References Books

Absolutely fascinating stuff. If you are into factoids and trivia, are fascinated by death and how people die, have a morbid streak, or like Mary Roach's STIFF, this book is for you. I found it very readable, very entertaining and with a sardonic streak that fits the subject matter like a glove. Recommended.

If you enjoy books about strange and unusual things you will be captivated with what you'll find in this collection facts and information as to how people die;or in the words of the author,make their "Final Exits".
I have always enjoyed the unusual ,and have been a big fan of Ripley's "Believe It or Not!".This book is very similar and will keep you entertained for hours. All the entries are concise,seldom exceed a page or two,accompanied with hundreds of photographs,and overflowing with an endless stream of facts. You will find it a very easy read.It is a great book to leave around to be picked up for a few minutes at a time and you can open it anywhere and just start reading.It has 417 pages plus about 80 pages of source information and acknowledgements.So,not only is it a book to be enjoyed,it is definitely a great reference if you decide to delve further into anything in the book. The author has chosen a rather unusual way to present all this to us. He has put it in 26 chapters headed by the letters of the alphabet. Pretty much like an Encyclopedia.There is no index at the back of the book ,so if at a later date you decide to go back and find something,you may have to do bit of searching.There is also a chapter on "Epitaphs",but is surprisingly ,all too brief,however,sources for more are included.
To give any idea of the extent of things covered is impossible ;other than to say ,it covers everything imaginable;and and numerous things you never even imagined.Rather than being morbid as one might suspect ,the book would be much more appropriately described as curious and informative.
As an example of what you'll find;

Reasons for death found on death certificates of the 1880's

"Died suddenly.Nothing serious."

"Don't know the cause.Died without aid of Physician."

"Don't know cause.Had never been fatally ill before."

"Lack of ambition."

"Worn out."

Visitation of God."

Or this Epitaph from Silver City,Nevada,1878

Here lays Butch
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger,
But slow on the draw.

This book was very enjoyable. Its funny how strange human history is. I even was speaking with my husband on how bad the world has become, my husband's reply was simply "It's always been this bad." After reading this book, I would have to agree. I'm glad I live in the 21st century, because centuries of the past really seemed to suck! Read this book and you will know what I mean.

This is a great book. It is a little macabe, but that works for us. My children 9 and 13 love the book too. If you have ever wondered just how many deaths occur at amusement parks(including Disneyland) this is the book for you. Did you know if you paint your body all over with metallic paint, you can die, just like in the James Bond movie. If you have heard of a story of how people die( such as a date with a prostitute ended with a missing organ such as a kidney) you can look it up ( This unlawful organ harvesting never happened)

From suffocating on bean bag beads to sticking chicken bones up your hole this book has it all, every possible way for a human to die. Did you know in December 2004 a woman ate tapeworm larvae in order to lose weight or that in April 2002 gang members shot a deaf woman in the face because they thought she was flashing gang signs? Well, it happened and it's in here along with thousands of other interesting stories. It's hard to pick my favorites, but I did especially love the one about the moron who climbed on top of a cage full of tigers and started using the bathroom.

Despite the grim subject matter Largo keeps it mostly upbeat. Example: the story about "Mr. Hands" (from the infamous horse/man love video) is entitled "The Beast Within".

For more great death stories check out "Answer Me!" #3's run down of the Top 100 Suicides.

We read this book in our friends' apartment in Paris. It is the most wonderful and comprehensive book for cheese lovers and foodies. Looked through many book stores in Paris and were told it is out of print.
Most spectacular find at Amazon. Thanks.

This is great. Shows cheeses at different ages which is one of the most interesting points and makes this very unique as a reference book. If your in the business its a must have.

I collect field guides and what attracts me to some is the clever layout and design. This volume is in a class by itself and unlike some guides, the text was so informative that i could not put it dowm.
Should receive 6 stars out of 5.

