Smith Books

Lee: The Last Years

This is a wonderful book about a wonderful man. Although Robert E. Lee is most remembered as a General, for most of his adult life, he was an engineer and educator (although in the army). Mr. Lee could have become very wealthy after the war by simply allowing his name to be used commercially. However, he wanted to make a contribution and did so by accepting the position as President of Washington College. He seldom spoke of the war and brought no military flavor to the College.

There is an argument that Robert E. Lee is responsible for more American dead than any other single individual. The difficult part of this book is tying to tie that Robert E. Lee to the man he was in his last five (5) years. He played Santa at Christmas, broke up a lynching, stroked the ego of his horse Traveller, was a good family man, looked out for the under dog and took care of his students, even when they were in trouble. How he handled all these situations, often minor by standards of the war, brings out the essence of the man including his character, values, wit and subtle humor.

I have read/studied history and biography for 40 years. I have spent more time on Robert E. Lee than any other individual and this book someway brings all my study of Mr. Lee together and puts it in perspective. I highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in American History. Thanks Mr. Flood.

Outstanding biography of the man. Much has been written about the general, this book brings the humble father, husband and Christian man to life.

I've long considered myself a student of Southern history and the Civil War. Heck, I've been a historian at museums so I think I have a pretty good knowledge of the Civil War era. Furthermore, I live in Virginia and have been to the campus of Washington and Lee University. However, nearly every page of Charles Bracelen Flood's work on Robert E. Lee's post-war years is full of information I've never heard about. Flood has used many differing sources to pull together a wonderful, highly readable account of Lee's years after the war, how he came to be President of Washington College, and his role in the reconstruction of this country. What jumps out off the pages is that for as much as Lee has been studied and idolized for his exploits on the battlefield, his postwar years as President of the college should get just as much press. While Lee did not think defending his native state was wrong, he did wish for both North and South to reconcile as quickly as possible. After reading the book, I still do not think Lee is the god that some people hold him up to be, but he does stand out as a good man who wanted to bring the nation back together while also helping his fellow Southerners get back on their feet. While Flood's writing can be unimaginative at times and I thought he threw in little stories and vignettes that he didn't need too, the book is excellent overall and should be a must read for anyone interested in Lee. However, the book is such an easy, good read that I think almost anyone should pick it up.

Bracelen Flood clearly does extensive research in order to render this intimate and engrossing portrayal of Lee.

Lee: The Last Years was well worth reading. A must for anyone who wants to know a little more of the Rest of The Story about a fine American, though much misunderstood.

I've had some theory classes on filtering and digital signal processing, but they always went right into the math to start with. Next they would provide a very simplistic example, then they would move to the next subject. This book goes the other way. It has a little bit of math and then goes into great detail on how to apply the math to a problem. Since most people don't spend their days doing math proofs, they need to solve a real world problems, this book has already done the heavy lifting by presenting applications of digital signal conditioning that can be used directly.

Yes everyone complains about the BASIC programing in the book, but that is not a big deal since the programs can be easily converted to your favorite code or simulation tool.

The author knows his stuff; instead of hiding behind equations and leaving it up to you to work out what it all means; he tells you what in means and gives you the equations.

I have BS in computer science and 8 years of S/W development experience in telecommunication industry. But my primary skill is protocol development and systems programming.

But as a music lover, as a musician, I've been interested in DSP technology for a long time and tried several times to get acquainted to the technology with no avail.

I guess the reason I failed is I couldn't understand the exact meaning of mathematical languages in DSP area.

I'm still in the middle of this book but now I can understand what the mathematical languages mean. The author is very precise using math languages and translate the language into easy plain english without missing any clarity and bravity of mathematical language.

I'm gonna keep working on DSP with this book as my hobby and finally when the time comes, all I gotta do is use my programming skill to develop a useful DSP S/W.

I am a mechanical engineer, but lately I have been doing a lot of signal processing and data analysis using MatLab. This book was a great way to get back up to speed. Its clear and concise without geting too bogged down in theory - lots of directly applicable tips and info.
Its also free for download on the author's website, www.dspguide.com, and from Analog Devices website in their training materials area, [...].

