History Books

This book is a well-written story about how scientists and engineers figured out how to navigate the globe. It is a story that was well known in its day and forgotten within 50 years.

My husband (a scientist) loves books on exploration and discovery. When he finished this book - surprisingly quickly - he said "you'll love this." Sure, I'll read anything once so I gave it a try. The author has such a knack with prose that this book basically read itself! Time flew when I picked it up and I was done in no time. What a fantastic surprise! When I finished it, I mailed it to my brother who read it & sent it to a friend; it;s that good....

A short but well written book that sheds light on an almost forgotten man who changed the world. Interesting and fun to read, worth checking out.

John Harrison completes his first pendulum clock in 1713 before the age of 20. He made the gears for this out of wood which was radical for such a use, but as a carpenter, perhaps not to him---which is a mark of genius, I'd say; to reach beyond accepted norms in this manner. This he did after borrowing a book on math and the laws of motion; which he copied word for word, making his own copy. He incorporated different varieties of wood into his clock for strength and later invented a bi-metal pendulum to counteract the expansion and compression of various individual metals. He also employed friction-free movements so as to do away with problematic lubricants. When intrigued by the puzzle of time at sea and the issue of longitude he contemplated substituting something not prone to gravity, as a pendulum of course is, to track times passing. In 1737 he creates a cantilevered clock 4 foot square. This the longitude board (which had offered a cash bonus to anyone who could devise a method in which time at sea could be kept) admired. Four years later he returns with an improved model; then starts on a 3rd model, like the previous two, also a fairly large sized clock.But there exists a problem within this book: An artisan freemason by the name of John Jefferys at the Worshipful Company of clockmakers befriends Harrison and then later presents to him a pocket watch in 1753. Then in 1755, while still working on his 3rd model, Harrison says this to the Longitude board: I have..."good reason to think" on the basis of a watch "already executed that such small machines[he's referring to pocket watches] may be of great service with respect to longitude." He then completes version 3 in 1759. His fourth version appears just a year later, however, and is a 5 inch wide pocket watch! The obvious inference made by the author is that after he received the pocket watch from Jeffreys he seemingly put his version #3 on the back burner and soon started on the pocket watch 4th version. The author does not claim Harrison copied anything from the Jeffreys model, but she certainly phrases this section so as to lend one to believe that this may have been the case; that Jefferys had a hand in the masterstroke invention Harrison eventually produced in version #4. This is not true. Harrison commissioned the watch he received from Jeffreys and was based on Harrison's specifications. It seems that Harrison simply asked Jeffreys to test an idea which he himself hadn't the time to attack just then; as he was still working on his 3rd version of a table-top prototype clock. Hence Harrison's above statement to the board in 1755 whence his ideas were validated by Jeffreys. In addition, the author plays up the part of the Astronomer Royal's part in attempting to impede Harrison from convincing the longitude board of the efficacy of a time-piece solution to this problem over a celestial answer to this conundrum. The author also jazzes up the issue of whether Harrison received the prize the board promised to pay for a successful solution herein; even though the board supported him for upwards of 20 years as he pursued this quest. It's as if the author intentionally omitted some facts (that the Jefferys was a Harrison commission), and pumped up others (of a rival/foil on the board trying to impede Harrison and the compensation issue; implying that Harrison was jipped) just to make the story more compelling. John Harrison's story, however, is extremely compelling as it is and didn't need this extra spice served up by the author.Do read this (very short) book on how this Mr. Harrison solved the problem of knowing where one is when at sea; and if you're in London, visit the Old Royal Observatory and the Clockmakers museum (in the Guildhall) where you can see Harrison's wonderful creations in person. Enjoy!

What do Galileo and John Harrison have in common? They both had run-ins with bureaucracies that impeded the acceptance of their breakthrough ideas. And they are both subjects of books by Dava Sobel. Longitude is second book by her that I have read, the other being Galileo's Daughter. As with the latter book, Sobel combines the science of the times with a lot of background on the politics and religion of the age. She weaves these together into a coherent story that is entertaining and informative. I had never even considered that there was a ever a problem in determining longitude, so this book opened my eyes. The book I had purchased contained color illustrations that helped bring the devices that are the subject of this book to life (more can be found at http://www.portcities.org.uk/london/server/show/ConNarrative.132/chapterId/2685/Greenwich-and-the-story-of-time.html). These devices were one inventor's way of solving the problem of determining longitude at sea. Sobel covers her topic with a great deal of sympathy. Indeed, the blatant way in which the establishment hampered Harrison was very frustrating, meaning that the writing was very compelling. Interestingly it speaks to Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific revolutions, which pointed out the great steps forward in science can be accomplished by those newer to the field and that science doesn't really change until the older generation passes. I recommend this book to anyone interested in boating or science or anyone who uses a GPS device to have an appreciation for how difficult travel used to be.

