Book Description

A revision of the defining book covering the physics and classical mathematics necessary to understand electromagnetic fields in materials and at surfaces and interfaces. The third edition has been revised to address the changes in emphasis and applications that have occurred in the past twenty years. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

The Classical text for E & M
Jackson's text still remains as the classic text for E & M. The problems are challenging and difficult I do admit. I found that having the mathematics background helped when it came to solving some of Jackson's problems. From the other reviews that I saw that gave this book low ratings probably didn't have the mathematical background to tackle this text. Before attempting to read and solve the problems of Jackson, you should have an excellent working knowledge of Multivariable calculus including vector calculus, differential equations (including partial differential equations),complex variables, Legendre and Bessel functions. If you don't have this background, you will have a very difficult time with this book.

What's the purpose?
I fail to understand the purpose of writing such a book as Jacksons'. The physics is many times neglected in favor of mathematics, and yet the mathematics itself is poorly explained. It feels like studying E&M while being drunk: "you take the div of the curl, then the curl of the curl and the div of the div of the . . . " Also, Jackson takes the rather uninspiring view of teaching E&M from the unrelativistic point of view, a real shame, considering the conceptual simplification such an approach offers. Classical Electrodynamics by Julian Schwinger outrivals Jackson's book from the mathematical point of view, and is more comprehensive. Schwartz's "Principles of Electrodynamics" and Ohanian's text (forgot the name) explain the physics much better (Ohanian's book is also at a nice mathematical level). So what's the purpose of using this text?

EECCCHHHH!!!!!
This book (I use the term loosely) stinks. Some reviewers suggest that you can only appreciate this book if you already have a solid foundation in math and Electromagnetics. Baloney! Truth is, Jackson should never have been allowed to even think of writing such a textbook. From what I have seen so far, painful is not a strong enough word to describe the act of sifting through this mess. I feel for the students who had this assigned as their classroom text. As one reviewer put it, the students had to take other books out of the library to get through the course or to determine what the hell Jackson is talking about. There is a difference between a well presented, intelligent style of writing and a pretentious "Look how smart I appear to be, try try try to figure out what I am saying; I'm not going to tell you, that's for sure" style of writing, where Jackson adopts the latter, exclusively. There are far better books out there. Go look for them.

Excellence in Physics
First off, this is either a graduate book or a senior undergraduate book in Physics. The book assumes at least 2 years of college math, preferably for engineering or physics folks.

What sets this book apart is the focus on physics is perfect as we understand E&M theory at this point. Unlike other imperfect college texts like Lorraine and Courson, this book contains no errors. While some may no like "and the proof is left to the reader", the book is meant to teach people who are focused on physics but can describe the process mathematically as well as in regular language.

The assumption is that there has already been a rigorous introduction of both physics and mathematics so this book is NOT a casual read.

The beauty of this book is that it's not just teaching knowledge but it teaches one how to think. To those who can rise to the occasion and draw upon their education, professors and peers, there is the satisfaction of really understanding E&M clearly and concisely.

To those who only seek rote knowledge, this book will be too challenging.

Good old Jackson
I like Jackson, but I think that most people don't.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing this is to tell the
Reviewer from July 12, 2000 that Jackson DID write
another book. It's called
"The Physics of Elementary Particles." ... Read more

Book Description

Science has recently begun to prove what ancient myth and religion have always espoused: There may be such a thing as a life force.

Lynne McTaggart, indefatigable investigative journalist, reveals a radical new biological paradigm -- that on our most fundamental level, the human mind and body are not distinct and separate from their environment but a packet of pulsating power constantly interacting with this vast energy sea.

The Field is a highly readable scientific detective story that offers a stunning picture of an interconnected universe and a new scientific theory that makes sense of supernatural phenomena. Original, well researched, and well documented by distinguished sources, The Field is a book of hope and inspiration for today's world.

Reviews (19)

Scientists Explore the Last Frontier - the Zero Point Field
With an ear for human interest and eye for detail, Lynne McTaggart masterfully tells the true story in THE FIELD of how pioneers in science and consciousness research are working to achieve a more complete understanding of the true nature of reality -- an understanding which includes (rather than ignores) consciousness.

THE FIELD describes how scientists have gradually become aware of what appears to be a unifying energy structure in our universe. This "Zero Point Field" provides us with a simpler explanation for how things work than previous overly-complex ideas require. Simplicity in science is a good thing, because it generally indicates which theories will win out as time goes by. The Zero Point Field theory demonstrates it's elegant simplicity by allowing physicists to derive the famous equation F=ma (rather than take it as a starting assumption), and by helping medical practitioners understand the underlying scientific basis for homeopathy.

Our scientific conceptualization of this universe has changed considerably over the last few centuries and now faces one of the biggest overhauls ever -- and THE FIELD demonstrates why the Zero Point Field is likely to be the last frontier for us to explore. THE FIELD is packed with detailed descriptions of some of the most exciting experiments recently conducted by leading researchers in the field of consciousness such as: Cleve Backster, Jacques Benveniste, William Braud, Bob Jahn, Edgar Mitchell, Fritz-Albert Popp, Hal Puthoff, Rupert Sheldrake, Russell Targ, Elisabeth Targ, and Charles Tart.

I give this book my highest recommendation.

Lucid Exploration Of The Quantum-Holistic View Of Reality
In The Field, the author takes the reader along on a quest to understand the metaphysics that underlie our perceived universe. This book mainly reviews the data and theories of scientists exploring new paradigms in physics, consciousness, and subtle energy fields. While the evidence in these areas is open to theoretical interpretation, the findings consistently disprove dominant materialistic and mechanistic notions about life and the universe. The Field makes it evident that a deep analysis of scientific paradigms will lead those seeking a greater truth into the realm of metaphysics and consciousness, which have traditionally been the terrain of mystics, philosophers and spiritual seekers. This book provides an excellent overview of the most important developments in the sciences that examine the most vital issues of existence. This book is also great for challenging materialists and even some religious fanatics, as it documents contradictions to widely held beliefs.

