Life and death of Jay Gould and how he made his millions (The peerless series)

Book Description

Originally published in 1892, the marvellous career of the man who, in thirty years, accumulated the colossal fortune of $100,000,000 - by far exceeding in rapidity and volume that of any other man to that time.

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So you want to self-publish?

Keeping track of money matters, and much more

A good book for the beginning self publisher.

A Must for the Self-Publisher

It contains great references and marketing tips.

Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide to Producing a Marketable Book, 3rd ed.
Linda G. Salisbury , and Jim Salisbury
Manufacturer: Tabby House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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1001 Ways to Market Your Books, Sixth Edition (1001 Ways to Market Your Books: For Authors and Publishers)

ASIN: 188153930X

Book Description

Smart Self-Publishing: An author's guide to producing a marketable book. (third edition) Hot tips, sound advice and publishing adventures from authors, distributors, librarians, book buyers, book reviewers, indexers. New section on e-books and print-on-demand.

A layperson's guide to producing a professional book that can be sold in the marketplace. The third edition includes even more practical information and resources to give confidence and direction to authors. Smart Self-Publishing has helped numerous authors avoid self-publishing pitfalls. It stresses creating a professional product, including editing, typography and cover design. No nonsense. Honest.

Customer Reviews:

So you want to self-publish?.......2002-12-04

Don't even think about until you read this book...

"Smart Self-Publishing" (Tabby House) is the winner of the National Association of Independent Publishers Special Publishing Award, and with good reason. Linda and Jim Salisbury have created a phenomenal reference for any writer who opts to produce and publish their own book, but all writers heading into the realm of publishing would benefit by the reading of this book.

The chapters include topics such as ýWays to Get Published,ý ýWorking with Professionals,ý and ýCreating a Professional Product.ý These three chapters alone make the book worthwhile.

There is a wealth of information on the process and options open to the self-publisher; the hardcore information supplied within these pages, based on first-hand experience, is well researched and clearly written by professionals within the publishing industry.

There is specific instruction offered on how to make your book have an appearance that will fit into the mainstream and not look like a self-published book, a serious downfall of most self-published books and one that prevents wholesalers, distributors, and even individual local bookstores from stocking these titles.

There is solid advice on how to package your books professionally and the differences between doing this yourself or hiring someone to perform the various steps for you, including the pitfalls of self-designing the book and cover, and professional editing (or lack thereof) of the manuscript before it goes to press.

In ýDo Your Marketing Homework,ý some of the best information is the emphasis placed on marketing and book promotion, something so many writers ignore even if they have a publisher for their manuscript. Marketing is the key to the success of any product, yet, so many, and writers in particular, often neglect this important link. Writing is the easy part, getting the book published is the next easy part (even when done by a publisher), selling your book in todayýs market is the hardest part of all, and selling requires marketing.

ýRiding the Distribution Roller Coasterý aptly describes the distribution experience of all publishers. Once a manuscript is written, and even before it is published in book format, the next link in the chain of publishing needs to be worked into the program. Distribution is the second most important link, following a marketing plan; yet, distribution is often what many self-publishers think they can do without. Because distributors demand such a high discount, small presses and publishers do not like to sign with them and this is a major mistake. Today, most bookstores, and even libraries, prefer to place their orders through one or two major distributors. The Salisburyýs make this clear in their book.

ýBusiness Detailsý includes practical advice on the importance of record keeping, taxes, shipping and storage of books. There is also a chapter covering the pros and cons of the newest technologies in publishing, which should prove useful to anyone considering avenues like POD or E-books for their works.

"Smart Self-Publishing" has an impressive appendix of references for everything from ýmust-have referenceý titles to ýmarketing news and tips.ý There is also an appendix on ýUseful stuff for self-publishersý which includes book manufacturers, stores, designers, and specific contact information for the necessities such as copyright and ISBN details, distributors and editorial services, and useful Web sites. Finally, there is a glossary of terms used in the book production/publishing industry, and the almighty index is a part of this book; an index being almost a requirement of any nonfiction book, yet something often ignored by self-publishers.

In summary, "Smart Self-Publishing" is a one-stop source for answers to all the questions beginning, ýHow do I ____?ý One of the best books of its kind on the market, it is well designed, neatly packaged, clear and concise in ideas and presentation, and should be the first book anyone considering entering the world of publishing should read from cover to cover ý and reference continually along the path.

