Customer Reviews:
What Matters in the End.......2006-07-22
Whether or not Sir David has an accent is missing the point (in reference to previous reviews). David Attenborough is one of the most unique individuals and does exemplary performances on his productions no matter if it's a television documentary or publishing a book. He surely is an inspiration to any naturalist, or any person interested in life itself. His passion for the natural world is evident in any of his work and it surely does not fail to guide him in this book, which focuses on the natural history of the Mediterranean. It may be hard to recommend any resource simply assuming its quality based on the reputation of its particual producer or author, but David Attenborough is an exeption.
Lost in translation.......2006-05-06
David Attenborouh does not have an accent, though I can understand that a colonial might think he does. It was a truly great TV series for those interested in history.
Great book.......2002-11-06
This book is a great resource about the history of the Mediterranean. Attenborouh does a good job in telling about the geological as well as human history. He has to lose the accent though. Get it if you get a chance. Only...
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World Airport Guide 1st Edition
Manufacturer: Sf Communications
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ASIN: 1902221516 |
Book Description
The new World Airport Guide contains key information on the top 150 gateway airports in the world. Each entry contains contact details for the airport(including e-mail and web addresses where applicable), transfer between terminals, driving directions to the airport, car parking and car rental information, public transport and taxis to and from the airport, information and help desks, a detailed description of airport facilities (such as duty-free, restaurants and retail outlets), conference and business facilities, handicapped facilities and airport hotels.
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Imani in Never Say Goodbye
J. Hardrick
Manufacturer: Tandem Library
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ASIN: 1417670746 |
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- A Condensed, Economical, and Introductory Book on Studying Neuron Firing
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An Introduction to the Mathematics of Neurons: Modeling in the Frequency Domain (Cambridge Studies in Mathematical Biology)
Frank C. Hoppensteadt
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 0521590752 |
Book Description
This book describes signal processing aspects of neural networks, how we receive and assess information. Beginning with a presentation of the necessary background material in electronic circuits, mathematical modeling and analysis, signal processing, and neurosciences, it proceeds to applications. These applications include small networks of neurons, such as those used in control of warm-up and flight in moths and control of respiration during exercise in humans. Next, Hoppensteadt develops a theory of mnemonic surfaces and presents material on pattern formation and cellular automata. Finally, the text addresses the large networks, such as the thalamus-reticular complex circuit, that may be involved in focusing attention, and the development of connections in the visual cortex. This book will serve as an excellent text for advanced undergraduates and graduates in the physical sciences, mathematics, engineering, medicine and life sciences.
Customer Reviews:
A Condensed, Economical, and Introductory Book on Studying Neuron Firing.......2007-08-11
The goal of Hoppensteadt's book is "to study the frequency and timing of neuron firing and how these can interact in networks to carry information and to control biological systems."
Hoppensteadt's book is condensed. It has 211 pages, but seven chapters and two appendixes. The readers will need other books for better and deeper understanding on the presented material. A case in point is that I have purchased this book for a long time, but I am not able to read through it until Dr. Diana Verzi and Dr. Imre Tuba, both of San Diego State University, gave me Christof Koch's "Biophysics of Computation." Biophysics of Computation has more than five hundred (500) pages. Later on, under the suggestion of Dr. Verzi, I purchased Eugene M. Izhikevich's "Dynamical Systems in Neuroscience: The Geometry of Excitability and Bursting" for better and deeper understanding the material presented on Hoppensteadt's book. Izhikevich's book has more than four hundred (400) pages.
Hoppensteadt's book is an economical introductory book on how to apply mathematics on physiological research though. Chapter one, two, and four covers the background material for the rest of the book, such as useful electrical circuits, theory of simple clock, and signal processing in phase-locked systems. Chapter three and five covers the mathematical models of neurons and neural networks. Chapter six and seven presents memory and attention. Appendix A provides the mathematical background on low pass filter and harmonic oscillator. Appendix B presents bifurcation analysis.