Stunning Information
A fantastic piece of scientific reporting, knowledgeable enough to explain complex physics processes so that the lay person can understand. Adding to this other reading I've done, it makes it clear that science and philosophy are moving closer to each other. Those of us with minds open enough to at least speculate and imagine, are seeing and hearing scientific support for things we've known intuitively for a long time. What an exciting book!

Fantastic bridge spanning science and the "paranormal"
I have background in engineering and also work as a lecturer for the Silva UltraMind System. I recommend this book to everyone who attends my class. Its a great read and hard to put down. The only drawback may be the authors constant reference to Physics(frequency, zero-point field, resonance, Fourier Series) that may put off readers without a basic science background.

eye opening !!
I recommend everybody to read this book !
The theory of the author explains many until now unexplained things. ... Read more

Book Description

This unique, visionary and innovative book describes how the Moon could be colonised and developed as a platform for science, industrialization and exploration of our Solar System and beyond.
Thirty years ago, the world waited with baited breath to watch history in the making, as man finally stepped onto the moon's surface. In the last few years, there has been growing interest in the idea of a return to the moon. This book describes the reasons why we should now start lunar development and settlement, and how this goal may be accomplished.
The authors, all of whom are hugely experienced space scientists, consider the rationale and steps necessary for establishing permanent bases on the Moon. Their innovative and scientific-based analysis concludes that the Moon has sufficient resources for large-scale human development. Their case for development includes arguments for a solar-powered electric grid and railroad, creation of a utilities infrastructure, habitable facilities, scientific operations and the involvement of private enterprise with the public sector in the macroproject.
By transferring and adapting existing technologies to the lunar environment, the authors argue that it will be possible to use lunar resources and solar power to build a global lunar infrastructure embracing power, communication, transportation, and manufacturing. This will support the migration of increasing numbers of people from Earth, and realization of the Moon's scientific potential. As an inhabited world, the Moon is an ideal site for scientific laboratories dedicated to geosciences, astronomy and life sciences, and most importantly, it would fulfil a role as a proving ground and launch pad for future Solar System exploration.
The ten chapters in this book go beyond the theoretical and conceptual. With vision and foresight, the authors offer practical means for establishing permanent bases on the Moon. The book will make fascinating and stimulating reading for students in astronautics, space science, life sciences, space engineering and technology as well as professional space scientists, engineers and technologists in space projects. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Best introduction to lunar development
This book is the best up-to-date introduction to lunar development, focusing on the primary technical infrastructure necessary to expand from an initial base via In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) to global development of what the authors term "Planet Moon". The book makes a clear case first for why we should do this, and then in quite detailed outline, how. While some technical components, such as remote robotic tele-operation, or lunar materials mining and processing, still require research and development work, nothing in this project is far from mundane things we already know how to do. The book isn't entirely self-consistent and the logical separation of topics sometimes seems a bit odd, but the range of material covered is satisfyingly broad: lunar topography and composition; railways, telecommunications and materials transport; requirements on construction and chemical processing equipment; human-suitable habitats, life support, agriculture, and "cislunar" transport and logistics, and more. Beyond the technical discussion of the physical, chemical, and engineering issues are several sections of the book dealing with lunar government, including a proposal for creation of a "Lunar Economic Development Authority" (LEDA) following a port authority model, which looks extremely promising. At least as valuable as the 10 main chapters are the 20 appendixes, to which over half the book's pages are devoted. These appendixes, based heavily on work published elsewhere, bring a lot of information together in one place available for ready inter-comparison. Perhaps the most interesting is also the longest, Appendix E, which thoroughly covers the proposed processes for lunar oxygen extraction and related chemical processing. This book is an essential guide for anybody hoping to work on lunar development and participate in, as the authors phrase it, the "Planet Moon Project".

immediate classic - ambitious primer with vision & scope
Take your pick of "must buy", "immediate classic", or "ambitious Primer with Vision and Scope". Not a few people have taken a hard in depth look at what it will take to establish a permanent outpost on the Moon - as if that was an end all and be all goal in and of itself. In this new volume, Schrunk and his team are clearly out to do more. Seeing the Moon in the much wider light as a world with considerable mineral resources and its strategic location on the shoulder of Earth' gravity well, they outline a feasible, realistic scenario for the coming century. Their goal is not "a" moon base. It is a global integration of the Moon into Earth's economy. Looking at the Moon's resources, where they are located, and at which parts of the Moon have special advantages, they take us from a first south polar outpost step by step into a future when humans will be busy all over the Moon, and making money doing so. Their vision is grounded on established technologies, never depending on developments or breakthroughs that may or may not ever happen. On the airless Moon, good old fashion electric railroads (eventually MagLev) will be the principal way of moving goods and materials from one part of the globe to another. Relying solely on solar power, they manage the long lunar nightspans by setting up grids that loop both poles at approximately 85° N and S, latitudes, depending on the terrain, of course. The Moon will produce power for Earth, and become the principal spaceport by which we open the rest of the Solar System and beyond. By the turn of the next century, hundreds of thousands of people, and maybe more, will live and work on the Moon. Profusely illustrated with B/W sketches, the authors take us through every well-reasoned and grounded step. For all of us interested in the Moon, this book is a must read. Do buy it!

