Research Books

This book is personal for me. It mentions by name or by anecdote, my friends, my classmates, my squadron mates. For 35 years, I neglected reading about the war I was in, as a C-130 co-pilot. This book was exactly what I was looking for, to fill in the gaps of what I knew. In any history of Vietnam, it is good to assess its bias. This book is factual and does not try to promote or debate the politics of the war. It does make a few assessments of the capabilities of the South Vietnamese army, air force, and marines, and the role of American air force and advisors on the ground. It factually describes instances when South Vietnamese army units surrendered with little or no fight, would not go out on patrol, and dropped wounded comrades to clamor on board a med-evac helicopter. Some of the strongest criticism is directed at some South Vietnamese officers who were corrupt, cowardly, or incompetent. It also tells of soldiers who bravely and effectively took on North Vietnamese Army (NVA) tanks with Light Antitank Weapons (LAWs), and who bravely fought the NVA soldiers. Some of the South Vietnamese officers are described as courageous and effective. It tells of the NVA atrocities, such as firing artillery and machine guns on civilians attempting to leave An Loc and other battlegrounds.

The stories are told mostly from the point of view of the American army advisors and, to a lesser extent, the South Vietnamese officers who were their counterparts. Andrade describes the NVA maneuvers and attacks and the South Vietnamese response, then zeroes in on the American advisors so that you get acquainted with them and become emotionally attached to their survival and success. By January 1972, almost all American combat units had left Vietnam. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and South Vietnamese Marines were doing the fighting, with American advisers at the upper levels of command. The advisers helped the ARVN officers deploy their men, and their most essential role was to direct the air force and army helicopter support. (Also naval gunfire in I Corps.) Hue, Kontum, and An Loc all survived the NVA attacks, but would have been overrun if it were not for the B-52s and the close air support of fighters, gun ships, and helicopters. Supplies delivered by the C-130s of the 374th Tactical Airlift Wing were essential to Kontum and An Loc. Andrade does not give a lot of details on the fighting done by individual ARVN soldiers. He generally does not personalize the ARVN by introducing you to the soldiers.

Two dominant factors were the NVA artillery and American air power. The ARVN had fire support bases scattered around the enemy objectives in all three areas, and the NVA artillery was able to destroy the ARVN artillery, then pound the ARVN infantry. The ARVN artillery were in fixed defensive positions, and NVA spotters were able to direct accurate artillery onto them. The NVA concealed and frequently moved their artillery, and the ARVN did not have spotters in position to direct counterbattery fire onto the NVA artillery. American air power (plus, in I Corps, naval gunfire) filled the void of ARVN artillery. NVA anti-aircraft artillery was significant only at An Loc. On May 17, 1972, my C-130 crew delivered 15 tons of 105mm howitzer ammunition to Kontum. But on May 24, NVA artillery neutralized all of the ARVN 23rd Division's artillery (page 301), and on May 27th, the ammunition dump near the airfield was struck by mortar fire, destroying ammunition.

I have two minor criticisms, which do not significantly detract from the excellent quality of the book. It attributes the failure of the peace negotiations in December, 1972, to North Vietnam secretly inserting 17 changes into the document on December 13. (Page 479) Other accounts I have seen attribute it to South Vietnam's President Thieu rejecting the treaty, which is not mentioned here. Second, its understanding of air power is somewhat limited. It describes Combat Skyspot (Page 75) as "a high-tech method of delivering bombs using laser beams." Skyspot did not use laser beams, it used ground radar, the AN/MSQ-77. After mentioning laser beams, Andrade vaguely but more accurately mentions that Skyspot involved aircraft dropping bombs on command from a radar center on the ground. We also used Skyspot to accurately direct C-130s to the release point for air delivery of cargo.

Andrade has eloquently captured the details and meaning of the final campaign involving US Forces. In particular, he wonderfully details the herculaean effort of John Paul Vann and his outstanding Deputy, BG George Wear, USA. I served at Pleiku under these men, and sincerely appreciate Andrade's superb tribute to them--well done, Mr Andrade.

