Book Description

This is a lively and compact biography of P. M. S. Blackett, one of the most brilliant and controversial physicists of the twentieth century. Nobel laureate, leader of operational research during the Second World War, scientific advisor to the British government, President of the Royal Society, member of the House of Lords, Blackett was also denounced as a Stalinist apologist for opposing American and British development of atomic weapons, subjected to FBI surveillance, and named as a fellow traveler on George Orwell's infamous list.

His service as a British Royal Navy officer in the First World War prepared Blackett to take a scientific advisory role on military matters in the mid-1930s. An international leader in the experimental techniques of the cloud chamber, he was a pioneer in the application of magnetic evidence for the geophysical theory of continental drift. But his strong political stands made him a polarizing influence, and the decisions he made capture the complexity of living a prominent twentieth-century scientific life.

Book Description

a very public offering

"Stephan Paternot has incredible drive, the kind of drive you see in people once in a lifetime. He's a young Richard Branson. He has this ‘positive irreverence' that allows him to tackle incredible things against all odds and the establishment, and lift people with his vision and enthusiasm. What he did with theglobe.com is purely phenomenal. He made business history." --Laurent Massa, Co-founder and Former CEO of Xoom.com

"Even for one who was there, Stephan's recounting of the entrepreneurial journey of theglobe.com is a great read. It brings back the thrills and spills of this Internet saga. Those reading it afresh are in for a real treat." --David H. Horowitz, 'Angel' investor and (until 2000) a director of theglobe.Com and former CEO of MTV Networks ... Read more

Reviews (28)

A good story not well told
Now that the dust has settled, the volatility of the stock market during the dot-com boom is a memory that is already disappearing in the rear-view mirror of our collective conscious. It is time for the stories and histories to be told - the recent film Startup.com chronicled the rise and fall of, as you might have guessed, a dot-com startup; this book from Stephan Paternot, cofounder of theglobe.com, is ostensibly in the same vein.
After a prologue talking about the euphoria of IPO day (on which theglobe.com's share price jumped by 1000% before closing up 700% for the first day), Paternot (with a little help from a ghost-writer) talks the reader through his early life, up until his entry into college at Cornell, and the founding of his company. I say, "talks through his life" - that is precisely the tone of the book. It comes across as more than a little rushed, though the story is consistently gripping enough that it scarcely matters that the author's writing style would not be out of place in a Dick and Jane story. There is no doubt that Paternot and his friend and business partner, Todd Krizelman, were in the game right from the very beginning, and created what was probably a terrific Web site that became the Apple Macintosh's number one online community destination. For a pair of 20-somethings, this was a wonderful achievement, and Paternot is rightly proud of his company and its achievements. Some might say a little too proud, and the hubris in the book is sometimes breathtaking; for example, it might surprise aficionados of the internal combustion engine to hear that apparently the Internet is the most important human invention since movable type... though there is little doubt in my mind that the author's enthusiastic knack for hyperbole was probably what allowed him to convince a number of business big-shots to buy into his vision (most notably the ex-Chairman of Alamo Rent-A-Car, Michael Egan).
The book continues on, talking a great deal about stock price movement, and betraying the author's bitterness that theglobe.com was never quite so over-priced as so many other dot-coms (theglobe.com was one of the first companies whose value slid dramatically). Dust-jacket hints about salacious stories of an unconventional rebel wild-child flying in the face of the business establishment are few and far between, unfortunately - I was hoping for a few more tales of bacchanalian debauchery, but Paternot's life doesn't sound too different to that of most young, professional Manhattanites.
Nonetheless, it's certainly an interesting read by a talented person - that talent may not be in the literary field, but then you would hardly read the autobiography of Richard Branson and grumble about lack of literary merit. Ultimately, though, the book fizzles out in a rather unsatisfying way, and I was left with the overwhelming sensation that it was as if the company had never really existed... Perhaps it is fitting, then, that despite Paternot's pride in the fact that his company was still operating at the time of publication, all that is left of theglobe.com today is a message on the Web site: "In 1995, theglobe.com confirmed the Internet's power to connect people worlds apart. Unfortunately, after six amazing years, theglobe.com closed its doors on August 15, 2001... Thank you for your patronage and for the incredible support over the years. Sincerely,
theglobe.com"

A great story
I really enjoyed this story. Having grown up in the same time I could relate with the description of reality as the writer describes. He is clearly not a writer by profession, which makes the book seem even more genuine and accurate. This book is a keeper!

excellent book!
I just finished reading this book and I just wanted to say that I think this story is very fascinating. It was akin to reading a private diary. ( I wish I could write like that too.) To be so young and hit it big is the sort of thing that people dream of, myself included. I am 30 years old and so I can relate to some of the things he went through. As was pointed out, on the one hand, Steph and Todd had to conduct themselves as mature businessmen running a company. And on the other hand, he wanted to act the way other 23-year olds act, fun-loving and party-going, with boundless energy.

The last chapter, The Second Coming, was my favorite, as he poses self-searching questions about what new direction to take with his life. I find myself in the same position at this very moment. Good for him that he found his calling--- writing and acting. Hope to see the movie when it comes out.

