Cosmos Books

I am a non-scientist who reads a lot of science. Dr. Stenger's book was brilliantly constructed and argued, digesting a century or two of progress in physics into a few core principles and their descendents. Unfortunately for me, the emphasis on mathematical arguments was not to my particular taste, and I admit to getting bogged down in the quantum mechanics particle soup. I prefer a more expository and less abstract style, as with Feynman's general interest books. Thus, this is not a book I would recommend sight unseen. I do not agree that the material will be accessible to most lay readers of science. I suggest skimming sections to see if it fits your style. For some, the book may be perfect, and I can well understand the very high ratings by some other reviewers.

The key concept was how much derives from so little, in particular the point of view invariance. It almost sounds easy, like why didn't people think of these brilliant theories before? That is an amazing insight, really, compared to physical models or the interaction of matter and energy that comes more naturally to humans.

Stenger gives gracious credit to Emily Noether, previously unknown to me, for the mathematical work used to derive many of his conclusions.

Stenger takes on many topics of interest, usually with brief explanations on fundamental ideas: how can something come from nothing, how can there be energy in a vacuum, why light is actually not a wave, laws vs. the absence of laws, the irrelevance of absolute time, and so on.

The mathematical appendix was largely over my head. Too many years removed, I'm afraid. Even where the details were unclear at my level, the mathematical summary was interesting, because it showed which of the principles had fairly basic mathematical foundations and which ones took more sophistication.

I enjoy popular science books and was looking forward to this one, but the PW review got it right: "Stenger's descriptions of the models of physics and his discussion of cosmology will be largely incomprehensible to the average reader."

Professor Victor J. Stenger provides a fine survey of the status and science of physics in THE COMPREHENSIBLE COSMOS: WHERE DO THE LAWS OF PHYSICS COME FROM? Where exactly do the 'laws' revealed by math come from, and do they represent religious constraints on behavior built in by God or a governing body? These and other intriguing questions provide students of physics with challenging food for thought in a survey essential to college-level collections. Many a professor will wish to use it as a foundation for classroom discussion and debate extending the realm of scientific observation and discovery into the world of philosophical meaning.

Two parts. The first two thirds of the book is in general terms, and very interesting. The remaining third is mathematical appendices, accounts of the maths behind the first part. It seemed to me that the details of this mathematical presentation were flakey ( though of course the results are well established ).

This is quite a nifty, compendium like summary of currently accepted laws pertaining to cosmology/particle physics (I refer here to author's clear and mellifluous writing). However if you read his previous books ("Timeless Reality" and "Has Science Found God" in particular) be aware of repetitions. Be alerted as well: this book is neither a typical popular science nor text book. Mathematical supplements take 130 pages out of the total 320 pages!! These math offals/short-cuts are often indigestible even for people familiar with vector calculus. I always have a problem with such books (Penrose's "The Road to Reality" being even more apparent example); whom these books are targeted for - students, scientists or average (though educated) laymen? Another problem with this book - author states with respect to the title: "..the laws of physics are the way they are because they have been defined to be that way (?!).....The viewpoint I present will be that of a strict empiricist who knows of no way to obtain knowledge of the world other than by OBSERVATION and experimentation". This is an honest statement but does not answer a bit the title's question "Where.. from?". Do not hope to become clear on that after reading "The Comprehensible Cosmos". Observing a stray dog on a street does not solve the enigma of "where does he come from" (IMO). We know very little about how it started, we know a bit how Universe expands (by observing, but even interpretations of it is often questioned) and we do not have any idea how the Universe will end. Comprehensive Cosmos? Lets not become to presumptuous.

I have read this book repeatedly and each time I understand it more deeply.
Steiner starts with a description of the physical body then progresses to the more subtle bodies as the etheric, astral bodies and the spiritual Ego which leads to an understanding of the human body in its totality. This is all written methodically and systematically. To read Steiner requires full attention and should be read slowly and consciously. It is an effort well worth making in order to acquire an understanding of the spiritual world and how it interpenetrates the physical. Steiner writes with a clarity and insight given to few. He was a true clairvoyant and wrote and lectured about the Universe and evolution of Humanity going back before Atlantis. Just the act of reading Steiner transforms the reader. It takes time to assimilate this new way of perceiving the world as well as ourselves but well worth the effort.

Rudolf Steiner was the founder of the Anthroposophical movement in Germany in the early 1900s.
He was a most gifted and inspiring teacher and was responsible for the advent of Waldorf education and Biodynamic farming among other new and more enlightened ways of functioning in the world. He has been my spiritual teacher since the early seventies and certainly has changed my life through his books, lectures and workshops. Theosophy is an excellent start.

