Book Description

With this newly revised 4th edition of ASTRONOMY: THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND BEYOND, Mike Seeds' goal is to help students use astronomy to understand science and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, this text illustrates the scientific method and guides students to these fundamental questions: "What are we?" and "How do we know?"In discussing the interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just facts, but a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of science. The book vividly conveys his love of astronomy, and illustrates how students can comprehend their place in the universe by grasping a small set of physical laws. Crafting a story about astronomy, Mike shows students how to ask questions to gradually puzzle out the beautiful secrets of the physical world. With the use of mathematics set off in boxes, the book's presentation is flexible and allows instructors to teach to differing student levels. This is the only Seeds text to be written using a traditional planets-first approach. The revision addresses new developments in astrophysics and cosmology, plus the latest discoveries, from Mars' buried water to proto-galaxies at the limits of the observable universe.This edition is now fully integrated with a FREE, brand-new student tutorial system. AceAstronomy is Web-based, assessment-driven, contains book-specific activities, and is completely flexible, creating a personalized learning plan based on quiz results. This superior system gives students fun, interactive learning opportunities and a greater chance for success. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a magnificent subject
A fun read if you are already keen on astronomy. But even if you are not, Seeds has presented an introductory course on the subject in an attractive and clear manner. Heavily illustrated with colour diagrams of many topics, you can find both a centuries long history, and the latest research observations. Especially for interplanetary exploration, for which there has been an enduring fascination by the public.

All this is presented in a consistent framework that can instill a sense of wonder in a student. Indeed, to a student with imagination and diligence, studying the book can convey a magnificent picture of the universe. ... Read more

Book Description

The New CCD Astronomy is the #1 source of information about CCD astrophotography. It contains everything you need to know to become proficient at CCD imaging. Hundreds of detailed illustrations show you how to select equipment, take pictures, and process your images with a variety of software.

This book cover everything you need to know: How a CCD camera works; How to achieve critical focus; How to choose the right equipment (mount, telescope, and CCD camera); How to autoguide, and more.

You'll also learn the secrets of color imaging, the art of noise reduction, many image processing techniques, and specialized techniques for planets, nebulae, galaxies, etc.

Free with purchase: a one-year subscription to the New CCD Astronomy web site, including: a complete online version of the book; additional fully-illustrated tutorials; discussion groups moderated by the author; searchable database of CCD imaging targets; and a number of free software tools to improve your CCD imaging results. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The best bang for the buck in a CCD imaging book
I'm surprised there aren't more reviews on this book since it is the first book recommended to anyone who has questions about CCD imaging. If you haven't tried imaging yet, and want to know what it is like, this book will describe what you might find on a typical night imaging under a variety of circumstances. If you want to buy equipment, the book discusses some of the more popular CCD instruments as well as software which is incredibly important in CCD astrophotography. (But you'll want to check contemporary sources of course, because models are always added and prices fluctuate.) It will help you match a scope to a good fit CCD camera and will discuss why certain focal ratios are better than others for beginners. You'll get an idea of how to capture actual images of deep space objects and/or planets. And, it will give you an idea of how to process all of those raw images you will eventually collect using Photoshop, Maxim DL and other software. You use different techniques depending on the type of object - planet, globular cluster, nebula, etc. And, you can download a PDF version of the book in full color, so you can have the resource on your computer at all times.

The only complaints I have about the book are extremely minor :

- It is a non-linear read. That probably can't be helped because everyone is going to come at the book with different levels of understanding. As you gain insight, you'll want to go back and reread sections, or skip ahead when a question raised in the current section but not answered.
- It is biased toward more expensive software and hardware. Much can be done with middle-of-the-road equipment or even lower end equipment, if you have the desire but not the funds so long as the emphasis is on FUN and not competing with the Hubble. However, the more $$ you throw at the problem, the less effort is required.
- With respect to this, it does not address webcam imaging with modified webcams but that's a very minor thing as theory can be applied straight across the board.

... You'll have to check out the publisher's site or Sky and Telescope to see what I mean. I think both books are must reads for anyone interested in imaging.

The "Must-Have" Book for CCD Imaging
Having read nearly every book on the subject, I would say that if you must buy one book for CCD imaging, this is the book. Wodaski's book is a comprehensive how-to guide for anyone interested in or doing CCD imaging of astronomical objects. While Wodaski does cover the theoretical aspects of CCD work, he focuses most of his efforts on providing a step-by-step guide for the novice to the expert. Additional, puchasers of his book can join his web user group for personalized advice. Just two words...Buy It. ... Read more

Book Description

A just-in-time update of the classic airport industry reference praised as "excellence and comprehensive" (Bookends). Supplies aviation professionals and academicians with current airport industry developments, techniques, technolog, statistics, trends, and legislation. This edition highlights technological advances in both airside and landside airport operations and management; an expanded look at the growing issue of privatizaiton; and an updated and revised Test Bank. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent reference for any student of airport management
Airport Planning & Management is an excellent reference for any student of airport management or aviation.

The book details just about every facet of how an airport is run. From airport site selection to runway design and everything in between, Airport Planning & Management just about covers it all.

The chapters are all well written and extremely well organized. Any aviation enthusiast who is interested in how airports are run will find this a valuable reference.

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Book Description

This self-contained, comprehensive book describes the fundamental properties of soft x-rays and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation and discusses their applications in a wide variety of fields, including EUV lithography for semiconductor chip manufacture and soft x-ray biomicroscopy. The author begins by presenting the relevant basic principles such as radiation and scattering, wave propagation, diffraction, and coherence. He then goes on to examine a broad range of phenomena and applications. The topics covered include EUV lithography, biomicroscopy, spectromicroscopy, EUV astronomy, synchrotron radiation, and soft x-ray lasers. He also provides a great deal of useful reference material such as electron binding energies, characteristic emission lines and photo-absorption cross-sections. The book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in engineering, physics, chemistry, and the life sciences. It will also appeal to practicing engineers involved in semiconductor fabrication and materials science. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

an excellent book!
I lent this book from the library in our institute, and this book is very suitable to us, who do research with Synchrotron Radiation in the region of soft X-ray. Many directions of research for soft X-ray are included in this book.
I can't afford it because it is very expensive for me, although I like it very much!

Taken from Contemporary Physics (London)
'... excellently written and produced book ... David Attwood is a respected teacher and renowned researcher in all of the topics covered in this book, and is to be congratulated on its timely publication ... there is no doubt in my mind that it will very quickly become a primary source for beginning graduate students (and high level undergraduates) and experienced researchers alike ... Unusually, I cannot think of any way in which the book could be improved. It is comprehensive and enjoyable to read, the figures are illustrative and clearly drawn and the mathematics is at an appropriate level for the intended readership ... it will serve as [an] important reference source as well as a teacher's and researcher's handbook ... I shall certainly be using this book in my future teaching and recommending it to advanced students.' Alan Michette, Contemporary Physics

good book
i found this book to be an excellent educational material on soft x-ray science

p.s. please note that there is a web-site by the author with the actual lectures available for watching absolutely free

[...]

