New Everyday Science Explained: From the Big Bang to the human genome...and everything in between

Average customer rating:

Too Much Gloss

Great Overview of Many Science Topics

A great survey of science .

New Everyday Science Explained: From the Big Bang to the human genome...and everything in between
Curt Suplee
Manufacturer: National Geographic
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biotechnology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Reference | Science | Subjects | Books
Biotechnology | Bioengineering | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
Biotechnology | Biological Sciences | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0792273575
Release Date: 2004-02-01

Amazon.com

The New Everyday Science Explained updates Curt Suplee's coffee table classic with 21st-century answers to many of the most common science questions, and quite a few uncommon ones. Why is the sky blue? How can we get rid of body fat? Why do we get sunburned? Is light a wave or a particle? Organized around general principles such as "Matter and Motion" and "The Chemistry of Life," this is an ideal family reference book, genuinely appropriate for both adults and children. And because it's from National Geographic, it's full of amazing photographs--a tightrope walker, red blood cells killed by malaria protozoans, a monstrous traffic jam--chosen to help explain scientific fundamentals. Within each larger chapter are 15 or more two-page spreads focused on a single idea. With just two to four paragraphs per topic, Suplee manages to clearly communicate the facts in a chunk that's easily digestible, even for science-phobes. For parents who want to be able to help with the homework, students who need a quick reference, and browsers who love National Geographic-caliber knowledge and photos, The New Everyday Science Explained is a delight. --Therese Littleton

Customer Reviews:

Too Much Gloss.......2006-02-01

Just too much gloss and not enough information. Where's the Beef?

Great Overview of Many Science Topics.......2004-11-10

Curt Suplee attempts to explain science in short excerpts beginning with the first section, Matter and Motion, through the fourth section focusing on The Chemistry of Life, which ends in a brief description of how and why we dream and how we age.

Obviously the fields of science are far too broad to have any depth of explanation in a book this short. However, as an introduction to the numerous fields of science this book is an outstanding beginning. This book would be most valuable for the aspiring young scientist in late elementary school through middle school. A child may review each of the fields covered in this book, which encompasses physics, chemistry, engineering, biology, chemistry, and medicine, and determine whether science truly is for them, and, if so, which field of science.

Even adult readers will find this book to be a great refresher for many of the topics covered in classes long gone. Suplee manages to explain a facet of each of the topics he covers enough to provide a basic background, and yet does so in a way that does not talk down to readers.

Since this book is a National Geographic book, you know that it will be filled with incredible photography to match each of the subjects. There are pictures of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge that collapsed in 1940, shown in such a way that it captures what happened in just two photographs. There are photographs of Mars and the stars, and even a rusty car. Photographs of cells and the brain are also provided. Even an excellent explanation of the bad effects of poor nutrition and what happens when you eat too much fat.

This book is a good general science book that could help provide the start of a research project. Others may use it as a coffee table book, particularly in the hardcover edition with the dust jacket on it. A casual guest will be impressed with your scientific interests and your appreciation of good books.

A great survey of science ........2004-11-05

Curt Suplee really opened my eyes to the chemical and physical science I encounter everyday. The book is full of beautiful photographs and simple and amusing illustrations in addition to Mr. Suplee's excellent prose.

Book Description

Few historians have contributed more to our understanding of the history of women, and women's effect on history, than Alice Kessler-Harris. Author of the classic Out to Work, she is one of the country's leading scholars of gender, the economy, and public policy. In this volume, Kessler-Harris pierces the skin of arguments and legislation to grasp the preconceptions that have shaped the experience of women: a "gendered imagination" that has defined what men and women alike think of as fair and desirable. In this brilliant account that traces social policy from the New Deal to the 1970s, she shows how a deeply embedded set of beliefs has distorted seemingly neutral social legislation to further limit the freedom and equality of women. Government rules generally sought to protect women from exploitation, even from employment itself; but at the same time, they attached the most important benefits to wage work. To be a real citizen, one must earn--and most policymakers (even female ones) assumed from the beginning that women were not, and should not be breadwinners. Kessler-Harris traces the impact of this gender bias in the New Deal programs of Social Security, unemployment insurance, and fair labor standards, in Federal income tax policy, and the new discussion of women's rights that emerged after World War II. "For generations," she writes, "American women lacked not merely the practice, but frequently the idea of individual economic freedom." Only in the 1960s and '70s did old assumptions begin to break down--yet the process is far from complete. Even today, with women closer to full economic citizenship than ever before, Kessler-Harris's insights offer a keen new understanding of the issues that dominate the headlines, from the marriage penalty in the tax code to the glass ceiling in corporate America.

Average customer rating:

For all the office workers of the world. A MUST HAVE !!

An American Treasure of humor

White-collar frustration gets white-hot

Work hard and you shall be rewarded: Urban folklore from the paperwork empire
Alan Dundes
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Folklore & Mythology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Folklore | Mythology | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0253202078

Customer Reviews:

For all the office workers of the world. A MUST HAVE !!.......1999-08-05

Gotta have it. If you are at all interested in the origins of all the photocopier art passsed around from desk to desk and generation to generation...

An American Treasure of humor.......1999-06-13

This book is a MUST HAVE for the office worker who enjoys handing out XEROX copies of great humor. Not only is this book extremely funny, it has captured an "almost lost history" of American folklore. Nowhere else can you get the ultimate source of good humor, that has detailed explainations of what and how each joke (or story) have come to being. Good information to educate the younger generation who don't quite understand the true humor of the past. Get a copy of this genuine relic of great writings of people like you and me. A modest collection of pamphlets, cartoons, stories, limmericks, "Top Ten", racial, religious, nationality, poems. etc... some of which you may have seen passed around the office at one time or another. Probably the best "bathroom book" you'll ever get your hands on.

