Research Books

James "Mac" McKee's book immediately incorporates readers into the tail of a life-long friendship and mentorship developed over many years through hiking, hunting and living. Even though I am not a hunter, I truly enjoyed each chapter and found myself very resistant to setting the book down. Mac tells a heart-warming tale which reveals a deep and meaningful side of hunting and the love of the great outdoors

WONDERFUL STORIES ABOUT REAL SITUATIONS IN THE SWAMP...GREAT DESCRIPTION OF ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN EXPERIENCES. FELT AS IF I WERE THERE EXPERIENCING THE ADVENTURES. WRITTEN VERY WELL AND EASY TO READ...PHOTOS VERY HELPFU

This is a great book that details the bond that ties all hunters together. The true stories lend credence to the common thread that connects us all to mother nature. To anyone who has ever been in the woods, and wants to relive the experience - This is the book for you. A must rea

"The Historian's Toolbox" greatly exceeded my expectations. This book covers the basics of how to research, what historians do, and the basic tools historians use. It references various books and Websites throughout. This book would greatly compliment a junior or senior level history class. Likewise it would benefit a new graduate student in history.

Williams gives instructors and students of history two books in one. Part one is a quick look at some of the big ideas and controversies of the profession. These short chapters on such topics as metahistory and anti-history should provide great fodder for class discussions. Part two on "the tools of history" offers good guidance on researching, writing, and thinking about history. Again, short, provocative chapters should stimulate students to think and talk about the joys and difficulties of doing quality history. I'll assign the book to my next class on historical research and writing. With this book as a guide, students will not write just another term paper; they'll know how to craft a livelier, deeper, and more revealing interpretation of the past.

Written by Robert C. Williams (Vail Professor of History and Dean of Faculty Emeritus, Davidson College) The Historian's Toolbox: A Student's Guide to the Theory and Craft of History is a reader-friendly guide for aspiring historians of all skill and experience levels. Now in an updated second edition with five new chapters, The Historian's Toolbox covers everything from how to choose a good history topic and write a solid paper, to evaluating primary, secondary, and tertiary historical sources, to format guidelines for credits and acknowledgments, to historical narrative as compared to interpretation or speculation, to even the potentials and abuses of the user-modified website Wikipedia. A "must-have" guide for history majors and a useful quick-check resource for professional historians, highly recommended.

Understanding the historical development of pensions is critical to the future of retirement systems around the world. This volume offers a comprehensive assessment of the political and financial dimensions of public sector pensions from the colonial period until the emergence of modern retirement plans in the twentieth century. The authors emphasize how retirement plans can help achieve human resource objectives, how public sector pension policy has sometimes been influenced by other government objectives, and how early pension plans were funded.

After discussing the economics of retirement plans, the authors review the history of European retirement plans, beginning with their use in the Roman Empire, and then moves on to early American pension systems. They explore the development and management of U.S. army and navy pension plans during the nineteenth century, drawing on original records of participants, retirees, and plan finances. They document the struggle to establish a federal civil service retirement system and trace the growth of state and local retirement plans. This history is inextricably linked to broader developments in U.S. financial markets, offering rich insights into political debates, including current debates surrounding plan design and plan funding.

This book is of significant interest to financial market and pension experts, labor and corporate pension sponsors, policymakers, public sector plan participants, and others who want to know how and why pensions emerged. Robert L. Clark is Professor of Economics and Professor of Business Management, North Carolina State University, and coeditor of the volume To Retire or Not? Retirement Policy and Practice in Higher Education, also available in the series from the University of Pennsylvania Press. Lee A. Craig is Professor of Economics, North Carolina State University. Jack W. Wilson is Professor of Business Management, North Carolina State University.

Understanding the historical development of pensions is critical to the future of retirement systems around the world. This volume offers a comprehensive assessment of the political and financial dimensions of public sector pensions from the colonial period until the emergence of modern retirement plans in the twentieth century. The authors emphasize how retirement plans can help achieve human resource objectives, how public sector pension policy has sometimes been influenced by other government objectives, and how early pension plans were funded.

After discussing the economics of retirement plans, the authors review the history of European retirement plans, beginning with their use in the Roman Empire, and then moves on to early American pension systems. They explore the development and management of U.S. army and navy pension plans during the nineteenth century, drawing on original records of participants, retirees, and plan finances. They document the struggle to establish a federal civil service retirement system and trace the growth of state and local retirement plans. This history is inextricably linked to broader developments in U.S. financial markets, offering rich insights into political debates, including current debates surrounding plan design and plan funding.

