Book Description

Since the first edition of Open Source GIS: A GRASS GIS Approach was published in 2002, GRASS has undergone major improvements. This second edition includes numerous updates related to the new development; its text is based on the GRASS 5.3 version from December 2003. Besides changes related to GRASS 5.3 enhancements, the introductory chapters have been re-organized, providing more extensive information on import of external data. Most of the improvements in technical accuracy and clarity were based on valuable feedback from readers.

Open Source GIS: A GRASS GIS Approach, Second Edition, provides updated information about the use of GRASS, including geospatial modeling with raster, vector and site data, image processing, visualization, and coupling with other open source tools for geostatistical analysis and web applications. A brief introduction to programming within GRASS encourages new development. The sample data set used throughout the book has been updated and is available on the GRASS web site. This book also includes links to sites where the GRASS software and on-line reference manuals can be downloaded and additional applications can be viewed.

Book Description

Biogeography was stuck in a "natural history phase" dominated by the collection of data, the young Princeton biologists Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson argued in 1967. In this book, the authors developed a general theory to explain the facts of island biogeography. The theory builds on the first principles of population ecology and genetics to explain how distance and area combine to regulate the balance between immigration and extinction in island populations. The authors then test the theory against data. The Theory of Island Biogeography was never intended as the last word on the subject. Instead, MacArthur and Wilson sought to stimulate new forms of theoretical and empirical studies, which will lead in turn to a stronger general theory. Even a third of a century since its publication, the book continues to serve that purpose well. From popular books like David Quammen's Song of the Dodo to arguments in the professional literature, The Theory of Island Biogeography remains at the center of discussions about the geographic distribution of species. In a new preface, Edward O. Wilson reviews the origins and consequences of this classic book. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

dated, but excellent for seeing where the field began
This is a wonderful book that spawned a new sub-field in ecology as well as providing a major theoretical approach to conservation issues. Island biogeography provided us with a new way to view biodiversity as it related to space. A wonderful book.

Reprint of MacArthur's and Wilson's Seminal Ecological Tome
Originally published as part of the Princeton University Press' Monographs in Population Biology series, Robert MacArthur's and Edward O. Wilson's "Theory Of Island Biogeography" is regarded by many as the most influential tome in theoretical ecology published in the latter half of the 20th Century. Its importance is due to its success in predicting the causes and outcomes of variations in species diversity across a wide range of habitats, not only tropical islands. Furthermore it is the underlying theory behind current research in conservation biology. And it has played a magnificient role in analyzing fluctuations in taxonomic diversity from both marine and continental fossil records across the span of more than half a billion years of Earth history. MacArthur and Wilson conceived of a simple, yet conceptually fruitful equilibrium model of species diversity, recognizing that species diversity is often in a state of flux between varying rates of species immigration (or perhaps, speciation) and extinction. This then novel way at looking at species diversity combined MacArthur's sound mathematical reasoning with Wilson's excellent field biogeographic research (Yet those who are not mathematically inclined should not feel intimidated; their theoretical arguments are made through lucid, exquisite prose.). Without a doubt, their equilibrium theory of island biogeography is one of the finest achievements of 20th Century ecology.

The young lion revisited
Robert McArthur was on he knew was his last speaking trip across the country when I heard him in Boulder in the winter of 1974. He didn't talk about death; he talked about life and how it works. He wrote one short equation on the blackboard, then talked about it for an hour. No long after he was dead, but he was the real young lion, he changed ecology forever. His start was simple: look at avifauna in terms of foliage height diversity, but he did not stop there.

Wilson? He's brilliant in his own way, of course, but I'm betting his contribution to Island Biogeography was criticism and editing.

People have spent a lot of time attacking parts of this book, an equation here, an equation there. And if you don't like equations at all, skip them and go for the ideas. This was the seminal book, the start of the New Era, where complex ideas can be encapsulated in a brief expression, then turned around and it's implications tested. It will teach you how to think. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In this book, Doreen Massey makes an impassioned argument for revitalising our imagination of space. She takes on some well-established assumptions from philosophy, and some familiar ways of characterising the twenty-first century world, and shows how they restrain our understanding of both the challenge and the potential of space.

The way we think about space matters. It inflects our understandings of the world, our attitudes to others, our politics. It affects, for instance, the way we understand globalisation, the way we approach cities, the way we develop, and practice, a sense of place. If time is the dimension of change then space is the dimension of the social: the contemporaneous co-existence of others. That is its challenge, and one that has been persistently evaded. For Space pursues its argument through philosophical and theoretical engagement, and through telling personal and political reflection. Doreen Massey asks questions such as how best to characterise these so-called spatial times, how it is that implicit spatial assumptions inflect our politics, and how we might develop a responsibility for place beyond place.

