Landscape Narratives: Design Practices for Telling Stories

Book Description

"Narratives . . . intersect with sites, accumulate as layers of history, organize sequences, and inhere in the very materials and processes of the landscape. In various ways, stories 'take place.'" —From Landscape Narratives

Narrative offers fascinating ways of knowing and shaping landscapes not typically acknowledged in conventional documentation, mapping, surveys, or even in the formal concerns of design. This book establishes a comprehensive framework for understanding the elements, processes, and forms of landscape narratives. Illustrating specific narrative practices that can be applied across a range of design projects, it bridges the gap between theory and practice by tracing the narratives of specific projects and places, including the restoration of New Jersey's Meadowlands and the road stories of Highway 61 in Mississippi.

Drawn from insights in literary theory, cultural geography, and visual art, Landscape Narratives traverses a broad range of disciplines and practices concerned with the social identity, history, and nature of place. Revealing exciting possibilities for preservation and heritage planning, public art, sustainable design, and other areas, Landscape Narratives is important reading for landscape architects, planners, and other designers involved in historic preservation, public art projects, and community and park design.

Customer Reviews:

Landscape for Screenwriters.......2000-06-10

"Landscape Narratives" is a source book for screenwriters searching for thematic ideas. As writer and director, it helps me to decode places as textual landscape of my stories. Inspired by the readings I have written several short films, mostly dealing with the way fictional characters react to landscapes. Chapter 4 discusses time-altering devices found in landscape: jump cut, flashback, fade etc. plot structuring techniques also used in film. It is a joy to reread this classic book as would a traveller journeying home.

An intimate redfinitive of one's perception of space.......1998-12-12

Potteiger and Purinton team up in what in essence is a cultural geographic survey of the American Landscape. The anthropologic influence of nature is explored. Chapters deal with broad topics such as restoration ecology and urban renewal, and each is seen through the an intensely personal lens. This is a bit of a breath of fresh air, given that similar books in this genre are more about the author's personal philosophy than the true impacts of man's manipulation of nature. Fortunately the Potteiger and Purinton's lens is filtered through the eyes of real characters, characters rich in personality and chalked full of lore.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Planning, published by American Planning Association on August 1, 1998. The length of the article is 715 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Landscape Narratives: Design Practices for Telling Stories. (book reviews)
Publication: Planning (Magazine/Journal)
Date: August 1, 1998
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: v64 Issue: n8 Page: p28(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Drawing upon diverse sources, including Daniel P. Biebuyckís seminal fieldwork of the 1950s, Elisabeth Cameron investigates the culture and the art of the Lega peoples of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Among the Lega, art is only created for and used by the Bwami Society. Bwami is a complex organization consisting of multiple levels, and it forms an essential component of the political, social, and religious structure of the Lega.

Within Bwami, artworks are used in conjunction with proverbs, anecdotes, and performances to form complex layered metaphors and to serve as mnemonic devices. As initiates move up through the ranks of the Bwami Society, a variety of different artworks assist them in recalling a vast corpus of complex aphorisms. The many beautiful examples of Lega artworks illustrated in this volume are drawn primarily from the Jay T. Last collection and include masks, animals, human forms, miniature tools, and spoons.

Customer Reviews:

praise.......2005-08-11

This is a great book from a great writer. Elisabeth Cameron writes in a nice personal style. Her books (see also Isnt She a Doll) are an excellent mix between art and antropology. Throughout both books there are good pictures of art objects in use. Loved both books.

Lega culture; art, initiation, and moral philosophy among a Central African people

Average customer rating:

Lega culture; art, initiation, and moral philosophy among a Central African people
Daniel P Biebuyck
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Africa | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0520020855

Symbolism of the Lega Stool and An Ethnoscientific Approach to Akan Arts and Aesthetics

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Symbolism of the Lega Stool and An Ethnoscientific Approach to Akan Arts and Aesthetics
Daniel P Biebuyck , D. M. Warren , and J. Kweku Andrews
Manufacturer: Institute for the Study of Human Issues
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Pamphlet

Customs & Traditions | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0915980819

Working Papers in the Tradtional Arts (nos 1, 2 & 3, 4, 5 & 6) Fang Architectonics, Symbolism of the Lega School, an Ethnoscientific Approach to Akan Arts and Aesthetics, Secret Scultures of Komo, Baule Statuary Art, Beauty in the Eyes of Baule

