Science Books

A really good "eye-opener". This is the third copy I've bought. How blissfully unaware most of us are about what is going on around us. This book might encourage the latent environmental leanings in all of us.

Wow, on the heals of reading Our Stolen Future, this was a bit of a shock...you know I had no idea the Black Sea was in such bad shape...I guess I really am out of touch with the world these days. Living in my own particular inner bubble, as it were, I seem to have missed out on some doings I used to pay a great deal of attention to.

I've long felt that we're slowly destroying our oceans and seas; I didn't realize we had actually accomplished it somewhere already. I strongly believe that nature is resilient and that it rights itself by restoring balance after we wreak havoc...but we also need to be taking some action and this book really brought that home for me. Ocean's End follows Woodward from the Black Sea forward on a global journey that touches on Newfoundland, the Mississippi Delta, Belize and the Great Barrier Reef, the Federated States of Micronesia, and finally to Antarctica.

In a compelling journey the documents the once pristine conditions, teeming with in all of these areas with their intensely interesting and varied ecosystems and the native peoples who lived (and still are trying to live) there, to the decline/destruction of these ecosystems and the empty bag they fisherman and villages in these places are left holding. He also takes care to point out that the decline of each ecosystem affects others and the world wide "chain" of them are all interconnected. Additionally, he points out that it's not a localized problem, many of the causes of an ecosystems decline happen far from the location where the ultimate damage is done (the Mississippi Delta for example).

Woodard really weaves it all together into a nice package that lays out the depth of the problem and he does give tentative solutions...if anything can successfully be done to "fix" this problem, it won't come easy or cheap and we definitely need to get away from the short-sighted profit driven solutions that have been developed in the past. I'd recommend this in a heart beat, if you don't think this is a serious problem, you should definitely read this book!

This is a great book. Thoughtful, balanced, readable. Buy two copies and give one to a friend.

Each chapter in this book tells a story illustrating a different crisis, and each gives something new to be outraged over. The stories are well-written, and Ocean's End gives the best summary of global warming that I have read. It is easy to understand (making the reader feel almost intelligent). I would recommend this to everyone, and wish there was a way to get this into high school curricula.

My only complaint is the summary. Woodard draws the reader's passions out, but doesn't suggest explicit ways to get involved in the issues. I ended up writing letters to my congressional representatives.

Read this book, and start your own letter campaign.

Ocean's End is one of the most compelling examples of how bad Coastal Zone policy has destroyed vast areas of ocean and shore. It is not too strong a point that human beings in recent history have behaved themselves very, very badly as they looted the seas and dumped their waste and industrial toxins down river or directly into the sea. I am using this book in my International Integrated Coastal Zone Management class as the first assigned textbook. (...)

Why? Because I want my graduate students to first see how wonderful the world's oceans and coastal zones are and secondly, how incredibly stupid and short sighted we can be as we mismanage our responsibilities as stewards of these ecosystems. Colin Woodward has done a wonderful job of narrating a gripping, exciting, and enfuriating story from the killing of the Black Sea to the plundering of the Newfoundland Grand Banks and all of the other case studies in between.

This is a book worth reading and also one that is compellingly interesting and enjoyable. Take it on your next trip or read it and then take my web-based graduate class in International Coastal Management. You'll be ahead of yourself!

Today was a very good day. An ebay order of books arrived, complete
with a copy of this. Something I have been looking to buy for around 15
years, and finally considered this method. Could not believe it. Still
remember reading it, and the cover (Bantam edition with the green
armored pair looking out a cockpit windscreen). A great story or the
horrors of war, death and love, with something greater that has to be
overcome.

It is basically criminal that this is out of print.

I'd be interested to know if Peter F. Hamilton and Richard Morgan have read this, and if it influenced them.

Wolverton's book explores a futuristic world with a great deal more thought and human feeling than is common to the genre. The author's broad experience and philosophical leanings lend the prose greater intellectual weight, and the characters are believable and compelling. Highly recommended.

I read this novel after reading review by Orson Scott Card praising it highly. It is my favorite sci-fi novel of all time.
It is powerfully psychological,clearly influenced by Phillip K Dick, but it is also marvelous for its "hard" technical content, as well as very intellectual in the way the hero examines the moral questions of his world. Plot is also handled very well, with lots of violent action, and images which are simply unforgettable. How can this be a first novel? It is moving on every level and I consider it a masterpiece.

The other reviews have pretty much covered this book. It is five stars all the way. Its one of those books that you look back longingly on, almost fifteen years old now, I remember a day when I was much younger, and the world still exciting and new. Im sure you all have books that stay with you like that. It evokes great memories from a great time to be in college (early 90's). Anyway, the question is, will Dave Wolverton ever write a sequel? Will he ever write under his real name? Or write true sci-fi, not just star wars young adult trash? I sure hope he does. Dave, if you ever read this, please return to the world you created in "Paradise!"

Hello:

This book is everything the "positive reviews" above say, and more. From the first page, until the last paragraph, to the last three words of that last page, this book will awe, inspire, and haunt you in ways few other books ever will. It is a work of science fiction genuis that has been totally over looked and neglected for far too long. And that is a shame. This book should have won Hugo and Nebula and Campbell. Sadly it did not, as the politics of the day in the Sci Fi community were decidedly "anti-war" in any way when it was on the shelves.

It is long past over do for a new printing, (but better cover plz)

Like one reviewer above, I found six copies of this book at a book store and I bought them all. And I proceeded to hand em out, along with A.A Attanasios Radix. What a good year for books that was. Paradise and Radix combined could ruin you for other books for years to come. It's impossible to top this kind of quality. But back to this book...

You are unlikely to find this books equal on any shelf today. The new Space Opera (my favorite) is sadly laced with affection for the Marxism that never happened (thank god) and the rest is now so PC and Left Wing, as to be nearly unreadable, or at best, as gray and boring as a crowd of people in Soviet Russias old days. (they all wore black or gray)

If you read only one Sci Fi book in the next year, make it this one. And keep your copy, for you will need to read again one day. No one reads this book just one time, in their life time. It's simply that damn good.

I wish Dave Wolverton would do this kind of book again, and do it well. Someone tell him he should.

John H. Myers Jr.

This powerful work is at once inspiring, frustrating and captivating. Kozol draws the reader into a world called Mott Haven that is filled with substance, love, service and hope. He poignantly describes the lives of children while blasting the manner in which we have chosen to deal with our most needy sectors of society. Kozol's gifted and powerful storytelling reminds us of several truths:

1. Segregation is potentially a bigger problem today than ever. White flight, private schools, school choice, home-schooling, virtual schools and lack of equitable access to technology are widening the gap.
2. Inequities in education must be addressed with the underlying belief that every child has the potential to achieve his/her dreams. Society must be responsible and held accountable for creating conditions ensuring that this occurs.
3. Teachers and students must all be able to work and learn in optimum conditions that safeguard and ensure dignity.
4. Although children appear to be resilient, we must protect their innocence, ensure they have the chance to dream and be inspired by their eternal optimism and hope. The real heroes of today are those who spend time with our children, listening to and nurturing their dreams.
5. We spend too much on our prison system and must figure out a way to divert that funding to education and healthcare so we can be proactive rather than reactive.

Kozol manages to convey the realities of inner city education by illuminating the complexities behind the daily challenges facing teachers and parents. His manner of connecting the problems to the institutions and practices that society has created to deal with those who do not "fit the system" provides a wake-up call to all of us who are working to make a difference in the lives of children. Kozol shows us that the system we have created is nurturing itself instead of helping people to break out of the vicious cycle characterized by lack of quality education, health care, meaningful work opportunities and dignity. We can no longer ignore the problems in the inner cities of America, not just because it makes economic sense but because it makes human sense to individually develop our most precious resources - our children. Community leaders, parents, educators, and corporate leaders should put this compelling book on the top of their "must read" list.

In Ordinary Resurrections, Jonathan Kozol deviates from his usual "gloves off" attack of the issues facing minority children. Instead of building the case against the inequitable system with facts and figures, as he has in previous work, he has chosen the subtle but effective approach of a storyteller. He paints a very descriptive portrait of the victims of continued segregation and racism that may inspire those in positions of influence to make more compassionate decisions regarding the lives of the children they serve.

Things that scream out to me from Kozol's book(s):

1) Incarceration vs. Education (do the math!)
The incarceration industry is thriving on blind public support. If taxpayers knew they were paying on the average ten to twenty times more to incarcerate supposed perpetrators of victimless crimes than it would cost to educate them, I'd bet they might even overlook their racist fears. The corporate/federal mentality that chooses to decide early on what these children will bring to the economy seems to prefer them as a product in this system versus potential contributors to something greater.

2) Resilience (despite our conditional "help")
In their innocent naiveté the children neglected by the system remain courageous, hopeful, and resilient. This resilience may diminish as they weather the inequities of the system that oppresses them, but it is often the attribute that enables them to succeed regardless of our preaching and teaching. Just imagine what heights they might reach if they continued to be nurtured as they are by the caring individuals in their lives now.

3) Compassion (essential)
As a beneficiary of white male privilege his reflections from the other side of the gap are poignant and insightful lessons for those of us too far removed from the reality that exists in many of our cities. Even after this racial inequity is acknowledged it is difficult for most of us to express empathy in ways that ring genuine. Kozol does! He is trusted and welcomed by the culture and community he strives to serve. His stories reflect a model for learning and practicing compassion which, in my opinion, may be the single most important factor in saving ourselves from extinction. Kozol repeatedly demonstrates the importance
of compassion in his work. Listen to him!

4) Racism, segregation, inequality (market view politics)
Racism is institutionalized in the United States despite the hope segregation was ending that the civil rights movements of the sixties inspired. "Kids notice that no politicians talk about this. They hear the politicians saying, "We're gonna have tougher standards in your separate-but-not-equal schools. We're gonna raise the bar of academic discipline in your separate-but-not-equal schools." But nobody says we're going to make them less separate and more equal. Nobody says that." - Kozol interview in Education World

5) Toxic environments (no one to litigate)
AIDS, asthma, drugs, violence, toxic pollution, poverty, malnutrition, lack of medical attention, apartheid economics, and neglect are common elements in the environment Kozol's children try to survive in. Basic needs must be satisfied before we can expect children to be receptive to that which we would have them learn. Kozol is issuing a wake-up call to the complacent masses that are either unaware or in denial that this situation is serious and threatens all of us socially, emotionally, and economically.

In my opinion, implications for educators that may be gleaned from Kozol's book include:
* The extreme importance of compassion in all aspects of dealing with children.
* Recognition that before we talk about diversity we need to spend a lot more
time in the conversation about racism.
* Locking people up is not rehabilitation and in the long run is socially,
emotionally, spiritually, and economically disastrous. Break the cycle of incarceration!

The Bronx has a long history. I'm always bumping into middle-aged and elderly professionals from the Bronx. Their mothers scrubbed floors; they went to City University. They now live in million-dollar condos in Manhattan. The ghetto is a conveyor belt for those who make up their minds to sacrifice their youth for future gain. Today's Bronx looks very much as Kozol describes. The very young are cute and inspiring, I suppose, but there must be a reason he leaves out the teens and their older brothers and sisters. The modern ghetto doesn't put a premium on discipline and learning. Kozol feeds into the victimology, seeing the community suffering from the failures of others to "do" right by them. Teachers know, however, that much would be improved if parents would simply make their children go to bed on time. Crime would be halved if kids were told to come in by 9. Early immigrants left the Bronx for the affluent suburbs, having devoted themselves to their children's education. Today it is rare indeed to meet a parent who has even one book in the house. Funding won't make up for this basic poverty of values.

Ordinary Resurrections is one of the most important books I've ever read and one of the most poignantly beautiful. It is an absolute must read for everyone who cares about children, the wide disparity in economic opportunity in the U.S., and who dares to hope for our future. Kozol movingly brings to life in his first-hand descriptive account the lives and conditions in their own words of children and their families who have been deliberately neglected, ignored, hidden away. This true story of their hope, strength, resilience, and beauty testifies to the dominance of the human spirit in the face of unspeakable abuse by government at every level and all systems that have failed them.

Jonathan Kozal has taken away the protective myth that America's school children are all treated equally, with dignity and given unvarying opportunities. In his latest book, ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS, Kozal's readers get a glimpse into a reality that replaces equal value with present day segregation to children of the poor. Although many in power would like to ignore the disgrace of how our underprivileged students are educationally treated in areas such as Mott Haven, New York, Kozal's first hand account of such inequality calls for a recognition and reformation of America's priorities. Told in the children's words, this book contributes awareness to the desperate need for compassion to and knowledge of the struggles of many American youth. The facts are both shocking and compelling, and will challenge the values one holds to necessitate action on our children's behalf. As Kozal states, the reality is that "...there are few areas in which the value we attribute to a child's life may be so clearly measured as in the decisions that we make about the money we believe it's worth investing in the education of one person's child as opposed to that of someone else's child." Once read, ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS destroys the bliss of ignorance. One is faced with the decision to powerfully act or despairingly ignore.

A friend maintains that "very few conspiracies don't get found out".. this is definitely true in this case, but how many other experiments have been done on children, perhaps wards of the state in numerous states using private agencies subcontracting with state child care agencies that we might never hear about?

Of particular interest is the Fernald school chapter, where MIT researchers befriended vulnerable kids and traded "friendship" and "caring" for doses of irradiated milk the kids were made to drink without their knowledge or consent in Massachusetts.

The release of Eileen Welsome's book "THE PLUTONIUM FILES- America's Secret Medical Experiments in the Cold War" in paperback will hopefully make this important book more accessible to the general public.

Detailing the effort of the US government to test the effects of Plutonium and other radioactive substances on people, the book outlines first the creation and evolution of the nuclear program that created the need for such testing, and then the US government's attempt to conduct such testing on its own citizens without their knowledge or informed consent. On strictly a superficial level there is much here which will attract the "x-files" crowd: Super-secret installations, eccentric scientists and far-fetched experiments on unsuspecting citizens. The kind of information that makes conspiracy theorists sit back from their computers in darkened little rooms, pump their fist in the air and utter that now-hackneyed phrase: "The truth is out there"

Fortunately for the reader, Welsome assiduously avoids such sensationalism and instead draws a largely compassionate picture of the US government's program and of the people who perpetrated it and who participated in it. Welsome's well structured and organized account of the growth of the plutonium testing programs involving critically ill persons across America during the Cold War years teems with information and insight, yet it manages to treat victim and perpetrator alike with a measure of respect and empathy that places this book well above the level of the standard "Shocking Expose". To her great credit Welsome goes beyond merely packaging the results of her extensive research and alarming discoveries in a "tell-all" book.

Certainly, THE PLUTONIUM FILES introduces information which, by its nature is bound to shock and disturb many, but the book also addresses the too-often forgotten issue of context: Was what happened acceptable by the standards of the time in which it occurred? In addressing this question Welsome probes more deeply into her subject, examining the duality, the moral dichotomy, inherent in the decision to implement this program. In a time when the world was still dealing with the results of a devastating world war and the possibility of another seemed likely the need for answers had an immediacy which could be ignored only at the world's peril. Hard decisions had to be made and extraordinary measures taken; Welsome is clearly cognizant of this as she assess each program and as she examines and balances the need against the action and its end result, the author treats the reader to some of her best analysis.

The Plutonium Files- America's Secret Medical Experiments in the Cold War is certainly an important book; one which adds a significant chapter to the recorded history of the growth of atomic science. Despite its scientific topic and exhaustive sourcing the books narrative is direct and engaging, its organization straightforward and its conclusions informed and objective. A book that is well worth its price, Welsome's book would be a great Christmas present for everyone from an avid historian to the omni-present x-files fan; who will find much in here to confirm their most exotic fears. Overall an excellent book for which the author has received two much deserved awards.

This book was completely amazing.

First, you want to be appalled {as well you should} with the amount and type of experiments that were carried out {radioactive cocktails for pregnant women!!}. How could anyone do this to another person??

Then, you think of the people in your own life who have gotten bone marrow transplants, or radiation treatment for cancer. It gets harder to hold the original doctors as evil monsters. Don't misunderstand me - informed consent is a must. How do you inform them of outcomes that are absolutely unknown - how do you start to know?

I thought a lot about this book as I read it, and continue to think about it now that I'm done. I'm sure there must be a middle ground between what they did, and what needed to be done. It is riveting and amazing.

This book has been haunting me since I finished it almost a year ago. How could we justify human experimentation? In the name of national security in the time of war? In the name of national pride in the age of nuclear arm race? Or, simply for the sake of personal career advancement? The answer is: WE CANNOT. What strikes me is that some of the scientists in question were building their career and reputation by conducting these secret experimentation. They were enjoying their fame and success while their victims and many generations after (if the victims still managed to have children) continued to suffer. What disgusts me the most is that even in the final moment of their life some of these scientists still denied any wrong-doing. When I read to that part, my heart ached and I could not hold back my tears, for I was a scientist too. Now a year later, I am still haunted by those stories. But more so I have come to realize a new question: If those experiments were done on other animals instead of human, would the book still raised the same controversy and interest?

This book is scary to say the least. It is well researched and details what is a practice probably still going on today in experiements we do not know about. I was particularly troubled by the Fernald school, where unwanted kids were befriended by MIT researchers who took them on trips and gave them presents in return for the kids drinking radioactive milkshakes. Was some of this done to generate data for use in bringing the first commercial microwave to market by Raytheon?

I was a guinea pig of sorts growing up in state child care and years later was confronted in an interview with what i suspect was a NSA employee as to whether i knew what " a controlled experiment is". As a young child, a former Pentagon official befriended me and tracked me,keeping files for research purposes over a 20+ year period.

Whitey Bulger is alleged to have been a participant in the MK Ultra experiments involving LSD.

I strongly recommend this and Jonathan Harr's "A Civil Action" to anyone!

I'm a high school math teacher. I love this book. IT STAYS IN MY OFFICE AT HOME because BC calculus students, as gifted as they may be, are nevertheless ill prepared to conquer this.

The student who failed to test out of Calc I and II is a lot like a lawyer who represents himself (he has a fool for a client). Students, take the risk and ASK A FEW PEOPLE WHO KNOW! We want you to succeed--especially those of us who aren't in lock-step with the dumbing down proces.

Here's the good news for this student, if (s)he actually managed to grasp just 20% of "The Principia" (s)he will absolutely fly through calc and may well walk away with a better, deeper grasp of the material than his/her teacher.

I think I read it at the right time, after I began teaching. Had I tried to read it before answering the same questions I might not have understood it enough to continue. This is THE EPOCHAL MATHEMATICAL WORK of it's century and perhaps of a few nearby ones as well! It is on par with Euclid (another amazing book that is NOT for children).

All that being said, I have no problem with highly motivated youths and super-geniuses making a go of it. I grew up in Palo Alto and went to school with all sorts of super-smart people (such Bobby Fisher's family and the children of many Stanford Professors for instance). I know that some kids can handle anything and exist WAY above their teachers. What I also know is that discovering things that are totally beyond their comprehension can be profoundly unsettling to significantly bright children (120
Instead, I advocate assigning controversial literature reports (as extra credit) and letting that drive their lit. and social studies teachers crazy! It's much more fun and we can always find tie ins to math.

Tschuss

I FINALLY UNDERSTAND CALCULUS.I RECOMMEND PEOPLE TO TAKE THEIR TIME READING AND UNDERSTANDING THE PHILOSPHY OF ISAAC NEWTON.

At least if you read this book, you will know where it all started. Nothing more than basic calculus and mechanics is required, but the book is still tough going for those of us who aren't physics studs. The style is archaic, and Newton even includes the occasional theological comment (for example, in one of the Lemma's he refers to God as "an infinite and elastic spirit)." But for those with the patience, determination, and discipline to make it to the end, you can pride yourself on having read one of the most important founding works of modern science, and perhaps the most important and revolutionary single science book ever written.

My edition of this book was part of the famous Great Books of the Western World set, and it was one of my favorites. The only work in the set to require any higher math, there is no doubt it had to be included in the set because of it's importance. But unfortunately I suspect it's the most neglected work in the entire set of 54 volumes and over 300 works because of the level of technical difficulty.

"I hope that, decades from now, when I and my other books have been forgotten, this will still be useful to scholars and students". So spoke Harvard University Professor I. Bernard Cohen some years before his death in 2003. His co-translator Anne Whitman had died in 1984. The translation and the extraordinary commentary is 974 pages long and took 15 years to complete. I have had this edition for many years and in reading it again I decided to write this review. I feel grateful to Cohen and Whitman for what they accomplished.

