Peter Books


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Peter Books sorted by Average customer review: high to low .

Peter
Little Pear
Published in Hardcover by Peter Smith Publisher Inc (1992-01)
Author: Eleanor Frances Lattimore
List price: $39.50
Used price: $44.67

Average review score:

Funny Little Story
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-03-22
I have both "Little Pear" and "Little Pear and His Friends." Little Pear is really naughty, but it's so funny to read what kind of mischief he will get into next. Good read for I'd say 5 years old and up.

My kids liked this more than I did...
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-31
I thought this was a cute book but not particularly noteworthy. I purchased it because it was on the Sonlight reading list and our library didn't carry it. If I had to do it again, I wouldn't go out of my way to purchase it. Little Pear is a cute character and the simple back and white drawings scattered throughout focused my 5 and 7 year old's attention. Each story was short too, which made it a nice book for both levels. I liked this book, I just didn't love it.

A wonderful Book
Helpful Votes: 10 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 2001-03-28
Little Pear was always in mischief. He was also a kind boy. The pictures are exciting and Little Pear only had a little pony tail. On Chinese New Year, Little Pear's father bought some kites and gave to him and his youngest sister. She had a butterfly kite and Little Pear had a goldfish kite. Her sister flew her kite so high that she lost it and Little Pear almost lost his as well.So he and his sister played with little pear's kite. When they went home it was supper time of fried cornmeal, bean sprouts and hot tea. After that they got ready to sleep.

Filled with kites, boats, candies and mischief.
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 15 total.
Review Date: 1997-07-09
A wonderfully universal story of a 5-year old chinese boy interested in 5-year-old adventures. Lattimore has a simple style that appeals to the young mind. It's not too scary and not too silly.

A wonderful book!
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2006-03-14
The Little Pear stories are fabulous. My four year old loves them and we read them over and over.

Peter
Littles to the Rescue
Published in Hardcover by Peter Smith Publisher Inc (1988-06)
Author: John Peterson
List price: $15.75
Used price: $14.00

Average review score:

The Littles to the Rescue
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2004-01-25
The book had adventure, fun, mystery and danger. The Little Family had to go look for Aunt Lilly after she falls from cousin Dinke's glider. The small family must explore the world of regular size people to find Aunt Lilly. The Little Family use a family cat for their ride as they search the forest. While in the forest they meet large animals and other tiny people called tree and ground tinies. The book ends with the rescue of Aunt Lilly and a journey back to their home in the house of the Big's family. I ernjoyed reading this book.

Third Book in The Littles Series
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-27
In "The Littles to the Rescue", Mrs. Little is expecting her third child, and, by tradition, she wants Aunt Lily to deliver it. However, Aunt Lily and her son, Cousin Dinky, live four houses away, which is quite a distance for Tinies (little creatures--approximately 4 - 6 inches tall--that vaguely resemble elves with tails). Nevertheless, Cousin Dinky pilots his mother in his glider plane to the Littles' residence, even though it's in the middle of the night and snowing. However, during the trip, Aunt Lily falls out of the plane and is captured by the reclusive Ground Tinies. A search party is formed to locate Aunt Lily, with the added help of a cat and skunk, who remarkably don't make a meal out of the Littles. But will they find her in time?

This was one of my favorite books (and cartoon series) when I was a kid. It was given to me by my grandmother when I was about eight-years-old. Not only are the black-and-white illustrations terrific, but the Littles are extremely resourceful and imaginative in this story, using most things people throw away as tools, decorations, etc. My only two complaints are that the book has a rather abrupt ending (or perhaps there's a page missing from my book; I have had it for about 15 years), and that it's a bit ...., though younger readers may not pick up on this. Still, "The Littles to the Rescue" is a fun adventure story for children age 7 - 10. Highly recommended.

Best book in this exciting series
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2005-02-18
This is a great entry in a great series, which features the adventures of a family of small people-with-tails named the Littles, who live in the walls of the clueless humans, the Biggs.