This book tells everything you have to know about the mathematics to realise any signal processing application.
With the help of the examples (written in BASIC, I have some adapted into C) you can realize filters and signal synthesis/processing with FFT. There is no theoretical overhead.
With the help of this book I have developed a modem software within four monthes, without any basic knowledge in DSP.

I used this book while leading a "history hike" for our local Y.M.C.A. We hiked through several old cemetaries using this book as our guide. It was easy to use and made our trip very enjoyable as we learned about the symbols we saw on the old stones.

An outstanding book about the symbolism of tombstone art. It shows an enormous amount of research and conveys the meanings in everyday vernacular. 5 stars for sure

This book is excellent for anyone interested in cemetery symbolism and/or genealogy. The photographs make it all the easier to understand. I highly recommend this book...it's one of the best of it's kind that I have found.

Need something to do? Grab this book and head towards the cemetery! Being more than just a final resting place, cemeteries offer so much more for the living than just a place to visit our dearly departed. There is so much history and symbolism in cemeteries and I can't think of a better tribute to those who lie beneath the stones than taking the time to understand who they were. Hanging out in a cemetery isn't creepy, it's a learning experience. This book is the perfect size and the photos and research really show the authors passion for this subject.

This is the book I've always been looking for, and just didn't know it. Not only is this a fabulous reference book for taphophile, but it's also just good reading. As much time as I have spent wandering and working in cemeteries, I've learned some interesting facts. The book is also quite lovely, and well organized. And the facts seem well researched, and gives quotes from the appropriate religious texts when appropriate. It also gives more than the Christian context for many of the symbols and seems well balanced for an overview of American cemeteries. I knew within seconds of browsing this book I had to have it, and it's been nothing but wonderful since.

I am what is commonly referred to as a Civil War buff, what ever that means, and I feel compelled to write you about the work of Timothy B. Smith.

My biggest frustration about a lot of books on the civil is the lack of good quality maps that allows the reader to get a sense of who was where and what was happening on the battlefield. How one could write an account of a battle with out good maps is beyond me.

The maps in Champion Hill are fantastic. Not only for their clarity but the sheer number of them is truly amazing. Needless to say I loved them.

The style of his writing actually left me with the desire to pick it up again to see how things were going on the Middle Road and the Jackson Rd., just like a good mystery book.

I give it an A+.

Keep'em coming but don't forget the maps !!

The reviews tell the story. This is a great book. Champion Hill isn't one of my areas of interest, but every time I saw this book, it ended up in my hands until my wife yelled for us to go. If I were to write a book about my favorite lesser known battle, this is the way I would hope it would come out. Exhaustive research, flowing text, sufficient photographs, and some of the best maps that I've ever seen. There are plenty of them, very detailed, and thank you Mr. Smith for breaking them down to individual regiments! He wraps it up with an Order of Battle (thank you!) and a zillion photographs of the battlefield today (thank you again!). It would be hard to top this book. Even if you aren't into Champion Hill or Vicksburg, you'll love this book for the job the author did. Incidentally, check out his "This Great Battlefield of Shiloh.." as well. I look forward to more works by this author.

Timothy B. Smith's "Champion Hill Decisive Battle for Vicksburg" is a must read. A little known battle but one of great magnitude. Many historians have often over look the battles that led to the doom of Vicksburg. Leading up to to Champion Hill were the battles of Port Gibson, Raymond and Jackson. Timothy B. Smith keeps the story flowing and leads you breathless to the climax at Champion Hill. Such research is much needed and is so well written I could not put the book down. This book is a instant "Classic". The book has lot's of maps to help the reader understand the battle geologically. The timeline is easy to keep up with, which is often very hard to do in a Civil War battle. Also included is a very nice selection of photo's to illustrate the participants as Timothy weave's you though the thick Minnie's. One minute you are charging forward with victory and the next minute you are running for your life!

