Turner Books

This title is one of the best introductory books on biocatalysis covering both enzymes and micro-organisms.

It is most useful as a textbook for chemists to enter this fascinating field and add one more piece in their toolbox. It can also serve as a practical source book with references, appendixes and lots of detailed experimental considerations. It is less useful for biologists who are not familiar with chemistry.

It starts with an excellent review of the historical aspects and the significant contributors to this field. It points out "biotechnology existed at the interface among organic chemistry, biochemistry and chemical engineering". It stated that the early contributors were essentially chemist-and-biologist 2-in-1. It also describes the inevitable trend that "the organic chemist would eventually find biological catalysis unfamiliar ground" while the biochemist would equally become unfamiliar with organic synthesis.

Chemists however should not be intimidated. From my own experience, it can be a quick success if you work with a knowledgeable mentor for a few days. Although it takes long to acquire the background knowledge of microbiology, it is possible for an organic chemist to learn the necessary microbial cell-handling practices in a relatively short period of time. That is all it takes to use biocatalysis in your work.

The next chapter covers the interrelationships between enzymes and cells for the purpose of biotransformation. It provides the following: a comparison of these two, number of commercially available enzymes in 1990, practical experimental methods of using whole-cell biotransformations, immobilization methods, cell-handling techniques and useful culture collections. Many tips were mentioned for achieving higher catalysis power.

The book follows with three main classes of biotransformations: hydrolysis & ester / amide formation (straight-forward, widely used in steoreochemistry), redox reactions (an area with some complexity, mostly done with whole cells) and C-X bond formation reactions (X = C, O, N, S, halogen, emphasis on carbohydrate and nucleotide chemistry).

The book concluded with the exciting application of biocatalysis to the manufacture of fine chemicals: steroids, amino acids, antibiotics, isoglucose, nucleic acids, peptides, carbohydrates, polyesters, etc. It also touches on genetic engineering of proteins and metabolic pathways. This display of industrial applications should remove the myths and doubts of biocatalysis from many a chemist.

There are big catalog-size handbooks available on biocatalysis. Considering the size, cost, coverage and details, the reviewer would rate this book a five-star, along with two other outstanding titles by Faber and Wong & Whitesides.

Although this book is, by the standards of technical progress these days, "old," it remains flawless in describing not only what was known then, but what remains the bulk of biocatalytic theory and practice now.

Since this synthetic approach has already demonstrated itself to be a cornerstone of so many industries (particularly the pharmaceutical industry) -- and since so many people don't know much about it and yet *fear* it, an understanding such as this book gives could not be more important to everyone -- especially scientists.

The author of this book succeeded in scoring a bullseye on a fast-moving target! Anyone interested in the chemistry of the future -- the chemistry that *already* is essential for perhaps most of our latest drugs should get this book.

One final kudo for this book: it's price is reasonable! Compare it to similar books on technical subjects. This kind of thing usually costs three or four times what this one does.

This book is the most accessible, informative book on a subject that has so far eluded other authors if they meant to speak to anyone but their peers.

Get it. You will not be sorry.

needed so bad. as my handbook in this second college years learning industrial engineering. last year, i failed passing the subject.

Great introductory text for a non-IE. Very broad, covers most of the range of the IE topic. I used it as a study aid when studying for the PE exam; I passed, and I credit much of that to this book.

Good: Covers lots of stuff that was on the exam, including:
-Industrial processes (metal cutting, Taylor tool life eqn)
-Facility layout
-Facility location (traveling salesman, milk run algorithms)
-Operations planning (forecasting demand, EOQ, exponential forecasting)
-Project management (PERT, crashing, forward/backward pass)
-Good introduction to stats and probs in the appendix

Not-so-good:
-Lots of wasted space on management theory (get a business text instead)
-Computer stuff is out-of-date

It does not go into substantial detail, so it is (as titled) an introductory text. Still, I highly recommend it to the non-IE.

President Jimmy Carter has been quoted as saying that life is not fair. The statement is certainly true as it relates to Ms. Hospital. It isn't fair that one person should have so much talent. On the other hand, we can all be glad that she keeps writing extraordinary short stories and novels. ISOBARS contains fifteen short stories, all of which are as good as we have come to expect from this writer. They are about loss, sorrow, violence, missed opportunities. While many of the men in these stories behave very badly-- law enforcement officers rape a trusting school teacher, and boys steal the clothes of a teacher and her two female students while they are skinnydipping-- many of the characters, both men and women, have a strong resilience and courage, even in defeat.

Ms. Hospital takes the reader through a landmine of terrific words and phrases. The past is a "Dead Letter Office." The children of a man's second marriage "had not yet reached the age of disappointment." An old man in a rooming house has been "left stranded by old age and widowerhood." His housemates "came and went, anything could claim them: death, a son or daughter whose conscience got the upper hand for a while, loss of memory." Another character has "learned to let happiness come and go, without anxiety. It always did keep coming again, in new and surprising shapes." One could do worse than have that philosophy.

I am always so amazed and undone by what this writer does with so few words. In the last selection in this book, "Here and Now," in six and a half pages she tells a story of death and loss that will convince you she's as good a living writer as there is. In Toronto, Allison, a college professor who at fifty has just learned that her mother has died in Sydney, consoles Walter, a ninety-year-old retired professor, who remembers the loss of his son who has died in an accident in Australia. They both are awash with memory and sorrow-- as is the reader.