Internet mania
I am 29 years old and was looking for a book to read by an author of my generation. And I stumbled across this one by Stephan Paternot. His true story almost reads like a novel because it sounds so exciting and adventurous. Being about the same age as the author and having been swept through Internet mania and lost my share of money, I found his story very engaging. I saw the review in salon.com after reading the book and was rather disappointed that the reviewer did not share my enthusiasm. Apparently, the book did not meet the reviewer's high intellectual standards, when in fact, Paternot's writing style was (I felt) a major strength in the book. It's as if the negative reviews (from other websites) I have seen are not so much about his book as they are begrudging of Paternot who possesses youth, movie-star looks, worldly upbringing, entrepreneurial family heritage, and Ivy League schooling. So his company failed. But other than maybe Michael Dell or Bill Gates when they were starting out, how many under-30 CEOs do you know have the poise and savvy to lead a highly publicized and publicly-traded company?

An interesting story...
This book tells the story of the rise and fall of theglobe.com, told by one of its founder, Stephan Paternot. The story is interesting, as it details the greed and excess that characterized the days of the internet boom. Unfortunately for Paternot, I feel that he and his partner badly bungled and sent the company in the wrong direction which led to its ultimate downfall. If you want an interesting, fast read about the internet heyday, pick up a copy of this book, as it is enjoyable. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent resource
As a novice collector, I found this book to be an excellent resource to fill in a lot of missing blanks regarding actual unit names, where they were located and when. I highly recommend this book.

Perfect overview
I like both reading about the units and the look at plates showing the patches. It gives a very good overview.

Very Valuable!
This book was a worthwhile addition to my library!It is absolutely fascinating!

Excellent reference.
Stein, owner of insignia-maker Ira Green Inc. and the author of "U.S. Army Heraldic Crests", has produced another excellent reference for the militaria collector.
After a brief but useful essay on the history and manufacture of Army patches, the author proceeds to theheart of the work; the depiction of over 1500 patches in full color, with accompanying notes giving a brief history and current location of the unit, the design and wear dates of the emblem, campaign credits and unit decorations.With abbreviations, glossary, bibliography, and an excellent index, Stein's work will serve as a standard reference for patch collectors.The only notable shortcoming is a lack of information on reproduction patches, a number of which are depicted without comment.

(The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page.This reviewer does not "score" books.) ... Read more

Book Description

Ever since so-called smart bombs debuted in the Vietnam War, precision weapons have been an expected part of modern warfare. While most Americans are aware of the use of these technological wonders, frequently viewing images of pinpoint accuracy on their television screens, few understand how the weapons work. In this very readable explanation, Michael Rip and James Hasik not only clarify the complex technology but chronicle the use of these modern marvels and elaborate on the promises and the pitfalls behind them.

At the root of today's precision weapons is the Global Positioning System (GPS)--the same system used by professional marine and aerial navigators and even by modern hikers, drivers of upscale automobiles, and sailboat owners. The authors remove much of the mystery of this satellite-based system, explaining how it has revolutionized the art and science of navigation and overturned many of the solutions to the age-old problems of targeting. Relevant examples taken from today's headlines demonstrate both the capabilities and the limitations of these weapons. Their use in Bosnia, Kosovo, and the stand-off engagements in the no-fly zones of Iraq make a great deal more sense with this book in hand. Many of the emerging debates spawned by a mandated review of U.S. defense policy are clarified. From the details of the weapons systems and their employment to their political implications, this sweeping analysis of the effects of a revolutionary technology on military operations and strategy is without parallel. A wealth of illustrations help the reader understand how technologies work and fit together, how they are practically used, and what they mean for the future. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fascinating
I had the pleasure of taking Michael Rip's course on national security at Michigan State University's James Madison College. We used this book as a supplement to his lectures. This book is incredible, I highly recommend reading it. It makes a striking case for GPS as one of the most important inventions of our time, and explains how the very nature of warfare has changed due to GPS technology. A very fascinating read!

An eye-opening book
Rip and Hasik have created an in-depth look at the evolution of not just our current Military, but its role in a post Cold War era.Anyone who is serious about understanding how war and our military has worked, or will continue to in the 21st century, will want to read this.

A Must Read
This is the finest work on military technology it has ever been my pleasure to read.The authors have clearly articulated the implications of integrated systems of information technology and precision navigation emerging in the arsenals of today.
Two sections of this book are particularly instructive.The chapter on the history of military navigation sets the table for the remaining topics.It also answers the question, "What is so important about navigation, anyway?"The chapter on future policy implications reveals how precision is not a panacea - but an effective tool for specific tasks.
This book should be read by everyone interested and/or involved with military operations, aquisition, logistics, and strategy.

Definitive work on the art & science of precision warfare
Mr. Hasik and Mr. Rip have written the finest unclassified work on how GPS and inertial guidance (with their supporting technologies) have revolutionized warfare.Although the underlying math is explained in excruiciating detail (for a liberal arts major), it is more than compensated for by outstanding case studies.As a professional military officer with service in the US Army and Air Force, I found this book to be required reading for those in the profession of arms or those who seek a greater undrestanding of the basis of the United States' current military dominance. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Suspicion naturally arises when you read a promo line on a back cover that says, "This is the most important book concerning the Great Pyramid written in the last 20 years." In this case, however, it may be fact. In writing The Giza Power Plant, mechanical engineer Christopher Dunn reverse-engineered the Great Pyramid at Giza to discover its use. His startling conclusions blow the heck out of traditional Egyptology's rather silly notions that it was built with copper tools by a society that lacked the wheel. While revisionist pyramid studies are rife with ridiculous theories that give the topic a bad name, The Giza Power Plant takes into account existing fact and artifact without having to rely on unprovable assertions. A must-read for truth seekers who aren't afraid to consider the idea that Western culture of the 21st century may not be the pinnacle of human evolution and achievement. --P. Randall Cohan ... Read more