This is probably my favorite book in the series, prominently featuring two other families of little people, the Specks and the Tinies. These two clans have an irrational distrust of each other, and the Littles get caught up in their struggles just when they desperately need to be focused on the pregnancy of Mrs. Little.

The elements that make the series consistently great are also on full display. The little people are essentially living in isolated pockets in the vast and dangerous frontier created by humans, and they must rely on their own wits to carve out a decent living. The problems they face, and the solutions that they struggle to find, are amazingly realistic, and there is no need to create evil-minded villains when the terrain is so inhospitable. Seeing the other clans in action also shows that the methods of living life on such a small scale can be very localized; the Specks, who live in the trunk of a tree, have an entirely different way of life than the Littles.

This is a charming series, with hundreds of thoughtful details that will delight children with their ability to portray a real world. Interactions with housecats and toy gliders are particularly thrilling.

Also, I would be remiss not to mention the wonderful sepia-toned drawings by Roberta Carter Clark. They mirror the text's adherence to realism, and give us a very graphic and fun look at the scenes that the text describes.

Highly recommended
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-21
Living on this Earth, right under our very noses, is a race of tiny people. They are not dwarfs or elves, but simply tiny people, six inches tall at the most and possessing beautiful, furry tails. And in the home of the Biggs, lives a family of these tiny people, called the Littles.

In this book, Mrs. Little is coming due for the birth of her baby. But, with a snowstorm covering the area, the Littles decide that they must telephone Aunt Lily (a nurse from four houses away - quite a long distance) and tell her NOT to come. However, when a human intercepts the call, Aunt Lily decides that the call was a call for help, and she and Cousin Dinky set off in his glider. Disaster strikes when a gust of wind throws Lily out of the glider, and now it is up to the Littles to stage a rescue. It's a dangerous world out there for a little person, and Aunt Lily has fallen into adventures in a big wood!

I am a fan of Mary Norton's Borrowers books, and was saddened by the knowledge that there would never be any more. When I discovered Mr. Peterson's Littles books I was overjoyed, hoping that these would be just as good. Well, I wasn't disappointed!

The story in this book is charming, and quite entertaining. My children and I were thrilled with the story, and look forward to reading more of the adventures of the Littles. We highly recommend this book to you.

The Littles to the Rescue
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-11-10
I am 7 years old and in 2nd grade.I like to read about the Littles because they are always having fun adventures.This story was interesting when the Littles traveled by rabbits, a cat, and a skunk.I try to think how much fun and how fast I could go on these animals. I like how the Littles get help from animals. I thought Aunt Lily was not going to make it in time for the baby.
But with the help of everybody she was found.

Peter
Living with a Brain Tumor: Dr. Peter Black's Guide to Taking Control of Your Treatment
Published in Paperback by Holt Paperbacks (2006-10-31)
Author: Peter Black
List price: $17.00
New price: $1.85
Used price: $1.85
Collectible price: $17.00

Average review score:

brain tumor information
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-18
This is an excellent book, written in laymen's terms, for understanding the complexities of living with and/or treating a brain tumor.... a very good read for anyone who has a tumor or for anyone who has someone they love with a brain tumor. This is a basic primer.

Research and knowledge help in healing..
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2007-08-30
I may be biased, as Dr. Black performed a surgery on me 7 years ago, but I think he has done a very good job in relaying the ins and outs of tumors in an easy to understand book for the average person. It is organized in a way that you are able to look back to certain sections for guidance at your stage in treatment.

