Book Description

This compact handbook features dosage, side effect, and drug interaction information for all psychiatric drugs. It includes information that is useful to the psychiatrist, internist, and student ... Read more

Book Description

To best serve the needs of practicing perianesthesia nurses, content from Core Curriculum for PeriAnesthesia Nursing, 4th Edition and Ambulatory Surgical Nursing Core Curriculum were combined into one new core, PeriAnesthesia Nursing Core Curriculum. This new core adds additional key content to provide the most comprehensive reference for perianesthesia practice, from preanesthesia through postanesthesia Phase 3. This one resource provides practicing perianesthesia nurses with the complete scope of practice in line with and as defined by ASPAN.

* Focuses on ASPAN's full scope of perianesthesia nursing practice regardless of the practice setting.
* Provides the core content necessary to demonstrate competency as a perianesthesia nurse.
* Includes a section on LifeSpan Considerations, Unit 3, to help the nurse understand the full scope of perianesthesia care from pediatrics through older adult life.
* Unit 4, Competency of Preoperative Assessment incorporates all aspects of the complete assessment of the patient and family including key areas such as cultural and alternative/complementary therapies.
* Unit 6, Surgical Specialties provides a consistent format presentation for each specialty area, including anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, operative procedures, postanesthesia priorities: phases 1, 2, and 3, and where necessary, potential complications including anesthesia and pain management.
* An appendix on Certification Concepts and Testing Strategies along with the core content provides an outstanding tool to prepare for certification as a perinanesthesia nurse (CPAN) or as an ambulatory perianesthesia nurse (CAPA). ... Read more

Book Description

The interaction of electromagnetic waves with matter in the frequency range between 10-6 and 1012 Hz is the domain of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. In this extraordinarily extended dynamic range molecular and collective dipolar fluctuations, charge transport and polarisation effects at inner and outer boundaries take place and determine the dielectric properties of the material being studied. Hence, broadband dielectric spectroscopy enables one to gain a wealth of information on the dynamics of bound (dipoles) and mobile charge carriers depending on the details of a molecular system. It is the intention of this book to be both an introductory course to broadband dielectric spectroscopy as well as a monograph describing recent dielectric contributions to current topics. In this respect the book will correspond to the needs of graduate students but also to specialized researchers, molecular physicists, polymer scientists and materials scientists in academia and in industry. ... Read more

Book Description

This book teaches chemistry at an appropriate level of rigor while removing the confusion and insecurity that impairs success. Prep chem frequently intimidates people; Bishop's text shows them how to break the material down and master it. The system of objectives tells readers exactly what they must learn in each chapter and where to find it. The text and superb illustrations provide a solid conceptual framework and address misconceptions. From that basis, readers learn to strategize problems and solve them in logical steps. The Examples and Exercises give plenty of confidence-building practice; the end-of-chapter problems test the reader's mastery.For college instructors and students. ... Read more

Book Description

One-stop reference to more than 5,000 of the most frequently used terms, phrases and abbreviations associated with the eye and vision, and 1,000 abbreviations and acronyms. The definitions are in "plain English" so everyone can understand them, with phonetic pronounciations..

Special Features: Common misspellings are listed alphabetically, so you don't need to spell a word to find it; mini-definitions are within definitions, so you don't waste time looking up cross-references. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Tech Bowl Reference
If you want to compete - and win! - at the ATPO Tech Bowl at AAO (and local ophthalmology society Tech Bowl-style quiz competitions) this is among the best references to study, along with Stein/Slat/Stein.

A must for all eye-care professionals
This dictionary is perfect for the person who either can't spell perfectly 100% of the time, or wants to increase his/her eye terminology with more professional vocabulary. A must for all eye-care professionals!

Excellent book for Medical Transcriptionist
I am a Medical Transcriptionist who obtained an opthalmologist as one of the clients we transcribe for. I had no training in opthalmology, but with the use of this book I was able to transcribe each report as if I were doing it for years. This a great book. I hope they come out with more dictionaries that are geared towards other types of specialities (i.e. orthopedics, radiology, ob/gyn, etc... ... Read more

Book Description

Exploring Medical Language provides students in health care educational programs with the basic knowledge of medical language they need to communicate clearly and understand communication from other health care team members. LaFleur's strength has always been its clear presentation of not only medical terms built from word parts, but also those not built from word parts, which are sometimes omitted from other texts. The text also reviews anatomic terminology. Another popular feature of the book is its wealth of exercises that help the student memorize the word parts and their meanings, so that they can combine the parts to form medical terms. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THANKS FOR THE "A" MYRNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Before I bought "Exploring Medical Language" I knew absolutely nothing, and I mean nothing about Medical Terminology.
And to tell you the truth, when I first opened this huge, intimidating, monster of a book, It scared... me... I mean, wouldn't "rhabdomyosarcoma" or "esophagogastroduodenoscopy"
frighten you (just a bit) I thought, nooooo way.