Keeping track of money matters, and much more.......2002-11-15

Now in an completely updated third edition, Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide To Producing A Marketable Book by independent press publishers Linda and Jim Salisbury (Tabby House) is an informed and informative "how-to" instructional manual for succeeding in the competitive world of book publishing. Individual chapters address different venues of self-publishing, how to be professional in both literary product and the human element in publishing, handling the challenges of book promotion and distribution, keeping track of money matters, and much more. Smart Self-Publishing is an excellent primer for anyone with a serious interest in taking the self-publishing plunge.

A good book for the beginning self publisher........2000-10-25

There are dozens of books written on self-publishing and this is one of the better ones. The author covers the basics in reasonably good detail. The writing style is light and easy-to-read. The book is also full of examples of books that were self-published and what these authors did to ensure their book's success.

The authors advocates the use of "Book Packagers," and in many respects the book assumes that you will be working with a Packager. Passages like "be sure to ask your Book Packager about this. . . " are found throughout the book. A Book Packager is someone that is hired to actually produce the book. They act somewhat like a building contractor. You make basic decisions regarding the book, and the copyright is in your name, but the Packager does all (or most) of the work. Packagers are a good alternative for someone that has neither the time nor inclination to take the "do it yourself" route. A good Packager can also ensure that book is produced in a professional manner. The major disadvantage is that it will add to your costs. Given the razor thin profit margins on books these days, you need to determine if you can really afford this option.

I haven't found one book on self-publishing that covers everything well. If you really want to learn how to produce and sell your own book I'd recommend purchasing a couple of titles. Other books to consider those by Poynter, Cardoza, Ross & Ross, or Brownstone.

A Must for the Self-Publisher.......2000-08-06

If you are self-publishing only to share your work with family and friends, about the only real mistake you can make is to pay too much for design/printing. This can be avoided by old-fashioned comparison-shopping. But if your goal is to make an impression on the commercial market, there are many mistakes you could make which would guarantee failure. To avoid these mistakes, you must learn as much as possible about book design, production, marketing, etc. You must become your own expert.

Talking with someone who has self-published successfully would be invaluable. Seek out such a person if you can. Read anything you can get your hands on about self-publishing. Almost every book will contain something of value. At the minimum, buy at least two books, and make one "Smart Self-Publishing." It reads easily, doesn't get bogged down in tedious detail, and covers all the major pitfalls that can doom your project. There is also a handy resource guide at the end of the book.

Aside from nuts-and-bolts, the book does an excellent job of describing the BUSINESS of self-publishing. Because you must never forget that after your creative juices have been boiled off in giving birth to your little masterpiece, you are then left with a bunch of cardboard boxes filled with a product you must now get people to pay money for. The book does not whitewash the reality of this task. Yet, it also shares the excitement and the possibilities inherent in giving it your best, and it offers many examples of success.

If you are a first-time self-publisher, my advice is to learn as much as you can, and employ the services of a reputable book-packager, like the Salisburys (I did). In fact, I even used their book to make sure they were doing everything right (they were).

It contains great references and marketing tips........1999-02-19

I was referred to the Salibury's book by a client who used this book and and the author's services. "Smart Self-Publishing" is easy to read, honest, informative and has many tips on converting your manuscript to a book. It does not sugar-coat the eventual need for the author to "actively market" the final product. You may or may not get a return on your investment, they note. It supports the idea that "book packagers" are the way to go, and perhaps so...their tasks are best left to the pros. The Appendix is excellent and connects you with all the people/ services you might need for your project. I would welcome more "cost information" on how to achieve one's goal of publishing a book i.e. the rough budget needed to perform each phase of the production. Perhaps that will be in the next edition. It does give you reason to call them and ask about costs. Perhaps it was planned that way... if so, nice marketing strategy! A strength of this book is the forthright honesty and the author's sales and marketing tips. Very helpful! Amazingly in this day and age, the authors are also accessible by phone and by email...They are very pleasant to talk to..It makes you want to use their consultant services. They are "modest" in hyping their services, but the book exudes their confidence and experience. I read their book in two days...and sent them a portion of my manuscript, as well..Excellent information and reading for the first time novelist like myself... Jack Polidoro, Ph.D., Brookline, NH

Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide to Producing a Marketable Book

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Smart Self-Publishing: An Author's Guide to Producing a Marketable Book
Linda ; Salisbury, Jim; Sabah, Joe Salisbury
Manufacturer: Tabby House Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXWWLY

Book Description

This stimulating book makes a major contribution to our understanding of the process of consumption. Its acute, sharply observed contributions are drawn from a variety of relevant disciplines.

