Customer Reviews (5)

Magnificent, worthy of close study
"The whole is more than the sum of its parts" is commonly said or writ, but never before have i read so much detail, amply illustrated, of just how that works. There are pictures of beautiful things, and some horrendously ugly things (a certain postmodern house in particular made me laugh out loud), and some side-by-side comparisons of two moderately beautiful things that made me think...which has more "life"?

My interest in architecture is limited to a desire to build an Earthship or cob house sometime in the next few years. I wonder why i find such houses more beautiful than the conventional kind?

Well, understanding the 15 properties gives one an excellent mental toolkit for studying beauty and beautiful things, and figuring out how to make a place or structure more welcoming to human life. Practical exercises and advice, along with all the examples, help the reader develop an eye for these qualities.

As an artist, i can apply these properties to creating and
critiquing my works, and perhaps even to know better how to fix an image that has gone awry. The author's sketches of beautiful patterns of objects, some in which he didn't quite capture the magical essence of life and examines why, enlightened me as i followed the development of his ideas through the book. Always a doodler, i've had a great time hanging out in coffee shops with some 4x6 cards, pencils, Alexander's book, experimenting with following and sometimes deliberately (and sometimes accidently) violating each of the properties, coming to understand them better. Be warned: really "grokking" the material will take much time and much fun!

I actually started with volume 2 then went into volume 1, and that worked okay. Volume two reviews the 15 properties sufficiently, and i found processes to be a more interesting place to start. But partway through vol. 2 i just had to dive into vol 1 wholeheartedly to really understand all 15 of the properties.

Essential Reading for Architects
Christopher Alexander's latest series of books, "The Nature of Order", propose new ways of understanding the built environment, as well as new methods of practicing architecture, and as such should be part of every architect's library. As a practicing architect, I have found that "The Nature of Order" series has had a profound impact on the way that I design and create buildings, as well as on the way that I understand architecture and its connection to the larger physical world. The theoretical framework that Alexander sets up in his first book, The Phenomenon of Life, coupled with the analysis and exploration of generative processes presented in his second book, The Process of Creating Life, propose a fascinating and intriguing new way of understanding the physical structure of the world. Alexander presents us with a unified theory where art and science are part of an integrated system that together define the physical structure of all matter, including "life" itself.

In the first book, The Phenomenon of Life, Alexander proposes that the physical environment consists of discreet entities that form specific geometrical relationships, and that these geometrical relationships each have an intrinsic value; a value that can be objectively identified and measured with a significant degree of accuracy and agreement among many observers. Alexander goes on to identify this degree of value as "life", expanding the current biological definition to one that includes strong coherence of geometrical structure. In analyzing thousands of examples, Alexander and his colleagues have identified 15 geometrical properties that, when present in a physical structure or design, help to increase the degree of life, in that particular place or object. These properties can be easily identified and measured, by each one of us, and thus form the basis for an objective form of aesthetic judgment. Questions that address degrees of value, such as "what is a good building?", "what is a good piece of art?", and "what is a good environment?" can now be answered using objective criteria, where consistent agreement among individuals is possible.

It is Alexander's objective approach for judging aesthetic quality, combined with his unified view of the physical and aesthetic world, that has profoundly influenced my own work. As I work on projects every day, going through the process of testing different ideas and possibilities, I now have the tools and framework for making good design decisions - decisions that can be objectively evaluated in terms of their impact on the "life" of each project. In addition, Alexander has provided me with a deeper understanding of the place of my own work in the physical world - how whatever I make, whether it is the creation of window seat or the lay-out of a series of buildings, has a direct connection to the larger and smaller geometrical structures of which it is a part. Of course this approach leads to a sense of deep responsibility for the enhancement and betterment of the physical world; a responsibility that I believe should be fundamental to the practice of architecture.

The question of judgement in architecture
"The Nature of Order" is a series of four books, a work that has taken 30 years to complete. It is an ambitious attempt at synthesis, a near-impossible challenge to join together, in one generative thought, all the aspects of man in the universe. Consequently, the critical and wary reader will possibly detect traces of what could possibly resemble an immense megalomania, as Christopher Alexander aims to reunite physics, biology, and the wholeness of human beings in a geometric conception of the universe. Nevertheless, this same reaction is triggered by every real effort of synthetic thought that tries to build a vision of the world less fragmented than today's.

Often in the scientific community, great researchers allow themselves, towards the end of their career, some philosophical height in order to consider the world in the light of the particular discoveries they have made. Some of them -- the most reductionistic -- try to explain whole phenomena by a generalisation of laws they had previously discovered in a particular context. In fact, they reduce the whole world to the phenomena they are able to explain, and try to affirm the supremacy of a particular point of view. These are, for example, the common "all is social", or "all is biological", explanations. Some other scientists, much less pretentious, explain that their discoveries come to support or to lighten in some way certain elements of forgotten and ancestral wisdom. Thus, they indirectly point towards a return of those wisdoms, but without necessarily showing the way. Christopher Alexander belongs to a third category of scientific researchers : those who develop during a lifetime of inquiry their own general vision of the world, continuously nourishing it with the particular progresses of science and the local lessons of practice.

If Christopher Alexander appears to have been obsessed all his life by one and only question (how to make good architecture?), he did not lock himself up in architectural practice, nor in a particular scientific discipline, nor in any philosophy. This is why he knew how to develop and considerably deepen a way of building that is not directly linked to ancestral techniques but possesses even today their immensely wise qualities.

Because of the vast implications of Christopher Alexander's work, I will comment on only one aspect of the first volume (The Phenomenon of Life) ; that is, the issue of judgement in architecture.

