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by Lois Mai Chan
"The standard guide to the Library of Congress subject headings, revised and updated to reflect changes and developments since the second edition of 1986. Part 1 gives a brief history of the system, analyzes its principles, and describes the vocabulary and subject authority control. Part 2 deals with the application of LC subject headings on LC MARC records. Part 3 discusses the future prospects of the system as an online retrieval tool. Includes 13 appendices and a glossary." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
3rd edition, Hardcover, $55.00, ISBN 1563081954 Buy.
3rd edition, Paperback, $45.00 ISBN 1563081911 Buy.
From Library of Congress
23rd edition, July 2000, Hardcover, $250.00 ISBN 9990322155 Order.
by Library of Congress Catalog Division
8th edition, Paperback, $50.00 ISBN 9996596346 Buy.
by Minnie Earl Sears, Joseph Miller (Editor)
"A list of subject headings designed to serve small and medium-sized libraries by suggesting headings appropriate for use in their collections... The Sears List is intended for both adult and juvenile collections." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
16th edition, Hardcover, $60.00 ISBN 0824209206 Buy.
by Helena Dittmann and Jane Hardy
From the Library Basics series, No 1.
LC Classification is the letter/number system used by the Library of Congress, many US universities and at Macquarie University in Australia. JVB.
176 pages, Paperback, $29.50 ISBN: 0810836963 Buy.
21st Ed - 4 Vol Set
by Melvil Dewey, Joan S. Mitchell (Editor), Julianne Beall (Editor)
"Billedas the most popular classification in the world, the DDC 21 works hard to merit its preeminent status. The overarching philosophy of this edition, updated and revised from 1989's DDC 20, is user convenience. More understandable terminology and simpler subdivision practice will be appreciated by classifiers and patrons alike. New faceting makes many subject areas more flexible and expandable. Visible efforts to reduce U.S. bias in wording and structure are welcome. The most extensive revisions (other than updating for changed jurisdictions) occur in Religion, Public Administration, and Life Sciences. In an effort to lessen Christian bias, the standard subdivisions of Christianity have been relocated from 201-209 to Christianity (230-270). A new option puts Old Testaments books in the original Jewish order, and 296 Judaism and 297 Islam have been expanded. Numbers for Public Administration are the same (350-354), but the citation order is changed from jurisdiction/ topic to topic/jurisdiction and subdivision is faceted. The citation order in Biology (570s) also is flipped to process/organism for internal biological processes. Other changes include updated terminology and new topics (rap music, Internet, virtual reality, in-line skating, etc.). The CD-ROM version, Dewey for WindowsTM, has additional index terms and historical notes for changed numbers. If implemented properly, DDC 21 will make browsing more satisfying and classifying easier. Recommended..." Sheila S. Intner, GSLIS, Simmons Coll., Boston in Library Journal. Cahners Business Information, Inc.
July 1996, 21st edition, Hardcover, $325.00 ISBN 0910608504 Buy.
by Mona L. Scott
21st edition, 198 pages, Hardcover, $47.50 ISBN 1563085984 Buy.
13th Edition
by Melvil Dewey, Joan S. Mitchell
"The Dewey you can have when you can't affort the whole Dewey.This version of the Dewey Decimal Classification fits on your desk and in your budget. Abridged Edition 13 offers the up-to-date features of DDC 21 at a price small libraries can afford. Here's what you get in a single volume: * Major revisions of 350-354 public administration, 370 Education, 570 Life Sciences, 580 Plants, and 590 Animals * New table numbers for countries of the former Soviet Union * Updated terminology and new topics including virtual reality, Internet, rap music and in-line skating * Over 40 pages of additional index terms * Numbering compatible with DDC 21, so libraries can expand easily from the abridged to the full edition." A reader from Melbourne, Australia.
June 1997, 13th edition, 1023 pages, Hardcover, $90.00 ISBN 0910608598 Order.
by Sydney W. Davis and Gregory R. New, based on the work of Melvil Dewey.
Abridged Edition 13, Paperback Spiral, $20.00 ISBN: 091060861X Order.
by Joan S. Mitchell (Introduction)
December 1996, 21st edition, Paperback, $3.00 ISBN 0910608687 Buy.
For Edition 21
by Mary Mortimer
"The current trend in cataloging courses is to emphasize theory with little or no practical experience given. However, it is important for professionals, paraprofessionals, and library students to at least have a working knowledge of cataloging basics. Both of these books cover the basic skills necessary to classify in either the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) [See above. JVB] or the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC). The chapters and exercises are clearly written and to the point, with the answers also included. Both workbooks should be used in sequence as each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous ones. Not every LCC schedule is used. Examples and exercises were chosen to reinforce the general principles that apply across all schedules. Recommended for professionals and paraprofessionals seeking professional development, students wanting to supplement their courses with practical applications, and library schools offering distance learning courses in cataloging." Susan Ketcham, Long Island Univ.-Southampton Coll. Lib., NY in Library Journal. Cahners Business Information, Inc.
This book covers the skills necessary for a classifier using Dewey Decimal Classification in a library or other information agency, whether at a professional or a paraprofessional level. It is equally suitable for use by librarianship students in universities and colleges, and others who are studying classification by themselves, either with a specific goal or as part of their continuing professional development. Since most collections are organized according to a library classification scheme, and Dewey Decimal Classification is widely used, especially in public and school libraries, it is important for all library students and most library staff to be familiar with at least the basics. Truly a "hands-on" guide, "Learn Dewey Decimal Classification" contains useful exercises to practice new skills and quizzes to test understanding. There are answers for self-checking at the back of the book.
About the Author: Mary Mortimer is a teacher, librarian, author, and publisher. She is a director of DocMatrix Pty Limited, and was coordinator of the Library Studies program at the Canberra Institute of Technology in Canberra, Australia.
160 pages, Paperback, $26.50 ISBN 0810836947 Buy.
Records, Searching, and Number Building
by Julianne Beall
Book to guide users of the computer software. JVB.
August 1998, Paperback, $35.00 ISBN 0910608652 Buy.
by Mahvashk Momeni and University of Illinois
From a series of Occasional Papers.
Paperback, $2.50, ISBN: 9996642534 Order.
by Allan Fowler
From the True Book series.
Reading level: Ages 4-8
With clour photographs, 48 pages, Paperback, $5.56 ISBN 0516261304 Buy.
by Allan Fowler
From the True Book series.
Reading level: Ages 9-12
48 pages, School & Library Binding, $21.50 ISBN 0516201328 Buy.
by Mona L. Scott
"Scott (head of cataloguing, Bureau of Census Library, DC) has done us a great and long sought service. Entries are followed by the conversion, then by a description of the subject. Running headings in bold speed searching. Virtually every catalog department will cherish this splendid tool..." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Volume 1. 2nd edition, 258 pages, Paperback, $35.00 ISBN 1563088509 Buy.
by Mona L. Scott
Volume 3, 2nd edition, 200 pages, Paperback, $35.00 ISBN 1563088495 Buy.
by Michael Gorman (Editor), Paul W. Winkler (Editor) and the Joint Steering committe
2nd Revised edition, 720 pages, Paperback, $68.75 ISBN 0838934854 Buy.
2nd Rev edition, 720 pages, Hardcover, $100.00 ISBN 0838934862 Check availability.
For Books, Computer Files, Serials, Sound Recordings, Videorecordings.
by Deborah A. Fritz
"Fritz culls from AACR and the USMARC format to provide information about the application of subfielding and tagging for various areas of the cataloging record in relation to the appropriate AACR2 rule or rules and to offer guidance in dealing with particular situations. Each media format is accorded its own chapter, and the various formats are drawn together under the appropriate tag in the section arranged by tag numbers. LC rule interpretations and practices appear, as do OCLC conventions. This information is available elsewhere, but Fritz's effort is a handy source of quick answers." Edward Swanson, Booklist.
608 pages, Paperback - Loose leaf, $60.00 ISBN 0838907288 Buy.
1998 Revision
by Michael Gorman
From ALA.
168 pages, Paperback, $32.00 ISBN 0838934943 Buy.
A Programmed Introduction/Student Textbook
by Eric J. Hunter, Margaret E. Graham
Paperback, $43.95 ISBN 1856040887 Order.
by Mary Mortimer
This book provides basic instruction in descriptive cataloging and the MARC bibliographic format in a library or other information agency, whether at a professional or a paraprofessional level. It is equally suitable for use by library students in universities and colleges, and others who are studying classification by themselves, either with a specific goal or as part of their continuing professional development. Since the bibliographic record is the foundation of all the tools used in a library, from catalog to bibliography to online database, it is important for all library staff to be familiar with at least the basics. Truly a "hands-on" guide, "Learn Descriptive Cataloging" contains useful exercises to practice new skills and quizzes to test understanding. There are answers for self-checking at the back of the book.
About the Author: Mary Mortimer is a teacher, librarian, author, and publisher. She is a director of DocMatrix Pty Limited, and was coordinator of the Library Studies program at the Canberra Institute of Technology in Canberra, Australia.
256 pages, Paperback, $35.00 ISBN 0810836939 Buy.
by American Library Association
50 pages, Paperback, $15.00 ISBN 083893255X Buy.
by Deborah J. Byrne
2nd edition, 263 pages, Paperback, $45.00 ISBN 1563081768 Order.
by Network Development, Marc Standards Office
June 1998, Paperback, $19.00 ISBN 084440960X Buy.
by Lois Mai Chan
Cataloging and Classification is also a name for the course that covers general principles of bibliography, cataloging, and indexing, that is required for students working toward degrees in Library/Information Science. Of the few texts available for the course, Lois Chan's Cataloging and Classification is the best because the author is the most widely known and respected authority in the field and the text contains complex, difficult information that is presented clearly and in an organized understandable manner, and provides exercises to reinforce the concepts.
"Cataloging. If you find yourself needing to learn how to catalog, this is the book to teach you! Dr. Chan walks you step-by-step through the cataloging processes. This book explains the steps of AACR2R2, MARC, Dewey, and LC. Not everyone can take one of Dr. Chan's cataloging classes in person, this book is second only to that." Alita A. Vogel from Cincinnati, OH, United States.
"Picture of what you 're doing really matters. I have been using this book for almost two semester because this is one of our primary reference in our cataloging subject. Our subject includes Descriptive Cataloging and Non-book materials cataloging. Everytime we are asked to do some cataloging, I always prefer to have read first this book before doing some cataloging exercises because this gives me clear picture of what really am I going to do. The examples are there, and the corresponding catalog entry are there sited clearly. I can't forget when we were given a problem to catalog the compact disc that we brought in our class, I don't know what to do with that CD, and then I went to our library that time, and borrowed this book, and there I found clear explanation of what was to be done first in cataloging that type of non-book material. When I've seen the example, I just compared it with our compact disc (music CD), and I gathered every little bit of information that are needed in my catalog entry. And at last, I've done my work. The book gives layman explanation, you can't find here straight rules, there's an explanation for every technical terms that the author used. The book covers not oonly descriptive cataloging, but also, non-book materials cataloging. The book is very down to earth, you will find yourself just as reading simple mathematics. When I read the book everytime we have an exerice I just always find myself looking for the significant information in the chief sources of information and just plugged it in my catalog entry and I'm finished as easy as that. This book in short doesn't just set the rules in cataloging, it gives understanding how every rules in cataloging are being used. Now I'm on my third year of my Library and Information Science degree, and still I'm using this book as my primary reference because this book really gives me picture of what I am doing." A reader from Manila, Philippines.
2nd edition, 544 pages, Hardcover, $74.95 ISBN 0070105065 Buy.
by Robert S. Want (Editor)
2nd Spiral edition, Paperback, $9.95 ISBN 0942008979 Buy.
Ready-To-Use Tips, Techniques, and Materials to Help You Save Time and Work in Virtually Every Aspect
by Barbara Farley Bannister, Janice B. Carlile, Kathy Baron (Illustrator)
224 pages, Paperback, $23.96 ISBN 0876282974 Buy.
A Librarian's Commonsense Guide to Low-Cost Connections
by Karen G. Schneider
From the Neal-Schuman Net-Guide series.
"Complex terminology is explained clearly by a user-friendly writing style...this book will help you get connected." Library Software Review.
"Contains practical advice on hardware and software requirements for library Internet access, assessing current equipment and purchasing new equipment, and finding and working with low-cost upgrades. Compares different types of Internet services, discusses selecting an Internet provider, and looks at software packages and sources. Includes a glossary and an annotated bibliography of books and periodicals for personal and library use, plus commercial Internet access providers, US and overseas free-nets, and mail-order services." Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
What do you do when you have just a little money to spend on Internet access for your library, school media center, or home, and lots of hopes for what the Net can do for your staff or clientele? Let the Internet's version of the Budget Gourmet help you find cost-effective entry-level solutions for dial-accessible Internet connections! The "recipes," written for both PC and Macintosh users, provide friendly advice about: hardware and software requirements; purchasing and upgrades; assessing your current equipment; comparing Internet services; finding and working with an Internet provider; software packages, and more. Liberally spiced with charts, tables, graphics, and checklists, The Internet Access Cookbook concludes with a current, annotated bibliography of some of the best Internet-related books and periodicals for personal and library use.
317 pages, Paperback, $35.00 ISBN 155570235X Buy.
Hardcover, $165.00 ISBN 1864520418 Buy.
An annotated Listing of the 40,000 Best Books in Print in Over 300 Categories
by Geoffrey O'Brien (Editor)
There is no question that book lovers want books, buy books, and spend vast quantities of time and effort choosing books. The question is which books to get, and on which sources to rely. The updated second edition of The Reader's Catalog is the answer: it's divided into more than 320 categories to peruse, and there are indices by both title and author. With an annotated list of the 40,000 best books in print (as chosen by a distinguished group of writers, editors, academics, and critics), you need never pepper your friends and family for book recommendations again.
2nd ed., Paperback, $34.95 ISBN 0924322012 Buy.
by Patricia Barnes-Svarney
"Considering this volume is a mere 668 pages, it does a remarkable job of covering the major concepts and facts of biology, human anatomy, chemistry, physics, astronomy, Earth sciences, meteorology, environmental sciences, and engineering. Not surprising, as it was written by the New York Public Library staff who know what questions are most frequently asked by a knowledge-hungry public. The ultimate test of such a reference volume is scrutiny of areas with which one is intimately familiar, then reading up on areas about which one is woefully ignorant. This book passed both tests: The biology chapter was sound (though I wanted much more information about evolutionary principles), and the section on particle physics was informative. Even if you already have a collection of several thousand books covering most of the sciences (like myself), this is a handy reference. And if you're a student or want access to a lot of scientific knowledge in the smallest possible non-digital package, this resource is essential for those times when you simply can't get to the library." Amazon.
"Handy reference book for educational purposes..." Karen Sadler from Freedom, PA, USA.
758 pages, Hardcover, $27.96 ISBN 0028604032 Buy.
"This is exactly the type of reference book you'd expect from the New York Public Library--it is packed with tables, charts, timelines, and summaries devoted, in this case, to the African American experience. Chapters cover a variety of topics, including the saga of African American history, politics and civil rights, science and technology, the military and the media. African American Desk Reference opens with a timeline of African American history beginning in 1200 B.C. when, according to a number of scholars, black Africans from Egypt and Nubia sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and had extensive contact with native peoples of the Americas. The timeline spans 22 pages and ends in 1998 with a description of the President's Commission on Race, which looked at issues affecting African Americans, and BET's announcement that it would produce films for the African American market. As readers would expect, slavery is given much attention throughout the nearly 600 pages. And this is where the book's depth of information shines. Not only are slavery's origins, key players, and ultimate demise discussed, there are also tables showing the gender and age of captives taken from Africa between 1600 and 1800; a record comparing occupations in Charleston in 1848 among slaves, "free Negroes," and whites; and a chart of the nationality of ships engaged in the Atlantic slave trade from 1701 to 1800. Lighter topics are also covered, including summaries of the origins of major holidays, as well as the traditions behind family and wedding celebrations. A variety of recipes are also included (Onions, Okra, Corn and Tomatoes; Nola's Cheesy Macaroni and Cheese; Creole Red Beans and Rice), as are explanations of children's games, including the jump-rope contest Double Dutch and the clapping rhyme game Mary Mack. Notable achievements of African Americans are also addressed, including inventors and innovators, recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and winners of major literary prizes. True to its librarian roots, each chapter in the book ends with a list of sources where readers can find additional information. It's hard to imagine, though, that much is left uncovered in this extensive book." John Russell.
624 pages, Hardcover, $24.46 ISBN 0471239240 Buy.
"The New York Public Library's fine volume on American history is both scholarly and easy to use. The history is divided into topical chapters ("Territorial Expansion," "Immigration and Minorities," Military History," and so on), wherein each subject is treated chronologically and comprehensively within its boundaries. "Indigenous Peoples," for example, covers their history from the last great ice age to the 1989 court case of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians v. Holyfield, and is followed by an explanation of Indian religion and a short biography of Native Americans in American history. A variety of subjects get the same full treatment. This excellent reference book provides you with detailed and chronological views of religion and science, as well as a unique perspective on American culture." Amazon.
More than 1 million copies sold!
"Great for students. My son has just entered high school and loves this book. I has really helped him become more interested in school. He really likes the quick and easy synopis it provides." A reader from LA, CA.
640 pages, Hardcover, $27.96 ISBN 0028613228 Buy.
"In this hefty single-volume reference, one of the world's most trusted public libraries dispenses business information on subjects ranging from sexual harassment in the workplace to methods of organizing files. Ever wonder if your sales letters are in the correct format, or where to find the small-business loan you need to expand operations? The New York Public Library Business Desk Reference answers these and thousands of other questions in its far-ranging pages..." Amazon.
512 pages, Paperback, $15.96 ISBN 0471328359 Buy.
The Library of Congress Revisits the Spirit of Christmas During World War II
by Library of Congress, James H. Billington (Preface)
"In December 1943, Jill Oppenheim wrote to her husband, Alfred de Grazia, who was serving in the 5th Army overseas: ...I am cheerless in the exact proportions to which Bob Hope et al were full of holiday mirth. There is a peculiar psychology in missing someone you love--the pain becomes greatest during the times you deviate from the ordinary, & to most people, distasteful, routine of living--the Sundays, the feast days, the idle moments just before you go to bed.
For thousands of soldiers and their families, the Decembers during World War II were especially trying times. Far away from friends and family, the men and women serving overseas made do as best they could to celebrate, some decorating trees with C-ration cans or surgical gloves, some making up gifts for local children, and all hoping for packages from home. Those on the home front made do as well, dealing with travel restrictions and rationing--or, worse, the loss of friends and family. I'll Be Home for Christmas is a bittersweet look at how the holiday was celebrated during the dark Decembers of World War II. Taken from the archives of the Library of Congress, stories, correspondence, illustrations, diary excerpts, and photographs provide poignant glimpses of how America survived the war years. Even Grinches and Scrooges will be touched by a Christmas letter to his mother from Emit F. Logan, imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp; or a little boy's gift to thrice-wounded marine Edward Andrusko; or pictures of GIs in foxholes, grinning as they open their Christmas packages. A wonderful celebration of The Greatest Generation's spirit--and a wonderful look at an oft-forgotten side of World War II." Sunny Delaney.
America is ready to remember and honor the men and women who courageously served the nation during World War II. To celebrate those brave souls and their families, and the spirit that carried them through our nation's darkest days, the Library of Congress has created a magnificent gift book. Themed around memories of Christmas during the war, I'll Be Home for Christmas is a unique and handsomely packaged collection of poignant stories, correspondence, more than 100 photographs and illustrations,...
"I've waited over 50 years to tell this story. I am only one of the many contributors to this book. All of the stories of the Christmas's of WWII presented in this book are poignant, heart-warming and informative. So many suffered so much, and endured so much hardship, so that others could live in freedom! There are many enlightening tales here. As for mine, I've waited over 50 years to memorialize Freddie Zywicki and the crew of the PBM, as well of the crews of the TBMs. Every Christmas I relive the events of that day, December 5th, 1945..." The author, Bob Woerner.
About the Author: The Library of Congress is an institution whose collections are international in scope and is considered the nation's library.
210 pages, Hardcover, $16.80 ISBN:038533463X Buy.
by James Conaway, Edmund Morris (Introduction)
"The venerable Library of Congress, source of pride and source of perplexity for America's librarians, has reached its bicentennial. Since its inception in 1800 with the gift to the U.S. of Thomas Jefferson's personal book collection, the library's expansion has paralleled that of the nation it serves. Often opportunistic, driven by political as well as social and educational goals, the Library of Congress has grown on a vast, exuberant scale into the world's premier repository of the printed word. Conaway has chosen to organize his history of this institution around that tiny, hardy band of men and women who have used both political acumen and intellectual vision to build the library's collections and establish those services that make the LC library to both Congress and nation. Richly supplemented with photographs, this history reaches out to touch all who love libraries, not just professional scholars and librarians. Conaway's prose flows smoothly, avoiding jargon and placing the library's history in the context of the nation's development." Mark Knoblauch, American Library Association. Via Booklist.
"The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest cultural institution and a great repository of both intellectual and cultural treasures. This is the first popular illustrated history of the Library of Congress. It is more than an account of the careers of thirteen men (only one of whom was actually trained as a librarian), this is the story of discovering the great body of knowledge housed in the LOC and how it came to be there. Conaway has written a very accessible cultural history of the Library of Congress, complete with lively illustrations that begin to hint at the richness and diversity of collections available to the public. The LOC's amazingly wide-ranging collections (fire insurance maps, Cold War documents, folk music, Eames Collection of Design, Leonard Bernstein Archives, WPA/FPA photographs, the contents of Lincoln's pockets the night he was assassinated, etc.) are represented in the illustrations. The LOC is a favorite tourist attraction and reference (1 million visitors a year; the Library's website is visited by 1 million users a day)."
May 2000, 256 pages, Hardcover $27.96 ISBN 0300083084 Buy.
by Beck
Paperback $11.95 ISBN 0513170464 Buy.
by Elsesser
Paperback, $1.95 + $3.35 special surcharge (= $5.30), ISBN 0513017089 Buy.
Management Issues for Automated Cataloging
From the New Directions in Librarianship series, No. 2
by ACM Conference on Management Issues in Automated Cataloging.
"Requiem for the Card Catalog helps sort out the problems and possibilities inherent in applying modern technology to the heart of the traditional library. The essays collected in this volume treat every facet of automated cataloging."
Hardcover - 200 pages ISBN 0313206082 Check stock.
by Susan Rubin Suleiman
Political ideologies often informed early twentieth-century French novels, creating a hybrid genre that is both "realist" and didactic: the roman thse. In this ground-breaking and critically acclaimed work, Susan Suleiman looks beyond the politics of novels by such authors as Malraux, Mauriac, Sartre, and Aragon, and examines their shared formal and generic features. Although the genre itself is considered antimodern, the critical and interpretive problems it raises are central to an understanding of both realist and modernist writing. "The great virtue of [Suleiman's] book is its ability to synthesize a range of theoretical ideas--whether formalist, structuralist or "reader-response' in the service of a clear and compelling critical argument."--Christopher Norris, The London Review of Books. "This book is certainly one of the best examples of semiotic theory put to use for interpretation of literature and its relation to culture." Thas Morgan, Genre.
December 1992, 299 pages, Paperback, $20.95 ISBN 0691015368 Buy.
by C.S. Lewis
Defines a good book as one which can be read in a certain way, a bad book as one which can only be read in another. Compares good reading to love, moral action and intellectual achievement.
Hardcover, $59.95 ISBN 0521055539 Buy.
An Interpretation of JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis, GK Chesterton, Chas Williams
by John Warwick Montgomery
"The spiritual significance of myth via The Inklings writings. If you are a "fan" of the fantasy books by Tolkien, C.S.Lewis, Charles Williams or Chesterton, then this is a book worth reading. It is a collection of essays by various authorities in literature, myth and theology. A couple of the contributors were acquainted with either Tolkien or Lewis. The central thesis running through this collection of essays is that mythic symbols found in folk-tales and religious rituals, all express a common, fundamental human yearning for healing and a return to a "lost paradise". The essayists draw on insights from religious phenomenology, Jungian analysis, Christian theology and literary interpretation to tease out the potent mythic symbols found in the writings of Tolkien, Lewis, Chesterton and Williams. Lewis, Williams and Tolkien were associated with one another as drinking partners in an informal literary club known as The Inklings. The essayists "test" their thesis about the power of myth to reveal our search for meaning through the novels of the Inklings. The essayists take us a step further to consider the Christian world-view that informed and shaped the writings of Tolkien, Lewis, Williams and Chesterton. Although a couple of the essays are slightly "dated", any one interested in fantasy literature would find the thesis very absorbing. It should be useful not merely to students of english literature but also to the general reader who might like to know more about the backdrop to The Lord of the Rings, Narnia, etc. Certainly a book to add to your list for reading if you enjoyed the novels!" A reader from Sydney, Australia.
Paperback, $11.70 ISBN 0871233584 Order.
C. S. Lewis, Madeleine L'Engle, J. R. R. Tolkien, George MacDonald, G. K. Chesterton, Charles Williams, John Bunyan, Walter wan
by Rolland Hein with a foreword by Clyde S. Kilby.
"If you enjoy these authors, this book is a must read! I had the privilege of taking courses under Dr Hein in the early 90's at Wheaton. He is a very knowledgeable teacher and has great affection for the people he is writing about in this book. If you have any interest in these authors, this book is a must read. I wasn't aware that he had written this book when I came across it looking for books on George MacDonald and C.S. Lewis. As an Economics major, I somehow ended up taking four Lit. classes from Dr Hein because he is such a good instructor and passionate about his subject matter. Patrick O Watson from Columbus, Ohio.
"Good overview of ideas of the writers. Christian Mythmakers is a good overview of some of the thoughts and ideas of various Christian fantasy writers. While the chapter on John Bunyan is basically little more than a summary of Pilgrim's Progress, the rest of the book is interesting and thought provoking. The chapter on Charles Williams is a "must read" for anyone interested in or confused by Williams' work." A reader from Peoria, IL.
260 pages, Paperback, $12.55 ISBN 0940895315 Buy.
by Mandy Hicken and Ray Prytherch
"A guide for librarians and booksellers who are often asked by clients for other popular fiction by their favorite author (especially under a different name in a different genre) or books similar to the ones they like. Within sections of genres, such as historical, macabre, and science fiction, provides a biographical profile of authors, a description of their writing style, the relevant titles they have published, and (new to the third edition) a list of similar authors. All authors write in English; most are British and are still writing. Updated for the second time in four years, and projected to be updated periodically. Indexed by author and recurring characters. Distributed by Ashgate." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"For library patrons who thrive on fiction, the search for new (to them) books and authors will never end, or so it seems. Similar to the avid reader looking for another good novel is the librarian hoping to find another good reference source for locating the same. Now Read On makes a contribution to this effort, joining such ongoing publications as H. W. Wilson's Fiction Catalog, Gale's What Do I Read Next?, Genreflecting: A Guide to Reading Interests in Genre Fiction, Olderr's Fiction Index, and many other guides to fiction. This book offers a British viewpoint, and although many of the authors are American novelists popular in Britain, it may introduce the average American patron to quite a few new writers. Author Hicken is a librarian, Prytherch, an information management consultant. As was the first edition published four years ago, this is "a guide to the work of popular contemporary authors who write in a specific genre." Westerns and light romance are not covered, although gothic romances are. Of the 20 genres listed, some interesting ones are country life, foreign locations, humorous novels, "perceptive" women's novels, sea stories, and war stories. Mysteries are represented by the categories of detective stories, police work, thrillers, and women detectives. The section on each genre begins with a description of its characteristics, a brief history, and the leading writers identified with it. A short biography is given for each author, including place of birth, education, field of endeavor, places of residence, and honors and prizes. Next is a list of books with British publishers and publication dates, sorted by series, where applicable. The entry finishes with "now read" suggestions for similar authors. In the adventure genre, the entry for Desmond Bagley ends, "Now read Hammond Innes, Geoffrey Jenkins, Alistair MacLean, Duncan Kyle, Ken Follett, Wilbur Smith, Bob Langley." A list of literary prizes and awards, an index of authors, and an index of series and recurring characters complete the book. Making no claims to be exhaustive, this is nevertheless a solid work, giving access to many authors and titles of worthy novels, presented in a useful and interesting way. Patrons should enjoy using it and may come to rely on it. The short biographies of authors will be popular also. Library staff members doing book selection may find some authors to add to their collections. Recommended for public libraries." Booklist.
"A Guide to Contemporary Popular Fiction", 2nd Revised Edition, Hardcover, $64.95 ISBN 1859280080 Order,
"A guide to literature by genre", Second Revised edition, Hardcover, ISBN: 0566036398 Request a quote.
by Barry Turner (Editor)
"A wealth of vital information in an easy-to-use format...." American Reference Books Annual.
