Force. the Transformation of Social Security Systems in Central and Eastern Europe

Book Description

The authors present a method for systemically comparing alternative institutional arrangements for the development of rural infrastructure.

Customer Reviews:

Alternative views on infrastructure development.......2003-03-21

Interdisciplinary analysis that highlights the role of incentives in sustainable rural infrastructure. Survey of ideas and many project examples.

Book Description

This revisionist study challenges those readings of the French Revolution that see it as inherently violent and intolerant, often in terms of the Terror alone, and explores the egalitarian policies pursued in the provinces. The mainstream Jacobin agenda held out the promise of "fair shares" and equal opportunities for all in a private ownership market economy. Moreover it sought to achieve social justice without jeopardizing human rights. Thus it tended to complement, rather than undermine, the liberal, individualist program of the Revolution.

Customer Reviews:

Mudane Marxist Revisionism.......2002-04-30

The French Revolution was good, right? This book glosses over the atrocities and the reign of terror to praise the accomplishments of the Jacobins... It makes them out to be less than radical egalitarians, because it conveniently ignores the Jacobin ideology at its extreme.

I instead recommend Fire in the Minds of Men: Origins of the Revolutionary Faith.

A fascinating contribution to revolutionary historiography........1998-06-11

For the past three decades the history of the French Revolution has been dominated by revisionism. Often strongly critical of the revolution, much revisionism insistently invokes the terror of the Year II. Yet surprisingly little revisionism is about the Jacobin Republic. It is the surpreme value of Jean Gross' book that it provides a detailed discussion of the difficulties and achievements of the the years 1793-94. One is struck by its plentiful archival research, in marked contrast to much recent revisionist work. Much of our image of the Terror concentrates on the grand terror in Paris, and such horrors as the destruction of Lyon, the bloody surpression of the Vendee and the mass drownings at Nantes. Yet this crimes cannot be considered the core of Jacobinism, or even typical. Gross concentrates on the hard working deputies such as Romme, Paganol, Saint-Andre. In contrast to the vague view that the Jacobins were proto-Stalinist fanatics, Gross reminds us of their place in the geneology of liberal democracy. By looking at such matters at rehabilitation, land reform, progressive taxation, food rationing, a burgeoning welfare state and plans for compulsory education, Gross shows how Jacobins tried to make a difference. Although confounded by the traumas of war, the everpresent fiscal crisis, and the Thermidorean reaction, Gross does reveal some genuine improvement. More important Gross makes clear that the Jacobins were not fanatical egalitarians, but believers in fairness. Contrary to conservative cant, Jacobins believed not in equality of outcome, but in equality in opportunity. But they were well aware you cannot have the second if society is wealth is radically maldistributed and hierarchial. This is an important book all those with an interest in the French revolution should read.

Customer Reviews:

Ancient Reprint is Showing Its Age.......2001-02-21

This reprint of a 1971 book is showing its age. A lot of jokes have context that the current reader can not know or relate to. I wonder if a lot of them were that good at the time. As a reference it may have current value when looking for a joke in a specific context. All the jokes are by subject. The only Sure Fire is to burn this book. It is fascinating to see what you can sell once you get a name. I have belatedly discovered that jokes books are not of much value in public speaking. At two jokes per penny it is more that twice as expensive than "3500 Good Jokes for Speakers by Gerald F Lieberman" See my review of that book.

Good so far!.......2000-10-12

I give it three stars since I've only read half the book. I've been puuting Orben's secrets to work already.

This book stinks.......1998-10-14

I cannot believe how awful this book is. I've searched and searched for ANY jokes that make me laugh, to no avail. The best joke is the fact that I actually purchased the book to begin with. Don't be fooled by the title!

Average customer rating:

enjoyable but inaccurate

A quick, classy, well-informed music guide

The Misinformation of Latin Musica: Bauza, Teresa & More!

