Research Books

I was skeptical when Wikipedia first launched. I was convinced it could never rival the Encyclopedia Britannica, to pick a not-so-random candidate for comparison. But over the ensuing years, I've been increasingly impressed at what this effort has produced. The coverage is truly amazing, and the depth of many articles is nothing short of astounding. Caveat lector still applies, of course -- but it applies to *any* book or reference you might purchase here on Amazon.

I have edited a handful of Wikipedia entries, but always with some trepidation, a little voice in my head going, "You're not doing it right!" All the rules and templates and syntax and unique cultural guidelines are all included in Wikipedia itself, but it can be a daunting task finding what you need at any given moment. I remember having many browser windows open into multiple Wikipedia pages -- all so I could make sure I *was* doing it right. I often wished I had an offline reference I could flip through to find what I needed without leaving the page I was editing.

And now I do. This is a very fine book indeed, extremely thorough on every topic I can imagine needing to know more about. Highly recommended.

~ Chris Locke, co-author of The Cluetrain Manifesto: The End of Business as Usual

The publication date of this book was delayed for some months but on arrival it proves well worth the wait in terms of both content and design.

The authors adopt precisely the tone of authority required without being too simplistic - the book is thoroughly crafted and sincere but always engaging and never overbearing. The layout is minimalist and attractive, while incorporated within the text are subtle primers for those getting to grips with Wikipedia's mark-up conventions.

The book is not in any way a hasty Wiki-mania cash in and covers with fairness and neutrality the controversies which have been associated with Wikipedia. It is obvious that the authors genuinely believe in the Wikipedia project and have extensive experience as both editors and readers. It is superior to John Broughton's Wikipedia: The Missing Manual in both its depth and its clarity.

Sections on licensing and copyright are crisp and useful while introductory matter on Wikipedia's heritage (from printed encyclopaedias to Open Source communities) and its underlying philosophy will ensure that readers understand what Wikipedia is really all about.

The book includes a useful Glossary, Appendices (such as Edit Summaries Jargon), a comprehensive Index and even a guide for teachers on how they might use Wikipedia in the class-room.

For fans of the old-fashioned printed book, the real boon of 'How Wikipedia Works' is the satisfaction that comes from sitting it firmly on your desk as you begin to boldly edit your first Wikipedia article!

I have been waiting for an excellent primer on *using* Wikipedia for many years. As a vocal fan of Wikipedia, I am used to my friends and relatives asking me questions about the site (this was more common when it was still unusual to use it as a daily reference). Now I have a book to send them!

How Wikipedia Works covers the most important parts of Wikipedia : the culture and process of contribution. It describes helpful tools and extensions for searching and using the site, and quickly evaluating articles. It helps you set up your own user account, get feedback from article authors, and contribute knowledge to topics you care about.
The authors balance simple language with comprehensive coverage, providing the best bibliography I've seen of links to further information on Wikipedia itself.

Best of all, it maintains a steady sense of humor about the encyclopedia, its editors, and the project's unusual history.

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.

This is a very welcome counterbalance to the many voices that stress differences among cultures at the cost of losing sight of what we humans share. With extensive use of anthropological studies, Brown alerts the reader to those almost innumerable and too easily taken-for-granted elements of humanity. We all smile when happy, mourn the loss of a child, negotiate a place in a social setting with specific traditional roles. We all eat, experience hunger, learn which foods are acceptable, connect eating with social occasions, use food-related activities as basic metaphors for aspects of life. (The annotated bibliography is especially good for its lists of shared human factors.) Those who stress differences among people now usually do so to promote tolerance of "the other." But a good basis for tolerance is to recognize the common humanness within all the differences. This book does that well. It is good but highly readable anthropology.