I have read this book repeatedly and each time I understand it more deeply.
Steiner starts with a description of the physical body then progresses to the more subtle bodies as the etheric, astral bodies and the spiritual Ego which leads to an understanding of the human body in its totality. This is all written methodically and systematically. To read Steiner requires full attention and should be read slowly and consciously. It is an effort well worth making in order to acquire an understanding of the spiritual world and how it interpenetrates the physical. Steiner writes with a clarity and insight given to few. He was a true clairvoyant and wrote and lectured about the Universe and evolution of Humanity going back before Atlantis. Just the act of reading Steiner transforms the reader. It takes time to assimilate this new way of perceiving the world as well as ourselves but well worth the effort.

Rudolf Steiner was the founder of the Anthroposophical movement in Germany in the early 1900s.
He was a most gifted and inspiring teacher and was responsible for the advent of Waldorf education and Biodynamic farming among other new and more enlightened ways of functioning in the world. He has been my spiritual teacher since the early seventies and certainly has changed my life through his books, lectures and workshops. Theosophy is an excellent start.

There was found to be no original thought put into this writing. Copied from many other authors and in his 'succienct' writtings, he misses out on the One true picture. While covering such a broad subject, one can only draw to the conclusion that plagerism on such a matter as this one could only have been hoped for!

The title is potentially a little misleading, since beyond superficial similarities it really has very little to do with the Theosophy of Blavatsky and Besant. Steiner really forges his own path, and a quite interesting one at that. This is really the book to start with if you want to understand Steiner's thought and worldview.

I find Steiner's work invigorating. Theosophy requires you to THINK, unlike much of the New Age drivel on the bookshelves today. Steiner was obviously a man with a great gift of sight and I feel blessed that he has shared so much with us through his writing.

This is a must read for anyone serious about delving deeper into spiritual truth and wisdom. Not only does Steiner share his vision of the Spiritual world, he tells how we can all gain access to that world IF we are willing to devote ourselves to the work with sincerity and dedication.

Written for anyone wanting to know what the hot topic in cosmology is all about. A good place to start.

Dark Cosmos has an excellent narrative style and explains the concepts of dark matter in a very understandable fashion. It begins with the easier theories and then moves into string theory and other pretty advanced concepts. It's a great read even if there comes a point where it no longer makes sense to a non-physicist.

This book is introduction to cosmology for general reader rather than detailed information about dark matter and dark energy.
I like popular physics books. I have bought the book to learn about dark matter and dark energy, but after reading I have become more cloudy. These concepts are still in their infancy. Untested theories (supersymmetry , string and inflation) give support these undetected dark matter and inexplicable quantity of dark energy.
The author tells all of intriguing related topics to give some idea of the subject. I got much out of the theories of supersymmetry, inflation and the life cycles of stars.

This is the best book I've read on Dark Matter and Dark Energy. Not only does Dr. Hooper explain why these things are needed to explain how we think our Universe works, but as he writes you get some feeling of the awe and excitement that he feels about the subject. You get the feeling that he goes to work every day looking forward with great excitement to see what he might learn. And he is able to bring this excitement down to the printed page so that you too feel that we are on the brink of a big break through in our understanding of how the world works.

As an example. At one point he is making some projections about what might be discovered in the future.

About one paragraph he says: 'This paragraph is wild speculation.'
About the next paragraph he says: 'This paragraph is ridiculously wild speculation.
From there he goes on to the third paragraph, about which he says: 'What is the word that means more ridiculous than ridiculous?'

The only real problem about this book is that next week, or next year, or maybe 25 years from now there will come a breakthrough that will answer all of these questions. As Einstein took Newton's equasions and extended them into the very small and the very large, we are looking for the next 'Einstein' to take his work and extend it to cover what the experimental physicists and cosmologists are discovering.

I am not a scientist. I have no training in modern cosmology or physics, and I read this book simply out of an interest in the subject. What struck me most, and what I least expected from a popular science book, was the prose. The subject itself is vastly intriguing, and Dr. Hooper does an excellent job of conveying this information. The only chapter that left me relatively baffled was the chapter on quantum physics, but (let's be honest) that's strange stuff and it is not the intent of this book to explain it. The thrust of this book is dark matter, and Dr. Hooper is an engaging and insightful authority. His book is full of information, but more importantly, it is a pleasure to read.

Wanting to learn more about astrophotography, I purchased this book. Although I am not trying astrophotography now, this book has been very helpful. The author discusses astrophotography in general. Then he goes through various kinds of astrophotography and the types of cameras suited and/or best for a particular format. The types of cameras discussed are;
Compact digital cameras
Webcams
DSLR
Astronomical CCD cameras
Each section divided into individual chapters for each type of camera
1. Applications with subheadings:
a. Characteristics of the camera
b. Suitable photo Photo motifs
c. Advantages and disadvantages
2. Buying tips
3. Information on taking astrophotos with the particular camera (example:
web cams)
4. Processing images taken with a particular camera

Some of the processing directions are more detailed; depends on which camera is being discussed.

