Book Description

The authors of The Beach: The History of Paradise on Earth, the best-selling history of everyone's favorite place, are back with a breathtaking visual companion. From moody, craggy coastlines to serene swathes of turquoise water and white sand, Beaches is an astounding photographic survey of the ineffable allure of paradise on earth. This spectacular collection of images from renowned photographers, including Robert Misrach, Joel Meyerowitz, and Art Wolff, stirs the spirit, capturing the mutable beauty of sand, sea, and sky. Throughout, concise and poetic pieces of historic and scientific lore unveil little-known facts and curiosities. With an astonishing range of vision, Beaches evokes the idiosyncratic beauty of the world's most stunning coastlines. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A Retreat in Itself
The is a stunning book. The photos come from diverse parts of the globe and diverse coastal landscapes. At first, I was skeptical of the small-ish size. But the photos are very high quality and beautiful to look at. Maybe someday I'll get around to looking at the text?

Now and then, I pull the book off the shelf and flip through the photos -- an instant retreat to the shore. Great for anyone who loves the sea but can't be there very often.

BEACHES - A POEM
BEACHES -- the book [revised] When my eyes grow too dim to read, this book will be at hand to refresh my spirit, eyes, and memories.

Reminders of the beaches I have seen, and many not-seen scenes. I see familiar translucent jewel green waves and turquoise bays, ice blue coves in Oregon, huge translucent waves curving to meet the sea, another deep blue wave with incredible froth, like crystals suspended high above its majestic curve -- golden grassy sea shores, blazing sunsets -- also purple sunsets, one at Brighton pier, and other channel scenes -- rocky Brittany shores and White Dover cliffs, and curves and caves and coruscated sands. There is a tide pool like a giant blue eye with sun-bronzed eyelids -- white iceberg-rocks floating in a mirror-sea -- one real iceberg, a huge dollop of meringue reflected in a heliotrope bay --

An endless treasure.

Beyond the Most Beautiful Beach Scenes You've Seen
Review Summary: Take the most talented photographers in the world. Review thousands of their best color beach photographs. Select a few dozen. Fill in with intriguing, inspirational essays about the origin, geology, physics, terms, and biology of beaches plus describe great beach activities like surfing. The result is a stunning work that makes you wonder how come you've never seen a beach scene as beautiful as these. It's the most fun at the beach you can have without going out into the sun!

Review: "The beach, after all, is among the most challenging and rewarding of photographic subjects . . . ." The shifts between land, water, and sky are often subtle. The light has an enormous influence on the colors and the mood of the scene. Light changes swiftly. The activity of the waves changes even faster. In many cases, a photograph is capturing a unique and fleeting moment, almost like a snowflake about to melt on your hand, that could not otherwise be as fully appreciated. While the editing could have selected scenes built around the nostalgia of your own experiences at beaches, the book instead takes you around the world and to rare moments to see beaches as you will probably never see them in a lifetime, even if you visited these same sites. I was particularly impressed by the scenes of waves (which must have been taken from surf boards) and through rocks.

The editorial selection criteria were intriguing: To show "how the beach might see itself if it were to ponder its own face without the intermediary of the human eye." That concept would not have occurred to me, and I am sure I will think about all scenes in nature differently in the future as a result. I am sure you will, too. Next, the editors looked for "the most crystalline, intelligent, and evocative portrait . . . ." They also wanted the book to show a "shining range of visual sensiblities." This sense is nicely captured by looking at scenes from dawn to dusk, and from full sun to fog. Panoramas alternate with tight shots of a single element. The book is not limited to ocean beaches. Estuaries, rivers and lakes are also pictured. When in doubt, the book's editors seem to have selected the images with the highest levels of unusual color, along with stunning compositions from unusual angles.