A very good textbook
I took the class taught by the author at UC-Berkeley while he was finishing up this text (I also proofread a couple of the chapters as part of the class - you can find my name and the names of my classmates in the acknowledgements).

The text is very clearly written. An undergraduate physics / engineering level of understanding of electromagnetics and quantum mechanics is sufficient background for most the textbook. Most of the calculations are done semi-classically which helps for people not well versed in quantum mechanics. It also serves nicely as a reference text.

Topics covered include:
- Grazing incidence optics
- Normal incidence multi-layer mirrors
- Synchrotron radiation
- Cyclotrons, wigglers and undulators
- Plasma physics with applications to EUV and X-ray sources
- Fresnel zone plates
- Coherence
- EUV and X-ray lithograpy
- ...

The textbook stands alone nicely ... you do not need to constantly look up results in other sources and texts.

The textbook also contains a wealth of reference materials (several appendices of atomic data for X-ray transitions, cross sections, mathematical tables, ...) ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Very good book! Lots of interesting questions.
The book has lots of fun questions and the answers are very informative. The longer answers include a 2nd sidebar of info. Includes the basic questions that most space enthusiasts should know plus more in-depth questions. Some about the shuttle, the early Gemini and Mercury missions, Apollo and also planet-related questions. Worth reading and a good reference book, when you need to know the dimensions of the shuttle payload bay, for example (15 feet by 60 feet).

Lots of space facts
What a fun read! Lots of items that could be used either at a space party or indeed to educate kids. There are so many cool factoids and many excellent color photos. Bill Pogue should be congratulated for putting this excellent book together. I also like to see Apogee appealing to the armchair astronaut in us all without being too technical.
I would recommend this book, especially to any teachers that might consider it. ... Read more

Book Description

New Cosmic Horizons tells the extraordinary story of space-based astronomy since the Second World War. Starting with the launch of the V2 rocket in 1946, this book explores the triumphs of space experiments and spacecraft designs and the amazing astronomical results that they have produced. David Leverington examines the fascinating way in which the changing political imperatives of the United States, USSR/Russia and Western Europe have modified their space astronomy programs. He covers all major astronomy missions of the first fifty years of space research: the Soviet Sputnik and American Explorer projects, the subsequent race to the moon, solar and planetary missions, and the wonders of modern astrophysics culminating in the exciting results of the Hubble Space Telescope. Extensively illustrated, New Cosmic Horizons offers amateur and professional astronomers an unusual perspective on the history of astronomy in our time.David Leverington was Design Manager of the GEOS Spacecraft and Meteosat Program Manager for ESA in the 1970s. During his tenure as Engineering Director at British Aerospace in the 1980s, he was responsible for the Giotto spacecraft that intercepted Halley's comet, and the Photon Detector Assembly and solar arrays for the Hubble Space Telescope. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He lives in Essex, England. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The fascinating history of space-based astronomy
In New Cosmic Horizons: Space Astronomy From The V2 To The Hubble Space Telescope, David Leverington reveals the fascinating history of space-based astronomy from the launching of the V! rocket in 1946 down to the present day. Here are all the triumphs of the space experiments and spacecraft designs that have produced the spectacular astronomical results in the last half of the twentieth century. Profusely illustrated and with a comprehensive, "reader friendly" text ideal for both astronomy students, astronomy professionals, and the interested non-specialist general reader, New Cosmic Horizons will prove to be an essential, core addition to any personal, academic or community library reference collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The third edition of Nightwatch continues its tradition of being the best handbook for the beginning astronomer. Terence Dickinson covers all the problems beginners face, starting with the fact that the night sky does not look the way a modern city-dweller expects. He discusses light pollution, how to choose binoculars and telescopes, how to pronounce the names of stars and constellations, telescope mounts, averted vision, and why the harvest moon looks especially bright. Most of the lovely photographs in the book were taken by amateurs, which gives the section on astrophotography a particularly inspirational gleam.

Dickinson's star charts are very handy, each covering a reasonable field of view and mapping the most interesting amateur objects. He gives good advice for planet watching, which he notes "is one of the few astronomical activities that can be conducted almost as well from the city as from dark rural locations."

Altogether, the watchword for Nightwatch is indeed "practical"--this is a book to be used, not just read. Spiral-bound to lie flat or to fold back undamaged, it's a field guide that pulls its own weight in the field. Author Timothy Ferris says, "Like a good night sky, Nightwatch is clear and wind-free. Try it and see for yourself." --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Beautiful, practical ...
This book was recommended to me by an avid backyard astronomer when I mentioned I was interested in learning more about astronomy. I was absolutely delighted with this book. The photos are beautiful, the diagrams are excellent. It makes star/planet identification easy, gives guidance on buying a telescope, has a nice introductory chapter on the universe, putting everything in perspective. The writing is clear, straightforward, understandable. I am extremely pleased with my purchase, as I feel that this single book contains everything I really want to know at this time. I would recommend it to anyone who wants an interesting, comprehensible introduction to the night sky.

One of the best beginner books
I got a beginner's telescope from Celestron (the FirstScope 114) as a gift, and was anxious to begin using it. I picked up a few books on beginning astronomy (but not NightWatch) and set to work using it. After fiddling with the telescope to align it correctly, and trying to use the star charts in the books I bought, I gave up. I had friend visitng from out of town who wanted to try the telescope again, so we dragged out the scope and the books and couldn't get anywhere once again.

Later, I received NightWatch as a gift, and its made a world of difference. The scheme for finding stars and other objects is much simpler than in other texts. Rather than use the celestial coordinate system (based on right ascension, R.A., and declination, Dec.), which requires that you align your telescope correctly, NightWatch uses a few key stars and constellations as pointers, and shows how to use your fingers and hand to measure celestial distances. From the reference points, you can easily navigate througout the sky.

If you don't already have a telescope, this is also a good book to purchase, as it has a discussion of different kinds of telescopes and their tradeoffs. NightWatch also has good information on using binoculars, which makes it easy to get started without plunking down much money, since most people own a pair.

Bottom line: Of the 4 beginner's books I have, NightWatch is by far the best.

Good but not great.
This is another one of Terence Dickinsons "backyard astronomy" books that is somewhat better than others of this particular "genre", but suffers by a somewhat superficial treatment of the practical aspects of the subject. The primary reason I purchased the book was for the 20 very good star charts contained. It was not until I started using these charts that I realized that many important Messier objects were not included!

Although the pictures are wonderful , and very attractive , I buy books of this type for information--not to "sell me" on being an amateur astronomer. I don't need "cheerleading". There are other books available that offer somewhat more information than this one--so 4 stars (more like 3.5 stars).