This book is 'for space' in that it argues for a reinvigoration of the spatiality of our implicit cosmologies. For Space is essential reading for anyone interested in space and the spatial turn in the social sciences and humanities. Serious, and sometimes irreverent, it is a compelling manifesto: for re-imagining spaces for these times and facing up to their challenge.

Book Description

The main objective of this book is to apprise the reader with the use of a number of tools and techniques namely Independent Component Analysis (ICA), Mutual Information (MI), Markov Random Field (MRF) Models and Support Vector Machines (SVM) for a variety of image processing tasks. Typical applications considered are feature extraction, image classification, image fusion and change detection. A number of experimental examples based on a variety of remote sensing sensors are presented.

The utility of the book will be highly appreciated by the academicians and R & D professionals, who are involved in current research in the area of hyperspectral imaging as well as by professional remote sensing data users such as geologists, hydrologists, environmental scientists, civil engineers and computer scientists.

  

Book Description

Designed for a comprehensive coverage of GIS topics, this book is organized into three parts. Part 1 (chapters 1 to 8) covers the fundamentals of GIS including coordinate systems, data models, data input, data management, and data display. Part 2 (chapters 9 to 12) includes data exploration, analysis using vector and raster data, and terrain analysis. Part 3 (chapters 13 to 16) covers spatial interpolation, GIS modeling, regions, and network and dynamic segmentation. Also included in the book are new developments in GIS such as the object-oriented model and research-oriented questions such as the effect of spatial scale.

This book stresses both concepts and practice. GIS concepts from fields such as geography, cartography, spatial analysis, and database management explain the purpose and objectives of GIS operations and the interrelationship among GIS operations. A basic understanding of map projection, for example, explains why we must project map layers to be used together to a common coordinate system and why we need to input numerous projection parameters. Each chapter in this book is divided into two main sections. The first section covers topics and concepts addressed in the chapter. The second section covers applications, usually with three to five problem-solving tasks.

To include data sets and instructions for the practice sections, we chose GIS packages as examples for this book, and ArcView software is included complimentary with this textbook. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Decent mix of GIS theory and arcview specifics
I just finished using this book for a second-level ArcView class. At first I didn't like it that much, mostly because the writing is very soporific, but also because it blurs coverage of GIS topics and ArcView specifics together, without a clear sense of what kind of information was being presented. (E.g. tutorial GIS material appears in the middle of exercises. This should be separated and stand off in a separate font, for instance, than the low level instructions of what ArcView commands to perform for the exercise.)

However, as I read this book more, I got to like it and appreciate it much more. It occupies a unique niche in the GIS literature field, because *NO OTHER BOOK* that I have been able to track down (with one exception given below) combines high level GIS concepts with their realization in ArcView (if there are others I'd like to know).

Most other books are either GIS theory alone, or very *very* low level bloated books about ArcView as a program (e.g. practically everything esri publishes), with little or no connection to, or explication of, high level GIS concepts, theory, and data structures. (Also as I read on, the writing became less soporific: I don't know if this was because I got used to the author's writing style, or if the writing actually improved.)

In contrast to all those other ArcView books, this book presents some GIS theory, and then shows how to actually do something with these concepts in ArcView. The exercises on the CD provide data and shapefiles specific to what is being taught, so that the reader learns how to actually do quite powerful things in ArcView. It became quite exciting to see some of the cool things that could be done as the chapters went on. (For learning and using ArcView, this book goes along well with Theobald's excellent reference on ArcView, which also bridges the gap between GIS theory and ArcView by presenting almost every nut and bolt relevant to ArcView usage, organized by high level GIS concepts.)

Regarding the complaints in the other review: I encountered just a couple of bugs in the supplied CD exercises, and most of them could by remedied in one way or another. (The newer printing of the book may or may not have these bugs fixed.) Although a trial version of ArcView is included on the CD for installing on your home computer (I used a Mac with Virtual PC), the text includes exercises using the ArcInfo program when there was something that couldn't be done in ArcView. On the book's cover, they clearly mention that only ArcView is included on the CD. For the exercises which required special extensions such as 3D Analyst, we used the college's computers which had those extensions installed, so that was not a problem. It is unfortunate that not every tool covered in the book could have a trial verision included in the CD (not the fault of the publisher, but of esri), but I'd rather have the knowledge coverage in the book so I can learn about it even if the program is not on the CD.

I think this book deserves five stars for content, but I'm giving it four because of the stylistic problems described above.

