Research Books

There are so much that I can talk about this book, but here is the review for you and I'll try to be brief to benefit your time. The title of this book is "The Best Test Preparation for the Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery," and it is not a BS promise. I got 88 on the ASVAB (I know, other reviews have higher scores), and I can, as the Sergeants in the recruiting office stated, get almost any job in the Army (probably except green beret, a Secret Service job). They were thrilled that I got a good score, and I was talking to the Sergeants as almost-equals, and I felt thrilled too! It's like The Rock in wrestling wants to be your friend! I didn't read other ASVAB books and I was good in math already, but you can be too if you read this book, even for 2 hour a day for 30 days. The reviews section is extremely helpful, and I know my weaknesses and strengths now. Thank you "The best Preparation...," Amazon.com, Sergeants in Sunnyvale recruiting office, and finally my green beret friend Derek.

I have recently decided to join the navy and I have studied for the Asvab with several other testing materials and I have found this one to be the most useful. I believe this book has closest to the actual test then any of the other books I have studied with. I would recommend this book as a study guide to any one thinking of taking the Asvab Test. With this book has your study guide you will be sure to pass the test with flying colors.

I have a mechanical engineering degree and recently decided to join the Army. I bought this book as a review for material which I have forgotten and as a reference for things i didnt know. The book gives a good overview about the structure of the asvab and what will be covered on the exam. It contains 3 or 4 practice exams for each of the 12 sections. This book goes beyond the call of duty by not only including a key to the answers, but explaining, for each problem, why one answer is correct and the others incorrect. What I found MOST helpful is the review sections which discusses in good depth the topics for each section. for example, it discusses all of the types of hammers, screws nails rivets etc that will be discussed on the exam. I didnt do any review for the auto, shop, and biologoy sections until the night before the exam. While I would not recommend this course of action, it, in my opinion, gave me exactly what i needed to know.
If you would like to quantify, how much the book helped me, take into consideration that i scored, with the help of this book and my prio knowledege, a 99 asqt ( the highest score possible on the ASVAB) a and a 128 GT compoisite. My recruiter has never seen anyone get a perfect score before.

I bought this book 30 days prior to taking the asvab. I worked with this book 4 hrs a day until I took my asvab. I intially had a gt score of 98. I improved my score by seventeen points to a 115. This book is a very vauable resource. I can now obtain my goal of being a military officer in the Army Guard! I am very thankful and exited about my fresh start. Thank You REA!

Patricia Thomas writes a phenomenal book of science, of politics, of a deadly disease, intertwined with business and the age-old struggle of societal good vs. personal/business gain. I was at first daunted by the size of the book alone, but the writing is so clear, so concise, so reader-friendly that it is an easy read. This is a must read for everyone interested in finding solutions to science-society issues such as AIDS. It is a must read for every health care professional and medical researcher, as well. As a science/health writer myself, I also highly recommend it as a teaching tool for how to write science for the lay person.

Sept. 11 has had a galvanizing effect in reminding Americans that planet earth is really a small place where whatever affects one person ultimately affects us all. The emergence of AIDS in the early 1980s might also have united Americans to fight a common enemy. Might have. But the truth, so compellingly told by Ms. Thomas, is that personalities and politics (both personal and national), prejudice and posturing got in the way of mounting a cohesive campaign. As a result, we are still far from stopping AIDS. Sure, treatments are better, but most of the world cannot afford treatment.
What makes "Big Shot" especially timely is that, as America prepares to fight the "new war," more military personnel will likely be exposed to the AIDS virus. When the GIs line up for vaccinations and grimace comically for the camera, as our fathers and grandfathers did for previous wars, protection against the AIDS virus won't be part of the cocktail. Because there is no vaccine against AIDS.

It's a pretty depressing scenario, but Ms. Thomas retains a wonderfully upbeat message with the subtext "that was then, this is now, so let's move forward."
Besides, she tells a helluva entertaining story.

