered to the Christian elite, but as the movement flourished during the Progressive era, camps for Jewish and other working-class urban children grew in number. In the first part of the book Paris discusses the “ideological, economic, physical, and social landscape of summer camps” in the early years, while the second part focuses on the interwar years when ideals and expectations began to change. While some children, like Charlie Brown, did not enjoy being shipped off to camp, Paris concludes that for the great majority of children this was an enjoyable, even transforming, experience.

Previewed by Jack Ray, Associate Director. Click here to read this book.