Nicholson Books

For a textbook, this one was very well organized and had an easy flow in reading. Best economics related book I have read. It did, though, have some minor spelling and grammar mistakes though.

A very educational book that will be needed even after graduating from college. A book that contains the very basic concepts of Microeconomics.

This is a solid account of major political and diplomatic events through the first fifty years of the state of Israel's existence. A lifelong diplomat and ambassador to Britain Raviv served his country well and his accounting is one of a faithful hardworking civil service who believes very much in the miraculous accomplishments of Israel through its first fifty years. Ironically, the book ends with a clear optimistic sense that with the fall of the Soviet Union, the world as a whole is moving towards better times. But today seven years after the book was published Israel is threatened more than ever by a new fundamentalist Islam, and an anti- Semitism of the extreme left and right which has made anti- Zionism the new form of Anti- Semitism.
Nonetheless it is not as a prophet that Raviv writes, but as a witness and participant in a remarkable historical process, the rebirth of an ancient people in its historical homeland.

I read this book in the hope that I would find a political and diplomatic history of Israel as told by a player and I have to say that I was not disappointed. It is a superbly written piece of work told by Ambassador Raviv a former Israeli diplomat who was at the centre of many crises both political and military. The reader will get surprising insights into many of the diplomatic and political events ranging from Suez in 1956 right up to the Palestinian uprising in the late 1980s. The book moves the reader quite quickly through events without missing any of the essential detail required to tell what is a complicated story.

Excellent research and study aid. Each item is punctiliously cross-referenced to its origin in Freud's writings and within each definition the different terms used are cross-referenced in a format that is easy to follow without being intrusive to the eye. Despite its French authors, this work is not Lacanian, thus it lacks definitions for some psychoanalytic terms (e.g. signifier) which contemporary analysts must seek elsewhere, for instance in Dylan Evans' book. But its relevance to developing psychoanalytic research and practice remains incontrovertible to all Freudians, post- or not.

This dictionary style work is absolutely vital for any student of psychoanalysis, amateur or aspiring professional. From the armchair to the doctor's office, this book makes the intricacies of psychoanalytic terminology accessible in everyday language. Got a big psych test coming up? Don't know where to begin on what "object-cathexis" or "secondary Narcissism" could possibly mean? What to woo that special someone with your knowledge of "jouissance"? Go to the source. If that makes little or no sense, come here. (So to speak.)

This book is a good start for linear algebra; it touches upon the basics at first to make sure you have the required skills before moving onwards. However I personally found that there were too many proofs, even for algebra which can be very proof heavy. Also the book could use more examples, especially when touching upon tougher concepts such as sub/vector spaces.

This is a wonderful and easy to follow book about linear algebra. After reading this book with clear concept establishment, you might go ahead more advanced books.

How does this book differ from the book published by Rizzoli in 1986 titled Lives of the GreatTwentieth Century Artists.? I find it interesting that this is not marketed as a second or revised edition.

I would have given the book five stars if, after having read through the entire book and encountered several rather obscure artists with whom I am not familiar, I had not suddenly realised that Andrew Wyeth was not even mentioned in the book. Why? He most certainly is twentieth century, and most certainly is an artist. Not even an obscure one. Bad enough that NC Wyeth only considered himself an illustrator of books and not a real artist; it is certainly reprehensible that his son, one of the greatest painters of any century, should be left out of a book which purports to chronicle the lives of the great twentieth century artists. This happens to be a very good book, a good overview of the various movements in art during the last century, but it has rather pointedly ignored a very fine and important artist whose enormous body of work should be at least be mentioned. And I won't even mention poor Norman Rockwell, who chronicled every day life in his own century much as the great artists of the past painted what was prosaic to them and very exotic to us. Maxfield Parrish was also ignored in this book. Not an artist, I guess, just an illustrator with the greatest understanding of light since Rembrandt. Oh, well. I feel much about this book as I do about "Great Poetry" collections which always manage to leave out that which I love the most. Everything, I guess, is a matter of opinion. If you know absolutely nothing about twentieth century art, this book will certainly give you a good introduction to the various artists and important movements. Perhaps the writer, Edward Lucie Smith, should have considered two or three volumes, in order to more completely cover this subject.

Lots of good info, resources and advice that never crossed my mind. You never know when something may come up and this book will help you be prepared for anything that may.

