Watson Books

'Bessel Functions', by Watson, has often been called the best math book of all time. I have no doubt it is in the top 10. Even though it is 50+ years old, it is well worth studying. It is the best book ever written about any special function.

Watson makes the needed complex analysis, generating functions, etc., simple, even obvious. I own hundreds of advanced math books, and this is one of the few that I can lay on the couch and read for fun.

Here is an old joke: Whittaker was the worst math author of all time (check out 'analytic dynamics'). Watson is so good that 'Modern analysis' by Whittaker and Watson is mediocre.

Another interesting connection: As I recall from the obituary in Physics Today, in the late 1930's Onsager needed a Ph. D. to stay at Harvard and avoid returning home to WW2. He had his notebook in which (as a sophemore chem major in Europe) he had solved all the problems but 4 in Whittaker and Watson. MIT gave him a math Ph. D. on the spot because 8 or 10 had never been solved by anyone, including W&W.

Watson's classic text was written before the more modern age of "topologically flavored" arguments. Consequently, much of the presentation may appear to be a bit ponderous, relying on explicit calculational detail when that is no longer strictly necessary. By now many points can be deduced "by pure thought". However, the text gives a very complete and deep view of Bessel's functions. Because it "does everything" it is also a fine and practical way to learn complex analysis in the style of the "old school". If you just can't stand older style writing, you should probably look at Olver's book on special functions. If you can tolerate the old style, buy this and have many (many, many) hours of good fun and insight.

Whenever one want to find a book on Bessel Functions, it is simple, there is only one book on that subject, here is that book!!! There is no need to say any further praise words for that book. Like the book " A course of Modern Analysis " by Whittaker and Watson,these are the Classics of Classics.If soneone who are doing pure mathematics or applied mathematics who do not know about them or their books.
God bless you!!! ...

I found this book a struggle, but there again, I was young and found complex integration a bit strange.

This having been said, I must say that since then I have yearned for this text all the way through my physics degree and beyond. You could almost say that if it ain't here, its ain't nowhere, buddy.... However, that of course isn't quite true these days. The depth of the book is extraordinary. The nicest chapters are in the middle, where the integral representations are described. Quite honestly, by then you are over the rather dry beginning and if you really got over that and the basic material, this where the text flies...

Its a lot of fun, very hard, but my gosh, do you get some heavy duy stuff under your belt.

David Dewey's straight forward and concise writing makes this among the best Watercolor references available today. I own over 100 watercolor books and this is one of the four I reference continually.

This book may take years to get through-there are so many useful exercises and projects,but it's impossible to come out of it without knowing a great deal about watercolor and all it's myriad possibilities. Through this book I found Dewey,teaching at the National Academy in NYC and I have been studing with him ever since...for four plus years,so of course I am biased, but I feel this book is a classic of technique and an essential to anyone serious about learning this quite difficult medium.

An outstanding book for the watercolor enthusiast. Dewey's chapters cover materials, subject matter and technique that even the advanced watercolorist can learn from. The book is a handy item to help both the practicing artist and teacher. Not so much a step by step study, but rather information that can be applied to the artists individual style and subject matter.

a comprehensive, knowledgeable, concise survey of watercolor technique and the art theory necessary to watercolor painting. some essential techniques, such as wet-on-wet washes, receive a one-page treatment that encapsulates all text, illustrations, and photos for that topic; others are repeated as themes throughout the discussion. the demonstration paintings are simple and inviting for a beginner to imitate, yet all of them -- my favorites are niagra falls, the japanese arch and the still life on a rug -- are masterfully composed and build from value sketches and compositional studies to show how to think a painting through. the section on color theory is the most coherent and pointed i have ever seen. the sections on materials (paints, brushes, papers, by type and by brand) are excellent too. a marvellous book, a classic of its kind.

A great book for the serious Greek and/or Bible student. Its one of the most used devotional book in my library. Gives explanation of the Greek words as well as offering Scriptures for continued study. A most inspirational and motivating work that has helped in my understanding of words in its original language. My preaching has taken on a new dimension!!!!

I have chosen 2 different devotional books to read every year for about 5 years now. I absolutely LOVE this book. I am a person who is very interested in the true meaning of Scripture and this book provides. I would like to see the author do a devotional book with the original Hebrew words and meaning. So, if you are the type of person that likes to get to the "meat" of the Bible, this book will not disappoint you!

