LA Velocidad Marca LA Diferencia

Book Description

Bob Davis, fundador y ex presidente ejecutivo de Lycos, transformó, en apenas cinco años, una empresa creada con una inversión inicial de dos millones de dólares en la marca más grande a nivel mundial de cualquier portal de Internet, valorada en 5.400 millones de dólares al fusionar Lycos con Terra para formar Terra Lycos.

La premisa central de Bob Davis se resume en que la velocidad en la toma de decisiones acertadas para no dejar pasar las nuevas oportunidades de negocio se ha convertido en un imperativo crítico para la supervivencia de cualquier tipo de empresa.

En La velocidad... marca la diferencia, ilustrada con anécdotas y ejemplos de éxitos y fracasos de Lycos y de otras empresas, Davis, cuya valiosísima experiencia como una de las personas que más ha contribuido a configurar la nueva economía es indiscutible, expone las lecciones que ha aprendido para mantenerse un paso por delante en un mundo cada vez más competitivo, y en el que el futuro pasa por la sinergia entre las empresas tradicionales y sus homónimas en la red.

La velocidad... marca la diferencia es mucho más que una guía para ganar. Le apasionará y le inspirará.

Book Description

Lou Holtz is one of the most popular, successful, and quotable football coached in America.

Customer Reviews:

Lou at His Quotable Best.......2003-05-06

Lou Holtz is one of the greatest one-liners in Sports today. But his quotes, based on a no-nonsense philosophy of "responsibility and accountability", i.e., you are responsible for your actions, you are accountable to your school, coach and team mates, and family apply to everyday life as well.

The book is very well organized and is easy reading; the quotes are often sprinkled with humor and satire.I highly recommend it to readers of every age.

Book Description

Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era undertakes a systematic study of postmodernism's responses to the polarized ideologies of the postwar period that have held cultures hostage to a confrontation between rival ideologies abroad and a clash between champions of uniformity and disruptive others at home. Considering a broad range of narrative projects and approaches (from polysystemic fiction to surfiction, postmodern feminism, and multicultural/postcolonial fiction), this book highlights their solutions to ontological divisions (real vs. imaginary, wordly, and other-worldly), sociocultural oppositions (of race, class, gender), and narratological dualities (imitation vs. invention, realism vs. formalism). A thorough rereading of the best experimental work published in the US since the mid-1960s reveals the fact that innovative fiction has been from the beginning concerned with redefining the relationship between history and fiction, narrative and cultural articulation. Stepping back from traditional polarizations, innovative novelists have tried to envision an alternative history of irreducible particularities, excluded middles, and creative intercrossings.

Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era and After.(Book Review): An article from: Yearbook of English Studies

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Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era and After.(Book Review): An article from: Yearbook of English Studies
David Seed
Manufacturer: Modern Humanities Research Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000975OB4
Release Date: 2006-07-14

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Yearbook of English Studies, published by Modern Humanities Research Association on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 694 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: Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era and After.(Book Review)
Author: David Seed
Publication: Yearbook of English Studies (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: Modern Humanities Research Association
Volume: 34 Page: 346(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era and After

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Narrative Innovation and Cultural Rewriting in the Cold War Era and After
Marcel Cornis-Pope
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OTKJF8

Book Description

She’s skinny, white, and blond. She’s Barbie—an icon of femininity to generations of American girls. She’s also multiethnic and straight—or so says Mattel, Barbie’s manufacturer. But, as Barbie’s Queer Accessories demonstrates, many girls do things with Barbie never seen in any commercial. Erica Rand looks at the corporate marketing strategies used to create Barbie’s versatile (She’s a rapper! She’s an astronaut! She’s a bride!) but nonetheless premolded and still predominantly white image. Rand weighs the values Mattel seeks to embody in Barbie—evident, for example, in her improbably thin waist and her heterosexual partner—against the naked, dyked out, transgendered, and trashed versions favored by many juvenile owners and adult collectors of the doll.
Rand begins by focusing on the production and marketing of Barbie, starting in 1959, including Mattel’s numerous tie-ins and spin-offs. These variations, which include the much-promoted multiethnic Barbies and the controversial Earring Magic Ken, helped make the doll one of the most profitable toys on the market. In lively chapters based on extensive interviews, the author discusses adult testimony from both Barbie "survivors" and enthusiasts and explores how memories of the doll fit into women’s lives. Finally, Rand looks at cultural reappropriations of Barbie by artists, collectors, and especially lesbians and gay men, and considers resistance to Barbie as a form of social and political activism.
Illustrated with photographs of various interpretations and alterations of Barbie, this book encompasses both Barbie glorification and abjection as it testifies to the irrefutably compelling qualities of this bestselling toy. Anyone who has played with Barbie—or, more importantly, thought or worried about playing with Barbie—will find this book fascinating.