It's been said that politics, like sausage, is best not seen in the making. But those who wonder why we don't yet have a vaccine or a cure for AIDS need to know why. Pat Thomas takes us behind the scenes and lives of the cast of characters deeply involved in the science, politics and business of one of the most hotly sought-after pharmaceutical products of all time.
"Big Shot" gives us reason to despair that science can ever succeed, given the private and public agendas of so many involved in the AIDS epidemic.
But it also gives us hope, as we see the many dedicated to finding a way to stop the spread of an epidemic that has already claimed 22 million lives. This is a masterful job by one of the best science writers working today -- wonderfully written and compelling.

I think "Big Shot" is the first important nonfiction work of the 21st century. With a clarity and an exuberance not often found in books about hard science, Patricia Thomas explains how politics, human frailty and corporate greed have prevented us from finding a vaccine for AIDS. Comparisons with previous books about AIDS and public policy don't exactly do justice to "Big Shot." If books must be categorized, Thomas' scrupulous research sometimes places this book with top ranking medical journals; but the wonderful writing -- you can almost dance to Thomas' prose -- places it among the better mysteries. In the hands of a lesser writer, the workings of DNA, retroviruses, surface antigens and hard-working proteins would cause one's eyes to glaze over. Instead, I found myself turning pages with Evelynwoodesque speed to get to the next development and the next, wondering which young researcher would win the race to the vaccine goal. Thomas has raised the bar for future books about medical research.

Buy this rather than the 2006 edition, which omits key information such as Hot 100 chart data, B-sides, catalog numbers, picture sleeve availability, and other interesting facts.

Billboard has been computing the top songs each week for decades and is the industry standard. As such, the 5th edition of "Billboard Top Country" is a welcome addition to the library of any country music fan. This reference book lists alphabetically all artists who have hit the country charts from 1944 to early 2002 - from Jerry Abbott to Gayle Zeiler. For each artist, basic biographical information is cataloged. In addition, all their charted hits are listed in chronological order along with peak country position, weeks on the chart, and the peak pop position (if it charted). The formatting is immaculate, and the text is easy to read despite the incredible amount of information it packs into its 591 pages.

Several informative sections make up the remainder of this book. A comprehensive Song Title section includes all charted songs listed in alphabetical order, including remakes. The Top Artists section lists the 400 top country artists (1944-2002) and top artists by decade. In addition, artist achievements are described, such as the artists with the most top 40 hits, most #1 hits, and streaks of hits. Next, a Chart Facts and Feats section lists the top country records of all time and by decade, as well as winners of the major categories of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards and inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Finally, all #1 hits are listed by year - from "Pistol Packin' Mama" by Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters (1944) to "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" by Brad Paisley (2002).

This informative book contains tons of information and is a great deal of fun to peruse or to use as a reference. I find myself unable to listen to CDs without it by my side. Whether you like Hank Williams, Shania Twain, George Jones, or Alan Jackson - they're included here. Whether you want to see if George Strait ever won a CMA for best male vocalist (he has 5), what artist was the #1 in the 1950s (Webb Pierce) or who accumulated the most consecutive #1 hits (Alabama - 21), you'll find it all here. Most highly recommended for country music fans.

For decades, Billboard has been computing the top country songs each week and is the industry standard. As such, the 5th edition of "Billboard Top Country" is a welcome addition to the library of any country music fan. This reference book lists alphabetically all artists who have hit the country charts from 1944 to early 2002 - from Jerry Abbott to Gayle Zeiler. For each artist, basic biographical information is cataloged. In addition, all their charted hits are listed in chronological order along with peak country position, weeks on the chart, and the peak pop position (if it charted). The formatting is immaculate, and the text is easy to read despite the incredible amount of information it packs into its 591 pages.

Several informative sections make up the remainder of this book. A comprehensive "Song Title" section includes all charted songs listed in alphabetical order. The "Top Artists" lists the 400 top country artists based on chart hits as well as top artists by decade. In addition, artist achievements are described, such as the artists with the most top 40 hits, most #1 hits, and streaks of hits. Next, a "Chart Facts and Feats" section lists the top country records of each decade and of all time, as well as winners of the major categories of the Country Music Association (CMA) Awards and inductees in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Finally, all #1 hits are listed by year - from "Pistol Packin' Mama" by Bing Crosby & the Andrews Sisters (1944) to "I'm Gonna Miss Her (The Fishin' Song)" by Brad Paisley (2002).