Reviews (48)

Buries the Pyramid-as-tomb theory once and for all!
Christopher Dunn has written a tremendous book--far and away the best work about the Great Pyramid in the last 25 years. Using his background as a master machinist and engineer, Chris has seen the Great Pyramid as it really was and is, a magnificent structure built by master craftspeople (scientists and engineers) to be a practical device, a power plant. Chris explains why it was built so precisely, why the particular materials were used and how advanced machining and techniques had to be employed to accomplish the task. Anyone interested in recovery of ancient wisdom, understanding how the Great Pyramid could not possible have been originally designed and built as a tomb for a king, and interested in the concepts of sacred geometry, acoustical harmonic resonance theories and the great knowledge of the Ancient Khemitians (Egyptians) must read this book!

Dunn buries the pyramid-as-tomb theory once and for all!
Christopher Dunn has written a tremendous book--far and away the best work about the Great Pyramid in the last 25 years. Using his background as a master machinist and engineer, Chris has seen the Great Pyramid as it really was and is, a magnificient structure built by master craftspeople (scientists and engineers) to be a practical device, a power plant. Chris explains why it was built so precisely, why the particular materials were used and how advanced machining and techniques had to be employed to accomplish the task. Anyone interested in the recovery of ancient wisdom, understanding how the Great Pyramid could not possibly have been originally designed and built as a tomb for a king, and interested in concepts of sacred geometry, acoustical harmonic resonance theories and the great knowledge of the Ancient Khemitians (Egyptians) must read this book!

Lets make this book a Discovery channel show!
I can't believe the discovery channel or TLC hasn't done a special on this book. It would be one of the greatest shows they've done. Lets email them to get a show on this book!

Critical Thinker
The facts are quite simple. Even in its ruined state today, the pyramid produces measurable induction, and the granite in the "King's chamber" can be easily displayed to resonate sympathetically with the Earth's geo-mechanics.

So we can cut through all of the ideological arguments and simplify it thus:

1. The Egyptians (or someone else) accidentally built a nearly perfect geo-mechanical power collection center (which exceeds even our current state of technology) and ignorantly used it as a temple or a tomb.

2. The Egyptians (or someone else) intentionally built a nearly perfect geo-mechanical power collection center, presumably to generate power for some purpose.

It's up to you to decide. The builders of the Giza pyramid were either extremely lucky and ignorant, or they were extremely brilliant. They either built the most amazingly complex structure on Earth with advanced techniques or with slave labor. Some people choose to believe the latter because a Charlton Heston movie says they should; others choose to believe the former because every principle of science and engineering dictates that by necessity they must have. Whichever you choose will be based upon your own inherent ideology, unique world view, and rational facilities (or lack thereof).

I suspect the religionists of the world will go with #1, as everyone clearly knows that before Christianity the world was "dark and ignorant" and that the Christians "brought light to the world." Gee with 80% of us in the West being Judeo-Christian it's no wonder why there is so much reluctance to accept well articulated theories that some ancient cultures were highly advanced...that would contradict our Holy Bible and we can't have that. Oh yes and the Babylonians accidentally developed batteries. Obviously they were simply clay mugs used to drink orange juice out of; it is merely blind coincidence that they just happen to have all of the requisite parts of the proper composition inside of them because that added to the flavor of the orange juice. And the solder alloy they used just randomly happens to be the most effective mixture known to humankind today. Again, it just added to the flavor of the orange juice; clearly it has nothing to do with its superior properties of conduction.

We in the West can be so blind in our arrogance.

Great Book!
Buy it... it's worth the money. The author covers every detail beautifully and by the end of the book you'll believe. I've heard dozens of explanations for the pyramids... but none as unusual and strangely accurate as this one. Who would have thought?? ... Read more

Book Description

Bestselling author, Tom Clancy, provides us with an extraordinary series of nonfiction audiobooks that look deep into the art of war, as seen through the eyes of three of America's outstanding commanders.

INTO THE STORM
Into the Storm tells us how leaders learn and grow, and how they forge people, elements and forces together into a campaign of power and precision. We hear how General Frederick M. Franks, Jr. commanded the armor and infantry of VII Corps, the main coalition force that broke the back of Iraq's Republican Guard. Into the Storm describes the transformation of an army traumatized by the Vietnam War and the metamorphosis of a man devastated by the loss of a leg in that war.

EVERY MAN A TIGER
Combining a broad experience of all aspects of aerial warfare with a deep respect for, and knowledge of Arab culture, General Chuck Horner commanded the U.S. and allied air assets during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was responsible for the design and execution of one of the most devastating air campaigns in history. Never before have the Gulf air war and its planning -? a process filled with controversy and stormy personalities -? been revealed in such rich, provocative detail.

