Webster University Books

The book's quality is good for me.

This book just keeps talking and talking and talking about rocks. I mean, really, how much is there to say? They come in different colors and they're usually pretty hard, except when they're not. Otherwise, meh.

The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet covers the science of geology, is the collaborative work of, written by two curators, Edmond Mathez and James Webster ( one of mineral deposits and the other of petrology) and is recommended for college-level collections where geology and science are strong parts of the curriculum. Full-color photos inspired by the Hall of Planet Earth at New York's American Museum of Natural History document the evolution of the planet in a guide highly recommended for in-depth collections.

Books on geology can, if poorly written or too technical, be unbelievably dull except to the enthusiast. Still earth history is important to us all as it deals with the formation of minerals, rocks and energy sources like coal and oil, as well as the origin and evolution of life, the causes of volcanoes and earth quakes, the movements of continents and the development and possible future of the atmosphere. Indeed it encompasses the very foundation of our existence. In "The Earth Machine: The Science of a Dynamic Planet" Edmond A. Mathez and James D. Webster have given this subject a new breath of life and have produced probably the best introduction to geology for the layman currently in print.

In their book they explain current theories on the evolution and movement of continents, the development of life, the formation of the atmosphere and the threats of ozone depletion and global warming, and many more aspects of the study of our home planet. They give accounts of great volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, explain mountain building and ocean currents, discuss the weird ecosystems of hydrothermal vents and the formation of valuable productions of the earth like salt, gold and coal. All the while they sprinkle in historical accounts of past geologists and their work in a fascinating narrative.

All in all this is a great introductory text in earth history and I recommend it enthusiastically for anyone curious of how our blue planet functions.

This book is great. It is well-written and beautifully illustrated. It covers a broad range of topics - you can check the Columbia University Press web site for the table of contents. I think for the price it might be the best overall earth science book out there.

This is a great book about a Texan who refused to compromise with big oil, big banks, and big business - the forces that shaped politics in Texas in the 50s and 60s - and was still elected to the US Senate. In the Senate he devoted his career to "putting the jam jar on the lower shelf," so that the little people could reach it. He came from populist East Texas and remained true to the Populist tradition long after it had died in the rest of the country. Dr. Cox has made use of Yarborough's personal papers and his public papers to tell the lively story of an American who had the courage to go against the grain. The book is well-written and is essential for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of natiuon politics in the '60s.

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, with Senator Ralph W. Yarborough riding shotgun in a limousine through the streets of Dallas on November 22, 1963 were both ordered by a secret service agent to hit the deck. History-altering shots were being fired at the motorcade into the lead car carrying President John F. Kennedy, Governor John Connally and their wives. Together they arrived at Parkland Hospital where they witnessed the horrific scene of the bodies of President Kennedy and Governor Connally being wheeled inside.

After the assassination, stories about how Yarborough and "refused" to ride with Johnson the day prior due to their ongoing "feud" became legendary. This feud among these giants of Texas Democratic politics of the 1960's--Yarborough, Johnson and Connally--serves as the fuel to power Dr. Patrick Cox's compelling story. Cox deftly applies his storytelling skills, honed as a former Texas newspaper editor, to weave a taut and fascinating tale of Yarborough and the other giants before and after the assassination.

Known in the U.S. Senate as "Mr. Education", Yarborough's fingerprints can be found on such landmark Great Society legislation as the Higher Education Act, the National Science Foundation, Head Start, Job Corps, Vista and many others. But Ralph Yarborough:The People's Senator is more than an academic treatise about the legislative accomplishments of Ralph Yarborough. He was a profile in political courage, the only southern senator from either party to vote for all the major civil rights bills from 1957 to 1970, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This reader is left to conclude that LBJ's fall in 1968 and Yarborough's political defeat in 1970 market a turning point in American history. With protests over Civil Rights and Vietnam dividing America, Republicans began hacking away at the "ills" of the Great Society. Yet, the lynchpins of the Great Society and much of Ralph Yarborough's contribution still survive and thrive.

This book was a delight to read from start to finish. For political junkies this is pure 100% oxygen. But the novice should enjoy the ride as well. In Ralph Yarborough: The People's Senator, Patrick Cox has unearthed a giant of the 1960's and breathed life into a great American. Ralph Yarborough deserves our attention and appreciation.

My only regret about this book is that it didn't get published while Yarborough was still alive to enjoy it.
Yarborough was LBJ's peer & frequent rival but they buried the hatchet when JFK was killed and, together, created a massive record in civil rights, education and the environment. To understand the legacy of the 60's it is essential to understand Yarborough. It is doubtful that there will ever be a more thorough or more readable treatment of Yarborough's amazing roller coaster career than this one. Highly recommended.

Some of the people pictured are my relatives,one is my father.
I've found this book to be a good connection to my past

For anyone interested in African American History in St. Louis, and particularly in Webster Groves-this book is a must! Filled with interesting photographs and charting the development of a unique community, this book lovingly portrays North Webster as only a resident could. If you know the area, you are sure to see places you'll recognize!