Sooner or later in a Christian's sanctification, the desire to understand the original language of the Bible will at least pass through the mind. If you are anything like me, a junior grade codger who's last study of a second language was sophomore Latin class 49 years ago, it's an intimidating thought. I've heard for years now how rich and enlightening the Greek language of the New Testament is, and how difficult it is to translate it into pedestrian English when there is no word-for-word equivalence, but my desire for such enlightenment never overcame my sloth.

Dr. J.D. "Doc" Watson, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Meeker, Colorado, has solved my problem. That's "JD," in the literary tradition of Salinger, MacDonald and Wetterling.... His daily devotional is entitled, A Word for the Day, published by AMG Publishers. One new foreign language word a day is just the right pace for a three score and three-year-old mind. Doc has done a wonderful job explaining each word with scripture support and historical linguistic background in a single page per word per day. But you won't get the full effect unless you begin each reading by going to Crosswalk's New Testament Greek Lexicon "based on Thayer's and Smith's Bible Dictionary plus others," plugging in the Strong's number that Doc provides, and listening to it spoken correctly. As I replay the audio of the Greek word, I envision myself as a small boy sitting on the end of the dock beside a wizened old Greek fisherman as he repeats the words for me, complete with just the right degree of roll on the "r's." And I realize that most of the preachers I have heard doing Greek work studies as part of their sermon mangle the pronunciation. For example, when a true Greek pronounces Abba (Mark 14:36 et al), the accent is on the second syllable, not the first, and the modern idiom translation--"daddy"--is a bit hyperbolic. Hearing Greek spoken by a Greek is also an excellent memory device. I write Crosswalk's phonetic spelling of the word under Doc's title word on the page as a further aid to memory. Of course you could, without buying the book, just read the Greek definitions at Crosswalk, but the words will not come alive and become memorable--and God's amazing grace will not shine--the way they do with Doc's word study and application for practical living. I'm just loving this devotional.

In the interest of full disclosure, I have an endorsement in Doc's book, as if that is worth anything. It was solicited, but this review was not.

Little is lost by starting anywhere in the book. As the back cover says, "These brief devotionals will enrich the mind, stir the soul, and empower the life of God's people." Taste and see if you don't deepen your understanding of how blessed you are to be a kainos anthropos (2537, 444).

As a Christian I have always wanted to learn Greek so I can have a better understanding of God's Word from the language the New Testament was originally written in. However I don't have years of time to take college level courses to learn all the nuances of the language. J.D."Doc" Watson's book is the perfect way to learn Greek in "Baby Steps". His book is arranged in such a way that you learn a different Greek word each day of the year. Don't feel like you have to wait for January to start. Start today like I did. Each page has the date printed at the top. His descriptions are easy to understand and give practical ways to apply God's Word to daily life. Each day he gives you specific scriptures to find in your Bible further to enhance your study. I highly recommend this book for anyone who seeks to go deeper in your study of God's Word; from a new Christian to someone who has known the LORD for many years.

Philip Martin's The Writer's Guide To Fantasy Literature: From Dragon's Lair To Hero's Quest is a collection of informative essays specifically written to help both aspiring and established writers improve the quality of their work, and create fantasy worlds to suspend disbelief and capture the imagination. Essay contributors include such notable talents as Patricia A. McKillip, Jane Yolen, Ursula K. LeGuin, and Peter S. Beagle. Chapters and essays cover such issues as generating ideas, constructing a coherent plot, and enhancing settings with your own brand of magic. The Writer's Guide To Fantasy Literature is a truly inspiring and insightful "must-read" for anyone looking to improve their fantasy writing - and the majority of its tips, tricks, and techniques would also apply to the writing of science fiction, historical fiction, or genre novels of any sort!