This informative book contains loads of information and is a great deal of fun to peruse or to use as a reference. I find myself unable to listen to my country CDs without this book by my side. Whether you like Hank Williams, Shania Twain, George Jones, or Alan Jackson - they're included here. Whether you want to see if George Strait won a CMA for best male vocalist (he has 5) or which artist was #1 in the 1950s (Webb Pierce) or who accumulated the most consecutive #1 hits (Alabama - 21), you'll find it all here. Most highly recommended for country music fans.

I have very positive things to say about this Whitburn collection. It is my third book by Whitburn, and my favorite yet. I am one of those dorks with an entirely unnecessary, vast knowledge of country music trivia. And I have not found a single mistake in this collection. And I looked.

Whitburn is an incredible asset to Billboard, because he presents their material in the most accessable, user-friendly form possible. I work in radio, and I use this book every single day.

Thank you, Mr. Whitburn, for presenting a resource this useful to me and my colleagues.

Must needed book for serious researchers. Ufologists deserve recognition, and their bios should be provived, so we know who are they and what they write about. This encyclopedia serves these purposes. No library on Ufology is complete without it. Very demanding work...a serious compendium...it shows how serious and well-informed Mr. de Lafayette is. In other words, this published work is the ultimate reference about the most distinguished ufologists. You got to add it to your collection. I did!

If you are a serious reader of ufology and extraterrestrial studies, and interested in learning about those ufologists who shaped the face of ufology, then, don't search anymore...this is the book you got to have. It includes the 500 most important personalities in the business. I think this is the first encyclopedia of its kind. Nobody ever bothered to write about the ideologies, work and biographies of ufologists...except this author. He deserves lots of credit. He has done a great favor and rendered a tremendous service to the ufology and ufologists community.

Do you want to know who is real and who is fake? Who are the good and bad guys in ufology? That's the book for you!
I am sure that is the first encyclopedia of ufologists ever published! What a great idea! Now ufologists can be found.
5 stars for quality, information and contents. Great source of reference. Yep!

Let me start by saying this is the best and most serious book about ufologists. The encyclopedia has already received glowing reviews by the media. I took some excerpts" Now you can find them in a serious encyclopedia. Before, they were scattered in websites articles. Not even the yellow pages grouped them in a category. I am talking about ufologists, and alien abduction specialists and therapists. Ufology? You bet! But the biggest boost came from the most unexpected source; it came from Maximillien de Lafayette, the world famous art critic and historian of ancient civilizations and medieval philosophy. De Lafayette's biggest surprise was the publication of his academic-biographical encyclopedia of contemporary ufology. This unusual, unique book, creates a place where the great minds, many of whom extremely well-known and highly respected for the various fields they were associated with before they got involved with ufology, can finally be grouped. The interested reader can find them, and best of all, they can find each other since the book lists e-mail addresses and websites. Other important UFOs books by Maximillien de Lafayette that are opening new windows on these strange phenomena are "FROM ZETA RETICULI TO EARTH, " "THE ANUNNAKI'S GENETIC CREATION OF THE HUMAN RACE," and EXTRATERRESTRIALS-US GOVERNMENT TREATY AND AGREEMENTS, all published this year. I am wondering why no one has ever thought about writing such an encyclopedia, especially where many of these ufologists are noted authors themselves and were on the New York best selling author list. This is extremely timely and a much needed book. I highly recommend this encyclopedia to anyone possessing an interest in our universe.", said David Blum from the World Jewish News Agency, and Nigel Huntington in the London Monthly Herald wrote: "I am putting aside my Britannica, to sink my teeth in a new kind of encyclopedias, totally unexpected, perfectly unique, and instrumental for ufologists and lovers of the UFOs. The title is self-explanatory: Biographical Encyclopedia of People in Ufology and Scientific Extraterrestrial Research. It coincides with the Encyclopedia of the 21st Century, Biographies and Profiles of the First Decade, both written by Maximillien de Lafayette, a renaissance man, socialite and illustrious author. Of course, they differ in contents. Here in London, the UFO encyclopedia is taking enthusiasts of the paranormal by storm. What is so special about it? Many things. First, it is the idea; the brilliant idea of writing such an extensive reference book on a subject that captivated the imagination of millions around the globe. Most certainly, there are tons of books on flying saucers. But this tome is quite different. It is not a novel or an alien abduction story but, a real and comprehensive encyclopedic work that should prove to be extremely useful for both, the ufologists and the general public. Carol Lexter, senior editor of the encyclopedia issued a statement today in London pertaining to the inclusion criteria. Lexter stated that ufologists with proven record in the field of ufology were included on an exclusive basis. It means that a considerable number of ufologists were left out. This could infuriate many. And we will know about their reaction as soon as they put their hand on a copy of the book. Second; the wealth of information and vast literature on ufologists make the encyclopedia an essential reference tool and appealing to librarians. This means that public libraries, universities, research centers and the media will add the encyclopedia to their acquisitions. Consequently, ufologists would benefit from this immense exposure. Ironically, Maximillien de Lafayette is not an ufologist. In the preface of his book, he made it very clear that he has no intention in joining the ranks of ufologists. However, his interest in the subject remains fervent and sincere. Unquestionably, the Biographical Encyclopedia of People in Ufology and Scientific Extraterrestrial Research is a monumental breakthrough. It will definitely help ufologists establish themselves as mainstream science researchers. Already, numerous scientists have adhered to that field, but what was needed to strengthen their endeavors, and recognize their work was a recognition from their scientific community. Serious publications such as de Lafayette's encyclopedia could pave the way. But nothing is certain, as long as ufology is struggling for a global acceptance. Visionaries and futurists predict that within this decade, the study of ufology could become an accredited college field study. De Lafayette's hope is that one day, ufologists will enjoy and share the same respect and recognition given to mainstream scientists, who in principle and in theory don't differ much from them."