My favorites in the book are Art Brewer's Talava Arches on Niue Island in the Cook Islands, A. Blake Gardner's shot of Padre Island National Seashore in Texas, Michael Ventura's image of Natural Arches in Bermuda, Craig Tuttle's Tide Pool at Bandon State Park and his shot of Ecola State Park both in Oregon, Ron Romanosky's beautiful Newport Beach, California, Daryl Benson's Bay of Fundy in Nova Scotia, Peter Lik's Australian shots of Orpheus Island in Queensland and Twelve Apostles in Victoria, and Joe Cornish's North Yorkshire Coast in England.

After you have bathed in the beauty of these rare natural wonders, I suggest you think about other rare moments that you may never experience. What are they? How can you seek them out? Can others help you? One of the great wonders of books, videos, and recordings is that they can bring us into extended communion with sights, sounds, and feelings that we have not directly experienced.

Let choosing rare, rewarding moments be a guide to your fulfillment!

Simply beautiful
Seldom I come across a photographic book so vivid and inspirational. The layout, color, and organization as well as the printing quality of the book is of first grade. A truly must for nature photography lovers.

Breathtakingly beautiful
This book is gorgeous. The photographs are astonishing, and convey the authors' love of the beach. Only a couple photos features people, and they're way in the background. This is a good thing. (The book is not coffee-table size, but that's okay with me, because I can keep it with me in my bag for a mood-lifter every day.) The beaches are far more lovely, important, and lasting than we humans! I'm betting that many readers will be inspired to plan their next vacation to get near some of these beaches after viewing this book. Perhaps some will also be inspired to behave in an environmentally responsible manner in their lives. Let's preserve our planet's natural beauty while we still can! ... Read more

Book Description

This book is the first comprehensive textbook on the optical properties of photonic crystals. It deals not only with the properties of the radiation modes inside the crystals but also with their peculiar optical response to external fields. A general theory of linear and nonlinear optical response is given in a clear and detailed fashion using Green's function method. The symmetry of the eigenmodes is treated systematically using group theory to show how it affects the optical properties of photonic crystals. Important recent developments such as the enhancement of stimulated emissions, second harmonic generation, quadrature-phase squeezing, and low-threshold lasing are also treated in detail and made understandable. Numerical methods are also emphasized. Thus this book provides both introductory knowledge for graduate and undergraduate students and also important ideas for researchers in this field. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A fascinating introduction to Goethean science
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, probably the greatest of Germany's poets, was also an avid amateur scientist and displayed through his careful observations and his keen, what might now be called phenomenological, mind an ability to discern the depth of the phenomenon in question, in this case the origin of colours. In direct contradiction to Newton whose theory of colour formation, based on his earlier prism experiments and their interpretation, was the accepted theory of the time in all scientific circles and laymen alike, with one exception, that of painting and artistic use of colour.

Goethe, being fascinated by the colours generated from the prism conducted his own investigations and found to his great surprise that Newton's theory was, if not incorrect, but rather mechanical in nature and based on an "interpretation" of the phenomenon rather than the truth as it stands. Goethe through his investigations into natural phenomena gave rise to the idea of the archetypal phenomenon or Ur-phenomenon, in this case meaning the movement or active form present in the phenomenon which gives it its character rather than some static image such as a Darwinian ancestor. Goethe noted that it is possible to actually experience the fullness of the phenomenon ie the coming into being of the colours themselves and that the human being can not only theorise in the conventional sense of Kant but can in fact truly know the phenomenon as it is. Contemporary science as it also was then does not acknowledge such a possibility.

The book is basically a written account of experiments done by Goethe on the generation of colour in natural events and his own experiments to bring to the fore the ground of all colour generation. It displays great care in his observations and it gives a wide ranging explanation of colour in the sciences, the arts such as painting and also deals to some degree with the experience of colours in the physiological domain. It is all encompassing in its attempt to understand the colour phenomenon in all of its many incarnations. It is convincing in its comprehension of colours and yet at times leaves one dissatisfied because it lacks mathematical rigour or measurement that is characteristic of science today. This habitual way of thinking present in scientists is rather hard to dislodge even when the mind is open, the main reason for this being the hard edged practicality of such an approach.