SHADOW WARRIORS
General Carl Stiner was only the second commander of SOCOM, the U.S. Special Operations Command responsible for the readiness of all the Special Operations forces of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, including the Green Berets, Navy SEALS, Rangers, Delta Force, Air Force Special Operations, PsyOps, and Civil Affairs. Together, he and Tom Clancy trace the transformation of the Special Forces from the small core of outsiders of the 1950s through the cauldron of Vietnam and to the rebirth of the SF in the late 1980s and 1990s as the bearer of the largest, most mixed, and most complex set of missions in the U.S. military. ... Read more

Book Description

Technology and Global Change describes how technology has shaped society and the environment over the last 200 years. Technology has led us from the farm to the factory to the internet, and its impacts are now global. Technology has eliminated many problems, but has added many others (ranging from urban smog to the ozone hole to global warming). This book is the first to give a comprehensive description of the causes and impacts of technological change and how they relate to global environmental change. Written for specialists and nonspecialists alike, it will be useful for researchers and professors, as a textbook for graduate students, for people engaged in long-term policy planning in industry (strategic planning departments) and government (R & D and technology ministries, environment ministries),for environmental activists (NGOs), and for the wider public interested in history, technology, or environmental issues. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A MUST buy
The book is about humans, nature and how they interact. What Grübler provides is context, context that ranges, it seems, over the entire human history. Yet it is easily understood. At last, the world around us makes sense. (it helps if you love graphs, because he uses them in masterly fashion) ... Read more

Book Description

This biography of Gauss, by far the most comprehensive in English, is the work of a professor of German, G. Waldo Dunnington, who devoted most of his scholarly career to studying the life of Germany's greatest mathematician. The author was inspired to pursue this project at the age of twelve when he learned from his teacher in Missouri that no full biography of Gauss existed at the time. His teacher was Gauss's great granddaughter, Minna Waldeck Gauss. Long out of print and almost impossible to find on the used book market, this valuable piece of scholarship is being reissued in an augmented form with introductory remarks, an expanded and updated bibliography, and a commentary on Gauss's mathematical diary, by the eminent British mathematical historian, Jeremy Gray. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Finally Republished !!
I am so glad to see this book back in print. I am a great great great granddaughter of Gauss and have been referring people to this book for the last several years, always knowing it was hard to find. It is my primary reference for Gauss, and much of it is very readable. It addresses Gauss' personal life, as well as his mathmatics, and the original edition has short biographies of Gauss' children, and a genealogy. ... Read more

Book Description

Evolution's Captain is the story of a visionary but now forgotten English naval officer but for whom the "Darwinian Revolution" would never have occurred. When Captain Robert FitzRoy, the twenty-six-year-old captain of the H.M.S. Beagle, set out for Tierra del Fuego in the fall of 1831, he invited a young naturalist to accompany him. That twenty-two-year-old gentleman was Charles Darwin, and perhaps no single voyage in history had a greater impact on how we would come to understand the world -- in both religious and scientific terms.

When the Beagle's first captain committed suicide while at sea in 1828, he was replaced by a young naval officer of a new mold. Robert FitzRoy was the most brilliant and scientific sea captain of his age. He used the Beagle, a survey vessel, as a laboratory for the new field of the natural sciences. But his plan to bring four "savages" home to England to civilize them as Christian gentlefolk backfired when scandal loomed over their sexual misbehavior at the Walthamstow Infants School. FitzRoy needed to get them out of England fast, and thus was born the second and most famous voyage of the Beagle.

FitzRoy feared the loneliness of another long voyage -- with madness in his own family, he was haunted by the fate of the Beagle's previous captain -- so for company he took with him the young amateur naturalist Charles Darwin. Like FitzRoy, Darwin believed, at the beginning of the voyage, in the absolute word of the Bible and the story of man's creation. The two men spent five years circling the globe together, but by the end of their voyage they had reached startlingly different conclusions about the origins of the natural world.

In naval terms, the voyage was a stunning scientific success. But FitzRoy, a fanatical Christian, was horrified by the heretical theories Darwin began to develop. As these began to influence the profoundest levels of religious and scientific thinking in the nineteenth century, FitzRoy's knowledge that he had provided Darwin with the vehicle for his sacrilegious ideas propelled him down an irrevocable path to suicide.

This true story -- part biography, part sea drama, and a subtle study of one of the defining moments in the history of science -- reads like the finest historical fiction. It is a chronicle of the remarkable chain of events without which Darwin would most likely have lived and died an obscure English country parson with a fondness for collecting beetles.

Reviews (4)

Simply Fabulous
I can hardly imagine a more enjoyable book, some how miraculously delving the reader into the annals of Victorian English society. The book is a much a testament to the epic voyage which ultimatly brought Darwin his fame, as a tale of the culture which bred such a remarkable theory.

A fascinating historical portrait
Charting a path through the Americas, Captain Robert FitzRoy crosses paths with a young Charles Darwin, an event that affects the direction of scientific study. In 1829, Capt. FitzRoy, of the HMS Beagle, sails with Capt. Phillip Parker, of the HMS Adventure, on a survey that will enable Great Britain's complete dominance of world trade. FitzRoy has his first sighting of natives in Tierra del Fuego; he finds their primitive appearance repulsive. On their return home, FitzRoy carries four natives back to England, his specimens. It is his intention to "save" the savages, baptize them as Christians and expose them to the advantages a civilization defined by its Godliness.

By 1831, the savages are the source of constant embarrassment and it is necessary to return them to Tierra de Fuego. Finagling a commission, ostensibly to finish the survey of the Americas, FitzRoy releases the natives to their homeland. This new commission involves an extended voyage navigating the globe and FitzRoy is concerned about the years of isolation, not one to mix with those of lesser rank. The prospect of such solitude is daunting to the young captain, haunted by the history of insanity in his family.

