Official Review: Structure by Andrew Plotner
Posted: 15 Nov 2019, 22:02
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Structure" by Andrew Plotner.]
I have a confession to make. I don't know as much about our capitalistic government as I should. I learned in school about the three branches of government, but that's all I remember. So when I had the opportunity to read Structure, I jumped at it.
In the words of Andrew Plotner, the author, the purpose of the book is "to explore the systematic structure of Capitalism and expose the origins of the flaws and contradictions contained within it." The author defines capitalism, including all relevant terms, discusses exploitation of labor, and then explores what he feels the goals for growth should be.
As you might expect, certain parts of the book are quite advanced and difficult to understand. Yet, other parts are quite straightforward and definable. It was a dichotomy that was hard to resolve. The author tries to present the ideas in simplistic ways that much of the population could understand. He gives examples and charts, but he also reviews the appropriate terms. The problem, though, comes especially with the formulas. These passages I had to reread in order to grasp the meaning. I'm not even sure the numerous formulas were necessary. Still, understanding these parts was not a requirement for enjoying the book. There were so many interesting tidbits that I picked up that reading the book was not a waste.
I most appreciated the effort the author put into making this subject approachable. In fact, in the very beginning, the author tells you which chapters to read in order to get the most out of the book depending on your goal. Therefore, the book need not necessarily be read cover to cover, which increases the audience base.
I had two parts of the narrative that I most enjoyed. The first was discussing the exploitation of labor internationally. Mr. Plotner uses examples from the world stage to bring his points home. The second was the discussion of communism. I had some misconceptions that the author broke down.
My biggest question about this book was, "Is it possible?" I wondered if the author's ideas were obtainable. But, then, I decided it didn't really matter. The author puts forth his goals, his ideas, his dreams. He has a vision for society, which is more than most can say. I think it's worth discussing at the very least.
Unfortunately, the book was not professionally edited. I found more than the required ten errors. These consisted of capitalization errors as well as errors in possessives and missing words. In addition, sentence fragments were prevalent; the author often seemed to split up one sentence into two. A simple proofreader would improve the readability of the information presented.
All in all, I rate Structure 3 out of 4 stars due in large part to the errors. I didn't lower my rating despite the more technical passages because there was so much more information that was interesting and uncomplicated. Anyone interested in learning more about the capitalist economy and our political system in general would enjoy this book. I highly recommend it to all who are unsatisfied with the current state of affairs in the US, but don't be afraid to read the book in an unconventional manner. I, for one, am glad I read it.
******
Structure
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
I have a confession to make. I don't know as much about our capitalistic government as I should. I learned in school about the three branches of government, but that's all I remember. So when I had the opportunity to read Structure, I jumped at it.
In the words of Andrew Plotner, the author, the purpose of the book is "to explore the systematic structure of Capitalism and expose the origins of the flaws and contradictions contained within it." The author defines capitalism, including all relevant terms, discusses exploitation of labor, and then explores what he feels the goals for growth should be.
As you might expect, certain parts of the book are quite advanced and difficult to understand. Yet, other parts are quite straightforward and definable. It was a dichotomy that was hard to resolve. The author tries to present the ideas in simplistic ways that much of the population could understand. He gives examples and charts, but he also reviews the appropriate terms. The problem, though, comes especially with the formulas. These passages I had to reread in order to grasp the meaning. I'm not even sure the numerous formulas were necessary. Still, understanding these parts was not a requirement for enjoying the book. There were so many interesting tidbits that I picked up that reading the book was not a waste.
I most appreciated the effort the author put into making this subject approachable. In fact, in the very beginning, the author tells you which chapters to read in order to get the most out of the book depending on your goal. Therefore, the book need not necessarily be read cover to cover, which increases the audience base.
I had two parts of the narrative that I most enjoyed. The first was discussing the exploitation of labor internationally. Mr. Plotner uses examples from the world stage to bring his points home. The second was the discussion of communism. I had some misconceptions that the author broke down.
My biggest question about this book was, "Is it possible?" I wondered if the author's ideas were obtainable. But, then, I decided it didn't really matter. The author puts forth his goals, his ideas, his dreams. He has a vision for society, which is more than most can say. I think it's worth discussing at the very least.
Unfortunately, the book was not professionally edited. I found more than the required ten errors. These consisted of capitalization errors as well as errors in possessives and missing words. In addition, sentence fragments were prevalent; the author often seemed to split up one sentence into two. A simple proofreader would improve the readability of the information presented.
All in all, I rate Structure 3 out of 4 stars due in large part to the errors. I didn't lower my rating despite the more technical passages because there was so much more information that was interesting and uncomplicated. Anyone interested in learning more about the capitalist economy and our political system in general would enjoy this book. I highly recommend it to all who are unsatisfied with the current state of affairs in the US, but don't be afraid to read the book in an unconventional manner. I, for one, am glad I read it.
******
Structure
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon