Events Books

This is an easy reading but powerful book about what it means to be an American and the formation and development of our culture and shared values. It is scholerly but entertaining. It should be mandatory reading for all high school and college students. In a time that people are looking for their roots and cultural identity, this book is a must.

As a social studies teacher (middle grades and secondary level), this book has provided me with invaluable discussion points and lesson plan ideas. In a time when we are trying to make learning relevant and exciting for our young students, this text will be a tremendous aid to me while I facilitate real learning in a public school classroom. John McElroy has genuinely motivated me to teach both history and civics in a whole new light. For all readers of this book, be aware that a resurgence of pride in our country is bound to occur! Furthermore, all Americans will frequently internally recognize the principles that are inherent in American culture. Of course, it is not a primer for zealous nationalism; rather, it is a honest exploration into the realm of the history of American culture. It is entertaining and informative. It is the best book I have read in several years!

Over the years I have read hundreds of books about America and this book is clearly one of the most stunning. In general, the book is well researched, well organized, and very readable. It explains America to Americans and to the world in a different and very clear and convincing way. Through most of the book I was enthralled. Most of his examples are well chosen, precise, concise, and convincing. But it is not perfect.

There are, in my opinion, two areas in the book which fail to match the high quality of thought, reason, and rationale found through most of it. First, in the chapter about Social Beliefs, McElroy appears to see America's history from the perspective of the proverbial WASP (White Anglo-Saxon Protestant) and thus he ignores the lack of inclusion in the American mainstream at various times of such groups as Eastern European immigrants, Catholic immigrants, non-Christian immigrants, Asian immigrants, and Hispanic immigrants. He also neglects to mention that, in general, Americans of mixed raced were/are denigrated by both of the races from which they were/are descended. And he concludes the chapter by saying that if immigrants fail to succeed socially and economically in America it is no one's fault but there own. How amazingly naive.

Second, all of his fairness and impartiality and perspective seem to fall apart in the concluding section in which he views a very narrow period of time in America (the last 40 years or so) and suggests that many of the values on which this country was founded and built have fallen to the wayside. He concludes by saying there are some signs that things might get better over time. Certainly damning with faint praise. He sounds like an ultra conservative radio commentator. It spoils the flavor of the entire book. It is almost as if the rest of the book was just a way of reeling the reader in so that he could present this final diatribe. A sad finish to an otherwise excellent book.

I agree that every American should read this book -- and everybody else for that matter. I don't agree that it's scholarly. Rather, it's a joy to read -- easy to understand even for a person with two master's degrees! Between McElroy's chapter on How American Culture was Formed and Ken Burns' Lewis & Clark, I don't know which makes my blood run red-white-and-bluer. And as a child of the anti-establishment `60s, it's done a lot toward helping me understand why we Americans do what we do. It's the best history book I've ever read, the best history course I've ever taken or taught. I'm buying it for my home library for my grandchildren to use as a resource. We're also using it as a resource for a book on urban planning.

Beliefs A book review

Its been said that we learn nothing from history. This appears to be true, but only to the extent that history is ignored. When we pay attention to history, we are bound to learn something. A good dose of history can sometimes put us back on a road we've tended to leave. This may be the case while reading a brief account of how America and the American way of came to be.

In some 230 pages John Harmon McElroy reminds readers of the various reasons America developed as it did. McElroy, in American Beliefs (1999) from Ivan Dee Publishers, Chicago, expounds upon twenty-five beliefs or ideas that have contributed to America's development. The book, subtitled: "What keeps a big country and a diverse people united," has ten chapters. McElroy, professor emeritus of English at the University of Arizona, would have his readers look at the things which have kept us, as a people, together instead of the things which have so often divided us.

The 24 beliefs are listed under seven of the ten chapter headings: Primary Beliefs of American Culture, Immigrant Beliefs, Frontier Beliefs, Religious and Moral Beliefs, Social Beliefs, Political Beliefs and Beliefs on Human Nature. Along the way in his treatment of these beliefs McElroy shows how it came about that the land which developed into America was different from developments in Canada, Central & western South America and in Brazil. All of these areas were receiving European emigrants at about the same time, but development here was much different than in the other regions. So the author works to give a broad overview of history and how America came forth in a unique way.

One example of the beliefs McElroy presents is one we might think is only common sense: everyone must work. Such an idea or belief, it seems, developed in contrast to what was usual in England and much of northern Europe, the areas from which most people came. In the old country there was an aristocracy in which certain people, because of their birthrights, were expected to be served by others, those lesser-born people. This system did not work on these shores as there was simply to much to do, to survive...no place for lazy bones. So those who expected to be served were told, in effect, work or die. (Sounds like: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 "For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.") So those who had wished to be served, worked..and the belief that everyone must work became a part of our culture, and pretty much remains that way today. While people reach different economic stages, none is considered a nobleman by birth.and this was a new idea.