Introduction to GIS by Chang
This book was recommended reading for a class. Like many other books that include a CD, it relies heavily on the CD to teach the material. It was frustration from the begining. The overall content of the book is sufficient but the teaching process falls far short. The author or publisher should have checked the CD to see if it contained what they said: no spatial analyst like they said--which is very important in the book, no arcinfo which is important. One reference to a software extension was misnamed, leaving me to search and experiment till I discovered they did not mean "Grid Data Source" but rather "Image Data Source". And we have not yet left chapter 1! Chapter 2 was no different, View Projection Utility does not work. Oh well I give up. I do not recommend this book as a way to learn GIS--maybe as a reference but not as a tutorial. ... Read more

Book Description

Offering a fully integrated, systems-based approach to physical geography, the new Third Edition of Alan and Arthur Strahler's highly successful text incorporates relevant and recent developments in the field. The text's accurate and comprehensive coverage provides both the breadth and depth necessary to appreciate how humans are changing, and are changed by, the Earth. This edition has a new emphasis on global change, remote sensing, and tools in geography as "Interchapter Features" located after selected chapters.
* Accuracy: This text has been praised for its accuracy in conveying key physical geography concepts to the undergraduate students helping them to understand key concepts, which are crucial to further study in the discipline
* Currency: This title includes the most up-to-date information available. With the growth of remote sensing, GIS, and other geographic techniques, currency in textbooks has become increasingly important
* Outstanding art programme: The title includes a photographic and illustration programme that is second to none. These visuals are extremely important for helping students comprehend the key scientific concepts in physical geography
* Critical thinking: The text provides the tools that students need to think critically and scientifically ... Read more

Book Description

A new classic from one of the world's most respected sailing authors

More than 35 years ago, Hal Roth quit his job as a journalist and went sailing. Since then, he's logged more than 200,000 sea miles. Along the way, Roth also has authored eight voyaging classics, including the 1978 bestseller After 50,000 Miles.

Taking that book as its starting point, this handsome new volume incorporates the new technologies and discoveries of the last quarter century along with another 150,000 miles of experience.

A compendium of mature, time-tested sea wisdom from one of the world's most respected sailing writers, How to Sail Around the World will tell the reader:

• How to choose and equip a sailboat for long-distance cruising, with an emphasis on simplicity and a modest budget
• How to plan and conduct a voyage anywhere in the world
• How to master the arts of navigation, anchoring, and daily life aboard in exotic places
• How to cope with storms at sea--the most complete and authoritative treatise on this critical topic ever published

Reviews (2)

Even for Armchair Sailors...
For sailors who dream about crossing the ocean, or even crossing the bay, here is superb advice from a lifelong sailor who has lived nearly every sailing dream imaginable. But the book is so filled with interesting notions and wry comment that even armchair sailors who never have left the dock will find it captivating. Hal Roth twice has sailed small boats, solo, in the most grueling race imaginable, now called Around Alone. He and his wife have circumnavigated many times. In the book, he presents practical advice that works for offshore sailors but also for weekend cruisers. He talks about costs, construction, sails and sail management, heavy weather, anchoring, dinghies and even food. All these topics and many more are illustrated with Roth's own pictures and drawings which are very good. What sets this book far apart from ordinary instruction texts, however, is Roth's salty sense of humor, his strong opinions, and his gift for telling compelling anecdotes to prove his points. He literally has a world of material and he brings it to the reader in an adventurous style. I loved the book.

Roth has a winner in How to Sail Around the World
Preparatory to purchasing my first cruising sailboat in 1978, I purchased Hal Roth's earlier handbook, "After 50,000 Miles." It was a primary reference for my first ten years (20,000 miles) of cruising and passagemaking under sail, and it served me very well. Since then I've sailed another 20,000 miles, and I've read most of the similar "how-to" sailing books written over the years by experienced sailors. Now, with the publication of Mr. Roth's "How to Sail Around the World," I believe that prospective and current cruising sailors have the definitive reference book to support their purchase, planning, and cruising decisions. Few sailors have logged as many singlehanded or "two-handed" miles in the variety of cruising and racing conditions as Hal and Margaret Roth. Few write as well or as engagingly as Hal Roth. "How to Sail Around the World" is a detailed book, very well researched, with careful analyses backed up by more than 200,000 sea-miles of thoughtful experience. The book will give beginning cruising sailors an excellent foundation, and it will give more experienced sailors new insights and techniques. Because of the research and vast experience of the writer, I believe that this is the best book of its type available. I recommend it most highly. It will show you how you can achieve your dream of cruising a bay, an ocean, and then the world. ... Read more

Book Description

A stirring tale of adventure and tragedy

"They brought balls of spun cotton and parrots and javelins and other little things that it would be tiresome to write down, and they gave everything for anything that was given to them.I was attentive and labored to find out if there was any gold."