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Working Papers in the Tradtional Arts (nos 1, 2 & 3, 4, 5 & 6) Fang Architectonics, Symbolism of the Lega School, an Ethnoscientific Approach to Akan Arts and Aesthetics, Secret Scultures of Komo, Baule Statuary Art, Beauty in the Eyes of Baule
Biebuyck, Warren, Andrews, MacNaughton, Ravenhill, Vogel Fernandez
Manufacturer: Institute for the Study of Human Issues
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KGU1DK

Effects on art of the outlawing of the bwami association among the Lega: Draft [of speech to be delivered at the] IXth annual meeting of the African Studies Association

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Effects on art of the outlawing of the bwami association among the Lega: Draft [of speech to be delivered at the] IXth annual meeting of the African Studies Association
Daniel P Biebuyck
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007K4CHA

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LEGA CULTURE. Art, Initiation, and Moral Philosophy among a Central African People.
Daniel. Biebuyck
Manufacturer: University of California Press,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NYGF0C

Lega Ethics and Beauty in the Heart of Africa

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Lega Ethics and Beauty in the Heart of Africa
Daniel Biebuyck
Manufacturer: Exhibitions International
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Folk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 9053493905

Silvestro Lega 1826-1895: Opere Delle Collezioni Pubbliche E Private Nel Centenario Della Morte

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Silvestro Lega 1826-1895: Opere Delle Collezioni Pubbliche E Private Nel Centenario Della Morte
Silvestro Lega
Manufacturer: Nuova Alfa Editoriale,Italy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Painting | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Arts & Photography | Italian | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books

All Italian Books | Italian | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 8877794283

Book Description

Inside look at an Amish and Mennonite lifestyle in transition, with lavish photo spreads and family profiles.

Customer Reviews:

V. Temple.......2005-09-24

A wonderfully done pictoral of Holmes County, Ohio. After visiting there, it's a lovely reminder of the people and places. The pictures and stories capture the beauty and simplicity of the Amish/Mennonite communities in Holmes County. This book brings back wonderful memories.

Filled with captivating color photographs.......2003-08-10

A 2003 Independent Publisher award finalist, and winner of the Benjamin Franklin Award of the Publishers Marketing Association, Holmespun: An Intimate Port-rait Of An Amish And Mennonite Community is a lavishly presented portrait of life in Amish and Mennonite communities. Photographers Amanda Lumry and Loren Wengerd effectively collaborate to produce a thoroughly fascinating and visually wonderful presentation filled with captivating color photographs which are complemented by an informed and absorbing text written by Laura Hurwitz and describing the events of daily life. Holmespun is a simply wonderful addition to personal photography book collections and recommended for community library collections seeking to include commendable materials for readers seeking information on Amish and Mennonite lifestyles and communities.

Holmespun.......2002-10-05

This book is truly amazing! In this day and age, you would never know that a community of that nature still existed. With the hustle and bustle of my daily routine (I consider my family an "Average American Family"), it really makes you want to live the life of the Amish and Mennonite families. I live in the suburbs of Sacramento and their lifestyle is completely foreign to me. After looking at all of the wonderful photographs, I immediately wanted to cook a home cooked meal and a pie from scratch. I would truly love to visit Holmes County one day and see these kind, hard-working people firsthand. I am going to give this book as a gift to my mother, both of my sisters and my close friends. I know they will enjoy it as much as I have.

Average customer rating:

Great fun!

Off the Wall at Sardi's: Paperback Book
Vincent Jr. Sardi , and Thomas Edward West
Manufacturer: Applause Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1557830517

Book Description

No other restaurant says "Broadway" quite like Sardi's. In Off the Wall at Sardi's, featuring over 275 of the best of the world-famous Sardi's caricatures, Vincent Sardi, Jr. tells the star-studded tale of how the restaurant became the place for Broadway and Hollywood legends to dine and dally. Off the Wall at Sardi's is aglow with the colorful (in full-color, no less!) traditions, triumphs, cat-fights and grand cannelloni of one of the world's most famous and beloved theatrical haunts: Sardi's. Hardcover. Dust jacket.