very informative , and very real .with bibical scriptures to backup these claims.but most of all it is true ,and common sense.why would africa be inhabited by caucasion ,and how could cleopatra be exotic and caucasion.especially the very hot and dry climate.caucasion skin is much to thin made for colder climates.it is an exellent research on the history of african race in the bible and lets people see that they were around then and will continue to be

I encountered this book years ago in the University Hills Library in Austin, Texas. Burned by my involvement with my previous church and ministry, I had become disillusioned, distraught and lacking in faith. Atheism, before the current popular tomes advocating a departure from all faiths, appealed to me. This literally turned my head and halted me in my tracks. I checked it out - 3 times - before purchasing it on Amazon.

This is a wellspring that allows one to hold his/her head up as we see (now) played out in American politics the onslaught against African Americans by forces on the left and right that do not know the contributions Africans have made not only to world culture but to the most significant spiritual expression in Western civilization. Current events find European Americans still ignorant of the complex Homiletics of the African Diaspora and its spiritual entities. "Black Liberation Theology" is something now discovered on Fox News and sound bites on You Tube the complete philosophy of Senator Obama's former pastor. It is a willful ignorance born of arrogance and hegemony from the previous "peculiar institution" formerly known as slavery that would birth such a tradition.

"Our people perish due to a lack of [self] knowledge." (Hosea 4:6) And the knowledge should be shared, discussed and preached. It should be used to build us up as a people; to "set the captives free." (Luke 4:18)

[...]: "About 10.4% of the entire African-American male population in the United States aged 25 to 29 was incarcerated, by far the largest racial or ethnic group--by comparison, 2.4% of Hispanic men and 1.2% of white men in that same age group were incarcerated. According to a report by the Justice Policy Institute in 2002, the number of black men in prison has grown to five times the rate it was twenty years ago. Today, more African-American men are in jail than in college. In 2000 there were 791,600 black men in prison and 603,032 enrolled in college. In 1980, there were 143,000 black men in prison and 463,700 enrolled in college." Too many of our men are in prison because they are unaware who they are, and thus misbehave.

I heartily recommend this book as enthusiastically as I did years ago when it stopped me literally in my tracks.