Customer Reviews:

really helped me out.......1998-08-31

it thought it was really good and all people who play nintendo should get this book

Book Description

All-in-one guide plus videos prepares you for CompTIA's new A+ Certification

Candidates aiming for CompTIA's revised, two-exam A+ Certified Track will find what they need in this value-packed book. Prepare for the required exam, CompTIA A+ Essentials (220-601), as well as your choice of one of three additional exams focusing on specific job roles--IT Technician (220-602), Remote Support Technician (220-603), or Depot Technician (220-603). This in-depth Deluxe Edition features instructional videos, thorough coverage of all objectives for all four exams, bonus practice exams, and more. Inside, you'll find:

Comprehensive coverage of all exam objectives for all four exams in a systematic approach, so you can be confident you're getting the instruction you need

CD with over an hour of instructional videos so you see how to perform key tasks

Hand-on exercises to reinforce critical skills

Real-world scenarios that put what you've learned in the context of actual job roles

Challenging review questions in each chapter to prepare you for exam day

Exam Essentials, a key feature at the end of each chapter that identifies critical areas you must become proficient in before taking the exams

A handy fold-out that maps every official exam objective to the corresponding chapter in the book, so you can track your exam prep objective by objective

Look inside for complete coverage of all exam objectives for all four CompTIA A+ exams.

Featured on the CDs

SYBEX TEST ENGINE:
Test your knowledge with advanced testing software. Includes all chapter review questions and 12 total bonus exams.

ELECTRONIC FLASHCARDS:
Reinforce your understanding with flashcards that can run on your PC, Pocket PC, or Palm handheld.

PRACTICE CD:
Learn how to perform key tasks with over an hour of instructional videos on a bonus CD!

Visit www.sybex.com for all of your CompTIA certification needs.

Customer Reviews:

good book.......2007-08-27

I would say the book is good but I would not bother spending the extra money on the deluxe edition. The videos are completely useless, it's only the most basic stuff. From my perspective, the videos are for someone that knows nothing about computers and if a person really doesn't know this stuff then they should spend some time cracking open some computers (which is the only way you are really going to learn) and pick up a more basic book to start out.

Good reference for the A+ tests........2007-08-17

I find this to be a good reference for the A+ exams. One error... Centronics was never a subdivision of Wang? Not sure where that came from.

Great Book!.......2007-07-25

This book is a great read; it is very informative and the CD's included are a big help. It teaches a lot to experienced and unexperienced, all you need it a will to learn. I would recommend this book to anyone aiming to take their A+ exam, as it will definitely help them pass.

Good book.......2007-05-25

So fur I like the the book. It has some nice features and enough resources to prep the cert exams.

Good book, with a few errors..........2007-04-18

I bought this book to make sure that I knew what I needed to pass the A+ certification test, even though I know most of the material. But there are a few errors that I came across in just the first few chapters, specifically in the Chapter Review questions. For one example, there is a review question for Chapter 2 that reads:

19. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its BIOS called the __________.

A. CMOS
B. BIOS
C. POST
D. DNS

The answer is definitely C, ACCORDING TO THE LETTERS GIVEN, but the answer to this problem given is:

"B. Every computer has a diagnostic program built into its BIOS called the power-on self-test (POST)."

