The Soul in the Computer: The Story of a Corporate Revolutionary

Book Description

When Barbara Waugh joined the Hewlett-Packard Corporation in the mid-80's, this 60's radical encountered a company with a benign but topdown leadership. As she progressed from recruiting manager to world change manager, she used a set of radical tools to transform its corporate culture and to help realize the true potential of The HP Way.

Customer Reviews:

formlas for a better world.......2002-03-26

Recently a doctor friend who is contemplating a career change as a researcher for a drug company was discussing his dilemma with me. The reason for the change is that he's bored with the repetitive nature of his work and wants to be on the leading edge in socially active work. How could he do this in a corporation? he was asking me. "Boy have I got the book for you!" I said, and told him about Barbara Waugh.
This book is one of the top ten on my list of tools for building a new and better civilization. Corporations run the world today, but in the light of the Enron fiasco, many of us are asking, "Are they leading us all towards Doomsday like a bunch of lemmings?"
No one has a more reassuring answer for that question than Barbara Waugh. Yes, corporations would be able to save the world, not destroy it, if they were in the hands of people like her. Adapting the ideology of capitalism to the demands of a world struggling for survival may seem like a daunting task, but the tools are all there. Combine this book with Jack Stack's The Great Game of Business, David McClelland's Achievement Motivation and The Achieving Society, D. O. Hebb's The Organization of Behavior, Buckminster Fuller's Critical Path, a few wise words of advice from the Grameen Bank (and perhaps one or two other choice items) and you've got a sure fire formula not just for saving the world, but for building a world wide Utopia in the next twenty years. And I don't think I could assert all this so positively if Barbara Waugh's book hadn't been published, because it takes its place alongside Bernard Shaw's The Revolutionist's Handbook in a list of highly readable books for revolutionaries. The difference is that Shaw's ideas have had their day, whereas Barbara Waugh can take you where we all need to be going right now. Thanks to her, the train is leaving on track 5 for.....
Chock full of good ideas, spine-tingling anecdotes and the creative adventure of Jack the Giant Killer, Barbara Waugh's odyssey (that may well be the first major new idea about world conquest since Caesar's Gallic Wars) will keep you on the edge of your seat wondering what false god the next dropped ball will smash into on its rebound.
I loved the book, and, unless you're deep-down happy and satisfied with things in the corporate world being just the way they are right this minute, you will too.

The art of possibility.......2002-03-20

Barbara Waugh is a remarkable woman and I am delighted that she took the time to write her story as a visionary, change management expert, and woman with heart, so we can all learn from her journey. Her tale is unforgettable and reminds us all to dare to dream and commit to making that idea a reality. As an activist, Barbara has leveraged her creativity in her career at HP in innovative ways and learned the art of gathering partcipation and the support from her colleagues and the entire organization. This book should be required reading in every business and social work graduate program. Bravo!

Barbara is the real thing, and her spirit is in this book!.......2002-01-08

Barbara is an amazing person--a "connector" in the sense of the Tipping Point--and someone who has made remarkable things happen in the world of very large corporations. This book is well written, direct, inspiring, and challenging. And the stories are believable.
Joel Birnbaum is a scientist's scientist, head of IBM research, head of HP research, something of a rennaissance man--and a very nice, approachable, supportive person. This book is a testiment to the humanity with which some technologists approach their work. HP Labs did not set out to be only the best corporate lab in the world--but to be "the best lab FOR the world." That is a higher standard than most aim for.

One step at a time, you CAN change the world.......2001-12-08

I first read this book in its earlier form, Garage for the World, and I was totally taken with it. At the end, the author did one of the most amazing feats of leadership I'd ever seen. She described her personal goal for HP: that it move to truly being in service to the world. Six months later, when I saw a tiny announcement in the Washington Post business section that HP had decided to focus on the poorest 4B people on the planet for future market development, tears came to my eyes and I cheered for Barbara Waugh. This is an amazing story of what commitment over the long haul can do, and well-written and moving to boot! Now I'm handing out Soul in the Computer to all my strongest women clients, for those days when they get discouraged and start to lose faith in themselves. We can do it!