This book is of significant interest to financial market and pension experts, labor and corporate pension sponsors, policymakers, public sector plan participants, and others who want to know how and why pensions emerged. Robert L. Clark is Professor of Economics and Professor of Business Management, North Carolina State University, and coeditor of the volume To Retire or Not? Retirement Policy and Practice in Higher Education, also available in the series from the University of Pennsylvania Press. Lee A. Craig is Professor of Economics, North Carolina State University. Jack W. Wilson is Professor of Business Management, North Carolina State University.

Clark, Craig, and Wilson have produced a comprehensive book that serves a wide audience. While providing a detailed history of the development of public sector pensions from colinial times to 1920, tghe authors have taught their readers about the economic theory of pensions, informed them about the origins of the modern welfare state, and guided them to better understand the policy implications of recent proposals to reform Social Security. In the end, this book accomplishes much.

Shawn Kantor
University of California, Merced, and National Bureau of Economic Research

The second volume in the "Healing Research" series, How Can I Heal What Hurts?: Wholistic Healing And Bioenergies by Daniel J. Benor (wholistic psychiatrist, founder of The Doctor-Healer Network in England and America, Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine, and the Coordinator of the Council for Healing) is an expansive collection of studied understandings of the practice of the wholistic medicine and the world of healing and alternatives. Introducing readers to a remarkable grasp of the nature and wide knowledge of wholistic healing, How Can I Heal What Hurts? covers everything from Complementary/Alternative Medicine Therapies to Geobiological Effects, creating for non-specialist general readers an ultimate concordance of sound and basic information. For its professional outlook, accessible text, and invaluable information, How Can I Heal What Hurts? is "must" reading for healers and anyone else with an interest in wholistic healing methodology and the study of alternative medicines.

The second volume in the "Healing Research" series, How Can I Heal What Hurts?: Wholistic Healing And Bioenergies by Daniel J. Benor (wholistic psychiatrist, founder of The Doctor-Healer Network in England and America, Founding Diplomate of the American Board of Holistic Medicine, and the Coordinator of the Council for Healing) is an expansive collection of studied understandings of the practice of the wholistic medicine and the world of healing and alternatives. Introducing readers to a remarkable grasp of the nature and wide knowledge of wholistic healing, How Can I Heal What Hurts? covers everything from Complementary/Alternative Medicine Therapies to Geobiological Effects, creating for non-specialist general readers an ultimate concordance of sound and basic information. For its professional outlook, accessible text, and invaluable information, How Can I Heal What Hurts? is "must" reading for healers and anyone else with an interest in wholistic healing methodology and the study of alternative medicines.

Dr. Benor, a holistic psychiatrist, has compiled a comprehensive overview of the field of holistic health and the theories and research available on these topics. This book is timely and full of excellent analysis and references. Benor has done an impressive job of integrating information and covering a wide range of information to educate readers thoroughly about the topic. This book is worthwhile for all healing professional as well as laypersons seeking information and resources. This edition is the version of Consciousness, Bioenergy and Healing intended for the general public, although it appears to be primarily the same as the professional oriented version, just a bit less detailed in research documentation. It is good to see that this author is publishing books on an ongoing basis to keep up with developments in the ever-expanding holistic healing domain.

Jenkins' book is a very coherent and straightforward account of the complexities of doing science. Using interesting case-studies, he lucidly describes the proper formulation of scientific hypotheses, the elements of a good experimental or survey design, and the limitations of inference from data. That is, how do scientists discover facts about the natural world, and how do they determine how much confidence to place on such facts. Each chapter is a case-study and a point to be made about the scientific process; thus each can stand alone. But, they also tie together nicely. Given that the case-studies are topical and not overly technical, the general reader lacking a scientific background can still obtain a lot of entertainment and insight from the book. I'd also recommend this book to students in the natural and social sciences, philosophy, medical school, law school, because it is an informative description of what can be considered good sound science versus what is not.

The great value of this book is that there is real,close attention to decisive detail but without the inclusion of needless and intimidating technicalities.The result is that it is never superficial and yet never inaccesible either.I know of no other book that achieves this combination so well.I have taught undergraduate courses--in the US and UK-- on reasoning in science and would certainly use material from this book if I were planning such a course in future.Justice is done to some sophisticated complexities in extremely lucid ways .I think especially of the discussion of different kinds of causes in the biology of aging ,and of genotype /environment interactions in development.This book deserves a very wide readership among students at all levels and among the general public as well .University and public libraries should certainly be getting it.

This is a very interesting and illuminating study of how evidence and theory can be brought together to make understanding in the life sciences. Each of the eight case studies - e.g. on aging, population crash of amphibians, the causes of cancer - are discussed in a way that is both detailed and fast moving. In most life science problems the explanations are multi-leveled and inherently complex. Uncertainty is the rule, and yet so is progress. This is a great little book; I hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

This book provides a step-by-step guide to conducting surveys in an easy to read format. The book also provides examples of real practice which is useful.

I found the book to be a very pragmatic guide to surveying for accuracy and quality.

