The Centrosome in Cell Replication and Early Development (Current Topics in Developmental Biology, Volume 49) (Current Topics in Developmental Biology)

Book Description

Centrosomes play an integral role in the growth of cells and the ultimate development of many animals, and sometimes plants. In addition to the normal growth of cells, centrosomes can also play a key role in the spread of cancer and are of increased interest to both the genetics and oncology communities. Volume 49 of Current Topics in Developmental Biology will present all known research surrounding the centrosome, across a variety of systems, will be well referenced, and speculate where the research is headed.

Key Features
* Discusses centrosomes and cancer, centrosomes and early development, and molecular biology of the centrosome
* Heavily illustrated, with many color figures
* Chapters written by international leaders in the field

Customer Reviews:

THE ultimate centrosome bible!.......2000-11-11

This book is by far the most up to date and comprehensive treatment of centrosomes and centrioles available. Anyone interested in the cytoskeleton or cell biology would do well to get a copy of this book. Chapters are all written by leaders in the field, and provide both an excellent overview of current research as well as an entry point into the extensive primary literature. The book is well organized and tightly focused, a tribute to the fine work of its editor Robert Palazzo. This is destined to be a classic for many years to come!

Book Description

Combining unique travel choices, outdoor adventures, and little-known locales into guides where vacations meet adventures, each title in the Hidden series offers readers selective recommendations and opinionated reviews of sights, lodging, and dining plus detailed maps, websites, author favorites, suggested itineraries, and walking and driving tours. Hidden Walt Disney World, Orlando and Beyond is the tool that helps cut through hype and mark a path through the jungle of the Disney empire. All major theme parks are reviewed, and entries include ratings for every ride and attraction within them. Readers are also invited to go further and explore "hidden" spots with three-day getaway itineraries for further exploration of the region. Maps that "zoom in" on each area, photographs, and helpful illustrations are also included.

Amazon.com

"Sometimes our inside-the-head world gets so crammed with what other people think that what we think gets squished out our ears or something." So laments the young protagonist Molly-Be-Gone in C. Drew Lamm's "Stay True," the title story in this impressive collection of short tales about teenage girls finding strength within themselves (and bringing it forth for the whole world to see). The contributing authors read like the women's wing of a young adult literature hall of fame: M.E. Kerr shows us a girl who rejects her parents' strait-laced culture and follows her true love; Rita Williams-Garcia tells the exuberant story of a young woman whose crazy dancing earns societal ostracism but brings her inner happiness; and Norma Fox Mazer offers a compelling tale about Grace, who learns to rise above the stigmatism she receives because of her size. Marian Flandrick Bray, Andrea Davis Pinkney, and Peni R. Griffin are among the other writers who make an inspiring appearance. The particulars of family structure, ethnicity, and geography may vary widely, but the young women in these stories are all fighting the good fight toward becoming independent women. As Molly-Be-Gone remembers, "We were fighting the alien girls living inside our heads and racing around in our guts. But we made a pact that night to try. To stay true to ourselves and each other." (Ages 12 and older) --Brangien Davis

Customer Reviews:

Strong Girls.......2007-06-21

This is a series of short stories about girls, and especially about girls who are strong and able to take care of themselves.

Miranda is struggling to find something wrong with her mother's new boyfriend so she can convince her mother to drop him. Bebe would like to be an engineer, but her grandmother has never heard of any black female engineers, so she won't let Bebe follow her dream.

Tory thought she had her whole life mapped out, but then she meets the son of her family's maid and begins to rethink her entire future. Grace struggles with the fact that she is so large and awkward compared with the rest of her family.

Cindy gets a fairy godmother to make her beautiful and popular on the night of a big dance. Marguerite was always the crazy one in her family, and never cared what anyone else thought of her. Now that she is in college, she's set her sights on a handsome, quiet boy.

Consuela struggles against her traditional Latino family. Liz goes to live in a home with domestic violence. Monica fights to be allowed to go to Paris as her parents promised. Molly is sad that her childhood friend has changed, until she accidentally ready her friend's notebook and realizes she hasn't changed on the inside.

Princess Rowena is courted by many wonderful met, but she wants to make a good decision about who to marry, so she gets advice from a witch.

This was a good group of stories. There was some high quality writing here. I especially liked the stories that were takes on fairy tales, although some of the realistic stories were good as well.