McElroy takes a little different twist on the idea that America is a chosen land, as being chosen of God. On page 131 he says: "The United States is God's country in the sense that Americans for many generations have felt that their nation has been especially blessed by God, that it could never have been established and endured so successfully without God's favor and protection. The belief is also true in the sense that, as a people, Americans have believed that God has wanted to use America as part of a divine plan for the redemption of mankind, by the creation of a new nation modeled on new principles of behavior. America is also a 'chosen country' in the sense that those who created it were mostly those who chose to emigrate to it and descendants."

Of special interested in these days of much discussion about the idea of Freedom of Religion, McElroy addresses the 'free exercise' clause of that first amendment to the U-S Constitution. Like many who insist that the Constitution only makes sense when its original intent is maintained, he makes this statement which needs to resound in many courts and public places today: "No provision of the Constitution protects any citizen from being offended by the religious practices of another citizen." How often we have instituted some legislation because someone is offended by religion, but the Constitution says there shall be 'freedom to exercise' our religious positions, regardless of any offense received., perhaps limited only to the extent of causing some public hazard. This clearly points out the value of history because as we have gotten away from initial Constitutional meanings, we have wandered off the road into confusion.

The books concludes with some observations, that much has happened in this culture in the past 40 years or so, perhaps instigated by the Supreme Court's decision to eliminate school prayers. "It is certain," he says, " that since WW-II some principles of American culture have been emphasized to the detriment of others. The principle of freedom, for instance, has been promoted without regard to responsibility, calls for improvement have been made without regard to practicality, and equality has sometimes been demanded with a zeal that ignores differences among individuals. Too often in the last 40 years of the 20th century, it seems, America's cultural history has been set aside in favor of uncompromising ideologies."

The book is an easy read and recommended for anyone interested in American history, especially high school and college students needing a better appreciation of what it means to be an American.

Dan Schobert August 29, 1999

This book is *not* designed for casual readers of the law. However, it remains perhaps the most comprehensive review of American Constitutional history available in a single volume. This is still used on college campuses, and should be read by anyone who wants to peruse some of the central arguments that have shaped this country.

This a good book for undergraduates seeking to understand the Constitution and judicial decisions that shape the application of the Constitution. Very informative and easily read. But this is not a good book for pre-law or law students. The material is too cursory and there is no analysis of the cases.

I first used this text in the seventh edition (Mason, Beaney and Stephenson) in my undergraduate Constitutional Law class, and it has remained a constant resource for me. I have invested in two of the upgraded editions, including this latest 14th edition.

Mason et al. has a wonderful style of combining accessible and interesting narrative essays with case law summaries and texts from rulings. The authors state in the preface that they see constitutional law development as 'an intricate blend of history and politics.' The Supreme Court functions in the real world (indeed, has a long-standing tradition of not deciding 'moot' cases, but rather only adjudicating in real life situations).

The chapters rely heavily on case law and texts from decisions, but each chapter is introduced by an essay that sets tone, context, and highlights of particular interest. Where appropriate, the authors draw in texts from beyond case law - for example, in the chapter dealing with Congress, the Court and the Presidency, the authors bring in excerpts from the Federalist papers, and with the chapter on the development of due process, they excerpt Justice Cardozo's papers.

This is a broadly sweeping text that covers the whole Constitution, each article of the primary text, various amendments dealing with governmental and procedural issues, and many chapters dealing with rights and liberties contained in both the Bill of Rights (first ten amendments) and other amendments. It includes indexes of cases, a good chart of Justices of the Supreme Court, and the full text of the Constitution and amendments.

This is a book more intended for the student of political science or history who wishes to gain a better understanding of the processes and content of Constitutional Law at both the advanced undergraduate and graduate level. It may be useful as a secondary text in a law school's Constitutional Law class, also. It is not light reading, particularly in the case law sections, but the essays are worthwhile and can generally be read as stand-alone texts for those who want to get the broad overview without the case detail - however, beware of this approach, for the law and process is built on the details.

American Constitutional Law: Introductory Essays and Selected Cases by Alpheus Thomas Mason and Donald Grier Stephenson is a book that when read you'll find an intricate blend of history and politics.

This is an excellent book for those studing constitutional law as there are plenty of case study with selected readings, queries, and key terms associated with each particular case. You'll get a real good dose of the constitution here and why decisions are the way they are at that time. Applying standards drawn from the constitution, the Supreme Court is the ultimate arbitor and guardian of individual privilege and governmental prerogative alike.