I was expecting much more of a nuts and bolts book on writing fantasy, but a lot of the material in the book seemed targeted toward having a better appreciation of fantasy or what's required to write it, rather than the actual mechanics of writing. I enjoyed reading the book anyway, but it was not entirely what I had expected. The first part of the book introduced the concept of fantasy literature. I found Chapter 1, which analyzed the popularity of the Harry Potter series, to be very interesting. Chapter 2 introduced the general concept of fantasy literature and Chapter 3 categorized fantasy literature into five types with an accompanying essay or interview for each type. Although interesting, Chapter 3 was probably the weakest section of the book. The interviews, often about a single book the author wrote, were not the most effective means for conveying information. The second part of the book addressed the story itself. Chapter 4 discussed character development and was fairly informative, although like most of the book about a third to a half of the material are passage quotations from fantasy books. The two contributed portions of this chapter were not as informative as the material written by the author. Chapter 5 was similar in content and quality, but addressed places rather than characters. Chapter 6 discussed common themes often found in fantasy-such as magic, riddles, and prophecies-and also included two author interviews. Chapter 7 addressed plot and common story lines in fantasy literature and also included an interview and contributed article. The third part of the book addressed many of the mechanics of the writing process. Chapter 8 discussed generated ideas; Chapter 9 discussed the mechanics of the layout and order of which chapters to write first; Chapter 10 discussed how to set goals and remain motivated in the writing process; Chapter 11 discussed revising material; and Chapter 12 discussed submitting your work for publication. This last chapter was the only one in this part that included contributed material. I particularly enjoyed the interview with Terry Pratchett and the article by Ray Bradbury. The fourth part of the book included some reference material: publisher addresses and web/print references. Overall, as a 'How To' book for writers I give this book four stars. While all of the material was interesting, the usefulness of it was uneven. Betters books are "Worlds of Wonder" by David Gerrold or "How To Write Science Fiction & Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card. However, if you love fantasy and just want a better appreciation of what goes into writing it, then this book is definitely five stars.

This is a collection of essays and interviews from various fantasy authors. They share their views, thoughts, and techniques about writing fantasy. This is a book for people who want to learn from professional and successful fantasy authors.

I enjoyed this book because I was interested in what these authors had to say about fantasy. They gave very helpful advice about writing. I thought this book was very informative about the field of fantasy. It covers everything from generating ideas for novels to sending novels to publishers.

If you want to learn from the pro's, this is the book for you.

Unlike most writing books, which are filled with common sense fluff, this book gets down into the nuts and bolts of writing for the fantasy genre. Definately worth reading. Make sure you have a highlighter handy.

I know Vernice Watson, and if you want to know how Urban Gospel of today got it's start.. buy the book. "You Can't Get There From Here" the bridge that got the Kirk Franklin's, Mary Mary's, and all the artist you hear today on a level playing field with other forms of music. Interesting reading,..experience the highs and lows of Ms. Watson an author who is raw with the truth behind the Gospel Music Industry.

It's so interesting to read about how things were done in the music industry 30 years ago... and to see that at the end only the way we do some things have changed, but the essence is still the same. It's amazing to see how Ms. Watson made it through this business. Really encouraging. I guess it'll make anyone want to go out there, but as the title says: You can'¿t just get there... it takes a lot of work, strengh and determination. Thank you, Vernice!!

In "You Can't Get There From Here", Ms Vernice Watson tells of her exciting career in the world of gospel music! This book is great! It includes many inside pictures, special stories, and her struggle to make it to the top of the music industry . Go on a journey with Ms Vernice Watson as she tells you how "You can't get there from here!"

This was an excellent book! Vernice know her stuff!! The book tells about the author's personal experiences in the music promotion business; good and bad. It is a must read!!

About a year ago a teacher/performer friend asked me who my first guitar teacher was. Larry McCabe, quite a few years ago. My friend looked surprised, and told me he uses Larry's books in his own teaching, and that Larry had written something like 80 books to date. I had no idea, as Larry was in the process of writing his first book when I had lessons with him. So when it came time to brush up on some basic blues licks for a band I'm in I ended up obtaining some of Larry's books.

This book of blues turnarounds is where I started. What a great book - full of excellent turnaround licks. At this point I've only played through about half of them note for note, but have used those as a basis for coming up with my own licks. And to me, that is the mark of a great book - lots of useful information if read note-for-note, but can also be used as a springboard for creating new ideas.

The licks I've learned from the book thus far are all in the key of C, but can be easily used in other keys if one has a basic knowledge of the notes on the fretboard. I'd highly recommend this book for a beginner wanting to learn stock blues licks, or intermediate players who need to expand their blues vocabulary.

An Excellent Choice for the Early Intermediate Blues Guitarist

A turnaround is a lick played at the end of a section of music. A blues turnaround would be played in measures 11-12 of a 12-bar blues, or measures 7-8 of an eight-bar blues.

Electric urban blues turnarounds are fairly easy to play, and the difference from one to another is subtle. Having the ability to play a variety of turnarounds is an important skill in blues guitar playing. This is the best book I know of that addresses exclusively the subject of electric blues guitar turnarounds.

