Bernstein Books

If you have had doubts or conflicting thoughts about your relationship, take a deep breathe, order this book and read it. It will definitely change a lot of your thoughts to more real and concrete truths that will help you and your significant other reach the ultimate calm in relationships. You will change for the better, and even if your significant other reads it or not, they will also change due to you reading this book. Trust me, this author knows what he is talking about. I wouldn't order any other book but this one. It definitely changed my way of thinking and made me appreciate what i have, instead of what i want.

Dr. Bernstein has captured the essential elements not only to rebuilding and strengthening a fractured relationship, but really to live a happier life. All it takes is an open mind, and a little dedication to the process, and by reading and practicing the simple tips outlined, you can truly transform the quality of your life. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anybody who would like to improve their relationship with their spouse/partner. What you gain from reading this book is not just a profound improvement in your primary relationship, but a way to create happier, balanced relationships with other people in your life as well. These are practical, real tips that can be applied to everyday situations (I've even improved the quality of my worklife by discovering how negative I was, and how my toxic thoughts were impairing so many areas outside of my relationship issues).

This excellent book, written by family therapist Dr. Jeffrey Bernstein, is practical, easy-to-follow, and a quick read. Although it is not an instant panacea for relationship ills it did make me recognize my own (negative) contributions to my relationship with my husband and, later, with other, less integral people in my life. Be open-minded, willing to learn, and spend the time and thought to do the exercises honestly. I read this book prior to choosing Dr. Jeff as a therapist and cannot speak highly enough about him. (Yes, I am fortunate enough to live in the same area as his practice!)

This was such a well written and easy to read book. So often, relationship guidance is written in a style which seems to be meant for fellow therapists. This book used humor and everyday language and situations to efficiently get the points across. There is enough repetition of the advice, but not too much. I will end up reading it again and recommending it to my friends.

This book is really helpful and right on target. It seems so many people try to have magical mind reading abilities and this book helps to sort that fantasy out!! Particularly useful to give to others to read as a gift!!

Great follow up to his Invisible Wall book......he is 98 yrs old, wonderful story but read Invisible Wall first please to get the most out of it!

This is a book that portrays the role of the mother in most immigrant families coming to America. With great hope in their hearts for a better life for their children, it was the mothers who brought their children through great changes and eventual immergence into the American mainstream. Their faith in a better future helped them to carry on in some dire circumstances and this book is from a 97 year old who writes this anthem to his mother who found her happiness in the family that came to assimilate into the American Dream that in many ways she could not find for herself.

After reading "The Invisible Wall" I knew that I had to purchase "The Dream." Not only is Mr. Bernstein an effective writer--he just happens to live in the town next-door! Mr. Bernstein's account of his early years in England, living on a street comprised of both Christians and Jews and of the "invisible wall" between the two cultures was so moving that I immediately started on "The Dream." This book does not disappoint. The 98-year old author continues his story, now in the United States. But the realization of his mother's dream of living in the USA does not make life easier for this family. They say that truth is stranger than fiction and Mr. Bernstein's history certainly proves the old maxim to be true. Unusual characters, from mobsters to rabbis, many of them relatives, abound. Poignant but never maudlin, his books are reminiscent of those of Frank McCourt and tell of an age long past. Replete with sorrow and deep sadness we are reminded in the end of the triumph of the human spirit and of our shared humanity. In telling his own tale Mr. Bernstein has managed to tell the story of us all and to tear down the walls that separate us. This book is a must-read!!

Last year, I read Harry Bernstein's "The Invisible Wall" and could not put it down. I could not believe what a vivid memory Harry had of his youth in England - especially considering that he wrote it at age 95. His description and detail made the story come alive and I felt as if I was right there with his family. It was because of that first book that I eagerly awaited the arrival of "The Dream". The Dream was not a disappointment. It met all my expectations. Again, I could not put it down until I finished reading it. It is amazing to think he wrote the second book at age 98. I now eagerly await the new book that Harry is writing. There is a Yiddish expression: "To one hundred and twenty". I can only wish that longevity for Harry so he can write more books for me to read.

