They Called Me Mustafa: Memoir of an Immigrant

Book Description

Author's story as child survivor of Armenian Genocide of 1915 who was kidnapped by a Kurd during deportation and taken to live in the mountains as a slave. After World War I he managed to escape to Aleppo and contact his father in America. After emigrating in 1920, he worked at first Star Market store then opened his own business. Describes scenes with Stephen P. Mugar,founder of the chain, and Arshile Gorky, famed artist, while he was in Watertown.

Customer Reviews:

A Moving, Dramatic Memoir.......2006-11-19

In this tribute to her father Helene Pilibosian edited and coauthored the life story of Khachadoor Pilibosian. As a boy he was caught in the Armenian Genocide of 1915, he was kidnapped by a Kurd and sold as a slave. Years later he escaped and immigrated to the United States to join his father.

The account tells of his birthplace in Turkish Armenia and of the raids of homes in a search for boys who were taken and held for ransom. He describes the bloody roads of the death march, of the caravans where women and children were brutally beaten or killed.

The narrative goes on to tell of Armenian immigrant life in Watertown, Massachusetts. This is a success story of an immigrant, learning business, and becoming a business owner. His daughters later graduated from college, one from Harvard, and one from Radcliff.

Part two of the book is made up of his collected works, poems and stories reflecting facts and emotions going back to his Genocide experiences. His deeply moving poems tell of triumph while suffering and of a questioning but unwavering faith.

He records his feelings as he relates an experience with young friends, "Occasionally we wept inconsolable remembering our parents, whose absence bruised our young hearts. We suffered constantly, and our hatred towards the Turks grew daily. We knew that we were in enemy claws; we knew also that our lives meant nothing to them. We went to bed praying and with fear which kept us awake for a long time."

He tells of heartless Osman in the beginning of the caravan. "Infidels, don't stop, walk, walk, or else I will stick this whip to your backs." These are penetrating, thought provoking, narratives and poems of the Genocide, and of the humble heroes who were marching to their death.

This is a book that should be read by every American Armenian and should be on the reading list of social studies, and political science, courses in colleges and universities throughout the country.

Book Description

"At the Cross/The Napoleon Kaufman Story" takes you from Napoleon Kaufman's birth to a single mom in Kansas City, MO and his poverty stricken childhood in Lompoc, CA, to being named the outstanding high school football player in California and on to the University of Washington and a NCCA championship that played in two Rose Bowl games. He continued with six exciting years as a running back with the NFL Oakland Raiders. Despite his surroundings, he was a happy - go - lucky kid with a knack for getting into trouble.

Napoleon realized that fame, money, and sucess were not all in life. Witness close up his conversion, his passion and love for the Lord, and his surrender to the call to the full time ministry.

His prayer is that this book will inspire you with hope to go on, the strength to endure, and the quiet, yet unrelenting confidence that whenever obstacles face you, the Lord will see you through. His story is funny, compelling and miraculous.

Customer Reviews:

patriots beat you bad...........2004-02-10

...you need help from god to deal with the beat down the pats put on you in the snow.

Book Description

"Clark Gable is a man de-classed. You can't guess in any way where he came from or what he was." Frank Taylor, producer of Gable's last film, The Misfits (1961), said this of the man who, to many people, will forever be Southern gentleman Rhett Butler of Gone with the Wind. This work tells Gable's life story, from his birth in 1901 in Cadiz, Ohio, to his death in 1960 in Hollywood. It chronicles his stage career, and of course gives information on every one of his films. His family background, his development as a person, the many romances including five marriages and his relationships with friends and co-workers are all explored in detail. The sources used and the bibliography are fully annotated.

Customer Reviews:

Best of all Gable biographies.......2004-07-08

In my research for Warm and Wonderful Stepmothers of Famous People (also carried by amazon.com), I looked through virtually all Gable biographies, including the one by Harris. This is the best by far. It has everything but is not gossipy, is very well-written--I found myself reading much more of it than my needs required. Chrystopher Spicer liked his subject yet was thorough and objective--all necessary for a good biography, and with all the biographies I've used in research for my books, I should know.

Average customer rating:

A very good book for a rainy day

Impressively skewed.

Great book!