Required reading about brain tumor issues
Helpful Votes: 20 out of 21 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-06
This informative guide, written by Peter Black, M.D., Ph.D. (along with medical writer Sharon Cloud Hogan) is a welcome addition to the resources that are available for the brain tumor community. Dr. Black, an eminent neurosurgeon, brain tumor researcher, and professor at Harvard Medical School, offers his expertise about a variety of topics that affect brain tumor patients and their loved ones in an easy to understand format. The book is divided into five parts: An Introduction to Brain Tumors, Types of Brain Tumors, Living with a Brain Tumor, Treatment Options, and Recovery. Chapter titles include "What a Brain Tumor Means for Me and My Family," "Choosing Supportive Care," "Working Toward Wellness," and "Reasons for Hope," in addition to the expected sections about specific tumor types, chemotherapy, surgery and radiation treatment. Issues that affect adults with brain tumors, as well as specific pediatric concerns, are clearly explained. In addition to his technical expertise, Dr. Black's warmth, concern and compassionate approach to his patients is evident throughout this book. His tone is optimistic and reassuring, including helpful suggestions for patients at every stage of their brain tumor journey. At the end of the book, more than 40 pages list practical resources, including contact information for adult and pediatric brain tumor treatment centers throughout the United States and Canada. This wonderful book should be required reading for anyone affected by brain tumor issues - current patients, long term survivors, family members, and medical professionals. As a health educator and a brain tumor support group facilitator (as well as a long term brain tumor survivor myself), I have already purchased several copies of this book to add to the lending library of my local brain tumor support group. I am grateful to Dr. Black for writing this excellent brain tumor guide, which will benefit so many people who are affected by all types of brain tumors. Nancy Conn-Levin, M.A. (Oakhurst, New Jersey)

OBJECTIVE AND HUMAN
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2008-04-22
My father was diagnosed 4 months ago with an anaplastic astrocytoma grade III. The neurospecilist told us right away: "your father won't last more than a month". Here we are, my father has passed through radiotherapy for a whole month and chemotherapy (temodal) will last for 5 more. Every day he is getting better in all aspects (his movements, vision etc...). This book has something really great, you learn what you need about the process since the diagnosed, information about the different kinds of brain tumors and the doctor who wrote it has something very important for the familiy and friends... HUMANESS. You will learn that there's no final diagnosed. EVERY ONE AND EVERY BRAIN TUMOR is different and has different behavior and not because the CT or the MRI tell us a devastating news, it means the panorama will be so dark. Go on; buy this book because it is a relief for all whom are passing this complicated period.

Great information
Helpful Votes: 8 out of 10 total.
Review Date: 2007-03-09
I wish I'd had this book when I first learned about my brain tumor. It's full of important information from the beginning of the diagnosis to after treatment and how to cope with it all.

Peter
Loitering With Intent - The Apprentice
Published in Hardcover by Macmillan Publishing (1996-06-07)
Author: Peter O'Toole
List price:
Used price: $16.14
Collectible price: $25.00

Average review score:

O'Toole Amazing life in His Own Delightful Words
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-25
I want Peter O'Toole to scrible my life story. One of our grandest actors turns out to be a remarkable writer. If he was writing about any other person than himself, this would be a great book; a most enjoyable reading experience; and a primer in how to tell the story of a larger than life person. As it happens, Peter O'Toole, the exceptional writer, is writing about Peter O'Toole, the peerless actor.

And this is Volume Two! Do grab the first book, "Loitering With Intent: The Child." It is not only a fascinating story of the very early years of O'Toole's boyhood in Ireland, it is also a personal account of the world plunging into the chaos of the 1930s that became World War II.

Read them both...preferasbly in order. And pray Mr O'Toole is with us long enough to craft volume three!

Brilliant 2nd. volume of O'Toole's biography.
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1999-06-08
Peter O'Toole continues recounting his early years in the second volume of his biography. It has a slightly different style than the first volume (The Child), but is still extremely enjoyable. Highly recommended.

hit and miss
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1998-04-24
That O'Toole can write is no surprise to anyone who has seen him act, since--although he is saying others' lines on screen--a pulsing intelligence comes through in his performances. (Brando can't write in SONGS MY MOTHER TAUGHT ME, and neither could KATHERINE HEPBURN in her autobiography. As good as they are as actors, they don't suggest eloquence on the screen...despite the quality of the lines they say). But O'Toole is not one of the greatest writers alive. This volume shows that. His writing needs to be more linear. He IS one of the greatest actors alive, however. So I wish he would leave his desk and get in front of a movie camera or on stage instead. I don't believe there is such a thing as a genius actor. But if there is, O'Toole is it (and the only one). There has certainly never been an actor as charismatic (well, maybe Cary Grant. But could Grant have played serious drama as well as light comedy? He never played in a drama that I know of).