This book gives the reader a broad understanding of the present with respect to the past and includes relevant extrajudicial material. A very good introductory book on American Constitutional Law.

For any student of American constitutional law, this book is the best exposition of the fundamentals of the U.S. Constitution and the Supreme Court. Further enquiry into the subject is not possible without an understanding of the ideas presented in this book.

American Destiny: God's Role in America is an inspirational quote book like no other. It motivates the reader to investigate and understand our American forefather's true vision in founding our Constitutional Republic.

Even though it is part of American history, the strong faith of our Nation's Founding Fathers is unfortunately absent from many educational programs today. This handy book offers a welcome introduction to the inspiration and motivation of our Founding Fathers, and anyone interested in history will appreciate it.

WOW...What a book! I knew that we were founded as a "Christian" nation, but I didn't realize the magnitude of it. This book will give you a whole new view of the mighty men who founded this nation, and the passion in which they did it are found in their words. I am so thankful for this book. Everyone American should be required to read it, especially our young students! If our young people can understand our heritage, it will fill our nation with hope once again. Don't go any further without getting this book

I am amazed that this is out of print! I wanted to find a few copies for gifts. This is a book of quotes from our founding fathers that reveals the true Christian origins of our country. Until I read this in History class, I never knew what the second amendment REALLY said. I wish every politician and lawmaker would read this book. It should be required in every civics/history class in America. If you want to know what really made America great, find this book and read it...you'll pass it around, I guarantee it.

Not only would I highly recommend this as a great coffee table gift book, but it's also a fantastic resource for `history lessons' and how they relate to contemporary America. It's a great conversation starter as well. Especially interesting to me was some of the quotes and documentation related to the founding of our nation's top Ivy League universities. The publisher's web site is another terrific related resource. Read. Enjoy. Give.

Despite the naysayers, Bennett has been proven right by the recent behaviour of the Anglosphere in two major events. First in the Iraq war most of the Anglosphere banded together to get rid of a vicious genocidal tyrant, while more recent events showed how the Anglosphere could band together to help a region in dire need of aide. Much like Clash of Civilisations, Bennett has written a book that will be refered in positive terms for many years to come.

For more than two decades, Jim Bennett has been one of the country's most acute thinkers on the frontiers of technology and cultural/political trends. The Anglosphere Challenge shows the strengths of civil society responses to growing state incapacities and failures. Emerging "networked commonwealths", he foresees, will advance universal values of freedom while accelerating innovation across new realms of human endeavor. This book is a storehouse of wisdom and hope for not only for those in the Anglosphere, but for people of all heritages and backgrounds seeking to live in an open world.

James Bennett popularized the term "Anglosphere", which refers to those communities which speak English and share in the cultural practices and institutions inherited from England, e.g. common law, parliamentary democracy, highly developed civil society, private rather than communal notions of property, entrepreneurial rather than state-led economic development, relative openness to innovation and to immigration. These characteristics have been developing in the English-speaking world for at least a millennium, and represent a distinct sub-civilization within the larger West. Bennett draws on the work of Alan MacFarlane and David Hackett Fischer to demonstrate the uniqueness of the civilization which developed in England and which it in turn passed on to its daughter polities, most importantly the United States. This Anglosphere civilization has been the path-breaker for modernity, initiating modern democratic institutions and the industrial and subsequent economic revolutions. Note that Bennett does not offer this analysis in any spirit of triumphalism. This is not the old "Whig theory" of history, since Bennett correctly sees that these developments were the result of fortunate historical contingency. Bluntly, those of us who live in the Anglosphere are not better than anybody else, just lucky to be here. Bennett predicts that the Anglosphere will continue to be the cutting edge civilization in terms of economic and political developments into the future. In particular, the existence of the Web and cheap air and sea transport has already created a unitary Anglophone economic and cultural space, which will develop further as the highest value-added products become increasingly information-intensive, placing a premium on linguistic and cultural commonalities. Bennett offers predictions concerning the institutional form that this new economic reality will call forth, which he labels a "network commonwealth". Bennett believes that this future political form, and a dense and robust underlying civil society, present the best hope for coping with the hazards presented by emerging technology, and obtaining the maximum benefits of that technology. Moreover, Bennett offers numerous, concrete policy proposals to further the development of this emerging Anglosphere network commonwealth, in the areas of trade, immigration, defense procurement and military cooperation. Bennett's book is the result of years of reflection on these historical and contemporary issues. This short paragraph does not even scratch the surface of a book that has many novel insights and profound ideas, and which opens up numerous lines for further inquiry. Five stars is really not a sufficient rating. This is one of the three or four most important books I have read in recent years to understand the world we are living in, why it is the way it is, where we are going, and how we can create a future worth living in.