I have read many memoirs, since those are what I prefere to read. Now that I have read this beautiful memoir, The Dream, writen by Harry Bernstien, all the others pale in comparison. I first picked up The Invisible Wall by Mr. Bernstein, I liked it from the first page. I was glued to that book and absolutley could not put it down. While reading it I was thinking, Oh please let there be many many more of his books continuing the tale of his very interesting family. As soon as I finished The Invisible Wall and found there to be a sequel, I ordered it from Amazon and was so impatient, could barley wait for its arrival. I just finished it. It took about 18 hours, non stop, except to sleep. It was just as good as the first.
He tells his story so vividly. I felt that I was there with these people, that I knew them personally. I cringed when I knew some thing that was said or done was going to make the father angry. For I had "known" how his father was by now. I felt sad for Harrys mother. I cried, deep rib racking cries at the end of The Dream.
I know Harry is 98 now, but I selfishly want him to keep producing books. But, I know in reality..... But the grapevine says he started another. Wow, this man is something else. I don't remember what happen in my life nine years ago let alone 90 years ago. I will never forget these stories of how it was for this family in those days. Very interesting to see it through a mind of a child all the way through to his adulthood. The story was so easy to read, well told and written beautifully, by this beautiful man and his heart wrenching account of what took place.
Oh "Arry", my only regret is that you didn't start to write this sooner. Thank you for bringing readers this unforgettable story. It will stay in my mind and heart forever!

The irony here is that neither Woodward nor Bernstein would speak with the author, despite having made millionaires out of themselves over the past 30-plus years by insinuating themselves into other peoples' lives and putting everything they've ever been told by anyone about anyone else between book covers. A bit of a double standard. Still, this look at how Watergate affected these two reporters is an engrossing read and a first class research job. Many many intriguing revelations for anyone who follows journalism and those who still like to read about the Watergate scandal. It's all tied up with a red bow because of the revelation in 2005 that Deep Throat was former FBI official Mark Felt, a secret that Woodstein kept religiously for three decades. Woodward's latest books on Bush are a bit boring, but that doesn't come across here. His Belushi expose remains his best, but this book points out that Woodward never again went outside politics in his reporting. Too bad. He should.

A MUST-READ FOR WATERGATE JUNKIES! We have all followed Woodward and Bernstein's careers through newspaper articles and the occa¬sional TV interview. Now Alicia Shepard has gathered all those data into a book about what Watergate did for them...and to them. It is a fascinating tale of young reporters who got sudden fame and fortune early in their lives, and how Woodward prospered while Bernstein foundered.
Shepard had access to their entire Watergate archives, and my only criticism of the book is its liberal quotations of that material. When "letters and telegrams" pour in from all over the country to them, it is not necessary to quote from so many. It slows down the narrative and you will find yourself skipping over most of these repetitive passages. All in all, it is a 266 page book that would have a much easier read at about 225. But if you love Water¬gate and all that came in its wake, pick up this book and read about how it careened the careers of these little reports to un¬known heights and depths.

When the five burglars bungled their bugging mission at the Watergate in June of 1972, they unwittingly changed not only our country's political history, but its journalistic one as well. Alicia Shepard has masterfully chronicled the successes and struggles, both professional and personal, of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, the men who blew the lid off Watergate, in this informative and enjoyable book. She recounts their investigation of the scandal, illuminating a new perspective through extensive interviews with their editors. She pulls no punches in exposing their triumphs and their failures in the ensuring three decades, in their reporting, their marriages, and even their relationship with each other. The result is an eminently readable book that will leave you feeling as if you have finally gotten the inside scoop on the men whose names are synonymous with Watergate.

Alicia C. Shepard has written what should become the definitive biography of Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Her book is scholarly without being pedantic and revelatory without being salacious. She skillfully shows how Watergate affected not only history, but journalism, and the lives of the two young men who doggedly pursued the truth. This book is must reading for anyone who wants to become a journalist, or who cares about what journalists do.

John DeDakis
CNN Senior Copy Editor, "The Situation Room"
Author, FAST TRACK
[...]

This book is a terrific explanation of the Kismet that brought Woodward and Bernstein together with the fortunate, and rare, backing of a committed publisher to chronicle truth in the midst of near-battlefield conditions. Read it and be amazed that it happened. Read it and be proud of journalism, many members of Congress, our courts and citizens reading, watching, and caring that our government, not politics, carried the day. It's so interestingly written that it shoved aside all the rest of the books on my "must read" pile.

It seems to me--and I admit the possibility that I may be wrong--that when I retired back around the turn of the century (1999, to be exact), retirement planning books were mostly about money. Yes, financial planning is very important, but it always seemed to me that by the time you reach retirement, you've done it or you haven't. I'd planned in my own conservative way, so I never read those books.

Today, thanks to the self-help book craze, the scope and number of retirement guides seem to have expanded. I'm not a fan of self-help books in general, and I've been retired quite a while, but I still decided to take a look at one of the retirement guides for the new age.