Published continually since 1863, The Statesman's Yearbook has uniquely documented the changes of the world during its most turbulent century. Its relevance to the political and business world is as central today as it was when it was first published. To face the challenge of reporting a new century, new features include: specifically commissioned essays from major political and academic figures focusing on topical issues and countries; a foldout color section that provides a political world map for quick and easy reference and a flag illustration for the 192 countries of the world; the international organizations section has been extended and offers highly detailed account of every important international association. Each country's key historical events section has been expanded and made more comprehensive. An international economic relations section includes a ranking of all major trading partners.
About the Author: Barry Turner succeeds Brian Hunter as only the seventh editor in The Statesman's Yearbook history. He has a Ph.D. in political theory and has been a full time writer for 20 years.
Hardcover, $140.00 ISBN 0333945735 Buy.
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by B. E. Nicholson (Illustrator), Catherine Geissler, John G. Vaughan, Elizabeth Dowle (Illustrator)
"Not enough tables of contents are enhanced by drawings of nuts, herbs, and root vegetables, but the table of contents in The New Oxford Book of Food Plants is, setting the tone for a book that clearly delights in the glories of the world's bounty. Each chapter, including grain crops and fruits, spices and seaweed, legumes and mushrooms among its 19 topics, is a cornucopia of information and beautiful, educational illustrations. Take the chapter on oil crops, for example. Covering olives, sesame, peanuts, soy beans, sunflowers, and the rape plant, the prose describes where they grow and what the fruits look like, what kind of oil is produced and what it's used for, how it's made and how else the fruits may be used. Color drawings of the plants and their fruits are on the facing page. Put together by writers who respect each plant and give them the attention and detail that spell quality, this is a beautiful book and a charming resource." Stephanie Gold.
The New Oxford Book of Food Plants is the most comprehensive--and most appealing--reference book available on the many edible plants we grow in our gardens, buy in our shops, and eat with great relish. A true cornucopia, this reference overflows with information and is packed with full-color, hand-painted illustrations of the world's food plants. Here, readers will find a feast of facts about cereals, sugar crops, oil seeds, nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, sea-weeds, mushrooms, wild food plants, and much more besides. Entries typically discuss the source and history of a plant, how it is prepared for market, and how it is used as food. And in addition to covering everything from beverage crops to tropical root crops, the editor has included a glossary of botanical terms, a section on nutrition and health, nutrition tables, a list of recommended readings, and an index. With marvelous hand-painted illustrations and a wealth of nutritional, historical, and other information, The New Oxford Book of Food Plants belongs on the shelf of everyone who loves to garden, to cook, and to eat healthily."
"A true cornucopia, The New Oxford Book Of Food Plants overflows with information and is packed with beautiful, hand-painted illustrations of the world's food plants. Readers will discover a feast of facts about cereals, sugar crops, oil seeds, nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, seaweeds, mushrooms, wild food plants, and much more. 100 color illustrations."
"Excellent for learning about food plants from all over. This book is great for learning to identify food plants from all over the world. The illustrations are realistic and each plant is described. I use it to help my 4-H horticulture judging team prepare for the national judging contest. The plants and illustrations in this new edition are the same as in the original book, however the 1998 edition has an excellent section on phytonutrients." A reader from Lincoln, NE.
"Great gift, reference, and coffee table book. The original edition of this book was out of print for some years and it is delightful to see it out again, and expanded no less. It combines 2 great virtues: highly readable and informative text with illustrations of a quality that are "suitable for framing." It is a great book for anyone who takes an interest in botany, cooking, or gardening and you couldn't go wrong giving it as a gift to one of these types. It's also great for reference. If you're getting it as a gift I suggest ordering 2, because you'll want one for yourself when you see it." Orin Hargraves from Westminster, MD, USA.
2nd Edition, 256 pages, Hardcover, $45.00 ISBN 0198548257 Buy,
264 pages, Paperback, $20.00 ISBN 0198505671 Buy.
by Alan Davidson and Soun Vannithone (Illustrator)
"Alan Davidson's Oxford Companion to Food has been over 20 years in the assembling, but here it is; and it is superlatively worth the wait. In fact, superlatives fall silent. A huge and authoritative dictionary of 2,650 entries on just about every conceivable foodstuff, seasoning, cuisine, cooking method, historical survey, significant personage, and explication of myth, it is supplemented by some 40 longer articles on key items. Davidson himself (no relation to this reviewer) contributes approximately 80 percent of the 2,650 entries, thereby guaranteeing high levels of erudition, readability, and deadpan feline wit. Since this is a monument intended to last, nothing so frivolous as a recipe is included. A decision taken early in the development of the project to abjure issues whose significance is largely topical has also ensured an agreeable high-mindedness--nothing on those crucial but essentially dreary topics of BSE and GM foods, for example. If a fault could be found, it would only be that it's often difficult to read to the end of an entry, as the abundant cross-referencing all too easily sends one off to another entry, thence bouncing off to another, and all too soon the original is forgotten. A random alphabet of seductions might include: Aardvark, Botulism, Cup Cake, David (Elizabeth), Enzymes, Fat-Tailed Sheep, Gender/Sex and Food, Hallucinogenic Mushrooms, Ice Cream Sundae, Jewish Dietary Laws, Kangaroos, Lobscouse, Microwave Cooking, Norway, Offal, Puffin, Queen of Puddings, Roti, Scurvy, Termite Heap Mushroom (or Taillevant), Umeboshi, Vegetarianism, Washing up (a very elegant little article), sadly no X, Yin-yang, and Zabaglione. As this might show, Alan Davidson's aim, borrowed from Dumas's great Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine, that his work would appeal not only to persons of "serious character" but also those "of a much lighter disposition," is utterly fulfilled." Robin Davidson, Amazon.co.uk.
"In scope and ambition, this guide to the history and use of food is a work of scholarship comparable tothe original edition of the "Dictionary of National Biography"....Some day the field of food history or culinary history or gastronomy or foodways, or whatever it may be called, will achieve full academic status and respectability. This will be largely thanks to Mr. Davidson's labors and "The Oxford Companion to Food." And thanks to him, too, it need never be a dull subject." Paul Levy, Wall Street Journal, November 12, 1999.
"A Compendium that surpasses all that come before. This fascinating reference is a truly a labor of love. Clearly Davidson has an unabiding interest in food, and quite a library of his own. He freely quotes other authorities lending great credibility to his text, and saving you some shelf space, because all you will need is this! If you are a "food geek," don't miss this great book." A reader from Charlottesville, VA, USA.
"Great for fans (?) of British cooking. A wonderful book but overly Anglo- (and Gallo-) centric. Many more diverse (and some not-so-diverse, like tacos) ethnic foods are overlooked by the author, an older British upper-crusty type..." A reader from Cambridge, MA, USA.
"Go to (Taco) Bell! SEE PREVIOUS REVIEW If you look up 'Taco' in the index (try the back of the book), you will be guided to look under 'Tortilla' where you will find the following entry - "A taco, in Mexico is a fresh tortilla rolled around mashed beans, shredded meat and sauce. It can be lightly fried after filling, and is eaten as a snack or appetiser. In the TEX-MEX cuisine of the USA, a taco denotes a tortilla bent in half, deep fried to give a U shape, and filled with minced beef, shredded lettuce, and grated cheese." - Pretty comprehensive I would say. But frankly, if it's 'Taco' you want to look up, then this is not really the book for you. However, if you need to know about Mamee or Mangosteen or Megapode or Merguez or even Mediaeval Cuisine, just to mention some Ms, then buy the book and buy it quick. It's a great book and of interest to - well not quite every one, but any one who likes and knows about food, which may well include some "older British upper-crusty types"!" Not a Anglo-(or Franco-)phile but from Port of Spain Trinidad & Tobago.
"Everything you may possibly want to know about food. The best part is that it doesn't have recepies; the author almost boasts for keeping them out. Planning a visit to some remote country and want to know what and how they eat before you start your trip? Read the relevant entry and you are home. Many more... just buy it." Candan Baysan from Ankara, Turkey.
892 pages, Hardcover, $48.00 ISBN 0192115790 Buy.
by Philip R. Reilly
"Twenty-four true, wide-ranging tales of crime, history, human behavior, illness, and ethics, told from the personal perspective of the author, an eminent physician-lawyer who uses these stories to illustrate the principles of human genetics and to discuss the broader issues."
Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.
358 pages, Hardcover, $25.00 ISBN 0879695803 Buy.
A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw
by Witold Rybczynski
"In 1999, an editor of the New York Times Magazine approached Witold Rybczynski, the well-known student of architecture and urban design, and asked him to write a short essay on the best and most useful common tool of the past millennium. Rybczynski took the assignment, but when he began to look into the history of the items in his workshop--hammers and saws, levels and planes--he found that almost all of them had pedigrees that extended well into antiquity. Nearly ready to admit defeat, he asked his wife for ideas. Her answer was inspired: "You always need a screwdriver for something." True enough. And, Rybczynski discovered, the screwdriver is a relative newcomer in humankind's arsenal of gadgetry, an invention of the late European Middle Ages and the only major mechanical device that the Chinese did not independently invent. Leonardo da Vinci got to it early on, of course, as he did so many other things, designing a number of screw-cutting machines with interchangeable gears. Still, it took generations for the screw (and with it the screwdriver and lathe) to come into general use, and it was not until the modern era that such improvements as slotted and socket screws came into being. Rybczynski's explorations into that lineage, here expanded to book length, are highly entertaining, and sure to engage readers interested in the origins of everyday things." Gregory McNamee.
"Rybczynski, a professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, has written best-selling books on such subjects as domestic comfort, building his own home and Frederick Law Olmsted. He felt a bit let down when the Sunday magazine of the New York Times asked him to write an article about "the best tool" of the second millennium. But he is good with tools and interested in them, and so he took on the assignment. Many tools, he soon found, predate the second millennium. Consulting William Louis Goodman's History of Woodworking Tools, published in 1964, he read somewhat disbelievingly that the screwdriver did not appear until the 19th century. That set him off on a search for earlier references to this "laughably simple tool." The result is this splendid account of a number of tools, of the evolution of the screw and finally of his discovery that the "turnscrew" is indeed much older than Goodman thought. His search led him eventually to the 15th-century Medieval Housebook, where he found a drawing of a screw-turning lathe with a puzzling tool resembling a chisel lying on a workbench. "One day, while I am puzzling over the drawing again, I realize that the blunt end [of the tool] is exactly the same size as the slot in the head of the cutter. Of course. It's not a chisel, it's used to adjust the cutter. It's a screwdriver. Eureka! I've found it. The first screwdriver."." Editors Of Scientific American.
As much as Frederick Law Olmstead, the hero of Rybczynski's acclaimed previous effort (A Clearing in the Distance, 1999), changed the face of America, the subject of his new study has changed the world. As the year 2000 approached, Rybczynski was asked to write a short essay on the "best tool" of the millennium for the New York Times Magazine. This assignment sent him off in search of a worthy topic: his first choices turned out to be much more ancient than he had expected, and, after considerable digging, he found himself writing about the screwdriver. Although the screw is much older, the tool with which we usually manipulate it seems to date back to the medieval period. Having ascertained this fact to his satisfaction, the author begins an ambling, rambling discussion of the evolution of this seemingly common household implement. Rybczynski digresses into some amusing and even fascinating sidings in the course of this journey. There is a wonderful mini-biography of Henry Chapman Mercer (a prominent historian of American tools who was also the avatar of the American wing of the Arts and Crafts Movement) and splendid thumbnail sketches of Peter L. Robertson and Henry F. Phillips (who competed to develop a screw and screwdriver that would be more reliable than the simple slotted screw-and, yes, Phillips is the man who gave his name to the cruciform screw and driver we all know). Perhaps the most striking chapter is devoted primarily to the story of Henry Maudslay, a British mechanical genius whose many innovations include the regulating screw and the screw-cutting lathe. At its heart, though, the central thesis is that men like Maudslay and Mercer possess the same kind of intuitive spark as great artists do-a thesis that this book convincingly illustrates.Charming, witty, and, despite its seemingly desultory structure, quite cunningly thought-out. Kirkus Associates, LP.
"The seeds of Witold Rybczynski's elegant and illuminating new book were sown by The New York Times, whose editors asked him to write an essay identifying "the best tool of the millennium." The award-winning author of Home: A Short History of an Idea and, most recently, A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the Nineteenth Century, Rybczynski once built a house using only hand tools. His intimate knowledge of the toolbox -- both its contents and its history -- serves him beautifully on his quest. One Good Turn is a story starring Archimedes, who invented the water screw and introduced the helix, and Leonardo, who sketched a machine for carving wood screws. It is a story of mechanical discovery and genius that takes readers from Ancient Greece to Victorian Glasgow, from weapons design in the Italian Renaissance to car design in the age of American industry. Rybczynski writes an ode to the screw, without which there would be no telescope, no microscope -- in short, no enlightenment science. The screwdriver, perhaps the last hand tool in a world gone cyber, represents nothing less than the triumph of precision. One of our finest cultural and architectural historians, Rybczynski renders a graceful, original, and engaging portrait of the tool that changed the course of civilization."
"Where to find a definition. Great book. Enjoyed it immensely and appreciate the author's diligence in searching out his sources. He admits being unable to find a definition for "turnscrew" in any dictionary. Here is one for him (I hope he sees this.) Webster's New International Dictionary, 2d Edition Unabridged defines "turnscrew" as follows - A device to turn a screw: a screw driver or wrench." Stanley B. Dickes from Sun City West, AZ, USA.
"A Small Perfection. This book is a delight. It has to do, in part, with screws and screwdrivers, not very exciting or even interesting themes on the face of it; but there is much more to this slender volume than just that. The genesis of the book was an assignment from an editor at the New York Times to write an article about the best tool of the millennium. Eyeglasses were, in Mr. Ribczynski's estimation, the most important tool of the period; but the editor was not interested in appliances or technological innovation, but in simple tools: the things one holds in one's hand to do, say, carpentry. Thus came the notion to the author (prompted by his wife) to consider the screwdriver and the screw as the premier tools of the millennium. The printing press, the wine presses, lathes, water elevators, on and on the parade of practical helixes related to the screw (both in the last and previous millennia) is displayed in this little book. Well planned, extremely precise (as the screw itself should be), scholarly, and containing many explanatory line drawings, the book is a joy. I think that Henry Petroski's book "The Pencil" opened the door to this kind of writing: a commonplace, relatively insignificant object is brought under microscopic scrutiny as to its history and evolution; what emerges is a magnified picture of not only the object itself, but of mankind in its eternal struggle for small perfections. This book, in its own way, is one of these small perfections." Fermed from San Diego, California, USA.
"One Good Turn Deserves to be read. Let's get the main question out of the way: Can an entire book devoted to the history of the screw and scredriver possibly be worth reading? The answer is an unqualified yes. This small book takes an unusual, almost reverential, look at the the nature of tools and the mind of the inventor and innovator. Rybczynski recounts his research into the origins of this ubiquitous tool, so it is also a tale of the research process. He tells the story in a casual, personal style, making it an easy read. The book is not tightly focused on its subject, filled with many digressions and asides which are as interesting as the main narrative. One of my favorites concerns the invention of the the shirt button. It seems like the epitome of simplicity, and could have been made thousands of years ago, yet it took until the 1300's for some unknown genius to make the "leap of imagination" and conceive of the device, which seems simple but is not at all intuitive. The author asks the reader to imagine trying to explain the the "twist and flip" motion to some one who has never used one. Its nuggets like this, which make the reader look at common items from an entirely different perspective, that makes the book shine. It turns out that one of the first uses of the screw dates back to the Middle Ages, as a method of fastening the the brutally abused armor of jousting knights, and later to secure the matchlock mechanisms of the earliest firearms. However, in exploring the concept of the helix, the basis of the screw, the author reaches much further back in time, to the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, who undestood the shape and put it to use in irrigation and wine pressess. My only peeve is that although the book is loaded with temporal dates, I still found them lacking in certain places where they were sorely needed to put events in perspective. Aside from that minor short-coming, this is a book about much more than just the screw and screwdriver, full of pleasant suprises and delightfull "twists". A must read." Walter J. Maslowski from Staten Island, NY.
"Screw Up Your Courage and Dive into Screwdrivers! Although I had no interest in screwdrivers and screws when I started this book, the text provided a pleasant reading experience and I learned more than I thought I would. All in all, it was well worth the time spent. I think you will feel that way too, unless you have no interest at all in mechanical devices and the process of innovation. My favorite parts related to the innovations. This book is composed of equal parts (1) why the author chose the screwdriver as the tool of the millennium for his article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine (2) where you have to go to find out about screwdrivers from the past (3) how he developed the information for this history of the screwdriver and screws and (4) the geniuses who developed the key advances in the technology of these useful devices. The style is a bit rambling, much like what would happen if you were chatting about the subject over a barbecue in the back yard with plenty of time on your hands. I can assure you this must be the most complete and authoritative book about screwdrivers and screws ever, especially since the author points out the virtual absence of any prior material turning up in his research. Let me summarize the key areas. He picked the screwdriver as the tool of the millennium not because he thought of it, but because his wife told him that it was the one tool that she always kept around. After having gone through his own tool kit, he had not even thought of the screwdriver.
The first place where much shows up on the screwdriver in older texts is Diderot's Encyclopedia. In those days screwdrivers were called turnscrews.
To get a flavor of the screwdriver in the middle ages, when it seems to have appeared, you have to look into armor and early guns.
The screw goes back much further, showing up in useful form for Archimedes in Greek times as a way to raise water.
Screws later played many other important roles, especially in presses (including, of course, printing presses).
Lathes turned out (pun intended) to be an important related technology for making screws precise and consistent.
I learned about some interesting related technologies, including Greek mechanical devices with gears for calculating the orbits of heavenly bodies.
Then, we finally get down to gears and the development of improved lathes and the Robertson and Phillips screw heads. He prefers the Robertson (which I had never heard of before) which uses a socket top to screw in and remove screws.
At the end is a nice set of illustrations along with a glossary of tools.
This book is probably going to be a classic Father's Day gift for decades, along with a Robertsonscrewdriver, socket set, and screws.
Overcome your misconception that you know all you need to know about screwdrivers. You'll be pleasantly surprised by this gentle and unassuming book.
When you are done, pick something else you think you probably know enough about and search around to find a good book on that topic as well to expand your own knowledge further. Keep doing that, and some wonderful learning awaits you!" Donald Wayne Mitchell a co-author of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The 2,000 Percent Solution from Boston.
176 pages, Hardcover, $17.60 ISBN 068486729X Buy.
A concise Dictionary
by Informatik Rezurch
Electronics Terminology: A Concise Dictionary consists of two sections, acronyms and glossary, featuring electronics, packaging and production, computer, and semiconductor terms and definitions which are current and straight-to-the-point. Many acronyms and definitions are cross-referenced for complete coverage. Its shirt-pocket size makes it a handy quick-reference source for engineers and technicians on the move.
"A portable abridgement of everchanging technical terms. Informatik Rezurch (what an intriguing name!!!) offers this wonderful and useful dictionary to all high tech business folks who are constantly on the go. This book captures all major electronic terminologies and hard-to-decode acronyms in one easy-to-lookup collection. It has repeatedly rescued me from embarassing myself before going into technology-oriented meetings. For anyone who is in the market for a handy-techy reference book, I say this one is it!" A reader from San Jose, CA.
96 pages, Paperback, $7.95 ISBN 0750697512 Buy.
by Edited by Stan Gibilisco
"In this new edition of an everything you always wanted to know about electronics reference by a technical writer, readers can refer to the A-Z definitions ("zwitterion" is the last entry), acronyms, illustrations, schematic symbols, and electrical system conversion tables relating to the core basics of this field <--> plus terminology denoting the latest technological developments (e.g. in fiber optic communications, digital electronics, and lasers). A short listing of "suggested additional reading and reference" is the closest approximation of a bibliography." Book News, Inc.
No comparable reference offers as many easy-to-read definitions, abbreviations, acronyms, illustrations, schematics, diagrams, and conversion tables in electronics as this updated dictionary. Over 27,500 definitions and 1,000 illustrations including many new ones from robotics, artificial intelligence, and personal computing. You'll find coverage of the latest terms in lasers, TV, radio, IC technology, digital and analog electronics, audio and video, power supplies, fiber optic communications, and more. "... highly recommended..." American Reference Books Annual (on a previous edition).
"Clear and concise definitions of all terms. This is the best electronics dictionary I've ever run across. All of the definitions are clear and concise. There are many cross-references to other similar topics. Students and technicians will find this dictionary especially suited to their needs." A reader from Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
"Concise and complete. I use it almost every day. This book is the most straightforward and comprehensive electronics dictionary I have found. The illustrations are simple, and are easy to interpret. I think some terms have illustrations when they aren't needed. I really appreciate the fact that the mathematics is not too complicated." A reader from California.
7th edition, 788 pages, Paperback, $31.96 ISBN 0070241864 Buy.
by Bill O'Brien
A fascinating and chilling account of nine cases of mass murder from around the world. It examines the profiles of more recent killers, such as Klebold and Harris who killed 13 at Columbine High School in 1999. As the incidence of mass murder increases, what can be done to identify potential killers and prevent future tragedies?
About the Author: New Zealand-based Bill O'Brien worked as a police officer for over 35 years. He has been involved in numerous murder investigations and has an interest in and deep knowledge of the effects of murder. He studied criminology at Victoria University in Wellington, and criminal law at Auckland University, New Zealand.
2000, Paperback, $19.95 + $1.99 ISBN 0734401647 Buy.
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Firstly books for scientific and other report writers, then some for fiction writers.
by Mary Helen Briscoe
"Use this Book to Improve Your GQ!* *(Graphics Quotient)
Every graduate student, postdoc and scientist knows that images and illustrations can make or break their lecture, poster presentation, and journal or book article. Graphics software and laser printers have placed professional-quality graphics within the reach of everyone. But in the end, whether your audience sees clear, understandable images or a 300 dpi mess depends on whether you've followed the principles presented by Mary Helen Briscoe in this book. Learn the strengths and weaknesses of different forms of visual presentations. Understand when to use a figure, and how much information can be represented in one. See examples of bad, good, and better graphs and tables. Focus on your audience, to learn that a figure prepared for an article may not be ideal for a slide or an overhead. The author also presents information on presenting DNA sequences, protein structures, and other molecular graphics."
From reviews of the first edition: "The emphasis is on the nuts and bolts of how figures are printed and how knowledge of these processes can be applied by authors when preparing figures to ensure optimal reproduction in a book or journal...every graduate student would benefit from studying [this book]." Trends in Biochemical Sciences.
"Mary Helen Briscoe has done every speaker, conference goer, and publisher a tremendous service by providing this readable manual on how to visually present scientific information. This book should be on the shelf of every educator, researcher, lab, and library. It should also be required reading for any new scientist giving a paper, presenting a poster, or submitting an article." Journal of Chemical Information and Computer Science.
"Second edition of a concise handbook for scientists on how to create clear, effective, and attractive illustrations for lectures, posters, and journal or book articles. 1990 edition entitled Researcher's Guide to Scientific and Medical Illustrations."
2nd edition, 204 pages, Paperback, $32.95 ISBN 0387945814 Buy.
by Vernon Booth
"Writing scientific papers and giving talks at meetings and conferences are essential parts of research scientists' work. Geared to scientific disciplines, this short succinct book will help them to present their results more effectively."
"Vernon Booth: a classic in scientific writing. This book is by one of the first authors to recognise that communication skills are important in science, and that they are a craft that has rules and principles that any student can learn relatively easily. It deserves to be treated as a classic, and should be compulsory reading for any student of the life sciences.
I can recall reading it with much interest during my PhD in the 1980's, when it was about the only work available in this field, and various biochemical societies in the UK made it available to students. Much of the advice on straightforward communication style is still extremely valid today. In the later 80's and 90's, the field of writing skills took off, and now most University bookshops have several shelves of books on writing skills and how to write a thesis. Booth's book is short, direct, and the advice is very practical. Read it!" Mike Brisco from Flinders University, Australia.
2nd edition, 78 pages, Paperback, $14.95 ISBN 0521429153 Buy.
by Martha Davis and Gloria Fry (Illustrator)
"A text for a course or seminar, or a tutorial and reference for individual use. Offers practical advice and instruction on writing first drafts, reviewing and revising, communicating, stylistic principles, table and figures, ethical and legal issues, dealing with lay audiences, and other aspects of presenting scientific information in written or oral form. The bibliography is substantially annotated." Book News Inc., Portland, OR.
"Synopsis Communication skills are among the qualities most prized by those who hire and promote scientists. This resource provides a concise guide to writing what must be written: proposals, literary reviews, theses, journal articles, slide presentations, posters, or grants. The author also discusses conventions in writing proofreading and copywriting."
"Inspiring reading. A very inspiring and reminding book for people writing scientific papers.All the figures and citats makes it so funny to read. You don´t have to be in the department of agronomy to get a good idea for your paper from this book. After reading I just longed for continuing my writing field with new ideas and it´s frontpage is so coulorful so for me it´s not only a book but also a piece of art." A reader from Upplands-Väsby, Stockholm, Sweden.
320 pages, Paperback, $24.95 ISBN 0122063708 Buy.
by Robert A. Day (Editor)
"a valuable information source for everybody working in natural sciences...this is one of the best books on writing and publishing in science: buy it!" Photosynthetics, 1999
"Scientific Writing Made Easier. Each edition of this witty and practical guide to writing, organizing, illustrating, and submitting scientific research for publication in a scholarly scientific journal has become an instant bestseller. The fifth edition has been revised extensively to reflect the significant impact of the Internet and other electronic resources on the writing and publishing of scientific papers. Five new chapters on this subject have been added. The book's appendixes include guides to using abbreviations, common errors in style and spelling, words and expression to avoid, prefixes and suffixes, and a glossary of technical terms. A new appendix features sample submission requirements to an electronic journal." The publisher, Oryx Press.
"Must-have reference! I read the 4th edition, but I assume this 5th edition is even better, if that were possible! My copy sits among the dictionary, the thesaurus, and the scientific style guide. Written with humor, this amazing how-to book breaks down all of the components of writing any scientific product, be it thesis or manuscript, and gives practical instructions on what to include and what to avoid. I especially enjoyed the grammar sections, with its real-world examples, such as "lying on top of the intestines, you will perhaps make out a small transparent thread," which is a somewhat gooey spot for observation... I refer to this book every time I write, and find new advice to keep me on track--and published!" A reader from Michigan.
"The ultimate guide for scientists who want share ideas. I was acquainted with Robert Day's How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper during my post graduate years. Only the fourth edition was available then. I have since continually recommended it to all people in my scientific circles. Now that I am involved in helping budding scientists take their first steps in research, I use Day's book as my bible. Most of the undergraduate students that have come by me have been exposed to this handy reference, and I believe that through Day's book third world science can actually level up to our first world counterparts." A reader from Philippines.
"One of the best!! As I am preparing for Ph.D. research in law, I thought I bought this book by mistake, for the title contained the word "Scientific"! It turned out to be one of the best readings I did on academic research (and believe me; I did many). A very good book with a direct approach towards the 'techniques' of writing for publication. Although it is addressing scientists, most of the tips are suitable for researchers in other disciplines, even humanities. The writer succeeded in the difficult formula: original ideas + sense of humor ! A recommend it strongly." A reader from Kuwait.
5th edition, 240 pages, Paperback, $24.50 ISBN 1573561657 Buy.
by John Bond and Keith D. Jenkins (Illustrator)
"... packed with an amazing collection of facts ... succeeds in deriving humour from events which were often tragedies at the time ... quotations are linked and accidents retold [in a] skilled and sensitive way ... very handy source of materials to enliven safety speeches and writings ... if readers ... want to fill a stocking ... here is the answer." Barry Hotson, IChemE Loss Prevention Bulletin.
"... a book which is effortless to read and may be dipped into at any page ... well-researched and written in a lively style. The nature of the storytelling means the reader is compelled to read aloud to anyone who happens to be around, and it is very difficult to put down ..." Catriona Kelly, The Chemical Engineer.
"At times, this book reads like source material for scriptwriters of Tom and Jerry cartoons: one improbable event leading to another, equally implausible." "If you have enjoyed previous offerings from the Institute of Physics ... you will enjoy this." Peter Borrows, Education in Chemistry, Vol 34, No. 5, September 1997.
"... a valuable compendium of interesting accidents and historical facts ... a must for all safety practitioners, and a good buy ..." John Gillett, Zeneca, IChemE Safety and Loss Prevention Newsletter, Summer 1997.
