Research Books

This is a fantastic book. This book seeks to portray dolphins as they really are. They do not avoid bringing up the facts of dolphins such as Bottlenose dolphin infanticide, porpoise killing, aggressive male behavior towards humans and female dolphins and the fact that dolphins eat dolphins. You would never find this information in a 'new age' style book that present dolphins as 'angelic' and 'more intelligent than humans' with no solid evidence to back it up. This book also sorts out a lot of the myths regarding dolphin intelligence and is accompanied by beautiful photography.
I truly believe that to be objective and scientific, people should try to see dolphins as they are...amazing, yes, but also capable of aggression. Intelligent? Yes, but no more so than elephants or apes.

This high quality hardbound book is a tome of sorts to state-of-the art wild dolphin scientific research and the personalities of some of their researchers. Spellbinding, graphic text replete with dozens of large format full color portraits -- captured primarily for its sister IMAX film -- Dolphins contains a pirate's treasure of newly-found knowledge to permeate the casual reader's grey matter. Intended primarily for lay audiences; but, with enough quantitative analysis to keep the most discerning scientist interested, Dolphins saturates the reader with a feeling that he's watching and researching the dolphins alongside the real scientists. Conservative in the Aldo Leopold sense of the word, Cahill provides the facts and lets the reader reach his/her own conclusions regarding the impacts of man on some dwindling dolphin populations.

If you're a dolphin freak or a Tim Cahill freak (both of which I am),you're going to like this book. The photographs are just incredible, and as always, Cahill's breezy, sardonic style makes for enjoyable reading.

The book does a good job of not romanticizing the dolphins (If I see one more New Age painting of noble dolphins swimming among a sea of stars, I'll get nauseous) but still conveys an appreciation of these impressive creatures.

Cahill also does a good job of profiling a team of cetologists studying the dolphins.

This isn't hard biology, but there are some interesting sections authored by dolphin investigators, and references for more technical readings in the notes.

I found, after seeing MacGillivray Freeman's IMAX film Dolphins, that I wanted to know more. The book follows the basis of the film, but goes into much more detail. This book is a superb account of what it is like to study and be around dolphins in the WILD. Cahill's style of writing makes you feel as if you are with him each night as he recounts a day of activity and research. He doesn't "write down" to the reader, i.e., you feel as if you're right there with him, learning along the way. He conveys a true sense of real-life scientific adventure that is fun and intriguing. The incredible pictures alone, many from the IMAX film, are worth buying the book for. I'm a conservative and will not tolerate "tree-hugger" political agendas. This book, like the film, is far from being one that attempts to drill dolphin conservation into your head. Instead, it offers a refreshing angle that provides the reader the knowledge to draw his/her own conclusions about these fascinating animals. Even the lovely scientist, Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski, who Cahill makes the main subject of the book, lets the dolphins "sell themselves" vs. her preaching conservation. It is quite enlightening and is certainly one to keep on the coffee table.

As a coffe table reference, its main virtues lies in absolutely spectacular pictures. Nothing so impressive appeared before on paper. Moreover, text is comprehensive and well balanced without aspiring to scholarly detail. In the style of the 'National Geographic' magazine, interviews and reports from the latest in the field are the core of narration. As we discover new things on their sensorial life and comunication, dolphins become a more fascinating subject. No lover of sea mammals can miss this book.

An informative book on a missing piece of the history of music and music theory, but lacking a larger perspective because of the author's polemic attitude toward his own explanation of ancient Egyptian culture. The author appears to occupy something of a minority position, and he cites other authors on music and Egyptology mainly to refute them, citing only himself in favor of his ideas. Although I confess to having a certain sympathy with his opinions, the flaw in the book is that it gives the impression of being possibly full of jumped-to conclusions and wishful thinking, and the reader has to simply take the author's word for authority. Many of his conclusions are drawn from a combination of his reading of ancient Egyptian sources and his knowledge of still-existing traditional music of Egypt, and you would really have to know both of these fields to judge his work.

