M Books

this is a great phenomenal saga. an adventure that rarely successfully delivered with a pen. 'the last hero' is a modern classic that should be on your bookshelf with 'lonesome dove', 'brules', 'shantaram', 'the kite runner', stephen hunter's 'point of impact' swagger series, robert ludlum's genuine creations from 'the gemini contender' to 'the matarese circle', all of a. j. quinnelle's novels, all of louis la'mor's westerns....they are all good memories, touched your soul and made your life more vividly colorful.

This book is quite simply amazing. From the first page you are hooked and become an invisible member of the crew hacking your own way through the Ituri Forest. Stanley is brought to life along with many other real-life people, including Tipoo Tib, the slave dealer. Read this book and you will never forget it, the whole atmosphere of unexplored Africa and its hidden tribes will be with you always. The unknown beauty of the Congo River and its people take you into a new world with different standards, different morales and a very different slant on life. The actions of Emin Pasha will move you to tears and the whole experience of this book is one that every person should enjoy.

Compulsively readable, thrilling story, vivid evocation of darkest Africa and a potrait of Henry Morgan Stanley that leaps right of the page and grabs you by the throat, this story of the insane expedtion to rescue Emin Pasha's people from the conquering dervishes is everything you want a serious book of historical fiction to be. Especially recommended for those interested in the literature of exploration and discovery into land's unkown in the Western world in the 19th century. How many 700+ page books are you sorry to see come to an end? This is such a one. Enjoy.

This awesome novel of exploration into Central Africa during a time of civil unrest is by far one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are well developed and the tale gripping, based on actual historical events, the novel is a must read. Once you pick it up, you will not want to put it down. Since reading this novel, I have acquired all, of the late, Peter Forbath's novels. His vivid detail of the surroundings, the authority figure that demostrates both compassion and understanding as well as harsh punishments, and the intertwining of the characters' lives make this an amazing tale of Central Africa events in the late 1800's.

The story told in "The Last Hero" is that of Sir Henry Morton Stanley (of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame, but that's another story) who, in 1885 organized and led a mission to rescue Emin Pasha, governor of Equatoria, the southernmost province of the Egyptian Sudan, which was surrounded by the Mahdist uprising. Amazingly, Stanley decided to approach Equatoria from the Atlantic side of Africa by going up the Congo river and overland through central African forest. The expedition crossed hundreds of miles of then-unknown Africa, encountering every obstacle and difficulty along the way. The eventual end of the mission is one of history's great ironies, but I don't want to give anything away.

"The Last Hero" is a very well-written adventure story, all the more interesting because it is true. My only complaint (a very minor one) concerns the absence of notes and bibliography which could have given some historical documentation and sources.

Another good book is "The River Congo: The Discovery, Exploration and Exploitation of the World's Most Dramatic River" (nonfiction) which is also by Peter Forbath (a journalist who reported on Africa). Henry Morton Stanley was also a bestselling author, he wrote: "How I Found Livingstone" (1872); "Through the Dark Continent" (1878); and "In Darkest Africa" (1890).

I read this book new and several times since. I've given away a few copies which is why I'm here on Amazon again. I hope they don't run out.
I WROTE CONSUMERS REPORT a while back about publishing an updated edition. They didn't respond.

As the other reviewers say, this book is hands down, the best book on drug history available. Unlike other books about the history of drugs and drug policy (i.e., Musto), this book is not dry. It covers most drugs, including licit drugs (which is very important), and this man has great insight. This is the right way to write about drug policy. I have no idea why this book was never reprinted; it is truly the best drug book that exists.

I read this book in the early '80s. I say that it helped me survive my period of drug experimentation. Now as a father I don't endorse the use of drugs but I do recommend this book so that the reader could make an informed choice.

Even though this book is nearly 30 years old, everything it says about the drug problem is still relevant today.

This publication outlined a clear-cut set of recommendations that if adhered to, today's drug problems would have become a long forgotten memory.

This book is a must for the collection.

I went through alot of 'Drug Education'. I thought I knew something. I didn't. I learned more in one night from this book than I did in 18 years of being a youth in the Drug War. Read this cover to cover and now try to get everyone I know to read it.

As a licensed therapist for thirty years, a father of three children, a former school psychologist and elementary teacher, I strongly recommend this book. It is a beautifully illustrated and wonderful story for teaching children how to befriend and listen deeply to their own unique gifts and inner wisdom. The wise owl teaches the little bird to patiently care for her sadness, scare and confusion and listen to these feelings as guides to wisdom within. Currently in our culture, we teach our children to stay in their heads only, deny and suppress their feelings and numb the pain of suppression with approval seeking, substances(food,sugar,etc), and things. We are at a crossroads as a culture. This book is a unique contribution in the effort to reclaim deep body wisdom for guidance to inner peace and creativity. I believe every parent and professional should read this book to children in their care. The profound teaching in this short little story could radically change a child's life as well the life of the caregiver. To notice and nurture difficult emotions is an essential skill to live happy, joyous, and free. I know first hand because I have met and studied with this wise author, Edwin McMahon, and his wonderful co-author Peter Campbell. The principles so beatifully illustrated and described in this healing story, helped to transform my own life. The book offers essential and practical tools for parenting that I used, to listen compassionately to my three children as they grew to a well-balanced adulthood. I am profoundly grateful to the author for this remarkable book and I enthusiastically recommend it.

This gentle story, with its bright, color-washed illustrations, is both invitation and pathway to finding one's own unique voice and becoming connected with others in a life-forward way. Little Bird does not have it easy - her world includes painful times. That is, her world is like everyone's. Who among us hasn't been told, for instance, "Either you learn to be like us or we won't play with you."

