Customer Reviews (5)

Power & Beauty!
I really enjoyed this book, it's a treasure trove of information throughout. Generally speaking Mac's goal is to keep things simple and the majority Mac user's are perfectly content with that. I would even say that most Mac users I've met don't care to learn UNIX. That's a shame, they don't know what they are missing! The only reason that I became interested in Mac is that it now has the power of a stable, mature and secure operating system, UNIX! Apple has the best of both worlds, the power of the UNIX OS and the beauty of the Mac interface.

With Mac's simple approach, sometimes it can be difficult to get techinical details. For a technical person, this book is welcome. But I wouldn't consider this book to be overly "geeky." Anyone with some experience with UNIX could find useful information in these pages. For example, did you know that you can use GIMP (a very powerful free image editor program) as your default image editor for iPhoto? You can use a lot of cool, free, open source software with Mac OS X. That's another good reason to learn alittle UNIX! This book goes into a lot of detail on how to install GNU free software and other packages.

The book is divided into 4 Parts: Part I. Getting Around, Part II. Building Applications Part III. Working with Packages Part IV. Serving and System Management. Then there's a lengthy Appendix on the file system, command line tools and missing manpages. In a nutshell the book starts with general information, then covers Networking and Programming topics. A good place to start is to find the Terminal Application in the Utilites folder and drag it to the Dock for quick access. I'm more of a network guy than a programmer, so naturally I gravitated to the networking chapters. But to tap into the full power of UNIX one must be able to edit and write some scripts too. This book has some practical scripting examples. It also touches on using your Mac OS X client as a server. I'm sure that I'll be refering back to this book, it's a good one to have in the library.

Please explain ...
As a would-be "switcher" still waiting for the 3 GHz Mac and a
mainstream OSX book from amazon, I've found myself on foreign soil with this book. What is the Dock, what is "rootless mode", what is a disk image? What does it mean to open a directory?

I'd like to suggest that you add a few pages of explanations of Mac specific things for those poor Unix souls who have seen the light but haven't yet received their new toys, and for those who are just evaluating the brightness of the light before they jump.

M Somogyi

Great resource for both Mac and Unix users!
With an existing knowledge of *nix based operating systems I was easily engaged and enchanted by the idea of converting from a Unix based machine such as those produced by Sun Microsystems to an Apple. I found that there is great interoperability between Mac and *nix based software applications. The idea of running the Aqua interface over BSD's skeleton sounds like a nice fit with it's Mac ease of use and it's powerful *nix processing and configurability. The book focused quite a bit on the commands and flags associated with Unix but with the Mac twist. There was also a great chapter on third party applications shipped/available for Mac OS X and pointed out key elements of the titles. Overall I would have to recommend this book to both advanced Mac users as well as the Unix enthusiast. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Apple And Macintosh Programming   2. Computer Bks - Apple / Macintosh   3. Computer Books: Operating Systems   4. Computers   5. Mac OS   6. Macintosh (Computer)   7. Operating Systems - Macintosh   8. Operating Systems - UNIX   9. Operating systems (Computers)   10. Programming   11. UNIX (Computer file)   12. Unix (Operating System)   13. Macintosh OS   

Customer Reviews (6)

Easy to Understand
Good, solid, workmanlike explanation of perspective, described step by step. Plain language, no wasted words. Clear drawings. Do the assignments, it's like taking a class you'd pay $350 for. I've tried to learn perspective from other books, but they were too complicated. This is THE classic. Every illustrator needs it. I use this knowledge every day.

The one book on perspective you¿ll ever need.
For a book first published in 1939, Norling's "Perspective Made Easy" is still the authority on perspective. This concise book contains in roughly 200 pages and 256 illustrations all you'll ever need to know about perspective drawing. In twenty masterfully organized chapters, from simple to complex, the author explains the basics and not so basics of perspective drawing. He includes suggestions on how to make your drawing more simple, drawing methods for observation and space division, a Remember section at the end of each chapter in which he summarizes the most important information and principles presented in that chapter, and a Problems section with exercises that will help you apply what you just learned. One of the best rewards of this book comes in its last chapters where the author covers perspective drawing for a great number of regular and irregular figures like a sphere, a cone, ovals, circles, lamps, cars, etc. With this the author goes many steps beyond all those other books out there that only teach you how to draw cubes and square buildings.

The book may be a bit repetitive at times, but this is not annoying at all, it just makes the author sound as if he was teaching a class in school or college, and it helps you to easily remember the most important information presented. After reading this book my understanding of perspective and the perspective in my drawings have improved 100%. If you follow his teachings and exercises you will learn how to determine the perspective you need to apply to your drawing, whether you are drawing in the field or using photographs as a model, and you will soon start making your drawings look solid, deep and proportionate.

If you are only getting one book on perspective, get this one.

Excellent introduction for beginning artists!
I bought this book because Andrew Loomis (Figure Drawing For All Its Worth) recommended it. I'm glad I followed his advice. If you are going to own only one perspective book, then this is it. However, if you're an interior designer, architect, engineer or draftsman then looks elsewhere since this book's primary audiences are freehand artists.

This is one of the few books out in the market that exactly delivers what it says on the back cover. And it's a reprint from 1939!