In this first book, Christopher Alexander introduces and describes a single criterion to define the architectural value of any building. This criterion is (1) empirical, based on experience, and (2) objective, because it can be shared among several individuals. Each building, each construction, can be characterized by its degree of life. Provided with this criterion it is possible to discriminate between "good architecture" and "bad architecture". This degree of life depends on the presence or the absence of a spatial structure which he calls living structure and which can be used to explain judgements after they have been made. Provided with the properties and qualities of this living structure, it is then possible to look for the processes that governed its growth, in order to formalize a knowledge of the ways of designing and building that lead to "good architecture".

The empirical results are based on comparisons of objects, photographs, situations, or buildings. They are obtained by asking one question : which one of these two buildings has more life ? This question can be reformulated as follows : which one of these two buildings best represents the whole of yourself, which one best represents at the same time all your qualities and all your faults, all your forces and all your weaknesses, all the events you lived and all the ones you hope to live in the future, all the things you love and all the ones you hate, etc. If the answer to this question is sincere, the results are shared in common for a majority of people, and the measurement, which is made by comparison, is valid. For my own part, I did not find anything to object to the possible validity of this method.

If one starts to analyze this question, one realizes that it cancels (or tries to cancel) the majority of the determinisms that we are carrying and that we inherited more or less luckily during our life. It cancels the determinism of personal history by the opposition of past versus future, it cancels psychological determinism since it calls upon forces and weaknesses, it cancels aesthetic determinism by opposing what one loves and hates, etc. Finally, this form of judgement tries to reach the Wholeness which is present in each one of us. It aims at a criterion which is both personal and objective.
By raising this question, one establishes empirical results without dividing the individual into biological, psychological, sociological (and many more) components, because this question addresses the individual in his wholeness. And good architecture should not address only the psychological component of the individual, or the sociological or the historical ones, but the whole individual. Hence this form of judgement constitutes a solid proposal to define the value of architecture.

However it is not easy to apply in today's world, because obviously, we are not used to asking ourselves this type of question. One could even think that all the analytical developments around architectural and urban questions that exist today have as a principal function to circumvent this question that we refuse to ask ourselves directly, and when faced with it, the majority of us is in great difficulty. But to avoid judging is to make ourselves unable to judge, therefore unable to appreciate the things that have value. Most importantly, avoiding this judgement consequently makes us incompetent to design and to build valuable buildings. The issue of judgement, which introduces this first volume of The Nature of Order, is an essential precondition to the construction of a true knowledge in architecture.

Thus my opinion on this book is extremely positive. Without doubt, it is the best book on architecture I have ever read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture   2. Composition, proportion, etc   3. General   4. Geometry in architecture   5. Life   6. Philosophy   7. Planning   8. Architecture / General   9. Topics in philosophy   

Customer Reviews (27)

Absolutely Stunning
I just wanted to write my own review and say how absolutely amazing this book really is. It's not so scientific that it bored me nor is it just pictures- it's the perfect mix of information and pictures.
It clearly states that most of the pictures are not actual photographs, but a mix of pictures and art. Some of the reviewers are so bothered by this. I don't think the author is trying to trick anyone into thinking that these are actual photographs. The author is simply trying to let the reader better visualize the amazing process that occurs in a mothers' womb. Since it's almost impossible to get actual pictures of a fetus, this is the closest that we can get. They are still amazing picures. I look through it everyday and it makes me appreciate even more the miracle of birth and life. This is a must have book for all expecting mothers. It can also make a perfect gift for a mother-to-be.

Simply Amazing
After reading the article in Time Magazine, I purchased 'From Conception To Birth' for a friend of mine who'd just had a child. After flipping through the book, I bought a second copy for myself. It's truly an Awesome work. The pictures are mesmerizing. And, you don't have to have children to enjoy it. This is all of our story. How can anyone with two eyes and a heart not be moved by these incredible images.I really recommend it.

A beautiful coffee table book
If you are looking for a shower gift for an expectant couple, this would make a lovely gift. It's full of photos of the developing baby. It would also make a wonderful gift for a very excited set of grandparents! My husband and I had a copy of this book during my pregnancy and enjoyed it thoroughly. The writing is beautiful and the photos are amazing. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Diagnostic imaging   2. Medical   3. Nursing - Maternity, Perinatal, Women's Health   4. Prenatal diagnosis   5. Family & Relationships / Pregnancy & Childbirth   

Customer Reviews (19)

An excellent, balanced biography
Robin Lane Fox was only 27 when he wrote his biography of Alexander, but it's twice as good as many Alexander biographies written by authors who were twice Fox's age. Fox was a very young Oxford don when he researched and wrote this book, and his immaturity shows in a few spots when he makes assertions that seem to be based on "because I said so". But overall, it's a very, very well-researched and well-written biography that presents Alexander in a balanced light, being neither hagiography nor hatchet-job. It should be mentioned here that Fox's speculation that Philip's murder was probably masterminded by his wife Olympias was not original; it's specifically outlined in Mary Renault's "Fire From Heaven" and Renault is mentioned more than once as a resource in Fox's biography. (One might wonder why a biographer would list a historical novelist as a resource, but Renault scrupulously researched her own novels for historical accuracy before she published them.) The one jarring note in this book is Fox's substituting modern place names for historical names; it may be easier to look them up on a map but unless you already know that Ekbatana is the modern-day Hamadan, it gets a tad confusing. However, this is a minor cavil. Fox writes extremely well; his style carries you right along in the narrative, and there are voluminous footnotes for reference at the end of the book. One comes away somewhat awed that someone so young could have written such an excellent biography on one of history's most towering figures.

Great work of a Great man
I devoured "The Unauthorized Version" and "Pagans and Christians", two towering works by the same author at a later period in his life. This work on Alexander gives us a glimpse of the evolution of Fox's writing as well as his insights and conclusions on the subject which are still fresh and surprisingly valid after all these years.