CHAMPION HILL is, unequivocally, the best non-fiction narrative of a Civil War engagement that I've ever read - and that includes works by Shelby Foote and James McPherson.It generally concerns U.S. Major General Ulysses Grant's capture of Vicksburg, but is more specifically about the crucial Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863, which essentially sealed Vicksburg's fate by forcing its defenders back into the city, around which Grant ultimately established siege lines.

The volume's initial fifteen pages briefly summarize Grant's various abortive attempts to take Vicksburg from the north before he was able to cross his Army of the Tennessee to the Mississippi's east bank south of the city on April 30. The next ninety describe the preliminary battles at Port Gibson, Raymond, and Jackson. The bulk of the book, 280 pages, concerns itself with the Champion Hill collision between Grant's forces and Lieutenant General John Pemberton's Army of Vicksburg. There's a penultimate 12-page chapter on the battle's aftermath that includes Vicksburg's capitulation on July 4, and a concluding 11-page postscript chapter on the post-battle and post-Civil War careers of the numerous commanders that are named (and pictured) in the text. Finally, there's a 10-page Appendix with the Order of Battle for both armies, thirty pages of Notes, sixteen pages of contemporary battlefield photos keyed to a reference map, and a 12-page Bibliography. I suggest that author Timothy Smith has penned a battle narrative as satisfyingly complete as any you'll ever come across.

Champion Hill was a seesawing, day-long, complex affair, the account of which will likely spellbind the reader to the point of emotional exhaustion. What I found most impressive was the extreme lucidity of Smith's description of the various military units' maneuvers across the landscape mostly described at brigade and regimental levels. The evolution of the Champion Hill clash is traced by forty - count 'em, 40! - marvelously illustrative maps rendered in black, white and gray that coincide at all times with the textual narrative. Smith even goes so far as to depict the field positioning of units during and after disintegration and, in some cases, their subsequent reformation and re-entry into the fray. At no time was I in the least confused about the tide of battle and the organizational identity of the combatants. These battlefield maps demonstrate how such should be constructed, but which so often are not in otherwise faultless works.

For Grant, who snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at Fort Donelson and Shiloh, Champion Hill was another close run thing - more so than it should have been. Generally speaking, each side suffered from committing its forces piecemeal - Grant because of overcautious orders to his chief subordinate on-site, commander of the XIII Corps Major General John McClernand, and Pemberton because of inadequate intelligence as to Federal troop dispositions combined with a rancorous relationship with division commander Major General William Loring. Particularly speaking, the Confederates perhaps lost Champion Hill because of a wayward ordnance train that handicapped beleaguered rebels in the face of fresh, but the last, Union reserves at a critical point of confrontation.

CHAMPION HILL is an obligatory read for any student, casual or serious, of the Civil War. I was sorry to come to the end of the story, a reaction usually reserved for fiction.

Being a novice to the study of the civil war, I found this book to be helpful in my pursuit of knowledge about the Battle of Champion Hill. It was well written and easy to read. Not being one who necessarily understands military tactics or maneuvers, Timothy Smith's book allowed me to follow the battle with a clear understanding of troop movements and placements and was enhanced by the excellent maps. Having read the book prior to a trip to the Vicksburg area, the battle came to life for me because of the knowledge gleaned. I especially enjoyed the personal accounts, pictures and bios of the officers and soldiers.

I think this battle is best summed up by a quote from the book about a young Iowan, Sam Byers, that said, "But, on May 16, 1863, he was just a frightened young man standing with hundreds of other frightened young men looking up the slopes of Champion Hill in an effort to stare down random death.." This is definitely a book that every serious student of the civil war will want in his or her library.

If you want to make chains this book teaches you all you need to know. Step by step instructions are clear and easy to follow. The binding is really tight so it is hard to turn pages without the fear of tearing a page.

Chainmaking is one of the most basic and most advanced techniques in jewelry fabrication: basic in its modest demands for tools, materials, and technique; advanced in its demand for utter mastery of technique. That's not a contradiction. Each step is simple enough, within the range of someone who know which end of the torch to hold. Doing that step a hundred times in a row, identically each time, that's where mastery comes in. In paticular, there's that fusing (welding) step that starts every project. I learned to hard-solder a fair joint, way back when, but never mastered fusing, even when dissimilar metals wanted desperately to form a eutectic.