You dont have to be in your "golden years" to begin planning and preparing for the future. Michael J. Fox and his fight with Parkinson's is a prime example. A health disaster can hit at any time, at any age, take everything and leave nothing for your family, not even a roof over your head...As a single father and a cancer survivor, I can tell you that this book will help you find FREE prescriptions from every pharmaceutical company that has a patient assistant program..AND WILL tell you how and where to find and print your own prescription assistance applications,where you then can take them to your dr. and send them off for your 'free' 90-360 day supply...this book will save you hundreds a month!!! GIVE IT TO YOUR DEAR OLD GRANNY

It has been some time since I taught a course in modern algebra, but if I were to teach it again, I would use this book. The first chapter covers the basics of binary operations and algebraic structures. Seven pages in length, it is a basic overview of what the students should already know. Chapter two covers what is arguably the simplest abstract algebra, Boolean algebra. Propositional logic, switching circuits, posets and lattices are the examples used. I am in strong agreement with the introduction of switching circuits this early in a course. It is an application of abstract algebra that students can easily understand and relate to. Switching circuits also immediately demonstrates that the inclusion of "with applications" in the title is not a misnomer.
Basic group theory is the topic of chapter three, quotient and symmetry groups are covered in chapters four and five. The Polya-Burnside method of enumeration is the topic of chapter five, monoids and machines the focus of chapter seven, rings, fields, polynomial, Euclidean and quotient rings are examined in chapters eight, nine and ten. Field extensions are covered in chapter eleven, Latin squares in chapter twelve, geometrical constructions in chapter thirteen and error-correcting codes in chapter fourteen.
The exposition is excellent, it is one of the more readable texts in advanced mathematics that you will find. There are many examples of the applications of modern algebra to the real world and a large number of exercises are included at the end of the chapters. Solutions to the odd numbered exercises are found in an appendix.
Modern algebra is a difficult topic due to the abstract nature of the material. It is easy for students to get confused and lost when they are studying the book on their own. The risk of that is minimized if they are reading this book.

This book is pitched at the level of a third or fourth undergraduate year in maths, or at a graduate level course. Gilbert assumes a solid background in maths, especially linear algebra. He expounds on groups and rings.

You can certainly treat this book as a pure maths text on algebra. But there is a twist to it, for some of you. He discusses applications in engineering. Notably Boolean algebra. Boolean logic forms the conceptual and practical basis of computer hardware and software. Gilbert shows how to represent a Boolean expression in a normal form and how to simplify it. Very practical and vital to circuit design.

Later on in the book, he gives a good but all too brief discussion of finite state machines. These can be used in control systems and even in the construction of computer languages like Java. Where the Java bytecode can be validated precisely because Java is a finite state machine.

Finally, error correcting codes take up an entire chapter. Important in communications theory, and even in such common items as storing information on computer media like DVDs.

As important as almost any literature is in understanding Western culture are the tales of Greek and Roman mythology. Unlike Shakespeare, Chaucer or Cervantes, however, these stories are not identified with a single author, but rather a number of big names, including Sophocles, Aeschylus, Euripides, Livy, Ovid and most notably (and perhaps most legendary), Homer. These stories have endured for millennia, and have been related by a number of authors over the years. Michael Grant is walking over familiar ground with his book on these myths, but he still is able to provide a new look at these old stories.

Grant, an author on numerous books on ancient history (particularly Greek and Roman, but also other Mediterranean communities), definitely has the credentials to write about these stories. The myths themselves are actually just the starting point in his discussion; what follows after the tales is an analysis of the impact of the story.

An example would be the story of Oedipus, in particular, Sophocles play, King Oedipus (also known as Oedipus Rex). First Grant tells the story in a rather straightforward narrative with occasional interruptions where he provides excerpts from translations. He then discusses some of the history behind Oedipus and some of the thematic issues: for example, why is Oedipus punished for a fate beyond his control? Grant also discusses Freud and the Oedipus Complex.

What's important to Grant is that these myths are not mere entertainments, but instead have a depths and breadth that goes well beyond the actual tale. All the well-known tales are discussed: the Iliad and the Odyssey, Jason and the Argonauts, Perseus, Aeneas, Romulus and Remus, and many others. What is sad is the amount of material that has been lost to the ages, such as most of the plays of Sophocles and Aeschylus, or the lost parts of the grand Trojan War epic of which the Iliad and Odyssey were only a part.