Stay True: Short Stories for Strong Girls.......2006-12-16

When it comes to a book of short stories this book really deserves the rating I gave it! How would you say what's going on in a girls mind well than in this book. When I say that this was a really good book I mean it. The content really says a lot because it is very well written, and the editor choose great stories that really portrays the imagination and feeling running through a young girls brain. When a girl whose mother is single and has a problem with some of her mom's boy friends and so she drives them off and the most recent guy she really hates but then he gets bitten on the job by some lunatic and she feels sorry for him and she finally approves of him. Or when Cindy a girl who never fits in to the crowd gets a fairy godmother who makes her popular and the most beautiful girl in her high school, when she gets a taste of this new life at the high school dance, she decides that she doesn't want to be "cool" and the importance of being her self! When a mother decides to follow her dream and she forgets her promise to her 15-year-old daughter whom she promised to send to Europe for her 16th birthday. She stands in a protest until her mother will send her to France. "Why am I so different," this thought runs through all our minds at some point in time in our lives. "When I look at my siblings I wonder why it looks like I don't belong in this family, I mean look at me!"
I still say that this editor choose some meaningful stories that portray the true thoughts in all of us.

Sad in a Good Way.......2004-01-31

Have you ever been looking to become one with the stars and ended up saying good-bye to a horse who would have the chance to reach them? Then you are amazingly like Consuela, a young teen (from the story "The Pale Mare") who lives in a Latin American community on the outskirts of Los Angeles California. Conseula dreams of being an astronomer. But in her family such an idea is frowned upon. Her parents' idea is to have her work for them at the "Charreada" (an event where people rope horses and pull them to the ground hurting them.) and then to marry a "nice boy" and have children. Well Consuela thinks that the nice boy and astronomy should go hand in hand.
I really enjoyed the book. Most of the stories in this collection are heart wrenching and sad, in a good kind of way. The endings touch the heart and make the soul truly feel for the protagonist. Also most of the stories had such great detail that you felt as if you could actually be at the protagonist's side at that exact time. There were a few stories that were so realistic that you could almost feel the pain and anguish that the main character felt. Like the story "The Transformations of Cindy R." The detail gives you such a sense of how Cindy felt and the atmosphere that she was in. Although the book was amazingly written there were a few stories with absolutely no detail at all. Like the story "Crazy as a Daisy", it says that Daisy is unique and special but doesn't tell you how she is either of these. I think that all around this collection was an awesome book that is a must read for those who love sad stories.

This book can give you a big impact!.......2002-02-01

I feel that by reading this book it has made me stronger. There was alot of differnt side stories that got kind of confusing. But I think over all it was a really good book. I don't see myself reading it again though. The book started with a story about this girl that lived her her mom and dad in a pretty ok neighborhood, exept for her family. The Dad was an alcoholic and the Mom wasnt much better so the girl had no one to turn to. One day the police came and took her parents away so she was forced to a new family... The book mostly talked about how she came to adjust to the new life style. This book really made me realize as the reader about whats going on in this world. A lot of people dont realize it because there familes arent bad, but I think this book was a really big eye opener!

Better when you read them all........2001-05-23

Each story in this collections seems to represent a facet of a girl's youth, whether it be dealing with her self imagine, or standing up and fighting for her dreams. When read as a collection, I think these stories pull together to present a realistic picture of the trials faced by teen girls.

Book Description

Alkaloids are a major group of natural products derived from a wide variety of organisms, which are used as medicinal and biological agents. This series is world-renowned as the leading compilation of current reviews of this vast field.

Internationally acclaimed for more than forty years, The Alkaloids , founded by the late Professor R.H.F. Manske, continues to provide outstanding coverage of the rapidly expanding field of the chemotaxonomy, structure elucidation, synthesis, biosynthesis, and biology of all classes of alkaloids from higher and lower plants, marine organisms, or various terrestrial animals. Each volume provides, through its distinguished authors, up-to-date and detailed coverage of particular classes or sources of alkaloids. Over the years, this series has become the standard in natural product chemistry to which all other book series aspire. The Alkaloids: Chemistry and Biology endures as an essential reference for all natural product chemists and biologists who have an interest in alkaloids, their diversity, and their unique biological profile.