This is a comprehensive survey of the anthropological study of human universals, human nature, culture vs. biology, etc. It's also a critique of the field of anthropology, and one given from a refreshing outside-looking-in perspective. Brown deals with several influential cases (such as Margaret Mead's study of Samoan adolescence) and shows where they erred. He discusses the processes of defining and demonstrating universals, takes us on a grand tour of the history of universals in anthropology, presents the basic gamut of how universals have been and can be explained. In the final chapters he lays out his position and leaves cultural relativism thoroughly refuted. Cultural relativists, he demonstrates, have relied on universals even in their attempts to show cultural relativity. Among even the most dissimilar human languages, for example, the similarities (grammar, syntax, rhythm, content, etc.) still far outweigh the differences. Anthropologists have historically focused on the differences while remaining blind to the (often more fundamental and important) similarities. I'm a little leery of some of the traits Brown ends up calling universal; he does acknowledge the "working" nature of such a list. But what precisely shall be found to be universal is less important than simply the shift to an orientation that would seek to understand human nature in such terms. This is what Brown proposes. He understands the place of anthropology in the social sciences, the field's potential, where and how that potential has gone unrealized, and how anthropologists will need to alter their approach if they're to be fruitful in the future. I haven't even scraped the surface here; the book is a gold mine of interdisciplinary connections and it brims with insights. More than anything, it's a sensible, biologically-informed, (dare I say) reality-based account of human nature. The tone is that of a genuine pursuit of truth, as opposed to the trend among some social scientists to search high and low for anything that supports established theory. This book is packed, and in many ways it only aims to lay the framework of a better approach to the subject.

This is a very welcome counterbalance to the many voices that stress differences among cultures at the cost of losing sight of what we humans share. With extensive use of anthropological studies, Brown alerts the reader to those almost innumerable and too easily taken-for-granted elements of humanity. We all smile when happy, mourn the loss of a child, negotiate a place in a social setting with specific traditional roles. We all eat, experience hunger, learn which foods are acceptable, connect eating with social occasions, use food-related activities as basic metaphors for aspects of life. (The annotated bibliography is especially good for its lists of shared human factors.) Those who stress differences among people now usually do so to promote tolerance of "the other." But a good basis for tolerance is to recognize the common humanness within all the differences. This book does that well. It is also highly readable anthropology.

This book rates highly with me because: 1) it's brief and to the point, 2) it treats I-Operations in the larger enterprise operations context, 3) it deals with the nuances of I-Operations in a thorough, clear manner, and 4) it's well written in manner accessible by non-IT executives as well - I can give it any reasonably IT-literate CxO to read.

The last section incorporating the "10 F's" is especially welcome and well done.

I had the pleasure of meeting Brett Johnson recently and it's always reassuring to know that an author can "walk the talk", as is the case here.

I strongly recommend this book.

In our business of providing business solutions it is imperative that we are on the cutting edge of thinking and tools in the market. I find Brett Johnson's book full of substance that is pertinent to the issues being wrestled with in business today. This book is also very accessible, with a clean writing style that makes it easy to grasp the content. Highly recommended for business leaders.

Great tool to develop a plan to apply the internet to a business.

This is not a book for the weak of heart or mind, and requires steady and multiple readings. But there is much in here to learn, as -Identity and Control- convincingly disposes of traditional sociological theory and takes issues of "structure" to new heights of abstraction. This is not to say that this book is "pie in the sky" theory. On the contrary, everything that White says should be applicable to your own life. Much of this book is architectonic, which is to say that White intends to come up with a new (possibly more 'scientific') vocabulary or vision for how we think of the "social." But there is a great deal in here which is quite pragmatic, if not political. Critical theorists should be especially interested in this book as it puts a concrete face to abstract questions of reification (what White calls blocking action). Through White's frame social domination is reconceptualized in terms of position in networks, types of social ties, styles of maneuvering, and the ability to tell persuasive stories. White is also good on the other side of agency, and provides many important leads concerning how all of us can anneal the social structures in which we are embedded, shake things up, and decouple from the shackles of routinized behavior. Certainly not a leisurely read, but if you want a good test of your intellect (one which challenges the very basic assumptions of who YOU are), give it a shot.

First, let me recommend Don Steiny's review also found here. It is accurate and useful. I would add a few things.

The book is known for having a thick style. There is a view I have heard expressed more than once that says it is so tortured it must say little, or something to that effect. I disagree. It was, at least for me, one of those rare works where you read a few lines and then stare off into space mixing new thoughts of your own with the author's examples and his often utterly new ways of describing things. I suppose not everyone does this, but I did. Still, his descriptions are never quite complete and too often ideas feel inadequately fleshed out. For what is there, the pieces are so stimulating it almost hurts.

I&C is hard stuff with its own terminology. It will win no prizes for clarity. It cannot be skimmed, and it is frustratingly cumulative--you've got to keep going back to figure out exactly how he is using a term. I read with a pencil and almost every book page gets an underline or two. My copy looks like I wrote it.

The work is particularly suitable for someone who knows some organizational or social theory yet is relatively new to thinking about social networks and their implications. Institutional economists, social psychologists, or other students of organizations, institutions, and government willing to wade into unknown theory oceans would find it of great interest.