In my opinion, the correct answer should be C, and when I used the electronic test engine that came on the CD (which does work), it came up wrong when I put C with the same annotation.

So I would recommend this book to somebody on the condition that they were on their toes when they read it. I hope that they do a better job further down the line in the book with keeping the errors to a minimum.

A+ Complete Study Guide, Deluxe Edition (Exam#220-301 and 220-302)

Average customer rating:

A+ Exam Study Guide
Excellent Study Guide
Sybex Rocks
Helpful
Cut out the fluff, and beef up the O/S Technologies

A+ Complete Study Guide, Deluxe Edition (Exam#220-301 and 220-302)
David Groth
Manufacturer: Sybex
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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A+ Fast Pass

ASIN: 0782142443

Amazon.com

The A+ Complete Study Guide, Second Edition is interesting, mainly because it is neither fish nor fowl--it tries to prepare the reader for life in the field, yet ignores some critical new technologies that are pretty much required knowledge. It readies you for the A+ exams, yet entirely skips some of the lesser-tested sections. But in the end, the book becomes a fish with wings, because in spite of these drawbacks, it's engagingly written and astoundingly comprehensive when it counts.

First, the good news: the folks who wrote this book know what they're talking about, and can write rings around most of the other certification writers. Many certification books are written as if you're a Thanksgiving turkey waiting to be stuffed with a miscellany of acronyms and computer facts, whereas the A+ Complete Study Guide actually takes the time to explain things from a repairperson's perspective, giving tips and hints along the way. The book is peppered with real-life examples, reminders of good practices, and history that will help you to understand why things are the way they are today. (They often don't make much sense anymore, but there was a reason for that way back then.) If you're looking for a friendly teacher, this will do nicely.

The end of each chapter is punctuated with a summary and 20 multiple-choice questions, all of which are pretty close to what you'll find on the exam. The explanations given for the answers are terse and don't necessarily tell you why the other answers are wrong, but they suffice.

The book takes some shortcuts along the way, however, and has some odd focuses. The idea is to prepare you for what you'll find in the field, and it frankly admits that practically no one is going to work with DOS commands or 80286 processors anymore. As such, it barely mentions DOS at all, giving a brief list of commands and some quick takes on memory management, and gives Windows 3.1 only a side note, not even bothering to provide pictures. However, there is a staggeringly large section on Windows 95/98 installation. Admittedly, DOS and Windows 3.1 questions are very few and far between on the most recent round of A+ exams, but all it takes is two or three surprise questions to shoot a big hole through your score. Fortunately, the section on the more recent (and more often tested) Windows 95 section is very thorough and should prepare you without a hitch.

Unfortunately, although the field preparation is a good idea, it leaves off mentioning some major technologies. The A+ Complete Study Guide barely mentions that it is possible to burn a CD-ROM in your own home, and doesn't even touch on video accelerators. Although it's tough to keep up with the ever-changing world of hardware, it would have been nice to have some newer technology.

Still, in the end this book means well, and it will serve you in your quest for an A+ certification, as it has for thousands of others. If you can overlook some minor flaws that (probably) won't get in the way of your passing, this book comes highly recommended. --William Steinmetz

Book Description

Here's the book you need to prepare for the latest versions of CompTIA's A+ Exams. This Deluxe Edition of Sybex's Best Selling A+ Study Guide provides:

Full coverage of every exam objective
Practical information on network hardware
Hundreds of challenging practice questions, in the book and on the CD
Leading-edge exam preparation software, including a test engine and electronic flashcards

Authoritative coverage of all exam objectives, including:

Core Hardware

Installation, configuration, and upgrading
Diagnosing and troubleshooting
Preventive maintenance
Motherboards, processors, and memory
Printers
Basic networking

Operating System Technologies

OS fundamentals
Installation, configuration, and upgrading
Diagnosing and troubleshooting
Networks

Note: CD-ROM/DVD and other supplementary materials are not included as part of eBook file.

Customer Reviews:

A+ Exam Study Guide.......2007-07-17

I passed my 300 series A+ exam the first time after studying this book and the practice exams. Not that the 300 series has been retired, but that I passed my exam on June 29, 2007; the day before the 300 series exams were to retire!
Sybex is the best guide to use to prepare for other certification exams.

