Book Description

Now in new trade paper editions, these classic biographies of two of the greatest 20th Century mathematicians are being released under the Copernicus imprint. These noteworthy accounts of the lives of David Hilbert and Richard Courant are closely related: Courant's story is, in many ways, seen as the sequel to the story of Hilbert. Originally published to great acclaim, both books explore the dramatic scientific history expressed in the lives of these two great scientists and described in the lively, nontechnical writing style of Contance Reid. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Entertaining for all, indispensable for mathematicians
This is an excellent biography of Hilbert that can be read and enjoyed by anyone. At the same time it is also the story of the golden era of Göttingen mathematics. As such it should be read by all aspiring mathematicians to get an insight into the workings of what was probably the greatest mathematics department of all time.

David Hilbert
A excellent biography of the German mathematician David Hilbert.Particularly poignant is the loss of Minknowski and the decline of mathematics at Gottingen following the Nazi prosecutions.

David Hilbert, one of the greatest mathematicians ever
David Hilbert was arguably one of the greatest mathematicians
ever!. He contributed to several branches of mathematics,
including functional analysis, mathematical physics,
calculus of variations, and algebraic number theory.
(Everyone knows what a Hilbert space is right!)

At the turn of the 20th century, Hilbert enumerated
23 unsolved problems of mathematics that he considered worthy
of further investigation. To this day, very few of these, including
the 10th problem, on the finite solvability of Diophantine
equations, have been resolved! (thanks to
Yuri Matiyasevich, Martin Davis and Julia Robinson!).
Besides, Hilbert was also a character (read the section
when Norbert Weiner of cybernetics fame, came to give
a talk at Gottingen, and .... :-)).

Incidentally the author Constance Reid is the sister of
Julia Robinson (of Hilbert's 10th problem fame!),
hence there can no one better to write about
Hilbert!. Besides Constance Reid is a well known chronicler
of mathematicians lives (this one is a tour de force and
her best!).

No one can can call himself/herself a mathematician without
having Reid's book on his/her bookshelf. Strongly
recommended!

David Hilbert, one of the greatest mathematicians ever
David Hilbert was arguably one of the greatest mathematicians
ever!. He contributed to several branches of mathematics,
including functional analysis, mathematical physics,
calculus of variations, and algebraic number theory.
(Everyone knows what a Hilbert space is right!)

At the turn of the 20th century, Hilbert enumerated
23 unsolved problems of mathematics that he considered worthy
of further investigation. To this day, very few of these, including
the 10th problem, on the finite solvability of Diophantine
equations, have been resolved! (thanks to
Yuri Matiyasevich, Martin Davis and Julia Robinson!).
Besides, Hilbert was also a character (read the section
when Norbert Weiner of cybernetics fame, came to give
a talk at Gottingen, and .... :-)).

Incidentally the author Constance Reid is the sister of
Julia Robinson (of Hilbert's 10th problem fame!),
hence there can no one better to write about
Hilbert!. Besides Constance Reid is a well known chronicler
of mathematicians lives (this one is a tour de force and
her best!).

No one can can call himself/herself a mathematician without
having Reid's book on his/her bookshelf. Strongly
recommended!

Justly famous--a classic of mathematical biography
"Hilbert" is justly famous as one of the best mathematical biographies around.Constance Reid, who also wrote a biography of Hilbert's student Courant, initially ran into some resistance from Hilbert's associates when she started work on this book.Max Born was not keen on the idea of a woman, who was neither German nor a mathematician, writing a study of Hilbert's life.Born was enthusiastic about the final product, however, and it has become a classic.

Hilbert took over from Poincare the title of the most famous mathematician in the world.His mathematical achievements are numerous and varied; Reid does a good job of providing an overview of the impact Hilbert had on many different fields, and of his style; his strengths and weaknesses.There is a good deal of coverage of the famous twenty-three Hilbert problems, presented to the Second International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris in 1900, including a large section of the talk Hilbert gave.

Reid paints a vivid picture of the mathematical circle at Gottingen, a luminous collection of talents.Minkowski and Hilbert were close friends; Klein was the director of the institute there; Emmy Noether was there; Hurwitz; Zermelo; Landau; the list is long and impressive.It's all the more sad to read about the way the Institute was destroyed by the Nazis in the name of racial purity.Almost without exception the leading mathematicians emigrated, one by one, to America.Hilbert, who had retired in 1930 (retirement at age 68 was mandatory) was forced to watch as the work of decades was dismantled.The last years, of age, fading memory and the privations of war, are mercifully given less than a dozen pages.

Hilbert's life leads from the great days of the mid-nineteenth century to the Nazis and the atomic bomb.Reid has done a wonderful job of capturing the feel of Germany over his long life, and the mathematic impact and importance of his work.A compulsory book for those interested in modern mathematical history. ... Read more

Book Description

For centuries people dreamed of navigating under the sea, but it was not until thebeginning of the twentieth century that inventors succeeded in developing practicalsubmarines. With the coming of World War I, nations saw something entirely new inwar: the deadly effectiveness of underwater craft, with German U-boats threatening tostarve Britain and bringing the United States into the war, thus proving underwater battlesmore important than the great battles fought on land. A generation later U-boats repeatedthe struggle in the Atlantic, while in the Pacific U.S. submarines literally put Japan out ofbusiness. Then in the nuclear age, the true submarine became the most powerful weaponof war ever created—the weapon that paradoxically kept the peace.

Now, military historian Thomas Parrish tells the story of those who first dreamed ofunderwater ships; of the practical and ingenious inventors and engineers whocreated and developed the submarine; of visionary naval strategists; of famous skipperson all sides—steel-nerved men like America’s Dick O’Kane, Germany’s ReinhardHardegen—who wielded this weapon; of the famous and infamous deeds of boats like theU-20, the Wahoo, and the nuclear-powered Nautilus andGeorge Washington; and of the tragedies that befell boats like the AmericanThresher and the Russian Kursk. Parrish’s compelling narrative blendsstrategy, high policy, technology, heroism, and perilous adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Covers both the submarine in particular and water navigation
Thomas Parrish's weighty coverage in The Submarine: A History revolves around three key themes: the functional operations of submarines, their history, and their personnel. Add a focus on how the submarine affected the history of the world, from early invention to modern times, and you have a history which covers both the submarine in particular and water navigation in general.