Perfect starter to the Astronomer's world
This book is greatly build up and covers every major aspect of Astronomy . In an understandable way and very plastic with supportive pictures you get to understand cohesions and basics about our solar system, the galaxies and the whole universe.
It puts emphasize on the star constellations and features great maps to navigate the sky. The ringbinding helps a lot to work with it in the field. And the paper is high quality and will take a lot of use.
This makes a great gift for anyone who is intersted in nature or wants to explore the night sky.
This is the absolute BEST BUY to start with!!! Nothing else.

An excellent book for new astronomers.
For the money you can't go wrong this is an excellent book for people just starting out in astronomy or who need a better understanding of the night sky and where to locate things. This book is packed full of info. and nice color photographs to go along with the many things you can see in a small telescope. I wouldnt really suggest this book though to those who allready know how to locate things and have a good understanding of astronomy. For the new person though theres tons of night time sky charts with details of nebulas and everything else in that part of the sky. Theres an excellent part that shows you how to measure the distances between stars & constellations to locate those harder to find subjects!! An excelent book that deserves a 5 star review. I forgot to mention that it's spiral bound so this makes it easy to lay flat and keep on a certain page. And don't forget take your time with the book to learn things the night sky isnt going anywhere! ... Read more

Book Description

For the first time ever, over five dozen top-secret military,government, intelligence and corporate witnesses to secret projects tell their true stories which disclose the greatest covert program in world history. This explosive testimony by actual government insiders proves that UFOs are real, that some are of extraterrestrial origin and that super-secret programs have energy and propulsion technologies that will enable humanity to begin a new civilization - a civilization without pollution, without poverty - a civilization capable of traveling among the stars.This is not just a story about UFOs, ETs and secret projects: It is the story of how 50 years of human evolution have been deferred and how these secret projects contain the real solution to the world energy crisis, the environmental crisis and world poverty. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

I know Steven Greer and he is a truthful researcher!
One of the best books in the Alien/UFO cover-up genre! Besides 'Disclosure', try Dr. Paul Hill's "Unconventional Flying Objects", "Alien Rapture" by Edgar Fouche and Brad Steiger (who wrote the origional 'Project Blue Book'), "The Day After Roswell" by Colonel Corso (Presidental Staff member), and "Alien Agenda" by Jim Marrs (Author of 'Crossfire' - another bestseller).

I know and have talked to Steven Greer and he is a truthful man who has spent his life trying to uncover the truth of the Alien/UFO cover-up.

Stevem Greer has wrote probaly the best ufo related book in the recent few years with Disclosure. It is frightning as you have to stop and remind yourself this is not fiction but a truthful account of our brave men and women serving this country in the military and the private sector who's reward for service in the above top secret world is intimidation and DOD blacklisting to maintain the status quo.

These individul accounts of our Government hiding alien technology from the public in illegal fashion using and hiding behind nation security acts is quite an eye opener. You will never look at History again in the same fashion after reading this book. Read the reviews on the books I've mentioned and you will be compelled to read them if you want the most accurate information in this genre. (EF)

I know Steven Greer and he is a truthful researcher!
One of the best books in the Alien/UFO cover-up genre! Besides 'Disclosure', try Dr. Paul Hill's "Unconventional Flying Objects", "Alien Rapture" by Edgar Fouche and Brad Steiger (who wrote the origional 'Project Blue Book'), "The Day After Roswell" by Colonel Corso (Presidental Staff member), and "Alien Agenda" by Jim Marrs (Author of 'Crossfire' - another bestseller).

I know and have talked to Steven Greer and he is a truthful man who has spent his life trying to uncover the truth of the Alien/UFO cover-up.

Stevem Greer has wrote probaly the best ufo related book in the recent few years with Disclosure. It is frightning as you have to stop and remind yourself this is not fiction but a truthful account of our brave men and women serving this country in the military and the private sector who's reward for service in the above top secret world is intimidation and DOD blacklisting to maintain the status quo.

These individul accounts of our Government hiding alien technology from the public in illegal fashion using and hiding behind nation security acts is quite an eye opener. You will never look at History again in the same fashion after reading this book. Read the reviews on the books I've mentioned and you will be compelled to read them if you want the most accurate information in this genre. (EF)

Compelling, absolutely the best evidence yet.
EVERYBODY SHOULD READ THIS BOOK AND MAKE UP THEIR OWN MINDS.

I have read the book. I have watched the DVD. I have seen the broadcasts that aired on this project. Sadly September 11th completely eclipsed what should have been the most important news event of 2001. Maybe even the most important news event ever. Much like a UFO, Disclosure simply vanished off the radar. Hardly anybody knows about this which is a great shame and an enormous indignity to all concerned. The timing of Disclosure was terrible, the worst time for any Disclosure on this topic. The theme of Disclosure is all about peace and harmony, the rollback on space weapons and the distribution of US military owned free-energy systems, all because - the aliens have laded and we have got some of their technology. In light of the events on 911 Disclosure will never see its proposals in our lifetime. It is a dark day for UFO researchers and a dark day for the world in general.

Okay so let's get down to the brass here for a moment. Greer (a former Medical Doctor who was a manager of an ER ward) has concluded by researching the UFO phenomena that the US government possesses UFOs in the most secret of secret black budget projects. He believes that some members of the government are aware of this but most are not. He believes that some Presidents have been aware of it but most are not. These are huge, almost irrational assertions to make. To understand these allegations we must look at what Project Disclosure is.

Project Disclosure is all about "EXPERT witness testimony" of the very terrestrial kind. In order to understand Disclosure we must learn what an "expert witness" is. Expert witnesses are usually witnesses who testify in court and they usually make their living of nothing else but court testimony. They mainly work for risk security management groups, the police and the medical industry. An expert witness is hired by a lawyer for a trial. The expert witness is told about a case and his area of expertise is requested. A true expert witness will say that they can help the lawyer or that they can not help the lawyer based on their findings. The most common type of expert witness is a forensic expert such as a DNA expert or a fingerprint expert. A true expert witness is usually unbiased, meaning that they will look at the evidence in their area of expertise and say whether or not their evidence reflects what the lawyer needs. If they find that the evidence is negative of what the lawyer needs the lawyer pays the expert witness for their time and usually does not use them. If the expert witness has value to the lawyer then they use them. Some expert witnesses just take money and will say anything but mostly these frauds are exposed early on in the game and thus are not used by lawyers because of their bad track record which only proves negative to the lawyers who use them.

