Book Description
In Advance of the Institution can be described as a textbook for John Isaacs’ world view, a view which emphasises that: “The common thread in all of the varying definitions of language is the concept of rifts between individual people, animals, even inanimate objects and how these gaps may best be bridged.” Compositing numerous sourced texts, by writers such as H.G. Wells, Freud, Jung, Einstein, Adam Smith, and The Bible, alongside reproductions of Isaacs’ work, In Advance of the Institution constructs an intriguing and engaging lateral narrative that underlies the difference and similarities between ideas, objects, and the actions of individuals, in relation to social constructs.

Although John Isaacs is generally regarded as a sculptor, his praxis incorporates a range of different mediums – from found object constructions, to video and photographs. This range emphasizes his world view that buried under the surface of our apparent isolation from one another lies a universal connection – from the physical functioning of the bodies we inhabit to the dreams, successes and failures of the individual and society. In that sense, In Advance of the Institution entirely encapsulates and reflects Isaacs’ practice, and with 188 pages of text and full colour reproductions, this publication stands out as an exceptionally interesting piece of art in its own right. Hardback with French fold dust jacket/and book ribbon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Golden Rule
Understood the book, but how are you going to retrain providers until they are sued! Why aren't they trained in medical school from the beginning the golden rule (Treat others as you want to be treated)? Every organization needs to make this mandatory reading before they are allowed to see patients within their facility! Who knows, if they learned that patients are real people, their patient capacity might fill real fast!

A much-needed counterbalance to the defensive hostility widely promulgated by today's modern sue-happy society
Written by a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Healing Words: The Power of Apology in Medicine is a call to doctors and medical professionals everywhere to question the widespread belief that an apology is an admission of guilt and an open door to a costly lawsuit. Woods reveals how the value of a proper apology and cultivated communication skills can actually prevent lawsuits, and promote emotional healing in doctors, patients, and patient's families even in the wake of terrible medical tragedies. Healing Words discusses the components of a proper apology, how doctors can improve their ability to communicate with patients, matters of medical ethics, and much more. Strongly recommended for physicians, Healing Words is a much-needed counterbalance to the defensive hostility widely promulgated by today's modern sue-happy society.

An Impassioned and Thoughtful Plea from a doctor to doctors to say "I'm Sorry"
Given all that has been recently reported on physicians saying "I'm sorry,"this short, straightforward book couldn't have come at a better time.

Dr. Michael Woods has written a practical, motivational book directed at physicians on the why's, how's, and what's of apologizing to patients.Drawing from personal experience, stories from other doctors, examples from other industries, and research data, Dr. Woods does not hold back in making an impassioned plea for physicians to master this tricky part of the patient-doctor relationship.

At ~82 pages, you can probably read this book in one or two sittings (In fact, I read most of it in the waiting room as I waited to see my doctor. Luckily he didn't have to apologize for anything that day).Dr. Woods moves quickly from topic to topic, breaking down just about every aspect of "I'm sorry" - why it's so difficult for physicians in particular to apologize, what an meaningful apologize entails, what the patient is thinking/feeling in apology-worthy situations, how to build more authentic relationships with patients, and even what exact words you could say in difficult situations.

Overall, doctors should apologize appropriately (and probably more often)- it's the right thing to do, it's the compassionate thing to do, and if that's not enough, it might even prevent some lawsuits.

I'm just sorry that I didn't read this book sooner. ... Read more

Book Description
The Sabbath is the only holiday included in the Ten Commandments, and the observance of it has given the Jewish people an opportunity to rest their minds and bodies.The Sabbath is primarily a home oriented occasion, although there are several prayer ser ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great potential
This is first draft of a potentially excellent book. The few brief pages about the history of Shabbat observance tantalized me, but I wished that the author had fleshed out the information he provided. Furthermore, thesection ends with bullet points, and I wonder why he didn't actually writesomething about those topics.By reviewing the table of contents, youwould expect most of the book to be devoted to history rather than toactivities for families with children.

I expect quite a bit from bookspublished by Aronson because of their very high prices. Their publication,"Jewish Views of the Afterlife," was a tremendous feat ofaccessible scholarship that was entirely worth paying for."Every Person'sGuide to Shabbat" is unfortunately not in the same category.At the veryleast, an editor should have addressed grammar and writing style.