The story includes conflict, but not violence as a reaction. Instead, Little Bird is shown, by a wise teacher, how to deal with stress thru a "tend and befriend" response rather than by "fight or flight."

The story of Little Bird speaks to children of all ages. I first heard it on a retreat when I was 50. Now I am over 60, and treasure the story's finally being available in a book that I can easily pass on to my grandchildren, and their parents.

Little Bird is a valuable addition to approaches such as mediation training and bullying prevention that are being used in the schools, and elsewhere, to reduce violence. It offers the practice of an alternative that is now only peaceful and practical, but also powerful - the power of mutual connection rather than domination.

This deeply touching book will leave a profound imprint in the hearts and minds of children. The simple wisdom that children will glean is that we can learn to hold ourselves with gentleness, kindness, and love -- and that listening to our heart, feelings, and bodily wisdom provides a reliable guide in life. I have been blessed to know Ed McMahon for many years and have learned much from him. His deep wisdom, caring, and love for people and our world shines through on every page of this beautifully written book. Adults as well as children will be inspired to live with greater openness, trust, and wisdom from reading this tenderly written book. I have been recommending this book to people and getting glowing reports from those who read it.

I'm a child therapist, a father and a grandfather. And "Little Bird" resonated with all three roles.

A good story goes deep inside us -- child & adult. It makes a home there, living within us, showing us, telling us in a felt way, who we really are & can be. "Little Bird" is this kind of story.

"Little Bird" begs to be read aloud in that wonderful back-&-forth way -- pointing to bright pictures & talking about them, you & your child making a loud "CHIRP!", snuggling closer together like the owl & the little bird, and like the little bird & her sad feeling. It has an engaging story-line, a drama that draws children in. And it's a perfect bedtime story -- leaving your child with a positive, healing message and with a felt bonding to take with her into her dreams.

Maybe you can take it into your dreams, too.

But "Little Bird" is more & better than a dream-catcher, pushing away bad dreams. It can lead children not to fear or deny, but to hold, to make friends with, and to listen to their sad & scary feelings. And these feelings, common throughout childhood and challenging even to adults, if they go unheld & unhealed, can become the stuff of anxieties, nightmares and cramped, less-than-full living. Too often in our rapidly changing, uncertain world, they can unsettle adults and, much more so, children.

I heartily recommend Ed McMahon's "Little Bird". I've got a copy in my home & at my office. And I've sent another copy to my grandchildren!

The Little Bird Who Found Herself, by Ed McMahon
A Review

Reviewer: The Rev. Dr. Jerry F. Smith, S.T.D., American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Diplomate, pastoral psychotherapist, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapist, Approved Supervisor, marriage and family therapist, spiritual director, and adjunct professor in counseling education at the University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA.

This beautifully illustrated children's book tells the story of a young child, through a little bird metaphor, who lost, and then found herself. The story is simple and easy for both children and adults to read, and conveys a powerful, life giving message.
Its message shows the path toward re-claiming those parts of us that have been lost through either negative self-criticism or the unkind judgments of others. McMahon's fable makes it clear that persons of all ages can follow that path with a little help from someone who can gently teach us to notice our inner feelings--our body's wise, felt sense.
I read this book to my ten year old, easily distracted, grandson and it held his steady attention. At the end I asked, "What do you think of this book?" He replied, "I liked it. It was about being yourself and not giving into peer pressure. It also taught me that if someone needs help, we should help them." I know no better messages to share with a child.
Next, I read it to a friend who wages a long-term struggle with depression. After hearing it she remarked, "Thanks for a comforting story."
Then I read it to another friend with very low self-esteem. He responded, "It's good to know that I'm not alone and maybe I have a way out."
Finally, I read it to my Masters level counseling students. They each praised the tale and saw many ways of using it in their work with both children and adults.
I am grateful to Dr. McMahon for writing this clear, concise little book about a most effective way of guiding such a wide range of people toward find themselves.

I bought this book for my mom. She's a big fan of missionary stories and she loved this one! I recently bought her Peace Child by the same author. She enjoyed it as well.

This book is incredible. Sad and at the same time so incredibly uplifting. It shows how God's plans are so much bigger than ours, and His hand works in ways we cannot comprehend.

Lords of the Earth (International Adventures) (International Adventures)

My boss recommended this book to me, and I'm so glad he did. It was not an easy read as many of the things in it are difficult to hear. It is an incredible story though, and worth reading.

My heart was torn apart as I read the story of the Yali people. This is one of those 'I can't put it down' books. I'm still somewhat smitten in my heart over the price these missionaries paid and the intense need for the gospel these people so desperately demonstrated. God help us to heed the call to go into all the world.

"Lords of the Earth" is the term the Yali warriors use to describe themselves. They live in the Heluk valley in Irian Jaya, and the only knowledge of them to reach the outside world are the dark rumors of the cannibals beyond the mountains. The first section of the book is about them, their customs, and the awful fear and darkness they lived in. Don Richardson does a great job portraying a people bound by chains of sin, and longing for release. The horror of their pain is graphic, and not suitable to be read to younger children.

The second part of the book describes the early life of Stan Dale, his conversion, and his burden for those in darkness. He is drawn as a determined man, physically strong and fit, with firm convictions.

The book goes on to tell of Stan's coming to the Yali people. How a strange story begins over his identity, protecting his life. How the first few Yali Christians were killed, and later Stan and a fellow missionary were brutally murdered. How another missionary family died in a plane crash, except for the nine-year-old son, whose friendship with the Yali paves the way for them to turn to Christ.

The book reminded me Christ's words in John 12:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." On earth, Stan Dale never saw the fruit his life and death brought forth, but he will rejoice in heaven with the Yali that are there through his witness.