Customer Reviews:

In seek of consumer's personality.......2007-02-25

Few books attempt nowadays approach the "business processes" from behind, above, below or sideways like this book. The touch, being not really psychological but merely philosophical, enables brave distance taking to customary ways of thinking about consumer society as it is now extended towards consumerism. The opening political aspects also lead the reader to less pawed but fresh thinking paths.

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Doubled and Venerable: Further Miracles of Card Play (Master Bridge Series)
Terence Reese , and David Bird
Manufacturer: Victor Gollancz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Bridge | Card Games | Puzzles & Games | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0575054255

Book Description

Create a customized accounting system for your small business with QuickBooks 2005 and this official guide to maximizing the software’s capabilities. Learn to use all of the new and updated features of the latest release of this powerful financial management tool. Track funds, manage payroll, process invoices, monitor inventory, create budgets, develop fiscal reports, and much more. Run your business easily and efficiently--even if you have no accounting experience--using the essential advice in the only Intuit-authorized guide to QuickBooks 2005.

Customer Reviews:

Very helpful detailed informtion.......2006-02-22

The book was lacking specific information on how to deal with real estate investment

Not the Greatest By Far.......2005-08-23

Simply put, a difficult book to find the information that you need to set-up and run your business. I was expecting a "How To" guide instead I am trying to find information as simple as "Setting Up QuickBooks" or something similar.

Face it, QB is NOT an easy program to work with, especially if you have never used this type of software before; I am sure most of us have not. This book talks to the intermediate user of accounting and QB programs and does not address the newbie. I run a hearing center and I needed specific information on how to install, set-up and begin to working. The first 50-60 pages dealt with other versions of QB be it Entrepreneur and what not. This is NOT how the book should have been laid out. Information such as that should have been in an Appenidix.

The other REALLY bad part about his book is the complete lack of support from Intuit. Don't even try to call for any sort of how to help. All they are there for is to guide you thru installing the software, NOT setting it up just installation. ANY other questions you may have, you will be asked to buy a support package which ranges anywhere from $300-500 per year! The software cost me $150 and I am going to spend an additional $300-500 to answer some basic questions ot help me get up and running!? Absolutely ridiculous and a total lack of caring and respect for their customers. They try to hit with you with a ton of additional items to buy besides the software. Are you listening Intuit?

I would not buy this book. Actually I got it for free when I bought QB Pro 2005. This book is SO bad that I am actually givig it away an buying something else to help me. That kinda says it all.

All the details needed for expertise.......2005-01-09

As an accountant, I've looked at all the books I could recommend to clients, because it's better for me when users understand what they are doing, and how to do it right. I found the other books much more shallow, and therefore less useful. This is the only book that has the depth and details that can turn anyone into a competent Quickbooks user. The information about what to do, when to do it, how to do it, and when to do something different is amazingly complete. The writing is easy to follow, and all explanations are wonderfully clear. The other books I examined tell users to make selections, without explaining what they're doing, and without explaining the other choices they have. That's how users make bad choices. This book not only teaches you how to become expert in Quickbooks, you also learn a lot of bookkeeping and accounting.

Buy Quickbooks For Dummies instead.......2005-01-06

I thought I'd try the "official" book this time around....should have stuck with the real expert who writes the dummies book on Quickbooks.

Terrific Information!.......2004-12-08

This book has an amazing amount of information to help you understand and use Quickbooks properly. There are great explanations about the way the general ledger is affected by everything you do, and how or why to do things in different ways. But the best part of this book is the tips about using workarounds to make Quickbooks do exactly what you and your accountant want it to do. There is information in this book my accountant didn't know, but now he's recommending the book to his Quickbooks customers. I've looked at every book about Quickbooks, and none of the others come close to this one.