Mr. Andrade places you right in the frontline with South Vietnamese and US adivsors trying to stop the North Vietnamese "Blitzkreig" of 1972. If you still believe that the US and her allies in Vietnam fought mostly a communist peasent guerilla force armed with flintlocks and a few bags of rice, you're saddly misinformed unless you read this book!
This is one of a VERY few books which deal mostly with ARVN ground combat and about the bravery of individual South Vietnamese troops fighting NVA armored forces.
After you read this book, you will know what most ex-ARVN and many US Viet-vets have known for a long time-The North Vietnamese employed tactics and weapons which would've been more familiar to Guderian or Zhukov, not Che' or Mao.

A terrific book that covers the heroic efforts of the remaining US advisors and their ARVN compatriots to resist the North Vietnamese invasion of '72. The narrative is thrilling and Andrade's mastery of detail is marvelous.

This book has helped open the way for revisionist understanding of what actually happened to South Vietnam after the US withdrawal, two years earlier. The simple assumption that the ARVN was incompetent, which was in part used to justify the US pullout, needs reexamination.

The heroism of the ARVN and the remaining US advisors is finally brought to light. Perhaps Andrade in the future can bring us an account that focuses on the role of the ARVN during this same period--and how it performed without adequate support from the United States. It would be interesting to find out how much of the "incompetence" myth remains.

Thank you Dale Andrade.

This concise book is superior to Malcolm Gladwell's best-seller, The Tipping Point. Gladwell's popular book was based on an appealingly superficial premise: that a trend spreads like a disease, multiplying geometrically until it reaches a population "tipping point," whereafter it increases to epidemic proportions. While that handy metaphor describes how a trend spreads, it doesn't really explain why, nor does it explain why one phenomenon becomes an enduring trend while another becomes just a mere short-lived fad. Unlike Gladwell, who is a journalist, Vejlgaard is a trained social scientist. Like an epidemiologist, he examines modern trends under a microscope, discovering the source of their unique power. He detects, moreover, a traceable and predictable pattern that all true trends tend to follow. An especially valuable book for professionals in advertising, marketing, and product development, and for all the rest of us who want to better understand the material forces that shape our lives.
Stephen Bertman, author, Hyperculture: The Human Cost of Speed

I was always frustrated with Malcolm Gladwell's book about tipping points because it does not really explain how a tipping point takes place. I find Henrik Vejlgaard's book much more credible, and there are lots of insight that marketing professionals can use. It quite simply delivers the story of the REAL tipping point. It may also be the first book that offers a method that can be used to predict future needs. Good job!

This book is not only important for anyone interested in trends it is also a good mix of entertaining anecdotes and analysis. I can recommend it to all who want to know more about trends and trendsetters.

This book is an eye opener. It explains what a trend is and how it evolves and how it affects us all. The best part is about the trendsetters and where to find them. For years I have been looking for a book that explains what a trend is and now that I found it I feel that all my questions have been answered. I can recommend the book to all with an interest in trends and trendspotting.

There's not much that needs to be said about the quality of the scholarship in the Anchor Bible series as a whole and the Anchor Bible Dictionary in particular - world class. This review is simply to recommend the digital version of the dictionary. I live in the UK and its pretty hard to get the disc version so I bought from Amazon in the US and paid the import duty (17.5% - outrageous!) The shipping costs on the hardback were prohibitive
The product loaded easily and immediately interfaced with other digital versions of book I have on my machine which uses the 'logos' system. The system allows a range of 'bookmarking' across the 'logos' library which really helps with research. The disc does not just reproduce the pages of the hardback work but provides links to other parts of the book which are relevant to the article you're reading. It also enables you to read bible references mentioned in the text by hovering your mouse over the reference.
The ability to seach against individual words or strings of words is magnificent. Also 'copy and paste' facility means it's really easy to export text to other documents.
In short, unless you really love the feel of books, (and who doesn't) and value that above convenience (and this is a reference/research resource not 'furniture' after all) then there's no contest - buy the disc not the book. That said the physical books are lovely to have ....No! I made the right choice!

I bought this at the recommendation of one of my professors and I'm so happy that I got this as my first Bible reference software. Not only is the content absolutely fantastic, but the Logos system works great, even though I consider myself a beginner user so far. I keep my notebook with me in class and can very quickly find supplementary information that is related to topics being discussed. It is also great to have at my fingertips while doing homework when I run into a new idea in my reading and want to get another explanation for it. I also love the links to the Unabridged Theological Dictionary of the NT. I currently use the books in my seminary library, but am looking forward to getting that on CD-ROM as well.

