The Bewildered Herd : Media Coverage of International Conflicts & Public Opinion

Rating:
Summary: Interesting Book
Review: A very interesting book. Obviously the result of serious research on serious issues. It's a pity amazon runs out of it often and offers no discount on its purchase. I got it for much less from the book's website at www.thebewilderedherd.com.

Rating:
Summary: This book is printed on demand
Review: I downloaded the rather inexpensive ebook version. So far I have spent only a few hours reading it, and it is perhaps premature for me to give it a ranking. Nevertheless, I gave it five stars because it does appear to me to be an outstanding, eye-opening study of today's political culture as it is shaped by the media.

The actual point of this note is to give some publishing info I learned today. This book is printed on demand by an obscure publisher, and distributors like Amazon or regular bookstores can't buy it at a discount themselves. Because of that it may be hard to find, and that's also why Amazon charges the full price and why they may be low on stock. Perhaps the best way to get this book is through the www.thebewilderedherd.com website which also offers a discount. I'll probably go that route myself once I get tired of reading this important book on the computer screen.

One drawback: the book doesn't have an index, although the ebook can be searched in the Acrobat Reader interface. It would be good if that can be rectified.

Rating:
Summary: Very Well Done
Review: I met Dr. B.A. Taleb for the first time while studying at the C.E.D.S. of Paris. I was pretty much impressed by the lecture he gave on the " fourth estate' as did all who were there.


Well, my expectations weren't mistaken at all. His first book is as rich as his lecture was. But then again what else do you expect from someone who has two PhDs and two masters. Very well done.

Rating:
Summary: Great Textbook
Review: I'm a university professor and I'm recommending this book for my students this year, It will for sure give a lot of material for discussion on foreign policy and I think we will still hear a lot about this author in the future. I hope he has more to publish still.

Rating:
Summary: Easily Bewildered Democracies
Review: The society where the media is more and more of a powerful actor of social change and social control is not an ideal one. Well, it would be ideal if the media machine was totally objective. The fact is that it is very far from being even close to this ` myth ` called objectivity.


We have been taught over and over again that one of the differences between a totalitarian system and a democratic one is the advantage of free speech. After reading this book one simply stops strongly believing that free choice and free speech actually exists in our ` spectator democracies' and that we cant be easily brainwashed..


The theories advanced and defended in this work are truly amazing. They are both daring and well supported with the use of well chosen conflicts as case studies and the choice of comparing the United States to France's national and media interests in such wars.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting book
Review: This book explains in detail how we are manipulated by the media and how we are lead to believe anything they want. Definatey a book that makes a differance on how we see things after reading it.

Rating:
Summary: Serious research
Review: This book is, without a doubt, the result of serious and well conducted research made about how we are controled through the media and its influence on our daily lives. I definately recommend it, not only for reasearch purposes but also for the common citzen to get enlightened about it.

Rating:
Summary: Very disturbing questions raised
Review: This book raises even more questions about such controversial subjects such as the IRAQ issue. I think it helps to put matters in perspective.

When compared to Bob Woodard's plan of attack, it will definitely leave the reader wondering about what he has been fed.

Does the media actually have the ability to drive us towards a military intervention?. In my view ....yes definitely. This book convinced me that it easily can.

Looking at the IRAQ issue and many other conflicts discussed in this book from an objective point of view, the fact that there are unanswered questions is very disturbing. This book highlights those questions, and until the questions are answered, it will always cast doubt on what really was the reason that lead us to this war!!!. Was it more worthy than other wars we should have been engaged to if the scale of humanitarian tragedy is truly the sole motive for engaging in foreign adventures.


Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly done.
Review: This is a book to definitely have on your shelf, not only for reading it but also for constant reference on the issues brilliantly explained to the exhaustion through its 600 pages.

Rating:
Summary: The truth revealed.
Review: This is a work where you can find many interesting facts we don't usually pay attention to, I recommend it without hesitation to all that seek the truth.