Contributes to the Problem

Enjoyable book on Salsa

Musica!: Salsa, Rumba, Merengue, and More
Sue Steward
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Salsa | Ethnic & International | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Songbooks | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Entertainment Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
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The Latin Beat: The Rhythms and Roots of Latin Music, from Bossa Nova to Salsa and Beyond

The Latin Tinge: The Impact of Latin American Music on the United States

FACES OF SALSA PB

Afro-Cuban Jazz : Third Ear - The Essential Listening Companion

Mambo Kingdom: Latin Music In New York

ASIN: 0811825663

Book Description

Salsa, the irresistible dance music of the Spanish-speaking world, has made its way into the lives of millions around the globe. But salsa is only one of many popular Latin rhythms. The first comprehensive guide to the music, its history, and its legends, Musica! charts the vast territory of this lively Latin heritage, which began in Cuba and spread throughout the Caribbean and into North and South America. Illustrated with contemporary and vintage photos, Musica! features a gallery of legendary musical performers, plus sections on the musical styles and dances including the rumba, mambo, cha-cha, and merengue. A discography and bibliography complete this comprehensive story of Latin America's extraordinary rhythmic tradition.

Customer Reviews:

enjoyable but inaccurate.......2003-07-19

The main asset of this book is that it covers a great variety of Latin and Afro-Caribbean styles from different countries, from the origins before WW2 until the present day. I can't think of a single truly important musician or band that has been omitted. The book also gives due credit to songwriters such as Tite Curet Alonso and Omar Alfanno, who normally get very little attention because they are not performing artists. Furthermore, the book has an attractive layout, with many nice illustrations, album covers and so on.

However, as has already been pointed out by other reviewers, the book contains many inaccuracies. For instance, the former lead singer of Los Van Van is called Pedro CALVO, not Calvi, as has been wrongly stated several times on page 84. And in the photograph on page 101, the band leader of El Gran Combo, Rafael Ithier, is not located in the centre, but third from the left (wearing sunglasses). I also spotted many errors in the discography...

To conclude: a nice book to have if you can get it for a low price, but certainly not a Bible of Latin music.

A quick, classy, well-informed music guide.......2001-08-10

Wow. Weighing in at a mere 176 pages, this snappy little volume sure packs a wallop! This is the Cuban music equivalent of McGowan & Pessanha's "Brazilian Sound," but with more dynamic layout, and exceptionally precise writing. "Musica!" features several geographically-centered chapters, exploring salsa traditions in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Columbia and, of course, the explosion of modern salsa in New York and Miami. Brief overviews of the style's spread into Europe and Africa, and a look at modern salsa-pop crossovers. Each chapter features a central narrative, along with numerous sidebars that at first might seem unwieldy and distracting, but are tremendously informative and fun. These include profiles of artists ranging from the superstars to the obscure and the forgotten -- Tito Puente, Ruben Blades and Celia Cruz share the dance floor along with The Mambo Aces, Jesus Colon, and Maria Teresa Vera. The writing is remarkably compact and informative. Steward is especially effective at describing musical concepts and performance techniques, details that other writers often flounder over while trying to explain. The historical photographs, engravings and album reproductions are also illuminating and gorgeous-- laid out in crazy-quilt fashion, the colorful artwork alone makes this book a must for latin music fans. There are parts of this book which felt too short, but as an easily-assimilated guide to the music of four continents, this is pretty hard to beat. Highly recommended!

The Misinformation of Latin Musica: Bauza, Teresa & More!.......2000-08-10

It is hard to imagine that "Hall of Famer" Willie Colon, who wrote the foreword to this book, actually read it and gave it an endorsement. He writes, "...this book has helped put a face on some of my heroes". What Mr. Colon should have written was that this book has helped to distort the truth and put a mask on some of his heroes.

Musica is a book full of misinformation. Some examples:

Musician turned dance promoter Federico Pagani was not italian, he was Puertorican. Chick Webb did not die in 1932, he died on June 6, 1939. "Hall of Famer" Mario Bauza and Dizzy Gillespie did not move together into Cab Calloway's orchestra, nor did they played with Calloway in 1932. It was in 1938 that Bauza joined Calloway's band. Pretending to be sick, and without warning to Calloway, he sent Gillespie to play in his place...that is how the great Gillespie got into Calloway's band.

On page 41 a huge blunder is committed. Here it is stated that "Hall of Famer" Maria Teresa Vera was the first Cuban woman on record. Her suppose debut recording was in New York with Sexteto Habanero in 1918. Nothing could be further from the truth. The facts are that the first Cuban singer on record was "Hall of Famer" Rosalia "Chalia" Herrera Diaz. Not only was she the first singer of Latin origen on record, she is also the very first to record a "habanera". She manages to do all this with the famous "Habanera Tu" in New York in 1901!

