Book Description

Explore the fascinating night sky with this acclaimed astronomy self-teaching guide

From stars, planets, and galaxies to black holes, the Big Bang, and life in space, this new edition of Astronomy brings the wonders of the cosmos to life. Offering a unique, successful self-teaching format, this practical, user-friendly guide makes it easy for you to quickly grasp the basic principles of astronomy and build gradually on what you have learned.

Updated with the latest discoveries and graphics, this new guide by award-winning author Dinah Moché features:

• Frontier twenty-first-century research into black holes, active galaxies, and quasars
• New Web site addresses throughout for the best astronomy online
• Removable Star and Moon maps for fun stargazing
• A review of the latest ground and space telescopes
• Up-to-date star, constellation, and astronomical data
• Objectives, reviews, and self-tests to monitor your progress

This complete, new edition is all any student or amateur stargazer needs to understand and appreciate the wonders of the universe. You can use the book alone or with a conventional textbook, Internet-based or distance-learning course, computer software, telescope manual, or as a handy reference.

Praise for previous editions of Astronomy

" One of the best ways by which one can be introduced to the wonders of astronomy. "
–– The Strolling Astronomer

"Excellent . . . provides stimulating reading and actively involves the reader in astronomy."
––The Reflector ... Read more

Reviews (8)

a nice little book for intro to astronomy
Obviously there are no people who are completely clueless about astronomy since we all were taught as children (at least I was) about the planets in our solar system and about other galaxies. Beyond that most people would not know much about astronomy; which is where this nice little book comes in handy. It has enough information on astronomy subjects without mathematics and without being textbook-like. I think the value of this book is the combination of illustrations and text that stimulate an interest to explore the topics (in another, more extensive book) if this is so desired. And if not, then it is still a good overview of astronomy. Good book for the price!

A great introduction to astronomy
I think that as an introduction to astronomy, this book is just great!! It helped me to understand the stars and planets, as well as related scientific theories, better.

Yet another deceptive book...
Wanting to teach myself a little astronomy, I purchased this book, since it somehow had acquired a noble status among similar literature. Upon receiving the book and looking through it, I simply wondered "how?". It seems that most books of this type suffer from similar defects. The design seems to be based off a children's activity book. Wide margins, plentiful empty, white space, and text that is big and ugly. Is it possible to publish a book of this purpose with a crisp, small font, several paragraphs per page, and clean, sharp diagrams/illustrations? Apparently not. Perhaps I'm alone in desiring an efficient, textbook-like layout. It seems possible that the complete text of this book could have been printed on 50 pages. Anyway, there's more. The book has been reprinted several times due to its popularity. Again, I'm at a loss for why. Though the cover, perhaps, has changed, the photos that litter its pages, seem to have not. Imagine for a moment taking a photo of Jupiter through a sheet of black tracing paper. Now imagine the resultant sharpness and resolution. Breathtaking, no? The overall quality of diagrams, illustrations, and photos is woeful. Lastly, this book, in sharing the rudiments of astronomical science felt compelled to discuss the wonderful world of SETI!!! SETI is a money-sucking escapade in speculative failure. This book, as most others do, discussess the pseudo-scientific merits of the SETI program, complete with reproductions of the diagrams we've sent along into outer space of a generic ( though peaceful looking), naked man and woman. Hmmm... You will find some science in this book, but if you hope to master the basics of astronomy and take part in an honest discussion regarding the limited understanding we still have of many things universal, I recommend looking elsewhere.

An armchair guide to the cosmos
I'm an armchair astronomer. While I save up to buy that telescope, I read books like this, attend star parties (dark sky gatherings where amateur astronomers let wannabes like me peek through their scopes) and daydream about the day when my future telescope sees first light.
This is a great book for people like me. It's the equivalent of a very thorough undergraduate "Introduction to Astronomy" class. The author makes good use of illustrations throughout the book to explain difficult concepts like stellar spectra, distances to astronomical objects, and how astronomers determine the temperature, mass, and composition of stars.
New discoveries are being made every day in astronomy,and of course it's impossible for a book to be as current as today's newspaper. Readers of this book will want to update themselves on certain topics, such as extrasolar planets, human spaceflight, SETI, the explosion of CCD photography in amateur astronomy, among others. A list of resources to do just that is provided in the back of the book. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to be entertained and enlightened at the same time. If you're like me, preparing to morph from armchair to amateur status, this book provides an excellent foundation.