I'd give this book a rating of more than 5. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art   2. Art & Art Instruction   3. Design - General   4. Drawing   5. Perspective   6. Study & Teaching   7. Technique   8. Techniques - Drawing   9. Art / Techniques   

Customer Reviews (1)

A Classsic
This is a classic book by a world-renowned expert. I am a practicing organic chemist, and this book has never failed to answer even the most obscure questions I have had about stereochemistry. It is highly recommended as an indispensible reference on the subject. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chemistry - Organic   2. Organic compounds   3. Organometallic Compounds   4. Science   5. Science/Mathematics   6. Stereochemistry   7. Organic chemistry   8. Science / Chemistry / Organic   

Customer Reviews (2)

A must on your professional library
This book and the companion volumes are some of the best tools available for process engieers in the design business. Ludwig has been able to capture a balance between the theory and the real world. An excellent application book highly illustrated and with excellent method summaries and examples.

Lorenzo Montani PhD
I have about two hundred of book on chemical process design. For me this is one of the best book ever made on subject, with many examples. The target is mainly basic and petrochemical industries but also if you are interested in fine chemicals you will find what you are looking for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Chemical Engineering Operations   2. Chemical plants   3. Chemistry - General   4. Engineering - Chemical & Biochemical   5. Equipment and supplies   6. Petroleum   7. Petroleum Chemicals   8. Petroleum industry and trade   9. Science/Mathematics   10. Technology   11. Technology & Industrial Arts   12. Science / Chemistry / General   

Customer Reviews (3)

a leader of educators
Dr.Boyer's Scholarship Reconsidered: Priorities of the Professoriate is one of the most famouse works about American education.Two years ago I read the book in China.By the way, I'm a Chinese graduate. And I think it is a usful book for those who are intersted in Ameican higer education.

An age-old problem without solution
I'd have given the book a higher rating if the author can come up with a clear and appropriate solution to the problem. Imbalance between teaching and research in higher education institutions is not a new issue. There is little doubt that almost everyone can feel the pain: from administrators and faculty to students and parents. The problem is crystal clear, but it persists because we don't know or don't have the will to fix it. Let's face the reality: Universities build their reputation around research grants and publications and Nobel Prizes. Parents fight to get their children into these high profile universities. Students who graduate from these universities have a better chance to land a good job. In the process the "reputation" of these universities is further intensified. It's a vicious cycle not the administrators or the faculty alone can break. No one will say no to good teaching. The real problem is that reward for good teaching is less tangible, effects of good teaching are less immediate. It may take years before students appreciate good teaching, some time long after they've moved on. It may take generations before the society feels the effects of good teaching. Education is a society's long term investment. In a modern age where we ask for immediate recognition and fame, we lack the will to pursue a distant but more satisfying goal. All these problems cannot and should not be tackled by the administrators & faculty alone, as the book seems to suggest. These problems call on all of us to search deep in our soul what it really takes to move the society forward.

A must read for all higher education faculty
Ernest Boyer has presented a very thoughtful conception of the changing demands placed upon those faculty who work in higher education. Recognizing the triad which governs the "tenurability" of faculty, Boyer addresses the need to rethink what higher education is about and how the "professoriate" needs to re-examine and re-prioritze what is important--teaching! He argues eloquently for making teaching the object of research and research a basis for what is taught. The book should be required reading for all faculty and administrators who work in higher education and constantly struggle with tenure and promotion criteria. He presents a very different perspective on what is important, not only to the professors, but more importantly to the students and ultimately to society. His straight forward style and clear message makes the reading of the book a pleasure and his message can serve as a catalyst for serious discussion about what is important activity for professors to engage in as "educators" of our future leaders, scientists, business persons, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and other members of society. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General   2. College And University Administration   3. College And University Faculty   4. College teachers   5. Education   6. Education / Teaching   7. Education, Higher   8. Higher   9. Learning and scholarship   10. Research   11. Teaching Methods & Materials - General   12. United States   13. Education / Administration   14. Educational administration   15. Higher & further education   

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Customer Reviews (1)

What is all the fuss about?????
I simply don't understand what all the fuss about Hemingway is about. I know the man was mad and killed himself but I remember reading an interview with him where her said something to the effect :"I write sloppy but people seem to like it" and man if that ain't the truth! There is NOTHING special about his writings! I could have written them. I only give it 2 stars because "The Old Man and the sea" were somewhat entertaining. I understand how symbolysm can be pulled out of the stories but that is the case with any story written so simplistically. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Audio - Literature / Classics   2. Audio Adult: Books On Tape   3. Classics   4. Fiction   5. Literary   6. Fiction / Literary   

Customer Reviews (4)

Waited a long time, and my patience was rewarded
I see two ways to avoid writing a hard-to-use book about a complex product: one, write a book you wish existed when needed it. Or, if you've brought something new to the world, write about it so that anyone could understand what it does and how it works. I think Friedman-Hill has managed exactly that.

It's not easy for an expert to discuss the fundamentals of a creation as if it was altogether new, but Friedman-Hill manages this with good humor, a light touch, and most importantly a natural ability to describe how using rules-based engines can provide real power to the program designer.

As both guide and reference, this book has helped me apply Jess and reinforce my understanding of other ways to take advantage of it. When I first came across the website for Jess years ago, there wasn't enough context there for me to figure out where to start. With this book in hand I wrote some prototypes, learned how the engine worked, and started looking for effective ways to incorporate this tool into other tasks.

This book is best used by a self-starting, proficient programmer who is looking for powerful ways to tackle complex problems. For those who might need more motivation to invest their time, you'll just have to work a little harder. This is the only book available on the subject, and while the explanations run smoothly, feeling comfortable with Jess will take some time. That said, you should do it; you'll (eventually) be glad you did.