There is also an appendix with a table summarizing application areas for each type of camera.

There are also photos illustrating what various cameras are capable of. Overall I liked the book and refer to it often just for information. It is written in a very clear and understandable way. I would recommend it for anyone, new to astrophotography or more of an expert. Especially good for a newbie.

First off, wow! This book has very good detail introducing any level of photographer to astrophotography. I have been interested to see how people not affiliated with a major college or governmental organization get amazing photos the night time sky. What I appreciate from this title is various methods are described from as small as a web cam to as involved as a camera attached to a telescope. Hardware recommendations and Photoshop enhancements are all spelled out with great examples and easy to understand steps. If you are at all interested in capturing photos of the moon, stars and even impressive galaxy shots better than the average snapshot anyone can take, this book will is the ultimate guide.

DIGITAL ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY: A GUIDE TO CAPTURING THE COSMOS covers all the basics of astrophotogaphy, from choosing equipment and obtaining sharp images to taking lovely night shots with a digital camera and tripod setup and using a webcam to get planet images. All levels of astrophotography are covered in a guide perfect for both photography and science libraries at all levels of interest, with color examples throughout supplementing step-by-step directions, tips, and overviews.

'Digital Astrophotography: A Guide to Capturing the Cosmos' is a wonderful guide for any hobbyists that enjoy looking up at the night sky and wishing to record the images they see for prosperity. Like all of the photography genre there is so much more to taking pictures than just pressing a button and aiming, no matter what the subject matter is. When you look up at the sky and all you see for the most part is black with objects in between, there certainly is an art form to this as well, well presented in this book.

Not a long book, content is spread over 150+ pages and 5 chapters. Discussing regular cameras, web cams, computer settings, ISO, balance, etc. all the basics that you would expect to be discussed are done here. Interspersed throughout the text are pictures of the cosmos, beautiful and basic.

If you are an amateur photographer or a newbie that is looking to find out how you can take pictures of the night sky better and more effectively, this is a great resource to have.

Easy to recommend, fun to peruse, a solid addition to any photographers shelf.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I am relatively new to the hobby of astrophotography, however, I've done a lot of research online through astrophoto websites and by joining forums dedicated to the subject. Wanting to increase my knowledge, I bought this book for two reasons: First of all it's a newly published book, so I figured it would have information pertaining to the latest cameras, devices, and software available. Secondly, I read all the 5 star reviews here on Amazon which sealed the deal for me.

I'm sorry I ever bought it. The book felt very disjointed. It felt like every paragraph introduced you to a new topic, but never really explained anything. By the end of the paragraph you would be wanting more, only for the book to go on about something new.

To make things worse, the book is filled with sentences that will leave you scratching your head. Here's a perfect example from page 27. And I quote:

"If your camera does not allow the complete manual setting of the exposure, you may be able to use the camera's exposure compensation. For example, if the automatic mode produces over exposures, you can try a manual correction selecting shorter exposures."

What was that he said?? Ok, maybe he'll explain it clearer in the next paragraph... Not.

On the subject of processing your photos, telling me to open Photoshop and click and drag on the curve to adjust the colors doesn't quite cut it. Can we be a little more specific?? Here's the quote:

"In order to create an impressive nighttime image, the following menu item is more helpful: Image->Adjustments->Curves...
As shown in the curves dialog box, you can click and drag on the straight line with the mouse to change the shape of the curve. The result (image 3) more closely resembles a nightime shot"

I need a little more why's and how's than this book offers. The majority of the book is pictures, and even the pictures lack the information normally found in photography books. I'm used to seeing photos where the photographer explains the equipment and settings - you won't find any of that here.

If you already have a general knowledge of astrophotography, I would suggest that you pass on this book.

A fascinating book. The narrator's peculiar neurosis and the tragic real world around him to which he is so tenuously attached are remarkably described. The grim humor of the night "pilgrimage" is also excellent. Perhaps Gombrowicz learned about this kind of comedy from its master, the Cuban writer Virgilio Piñera, who was a collaborator in the Buenos Aires translation of Ferdydurke.

That being said, however, I'm glad there is new translation straight from the original Polish, as this translation presents some problems. I didn't notice the cutting up of Gombrowicz's rambling sentences as described in the review above, as I don't speak Polish. However, certain word choices made by the translator are mystifying. The word "berg", for example. Some kind of note explaining what the hell this means would be helpful. The meaning of Leo's statement that he saw "sucking" at that spot out in the forest is similarly unclear to this reader.