Best business book of the year.......2001-11-30

The author explains not only what one individual can do from within a huge global organization, but also points out many of the reasons why organizations are not able to make effective changes. It's written in straightforward language and illustrated with many heartfelt examples and ancedotes. This is not a step-by-step how-to book, but describes tools that can be mixed and matched for individual styles and situations. Everyone who is part of any organization can benefit from this inspiring book.

Amazon.com

Unlike the many screenwriting guidebooks geared toward Hollywood wannabes with little writing experience whatsoever, this one is intended for writers--particularly fiction writers and journalists--eager to make the leap to screenwriting. Blessedly absent are the tedious lessons about how to write; in their stead is an explanation, almost, in unlearning how to write. "Writers' initial screenplays tend to be talky, static, interior and structurally shaky," says author Meg Wolitzer (Surrender, Dorothy). The screenplay form, Wolitzer maintains, "is more often about architecture and imagery and movement than it is about language."

Wolitzer's fine primer on the craft of screenwriting emphasizes visual drama, action, structure, and, most of all, overstatement. "In movies," Wolitzer says, "art exaggerates life. Life becomes bigger, bolder, more brilliantly hued, as well as funnier, more tragic, more action-packed, more filled with coincidence." In Fitzgerald Did It, Wolitzer addresses such issues such as treatments, collaboration, adapting fiction to film, the differences between literary and film agents, and scriptwriting no-noes. Though it's nearly impossible not to think about what Hollywood directors and producers are looking for while you write your script, don't try writing something you don't care about, warns Wolitzer. "It's not that you'll hate yourself in the morning, as you wake up in your new L.A. mansion--but that you probably won't be waking up in a mansion, because your script will lack authenticity and vigor." And, in case you're wondering about the title, a desperately broke Fitzgerald went to Hollywood in 1937 and is said to have written small bits for several films, including the scene in Gone with the Wind "in which Rhett receives the bonnet he then gives to Scarlett." --Jane Steinberg

Book Description

A one-of-a-kind guide to help writers translate their literary talents to the big screen.

This is a book for all writers, be they published or unpublished, novelists or journalists, who want to write for the movies. Meg Wolitzer, who has transformed herself from novelist to novelist/screenwriter, shows writers how they, too, can use their grasp of story, language, and character to write great screenplays. Wolitzer discusses those aspects of screenwriting that can stymie even the most seasoned of writers. Her topics include:

* getting started
* the essential three-act structure
* how writers can use what they already know about writing
* why write a treatment and how to do it
* how to write visually instead of verbally
* creating for the market

Wolitzer also advises on shedding obstructive writing habits and adapting one's own work and the work of others for the big screen. Level-headed, encouraging, and always delightful, Fitzgerald Did It is a must for every writer's bookshelf.
"If you try to write a screenplay, as I do, and you don't know what you're doing, as I don't, you have to read this book, as I have. Repeatedly." --Cathleen Schine, author of The Love Letter and The Evolution of Jane

Customer Reviews:

Delightful and quick introduction to screenwriting.......2007-09-13

I'm not quite sure about those who've given this little, wonderful book bad reviews. There's nothing bloated about the writing in this book: it's stacked with great information from right at the beginning to end. It definitely hit the mark it was aiming at: writers who already are familiar with story, structure, character, and dialog. Perhaps F. Scott would have done a lot better in Hollywood had he this book as reference. Well done!

helpful book.......2005-06-08

I liked this book and found it useful to me as a writer who wants to break in to writing scripts. Honest and simply written and useful--not full of itself or inflated.

Devoid of New or Useful Information.......2002-01-16

The information in this book is the same stale stuff a reader can find in every other screenwriting book. What disturbs me, though, is that some information Wolitzer provides is contradictory to what any person with an intermediate knowledge of screenwriting already knows. Based on Wolitzer's recommendations and writing samples, I conclude that she knows very little about screenwriting. I am glad this is not the first/only screenwriting book I ever read, because I fear I would have been misinformed about the craft.

An intermediate or advanced student of screenwriting will find little or nothing of note in this book, and will probably come away with the same impression I had: that the average reader knows more about the subject than the author.

