Research Books

This excellent survey and resource has now been significantly revised and re-issued with a new title: Family History in the Genes: Trace your DNA and grow your family tree

Like its predecessor, it provides the very latest advice on a fast-moving subject, in compact format and at an affordable price.

And, like its predecessor, it is published by the National Archive. The National Archives is an UK government agency maintaining the official archive for England, Wales and the central UK government, containing 900 years of history from Domesday Book to the present. Its publications are intended to help individuals write their own family histories using "best practices".

Pomery's new volume will help you do so.

Robert C. Ross 2008

Although human genetics have been studied now for over 30 years, the application of DNA to family history is a phenomena of the new millennium. The results of the first study that tested people of the same surname to see if they shared the same male-line DNA were published in 2000. Since then, some 25,000 people have been tested commercially, and over 1,500 surname studies have been set up, half in the past 18 months, of which that on Wells is the largest, numbering 303 participants.

Chris Pomery, organiser of the Pomeroy DNA project, has written the first book explaining specifically how genetics can help genealogists. DNA can indicate whether people with the same surname are likely to be related, and sometimes can show that people supposedly related through the same family tree actually are not. It is a fantastic tool for studying surnames, and investigating groups of supposedly-related people, such as members of a caste, tribe or clan. The results of this brand new science often - and amazingly - bear out ancient, oral traditions attesting to common ancestry. DNA also enables us to map the migration of humans out of Africa, and determine our own places in that extraordinary story.

Excellent features of this book, besides its clear text and useful diagrams, are crisp, boxed summaries at the end of each chapter and a supporting website, www.DNAandFamilyHistory.com, which provides more detail and scientific background on many of the issues covered in the book.

This is no mere guide: this is Chris Pomery's manifesto to encourage us all to have DNA tests and set up surname studies, thus adding more genetic information to the growing databases of human DNA. The more DNA results there are, the more accurate and interesting results will be for everyone.

One of the ironies of genetics is that, just as we are learning how to decode the data contained in our genes, the signal is being lost. Isolated populations, with their distinctive genetic codes, are being diluted into the increasingly homogenised soup of modern human DNA, so data gathered in the future will be far less informative. The traditional marriage of male-line Y chromosomes to hereditary (male-line) surnames is also breaking down. In a few generations' time, far fewer people will have the same surname as their male-line great grandfather, making surname-based DNA projects far less easy to organise. Hopefully, many people will be inspired by Chris Pomery's excellent book and get testing now.

I thought this book was very informative and helpful in my search for my genetic past.

Genetic genealogy is a blossoming market and the number of books in this space is rapidly growing. Major books include: Seven Daughters of Eve, Adam's Curse, Trace your Roots with DNA, and DNA and Family History.

Professor Bryan Sykes' book The Seven Daughters of Eve was a seminal work. This book focuses on mtDNA (Mitochondrial DNA) that is passed down the maternal line. This book is written in an easy to read style that creates the tone and tenor of a mystery novel. The punch line of this book is that all maternal lines can be traced back to seven theoretic women who lived at different places in the worlds at different times. This book is very light reading and similar to picking up a pop culture magazine. This book is not recommended other than as the most basic introduction to genetic genealogy. It also suffers from it's minimal discussion of paternal DNA testing (Y-chromosome) which is the most popular form of DNA testing today.

Sykes second book "Adam's Curse" discusses the long term de-evolution of the male chromosome. It's a shame that Sykes has stooped to pandering to sensationalistic popular culture instead in more serious genetic research. Sykes made a name for himself in this space, but it seems that this segment of science has passed him by.

Two excellent introductory books were published in 2004 -- "Trace Your Roots with DNA : Using Genetic Tests to Explore Your Family Tree" by Megan Smolenyak and Ann Turner and "DNA and Family History: How Genetic Testing Can Advance Your Genealogical Research" by Chris Pomery.

In Trace your Roots, Smolenyak, who makes her living as a professional genealogist, branches out into genetics and DNA testing. She hooks up with Ann Turner, the past administrator of a key DNA message list, to create a good introductory book on genetic genealogy. This book covers all the basics for someone who is considering having a DNA test done. I was disappointed that almost half the book (90 out of 235 pages) was dedicated to starting and running a DNA project. I view this material as fluffy filler since most readers aren't likely to need this information.