Customer Reviews:

Great fun!.......2004-04-13

Lots of fun for the musical theatre history buff. Loads of prints of the ledgendary charactures that hang on the walls of the New York City restaurant, plus stories and trivia about the ledgends portrayed. Not a book to curl up with, (if you want one of those, go for something like "The Longest Line" or "At This Theatre,") but a neat coffee table book. Reading this gives you a whole new way to appreciate a visit to the restaurant.

Average customer rating:

Off The Wall At Sardi's
JR.,Vincent SARDI
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MYGVH0

Average customer rating:

Off the Wall at Sardi's

Manufacturer: Applause Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Average customer rating:
Twenty-Six Lead Soldiers
Dan Wooding
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
Journalists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Church History | Christianity | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0891074546

Average customer rating:
Twenty-six Lead Soldiers a Top London Journalist and His Worldwide Search for th
Dan Wooding
Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O6KOBU

Customer Reviews:

Report on the Loss of the SS Titanic.......2000-01-25

The SS Titanic is one of the names of the Titanic it was also known as RMS because it carred mail. So SS is correct and RMS is also correct. This book is GREAT reading if you are into the history part of Titanic.

hmm... it was the R.M.S. Titanic ........1999-12-24

To speak for the accuracy of this title, The ship was named the R.M.S. TITANIC, not the U.S.S..

Average customer rating:

Report on the loss of the S.S. Titanic

Manufacturer: Blackstaff Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Naval | Military | History | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

A very accurate account of what goes on in our schools

Background Information; No Followthrough

Answers so many questions a parent has

Mom, They're Teasing Me: Helping Your Child Solve Social Problems
Michael Phd Thompson
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
School-Age Children | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Best Friends, Worst Enemies: Understanding the Social Lives of Children

Speaking of Boys: Answers to the Most-Asked Questions About Raising Sons

Raising Cain: Protecting the Emotional Life of Boys

Stick Up for Yourself: Every Kid's Guide to Personal Power & Positive Self-Esteem (Revised & Updated Edition)

The Pressured Child : Helping Your Child Find Success in School and Life

Accessories:

Health o Meter HDC100-01 "Grow with Me" Teddy Bear Scale for Babies and Toddlers

Braun IRT 4020 ThermoScan Ear Thermometer

ASIN: 0345450116
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

Through vividly written case studies and a reader-friendly question-and-answer format, Mom, They’re Teasing Me is full of specific, how-to advice for parents to help their children navigate the sometimes harsh terrain of social life–which includes name-calling, after-school fights, esteem-crushing cliques, and malicious exclusion by the popular kids. Through thoughtful discussion and insightful suggestions, parents will discover

• The difference between real risk and normal social pain
• The appropriate time to intervene–and when to step back
• Tips on how to mediate between children–without appearing meddlesome
• The importance of teaching and encouraging leadership
• The redemptive power of friendship

Mom, They’re Teasing Me answers key questions about the many manifestations of social cruelty, offers compelling descriptions of prime “teasing” scenarios, and illustrates how to counter them. It is an indispensable book for involved parents who want to make their child’s formative years rich and rewarding.

Customer Reviews:

A very accurate account of what goes on in our schools.......2006-03-01

Bullies often succeed in convincing their victims that it's the victims' fault, that the abuse did not happen, or that it was done for the victims' benefit.

When nothing is done to help victimized children, they grow into adults that continue to blame themselves for everything that goes wrong around them.

This book accurately describes the kind of abuses that many children are still exposed to in our schools. The book will be of excellent help to those wishing to protect their children and students from bullies.

It will also enable those who care about children to withstand arguments from those who wish to turn a blind eye to the abuse that is happening outside of their backyards.

The book will also be helpful to adults that have themselves been bullied. Because the basic bullying tactics have not changed and because the book describes them so well, it validates the reality of the past abuse.

This validation is very helpful in resolving the emotional anguish that many adults, who have been abused as children, still carry.

Background Information; No Followthrough.......2004-12-14

This book is strong on background material and demonstrating why children are teased. "Mom They're Teasing Me" is chocked full of examples of children (usually with poor social skills) being teased. However, this book is weak on the issue most concerning anyone who would buy it. Specifically, the author does not offer advice on what to do if your child is being teased. Most of this book comes down to the following statement: children with poor social skills are teased. The authors's solution: read the book, "Helping the Child Who Doesn't Fit In." Personally, I think the author's premise is overly simplistic, but that other book does appear to be worth trying.

The bottom line is, when you've read this entire book, won't have an answer to "Mom, They're Teasing Me."