"... anthology of disasters, accidents and lucky escapes ... written to educate as well as entertain ... a book to dip into and chuckle over ... a good book to ... give as a present." K Swinfen, School Science Review, March 1998
238 pages, Paperback, $30.00 ISBN 0750303603 Buy.
8000 Editors Who Buy What You Write
Edited by Kirsten Holm
"A classic improves! As one of several freelance writers throughout the country contacted recently to do a professional review of this book for the publisher, I expected to find some changes from last's years version. The primary question I was ready to ask was if those changes being made in this version were made simply for the sake of making this edition different from its predecessor, or would there be enough real, viable, beneficial additions to an already outstanding book to make a hard-working, penny-pinching freelance writer buy a new copy. The answer was rather quickly answered as I thoroughly examined the book, and I was most pleasantly surprised at the changes actually made in this edition. Somehow Senior Editor Kirsten Holm (and the obvious multitude of others who worked on this edition) managed to find a number of subtle and not-so-subtle ways to improve a book that is almost beyond improvement. Writers Market has been, and still is, THE basic reference volume for any writer working in the magazine market, and it is an excellent resource book for any writer need information on publishers in the U.S. or Canada. This year's version now includes the addition of a section on literary agents, and although I'm not sure about its inclusion, like the rest of the book it too is well done (I have a personal problem with the rather large number of books in the writing marketplace that don't include many of the hard-working smaller agents - mine included). That said, this year's Writer's Market is worth a serious look, especially if your last year's version is as dog-earred, yellow-lined and worn as it should be if you are using it properly. Final comments? I feel so strongly about this year's version that even before I was contacted about reviewing the book, I had already purchased one. And the sample provided me for review? It now resides in our local library's reference section so the many "new" writers in my area can have access to a major reference book until they decide they need one of their own." William Michael Goins from Near Houston, Texas.
"Packed with info. The 2000 Writer's Market is full of useful information, and even more convenient than online sources, since so much is available in one book (and you can access it instantly by opening the book, no waiting for modems to connect!) It's categorized in a smart and easy-to-use format, and all the basic information is included under each entry. For beginning writers, the book is a must-have by virtue of all the information as well as the statistics on each publisher. For seasoned writers, the book is a useful tool to be used for many different projects. If you don't have it, get it! Or better yet, get the 2001 Writer's Market." Heather Mann from California.
1120 pages, Paperback, $23.99 ISBN 0898799775 Buy.
2000+ Places to Sell Your Fiction
Edited by Barbara Kuroff and Tricia Waddell.
"For writers of fiction intent on publishing, there is no better resource than the annual Novel & Short Story Writer's Market. Each update of the guide, which lists over 2,000 places to publish fiction (including magazines literary and otherwise, zines, and book publishers large and small), acts as a kind of annual industry checkup. What publications are out there? What are they publishing? What kinds of fiction are hot, and not? This year's edition tells us that freshness, short shorts, originality, neatness, simple fonts, risk taking, good endings, and humor are all in. Workshop writing, thinly veiled autobiography, gimmickry, splatter fiction, and grammatical errors are not. Still, the best, and perhaps most often repeated advice throughout is: To thine own self be true. Write what you want or feel compelled to write, and worry about publication later. There is a market for almost everything, including climbing fiction (The Climbing Art), black-lesbian erotica (Black Lace), baseball stories (Spitball), tales of oppression and rebellion (Struggle), hot-air ballooning stories (Balloon Life)--even fiction featuring large-breasted characters (Gent). While contact information, payment terms, and the like provide the backbone of the listings, it is the advice from the publishers that makes this book so eminently browsable. "Forget formulas," says the editor at The Café Irreal; "Write about what you don't know, take me places I couldn't possibly go." "Write as if words were your bread, your water, a great vintage wine, salt, oxygen," say the folks at Collages and Bricolages. "Even though we are jaded old teachers and editors," confide the jaded old teachers and editors at The Distillery, "we still want to feel a chill run down our spines when we read a perfect description or evocative line of dialogue." And don't forget: "If an editor says, 'try again,'" remind the editors of Acorn Whistle, "try again ... and again!" New this year: listings for over 60 literary agents; a section on screenwriting markets; overviews of the mystery, romance, and science-fiction & fantasy markets; and short interviews with Olivia Goldsmith (The First Wives Club), Arthur Golden (Memoirs of a Geisha), Ann Beattie, Rick Bass, Mary Higgens Clark, Amanda Scott, and others." Jane Steinberg.
"Publish your fiction! This guide will help you make it happen, providing completely updated information on book publishers, magazines, literary agents and script houses -all interested in work from writers like you. Inside you'll find publishing opportunities for virtually every genre, from Romance to New Age, and each listing features the crucial details you need to make the most of every submission. In addition, you'll receive hard-won advice from some of the most respected figures in fiction today, including Alice McDermott, National Book Award winner for Charming Billy; Russell Banks, author of The Sweet Hereafter and Cloudsplitter; Janet Fitch, author of Oprah's Book Club pick, White Oleander; and Jonathon Galassi, editor-in-chief of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and editor of such acclaimed authors as Tom Wolfe and Scott Turow. You'll also find important tips on self-promotion, formatting submissions and writing query letters, and this guide includes extensive listings of writing contests, conferences and organizations to help you get connected, build your career and improve your work."
"If you right well enough to get published, you need this! This is the best place to get an accurate evaluation on the current market for fiction. Do you write? Forgive me for being presumptious here, but it's my guess that you do. That's why you're looking at these reviews. In that case, I feel indebted to give you some pertinent information regarding this book. First of all, if you have a manuscript that you wish to see in print, you should know a few things. You should know the marketplaces in which to get published. You should know the best ways to submit your work. To say it plain and simple, since I know you're looking for answers (after all, you're a writer, that's what you do.), I won't waste your time: this book gives you all the info in regards to any questions you have about publishing. If you're seriously interested in becoming published, this resource is indispensible!" Shane from Wisconsin Rapids, WI, United States.
"A Must-Have Book for all fiction writers! It had been a few years since I'd last updated my Novel & Short Story Writer's Market and, boy, what a mistake that was! As the Internet as enhanced our lives, so has Writer's Digest enhanced this market guide. The listings contain editorial email addresses, magazine/publisher website addresses, publication size and number of pages (magazines), clear symbols indicating paying vs. non-paying markets (no more wading through all that small print), online markets only, and so much more! New to this edition is a section listing literary agents that are open to working with new writers and special sections on craft and technique for writers of mystery, romance, science fiction, and fantasy. This is a Must-Have Book for fiction writers." Brenda J. Grolle from Elyria, Ohio, USA.
"Great resource. This is great. I have the Writer's Market which is good for general publishing, but doesn't really highlight the novel or fshort story in the way this book does. This offers all the small presses, large presses, the lit mags etc. as well as awards offered throughout the year. I use it all the time." A reader from Palo Alto, CA.
678 pages, Paperback, $19.99 ISBN 0898799341 Buy.
by Michael Newton
From the Howdunit Series.
"... you will simply have to make your peace with guns. Case closed." No, these are not the words of an NRA apologist attacking some common-sense legislation, rather they're found in the introduction of Michael Newton's authoritative guidebook on guns, bombs, and all manner of things that go "boom"--and alter events in stories. If you're one of those scribes who believes that killing machines are better left on the printed page, this entry in Writer's Digest's Howdunit series will prove invaluable in giving your Glocks, dum-dum rounds, and spookily-named Hotchkiss guns the unmistakable ring of authority. Bang bang."
"A guide to the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of a wide range of weapons, with information about which were used during each period of history." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"Essential reading for writers. There are several good books in the Howdunit series, but this one is absolutely essential reading for any writer who plans to use firearms in his or her work. Newton doesn't take sides in various firearms debates, but he does go into near-encyclopedic detail about every aspect of firearms, both in antiquity and in the present day. Where he doesn't have space to cover a subject in full detail, he tells you where to find more info. Newton also supplies examples of where other writers, even really good ones, have screwed up badly in their presentation of firearms. If accuracy is important to you as a writer, then you need to read this book, so you won't have your characters blasting each other with ".75 magnums," or taking out targets with sniper-like precision using only a .38 snub-nose revolver (both of which I've actually seen in print). A reader from Moultrie, Georgia.
"Great Refrence For Writers! For writers out there, this book help break down the types of weapons you might need to use in a script. I've used it more than once, and it pays to be accurate!" A reader.
186 pages, Paperback, $12.79 ISBN 089879370X Buy.
by David W. Page
From the Howdunit series.
I've always liked "chilblains"--Shakespeare wrote about 'em, and so did John Gardner in Grendel. Now, this entry from Writer's Digest's popular Howdunit series explains exactly what are chilblains and what they do to the human body--along with numerous other ailments, injuries, and bodily assaults. It's fascinating reading in a mortality-tinged, Richard Selzer-type way. Body Trauma will be a relief for authors who don't want to experience everything they write about.
"Highly recommended by Booklist. "This latest volume in the infinitely useful Howdunit series picks up where Cause of Death and Scene of the Crime (both 1992) left off. If your hero gets beat about the head, what kind of bruises is he likely to have, and when will they go away? Page has the answers. Inauthentic details have doomed many an otherwise decent mystery. Page is here to help." (Booklist, August 1996)." The publisher, Writer's Digest.
"Too Good To Be True Finally, a book that lives up to its own write up! This book is incredibly detailed. A must have for any serious fiction writer." A reader from Fresno, CA, USA.
"Exact Injury Details and Nothing Else. ...........which is why I love this book. I just recieved it as a gift and have only put it down to give a high rating on here. I am EXTREMELY thankful that all of the information is about injuries. Any talk about nursing and caregiving and any other detail practices which occur in the whole environment of 'treatment' is wonderfully not touched on. This is a book that is EXACTLY what its title, intro, and jacket claim it to be. These qualities are such rare things its completely refreshing to have them in my hands." A reader from Phoenix, AZ.
240 pages, Paperback, $13.59 ISBN 0898797411 Buy.
by Keith D. Wilson
From the Howdunit series.
"Physician-writer Wilson explains how police distinguish between accident, suicide, and homicide; what a medical examiner is looking for when conducting an autopsy; what a death certificate looks like and who signs it; what happens when a criminal is sentenced to death." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"Very Informative. This book answered several questions I had while pounding out my first manuscript. Like how the police and coroner go about removing a dead body. The autopsy procedures are quite gruesomenot for a weak stomach. There are hundreds of diagrams and pictures, investigation procedures, legal and medical terms, etc. Without it, I would have spent countless hours researching the basics. However, it did not cover everything. No book can. For instance, I had to find out what the effects of a frontal head trauma were and how long it would take the victim to recover, if at all.The section on murder and suicide is interesting, particularly the part about the crime scene and the difference between a hanging and strangulation. The wounds around the neck are markedly different. Like I said, the details in this book can turn some stomachs. But I learned a lot in one short volume." Deborah A. Woehr from San Jose, California.
"Very useful - helped me to sell my first crime novel. This book was very useful when it came to describe an autopsy, crime scene victims, and especially gun-shot wounds. I've used it as a research tool for my first novel FIRST KILL (JB Books)and saved myself countless hours of research. I recommend it to anyone who wants to increase their chances of publication. I sold my first crime book (to be released next year), and I'm convinced I wouldn't have been able to accomplish an authentic setting with relative ease if I didn't have this book (and others in the series)." Laurent Boulanger from Australia.
207 pages, Paperback, $13.59 ISBN 0898795249 Buy.
by Serita Deborah Stevens and Anne Klarner
From the Howdunit series.
"Thorough, non-technical, well-organized guide for writers who need to know, for example, what poison will turn the victim yellow. Deals with acute poisoning, as opposed to chronic poisoning; most of the poisons described are lethal immediately or in short periods of time (so medical care cannot be sought)." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"Don't do what Jonny Don't does! Don't taste that strichnine! Don't smell that paint solvent! Deadly Doses: A Writer's Guide to Poisons is an incredibly useful compilation of toxic things from all walks of life. Useful for writers of all genres because within are described poisons found in nature as well as those found in industry, household, and many, many others. Although there isn't quite enough specific information, there are plenty of leads for research, and, after all, the book wasn't designed as a complete reference - it's just very, very useful. Included are a useful glossary of medical terms, and a section of tables further organizing the toxins by symptoms, toxicity, and speed of action. In a word - indispensable." A reader from Rochester, NY.
298 pages, $13.59, Paperback ISBN 0898793718 Buy.
by Anne Wingate
From the Howdunit series.
"The author, a former investigator, instructor, and mystery writer, details real crime scenes, describing what investigators look for, how they collect and analyze evidence, and what happens to the crime scene once the initial investigation ends. Includes timetables and charts in addition to procedural rules and regulations and anecdotal illustrations." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"Very readable and helpful. I'm working on a series of mystery novels and have read most of the books in the "Howdunit" series. They're all more or less helpful, but this is far and away the best. The other authors seemed to think in terms of "I'm going to tell you everything I know in 100 pages," so their books often read like criminology Cliff Notes. Ms. Wingate, on the other hand, is a practicing mystery author and has an excellent sense of what an author needs to know, so the book is not only full of useful information but well-organized and fun to read (if you're not squeamish). She's clear about her areas of expertise and non-expertise: she has years of experience in fingerprinting, so she's very explicit and thorough about that, whereas in other areas (e.g., guns) she just gives a quick overview and refers the reader to the "real" experts for the technical details..." A writer from Santa Fe, NM, USA.
231 pages, Paperback, $16.99 ISBN 0898795184 Buy.
A Field Guide to Crime Scene Processing, Forensic Evaluations, and Investigative Techniques
by Louis N. Eliopulos
Unlike other such manuals, this one combines specialized info from dozens of scientific andinvestigative references in one handy volume. A must for detectives, pathologists, attorneys, crime scene technicians, reporters, EMTs, PIs and mystery buffs.
From a A Criminal justice student: "I think this book is a really good tool to learn from for a person that just wants to see how Death Investigation works and for a serious person pursuing a job in the area. I got the book and I couldn't put it down for a minute. At my school, the University of Alabama, we don't have any forensics classes in the criminal justice department on death investigation and when I saw this book I knew it was for me. I have learned so much from this book on all forms of death and this has really sparked my interest in getting a job as a forensic investigator. This book shows you that you never know what will happen next. But most importantly, it covers all the issues down to the precise detail and the right procedure on how to investigate. I know one thing for sure, if I get into this line of work, this book will be like my best man if I ever need a reference." from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
888 pages, Paperback, $39.96 ISBN 0873647270 Buy.
Go to directories at Top or Bottom.
by Lindsay Porter
"This manual was written by a true enthusiast! Hi! Co-authoring this manual was a true labour of love! As well as the Managing Director of Porter Manuals, I am also a Land Rover and Range Rover nut. I am the Technical Editor/Consultant to Britains top Land Rover magazine, "Land Rover Monthly" - and I get a real buzz out of making difficult stuff accessible and easy to follow. This manual deliberately leaves off the tough stuff. If you know how to do it already, what would you want a Step-by-Step manual for?" The author, Lindsay Porter, Member of the Guild of Motoring Writers.
"The perfect Step-by-Step manuals for non-expert mechanics. All of our Step-by-Step Service Guides are thorough, complete guides to all the jobs that the inexperienced mechanic may wish to tackle at home. We deliberately don't assume that the reader is a trained mechanic. Where we think a job should be left to the experts, we have the courage to say so! A good example is a job which needs doing every two years, or 24,000 miles - changing the transmission oil and filter on auto. transmission vehicles. We say, "This requires significant dismantling, including removal of the chassis cross-member, and so it's best left to your Land Rover dealer or reputable garage." Our motto is "making it easy" and this manual follows that theme. We've concentrated on good quality photographs and illustrations, good quality paper and binding - and we've already reprinted this manual four times, and received lots of praise from those who enjoy the Porter Manuals approach - thanks to all!
By the way, it's important to note that in the UK, a car 'service' is what is known in the USA as a 'tune-up'. We cover servicing (tune-up) work, on UK and US-spec. vehicles, as far as:
- Changing fluids, ignition components, lights and wiper components.
- Showing how to change brake shoes and pads, both front and rear.
- We even show how to change a steering ball joint - but that (deliberately!) is that!
- We DON'T show you how to strip the axle or gearbox!
- We're the "making it easy!" manuals, and a firm favourite with Land Rover and Range Rover owners.
This manual NOW COVERS 'original' Discovery models to 1999."
The publisher, Lindsay Porter.
128 pages, Paperback, $27.96 ISBN 1899238190 Buy.
by James Taylor
Great info for Disco owners. If you own a Discovery, irrespective of the country you are in, you will get a lot of info from this book. The Author has researched it well, and covers all the issues I wanted to know about my vehicle. Some of the photos are great, I esp. like the convertible model - a shame they were never put that one into production - I want one of those! This is not a technical manual as such, but it still has a lot of facts & figures. It is also helpful if you are considering options from other models and want to see what they look like. I have an ES model, but would like to get the factory wheel arch flares, and I know what they would look like... Recommended for a Discovery or Land Rover enthusiast, or if you intend to purchase one and want to do your research." David Ebsary from Bundaberg, QLD, Australia.
February 2000, 128 pages, Paperback, $13.96 ISBN 1899870407 Buy.
by James Taylor, Nick Dimbleby (Photographer), Mark Hughes (Editor)
128 pages, Hardcover, $28.76 ISBN 0760307776 Buy.
by Dave Pollard
"Whether the reader has simple maintenance or a complete engine rebuild in mind, he or she can rest assured that there's a Haynes manual for just above every popular domestic and import car, truck, and motorcycle. By conducting complete tear-downs and rebuilds, the staff at Haynes Publishing has discovered all the problems owners will find when repairing or rebuilding their vehicles. By documenting each process with hundreds of illustrations and step-by-step instructions that show the exact order of assembly, Haynes manuals make every step easy to follow."
192 pages, Hardcover, $27.96 ISBN 1859606237 Buy.
by British Leyland Motors
December 1960, Paperback, $90.50 ISBN 0837605164 Order.
Part I : Engine Only and Part II : All Except Engine Workshop Manuals.
by British Leyland Motors
December 1984, Paperback, $100.00 ISBN 0837605296 Buy.
by James Taylor
June 1996, Hardcover, $24.98 ISBN 1870979729 Buy.
by Lindsay Porter
192 pages, Hardcover, $24.46 ISBN 1859606008 Buy.
From Porter Manuals & Chilton
Chilton is pleased to distribute Porter Repair Manuals in North America. Published by Porter Publishing Ltd. in the United Kingdom, this series offers manuals for general automotive repair as well as model-specific manuals, for use on American and European vehicles. They provide comprehensive information in an easy-to-use format, with step-by-step procedures and hundreds of illustrations, for both the experienced and the novice do-it-yourselfer. Covers all models, including V8 and diesel.
"Great reviews make all the effort worthwhile! Hi! I am the author of this book, the Managing Director of Porter Publishing - and a total Land Rover nut! We do try really hard to make our manuals as complete and as easy as possible for the non-trained mechanic to carry out a complete service (tune-up) on his or her own vehicle. I'm pleased to say that we get lots of encouraging comments - and every one of them is appreciated and treasured! Lindsay Porter, Technical Editor/Consultant at "Land Rover Monthly" magazine, and Member of the Guild of Motoring Writers." The author, Lindsay Porter.
"Excellent book for new car buyers. Even if you don't own a new Land Rover the book is very good! My Land Rover 90 2.5L Diesel was purchased third-hand, neglected, and in 'potentially' poor condition. This book helped greatly where my OEM Italian manual lacked (90% of the time). If any owner purchases this book with a new Rover, follows Mr. Porters advice, and uses it in lieu of the provided service manual, his/her Rover will last a lifetime! Guaranteed! I wish my Rover was new so I wouldn't have to complete every required maintenance to 65K miles." Isabella from La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy.
128 pages, Paperback, $34.95 ISBN 1899238069 Order.
by Robert Bentley
622 pages, Paperback Trade, $43.91 ISBN 0837603137 Buy.
For Evolution Big Twins and Sportsters
by Kenna Love and Kip Woodring
A JVB Bestseller!
One hundred carefully selected projects are featured in this all-color "how-to" written and designed for the Harley-Davidson Evolution owner with a few hours to burn. 350 color illustrations.
"Excellent Book. Glossy pages and color Photos. Excellent book on maintaining your Harley. I've owned Harleys for ten years and have done my own work; but I thought I knew it all. The book has glossy pages and clear color photos. It's hard to believe the cost of the book in material to print is less than 20 bucks. I didn't give a 5-star because coverage of advanced topics such as a cam change is an overview. There's more to changing a cam than what's presented in the book or the service manual. Also, there is a handy reference table of all sorts of data. The book covers design changes of the Evolution engine which I found very interesting. So if you have a older Evo bike you might want to start there." A reader from USA.
"A very complete book! This is not a coffee table book, it is a better than average tech manual. If you are looking for a Harley novel read "The Second Coming Of Age" by: C. Vedrine". A reader from N.O. United States.
224 pages, Paperback, $23.96 ISBN 0760303703 Buy.
Models Covered : All Legacy Models 1990 through 1998 : Includes Legacy Outback and Legacy Brighton.BR>
by Mike Stubblefield, Robert Maddox, John Haro Haynes
"Best DIY book available Excellent DIY service manual but watchout for the published specifications, often times I've found the schedules and settings (torque, etc.) published here to be significantly different from what's listed in the factory service manual. Also applicable to the 1999 MY." A reader from North America.
"Great for novices who want to do their own maintenance! I've had Chilton's manuals for other cars I've owned, but Haynes was the first to come out with a Legacy manual. I bought it to learn about my 97 Outback, and I'm extremely happy with it. The pictures are helpful and the instructions are easy to follow. I'm not into doing rehauls or anything like that (which this manual covers), but it's great for doing scheduled maintenance, like changing coolant, oil, transmission and differential fluid, as well as all sorts of filters. I highly recommend this book for all Subaru Legacy owners." A reader from Troy, NY.
320 pages, Paperback, $16.15 ISBN 1563923262 Buy.
by Robert Maddox, John Harold Haynes
From the Haynes Automotive Repair Manual Series.
Also useful for owners of Holden Rodeos to 1998. Has got to be better than giving Holden around A$500!!! JVB
352 pages, Paperback, $14.36 ISBN 1563922460 Buy.
by John Davies.
421 pages, Hardcover, 1.1 x 3.9 x 7.8", ISBN 0750617381 Request quote and order.
by Keith Brindley.
This is by the same author my (now discontinued) "Newnes Radio and Electronics Engineers Pocket Book (International Student Edition)" which packs a huge amount of very useful information into its 200 pages. JVB.
305 pages, Hardcover, 0.87 x 7.73 x 3.80", ISBN 0750609370 Request quote and order.
by Chuck Hutchinson (Editor), Joel Kleinman (Editor), Dean R. Straw (Editor)
"The Radio and Electronics Reference Manual. The 2001 edition of The ARRL Handbook is the latest and most up-to-date version of an excellent reference book for both the Amateur Radio operator or anyone interested in RF engineering. The Handbook contains information on the basics of radio operation and practices and detailed information for the RF engineer needing to know technical component details. The ARRL has again designed a wonderful book that will provide information for all levels of hams. Information on the new HF digital modes is provided, as well as the old standards of voice and CW. For those wanting to know the theory behind the radios, the ARRL focuses on the technical details - the how and why - of the radios and the modes, so that when you walk away from this book you will know the answer to your question (and a lot more if you keep reading!) The only real negative comment on this book is that there is a LOT of very technical information. This can make finding exactly what you want to know a challange, as it takes a little digging and knowing exactly what you are looking for. A very complete index does make this much easier. However, for the beginniner this book would do well to whet your appetite for venturing deeper into Amateur Radio, and for the master RF engineer this book serves well as a very detailed technical reference that can aid in every day engineering questions." Tim Cailloux from Atlanta, GA.
Paperback, 78th edition, $32.00 ISBN 0872591867 Buy.
77th edition, 1200 pages, Paperback, $32.00, ISBN 0872591832 Buy.
18th edition, May 1997, Paperback, $30.00, ISBN 0872596133 Buy.
by R. Dean Straw
"The ARRL Antenna Book. Although this book is angled toward radio amateurs ("ham" radio operators) it would be of interest to all interested in antennas. It's updated yearly by hams and covers the field from theory to actual construction projects. In addition to antennas it covers transmission lines and antenna tuners (transmatch devices). I'm buying a new one this year. My 8-year-old one is getting tattered from continual use, so it's time to get a fresh one. However, they are so good I save the old ones too." Bil Paul, KD6JUI from San Mateo, CA, USA.
September 2000, 19th edition, Paperback with CD-ROM, $30.00 ISBN 0872598047 Buy.
by William I. Orr with Stuart D. Cowan.
Paperback, $11.16, ISBN 0823087069
Buy.
All You Need to Get Your Ham Radio Technician License
Edited by Larry D. Wolfgang and Joel Kleinman.
3rd edition, April 1997, ARRL, Paperback $19.00 ISBN 0872595978 Buy.
Technician Amateur Radio Ham License Manual
by John Abbott
This is the latest edition, designed for the re-organised licensing system. JVB.
This Technician Amateur Radio Ham License Manual uses 59 cartoon characters, including the 26 "Phoneticos", whose bodies are Morse code electromagnetic waves, to prepare the reader for the FCC Technician Amateur Radio license examination. The names of the Phoneticos come from the International Phonetic Alphabet, used in communications.
About the Author: The author, K6YB, was licensed as a General Class Radio Amateur in 1947, at age 13. Ham radio led to a career in engineering, and a lifetime hobby. The author is also a licensed California Professional Electrical Engineer. The book is used by the author in Los Angeles area school & community ham radio classes."
"One of a Kind Book - for becoming a Ham! ... Amateur Radio Instructor, Dr. James R. La Frieda, N6MV from West Hills, CA.
"Excellent easily understood intro. to amateur (ham) radio. This is an excellent book that prepares one to pass the amateur radio test and get licensed. Many times introductory books tend to include too much and overwhelm the reader with detail he niether needs or wants. This is especially true for the younger reader. This book is excellent in that it breaks down the mountain of information into easily digested cartoon-like lessons. As an amateur extra (KC6WCT) who has been teaching for many years, I believe this book is absolutely unique in preparing the student for just what he or she needs in an easily digested format. It is also very good in that it gives some inexpensive suggestions on starting to enjoy your ham privleges after you get your license." Harriet E. Griffith from Riverbank, CA, USA.
"ALFA & ZULU Manual I have spent some time reviewing this manual, and firmly believe that K6YB has done an outstanding job communicating the facts and concepts that a young prospective ham needs to know. Most importantly, K6YB has made it fun! Efforts like this is what will keep this great hobby alive." Scott Neustadter, W4WW from Huntsville, Alabama.
Revised edition, 192 pages, ISBN 0965108813 Buy.
How to get a license to talk to the World, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe.
by Harry Helms
291 pages, Paperback Trade, $15.96 ISBN 1878707043 Check availability.
Edited by Robert Schetgen and David Newkirk. ARRL
14th Edition, Paperback Mass Market, $12.00 ISBN 0872596095 (Special Order) Buy.
ARRL
Paperback Mass Market, $19.00 ISBN 0872593401 (Special Order) Buy.
by Dave Finley
88 pages, Paperback, $14.95 ISBN 1891237195 Order.
From the ARRL.
Audio Cassette, $9.00 ISBN 0872595986 Buy.
by Carron
From the ARRL.
2nd Edition, Paperback, $8.00 ISBN 0872590356 Buy.
by Thomas W. King
From the Back Cover: Modern Morse Code in Rehabilitation and Education is designed to acquaint new learners with Morse Code and its clinical uses, while providing in-depth coverage of topics, detailed descriptions, examples, and explanations that will meet the needs of professionals. The author explains how basic body movements can be used to convey information to listeners and computer devices that translate Morse movements into speech, text, and graphics. In addition to covering the history and background of Morse Code, this book contains specific instructions on how to teach, learn, and use Morse and other encoding methods in clinical settings. This book also contains and describes many practical teaching aids and methods. For readers interested in the use of Morse Code in a clinical setting.
"Useful and easy to follow. I have found this book to be very helpful in preparing to teach and teaching Morse code to a child. I appreciate the information on the history of Morse code, and found the descriptions of other alternative methods for communication to be helpful for future work with other people who have special needs. The personal accounts from people who rely on Morse code for communicating with others and for self expression is truly inspiring! The suggestions for teaching and learning Morse code, as well as the Morse code teaching icons have provided me with appropriate and easy to use methods for teaching Morse code in a fun way that children can enjoy. This book will provide teachers, caregivers and those who are looking for alternative methods for communication with the information they need to begin to learn Morse code in a way that is easy to understand and use. I highly recommend it!" A reader from Eau Claire, WI.