Thanks so much!

Excellent Study Guide.......2007-01-09

"Really, I think that this book is the best source of information to prepare yourself well for A+ Certification Exam. This book isn't only valuable to A+ Certification candidates but also to anyone who is interesting in information technology area. Don't miss this chance & buy it!"

Sybex Rocks.......2006-01-30

Sybex rocks, Mike Myers is also very well written but they don't have the entire book in pdf format or any format for that matter. That makes studying easier. Now all they are missing is to get off their Bill Gates paranoia and let you print from the pdf. Overall it's a great study guide. Five stars would mean I could print the pdf.

Helpful.......2005-10-24

This book has a lot of really useful information. I highly recommend it if you know nothing of computers. I know a lot of computers, being a computer technician, but this book talks about stuff I would have never figured out.

Cut out the fluff, and beef up the O/S Technologies.......2005-08-29

I passed both exams relying solely on this book. However, I nearly tanked on the O/S test b/c the book just barely covers Windows XP, which accounts for 60% of the O/S exam (directly or indirectly). And, like someone else pointed out, I would have certainly failed had I not had 5+ years in IT behind me. If you are inexperienced or not sure about yourself, don't rely on this book due to the complex nature of Windows XP. You'll do fine with the hardware, although there is a lot of fluff that would waste your time. For the O/S part though, Windows XP *should* have had its own section in the book with a detailed discussion. Since, this book failed to do it, not to mention the many typos and logical errors of a critical nature, the only recourse for the unfortunate Comptia A+ candidate is to dole out some additional cash for a book dedicated to Windows XP.
Not to be completely bitter about my experience though, I aced the hardware section with this book. And, that's saying a lot for a guy who only did software up to this point. That's my 2c on it.

Average customer rating:

A+ Complete Study Guide: Deluxe Edition
David; Newland, Dan Groth
Manufacturer: Sybex Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KBEVR2

Comptia A+ Complete Study Guide Deluxe Edition

Average customer rating:

Comptia A+ Complete Study Guide Deluxe Edition
David Groth
Manufacturer: SYBEX INC @
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N65W72

Customer Reviews:

An insider's view and survey.......2007-01-04

Philip Bigler's IN HONORED GLORY: ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY: THE FINAL POST (0918339677, $16.95) comes from a historian and educator who covers the history and future of the Arlington National Cemetery in a new updated fourth edition survey. What is contained here is expanded coverage of ceremonial units, and the impact of modern war outcomes - including the war on terrorism - on the cemetery's institution. IN HONORED GLORY, as an insider's view and survey, makes for an important historical guide to internment and honor alike.

In Honored Glory.......2001-08-31

Great book about the history of Arlington National Cemetery. It's a history of Arlington as well as devoting one to two pages to stories about some of the individuals that are buried there. Interesting little-known facts are in the book throughout. Truly pays respect those that rest at Arlington. Anyone going to Arlington should have this book, indispensable. RECOMMENDED.

"Where Valor Proudly Sleeps...".......2001-05-14

Arlington National Cemetery has long been a subject of interest to countless Americans. However, there has been a lack of solid information about the cemetery and its place in American history.

With this book, Mr. Bigler (a high school teacher and a former National Teacher of the Year awardee), has done justice to this fascinating subject. He has captured both the history and the spirit of this hallowed ground. He takes us from the original owners of the land and the pre-Revolutionary era through the Civil War and its transformation from a private estate, owned by Mrs. Mary Lee (the wife of Confederate General Robert E. Lee), to a national cemetery, through every conflict that American has fought in since that time right up to the modern era.

Anyone with even a casual interest in American History will find this book to be one that they simply cannot put down.

Michael Robert Patterson Webmaster, Arlington National Cemetery Website http://www.arlingtoncemetery.com

The History of True Honor.......2000-02-27

Whether you are a history buff or looking for information on Arlington National Cemetery, this book has everything you need. From how the land was acquired to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, its hard to put the book down. You don't have to be a military veteran to enjoy this book. I am on an Honor Guard and was looking for some history...I found it in this book. It makes you realize how others paid the ultimate sacrafice for the freedom you enjoy today.

