Rating: 
Summary: Feedback
Review: This book tells about Michael Jordan's life as well as him being his own market. The author talks about even kids from across the world wear his shoes and his jersey. He tries to intertwine all of these ideas together, but it just makes everything confusing. He tries to keep all the ideas together instead of writing the ideas out in sections. The author thinks that Jordan and new technologies has made a huge influence on American culture as well as other cultures. He also states that the African-American race dominates the game and gives them self pride. I feel you can read different books to find out more about these subjects.
Rating: 
Summary: Complex theory EXTREMELY simple for Jordan fans
Review: Those who want to know what the WTO and IMF protest are about can start with this book. Lafeber's book simplifies the key issues of global corporatism (not free trade; not merely capitalism but corporatism) while relating the rise of the US with the rise of basketball. A great intro book for basketball fans who claim to not understand or care about what is Globalization. They should, but LaFeber stops short of taking a stand on the issue himself. As a historian he merely reports what happened without predicting the future. Contrary to the anonymous reviewer who panned the book as "Liberal Junk," I felt LaFeber stayed extremely neutral- which is my major problem with the book. Remove the Michael Jordan biography, and this book says what Ben Barber's 'Jihad vs. McWorld' does in 1 chapter. Except Barber explains the WHY we should care; not just what's going on in this Corporate world as LeFeber.
Rating:
Summary: In History, everything is connected
Review: Walter Lafeber, a noted historian, writes about a parallel between the rise of basketball and the rise of what he calls the "New Global Capitalism." The culmination of this new capitalism is personified in the book with Michael Jordan.In his discussion of capitalism, the author brings up some examples that point out some of the disadvantages related to capitalism. While we could argue about whether capitalism is good or bad, the author is careful in not really getting into that argument so much as he acts as a cultural critic in how America is not only spreading capitalism around the world (seen by most Americans as good), but also spreading American culture around the world (seen by me at least as not so great). In one sense, most of the world is by now seeing the effects of American-style imperialism. The book does talk about how some have welcomed this and others have reacted harshly. I think the way that the author sees imperialism here is that America is imposing its culture on other nations. It may be at least somewhat fair to say that the people choose this fate, but economic theory would show otherwise: in a world of large companies and small companies, if a large company decides to compete directly with a small company, the large company will be the most likely winner because it is able to charge lower prices, etc. The same goes for large American companies imposing their business into other nations. Can French cafes compete with McDonalds? The author also talks about some of Michael Jordan's pitfalls, such as not speaking out against unfair labor practices in Nike factories, or gambling with known criminals. Why did Michael Jordan have such a strong following? Phil Knight himself even observed people bowing down to a life-size statue of Jordan (can we say idolatry?). While Jordan established himself early in his career as someone who "transcends race," his international fame came through an enormous worldwide marketing blitz. While he became known worldwide as an incredible basketball player, the marketing campaign surrounding him made him out to be much more than that. Through it all, Michael Jordan is still human, and so it is, too, that the economic system that brought him fame is built by humans. They both have incredibly strong points, but neither are infallible. This is not liberal junk. It is merely a book that keeps things in perspective.
Rating:
Summary: In History, everything is connected
Review: Walter Lafeber, a noted historian, writes about a parallel between the rise of basketball and the rise of what he calls the "New Global Capitalism." The culmination of this new capitalism is personified in the book with Michael Jordan. In his discussion of capitalism, the author brings up some examples that point out some of the disadvantages related to capitalism. While we could argue about whether capitalism is good or bad, the author is careful in not really getting into that argument so much as he acts as a cultural critic in how America is not only spreading capitalism around the world (seen by most Americans as good), but also spreading American culture around the world (seen by me at least as not so great). In one sense, most of the world is by now seeing the effects of American-style imperialism. The book does talk about how some have welcomed this and others have reacted harshly. I think the way that the author sees imperialism here is that America is imposing its culture on other nations. It may be at least somewhat fair to say that the people choose this fate, but economic theory would show otherwise: in a world of large companies and small companies, if a large company decides to compete directly with a small company, the large company will be the most likely winner because it is able to charge lower prices, etc. The same goes for large American companies imposing their business into other nations. Can French cafes compete with McDonalds? The author also talks about some of Michael Jordan's pitfalls, such as not speaking out against unfair labor practices in Nike factories, or gambling with known criminals. Why did Michael Jordan have such a strong following? Phil Knight himself even observed people bowing down to a life-size statue of Jordan (can we say idolatry?). While Jordan established himself early in his career as someone who "transcends race," his international fame came through an enormous worldwide marketing blitz. While he became known worldwide as an incredible basketball player, the marketing campaign surrounding him made him out to be much more than that. Through it all, Michael Jordan is still human, and so it is, too, that the economic system that brought him fame is built by humans. They both have incredibly strong points, but neither are infallible. This is not liberal junk. It is merely a book that keeps things in perspective.
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