This is a fine book; I rate it 4 stars because it's the only book available on the subject. It's clear, well-written, informative, and entertaining -- for a nerd, anyway -- but I like to believe there's room to improve on it, and maybe even room for a "best" book. Nonetheless, your money will certainly be well-spent right here.

Necessity for any Jess developer
Author is the creator of Jess. The book is as well put together as the product itself. It doesn't assume any jess (or rules) expertise, and doesn't drag on with details you wont care about. Concisely covers the essential basics and moves on to non-trivial examples. As you follow the lead of the author in these examples you don't just understand the workings of jess, but also develop the thought process required to design rules based applications.

Time well invested.

Excellent intro to rules and Jess, plus fun to boot
Jess in Action presents the Jess rule-based framework, and explores it through four meaty and well-chosen examples: a console tax forms advisor, a console PC repair assistant, a Swing HVAC controller, and a servlet-based purchasing agent. The examples vary greatly in their designs and styles of interaction between Jess and Java, and expose patterns in a concrete context. It's especially nice the way each example builds on the functionality of the one before, such as a text-based question/interview module that is extended into a Swing GUI.

The book starts with an introduction to rule-based systems, goes through the basics of the Jess language, and then dives into the examples; the appendices include API references to both Jess functions and Jess's Java APIs, and numerous links and references are scattered throughout the book. If I have any complaint about the organization, it's that the book could have been even more example-driven, abandoning (or shortening) the chapter on syntax and basic functions and introducing them only when used in an example; the rest could have been left to the appendix of Jess functions.

The book is interesting and readable but dense with concepts, so its only 388 pages of content and 50 pages of appendices will take some (well-spent) time to get through. A second skimming impressed me anew with the richness of the material, and the productive way in which it's presented, so I recommend reading the book once to get the overall feel, and then going through it again with the working Jess command shell, editor, and command line in front of you. Or an IDE if you must. :-)

Jess itself consists of a rule language, a runtime engine which supports forward and limited backward-chaining, and APIs for integration with Java; there are many add-on tools for Jess, referenced throughout the book. As with most rules engines, rules are specified as declarative patterns, not procedural code.

Jess in Action is well worth your time and attention, at the least for its exploration of rules, and at most for presenting a strong, flexible platform to tackle what is probably one of the uglier parts of your development: the sequencing and parameterization of business decisions. Although the list of Cons below is longer, they're just nit-picking; this is an excellent, entertaining, and productive read that will likely expand your programming horizons considerably.

Pros
* Clearly, concisely, and entertainingly written for Java programmers of any background
* A strong introduction to two important topics: rules and declarative programming style
* Well-chosen and developed working examples, each with a different design style
* The description of the author's unit test framework for rules in Appendix C is a nice touch

Cons
* Early discussion of Jess syntax focuses too much on Java-like procedural style
* More of a tutorial - not long enough to be a good reference (though that would probably require a detailed Jess Patterns book)
* Discussions of development methodology and knowledge engineering are unnecessary, as they're covered better elsewhere and a short summary adds little to the book
* There's no single list of rule and Jess-related links; references to tools and discussions are scattered throughout the book
* There are no general references to rules and rule-based systems for theory and background ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computers   4. Java (Computer language)   5. Java (Computer program languag   6. Java (Computer program language)   7. Programming - General   8. Programming Languages - Java   9. Rule-based programming   

Gödel's incompleteness theorem--which showed that any robust mathematical system contains statements that are true yet unprovable within the system--is an anomaly in 20th-century mathematics. Its conclusions are as strange as they are profound, but, unlike other recent theorems of comparable importance, grasping the main steps of the proof requires little more than high school algebra and a bit of patience. Ernest Nagel and James Newman's original text was one of the first (and best) to bring Gödel's ideas to a mass audience. With brevity and clarity, the volume described the historical context that made Gödel's theorem so paradigm-shattering. Where the first edition fell down, however, was in the guts of the proof itself; the brevity that served so well in defining the problem made their rendering of Gödel's solution so dense as to be nearly indigestible.

This reissuance of Nagel and Newman's classic has been vastly improved by the deft editing of Douglas Hofstadter, a protégé of Nagel's and himself a popularizer of Gödel's work. In the second edition, Hofstadter reworks significant sections of the book, clarifying and correcting here, adding necessary detail there. In the few instances in which his writing diverges from the spirit of the original, it is to emphasize the interplay between formal mathematical deduction and meta-mathematical reasoning--a subject explored in greater depth in Hofstadter's other delightful writings. --Clark Williams-Derry ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

An Abstruse Mathematical Proof Made Fascinating
This is a remarkable book. It examines in considerable detail Godel's proof, a mathematical demonstration noted for its difficulty in its novel logical arguments. The chapter topics - the systematic codification of formal logic, an example of a successful absolute proof of consistency, the arithmetization of meta-mathematics - appear almost unapproachable. And yet, Ernest Nagel and James R. Newman have created a delightful exposition of Godel's proof. I actually read this book in one sitting that took me late into the night. I simply didn't want to stop; it is really a good little book.

Godel's proof is not easy to follow, nor easy to grasp the full implications of its conclusions. Many mathematical texts, overviews, and historical summaries avoid directly discussing Godel's proof as these quotes indicate: "Godel's proof is even more abstruse than the beliefs it calls into question." "The details of Godel's proofs in his epoch-making paper are too difficult to follow without considerable mathematical training. "These theorems of Godel are too difficult to consider in their technical details here." Such is the common reference to Kurt Godel's milestone work in logic and mathematics.

