M. R. James Books

I am a CHEM major and I was consistently surprised at how many typos and flat-out errors the SEVENTH edition of this book had - seven editions and still poor editing! The examples that are provided are for simpler problems and when you go to do homework, you're lost. Also, instead of using less than a penny's-worth of ink and printing the equation that they are using in an example, it will just refer you back to another page in the book where it was introduced. Some problems require several equations, and you're flipping back and forth all-over the book just to see what equations they are using.
If you're stuck with this book, I recommend you somehow obtain the INSTRUCTORS' solutions manual (or at least the students' solutions manual) so you can actually do the homework.
I also bought a used, previous edition of the Harris Quantitative Analysis textbook. You can get it and a solutions manual pretty cheap if you get a previous version and it's a good book that will explain what Skoog tries to explain so poorly.

We use this text (now in its 7th edition) for both our Analytical I (chemical analysis) and Analytical II (instrumental analysis) courses. They are both 1-semester courses at the sophomore year, and this text is just the correct level and length to cover both courses. There are a number of broad sections, each of which is divided into several chapters. Roughly the 1st half covers chemical methods and the second half covers the instrumental methods. There are also a few chapters devoted to statistical analysis.

The sections are reasonably independent and can be done in pretty much any order, giving a great degree of flexibility. The text itself is easy to read with numerous descriptive diagrams. I say this for second-year level courses - the text is too superficial for higher levels. There is a good mix of descriptive chemistry to give the student a feel for the chemistry behind the analyses. Finally, there are adequate exercises at the end of the chapters, some of which are cumulative with previous sections. There is also a very handy tutorial on the use of Microsoft's Excel for use in a course like this, including some specific exercises in using the spreadsheet. I find it very helpful, and not at all exclusive for those using Excel since Quatro-Pro (and Lotus?) is very similar and contains help files that translate from Excel parlance.

My biggest issue is lack of a section on mass spectroscopy. Skoog's own "Instrumental Analysis" text has a fine section on mass spec, but this text contains virtually no mention of the technique, in spite of the fact that it is an increasingly important technique for both quantitative and qualitative trace analysis. However, that's the only real negative point - this text is very good and useful for 2nd year level analytical courses. (P.S. students find it straightforward and clear as well.)

Not impressed. I am a Chem major in my Senior year and I can say with certainty that this book is worthless. The examples are poor, and the problems at the end of each chapter require knowledge not covered within said chapter. I'm not sure what book is better, i'm already out too much money for this one and not wasting more on another one!

I had homework to do, and since my teacher just ASSUMES everyone has had statistics, he breezed through the stat portion in just a lecture.
Well, I hadn't had any stats at all, and needed the solutions manual to try to work out the problems.
The solution manual is the exact same as what is in the back of the book. Just the answers to SOME of the problems. Not all. Doesn't show steps.
Horrible.
I wasted my money.

This solutions manual is not nearly as helpful as the manuals that accompanied my past gen-chem and o-chem textbooks. The solutions are filled with numbers that have no units , steps are skipped, and there aren't sufficient explanations for tough problems. Overall, this manual does not allow for efficient use of study time. Also, This manual is only about 1/3 the thickness of the text book.

I found the explanations and attention to detail to be an important part of this work. Perhaps a lot of messes in the real world could be avoided if people paid attention to detail. I think the detailed information was quite valid

As an instructor, this is an awful text. Written in unnecessarily complex terms, and extremely repetitive. Almost no concrete examples for the numerous complex terms. No practice problems at all.Do yourself a favor and stay away from this text.

I am an avid fan of this master architect/builder and I am pleased to see that Shindler is finally getting the attention he deserves. There is an abundance of material about Schindler now available to the public. Whereas, just ten years ago only a few books were available about Schindler (Gebhard and McCoy). This is a large format book with lavish color photos. Early books on Schindler, such as those by Gebhard, McCoy, and Sarnitz were small in format and contained equally small black and white images.

This book is divided into two parts: Essay and Selected Works. The essay, by noted California Author/Historian James Steele assumes that the reader has some familiarity with Schindler and the Wagnerschul. The author skips over biographical data on the architect, such as birth, upbringing, family life etc. and instead presents the reader with a concise, competent essay on Schidler's place in Early Twentieth Century architecture. The essay shows how Schindler was influenced by his mentors and peers such as Loos, Wright, Nuetra, and Irving Gill. It also touches on Schindler's rejection from Johnson and Hitchcock's International Style exhibit.

The second part of the book - selected works - presents the reader with thirty-two of the architect's built works in a chronological order. The selected projects include twenty-five houses, six apartment buildings/complexes and a Baptist church. Each work contains a brief description. About half the projects contain color photos. These appear to be recent photos and include many interior shots. Some projects, such as the Kings Road House and the Wolfe Residence contain reproduced color drawings (plans, sections, elevations) There are also a few renderings, color and b/w. Other projects are, disappointedly, not given proper attention. The Lovell Beach House, considered by many to be Schindler's masterpiece does not have the plans and section that are so essential to the understanding of this seminal structure. One project, The Grokowski Residence, contains only one, small black and white photo - not sufficient to give an adequate description.

