Field Books

Some of the characters a reader will "meet" upon reading this novel: Barbarossa the Pirate, Pope Leo X, Pope Clemence II (if I am correct), the Medicis, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabel of Spain, etc. You will be surprised what Amin Maalouf has under his sleeves by reading this book.

It was written at the back cover of this book as a true story of Leo the African or Leo Africanus. We was a historian and wrote a book on his travels in African region, mostly north Africa.

He was born in Granada, Spain during the waning years of the Moorish Empire in the West and the emergence of Ottoman Empire in the East. His experiences and childhood friends will prove to be vital in the later-years-of-his-life-plot (is it a plot if it is a true story??) His name is Ali al-Wazzan, or Ali from Wazzan. Ali al-Wazzan turned Leo Medici only to reconvert back to Ali.

The story was written in several main sections, started with Granada. When Granada eventually fell to the Aragons, his family fled to Fez in Northern Africa. His adventures eventually took him away to other north African cities, and ended up in Egypt. In Egypt, he found a new Circassian wife, already having a wife in Fez. This second wife turned out to be the last defender of the Saracen dynasty. This kingdom was eventually overwhelmed by the Ottomans. Many Western readers may not know that within the Islamic kingdoms, there existed rivalry and hatred among themselves, which were also depicted in gross conflicts by Mr. Maalouf.

Ali eventually ended up in the Vatican, where he was the personal slave of neither but Pope Leo X himself. Having excelled in calligraphy and scribles, Ali was ascended into a highrer plane by the Pope by having him converted to Catholicism. Though in heart he was always a Muslim, he enjoyed being a Christian, too. During his stay in the Vatican, he has experienced having reigned by three different popes of different objectives in mind. Since the Vatican aligned themselves with France, eventually disgruntled German clergymen lead by Luther started the church reformation by naming themselves as the Protestants.

Leo (Ali, that is) was saved by Hans, his old priest student during his years with Pope Leo X. Leo and his new found converso wife (ex-Mulsim, turned Christian) fled to Africa again, only to reconvert back to Islam. These stories made a great impression on me that conversions are nothing but another fact of life during those turmoil years. Worst for the Jews, since having expelled from Spain. They were being prosecuted again in France.

If you think Amin Maalouf is just another middle eastern writer with exotic Oriental writings, you must start reading this work. Having also read the Balthasar's Odyssey, which is somewhat similar to Leo the African, but on a lighter scale (I gave that book a 4 star), I must recommend this novel as one of my all time favorite read. Have it a try!

When you begin a long journey, Leo tells us, start with a short step. That way if you forget something, it's no distance to go back home for it! Good advice.

Leo the African is set in Medieval North Africa. Leo is an arab in the employ of the pope Leo X, recounting to us his history, and how he came to serve the Church of Rome.

In his youth he travelled widely from his home in Morocco, all across the arab world. His journeys are clearly based on those of the great traveller of the Arabic world, Ibn Batuta.

The book is narrated in a familiar and relaxed style and you quickly settle into it, like a comfortable armchair. One of the nicest and most memorable books I have had the pleasure to read. It contains much wisdom about travel, about people, and about the arab world. Well worth the five stars!

A great book for those interested in learning as our Civil War soliders did. It is a real insight into military thinking of the time.

This is an excellent resource for the serious Civil War re-enactor, or for the history buff researching the 'way it was' for the soldiers in that time period. We use this book in setting up camps, and reenactments here in Florida. This is the real thing-the regulations for the army in the 1860's.

Excellent, concise product-
wanted an overview of cows without tons of "filler"
We got just that !
A nice plastic coated piece the size of most fold-up maps.
The children enjoyed taking it with us on our trip.

We all enjoy having this field guide along when we drive through the country. The color illustrations are of very high quality and it really helps in identifying the many different breeds.

In Cellular Telephone Russian Roulette, author Robert Kane, a former top Motorola engineer, traces the history of cell phone development (in which he was involved) and analyzes the cell phone radiation bioeffects research base from 1950 to 1996.

Despite industry's claim to safety, Kane's report suggests that there was much more information available indicating safety concerns than the industry has ever acknowledged.

The work includes a review of:

· The foundations of radiofrequency (RF) radiation research (starting with radar).

· The discoveries of "hot spots" in the brains of mobile phone users and bioeffects from RF exposure by the 1970's.

· The industry's influence on "safe exposure guidelines" in order to meet its own product needs.

· The ways research design can be manipulated to bias the outcome of lab studies.

· The red-herring requirement by industry that research must identify a single biological causation mechanism for adverse health effects from RF exposure before science can say there is proven harm.

·The emergence of a PR campaign to mask the risks of cell phone radiation to the user.


It needs a good index and some section headings, but this book is jam-packed with information, much of which you won't find anywhere else. It will be of interest to those who have already gained some familiarity with the RF radiation health issue and are not put off by some of the technical terms used (megahertz, S.A.R., etc.). Serious readers may begin to smell more-than-feint traces of tobacco.