Charles Darwin is a naturalist, the perfect choice as FitzRoy's companion. Both possess astute minds and spend hours discoursing on scientific principles. While FitzRoy surveys the rugged coastline of Tierra del Fuego, Darwin roams the countryside, gathering specimens. The trip almost flounders when the overstressed FitzRoy loses his focus, but he rallies, able to continue. By the time they reach the Falklands, Darwin is writing voluminous notes on the aberrations observed on various islands, particularly the Galapagos Islands.

Returning home, the two scientists prepare for publication. Their work is published in three volumes: King's, FitzRoy's and Darwin's. Darwin's most important work is published twenty-two years later, but in 1837, he avoids an argument with accepted theology. At this point the two friends drift apart philosophically, Darwin committed to a scientific definition of the world and FitzRoy ever more avidly Creationist.

As Nichols chronicles the men's lives, the once friendly scientists finally become adversarial. FitzRoy has noble aspirations, albeit fettered by his English prejudices. He never imagined his name written on the pages of history as "the man who took Darwin around the world" on his momentous adventure. FitzRoy makes important contributions as a weather forecaster, but is never appreciated in his time; his fate is sealed when he chooses the traveling companion for this fated voyage. Nichols offers a fascinating view of a remarkable voyage; he brings the seafaring world to life, the dangers, curiosities and courage of an undertaking that will dramatically alter the scientific world. Luan Gaines/2004.

Evolution's captain
Fitzroy and Darwin. How these brave men were marked by adventure and discovery. A fascinating story of the unknown territories and the isolation they suffered on their travels. Nichols describes their solitude and madness, tangled with beautiful narrative. Very entretaining.

"The only thing that bothered Fitzroy was Darwin's face."
Poor Robert Fitzroy has been relegated to the footnotes section of history....oh yes, wasn't he the captain of "The Beagle"? Yes he was, but he was much more. He was also a member of Parliament, a governor of New Zealand, and he founded the British government's Meteorological Office. The downside of Peter Nichols' book is he gives rather short shrift to these generally unknown aspects of Fitzroy's career. But, when Mr. Nichols is on his home turf (the ocean, if that isn't a non sequitur!), he sparkles. He is clearly most happy when discussing Fitzroy the "boy wonder" captain and surveyor. (Fitzroy was in his mid-twenties when he squired young Mr. Darwin around the world.) We can feel the ocean spray and smell the salt air. Not only that, but we really feel that we get to know Fitzroy. He was an excellent and brave captain. He cared about his men. He was also intelligent and charming. On the less pleasant side, he had a very thin skin, a bad temper, and was subject to bouts of depression. During five long years at sea Darwin got to see every facet of Fitzroy. Mr. Nichols is also fascinating when he writes about the four Fuegians that Fitzroy brought back to England...hoping to "civilize" them and bring them back to further spread British culture along the southern tip of South America. The second voyage of "The Beagle" with Fitzroy as captain was the voyage where Fitzroy brought the natives back home, and it was also the voyage with Darwin on board as naturalist. Fitzroy was a strong believer in phrenology, and initially had doubts about Darwin because of Darwin's "hooded brow and large, spatulate nose." Fortunately for science, Fitzroy was won over by Darwin's intelligence and genial personality. Both men started the journey with a great deal of scientific curiosity and with orthodox religious beliefs. Darwin's theories led him to atheism. Fitzroy remained very religious all his life. If it hadn't been for Fitzroy, Darwin likely never would have come up with his theory of evolution by natural selection. The irony of this wasn't lost on Fitzroy. Again, all this is well, even brilliantly, told by Mr. Nichols. The book loses steam when we read about the later developments in Fitzroy's life, but the rest of this book is so good that we can forgive Mr. Nichols for not being able to maintain the high level of writing throughout. The definitive biography of Robert Fitzroy remains to be written, but this book goes a long way in bringing him off the bottom of the page. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

I find it helpful in our homeschooling
We do a thematic literature approach to homeschooling and I love it when I can find books that bring in science to our studies. We find this series especially helpful. It doesn't go into deep detail, only a general overview, but is a good starting point when studying Ancient Greece. I also like to include "Archimedes and the Door of Science," "Aristotle and Scientific Thought," and "Classical Kids" which includes a lot of Greek science projects. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Really Two Books - The First Great, The Second Lacking
This book is really two books in one, the first being an outline of the development of radar immediately prior to and during World War II. This part takes up the first 245 pages of the book, is extremely well organized and plays out the complete development and deployment of radar during World War II. This early part takes you through the people and organizations that were behind radar's development, as well as a very top level view of the technology used to create the device. The author walks you through a very good description of radar's development on a global scale, outlining how the US and UK led the development, why Germany was only slightly further behind, and why Japan was so lagging. Mr. Buderi takes several major battles, including the Battle of Britain, the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Midway, and outlines the significance of radar in those battles and how it truly was the winning weapon of the war. This part of the book clearly rates 5 stars, and makes the whole text worth purchasing.

The second part of the book, which takes up the final 233 pages, is less organized and much less linear in its thought development. While this lack of organization does reflect the decentralization of radar development following WWII, it does not make this section any easier to read. While the development or radar as an astronomical tool, its deployment and adoption at civilian airports and the use of its underlying technologies in the development of integrated circuit are all significant, their depiction as essential parts of the story is lacking. The second part ranks 2 stars, and is good reference material, but should be read on a chapter by chapter basis, as that appears to be how they were written.

In summary, the first part is great - 5 stars, the second part was less a book, but more a stringing together of engineering stories and earned only 2 stars. I gave it a weighted average of 4.