Your Retirement, Your Way, by Alan Bernstein and John Trauth, is subtitled, "Why it takes more than money to live your dream." In thirteen chapters, including "Preparing Psychologically for Change," "Creating Your NewLife Master Plan Summary," and "Determining How You Want to Be Remembered," Bernstein and Trauth cover many of the retirement concerns I've faced, and they provide common-sense guides for coming to terms with these issues.

The authors of this book invite you to create a "personal, customized NewLife Master Plan . . . through a structured process that will give you the power to take your future life into your own hands and create the best possible retirement lifestyle unique to your own interests, personality, relationships, and situation." A lofty goal, indeed!

I especially like Bernstein's "Who Were You? Who Are You? Who Can You Become?" chapter because the author suggests writing down things such as "What I was doing when I was at my best," "Situations in which I've been at my worst," and many more. I promote the same strategy in a less structured way in my own book, Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors who Want to Write (Infinity, 2007). "Writing to Discover," as I call it, is a great idea! I'm glad to see it included here.

I was also happy to be introduced to the "Birkman personality profile" (copyright Birkman International, Inc.), a somewhat complex but very interesting strategy used by some psychotherapists "to better understand people negotiating complex transitions."

I tried the included "Birkman Interest and Style Summary" to discover my interest and lifestyle colors: Red (Implementer), Green (Communicator), Yellow (Administrator) or Blue (Planner). My result was blue all the way. That means I like to plan activities, deal with abstraction, think of new approaches, innovate, and work with ideas. It also means that I appear perceptive, agreeable, conscientious, reflective, and creative.

Blue means that my interests include abstracting, theorizing, designing, writing, and originating, and that my fields include writing a book, joining a spiritual commuinity, teaching, and volunteering. My style is insightful, relective, selectively sociable, creative, thoughful, emotional, imaginative, and sensitive, and my preferred environment is cutting edge, informallly paced, organized in private offices, low key, and future oriented. With the exception of "joining a spiritual community," these terms fit me perfectly. If I had not pretty much done so already in my own way, I could have gone on with goals, strategies, objectives, and specific activities and tasks to create my NewLife Chart.

There's much more in this book, including one chapter on financial planning, but the emphasis is on self-anaylsis, facing reality, and planning ahead. This book fulfills its stated purpose to "help you recognize and draw on resources that you may never have recognized . . . to create a truly fulfilling life, custom-designed for you and you alone."

I heartily recommend Your Retirement, Your Way to anyone nearing or even beginning to think about retirement. It's a big step; don't take it unprepared.

Seniorwriting: A Brief Guide for Seniors Who Want to Write

During my working years all of my emphasis has been on only one element of retirement, finance's. Certainly it is important but I began to wonder how would I spend my time. How do I give back? Can I add value to my community? What is really important to my family and me in this next life's phase? Will I be able to stay busy and productive or spend the majority of time watching the History Channel? Will I have a reason to get up each morning? Because of this uncertainly I have delayed retirement for the past two years.

Alan Bernstein and John Trauth have given me a process to determine my retirement direction. Although there is much to be done I'm planning on retiring next June. I feel comfortable that retirement is an opportunity to give back and add value. Much to my family's surprise, I'm looking forward to life's next journey. Retirement will only be the beginning not the end and a continuing learning process. Many thanks to "Your Retirement, your Way" for the nudge I needed.

This unique book combines psychological self-testing to better know oneself, (ones needs, interests, dislikes, what one is good at, & less good at,) with a personal strategic planning process resulting in a personalized & updateable action plan to fully live the 50% of ones life ahead that one may have in today's world if we're in the 60 yr old range.
Absolutely great for baby-boomers who believe in themselves & taking charge of their own future!

I loved this book. It was all about ME! This is a wonderful read about what to do before and after retirement - masterfully written with great advice.

To look upon this extraordinary work as a "how-to" book about retirement is to miss the point. Once the reader gets into it just a little way, it becomes apparent that Your Retirement, Your Way, is a tool, potentially immensely useful, for giving thoughtful consideration to the "third chapter in our lives", and then building a personalized `Master Plan'. The plan is comprehensive, in that it includes not only the financial side of things, but also the psychological preparatory work that makes the transition to "retirement" a rewarding experience. In short, this book not only makes you think, but also engages you in a rich, complex and in-depth process which goes far beyond what professional financial advisers will tackle.

The authors recognize that financial planning is only a part of retirement planning. The genius of the book is that it integrates the financial side of things with the personal, psychological issues that merit--but seldom receive--acknowledgement and attention. The reader performs exercises that reveal his or her individual personality profile. This leads to careful consideration of life goals, and the preparation of a meaningful "New Life One-Year Action Plan."