I would think that Goethe's book can be looked at as an introduction to his way of doing science and as a first attempt to fathom the real depth of the phenomenon which is inherent in his approach and sorely lacking in "normal" science. Naturally, this does not mean scientists themselves haven't used similar approaches, the names of Faraday and his investigation of electromagnetism and Heisenberg in his description of the limitation induced by the scientific method to the investigation of natural processes, come to mind. It is the cutting down of the original "life" present in their investigations that is lacking today, perhaps a Goethean approach can lead back to the intensification of science that is needed.

Very cool...
This was a book for a class I'm taking. It's very interesting. I totally recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

A highly engaging study of mirages, illusions of multiple moons, the fata morgana, colored shadows and scores of other phenomena in a book praised as "a great depository of projects, science fair ventures, experiments, and always pure pleasure" — Science and Math Weekly. 202 illustrations.
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Reviews (3)

Still up to date fascinating book
Explains many of the phenomena occuring in nature regarding both light and colour. Encourages active exploration by yourself. Good reference work but sometimes long.

Very readable description of optical effects seen outdoors.
Hundreds of optical phenomena visible to the naked eye are described in this classic text, ranging from colors in rainbows, halos, "sun-dogs" and other effects from water droplets and ice crystals in the atmosphere, to the iridescent colors of an oil spill and the visual effects of wet branches in front of street lamps. Explanations are aimed at the layman. Many line drawings and some b+w photographs accompany the sometimes wonderfully old-fashioned text. If you have ever wondered what some of the puzzling optical effects are that you see outdoors, then this book is for you.

scientific optical classic in an economy edition
It is impossible to truly review this book. Well over its 40 years old, it has become a classic. It attempts to explain, with little math but excellent science, everything we see from the appearance of the horizon, to the rainbow, to the light shining of telephone cables. This edition is old fashioned in appearance, there are no fancy full color spreads. It is a well written book, clearly organized that shows a grasp of the subject and a deep affection for it ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive introduction to the principles underlying laser light scattering focuses on the time dependence of fluctuations in fluid systems. It also serves as an introduction to the theory of time correlation functions, with chapters on projection operator techniques in statistical mechanics. Wide-ranging discussions of numerous applications make this volume of interest to research chemists, physicists, biologists, medical and fluid mechanics researchers, engineers, and grad students. Over 60 text figures. 1976 ed.
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Reviews (4)

Our household's all-time-favorite toddler book
We have six children, and this is/was the hands-down favorite of all our children as toddlers. We received it as a gift when our 13 yo was a baby, and now our toddler twins are enjoying it. I believe our children learned their color names from this book. They also like Hoban's "Black on White." I wouldn't hesitate to buy this for any under 2's you might have.

Not as Popular the Black/White Books at Our House
As my son grew older and more interested in colors, I looked for a book that would delight him as much as "Black on White" (also by Tana Hoban) had when he was an infant. I thought this book would fill that description, but it didn't quite fit the bill. It has great photographs, but no text.

Despite the catchy, rhyming title, each page shows only a picture of the item: No rhyming text is involved. Although my son likes the brightly colored pictures, he is more interested when I read books with rhythmic texts, such as "Blue Hat, Green Hat" by Sandra Boynton.

Great baby or toddler book
My daughter really enjoys this book. It is simple and gives toddlers a chance to learn their colors. We've read it so many times my daughter who is two can now read it herself!