I'll try again. Results, when they work, are just too seductive. This book gives clear and specific directions - maybe too specific some times. Perhaps I really do need 108 links for some project. Not 110 or 106. But perhaps my materials didn't meet the under-1% precision requirement. Well, if you already know the techniques that the authors assume, you'll read past the over-fussy bits.

I'm just carping, though. This book really stands out. Directions are utterly clear, and nicely illustrated. Admittedly, a bare beginner might struggle, but this book never meant to address that reader. Given hard covers, the spiral binding lies flat easily, or stands open where you opened it. Illustrations really illustrate the techniques - even without pliers in hand, you might feel yourself following along. Projects range across a wide span of skill levels, but this gives no indication which are which. That's OK. These authors address a readership that understands what the words mean and that can rank themselves honestly against the demand each project places on the reader.

I can't wait to get started.

-- wiredweird

This lady has spent years researching ancient techniques and it is to her credit that granulation and woven chain has finally come to America.

These chains are not soldered; they are fused and woven. I recommend you have at least a semester of college level jewelry or several years of soldering under your belt before jumping in with this one. But it worthwhile if you want to make chains that are worthy of royalty, or have a chain for a piece of art jewelry that will do it justice.

This is a workbook, progressing from the simplest and easiest to progressively more complex chains. After the first couple hundred fused links you become pretty adept. After fusing the links, you will learn to weave links into patterns. These are not your ordinary chains. They are strong, beautiful and flexible.

Jean is obsessively precise in her work, so this book is very precise. She goes over what gauges work for which patterns, as well as all the little tips that make a chain look superb. It's a lovely book, very well-written and one to be included in a goldsmith's library.

To get a better idea of the creativity and precision of this lady's work, go to Randy Smith's website: http://www.rocksmyth.com/ and look for Jean Stark's work. Prepare to be amazed at all the lovelies and realize that pictures do not do her work justice, as good as the pictures are. Many of the chains are made with 30 ga. wire, which is not much thicker than sewing thread. Her chains feel like silk.

If you're serious about making fine quality chains, then you need this book. Jean Stark is the guru.

This was just what I was looking for. Clear instructions with photos. A great find!

This is great information with very east to read instructions. Not for the lazy or faint of heart.Great ancient traditions brought back to life.

If only this great manga was made into an anime then we would have a greater appreciation for it's beautiful artwork and explosive action. In Domu you come across a few mysteries and until the end you'll only know about as much as the police do and that's absolutely nothing. Although it is a great read Domu has a few tiny flaws. I would have liked to see a brief explanation on how the twisted old man and Etsuko got their supernatural powers, it's little information like this that make the book seem hurried. I admire Katsuhiro Otomo most for holding nothing back; the art is very graphic at times with some gore.

The art was perfect in showing how exciting, bloody, and dangerous the final battle was.This manga shows it's intelligence by wrapping your brain around the obvious and has you asking questions that were explained but you never caught on. One question heard a lot is why does Mr. Uchida (The twisted old man) murder and torment the people in the apartment complex with no remorse but you're given clues throughout the book. His apartment is filled with toys, he likes to play with them, and he does childish things like stick his tongue out at people so either he is the most demented serial killer ever or he is something gentler.

Because this is a book from the mind of Katsuhiro Otomo who created the amazing classic Akira Domu gets the pleasure of always being compared to it. I'm not going to choose a better story because I haven't read Akira I saw the anime and that wouldn't be fair to Domu but the two have some similarities. One is the supernatural power and another is the nicely done graphic art but to give anymore might ruin the book. Domu is a great tale and an anime would be nice but I don't think today's animation would compliment the edge the manga gave but who knows what else can be done with this classic.

Domu is an incredible manga. The story and artwork are both excellent. But I would expect nothing less from the brilliant mastermind behind Akira. But seriously if you are a comic book fan this is a must read. Even if you hate manga, you should read this. As I said before the artwork is stunning, Katsuhiro Otomo is an excellent artist, by far the best of all the manga artists. His stuff makes everyone elses manga look like crap. Also, while Domu isn't as intensely violent as Akira, it's still not for young kids, it does have quite a bit of violence and lot's of people get killed, including a few little kids. So if you don't like violence be forwarned. What else is there to say Domu is a classic if you liked Akira then you will most certainly love this.

