Reviews Books

Very informative. Easy for students to use with good critical thinking exercises for students to review what the chapters have covered. I would recommend this book to any new incoming nursing student.

The author is a great teacher and this is certainly some of her best work. I think this is a great book for nurses.

This textbook explains the nursing process in an easy to use entry level nursing book. It takes a student nurse from the LVN/LPN level all the way to an RN advanced practice nurse -- showing you how to use the nursing process to enhance your practice. It includes the most up-to-date NANDA approved nursing diagnosis. Once you read how to apply your assessment to implementation & evaluation, you'll take this to the clinical setting with you, along with your stethescope. Marybeth Sinclair BSN, RN Nursing Faculty

If you live in Colorado, or just want to learn some interesting and fun trivia about this wonderful state, this little book is well worth the money! For example, the first restaurant in Denver, CO to receive the liquor license # 1 is still in business! Every state should have something like this! Hmmm maybe Jerome Pohlen would like to take on this little endeavor? LOL

This book is incredible! I have both the Colorado and Illinois ODDBALL books, and they are hilarious. I had no idea the amount of odd stuff that could be in one state. This is a great travel book! And makes a great gift!

We recently moved to Colorado and purchased about a dozen travel guides to help us get oriented. Oddball Colorado was one we just sort of grabbed in the melee. My wife and I would burst out in spontaneous laughter as we read it. Rather than read it cover to cover, I found myself bouncing around from page to page. Just when I thought I had finished it I would discover another golden nugget I had overlooked. It was a sad day when I realized I had finally finished it!

Now all other travel guides seem inconsequential. Pohlen identifies the natural wonders that really matter (to me!). The cheesy roadside attractions that seemed to capture my father's big station wagon with their tractor beams. Reading the book is like taking a ride with my dad all over again.

Now I've moved onto Oddball Illinois. And I thought nothing could make me want to visit Illinois!

I bought this with "Q's" On the Art of Reading. I'm halfway through this one and can't wait to start the other one. I'm constantly going back to review my old Latin/Greek HS and university readings and have enjoyed the process immensely.

This slender volume is the book that began Helene Hanff's journey -- a path that led eventually to her writing the 84, CHARING CROSS ROAD series. Because I loved her books, I wondered what the master who taught her might have had to say. All I knew of him was what I had learned through Ms. Hanff.

This series of lectures, delivered in England more than nine decades ago, sparkles with a dry wit that is utterly endearing. No wonder his students loved him. Still, for someone who is the product of a late-20th century education, I must admit I was appalled by my ignorance of the classical references he made, expecting that his students would follow them with ease. Not a light-weight book, despite its compact size.

His challenge to his students, put forth in the first lecture, was to become a person [he said a man, but the statement applies to all of us] "of unmistakable intellectual breeding, whose trained judgment we can trust to choose the better and reject the worse." Not a bad goal for anyone, is it?

A word of warning. He quotes in Greek here and there -- and does not translate it, since all his students were expected to understand that language. Ditto Latin.

If you can manage only two chapters, try the first "Inaugural" and the last "On Style."

This book is a classic on the subject of writing.It was a favorite of Helene Hanff, author of 84 Charing Cross Road and The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street. In a third book, Q's Legacy, she relates how studying this book became the core of her writing education.She found Q to be both articulate and humorous.I find I agree.

I have been using this book for so long that it looks really bad. I can't wait for peguin to release an updated version of this book!

I have used this book for years and find it very helpful in selecting Opera recordings on CDs. These are critics who know and care about what they write, listing the many different recordings available (as of 1993 anyway!). However,MUCH has changed in the opera-CD world since then. Just as an example, all the legendary Maria Callas "live" performances of some of her greatest roles have been "officially" released by EMI after many years available only as "bootleg" versions, with a bunch more to be released this November 5th!. This is where the book shows its age and is not an acurate representation of opera on CD circa 2002. However, the selections included and reviewed are quite impressive. Until a newly up-dated edition shows it's face, this book is the one to go with.