I have to agree with the people who said the pictures were barely visible, the accompanying website had tons of broken links. I had to buy this for a class, normally I would've kept such a book for future reference, but this I couldn't wait to put it up for sale.

This book was at a relatively great price, cheaper than the average by about $25. It was in perfect condition when it got here. Basically, everthing turned out great

This textbook ran out from the bookstore at Cerritos College. This is the latest version that our professor wanted us to have beyond the 12th Edition that was suggested by the Art Department curriculum. This textbook is very up-to-date and comprehensive.

This is a massive text, but it is filled with full-color, lush, beautiful pictures of art works through all time periods. Many of the illustrations are the quality of DK books. Far superior to most art texts I have worked with,and unlike some architecture texts that use black and white photos. The only real shame of using this as a class text is the fact that it is so big, it's hard to lug around without damaging it over time. A fine reference book to hold onto after using for a class. Built in pagemarkers make it convenient to find the correct chapter. A bit pricy, but worth the investment, especially if you are an art major.

I had to get this book for an Art History course, but found that it is used in four other courses I'm going to take later on. For an art history text, this is great product at a great price. A good resource for the future, as well.

I really enjoyed reading this book, but it's not obvious that I couldn't have gotten just as much information out of Wikipedia. It's a nice quick read and is definitely worth the relatively small price, but the information contained is not the result of years of investigation and research. Rather, each experiment is presented succinctly and simply.

The book is a delightful surprise. I bought it mostly because I enjoy the author's unpaid appearances on bloggingheads.tv, and thought I'd show my appreciation. I've enjoyed the book more than expected. While I agree with Johnson's assessments that the experiments are truly beautiful, the book captures another important notion. By reliving the "ah ha" moments revealed by these beautiful experiments, I was continuously amazed that the simple ideas we take for granted today could be hidden from so many great minds for so long. That is, while the book is primarily a testimony to the creativity of these scientists, it is also a reminder of human limitations, of how great insights can lie so close to the surface of what we think we know.

George Johnson chose experiments that "...were those rare moments when, using the materials at hand, a curious soul figured out a way to pose a question to the universe and persisted until it replied." Most of the experiments Johnson chose are familiar to science enthusiast but usually we haven't thought about them in years; this book is a delightful reminder. The ten experiments range from Galileo's determining that objects fall at the same speed no matter their weight to Robert Millikan's oil drop experiment. Except for William Harvey and Ivan Pavlov, the experiments are about physics. Johnson is interested in the equipment and methods as well as the results so he includes drawings that often came from the scientists' journals or published articles. The notes for each chapter provide a useful bibliography. It was great fun to revisit these interesting times in science.

Very readable, with notes and citations by page number, an index, and good illustrations, the idea of the book should have been irresistible to the publisher. Experiments or investigations by Galileo on motion, Harvey on blood circulation, Newton on color, Lavoisier on combustion, Galvani on bioelectricity, Faraday on the connection between magnetism and electricity, Joule on the relation of heat and work, Michelson on the speed of light, Pavlov on mental conditioning, and Millikan on the charge on the electron were chosen. My only disappointment on the choice was that only the last was from the twentieth century, and the beginning of it at that. Why not a baker's dozen? The personalities of the scientists and their conflicts were well covered.

Yet all was not well. So much of science is expressed in equations. There were none seen in the text, and only one in the citations. No graphs, either. Whether this book was intended for older children or adults who regretted skipping science, one of the most important aspects of good science writing is accuracy, which is lacking, and followup so as not to leave a misleading impression from an old experiment. And why not have used the metric system with a handy table of equivalents?

On p4: "And a one-pound weight and a five-pound weight, dropped at the same moment, will fall side by side to the ground. Galileo showed it was so." There were no qualifications for these two statements. Consider a kilogram of lead and a 5-kilo bag of feathers. You know which will fall faster.

On p6: "All other things being equal, the speed at which an object falls is independent of its weight." Well, if air is the medium, why does a lead bullet travel farther than an iron bullet of the same weight? I think it is because that the denser lead bullet presents more mass per area to the air.
On p36: "There is a Hooke's law as well, precisely describing the nature of elasticity: the amount a solid can be stretched is proportional to the force that is applied." Again, there are no qualifications. Think of a salt crystal glued to the platens of a tensile strength instrument. Over some range of force no stretching will be seen, then a fracture, so no proportional reaction. Think of a steel bar: some amount of stretch will be proportional to the force, then the steel will yield and stretch a lot with only a little more force, then it will break. Some things should not be oversimplified, even for children.

On p41 for analyzing light with prisms: "The second prism undid what the first had done, leaving a colorless circle of light on the wall." How could one see a colorless circle of light? Of course, the circle of light was white, not colorless. This feeds into the common misuse of the word "white" for a clear liquid, clear meaning that you could read a newspaper through it. Milk is white; water is colorless.