A winner!!!
This book is a favorite at our house! The durable book has one large, colorful photograph of a common item on each page. The item's name and color are printed at the bottom (yellow shoe, red clock, black cat, etc.). It's easy for little hands to turn the pages as well as focus on each page. So many children's books these days seem to have TOO much information on each page. This book finds a way to attract the reader in a simple way with its beautiful photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

This volume features discussion of: Fundamental optics principles, including geometric, physical, and quantum optics; Optical sources (such as light emitting diodes and lasers) and detectors (including energy, waveform, and imaging detection techniques); Detection and processing by human vision; Information and image processing; Design and fabrication, including optical layout techniques and lens design programs; Optical thin film coatings; Terrestrial coatings. ... Read more

Book Description

This second volume based on Michael Kidger's popular short courses and workshops is aimed at readers already familiar with the concepts presented in Fundamental Optical Design (SPIE Press Vol. PM92). It begins with a sweeping discussion of optimization that is written with the user in mind, and continues with a unique look at the role of higher-order aberrations. The book's key feature is its astounding presentation of a wide range of practical design examples, covering such problems as secondary spectrum correction, high numerical aperture designs, lasers, zoom lenses, tilted or decentered optical systems, and price and performance requirements. Each scenario is accompanied by an in-depth discussion that goes well beyond the ray aberration plot, including useful insights into an optical designer's thought processes. ... Read more

Book Description

When you run, your shadow runs. But you can never catch it!

What makes a shadow? Where does it come from? When the sun is shining, everything has its own shadow -- trees, houses, cars, even clouds and planes way up in the sky. You have a shadow, too. As the sun sets, all shadows become part of a much larger one -- the night!

With simple words and charming illustrations, Clyde Robert Bulla and June Otani explain how shadows are produced. Young readers will discover what makes the shadows they see and will be introduced to the fun of making shadows of their own. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Simple and Adorable
The absolutely adorable illustrations are sure to capture any child's attention. I loved the book, especially the cute story line with the children and animals used to explain, in very simple terms, what a shadow is and how it is formed. Perfect for 5-6 year olds. I also think it was great that the book was rather multicultural in its illustrations, something I always look for. It would make a great read-aloud and will probably spark many questions from a youngster! ... Read more

Book Description

An introduction to the science of light and color and its applications to photography, art, natural phenomena, and other related areas. Explains the origin of phenomena commonly encountered in nature and art, emphasizing the physical aspects but also touching on aspects of physiology and psychology that directly influence how visual images are perceived. Covers the effect of mixing color, the notion of color spaces, how atoms and molecules affect light, how light can be measured, the effect of using a lens, and many other topics. Requires little or no mathematical background. Includes questions and references for further reading. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A primer on the science behind art
First and foremost a science textbook, Light and Color in Nature and Art covers the mathmatics and chemistry behind different lighting phenomena and how they are captured on film or canvas versus seen by the human eye.

While artists may be tempted to pick up the book for a deeper understanding of color theory or the science of film emulsion, the book is highly technical and does not really lend itself toward artistic development. Definitely not a necessary addition to the artists' bookshelf, but a worthy textbook for those interested in physics. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprehensive coverage of light polarization theory and its practical applications in today's cutting-edge technologies

Besides being indispensable to modern investigations into the physical world, light polarization is a fundamental component of several revolutionary technological innovations in such diverse fields as telecommunications, pollution control, and medical diagnostics. Yet there is a conspicuous dearth of texts and professional references providing researchers and engineers with a unified, comprehensive treatment of basic light polarization theory and its applications to current microwave and optical technology. This book fills that gap in the literature.

Fundamentals of Polarized Light serves equally well as an advanced text for physics and electrical engineering students and a professional reference for practicing engineers and researchers. It combines a rational, integrated presentation of the theory behind modern applications of light polarization with several demonstrations of current applications. A key feature of the book is that the analysis of polarized light and its interaction with linear optical media is presented from a statistical point of view.