The Peter (O'Toole) prescription for a life well lived!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2003-08-26
Who says a great actor has to be a self-absorbed boor with no life or thoughts of his own offstage or off-camera? This second installment of noted actor O'Toole's autobiography brims over with vitality, quirky charm, and loving reminiscences of fellow drama school students, teachers, and a host of other fascinating souls. O'Toole is clearly one of those people who makes his own fun, and naturally finds kindred spirits wherever he goes in life. He doesn't choose his friends based on their status or what they can do for him, he just enjoys their company. And how! The myriad, unorthodox ways O'Toole and his pals devise to obtain lodgings, food, semi-clean laundry and other of life's necessities will have you laughing out loud. One of many highlights concerns the delightful, party given to celebrate the final hours of leaky old houseboat, where guests take turns pumping the sea back out even as it sloshes at their ankles. A rip-roaring good time was had by the artist as a young apprentice, and his mates!

Brilliantly written and very funny
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-22
O'Toole has a gift for the English language -- you just want to read whole chapters aloud, to enjoy the sound of the words. There are also scores of laugh-out-loud funny anecdotes sprinkled throughout, all told with wry joy. This isn't a typical actor's memoir -- this is way more fun.

Peter
London Goes to Sea: Restoring and Sailing an Old Boat on a Budget
Published in Paperback by Sheridan House (2004-04-01)
Author: Peter J. Baumgartner
List price: $19.95
New price: $12.25
Used price: $8.84

Average review score:

It's like being there
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-06-27
I could not help myself by buying this book and it did not disappoint. This was a fun, albeit short read, that helped me live somewhat vicariously through Mr Baumgartner during his travails of restoration and the joys of sailing the East Coast. I was a little sad that there was not more on the actual restoration given the title- it was more about the experience. It just left me cruising E-Bay 'Sailboats 20-27 feet'.... it's that kind of book.

in love with the process
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2006-05-31
I'm not a sailor but this book (a gift) has charmed me. Somehow, the boat, the man, his family, his tribulations and the art of navigation are so artfully described that I have become enamoured of all of the above! Anyone who has ever been seasick or obsessed with completing a project will find themselves turning pages here. . .

A sailor who's also a writer
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-09-27
I enjoyed this book very much because it comes from a person who is clearly both a sailor and a writer. Much like Anthony Baily, author of "The Coast of Summer", Baumgartner writes in a way that lets me know that he is comfortable and knowledgable about being on the water, with a tiller in his hand and his eye on the luff of the main. This is also a good reference, because Baumgartner describes how he solved problems I either have encountered -- or am likely to. I'll dig this out often, to solve a problem or to let Baumgartner take me to sea again.

I've never wished to sail, but.......
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 3 total.
Review Date: 2004-08-13
I've never wished to sail, but London Went To Sea with me aboard for the duration of my read. I found the book rewarding in its detail and in the grandness of its focussed vision. The author's style, with reminescenses of Mark Twain, Hemingway, and even Dickens, was fasinating and seductive.

I still feel no desire to actually participate in the experiences the author so delightly describes, but now can feel justified by having so closely experienced the joys and difficulties of the reality....which strongly suggests the high level of skill of the writer.

Joshua Slocum himself would have been enthalled.

Want to experience coastal sailing and boat ownership?
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2004-06-28
Then read this book, a practical, thoughtful, honest, and gently humorous guide to the real pleasures and challenges of finding, sailing, and caring for your boat, as well as the delicate balance of man, nature, work, dreams, boat maintenance, friendship, marriage and family.
It's not just a how to book, but a well-written and wonderful reflection by an active and skilled sailor that explores restoration details, costs, safety, mishaps and joys on the water, with a fine, candid, and thoughtful eye.