308 pages, Paperback, $35.00, ISBN 0205287514 Buy.
by Gary Davis, Ralph Jones
"Put this book on your must have list! Comprehensive, informative, and easy to read. This book is a must have for anyone working with live sound. Covers all aspects of sound reinforcement from small announcement systems to stadium size rock shows. If your going to read only one book on the subject, read this one!" "Studioslave" from Midlothian, VA, United States.
"HELPFULL. I'm a student engineering and interested in sound engineering. I got the book from a friend. This book is very good for practical understanding. Sometimes I don't find a theoretical explanation, but I don't think it is necessary because the book is a practical guideline, and thus quite good for everyone, also the engineers who know well the theory (but as we all know the theory won't always fit with the practice, especially concerning sound...). This book is 200% worth its price!!" Titov Vanderkapellen from Belgium.
2nd edition, 418 pages, Paperback, $24.46 ISBN 0881889008 Buy.
Edited by Carolyn Keating and Craig Anderton.
"Explores the technical workings behind a range of home music technology and explains how best to take advantage of them. Topics covered include musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) technology, computer-driven CD recorders, sound cards, studio setup and maintenance, and multitrack mixing." Book News.
182 pages, Paperback, $13.96 ISBN 0879303808 Buy.
A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw
by Witold Rybczynski
"In 1999, an editor of the New York Times Magazine approached Witold Rybczynski, the well-known student of architecture and urban design, and asked him to write a short essay on the best and most useful common tool of the past millennium. Rybczynski took the assignment, but when he began to look into the history of the items in his workshop--hammers and saws, levels and planes--he found that almost all of them had pedigrees that extended well into antiquity. Nearly ready to admit defeat, he asked his wife for ideas. Her answer was inspired: "You always need a screwdriver for something." True enough. And, Rybczynski discovered, the screwdriver is a relative newcomer in humankind's arsenal of gadgetry, an invention of the late European Middle Ages and the only major mechanical device that the Chinese did not independently invent. Leonardo da Vinci got to it early on, of course, as he did so many other things, designing a number of screw-cutting machines with interchangeable gears. Still, it took generations for the screw (and with it the screwdriver and lathe) to come into general use, and it was not until the modern era that such improvements as slotted and socket screws came into being. Rybczynski's explorations into that lineage, here expanded to book length, are highly entertaining, and sure to engage readers interested in the origins of everyday things." Gregory McNamee.
"Rybczynski, a professor of urbanism at the University of Pennsylvania, has written best-selling books on such subjects as domestic comfort, building his own home and Frederick Law Olmsted. He felt a bit let down when the Sunday magazine of the New York Times asked him to write an article about "the best tool" of the second millennium. But he is good with tools and interested in them, and so he took on the assignment. Many tools, he soon found, predate the second millennium. Consulting William Louis Goodman's History of Woodworking Tools, published in 1964, he read somewhat disbelievingly that the screwdriver did not appear until the 19th century. That set him off on a search for earlier references to this "laughably simple tool." The result is this splendid account of a number of tools, of the evolution of the screw and finally of his discovery that the "turnscrew" is indeed much older than Goodman thought. His search led him eventually to the 15th-century Medieval Housebook, where he found a drawing of a screw-turning lathe with a puzzling tool resembling a chisel lying on a workbench. "One day, while I am puzzling over the drawing again, I realize that the blunt end [of the tool] is exactly the same size as the slot in the head of the cutter. Of course. It's not a chisel, it's used to adjust the cutter. It's a screwdriver. Eureka! I've found it. The first screwdriver."." Editors Of Scientific American.
As much as Frederick Law Olmstead, the hero of Rybczynski's acclaimed previous effort (A Clearing in the Distance, 1999), changed the face of America, the subject of his new study has changed the world. As the year 2000 approached, Rybczynski was asked to write a short essay on the "best tool" of the millennium for the New York Times Magazine. This assignment sent him off in search of a worthy topic: his first choices turned out to be much more ancient than he had expected, and, after considerable digging, he found himself writing about the screwdriver. Although the screw is much older, the tool with which we usually manipulate it seems to date back to the medieval period. Having ascertained this fact to his satisfaction, the author begins an ambling, rambling discussion of the evolution of this seemingly common household implement. Rybczynski digresses into some amusing and even fascinating sidings in the course of this journey. There is a wonderful mini-biography of Henry Chapman Mercer (a prominent historian of American tools who was also the avatar of the American wing of the Arts and Crafts Movement) and splendid thumbnail sketches of Peter L. Robertson and Henry F. Phillips (who competed to develop a screw and screwdriver that would be more reliable than the simple slotted screw-and, yes, Phillips is the man who gave his name to the cruciform screw and driver we all know). Perhaps the most striking chapter is devoted primarily to the story of Henry Maudslay, a British mechanical genius whose many innovations include the regulating screw and the screw-cutting lathe. At its heart, though, the central thesis is that men like Maudslay and Mercer possess the same kind of intuitive spark as great artists do-a thesis that this book convincingly illustrates.Charming, witty, and, despite its seemingly desultory structure, quite cunningly thought-out. Kirkus Associates, LP.
"The seeds of Witold Rybczynski's elegant and illuminating new book were sown by The New York Times, whose editors asked him to write an essay identifying "the best tool of the millennium." The award-winning author of Home: A Short History of an Idea and, most recently, A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the Nineteenth Century, Rybczynski once built a house using only hand tools. His intimate knowledge of the toolbox -- both its contents and its history -- serves him beautifully on his quest. One Good Turn is a story starring Archimedes, who invented the water screw and introduced the helix, and Leonardo, who sketched a machine for carving wood screws. It is a story of mechanical discovery and genius that takes readers from Ancient Greece to Victorian Glasgow, from weapons design in the Italian Renaissance to car design in the age of American industry. Rybczynski writes an ode to the screw, without which there would be no telescope, no microscope -- in short, no enlightenment science. The screwdriver, perhaps the last hand tool in a world gone cyber, represents nothing less than the triumph of precision. One of our finest cultural and architectural historians, Rybczynski renders a graceful, original, and engaging portrait of the tool that changed the course of civilization."
"Where to find a definition. Great book. Enjoyed it immensely and appreciate the author's diligence in searching out his sources. He admits being unable to find a definition for "turnscrew" in any dictionary. Here is one for him (I hope he sees this.) Webster's New International Dictionary, 2d Edition Unabridged defines "turnscrew" as follows - A device to turn a screw: a screw driver or wrench." Stanley B. Dickes from Sun City West, AZ, USA.
"A Small Perfection. This book is a delight. It has to do, in part, with screws and screwdrivers, not very exciting or even interesting themes on the face of it; but there is much more to this slender volume than just that. The genesis of the book was an assignment from an editor at the New York Times to write an article about the best tool of the millennium. Eyeglasses were, in Mr. Ribczynski's estimation, the most important tool of the period; but the editor was not interested in appliances or technological innovation, but in simple tools: the things one holds in one's hand to do, say, carpentry. Thus came the notion to the author (prompted by his wife) to consider the screwdriver and the screw as the premier tools of the millennium. The printing press, the wine presses, lathes, water elevators, on and on the parade of practical helixes related to the screw (both in the last and previous millennia) is displayed in this little book. Well planned, extremely precise (as the screw itself should be), scholarly, and containing many explanatory line drawings, the book is a joy. I think that Henry Petroski's book "The Pencil" opened the door to this kind of writing: a commonplace, relatively insignificant object is brought under microscopic scrutiny as to its history and evolution; what emerges is a magnified picture of not only the object itself, but of mankind in its eternal struggle for small perfections. This book, in its own way, is one of these small perfections." Fermed from San Diego, California, USA.
"One Good Turn Deserves to be read. Let's get the main question out of the way: Can an entire book devoted to the history of the screw and scredriver possibly be worth reading? The answer is an unqualified yes. This small book takes an unusual, almost reverential, look at the the nature of tools and the mind of the inventor and innovator. Rybczynski recounts his research into the origins of this ubiquitous tool, so it is also a tale of the research process. He tells the story in a casual, personal style, making it an easy read. The book is not tightly focused on its subject, filled with many digressions and asides which are as interesting as the main narrative. One of my favorites concerns the invention of the the shirt button. It seems like the epitome of simplicity, and could have been made thousands of years ago, yet it took until the 1300's for some unknown genius to make the "leap of imagination" and conceive of the device, which seems simple but is not at all intuitive. The author asks the reader to imagine trying to explain the the "twist and flip" motion to some one who has never used one. Its nuggets like this, which make the reader look at common items from an entirely different perspective, that makes the book shine. It turns out that one of the first uses of the screw dates back to the Middle Ages, as a method of fastening the the brutally abused armor of jousting knights, and later to secure the matchlock mechanisms of the earliest firearms. However, in exploring the concept of the helix, the basis of the screw, the author reaches much further back in time, to the ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, who undestood the shape and put it to use in irrigation and wine pressess. My only peeve is that although the book is loaded with temporal dates, I still found them lacking in certain places where they were sorely needed to put events in perspective. Aside from that minor short-coming, this is a book about much more than just the screw and screwdriver, full of pleasant suprises and delightfull "twists". A must read." Walter J. Maslowski from Staten Island, NY.
"Screw Up Your Courage and Dive into Screwdrivers! Although I had no interest in screwdrivers and screws when I started this book, the text provided a pleasant reading experience and I learned more than I thought I would. All in all, it was well worth the time spent. I think you will feel that way too, unless you have no interest at all in mechanical devices and the process of innovation. My favorite parts related to the innovations. This book is composed of equal parts (1) why the author chose the screwdriver as the tool of the millennium for his article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine (2) where you have to go to find out about screwdrivers from the past (3) how he developed the information for this history of the screwdriver and screws and (4) the geniuses who developed the key advances in the technology of these useful devices. The style is a bit rambling, much like what would happen if you were chatting about the subject over a barbecue in the back yard with plenty of time on your hands. I can assure you this must be the most complete and authoritative book about screwdrivers and screws ever, especially since the author points out the virtual absence of any prior material turning up in his research. Let me summarize the key areas. He picked the screwdriver as the tool of the millennium not because he thought of it, but because his wife told him that it was the one tool that she always kept around. After having gone through his own tool kit, he had not even thought of the screwdriver.
The first place where much shows up on the screwdriver in older texts is Diderot's Encyclopedia. In those days screwdrivers were called turnscrews.
To get a flavor of the screwdriver in the middle ages, when it seems to have appeared, you have to look into armor and early guns.
The screw goes back much further, showing up in useful form for Archimedes in Greek times as a way to raise water.
Screws later played many other important roles, especially in presses (including, of course, printing presses).
Lathes turned out (pun intended) to be an important related technology for making screws precise andconsistent.
I learned about some interesting related technologies, including Greek mechanical devices with gears for calculating the orbits of heavenly bodies.
Then, we finally get down to gears and the development of improved lathes and the Robertson and Phillips screw heads. He prefers the Robertson (which I had never heard of before) which uses a socket top to screw in and remove screws.
At the end is a nice set of illustrations along with a glossary of tools.
This book is probably going to be a classic Father's Day gift for decades, along with a Robertsonscrewdriver, socket set, and screws.
Overcome your misconception that you know all you need to know about screwdrivers. You'll be pleasantly surprised by this gentle and unassuming book.
When you are done, pick something else you think you probably know enough about and search around to find a good book on that topic as well to expand your own knowledge further. Keep doing that, and some wonderful learning awaits you!" Donald Wayne Mitchell a co-author of The Irresistible Growth Enterprise and The 2,000 Percent Solution from Boston.
176 pages, Hardcover, $17.60 ISBN 068486729X Buy.
Manned Ballooning on the Threshold of Space
by Craig Ryan
"Here is the Naval Institute Press at its best, offering a superb, thorough history of a subject most other publishers would ignore. Ryan's book is a complete accounting of the U.S. efforts at manned stratospheric ballooning between World War II and the first manned spaceflights of Project Mercury--missions that included not only scientific and would-be record-setting flights, but also high-altitude parachute jumps and airborne telescopic surveys. Ryan also provides capsule histories of modern manned ballooning and skydiving and vivid portraits of men and women who, on shoestring budgets, risked and sometimes lost their lives while gathering much of the research essential to eventually achieving manned spaceflight. In all, Ryan gives aviation and space buffs an absolute feast of information." Roland Green.
"Manned ballooning is explored in a detailed history which surveys the achievement of space pioneers and the individual dramas behind their success. Pilot and skydiver Ryan’s background lends to his discussions of the technical obstacles facing these early pre-astronauts. The Pre-Astronauts is interesting and informative reading!" Midwest Book Review.
"Joe W. Kittinger, Jr. -- Biggest Balls Ever! Craig Ryan's history of high-altitude manned ballooning is one of the most compelling books I have ever read. Taking place on the fledgling edge of the space age, this is the true story of men who, on an almost non-existent budget, originated the hitherto unknown fields of space medicine and safety. Dr. Stapp and the men and women who worked with him pioneered new technology and conducted valuable research that, in the end, was largely lost to history -- research and technology that might have saved lives in the Apollo 1 and Challenger disasters. This book is a tribute to their almost-unknown accomplishments and a reminder never to let something so valuable be lost or forgotten. And if you don't care for the science side of the story, just as incredible are the tales of personal courage. This book also tells the story of Joe Kittinger, who stepped out of an open balloon gondola in his pressure suit nearly 20 MILES above the surface of the Earth and parachuted safely to the ground after almost 5 minutes of freefall (a feat never since equalled or exceeded). Personally, Mr. Kittinger gets my vote for the biggest balls ever. You have to admire the man who was the first person ever to break the sound barrier... WITHOUT a vehicle!" M Scott from Ithaca, NY, USA.
"Compelling and well-paced history of a vital program. Mr. Ryan corrects a long-standing error in our history of the space program by chronicling the manned ballooning programs that occurred before NASA, and still continued to explore the limits of man's endurance while NASA was still finding its niche. While scientists debated the limits of man's endurances to high gravity stress, a group of underfunded doctors and test pilots in New Mexico were pushing these limits on their own. While forgotten to most Americans who have learned to revere Shepherd, Glenn, and Aldrin, the contributions of Stapp, Kittenger, and the others made the space program possible. While others were focusing on rockets, these people used the relatively cheap balloons to send men high enough to determine if manned space travel was even possible. Mr. Ryan's narration is brisk, but yet detailed enough to give you an appreciation for the risks these people took. The events are exciting and groundbreaking, and Mr. Ryan does them justice with his narrative style. As an Air Force member, I was stationed at Holloman AFB, NM (the site of most of these events) 15 years ago and had heard of these programs and what these scientists and pilots accomplished. I have been looking for a history of these programs ever since, and Mr. Ryan has provided it. Highly recommended." Joseph T. Reeves.
"A lasting tribute to the late, great Dr. Stapp. Craig Ryan's book, obviously diligently researched and brilliantly written, may ultimately serve as one of the most illuminating tributes to an amazing American, Dr. John Paul Stapp, who died this Fall (1999). Dr. Stapp is one of the major characters in the stories that Ryan weaves and should be recognized as a one-in-a-million renaissance man of the Twentieth Century." J R Stewart from Portland, Oregon.
"Brilliantly written, a great story of Courage in the Unknown. Craig Ryan takes us on a thrill ride of great adventure, daring and courage of aerospace feats that most people on the face of this Earth never knew happened. Having grown up in the forties and fifties and having read about these balloon exploits firsthand in Life, Post, and Time, Mr. Ryan has allowed me, through vivid detail, excellent research and great writing, to re-live a part of my life as if it where happening all over again. This book is for anyone interested in the history of aerospace development, human courage and true-action adventure." A reader from Dallas, Texas.
344 pages, Hardcover, $29.56 ISBN 1557507325 Buy.
The X-15 Flight Program
by Milton O. Thompson and Neil Armstrong
Published by Smithsonian Institution Press
"A narrative account of NASA's ambitious program, initiated in the 1950s, to test the survivability of rocket-powered aircraft at hypersonic speeds and at the outermost limits of the earth's atmosphere. The 12 test pilots are profiled." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"The Best Technical Book about the X-15 Rocket Plane ! A technical focus is very important when you write about a experimental project like the X-15. Mr. Thompson wrote this book with some technical feel and all the experience of a test pilot and Systems Engineer. I like his description of the Ballistic Flight Control System and the transition from the Atmospheric flight to the Space flight and return. You can read the dialogs between the X-15 pilot and the B-52 pilots and the Chase planes pilots. In the case of Mike Adams flight, you can feel the moment of the tragedy. In resume, is the best X-15 Book and a apology to the X-15 project and all the people that work in it." Jose Portillo from Venezuela.
"Good Review of The X-15 Program From a Guy Who Was There. Quick flowing narrative of Milton Thompson's experience in the X-15 program (he was both a pilot and a flight engineer). Excellent technical descriptions will give you the "feel" of the rocket plane and he shares his emotions about some of the test flights. Thompson includes a quick synopsis of all the flights and gives good details on the more interesting ones, filling in a lot of blanks with delightfully colorful anecdotes along the way. A must read for anyone interested in piloted aircraft that could cover 290 ground miles in under 11 minutes (Wow !!!). This book reads FAST and is full of good info." Jack Hawkins from New Orleans, LA.
"A MUST for your aviation library. This book is written by an engineer. If you're looking for descriptive, beatiful prose go elsewhere. If you want to know the experiences of X-15 rocket pilots in and out of the cockpit, then you'll love this book... I feel like I met Milt Thompson and he personally related his experiences to me." Bob and Beka from Jackson, Michigan, United States.
"X-15 paved the way for Space Shuttle; and all other ventures. The X-15 bullet-shaped rocketplane, was the first "true" space machine/rocket! It flew over 400,000 feet high, and at a speed of over 4,500 mph! ... Two remain today on permanent display: one in Dayton, OH at Wright-Patterson AFB and the #2 x-15 at The Smithsonian in Washington, DC! ... A must read! Milt Thompson and Neil Armstrong both flew it, and should give the best description of anyone!" Anthony J Pache, Jr (Tony) from Sharpsville, PA, USA.
392 pages, Hardcover, $25.56; ISBN 1560981075 Buy.
by Robert Bonebrake
Unabridged edition, Paperback, $12.95 ISBN 0965690229 Buy.
Edited by David G Bobbett.
This famous book functions both as a directory to the radio industry worldwide and a listenning guide for the professional or enthusiast listenner. It includes reviews of the latest recievers and accessories. JVB.
"Great Book Now Even Greater. If you buy only one book on shortwave listening, this is it. Several significant improvements make this issue more useful than ever." Thomas W. Smith from Derwood, MD, USA, on the 2001 edition.
2000 Edition, Paperback Mass Market, $19.96 ISBN 0823059324 Buy,
2001 Edition (55th), 632 pages, Paperback $19.96 ISBN 0823077969 Buy.
September 2000 Hardcover, $249.00 ISBN 0835243605 Order.
Edited by Lawrence Magne
"Have a desire to be apprised of political developments in Swaziland or the Philippines? Wish to stay current on sports scores in Sweden or Uruguay? Then perhaps it's time to tune in to world-band radio, already heard by 600 million people around the world. Passport to World Band Radio, 1999 can show you how. The New York Times dubbed this book the "TV Guide for world-band radios," and that's a fairly accurate assessment. Passport is dense--it's much heavier than its compact size suggests--with articles, program lists, equipment descriptions, and the Blue Pages, a comprehensive channel-by-channel guide to world-band schedules. Whether you are new to short-wave radio or a long-time listener, Passport is your ticket to adventure on the world's airwaves." Brenda Pittsley.
"Excellent book for beginners to pro's. I just obtained this book last night and I'm very impressed with the set-up, the tremendous blue pages lay-out of radio stations, and the extensive "what's on" time section of radio as to when, where and what. I am amazed! The reviews are excellent as well and they do give great detail into what to look for in a radio, both portable and tabletop to professional. They include things such as antennas, frequency responsiveness, etc. Everything anyone starting out would need, and all the information someone well into this hobby would desire." Tracy L. Dale from ST. PETERSBURG, FL, United States.
"Great book for listeners of shorwave radio. This book is a great book to anyone that is new to shorwave listening. First of all it has excelent reviews of all kinds of shorwave radios. It also features highly detailed sections on shorwave station adresses, shorwave broadcasts in english, program times, and more. The best thing about this book are the "blue pages" a listing of just about every shorwave station broadcasting. The "blue pages" are very easy to use, and they include just about all the information you would want to know (location, language, times broadcasting, etc.) Overall, I would highly recomend this book to anyone who enjoys listening to shorwave radio." A radio listener from Brainerd, MN.
2001 Edition, 592 pages, Paperback, $15.96, ISBN 0914941518 Buy.
A Young Writer's Light-Hearted Encounter with World War II, Written in 1946 and Not Released until Now. Authentic, Richly Detailed, and Definitely not Sanitized.
by Myron Sutton
""Shorty and the Radio Men" ... is a fascinating view of Army training at the time." Steve Dixon, 70th Division Research Aids.
How a GI six feet five inches tall survived in an Army he swore was designed for five foot niners. A detailed view, including hilarious misadventures, fresh as yesterday, of training, radio schools, crossing the raging Atlantic in midwinter, traveling across France to the Front, and racing with Patton through Germany. A rare look at the intimate lives of radio men and their crucial role in World War II, a young author's first opus, written 55 years ago. With 73 cartoons and 14 photographs.
"How I laughed! Don't know when I've laughed as much when reading as I have with "Shorty." Definitely recommended reading for anyone who served in World War II, regardless of branch of Service. Glad you finally put your memories--and mine--in print." Bert Winston, United States Air Force from Medford, OR, USA.
"A unique, valued contribution to World War II literature. In 1946, Myron Sutton wrote down his experiences as a young World War II enlistee in the American Army. This six-food-five GI recorded a detailed, candid, "warts and all" story of life as an army radio man with the 70th Infantry Division out of Camp Adair, Oregon. From infantry and radio training in Alabama to advanced radio at Fort Benning, Georgia, then across the rough Atlantic in winter to combat in Europe, Sutton's memoir was set down during and immediately after the events he experienced. Finally brought into print after fifty years (and 30 other books he's written in the interim), Shorty And The Radio Men is a fascinating, often hilarious story of an ordinary soldier who got caught up in one misadventure after another as he tried to fit his 6 foot, 5 inch frame into equipment, jeeps, bunks, put tents, combat boots, and latrines designed for a five-foot tall army. Shorty And The Radio Men is a unique and highly recommended contribution to the growing body of World War II biographies and memoirs." Midwest Book Review from Oregon, WI, USA.
352 pages, Paperback, $16.95 ISBN 0966281756 Buy.
by Dave Ingram
Paperback, $19.95 ISBN 0916661059 Buy.
by Noel J. Hotchkiss
"This is a practical hands-on guide, written for the novice and experienced navigator alike, who wish to fully apply the advantages and experience the enjoyment of using the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Whether you are considering the first purchase of a GPS receiver, already using GPS for outdoor sports and recreational activities or would like to start using GPS in your car, this book will provide you will the knowledge and skills required to get the most out of this exciting new technology. Included with the book is a free CD ROM featuring MAPTECH's digital map software and a sample topographic map. With this software you can interpret, manipulate, and customize USGS topographic maps; determine distances and elevation changes; profile areas to be navigated; upload and download coordinates, waypoints, and routes between a PC and compatible GPS units; and print customized maps to carry along during treks in the woods.
"Originally published in 1994, this book was the first to recognize the tremendous potential of GPS navigation to the outdoor recreational user. It has become a widely used text for GPS instruction and is a popularly quoted reference in a rapidly expanding field of GPS training and education. This new Edition represents the most extensive revision and expansion of the book since its initial release over 5 years ago. The all new Third Edition has been expanded from 187 to 331 pages and remains the only full color publication of its kind, with hundreds of illustrations that help bring teaching points to life.The Publisher.
"Each time I browse through a bookstore, I'm always fascinated by the variety of books on what seems to be an infinite number of topics and I frequently wonder how some of these authors happened to develop both the interest and expertise in their subjects. As the author of "A Comprehensive Guide to Land Navigation with GPS", I decided to provide you with the answer to this question in regard to my book. Hopefully, you'll find it an interesting little story. Writing this book certainly wasn't the culmination of any conscious long-range plan. Instead, it just seemed to come about naturally. My initial career choice was to become a social science teacher; therefore, I had taken a fair number of geography courses during my undergraduate years at Syracuse University. Having also participated in the U.S. Army ROTC program, I enjoyed a two-year hitch as an armor (tank corps) officer on active duty and another twenty-six years in the Army National Guard and Reserve. While continuing to advance my career in education, I pursued graduate study in education administration and instructional design. And, in addition to all this, I have always had a fascination with maps and greatly enjoy time spent outdoors. More specifically, the road to writing this book started back in the mid-1980s when I submitted an article to "Infantry Magazine", a professional training journal published by the Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, GA. My paper suggested several instructional changes the Army might make to improve our soldiers' sorely lacking map interpretation and land navigation skills. It was clear from my own experiences, as well as the statistics coming out of the relatively new National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA, that the inability of our soldiers to navigate over unfamiliar terrain was responsible for many of the mistakes being made on the training field and failed missions and casualties on the battlefield. In fact, I saw it as the "Murphy's Law" of tactical execution. To my surprise, shortly after the article appeared in the journal, I was contacted by a representative of the Army Research Institute (ARI) and offered an opportunity to serve as a civilian consultant working as part of their newly formed land navigation task force charged with designing new instructional techniques and programs for improving these critical soldier skills. They said they liked my ideas and wished to further pursue them. By 1991, we had developed a number of prototype instructional packages and the Army's performance in the Gulf War demonstrates that soldiers can better find their way. As the ARI project was winding down, Saddam Hussein was rapidly gaining the attention of the Royal Family in Saudi Arabia. Suddenly, it seemed imperative that the Saudi military hone their basic soldiering skills to keep the monster on their northern border at bay. Somehow my name was passed along to Alexis, which had been awarded a contract to train troops at the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces Institute at Jeddah. Serving as an instructional design consultant for Alexis, as well as the author of their land navigation training package and contract navigation instructor, I was able to personally field test and further refine the work we had done at Fort Benning. Furthermore, this all coincided with the time the new GPS technology was moving from the experimental realm to real world applications. It wasn't long before we were talking and consulting with GPS manufacturers, those involved in the commercial map industry, and groups wishing to explore the many applications for this new technology. By 1994, it was obvious that the fledgling GPS industry was about to explode into a vast new market and there was obviously a pressing need for this book. We are pleased to have been the first to provide outdoor and general GPS consumers with a guide written to apply the advantages of GPS to their navigational requirements. We are also pleased that it has been so well received and that we have been able to continue to revise and expand its contents to keep pace with both the developing technology and the needs of the consuming public. It has been an interesting and rewarding experience to have been involved in writing this book." The Author.
"Excellent land nav. review with unbiased GPS information. Excellent land nav. review for the trained navigator. Concise unbiased info regarding the use of GPS with land nav. skills." A reader from Upstate New York.
The book also discusses GLONASS and the proposed European system(s). JVB
March 1999, 3rd Edition, 316 pages, Paperback, $24.95 ISBN 189268800X Buy.
Enough of reading about it, if you are in the US, grab an eTrex for only US$114.94!!
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Light
- Waterproof
The US government has currently turned the errors on the civilian signal, so the accuracy will generally be to within 5m, compared to up to 100m previously. Due to technical differences between the civilian and military signals, occasionally errors can still be slightly greater in the civilian than the military system. However, unless you are very lucky and find one at an auction of military surplus by a dopey, "friendly" government, you cannot get one of these "p(Y)" military units. A unit like this with 12 channels has improved signal availability, especially in valleys (natural or man-made), or through trees. It is differential - "DGPS" ready with RS-232 with NMEA 0183, RTCM 104 DGPS data format and Garmin proprietary interfaces. It has IPX7 water resistance - protected for 30 minutes at a depth of 1m. Stores 500 waypoints, 10 tracks with 2000 tracklog points and 1 route with 50 waypoints. It features Sun and moon rise, set and phase. JVB.
"Great value. I own several GPS receivers and have followed their evolution for the last few years. Garmin produces some of the easiest to use and best product in the GPS arena. The etrek is one of the smallest, very rugged, fast acquistion time, and even has an upload waypoint capability at that low price. The bright color makes it easy to spot in your backpack whether on an urban or mountain hike. I also use it as a backup for my marine gps." Mark Scheier from Los Angeles.