These novels map internal states, tenors of mind, and they do so with courage, dramatising the internal by portraying fantastic events in the external world. 'Cosmos' focuses (obsessively) on a conjuction of paranoia and an irrational insistence for connections on the part of its young protagonist. 'Pornographia' shows elders living vicariously through the apetites of the young.
*
Both novels seem to satirise the basic premises of the bourgeois comedy of manners, being set in country households filled with characters respectful of middle-class ideals, only to unveil irrational psychological forces close by the surface. It is hard to imagine either novel being written without the author living through the horror of the Second World War - rationality itself and, more specifically, the veneration of tradition and culture are under attack - how can Gombrowicz have faith in such concepts when he has witnessed the unthinkable brutality initiated by so-called civilised, rational individuals, most notably by those inhabiting arguably the most civilised and rational of nations? Settings and presuppositions that functioned admirably in the work of Thomas Mann, or at least stumbled by in Chekov, now not only fail dismally, but engender a grotesque horror show.
*
Similar responses arose after the First World War, most persistently in the guise of surrealism. Their effects linger to this day - a suspicion of the merits of rationality still inhabits critical thinking, and few would subscribe to the idea that education and cultural refinement guarantee the moral and ethical worthiness of a person (thus we have the archetypal psychopath who listen to Beethoven as in 'A Clockwork Orange', and numerous other related examples inhabiting popular culture (the villains in James Bond movies, or even the Rickman character in 'Die Hard'). Gombrowicz lends his own unique voice to this chorus.
*
The literary style remains readable despite certain difficulties, possibly arising from translation. It is also very humorous, in the way that the Samuel Beckett of 'Watt' or 'Molloy' is humorous, and indeed Gombrowicz's assault on the mechanisms of rationality is reminiscent to that found in 'Watt'.
*
For me, these works appeal in the similar ways to those of Bruno Schulz, Stig Dagerman, Kafka, John Hawkes, Celine, and, as mentioned, Beckett, but beyond the similarities these novels are something special and inimitable. Hope this is something of a guide for what lies in store for you.

Occasionally a novel demonstrates a better approach to philosophy than anything modern professors study in the texts of philosophy. The idea that philosophy is merely a professional field in which rivals compete over who has a rationally systematic form of competence within a political system that bears little relevance to the world as it usually is, full of events that hardly maintain any notion of classical forms of reality, and often producing thoughts that stray far from rational systems, personal principles, or helpful advice, offers the novelist with some knowledge of this void a fertile field in which ideas can advance in unexpected directions. The novel COSMOS by Witold Gombrowicz was published in Polish in 1965, translated into French and German, and Eric Mosbacher managed to produce the English version from the other translations in 1967. It took me a long time to discover Witold Gombrowicz, and after reading that his modern viewpoint was much more comic than Sartre, I read PORNOGRAPHIA, which is a brilliant novel, originally published in Polish in 1960, first. I was impressed by its picture of individual wartime strategies set in Nazi-occupied Poland, but I was slow to appreciate how COSMOS might offer a better appreciation of how society makes personal demands on many levels. In the years that have passed since I finally read it, I have often thought that it could be a bitter lesson for young people who face the problem of shaping an individual personality to fit whatever job seems most appropriate for them in our society, which is becoming far too comic for this question to be answered seriously in a philosophical manner.

The beginning of COSMOS, with its hanged bird, "Its little head was bent and its mouth wide open," (p. 10), was set in journalistic hyperbole. The world could hardly search for significance in a scene in which "the bad road, and the ruts and lumps of earth and heels, trouser-legs, stones, and all this vegetation, all culminating like a crowd genuflecting before this hanged sparrow--reigning triumphant and eccentric over this outlandish spot." (p. 10).

Taking the title literally with such an opening scene suggests a work that will slog through a tremendous amount of irony on its way to some poetic justice. In a comic society, the last laugh has to be what works best, and ultimately COSMOS is a guide to the nature of the character most likely to have the last laugh. Though there are more people in this book than I can describe, I find that the comic elements can be traced with a few.

"Fuchs tramped on ahead and I followed behind." (p. 9). Two men, described as "And so you two gentlemen are working for exams" (p. 15), looking for a good cheap place to stay, find a notice of rooms to let on a fence shortly after they saw the hanging sparrow.

"Mr Wojtys, a retired bank manager, complete with signet ring and gold cuff-links" (p. 14). His daughter, "Lena was married. Her husband appeared after we had started dinner." (p. 22). They had been married two months and were living with her parents until their house was ready.

Director Krysinski, described by Leo Wojtys as demanding "incongruence or contrariety which, he maintained, every candidate for high position must have at his fingertips." (p. 40). When Lena's husband Louis suggested "Rational organization of society and of the world," (p. 46), Leo "splayed his fingers like the claws of a beast of prey, advanced them across the tablecloth, and then opened his hand and blew on it. `One puff and it's gone, don't you see?' he said. `Gone, just like that.' " (p.46).