As mentioned in previous reviews, this book does a great job of referencing hundreds of cheeses from France, providing photographs, descriptions, and wine recommendations. In these areas, it does a fantastic job. I've learned a lot reading it and I can't wait to take it with me on my next trip to France.

I wish the book gave more guidance on the tastes of the different cheeses and how you might select them. For example, if I like Brie and wanted to try a different nice mellow soft cheese, what might be recommended? This book isn't organized to help answer questions like that.

Overall, an important book for anybody serious about cheese.

Living in France, I am always making the acquaintance of cheeses I had never before known existed. I always scurry to find this book, and look up the tasty morcel I've just consumed. It's great for learning the basics about various cheeses -- and, as noted by other reviewers -- the photos are divine, but it's not the sort of book one takes into the bath to pore over for hours at a time. Put it on your shelf next to your dictionary and thesaurus; it's that useful!

Book is in perfect condition and arrived promptly. I have only read a little of the book, however it has been referenced by many of my graduate classmates.

The textbook was received in perfect condition and in a timely manner.

this book is excellent for any nurse who wants to understand Patricia Benner's theory on how we learn and develop our skills as nurses caring for others needs moving from the task oriented to seeing the big picture of care.

This book should be required reading for all nurses in all nursing programs. It is an unspoken nursing student idea that when you graduate from your nursing program that you should, "know it all." This is unrealistic for the new/novice nurse. This book explains the process and gives comfort the the new nurse that expecting you to "know it all" is unreasonable and is not an expectation of the profession.

Patricia Benner started taking a common-sense approach to nursing research, when everyone else was out there in the clouds. She actually did something no one else was doing at the time- she asked nurses what they thought, and observed real working nurses to describe her learning model. She aptly describes how nurses learn at the bedside, and why they make the decisions they do, based on what stage of learning they're in. I recommend this book for new and experienced nurses, preceptors, and nurse educators. A must-read for anyone in the profession.

I gave my other book away so I wanted another one. This book started me on the road to self awareness of African culture and religious dogma. Great resource to begin your search.

This is a book that sould be read, when first entering into the African spirit. This is so, because it gets you into the history that would alter your current state of beliefs at a slow pace. It helps you as a first time reader to understand how little you know and how much you have to learn!

I think that says it all. If you are a chicken at heart, this book is not for you. This books tells it like it is, and that is good. We need to know that African Americans are the kings and queens of this world. That how the white man protrays us, is his distorted view. When you want to be like someone you will many times, mock what that person is or has. Mockery is the greatest form of flattery---I read that somewhere---and it is true. Whites want to be like us so badly, they could taste it. This book tells us, what we need to do to get back in line with how the Great Spirit inteneded for us to be. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

This book was the first of Mr. Browder's that I have read and was the foundation for continuing of my education of SELF! I also have the second one in this series which really breaks down religion, civilization, and TRUE history! I don't know about anyone else, but the most I learned in school of my people is that we were naked savages until the good white man came and saved us, which is sooo far from the truth. I don't care if you think you know religion or if you think you know african history, you don't know it to this degree if you haven't read this book and also purchase his next one (Nile Valley Contributions to Civilization). If you can put this down, without a fight, then hats off to you! I read it in one day, that's how thirsty I was/am!

This book should be read by everyone of African descent. Discussed in this book are subjects such as religion, skin color, hair, the need to free your mind, the mysteries of melanin, sports and African Americans, your responsiblity to the future and many many more important topics. At the end of each essay, there are books that Mr. Browder has suggested for further reading. Read and enjoy!

I picked up this book because I realized that I knew next to nothing about the human genome--one of the most significant scientific accomplishments of the century. Shreeve's explanation of what it is and why it matters while describing the dramatic intellectual, technical and commercial competition between the academic community and private venture capitalists--most notably Craig Ventor-- is spellbinding. The most painless way to familiarize yourself with recent human genome research. An outstandiing read.