There are many bible dictionaries available on the market but the Anchor Bible Dictionary (ABD) is probably the most comprehensive and represents the finest of biblical scholarship. There are more than 7200 pages, 6000 entries from 800 leading international scholars. Having it available through the Logos Library System is an enormous advantage (if you want something even better than Logos, check out the Accordance for Mac version of this dictionary). You can do quick searches, easy cross-referencing and also sorts of other fun stuff. If you are going to invest in a Bible Dictionary, you can't do wrong with this CD-ROM version of ABD.

First this is in reality more like an Encyclopedia than a Dictionary. While it is more "Liberal" in its perspective you also have conservative author's as well. Like anytype of of book you need to think for yourself. Where it is helpful is in giving a lot of archeological data and excellent bibliographies. I am currently a seminary student working on an MDiv degree. Having it on computer is a life saver. My school's library only has one set for a lot of students (our seminary has over 400 students and that doesn't include the undergrad students). In a class I took on the book of Acts and the General/Catholic epistles we had two sections of the class with 45 students all needing the same volumes of ABD. However having it on computer solves that problem. Also it makes doing research and adding quotes to my research/exegesis papers a synch. This is a really great resource. It should not be your only resource. There are a lot of good Bible dictionaries out there, so don't just depend upon one. God calls upon us to think for ourselves, Paul said to his young friend Timothy "To study". Logos/Libronix has some great titles available, check them out.

This is a collection of outstanding articles on Anthony Giddens. Like other collections of this kind, large proportion of the articles is reprinting of already published ones on a variety of journals. But some are taken from several books and some unpublished materials are included. All amount to a hefty number of 93.
With those materials, you could grasp how Giddens is evaluated and assessed in circle of his colleague. If you want to be oriented to Giddens¡¯ framework, this is not the right one. But if you want to build your own opinion about Giddens, this is definitely ready to lend a hand. Various writers attempt to dissect Giddens¡¯ grand fabric to hit upon the weakness and develop alternatives.
This set as a whole is divided into eight sections:
1. Career and work
2. Influence of other writers like French structuralists and German hermeneutic school
3. Giddens¡¯ epistemology in the view of philosophy of science.
4. Structuration theory
5. Time-space in structuration theory
6. Theory on nation-state
7. theory on modernity
8. extensions and application of structuration theory

This is a collection of outstanding articles on Anthony Giddens. Like other collections of this kind, large proportion of the articles is reprinting of already published ones on a variety of journals. But some are taken from several books and some unpublished materials are included. All amount to a hefty number of 93.
With those materials, you could grasp how Giddens is evaluated and assessed in circle of his colleague. If you want to be oriented to Giddens¡¯ framework, this is not the right one. But if you want to build your own opinion about Giddens, this is definitely ready to lend a hand. Various writers attempt to dissect Giddens¡¯ grand fabric to hit upon the weakness and develop alternatives.
This book is divided into eight sections:
1. Career and work
2. Influence of other writers like French structuralists and German hermeneutic school
3. Giddens¡¯ epistemology in the view of philosophy of science.
4. Structuration theory
5. Time-space in structuration theory
6. Theory on nation-state
7. theory on modernity
8. extensions and application of structuration theory

This is a collection of outstanding articles on Anthony Giddens. Like other collections of this kind, large proportion of the articles is reprinting of already published ones on a variety of journals. But some are taken from several books and some unpublished materials are included. All amount to a hefty number of 93.
With those materials, you could grasp how Giddens is evaluated and assessed in circle of his colleague. If you want to be oriented to Giddens¡¯ framework, this is not the right one. But if you want to build your own opinion about Giddens, this is definitely ready to lend a hand. Various writers attempt to dissect Giddens¡¯ grand fabric to hit upon the weakness and develop alternatives.
This book is divided into eight sections:
1. Career and work
2. Influence of other writers like French structuralists and German hermeneutic school
3. Giddens¡¯ epistemology in the view of philosophy of science.
4. Structuration theory
5. Time-space in structuration theory
6. Theory on nation-state
7. theory on modernity
8. extensions and application of structuration theory