"Buy one... you won't regret it. I bought my Etrex as a gadget, but its now an indispensable part of my travels. It's well designed, functional and inexpensive. Having owned my Etrex for 6 months, I now find uses for it that I never envisaged, for example; finding my way back to a hotel in a strange town at 3 in the morning after a party. Having previously marked the position as we left the hotel, it steered us, effortlessly through a maze of suburban streets, right back to the door. I would point out though, that since it has no 'base map', you really need a programme such as Autoroute to input your desination, if you are going somewhere for the first time. Just jot down the Lat and Longtitude and key them in. A terrific piece of technology." Marc from Rome, Italy.
$114.94 (Save $30.77), ASIN:B00003WGP5 Buy (US shipping only for now).
View a range of other GPS receivers.
by Joseph J. Carr
"For amateur experimenters, ham radio operators, shortwave listeners, and electronics students, Carr explains in clear, nontechnical language what the radio frequency band is, how it works, and how it differs from other electromagnetic frequencies." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"BUILD THE CIRCUITS THAT MAKE WIRELESS WORK. If you like hands-on electronics, you'll love Secrets of RF Circuit Design, Third Edition, by Popular Electronics writer Joe Carr. This update of the favorite RF circuit guide of thousands of electronics enthusiasts takes you inside wireless technology with step-by-step, illustrated directions for dozens of usable projects. This super guide demonstrates RF theory as it shows you how to overcome the technical and materials challenges facing those who build real-world electronics. You learn how to design and build receiver circuits, RF bridges, amplifiers, receiver preselectors, simple spectrum analyzers, and time domain reflectometers. You get detailed insights into simple RF instruments, as well as UHF and microwave components...complete troubleshooting guidance...and handy parts lists and components sources. This new edition packs the latest information on directional and hybrid couplers, and seven new chapters on demodulators, circuit vectors, measuring L-C circuits, and filtering circuits against EMI. “...a great book on wireless technology for persons starting out in RF electronics, as well as for RF technicians and ham radio operators.”---Cotter W. Sayre, author of The Complete RF Technician's Handbook" Amazon.
"From one of today's most respected electronics authors comes this pragmatic, intermediate-level guide to designing, building, and testing all types of radio frequency circuits. Filled with functional projects that demonstrate the principles of RE circuits, this revision of a bestseller also provides a handy parts list and sources of components." Ingram .
A step-by-step guide into the world of hands-on electronics, with illustrated directions for dozens of usable projects. A handbook for technicians, hobbyists, putting RF theory into practice. Includes new chapters on circuit vectors and demodulators, measuring L-C circuits, and more. Previous edition: c1997. Softcover. DLC: Radio circuits--Design and construction.
*7 new chapters on demodulators, circuit vectors, measuring L-C circuits, and filtering circuits against EMI, *New: directional and hybrid couplers, *Detailed coverage of simple RF instruments, as well as UHF and microwave components, *Parts lists and components sources, *Complete troubleshooting guidance, too!
"Great for the RF technician. This is a great book on wireless technology for persons starting out in RF electronics, as well as for RF technicians and ham radio operators. Carr's book explains RF capacitors, coils, transistors, receivers, propagation, antennas, mixers, amplifiers, impedance matching, filters, the Smith chart, etc. in an easy-to-understand way." A Cotter W. Sayre, Author of "The Complete RF Technician's Handbook", from California.
"Excellent introduction to radio technology. This book was obviously written for those with prior knowledge of electronics. It does an excellent job introducing and explaining the concepts of radio frequency technology. Standard AM, FM and SW broadcast band is used for most examples. Light on math, but not afraid to throw in an equation or two where needed. More than a few typos, so read carefully! Good for radio amateur, technician or engineer who needs to understand the basic concept." A reader from Redford, MI, USA.
3rd edition, 544 pages, Paperback, 0071370676 ISBN 0071370676 Buy.
The Complete Story
by Shuji Nakamura, Gerhard Fasol, Stephen J. Pearton
Shuji Nakamura's development of a blue semiconductor laser on the basis of GaN opens the way for a host of new applications of semiconductor lasers. The wavelengths can be tuned by controlling the composition. For the first time it is possible to produce lasers with various wavelengths, ranging from red through yellow and green to blue, in one substrate material. This fact, together with their high efficiency, makes GaN-based lasers very useful for a wide spectrum of applications. The second edition of this basic book on GaN-based devices has been updated and significantly extended. It includes a survey of worldwide research on GaN, as well as Nakamura's latest important developments. The reader finds a careful introduction to the physics and properties of GaN. The main part of the book deals with the production and characteristics of GaN LDs and LEDs. To complete the spectrum of applications, GaN power devices are also described.
Synopsis: This significant work details one of the most important breakthroughs in solid-state laser techniques--the blue diode laser. Written by the chief developer of the first commercially available blue and green light emitting diodes, this book summarizes the basic principles, operating characteristics, and expanding applications of blue GaN-based laser diodes...
"Greatest book on the new Blue Semiconductor Lasers! This book is by far, the best book I have read about the latest Blue Laser Technology. I give the content and organization of information my highest regard." A reader from San Diego, CA, United States.
2nd Revised and Enlarged Edition, 418 pages, Hardcover, $84.95 ISBN 3540665056 Buy.
by Shuji Nakamura (Editor), Shigefusa F. Chichibu
Introduces basic physics of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and laser diodes (LDs) based on gallium nitride and related nitride semiconductors, and outlines their structural, transport, and optical properties and relevant device physics. Discusses problems in nitride semiconductors and quantum well structures such as conductivity control, impurity, band offsets, and microstructural imperfection in crystals. Examines emission mechanisms in nitrides which dominate bright emissions from In GaN quantum wells, and discusses degradation mechanisms of In GaN devices. Nakamura is a senior researcher at a chemical company in Japan. Chichibu teaches applied physics at the University of Tsukuba, Japan." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
The "blue laser" is an exciting new device whose potential is now being recognized in commercial lighting systems. This comprehensive work introduces the subject at a level suitable for graduate students."
352 pages, Library Binding, $110.00 ISBN 0748408363 Buy.
The Official Interoperability Specification
This boxed CD-ROM brings together for the first time anywhere the 40 books that make up the ATM Forum Anchorage Accord Standard. This standard is the one standard that is needed for the development and delivery of ATM hardware, applications, and networks. Fully indexed and searchable, the CD-ROM also includes a glossary and documentation to help decipher the standard.
This refers to Asynchronous Transfer Mode, a high volume data communications system. JVB.
July 1997, CD-ROM, $99.50 ISBN 0078566541 Buy.
Information Resources Management Association International Conference, Anchorage
by Mehdi Khosrowpour
July 2000, 1100 pages, Paperback, $159.95 ISBN 1878289845 Buy.
These are a range of books reviewed or recommended in the electronics and amateur radio press, plus a few referred to in article end-notes. These include Electonics World, Electronics Australia (may it rest in peace), Silicon Chip, QST, QEX and CQ. Plus a few I saw while looking for these...
by Robert Charles Alexander
Alexander, a consultant studio engineer who works in radio, unearths the memory of Blumlein (1903-42), whom he considers one of Britain's most important inventors. He particularly describes his 1931 patent for a Binaural Recording System. Others of his 128 patents during his short life were for the principal electronic circuits critical for electronic television, and others that broke new ground in electronic and audio engineering. He died in a plane crash while working on secret radar research for World War II." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
This book is the definitive study of the life and works of one of Britain's most important inventors who, due to a cruel set of circumstances, has all but been overlooked by history.
Alan Dower Blumlein led an extraordinary life in which his inventive output rate easily surpassed that of Edison, but whose early death during the darkest days of World War Two led to a shroud of secrecy which has covered his life and achievements ever since.His 1931 Patent for a Binaural Recording system was so revolutionary that most of his contemporaries regarded it at as more than 20 years ahead of its time...
About the Author: The author, Robert Alexander, is a consultant audio engineer and was formerly Executive Editor of Audio Media magazine.
"Reviews: 'Fascinating man, fascinating inventions, fascinating story behind the 30 year wait for a biography. We recommend you read it - our congratulations to the author.' Everyday Practical Electronics, November 1999, via the publisher, Bethj Howard.
'Thanks for the quick delivery of the Blumlein book, for which we have been waiting at least 25 years! ... In the audio community, every enthusiast will wish to own this book.' Audio Amateur Incorporated.
640 pages, Hardcover, $56.95 ISBN 0240515773 Buy.
by F. Osterman
Paperback, $3.95 + $2.35 special surcharge ($6.40 total) ISBN 1882123093 Buy.
by Harley Hahn
"Harley Hahn Teaches the Internet uses plain language to introduce you to all of the vital lanes of the information superhighway. The author doesn't assume readers have any knowledge of the Internet, yet doesn't insult their intelligence by providing a cursory introduction, either. From e-mail to streaming media, Hahn helps to demystify all of the important aspects of the Net. The book predictably begins with an overall introduction to the Internet. However, its focus remains on the questions and concerns that new users are likely to have, rather than boring technical details. Throughout the book, the author stops to define acronyms as they come up and liberally uses "hint" boxes for special tidbits. Hahn then moves on to explain all of the various protocols on the Net: the basics behind sending and receiving e-mail, ensuring safety and security, working with search engines, and using plug-in applets. This is a lot of material, but it is presented well. The book also explains how to download programs, browse newsgroups, subscribe to mailing lists, and chat with others online. The book wraps up with a basic discussion on creating your own Web site and getting your own domain name. This book is a just plain fun way to learn tons about the Internet." Stephen Plain.
"A clearly-written, thorough guide to using the Internet, for beginners. Explains how the Internet works, and introduces technical terms and lingo. Also describes how to choose a computer, connect to the Internet, send and receive e-mail, explore the Web, participate in discussion groups, and install free software." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
"Harley Hahn Teaches the Internet is similar to no other Internet book. According to Hahn, The Net is the next stage in human evolution. Human beings have a biological urge to connect with one another. With the Internet, we are able to connect our minds together as a species." Harley Hahn connects all users together in this personal vision and exploration of the Internet. Harley Hahn Teaches the Internet will change your perception of how to use the Internet to work, communicate with people..."
"Solid mass of book makes for excellent tool. I read this book cover-to-cover, then placed it in front of the door to my second bedroom--the one that never stays open. It's been working ever since! I doubt you could find a more functional Internet book for real-world uses such as mine. Thanks Harley--I couldn't have done it without you!" Jake Scully from Camden, MA.
"Rev with Harley and get on the 'Net. The growth of the Internet and the World Wide Web(WWW) is exponential and the time frame of a new iteration of tools to access them is measured in fractions of a year. While there is a limit to all exponential curves, it will be some time before the Internet growth curve begins to level off. This situation can be very intimidating to the beginner, and there still are many whose forays onto the Internet have to date been only tentative. If you are in this group, then this is the book for you. While the Internet is vast and unregulated, the basic tools for accessing it are easy to understand. There has been a great deal of convergence so that most of the actions that can be done are built into the latest iterations of the major browsers. A browser is the program that is used to access the WWW, including all of the multimedia components. In this book, Harley Hahn uses his wry, humorous style to explain what the actions are and how to perform them. Topics such as e-mail, basic file transfer, mailing lists, safety and security; Usenet and searching for information are well covered. As an unregulated medium, the Internet is a true bastion of free speech. Therefore, like all places where one can speak their mind or show their body, there will always be something, somewhere that will offend you. Hahn takes a very even handed approach to these matters, pointing out that the Internet is a judgement-neutral medium where you have control over everything you see. If you do not like something, click a button and it is no longer there. His approach to all matters is refreshing, candid and honest, doing his best to overturn some of the fallacies concerning using the Internet. This book contains the best explanations for beginning Internet explorers that I have ever seen, and if you need something to get you started, then it will do you good." Charles Ashbacher from Hiawatha, IA in the Journal of Recreational Mathematics.
"Nobody does it better than Harley Hahn. Hahn's previous books have sold more than 2 million copies. This is not an accident. Hahn's writings are always interesting and clear: it's impossible to find even one paragraph that's cluttered with jargon or difficult to understand. This book is comprehensive: every essential aspect of the Net is explained in vivid and step-by-step details. Snug between these two covers you'll learn it all: What can be accomplished on the Net. What hardware is needed to connect. How to skillfully use electronic mail. How to find and to participate in Usenet newsgroups and mailing lists. How to search the web effectively to find what you're looking for. How to protect your privacy and your family. How to make a web site. And more and more and more. It's all explained with patience and humor, and loads of amusing surprises throughout the book. Weighing in at 80 pages longer than the previous version, this new second edition is a must-have upgrade. It contains three entirely new chapters titled Music on the Net; How To Do Stuff; and Harley Hahn's Internet Sampler. This last chapter, containing URLs of interesting web sites, is a supercondensed version of the popular book Harley Hahn's Internet And Web Yellow Pages. Hahn maintains an ever-growing web site with more information about the book and many interesting features. When you arrive at the back cover of Harley Hahn Teaches The Internet you won't find the typical advertising hype. Instead you'll see a letter from Harley, written in a personal tone, which promises "I will show you how to use the Internet well and enjoy the experience." The Internet is a powerful tool for communications, and it is more. It's a unique tool, a very personal tool, and whenever we understand how to make it work for us, then using the Net becomes an experience that is creative, enjoyable, enlarging, and connecting all at once. There are a number of excellent writers teaching about the Internet, but nobody does it better than Harley Hahn." Michael Pastore, Midwest Book Review, Oregon, Wisconsin.
2nd Edition, 501 pages, Paperback, $17.99 ISBN 0789720930 Buy.
by Peter D. Symes
"A guide for video engineers, by a video engineer. Reviews JPEG, MPEG- 1, and MPEG-2, today's most widely used compression standards, and offers a glimpse at other systems currently in development. Other subjects include an introduction to compression and images, quantization, motion compensation, and audio compression. Each chapter covers basics first, then goes into greater detail, making material easily accessible to readers at all levels. Useful for video, audio, and broadcast engineers." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
As the popularity of direct satellite broadcasting, digital terrestrial TV and digital video disk skyrockets, video compression expertise is an absolute must for every video and computer engineer. Without bogging you down in higher math, Video Compression, by industry insider Peter Symes, gives you a firm grounding in all essential compression technologies, standards and algorithms--from DCT-based compression to ATSC, JPEG, MPEG-1 and MPEG-2, DVD and more. Whether you need to optimize the performance of a TV facility's compression system, design multimedia products that are compatible with standard graphics hardware and software, or just get a handle of the future of digital video, this is the one tool to consult to master: data reduction; digital imaging systems; three-dimensional sampling; entropy coding; predictive coding; transforms; quantization; motion compensation; moving MPEG data; audio compression; suband, Wavelet and Fractal encoding; much more.
From the Back Cover: Here's what every TV engineer needs to know about JPEG and MPEG! Digital television, Internet video, DVD, and videoconferencing; all require a solid practical and theoretical understanding of video compression options, both for storage and transmission. This guide, written by a video engineer for video engineers, gives you the expertise you need to stay on top in the field. It reviews JPEG, MPEG-1, and MPEG-2-today's most widely used image compression standards-and presents an intriguing glimpse at other systems currently in development. From the fundamentals of the sampled images that form the actual input to any compression system to the available compression tools and performance considerations, the material is clear, concise, and richly relevant. Each chapter covers the basics first, and then goes into greater detail, making the book easily accessible to readers at all levels of familiarity with the topic.MPEG transport schemes, switching of MPEG, and audio compression schemes are also covered. This practical guide will be helpful to any video, audio, or broadcast engineer interested in maintaining transmission/storage quality or in being able to more reliably diagnose compression-related problems.
"Excellent introduction to video compression techniques. Definitely, an excellent introductory book on video compression fundamentals. The book is very well written in a simple and clearway. It explains the basics of audio, image and video compression techniques, with a minimum of math. However, you won't find detailed implementation issues, and it has some mismatches in the examples and in the formulas used. If you know nothing or little about video compression and you don't want to mess with complicated math, this is the book you should read." Alejandro Navarrete from Mexico City.
320 pages, Hardcover, $55.00 ISBN 0070633444 Buy.
by Thomas S. Valovic
"Are we letting our techno-toys dumb us down? Are we so wrapped up with living in a sci-fi paradise--finally--that we can't see the dark, sordid side of our new lives? Writer Thomas Valovic, former editor-in-chief of Telecommunications magazine, pulls aside the curtain in Digital Mythologies: The Hidden Complexities of the Internet. The 33 short essays here shine a light on the assumptions of technophiles, which they might prefer be left in shadow: electronic democracy, scientific spirituality, and portable offices all look distinctly sinister when seen from a new perspective. What if the ritual of voting every other year commanded a different, more considered way of thinking than instantaneous direct polling? How can the materialism inherent in technological solutions transcend itself to give substance to cyber-religion? Why is it a good thing to be able to draft memos and rearrange spreadsheets while sitting in coffee shops? Valovic asks these questions relatively free from constraining values and finds in favor of technology as long as it is used intelligently for benign purposes; unfortunately, our thinking about this use is often deeply flawed. Literate, deep, and well-considered, Digital Mythologies is good medicine for those of us who are ill at ease with our brave new world." Rob Lightner.
"Wondering how the Internet grew to where it is today? Think there might be side effects from our techno-obsession? Slightly skeptical of the hype surrounding the digital promised land? Thomas Valovic was there when the Internet suddenly blossomed from academic playtoy into commercialized cyberspace. As he sifts through the promises of the network, his work shows the wide gulf separating hyperbole from reality." Cliff Stoll, author of High Tech Heretic and Silicon Snake Oil.
About the Author: Thomas Valovic is a research manager with International Data Corporation and a past editor-in-chief of Telecommunications magazine.
219 pages, Hardcover, $20.80 ISBN 0813527546 Buy.
by Harold N. Cones, Ph.D., John H. Bryant and Martin Blankinship
From the Schiffer Book for Collectors series.
Zenith's "The Quality Goes in Before the Name Goes On" is one of the most recognized, and well earned, corporate mottos in America. Founded by two Navy radiomen in 1919, luck and the infusion of capital from a wealthy adventurer and car salesman started the Zenith Radio Corporation on a journey that would propell it to the top of the United States electronics manufacturing industry. The rise was an interesting one, the cast of high profile.
With access to the Zenith corporate archives and their discovery of the long sealed files of one of Zenith's founders, the authors present for the first time the documented story of Zenith radio and company from 1919 through 1935. Professors Cones and Bryant draw on their long experience as radio enthusiasts and writers for both the popular and scholarly press to tell the fascinating story of Zenith's impact on early radio history. They present a wealth of never before published photographs, documents, and information, as well as color portraits of many Zenith radios of the era. Complimenting the story is an illustrated catalog of nearly every Chicago Radio Laboratory and Zenith radio model produced between 1919 and 1935 and a database of valuable information which covers every radio produced by the company, along with a rarity and price guide.
A great book on early years of Zenith. "This book is of real interest to someone interested in tube radios and their beginnings. Has great pictures and copies of sales brochures Just wish the authors would have gone clear through the 1930s." A reader from Kansas, USA.
Paperback, $29.95 ISBN 0764303678 Buy.
by G. Jessop
Hardcover, $15.00 ISBN 9996961214 Order.
by Donald C. Enemark
Hardcover, $19.00 ISBN 0403044995 Buy.
by Al Williams
Includes an MS Windows Basic Stamp program emulator and tool to program PIC chips.
Just getting started with microcontrollers? The Basic Stamp has taken the dedicated microcontrollerout of the province of experts. It is a special microcontroller that requires very little (if any) supporting hardware. This book teaches what you need to know about solving problems with microprocessors in general, and the Basic Stamp in particular. You get clear explanations of the principles you need to design hardware and write software for the Basic Stamp. You also get a wealth of example projects and a Basic Stamp emulator that lets you experiment without so much as buying a stamp! Are you an old-hand at microcontroller design? Seasoned designers accustomed to using more arcane microcontrollers will find that Basic Stamps are easy, productive and fun to use. You will find practical advice for PC interfacing, using EEPROMS and other devices, as well as a task-oriented command reference, and chapters that cover analog I/O, serial communications, and LCDs and keypads. The author also tells how to move programs to other processors when necessary, and covers the latest developments including the SX Basic Stamp and the Windows-based programming software. Want to control a chemical process, or move a telescope by remote control? The Basic Stamp has opened microcontroller design to a wide range of people. And this book is a complete guide to developing practical solutions with the Stamp. Chapters provide exercises to confirm your understanding of key topics, or serve as an instructional tool in a microcontroller course. Sample projects include:
- A PC-connected frequency counter
- A homebrew analog to digital converter
- A resistance or capacitance meter
- A Morse code keyer
- A variety of illustrative games
The CD-ROM is packed with files and information about the Stamp. It features a Basic Stamp emulator and a PIC programmer based on the Basic Stamp for times when you need the power of assembly language.
"About the Stamp to PIC Tools on the CD. Just to clarify the above blurb, the PIC tool included on the CD is our APP-I PIC programmer that uses a Basic Stamp to program 16C84/16F84 parts. Chapter 10 is an introduction to PIC assembly including tips for converting your code manually and then using the APP-I tool to burn the PIC. We also cover using PicBasic Pro to convert PBasic to PIC Assembly, but we do not include a copy of PicBasic on the CD (that is another company's product).
Of course, the bulk of the book is about the Stamp:
Chapter 1 - Jump Right In - Getting started with the Stamp
Chapter 2 - The Nitty Gritty A task-oriented Stamp Reference
Chapter 3 - Digital I/O - Turning things on and off, expanding I/O, etc.
Chapter 4 - Analog output - Using PWM or D/A; working with sound and phone lines
Chapter 5 - Analog input - Using A/D (including a homebrew one); reading capacitors
Chapter 6 - Serial I/O - RS232, I2C, PC communications
Chapter 7 - LCDs and Keypads - Interfacing to standard or serial LCDs
Chapter 8 - Motors - Learn to work with servos, steppers, and DC motors
Chapter 9 - Just Projects - Games, Morse code keyer, logic probe, more...
Chapter 10 - The Next Step - Programming PICs
Chapter 11 - On Your Own - Resources
Appendix A - About the CDROM
Appendix B - The APP-I PIC Programmer
Appendix C - Making Cables"
The author, Al Williams.
About the Author: Al Williams is a consultant, teacher, and author. As a veteran hardware and software designer, Al has written several popular books on all aspects of computers. His columns appear regularly in Visual Developer and Web Techniques magazines. An amateur radio operator since 1977, Al is expert at providing a bridge between the hardware and software worlds. His company, AWC, provides microcontroller consulting and development tools for Basic Stamps and other microcontrollers.
"Better than the Basic Stamp Manual. This book is much better than the regular Stamp manual. It starts out explaining how everything works and then covers each of the commands by function which is a great idea (instead of alphabetizing them). After that the author shows you how things work by bringing you through a series of projects. Unlike some books most of these projects are simple enough to breadboard in 10 or 15 minutes. There are a few projects that are more complicated at the end so you can get some feel for how do do a real design too (like the morse code keyer that has a pcb). The projects make sense and illustrate specific topics. There are some games, a capacitance meter, a logic probe, an A/D converter. The book is probably meant as a text book (it has exercises at the end of the chapters) but I found it great for self study (the answers are in the back). The information on the PIC is helpful and I have even starting programming PICs as a result of reading this book (it comes with plans to make a Stamp-based PIC programmer)." Joe from San Francisco.
300 pages, Paperback (with CD-ROM), $35.96 ISBN 0879305878 Buy.
by Louis Brown
"Beginning in that unimaginable time when everything in the world was off the radar screen, Brown (Carnegie Institute) traces radar's origins and development in the context of the world war. His treatment is more comprehensive than most, covering ground, air, and sea operations in all theaters. He also includes information about the development and use of radar by Germany, Japan, Russia, and the British Dominions. His treatment is accessible to general readers." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
"A great book, of permanent value: powerful, magisterial, full of surprises and freighted with deep insight into science and human affairs. It will remain for all time the definitive history of the invention and application of radar during the Second World War." Richard Rhodes, author of The Making of the Atomic Bomb (Pulitzer Prize winner).
"... a valuable document suitable for the non-specialist reader...the author has synthesized a huge amount of material in a very readable way." IEEE AES Systems Magazine, April 2000.
"Don't let the title of this book intimidate you ... A Radar History of World War II is a fascinating read." QST, April 2000.
"This important and extremely useful book is destined to become the standard work in the field. Highly recommended." W.M. Leary, University of Georgia -CHOICE Magazine, July/August 2000.
This book is a coherent account of the history of Radar in the Second World War. Although many books have been written on the early days of radar and its role in the war, this book is by far the most comprehensive, covering ground, air and sea operations in all theatres of World War Two. Brown manages to synthesize a vast amount of material in a highly readable, informative and enjoyable way. Of special interest is extensive new archival material about the development and use of radar by Germany, Japan, and Russia. The story is told without undue technical complexity, so that the book is accessible to specialists and non-specialists alike.
584 pages, Hardcover, $38.00 ISBN 0750306599 Buy.
by Bill Welsh
The only book devoted exclusively to amateur radio QSLs and QSLing techniques; from how to choose the right card design to finding and working with the right printer. Welsh (who is editor of the "Bill's Basics" column in CQ Magazine) discusses callbooks, using dates, signal reports, storing cards, postage, card formats, "green stamps," QSL bureaus, graphics and dozens of other aspects. If you're into DXing, county hunting, award chasing - anything that makes QSLs important to you - this book will show you how to increase your replies and grace your mailbox with those rare ones!" From the Publisher.
Paperback, $12.95 ISBN: 0936653345 Order.
From the Radio Classics series.
January 1986, Audio Cassette, $7.95 + $1.35 special surcharge, ISBN 1555691684 Order.
by Rick Fleeter, Heidi Given (Illustrator), Fran Ponick (Editor), Terry Ponick (Editor), Donna Klungle (Editor).
From the The Space Technology Library series.
447 pages, Paperback, $29.95 ISBN 1881883116 Order.
by David B. Rutledge
This innovative book provides a stimulating introduction to analog electronics by analyzing the design and construction of a radio transceiver. Essential theoretical background is given at each step, along with carefully designed laboratory and homework exercises. This structured approach ensures a good grasp of basic electronics as well an excellent foundation in wireless communications systems.The Electronics of Radio can be used as a textbook for introductory analog electronics courses, or for more advanced undergraduate classes on radio-frequency electronics. It will also be of great interest to electronics hobbyists and radio enthusiasts.
"Excellent book for the classroom or hobbyist. If you're a build-it-yourself amateur radio hobbyist with a thirst for information about how it all works, this book should be on your shelf. It is somewhat less math-intensive than Wes Hayward's classic, _Introduction to RF Circuit Design_, but more practical than most other books I've seen on the subject. The book approaches the the topic by taking the reader step-by-step through the inner workings of the NorCal 40A, a popular QRP (low-power) HF transceiver kit, which means that you'll get the most from the book if you also have the kit (or a completed NorCal 40A). The author presents each section of the radio's design and discusses each in detail, with many circuit examples. The author discusses the pertinent radio or electronics theory in the context of how each part of the radio works. There are also many practical exercises and tests that the reader can perform on the radio, either as it is being built or after it is finished. Having a NorCal 40A isn't a requirement, and most of the book is useful, even apart from the kit construction, since many of the exercises and test procedures can be applied to other radio circuits with little trouble. The book is organized to make it very useful as a college-level engineering text, but the hobbyist shouldn't be scared off by the math and theory. All in all, this is a great new book for the amateur radio community." Doug Heacock from Lawrence, KS.
475 pages, Paperback (with disc/disk), $44.95 ISBN 0521646456 Buy.
by Randy Lee Henderson, Randolph L. Henderson
An amateur radio operator's guide to building a multiband, multimode HF transceiver, providing working descriptions and advice on purchasing parts. Electronics technician Henderson covers the complete spectrum of building and using a radio transceiver, including interfacing digital and analog circuitry, digital switching noise out of sensitive analog circuits, anticipating the behavior of RF circuits, interfacing a microcontroller to various input/output devices, circuit board fabrication, and assembly programming of the Intel 80C31 microcontroller. Paper edition (unseen), $29.95. -- Copyright © 1999 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
This unique, all-inclusive guide provides complete instructions for building a sophisticated yet low-cost microprocessor-controlled radio transceiver, as well as smaller projects such as simple frequency synthesizer and spectrum analyzer. Readers will get hands-on experience with interfacing digital and analog circuitry, fabricating circuit boards, anticipating the real-world behavior of RF circuits, and more includes circuit-board layouts, parts lists, and schematic diagrams.
"A good step-by-step learning on SSB MODERN transceivers. If you want to learn how works that prodigious nice looking button-filled low-noise HF rig, this is the book! Whether if you want or not to build your own transceiver, it will show step-by-step the modules and the working of an SSB radio. You can also build the project partially an own a QRP transceiver." Guilherme from Brasil (PY3).
