Earth Books

This introduction to probability and statistics teaches you about important concepts, theorems and applications without going into proving most of them. It's easily accessible to amateur mathematicians with a bit of persistance, and it illuminates many of its concepts using famous problems. I'm going to take a statistics course next year, and I found this to be a delightful introduction to the topic.

Professor Isaac has written a book for those interested in learning about probability. It is at a high school algebra level although knowledge of calculus could be helpful at times. He starts with the now famous Monte Hall problem and provides the most lucid explanation I have seen to date. This is a great way to introduce important probability notions such as sample space and probability models for the sample outcomes. Deals mainly with discrete probability which is easiest to understand and yet rich with applications in gambling and other areas.
Important theory is presented but without the detailed mathematical proofs. Covers the gambler's ruin, geometric probability, Monte Carlo methods and some statistical decision theory. He also presents both the frequentist (throughout the text)and the Bayesian paradigms (Chapter 4) for statistical inference. Examples of the application of probability to statistical inference is nicely treated in Chapter 15. The deeper material on Markov chains and Brownian motion are relegated to the last two chapters (16 and 17). The exposition is excellent throughout and many good references are provided for readers who want to learn more or delve deeper into the theory.

Professor Isaac has written a book for those interested in learning about probability. It is at a high school algebra level although knowledge of calculus could be helpful at times. He starts with the now famous Monte Hall problem and provides the most lucid explanation I have seen to date. This is a great way to introduce important probability notions such as sample space and probability models for the sample outcomes. Deals mainly with discrete probability which is easiest to understand and yet rich with applications in gambling and other areas.

Important theory is presented but without the detailed mathematical proofs. Covers the gambler's ruin, geometric probability, Monte Carlo methods and some statistical decision theory. He also presents both the frequentist (throughout the text)and the Bayesian paradigms (Chapter 4) for statistical inference. Examples of the application of probability to statistical inference is nicely treated in Chapter 15. The deeper material on Markov chains and Brownian motion are relegated to the last two chapters (16 and 17). The exposition is excellent throughout and many good references are provided for readers who want to learn more or delve deeper into the theory.

This is a wonderful book for both the serious and amateur mathematician. For the serious student and practitioner it will provide an excellent background. For the amateur who enjoy dabbling and reading about math, this is a wonderful book - just read the opening section which explains clearly and an illustrated fashion the Monty Hall problem.

Poetry from Planet Earth -- New Book of Children's Poetry Educates and Entertains
MIAMI, Sept. 4, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The minds of children are like smooth soft clay, highly impressionable and waiting for something or someone to leave their mark. Instead of endless hours of watching television creating a child's initial impression, teacher and poet Ana Monnar offers her new book, Poetry from Planet Earth (now available through 1stBooks).
CONTACT: 1stBooks Library
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Source: 1stBooks Library

"Let children laugh and play/Before old age gets in their way," she writes.

Monnar offers an abundance of diverse poetry for children and their parents to adore. Hoping to build character and set good examples, while teaching geography and science, Monnar offers a wealth of information about the world that surrounds children outside the TV room. With couplets, acrostics and haikus about everything from tornados, hurricanes and snowy days to eating salad and a favorite pair of blue jeans, the book offers a wealth of different styles of poetry to choose from. "Character Education" helps build character and teaches etiquette.

As a teacher, she injects things from the outside world to inform children of different aspects of life. In the section entitled "School to Work," Monnar explains the importance of such occupations as writer, police officers, firefighters, attorneys, judges, architects and farmers. "Land" offers devices to remember state names and "The Universe" deals with planets, stars and the Milky Way.

Complete with colorful and whimsical illustrations, Poetry from Planet Earth could insight future poets and writers while acting as a steppingstone to becoming responsible and good members of society.

Monnar has been teaching for more than 20 years. Having earned a Master of Science in the areas of early childhood and elementary education from Florida International University, Monnar has taught for more than 20 years. A former "Teacher of the Year," she has encouraged students who have later gone on to win writing awards. She and her husband, Octavio, have three children, a Yellow Nape parrot named Sunny and a Yorkshire Terrier dog named Lulu. Poetry from Planet Earth is one of Monnar's three published books.

Ms. Monnar is an experienced elementary school teacher and reading specialist. In these poems, she shares her joy in poetry with her love of children into an accessible introduction to poetry for younger readers. The book doubles as both example and inspiration.