Ifyou're looking for a good book on the Sabbath, I'd recommend "FridayNight and Beyond" by Lori Palatnik, also published by Aronson. It containsno history lessons, but does present detailed descriptions of Shabbatrituals and numerous anecdotes about the joy and sacredness of the day. ... Read more

Book Description
Kabbalah of Creation is a new translation of the early Kabbalah of Rabbi Isaac Luria, founder of the most influential Jewish mystical school of the last 400 years. Living in relative obscurity in Northern Galilee, Luria experienced a powerful epiphany that influenced his lyrical, influential text. Poetically and meditatively described, the range of subjects includes the revelation of the Godhead's light in the world and its relationship to every aspect of the human life cycle, including lovemaking, conception, gestation, birth, and maturation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not for the uninitiated
As a Kabbalist Jew of Spanish descent, I'm not really certain what the author of this book seeks to achieve for the uninitiated.If any wonder why the mystics such as Luria died at an early age, including the Ari Kaplan of blessed memory, it may very well be because they violated the Oral Law prohibiting the dissimination of this mystical knowledge outside the realm of the faithful.For many, including pop stars of today, not understanding what is to be taken literally vs. figuratively has led people astray from the simple truths of the written [revealed] Torah/Pentatuch which form the very foundation of Kabbalah through the Hebraic science of Gematria.

Radical translation of a classic text
This particular text is the Second Revised edition by the translator.Rabbi Klein has produced a translation and running commentary on the Shaar HaKlalim, the introductory chapter to Haim Vital's Etz Chaim.Rabbi Haim Vital was a disciple of Isaac Luria, the 16th Century mystic from Safed.The provenance of Shaar HaKlalim is uncertain.Rabbi Klein speculates that it is by a student of Isaac Luria, Moshe Jonah.

This translation is radical.Specific kabbalistic jargon has been idiosyncraticly translated by the author into English, rather than leaving the jargon untranslated as other English translations of kabbalistic works do.This leaves the reader who is familiar with kabbalah continually flipping back to the glossary to figure out which of the sferot are being referenced.

Apparently, the first edition was printed with the original text, this edition is only the English translation, which limits the utility for the serious scholar.Unfortunately, the Lurianic system is very complicated and is really only accessible to more serious scholars.

The utility to the seeker is limited.As Rabbi Klein recommends, the book is best used in the context of a havurah - i.e. in group study - preferably with a spiritual guide.

Creative interpretation, but not entirely reliable
Rabbi Eliahu Klein has done a service for those studying kabbalah in English by providing the first-ever translation of Shaar HaKlalim, the introductory section to Etz Chaim. He also includes a concise and insightful commentary, which is filled with interesting chiddushim (new teachings).

Unfortunately, one must take some chaff with the wheat. He uses somewhat idiosyncratic translations to refer to basic terms; for example Binah he calls "Intuition," which in truth probably better describes the nature of Chochmah. Hod he calls "Praise," and so on. These terms are probably better left transliterated, as they usually are in English translations, to avoid misunderstandings. The reader will most likely need to mentally translate these translations back into their usual terms as they read, thus making the text a bit unwieldy in places.

In his commentary, Rabbi Klein also misunderstands the RaMChaL, one of the most important and brilliant commentators on Lurianic kabbalah, dismissing his work as "a failure," and inexplicably criticising it again elsewhere. Rabbi Klein is also so PC that he misrepresents the Ari's views of women and is deliberately vague on the Ari's view of homosexuality.

"The Kabbalah of Creation" is, in summary, a personal interpretation of the kabbalah of the Ari, and it shows the translator's creativity and insight. It is not entirely reliable, however, and thus I hesitate to recommend it for those new to the field. For those seeking an authentic overview of Lurianic Kabbalah in English, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's "Inner Space: Introduction to Kabbalah, Meditation, and Prophecy" remains the best text available.