Domu is a graphic novel that combines great action, pathos, and some subtle commentary on urban Japanese life. The characters don't have a lot of space to develop, but seem to have a natural depth. It wasn't hard to sympathize with them, especially the dregs of society that inhabit the apartment complex the book is set in. These are the Japanese that we don't get to see very often, and that Otomo doesn't hide. This is a well-paced thriller with no missteps in the execution, which leads to an ending that gives you a lot to think about. The final scene is downright brilliant, and caps the Katsuhiro Otomo's recurring theme of powerful children. A great buy.

An entire crowded apartment building is horrifically disturbed when violent unexplained murders upset the humdrum activities of its day-to-day residents. Seemingly mocking the monotony of inner city life and the obsessions with diversions in society, Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira) injects a twisted old man into the fray maddened by intense telepathic abilities and an obsession with his own unique 'diversions'. Mainly the systematic slaughtering of his neighbors.

An unlikely challenger soon confronts the warped man-god. A young girl, a child of only about eight or nine has come to free the building of the terror. Armed with powerful telekinesis, their rivalry soon escalates into a massive battle nearly destroying the entire building.

My favorite is subtly depicted in the last scene. A silent test of wills between the two enemies amidst a peaceful playground setting.

It's obvious that Otomo loves exploring the lives of inner city characters that have very little to do with each other. Domu is one of his ealier works and should not be missed by any fan of Akira. This graphic novel is a 'single volume' and presents a quick yet very chilling read.

I read Domu the first time in the middle of the night, and after a third of the book I had to put it down because it scared me so much. The characters felt so real and that made the horrible events all the more horrible; the teenager sitting by himself in the middle of the night, struggling with his homework.. The kids playing or bullying each other.. everything felt so real. I immeadiately liked Hiroshi and Etsuko, and every time the old man appeared I was scared that anything might happen to them. In my opinion this is Otomos best work. I read this right after I had finished AKIRA part 5 and I must say that Domu was better in every way. The characters in AKIRA are mostly cardbord, in Domu they act much more like real people. Don't get me wrong, I love AKIRA, but Domu is just better. I can't explain how much I liked this manga, It's the best I've ever read. Go read it, now!

March never leaves my desk. It covers everything. From functional group transformations to mechanisms to FMO theory - you name it it's there. Highly recommended for any advanced undergraduate, graduate or post-doctoral researcher. It's a bookshelf staple that any organic chemist should have available.

I'm pretty sure that you _must_ have this book if you are studying advanced organic chemistry. Maybe it's not the best one to use as a study guide, but it's extremely helpful as a reference book both for undergrads and graduate students. However, one can argue that this edition is a bit out-of-date.

I bought a copy of this text (2nd Ed) after finishing my sophomore year of college, and it proved to be the best single investment I've ever made in chemistry. I used it so often, I had to duct-tape the book together.

I think the happiest moment of my career was when my name appeared in the index of a later edition. Anyway, buy it and treasure it.

This is by far the best text I have found. Although it is considered a text book, it is more handy as a reference tool. I have seen no other book that contains more information than March's. This book is actually worth the price.

I paid more for my 4th ed. new, and find it to be worth even more. It is not a cookbook per se, but it is a very comprehensive textbook that details general reactions by functional group. It outlines every way known to remove, add to, or otherwise modify every functional group. There is as much commentary as is needed, if not more, and every pathway is mentioned regardless of how exotic or primitive and low-yielding. The corresponding OS synth refs for specific cpds. are given for each type of reaction, along with a total of 15,000 other refs in footnotes. This was cutting-edge in 92, with much updating of the 3rd ed. The index will take you to the section that shows how to make the manipulations you want - if it doesn't, it probably can't be done.

The book was great and Ms.Ross-Smith came to our book club meeting in Mesa,Az. The book was a easy read and she was a wonderful quest. If you havn't read the book I can suggest that you do. You won't be dissapointed.
It will inspire you at the least.