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Reactions of Small Transient Species: Kinetics and Energetics
Manufacturer: Academic Pr
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ASIN: 0122620402 |
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James Joseph Sylvester: Life and Work in Letters
Karen Hunger Parshall
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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ASIN: 0198503911 |
Book Description
In the folklore of mathematics, James Joseph Sylvester (1814-1897) is the eccentric, hot-tempered, sword-cane-wielding, nineteenth-century British Jew who, together with the taciturn Arthur Cayley, developed a theory and language of invariants that then died spectacularly in the 1890s as a result of David Hilbert's groundbreaking, `modern' techniques. This, like all folklore, has some grounding in fact but owes much to fiction. The present volume brings together for the first time 140 letters from Sylvester's correspondence in an effort to establish the true picture. It reveals - through the letters as well as through the detailed mathematical and historical commentary accompanying them - Sylvester the friend, man of principle, mathematician, poet, professor, scientific activist, social observer, traveller. It also provides a detailed look at Sylvester's thoughts and thought processes as it shows him acting in both personal and professional spheres over the course of his eighty-two year life. The Sylvester who emerges from this analysis - unlike the Sylvester of the folkloric caricature - offers deep insight into the development of the technical and social structures of mathematics.
Book Description
Short excerpt: At dinner, the evening before, our dear old captain had said that we should see the revolving light on the nearest headland about eight o’clock that evening, and so we did.
Download Description
A bluff! Some of my friends secured that old unused van and wished to make the attempt. But I considered it impractical without the concurrence of a number of unusual circumstances. However, I found it useful to carry out that attempted escape and give it the widest publicity. An audaciously planned escape, though not completed, gave to the succeeding one the character of reality simply by anticipation.
Customer Reviews:
Very Charming........2005-06-13
Just as Sparkster-chan did, I discovered Arsene Lupin and his many adventures through the detective conan manga. However, I also discovered Lupin through a certain master gentleman theif that has been stealing anime fans hearts for a very long time. Yes, I'm talking about Lupin III. I higly reccomend this tale. It is charming, funny, and not as stiff and serious as your typical Sherlock Holes read. Lupin is, after all, on the wrong side of the law. ^_^
Great stories.......2005-03-31
I found out about Arsene Lupin through the Detective Conan manga, where the creator showcases a different detective/mystery character each volume. In the last one, he talked about Arsene Lupin. He also drew Lupin wearing a top hat, which, if you know Detective Conan, is something the character Kaitou Kid wears (Kid is also a thief). Kid is my favorite DC character, and I had to see exactly who this Lupin guy was.
This book is excellent. Reading through Lupin's exploits, seeing him execute a heist, talk his way out of anything, it's a blast. And I laughed and smiled much more than I did reading the Sherlock Holmes stories. Lupin's stories seem to focus a little more on humor, and all the while never lose their momentum.
If you've seen Lupin the Third (an anime that stars Arsene Lupin's grandson) or Detective Conan's Kaitou Kid, you definitely owe it to yourself to pick this up. The similarities are amazing, and even though I've been through this book twice and know all the outcomes, I'm reading it a third time. It's just that good. One thing, though... if you go looking for it in a bookstore, don't be surprised if they don't have it in stock. Amazon's probably the best way to go.
Arsene Lupin - robs the rich and gives to the reader........2002-01-11
Published in 1907, Maurice leBlanc's book introduces Arsene Lupin, the gentleman burglar: thief of exquisite country houses; master of disguise; friend to the royal and rich; a man of impeccable taste who will only snatch items of 'artistic value', and from those who can afford it. His wit, style and daring make him the unquestioned hero of the book, easily out-dazzling his two detective rivals, the plodding Ganimard and the brilliant logician Herlock Sholmes. Safes, secret passages, jewels, high windows, impenetrable castles, 'impossible' prison breakouts, sensational coutroom dramas, romances on luxury cruises, nocturnal murders, chases through forests and empty streets - so many crimes and incidents and personae proliferate, Lupin seems to become omnipotent.