Radical translation of classic Jewish mysticism
This is a radical breakthrough translation of an earlier work by the Ari -Rabbi Isaac Luria, the founder of the Tree of Life school. Check out, the Kabbalah of Kissing, the Gay tikkun and the thoughtfull readers notes at the end of every chapter.This is first time someone has translated an entire mystical text with an ongoing commentary and comprehensive Lexicon of Kabbalah in the back.Professor Miles Krassen of Oberlin College has written, "Even advanced scholars in Jewish mysticism can learn soemthing new from Klein's insightfull approach." ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Real Estate Weekly, published by Thomson Gale on August 15, 2007. The length of the article is 819 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Joel Isaacs, president, Isaacs & Co.: Isaacs grows into role of award-winning broker.(PROFILE OF THE WEEK)
Author: Jason Turcotte
Publication: Real Estate Weekly (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 15, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 53Issue: 53Page: 8(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not a Biography
I buyed, thinking was a biography and it's not!. It's a story with facts of Rav Kook life writen in a biography way but not a serious one. For a giant like Rav Kook I don't like the way the author describe his life...RavKook deserved more.

A good book describing the unique personality
A good book describing the unique personality of the greatest Jewish thinker of the 20th century-Rabbi AI Kook. Presents stories from Rav Kook's biography in anecdotal form. Good introduction to Rav Kook's biography ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Semana, published by Spanish Publications, Inc. on September 27, 2002. The length of the article is 661 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Acción, drama comedia para despedir verano.(cinema)(TT: Action, comic drama to bid farewell to summer.)(TA: cinema)(Reseña)
Publication: Semana (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 27, 2002
Publisher: Spanish Publications, Inc.
Volume: 8Issue: 500Page: 31(1)

Article Type: Reseña

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Proceso, published by CISA Comunicacion e Informacion, S.A. de C.V. on May 9, 2004. The length of the article is 743 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: "Peter Pan".(Reseña de película)
Author: Javier Betancourt
Publication: Proceso (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 9, 2004
Publisher: CISA Comunicacion e Informacion, S.A. de C.V.
Issue: 1436Page: 70(2)

Article Type: Reseña de película

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document is an article from Epoca, published by Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA) on October 22, 2000. The length of the article is 759 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: "Soldier".(TT: Soldier.)(Reseña)
Author: Pedro Crespo
Publication: Epoca (Magazine/Journal)
Date: October 22, 2000
Publisher: Difusora de Informacion Periodica, S.A. (DINPESA)
Page: 74

Article Type: Reseña

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (11)

Tangentially integrated
Isaac Newton invented calculus in 1665 and 1666, but chose not to publish due to criticism (by Hooke) of his published work on light. Leibniz invented calculus independently ten years later and published his findings. Things seemed fine between the two men until, primarily through the actions of good-hearted meddlers, controversy was stirred up, words like "plagiarism" were used and bad feelings were had all around. Of the situation, one might wonder, "Who cares?" Well, smart guy, skilled researcher and appropriately named Jason Socrates Bardi did and does and so chose to compose an entire book on the subject. Unfortunately what he produced is unlikely to enlighten the reader much beyond the basic facts, which are set forth early on and detailed later, nor is it likely to entertain due to its repetitive nature (in facts and words), and the awkward tangents taken, whereby he switches from objective writer to, in the very next sentence, commentator, generally without even the use of parentheses. Some form of the word "society" comes up 11 times on page 189 and ten on page 191, "many" occurs five times in one paragraph on page 146, and "escape" is used thrice in one sentence (page 135), "He escaped again, his second escape apparently helped by the fact that he was allowed to escape." Transitions from storyteller mode to commentator mode occur regularly (Pp 120, 156, 167), for example, after explaining that Newton described in a notebook his use of a needle to perform experiments on his own eyes, the author writes, "I saw a copy of this notebook...[p 29]," and gets further off track in telling of an encounter with a mother and son viewing same. Upon describing a process for manufacturing phosphorus, he comments, "I get this picture when I think about it:...[p 105]" Additionally, he chooses to bestow a seemingly official name, used as a chapter title, on an eyebrow-raising occurrence (The Affair of the Eyebrow). And inexplicably writes, "As it was, court intrigues in Hanover at the time were enough to make a soap-opera-loving housewife blush [p 163-164]." Neither man achieves a clear victory in the wars, and although the topic is book worthy, the repetition and clumsy transitions take away from what would otherwise be interesting reading. Better books on math and science: American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Obsessive Genius by Barbara Goldsmith, A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar, and The Double Helix by James D. Watson.