Favorite Excerpts:

"I never read books - they interfere with thinking." - Paul Dirac to Robert Oppenheimer (page 48)

"It didn't make me more enemies than I cared about, because the enemies that you have to worry about are smart enemies, and smart people didn't get mad at me unless they had a good reason to." - George Valley Jr. (page 183)

"Some of my friends seemed to know every year model of every car, that seemed to me so temporary and uninteresting. Nature is such a permanent aspect of our universe, and so obviously God-made." -Charles Townes (page 336)

"We had the authority and influence that came from being indispensable." - Jay Forrester (page 397)

An engrossing non-technical overview of radar development
Before I read this book, I (like most technically minded people) knew of Los Alamos and the development of the atomic bomb, and had a vague impression that MIT was working on radar during this same time. What I *didn't* know was that radar development was an equally urgent crash program, with a similarly brilliant scientific staff (11 future Nobel prizes), and lots more practical applications. Furthermore, compared to Los Alamos, they faced and overcame many additional challenges - among them starting mass production of brand new technology, and convincing the military to change their doctrines based on new technical capabilities.

Like Rhodes's "The Making of the Atomic Bomb", the story is told in chronological order, mixing the human and technical aspects and conveying the urgency and suspense of a desperate wartime situation. Unlike Rhodes's book, it follows the people and technology further, showing how the (then young) scientists went on to fame and fortune, and how the technology has changed our daily life. The book is engrossing even for non-specialists - my wife (a chiropractor) picked it up to see what I found so fascinating, and I couldn't get it back!

Great story but, a little bit too complex
This kind of books is the one that is capable of make you stop and think of the world history and what happens behind our backs. It is a splendid book, with a great story and very good technical details. However, the author losts itself among complex scientific data (especially about quantum theory) that is not available to everyone, including myself (so I merelly skip those parts). It was very interesting.

Good Buy For Tech Readers
The title of this book, THE INVENTION THAT CHANGED THE WORLD, is a
bit perplexing. After all, there have been a lot of inventions
that have changed the world, and for all somebody just picking
up this book knows, it could be about automobiles, airplanes, TV,
canned foods, contraceptives, or whatever.

Actually, the "invention" in this case is radar, with the author,
Robert Buderi, telling the story of how the development of radar before
and during World War II led to a scientific revolution in the postwar
period.

He begins with the story of how Robert Watson-Watt helped develop the
first radar defense network before the outbreak of the Second World
War, and then goes on to Winston Churchill's decision to share British
technology with the US in 1940. This wise decision led to the
establishment of the MIT "Radiation Laboratory", which became the
prime mover in the development of microwave radar and similar
electronic technologies that contributed greatly to Allied victory.

That part of the story, however, is only about half the book. The
rest of the book gives the reader a tour of developments that
evolved from the radar effort, including the invention of the
transistor, the maser and laser, nuclear magnetic resonance sensing,
radio astronomy, and of course postwar military radar development.

Buderi's approach is to try to balance the political, technical, and
personal aspects of the story, with a strong emphasis on readability
instead of great technical detail. He was a technical editor for
BUSINESS WEEK at one time, and it's written somewhat at the level of
detail and clarity that a reader might expect for scientific and
technical articles in BUSINESS WEEK, THE ECONOMIST, or similar
magazines. There's a good emphasis on personalities, including
physicist Luis Alvarez, British radar expert Eddie Bowen, British
countermeasures expert Reginald Victor Jones, physicist Charles
Townes, and many others.

This "middle path" is at the same time both a strength and unavoidably
a weakness. THE INVENTION THAT CHANGED THE WORLD is very entertaining
reading, but the technically oriented reader may find it not
technical enough, while the non-technical reader may find it too
technical. It is also somewhat selective in its focus, essentially
cutting a main road through the "forest" instead of trying to construct
a detailed map of its entire extent. For example, the discussion of
radar development is far from complete and balanced, doing little more
than mentioning US Navy, US Army, and Axis work before the war.
(I have some notes on this subject, by the way, and those interested
might contact me.)

Another caution is that has few illustrations, and they're really of
no great interest in any case. If it had no illustrations I wouldn't
have noticed they were gone.

These are less criticisms than descriptive comments. It is clear that
Buderi sensibly decided what his focus was going to be and what it
was not going to be, and stuck very well to that policy. However,
that tradeoff implies that not everyone is going to be interested in
this book. This is why I give it four stars and not five. However,
all that being said, I highly recommend this book.

Required reading for prospective engineers
A superb piece of work. Anyone contemplating a career in physics or engineering should read this book. If Buderi's descriptions of the technical chase don't thrill and inspire you, strongly consider directing your efforts elsewhere. ... Read more

Book Description

Explores the role of firefighting in human history while chronicling the world's most famous fires.

An innovative, vividly illustrated chronicle of humankind's struggle to subdue nature's most primal and destructive force -- from Rome in 64 AD to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 -- Firefighting examines history's most formidable fires, showing how each influenced the evolution of firefighting technology, equipment, and tactics. Following today's firefighters as they prepare to meet the challenges of tomorrow's fires, no other book has explored the role of the firefighter in human society-past, present, and future quite like Firefighting. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Over 500 photos capture key moments in fire history
Jack Gottschalk's Firefighting is a lavish coffee table title which provides a rich documentary of the history of firefighting, from early technological accomplishments which created fire-fighting equipment to modern times. Over 500 photos capture key moments in fire history around the world, while special insights on the science and physics of fires makes for an excellent survey of fire-fighting challenges.

65 of history¿s greatest fires
Or would that be "disasters!"