Lose That Baby Fat: Bouncing Back The First Year After Having A Baby: A Mom-friendly Fitness Program by La Reine Chabut is an informative exploration and encouraging mapping and reference for women worried for not being able to lose their post-natal additional weight. Diligently guiding its readers through the expertise and knowledgeable strategies of the author, Lose That Baby Fat offers a thoroughly "reader friendly" understanding of how and what makes a body work to loose fat and weight after having a baby. Lose That Baby Fat is very highly recommended for all mothers and soon-to-be mothers as an easy-to-follow, helpful reference for quick and effective post-natal weight loss.

A very easy book to read with great, realistic exercises to get yourself going after having a baby!

This is very easy to read and fun to do the exercises.

this book is written with a great sense of humor and highlights a new body part to work on each month which makes it easy to discover you can be successful with your goals.

I had two babies 14 months apart and I can tell you that this book can and will improve the fitness life of even the busiest moms. It's great alone as a comprehensive fitness plan or even as a supplement to an already established routine. The workouts are simple, practical, and efficient, producing maximum results with relatively little effort.

Although the author was clearly writing for an audience in their teens, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a quick read for an adult. The text is large and the sentence structure simple. The plot is easy to follow. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the story of Roanoak Island and the mystery of the vanishing villagers who made friends with the Croatoan Indians off the Outer Banks. I would not, however, assume that this author is a historical expert on the subject. Nor would I assume that her perspective is necessarily the only possible explanation for the disappearance of these settlers.

The book is an excellent tale! I recommend it highly!

Ive read all of the books so far except for the last one which i cant wait to read. I can assure myself that it will be great and its better since I know the illustrators daughter in my school and i tell u i couldnt wait to get the fourth one i searched everywhere every library i could go to and when i got it I was amazed once more my frends like them to but this book was stuck in my mind for weeks until i found the fourth one but before then i couldnt get it out of my mind i was just so hooked on the book its like my life depended on the book i definitely think this book deserves a 5 stars i advise all kids to read this book ill definitely look for more of miss Steiners books, they're just the best. if i new when the final one was coming out it would be great(...)

M. L. Stainer is a wonderful writer. The Lyon's Roar tells the story of Jessabel Archarde and her family, who travel to the New World in 1587 and get stranded on Roanoke Island. The characters are believable and there's a lot of action. Everyone should read this book!

Highly palettable presentation of a reasonable explanation for the disappearance of the first colonists in America, on Roanoak Island off Virginia. They were stranded there in 1587 (a year before the Spanish Armada distracted Queen Elizabeth's attention from exploration and colonization of the New World). Related in the first person by 14-year-old Jess, this book reads swiftly, thanks to many short chapters and extensive dialogue. The author includes non-judgmental references to native religion and medicine, while offering a viable alternative to the theory that the entire colony was brutally wiped out by hostile Idians.

But this is no boring history book; rather it is more a coming-of-age tale with some gentle romance. Jess confides her dreams and fears, her doubts and plans, as her family emigrates to the Chesapeake Bay--to found a city called Ralegh. We suffer with her on the ghastly ocean voyage; we observe life in that island colony which has since disappeared into the misty myth of time. Jess shares the gradual dawning of her womanhood--both physical and emotional--as she writes in her diary. This young protagonist is torn between George, her first crush, and the allure of the forbidden "savage"--the son of one of the camp's two native guides.

Being blond was something special even back then, as this daring girl matures from selfish child to compassionate young woman, pursuing her private quest for love, while remaining steadfast in her family loyalty. Excellent for middle school, partiuclarly girls; it will stimulate discussion about the fate of the Roanoak colonists. Well-researched, the LYON Saga will entertain and hold the interest young readers. History made Human!

More people need to learn about this book. It's a really great story, full of adventure, first love and coming of age. The time period is America's early colonial history, with few people realizing the Lost Colony was here long before the Pilgrims. Only they vanished without a trace. As a new teacher, I would recommend this book to all literature and history classes in the middle schools.

Good coverage of a broad range of topics. Very easy to understand and perfectly illustrated. Many handy tips that an experienced machinist would already know, but are invaluable for a newbie. Terms not introduced in the text are covered in an extensive glossary. Lathe cutting is more thoroughly covered than milling, but the two are complimentary. I have only two complaints. There is no discussion of gear cutting. Although this might be considered an advanced topic, I think it should have been discussed at least generally. My other issue is with the index, which I found confusing. For example, if you want to know about threading, you need to look under "threading" and also under "lathe, threading". All in all, I found it well worth the price.

This book has literally everything I need on working a lathe. Even the harder questions like cutting curves without a CNC machine are covered. And as a bonus it covers everything else that a home machinist would want to know about mills, grinding, polishing, threads, metallurgy, etc. I am seriously considering returning all my other books on the topic.

After reading some of the other reviews, I was really excited about receiving this book. In short order, I was wondering what all the hoopla was about. I guess "essentials" includes telling you about pliers, and screwdrivers, but to me, that is "Machining for Dummies".

I know about pliers, I know about fasteners. I know that a Bridgeport milling machine costs $8000 dollars. I would like to know what milling machine is recommended for around a grand. Any married guy knows that if he spends $8000 dollars for a milling machine, he better have $8000 to spend on a diamond too!!!

My Lathe is a 9 inch South Bend workshop model A converted from a C model, with a 2.25 HP DC motor and a KBMM controller that I built myself. Lathe cost $185. Tooling cost a hell of a lot more. How many of you out there have a $5000 Clausing?

Heres part of whats missing:

What lathe tooling is recommended. I dont mean what pliers! Channel locks came out 500 years ago!!!

What Drill press is recommended? Absolute necessity, and a hell of a lot cheaper than a bridgeport.