Greer has taken every single witness to the UFO phenomena that he can find and has scratched those who he felt did not have much proof to back up their claims. He then is left with a list of people who he feels are close to expert witness quality and has interviewed them thoroughly. Slowly by a process of elimination he is left with what he sees as the best witness testimonies that can stand up in a court of law, or in this case, in a congressional hearing. The majority of Greer's expert witnesses are government and military personal. These are people who have been entrusted with very important tasks. These are people who we depend on a daily bases. Every single one of these couple of hundred expert witnesses, who Greer presents here in this book along with their testimonies, are entirely credible. Most of these expert witnesses are the cream of the crop in our society. They are some of the best brains in the business. Some of them have even worked for the government in secret UFO projects! Most of them have signed agreements and sworn statements to NEVER divulge what they know. On this front Greer has also recruited Daniel Sheehan who believes Greer has a case. Who is Sheehan? Sheehan is a lawyer out to protect these people who have now broken their oaths of silence. He has prosecuted Government spooks before in the Contra affair. During the Vietnam War, he defended the New York Times' access to the Pentagon Papers. In 1972, he represented Watergate burglar James McCord in tracing the plumbers' chain of command directly to the heart of the Nixon White House. Sheehan believes that Greer and all of his expert witnesses have a case. All of the witnesses have vowed to tell their story before a congressional hearing.

Greer believes that the UFO phenomena is a scandal of the likes we have never seen or known. When all is said and done this IS THE MOST COMPELLING CASE for the UFO phenomena to date. The only thing that could possibly go beyond this case is to actually acquire a UFO or an Alien and smack it down on the Whitehouse lawn or throw it under the nose of the scientific community. However some of these expert witnesses have worked for the Whitehouse and are part of the scientific community. All of them have impeccable credentials.

The bottom line here is that ALL of these expert witnesses, ALL OF THEM, must be mistaken in order for Disclosure to be labelled inaccurate, false, not true or even lies. I say ALL because if ONE case, just ONE case!, proves to be the real deal then Ladies and Gentlemen the UFO phenomena is indeed real and we are not alone, period - end of discussion, end of debate.

Dark angels down
A powerhouse of a book that is virtually unique in its scope and in the way it tackles the issues head on. There will still be those who claim to doubt Greer's conclusions and even the existence of Aliens, but who cares?

The skeptics and their infantile resistance are now completely irrelevant. The existence of Aliens, to use a catch-all term, is a no-brainer - it is not in question.

The question is, can we deal with the full implications of Disclosure?

It is one thing to begin to introduce the previously suppressed New Technologies in order to help out the human race and accelerate the healing of the planet, but quite another to come clean about the full extent of the Alien presence.

Way back in the sixties, the Brookings Institute concluded that the human race was just too primitive and spiritually immature to deal with the introduction of an Alien race, however benign. Many UFO buffs have dismissed those findings, because they themselves were totally ready for Contact. I agree. Most UFO buffs ARE ready, and have been for decades.

And then there's the rest of humanity.

The burning of Harry Potter books - a children's fantasy - was a very serious reminder that even the slightest threat to certain people's religious belief systems can trigger madness. And if you think that was just a few nuts, think again.

Real live Aliens, with their archetypally demonic appearance are a little up the scale from Joanne Rowling's roly-poly fictional characters.

Yes, the human race has a right to know, but whether they should be told at this point in their evolution, is quite another matter. Believe me, the control groups who have had direct Contact have not fared very well, and the idea of unleashing a Pandora's Box of global hysteria - a one-way thing - has to be taken very seriously.

Before anybody thinks I am spouting Disinformation, nothing could be further from the truth. We just need to approach the idea of letting the humans into the light with extreme caution. Steven has written a remarkable book, but the greatest emphasis now needs to be on how do we approach final Disclosure, and more importantly, when.

After the insult of the Roswell denials, many of us are just itching for the Government to come clean and admit to their vast catalog of lies. But not at any price, guys. It can't be at any price.

The big picture unveiled.
If you are anything like I am and find this subject matter interesting and entertaining, prepare your self for a shocker. After reading various books in this matter, I find this one to be significantly different from the rest. First let me warn you if you want to read up on wild theories and reacquaint your self with old overtold ufo tales and accounts, go find another book, there are many out there to keep you entertained. Now! If you are intereted in reading up on a multitude of sworn written statements and accounts of worldwide professionals, scientists, military and non-military personel regarding the UFO issue then this is the book that you want. NO Sci-Fi thriller, No wild theories, NO pandering to the readers, solid statements and solid facts. You can practically jump arround the book and find mind blowing depositions by intelligent, credible people regarding this issue. My only wish is for someone from a media channel in the likes of Discovery or Nova to jump on the opporunity to publicise the videotaped interviews which Greer and his band of crusaders have in their possecion. Maybe this would light a flame under some of our politicians and the public atlarge to look into this matter, but that is my opinion. Regardless, it is an interesting piece of journalism more than anythingelse. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Zecharia Sitchen's The 12th Planet is the starting point on a quest that spans six books and 20 years worth of ancient aliens, genetic manipulation, and scrutiny of linguistic minutiae. If we trust Sitchen's translation abilities, we must be prepared for the imminent return of an alien race who created us some 3,600 years ago. The 12th Planet is perhaps the best written of Sitchin's Earth Chronicles series; full of example after example of ancient Sumerian passages, astronomical observations, archaeological finds, and technological coincidences supporting his theories. The price we pay for all this evidence is a bit of a dry read at times, but the ideas Sitchin proposes are more than scintillating enough to make up for the overtly scholastic tone of his text. --Brian Patterson ... Read more

Reviews (126)

An interesting but badly flawed premise
Okay, I can buy the idea that the Earth might have been visited by alien cultures in the distant past (in fact, considering what a fascinating species we obviously are, I'd be surprised if they hadn't.) I can also buy off on the idea that these ancient visitors might have been worked into the mythology of many cultures. I'm even open to the idea that life was 'seeded' on this planet and that homo sapiens may be the result of some ancient genetic engineering. My problem is I can't buy off that all this occurred via a rogue planet that is in orbit around our own sun and that passes by every three-and-a-half millennias to 'help us along' the evolutionary path.

I have great respect for Sitchin as a researcher and expert in ancient manuscripts, and I found much in this book to ponder. However, he makes the mistake most ufologists do in taking ancient texts as literal historical documents about real people and events rather than as fictionalized epics of antiquity. While he does at points recognize the metaphorical nature of some of their writings, he takes the ancient Sumerians far too literally, and strikes me as a man espousing a theory in search of evidence. His theory is simply too fantastic to be taken seriously and, while he makes a far more sophisticated attempt at demonstrating his thesis than Von Daniken, he makes many of the same mistakes Chariots of the Gods makes. For example, he has the residents of this twelfth planet (actually, the tenth, for he counts the moon and the sun as planets as well) fly to earth in spacecraft and have the means to genetically alter early primates, but then they travel about by means of paddle boats and utilize 19th century extraction techniques to pull gold from mines in Africa. He also stresses that the Mesopotamian region was chosen by the ancient astronauts-in part-because of its vast petroleum reserves (implying the ancients were using fossil fuels) yet there is no discussion of things like cars or trains or other types of technology these fuels might have been used for (unless we are to assume they were to be used somehow in propelling their spacecraft. Imagine, gasoline/oil powered rocket ships; what will they think of next?) He also pulls a 'Von Daniken' by suggesting the ancients needed large expanses of flat ground to land their ships, giving one the impression of space shuttles and hyperjet transports, yet it would seem any technology sophisticated enough to maintain an interplanetary spacefaring capability should have figured out how to make space craft land and take off vertically (just as our own Apollo landers did on the moon.) In other words, their technology is inconsistent.