Be sure your young reader looks at the glossary in the back for examples of the different types of poems present in the volume. While back there, encourage her or him to note and look at the many other resources including poetry-related and clip art Web sites, book list, advice on caring for pets, and educational software. There are also some suggestions for adults.

The book begins in strong fashion with illustrated couplets:

"Thanks to inspiring teachers
There are future preachers"

"It is not very entertaining
To see you always complaining"

The next section looks at work. Ms. Monnar is upbeat. She even has nice things to say about lawyers . . . and choosing whether to be a prosecutor or a defense attorney.

"Remember to use your utmost persuasion
Say it with confidence, not the contrary"

My favorite section was the free verse acrostics because children will probably find these the most fun to write as they develop their writing skills. Here's Elvira:

"Energetic everyday
Loving to her family and friends
Vibrant in every fashion
Intelligent in every way
Respected by all others
Artistic is her style"

The illustrated haikus were my second favorite section.

"Gray and cloudy sky
Bright luminous sunset shines
Summer night is near"

Her paean to nature, Nature's Beauty is especially good.

She also has some fun poems for kids like Jump Rope Rhythm and Rap which tours the states of the Union. Some states also have their own poems of which I liked Colorado best. The Solar System has a neat summary of the planets in it.

The book ends with many moral lessons like those in Red Ribbon:

"Don't let peer pressure
Surround you like a thresher
Use your powerful brain
So later on, you won't have any pain."

Compassion speaks an important message very succinctly:

"Compassion does not mean pity
Compassion goes a long way
You might be the one offering a kind word or gesture today
While tomorrow someone else might show you the way."

My wife was also trained to be an elementary teacher. Through that training she developed a love of writing poetry for special occasions to honor family and friends. I cannot help but think that this slim volume can help inspire many more people to develop that love of writing poetry in the future. If it does, we will all be the richer.

Posted on the Miami Herald website on Thu, Nov. 27, 2003

Ana Monnar's experience has influenced students, helping her become a role model for the Silver Bluff Elementary faculty.
BY ALEXANDRA ZAYAS
hearldsuperteacher@yahoo.com

Sporting a T-shirt that says "I teach for all the little benefits," Ana Monnar leads her fourth-grade class at Silver Bluff Elementary in a poem it memorized, "It Matters to This One," author unknown.

The poem tells the story of a boy putting a stranded starfish back into the sea, and his response when someone asks why he bothers saving one when millions of others are stranded, too.

"It matters to this one," the boy says, "and it matters to me."

When the kids are done, Monnar asks them why the poem is important.

"If you do one thing, it can help a lot. You can change the world," said 9-year-old Sahily Ortega. "You might not be able to help every single starfish or every single person, but if you help one, and another, and another, you will make a difference."

Monnar, many believe, has made a difference.

With a master's in elementary education from Florida International University, Monnar, 49, has been a teacher for more than 20 years.

She began teaching at Coral Way Elementary and went on to teach at Santa Clara Elementary for 16 years.

She then taught at Riverside Elementary, and has been a teacher at Silver Bluff since 1996.

Having taught kids with a range of economic backgrounds and academic capabilities, Monnar says her teaching experiences have always been positive.

"They're all kids; they're all nice; some are mischievous but as long as you work around them, and they have to know that there's a time to play around and a time to do work," Monnar said.

Aside from teaching, Monnar decided two years ago to pursue her second passion -- writing.

"I always wanted to be an author, and I didn't know how to go about it," Monnar said. "Two summers ago, I didn't work the summer; I'm not used to just sitting there doing nothing, and I started doing a lot of research and I found a lot of companies that do print on demand."

Her first two published books, collections of poems titled Half Full, Or Half Empty? and Poetry from Planet Earth, have been sold at local bookstores. The books are illustrated with pictures she took.

Monnar says she got most of her inspiration in writing from her experiences as a teacher and as an adopted mother of three.

After trying to get pregnant for 10 years, Monnar and her husband Octavio decided to explore adoption by volunteering at the Children's Home Society, taking parental training classes and becoming foster parents.

They adopted their three children as babies.

Monnar captured her adoption experience in her book Adoption? Thank God for That Option! in which she talks about her three children, Alberto, 13, Anna, 12, and Alexander, 12.

