New Zealand Books

Students and professionals who must use mathematics are often tripped up by three items: the vocabulary of math, the symbols of math and keeping up with "old what's his names" theorem or postulate. This book can help with all three of those traps.

Where Collins Dictionary shines is when you have to learn something new. Say you needed to learn Green's functions. A good start in learning anything about mathematics is to define exactly what you are trying to do. By looking up the definition of Green's functions, you discover that Green' functions are a set of integrating kernels used to solve non-homogeneous differential equations with boundary conditions.

Knowing what Green's functions are and what they are for, you now know *where to start* which is half the battle.

Another place where the Collins dictionary shines is that there are so many disciplines of mathematics that no one can know them all. It can give you an overview of an unfamiliar discipline and point you toward key topics. Unfamiliar with Linear algebra? You can get the nickel tour in a few minutes rather than a semester.

NOTE: I own the 1989 edition of this disctionary. I have no experience with the web-linked features.

This is an outstanding mathematics dictionary. Unlike other mathematics dictionaries that I have seen, this one is aimed at mathematicians. I used it repeatedly through my undergraduate and graduate careers, and still refer to it frequently now that I am a professor. I have mainly used the dictionary when discussing or reading about something outside of my own areas of expertise (such as when I forget the difference between a normal space and a regular space).

The dictionary is very strong on logic, but good in almost all areas of pure mathematics. The definitions are generally short and succinct, making it a good supplement to something like mathworld.

The writing style is easy to read, and occasionally humorous. The entry on "Null graph" reads "n. the graph a representation of which is shown in Fig. 257". Fig. 257 is a blank space.

I found this book so useful that I bought two copies: one for my office and one for home.

Ben Jonson's Epicoene, or The Silent Woman, was first staged in late 1609, or early 1610. Epicoene is difficult to characterize. It is essentially a comedy with an element of sexual wit, and yet it has a surprise ending, one that is markedly non-comedic and leaves a bitter taste. Despite the sharp ending, the surprising twist in the final scene is critical to Jonson's play and I strongly suggest you avoid any discussion of the plot until after your first reading of Epicoene.

In general, I had less empathy for the upper class characters in Epicoene than I did for Jonson's lower class, bawdy rogues that populate The Alchemist and Bartholomew's Fair. The characters in Epicoene are not terribly disagreeable; they are largely dilettantes that have little concern for morality or ethics. For example, the character Truewit, speaking of some promiscuous ladies who live apart from their husbands, says: "Why, all their actions are governed by crude opinion, without reason or cause; they know not why they do anything; but as they are informed, believe, judge, praise, condemn, love, hate, and in emulation of one another, do all these things alike."

I had difficulty understanding the intent of some dialogue on my first reading. My second reading was much easier, perhaps helped a bit by my now knowing the unexpected ending.

Epicoene was staged frequently for nearly 150 years, but its popularity declined after about 1750. Apparently, performances in 1752 and 1776 and 1784 were unsuccessful, and it did not reappear until 1895. There were few performances in twentieth century.

I recommend the New Mermaids edition (ISBN 0393900401) edited by Roger Holdsworth; there have been multiple printings and it should not be difficult to find a copy. The footnotes are quite helpful. The introduction is lengthy, almost 50 pages. There is also an appendix containing the play's music and some of Jonson's classical sources.

Another source: Epicoene is often included in collections of Ben Jonson's plays, like the inexpensive World Classics edition published by Oxford University Press.

Epicoene or Epicene? Both versions are found. And Jonson's play also goes by the title, The Silent Woman. Good luck in your title searches

All are to be found in "Epicoene," an extremely funny if slightly dark Ben Jonson play. I don't want to give much of a summary because I don't want to reveal any plot twists, but it begins with the common Renaissance theme of men looking for wives . . . and chaos ensues. I am very fond of the New Mermaids edition because it includes very interesting and relevant information about original staging and such. This play is a good starting place for non-Jonson fans; this edition is a good one for Jonson scholars. Reccomended.

Intended as a coffee table book for every household, Heywood became in the 1970's the "botany bible" that opened the eyes of world-traveling naturalists to the magnificent diversity of the world's flowering plants . At long last we had a chance to identify that fantastic tropical tree and what it was used for economically. To this day, 40 years later, I consult Heywood daily with joy. I have bought crates of this book to distribute as gifts to my students. It is true that contemporary plant systematists are revolutionizing the world of plant taxonomy with new molecular data, and deride Heywood as obsolete. Family names and relationships are in a maddening confusing state of flux, will change tomorrow. Heywood provides great practical and professional information under the traditional family names.