On p43: "A reflecting telescope he [Newton] invented, six inches long and more powerful than a conventional [refracting?] telescope ten times its size [60 inches long]..." The size of a telescope is always given by the diameter of its mirror or lens, not its length.

On p79 for an experiment of Faraday's: "If he wound the wire into a spiral, the magnetic force was even stronger, concentrated inside the center of the coil." Here was a chance, not to pander to common misusage, but to inform. A spiral is the form of an old style watch spring. A coil or coil spring is the solid figure properly called a helix. I suppose the most damage was done decades ago by the manufacturer of the "spiral-bound notebook", which of course, is a helix.

On p115, author Johnson seems to report that Michelson found the speed of light the same in any direction within experimental error. Others say that Michelson reported a difference of 20 km/sec and attributed it to experimental error. A Dayton Miller put together a far better apparatus and spent 3 decades measuring to find a difference of 20 km/sec which was not due to experimental error. This means that there is an "ether" and that the speed of light is not a constant in vacuum. See: John O'Malley Bockris, "The New Paradigm", 2005, p108.

The descriptions are excellent, and author Johnson repeated the Millikan oil drop experiment himself with decent results. Absent my observations, a 5-star rating would have been a cinch. If you give this book to someone else as a gift, I suggest you put a copy of this review in it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found myself wishing I could have been a part of some of the discoveries Johnson discusses.

Another reviewer commented that the book was too short. It was a fairly short book, and it didn't go into great detail about all of the science behind each experiment, but for me that was a plus. It was short enough to read quickly (I finished it on one plane trip) and keep your interest. If you are looking to dig into the details of any of the experiments, there are plenty of more appropriate books available for that. He provided enough information so that it didn't feel superfluous, but didn't include so much that it was a chore to work through it all. I liked the fact that he included some original notes and drawings from the experimenters. I definitely suggest this to anybody with any interest in the history of science!

Okay! So I go ahead and purchase the Rolling Stone Cover to Cover DVD set. Put the Bondi install disc in my DVD drive and it won't install. I should have listened to all those who complained about this reader. I've contacted the company for a replacement which should not have been necessary. WHoever said these should be .pdf files is correct.

For the price, you can not beat this product. 40 years of the magazine including ads. I spent a few hours when I first got it and I already feel like I have my money's worth.
Just to comment on three of the reviews I read here.
1. If you can not read all the discs or the program works slowly, it is your system. PERIOD.
2. If you can't find the way to copy the DVDs to your hard drive, you may want to give up on using a computer. Here's how you do it. Click on FILE and then select COPY DISC TO HARD DRIVE. Wow, that is SO COMPLICATED. Sorry for being so negative, but I am really disturbed by people who sit down to write a negative review when they didn't take the time to look into the problem, or when they are too "challanged" to understand it.
3. If you are printing 2 pages on one 8/5" by 11" page, of course you can't read it. Change to "Read Mode" or "Page Mode" before you print and print one page on a page and you will be able to read it.

I bought the Rolling Stones Cover to Cover and was very disappointed in the program BONDI. At first I could only get the second CD 1984-1995 to work. So thinking that there was something wrong with the other 2 CD's I returned the program. Well after a week of waiting for the replacement to come in I tried it out and now I can only access one magazine. The rest will not open regardless of how long you wait. And if you try to get in touch with the BONDI Company they don't respond. I don't recommend this set to anyone and I can't believe that rolling stones put their name on this product. I would give it a negative five stars rating. Don't buy it's just a rip-off.

This little set of discs is like having the entire run Up until the middle of 07 in microfiche to read whenever you want. If you have an incredible amount of time, you can start in 1967 and ride the RS express through time until coming off the tram in 07. Classic rock fan? How about reading about all your favorite acts as they happened. Jim Morrison's antics? Jimi's breakthrough? Pink Floyd? Led Zeppelin? It's a big bowl of candy, man, and your flavor is probably there. Hip Hop fanatic? It's all there as well. Satire? Cynicism? It's all in here.
There are only two warnings I can give you:
1. This does not work well with Windows Vista.
2. If you are into pop culture, this is an incredible time eater.
Enjoy and rock on!!!
:)

I just loaded the software and began to use the product today. I was a little uneasy because of some of the comments that I had read about the Bondi reader especially because my system met only the minimum memory requirement. The reader worked great. It was easly to install, good search features and displayed the pages nicely. I wish it had more options for printing. When you print the whole page---the print is pretty small. The content is all there. The resolution of pictures on some of the older issues is not very good, but that probably has to do with the original quality of the printing. A few of the pages I have noticed were scanned slightly crooked.

On the plus side, every issue is there and easily accessible. I have bought old issues on e-bay and probably 3 or 4 issues purchased on e-bay was equal to the cost of this program. I would highly recommend!

