Burns Books

I found this book about Robert Burns very interesting. I think that he should have gone on with more of his life story.

This autobiographical account of Robert E. Burns' amazing double escape from a Georgia chain gang in the 1920s seems like a made up tale for Indiana Jones or some such movie hero. The events of his escape, his rise from a laborer to one of the most prominent citizens of Chicago as well as his return to the chain gang are incredible. And he escapes again! The second escape is even more amazing than the first, though he never is able to return to his ideal life or love in Chicago. The very good film version made in 1932 doesn't begin to cover the exciting details of the book, but it makes a good companion piece. The new, modern, well researched introduction, fills in the details that the reader will wonder about at the book's conclussion. It is suggested that the introduction material be read last.

The story of Robert Burns is an amazing one. Told in the first person, he recounts his life after service in World War I, being sent to a Georgia chain gang, and escaping successfully twice. Although at times he seems to be playing for your sympathy, it is still nonetheless an excellent true story of a man dealing with harsh conditions and overcoming them. The end of the book doesn't tell what happens to him. In a nutshell, he is caught and sent to Georgia and is before a committee, which brings the man he originally robbed in the store. The man says Burns should not be imprisoned and he should be free. Burns is released and lives the rest of his life as a successful businessman.

I initially checked "Clueless" out of the library as I was planning my transition from a military career to a business career. After reading the book cover to cover, I bought it and read it again. I found that "Cluesless" is an accessible book that really put me on the right path to my next job. Doing the work in the book, crafting your work history and making it a goal focused document changed my outlook on and understanding of my entire working life. I now recommend "Clueless" to anyone I meet who is looking for their next job, next career, or next challenge in the work place.

Godin focuses on the true reality of why people get better jobs than others, despite the fact that they have the same credentials. If you are focusing on finding a job, and you just can't seem to do so, Seth Godin will help you get there. Godin is quick to assume that the most powerful way to get a job is to "market thy self," as WS would say. So I would recommend getting the book, and learning the ways to position yourself for success in the ever changing IT world

I think this book fulfills its title. It really lays out what to do in a job search from top to bottom. The book contains useful information in an easy to read format. Especially-useful information is shaded to stand out so you don't have to read a lot of fluff to get to the golden nuggets. The drawback is that although it contains many useful topics, I would have liked to see a bit more information on each those topics.

This is a good book to get a feel for the job-hunt process and to figure out which skills you might be lacking. Then, I would suggest going to another book that specializes in those skills.

Other Resources:
Get a Job in 30 Days or Less by DeLuca & DeLuca
Damn Good Resume Guide by Yana Parker (if you are in a hurry)
The Resume Kit by Beatty (if you have some time)
201 Dynamite Job Search Letters by Krannich & Krannich

Very good book with a great intro to the profession.. It also has a good review section of anatomy and physiology

An Introduction to Clinical Laboratory Science is an excellent choice for those who are interested in the patient side of Clinical Laboratory Science. The case studies are a very effective way of learning about patient diagnosis and treatment. Overall it is a great introductory book too clinical science

I've found this book a good resource for developing training in Laboratory Science for Biomedical Electronic Technicians. Most new Technicians have extensive electro-mechanical background. Unfortunately, they are usually weak in the Clinical Chemistry area when new to the field. This book gives them a good background in Clinical Laboratory Science that is not written "over their heads."

Florence has done an excellent job capturing the true life of a JMU student. This young writer is destined for the top.

This book is awesome, and by awesome, I mean totally sweet. Hands-down, this is the best of the College Prowler series. The information is all right on. Sometimes I can't believe how great this book is, but I feel it in my heart.