Any serious discussion of the central role of English traditions in Canada is fraught with twin perils: mindless claims of racism/imperialism and founding-nation chauvinism. The Anglosphere Challenge is something very different. It's an exciting exploration of a new way to look a modern global culture and its Canadian flavour, keeping both perils at bay. Leading off with a chapter on the dynamic and converging nature of modern technology (cf. Vernor Vinge's The Singularity), the author makes the case that cultural dynamism and flexibility will be at a premium in the 21st century. His claim for the future pre-eminence of the common law countries (irrespective of their citizens' personal origins) is based on the Anglosphere's history of adapting successfully (and first) to technological and political change.

Bennett shows how respect for the individual, and the effective separation of religious, political and economic powers have a very deep roots in the English-speaking world. Before the creation of Canada and the United States. Before the English Civil War. Before the Protestant Reformation. Perhaps even before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. In the roots of the English common law, we can find the fundamental principle of equal treatment before the law: male or female, lord or commoner. A virtuous circle ensued, freeing individuals from the constraints and predation of the powerful ... in ways impossible in continental Europe let alone other parts of the globe.The history (as opposed to the myths) of this era are eye-opening. And the great strength of the Anglosphere Challenge is the firm grounding in modern scholarship. The book's annotated bibliography is a gem.

Using the metaphor of concentric rings, Bennett sees the Anglosphere as an inner ring (the industrialized common law countries), an outer ring of countries strongly influenced by English language and law, and finally, a periphery of countries exposed to the language and law indirectly, through the international institutions (in trade and politics). A second major contribution is Bennett's outline of the "cultural nations" of the Anglosphere. These "cultural nations," often identified in the turmoil of 17th and 18th century England, cross modern national borders. They provide a more effective tool for understanding the politics and behaviour of modern Anglosphere countries. Finally, Bennett offers the term "network commonwealth" to describe the economic, social, and intellectual connections between Anglosphere nations that will largely overtake (but not replace) the current sovereign nations. Anglosphere nations like Canada, especially in the Internet era, will find themselves quickly and easily co-operating to handle the innovations and challenges of the 21st century.

Canadians will find their past, present and future discussed in the chapters of this book. Our lives have been profoundly affected by the two titans of the English-speaking world, the UK and US. Bennett provides a cultural context for this influence that readers from this country will find fascinating. A book that will make you think. A companion website offers sneak peek at the book plus updates on concepts and sources: anglospherechallenge.com.

James C. Bennett explores some reasons for why English speaking names with an English heritage have done so well over the last couple centuries, and why they will continue to do well. The author points out that history is a pretty good indicator of the future. If we can understand why certain cultures have been successful, we may be able to understand which cultures will do well in the future.

This book is full of interesting ideas and observations. One of them is there are two types of problems, bounded and unbounded. Bounded problems have clear answers. A simple bounded problem is what is "2 + 2" with a clear answer of four. There are more complex bounded problems, like how much fuel with a 747 use carrying 187 people from Chicago to Atlanta. The problem is well defined, and the issues are all pretty much all known. Unbounded problems do not have clear definitions, let alone clear answers, at least in the beginning. Which video format is going to dominate, VHS or Beta? Who is going to win the next presidential election? What recent technological developments will become important in the future? This reminded me of "The Wisdom of Crowds" by James Surowiecki. James Surowiecki says that under certain situations a large group of people can make better decisions than a few experts. James Bennett points out that often the private sector does a much better job of dealing with unbounded problems, and that the culture of the Anglosphere tends to promote private sector solutions.

Another interesting idea builds on the economic principle that specialization with trade allows greater economic development. If an individual had to depend on everything he produced he would have to be a subsistence farmer and/or hunter. But as families, communities, cities, and nations develop, along with the ability to trade with others, people can increase their productiveness by focusing on specific areas of interest or expertise. Adam Smith used showed the value of this when talking about a group of manufactures who each focused on a single step in the production of sewing needles. James Bennett says that by increasing the level of trade and trust to include other nations, there can be greater economic growth. Those nations in the Anglosphere have an easier time trading with each other, which allows even more specialization. It is hard to trade with those who you don't trust, or those who have different cultural expectations. So the Anglosphere has a great advantage in having a large network to work with.

The book explores the idea of separating physical space, from transportation space, and from communication space. We measure the physical space in miles. But transportation space is largely influenced by how easy it is to move from one place to another. Historically moving by ships over rivers and the ocean was much cheaper than traveling by land. Communication space really started to become its own space with the development of the telegraph, and exploded with the development of the internet. Now it is almost as easy to communicate with someone anywhere in the world, as it is to talk with your neighbor.