But I opened it, read it, did the cool excersises, listen the the audio tapes, played a bit with the CD-R.

She begins at the beginning.....Little baby steps.

All of a sudden... I was like, I get it! I really get it!
Not only that, but I was beginning to enjoy it.

The prefix, suffix, and word roots suddenely become beautiful, flowing words that make sense.
Myrna LaFleur Brooks made this book come alive, interesting, and allowed medical language to become a little bit like music.
Well, a little!!!! Thanx for the "A" Myrna! ... Read more

Book Description

Stress is generally defined as a strain upon a bodily organ or mental power. Depending on its duration and intensity, stress can have short- or long-lasting effects: it has been linked to heart disease, immune deficiency, memory loss, behavioral disorders, and much more. These effects on the individual also have a major impact on health care costs and services, employee productivity, and even violent crime.
The Encyclopedia of Stress is the first comprehensive reference source on stressors, the biological mechanisms involved in the stress response, the effects of activating the stress response mechanisms, and the disorders that may arise as a consequence of acute or chronic stress. While other books focus on specific aspects of stress, this three-volume set covers the entire spectrum of topics, with nearly 400 articles in all.
In addition to the subjects traditionally associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (whereby the brain sends a message to the body to react), the Encyclopedia includes a wide range of related topics such as neuroimmune interactions, cytokines, enzymatic disorders, effects on the cardiovascular system, immunity and inflammation, and physical illnesses. It also goes beyond the biological aspects of stress to cover topics such as stress and behavior, psychiatric and psychosomatic disorders, workplace stress, post-traumatic stress, stress-reduction techniques, and current therapies. The Encyclopedia of Stress makes information easy to find and understand for a broad audience of researchers, clinicians, professionals, and students.

Key Features
* Presenting the first-ever encyclopedia on stress
* Brings together the latest information on stressors, stress responses, and the disorders that can result
* Covers stress from molecules to man to societies
* Contains nearly 400 articles, covering a wide range of stress-related topics
* Arranges topics in easily found alphabetical order
* Supplements each article with a glossary and further reading list
* Provides the most comprehensive coverage of stress available
* Includes extensive cross-referencing between articles and a complete subject index
* Covers hot topics, ranging from stress in the workplace and post-traumatic stress disorder to stress-related diseases
* Edited by one of the world's leading authorities on stress
* Written by more than 560 experts from 20 different countries
* Appeals to a wide audience seeking information on topics within and outside their areas of expertise ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Must Have!
This is a must have for any psychiatrist's office or any student. It's BIG and costs a lot but it worth it. Even non-professionals can use and understand it. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the definitive text in a market consisting of senior and graduate environmental engineering students who are taking a chemistry course.The text is divided into a chemistry fundamentals section and a section on water and wastewater analysis.In this new edition, the authors have retained the thorough, yet concise, coverage of basic chemical principles from general, physical, equilibrium, organic, biochemistry, colloid, and nuclear chemistry. In addition, the authors have retained their classic two-fold approach of (1) focusing on the aspects of chemistry that are particularly valuable for solving environmental problems, and (2) laying the groundwork for understanding water and wastewater analysis-a fundamental basis of environmental engineering practice and research. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Must Have For All Environmental Engineers
This is one book which an engineer esp an environemtal engineer must have as it starts from basics and takes you to complex situations making them understandable. ... Read more

Book Description

Bean's PROBABILITY: THE SCIENCE OF UNCERTAINTY WITH APPLICATIONS TO INVESTMENTS, INSURANCE, AND ENGINEERING is an 'applied' book that will be of interest to instructors teaching probability in mathematics departments of operations research, statistics, actuarial science, management science, and decision science.Comprehensive, easy to read and comprehend, and current, the book uses investment, insurance, and engineering applications throughout as a unifying theme. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not a good learning book
Some gaffes in this book, I don't think the author has any real understanding. He even messes up the definition of expectation, and it doesn't get more elementary than that. There are many better probability books out there, don't choose this one.