Answers so many questions a parent has.......2003-01-27

I read this book over the weekend and have already sent out a mass email to parents I know telling them to read this book! This book succinctly and honestly answers questions that I'm always hearing on the "parent circuit." Not only about about teasing, but about all social skills, popularity, being ostracized, girls worrying they are fat-- you name it, it is probably addressed in this book. And the authors do a wonderful job of letting you know when you are worrying too much, or too little about an issue. A must read!

Average customer rating:

Written to assist other wives and mothers to create a vision
MOM PhD
Ms. Kindred Delivers Again!

Mom PHD
Teresa Kindred
Manufacturer: Howard Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Motherhood | Family Relationships | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1582294240

Book Description

Most moms don't think of themselves as leaders. But in reality, moms are the most important leaders in the world. This simple, six-step course will equip mothers to be the Positive Home Directors God intended them to be.

Customer Reviews:

Written to assist other wives and mothers to create a vision.......2005-05-08

Mom PhD: 6 Steps To Mastering Leadership Skills For Mom by Teresa Bell Kindred (Christian author, public speaker, high-school teacher, monthly "Kindred Spirits" columnist for Kentucky Living magazine, wife and mother of five) is written to assist other wives and mothers to create a vision for themselves and their families that will inspire to faith by knowing when and how to ask for help, being consistent in decisions and behavior, dealing with teens, requiring respect from others, setting clear boundaries for family members, instilling courtesy and manners, "catching children at being good", debunking the "supermom" myth, and tapping into the power of prayer for life guidance and family problem solving. Wonderfully readable and of immense, immediate, and practical value, Mom PhD is enthusiastically recommended reading!

MOM PhD.......2005-04-07

Teresa Bell Kindred uses her lifelong interest in leadership, and 24 years of experience as a wife and mother to five children to create a simple plan for success--incorporating biblical wisdom, common sense and recognized leadership skills.

An easy and entertaining read, Mom PhD puts forth a simple six-step plan to managing your family in a positive and creative way. Each step outlines a characteristic Teresa consider scritical in leading your family--including integrity, love, diligence, wisdom, vigor and faith.

Every chapter includes an applicable "case study" from the Bible showing the value of each characteristic in regard to family development. And each chapter ends with a section asking pertinent questions about your own development in each of the steps and space to journal your answers.

This would be a great study for small groups comprised of young mothers who seek to lead their family in a positive and biblical way!

Ms. Kindred Delivers Again!.......2005-03-05

I am a huge fan of Teresa Kindred's books. For her vast knowledge and inspiration lifts me up when I need it. What mother out there doesn't need a little unplifting every now and then. For you try to be the caregiver; the conflict resolver; the gourmet chef; the "limo" driver; and a the perfect wife! "Mom PHD" shows how juggling all these tasks can be better done. Ms. Kindred's uses her experience as a mother, teacher, and an inspirational author to help other moms. A must read for expecting mothers!
Teresa Phillips
Business Owner and Author

Mom : PHD, 6 Steps to Mastering Leadership Skills for Moms

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Mom : PHD, 6 Steps to Mastering Leadership Skills for Moms
Teresa Bell Kindred
Manufacturer: Howard Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P7X1OU

Mom, They're Teasing Me: Helping Your Child Solve Social Problems

Average customer rating:

Mom, They're Teasing Me: Helping Your Child Solve Social Problems
Michael Phd Thompson
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OVBCI4

Customer Reviews:

After all, this is a good book........2006-03-24

I read this book, here in Brazil.It's a book about future of wars.It has many chapters and parts about such things as Infantry of the future, future of air combat,etc.This book is very good to read.
I won't give it the five strars, because this book also has some absurds.To exemple, at page 45, this book claims that:"in fact, the foot soldier of very near future might carry more firepower than an M1A1 Abrams".Oh, it's obvious that even using a exoskeleton, a foot soldier will not have a firepower of more than 10 tons from a M1A1 Abrams 120 mm cannon.The Abrams itself weights more then 65 tons.
Even with little failures, after all, this is a good book.

Top Guns to join dinos?.......2003-11-22

In THE FUTURE OF WAR, Marc Cerasini shares with us the neat gadgets with which the U.S. military can kick butt in the 21st century. Hooo-rah!

