Research Books

We own the 1959 edition of this book, with Mom and Dad straight out of a Gimble's advertisement, and all the astronauts sport Johnny Unitas buzz cut flat tops. After page three and a cheery wave goodbye to Mom not a woman is to be seen in this most male of explorations (unless you count the Garrison cap on the soda jerk at the space station). "Space, the final frontier...." Indeed.

My daughter loves it.

I mean, she loves it.

The illustrations look like John Water's camp to me now, and the text reads like the pulp science fiction/science fact from which it drew its inspiration, and the whole thin veneer of science on the tale is a mess. My favourite is the "Diner" at the space station where two regular guys are getting a cup-o-joe while a soda jerk in a white paper Garrison cap serves them.

But it is a children's book, so it doesn't matter. The Cat-In-The-Hat could pop up on the last page and no child would bat an eyelash until they are 10 years old.

Innocent in a way that the "back to The Future" movies aren't. A delightful book for children, girls and boys alike.

I remember this book well, although not perfectly, from thirty years ago. I thought back to it occasionally, and a few things cleared up.

Even with an illustration of it, I missunderstood the description of the mooncar going through the crater. For some reason, I imagined the car falling down a deep hole, driving across the bottom, and floating back up the other side.

The illustrator did get one thing wrong: The text described tiny rockets firing to turn the spaceship. The picture showed the spaceship going around in a loop, when in reality, it continued going straight in its path, just rotating to point the tail toward the moon.

When reading it, I always wondered how we got back to Earth. It seemed to me a whole lot more dangerous.

I agree with all of the reviews posted here I was learning to read in the late sixtes/early seventies and I remember this book very well. I must have read it a few hundred times.
Well, imagine my surprise last week when my dad found it in the attic and asked if I wanted it for my 4 year old. As I dug into the pile of books he found I found not only my copy, but my sisters edition from 10 years earlier. The c-right on my sisters was dated 1959 mine was 1971. The art and the text were redone. The same authors but two different illustrators. By 1971 we had a functioning moon program and we were a more "politically correct" society.
The art in the 59 edition is more in the vein of 50's fantasy. One of the big draws in the 59 edition is that you will be able to see what's going on by watching a Television. The 71 edition is clearly based on Apollo. In the 59 edition there are no female "Spacemen", by 71 one there are female astronauts in the book.
Seeing the two side by side is a great history lesson. and a real trip down memory lane for me.

This is an "impressionable" book of colossal proportions. The subject matter absolutely fascinated, inspired, challenged, and motivated a generation of American "rocket scientists" that would eventually come to operate the Space Shuttle and the Space Station. I am one of those. Born in 1960, I would end up participating in a work-study program with NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, earn an Aerospace Engineering degree, and operate the Space Shuttle--on the ground, that is! Of course, I am sure it stimulated many others that chose different fields of endeavor.

As a young "Cat In The Hat" reader I was enormously fascinated with this book. Yes, this book was distributed by mail to many young readers, right along with "Green Eggs and Ham." What a time in history to begin learning. Imagine training to read with the imagination of Dr. Suess, to experience the creativity of Walt Disney, and be exposed to a vision of space travel by Wernher von Braun and his followers--all while the Mercury, Gemini and Saturn/Apollo programs hit the headlines and the TV screens!

With over forty years having passed, I suggest reading it again-or for the first time. On the one hand, you will find that much is fulfilled. Alas, on the other hand, the fact that the title is addressed to "YOU" should cause us all to reflect on the promises one generation makes to another...and inspire us all to action once again. This time to enable all those who would like to Go To The Moon!

This was one of the first books I was ever given, sometime certainly before my second birthday. Twenty-eight years later I get a chill down my spine recalling the detailed, Von Braun-meets-Chesley Bonestell elucidation of how I "was" heading spaceward. I believed it, too - the rest of my life, as exciting as it's been in so many ways, has been a bit of a disappointment by contrast. Seminal and a bit melancholy, too - reality has been so tawdry ever since.

I have always admired Abraham Lincoln, as a man and as a president, and I have been a student of his presidency and the Civil War in the past. But I learned so much within the pages of this excellent book that I hadn't known before. I cannot recommend it highly enough. I bought it for my Kindle and "highlighted" lots of passages throughout. I'll definitely read this book again.

"I believe the declaration that `all men are created equal' is the great fundamental principle upon which our free institutions rest."
~Abraham Lincoln

Accurate,beautifully written work. Every American should read this
eloquent book. The stories,inspiring and well described.

Heartily recommend this book!

This was an "easy read" and the stories were very detailed, but the life of the man himself was handled on a broad "overview" basis, therefore, I need more. The book was thoroughly enjoyable, but it only whetted my appetite for a more comprehensive view of the life of our greatest president, his humble beginnings, and the events that shaped him into the "man for the ages." This book would be a great addition to an already established library of writings about our past presidents...I enjoyed reading the stories told, and you will not regret purchasing the book...read it, you will like it!

In the introduction to his latest book, Joe Wheeler relates this advice from his ad man son Greg: "No matter what the product, just tie [Abraham] Lincoln to it and it's guaranteed to sell." This perhaps explains why I've seen ads for everything from car insurance to sleeping pills featuring the celebrated 16th president of the United States. There's even a diner in my old neighborhood that features Lincoln's face prominently on its sign. Nothing says bacon and eggs like a stovepipe hat!