What's especially difficult to understand is why these beings don't seem to advance technologically themselves. Sitchin states they could only make the transit from their planet to our own when it swung into range every 3,600 years, but wouldn't any civilization have advanced considerably in such a vast amount of time? Consider how far we've come in just the last century; shouldn't these ancient peoples have developed an interstellar (or even intergalactic) capability over such a lengthy time? As such, there is much about these beings that appear inconsistent and inexplicable.

Finally, my biggest complaint with this book is the preposterous idea that a planet exists within our solar system that possesses such an elliptical orbit that it appears only once every 3,600 years and, more so, that this planet is teeming with beings similar enough to ourselves that they are capable of interbreeding with humans. First, if this is the case, why wasn't this planet reported during it's last pass through by ancient astrologers? Sitchin maintains this planet last made an appearance in 3,800 B.C. (just in time to get civilization kick started) yet if it has an orbit of 3,600 years, shouldn't it have shown up again around 200 B.C.? That's not all that long ago, historically speaking, and should have been quite a notable event (even if it's residents chose not to visit that time); one would assume someone-and astrology was a fairly well developed science back then-would have noted such a spectacular visitation from an unknown planet. Yet not a word exists in any ancient texts that even hint at such a remarkable event taking place. Curious.

The bigger problem, however, lies with the idea that such a planet could sustain human-like beings, despite being in complete darkness for 99% of the time. Even if it was massive enough to maintain it's own atmosphere and generated enough internal heat to prevent it from being a giant ball of ice in space, how does photosynthesis and, with it, the production of oxygen, take place? Clearly, for life to have evolved on such a planet conditions should be, at least to some degree, comparable to those on Earth. How anything more sophisticated than single cell organisms and fungus could exist on such a planet is scientifically inexplicable.

There are other problems with the book as well, but this should be enough to at least give the reader some idea of what they're getting into here. I appreciate Sitchin's scholarship and thoroughness (perhaps a little too thorough-the book is ponderous and a tedious read at times) but I can't say much for his science. An interesting book if you're into ancient civilizations and ufos and such (one might consider Sitchin the thinking man's Von Daniken) but nothing to be taken too seriously. In fact, it might have been better if Sitchin didn't take his own theory so deadly seriously; at least then he could have had some fun with it.

A provocative new theory of man's history
This is the first book in Sitchin's monumental Earth Chronicles series. It is important to remember that fact because there is necessarily a lot of introductory material to be presented here in order to lay the foundation for what is to come. In other words, most of the really interesting stuff comes later in the series--Ancient Egypt, MesoAmerica, etc. Parts of this first book are somewhat dry and hard to get through. As one gets into the latter half, though, some pretty amazing arguments are made. If you read this book and no other, you may well have a hard time even sanctioning the kinds of ideas Sitchen presents, let alone believing them. When you read the rest of the series, though, the arguments are threshed out much more thoroughly and should at least lend an idea of possiblity to objective readers.

The idea that "ancient astronauts" (a term I dislike) had a hand in Man's creation and evolution is not new. Sitchin goes far beyond the normal arguments, however. He argues that there is an undiscovered planet in our own solar system upon which life developed and evolved millions of years before life on earth, a planet that seeded earth with its earliest life forms millions of years ago when this undiscovered planet entered our solar system and essentially crashed into a large planet between Mars and Jupiter--the planet in question was broken up into two parts, one eventually forming Earth and the other the asteroid belt. The 12th planet (counting the sun and moon as planets) he calls Nibiru; it is a planet with an eccentric orbit carrying it well past the other nine planets thousands of years at a time. Here life developed and advanced at a very early period. Needing resources, particularly gold, the planet sent forth emissaries to earth. In order to free themselves of the hard labor of mining, these aliens, the Nefilim, created Man by combining their genes with those of the ape men then on earth, a procedure made possible by the fact that the two races were in fact genetic cousins. Thus, the Nefilim became early man's gods, and their stories were told in the artifacts of the ancient Sumerians and of the kingdoms that came after them.

Sitchin makes a determined effort to tie Christianity and the Bible to the tale he unfolds. He effectively, and with good evidence, shows that the early stories in the Bible are based largely on older manuscripts from Sumeria. He explains many of the mysterious passages in the Bible by tying the stories to more complete Sumerian tales--the Elohim, the plural Deity mentioned in the Creation story, the great flood, the Tower of Babel, and others. In this endeavor, he is very successful. While one may not be convinced of his story of life on Earth, one cannot doubt the fact that the early books of the Bible are basically a condensed version of former manuscripts. He makes a convincing argument for his theories, but one will not be and should not be convinced based on this one book. Much supporting evidence is to be found in the later books in the series, where a far richer version of man's history is presented by the author. As unbelievable as many of his ideas sound, Sitchin actually does an effective job of answering many of the big questions that scientists and theologians have been unable to answer about life on earth, the most important of which is an explanation of why home sapiens developed so suddenly and miraculously 300,000 years ago. Right or wrong, his ideas answer a lot of questions and deserve serious study. Sitchin's knowledge of ancient civilizations is immense, and his judgments cannot be dismissed without serious attention paid to them.

An awesome theory, a greater controversy
I really enjoyed this book, as well as others in this series. Some of it got to be a bit of a tedious read, but I found it wholly interesting.
By far, this book explains ancient UFOs the most subjectively. Many say that the Sumerian texts should not be taken literally. I ask them, WHY NOT? Those texts are the first written history of mankind - why should they be classified as anything but just that. On a personal level, this book filled in some of the blanks that many modern ideologies and theologies left in my mind.
Whether you think this is all a bunch of hooey, or solid fact, or you fall somewhere in between the two - Sitchin's theories are undeniably powerful and intriuging.

Great research and information!
I have been a fan of Sitchin for years and have read most of his books, but "The Twelfth Planet is my favorite of all. He lays it all out; from Bibical text, ancient Sumerian writings and obscure writings, to reveal that in ancient times UFOnauts from other worlds did indead visit and influence our ancient civilizations greatly.

Having read the TOP books in the UFO/Alien/ Government Cover-up Genre; "Unconventional Flying Objects" (NASA UFO Investigator for 30 years) by the scientist Dr. Paul Hill; my FAVORITE is "Alien Rapture" by Edgar Fouche (Top Secret Black Programs Insider) and Brad Steiger (Great fiction-soon to be a movie); "Alien Agenda" by the best selling author of 'Crossfire' Jim Marrs (Best reference on UFOlogy); and "The Day After Roswell," by Colonel Corso - I'd say this book is a MUST READ also!