How do you convert a tool running an AC motor to a variable speed DC motor? (Once you have variable speed DC, you will never go back to AC)

4 hack saw blades epoxied together and a slit dowel make a pretty decent 1/8 inch keyway broach.

speedbore paddle bits make pretty cool centering devices.

The best way to part is: Tool upside down, Run Lathe backwards. Sounds Just like frying bacon.

On the plus side, the hardening and annealing section is OK but not worth $44 dollars.

Anybody want to trade this tome for a machinerys handbook, since that is what he keeps referring to? Most of what is in here I read in South Bends antique book "How to run a lathe" Cost: $4.00

Mostly dissapointed.

This book is well written, beautifully illustrated and extremely helpful. Although not my profession, some machine shop work has been a serious hobby for me and I found Machine Shop Essentials to help fill in gaps in my knowledge resulting from a lack of formal training. This book should appeal to enthusiasts and beginning professionals alike. It was a breath of fresh air after having looked at either dated references with photographs of industrial machines or at home shop manuals with very limited information. Having done mostly lathework, I was most interested in learning more about milling and the book "asked" questions that I had in mind and "answered" them, including specific issues regarding the availability and proper use of various cutting bits. The coverage of both lathe and milling basics is far superior to that in three other manuals I purchased (unfortunately) before this one. The diagrams provide a lot of exquisite detail and really compliment the text.

The author's stated purpose in writing this book was to provide a back to basics introduction to machining using small manual machines in a one-of-kind parts and prototyping environment. The author succeeds admirably in meeting his stated purpose. It should be noted that this is a practical treatment giving specific step-by-step procedures needed to create a particular feature using a particular machine tool. Furthermore, it must be kept in mind that what is cost-effective in an industrial setting when production runs are in the thousands or tens of thousands may not be so in a prototyping environment. Mr. Marlow does a great job of concentrating on procedures that can be cost-effective in a one-off environment.

Two notable features of the book in general merit special comment. First, the book is presented in a question and answer format. While this may seem unusual at first, it actually serves the very useful purpose of easily enabling the reader to locate and find information pertinent to a specific machining question. Second, the book uses plentiful line drawings that are absolutely superb. In comparison to the usual photographs, the line drawings used here have one gigantic advantage. Namely, photographs inevitably wind up blurring and obscuring details, some of which may be highly significant. In contrast, the line drawings in this book are models of clarity, usefully illustrating all relevant details. I frankly consider the line drawings in this book to be the best I have ever seen, and they are a major reason for the usefulness of the book.

The first four chapters of the book contain basic introductory material on measurement tools, basic hand tools, filing, sawing, grinding reaming, broaching, and lapping. This is all good, solid, useful stuff. The discussion on broaching, for example, is the best introductory treatment of this I have ever seen. Next, there is a chapter on drilling operations followed by a chapter on threads and threading using taps and dies. Although not encyclopedic in its coverage of various thread standards, the basics are covered thoroughly and again, it must be mentioned that the author uses superb line drawings to convey meaning.

Following the discussion of threading, there are chapters on turning and milling operations in which the author discusses a range of machines representative of those that might be found in a home workshop or a small prototyping operation. In the milling section, for example, Mr. Marlow discusses both the Sherline tabletop mini mill and the Bridgeport. A feature of interest is that the author does not discuss the ubiquitous (and to some, infamous!) mill/drill. I was particularly impressed with the thoroughness of his instructions for operating the Bridgeport mill, and I couldn't help but think that this chapter of the book would be invaluable to a home shop machinist purchasing a used Bridgeport. More than just an instruction manual for the Bridgeport, the book also provides general procedures for producing specific features that translate to any machine of a similar type. Mr. Marlow's discussion of how to mill dovetail slides, for example, is a model of thoroughness and clarity. Although Mr. Marlow does provide some introductory material, he wisely refers the reader to "Machinery's Handbook" and its voluminous tables for many specifics on "feeds and speeds".

The later chapters of the book cover such topics as fastening methods, basic metallurgy, and safety/shop practices. The section on metallurgy, while quite basic, I found particularly useful in helping me remember some of my college courses from long ago. Again, this is all good, solid, useful stuff, and presented at a level (neither too elementary nor too theoretical) that makes it extremely useful at the home machine shop level. I found the final chapter of the book in which Mr. Marlow presents a wide variety of "tricks of the trade" extremely interesting. It contains the sort of practical how-to information that almost never seems to be covered in print.

Finally, there are two appendices, one on sharpening lathe tools and the other providing a list of sources for tools, materials, and supplies. Although I do have two minor misgivings about the lathe tool sharpening appendix discussed in the paragraph immediately below this one, I must admit that Mr. Marlow's two page description of sharpening steel lathe tool bits is by far and away (again, because of the superb line drawings) the most easily understood of any I have ever encountered.

I do find a few minor flaws with the text. Table 8.5 on page 353, for example, has gotten the last two column-headings inverted. That is, the RPM figures listed under 5/8-inch cutters should actually be those listed under 3/8-inch cutters and vice versa. Mr. Marlow achieved near-perfection in his appendix on sharpening steel lathe tool bits, but there are two minor flaws.

The first flaw is as follows: In the line drawings at the top of page 483, he shows "side clearance angle" and "end clearance angle". In the subsequent table of sharpening angles, however, we find neither "side clearance" nor "end clearance". Instead, we find "side relief" and "front relief". Now it is true that the sentence immediately preceding the table: "What are typical rake and clearance (relief) angles for HSS tool bits?" does imply that clearance and relief are synonyms. But, aside from being (perhaps?) hard to catch, that still does not answer the problem. For if we understand that in referring from the table back to the preceding illustrations we are to substitute "clearance" wherever we see "relief" in the table, then we would wind up searching in vain through the illustrations for a depiction of what is meant by the "front clearance". Whilst the meaning may be clear to the experienced or well-read amongst us, this discrepancy is irritating and could be quite confusing to the novice.