I doubt very much that Maria Teresa Vera did any recordings with the Sexteto Habanero in 1918...first, this is the year in which the Sexteto Habanero was formed and secondly, those who have done their research indicate that the Sexteto Habanero's first recording was realized on October 29, 1925 with a tune titled "Maldita Timidez"...Maria Teresa Vera was not part of this recording. However, Maria Teresa Vera was probably the first female to direct a group in Cuba and probably in South America. She did this with the famous Sexteto Occidente that did recordings for Columbia Records around 1925 in New York. She also recorded for the Brunswick and Odeon labels. She later sold the group to "Hall of Famer" Ignacio Pineiro who renamed the group Sexteto Nacional.

The book goes on and on with countless errors. It is a shame, Because Sue Steward is a very good writer and the book has a great colorful layout, with dozens of great photos. It also has a good amount of solid information. But how is the reader suppose to decipher fact from fiction? You can see the confusion by the reviews written on this book. People who have no knowledge about the history of Latin music gave this book good reviews...they assumed everything was true and they enjoyed and believed that its content was accurate. That's the sad part of this book...people are going to read it and be persuaded that it is accurate and perpetuate the misinformation on to others.

I do believe that all is not lost...perhaps Sue Steward would take the responsible high-road and issue a revised accurate edition. Careful and meticulous research can make this book a winner. In the meantime I would hope that Sue Steward does not attempt to produce a television program based on the information in this book...that would be a great diservice to those who contributed so much to this great music and to those who work so hard at researching the truth.

Contributes to the Problem.......2000-05-18

Poorly organized and inaccurate, this book should not have been brought to print in such a state. Furthermore, for one who respects the constituent dance forms of this music, I was particularly appalled by the confusing and misinformed section on dance. We do need more well-researched, english language resources on this subject--this unfortunately cannot be defined as such.

Enjoyable book on Salsa.......2000-04-21

This is a colorful book, full of pictures and printed on quality paper. Being new to Salsa, I can not vouch for its historical accuracy. However, it seems to me that every author on the topic has their own opinion on the "true" history of Salsa. If you aproach the topic with a light hearted curriosity, you will not be dissapointed by this book.

!Musica!: Salsa, Rumba, Merengue, & More: The Rhythm of Latin America

Average customer rating:

!Musica!: Salsa, Rumba, Merengue, & More: The Rhythm of Latin America
Sue Steward
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1422364666

Product Description

Salsa, the sexy dance music of the Spanish-speaking world, is making its way into the lives of millions around the globe. But the term "salsa" actually describes a multitude of different Latin music styles, including Son, Guaracha, Mambo, Rumba, Merengue, & Latin jazz. This book tells the fascinating story of salsa's origins & charts its journey from Cuba to New York's barrio, Miami Beach, & beyond. In more than 50 biographies & portraits, the book celebrates such Latin music legends as Tito Puente & Celia Cruz, the king & queen of salsa; Ruben Blades, one of the music's great poets; & Gloria Estefan, who brought the Latin sound of Miami into the international pop mainstream. Illustrated with vintage & contemporary photos.

Book Description

If you are an editor or newsroom manager seeking new and more efficient ways of managing the ever increasing flow of information through your newsroom, this book will provide the information you need to make informed decisions about crucial organisational and equipment changes.

Case studies from newsrooms worldwide are used to present an overview of the information management tools and processes that are available to help journalists and media executives deal with information. Answers are suggested for some of the most pressing issues, including:

What are the factors driving change in newsrooms?
How are news organizations around the world re-organising their newsrooms to deal with information in new ways?
How are the opposing needs to cut costs and yet maintain journalistic quality being met?
What digital tools are currently available, e.g. for computer-assisted reporting?
How can reporters become more mobile?
How can trainee journalists be better prepared for operating within the changing newsroom environment?

Each chapter is supplemented by a 'how to learn more' section, suggesting further resources for tackling each issue.

Whether you are planning major change in your newsroom or simply wish to keep up with the latest industry trends, this is the book you have been waiting for.