A similar book is Chris Pomery's "DNA and Family History". This book also covers all the basics in a straightforward and informative way. This book focuses primary on the most popular form of DNA Testing -- testing of the paternal Y-chromosome line. The book includes numerous references to the book's online site (www.DNAandFamilyHistory.com). This site is supposed to contain supplementary information but many links don't seem to have been activated.

Pomery does a nice job contrasting genetic families that might be derived from a single ancestor with those that might be derived from multiple ancestors. He also discusses the origins of various classes of surnames which is important in understand this issue. Pomery also uses many examples from surname projects that can be found on the web.

One knock on both books is their minimal discussion of what DNA testing can't do. Neither book elaborates on the limitations of DNA testing for genealogists such as testing inability to definitively identify parents and brother and the small and biased sample sizes that home geneticists are using to make sweeping conclusions. Neither book describes in more than a paragraph or two the lasting thinking about haplogroups -- i.e., the origin of R, E, J, etc. Y-DNA clusters. In addition, neither book will aid the experienced DNA researcher.

My recommendation:
If you looking for one day's worth of beach reading, try Seven Daughters of Eve or Spencer Wells, Journey of Man. Also consider getting these books at the library as these seminal works are quick reads that you don't need cluttering up your shelves.

If you are a serious genealogist or are considering DNA testing or joining the National Geographic Genographics Project, then stick to Smolenyak or Pomery. After reading both, I find them both excellent and roughly equivalent. However, I clearly prefer DNA and Family History by Chris Pomery. The book simply contains more information which is presented in a more straightforward fashion.

Kevin Campbell
Campbell DNA Project Administrator

This book is required reading for those researching their English family history and thinking of seeking help from a DNA testing company.
It provides a comprehensive guide to the background for such research, bringing together in one volume elements such as the origin of English surnames, the organisation of a surname project, the choice of a DNA testing company, and a glossary of many of the confusing terms used by the experts in DNA analysis.

Psychology is ubiquitous in the world of marketing. It has been since marketers fell in love with Freud. This book is a timely reminder that people are first and foremost social beings. It reminds us to look at what we share (language, symbols) and how this might help companies develop better products, or tap into new market opportunities. The authors have first-hand experience into these questions. Most importantly, they provide a stimulating exposition of cultural analysis. This is an essential read for managers who want to go beyond faddish market research tools and explore how to be better understand the world of customers.

This was a grand excursion to say the least, coming from just enough background to THINK I knew anything about what anthropology could be in consumer research, this book made my brain twist and flatten and splinter and weave and jutter and spin itself into a tissy. Not only did I have my pre-conceptions blasted to pieces about exactly what anthropology was and how it related to product development, I left the book with a new view and appreciation for what anthropology actually is, and what enormously important implications it could bring to product development (b/c I dare say it isn't usually this). Inspiring and crucial for anyone one who wants to make relevant things for people.

Doing Anthropology in Consumer Research by Patricia L. Sunderland and Rita M. Denny is a well-written book exploring the boundaries and connections between academic disciplines and interpretive communities. First, Sunderland and Denny examine the interesting similarities (and differences) between consumer research and cultural anthropology. They note that both of these disciplines rely on ethnography as an important method. The book broadly interprets ethnography to include semiotics, deep interviewing, visual and projective techniques, and participant observation. Sunderland and Denny explore their own consulting projects and academic interests with a reflective engaging style with many interesting examples to develop a convincing argument that consumer researchers need to study anthropology to enhance a cultural analysis and anthropologists should not ignore popular culture. Second, they examine the interface between theory and practice suggesting that academic communities often become encapsulated from real-life problems. After spending most of my life in academia I could not agree with them more. Sunderland and Denny's book helped me to reflect on my own projects in new ways, motivating me to step out of the office, take action, and get involved. This book is must reading for students of marketing, consumer behavior, cultural anthropology, and practitioners of marketing and consumer research.