Very readable description with complete construction info. Whether you intend to build the transceiver or not this book provides a complete description of a modern, state of the art radio. Randy discusses each circuit in detail explaining the operation and in many cases the reason for his choice of circuits. Complete details of construction are explained with a parts list, schematic, circuit board template and parts layout. The circuits are broken down into small workable units and in many cases can be tested before final assembly. This "test as you build" method could eliminate extensive trouble shooting when the project is completed. The writing style is clear, orderly, conversational and, occasionaly, humorous. This is an advanced project, however, there are many building tips and suggestions that anyone, beginner or advanced, will find helpful. Missing are the specifications of the completed transceiver (the power output is 50 watts) and the author's call sign (WI5W)." Bud (K7TFY) from Yucaipa, Ca.
362 pages, Paperback, $23.96 ISBN 0070282641 Buy.
by Paul J. Nahin
"Instead of being an abstraction, the math in this book comes alive as the tool that EEs have always thought it to be.... It has a place in the libraries of experienced EEs: It does a good job not only of teaching the underlying theory of radio, but also of entertaining readers." Electronic Design News.
Explore the fascinating world of AM radio with this unique book and master key concepts in electrical engineering and physics. Unlike most technical books that begin with a deluge of scientific detail, The Science of Radio takes a "top down" approach. It starts from a global perspective and gradually introduces theory and formula. Dr. Nahin also employs a "just in time" strategy, introducing new mathematical and physical theories only as they are needed to understand a topic...
"Excellent book - Really deserves to be more widely known. I really enjoyed this book that ranks with some of the finest technical books I have read. This bookshould be found along side of The Feynman Lectures on Physics and Terman's Electronic and Radio Engineering. Nahin offers an interesting and readable discussion about the basis of radio communications from a historical vantage point of someone who grew up to witness the end of the golden age of radio. He gives the reader a good, readable introduction to such things as Fourier analylsis, Hartley tranforms, vacuum tube technology, etc...."
336 pages, Paperback, $23.96 ISBN 1563963477 Buy.
by Paul J. Nahin
"Nahin's sophisticated puzzles have a far better than even chance of fascinating and preoccupying the mathematically literate readership they seek." Publisherąs Weekly.
What are your chances of dying on your next flight, being called for jury duty, or winning the lottery? We all encounter probability problems in our everyday lives. In this collection of twenty-one puzzles, Paul Nahin challenges us to think creatively about the laws of probability as they apply in playful, sometimes deceptive, ways to a fascinating array of speculative situations. Games of Russian roulette, problems involving the accumulation of insects on flypaper, and strategies for determining the odds of the underdog winning the World Series all reveal intriguing dimensions to the workings of probability. Over the years, Nahin, a veteran writer and teacher of the subject, has collected these and other favorite puzzles designed to instruct and entertain math enthusiasts of all backgrounds. If idiots A and B alternately take aim at each other with a six-shot revolver containing one bullet, what is the probability idiot A will win? What are the chances it will snow on your birthday in any given year? How can researchers use coin flipping and the laws of probability to obtain honest answers to embarrassing survey questions? The solutions are presented here in detail, and many contain a profound element of surprise. And some puzzles are beautiful illustrations of basic mathematical concepts: "The Blind Spider and the Fly," for example, is a clever variation of a "random walk" problem, and "Duelling Idiots" and "The Underdog and the World Series" are straightforward introductions to binomial distributions. Written in an informal way and containing a plethora of interesting historical material, Duelling Idiots is ideal for those who are fascinated by mathematics and the role it plays in everyday life and in our imaginations.
About the Author: Paul J. Nahin is Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of New Hampshire, where he teaches the undergraduate course in probability theory. His books include An Imaginary Tale: The Story of the Square Root of Minus One(Princeton), Time Travel: A Writer's Guide to the Science of Plausible Time Travel, The Science of Radio, Time Machines: Time Travel in Physics, Metaphysics, and Science Fiction, and Oliver Heaviside: Sage in Solitude.
"Oddballs and urns. Books on probability are often boring. (Remember all those tedious problems involving people obsessed with drawing balls from urns?). In "Duelling Idiots", Nahin actually makes the subject fun by describing offbeat problems with unexpected solutions. If you like solving math puzzles, then this is a great book to look at. If you're teaching a course and want to assign a book that students might actually read, then look no further." A reader from Baltimore.
"Real world problems masked by somewhat frivolous statements. Two areas where the results are often counter intuitive are quantum mechanics and probability. Even experienced mathematicians are often confused by results such as the birthday and Monty Hall problems. After years of expert analysis and commentary, the results are still disputed and disbelieved by many. While these problems are not covered in any detail here, others with sometimes unexpected results are extensively examined. The title problem is a simple one where two individuals take turns spinning the chamber of a gun, pointing it at the other and pulling the trigger. While it is obvious that the first to go has the advantage it is surprising that the advantage is not greater than it is. Another problem of special interest during playoff season concerns the probability that the best team actually wins a seven game first with four wins series. It is a well-worn cliché that, "In a short series, anything can happen!" However, the mathematical analysis clearly supports this saying. The graph of the possible results shows that even if the probability of the stronger team winning any individual game 0.65, the weaker team still has a 20% chance of winning the series. Monte Carlo or statistical simulation methods are used to test and verify many of the results. The software package used to perform the tests is MATLAB and 63 pages of code listings is included at the end of the book. Solutions to all problems are included and many of them require a year or more of college calculus in order to understand the solution. Although many of the problems covered in this book have somewhat frivolous statements, they also are illustrative of situations encountered in the real world. Some in fact originated there and the statements were altered to make them more interesting to a general audience. This is a good book to use as a supplement in a course in applied probability theory." Charles Ashbacher from Hiawatha, Iowa.
256 pages, Hardcover, $19.96 ISBN 0691009791 Buy.
The Deaf Insurrection Against Ma Bell
by Harry G. Lang
"The Story of Deaf People Creating and Championing the TTY. In 1964, of the more than 85 million telephones in the United States and Canada, less than one percent were used regularly by deaf people. In that same year, three enterprising deaf men, Robert H. Weitbrecht, James C. Marsters, and Andrew Saks, started the process that led to deaf people around the world possessing an affordable phone system that they could use. Harry Lang's "A Phone of Our Own" tells how these three men collaborated to solve the technical difficulties of developing a coupling device for TTYs that would translate sounds into discernible letters. More remarkably, and with the help of an expanding corps of Deaf advocates, they successfully assaulted the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T), which in its efforts to protect its monopoly, smashed old TTYs to keep them from being used for potentially competitive purposes. "A Phone of Our Own" is an entertaining and engrossing story of how Deaf people themselves changed the world for the better for deaf people everywhere." The publisher, Gallaudet University Press.
"A Phone of Our Own. A phone of our own. From the very first sentence of the introduction "For nearly a century after the advent of the voice telephone, we deaf people were without a phone of our own". Author Harry G. Lang takes the reader by the hand and brings the very personal struggle of the Deaf people to the reader. He brilliantly brings to the public eye not only the Deaf persons responsible for bringing us the TTY that we enjoy so much, but also the countless numbers of Deaf people who worked tirelessly behind the scenes. It is not a book about one Deaf person but many Deaf people in their ongoing struggle to communicate. This book is a masterpiece of writing and brings a renewed pride within the Deaf community. I highly recommend this book for everyone, Deaf and hearing." Alan L. Fuchs from Doraville, GA, USA.
"Great story about a battle for equal access! As always, Dr. Harry Lang writes about topics pertaining to the Deaf world and its ongoing attempt to make their way in a hearing world. This book is a magnificent story about the battle between big corporations and a small group of people who were striving to find a way to communicate with each other and with the hearing world. It is very ironic that Alexander Graham Bell was attempting to find a way to assist the Deaf (his own wife was Deaf) when he started developing the phone, yet his creation became the bane of our existence. Until the development of the computer and email, the phone was the ultimate barrier for those with hearing impairments to participate in the 'normal' world through education, employment, and necessaries such as calling the doctor for an appointment. Dr. Lang tells the story of 3 courageous and very different men who wanted to rectify this communication deficit for the hearing impaired community. What started out in homes and garages much as the history of PCs did in the San Francisco Bay Area, spread throughout the U.S., and much of the effort had to be spent trying to get corporations such as AT&T to cooperate. It is unbelieveable the amount of obstacles raised by the very group who would benefit (in increased revenue from a priorly non-using community) were the ones who made things so difficult for these men. Yet persistence from all of them led to an invention/tool which is much used now and taken for granted by all of us who became deaf later in life. This history is well-written and well-documented, and it should be required/recommended reading for those in communications, as well as those who are deaf or who work with the deaf. Changes in the TTY, increased private/public computer use, and changes in federal laws such as the ADA and rulings by the FCC have led to increased use of this method of communication, and the increasing availability of TTYs in public places. It has also led to innovations in computer use, and prompted attitudinal changes which were much needed." Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh.
256 pages, Hardcover, $23.96 ISBN 1563680904 Buy.
by ARRL and Radio Era Archives
This title is the first of 11 sets of CD-ROM sets that consists of the first 15 years of the ARRL magazine "QST". The 11 set series consists of all 80 years of QST covering each magazine from the beginning in 1915 through December issue of 1994. A complete database of every feature and technical article is available for searching using author, name of article, year and issue as search criteria. A wildcard search could be made on all 80 years (when complete) for any technical article with the word SX-28A (Hallicrafters) or a search could be narrowed to only include those years by using the ">1938 and < 1950" which would return only SX-28A articles between the years of 1938 and 1950! 1970 through 1994 issues are now available. 1930-1994 are currently shipping. Over 70,000 sets of QST have already been sold worldwide and climbing. "The definitive resource on the history of radio." This publication series on CD-ROM is the dream of a lifetime - to have it all "instantly" available under a powerful database search engine. Try them out, you will most likely want all of them if you do!
About the Author: The QST Magazines are produced by The American Radio Relay League (ARRL). The production of the master CD's, database, executable files and the electronic files are the creation of Radio Era Archives. Radio Era Archives is an electronic publisher of reference books and other media designed to preserve these works for all time in a digital format. The works are produced on a CD-ROM format for easy storage and use.
CD-ROM, $39.95 ISBN 0872597008 Buy.
The Evolution of Telecommunications 1901 to 2001
by Peter Jensen
Published by New South Wales University Press
Hardcover, $50.00 ISBN 0868404586 Buy.
Newnes Electronics Circuits Pocket Book, Volume 3
by Ray M. Marston
"Intended for design engineers and technicians, this pocket- reference (3.75x7.75") to modern 74-series and 4000-series digital logic ICs presents 620 useful selected circuits, diagrams, graphs, and tables, supported by text and captions. Detailed descriptions of and practical applications information on some 185 TTL and CMOS ICs are provided." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
256 pages, Hardcover, $29.95 ISBN 0750630183 Buy.
By Jennie S. Hwang
"A reference to manufacturing technology in the electronics and microelectronics industry, illustrated with real-world applications and b&w photos, for professionals in the field involved in research, production, quality control, and decision-making management. Covers technologies associated with the application of solder for electronic and microelectronic packaging and assembly, including emerging technologies such as flip chip and chip-scale, and details the underlying concepts of practical applications. Also discusses market forces, specifications, and standards." Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
Solder remains the most common interconnecting material for electronic packaging and assembly. Yet, as various technologies have advanced, so too have the manifold uses to which solder is put. This comprehensive volume details all of the most current soldering techniques, along with the fundamental principles involved in each process. And it clearly relates those principles directly to practical applications encountered in today's electronics manufacturing environments. Ideal for material and process troubleshooting, the book also includes solder data tables for quick reference.
"An impressive, unparalleled reference to the critical manufacturing technology in the electronics and microelectronics industry with real-world applications--a must for all involved in research, production, quality control, and decision-making management. The electronics industry, in its exciting and changing time, ahs responded and continues to respond to the needs of competitive products in the global market place. Today's and future electronics products must deliver faster speeds, lighter weights, smaller sizes at lower cost, and increased durability. It is continuing challenge for manufacturers. This new comprehensive book helps you to meet that challenge and exceed its demands. In it, you will find complete coverage of all relevant technologies that are associated with the application of solder for electronic and microelectraonic packaging and assembly. For the first time, a practical treatment of this interdisciplinary field is given. The book also includes a proper level of underlying fundamentals that are important to the practical applications. The book reflects the author-s belief that value-added industrial applications stem from the synergistic result of a general understanding of a wide spectrum of techniques and practices and an indepth knowledge of a targeted application area. The material is intended to be neither too theoretical for readers with only practical applications in mind nor too descriptive for those who have extensive background in the subject. The ultimate purpose of the book is to provide the industry an integrated source of knowledge and information for implementing a manufacturing system which will produce ever-improved electrical, thermal, and mechanical performance of electronic circuits, covering products from computers and telecommunications to medical devices, weaponry, and household applicances and automobiles. Of the Twenty chapters, highlights include: Market driving forces and benchmark technologies; Surface mount soldering chemistry; Wetting and solderability; No-clean and water-clean manufacturing; Fine pitch technology; Soldering methodologies; Solder joint failure modes and reliability; future prospects and emerging technologies, including flip chip and chip-scale packaging and assembly; Materials characteristics and process troubleshooting; State-of-the-art IC packages; IC lead coating and PCB surface finish; BGA technology; Atmosphere soldering; Lead-free solders; A wealth of data and tables for quick reference; New and revised specifications and standards. Without question, this is the most comprehensive and insightful reference guide for the decade--the one everyone involved in this high-profile, critical manufacturing area should have and use. demands." From the Back Cover.
7th edition, Hardcover, $75.00 ISBN 0070317496 Buy.
Techniques and Applications for Electronic and Electrical Packages, Components, and Assemblies
by Perry L. Martin
Broad coverage of the entire industry: will appeal to both electronic designers and reliability specialists. Each chapter features cast studies illustrating the practices covered. Range of components covered from microelectronics to wires and cables.
"The definitive, all-in-one, cost-saving guide to electronic failure analysis--from the field's top experts. Still digging for the latest developments and techniques in electronic failure analysis? The leading-edge methods for slashing product failure rates are all right here--in one complete, comprehensive source. In the Electronic Failure Analysis Handbook, you'll find top-to-bottom coverage of this rapidly developing field, encompassing breakthrough techniques and technologies for both components and systems reliability testing, performance evaluation, and liability avoidance. Absolutely essential to anyone concerned with electronic product development and testing, the Electronic Failure Analysis Handbook gives you ready-to-use, insider information on: state-of-the-art EFA techniques; the how's and why's of electronic failures; failure prediction; warranty cost control; liability-costs and other issues." From the Back Cover.
"Yes, I admit it, I'm proud to say; "I work with failures!"Throughout the school years, Scientists and Engineers are taught how and why things work. In my experience it is rare to ever get more than a short anecdote about the failures(why things don't work), yet this is where the real learning, the growth, occurs. People learn by making mistakes and taking corrective actions so that the same mistakes will not be made again. We say that people mature. Manufacturing processes can mature in a similar manner. The semiconductor/microelectronics industry embraced this philosophy and incorporated microelectronic failure analysis into the corporate culture. The result was miraculous increases in product reliability. The achievements of the microelectronics industry were admired by other electronics-related companies and, to some extent, duplicated. Electronic failure analysis is now common across a broad range of companies and electronics technologies yet it is difficult to find any documentation of these efforts. The Electronic Failure Analysis Handbook is an attempt to address this deficiency. The Electronic Failure Analysis Handbook is presented in three parts: Part One is the shortest and deals with the uses of electronic failure analysis (EFA). Background on system and component reliability is presented, as well as an entire chapter on the use of EFA in product liability. Part Two deals with the techniques involved in performing EFA. Techniques include: electrical charaterization, x-ray, IR-thermography, acoustic micro-imaging, photography, metallography, etc.. Efforts are made to present information to allow optimization of these techniques for specific technologies. Part Three deals with the failure analysis of specific technologies. This includes: Microelectronics, passive components, connectors, solder joints, switches, high-voltage applications, etc.. The intent is to be as inclusive as possible. I would not attempt to develop such a comprehensive undertaking alone. I called upon the leading experts in their fields to contribute chapters to the handbook and case studies & examples are presented and featured in all three parts of the handbook. These experts did a wonderful job of presenting the material in a useful format. I believe that this handbook will be a valuable addition to the library of anyone who works in or around electronics. I sincerely hope that it serves you well." The author, Perry L. Martin.
Table of Contents
Part 1~Introduction to Electronic Failure Analysis
1. Overview of Electronic Component Reliability 2. Overview of Electronic Systems Reliability 3. Product Liability
Part 2~Electronic Failure Analysis Techniques
4. Photography and Optical Microscopy 5. X-Ray/Radiographic Component Inspection 6. Infrared Thermography 7. Acoustic Micro Imaging Failure Analysis of Electronic Devides 8. Metallography 9. Chemical Characterization 10. Electronic and Electrical Characterization 11. Scanning Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Analysis 12. Miscellaneous Techniques
Part 3~Electronic Failure Analysis for Specific Technologies
13. Solder Joints 14. Failure Analysis of Printed Wiring Assemblies 15. Wires and Cables 16. Switches and Relays 17. Connection Technology 18. Failure Analysis of Components 19. Semiconductors 20. Power and High-Voltage Considerations
"GOOD STUFF! The best thing I can say about this book is that I use it every day. Well organized and easy to use. Well done." A reader from N. California.
750 pages, Hardcover, $99.95 ISBN 0070410445 Buy.
Technician Amateur Radio Ham License Manual
by John Abbott
This is the latest edition, designed for the re-organised licensing system. JVB.
This Technician Amateur Radio Ham License Manual uses 59 cartoon characters, including the 26 "Phoneticos", whose bodies are Morse code electromagnetic waves, to prepare the reader for the FCC Technician Amateur Radio license examination. The names of the Phoneticos come from the International Phonetic Alphabet, used in communications.
About the Author: The author, K6YB, was licensed as a General Class Radio Amateur in 1947, at age 13. Ham radio led to a career in engineering, and a lifetime hobby. The author is also a licensed California Professional Electrical Engineer. The book is used by the author in Los Angeles area school & community ham radio classes."
"One of a Kind Book - for becoming a Ham! Compared to so many other dull-reading license manuals that one has for introducing newcomers to Amateur Radio, "Ride the Airwaves with Alfa & Zulu" is a one of kind book for becoming a ham, and it's an excellent learning tool for students of all ages. Every question in the FCC Technician License Pool is covered, and all the information is worded and portrayed in ways that make learning a lot of fun and very easy to comprehend. The best feature of this book are the hundreds of illustrations that explain what's going on. Without question, anyone who is interested in becoming a ham ought to read K6YB's excellent book-for the book is one of kind when it comes to showing one 'what ham radio is all about' - and helping them to earn their first ticket." Amateur Radio Instructor, Dr. James R. La Frieda, N6MV from West Hills, CA.
"The best. I have been teaching amateur radio for several years. In that time, I have found John Abbott's book "Ride the Airwaves with Alpha & Zulu" an overall best. Technically correct, graphically interesting, it is simply fun to use with the material logically grouped. I have utilized the book with all ages - youngsters to seniors including some with doctoral degrees - all with great success. A number of students have said ".... without 'Ride the Airwaves' I would not have succeeded..."." Amateur Radio Instructor, Herb Clarkson, KM6DD from Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, USA.
"Great Book. I bought this book and found it to be well written and easy to understand. I studied it for a few weeks and I was able to pass my technician license test with a 100%! Keep up the great work, John! I recommend this book highly to anyone wanting to get involved in amateur radio." William Reed III from Steubenville, Ohio, United States.
"K6YB understands how people learn. Years ago I had become quite discouraged when studying for the HAM license. I have been inspired to try again by this great book. Mr. Abbott has a special gift for teaching and is able to explain concepts in terms a beginner can understand. The visual aspects included are so helpful and well planned. Sometimes a picture is truly worth a thousand words. I am looking forward to taking the exam because, this time, I'll be doing so with confidence." Linda Curtis from Frazier Park, CA, USA.
"ALFA & ZULU.The book "ALFA & ZULU" has been a great book for me and my friends. K6YB did a great job of explaining all the answers! I have gotten my Novice and Tech with this book. My friend has recently gotten into the hobby of Amateur radio and I let him borrow the book. It has helped him a lot. I later upgraded to Tech Plus and am trying for the General. My friend is taking the Tech. Thank you for your great book K6YB...." A 12-year old reader from Utah, USA.
"Thank You John Abbott I took amateur radio classes using another book, not John Abbott's "Ride the Airwaves with Alpha & Zulu", and found the other book most difficult to understand. (My electrical knowledge has mainly been --- turn the light on, push the switch up, turn the light off, push the switch down). I was not able to absorb the material even though my husband was one of the teachers. When I finished the classes, I did not even attempt to take the exam. Some months later my husband introduced me to Alpha & Zulu and it opened another world to me. Because of the cartoon characters, I was able to relate the material to Alpha and Zulu, etc. I have always been a fan of cartoons and Alpha & Zulu helped me tremendously. For me, they turned heavy material into light and without them I would not have passed the exam. Thank you John Abbott, K6YB for authoring the book." Dodie Clarkson, KF6EXV, Amateur Radio Operator from Rancho Palos Verdes CA, USA.
"Ride the Airwaves... and join a great hobby! This is a great book to help both young and old (and everyone in between) learn about amateur radio. John, K6YB, has presented all of the technical concepts and FCC rules and regulations in a light hearted and engaging way that works. Using graphics and text, each idea is explained clearly and matched with the appropriate questions from the FCC Techincian License Question Pool. For anyone interested in becoming an amateur radio operator, this book should be their first choice!" Phil Downes, N1IFP from Sidney, Maine.
""Ride the Airwaves with Alfa & ZULU..." - a Classroom Winner. The "ALFA-ZULU book", as nicknamed by my 3rd Grade students, is a favorite homework assignment that Room 7 won't let me forget to assign. They love to read the cartoon formatted lessons with their parents, taking on character voices for the different Morse letters. This new "Technician" version is divided into 78 lessons which makes it very possible to complete during the school year. Not only do the kids learn about radio, but they are also provided with an excellent model for writing in cartoon style. I also incorporate John Abbott's book into our study of the electric circuit and Ohm's Law. This book is simply outstanding and that's why I have purchased a classroom set for next year. Thanks John!" Robert Allen Karon from Los Angeles, CA, USA.
"Excellent easily understood intro. to amateur (ham) radio. This is an excellent book that prepares one to pass the amateur radio test and get licensed. Many times introductory books tend to include too much and overwhelm the reader with detail he niether needs or wants. This is especially true for the younger reader. This book is excellent in that it breaks down the mountain of information into easily digested cartoon-like lessons. As an amateur extra (KC6WCT) who has been teaching for many years, I believe this book is absolutely unique in preparing the student for just what he or she needs in an easily digested format. It is also very good in that it gives some inexpensive suggestions on starting to enjoy your ham privleges after you get your license." Harriet E. Griffith from Riverbank, CA, USA.
"ALFA & ZULU Manual I have spent some time reviewing this manual, and firmly believe that K6YB has done an outstanding job communicating the facts and concepts that a young prospective ham needs to know. Most importantly, K6YB has made it fun! Efforts like this is what will keep this great hobby alive." Scott Neustadter, W4WW from Huntsville, Alabama.
Revised edition, 192 pages, ISBN 0965108813 Buy.
by Giovanni Roda
348 pages, Hardcover, $10.00 ISBN 0890062935 Order.
From the Artech House Antenna Library.
by K.V.S. Rao, Prakash Bhartia, R. S. Tomar (Preface)
"Provides information needed to design millimeter-wave microstrip and printed circuit antennas--from analysis methods and materials selection to antennas for particular applications. Special focus is given to the issues that impact the ability to scale microwave frequency designs to the millimeter-wave range. Reviews of the different mathematical techniques, both analytical and numerical, are provided, with summaries of the advantages, disadvantages and limitations of each method." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
322 pages, Hardcover, $88.00 ISBN 0890063338 Buy.
by B. Whitfield Griffith
Reviewed: QEX Jan/Feb 2001, p.57. JVB.
This classic volume, one of the best textbooks Of electromagnetic field theory and RF circuits, is reprinted here for the first time since its original publication in 1962. Hailed for its clear and concise explanation of antenna, transmission lines and RF networks form the perspective of electromagnetic field theory, this timeless title is highly recommended for graduate students and engineers who deal with RF energy.
"Indispensable for libraries and text bookstores serving senior undergraduate and graduate electrical engineering students, faculty, and working RF and microwave designers." The Publisher.
2nd edition, 648 pages, Hardcover, $75.00 ISBN 1884932134 Order.
by Theodore Grosch
"As a reference for RF and microwave designers or as a text for high level engineering students, this volume serves to explain both classical and modern techniques for designing small signal, high frequency amplifiers. It introduces analytical methods of high- frequency amplifier design by determining the characteristics of input and output networks and their ultimate synthesis, and covers topics such as transmission lines, S-parameters, circuit stability, narrow band amplifier design, and noise figure basics." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
This book explains techniques and examples for designing stable amplifiers for high-frequency applications in which the signal is small and the amplifier circuit is linear. An in-depth discussion of linear network theory provides the foundation needed to develop actual designs. Examples throughout the book will show you how to apply the knowledge gained in each chapter leading to the complex design of low noise amplifiers. Many exercises at the end of each chapter will help students to practice their skills. The solutions to these design problems are available in an accompanying solutions booklet (Small Signal Microwave Amplifier Design: Solutions, 1884932096).
Indispensable for libraries and text bookstores serving senior undergraduate and graduate electrical engineering students, faculty, and working RF and microwave designers. The Publisher.
Hardcover, $69.00 ISBN 1884932061 Order.
Solutions. Paperback, 72 pages, $19.00 ISBN 1884932096 Order.
In Waveguide, Circuit, and Component Analysis
by Phillip H. Smith
The legendary Smith chart inventor's classic reference book describes how the chart is used for designing lumped element and transmission line circuits. Provides tutorial material on transmission line theory and behavior, circuit representation on the chart, matching networks, network transformations and broadband matching. Includes a new chapter with examples designs and description of Noble Publishing's winSmith software accessory.
"Many computational instruments have succumbed to the power of the digital computer. This is not the case with the Smith chart. A testament to Phil's genius is that his chart remains an important training tool and has evolved into a new role as a display grid on computer instrument screens. winSmith, a supplemental program to the book, is available form Noble Publishing." The Publisher.
2nd edition, 263 pages, Hardcover, $59.00 ISBN 1884932398 Order.
Software and User's Manual
by Leonard Schwab
150 pages, Software and Paperback book, $435.00 ISBN 0890069778 Buy.
by Steve C. Cripps
"An introduction to linear RF amplifier theory and related concepts is followed by chapters addressing linear power amplifier design; conventional high-efficiency amplifier modes; matching network design for reducing conduction angle high-efficiency amplifiers; overdrive and limiting effects in RF power amplifiers; switching mode amplifiers for RF applications; nonlinear effects in RF power amplifiers; efficiency enhancement techniques; power amplifier linearization techniques; and power amplifier architecture. An appendix provides Spice circuit file listings." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
Designed to bring the concept of RF power amplifiers, up to date to reflect changes in electronic design that has occurred over the past two decades with the widespread availability of affordable simulation software and personal computers. DLC: Amplifiers, Radio frequency.
"Excellent! I gained a lot of insights from this book. It methodically treats RF power amplifier in a way that develops understanding of the fundamentals. I particulary like the explanation on the Load-Pull Countours/Theory (Ch 2), Matching Network Design for Reduced Conduction Angle PAs(Ch 3), and the Two-Tone Envelope Analysis (Ch 7). In short, thanks to this book, the way I look at PAs has been transformed: from nebulous beliefs and assumptions to insights and better understanding. I believe this book is a must have for Engineers working on RF PAs. Sincerely, ATS." Adrian Sutinjo from CALGARY, ALBERTA, Canada.
"Great book on PA design for wireless comms. An excellent source of information. Mr Cripps very articulatly reviews at all classes of RF power amplification, and explains theoretical design principles and suggests improvements. His 'Load-pull' technique method is already widely used in design of PA's and serves as a good design aid. Although I would have liked him to go deeper into 'high-efficiciency PA techniques, spending more time on 'Chierix, Khan and Doherty methods. His book is the best reference on PA's I have seen in the last decade, I could not put it down. I look forward to his next book." Al Castelino from San Diego, CA.
376 pages, Hardcover, $99.00 ISBN 0890069891 Buy.
The Evolution of Secrecy from Mary, Queen of Scots to Quantum Cryptography (Hardback)
The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography (Paperback)
by Simon Singh
(The hard and paperbacks simply have different sub-titles.)