Quickbooks Financial Software for Small Business 2005: The Official Guide for Premier Edition Users

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Quickbooks Financial Software for Small Business 2005: The Official Guide for Premier Edition Users

Manufacturer: McGraw Hill/Osborne
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Look Inside Computer Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: B000FBUVLC

QuickBooks 2005 The Official Guide (Quickbooks)

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QuickBooks 2005 The Official Guide (Quickbooks)
Kathy Ivens
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Henry VIII’s reformation remains among the most crucial yet misunderstood events in English history. In this substantial new account G. W. Bernard presents the king as neither confused nor a pawn in the hands of manipulative factions. Henry, a monarch who ruled as well as reigned, is revealed instead as the determining mover of religious policy throughout this momentous period.

In Henry’s campaign to secure a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, which led him to break with Rome, his strategy, as Bernard shows, was more consistent and more radical than historians have allowed. Henry refused to introduce Lutheranism, but rather harnessed the rhetoric of the continental reformation in support of his royal supremacy. Convinced that the church needed urgent reform, in particular the purging of superstition and idolatry, Henry’s dissolution of the monasteries and the dismantling of the shrines were much more than a venal attempt to raise money. The king sought a middle way between Rome and Zurich, between Catholicism and its associated superstitions on one hand and the subversive radicalism of the reformers on the other. With a ruthlessness that verged on tyranny, Henry VIII determined the pace of change in the most important twenty years of England’s religious development.

Customer Reviews:

A Research Tour de Force.......2006-08-14

This new volume from G. W. Bernard is truly a masterful compendium, beautifully researched and documented. Its topic is one that all too often is overshadowed by religious polemics and partial analysis. Bernard, however, falls prey to neither of these limitations as he plumbs the documentary evidence and previous research of others to offer intimate details of the issues revolving around Henry VIII, his spouses, his realm, and his "remaking of the English church." Carefully and methodically, the author moves through the issues involved, while offering fresh insight and the evidence to support his contentions. From personal letters of the monarch and official papers of state, he delves deeply into every available source to give as complete a picture of the time as humanly possible. If the English Reformation fascinates you, as it does me, you will find in this fine volume a treasure trove of information. For those looking for something lighter, or for an introductory volume, this probably is not the place to start. But as a reference or as a detailed study, I can imagine no better place to turn. To Bernard, I say "bravo"!

A Magisterial Work.......2006-04-08

At well over seven hundred pages (including a hundred of fine printed notes), G.W.Bernard's history of Henry VIII's reformation of the English Church is likely to be the gold standard on the topic for years to come. The prose is lucid and the author's mastery of his subject matter is beyond doubt. The reader should be warned that this is not a work for someone approaching the topic cold. You don't need a post graduate degree in Tudor studies to enjoy this book, but it assumes the reader is already familiar with the general history of the period. Some limitations I should note. Bernard says little about England as part of a European community. What I call the "Planet England" school of historiography is unfortunately unavoidable in most English language histories, and this is no exception. Also Bernard avoids the vast topic of how people in Tudor England viewed the world. On this subject I recommend E.M.W.Tillyard's "The Elizabethan World Picture." Nearly fifty years old and small enough to put in your pocket, it is still the best summary of this important matter. Law was essential to how these people thought, and Bernard is too cursory here, which removes a whole dimension. We see what was done but without a full understanding of why. Also the language has changed appreciably over the last 400 years. When quotes are given from Henry VIII's contemporaries, even Bernard tends to view them as if coming off the BBC News. People used language VERY carefully back then, with a richness and precision that has been sadly lost. Some effort might have been made to regain it. Caveat lector. But with these limitations in mind, this book is still essential for anyone seriously interested in why we live in the modern world and not under the rule of the Popes.

The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church.(Book review): An article from: Church History

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The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church.(Book review): An article from: Church History
Paul S. Seaver
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Church History, published by Thomson Gale on September 1, 2006. The length of the article is 1060 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church.(Book review)
Author: Paul S. Seaver
Publication: Church History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: September 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 75 Issue: 3 Page: 675(3)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Protestant England; Henry pushed, and history shoved, toward Reformation.(The King's Reformation Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church)(Book review): An article from: The Weekly Standard

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Protestant England; Henry pushed, and history shoved, toward Reformation.(The King's Reformation Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church)(Book review): An article from: The Weekly Standard
Andrew Pettegree
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000FTC306
Release Date: 2006-05-22

Book Description

This digital document is an article from The Weekly Standard, published by Thomson Gale on May 1, 2006. The length of the article is 2129 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Protestant England; Henry pushed, and history shoved, toward Reformation.(The King's Reformation Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church)(Book review)
Author: Andrew Pettegree
Publication: The Weekly Standard (Magazine/Journal)
Date: May 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Page: NA