Topics covered include:
* Historical foundations of polarized light
* Classical radiation field theory and Maxwell's equations
* Statistical theory of partial polarization, including a discussion of the thermodynamics of radiation fields
* Propagation of polarized light through linear optical systems
* Polarization transfer matrix methods for describing changes in polarization states that occur during reflection and refraction
* Propagation of partially polarized waves in disordered systems and anisotropic media
* Polarizers, compensators, and other optical components
* Measurements of the Jones and Mueller polarization matrices ... Read more

Reviews (1)

the polarization
The polarization is a very important issues today that we need to explore everything about this issues. The rewiew in this book is very generel and not specifiec in ters of the polarization. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1910, the surgeons Moreau and LePrince wrote about their successful operation on an eight-year-old boy who had been blind since birth because of cataracts. When the boy's eyes were healed they removed the bandages and, waving a hand in front of the child's physically perfect eyes, asked him what he saw. "I don't know," was his only reply. What he saw was only a varying brightness in front of him. However, when allowed to touch the hand as it began to move, he cried out in a voice of triumph, "It's moving!" He could feel it move, but he still needed laboriously to learn to see it move. Light and eyes were not enough to grant him sight. How, then, do we see? What's the difference between seeing and perception? What is light?

From ancient times to the present, from philosophers to quantum physicists, nothing has so perplexed, so fascinated, so captivated the mind as the elusive definition of light. In Catching the Light, Arthur Zajonc takes us on an epic journey into history, tracing how humans have endeavored to understand the phenomenon of light. Blending mythology, religion, science, literature, and painting, Zajonc reveals in poetic detail the human struggle to identify the vital connection between the outer light of nature and the inner light of the human spirit. He explains the curiousness of the Greeks' blue and green "color blindness": Odysseus gazing longingly at the "wine-dark sea"; the use of chloros (green) as the color of honey in Homer's Odessey; and Euripides' use of the color green to describe the hue of tears and blood. He demonstrates the complexity of perception through the work of Paul Cezanne--the artist standing on the bank of a river, painting the same scene over and over again, the motifs multiplying before his eyes. And Zajonc goes on to show how our quest for an understanding of light, as well as the conclusions we draw, reveals as much about the nature of our own psyche as it does about the nature of light itself. For the ancient Egyptians the nature of light was clear--it simply was the gaze of God. In the hands of the ancient Greeks, light had become the luminous inner fire whose ethereal effluence brought sight. In our contemporary world of modern quantum physics, science plays the greatest part in our theories of light's origin--from scientific perspectives such as Sir Isaac Newton's "corpuscular theory of light" and Michael Faraday's "lines of force" to such revolutionary ideas as Max Planck's "discrete motion of a pendulum" (the basis of quantum mechanics), Albert Einstein's "particles of light" and "theory of relativity," and Niels Bohr's "quantum jumps." Yet the metaphysical aspects of the scientific search, Zajonc shows, still loom large. For the physicist Richard Feynman, a quantum particle travels all paths, eventually distilling to one path whose action is least--the most beautiful path of all. Whatever light is, here is where we will find it.

With rare clarity and unmatched lyricism, Zajonc illuminates the profound implications of the relationships between the multifaceted strands of human experience and scientific endeavor. A fascinating search into our deepest scientific mystery, Catching the Light is a brilliant synthesis that will both entertain and inform. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What is Light?
This book is a powerful expose' revealing some of the true qualities of Light. What is Light? True, it is bright, it shines, it energizes all life on Earth, yet what, exactly, is it? Humans not only need the qualities of light from the Sun, but we breathe Light, we absorb Light. We need the Energy produced by the Light in order to live. Readers interested in delving beneath the surface of the visible world will be enthralled by this book. You will finally understand who you are, where you've come from, where you're going. Your soul will revel in this insightful book.

Let there be light! Read this masterpiece.
On the cover of this book, James Gleick (of Chaos fame) calls it a "small gem". Indeed. It shines.