The narrator admits to "feeling pleasure as well as dismay, pleasure at having brought off a coup" (p. 70) after one surprising episode. The entire household gathered to discuss what was going on. "What a kettle of fish. . . . He had no need to say any more to make us feel like a couple of pitiful beggars scratching about on a refuse heap." (p. 76).

The key characters take an excursion to the mountains, joined by two other newlywed couples who were friends of Lena. Finally the fun starts:

"Gradually things livened up in the carriage. The newlyweds, who were called Lolo and Lola, grew more animated, and after a bout of preliminary exchanges such as `Oh, Lolo, have I forgotten the thermos?' and `Lola, take this bag, it's in my way,' they gave themselves up completely to lolery." (p. 95). When they get to the mountains, the carriage picks up a priest who got lost on an excursion. "He climbs into your carriage and you are confronted with sin." (p. 103). A fine discussion of baths and washing on pages 110-111 is ended by a single comment which "cut right through the loloing of the Lolos," (p. 111).

Lena's mother does not approve of Lena's friends. "Have you ever seen such a hussy? She can't even leave a priest alone." (p. 134). The pattern of the scattering of jokes was "the sticky honey of that triple honeymoon." (p. 136). "The Lolos were going for Fuchs, but of course Jadeczka was their real target, Fuchs was only the cushion off which the billiard balls bounced, and he knew it, but he was delighted at being bombarded with their jokes;" (p. 136).

It is the comic nature of society that makes the reader most likely to sympathize with those who find a way to enjoy themselves, and eventually feel relieved that the more serious elements of the plot do not involve them at all. Something deeply disturbing is going on in this book, but social life takes place on another level, which seems to be difficult for the priest to enjoy. Events of a darker nature form a "series like a, b, c, d or 1, 2, 3, 4. What consistency, what subterranean logic. It leapt to the eye." (pp. 156-157).

A number of the reviewers here note that a new English translation of Cosmos would be most welcome. That translation is here and has been nominated (2006) for the National Translation Award given by the American Literary Translators Association. Danuta Borchardt, who translated Gombrowicz' Ferdydurke, has now translated Cosmos. Perhaps the novel's enthusiasts will find Borchardt's translation rewarding.

I'm joining the chorus of those asking for a direct translation. Let me quote the opening paragraph of the novel I translated from the original as a quick test:

"But let me tell you another, even more curious adventure...

Sweat, Fuks walks on, me behind him, trouser-legs, heels, sand, we plod on, plod on, earth, ruts, clod, glitter from glassy pebbles, glare, the heat buzzes, shimmering, everything black with sunlight, houses, fences, fields, woods, this road, this march, where from, how, it's a long story, to tell you the truth I was sick of my father and mother, my family in general, besides I wanted to do away with at least one exam, also to try a change, leave it all, live somewhere far away for a while. So I took off to Zakopane, I walk through Krupówki, think where the heck to get a cheap pension when I run into Fuks, his red-haired faded blond mug, protruding, his gaze pasted with apathy, but he was happy, and I was happy, how are you, what are you doing here, I'm looking for a room, so am I, I have an address - he said - of a small manor-house where it's cheaper as it's a long way out, almost bare countryside. So we walk, trouser-legs, heels in sand, the road and the heat, I look down, earth and sand, the pebbles sparkle, one, two, one, two, trouser-legs, heels, sweat, sleepiness in tired eyes from the train and nothing besides this pacing from down below. He stopped."

If you have the book handy you'll notice how the published English version breaks up Gombrowicz's long meandering sentences and how it flattens certain phrases ("gaze pasted with apathy" becomes "fishlike eyes") not to mention misspelling one of the main character's names. Another example, a short one this time:

"...how many times have I told her, Kata, don't be lazy, don't be afraid, go to the surgeon, get the operation done, get that appearance of yours regulated..."

becomes: "...how many times have I told her not to put it off any longer but to go and see the surgeon and have it done...".

In this debut novel, Mark Bouton has established himself as a writer with a future. In this first person, present tense novel (no mean feat of writing, in itself), Bouton manages to create an interesting and comfortable protagonist named Max Austin. As a P.I., Max is no slouch. As a cosmologist, he's an informed and well-read amateur, who explains the workings of his case using analogies from the universe. Of course, Max lives in Kansas, so what is there to do at night EXCEPT watch the stars and planets as they whirl around us? Other than solve a bit of murder, mayhem, and skulduggery, maybe? The plot, in many ways, is standard detective fare. Max is hired to save the beautiful, blonde trophy widow from the relentless wheels of justice. Did she actually shoot her rich, aging, mob-connected husband, or does it just look that way? Will Max survive as he continues to uncover layers of the mystery while at the same time, earning the undying enmity of the mob? Will Max earn enough Frequent Flyer miles as he tries to make the connections between Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Miami to vacation in Hawaii after the novel is over? The novel is complex, suffiently dark to mirror the ugliness of today's world, and a damned good read. Recommended.