As usual, Fox examines and refers to numerous ancient document, customs of the times, differences in languages and somehow makes clear to the reader even the most confusing of subjects, such as the interplay between clans, tribes, family and nationalities. What is so remarkable about this writing is the universal quality of the prose along with the surprising but perfectly valid conclusions.
Many historians seem afraid to offer conjecture or opinions but Fox has deliberately gone out on a limb several times - for example, his conclusion that John, the last Gospel penned, was actually the closest to the original sources. In this book we are given a picture of the life and times of one of the most influential person in history - as much for what he stood for as what he accomplished. This is history at its finest.

Very Well Written
R.L. Fox does a wonderful job of weaving his story of Alexander with a mix of interesting anecdotes, balanced intepretations and a critical weighing of classical literature and accounts of Alexander's life. There are few people who have so long held the Western imagination as Alexander and there has been left a myriad of references, biographies, opinions and pamphlets written about him for the past 2300 years. With so much fact and fiction, Fox deftly guides the reader not only through his childhood and conquests, but also briefly outlines some of the major conflicts in the literature and speculation about Alexander's character and major decisions.
Fox is equally apt to the task of describing the world, both mythological and political into which Alexander would enter upon following his first footsteps at Troy, giving a solid background to readers who may only have a basic familiarity to the classical world.

Fox's gift of description and mellifluousness ties into this book's most glaring weakness, which is perhaps more the fault of its publisher - the lack of maps and their poor formatting. Much of Alexander's feats in Iran and the Punjab are left to the imagination. Countless rivers, cities, place names and engagements that are described with such detail have no secondary visual representation. Some maps also use a topographical shading format which seems to be most effective in obscuring place names that occupy the same space. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ancient - Greece   2. Biography / Autobiography   3. Fiction   4. Historical - General   5. Military   6. Movie-TV Tie-In - General   7. Mystery/Suspense   

Customer Reviews (19)

Fire From Heaven by Mary Renault
This is a great book and Mary Renault is one of the best writers of this century. Even if you don't like historical fiction (I love it) then you will still be drawn into the plot and come to love the characters. Mary Renaults writing style is very engaging and beautiful. If you are in a bad mood and feeling depressed just read the first chapter of Fire From Heaven and you will be drawn into another world and find that your troubles have been forgotton. It is very engrossing and exciting and I recommend it to anyone and everyone who loves to read.

history springs into life
This book is fantastic, and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction, or has studied ancient history or classics. Actually I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a stirring read, but if you belong to either of those groups I know you'd love it. I'm a post graduate classics student, and I love this book (the whole trilogy actually) because it brings Alexander's whole world to life in a way nothing else can. Fire from Heaven tells the story of the boy, adolescent, and young man who would go on to become Alexander the Great, ending just at the death of his father, when he becomes king and leaves that earlier life behind. Ms Renault captures perfectly the unique influences and stresses that shape him into the adult he becomes, and she succeeds in making him a human and sympathetic character. She does the same for most of the other characters too, creating a cast of real people, all with genuine feelings, inescapably trapped by who they are: Alexander's warring parents for example, united only in their love of him, but failing totally to understand that their mutual hatred, and the way they use their son against each other, is driving him mad. Or Alexander's friends - some genuine, some attracted only by the wealth and position thet the future king might provide. I read this book for the first time when I was 12, and I've reread it countless times in the decade since. It never fails to transport me to another place and another time - one that could be harsh and unkind, but is nonetheless so very alive that I would love to have seen it.

Wow! What a novel...
This book left me dumbfounded. Mary Renault's elouqent writing truly brought out the personality of Alexander the Great, a man who once seemed a far and distant hero. This book brings you upclose to Alexander's life, starting when he was about four years old. Watching Alexander grow from a little boy to a young man was a new experience. I almost felt as if I was there, watching him grow up. At the end of the book after he had killed many men, I felt almost empty, looking back on the times when he was little, when he played with his dog and friends. I know what it is parents must feel when they see there children growing up and leaving them. This novel was one of the best I've ever read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 356-323 B.C   2. Alexander,   3. Fiction   4. Fiction - Historical   5. Generals   6. Greece   7. Historical - General   8. Kings and rulers   9. Renault, Mary - Prose & Criticism   10. the Great,   11. Alexander   12. Fiction / Historical   13. Philip   

Customer Reviews (15)

her fiction is better
i suppose my title says pretty much all i want to say. having read both this book and her fictional accounts of alexander's life, it is clear that mary renault captures something more of alexander, and especially the alexander she wants to describe, with her fiction. 'the persian boy' is a much better book about alexander. unlike a lot of alexander's biographers, renault meaningfully conveys alexander's charisma, the sheer physical force of his attraction, the will-to-power that must have been to pull thousands of men thousands of miles from home. renault makes a follower out of me; i'm as ready to follow him to the indus as the macedonian next to me, but she does it oh-so-much better in fiction. nothing wrong with this book, but do not read it without also reading her fictional accounts of alexander's life.

Alexander revisited
Last October, I read and reviewed Peter Green's biography of Alexander the Great, ALEXANDER OF MACEDON, 356-323 B.C., to which I gave five stars. It was subsequently suggested to me that Green's book was a "hatchet job", and that I should read Mary Renault's THE NATURE OF ALEXANDER for a more balanced view.

Renault's volume is very readable. In factual substance, it seems to my unscholarly eyes to be pretty much the same as Green's. I certainly didn't learn significantly more about Alexander from the former than the latter, though that portion of Renault's narrative concerning Alexander's death was fleshed out a bit more. Renault, however, strikes me as a much more sympathetic biographer. Whether this adds more truth to her version is, and will remain, indeterminable by me.

In balance, I think I would choose and recommend Green's biography for the simple reason that he includes over a dozen route maps and battle plans that help the reader put Alexander's accomplishments in better perspective. Renault provides none at all, and the absence of such is a significant omission, in my opinion. Alexander led his Macedonians from the north of Greece to the western border of the Indian subcontinent - the edge of his known world - and almost all the way back again. Twenty-five thousand miles in eleven years! It isn't until you see this plotted on a map of the region that the remarkable accomplishment can be appreciated.