The book is a good, fundamental reference for flowering plants. I use it to supplement courses in botany and find it popular with my students. Indices & glossary are excellent, as are the figures for identifying features of reproductive and vegetative anatomy of plants.

When we were considering what to do during our month in New Zealand, travel agents were pleading with us to have everything lined up before "the Y2k rush." So, being the literal engineering types, we bought a couple of books -- the Lonely Planet NZ and the Frommers for Under $50/day -- and started poring through them.

Our initial impression of the Lonely Planet book was too dense to be useful to us. The Frommer's guide, however, had suggested itineraries based on the time one could spend in New Zealand. Even better, the author, Elizabeth Hansen, was available to "consult" on the trip on an hourly basis. Because we'd be toting our 18-month old, we used her services and pre-booked the entire trip.

Once there, we found the Lonely Planet book much more useful. The Lonely Planet guide excels at providing abundant information about towns, including attractions, restaurants and maps giving a rough layout.

For example, one of the folks at a Visitor center clued us into Farewell Spit, an area we were going to forego because it was well off our chosen route. As it turned out, Tahuna Park, our campground in Nelson was pretty bad (right under an airport takeoff path; lots of people permanently living there; undermaintained kitchens), and we didn't relish the idea of spending three days there as originally planned.

The side trip to Farewell Spit was long and we'd have to find some place relatively nearby to the Spit to make it a reasonable trip. Unfortunately, this is where the Frommer's guide was very weak. It caters more to the B&B crowd, and there isn't that much north (or west) of Nelson. The Lonely Planet book, however, paid for itself by suggesting a lot of options, providing maps of the little towns, and listing restaurants where we might stop at for "snack time."

In summary: The Frommer's book is helpful for initially planning your trip.

The Frommer's book has more of a focus on higher-end accomodations, e.g., motels or beds and breakfasts, and covers a smaller area. This is not such a big deal unless you want to venture too far off the beaten path.

We felt the author's services were worthwhile.

Don't underestimate the value of the Visitor Centers scattered throughout New Zealand. They were generally very good at providing local information. Most will also book special activities for you.

I recently spent two weeks in New Zealand. This was the only book I took with me and it was the best choice. I had looked through others but, I would recommend this book to anyone who is planning a holiday there. The pricing was a bit outdated due to the exchange rate, but all the other information was dead on! I did the things recommended in Rotorua, Taupo and Napier and I was well prepared! The for free or nearly free things to do and see were the best. I cant wait to go back!

I was glad we were able to get it in one day so my son could read in 2 hours to do his project!!!

Brilliant layout , not only explains the sides at war but also the plans before and its effect aftermath .Superb finish connecting those days to the time being .

This was a terrific book. First you have to wade through the dull aspects at the beginning on equipment which was helpful in its day, but once you get through that, it is really a gripping story. I could barely put the book down, I hated leaving Shackleton and his party stuck in a blizzard while I stopped to get a cup of tea. You will really enjoy this book, it is very well worth it!

This is a very nice, somewhat abridged edition of "Heart of the Antarctic." Compared with the Carroll & Graf trade edition, this does have some bits edited from the expedition preparations and the account of the Furthest South journey, but, unlike the Carroll & Graf edition, it has Professor David's account of the march to the South Magnetic Pole and an account of the Northern Party journey and so is overall a better text. The selection of pictures is decent, although there is one photo that I suspect is from the 1912 Scott expedition (of a tracked motor-sledge; the Shackleton expedition had only a car with it). The story of the British Antarctic Expedition is just as exciting as the doomed Endurance voyage, and I would highly recommend this edition to everyone interested in Shackleton and his adventures.

Can a modern day adventurer embark upon a meaningful expedition of discovery, even to the end of the world, when a call for aid can be instantly communicated via a global cell phone? Does having a safety net in any form negate the romanticized danger associated with heroism? On the surface, the answers may seem apparent. IceTrek, however, digs deeper, much deeper below the permafrost.