instant classic - ambitious primer with vision & scope
Take your pick of "must buy", "immediate classic", or "ambitious Primer with Vision and Scope". Not a few people have taken a hard in depth look at what it will take to establish a permanent outpost on the Moon - as if that was an end all and be all goal in and of itself. In this new volume, Schrunk and his team are clearly out to do more. Seeing the Moon in the much wider light as a world with consi-derable mineral resources and its strategic location on the shoulder of Earth1s gravity well, they outline a feasible, realistic scenario for the coming century. Their goal is not "a" moon base. It is a global integration of the Moon into Earth1s economy. Looking at the Moon1s resources, where they are located, and at which parts of the Moon have special advantages, they take us from a first south polar outpost step by step into a future when humans will be busy all over the Moon, and making money doing so. Their vision is grounded on established technologies, never depending on developments or breakthroughs that may or may not ever happen. On the airless Moon, good old fashion electric railroads (eventually MagLev) will be the principal way of moving goods and materials from one part of the globe to another. Relying solely on solar power, they manage the long lunar nightspans by setting up grids that loop both poles at approximately 85° N and S, latitudes, depending on the terrain, of course. The Moon will produce power for Earth, and become the principal spaceport by which we open the rest of the Solar System and beyond. By the turn of the next century, hundreds of thousands of people, and maybe more, will live and work on the Moon. Profusely illustrated with B/W sketches, the authors take us through every well-reasoned and grounded step. For all of us interested in the Moon, this book is a must read. Do buy it!

Some day this all might become true!
I've been reading a lot of books about the moon and it's exploration lately. Some deal with the Apollo past but also some about the (near) future. This book gives a good overview of the aspects involved in developing a permanent base on the moon. It even deals with long term development of cities containing thousands of people. The concepts presented are viable although it presents some concepts that are to far into the future to my likings. It not only presents the theorectical concepts but also the work that has been done in relevant research areas and the problems encountered. It is not science fiction. Not only does the book cover the technical challenges but it also deals with economical and political aspects of a lunar base. If you want to get a clear picture of the current state of the art of lunar development this book is a very good starting point. ... Read more

Book Description

Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity provides a lucid and thoroughly modern introduction to general relativity. With an accessible and lively writing style, it introduces modern techniques to what can often be a formal and intimidating subject.Readers are led from the physics of flat spacetime (special relativity), through the intricacies of differential geometry and Einstein's equations, and on to exciting applications such as black holes, gravitational radiation, and cosmology.For advanced undergraduates and graduate students, or anyone interested in astronomy, cosmology, physics, or general relativity. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

To learn GR, read this one first...
I may be biased (as a student there), but the University of Chicago has the market for textbooks on GR cornered. Between Sean Carroll and Bob Wald, the student has everything he needs. I do have to reccomend reading this one first though, as the explanations are more physical (where Wald is more formal) and the style is more readable and easier to digest. In short it is probably the best book on the market from which to learn GR. Once you finish this book, add Wald's to your library for a more complete reference set (Wald's book is likely the best on the market once you already know GR).

Great GR Book!
This book has helped me long before it was ever published! It is based off of lecture notes that Carroll gave for a graduate level General Relativity course. These notes are still freely available at:

http://xxx.lanl.gov/abs/gr-qc/9712019

But you miss out on extras like better diagrams, more examples and exercises, so this is still a great buy!

Stellar
This is a fantastic book on cosmology both to learn cosmology for the first time and to use later as a reference book. Most useful text I have bought in a long time.

Fabulous!
Fantastic introduction to the topic -- even for the non-physicist who likes to dabble in such subjects.

Buy This Book
if you want to learn GR and have fun learning it.

Of course this review is completely unhelpful, but I've never reviewed books on Amazon before, and I felt obliged to review this book for various reasons better kept to myself. (Edit : It turned out that a long time ago, I reviewed Nakahara. My memory is failing me...)

If you are looking for a real reason, then here it is :

Pages 281-286 on degrees of freedom in linearized GR.

Oh, again, don't forget to buy this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Like having a private coach at their elbows, this introduction to algebra-based physics involves readers actively in a guided learn-by-doing process—sensing when they need a very patient exposition and when they need only minimal reinforcement, when they need to focus on concepts and when they need an opportunity to practice their quantitative skills. At the heart of the volume are worked examples in a unique, two-column format that focuses on the basic strategies and step-by-step thought processes involved in problem solving—with an emphasis on the relationship between the physical concepts and their mathematical expression. Color-coded drawings help readers visualize physics problems, and companion photographs show the same principle at work in different physical contexts, or juxtapose situations in which contrasting principles are at work. Real-world physics applications abound.Volume 2 includes Chs. 19-32 of the main volume: Electric Charges, Forces, and Fields; Electric Potential and Electric Potential Energy; Electric Current and Direct-Current Circuits; Magnetism; Magnetic Flux and Faraday's Law of Induction; Alternating-Current Circuits; Electromagnetic Waves; Geometrical Optics; Optical Instruments; Physical Optics: Interference and Diffraction; Relativity; Quantum Physics; Atoms, Molecules, and Solids; Nuclear Physics and Nuclear Radiation.For anyone needing an introduction to, or refresher of, algebra-based physics. ... Read more

Book Description

We've all heard of the Big Bang, and yet few of us truly know what it is.

Renowned for making difficult ideas much less difficult than they might first appear, Simon Singh is our perfect guide to explaining why cosmologists believe that the Big Bang is an accurate description of the origin and evolution of the universe.

This highly readable and entertaining book tells the story of the many brilliant, often eccentric scientists who fought against the establishment idea of an eternal and unchanging cosmos. From such early Greek cosmologists as Anaximander to recent satellite measurements taken deep in space, Big Bang is a narrative full of anecdotes and personal histories. With characteristic clarity, Simon Singh tells the centuries-long story of mankind's attempt to understand how the universe came to be, a story which itself begins some 14 billion years ago (give or take a billion years). Simon Singh shows us that it is within the capability of all of us -- in his expert hands -- to understand the Big Bang: the fundamental theory in all of science, and a high point -- perhaps the high point -- of human achievement.