Excellent
This book is on the course of reading for the Society of Actuaries and Casualty Actuarial Society jointly sponsored Course 1/Exam 1. Although all the probability books listed on the course of reading are good, this text is probably the one to choose. The book seems to be designed with an actuarial student in mind, and an actuarial student would find it very useful for self study. A solution manual is also available.

The quality and level of the writing are excellent. It covers all the required probability topics, and emphasizes certain topics that are not usually emphasized in other texts. Some of these topics are conditional probability; distributional form of Law of Total Probability and Bayes Theorem; conditional expectation; limited moments; mixed probability distributions; survival distributions; hazard or mortality functions; special continuous distributions used in survival analysis (Weibull, Pareto, etc.); compound Poisson and other compound distributions. All but the last chapter on option pricing would be required reading for Exam 1, and the last chapter useful for Exam 2.

A very useful feature of this textbook is that in Chapters 5 (Special Discrete Distributions) and 6 (Special Continuous Distributions) the distribution theory is very clearly outlined. For example, relationship to other distributions, distribution of iid sums, limiting distributions, etc. are clearly stated and summarized. In addition to Exam 1, this text will also be valuable as a reference to study for Exam 4.

Students who would have difficulty with the level of this presentation will also have difficulty with SOA Exam 1. ... Read more

Book Description

Comprises 119 chapters on plastic materials, properties, processes, and industry practices--all presented in a readily accessible and consistent format. Also features a wealth of useful auxiliary information and tables. ... Read more

Book Description

How to hone your analytical skills and obtain high-quality data in the era of GMP requirements
With increased regulatory pressures on the pharmaceutical industry, there is a growing need for capable analysts who can ensure appropriate scientific practices in laboratories and manufacturing sites worldwide. Based on Johnson & Johnson's acclaimed in-house training program, this practical guide provides guidance for laboratory analysts who must juggle the Food and Drug Administration's good manufacturing practices (GMP) rules with rapidly changing analytical technologies. Highly qualified industry experts walk readers step-by-step through the concepts, techniques, and tools necessary to perform analyses in an FDA-regulated environment, including clear instructions on all major analytical chemical methods-from spectroscopy to chromatography to dissolution. An ideal manual for formal training as well as an excellent self-study guide, Analytical Chemistry in a GMP Environment features:
* The drug development process in the pharmaceutical industry
* Uniform and consistent interpretation of GMP compliance issues
* A review of the role of statistics and basic topics in analytical chemistry
* An emphasis on high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods
* Chapters on detectors and quantitative analysis as well as data systems
* Methods for ensuring that instruments meet standard operating procedures (SOP) requirements
* Extensive appendixes for unifying terms, symbols, and procedural information ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A "real" practical book
This is the book if you work in the analytical lab of pharmaceutical industry. The book covers a lot of practical and day to day problems faced by persons working in the analytical lab especially from a regulatory point of view. Different chapters have been written by area experts making it very useful and comprehensive. I strongly recommend this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The 1998 10th edition of Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary marks the 100th anniversary of this distinguished and popular reference standard, and this is more than just an interesting statistic--it means that Merriam-Webster brings years of experience and reams of citation files to the creation of this latest edition. Improving on their last dictionary, they've added more than 100 pictorial illustrations and supplemented the synonym paragraphs with examples. Along with the English dictionary, which forms the heart of the reference, the editors at Merriam-Webster have included a brief introduction to the English language and a history of the English dictionary, a guide to pronunciation, and a series of appendices that include chemical element abbreviations and symbols, foreign words and phrases, extensive sections with biographical and geographical names, signs and symbols, and a handbook of style.