This particular edition by Cohen and Whitman of The Principia stands alone (as far as I know) in making one feel that a teacher, guide, and historian are holding your hand while exploring and understanding one of the most dramatic and powerful scientific and mathematical treatise ever written. I am surprised at some of the reviews here in that they seem to discuss the applicability or utilization of The Principia as a Physics or Math textbook. This is certainly not a textbook in the modern sense in any respect. This is not a book you would use to prepare for any normal Physics or Math examination. It must be kept in mind that this book by Newton was a human accomplishment and this particular edition with its extensive commentary by Cohen lets one be exposed to both the scientific rigor and social aspects of the world of Isaac Newton. And due to the fact of Newton's extraordinary scientific and mathematical accomplishment it caused historical alteration in the course of human events as does each great expansion of human knowledge. Sometimes when mathematical expressions and concepts of Physics are portrayed we forget that the ideas are first and foremost a human experience, it is not some distant and inscrutable theory but part of our most intimate life. We try to understand what we are and where we are. In the days of Isaac Newton Natural Philosophy was thought of as an expression and search for the truth and mathematics was sometimes able to be the handmaiden of this exploration. Unfortunately, from my point of view, philosophy has become detached from much of mathematics and this has done a disservice to both Physics, Math and what is currently thought of as Philosophy. I see no advantage in this current day separation and when immersing yourself in this edition of The Principia, there is a longing for those days now past when there was a unification of science and philosophy.
There is little reason in this review to explain the significance both mathematically and historically of the writing of Isaac Newton. Whether a student is using a conventional Physics textbook to master the understanding, laws and calculations described in The Principia or is exercising physics problems to show facility and prepare for an examination, each and every aspiring learner is obligated to master the ideas and knowledge as expressed in The Principia one way or another. Certainly our current day Physics textbooks do not teach as Isaac Newton taught and wrote. The Principia is not a book normally used to prepare for any Physics examination whether in High School or University. But the law of science and math as expressed in The Principia is as valid in general application today as it was in 1729. Our understanding of the laws of Newton as they relate to later discovered equations and expressions, including Relativity, does alters our knowledge of applicability of Newtonian physics. It does show the limitations of our belief in the immutable Laws of Nature, including those mathematical laws. In some respects radically so. So, it really depends upon the demands you put upon the math and knowledge as expressed in The Principia. Do not read Isaac Newton in the light of Albert Einstein and others. First read Newton in the light of his age, then step back and remember how we have continued along this amazing path to knowledge. So The Principia is another place in our human endeavor. This is not just a book for mathematicians. As related on pages 297 and 298 that wonderful contemporary of Newton, John Locke, without benefit of full mathematical understanding was still able to comprehend the ideas within. So will you. This is by far the best edition of The Principia I have ever read. Kenneth Ellman. ke@kennethellman.com

I am writing my dissertation on Newton and have found this translation incredibly helpful and surprisingly readable.

The Principia is one of the most difficult and inaccessible books ever written -- so much so, in fact that even John Locke (himself a pretty smart guy) had to ask Christian Huygens to explain much of it to him. This difficulty was intentional, because Newton did not want people who only understood math a little to try and undermine his arguments. For this reason, he rewrote book three so that only those who had read and understood book 1 could understand its concepts.

People laugh when I tell then that I own a book with a three hundred page introduction, but it's a book that needs a three hundred page intro. In their intro, Cohen and whitman describe the history of the principia, its structure, an explanation of where prior translations have fallen short, and -- most importantly -- note which of the Principia's sections have been most significant during and after Newton's time. This is helpful so that when you get to each section, you are more likely to notice which elements may have seemed most controversial, where he is taking down Descartes' vortices, etc. I'm not saying I agree 100% with cohen and whitman on all of their points, but they have produced a work that does not simply translate the book; it also shares the writers' substantial knowledge about the principia.

This is an essential and monumental translation. If you are at all interested in early modern science, you must own it.

This book is great for beginners being introduced to philosophy and consciousness ideas, as well as seasoned readers of the genre. There is quite a bit of history of Panpsychism (and other world views) given, which the author says could be skipped if you are already familiar with the subject.

The author's writing style is easy to read, and he gives samples of upcoming ideas that keep you motivated to keep on reading. I got the sense that Mr. de Quincey is a talented teacher - I felt like he was giving me a personal lecture (in a good way!) as I was reading.

Although the book is definitely focused and has a point that he is trying to convey, I got the impression that Mr. de Quincey didn't have an agenda that he was trying to push on the reader. While reading the book, I got the impression that the author was taking the reader through the research and thought processes that lead him to his conclusion. It seemed like he came up with this conclusion naturally and rationally, rather than having a the conclusion in mind before starting his own research and gearing his studies towards his opinion.

Because of this, I think this book will appeal to open-minded materialists as well, since Mr. de Quincey presents himself in a very non-New Age manner. He keeps any farther reaching speculation (afterlife ideas, notion of a soul, etc.) to a minimum, which I thought was a refreshing change from the norm in books that propose a more Panpsychic view of the world.

This is the first part of a trilogy, so if you like this one be sure to read the rest.

Christian de Quincey's book "Radical Nature" fell into my hands at just about the right time to heighten that curious sense of synchronicity when things seem to have an underlying harmony and purpose, and I thoroughly enjoyed his body of thought.

Perhaps this book arrives at the right time for many people who want to liberate themselves from the clutches of the old materialistic paradigm. It will help them in this endeavor, because Dr. de Quincey respects and appreciates the achievements of all the great thinkers who have come before whether they would have agreed with him or not.

As the great P. Feyerabend has pointed out, philosophers of science often tend to overlook that science itself is a story and not a problem of logic. Dr. de Quincey does not make this mistake. He takes his ideas further and talks of the unfolding story of the cosmos, how it is intelligible to us precisely because we are inseparably connected to it, part and parcel of its essence and its being. We can make sense of it all, because it is sensible; everything, the whole cosmos including its very last spec of matter, is "intrinsically sentient" he declares. Matter and psyche coexist as an inseparable whole.