College Prowler's Off the Record guide to James Madison University portrays a sort of "behind the scenes" look. It's the closest thing you'll get to going there without... well, going there. If you're looking for a guide that tells you what's really cool and what's not from a student's prospective, this is the guide you'll want. From the party scene to the on and off campus living, this guide will give you a little taste of just about anything -- and then you can decide whether or not you want a real taste (aka going there). For prospective or just curious parents and students, this guide should be a tremendous help. I am a senior at James Madison and I learned a ton of new information as I was writing this book. This book is as complete a guide as I could create (and was also quite the research project!). A guide like this would have been priceless when I was deciding where to go. I enjoyed writing this guide and would recommend it to anyone interested in JMU!

JOURNEYS THROUGH HELL - STORIES OF BURN SURVIVORS' RECONSTRUCTION OF SELF AND IDENTITY, is compelling and griping without being purposefully dramatic. Mr. Stouffer takes an approach of linking the personal accounts of survivor's stories with responsible narrative language that provides guidance and understanding into a world most of us don't understand. He establishes a dialogue that informs individuals about the nature of burn injuries and the involved procedures for burn treatment, and, takes the time to focus on recovery for both the survivor and the survivor's family.

JOURNEYS THROUGH HELL, skillfully managaes to combine the language of social science with the basic elements of trust, care, and the re-establishment of identity. It is without a false note and is deserving of a read by all.

Journeys Through Hell is an important book that takes the reader into the inner, private lives of burn injury survivors. This is a gem of a book, a social psychological study that relies on the narrative stories provided by burn survivors themselves who, in biographical fashion let us look at what it means to be a survivor of a terrible injury. What it means, very much unanticipated by the severely injured person in the initial stages of the injury, is pain, anguish, torture, and very importantly, hope and anticipation of a healed future.

While the book focuses on severe burns, it really has a much broader appeal: it is really about what it means to be a trauma survivor. The trauma could be physical, psychological or both. In any case, the book is about how people experience the most extreme personal loss, and sudden, terrifying change. In instantly experiencing the destruction of their normal, everyday lives, and in having their worlds shattered, we see how the survivors slowly struggle to be reborn, and come whole again.

What Dr. Stouffer does so well, often very eloquently and with great sensitivity to the survivors, is the fact that he draws out from the survivors their hidden stories, fears, and deep feelings of loss as well as hope. He shows how survivors slowly come to understand what they have lost and how, with the help of caring others, they may go on to find deep, abiding strengths they never realized they possessed. Stouffer gives strong voice to the survivors, allowing them to tell their stories, while skillfully weaving their accounts into a sociological, constructionist foundation. This book is not dull sociology, or mind numbing psychological theory. It is vividly presented real human drama that helps illuminate how we all cope with personal loss, and how we build our lives. I strongly recommend Journeys Through Hell.

JOURNEYS THROUGH HELL - STORIES OF BURN SURVIVORS' RECONSTRUCTION OF SELF AND IDENTITY, is compelling and griping without being purposefully dramatic. Mr. Stouffer takes an approach of linking the personal accounts of survivor's stories with responsible narrative language that provides guidance and understanding into a world most of us don't understand. He establishes a dialogue that informs individuals about the nature of burn injuries and the involved procedures for burn treatment, and, takes the time to focus on recovery for both the survivor and the survivor's family.

JOURNEYS THROUGH HELL, skillfully managaes to combine the language of social science with the basic elements of trust, care, and the re-establishment of identity. It is without a false note and is deserving of a read by all.

The three books that cover the life Henry VI are each masterpieces in their own right. They are each important parts of the multi-facted life of Henry VI. Wonderful history lesson.

This is not quite as good as 1 or 2, but it is still excellent! Shakespeare grabs us with the dispute between Henry VI and York. While it seems to end peacefully it does not, and the war goes on! York's death in 1.4 is another landmark in Shakespeare's writing. The scene (2.5) where Henry finds true terror is horror, sorrow, and yet beauty and yet another moving part of the play. (The son that hath killed his father and the father that hath killed his son.) The war pauses in disaster for Henry and some comic relief is offered. But the horror starts all over again when Edward IV and Warwick have a falling out. The war starts over again, and the King of France gets involved! The scene where King Henry VI is reinstated is a scene of beauty and hope. While all of this is happening, Shakespeare carefully prepares the monstrously satanic character of Richard III. From here, the play just gets more and more bloody. A final moment of horror is offered when the eventual Richard III proudly compares himself to the one who betrayed Christ. In part 4 "Richard III," the real terror begins!