Perpetuating the Memory of Submariners
Review:
"The Submarine" by Thomas Parrish
Viking-2004-576 pages including notes and large bibliography

Over the past ten years, many submarine books have passed by my reading chair. There has been a fair mix of fiction and non-fiction. The fictional books are needed to keep a level of interest and fun going through the much tougher reading non-fiction works. Some of the fictional books are keepers. All of the non-fiction works have lasting value and are keepers. Some of these later genre of books are ingrained in my mind as worthy of greater accolades than they receive in that brief period before and after the publishing date.

In my opinion, "The Submarine" falls into that more worthy class. There are two books that are recent that tell the whole story of submarines and retain the readers interest throughout. "The Navy Times Book of Submarines" and "The Submarine" are those two works. Certainly you must say that Clay Blair's works and Norman Friedman's technical works are very important but in ways that handle a specific time frame or the more technological advances in submarine building.

Parrish does a superior job of research and his bibliography of 10 pages indicates his devotion to detail and accuracy. Yet the book is full of anecdotes and facts that were new to me and added great interest. The book traces early developmental history to the Holland versus Lake early days through the battles with Admiral Rickover and Electric Boat and Congress., I never tire of hearing tales of the wily Rickover or of the work done by "Red" Raborn in the early Polaris missile program. All areas are covered from the Turtle through the USS Virginia SSN 774.

The books should be included in every serious submarine historian's library and referred to often. Although my library now resides in storage and is waiting it's placement as the cornerstone of a planned museum's library, this book will stay here and join my retained works that form the core of my knowledge. Those being Silent Victory, Thunder Below, Submarine Operations in WWII, Friedman's 2-volume work, United States Submarines, Admiral Lockwood's books, Blind Man's Bluff, Hitler's U-Boat Wars and a few others.

My thanks to Thomas Parrish for his devotion and for helping me fulfill the Creed of U.S. Submariner Veterans, which is to "perpetuate the memory of our shipmates."

(...) ... Read more

Book Description

PRAISE FOR Caesar’s Legion

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar’s Legio X–arguably the most famous legion of its day–from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar’s tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory.Many military historians consider Caesar’s legions the world’s most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar’s Legion is a must for military buffs andanyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization."
–T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind ofWar, Lone Star, and Comanches ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Behold The Glory of Rome!
Caesar's Legion is one of the finest books on the Roman military that I have read. As a history major, and prospective professor of History, I find the narrative format chosen for Caesar's legion to be refreshing and vivid, and yet still maintaining tight historical focus. Many such books on history can ramble on in a rather dry manner, but Caesar's Legion supplies top-notch historical research with gripping narrative that keeps you turning the page, hungry to learn more.

The author takes the reader on an incredible journey, almost as if the reader were a legionaire recruit himself. Reading the fine story, the author grips you with the feeling of going on the long marches with the legions, of settling in to build a Roman camp, and of digging in for a long siege. The sweat rolling down the soldier's back, the acrid smell of smoke, the terror of bloody and ferocious combat, is all here. Mr. Collins succeeds brilliantly in bringing the reader into the world of the Roman soldiers who forged the foundation of empire in the blood and fire of war that raged from one end of the ancient world to the other. The insight and brilliance of Caesar is made manifest in every chapter. Even when Caesar made mistakes, he recouped well, and adapted. At every turn, Caesar not only learned from his mistakes, but he was able to exploit the smallest detail in order to bring victory.

Caesar's Legion covers all that one could imagine, from what the Roman Legionaire ate, to how they trained, to their weaponry, leadership, rank structure, and force organization. It is all here. The integration and deployment of siege weapons, artillery, and cavalry, are all covered in excellent detail. This book will make a fine addition to any historian's shelf, as well as anyone interested in the Roman Empire, and what made the Roman Empire the ferocious war machine that dominated the ancient world. Caesar's Legion is simply an essential book to have concerning the ancient history of the Roman Empire.

The Tenth Legion
"Caesar's Legion" is partly a unit history of the famous 10th Legion, and partly the story of Rome's military adventures from the Gallic Wars through the fall of Masada. The book seems to be very carefully researched and it is certainly well written--Dando-Collins is fascinated by his subject, and his enthusiasm shows.

The Tenth Legion was, for most of its history, an elite and honored unit. Like America's 82d and 101st airborne divisions, the Tenth enjoyed a world-wide reputation for skill in battle. Dando-Collins explains how the Tenth earned its stripes, from recruitment and training to victory as the legion that usually occupied the position of honor on Caesar's right flank. As he does so, he tells the story of the centurions and other soldiers in the legion--how they were recruited, how long their terms of enlistment could be expected to last, when they would be promoted (if they lived) and how they could expect to spend their retirement.

Dando-Collins also points out some things that are probably old hat to students of Roman military history, but are very interesting to someone who is new to the subject. He explains, for example, that Roman javelins were designed so that they would bend upon striking an enemy shield (or an enemy), thus preventing the weapon from being re-used against the attacking legion. He also describes the remarkable training, discipline and mobility of a legion--on campaign, a unit like the Tenth might disassemble its fortified camp, march a great distance, assemble another camp to precise military specifications, and then repeat the process day after day until the enemy was run to ground.

In battle, a Roman legion would fight in a tight, disciplined infantry formation and engage enemy units first with javelins, then with Spanish swords in what must have resembled a rugby scrum from hell. A well-trained legion like the Tenth won far more often than it lost--the Romans understood that a soldier should sweat in peace so that he didn't have to bleed in war.

The story of the Tenth is told in the context of the times. Dando-Collins follows the Legion as it helps Caesar pacify Gaul, crosses the Rubicon and fights a civil war, endures the assassinations of Pompey and Caesar, casts its lot with Antony at Actium, and finally captures the Zealot fortress at Masada. The Romans, it seems, were very skilled and very ruthless, and the Tenth Legion (for better or worse) represented the pinnacle of their military art.

An excellent book that is easy to read!!!
This was a wonderful and easy to read book. What made it so great, is that it read like a novel, but it was real history. What is really great is that even though I knew how the history turned out, I actually looked forward to reading it, and was upset when it was finished. A book for anyone who enjoys ancient history, the Romans, or military tactics.