This is a collection of outstanding articles on Anthony Giddens. Like other collections of this kind, large proportion of the articles is reprinting of already published ones on a variety of journals. But some are taken from several books and some unpublished materials are included. All amount to hefty number of 93.
With those materials, you could grasp how Giddens is evaluated and assessed in circle of his colleague. If you want to be oriented to Giddens¡¯ framework, this is not the right one. But if you want to build your own opinion about Giddens, this is definitely ready to lend a hand. Various writers attempt to dissect Giddens¡¯ grand fabric to hit upon the weakness and develop alternatives.
This book is divided into eight sections:
1. Career and work
2. Influence of other writers like French structuralists and German hermeneutic school
3. Giddens¡¯ epistemology in the view of philosophy of science.
4. Structuration theory
5. Time-space in structuration theory
6. Theory on nation-state
7. theory on modernity
8. extensions and application of structuration theory

2004's "Anticipating Surprise" is a distillation of a much larger, and classified, study on the challenge for the U.S. Intelligence Community of providing strategic warning. Author Cynthia Grabo's working experience covered the Cold War from Korea to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. This condensed version, put together by the Joint Military Intelligence College, alludes to some later examples of warning problems.

Those looking for quick and easy solutions to the conduct of analysis for strategic warning may be disappointed. As Grabo notes in a summary chapter, "Nothing is going to remove the uncertainties of the warning problem." Anticipating surprise is hard work; Grabo explores the topic in clear simple language, pointing out some reliable methods and some obvious pitfalls. After explaining the basics of the warning problem, Grabo devotes several chapters to the use of indicators of pending enemy action, whether military or political. She notes both the difficulty and the criticality of providing the decision-maker with a coherent, positive judgement on a warning problem.

Grabo includes a remarkably lucid discussion on the problem of deception, the discouraging conclusion of which is how often deception is successful. A follow-on discussion on assigning probabilities to various outcomes is unusually accessible for what is often an arcane topic. A final chapter sums up the discussion and offers some take-away points for the professional practioner.

"Anticipating Surprise" is very highly recommended professional reading for the intelligence officer. Persons in the academic community or the decision-making business may find this short book to be invaluable preparation for understanding more focused studies such as the report of the 9/11 Commission. This reviewer recommends reading it in conjunction with Roberta Wohlstetter's outstanding "Warning and Decision" dissection of the Pearl Harbor disaster.

Just a note to say that I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the book arrived. It was as-described in the posting. Many many stars to the dealer.

JCG
Washington, DC

This book is great on several counts: first, it was extremely readable without the jargon that usually comes with these types of books; secondly, this is a textbook that teaches you how to do intelligence analysis for forecasting; thirdly, it is realistic and the author's 30 years of experience comes through in the telling of examples and instruction; and finally, although the book was previously classified and sat on the shelf in the intelligence community for many, many years, it seems like it could have been the predecessor for the 9-11 Report. Overall, a real gem of a book for anyone interested in doing intelligence analysis or knowing how it is suppose to be done.

If there was an intelligence failure associated with the 9/11 disaster it was a failure of intelligence warning. Yet in all the calls for intelligence reform that have been made since that disaster none have seriously addressed the issue of the analytic techniques for identifying and warning of potential threats to U.S. security. Cynthia Grabo took the concept of intelligence warning as deadly serious and, in the early 1970's, wrote down her observations on the best analytic practices for developing warning intelligence. She was, until her retirement in 1980, considered the final authority on warning intelligence. This book is an abridged and declassified summary of her work and her thinking on warning intelligence and is as valuable today as it was thirty years ago.

Although the Cold War is long over the analytic techniques required to identify threats and build warning information are just as relevant today as they were in the 1970's. Unlike so many of the books and other documents on intelligence `reform', this book addresses the basics of analysis and actually deals with realistic processes of intelligence production. More importantly, it recognizes that analysis of warning intelligence is a unique set of skills and crafts that represent a specialized and relevant career field. If the Directorate of National Intelligence (DNI) were actually a functioning organization this book should be read by DNI executives and its lesson applied to create a dedicated `intelligence warning' center as the principal center reporting to the DNI. Warning intelligence is no less relevant today than it was when Cynthia Grabo attempted to codify the methodologies of producing it.