This book arrived on time and in perfect condition. I was pleased with the service and would order again.

i agree with all the previous reviews, this book is a must be and worth every penny you spend on it. the chronicle order of this book make it easy to understand and to be used as a reference... i recommend it for my students in the comparative class...

At first I thought the book would be too dry and encyclopedia like, but when I started reading the chapters, I was taken by the text. It moved along nicely, and though there is a lot of information, it is presented in a way that makes sense, and in a way that helps one navigate through the `big pictures' of history. The maps are nice but they sometimes could have more information on them. The book is a challenge to those who think linearly or for those who think that the history of architecture "begins" with the Egyptians and Greeks and then "ends" in US postmodernism; the purpose of the book is to keep the globe turning. Sometimes the authors go east to west and sometimes west to east. It takes a little getting used to, but I think people will appreciate the idea that history is a moving target. It makes for some interesting contrasts. Each chapter has its own particular logic, however, and tries to emphasize a particular theme, having to do with religion or politics. On page 511, there is an imaginary architecture tour that begins in Japan and ends in England; it was an eye opener for me. At that particular time, as the authors point out, though Europe was in the middle of the Renaissance, there was a lot of good stuff also happening in China, India, and Turkey, that cannot be simply ignored as part of some `other' tradition.' It was all interconnected. I also discovered the free Google Earth download from Wiley Press web site where all the buildings in the book are flagged! That has been a great help in lectures.

This book is a sorely needed alternative to current textbooks. It is written in crisp and unsentimental style that conveys big themes but with an attention to details. The book is organized as a series of timelines beginning with 3500 BC and ending with a chapter on recent architecture. But instead of each chapter beginning at the same place in the world, each chapter begins somewhere differently.3500 BCE starts in China, 25 BCE in India, 1500 BCE in Egypt and 800 BCE with the Olmecs in Mexico. This constant turning and spinning of the globe is, in my view, quite exiting, as it gets students to learn how to be comparative in their thinking and simultaneously mobile in their intellectual understanding of history. Each chapter is introduced by a one page "take" on the architecture of each time section. These introductions, which serve as a text with a text, point out the themes of each chapter. Naturally in a work like this, one can talk about what is and is not included, but one has to give credit to the fact that book provokes that type of question in a positive way.

A fascinating argument that the authors make is that from early on architecture was changing and adapting, and, in essence, `modern.' In other words, it is not that WE are modern and everything before us was linear and stable. The book in that sense not only wants us to get a sense of the global horizon of architecture, but also a sense that architecture is very much IN history, reflecting in very real and dramatic way the changes that take place not only in technology and economy, but also in religion and power, those being four identifiable subtexts of the author's approach to the material.

I especially liked the chapter 1600 and its companion chapter "Architecture of Eurasian Power Block" which starts in Japan and works its way through Eurasia to England, not once but twice to emphasize the significance worldwide of the period 1500 to 1700 in the history of architecture. The drawings, sections, plans and photos work well with a text that is as densely packaged as this. And finally, it is worth noting that the book also serves to give the students fundamentals in the various global architectural vocabularies, Greek, Chinese, Hindu

I pre-ordered Ching's new book months ago based just on his outstanding work in his previous books. I wasn't disapponted. The timeline organization gives a much-needed new comparative perspective on architecture around the globe and across time. Ching's illustrations and choice of photos are just enough to illustrate the excellent text. This is yet another example of Ching's talent as an architectural illustrator and teacher of arxchitecture.

Paradoxically, Steve Jobs continues to be one of the best known and yet least understood CEOs in recent business history. It is probably true that most of those who once worked or who now work at Apple Computer will learn more about Jobs as they read Leander Kahney's book than they knew previously. For years, they and others shared the opinions expressed in this brief excerpt from the Introduction:

"Jobs is a control extraordinaire. He's also a perfectionist, an elitist, and a taskmaster to employees. By most accounts, Jobs is a borderline loony. He is portrayed as a basket case who fires people in elevators, manipulates partners, and takes credit for others' achievements. [Alan Deutschman, The Second Coming of Steve Jobs, Pages 59, 197, 239, 243, 254, 294-95 and Jeffrey S. Young, icon: Steve Jobs, The Greatest Second Act in the History of Business, Pages 212, 213, and 254]. Recent biographies paint an unflattering portrait of a sociopath motivated by the basest desires - to control, to abuse, to dominate. Most books about Jobs are depressing reads. They're dismissive, little more than catalogs of tantrums and abuse. No wonder he's called them `hatchet jobs.' Where's the genius?" All or at least some of this is may be true and yet....