SPQR
The critical reviews on this site utterly miss the mark. Do we not weary of the "historian's" tiresome delusions regarding objectivity? This is a delightful read and easily as "factual" as anything the "academic guild" can manufacture. Read it and enjoy it. There are many other wonderful books that I have seen criticized on this site by some failed academic whose tiny bit of the world is, at last, made interesting by a writer from outside of the guild. Save the general intellectual reading public from the professional historians.

Part guesswork, part history
This proves to be a pretty interesting effort but I think it fall bit too short for my taste. I think this book was geared too much toward the general readers. Much of the information seem rather generic in nature and book as a whole, don't say too much. For beginner level Roman military history, its a pretty passable book but for experience reader like myself - and perhaps like some of the previous reviewers, I found the some of the information pretty questionable, unproven or simplistic. There seem to be little source to the facts given and as previously reviewers noted, there were two 10th Legions and there seem to be no fact linking Caesar's 10th to the 10th that took Masada!! There are other books far superior then this, try again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like most other human artifacts, the common pencil, made and sold today by the millions, has a long and complex history. Henry Petroski, who combines a talent for fine writing with a deep knowledge of engineering and technological history, examines the story of the pencil, considering it not only as a thing in itself, but also as an exemplar of all things that are designed and manufactured.

Petroski ranges widely in time, discussing the writing technologies of antiquity. But his story really begins in the early modern period, when, in 1565, a Swiss naturalist first described the properties of the mineral that became known as graphite. Petroski traces the evolution of the pencil through the Industrial Revolution, when machine manufacture replaced earlier handwork. Along the way, he looks at some of pencil making's great innovators--including Henry David Thoreau, the famed writer, who worked in his father's pencil factory, inventing techniques for grinding graphite and experimenting with blends of lead, clay, and other ingredients to yield pencils of varying hardness and darkness. Petroski closes with a look at how pencils are made today--a still-imperfect technology that may yet evolve with new advances in materials and design. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (9)

To Engineer is Human
Every once in a while everyone should take a look around the room and think about how the stuff in it came to be there, and about the people who invented them. If, like me, you are in an office, one of the objects your eye will encounter will be the lowly pencil. So who invented it? Why is it yellow and hexagonal in cross section? What is the lead made out of? Lots of questions--enough to fill a book!

And this is the book that provides answers to all the questions, and more. It is a superbly written, well organized, and beautifully produced with lots of illustrations. It is a book about the history of a technology and the people who made it. Petroski brings it all to life.

This is a fascinating tale of the quest for a perfect tool--one that does it well, cheaply, and reliably. This process has taken several centuries so far, and will probably continue for several more and it is a perfect vehicle for learning how technological change actually takes place through the agency of innovative men. It shows off the best side of man the engineer, questing ever to improve his lot, and that of his fellow man.

Awesome!!!
I have appreciated each and every page. This gives the reader one of the best histories of the pencil available. But it gives more than just that. It also uses the pencil illustratively to explain the history of engineering and the way engineers think.
The pictures and diagrams are helpful and well done. The book is not dry and is flavored with humor with humor throughout. Petroski's style of writing is quite good.
I picked this book up on a fluke because I just have a habit of being very particular about my writing instruments. I was shocked at the quality and workmanship on this. I recommend this book; although, I don't think it's for everyone. I think, though, that if this book caught your eye you would enjoy it.

Hooked on Minutia
I loved this book. No surprise, because several years ago I became aware of the differences in the way pencils write. I picked up a great pencil as a giveaway from a community college. It felt like satin gliding along the paper. I kept it tucked safely inside my desk where my students could not get it. The first of the book is thought provoking as it discusses how the pencil has been ignored. This book and the EVOLUTION OF USEFUL THINGS, causes one to pause and consider the important, overlooked items of our daily lives. Maybe a reader is left with a good life lesson. THE BOOK ON THE BOOKSHELF is my next read. One thing for sure, you have to have a bit of an engineering streak in you to hang on every word. Get ready for strange looks when you answer the question, "What are you reading now?"

What an interesting book!
What a suprise! Who could think that such a simple object could have such an interesting history? Henry Petroski, as in his other books, weaves a tale that entertains and amazes in this history of the pencil, looking at both its historical progress and technical progress. Worth the read, no matter whether you are interested in engineering or not!

You couldn't ask for more information on this subject
Petroski is more than a little obsessive. He has the ability to collect an astounding amount of information on truly arcane topics. He is not necessarily the most riveting author, though. It comes as no surprise to see the number of engineers who rave over his books and the lack of attention from non-engineers.

Personally, I dabble on the knife's edge between the technical and non-technical, so perhaps that was why I was able to read this book through. I'm almost embarassed to admit to burning curiousity about many issues associated with the pencil. Why are they yellow, why are they cedar, who was Eberhard (and does the name refer to the longevity of the point?), and why don't old men sharpen them with pocket knives any longer?

This book answered all of those questions and more that I hadn't come close to anticipating. While there is certainly plenty of information to satisfy the curiousity of a pencil enthusiast, the book brings a deeper level of meaning. Performing such a a detailed examination of a common product provides insight into human character and economics. It provides understanding of why businesses flourish or fail, and how that affects the mundane details of our everyday lives.

Certainly, anyone with an interest in the subject matter would be entertained by this book--it is a veritable information orgy on the subject of pencils. However, I also recommend it to anyone with an interest in the history of technology--how it develops, why product categories are made the way they are, and how society appropriates these products and adapts itelf to them. "Everyday Things" was too boring to me to complete, but I read "Pencils" cover to cover. Perhaps there is more to be learned through detailed research into one specific and common technology than there is through the broad brush approach of "Things." ... Read more

Book Description

Presents an evolutionary theory of technological change based on recent scholarship in the history of technology and on relevant material drawn from economic history and anthropology.Challenges the popular notion that technological advances arise from the efforts of a few heroic individuals who produce a series of revolutionary inventions that owe little or nothing to the technological past.Therefore, the book's argument is shaped by analogies drawn selectively from the theory of organic evolution, and not from the theory and practice of political revolution.Three themes appear, with variations, throughout the study. The first is diversity: an acknowledgment of the vast numbers of different kinds of made things (artifacts) that long have been available to humanity.The second theme is necessity: the mistaken belief that humans are driven to invent new artifacts in order to meet basic biological needs such as food, shelter, and defense.And the third theme is technological evolution: an organic analogy that explains both the emergence of the novel artifacts and their subsequent selection by society for incorporation into its material life without invoking either biological necessity or technological process. ... Read more