There is an explicit recognition that one's retirement plan is going to involve costs quite different from those that are a part of pre-retirement life. Every aspect of financial planning is covered in clear English. As with the psychological side, the financial parts of the book can easily be understood by anyone.

I mentioned that Your Retirement, Your Way, is `potentially' immensely useful. That's because the reader really must follow through with the exercises that are essential to the process. If you are looking for a quick read to get some facts about retirement and its challenges, this is not your book. If you want a trusted adviser who will help you develop your own, personal approach to retirement over a few weeks, then get the book, and get to work!

This is an important work, both in a psychological and cultural sense. Bernstein is writing about "Borderland" personalities and environmental illness but these two issues also relate to a sea change going on below the surface of the Western psyche. Bernstein is one of a very small number of people who is trying to track this sea change -- pointing us to its possibilities and its potential dangers. Living in the Borderland is a big picture book that dares to ask the really important cultural questions of our day.

This book is ahead of its time in looking at the link between environment and humanity, and what happens to us when nature suffers. It illumintes the blow to all living things that takes place when the earth suffers. The final section on the interface between western medicine and Navaho healing could be a stand-alone book.

In his book Living in the Borderland, Jungian Analyst Jerome Bernstein provides a fascinating account of the development of the Western ego from an historical interpretation of the Bible down to our present post-Cold War environment. The author posits that this development has moved the Western psyche away from its roots in Nature into an ever more abstracted intellectual consciousness. As the human species approaches the very real potential for self-annihilation through nuclear assault and ultimate environmental degradation, an evolutionary shift in psychic consciousness has begun, a shift that appears in a growing number of individuals. In a Darwinian sense, it is an evolutionary manifestation of species survival. This shift is evidenced as the psyche's reconnection with Nature, to Nature in all its forms, animate and inanimate, that over the millennia the collective Western ego has neglected as it has developed increasingly toward abstraction of thought and the illusion of control. Through the years of his therapeutic practice Bernstein has seen many patients who are exhibiting this psychic shift. He calls these people Borderlanders, they live in a borderland between rational intellect and an emerging transrational consciousness.

For some Borderlanders, this awareness of the transrational as a dominant and controlling force in the psyche can be traumatic, not infrequently causing the individual to worry that he or she may be "crazy." Traditional psychological approaches to therapy often exacerbate this fear in that most therapists are unaware of the "normalcy" of this evolutionary shift in consciousness. They therefore tend to consider their Borderland patients as suffering from a psychic pathology. And herein is a major emphasis of this book: to alert psychological and medical practitioners as well as the patients themselves, that certain patients' experiences, while evidencing symptoms of psychic trauma, may not be pathological. The situation is often complicated, however, when a patient may evidence psychological illness that is genuinely symptomatic of traumatic experience, yet is unrelated to a patient's borderland consciousness. In this case it is the formidable task of the therapist to differentiate the pathological from the new evolutionary consciousness that is beginning to manifest.

The book is extremely well researched and thoroughly documented with personal testimonials, bibliographic references, and case studies, and contains an exhaustive bibliography. It is essential reading for all psychotherapists and medical practitioners and their patients, and is especially relevant to those suffering from or treating environmental illness. Individuals interested in Jungian psychology and early childhood educators who may be encountering this psychic phenomenon among children will find the guidance of this book invaluable.

Reviewed by Mari Graña, writer. Santa Fe, NM

This author clearly describes what constitutes a Borderland Personality and the effect having access to non-ordinary states of consciousness may have on the lives of individuals. The description of his work as a Jungian Analyst, also utilizing Navajo healing modalities expands the horizons of Western psychotherapy. I was interested in the differentiation between dissociation occurring as the result of personal trauma and the transition into Borderland states. He addresses this issue by noting that Borderland Personalities find acceptance of their Borderland states by a healing professional extremely healing in itself and that these states are experienced as sacred. Bernstein also utilizes his own countertransferential bodily sensations as clues. I found his hypothesis that Borderland Personalities' intimate experiences of nature such as communication with animals represents an evolutionary correction to the human ego's development and split from nature, especially in the West, interesting.

There are lots of reviews listed here which endeavor to summarize Mr. Bernstein's book. I found his thesis thoughtful and revolutionary, and comforting..since I've considered myself a borderlander for years. His treatment de-pathologizes us space cadets who have been shocked into retreating from the harsh cultural milleau of American society into an unworldly misty place. Spending time in Nature is often our only calming option.

At the same time, living in a borderland brings with it...it seems to me...a peculiar paralysis in dealing with economic and other social realities we can't avoid. It can be a form of escape from lovelessness and confusion which stifles the ego. Egolessness is not the answer, in my own opinion for healthy individuation and living a life of purpose.