* * Indispensable reference work written by leading experts in the field
* * Provides up-to-date, timely reviews on compounds and classes of great interest
* * Covers synthesis, biosynthesis, biology, as well as isolation and structure elucidation
* * An essential research tool for anyone working with alkaloids from a chemical or biological perspective

Protein Folding Mechanisms, Volume 53 (Advances in Protein Chemistry)

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Protein Folding Mechanisms, Volume 53 (Advances in Protein Chemistry)

Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0120342537

Book Description

This volume of Advances in Protein Chemistry is devoted to protein folding mechanisms. Some of the topics covered include: autonomous protein folding units, barriers in protein folding reactions, the role of molten globule state in protein folding, comparisons of equilibrium and kinetic approaches for determining protein folding mechanisms, the relationship between sequence and structure in elementary folding units, and the energy landscape theory of protein folding.

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Photochemistry of macromolecules;: Proceedings of a symposium held at the Pacific Conference on Chemistry and Spectroscopy, Anaheim, California, October 8-9, 1969

Manufacturer: Plenum Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Organic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0306304996

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Photochemistry of macromolecules. proceedings of a symposium held at the Pacific Conference on Chemistry and Spectroscopy, Anaheim, California, October 8-9, 1969
Ronald F. [Ed] Reinisch
Manufacturer: Plenum Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000JLJLYQ

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A new science

A Very Satisfying Read

Networks - a wonderful way to view our worlds both big and small.

Empty and Unfocused

Thought provoking

Nexus: Small Worlds and the Groundbreaking Theory of Networks
Mark Buchanan
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Linked: How Everything Is Connected to Everything Else and What It Means

Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order

Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age (Open Market Edition)

Emergence: The Connected Lives of Ants, Brains, Cities, and Software

The Social Atom: Why the Rich Get Richer, Cheaters Get Caught, and Your Neighbor Usually Looks Like You

ASIN: 0393324427

Book Description

As Chaos explained the science of disorder, Nexus reveals the new science of connection and the odd logic of six degrees of separation.

"If you ever wanted to know how many links connect you and the Pope, or why when the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank sneezes the global economy catches cold, read this book," writes John L. Casti (Santa Fe Institute). This "cogent and engaging" (Nature) work presents the fundamental principles of the emerging field of "small-worlds" theory—the idea that a hidden pattern is the key to how networks interact and exchange information, whether that network is the information highway or the firing of neurons in the brain. Mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, and social scientists are working to decipher this complex organizational system, for it may yield a blueprint of dynamic interactions within our physical as well as social worlds.

Highlighting groundbreaking research behind network theory, "Mark Buchanan's graceful, lucid, nontechnical and entertaining prose" (Mark Granovetter) documents the mounting support among various disciplines for the small-worlds idea and demonstrates its practical applications to diverse problems—from the volatile global economy or the Human Genome Project to the spread of infectious disease or ecological damage. Nexus is an exciting introduction to the hidden geometry that weaves our lives so inextricably together.

Customer Reviews:

A new science.......2007-07-10

The 20th century witnessed the birth of several entirely new branches of science. Some of the more popular include relativity, nuclear physics, genetics, and solid state science. But there is one field that connects them all, the science of networks, whether it is networks of humans in a city, animals in an environment, water molecules in a lake or computers on the web. This book provides a ground-up introduction to networks, a history of the ideas, and how they are manifested in everything we do. The author explains how various phenomena are explained using networks, such as the spread of diseases, the movement of stock prices, and of course, business networking. This book is just one of a whole wave of books published in the past 20 years on this subject; but is better than most in that it approaches the topic on scientific principles. I recommend this book.

A Very Satisfying Read.......2007-03-18

This book is an terrific introduction to the details and applications of networks. Having only a superficial notion of what networks were about beforehand, I could hardly put it down. It was mind expanding, and will surely broaden your thinking!

Networks - a wonderful way to view our worlds both big and small........2006-12-05

Mark Buchanan gets 5 stars for so cogently introducing us to different facets of Network Theory and showing how an understanding of how things link together can greatly help us in seeing how our highly connected world operates.

Buchanan doesn't just talk in theoretical terms: he shows us clear examples such as the congestion of the US airways system - so efficient for so many decades, but now congested and prone to delays once some of the superhubs get congested. Or how about the collapse of the North Atlantic fishing industry - (which Canadian authorities laughably blamed on seals - were they serious?) due to a whole web of factors.

This book is illuminating and helps the reader view our social and natural worlds in fresh light. I'd heartily recommend this to the lay-reader who loves popular science (this is a nice extension from Tipping Point or the Wisdom of Crowds for example) or those interested in the way society functions. I also recommend a close cousin to this book: Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age by Duncan J. Watts which is equally well written but from the entertaining and quite modest point of view of one of the leading thinkers in this fascinating area.

- Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age (Open Market Edition)
- The Structure and Dynamics of Networks: (Princeton Studies in Complexity)
- The Social Atom: Why the Rich Get Richer, Cheaters Get Caught, and Your Neighbor Usually Looks Like You

Empty and Unfocused.......2006-10-27

I got the feeling that the author couldnt find enough material to write a full book so he decided to distort the idea of "small worlds" to include everything from the internet, to economics, to biology, to disease, and beyond. Theres no real focus, its just a bunch of mishmosh subject matter bundled together under the vague category "small worlds." Theres no real substance to this book at all. It jumps around topic to topic with no depth nor acknowledgment to the uniqueness between subjects that result in the outcome they produce except only "hey doesnt this look like a small world pattern just like the all the rest?" The author reminds me of those crazy people who claim to see the number 12 or 22 in everything they come across. Go to a bookstore and look through this book yourself if you can. If you've read Gladwells Tipping Point, this book is no where near as insightful.

Thought provoking.......2006-08-08

The book examines the connection patterns of various networks, although it mostly focuses on the social aspect. The central idea is that you have a bunch of nodes (which can be people, Web sites, airports etc) and you want to connect them in such a way that you can get from anywhere to anywhere reasonably fast but you require very short routes for nodes that are close by some measure. So how do you do it?

The book shows you that neither the random connections between nodes nor the connect everyone with its closest neighbours (mesh) networks will perform too well. Then it proposes a connection scheme that works and what it calls a "small-world network". Then it shows examples where the analysis of networks formed by self-organisation shows that they indeed shape themselves into that small-world scheme.

It is very easy to read but it lacks any maths as well as a deeper explanation of the subject. It is a very good apetiser but you need to look around if you want information about the subject with some depth. On the plus side, it shows the applicability of the theory on many practical subjects, from the way the Internet organises itself through why the rich get richer to the spreading of infectious diseases. There are some repetitive bits that come up again and again, but it is bearable. While the book demonstrates through numerous examples that self-organised efficient networks (let them be social, economical, biological or physical) show this small-world characteristics, it doesn't try to explain why or how a network would evolve into that particular connection pattern.

All in all, a nice introduction to the subject of self-organising networks that will probably pique your curiosity enough to look for books with more detailed descriptions.

Book Description

The vivacious Mathilde Kschessinska (1872-1971) was the mistress of three Russian Grand Dukes and the greatest ballerina of her generation. The real story, which this book will reveal lies in what Mathilde did not say.

Customer Reviews:

A Different Viewpoint.......2007-05-10

An easy to read chronicle of a woman who lived in "interesting times" and became the most influential person in the pre-revolution Russian Imperial Ballet as well as a hugely successful coutesan to the Romanovs, including Nicholas II before his accession to the throne. Replete with uncorroborated gossip about all sorts of alleged malfeasance and the author's obssessive focus on legitimacy of royal/noble status, it nevertheless provides some insights to the maelstorm of the revolution, from which Kschessinska escaped, incredibly, unscathed, albeit sans her ill gotten vast riches. In fact, the supposed importance of lineage flies in the face of the fact that the Romanov dynasty originated with a family of true Prussian emigres elected to the throne by the boyars without any legitimate claim to royal lineage. The first significant Romanov, Peter the Great, was likely the illegitimate son of the Orthodox Patriarch.

Fascinating look at a woman who danced for the czars.......2007-01-09

I was completely captivated by this account of Matilda, who's so often mentioned in Romanov histories, but seldom profiled in any depth. Coryne Hall's writing style is fluid, making this a highly readable, fascinating portrait of imperial favor, the attention accorded the arts, and the ultimate triumph of a highly ambitious woman. I was even more delighted when I had the chance to pass by Kschessinska's home in St. Petersburg, and wished I'd been able to stop and go in...as if walking in would illuminate the past and bring the book to life.

Great addition if you're already knowledgeable on the Romanovs.......2006-11-18

I've read every book on the Romanov family itself, and I found that this well-written book full of interesting information and anecdotes about the Romanovs and St Petersburg in the late 19th and early 20th century gives a fresh perspective to a family I already had come to know well and to a city in the midst of grandeur and then turmoil. It also gives lots of information on minor Romanovs who are otherwise merely glossed over by other writers. It also gives a fascinating account of how many of the Romanov relatives fled Russia (and escaped certain death) via the Ukraine. I would highly recommend it to ballet enthusiasts, many of who may not know much about Mathilde, one of Russia's last great ballerinas and only one of two prima ballerinas of the Russian Imperial Ballet, to those interested in Imperial Russia, and as an addition to anyone's large Romanov library.