In their short book (118 pages) Nagel and Newman present the basic structure of Godel's proof and the core of his conclusions in a way that is intelligible to the persistent layman. This is not an easy book, but it is not overly difficult either. It does require concentration and a willingness to reread some sections, especially the second half.

"Godel's Proof" begins with an explanation of the consistency problem: how can we be assured that an axiomatic system is both complete and consistent? The next chapter reviews relevant mathematical topics, modern formal logic, and places Godel's work in a meaningful historical context. Following chapters explain Hilbert's approach to the consistency problem - the formalization of a deductive system, the meaning of model-based consistency versus absolute consistency, and gives an example of a successful absolute proof of consistency.

The plot now begins to twist and turn. We learn about the Richardian Paradox, an unusual mapping that proves to be logically flawed, but nonetheless provided Godel with a key to mapping meta-mathematics to an axiomatic deductive system. (I forgot to explain meta-mathematics; you will need to read the story.) And then we learn about Godel numbering, a mind boggling way to transform mathematical statements into arithmetic quantities. This novel approach leads to conclusions that shake the foundations of axiomatic logic!

The authors carefully explore and explain Godel's conclusions. For the first time I began to comprehend Godel's fundamental contribution to mathematics and logic. I am almost ready to turn to Godel's original work (in translation), his 1931 paper titled "On Formally Undecidable Propositions of Principia Mathematica and Related Systems". But first, I want to read this little book, this little gem, a few more times.

Lucid & satisfying: Godel's Proof and modern logic
In 100 lucid and highly readable pages, presents the most important ideas of modern logic: axiomatisation (Euclid), formalization (Hilbert), metamathematical argumentation, consistency, completeness, etc., leading up to Godel's incompleteness result. Elementary from a technical point of view, but technical people should read it to get perspective. Non-technical people will appreciate its workmanlike, substantive exposition, in contrast to the mysticism, obfuscation, and cuteness of a "Godel, Escher, Bach". It is old (1958) and very incomplete (no set theory, no computability, no non-standard analysis, ...), but still essential reading.

(I wrote this review in 1998, but Amazon doesn't know I'm the same person as macrakis@alum.mit.edu.)

Good attempt to explain the proof
This was clearly one of the best attempts at explaining Godel's proof that I have seen, at least superficially speaking. As someone who just wanted to understand what the basic ideas are, I looked over various books and decided on this one because of its high rating. I gave it 4 stars because I was left feeling that there were several times when background knowledge of higher mathematics/logic was assumed and I think more could have been done to explain those parts on a level comprehensible to an interested layperson.

I think the attempt in the book is a good one, but I guess perhaps not enough is said about just how abstract these ideas are and how difficult it is to simply dive in (even with a good book) and expect to understand this proof fully.

I am going to try Godel, Escher, Bach, and Roger Penrose's Shadows of the Mind next, since I have heard that both of them also include explanations of Godel's theorem. But I now have a greater appreciation of why there will never be a "Godel's Proof for Dummies" book! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General   2. Godel's theorem   3. Gèodel's theorem   4. Logic   5. Mathematical And Symbolic Logic   6. Mathematics   7. Science/Mathematics   

Customer Reviews (35)

An unique view of an ecologically sustainable society
This book is unique in it's description of a totally different society. Influenced by the growing ecological (radical) movement, Callenbach gets us reading the notes and articles of a journalist that comes from the country from which Ecotopia separated (USA) and became independent. Callenbach "builds" a very detailed society, showing it's positive and negative (after all the journalist was from an "enemy" country) aspects. But even so, the positive aspects are so emphasized that we want to join that society when we finish reading the book. It is a whole new concept: not only the economic or political system, but also the interpersonal relations, the psichology of everyone, love, relations with Nature, etc. Callenbach was successful in making a literary book that describes a whole society. I would give 5 stars to this book if it wasn't for some parts that became too descriptive and without much emotion. Overall, this is a great book that should be read by anyone who wants to know about other ways of social organization.

Read Ecotopia Emerging instead
I read the prequel (which came out later) to this book, Ecotopia Emerging, first. Ecotopia Emerging was an excellent book, with a pretty gripping plot that did a good job of highlighting Callenbach's call for a more balanced and ecologically sound way of living. I read this book a few weeks later, and I could barely get through it. If you've ever read any science fiction concerning a utopian or alternative society which is visited by an outside scientist/journalist/observer who then ends up becoming a part of the society (think Walden Two), you've already read this book. The book is simply a mouthpiece in which the journalist (with whom you are supposed to identify) wanders around recording his observations in Ecotopia (and sleeping with every woman he meets along the way). There is no real plot or characterization, and it's too predictable to be exciting. If you're looking for a good work of fiction about an ecotopian way of living, do yourself a favor and read Ecotopia Emerging, not this.

I love this book, but........
This is one of those books that only a mother could love. This is one of my favorite books, but all the critical reviews are correct: the writing style flips back & forth between pretentious & wooden, the characters either shallow or dopey (usually both). This book is no "A Tale of Two Cities." In fact, for this kind of story, Thomas Moore's "Utopia," Bellemy's "Looking Backward"--and probably everything written by Jules Verne are better stories....Way better (especially Moore, the grand-daddy of the genre).

I still love this book, because of all that. When written during the 1970s, it was so "out there" for its time--that reading it now is terribly dated. It's almost like watching 1950s movies about space flight....But this book (in its own weird way) was an important book that helped inspire the environmental movement. No, it's not Rachal Carsons's "Silent Spring," but it reads a heck of a lot better than "Unsafe at any Speed."