I would complement Bernstein's book with Richard Lind's "The Seeking Self" and Greg Mogenson's book, "A Most Accursed Religion" to help reframe our view of ourselves and the Universe/God. Individuation requires that we be able to take responsibility for ourselves and maturing. Is it really a God we are experiencing in breaking the gateways between ego and the Unconscious, or is it the destruction of consciousness and ego?

Great read though. Don't miss it!

This book is amazing, I didn't expect a book on software engineering to be so easy to read and understand.

Most of the other software engineering books I read are too academic and detached from the industry.

The case studies provided in this book are things I can totally relate to as a software developer. Question/Answer sections are great.

Overall this book is very well written, it is a true masterpiece.

The knowledge I gleaned from this textbook was directly responsible for my getting a high paying software engineering job immediately after leaving college - that alone should be a testament to its value. It gives a wide reaching survey (yet certainly not lacking for details) of the latest cutting-edge methods for software engineering as well as the tried-and-true methods that have been in use for decades, while placing a primary emphasis on writing software that is trustworthy on time and within budget. In a software engineering world where ethics have fallen out of favor and the "almighty schedule" has become more important than quality and security, this textbook is an extremely refreshing view of how to apply modern principles and process to produce not merely programs but supportable, trustworthy programming systems products. And best of all, Bernstein shows you how to do it ON-TIME and WITHIN BUDGET by performing quantitative cost and time estimation prior to and during the development process. If software engineering is to reach the level of professionalism long associated with other engineering disciplines, we must all embrace the methods and principles discussed in Bernstein's book.

It's important to note also that there are many case studies in this book from Bernstein's distinguished career at Bell Labs, and they are extremely valuable in learning what "works" and what should be avoided. Software engineering as a discipline doesn't learn from its mistakes as well as other engineering fields, but this book takes 35 years of hard-earned experience and the latest research by Bernstein, Boehm, Parnas, and others, and condenses it into what I consider the best software engineering textbook on the market. This is a must-read for any computer science practitioner who wants to consider himself a true engineer and a professional.

The most commendable single aspect of this book is the extensive set of real case studies. The main author (Bernstein) comes from decades in high tech industry and this permeates the entire book. The book is extremely broad in scope too, so the prospective reader or student gets a tour of a vast array of related subjects. The quantitative basis for the entire book constantly reminds the reader of the usefulness of a quantitative approach to all sorts of aspects of software engineering. Prospective buyers can dive in to the text at Amazon and make up their own mind about the usefulness for their own purposes. Take a look!

This book does a great job of covering the key tools and techniques used in the development of software systems. It is very readable, and is suitable as a course text or an informative reference guide for practicing programmers and managers. A wealth of case study material provides insights into how to develop reliable software, on time and within budget. Sprinkled throughout are pragmatic rules of thumb and metrics. A good read and a good addition to any reference collection!

Well, this is certainly a much different type of software engineering textbook than I have seen in the last score of years ☺! I was a reviewer of early editions of Pressman, and a user of every edition since the second one at four different universities. Shooman's classic 20+ years ago is another early data point for a graduate course. The Software Engineering Lectures of Tom DeMarco and Ed Yourdon from 1979 are still shelved six feet away from me, and have been referenced in every undergrad and graduate software engineering related course I have taught since 1984. The same shelves contain Pfleeger, Leach, Lethbridge, Peters, Watts & Humphrey, Sommerville, Thayer and many others within the combined 12 foot lineal span. They obviously are used, but not to the extent of Pressman.

That may be about to be changed! Larry Bernstein's new text states on page 32 ".. none of these [principles of sound organizations] will work unless our profession recognizes the next core element in the evolution of software processes as a fundamental principle. Software trustworthiness is the next major area in which academic and industry must focus -- both for national security reasons as well as to ensure that the U.S. software industry maintains its leadership. The three attributes of software reliability, security and safety comprise trustworthiness."