Why would a respected, decorated, connected Military Officer (Corso) swear in a Court of Law that the UFO Conspiracy is real and that the facts and agenda in these books ARE TRUE? Why did NASA try to ban Dr. Paul Hill's book? Why were Fouche's home, car, and hotel rooms broken into? Why did he go underground after delivering his 'insider presentation to the International UFO Congress? Why has the great researcher and bestseller, Jim Marrs, been slandered? Why are there still questions about the deaths of Corso and Hill? Were their sudden demise a product of this conspiracy?

Why? If you read this excellent book and the others, you will know that they are indeed true. Two well-respected American Astronauts have come forward to proclaim they had seen evidence of the Roswell UFO crash and stated they know the cover-up is real. You be the judge. Read this book and check out the reviews of the other TOP books I have mentioned.

A Reader
This is the most incredible book I have ever read. It started the process of completely and permanently changing my view of human origins and human history. In the 12th Planet, Zecharia Sitchin has presented an astoundingly strong case for ET intervention in the creation of the human race. This version positively rocks both evolutionism and biblical creation to their core! An astute reader will supplement this book with others by Sitchin, Graham Hancock and related authors. One should also investigate the current state of evolutionary "science". Having taken the time to read the material, I can only conclude that everything we know is wrong from both religious and mainstream academic sources. A "god" did create man in his own image, only he was a flesh and blood resident of our own solar system who looks just like us. Many people will be disturbed to find that humans are merely a genetically engineered hybrid race of primitive workers. I certainly was when I first realized it was true. However, the story of our origins is a fascinating and humbling one which I believe is required reading. Especially when you realize that our creators will be back. ... Read more

Book Description

The principles of quantum mechanics are the basis of everything in the physical world--from atoms to stars, from nuclei to lasers. Quantum paradoxes and the eventful life of Schroedinger's Cat are explained, along with the Many Universe explanation of quantum measurement in this newly revised edition. Updated throughout, the book also looks ahead to the nanotechnology revolution and describes quantum cryptography, computing and teleportation.Including an account of quantum mechanics and science fiction, this accessible book is geared to the general reader. Anthony Hey teaches at the University of Southampton, UK, and is the co-author of several books, including two with Patrick Walters, The Quantum Universe (Cambridge, 1987), and Einstein's Mirror (Cambridge , 1997).Patrick Walters is a Lecturer in Continuing Education at the University of Wales at Swansea.He co-ordinates the Physical Science Programme in DACE which includes the Astronomy Programme.His research interests include science education, and he also writes non-technical books on science for the general reader and beginning undergraduates.First Edition Pb (1987): 0-521-31845-9 ... Read more

Reviews (6)

my idea of fun!
I'm a novice in this area and this is the first book I read on the subject. On my first reading, I was only able to fully comprehend about 80% of this introduction to a most facinating subject matter. I must say that I enjoyed reading about all of it including the 20% I couldn't fully comprehend. The authors claim that no advanced math is necessary, but knowledge of differential calculus would help with the Shrodinger Equation. Perhaps my weakness in math (which I will soon address) accounts for the 20% I don't really understand at this point.

This book has plenty of beautiful pictures and illustrations of the technologies and experiements discussed. Each chapter is well written and a joy to read. Chapters include the following:

1) Waves Versus Particles
2) Heisenberg and Uncertaintity
3) Shrodinger and Matter Waves
4) Atoms and Neuclei
5) Quantum Tunneling
6) Pauli and the Elements
7) Quantum Co-Operation and Superfluids
8) Quantum Jumps
9) Quantum Engineering

10) Death of a Star
11) Feynman Rules
12) Weak Photons and Strong Glue
13) Afterward - Quantum Physics and Science Fiction

For a beginner, such as myself, it's the kind of book that's challenging in a good way. I found myself constantly wanting to pick this book up to read as much as I could. I was always looking forward to what was comming next. I highly recommend it for anyone curious about the subject matter.

The New Quantum Universe
The Quantum Universe was very good. The New Quantum Universe is excellent. Its authors write with a clarity and dash rarely achieved for what can be (and is) a daunting subject.

Quantum effects are all around us
When you think about quantum physics, you may be inclined to think small. Many people naturally think that quantum effects happen only on a scale that, for most of us, isn't relevant. Hey and Walters, though, help us think again. Quantum effects are in the world all around us. Indeed, the universe would be very different if the rules of quantum mechanics were not what they are.

The stated purpose of this book is to "present the essential ideas of quantum physics as simply as possible and demonstrate how quantum physics affects us all." After reading the book, I have to agree that Hey and Walters have succeeded on both accounts. They've achieved their goal by laying the book out in a careful and logical manner, including filling it with lots of informative and nicely made illustrates (on average, more than one for each page).

The book begins by discussing the classical differences between waves and particles. Most of us have been introduced to quantum mechanics this way. First learning how quantum-mechanical objects act like "particles" some of the time, and "waves" part of the time. An important point made by the authors is that particles and waves are idealizations. In reality, quantum-mechanical objects cannot be described by any simple picture. Overcoming this conceptual obstacle is one of the first challenges for someone who is first becoming acquainted with QM. This is a point made by their careful discussion about the results and implications of double-slit experiments.

This book has equations. Not many, and not too difficult (mostly just algebra). It's really written at a High School or Freshman College level. The ideas introduced are mostly qualitative. I think this makes the book an excellent introduction. I certainly wish I'd had something like this before taking my first QM class. Having a qualitative and conceptual understanding before diving into the mathematics is a more productive approach.

Leaving the chapter on waves and uncertainty, the authors introduce the reader to the weird world of the uncertainty principle, which is the strange characteristic of quantum-mechanical objects that they don't actually have an exact position/velocity until it's measured. There's an excellent series of photographs that illustrate the uncertainty principle in a macroscopic object by using a sequence showing the probabilistic formation of a camera image over time. The book quotes often from Richard Feynman, and this chapter has an introductory description of Feynman's diagrams/quantum paths.

These discussions lead naturally to the Schrodinger equation and matter probability waves. Again, there's a little mathematics here (the differential equation for a particle moving in one dimension, in a potential). The authors illustrate the tie-in with the macroscopic world by illustrating a photograph of some dust mites, made by using the quantum-mechanical nature of electrons.

Chapter 4 is one of the best, in my opinion. It's about the structure of atoms. When this subject was first introduced to me over 35 years ago, the explanation faltered and it took several more years before I felt comfortable in my understanding. How I wish I'd had this book then. The explanation here is crisp and clear, and does a nice job of explaining the notation used for the different quantum-energy levels and how they relate to things like the angular momentum.

How atoms are made affects our everyday lives. The fact that bosons and fermions have different statistical distributions makes a huge difference in how macroscopic objects behave. In fact, we would probably not be alive to notice how different the universe would be without these specific characteristics at the quantum level. One of the best examples is found in the life sequence of stars, where the quantum-mechanical structure of stars is inherently related to their evolution. There's an excellent chapter in this book that describes how stars work, how they are born, what makes them shine, and how they die. In each step, the laws of quantum mechanics govern the evolutionary process.