The most valuable and practical section of the book is Part III, chapters 9 through 12, which describe 2 microtonal tuning systems and various other musicological details. Whether these are accurate or not, they are emphatically interesting, and they fit well with other sources I've read that discuss tuning issues in medieval western music and other non-tempered musical styles in various parts of the world, most specifically in maqam and raga. They could well be genuine, or they could be informed historical fantasy - I can't tell from this book. However, if true, they fill in a gap in ancient music history, and if fantasy, they point toward a reasonably possible explanation of this gap. The gap has to do with the incomplete links between ancient Greek music theory and the European music theory of the middle ages from Boethius on, and the possible (but to my knowledge un-documented) influence of the Muslim communities of medieval Spain on the music of medieval Europe. Gadalla maintains that the Muslims received their musical knowledge directly from Egypt when the Arabs conquered it, which is a reasonable hypothesis (from my point of view, anyway). Ditto for the ancient Greeks, including Pythagoras, who has quite a reputation as an ancient music theorist based on very slender evidence, but Pythagoras is indeed said to have studied in Egypt. Gadalla also claims an Egyptian influence on Hindustani classical music, another very interesting hypothesis which is at least worth considering (Arab influence we know about already, but Gadalla would say this was 2nd hand, passed on from the Egyptians). Of course the whole field is complicated by the fact that music notation whether modern or ancient is undecipherable without musical training, that music practice has been historically passed on directly from teacher to student and that ancient written materials only refer to musical knowledge and are seldom explicitly didactic, and that there can be a whole lot of cultural evolution in a century or two of musical style, even with very strong traditions and prohibitions on innovation, just as there is with oral history.

There is one curious apparent "wrong note": Gadalla claims the Dorians to be Egyptian, in his explanation of Egyptian influence on Greek musical culture. He cites Herodotus, who did ascribe an Egyptian origin to them. However, modern historical and archeological opinion seems to be that the Dorians were an early iron age warrior tribe from somewhere north of the Mediterranean who worked their way SOUTH into Greece, displacing the earlier Mycenaean culture and founding Sparta, later conquering Crete as well. Also, Gadalla equates the modern "Dorian Mode" with the same mode in ancient Egyptian music, apparently believing that there is a historical continuity. This is a bit of musical naivety, I believe. According to Knud Jeppesen, ("Counterpoint: The Polyphonic Vocal Style of the Sixteenth Century") the application of the term "Dorian" and the first three other "Greek Mode" names (Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian) were a medieval mistake and do not correspond to the ancient Greek modes (for those who don't know, "Aeolian" and "Ionian" were added in the 16th century, and "Locrian" in the 19th) which they were presumed to replicate. Thus Gadalla's extended discussion of the Dorians and their music appears to have some mistaken assumptions at its root, and the emphasis he places on his argument makes this reader wonder how many other faulty assumptions may be lying unquestioned under the rest of his book.

There is an extended, and interesting, discussion of the Egyptian concept of correspondences between the planets, the days of the week, and the seven tones of the diatonic scale. However, Gadalla allows to pass without comment that the Egyptians' view of the planets is an archaic visual one that lists the planets, including sun and moon, in order of their apparent visual distance from the earth, from a geocentric bronze age point of view, and that the correspondences based on this order are somewhat metaphorical. A writer with a broader perspective might have at least commented on the dissonance between the ancient Egyptian ideas and the Copernican view, in order to speak to the modern reader and avoid the impression of occultism.

On page 69 he describes a dual-scale system "based on the fact that each natural tone has a mirror image ... at a ratio equal to the Egyptian comma." Three sentences later he throws in this nonsensical zinger: "In western terms, the twin scales are called 'plagal' and 'authentic'!!" (The twin exclamation points are Gadalla's.) This could conceivably be so but I have not yet read any mention of such a relation of plagal and authentic modes in medieval European theory. This needs a serious footnote, which should be available if this is fact and not fantasy, but like every other such assertion in the book, there is no source quoted.

Bottom line: a very interesting read for anyone interested in ancient music and music theory, but undocumented and un-foot-noted, so file it under "interesting and stimulating ideas to be taken with a grain of salt."

Must read for Tribal Musicians and dancers!!!

This is a great overview/introduction to egyptian music. Covering scale basics, instruments, dances, and historical/modern points of interest.

Strictly form a practicing musician stand point I was very happy with the information in this book. Well written. Well laid out and easy to read and digest.

It's going to have welcome home in my ethno musical referance library.

No one was able except M. Gadalla of a thorough understanding of the Egyptian spirit. Being of an Egyptian origin himself, he could trace the musical instruments available to the modern Egyptian people and track their diversity, origin and functions. Further, being originally a civil engineer he is versed in numbers and numerology thus identifying the meaning of numbers. Plato preceeded him in their significance to the Egyptians. But unlike Plato who was Greek, Gadalla grasped the Egyptian spirit and tries to fetch for a unifying theme which relates music to religion to mathematics and astrology. This book adds up to the other masterpieces of Gadalla. For someone seeking to read for a professional rather than an amateur here is one book indeed.
Assem Deif, prof. of mathematics

Iconoclastic Egyptologist Moustafa Gadalla's Egyptian Rhythm: The Heavenly Melodies is an amazing and impressive study of the intricacy of ancient Egyptian music, from the 24x7 Egyptian Musical Chart to its religious aspects and daily uses in life. Very highly recommended reading, Egyptian Rhythm details the theory and practice of the ancient Egyptian musical system, and is presented in depth for scholars and serious music study students, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in ancient Egyptian culture and tradition.