Gain an overview of the impact of new technology in modern newsrooms
Learn how to manage information more effectively
Understand what new skills are being required of journalists

Book Description

"An excellent introduction to using SPSS for data analysis...extremely useful for undergraduate students, and covers a good range of material often not found in competing texts. It provides a self-contained resource itself, with more than simply (detailed and clear) step-by-step descriptions of statistical procedures in SPSS. There is also a wealth of tips and advice, and for each statistical technique a brief, but consistently reliable, explanation is provided." - George Dunbar, University of Warwick

"This book is an excellent addition to the research methods literature. It presents the research process, research strategy and SPSS techniques in manageable steps offering clear advice, useful tips and discussion of relevant issues such as assumptions and effect size...this text is written in an encouraging and supportive style. I believe students will read and learn with this book." - David Cairns, Macquarie University, Australia

The SPSS Survival Manual throws a lifeline to students and researchers grappling with SPSS. Written in a friendly, jargon-free style, it demystifies statistics and data analysis by guiding you through the entire research process and helping you to choose the right statistical technique for your project. From the formulation of research questions, to the design of the study and analysis of data, to reporting the results, Julie Pallant discusses basic and advanced statistical techniques. She outlines each technique clearly, with step-by-step procedures for performing the analysis, a detailed guide to interpreting SPSS output and an example of how to present the results in a report. The user-friendliness of the manual is enhanced by spiral binding which makes it easy to use at a computer. A recommended reading section points the reader towards additional sources of advice. Illustrated with screen grabs, examples of output and tips, and supported by a website (www.openup.co.uk/spss) with sample data and guidelines on report writing, the SPSS Survival Manual can be used by students and researchers at any level alongside any major statistics textbook.

Customer Reviews:

survival for the first-timers.......2005-12-01

this is a great book that is extremely easy to follow for the most ignorant novice. everything is printed out in pictures and written out clearly so it's also good for those less able on the computers. you'll read the book and wonder why you ever had to belabor extremely long equations that never made any sense or try to learn SAS language only to forget the next day.
This is an excellent source for beginners, but once you quickly learn the basics of manipulating the SPSS program, you may soon be prepared for a more advanced version.
In any regards, this is THE source if you're clueless and looking for somewhere to begin

First SPSS book you should buy.......2005-11-01

Good fast, though not very deep, info on how to perform most basic and even many multivariate techniques in SPSS.

Tom Anderson
Anderson Analytics, LLC
(...)

Extremely Clear and Helpful.......2004-08-30

This is one of the best step-by-step survival guides for statistical analysis I have ever used. Although it needs a little more detail on writing up the results of more advanced techniques like multiple regression, instructions are clear and to the point without a lot of extra "words" that just take time to read but do not add anything helpful. I have already pre-ordered 2 copies of the next edition!!!!

It Got Me an A on the Midterm.......2004-03-30

I was behind in class, I was not "getting it" and I was desperate! So I bought all the SPSS books I could find. Pallant's book is the one I used. Everything I needed to know and be able to do was clearly explained. The accompanying online database served as an example, showing me how to enter data. This book will not go on my bookshelf; it will remain on my desk through my dissertation and afterwards.

well named.......2004-02-14

This book is exactly what it claims to be a "survival manual". It contains step by step instructions and clear explanations of how to use SPSS, how to interpret the results, and selecting appropriate tests. This isn't a statistics primer or a text on research design. This is a book for those who haven't had 5 stats courses & years of using SPSS. If you need help using SPSS to evaluate research data -- get this book. A lifesaver!

Spss Survival Manual: A Step By Step Guide To Data Analysis Using Spss For Windows (version 10)

Average customer rating:

Spss Survival Manual: A Step By Step Guide To Data Analysis Using Spss For Windows (version 10)
Julie Pallant, Julie Pallant
Manufacturer: Open University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OUX3D2

Book Description

The true story of the search for one of the world's most deadly terrorists.

Customer Reviews:

Hard hitting.......2007-08-19

This book was published in 1999 and was about a master jihadist and the cat and mouse game that was played between him and the security forces as early as 1992. The bombings, the mastesticizing of fundamentalist terror, and the myriad efforts by spec. op. units and security services to find him were played out nearly a decade before the USA invaded Afghanistan or Iraq and fought such master Jihadi as Zarqawi and Osama Bin Laden. The capability that the Israeli's demonstrated in this book of reaching out and targeting the head of a terrorist entity in an occuppied area full of jihadi should have been the writing on the wall for Americans who were sent to fight in Baghdad. I hope we are learning from the experiences of others as well as our own.