Peter
The Longest Cast
Published in Hardcover by New Holland Publishers Ltd (2001-11-01)
Author: Alexander Taylor
List price:
Used price: $106.39

Average review score:

Outstanding
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-12
One of the best fly fishing books I have ever read, may just read it again.

A "must have" book for anyone interested in fly-fishing
Helpful Votes: 13 out of 14 total.
Review Date: 2002-06-05
From page one, this book has you yearning to get outside and cast a line. The amazing photography and the author's attention to detail really captures the true beauty of each destination visited during the author's epic fly-fishing expedition across the globe. Any avid fly-fisherman or anyone interested in finding out about great places to fly-fish around the world should buy this book.

Angler Poet
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2005-06-13
Alex Taylor is the architype angler poet. He takes the reader on a journey of dream like discovery.

Bbish
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2001-12-10
Everybody has a friend (a relative, a mate!) who lives to fish. This book's for her. Well, there are lots of good fishing books. This one interested me because it looked at fishing as a cross-cultural experience, as one of those things that defines us as being part of the same species. The author and some National Georgraphic-class photographers went around the world and brought back stories and images that made me feel better about being alive and liking to fish.

Best Book on Fly Fishing
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2002-02-09
I have been fly fishing avidly for 20 years and have read several books on the subject. This work is by far the best piece I have come across. Anyone who is interested in fly fishing will find this book truly enjoyable - I consider it a must have for any enthusiast.

Peter
The Luck of Huemac
Published in Hardcover by Random House (1981-07-12)
Author: Daniel Peters
List price: $16.95
New price: $24.98
Used price: $0.95
Collectible price: $18.17

Average review score:

Definitely Delivered
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2002-10-19
This was a good book. I've read all three Aztec books by Gary Jennings and was left wanting more. This book delivered. It's an easy way to get a lot history inside a great story.

Great book that really sets you in the life and times of the
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 1998-07-04
This is a great book that really shows you what life might have been like for the Aztecs. It covers everything frome war to love to school to politics. A great book.

Huemac a fantastic read
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2004-07-06
I am an avid reader of biography, history and historical fiction, and "Luck of Huemac" by Daniel Peters is one of my dozen favorite books in this class. The characters, both real and invented, are extremely well drawn with great depth, all totally alive and believable. Likewise, the gods and places. And, thank goodness for the glossary, which helps those of us with poor memories keep track of all those characters, gods and places. I was particularly impressed with the author's treatment of the Aztec spiritual world, which was made believable even to skeptics. The story ends just after the arrival of Cortez (nothing given away here), and a brief history of this great catastrophy is presented with appropriate sadness and finality. A really terrific book.

The luck of Huemac is great
Helpful Votes: 2 out of 2 total.
Review Date: 2003-05-29
The book "The Luck of Huemac" by Daniel Peters is one of the most extraordinary
Books I have ever had the privilege to read. The story records the struggle by his family to control the city of Tenocticlan and in the shadows Huemac Born under the Sign of the Rabbit and destined to by unlucky grows to be a legendary man. Huemac combats fierce opponents on the ball court and battlefield, learns the ancient lore of the priests and confronts the mysterious white gods. This story is not only a adventure story but also a heart touching story about Huemac's family over one century. Daniel peters flings you in to a exotic world totally alien to your mind the final century of the Aztec empire's supremacy in Mexico. I say as J.R.R. Toielkien is to Fantasy and Frank Herbert is to Sci-Fi Daniel Peters is the master of Historical Fiction by Mike

A very enjoyable book!
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 1998-11-28
I have read all of Mr. Peters books and I have not been disapointed. You don't have to be a scholar in order to enjoy "The Luck of Huemac". The fall of the Aztec Empire is a topic that has inspired many authors, including Peter Daniels. Huemac, an "unlucky" Mexica marked from birth, ironically evades death and misfortune only to witness the end of his world and the death of their gods. If you liked this book, you should read also Gary Jennings' "Aztec" (an equally impresive book)or "The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico" by Bernal Diaz del Castillo( this is a historical chronicle by one of Hernan Cortez's captains who participated in the Conquest). "The Luck of Huemac" is quality reading and fiction literature at its best!