The book also contains a map of L.A. with the architect's projects pin-pointed and a brief biography at the end. There is no bibliography that could point the serious scholar to additional sources, nor does the book contain any of Schindler's writings.

THE BOTTOM LINE This book contains nice color photos - some apparently previously unpublished, some good graphic resources. It is not a deep book, however it can be a nice compliment to previously published work on this master architect/builder.

It has been about 3 years since I wrote the first review for this book on Amazon.com. In that time there have been some new, and I feel better publications about R. M. Schindler

The most comprehensive Text is Judith Sheine's book (entitled R. M. Schindler) published by Phaidon. Please see my review for more details. Sheine is also the editor and narrator for two CD-ROMs produced by Planet Architecture. These are both excellent sources. Lastly is the lavishly photographed catalog for the Schindler Exhibit entitled The architecture of R. M. Schindler by Elizabeth A.T. Smith. This has good essays and photos although I feel is better as supplementry text to Sheine's new book

To start, I have read every page of this text from front to back. Although I am not a student of the political sciences, as a Molecular Biologist I have read more than my fair share of dry texts; this book however, takes the cake.

This book turns an exciting subject into a tedious examination of 'trends' without conclusions. More dry than engaging, the authors consistently contradict themselves, even in the space of two pages. Wittkopf et al's claim that American foreign policy arises from 'Funnel of Casuality' early on within the text and wallow in 'doubletalk' throughout the rest of the book, rarely if ever committing themselves to a strong conclusion.

As a student, I am appalled by the authors refusal to provide key lessons and distinct arguments, if I needed a discussion that raised multiple difficult points and then provided 'wishy-washy' analysis I would have looked to one of the many friendly but inept potheads that typically surrounded my college campus.

The 'patron saint' of the "Morgan Library Ghost Stories" is supposedly M.R. James. If true, then he must be rolling over in his grave. One of his cardinal precepts on writing ghost stories was to beware of talkative ghosts (they aren't scary). The ghosts in this book could enter the Miss America contest and get elected 'Miss Conviviality'. In other words, the Morgan Library ghosts are chatty losers.

I imagine "Morgan Library Ghost Stories" might be a collectors' item some day since it is published in a limited edition with nice wood engravings by John De Pol. However, those of you who enjoy a well-written, truly frightening ghost story should give this book a pass.

The amount of detail is this book drowns out any overall message on the proper way to create operating procedures. No plant could ever actually follow all the recommendations, steps, and layers listed. (A collegue stated that his calculus text book was easier to read.) However, the mind numbing detail is basically correct and properly focused on what plant workers should have in a useful procedure. Too much clutter with peripheral issues like how to get your boss to approve your project. A big weakness is the focus on document formats and document production methods optimized for printing on paper. Process plants are moving en-mass to computerized document management and delivery systems. This book does not explain how to format documents for optimum presentation on a computer screen. Also missing is any useful discussion of management of change methodologies to keep documents current.

I worked through the 6 biological sections and found multiple mistakes. Eventhough my copy is from 96, they still haven't changed the test format in the 2000 revision. In fact all of the incorrect answers are still in the new book.

A few caveats; 1. the review sections aren't the worst. I read through them for a general level of understanding. For any in depth information refer to a textbook. 2. The physical science section is difficult. However, if you can work through the tests it will help. 3. I bought my dated version for 10% of the listed cost and it is exactly the same as the 2000 version.

I worked through the 6 biological sections and found multiple mistakes. Eventhough my copy is from 96, they still haven't changed the test format in the 2000 revision. In fact all of the incorrect answers are still in the new book.

A few caveats; 1. the review sections aren't the worst. I read through them for a general level of understanding. For any in depth information refer to a textbook. 2. The physical science section is difficult. However, if you can work through the tests it will help..

Although this book does have six full exams as promised, they are not in proper mcat format and do not match the difficulty level of the real exam. It is an O.K. book if you want to reinforce the basics, but your performance on these exams would be a poor indicator on how you would do on the actual test.

this is a really terrible book! The verbal section has only 7 passages. It really messes your timing up when you are really taking the test. Plus, the questions are a joke. The physical sciences and bio. sections are filled with errors, which required way too many calculations in a timed test. The mcat is about timing, strategy, and intelligence. This text fails at two out of these three criteria. The latter is due inheritance. And the editor claims that this text is up-to-date(Actual Publishing date is 1991).

This book features six "mcat-like" exams that are anything but "mcat-like". This is especially true for the sciences, notably the physical science sections. Quite simply, the exams ask you to do way too much calculating (with numbers that are next to impossible to handle without a calculator) and the real tests aren't like that. You can't do all that math (which you won't have to on the real thing) and keep your pace up. Don't bother with it.

I wasn't a big fan of this book, too little detail and not enough background for me.