Book Description

In 100 Missions North, Ken Bell recounts the harrowing sorties that he and his comrades flew in F-105 Thunderchiefs, the famous "Thud", in 1966-67, when pilots faced a 50 percent loss rate. What was it like to face these odds day after day? We learn that men sustained by faith in each other and joined by the unique bonds of combat can overcome anxiety, fear, and even terror to achieve common goals.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books about the airwar over North Viet Nam.......2007-01-04

I was mechanic on the F-105 in Thailand when Major Bell was flying his missions there. I believe he has written a superb account of the trials, skills and frustrations the Thud pilots had during Viet Nam. He brought back many memories of the two years I spent in Thailand.

couldn't put it down.......2006-11-26

My dad, a 105 pilot who was there around the same time Bell was, recommended this book to me and once I started, I literally couldn't put it down. As other reviewers mentioned, you really feel like you are experiencing it firsthand. I think it's important to mention that it is written in a way that your ordinary person can understand exactly what is going on (something I feared before I bought it). It is an outstanding book and while I've always respected what my dad did, I feel I have 100% more insight into the extent of what he, and his fellow pilots, were up against-how they were able to face those odds day after day is almost unbelievable. The (physical and mental) strength and bravery of those men leaves me speechless and in awe. Thank you Ken Bell.

Captivating, Fast Paced Vietnam Air War Memoir.......2006-07-14

I first learned about the F-105 strikes against Hanoi in G.I. Basel's masterpiece; "Pak Six". Prior to reading that book, my concept of the air war over North Vietnam were the B52 strikes that were publicized, in the popular media, in the late sixties. The breavity of "Pak Six" left me hungry for more which Ken Bell delivers in " 100 Missions North" "100 Missions North" fleshes out the details and gives the reader a better idea of what the job, and life, were like for the pilots who flew the dangerous missions into Hanoi. While life, planning and debriefing are covered in more detail, there is still plenty of in-the-cockpit action, rocketing toward earth in full afterburner through clouds of flak to put the bombs on target.

A fantastic book not to be missed.......2006-06-09

Gen Bell writes it and you feel like you are there with him during the events he writes about. It is similar to G.I. Basel's Pak Six ( another must read). I've also read both of Col Broughton's Books and they are also "must reads" as well, but 100 Missions is a personal view of his experiences. I remembered the name Ken Bell from hearing about a mission he flew together with Col Broughton (and about ran of of fuel if I remember right), so knew that I had to buy this book. I am not quite done with the book and could easily read it non-stop, but want to savor it because it is that good. You get some interesting read ins to some of the personell that were at Takhli. I know I had an opinion of Col Scott ( not a positive one) and it will be interesting to read more about Maj Bell's thoughts of him in the book.
Though a Major when the book begins basically, he had no combat experience; wen to Nellis AFB for the fighter weapons school and then to SEA. His writing shows what goes on in his mind, his fears and doubts about the future and also the excitement of seeing combat. He tells about his mistakes and what he learns as he flys into RP6A and becomes a real weapon for the U.S. Air Force.

Fascinating insight into the air war over Vietnam.......2005-03-10

Ken Bell has the knack of keeping his audience riveted while imparting a great deal of information. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

I was brought up on WWII history so this was particularly interesting for me.

Fascinating too are the descriptions of interactions with the local people - both on the airbase and places where Gen. Bell went on R&R such as Bangkok.

Don't expect heart-searching or apologies for the war - Gen. Bell simply describes it as it was for a fighter pilot on active duty.

A great read.

100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilot's Story of the Vietnam War

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100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of Vietnam War
Tales of Air War in Vietnam
100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of the Vietnam War
100 Missions North

100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilot's Story of the Vietnam War
Kenneth H. Bell
Manufacturer: Brassey's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0028810120

Customer Reviews:

100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of Vietnam War.......2003-04-29

This is not the type of book I usually read (War stories). It was recommended by a friend. It sat in a stack of unread books for a few weeks. I finally started to read. I was mesmerized, I could not put it down!!!! I felt as if I was right there with the author! It is a good mixture of what the war was like for this pilot, his revelry, his mind set. I have read it twice, it flows easy, and sets on the mind well. Read It!!

