Author: Biz India

Author: Jessica M Vasquez Publisher: New York University Press Book Review by: Nano Khilnani Jessica M. Vasquez, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Kansas, best describes the scope and purpose of this book. Let me quote her from her Preface: “This book is an academic research endeavor that seeks to discover the social influences that shape the way Mexican Americans, over family generations, experience and explain their social identities.” She authored this book based on interviews of people from three generations of Mexican-American families living in California: those who immigrated here, their children born here, and...

Editor: Charlie B. Tyer Publisher: University of South Carolina Press Book Review by: Artha Hemrajani To first give you an economic overview of South Carolina, the Palmetto State, its state gross domestic product (GDP) for 2009, the latest year for which data is available on Wikipedia, was about $164 million. It ranked 27th among the states, contributing 1.13 percent to the national GDP of $14.65 trillion. With a state population of about 4.6 million, each resident’s income averaged $35,717 for that year. The per capita ranking of South Carolina was 48 among a list of 51 states in that...

Author: Armando Favazza, M.D. Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press Book Review by: Artha Hemrajani This book, first published in 1987, is probably the first psychiatric study on self-mutilation and related behavior, and has been described by reviewers as a ‘classic and authoritative book’ on this subject. It has been noted by people working in the press as “a pioneering work that identifies cultural and societal factors that impel and even compel people to harm themselves.” This new edition published in 2011 contains updates and new findings from hundreds of new studies. As someone who does not know much about...

Editor: Radha S. Hegde Publisher: New York University Press Book Review by: Artha Hemrajani No, this is not an engineering or science book. It is not on electricity or optics that comes to mind when you come across words like circuits and visibility. This book is part of a series of five such ones published so far on the theme of critical cultural communication. This series is part of a project of the department of media, culture and communication at New York University. Sixteen academicians and researchers with particular expertise and backgrounds in various subjects contributed a wide range...

Editor:  David K. Vaughan Publisher: South Carolina University Press Book Review by: Sonu Chandiram This is a fascinating and colorful story of a flamboyant, highly self-confident, bold and courageous World War I flying ace named Elliott White Springs (1896-1959). Flying was his first passion in which he achieved outstanding success and received high honors. With steely nerves and deadly aim at his enemies, he earned four kills in air combat when he was with the prestigious British 85 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, later renamed the Royal Air Force. There was a pause and he went off duty...