You don't need to be a scientist to be captivated by this book. This is a riveting story of the intersection of vision, ego, politics and the battle between commercial interests and publicly funded efforts to do nothing less than lay the foundation for the technology that will likely define this century.

This is not a dry chronicle of the scientific methods, technological and computational breakthroughs that made this great accomplishment possible. Rather, Shreeve manages to guide the layman through the intricacies of all of the above, while never loosing site of the more interesting story of the personalities and interactions among the key players in this story. There are lessons here for anyone - integrity, vision, politics, business, perception and the law of unintended consequences.

The best book I've read this year.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the future of science, medicine, and technology. Though I have been intrigued with the human genome project and the mapping of other life forms, I had never understood the process or knew the key players in the epic search to do so. James Shreeves' masterful account of this landmark achievement brings the complex and compelling venture into sharp focus. His narrative includes not only colorful and insightful quotes from those involved on all levels, but also offers cogent explanations of the technical and scientific issues in breakthrough biological data-processing that will eventually change all our lives.

Firstly, I haven't even finished this book at the time of my writing this review, but I could no longer wait to comment on it.

The distinguished feature of this book is its style of writing. It is incredibly simple and straight forward, without any unncessary twist of language or logic. Although this is a depiction of the whole story behind the Human Genome Project, it reads like an epic tale of a breathtaking journey.

James Shreeve gives a close account of all the events that led up to sequencing of human genome, including politics, science, business, legal matters and personal relations. What's more, is that a lay reader who understands nothing about gene or molecular biology can learn a whole lot of things he didn't know before. While the book is not technical in biological and other scientific explanations, it is sufficient to explain to the lay reader about genes, their importance as well as their pharamaceutical value.

This book, like other reviewers have mentioned, is truly hard to put down. Highly recommended to everyone!!

I could not put this book down. This is an engrossingly written glimpse into the people, politics and science of the Human Genome project(s). Extraordinarily well done. Uplifting.
Exciting. At times depressing. Full of real people at war with real problems and real results.

Abrams, accomplished scholar and critic, has created a monument for himself and the best, most reliable, and concise glossary of literary terms. Opening up the recent trends, but not as trends, as developments from within established scholarship and literary science. This glossary is special, with a good index of terms, one for authors, and dense, usable, clearly written articles with further reading, its form is unchanged since it first appeared in 1957. The 8th edition I purchased opens with the Absurd and closes with Wit, Humor, and the Comic. The articles are articles, not just key terms defined, but developments traced and contextualized. This is no replacement for an encyclopedia of literature or an Oxford Companion, but a vital tool next to these. None of us can keep every term in mind, and this is a serious book to help our feeble minds, for which we should be grateful and which delivers bang for the buck.

Every student of literature should have their own copy of this book. Non-students would get a lot out of this too. And while the price might appear excessive, I think in the long-term this book is a worthwhile investment. What makes this guide of literary terms different from others, is its comprehensiveness. Abrams goes into great detail on the important terms that one comes across most often in literature. There is information on theories and movements in criticism and terms such as modernism and post modernism, are clearly defined. there is also material on symbolism, metaphor and other figures of speech and so on. A Glossary of Literary Terms, now in its 8th edition, is written in a lucid style, and is a must buy for anyone who wants to expand their literary horizons. Recommended. 5 stars.

Abrams supplies very nicely written explanations of many terms you are likely to come across in literature, or more specifically, in literary studies. If you have puzzled over an "objective correlative", then he explains that it wasn't due to TS Eliot, as many believe, but to Allston. Though Eliot was the one responsible for popularising the term. Or, if you want to use "doggerel" properly when deconstructing some Bukowski poem, perhaps check Abrams first.

This is a very well-researched encyclopedia covering almost any literary term that comes to mind. Try it, look up the term as if using a dictionary and one finds a clearly written paragraph, if not essay, that explains it all. It also provides links that can point the reader in different directions. In the event of literary jargon overload, there is no better treatment currently available.