Peter
Luck, Logic, and White Lies: The Mathematics of Games
Published in Paperback by AK Peters (2004-11-23)
Author: Jorg Bewersdorff
List price: $59.00
New price: $53.10
Used price: $30.00

Average review score:

Not a light read, but good
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2008-06-22
If you like to think about mathematics, this book will be a real pleasure read. Some of the math presented is practical, as well as interesting, while other examples are much less so.

I believe the book does a good job covering all aspects of the math behind games.

Superb presenter of mathematics
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2007-05-28
This is a 500 page mathematical investigation of games using probability theory, game theory, and a variety of mathematical methods. The author finds winning strategies for many games, some of them surprisingly simple. For most games, the point is less to find a trick to win but to clearly explain how the game works and to answer some interesting questions. The author's ability to present mathematics in an understandable manner is possibly unsurpassed by any other writer.

In Chapter 16, entitled, "Games of Chance", the author presents an explanation of Markov chains and how they can be applied to Monopoly and to Chutes and Ladders. The explanation is clearer here than I have found elsewhere. The result of the calculation for Monopoly is two charts detailing the best investments in Monopoly. One chart ranks the monopolies according to how much rent income they will generate for the owner. The second chart ranks monopolies according to their return on investment or ROI, expected rent divided by cost. Thus we see, for example, that the highest rent comes from the green color group, Pennsylvania, and the best monopoly measured by ROI is the orange color group, New York. The author suggests these charts may be useful for deciding what properties to buy and where to buy houses.

The problem is that the results of the Markov chain calculation are not really useful for the important decisions Monopoly players must make. Players must buy nearly every ordinary property they land on in order to advance their chances of getting a monopoly and to block opponents from getting monopolies, so properties' ROIs and rents are almost completely irrelevant to the property buying decisions. After players trade properties, almost every player has one monopoly, not two or three or four, so the problem of deciding where to build the next house is not an issue...the player must put the house on his (lone) monopoly. Only after reaching the later stages of the game, usually after one of the players has been eliminated, do players have a choice about which monopoly to build out. Even in this regard, the chart is not useful. There is too much data to memorize and Monopoly culture discourages players from consulting charts in the middle of a game. Monopoly players bring snacks and drinks, but not charts.

The truly important decisions Monopoly players must make involve trading--which monopoly to take and which monopoly to allow an opponent to take. The data from a Markov chain calculation simply do not help much. What Monopoly players need to help them make this decision is the Monte Carlo method, which the book describes but does not apply toward Monopoly. A Monte Carlo simulation involves programming a computer to play the game, play the game thousands of times, and study what happened. This is exactly what I did for my Winning Monopoly book in 1987. A more detailed review of this book-at least, the portion dedicated to Monopoly-is posted on my web site, [...]

A great introduction to the mathematics of games
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-08-17
So many books about the mathematics of games are either long out of print, hard to find, or fairly esoteric and not something I'd recommend to just anyone. The best book I've found for someone new to game math is Luck, Logic and White Lies by Jörg Bewersdorff. It introduces the reader to a vast mathematical literature, and does so in an enormously clear manner, which never takes one very far away from either the math or the games behind them. I love Winning Ways and On Numbers and Games, but they're definitely not for the faint of heart. LL&WL is the perfect book for gamers who are interested in the mathematics that underlie the choices they face and decisions they make. Just great stuff.

Some Math, but you don't have to be a Mathematician
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-09
As this book points out, games fall into three broad categories:

1. Games of Chance
2. Games with a large number of combinations of different moves
3. Different states of information among the individual players.

And this book is broken into three main sections, one for each of these.