Arthur Zajonc has written a contrapuntal study of light and mind. He plays mankind's understanding of one against the other and shows how insights of mind, by mind, illume our notion of light. Zajonc tells how these, in turn, relect back onto our idea of mind. Brilliant. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good book on modern physics for the layman
This book is clear and very interesting. It teaches the general idea of light and modern physics. It can be too simplistic at times for technically minded people. ... Read more

Book Description

Called "essentially practical & practically essential," Ross Lowell's critically acclaimed Matters of Light & Depth is now being published by Lowel-Light.Filled with illustrations, photographs, and decades of real world experience, the book has become a valuable resource for all those interested in expanding their knowledge of lighting. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Wow! The best book about lighting that I've read.
First of all, let me say that I think this is the best book on lighting that I've read. Of course it's from the lighting man himself Ross Lowell. This is the guy that is responsible for the Lowel Light company. In the Lowel catelog, you'll find the most useful lighting equiptment you could ever ask for. This is also the guy who invented gaffer's tape.

Anyway, Ross Lowell is a camera man/lighting director who's been around for a while and I really like his approach to the subject. He treats lighting as a craft that's independent of the medium that you choose. This book teaches lighting for film, video, and stills by showing you basic principals that apply to all mediums. The book is full of Ross Lowell (and other photographers) excellent photos illustrating various types of lighting.

This book isn't a real easy read... at least not as easy as I thought it would be. If you really want to understand lighting, here's my recommendation. Buy this book, request a Lowel catelog via the web, read Lighting for Digital Video (can be found here at amazon.com), and request a lighting catelog from B&H. Study both catelogs and read both books. You should also try to pick up the different kinds of basic lights from Ebay so you can expiriment and do some of the excercises found in this book.

This book also contains an awesome glossary that contains all the lighting terms you could ever want defined. Albeit, some of the definitions are rather useless (see Lighthand). Another great thing is that the author doesn't use this book as an excuse to plug his lighting supplies like he could have.

One last thing. If you are a still photographer that only plans on using strobes for your lighting and have little or no interest in video, film, or continuous lighting... you may not like this book or find it very useful. However, if you're like me and shoot video and take pictures you'll love it.

For anyone who has despaired about finding a copy..
of this excellent book, Samuel French along Sunset BLVD still has two copies left.

An excellent book for aspiring cinematographers
This is a wonderful book, written by a master for future masters. It covers everything from basics to advanced lighting techniques with an easy to absorb approach.

Excellent readingfor those who think light is art, not bulbs
Ross Lowell is a professional in ligtning, the book is intendend for proffesionals in ligtning, but reading it is a pure delight for beginners like me. Having compared books on ligtning, this one stands out, treating light as art, as sensus, as an craft,yes. But Lowell never debase the craft of ligtning to be only angels, bulbs and watts. Why do I give it only an 8 out of 10? I'd like to have some headroom left for gentlemen like Cicero and Shakespeare. Sorry, Mr Lowell :)

An up-to-date, hands-on cinematography/photography book
With lots of pictures, clear text, and a detailed hands-on exercise section, this book quickly brings you up to fine quality photo, movie, or video production. Highly recommended for those of us who would like to create professional-looking photos and movies ... Read more

Book Description

Explains fundamental optical principles that apply to photography, cameras, and lenses. Intended for professionals and serious amateur photographers as well as lens designers and optical engineers. ... Read more

Book Description

Classic work remains only detailed treatment of subject for practical designer. Part One covers fundamental concepts of geometrical and physical optics. Part Two offers systematic study and design of practically all types of optical systems. Reader can then design simpler optical systems without aid. "Indispensable"—Journal, Optical Society of America. Part One of Two.
... Read more

Book Description

Visual arts depend on light to communicate, and an understanding of the physical properties of light and color should enhance the communication for both the artist and the viewer.

This book is intended for students in the visual arts and for others with an interest in art but with no prior knowledge of physics. It presents the science behind what and how we see-that is, it presents the science of light. It emphasizes phenomena rather than theories and the joy of discovery rather than the drudgery of derivations-that is, the presentation is the opposite of "heavy science."