Dr. de Quincey has labored hard to pull together all the different strands of human knowledge from the fields of science, philosophy and psychology, and he presents them in his beautifully clear understanding. His well argued and carefully outlined thoughts on the nature of matter and consciousness especially the mind/body split are designed to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when nobody thought this could be done. I actually feel liberated and, in some sense vindicated after finishing this book, since it strengthens and validates in strong ways feelings and thoughts I had for quite some time. I learned a lot reading this work, and the best thing is, it actually made me a happier person.

In this book, de Quincey's knowledge, experience, passion and scholarship catapults our understanding of consciousness into a view which dissolves boundries between matter and mind. His clarity and eloquence of expression helps to bridge the gap between pure feeling and the written word.

My favorite quote from the book: "Stories Matter, Matter Stories" (also a chapter heading) says a lot about this book which is chuck-full of wisdom. His ideas are well supported and come across with the simplicity of "common sense."

When I read this book, I rushed over to Amazon and bought Christian de Quincey's other book Radical Knowing.

I totally agree with his witty critique of "physics envy" . . . Consciousness is not a sub-atomic virtual energy field although, as he correctly points out, it is the experiencer of energy, of vibrations, of fields, and waves. His slogan "Consciousness knows. Energy flows" says it all.

His thought and writing are so fine and so beautifully intelligent, and I responded with feeling. I particularly want to compliment de Quincey on his amazing explanation of the great philosopher Whitehead. I have heard that he is the hardest philosopher to understand. But Radical Nature does a great job untangling difficult ideas. After reading this, I find Whitehead the easiest philosopher to understand now--particularly the mind-body connection. People should come to this book with a feeling sense . . . reading while listening to our bodies. Dr. de Quincey's teaching has more than a touch of real alchemy. The more I read his books, the more I know I am calibrating a great mind who can communicate in an exciting and profound way. I kept having to put the book down because it inspired cascades of ideas and contexts that made complexity unravel in a life affirming, powerful way. This book, and Radical Knowing perhaps even more, is positively juicy, a term not usually used for top scholarship in consciousness exploration. Dr. de Quincey is particularly adept bringing a grounded, welcoming order to complex, abstract philosophical language. In the end, I landed right where he wanted me to...wanting and able to read and know more. Both books added so much value and richness to my life and merit every bit of attention.

This book was a valuable addition to my ongoing search to make sense out of my world. I owned it for some time before I read it. Then I bought Radical Knowing and liked it even better. (I reviewed it in July)

De Quincey puts into words deep feelings I have had all my life about my connection to nature. His research seems to be impeccable. I can only read so much and it really helps to read an author who does so much of it for me.

I am not a scientist or a philosopher so some of the arguments between different schools of opinions don't mean a lot to me. What I enjoy are new ideas put in language that is readable and enjoyable. This book fulfilled those requirements.

I agree with the other reviewers that this book is an eye opening account of terrorists. However, if the Western media is soft on terrorists, this book goes the other way. A few things to keep in mind when reading it:

1. The book deals almost exclusively with Palestinian terrorists. I don't remember any direct interviews with non-Palestinian groups.

2. Israel can do no wrong. Never a comment on Jewish settlers in occupied territories (though perhaps it's just a "liberal media" claim that they are illegal) or Israeli political parties which push for annexation of the occupied territories in order to restore the full Biblical state of Israel. Palestinians apparently have no true complaint against Israel, Any problems must be caused by their own leaders and terrorists.

3. He takes terrorist rants at face value since this lets him tie together a united world terrorist network with a goal of a global caliphate. He doesn't consider that this may be so much bravado rather than real ties. The reality of inter-Muslim conflicts in the Middle East (years long Iran/Iraq war, Syria/Lebanon, etc) are not considered, all terrorist are apparently united in the goal of a world Muslim Caliphate.

4. The solution to the terrorist problem (given as lessons learned) is never give anything up, constantly attack the terrorists, and by implication never negotiate (because all Palestinian leaders are terrorists, at least all current ones).

So treat the book as a description of terrorists, but don't look to it for information about the politics of the Middle East or a solution to the conflict.

Try reading just a couple of pages from Aaron Klein's "Schmoozing With Terrorists," and you'll forget everything you've ever read in your morning paper or heard on the news about "peace negotiations" between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. In some cases, the author risked his life to meet with and interview Palestinian terrorist leaders one-on-one. In those discussions, his terrorist subjects revealed the true intent behind the Palestinian Authority's meaningless, endless "peace negotiations" with Israel, and why those negotiations never (will) bear fruit. If you've ever wondered why nothing significant ever results from peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, Aaron Klein's eye-opening work is a compelling read. (Note that Michael D. Sepesy's lone negative "review" of this title features an outright lie, in which he claims Klein "speaks with only three people for his book--not a significant sample." Nonsense.) This work - along with Caroline B. Glick's "Shacked Warrior" - is required reading for anyone who wants to go beyond the headlines to understand what's really at stake for Israel and the West.

After reading the world's media and despairing at their slanted (if not biased/anitsemitic) view points for years it is refreshing to read a more honest reporting of what terrorists think. My only critisisms of the book are that it is too directed at an American audience - there are other people out there and that the editing/proof-reading is a little sloppy. I felt like getting out a red pen a few times. But still well worth a read. It is short and easy to read.