Part 1 of the book makes the point that the high tech weaponry used in the 1991 Gulf War is but an introduction to better things to come. I should hope so. (The First) Gulf War is by now ancient history. Who have we thrashed lately? (And where ARE those Iraqi WMD, anyway?)

Parts 2 and 3 describe the upcoming clever goodies to outfit, arm and carry our men and women into battle on the ground and the sea. Such things as exoskeleton suits, robots, stealth ships, nifty tanks and helicopters, flying amphibious assault boats, electrothermal and electromagnetic rail guns, precision guided arty shells, and color-changing battle uniforms. Special sections address the future of special ops forces and the Marines. Nuclear subs, by the way, are pretty much at a dead end.

It isn't until Part 4 that Cerasini gets to the really cool stuff, i.e. hardware for combat in the air and space. (After all, that's why we civilians lap up films like TOP GUN and STAR WARS.) Interestingly enough, however, the author maintains that conventional, manned warplanes are on the endangered species list. Unmanned drones will be able to do the job more effectively, especially at levels of maneuverability that would kill a human pilot. (Say it ain't so, Tom!)

THE FUTURE OF WAR is also a Who's Who of defense contractors: Martin-Marietta, Boeing, General Electric, Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Raytheon, and McDonnell Douglas. As a matter of fact, much of the book's text has that measured enthusiasm of a corporate marketing piece created, say, for levering more money out of Congress. Indeed, Cerasini rarely mentions anything so gauche as cost to the taxpayer, prototype failures, or - heaven forbid! - cost overruns. (In all fairness, the author does say about the Osprey helicopter - the subject of a damning "60 Minutes" expose - that "the program to develop the Osprey has been troubled.") As the author would have the reader infer, the business of cutting edge weapons development is pretty much an on-time, within-budget, rosy place. Puhleeze!

Don't expect much in the way of photographic illustrations. There are only five, and they're virtually worthless.

The last chapter, "When, Where, and How to Deploy?", is Cerasini's opinionated discourse on the subject in which his political leanings show. It's not that I disagree with most of what he says, but I just don't care to be preached at, and I think perhaps that the inclusion of this rant in an otherwise factually stated (as far as it goes) and interesting book was unwise.

I started this review intending to award 4 stars, but I've just talked myself down to 3. A mind is a dangerous thing.

A fascinating overview of what is ahead for warfare techno.......2003-03-10

If one counted the number of people throughout history that have perished in wars, the number would be very small if compared to the total number of people who have not. Therefore, the impact of war has been minimal in this respect, eliminating of course consideration of the devastating psychological and economic impact that wars bring to human cultures (even if they do not directly participate in the war at hand).

The author of this book gives the reader a vision of the technology that will be used in future conflicts, and the prospects are fascinating if viewed in the abstract, i.e. if one's memory is temporarily blocked to the pain that this technology will bring to the enemy. Fortunately, this same technology will have peaceful applications, and result in more of a benefit to humankind, rather than its destruction. To quote the passage the author uses to introduce the book: "The future's so bright, I gotta wear shades..."

That humanity is tied together by increasing globalization and makes everyone vunerable to everyone is the author's starting point in the book. Violent perturbations in a small region of the world may have significant impact in regions geographically far apart from it. No citizen of the planet, American or otherwise has the luxury of "sitting out" what may at first seem to be small "isolated" wars, argues the author.

The author's emphasis is primarily on the role of the United States in future conflict. He gives a fair and accurate overview of the miliary history of the United States. Americans have always avoided conflict unless absolutely necessary, and the American soldier has in general never been viewed as "cannon fodder". General Norman Schwarzkopf once said that "any commander not concerned with casualties does not deserve to wear the American uniform". This emphasis on the minimization of casualities is the main reason for the incredible technological advancements made in weaponry in the United States. The author cites the Gulf War as being the perfect example of how advanced technology can defeat a vast army with a small number of casualties. An entire chapter of the book is devoted to the technology used in the Gulf War. With a war in Iraq perhaps just a week away, the minimization of casualties will still be held as an axiom, fortunately.