On a personnel note, this reviewer never had an opportunity to meet Ms. Grabo, but can testify to the fact that she and her writings were considered the definitive word on warning intelligence by many of us both during and after the Cold War.

Pain should not, and cannot, be separated from anger, anxiety and depression. This is the message of an excellent monograph by Dr Fernandez. The book is comprehensive (800 references to the primary literature) and argues succinctly that emotions are an integral contributor to the concept of pain. Aside from an excellent review of the literature and an excellent treatise, the book offers methods of clinical treatment and assessment.

This book is timely and deserves a place in every University Library and on the shelves of clinical psychologists that deal on a daily basis with people suffering pain.

Highly recommended

This is an excellent book not only for medical and psychological professionals involved in the treatment of pain and associated mood disorders, but also for members of the public who wish to keep informed about the latest state of the art research into pain and emotions.

The book is comprehensive in scope, and goes considerably beyond anything that has previously been written on the subject, with over 800 references to previously published work in the area.

A range of clinical treatments are discussed including hypnosis, biofeedback, cognitive reappraisal, cognitive behavior therapy, systematic desensitization therapy, muscle relaxation, and so on.

The significant role of anger in pain is highlighted, as well as its treatment via cognitive behavioral affective therapy (CBAT).

This book also elucidates the dynamic interrelationships between pain and emotions such anxiety, depression and anger. In doing so, the book examines both physiological as well as psychological variables.

Furthermore, the author's discussion of the diathesis-stress theory of pain and disease is very illuminating.

This is the first book to comprehensively address the important role of affect in pain, and Dr Fernandez has clearly established himself as a leading pain researcher and clinician. This book is a must for all those interested in knowing more about the complex interrelationships between pain and emotions.

I've been waiting for this release! Fantastic! It's not for the simple-minded but it sure does elevate your understanding of how these three emotional disorders interact with pain. The answers in this book are based on hard evidence and expert opinion. The information will be appreciated by health professionals, but it's not off limits to anyone who wants scientific backing for claims made about pain, anxiety, depression, and anger.

I have read books on pain and suffering but this one is especially refreshing. Dr. Fernandez points out why anxiety, depression, and anger cannot be ignored any longer when trying to figure out a person's pain and medical illness. He goes through great depths to explain exactly how emotions can interact with physical problems -- and it's not just about simple cause and effect but much more. Importantly, he provides options for the treatment and assessment of these problems, and I feel confident about these because they are backed up with scientific evidence. It is reassuring to know that the conclusions in the book are supported up by extensive research in the field.

This is the only AP Art History Review book the Art History teacher recommended. It is the best test prep book on the market and if you're taking the AP exam, you should really consider buying it. We're waiting for the AP exam results and hopefully it would prove its worth.

Students in the Atlanta area have found this book to be very helpful for preparation on the AP Art History exam. Adult friends with an interest in art history have bought the book and found that the book along with the 400 picture CD is a great resource.

These dedicated authors have produced a book that is a superior study aid and a reference for those who appreciate art history. Details regarding the classics are impressive and sample tests are well written. A must for all AP Art History students.

This book includes so much information and the tests are great because they give you a detailed description of every correct answer! I bought the book because my teacher wrote it but I'm reading it because it is a great review!

I cracked this book open about a month and a half before my AP test. And I think I partly owe it to this book for getting a 5 on the test.

This book is great for assessment. Its pre-test and 3 exams are very difficult. I was consistently scoring around 50% on each test- but I find that I learn best from my mistakes. I'm glad that the practice tests were very difficult rather than very easy, for I improved because of it.

I would recommend that you buy this book simply for practicing. If it's April right now and you just started thinking about buying this book... DO IT. In my french class, we didn't practice listening or speaking very often. This book gave me an opportunity to make up for what was lacking: 32 listening questions x 4 tests and 2 speaking exam sketches x 4 tests + 19 additional sketches... That's plenty of practice right there. The book is accompanied by a CD, which has the listening portions of the practice exams and sample student responses to the speaking exams.

If you happen to bomb the practice tests (like me), it helps a lot to look at the answers: the book gives you each answer choice translated into english (so you can see just how ridiculously wrong the answer you chose was), a detailed explanation of which answer choice is the correct one, and a transcript of everything said on the CDs (because they speak so damn fast).