He is a "control freak" and yet "throughout his career, Jobs has struck up a long string of productive partnerships - both personal and corporate. Jobs's success has depended on attracting great people to do great work for him. He's always chosen great collaborators [as well as] "forged (mostly) harmonious relationships with some of the world's top brands - Disney, Pepsi, and the big record labels." Kahney also points out that "through judicious use of both the carrot and the stick, Jobs has managed to retain and motivate lots of top-shelf talent...and then given them the freedom to be creative and shielded them from the growing bureaucracy at Apple." As Jobs sees it, "My job is to create a space for them, to clear out the rest of the organization and keep it at bay."

I was especially interested in the material in Chapter 6 ("Inventive Spirit: Where Does the Innovation Come From?") because in dozens of recently published books about innovation, their authors' opinions vary (sometimes significantly) in terms of what it is and isn't, to what extent (if any) people can learn how to think innovatively, and whether or not innovation can be institutionalized. I was curious to know what Kahney's research (especially various interviews with Jobs and others) revealed about a company that is annually ranked among the most innovative companies in the world. For example, what's the system? Jobs once explained to BusinessWeek, "The system is that there is no system." When asked by Rob Walker (a New York Times reporter) if he ever consciously thinks about innovation, Jobs responded: "No. We consciously think about making great products. We don't think `Let's be innovative! Let's take a class! Here are the five rules of innovation, let's put them up all over the company!" Nonetheless, we are told, "Jobs has an almost mystical reverence for innovation." According to Jobs, it is Apple's "secret sauce" and helps to explain why Apple continues to produce blockbuster products such as the iMac, iPod, and iPhone but, Kahney adds, "there's also a long list of smaller, yet important and influential products" such as the Airport and the AppleTV. Innovation at Apple is a process with a mindset, not a project with a formula.

Given Jobs's obvious scorn for most efforts to "become more innovative," and there is no recipe to produce its "secret sauce," how to explain the company's "innovative spirit"? The answer to that question is too complicated to be summarized in a review such as this, nor can a complete answer be found in any one chapter of Kahney's book. However, a partial answer reveals a great deal about what's inside Steve's brain and how it becomes pervasive throughout the organization. First, Apple determines which markets to target and how to target each. Knowing who you are and what to do are obviously important but no more important than knowing who you aren't (and shouldn't attempt to be) as well as knowing what not to do. Also, Apple remains constantly aware of all new developments in the markets in which it competes (especially those in relevant technologies) and is always receptive to new ideas. It fully embraces the business model Henry Chesbrough so brilliantly discusses in his Open Innovation and then Open Business Models.

It should also be noted that Apple is always receptive to new or better ideas wherever they are and appropriates whatever serves its purposes. Jobs agrees with Picasso that good artists copy, great artists steal. "And we have always been shameless about stealing great ideas." Then there is Jobs's concept of the digital hub, best explained within the narrative, in context. (Please see Pages 185-188.) Based on what Kahney shares in this book, there are two principles on which the success of the company in all areas and in all markets continues to depend. First, hire only those who will contribute "insanely great" ideas that will enable the company to create "insanely great" products. Also, create a culture of constant creative confrontation. "Day to day at Apple, Shawney explains, "meetings with Jobs can often be arguments - long, combative arguments. Jobs relishes intellectual combat. He wants high-level discussion - even a fight - because it's the most effective way to get to the bottom of a problem. And by hiring the best people he can find [and then retaining them], he ensures the debate will be at the highest level." If a "bozo" somehow survives the rigors of Apple's unorthodox interview process, she or he does not last long and those responsible for hiring that person are viewed with ridicule, if not contempt.

Few people at Apple meet with Jobs but everyone knows what those meetings are alike because most (if not all) other meetings at Apple also resemble a crucible that is expected to generate precious metals in the form of insanely great ideas, the best decisions, etc. Clearly, Jobs determines the style and sets the tone for interaction at Apple. He wholeheartedly believes that "good" is the enemy of "great" and thus has zero tolerance of anyone and anything that falls short of his "insanely" high standards. It should be added that talent alone is seldom sufficient. Jobs also demands - not expects - that people at Apple be warriors, eager to engage in combat to "win" arguments with associates. Intellectual combat is a key ingredient in Apple's "secret sauce" and Jobs is the company's master chef. Despite the efforts of most employees to avoid him, there is always the chance of encountering him unexpectedly in a hallway, elevator, rest room or parking lot. He will immediately grill them about what they are doing, how they are doing it, etc. Although some have described Apple as a "regime of terror," it continues to be an almost pure meritocracy.

In this book, Kahney provides an extended tour inside Steve's brain. What is it like in there? Obviously, the Apple culture is an extension of Jobs's personality and style. To me, it resembles a minefield, a lush garden filled with beautiful flowers and plants, a fireworks display, a demolition derby, a six-year old's birthday party, a torture chamber, a vast green meadow, a shooting gallery, and a state fair. I urge you to take your own tour with Leander Kahney. I promise that it will never be dull. With Steve Jobs, nothing ever is.