In honored glory: Arlington National Cemetery, the final post

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In honored glory: Arlington National Cemetery, the final post
Philip Bigler
Manufacturer: Vandamere Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Customer Reviews:

Great historical read!.......2007-03-28

This is a terrific historical book without getting so factual that it gets boring. It keeps you interest in every chapter.

A Research Paper In Book Form..........2006-12-31

I bought this to learn more about my family's heritage.

Seems as though I already KNEW a lot that this book didn't even touch on.

Still is a worthwhile reference. I was torn between giving it 3 or 4 stars. It isn't a 5 star book as it could use some help with flow and there is a lot of salient points that just wasn't included. However a lot of information is presented here...to give substance to the fact that Creole is a culture, a heritage. That alone gives it merit.

An invaluable history of Louisiana's Creole people.......2001-02-21

Creole provides an invaluable history of Louisiana's Creole people, examining the ethnic roots of the Creoles and their mixed descent, analyzing their history and contributions, and helping define their ethnic heritage. From the use of Creole in language and literature to popular individuals of color, this provides a fine coverage.

History lesson on Creoles in one book........2000-10-18

This book of essays is absolutely the best resource on the Creole heritage of Louisiana. The history is priceless and my hat goes off to Dr. Kein for compiling such a group of scholars and historians who have covered every aspect of the subject. I have many books and have done much research since the late eighties as part of my research on African American history. This book has been a long time in coming. I thank Anthony Barthelemy for his essay "Light, Bright, Damn Near White" which answered my questions of the infamous Susie Guillory case, the woman who "discovered" she was considered "Colored" when she went to get a passport in the 80s. I always wondered what they true story was and now I know. I enjoued learning about Marcus Chritian through violet Harrington Byan's essay exposing his research on Creoles. All of the essays are worth reading and referring to again and again. Composers of color of Nineteenth-Century New Orleans was an eye-opener. I had heard about them but found very little information until this. The essay by Joan Martin on placage answered alot of questions for me of why and will be helpful for my friend who is writing a thesis on Creole women and the institution of placage. Oh, and Sybil Kein's "The Use of Louisiana Creole in Southern Literature" was worth the whole book. This essay brought home full circle of my studies of some of the writers who have written about literature, race, and passing. I could go on and on. Creole Poets, their professions and trades, the food connection. It is all wonderful. I count this book as one of my best investments for 2000 with the wealth of knowledge in it. This should be in the library of every American historian, black, white, or other.

a commentary on my legacy.......2000-09-29

I am delighted to find that my academic peers of creole decent have endeavored to put together our past in such a marvelous way. I have spent many hours in the New Orleans Public Library and have visited the Armistead Center but have never had the time to sit down and put all the information together so that I could start to compare the fact to the stories that were passed on to me about my ancestors. Being light skinned black with a french maiden name, I am often questioned as to my family background. My grandmother and mother's stories and my own experiences often amaze people as to how rich my background is. Now I have a book to pass on to my children as well as stories of my past. In an age of reams of wirtings about the diversity of America, I now have a book to pass on to them about my own diverse past - my creole legacy. Thank you Sybil Kein and company!

Creole: the History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free People of Color.: An article from: Journal of Southern History