A terrific introduction to Astronomy
I have just completed an introductory course in Astronomy and I was surprised to find out how much is covered in Dinah Moche's book. She is able to cut through to the important ideas and topics without a lot of minute details. If you want to start learning about astronomy, get this book. It is as good an intro you will get, including college. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

very well written and easy to follow
Excellent book! I found it to be very easy to follow. The author really has a grasp on the subject matter and presents it so clearly. I would definitely recommend this book for any level of student be it high school or college. This book is far superior to any major text that can be very dry and boring. The author makes learning fun.

The idea of biological order versus disorder
This author very successfully carries through the idea that some parts of Biology reflect Biological Order (recognizable patterns), while others reflect the exact opposite - - Biological Disorder (breaking or absence of recognizable patterns). He does this for both the individual living thing (using a giraffe with spots on the one hand, a dead giraffe with out its spots on the other), and for the environment (an intact spider web on the one hand, a broken spider web and dead spider on the other). Quite often, Biological Order means a healthy individual and "fit" environment, while Biological Disorder suggests an unhealthy individual and "unfit" environment. This two-way system of classification helps the reader associate certain key facts with particular types of symbols. This is a valuable and proven educational strategy for increasing the retention of facts and promoting long-lasting memory.

Suffers from poor illustrations
This is an OK book, but it suffers from inadequate illustrations. Many more illustrations would have been very helpful, especially for an introductory book such as this. The illustrations the book does have are amateurish line drawings, which often do not even shed much light on the concepts.

In most cases, the text itself is pretty clear and readable. The style is informal and even entertaining. But in some parts, I had difficulty understanding what was being said. I think this problem would have been largely solved with more and better illustrations.

On the plus side, the book goes out of its way to explain the etymology (word origins) of words. This book was a big help to me in this respect. For example, knowing that adrenal means "toward" (ad-) the top of the "kidney" (renal) is a help in remembering and understanding this term. This is a significant thing, because biology has tons of technical terms, and it can be hard to remember them all. However, sometimes the way this book integrates the word roots into the sentence could be very confusing to someone who did not realize what the author was doing.

The book uses special symbols in the margins for biological Order and Disorder. However, I never saw the point of this. Why is it important to know that something leads to order or disorder? The book seems to think it is very important, but never adequately explained why this is so.

This is an overview, not an in-depth book. It is probably best suited for people who had a general biology class in high school or college, and now want a short refresher course. It is also much cheaper than most textbooks. The writing style seems more geared toward middle school or high school readers, but it would be a poor book for such readers, who are learning the concepts for the first time.

Overall, because of its lack of good illustrations, I would not recommend this book. There must be better books out there. I bought this book on impulse at the bookstore, without first checking the reviews on Amazon. I paid the penalty for my impatience and laziness, and got this mediocre book instead of a great book.

If you want a more in-depth introduction to general biology, I recommend Biology, 6th edition, by Campbell, ISBN: 0805366245. It is not as easy to read, because the information is densely packed. And it costs much more. But the explanations are clear and the illustrations are simply excellent. This is a very, very good textbook.

Save your money
I bought this book thinking that it would help me with my bio class. After reading the first few chapters I felt that the book did nothing but confuse me. This layman guy seems to have no organization, and the chapters seem almost random. He jumps around from idea to idea without transitions. Topics that are completely unrelated are covered in the same paragraph. I have found my biology text to be alot easier to understand after reading this book. ... Read more

Book Description

The International Handbook of Research in Medical Education is a review of current research findings and contemporary issues in health sciences education. The orientation is towards research evidence as a basis for informing policy and practice in education. Although most of the research findings have accrued from the study of medical education, the Handbook will be useful to teachers and researchers in all health professions and others concerned with professional education.The Handbook comprises 33 chapters organized into six sections: Research Traditions, Issues in Learning, The Educational Continuum, Instructional Strategies, Assessment, and Implementing the Curriculum. The authors are internationally recognized authorities in medical education, who have all made substantial contributions to this literature.The research orientation of the Handbook makes this work an invaluable resource to researchers and scholars, and should help practitioners to identify research to place their educational decisions on a sound empirical footing. ... Read more

Book Description

The Making of a Surgeon in the 21st Century is a highly personalized description of one individual's experiences during a five-year residency in general surgery at a major university hospital. It describes the personal challenges and rewards, the drama of triumph and tragedy, the agony of indecision and the thrill of success. Residency is the most profoundly life-altering sequence of events in a surgeon's life.