If you're in your forties (or older), and want a drift back to the "future" of 1970, or you're younger & want to know why your parents are so weird--Read this book. Or if you are an environmentalist, and want to know where your roots lie--this is a good book to read.

But if you don't have any special interest, and are just looking for a ripping good yarn to pass a rainy saturday afternoon....It's not this book, babe. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American - General   2. Environmentalism   3. Environmentalists   4. Fiction   5. Fiction - General   6. General   7. Human ecology   8. Nature conservation   9. Literary Criticism & Collections / American   

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent introduction and review
The publication of this book has been highly anticipated by many in the emerging field of public health informatics and it does not disappoint. Although seemingly targeted at those new or recently introduced to the discipline, or those "crossing over" from other areas within the broader informatics arena, content is very well-suited for all comers, with sufficient detail to satisfy even those familiar with the many issues detailed in the richly detailed case example chapters.

The breadth of material covered is excellent, making it especially appropriate as an introductory or intermediate text. Of particular interest will be the section of the book on "The Science of Public Health Informatics" which includes particularly fine chapters on information architecture, value assessment, management of personnel and projects, and organizational change. Bill Yasnoff does a particularly good job adding clarity to a muddled domain in a chapter on privacy, confidentiality, and security of Public Health Information. Those readers generally interested in PHI education, or with specific interest in developing training programs for PHI programs or for public health agency personnel would find great value in Janise Richard's chapter on core competencies.

The writing style is generally clear and illustrative, albeit not terribly concise. We have adopted this book as the core text for our graduate-level introductory course in PHI. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration   2. Communication In Medicine   3. Information services   4. Medical   5. Medical / Nursing   6. Medical informatics   7. Online Services - General   8. Public Health   9. Public Health (General)   10. Research   

Customer Reviews (6)

It worked!
I ordered this book on a last ditch effort to help me quit picking my fingers. I've had this compulsive habit since I was 7 years old. I've tried everything and nothing has worked because I was doing it unconsciously. I couldn't stop myself when I didn't know I was doing it. This book wasn't a magic bullet. It just allowed me to tap my unconscious mind. Now I know why I was doing it (nervousness). I notice when I'm about to start doing it and I have a way to keep myself from doing it. This book guided me through exploring self-hypnosis. The tape was key because it helped me do a hypnosis session for the first time. The book explained what hypnosis is and gave several chapters on how to solve common problems. I used the chapter on how to quit smoking to help me build a plan for myself to quit picking my fingers. After 5 sessions I've totally stopped picking my fingers. I mean I haven't picked once since then! What an achievement! I can't begin to tell you how glad I am that I ordered this book!

Teach your mind how to control you properly.
Having grown up believing that in hypnosis you give up your free agency and self-will to demonic control, and also hypnosis just being used for silly stuff, like having you act like a monkey or chicken on stage, I was quite leery about reading this book.

Now, after having read this book my understanding of hypnosis has been completely redefined. I now understand that we all put ourselves and other people through different forms of hypnosis every day. Praising or putting down your children, solemn prayer, day dreaming, deep thought, engrossed in a movie, television show or book are forms of hypnosis that we apply to our daily lives.

Also the only person who has the power and authority to hypnotize you, is you. All hypnosis is technically self-hypnosis. A person should be careful though because like all things that seem harmless, there is always someone out there using it for no good. Hypnosis can also be used for no-good. And then so can solemn prayer, watching movies, reading books, etc., have harmful effects on your conscious and unconscious mind.

It is our unconscious mind that effects what we can or cannot accomplish. We can learn to utilize our unconscious minds stored experiences through different forms of hypnosis to achieve our goals and utilize our abilities and potentials that are already stored within us.

Understand why autosuggestion, such as a New Years Resolution, does not work.

Learn how to explore and access your unconscious mind where everything we have ever seen or experienced is accurately stored.

Throughout this book you will learn the history of hypnosis, the theories behind it, how to learn, unlearn and relearn such things as sports, self control, smoking, stress, fear, pain, and being over-weight.

The only thing that I didn't like about this book is the poor typesetting and poor sound quality of the cassette recording. Overall though, an excellent, easy to read book for anyone interested in how the mind works. And exercises on how to apply the theories to your own mind.

Worth the wait
I wanted a book on this topic as soon as possible, but
after reading thereviews for this one, I felt it was worth
the wait.

This is a very well balanced and scholarly look at using
hypnosis to better understand the unconsious. It reads
like a text book, but is presented very clearly for people
like me who are not familiar with hypnosis.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for
a better understanding of hypnosis and not just a quick
fix.

It was worth the wait. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Psychology   2. Self-Hypnosis   

Customer Reviews (56)

A Gathering of Old Men
I have only recently become familiar with Ernest Gaines, and this is the second of his books that I have read. In this one, he gives a unique look at the racial tension between blacks and whites. The book begins with a white man who has been shot. A gathering of old black men ensues, and each claims to the white sherrif, in their attempt to protect the real killer, that they committed the murder.

During the reading of this book, as a midwestern white woman, I developed a new appreciation for why today, blacks still feel the effects of past oppression at the hands of whites. The book was set in the 1970's, giving readers a good perspective on why the tensions still persist.

I enjoyed the sense of unity that was present in the black community in this novel, and cheered the determination of each of the characters while they stood to make their point.

The only negative I found in the book was the confusion brought on by the number of characters in the cast. At times it was difficult to keep them all straight. However, as I write this, I'm thinking that maybe that was the point. I was forced to keep looking back and reviewing, as I learned to identify each of them as individuals.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is willing to work a little at a worthwhile read.