"When did I tell our children they were adopted? They've known from day one with us. Even when they were too young to understand, I would very naturally say to each one, 'God has blessed me with you. Thank God I adopted you,' " Monnar writes. "I can't imagine what life would be without them."

Being a mother of three active children has helped Monnar be more flexible with her students in the classroom.

"Before I was a little bit more demanding when it came to projects and homework, and I still have high expectations, but I do know they have outside activities, so I might give a little longer period of time when they have projects, because I know that will help out," Monnar said. "With three children, now we have six projects. It's very time consuming, so I think that has helped me as a teacher to be very conscientious."

Monnar has inspired a school-wide effort to get students to read.

"She really motivates the children to read, every single day," said Principal Brenda Dawkins. "She's a very positive person for our school, just one of those people who has a lot of energy. Everyone is doing a lot of things, and a lot of competitions by grade levels with the reading, and how many books classes are going to read."

By incorporating her own writing and love of reading in the class, as well as encouraging parents to take their children to public libraries and providing a list of books for them to read, many students have turned to reading as a favorite pastime.

"She inspires me to do my best," said 9-year-old Jose Contreras, who has gone from below average to one of the top readers in Monnar's class. "Last year, all I did was watch TV at home. Now, I like to read."

Monnar has also encouraged her fellow faculty members to do their best.

"I think she's a fantastic teacher," said Susana Pazos, a fellow fourth-grade teacher at Silver Bluff. "She's helped me a lot, going along the ropes and teaching me new things. She's great with the students; she's very dedicated. And now with all the books she's written, she's accomplished a lot. She's an excellent role model to the faculty."

Monnar's biggest reward as a teacher is seeing her students soak up the lessons she teaches them, not only about reading, but about helping each other and embracing differences in others.

"When we bleed, we all bleed the same color," Monnar tells her students. "We all have feelings. It doesn't matter if you're tall or short, black or white, thin or stout. What matters is that you have a good heart."

This collection of poems is geared towards young people, and is really very informative, especially with regard to different types of poetry. Complete with a Glossary explaining the different formats, Ms. Monnar gives examples of Couplets, Acrostics, and Haikus, and defines Alliterations, Cinquains, Expository poems, Limericks and Narrative poems. Also included are addresses for related websites and clipart.

Under different headings, ever the teacher, she groups poems about occupations, natural phenomenon, Geography, Astrology and character building. This last group includes the poem "The Law of the Funnel", which has been released separately as an illustrated children's book, and is about the joys and rewards of being unselfish.

Ana teaches all
Poetry is beautiful
Easy fun format

Amanda Richards, June 14, 2005

If you are a fan of Galen's work you will certainly enjoy this book. The concept, comparing and contrasting the two poles, is brilliant.

The photographs are typical Galen - beautiful, engaging, illuminating. The accompanying text provides context and insight.

There is an essay section at the back that provides some insight into how Galen thought about the photos that appear in this book. Very interesting reading and a great teaching aid for amateur photographers and photojournalists.

Wow, what a great and such awesome picture volume. This book not only shows you pictures from the Arctic and the Antarctic, it particularly reveals the true differences between the two polar regions...they ARE truly different and fascinating! This book also delivers very-high quality photography, which can easily tempt you into travelling to such exotic destinations.

In the book, you will find 2 pictures side by side-one showing the Arctic, the other showing Antarctic. That way, you will get an idea of its differences. In addition, there is a separate chapter that dedicates to interesting stories regarding these regions, anything from life in Siberia, Inuit life in northern Alaska, to the South Georgia Islands & the South Pole. Last, but not least, there is also a whole section reviewing all the pictures showed in the book, including background information describing each photo, etc.

This is truly an amazing picture volume that is a MUST-HAVE for any polar fanatic. Get prepared for over 180 pages of some superb photography and much info on these fantastic regions. For the money, it was quite worth it...

This is much more than a coffee table book, though its unique photographs of the pristine beauty of the Arctic and Antarctic would impress even the most casual of browsers. A short story about each photo is included, along with more general, thoughtful and poignant commentary from someone that is truly in touch with the global environment. Rowell is one of the great nature photographers, and this is a stunning collection

Turning to page 74, my Danish-born wife, Aino, was amazed to discover her little town of Scoresbysund. She spent her fomative years(age 5-12)growing up there, where her father, Dr. Werner Mortensen, served as the sole doctor for the area of 3 villages.