James Bennett says that in general those with an English Heritage, or who are largely influenced by Anglo ideas, are more flexible and will be able to react quicker than European Nations, Japan, China, India, and so on. They have a greater ability to trust each other, and take initiative on a personal level. His sees the development of organizations which support each other that transcend national boundaries. There are a number of libertarian ideas here.

If you are into books which explore the big picture and deal with new and fascinating ideas, this is a good book to read. I don't think everything James Bennett talks about here will happen, but he does provide some interesting insights into what may happen over the next fifty years. This is not a quick read. This book is meant to be read slowly and thoughtfully, and pondered over time. This book is well worth reading

I could not put this book down! Ann Arbor South '96 is wonderfully writen! I felt that I understood Eric and wanted to give him such a big hug! He truly was the hero of the story. He put up with years of abuse and never stopped going on. He contined walking with his head held up and got his diploma. Where I believe others would have dropped out. Not Eric he is a fighter.
I was very moved with this story. We all know how hard it is in High School. But imagine how hard it is when your different then most people. I'm hoping everyone reads this book. I feel it will open so many peoples minds about how to treat people.
Ignorace is not bliss.

This book opens your eyes to how it is in high school.....at every angle. The nerds, the jocks, the popular and everyone else. I totally enjoyed every minute of the book and will make my three girls(4yrs and twin 2 yr olds) read it before they start high school. Whether they think they will be a bully or a snob maybe after reading it will open their eyes on how to treat others in a very hard time in their lives. Hopefully it will teach them how to be open minded which is so important:) Hats off to the author!!

This book is a moving look into what [...] teenagers had to go through in order to be themselves. It truly pictured the hardships of what kids go through and the power of true friends. I was impressed that the author captured all the cliques of high school and just how mean teenagers of that age can be. This story really runs the gauntlet. I loved the book and it is definately one you should pick up and read.

What can I say about "Ann Arbor South '96?" Simply this, I was touched. The experiences the characters go through are truly realistic. The author does not try to snub the harsh realities of being gay in high school by glossing over hatred with romance. These experiences are so true to life, you are sure to be transported back to your own high school years. Heartfelt, moving, inspiring, and therapeutic all wrapped into one. An easy read that will create an abundance of emotions all at once.

The moment Eric Anderson lays eyes on the class jock, Andy McCain, at the beginning of their senior year his life is forever changed. Beefy, beautiful, and surprisingly sweet, Andy ignites a quick friendship with Eric. After a seductive cafeteria food fight, an amusing bathroom face-to-face, a chilling swimming pool kiss, and heartfelt library confession, the boys cannot resist their overblown teenage hormones and fall into an intense love that will test the loyalty of true friendships.

Eric is dangerously low on the high school popularity hierarchy while Andy rides it high as the school's sports superstar. Just talking to each other would be social suicide, so their romantic involvement remains strictly confidential. Although both boys are strangers to gay romance, Eric remains guarded with his heart since he is brutally harassed by his peers and has extreme trust issues. Andy is the opposite. He just cracks a bright, dimpled smile and everyone falls at his feet. His cockiness keeps him unprepared for what is about to happen.

Meanwhile, Eric's best friend, Kate Crawford, an overly self-assured spitfire, just can't seem to keep her manicured fists out of Justin Drake's eye sockets. She does not share Justin's proudly homophobic views or appreciate his ruthless torment of Eric. Justin is Andy's smug best friend but unaware Andy is gay and secretly dating Eric. Kate makes it her mission to awaken Justin's closed mind, by force if necessary. (She enjoys indulging in a good afternoon parking lot brawl!)

When Eric and Andy's affair is publicly exposed in the halls of school, Andy's furious friends, with Justin Drake front and center, attack Andy for the hidden homo lie. As most of the school officials turn blind eyes to the intensifying attacks, Andy's spirit is broken and he is unsure of himself or a definite future with Eric.

The supporting cast of characters include: a cruel, self-righteous gym teacher, who happily facilitates the attacks on Eric and later on his own star player, Andy; a careless, bored school principal, who is nothing more than annoyed by Eric's endless office visits, asking for help, and Kate's foul-mouth and fierce fists; Andy's only ex-girlfriend, who just may be a surprising supporter of her ex's new relationship; and a wise, candy bar-loving librarian, who smiles through the chocolate and gently relieves some of Andy's pain through her words.

Torn apart through a vicious fight but magnetically drawn back together, Eric and Andy decide their relationship is worth waging war on the masses. Their newfound confidence (along with Kate's unsubtle but still somehow sweet words of persuasion) helps open Justin's eyes and he slowly rekindles his friendship with Andy. Eventually, everyone's long, violent journeys see the end of the clashing, school-wide conflict and old friendships strengthen and renew and even the oddest of couples come together.