Book Description

In nine essays and lectures composed in the last years of his life, Werner Heisenberg offers a bold appraisal of the scientific method in the twentieth century--and relates its philosophical impact on contemporary society and science to the particulars of molecular biology, astrophysics, and related disciplines. Are the problems we define and pursue freely chosen according to our conscious interests? Or does the historical process itself determine which phenomena merit examination at any one time? Heisenberg discusses these issues in the most far-ranging philosophical terms, while illustrating them with specific examples. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Essays from Heisenberg's Later Years, 1972-1975
These essays were first published by Seabury Press in 1983 under the title Tradition in Science. A new edition, titled Encounters with Einstein And Other Essays on People, Places, and Particles, was published in 1989 by Princeton University Press.

Throughout his life Werner Heisenberg shared his enthusiasm for physics and philosophy, frequently giving presentations to general audiences. Several essays address the history of quantum physics. Others are more technical and include topics like cosmic radiation, particle physics, and closed-theories in physics. All essays are well-crafted and should be accessible to a wide audience.

Heisenberg only met Einstein on a few occasions. The title essay, Encounters with Einstein, describes these encounters, including a final meeting at Princeton a few months before Einstein's death. While he admitted that he had never discussed politics with Einstein, Heisenberg did comment on Einstein's pacifism. Heisenberg does not discuss his own beliefs, nor his role in WWII Germany.

At several points in this collection Heisenberg expresses his concerns with the theoretical direction that particle physics was taking in the early 1970s. In his essay "What is an Elementary Particle?", he expresses his doubts regarding quark theory. It was interesting to see Heisenberg in one essay lamenting Einstein's reluctance to accept quantum theory while elsewhere he himself was having difficulty with quark theory.

I highly recommend these essays for any reader wishing to become more acquainted with Heisenberg. Also, as a follow-up I suggest reading Philosophical Problems of Quantum Physics, a collection of Heisenberg's lectures that span 1932-1948.

The more persistent reader might be interested in Physics and Philosophy: The Revolution in Modern Science. This work by Heisenberg is more philosophical and requires careful reading. This volume benefits from a lengthy and scholarly overview by F. S. C. Northrop, Sterling Professor of Philosophy and Law, Yale University.

The retrospective of a man with a two-sided past
This book reminds me a great deal of, "A Mathematician's Apology" by Hardy. Like Hardy, Heisenberg is in his last years, and knows that his productive ones are behind him. Therefore, he puts forward a series of essays and lectures that are a retrospective of his activity in physics as well as some philosophical thoughts concerning where he believes it is going.
Heisenberg was a Nobel prize winner and the first enunciator of the uncertainty principle that bears his name. For these reasons, his thoughts on some of the consequences of the principle are well worth reading. However, Heisenberg is also known for other, more dark reasons. He was the director of the German atomic projects in World War II and seemed to have little difficulty in working under the Nazi tyranny while many of his colleagues were hounded and executed. He also proved to be an effective survivor, becoming the head of the Max Planck Institute of Physics in West Germany after the war.
This involvement with the Nazis makes the chapter "Encounters and Conversations with Albert Einstein" fascinating reading. From it, you would not know about his record of collaboration with the regime that tried to exterminate Einstein and his ideas. One must read that chapter very carefully and do a great deal of reading between the lines to really understand what is being said. The fact that Einstein was willing to meet with Heisenberg after the war tells a lot more about Einstein that it does about Heisenberg.
This book is interesting as much for what is not said as it is for what is said. This was an opportunity for Heisenberg to say something about his involvement in some very bad things as well as to put forward thoughts about physics. The first was missed and the second was a hit. If you are interested in some thoughts about how physics has evolved this century from one of best practitioners, then this is a book that will interest you.

Insight and inspiration
This is an excellent bedside book for anyone interested in the development of quantum mechanics by one of its primary discoverers. This small book of short essays provides insight into the life and personality of one of the greatest (and most enigmatic) physicists of the 20th century. This is not a technical book, nor is it an introduction to (or explaination of) quantum theory. Rather, each essay provides a unique sidebar on a variety of topics to which WH has either contributed directly or considered in detail. Heisenberg is a lucid and concise writer of remarkable insight. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the bestselling "The Man Who Knew Infinity" comes an unprecedented look at the traditional master-apprenticeship relationship alive today in modern science. Along the way, using interviews and anecdotes, Kanigel takes readers into the heady world of a remarkable group of scientists at the National Institutes of Health and Johns Hopkins University and captures the drama of their breakthrough discoveries. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Scientific excellence is inheritable!
Several years ago, my former mentor circulated this book in the lab. Until quite recently, my friends still found me quoting from it while talking about scientific ideas. Now, after reading the book for many times, and studying the characteristics of great mentors around me, I conclude that it's a marvelous book. Anyone who plan to have a bright scientific career should read this book. My only dissatisfaction is the book is so old. I demand a new edition or a sequel! And, I want more examples of such lineage of excellent scientists as described in the book.Surely, it's book that I will share with my student.

An excellent look at how mentoring in academics works.....
While seemingly on a mundane and complicated subject (pharmacology and its researchers), it is an easy read for any layman and very, very interesting (especially on the topic of malaria medications and their discovery and problems)... Very interesting how hitching your star to the right person can make your career...and how pettiness and back-stabbing can be so cruel and counterproductive... A very, very good read for anyone even remotely interested in science... ... Read more

Book Description

This test preparation book includes six full-length exams with detailed explanations modeled after the actual GRE in Mathematics.Knowledge of algebra, calculus, and introductory real variable theory is tested.Includes a comprehensive review of mathematics topics found on the exam.For mathematics students bound for graduate school. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A terrible book
Under no circumstances should you buy this book. It has major flaws:

1) The material covered does not seem to match what is actually on the test.

2) The mathematics is full of typographical errors; as a result many of the problems are incomprehensible.

3) Some of the solutions are ridiculous, incoherent nonsense.