A biography and history lesson in one.......2007-03-23

If you are reading this, you know what the book is about; Israel's hunt for the elusive "Engineer", a bomb maker wreaking havoc in Israel with his deadly creations. What you don't know is the story itself. Mr. Katz has put together a good book that is both educational, historical and somewhat of a biography. Particular attention is paid to the explanation of the Israeli agencies working on combating terror and finding the "Engineer". Both Shin Bet and Mossad are given ample pages for a reader to gain somewhat of a glimpse into the agencies.

The book does read like a novel, with all the set backs, frustrations, near-misses and terrorism however it was all real. Too real for many of the people in the region. The historical aspects of this book are important due to the ongoing struggle between radical Islam and Israel. Much like the book "Vengeance" about the hunt for the Munich terrorists, one has to ask themselves, "Did any of this help?" There is always more people willing to take these "martyrs" places. However, what is the alternative, to sit around and slowly be exterminated. I think not.

This book covers a time span of roughly the 1990's, and it is a good book to read to gain some understanding of the larger battle that is sure to take place well into future decades.

Read this along with "One Day In September".

Hard to find book that was pretty new- little bit worn in the cover.......2007-01-05

This was a present for my brother. Not as perfect and new as I expected but arrived in time for Christmas which is always great. Thanks

Shin-bet makes a phone call to " The Engineer".......2006-11-08

Yehiya Ayyash was the man who led the turning point of Hamas, with his bombs he scared Israelis like never before. Innocent people were slaughtered and killed by his technique and anger against Jews, but it was only a matter of time when Shin-bet (FBI equivalent in Israel) and Mossad tracked him down and gave him a little phone call on his mobile.

This best thing about this book is that it not only cover Yehiya, but also the reason why Hamas got hold of power in Gaza, their parallel association with Islamic Jihad, and how Arafat who once favored them, later started military operations against them. The politics of Egypt, Sudan, and Arab countries, all have played important role in disturbing the peace of Israel. During the period, when Hamas was at its peak and making news around the globe, the Shin-bet seemed to loose the moment by taking counter measures, but in true Israeli manner it came back and suppressed anyone who was a threat to their country, including "The Engineer".

This book covers so much details and facts that I expected it to be slow, but it's not. Katz has done a great job by tuning the pace of this book by throwing in recent activities with historic events. Again, the book covers everything: the reasons, and the situation that led to the rise of Yehiya Ayyash, and the aftermath.

More than Biography. .......2006-10-23

This is very much a work of history. It basically is the story of Israeli from about 1990 to 2000 (after the author's update). This turbulent decade almost brought about the collapse of the government, and Hamas, along with Yahya Ayyash--"The Engineer," were a major reason as to why. The Engineer is described here to the best of the author's ability, but, due to the terrorist's secrecy and a need to live in the shadows, a complete understanding of his character is simply not possible. This book imparts a wide variety of knowledge as the reader will walk away with a ton of information about Israeli government and culture. Before reading it, I really didn't understand what Shin Bet was, but now I am well-versed in their functioning. This book is the perfect complement to anything concerning the Mossad.

As far as its narration goes, and I know this probably is a cliché, I honestly couldn't put the pages down. If I didn't have a job I probably would have finished it in a day. Katz is a fine writer and aptly outlines both emotion and the logical flow of ideas in his chapters. His text manages to be informative and riveting at the same time. The only problem I had with him was towards the end where he really seems to buy into the notion of a "cycle of violence" is to blame. He honestly believes that only a peace process will solve Israel's problems, but no armistices are possible with the likes of Hizbollah and Hamas. They will only be satisfied with Israel's complete extinction. Anything signed with civilian entities, that have no authority over the extremists, will be worthless. It is unfortunate that the author, given his intelligence and extensive education, has remained an idealist to this day.

Book Description

Liberia was founded by the American Colonization Society (ACS) in the 1820s as an African refuge for free blacks and liberated American slaves. While interest in African migration waned after the Civil War, it roared back in the late nineteenth century with the rise of Jim Crow segregation and disfranchisement throughout the South. The back-to-Africa movement held great new appeal to the South's most marginalized citizens, rural African Americans. Nowhere was this interest in Liberia emigration greater than in Arkansas. More emigrants to Liberia left from Arkansas than any other state in the 1880s and 1890s.

In Journey of Hope, Kenneth C. Barnes explains why so many black Arkansas sharecroppers dreamed of Africa and how their dreams of Liberia differed from the reality. This rich narrative also examines the role of poor black farmers in the creation of a black nationalist identity and the importance of the symbolism of an ancestral continent.