As a student, this is an essential reference for me, but it is also something that I would want to keep forever as I think it would be very difficult to find such a useful, interesting and intellectually credible/incredible guide to literary terms. As a future teacher I look forward to using this book for many years to come.

The reader who complains that the 8th edition is radically different from previous editions with respect to the definitions of literary terms such as sonnet and ode is entirely mistaken. The entries on these and other terms are either unchanged from earlier editions or improved and updated. Moreover, a number of new terms have been added.

Even though I have read a number of books about ancient Mesopotamia, many of which are focussed on political and economic history rather than on beliefs and religious practices, I am was still very confused about who were the principal gods and goddesses, during what period of time and where they became prominent, and why they were worshipped. The uniformly positive customer reviews of this 192 page book were what persuaded me to buy it , and I was not disappointed.

When I buy a book, however, I do prefer to read it from start to finish, so reading a dictionary in this way is somewhat difficult and it is probably not the best way to read this one. The "gods and goddesses " entry in this dictionary indicate that more than 3000 names have been recovered, and while the book doesn't attempt to describe all of these, it does provide a significant amount of interesting reference material about the beliefs and religious practices of the peoples of Ancient Mesopotamia. Perhaps it would be better to use the term "ruler" or "the elite" rather than the term "peoples" since it is clear that nearly all the available information about the gods, demons, and symbols comes from inscriptions which were either from the rulers or from the priests of the religious institutions.

At the beginning of the book there is a useful author's note on the variant spellings of ancient names which explains the scholarly consensus on the probable pronunciation of the Akkadian and Sumerian languages. This is followed, by a concise introduction which provides summaries on the places and peoples of Mesopotamia, their mythology and legends, their art and iconography and the periods of the various dynasties and a helpful one page chronological table. At the end of the book there is also a short bibliography listing books recommended for further reading.

The bulk of the book consists of about a thousand entries (I didn't count them) on the different deities, religious objects, icons, symbols, and practices, of the peoples of ancient Mesopotamia. Most of these are quite short, although there are a few which run to three or four pages. At least half of them refer to one or more illustrations which are liberally sprinkled throughout the book, and this approach definitely enhanced my understanding of what I was reading. I did get the impression, though, that much of the information about the earlier period comes from the Assyrian kings of the 1st millennium, and while they were heirs to the Sumerian and Akkadian traditions, it is still not clear to me how much of a bias they brought into their inscriptions in order to better serve their own interests

There are 159 illustrations in all, which are a mixture of drawings and very clear black and white photographs. The drawings by Tessa Rickards, the illustrator, are beautifully done, elegantly simple, and in my opinion, bring out the essence of the object of the illustration. While most illustrations are embedded in the text close to the most relevant entry, there are a number which are referred to by several different entries. I found it was quite time consuming to flip around the book to find the references of those which were not close by, so I ended up by using book markers to speed up my search for the most important, which were the groups of illustrations on demons, monsters, and symbols for the gods, and the genealogical table of gods and goddesses. Perhaps there is no way around this, but I think it would have been helpful if there had been an index of the illustrations referenced by time period and page number. It may also have been easier to refer to them if they were included one place, perhaps at the back of the book.

Notwithstanding these minor quibbles about the organization and content of the book, I found that reading it the way I did, was an effective and time efficient way of increasing my depth of knowledge about this aspect of ancient Mesopotamia. It will serve as a useful reference tool for my other books on the civilizations and dynasties of Mesopotamia, and I certainly recommend it to other students who are focussing their studies on this particular subject.

This illustrated dictionary is excellant, and informative. The authors have a knack for noting out of the ordinary tidbits, which enhance their profiles. Unfortunately, they do not recognize that Mythology is 95%
Propaganda. Thus, Ea, called "favorable to man", is in fact the Ultimate
Architect of Evil, who along with his "two-faced" minister Usmu, and the
scribe Nabu, propagated a Revisionist Mythology, that has subjugated and
subverted the 5% Truth, ever since.

"Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia" (An Illustrated Dictionary) is the best resource on the Gods of the different cultures from that region that exists. Though they call it a dictionary, Jeremy Black and Anthony Green (editors) have put together an encyclopedia of knowledge on the subject. They cover Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Hurrian mythologies, and touch on several more as well. This review is based off of the fifth edition of the book, which was published in 2003 by the University of Texas Press.

There is a lot of material here, and it would be easy to give this book five stars based on what it does provide. However, as I use this resource I often think about what more they could have done to make it more useful. One big thing would have been more visual resources. I would have liked to see a map section where it shows the various eras and empires and the extent of their control. There is one map near the front of the book, but it provides only a limited view.

A big area of improvement would have been to provide sections instead of including all the material together from A to Z. For example the maps mentioned above could have gone into a geography section which could have also shown the evolution of the city names as they spanned eras, including the modern names for those which still exist. Another section could have covered the kings, queens, and heroes for each of the empires. The section on deities could have covered the evolution of deities as they were adopted by the later empires, as well as the new deities which arose during the passage of time. You will find that some of this material is scattered throughout the resource, but it is not complete, and it is difficult to find unless you already know where to look.

Despite all the things I would have liked to have, I still think this is a very good reference, and one which anyone who studies the ancient history of that region will want to have in their library. It is easy to come up with ideas of ways to improve things, but the work that was done in putting together this reference was exceptional, and as with most things which whet one's appetite, it leaves the reader wanting more.

Excellent resource listing much more than the title would suggest. Black really knows his stuff and generously shares his knowledge. Much better than I thought it would be. Includes all kinds of definitions in great detail. Well written. Highly recommend.

I am saddened to see that this is no longer available. If you are interested in ancient Mesopotamian religion, then this book is needed. It is a perfect resource to get quick information, and provides enough information to conduct further research in the areas. If you are a student taking a class on Mesopotamia, a religious historian, or a Reconstructionist, then this will give you the facts you need at your fingertips.

'Guide to watercolor paints' is one of the best books I have ever read on color. Never will you have to buy any brand of color and not know what its made of. From Manufacture to color its all here...

I am giving myself three pats on the back for buying this book and Hilary Page, ten star's for writing it!! Nancy

I recently purchased Page's Guide and I'm delighted that I did. Firstly, the book came autographed and with several appended additions to information. Page's dedication to accuracy and clarity is impressive. Secondly, the book has a remarkable amount of information about all the brands of watercolor paint available in the U.S. relating to lightfastness, transparency, granularity, opacity, and so on, and the colors are actually shown in the book. Unlike other writers of watercolor paint guides, she uses all the colors in her book, which makes it sigificantly more interesting to review and read. Lastly, I take painting lessons from a nationally-known artist who has also published books relating to watercolor painting and color, and she recommends Page's book over others. I had already purchased Page's book, so I was thrilled to hear another expert give it praise.
I rate Page's Guide with four stars because I believe there is always more we can know about art, and Page may decide there's a more detailed edition she needs to publish, and also because actual publication printing inks are not as accurate in depicting colors as seeing the actual watercolor paint on watercolor paper. But for anyone contemplating purchasing Page's Guide, I highly recommend it.

I've read dozens of books on watercolor pigments. This is by FAR the best out there. Complete and unbiased information on all the leading manufactures pigments. This is the only book I keep on my studio desk with me at all times.

"Hilary Page's Guide to Water Color Paints" is a necessary book for anyone doing watercolor. Her coverage is very through and she also has a web page for updating the information. She compares every well-known brand of artists' watercolors from Holbein to Winsor and Newton and her observations will save the artist, whether professional or rank amateur, both frustration and money. What's more, she tested every one herself! I liked the index, which first lists the company and under each company the colors sold. It makes it very easy to check up on the paints that interest you. Her short introduction on pigments and paints is also quite informative. If you work with watercolor you simply cannot afford to be without this book!