A beginning screenwriter would be better off reading any number of decent texts: Robert McKee's "Story," or books by David Trottier, Christopher Keane, Syd Field, Jennifer Lerch, etc. I've read about 25 screenwriting books, and Wolitzer's is the only one I felt had not one useful suggestion or new insight.

Here is an amusing bit, taken from page 54 of "Fitgerald Did It," about Wolitzer's "screenwriting process." Perhaps it will illustrate the kind of information (or lack thereof) that this book contains:

"I usually gather various snack foods around me when I'm beginning something, knowing that I'll be there for a while and will need sustenance, but also because I want to give myself a little illicit treat to mark the pleasurable starting moments of a new project. When I begin writing, I like to feel happy but disciplined; the goal is a contented Zenlike state achieved through small indulgences . . ."

Great Book for Accomplished Writers.......1999-10-25

This book is perfect for people who already have a lot of experience writing stories, but who now want to try their hand at the screenplay form. There is none of the boring, basic stuff about how to define a character or what a story arc is; instead Wolitzer focuses on translating the skills you already have to the specifics of the screenplay. Very helpful to aspiring screenwriters!

Inexperienced Author Provides Nothing.......1999-08-06

The author does not know how to craft screenplays, so she should not be writing a book on how to write and sell them. This book offers very little useful information. You're better off getting any other guide.

Fitzgerald Did It, The Writer's Guide to Mastering the Screenplay

Average customer rating:

Fitzgerald Did It, The Writer's Guide to Mastering the Screenplay
Meg Wolitzer
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJ3V3U

Average customer rating:

Excellent memoir of Beatles' Apple Corps years

Conflict of imagination

An entertaining read, but little else

Great insiders view

SOMETHING DIFFERENT

The Longest Cocktail Party: An Insider's Diary of the Beatles, Their Million-Dollar Apple Empire, and Its Wild Rise and Fall
Richard Dilello
Manufacturer: Canongate Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Rock | Composers & Musicians | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Rock | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Beatles | Music | Pop Culture | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Here, There and Everywhere: My Life Recording the Music of the Beatles

With the Beatles

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ASIN: 1841956023

Book Description

When American teenager Richard DiLello wandered into the Beatles' Apple building in 1968, he was immediately appointed "house hippie." He began making tea, rolling joints, and listening to dozens of demo tapes. By the time Apple crumbled a few years later he was director of public relations. Along the way he noted many of the stoned conversations he heard and the insane bits of business he witnessed: one-man bands auditioning in the reception area, Hell's Angels taking over Saville Row, and the Beatles playing on the roof. Full of period detail, with a riotously colorful cast of characters, The Longest Cocktail Party is fast-paced and funny but also manages to be immensely poignant about the demise of the Fab Four and the death of the '60s dream.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent memoir of Beatles' Apple Corps years.......2007-03-21

This is an excellent memoir of the author's times in the Beatles Apple corps press office from 1968-1970. It successfully evokes - albeit somewhat crazily - the highs and lows of the Apple corps ideals and attempts at helping impoverished artists along. Funny and sad, cleverly written, evocative of the times, with a few Beatle anecdotes thrown in for good measure. Dilello especially provides a brilliant portrait of Beatles and Apple press officer Derek Taylor, and describes as well briefly some of the other Apple execs like Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans, Peter Brown and nasty Allen Klein. Reproduces contemporary news accounts to highlight big events, and has a decent chronology at end. Wally Podrazik's preface adequately describes the purpose of the book - - to give Americans a feel of the Beatles in London during the Apple period, which Mr. Dilello does very well here. Recommended!

Conflict of imagination.......2006-05-12

I have to wonder if this guy ever set more than a foot inside the Apple offices. The author's chronology throughout the book, which he details profusely, is a bit askew and questionable. Entertaining, but I wouldn't consider this an authentic account of the Beatles final years; highly fictional at best.