From the introduction: "During the austral summer of 1998-99, I spent three months traveling in Antarctica with two companions -- Jon Muir and Peter Hillary. Our goal was to ski unsupported [no outside assistance] from Ross Island to the South Pole and back -- a distance of almost 3000 kilometers [1864 miles], and a journey that had never been completed, although, almost a century ago, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, together with Dr Edward Wilson, Titus Oates, `Birdie' Bowers and Edgar Evans, came very close. They perished on the ice 270 kilometers [168 miles] from sanctuary and just 18 kilometers [11 miles] from sustenance."

IceTrek is the daily journal kept by Eric Philips of their 84-day traverse. Laying depots of food for the return trip along the way, the trekkers went from Scott Base across the Ross Ice Shelf, on an ascent via a new route over a river of ice known as the Shackleton Glacier, over the Transantarctic Mountains, onto the polar plateau, and then onward to the Titan Dome toward the pole. The writing is first-person gripping. Mentally and physically prepared for the challenge, the team had left with a common goal. They were ready to meet Antarctica's barriers, from cold-induced hypothermia, unpredictable weather, bare ice, icefalls and moraine (a streak of rocks carried by the ice), to the most dangerous of all - crevasses - cracks in the ice formed when a glacier flexes over an obstruction like a boulder. Anywhere from one to 15 meters wide, crevasses can be as deep as the glacier itself. A thin ice bridge that breaks easily under foot often hides crevasses, making them all the more treacherous.

But what of emotions and differences that would reveal themselves along the trek? How could a team united unravel? Philips writes: "What would emerge as the unending days ticked over, as each striven-for mile passed under our skis? How would minds deal with deteriorating bodies, claustrophobic blizzard-bound tents, interminably slow progress, dissolving dreams and compounding feelings that led from uncertainty to disrespect and, eventually, to outright loathing?"

Through the eyes of Philips, we are immersed into an ice age where survival is all. We are the voyeurs in their pristine and hazardous otherworldly environment that demands a lexicon of its own: serac, katabatic, sastrugi, rime, and firn are descriptive words of the environment we soon get used to. Writing from both the gut and head, Philips goes beyond the "the perfunctory, the landscape or the hardships" and it is his visceral candor of the good, the bad, and the ugly that draws the reader inside the little red dome tent that sprouted nightly on white Antarctica--the coldest and most remote spot on earth.

Instead of using ponies or dogs to pull gear and supplies, each team member would walk, ski, and kite toward their destination. Each trekker man-hauled a sleek custom made 2-metre-long Nylex Rotomould sled (200kg with load) that was designed and built especially for the trek by the Department of Aerospace Engineering of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). When conditions were right, the trekkers clamped on skis and used a steerable Quadrifoil traction kite fitted to their special harnesses for powering themselves and the sleds across the expanse of ice and snow. Each member carried a 3, 5, and 7 square meter "nylon husky" to accommodate varying wind conditions. On the poleward leg, kites were practical only if a Northerly was blowing, which was rare. The anticipation was that the kites would really pull their weight on the return trip as the winds blew primarily from the pole outward. From the South Pole every direction is north. Wind power had not been lost on the Scott expedition. During one of their return trips, members of Scott's support team formed a crude sail by improvising the groundsheet of a tent fixed to a sledge; the sail power was used in tandem with man hauling.

You will never forget this Ice Trek because you are a participant from page one!

Going on a trek? Heading for the wilderness? Will you be alone and dependent on others? Choose your companions carefully is the message this book sends.

One man has the guts to speak the truth and condemns an outdoor hero to mediocrity. Eric Philips blames the failure of the 1999 Ice Trek expedition on the son of Everest conquerer Sir Edmund Hillary. Peter Hillary slowed the expedition to such an extent that this self supported sledging trip from Scott Base to the South Pole was the slowest ever and the return leg from the pole had to be cancelled.

Philips's description of the tensions induced by the weak member of the expedition trio, sets this book apart from the normal antarctic book fare. In fact, one now wonders what eminent authors like Scott and Shackleton left out of their famous antarctic memoirs.

Peter Hillary sued Eric Philips to try and stop publication of this book in his native New Zealand to avoid tarnishing his reputation. Philips later settled out of court so the book could go ahead and be published in North America.

Ice Trek is highly recommended reading for all adventure readers and antarctic buffs.

If you're interested in James Cook, read this one. I found it hard to put down, and an excellent source of info for all ages.