I enjoyed the authors' book on logistic regression analysis in 1989, and this book is just as good, or better, with many extremely practical suggestions on building regression models for survival data. Happily, the authors summarize, compare, and contrast several major texts on survival analysis which have appeared in the past 10 years. For example, they discuss different names used by different authors for score residuals. They present a helpful appendix on the counting process approach to survival analysis, which will make more advanced texts accessible to students; thus, anyone who wants to use survival analysis, at any level, should consult this book, even if he has already studied books by Miller, Lee, Collett, Fleming-Harington,Andersen, et al, etc. An unfortunate drawback to this book is that the first printing contains many careless errors, some of which may affect student learning: for example, the definition of a survival function is misstated. I recommend that you insist on the second or third printing when buying this book, and you will be quite satisfied.

The authors provide a really nice, non-technical survey of the landscape for Cox Proportional Hazards models. A nice aspect of their treatment is the care they take to reference all highly technical texts and journal articles. For example, if you'd like to find out more about goodness-of-fit tests for survival models, the authors provide ample references to the Counting Process Theory of Martingale Residuals.

The first chapter discusses the basic characteristics of survival data, including the notion of censoring (in all of its various forms). Examples of the principle types of censoring are included. The chapter also includes introductory material on the general survival model, including a nice description of the log likelihood function. Curiously, the rigorous definition of the hazard function has been omitted, probably to avoid intimidating readers who are not familiar with formal limits.

Chapter 2 continues to build up the general survival model and introduces the relationship between the survivor function and the cumulative hazard. Pointwise estimators for the survivor function are discussed, including the Kaplan-Meier estimator along with the various variance estimators. Test statistics for comparing two survival populations are introduced, including the Log-Rank and General Wilcoxon statistics. The reader is encouraged to read the counting process treatments of these statistics to see why they produced defensible hypothesis tests.

Chapter 3 is devoted to the Cox Model and Cox's partial likelihood function. Tests for significance of the coefficients are introduced, included the Wald test, log likelihood ratio test and the score test. These are used heavily in the later chapters as the basis of a model-building methodology.

Chapter 4 is a very short, but nicely written chapter explaining how to interpret the values of each regression coefficent. It also describes covariate-adjustment techniques for model diagnostics.

Chapter 5 is just a wonderful chapter which outlines classical model building techniques. This is a great chapter for anyone who has ever been thrown a ton of data (with a bushel of possible covariates) and asked to "fit a model to this stuff".
Readers who have done a lot of purposeful fitting of linear regression models won't find the basic techniques new, but use of survival specific residuals and selection criterion will probably be an eye-opener. The section on assessing the functional form for continuous covariates is also nicely written.
However, the section on Best Subsets Selection was a little too "cook-booky" for my taste.

Chapter 6 is another very nice chapter on goodness-of-fit. It discusses analysis of the various residuals and their use for analysis outliers, testing proportional hazards assumptions and overall Goodness-of-Fit.

Chapter 7 discusses the standard extensions of the Cox model, including stratification and time-varying covariates. Chapter 8 discusses parametric survival models, and is a good introduction to the SAS procedure LIFEREG. The generalization of the Cox model to recurring event data (also know as Aalen's multiplicative intensity model) can be found in Chapter 9.

My only complaint is that each chapter was designed to be read in one sitting. Individual ideas, topics and formulas can be buried in a seemingly unbroken chain of paragraphs. The lack of sub-sub section titles,etc, makes using the text as is somewhat cumbersome to use as a desk reference. I've gotten around this limitation by marking key concepts, etc., in the margin in order to give a "quick search" capability enhancement to the index.

Applied Survival Analysis is an excellent book for someone seeking a non-mathematicial explanation of survival analysis. The book covers the motivation behind the development of survival analysis, estimation of survival curves, the Cox proportionial hazards, and some parametric models. The book also covers the major methods used in variable selection, model building, and diagnostics. Someone with an undergraduate background in statistics and econometrics will understand the book. The book relies on text to discuss the methods and uses mathematical formulas only when absolutely necessary. Numerous examples are used to highlight what the text covers. The math that is used is easily understandable. This book is ideal for someone who needs to learn the tools of survival analysis but not how they were derived.

This book provides a good, clear, concise explanation of Cox's proportional hazards models. For someone seeking a non-mathematical description this is a great guide. The original datasets from the text examples can even be downloaded and you can go through the same process yourself. Because of some mistakes in the text, I would recomend looking at other sources as well.