On reflection, what were striking to the book were its clear and concise references elucidating hard and common facts. Standing on its own or as a companion to Moustafa's book Egyptian Harmony, Egyptian Rhythm is well researched and could fit easily into a school or public library for all manner of ages. Vibrant, the book shows a living and breathing culture of the Egyptians, often shown in modern and popular culture as an enslaving race, as a peaceful culture dedicated to the understanding of nature and its laws. Egyptian Rhythm is not just a guide on the `music of the Ancient Egyptians' - though it does certainly covers that - it is a guidebook to music itself not just as a hobby or business but as it relates between oneself and the world. "Rhythm means flow" Moustafa writes, this book explores that flow, the science of nature and of echoing its harmonies.

This book, like others from Moustafa Gadalla continues a tradition of retaining excellent chapter headings and an in depth index. Preface, is followed by explaining a few musical references and their standards and terminology, an Egyptian Dynastical Chronology, and lastly two maps of Egypt and its surrounding countries. Coupled with the text this book has an easy practical application.

The first part of this book - five in total plus appendices, glossary, selected bibliography, and a detailed brake down of notes and sources - explores the cosmology of music by asking of meaning which the Ancient Egyptians saw as the harmony of the spheres. Music like other concepts the Ancient Egyptians held strong to was that it flowed, not just into a sheltered system of memory repetition as it is nowadays, into other facets of their life. Moustafa presents with facts and research how music/spheres influenced their daily, weekly and yearly cycles.

The second part explores at core root beliefs of harmony, its application, representation and symbolism of the practiced musicians of Ancient Egypt. Modern musicians can easily find common symbolism and harmony not just in a purely mathematical/geometrical or memorized form but as it applies beyond the music to certain rhythms in life. The tetrachord, unison, the octave all have meaning beyond their direct musical implementation, and as such every page has an epiphanous quality more so in the hands of a musician than student, though if you're familiar with Moustafa's books the concepts behind the music will not be alien to you.

The third part takes formation of music and rhythm and explains the patterning used in Ancient Egyptian music, from song structure to scale harmony, the `how to?' of how such a culture implemented techniques frequently derived as of coming from Greece and heavily accredited to the Western World. A sceptical mathematician could check Moustafa's research (he clearly provides the maths & harmony) and be left wanting.

Part four clearly shows the vast quantities of instrument types used with the examples of what few instruments are remaining, current numbers have little part in explaining how broad the range of Ancient Egyptians' instruments was. From the Lyre to the Kanun (yes, Canon) Kithara (Guitar) and Clappers, four sections explain the four main groups; Stringed instruments (both open & stop types), Wind instruments, and Percussion instruments. The references to existing instruments and the level of detail researched on each would be hard pressed to find in any encylopedia.

The final part rounds off the implementation of music into daily applied life, in festivals, or simply public activities. Again as with the other chapters, clear illustrations from hieroglyphs and paintings show the Ancient Egyptians not just as drum beating primitive culture, but one that had and still has a high value to their belief and representational performance that exist purely fragmented in our own society's today.

Note should be made of the appendices. A small chapter in itself, Moustafa explores five topics that go to answer critics or academics further on the topic of music and its dilution from Ancient Egypt.

Westerners may have difficulty with agreeing with elements of Moustafa's exploration into music but the quality and consistency of explored facts without a selfish bias makes it impossible to denounce. Whether for musicians seeking meaning behind the concept of sound or for students of Ancient Egypt, or to a friend of family member, Egyptian Rhythm is an uplifting book of a vibrant and diverse culture that has respect and practise with the laws of nature and its observance.

I think this book was written badly and is not very user friendly. My professor has agreed that this text is not the best out there. I have to make my own outlines to understand what is being said in this very dense and hard to read/comprehend text. The only reason I got it was because it was required for the class. Had I known how this text would read, I would have opted for another text.

This is by far the best introductory text to statistics for students in the behavioral sciences I have come across.

The conceptual layout makes this textbook especially engaging. Unlike most statistics textbooks this one presents more difficult concepts in a step-by-step manner, which allows for better understanding.

The authors have done a superb job of explaining the logic behind the statistical procedures. This is important, for without this understanding one will likely misapply statistics and/or misread statistics.

In short, here one finds not only an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics for behavioral scientists, but also a text that will give the reader a firm grounding in the logic behind statistics.

We have used a version of MYSTAT with software for our Biostats class (approx 100 students per year) but are not able to locate the last Windows version. Do you stock it?