Book Description

This completely reorganized edition of the classic reference provides detailed information on the underlying physics and operational characteristics of all major bipolar, unipolar, special microwave, and optoelectronic devices. Integrates nearly 1,000 references to important original research papers and review articles, more than 650 high-quality technical illustrations, and 25 tables of material parameters for device analysis. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A classic work
If there should at all be one point against this book, then it is that it is a priced high (at least in my country). However I found that the text was worth the investment. This book is one of those must-haves for every electronics engineer.

The text is presented in a way that will appeal to any student as well as working professionals, and the least one can say is that it is extremely well-written. This text is an indispensable one.

A classic textbbok for semiconductor physics
As well known, this book is one of the classic books for semicoductor physics. It provides a lot of information in various devices, although some probably is outdated. However, as I know, the author was trying to tell the readers why and how semiconductor devices become what we see today. Because only we know about what the pioneers thinked, we can further modify or invite new semiconductor devices. I must agree that this book is not so easy to follow and read, but, don't froget, this book is devoted for advanced semiconductor physics course. It assumes the reader is already familiar with some foundamental semiconductor knowledge!

This is not a textbook!
I decided to write this review after reading the previous reviews to this book. Apparently, a couple of the reviewers think of this book as a text book, which it is not. Even though the first edition was published in 1968, and the second in 1981, this book is still a very useful reference to anyone who works in the field of semiconductor device physics. The author presupposes a good amount of knowledge, and does not try to lead the reader "by hand" through all the details in the derivation of the mathematical expressions. I recommend this book to all serious scholars at the senior level and beyond, -as a reference book-.

More patchwork than book!
This is not a good book to study semiconductor devices.In the reality it is a patchwork of uncorrelated articles about various devices lacking unity of vision and clearness in the exposition.Very often it happened to me to use other 2 or 3 other books only to understand Sze .And the author is extremely fond of making reference to final formulas without explaining the logical developement used.And now the book is dated too:so do not buy this book,try instead "Device eletronics for integrated circuits" by Muller and Kamins which is advanced and well conceived too!

A complete and readable reference that could use updating.
The Physics of Semiconductor Devices is a classic in the field, containing all the necessary knowledge as of 1981. The classic devices (diodes, transistors, microwave devices) are covered clearly and exhaustively. The book is lacking in its treatment of semiconductor heterostructures, which are key to modern devices but were not nearly as central two decades ago. One hopes that a 3rd edition is in the works. ... Read more

Book Description

Based on the most recent standards from ASHRAE, this clearly written book provides complete and up-to-date coverage of all aspects of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. Readers will find the latest load calculation procedures, indoor air quality procedures, and issues related to ozone depletion. Also integrated throughout the book are numerous worked examples that clearly show you how to apply the concepts in realistic scenarios. A CD-ROM containing five computer programs is included to help with calculations and simulations. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

6 th edition due July 2004
6th edition updates with useful tables...cost may not be much different...perhaps worth the wait. Check the publishers book store for more information.

Excellent HVAC Book
This is an excellent HVAC text. The concepts are clearly explained and well developed. The references in the book are current with ASHRAE standards which is of utmost utility and importance. The minor drawback from the text is the simplicity of the examples; fortunately the excellent explanation and development of the concepts by the authors helps in overcoming this small flaw. Excellent book overall. I highly recommend it.

Used it as a Quick referernce book for HVAC course
This book is a good source for determining all the design needs for HVAC systems from calculating the heating /cooling load to duct design and fan selection which is essential to assure an economical, energy-efficient, maintainable and flex design that will only not be technically adequate but also meet the user within the allocated budget. I consider this book a key to get in the HVAC industry and a reference for HVAC study courses. ... Read more

Book Description

Design to be used alongside Trefil:  The Sciences, 4E, this Study Guide contains many elements that foster student success.  Included are chapter reviews, learning objectives, key chapter concepts and key concept charts. The ties between science and math are reinforced with key formulas and equations. Links to scientists and their findings are outlined to help improve your comprehension of key subject area concepts. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for non-Science major
As a business major, satisfying a Science requirement, I have found this book to be informative, interesting and great fun. I believe it to be will written and thorough. Information is wonderfully balanced by illustrations, fyi's and interesting supplemental facts. I have one significant complaint to register with the authors/publishers of this text. The review and discussion questions should be answered either at the end of the book or in the review book. It is extremely disappointing that these answers are not available. As a student with a 3.86 average, I take my education very seriously and find it discouraging and somewhat insulting that I can not check my own work. I would STRONGLY suggest that those answers are made available within the text or on web. Thanks! ... Read more

Amazon.com

New Riders' [digital] series is performing a tremendous service to thecomputer animation and graphics community. The newest addition to this family is[digital] Lighting & Rendering. Author Jeremy Birn has long been regardedas a talented computer graphics artist and generous writer, and he's beensharing his techniques and discoveries for years.

Using computer graphic and 3-D tools to create accurate images is easy; usingthem to produce beautiful, inviting, memorable images requires more thantechnical skill. [digital] Lighting & Rendering introduces reasons andtechniques for using light, shadow, texture, and composition. The book is notsoftware-specific, but demonstrates techniques that are applicable to almost any3-D graphics application. It is assumed, however, that your 3-D software ofchoice supports such basic rendering features as soft shadows, light maps,colored gels, depth-of-field blur, motion blur, and so on.

The first half of the book discusses lighting and shadow: lighting workflow;light types; using lighting rigs, such as three-point lighting; shadows andshadow type; and light quality. Lighting--how it's used, where it's placed,the kind of shadow it casts, its intensity--is critical to any image, whetheryou're creating a photorealistic computer re-creation or a surreal fantasypicture. [digital] Lighting & Rendering explains not just how to usevarious lighting techniques, but why.

An outstanding chapter on color and its use through composition and lightingoffers insight into how colors are perceived and how color affects a scene. Theimportance of color, hue, and saturation should not be underestimated, and theexamples in this chapter, like in every other, drive home that point.