Books are no exception to Greg's rule. Wheeler contends that more books have been written about Lincoln than all the other presidents combined, and he enters the fray with ABRAHAM LINCOLN, A MAN OF FAITH AND COURAGE. "While I admire and revere Washington, it stops there. He is a model for many fine qualities, but with me at least, he remains only a model to be venerated. Not so with the sixteenth president. There is something about Abraham Lincoln that makes me love him. I cannot explain it: I know only that it's there," he writes. Wheeler's love for Lincoln is both a strength and weakness of his book, which often straddles the line between biography and hagiography.

There is no doubt that Lincoln was an extraordinarily individual, and the stories here provide an entertaining survey of the moments --- large and small --- that made the man. The following story illustrates the combination of solid research and faith-filled speculation that characterizes Wheeler's book.

"One day, when he was around nine, he took a bag of corn, mounted the flea-bitten gray mare, and rode leisurely to Gordon's Mill. His turn didn't come until late afternoon. Since each man was expected to provide his own power, Abe hitched the mare to the arm. As the animal moved around, the machinery responded with proportional speed --- or lack of it. Abe, mounted on the arm, found it necessary to frequently use his whip, otherwise, the horse would stop. Each time the whip action took place, Abe would say, `Get up you old hussy.' Finally, resenting Abe's whip, just as the words, `Get up,' were said, the horse elevated a shoeless foot and kicked him in the forehead, sending him sprawling.

"Mr. Gordon, the miller, hurried into the ring, picked up the senseless boy (whom he took for dead), and sent for his father. His father came, loaded the body in the wagon, and took him home. Abe lay unconscious all night, but toward day there were signs of life. The blood began to flow normally, his tongue struggled to loosen itself, his body jerked for an instant and he awoke, blurting out the other three words interrupted at the mill, `you old hussy.'

"Lincoln would talk about this strange phenomenon for the rest of his life, this memorable experience that so easily could have been his last. God must certainly have had a reason for sparing his life."

This story comes from a biography of Lincoln written in 1925, and indeed Wheeler cites his "exhaustive scholarship" of reading 60 books about Lincoln in preparing to write his own. And yet there is clearly a healthy dose of speculation mixed in with the facts, especially when it comes to Lincoln's spiritual development and relationship with God. Wheeler is not shy about reading providence into Lincoln's life at almost every turn. This will leave some readers nodding in agreement, but will leave critical readers on edge.

That said, many of Lincoln's writings offer great spiritual insight that Wheeler is right to highlight. It's clear that while Lincoln was often careful about being inclusive when discussing faith from his public platform, he was involved in a serious and significant spiritual journey with the God of the Bible. And at no time was such a searching and faithful president needed than during the Civil War.

Wheeler uses a brush dipped in sepia tones to paint the picture of Lincoln's early years growing up on the frontiers of Kentucky and Indiana, which is somewhat ironic given that Lincoln himself is noted for having no such sentimentality in his regard for the hardscrabble lifestyle of those years. But the author does an excellent job of giving context to his years by explaining the cultural, religious, political, even ecological milieu in which he lived. Wheeler is able to move helpfully between a wide angle perspective and a closer focus on Lincoln, providing a cohesive and comprehensive narrative for those not already familiar with his life and even adding some interesting details for those who have read a book or two on him. I hear there are a few out there...

--- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel

I have collected books about Abraham Lincoln for well over forty years. I found Dr. Wheeler's book to be one of the most enjoyable to read of any that I have on my shelves. The stories that the author shares made this very unique President more "human" to me. I happened to be in Washington, D.C., when I finished the book. Although I have visited the Lincoln Memorial many times, it was a very emotional experience this time around because of what I had just read. I have enjoyed reading several of Dr. Wheeler's anthologies in the past, but I think this is his best collection ever.

John Warden was the strategist of the air campaign in the 1991 Gulf War. In 1998, he updated his influential book. A must read for anyone interested in the military, its past, present and future.

John Warden's book earned high praise because of its author's role in planning operation Desert Storm, but although the book is a very good synthesis of air warfare theory it is not either groundbreaking or revolutionary. In fact most of its arguments were presented for the first time by the pioneers of air power of the 1920s and 30s like Giulio Duhet and William Mitschell. Warden's contribution has more to do with the revival of those forgotten theories and the presentation of a complete picture of aerial operations instead of inventing new methods of war. Central to his thesis is the idea that air superiority is crucial, that a campaign will be lost if the enemy has it, that in many circumsatnces it alone can win a war, and that its possession is needed before other actions on the ground or in the air can be undertaken.

Warden also places emphasis on thorough training saying that if something is going to be done in war, it ought to be practiced in peace, and if it has not be practiced, losses are likely to be high and the plan is unlikely to go as expected. He analyzes the three kinds of inderdiction (distant, indermediate and close) and he gives an interesting definition of the term "close air support": "It is an air operation that theoritically could and would be done by ground forces on their own, if sufficient troops or artillery were available".