The second flaw, and here I realize I am opening up a can of worms, is Mr. Marlow's advice to "dip the tool in coolant frequently to keep it from overheating and annealing".
Now I freely admit that I am not a metallurgical scientist, but I have had opportunity to talk to a number of folks who are. And here is what I have been told. Dipping the tool in coolant is a holdover from the days of sharpening carbon steel tools which do have an annealing temperature low enough to be easily reached in tool grinding. And of course, once the tool is annealed, its hardness is gone, and it is useless for cutting. I am told, however, that the annealing temperature of virtually all HSS alloys is sufficiently high that it will not be approached during a tool grinding operation. So annealing of HSS is not the problem. Apparently what IS the problem is that the HSS tool may develop a series of micro-fractures or cracks when shocked by the sudden dip in coolant from a heated state. Now I have also been told that HSS may develop the micro-fractures from overly aggressive grinding as well, but that this is less likely to occur. So if what I have been told by some folks I know to be quite reputable metallurgical scientists is true, it seems to me that it would make sense to grind less aggressively (this is not an industrial production job, after all) to help avoid unnecessary heat build up and to eschew the use of a coolant dip. Note that if facilities are available to have constant coolant flow over the tip of the tool, the sudden shocking issue would not arise---but such facilities are probably not available to the average reader of this book.

I wish Mr. Marlow had covered two additional topics. First, drilling flat-bottomed holes is a subject that continues to vex. Some sage advice here would have been much appreciated. Second, a chapter on shapers, analogous to that on milling machines, would have been of interest to me. Admittedly, I have not seen a shaper in industrial use for years, but there are many of them still in use in home machining operations, and for those folks who have them, a good modern text would be useful.

I cannot help but comment on the one reviewer who was disappointed that Mr. Marlow did not recommend specific machines. First, I suppose Mr. Marlow's inclusion of Clausing drill presses and lathes as well as Bridgeport milling machines may constitute a recommendation of sorts. Secondly, given the wide variety of new (not to say used!) machine tools available, I don't see how it would be feasible for anyone to review them all and make specific recommendations. Finally, which machine tool is best depends upon a number of factors: budget, space available, intended use, etc. So Mr. Marlow was, in my opinion, wise to adopt the approach he did.

While this book would probably not be of much use to an experienced machinist, it certainly is the best single introduction to manual machine operations for the home shop machinist I have ever seen. It would be nice to see Mr. Marlow turn his attention to two additional topics: motors/variable frequency drives and CNC machining. With regards to the former, I understand that one can do wonders nowadays with VFD's and that the price has come down to make them truly affordable. Yet specific information useable by the non-specialist is hard to come by. Second CNC systems and conversion kits seem to be coming down in price and bringing CNC machining into reach of the small prototype shop/home workshop. If Mr. Marlow could address these two topics with the same precision and clarity he did for manual machine tools with this volume, he would provide a valuable service.

Abandoned for centuries and overgrown by dense subtropical forest, this awesome city in the sky has been the subject of speculation and conjecture since Hiram Bingham first disclosed it in 1911. Now, for the first time, the wonders of Machu Picchus' construction and water supply are revealed in a new book by Kenneth R. Wright and Alfredo Valencia Zegarra. Anyone who has read Bingham's Lost City of the Incas, or who has visited this ancient city of the Incas or who yearns to journey there, should read this new and searching volume that delves into and solves many of the mysteries of Machu Picchu. Why was it built, how the site was selected, and what were the critical criterial criteria that were met to make the ridge top site suitable for an alternate home for the Inca Pachacuti? Machu Picchu served as a residence, a fortress and a holy place. The developement of a water supply, the construction of terraces for agriculture and the remarkable and enduring granite structures were well concealed by its unique location. Near vertical cliffs, the roaring Urubamba river all contributed to the concealment of Machu Picchu from the Spanish invaders How an ancient people, without the written word, without instruments and steel tools so capably built and prospered there for more than a century is now revealed in this landmark book that will increase both the awe and respect of the reader for the Inca people.

Don't let the title scare you if you are not an engineer. Reading through the book is like taking a stroll with the ancient men who planned, designed and built this great site. It is a "must take along" if you are planning a visit. Even if you cannot afford to visit, the book is worth the read to be able to admire the skills of ancient people.

For the University of Denver Water Law Review,
Vol. 6, Issue 1, Fall 2002

Coloradans Ken and Ruth Wright have teamed with Peruvian archeologist Alfredo Valencia to place back in working order the sixteen fountains of Machu Picchu. You can see for yourself.

The Inca were master water handlers. They chose Machu Picchu as a ceremonial center because the mountains and the river spoke to them of life-giving power. The Urubamba River far below snakes triangular around the base of Machu Picchu and Huayna Picchu mountains. A saddle between these peaks cradles the temples, rock shrines, dwelling places, and agricultural terraces that dance between the clouds in early morning and emerge to sunlight by Noon.

Water at the center of it all. The paleo-hydrologic studies of the Wrights and Valencia reveal how the Inca predicated the design and construction of Machu Picchu upon the flow of a spring. From high on the side of Machu Picchu Mountain, a canal brings water across an agricultural terrace to the first fountain just above the Temple of the Sun. From there, sixteen fountains splash, spout, and sing down a staircase to the Temple of the Condor.

