Ray Park Books

I usually don't order my son's textbooks from Amazon because I fear that they may arrive late since I don't know exactly who is sending them when I ordered used, however, this was so quick and easy and arrrived in 2 days!

Received the book as described and in the time indicated.

Thanks and building confidence to purchase from the site again!

I used this book for my tenth grade geometry class. At first glance it seems to have helpful examples and explanations, but the author actually only explains a few of the postulates and theorems. Many explanations towards the end of the book are very short or just not given as if the author grew lazy. It has plenty of practice problems, but little to no preparation for them. It was a blessing that i had the internet to help me otherwise i never would have passed. Hope that your teacher knows the course thoroughly, or else this class will be a nightmare for you.

I have taught Honors and College Prep Geometry with this book (and its previous edition) for sixteen years.
This year I tried a different book with one of my classes. I am begging to go back to this book.
This book does not have all the 'bells and whistles' of new Geometry textbooks. It doesn't need them. My new textbook has powerpoint presentations, lesson planners, CD ROM testbanks, etc. Guess what? You can have them. They don't present lessons in any manner I would present them, and the test banks don't test the content of the chapter. In addition, I prefer to supplement lessons with my own real life examples and further explanations, not 'canned' material that is found in my current text and its technology.
A good teacher can take this book and raise the bar for academic excellence. No fluff, nothing watered down.
Newer is not better.
I know my students were given a mental workout-challenged themselves- and understood Geometry when I used this book. My classes will be going back to this book soon.
To the reviewers who say there aren't enough examples, that's the point! Geometry is about developing a skill. You can't build a skill if everything is given to you. Push yourself a little harder, don't be afraid to fail, and ask questions. That's how you learn.
The one con is that test questions are not available on a modern CD ROM, eliminating the need to cut and paste (and not giving the ability to change test versions with a click of a button).
Still, the test questions supplied are fantastic.

This book is not Euclid's "The Elements". The Elements, a compilation of many mathematicians' work, was written for mathematicians and their math-dedicated young disciples. Its opening proposition and complex figure reveals that the reader was expected to have a substantial degree of preexistent geometry knowledge.

To reach high school students who have only completed Algebra I, Jurgensen et al labels some theorems postulates to avoid getting bogged down, but so do the other high school geometry textbooks.

This book fulfills its mission to introduce students to a formal system of mathematically analyzing planar figures and objects. If it is carefully read and digested, every problem, including the most-challenging C and C-starred exercises, is solvable. Problems that require the student to write a half-dozen solution/proof statements, and remember (or refresh themselves by re-reading) material from prior sections, and even prior chapters, are commonly encountered (always for the C-level problems).

A small number of exercises require a dozen or so statements in which a student establishes one line of argument, then introduces another, and finally combines them, which is to say, students must be able to organize their thoughts into coherent streams, and then engage in translating visuo-spatial information into mathematical-language statements.

Is this hard? Yes. It takes not only intelligence, but serious effort to fully benefit from studying Jurgensen. Real math isn't something you breeze through. As a student encountering the material for the first time, you may frequently have to read a passage or statement several times, thinking, "I don't get this," then maybe even sleep on it, and then you'll have Eureka moments, "Oh yes! Why didn't I see this before? This is so obvious."

For anyone who wants to think about pursuing university studies in mathematics, engineering, and the sciences, acquiring diligent, persevering work habits is essential. Mathematics is not social studies. For some students the challenge is enjoyable, for others it is painful and a "waste of time". For teachers who find that their students can only consistently answer A-category problems, hit or miss on Bs, and can't even begin to tackle Cs, this book will probably not be satisfactory.

A larger question is when should Euclidean geometry be taught? Should it be taught at all?

I think it is disruptive, and counterproductive to teach algebra I, leave the subject for a full year to study geometry, then jump back to algebra. The trouble is that the "classical" curriculum of the 19th century only taught one course in algebra and then one course in geometry. But as mathematics education was extended, particularly during the Cold War, geometry held its place as the second course in the timetable, but was followed by additional algebra, pre-calculus and calculus, with insufficient thought given to the utility and efficiency of this particular sequence.