With these portentous words, Christopher Columbus described one of his first encounters with Native Americans on the island of Guanahani, which he had named San Salvador and claimed for Spain the day before.In Columbus in the Americas, bestselling author William Least Heat-Moon reveals that Columbus’s subsequent dealings with the cultures he encountered not only did considerable immediate harm, but also set the pattern of behavior for those who followed him.

Based on the logbook of Columbus and numerous other firsthand accounts of his four voyages to the New World, this vividly detailed history also examines the strengths and weaknesses of Columbus as a navigator, explorer, and leader.It recounts dramatic events such as the destruction of Fortress Navidad, the very first European settlement in the New World; a pitched battle in northern Panama with the native Guaymi people; and an agonizing year Columbus and his men spent marooned on a narrow spit of land in southern Jamaica.

Filled with stories of triumph and tragedy, courage and villainy, Columbus in the Americas offers a balanced yet unflinching portrait of the most famous and controversial explorer in history.

TURNING POINTS features preeminent writers offering fresh, personal perspectives on the defining events of our time. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Columbus - More Than 1492
This is a terrific history of Columbus' four trips to the Americas taken mostly from his journals and other contemporary accounts. It is better than good for several reasons.

First, it is novel in that it describes the first voyage beyond the histroy we get in grade school. It describes Columbus' luck as well as his skill which when combined enabled him to make the journey and how he kept the crew thinking that land was always just over the horizon. He establishes every sailor of the time knew the world was round - the fear was the unknown size of the sphere and what lay beyond the horizon.

Next, it describes Columbus' next three voyages. I had seen maps showing them, but never read any accounts.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the book, though, was Mr. Least-Moon's accounts of how Columbus treated and perceived what he named Indians. The author puts these acts and attitudes into the context of the impending slaughter by the Spaniards of the Indians in the name of Christianity. The most remarkable aspect of the author's accounts and comments is that he makes the observations without a hint of political correctness or bias. His nearly emotionless rendition makes the reader's own conclusions more poignant.

This book is a terrific historical account of events about which most of us only have a superficial knowledge. It is strongly recommended.

Columbus..A Place to Begin
As an introduction to the voyages of Columbus, this book by William Least Heat-Moon serves the task well. In its brief 180 pages, an overview of where and when Columbus travelled is well chronicled.

There are perhaps too many people who know of Columbus only that "in 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue". Yet Columbus did more than just sail. Although he never discovered America and constantly thought he had arrived in Asia, he nonetheless served as the spark to the later journeys that would fully reveal the New World. Unfortunately, both his journeys and those of his followers would do much to injure the indigenous people with the introduction of disease and slavery.

If you are searching for a primer on Columbus and the New World, Least Heat-Moon's book serves that purpose well. If, however, you are looking for something of greater substance, look to other sources.

A good read...
I received this book "Columbus in the Americas" as a present and enjoyed it very much. I previously read Heat-Moon's Blue Highways as well as River-Horse and this is a quite a departure from those books. Frankly I enjoyed Blue Highways and River-Horse more because Heat-Moon has such a great way of telling stories of his experiences. With Columbus he had to rely upon historical fact and obviously could not put in the first-person details that makes the other books so wonderful.

Considered on its own merits though, Columbus is an excellent interpretation of his voyages. The book has emphasis on the qualities Columbus had that make reading of his accomplishments worthwhile even 500 years after the fact. This book has stirred my interest in learning more about the life and times of Columbus.

Columbus in the Americas
Given the recent uproar over traditional accounts of Columbus' "discovery", it is particularly refreshing to read so balanced and unpoliticed a narrative as this, especialy from one who's ancestors were among the "discovered". This story comes as close as I could imagine to taking the reader aboard on all four voyages.

As The Way Opened
Least Heat-Moon has turned in a small book about several voyages of discovery that continue to the present. Like the author's own voyages, we are properly briefed in the historical context, brought into the narrative of a 15th Century ocean crossing, shown glimpses of what we as a species believe is real, then are left to discover how we feel about what we are shown and who we are. This timely account of the voyages illustrates the cupidity of the discoverer and includes the author's macabre wit and razor sharp sense of historical irony. Not to be missed, while we wait... ... Read more

Book Description

Tracing an awe-inspiring oceanic route from Boston, around Cape Horn, to the California coast, Two Years Before the Mast is both a riveting story of adventure and the most eloquent, insightful account we have of life at sea in the early nineteenth century. Richard Henry Dana is only nineteen when he abandons the patrician world of Boston and Harvard for an arduous voyage among real sailors, amid genuine danger. The result is an astonishing read, replete with vivid descriptions of storms, whales, and the ship's mad captain, terrible hardship and magical beauty, and fascinating historical detail, including an intriguing portrait of California before the gold rush. As D. H. Lawrence proclaimed, "Dana's small book is a very great book." ... Read more

Reviews (34)

Fascinating glimpse of a bygone era
Let me start out by stating that Dana was a born story teller.