Although these nine loosely-connected mysteries are pure fantasy, their detail and context open out the Belle Epoque milieu in which they are set. One of the major themes is that the 'respectable' bourgoisie Lupin robs are often as dishonest and even criminal as he, indulging in the illegal speculations/swindles rife at the time or organising elaborate charades to conceal financial decline. The invidiousness of social inequality is a factor in Lupin's psychological make-up. The antiquity of French history and national character is in conflict with the disruption of modernity (telephones, photographs, automobiles etc.). The vulnerability of the bourgeoisie contrasts with a democratising popular press avidly chronicling Lupin's every move, making him 'our national thief'.
I don't want to get too solemn, such is the breezy pleasure of this book, but I believe 'Lupin' is more than simply an engaging riposte to Sherlock Holmes; Lupin is more than someone who pilfers from the rich. Whereas most crime literature seeks to re-order a violated society through a central, reliable, narrational consciousness embodied in the figure of the detective, 'Lupin' disrupts order at every opportunity. Lupin's facility with disguise is matched by his disruptions of the text, which changes narrator and point-of-view without warning, Lupin himself often betraying the reader's trust by assuming the first-person on false pretences. With wit, playfulness and a light touch, leBlanc undermines our certainties as readers, just as Lupin does his victims, filling each tale with alternative narratives, jarring tones, shifting modes, unfulfilled expectations. Lupin is always taking his bow, leaving the stage and slipping away, as terrified by his own lack of a recognisable identity as he terrifies everyone else. For omnipotence and fame come at a price - existential dread and sexual impotence: the penetration of homes and homosocial company must substitute for failed relationships with women.
Pity the English readers.......2000-03-23
After reading the whole series in both Chinese and French, I pity the English readers who miss out on the Arsene Lupin series. This series is rated in Europe/Asia at the level of the Sherlock Holmes series. If you can find a copy, read it. It is simply excellent for any hardcore mystery fan.
steal this book--please.......1999-02-19
Reminded me of an episodic TV detective show--interesting premise (gentleman burglar) executed poorly, without much verve. Leblanc is more interested in going on and on about how great his hero is--a matter of reputation--than in showing us how he works in any sort of interesting way--a matter of dramatic tension. Most of these tales have the transparent dramatic devices (how many "It's Lupin in disguise!" tricks can you pull in one book?) and anti-climactic conclusions of Grimms' fairy tales. Usually it's more important to Leblanc that Lupin did a crime than it is HOW he did it, which isn't nearly as interesting. There are a few exceptions, but basically this is thin melodrama, striking concept though it may be.--J.Ruch
Customer Reviews:
Interesting stories, but production qualities lacking.......2007-07-10
As noted by other reviewers, this volume is replete with typos, repeated paragraphs, etc., plus the formatting is awkward. The translation into English is poor -- certainly the French prose had to be more pleasing. Many lengthy sessions of dialog with no segues were difficult to follow. Nevertheless, the stories were fascinating -- they deserved better treatment by Dodo Press.
A Mistake in Marketing.......2007-05-29
The Extraordinary Adventures of Arsene Lupin is the save book as The Exploits of Arsene Lulpin! The only difference is the very clumsy language and formatting of the former. I ordered both books together as was suggested and am going to return The Extraordinary Adventures.
Great stories but this edition has numerous typos!.......2006-09-22
I really enjoyed reading about Arsene Lupin (thanks Head Butler!) - a great character involved in some funny and/or exciting escapades. Despite my enjoyment, however, I contemplated giving this particular book three stars instead of four. My main reservation about this edition (ISBN 1-4065-0001-1) is the poor proof-reading job done by the Dodo Press - often there are words with letters omitted and, in more than one instance, whole paragraphs are repeated before the story continues. Other than the disappointing editing job, however, I highly recommend getting acquainted with Arsene Lupin and this is why I ultimately decided on a four star rating.