What does it take to make a surgeon?

It takes a college degree and a medical school education, followed by a residency. And it takes a willingness to subordinate one's personal life to acquiring the skills and knowledge which a surgeon must possess. This sacrifice takes its toll - on families, on mental health, on life-style. A surgical trainee may not get out on his own until well in his thirties - living, in the meantime, a meager existence at best.

Post-graduate training in surgery is longer than that of any other medical specialty, five years at least. Tortuous on-call schedules often demand exceedingly long work hours - 100-hour work weeks being the norm. Compounding the problem are very high stress levels, the burdens shouldered by the resident's family in his frequent absence and often an enormous educational debt.

Nevertheless, every year hundreds of fresh medical school graduates compete for the few available positions. They are consistently the very best of their classes.

Why would otherwise intelligent, highly motivated individuals actively seek such a miserable existence?

Surgeons have, of course, been glorified in the mass media as the swaggering, brilliant, fiercely independent cowboys of the medical profession. Their compensation has also been great. But beyond this is a personal quality best defined as decisiveness. They want to make the difference, in no uncertain terms. In surgery, when the patient enters the operating room he is suffering from disease. Thanks to the surgeon, he may be wheeled out cured. It doesn't happen every time, of course, but the possibility is there (in other disciplines of medicine "cure" is, unfortunately, an unusual event). Who wouldn't want to be such a healer, making a palpable, tangible difference? ... Read more

Reviews (4)

For anyone seeking to better understand the world of surgery
The Making Of A Surgeon In The 21st Century is the memoir of medical research award-winning career surgeon Craig A. Miller, M.D., and presents the unvarnished true story of what it is like to train as an extreme specialist. Presenting a world of gruelling 100-hour work weeks, gallows humor, harsh realities, and severe pressure at every turn with human lives literally hanging in the balance, The Making Of A Surgeon In The 21st Century is an absolute "must-read" for anyone seeking to better understand the world of surgery and the people who perform it, as well as a taste advised for those considering this demanding career path - so that they can better know the challenges they will confront.

The best "inside the world of medicine" book I've ever read
Amazing, is all I can say. It's like a diary of hell, that makes you laugh. I'm in the medical field, and everything in this book is absolutely real. I genuinely couldn't put it down. If you want to know what REALLY goes on inside a hospital, this is the book for you.

Superb!
A nicely written mélange of exceptional egotism and abuse; astounding resolve and will that has no mercy for oneself; memorable characters; compassion; the inevitable, perhaps secret, humility of human limits; hilarity; and no apology. All of it cradled in the final authority of nature and the inconceivable habit of challenging death.
Miller entertainingly depicts the grueling culture of medicine and the making of a surgeon in our society.
I recommend highly.

An important read for todays medical student or applicant
As an applicant and medical student, I was instructed to read "Gifted Hands" (Ben Carson) and "House of God." This is much better. As the author is churned through the residency machinery, he meets a seemingly endless number of extreme personalities and situations. His experiences reminded me about the difficult choices in medicine and the humanity behind them.

It is a poignant and up-to-date book with lots of entertaining stories and valuable medical information. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning in the 1960s, scientists across a wide range of disciplines cooperated in developing unbiased—or assumption free—stereology, based on stochastic geometry and probability theory, as a way to estimate the parameters of irregularly shaped objects without introducing bias. In recent years these new estimation techniques, which were originally quite painstaking and time consuming, have made a great deal of headway in disciplines such as neuroscience, thanks in part to the development of computer software for their application. Prestigious journals and grant-giving organizations now require the use of unbiased stereology in the projects that they support, and this trend is expected to continue.