An entertaining read, but little else.......2006-02-17

Of all the Beatles books I've ever read, this one is hands-down the oddest. Not an exhaustively checked fact fest, but more of a space cadet memoir, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Richard Dilello was the "house hippie" at the Beatles Apple offices, a position that allowed him a ringside seat for what had to be one of the most entertaining, misguided, and heartbreaking business ventures ever conceived. It has its moments, quite a few of them actually, but the whole thing is awash in a tide of sadness because we all know how things turned out in the end.

Great insiders view.......2006-02-10

Interestingly, not a whole bunch of the Beatles in there, but a great window on their time and place. I haven't read it since it came out, but I recall it is a really FUN book as well.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT.......2005-11-22

The most remarkable thing about this book is how it got there at all.
It wasn't written after the event but as it happenned and was made as a sort of Diary.
Its also great to read as a third person narrative.
The author doesn't parade his own opinions about anything he just tells it as it was.
More or less in on the ground floor as Apple began
For a more definitive account of Apple read THOSE WERE THE DAYS,published by Cherry Red

Average customer rating:

Really bloody hard!

Ideal adventure to challenge high-level heroes

The Definitive Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Module

Tomb of the Lizard King (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons/AD&D Module I2)
Mark Acres
Manufacturer: TSR Hobbies
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Similar Items:

Pharaoh (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons module I3)

Dwellers of the Forbidden City (AD&D Fantasy Roleplaying, Module I1)

The Village of Hommlet (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Module T1)

Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan (Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Module C1)

Ravenloft (Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Fantasy Roleplaying, I6)

ASIN: 0880380241

Customer Reviews:

Really bloody hard!.......2001-08-25

This is a cool adventure with an interesting and original storyline. But it is *so* hard - Level 5-8 playes will cop a caning unless you have 10+ players!

Ideal adventure to challenge high-level heroes.......2000-05-02

Something horrible is happening in the southern moors - many caravans have vanished entirely, and the few lost survivors tell tales of madness, cannibalistic beasts, and worse. What's going on? Well, let's just say not every vampire is human, and your players will never smirk at lizard men ever again... :) This is one of the most difficult, challenging adventures ever made. The cover says levels 5-7, but I've run this wonderful adventure MANY times with veteran players of level 7-8, and every time, my players get a terrifying workout. You won't believe this one...

The Definitive Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Module.......1996-10-16

Hired by a local noble to combat marauding brigands, adventurers find themselves combatting resurgence of a twisted and powerful empire of lizardmen with daunting powers. Parties must solve riddles, comfort madmen, "hack & slash", and be blessed with good luck to survive a severe test. Dungeon Masters can role-play nobles, dragons, brigands, lizardmen, and various other creatures. DMs will also enjoy the ease of conversion of this "generic" module into any AD&D setting. If you ever see a copy, snap it up post-haste

Book Description

Business is Booming!

·Information to help you choose the right business for your Sims(TM).
·Strategies for understanding what customers want, from pricing to environment.
·Make your showrooms sparkle with elevators and other build mode tools.
·Talent Badges secrets to help you train employees to be more efficient.
·New objects and socials catalogued for easy reference.
·Remote Management details so you can grow your business from small shop to huge chain!

Customer Reviews:

question!!!.......2007-09-19

well i have the other guides to the other ones but this one cant be ordered at barnes and noble and i come on here but i want to know why its so expensive..??i cant figure out how to play it without the book...

Over 35.......2007-08-26

To the reviewer who complained about the font. I'm 42 and can read the guide just fine. Please do not lump people over 35 with you, evidently you have bad eyesight, and that's not Prima's fault. Definately buy this guide no matter what age you are!