This review is entitled "Confirmation" because it serves to confirm or ratify what, intuitively, I have felt for as long as I can recall. Having been raised in a strongly religious family, I have been exposed to various versions of the Holy Bible, all of which tended to depict and illustrate all personalities with white faces. Given that all of the accounts in the Bible took place on the continent of Africa, prior to the arrival of any significant numbers of Europeans, it was very difficult for me to accept that none of the major figures in the Bible was Black, yet that is what is portrayed. Although I felt that something was "wrong with this picture", I had no way to refute it, and in fact, was reluctant to voice it among some of my own friends and elders who would have deemed such thoughts as sacrilegious, or worse. It still bothered me, nonetheless. As my educational experiences progressed, I had increasing difficulty reconciling what was thrust upon me by the media, those omnipresent Bible illustrations, TV Evangelists, and others who perpetuated the same notion that all of the personalities in the Bible were white. I began to research on my own, and with the advent of the Internet, other avenues were opened to me. I have read a number of other treatises and writings by other distinguished Black religious scholars on the issue of the Black presence in the Bible, all of which enlightened me, and at the same time gave me a deep sense of "connection" with those Biblical personalities, as well as a sense of pride. On the other hand, it also aroused in me a sense of anger and frustration, as it confirmed to me that religious history, just as history in general, has been manipulated, twisted, distorted, and violated for the very sinister and express purpose of discrediting a People and robbing them of a very rich heritage and perpetuating a myth of so-called "superiority". This book should be mandatory reading, not just for Blacks, but for whites, as well, who have themselves been, in the words of Carter G. Woodson, "miseducated". I applaud Dr. Johnson and his colleagues, who are making an invaluable contribution to the telling of OUR history, as too often the euphamism that history is simply "his story" as it pertains to Blacks, is validated over and over. My record will reflect that I have ordered multiple copies of this book in the past, and am at this writing ordering several more copies. They make great gifts, and I can't imagine a better gift than the gift of truth.

Presenting the original language of the first humans , the locale and identity of these humans has long been shelved . This book should be in the educational systems of every educational institution in this country as well as international educational systems.

I recently purchased "Boom" and really enjoy reading it. I am a Baby Boomer myself and have been trying to get my hands on as much info on the subject as possible. This book is especially good because it is for we boomer women. I tend to skip around when reading and no matter what page I open to, I find useful information. I have sticky notes stuck all over it! This book is one I will keep and go back to again and again for reference.
S. Maleta
http://www.sheboomers.com/

I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for information on marketing to baby-boomer women. I hired a market research firm to provide me with information on marketing to female baby boomers, and that report wasn't as detailed as this book. And the book is A LOT less expensive!

The book explains why female baby boomers are a largely underserved demographic, and then goes on to explain how to market successfully to this economically, socially and politically powerful group of women.

The authors provide great information on what appeals to baby boomer women, discussing such diverse areas as personal and spiritual growth, technology, finances, health care, branding, clothing preferences, travel and more. It's definitely worth reading!

Whether you sell advertising time, shoes, or computer software, you need to be aware of a hidden market just waiting to be tapped. What is this hidden market? Baby Boomers. In particular, female baby boomers.

As we all know, the Boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) is a huge portion of our population due in part to its unprecedented length when compared to the generations preceding and following them. Thus, many smart advertising and marketing plans focus on the Boomer markets. Still, much of this advertising is directed at the male portion of this generation forgetting that many female Boomers make very good livings by their own right. Moreover, this generation of woman are currently in the midst of parenting adult children, caring for aging parents, and going through empty nest syndrome. Not only are these women spending more money on commodities for themselves but they are still the primary shopper in their household.

BOOM: MARKETING TO THE ULTIMATE POWER CONSUMER - THE BABY-BOOMER WOMAN is for any business selling products to women, who make most of the purchasing decisions. The authors have used results from proprietary research to help their firm's clients outsell the competition - and here they share some of their insights on what works and why. Dozens of market leaders in many industries contribute case histories and experiences from real life to a survey that offers dynamic testimony from leading edge successful marketers.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Taken together, the book demionstrates how leading companies are ceasing to be collections of physical capital (Adam Smith's land, labor, and capital), and becoming mental constructs that represent the characteristics of human beings: brands can be trustworthy or not, creative or stable, leading-edge or traditional, conservative or liberal, male or female, and so on. Companies and their brands become complexes of embodied characteristics, as complex as any individual. These qualities become the promise the brand makes to the consumer. As long as the brand lives up to the promise, customers are retained, and so are profits. But if the company violates its brand promises, it betrays its customers and begins to lose them. This book comes at this from many directions, and lacks a clear comprehensive approach, but it is a fascinating sampler.