If you're one of those people who consider a well done dictionary to be good early-morning reading material (and really, who isn't?) then this book is for you. Seriously, the Merriam-Webster Third Edition created a huge controversy when it was first released in 1961, being the first major U.S. dicitonary that took a mainly DESRIPTIVE rather than PRESCIPTIVE approach to the english language. Never mind that European dicionaries had been doing much the same for a hundred years or more, to many Americans this was heresy. The ripples from this storm are still bouncing about today. Too bad that Philip Gove, the editor and virtual godfather of the Third, was such a poor defender of it. Also too bad he didn't live long enough to see his editorial philosophy largely vindicated. Morton gives equal attention to Philip Gove, the dictionary itself, and the G. & C. Merriam Company. The historical section on Noah Webster and his dictionary, how it was acquired by the Merriam brothers, and the subsequent history of the company is most informative and fascinating. So is the discussion at the end of the lasting effects of Webster's Third. As it should be with any book about dictionaries, the material is well-organized, with everything clearly and logically laid out. A good read, and a must for lexiphiles.

Philip Gove spent his career producing this magnum opus. Morton traces the work and the explosion that occurred when the dictionary was published. It's the American version of "The Professor and the Madman".

Vitalism is a profoundly science-ejected concept, though many CAM or 'natural health' cabals falsely claim that vitalism survives scientific scrutiny.

I quote:

"vitalism is now a dead philosophy [...] for the vitalist, living things are possessed (literally) by a 'life force,' utterly distinct from the physiochemical forces so far discovered [...this is] impossible to investigate: how do you investigate a life force? [p.057]."

-r.c.

Philosophy puts many people off, and the same goes for philosophy of biology (PoB). As far as the latter is concerned, there is good reasons why many people are not interested. PoB is preoccupied with evolutionary biology. What counts as an adaptation, what is the best definition of a species, how altruism is possible - or what is it, anyway?, what is the level of selection: these are central topics in PoB. Lots of people are not particularly bothered by such issues, and so PoB gets a dusty image.

Webster's book shows that there is much more to PoB than evolutionary conundrums. It is refreshingly openminded towards the choice of topics. To be sure, there is a chapter on evolution, but this is certainly not the lion's part of the book. In fact, the central theme is the interaction between biology and society. This theme is illustrated by historical as well as very up to date issues. A choice selection: Eugenics, Human Genome Project, the use of animals in research, research ethics. The book also touches on some general themes in Philosophy of Science, such as the status of `facts', and reductionism.

The style of presentation is unpretentious and accessible. Although there is no Reference section (making the book suspect - `unscientific' - for some people), references to relevant literature is made throughout the book in footnotes. These are remarkably up-to-date, covering some material from 2002!

`Thinking about Biology' is a wellcome addition to the literature of PoB. The only drawback is that sometimes there is much description of how things went, as in the Mad Cow Disease history, but little analysis of a basic problem this history illustrates, namely that scientists and politicians do communicate so badly. But it makes very clear that such a problem exists, and biology students should take good notice of such points!

this book is extremely outstanding.it proviides us perfect view of the colleges and universities in the usa.it helps me to decide what institutions are more suitable to me to apply.all in all,it is amazing.

The cover image (La Virgen de la Soledad) and the Macarena Madonna inside alone are worth the price of the book, but it's a fascinating account of a vibrant "performance art" (street processions). See also The Madonnas of Europe and, for another kind of devotional outreach, Gardens of Revelation.

Beethoven Forum, a work of serious Beethoven scholarship presents papers from the conference "Beethoven in Vienna, 1792-1803."

Editorial notes advise that this volume was created "to promote research in a relatively neglected area of Beethoven scholarship in its many dimensions; to engage in dialogue representatives from diverse branches of musicology; to scrutinize the usefulness of "style period" as a concept and parameter of research." That it does, and so much more.

One of the most influential German composers of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Beethoven well merits this study. The ramifications of his genius are incalculable as the characteristics of much modern music stem from his creativity.

Young Beethoven was a court organist at the age of 14, a contemporary of Mozart, and a student of Haydn's. In the isolation of his deafness Beethoven composed some of the greatest works of music the world has ever known.

Beethoven Forum is a scholarly, revelatory tribute to a master.

- Gail Cooke

This thorough collection of Charles Webster Hawthorne's paintings demonstrates his accomplishments in figure, portrait, and landscape painting. Drawing early inspiration from 17th century Dutch genre painting, then from his studies of Manet and the early impressionists, he achieved a stunning freedom of technique and sponaneity in his watercolor landscapes. Painter and teacher, Hawthorne maintains the tension between abstracton and realism, evidenced in the wonderful color photographs in this book. His art and teachings influenced many American 20th century painters, including the abstract expressionists. His teachings about artistic vision and method are presented in his notes on painting, included in this volume. (They are also published separately in "Hawthorne on Painting.") Most readers will benefit from their inclusion here as they offer an opportunity to judge his words and aesthetic principles against his paintings, rather than in a vacuum. In addition to illuminating essays by Richard Muhlberger, formerly of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Janet Flint, the text lists more than 50 museums that have Hawthorne's work in their collections. As many are small regional museums, this is a most valuable guide for further research, travel, and enjoyment of this unique master's work.

Susan Hacker Stang's recent volume of photos and writings keeps drawing me back into the pages, like discovering a new territory. In her book, she and her collaborators have created a virtuoso blend of image and words, just as she has developed a virtuoso photographic technique in printing Polaroid film. Between her wonderful artist's eye, her innovative use of the 2-dimesional photographic frame, and the haunting selection of poetic writings, this book takes me down familiar spaces in Florence, and yet makes everything old seem new again.