The book "Inside Steve's Brain" is not your officially authorized biography of Steve Jobs, but a collection of business principles that Steve Jobs follows (and a description of some of his quirks).

The fact that this little book is neither written by Steve Jobs, nor reviewed or authorized by him, work in favor of this text and gives another spin to his work. While the "official" books on his live and his impact on Apple concentrate on a review of historical events and the results on the company or on products, this book puts a focus on how Steve Jobs works, what his business principles seem to be and how they effected the company, the products and the people surrounding him.

The focus is clearly on Apple, and on his second stint at this company. The years before 1997 or his work at NeXT or Pixar are only covered very briefly and no insight is given into his working at these companies.

Overall, I liked the book and I also think that the form of putting together mostly "secondary" information (quotes, interviews with coworkers, etc.) works in favor of it.

I got this one out of the library. I suppose it's worth a quick read, but I certainly wouldn't pay for it. If you're even moderately familiar with the received wisdom about Apple and Jobs, you'll find this all very familiar. Sure, there are a few anonymous insiders revealing trivial new details, but mostly these do nothing but add to old stories. Hey, Steve's kind of a mean jerk! "Yes, that's true," said a nervous Apple employee, who wouldn't give his name for fear of being fired.

"Inside Steve's Brain" was clearly hastily written and sloppily edited. There are quite a few typos, and it's so repetitive. I got tired of seeing the same phrases repeated over and over, and anecdotes from early in the book would reappear unchanged in later chapters. That's frustrating in a book that already feels very padded at 300 pages.

Each chapter ends with some bullet point suggestions for how you can channel Steve's Brain in your own work. These are so dumb I stopped reading them: literally they come down to "be smart!" "have a vision!" "drive your employees to do their very best work!" I got the impression that the editor insisted that the book have some sort of business-book component, and this was simply the quickest way to add it.

I strongly recommend instead the thoroughly hilarious book by "Fake Steve Jobs" called Options: The Secret Life of Steve Jobs

We got this book to read and discuss as part of a Book discussion we have every once in a while where I work.

The book is nice and well written. Funny where it needs to be. However, it seems that the author is just too in love with Steve. I know the man can inspire a lot of people, but the fact that he was basically licking his boots at some points was kind of annoying (to me at least).

If you decide to filter this out, this is a good read-and-then-sell book.

My Mother-in-law was given a ipod a while back ago. She is not computer literate so she gave me the ipod to download some sermons and music on it. But I have started using it for myself (I will ask for forgiveness later). Apple seems to be on the cutting edge of technology and style. I love the new iphones, but cannot afford one. It seems that apple represents cool and hip these days. This book gives an inside look into the inner workings of Apple. Jobs seems to have multiple issues and control problems, but there is little doubt that he can be creative and run a company. In fact, Apple was dying before he came back on board. When he did, he turned the company around and started making a ton of money again. The reason I read this book was to learn about the image of a company or product. To me, the image of the church is important. One of the major agendas that I have in Waynesboro is to create a positive image of the church in the community. I would love to hear people's thoughts on this concept. The book did not really help with image control, it was more for those who love Apple. But overall it was a interesting book for people wanting to dig deeper into the Apple world.

I found this book boring...I KNOW it was a Pulitzer prize winner. But, to
me, oh, so boring...

Annie Dillard is an excellent writer of course, and I loved her little
book, The Writing Life.

Annie Dillard was way ahead of her time in the spend-time-doing-something-interesting-and-then-write-about-it genre en vogue these days due to its use by Elizabeth Gilbert (Eat, Pray, Love) and Barbara Kingsolver (Animal, Vegetable, Miracle). The place Dillard writes about is the backcountry near Roanoke, Virginia, with its many wonders of nature, especially insects, birds, fish, and small mammals. She sets out on daily pilgrimages, a predator stalking prey (for observational purposes only) wandering in the wilderness, where she observes plants and wildlife. Back inside, she reads and reflects (and writes). Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is filled with the details of her outdoor experiences, enhanced by famous quotes as well as thoughts and facts on religion, philosophy, and even evolution. The writing is really good: flowery, descriptive and detailed. But you can have too much of a good thing. It only took a few chapters for me to consider relegating the book, with its prolifically poetic prose, to the "Do Not Finish" pile. The thought of learning more about on an egg-laying praying mantis, the quest for a muskrat, or the water bug that ate the frog was enough (though barely) incentive to continue. Great stuff, but reading Pilgrim at Tinker Creek is liable to cause fancy prose overload, so is better taken in small doses. Similarly good: The Good Rain by Timothy Egan, Silent Spring by Rachel Carlson (both preachy, but fact-filled), The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.

Find time to read "Pilgrim at Tinker's Creek". Annie Dillard writes about seeing--Seeing--and writes so beautifully about life seen clearly and meaningfully. It's an exquisite book that merges her observations on life in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountain Valley, and her experiences teaching the young, and her own surprising lessons in learning to See.