TS2 PRIMA Game Guide.......2006-07-31

Prima is "Premium", the most useful and helpful tool that my wife and I have gotten for the Sims games!
Thank you so much to all those involved with the making, publishing, and marketing of these Wonderful Help and Instruction Guides!
Sincerely,
Gary L Hoffman

Highly Recommend!.......2006-07-03

Like all the other Sims 2 Prima Guide, this is just great! I find it incredibly useful. So much good info, some that you may never find anywhere else... and even if you do find it somewhere else, at least you know this is official!
And yes, even the official guide includes cheats and tricks! This one includes new ones that you can only use if you have Open For Business. :)

over 35? Don't buy it ..........2006-04-19

I think I have bought every one of the Prima guides for the Sims and Sims 2 games - I will never buy another one. Most of the book is in 8-point or 10-point font ... fine if you're 15, but if you're over 35, it's infuriating. Trying to read the tiny type with my contacts in gave me a headache, reading it with my glasses was impossible, so I ended up reading it without my glasses with the book about an inch away from my nose. WHAT A PAIN! Does Prima not get that not all Sims addicts are teenagers? Stupid, stupid book design, and stupid for future sales if Prima doesn't figure out that customers, like Sims, do grow older ...

Book Description

What is it about horses? And why do they matter?

Customer Reviews:

Wish I could spend a year at East Hill.......2007-02-12

Helen Husher does a great job writing about the nature of the horse and her descriptions of horse behavior will bring a thrill to all riders who will recognize their own experiences with lesson horses and barn life. I really enjoyed this book and wish I could ride at such a barn.

Quite simply a delight .......2006-02-28

What more is there to say? This is a book that operates, both for the writer and the reader, on a number of different levels at once. Through her depiction of her relationship with the horse, Prince, you felt you saw into the author and into human relationships as a whole. Yet, if you are a horse lover just looking for that kind of story, you find that here as well.

This was my first Husher book after having her name recommended to me more than a few times. It definitely won't be my last.

Bravo!

A fun read, and educational, too.......2005-12-31

A former Vermonter, I received this book for Christmas. I've been around horses quite a bit, although I'm no expert. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Husher is full of insight into herself and horses. She has fun with unique phraseology throughout the book, and I laughed aloud several times. I was having fun reading, but also learning. You hear a lot about that "special relationship" between horses and people, especially in fiction works. This is the first time that I've heard about communicating with horses from a real world person who claims no special expertise. In fact, she is quite humble. It was fun to hear her insights into horse psychology. I'm sure the horsey set will enjoy this more than those with no interest in horses. But if you've never been around a horse and would like to, or are just plain curious about what they're really like, you'd enjoy this book.

Great book.......2005-07-21

A wonderful book for anyone with even a remote interest in the world of horses. I originally bought this book for my girlfriend who has two horses herself, but I ended up reading the book myself before I had a chance to give it to her.

Playful and Never Boring.......2005-07-13

On one level this is familiar turf. Cowboys, schoolgirls, whispering trainers, jockeys ... everyone has a story about communicating with a horse. What sets Husher's apart is her increasing growth as a wordsmith. She has blossomed into one of Vermont's finest writers, and fine writing always trumps well-trod subject material.
"Conversations With a Prince" is loaded with fine characters--most equine, some human. Husher is not afraid to put herself under scrutiny as well, and my guess is that she learned a great deal about herself in the writing of this book. She knows she's a little off the deep end on this subject, but that's exactly where she wants to be. She's a playful writer who is not afraid to take chances. As a result, she is never boring.
She's at her very best when she gets right into the mind of the horse, such as by explaining how vulnerable horses are to their riders who sit in the one blind spot where an ancient tiger might attack. This, in turn, explains how one horse, Bones, became addicted to the symbiotic company of a dog who would patrol the perimeter on "tiger alert." Who knows if this is a correct interpretation of what's going on in a horse's mind? The point is, Husher's treatment is so well done that the reader never questions the believability.
You will enjoy "Conversations with a Prince" whether or not you are a horse person. If you are a horse person, however, you will just enjoy it more.

Average customer rating:

Ghost Ships

Spooky!

Tales of the Mystery of the Sea

Ghost Ships: Tales of Abandoned, Doomed, and Haunted Vessels
Angus Konstam
Manufacturer: The Lyons Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
General | Ships | Transportation | World | History | Subjects | Books
Supernatural | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
History | Ships | Transportation | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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Ghost Ships, Gales and Forgotten Tales: True Adventures on the Great Lakes

ASIN: 1592287239

Book Description

There are few images more chilling than an abandoned ship drifting at sea. Ghost Ships is an anthology of the best true-life accounts of vessels, which for whatever reason, never made
port. These are stories that prove the real mysteries of seafaring life are even stranger and more chilling than any fictional account.