Principles and Practices of Unbiased Stereology will fill a need in the biomedical community as a clear, user-friendly introduction to this area for the increasing number of scientists who need to learn these techniques for their research. The work moves logically from a discussion of the historical background of stereology to full explanations of terms, concepts,and tools, with the latter part of the manuscript devoted to typical stereology designs. An associated web site will feature color illustrations and video clips demonstrating stereological techniques. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A fantastic book
Principles and Practices fills a much needed niche-- this book excels at introducing beginners to stereology and is sufficiently advanced that more experienced scientists will find themselves using it for reference. The most interesting and useful feature of this book is its organization. Beginning with an historical perspective, the reader learns the importance of stereology as a separate field, as well as its recent impact on the biological sciences. The author does an excellent job of providing pertinent information instead of overwhelming with formulas and jargon. Dr. Mouton's treatment of bias and error is superb; I find myself referring to it frequently. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume and its companion Nonhuman Primates in Biomedical Research: Biology and Management represent the most comprehensive publications of their type on nonhuman primates. This volume addresses the diseases of nonhuman primates with an emphasis on the etiological factors, clinical signs, diagnostic pathology, therapy, and management. Its companion volume serves as a general reference for those who provide care for these animals and for those who use them in biomedical research. ... Read more

Book Description

Presents readers with a user-friendly, non-technical introduction to statistics and the principles of plant and crop experimentation. Avoiding mathematical jargon, it explains how to plan and design an experiment, analyse results, interpret computer output and present findings. Using specific crop and plant case studies, this guide presents:

• The reasoning behind each statistical method is explained before giving relevant, practical examples
• Step-by-step calculations with examples linked to three computer packages (MINITAB, GENSTAT and SAS)
• Exercises at the end of many chapters
• Advice on presenting results and report writing

Book Description

Popular Lost Cities author David Childress opens the door to the amazing world of ancient technology, from the computers of the ancient world to the "flying machines of the gods." Technology of the Gods explores the technology that was allegedly used in Atlantis and the theory that the Great Pyramid of Egypt was originally a gigantic power station. Childress also uncovers many other mysteries, including: *

the technology of ancient flight *

how the ancients used electricity *

megalithic building techniques *

the use of crystal lenses and the fire from the gods *

ancient evidence of high-tech weapons, including atomic weapons *

the role of modern inventors, such as Nikola Tesla, in bringing ancient technology into modern use *

impossible artifacts, and more, much more. Childress has done it again! From beginning to end, Technology of the Gods is filled with facts, keen observations and tales that challenge modern assumptions in a humorous, intelligent and compelling way that is quintessential Childress. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Fascinating
This book is filled with incredible and plausible descriptions of technology that has been ignored or explained away by traditional science. A MUST read for anyone that believes there are many secrets hidden in the past.

Very Interesting
Even if you do not agree with everything in this book, this author does a great job of discussing technology that ancient people had. The text is highlighted by pictures that enhance many of this statements he makes. The author does a great job of taking information from a variety of sources to prove his points and clarify his writing.

My two complaints are that some of the pictures are so small that they are frustrating because you can't see much of the detail. Second, the assumption is made that you know about many of the places in this book and I don't. I had never heard of many of these places until reading this book. I would have appreciated a few maps to help clarify where some of these places are.

Great book. Very interesting. Enjoy.

Incredible
Some of the pictures really make you think, what did the ancients really know. The theories on the pyramids is very original. This whole book is original.Filled with interesting stuff, you'll learn many new ideas from this book.

A rehash
Everything in this book has been written about already by authors like Erich von Daniken, Charles Berlitz, Alan Landsburg, Andrew Tomas, and countless others. And still nobody has come up with a satisfactory explanation in 30 years...