Dillard is a brilliant writer whose prose is as agile and weighted and sonorous as poetry. Frankly, surprise, it often IS poetry--and essential.

To the Amazon readers who didn't appreciate Pilgrim, "if at first you do not see, blink, and look again." This can be a life changing book; we don't want to live like cockroaches, do we? And to the reviewer who said the cat described on page one scratched the waking author: Well, no. The cat left bloody footprints on her because he was a tom cat who'd been out fighting or loving (or both) furiously and passionately and savagely. So, hey, let's wake up and re-read this one together. "What are we missing?" may be the perfect place to start.

I first read this book in High School. I was impressed but 8 years later re-read the book to my younger sister for a class she was taking. She wasn't getting much from the book. But as I read it to her, I realized how supreme this book is among American Lit.

Dillard's book is the result of relentless observation. Chapter by chapter she radiates a worshipful view of the natural world. Those who miss the point will complain there is "too much description" all the while missing her acute observation and beautiful prose. I have read that she wrote 15 hours a day. It seems likely since the book seems to reflect an obsessed mind.

Also great is An American Childhood. I think she is the second greatest American writer ever after Cather.

Apparently, Ms. Dillard fancied herself being Henry David Thoreau -- she even named her pet goldfish Ellery Channing (Channing was Thoreau's lifelong friend). Structurally this book is organized similar to Walden, and it is Walden that Ms. Dillard tried to emulate.

The book starts with a bloody, filthy and delirious little episode with a tom cat. Fortunately, the whole book is much more forgiving. There is no doubt that Ms. Dillard is well-read, as she gives us excerpts from Fabre, Edwin Way Teale, Marius von Senden, etc., stories about different animals, the Eskimos and facts about sciences (even Quantum Mechanics), which are quite fascinating to read. It is also no question that she has a flowering pen, her vivid descriptions of nature and events are scattered throughout the book and I especially enjoy the chapters "Flood" and "Stalking".

However, to think that this book is merely an observation of the natural environment and the flora and fauna in it would be a mistake. For one thing, there are actually not that many narratives of first-person observations. The book consists of three main themes: 1. description of the natural environment; 2. anecdotes and stories from other sources; 3. the author's own reflection about theology and spirituality. The first theme probably only occupies one third of the book.

In the end, what we have here is vastly different from Walden. Reading Walden gives one delight, hope, and a sense of liberation -- from the everyday quiet desperation. I don't get much of these from "Tinker Creek". Yes, Ms. Dillard is a keen observer and writes very well, but her main focus is not nature, but instead her religious ruminations. It is very much different from Walden, or Desert Solitaire, or many other books in this genre: in the other books the authors do offer some opinions and reflections, but they are mainly description of natural phenomena, the opinions and reflections are sparkles that give them life, an upshot so to speak. In "Pilgrim", the relationship is reversed; the narratives of nature comes second to, and is dictated by, the author's theological pondering. The book on a whole gives me the impression of a theological discourse rather than a nature book. I also get the feeling that the author is more inward looking, in a sense she is more self-absorbed, often delirious, and sometimes narcissistic. It is really a book about a "pilgrim"; that she happens to be at Tinker Creek is largely coincidental, and probably irrelevant.

Another thread that keeps popping up in the book is her thoughts about a "creator" -- I don't mean to make this a "evolution vs. creationism" debate, but since this is in the book itself and carries much weight, I figured I have every right to comment on it. This is permeated throughout the book, but most strongly in "Fecundity". It is interesting that Ms. Dillard does not actually reject evolution; in fact, she gives us many scientific facts about biology (especially entomology), ecology, etc., one is inclined to believe that she actually accepts it. She goes on to say how "wasteful" nature is in creating a lot of things and then discarding them (which is true and she made a good case by giving us a lot of interesting facts), but then wonders how a creator can be so inefficient. Well, maybe the answer is right at your fingertips, Ms. Dillard, perhaps you should just do away with that first assumption, like Laplace did.

I may be harsh in giving it 3 stars (I would give it 3.5 if I could), but my expectations were much higher (probably it had something to do with the Pulitzer Price).

A good reference source but Whiston neglected to say which version of the 'Wars of the Jews' he translated. Its obviously the Roumanian version parts of which are suspect since it differs markedly from other versions.

I have read the Bible from cover to cover and Josephus truly gives light to certain things and sayings in the Bible. He also gives a clear picture of the goings and comings of the day, (the music of the decades) so to speak. Truly a serious piece of literature. I love this book and would recommend it for anyone in search of more scriptural knowledge.

The book is wonderful. the only complaint is that the book was sent to someone else in another state and i recieved thier books. It took an extra two weeks to track it down and then pay for the post "again" to get what I paid for in the first place.