I purchase an average of 6-8 complete opera CDs per annum, and find this book very valuable in their selection. These authors "know their stuff" -please let them know how much we opera buffs appreciate their book and how about an update? Lots of new recordings(not to mention singers) in the last eight years!! Please keep a good reference going....

This guide got me through organic chem, I only wish I'd bought it earlier in the semester and I might have four-pointed the class. Great idea if you're having a hard time studying by lecture alone. Gives very simple, concise summaries of concepts with lots of examples and diagrams.

This was a great help to me as I prepared for my finals. The last few pages are especially helpful in summerizing the numerous reactions in organic chemistry. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a concise review before a test.

This book simplifies the many aspects covered in "Fessenden & Fessenden" book, and the rxn's at the end are extremely helpful to study for exams. Unfortunately, this book doesn't really get into nucleic acids, but it does a great job covering all functional groups synthesis & rxns! A key book for reference as well as explanations regarding intermediates for rxns. A+

In "Organisation Design: Fashion or fit?" Mintzberg discusses five distinct organisational configurations namely the simple structure, the machine bureaucracy, the professional bureaucracy, the divisional form and adhocracy. Each configuration is made up of five component parts namely the strategic apex, operating core, technostructure, support staff and the middle line.

The author explains how coordination is achieved in the five organisational configurations. For example, in the simple structure, it is through supervision; in a machine bureaucracy (such as a vehicle assembly line), it is through standardisation of work; in a professional bureaucracy (such as a university), it is through standardisation of skills; in a divisional form, it is through the standardisation of output; and in the most complex organisational structure, the adhocracy, coordination is achieved through mutual adjustment. The author explains the pros and cons of each configuration and where it is most suitable.

According to Mintzberg, these configurations are effective tools for diagnosing the problems of designing organisations.

This is a very enlightening article in organisational design which is a must to read by managers who need to understand how to design their organisations for effective performance. Those studying management, business studies or an MBA will find the article very useful, easy to follow and understand.

Henry Mintzberg is Professor of Management Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and a Professor of Organization at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France. This classic article was published in the January-February 1981 issue of the Harvard Business Review.

In order the discuss and distinguish the five distinct organizational configurations, Mintzberg first discusses the five component parts which make up the whole organization: strategic apex, operating core, technostructure, support staff, and middle line. He then continues with describing how each of these elements cluster into the five configurations. Each of these five configurations (simple structure, machine bureaucracy, divisional form, adhocracy) are discussed in detail, with both their strengths and weaknesses. So how do we need to use these configurations? "... this set of five configurations can serve as an effective tool in diagnosing the porblems of organizational design, especially those of the fit among component parts." Mintzberg uses four basic forms of misfit to show how managers should use it as a diagnostic tool. He emphasizes that especially fit remains an important characteristic. There are excellent graphs, tables, and a great appendix explaining the organizational configurations and component parts. The author concludes that "the point is not really which configuration you have; it is that you achieve configuration."

Yes, this is one of the best articles I have read. It provides a great introduction/framework into organizational structures and design. Mintzberg does not want us to see his introduction as a framework. But I disagree. This article is thorough enough to use as a framework, keeping in mind that larger organizations (can) consist of a mixture of the discussed configurations. For people interested in a further discussion of organizational structures I refer to Henry Mintzberg's 1978-book "The Structuring of Organizations". This article should be compulsory reading for managers and MBA-students. The author uses simple business US-English.

The best book to understand the nature of any organization in business or no business world. Henry Mintzberg give us the elements to detect the sick part in the structure and the way to keep in control every part through parameters.

That's the best tool to use when you want to see your company focused in the structure analysis, to take the actions to align the model. This article is old, but is actual too, then you want to know it.

Ariel Roth is a scientist with a Ph.D in zoology from the University of Michigan. He taught at Andrews University and Loma Linda University, both Seventh-day Adventist institutions, and was for several years the director of the Geoscience Research Institute at Loma Linda, a sort of scientific think-tank established by the Adventist Church in the late 1950s to do origins research and apologetics. Roth is obviously very well qualified to write a book on the creation/evolution debate. Although Roth is an Adventist, this book scrupulously avoids any sectarianism or intra-denominational discussion that would leave non-Adventists out of the loop.