Dear, Ms Ross
I, loved your book, I first would like to say a heart felt Thanks so very much! for attending our book club meeting on Sunday Sept 14, 2008. You have such a beautiful glow. Your story let me know with all the strugles of life you can still perservire. I want you to know, I cried many times reading your story.
Thanks, so much to your Knight in shining armour.

Rochelle

Hello, Thank you very much Mrs.Mary Ross Smith for attending our book club meeting on September 14, 2008, Sunday. Your book was very inspiring
to let me know no matter what may happen in life I can survive. Your determination then and now is encouraging. Please continue to grow and believe that God has many things in store for you. Thanks again Mary and of course I cannot forget to thank your Knight in Shining Armor.

Dearest Mary,

I attended the book reading you gave in West Adams; I also took your
book with me on a trip home to the Bay Area. I read it with a clenched
heart. Oh the pain of having a mother who cannot give you what you
need! And oh the pain of being a mother who, in the end (and perhaps
always), is aware of this. In telling your story, you conveyed the
sheer terror, confusion, and uncertainty of being such a child -- while
also extending your mother moments of generosity and compassion. In
this way, I came to see you as not just the powerless but highly
imaginative and present "Lil Mary," but also the resilient and
open-minded Mary Ross Smith of today. I can't thank you enough for the
gift of your lived insights... Bless your heart and writing hands.

I was "hooked" from the first page. A wonderful story of survival and triumph over adverse conditions. I am lucky to know Little Mary personally. What a wonderful, kind, forgiving, warm person! This story shows anyone with a strong will can overcome adversity.

I bought this book for my husband who has always wanted to raise a small farm of beef cattle. He took the book along on our 2 week vacation to Europe and completely devoured the book! He loved it, says it's the best single book on the subject he's ever seen! He has now requested the same series for pigs. (We already have the one for chickens). Oh, our first calves will arrive in a few months!

This book is easy to read, conversational, and incredibly informative. I got some great ideas from it. Hard to put down....
Well worth purchasing!

Book is reasonably informative but about half of the book is simply on birthing cattle.....which is a skill that obviously is important, but not something that I expected in this much detail in what I thought would be more of an overview manual. So ended up being more technical and specific that I had hoped.

The book is thorough and simple, and covers every aspect of raising beef cattle. Well written, and interesting, too.

I wish I had this book in the beginning. I could just about cry when I realize all of the pains learning i went through trial and error. This book is right on to the point about handling cows.

A+++++++++++++++++++

When you read this book, it surprise you. The robe that witch left. There is odd things going on in the book, you have to read whole book. beginning is bad until end is good. it is filled with surprise in end.

I read this book when I was young, and it is probably the one I remembered the most. I had my 11 year old son read it years later in 2000, and he enjoyed it! Said it was a little girly, but liked the adventure!!

I got this book in school from the Scholastic Book Club back in the 70's. I enjoyed reading this book so much - and I was never fond of reading. It was a fun, exciting story. This book is one of a few things I actually saved and hung on to all these years. I gave my book to my 10 year old daughter (who LOVES to read) the other day. She thought it was amazing that I still had it. She just finished the book and truly enjoyed it. She told me all about it and how exciting it was.... though she wants to know if there is a "sequel" to it...... is there ?????

I bought this through the Scholastic Book program in school and read this book when I was 9 or 10 in the 70s. It was the first book I really remember enjoying so passionately and reading several times. I loved it so much and searched high and low to find the title to be able to give it to my daughter this Christmas. Ruth Chew creates a wonderful adventure that fill you with anticipation and excitement.

I'm amazed how often the story from this book comes to mind . . . decades after I last read it! It is such a wonderful tale of adventure and friendship and discovery. And I have always been one who easily misplaces things . . . and I'm always wishing I had that little box I could go to and find my lost keys, etc.! And I have told so many people in my life about that little box and how I wish I had one. I also think about the boots, and the gloves. I wish they would reprint this book so I could share the story with my children (other than just from memory) and give it to all of my nieces and nephews!