Brad Buxton College of Pharmacy University of Minnesota tel 612-624-6637

I thought this was an outstanding intro to basic stats - it does a great job presenting the intuition behind most of the important basic concepts in stats, and I also loved the articulate and flowing style of the text. Very light on math, too, so a great text for those less quantitatively inclined souls out there who would still like to get a solid grasp of basic stats.
One great addition to the book would be a list of websites that have interactive stats demos, which I think are a great tool to help better understanding and to develop intuition. (One such site is explorelearning.com, which has pretty decent demos on several of the main concepts, but in general you can google [the concept you're looking for]+demo to get more demos (some better than others) on specific concepts). On second thought, this may be not a very realistic suggestion considering how often new websites pop up and old ones go dead, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway.

As I read this book three things became apparent: one, the authors know their subject inside and out; second, they understand their beginning audience; last and most importantly they know how to teach. I strongly recommend this well written book to anyone needing to learn stats.

After hearing that The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease was honored as one of the top 25 reference books for 2002 by the New York Public Library Association, I immediately went out and bought this book. Now, when I talk to my mother's doctor, I quickly look up the unfamiliar terms and understand everything that he is saving. My husband's father also has Alzheimer's Disease and lives in another state which was making things difficult in finding the proper care for him. The Nursing Home Directory in the book helped us locate a good home for him who works closely with us even from a distance. Having 2 family members with Alzheimers is difficult to say the least, buying this book made it so much easier for us to understand what is going on and what we can expect in the future.
I was fortunate in meeting the authors at the Library's award ceremony. The authors' backgrounds in pharmacology, immunology and public housing provided them the necessary background to thoroughly investigate all of the aspects of Alzheimer's Disease and its care. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. It's also a must for anyone who needs to arrange for the care of a loved one afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease or a related disorder.

After hearing that The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease was honored as one of the top 25 reference books for 2002 by the New York Public Library Association, I immediately went out and bought this book. Now, when I talk to my mother's doctor, I quickly look up the unfamiliar terms and understand everything that he is saving. My husband's father also has Alzheimer's Disease and lives in another state which was making things difficult in finding the proper care for him. The Nursing Home Directory in the book helped us locate a good home for him who works closely with us even from a distance. Having 2 family members with Alzheimers is difficult to say the least, buying this book made it so much easier for us to understand what is going on and what we can expect in the future.
I was fortunate in meeting the authors at the Library's award ceremony. The authors' backgrounds in pharmacology, immunology and public housing provided them the necessary background to thoroughly investigate all of the aspects of Alzheimer's Disease and its care. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. It's also a must for anyone who needs to arrange for the care of a loved one afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease or a related disorder.

After hearing that The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease was honored as one of the top 25 reference books for 2002 by the New York Public Library Association, I immediately went out and bought this book. Now, when I talk to my mother's doctor, I quickly look up the unfamiliar terms and understand everything that he is saving. My husband's father also has Alzheimer's Disease and lives in another state which was making things difficult in finding the proper care for him. The Nursing Home Directory in the book helped us locate a good home for him who works closely with us even from a distance. Having 2 family members with Alzheimers is difficult to say the least, buying this book made it so much easier for us to understand what is going on and what we can expect in the future.
I was fortunate in meeting the authors at the Library's award ceremony. The authors' backgrounds in pharmacology, immunology and public housing provided them the necessary background to thoroughly investigate all of the aspects of Alzheimer's Disease and its care. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. It's also a must for anyone who needs to arrange for the care of a loved one afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease or a related disorder.

After hearing that The Encyclopedia of Alzheimer's Disease was honored as one of the top 25 reference books for 2002 by the New York Public Library Association, I immediately went out and bought this book. Now, when I talk to my mother's doctor, I quickly look up the unfamiliar terms and understand everything that he is saving. My husband's father also has Alzheimer's Disease and lives in another state which was making things difficult in finding the proper care for him. The Nursing Home Directory in the book helped us locate a good home for him who works closely with us even from a distance. Having 2 family members with Alzheimers is difficult to say the least, buying this book made it so much easier for us to understand what is going on and what we can expect in the future.
I was fortunate in meeting the authors at the Library's award ceremony. The authors' backgrounds in pharmacology, immunology and public housing provided them the necessary background to thoroughly investigate all of the aspects of Alzheimer's Disease and its care. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about Alzheimer's disease. It's also a must for anyone who needs to arrange for the care of a loved one afflicted with Alzheimer's Disease or a related disorder.