Of course, the book has a review section. A very extensive one: page 17 through page 306 are devoted to review. I didn't use this book for review that often, but my honest impression is that some of the review section was material we hadn't even covered in class (when to use plaire vs. manquer... the pluperfect subjunctive...) But erring on the side of too much information is better than too little information.

This review might seem laudatory, but I really wanted to express my gratitude to the authors of this book and help other students. I was expecting a 3 or a 4 on this AP test, since only native speakers get 5's. Well, at least that's what I thought.

After struggling with other French prep materials, I was delighted to see an alternative on the market. I was more delighted that the book was decidedly more useful. Bravo! Specifically let me say that:
1. The grammar is more thoroughly reviewed and the explanations are much clearer for high school students.
2. The readings are imaginative, engaging and filled with challenging vocabulary.
3. The author includes 3 full practice exams and the voice quality is wonderful on the CD's
4. This book is more affordable for my students
Bon Apetit!

In conclusion, this is without a doubt the BETTER review book.
Lynnette Lang
French Teacher
Wheaton Academy

As a high school student planning to major in French in college, I knew the importance of succeeding on the AP French Language exam. About a month before the exam was scheduled to take place, I purchased Ellen Knauer's AP French practice book, and I found that it really helped me prepare for the test. I practiced for about twenty mintues each day, by simply going over the sample exercises and listening to the various dialogues included on the book's CD's. By the time I took the test, I felt well prepared and confident in my abilities to express my knowledge of French while taking the exam. Since the formats of the practice tests are exactly the same in the practice book as the real exam in early May, each section was easy to complete and I even had time remaining before I was required to stop after each section of the test. Although I have not yet received my scores, I feel very confident that I earned a five as my total weighted grade on the AP French exam. I would not only recommend the book to anyone who plans on taking the exam in early May, but I would also recommend it to anyone who would like to practice or "brush up" on the different materials it covers before entering at the college level. The book showed me the areas I was weakest in, and it made me stronger at the subjects I already knew fairly well. I would recommend this book without reservation to anyone.

This book breaks down categories very well and the CD is beneficial also.

If you only read one book about case research, buy this one together with R. K. Yin, Case Studie Research: Design and Methods (Beverly Hills, CA: Sage, 2002).

I am working on my theses of doctoral grade and found this book very useful for my methodological work.

Everyone is telling stories through case studies but what do they mean. How can you tell a good case from a poor one? Yin does something that few people have done -- provide a strong academic explaination that is understandable to the business person. Too often strong academic concepts are explained in language that makes the less appealing and seem weak to business people.

Yin's examination of the different types of case studies and study methods helps people understand what they are reading when the read a case study.

This very accessible book is a must for researchers and those who want to understand what cases are and how to use them.

This book is a real good complement to the classic "Case Study Research" from the same author. Some of the concepts of the other book were not aboslutely clear (although the book is very good), but I was really able to understand fully after reading this one. Don't buy one without the other!!! These two books have everything you really need to know about case studies. Good luck!!

This is a great primary reference work. It has a few amusing bits of Classical Test Theory-bashing polemic, which seem both pointless and de rigeur for IRT practitioners. In almost all other aspects, however, this is a well thought-out and highly useful primer for anyone looking to get up-to-speed quickly on using IRT methods to expand and improve their measurement strategies.

This is a book which takes a daunting subject and treats it in such a fashion that immediately draws the most novice researcher to the topic. The authors take their subject seriously, and take themselves not seriously at all. The result is that rare combination of the "how-to" technical aspects of Rasch Analysis with an entertaining and informative discussion of the theoretical basis of the subject. An enjoyable read, and filled with helpful and useful information. A must for the professional library of any researcher!

I expected this book to be another barely undestandable book on Rasch-type model fitting, written by authors who's principle purpose is first to dazzle readers, then discourage them with mysterious statistical spells and mathmatical enchantments. I was wrong. This is a highly readable book which contains powerful arguments for the application and utility of the the Rasch model. The content is rational, and it's presentation lucid. After a few pages it becomes surprisingly clear these authors actually like their subject and want to share it with others!

If the statistically challenged wish to learn more about a very important new direction in measurement, and can afford only one text, this should be the book.

An excellent contribution to theory and practice. The book is a lucid introduction to the one-parameter IRT methodology that is extremely well-written.