While Grant can sometimes be a little tedious in his histories, he is in top form with this book. I would not recommend this book as an introduction to these myths (as storytelling is not Grant's primary objective), but if you know them already, this book is great: it'll give you a fresh, insightful look into these classic stories.

Michael Grant begins with the battle for Troy, a war so epic that the gods themselves descended into the field of battle. From there we learn of Odysseus, Dido and Aeneas, Jason, Apollo, Diana, Zeus and Hera, Ulysses and the rape of the Sabine women. Invaluable either as a reference source or as a means of reading the tales of the ancients.

As all his other books, Mr. Palin makes for interesting and informative reading. Good (British / European) sense of humor; which, perhaps, may not quite hit the mark in the U.S. market.

Of course, the term "New Europe" is said largely tongue in cheek. There is nothing "new" about "New Europe". It's just new to western visitors. For decades, western tourists have been denied or hindered in their access to Moldova, Georgia, Kaliningrad, Albania and so on. Michael Palin's task has been to put this to right.

Palin spent some six months wandering through eastern Europe (to use a more commonly applied moniker) meeting an array of fascinating people and musing sometimes whimsically upon his travels. His book, "New Europe" is a direct tie in with a BBC series of the same name. So, don't expect some detailed analytical work. But then again, why would you? Palin was one of the original Monty Python crew. No, this book is simply a pleasant stroll through some interesting apparently "new" places.

I guess that, by and large, Palin's work is a coffee table book. That's certainly where it will rest in my house. But, having said this, please don't think that I'm trying to denigrate it. Take it for what it is; namely, a beautifully pictured travelogue. It has been a joy to read over the past week and has certainly whetted my appetite for travel beyond the seemingly more staid confines of Paris, London and Rome.

Michael Palin once more takes us on a great trip into the New Europe. His travel books always make you feel your along for the ride. The best part of his travel books are you get a chance to meet the locals and see and feel how they live and they always make you smile. Palin has many travel books out and they are always of a high standard and make a good read. I hope after a short rest he's back on the road soon.

Noman is a very beautiful finale to a wonderful 3 book story. Fans of the first two books, Seeker and Jango will not be disappointed. The author wraps up this trilogy nicely leaving the reader very satisfied and with a good feeling of the impressions Nicholson evokes of faith, love, peace and harmony. We see more detailed character development with this last book within the characters of Morning Star and Seeker, but disappointingly not so much with our beloved Wildman. The author alternates chapters telling us what is happening in each of the three key characters lives, which although works well, I found at times disjointed. There was a lot of jumping around. However, I did enjoy the way it all came together at the end, but was really disappointed that the three teens didnt unite at all during the book to join their powerful forces together as we had seen in the first two books. They each were on their own in this book which was ok, but not to me as meaningful. There are powerful messages here, hidden at first, and then revealed slowly to bring on some serious thought provoking topics for the reader to ponder upon. The whole feel of these three books is rather zen, almost buddhist-like in the faith and beliefs of the fictional Noman clan we read about. I think adults would enjoy these books as much as teens and that there are themes here that almost anyone would benefit by. One does need to read the first two books before reading this installment, these stories are not stand alone and couldnt be read separately. I highly recommend that they are read in order right away back to back to really get the full benefit and feel of the depth of the characters and what the whole message is all about. I have to say these are very different, quite engaging and unique. For fantasy fans who are looking for something different, and are tired of the wizards, magic and dragon routine, this trilogy offers something very much out of the norm. I can only give very high praise for this book and for the trilogy as a whole. I eagerly await to see what the author comes up with next.

I read this book in four hours. At the very start, you are plunged straight into action - and it really leaves no dull moment in the book.

It had been a while since I revisited Anacrea, so when I picked up this book, I only had 2 things in mind: will Seeker find his Truth and is his love for Morning Star doomed to be forever unrequited?

WELL. This book delves into soooo much more than I had anticipated, and really gives so much food for thought about love, faith, identity etc. If you were like me and wanted to know how the love triangle ended up, you won't be disappointed with the conclusion...I won't spoil it for you lol.

But one thing for sure, take your time reading this...I wish I had so I could better understand the messages conveyed in the book. Now I have to reread it (such a burden, I know <--kidding?).

I do have a question and **IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET, IT MAY BE A SPOILER!!!**




> Why does Seeker cleanse himself at the end? I thought Noman wanted him to retain the knowledge?