Hosmer and Lemeshow have given us a clear, nontechnical introduction to using survival models. The book strikes a good balance between covering the basics and addressing the most recent, state-of-the-art techniques, including repeated events, frailty models, and others. They also do a good job of addressing practical issues, including estimation details and available software. While most of the examples are drawn from medicine and biostatistics, this book could also serve as a useful starting point for social and behavioral scientists interesting in learning the fundamentals of these models, as well as a useful reference for applied researchers.

Isaac Asimov normally writes science fiction or about science. So, why would he have written a whole book about the Bible? Especially when you factor in that Asimov was an avowed atheist. The short answer has to do with two things, 1. He wrote about whatever caught his interest, and 2. the Bible is read by a lot of people who think that it gives them then answers to all questions, including questions having to do with science.

Basically, Asimov was trying to show that the bible was written with certain ideas in mind. It does not answer all the questions of the world, like some right wing ideologs like to think it does.

His commentary on the bible also goes to show what a lot of things really meant. Like Shakespeare, the bible can be a little difficult to grasp in the beginning. Certain words have different meanings than they do in general use. Place names are sometimes different today, then when the various books of the bible were written. Asimov goes a long to explaining a lot of those things.

Asimov opens by stating that what most of us know of world history comes from the Bible and then in a tour-de-Asimov introduces the reader to thousands of details concerning the little we know. Very thorough, very informative and above all, very readable. As a coincidence, I had just finished reading Mark Twain's "Innocents Abroad," which includes Twain's visit to the Holy Land, when I began "Asimov's Guide to the Bible." The two books form a pleasant symetry of knowledge and perception concerning those ancient times and peoples.

Asimov presents the Bible in a manner not often done; with historical insight.

Think about it, to enjoy any great work, from the Divine Comedy to Less than Zero one has to understand the social / political environment the author was exposed to at the time of writing.

The book is written from a secular perspective, so if you are looking for someone to beat the drum for your believe system, look elsewhere. That isn't to say that this book is not written for the faithful. Asimov does a good job of presenting the historical facts, and when delving into speculation, either his own of that of biblical scholars, he is sure to mention it.

Reading this book will only enhance your biblical knowledge by giving you a better understanding of the Bible. Use it as a reference to formulate your own beliefs.

I will say that I have fended off quite a few born again Christians who felt the need to align me with their belief system by using some of the facts and insight this book has given me.

I love Asimov's writings. His Science Fiction has helped create the genre. His History works are always insightful.

I also love the Bible, and knowing old Issac is an Athiest I bought this book with a degree of trepidation.

My trepidation was unfounded. Asimov treats the Bible with respect and understanding. He recognises many of the Old Testament Prophecies about Jesus (another point that concerned me, knowing of Asimov's Jewish heritage).

He puts the Bible into its wider historical perspective.

This isn't the first book I will refer to to understand a part of the Bible, but it is one to which I will often refer.

The Christian bible is a fascinating document, and the contents are open to a vast array of interpretations. In this book, Isaac Asimov examines it from a historical perspective. Despite the enormous attention that it has received from scholars of all types, the authorship of many of the sections has not been established, and Asimov makes that very clear. What is the most fascinating aspect is the interpretation of some of the passages based on the social and political conditions of the time. Whatever you may think about the early leaders of the Christian church, one fact remains very clear. They managed to take a small movement and turn it into an international one that survived fierce persecution by the Roman Empire, the greatest and most long-lived political power the world has ever seen. This is most impressive, and those who accept the Christian religion will find Asimov's descriptions supportive of their beliefs, even though he was a secular humanist.
A book that describes the beginnings and growth of a powerful institution that outlived and outgrew all others that tried to destroy it, as a popular record of the history of the movement it has no equal.

This book is a great read for action officers and DoD staffers! I found it very helpful upon my recent assignment to the Pentagon. Must read for military and civilians working at operational and strategic levels of national defense! Many thanks to the author for their insights!

A great book, highly recommended for anyone working in the Pentagon! I'm in my first Pentagon tour, and found this book immensely useful. My initial impression of Pentagon life was professional bewilderment: totally new vocabulary, totally new set of concerns, different rules for doing business. Much more so than with most of my 'new' jobs along the way, this one totally threw me off with with respect to the norms and expectations.

There are many courses for navigating these strange waters (most of which I've attended), but there's so much to learn that these courses are primarily focused on the "What Is It, and How Does It Work?" level. The "What's normal?" level is usually left off the end (due to time constraints), for the student to work out on his/her own. I've been blessed with very patient bosses, and have been allowed to work out 'normal' for myself, but I frequently had so many questions that I'd hesistate asking them all at once. And then came Assignment Pentagon - a life saver.

I stumbled across Assignment Pentagon about three months into the job - 2-1/2 months too late! Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down - it spoke to my nagging questions and left me a MUCH better informed Action/Requirements Officer. The turn-around in professional understanding was so profound for me that I've been recommending it to anyone else that checks in here, and think it's absolutely critical to understand the place you work in the depth that Assignment Pentagon delivers it.