The two years before the mast tells the story of Henry Dana's two years as a sailor during a journey from the America East Coast to the distant land of California via Cape Horn. Book portrays a fascinating insight into the life of a sailor during the years of sail upon a merchant ship - both the incredible hardships to be endured, the tangible moments of joy like rounding the cape and heading for home in a good wind with all sails set to the everyday relationships between crew and officers . Also it provides a truly interesting picture of California before the gold rush, a wild uninhabited place more Spanish than American, vast unspoilt stretches of coasts, with small settlements with familiar names such as San Francisco and San Diego.

As an officer worker, I also founded Dana's portrayal of his Capitan to be a equally telling study of the failed middle manager you know the guy who is competent but not truly experienced, who is aware of his failure and is aware that his competence is questioned by others. An insecure man forced to take his insecurities out on his underlings. The more things change the one thing that remains the same is human nature.

Also found myself sympathising with the sailors, far from home life. Men who at least while isolated are sailors first and American or French or English second.

A great adventure tale and a picture of a world long gone.

What He Did on His Vacation
Richard Henry Dana suffered from measles while a student at Harvard in 1834. Rather than suffer a slow recovery from weakened eyesight, he shipped out as a common sailor, rather than as a passenger, on a long sea voyage. After becoming a lawyer, he published his recollection of his voyage in 1840; it was an immediate success. He became an active member of the Free Soil Party, and represented fugitive slaves. This first and greatest book shows his sympathy for the suffering and the oppressed, and his courage, unselfishness, and fair-mindedness that characterized his life. This important book describes California before statehood and the gold rush, and life in those times. RHD hoped this book would promote religion and moral improvement for seamen, and diminish their hardships.

Chapter IV tells of being chased by a black hulled ship that flew no colors. They were able to outrun this ship, then lost it in the dark. Chapter V tells of the bad weather while rounding Cape Horn. They passed a whaler from Poughkeepsie NY. Chapter XIII gives his impressions of the Californians. RHD knew that local officials were appointed from the capital, but didn't ask if they controlled the local economy as a colony: produce raw material, buy finished goods. Chapter XVII tells how their captain, known for his flogging, could not hire any new seamen. Chapter XVIII tells of Easter celebration in California. The crews of Catholic vessels get about three more weeks of vacation in a year, and "Yankees don't keep Christmas". Chapter XXI tells more about California politics. Since the independence of Mexico the missions and their lands became the prey of administradores, and became diminished and decayed. RHD describes the lack of common law, and the private morality. It was a rich country waiting to be exploited.

Chapter XXIII tells of the advantages of a bigger ship over a smaller ship: more hands make lighter work. But a smaller lighter ship can catch a slight breeze that becalms a bigger ship. Chapter XXV tells how the heavy import taxes of Mexico are handled. A vessel puts in to declare a moderate cargo, then sells a large part. It then sails to another port; but on the way it gets other goods to replenish its cargo. RHD describes his visit to a whaleship, whose crew resembled fishermen and farmers. [Whalers got a share of the profits, not a wage.] The chapter ends with a description of a 3-day gale. Chapter XXIX tells of preparations to sail home: ballast is dumped, the ship sealed and fumigated to kill vermin. Then the hides are loaded, then steeved to pack in more. This hard work was fueled by a constant diet of fresh beef. Chapter XXX tells of the return trip by a shorthanded and inexperienced crew; they would round Cape Horn in the dead of winter, the worst possible time. Chapter XXXI tells of the sailor's need for rum or hot coffee in wintertime; and what it is like to have a tooth-ache at sea. Chapter XXXII describes the terrible times in the iceberg fields. Chapter XXXV tells of the haste to get home by keeping sails aloft. Scurvy had broken out on the ship due to no fresh provisions. They met a brig and got potatoes and onions for a cure.

The Concluding Chapter tells that drudgery and hardship is a sailor's life, not romantic fantasies. The captain must control everything, and be responsible for everything (mistreatment of seamen). Passengers on board (independent witnesses) result in better treatment of seamen. The lives of merchant seamen are shortened by a lack of sleep. RHD would not abolish flogging: most seamen are foreigners, the cast-offs of war vessels, and unknown to the captains. Force is needed to control them. Gradual improvement will correct this, he claims. RHD strongly objects to the practice of granting leniency to a convicted captain or officer because of previous good character, or a family to support. First, they don't know what it was like there, and this excuse is never granted to seamen! It is just a reward for class differences. Moral improvement is the seamen's best friend. RHD visited California 24 years later and writes about this in the last chapter.