Another good book to dig up is Nicholas Steneck's 1984 science-and-values overview of "The Microwave Debate" which shows there has been some concern about RF radiation's ability to affect biology for quite some time.

This is a kamikaze book, and would, if it got the attention it deserved, eviscerate the cell phone industry. If I were Robert C. Kane, I'd hire a bodyguard. The men behind the megabucks being raked in by the wireless industry can't be happy about a book like this. In lucid, readable, decisive prose, Kane, an industry insider, systematically dismantles the wireless industry's pretense of product safety. There is no pussyfooting around here about how there "may" be health concerns, as the February issue of Consumer Reports puts it. Kane starts right in on page one by stating, "Talking on a cellular phone can be likened to holding a microwave oven to one's head." Check out the last two chapters, "Public Deception I" and "Public Deception II", and the quotes from Carl Sagan and Ayn Rand. Powerful stuff. And then throw away your cell phone.

Orv shared many of these tales in classes. The lessons learned has served me well in my career in local government.

Reading tax law does not make you an accountant. Reading blue prints does not make you an architect. And reading the library of books that cover municipal law and policies will not make you a great city manager, but this one might! In a very entertaining dialog, Mr. Powell writes about the decisions he should have made in reflecting upon his long career as a city manager. If it is your goal to become a city manager you will find no better source of practical advice.

This is a very readable and extensively researched look at the trees of Washington D.C. It's an excellent field guide for identifying trees, but the thing I like most about it is that it tells the fascinating stories behind so many of the trees planted in D.C. If you live near D.C. and have even a mild interest in its history, I strongly recommend this book!

I originally bought Melanie Choukas-Bradley's CITY OF TREES in its hardcover coffee-table edition and have followed its evolution since. As a Washingtonian of some thirty years' standing, I was originally unaware that this beautiful city was ever known as the City of Trees, but now that I've read Melanie's book, I've looked at the city through different eyes. Though the cherry blossoms are the best-known trees of the city, there's so much more, from the sights in every neighborhood through the rich diversity of our parks. DC is a beautiful city, and there's not nearly enough in print to show and share that beauty. Get this book.

If you are reading this review you are probably familiar with field theory and learned it in a quantum field theory class or book. If not go ahead and read THIS book, it is a must BEFORE a QFT a class. I wish I had it a few years ago, I would learn QFT much easier. Still it clarified a lot of things and recommended for every theoretical physics student. You will at least recognize what is related to quantum aspects and what is not.

This work, which is not so well-known, gives a good
introduction in gauge field theory. Starting from scalar
fields quickly more advanced subjects such as magnetic monopoles, the higgs mechanism and spontaneous symmetry breaking are discussed.
The work contains nice overviews of the mathematics of Lie groups and Lie algebras and has a number of useful exercises.

This book should be required reading for all healthcare providers and used in educational settings to teach leadership principles. Quick easy reading yet fun to return to every now and then.

This is a great resource for gaining new perspectives on overcoming the limits of hierarchy in the workplace. I found the content compelling and useful in re-evaluating ways to pursue healthy relationships in the turbulent healthcare workplace. The wisdom from the field stories brought the content alive and revealed how real people are changeing their workplaces for the better through relationship work.

I highly reccommend this book to anyone in need of inspiration and new ways of thinking about relationships or partnerhip in the workplace.

This is an excellent book for the beginner coach or the coach who has many years of experience. It introduces the reader to different types of motivation and how to motivate teams and players of superior levels of performance and teams and players that are perennial losers. Warren also talks about other coaching issues such as assistant coaches, coaching women, the superstar athlete, and dealing with administrators and parents.

This is a very good book. I am on my second time reading it. Good book to read inbetween seasons or at the begining of your season. A lot of common sence ideas, but they remind you or open your eyes again. Also a lot of new approaches or ideas to try out. Each part of the book deals with differend aspects of coaching and motivating players. I highley recommend this book to any coach who needs help motivating players, or just as a refresher. You will learn something new by reading it and it is sure to help your team.

Cobi Jones is the soccer player kids watch in the United States. He is their hero. This book will help the beginner through advanced increase their skills. The format of the book is very user friendly. First, the reader learns some valuable information about Cobi Jones, then he takes you step by step through all of soccer's skills. Mr. Jones goes over the rules of the game, then stresses the need for warming up and details some exercises to do just that. He also emphasizes fair play. Each chapter then discusses and demonstrates a soccer skill. Mr. Jones offers excellent graphics appropriate for kids, and gives tips to enhance the skill. To complete each chapter skill, the champion provides games for perfect practice. This book is a very personalized approach to soccer instruction derived from a book. A great gift and "personal coach" for soccer enthusiasts! An autographed practice ball is included!

I loved all the detailed soccer tips I could share with my kids when I coach their AYSO teams. Cobi is their favorite professional athelete and his instruction really influences my kids in a positive light both on and off the field.