I love it! Too bad itýs out of print

Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll
M. G. Lord
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Pop Culture | Graphic Design | Design & Decorative Arts | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Popular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Dolls | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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The Barbie Chronicles: A Living Doll Turns Forty

Barbie: The Icon, the Image, the Ideal an Analytical Interpretation of the Barbie Doll in Popular Culture

The Story of Barbie Doll (Story of Barbie)

Barbie Culture (Cultural Icons series)

Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty and Body Image (Live Girls)

ASIN: 0802776949

Book Description

Since Barbie's introduction in 1959, her impact on baby boomers has been revolutionary. Far from being a toy designed by men to enslave women, she was a toy invented by women to teach women what-- for better or worse-- was expected of them. In telling Barbie's fascinating story, cultural critic and investigative journalist M. G. Lord, herself a first-generation Barbie owner, has written a provocative, zany, occasionally shocking book that will change how you look at the doll and the world.

Customer Reviews:

A very good book for a rainy day.......2006-05-16

I know you think I am a little young for this book but trust me it's great! It's so good! I never looked at a Barbie the same way again! This is a must-have for Barbie fans! I like how she talked about how Barbie made African-Americans and American-Asians feel undermined what with not a lot of ethnic Barbies being sold now. I loved loved hearing about the collector things and the weird people who think Barbie is the most fabulous thing ever. She also covers feminism, society's messages towards women, anorexic stars, and rituals that seem to be incorporated into Barbie play. And she gives some neat background dirt on Mattel. He, he!
I did not like how she said the pregnant Midge doll was "icky". This book is cool with lots of photos and stories of interesting people and disturbing artists as well as the acessories made to make up for Ken's groin loss (lol) and the secret messages implanted in Barbie's accessories. I will never see Barbie as a cheap piece of skinny plastic anymore. Now, she is society in doll form. Believe it!
Wamina!

Impressively skewed........2005-09-30

On the one hand, this is an impressively researched book written with humor and intelligence. I'd love to see a new edition tracking some of the more recent developments in Barbie's empire. But some of Ms. Lord's arguments drift unpersuasively far into psycho-sexual realms. When she used an obscure 43 minute 1987 documentary as her three-page focus for the conflicting causes of eating disorders, she completely lost me.

Great book!.......2004-05-20

This book isn't the next _war and peace_ nor was meant to be. Just like that dude J. Alfred Prufrock, it's good for swelling a crowd, and giving you something less-embarassing than watch television to do when you want to just relax. Analyzing pop culture, learning obscure facts about something I am vaguely ashamed of myself for being interested in in the first place . . . mmmmmmmm, pass the oreo ice cream, please. The author definitely shares my sheepish fascination with Barbie. His/her(?) text explores many aspects of our relationship with Barbie - as children, parents, adult women, queers, artists, etc., as well as a lot of very interesting background info on how she was created, the company who has promoted her over the years, and the toy industry in general. Holding my interest *without* getting so serious that I wished the book had come with a discussion section that met once a week, _Forever Barbie_ was like a long, interesting cultural-analysis chat with an amusing girlfriend. I would read it again in a few years or recommend it to friends . . .

I love it! Too bad itýs out of print.......2001-12-25

This is not a "pro-Barbie" book, or an "anti-Barbie" book. It is an exploration of all aspects of Barbie the author finds significant. Topics include:

The history of Barbie's creation, her marketing and engineering by Mattel.

The differences between male and female executives in handling of the Barbie line.

Ruth Handler, Barbie's creator, and other prominent women in Barbie's life such as Charlotte Johnson, who designed her clothes in the early years, Judy Shackelford, Mattel's first female vice president, and Jill Barad, the marketing director & later Mattel COO, who pioneered the "We Girls Can Do Anything" advertising campaign in 1984.

A history of Barbie and ethnic identity (unfortunately someone had clipped pages out of this chapter in the library copy I read, so I can't say too much about it.)

Explorations of symbolic, sexual, & psychological meanings of the doll.

I found this book fascinating. A very enjoyable read. While it explores both the positive and negative views women have had of Barbie, I especially enjoyed the positive, including Barbie's history as a single independent career woman, the powerful career women involved in her creation, manufacture, & marketing over the years, and the somewhat fanciful but enjoyable discussion of her as a mythical archetype of the feminine.