This comprehensive tome touches on risk factors, brain chemistry, current research, therapies, diagnostic tests, disease course, alternative medical options, genetic concerns, biochemical changes, disease stages, support groups, nutrition, insurance concerns, caregiver issues, housing options, daycare, innovative and traditional nursing homes and both quality and end of life issues. The encyclopedia is followed by a comprehensive list of research facilities, resources and nursing homes that specialize in the treatment of AD patients. A much-needed reference for anyone involved with AD.

This book has helped my research about religions tremendously ! I have to recommend this book to any one seeking a Greater knowledge!

I found this to be eye opening. I have had a hard time finding a book that could teach me about the different religions/denominations. This one was very comprehensive. I highly recommend it.

While I don't own it (yet) I've been impressed with it since first learning of it. While this is not a work on which most households would spend hundreds of dollars, there really is no substitute for Melton's masterpiece. Even defunct and/or oddball sects are included, such as Kennedy worshippers, the House of David, and schismatic versions of many faiths. The organization of this work is by theological classification (Holiness movement or Black Muslim for two examples), but the index is comprehensive.

J. Gordon Melton's "Encyclopedia of American Religions" is a reference work to which I turn, year after year, in my work as both a scholar and journalist. And I eagerly look forward to each new edition (I viewed the 6th edition as I prepared this review).

This mammoth work contains both a series of essays on major religious traditions and a series of profiles of individual denominations, fellowships, and missions. The profiles on individual religious bodies number well over 2,300 in the 6th edition. Mailing addresses and bibliographic references (when available) for each individual body further add to the book's usefulness.

Melton covers everything from the largest mainstream denominations to the smallest and most esoteric bodies. His broad editorial vision takes in nearly every conceivable religious tradition: Christianity in all its permutations (Anglican, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc.), Judaism, Hinduism and other Eastern traditions, Neo-Pagan groups, "flying saucer"-related fellowships, Atheist and Humanist associations, and more. Each entry is written in an objective manner.

The latest edition of this book should be in every library in Canada and the United States. Furthermore, serious journalists and scholars of religion will find this to be a useful and fascinating edition to their own private libraries.

In this mammoth work (which is regularly updated), Melton has provided clear and unbiased descriptions of virtually every religious body of any size operating in the United States today.

Every religious body is identified by the "family" into which it fits (or from which it came) eg. Western Liturgical Family, Eastern Liturgical Family, etc., and described in terms of date of founding, major beliefs, size, number of congregations, organizational structure, and, in many cases, contact information.

This book is a must in every university or seminary library -- regardless of religion or denomination. The serious scholar will also wish to have a copy.

Equestrian Instruction: An Integrated Approach came to my attention because it is the text for the local university's equine instructor's course. Masterfully and comprehensively written, Equestrian Instruction provides any inspiring or accomplished riding instructor of any discipline contents that are useful and easy to understand. For this reason, we use it for our SCRT Riding Instructor Certificate program.

Two fine equestrian instructionals are highly recommended picks for those with more than a casual interest in the sport. Jill K. Hassler-Scoop's Equestrian Instruction provides an integrated approach to learning and teaching to supplement riding teachers' instructions and experience. Equestrians are instructed on how to improve their riding and teaching skills alike, with chapters exploring the basics of developing consistency, teaching open-mindedness to students, and achieving results in horse riding lessons. Plenty of case histories provide practical examples of teaching and riding challenges in action.

Awesome book. Compiles some related information that is not in many basic books on teaching riding. This is a good source of information for green and experienced riding teachers. It has the basics described in other teaching texts, while also going into some depth on related subjects. The case studies are a nice touch. Also in this book are ideas that may help experienced teachers regain enthusiasm for their task - the best of us have times when what we do taps out our energy for doing more of it. This has also been used as a college textbook.

As both a teacher and rider I found this book full of great ideas and perspectives. I have purchased it for the younger instructors in our barn because it covers aspects of teaching that no other book covers like communication styles, burnout, professionalism, lesson planning, and other tools to enhance riding and teaching. Each section has an excellent bibliography that is helpful. Great book for both new and old instructors.

Wow - a great book for both riders and instructors. Coming from both perspectives, I was very impressed on the information I was able to take out and apply to my own program. Lesson structure, yoga excercises, communication and awareness, and I am still reading! Recommend for all levels and disciplines - the first I have seen of its kind.

This ethics textbook is not truly like a textbook. The case examples and lack of jargon make this book a joy to read. Although we have one to two chapters to read for each class, the reading is not hard and is completed fairly quickly. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking at the blend of psychology and ethics. Koocher's model of ethics that he presents in one of the chapters is an essential for ethics decision-making when entering into the clinical field.

Took only about two weeks or less, in mint conditions and at a very low price! Thanx!

Perfectas condiciones y me salió a mitad de precio. Me llegó como en una semana 1/2 a dos. ¡Gracias!