But getting back to the book itself--it's impressively comprehensive for a collegiate dictionary, with more than 215,000 definitions. Each item includes a pithy wealth of information, with first usage date, etymology, and pronunciation, and clear, precise definitions. In addition, there are often usage notes, synonym cross-references, illustrative quotations, variant spellings and pronunciations, regional labels, and information on capitalization, function, and inflections. Then there are the extra touches. Under bible, for example, there's a chart detailing books of the Old Testament, Jewish Scripture, Protestant apocrypha, and books of the New Testament. Under months is a table listing the months of the principal calendars--Gregorian, Jewish, and Islamic. And wonderful line drawings illustrate terms such as mackerel, lyrebird, hedgehog, and the ancient Celtic stringed instrument known as a crowd. All this makes it a valuable reference--detailed enough for editors and writers, accessible enough for students and casual definition seekers, updated with the new vocabulary of technology, and rigorous enough for the linguistic perfectionists. --Stephanie Gold ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A thorough guide for almost all dictionary users
The MW Tenth is the latest in my nearly complete collection of this company's series of dictionaries. I began with the Fifth and bought each as they were published This current edition (Tenth) has increased the size and scope of desk dictionaries -- it is much larger than many previous editions (the Eighth and Ninth are of similar size) and contains such a wealth of information that almost no one would outgrow it. I find the Tenth useful not only in itself, but in the context of its predecessors. Words change their meaning over time and a new dictionary is essential to knowing exactly where a word is at this time -- as well as using previous editions to see where it came from. I am proud to have contributed a word to the Ninth edition, still listed in the Tenth: "hizzoner." It took years of research, but how many people get their own entry in a major dictionary? The MW Tenth is a great book for just browsing and (not incidentally)learning just when a word entered the language. More "family reading" of dictionaries such as this might help young children enjoy their language.

Always the first reference I reach for
By updating Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary every
10-12 years, its publishers continue to provide wordsmiths, copy editors, students, teachers, and folks who simply love learning about the English language (American style) a great service and indispensable reference.

Though at heart, this certainly is a robust, up-to-date dictionary, the additional reference information proves valuable for a host of purposes. The histories, guides, and lists that span the opening section should not be regarded merely as the arcane turf of lexicographers and linguists. For the most part, these are great resources worth your attention. Likewise, there are appendices that delve into such varied subject matter as foreign words and phrases, chemical element, geographical names, and a style guide.

Do not be misled by the fact this volume is called a collegiate dictionary. It is also the dictionary favored by legions of copy editors charged with maintaining consistency and correctness in myriad publications of all sorts, from newspapers to newsletters. This dictionary has always been the most responsive to changes in the language, and each new edition swells by thousands of new entries. The standard features are all here of course: bold-face entries, pronunciation, economical but precise definitions and usage examples, and all the other details you need. In addition to the small, inset line drawings that grace every few pages, there are occasional half-page illustrations that expand certain terms.

Sure there are going to be some errors that pundits and nitpickers will gleefully cite, but it you consider the how much information is packed into this hardback edition (I would never buy a paperback dictionary)...you can do no better.

Very good for everyday use
An important issue with choosing a dictionary is finding a balance that meets your needs.

My first choice of dictionaries is the 20 volume OED for depth and breadth of coverage. Some disadvantages of the OED are the price and the size. My second choice of dictionaries is the Shorter OED, which is smaller (2 volumes) and cheaper, but has about 1/3 of the entries (roughly 500,000).

My third choice of dictionaries is the "New Oxford American Dictionary," which is easy to carry and use - it has roughly 250,000 words. The NOAD is handy because it has definitions arranged in order of most common usage - "core meanings" followed by related senses. It does not have the extensive literary citations that the OED and shorter OED have.

My fourth choice of dictionaries is probably the Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, which has about 450,000 words. The disadvantages of this dictionary are that the main text has not been updated since 1961 (although an 89 page addenda is added at the beginning), the layout is hard to follow, and it's a bit unwieldy.

Which brings me to my fifth choice of dictionaries, which is the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate dictionary. This dictionary has roughly 200,000 words, so it loses some breadth and depth of coverage. However, it's very useful for everyday use, and a nice balance between portability and breadth and depth of coverage.

does this really need a review?
somethings are just great and need no reviews. This is one of them. If you read, you need this.