I like when this book ventures into realms of the bizarre, like the exploration of Barbie's image in the context of fetishism and pornography. I suppose some people might be disturbed or offended by this, however.

I was frustrated by the lack of a list of illustrations, since photographs appear throughout the text, & are often mentioned later in the book. It's hard to go back and find the picture she's talking about.

I was confused by the author `s seeming lack of awareness that people might read the book 6 or more years after its publication. For instance, she refers to women of the Barbie generation as "women under 40." I had to think to realize this included me, since I'm not under 40 now, but I was when the book was published in 1994. The confusion will increase as years go by.

This is too bad, since the book is a unique treatment of Barbie in cultural context, and should be read well into the future by students of popular culture as well as individuals who like to ponder such things. Unfortunately, it's out of print. This makes it unlikely that a 2nd edition will ever appear, which is also too bad, since I would love to know what the author has to say about innovations subsequent to its publication, such as Barbie's new more lifelike proportions, and the introduction of her belly-button.

Some people might find this book too intellectual, or possibly over their heads. Probably many people who like to ponder the meanings of popular culture are anti-Barbie, and might be turned off by the book's positive spin on the doll. Barbie enthusiasts might be put off by the negative spin, as well as the stranger explorations. I love the book, but I have to admit it's not for everybody. Maybe that's why it's out of print. But if you are open to both sides of the Barbie controversy, and like to wax philosophical and think about things, this book is definitely for you.

Average customer rating:
FOREVER BARBIE: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll
M.G. Lord
Manufacturer: Morrow
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TWR93K

Average customer rating:
FOREVER BARBIE: THE UNAUTHORIZED BIOGRAPHY OF A REAL DOLL..." An elegant meditation on the meaning of Barbie...Will shake up your rusty preconceptions and make you think of America's most celebrated plastic doll in ways you never have before."
M. G. LORD
Manufacturer: AVON BOOKS
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LC6A6A

Average customer rating:

Choose this book!

Multiple Choice Chess
Graeme Buckley
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Chess | Board Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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Multiple Choice Chess II (Everyman Chess)

How Good Is Your Chess? (Chess)

Silman's Complete Endgame Course: From Beginner To Master

Test Your Chess with Daniel King

The Art of Planning in Chess: Move by Move

ASIN: 1857442482

Book Description

Through a series of instructive games for working out the next move and the tactics and strategies surrounding it, players can assess their own chess strength.

Customer Reviews:

Choose this book!.......2006-02-10

This book presents 22 annotated games in a guess-the-next-move format. Following the opening moves, the reader must decide between four choices for each move. Points are awarded or deducted for each choice, and bonus points are also given for key sidelines. A detailed explanation in words and supporting analysis accompanies the point distributions. This process continues to the end of the game. The games are grouped loosely into 5 chapters by some overall theme. There is a diagram every couple of moves (i.e., two moves each for White and Black).

This is a marvelous collection of games, mostly recent, and mostly between world class masters. There are raging kingside attacks, tense positional struggles, tactical fireworks, emdgame battles - quite a wide range. The explanations are wonderfully judged - easy enough for the advanced beginner, comprehensive enough for an experienced club player. Furthermore, he doesn't give away too much after one move, so as to spoil the challenge on the next. The author shows how tactics and strategy are closely intertwined, and influence nearly every move. It's obvious he is an experienced coach and that he loves his work.

A player wishing to improve should approach all master game collections this way - trying to guess the next move as though s/he were playing it in a competitive setting. This actively involves the reader's complete thought processes, making the game's lessons deeper and more likely to stick. Having the multiple choice format makes the exercise accessible to relatively inexperienced players; stronger players should cover up the choices and attempt to find the best move directly from the position. There are enough diagrams that it is possible to do without a board and pieces (actually, this is excellent practice); if using a chess set the pieces should not be moved while working out the next move, as in a real game.

There were several typos, only one that was serious (page 15, line 2: Nf3+ is impossible).

Recommended highly.

Buckley wrote a sequel to this book, which I also recommend, along with the similar book by Daniel King, titled "Test Your Chess". The latter may be targeted toward a more experienced audience (deeper analysis, not multiple choice format).