The author repeats often the great value of striking the enemy's center of gravity, that timing is everything in the commitment of air reserves and that ground and naval forces can serve as an adjunct to air forces in the battle for air superiority. His opinion that fighting defensively is the worst way to fight an air war is uneiversally accepted as is his thesis that numbers are important, so important that a primary goal of the operational commander ought to be to make sure that his forces outnumber the enemy every time they meet. Modern research using the Lancaster equations has also proved his argument that the large force almost always inflicts greater absolute casualties on the smaller force and thath it also suffers less in the process.

John Warden also explains in the Epilogue how his concept of ideas was implemented in the Desert Storm campaign of 1991. In that case the enemy was visualized as a target system of five concentric rings (leadership, key production, infrastructure, population and field forces) with the leadership ring at the center. In the case of Iraq, the US goal was "to reduce the energy level of the entire system enough to reach our peace objectives" which were to eject "Iraq out of Kuwait and an Iraq that would not be a strategically threatening regional superpower for the next decade".

On the minus side of the book are the extremely poor black and white pictures.

A fresh and renovated review on a complicated topic such as Strategy. Interesting and updated points of view with a simple and easy language. A must for any military aviator.

Colonel John A. Warden III was one of the most distinguished officers of his generation. A veteran fighter pilot, he was--is--as well a true defense intellectual--not the sort of individual often touted by the so-called "defense reform movement," but a true warrior-scholar in the classic image of, say, a J. F. C. Fuller--or a George Patton. Not one to shy away from controversy, Warden was convinced in the 1980's that the United States Air Force--had strayed away from its first principles. It had become a stove-piped, tribal organization, riven by discord and confusion between its "strategic" and "tactical" communities. Warden, in this brilliant work (written as a thesis at the National Defense University), posited an exciting new vision of the centrality of air power in national defense. This book served as an important departure point for the service's subsequent "Global Reach--Global Power" strategic planning framework issued in 1990. By that time, Warden was running Checkmate, a key office in Air Force planning. Through his own initiative and vision, he and a small team of "weapons officers" planned Instant Thunder, the first major response to Saddam Hussein's aggression in the Gulf. Warden briefed Instant Thunder to the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff (the Chief was away), and then on his suggestion to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Colin Powell. Powell sent him to CENTCOM to brief Norman Schwarzkopf. His reaction was enthusiastic, and Warden was directed to brief Instant Thunder in the Gulf, to the CENTAF air component commander, General Charles Horner. Horner, brilliant in his own right, accepted much of what Warden said. But the personal chemistry between the two men was bad, and Warden returned to the States, leaving behind a small staff of acolytes and experts, most notably Lt. Col. David A. Deptula. It was the partnership of Deptula, Gen. Buster Glosson, Gen. Horner, and (back in Checkmate) John Warden that made the Desert Storm air campaign a success. After the war, Warden became commander of the Air Command and Staff College, making notable (and badly needed) changes to its curriculum. This book is a "must read" by anyone who would consider themselves a military and/or air power professional. There are Americans alive today because of John Warden's work. Warden never made general, largely because of petty jealousies by senior people above him. He was--is--a consumate professional and true patriot: never complaining, never self-advocating, always keeping true to his core beliefs. But his truest legacy is this book and the thinking it has inspired--thinking that has lead to five notable American victories over the last decade. Buy it, read it, keep it, use it!

Col. Warden adds new material to this important work on strategy, especially new material on what happened after the Gulf War. This book is many things. It is a history of airpower. It is a fresh look at the application of airpower. It is a guide for anyone in the military or business world who wants to compete or attack a system. Very readable. With Col Warden's reputation as the architect of the Air Campaign against Iraq, he has demonstrated that he can apply his ideas in real world situations. Outstanding read.

I read this as a child and gave mine to my daughter to read when she was 8. Now my granddaughter is loving all of the books in this series - alas we lost mine along the way with moving but was able to find them in reprint thanks to Amazon.

This is a book I remember from my childhood. I loved it then--love it now. The book is in great condition, and the service was quick and easy.

This series, which follows the adventures of five young Jewish sisters in early 20th century New York, focuses here upon the girls' younger years, as well as the babyhood of little brother Charlie. Despite poverty and potentially dismal city living, the family's warmth, love and religious faith make every day an adventure.

With the exception of certain extending themes, such as the girls' new friend Guido, most chapters in this book may stand alone as vignettes told from various sisters' perspectives. Readers may tackle the book straight through, or select certain stories; this also makes the book an excellent choice for teachers and others reading aloud.

Chapters include:

1 - "Charlotte Catches the Stove" - On her morning to dress by the stove, Charlotte is intrigued by the glowing coals, deciding to pull a few out onto her dress with disatrous results.
2 - "One Stop After Another" - Stopping by Papa's junk shop, the sisters meet a mysterious Italian boy.
3 - "Christmas Stockings" - Seeing the beautiful doll her friend got for Christmas from a local charity, Henny schemes to get the same for her younger sisters.
4 - "Street Scene" - The girls encounter the mysterious Italian boy, Guido, as he's being accused of stealing from a street vendor.
5 - "Purim Jester" - Eldest sister Ella wants to play the queen in the annual Hebrew School pageant, but winds up the jester instead.
6 - "Business of the Bath" - All five sisters vie for the priviledge of bathing their baby brother; but true chaos ensues when Henny invites five of her girlfriends to "help" as well.
7 - "Ella Lends a Helping Hand" - Ella runs into Guido on the street and offers to help him on an errand. Their return trip to his home shows Ella just how sick his mother really is.
8 - "The Wrong Side of the Bed" - Henny has such a bad day, she decides to run away from home.
9 - "Hijinks at the Settlement" - The sisters visit Guido at the settlement house, where he is staying with a nurse, and do their best to cheer him up.
10 - "Guests for Supper" - Guido and nurse Miss Carey visit the family for supper, learning about Miss Carey's tragic past.
11 - "Sarah is Sewed Up" - Sarah is excited to get pierced ears for her tenth birthday...until she's determined to use the money toward a worthier cause.
12 - "Simchas Torah" - The family prepares for the weeklong Succos celebration.
13 - "A Thanksgiving to Remember" - The family celebrates a joyous holiday, and learn of Miss Carey's and Guido's future plans.

Although certain aspects of the girls' early 20th century life may be foreign to today's young readers, the overall plots and themes certainly won't be overlooked. Whether today or a hundred years ago, children are guaranteed to enjoy reading about the sisters' adventures, their warm and loving home, and the things they dream about and strive toward.

Although this is the 4th book of the series, it actually takes place between All-of-a-Kind Family and More All-of-a-Kind Family. This story is part of the continuing tale of a Jewish family living in New York's lower East Side in the early 1900's. Although they are poor, they are rich in their love of each other and their friends. Now there is a new baby in the house and talented Ella, mischevious Henny, studious Sarah, dreamy Charlotte, and little Gertie help Mama with the baby and find friends along the way. In this book, we meet Guido, a poor Italian boy who is trying to care for his sick mother and Miss Carey, a nurse who works at the Settlement House. Through the eyes of these characters, we understand what it must have been like growing up in the lower East Side before World War I. We learn about their sorrows and their joy over the little things in life. A highly recommended book.

I have read All-of-a-Kind Family. It's about five little girls. Their names are Ella, Henny, Sara, Charlotte, and Gertie. This book has so much detail it feels real. One time Sara lost her library bok . She was so upset when she had to tell the library lady about it. The library lady was so nice that she said she could take out more books, but she still had to pay for the book she lost. I thought I was Sara. At the end of the book, their mother has a baby. Its name is Charley. Everyone was expecting a girl, but it was a boy. Gertie used to be the baby and did not want to be a big sister. When she sees the baby she bounces up and down because of him. Everyone was happy, Now that's an all-of-a-kind family! I Like this book a lot. It has lots of adventures. Read one page and you can't stop.

The vice president is dying of a heart attack. The President and Speaker of the House are assassinated. According to the laws of succession, Senate Pro-Tempore, Calvin Smart, an eager Black senator from Illinois catapulted into politics by a powerful mob family, is the new president. But this drama isn't a multi-million dollar film in theatres It's the lurid plot for Charles Edwards' debut novel America's First." Edwards weaves a fascinating tale of mob politics, drug trafficking and inner turmoil in "America's First." The New York native, who earned his degrees in journalism and public policy from Columbia College and Roosevelt University, once ran for ward committeeman and worked in Chicago's City Hall. But during his teen years, Edwards was immersed in the criminal lifestyle and thanks supporters for turning his life around. Although he maintains that the book has nothing to do with his upbringing (he was not raised in Little Italy like his character Smart), it does reflect his lifelong interest in the subtle links between politics and crime. "I wanted to write a book I would read," said Edwards. "There are people who don't read much, but are fascinated with the Mafia through music and movies," said Edwards. While most readers of the popular book are intrigued by Smart's transformations and the ill effects political life has on his character, Edwards says "America's First" is a criticism of the nation's wqr on drugs. "More than anything, I want this book to spur real dialogue on our war on drugs and the prospects for legalization," said Edwards. The 32-year-old says he's not a full-fledged supporter of legalization, however, he does advocate a rehauling of U.S. strategy. "It's not a subject that's explored or debated about," said Edwards. "More people are getting locked up, but more drugs are coming into the country. When are we ever going to say we are losing this war?" It took Edwards two years to develop the outline for "America's First." For another four years, he dedicated himself to completing his novel. "I didn't have a social for four years." "Good writers spur change," said Edwards. "I hope this book does that." Ytasha L. Womack