This a book for a VERY ambitious beginner, or an early intermediate guitarist who has an interest in Chicago blues in the classic style of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Jimmy Reed, etc.

The licks are all arranged in the key of C. This is for ease of analysis and comparison. The user is encouraged to transpose the licks to other keys - a worthwhile project for exploring and learning the fingerboard. Very, very good practice for learning the art of blues phrasing.

Great book from one of our leading authors. My students (and myself) have consistently benefited from the interesting instruction contained here.

My students and I work from several of Larry McCabe's guitar books and find that the books produce consistently high results.

This book, like the others, is exceptionally well crafted, specific in intent, and the guitar lines are accurately written exactly as they are heard on the CD. Larry McCabe books are the work of a dedicated teacher who has achieved a high level of respect nationally in the field of music education.

Larry asked me to write a review for this book, and I am happy to do so. The object of this book is to teach the art of playing blues guitar turnarounds to a guitarist who has some prior experience but is just beginning to explore electric blues.

If a student knows how to bend the strings and perhaps play slurs, slides, and hammers, blues turnarounds are not difficult to play. What is important is to play them authentically and with conviction. This book does a very good job in advancing those objectives.

A component of this book that is quite effective is that every phrase is written in the Key of C. The student should then transpose each lick to other keys, a desirable skill that encourages individual incentive and ability to solve arranging problems.

The turnarounds sound exactly like the ones played on classic blues recordings by the great artists from Chicago and other urban areas.

I know other teachers who swear by Larry's books, and I am one of them. Great book- effective in its aims, ambitious content, fun to work through, and a great value.

This very fine book has been in print in one form or another since the early-to-mid 1980s. Not many music books remain in print that long, but this is an exceptional collection of model solos in the urban blues style.

The book is quite popular with music teachers (as evidenced by the other reviews) and it is enjoyable and productive for students as well. The book is aimed at the ambitious early intermediate student, and a few of the solos will challenge an intermediate guitarist.

There are 25 full-length solos in the book, each written in notation and tablature, and each recorded note-for-note on the accompanying CD. The band on the CD is excellent. There are five solos in C, five in G, five in D, five in A, and five in E. The solos are played to standard blues progressions, meaning that they may be "plugged in" to similar blues progressions that are found in many, many songs.

The solos sound exactly like the solos heard on real blues records. They are varied and performed with taste, authenticity, and feeling. You can hear why the author was a columnist for Living Blues Magazine and why his work has received consistently high reviews in a number of guitar magazines.

Great book, highly recommended.

I wish all music instruction books were written in this format. The song tabs just go from one page to the next without a bunch of talking/writing in between, and the song numbers in the book actually match the song numbers on the cd...what a rare and unique idea! Of course, none of that would matter if the material were bad, but that's not the case, the solos are great - quite diverse too. There is a lot of helpful information in this book: theory, writing your own solos, a guide to blues styles and artists,etc. - but it's all in it's own section of the book, not sprinkled throughout the book here and there making it impossible to find. As a full time guitar instructor I would just like to say "great job", "great blues solos" and "great, easy to use format". Thanks.

The author of this book, Larry McCabe, is re-releasing books that have gone out of print for one reason or another. This particular book is an old friend. After I received it, I went into my library and found a copy. It has been in print in one form or another for 25 years. Most instruction books don't last anywhere near that long. First, this book (as the author warns) is not for beginners. You need to be familiar with the movable blues scales we all use. If you are playing out, and feel comfortable with the whole neck, get this book. The style of lead is closer to Gatemouth Brown and Freddie King than anyone else. If you don't know who these men are, buy their CDs. You are in for a treat. Please read the author's introduction. There is a lot of good info there. The Tab system is the older style. It should take about 30 seconds to adjust. It's actually easier to read than the current form. If you consider yourself a Rock guitarist instead of Blues, you really could use this book. If you use these solos as a "how to", instead of just memorizing them, they will give you some new weapons. You know, for scaring the heck out of other guitarists.

This is a very readable book. If you are a parent with an ADHD child, or if you are a parent who thinks their child might be diagnosed as such, you should read this book. It will not only help guide you through the decisions you should make about your child, but it will also give you practical exercises to immediately use with your child. If you are a teacher of "difficult" children, you should also read this book. It will give you very important information about your "difficult" children and provide insight and guidance toward serving such children in the school setting. As a counselor and school administrator, I will be providing copies of this book for my teaching staff.