Between the devil and the deep blue sea, many ships have met with a tragic end. The first section of the book, Doomed Vessels, includes the most famous, such as the Titanic, and the Lusitania--sunk by a torpedo in 1915. The next section, Haunted and Phantom Ships, explores the modern-day observances of supernatural events. Here are stories of ominous ghost ships, such as the Flying Dutchman, said to appear as an omen; and of mysterious figures that are glimpsed aboard haunted ships, such as the Queen Mary, where visitors have seen the figure of a lone woman. Nautical mysteries such as the Mary Celeste, a ship found empty and adrift in 1872, make up the final section of this book.

Ghost Ships explores the tragedy and what lies behind these amazing narratives
and enduring legends.

Customer Reviews:

Ghost Ships.......2007-05-16

Another great book of the sea! If you like trueth with a mix of tale and mystery, you are going to want this book. It's another ( and one of my favorite ) beautiful addition to my collection. Thank you for another great adventure.

Spooky!.......2006-06-20

Lots of musteries that can't be explained some ships abandoned in the same area of the Azores (North Altantic)also in the Bermuda Triangle too. They never found the wrecks of some of the ships and planes but some ships that were found were in good condition but nobody on board!

Tales of the Mystery of the Sea.......2005-08-06

Down through the centuries there have been an awful lot of ships lost at sea. So it is no surprise that once in a while a ship ends its days in a strange way. The stories of these ships are the ones told here.

The first section of the book covers ships that sank, usually with enough of an interesting story to justify its inclusion. This includes ships like the Titanic, the Lusitania, and the battleship USS Maine. It also includes some lesser known ships that likewise sank, blew up, or otherwise died in a way that makes for a good story.

The second part of the book is on ships that have ghostly tales told about them. This includes the Queen Mary, the Flying Dutchman, even the USS Thresher. These are stories that have remained current in spite of the current view that there can't possible be anything such as ghosts.

The last section is on ships that have created mysteries that remain a mystery to this day. Here is the story of the Mary Celeste, found drifting and abandoned with a half finished dinner on the table. Here are the stories of some ships like the USS Cyclops, lost in the Bermuda Triangle.

These stories are not new. The Mary Celeste was found in 1862, almost a hundred fifty years ago. In this book the story is well told, including separating out some commonly believed fiction. Recommended for anyone intersted in the sea.

Amazon.com

Science is inextricably linked with mathematics. Statistician David Salsburg examines the development of ever-more-powerful statistical methods for determining scientific truth in The Lady Tasting Tea, a series of historical and biographical sketches that illuminate without alienating the mathematically timid. Salsburg, who has worked in academia and industry and has met many of the major players he writes about, shares his subjects' enthusiasm for problem solving and deep thinking. His sense of excitement drives the prose, but never at the expense of the reader; if anything, the author has taken pains to eliminate esoterica and ephemera from his stories. This might frustrate a few number-head readers, but the abundant notes and references should keep them happy in the library for weeks after reading the book.

Ultimately, the various tales herein are unified in a single theme: the conversion of science from observational natural history into rigorously defined statistical models of data collection and analysis. This process, usually only implicit in studies of scientific methods and history, is especially important now that we seem to be reaching the point of diminishing returns and are looking for new paradigms of scientific investigation. The Lady Tasting Tea will appeal to a broad audience of scientifically literate readers, reminding them of the humanity underlying the work. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

At a summer tea party in Cambridge, England, a guest states that tea poured into milk tastes different from milk poured into tea. Her notion is shouted down by the scientific minds of the group. But one man, Ronald Fisher, proposes to scientifically test the hypothesis. There is no better person to conduct such an experiment, for Fisher is a pioneer in the field of statistics. The Lady Tasting Tea spotlights not only Fishers theories but also the revolutionary ideas of dozens of men and women which affect our modern everyday lives. Writing with verve and wit, David Salsburg traces breakthroughs ranging from the rise and fall of Karl Pearsons theories to the methods of quality control that rebuilt postwar Japans economy, including a pivotal early study on the capacity of a small beer cask at the Guinness brewing factory. Brimming with intriguing tidbits and colorful characters, The Lady Tasting Tea salutes the spirit of those who dared to look at the world in a new way.