Additional chapters cover exposure, composition and staging, materials andtextures, and compositing. There is no accompanying CD-ROM, but theplatform-generic nature of the book (and of the subject matter itself) makes itunnecessary. The book is designed to educate and inform; it is up to readers toapply what they learn to their own projects.

Although fewer than 300 pages long, [digital] Lighting & Rendering is aninformative and important book, useful to any computer graphics artist. Eachpage is filled with fascinating, immediately helpful information about thecraft. The publisher spared no expense on the book's production, either--everypage is in color, with at least one color photo per page illuminating the text.Mr. Birn's experience and insight are not to be underestimated, and this book isnot to be missed. --Mike Caputo ... Read more

Reviews (32)

The best book I've ever read including swank and hustler
This book is amazing, I couldn't stop reading it, it was the most useful book on any subject I've ever read. I am already anticipating his next book, which I will buy even if its on the mating habits of Brazilian Yak, if you are reading this review then buy the book. Its not software specific, which I love because I use Softimage and 3Dmax, the book got me excited to come home and do 3d even after a long annoying day of doing it at work, its as if this book was written directly to me, it answered every question I ever had about lighting and rendering, it was inspiring, I have bought 6 computer books this summer so far ranging from Flash to Maya, and all were a let down except this one, its a must have

Good Art Book + A Masterpiece of Technical Writing
Digital Lighting & Rendering is a terrific art book, the advice on designing lighting schemes and camera work are first rate - even to someone who has already read several of the texts on cinematography. But it is also one of the best-written books I've seen for explaining technical issues and rendering algorithms. Even the beginning chapters, on issues with which I was very familiar, had new things to say and were surprisingly informative (and non-condescending - there's less filler material here than in most of these books.) As an advanced user of Lightwave and (more recently) Maya with Renderman, I felt like I really hit pay-dirt in the last two chapters, with lots of useful advice on multi-pass compositing techniques, including some tricks I hadn't thought of. Shaders and global illumination techniques were defined and illustrated in a way that cleared-up a lot of the ambiguities of what I had seen in the software manuals and web postings on the approaches. All-around, this is the best book-buy I've made all year. I HIGHLY recommend Digital Lighting & Rendering to anyone (at almost any skill-level) who wants to make better renderings - It's helping me already, and I've only owned it for a week! Great Book, Mr.Birn!

Lights...Camera.... REALISM!!!
An in-depth look on the principles behind CG lighting, cinematography, rendering etc...This book covers almost all the technicalities in 3D graphics. Not only does it concentrate on developing 3D skills, but also the enhancement of one's artistic abilities and precepts. Really, this book is a must have, or might as well say, a necessity for all 3D beginners and enthusiasts. HAPPY RENDERING!!!

A missing manual
A very good book that bridges the gap between technical 3d graphics skill and the development of artistic technique. Not application specific and helpful for more than just computer 3d graphics, much of the information applies to all types of traditional lighting as well.

As a beginner I have found this most helpful
I'm about 2/3 of the way through it and this book has done more to clear up technical issues about light and color than anything else I've seen. The straight dope, no fluff and plain language, everything explained from the ground up, but it never reads like a beginner's book. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Following on from the successful MPEG-2 standard, MPEG-4 Visual is enabling a new wave of multimedia applications from Internet video streaming to mobile video conferencing. The new H.264 ‘Advanced Video Coding’ standard promises impressive compression performance and is gaining support from developers and manufacturers.  The first book to cover H.264 in technical detail, this unique resource takes an application-based approach to the two standards and the coding concepts that underpin them.

• Presents a practical, step-by-step, guide to the MPEG-4 Visual and H.264 standards for video compression.
• Introduces the basic concepts of digital video and covers essential background material required for an understanding of both standards.
• Provides side-by-side performance comparisons of MPEG-4 Visual and H.264 and advice on how to approach and interpret them to ensure conformance.
• Examines the way that the standards have been shaped and developed, discussing the composition and procedures of the VCEG and MPEG standardisation groups.

Focussing on compression tools and profiles for practical multimedia applications, this book ‘decodes’ the standards, enabling developers, researchers, engineers and students to rapidly get to grips with both H.264 and MPEG-4 Visual.

Dr Iain Richardson leads the Image Communication Technology research group at the Robert Gordon University in Scotland and is the author of over 40 research papers and two previous books on video compression technology.
... Read more

Reviews (1)

First on the subject, rough around the edges
This is the first text book published on H.264. It has a nice overview of digital video compression techniques followed by chapters focusing on the specifics of each of the MPEG-4 and H.264 standards. Buying this book relays much of the same information but is more cost effective than buying each of the papers and articles on the subject from IEEE and others.

It appears that this book was rushed to publication in order to be first. Particularly in the chapter on H.264, there are many typos and incomplete figures. In some places, a new technical term is used without proper introduction. I look forward to a cleaner second edition in the future. ... Read more

Book Description

An authoritative textbook and up-to-date professional's guide to basic and advanced principles and practices
Nuclear reactors now account for a significant portion of the electrical power generated worldwide. At the same time, the past few decades have seen an ever-increasing number of industrial, medical, military, and research applications for nuclear reactors. Nuclear reactor physics is the core discipline of nuclear engineering, and as the first comprehensive textbook and reference on basic and advanced nuclear reactor physics to appear in a quarter century, this book fills a large gap in the professional literature.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a textbook for students new to the subject, for others who need a basic understanding of how nuclear reactors work, as well as for those who are, or wish to become, specialists in nuclear reactor physics and reactor physics computations. It is also a valuable resource for engineers responsible for the operation of nuclear reactors. Dr. Weston Stacey begins with clear presentations of the basic physical principles, nuclear data, and computational methodology needed to understand both the static and dynamic behaviors of nuclear reactors. This is followed by in-depth discussions of advanced concepts, including extensive treatment of neutron transport computational methods. As an aid to comprehension and quick mastery of computational skills, he provides numerous examples illustrating step-by-step procedures for performing the calculations described and chapter-end problems.
Nuclear Reactor Physics is a useful textbook and working reference. It is an excellent self-teaching guide for research scientists, engineers, and technicians involved in industrial, research, and military applications of nuclear reactors, as well as government regulators who wish to increase their understanding of nuclear reactors. ... Read more

