Reviews (3)

Tech Students
My husband is taking AutoCAD Drafting and Design at a note worthy technical school and out of all the tech books they have reviewed this one stands out with the most precise and informative information. This is the first year they offered this program.

Best organization of all introductory GIS texts
This book has the best organization of all the GIS texts I've read. Other texts have either too little or too much on some topics (especially GIS project management and GIS analysis). This one has an excellent balance. Alittle more on data sources would have been nice. The British authors use afew terms American students won't recognize, but it reads very well. I'mrecommending it right now over other overviews of GIS.

Excellent Introductory Level GIS book
This book introduces the basic principles of GIS from the perspective of a new user.Topics are covered with enough depth so that the book will also be beneficial to longer-term users.The writing style, graphics and casestudies are presented in a simple and easy to read format.The book couldbe used as a text for a course or read by anyone interested in learning thefundamentals behind GIS technology.There is also a web site for the bookthat will allow readers access to current trends in GIS and URLs for casestudies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Patterns of growth, power, and conquest, writes cartographic historian Whitfield, can be discerned in changing maps of the world, from that of the medieval Islamic geographer al-Idrisi to the latest Landsat images from NASA. In this scholarly, heavily illustrated survey, Whitfield traces this changing map of the globe from its origins in the ancient Near East to the present. He gives particular attention to fifteenth- and sixteenth-century Europe, when several nations, motivated by reasons of economy and ideology, vied to complete that map with explorations in East Asia and the Americas. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A feast for the eyes
As an avid lover of old maps, this book is very prized on my bookshelf.Each page contains large full-color pictures of maps throughout the age of exploration.

Emphasis is placed on showing how not only the trade of map-making progressed, by showing maps throughout their development, but also on the progress of geographical knowledge over time.See the imaginary continents and coastlines of antiquity slowly develop into the familiar face of the world on today's maps.

Adding to the pictures are their backgrounds and the backgrounds of the men, nations, and times that created them.The book is richly informative and offers numerous anecdotes and historical accounts to go along with the maps.

A must have for anyone who enjoys history and geography. ... Read more

Book Description

Targeted at those who have been charged with launching or implementing a geographic information system for their organization, this book details a practical method for planning a GIS that has proven successful in real public and private sector organizations, including a local government, a transportation authority, a forest management agency, a retail business, a political party, and a farm. Managers will learn how to consider the strategic purpose of their organization to ensure that the GIS will work toward serving some useful and important purpose. The need for active participation in the planning process and early identification of the desired information output is outlined, and a practical system for gathering feedback from the organization is revealed. The case for a formalized approach to needs assessment is made and reinforced. Data considerations are explored, as well as the work of specifying hardware, software, and networking that will prove appropriate for the desired results. Covered in detail are topics such as system design, logical data models, and implementation planning. Also discussed is how to pull all GIS planning work into a cohesive and persuasive document that will pave the way toward winning approval of a project, regardless of the size or scope. ... Read more

Book Description

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Reviews (5)

Comprehensive, Thorough and Clear
I'm currently a student in a GIS program. This is the required text for one of my courses this session.My previous session I used the Heywood book and I found it dated and out of touch and dull.I much prefer this one.While it is very detailed, I appreciate the more comprehensive explanations of how things actually work behind the scenes.Managing data is one of the most crucial aspects of GIS and having a broader overview is proving most helpful.It is written in a formal, rather "dense" style, but I didn't find the British English to be much of a hindrance.I'm actually quite tired of books that "fluff" over topics and talk down to the audience by giving overly simple explanations.

Good book for all GIS users
This is one of the best texts currently available on the topic of GIS.It gives an overall perspective of GIS to any level of user, from the basic to the advanced.After being educated in the American system (BS, Geography, United States Military Academy) and the British system (MSc, GIS, Cranfield University and U.K. Army Survey Course) I found this book to be the most unbiased and easy to follow GIS text on the market.In fact, I am recommending it to be the reference text for the GIS curriculum at NIMA's National Geospatial Intelligence School.
This book remains true to its aim:"To provide an introduction to the theoretical and technical principles that need to be understood to work effectively and critically with GIS."
It is neither a geography text nor an earth science text, so those involved in that educational environment should choose another book.