The May 2002, issue of National Geographic Magazine contains yet another map of Machu Picchu deriving from the Wright-Valencia partnership. This map shows how magnificent Machu Picchu must have looked with its thatched roofs uplifted to the condor sky.
Underneath your feet at every turn is the invisible sixty-percent of Machu Picchu. In their Civil Engineering book, Ken and Alfredo describe the genius of Machu Picchu's foundational structure. The Inca edifices and agricultural terraces stand the test of time because of careful drainage and methodical trenchwork. The visible forty-percent of Machu Picchu rests on mountain bedrock and the skill of people who learned through ancestral experience how to counter earthquake and erosion's despoiling effect.

Ken and Alfredo deduce from their studies that the Inca did not irrigate the agricultural terraces at Machu Picchu, though they did elsewhere. Here, the rainy season and supplemental importation of agricultural products met the needs of the small resident population and the influx of those attending rituals. The Inca ruler Pachacuti began Machu Picchu as a ceremonial retreat in A.D. 1450. It likely ceased normal operation by A.D. 1540 due to the collapse of the Inca Empire under Spanish invasion.

Ken and Alfredo explain that Machu Picchu's durability stems from high quality professional workmanship:

"Machu Picchu's technical planning is surely the key to the site's longevity and functionality. The Inca's careful use of hydraulic, drainage, and construction techniques ensured that the retreat was not reduced to rubble during its many years of abandonment. These techniques, combined with a strong knowledge of hydrology, were what made it a grand and operational retreat high in the most rugged of terrain."

The Civil Engineering book is easily readable, yet contains much study and analysis of Machu Picchu's structural accomplishment. Ken and Alfredo devote chapters to (1) setting, geology, climate, and site selection; (2) city planning and engineering infrastructure; (3) hydrogeology, collection works, water requirements, and water supplies; (4) hydraulic engineering, water supply canal, and fountains; (5) drainage infrastructure, surface runoff and drainage criteria, agricultural terraces, and urban sector; (6) agriculture, hand-placed soil, crop water needs, and adequacy of nutrient production; (7) building foundations and stone walls; (8) construction methods, rock quarry, transporting and lifting rocks, using wood and vegetation, roof structures, canal stones, floors and plaster, bridges, and tools of the trade; (9) cultural background and Inca heritage; and (10) a walking tour of the engineering works (Ruth's contribution).

Dr. Gordon McEwan, excavator of Pikillacta and Chokepukio, illuminates the cultural background of the Inca in a fine chapter he contributes to the Civil Engineering work (chapter 9). He further explains in a June 2002 National Geographic Magazine article how the Inca culture built upon the Wari culture (A.D. 600-1000). At Pikillacta, the Wari relied on an aqueduct whose portals also served as their gateways and guardways to the Cusco Valley. Before the Wari, dating from B.C. 200, the Pukara and the Tiwanaku peoples conducted water for pragmatic and religious purposes.

The Inca were religious and practical people. They revered the earth, the mountains, and the sky, as their descendants the Quechua still do. On mountain torsos they saw visages of the serpent, the puma, and the condor. Rocks and dead ancestors were equally alive to inform and inspire them by daily consultation in community. They were expert engineers, architects, and water workers. Joseph and Pharaoh-like, they dreamed of drought and famine; so, they stored the plentiful crop against the certitude of impending scarcity. The Inca exacted a tax in the form of labor. In return, the community benefited from stored food and ritual celebrations.

In the third summer of a North American western drought (A.D.2002), with the published work of Ken, Ruth, and Alfredo in hand, I could see it too--how water works at Machu Picchu for domestic water supply, aesthetic, and spiritual needs. The Inca water containment and delivery structures join those of the Mayans at Tikal, the Anasazi at Mesa Verde, and the Hopi at their mesas in a centuries-old mosaic of water use in the Western Hemisphere.

In scarcity lies the opportunity for community. The native peoples of the Americas practiced the art of water works construction out of ingenuity and necessity, praying to the gods for rain to fill their earth-constructed hope against despair. The native peoples also demonstrated that water supply planning and infrastructure is a core responsibility of those who would govern in the public interest. Westerners always come round to the practical and symbolic value of water for people and the environment.

Great book that goes way beyond the standard guide book fare. It inspired me to make the trip after reading it, to see first hand how the ancient Inca Empire created a complete fortified city in the sky, to trace the old Inca trails by the watchtower, the drawbrige and into the main gate with the view of city and the peak beyond. Other travel books have beautiful pictures and "where to eat and where to stay" for this citadel but very little information on how the city itself came into being and survived.

City maps and commentary in the book are far better than you can get on-site. Don't leave home without it. Even if you are just an armchair traveler you will be amazed with the accomplishments of the Inca Empire.

The story of Machu Picchu is a tribute to the prehistoric Native Americans who planned and built this mystical mountaintop royal estate for Emperor Pachacuti between AD 1450 and 1540. The authors have, at last, defined for scientists and layman alike what makes Machu Picchu such a beautiful and special place: the innumerable details of Machu Picchu, when combined into a whole, create a visual and spiritual experience that is unparalleled in the New World.

Properly, this book is dedicated to the young Yale explorer Hiram Bingham, John Rowe and Pat Lyons of the University of California/Berkeley, Richard Burger and Lucy Salazar of Yale University, and several others who had a hand in supporting the research work in both the United States and Peru.

Ten chapters, 160 photographs, many sketches and maps, in conjunction with a detailed index, provide both the scholar and casual tourist with a description of Machu Picchu that is a must-read before leaving Cusco for the trip down the Urubamba River to see this most important archaeological ruin of the Western Hemisphere. The book is designed so that much of the story can be appreciated even if one only looks at the photographs and reads the captions; much like a National Geographic magazine.