Book Description

Through four editions, Arfken and Weber's best-selling Mathematical Methods for Physicists has provided upper-level undergraduate and graduate students with the paramount coverage of the mathematics necessary for advanced study in physics and engineering. It provides the essential mathematical methods that aspiring physicists are likely to encounter as students or beginning researchers. Appropriate for a physics service course, as well as for more advanced coursework, this is the book of choice in the field.

* Provides the essential mathematical methods that aspiring physicists are likely to encounter as students or beginning researchers
* *Serves as both text and useful reference for students of physics and applied mathematics
* *Throughout the text the physical relevance of the mathematics is constantly reinforced ... Read more

Reviews (37)

A physicists handbook for mathematics -- not a textbook
The lecturer of our undergraduate Mathematical Methods for Physics course said that he recommends Arfken's book because it will be useful also later as a reference book. Hearing those words, I could not help but to think "this is one of *those* books". And indeed, although Arfken's and Weber's book covers quite a wide range of mathematics, it does so by being very concise, e.g. there is usually only one example per topic. This is one example of why it is not a good textbook. Not following Arfken's course, I will give another example: there are no answers and no solutions for any of the problems, making it very undesirable from the viewpoint of the person who cannot attend all the lectures. Finally, text itself is quite concise, and often it stops at telling the things rather than explaining them also. I guess I have to admit that I am not one of the excellent students mentioned by a reviewer, for I liked Kreyszig's Advanced Engineering Mathematics much more. As a contrast to Arfken's book, it offered many examples and helped to understand what the thing was all about. Unfortunately, it does not cover nearly all of the topics covered by Mathematical Methods for Physicists. If Mathematical Methods for Physicists is going to be your first introductory text to these topics and if you are not supported by very good lectures I can only say that may God have mercy on your soul.

Needs elaboration: Add 5 pages per page.
I am convinced that the author of this book has made the assumption that the reader has had pretty significant exposure to most of this already. Therefore, this is nothing more than a "all in once place" reference on math methods for physicists. The reason for the diverse range of opinions on this book is due to the various backgrounds of students. For most physic undergrads now taking a grad level math methods course, our exposure to differential eqns, complex functions, tensors, group theory, etc. is superficial. Here is a good entrepreneurial idea for an accomplished physicist that can relate to us mere mortals. For each page that Arfken has provided on a topic, ELABORATE (add 5 pages per page to it and now you have a useful textbook that every graduate student in physics should have). It would save us a fortune in buying the many additional supplemental texts required if you are stuck with Arfken.

Not good to learn from
I used this book in a Math Methods 1st year Graduate Physics course, and I dont think I really learned anything from it.
It doesnt do well at TEACHING you anything, you'll have to buy another book with examples or find them somewhere, and that itself can be difficult.

I found myself referring to Mary Boas' book for a few examples if I wanted to learn anything, but when you get to Group Theory you'll end up lost because the professor will run right over the material and textbooks on that subject arent that great.

If i'm looking for an equation or a mathematical rule, this book is great. Ive used it for Quantum and Jackson E&M quite a bit.

A salad of typos
I have had the misfortune to teach from several editions of this pathetic textbook. The later printings of the 3d edition, by Arfken alone, were quite free of mistakes and of typos. But the early printings of the 5th edition by Arfken and Weber are loaded with typos and have some errors. Most of these typos are in equations that were correct in the 3d edition.

My students have had a hard time learning from this book.

Also, the binding of this $99 book is cheap cardboard -- the hardcover edition does not really have a hard cover. All in all,
this is a typical Elsevier product: inferior and expensive.

Great text for reference and learning
I noticed that most student reviews seemed to disparage this book as a textbook, so I am writing this to provide an alternative veiwpoint. My intermediate Math Methods class used this book and I have not yet enountered a math problem in any of my grad classes that I couldn't use this book as an aide to solve. The book is clear yet concise, which allows for a large breadth of material to be covered in one semester effectively. Yes, some material is not covered with great depth, but I think that Mathematical Methods Books by design are not meant to be thourough, mathematically rigourous books but rather books that will present the method of solving, if not the exact solution, of most problems one might encounter in the physical sciences.

I reccomend this book. Like all other Math Methods books I have seen it will require other texts as supplements if one wants a reference for every problem one could encounter. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Good Math Textbook
I used this book for a class I took in college. It was very helpful. Highlights of the book include examples, language, and ease of understanding. I would recommend this book to anyone taking a class that needs it, or even a person just interested in furthering their basic math knowledge. Check this one out!

User Friendly 2nd Ed. Essential for Survey of Mathematics
Extremely User friendly text, be sure you are getting 2nd edition and not first, they are not the same!!! Uses real life examples to explain various mathematical models, a book you'll want to hold on to for future use.

A Math Book for the Mathematically Inept
There are no numbers in this math book. What kind of math book has no numbers??