American readers/students look elsewhere
This text will be a chore to read for most American students who are new to GIS.Although the author(s) manage to cram alot of information into the relatively short chapters, the sentences are long and difficult to understand because of the overly wordy, jargon-filled 'proper' use of British English & spellings.If you decide to purchase this book, then I highly recommend the 'Oxford Unabridged English Dictionary' to go along with it.The majority of the students in my class "Geographic Information Systems I" at Southwest Texas State University, which has one of the best geography programs in the nation, felt the same way I do, and also thought that the book was too advanced for an introductory GIS class.I think that the professors at Southwest Texas State University are now using a different text for that class.Also, people always complain that books tend to be geared toward a single software program- Well, like it or not, in the United States, ESRI has a monopoly on geographic software so you are going to have to learn ArcView/Info one way or another.

Very Good book.
I checked out this book from the library for reference and decided to get a personal copy of the same book.This is probably one of the best books that one can get for GIS introduction.Other books do not talk as much about the specifics of the spatial data and its nuances.They are busy selling the applications of GIS (geographic information systems) to their domain.

Good luck.

An essential introduction to GIS
This is arguably the best introduction to GIS available. A worthy successor to Burrough's earlier work, this book provides a very broadperspective of spatial information systems, ranging from the basics of datamodelling and representation, to more complex (but essential) issues suchas geostatistics, fuzzy logic and data quality. A lot of so-called"introduction to GIS" books are in reality books about onecommercial product. Not this one. Many books only cover the very basics,and thus narrow the reader's perspective. This book will open your mindabout many aspects of GIS, since it provides a very rich perspective of thefield. I have been using this book in my graduate courses on GIS, withexcellent results. ... Read more

Book Description

The extraction of thematic information from remotely sensed images is a key area of research into the applications of remote sensing data. Standard methods of classificationbased on similarity and probability measures, such as the maximum likelihood procedure, are now being superseded by neural/connectionist and artificial intelligence algorithms. Concepts such as fuzzy decision rules and soft classification are extending the traditional boundaries of pattern recognition. This book provides a survey of these new methods, together with a guide to the essential preliminaries such as sampling methods, orthogonal transforms, feature selection, and accuracy assessment. Methods of quantifying texture using fractals and other techniques, of estimating contexts using Markov random fields, and incorporating these features in multi-source classifications are described in the later part of the book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Classification Methods for Remotely Sensed Data
...I must say that it is the best book on remote sensing I have ever come across... ... Read more

Book Description

Despite its supreme importance and the threat of its global crash, biodiversity remains poorly understood both empirically and theoretically. This ambitious book presents a new, general neutral theory to explain the origin, maintenance, and loss of biodiversity in a biogeographic context.

Until now biogeography (the study of the geographic distribution of species) and biodiversity (the study of species richness and relative species abundance) have had largely disjunct intellectual histories. In this book, Stephen Hubbell develops a formal mathematical theory that unifies these two fields. When a speciation process is incorporated into Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson's now classical theory of island biogeography, the generalized theory predicts the existence of a universal, dimensionless biodiversity number. In the theory, this fundamental biodiversity number, together with the migration or dispersal rate, completely determines the steady-state distribution of species richness and relative species abundance on local to large geographic spatial scales and short-term to evolutionary time scales.

Although neutral, Hubbell's theory is nevertheless able to generate many nonobvious, testable, and remarkably accurate quantitative predictions about biodiversity and biogeography. In many ways Hubbell's theory is the ecological analog to the neutral theory of genetic drift in genetics. The unified neutral theory of biogeography and biodiversity should stimulate research in new theoretical and empirical directions by ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and biogeographers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Towards a unified thoery, but not there yet
A couple of years ago, Dr. Jim Brown (Univ. New Mexico) wrote an article in the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) website indicating that he had not seen any really significant new ideas in ecology during the last few year. Well, we have one.
In the hierarchy of biological systems, ecology deals with the highest and most complex levels. Explanation for patterns of abundance and distribution of organisms have been either too specific that only applies to a few species or even one, or too general that can not be tested (remember the ghost of competition's past).
Ecologists working at the community level have mostly been guided by the general principle that interactions tend to determine the diversity of communities. On the larger scale of biogeography, researchers considered that local diversity tends to be a function of a regional species pool. This debate became very contested in the early 1980's and continued for almost a decade, without any meaningful progress. Nonetheless, significant achivements in both areas of inquiry were made.
Hubbell takes advantage of the increased large-scale reasearch in community ecology (like the Smithsonian-MAB biodiversity network of plots) coupled with the ever more manipulative and reductionist approach to biogeography. Is important to add here Hubbell's own contribution to biodiversity research is substantial. Furthermore, the originality of the work is what sets this monograph appart from the last few in the series. The application of random walk models (i.e., ecological drift) to the organization of communities is not a truly new approach. What make is unique is that then he incorporates immigration and extinction rates across space (classical MacArthur-Wilson), and can then predict a range of abundances and distributions. He supplies ample data from tropical systems that agree with model's predictions. The more interesting aspect is when the data doesn't agree. Here there is plenty of productive work to be performed.
One point that Hubbell makes concerning the "triviality" of the nuetrality assumption. Can there be cases when the differential survival of individuals lead to deviations from the theory's prediction? I think that the assumption of neutrality is not as trivial as Hubbell makes it.
Overall, is probably one of the most intriguing and original works of the last decade. If you are interested in ecology, biogeography, and even conservation, this book will challenge what you know and how should we look at patterns and process of biodiversity. ... Read more