Chapter 1 explains the when, where and why of Machu Picchu along with it ancient climate. Site selection reasons are described; here you will learn why the Inca chose such a difficult site for construction and how the mountain and water played a major role in its choice. In Chapter 2, you will learn about the Inca-period planning that went into the royal estate so that it would function. For instance, based on engineering evidence, the Inca spring and canal layout details were established before the Inca Royal Residence and the Temple of the Sun locations were chosen. It is no coincidence that the one-half-mile-long canal ends near the Royal Residence and Fountain No. 1 so that the emperor would have the first use of the domestic water supply.

Without the Inca Spring on the north side of Machu Picchu Mountain, there would be no archaeological ruin here. The Inca water source is described in Chapter 3. The hydrology of the spring and its flow are presented in an easy-to-understand manner; the reader will learn why the water supply is a child of the geologic faulting, upthrusts and related cracking of the granite bedrock and that the spring flow rises and falls throughout the year with a several-month lag time between the rainfall. But most of all, the chapter describes the original spring works and its water supply so that its technical significance to the Inca engineer can be fully appreciated. For water quality aficionados, a detailed water quality table of constituents is described; you will learn that the water supply of Machu Picchu was and is clear and pure.

Also in Chapter 3, the remarkable recent discoveries of long lost water supplies are explained. A previously unknown extension of the Inca Trail down to the Urubamba River is also described. One fountain is shown flowing in 1999 after nearly five centuries of being buried under the forest floor.

Chapter 4 explains the hydraulic engineering of Machu Picchu and the meticulous fountain work that delivered water to the heart of Machu Picchu. Hydraulic works such as the Abandoned Canal are pictured to show that even when Machu Picchu was left to the forest in AD 1540, the royal estate was still under construction. Machu Picchu represented a pinnacle of the Inca architectural and engineering achievements.

The author explains in Chapter 5 that, without good drainage, Machu Picchu would not have endured through the centuries. The drainage system is analyzed using modern methods to prove the type of planning and engineering that preceded the actual building construction, all with figures and photographs so that the drainage components can be examined in the field to provide a greater appreciation. Discovery of the first and only gold at Machu Picchu in 1996 is a story that illustrates the Machu Picchu mysteries that still await discovery; a gold bracelet was found in and amongst the stone chips that underlie the Playa. A photograph of the gold bracelet shows its graceful curves.

The agriculture of Machu Picchu is amply illustrated and described in Chapter 6, along with the nutrient producing capabilities of the hundreds of terraces. It was determined that the terraces would provide food for no more than 55 people and, therefore, food was brought into Machu Picchu from elsewhere. Actually, the terraces were used mostly for growing corn, probably to produce the ceremonial Inca beer known as chi cha.

Chapters 7 and 8 satisfy one's need to know about how the Machu Picchu stonework was built and why it has endured. Eighteen types of stonework wall patterns are illustrated and lintel beams are described along with many special-use stones. Methods of construction are analyzed to show how large stones were moved, shaped and placed. Evidence of potential Inca renegade stonemasons is shown on page 77, a controversy on which Inca scholars still disagree.

One of the best descriptions of how the Inca were able to do so much in such a short time is given in Chapter 9, prepared by scholar Gordon McEwan, in a chapter on cultural background and the Inca heritage.

The final chapter of the book provides a capstone in the form of a walking tour that takes the reader to each and every Machu Picchu highlight, complete with 44 figures and photographs. The four pages of Machu Picchu mapping helps the armchair traveler know just where he or she is at all times.

This book, parading as a civil engineering guide to Machu Picchu, is actually a detailed guide that covers the scientific aspects of the archaeological site in a way that any and all readers can appreciate. I recommend it to all. Don't miss it if you are planning to visit there.

I found this book well written, researched and presented. It is an academic work that reads easily and has application and relevance across many platforms including many that are not mentioned (e.g. health care). The examples are clearly presented. Like many books written along these topic lines, the examples are represented in iterative formats to draw out the specific issues. To many readers this may appear repetitive but it does enhance the understanding for those that wish to develop more depth.

Weick and Sutcliffe provide exceptional insights into high reliability organizations (HROs) and how lessons learned from HROs can be applied to other organizations that are not satisfied with just being good. The authors address the five hallmarks of mindfulness that distinguish HROs from all other organization types. The authors provide detailed checklists through which company leaders can audit and assess organizational readiness for dealing with unexpected events. The authors address the critical value of organizational culture in dealing with unexpected events and how organizational leaders can build the capacity to "manage mindfully". The text is well-documented and well-indexed. Each of the six chapters is summarized for rapid review; however, with ony 173 pages of substantive text, this "must read" can be completed in only a few hours. Knowledgeable leaders who are interested in creating resilient organizations should also read Ian Mitroff's "Crisis Leadership" (John Wiley & Sons) as an accompanying text.

This book is to be read by anyone really interested about how organizations work.

The main point could be explained in a single sentence: We can get valuable lessons if we pay attention to organizations who work in high risk and unpredictable environments.

This is my own view and, actually, I tried to show this using aviation as a kind of learning field. That is why I hope the authors will be lucky. My own experience was unsuccessful and that itself shows that the authors are right.

When I started to get conclusions from aviation to business management, I found that the more interested people came precisely from aviation. I'm afraid the authors could suffer the same experience and people interested in their concepts could come from air carriers, nuclear-powered plants and some other examples they use.

The authors could be three or four steps in advance of the present situation in business management. They try to extract the right lessons from other fields. However, they would not be surprised if their intent "bounces back" and it is picked-up precisely from the fields that they try to show as examples, not from business management.