A much better book is "Cracking the GRE Math Test" by Leduc

BIG book that may help you prepare your GRE Math test.
Pros:
1. It has 6 full-length exams with "explanations" to every question.

Cons:
1. The included "Comprehensive Mathematics Review" which is supposed to cover all major topics, is pretty BAD. It is rarely useful, I didn't like it at all. I recommend much more the review that's included in "Cracking the GRE Math", which is much more detailed and explanatory, with plenty of exercises.
2. As someone has already noted, the exam does not have the same "feeling" as a real ETS test. The questions are generally more difficult, and the distribution of question types are very strange. It seems that they had never seen a real GRE Math test when they did this book.
3. The explanations to every questions are not very well done in many cases. The explanations given in "Cracking the GRE Math" are much more helpful.

Summarizing, it could have been a great book, because it has 6 full-length questions, which I think, it is the best way to prepare for this test. However, one notices right away that it has a completely different flavor from the actual GRE Math test.

Knowing this, I still bought it, because I needed more practice tests, but I'm not really sure if it did help me.

Not Quite for the GRE
This book is excellent; but at a level above what you need for the GRE. The first grouping of this book is a general review of everything you could possibly see, the second is 6 practice tests. I found the review to be better as a "guide" to your own studying; seeing what topics they cover, then doing more detailed work on each topic apart from the book. The tests are harder than the GRE, and I find them better for practice for Candidacy Exams than for the GRE. My advice: Don't buy this book. Instead, save your money and time, and just cover notes from past math classes.

An excellent math review, with a serious and annoying flaw.
The book is divided into two parts of about 300 pages each. The first is a review of undergraduate math, from polynomials through calculus to higher undergrad topics like complex variables, statistics, topology, abstract algebra, etc. The second half is a set of 6 practice tests, which I found to be harder than the actual GRE subject test. (That makes for good reviewing, on the student's part.) After each test is an answer key and an explanation of each answer.

My main concern about this book -- and it's a big one -- is that whoever proofread the first half (the "review") apparently doesn't understand math. Some expressions are wrong; some are nonsense. (This was the 1997 printing.) If you know enough math to get past that sort of hazard, I highly recommend the book.

A Decent Preparation for the Math GRE
This book contains a few hundred pages of math review, six practice exams, and explanations for all the exam answers. Although the content of the exams is close to the actual Math GRE, the "spirit" of the questions is quite different, and the way problems are worked in the explanations is often not the best way to solve problems from the actual GRE. The review section also has some problems--typos, too many elementary topics, and sketchy explanations of complex topics. Still, it makes an okay review, and could help greatly if you're rusty at math. ... Read more

Book Description

A brilliant distillation of 3,000 years of Chinese scholarship and invention, from agriculture and medicine to warfare, featuring 190 photos and illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Ancient Chinese Technology
Wow. This is an incredible book! Like many readers of popular modern science, I constantly underestimate the inventiveness and technology of ancient man. This book really highlights that. Also, it's an amazing inventory of creativity and inventiveness that the current China seems to be regaining. Imagine very modern inventions like glow-in-the-dark paint and natural gas mining being invented before the First Century AD!
I read this as a way to get familiar with the technology of one of the most inventive people and times in history so that I could use it in conworld creation. I was NOT disappointed! The idea that they had movable type and spill-proof lanterns were revelations to me. Not to mention the quality of their ceramics and lacquer.
However, you've really got to want this information to read this book. I found the author's style to be quite dry and academic. In some cases, it even seemed rather biased in favor of the Chinese, but, as my wife pointed out, that's to be expected considering the subject matter.
All in all, though, the author's writing skills are not enough to keep me from heartily recommending this book to anyone interested in the technology of the ancient world.

On Chinese Genius
Personally, I am a bit disappointed in its coverage which seems not so in depth... But nevertheless sufficient for the layman to at least catch a glimpse of what the ancient Chinese has achieved. By profession, I am a trained Engineer and am currently seeking a Masters in Theoretical Physics. And of course I am a Singaporean Chinese. From young, I was taught alot of Chinese Maths and Chinese algorithmic methods .. which were dry and boring then..and which was more often than not confusing. Now it was confusing not because it is not good but rather we were taught Western methods that stresses different computational methodology.. But the difference is that the Chinese method can sometimes do it faster!!..For example: what is 1 + 3 + 5 +..+ 17? Chinese method would just point to the 9th finger and give the answer as 81. I have often wondered just what do the Ancient Chinese know that I do not... And so I set a course to find out as many things I could about my ancestors..(which many people may look down on)..First.. I needed to find out about Chinese Mathematics Achievments, the extent of their knowledge..I am not at all convinced about the allegation that it was imported from elsewhere.. simply because China was geograpically isolated and there are no countries around which it could borrow knowledge from ...At its height, it was the most advanced .... (until Qing Dynasty and the jesuit input: By then the Chinese had deteriorated...). that China had indeed some impressive achievements: that of discovering Zero...( shown in 2002) the knowledge of Phythagoras, that of being the first in solving n-Degree Equation..that of solving Similar Triangle..and more.... And all these could be gathered from the net.. Second, I wanted to find out just how advanced the Science were... THere were readers who alledged that it seemed magical and perhaps foolishness.. I beg to differ. Isn't modern Chemistry playing around with different chemicals or mixing anions with cations that reacts to give a different compound?? And more than that, I wanted to find out the extent of knowledge importing and exporting from China.. if.. I am wrong... But I was then led to a few books :
The year the Chinese discovered America :1421 by Menzies, and when China ruled the seas.. by Louise Levathes..
And I was led to more sites in the internet.. and more recent discoveries in Singapore itself that proved that China has had extensive trade with her neighbours.. And readers of the following books will find that China has had perfected the technique of latitude and longitude crossing...that implies that China was not isolated...A check with Temple's findings were done in 2000.. when I went to China on an "expedition trip"...I admit I was very impressed with the Great Wall.. even as an Engineer...So.. I guess I have to give my forefathers some credit here... And this book serves as a beginning.. No less!!
I recommend more reading on the subject though... for those interested..

Nice information but little bit confusing
I really don't know much about Chinese history and ancient technology of the world. But this book gave me lots of information about ancient technologies of Chinese and Greeks.
Although I believe many Great inventions Chinese made does not get credited to Chinese such as Crossbow and firearms. But this book seems give too much of credit to Chinese invention and how it affected western technologies because many inventions are done independently.