Measures such as focusing on analytical geometry (coordinate) exclusively, or nearly so, or teaching algebra II with trigonometry before Euclidean geometry, have been tried in some schools. I know of two schools that no longer even have a "Geometry" titled class. These and other alternatives seem to be working, according to people who are using them.

One thing I would point out is that most state high school graduation requirements today specify the completion of three mathematics units, and many universities require or recommend such. They DO NOT say "three mathematics courses, including geometry". So, for example, if a student is doing well in algebra, I'd say to him or her, stick with it. Go on to algebra II (preferably with trigonometry), precalculus and calculus. Learn about plane figures and solids from a modern perspective. (I can still remember generating the volume of a sphere using integration, and drawing a nicely shaded 3D sphere and discs thirty-something years ago in my second semester of calculus. I thought, "Wow, this is cool!")

So, I think schools should be flexible in their math curricula, and realize there is not a college or university in the country that will ever look at an applicant's transcript and say, "This student took AP Calculus, but there's no 'Geometry' here. Rejection."

If this book is to be used, I would recommend a couple stratagems. One is to for the student to try to prove its theorems before examining the authors' proofs. It's not hard to cover them up with a sheet of paper. This encourages students to acquire conceptual knowledge through active pursuit.

Secondly, students using Jurgensen or most other popular geometry books should subscribe to hotmath.com, where odd-numbered exercises solutions are presented in a thoughtful way, starting with a hint, then progressively revealing steps as the student feels the need to examine them for more help.

There was initially a mixed reception among educators to Hotmath, with some teachers enthusiastically signing up to provide solutions, while others were discomfited by an external knowledge resource that they felt undermined their ability to maintain traditional authority-control over what their students learned.

The disagreement was resolved. The American Mathematical Society invited Hotmath's president to give a lecture at one of its regional conferences several years ago, which was well received. All the leading textbook publishers got on board, which is to say, they recognized that the college-level promulgation of student solutions manuals starting two decades ago had proven to be heuristically sound, and the principle was applicable to college-preparatory mathematics.

For even-numbered exercise homework assignments, students can usually tackle the neighboring odd-numbered ones, check the Hotmath solutions, then apply the same principles to their homework problems.

Ray Djuff's continuing efforts on the history of the Waterton Lakes area have hit pay dirt with his newest book, High On A Windy Hill. The book details how the Prince of Wales Hotel, a majestic wooden structure modelled on Swiss alpine architecture, came to sit atop a promontory above the scenic lakes area straddling the Alberta-Montana border. Djuff, a Calgary, AB newspaper editor, describes in great detail how Louis Warren Hill, head of the Minnesota-based Great Northern Railway, needed a Canadian hotel in the early century to match his significant tourism accommodations in Montana's Glacier National Park.

Because Prohibition was still in effect, Hill envisioned well-to-do eastern Americans travelling by train west to his Montana hotels taking a short trip north to imbibe in a drink while on vacation. Hill's power of persuasion, coupled with a subtle but determined continent-wide public relations effort on Canadian authorities, a nearby Mormon teetotalling community and American tourists, eventually made his dream a reality.

Djuff's meticulous research captures the drama in the rushed construction of the 90-room, $370,000 Prince of Wales, locally referred to as the POW. Devastating weather and countless design revisions vexed the local contractors prior to the July 1927 opening and the book is chockfull of period photos and anecdotes describing the ordeal.

Ironically, the halcyon days Hill foresaw lasted only until America's 1933 repeal of Prohibition and the onslaught of the Depression.

Twice in the ensuing decade, Great Northern closed the hotel due to lack of visitors. By the 1960s and 70s, rail traffic had given way to vacationers in cars and the company finally sold the hotel.

The Prince of Wales is now owned by Viad Corporation of Phoenix, AZ and is open through the summer months.

Djuff draws on his experience as a waiter and bartender at the POW in the 1970s to chronicle the hotel staff's dedication to service, regardless of the business's financial straits. He ably describes the culture of the community both outside and inside the resort.

Perhaps most importantly, High On a Windy Hill is a story of how the raison d'etre behind such a grand edifice evolves over time through the visions of those who built and staffed it.

For that alone, Djuff's book is worth the read.