Multiple Choice Chess II (Everyman Chess)

Average customer rating:

Great instructional games but very silly quizzes
Excellent Method for Total Chess Training

Multiple Choice Chess II (Everyman Chess)
Graeme Buckley
Manufacturer: Everyman Chess
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1857443098

Book Description

Players can use this book to determine if they are realising their chess potential and performing to the best of their capabilities. With instructive chess games, International Master Graeme Buckley repeatedly poses the question ‘What would you do here?’ Readers are invited to step into a grandmaster’s shoes; work out all the relevant tactics and strategies of the game; and select a move out of a possible four choices. A scoring system has been devised which can assess playing strength according to the answers provided. It’s as simple as that!

*Written by an experienced chess teacher
*Each instructive game carefully selected
*A sure way to increase playing strength

Customer Reviews:

Great instructional games but very silly quizzes.......2006-09-03

This book is disappointing.

It contains 20 very instructional games, but:
1) the format chosen (4 options for every move, except where there are less legal moves) is too rigid for considering the candidate moves;
2) often the author puts silly moves among the choices, and sometimes does not include moves that appears to be valid candidates;
3) the winning side moves are ALWAYS granted the highest score. This implies that the winner of the game never made an error and never chose an inferior move, wich, of course, can not be;
4) errors and slips of the winner (and also those of the loser) are not pointed by the author.

So:
- the book has limited validity for testing your chess
- it is not adequate as an annotated games collection

For those willing to test their chess I recommend the book by Zenon Franco Ocampos - Chess Self-Improvement and also the books of Daniel King (Test Your Chess with Daniel King; How Good is Your Chess?).

addendum sept. 4, 2006:
The single star rating is a mouse slip.
My intended rate was between 2 and 3 stars.
Sorry but I am not allowed to change the initial rating

Excellent Method for Total Chess Training .......2006-02-14

Elsewhere on this site I gave a five-star review of "Multiple Choice Chess," for which the present book is the sequel. The format and content are very similar, and accordingly I give this my full recommendation, referring the shopper to the earlier review for further details. Both are wonderful training tools for club players, and I have used them myself. Only one small complaint about this volume - near the beginning there is a string of ten consecutive games where the reader takes the role of the Black pieces; it would have been nice to have some White games mixed in.

Let me add a pitch for studying game collections such as this one. Over the past few years, intensive tactical study has become the cliche of the amateur chess player. While the study of tactics is indeed important and rewarding, sometimes other worthwhile aspects of the game get shortchanged - particularly endgames, and positional play (okay, openings have never lacked attention). For those players who have become dizzy from repeatedly cranking through Reinfeld or CT-Art, here is an opportunity to integrate your new tactical vision with positional thinking in the context of complete games. The move-by-move commentary is almost like having a live Grandmaster there coaching you during a match. You'll pick up a deeper understanding and appreciation of this magnificent game. Someday, while your opponents are playing for cheap combinatorial tricks, you'll strangle them with your masterful accumulation of small advantages.

When you're done with both of these books by Buckley, get Daniel King's "Test Your Chess" for the next level of training.

Book Description

Previous editions of Linux For Dummies have garnered rave reviews. However, there’s one scary term applied to them—outdated! The 6 ^th Edition remedies that with easy-to-understand information on the latest version of the most popular Linux distributions, including Fedora Core, SuSE, Mandrake, Xandros, Linspire, and Knoppix. This guide walks you though installing, configuring, tuning, and using each version of Linux, the low-cost, secure alternative to expensive operating systems. You’ll discover how to:

Prep your computer for Linux
Boot and stop Linux
Connect to the Internet, e-mail, surf the Web, and access and use cool Internet tools
Manage files and directories
Do word processing and more with Open Office.org
Updated material includes:
Info on the wireless Internet connection
Coverage of the new SELinux infrastructure, an important new security feature
Updated GNOME and KDE coverage

Written by Dee-Ann LeBlanc, award-winning author of numerous books and articles and author or coauthor of the popular previous editions of Linux For Dummies, this edition not only guides you step by step, it also includes an appendix of common Linux commands and a comprehensive index so you can find what you need to know without taking extra steps.

The bonus DVD includes:

The full, installable version of Fedora Core 3 and Knoppix
ISO images (that will save hours of downloading time) for SUSE live, Mandrake full version, Xandros Open Circulation version, and Linspire full version

If you want to explore the different distributions of Linux, this is the guide for you!