Book Description

Substantially revised and expanded, this new edition includes a discussion of the radiative transfer equation, atmospheric sounding techniques and interferometric radar, an expanded list of problems (with solutions), and a discussion of the Global Positioning System (GPS). This book forms the basis of an introductory course in remote sensing. The main readership will be students and researchers in remote sensing, geography, cartography, surveying, meteorology, earth sciences and environmental sciences generally, as well as physicists, mathematicians and engineers. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A solid, well balanced and quite readable text for RS study
I was fortunate enough to attend Gareth Rees' course, for which this book was initially written. As a student that always needed to get things through the brain more than once for it to stick, I can thoroughly recommend this book. It is well written, handles the mathematical treatments with enough detail to be easy to follow (but it does assume a fairly strong undergraduate mathematical background). Excellent description of Synthetic Aperture Radar techniques and written in a style that makes it quite fresh for what is fundamentally a course text book.

EARTH SCIENCE.... professional
Physical Principles of Remote Sensing
by W. G. Rees, Gareth Rees

is one of the first books that should be chased after by anyone planning to adapt the theory of LAND STUDIES to his/her future. Required as an intorductory textbook for many university level programs, THE PRINCIPLES OF REMOTE SENSING prepares the mind for future training in earth sciences.

Ms. Carmen R. Cross

Great reference for remote sensing scientists and engineers.
The book provides simple explainations with just enough equations to help understand concepts in electromagnetics, radiation interaction with atmosphere, Microwave-visible-IR systems, scattering, satellites, antennas and data processing. Great for reference or introductory course in remote sensing. ... Read more

Book Description

Developed out of the renowned Varenius Project in 1999, this book is the definitive volume on geographical knowledge discovery and data mining from geographical databases.Containing contributions by many of the World's leading experts, the book's release is timely as there is virtually nothing else published yet for those working on these systems.The contributors span geographic information science, geography and computer science, providing the proper interdisciplinary scope for this emerging field. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A very complet book on very specific subject
I think it's the lone book which speaks in a such level of details of data mining applied to geographic problems in a sort of overview of all of them.
The most interesting chapters are for me in the part 3 of the book more focus of classical data mining algorithms but in integrating a geographic (x/y) component.
Even if the book lakes a little bit of concistency because it's a sum of articles of different autors this book should be in your own library if you do data mining, geomarketng or both. ... Read more

Book Description

In ESSENTIALS OF WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY, 4th Edition, Kit Salter and Joe Hobbs build the story of each region using contemporary concerns, global issues, and historical themes to create a complete picture of our ever-changing planet and its people. The authors help students understand what aspects of a place give it identity and personality by detailing what features make it newsworthy now and what features might make it critical in the 21st century.ESSENTIALS OF WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY, 4th Edition, is a market leading text with a unique chapter layout that allows for flexibility of topic coverage. "Profile Chapters" introduce a region in global terms by discussing the overall physiographic, economic, historical, economic, and cultural attributes that characterize a large world region (such as Europe or Monsoon Asia). Subsequent chapters then elaborate at a more local level (i.e., subregions and countries) about the finer-scale details, e.g. what geographical factors have made Germany a very different place from France. The advantages of this approach are that the profile chapters allow an instructor a great amount of latitude in how to cover a region. In a one-semester course, for example, many professors might choose to focus on covering only the profile chapters for many of the regions. In that way, the book lends itself very well to semester- or even quarter-length courses. Coverage of global themes is given strong focus and is integrated within a traditional regional organization.Another key strength of the book is its pedagogical structure, accented by a number of boxed elements: "Definitions and Insights", "Regional Perspectives", "Problem Landscapes", "Landscape in Literature", and "Perspectives from the Field" (see description below). These boxed elements combine to identify common themes across regional boundaries, as well as to clarify terms of common usage that may nevertheless be less than familiar to today' s students. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good Text for beginners
If you're looking for something to help you get started in geography, this is the ticket. But if you're attempting to explore more in-depth realms of geography (nature vs nurture) this book will be of little help in getting you on your way. Though it aids in basic understanding of why people in different regions can be different culturally, no one book can adequately encompass the volume of information required to assess such information on a global scale. Feel free to use this book for an elementary college geography class. ... Read more