This debut novel, Max Conquers the Cosmos, by Mark Bouton, is a reader's delight. Bouton's writing style has been compared to Raymond Chandler's, very high praise that's completely deserved. This is a taut, fast-paced crime story with a winning protagonist, Max Austin. I hope Bouton will give us many more opportunities to spend time with this character. I enjoyed this book tremendously. It's a page-turner that is enhanced by several things: First, Bouton is a former FBI agent who brings his experience to the novel, making it both believable and interesting. The novel also benefits from Bouton's thoughtful treatment of the protagonist, giving him depth and charm. Finally, the extended metaphor of the cosmos provides a nice counterpoint to Max Austin's ponderings about the crime he's investigating. There are plenty of twists and turns to the plot, and Bouton wraps it all up with a satisfying, exciting conclusion that leaves the reader wanting nothing more, except another Max Austin novel to dive into.

I really liked this debut novel by Mark Bouton introducing us to PI Max Austin a former FBI agent. I love detective stories and was pleasantly surprised by the style of his writing. I am partial to his "just give me the facts" or "Sam Spade" type of story giving us sufficient information to understand the environment and characterizations, thus making it very easy and interesting to follow the case. Using previous FBI experience, his interest in the physics of the stars and common sense to put together what appear to be unrelated actions and events to piece together the puzzle of the crime. Although his initial description of Max may give the impression of he is a somewhat quiet, unassuming type of person, Max is certainly more than able to take care of himself against anyone wanting to push him around and take him out of the picture. His engaging sense of humor, the interaction with his dog, Binga, and the subtle hint of perhaps something happening in his personal life adds more interest to the story and makes this book more enjoyable for everyone who enjoys a good detective story. I am looking forward to Mr. Bouton's next book, as this could be the next series everyone can't wait to read.

Both my husband (Max) and I have read Bouton's new novel.
Max (the reader) says: I found it a delightful book. It's a good mystery, done with a light touch--which I appreciate. Nothing in it I couldn't believe.

Carol says: I appreciated Max's sense of humor and his tendency to be a gentleman at all times, even those times which called for toughness. I particularly like Max's devotion to his pet dog and--being a film fan--enjoyed reading dialogues between Max and Spots, porn movie lighting director. I appreciated how Spots took pride in doing quality lighting work within the confines of his sleazy job. Bouton's story kept me interested, and kept me guessing until the end.

Max Conquers the Cosmos, Mark Bouton's first novel, was a disappointment for me. The former FBI agent, turned author, has an interesting story line; one I am sure that mirrors his many experiences at the Bureau. However, I found the novel lacked the character development and suspense that I have come to expect the Grisham, Patterson, Martini or Cornwell.

OK, so most of you will disagree with me and consequently rate my review as "not helpful". I love Eastern spirituality, from "Autobiography of a Yogi" to Ouspensky, Castenada, Ram Dass, Gangaji, Richard Moss, Paul Lowe....the list can go on and on. But this book - oy! The neologisms were lame, the phlilosophy arcanely insane, the points pointless, the meaning meaningless, the imagery opaque, and the challenge - staying awake, and I don't mean metaphorically, I mean snorically. As Robin might say, "Wholey Hogwash, Batman".

Awesome trip to the four corners of the mind. Weird, poignant, compulsive, with plenty that got me laughing out loud. Slyly deconstructs the hinges of reductionism in how we can take the "spiritual" & "scientific", and mistake ourselves in the process, whether looking through the Eastern or Western. Sparks off parallel takes prone to involutions & crossbreedings - though how we get with the flows of it all, overt & covert, really hangs on feedback with our own experience and focus of intent. Steep at $13. But if you're one for koans, black holes, enlightenments, fractal tidal waves and such - cool fare. Fasten your wits for a mutant Möbius belter of a ride.

The "Hog" is a timely, lighthearted prod in a serious direction. Spiritual issues and dimensions are explored within the context of the present age with prophetic emphasis on the "end times".
The Hog takes us on a metaphorical, allegorical and literal journey of discovery. Its playfulness is counterbalanced by brain stretching linguistic convolutions, twisting the mind into new unfamiliar patterns or painful contortions, depending on how you experience it. It seems to depend on the time of day!
Challenging is a word that could be used here, but a worthwhile one that draws our attention to the looming crisis awaiting us on this path of self destruction - or is that transformation? In any case, the Hog is a colourful jaunt into other dimensions, giving us a sense that they really are just around the corner.

It was described as Einstein meets Luria meets Ramana Maharshi. If any one of them could get the others sitting on Nasrudin's donkey, I'd totally agree. And if today's supposedly spiritual bashings of books such as the Bible stand as a testament to the collective mental illness of our species, this little volume is the kind of shot of crazy sanity we could badly do with.