Ray Djuff's initial description of the lobby of the Prince of Wales Hotel is superb, and his collection of photos is second to none. Yet while he manages to capture the ititial impression of one entering the hotel lobby, the rest of this book is a disappointing visit, sort of like entering a great hotel and finding the rooms small and unimaginative. You will always tell how you visited there once, but you never go back again, at least as a hotel guest. Maybe you visit every few years or so - just in the lobby - just to remind yourself that you were really there.

This hotel presents a stunning view of a seven-mile long lake straddling the Canada-US border and the fact that it was even buuilt is one of those stories that gets better as time goes on. Buffeted by fierce winter winds and a National Park administered from thousands of miles away, the Prince has managed to maintain its dignity and its importance both as a landmark and a monument to civilization in the midst of an overwhelming wilderness.

Perhaps it is because my boys are the same ages as Raymie and his brothers in this story, but we found it very humorous. Any family with boys in it should be able to relate to the antics of these brothers as they go through their day. The artwork adds to the story as the illustrator has captured well the expressions on the faces. I recommend it to fun-loving families of sons. Those who wish to bring up genteel, cultured children may prefer to stick with more proper literature.

If Romano weren't famous,this book would have never made it to print. Lacking in almost every element of a good story, it is a great example to use if you are teaching people how to write children's books--how NOT to do it, that is. I imagine it sold a bazillion copies. Oh well.

I picked this up at the bookstore I work at and read it on my break one afternoon. Having been delighted in the past by Raymond, I expected a lot more from him. This truly was one of the worst children's books I've read. The Borders I work at is huge, filled with talented artists and writers whose children's picture books will continue to go unnoticed. However, a celebrity can write anything and get full recognition for it. This book plays out merely as a remembrance of a day he took at a family outing. No redeeming quality or sense of entertainment to keep a child's interest in here. Just randomness of a charicature of his childhood that had potential of being interesting, yet fell very short of being just that. Stick with Sendak, Rey, Yolen, or Eric Carle if you want something that will peak interest.

I love EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND, so this book really made me laugh. My sons found it funny but some of the drier humor went over their head. Still, a very funny book.

It was during a trip to my local bookstore that I first encountered this literary waste pile. Romano, along with two other hardly mentioned brothers, recount a fictitious and very 'mild' trip to a theme park. The trio's day goes along quite predictably, with the brothers anticipating the trip, naturally and, upon getting to the park, having to ride annoyingly named 'kiddie rides' with the youngest of the three. C'mon people, 'Chuckie the Choo-Choo'?

The rest of the day, chock-full of wedgies, noogies, and farts, goes on with Ray, called Raymie (pl-ease!), and the other one, Dickie, maybe?, finally going on 'The Vomitizer'. So much for a climax, eh?

Finally the family goes home and...I forgot the rest. But I'm telling you, this book is terrible. No joke. Lacking even a mild plotline, among other thing, the title doesn't even make sense. Raymie, Dickie, and the Bean: Why I Love and Hate My Brothers. If Ray is the narrator, then why does he refer to himself as Raymie and not simply 'Me' or 'I'. Oh wait, I know; because then his name wouldn't be first.

Oh, and the illustrations; why is it that every book written by a comedian, or in Jason Alexander's case, a guy in a funny show, seem to have the same illustrations. Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, the aforementioned Jason Alexander. All feature the same caricature-like illustrations in their books. What's up with that!?

R, your friendly neighborhood reviewer.

I've used the Hidden series before and liked them but this one is not up to speed. I found the pages to be light on information and the places that they recommended were where all the tourists go. In other words, "Hidden" was misleading. Better books are on the market.

I recently took this book on a trip to the Big Island. While it was definitely better than not having a guidebook at all, this book provides only basic information. In fact, we referred to the free magazines from the rental car company at least as much as we referred to this book. The writing style is dull, and the book is not organized in a way that makes it easy to find information. Zero photographs other than the one on the cover. In addition, I found some of the recommended restaurants less than satisfactory. If I had a suggestion for the publishers of this book, it would be to add some specific discussion on seeing the lava flows. I think a lot of the visitors to the big island are there because they want to see the lava, but it's not always possible. When we were there, the volcano wasn't doing much and there was nothing to see. A month or so later, they had such a big flow that the Park Service had to shut down part of the park. Seeing the lava is a hit and miss thing, as I found out. I still enjoyed the island immensely, but only after adjusting my expectations.