Download Description

* From installing Linux to using it as a desktop operating system, this updated edition gets new users up to speed fast in the nonintimidating For Dummies style
* Lets beginning desktop users explore the top Linux distributions
* This edition focuses on six of the most popular Linux distributions: Fedora Core, SUSE, Mandrake, Xandros, Linspire (formerly Lindows), and Knoppix
* Thoroughly explains installing Fedora Core-the most popular distribution-in addition to each of the other distributions * Covers prepping a computer for Linux, connecting to the Internet, surfing the Web, using cool Internet tools, and manipulating files and directories
*The companion DVD features the full installable version of Fedora Core 3 and Knoppix and the ISO images (saving hours of downloading time) for the following distributions: SUSE live, Mandrake full version, Xandros Open Circulation version, and Linspire full version."

Customer Reviews:

Linux for dummies.......2006-06-29

Like all the other Dummies series, the Linux for dummies is another great way to learn Linux. With this book you don't need to have a geek live with you to use and understand the powerful and useful computer enviroment. I have used Linux for several years and the book taught me a few things I didn't know about Linux.

The Best Linux Jump Start.......2006-04-19

If you are new to Linux like me and would like to learn Linux in a week then this book is a must have along with "Linux Pocket Guide".

LeBlanc made learning Linux easy. The intructions and tips in this book are clear, concise, and very easy to learn. I actually have fun reading it too! After a week of getting my hands dirty with a Linux (Red Hat Fedora) box, I am starting to appreciate Linux more and more.

Outdated Distros.......2006-04-03

I'll be frank. I was really looking forward to using this book. Making ISO copies of Linux distros can be a tedious and lengthy process. It's nice to know you can get the distros on one CD and check things out.

Here's a gentle reminder: If you are installing Linux on an older system WITHOUT a DVD-ROM, you cannot use the disk that came with the book. DUHH!!

The publisher will sell you all the CDs. The problem is, the distros that came with the book have been updated. For example, Mandrake is now Mondriva and Red Hat FC3 has moved on to FC5. Who wants to install older distros?

I simply did not find this book useful. The author mentions GRUB and LILO boot loaders but really provides no help or insights if you encounter boot loader difficulties during installation.

After successfully loading FC4 on my computer, I still have not found this book useful. I attempted to update my software and the instructs in this book didn't apply to the newer distro. For example, this book makes very little mention of the Red Hat FC4s *yum*. Many of the Linux commands reviewed in this book may be found over the Internet for free, as in free beer.

The author likened the ease of becoming a Linux user to boiling water (see the Introduction). This is not an accurate depiction.

I realize the author took on a great challenge in the writing of this book and I salute her for her efforts; however, this should not be the first book you pick up to teach yourself Linux.

Let's try a different author next time........2006-03-26

I have a working knowledge of a lot of what's covered in this book. The presentation is fairly elementary even for a novice. The level of expertise this book targets would be very hard to learn from just a book. They are better off spending $20 for a pizza anad a six-pack and finding a friend w/ a free afternoon to walk them through explaining and installing Linux. This book is likely to be either too technical or not provide enough information.

On the plus side it comes with a copy of Fedora Core and Knoppix but...

...who's idea was it to cover Linspire instead of Debian. Wait for the next edition which will likely cover Ubuntu, which is likely to become the new Linux standard.

Linux.......2006-03-12

Includes a DVD with OS for Linux. Only the last few sections deal directly with Linux commands and only briefly. Most of this book deals with installation issues of different Linux OSs.

Average customer rating:

Eyes more on self and less on God

The Transparent Life: 30 Proven Ways to Live Your Best
Naomi Judd
Manufacturer: Thomas Nelson
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Composers & Musicians | Arts & Literature | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
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Motivational | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Healing Hepatitis Naturally (Doctors' Prescription for Healthy Living)

ASIN: 1404103368

Book Description

You can't hide forever when you're a pregnant teen or an abused wife. You can't hide when the world celebrates you as a musical sensation. And you can't hide when a deadly disease hits you. Your best choice in coping with all of these situations is to live honestly, openly-transparently.