This exceptional new ethics book is one I share with friends and students at Baylor University who are or wish to become, professional therapists, coaches, or psychologists. The book's wisdom, advice and research go way beyond any professional ethics code in existence. In a fun, engaging style peppered with colorful case histories, these highly trained and experienced authors tell us how to chart the ethical minefield that is counseling, coaching, therapy, family therapy, social work, psychiatry, or clinical psychology. But their approach is positive rather than defensive. That is, we strive to be ethical as part of our pursuit of excellence. We strive to be ethical in order to express our caring and compassion to those we help--people we care for and encourage in the same way we would like to see a loved one cared for and encouraged. Only the best will do. The best therapy or coaching is intertwined with the best ethics like stripes on a peppermint stick. Buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

This is the classic work on how to practice ethically for psychologists who engage in clinical work, teaching, research, administration, or any other domain of professional activity. Not only does if offer a thorough review of the literature on ethical behavior, it provides a truly detailed analysis of how the ethics code applies to a vast range of contexts, client types, and vexing clinical dilemmas. What's more, the book is filled with interesting, and sometimes entertaining case vignettes--many of them based on actual ethical complaints. No other book on the market for psychologists offers this combination of clarity and thoroughness. It is a must for the library of any serious psychology graduate student or psychologist. When I teach Ethics at the graduate level, it is the only text I require.

Ethics in Psychology is a graduate level textbook on the subject of ethical dilemmas in counseling. The authors definitely meet their goal in exploring the APA's Ethical guidelines and applying them pratically to the practicing therapist and academic. Their use of humorous "psuedo-psychologists" illustrate well the problem of many counselors who get themselves into ethical dilemmas each year innocently. I believe every therapist and academic should read this book at least once a year in order to minimize the ethical issues that are a part of everyday practice. Non-APA practitioners may find the book slanted toward doctoral-level therapists being the minimum for competence but there is great wisdom in this book.

Roberts & Yeager have accomplished a book that represents the most comprehensive treatment of evidence-based practice---it's the standard, bar none. There is everything in here between 2 covers. The book traverses a vast expanse of territory with surprising depth and clarity, all the way from treating the individual psychotherapy client to evaluating the outcomes of complex community programs. I especially believe every program evaluator or outcomes researcher will want this text on his or her bookshelf. The Evidence-based Practice Manual will be the standard in this field for years to come

Drs. Roberts and Yeager have clearly outdone themselves in one of the most informative books for professionals published in the past 10 years. This incredible volume contains specifcs on best-practices, evidenced-based models, assessment tools, research exemplars, research ethics, and more. These cutting-edge protocols are a must for all professionals and are presented in one practical book. Experts from multiple disciplines have contributed to make this a manual tailor-made for busy professionals. Go ahead and throw out those useless books on your shelves and replace them with this incredibly helpful and easy-to-use volume. You'll wonder how you've worked without it all this time.

The authors of this book have compiled a series of chapters by renowned scholars and practitioners to explore the use of evidence in practice decisions. For its breadth, the book delivers substantive discourse on the state of evidence, its accessibility, its continuing development and its utilization by practitioners. Competing discourses can be found on the merit of quantitative vs qualitative research methodologies, the nature of evidence and the criteria for assessing its strength. The book contains practical exemplars of practice-based research as well as chapters on the evidence for particular clinical conditions. Chapters on process and outcome program evaluation are also included. Practitioners, academics and researchers who are concerned about best practices, should have a copy on their desk. Reference librarians should have a copy on their shelves.

The Evidence-Based Practice Manual (Roberts & Yeager, 2004) provides an invaluable resource for social workers who want to be on top of their game. Of the many challenges I face as a social worker, two of the most daunting are: 1) Sorting through the plethora of literature to find the most salient practice wisdom, and 2) applying the findings in evidenced-based practice in my work with clients. This compendium provides the kind of clinical direction and empirical support clinicians rarely find in the field.

Each of the 104 chapters in this volume presents the "best of social work" in a thoughtful and informed context. Section I provides an overview of evidence-based practice and reviews critical issues in how practice becomes evidence-based. Section II reports on research ethics and step-by-step research grant guidelines. Rather than being dry and boring, these chapters sparked my imagination about ways that my own practice could contribute to the academic knowledge base. Sections III (Diagnosis, interventions and outcome research), V (Measurement), and VI (assessment tools and measures), are the equivalent of a clinical master class. The 36 chapters in these three sections provide the best information for practitioners that are available in a single edition. Sections IV (Epidemiological and Health Research), VII (Program Evaluation Skill Development), VIII (Qualitative Research Methods and Exemplars), and IX (Quantitative Research Exemplars) address the state of the art in social work research. Section X (Establishing, Monitoring, and Maintaining Quality and Operational Improvement) has particular relevance in this day of managed-care and 3rd party reimbursement. The editors have done a remarkable job at pulling together 10 sections of top-notch writing and research on topics which accurately reflect the multi-faceted nature of social work practice.