Some of the more interesting developments that the author foresees for fighting the wars of the 21st century include: 1. The gun, the history of which he outlines briefly, will no longer be dependent on the physics of projectile motion. Instead, the "bullets" will precision-guided, along the lines of the cruise missiles currently employed. Firing around corners will thus be a reality. 2. Chemicals that can solidify the fuel inside the tank of an enemy vehicle. 3. Bacteria that can decompose rubber tires. 4. Mines that recognize enemy vehicles and consequently destroying them. 5. Weapon systems packed with artificial intelligence, allowing them to be self-launching. 6. Uniforms that monitor a soldier's health and injuries and that can administer anesthetic. 7. Stealth suits that are "chameleon" in nature: changing color based on the environment. The author quotes the U.S. Army Soldier System Center as predicting that these kinds of suits will be available by 2025. 8. The "Objective Force Warrior", the first units of which to be employed by 2015, will have 20 times the range and killing capacity of a current infantryman. 9. The RAH-66 Comanche helicopter, with its digital "fly-by-wire" control system. 10. Battlefield robots. The author foresees the rise of intelligent machines capable of engaging in sophisticated and complex combat situations. 11. The use of "Swath" technology to reduce instability and wave motion of naval ships. 12. The use of precision guided and intelligent munitions from drone aircraft, evolving eventually into an intelligent flying killer robot. 12. Space warfare via laser, particle, and microwave beams. 13. The use of non-lethal weaponry: malodorants, informational warfare, acoustics, anti-traction agents, and electromagnetic pulse weapons.

It is doubtful that warfare will go completely away in the 21st century, but its impact can be minimized if all of us realize we are not separated by artificial boundary lines. The tightly knit global culture which we participate in entails a never-ending diligence as well as an intense effort to develop even more sophisticated weaponry. For the United States in particular, it becomes imperative to continue to adhere to the doctrine that each individual soldier is precious and not sacrificed cavilierly. The author has given strong arguments as to the utility of high technology in meeting this absolute requirement. The assistance of high technology, in particular intelligent technology, may bring about areas of conflict itself, and these may not be violent ones, but purely ethical ones. Intelligent machines, as the adjective implies, may have their own arguments about their use on the battlefield.

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The Future Of War: The Face Of 21st Century Warfare
Marc Cerasini
Manufacturer: Alpha
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000TQVB0S

Book Description

David Hilbert was arguably the leading mathematician of his generation. He was among the few mathematicians who could reshape mathematics, and was able to because he brought together an impressive technical power and mastery of detail with a vision of where the subject was going and how it should get there. This was the unique combination which he brought to the setting of his famous 23 Problems. Few problems in mathematics have the status of those posed by David Hilbert in 1900. Mathematicians have made their reputations by solving individual ones such as Fermat's last theorem, and several remain unsolved including the Riemann hypotheses, which has eluded all the great minds of this century. A hundred years on, it is timely to take a fresh look at the problems, the man who set them, and the reasons for their lasting impact on the mathematics of the twentieth century. In this fascinating new book, Jeremy Gray and David Rowe consider what has made this the pre-eminent collection of problems in mathematics, what they tell us about what drives mathematicians, and the nature of reputation, influence and power in the world of modern mathematics. The book is written in a clear and lively manner and will appeal both to the general reader with an interest in mathematics and to mathematicians themselves.

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely horrible book; look elsewhere for Hilbert.......2005-05-12

In brief, I do not recommend this book to anyone.

The book has three main problems that make it unenjoyable and quite tedious to get through.

The first problem is that the mathematical problems are not sufficiently well explained. In some cases, the problem and it's math are not explained in sufficient depth. In other cases, the problem is not clearly explained and comprehensible. In yet other cases, the problem's application or usefulness is not explained well. Finally, some math is explained so cursorily that it might as well not even have been discussed.

The second problem is that the layout of the book made very little logical sense. First, the author split the problems into various groups. Then, the author split the timeline into various sections: Pre-1900, 1900-1918, 1918-1945 and 1945-1999. He then proceeded to discuss some of the problems in each of the timelines. At each step, you've lost the entire train of thought from the previous section, and it becomes hard to understand what, if any, logical flow or consistency there was in the development of the work on Hilbert's problems or anything that lead from it.

The third and most serious issue against the book is that the author briefly introduces the "23" Hilbert problems and then subsequently expects the reader to understand what "Problem 10" is every time he refers to it, and exactly how it relates to all the other problems. There are quite a few sentences which refer to several problems by number and unless the reader is constantly referring back to the brief summary of all the problems, the sentence might as well have been in martian. After a few dozen pages of playing this "refer to the problem list" game, I became so frustrated that I just gave up and read the book.