I'd guess that those who reject I&C or who are frustrated by it tend to hold a positive orientation toward highly formalized network approaches while holding little taste for the messier theoretical stuff. This book does not emphasize symbolic approaches, graph theory, or math models. It is conceptual and textual. A good portion of it discusses the importance and nature of narratives, for instance.

There is of course no way to know, but I suspect this book will be like certain works of Durkheim's or Mead's in that people will be tracking it down for a long time. If PhD theses exist in 2104, my guess is that more than a few will still be pondering I&C.

An acquaintence for whom I have high regard for among other things, his knowledge of social network theory, recommended this book for a "more nuanced view of social networks." It became a challenge because it is very difficult. However, it is not impossible to understand, and I am glad I took the time.

To give the flavor, the biblography is 50 pages and White expects that you are familiar with everything in the biblography and refers to them. Or more accurately, he put so much work into the book that he expects you to read them.

The interesting thing is (and Amazon must love me), if you take the time to read the references it opens up an amazing world where cognative psychology, linguistics, micro sociology merge. One arrives at a view of society and even of socially constructed reality as far more restricting than one might at first think.

There are profound assumptions in the book, or better profound elements that are based on new information about the world. For instance the organization of society into hierarchies cannot be based on the attributes of individuals. White extends these results upward through institutions and large social formations.

The book looks at our concept of "self" and challenges the view that has lead to our modern psychology, sociology and economics.

Finally, the critical point of the books is about "getting action." How is it that someone embedded in the web of ties and relationship we are all in can succeed at doing anything?

I have spent nearly 6 months reading this book, reading it, reading references, and then reading it again and I do not feel I have wasted my time.

Dale Kaczmarek has written a unique book that documents the numerous areas where Spooklights have been reported. It is well written and very informative. His level of knowledge about Spooklight locations is impressive. This book is a good reference for any one wanting to know where Spooklights have been seen. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Spooklight phenomena.

Very well written book on all the mysterious lights from across the country. This book has useful information, links to webpages and very crisp clear pictures. I enjoy reading Dale's books because you know your getting great information from an expert that is actuallly in the field.
I can't wait for another book from him !

Mr. Kaczmarek is a professional in the field of ghost research this books is very informative.

This book made me very horney. As I read it I looked down my pants. Then I started to do my cat! Suddenly my dog walked in and joined the fun. I loved all the pictures in this discriptive book. I would reomend it to anyone who wants to get a boner

This book made me very horney. As I read it I looked down my pants. Then I started to do my cat! Suddenly my dog walked in and joined the fun. I loved all the pictures in this discriptive book. I would reomend it to anyone who wants to get a boner

The book covers subjects as diverse as (1) human physiology, (2) sexual techniques and performance, (3) the Arts, (4) aberrant sex and deviation, (5) the animal and plant kingdoms, (6) Contraception & Castration, (7) sexology, (8) prudery, superstition, and the Law

About the Book
In Search Of... The Origin Of Nations is the first work ever published providing major proofs for the modern identity of nations and peoples whose roots may be carefully tracked back to the ancient Middle East.

Reviewers have claimed that the subject of this book may one day be acknowledged as the most amazing work on the origin of nations and peoples ever written.

The author has spent many years of painstaking in-depth research investigating and pulling together the many complex threads and strands of tradition, linguistic, anthropological and historical fact and detail to assemble the most overpowering anthropological detective work of this age!

With precision, incredible detail and analysis, the author assembles an awesome array of proofs for the true identity of the three major races and the modern nations (the bibliography alone contains over 700 items).

The interrelationships of the peoples of the earth and their destiny based on stunning ancient prophecies are discussed in a pacy but logical style.

These and many more questions are researched and answered in an easy-to-understand style - be prepared for a few surprises.

A MUST read for all ages and interest groups.

History Research Projects

Following in the footsteps of such Genesis 10 and origin of nations researchers such as Rawlinson, Sayce and Custance, the author has spent many years of in depth research and analysis to track the migrations of peoples from the ancient Middle East to modern locations.

He has lived in several countries and has come to appreciate the enormous human and cultural diversity found all over our wonderful planet. He is driven by a respect for all peoples and races and a hope that they will all survive the onslaught of globalization and homogenization

His qualifications include a BA, Graduate Diploma in Education and MA from universities in addition to numerous other studies.