The text considers such questions as - why is the sky blue? - what is the nature of light? - how do mirrors and prisms affect the color of light? - how do compact discs store music and information? - what can visual illusions tell us about the nature of perception? and it discusses such topics as - the optics of the eye and camera - the physiology of the eye and the nature of color vision - the different kinds of sources of light - photography and holography - symmetry in art and nature - color in printing and painting - computer imaging and processing

It includes numerous problems, questions for discussion, and suggestions for simple experiments, many of which can be done at home. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful Resource for All Science Teachers
Light isn't just about electromagnetic waves - it is about human perception of those waves. This book is a wonderful resource for all teachers, and an easy and pleasurable bed-time read as well. It accurately and simply presents the pure physics of light and color and then relates it to our perception of that light and color. However, as a resource for teachers, it also provides numerous hands-on experiments suitable for students at many different levels. I'm using the polarization experiments with my high school classes at the moment. The demo using a CD as a diffraction grating is awesome, even if you don't want to explain how it works. This book is my constant companion in my effort to share "Light Science" with my students.

Light Science: Physics and the Visual Arts
I have used Light Science as a reference to teach an introductory optics course to middle school students. The chapters are easy to read and full of real-life examples. Each chapter concludes with quick, inexpensive experiments relating to the topic. Most experiments cost only a few dollars and use common household items. Students are excited to see the mysteries of light unfold. Lively discussions result from experiments that they can easily perform, bringing further emphasis to the topic. Light Science is in an invaluable resource for the teaching of Physical Science.

Explores optics, stimulates interest, sharpens brain
The book by T. Rossing and C. Chiaverina is written in a profoundly elegant manner. The authors introduce the phenomena of light and colors, reflection and refraction, interference and diffraction, polarization, light sources and spectra, holography and photography, computer images and optical storages, as well as symmetry in art and nature. It is not only a textbook of contemporary optics for a one-semester undergraduate course, but it is also helpful for industry engineers working in the optical area, college professors, and physicists. Compared to most textbooks, this book has four distinct characteristics. (1) The book emphasizes the phenomena and experiments of light rather than the mathematical theories of light. (2) It includes wide fields, from geometric optics (mirror, lens) to physical optics (slit, grating) and from quantum optics (laser, spectrum) to the symmetry, and connects them. (3) It discusses the intrinsic properties of optics and the combination of art and nature. Young students can obtain the fundamental optical concept as well as the sophisticated philosophic idea. (4) Most importantly, it stimulates the interest of the readers to explore more contents of optical phenomena and theories. My daughter, a college student, said, ¡°I learned many things, having fun at the same time¡±.

It was my pleasure to read the book and I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Book Description

A journey into the wonders of science from Joy Hakim, the best-selling author of A History of US.

The story of science continues with the reclusive Copernicus and his astounding theory that the sun is at the center of the universe, and closes with the basics of atomic theory, offering intriguing portraits of the scientists who built on each other's theories in their tireless pursuit of answers. 300 color photographs, illustrations, and maps.

• Individual volumes in the series can be read as a set or individually
• Each book packed with 256 pages of thought-provoking ideas, math and science concepts, history and literature
• Character- and idea-driven narratives that read like an adventure story
• 300 illustrations in each book, including original art and contemporary photographs
• Sidebars highlight fascinating facts and ideas of related interest
• Call-outs define unfamiliar words and build vocabulary
• Suggestions for further reading on many topics

Book Description

Provides a solid foundation to the fundamentals of color science, this new edition contains thorough explanations of key technical concepts concerning light, human vision, and color perception phenomena, provides broad coverage of color order systems, examines color reproduction technologies and techniques, and offers a historical review of the development of color theory and art.
* Provides a concise, non-mathematical introduction to color science and technology, in an easy-to-read, conversational style
* Thoroughly revised from the first edition
* Includes a glossary of important terms ... Read more

Book Description

This classic study presents a single theory of light integrating two theories previously thought to be irreconcilable. The author shows that quantum theory is a natural development of wave theory, and that together they comprise a single valid theory of light. Aimed at students with an intermediate-level knowledge of physics. Examples and/or references follow each chapter.
... Read more