Book Description

Spatial analysis is where the GIS rubber hits the road, where all the hard work of digitizing, building a database, checking for errors, and dealing with the details of projections and coordinate systems finally pays off in results and better decisions. But spatial analysis has often seemed inaccessible to many users--too mathematical to understand, too difficult to implement, and lacking in good textbooks and guides. Here at last is the ideal book, written by Andy Mitchell and based on ESRI's vast experience with applications of spatial analysis to a host of real problems. The book covers every area of GIS application, so readers will find examples that relate directly to their own concerns, whether they be in hydrology, transportation, or regional planning. The organization is intuitive, with sections on all of the major forms of simple spatial analysis.

This book will appeal to GIS users in all areas of GIS application. It will be invaluable reading for people encountering GIS for the first time, and wanting to see where its real power lies. It will make an excellent textbook for courses in GIS in high schools, community colleges, and undergraduate programs, and as a supplement for practical work.Although, the best way to learn what GIS Analysis can do for your projects is to use it.So buy this book and begin getting results and making better decisions.

For more information on what GIS Analysis can do for you please read theExcerpt section of this page. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Great Starting Point
You have to take this book for what it is. An extremely basic, starting point for any would-be GIS Analyst. The book contains wonderful examples of how one may use GIS to analyze "real world problems" using both raster and vector models. This book in essence shows people how GIS can be used to analyze problems, without specifically showing them how to analyze problems. I would recommend this book for people who are new to GIS analysis and IT managers who's departments use GIS. While this book will not demonstrate how GIS problems are solved, it illustrates what kinds of problems can be solved using a GIS, any GIS. This book, although it is published by a software company, is not a software manual by any stretch of the imagination (and it was not intended to be one). The examples can be replicated on any commercially available GIS package.

Note: Do not buy this book if you are an advanced GIS user, you probably already know most of what is contained in the book.

Good 2nd Book for GIS beginners
After reading "GIS for Everyone", which shows you how to do some basic things with GIS, this book shows you what to do. There's an ample supply of examples in this book, although somewhat repetative. The extensive use of color was surprising given the relatively low cost of this book compared to similar titles. Some of the GIS images are quite small and a small reading magnifier will help seeing the differences that, for example, changes in cell size can make in GIS images.

This book helps you make the transition from making maps to doing GIS analysis.

call it GIS Analysis for dummies
while it doesn't get into specifics about actually using any GIS software, this book explains in layman's terms the basics of spatial relationships. if you're ready to start getting beyond just making maps with GIS, this is an excellent place to start. ... Read more

Book Description

The well-known author of this best-selling book focuses on landscape appreciation of the regional geography of the United States and Canada. He emphasizes the description and interpretation of North American landscapes, including their development. Issues such as ecosystems, urban changes, agriculture, and inland waterways are all visited in depth.Up-to-date maps and information make this book different from any other on the market; it covers such topics as: the North American continent; the physical environment; population; cities; regions; the Atlantic Northeast; French Canada; megalopoli; the Appalachians and Ozarks; the inland South; the Southeastern coast; the Heartland; the Great Plains and prairies; the Rocky Mountains; the intermontane West; the California region; the Hawaiian Islands; the North Pacific coast; the boreal forest; and the Arctic.Not only an excellent desk reference for geographers and geologists, this book can be an excellent addition to any home or school library. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a study of the multi-faceted aspects of the physical and human geography of Sub-Saharan Africa. An introductory book, it is designed for those readers with little or no knowledge of geography to a variety of contemporary ideas, theories, and concepts in African geography, and their applicability to “real world” situations.Using extensive maps, photographs, and illustrations, this book covers such topics as the physical-environmental, socio-cultural, and developmental aspects of Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the region's prospects for global integration.For anyone interested in African geography and its socio-political climate. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