Rituals Of Power & Rebellion by noted historian and calypsonian, Dr. Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool, is a masterpiece of scholarship, insight and impressive research. An in-depth study of the evolution of Carnival in the Caribbean and in Trinidad and Tobago in particular, "Rituals of Power and Rebellion" is that history lesson, which needed to be told and which now needs to be read by all people of the African Diaspora. Dr. Liverpool uses his wonderful skills as a storyteller to keep his readers enthralled as he unravels the many layers of social, anthropological, cultural and musical history, which have contributed to the survival and evolution of Carnival. As a history of Carnival, "Rituals of Power & Rebellion" is unparalleled. It covers all aspect of Carnival's growth and evolution. The book takes the reader beyond the shores of Trinidad and Tobago as it examines the strong cultural and social ties, which kept the displaced and enslaved African closely connected to his African traditions, as evidenced by the nature and characteristics of the Caribbean masquerade. "Enslavement, then, did not cut the cultural rope linking Africa to the New World. Rather, there was always continuity and change. The Carnival in Trinidad then, was filled with African traditions of mask, masking, masquerading, singing, and dancing." Dr. Liverpool shows how European and other ethnic traditions also influenced the manner in which Carnival evolved. "The tradition of Carnival, it will be seen, was utilized by the people as part of their organized cultural resistance, to check the imposition of European values and customs on Africans generally. "Rituals of Power & Rebellion" is a wealth of information. It brings together many of the elements - positive and negative - which have contributed to the social and cultural evolution of the displaced and enslaved African. It gives the reader an in-depth look at the traditions and customs of Africa which survived the Middle Passage - those African myths, customs and rituals, which are so important to the heritage of the displaced African wherever he happens to be. That the Carnival tradition survived from 1783 to 196 was due in no small measure to the resilience of the Africans in Trinidad and their determination to carry out their West African traditions despite the attempts of the dominant elites and the Colonial Government to rob them of their memories and legacies. Calypso is traditional Carnival and Dr. Liverpool gives his readers a master's course on this subject as he shows the direct relationship of calypso to the music of Africa in technique, rhythm and style. "The roots of music and dance as contained in the Carnival of Trinidad go back therefore to Africa, where all aspects of community life." The book gives a detailed look at the various musical instruments and the patterns of music, which have influenced the development of calypso, as well as other forms of Caribbean music. It is a fascinating account, which gives in great details, evidence of the strong connection, which the music of the Caribbean still has with the African continent. We are told that, "Singing in the Caribbean followed the African impromptu style and call-and-response patter," Dr. Liverpool gives such an in-depth analysis of the subject that this book becomes a most useful reference for students of Caribbean/African musicology. Rituals of Power & Rebellion educates the reader on the evolution of Carnival, the music and the masking and, in so doing, gives a remarkably in-depth historical review of the period in question. Not only does it provide scholarly instruction on the political and cultural aspects of the celebration of Carnival from 1763 to 1962, but it also gives an insightful account of Trinidad's history during that period. It shows the adaptability of the masses to the forces of the times and clearly demonstrates the indubitable spirit of the displaced and enslaved African in the struggle to survive the harshest of conditions in a place far removed from the land of his forefathers. On reading Rituals of Power & Rebellion one becomes acutely conscious of the important role of a people's heritage on their cultural and social evolution, often in ways not usually considered. Dr. Liverpool has written an exceptional book. To his credit as a storyteller, this remarkable historical account flows beautifully and becomes an easy read. It will, no doubt, become an important part of scholarship for students of Afro/Caribbean studies. It should also become a much-used reference on bookshelves in the homes of anyone interested in the evolution of Carnival in the Caribbean and in the cultural history of people of the African Diaspora. Hats off to Dr. Hollis "Chalkdust" Liverpool fro such an impressive tour de force. Kanchan Gilfillian & Anthony County

...I found the story captivating, and I was really impressedwith the way the president handled himself under the circumstances. I guess the love for mafia stories has always interest me even if they're fictional. For Charles to touch on an issue like the war on drugs and the role the CIA plays in it could make anyone who reads it, do a reality check. I really enjoyed reading it, and I'm proud to grace the cover as America's First Black President.....JD Mosley

This book is a classic. Very informative on the government's role in the war on drugs and how easy it is for a politician to become corrupt. I spotted a few historical errors that could be debated but this is supposed to be fiction so I will let them slide. Nevertheless, the plot was very interesting and I was a bit surprised how the author was able to link a black man to a mob family. Also, the drug bill is a proposal Congress should take a look at. I can't wait to read the sequel (which I suppose Mr. Edwards will bring us sooner than later) because the ending has left me craving for more. This book should definitely be made into a movie. It's better than Goodfellas and right up there with the Godfather.

There are two ways to read "America's First." You can take it seriously and scoff at it's ridiculous premise, cardboard characters, horrendous dialogue and preposterous conclusion. Or you can enjoy it for what (I hope) it really is -- a hilarious sendup of the mob genre, complete with Presidential assassinations, all-powerful mob counsels and the elevation of America's first black President.

Bravo Mr. Edwards, you've written the funniest book of the year ... I'll never be able to watch The Sopranos with a straight face again.

The base to write a scientific paper. You can learn the most important criteria to conduct and write a scientific research according with international guidlines. It is the style!

The Manual is a complete guide to the AMA style and also an excellent grammar book. The topics are easy to find and the tables and lists are comprehensive. It is a great companion to The Chicago Manual of Style because it details the grammar preferred by the AMA and contains needed terminology. This is a necessary reference for medical publications proofreaders and editors.

I really liked this book. I was searching for such a useful manual for a long time, and at last found it! It is not only helpful and authorative but also written in a very user-friendly fashion. All those who are involved in medical writing can learn from (and perhaps enjoy) this book. Go on and take a look at it before starting to write your next piece!

I read the book , I feel that work is very nice ,and I give that 5 star ,

The specific goal of the American Medical Association Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors is to codify and collect the myriad instructions, rules, and dictums that AMA applies to the many journals, books, and other publications that are printed under its imprint. The more general goal, perhaps not stated, is to broaden the influence of those standards so they encompass more of the medical publishing community.