This book features an in-depth examination of 65 fires from all around the world and in a variety of categories.

Ship Fires
Explosions
Forest Fires
Fires in the Workplace

This book shows how each fire influenced the way in which fires are fought today. This book shows the latest high-tech firefighting gear and vehicles. Shows the evolution of firefighting technology, equipment, and tactics.

Features:
Over 500 photographs
Key moments like the Great Fire of London, in 1666
Shows the physics behind back drafts and flashovers
Illustrated history of fire equipment
Fire Trucks
Firefighter's gear

Contents:
Early Firefighting, Conflagrations, Theater Fires, Hotel Fires, Ship Fires, Earthquake and Fire, Wildfires, Fire in the Workplace, Nightclub Fires, Tent and Amusement Park Fires, Fire as a Weapon, Great Explosions, School Fires, Fires in Public Places, Subterranean Fuel Fires, In the Line of Duty.

Physics of Fire, Forensics, Safety Implementation, Clothing, Old Engines, Ladder Trucks, Rescue, Air & Sea, Outdoor Training Techniques, Indoor Training Techniques.

Everything from leather fire buckets to the World Trade Center tragedy on September 11, 2001 we still can't believe happened.

Part of the proceeds of this book will benefit the Widows' and Children's Fun, part of the Uniformed Firefighter's Association.

great book for kids
This is an excellent book for children to learn more about firefighting--both about the history and modern techniques and equipment. It's detailed without being overly graphic. And as with all DK books, it's chockful of beautiful photographs that clearly show what words cannot describe.
Of particular interest are the case studies of various famous fires (mostly in the U.S.) throughout history, their causes, the destruction wreaked, and effects on firefighting efforts. This is especially interesting in the context of the development of firefighting techniques as we get to see just how much has had to happen to get to where we are today--and in some cases, how much further we have to go. ... Read more

Book Description

Known to its pilots as the 'last of the gunfighters' due to its quartet of Colt-Browning Mk 12 20 mm cannon, the F-8 Crusader was numerically the most populous fighter in the US Navy at the start of America's involvement in the Vietnam conflict in 1964 – some 482 F-8C/D/Es equipped 17 frontline units. It enjoyed great success against North Vietnamese Mig-17s and Mig-21s during the Rolling Thunder campaign of 1965-68, officially downing 18 jets, which represented 53 per cent of all Mig claims lodged by Navy squadrons during this period. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

F-8 s forever!!
The F-8 Crusader will go down in aviation history as a classic warplane, captured on TV and in print media as the chief aerial protagonist in a number of conflicts in the '60s. From the Cuban crisis, to the Vietnam war, the F-8 was the Navy's last single seat fighter - the 'Gunfighter' - until the F-18 appeared some twenty years later. Mersky is a veteran Crusader fanatic, with other like titles to his credit, and he continues to delve into the details of F-8s, and F-8 service. What makes this book a standout is the focus on the F-8 drivers, as well as the aircraft and units. For anybody who is interested in a unique period of US Naval aviation, this is a must! This book looks good, has great historical anecdotes and good illustrations. In Australia, it is a very expensive paperback, but still - no pay(n), no gain! ... Read more

Amazon.com

James Burke, author and public television star, returns with anotherquirky look at the way history works. In Twin Tracks, Burkeconnects "trigger events" with unexpected outcomes. For instance, theinvention of the lens-grinding lathe leads to hairdressing, and thedebut of Mozart's The Marriage of Figaroconnects to development of thestealth fighter jet. These events are tied together via two tracks, onewritten along the book's left-hand pages, and one along the right. Thenarratives meet up in the end, giving readers a clear idea that thelines of history can be quite subjective. Some of the examples even runbackward, as when Burke explains the connections between smallpox andthe Big Bang. While Burke is justifiably famous for linking historicalevents, the paths he takes, especially those involving lots ofunfamiliar names, can be tricky to follow:

In 1710 the art collection was sold to Philip, regent ofFrance, in a deal brokered by Benedetto Luti, the best painter in Romeat the time.... That year Luti took on an assistant.... By 1714 WilliamKent was painting originals.... His patron in all this was thetrillionaire Earl of Burlington.

The best way to read Twin Tracks, as with any of Burke's lovelybooks, is one chapter at a time, taking thinking breaks in between so asnot to become overwhelmed by detail. The networks he describes form amore accurate, if more challenging, picture of history's motion than anylinear sequence. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Six degrees between ANY two events
The unexpected origins of the modern world. If you've ever played the game of "Six degrees from Kevin Bacon" you'll at least understand this book. Whether you enjoy it or not depends on how much you can focus your attention because this is one hop, skip, and jump book. The author takes an event and shows how it is connected to another event much later in time by a series of meetings, mentors, friends, coincidences, etc. Then another such series is also described with the same start and end point. Wow! Isn't that amazing! And he does this again and again and again. Like "six degrees" you find that almost anything in this world is related to almost anything if you draw our the relationships thin enough. After the third or fourth thread I was exhausted at trying to follow the bouncing ball and gave up on the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Packed with hundreds of color photographs, detailed specification diagrams and supported with meticulously researched data, this book takes the reader on a fascinating, visual journey covering 80 years of American helmet design and development. From the classic Model 1917 "Doughboy" helmet to the distinctive ballistic "Kevlar" helmet, Steel Pots will introduce you to over 50 American helmet variations. Also, rare WWI experimental helmets to specialized WWII aircrew anti-flak helmets, plus liners, suspensions, chinstraps, camouflage covers, nets and even helmet radios are completely covered. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A must for any militaria collector!!!!!!
I just want to say that this book is the book on U.S. helmets! You can't improve this book! Even if you own a couple helmets and don't really collect U.S. helmets I would still suggest that you get this book as it is very interesting, plus when you pick up a U.S. helmet you will know what your looking at. My copy never collects dust! I use it all the time for reference. I can't wait to get the second volume that he's working on!