In this well written, easy to read, analysis of organizations in highly complex and dangerous settings that persistently have less than their fair share of accidents - High Reliability Organizations - Professors Weick and Sutcliffe provide the recipe for a `learning organization'. Noting that HRO's share the hallmark of "mindfulness", the authors' define this characteristic as consisting of five key elements that every organization can use for dealing with the unexpected. The authors' call these five elements:
1. Preoccupation with failure - treating any failure (often small ones) as a symptom that something is wrong with the system, they are continually updating their understanding.
2. Reluctance to simplify interpretations - ensuring a more complete and nuanced picture, simplifying less and seeing more.
3. Sensitivity to operations - paying attention to relationships at the front line, where the work gets done.
4. Commitment to resilience - maintaining a deep knowledge of the technology, the system, one's coworkers, and one's self as avenues for improvising and keeping the system functioning.
5. Deference to expertise - cultivating diversity to do more with complexities, they push decisions down to the people with the most expertise, not the most rank. They also move issues around/across the system, migrating problems to someone with the knowledge and capabilities to address them.

Together, these elements give the organization `mindfulness', and this organizational mindset allows it to handle the unexpected with more responsibility and thus a higher probability of success in the face of change. Although the HRO's analyzed (aircraft carriers, nuclear power plants, and others) operate in more dangerous environments than the average business, today's rapidity of change causes the unexpected to happen to every organization and it would seem that the five elements of mindfulness could benefit nearly every organization today.
Dennis DeWilde, author of "The Performance Connection"

I was please with the writing of this book. Not only is it a good easy read, but Weick presents the material in an intersting fashion. SO far, it has been most helpful in understanding the components of managing a situation that is completely unexpected.

This is not a book which you read through over a period of hours. In fact it is quite possible that you will never read all of the book, but yet find it invaluable.

Fox breaks the sales stage down into logical segments and provides good "plays" to make the sales process more productive. Sales segments include: Thinking, Reaching, Engaging, Keeping.

None of the plays are innovative, but they are relevant. He provides the reader with good insight and detail on "plays" such as print advertising, Linkedin, PR, Customer referrals, Customer surveys etc. He also makes an effort to cost out these plays. I did find some of his costings on the high side, but it is up to you "the player" to make sure you get your value for money.

The book is not cheap, but if you want a good reference, idea book at your fingertip, it is good value.

Marketing Playbook: The Manual for Growing Organizations is a compendium of 102 marketing strategies to meet sales goals. A football-style theme and trappings capture the reader's eye, but at its heart Marketing Playbook is all business. Tips, tricks and techniques include the basics for creating a good business card, how to create a series of "thank you" postcards with impact, using web conferencing to give a sales presentation without leaving one's chair, how to break through voicemail, and much more. A surprisingly intense amount of detail on each topic and full-color photographs on every page distinguish Marketing Playbook as a top-quality reference and resource for marketing professionals.

Over the past several years there has been an outpouring of titles dealing with the topic of effective marketing techniques that has spawned a cottage industry of thousands of books, and whose publishers rant that by purchasing their book you will invariably be led to the Promised Land.

I don't doubt that most authors of marketing books often work extra hard to find new and creative perspectives on their subject. Unfortunately, however, most fail, as very often their approach is filled with a great deal of hype, but little useful content.

Now, along comes John M. Fox's fresh and innovative approach with his manual Marketing Playbook: The Manual for Growing Organizations 102 of the Best Marketing Plays to Get Your Sales Team Across the Goal Line, where the author uses the metaphor of a football playbook to tutor his readers on how to develop an effective and winning marketing plan.

The manual organizes itself into 102 plays, each comprising one glossy page with full color images, wherein you have the following sections: a diagram, illustration or picture of the Play when correctly executed, next to the image you have the number and name of the Play, on the left hand side of the page you have the strategies and costs, while the center of the page consists of the Assignments and Coaching Points, and the bottom of the page indicates the Primary Receivers as types, their level, and who is the product or service best suited for.
In addition, Fox includes a value-added bonus by providing at the end of some of the pages a section called Extra Points, where you can download from the author's website extra information pertaining to the Play. There is even a scoreboard that rates the Play's strategic or tactical applicability.
For example, if we look at Play 35, Press Releases That Get Ink, we notice that the focus of the strategy is to get your news story in the press, what are the expected costs of a professional writer, how the marketing team and the PR agency should work together, and ends with vital coaching points.

By presenting the material in this way, devoid of technical jargon, verbiage and redundancy, fundamental principles are broken down into understandable messages that everyone can easily follow. Moreover, the book is as informative as it is fun, as the author has taken pains to be clear and concise, while keeping the tone light and approachable. Although, the author states in his notes that he has written the book from the first-person to company leaders, rookie employees and the self-employed will likewise benefit from its reading.
For those who wish to explore the various topics further, the author provides a bibliography of references, resources and additional reading that correspond to each of the Plays. There is even at the end of the manual a glossary index containing a listing of some familiar and unfamiliar terms the author uses in his presentations.

Norm Goldman, Editor Bookpleasures

This book is very engaging, in fact, hard to put down. As a seasoned marketing executive, I am often disappointed with marketing books yet this one was a pleasant surprise and loaded with useful information. John's suggestions are easy to implement and focused on helping sales make sales! Too many marketers focus on brand image to the exclusion of lead generation and customer aquisition. What good is a brand if there is no money in the bank! This book will keep new and seasoned marketers in growth companies on track with cost-effective ideas to ring the sales bell. An excellent feature is a list of sample vendors and the approximate cost of various "plays"; this alone will save new marketers research time and money and allow them to maximize tight marketing budgets for maximum results. This book is worth every penny and there is something inside that will work for every type of business.

Whether a company needs to know how to get its news in front of people who care through news distribution, or how to present it in a binder, John Fox's Marketing Playbook lays it out ... plus John gives you the names of sources who will help. It's the kind of book anybody in marketing and sales will keep and refer to often.