The book, developed by a committee of writers, editors, and publishers, is organized around five major categories, Preparing an Article for Publication, Style, Terminology, Measurement and Quantitation, and Technical Information. Each of these categories is, in turn, broken down into chapters that probe various aspects of each category. Finding information is easy, and the writers have used examples generously to make the points clear.

The first section, Preparing an Article for Publication, is, naturally slanted more toward authors and those who toil to prepare authorýs manuscripts for publication. There are many guidelines offering advice that ranges from preparing the abstract to preparing any of six different types of acknowledgments. Editors and copy editors would do well to review this chapter as well. The section on citing Web sites alone is crucial reading.

I suspect, but cannot prove, that many researchers will not read deeply beyond the opening chapter, feeling that the remaining sections are more the province of copy editors and journal editors. Perhaps there is some merit to that line of thinking, but all authors in the medical sciences would benefit from the copious advice here, and the better writers, Iým sure, do follow the principles of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and usage set forth in the section on style. Common mistakes, such as confusing case and patient, redundancies, and the ever so ticklish topic of race/ethnicity are some of the many points discussed thoroughly.

The section on terminology is so mind-bogglingly detailed that all one can hope to do is remember that the AMA Style Guide will almost always have the answer if you have a question about an abbreviation (how many times is something mistakenly called an acronym instead of an initialism?), medical nomenclature (a huge chapter that is the heart of the book), or eponyms (which, thanks to this guide may now be a topic we can quit haggling over).

Measurement and Quantitation continue to be a bane for many writers and editors, though without delving too much into specifics, letýs say that this section will answer most questions but not without careful reading and perhaps a look at the Chicago Manual of Style for a bit clearer presentation on this topic. The chapter on statistics, unique to this guide, notes how to express confidence intervals, confirms that the word Student in Student t test is capitalized (sorry, but this text editor on Amazon.com does not display the italic t), provides a list of statistical symbols and abbreviations, and offers valuable tips about displaying equations. And those examples barely hint at the wealth of information here.

A final section on technical information provides a thumbnail guide to good layout and design of printed materials, worthy sets both of copyediting marks and proofreading marks (which are no doubt often photocopied and posted in a visible location), an excellent primer on how to edit hard copy, and a glossary of publishing terms.

If you are a medical writer or editor, odds are that you already either have a copy of this guide or you borrow one from a colleague. If you are an aspiring medical communicator, you will need your own copy so you can mark in it, attach tabs, and leave open on your desk.

This is a highly effective book for building a basic marketing plan. I highly recommend it.

Formal Market Planning requires a structured and organized methodology to comprehensively formulate a series of initiatives to support goals, objectives, and a company mission. Let there be no misunderstandings, the Analysis for Marketing Planning is the gold standard to guide the reader through the process. Replete and well structured with excellent templates and good example, the reader is able to develop the proper content to complete a marketing plan. As professor of marketing at several universities and a practicing consultant, Analysis for Marketing Planning is the reference and text used to educate PhD candidates in the "best practice" of market planning. Get this book and be informed and armed with the best.

This is a good step-by-step detailed tool. It is not for a beginning student or business person. You do need some understanding of terms before you use this book, but once you have a background, this book can be a great asset.

It is a touch overpriced, but then again most textbooks are.

A whole marketing planning course into 200 pages! I am a MBA who was required to read this. This should be required reading for anyone in business - students and professionals. It covers everything from Competitor Analysis to Market Potential and Forecasting. You can become a marketing guru in less than a week.

While most marketing books talk at a very high level (targeted towards high-level managers in the organization) this book is the first of its kind that talks at the implementational level. This is a MUST READ for anybody interested in putting together action plans that can be used to get some real-world real-work done. I cannot stress enough how helpful this book has been to me in putting together my marketing plans (product/service based, product/service line based and brand based). Whats fascinating is how easy it is to read this book and quickly start to formalize executional plans. It covers varied topics in small concise chapters detailing different methodologies and where they can be applied. Topics covered range from competitive sets, industry analysis, customer analysis, forecasting markets, segments and everything a marketer needs to develop working marketing plans.

I constantly keep coming back to this book to evaluate how I am organizing my action plans and if I'm doing the right thing (from a process perspective).

BUY THIS BOOK AND BUY IT NOW.

In short: a strait-laced Professor is asked to write a tell-all book about the less-than-perfect Petrefacts.

To the average writer, this scenario could probably get a little tee-hee from the readers, but leave it to Sharpe to throw into the mixture the riotous "Ablution Bath", some midgets (or PORG - Persons of Unrestricted Growth), a sex toy factory, an outrageous interrogation / Silence Of The Lambs-themed chapter, and a crazy carwash incident and you get Tom Sharpe at his best yet again. Even the scene where Lord Petrefact explains to Croxley what he'd like served for dinner is a gem on its own.

Now, I'm the type who throws a book to the nearest bin when the ending is less than ideal but somehow, whenever I read Tom Sharpe's books, as far off as they are to having conventional happy endings, I always manage to put them back on my shelf with a huge smile on my face. So do yourself a favour and grab this book - I'm sure you owe yourself a good long laugh!