This anthology, edited by Rita Clifton and John Simmons with Sameena Ahmad, contains an abundance of information about branding. In fact, with 17 contributors, different experts repeat the same information more than once, further emphasizing and validating these points. For example, several contributors note the social value of brands; later, an entire chapter covers the same topic. Some sections delve into the material more deeply than others, but much of it is sophisticated enough to appeal to the most dedicated brand specialist. The book includes discussions of branding esoterica such as the distinction between verbal and visual identities, and the role of brands in a global marketplace. Despite the repetition and the inclusion of some dated studies, we brand this book as an important one for anyone concerned with branding, especially with its new role as a source of financial value.

This book offers a variety of perspectives on brands and branding from several dozen different experts on marketing. I especially enjoyed reading it because most of these experts draw upon experiences outside of the United States. True, core concepts have global relevance but strategies and tactics to create, increase, and leverage brand equity necessarily vary from one marketplace to another. For example, Sameena Ahmad discusses "Globalisation and brands" (Chapter 11), Kim Faulkner examines "Branding in South-East Asia" (Chapter 13), and Simon Anholt offers some valuable insights concerning "Branding places and nations" (Chapter 14). As Patrick Barwise correctly notes in the Preface, if top managers are becoming brand stewards, they must address issues such as:

* Brand measurement, accountability, and understanding
* Brand support
* The brand owner's social and ethical stance
* Making the experience of buying and using brand consistently deliver on the promises made for it

Re this last issue, there is often a substantial gap between promises and performance, especially insofar as service brands are concerned. Hence the importance of eliminating that gap and thereby earn and then sustain consumer trust through performance of the highest possible quality. Once again I am reminded of Warren Buffett's observation that price is what we charge for what we sell but value is what a customer thinks it's worth. The experts whose counsel is included in this volume can, together, help their shared reader to gain a better understanding of issues such as those cited previously as well as (in Barwise's words) "the social and financial value of brands, current best practice in branding, and some of the emerging issues around this important, complex, and ever fascinating topic."

Among the countless value-added benefits provided in this book are various checklists which are included within several of the individual essays. For example, those which suggest the financial uses of brand valuation (page 43), methodologies for brand positioning (page 81), conclusions which can be made about visual and verbal identity and their relationship to brands in the future (pages 125-126), and questions to be addressed insofar as brand protection is concerned (page 168) as well as a recap of the main themes and arguments previously provided in previous chapters (pages 227-229). Of course, it remains for each reader to determine the nature and extent of relevance of the book's 15 chapters. There are many outstanding books on the subject of brands and branding and this is one of the best.

Those who share my high regard for it are urged to check out Levitt's The Marketing Imagination, Paul Nunes and Brian Johnson's Mass Affluence: Seven New Rules of Marketing to Today's Consumer, Alina Wheeler's Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands, Harvard Business Review on Brand Management (The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series), Marc Gobe's Emotional Branding: The New Paradigm for Connecting Brands to People, Lynn Parker and F. Joseph Lepla's Integrated Branding: Becoming Brand-Driven Through Company-Wide Action, Simon Anholt's Brand New Justice: The Upside of Global Branding, and Matthew W. Ragas and B.J. Bueno's The Power of Cult Branding: How 9 Magnetic Brands Turned Customers Into Loyal Followers (and Yours Can, Too).

This volume greatly benefits from many different perspectives and authors in tightly written essays that focus on brands, brand management and the future of brands.

Part one examines the definition of what a brand is, the history of brands and the social and economic importance of brands. Many will be intrigued to see that there are now methodologies for valuing brands independently of the operations of the companies that own them. For many public companies, the operating value is relatively slight without the brand values. There are a number of mini cases involving the world's most valuable brands (such as Coca-Cola and McDonald's). This background will be especially relevant to the general reader and for students new to the subject.