Naomi Judd is a self-proclaimed expert at making mistakes, and she shares lessons she has learned from her own experiences-tragic, triumphant and transcendent-about living honestly and without pretending. Grounded in her profound appreciation of each person as a whole being, with emotions, lifestyles and spiritual needs, Naomi leads a voyage of self-discovery and self-revolution through 30 proven, practical ways to live more fully. Among other suggestions, "The Star Next Door" encourages readers to:

Know How You Feel (practice emotion control)
Begin Every Day with Solitude and Self-Assurance
Resign as General Manager of the Universe
Live in God's Presence and Walk Toward the Light

Customer Reviews:

Eyes more on self and less on God.......2006-01-14

In The Transparent Life, Naomi Judd combines devotion-style writing, questions, personal notes, and Scripture to express a mind, body and spiritual connection. Knowing many do not understand why their life is going in the direction that it is, she provides her insight and understanding to the hurting.

Naomi has fully recovered from hepatitis C and credits her recovery, alongside her caring medical doctors, to making smarter life choices and greater peace of mind. As she was delving into understanding the being as a whole with emotions, lifestyle needs, and spiritual needs, she writes, "I learned how our lifestyles can cause all sorts of mental distress and disease...I was shocked to discover that 85 percent of all illnesses are related to stress." She also writes that "The World Health Organization has proclaimed stress to be the number one global epidemic."

If you are struggling with a health or other issue, this book may help you gain some understanding of what you can do to alleviate some of the stress and gain peace of mind. Although the book contains Scripture and clearly Naomi is a Christian, I thought a more effective connection would have been made between self and God. In a chapter titled "Quiet Rest Time with God," she spoke of meditation, creating a sense of self-mastery and listening to your inner witness, but passed over how God or the Holy Spirit may work in that quiet time. The strength of this book lies in her personal experiences and the questions she poses, but the greater weakness may be in leaving you with your eyes more on yourself and less on God. - Sheri Carlstrom, Christian Book Previews.com

Average customer rating:

Title of book: "Changed the truth"???

One Of The Better

The evolution of change.

Nothing Less Than The History Of How Rational Thinkers Advanced The Human Race

A great Book on the history of Technology

The Day the Universe Changed: How Galileo's Telescope Changed The Truth and Other Events in History That Dramatically Altered Our Understanding of the World (Back Bay Books)
James Burke
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0316117048

Book Description

When people knew the earth was flat and it was the center of the universe, all life revolved around that truth. Galileo's telescope changed the truth. And with that one change, all architecture, music, literature, science, politics -- everything changed, mirroring the new view of truth. This tape is James Burke's examination of the moments in history when a change in knowledge radically altered man's understanding of himself and the world around him.Few people are able to look at human history and see it not as a jumble of half-remembered names and dates, but as an intricate mosaic of neatly interlocking pieces. Fewer still can describe the patterns and explain the parts of the puzzle so that it not only makes sense, but so that it also fascinates and intrigues, excited and entertains. James Burke tells history like it's the plot of the most interesting mystery ever written.

Customer Reviews:

Title of book: "Changed the truth"??? .......2007-07-08

Just a comment about the title of this book...."changed the truth?"....Well, truth never, never, never "changes"....beliefs do, though. Galileo's telescope did not change the truth, but changed beliefs....big difference. The truth of a round earth was always true, whether people believed it or not. Galileo's telescope changed beliefs and understandings about the absolute truth of a round Earth.

Say, consider the resurrection of Jesus Christ.....we may believe it or we may not, but the truth remains the same, that it actually did happen....the truth is the truth, regardless of what we believe....as for me, I choose to believe in solid truths, like a round Earth and the resurrection of Jesus, the latter making an eternal difference.

One Of The Better.......2006-09-25

Burke has a way of making history, science, and
the human condition fun while telling you something
that makes you think about it.

The Day The Universe Changed shows, as Burke has
become known for, connections between many aspects
of human life, the universe, and those odd, sometimes
silly bits of everyday life.

James Burke is one of the better popularizers of science,
his prolific works (all the while being the consumate "geek"
in big glasses and almost balding) make for, not just fun,
but learning. Great stuff, and even better for kids who
will appreciate his quickness and ability to get to the point.

The evolution of change........2006-03-29

This review is based on the first American edition, which was published as a companion to the PBS program, "The Day the Universe Changed". I am assuming that the book is identical with the original British edition.