Great insights
I really enjoyed this book and found it offered a great many wonderful tidbits to fill in my understanding of the issues. My most recent previous reading on Leibniz was the wonderful book "The Courtier and the Heretic," which covers Leibniz' interrelationship with Spinoza and the two books fit nicely together. It is clear from Bardi's book that there are many more wonderful possibilities out there many of which have been available for years - a book relating Huygens and Leibniz for example. Perhaps this is one of the most wonderful aspects of a book like this. It points to many sources to explore if one is interested in following up. This book clearly details how the situation got so mixed up and why it will forever remain an embarrassment to those who value the advance of reason and wish human frailties would not create so many bumps on the path.

I did not check these reviews before picking up the book and (not plagiarizing them but independently noting them myself!) found the sheer number of editorial mistakes annoying. One wants to send it back to have it corrected out of habit. These are the sorts of mistakes Word doesn't let happen. I bet I could not even reproduce many of them here without Word automatically correcting them. But I agree this seems to be the editors fault not Bardi's since even if they were Bardi's the editor should have easily caught them. But I myself have seen multiple errors magically appear in a published text that were not there in the original. Perhaps the paperback is corrected? I did not see any mention of this on Bardi's web page either.

But I have a major point to question concerning Bardi's view that Leibniz's vortex argument has been disposed of by Newton's gravity. Would not Einstein's view of the curvature of space achieve essentially the same explanation of Leibniz'? in short, though the short history following the controversy seemed to make Newton's position on gravity the winner (not as an explanation of movements) hasn't more recent history at least shown both theories useful for different purposes and therefore both correct in context?

Perhaps my understanding of this issue is wrong? After all, in the short introduction to the Principia in "On the Shoulders of Giants" edited with commentary by Stephen Hawking he seems to suggest the same thing. What gives? What happened to Relativity?

This is a good read!
I thorougly enjoyed this book.I was not aware of the history of Newton and Leibnitz, and so this was a new subject for me.I really feel that in history classes we should read books like this, because it really opens up mathematics.I am going for phD later this year, and so I am starting to review my mathematics textbooks, such as discrete mathematics and calculus.Reading about the extraordinary men that created calculus and battled over it, made calculus seem to me like a living thing, and actually I am looking forward to reviewing my calculus
textbook!On the other hand, if you aren't a science geek, this book is still a good read, because it also gives us psychological insights into two brilliant men and the time period in which they lived.

Bardi Reestablishes What "Genius" Means
Jason Bardi wisely decided not to write a book about mathematics.Instead, "The Calculus Wars" is an informative story about a great era of mathematical discovery.We learn much not only about the primary figures, Leibniz and Newton, and their peers (such as John Wallis and Jacob Bernoulli), but also about the contemporary dilettantes and sycophants that buzzed around them, the most damaging of which were the nobility.Too often scientists and science have been used to prop the worthless ambitions of fops, even to today's Al Gore.

Bardi is quite right in noting the superiority of Leibniz's notation.He doesn't quite see that Leibniz's universal language was the beginnings of symbolic logic as developed only in the 1800's.Bardi misses one important (and debatable) point, and it is that Isaac Newton created calculus as an indispensable tool for the mathematical development of his new physics.It is the mark of his towering genius that a revolutionary new mathematics was for him simply a means to an end.For Leibniz, calculus was a form of verification that reason could triumph over everything, certainly over the vast landscape of his endeavors.Leibniz is much more the completed Renaissance man, whereas Newton is the scientist of a future that would be molded by his thoughts.

There are grammatical and typographical errors scattered throughout the book, which jar one's reading.These are clearly not Bardi's fault, rather, some numskull editor at the Avalon Publishing Group cut corners and rushed the book to print.Typical error:Bardi correctly states on page 237 that Newton died in March of 1727, but the incompetent editor didn't catch this line one paragraph later, "He was interred in the nave of Westminster Abbey on March 28, 1726...".

Despite such potholes, Bardi's book is good reading.In these days, when every Hollywood celebrity is called a "genius", it is good to reestablish the word by proper examples, such as Sir Isaac Newton and Baron Gottfried Leibniz.

Fascinating
I just got my copy of The Calculus Wars and have been reading it every night. I enjoy the story as well as the information I am learning about history. I am no math buff, but find the insight into both Newton and Leibniz lives interesting and filled with great drama.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Profound spiritual reflections
'Orot' contains the profound spiritual reflections of one of the great Jewish thinkers of modern times. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An excellent and concise explanation of the 613 Commandments
This book goes step by step through each commandment, giving the text from the Torah, a brief explanation, and then short commentaries by various scholars.Short and to the point, and easy to use as a reference book. ... Read more