Although written for the educated lay reader, the book is extremely scholarly; numerous endnotes follow each chapter, and cite the relevant scientific literature. The tone of the book is not overly argumentative, but very calm, reflective and respectful. Darwinist scientists wanting to know the views and opinions of a well trained creationist scientist may read this volume without fear that their views will be misrepresented, distorted or ridiculed.

The book covers the usual and customary topics of a book of this nature: the origin of life, the development of, and the problems with, Darwinian theory, the fossil record, the geologic column, questions about past geological processes and the speed with which they occurred, questions about the age of the earth, the uniqueness of the Bible and its witness on the issue of origins, and why the young earth model is to be preferred over compromising long-ages creationist or gap theory models.

If I have a criticism, it is that the writing fails to sparkle. Stephen Jay Gould wrote (in the process of explaining how Lyell carried the day for uniformitarianism) that the scientific profession self-selects for poor writing skills. Gould himself was an exception to that rule, but Roth . . . well, his writing is serviceable and readable but usually not inspiring. The writing style seems to betray a certain weariness of the controversy. Roth relates some of his arguments as though he is reciting them to an audience very familiar with them, rather than explaining them to a reader genuinely new to the controversy. It is like a comedian telling only punchlines, assuming that his audience has heard the jokes many times, and hence only the punchline is necessary.

There are instances where the less than crisp writing is indicative of sloppy thinking. In chapter 12, for example, Roth writes, "Major world catastrophes are extremely unusual, and we have difficulty incorporating them into our thinking." Really? What about the asteroid theory of the K/T mass extinction? Scientists seem to have had little difficulty incorporating that into their thinking. Roth knows this, of course, and carefully explains that strict uniformitarianism is out of fashion with geologists, and that catastrophism is once again openly embraced. And what is meant by the term "major world catastrophes?" Do we know enough to form an opinion as to how unusual they are? That sentence should have been deleted in the editing process, as both boring and inaccurate.

Later in the chapter, Roth writes, "a flood covering the entire surface of the earth is highly unusual." Unusual? It either happened once, as the Bible teaches, or not at all, as most scientists believe. Roth should make his arguments and convince us that the Genesis Flood really did happen, since that is what he believes, but to say that the flood was "highly unusual" seems patronizing.

But these are minor quibbles over style, not an attack on the substance of this work. On the whole, the book is careful and scholarly, and the arguments are sound.

This is the best general introduction to creation/evolution -question which I have read. Roth's approach is careful and totally without furious attacks on people who disagree with him. It is written in an excellent manner so that reading it is a pleasure. The content of the book is interesting with lot of new information (in comparison with often repeated old arguments for creation). There are about 990 references in the book. Reading this book is absolutely a good choice when discussing about creation/evolution -question in serious forum. No matter on which side of the fight you stand - read this book!

Ariel Roth's book was highly recommended to me and after reading it I agree that it is an excellent introduction to the creation/evolution discussion. I think that this book will have universal appeal regardless of the position you hold on Origins.

An important distinction that he makes that is helpful for the highly polarized debate among Christian readers regarding the Age of the Universe is the difference between the age of the biosphere and the age of the universe. He remarks,

"Time poses one of the most contentious questions between the commonly understood scientific and scriptural viewpoints. We should expect this, because the marked differences are firmly entrenched. The Bible speaks of a recent creation most likely less than 10,000 years ago, while evolution suggests the development of life for many thousands of millions of years. The difference need not be as broad as often surmised, since little in the Bible precludes a very old universe. However, according to Scripture, the creation of life on earth is a relatively recent event" (p. 233-234)

He is open to a Soft-Gap theory (not the ruin and reconstruction gap theory) interpretation of Scripture which can allow for an ancient universe and an ancient earth, but requires that the earth's biosphere be young (p. 316-318). This view has also been referred to as the "Biosphere" model by author Gorman Gray. The value of the Biosphere model is that it does not have the distant star-light problem that a young universe model has nor does it have the problem of millions of years of animal suffering and death prior to the Fall of Adam and Eve that the theisic evolution and progressive creation models have. I think the Soft-Gap/Biosphere model is the best explanation that I have seen proposed by a Christian author attempting to harmonize the truths of science with the truths of Scripture.