This is another in the series of excellent popular science and technology books by James Burke. The title is a little misleading, though, in that it does not deal with a specific day, rather with the overturning of paradigms (although the term paradigm is never used in the text). The book is lavishly illustrated, in the mold of the books that are companions to PBS series. (In this regard, I do not know if the original edition is also as lavishly illustrated.)

Each chapter begins with a view of the world before "The Day the Universe Changed", for instance, a world in which the sun revolves around the earth and the sun, moon, planets and stars each reside on Celestial Spheres. The book then shows how this view was changed by the observations of Copernicus, Tycho Brahe and Kepler, then how Galileo and then Newton synthesized this data into a new view of the heavens. The same sort of approach is given to chemistry, medicine, geology, biology and other fields. The main theme of the book is that the view of the universe is not static. While Newton's view of light prevailed for over 200 years, it was eventually changed by Einstein. The book shows how the retrieval of the philosophy of the Greeks from the Arabs started these changes. It shows how many factors interact, for instance and how the development of perspective drawing and printing affected the development of science.

The last chapter of the book is the most thought provoking. It proposes that there is no objective truth, but that what we see as truth is actually a construct of the current structure of thought and that "truth is relative" to this structure. The "truth" of an earth-centered universe was framed by the prevailing structure of reality. When this structure was changed by the development of experimental data and scientific thought, the view of the universe changed, but Burke maintains there is no basis to believe that the "scientific" view is any more valid. "The truth is relative." Fortunately, one can skip this chapter and view this book as a history of the evolution of the ideas of physics, chemistry, geology and biology, which it is.

In view of the current controversy over intelligent design, the chapter on the changes in the geological interpretation of the earth and how it spawned the theory of evolution is particularly enlightening. It draws into clearer perspective why the theory of evolution and the geological view of an earth that is billions of years old is such a threat to the paradigm believed by fundamental Christians.

Nothing Less Than The History Of How Rational Thinkers Advanced The Human Race.......2005-09-23

James Burke's book traces history backward and conceives of progress as a series of brillant achievements that create in their influence outstretching ripples that set off the strides humans have made throughout time. The witty Burke explores these watershed moments that took humanity forward, each setting others in motion, crafting a ladder upon which, rung leading to rung, our species has reached the places where it is today. Several key thinkers are focused upon and certain events, some overlooked by popular history, are highlighted. This book makes for an enlightening and mentally-provocative study of the achievements of the human past.

A great Book on the history of Technology.......2005-04-30

After you read this book, you will look at the world in a whole new way.It outlines on how random the pace of discovery of new ideas and technology really is. If you want to be really challenged intellecually, then go no further. Mr. Burke has done an outstanding job. I just wish that I could afford the DVD that is based on this book.

THE DAY THE UNIVERSE CHANGED : HOW GALILEO'S TELESCOPE CHANGED THE TRUTH AND OTHER EVENTS IN HISTORY THAT DRAMATICALLY ALTERED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD (BACK BAY BOOKS)

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THE DAY THE UNIVERSE CHANGED : HOW GALILEO'S TELESCOPE CHANGED THE TRUTH AND OTHER EVENTS IN HISTORY THAT DRAMATICALLY ALTERED OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD (BACK BAY BOOKS)
James Burke
Manufacturer: Back Bay Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXHFG6

Book Description

Like Douglas HofstadterÂ's GÃ¶del, Escher, Bach, and David BerlinskiÂ's A Tour of the Calculus, Euclid in the Rainforest combines the literary with the mathematical to explore logicÂ—the one indispensable tool in manÂ's quest to understand the world. Underpinning both math and science, it is the foundation of every major advancement in knowledge since the time of the ancient Greeks. Through adventure stories and historical narratives populated with a rich and quirky cast of characters, Mazur artfully reveals the less-than-airtight nature of logic and the muddled relationship between math and the real world. Ultimately, Mazur argues, logical reasoning is not purely robotic. At its most basic level, it is a creative process guided by our intuitions and beliefs about the world. BACKCOVER: Â“This charming book radiates love of mathematics and of life . . . A treasure of human experience and intellectual excitement.Â”
Â—Choice

Â“Devoid of complex proofs and dense mathematical language; instead, the author has drawn upon his experience as a formative teacher to create a book rich in content that connects with real-world experiences.Â”
Â—Library Journal

Â“Joseph Mazur brilliantly explores the symbiotic relationship between the physical and the mathematical worldsÂ…A stylish and seductive book that convinces the mind even as it delights the soul.Â”
Â—PEN American Center

Customer Reviews:

Why Science isn't Faith Based.......2007-07-18

I found this remarkable little book in a 'bargain basket' at a bookstore in Panama City. I took it with me to Kuna Yala where I was staying in a Kuna village without electricity, running water, or much else. Thus I had a lot of very quiet time to read it. Parts of it were very difficult for me, but the overall message of the book is wonderful.