I totally agree with the belief about where we should focus our attention in coming years, but not for the reasons that Larry cites. Let me explain:
* Having worked as a software/knowledge engineer on the Space Shuttle program for Rockwell International for four years, including the maiden flight of Discovery within a few months of my hire date in 1984, I am a very firm believer that the trustworthiness of the software in the shuttle and all the support effort was a gold standard at the time. I was also a full-time professor of CS concurrently, so could bring such issues to all of my classes. Although I have given up my dream of going to the moon, hatched when my small team of high school students fired off rockets in a farmer's field prior to Sputnik, I still hope to make it to the international space station, so a trustworthy system is not only of academic interest! In the last 20+ years, the ubiquity of computing, particularly embedded systems in all modes of transportation, makes such a standard a MUST, not just "nice to have" in our cars, trucks, planes, etc. When a team of Ford software engineers showed up in my office 10+ years ago, asking for help in developing safe software systems for next generation side impact sensors, I could not brush off their concerns! Obviously, software systems pervade the lives of many of the 6.6 billion people residing on this planet today, not just the billion or so who access the Internet. It is irresponsible, not to mention a direct violation of codes of ethics for computing and software engineering, NOT to develop such trustworthy systems.
* I cannot agree with Larry's rationale about the leadership of the U.S. in software. Trustworthiness of software systems knows no national boundaries! Other engineering artifacts do not know such artificial boundaries - do we want the bridges and high rise buildings of Europe, Asia, the Middle East, South America, Africa, etc. to be less safe, reliable and secure than those in the United States? I think not, if for not other reason than millions of our citizens travel to and live in those countries every day. Clearly, the lives of people across the world are just as valuable as those fortunate enough to live in our 50 states. The state-of-the-art in engineering methods is being advanced on a world-wide basis - why should we think software engineering education is somehow an exception? I would hope that this new text would be published in many languages and used by students and practitioners worldwide. I had first met Professor Bernstein on November 30, 2000 during my sabbatical to set up an International Software Engineering University Consortium (www.iseuc.org). So Larry clearly knows of my penchant for the world-wide importance of software engineering ☺!

Why do I think this new text is different from earlier ones and would recommend strongly that all current faculty and practitioners consider it carefully, especially for an introduction? The rationale includes the following. The text:
1. Focuses on the increasingly vital role that trustworthy software systems will play in the lives of current and future generations. Consequently, it is quite easy to engage or "hook" students in an introductory software engineering course about the importance of the topic - they see the impact of the lack of such systems on a weekly, if not daily, basis. Many of them will be able to share personal and professional experiences. The marvelous column by Neumann in every copy of ACM's SIGSOFT Software Engineering News provides ample examples, in any case.
2. Is cleverly written with excellent and realistic case studies with real questions and answers
3. Draws on the demonstrated expertise of the primary author when he was the CTO for Bell Labs
4. Truly demonstrates the rationale for the role of quantitative software engineering methods throughout the development life-cycle, beginning on page 4!
Reliabilty = e-k?t, where k is a normalizing constant, ? is complexity/(effectiveness x
staffing) and t is the time the software executes from its launch.
5. Emphasizes the "why" as well as the "how"
6. Includes excerpts from student teams related to the growing use of Real Projects for Real Client Courses - RPRCC-in software engineering and other courses
7. Covers most of the topics in a traditionally-structured software engineering text, but does so in a more contemporary and intuitive way. Some of the topics in other texts that wind up at the end, hence often not covered, are main-line chapters in the Bernstein text*. The newest edition of Sommerville's text does indeed have a 20-page chapter 3 on "Critical Systems" and a complete 120 page Part 4 on the same topic, but this is certainly an anomaly among current texts. The Bernstein text emphasizes trustworthiness as a continuing theme throughout, with the continual use of quantitative measures - witness the large number of "Magic Number" boxes for empirical results and heuristics contained in virtually each chapter. I admit that there would be a "learning curve" for most of us, but hey, aren't we supposed to be paragons for "life-long learning" that we espouse for our students?
8. Has fewer pages than virtually every other text. This is a real advantage. Students (and faculty) feel they have a "prayer" of being able to use the material in one course!
9. Has nice on-line support site.
10. And, finally, Larry will go to great personal lengths to support his text ☺!

A couple of possible sources of improvement for the second edition would include the following:
1. Include Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) as a major component when designing critical systems. This is a common engineering tool that was used in the design and testing of the Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME) over the last 30 years.
2. How can the vital concept covered in the text be applied to the massive task of rendering trustworthy the extant base of millions of software systems? The text does a superb job for developing such systems, but can trustworthiness be "bolted on" existing systems? I doubt it, but cannot see an easy answer here.
3. A friendlier website for both instructors and students would be helpful, ala those for other software engineering textbooks

*Topics in the text
Part I. Getting Started
1. Think Like an Engineer - Especially for Software
2. People, Product, Process, Project - The Big Four

Part II. Ethics and Professionalism
3. Software Requirements
4. Prototyping
5. Architecture
6. Estimation, Planning, and Investment
7. Design for Trustworthiness

Part III. Taking the Measure of the System
8. Identifying and Managing Risk
9. Human Factors in Software Engineering
10. Implementation Details
11. Testing and Configuration Management
12. The Final Project: By Students, For Students

Atlas Shrugged (Cliffs Notes)

This is an excellent companion while reading or after reading Atlas Shrugged. It gives an excellent insight to the individuals in the book and there are many as well as story itself.