Taking a Stand
Ernest Gaines clearly demonstrates his love of the land and people of Louisiana in A Gathering of Old Men. In a storyline which has similarities with Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express, eighteen old Afro-American men take a stand by admitting to a murder of the local racist bully Beau Boutan. Their position gives them the authority to redeem their dignity.

Ernest Gaines is a masterful writer and a compelling story-teller. The book is structured almost as a number of short stories. Each chapter adds to the whole and is told from a different persons point of view. Each short synapsis provides insight into a new character and the choices and perspectives which they hold.

This is a story about changing times, the late 1970's. This is a story about strength and dignity. This is a story about father and son. This is a story about black and white. There is so much involved in this short novel. In addition to that, it is told in a way that is interesting and readable. I had trouble putting the book down. It certainly was one of the more important books I have read in years.

I advise anyone concerned about the vitality and diversity found in American Literature to read this.

A Very Good Book
A Gathering of Old Men was a very good book. You can't help wanting to now what is going to happen next.This book should be read when you are in high school or in college.This book helps you to get a feel of how black people were treated in the 1920's and 1930's and how they were still getting treated in the 1970's.But in this story it shows you how the younger white people were trying to bring their parents and old friends out of the 1920's & 1930". To show them that blacks and whites were all treated equal. The men in this book was not going down without a fight. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics   2. Fiction   3. Gaines, Ernest J. - Prose & Criticism   4. Literature - Classics / Criticism   5. Fiction / General   

Customer Reviews (38)

Great entry point to game development
This is one of the most well written, easy to understand game programming books I have come across. The author obviously knows the subject matter quite well, and knows how to present it in a clear and consise manner.

If you're a competent C/C++ programmer, but just getting started in game programming, this is a great place to begin. Although the focus of the book - isometric games - is a bit narrower than books like Tricks of the Windows Game Programming gurus, I think you'll be more satisfied with the look of the isometric games you create. In addition, the basics of DirectX and Windows programming are covered in a very understandable manner.

If you're already a game programmer, and just want to pick up some iso techniques, feel free to skip the first part - there's nothing new there. Although the book's title includes "DirectX", the isometric algorithms are not API dependent, and can be easily adapted to other APIs (I was able to convert them to OpenGL in a matter of hours).

My only complaint about the book is that the author obviously lost steam near the end, with the number of demo programs and code samples dropping to a trickle. This also means that there is not a complete game included with the book. However, there is enough good material otherwise that I'm not going to count that against it.

Highly recommended!!!
What a incredibly well done book! I have followed Ernest Pazera's articles and work for a very long time in the Gamedev.Net community and I will say that this book is Ernest at his finest! And with the added touch of Andre' LaMothe, it makes this book a programmer's gem. I know that there are a great many aspiring game programmers who will find this book to be the book they have been waiting for. I'll explain what amazed me about this book:

It starts out giving a short review on Windows programming, and GDC (which is good, since sometimes it's easy to forget some of the basics). It's followed with a course in DirectX, and DirectSound, which are given in a way tailored toward our goal of making an isometric or tile-based game. Then the book just takes off. You'll find wonderful chapters on isometric game design, and the overview on how to create your game engine. The chapters that follow cover tile-based programming and tile-based AI and (my personal favorites of the book) chapters on how to handle objects and characters in your game. And it's all done in a very easy to understand and straight-forward manor. He completes the book with chapters on how to make your game's transition into the world of Direct3D. I've been doing tile-based games for years, and yet I found TONS of things in this book that I didn't know. And I think that's one of the main reasons this book is so well done: it's done by a man who loves iso-game programming with an incredible passion, and HE KNOWS HIS STUFF.

I do agree with Dino, though, that one would want to have at least a bit of understanding on game programming before delving in, as opposed to hitting it right at the start. And like Dino said, it makes a GREAT reference for all of those who may have been in the business for a while.

Ernest, you've done a wonderful job on this book. Doing a good book on iso-game programming is no easy task, but you have pulled it off perfectly.

Bottom line: THIS IS A DEFINATE MUST-BUY.

Nice for the ABSOLUTE beginner...
I bought this book because LaMothe was the editor, and i thought he actually made at least some suggestions to the writer.

I won't take your time, so here it is:
Good:
-Covers everything needed for a basic game, for beginners.
-Couple good ideas, like mouse-mapping, path-finding
Not Good:
-Part I:First 230 pages are about windows programming, an ISO book should not cover 'my first windows program' topics...
-Part II and III:This supposed to cover the ISO stuff, from basic to hardcore (only the basic is there)
-Part IV:World generation and Path finding (the only good stuff in the book)

Recap: The author handles the subject as Civilization II was the ONLY ISO TYPE GAME, and Fallout, Diablo does not exist, however the introduction states you will learn the secrets of creating games like NOX (Diablo clone). Explanation of seamless tile generation is lame (not the real deal), does not cover any of the 'interesting' topics, like: wall transparency, rendering of large objects, different types of scrolling (character centered, character framed), and so on...

Suggestion:
-If you want to write a small, turn based strategy game (definetly with flat tiles), and you are a beginner with programming and windows, buy it.
-If you want to write a Fallout or Diablo-like ISO game, do not buy this book, you can get all the basic info this book cover from the net...

I think i will write a similar 'book', and put it to my webpage, only that will cover all the stuff this one left out...