Galen Rowell's photography captures the typical beauty of a Scandinavian mileau, even though it is truly a facade for the garbage that the typical native Greenlander casts no further than his front door!

His words portray the many problems of the native Inuits, who have been unable to adapt to the influence of Danish culture and progress. For Rowell to elaborate on the problems of alcholism, violent crime, and the high rate of suicide in a village of only 500, distinguishes him as an author that researchs his subjects quite well! It brought back memories for my wife of the "Grundlander" that beat his wife with the carcass of a frozen seal, only to have his wife bite of his ear.

The large yellow building in the left foreground is the eight bed hospital; the little red house with white trimmed windows that is over to the immediate left is where family Mortensen grew up from 1966-72. This book really takes my wife back,and helps me see things that were only in her mind's eye. It also brings her up to the what the present day Scoresbysund has become. And now that my family will be moving to Fairbanks,Alaska, my wife can get a sneak preview of our future from this marvelous book. Having lived in Alaska myself, I definitely recommend this book for its shear splendid photography and candid commentary. Great job Galen!

Somewhat dated YA sci fi, but a great read nonetheless. The characters are likeable, the technology is fun, and it's a great old book if you can find a copy.

This book is a "juvenile" science fiction novel in the best sense of the word. It is a tour of a galactic empire by a young man who has received a scholarship to the Imperial university. Most of the book is his trip from the backwater planet where he grew up to the University on Mars. Travel can be complicated in this imagined future and several adventures break out along what should have been a routine trip.

A high school student will recognize the real cultures in history that inspire the peoples and planets encountered in this fictional world. There are some good ideas put foreward to stretch the mind, a brush with the dangers of politics, and the book never gets bogged down in details.

I find myself rereading this book every few years to remind me of what good science fiction should be. Highly recommended.

I still find myself yearning to read this book occasionally, which says something to me about the quality of the writing.

It's a fantastic book with a well-crafted plot that takes you through the galaxy with a main character you feel that you know immediately. This is space opera in the best sense of the term. If you like Heinlein's juveniles or Lois McMaster Bujold, you'll love this one.

I thought this book was very well done. You do not get bored reading this book. One event in the beginning creates a chain reaction of events. It's just good old fashioned science fiction.

This textbook is excellent for life science students who want to approach ecology from the point of view of ecosystem functioning. A precise and clear systematic description of ecosystems organisazion is given, from physiology to complex communities organization. It also focuses on the emrgence of new functions and features every time the complexity level increases, which is essential to have a full systematic comprehension of ecosystems. Underlying physical-chemical processes are always taken into considaration, which contributes to easily understand all the general aspects of ecosystem functions. A must read.

a technical book written for ecosystem ecologists but easy to read. I had to get it for a class, but it was well put-together and organized.

My research is on integration of terrestrial carbon modelling with remote sensing and I was looking for a book which explains different aspects of the terrestrial ecosystem along with latest research results. This book by some of the famous researchers on the subject explains in a very lucid way every aspects of the terrestrial ecosystem while not failing to include the minute yet important details of the same. I found the chapters on carbon input to terrestrial ecosystems, terrestrial production processes and global biogeochemical cycle very stimulating. The book starts with the basic concepts and then go on to dig deeper to help nourish the curiosity with latest findings and reports. Best for begineers in ecosystem ecology or related field to get a crisp and clear idea on complex interlinking of different processes of the earth's terrestrial ecosystem. Additional readings at the end of each chapter would cater the need for the more hungry ones to go deeper. very nicely sequenced and fun to read with excellent drawings/diagrams.

This is one heck of a book! I'm very, very impressed. I'm certainly going to use for my courses, and I think it will be used by many others teachers and professor. I think it will find itself along side Schlesinger's Biogeochemistry as a standard textbook for ecologists and global change scientists.

The text is written by some of the best ecologists on the planet, and is very complete and up-to-date. Amazingly, it is also very well written and completely understandable to the average biology student.

I especially like the organization of the book into four major sections: context, mechanisms, patterns, and integration. This works very, very well.

Each chapter is about the right length, with the right level of detail. I also like the use of highlighting, and the list of suggested readings. They work very well.

Overall, this is a fantastic book -- destined to become a classic in the field.

This author holds some very interesting views, which add something extra to the material found in other books about Tolkien.