Before you get too turned off, yes, there is some math in this book. But it is really not heavy duty. (After all, John Nash of A Beautiful Mind won the Nobel Prize for his work on game theory and his work was not simple math.) The authors explanations of the situations described in the games are very good are very good, and the minimal amount of math is really helpful.

Virtually all of the common games from from the lottery to chess and even Monopoly, as well as the casino games such as blackjack and Roulette are discussed in detail. For anyone interested in what's really going on in games they play, this is an extremely interesting book.

The author knows whereof he speaks, he is the general manager of a game design company based in Germany.

Highly recommended reading among avid game players
Helpful Votes: 7 out of 8 total.
Review Date: 2005-04-11
Written by the general manager of Mega-Spielgerate, a game design company based in Limburg, Germany, Luck, Logic & White Lies: The Mathematics Of Games is a no-nonsense instructional in basic probability, geometry, and mathematics as they apply to popular games. Topics discussed include popular myths among those who the lottery, to the question of whether it is possible to reconcile chance and mathematical certainty, to testing dice, the possibilities of distribution in a roulette, modern theories as applied to the classical game of Go, whether bluffing in poker can be done without psychology, and so much more. Written in plain terms, Luck, Logic & White Lies teaches readers of all backgrounds about the insight mathematical knowledge can bring and is highly recommended reading among avid game players, both to better understand the game itself and to improve one's skills.

Peter
The Lunar Base Handbook (Space Technology Series)
Published in Paperback by McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing (1999-12-01)
Author: Peter Eckart
List price:

Average review score:

Start With This Book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 0 total.
Review Date: 2006-11-21
I started reading this book and nearly threw it down after just two chapters. There were numerous spelling and grammatical errors which initially made me question the validity of the material being presented. Fortunately I pressed on. This book, though not a masterpiece of English prose, is hands down the most understandable, comprehensive text on the subject that I have read. The book breaks down material from vastly diverse disciplines and explains them in a manner that a layman can understand. Prior to reading this book, I read Space Mission Analysis and Design (SMAD), also of the NASA Space Technology Series. I found that this book (The Lunar Base Handbook) presented the same topics as SMAD, but in a more understandable format. I found myself often reading a topic in The Lunar Base Handbook and then continuing my education in other books from the Space Technology Series such as SMAD. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in lunar development or space exploration.

The Latest Engineering Concepts for Lunar Base Development
Helpful Votes: 17 out of 17 total.
Review Date: 2001-09-10
In this book, Peter Eckart has assembled the collective writings of many of the leaders who are developing advanced engineering and science concepts for a return to the moon and the establishment of a permanent lunar base, which is capable of exploring the moon in great detail. These writings are not reprints from a conference or a previously published paper, but a detailed summary of the work to date on a variety of subjects from the site selection of a lunar base and the transportation means to get to the moon, to the details regarding advanced exploration and regenerative life support systems. The book also includes the more mundane systems needed to make a lunar base function, such as the thermal control system and the communication system.

While portions of this book maybe overly technical for some readers, there are numerous sections that provide a general overview of equipment, lunar exploration history, and transportation techniques. There are two sections, one written by Buzz Aldrin and one by Jack Schmidt that describe in great detail various aspects of lunar exploration. Typically, most astronauts authored writings found in books are simply a page or two. All in all, I couldn't find a topic that was omitted from the book.

I also conducted a comprehensive review of several sections of the book, which are related to my engineering area of expertise. Specifically, I reviewed the thermal control system, power system, EVA, and life support sections. In all these sections, I only found one error, which appeared to be a typo. The lone error leads me to believe that other sections were equally as error free.

In summary, I always enjoy reading books like these, because they show that even though the US government does not support going back to the moon, many individuals are still committed to returning people to the moon. Finally, regardless of your technical ability, you can learn a great deal from this book.