Preview

Many years have been spent researching the origin of the world's tribes, peoples and races - the family of nations - based on the mysterious Table of Nations found in Genesis chapter ten. Piecing together and tediously assembling the many parts of the puzzle, the strands of information and the bits of data required for an exercise such as this has not been easy for this writer/researcher.

Using a data-gathering and deductive reasoning formula, I have pored through hundreds of books, journals and articles to assemble a work, which is moderate in size but huge in scope. Basing the book on the requirement for biology, genetics and physical anthropology as the chief criteria to ascertain which nations may be identified with the peoples mentioned throughout the Bible, I found that modern racial taxonomy and classification was very close to the Biblical model found in Genesis 10.

Genesis 10 has often been overlooked by modern scholars. Many Bible scholars from previous centuries, have had a fascination with it, but gradually with the advent of humanism and the anti-literal interpretation of scripture, interest in this chapter as the basis for the origin of nations has receded to become almost a taboo subject.

In the 18th century Sir William Jones and J. Bryant wrote on the subject. But the interest in this chapter of God's Word peaking late 19th century with academics such as Rawlinson famous for his Origin of Nations (1878) and Sayce in such books as Races of the Old Testament (1891; 1925). Both showed an intense interest in this key topic. Famous Seventh-day Adventist scholar, Alonzo T. Jones also authored two works on the subject: The Peopling of the Earth (1887) and The Empires of the Bible (vol. 1, 1904). He was obviously inspired by contemporary writers; in turn, others in the twentieth century were inspired by his writings.

Authors such as Dr. Herman L. Hoeh, Arthur C. Custance, Dr. D.J. Wiseman, Dr. John Pilkey, Bill Cooper, J. Simon, and, of course, Ross Marshall of Project Genesis Ten, have continued the research and study of this fascinating science. Dr. Hoeh in particular has demonstrated that history, ancient tradition and authenticised lists of kings assist in tracing various peoples around the world.

Much of the corpus of Genesis 10 research in literature which has been extant for a considerable period of time generally, in my estimation, remained inadequate while large chunks of information had never been written up or explored in much detail.

My focus is primarily historical and anthropological, attempting to find all scraps of evidence, digest them, and then produce a synthesis of all the major finds (while omitting many other minor proofs so as not to overwhelm the reader or clutter up the book).

Since my spiritual awakening in late 1972, I have developed a powerful curiosity about the national origins of all peoples. It became apparent to me that, while some have included the identity of Israel in their theology and literature, almost nothing was said or published about the other peoples and races. It was a pity that this area of identity was not included in overall teachings about God's plan for humanity. In Search of... the Origin of Nations aims to correct this imbalance.

BOOK OUTLINE

Each chapter has a section at the front advising the reader of a list of points they will know and understand by the time they complete the chapter. At the rear of the chapters a recommended reading list is added followed by the endnotes.

Contents

List of Charts
List of Maps
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Introduction

An introduction to the subject matter; discusses researchers and writers on the subject of Genesis 10, the need to keep the flame of this truth alive and how to approach the subject.

1. The Incredible Bio-Diversity of Mankind

The chapter discusses the concept of race, nations and tribes and their taxonomy. Physical characteristics are delved into: skull types, hair, eyes, skin, blood groups.

2. The Mysterious Table of Nations

Bible origins of the races, the concept of the baptism of the earth by floods; how all nations descend from Adam and later through Noah. The structure and meaning of the Table of Nations and the typology of bulls researched. How Noah's three sons fore-type prophecies for the nations. What ethnographers have to say about this intriguing chapter.

PART ONE: HAM
3. The Roots of the Turkic and Arab Peoples
The Turkish peoples shown to be descendants of Edom/Esau with primary reference to Teman. Gog, a descendant of Edom is discussed and his modern location identified. Ishmael's descendants, Arabs, Jordanians etc researched.

4. Mediterranean, North African and Black African identity
The Phoenicians, various nations of Africa including the Africoids, pygmies, bushmen, Hottentots origins documented.

5. The Descendants of Cush
Cush proven to have two branches: eastern and western. Cush's various sons such as Seba, Sabteca, Raamah etc traced primarily to exotic locations.

6. The Other Descendants of Cush
Nimrod identified with Lugalzaggisi; the scattering of his empire; the mysterious Sukkim; land and peoples of the Colchis (adjacent to the Black Sea); Australian Aboriginals; Egyptian connection to Australia anciently?