I purchased this book after seeing a recommendation on [...], and was quite pleased.

Klein presents his work in a witty, yet serious and incisive manner. It is a quick read, though at times I had a hard time following which terrorist was who and which group he was working for. However, I was captivated by the catchy titles ("Madonna, Britney Spears Stoned to Death? Life if the Terrorists Win" and "Terrorists go Ga-Ga over Hillary Clinton" were my personal favorites), and engaged by witticisms in the text.

Behind the acerbic wit and clever turns of phrase, Klein brings out an important point concerning the Arab-Western conflict: These are not militants, but terrorists, and if given the opportunity, they will gladly subjugate and/or destroy us. He presents his findings with a refreshing directness that disregards political correctness.

Schmoozing with Terrorists provides a much-needed report on the intentions and values of the Jihadists, who are more of a threat than the public at large give them credit for.

This extremely well written book provides the reader with perhaps unprecedented access, to the first hand religious and military goals/visions of what the book calls Arab/Islamic terrorists, as they openly declare their intent in relation to Israel and the west, during interviews with a Jewish journalist.

Be prepared for a "spin free" zone, as the picture revealed here is not what the international media or many political leaders, would have the reader believe.

The writer describes that just because the terrorists were prepared to talk to him, this did not mean that they liked Jews. To the contrary, the author eloquently portrays how he stared into the eyes of men who had carried out shooting and rocket attacks, and sent suicide bombers into civilian population centres, while going to some length to reveal his fear and the palpable hatred for him of those being interviewed. One terrorist even declaring that he wanted to kill the author, who expresses how on several occasions he did not think he would survive the interview. The interviews taking place in the strongholds of the terrorists themselves, with the latter all being well armed.

The book accuses so many journalists of having "no moral compass", and while conducting interviews of their own, expediently and deliberately avoid confronting the terrorist groups with their lies. The journalists simultaneously failing to supply any accurate context or objectivity and thus depriving the viewer/listener of the full story.

A procedure which arrives at an inaccurate appraisal with the terrorists appearing to have a "legitimate grievance" which inevitably equates any measures to eradicate terrorism to the attacks/response by the terrorists themselves.

Referring to the Palestinian Arab/Israeli conflict, the author draws attention to how whenever there is a suicide bombing in Israel, much of the international news media race to locate the bomber's family in order to produce "human interest" stories, subsequently painting the terrorist as a victim of Israeli "aggression" and "driven to revenge".

The media displaying a readiness to attach some perverse moral equivalence between the civilian victims of terrorism and those who are willing to carry them out. Examples provided being how terrorists willingly hide amongst women and children, using such as "human shields" to launch rockets against civilian targets. A process akin to attaching a moral equivalence between the "arsonist" and the "firefighter", but one which is sadly often swallowed whole by an undiscerning public.

The book pulls no punches as it cites how the religion behind these terrorist activities allegedly justifies any conduct, any excuse and any lie to further it's goals, wherein women, the elderly, children and even babies are justifiable military targets. Where simultaneously reality and history are completely discarded and turned upside as a means towards achieving their religious/military/geographic objectives.

Principles allegedly supported, directly or indirectly, by a media and political realm which is prepared to repeat such lies so often to a largely uninformed audience which more often and not regards such distortions as the truth.

With due reference the reader is reminded that handing over territory to terrorists bent upon your destruction, will be seen as a victory for their cause, and only encourages further terrorism and violence. Terrorist entities indeed then being prepared to use such territory as a platform from which to launch even further attacks upon you.

Examples cited are the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. Particular emphasis also being given to the possible future withdrawal of western forces from Iraq and the stance of present US Presidential hopefuls. The terrorists themselves openly admitting in the text that they hope for a Democrat victory in the coming elections, as they hope for a withdrawal from Iraq. The latter being seen as a victory for Islam, a defeat for the west, and justification for future violence in pursuit of their goals in relation to Israel/Palestinians etc.. These are the words/views of the terrorists themselves and not necessarily those of the writer.

The writer emphasises that, in the eyes of the terrorists, this is a "war to the finish", with the text elaborating that it is the western and Judeo-Christian existence which is seen as being the real problem, and not the pursuit of a "Palestinian" state or a withdrawal of western forces from the Middle East.

Reference after reference and quote after quote bringing to the attention of the reader that the terorist groups are seeking an "Islamic universe" or "caliphate", with Iraq and the Palestinian issues being just stepping stones towards this ultimate goal.

Named terrorists being quoted in the text as seeking the Islamic domination of Planet Earth and highlighting how they see Islam as being unable to tolerate any idea, principle or way of life that does not go with it's laws, visions and rules.

The sources seemingly being proud of how a foothold has already been gained in both the US and Europe. Early in Chapter One the reader is introduced to an event held during March 2003 in the US, where the writer managed to attend a venue in New York where a speaker is quoted as stating "Eventually there will be a Muslim in the White House dictating the laws of shariah.."

This gripping book is an absolute must read for everyone, both in the west, the Middle East and for those involved in the media and the political realm. I cannot emphasise this enough. Thank you for your time.

This book so totally ROCKS. Just read it. This Rutledge guy is one heck of a writer and the whole story is just a mind blower.

Man I got to disagree with that Maggie persons review totally. This book not only puts down violence and destruction it offers a great solution for solving such problems in our big inner cities in America. Also it has nothing to do with the type of violence of 9-11. So whoever that Maggie was obviously didn't read the book at all. Its a great book with an important message for the world, LOVE one another! A really astounding story and deserved the nomination it got.