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

The King's Reformation - Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church

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The King's Reformation - Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church
GW Bernard
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OSHF4W

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The King's Reformation: Henry VIII and the Remaking of the English Church
G. W. Bernard
Manufacturer: Yale University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N6BADC

Book Description

The Spirit of Capitalism answers a fundamental question of economics, a question neither economists nor economic historians have been able to answer: what are the reasons (rather than just the conditions) for sustained economic growth? Taking her title from Max Weber's famous study on the same subject, Liah Greenfeld focuses on the problem of motivation behind the epochal change in behavior, which from the sixteenth century on has reoriented one economy after another from subsistence to profit, transforming the nature of economic activity. A detailed analysis of the development of economic consciousness in England, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States allows her to argue that the motivation, or "spirit," behind the modern, growth-oriented economy was not the liberation of the "rational economic actor," but rather nationalism. Nationalism committed masses of people to an endless race for national prestige and thus brought into being the phenomenon of economic competitiveness.

Nowhere has economic activity been further removed from the rational calculation of costs than in the United States, where the economy has come to be perceived as the end-all of political life and the determinant of all social progress. American "economic civilization" spurs the nation on to ever-greater economic achievement. But it turns Americans into workaholics, unsure of the purpose of their pursuits, and leads American statesmen to exaggerate the weight of economic concerns in foreign policy, often to the detriment of American political influence and the confusion of the rest of the world.

Customer Reviews:

A Tough Book.......2002-10-18

As a past student of Boston University, let me say that Prof. Greenfeld is a scholar of the highest caliber. If conclusions from her review of history be difficult, even dubious, she is the first to review her work, admit ambiguity, and give to sociology nothing more than a stable investigation, employing the panorama of our traditions of thought. Conclusions will always be argued; Prof. Greenfeld however models technique. We can trust her books in a modern air where trust is a difficult friend. Her unrivalled unbias in her reading and writing deserve not a little honor.

Important work, now more than ever.......2001-10-29

During the Clinton years, the foundation of American foreign policy seemed to be that economic growth was a natural phenomenon and that America needed only help other nations 'liberate' their markets. We did not take seriously enough the idea that economic growth is rooted in particular cultural norms, and that 'liberalization' without those norms would frequently lead to nothing but chaos and deep-seated anti-American resentment.

There is no justification for the attacks of September 11th, but one could argue that, under Clinton, America did not do enough to demonstrate that we stand for political as well as economic reform. This book, which I have read in manuscript form, is an important intellectual rebuttal to ideas that have tarnished America's name abroad.

Correcting misconceptions.......2001-10-28

I have read an advance copy of this book, and feel obliged to comment on the erroneous PUBLISHERS WEEKLY review, found in the editorial reviews section of this page. It is apparent that the author of that review did not actually read the book.

The first sentence of the review states as fact a false position, that "beginning in 15th-century northern Europe, unprecedented economic growth spread throughout the world, bringing with it nationalism, technological progress and rationalism in government, religion, and justice, as well as eradication of traditional cultures, environmental damage, imperialism, and wars of unparalleled destructiveness." The book being reviewed argues that it was nationalism which caused the reorientation of the economy towards sustained economic growth. (Nationalism was the motive force behind modern capitalism.) The reviewer is putting the cart before the horse. The opening sentence is a statement of the reviewer's own position, and to contrast it with the central thesis of the book being reviewed (without evidence or counterargument of any kind) was in poor taste. But this is not the worst.

The reviewer asserts that the author "eschews both the historian's careful study of primary sources and the economist's insistence on rigorously testable models." The reviewer claims that instead Greenfeld relies on excerpts from secondary sources. This is plainly false. The majority of the book's evidence is primary-source material, all meticulously documented in the notes, which the reviewer apparently did not have time to read. Indeed, like the author's previous work, NATIONALISM: FIVE ROADS TO MODERNITY, this book is interesting and convincing, in part, because of the quantity and detail of empirical evidence it provides.