WoW! A math book for the mathmatically impaired!!!
I bought this book over a year ago for a class I had to take. I would have to say that this book is the best learning tool I have been able to use in understanding mathmatics. I was diagnosed with a math disability. This book has helped me with this disability. I am able to understand concepts and apply my understanding of those concepts.It has given me a self confidence I didn't think I would ever have. I have tried other texts and found them to be either to general in thier knowledge or poor in thier use of the english language. I found this book to be very descriptive and helps the student to paint a picture of what problems they may face in the world of mathmatics. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has had a hard time with spatial ability. The detailed step by step process is wonderful. It covers an array of subjects. I still use it to help me through other classes. I have found it to be the only book detailed enough to teach me properly. It is the best college book I have ever had to buy. I really have gotten my dollars worth out of it. ... Read more

Book Description

o

A completely revised and expanded edition of the international bestseller (over 230,000 copies sold)
o This new edition includes an entirely new chapter—"Change: The Capacity of Life"—and the newest developments in the new sciences, updated examples, and even more accessible writing that will appeal to a much broader audience than the first edition
o Leadership and the New Science was named the Best Management Book of the Year by Industry Week magazine, one of the top ten books of the past decade by CIO Magazine, and one of the top ten business books of all time by Xerox Business ServicesIn a completely revised and updated edition of her bestselling classing, Margaret Wheatley shows how the "New Science"—the revolutionary discoveries in quantum physics, chaos theory, and biology that are overturning centuries-old models of science—provides powerful insights for transforming how we design, lead, and manage organizations. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

A Good Read!
Author Margaret J. Wheatley describes how new developments in the sciences show us how to design a new, more effective organizational structure. The new structure is more responsive to human needs and to our rapidly changing times. Based on this understanding, you need to make your organization more flexible and adaptable. Using leadership and vision as a guiding force in an organization involves participation, self-management and shared information and power.

This excellent, thoughtful, break-through book offers a new way of thinking about organizations and leadership. In clear, compelling language, it emphasizes the ways we are all part of an ever-changing natural order. Wheatley explains the need to get rid of our old out-dated mechanistic models and adapt our organizations to prosper in the future. Our accepted analytical world view, based on using logical analysis and relying numbers to chart progress, should be replaced, Wheatley says. She makes a compelling case and urges organizations to become more effective by becoming more human and natural. We [...] recommend this pivotal book to leaders at all levels.

A Spiritual Gift That will Awe and Excite You!
Margaret Wheatley has indeed revised and updated her orignal book. This edition offers more clarity to the "new science" and in some ways is an autobiography of her growth and connectedness to the positve "energy" that guides and informs our ever expanding creation. Her new chapter, "Change, the Capacity of Life," is exciting to read for the clarity and universal spirituality emanating from her observations. If you have read her original "Leadership and the New Science," and "A Simpler Way," you will marvel at how this new chapter and her updating of others unifies "The New Science" and adds depth and wisdom to her life's work.

I work in a Jesuit high school and part of my job is to connect my community to the new world that is building all around us. This book is a gift to organizations worldwide and will help those who lead their organizations, no matter the size, to do so from a "personal centeredness" of trust and integrity. Her insights offer hope as we struggle with the great issues of our time.

New Direction in Leading Organizations
I was a bit skeptical about the book after the first chapter. However, after opening my mind to what the author had to say, I realized that she had some good points, which are applicable to everyday organizations and leadership.

The book could have been kept to under 100 pages without all the extra examples. Then again, I see how many examples can engage someone, especially if he is not familar with organizations. Nevertheless, if she would have stuck to her point that our current paradigm in understanding organizations is from the seventeenth century and illusionary that would have sufficed.

The book does not offer any concrete examples for working with systems instead of parts, which is the main point the author drives home. The author does offer a theoretical framework. The framework is a lot better because it is meant to apply to many situations.

This book is worth reading if one is familiar with old models of organizations and leadership. Otherwise, reading it will be too abstract and meaningless.

Interesting conclusions, lack of good argument
In this book, the author describes current theories in science and applies them to human organizational management. She develops a number of concepts that I think are applicable to organizational management, such as flexibility, greater communication within an organization, the importance of information, and valuing the intelligence of individual workers.

However, the reasons for applying these principles developed from science to organizations are not well established in this book, in my opinion. The applications may be valid, but a strong case for them is not made here. For example, one claim made to justify one conclusion is that "organizations are open systems and are responsive to the same self-organizing dynamics as all other life." (p. 97). This is a bold claim, to link life sciences to management, that is not well substantiated in the book.

The author seems to revel in the ancient (and ongoing) philosophical tension between the parts and the whole, calling us to look at the whole of a system, though rejecting objective reality (an ultimate whole), and with a bit of Gnostic thinking as well: "Matter doesn't matter" (p. 153),

Also, this is not an informative work, rather its intention appears to be persuasive. The author does reference many works in the scientific literature, but it is not intended to be a review or strict proof (I hope) of her position. Some aspects of science that seem to me to contradict some of her conclusions are not discussed, such as the order imposed top-down in the theory of relativity (according to my limited understanding of it), and the fact that some changes must be wholly destructive and cannot have positive effects (e.g., certain genetic mutations).

Again, some good points are made, but their basis is not well established here. As an industrial engineer, I do not think we should throw away all the current practices, and hopefully that attitude is not simply self-serving. I cannot recommend this particular book, but hope there is a more substantial treatment of these concepts elsewhere.

What science??
First off, the author is not a scientist. Second, the author tries to link PHYSICAL science with human leadership. I only read 1/4 of the book, and I had to put it into trash because I felt like barfing everytime I lay my eyes on it. If you think a non-scientist has any right to write a book with "New Science" on its title, then you should buy this book. Otherwise, stay away from this LSD induced junk. ... Read more

Book Description

Simulink is a programming language specifically designed for simulating dynamical systems using standard block diagram notation. Designed for readers with the appropriate mathematical preparation that includes a good understanding of the fundamental concepts from introductory experience such as calculus and differential equations, this book presents detailed coverage of programming using Simulink.Beginning with a block diagram tutorial, the book presents an overview of Simulink and describes in detail the procedures for building, editing, and running a Simulink model. The book also provides explanations for debugging techniques, including the interactive debugger; contains an examination of Stateflow™, a Simulink extension that adds the capability to model finite state machines subsystems using a variant of the popular Statecharts formalism; and concludes with an introduction to Real-Time Workshop.For professionals with a career in engineering, control systems, programming, or science. ... Read more

Book Description

THE CRAFT OF SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS provides a score of examples from contemporary and historical scientific presentations to show clearly what makes an oral presentation effective. It considers presentations made to persuade an audience to adopt some course of action (such as funding a proposal) as well as presentations made to communicate information, and it considers these from four perspectives: speech, structure, visual aids, and delivery. In keeping with technological innovations, it discusses computer-based projections and slide shows as well as overhead projections. In particular, it discusses ways of organizing graphics and text in projected images and of using layout and design to present the information efficiently and effectively.