PART TWO: JAPHETH
7. Dodanim and Tarshish
The people descended from the Dodanim traced and located. Their anthropology discussed. This chapter demonstrates that Tarshish had western and eastern branches. Hebrew contact with ancient Japan is proven.

8. The Russians and Finno-Ugric Peoples
Where are the modern-day descendants of Madai, Meschech, Tubal today? Who are the Finno-Ugric peoples scattered in north-west Russia, eastern Finland, Estonia and Hungary?

9. The Peoples of China and South-east Asia
Magog, Kittim, Gomer etc all proven to be east Asian peoples.

10. What Happened to the Descendants of Elishah and Tiras?
These people are not easy to trace, but trace them I did. You will be surprised at who they are today on our planet.

PART THREE: SHEM
11. The Peoples of Northern Europe
A thorough discussion of Arphaxad and Aram. The descendants, including Joktan, mysterious Ophir.

12. The Origin of the White Russians and Balts
Abraham had a concubine, Keturah. The Mitanni, Medans, Brahmins, Balts are traced back to Abraham.

13. Modern Identities of the descendants of Elam and Lud
Ancient Elam compared to modern nations, place-names, tribes etc. Who could his descendants be today?

14. The Assyrians in the Modern World!
A lot of space has been spent discussing the Assyrians in this book. Why? one may ask. This will become self-evident, but they were a very important and dominant people in the ancient Middle East and impact upon Israel to such a degree, that they must be traced and their descendants identified today.

14.1. Mysterious Origin of the Assyrians
14.2. The Fearsome Assyrians and their Migrations Into Central Europe
14.3. The Hittite Empire and the Modern Assyro-Hittites
14.4. What is Germany's Destiny?
The identity of Assur is identified; his exploits in the years after Babel; his character, empire and descendants all discussed. After his empire fell, his descendants were driven out of the Middle East and I trace them on their journey to where they reside today.

15. Israel - Successors of Arphaxad
After going into captivity, most of the peoples of Israel disappear from view - what became of them and what is their future? Why is Israel so important to God and why are they so emphasised in the Bible?

Concluding Remarks
Glossary
Abbreviations
Bibliography

LIST OF CHARTS
1. Noah's Descendants
2. Noah's Sons and Grandsons
3. Table of Nations
4. A List of the Names of Genesis Ten and their Meanings
5. List of different nations with similar names
6. List of Nations whose names have changed in the Bible
7. Descendants of Ham
8. The Black-Brown Races
9. Modern-day Descendants of Edom and Ishmael
10. Modern Location of the Hamites
11. Descendants of Japheth
12. The Yellow-Brown Races
13. Modern Location of the Japhethites
14. Descendants of Shem
15. The White Races
16. The Descendants of Nahor and Haran
17. Abraham's Ancestry and Descendants
18. Modern Locations of Abraham's Descendants
19. Assur's Ancestry
20. The Royal House of Akkad
21. Kings of Nineveh
22. List of the Early Kings of Assyria
23. List of the Latter Kings of Assyria
24. Early Kings of Germany
25. The Hittite Kings
26. Modern Location of the Shemites
27. Chronology of Genesis and Generations of the Patriarchs
28. The Generations of Adam - the Pre-Flood Patriarchs
29. The Generations of Noah - the Post-Flood Patriarchs
LIST OF MAPS
1. The Original Location of the Nations after Babel
2. The Location of the Nations in Old Testament Times
3. Locations of the Hamitic Race
4. Migrations of the Hamitic Race
5. Locations of the Japhetic Race
6. Migrations of the Japhetic Race
7. Locations of the Shemitic Race
8. Migrations of the Shemitic Race
9. Ancient Peoples of the Near East
10. Locations of the Nations in the Modern World

It was an interesting book. The differences in races was some waht a suprise. As a believer in the tracing of the tribes of old Isreal, I liked the clarity that is given in the tracing of these peoples. This added to the " Tribes" by Yari Davidiy. I thought is was easy to understand and very educational.

This book is good for starters looking to get indepth with the origins of the nations. For the most part I found the book to be helpful in my research, but their is problems with the book with some of the nations I don't agree with. But, it still dosen't take away from the fact that book is still very good, and helpful. I recommend this book to anyone who is intrested. Also check out Steven M. Collins, and Yair Davidiy for further details concering the tribes of Israel if intrested. Once again 5 stars for a very good book:)