Part two looks at brand development and management in detail. This section will be very valuable to those who have not had much experience with brands.

Part three looks at the future of brands. I found this section to be the most interesting as the book looked at issues like the global debate about whether brands "steal" from poor consumers and workers in developing countries, the rise of Asian brands, country branding, adding social agendas to brands and protecting brands from counterfeiters worldwide.

The essays are nicely summarized in Rita Clifton's concluding essay, "The Future of Brands."

Each essay contains many references that can allow those who wish to learn more the pathway to take such steps.

I was pleased to see that the essays did not simply espouse the traditional wisdom on brands, but chose to "push the envelope" to provide more up-to-date and aggressive thinking.

I have a hard time imagining that you could find a better introduction to the subject in such a slim volume.

Tremendous book. Beautifully researched and filled with staggering illustrations. I bought it as a reference as I collect lamps. As a reference and piece of scholarship it ranks with the work of Florence Montgomery, John Bivens and Catherine Lynn. What was the most pleasant surprise is that it is beautifully and compellingly written. A truly fascinating story of a fascinating man who lived during a fascinating era. No serious collector of lighting or 18-19th century decorative object should be without this work. Any major decArts library would be remiss not to own it. At $59.95 it is probably underpriced.

John Wolfe portrays the poignant story of a brilliant, gentle, and naive 18th century inventor, Ami Argand. Wolfe's exhaustive research rewards the reader with an intimate view into the life and thinking of Argand and other 18th century luminaries. This book engages your sense of histroy, science, intrigue, and lighting. I really enjoyed it.

An invention of an oil lamp has revolutionized the world. Finally, a lamp has been created that produced a good light without the annoying smoke that has plagued the social life of people over thousands of years. The value of the inventions is immediately recognized and the demand for the new lamp is overwhelming. A commercial opportunity of enormous proportion has emerged. Can a single person protect his invention and satisfy the demand for the new light against the competitive spirit of free market? It is the year 1784, the rumblings of the French Revolution, of the Napoleon wars, and of restructuring of the social systems are not yet heard. It is the time of technical innovations. The steam engine has already advanced manufacturing industry and the dream to conquer the air has just become a reality, the balloon of the Montgolfier brothers graces the sky. John J. Wolfe's book provides an initiate picture of Ami Argand, the Genevese citizen who perfected distilleries for Brandy, invented the two-air draft burner for oil lamps, and assisted the Montgolfiers in flying balloons. Its is a also the story of greed, deceit and unhappiness, and a story of an unfortunate hero and of successful villains. For the first time, an authoritative account is given for the life of Argand; a brilliant scientist who is immortalized by his invention, the Argand lamp, but also a person who sought recognition and wished to persevere in business. The combination of a spell binding story and never published pictures of early lighting promotes this book as a must for students of history, technology and lighting.

This book was loaned to me by a Thai monk in Los Angeles. He recommended it for someone who is attempting to understand the teachings of Buddha. It is not an easy read but it is clearly written. I found it a book that needed study and time for reflection and because of that I bought the book and returned the loaned copy to the monk. I would recommend it for anyone exploring the way of the Buddha. I might also state that the teachings detailed here seem not to conflict with Christianity but rather complement it.

As a novice Buddhist student, I found this book very helpful. First Published in 1964, the writing style is somewhat more formal than we are used to today, but I find the style of writing lends the book a feeling of respectfulness and sincerity. Although the precepts are scholarly, they are presented in a clear and easy-to-understand way. The book is interesting, not dry or boring. Whether you are interested in finding out what Buddhism is, or are a beginning or advanced student, this book will be helpful. I could even recommend this book as leisure (if not a little serious) reading because of the interest level.