New Zealand historian J.C. Beaglehole made the history of exploration in the Pacific his life's work and no such effort could possibly be complete without a thorough understanding of the voyages of Captain James Cook. When Beaglehole started, the existing editions of Cook's Journal were not of high historical standards and, in decades of work with the original journals and auxilliary material, Beaglehole eventually produced the definitive, modern editions. They were originally published in the 1960s by the Cambridge University Press. Other outstanding, related works of Beaglehole are his "Life of Captain Cook" - read no other until you've read this one - and the "Journals of Joseph Banks"

Sir Peter Blake was a great adventurer and seaman. He was part of the team that won the America's Cup in 1995 and lead the defense of the title in 2000 for New Zealand, where he is a national hero.

This book is a celebration of his long and successful career sailing the world. In this last expedition, he goes from Antarctica to the Amazon, going all the way up the Casiquiare, teh legendary canal discovered by Alexander von Humboldt that connects the Negro with the Orinoco rivers. Throughout the books provides a glimpse of local history, with a special emphasis on environmental issues, which were very much on Blake's agenda in this voyage. His journals show a very deep concern for the future of both Antarctica and the Amazon, as tremendously different but similarly delicate regions.

The book is in hard cover format and has lots of pictures taken throughout the trip, which provide the reader with a visula context of the logbook. It is a sad story because it ends up in Peter's demise, attacked by pirates at the mouth of the Amazon, yet it stands as a tribute to a great sportsman and environmental leader.

If it's a large-size hardcover gift edition you seek celebrating adventure expeditions in general or the achievements of Sir Peter Blake in particular, make it Alan Sefton's editing of Blake's logbooks, The Last Great Adventure Of Sir Peter Blake. The text is drawn directly from Blake's logbooks as he journeys from the Antarctic to the Amazon, with fine color photos and paintings adding the visual delay which sets The Last Great Adventure apart from biographical memoirs alone. Plenty of factual information about the regions Blake explores, from animals to flora, make this an informational guide above and beyond its adventure biography theme.

Warri and Yatungka broke tribal law by marrying outside their assigned skin group. So they could live their lives together they ran away, perused by their former best friend in the name of tribal justice. It was a dramatic and true story that meant if they wanted to live it had be alone and in exile from all they knew before they eloped. As time went on young people left the desert and tribal laws broke down and were no longer followed - till they were left alone as the last true nomadic aborigines still in "their land" in the Gibson Desert of Western Australia.

This is the story of the "rescue" of Warri and Yatangka from the ravages of the worst drought in living memory in 1977 when they finally left their desert home for the last time. It's a book about a way of life which is now extinct - and the death of a millennia of knowledge on how to survive an environment which most people would say in uninhabitable at any time.

There's no way to disguise that this is a sad story and the passing of an age. However, I'm glad that at least a record of this event exists. One thing this book doesn't cover (or even mention) is the film documentary that was made at the same time the hunt was on for Warri and Yatungka, and the exclusion of that makes me wonder what else may have been left out of this narrative. However, if you have any interest in how Australian aborigines survived in a harsh desert environment this is a book you should pick up.

This book tells the story of the an elderly Aboriginal Australian couple, the very last of their tribe (and quite probably of all Aboriginals) to pursue the traditional nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life in the remote central deserts of Western Australia.
It starts by explaining how traditional tribal culture came to a near end in the region within the lifespan of a generation as civilization penetrated the once remote Outback, then recalls the life history of this last couple, explaining why they persisted in their homeland even after the rest of their tribe moved to a town.
Eventually, an extreme draught raises fears for their lives and a search expedition is launched to find them, lead by the author of this book and assisted by an old Aboriginal friend of the couple. The search takes them through the extremely harsh and remote Gibson Desert retracing ancient trade routes and rediscovering sacred Aboriginal sites, before finally locating the old couple, "the last of the nomads", and bringing them out of the desert to avoid immidiate starvation by helping them join the rest of their tribe living a demoralized existance on the fringes of western civilization, beset by alcoholism and other social evils.
Within a year, both of them die.
A brilliantly told, moving story of the disgraceful end of what was once "one of the oldest cultures on Earth", providing excellent background information to help the reader understand how complicated the the underlying roots of this sad outcome are.
Anyone with an interest in the Aboriginal inhabitants of Australia should read this book!