By the writer and presenter of the TV series "The Science of Secrecy", currently showing on ABC (Australia). JVB
"People love secrets, and ever since the first word was written, humans have written coded messages to each other. In The Code Book, Simon Singh, author of the bestselling Fermat's Enigma, offers a peek into the world of cryptography and codes, from ancient texts through computer encryption. Singh's compelling history is woven through with stories of how codes and ciphers have played a vital role in warfare, politics, and royal intrigue. The major theme of The Code Book is what Singh calls "the ongoing evolutionary battle between codemakers and codebreakers," never more clear than in the chapters devoted to World War II. Cryptography came of age during that conflict, as secret communications became critical to either side's success. Confronted with the prospect of defeat, the Allied cryptanalysts had worked night and day to penetrate German ciphers. It would appear that fear was the main driving force, and that adversity is one of the foundations of successful codebreaking. In the information age, the fear that drives cryptographic improvements is both capitalistic and libertarian--corporations need encryption to ensure that their secrets don't fall into the hands of competitors and regulators, and ordinary people need encryption to keep their everyday communications private in a free society. Similarly, the battles for greater decryption power come from said competitors and governments wary of insurrection. The Code Book is an excellent primer for those wishing to understand how the human need for privacy has manifested itself through cryptography. Singh's accessible style and clear explanations of complex algorithms cut through the arcane mathematical details without oversimplifying. Can't get enough crypto? Try solving the Cipher Challenge in the back of the book--$15,000 goes to the first person to crack the code!" Therese Littleton.
"During the late 19th century, private citizens and businesses began to rely less on the dependable but slow postal system, and more on a new method of transmitting and receiving messages, news and financial data. The breakthrough technology was the telegraph, and almost as soon as people started using it, they began to think of ways to safeguard private communications from prying eyes. One writer in England's Quarterly Review described the problem in 1853: "The clerks of the English Telegraph Company are sworn to secrecy, but we often write things that would be intolerable to see strangers read before our eyes. This is a grievous fault in the telegraph, and it must be remedied by some means or other." A simple solution to snooping telegraph operators was to encrypt messages before handing them over to transmit, a practice that became common for individuals and companies alike. A hundred years later, we are in the midst of another telecommunications transformation, and concern over privacy is more intense than ever. As our private e-mail messages and credit card numbers ricochet around the world at dizzying speed, encryption remains the cornerstone of our security. Of course, as author Simon Singh explains in The Code Book, our methods of encryption have evolved along with our communications technologies. In a sweeping overview, Singh traces the evolution of secret writing from the time of Herodotus to the present day. Along the way, he tells tales of the treasonous, though simply coded communications of Mary, Queen of Scots; Louis XIV's Great Cipher, which went unsolved for two centuries; and Charles Babbage's 1850s deciphering of the supposedly uncrackable polyalphabetic Vigenere Cipher. He also details the World War II-era work of Navajo code-talkers and the cracking of the German Enigma machine, as well as the United States' and England's nearly simultaneous discovery of public-key cryptography in the 1970s. Author of the 1997 bestseller Fermat's Enigma, Singh casts the relationship between codemaking and codebreaking in evolutionary terms: Like strains of infectious bacteria, ciphers grow stronger because, as the weak are deciphered, necessity demands that more difficult-to-crack codes take their place. Although Singh fashions a compelling history, as well as a skillful explanation of the analytical underpinnings of cryptographs, the most dramatic moments in the book come in the last three chapters. As the book draws to a close, the author walks readers through such events of the past 20 years as the invention of public-key cryptography and recent experiments to employ quantum mechanics in the quest for the unbreakable code. The public-key method - the first cryptographic system in history that doesn't require both parties in a transaction to share a secret key - is considered the most important advance in codemaking within the past 2,000 years. Public-key encryption makes possible familiar computer transactions like secure e-mail and e-commerce, without which using a credit card on the Web would be no more secure than leaving a wallet on the bus. Public-key cryptography also helped revive a debate over encryption that pits citizen privacy against government security. As Singh commented at a recent book reading in San Francisco, "I could send you a message encrypted through free software on the Net, and the combined forces of the GCHQ, the NSA, the CIA and the FBI wouldn't be able to crack that code. And if they did manage to," he added, "I could just re-encrypt with Version 2.0." Singh understands an essential truth about secrets: You can crack a code if you ask the right questions, but sometimes the answers evolve themselves out of existence." Maria De La O, The Industry Standard.
"His exposition is especially effective at putting the reader in the code breaker's shoes..." The New York Times Book Review, Robert Osserman.
"It would be harder to imagine a clearer or more fascinating presentation of cryptology and decryptology than nonspecialists will get in this book." The New York Times, Richard Bernstein.
"The ancient battle between people who want to preserve secrets and people who want to discover them proceeds as a form of evolution. Codemakers devise a better means of encryption; codebreakers solve it, forcing the encoders to find another improvement. Singh, trained in physics but now an author of works on science, spins an absorbing tale of codemaking and codebreaking over the centuries. Does the simple monoalphabetic substitution cipher, which replaces each letter of a message with a letter from a cipher alphabet, no longer suffice? Replace it with a code using two or more cipher alphabets. When that no longer outwits the cryptanalysts, encode with a Vigenčre square, in which a plaintext alphabet is followed by 26 cipher alphabets. And so on through one-time pad ciphers, cryptographic machines and public-key cryptography. Singh explains them all deftly. Looking to the future, he sees "one idea in particular that might enable cryptanalysts to break all today's ciphers." It is the quantum computer. If it can be built, "it would be able to perform calculations with such enormous speed that it would make a modern supercomputer look like a broken abacus." Or perhaps the cryptographers will triumph with quantum cryptography. "If quantum cryptography systems can be engineered to operate over long distances, the evolution of ciphers will stop. The quest for privacy will have come to an end." Scientific American.
"...resulting in a wonderfully understandable survey." Gilbert Taylor, Booklist, September 1, 1999.
Codes have decided the fates of empires, countries, and monarchies throughout recorded history. Mary, Queen of Scots was put to death by her cousin, Queen Elizabeth, for the high crime of treason after spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham cracked the secret code she used to communicate with her conspirators. And thus the course of British history was altered by a few sheets of cryptic prose. This is just one link in humankind's evolutionary chain of secret communication, and just one of the fascinating incidents recounted in The Code Book, written by bestselling author Simon Singh. Combining a superb storyteller's sense of drama and a scientist's appreciation for technical perfection, Singh traces the evolution of secret writing from ancient Greek military espionage to the frontiers of computer science. The result is an epic tale of human ingenuity, with examples that range from the poignant to the peculiar to the world-historical. There is the case of the Beale ciphers, which involves Wild West escapades, a cowboy who amassed a vast fortune, a buried treasure worth $20 million, and a mysterious set of encrypted papers describing its whereabouts--papers that have baffled generations of cryptanalysts and captivated hundreds of treasure hunters. A speedier end to a bloody war was the only reward that could be promised to the Allied code breakers of World Wars I and II, whose selfless contributions altered the course of history; but few of them lived to receive any credit for their top-secret accomplishments. Among the most moving of these stories is that of the World War II British code breaker Alan Turing, who gave up a brilliant career in mathematics to devote himself to the Allied cause, only to end his years punished by the state for his homosexuality, while his heroism was ignored. No less heroic were the Navajo code talkers, who volunteered without hesitation to risk their lives for the Allied forces in the Japanese theater, where they were routinely mistaken for the enemy. Interspersed with these gripping stories are clear mathematical, linguistic, and technological demonstrations of codes, as well as illustrations of the remarkable personalities--many courageous, some villainous, and all obsessive--who wrote and broke them. All roads lead to the present day, in which the possibility of a truly unbreakable code looms large. Singh explores this possibility, and the ramifications of our increasing need for privacy, even as it begins to chafe against the stated mission of the powerful and deeply secretive National Security Agency. Entertaining, compelling, and remarkably far-reaching, this is a book that will forever alter your view of history, what drives it, and how private that e-mail you just sent really is. Included in the book is a worldwide Cipher Challenge--a $15,000 award will be given by the author to the first reader who cracks the code successfully. Progress toward the solution will be tracked on The Code Book website.
"About the Author: Simon Singh received his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Cambridge. A former BBC producer, he directed an award-winning documentary film on Fermat's Last Theorem that aired on PBS's "Nova" series, and wrote the bestselling book Fermat's Enigma. He lives in London, England.
"Who'd have thought... that a book about code writing and code breaking could be so interesting? This book presents a nice win-win because you'll get a solid education about encryption and encryption technology, while being thoroughly entertained. Anyone who is involved in the online business, or anyone interested in history in general, will benefit by reading this book." A reader from Westport, CT, USA.
"Fascinating evolution -the past, present and future of codes. What great reading! I hope Singh comes up with a second book, he says that there were a great number of stories which he left out because there just wasn't room. The stories he used this time were so interesting. Singh calls this a book on the evolution of codes and he presents it as that - showing the various developments of ciphers and codes from Caesar right through history including Mary Queen of Scots, Enigma &c. to today. His explanations are so simple - stripped of too much technical jargon to make those of us who aren't had no ideas about codes and codebreaking before (like me) - don't feel thick and inadequate. I first heard this book read in chapters on the radio, and that was pretty good stuff - the book is so much better though. Singh is a great writer, I loved his initial scene setting with Mary, Queen of Scots. This book isn't just about codes, Singh also tells the story about the deciphering of various old ancient texts. All the chapters flow on well from one another in the evolutionary way he describes - but you can read each chapter independently if you just want to browse through the book reading for a particular interest." Anne Woodley from New Zealand.
402 pages, Hardcover, $19.96 ISBN 0385495315 Buy,
410 pages, Paperback, $11.20 ISBN 0385495323 Buy.
The Remarkable Story of the Telegraph and the Nineteenth Century's On-Line Pioneers
by Tom Standage
"Imagine an almost instantaneous communication system that would allow people and governments all over the world to send and receive messages about politics, war, illness, and family events. The government has tried and failed to control it, and its revolutionary nature is trumpeted loudly by its backers. The Internet? Nope, the humble telegraph fit this bill way back in the 1800s. The parallels between the now-ubiquitous Internet and the telegraph are amazing, offering insight into the ways new technologies can change the very fabric of society within a single generation. In The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures." Therese Littleton.
In just six years, the Internet has gone from being a complicated toy for computer geeks to being the Wild West of the 1990s, and from there to being a part of our everyday lives. E-mailing jokes to one's friends is as commonplace as photocopying them used to be, and it no longer seems like science fiction to watch my ten-year-old niece surf the Web to find pictures for her school report on the rain forest. But this is not the first time technology has made the world shrink. As Tom Standage describes in his new book, The Victorian Internet, the invention of the electric telegraph had a great effect on the world. By the 1850s, news that had once taken a week to get from Washington to New York traveled in seconds. By 1865, with the laying of the first trans-Atlantic cable, diplomats and businessmen no longer had to wait six weeks to find out what was happening on the ocean's other side. This revolution had at least as great an impact as the one we are going through now, and was at least as misunderstood. Some of the stories Standage relates are comical. One woman tried to telegraph some food to her son. When told that this was impossible, she insisted that she had heard of soldiers being sent to the front by telegraph. If it could take soldiers, why couldn't it take her sauerkraut? Less humorously, the editor of the New York Herald worried that "The telegraph may not affect magazine literature, but the mere newspapers must submit to destiny, and go out of existence." Of course, it didn't turn out that way: The telegraph intensified competition between newspapers to get the latest news, but also gave them access to so much information that selecting and organizing content became their most important role...." Gregory V. Wilson, Dr. Dobb's Journal.
"A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human history." USA Today.
About the Author: Tom Standage is a journalist who has written about science and technology for many newspapers and magazines, including The Guardian, The Independent, and Wired. Former deputy editor of the technology section of The Daily Telegraph, he is now a science writer at The Economist in London. This is his first book. He lives in Greenwich, England.
"There's nothing new about the new economy. Very easy book to read (did it in a long night). Book makes premise that in the whirlwind of Internet hype and how it's revolutionizing our world, this all first happened a hundred years ago when the Telegraph was invented. Ironically, Morse had a hard time convincing the initial trials. It was also first seen as a play toy, an oddity. However soon applications came to be and governments, news, business, and personal lives were changed by this first major advance in communications in hundreds of years (likely since the printing press). When reading about the chapter on how commerce was changed because cross-atlantic orders could be transmitted in a day rather than weeks. Business people became obsessed with keeping up with the new demands for fear of competition(They lived in "Internet Time"). How the first major application in business was transmitting stock quotes (this sound familiar?). The book makes the premise that in this 'new internet age', we've seen it all before. To that it does a good job in a quick entertaining read." Christopher S. Susi.
227 pages, Hardcover, $17.60 ISBN 0802713424 Buy,
227 pages, Paperback, $9.60 ISBN 0425171698 Buy.
by Ian R. Sinclair
"Not a beginner's guide to electronics, but a reference for both beginners and veterans who design, construct, or repair electronic circuits. Contains most of the basic information needed on a daily basis, with just enough explanation to serve as a reminder or a clue to looking up more details elsewhere. The fourth edition allocates more space to energy conversion devices, sensors, and transducers; and adds a new section on digital simulation. First published in 1980 and most recently in 1992..." Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
"The new edition of a guide to the key data, facts, and circuit basic designs needed by students and electronics professionals. Chapters cover passive components, active discrete components, circuits, linear and digital ICs, energy conversion components, microprocessors, digital-analogue conversions, hardware components, microcontrollers, digital broadcasting, and electronic security." Book News, Inc. Portland, OR.
4th edition, 439 pages, Paperback, $29.95 ISBN 0750621680 Buy.
by Paul Israel
"Edison's name is on 1,093 U.S. patents--more than any other person's. It is a measure of his renown that his surname alone suffices for the title of this book. Israel, managing editor of the Rutgers University edition of Edison's papers, has explored thoroughly the five million pages of documents housed at the Edison National Historic Site in West Orange, N.J., and so he is well positioned to discuss the eminent inventor's achievements. That he does with care and clarity. The well-known inventions--the incandescent lightbulb, the phonograph, the kinetoscope for motion pictures, the carbon transmitter for telephones--are all here in detail, and so are the lesser-known ones as well as some Edisonian projects that did not succeed. Israel also paints a clear portrait of the man. One learns, among other things, of Edison's difficult relationships with his children, his indifference to his appearance and his singular notions about diet. (In his last years, when he was suffering from stomach trouble, "he consumed nothing more than a pint of milk every three hours.") Edison may well have been the "Inventor of the age," as he was orotundly described in the Grand Prize that he won at the Universal Exposition of 1878 in Paris, but he was in addition a complex and intriguing human being." Scientific American.
"Israel is the managing editor of the multivolume edition of Edison's papers at Rutgers. He challenges the myth of Edison (1847-1931) as the epitome of Yankee ingenuity and individualist genius, and shows how his many technical accomplishments were part of the industrialization and commercialization of the country during the latter 19th century. He also points out how much he contributed to what many people don't like about the modern world, as well as neat things like sound recording and electric lights." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
"The editor of Edison's papers offers the latest biography of the Wizard of Menlo Park. It is not as fluidly readable as Neil Baldwin's Edison: Inventing the Century (1995), because Israel delves into far more detail about Edison's technical work and business dealings, whereas Baldwin dwelt on Edison's personality and strained family life. Readers get a complete rundown of Edison's formative tinkering with telegraphic equipment. Able to invent what businesses, particularly stock brokerages, needed in instantaneous communication, Edison moved to New York, close to where he set up his lab in New Jersey. The 1870s and the 1880s were his most productive years, and although Edison lost out to Alexander Graham Bell in the contest to develop a telephone, he came up with equally revolutionary devices such as the light bulb and the phonograph. Dozens of facsimiles of his original drawings are reproduced, which fortify the impression of Edison's meticulousness, as do Israel's accounts of his business ventures. A complete biography, but a dry one." Gilbert Taylor.
"As much as any man in history, Thomas Alva Edison changed the fabric of everyday life. Here's a big new biography of the great inventor, by a leading Edison scholar. Israel, managing editor of the Rutgers edition of Edison's papers, takes pains to place the inventor in the context of his times. A good deal of attention is devoted to his early career. The son of Canadian emigrants to northern Ohio, Edison (1847 - 1931) learned to read and write from his schoolteacher mother, rather than from his sporadic formal schooling. His father's books taught him the scientific method and analytical thinking. His first jobs were as a telegrapher, moving from city to city. His desire to master this skilled profession led to his first invention: a device to allow novice telegraphers to vary the speed of a message for practice. Edison's growing body of experimentation was recorded in notebooks he kept as early as 1867, and from which Israel produces numerous drawings and excerpts. By 1869, his search for new telegraphic applications bore fruit in a service delivering financial news to brokerages. Edison quit his job as a telegraph operator to move to New York and concentrate on developing new inventions. There, with a reputation for cleverness and an ability to enlist wealthy backers, he was soon putting in 16-hour days fulfilling new contracts. His insatiable curiosity led him to branch out into fields ranging from metallurgy to plastics to, eventually, the triumphs of the electric light, sound recording, and literally hundreds of other inventions. Israel covers his career in depth, with discussions of technical considerations at the forefront, and frequent reference to Edison's own writings and reported conversation. The inventor's personal life, which he himself put a distant second behind his work, receives the occasional sidelong glance, though it - s hard to say that any great new light is shed on it. Exhaustively researched, with a strong emphasis on Edison's methods and achievements." Kirkus Associates, LP.
"Offers a fresh glimpse into the life of the inventor . . . captures the energy and excitement of what is surely one of the most spectacular periods in American industrial history." New Scientist.
"Exhaustive . . . Israel's book should go a long way toward taking Edison out of the shadows and placing him in the proper light." Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"Aiming to illustrate how Edison 'achieved such an extensive record as an inventor,' he accomplishes his goal through clear, vigorous descriptions of Edison's experiments, businesses, and career. . . . Highly recommended." Library Journal.
"Paul Israel, PhD (New Brunswick, NJ), is the editor of the multivolume documentary edition of the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University and the coauthor of Edison's Electric Light. He holds a PhD in the history of technology."
"GREAT BIOGRAPHY OF EDISON. This book is great for anyone to read. This is one of thoughs books that really sums up Edison and it doesent leave anything out. It is a truly great book." A reader from USA.
"Informed by more than five million pages of archival documents, this ambitious biography of Edison brightens the unexamined corners of a singularly influential and triumphant career in science. In these pages, history's most prolific inventor-he received an astounding 1,093 U.S. patents-comes to life as never before..."
480 pages, Hardcover, $24.00 ISBN 0471529427 Buy,
560 pages, Paperback, $15.16 ISBN: 0471362700 Buy,
Audio Cassette, Read by Raymond Todd, $99.95 ISBN 078611794X Order.
by Charles Miller
"Emphasizing the practical aspects of repairing and restoring valve radios, Miller (editor, The Radiophile) keeps technical content to a minimum and offers instruction accessible to the lay person. Both the mechanical and electrical aspects of servicing are discussed. Repair techniques are illustrated throughout. And, a large reference section lists specialist dealers for valves, components, and complete receivers." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
"For anyone interested in the repair of vintage radios this book has a great deal to offer." British Vintage Wireless Society.
"A wealth of extremely useful information." Electrical and Radio Trading
This new edition of the classic Practical Handbook of Valve Radio Repair has been expanded to provide a comprehensive guide to the restoration and repair of valve audio and radio equipment for professionals and owners alike. It also includes new material on valve amplifiers. This book is not only an essential read for every professional working with antique radio and gramophone equipment, but also dealers, collectors and enthusiasts the world over.
For professionals working with antique radios and gramophone equipment and dealers, collectors, and enthusiasts. Emphasis is given to hands-on repair work, covering mechanical as well as electrical aspects of servicing. Repair techniques are illustrated throughout. This expanded edition provides a comprehensive guide to restoration and repair. Softcover.
"An ever-increasing number of Electronics Engineers, born since the transistor (1955ish), are asked sooner or later to help with a "wireless" or amplifier which contains "valves", or "tubes". In spite of countless similarities, valve systems have many important differences; and advice about servicing them is hard to come by. But at last, here is a densely-packed book of advice, spiced with humour, reminiscences, and informed opinions - but only when and where they really help. Whilst a pedant might pick holes in some of the theory and treatment (misplaced dots and outdated units for example), the practical advice is invaluable and will save patience, fortune, and lives. (Besides, if we are working on gadgets where 4.7 m meant 4.7 megohms, better to say so. We are even told the alternative American notation.) If you are new to Vintage Electronics you will not be baffled by 50-year-old "slang", because commonplace terms are explained. But if you have been "at it" for 50 years you will not feel patronised. You will soon find out how much you "didn't know you had forgotten.". Mr W H (Bill) Jarvis from EDINBURGH, Lothians, United Kingdom.
2nd edition, 256 pages, Hardcover, $32.95 ISBN 0750639954 Buy.
by Steven K. Roberts
Since 1983, Steve Roberts has been a technomad – alternating between open-ended periods of networked wandering and increasingly ambitious machine-building layovers. Though it began simply as the Computing Across America high-tech solo bicycle adventure (expected to last only a year or so), the project gained momentum though the symbiosis of constant media attention and increasing collaboration with hundreds of sponsors and volunteers. Unexpectedly, the tools and techniques of nomadness became interesting to a vast population of individuals who yearn to combine physical freedom with solid connectivity. "Once you move to the Internet," Steve says, "your physical location becomes irrelevant." This book begins with a substantial overview of the computerized recumbent bicycles, Winnebiko and BEHEMOTH, then describes system design and early adventures with the Microships – amphibian pedal/solar/sail networked folding micro-trimarans that will carry Steve and his partner, Natasha, through the next level of aquatic technomadness. In so doing, it serves as the introduction to the whole family of Nomadic Research Labs publications that detail every aspect of this state-of-the art project, from engineering-level Microship internal details to spirited tales of prowling the world’s backwaters with a boatload of gizmology. Beyond all that, this publication is intended as a standalone statement of what happens when passion, technology, freedom, romance, and adventure are blended into a single obsessive fantasy. It is our hope that we will continue to trigger mini-epidemics of wanderlust and foment outbreaks of restlessness and curiosity. This, more than anything else in the our publication series, is a standalone response to the question, "so what is it you guys do, anyway?"
Steve has been immersed in microprocessors and embedded controls since the early 70's, when he built one of the first 8008-based personal computers. He published a text on microcomputer engineering and continued in a general freelance consulting and magazine writing vein until 1983, when the combination of chronic restlessness and midwestern torpor launched him abruptly into the technomadic life. To the horror of friends and family, he sold his suburban house, moved to a recumbent bicycle, and began a 17,000-mile bicycle trip around the US -- stopping now and again to write books about the adventure or rebuild the substrate. The third version of the bike sported 72 watts of solar panels, a network of on-board computers with handlebar chord keyboard and head mouse, heads-up display, satellite Internet link, 105 speeds, ham shack, and other goodies. But by 1991, asphalt was losing its appeal and Roberts started schlepping his 580-pound BEHEMOTH around the country on speaking tours via diesel mothership while working on the design of his next escape pod. Work on the bike's aquatic successor began full-time in 1993 and filled the following 8 years. Now flickering to life in his Camano Island, Washington laboratory and undergoing a series of rigorous test mini-expeditions, the Microship project is based on a pair of canoe-scale amphibian pedal/solar/sail micro-trimarans with on-board linux servers, live telemetry to a public server, video production tools, a complete suite of communications resources, deployable landing gear, and 480 watts of peak-power tracked solar panels per boatlet. Roberts still earns a living by speaking and writing about his adventures, along with the technology that makes them possible.
As reviewed in QST, June 2001, p55. JVB.
110 pages, Paperback, $15.00 ISBN: 1929470002 Buy.
by Kaushik Roy and Sharat Prasad
Low power circuit design is a rapidly-growing field of research driven by the popularity of portable computers and the introduction of multimedia systems that rely on portable hardware. This is the first book devoted to low power circuit design.
Clearly introduces Low-power VLSI circuit design and incorporates dozens of illustrations and chapter summaries and references. Provides a comprehensive look at the rapidly growing field of low-power VLSI design. DLC: Low voltage integrated circuits--Design and construction.
"Great book! This book was very helpful for me to understand about modern low-power chip design,also made me save my times to search the papers about this topic. Great book." A reader from Fort Collins, CO, United States.
March 2000, 376 pages, Hardcover, $79.95 ISBN 047111488X Buy.
by Ivan Edward Sutherland, Robert F. Sproull and David Harris
Designers of high-speed integrated circuits face a bewildering array of choices and too often spend frustrating days tweaking gates to meet speed targets. Logical Effort: Designing Fast CMOS Circuits makes high speed design easier and more methodical, providing a simple and broadly applicable method for estimating the delay resulting from factors such as topology, capacitance, and gate sizes.
The brainchild of circuit and computer graphics pioneers Ivan Sutherland and Bob Sproull, "logical effort" will change the way you approach design challenges. This book begins by equipping you with a sound understanding of the method's essential procedures and concepts-so you can start using it immediately. Later chapters explore the theory and finer points of the method and detail its specialized applications.
Features:
(1) Explains the method and how to apply it in two practically focused chapters.
(2) Improves circuit design intuition by teaching simple ways to discern the consequenes of topology and gate size decisions.
(3) Offers easy ways to choose the fastest circuit from among an array of potential circuit designs.
(4) Reduces the time spent on tweaking and simulations-so you can rapidly settle on a good design.
(5) Offers in-depth coverage of specialized areas of application for logical effort: skewed or unbalanced gates, other circuit families (including pseudo-NMOS and domino), wide structures such as decoders, and irregularly forking circuits.
(6) Presents a complete derivation of the method-so you see how and why it works.
"And now, a word from the author... I'm very pleased to see Logical Effort in print. Our publisher, Morgan Kaufmann, has done an oustanding job with editing and producing the book. In 1994, while working on a major microprocessor design project, I was asked by some summer interns how I designed CMOS circuits for speed. I explained some of the rules of thumb I'd acquired through experience, but the interns kept asking "why" so I had to work out the theory behind why the rules work. Eventually, I partially reinvented the principles of Logical Effort which had been first published several years earlier by Sutherland and Sproull. Since then, I've been an enthusiastic fan of Logical Effort because it's built my intuition about circuit design and shows me how to make tradeoffs in topology selection and gate sizing for least delay without resorting to as much mind-numbing simulation. In 1997, I had the good fortune to being working with Ivan Sutherland at Sun Microsystems. By that time, I was regularly teaching Logical Effort in my circuit design classes, but lacked a good reference beyond Sutherland's initial paper. After a bit of prompting, he pulled a dusty manuscript from his drawer that he and Sproull had nearly completed years earlier. I persuaded him to let me finish it off and update it and thus the book was born. If you are concerned about designing fast circuits, I hope you enjoy and benefit from using Logical Effort as much as I have enjoyed and benefited from writing it." The author, David Harris.
"Blown away. This is without a doubt a must-have for CMOS logic and circuit designers. No doubt this will be on my desk for the forseeable future. The first two chapters present a basic introduction to the approach that is sufficient to gain a working knowledge. The remaining chapters delve into details such as applying the method to domino circuits, passgate logic, cells with unequal rise/fall times, and a complete derivation of the method. The authors are well known experts in the field of high speed circuit design, and David Harris' presentation of the material is far from bland and boring. This is one of the few technical books I had a hard time putting down. Highly recommended!" Bill Sicaras from Dallas, TX, United States.
"Great Product. A welcome addition to the field of VLSI with pratical and not ridiculous constraints to establish fast and efficient logic designs. The book could use some introduction topics in VLSI to make the book more broad and probably more appealing as a textbook. A reader from Illinois Institute of Technology.
"Must-read book for CMOS designers. This book clarifies the method of sizing the CMOS logic gates and evaluating the different topologies of CMOS gates. Rather than solving the MOS I-V characteristic curves, it provides very intuitive, and straightforward method of estimating the propagation delay. You will find yourself a lot logically thinking about sizing CMOS gates than before when you just try to tweak the numbers and repeat simulations." A reader from Palo Alto, CA.
250 pages, Paperback, $42.95 ISBN 1558605576 Buy.
by Behzad Razavi
"This textbook deals with the analysis and design of analog CMOS integrated circuits, emphasizing recent technological developments and design paradigms that students and practicing engineers need to master to succeed in today's industry. Based on the author's teaching and research experience in the past ten years, the text follows three general principles: (1) Motivate the reader by describing the significance and application of each idea with real-world problems; (2) Force the reader to look at concepts from an intuitive point of view, preparing him/her for more complex problems; (3) Complement the intuition by rigorous analysis, confirming the results obtained by the intuitive, yet rough approach.