Tales of Air War in Vietnam.......2002-12-15

It seems to me as if stories about the U.S. foot soldier in Vietnam abound, but the Vietnam War was also a war Americans fought fiercely in the air. It stands to reason then that the chronicle of the F105 fighter pilot, who flew the most harrowing missions and suffered the greatest losses, is one of the more significant, albeit under-appreciated, tales worthy of telling. As such, Ken Bellýs 100 Missions North is an excellent place to dig in to the subject to appreciate a unique, by-gone perspective. Bellýs first-hand account of the 100 missions he flew as a Thunderchief pilot over north Vietnam in 1966-67 provides a superb, three-dimensional picture of his life at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base north of Bangkok, Thailand, one of two primary facilities for F105s during the war. Aside from the fact that Bell was a major at the time and thus missed out on the opportunity to live dorm-style in a hooch with lower-ranking officers, his story in many ways typifies the life of an F105 pilot of this era. Although his is not the only first-hand account of the F105 pilotsý experience, it may be the most satisfying.

Thud Ridge, Jack Broughtonýs account of his tour, for instance, although essential as a piece of F105 fighter pilot history, is not a straightforward chronological account of his experiences. Instead, Broughton picks and chooses subjects for each chapter, so although there is something of a running narrative, the text skips around a bit. Not a big problem but it can be confusing unless youýve been a member of a fighter wing. Therefore, I would also say Broughton seems to be writing more to a limited audience, the fellow fighter pilot as well as the military enthusiast; hence, although a good book regarding its subject, Thud Ridge is more for those already with a base knowledge of air war and squadrons.

Another top-notch book but with a broader appeal than Thud Ridge is G.I. Baselýs Pak Six. Baselýs book is quite an enjoyable read. He turns a nice phrase, recounts interesting stories, and is easy to follow and understand. Basel also has a good sense of humor that helps the outsider appreciate the F105 fighter pilot mentality. Why then is Pak Six not the first book to pick up on the F105 pilot experience? Just thisýlength. Pak Six has about half as many pages as 100 Missions North. In spite of the fact that Baselýs book was a pure pleasure to read, and I finished it in about two days, it nonetheless gets into and out of its subject too quickly. Itýs good to leave the reader wanting more, but I wanted much more.

It was after I read these two books that I came across 100 Missions North. Bellýs book is the one I wished Iýd picked up first. At 300 pages, it provides a detailed, nicely paced, chronological account of the 100 missions he flew. Although he doesnýt literally account for all 100 missions, Bell presents the highlights of his most significant missions and discusses life outside the cockpit as well. Like Basel, he is easy to understand and can tell a good story, and like a seasoned writer, is not embarrassed to confess his fears and mistakes while flying missions. Likewise, he provides honest observations about the world and people around him during his tour.

For anyone interested in this side of the Vietnam War, all three books are a must, and certainly, all three offer something unique that in total present a thorough picture of what it must have been like to be there, a subject of particular interest to me since my father was there too, but heýs no longer around to recount his experiences. Of the group, 100 Missions North is the most well-rounded regarding its subject and is certainly a worthy place to begin getting a grasp of life inside the cockpit while flying bombing missions into a region reputed to be the most heavily defended in the history of warfare.

100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of the Vietnam War.......2002-03-09

AWESOME! Outstanding, honest account of the frustrations faced by combat pilots in South East Asia.

100 Missions North.......2000-12-07

I am the author of "100 Missions North," and want to advise you that it has been reprinted by Turner Publishing, and is now available.

Ken Bell 719-488-2984

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100 MISSIONS NORTH.
Kenneth H. Bell.
Manufacturer: Brassey's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8Y5E0

Customer Reviews:

I Call This Book a "Prize Possession".......2007-02-03

I stumbled across this book while touring the Tower of London in 1998 and have reread it several times a year since. (Does that make me sick? Hope not!)

This book was clearly written for a British audience since there are many places where an incident (i.e. the Jacobite rebellion) is mentioned without reference to who they were. There are also a few mistakes an American reader would catch, such as saying someone was executed in "Raliegh, North Virginia." However, these do not at all distract from the facination of the book.

Good Execution.......2006-12-03

An excellent, exhaustive, but fun to read little book which details various execution methods used at different times and places.