Jerry Smith

Josephus is an important proof for the Biblical Account, and an important read for scholars interested in the Jewish wars with Rome, the Destruction of Jerusalem, and other events of the age from an eyewitness.

want to know how Christianity was working when the apostles were still the ones calling the shots? here is a first/second century historians perspective on what was going on in that time

Sadia Shepard's memoir of her search for her grandmother's past among the Bene Israel Jewish sect in India is a wonderful story, a meditation on identify, culture, and religious tolerance. As befits her training as a film maker and photographer, she draws vivid pictures of various scenes and individuals in India, Pakistan, and the United States, moving back and forward in time, but always bringing us on her journey. Her portrait of the tiny, centuries-old Bene Israel community, for so long cut off from most Jewish life, now studying Hebrew and moving to Israel at a rapid pace, is moving in part because it celebrates her relationship and grief for her grandmother. It also portrays a similar sense of grief for a community that is both dying (in that so many younger people are emigrating) and coming back to life (as they rediscover Jewish heritage and culture). Her contrasting portraits of a Pakistani Muslim wedding of a cousin and a Bene Israel Indian-Jewish wedding of a young friend are very movin. Her sympathy with both young brides helps us understand why she does not feel compelled to choose between the various traditions of her heritage.

Sadia Shepard's book tells the compelling story of her personal journey to find a grandmother's somewhat hidden history. It is at once a personal quest and a universal story of desire for gaining a better sense of self. Nana's background was complex, and had roots in both one of the lost tribes of Israel and also in the Partition in India and Pakistan in 1947. This is an outstandeing memorial to a beloved grandmother, yet truly much more to the average reader. The times we live in beg many emormous questions of us with regard to the turmoil between Israel and its neighbors, and in educating our Western mentality about the complexity and size [therefore the influence] of Islam. The author has the gentle voice of reason and conveys the need for contemplation of such issues without ever being overt or preachy on the subject. The need for cross-cultural understanding and tolerance is specific in Nana's story, and also of vital importance for survival and peaceful co-existence in our modern world.

This is a fascinating, well written story. The author has organized a very involved story in a format that makes it easy for the reader to follow. In addition to her Grandmother's story I learned more about the partition of India and Pakistan. Sadia Shepard should be very proud of her first book.

Beautifully written . . . this book was so touching and the writing style so elegant that it brought the characters to life in a way that made me feel like I could make a connection to each and every one of them. The one section of this book that really affected me was when her grandmother, Nana, toward the end of her life was terrified that she would not see her parents in heaven because she had converted to Islam. It shattered my heart. I loved the "affair" the author had with a gentleman in India. It is so difficult to put in words how the book affected me . . . I have been highly recommending this book to everyone which I do not do lightly.

I expected this book to be informative and interesting, but I had no idea of how emotionally involved I would feel by the end. Shepard's first-person narrative describes the two years she spent in India, researching her grandmother's roots in a small community of Indian Jews. Her tale depicts the blending and intermingling, successful and otherwise, of nationalities, cultures, and religions, both in India, Pakistan, and in the U.S. Her quest to understand her grandmother better inevitably draws the reader in, and by the end of the book, I couldn't help but feel an intimate connection to both Sadia and her grandmother. Shepard tells her story beautifully, and I was very impressed that this is her first book. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys personal narratives, foreign travel, the intersection of cultures, and questions of religious faith.

Reading Major Dick Winters' memoirs after first watching the mini-series and reading Stephen Ambrose's - BAND OF BROTHERS, provided a clearer sense of actual facts of the most significant event in war history. I felt like I knew Major Winters and found myself saying to myself as I was reading, "give the job to me, I'll do it!!!" Very inspiring; profound sense of gratitude, and understanding why these citizen soldiers followed the CO of Easy Company into war to free the world of tyranny.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Reading Winters' account after reading Band of Brothers offered unique insights. I was heartened by Major Winters' faith and how he used this to make it through the War. Stationed in Germany, I had the opportunity to make a voyage to the memorial & Peace Gardens in Bastogne and to Foy as well; a trip inspired by Major Winters. To him & to all others who served in WWII, what you did for the world is not forgotten & will forever be appreciated.

A wonderful companion to the HBO "Band of Brothers" miniseries. The book fills in some gaps and details to give you a more complete picture of Easy Company's trek through the war in Europe. Highly recommended!

The moral character of Maj. Winters is impecable and unimpeachable. His book is one every kid in school chould read to learn what it is to stand fast in the face of fear and the enemy wether foreign or domestic. This is important now because we may be facing a time when we must once again face a enemy that is domestic. I would hope we would have leadership similar to that given by Maj. Winers.

I am hooked on the mini-series and can almost quote the dialogue. This book fills in a lot of the the missing parts and solidifies a lot of the truths of the film. A well written and very good reading book that is filled with facts and great memories. Probably should be read after seeing the series.