A timeless escape from academia
I'm working in a lab this summer. I've had all manner of jobs, but this is the first where I do nothing but think, and I feel ambivalent about it. When I go on lunch breaks, I bring TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST.

I've never found a non-fiction book quite like it before, though I own many in this genre. You may find other sea stories with more excitment (the O'Brien series is excellent), more daring (Joshua Slocum's account SAILING ALONE AROUND THE WORLD is a classic), or a more contemporary feeling (Robin Lee Grahm's DOVE has an optimistic 60's sensibility), but you will NOT find the sheer thoughtfulness that makes this book so much worth reading.

Dana is a remarkable observer. He is farsighted, identifying San Francisco as the likely center of California's future prosperity, yet he is clearly affected by many of the prejudices of his era. He is always honest about his thoughts and feelings and he never lets his education or his background spoil his intercourse with the fascinating and often raw characters that he meets. Still, Dana wavers in his original objective. Though he intends to lay bare the iniquities of sea life to the landlubber, he ends up seducing his readers with the sheer adventure of his life.

This book will take you away (in the best of "Reading Rainbow" fashion) whenever you read it. For that extra touch of authenticity, bring it along on a cruise, or better yet, read it in a hammock.

Dana: Pioneer of the "Year Off"...
I read this book after reading about it in Kevin Starr's excellent history of California: California and the American Dream as well as reading about it in the foreword to Herman Melville's "White Jacket".

White Jacket was, of course, at least partially inspired by this book, and after reading "Two Years" I can certainly see the influence reflected in Dana's work.

This book has, essentially, two scenes that are varied throughout the book. The first scene is "life on board the 19th century clipper ship". Examples include: The tyranny of the captain (most notably), travelling around the cape, the daily routine (monotony of), encountering other ships, talking to the other sailors, the daily routine (complaining about), and so forth. As far as I'm concerned, Dana handles this subject just about as well as anybody COULD handle this subject. I would be lying if I said I understood all of the sailing vocabularly (how many sails did they have on those clipper ships? To me, it sounded like about a thousand or so!). None the less, life on a ship is life on a ship.

The second scene is Dana's interaction with the California coast. Were this book merely a description of life at sea, I probably would not have read it. According to Starr, this book was the ONLY English language book written about California at the time of the gold rush of 1848, and so it plays a prominent (though largely forgotten(?)) part in the shaping of the image of California in the minds of Americans (and if you want to see where I'm cribbing this from see the Starr book pgs. 38-47 thereabouts).

When Dana sails into San Francisco at the time of this book, there was one (1!) house in the entire Bay Area. That's impressive. We also get first hand descriptions of Santa Barbara and San Diego (where I live), that are unique. Dana treats the residents of California as one might expect from a wealthy white dude from the east coast of the U.S.: The Mexicans/Spanish are "noble" but "lazy" and the indians are nearly beneath mention. Dana is quick to see the potential in California but equally as quick to dismiss the current residents as hopelessly lazy. At one point Dana refers to the "California Disease"(laziness). By the end of his time on the coast, he is calling California "Hell". That probably has more to do with his daily work (processing hides) then California itself.

Not a swashbuckler but a great insight to fur & lumber trade
This book is dry, but then life on a boat is probably not all that exciting. You do have time to watch paint dry, and wood rot, and canvas sag while waiting for a breeze. What I liked about this book was the description of California before it became "civilized".

If you are looking for close calls with pirates, and lots of rambo action, look elsewhere. If you like history books that tell it like it was, then this is for you. Moby Dick is a good litnus test, if you liked Moby Dick, you'll like this, if not skip on to something else. ... Read more

Book Description

Integrating physical, economic, social, and political perspectives, Cutter and Renwick's Fourth Edition presents readers with a wide range of opinions and interpretations of the major natural resource issues facing the world today. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

boring
This text is very dry which maks it hard to read.It does seem to be a great source of fact type information though. ... Read more

Book Description

Each time the waters of the mighty Mississippi River overflow theirbanks, questions arise anew about the battle between "man" and "river." How can weprevent floods and the damage they inflict while maintaining navigational potential andprotecting the river's ecology?

The design of the Mississippi and how it should proceed has long been a subject ofcontroversy. What is missing from the discussion, say the authors of this extraordinarybook, is an understanding of the representations of the Mississippi River. Landscapearchitect Anuradha Mathur and architect/planner Dilip da Cunha draw together an arrayof perspectives on the river and show how these different images have played a role inthe process of designing and containing the river landscape. Analyzing maps,hydrographs, working models, drawings, photographs, government and media reports,paintings, and even folklore, Mathur and da Cunha consider what these representations ofthe river portray, what they leave out, and why that might be. With gorgeous original silkscreen prints and a fine selection of maps, the book joins historic, scientific, engineering,and natural views of the river to create an entirely new portrait of the great Mississippi. ... Read more

Book Description

Geosimulation is hailed as ‘the next big thing’ in geographic modelling for urban studies. This book presents readers with an overview of this new and innovative field by introducing the spatial modelling environment and describing the latest research and development using cellular automata and multi-agent systems. Extensive case studies and working code is available from an associated website which demonstrate the technicalities of geosimulation, and provide readers with the tools to carry out their own modelling and testing.