Nutty, sly, dazzling, uncanny, it spells out the "organic unfathomableness" of it all - working like a kind of autostereogram, one of those pictures where you don't see anything but a meaningless jumble of symbols till suddenly your looking clicks into a different gear. On the surface it might be rambling satire or whatever, but you look through it to something the other side, in the depths, at a level that's self-evident and can be collectively perceived yet is essentially imaginary. Not everyone can see there so quickly. And, if you do, seeing is not necessarily believing that it's in your own brain. Sneaky stuff. Spiritual minimalism, you might call it. Or could that be crypto-impressionism. Any case, it works as the sharpest allegory of allegories; a super-subtle multidimensional spell of a tale; a concept mandala set to get the psyche cosmically metabolizing......... Blah blah blah.. How will such a fanfare sound if, as with those stereograms, you just don't see that flying pig there at all. But then some old Colombian shaman comes out of a trance and draws the same picture-symbol-thing you saw in the book ......... Great Balls of Fiery Boar. Some Trick.

For sure I know of no book more antithetical to the kind of thing the majority of North Americans would want to buy today. That's how much you don't want to buy it. Or how much you do. "Try try try" - for like life in all its loopy realities tis as long as it's short and all in all mad mad much more mad than most can imagine.

Après sept cents ans, le laurier...

gIVEN FEW CLUES

Dispersés autour du monde sont beaucoup qui mourraient pour ce secret

iN WHAT COULD SEEM A BAD TRANSLATION ---

encore une fois

rEAD IT AGAIN

Thank you, Gerard Helferich for Humboldt's Cosmos! Although I had heard of Alexander von Humboldt I had no idea of the scope of the man's accomplishments. He was one of those "one-in-a-million" individuals who when most adventurers would have said, "That's enough; I'm going home now.." he just kept on going, and going, and going - something like that proverbial bunny that just doesn't know how to quit or when enough is enough. In fact, it's amazing von Humboldt and Bonpland survived the host of crocodiles, piranha, treacherous mountain passes, tropical diseases, rebellious natives, bandits, to name but a few of the "challenges" set before them. You were right when you provided the analogy of von Humboldt being like Einstein who, while developing his theory of Relativity, also managed to conquer Mount Everest. In my view, Humboldt's Cosmos is quite an accomplishment. The author took great pains to provide valuable context as the journeys unfolded. If there is a flaw it is, like the explorer himself, because the book did tend to go on and on through page after page of unbroken text. Although at first excited, and then humbled as we followed Humboldt's every move and thought down every river and over every mountain pass, by the end the reader is left somewhat exhausted. Also, there was no reference - perhaps because there is no concrete evidence to suggest one way or the other, on how Humboldt and Darwin got along. We know that Humboldt was a major inspiration for Darwin; but what about the later years? Humboldt did not live to see the publication of the Origin of the Species but, nonetheless, the men did meet. Presumably, Humboldt became an enthusiastic supporter, if not admirer of Darwin. But for Darwin, there was precious little said after his Beagle days were over.

I found this history of Humboldt and his companion, Aime Bonpland,
fascinating. I wish more explorers had had the vision and understanding that Humboldt carried with him in his approach to nature and to humanity during his travels in Latin American. Civilization would have been much more advanced and noble for it.

So pleasant how Helferich takes us back to the time when any man with enough interest and endurance could be a cutting-edge scientist and an explorer. When Alexander von Humboldt explored the northern part of the South American Continent, he observed and recorded everything -- the people, local flora and fauna, the geology, the temperature as a function of latitude and elevation, latitude by the elevation of the sun and stars, and longitude, estimated or reckoned with precision with the help of transit data of planetary moons. One of the most interesting passage was his field experimentation with animal electricity from electric eels and the conclusions about electricity in muscles and nerves that he was able to draw. Oh, Alexander von Humboldt, where are you now? Probably living in the spirit of Professor Jared Diamond, author of Guns, Steel and Germs.

Humboldt was a truly extraordinary character. He was a mixture of adventurer and scientist that has rarely been seen, especially with such developed expertise in both areas. This biography covers Humboldt's entire life, with special focus on his trip to Latin America between 1799 and 1804.

This book is written as an interesting narrative, explaining with only passing remarks the actual science behind his achievements. Advances that Humboldt made cover such different fields as botany, geology, geography, anthropology, climatology, magnetism, among others. The book is very good at outlining the spirit of those discoveries; if you would like an actual explanation, look in the Personal Narratives that Humboldt wrote himself.

As an adventurer, he criss crossed South America at a time when much of it was yet undiscovered and uncharted. He mapped the Casiquiare canal, which at the time was a legendary connection between the Amazon and Orinoco basins. He made it from Venezuela to Peru, climbing in the process some of the highest mountains in Latin America (including the Chimborazo, which at the time was believed to be the highest mountain in the world and yet unclimbed). He was for many years the high altitude record holder of the world.