Tom Sharpe writes some very wicked satire. His victims are typically the upper class, snobby English or, in his earlier works, the hypocritically rascist South Africans. Although very popular in the UK, his books are almost unknown in America ... too bad!

In 'Ancestral Vices' we have a loosely stiched story about a crusty and warped aristocratic family, a befuddled biographer, victimized dwarves, and a murder. It's a total farce. However the author's wit and humor are lethal, and the story somehow holds together until the very end (or near so).


Bottom line: perhaps not a classic but 'Ancestral Vices' does Tom Sharpe some justice. Recommended.

Introduced to Tom Sharpe's work by a Brit friend, I can't get enough of this amazing author! "Ancestral Vices" literally made my cry with laughter. Yapp's horrifying experience with the "Ablution Bath" sent me into gales of giggles, as did the run amok motorized wheelchair scenario. Lord Petrefact, Willie Coppett, the sex toy factory...all of it was enough to make a cat laugh. Sharpe is warped, twisted, and totally delightful! Simply, hysterically funny!

This book is funny - if you can stand grown-up humor and aren't one of those sexophobic weirdos. And besides being hillariously funny (had to laugh out loud just thinking about it), it is very highly intelligent, massively satiric, thrilling and thoroughly British. Not too intellectual, but not for dimwits either. If you don't like this book you are probably dead.

Tom Sharpe is the most hilarious writer. Ancestral vices is another piece of mad cap mayhem from the master.Fast paced laugh out loud parts. Its always one thing after another with Tom sharpe. Left-wing academics(Yapp)put up against,right-wing capitalists(the Petrefacts),throw in a sex toy factory a bunch of country bumpkins,and dwarves and this is what you get. Like I said total hilarious mayhem.

I enjoyed the authors' book on logistic regression analysis in 1989, and this book is just as good, or better, with many extremely practical suggestions on building regression models for survival data. Happily, the authors summarize, compare, and contrast several major texts on survival analysis which have appeared in the past 10 years. For example, they discuss different names used by different authors for score residuals. They present a helpful appendix on the counting process approach to survival analysis, which will make more advanced texts accessible to students; thus, anyone who wants to use survival analysis, at any level, should consult this book, even if he has already studied books by Miller, Lee, Collett, Fleming-Harington,Andersen, et al, etc. An unfortunate drawback to this book is that the first printing contains many careless errors, some of which may affect student learning: for example, the definition of a survival function is misstated. I recommend that you insist on the second or third printing when buying this book, and you will be quite satisfied.

The authors provide a really nice, non-technical survey of the landscape for Cox Proportional Hazards models. A nice aspect of their treatment is the care they take to reference all highly technical texts and journal articles. For example, if you'd like to find out more about goodness-of-fit tests for survival models, the authors provide ample references to the Counting Process Theory of Martingale Residuals.

The first chapter discusses the basic characteristics of survival data, including the notion of censoring (in all of its various forms). Examples of the principle types of censoring are included. The chapter also includes introductory material on the general survival model, including a nice description of the log likelihood function. Curiously, the rigorous definition of the hazard function has been omitted, probably to avoid intimidating readers who are not familiar with formal limits.

Chapter 2 continues to build up the general survival model and introduces the relationship between the survivor function and the cumulative hazard. Pointwise estimators for the survivor function are discussed, including the Kaplan-Meier estimator along with the various variance estimators. Test statistics for comparing two survival populations are introduced, including the Log-Rank and General Wilcoxon statistics. The reader is encouraged to read the counting process treatments of these statistics to see why they produced defensible hypothesis tests.

Chapter 3 is devoted to the Cox Model and Cox's partial likelihood function. Tests for significance of the coefficients are introduced, included the Wald test, log likelihood ratio test and the score test. These are used heavily in the later chapters as the basis of a model-building methodology.

Chapter 4 is a very short, but nicely written chapter explaining how to interpret the values of each regression coefficent. It also describes covariate-adjustment techniques for model diagnostics.

Chapter 5 is just a wonderful chapter which outlines classical model building techniques. This is a great chapter for anyone who has ever been thrown a ton of data (with a bushel of possible covariates) and asked to "fit a model to this stuff".
Readers who have done a lot of purposeful fitting of linear regression models won't find the basic techniques new, but use of survival specific residuals and selection criterion will probably be an eye-opener. The section on assessing the functional form for continuous covariates is also nicely written.
However, the section on Best Subsets Selection was a little too "cook-booky" for my taste.

Chapter 6 is another very nice chapter on goodness-of-fit. It discusses analysis of the various residuals and their use for analysis outliers, testing proportional hazards assumptions and overall Goodness-of-Fit.

Chapter 7 discusses the standard extensions of the Cox model, including stratification and time-varying covariates. Chapter 8 discusses parametric survival models, and is a good introduction to the SAS procedure LIFEREG. The generalization of the Cox model to recurring event data (also know as Aalen's multiplicative intensity model) can be found in Chapter 9.

My only complaint is that each chapter was designed to be read in one sitting. Individual ideas, topics and formulas can be buried in a seemingly unbroken chain of paragraphs. The lack of sub-sub section titles,etc, makes using the text as is somewhat cumbersome to use as a desk reference. I've gotten around this limitation by marking key concepts, etc., in the margin in order to give a "quick search" capability enhancement to the index.