Other topics covered include superconductivity, superfluidity, Feynman diagrams, Hawking radiation and black holes, the weak and strong forces, the Higgs vacuum, particle accelerators, lasers, monopoles, and quark confinement. The book also has several informative appendixes in the back, that supply additional mathematical information, including a simple solution to the Schrodinger equation.

This book is a little like Chandrasekhar's book "Why Things Are the Way They Are," with a touch of the flavor found in Sam Trieman's book "The Odd Quantum." Both of these other books are among my favorite introductory texts, and "The Quantum Universe" sits on my bookshelf next to them.

This is a well-written book that makes an excellent introduction for students, and enjoyable leisure reading by scientists and engineers who've already had a college class in quantum mechanics. The illustrations and photographs add to the expressive and clear writing style to make this a book I can heartily recommend

an extremely good book about modern physics
this is an excellent book, from the beginning to the end. it introduces all the modern physics concepts with very clean explanations and beautiful colorful pictures. i just love it.

A Very Entertaining Book
An extremely interesting book on physics for an average readerr.If you're a guy who has forgotten most of what you learned in college physics courses and want to pick it up a little bit, and have a little fun in the mean while, this book is for you. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is intended for a one semester, freshman/sophomore level course entitled introduction to aerospace engineering or introduction to flight.

Anderson's book continues to be a market leader. It has dominated the first course in the aero sequence since it was first published in 1978. It is the most accessible book on the market due to Anderson's ability to motivate the student with a unique historical view that provides a wealth of technical material. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Yeah, it is the best out there however...
why is it so absurdly expensive? For the kind of money that outlandishly greedy corporation McGraw Hill charges, is it any wonder they can afford expensive twin towers across from Radio city music hall in New York city.

But the book is fantastic and the author has a flair for writing

"THE BEST" book on all of the basics of aerodynamics
I have read several texts on the fundamentals of aerodynamics and flight. This book is by far the best at clarity of explanation with the right mixture of mathematics and applications. The math is enough to educate you on the fundamentals without burying you in endless derivations without giving you the answer to "what does it all mean". When you are done reading it, you will know the theory, the application, and the historical significance. I wish this had been the text I picked up first.

Great start-up book for aerospace/aeronautical engineers
Anyone interested in learning the fundamentals in aerodynamics, aircraft design and aircraft control (as well as some astrodynamics) should have this book. Even in my upper class aerospace engineering courses I have found this book to be a GREAT help explaining the basics in a simple, methodical way.

The equation derivations included in the book are essential for a complete understanding of the material. Some basic calculus skills are needed, but anyone interested in engineering should have that anyway. The Appendix and Atmospheric Tables in the back of the book are also a great reference. The book also includes a historical point of view, essential to understanding why planes look the way they do today. This book is written in a style similar to his lectures, using everyday language and vocabulary.

Dr. Anderson is an incredible professor and author--making even the most complicated of subjects easy to understand.

Aerodynamics for Everyone!
This truly is a gem of a book for the general reader with an intelligent interest in matters aeronautical, as well as the beginning student in aero engineering. It does not plumb the depths of the subject - there are other books (including ones by the same author) which do that. But it covers a huge scope, from aerodynamic fundamentals, through aircraft characteristics and performance, to propulsion systems, and a little about structures and materials. Supersonic and hypersonic flight are included. The treatment is quantitative (there are lots of equations), but in a simplified form and at a level which should be comprehensible to anyone with high-school mathematics. The maths is there to convey principles, without losing the reader in a myriad of detail. Three things which make this book stand out are the clear, approachable style of the author, the fascinating historical perspectives which are sprinkled throughout the book, and the illustrative "design boxes".

Introduction to Flight
I am a student of Aerospace engineering in the University of Florida, and I used this book in an introductory course. Aside from a few sections entitled "Design Boxes" I found the book veered away form topics usually included in an introductory book. The author is so overly concerned with trying to prove his equations mathematically that he looses sight of the big picture. Personally, I have found model airplane books to be much more useful for an introduction to basic airplane design than this monstrosity. ... Read more

Book Description

The #1 New York Times bestselling memoir that inspired the film October Sky, Rocket Boys is a uniquely American memoir--a powerful, luminous story of coming of age at the dawn of the 1960s, of a mother's love and a father's fears, of a group of young men who dreamed of launching rockets into outer space . . . and who made those dreams come true.

With the grace of a natural storyteller, NASA engineer Homer Hickam paints a warm, vivid portrait of the harsh West Virginia mining town of his youth, evoking a time of innocence and promise, when anything was possible, even in a company town that swallowed its men alive. A story of romance and loss, of growing up and getting out, Homer Hickam's lush, lyrical memoir is a chronicle of triumph--at once exquisitely written and marvelously entertaining.

Now with 8 pages of photographs.

... Read more

Reviews (442)

A Moving Memoir
Homer Hickam's Rocket Boys was one of those books that I couldn't put down, and I thought about for a long time after I finished it. There is humor mixed in with the story of one boy's determination to succeed in achieving his goals. I would recommend this book to people who are looking for an inspiring story. It is about growing up in a rural mining town in West Virginia struggling to accomplish goals in space when the main concern of the town is what is below the ground, not what is above it. I thought that this was an excellent book and would recommend it to teenagers as well as adults. It's considered an adult book, but it is an easy book to read and teenagers can relate to the main character. This is one of my favorite books.

Through reading this book, I have learned that hard work and determination will allow a person to reach his or her goals in life. In this book, Homer Hickam had many obstacles to overcome in order to reach his goal of becoming a rocket scientist. This book has taught me that if I have a dream, I must try to reach it. No matter how many and how hard the obstacles are that come in the way of dreams, a person must keep trying. I would also recommend seeing the movie that was based on this book, October Sky. October Sky is an accurate presentation of the story. If you have already seen the movie, you are sure to enjoy this book.

October Sky: A Memoir
Rocket Boys

This is a book which was inspired by a boy's desire to please his father. Homer Hickman Junior, referred to as Sonny, grew up in Coalwood, a mining town in West Virginia. Sonny's mother knew he was special; she encouraged him regardless of the upsets, the destruction, or his fathers reluctance from him to go on. Spanning his years in high school, this memoir evokes encouragement, disappointment, and sheer ecstasy. To see the blossoming of a "geeky" child into a man revered in Coalwood and all through out society should be an inspiration to us all. All of his efforts were concentrated on a single person, his father, to gain his full support. Rocket Boys is a book which is impossible to put down, looming in the back of your head until you finish. A magnificent read. Attending high school and being in those formative years gave me a chance to reflect on what the message might be. Every nook and cranny of the book is something a person can relate to, a well thought out memoir

Loved this book!!
I'm not sure which was more interesting--the story of the rocket building or the story of growing up in a small West Virginia coal mining town. I was captivated by both.
To those that say this book doesn't appeal to women--nonsense! I'm a woman and am recommending it to my daughter and all my friends.
And finally, to the reviewer that said the movie is better--I loved the movie, but guess what, the book was even better.