One of the most comprehensive texts on Sub-Saharan Africa.
This is one of the most comprehensive books written onSub-Saharan Africa.It starts off with the spatial location of theregion and the physical aspects - Climate, Vegetation, Soils, and Drainage, that makes the region unique.The authors go on to discussing the human-environmental impacts, one of the most problematic of environmental activities in Sub-Saharan Africa.They discuss reasons for deforestation in Africa South of the Sahara, effects of forest degradation, and desertification a very real problem of desert encroachment that has turned productive lands in Sub-Saharan Africa into desert environments.One of the topics covered in this text that is absent in many textbooks is the Historical Background of Sub-Saharan Africa, especially when most of the old historical records are said to be "non-existent" because of the lack of a written language in the region.The authors have done a good job incorporating culture, conflict of culture and change in the face of cultural multiplicity of that exists in this region.Another important aspect of this book is the comprehensive coverage of gender and the roles of men and women in this part of the world.This book is interesting to read, it is informative and best of all, it is current. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Culture as an escape from animality
We tend to think of the way we live as "reality". Yet all human culture - from the smallest object to the grandest ideological-religious system - is a form of escape. Indeed, argues Tuan, it may well be the defining feature of humans, as a species, that we have this capacity to imagine and implement transformative projects; that we can turn the world to our will (or try to), rather than remaining the victim of Nature or of our own natures. "Escape" or "the imagination" is value-neutral, argues Tuan, as he explores the methods by which we attempt to escape from animality, and how it can lead us into both the grotesque and the sublime. What's incredibly satisfying about this book is that Tuan approaches his topic not from the position of philosopher or psychologist, but from the perspective of "human geography" which, in practice, becomes a helpful blend of sociology and anthropology grounded in history and science, but with enough gaps to allow for fruitful speculation. My only complaint is that the sheer breadth of Yi-Fu Tuan's knowledge leaves you feeling slightly dissatisfied, as if this book is only scratching the surface of an immense topic - which, of course, it necessarily is. So I suppose my dissatisfaction is only with myself. Thankfully, Tuan provides detailed notes and an excellent bibliography to point the way forward.

Cure for a figurative head cold
Yi-Fu Tuan says that "a human being is an animal who is congenitally indisposed to accept reality as it is." He says ESCAPISM is the strategy we employ to rid ourselves of the humdrum of daily life which he likens to suffering a head cold. The book itself is a good head-clearing remedy. Tuan covers a wide range of topics in human cultural history and gives us a lot to think about.

He gives an "unusual" perspective on nature and culture, looking at the very meaning of reality and exploring why, traditionally, "myths", "daydreaming", and "fantasy" have such negative connotations. This is especially puzzling he says in light of escapism being not only a historical human impulse but also a universal one. He shows this with examples from Eastern and Western culture. Another puzzle is why, if it's so intrinsic to our nature, do we choose to make some explorations of it so painful? His chapter on "Hell" looks at the less-than-pleasant escapes that we have inflicted on ourselves.

Tuan is a geographer of some repute and he exhibits his masterly command of exploration of unknown spaces and places with this fascinating journey through our imagination, culture, and psyche.
He is occasionally humorous and writes in a spare, straightforward style. Reading this book is escapism itself as it will make you think, and in a final bit of perceptive wisdom Tuan has this to say: "Even in modern America, thinking is suspect. It is something done by the idly curious or by discontented people." If that's true then I endorse being idly curious and recommend escaping for a while with this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Geosystems is written, organized, and illustrated to give new learners an accessible, systematic, and visually appealing start in the study of physical geography. This edition includes the brand new Geography Animations CD. A four-part organization of chapter covers the energy-atmosphere system; the water, weather, and climate systems; the earth-atmosphere interface; and soils, ecosystems, and biomes. For individuals with an interest in physical geography.

Reviews (2)

Ugh!
The subject of Physical Geography is challenging enough, the last thing students need is a poorly written text book.