Third, the reviewer states that, allegedly according to the author, the 6 cases treated (England, Holland, France, Germany, Japan, and the United States) are unrelated. This is also, quite simply, false. The author draws tight connections between these cases. Indeed, she believes that nationalism (and it's refraction in the economic sphere) is fundamentally an idea. This idea began in one place (England) and was exported to the other cases under consideration (minus the Netherlands, where impressive early economic growth was both not sustained and not caused by nationalism), though it took very different forms in each. Given that so much of the story in each case is of the importation of the idea of the nation, it's reception and transformation, and it's impact upon the economic orientations of the social actors in each nation, it is absurd to claim that these cases are unrelated.

Finally, the reviewer makes the bizarre observation that this book is a "criticism of all aspects of the modern world" which will only have appeal to disgruntled readers. Frankly, I cannot imagine how on earth the reviewer got this impression. The book is not a critique of modernity, it does not issue value-judgements, and it most certainly does not condemn modern diet, work habits, and culture, as the reviewer would have us believe.

This is an excellent book. There is none other like it on the subject, both in terms of theoretical scope and detailed historical evidence. It is a captivating story, written in elegant prose. It should be of interest to economists, historians, political scientists, anthropologists, sociologists, and anyone who wants to understand the world in which we live.

Book Description

Memorable and thoroughly understandable science lessons, liberally sprinkled with humor, will fascinate beginning physics students as well as other readers in such chapters as "On a Clear Day You Can't See Forever," "Physics on a Manure Heap," "A Murder in Ceylon," and "Multiple Scattering at the Breakfast Table."

Customer Reviews:

Fascinating read for every science enthusiast.......2007-10-04

Craig F. Bohren writes science books with a delight that is infectious. There are few books like this where science and education are turned into an entertaining commentary. Bohren shows us that the things we see normally, in our day to day life, contain the science truths which can be used to teach concepts, useful for understanding and solving more complex problems.

The book is an amazing survey of simple experiments that can be done to understand the concepts relevant to the cloud physics and atmospheric phenomena. A fascinating introduction to formation of clouds, including role of salt particles in nucleation, relies on carefully observing the bubbles formed in a glass of beer. Surface tension is introduced by example of dew formed on bath mirror. Concepts related to evaporative cooling or mixing clouds or relative humidity, come with a baggage of simple experiments that debunk scientific myths and illustrate essential physics. A textbook on Atmospheric Thermodynamics, published by the same author, is an entertaining and more course friendly account of the same ideas. The science of clouds by Tricker is an equally delightful text on classroom demonstrations and cloud physics inherent in simple observations.

Bohren tackles many concepts of light scattering which are quite difficult to grasp initially or say teach to young students, in a brilliant series of examples about what we observe in our daily life. Be it a discussion about "blue moon" or colors of sea or rainbows, Bohren takes the essential ideas and expresses them with his characteristic wit and brilliance. He supplies you with a tangible set of experiments to illustrate the concepts further. Bohren's treatise on Absorption and Scattering of Light by Small Particles (coauthored with Huffman) is most definitely the resource for looking at detailed physics and mathematics associated with scattering. The classic text by van de Hulst "Light Scattering by Small Particles" is a useful supplement for those interested in theory of small particle scattering.

Bohren has written another book titled: "What Light through Yonder Window Breaks" with some more hand-on experiments about Atmospheric Physics. "Clouds in the Glass of Beer" and its sequel are two books that every atmospheric physics student must read and own. The books are throughly enjoyable for anyone even remotely interested in everyday science. No equations involved! No education beyond high school required! Only for fun loving scientists, who believe that true understanding comes when a difficult concept can be explained by simple analogies and in simple language. Highly recommended.

What I Learned About Atmosperic Physics.......2006-01-04

The book, Clouds in a Glass of Beer, Simple Experiments in Atmospheric Physics by Craig Bohren is a very in depth read for a very avid reader or scientist. This book is split up into twenty-two chapters about atmospheric science. A few examples about some of the chapters included in this book are; the explanation of the mystery of the elusive blue moon, why black clouds form, and the fantastic phenomenon that is the rainbow and many other different details. One of the chapters I really enjoyed reading about was chapter three, which talked about the mechanics and utilization of the sippy duck. Before reading this book, I had no understanding of these ducks and how they work. But now I know pretty much everything there is to know about them. In another chapter later on, Bohren conducts yet another experiment about the misinterpretation of the laws of pressure. What he does is place a can in a shallow pan of water, and then adds hot water inside the can. For this experiment to be successful, the can should cave inward and contract. The main reason why I enjoyed this chapter is because the experiment took no skill or much time at all, and it was an interesting way to explain atmospheric pressure. Other than the well planned put chapters in this book, there was one that went into way too much detail about explaining the greenhouse effect. I do agree that it was highly detailed fact wise but he just went a little much into detail. One segment of the book I really enjoyed was when he talked about the rare occurrences of either a blue moon, or the green flash. It really excited me to get up and actually try to see one of these one day. If you like rare occurrences, than you'll love this book. Overall, Bohren is a very in depth writer and people who enjoy physics will benefit from reading this book.