This was one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. (possibly his third) Yet, there is nothing to indicate he was only starting out. Right away he grabs our attention with the funeral of King Henry V. Henry V's brothers Bedford and Gloucester help us to see the virtues and strengths of the deceased king. The Bishop of Winchester is well drawn as a comical villain who plots and plans, but never succeeds in doing any real damage. (Not until the next play anyway.) Talbot is memorable as the selfless hero of the play. York is memorable as the hero who defeats Joan of Arc. King Henry VI himself is interesting. First we see him as a helpless infant. By the third act, we see that he has both strengths and weaknesses. He makes the mistake of dividing the command between the rivals Somerset and York. But also, we see that he does not tolerate treason or neglect of duty. There are also many memorable scenes. The garden scene that foreshadows the War of the Roses is well drawn. The scene where York comforts his dying uncle is tragic beauty. Bedford's death in 3.2 has almost a divine tone. The death of Talbot and his son is very lamentable. York's sudden rise to power is captivating. Perhaps Shakespeare's greatest achievement in this play is that he simultaneously shows us England's war with France and the dissension with England itself.

Good intro book to fishing for striped bass...certainly worth the price. Especially Where to Fish Chapter. Have found other books that go into more detail on certain topics.

This is a landmark book for saltwater fly fishing. I have fished with many people, including the author, and there is probably no one who has caught and released as many big striped bass as Brad Burns. He brings this knowledge to the page in a concise and no-nonsense way.

A great book.

The book presents clear and informative instructions on where to find striped bass and how to catch them with fly fishing equipment. The illustrations and presentation are very well-done.

While I'm an experienced angler, I found some valuable insights into specific techniques and useful refreshers on things I used to know.

Though I have ancestors from Scottland, I sadly do not know much about the country's history. Perhaps a more thorough knowledge would lead to even greater apprecation of this poem, but the introduction gave me enough background to not feel completely stupid as I became sucked into the passionate story of chivalry, adventure, and revenge. The story explores characters in the vicinity of King James V's administration's attack on the wild men of the Highlands. However, they have their own version of the story, being people who don't much care for being mowed down without so much as a trial. In the center of it all is Ellen, a Douglas daughter who lives a nearly-enchanted life in a peaceful, hidden lake. Though I understand Scott's novels are superior to his poems, this is not bad poetry by any means. The verse takes us through widely-scoping, descriptive scenes as well as deeply personal emotions. There is danger, romance, blood, intrigue, everything needed for a great story.

I purchased this for my husband, and just as a "to read" model. It is NOT a collector but is an excellent SOURCE for reading.

INTRODUCTORY SYNOPSIS: The hero of THE LADY OF THE LAKE is James Stewart. To Ellen Douglas, the Lady of the Lake, he calls himself James Fitz-James and The Knight of Snowdoun. When, on a second visit, she declines his invitation to come with him to Stirling and become either James's wife (her interpretation) or his mistress (James's intent), the kind-hearted amourist proves a good loser and gives Ellen a ring to admit her instantly to his chum King James V should she ever need help. At poem's end, Ellen comes to Stirling to plead for both her imprisoned father, Lord James Douglas, onetime mentor of the youthful monarch, and for her lover Malcolm Graeme, a ward of the king. James Fitz-James keeps Ellen in suspense as he leads her in to present her to the King. But where is the King, Ellen wonders, as she looks about? Why is everyone focused on her escort?