For some reason there are 'Post Modern' scholars (sic)(Stanley Fish of Florida International University is one) who want to reserect the old canard of 'science is merely faith' as a criticism of recent books on faith by scientists and others (Sam Harris, Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens).

While this book does not directly address the issue of `faith vs. science', it is a explanation of the scientific method and the cleanest example of why science is not based on faith, does not require faith, and, in fact, can be demonstrated to be counter to faith based beliefs.

When I was an undergraduate in the late Pleistocene I took a philosophy course in which the instructor took the position that `Science,' `Religion,' and `Philosophy' were equally valid approaches to understanding reality. I didn't do well in the course because I kept objecting to his basic premise. While my training is in biology I have been trying to learn Particle Physics and Cosmology in recent years and am even more convinced that science is fundamentally divorced from other approaches.

Even if you are not going to a tropical island for a week, get this little book. You will probably enjoy it and will come away with a much better appreciation for how science works and how scientists think.

One of the best popular mathematics books I have ever read.......2007-05-14

Properly presented, the fundamental truths of mathematics are easy to understand. By that I mean that if they are presented in the appropriate non-technical language and with simple examples, then almost anyone can understand them. Mazur does this and does it very well. Much of the mathematics in this book is also philosophical in nature. A great deal of ink is spent in describing Zeno's famous paradox, "proving" that motion is impossible. His development of the solution to the paradox can be understood by anyone possessing the most rudimentary of mathematical backgrounds.
The role of proof in mathematics is also discussed, with questions raised as to what actually constitutes a proof. Mathematicians have debated this point since the Greeks invented the concept of the mathematical proof, and this is a good recapitulation of that debate. I consider it very healthy for the math profession to admit to the laity that mathematical proof is not necessarily fixed in concrete. It is also a point of significant honesty to admit that proofs that were considered correct for centuries contained flaws that were discovered and repaired.
There are three sections to the book:

*) Logic
*) Infinity
*) Reality.

The chapter "Does Math Really Reflect the Real World?" makes a point that often astounds mathematicians and others that work in the physical sciences. Namely, that mathematics does describe the real world, not only well, but often astonishingly well. New mathematical concepts are invented and considered to be purely abstract, there being no current practical application. However, as science progresses in other areas, that "purely abstract" idea suddenly has uses in the real world. Of course, the real world does have its flaws. It is impossible to create the perfect circle, the well-balanced coin and die do not exist and there are times when we cannot measure a value to enough decimal places to get true predictability. Those situations are also covered, which is important, as it points out that even the best mathematics does not give us absolute predictability. Fortunately, nearly all of the time, the good enough is in fact really good enough.
This is one of the best popular mathematics books that I have ever read; it covers the fundamentals that need to be covered and at a level that nearly everyone can understand.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission

Pleasure reading.......2007-01-31

This is a good book. You just read page after page without any brain-twisting theories. Facts and stories about math are lucidly presented. A soft way to teach truths about math and logic.

Dissapointing.......2007-01-03

The book does not deliver to the promise in its title. It is yet another "discover fun in mathematics" book, mixed with a poorly written travel account.

High School Math Teacher.......2006-10-29

I agree with the review from Mr.Strasser as found below. The book intention seems not to enlighten any mathematical foundations or concepts but rather to find universal truth in math by peeling the layers each culture places on our understanding. I was thrilled with the book but it seems to leave the intended point about 5 chapters from the end. Started out thrilled but ended disappointed.

Euclid in the Rainforest: Discovering Universal Truth in Logic and Math

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Euclid in the Rainforest: Discovering Universal Truth in Logic and Math
Joseph Mazur
Manufacturer: Pi Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OISK1Y

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