For more than fifty years, educator and journalist Milton mayer produced sharp-witted, sharp-tongued political and social commentary. "Biodegradable man" gathers thirty-two articles from the pages of "The Progressive," for which Mayer was a roving reporter and regular contribution from 1942 to 1986, as well as from magazines such as "Harpers," the "Massachusetts Review," and the "Christian Century." Including some of his most representative pieces, especially those from the 1970s and 1980s, this generous gathering is often humourous, but always purposeful in intent. Whether writing on social issues, religion, politics, family, or travel, Mayer had a gift for making his own thoughts and experiences relevant to his readers. "The Tomb," the story of his visit to a neighbor's do-it-yourself atomic bomb shelter, brings home the futility of preparing for a nuclear holocaust. "Man with a Country" recounts his successful legal battle with the State Department to have the loyalty oath removed from passport applications. In "Bed," a hymn to the glories of the double bed, he says that "we are all preoccupied with the unspeakable indecencies of politics, none of us with the innocent splendours of bed." More than half-seriously, Mayer suggests that the world's leaders be put in bed together and not allowed to rise until they reach a better understanding of one another. The primacy of the liberal arts in education was Mayer's ongoing concern - a theme addressed in "The Ivory Tower of Babel" and his portrait of University of Chicago president Robert Maynard Hutchins. Decrying educational practices that "trained" rather than "educated" students, he writes that "the purpose of education is not a job; that's the purpose of apprenticeship. the purpose of education is human freedom." "Rendered Unto Caesar," a classic of war resistance literature, not only chronicles Mayer's ongoing struggle with the Internal Revenue Service over his refusal to pay taxes for war but also shows his ability to find new and provocative stances on current issues - stances for which the magazines that published his work often lost subscriptions. This is his assessment of John F.Kennedy's famous lines, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country" : "When Mr. Kennedy spoke these words at his inaugural, I knew that I was at odds with a Society which did not immediately rebel against them. They are the words of totaliterianism pure". Like the ACLU, to which he pays tribute in this volume, Mayer believed there were no circumstances in which injustice should be tolerated. Neither capitalists nor communists, the lawless nor the meekly lawful, Richard Nixon nor Mayer's own neighbours escaped his probing pen. As new generations will discover, however, optimism pervaded even his most iconoclastic pieces. He never left his readers despairing but rather expecting better of themselves and their institutions.

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Chequamegon Book Co-- large store with general inventory in all fields with emphasis on regional history, maritime, native american, folklore, music, art and natural science.

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Chequamegon Books
WI, U.S.A.

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Return Policy: Books are returnable for any reason if returned or notified within 10 days and books are in same condition as received.

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If you are a consumer you can cancel the contract in accordance with the following. Consumer means any natural person who is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business, craft or profession.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE RIGHT OF CANCELLATION

Statutory Right to cancel

You have the right to cancel this contract within 14 days without giving any reason.

The cancellation period will expire after 14 days from the day on which you acquire, or a third party other than the carrier and indicated by you acquires, physical possession of the the last good or the last lot or piece.

To exercise the right to cancel, you must inform us, Chequamegon Books, 2 East Bayfield St., 54891, Washburn, Wisconsin, U.S.A., +1 715-373-2899, of your decision to cancel this contract by a clear statement (e.g. a letter sent by post, fax or e-mail). You may use the attached model cancellation form, but it is not obligatory. You can also electronically fill in and submit a clear statement on our website, under "My Purchases" in "My Account". If you use this option, we will communicate to you an acknowledgement of receipt of such a cancellation on a durable medium (e.g. by e-mail) without delay.

To meet the cancellation deadline, it is sufficient for you to send your communication concerning your exercise of the right to cancel before the cancellation period has expired.

Effects of cancellation

If you cancel this contract, we will reimburse to you all payments received from you, including the costs of delivery (except for the supplementary costs arising if you chose a type of delivery other than the least expensive type of standard delivery offered by us).

We may make a deduction from the reimbursement for loss in value of any goods supplied, if the loss is the result of unnecessary handling by you.

We will make the reimbursement without undue delay, and not later than 14 days after the day on which we are informed about your decision to cancel with contract.

We will make the reimbursement using the same means of payment as you used for the initial transaction, unless you have expressly agreed otherwise; in any event, you will not incur any fees as a result of such reimbursement.

We may withhold reimbursement until we have received the goods back or you have supplied evidence of having sent back the goods, whichever is the earliest.

You shall send back the goods or hand them over to us or Chequamegon Books, 2 East Bayfield St., 54891, Washburn, Wisconsin, U.S.A., +1 715-373-2899, without undue delay and in any event not later than 14 days from the day on which you communicate your cancellation from this contract to us. The deadline is met if you send back the goods before the period of 14 days has expired. You will have to bear the direct cost of returning the goods. You are only liable for any diminished value of the goods resulting from the handling other than what is necessary to establish the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods.

Exceptions to the right of cancellation

The right of cancellation does not apply to:

the delivery of newspapers, journals or magazines with the exception of subscription contracts; and
the supply of digital content which is not supplied on a tangible medium (e.g. on a CD or DVD) if you accepted when you placed your order that we could start to deliver it, and that you could not cancel it once delivery had started.

Model withdrawal form

(complete and return this form only if you wish to withdraw from the contract)

To: (Chequamegon Books, 2 East Bayfield St., 54891, Washburn, Wisconsin, U.S.A., +1 715-373-2899)

I/We (*) hereby give notice that I/We (*) withdraw from my/our (*) contract of sale of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following goods (*)/for the provision of the following service (*),

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Date

* Delete as appropriate.

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Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	3 to 6 business days
First item	� 4.83	� 8.92

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