A textbook to keep for a lifetime
I am a Teaching Assistant at UC Santa Barbara and relied heavily on Christopherson's text through 2 quarters of introductory physical geography. The book succeeds in its mission: it clearly explains the fundamental principles of the Earth's interacting atmosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, and it does so in a geographic context. The theme of interacting systems holds the material together, allowing students to integrate the multitude of basic concepts into a big picture. Christopherson takes time to include material on how humans interact with the various earth systems, a very relevant topic today with disasters in the news and environmental problems abounding. The text works best for students with a solid high school background in science, but seems achievable even for students who "hate science" or have a poor background in it. At the same time, due to extensive, well thought out diagrams, side-boxes, web references, and many thoughtful pictures, the text is engaging enough to keep even the most advanced students (and T.A. graduate students!) reading. Geosystems is considerably more accessible than Strahler & Strahler's Physical Geography, although the latter book should be preferred for more advanced courses. The only negative point of any significance is the CD-ROM included with the book. Perhaps it was my PC, but I found it clumsy to use, with small pictures, little interaction and generally not worth anyone's time. Few students even tried it, and none found it helpful for learning the material. Hopefully this will be revamped in future additions. In conclusion, I should mention that in addition to its academic virtures, the text is one of the most beautiful textbooks I have ever had the pleasure of owning. I have heard that Christopherson essentially has devoted his career to the production and revision of this text, and it shows. It is the kind of book you can profitably keep on your shelf, coffee table, or under your seat during a cross-country road trip. ... Read more

Book Description

Written in a clearer and more active style, this new edition provides a comprehensive treatment of the countries' geographies. It explains clearly geographers' conceptual insights and interpretations while posing thought-provoking perspectives about North America's land and people. It features a regional approach, and has been raised for its excellent introduction to major geographic concepts and fundamental themes. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than one hundred years, the National Geographic Society has brought "the world and all that is in it" to millions worldwide. Through its unparalleled research, exploration, publications, and photography, the organization and its magazine have, in many ways, defined how we see the world. Now Robert Poole's Explorers House gives a vibrant, behind-the-scenes look at National Geographic, from its start in 1888 to its evolution into one of the most esteemed and iconic American institutions.

The story of the National Geographic is a family story of a media dynasty to rival the Sulzbergers or Luces. The Grosvenors, along with Alexander Graham Bell, who was linked to the family by marriage, created the institution's photography-based monthly, and the family has been on the masthead since the McKinley administration. Content to stay in the shadows, however, they have remained modestly obscured from public view while their media empire has grown to reach some forty million readers and viewers each month. The Grosvenor and Bell family history is not merely the story of the National Geographic; it is a captivating view of the sweep of American scientific, geographic, and political history since the late nineteenth century, rendered in fascinating human terms by Poole.

Moreover, Explorers House shows the inside workings of the magazine's editorial process, providing an unprecedented look behind some of National Geographic's ground-breaking articles and explorations-from Cousteau's famous Calypso voyages to the origins of Jane Goodall's research on chimpanzees to the institution's 1963 Mt. Everest expedition, the first to place an American on the summit. We also hear of the writers and photographers who are larger than life figures themselves, such as Luis Marden, the writer-photographer who unearthed the remains of the H.M.S. Bounty off Pitcairn Island, among many other feats.

Explorers House presents the National Geographic from the inside out-from its remarkable founding family to the very ends of the earth it investigates. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By the mid-19th century, after decades of polar exploration, the fabled Northwest Passage seemed within reach. In 1845 the British Admiralty assembled the largest expedition yet, refitting two ships with steam engines and placing the seasoned if somewhat lackluster Sir John Franklin in command of the 128-man expedition. After sailing into Baffin Bay, they were never heard from again.

Drawing on early accounts from relief expeditions as well as recent archeological evidence, Scott Cookman reconstructs a chronicle of the expedition in Ice Blink. Cookman, a journalist with articles in Field & Stream and other magazines, excels when firmly grounded in the harrowing reality of 19th-century Arctic exploration. When he speculates about what happened to the Franklin expedition, however, he is on less solid ground and his writing suffers.