THE NATURE OF ALEXANDER reinforced my opinion that Alexander was the greatest military commander of all time and the most charismatic and successful leader of men who's ever lived. At one point, just prior to marching homeward from India, Alexander was gravely wounded by an arrow that penetrated his lung. The rumor spread through the army that he was dead, and he felt it necessary to show himself. Renault quotes Nearchus:

"... he ordered a horse to be fetched him. And when he mounted it ... the whole army clapped their hands repeatedly, and the banks and the river glades threw back the sound. (Near his tent he dismounted), so that the army could see him walking. They all ran to him from every side, some touching his hands, some his knees, some his clothing ..."

What an experience it must have been to march to the ends of the earth with such a King!

The Nature of Alexander
Mary Renault does a marvelous job once again. This is a must read ! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 356-323 B.C   2. Alexander the Great   3. Alexander,   4. Ancient - Greece   5. Biography / Autobiography   6. Historical - General   7. History: American   8. the Great,   9. History / Ancient / General   

Customer Reviews (8)

Highly Recommended!
Hedge funds burst into the headlines in the early 1990s, when George Soros became a household name - at least in Europe, where many people blamed him and his hedge fund for wrecking the European exchange rate mechanism. Similarly, a U.S. hedge fund called Long Term Capital Management (LTCM) began with an aura of investing invincibility, only to fail dramatically. Hedge fund investing is sometimes, but not always, high risk and high return. Once limited to a privileged elite group of investors, hedge funds are now opening their rosters to less sophisticated, less wealthy speculators. But hedge funds are not just like any other funds, and anyone contemplating an investment needs a solid, comprehensive guide, such as this book. Author Alexander M. Ineichen, neither a salesman nor an alarmist, pulls no punches when discussing the risks of hedge funds. He is quite straightforward about the sometimes astonishing success of some hedge fund managers, but careful to point out the common misconceptions about them. Without hedging our bets, we find this book a valuable addition to every investor's library.

Dances Around the Topic
This book rambles on about the hedge fund industry. It gives a lot of definitions and statistics, but ultimately falls down. When you buy a hedge fund, you never really know what you are getting.

A Lesson from the Titanic
The iceberg on the cover represents total risk-partly visible and partly not. Ineichen's point is that hedge fund or absolute return managers tackle total risk while their traditional mutual fund counterparts worry about only one part of it, namely the risk of straying from their benchmark. His extensive discussion contains worthy lessons for all investors who want to understand risk. While not every chapter may be useful for every reader, this book is an excellent place to learn about alternative investment strategies. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Accounting - General   2. Business & Economics   3. Business / Economics / Finance   4. Business/Economics   5. Commodities And Commodity Exchanges   6. Finance   7. Hedge funds   8. Investments & Securities - Futures   9. Securities   10. Business & Economics / Finance   11. Investment & securities   

Melding superb research and the extraordinary expedition photography of Frank Hurley, The Endurance by Caroline Alexander is a stunning work of history, adventure, and art which chronicles "one of the greatest epics of survival in the annals of exploration." Setting sail as World War I broke out in Europe, the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by renowned polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton, hoped to become the first to cross the Antarctic continent. But their ship, Endurance, was trapped in the drifting pack ice, eventually to splinter, leaving the expedition stranded on floes--a situation that seemed "not merely desperate but impossible."

Most skillfully Alexander constructs the expedition's character through its personalities--the cast of veteran explorers, scientists, and crew--with aid from many previously unavailable journals and documents. We learn, for instance, that carpenter and shipwright Henry McNish, or "Chippy," was "neither sweet-tempered nor tolerant," and that Mrs. Chippy, his cat, was "full of character." Such firsthand descriptions, paired with 170 of Frank Hurley's intimate photographs, which are comprehensively assembled here for the first time, penetrate the hulls of the Endurance and these tough men. The account successfully reveals the seldom-seen domestic world of expedition life--the singsongs, feasts, lectures, camaraderie--so that when the hardships set in, we know these people beyond the stereotypical guise of mere explorers and long for their safety.

Alexander reveals Shackleton as an inspiring optimist, "a leader who put his men first." Throughout the grueling ordeal, Shackleton and his men show what endurance and greatness are all about. The Endurance is a most intimate portrait of an expedition and of survival. Readers will possess a newfound respect for these daring souls, know better their unthinkable toil and half-forgotten realm of glory. --Byron Ricks ... Read more

Customer Reviews (134)

THE BEST BOOK!! YOU MUST READ IT!!
The Endurance by Caroline Alexander is a non fiction book about an explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his crew as they try to become the first explorers to cross Antarctica on foot. Sir Ernest Shackleton was one of the most known polar explorers of his day. Shackleton and his crew of 27 set out to sea on his boat Endurance on August 8th, 1914. The 28 men went down to Buenos Aries, Argentina then they continued to their last stop South Georgia Island which is in the southern Atlantic before they went to the pack ice and beyond. Once they got the ship into the pack ice they followed the cracks between each floe (leads) to try to get to the main land of Antarctica. Do they ever get home to England? Do they all even survive such a journey? This book was a heart racing kind of book. If you previously were not interested in history books The Endurance might change your opinion. I was impressed by how these men risked their lives freezing to death just to obtain their personal goals. The adventure of when they have to abandon ship will leave you hanging from your seat.The way Caroline Alexander wrote the book was engulfing . Her detail was thorough and she must have put many months of research on their journey. She also used clips from journals telling in the sailor's words what was happening and what was going on in their minds. I have read a few books about sailing the sea and The Endurance was the best one because of the way in which it was written. The photographer Frank Hurley took unbelievable shots of the whole expedition. The types of photos that were taken included, black & white stills, movies and color slides. The photographs look like they were taken recently by a digital camera instead of a Kodak in the early 1900's. Technically the pictures are crisp and clear for surviving the 22-month journey. This is a book that should be in every school library and all public libraries so everyone can experience The Endurance.