A Book Review for
Quest for Middle-earth
written by Dirk Vander Ploeg

Review by Alexandra Holzer

You are awakened mentally when you begin your reading journey in Quest. The possibility of the author's findings, will lend you inspiration beginning with the famous tale, Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. The author suggests that perhaps this tale came from a real source. As with many fantasy oriented stories, comes research and ideas bursting of a place perhaps not so foreign after all.

In Quest, the author gives us a detailed view into a vast past of the real chances of an existence spearheading stories like, The Lord of the Rings. Dirk brings us on an historical and intriguingly personal ride, through his explorations and visits to places in time. Thus lending the question of, 'what if?'. He speaks of the bible, it's origins and many Gods written about throughout our history. How J.R.R. Tolkien believed that myth and fairy tales carved a path to religious and moral beliefs.

We learn what Tolkien felt and believed, inspiring you to continue on your own quest of learning more about what Dirk is describing. Every few pages moves you quickly through highlights from a mystical and questionable past, feeding your mind with incredible pieces of information.

Photo's of Dirk's explorations, mythical icons and creatures of the past, leaves the reader with an impression creating a desire to want to know more. From the Holy Grail, King Arthur to Merlin's cave, Dirk brings you right there. The enormous pyramids and paths leading to historical sites such as Stonehenge. His experience filters out, a happening from the past that we can only imagine.

Continuing on about Tolkien's' Trilogy, explains the historical and significant evidence thus supporting many theories such as, Middle-earth's place, which was in the Nordic countries, mainly Finland. Descriptions such as Torre Abbey lend way to it's legends driving further on this journey of 'what if's'.

Using Tolkien's' work, Dirk gives us surfacing possibilities going back and forth with the Gods and temples. It is suggested that perhaps through Egyptians and their depiction of engraved images, flying vehicles existed. Flying through Greek mythology, The Hittite Army reigning in 1380 BCE and then back to the bible.

Dirk finishes with discovery after discovery from archeologists in Iraq to the Elf-Queen and Cleopatra tying it into the Holy Grail again. Relating to the past and it's imprints of existence creating stories like Rapunzel and Cinderella, depicting myths and tales. We come to the end of our journey with Constantine and the Roman Church leaving us with the author's beliefs, feelings and un-concluded conclusions as he feels, the Quest for Middle-earth will never end.

This is an exciting, well-informative, historically weighted magical non-fiction novel. It enlightens us to the possible realms of past existence, lapping over into our present desire and needs for more discoveries. Perhaps answering a few more things of our existence here on earth.


Lady Ambrosia: Secret Past Revealed

JRR Tolkien wrote that myth and fairy-story must, as all art, reflect and contain in solution elements of moral and religious truth (or error), but not explicit, not in the known form of the primary 'real' world. Author Dirk Vander Ploeg asks in his fascinating book: Quest for Middle Earth whether or not Tolkiens rich tales of Hobbits, Elves, Dwarves and Men were simply products of one mans vivid imagination, or actually based on ancient myths and forgotten legends.

Vander Ploeg does an excellent job with his extensive research into ancient tales of epic battles, gods, kings and mystical beings, especially the similarities of archaic myths between diverse civilizations all across the globe.

For example, did you know that practically every culture have tales of little people that live just out of sight of mankind? Their names may vary from land to land, but they all seem to be the same type of creature no matter where you go.

As well, dragons play a huge role in Tolkien's tales; interestingly, in many ancient civilizations, dragons were either worshiped as creatures of beauty and honor, or feared for their destructive capabilities. Again, was there an actual physical source for these legends? Was there once a time when god-kings, little people, dragons and great heroes roamed the Earth and whose epic deeds have been carried down to us through our collective unconsciousness, myth and legend?

Despite what science tries to tell us, we have no idea where we, as a people, actually came from. Our past is as closed off and unknown as our future. It is nice to think that with each and every one of us, there lies within our blood, our inner selves, a mystic past full of great kings and queens, magical little people, fearsome beasts and great heroes capable chivalrous deeds. Quest for Middle Earth opens our imaginations so that we all can make our own quests, our own search for answers about who we are, where we came from, and ultimately where we are going.