Many thanks to the authors for putting this much-needed work together, and for keeping it updated. I only hope that they're still updating it when I've got my next set of orders to the Pentagon.

This book was first published in the 1980s, and has been apparently revised as recently as March 2007. The edition I read comes from 2002. The book is interesting. It fulfills its billing as a straight guide to what is important inside the big five-sided building along the Potomac River.

Maj Gen Smith's most interesting piece of insight comes about half way through in his discussion of the media and the Pentagon leadership. In discussing the role of the daily "Early Bird" news roundup, Gen Smith asserts that senior Pentagon leaders read the volume diligently, seeing the press not as an antagonist, but rather as a source of new and interesting takes on what they may or may not already know.

Unfortunately, Gen Smith has a bad habit of occasionally interjecting his personal opinion into his otherwise objective analysis. Also, even though the book says it was revised for 2002, it appears that many sections of the book have not been updated since its original publication 15 years earlier.

All in all, this is a solid, brief overview, of some of what goes through Pentagon employees heads on a daily basis. It is worth the read for that reason if for no other.

I am the author of this book. When the new administration took office, it was time to update this book about how the Pentagon works, how to work with the Pentagon and how to work within the Pentagon. There is an enormous amount of misinformation about the Pentagon and what I have tried to do is stick to the realities and to destroy some of the myths. I have received many comments about this book. The most surprising ones have come from people who work in corporations who have told me that this book has given them lots of ideas about how improve their performance in their present jobs.

I am the author of this book. When the new administration took office, it was time to update this book about how the Pentagon works, how to work with the Pentagon and how to work within the Pentagon. There is an enormous amount of misinformation about the Pentagon and what I have tried to do is stick to the realities and to destroy some of the myths. I have received many comments about this book. The most surprising ones have come from people who work in corporations who have told me that this book has given them lots of ideas about how improve their performance in their present jobs.

Ev's a wild man, he's crazy, ya gotta love that guy. Bada bing! Land grab, way to go, pow! What a loon! Sign me up!

An interesting book that covers a range of strategic issues involved with space. Lays out the basics of space operations. An insightful read.

The geopolitics of space will be a more timely topic in the years ahead with so many spacefaring nations seeding fleets to 'the Moon, Mars, and Beyond.' The serious treatment of geopolitics of space is of growing importance. The space regimes fashioned by diplomats of the past must evolve in the years ahead to foster commercial activity and private property ownership. Astropolitics is abound as most recently evidenced by the reaction to President George W. Bush and his space policy internationally. This book is essential reading for those seeking to grasp the multiple issues that must be addressed on the direction ahead.

The introduction of the beliefs and dictums of geopolitics, the school of thought bringing together geography and international relations, in space theory and practice was, admittedly, long overdue. This is masterfully accomplished in this book, which, while been accessible and democratic in its style, is highly informed and thought-provoking.
With the traditional struggles over terrestrial supremacy being far from over, the arena of space offers a new field for the realization of the power strategies of the contemporary "Great Powers". This is turn directly affects the power relations back home (Earth, that is), shaping thus the political landscape of the near future.
The author, drawing from a plethora of geopolitical, historical and space-related records, has produced a compelling and essential read, concretly laying the foundations for a new, inter-disciplinary and highly relevant ground.

Dolman's thoughts in Astropolitik should be essential reading for anyone interested in space power and its relationship to the security of freedom, democracy and the United States in the 21st century. This book will definitely be required reading for military space leaders in the future, and should be read by every space leader or enthusaist today be they from the military, civil, or commercial sectors. Realist politics and unilateral action may be disheartening to some, and many may be opposed to Dolman's 'advice' at the end, but the logic and arguments he presents are sound and must be addressed by any potential opposition.
In all, Astropolitik will become a classic of space power theory.

One of the best compositions of Bible maps. I recommend all my students to purchase this book, so they can better understand the sites mentioned in the Bible.

This product was delivered to me in excellent condition. It was brand new just as promised. I am very satisfied with the books that I have received from Amazon.com.

These maps are incredible. Places in the Bible in the OT that you can't find in some others, it's here! On the outside, it looks like a children's book; but once you utilize it in your study of the Scripture, it is phenomenal.

An affordable atlas of bible lands. Great for college students to get a general background on the topology and locations where historical Biblical events occured.

My husband and I teach an indepth class on the Old Testament one semester then the New Testament the next semester alternating. We used the previous edition of this same book, but we were even more blown away by the new revised edition. Every student of the Bible needs to purchase one. They are priceles.