Enduring photographs bring epic adventure into focus
Caroline Alexander brings a wealth of information into this "last of heroic Antarctic adventures". What sets this book apart from the several others written on this subject is the broad scope of details provided. Each of the 28 characters are individually described in the beginning although for the most part the majority have a collective role in the success of the expedition. Yes success, as in 28 start, 28 survive. It really is hard to go wrong with such a great story. By focusing on the ship's cat Caroline comes dangerously close. The collection of the thoughts from members diaries brings the gravity of their situation to a level the reader can feel and fear. The book itself is beautifully printed, the numerous photographs hit the highlights the trip and are captioned in detail. Where Alfred Lansing's book ends on a romanticized high note, Caroline Alexander goes on to detail the fates of the mates after the expedition. Needless to say such a journey is the high water mark for displaying character in the most oppressive of situations. My advice is to buy it for your coffee table, for it is a beautiful book, but read Alfred Lansing's' Endurance accompanied by the Nov. 1998 National Geographic article (by Ms. Alexander) which includes the Frank Hurley photographs.

Don't Pass this one up!
A REAL story told REALLY well.
I listened to it on tape. One of my top five favorite books of all time. I would not have found it if my librarian hadn't suggested it. Couldn't put it down - If you are a man (or woman) in search of true adventure from days gone by then this is the book for you. This insanely difficult journey reveals the true character and spirit of these men in their effort just to stay alive. It feels like you are almost there with them, but glad that you aren't.
A true vision quest.
Buy it-
Read it -
Then give it to a friend - It's that GOOD! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1922   2. Discovery And Exploration (General)   3. Earth Sciences - Geography   4. Endurance (Ship)   5. Expeditions & Discoveries   6. History   7. History - General History   8. History: World   9. Polar Regions   10. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,   11. Sir,   12. Special Interest - Adventure   13. Travel   14. Journeys   15. Shackleton, Ernest Henry   16. Travel / Adventure   

Subjects:  1. Fairy Tales, Folklore & Mythology   2. Fiction   3. Folklore   4. Folklore & Mythology - Folklore   5. Literature: Folklore/Mythology   6. Ndebele (African people)   7. Sociology   8. Tales   9. Tswana (African people)   10. Zimbabwe   11. Fiction / Folklore   

Customer Reviews (4)

Vital to Understanding the US Constitution
The Federalist Papers is probably the most seminal discourse on the U.S. Constitution that has ever been written. While there are occasional inconsistencies and undoubtedly many of the founding fathers that took part in the Constitutional Convention and favored adoption of the Constitution would disagree with some of its contents, it is vital reading if one hopes to understand the original intent of the founders.

You need to know what is in this book
For those newly awakened to American politics, nothing is more important than the Federalist Papers. The federal government now violates almost every principle of government, and every rationale for its existence, as given by Madison, Hamilton, and Jay. From a government of limited and enumerated powers, celebrated by these Founders, we now have a government that, in the belief of most and the frank admission of many, is a government of unlimited power. They would call this tyranny, and say why. Americans sleep through it, waiting for the check in the mailbox.

The Foundation of an Unique Government
The Federalist Papers are rightly considered one of the most authoritative explanations of the provisions of the Constitution in existence. While much further interpretation and definition of the Constitution has taken place over the past 200+ years through the slow accretion of judicial interpretation, the Federalist remains the source for a contemporary explanation of the political causes and justification for virtually every clause in the Constitution.

Some passages are less thrilling than others but Nos. 10, 39, 48, and 51 are about as good as it gets in terms of explicating the structure of what became the US government.

A must read for political science majors, history majors and selected parts for high school students in every government course. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Essays   3. Fiction   4. Government - U.S. Government   5. History - General History   6. Literature: Classics   7. United States - Revolutionary War   

Subjects:  1. American Light Romantic Fiction   2. Fiction   3. Fiction - Romance   4. Romance - Historical   5. Romance - Regency   6. Romance: Regency   7. Fiction / Romance / Historical   

Customer Reviews (8)

It could help some people
What is your learning style? If you don't trust that you know something until you've taken a test, this book can help. It does an excellent job of pulling out the key topics and quizzing you on them. There are no 'silly' questions here--only the important stuff. On the other hand, if you like to read and underline, then return to the text when you are actually 'doing' the activity, then this book is probably a waste of money. One nit complaint: some of the labeling of chart features is a bit unclear. Since it is sometimes tough to tell which letter goes with which feature, answering some questions is difficult, even when you know the material.

Great follow up!
In order for this book to work you need to have the initial Trading for a Living. With both books together you will begin to have all of the necessary tools to conquer the most persistent troublemaker of the market...yourself.

In 200 questions you will learn a lot about yourself, your motives, and most of all your personality. This is where Dr.Elder's background shine. In order to conquer the markets you must conquer yourself.

After being involved with futures trading for 11 years and writing several books on the subject I still find books like Dr.Elder's inspirational and mentally clarifying.

Don't bother..
I ordered the guide along with the actual book and really never did use it. It may be cheap, but I think the book itself should be enough. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business / Economics / Finance   2. Business/Economics   3. Futures   4. Investments & Securities - General   5. Options (Futures)   6. Stocks   7. Business & Economics / Investments & Securities   8. Investment & securities   

Customer Reviews (14)

A MUST HAVE FOR ANY EDUCATED PERSON
A gem of a book. It puts at the hands of lay people the wonders of molecular biology. The best way of spending $65 I can think of.