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding for a narrow audience............2007-07-04

I have given several copies of this book away to my statistician colleagues, as it is an outstanding overview of the development of statistics in the twentieth century.

It is not particularly technical but it probably would appeal only to statisticians, students of statistics, and others interested in the impact of statistics on the advancement of science.

Story of the statistical revolution of the 20th century.......2007-05-19

Salsburg writes a selective account of the history of statistics in the 20th century. In so doing, he tackles the philosophical issue of a scientific revolution from deterministic to stochastic thinking (he writes that this is a revolution in the Kuhnian sense). I haven't personally found another book which displays the big picture of what happened so clearly, and from that standpoint consider this book a must read on the topic. It is well written and appears to me to successfully communicate to a broad audience.

Insightful book.......2007-03-09

This is a very intriguing read about the history and the developments in the study of statistics throughout the twentieth century.

The Lady Tasting Tea.......2007-01-10

"The Lady Tasting Tea" is a valuable history of the evolution of statistical thinking. It presents a very good explanation of the meaning of "significance," "p-value" and other statistical concepts that are only dealt with as if gospel in statistics courses. It puts these concepts in context.

The book is an easy read. I found it particularly interesting because I have had the good fortune to have met, and/or worked on various committees with, several of those mentioned in the book. This includes the author. David Salsburg also provides the answer to a question that I thought for the last 35 years didn't have an answer. That is, can the lady really tell whether the milk or the tea was put in the cup first? This is the question posed in the second chapter of R. A. Fisher's classic book "The Design of Experiments."

I don't usually recommend books. However, this one I consider a "must read" for anyone who wishes to truly understand the application of statistics. It also gives us another reason to support the Guinness Brewing Company.

A gem.......2006-09-19

I personally have a deep admiration for statistical science. Probability is everywhere, from Heisenberg to quantum mechanics to common primary school science experiments. What constitutes a good experiment? What questions should we ask? How should we interpret the data? Indeed, what data should we be expecting? What if the data are contrary to our expectations? More directly, how did these methodologies come to be? What were their motivations? Statistics and probability presently provides some of the best tools science has to offer for exploring our world, and making sense of it. These are tools forged by individuals over the past centuries with real problems to solve, despite their own very human problems. This extremely readable book helps tell their fascinating stories and the history of the evolution of statistical methods now so prevalent in our sciences. I bought this book as a gift for a doctor friend of mine, and promptly borrowed it from her after thumbing through it. I couldn't put it down for 2 days, nor stop talking about it. Absolutely a must read for anyone with a realization of the importance statistics plays in modern society. 5 easy stars for this one.

Statistical Tales.(Review): An article from: American Scientist

Average customer rating:

Statistical Tales.(Review): An article from: American Scientist

Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Science | Subjects | Books

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Book Description

Written by a multidisciplinary group of scientists from around the globe Environmental Restoration of Metals-Contaminated Soils provides a summary of the current environmental remediation technology. Topics include: o Physical-Chemical processes for in situ remediation by adding amendments for stabilization o The mechanics of metal retention and release from soils o Chemical remediation method for soil contaminated with CD and Pb o The effect of soil pH on the distribution of metals among soil fractions o Physical and electrical separation methods for soil remediation o Relationship between the phytoavailability and the extractability of heavy metals o An overview on environmental restoration of Se-contaminated soils o Trace elements in the soil-plant system under tropical environment o The process of metal removal by chelation using amino acids o The effects of natural zeolelite and bentonite on the phytoavailability of heavy metals o Metal uptake by agricultural crops from sewage-sludge treated soils In many cases an integrated approach to the remediation of metals contaminated soil yields the best results. Environmental Restoration of Metals-Contaminated Soils explores the emerging issues of the biogeochemistry of trace elements in the environment and provides an approach combining elements from biology, geochemistry, hydrology, and soil physics and chemistry.

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