"To him each lady's look was lent,
On him each courtier's eye was bent;
'Midst furs and silks and jewels sheen,
He stood, in simple Lincoln green,
The centre of the glittering ring, --
And Snowdoun's Knight is Scotland's King." (Canto VI, Stanza xxvi)

The playful king soon reveals that her father and he have made peace. His ward, Malcolm Graeme, had offered the Douglas shelter despite the King's general loathing of the clan which had held him virtual captive during his boyhood. Will Ellen not plead for him? No? Then he must be chained.

"His chain of gold the King unstrung,
The links o'er Malcolm's neck he flung,
Then gently drew the glittering band,
And laid the clasp on Ellen's hand." (Canto VI, Stanza xxix)
END INTRODUCTORY SYNOPSIS

KIng James V (1512 - 1542) was the father of Mary Queen of Scots. There are similarities in character both to England's Henry V and Baghdad's Haroun al Raschid. James V was a good, strong king, protector of the poor, often going out among them in disguise, either to detect and correct their woes or to woo their daughters. He died young, forecasting correctly that the Stewart dynasty would end in less than two centuries "with a lass" (Queen Anne) as it had begun with a lass, the daughter of Robert the Bruce.

Scott's poem THE LADY OF THE LAKE sketches six days in the life of a good-hearted, randy, grudge-bearing, high tempered young monarch. The title of the six cantos sketch the tale's progress:

The Lake.
The Island.
The Gathering.
The Prophecy.
The Combat.
The Guard-Room.

-- I. The Lake. James Fitz-James, lost hunting a stag in the Trossachs of Scotland, is given a night's hospitality by Ellen, the lady of the lake, and by the mother of the castle's owner, on an island in Loch Katrine belonging to Roderick Dhu (Black Roderick). Roderick, with his aged mother Margaret, shelters Ellen and her banished father, the once mighty Lord James Douglas. Fitz-James is smitten by Ellen. But leaves at dawn.

-- II. The Island. The island's owner, Roderick Dhu, is rowed to his island fortress while his hardy followers sing "Hail to the Chief," which has become the American Presidential processional hymn. Ellen's father also returns, with her young admirer Malcolm Graeme in tow. Roderick asks Ellen's hand but this is denied by her father. Ellen's two admirers quarrel and Malcolm then swims the length of Loch Katrine rather than be indebted to Roderick for a boat.

-- III. The Gathering. Believing that King James means to march into the Trossachs to subdue Clan Alpine, clan chief Roderick Dhu has the wild Brian the Hermit peform semi-pagan rites, then sends out the burning cross to assemble his liege men for war at Lanrick mead. Duncan, Ellen and the minstrel Allan hide from the King in the Goblin Cave.


-- IV. The Prophecy. The hermit Brian prophesies that whichever chief "spills the foremost foeman's life, that party conquers in the strife" (Stanza vi). James Fitz-James arrives on foot planning to take Ellen to safety behind royal lines. But he is being led into a trap by a man of Roderick. Ellen will not leave. James gives Ellen a ring to gain instant admission to King James should she ever need him. Fleeing pursuit. James meets Blanche of Devan, a mad woman whose brand new bridegroom had been murdered by Roderick during a raid into the Scottish lowlands. She asks for vengeance. The guide shoots off an arrow at James but kills Blanche instead. James pursues and kills the traitor guide. He later comes upon Roderick. Neither recognizes the other though they exchange frank views. They spend a hospitable evening together before departing at dawn for a proper dueling place.


-- V. The Combat. Once just beyond Roderick's mountain fiefdom, they duel. Terribly wounded, Roderick grapples James and would have killed him but his strength fails. James bugles for help and has the wounded man carried to Stirling castle. En route James recognizes Lord James of Douglas, who is coming to Stirling to give himself up for the cause of peace between King and Clan Alpine. James allows Douglas entry to the castle grounds, where a popular athletic contest is about to take place. The aging but still incomparably powerful and gifted Douglas enters the contests and wins at archery, wrestling and hurling. The king gives awards but otherwise ignores him. At last, Douglas identifies himself and his reason for surrendering and is led to prison.