The text is a most refined product distilled by an all-star team of leading scientists. Oriented towards the lay person or the would be specialist, it is simple, unpretentious, sometimes even funny, but always powerfully explanatory. The diagrams are exceptionally clear (a must for explaining such complex subjects) and the photographs are astounding. Love for their subject and passion for teaching are present all along. And mysticism is always around the corner...

If you have ever wondered things like "What are exactly chromosomes?", "How do exactly enzymes work in the cell?", or "How the hell does all this machinery work at a purely chemical level ?" and you are not quite satisfied with popular science books, this one is for you. It will answer these questions and much, much more.

An enjoyable, deeply satisfying tour the force through the molecular level of all living organisms.

Don't miss it!

A lively and clear introduction to cell biology
I read this book during the summer prior to me senior year in high school, and literally could not put it down. I read the whole work cover-to-cover in a week.

Going in, my background in biology was an introductory cell biology course and my background in chemistry was an introductory chemistry class. That I had little formal training in the sciences was irrelevant when reading this; it explains all the concepts so clearly that I think even a person with no background in science at all could understand it. The diagrams and photos are well-done and highly pertinent.

This is not to say that this book is only for non-scientists. Indeed, I even used knowledge gleaned from this fantastic book to teach my teachers a thing or two. Perhaps the section on muscle contraction is the best written of all - no other book I have ever seen comes close to this in clarity, and this section was one that I recommended to my Anatomy and Physiology teacher for clarification about a few concepts.

I am soon to be a sophomore in college, and this book continues to inspire me on my path to be a professor (I study chemistry with an emphasis on chemical biology). This book was invaluable even in a rigorous microbiology course, not to mention other introductory courses.

In summary, I rarely leave home for extended periods without this text (literally). If there is ONE BOOK that you should buy for studying cellular and molecular biology, let it be this one (or, if you are so inclined, its larger brother, Molecular Biology of the Cell).

A great help for a 1st year Med Student
"Essential Cell Biology" by Bruce Alberts literally saved my 1st semester. The course went hard and the lectures were long and boring. And then - I opened the Essential, started reading, and suddenly things got clear for me. I got an A on the test, and now I know my Cell Biology well - all thanks to this book. Strongly recommended!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biochemistry   2. Cytology   3. Life Sciences - Biology - Microbiology   4. Life Sciences - Biology - Molecular Biology   5. Life Sciences - Cytology   6. Molecular biology   7. Science   8. Science/Mathematics   9. Biology, Life Sciences   

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computers   4. Programming - Software Development   5. Software engineering   6. Systems engineering   7. Computers / Programming / Software Development   

Features

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Customer Reviews (3)

Useful and Well Done
Most who are familiar with the Bible are not familiar at all with the content of the major and minor prophets. The emotional impact of hearing the book of Ezekiel--especially in one sitting, which this set makes not only possible but enjoyable--is rather strong. In fact, it got me kicked out of my church, because the prophets give a sense of the extreme condition in which God finds us, and I applied it to Christendom. In this day of "luke-warmness", that did not go over too well : ) Having this set on tape gives us opportunities that otherwise simply would not be there for getting the "sense" of what's in the most-admired and least-read book in the world. I'd advise buying it if you're in doubt.

I've used the prophets as an example. My point is that there's no substitute for getting a whole book (especially the large ones) at one time. I've rated it at four stars because many of the... publishers (I don't know about this edition) to save money, cut the books into different tapes, which makes it nigh unto impossible to keep one's place...How would you like to go fast-forward and rewind for 10 minutes trying to find the beginning of Isaiah?...

Mark Vedder

Good way to spend time in the car
This set of tapes has served me well. I listen to them in the car. I read the Bible every day, and I enjoy being able to listen to the Bible as well. I feel that the Bible is God's word, and God is the only One that can provide security and salvation for mankind. God's plan for the earth is in the Bible. The Bible is more than a history book.
Scourby provides a good voice to listen to. I highly recommend this set of tapes for anyone who enjoys listening to books on tape.

Always "Gentle on the Ears"
Scourby's voice was made to read the scriptures! His ability to match the tone of each passage is astounding! Without having to rely on dramatization, he is able to transport you to ancient Babylon, where Daniel is about to be thrown into the lions' den, or to Jerusalem, where 12 year-old Jesus discusses law with the priests and doctors. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio Adult: Books On Tape   2. Bible   3. English   4. Authorized   5. CAS - Audio - Nonfiction   6. Religion   7. Bibles - King James   

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day was first published in 1972, catapulting a lovable, if peevish, young hero into the world of children's literature. Since then, Judith Viorst--mother of three boys, one of whom is named Alexander--has created two more Alexander books, Alexander, Who Used to Be Rich Last Sunday and Alexander, Who's Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move.

This wonderful Alexander-fest features the complete tales, illustrated by Ray Cruz and Robin Preiss Glasser, much to the delight of fans who want to introduce Alexander to the uninitiated. Viorst says that she has been writing always--"or at least since I was seven or eight, when I composed an ode to my dead parents, both of whom were alive and well and, when they read my poem, extremely annoyed." If you've ever gone to sleep with gum in your mouth or dropped your sweater in the sink while the water was running, you'll be able to relate to Alexander, and so will your favorite kids. (Ages 4 to 8) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Alexander loves Alexander
Okay, I'll admit it. It's cool to see the look on Alex's face when he gets books that have his name in them. And this was definitely a winner. We'd checked out 'the horrible, terrible, no-good, very bad day', so I knew he'd like this one. Of course when we read it together he reads what Alexander says. It's pretty cool.

Who hasn't had a "terrible, horrible no good very bad day"
I grew up just loving Alexander in Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day. My mother read it to us a children (ok, so now you know I'm not too old!) and I was just thrilled to see such a good copy of not only it but the other Alexander stories as well. The library binding is very nice and this book will definitly be a keepsake for my children someday. If you like to have books to pass on, this one's for you!