Unlike other books that discuss technical presentations, this book anchors its advice in the experiences of scientists and engineers, including such successful presenters as Robert Oppenheimer, Richard Feynman, Niels Bohr, and Rita Levi-Montalcini, as well as currently active laboratory directors, scientists, and engineers.

In addition to examining successful presentations, Alley also discusses the errors that cause many scientific presentations to flounder, providing a list of ten critical errors to avoid. The insights and tools in this book will guide readers to deliver outstanding presentations.

Praise for Michael Alley's THE CRAFT OF SCIENTIFIC PRESENTATIONS:

"Alley has revamped the way our research center makes presentations-particularly the way we design our presentation slides." DANIEL J. INMAN, DIRECTOR CENTER FOR INTELLIGENT MATERIAL SYSTEMS

"This book fills a void by illustrating key issues and difficulties in oral presentations with the experiences of others." CHRISTENE MOORE, COMMUNICATION INSTRUCTOR UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A must have for anybody in the science or engineering field
It's well worth every penny!

Textbook that is actually interesting
I give about a dozen technical presentations a year at trade shows, and I learned a lot from this book. I am changing my Powerpoint slides using many of the tips in this book, including complete sentence in the headline. I had designed my slides to help me remember my points. I should have been designing them so the audience could understand them. Besides giving me a better understanding of what I am trying to accomplish, the book was a fun read with numerous stories from the famous and not so famous. There were times it was actually hard to put the book down.

a great book that kept my interest
This is the first of Michael Alley's books that I have read and I'm ordering his other two "The Craft Of..." books tonight. He is terrific at getting technical information across in an engaging and entertaining way. The book is full of short stories about scientists (some famous, like Einstein, Feynman and McClintock) and incidents, which he uses as examples to get his points across. A critical resource for anyone who gives technical presentations. I'm buying copies for each of my graduate students. ... Read more

Book Description

More than 500,000 students have purchased previous editions of this book! That's because this powerful study tool offers clear explanations and constant reinforcements, so that students quickly grasp this potentially difficult subject matter. It takes students from vectors to thermodynamics to applied nuclear physics, teaching effective problem-solving skills. The numerous, valuable appendixes make often-needed, basic information easy to find quickly, so this book is also an excellent reference.

The new edition of this best-selling book gives users a solid grasp of the principles of general physics through their application to a large number of carefully selected problems. The Ninth Edition features a new order of presentation that reflects the current physics curriculum and textbooks. Existing problems have been updated, and new problems have been added that deal with more realistic and practical situations, including those in the life sciences.

Reviews (6)

If You're in AP Physics & Need Some Review...
This book is awesome. It contains a ton of word problems, perfect for AP Test Prep and HW!

a little light
This book is probably good for high school physics. I am in a physics for non-majors course in college and I found the material in the book to be not in-depth enough. To be honest I found it relatively useless to consult when I had a tough question and needed some help. There are better books out there. I just ordered 3 books that were recommended to me: "The Physics Problem Solver" by James Ogden, "How To Solve Physics Problems and Make The Grade" by Robert M. Oman and Daniel M. Oman and "3,000 Solved Problems in Physics" by Alvin Halpern.

Don't bother with this book if you feel lost in physics because it won't really help you.

Your entire college textbook in outline form
I found this book to be a great review for my college physics class. Rather than a large chapter of dry reading, this book keeps everything simple, and to the point. Rather than a large discussion of Newton's Laws, they are simply listed for your reference.

The topics covered in the book are much too numerous to list out. I compared this with my physics textbook for science and engineering students. If you are having trouble understanding your textbook, use this text as a supplement. It does walk through problems and has problems you can try.

Regarding the practice problems, the answers are there, but they are right there. I would prefer to have the answers on another page, but this is still a good book.

Explanation and lots of practice problems
I am currently taking the first year of the Physics Avanced Placement class at my high school and this was one of the books that we needed for the class. Our teacher said that it was very good because of the problems and he is exactly right.

There are 46 chapters in the book covering many topics, starting from a beginner's standpoint. I must admit that the explanation in the beginning of each chapter is a little dry but it is concise and to the point. The most useful part of this book or guide is the many problems it has for each chapter. After the explanation part of the chapter, the chapter then goes on to show you problems and the solutions to them. It shows you how to solve them, each step of the way. After these problems, it then gives you many, many practice problems that you can do yourself, it also gives you the answers so that you can check to see if you were right in your calculations. There are so many problems for you to do that it is great practice and after all of them, you feel as if you have truly mastered the concept because the problems build off one another, starting with the easiest then getting progressively harder at the end.

I think this is a great book and a great supplement to a Physics course. However, there is one drawback in that this is not really a textbook, it does have some explanation at the beginning of the chapter which is good but it is not like your usual textbook which has more in-depth explanation. But, if you are using this book as a supplement or in connection with another book, then this is all you have to ask for.

Simple explanation, good practice problems.
Useful book with clear, simple explanations of subject material. Physics is all about solving problems so the illustrated and clearly solved problems increasing in difficulty were indispensable. (I wish I had used it more to study...) ... Read more