Overall it is a good book and Chinese people should be proud of what their ancestors acheived.

Overreaction
This is a nice compendium of Chinese achievements, but it is seriously hampered by the chip on Temple's shoulder. In order to prove the genius of China, he constantly denigrates European achievements. A good half of the entries end by calculating how many years in advance of Europe the Chinese were with the achievement in question. This could have been done once or twice for effect, but to repeat it so often is needless (and pointless) piling on. Every Chinese discovery is shown to be the root of a European discovery, however tenuous the link. Thus, the Chinese invented a toy helicopter and a kite, therefore modern aviation is totally derivative of them. But if the Europeans were the first to come up with an idea that they did not translate into practical use, then it is to Temple a mere trifle that only the Chinese developed to its full potential.

Another issue with the book is that it doesn't give any kind of chronological account of scientific developement in China. It's not what the book sets out to do, so this is more a remark than a criticism. It set me wondering about who Chinese scientists were, what was the relationship among science, engineering, and tinkering, when were the key periods of scientific innovation, whether they had a prolific early period comparable to the Greeks, and other issues. I'm especially curious because so much of Chinese science seems, like European alchemy, to be only half a step removed from magic and another quarter step from pure silliness. It's always astounding how people who believed in alchemical ideas could be great inventors, and the same held in China (where Taoism produced the leading scientists, from what I can gather from this book).

It is an interesting book, covering a wide range of scientific topics. (Of course, it's just culled from Needham, so it's not as though the author had to do a lot of research.) Subjects as diffuse as mining, medicine, number theory, and warfare are covered in different chapters. I'm not an expert on science, so I often learned a lot about the individual inventions -- as so often happens in the modern world, we take for granted the extraordinarily ingenious inventions of an earlier age, which seem simple only in comparison to the even more wonderful machines we have today.

Chinese technology in a nutshell
There are both good and bad aspects of this book. First, it is an overall look at China's ancient technology. Not a bad idea. However, it is terse, and not very in-depth. I would recommend reading Sterling Seagrave's Lords of the Rim, which has added information regarding Needham's research - like the wonderful look at China's naval expertise and their huge ships that plied the seas (with room for horses and gardens), which Genius of China does not mention. Genius, however, is a great resource for folks who know nothing about China's ancient scientific discoveries, and is, therefore, an incentive to study further.

I disagree with one reviewer. I do not find Temple distainful of Western thought and scientific expertise. One has to remember the difficulties Europe was going through prior to and during the Renaissance and Reformation in regard to fighting for the freedom to study science openly - without the fear of inquisition. England, having divorced itself from Rome, was freer to read, experiment with, and discover the truths behind the Chinese knowledge - much of which was coming out of the Orient through the returning missionaries. Even though the Protestants abhorred the Jesuits, they were very interested in learning and using what the Jesuits had discovered while in China. Understanding a little more about Western history during this period illustrates why the West was "behind" the Chinese in their scientific endeavors. In addition, many of these European scientists made their own experiments derived from that knowledge and did not give credit to the Chinese.

In addition, Needham and Temple have cleared up some anomolies that appear in David Tame's The Secret Power of Music, by giving us a better understanding of how the tuned chung bells were used to regulate China's measurements. The pitched pipes in a hermetically sealed room turn out to be a "superstitius absurity or a long-standing case of fraud". The authors do not make any reference to Tame's "Yellow note".

For anyone who can't afford hundreds of dollars to buy all of Needham's volumes on this subject, I think Genius is a good place to start. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

A Brief Version of "A Brief History"
The title "Stephen Hawking's Universe" may give you the wrong impression about this book, because one would naturally associate Stephen Hawking with more in-depth scientific theories. However, this book is in fact no more than an introduction to the histories and discoveries of our universe. That is, it is more of a "tell-tale" than an explanation type of book, and should not be compared with books like "A Brief History of Time" (by Stephen Hawking himself).

In terms of presentation, this book does a great job in showing us the discoveries made by various scientists of the past and present in a fairly logical order. The beautiful illustrations used also contribute in helping the readers to understand and to maintain interest in the contents. Nevertheless, at times the author does seem to lose focus on the topics, and they become slightly more difficult to follow. Quite often you have to read on a couple of pages (or even chapters) before you are taken back on track.

To summarise, the book provides a clear outline of human's knowledge of the universe in a very graphical manner, and would be suited to those new to such concepts. However, if you are expecting explanation of greater depths, then you will probably be disappointed.

Best book describing the best cosmological principles
Stephen Hawking's universe is one of the very few books of its kind. It describes the complex and beautiful picture of our cosmos as presented by the most famous living scientist of the world. This book will prove helpful and informative for all those who are concerned with the universe and also with Professor Hawking.
Stephen Hawking's universe is such a book which tends to describe a difficult subject with simplicity and ace. Thus any one out there who is intrested in cosmology and is waiting for a new arrival the please do have a look at this one.

Beware! You will be dumber after reading this!
I've always enjoyed Stephen Hawking's writings, as in them he clearly explains things without condescendingly simplifying them, mixes humor with science, and conveys the awe and thrill of scientific discovery. However, once I got past the forward of this book (the only part written my Hawking), I could see that this book was a complete failure. I should have known when someone got me the book; Filkin is a total non-scientist and I now know is scientifically illiterite.

I was first confronted with horrid and sometimes malicious (or at least maddeningly stupid) terminology errors. For example, throughout the book, a brown dwarf is said to be a cooled-down white dwarf. WRONG! A brown dwarf is a starlike object too small to start thermonuclear fusion, so it produces heat and light by contracting; this is the definition according to the International Astronomical Union, the body which defines all astronomical, astrophysical, and cosmological terminology. This is just one of many such errors.
The terminology I had the biggest problem with was the wrongful (indeed, gratuitous) use of the word "creationism." It is relatively apparent that Filkin means the idea that the universe was created at some time, but it is still the wrong word. Either it was placed in there by Filkin (I think unlikely) or the publishers (more likely) to cave to the 45% of this backwards country which seriously believes creationism (in the sense of what the word really means), or (maybe a little more likely)used without thinking. This leads to my next big problem with the book.