A must for militaria and helmet collectors!!!
This book fills a long negleted but important subject for militaria collectors. "Steel Pots" provides the militaria collector with essential information on the different models (and their variants) of U.S. helmets and associated accessories (nets, covers, etc.) from WWI to present. The book will join Baer's "The History of the German Steel Helmet: 1916-1945" and Lewis' "Doughboy to GI: U.S. Army Clothing and Equipment 1900-1945" as a must have reference for all collectors of helmets and body armor. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

thecnology and environmental history
To know what happens in and out of the black box is to know what is the thecnological change not only like a cuantitative or monetarian problem but like a problem in relation with the natural resources and the environmental problems. The Rosenberg's concept have had a great acceptacion all over the historical and economical research -by Deborah Fitgerald, on the study of the relationship betwen science and agriculture (the animals are more thecnoeconomics than real animals), or by Naredo, on the study of the relationship between fertilitzers, food and consumers. The book also is in the line of Kranzberg's laws, and the reflexions of the environmental history (LAtour, Merchant, Haraway, Keller, etc.) -the thecnology travel by packages, it depends of the political and institutional factors and his failure or acceptation depens on the reception context -investigation and difusion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Engineers, Henry Petroski observes, are sometimes their own worst enemies, at least so far as communicating their work to the general public is concerned. Some engineers, of course, have been exceptions. One of the unlikely heroes of Petroski's Remaking the World, an entertaining foray into some of engineering's finest (and, on occasion, less exalted) moments, is Karl August Rudolf Steinmetz, who combined a great talent for design and engineering with a keenly practiced flair for self-promotion. Another is Washington Gale Ferris, the inventor of the Ferris wheel, who concocted several dangerous eyesores before arriving at the design familiar to amusement-park patrons.

Successful at explaining themselves or not, engineers are largely responsible for the world as we know it, and Petroski examines their work to discuss how good design and technology combine to produce the desired results. That combination involves much trial and error, and, as Petroski writes, "artifacts from paper clips to steamships evolve by removing some real or perceived failure of their ancestors to achieve unqualified success."Drawing on examples from past and present, Petroski offers an up-close view of how engineers do their work, and his history is full of surprises and pleasures. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (6)

For Petroski Fans Only
This is a collection of articles written for Petrowski's monthly column in American Scientist magazine. Many are brief biographies of 19th-century engineers; a (very) few look (very) briefly at particular pieces of historical engineering (an article on the Ferris wheel is probably the best); others are ruminations on such hazards of the engineering practice as the stress that keeps them up at night and their failure to be awarded Nobel prizes. These seem quite satisfactory articles for a magazine column but they are slender stuff for a book. And Petroski's tendency to return to the same subjects, pardonable in a monthly column, becomes repetitive when the columns are collected. All but die-hard Petroski fans can skip this one

Not just for engineers
... but I'm getting a copy for my Dad the engineer. I enjoyed this despite my very soft background in the hard sciences: an English degree. Petroski sometimes leads you down a road with an abrupt ending, but most times it's a pleasant journey and he leads the reader around a few curves, too.

A must for engineering fans
Remaking the World should be sought out by any and all fans of engineering, laymen included. Anyone who has ever been mesmerized and enthralled by great feats of construction needs to take part in Petroski's stories behind these great feats. A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable book.

Excellent Read
This is a fine tome about engineering for those of us who scraped thru algebra! Should be required reading for *every* high school student. It gives a lot of basic information in understandable writing. Such as how did radio get to where it is today. Because of yacht racing... Now if that doesn't tease the brain, I don't know what else will...

Great collection of engineering stories -- with a point.
Petroski has again assembled a great collection of stories that illustrate engineering themes. As much about engineers as engineering. Recommended to engineers who want to know more about thier craft. ... Read more

Book Description

From classical temples to twentieth century towers, engineers have learned more about design from failure than from success. The concept of error, according to the author of Design Paradigms, is central to the design process. As a way of explaining the enduring aspects of engineering design, Henry Petroski relates stories of some of the greatest engineering successes and failures of all time. These case studies, drawn from a wide range of times and places, from Ancient Greece and Rome to modern America, serve as paradigms of error and judgment in engineering design. By showing how errors were introduced in the design process and how they might be avoided, the book suggests how better quality and reliability might be achieved in designed devices, structures, and systems of all kinds.Clearly written, with striking illustrations, the book will appeal to engineering students, practicing engineers, historians of science and technology, and all those interested in learning about the process of design. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Towards More Successful Development
I came across this title while researching the parallels between traditional professional engineering and systems engineering. Petroski makes a compelling case for us to formally study our failures in systems engineering - not for laying blame, but in order to continually improve our processes, assumptions, beliefs, methods, and thinking patterns. Using case studies from bridge building, ship building, and other construction feats, Petroski show us how errors in scalability, design changes, selective use of history, logic, and human factors can lead to disasterous consequences. If you care about public safety and want to see any industry progress to a real level of professionalism, read and study this work. ... Read more