• The first book to treat urban geosimulation explicitly, integrating socio-economic and environmental modelling approaches
• Provides the reader with a sound theoretical base in the science of geosimulation as well as applied material on the construction of geosimulation models
• Cross-references to an author-maintained associated website with downloadable working code for readers to apply the models presented in the book

Visit the Author's Website for further information on Geosimulation, Geographic Automata Systems and Geographic Automata Software

http://www.geosimulationbook.com ... Read more

Book Description

The riveting account of a 1913 storm that paralyzed the heart of America

Autumn gales have pursued mariners across the Great Lakes for centuries. On Friday, November 7, 1913, those gales captured their prey. After four days of winds up to 90 miles an hour, freezing temperatures, whiteout blizzard conditions, and mountainous seas, 19 ships had been lost, two dozen had been thrown ashore, 238 sailors were dead, and the city of Cleveland was confronting the worst natural disaster in its history.

In White Hurricane, writer and mariner David G. Brown combines narrative intensity with factual depth to re-create the events of the "perfect storm" that struck America's heartland. Interweaving human drama, mystery, and historical consequence, Brown has created a vast epic ranging over Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie and echoing down the decades. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Entertaining & accurate; better than fiction.
Dave Brown has really done the necessary, comprehensive research. His description of Great Lakes' shipping is 100% accurate. The reporting is factual and not embellished with contrived dialogue. I was an engineer in Great Lakes and ocean ships, one cited in the book, and can visualize the events he described and emphasize with the crewmen's situations.

The last trip of the season
Ninety years ago this November, one of the worst disasters in Great Lakes history took place over a period of four days, when twelve ships foundered and thirty-one were stranded, and 253 sailors drowned during the deadliest storm ever to hit the Great Lakes. The actual toll was probably higher, but no single agency in 1913 kept track of vessels lost or sailors killed. According to this author, the death toll did not include "the commercial fishermen, hunters, or anglers who also lost their lives."

At least three books have been written about this storm, including "Fresh Water Fury" (1960), "Ships Gone Missing" (1992), and this book by David G. Brown, published in 2002. One of the things that sets Brown's book apart from the others is his meticulous meteorological reconstruction of the 1913 storm that raged for four days in early November and sank ships on Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron (the worst hit) and Erie.

According to the author's research, the weather in early November 1913 was remarkably dry and balmy, tempting the shipping companies into making one last run before the end of the season. The U.S. Weather Bureau issued storm warnings on November 7, 8, and 9 but these did not come close to suggesting the true ferocity of the 'White Hurricane.' In fact the Weather Bureau never did post hurricane warnings--two red flags with black centers, displayed one above the other--on the Great Lakes, preferring to reserve that warning for tropical storms even though the four-day storm that struck the Lakes was of hurricane intensity.

This book is organized as a temporal narrative of the storm, starting on Wednesday, November 5 as freighters such as the 'Charles S. Price' took on loads of coal, railroad ties, and iron ore for their last trips of the season. The 'Price's' Assistant Engineer Milton Smith had such a strong premonition about the forthcoming voyage that he quit his job and went home. He would later be asked to identify the bodies of his shipmates that washed up on Huron's icy shores.

On November 6, ships on western Lake Superior were already experiencing rough weather, but nothing that qualified as a full-fledged November gale--not yet. In Detroit, a prominent halo ringed the moon, perhaps bringing to mind the rhyme: "When halos ring the moon or sun/ Rain is coming on the run." In the case of this particular storm, it was a warning of the ferocious blizzard that would paralyze Cleveland and other cities on the Lakes, and add to the woes of the ships that were already battling life-threatening gales.

The empty wooden bulk freighter 'Louisania' was the first casualty of the storm. On Saturday, November 8, the onrushing gale stranded her near Port des Mortes on Lake Michigan, where she burned to the waterline. Up on Lake Superior, the storm "began picking apart the 'L.C. Waldo' shortly after midnight near the Keweenaw Peninsula." Her sailors were some of the lucky few to be picked up from their stranded, ice-bound freighter, but they would have to wait until Monday, November 10 to be rescued.

Brown's narrative of the height of the storm is truly frightening and he can only speculate on the fates of the ships that disappeared far from land. Of the seventeen ships known to be in lower Lake Huron on Sunday, November 9, only two survived and they sustained serious damage.