Good Practical Dictionary
This Dictioanry is a real bargain for the price you pay. Pretty much all the words, esoteric or otherwise that you come across in the course of your reading is covered by this very useful tome. The newer edition with the CD-ROM functionality should be the real clincher. Of course comparison the the unabridged OED is unfair for this book, but that would be something else to look at if you have a lot of cash to spare :)
The only problem I have with it is rather minor; External looks if you will; The red cloth bound binding is jarring on the eye; The edges of the book are splashed with fine red droplets of ink (perhaps interntionally?) - But that's a minor hiccup for a book that packs in so much for so little! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Extremely Small Print
Even people with good eye sight will struggle with this...had I known that I would have got the large print version. As for the thesaurus itself.. it is pretty good. There are a few little code symbols you have to remember and you may have to bounce around the book a bit to get that "perfect" word. It is full of words though and probably a good buy for kids grades 8-12. If it would have had just a little bit larger print I would have rated it 4 stars but being able to read it is an important thing...especially if you have to work on something a little later in the evening when your eyes are slightly strained all ready. ... Read more

Book Description

Translates more than 15,000 commonly used medical, technical, common, and slang terms in both English and Spanish. Sample conversations covering history-taking for a number of medical conditions are shown in Spanish as it is spoken in the U.S. with English translation immediately following. This edition includes expanded patient histories and over 3,000 new terms. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

A good basic medical dictionary
If you require a more indepth medical dictionary consider "Diccionario Medico- Mosby"

A very handy bilingual resource
This bilingual medical dictionary is a perfect pocket size reference for daily terminology for those working in the medical profession, students or simply for those who want to be able use medical terminology in both English and Spanish. The dictionary does not provide definitions of the medical terms or words so if your looking for a bilingual reference with definitions you should consult another source. The terms are arranged alphabetically and the equivalent word or phrase is provided from English to Spanish or from Spanish to English. For example: health food = comida saludable, to gain weight = aumentar de peso, vaccine= vacuna. The terminology is not at all complicated and is quite accurate. There are some practice dialogues patient- doctor questions and typical scenarios. The resource is perfect if you use it in the correct capacity, which is to quickly look up medical terminology and the equivalent meaning in English or Spanish. This dictionary is not an exhaustive resource; it would have been better if it were a little bigger.

Very useful book, level of speaker
There seems to be a misunderstanding on the role of a bilingual dictionary and one with definitions. Bilingual dictionaries are a quick translating reference from one language to another and are not necessarily meant to contain definitions. If you want a dictionary with medical terms and definitions in Spanish, you need a Spanish/Spanish medical dictionary. Though I expected this book to have a lot more in-depth medical terminology than it does, I think it would make an excellent reference for intermediate-level speakers. It has a very handy "dialogue" section in the back for communicating with patients on a variety of medical topics such as getting medical history, dentistry, birth control, neurology, etc., as well as a vast amount of slang terms. Advanced-level professional interpreters/translators, however, may not find this book quite as useful.

the one I always carry
For working medical interpreters, this dictionary will provide the information you need without adding ten pounds to your briefcase! Advantages include: very small size, excellent coverage of both general and specialized terminology, and a convenient format. It's true that definitions are not included - but if you're looking for a portable quick reference, the definitions just add weight...and if you don't know what a term means, you should be asking the doctor for an explanation, not reading to the patient from your dictionary. Readers from countries like Spain or Argentina will notice that this dictionary favors Spanish terms used in the U.S., Mexico and Central America. Highly recommended. Buy this one and a pocket-sized Larousse (general bilingual dictionary) to carry in your bag, and save your bigger medical dictionaries for reference/research use in the office.

If you want definitions of medical terms in Spanish, the Diccionario de Medicina (published by Planeta) is highly recommended. It includes a hardcover reference book AND an easy-to-use CD version. Don't plan on carrying it around, though - it's a monster!

disappointing book
I was very disappointed in this book - as I was looking for a true dictionary, one that would give the definition of the word. This book would be useful only for those medical personnel who needed to learn the terms in either english or spanish. The editorial review describes this book as defining the words in it and it does not - very misleading. ... Read more

Book Description

Over the years, the National Electrical Code® has grown in volume and complexity. This updated edition utilizes visualization to present a complete, concise, and easy-to-understand exploration of the 2005 Edition of the NEC®. Each highly-detailed illustration offers insight into Code requirements and is enhanced by clearly written text blocks that read quickly and with little effort. Includes coverage of fundamental provisions, followed by Code requirements relevant to specific types of occupancies. Intended as an indispensable supplement to the NEC®, this book translates the sometimes vague and complex language of the Code into clearer, cleaner, and simpler terms. ... Read more

Reviews (31)

Leading the beginner astray
While some of the information contained in the book is useful, the reviews given here by beginning welders to beginning welders is potentially misleading. For example the author fails to provide proper information on the basic gas welding set-up. He starts with opening the valves and skips to lighting the torch, completely by-passing the installation of the regulators and properly leak checking the complete OFW system (bottle valves, regulators, lines and torches), not to mention the importance of blowing out the talc new hoses contain. This is just the OFW side of the book and there isn't enough space here to cover the MIG/TIG side.
Wanting to learn to weld? Save your money and when you buy that Victor kit you've been wanting you'll find that it comes with a small welding and cutting manual that has far more information and is far more clear, concise than this book.