I gave this book to a very good friend that loves the book and he thought it was pretty clever that there are Cliff Notes for Atlas Shrugged. We are discussing the book chapter by chapter (I am reading for th first time) and we are going to start using the cliff notes for our discussions as well.

Read the entire book though...It is pretty amazing. The Cliff Notes are a great companion for it.

I found the Cliff Notes beneficial in reviewing Atlas Shrugged, which I had recently read. It helped me articulate the author's philosophy and metaphor. My mother, who is legally blind, had also recently read Atlas Shrugged on CD, and the Cliffs Notes contributed to our lively discussions of the book. (We had both read the book for pleasure, not academics).

I've pushed my way through many years of school without buying a single Cliffsnotes. I found it funny that my first purchase would be for a book I choose to read on my own accord. Rand's novel can't be praised enough, but I also have to give the Cliffnotes for the novel their fair due. This little book was a great help in gaining a better understanding of this massive novel. I really enjoyed the in depth character analysis, the tight summary of the book, and the critical essays offered at the end. If I were to write a paper on the book, I would definitely gain from having these notes. More importantly, by reading the book chapter by chapter, then going to the Cliffnotes and reading along to cover what I had just read, I was able to get through a work that covers a TREMENDOUS amount of ground, with a huge scope, and not get lost. After gaining as much as I did from using the Cliffnotes as a study tool while reading this novel, I made sure to pick up the Cliffnotes for "Fountainhead" so I could do the same for that book. I will definitely give consideration to purchasing Cliffnotes for my longer, more challenging future reads.

Like Rand, Bernstein is a philosopher and novelist. His extensive study of Rand's thought is evident in this masterful recapitulation of Rand's great novel. He understands Rand's ideas and characters, leading to a sympathetic treatment. However, he avoids being an overbearing propagandist. For those of us who were riveted by the action the first time we read Atlas, this will serve as a discussion with a `friend' as we recall the events and characters. Enjoy.

Although I haven't read every author on these subjects Bernstein is by far the best authority I've found on dealing with our dark murky side in a mature, civilised, healthy way that actually makes things better not worse. I would not say it is especially easy to apply, I expect I'll be going back to this book for a long time, how many good things are easy? He himself gives an account of initially doing the wrong thing when helping someone in a panic. But it is possible, fortunately he usually indicates the most crucial technique to use which will still get us through a crisis even if we initially forget the others.

Judging from the other reviews on this book, it is selected and read by knowledgeable people. The author, as someone else's review said, just tells it like it is according to our current understanding of the psychology of explosive people. Unfortunately we HAVE TO deal with them. Very few people even acknowledge, yet alone learn to tame the EGO so they are everywhere. To protect myself first then maybe help others this book has been very valuable to me. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Thank you Dr. Albert J. Bernstein.

this book is a resource i refer back to over and over. fresh insights into what makes us tick. . .and get ticked off. one of those uncommon self help books that actually helps.

It's informative and shed light on what is going on inside those who with these emotionally explosive people. I also like the author's step-by-step coaching of how to deal with their explosion. I learned something, which is what I like.

I always knew people weren't logical but now I know why and what to do about it. This book has been a big help. The author is great, and I just found out he wrote several other books so I ordered them all.

What an incredible book. Sid was the first "Rock Impressario". The book details not only his responsiblity for the British invasion but also his life...from a child to his current status. Sid did it all...from the Newport Jazz Festival to Carnegie Hall. And somewhere in the middle is the amazing story of how he found and brought the Beatles to America..long before Ed Sullivan even knew they existed. A warm and touching story about the man who truly is responsible for Rock and Roll in the 60's and 70's...and even influenced music today. The book is easy to read and the stories are told as if Sid and the reader were having a conversation over dinner. What a great book!

If you're looking for a great read for the beach or a long flight, buy this book. It's tremendous fun. I was genuinely sorry when I reached the end. The authors convey the excitement that seems to have characterized the earlier years of rock. I can't wait to read it again

Sid Bernstein is the legendary impresario that brought the Beatles to America. He presented the original Beatles American debut at Carnegie Hall, as well as the Shea Stadium concerts. As the title, suggests, The Beatles are not all there is to this promoter's career. Bernstein also promoted Tony Bennett's first Carnegie Hall appearance, a series of Judy Garland concerts, Richard Pryor's first times in front of a large audience and more. Bernstein briefly headed The Newport Jazz Festival, brought the Bay City Rollers to American and took The Rascals to England. As a result of these associations, this autobiography becomes a history of the formation of American pop music into a stadium-filling sensation. These stories populated by figures like Woody Allen, Tito Puente and Miles Davis are told in a engaging, personal manner. That is Arthur Aaron extracted these stories from Bernstein and presents them to us in language warm and natural, as if Sid were telling us himself over dinner.