-- VI. The Guard-Room. Ellen and the minstrel Allan pass through the guard-room occupied by foreign mercenaries. She awaits audience with the King. Allan asks to be admitted to his imprisoned master. The warder thinks Roderick Dhu is meant. The dying Roderick asks Allan to sing of the battle just ended by the King's truce. Meanwhile, the King has made peace with the imprisoned Douglas. Still in his assumed role, James leads Ellen in to an audience with the king. He cannot grant her mercy to the newly dead Roderick. And her reconciled father needs no mercy. He teases Ellen to intercede for Malcolm. When she does not, the King places a golden chain on Malcolm's neck and places its clasp in Ellen's hand. She may now marry the Graeme.

THE LADY OF THE LAKE is made up of hundreds of gorgeous lines, mostly iambic tetrameters, of descriptions of nature, hunting, mobilization of a highland army, politics, character and love. You can read this poem aloud in two hours. Its music will ring with you forever. -OOO-

Alexandra Talbot is at the British Museum to see the Rosetta Stone, to help shore up research her later father and uncle did about the city of Per-Ramesses and the tomb of Nourbese, Pharaoh's beloved. But when she arrives, and the director finds out that "Alex" Talbot is a woman and not a man, she is refused permission to see the stone, until Lord Blakeney comes to her aid.

Half-Bedouin, half-British, Lord Blakeney has been corresponding with Alex's father for years. He's set to lead Mr. Talbot on an expedition to Egypt in search of Per-Ramesses, and is saddened to learn of the man's death. He wants to help Alex, who fascinates him, but having been introduced to her as Lord Blakeney, he doesn't quite know how to tell her he's also Sheikh Altair Mazir.

Alex agrees to let Lord Blakeney guide her on her expedition. She doesn't expect to fall in love with him, or learn the many secrets he hides along the way, but she does. She's also fighting against someone who wants her dead, and doesn't want Per-Ramesses found. Will Alex find her lost city, and will Altair protect her? More importantly, will they learn to trust each other?

I love all things ancient Egyptian, so I was fascinated by the blurb for Mirage. The story does not disappoint, and is full of wonderfully done research and fascinating adventure as Alex searches for Per-Ramesses. It was also delightful to watch Alex and Altair learn to love each other and deal with each other's strong characters.

Their love is strong, and it was a pleasure to watch it unfold. If you like adventure, romance and history then Mirage is the book for you.

Amelia
reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed

In general, I liked this book. As a romance, it was nice, I enjoyed the plot. But I have to say, she could have put a bit more effort into her research of the language and culture. It quickly became very annoying to me when in arabic I would see something like "I princess bravery" for "My brave princess", or "I Princess stubborn" for "My stubborn princess". Altair means bird in arabic so that wasn't as impressive as her made up translation. In general, I started quickly skipping over anything in italics so I don't lose focus from the story.
The Beduin traditions, well, I can't talk much about them, my beduin heritage came from my mom and my grandfather who was Shiek of the tribe of Awlad Ali in Alexandria, Egypt. He performed the duties of settling disputes and so on, but they were pretty modern. Her stories as a girl were from 40s and 50s and they lives in Alexandria which was (and still is) the second biggest city in Egypt. So I guess if we go deeper into the desert, things would be different.
My mother married my father who was a doctor working for the World Health Organization after they met, so no arranged marriage. He asked for her hand from my grandfather and no problems there about being married outside the tribe. My mother and her siblings all went to school, so no women staying home... Again, perhaps they were more modern than regular Bedu. And the story is in the 1800s.
Anyway, I hope Ms. Burns does more research and perhaps consider changing some of the arabic translations in newer editions.

Alex Talbot knew she was taking a huge risk presenting herself at the British Museum for her appointment with Lord Merrick. Only the feisty American owed this to her recently departed father and uncle and was not about to back down because of a prejudicial male dominant archeological society who wouldn't consider taking her seriously as an accomplished Egyptologist. She was right about Lord Merrick, but fortunately Viscount Blakeney came to her aid. The fact sent her reeling because he was gorgeous, looking like he could be a pharaoh himself was something she'd have to get over.