Excellent - a quick read
This book really drew me in - although it is nearly 400 pages long, I finished it within two days! Highly recommended - especially if you have an interest in space/rocketry. However, it is hard to imagine many people who wouldn't enjoy this book. Better than the movie. I'm also amazed that a "rocket scientist" can write so well.

Rocket Boys
One day my class teacher told us we would all be picking a book, reading it, and writing a critique for it. Then she told us we would be placing it on the internet. I wasn't too thrilled about any of this. This book turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would be. Rocket Boys, by Homer H. Hickam was written beautifly, tellling the story of a few young boys trying to reach a common goal. Homer "Sonny" Hickam Jr. starts out as a freshman in highschool trying to find a way with the ladies, especially Dorthy, and battling the jocks, one being his brother, for popularity. Sonny takes a sudden intrust in Sputnik. This is what gets him started on his incredibly passoinate love for rockets. His father is a miner and is always gone, as where his mother is incredibly supporting to whatever he does as long as he "doesn't blow himself up." Miss Rilly was another very supporting person in Sonny's life. She is the one that provides the "fuel" for Sonny's dream when she gives him a book on rocketry and encourages him to enter the science fair. I loved how the story is so vivid and colorful, how you can see the excitement, anger, fear, and love that the character expresses. This story also shows you that you have to keep trying to get what you want, and that not everything comes easily, but if you work hard for it, it can be very rewarding. Sonny learns this when he decides to enter the county science fair. It ends up being incredibly rewarding, and surprising to him. He ends up in the national science fair and returns home with a medal. Sonny eventually ends up working for NASA and accomplishing his dream. I loved this book because it was what really happened to him and it shows. He made a lot of really great frinds along the way, whether in the mine workshop or just some "different" people at school. I give this book five stars and would read it again anyday! ... Read more

Book Description

In the early 1940's, Wolfgang Langewiesche wrote a series of articles in Air Facts analyzing the various aspects of piloting techniques. Based on these articles, Langewiesche's classic work on the art of flying was published in 1944. This book explains precisely what pilots do when they fly, just how they do it, and why. These basics are largely unchanging. The book applies to large airplanes and small, old airplanes and new, and is of interest not only to the learner but also to the accomplished pilot and instructor. Today, several excellent manuals offer the pilot accurate and valuable technical information. But Stick and Rudder remains the leading think-book on the art of flying. ... Read more

Reviews (39)

A classic read for any pilot.
"Get rid at the outset of the idea that the airplane is only an air-going sort of automobile. It isn't. It may sound like one and smell like one, and it may have been interior decorated to look like one; but the difference is -- it goes on wings."

Still the best way to get the fundamentals straight. In the 1930's test pilot Wolfgang noticed that the words and the realities of piloting did not seem to agree. After careful thought, he published a series of articles for Air Facts magazine that analyzed the true actions of stick and rudder. The book was released in 1944 and has been in print ever since. Some of the writing shows its age -- I don't think any flight instructor will talk about the airplane's flippers -- but the actual actions of the flight controls has not changed. If you are a pilot and you don't have this book, you need to add it to your professional bookshelf.

Should be on the "Required Reading" list for all pilots!
"Stick and Rudder" is absolutely, without a doubt, the best book ever written on the actual mechanics of making an airplane fly. It discusses, in clear, understandable terms, what good pilots do when flying airplanes. I first read this book while I was a student pilot struggling with landings. After I read it, I began applying the techniques the author discusses, and noticed an immediate improvement in my flying. Now that I'm a CFI, I recommend this book to all my students. In my opinion, this should be THE book used to teach basic flight maneuvers!

good, but not great
This is a good book, but I would not call it great. The content is relevant to any pilot - let's face it the dynamics and characteristics of flight for winged craft haven't changed since the original book was authored, nor are they likely too.

The author made many very correct observations on flight and how it works at a time when so little was understood. It is clearly a classic text. Reading the book will give you a very thorough understanding of many of the nuances and characteristics of flight that any pilot should want to know. It's very difficult not to recommend this book for that reason.

However, this is where I'd have to advise people to look elsewhere. This book is old, it's not the content which is out of date but the style of writing is archaic and difficult to follow. It may also lose some clarity, or be drawn out in some examples due to what may be translation problems too.

The author takes an awful long time, many many pages to describe the same principles over and over again. It does reinforce, it does give a thorough understanding...yet it is hard to follow because it drones on long after you got the point and can be boring. I had a great amount of trouble finishing the book for this reason.

A more modern book can get to the point much quicker, with more straightforward text, formatting and diagrams. To me, this is more educational as points are less easily lost.

This book is cheap. If you have the cash around then buy it and judge for yourself. Combined with some of the other pilot study courses you will find this helps to reinforce many points and details, in some cases offering a much deeper understanding. This book is not a bad purchase by any means.

However, you don't _need_ this book. I saw all the reviews and really felt that I did need it, that I should own it. If you personally need to be more selective about your purchasing then choose a great flying instructor who can speak to the additional details and questions you need answered and have a browse through other titles in the bookshop to find which is best for you. Select the right study guide, such as Jeppesen. Choose the books more specific to the topics that you feel weaker on, such as weather flying or aviation safety books.

There are indeed many good aviation books, but unfortunately I have not been able to find a more modern text which is a direct equivalent to this book. There is definately a gap which a modernized version of this text could fill. The closest I know, are actually gliding/soaring books by the author Pigott - great texts on aerodynamics and the art of flying.

You are Flying in Your Imagination
My suggestion is to read this book first if you are thinking of taking flying lessons.

If and when you start flying lessons you of course will pilot the plane and become familiar with the controls, but during the flying lessons in the air you will also be involved in dealing with what seems like an overwhelming amount of other information. The plane seems small and strange. It is cramped and a bit noisy. There are many instruments. Often you will be thrown about if there is some weather. And the instructor might be yelling command plus you must communicate with others by radio. So there are many things unfamiliar and they must be absorbed and then the lesson is over quickly - or so it seems. All of the details are important but before you start it helps if you can develop an intuitive feel for how a plane moves and is lifted in the air.

The aim of the book is to explain in simple terms the physics of flight and to develop within the reader an intuitive feel for air flight. Flying is a three dimensional activity and does not come easily or obviously. The ideas about the control of flight can become somewhat intuitive if you read this book. It presents flying in its basics without the hype - in a way in which you can visualize flying - and can start develop the intuition and the appreciation.

Four or five stars.

Jack in Toronto.

Every pilot must read this book!
This is one of the most time-tested, authoritative texts in coupling the theory of flight to your actions in the cockpit. And it has not equations or complex concepts - written for you and me, this book will keep the engineers and the non-engineers hooked! The explanation for angle of attack is simply beautiful- the importance of the angle of attack can not be understanted. And the understanding you will gain from this book will help you fly every day.

I highly recommend this book! ... Read more

Book Description

From the early pioneers to the latest spaceflight technology