Particularly overwrought is the promised "frightening new explanation" for the expedition's demise. Cookman suggests that it was caused by the "grotesque handiwork" of an "evil" man, Stephan Goldner, who had supplied its canned foods. This is hardly new. As early as 1852, investigators determined that the expedition's canned goods were probably inferior and canceled provisioning contracts with Goldner. How a hundred men survived for nearly three years despite lead poisoning and botulism remains a mystery. In the end, as Cookman himself acknowledges, the expedition was ultimately doomed by its reliance on untested technology such as the steam engine, armor plating, and canned provisions. These criticisms aside, Ice Blink is an interesting narrative of this enduring symbol of polar exploration and disaster. --Pete Holloran ... Read more

Reviews (23)

FANTASTIC
I was flipping the channels on early Sunday morning when for some reason I stopped on Book TV on C-Span 2 and caught Scott Cookman talking about the search for the Northwest Passege. It was the Apollo mission of its time. I have read a number books over Sir John Franklin Polar Expedition and this one by far is the best. Polar Exploration the 1800's was pretty dicey, even today it is. If you have any interest Polar Expedions and true mystery this is your book and it all rally happend.

Spielberg should make it a movie!
Years ago I had read a National Geographic article about the discovery of the frozen bodies of three seamen from an ill fated expedition to explore the Arctic for the fabled Northwest Passage. The modern discoverers of the remains were scientists who performed an onsite autopsy to determine the cause of death, as the scope of the disaster had left many unanswered questions since it's occurrence in the mid-19th Century. The amount of knowledge that was gained after more than a century post mortem was impressive, and left a lasting memory of the unfortunate expedition: The Franklin Polar Expedition. When I saw the summary for the book The Ice Blink, I was immediately captured by the Franklin subject, and got the book.

The volume reads like a novel, written as it is by a well researched journalist rather than an historian. I read it in a single day, almost in a single sitting, so riveting is its human detail. The author covers the topic lengthily, including other equally unfortunate attempts to search for the passage to the Pacific by way of the northern most reaches of North America. He details the careers of the various officers as well as that of the Second Secretary of the British Admiralty, Sir John Barrow, who was as much a part of the events as any of the actual participants. He outlines the background of many of the enlisted men, and points out the financial incentives that encouraged them to go on the discovery voyage. He also points out that few who had been on one before, were actually willing to go for any amount of money!

Cookman's biography of the titular leader of the expedition, Sir John Franklin is illuminating, but that of the captain of the Terror is by far the most interesting. Francis Croiser was passed over as leader of the expedition on the basis of his social and ethnic status (Irish middle class) but was the most experienced of the officers with the rigors of polar exploration. It was ultimately on his shoulders that command fell after the early death of Franklin, and under the worst of all possible conditions. From physical remains found at the site of the abandoned ships and strewn across the landscape following the doomed men's path, it would appear that the flight from the pack ice in which both ships had been imprisoned for almost 18 months had been well and carefully planned by Croiser, and except for the desperation and hopelessness of their situation might well have brought a few home. He certainly seems to have given them the only real hope they had of survival.

The author paints a vivid picture of the retreat of the men, using the 19th Century reports of efforts to find survivors, those of modern investigators of known sites (like that mentioned above) and of reports by other explorers and natives who accidentally discovered remains. Putting the story together with what is known of other polar expeditions, what is known of the 19th Century naval organization, and the society of the time, and the information about the Arctic that 20th Century polar expeditions have given us, Cookman provides the reader with a thoroughly convincing tale of the early conditions of exploration.

What makes the story most intriguing, though, is the probable cause of the disaster itself, which turns out to have been staggering greed, incredible double dealing and total indifference to the fate and well being of others. There is definitely a message to the modern world in the tale of the "lowest bidder!" Steven Spielberg should make a movie of the entire affair! Read it, and see if you don't agree!

More than Slightly Speculative
One reviewer has called the book "slightly speculative." That is too charitable. Cookman generally does not contradict known facts about the Franklin expedition, but he invents much more detail than he has evidence to support. The book is unsuitable for academic purposes, but it provides a compelling, though at times poorly written, story. I do not wish to be too harsh on the book. To its credit, many of Cookman's speculations are reasonable and provide information that serious historians withhold in their books on the expedition. It is best to read one of the many other books on the topic in order to know what parts of Ice Blink to trust, and which to take with a grain of salt.

A good read, slightly speculative
The Fate of the Franklin expedition will most likely always be a mystery. This wonderful, speculative account is one of the best. The author does a step by step look at all the factors and issues leading to the disaster that cost the lives on 129 British Navy personnel in search of the Northwest passage. Franklin had left England in 1845 with two of the best equipped ships ever put to sea for arctic exploration, he had experienced officers and a compliment of 129 men. They were never seen again. Subsequently 50 expeditions searched and found only scraps of clues as to their disappearance.