Ancient Mesopotamia reached from Syria to Uruk/Iraq and the goddess Ishtar ruled as "The Lady of the Battlefield". Not much has changed, that area is constantly in the news today. It is diverting to learn of its early history and to trace its mythology down through the ages to tales still repeated in modern times. No scholar writes in a vacuum and the best stories retell history from the foundations of civilization. Mysterious occult secrets are often forbidden and can only be passed on through the symbolismm of mythology which is the origin of our fairy tales. In "Quest for Middle Earth", Dirk Vander Ploeg traces these archetypal scenarios through the days before the Flood to the Mesopotamian Sumerian, Egyptian, Greek, Trojan, Scandinavian Norse, Irish, Peruvian and Mexican traditions. The author has visited various ancient sites in these areas during his research and relates his first-hand impressions on-site. Vander Ploeg details the influence of the Norse Finnish rune-singer sagas on the Oxford professor J.R.R. Tolkien. The royal bloodline from the heavens is the mythological path through history and through Tolkien. This drama continues today with "The DaVinci Code" controversy. The era when the bloodline lost their right to rule to a power play by the Holy Roman military strategists is covered in the book. Get a refresher course in ancient world history and mythology. Follow the quest which trails the celestial seed through the chain of time linking the golden rings of antidiluvian prehistory to the present day cinematic rendering of Tolkien`s "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

The list of contributors to this book reads like a "Who's Who" of the world of Botanical Sciences. This is not, however, one of those stuffy books which are so hard to understand by anyone with less than a PhD to their name. Certainly not! This is a book for those with an interest in the Rainforests of the world (which should be all of us!) and is written in a variety of styles - each of which will allow expert and layman alike to appreciate the various messages which are here to be learned.

Packed with some of the most exciting photography I have seen in a long time (I especially liked the picture of the Giant Fruit Bat in flight), this is a book which is so expertly put together, I didn't find so much as a minor fault anywhere. For those readers who (like me) do not fully understand and appreciate the overall subject matter, the book commences with an excellent overview, which explains the Rainforest exactly as it should be explained. Then, having so skilfully set the underlying scene, each different contributor adds their own particular expertise on different aspects of the Rainforest until, segment by segment, we are presented with a complete understanding "and" appreciation, of what is probably the most important habitat on earth.

Rainforests of the world is a large subject which, in this case, is professionally and cleverly described and I congratulate the team on an excellent authoritative work.

NM

Not only will the astounding photographs enchant the reader but the text will also provide him with a collection of important information. The pictures will captivate the reader and further serve to impact oneself upon learning of the daily destruction of the animals and plants behind the images. The information of the text is well delivered and insightful and the photographs are a must see.

The photographs in this book have the power to transport you to the very lands it depicts; the rainforests come alive. These visual reminders only heighten the impact of the horrible statistics that detail the daily destruction of the world's rainforests

I am a teacher building an Ecology unit around Rainforests--I have checked out 32 library books to aid my students in their research. This title is definately the stand out!!!

As a naturopathic physician, I have a rather extensive library of natural health books. The author's insight into disease, and prevention of disease is particularly insightful. Anyone who suffers from a chronic condition should read this book. Many chronic conditions are covered; but even if your's are not, the information presented is still valuable in the pursuit of overall health. It is truly a gem.

I really liked this book. Lots of great info about how basic minerals effect your body and keep you healthy or make you sick. It gave me lots of new ideas.

It's more than a little gory at times. I guess doing 18,000 autopsies, gave the author sort of a callous view of life. The descriptions of what the Inca and Jack the Ripper did to their captives is not for the weak at heart. Hint: a deficiency of minerals causes strange cravings.

One new idea I really liked was the documentation of zinc deficiency in mothers that become pregnant as a cause of Down's syndrome. Apparently one can demonstrate this in the lab with monkeys or simians. Healthy babies then introduce a zinc deficiency in the diet and get Downs syndrome, then add the zinc back and get normal babies again. Wow!

A second idea: adding rare earths to the diet of mice and other animals extends life span by 2X! Wow, again! Excellent bibliography, but I was unable to locate this one paper on feeding rare earths to get 2X life span.

Excellent basic book.

I highly recomend.

Leon L. Hulett

I always liked Joel Wallach's approach to health. He tells it like it is. I like how he disses the doctors who poo-poo nutritional supplementation.

In this book, Wallach lays out all kinds of newspaper clippings from various newspaper articles about doctors and famous people who died at young ages. Those clippings are appropriately placed in the section where the major mineral deficiency was the cause of death, such as chromium for a diabetic coma, etc.