Offers a fresh perspective on the analysis and design of analog CMOS ICs. Emphasizes both fundamentals and new paradigms that are essential in modern analog circuits. DLC: Linear integrated circuits." Design and construction..
"Excellent book on CMOS VLSI design and circuit analysis. Not many book around discussing analouge circuit design using CMOS tech, and this book offers reader with a new and fresh prespective of circuit design, compared with so called 'bible' like Paul & Gray analog IC design book. Mostly dealing with basic building block and circuit analysis, and the so called circuit "synthesis" is quite comprehensive and clear to follow. Lots of problem to solve and good for mind excercises. Good stepstone for book like Analog VLSI: Signal and Information Processing by Mohammed Ismail, Terri Fiez..." Budi Juswardy from Singapore.
"Insight as Usual. Prof. Razavi retains his characteristic clarity of thought and communication providing insight into the way circuits work, how they need to be biased, etc. I think that the book is very well written and is a must read for any engineer at any level. If analog design engineers can pick up his method of thinking along with the circuits they stand to gain a lot..." Jay R.
"Good book on CMOS analog circuits! ... Ling Zhu from San Jose, California.
672 pages, Hardcover, $115.05 ISBN 0072380322 Buy.
by Behzad Razavi
From the Prentice Hall Communications Engineering and Emerging Technologies Series.
"Written for those with a basic understanding of analog IC design and the theory of signals and systems, this text covers the analysis and design of radio frequency (RF) microelectronics. Nine chapters include an introduction to RF and wireless technology; and discussions of basic concepts in design, modulation and detection, multiple access techniques and wireless standards, transceiver architectures, low noise amplifiers and mixers, oscillators, frequency synthesizers, and power amplifiers." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
From the Inside Flap: (Preface) "The annual worldwide sales of cellular phones has exceeded $2.5B. With 4.5 million customers, home satellite networks comprise a $2.5B industry. The global positioning system is expected to become a $5B market by the year 2000. In Europe, the sales of equipment and services for mobile communications will reach $30B by 1998. The statistics are overwhelming. The radio frequency (RF) and wireless market has suddenly expanded to unimaginable dimensions. Devices such as pagers, cellular and cordless phones, cable modems, and RF identification tags are rapidly penetrating all aspects of our lives, evolving from luxury items to indispensable tools. Semiconductor and system companies, small and large, analog and digital, have seen the statistics and are striving to capture their own market share by introducing various RF products. RF design is unique in that it draws upon many disciplines unrelated to integrated circuits (ICs). The RF knowledge base has grown for almost a century, creating a seemingly endless body of literature for the novice. This book deals with the analysis and design of RF integrated circuits and systems. Providing a systematic treatment of RF electronics in a tutorial language, the book begins with the necessary background knowledge from microwave and communication theory and leads the reader to the design of RF transceivers and circuits. The text emphasizes both architecture and circuit level issues with respect to monolithic implementation in VLSI technologies. The primary focus is on bipolar and CMOS design, but most of the concepts can be applied to other technologies as well. The reader is assumed to have a basic understanding of analog IC design and the theory of signals and systems. The book consists of nine chapters. Chapter 1 gives a general introduction, posing questions and providing motivation for subsequent chapters. Chapter 2 describes basic concepts in RF and microwave design, emphasizing the effects of nonlinearity and noise. Chapters 3 and 4 take the reader to the communication system level, giving an overview of modulation, detection, multiple access techniques, and wireless standards. While initially appearing to be unnecessary, this material is in fact essential to the concurrent design of RF circuits and systems. Chapter 5 deals with transceiver architectures, presenting various receiver and transmitter topologies along with their merits and drawbacks. This chapter also includes a number of case studies that exemplify the approaches taken in actual RF products. Chapters 6 through 9 address the design of RF building blocks: low-noise amplifiers and mixers, oscillators, frequency synthesizers, and power amplifiers , with particular attention to minimizing the number of off-chip components. An important goal of these chapters is to demonstrate how the system requirements define the parameters of the circuits and how the performance of each circuit impacts that of the overall transceiver. I have taught approximately 80% of the material in this book in a 4-unit graduate course at UCLA. Chapters 3, 4, 8, and 9 had to be shortened in a ten-week quarter, but in a semester system they can be covered more thoroughly. Much of my RF design knowledge comes from interactions with colleagues. Helen Kim, Ting-Ping Liu, and Dan Avidor of Bell Laboratories, and David Su and Andrew Gzegorek of Hewlett-Packard Laboratories have contributed to the material in this book in many ways. The text was also reviewed by a number of experts: Stefan Heinen (Siemens), Bart Jansen (Hewlett-Packard), Ting-Ping Liu (Bell Labs), John Long (University of Toronto), Tadao Nak-agawa (NTT), Gitty Nasserbakht (Texas Instruments), Ted Rappaport (Virginia Tech), Tirdad Sowlati (Gennum), Trudy Stetzler (Bell Labs), David Su (Hewlett-Packard), and Rick Wesel (UCLA). In addition, a number of UCLA students, including Farbod Behbahani, Hooman Darabi, John Leete, and Jacob Rael, test drove various chapters and provided useful feedback. I am indebted to all of the above for their kind assistance. I would also like to thank the staff at Prentice Hall, particularly Russ Hall, Maureen Diana, and Kerry Reardon for their support. Behzad Razavi,July 1997."
From the Back Cover: "This book is designed to give electrical engineers the RF microelectronics background they need to design state-of-the-art consumer electronics and communications devices. RF Microelectronics begins with a thorough introduction to the fundamental concepts of RF design, including nonlinearity, interference and noise. It reviews modulation and detection theory; multiple access techniques, and current wireless standards -- including CDMA, TDMA, AMPS and GSM. It presents case studies of transceiver architectures designed by several leading manufacturers. Finally, it offers detailed explanations of low-noise amplifiers, mixers and oscillators; frequency synthesizers and power amplifiers. For electrical engineers working in the communications fields, especially those involved with wireless technology. Also for graduate students."
"Easy to read. As a hardware design engineer, I am currently pursuing an 'economy' 900 MHz frequency hopped data modem design. I have limited experience with >200 MHz designs and found this book very useful in conveying techniques used at these higher freqs. Straight.. to the point discussions.. in which every sentence actually says something and instills insight. I esp found the sections on freq synthesis and oscillators to be informative. It's also a good reference to break out for descriptions of all the modulation techniques. However, I am still searching for that one text that performs in-depth analysis on the ever present / nebulous 'carrier recovery' and 'bit recovery' blocks." John Yaron from NE Pennsylvania.
"My impressions of RF Microelectronics by Behzad Razavi. I have read large sections of this book and have been pleasantly surprised by the care and attention to detail taken with the description of RF design concepts as well as the mathematics used to clarify the issues. The mathematics in particular seems to be free from errors, used only when necessary and does not contain such large jumps that the reader has to spend much effort trying to follow. All in all it is one of the best texts I have ever come across in this field of engineering." Rod Sturmmann from Germany.
"...A comphrehensive and easy-to-understand reference book for all levels of RF engineers." Tony Yang from CA, USA.
335 pages, Hardcover, $87.00 ISBN 0138875715 Buy.
by Harry Von Kroge, Translated by Louis Brown.
As reviewed in QST April 2001, p52. JVB.
Hardcover, $73.00 ISBN 0750307323 Buy.
DSP, Software Radios, and Design
by Ulrich Rohde and Jerry Whitaker
From the McGraw-Hill Telecommunications series.
An all-in-one, authoritative guide to receivers of all kinds--the unrivaled source for engineers and technicians working with radio communications systems. This updated edition includes DSP techniques and explains the basic workings of software radios. Covers everything from front end systems to frequency generators and controllers, and contains hundreds of illustrations, diagrams, and mathematical equations.
From the Back Cover: "A nice mix of theoretical and practical information. Many useful detailed circuits are shown and system analyses and trade-off studies are included."
Ham Radio magazine (On the second edition) - The leading guide to receivers-- with updates on all crucial DSP elements.
COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVERS - Third Edition
From reception basics to cutting-edge software radio design, this update of Communications Receivers brings you a storehouse of task-simplifying and task-clarifying information, examples, and tips. Prized by professionals and hobbyists for its ready-to-use insights on the theory and design of all types of communications receivers--including shortwave, military, broadcast, and direction-finding--this newly revised edition features:
Advances in DSP, cellular, and software radio design.
Details on designing, operating, specifying, installing, and maintaining every kind of receiver in common use.
Specific design approaches, circuit examples, and component specs.
Help with microprocessors and logic devices.
Coverage of important pulse and data operating modes.
More than 250 illustrations and diagrams.
Handy reference material in tables, charts, and figures.
Underlying theory linked to real-life technological applications.
Necessary and understandable mathematical applications and explanations.
Here, you'll learn the principles and practices involved in receivers and receiver systems, antennas and antenna coupling, amplifiers and gain control, mixers, frequency, oscillators, demodulation and demodulators, digital signal processing, and much more. For better designed and better functioning receivers, Communications Receivers is your first choice.
Tackle any receiver design job with this example-packed guide, the favorite of receiver designers and operators through three editions.
3rd edition, 656 pages, Hardcover, $75.00 ISBN 0071361219 Buy.
With CD-ROM
by Scott Mueller
I consider this the grandfather of all computer upgrading, maintenance, and repair tomes. The first volume still rests on my personal bookshelf, complete with sticky notes, dog-eared pages, and my notes in the margins. It cost only $28 back in 1989, and was worth every penny. The 12th edition costs twice as much, and is still worth every penny. Mueller knows his stuff! Obviously, anyone who writes such a fact-filled book for the last 10 years has to keep in touch, and it shows throughout the book. There's historical information, background, explanations of how things work and fit into the big picture, tables, illustrations, and troubleshooting information. Also, unlike with other books in this category, Mueller dives into the OS side of upgrade and repair. He even recommends third-party tools--such as the Norton Utilities--where appropriate. On my key issue, Mueller gets an ace. His information on disk partitioning is wholly complete, solid, to the point. Wow! This raises the bar for other books in this category, each of which, in comparison, falls horribly short. While this isn't a "personality" book, Mueller definitely has a voice, and occasionally settles down to tell a story or explain something in a nice, folksy tone. This fits the theme and target audience well, so I have no complaints. I suppose that if people want to read an entertaining, humorous publication on upgrading a computer they can buy one of those silly "Upgrading for the Nonserious" books. Mueller's opus is a keeper. Honestly, I'm surprised to see that it doesn't top out the category. But those who know this book surely have found a treasure." Dan Gookin.
"Scott Mueller has long been known for the quality of the PC-hardware reference books that he writes. Upgrading and Repairing PCs, which now is in its twelfth edition, remains relevant even as the personal computing market is changing faster than ever. This book represents the most comprehensive single source of information on what used to be called IBM-compatible PC hardware. Look here for data--useful to repair technicians--about processors (e.g., Intel's Itanium and AMD's Duron parts), memory (e.g., RDRAM and DDR SDRAM), video cards, disk drives, removable storage media of all kinds, and network interface cards. If it can be plugged into a PC, Mueller addresses it. A new emphasis on networking makes an appearance in this last edition. Whereas earlier versions of the book more or less stopped at the PC case, this one explores the technology that underlies cable modems, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections, and other high-speed data communications options. It also explains how to make all of the custom-length Ethernet cables that you want--a simple but valuable addition. Builders of home and small-office networks probably will wish for more coverage of turnkey firewall hardware; but, because most of these devices aren't based on the PC platform, their absence is understandable. Mueller ties up the hardware-related discussion in a well-illustrated chapter on building a PC from scratch. It's solid work, although it would've been even better if he'd spelled out "best of breed" components by make and model." David Wall.
About the Author: Scott Mueller is president of Mueller Technical Research, an international personal computer research and corporate training firm. Since 1982, MTR has specialized in the industry's longest running, most in-depth, technically accurate and effective PC hardware training seminars, maintaining a client list that includes Fortune 500 companies, the U.S. and foreign governments, major software and hardware corporations, as well as PC enthusiasts and entrepreneurs. His seminars have been presented to many thousands of PC professionals throughout the world. He has developed and presented personal computer training courses in all areas of PC hardware and software. He is an expert in PC hardware, operating systems, data-recovery techniques, and local area networks. Scott has many popular books, articles, and course materials to his credit, including Upgrading and Repairing PCs, which has sold well over one million copies and translated into 10 languages worldwide, making it by far the most popular PC hardware book on the market today. When not working on PC-related books or teaching seminars, Scott can usually be found in the garage working on his LT4 powered '94 Impala SS, LT4 powered '95 Caprice 9C1 (police package), or Buick Turbo V6 powered '89 Trans Am-as well as various other performance car related projects. In his spare time he is writing a book on the '94-'96 Impala SS, you can check his many articles and modifications for the Impala on the HERD website.
"You can't go wrong! I've been using Mueller's books as my primary source for computer upgrades and repairs for the past 7 years; and he has never steered me wrong. If I want a quick overview before installing new hardware, it's all right there in his book. If I want to know the nitty gritty detail regarding new hardware - or older hardware - it's all right there in the book. And lastly, if I need to know how to troubleshoot a piece of hardware, it's all right there. I also found the info on the CD helpful as well. It goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway, I am already looking forward to purchasing the "lucky" thirteenth edition." Steven L. Trahan from Phoenix, AZ, USA
"If you want to Learn PC Hardware - This is THE Book. Many people within the industry have long considered Scott Mueller's Upgrading and Repairing PC's the quintessential hardware guide; I whole heatedly agree. There is not a week that goes by that I don't pull this book off the shelf to look up something. Mueller updates his book yearly to reflect the changes within the industry. Perhaps the thing I love the most about Upgrading and Repairing PC's is that it is a combination tutorial and reference guide. The well-organized chapters and subheadings make it easy to find the info you want and need. Within a chapter, you can merely peruse through it, or study the sections you need to read for the objective at hand, whether that is a: 1) general overview of a topic, 2) specific hardware installation or troubleshooting solutions, or 3) the nitty-gritty details of the subject. (Also, the index is outstanding so you can find what you need.) This is a very long book. The reason is that while Mueller updates the book every year with new information reflecting the latest technology and standards, he does not remove the old material, making the book a priceless tool when dealing with legacy systems. Conversely though, this information may appear to be - as one reviewer wrote - "just filler" at other times. Additionally, there are a plethora of reference pages - tables of pin configurations for various interconnects for example -- that one would not "read" when reading through the book, but are invaluable when troubleshooting or installing hardware. Because this book is an ever-growing entity, there are, unfortunately, a few typos and "broken links" (i.e. inaccurate cross-references). I have, however, never found any blatant technical inaccuracies that one reviewer alludes to. Mueller has a great writing style. It is easily understood without treating the reader as a "dummy" or "idiot". "Upgrading and Repairing PC's" attempts to do a lot. It tries to be both a tutorial and a reference. A very difficult combination to pull off; Mueller however does so wonderfully. It attempts to cover a lot of material; and it does so very well. This book is well worth the money. I have been a faithful reader of this book since the 8th edition, having purchased every edition since. As you read the other reviews for this book, you will see that many people have done the same. (Also, see the 45+ reviews written on the 11th Edition) Repeat buying is the biggest compliment and review any single book can hope to have. When so many people are willing to spend their money every year to have the latest edition, not much else needs to be said about the quality and superiority of this book. Oh, I almost forgot... there are some wonderful & useful utilities on the enclosed CD." Mark from Buffalo, NY, USA.
"THE PC repair reference for your bookshelf. The only thing I can say about this book is that it is the best PC hardware reference I've seen. It's great for just that--a reference-- and also great for learning some general concepts about PC hardware and repair. I've got this edition, and will probably buy each new edition that comes along." Matt Hoyle from Asheville, NC, USA.
"Great book for anyone interested in computer hardware. When I started reading this book I couldn't stop, Scott's descriptions, not to mention his history of certain parts, are interesting and extremely detailed. He describes every part in detail and gives out vtroubleshooting tips for any installation problems that might arise. This book helped me out while building my computer and answered a few questions about some of the parts I was using. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in computer hardware, THIS IS THE BIBLE FOR TECHIES, AND ETHUSIASTS ALIKE." Mike Guerrin from Athol, MA, United States.
12th edition, 1628 pages, Book with CD-ROM, $44.99 ISBN 0789723034 Buy.
Technician's Portable Reference
by Scott Mueller, Mark Edward Soper
"Upgrading and Repairing PCs: Technician's Portable Reference is a vastly abridged version of Scott Mueller's excellent (and generally definitive) Upgrading and Repairing PCs, 12th Edition. The idea is that because this book is small you'll be better able to carry it to job sites, without having to invest in a forklift. Mueller cut out most of the material on old hardware, and focuses on motherboards, processors, memory, and other subsystems that have been state of the art since about 1998. This probably means that this book will come in handiest in organizational environments, which are more likely than home users to have reasonably current computing gear. Murphy's Law dictates, however excellent this book is, that the bit of information you need will appear only in the mother book. On the other hand, the same infamous law also dictates--if you have the mother book at hand--that the information you need will be so obscure as to not appear there. In reality, you probably will be able to solve a fair number of problems with this volume, and rely on Web access at the job site to provide the rest of the information you need. Mueller has done a good job of condensing his encyclopedic work into a more portable format." David Wall.
Topics covered: Wintel PC hardware, documented and explained for technicians who have to diagnose, repair, and upgrade it. All of the major subsystems (including LAN) are covered. Diagnostic trees help locate trouble, and procedures explain, for example, how to recover from a failed BIOS flash. Charts document beep codes, some jumper settings, and variations among SCSI device types.
"A pocket (4.5x8) reference based on the 12th edition of Upgrading and Repairing PCs, for PC technicians, technical support professionals, and students. Contains vital processor, motherboard, and memory settings, as well as tables that compare similar technologies and hardware. Includes detailed b&w illustrations identifying common connectors, tables and charts organizing technical documentation, and schematics and diagrams for diagnosing and repairing common and uncommon PC problems. Mueller is president of a research and corporate training firm." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
From the Back Cover: The best of the best--all the essential reference tables and configuration settings without the bulk of the full version of Upgrading and Repairing PCs. This edition includes tables and charts on everything from BIOS settings to monitor sizing to jumper settings for corner peripherals IDE Drives to SCSI data-transfer rates and more! Troubleshooting and Error-code coverage includes AMI, Award, Phoenix, IBM and BIOS error codes, nonfatal system board errors, and personal computer Error Codes. This logically organized reference lets you spend less time searching and more time finding solutions. Information is broken up by component and listed alphabetically. Connector and port visual ID charts help identify a variety of input/output ports, such as serial, parallel, video and SCSI connectors.
"Computer Repair For Users Of DOS And Windows. Inside the book decribes most problems which all technicians are faced with at some point in time. The section on barriers from DOS, the BIOS, and Microsoft windows I found most useful. Besides from all of that, the author gives you solutions to problems which may be time consuming if you need a rememdy fast, instead of wasting alot of time with a particular problem. Because of it's compact size I carry it in my laptop case, whereever I go. This book I would say is very close in detail to Upgrading PC's For Dummies, but much more advanced with technical reading because the author assumes you have previous knowledge of DOS,the CMOS Setup, and configuring Hardware to run in Windows 95. There are different sections on repairing hardware with charts inside the book which look fairly easy which sold me on buying it. If you have ever taken a computer apart, and looking to upgrade this is the book for you." Neil W. Fisk from Alberta, Canada, refering to the previous paperback edition.
2nd edition, 320 pages, Paperback, $15.99 ISBN 0789724545 Buy.
A+ Certification Study Guide
by Mark Edward Soper, Scott Mueller
Upgrading and Repairing PCs, A+ Certification Study Guide is a hands-on learning book. Scott takes the readers through the test objectives one by one. The most frequently missed questions are pointed out and explained with greater detail than easier questions need. Plain English! Spend your time learning--not deciphering bad writing! Just the essentials--Scott covers the essentials that you'll need to pass the test and point you where to go for more information. Frequent study reminders throughout help you focus and remember the core concepts for the exam - and not the not-so-necessary details. Also included are exams that will cover the topics that you'll be tested on AND we'll ask them in the manner they'll be asked on the test.
"A guide to studying for and passing the A+ Certification Exam for Upgrading and Repairing PCs. Includes assessment tests in each chapter and hands-on lab exercises. The CD-ROM comes with bonus study material, including schematics, diagrams, and other technical material. System requirements: CD-ROM drive, Pentium processor, 5MB hard disk space, 16MB RAM, Windows 95+. Softcover." InformIT.
Second Edition, 656 pages, Paperback with CD-ROM $20.99 ISBN 0789724537 Buy.
F. Alton Everest
"Intended for hobbyists, electronics enthusiasts, and audiophiles, this volume explains the principles of acoustics using minimal mathematical derivations and clear explanations of a sometimes difficult technical subject. The author, considered an authority on acoustics, includes updated coverage of sound distortion, a program for acoustic measurements for the home computer, and ideas and techniques for improving home audio projects." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
*For the audio buff who needs a quick-read education on acoustical concepts and terminology, this not-to-be-missed, heavily illustrated guide has it all. *Reviews acoustical principles and applies the theory to the design of special audio spaces: the home listening room, the control room, and the multi-track recording studio. *Features an entire chapter devoted to Acoustical Measurements and Calculations. *New coverage sheds light on the many computer programs currently available at both theprofessional and advanced audio level.
Complete coverage of the science of acoustics and the art of acoustic techniques including room resonances, reflection analysis, comb filters, and the design of audio/video rooms for almost any purpose on acoustical concepts and terminology.
"From the Back Cover: *2 complete chapters on acoustical software solutions, *Full chapter on acoustical measurements and calculations, *Added guidance on small recording and voice-over studios.
No one can touch the Master... No other book even comes close to legendary acoustical scientist F. Alton Everest's Master Handbook of Acoustics for a friendly, practice-oriented tour of acoustical principles. This readable yet authoritative guide tenderizes a tough subject so that audio buffs can apply leading-edge acoustical thought and design in their own home recording studios and listening rooms. Keeping his target audience of hobbyists, electronics enthusiasts, and audiophiles always in mind, the author makes the science of sound interesting and understandable. Only someone who understands acoustics as well as Everest – Senior Member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, the Acoustical Society of America, and the IEEE -- could explain these principles so simply, informally, and with such relevance to home projects. Short on mathematical derivations and long on easy-reading translations of difficult technical subjects, F. Alton Everest's Master Handbook of Acoustics is a rewarding piece of prose that can help you elevate any audio project to a higher standard. An inexhaustible source of ideas, inspiration, and techniques, it's a classic work that every audiophile wants to own. This book is a true keeper.
TURN SCIENCE INTO ART For the ultimate in custom sound. For those who love electronics and high-end listening and recording, this book is the key to the kingdom, unlocking the theory that lets you: *Achieve professional recording results at home, *Customize the perfect listening chamber, *Build an audio/video tech room for state-of-the-art voice-over recording, *Create "quiet air" in your home recording studio, *Modify sound with adjustable acoustics, *Control reverberation, interference, and just plain noise, *Control distortion in the air medium itself
WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM: Geoff Goacher, Acoustical Research Associates & Peter D'Antonio, President & CEO, RPG Diffusor Systems.
"Unique. This book is a must. I am a teacher at Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria, and this book is one of the texts I use. I recommend it everywhere. It is easy to understand and comprehensive for all levels. I mean, it is useful for the beginners and also for graduate students. Maybe it needs a spanish translation. It is unfair that for most of my students the book is hard to read because of the language." Armando Pattroni from Lima, Peru.
"Outstanding!!!!! To say that the Master Handbook of Acoustics is an 'incredibly comprehensive work' it's like saying that the Beatles were 'some band from Liverpool'. Without a doubt, a must-have. Better than that, buy two and enlighten a friend! :-) Now really, this is the absolute definitive book on acoustics, covering topics ranging from sound propagation to room acoustics to absortion, diffusion, refraction, reflection, diffraction and everything else you can think of." Carlos Yoder from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
"Perfect for anyone looking to upgrade their acoustics palet. This book can be a tremendous asset to anyone interested in cleaning up their audio listening environment. It would be difficult to imagine myself not having this book around now with all the wealth of information it possesses. Highly recomended." A reader from Norman, OK.
4th edition, 592 pages, Paperback, $27.96 ISBN 0071360972 Buy.
by Gordon McComb
"Offers a modular approach and many easy and inexpensive robot experiments and projects. Explains how a robot is put together using commonly available parts, and gives directions for locomotion engineering, constructing robotic arms and hands, sensor design, remote control, adding sound, and computer control. This second edition is updated to reflect technological advances since 1987." Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.
*A major revision of the bestselling "bible" of amateur robotics building--packed with the latest in servo motor technology, microcontrolled robots, remote control, Lego Mindstorms Kits, and other commercial kits. *Gives electronics hobbyists fully illustrated plans for 11 complete Robots, as well as all-new coverage of Robotix-based Robots, Lego Technic-based Robots, Functionoids with Lego Mindstorms, and Location and Motorized Systems with Servo Motors. *Features a pictures and parts list that accompany all projects, and material on using the BASIC Stamp and other microcontrollers.
"Great beginning in spite of small errors. I am brand new to the world of amatuer robotics, and this was an excellent first book for me to read. By the time I finished reading the book, I knew where to begin with my initial design, and I had several sources of parts. It took from zero to 80%. There are several small errors in the book, but none of them are show stoppers. The only flaws in the book were the same problems with any survey book. The examples tended to show only one way to address an issue, some of the plans lacked enough detail, and some important topics were glossed right over. However, this did not detract from what I gained from the book. If you are serious about trying to build your own robot, start here. By the time you finish with this book, you will be ready for more advanced topics." Chris Weiss from Okemos, Michigan, USA.
"Superb introduction. I am a robotics researcher, currently pursuing my PhD and working as the director of a community-based iniative offering free courses to the general public at all levels. This is one of only two books I recommend to our students, and I can't recommend it highly enough. The coverage of the material is balanced and well-presented, and more than this, it is genuinely exciting; it is this that will rub off on the reader. It is above all a "can-do" book, and will encourage readers who are new to the field to actually have a go at building their own robot. If you are a young beginner in robotics, or a cynical old professional in the field nearing retirement, this book will do much to inspire you." Nick Sheldon from Norwich, England.
2nd edition, 720 pages, Paperback, $19.96 ISBN 0071362967 Buy.
by Paul Scherz
An intuitive, applications-driven guide to electronics for engineers, hobbyists, and students--one that doesn't overload readers with technical detail. Chock-full of illustrations--over 750 hand-drawn images provide clear, detailed instructions on how to turn theoretical ideas into real-life gadgets. Covers integrated circuits (ICs), digital electronics, and various input/output devices; includes a complete chapter on the latest microcontrollers.
"Excellent entry level book. It's probably safe to assume that the majority of people who read books about basic electronics do so because they intend to build things. This book caters to such an audience. It provides theory and examples that allow you to build your own basic circuits. The concepts aren't easy, but the author helps you understand them." Matt Hill from Boulder, CO, USA.
"Super Book! A 12-year old reader from Vancouver, BC, Canada.
"So that's how it works! This book is excellent if you want to build and tinker with electronics, but don't want to read huge technical manuals loaded with complex mathematics. It has really cool diagrams that makes understanding transistors, other semiconductors, and digital electronics very easy. Read it!" A reader from Greeley, CO, United States.
"Practical Electronics For Inventors. This book rocks! I'm an engineering student, and I've been looking for a book like this for some time. It's really covers topics in a manner that I can understand, and seems to touch upon everything in electronics, from theory, semiconductors, integrated circuits, stepper motors and servos, microcontrollers, LCD displays, etc. The drawing are pretty damn cool too. I highly recommend this book to anyone--beginner or engineer." A reader from California, USA.
604 pages, Paperback, $31.96 ISBN 0070580782 Buy.
by Jim Sinclair
Fun-enhancing companion for ham radio operators From getting smoothly launched to bringing in difficult signals, Jim Sinclair's Radio Signal Finding is packed with tips that make every minute of ham radio more satisfying, entertaining, and diverse. With its straightforward presentation, tested advice and strategies, this guide is like having a trusted, experienced, and knowledgeable operator at your side. Whether you want to learn the locations of the most intriguing signals or eliminate interference, you'll find your answer in this unique guide as you're shown how to: Use a mobile cell phone for signal finding, Tune in orbiting satellites, Catch moon-bounce and Doppler-shift signals, Overcome TV interference, Couple to the environment for low frequencies, More!
A mentor for ham radio operators, offering special coverage of the most important topics, such as interference elimination, catching hard-to-find signals, going mobile with a ham radio operation, and other topics. Filled with tested advice and strategies for making ham radio listening more entertaining and diverse. Softcover. DLC: Radio direction finders.
416 pages, Paperback, $23.96 ISBN 0071371915 Buy.
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