I found this book both academic and much like a diary of personal experiences. The authors' reflections on the problems of conducting studies in the commercial world made this book impossible to put down at times. They take you through multiple layers of personal interaction with subjects' and clients' preconceptions and solve what appear to be insurmountable issues. I never knew you could extract so much detailed information about peoples' likes, dislikes and communication patterns from what appears to be such a small sampling. I found the authors' work fascinating. It made me want to become an anthropologist.

During the last 10 years, I've read many books on consumer research and better understanding the consumer's mind. From Freud to Jung, from MacLean to Levy to Zaltman and others, I've read them all. And even after all that, "Doing Anthropology" is the best book I've read on the topic of consumer research.
Authors Sunderland and Denny describe their vivid experiences in the so-called field of Ethnographic Research, a trend that has been gaining popularity in the USA where only "facts," "figures" and "statistical validation" have been the norm. While the mantra in the quantitative research world is "if something exists, it must be measurable" the world that Sunderland and Denny reflect in their book says "if something exists, it must have a meaning."
This book will be very useful for those serious about consumer research. It goes through what ethnography is to the invaluable (and most of the time unseen) world of cultural analysis.
If you are tired of getting the same outcome in your consumer research, "Doing Anthropology" will broaden your scope. The reader will discover a new way of perceiving reality, where the act of consumption is far more than an economic transaction but a symbolic one, where the meaning of things is more important than the things themselves.
"Doing Anthropology" is also a generous act where the authors give us their secrets and share their fears and hopes as they are lived in the exciting world of consumer research. For academically oriented readers, the book is full of notes and sources, making it a great compilation of useful information.
PeccataMinuta: I only wish that the many pictures of the book were in full color. After all, color is a meaning itself, an element that would make Sunderland and Denny's argument more vivid.
Thomas Clayre said: "Indeed, it is well said, in every action there is inexhaustible meaning," and this book will give you a pair of glasses to discover that your brand values less from what it is than from what it means.

the best book on dolphins I've read. Deals not only with science, but the emotional aspect of working with dolphins. A must read if interested in the field....

Carol Howard has a unique talent and way of combining love, compassion, sorrow, humor, and a vast amount of knowledge in 294 pages. Never have I learned so much about a book as I did from Dolphin Chronicles. My ultimate dream is to study these strange and magnificent creatures of the sea, as well as whales. I received Dolphin Chronicles as a Christmas gift from my Grandparents, and I must say that it was my favorite gift of all! In the past, I have read about 5 or 6 books about Cetaceans (by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and other authors) and have gotton extremely bored halfway through the material, simply because it was so dry and was lacking the compassion Carol so rightly illustrates! I would recommend this book to anyone. I am planning on researching more of Carol Howard's work wherever it may be. If anyone can clue me in as to the fastest and cheapest ways of finding it, Please feel free to e-mail me your information. Thank you. :-) P.S. If Carol Howard or anyone who knows Mrs. Howard reads this review, I would like to know her e-mail address if possible to personally thank her for producing such a wonderful and moving book. Thanks for your cooperation. --"May your life be like the Dolphin, calm and peaceful waters."

Dolphin Chronicles is a wonderful story about Carol J. Howard's adventure with dolphins. Her book was so well-written that I felt like I was actually participating in her events. I am only thirteen years old but it the best book I have read in my life. I now want to be a marine biologist and dedicate my life to researching and caring for dolphins. Thank you Carol for writing such a wonderful book

I'm a 14 year old girl, and I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love dolphins, and I wanted to learn more about them without being fed a bunch of information like a textbook. Instead, Dolphin Chronicles presents lots of information in textbook form. By the time you get to the end, you'll have a much greater understanding of dolphin training, their lifestyles in captivity and in the wild, and the life of a person working with dolphins without ever realizing you were even learning anything! It's great that this book can be so easy to read and comprehend with so much info packed inside. I totally recommend it to anyone who would like to understand the dolphin world better!

This is the best first hand experience I have ever read on dolphins! I do marine mammal rescues and have a deep love and respect for dolphins and our oceans. Carol Howard's experience is one that I feel I have experienced first hand. Excellent writing. It helps us realize the need to know more about dolphins and their brilliance but also to respect their need to be free in our oceans.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 & 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.

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!