Some minor problems include the fact that only 223 pages of the book are by the author; the rest is a translation of Hilbert's 1900 talk. (That is, less than 75% of the book is what the book is supposed to be about.) Another problem for me is that the paper is high gloss. It looks very nice at a glance, but when you try to read it, you are often faced with glare unless you orient the book perfectly with respect to the light source(s) - a problem I ordinarily face only with magazines.

Another minor problem, which may be interpreted as a positive thing by many (and I welcome that interpretation), is that the author spends a fair bit of time discussing social, governmental political and educational political aspects of countries, universities, and mathematicians. Except in a few minor cases, these things seem highly tangential to the work at hand, and although somewhat entertaining, distract from the intent of the book.

All in all, I found myself about half way through finishing it just so I could put it down and start another book, and preferably one completely unrelated to the topic. The author made such a hash of the subject that, despite finding several other interesting books on Hilbert and his problems here on Amazon, I have no interest whatsoever in reading them and actually finding out about things.

all you want to know about hilbert and his problems.......2001-09-22

When I first heard of the hilbert problems, and how important they seemd to be for all of maths that evolved after that, since 1900 until present, I wanted to know more. This book is a very pleasant read for several reasons:
It is easy to read and well explained, even if you don't grasp the full maths, still there is a story around every of the 23 problems that lets you understand the implication, and the full drama of its solution.
It is a nice biography of Hilbert 'the man', intertwined with the 23 problems, so it does not get boring like some biographies do with endless lists of calendar-facts.
There is even a full translation of the original speech he gave in Paris in 1900, which otherwise would be impossible to find.
The problems itself are well explained, as well in the timeframe of 1900, when first posed, as later in our time when maths was ready to solve them. The author did a good job also telling which of the problems really were important, really gave mahts further problems to think about, and which problems didnt give rise to new mathematical areas, and therefore became more or less curiosities after solution.
Reading this book gave me a feeling of how beautiful maths can be, how unexpectedly some problems can and cannot be solved, and evokes some of the drama of the worlds biggest minds at work.
If you are interested in maths and/oir in science and great minds: this is an excellent read!

An excellent history of Hilbert and his problems.......2001-04-10

At the turn of the last century, David Hilbert posed 23 problems that he considered to be the most critical ones to be solved in the 20th century. Certainly the best mathematician of his time, the challenge that he put forward has served as a benchmark for progress in mathematics over the last 100 years. This book is a retrospective of what has been done on those problems, a biography of Hilbert and a history of his times. In choosing the problems, he selected only those that he felt would lead to significant mathematics. For example, the recently resolved Fermat's Last Theorem was not on the list.
While many of the problems have been solved, it is a tribute to Hilbert that some are still unsolved and there appears to be no hope that they will be resolved soon. A few of the problems were solved relatively quickly, but most succumbed only after decades of intensive work. All of the problems that he put forward are explained in great detail, and if they were solved, the manner of solution demonstrated. Since these problems are hard, it is not possible to thoroughly describe them without resorting to some advanced mathematics. However, that is kept to a minimum, so it is possible for someone without detailed knowledge to understand most of the explanations.
The German universities were very powerful centers of mathematical progress during Hilbert's lifetime and the story about the interaction of the personalities and the split between pure and applied mathematics makes very interesting reading. Mathematics is in many ways just another human endeavor, subject to petty spats, nationalistic rivalries and personal biases. The saddest part of the book is the description of what happened to the once proud university system when the Nazi party rose to power. An incredible amount of talent was hounded away, which was fortunate for them as most of those who remained and had an incorrect heritage were killed. Hilbert was a firm believer in the value of applied mathematics, so he no doubt would have been frustrated over the split between the pure and applied camps that occurred after the end of the second world war. Given that he was so much of both, I wonder what tone his voice would have had.
Hilbert was an intellectual giant who is known most for his set of famous problems rather than his impressive work on resolving problems. While the emphasis is on the famous 23 problems, enough effort is expended on what else he did to make the book as much a biography of Hilbert as it is on the problems he posed. That alone would make it well worth reading.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

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El Reto De Hilbert/ Hilbert's Challenge
Jeremy J. Gray
Manufacturer: Critica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Hilbert Challenge
Jeremy J. Gray David Rowe
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKTH0K

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