A very interesting book.......2005-12-29

Clouds in a Glass of Beer is not a book for everyone. If you do not have a vast understanding of atmospheric science and physics, you will not enjoy reading this book. In essence, this book is 22 different experiments with an explanation on how each experiment works. If you do find enjoyment in reading about the atmosphere, however, you will enjoy this book.
The first experiment is, as you probably guessed, why clouds form in a glass of beer when salt is added. The passage goes on to explain why and how the clouds form, why a cloud comes out of a freshly opened bottle of beer, and the behavior of the bubbles. It is interesting to see all of the scientific forces behind this action, even though it may become hard to understand at times.
The next experiment is how to make a cloud form in a bottle. This is done by filling the bottom with water and a tube, sucking a little bit of the air out through the tube, letting some smoke in, blowing air into the jar, putting your finger on the end and releasing it quickly. If the bottle is painted black, the cloud should be easier to see.
One experiment I found very entertaining was how to keep fog from forming on a mirror. It consisted of smearing an extremely small amount of dish washing detergent on the glass and trying to fog the mirror to proved that it worked. The soap forces all the fog droplets to create a thin layer of water.
Many of the experiments in this book are quite interesting. This book answers why a rainbow could form in the winter, the requirements for a blue moon, and why you can't see forever on a clear day. If you have a great understanding of science, this book will, without a doubt, amuse you.

Something for (almost) everyone.......2004-10-03

Craig Bohren is a first-rate atmospheric scientist with an unusual knack for being able to explain difficult concepts to general audiences. Sure, some of the explanations can get complicated so most readers will have to pause and think or reread sections occasionally to understand. However, Dr. Bohren uses figures and analogies rather than equations to explain physical processes. The book does not assume any particular scientific background and should be accessible to almost anyone willing to put in a little bit of mental effort. The book is less than 200 pages so the effort feels like a pleasant jog rather than a marathon. What's more, the author's fascination with the world around him and mostly interesting anecdotes inspire and entice the reader all the way. The author manages to do all this without dumbing down the science in any way. The subtitle suggests that the main purpose of the book is to provide educators with handy demonstrations of atmospheric physics. While the book certainly does this, it is not a recipe book in any sense. What one sees during the demonstrations is described well enough that the reader does not actually need to do them to follow what is going on. Moreover, the underlying science is well described and related to things most people see regularly in the sky around them. I have no plans to assemble these demonstrations but enjoyed the book immensely nonetheless. I am sure many others with an interest in the atmosphere will as well.

[The following autobiographical information is to help you evaluate this review. I hold a Ph.D. in chemical engineering, having done my thesis work on some issues regarding airborne particulate matter. I am an assistant professor in environmental engineering at a major US research university, where I teach and regularly publish peer-reviewed research papers on air pollution. While I do not claim to be as expert as Dr. Bohren on the topic of atmospheric optics (few people can), I feel qualified to evaluate this book both technically and otherwise.]

Quite fun, and clever.......2003-02-13

This is not a chummy kitchen science experiment book. The science is serious and some principles obtuse. I studied this sort of thing in college and found some of it tough going, though I do think I came away with a lucid understanding for the effort.

The author rambles a bit, mixing exposition and reminisces. This is not a terrible thing, but may not be what you expect. Some of the experiments are elegant and clever, and impressed my 6 year-old considerably. The author's bent is towards optical phenomena, such as why the sky is blue, more than the meteorological, though there's plenty in there.

A fun and interesting book in a conversational and sometimes amusing format. And yes, I finally can explain why the sky is blue.

Average customer rating:
Sanctuary Pond: A Conservation Piece
Roy E. Walsh
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B00005XUDZ

Average customer rating:
Sanctuary Pond A Conservation Piece
Roy E. Walsh
Manufacturer: Barre Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0NVDY

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