Fascinating.......2003-11-17

Yes, this is a morbid but extremely interesting little book and was well worth the purchase. The descriptions of the executions are realistic at all times, and you wont read it in a linear fashion, as it is an encyclopedia. This book made me ponder human nature, to read of such cruelties you could be forgiven for thinking the minds who thought them up werent human. Mankinds cruelty can be fed directly from his imagination. Some of these methods are extremely bizarre, particularly sewing inside a dead horse and the truly revolting scaphismus, as a person who loathes insects, i have to say that that method for me was probably the worst, perhaps there is possibly too much emphasis on more mundane forms of execution (we all know enough about beheading and hanging already for example)though their inclusion was perhaps necessary for completeness, in those cases the historical background is fascinating anyway. Though it is hard to measure these things, one could argue that being placed naked inside a brazen bull, or being fried to death is the worst (if you were actually suffering either one of these, you'd 'want' to be slowly digested by maggots instead no doubt). See what i mean? This book is a filthy little morsel for the imagination.

Thumbs are up

Gruesome, gory, and great!.......2003-08-21

If you are fascinated by executions, you will find this book enlightening and very entertaining. It covers all manner of executions, from "Axe" to "Torn Apart by Wild Beasts." Ouch. What are you waiting for?

Reality Check.......2003-03-18

An excellent introduction into the topic. A little less informative than I would have liked on some topics and to much detail on others, almost to the point of stating the obvious.
But, again if you're looking for a book to give you a taste of the topic then this is the one for you.

Book of Execution, The: An Encyclopedia of Methods of Judicial Execution

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Book of Execution, The: An Encyclopedia of Methods of Judicial Execution
Geoffrey; Headline Book Publishing Abbott
Manufacturer: Headline Book Pub Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000K9GI7A

Book Description

The important new approach to leadership that John Gordon and Joyce Berry explain in this book is built upon the experiences of environmental and natural resource organizations as they contend with complex, long-term problems. But the lessons learned apply beyond these groups--to all modern organizations, for-profit and non-profit, that are dealing with the complicated conditions of the twenty-first century.

Leadership is a learned skill and can be acquired by anyone willing to make the effort, say the authors. And, through case studies of a variety of organizations, they emphasize that all members of productive groups must be ready to take the lead when their specific skills are most relevant to the problem at hand. The authors analyze how organizations and individuals can adopt this new leadership mode, and they discuss the results of a recent survey of leadership ideas and attitudes among active environmental leaders. Shifting emphasis away from celebrated leaders on the world stage, Gordon and Berry focus on “essential” leadership—the kind that engages each member of an organization on an everyday basis.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent new book for professionals.......2006-08-28

Every environmental professional who has to lead (which is all of us, at some point) should read this well-crafted little book. The premise, that others can learn from the contemporary practical experience of Dr. Gordon and Dr. Berry, as well as of their colleagues, is sound. The book explains the essential skills for current practice, why these skills are important, and how to develop them. Recent real-world examples and theory alternate, helping to keep your attention. As a 25-year environmental consultant who also teaches ocassional courses at the graduate-school level I'll be recommending this book to colleagues and students, and even a few clients.

Essential reading for environmental leaders.......2006-08-16

John Gordon and Joyce Berry recognized the difficulties natural resource leaders are experiencing in guiding their organizations to successful, long-term solutions for difficult environmental issues. Both had experienced these difficulties in their respective professional careers. At the same time they saw a few natural resource leaders being very successful. As a result they surveyed these people as a way to identify the attributes that helped these individuals be successful in a highly political atmosphere. What they found was a new style of leadership.

In their book "Environmental Leadership=Essential Leadership", Gordon and Berry share the results of their survey and synthesize the results into tools for leaders. This book provides great guidance to leaders at all levels in their career. It captures the lessons I had learned the hard way during my 17 years as the Oregon State Forester (director of the Oregon Department of Forestry). I wish I had had this tool when I started my career as a leader.

A Practical Book on Leadership and Problem Solving.......2006-08-07

I am impressed with the practicality of this book. The authors discuss not only theory, but provide examples and illustrate how to apply the concepts. I especially liked Chapters 6 and 7. However, this is not only a book on leadership, but also problem solving. I especially liked the focus on multiple leaders within an organization or agency as opposed to a single leader. Many discussions on leadership fail to recognize that institutional leaders (or merely holding a leadership job title) does not make someone a good or effective leader.