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Creole: the History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free People of Color.: An article from: Journal of Southern History
Caryn Cosse Bell
Manufacturer: Southern Historical Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Southern Historical Association on May 1, 2002. The length of the article is 667 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: Creole: the History and Legacy of Louisiana's Free People of Color.
Author: Caryn Cosse Bell
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Refereed)
Date: May 1, 2002
Publisher: Southern Historical Association
Volume: 68 Issue: 2 Page: 444(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Depending on your point of view the brain is an organ, a machine, a biological computer, or simply the most important component of the nervous system. How does it work as a whole? What are its major parts and how are they interconnected to generate thinking, feelings, and behavior? This book surveys 2,500 years of scientific thinking about these profoundly important questions from the perspective of fundamental architectural principles, and then proposes a new model for the basic plan of neural systems organization based on an explosion of structural data emerging from the neuroanatomy revolution of the 1970's The importance of a balance between theoretical and experimental morphology is stressed throughout the book. Great advances in understanding the brain's basic plan brain have come especially from two traditional lines of biological thought- evolution and embryology, because each begins with the simple and progresses to the more complex. Understanding the organization of brain circuits, which contain thousands of links or pathways, is much more difficult. It is argued here that a four-system network model can explain the structure-function organization of the brain. Possible relationships between neural networks and gene networks revealed by the human genome project are explored in the final chapter. The book is written in clear and sparkling prose, and it is profusely illustrated. It is designed to be read by anyone with an interest in the basic organization of the brain, from neuroscience to philosophy to computer science to molecular biology. It is suitable for use in neuroscience core courses because it presents basic principles of the structure of the nervous system in a systematic way.

Customer Reviews:

A Short, Good Book on Brain Structure.......2005-09-20

I bought this book to refresh and update what I know about brain structure so I could better understand current neuroscience findings. Overall, I am happy with the outcome.

Swanson is a recognized authority on neural structures. He writes clearly and communicates a palpable excitement as he describes fundamental insights into brain organization and function. I particularly liked the way he presents the key historic developments that led to current views. Swanson also has the expert's appreciation of where theories are solid and where contemporary understanding is seriously lacking. In fact, one important message of the book is that the field still has only a tenuous grasp of many structural details about the brain, not to mention major uncertainties about connections between structure and function.

I did not give the book the highest rating for two reasons. First, the material on the cognitive system omitted discussion of areas that are important in contemporary memory research such as the amygdala, the rhinal cortex, and the cingulate gyrus. Swanson uses different terminology to describe these and other areas, believing that the traditional terms are unnecessary and should be abandoned. While improved classification schemes are to be applauded, contemporary researchers continue to use the traditional terms. I would have liked more help to bridge the terminology disconnect.

My second complaint is that a number of terms he does use are undefined both in the text and in the skimpy glossary. This material is hard enough when you have all the definitions and descriptions.

But I want to end a positive note. The book is well written, short, focused, engaging, and helpful in understanding brain structure. Maybe that's as good as it gets for a work on neuroanatomy written for non specialists.

Needs more diagrams, images and discursive flair.......2005-09-11

Often the fit between research scholarship and effective writing skills is difficult to achieve. This book is an example of that unevenness that really should be caught by a good editor. Personally I found the text educational, interesting and peppered with historical gems that some lent anecdotal dynamism to the work. However, the illustrations are largly drawn from historical works, which is quaint but not particularly helpful given modern research requirements. The diagrams in the book are uninspiring grayscale shapes. I didn't find them informative.

The book really kicks off in Chapter 4, The Basic Vertebrate Plan. Disappointingly, Swanson's potentially mouth opening discussion of four rival brain architectures is too abrupt and tails off into vagueness. Its overall tenor is not helped by very plain diagrams of their components. The upside is that he covers the evolution in historical thought very well - of interest to any historian of science. Given my needs (computational modelling) the book was very adequate but only because I had already tucked From Neuron to Brain under my belt a few months previously.

The first few chapters cover neuroembryogenesis and the theories of neural plate development. After that, the book takes off through the vertebrate brain and four main systems (behaviour, motor, cognitive and sensory). it concludes with a brief chapter on learning and damage repair. The book drives home some points clearly and simply, such as the separate development of motor and sensory ganglion cirucits. Sometimes the descriptions are clouded by the author's view that conventional descriptors in human anatomy are the wrong way round (or just plain wrong). For instance, the anterior-posterior axis in humans is also called the rostrocaudal axis by neuroembryologists. This illustrates one of Swanson's bugbears, viz, that studies of human brain architecture have not made more of comparative neuroanatomy studies. I have no expertise to comment on this issue, but I did question its immediate relevance to the central text.