This book is a wonderful source of information on minerals, and their functions. It also lays out all kinds of info on deficiency diseases, and how minerals can help certain ailments.

This section also covers a bunch of different alternative approaches to wellness, such as Ayurvedic medicine, the Dean Ornish Diet, and many others. The information is in depth, and covers a good amount of material for a book focused on mineral supplementation.

This book pretty much has it all, and is a great read if you wish to gain knowledge on the role of minerals in our health and well being.

I HAVE 7 YEARS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND THIS WAS THE MOST INFORMATIVE BOOK I HAVE EVER READ, AND THE INFORMATION IS PRICLESS.

This book write all about reclamation work in changi east reclamation project, Singapore. I think it is like reference for reclamation work. By having this book for reclamation work, other books are not so crucial to have.

The book is an excellent and practical book for the practicing Civil and Geotechnical engineers. It describes the process involved in land reclamation as well as associated ground improvement works. It is a book I would highly recommend to colleagues and students alike.

This book described all the reclamation techniques and also a good refernce for offshore site investigation and geotechnical instrumentation.

Examples on design calculation for settlement and ground improvement are exelllent.

I have been asking my publisher to contact amazon in order to infom speeling mistake in my name in your website for advertisement of both my books.

MY NAME SHOULD BE SPELL AS "Myint-Win BO" as shwon in the inside cover of my books and back cover of my books.

I would like to request you to correct the mistake as soon as possible.

Regards


Dr M W BO (BO Myint-Win)

Dear Sir,

We would like to purchase this book from you.

Please arrange to fax us your Proforma Invoice indicating the earliest delivery period.

Our complete details are as follows : -

M/s. Inter Gold (India) Pvt. Ltd.,
Plot No. 34, SEEPZ,
Andheri (East),
Mumbai - 400 096

Fax # : 0091-22-6942628 & 0091-22-6942629

Your earliest reply will be highly appreciated.

Regards,
Rajesh

It took me two years to obtain this book for it changed editor's houses several times in the near past. Yet, it was worth every efforts! The second edition is more thorough in it's common topics than the first edition, and contains new material. This book is worth every penny you'll spend on it and I bet that if you use it in the lab, you'll regret not being able to afford a second copy for safekeeping in your library. Whether you're a small time refining jeweller or a commercial gold refining operation, the book will not only give you applied recipes and procedures but also, stimulates your imagination with contemporary methods new ideas and an original conceptual approach to precious metal chemistry. It's a treasure trove of ideas and practical information for the non-chemist or the week-end basement-lab chemist who wants to learn the basics or the commercial operator who want to get new ideas on how to improve his bottom line.

Although you could follow the recipes of this book blindly, it requires an elementary base in chemistry to fully appreciate Ammen's impressive knowledge. For teaching yourself the bases of chemistry, I recommend "Chemistry: The Central Science" by Brown, Bursten and Lemay as the perfect companion. It is by far the greatest ground-level chemistry book I've ever seen; it will take you painlessly, and with captivating style, from the level of complete ignoramus to a level where you can be fully operational in basic chemistry. I wish all my basic science textbook had been that good. A comprehension of differential calculus is desirable but high school maths will more than suffice for the majority of the content, and certainly for most of the content related to precious metals chemistry. If you are not a chemist but had chemistry classes in high school or college, I suggest you throw away your old chemistry books and buy the pair ! If you intend to make precious metal chemistry your lucrative hobby, the pair of books will easily repay for themselves as much in enjoyment as in money.

This book is well written. It takes highly technical language and turns it into verbage any layman can understand and easily apply. The sketches and formulas makes learning even easier. I was able to understand and apply the refining of gold, silver, and platinum quickly.

Written in a clear and simple manner, this newly revised reference follows the great success of the first edition (referred to as the "Precious Metal Bible") with a complete overview of the recovering, testing, extracting, and refining of precious metals. Both primary sources - placer gold, black sand, and ores - and secondary sources - scrap jewelry, electronic scrap, old films, buffings, spent plating and stripping solutions, catalytic automobile converters, and old eyeglasses are covered.

Based on the author's experience as a professional chemist and metallurgist, this second edition offers a wealth of new material, delving more deeply into solvent liquid extraction and many other topics, and thus yielding much greater insight into these subjects.