Notes for Reviewers from the Authors.......2006-04-18

Notes for reviewers, "Environmental Leadership Equals Essential Leadership: Redefining Who Leads and How"
J. Gordon and J. Berry, 2006
Yale University Press

Gordon and Berry wrote the book. Dr. Christensen kindly wrote the Foreword. The rating is included because it is mandatory in this Amazon format and because we think it is a good book. But clearly we shouldn't be rating our own book so please ignore it. We provide these notes because we have been asked by reviewers to provide more than is included in the press release that accompanies the book and this is an efficient way to do it.

Approximately a decade after the publication of their first leadership book, "Environmental Leadership: Developing Effective Skills and Styles", Gordon and Berry reassess environmental leadership and outline their current view of its nature and principles. Their major conclusion is that all leadership is becoming like environmental leadership because the problems leaders face increasingly are or resemble environmental problems. Environmental problems typically take a long time to solve, are complex, have an emotion charged atmosphere, have a weak or scattered science base, and require integration across fields of knowledge and political and geographic boundaries.

To answer the question, "How has environmental leadership changed as its context has changed?" they did a survey of people they identified as practicing environmental leaders (listed in the book with their affiliations at the time of the survey). They expected that given the many contextual changes since the first book (e.g. globalization, increased terrorism, greater concern about global warming and a host of other environmental issues) a much changed picture of environmental leadership might emerge from the survey answers. Several interesting near consensus views did in fact emerge:
* Leadership is getting harder because the world is more complicated
* Gender differences in leadership skills and styles continue to exist
* "Command and control" leadership is sometimes necessary
* Leadership can and does occur in the absence of formal authority or "leadership position"
* Leadership is becoming more process oriented as complexity increases

The major characteristics and methods of environmental leadership, however, had not changed materially and the authors use their own experience as well as the survey results and the leadership literature to provide the leader with a leadership learning model. This model is based on the "leadership tree" concept, in which each individual constructs a leadership learning plan based on an inventory of their "tree" components: roots=ethics and values; trunk=skills, style and knowledge; branches and leaves=problem choice and application of skills, styles and knowledge; fruit=solutions, relationships and accomplishments. In their view, leadership is a learned set of skills. Further, they think in today's world, every person should study leadership as a basic component of their professional and organizational persona. Each member of any group will face the necessity, sooner or later, to be an effective leader and follower because, given the complexity of environmental problems, their skills or style will demand that they lead. Almost all environmental problems are "multidisciplinary" and each group member will need the capacity to lead when their area is to the fore.

The major themes of the book, encapsulated in 9 chapters, each with a summary of its essential elements at the end, include:

* There is no single model or theory of leadership now available that adequately describes environmental leadership. Each leader needs to develop a diverse tool kit of skills based on their own fundamental values that will serve a variety of circumstances.
* The creation of useful visions of the future (those that identify achievable goals and solvable problems and what to do about them) is the first step in essential leadership. These guiding visions should be bold but practical.
* Environmental leaders primarily are people who solve environmental problems; thus problem definition and solution are the key leadership activities once a useable vision is created.
* Solvable problems can be defined by specifying five components: a decision maker or class of decision makers, the objective or objectives of the decision maker, alternative ways of achieving the objectives, doubt about which objective to choose, and the context in which the decision takes place.
* The complex nature of environmental problems focuses on collaborative effort, so diversity and inclusiveness are always elements in their solution.

The book examines the path from "old leadership" to "essential leadership" (from hierarchical to inclusive and collaborative, from closely held information to widely distributed information, from geographic isolation to global participation) and examines how essential leadership can be installed in organizations and how to tell if it is working. Gordon and Berry examine selected books on business and political leadership and find common themes with environmental leadership in terms of the nature of vision, the need for inclusion and the need to fight "leadership inflation" (the emotive, soft approach to leadership that casts us all as potential Lincolns or Churchills).

They end the book with their view of the future of leadership and some things they think they have personally learned as leaders.

The book is intended to be used in leadership courses in universities, particularly in but not limited to environmental and natural resource programs,and for professional career development. The authors have used the principles in the book in courses taught over fifteen years to graduate, undergraduate and outreach students at Yale's School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and Colorado State University's Warner College of Natural Resources. The book will be supported by a web site, www.leaderesources.com.

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Environmental Leadership - Equals Essential Leadership Redefining Who Leads and How
John C. Berry, Joyce K. Gordon
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSHBBO

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