Based on letters to the ACS and interviews of descendants of the emigrants in war-torn Liberia, this study captures the life of black sharecroppers in the late 1800s and their dreams of escaping to Africa.

Average customer rating:
Journey of Hope: The Back-to-Africa Movement in Arkansas in the Late 1800s.(Book Review) : An article from: Journal of Southern History
Fon Louise Gordon
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Arkansas | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000CEXKEC
Release Date: 2005-11-23

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Southern History, published by Thomson Gale on November 1, 2005. The length of the article is 523 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: Journey of Hope: The Back-to-Africa Movement in Arkansas in the Late 1800s.(Book Review)
Author: Fon Louise Gordon
Publication: Journal of Southern History (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2005
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 71 Issue: 4 Page: 923(2)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Average customer rating:

A Behind the Scenes Book about Mars Exploration

Excellent look inside a science team...

In many ways, this book was not really about Mars!

Mars: A Personal Odyssey

Voyage to Mars: NASA's Search for Life Beyond Earth
Laurence Bergreen
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Aeronautics & Astronautics | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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Capone: The Man and the Era

Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe (P.S.)

Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone

ASIN: 157322894X
Release Date: 2001-10-09

Book Description

Voyage to Mars is the gripping story of an elite group of visionary scientists and their passionate quest to explore our closest cousin in the solar system. Acclaimed biographer Laurence Bergreen "goes to where the action is-NASA-profiling the scientists who are trying to make a manned mission to Mars a reality" (San Diego Union Tribune). It is a true adventure story of our time, about a modern-day odyssey that will not only push the limits of science, but will change our understanding of the universe and ourselves.

"Voyage to Mars makes a compelling case for the inevitability of a [manned] mission to Mars... Bergreen does a good and serious job. By focusing on selected individual men and women, he brings to life the rather abstract scientific and bureaucratic processes that drive NASA's Mars program. The reader gets a sense of the drama, the intense joys and disappointments, of science at the outer edge of knowledge." (Los Angeles Times)

"It's not hard to get caught up in the spirit of the enterprise, and it's impossible not to like the irrepressible Garvin or admire his unself-conscious, unabashed commitment to Mars. Bergreen is particularly engaging on the intense (and intensely personal) controversy-as yet unresolved-over ALH 84001, the Martian meteorite. In a heart-thumping, stomach-churning final chapter, Bergreen harrowingly relates what it would be like to be an astronaut on the way to Mars. Voyage to Mars is likely to draw even the sourest reader into the ranks of cheerleaders. Mars or bust! (Wired)

Customer Reviews:

A Behind the Scenes Book about Mars Exploration.......2001-06-29

While Laurence Bergreen's book "Voyage to Mars" does contain some information about Mars space missions, robotic probes, and scientific study of Mars, it is primarily about the scientists, both men and women, who study Mars and design experiments for NASA robotic explorers and how they dedicated their lives to the study and exploration of this planet. Most of the book covers the people involved in Mars research since the Mars Observer failure in 1992.

This book follows the lives (personal and professional) of several NASA scientists who study Mars, whether they're off in some remote location studying geology that's similar to Mars or designing an experiment for a robotic exploration mission. The book includes the many battles that each one fights, whether is with NASA bureaucracy, their personal lives, with each other for experiments to be flown on an upcoming Mars spacecraft, or dealing with each other's conflicting theories on Martian geological history. One of the things that I gleaned from reading this book is that while each of the people maybe specialized in a given area, they all have a board background in planetary sciences and spacecraft design. Also, there seems to be a lot jealously between scientists, especially for those people who worked on the "Life on Mars" Rock. It was also nice to see that a good portion of the people that NASA employs are women.

Since I've known several of the people involved in Mars research who are described in this book for over a decade, I can definitely say that the stories presented are true and I found the personal descriptions of various individuals to be dead on as well as those of NASA facilities. The book could, however, benefit from some photos and illustrations instead of the detailed of various Martian geological features. It also would have been nice to some parts of the book devoted to the engineers who help make these missions possible, but that might be an inappropriate topic for this book.