This book also provides an extended aftermath, appendices, bibliography, and index.

If you'd like to read more about the 'Big Blow' of 1913, I highly recommend Dwight Boyer's "True Tales of the Great Lakes," William Ratigan's "Great Lakes Shipwrecks and Survivals," and the above-mentioned "Ships Gone Missing" by Robert J. Hemming.

Amazing and scary
I read this book when my father-in-law bought a 40 footer and docked it in Port Huron with easy access to Lake Huron. Living in Michigan most of my life and now in Chicago, I have always appreciated the beauty of The Great Lakes. As we cruise the lake in all its beauty and glory, I can't help but wonder just what scatters the floor of Lake Huron or any of the others. This book illustrates the dramatic account of the only Great Lakes hurricane, if such a thing could happen.

This book was no less than amazing and will really open the eyes of anyone that takes the fury of the beautiful Great Lakes for granted.

This is the REAL "Perfect Storm"!
While the movie "The Perfect Storm" chronicles a great "Nor'Easter," it can't hold a candle to the White Hurricane of 1913. The stories of heroism, foolishness, kindness, and ruthlessness serve to highlight the ferocity of the great storm. And the eerie coincidences, premonitions, and unexplained happenings before, during, and after the storm make this one exciting ride.

The author does a good job detailing the storm, but some maps would have been helpful. More photos of boats (no, they're not called ships!) and some photos of key characters would have been nice, as well. There is a lot of information on Great Lakes history, so he should have been able to come up with such artifacts.

My grandfather was captain of a "longboat" on the lakes, and he was a sailor in WWI in the Atlantic, and WWII in the Pacific. He said a storm on the Great Lakes was a lot worse than ocean storms because of all the reasons the author details, but also because the water is in a much smaller "container" than in the ocean...so the power multiplies because it has nowhere to go. And the results are horrifying.

I've lived in the Great Lakes area all my life. If you want some "extreme" excitement, come and ride out a November gale. Or, read this book for an excellent "virtual" ride!

A must read for any sailor on the Lakes
As a Coastie recently stationed on the USCGC ACACIA out of Charlevoix, MI. I found this book to be very helpful in my learning about the Great Lakes geographically, meteorilogically, historically. If you are at all interested in Great Lakes lore then you will thoroughly enjoy this book as well as learn a few things you may not have known, such as why lake storms are different from those on the sea. ... Read more

Book Description

New section on emerging Precise-Point Positioning.
* New Supplement-MathCAD programs for solving GPS problems quickly and efficiently. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Alfred Leick's GPS book
I am surpised by the previous reviews. I am going to press on this book solely because of the excellent way in which the author has reviewed the subject. The text is as easy to understand and clearly explained as any book could be on such a complicated subject. The insertion and detailing of formulae is related to the text with similar clarity. The author naturally assumes some knowledge of the subject by the reader. If you are at this level the rest is relatively painless. The author's use and command of the English language is as good as his knowledge of the subject of GPS. For those of us that have listened to rooms full of GPS boffins speaking their own dialect this book provides a definitive translation.

GPS is too complex to understand well
GPS looks like a "Black Box",I want to understand the thoery,method and programming a GPS data processing software.

Highly Technical...Wish it were more Practical
Probably an important book for your GPS library, but it's easy to get lost in all the complex equations. Not for someone who is interested in the basics or who wants an overview. If you want the nitty-gritty details, this one's for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Thinking Space is ideal reading for those looking to learn about the Ospatial turn1 in social and cultural theory. As theorists have begun using using geographical concepts and metaphors to think about the complex and differentiated world this book examines the way they use spatial ideas, what role these ideas play in their thinking and what this means for how we think about theory and space. Among the writers discussed are: Simmel, Bakhtin, Deleuze, Cixous, Lefebvre, Lacan, Bourdieu, Foucault and Fanon. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume celebrates the 100th anniversary of theAssociation of American Geographers. It recognizes the importance oftechnologies in the production of geographical knowledge. The original chapters presented here examine technologies that haveaffected geography as a discipline. Among the technologies discussedare cartography, the camera, aerial photography, computers, and othercomputer-related tools. The contributors address the impact of suchtechnologies on geography and society, disciplinary inquiries into thesocial/technological interfaces, high-tech as well low-tech societies,and applications of technologies to the public and private sectors.Geography and Technology can be used as a textbook in geographycourses and seminars investigating specific technologies and theimpacts of technologies on society and policy. It will also be usefulfor those in the humanities, social, policy and engineering sciences,planning and development fields where technology questions arebecoming of increased importance. Geography clearly has much to learnfrom other disciplines and fields about geography/technology linkages;others can likewise learn much from us. ... Read more