Edocecrous
System/Game programmer,
Mynergy ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - Languages / Programming   2. Computer Books: General   3. Computers   4. Entertainment & Games - General   5. Programming - Software Development   6. Computers / Entertainment & Games / General   

Subjects:  1. Computer Bks - General Information   2. Computer network resources   3. Information Storage & Retrieval   4. Internet searching   5. Web search engines   

Customer Reviews (7)

Illustrated in color and black & white by E.H. Shepard
The World of Pooh is better read aloud. Milne's characters are charming and lovable. Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends are alive in this book every time I read it, and Shepard's illustrations are so pleasing. I've read these stories so many times and still each time I can hardly wait to find out what adventures Pooh and his friends will have.

Great for kids and adults. Because it's *that* sort of book.
I first read Pooh as a child, when my days were spent doing Nothing. It was a good book then, which I really enjoyed.

But I don't do Nothing anymore. Well, not so much. They don't let you. Now my life more often resembles going around and around the tree looking vainly for Woozles, or going bump, bump, bump down the stairs, thinking that there must be a better way, if only I could stop bumping long enough to think of it. Reading Pooh is how I stop bumping.

I need to be reminded that spelling isn't everything - that there are some days when spelling Tuesday simply doesn't count.

Pooh and Piglet are wondering where you've been. Eeyore told them that you're not coming back. "They've forgotten," said Eeyore. "Typical," said Eeyore. "How Like Them," he said.

But you can come back, you know. You can find a Thoughtful Spot, or join an Expotition to find the North Pole, or drop stick off a bridge.

Because the Forest will always be there, and anyone who is Friendly with Bears can find it.

A great book for all ages!
Winnie the Pooh,a bear, has different adventures with all his friends: Christopher Robin , Piget, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, Roo, Tiger, and many more. I like this book because it is funny. Pooh and his friends are cute (from the pictures) and have great and different personalities. Please buy and read this great book. You will love the characters. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Animals   3. Children's 4-8   4. Children: Grades 1-2   5. Fiction   

Customer Reviews (40)

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman
This is one of the truest fiction books I have ever read. Gaines has a way of pulling you right in the story with Miss Jane! I actually felt that I was right there on the porch sitting with Gaines as he listened to her. I could feel the pain that Gaines describes as Miss Jane goes through the trials and tribulations after the civil war. How the black slaves felt when they were "set" free, known as "freedmen". I cried and laughed with Miss Jane throughout the book, reading this book gave me a true feeling of how things were for the blacks. Gaines does not leave out many of the brutal or violent details of the time. Gaines takes you right along with him on the journey of Miss Jane and Ned. I feel the language in the book was very appropriate for a lady from Louisiana. Gaines gave great insight on how the language was "really" spoken during that time. Gaines uses this book as an example of racism and discrimination. The theme of this story is that of the perseverance of the human spirit against persecution. I think this is a well-written book that helps you see what it was like to live as a black in those times in the American south.

An incredibly valuable historical resource!
I'd thought that it wouldn't be possible for a man to write GOOD fiction from a woman's point of view. "She's Come Undone" proved my point. "Memoirs of A Geisha" proved me wrong - and I thought I'd never again find a well written fictional piece about a woman and written by a man. Ernest J. Gaines proved me once again wrong in "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman."

Jane, born Ticey, was "interviewed" by a man who was interested in the life of a woman who'd lived from Slavery to Civil Rights. Jane was given her name by a Yankee soldier whom she'd been told to give water by her Mistress, and it was Jane's name from then on.

When the slaves were freed, she set out with several going North. Secesh men who'd been soldiers during the Civil War (in other words, days before!) killed everyone they could find - everyone except Jane and the son of another former slave. Jane was either ten or eleven years old at the time. She traveled with the child, Ned, and raised him as her own.

This book goes through her life, through the triumphs and the disappointments, through the times she spent on different plantations and doing different jobs. Working my way through the vernacular was a challenge, but it added credibility to the story. Hatred based on skin color is rampant throughout the book; so is Miss Jane's knowing "her place." Nonetheless, she tells with touching sorrow of the love of a white man for a Creole teacher. Happiest in the fields, she was incredibly profound when she spoke of talking to the trees: "Anybody caught talking to a chinaball tree or a thorn tree got to be crazy. But when you talk to an oak tree that's been here all these years, and knows more than you'll ever know, it's not craziness; it's just the nobility you respect."

Her stories give new meaning to "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose." There are those who will dissect the book for symbolism. It's not necessary to do so; "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman" carries itself just fine.

bland, unmoving, cookie-cutter story
This is my least favorite book of all time. The reason? I find the Civil War era to be fascinating, and the stories about the people who lived through that period, especially the slaves, especially interesting. Those stories have the potential to emotionally stir something within you, to make you analyze the growth of our country, the meaning of war, and the value of life. However, this particular book lacks all of that. The story is a convential, cookie-cutter story about a former slave girl who grows up to be part of the civil rights movement. In the center of the book (aka. her life) there is meaningless fat that never builds into a good story. Save your time and sanity, and read another book about this era or of African Americans that will actually contribute to your life. Suggestions: Gone With the Wind, The Bluest Eye, Beloved ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African American women   2. Classics   3. Fiction   4. Historical - General   5. Historical fiction   6. Literature - Classics / Criticism   7. Louisiana   8. Older women   9. Fiction / Historical   

Customer Reviews (6)

Not just a cookbook -- a sociological foray
Just as in the original "White Trash Cooking", there are recipes here, but more of an emphasis on cooking for groups. The various situations that call for group food are presented -- quilting bees, funerals, reunions, obligatory holidays. Each chapter is prefaced by a short story illustrating the heart of white trash. The photos are truly astounding, and as in the first book, a big part of the book's appeal. These people don't ever apologize for being white-trash -- they're simple, unvarnished, and neighborly. So is their food.