By the way my copy was given to me by my daughter for my birthday and was autographed by the author. The author had also neatly written a correction inside the book. This is a dedicated person and her work is much appreciated!

This was the first, and is still the definitive book on the chemistry of watercolor paints. Hilary Page is a fine watercolorist, but her main contribution to the industry has been her copious analysis of the characteristics of various manufacturers, brands, and qualities of watercolor paints. I became interested in the stability of paint in the early 80's while trying to find the most fade-proof pigments available for my own watercolor paintings. I did many of the same tests Hilary did, but no where near as complete. When her book came out much later, I purchased a copy and still use it today. My copy is marked up with notes that I refer to constantly. I feel this book should be on the shelf of any serious student of watermedia.

I found the information to be very helpful in understanding the worlds of working in the entertainment industry. Having insider information on the Hollywood industry should provide guidance for people deciding if this is the work career place they want. I got the book out of curiosity about the industry that provides the public with amusement products. The information is well arranged and easy to understand. The publication does not hold back from warnings about making mistaken moves while working in Hollywood.
It comes across as a very useful workplace guide.

This book is very funny with practical experience for just about everyone! I brought it on my honeymoon and both my husband I couldn't help but read it aloud. The book has great tips for anyone, not just those looking to work in Hollywood. It is very well written and really keeps your interest.

Absolutely hilarious. If you work in the biz, everyone will be jealous when you bring this book to the office. They will all want their hands on it. Taking the quizzes out loud in a group is the most fun you'll have. Unlike some books, it's not just a clever title/idea- it's perfectly executed. You'll be laughing out loud. You'll be learning too. A must if you're are an asst, want to be an asst, used to be an asst, or if you just feel sorry for your asst friends and want to feel so glad you're not one.

It's 85% humor and 15% real sold advice. Seems like the 15% could be extremely helpful and the whole thing goes down like candy.

I received the book right away in the mail and read it one day! It has great advice about people wanting to move to LA and doesn't beat around the bush. You get honest suggestions and advice through experienced people. There is a great sense of humor throughout the book to keep you laughing while you realize the crazy things you do if you want to become a Hollywood assistant!

What a light and extremely entertaining read! The authors do a great job of explaining the "true" life of a Hollywood assistant, which definitely debunks the glamorous notion we all assume to be reality. This hilarious book had me laughing every time I picked it up! I highly recommend The Hollywood Assistants Handbook to anyone, whether you're looking to enter the entertainment industry or are simply just curious about it!!!

Saw this book at my daughter-in-law's and couldn't put it down! I think I've found the perfect engagement/shower gift for the new bride!

I borrowed this book from my local library and looked through it and realized that I had to have a copy of my own. It is a book with very clever ideas on using kitchen equipment, fruits, veggies, you name it. It even has answers to questions that I've always wondered about like.....Why will potatoes and onions spoil more quickly if you store them together?

I like to cook more now because I'm more informed about foods, utensils and equipment. This would be a great wedding shower gift for any young woman starting her own family and who isn't very experienced in the kitchen. I don't know if it would be useful for more experienced cooks because I'm not one. Hopefully that helps.

I've been cooking for more years than I like to count, but this book gave me a lot of tips I never came across before, plus a handy color photographic section on de-shelling lobsters and shrimp and pitting various fruits. However, the tip on shelling hard boiled eggs, one of my cross-eyes bears, didn't work for me. For any home cook, though, this is wonderful recreational, as well as useful, reading.

I love to pick this book up and just read a few pages (I always learn something!) It has also helped me several times when I had a question about how to keep something fresh or how I can substitute ingredients. I gave it to one of my best friends for Christmas and she was thrilled. I have to admit that I am a great fan of Fine Cooking magazine and cookbooks.

This is a must have book for even a professional chef / cook. It is filled with all kinds of great tips that I doubt even a master chef knows.