Rather than sticking to the science, or at least pointing out how science sharply contrasts with "faith," Filkin spends a large amount of time talking about how science and religion (specifically Christianity) go hand-in-hand. He even makes up malicious falsities, frequently claiming that science at least partially supports Christianity (actually, he said it supporst "creationism"), and that important discoveries were held up by the dogma of "atheist scientists." One particularly despicable example is his claim that after Hubble discovered the Hubble flow, its reality and logical conclusions were denied and held back by "atheist scientists," being unwilling to accept the idea that the universe began (and hence doesn't violate the 2nd law of thermodynamics). Nothing could be further from the truth! The Hubble flow was looked upon very skeptically for over a decade because the original measurements put the age of the universe as less than the then-known age of the Earth.

Lastly, there are the contradictory statements. Filkin often makes statements contrary to the 'evidence' he supports it with, if there is any. One example is as follows: "churchgoing" scientist were shunned and forced to hide their beliefs from the 18th to the 20th centuries because (a) they believed in a moment of creation despite the official church policy that the universe was infinite, (b) the "atheist scientists" believed, like Newton, that the universe was infinite, and (c) these two beliefs (the church's and the atheist concepts) are different. If you were paying attention, you'd know these beliefs are NOT different, and hence not in conflict.

I put the book down after a few chapters of being frustrated not learning anything, frequently needing to correct Filkin, and seeing a creationist-propagandist's dream come true (regardless of what Filkin meant, I've seen quotes from this book paraded around by creationists). Finally, I would like to point out my disgust with Hawking for having a book like this sold with his stamp of approval.

Fabulous book
This book starts with Ptolemy, proceeds to Galileo and eventually to Einstein and Planck. Any one who has ever been interested in science will love this book.

A grave disappointment
As a fan of Stephen Hawking, I was anxious to read this work - looking forward once again to his humorous and "banally-esoteric" approach to science. But I was gravely disappointed. My own fault really, for not reading the editorials, the reviews... or even the jacket!

If I'd only glanced at the bottom of the jacket I would have known that Hawking (whose photo and name are the most dominant features on the cover) had only written the forward to this book, and nothing else. Go figure.

But in spite of that, I began to eat from it greedily, expecting that it would at least resemble the familiar and palatable taste of a Hawking work. I was wrong of course. So then I felt sort of cheated. I guess I resent being hoodwinked. But then maybe I'm just too sensitive.

Apparently, David Filkin's approach to literary science is to be condescendingly simple. Which is okay if you promote it that way. But if you fire your intentions from the ramparts of Stephen Hawking's identity, I think it'd be best to run somewhat parallel to his reader's level of awareness, and allow us the dignity of licking the wounds of our own self-esteems as they occur.

The book attempts to be a chronological outline of scientific discovery. At times though, it becomes almost predictable - and as a result, boring. At other times, it wanders (Hawking wanders too, but he does so for good reasons, and usually has me laughing before he's back on track). Further moments are occupied with repetition, contradiction and redundancies - not to mention a maddening penchant for patting my head, and saying, "I know you didn't understand that, so here's a simpler explanation".

I had the nagging feeling that Filkin was being careful not to overburden the reader with science. Or at least the kind of science that requires explaining. Sure, I'm not a whiz at chemistry, and I flunked calculus twice, but at least give me a chance to feel stupid where I fully expect to. Don't tread softly on me if you think I won't understand it, especially if you're representing Stephen Hawking for Pete's sake!

Don't get me wrong - I am not a Stephen Hawking fanatic with a get-even agenda (I've had my moments with portions of Hawking's work a time or two also). My exasperation is purely clinical - I expect to get what I pay for. Or at least what I see on the cover.

Not recommended ... Read more

Book Description

This book entertainingly traces the history of physics from the observations of the earlyGreeks through the discoveries of Galileo and Newton to the dazzling theories of such scientists as Planck, Einstein, Bohr, and Bohm. This humanized view of science opens up the mind-stretching visions of how quantum mechanics, God, human thought, and will are related, and provides profound implications for our understanding of the nature of reality and our relationship to the cosmos. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Qwiffs, flows, and pops!
Reading this book is in fact the equivalent of taking a quantum leap, an explosive jump with uncertain destiny, off into an unchartered territory with little or no guidance. Fred Alan Wolf carries us through a scientific journey of how the phenomenon of motion has been viewed, from Zeno to the most recent scientific discoveries. It is a journey of risks and paradoxes. The apex in this adventure is the Principle of Indeterminism or Uncertainty, a law that has given a new meaning to world order and has disrupted the foundations of mechanical motion, determinism, continuity, and objectivity. What is matter? Particles or waves? It depends on what one chooses to observe! There is no reality until that reality is perceived. But quantum mechanics affirms there is an order in the universe, and it may be the order of our minds.

If duality was a term used by theologians and philosophers, quantum mechanics brought about the concept of duality in nature. Our actions in the world are always a compromise between two such opposites, the more we determine one side of reality, the less the other side is shown to us. When it comes to the so-long discussed theme of free will versus determinism, the philosophy of quantum mechanics affirms both views are wrong and right at the same time.

Moving away from traditional physics, dissatisfied with mechanical notions of the universe, the author passionately moves into the world of deep philosophical questions, a world which arises from the limitations of quantum theory. Albeit using a logical reasoning, he speculates on some of his concepts, his wild imagination carries him into a world in which God is placed in the center of the universe, "preparing quantum feasts of knowledge, all kinds of magical and tasteful future goodies in the form of magnificent qwiffs!" Fred A. Wolf dares to exceed the speed of light!

Mind-bending
Fred Alan Wolf does a good job of explaining the latest thinking in quantum physics, which he himself concedes to be impossible for us to visualize in many respects, for readers without scientific training. He does this by adopting a historical approach, following the evolution of man's understanding of the nature of motion from the speculations of early Greek philosophers such as Zeno and Aristotle through the work of ground-breaking physicists such as Einstein and Bohr up to the most current knowledge about the crucial importance of the observer in determining reality. Wolf includes some mind-blowing speculations about the nature of human consciousness in the quantum universe which should fascinate you even if you find them difficult to accept.