Other than for a promise to a dying grandparent, Blakeney - half Bedouin, half English, aka Sheik Altair Mazir would never have left the Egyptian desert to live six months a year in England - virtually a man without a country. Prejudice assaulted him from both sides, and he'd learned to trust no one, especially a woman. But something about Alex broke through his defenses, and began to melt the ice around his heart. With betrayal, danger and desire nipping at their heels, their ability to trust in each other and their passion would be tested to the limit.

*** For anyone who hasn't read Monica Burns before a bit of a warning is needed here. This is an author who really knows how to ignite the pages with some very explicit sexual content! With that said, I admit to finding it most stimulating and in this particular story extremely well done within the context of the plot - there being a time, a place, and the right moment without the leads jumping each other's bones at every other turn of the page.

Burns' characters were both extremely well fleshed out, with background and motivations clearly exposed. As a female, Alex's sole purpose was to be respected and accepted in a male dominated field for her intelligence, years of study and body of accomplishments. In her quest for acceptance she'd brushed aside any thoughts of love and marriage, realizing it would be worth the sacrifice and the end of all her dreams.

Altair was also crafted with issues, while never fully accepted in either the Bedouin or the English world. As an English Viscount, Altair's betrayal and public humiliation by his English fiancée had carved any warmth or trust in his heart leaving deep scars. Alas, in the world of the Bedouin, a world he truly felt comfortable in, he would always be considered a half-breed. Altair had a lot to overcome, and found his traitorous body hard to control around Alex, whom he'd immediately felt an arousing attraction to. The deep sensuality of their romance was absolutely divine.

The author did a fine job with secondary characters that all played well against the adventuresome plot and journey to find the tomb of Per-Ramesses' beloved Nourbese. Wonderful details kept the quest in tune with the budding passion and sensuality that Ms. Burns is so noted for. There were enough hints tossed along the way that I did have a good idea of who the villain of the piece would be but it was still a surprise to see that person turn so vicious.

Ms. Burns has delighted me many times over and I am thrilled she continues to do so in this latest sensual historical adventure. New readers should be overjoyed in discovering this sparkling sensual voice in historical romance.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

Written by prominent mathematicians it is the one of the best books on the topic .
The language of the book is very simple so it is suitable for physics ...

There's some great material that professor Novikov presents in this three volume set, indispensible to the mathematician and physicist. What seperates it (and elevates it) from it's numerous competitors in the differential geometry textbook line is the following:

1. He presents pretty much every idea in multiple ways and from multiple viewpoints, illustrating the ubiquity and flexibility of the ideas.
2. He gives concrete examples of the concepts so you can see them in action. The examples are selected from a very wide range of physical problems.
3. He presents the ideas in a formal setting first but then gives them in a form useful for actual computation or working problems one would actually encounter.
4. He segregates the material cleanly into what I would call "algebraic" and "differential" sections. Thus, if you are interested in only a specific viewpoint or topic, you can fairly well read that section independent of the others. The book's chapters are for the most part independent.
5. There is virtually no prerequisite knowledge for this text, and yet it provides enough to not bore even the "sophisticated reader", for even they will no doubt learn something from the elegeant presentation.

I only own the first volume, but I have looked at the others in libraries and I would say for the most part the above holds for them too, making this three-volume set truly a masterpiece, a pearl in the sea of mathematical literature.

Anyone iterested in a readable, relevant, viable introduction to the huge world of differential gometry will not be disappointed.

..if you want to understand the much of Arnol'd's book on classical mechanics. Written for physicists in language that physicists can follow, the book starts with advanced calculus (geometry of surfaces and curves in 2D and 3D) and provides a readable and informative introduction to Riemannian geometry, including connections defined by structure coefficients of a Lie algebra, all the way through gauge theories. However, the books by Schutz and by Nakahara cover interesting topics not included here, so see them as well.