Very enlightening
this is a great book for introductory, the author tries his best to cram as much as possible in little space, thus leaving out a lot of detail, also the author starts over exaggerating towards page 334, over all it is a good book..brings a lot of stuff to light.... ... Read more

Book Description

Developed for use with Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured, Eighth Edition, the Student Workbook is designed to encourage critical thinking and aid comprehension of the course material through: summaries of each chapter objective with page references, case studies, figure labeling exercises, crossword puzzles, matching, fill-in- the-blank, and multiple-choice questions. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent Reinforcer
I thought the AAOS EMT-B workbook was an excellent reinforcer of the skills learned in the EMT-B course. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

study guide
i think it's quite helpful and gives you some " experience" and more confidence before dealing directly with the exams themselves.!

the questions make you more acquainted with what types of questions u might expect for the exams..and thus you hve more chances of doing better! ... Read more

Book Description

Focusing on all current applications, this book presents the various methods as well as their suitability and limitations for a specific question. One particular highlight is the presentation of all basic information on the structure of the relevant objects, thus allowing readers to choose the most suitable applications for any specific problem. They will also find in-depth background information on structure-function relationships, plus descriptions of sample preparations with respect to a particular technique and the necessary equipment.
The whole is rounded off with an overview of the future application potential for devices and applications of upcoming interest in biotechnology. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Outstanding resource
My kids loved these fun learning activities. Enough to keep them busy through early childhood. Nothing canned here. . . all creative and discovery-focused. Makes biology and even physics accessable to very young children. You can't go wrong with this outstanding guide.

This series is GREAT
This is really handy for the budding scientist in your preschooler. Experiements are written so that the early reader can understand and do the experiments on their own (it lets the reader know when a parent needs to help or supervise, such as when scissors are involved) and has question that the parent can use to further expand on projects. Also check this whole series, such as math play, arts and crafts from around the world, rainy day play, weather, shapes, etc. My son loves these activies. Plus for the price, you can't beat it. (...)

Dissatisfied in Annandale
This book had some neat ideas and experiments, but not enough explanations for them. I have a very inquisitive 4 year old and this book just didn't satisfy his curiosity or my expectations.

You can't find a better book for Early Childhood Science
As a science teacher who specializes in Early Childhood Science, you can't find a better book than this. It has good simple activities. It has different questions you can ask the children to stimulate their thinking. It has short explanations for grown-ups. It even has literature (read-aloud) suggestions. I've read a lot of science books, those published by educational publishers, those with fancy titles etc... and this is the one I recommend to our teachers.

Preschoolers will love these fun "science" activities.
We bought "Science Play" not knowing the joy it wouldbring to our three year old. She LOVES this book! We enjoy doing theactivities with her and like that most "supplies needed" are items we have around the house. The activities are easy, fast and interactive so toddlers are kept interested. Another Bonus: No TV or Computer needed -- just Mom or Dads time. ... Read more

Book Description

Teaching During Rounds is a compact, practical handbook designed to help attending physicians and residents improve their teaching skills, specifically in the context of medical rounds. Donn Weinholtz and Janine Edwards focus on the types of rounds usually encountered on inpatient services in departments of internal medicine or pediatrics, but the general principles they elaborate may be applied elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Outstanding
This small, easily read book is absolutely outstanding.I found it really helped me to focus my efforts to teach learning physicians within the context of providing clinical care.Though some of the specifics don't fit my area of practice, the concepts outlined are exceptional and could be applied by any academic physician taking his or her teaching responsibilities seriously.It should, perhaps, be mandatory reading for all beginning academic physicians.If you're a teaching physician, read this book, give it some thought, and make yourself a better teacher.

Doctors Do It On Rounds!
Teaching during rounds is one of many tasks academic physicians accomplish during a busy work day.This neat little soft cover book contains many helpful tips for attending physicians and residents who are involved in the education of medical students.The authors address teaching in a variety of areas such as the bedside, the hallway, and the conference room.The last chapter nicely summarizes the recommendations given in each of the preceding chapters for both attendings as well as residents.Overall, this is a useful text for those with an interest in improving their teaching skills.Its main drawback is a lack of depth in most topics in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

This reference series provides researchers of all kinds with comprehensive practical information on different species of laboratory animals, for daily laboratory use. Each title in the series in devoted to a different species. and draws together all available data in one easily accessible source. Each has similar format, with sections on the strains available, their husbandry and special diets. This leads to sections on gross anatomy, endocrinology and reproduction, followed by more detailed sections on neuroanatomy, vasculature, cell biology and histology of particular organs and structures, and a section on molecular biology.
High quality illustrations are included throughout, with copious color histology microphotographs.