The French Sherlock Holmes --- but here he's a dashing thief.......2006-09-15
Arsene Lupin --- you know him not, but to generations of European readers he was the French Sherlock Holmes. Well, better than the Brit detective. Holmes was on the side of the law, a stodgy enterprise. But Lupin was a burglar. A gentleman burglar. A burglar with wit and style. It was a thrill to watch him work.
And, indeed, you could watch him work, for Lupin liked to announce his crimes in advance, the better to turn theft into sports. In the most famous of the Arsene Lupin stories, he breaks into a Baron's residence, takes nothing, but leaves a card for his unwitting host: "Arsene Lupin, gentleman burglar, will return when the furniture is genuine."
And how about this note, to a Baron so paranoid that he has had his chateau sealed, so that no one but staff may enter:
"There is, in the gallery in your castle, a picture of Philippe de Champaigne, of exquisite finish, which pleases me beyond measure. Your Rubens are also to my taste, as well as your smallest Watteau. In the salon to the right, I have noticed the Louis XIII cadence-table, the tapestries of Beauvais, the Empire gueridon signed `Jacob,' and the Renaissance chest. In the salon to the left, all the cabinet full of jewels and miniatures.
"For the present, I will content myself with those articles that can be conveniently removed. I will therefore ask you to pack them carefully and ship them to me, charges prepaid, to the station at Batignolles, within eight days, otherwise I shall be obliged to remove them myself during the night of 27 September; but, under those circumstances, I shall not content myself with the articles above mentioned.
"Accept my apologies for any inconvenience I may cause you, and believe me to be your humble servant, "Arsene Lupin."
P.S. Please do not send the largest Watteau. Although you paid thirty thousand francs for it, it is only a copy, the original having been burned, under the Directoire by Barras, during a night of debauchery. Consult the memoirs of Garat. And I do not care for the Louis XV chatelaine, as I doubt its authenticity."
There's something delicious about a man who commits non-violent crimes with panache --- it's almost as if he's liberating the art and furniture, rescuing them from nobles who take pleasure only in owning them. The French thought so, anyway: Starting in 1906, Maurice LeBlanc pounded out twenty volumes of stories about Lupin, all in the neat, near-non-fiction style of de Maupassant and Flaubert. (Inevitably, Lupin would comfront Sherloick Holmes. Guess who won?) Later, there were plays, movies, even comics. And the character has been easy to update --- on television, Lupin morphed into "The Saint."
Lupin is at once a 19th century figure and a modern rogue: "Why should I retain a definite form and feature? Why not avoid the danger of a personality that is ever the same? My actions will serve to identify me." All he cares about is his art. It gives him pleasure to commit a crime even while locked in a jail cell. And because disguise and indirection are his greatest skills, it thrills him to announce, with all candor, "I shall not be present at my trial --- Arsene Lupin remains in prison just as long as it pleases him, and not one minute more."
It is great fun to try and outguess Lupin. But why not dress the part while you savor these tales? A smoking jacket or a silk robe. A brandy. Chopin. After a while, Lupin's cracked morality starts to make a great deal of sense, and your mind drifts. By the third or fourth story, you'll be contemplating a jewel theft. And why not? Mrs. X doesn't really appreciate that necklace. And it is insured.
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Books:
- The Flower Hunter: William Bartram, America's First Naturalist (Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12 (Awards))
- The Future of the Northern Forest
- The Great Football War
- The Lure of the Sea: Discovery of the Seaside in the Western World 1750-1840, The (Penguin History)
- The Politics of Social Ecology: Libertarian Municipalism
- The Trials of Life: A Natural History of Animal Behavior (Trials of Life)
- The Turtle Lady: IIa Fox Loetscher of South Padre
- The Yahwist's Landscape: Nature and Religion in Early Israel
- Tonle Sap: The Heart of Cambodia's Natural Heritage
- Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians
Books Index
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