Absolutely Positively Alexander - Fantastic!
My son's name is Alexander (goes by Alex). I gave this to him as a birthday gift and we have read it over and over many times. The three short stories are just the right length for a bedtime story. This book has humor and the boy, Alexander, is one boy that all children can relate too. The illustrations are great too! I highly recommend this for any child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Anthologies   2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks   3. Children's stories, American   4. Children: Kindergarten   5. Finance, Personal   6. Humorous Stories   7. Juvenile Fiction   8. Moving, Household   9. Social Situations - Emotions & Feelings   10. Juvenile Fiction / Humorous Stories   

Cisco Systems has lately become aggressive in promoting applications of the IP network infrastructure equipment that the company has traditionally sold. Cisco CallManager--the subject of Cisco CallManager Fundamentals--is essentially an IP-based Public Branch Exchange (PBX) that enables companies to carry their voice and data traffic on a single network infrastructure. This book explains how CallManager (originally developed by Selsius Systems) goes about providing call-control services to IP telephony devices and performing reliably as a corporate telephone switch, and offers insight into how the product may evolve. The volume provides systems architects, engineers, and implementation technicians with the details they need to build strong CallManager systems.

Written by members of the CallManager development team and extensively edited for accuracy, Cisco CallManager Fundamentals uses prose and remarkably clear network diagrams to make its points. People looking for a detailed understanding of how CallManager works will find themselves delighted. While technicians looking for click-this, click-that procedures will be generally disappointed (such didactic techniques are not typical of Cisco Press books), they will find a fair number of sections that explain, in general terms, how to do such administrative work as loading users' names into a CallManager database and routing calls to emergency numbers. --David Wall

Topics covered: All aspects of Cisco CallManager, versions 3.0x and 3.1, of interest to the people who design, implement, and maintain the IP telephony solution. Matters of system architecture (with plenty of information about hardware and network requirements), call routing, media processing, and reporting are all covered. Does not include details of CallManager's integration with the Intelligent Contact Manager (ICM) business-rules engine, or much information on external Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) applications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Better than any other CIPT book in the market...
I studied this book for my CIPT exam. Even though this book itself does not suffice to pass the exam, I could not have done without it either. It provides a clear understanding of CallManager and other CIPT components. All the pictures and graphics are well designed. If I have to criticise a couple points, I would say there are a few organization flaws. Titles could have been organized more effectively. Another improvement could be deviding Route Plan chapter. This chapter is very long compare to others.
Overall, I strongly recommend this book for those who want to understand "Fundamentals of CallManager." Also, if you are studying for CIPT, you should consider "Cisco IP Telephony" book along with this.
As far as practice tests concerns, neither books have enough questions for practice. I had to find a third party question bank to study and it helped a lot. "Cisco IP Telephony" book has some practice questions at the end of each chapter, but I can almost gurantee you that they don't help on the actual test.
Good luck to everyone...

A Very Well Docemented Book That Is Clear And Easy To Unders
I did the CIPT training course hoping that it would be enough to pass the exam. Although the instructor was excellent, the documentation was not. It did not couther certain topics in detail, and was hard to follow. As I had to pass the exam for myself and so that the company kept its Cisco Partner Status I had to get some good documentation.

Although I am only half was through this book I am finding it excellent. It goes into good detail on the information, which you have to know, whilst not sending you to sleep on information, which is not relevant to call manager, networking, or telephony. I am confident that once I have read the book a few times I should be able to pass the exam without too much trouble. Cannot say this about the Cisco training documentation.

Excellent Book!
There is no more authoritative book on the market on Cisco CallManager. This book answered questions for me that I couldn't find anywhere else. In particular, the dial plan chapters unravel the difficulty of complex route plans and helped me to understand each component of the dial plan process. I reach for this book frequently as I administer my CallManager systems! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Communications / Networking   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computers   4. Data Processing - Speech & Audio Processing   5. Data Transmission Standards And Protocols   6. Internet telephony   7. Networking - General   8. Telecommunications   

Customer Reviews (14)

A must for any level of birder in Costa Rica!
A great field guide! After 8 days, my guide was well worn. The "human type" guides that we went birding with on two occasions used the same field guide. They would tell me what plate to go to, from memory, to find the birds we were viewing. My husband, a novice birder, ID'd as many birds as I did using this book. The printed information on the birds was excellent also, as it clinched several ID's.

Its a good field guide!
Just back from 2 week guided tour to Costa Rica. This was a tour featured as "Nature's Museum" and led by a trained biologist that was good on bird ID, though his time was demanded more for logistics and keeping everyone of our 26 tourists happy by hitting the majors such as monkeys, butterflys, and birds like Quetzels, Motmots, and Toucans. I found the Stiles and Skutch guide to be most helpful. Recommend that a new user, read all of the general information just prior to a visit to the country. Also read in advance, the descriptions of bird families and look thru the plates to get a feel for birds you might see. Then when in the field, you can easily scan the plates, and check out the narrative descriptions, including their habits and ranges. Though this was not a bird trip, we did pick up 150 species that we felt comfortable on ID and perhaps a dozen unknowns mostly because of only flighting glimpes. About half were first called out by the local guides and the others by ourselves with help of the book. I find this book's info. on bird ranges to be most useful especially for neotropical migrants for which our North American guides generally ignore wintering areas south of US. One note of caution, is that the color plates aren't always perfect, for instance the tree swallow is too green, the palm tanager a bit too drab, and variants are not shown. Looks like there is room for a next generation "Sibleyian" guide to birds in central America.

If you have a more casual interest in birds, you may be more happy with "A Pocket Wildlife Guide" for Costa Rica, published by Rainforests Pub.,... commonly available locally in Costa Rica. It has nice color plates of common birds, butterflys, reptiles, and mammals.