Key Features
* Comprehensive reference source for anybody working with laboratory fish
* 2-color, user-friendly format
* Copious high quality illustrations included throughout
* Color plate section
* Glossary
* Appendix of useful addresses ... Read more

Book Description

The definitive guide to writing application essays, written with the help and advice of top-school admissions officers. Includes a step-by-step writing program plus 40 successful essays, complete with advice from the writers - what they did right, how many rewrites they needed, and where they looked for outside help. Your personal statement is the one part of the application totally under your control - make the most of it and increase your chances of getting into the medical school of your choice! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Just write a thoughtful and sincere essay!
The best lesson from this book is actually the step-by-step process described in the beginning. The essays are just there for you to get an idea of how unique you can get. By following their process and getting the most of what I have learned from my own life experiences, I ended up with a great essay - something that I am proud of submitting. How did I do it? Just read and completed all of their practical exercises. Otherwise, some of the essays are inspiring and they give you some ideas that may be relevant to your application. Don't listen to the post about this book being all for Ivies. I came from a state school and I still ended up interviewing at the very top schools. What gets past the admissions is your true character and sincere expression of why you want to be a doctor.

Interesting essays with some useful pointers
I found this book not as useful as it claims to be. The essays feature here are usually too unique to be used as "model essays". Most of these candiates are best of the best students with tons of great experiences or personal accounts. I still enjoy reading through many of these essays and the pointers the book provides. However DO NOT expect to use these essays as model for your personal statements. This is not what this book is for.

It's okay but there are better books out there
This book was great when it initially came out. However, nowadays, you need some new stuff in order to make it in. Considering the fact that a zillion people bought this book and wrote based on it, admissions are on to it. I suggest From High School to Med school by Raju and Yanofski for some fresh essays. It's written for accelerated medical programs, but they have some good essays in there.

A Must Have for PreMeds
After applying to medical school once and not getting in, I started looking for a different approach to my second application. This book really turned my essay around. The book takes you through all the steps to put together a good essay that will catch the admission committee's attention. The example essays I found helpful also. Your essay will be what you put into it, but this book will help a lot if you will put the work into it. I would definately recommend it as a must have for anyone applying to medical school. It must have worked, because I will be starting medical school in the fall.

Well written and effective
This is a good book that covers one of the more important and often neglected areas of medical school admissions. Kaufman does a good job of giving readers examples of how to write essays that admissions committee members will find both interesting and honest. However, I would recommend Dr. Goliszek's "Complete Medical School Preparation and Admissions Guide" for an overall guide to getting into medical school. ... Read more

Book Description

Investigation of the functional architecture of the human brain using modern noninvasive imaging techniques is a rapidly expanding area of research. A proper knowledge of methodology is needed to appreciate the burgeoning literature in the field. This timely publication provides an excellent catalogue of the main techniques.

The authors offer an invaluable analysis of mapping strategies and techniques, providing everything from the foundations to the major pitfalls and practical applications of the modern techniques used in neuroimaging. Contains over 1000 full color pages with more than 200 color figures.

Spanning the methodological gamut from the molecular level to the whole brain while discussing anatomy, physiology, and pathology, as well as their integration, Brain Mapping: The Methods, 2e, brings the reader a comprehensive, well-illustrated and entirely readable description of the methods for brain mapping. Drs. Toga and Mazziotta provide everything from the foundations to the major pitfalls and practical applications of the technique by assembling an impressive group of experts, all widely known in their field, who contribute an outstanding set of chapters. ... Read more

Book Description

Delmars Maternal-Infant Nursing Care Plans, 2nd edition, provides detailed information on caring for clients during pregnancy, labor and delivery, the postpartum period, and the newborn/infant period. All the information needed to develop specific and effective nursing care plans for clients in the maternal and newborn periods is included. Each care plan presents information to guide users in developing comprehensive individualized nursing care plans based on solid scientific understanding of the physiological, psychological, and social events surrounding childbirth. Care plans solicit specific client data and prompt the user to individualize the interventions, consider cultural relevance, and evaluate the clients individual response. ... Read more