Brilliantly portrays a life and place most Americans can only imagine. Beginning to end...a riveting account of one of America's worst urban nightmares.

- Brett Peruzzi, Ebooks Reviews

The sad and prescient thing about this amazing book on modern gang culture in a major inner city is the fact that even though the writer's experiences in Compton and Watts and South Central took place over a decade ago, he predicted twice (on pgs. 358 and 380) that the situation on the streets would only worsen as time goes on. And it has. This story, written from an insider point of view (a WHITE guy--running with Black and Latino gangsters, no less!) is just stunning, shocking, brilliant. The way he writes really TAKES YOU THERE. It was clever how he got inside, beyond frightening what happened during his year there, and amazing how he got out alive to tell the story. If this book isn't made into a movie...then "Hollywood" is losing out on a ton of cash, and society is missing out on a sociological treatise that tells how to understand and solve a growing, worldwide, big city phenomenon which, as the author states, is only getting worse. Simply "wow". (one last thing: [...] got the author's name wrong!--it's M. Rutledge McCall).

Brilliantly portrays a life and place most Americans can only imagine. Beginning to end...a riveting account of one of America's worst urban nightmares.
- Brett Peruzzi, Ebooks Reviews

I am thoroughly satisfied with this book. Despite any descriptions that claim it is useful to civilian leaders I find that unlikely. The author even spends time in the first chapter to describe how very little of its contents are useful to civilian leaders and why.

If you are interested in military leadership it is an excellent book. Though written by an Army Colonel who speaks specifically about Army leadership only it is clearly transferable to other military units.

Small Unit Leadership: A Commonsense ApproachThis book is a no nonsense aproach to leading small units and helps you spot problems before it starts or gets worse. It shows ways of getting the job done.

Written for the small-unit combat leader, Col. Malone's no-nonsense reviews of what inspires and motivates individuals within units, as well as his easy-to-use 4-part typology and checklists for how to deal with individuals and units, are highly-recommended. This will definitely hold a treasured spot on my leadership bookshelf for years to come.

A tiny, little book - but packs alot in there. This little book clearly conveys its messages via very easily understandable examples. Sometimes it is a bit too combat-centric, but for the most part, is applicable to most leadership roles.

The author had a really good opportunity to write a fantastic book-- there are stories about delegation in there that opened my eyes to new possibilities in employee development and the unique relationship between the strategic level (management) and the tactical level (supervisors/NCOs).

Where the book fails are the war stories. The author makes liberal use of war stories in his material that are marginally on topic but I feel do not address the issue of small unit leadership. If anything, the war stories discuss the effects of NCO's and CO's doing NCO work; it doesn't state how to lead either from the position of a Colonel (which I would think equivalent of a VP/GM) or explicitly state his goals for his NCO's (supervisors). I honestly ended up skimming through the first half of the book looking for something useful-- eventually the author does get to the point and the book begins to expand on his thesis; I found the fluff annoying. I personally wouldn't have bought the book alone; I ended up purchasing it as a group deal with the Three Meter Zone.

That having been said the book goes over some very interesting points in how to develop NCO's and team leads; it also goes into the psychology of group mentality briefly and there are some very good insights to be had there.

Now that I've gotten the base information from the book it's sitting in a corner of my bookshelf-- I might pick it up again if I need to correlate information with the Three Meter Zone. This book unfortunately doesn't stand by itself as a good business model-- though realistically, the author hadn't intended this so I can't fault him for it.

"Space Shuttle: The History of the National Space Transportation System. The First 100 Missions." Long title. Big book. Loads of detail. A treasure for shuttle geeks like me.
This book is packed with mission details and hundreds of rare photographs. One shows a close up of one of the struts that holds the shuttle onto it's 747 carrier. On it are stenciled the words: "PLACE ORBITER HERE. BLACK SIDE DOWN. LEFTY LOOSEY, RIGHTY TIGHTY." Where else are you going to find things like that? It's all here. Pictures, histories, charts, and diagrams. Like the missions chronicled inside, this reasonably-priced book will take some time to analyze and review again and again so you can catch all the details.

I bought this book as a keepsake, but have found it very informative. Shuttle workers and space enthusiasts alike will enjoy this book.

If you want to know more about the developmental history of the Shuttle program, Jenkins' book is for you. Within the books pages there can be found a wealth of information going back to the early 1940s and stopping in the year 2000 with the launch of the 100th shuttle mission. With the conclusion of the program in 2010, I am looking forward to the 4th edition (if one is on the horizon).

gave this book as a gift, there appears to be a lot of information with a lot of pictures.

This is the 3rd Edition, by Dennis Jenkins, which covers the first 100 missions.

This is one of the most, if not the most, comprehensive work on the background, concepts, and evolution that led to our Space Shuttle, for the non-technical reader. I purchased it because whenever I looked up winged spacecraft on the Encyclopedia Astronautica website (itself a marvel of space history; even National Geographic was referred to that site by NASA!), this book was cited as a reference. It has provided me with weeks of enjoyable reading since Christmas, and I'm still not finished with it! Highly illustrated. It will be one of the primary references in my space library for years to come. Hopefully Mr. Jenkins will produce a 4th edition after 2010, after the Shuttle retires, which will cover the Columbia disaster, and the final history of the Space Shuttle. My highest recommendation!