Applied Survival Analysis is an excellent book for someone seeking a non-mathematicial explanation of survival analysis. The book covers the motivation behind the development of survival analysis, estimation of survival curves, the Cox proportionial hazards, and some parametric models. The book also covers the major methods used in variable selection, model building, and diagnostics. Someone with an undergraduate background in statistics and econometrics will understand the book. The book relies on text to discuss the methods and uses mathematical formulas only when absolutely necessary. Numerous examples are used to highlight what the text covers. The math that is used is easily understandable. This book is ideal for someone who needs to learn the tools of survival analysis but not how they were derived.

This book provides a good, clear, concise explanation of Cox's proportional hazards models. For someone seeking a non-mathematical description this is a great guide. The original datasets from the text examples can even be downloaded and you can go through the same process yourself. Because of some mistakes in the text, I would recomend looking at other sources as well.

Hosmer and Lemeshow have given us a clear, nontechnical introduction to using survival models. The book strikes a good balance between covering the basics and addressing the most recent, state-of-the-art techniques, including repeated events, frailty models, and others. They also do a good job of addressing practical issues, including estimation details and available software. While most of the examples are drawn from medicine and biostatistics, this book could also serve as a useful starting point for social and behavioral scientists interesting in learning the fundamentals of these models, as well as a useful reference for applied researchers.

My father told me that no Irishman lets the truth stand in the way of a good story. Who knows what of history is true in any culture. This book recognizes it and makes it an excellent blend and easy reading.

Seumus MacManus is a great story teller in the finest of the shanachie tradtion. This is history through story telling. Most is factual, but the folklore is weaved into the telling of the tale. The descriptions of the life and work of Daniel O'Connell are priceless. As a boy, growing up, I was never certain of what was real and what was fanciful about my Irish heritage. But, isn't that much of the charm of the Irish? I highly recommend this book to the reader who wants to be entertained and disdains dry history books. This is a fun read and a wonderful way to learn of the surprising and incredibly interesting history of an amazing people. I also recommend a new book by Frank Delaney, Ireland, published in 2004. Read it and you will understand why I prefer my history learning to include people like the Shanachies who passed on the oral traditions. But, if you really want to learn about the Irish, go to Ireland, and let the people tell you of their history and culture. I learned more in 16 days in Ireland than anything I have ever read. It is a proud culture of wonderful people. It is important for the reader to know that this was published in 1921 and reflects the attitudes of that time in Ireland.

A classic work of Irish-American partisan history. This was the Irish history taught at our grandparents knee and stories both whispered and shouted at many an auld shebeen. Unfortunately, much of it is highly exagerated and based more upon cultural politics than verifiable history. There is no doubt that the history of the English occupation has been long and cruel, but that in and of itself does not make all things Irish angelic. According to the poet MacManus, Ireland before 1169 was an idylic wonderland inhabited by saints and scholars and noble warriors. Do not misunderstand: I love this book. I retell these tales to any and all who will listen. But it is not history as much as folklore. His dedication to his deceased bride- the poet Ethna Carberry- is touching and sad, but gets obsessive as she is mentioned in almost every chapter. My old copy - 1921- contains blank pages in the back with the instructions to paste the newsclippings about the Treaty there. This book is perhaps one of the last places one can find the stories of Fin MacCool, St. Patrick, Owen Roe O'Neil, Patrick Sarfield and the Fenians all in one volume, and each capter ws writen by different experts (and Nationalists).

The gentle nature of the Irish people is greatly emphasized in this book. The ideas of democracy were practiced in ancient Ireland, according to MacManus. Women were treated as equals in a time when they were but chattle in other areas of the world. The desire to aquire knowledge is clearly evident in the way the scholars of celtic culture were respected and looked to for direction. I was amazed by the Englishmen that participated in the destruction of Irish culture. In particular, Sir Walter Raleigh and the masacre of the Spanish soldiers that came to assist the rebellion of the English invasion of Ireland. That is a part of history not taught in American schools today. We were taught that Raleigh was an heroic man. This book opened my eyes to the true barbarian he was. These are only a few of the details that shocked and interested me about my heritage. I am still reading and anticipate the aditional information I to come.

Genocide has recently become an issue again in current events. The Yugoslavians are having at the Albanians. Africans have and are decimating Africans. Germans have reduced Jewish and Roman Catholic numbers efficiently and effectively. Spanish, French, Scandanavian and English swacked the native Americans and their cultures from Alaska to the southern most end of South America. It's an old story. The English are not alone in their chapters. In fact, they still pompously and righteously perpetuate their own form of genocide at the hands of the native Irish, as they have with South Africans and Indians.

Seumas MacManus allows this to be perfectly clear, not as a biased self appointed judge, but as a historian making available in print information previously unavailable to me and others of Irish descent who have lost their roots because they've been hacked away from them by shame.

It seems once again unjust that a work which salutes the dignity, power and grace of a people is left to die its own death and is no longer published. I was looking for a copy to purchase so I could leave it for my children and their children. I know of no shenachies to continue the tales. Another positive cultural influence destroyed by the insecure British. Just think of what could have been if the British weren't so afraid of the people they didn't understand and therefor massacred and worked with them toward their mutual benefit. We'll never know.