A few good sections, but I was underwhelmed
This book had three good sections. One discussed how Zeno and other early philosophers looked at physical space as continuous. Another covered the historical period where Bohr, Einstein, and others were making radical new discoveries about how physical space really (or apparently) operated. Finally, there was some discussion about possible worlds. I'm sure any descent physics book would and should cover these areas, so I can't credit Wolf for doing anything special. Although Wolf did a pretty good job at explaining the wave-particle duality with reference to various famous experiments and their interpretations, the end of the book is just plain goofy with his amateurish speculation about physics and philosophy of mind.

Absolutely fascinating
"Taking the Quantum Leap" is an excellent introduction to the bizzare and amazing world of quantum physics. Wolfe takes the reader on a journey from the early Greeks to the modern day as man searched for the answers to the universe's riddles. He shows systematically how physicists first thought they had solved everything with Newtonian mechanics and were then thrown on their heads with the discovery of the quanta. Wolfe proceeds to describe how the science world struggled with these new ideas and attempted to bring meaning to a universe that had suddenly become unpredictable.

Wolfe's analysis delves into the inner workings of the human mind and shows how each of us affects the "reality" we experience. Suddenly the human mind becomes the shaper of the universe and each of us is "god". This is both reassuring and disturbing at once, but Wolfe guides the reader through it, showing that we and we alone control our destiny.

The book only gets four stars because at some points, Wolfe moves beyond the realm of science and introduces a strong religious trend into the story. While he weaves it in well, it still seems out of place, and would have been stronger had he not taken this route. However, the book is still very strong and informative. Definitely a good starting place for a novice of quantum theory.

Quantum mechanics 101
Just when you find out the 'weirdness' of quantum mechanics (QM), things start to get entangled and in the realm of human consciousness, philosophy and what not. I had started reading QM with Nick Herbert's book 'Quantum Reality' and in the middle of the book I realized that I need a little subtler treatment of the subject matter and hence ending up reading this book, 'Taking the Quantum Leap'. I have to the say that Fread has done an outstanding job at explaining the wave-particle duality with reference to all the famous experiments and their interpretations. He then moves on to the famous Bohr vs. Einstien debate EPR. Much of the book is devoted to exploring the point of views of these two schools of thought.. complementarists vs. the continuists. There are chapters on the theory of Parallel Universes etc.

My dismay begings, and thats why I gave the book 3 stars rather than a 4! is when towards the end of the book, the whole QM is tunred into a hodge podge of philosophies of human consciousness, fate and free will. To my surprise it seems that the author has made up his mind that whatever the state of QM is today, IS indeed the complete description of the physical world. At least I got that impression. In my opinion, this is only 2001 and who knows what discoveries are waiting to be happen in next several hundred years regarding our current understanding of the physical world.

As Einstien once said something to this effect to one of his friends, 'do you really think the moon is there because someone is there to see it!' and yet QM has proven to be successful in proving thores of physical phenomena.

Yet indeed I'm still bothered by QM as I was before reading this book but know a lot more about the various schools of thoughts. Could the Schrodinger's cat be alive and dead at the same time in parallel universes?!?

All in all, an excellent reading for starters in QM. ... Read more

Book Description

Readers explore the natural treasures of America's south-central region--Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi--with this information-packed guide, featuring more than 180 color photos throughout, and nine clear and detailed maps. ... Read more

Book Description

In his most ground-breaking book since The Best Of Times (Fall 2002), Greg Tang underscores the importance of four basic rules in problem-solving. Keeping an open mind, looking for unusual number combinations, using multiple skills (like subtracting to add) and looking for patterns, will guarantee any child success in math. In Math- Terpieces, Tang continues to challenge kids with his innovative approach to math, and uses art history to expand his vision for creative problem-solving. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Math and Art - What A Great Combo!
I love this book and have shared it with colleagues! What a great idea to combine math and art, and what a great way to tackle problem solving which is not always a favourite with kids! For teachers, it helps us cover two subject areas at the same time which we greatly appreciate. When I saw the cover of this book, I was instantly intrigued. I liked the fact that it's suitable for all age groups -- older students may appreciate the art history aspect more, but the rhymes appeal to all ages. The illustrations jump out, are appealing and make math more interesting. When I showed this book to some of my students, one instantly said that it was "neat" because everyone came up with a different way of getting the answer yet everyone was right, to which I responded with a delighted smile!

Wonderful math/art connection
Bravo, Greg Tang has done it once again! This wonderful book is full of authentic masterpieces which Tang recreates to get us looking at the art in a "math kind of way!" This book is super for all elementary levels, kindergarten through grade five. The focus is on addition, and the many ways we can group numbers to get to a given sum. We love it! ... Read more

Book Description

This book expounds a system of ideas about the nature of mathematics which Michael Resnik has been elaborating for a number of years. In calling mathematics a science he implies that it has a factual subject-matter and that mathematical knowledge is on a par with other scientific knowledge; in calling it a science of patterns he expresses his commitment to a structuralist philosophy of mathematics.He links this to a defense of realism about the metaphysics of mathematics--the view that mathematics is about things that really exist. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lively media connections
This extraordinary book makes startling, illuminating, and elegant connections between what seem to be unrelated events and objects, and thereby shifts how we can understand changes in media from the mid nineteenth century into the present. It is beautifully written, and witty and erudite besides.

Gitelman has a great ability to synthesize without reducing complexity. Instead she encompasses disregarded aspects of a situation to open up unexpected connections. I loved the way connections she makes open up whole different ways of seeing things. So her examination of shorthand as a precursor to the phonograph allows us to understand the phonograph as Edison did, as a machine for writing and reading. Then she goes on to convincingly links this shorthand/phonograph discussion to larger and still current issues of standardization, both of technical devices and operating systems, and of spelling.

Other connections go further. The final section of the book, "Coda: The (Hyper)textualization of Everyday Life," for example, critiques the dominant accounts of hypertext and reading and writing associated with computing for ignoring a "prehistory of computing" beyond calculating devices. She suggests including the elaborate search and retrieval architecture of the New York Public Library or the "integrated structure and semiotics of Grand Central Station...with its routes and signals for trains, its routes and signals for passengers, and the tiny spiral staircase that connects an information booth on one level (suburban transit) with an information booth on the other (interurban)." Gitelman thinks both largely and in meticulously informed detail about important issues that are embedded in our everyday lives, the media we use, and in history. This book is an eyeopener and a lively read. ... Read more