Most used book with my MSc. thesis
Helpful Votes: 3 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-17
This book, which is not only extensive and exetremely usefull but also very easy to read, provides the only complete overview of aspects considering the moon from an engineering point of view. All aspects are explained and start with basics and summarizes all possibilities. My book is full of post-it notes where the parts are marked that I had to use frequently. It is the most used book from all my moon-related books I have, because it is so complete. The essays from lunar explorers around the world are a nice extra. It would be a good study object for a course.

Most used book with my MSc. thesis
Helpful Votes: 4 out of 4 total.
Review Date: 2001-01-17
This book, which is not only extensive and exetremely usefull but also very easy to read, provides the only complete overview of aspects considering the moon from an engineering point of view. All aspects are explained and start with basics and summarizes all possibilities. My book is full of post-it notes where the parts are marked that I had to use frequently. It is the most used book from all my moon-related books I have, because it is so complete. The essays from lunar explorers around the world are a nice extra. It would be a good study object for a course.

The Lunar Base Handbook (Space Technology Series)
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2000-12-15
This book is a MUST for eveyone seriously interested in lunar exploration. Since Wendell Mendells generatuion-inspiring lunar base document, this is the most complete overview on technical and non-technical aspects of the selenological adventure. One can start as an amateur: after having completed this large volume he/she will have an excellent interdisciplinary insight into our future on the Moon.

Peter
Macroeconomic Essentials - 2nd Edition
Published in Hardcover by The MIT Press (2000-03-24)
Author: Peter Kennedy
List price: $65.00
New price: $29.99
Used price: $30.00

Average review score:

New book
Helpful Votes: 0 out of 7 total.
Review Date: 2007-01-11
Book is new although there was a marking at the bottom of the pages.

Good workable approach to practical understanding of a subject area that is over academicised
Helpful Votes: 1 out of 1 total.
Review Date: 2007-09-02
Macroeconomics text books are like books on Options - where theory from academics is the usual content when people need a book that tells them how to make money out of this.

This book is a good workable approach to practical understnding of interelationships in a subject area that is over academicised.

If you study to the point where can do the end of book exercises then you will have a good grasp of macroeconomic essentials as they apply in the real world.

A REALLY useful macro text
Helpful Votes: 21 out of 22 total.
Review Date: 2000-04-13
I have been teaching first to fourth year university macroeconomics since 1988. This is the first principles text I have been inspired by. The content of most traditional texts in macroeconomics is dictated by the needs of majoring students. Also, most authors of economics texts seem to feel the need to write an encyclopaedia. For those teachers of macroeconomics principles courses who want their students to learn something that will be of lasting value in their lives, give serious attention to Peter Kennedy's text. A look at its contents will tell you that it does cover all the usual topics. It is the style of the book which distinguishes it from the competition. Its chapters are brief and to the point. Its emphasis is on understanding the essentials that will allow its readers to understand what is daily going on around them in the economy. It is NOT in any way "low level". It will challenge the most able and interest them in continuing to study the subject, yet it will also reach the majority of its audience and help them to understand some of the basics of macroeconomic analysis. Now, Professor Kennedy, do the same for teachers of microeconomics!

Thorough & sound guide for Macroeconomics
Helpful Votes: 5 out of 5 total.
Review Date: 2003-11-14
I have looked through a wide variety of books on Macroeconomics and only this one has really satisfied me. It covers all the topics well; clearly, but not in a simplistic manner. And when you have finished studying a chapter and done some of the exercises at the end, you will understand the principles very well. The use of media exercises not only is more applicable to every day life, but also helps to stick the concepts into your brain so they are more easily retained.

With all this said, the book is quite approachable. It is written for the everyday student to understand concepts that are critcial in your everyday life; from investing to decifering the political conversations about the economy/deficit/balance of trade.

I highly recommend this book.

Peter Kennedy's book is terrific
Helpful Votes: 6 out of 6 total.
Review Date: 2001-07-23
I found this text particulary inspiring the first semester I used it in my introductory macroeconomic class. The manner in which the material is presented makes the text a useful reference guide for business professionals who need to great refresher text to bring them up to date on the basic workings of the economy. Most of my students liked the book.


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