If you are a beatles fan you must read this book. Sid takes us behind the scenes with many stories about the beatles and the concerts (shea,carnegie hall),and his encounters with them over the years. He also shares his life with us from the his years in the war to his roots in the promotion-manager area. Sid was responsible for such artists as the Rascals,Tony bennett,abba,& many others. If you love music this book is a nice look at these artists and how they were represented and in many cases what has happened to them. All well written thanks to Arthur Arron's great translation of sids stories. Sid is a warm sincere guy and this book is like sitting down over a cup of coffe and danish and having him tell it all to you..Thats how comfortable and easy going it is.. A MUST READ FOR ANY BEATLES OR MUSIC LOVER.

Arthur Aaron has captured all the elements of Sid Bernstein's life. In fact, his story reads like a Hollywood motion picture: Sid's humble beginnings on the streets of New York, his early love for quality entertainment, Sid's devotion to his loving parents and family, WWII, his uncanny abilities to discover and promote talent and offer it to an eagerly awaiting world, Sid's promotion of The Beatles at Carnegie Hall and Shea Stadium, and his years as a manager for the Young Rascals. Throughout Sid's career, the biggest names in show business crossed his path. Sid also talks about some of the pitfalls of the promotion business - deals that soured, and entertainer foibles.

Sid Bernstein is a man who made it big as a promoter without cheating, lying, or backstabbing. Sid Bernstein is a gentleman.

"Not Just The Beatles" tells it as it was. I couldn't put it down. If you are a Beatles fan, a music lover, a musical researcher or historian, or are in the entertainment business, or if you just want to read a good story, then buy this book!

Thank you Sid for your wonderful life. Thank you Arthur for letting me relive it!

A Young Surgeon joins forces with the twentieth century's boldest industrialist in "Courage to Heal". Paul Bernstein, MD lends his medical expertise to his this medical thriller novel set in the Great Depression of one determined doctor to provide the best medical care he could in the face of a paranoid government. Enthralling from the first page to the last, it's highly recommended for fiction fans in general and any community library fiction shelves.

(Disclaimer: I am a former colleague of the author, and worked in the Kaiser Permanente system for most of my career).

Having been a Permanente physician since the days when we were close to being "persona non grata" in the local medical community, I was somewhat familiar with the history of the Medical group, but Paul Bernstein has made its humble beginnings spring from the page with a living and exciting narrative that takes the reader into the very soul of Sydney Garfield, whose name I knew as our founder, but not much else about him. Henry Kaiser is also brought into the mix as a larger-than-life industrialist who believed in what Garfield was doing and provided the capital and know-how to build the prepaid system that spans the country today---though still heavily weighted on the West Coast. I heartily recommend this book to anyone trying to fathom today's health care controversy. When you finish this book, pick up "Overtreated" by Shannon Brownlee, for a fascinating look at what has happened to American medicine, and suggestions for reform. Not surprisingly, she holds Kaiser up as an example of how things could work. And Sydney Garfield is the reason. Good work, Paul!

Who would suspect that a book about the creation of an HMO could be so captivating? I started reading at bedtime and just couldn't stop. The author skillfully weaves together fact and fiction, vividly describing scenes and characters, keeping the reader constantly in suspense. The historical images of the times before, during and after WWII are particularly striking to those of us too young to remember things like the polio epidemic. The plot conflict about health insurance is as timely now as it was then, with millions of Americans still without coverage.
This is my favorite kind of book: it is great reading for entertainment alone, and informative and thought-provoking at the same time!

This is a fictionalized account of the creation of Kaiser Permanente, the granddaddy of HMOs. Dr. Bernstein has told a fascinating story of its creation and successful rise in the face of resistance from the medical establishment. Highly recommended.

The courage to heal reads more like an adventure than a biography. Sidney Garfield, like all great pioneers, is single-minded in his quest to bring affordable health care to the people. I found it interesting to see how the concept of prepaid medicine evolved and particularly the resistance they met from the medical establishment. I particularly enjoyed the historical setting in the thirties, forties and fifties. Bernstein brings us into the dramas of medical emergencies. We get a glimpse into what that world was like when polio was rampant and antibiotics were still a novelty. This book seems particularly relevant today with so many people without access to medical care due to deficiencies of the fee for service system. I recommend this book highly.