I also agree with other reviewers of Ariel's book that his presentation was attractive because he makes his case while retaining a respectful spirit toward those who do not share his view.

This text is a must for Orthopaedic Registrars and trainees about to sit the FRCS(Tr & Orth) / Boards examination . It is a credible alternative to the Miller textbook ; Review of Orthopaedics. For those tired of wading through longer texts it is easy to read and easily digestible. It should be a readily accessible tome in Orthopaedic Departmental libraries

This excellent tome is aimed at those sitting the boards examination or the UK FRCS(Tr & Orth). It is highly readable and concise and constitutes an excellent alternative to Miller's textbook of Orthopaedics. however it is more expensive but should be obtained in the year leading up to the examinations. Highly recommended.

This text is a must for Orthopaedic Registrars and trainees about to sit the FRCS(Tr & Orth) / Boards examination . It is a credible alternative to the Miller textbook ; Review of Orthopaedics. For hthose tired of wading throgh longer texts it is easy to read and easily digestible. It should be a readily accessible tome in Orthopaedic Departmental libraries

5 stars for that incredible initiative of showing the way writers are writing, and behind this, thinking the stories, the personnages...
i have to say, that is a source of inspiration and of understanding of your own style/way of writing
something to really have on your shelves !!!

The introduction is by Orhan Pamuk. Faulkner said an artist is a creature driven by demons. Graham Greene did not believe that any books he had read as an adult influenced him as a writer. James Thurber got his habits of memory, (nearly perfect recollection), from his mother. Thurber believed that Harold Ross had had a bloodhound instinct as an editor.

American writers felt their creativity and inventiveness would end in their fifties. Faulkner felt a writer's responsibility was to do his art. The writer should be ruthless. A writer always has to compromise when writing for the movies Faulkner believed.

Robert Lowell felt that teaching meant a lot to him as a human being. A person can't write poetry all the time. Writing comes from a deep impulse, deep inspiration. It isn't a craft. While he was writing LIFE STUDIES Lowell figured out it was a regular beat that he disliked. Lowell thought of Frost and Eliot as New England poets. In both Chekhov and Frost the art was found in the well-chosen plots.

To Eudora Welty, Jane Austen was a kindred spirit. She felt even closer to Chekhov for reason of his appreciation of the individual. She lost sleep over reading TO THE LIGHTHOUSE. Katherine Anne Porter was wonderfully generous to her in the beginning.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez believes that journalism and fiction writing are matters of cross-fertilization. He never gets involved with a book unless someone recommends it. Philip Larkin refused almost all invitations to be a bigwig. He claimed that in writing a poem he constructed a verbal device. Larkin said he dealt with the passage of time by making every day the same. When young he exchanged unpublished poems with Kingsley Amis.

James Baldwin did not so much choose France as carry out the need to leave America. The painter Beauford Delaney taught Baldwin how to see. Baldwin believed that he had to go through a time of isolation. He wrote four novels before he published one.

William Gaddis had a reputation as a recluse. He thought he learned economy from Evelyn Waugh and that this is apparent in his novel, JR. Alice Munro lives in Clinton, Ontario. Her family lived in a collapsing enterprise, a fox and mink farm. Alice Munro and her second husband stayed in Ontario to be near older family members. When they passed on, Munro and her husband remained.

Information about the contributors appears at the end of this excellent book.

The Paris Review Interviews, book II is excellent.

The Harold Bloom interview alone is worth having this book.

Faulkner, Thurber, Welty, Lowell, García Márquez are all interesting reads, however, Bloom entertains.
[fwiw - Blooms comments on humour, in the PR Humor issue:
Issue 136, Fall 1995, is a tour de force]

Book II is easily as good as, if not better than Book I.

The shipping was reasonable and as stated and the product was as described. great service

Excellent service. Iteam exactly like described and in great condition. Arrived on time. I will definitely order from this merchant again. Thanks!

It is a great book and has helped me with reference to my job as a paramedic. Thank you