The recipes are even more outrageously white-trashy than in the first book -- while there are several recipes I tried from the first, there aren't as many that I'd call accessible in this one. I also find dialect-writing difficult to follow. Still, the last chapter is truly touching: An eloquent plea for people to cook with their own hands, instead of relying on store-bought "mummafied" food. Well said!

What A GREAT Cookbook
I have both White Trash Cookin' Books and have given them as gifts. The stories as well as the recipes will have you in stitches. The recipes are good eats too. Highly recommend this book.

Do it again.
If you've seen #1, then this is more of the same. The stories are so good, you'll laugh out loud. The photographs are also great, though I prefer those in #1 by a smidgeon. Oh, yea, there are recipes in this one too. I like the ones that say, "you can mess with this and it will turn out fine." I'm not much of a cook, though my husband is. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, American   2. Cooking   3. Cooking / Wine   4. Regional & Ethnic - American - Southern States   5. Southern style   

Customer Reviews (18)

Tempted but not Sold!
I have used this particular reference book many times in my own research and found it invaluable. So when I saw it advertised @ Amazon.com, I was very tempted to add it to my own library, however! Vol 1 only contains the first half of the Egyptian Hieroglyphic dictionary and my search for Vol 2 returned a negative outcome. Surely if Vol 1 is available... Vol 2 could also be offered? Therefore I am not willing to purchase Vol 1 until I am sure Vol 2 can be acquired. (How 'bout a package deal on these two items 'Amazon'?)

This book is very useful!
This book has had very mixed reactions from those who have read it. Budge was writing at a time when people were unsure of the exact values of certain characters, and when many things about the Ancient Egyptians were still unknown. For this reason there are some strange mistakes in his dictionaries that many advanced scholars now criticse him for.

However, this book does offer one of the largest hieroglyphic dictionaries currently available and for this reason it is indispensable.A casual learner, who wants to be able to read the cartouches that appear on monuments and stelae can do so with Budge's king list.

An advanced scholar though, who needs to know the unusual words that can be found only in Budge's dictionaries, will have enough knowledge to correct his outdated transliteration.
For the casual student I recommend this book intensely, as it helps greatly with cartouches and formulaic inscriptions.
For the more advanced Egyptologist I also recommend this book, as it offers as I have said a far less "concise" version of Faulkner's Concise Dictionary.

P.S If you buy Volume One, do not forget to purchase Volume Two!

Budge's Dictionary in Two Volumes
I've noted numerous complaints about the elusive Volume 2 to Budge's heiroglyphic dictionary. Worry not, Amazon does in fact carry it. I querried them and received an e-mail the next day with all of the information I needed to order Volume 2. And even very old, the dictionary is in fact highly valuable. True, there are some oddities with the way he treats the spelling of gods' and kings' names and with other vocabulary, but it's not difficult to get past that stuff. Faulkner's Concise Dictionary of Middle Egyptian is another good source, but it is much too concise...Budge contributes significantly more detail. Just be mindful of the dictionary's age and all we've learned since his time. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. African Languages   2. Ancient - Egypt   3. Dictionaries   4. Egyptian language   5. Hieroglyphics   6. History - General History   7. Language   8. Writing, Hieroglyphic   

Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure   2. Children's Baby - Boardbooks   3. Children: Preschool   4. Classics   5. Humorous Stories   6. Juvenile Fiction   7. Preschool Picture Story Books   8. Toys, Dolls, & Puppets   

Customer Reviews (5)

A True Leader
Shackleton was an amazing man full of true grit and true leadership. Among the many things that stand out in his story of survival is the importance of keeping a journal. Even after many supplies and equipment were left on the ice, the men were instructed to continue to carry their journals. And what if they had not? Where would be the true story that outshines most fictional adventure stories in the minds and imaginations of many, including myself?

If you want to read more about Antarctica, I suggest T.H. Baughman's "Before the Heroes Came."

Sheer will and nerve.
Ernest Shackleton's description of his voyage into and subsequent escape from Antartica is amazing. The matter of fact tone with which he describes his adventure seems wildly juxtaposed on the events which he led his men safely through. It's an interesting read which gives some glimpse into the calm and mechanically rational mind of Shackleton, the reason he and his men survived. I highly recommend this book.

Edge of Your Seat
Fascinating and exciting book. Shackelton writes in the most British of style -- he describes an ice floe splitting beneath his tent in the same plain delivery as the description of a depth sounding. The book is overflowing with the most amazing of events, placing Shackelton's crew in an adventure every bit as great as Lewis and Clark's expedition (read the Ambrose book "Undaunted Courage" if you like this one).

This is a fine edition, as it includes approx. eighty photographs of the expedition. From the outset of the voyage to the harrowing crossing of St. George Island, this guy would put today's extreme adventure-seekers to shame. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1874-1922   2. Adventurers & Explorers   3. Biography / Autobiography   4. Discovery And Exploration (General)   5. Earth Sciences - Geography   6. Historical - British   7. Imperial Trans-Antarctic Exped   8. Science   9. Science/Mathematics   10. Shackleton, Ernest Henry,   11. Sir,   12. Travel   13. Journeys   14. Shackleton, Ernest Henry   15. Travel / Adventure