As the book runs through the main human brain systems, it becomes a bit thin in places. More pages are needed to elaborate complex principles and theories than the book affords. In his discussion of the cognitive system, Swanson argues that the grouping of components in the cerebral hemispheres is buried in a miasma of different and conflicting naming schemes. It is better to take guidance from embryology, he argues, in determining brain regionalisation schema. This promise of simplifcation, which would make any brain texts more readable at least, is undermined by the supporting diagrams. Time and again, interesting and intriguing hypotheses and critiques are let down by the lack of high quality visuals. It is a great pity, given the standards of other texts.

I must admit that I found this book interesting and Swanosn definitely stamps his 'own outlook' on the material. However, I was relieved I had digested something substantially more graphical in the area before reading this book.

A brilliant book for serious neuroscientists.......2004-10-31

I found this book to be stimulating, informing, and very readable. Larry shows his mastery of brain organisation by distilling reams of detail into instructive paragraphs. This is one of the most interesting neuroscience books I have read. It is a must buy for graduate students in mammalian neuroscience. Congratualtions Larry!

Not a serious work.......2004-07-07

This book is not for people with a serious interest in brain structure or function. The text suffers from an extraordinary absence of references-there are literally none with the exception of some of the figures. This omission is made all the more disturbing by an endless series of dubious claims (all unreferenced):

? "...there are in round numbers about 50000 major connections or pathways that form the macrocircuitry of the central nervous system."
? people born without a cerebellum can "think just fine."
? "...the infragranular layers are essentially the 'motor' part of the cerebral cortex."
? "the cerebral cortex...is the part of the nervous system responsible for thinking."

The book's laborious coverage of neural development is adequately presented, but has little in the way of a payoff for understanding principles of brain architecture beyond the strictly anatomical. The chapter on motor systems presents the loosely constrained theory of "central pattern generators" with minimal acknowledgment of the complexity or contention in the literature. And the chapter on sensory systems is an ode to the diversity of sensory receptors with little to say about general principles of sensation or how they are reflected in anatomy.

The most interesting sections of the book are those in which Swanson discusses the insights of history's great early thinkers in neuroscience. One can appreciate the brilliance of the contributions of Aristotle, Descartes and Gall while recognizing how their conclusions were ultimately crippled by dogma. Unfortunately, the rest of the book is filled with little more than present day dogma.

Although the study of neuroanatomy is deep and rich, at this point it has little to say alone about the how the brain works. Surprisingly, Swanson presents little from an enormous body of neurophysiology, lesion and behavioral experiments which work with anatomical results to help constrain our thinking about brain function. In summary, Brain Architecture has far more dogma than data, and reads less like a carefully constructed scientific thesis than an endless series of speculations. If you have a serious interest in neuroanatomy or brain function, I would strongly suggest looking elsewhere.

Excellent neuroanatomy intro & overview.......2003-06-19

This is a well written and concise introduction to some basic principles of CNS anatomy, written with an eye to both historical and developmental perspectives. Swanson likes to use classic diagrams from celebrated old-timers like Cajal to illustrate basic principles, and also includes some relatively new information on the exciting progress in molecular determinants of brain embryological development. I'd strongly recommend this as a first quick read-through for those about to embark on a more detailed neuroanatomy course, or for the interested undergraduate or even precocious high school student with an interest in the subject. Speaking as an experienced clinical neurologist, I found the book a nice refresher, and even learned a new thing or two from it.

Brain Architecture: Understanding the Basic Plan

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Brain Architecture: Understanding the Basic Plan
Larry W. Swanson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK8L8E

Book Description

The key theme of Scenario Innovation - Experiences from a European Experimental Garden is one that constantly challenges decision-makers: dealing with complexity. One way is to envision the future - which is precisely what the Visions project, the European experiment referred to in the title, set out to do. This book contributes to an understanding of complexity by addressing the question of how to design and structure envisioning processes. The authors propose an integration method for multi-scale integrated assessments of the future. Issues addressed in this study on the future of Europe involve energy, climate change, water, transport, infrastructure, environmental degradation, consumption, employment and equity.

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