It is amazing such a towering figure is not remembered among the ranks of Einstein, Da Vinci or Darwin. I highly recommend this book and finding out more about Humboldt, especially if you enjoy science, travel or adventure writing.

Humboldt was a universal scientific genius who was also a genuine explorer into the wild. He had a mercurial personality and progressive political views. He was, in short, one of the most interesting people who have ever lived. Unfortunately, Helferich writes like a committee. His prose is clear in the way a company's annual report is clear. As a study of Humboldt's South American journey, the book is 100% derivative but it provides some basic information and has the advantage of being readily accessible. Basically the book is a retelling of Humboldt's own narrative, with too-few asides providing modern information on topics to which Humboldt turned his curiosity.

It is a well put book from Sigung Wong Kiew Kit who has a deep understanding about the Shaolin martial arts.

This is an excellent book, not only for the beginer, but also for those who have been studying Shaolin for many years! It is very informative about the history, phylosophy, and tecnique of Shaolin kung fu. It's a great book for doing cross-refrence on different training and also has many inspiring stories in it. I'd recomend this book to ANYONE interested in Shaolin!

As a student of Shaolin, I believe this book to be an excellant study guide.I told my SiFu about and even bought him a copy.

The book was indeed true to its title. The program it lays out covers everything!

I love Matial Art So I love the best book ever that explain the best Martial Art of the World SHAOLIN because it gives you enlightenment the higher thing one can get (if you get enlightenet)Well I just must said that these is the only book I read about Martial art right now and I hope some day in the future some one or ones whrite some book about the history and phylosofi of all the martial arts of the World! Right now I have found only one book in English> (...)
namned> The SPRING and AUTUMN
of Chinese Martial Arts: 5000 Years
by Kang Gewu, Professor, Chinese Wushu Research Institute
That I maybe buy in the future! Have a good Day too all peoples !

This third book in a series by Drexler shows how his thesis, that dark matter is composed of charged ultra high energy relativistic protons, is capable of solving up to 25 previously unresolved mysteries of the Cosmos. Older cold dark matter concepts, now generally discredited, relied on too few observations and have required additional hypotheses to account for each new experimental finding. In significant contrast: each new data set gathered subsequent to Drexler's first publication of his thesis has appeared to reinforce his concepts without the need for adaptation. Most recently the publication by astronomers at the University of Chicago titled "Reopening the window on charged dark matter" which occurred 6 months after Drexler's third book first became available, lends considerable additional support to the thesis that dark matter is composed of charged particles. While this book is sure to prove controversial amongst conservative astrophysicists, I would encourage the reader to keep an open mind. Remember there was a time when conventional wisdom had it that the sun revolved around a flat earth!

Discovering challenges to conventional wisdom is always interesting and especially so when the challenge is as compelling and well-reasoned as in this book. Jerome Drexler presents a plausible theory as to the composition of the dark matter that represents a high percentage of the mass of the universe but whose makeup mystifies cosmologists. Drexler posits that this dark matter consists of relativistic protons, which he believes are capable of forming galaxies, dark matter, the cosmic web, and newborn stars. Throughout the book, he repeatedly demonstrates how conventional cosmology is frequently at odds with actual astronomical observations and even with the laws of physics. Drexler's Postmodern Cosmology model presents a coherent theory that solves a number of cosmological "mysteries," including the nature of the Big Bang.

This book is one of the most current Dark Matter books available. Its a very nice read and liked the author's approach and its a unique approach. This book is clear logical deductive problem solving in its purest sense. He pieces together current cosmological evidence like a detective story and draws some unique conclusions. I would recommend this book!

This very interesting book presents in historical fashion the material of the various books and papers written previously by the author on the subject, and explains how his theory answers a great many questions of astronomy and cosmology, plus makes predictions as to how the theory can be verified. Instead of trying to explain why no one has yet been able to find the so-called Cold Dark Matter, it seems to me that astronomers and cosmologists should consider this self-consistent theory based on hard physical principles as a viable alternative, and look for the predicted signs that it is or could be correct.

Drexler presents a conceptually coherent and logically appealing model for the mechanics underlying the large scale structure of the universe. As his theory departs dramatically from the current Standard Cosmological Model, it will certainly attract vociferous criticism. Yet ongoing reports of newly observed and measured astronomical phenomena seem to be, more often than not, congruent with Drexler's Halo theory for dark matter and dark energy. Until his hypotheses are definitively falsified, the fact that some of the phenomena required by Drexler's theory have not yet been observed is no more troubling than the current non-observation of WIMPs, neutralinos, or MACHOs. Altogether, this book presents an intriguing rationalization for the many mysteries currently unexplained by the Standard Cosmological Model.