I am a student who spends every Summer living in Theravada Buddhist temple to learn the traditional Buddhism in depth. My father is also a Buddhist Venerable. I have read many Buddhist books written in English, and it is very hard to find a good one that interprets the words of Buddha in a correct way. Buddhism has been modified a lot by different Buddhist branches and has lost so much of its old messages that Buddha wanted to teach. Especially in Western society, it takes time and effort to find a good Buddhist book that sounds logical, scientific, not supernatural, and still kept the traditional, universal ideas of Buddha. Among many books that I have read in several different languages, this one seems to be the best in English for those beginers and intermediate level of Buddhism to discover the life of Buddha and his teaching to reduce sufferings for everyone's life regardless religions or races. To me, Piyadassi Thera's word choices are very selective, careful, logical, trustful, and more universal than personal. I have bought 3 books to offer to my American friends and they liked it alot, this time I am going to buy 4 more. Believe me, it is a valuable book for your right view of life! But, please read slowly, analyse what you read, ask questions to yourself, find out the answers before believing or judging any piece of writing!

As a student who spends every Summer in Theravada Buddhist temple to learn Buddhism in depth and a daughter of a Buddhist Venerable, I think this book is a valuable one for those beginners and intermediate level students who want to discover the life of Buddha and the ancient path that he taught to help everyone regardless religions or races on how to reduce sufferings in one's own life. Piyadassi Thera's word choices are very careful, logical, trustful, universal, and traditional that fit more to Buddha's words than other books that focus more on the authors' own opinions and interpretation from modified Buddhist branches. A very good book to help you have a right view of life, and how to live right in order to avoid mistakes and sorrow.

There are so many trends right now as the pendulum is swinging franticly in a direction that doesn't make sense to me. NCLB, Put Reading First, and the National Reading Panel have about killed reading. Emphasizing low level skill work will not lead to increased reading comprehension. It used to be kids came in my library screaming for whatever subject they were studying in class: penguins! spiders! tornadoes! firemen! etc. Those days are over because they are doing basic skill work in class. Now, they come in not knowing what to checkout. Most do not finish reading the books they check out. Our nonfiction circulation has declined in the past 3 years. Reading Building Background Knoweldge proves why we need more reading in schools...it leads to increased vocabulary which leads to increased reading comprhension. This is a highly readable, enlightening, and affirming book from one of the most important educators of our day.

The author points out some very important aspects of learning through the
prism of background knowledge. There is a general correlation between
academic background knowledge and generalized academic performance.
In addition, the book covers the transitory steps aimed at harnessing
working memory into permanent memory. There is a section which shows how
surface knowledge enhances background knowledge. Text density is another
indicator of learning. Texts which contain many new words not widely
interspersed will have the lowest new vocabulary retention. As newer words
are more widely dispersed, readers have up to a 30% retention from a
mere retention in single digits. Poverty is another correlator to overall
academic performance according to the author. The book presents a very
valuable common Greek/Latin root derivative section. For instance,
Greek words enter into the English language , thusly.
- ast or star means astronomy
- cycle or circle means cycle
- gram finds usage in the word telegraph or autograph
- meter is utilized in thermometer or centimeter
- photo finds usage in photograph
- scop or to see is utilized in the word microscope
- therm or heat is utilized in thermometer

The Latin root "act" is utilized in react or transact. The Latin root
"ang" means to bend as in angle or angular. The Latin root "aud" for
hear is seen in the word audible. The Latin root "credit" is seen in
incredible etc.

The book is a worthy acquisition for the student, linguist, writer or
academic person in your household. It is a good value for the price charged.

As a dual-language elementary teacher it is important that I teach my students the meaning of specific words in the subjects they have to learn in order to get the meaning. This book allows me to concentrate on the meaning, context and usage of words in the different subjects I teach rather than having to look for the words and then do what I described. It has also helped me build a stronger vocabulary and made me a better teacher for my students.

Building Background Knowledge For Academic Achievement: Research On What Works In Schools by Robert J. Marzano (Senior Scholar, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning, Aurora, Colorado and Associate Professor, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) discusses how two combined approaches - sustained silent reading and careful study of subject-specific vocabulary terms - can help young adults overcome weaknesses in background knowledge that would otherwise undermine their educational pursuits, from elementary to high school. In addition to the outlined principles for a sustained silent reading program, and effective vocabulary instruction, over 7,923 actual vocabulary terms have been culled for presentation from national standards documents and other publications, organized into 11 subject areas and 4 grade-level categories. A superb home schooling, self-study, or curriculum supplementary guide, highly recommended for parents, educators, tutors, and studious individuals seeking to hone the tools that maximize their comprehension skills.