I've been doing online surveys and consulting for years and have been using Vista surveys as I found them to be the best overall. This book really helps to enusure that I ask the right questions for my Fortune 500 clients! By reading this book you will certainly pick up on not only critical questions you should be asking but HOW to ask them. Highly recommend!

This book is clear, concise and easy to read yet contains a wealth of information that is difficult to find on this topic. With so many clinicians thinking that research is an easy adjunct to their practice--this book gives you much to ponder and plan before undertaking a research site.

Donna Boone MSN, APN-C

I most enjoyed the "conversational" style; you are Dr. Miskin's guest and he's taking you by the hand. The wealth of experience is obvious when you see how detailed and thorough this book is. It is most comprehensive, beginning with "growing your site", "location" and then staffing, budgets, record keeping and the hopeful future sale of the site. No step is left out, this is really a blueprint or manual, if you will, for a rewarding and successful career! I gladly recommend it because there are methods and solutions that apply to many business ventures.

I am re-posting a review, I don't know what happened to the one I already wrote. Look, this is a complete guide in every sense. It takes you from startup to finish, with information to help you sell your site when and if you want to. All the info you need to know, with no ommisions, and presented in an easy conversational style. Dr. Miskin has done this long enough to take you by the hand and show you HOW its done! By the Book.

I received the book in only few days, in excellent conditions.

Thanks,

Janny

Recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economic Science, Becker has pioneered the aplication of economic analysis to human behavior in such areas as dicrimination, married, family, etc. This book is a classic study of the consequences of investing in a person's knowledge and skills. According to his theory, investing in an individual's education and training is similar to business investments in equipment.

One of the principal book about Human Capital Theory.

This book is very technical in nature and not "a light read." However, it is an essential resource for anyone interested in labor economics and human capital. Dr. Becker is brilliant. Highly recommend!

I ordered this book when I first began my research using DNA markers. I found it very easy to read and highly informative, even beyond my own interests. It's a great reference to have around and a must read for anyone working in the field of human genetics, both from a clinical or academic perspective. Its organization lends it suitable for a good textbook in an advanced evolutionary genetics course as well.

Clearly laid out like one of the classic undergraduate textbooks (e.g. Genes VII, Albers et al.), this is the only up-to-date introduction in the field.

The authors make great efforts to link advances in genetics to other fields (e.g. linguistics, anthropology), as well as to organise chapters around key issues such as the spread of agriculture, offering space to key authors in these associated fields. Bibliographic/website sources are also well documented.

Evidently, coverage is broad rather than deep, but if you need some basic background (e.g. I wanted to understand how Y-chromosome sequence data illuminated prehistoric migrations but needed some basic information on microsatellites) before proceeding to original papers, then this is the book for you.

Very up-to-date (msot references are from 2000 to 2003),
and well-written.

You will become an expert in this filed after studying this classic!

I bought a copy for myself, and another one for my advisor.

I have read it twice in a week!

Susan Quinn's Human Trails blends science with medical insights as it draws unusual and important connections between scientists, investors in scientific and medical research, and how drug trials are financed and conducted. Hers is written from lead investigator diaries and closed-door meetings with investors, offering more than an outside look at the facts.

I knew Susan Quinn's HUMAN TRIALS would be an engaging, informative inquiry into the intricate process of bringing a new drug therapy to market. What I didn't expect was that the book would read like the best of thrillers -- it takes the reader on the suspenseful and sometimes heart-wrenching journey into the very heart of the war against disease. HUMAN TRIALS is ultimately about the people who populate the closed society that chronic, degenerative illness creates (in this case, MS and rheumatoid arthritis): the patients and their families who suffer and hope, and the doctors, scientists, and investors who, from motives that mix intellectual egotism, financial gain, and selfless dedication, bring their best weapons of mind and spirit to the battle. Quinn does an admirable job describing and demystifying the strategy involved in one novel approach to conquering, or at least containing, MS and RA; the reader learns in compelling detail just what it takes to develop an untested theory into a viable, marketable protocol. However, HUMAN TRIALS goes beyond scientific process to tell a story of risk and courage on both sides of the line. On this particular journey, failure is simply a subset of perseverance, knowledge arrives in unexpected ways, and victory is really a matter of the heart more than the body.

This book grabbed me from the start since I also have one of those incurable, untreatable autoimmune diseases that rarely threaten your life, but certainly ruin it. Scleroderma patients had a recent, similar roller-coaster ride with what was thought to be a promising therapy. I could easily relate to everyone involved - patients, treating doctors, researchers, and investors. Ms Quinn took very complex material about MS and the research surrounding it and made it understandable, while telling an exciting and emotionally engaging story. Though it doesn't help me to cope day-to-day with my disease, it does make me understand the processes and people involved in the search for a treatment.