One of the Best
This book along with the essay collection "Costa Rica : The Last Country the Gods Made" should be owned by anyone who loves Costa Rica, even if they think they despise nature studies as dry and limited. This book's spirit is undeniable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Birds   2. Birds & Birdwatching - General   3. Birds & Birdwatching - Guides   4. Costa Rica   5. Identification   6. Nature   7. Nature / Field Guide Books   8. Nature/Ecology   

Customer Reviews (49)

An excellent work of biography and history
This is a truly excellent biography of a near-mythical figure. First of all, this book provides a thorough review of the known history of Alexander the Great - I have no idea how someone could consider this book "fictional," as one reviewer did. What's most impressive is how Green insists on treating Alexander as a human being. An exceptional person, but still a person, motivated by human passions and concerns. Most ancient history treats its subjects like the stone statues seen in museums. But we can't forget that there were people behind the marble, and they acted like, well, people. Alexander may have considered himself chosen by the gods - and by the end, even divine himself - but Green isn't buying it. At every turn, Green insists on interpreting Alexander's actions just as he might interpret a leader's actions today. Green weighs the poltical, military, family and psychological factors that affected Alexander's decisions, and leaves divine will out of it. Some readers may be put off by Green's demythologizing. I think that Green revitalizes Alexander by restoring humanity to his myth.

Exciting, well documented, educational account!
Green's work on Alexander, begins with the legends about his conception, the family and culture he was born into, his early education (I learned alot here about how small the Greek world was in relation to the great minds of the era), his rise to power, the intrigue, and ultimately the military genius of such a young man.

Green does an excellent job of explaining what is known as fact, what is conjecture and what the competing opinions are. He takes historical data, legends and myths and weaves them into a comprehensive study of a historical Alexander who at times was bigger than even his legends and at times was much smaller. Green provides enough information to comprehend the world in which Alexander lived, which makes understanding the man easier.

It is truly amazing to read about these events so long ago in such a refreshing style. It amazed me at times how much Alexander's campaigns sounded like accounts of the U.S. Civil war or other "recent" military events. Alexander and Green's masterful study of the man are both GREAT!

Rich and detailed biography
Alexander was an enigmatic figure, to say the least. Peter Green provides us with a fabulously detailed, if somewhat dry--though often quite funny--account of his life. It is a very scholarly work; cross-referenced, annotated like mad and full of esoteric French and Latin idioms with English words I had to look-up in my UNABRIDGED dictionary. Still, you get the sense of a real person behind this legend--and it is fascinating, to say the least. Some repetitious language, combined with a cast of characters that would leave Pynchon scratching his head (Green himself acknowledges the frustration caused by so many duplicate names) make it a little hard to follow sometimes, but the narrative is strong and cohesive. I would have really appreciated a larger number of more detailed maps, since a few of the sites the book makes reference to aren't marked (a pipe-dream, I'm sure, since history itself seems to have swallowed a great deal of that information). The battle-plan graphics for Alexander's major confrontations were helpful in visualizing the scene set by Green's exposition. I recommend this book for anyone who wants a comprehensive study of the man who aspired to be a god. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 356-323 B.C   2. Alexander,   3. Ancient Greece - History   4. Biography   5. Biography / Autobiography   6. Biography/Autobiography   7. Generals   8. Greece   9. Historical   10. History   11. the Great,   12. Alexander   

Customer Reviews (3)

The Best of its type -- a great gift
I found this to be a truly great book. However, it took me a while to get to this point because, as soon as I got it home, my wife fell in love with it and I couldn't tear it away from her for a long time. The historical perspective combined with the "love interest" capability make it both fun to read and remarkably useful. It is a reference work to be be cherished and used for years.

My small business is planning to give dozens as Christmas gifts to our clients.

A great approach
Bought this book as a gift for my wife. She spent 2 hours revieweing all her friends' and relatives' birthdays and found most of them to right on the money. We had a dinner party and it was great fun to read everyone's information. A great entertaining book!

A Fabulous Family Gift
I purchased this excellent book while visiting New York.It covers every birthday sign from 1900 to 2001 and is written by 7 astrologers.At 864 pages fully illustrated it is fabulous value.
No dinner party is complete with out this huge source of reference as we discovered, everyone was looking up their birthday and reading it out then looking up their children ,parents and even grandparents.One of our guests became so engrossed we never heard from him the whole evening.
The entries are amazingly accurate the history and special reports fascinating, it also includes your love potential,your luck magnetism and your drive and amition.All the chinese signs are included and it even includes mystical cards.
I can really recommend the book if you have to make a speech at a birthday or special occasion it is invaluable.
I discovered this when making the speech for my mothers 79th birthday. All her history , destiny and personality were so accurate, the speech was a great success. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Astrology - General   2. Astrology - Horoscopes   3. Body, Mind & Spirit   4. Horoscopes   5. Houses (Astrology)   6. New Age   7. New Age / Parapsychology   8. Body, Mind & Spirit / General   

Customer Reviews (2)

A staple handbook for renovation
In my office where projects are small commercial or residential, I find Mr. Newman's book a basic resource for renovation work. This comprehensive handbook provides either a solution or more considerations that were not obvious at first. It is a main staple I turn to for guidance on renovations of all structure types and materials.

A good handbook for a difficult subject
This book is well organized and presented. It covers a lot, and is more comprehensive than other books of its type. It has very good material on concrete design/repair, and also covers wood structures, steel, and pre-engineered buildings quite well. The material on masonry is also good, but a discussion about rusted steel lintels embedded in masonry would have helpful, as this is a common source of problems in 20th century buildings. There are few handbooks that come as close as this one to a thorough treatment of the subject, and it is a useful book for architects and engineers who deal with renovation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Buildings   2. Concrete construction   3. Engineering - Civil   4. Historic Preservation   5. Methods & Materials   6. Repair and reconstruction   7. Science/Mathematics   8. Structural Analysis (Engineering)   9. Technology   10. Technology & Industrial Arts   11. Technology / Construction & Construction Trades