This book claims the culprit was most likely Botulism in the canned meat. This speculation runs contradictory to that lead poisoning thesis put forward in 'Frozen in Time' and the fact that admiralty investigations proved the meat tins were not thoroughly sealed(thus Botulism couldn't have formed). Nevertheless this is one of the best books on the fate of the expedition. The author describes the final 'death march' south along King William Island and the subsequent cannibalism that took place. Excellent diagrams bring the ships to life and maps show the final route of Franklins last survivors. A must read for those interested in arctic survival and the riddle of Sir John Franklin.

Seth J Frantzman November 2003

Great Book
The Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin is one of the most infamous incidents in a series of infamous incidents that was Arctic exploration in the 19th century. This book retells his story, and the story of his men. In this, it is no different from the many other books on the subject, including Buried in Ice, a recent archeological study of the Franklin expedition. However, this book gives a name to the enemy: Stephen Goldner, who sold the canned food to the expedition. It is the perfect book for the novice, like myself, who just wants a basic overview of one of the more fascinating and tragic episodes in exploration history. ... Read more

Book Description

This new edition accommodates the most recent advances in GPS technology. Updated or new information has been included although the overall structure essentially conforms to the former editions. The textbook explains in comprehensive manner the concepts of GPS as well as the latest applications in surveying and navigation. Description of project planning, observation, and data processing is provided for novice GPS users. Special emphasis is put on the modernization of GPS covering the new signal structure and improvements in the space and the control segment. Furthermore, the augmentation of GPS by satellite-based and ground-based systems leading to future Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) is discussed. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A resource for more than just GPS
This is an excellent book for anyone that works with spacecraft geometry and/or timekeeping. It contains concise descriptions of coordinate systems, orbital elements and timekeeping. I've been using it as an algorithm 'cookbook'. This is not a book for a casual GPS user, or someone who is sqeamish about math. It's much easier to use than the Astronomical Almanac for basic algorithms. Like a fool, I lent it out. Now I need to buy another one.

More theory than practice!
As a commercial GPS user, I was looking for a book that would offer a fairly basic overview of GPS, but that would still go into significant detail. This book does exactly that, but it also covers a lot of the mathematical theory behind GPS. This book certainly isn't introductory and I think would be more suited to a surveyor with a good knowledge of surveying techniques who was interested in GPS. The mathematics gets a bit heavy for a non-mathematician but Chapter 7 (Surveying with GPS) is an excellent introduction/review of the practical uses of GPS in the field. A good intermediate-advanced level book, probably very suited to students. ... Read more

Book Description

The development of the Internet has changed the environment for Geographical Information Systems (GIS), with the emphasis shifting from analysis to the sharing of data and information over the Internet thus making GIS more mobile and powerful. The Geography Mark-Up Language (GML) was developed as the standard language and is emerging as the foundation for Internet GIS. Geography Mark-Up Language: Foundation for the Geo-Web provides a broad coverage of the use of GML in different application areas, along with the technical means for building these applications.

Starting from the basic concepts, this book works through all the important topics in both GML 2.0 and GML 3.0, with illustrations and worked examples to demonstrate its use. Organized into two sections, Volume I introduces readers to the new world of GML, and explains how it can be used across a broad range of GIS projects. It deals with the basic concepts of XML and GML, and enables readers to make decisions on the utility of GML in their projects and software acquisitions. Volume II is intended for the technical reader and answers questions on the meaning and structure of GML schema components, the development of GML application schemas, and the use of GML in connection with web services, legacy GIS and relational databases.

• Contains worked examples
• Covers all aspects of GML 3.0 from geometry and topology to units of measure, default styling and coverages
• Explains the Geo-Web and its impact on vertical applications
• Authored by leading figures in GML development

Book Description

The difficulties inherent in assessing the accuracy of large-area spatial data sets, their subsequent analysis by GIS, and their importance to landscape characterization make the development of methods for robust accuracy assessment a critical challenge. In December 2002, the U.S. EPA sponsored a symposium focused on evaluating the scienctific elements relevant to performaning of accuracy assessments for remote sensing derived data sets and GIS data analysis and integrated products. The result is this peer-reviewed text from an international group of scientists representing federal, state and local governments, academia, and non-governmental organizations. ... Read more