Ms. Turner is an amazing writer.

A brilliant volume of short stories dealing with multiple acts and varieties of violence and pain and how people deal with them. From the chilling "The Last of the Hapsburgs", which tells of the assaults on women's attempts to construct a zone of solidarity and non-competitive friendship, to the droll "The Chameleon Condition", that imagines how it would be if a philandering professor involuntarily displayed his responses to the world through changes in skin color, the volume ranges through anger to a wise appreciation of our efforts to erect bulwarks against the depradations of time and loss. Hospital's sharp and clever prose never meanders and each story manages to surprise and ring new changes on her basic themes.

This book is a great source of information and gives indication and confirms why the wealthy stay wealthy. They know how to keep their money by minimizing and calculating business writeoffs and this book will demonstrate how regular folk can do the same thing!!!

I'm currently a tax preparer and I found this book to be one of the best tax books on the market. It is very easy to read and understand. I recommend that every tax payer reads this book and start savings thousands of dollars on taxes.

thanks,
fmh

I know William Rodner personally as he was my World History professor my first year of college and he is now my history guru god! This man is articulate, intelligent and well read on many historical subjects however his love of Turner comes through often in his lectures. I have every intention of owning and reading this book one day but the thing that surprised me the most was that I didn't find out about the book from Dr. Rodner himself but from a posting on the wall outside his office. If I had not seen that article, I would NEVER have known how famous and influential in the larger world one of my beloved professors is. I recommend you read the book strictly on my word that it will be worth your while because I KNOW the man as teacher and historian and you WILL find this book accurate, passionate and fulfilling.

T. Garcia

Rodner's book was one of several top books from many thousands I went through in a long hegira through a college library with immense holdings in Art History. His immaculate chronology pulls back the curtain on what Turner experienced as the steam engine began its historical ascendancy in the first half of the 19th century. Even if you are very familiar with the works of Turner, this book will bring you far closer to the distinction and sensitivity of Turner's complex understanding of modernism. Many of Turner's paintings can be seen in the context of not only his travels, but how remarkably astute he was to the constantly changing pictorial impact of the industrial revolution. Further, as Rodner shows in a model of balanced intellectual enquiry, Turner recreates himself as artist as he engages History itself.
An all around great book and an outstanding eye-opener for students as well as Turner specialists.

Beautiful. Turner is amazing. I'm in a painting class and there is so much to learn from him, either his use of color, or his brilliant composition. I'm inspired to try new things when I see how Turner did it.

This is the catalogue for the current Turner exhibition held at the National Gallery in Washington and which will later come to the Met in NYC. Many of the paintings come from American and British museums, as well as from private collections and it is also an opportunity to view a significant part of Turner's watercolor output.

The book is divided into three parts following a chronological pattern after an introduction that studies Turner's "desire to rise to the top of the British art world" and his pursuit of fame. Part one deals with Turner's beginnings and building of his career, from 1790 to 1824 (the historical and economic contexts are not omitted). Part two studies the painter at the peak of his art (1818-1839)and part three dwells on the role of history in his art, the study of his masterpieces on the burning of the Houses of Parliament (1831), his late seascapes (1835-1846) and his mastery of light (1840-1851). An interesting conclusion studies Turner's relationship with America, which he never visited, but where his works were collected in depth very early.

All the illustrations are of a high quality, including some close-ups of details.

A valuable addition to the literature on the artist.

The children in our day care center absolutely love this pop-up book.
The adults love it too! It's beautifully made and it truly will be enjoyed by every child that sees it. Please think of this book when needing a great gift for a child. It will never be outdated.
Thank you James Gurney

Like the book, Dinotopia the Pop-up-Book was an exciting adventure through time.

This book is by the author of the "Little Maid" books. It is about an 11 year old girl, Kathleen, who lives in Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania, in 1863. She witnesses many historic moments, including hearing Lincoln give his famous Gettsysburg Address.

This book is by the author of the "Little Maid" books. It is about an 11 year old girl, Kathleen, who lives in Gettsyburg, Pennsylvania, in 1863. She witnesses many historic moments, including hearing Lincoln give his famous Gettsysburg Address.

I couldn't put the book down, I was really drawn to the characters and didn't want the story to end. I laughed a little and cried a little. Loved it.

A wonderful story that rings so true to life. I fell in love with the characters; especially the courageous Josie. The dialogue between characters is great. This novel is like watching a movie. Couldn't put it down.

As an art lover and architect, who has been reading extensivelly about Italy and spent three weeks exploring the city, I define this book as comprehensive, delicious to read and excellent in contents. Turner explains how the city has achieved such a moment in human civilization, not only by its art, but by its economics, technology, geography, historic context, social behavior. This book is one to fall in love with, and I would put it as a must read together with Kenneth Clark's Civilization.

The book is very well done. The photographs are of high quality; the coverage complete. I purchased the volume as background information for an art history survey course I'm enrolled in (I already hold a post-grad degree), and found it to be an excellent supplement to the cursory review my textbook offered.