Excellent beginner book
This was an excellent beginning welding book. It covers the basics of most types of welding and does so in a reatively small number of pages. The book is clearly written and easily understanable to the novice. It was a little lacking in the following areas:1) specifics of metallurgy and nominclature of metal labling(ie what metals and alloys can be welded together and what are all of the alloy and wire/rod/ect classifications are used for/ect). I can hardly fault the author for this since he does give some information in this regard and the book is designed for the beginner and I would not expect that level of detail. 2)characteristics of good welds, there is a good explaination/diagram of penetration but they really need more photos of proper and improper welds showing some of the problems that are briefly mentioned by the author. With 2 extra chapters devoted to the subjects I mention this book would go from great to fantastic. Also, I would recommend that you buy it before you purchase any equipment since there is a good description of the pros and cons of each welding method and what features to look for when purchasing equipment for your specific application. You can then talk more intellegently to the welding supplier that you buy your equipment from and most likely end up with equipment that better suits your needs.

Too little info, too many mistakes
Instead of being a useful reference, this book ends up being a sugarcoated overview of the trade, with little really practical information.

If you were completely unfamiliar with welding, it would probably give you an idea of the various processes and theories involved, except that it is riddled with inaccuracies and incorrect information. I was very disconcerted as I started reading it and came across one questionable statement after another.

For those of us who are seeking tips for improving our welding skills, it's almost completely useless. The book misses the mark on several counts - for example, the last chapter, "Welding Certification and Training." The lead sentence in the chapter says "The reason for including this chapter in the Welder's Handbook is to give you a taste of what high quality welding should look like." Yet the chapter goes on to picture a welding truck, a red iron erection project, and a few line diagrams. There is nothing whatsoever to give you any idea of what high quality welding looks like.

I was amused by the projects section too - after the author spent the entire book touting his credentials as an aircraft certified weldor (sic), the welding table project described how he had to take the materials to a commercial welding shop to have them pre-cut to length for him. ???

My 25-year-old college lab manuals from my metal fabrication engineering courses continue to be a better reference than this book. I'd hoped for some insight into the latest technology, such as inverter machines, but the author sweeps such topics away saying they are too complex to cover.

Pretty covers with glossy photos from Lincoln Welding - but that's about it. Pass this one by.

Shouldn't be the only source of information
This book is lacking two major points. First, it doesn't say anything about setting up the regulators. It didn't attempt for the fact that the regulator screw have to be all the way out to be in the 'OFF' position in most of the brands. Second, it doesn't say anything about the CGA standards for the regulators. It doesn't mention the 540 and 510 standards and the most common types of regulators and tanks you see on the market. Go to eBay and see how many types of tanks are there. Maybe it should refer the reader to the regulator's instruction manual, but these steps cannot be forgotten.

I've bought an used outfit that came without instruction manual, I had a lot of trouble with the CGA standards and damaged my regulator by opening the cylinder with the screw all the way in. All that without mentioning the fact that I could have blown my head off.

These books target the 'do-it-yourself' kind of people (such as myself) and should assume it will be the only source of information. If not, just refer the user to the instruction manual.

Overall good book but I recommend caution. Look for other sources of information, gas welding is a serious matter.

Another book for the shelf
Perhaps I'm too tough on these authors. Over the past year I have purchased at least 5 of these types of books, and find myself disappointed at the lack of pertinent information.

This particular book had some decent information on the various processes, but I do not feel that it went into any of the processes with enough detail.

Finch states that you should learn GAS welding first. This was of no help to me. I purchased a MIG mainly to do sheetmetal / autobody repairs.

I'd recommend looking at some of the welding manufacturers sites and buying technical manuals or videos from them rather than buy from Finch.

Unfortunately, I will probably be too stupid to listen to my own advice next time I go to purchase a book. I'll come right back here and buy one of these crappy little paper-backs that don't give nearly enough information. ... Read more