Excellent look inside a science team..........2001-03-29

Bergreen's book is a very intimate look at how science really works. In successive chapters, he takes us inside four groups of men and women: the team of scientists that worked on the Martian meteorite ALH84001; the Mars Pathfinder/Sojourner team, the team in charge of the Mars Global Surveyor's laser altimeter, and finally, inside Dan Goldin's NASA. What we see is a far cry from the polished interviews on TV, or the neatly written articles in Nature or Science. The truth is that scientists rarely agree on anything other than very broad assumptions, and often not even on those. Instead, scientists, even those working together on the same project, can heatedly disagree with one another's assumptions or interpretations, making it difficult to agree on the best way data should be released to the public.

An example from the MGS laser altimeter team (specifically the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter or MOLA). This instrument shoots blasts of laser light from the orbiting spacecraft to the surface of Mars, and times their return to the sensor. By doing so, an incredibly accurate topographical relief map of Mars can be created. However, Mars has no absolute altitude marker like Earth (sea-level). Therefore, the scientists have to agree on an altitude reference against which all other measurements are compared. The specific reference chosen is critical because it will be used in all subsequent analyses of MOLA data. Any error could potentially be a spoiler for generations of future reserachers. Bergreen was there when they discussed whether they were ready to commit to an altitude reference and start releasing data (many team members argued "yes!") or whether more data and study were needed before the team published such critical information (other team members said "wait!").

Also typical was the conflict in choosing a landing site for the Mars Polar Lander. Scientists pour over the data from MGS and pick a site that is geologically interesting. Engineers pour over the MGS data and pick a site that is safe. The two goals are often at direct odds with one another. The engineers want stastical rock-counts so that they can ensure their craft won't topple over a boulder. Scientists argue that the sites chosen by the engineers will nullify all the science objectives of the mission. Such discussions can quickly become personal as emotions boil over and passionate beliefs give way to shouting contests.

Bergreen's book is in many ways reminiscent of Overbye's Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos, only directed at Planetary scientists instead of cosmologists. This book will be of extreme interest to Marsophiles, but will also be enlightening to those who want an inside look at Dan Goldin's NASA, or at the process actually followed by scientists in the trenches. I recommend this book highly to these two groups as well as anyone else who hasn't updated their knowledge of Mars exploration since Viking.

In many ways, this book was not really about Mars!.......2001-03-07

Although on the surface this is a book about the recent robotic missions to Mars, the book is really an exploration of the culture of the project scientists at NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Bergreen paints very full portraits of many key people involved in NASA, JPL, etc including the scientists, graduate students, industry representatives, etc. The book reminded me very much of Jim Watson's excellent account of his work to elucidate the structure of DNA, "The Race for the Double Helix" in that it showed the human side of science. Jim Garvin, Jim Head, Sean Solomon, and the other scientists in this book seek good and solid data, but also (understandably) seek publications in prestigious journals to advance their careers. They worry openly about funding and grant support. Jim Garvin has what sounds like a strained relationship with his wife, who does not really seem to understand her husband's passion and dedication. Some of the investigators don't like each other, and show this openly. These sorts of interludes were very interesting as many books about science and scientists are sterile and portray scientists as absent-minded-professor types who are not grounded in the real world (which is only very rarely the case).

The book is very readable and well written. My only complaint is that the book would have benefited from some illustrations. The images from the Mars Orbiter were discussed ad nauseum, but no representative images were between the covers of the book! Also, I would have liked to have seen a few photos of some of the hardware and researchers discussed.

Mars: A Personal Odyssey.......2000-12-19

Travelers often opine that the experience of a trip itself, the way stations and characters encountered, rather than the final destination, is the most exciting aspect of a journey. After reading Laurence Bergreen's latest offering, VOYAGE TO MARS: NASA'S SEARCH FOR LIFE BEYOND EARTH (hardcover edition), one may reasonably conclude that the peripatetic author is as fascinated with the personas and psyches of the various individuals he encounters along the way as he is with the ostensible subject of the book: Mars. Indeed, a glance at Bergreen's previous books, works covering the gamut from Al Capone to Louis Armstrong to Irving Berlin, shows that the author is a keen observer and no stranger to character studies; his most recent book is no exception.