Having worked as a Probation Officer for nearly 20 years in 4 seperate counties I have dealt with many children that were or should have been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD. Many were medicated and most were ordered to receive family or individual counseling. I wish this book was written many years ago. It would have and should be required reading for all Juvenile Probation Officers and staff of Juvenile Detention Centers. I would highly recomend this book to all foster parents and group home staff that deal directly with deliquent and pre-deliquent children. The unique activities and exercises contained in this book are easily understood and easy to apply. All deliquent and pre-deliquent children should be screened for ADD/ADHD and if diagnosed, their learning style should be assesed and the appropriate activities introduced. If applied by parents or professionals, the activities in this book may be the saving grace for the community, the parents, and the children who suffer from these disorders.

As a general ed elementary teacher I am so pleased to have this tool. It provides very practical, easy to read, and insightful information for understanding and helping not just ADD/ADHD students, but all "challenging" students. The focus audience is any helper, but I found the tools to be particularly beneficial for parents. The learning style specific activities that make up almost half of the book will be easy for me to duplicate and give to my student's parents. I appreciated the authors' open attitude regarding the ADD controversy. Their opinions do not reflect either side of the debate, but rather serve to simply help our kids be their best based on their individual unique qualities.

If you are interested in the subject of creativity, this book is a great overview. Through topics like writing, psychology, neurology, drugs, music, and sex, Hughes clearly illustrates how creative people and their work are an essential and often misunderstood element of the evolutionary process. The topic is fascinating, and the book succeeds in inspiring a deeper understanding of the reader's self, if not an inclination for deeper research on the subject.

This book seems to have been marketed towards people interested in 'altered states' which to me indicates chemical/substance use, when in fact only the final chapter is dedicated to substances!

The rest of the book is visually appealing, relevant and informative on the links between consciousness and creativity and would be of interest to anyone interested in spirituality and consciousness with interesting facts and comments on topics as diverse as Transpersonal Psychology, Shamanism, Dreams, Idea incubation, Play and more.

I feel this book has missed it's true target audience through misleading marketing. I found it in a bargain bin here in Australia and am thrilled at the discovery, only sorry to see it has not been appreciated for its true worth.

Altered States: Creativity Under the Influence by James Hughes, is beautifully written and contains a wealth of pictures and illustrations. In this book, Hughes looks at the creative process and its role in society and the creative mind and personality. In addition, he discusses the physical, emotional, and spiritual effects of creativity on the human soul. This book includes informative chapters on creativity and disease, sex and creativity, creativity and chemistry (which looks at the use drugs in the creative process), among other chapters . I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in studying art, artists, and the history/psychology/philosophy of creative behavior. Artists, teachers, students of the arts, as well as, art enthusiasts will enjoy this book.

As a conservative reading Anticipating Madam President makes me realize that the first female President will be a Republican. This book shows just how hard it will be for any women in either major party to become the President of the United States. Everyone from people on the far left to the far right should read this book. It will give anyone who reads it an education on what it will take for a female candidate to be elected and the challenges she will face once in office. No one knows for sure if and when this day will come, but this book gives great insight on what might happen when it does. A must for any political science major.

Ever since 1993 when Margaret, the icon from the Dennis the Menace cartoon, proclaimed enthusiastically to Dennis that "Someday a woman will be PRESIDENT!" the subject has intrigued me. After reading "Anticipating Madam President"
it has become much clearer to me why we have yet to see a
woman nominated or elected to the office of president in this
country. The roadblocks are many and are outlined most effectively in the chapters written by experts in the political arena. The part I found most fascinating was the way the media
treats woman and men differently when they are involved in running for office. When women candidates appear on television,
the interviewer encourages them to share personal stories. However, when male candidates appear, they are often given an opportunity to focus on the ideas they want to implement if they are succesful in being elected. Statistics in the book validate that women running for office are rarely invited to be guests on news shows and most of the time they are not invited back the way male guests are. Be sure to read the Preface because it tells in detail what motivated Dr. Robert Watson to edit this
wonderful book.

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Robert P. Watson (Visiting Associate Professor of Political Science, Florida Atlantic University) and Ann Gordon (Assistant Professor of Political Science, Ohio University), Anticipating Madam President is a impressive consideration of when (not if!) the United States will elect a female President. Studying the realities of women in powerful political positions, anticipating gender-based biases that a female President might encounter, and examining the question of whether a female president will change the nature of the presidency forever, Anticipating Madam President is a simply fascinating and thought provoking discourse of the future of American presidential politics.