Perhaps it's most important contribution is that the Evidence-Based Practice Manual celebrates the power and diversity of social work practice not through touchy-feely, friendly-visitor rhetoric, but rather through 104 chapters which demonstration empirically-based approaches to making our world a better place. I believe that the general public would gain respect for the profession by reading this book. I also believe that graduate schools of social work should require their students to purchase this book. There is no class offered in graduate social work that does not benefit from these readings. I wish I had such a compendium when I was in school. As a professional in the field, I'm grateful to have it now. Perhaps this compendium will provide a stepping-stone into the next phase of the profession's development.

Roberts and Yeager hit the mark with this indispensable desk reference, which caters not only to professionals in a variety of fields, but to students and informed citizens alike. The Evidence-Based Practice Manual is the ultimate guide to information ranging from issues in public health to psychology to criminal justice. With the broad spectrum of topics, which the manual covers, as well as, the in depth view into the scope of the issues, finding answers to your questions is inevitable. This versatile manual truly takes the concept of evidence-based practice to the next level. If only I had a copy of this book during my senior year in college, it would have saved me numerous hours in the library searching for the latest evidence-based and practice research articles to document in my term papers. Thus, I strongly recommended it for experts and novices, as well as, everyone in between.

Very inspiring book. The pictures are gorgeous and will inspire any gardener. The info is helpful, although directed to a particular climate. If you are a beginning gardener, get this book so you can get ideas for your own garden.

Monty Don is very cool. I've not seen him on television, but he comes across as defiantly insistent on the inescapable value of organic gardening for our souls and our bodies. A great read that you will treasure forever.

A great read. Made me want to get out there and start digging. Make everything sound so simple.

This is one of the most practical and comprehensive books on organic gardening I have come across. It is full of useful advice on the plants he,(Monty Don) grows in his own farm, turned garden. It is also nice that it is not your standard gardening book, that is, one that gives sterile advice on every species(hight:10',hardy to:-5 ect.). He even has information on taking care of small livestock(chickens,ducks) In order to "complete the livestock circle". All in all this book is a must on the bookshelf of any gardener, as much for inspiration from Montys beautyful british garden as for the wealth of practical advice it holds.

Inspiring, warm, homely, earthy... a book to read, not just for reference... Monty takes you so deep into his garden, you can feel the mud squishing under your wellies, smell the lavender and taste the ripe tomatoes, with the feel of gentle sunshine on the back of your neck, and the scent of a thousand sweet peas helping you to forget the scratches from the pruning job you just finished.

The book is written in England, about a English garden with a particular climate and environment. But the practises can be adopted anywhere: know your land, know the climate, experiment, and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

I will read this book over and over and over again. Sweet peas don't do so well in Sacramento as they used to back home in Leicestershire, but... maybe this year I'll try them at a time of year that suits them, not me!

Any aviation enthusiast will enjoy this book as it documenters the early years of Edwards Air force base testing jet aircraft beyond mach one to the super fast X15 to the present day fly off of the joint strike fighter project.

Full of high quality photographs and brief history of each aircraft from prototype to production models and some that only made the mock-up stage.

Highly recommended.

I have always enjoyed reading and watching film and videos of the history of flight,especially the early days of supersonic flight. This book is a terrific historical tome on the evolution of the US AIR FORCE fighter force during the years since the days of the P-80 and the early supersonic testbeds that have lead to legends such as the F-86,F-100, F-4 Phantom and the other fine jet fighters of the second half of the 20th century.

I recommend this read to anyone who loves aviation and is interested in its history

In 2001, Lockheed Martin struck the mother lode of aircraft design contracts -- the Joint Strike Fighter. The winning design team amalgamated the F-35 fighter in three high-grade versions that will please the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps for a long time to come.

Back in the cold war days, enterprising aircraft designers like Jack Northrup scrambled against other greats like Bud Flesh and Alexander Kartveli to develop a wide range of jet fighter types. The Air Force's shopping list included all-weather fighters, point-defense fighters, penetration fighters, interceptors and long-range interceptors -- lots of development work for all the manufacturers.

Dennis R. Jenkins and Tony R. Landis cover these gold rush days and have delivered just what Air Force junkies have always wanted: the bonanza of jet fighter development books.

They have done a superior job of explaining the ancestral charts of successful and dead-end jet fighters in great detail with a clear, concise, readable style.

"Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters" is a high quality, glossy, format book with a "jackpot" of intriguing photographs (many in color), instructive drawings and illustrations in 12 chapters.

Many of the wonderful interior photographs, diagrams and engineering drawing were taken from U.S. Air Force documents. The graphics alone make this one of the finest aircraft books, I have ever seen.

Readers will enjoy the extensive coverage of the famous Century Series from the cold war days, as well as jet fighters participating in the Gulf Wars.

Of great interest, the authors have featured the development of the hot new stealth fighters such as the Lockheed Martin YF-22, and Lockheed X-35 as well as their rivals: Northrop YF-23 and Boeing X-32.

Surprisingly, the flashy Lockheed XF-90 penetration fighter from Kelly Johnson's famed Skunk works assayed out as only pyrite. Jenkins and Landis explain, "the airplane looked every inch the modern, high-performance fighter, but produced disappointing results." A thorough reorganization at Lockheed lead to a steady flow of high-grade designs to the present day.

During the cold war, fighter technology had not progressed enough to deliver a good all-purpose fighter. Using the 'shotgun' approach, manufacturers were simultaneously tasked with developing specific jets to fill the all-weather, point-defense, penetration fighter, and long-range interceptor missions.

Readers will rediscover fool's gold in the comprehensive chapters of long forgotten early jets like the Lockheed XP-80, Bell XP-83, Republic XP-84 Thunder series, and Curtis XP-87 Blackhawk -- complete with excellent photographs.

This book is a must buy for jet fighter fans. "Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters" continues the publishing excellence of previous works from Specialty Press.

This is another outstanding aviation book from Specialty Press and is a fitting companion to their U.S. NAVAL SUPERIORITY: DEVELOPMENT OF SHIPBORNE JET FIGHTERS - 1943-1962. The quality of the writing is excellent and authoritative, and the protographs are of high quality and illustrate the subject matter very well. More color would have been welcomed; however, the quality of the black and white photos in the book is probably far superior to most surviving color photos from the 1940s and early 1950s.

Coverage of the topic is comprehensive and begins with some of the last propeller-driven designs that were developed in an attempt to squeeze out the last bit of performance prior to the transition to jets. It finishes with the JSF prototypes, which brings the book right up to the present.

I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in military aircraft development.

No one presents aviation history better than the team of Dennis R. Jenkins and Tony R. Landis. Few authors match the scope and breadth of their research, their painstaking accuracy and their meticulous attention to detail. Virtually none match their ability to unearth previously unpublished information on interesting aircraft. "Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters" is an outstanding example of Jenkins and Landis at their best. Very much in the tradition of their earlier works "Valkyrie" and "Hypersonic," this latest book covers some of the most fascinating aircraft ever built. There are no "paper airplanes" here. All of them reached the hardware stage.

The decade just after the end of World War II saw a bumper crop of experimental and prototype aircraft, as the U.S. Air Force, faced with the nuclear challenge of the Soviet Union in the Cold War, tried to tame the relatively new jet engine technology for its fighters and bombers. This was the time when the famous "Century Series" fighters--the North American F-100, McDonnell F-101, Convair F-102, Lockheed F-104, Republic F-105 and Convair F-106--first flew, and when other even-more-advanced concepts, such as the Republic XF-103 and North American XF-108, were on the drawing boards.

The first eight chapters of "Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters" (about 75 per cent of the book) cover this period, separated into logical, bite-sized chunks such as "The First Jets," "All-Weather Fighters," "Point-Defense Interceptors" and "Penetration Fighters." Chapters 9 through 12 look at later aircraft, such as the Lockheed YF-12, General Dynamics F-111 and F-16, Lockheed F-117 and the Boeing and Lockheed Martin prototypes that led to today's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF).

Exquisitely printed on thick, glossy paper, "Experimental & Prototype U.S. Air Force Jet Fighters" is filled with crisp, sharp, well-captioned photographs and drawings (some of them in stunning full-color) that perfectly complement the authoritative, comprehensive, informative text. The balance of illustrations and text is perfect. Jenkins and Landis did a superb job of digging up rare photographs from government and private archives, and of unearthing hidden details about the aircraft of this period. Their efforts make this volume an exceptional addition to any aviation enthusiast's bookshelf. As an added bonus, you'll find an appendix with historical summaries of the companies that built these aircraft. Most of them eventually succumbed to the frenzy of takeovers and mergers that created the three mega-firms that today dominate America's aerospace industry (Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman). But true aviation "buffs" will never forget storied names, now vanished, such as Bell, Chance Vought, Seversky and Vultee. Here you'll find out what happened to them. Most highly recommended.