Bergreen's tour, which starts on Surtsey, a volcanic island off the Icelandic coast, eventually ends on Mars. Throughout, he manages to weave an interesting narrative, replete with detailed personal observations of the scientists and engineers he encounters along the way, which is interspersed with some fairly decent Mars science written in layspeak. The author recounts the often-rancorous Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) team meetings and the clash of egos between scientists pushing their own competing theories and hypotheses about Mars. He encounters scientists in the nascent astrobiology community, some of who are veterans from the Viking mission to Mars of the mid-1970's, and who have bittersweet memories of the main finding from that mission, namely that Mars was a lifeless world. He smoothly segues into the modern view (based on more recent analyses) that the question of life on Mars, either extant or extinct, may not be a closed issue. The reader is caught up in the excitement and the glimpses into the inner sanctum, which is made all the more fascinating because the subject is the Red Planet. The reading is pleasurable (I read the entire book in two sittings) and insightful, but there are a few problems. As a scientist, I am trained to be alert to what is termed "observational bias", which, upon careful reading, appears to raise its head in the pages of the book. It is almost axiomatic that scientists, as well as science teams, tend to be very competitive. So it is not surprising that Bergreen appears to view the world primarily through the prism of the MOLA team. Indeed, he seems to accept their characterizations of others (especially competitors on the other MGS science teams); an interesting parallel to Stockholm syndrome. Additionally, given that Bergreen is really not a "participant" in the normal sense of the word, there are the inevitable factual errors (mostly minor) that are sprinkled throughout the book. Without wanting to appear as a nitpicker, I'll list a few that came to my attention:

Page 104: "...the same moment in 1993 when Mars Observer slipped behind Mars and never resumed contact with Earth." Fact: The failed Mars Observer spacecraft lost contact with Earth three days BEFORE Mars Orbit Insertion and Earth occultation.

Page 104: "For the first time in twenty-one years, a spacecraft [Mars Global Surveyor] was orbiting Mars." Fact: The author is apparently unaware of the Soviet Phobos 2 spacecraft, which successfully entered Mars orbit on January 29, 1989, although the spacecraft was lost in March of 1989 when controllers lost contact while it was approaching its primary target, Phobos, the larger of the two Martian moons.

Page 111: "...[Mars Observer] and finally launched in 1991." Fact: Mars Observer launched in 1992.

Page 114: "He's [Malin] a member of the MOLA team." Fact: Dr. Michael C. Malin is Principal Investigator for the Mars Orbiter Camera team and a Co-Investigator for the Thermal Emission Spectrometer team; he is not a member of the MOLA team, and would therefore normally not be expected to attend their meetings. This "factual error" by the author is less innocuous than it appears and perhaps was colored by observational bias accruing from his association with the MOLA team. Moreover, the misidentification is used to strengthen his claims that Malin is secretive, elusive, one who holds onto data, and one who does not respond to email, etc., which do not appear to be well-supported by the facts, although one can easily believe that the MOLA team encouraged this view. In fairness, though, it is possible that the author simply confused membership on the MOLA team with membership on the much larger and more inclusive MGS Project Science Group.

Page 138: "...and the Journal of Geophysics Review." Fact: After checking with the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) online database, I discovered that no such journal exists. It is likely that the author confused two separate journals, the Journal of Geophysical Research and Geophysical Research Letters, both of which are key publications for planetary scientists.

Page 205: "Stardust will swing around Mars..." Fact: The Stardust spacecraft did not and will not "swing around Mars." It does, however, travel beyond Mars' orbit, but never comes closer than several million kilometers to the Red Planet at any time during its baseline mission.

Page 216: "And a little camera will pop up..." Fact: The author, while apparently describing a portion of the mission profile for the two Deep Space 2 penetrators (part of the failed Mars Surveyor 98 mission), incorrectly describes their instrument packages. There was no camera aboard either of the impact probes; however, Bergreen may be referring to the Surface Stereo Imager, a camera system aboard the Mars Polar Lander.

Despite these errors (which might have been eliminated by more careful proofreading and better research), the book is a fascinating read and, given the relative lack of publicity on the subject, a good source of information on the current state of Mars exploration efforts. If for no other reason, though, I would recommend the book for its introduction to the reader of some of the key figures in Mars exploration, past and present, which gives a personality to the often obscure names that are only found in science journals.

Average customer rating:
Voyage to Mars: NASA'S Search for Life Beyond Earth
Laurence Bergreen
Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NUKYCG

Average customer rating:
Voyage to Mars: NASA's Search for Life Beyond Earth

Manufacturer: Riverhead Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000I2M6AM

Average customer rating:
Voyage to Mars: NASA's Search for Life Beyond Earth
Laurence Bergreen
Manufacturer: Riverhead
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000X6P3HG

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