White-collar frustration gets white-hot.......1997-10-08

White-collar frustration gets white-hot in this hilarious look into the minds of America's hardest working jokers. Water-cooler not included.

Work Hard and You Shall Be Rewarded : Urban Folklore from the Paperwork Empire

Average customer rating:

Work Hard and You Shall Be Rewarded : Urban Folklore from the Paperwork Empire
Alan; Pagter, Carl R. Dundes
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OPZMF4

Book Description

Marilyn Manson's fixations with death, drugs, and the devil have made him the living embodiment of the evils of rock and roll among concerned parents and Christian fundamentalists — and wildly popular with his mostly teenage audience. Dissecting Marilyn Manson explores the full scope of the Manson mystique, revealing what makes him tick and why so many fans find his image and music utterly compelling. Heavily visual in its approach, the book forms a pathological scrapbook, cutting through the Manson persona in an irreverent yet authoritative fashion. Each chapter peels back layers of rumor and hearsay to examine the influences, obsessions, and events that reveal the true anatomy of the androgynous superstar. This new edition offers the legions of Marilyn Manson fans an alternative perspective on his macabre world, from his quiet, normal childhood spent with devout Christian parents to his upcoming marriage with fetish model Dita Von Teese.

Customer Reviews:

MANSON.......2007-05-10

THERE'S ALOT OF GREAT PICTURES IN HERE!THIS BOOK TALKS ABOUT CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO INFLUENCED MANSON,AND WHY.IT TALKS ABOUT CERTAIN " LABELS " GROUPS,AND PEOPLE GAVE HIM AND HIS BAND.IT TALKS ABOUT CHARLES MANSON,ALEISTER CROWLEY,AND ANTON LAVEY.THERE'S SO MUCH MORE INFORMATION IN HERE.THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS BEING TALKED ABOUT.THIS IS REALLY AN INTERESTING BOOK!YOU REALLY SHOULD BUY THIS AND THEN YOU'LL KNOW MANSON ALOT BETTER!

MANSON.......2007-03-26

THIS BOOK COVERS ALOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.HE TALKS ABOUT ANTON LEVEY AND THE CHURCH OF SATAN.WHY HE HAS SO MANY " PERSONALITIES. " WHY HE DOES THE MUSIC HE DOES AND WHY HE CHOOSES THE SONG TITLES.HIS BELIEFS AND FEELINGS ON CERTAIN ISSUES.THERE'S SO MUCH MORE.THIS BOOK IS VERY INFORMATIVE.IT HAS ALOT OF EXCELLENT PICTURES!HE CERTAINLY IS A VERY INTERESTING PERSON!

A must for understanding Manson........2006-04-05

This book reads like a "works cited" page for Marilyn Manson's life. It's basically a list of all the influences on his music, fashion, philosophy, religious views, and general tastes in things like movies and books. It also gives an explanation for why all of these are relative to Manson, although I'm sure this is in the author's perception and not his own. This book is a must for those that want to understand why Marilyn Manson is the way he is. It does a much better job than his own autobiography, which I consider to be more entertainment than knowledge. I highly recommend reading both books, they serve as excellent companions to one another since neither give the complete story.

2nd Book.......2005-07-14

This is one of the best Marilyn Manson books I've ever read, besides of course "The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell", without lies. which is mostly what you could find on a MM book.

This book is great.......2004-06-11

I read it in 2 days. The way it is presented in organized is amazing. You learn about so much in so few pages. The only flaw is a few minor inaccuracies. Get this book!

Book Description

The films discussed in this book have been labeled cinema vomitif because they induce a visceral response in their audience. They are an underground hybrid of slasher movies, exploitation films, and shock-u-mentaries. Taking a serious look at a taboo subject, Brottman argues that these scandalous films are of far more substance than has been previously assumed. Their consistent appeal to our repressed appetites, libidinal instincts, and fascination with flesh and death has much to tell us about the human condition. Films analyzed include the voyeuristic Freaks (1932), the traumatic psychodrama The Tingler (1959), the succes de scandale The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1976), the Italian shocker Cannibal Holocaust (1983), and two recent series of "live death" shock-u-mentaries, Death Scenes and Faces of Death (1989-1994). These movies, shunned from mainstream cinema because they are too offensive, obscene, marginal or bizarre, are considered here for the first time as an important part of the cinematic canon.

Customer Reviews:

Even those that aren't fans of the genre will love this book.......2000-10-23

Offensive films is the definative scourse for info on the movies of Binema Vomitif. The only book of its kind on these kinds of flicks, it is original in the fact that it doesn't just give a run down of the films, but a complete history of its making, the makers, and its impact on the genere in general. For those who love these types of films for any reason. GREAT.

Book Description

Roswell - a small town in New Mexico where nothing remarkable ever happened. Until 1947 that is, when a seemingly spectacular crash became the most famous alien encounter ever. Max, Isabel and Michael are not from 'around here'. Abandoned on Earth, they now live in Roswell as everyday teenagers. Forming an unlikely alliance with Liz, Maria and Alex, they have to outwit their families, friends and the local sheriff to keep their secret safe. In this handy, but fun episode-by-episdode guide to the first two seasons. Keith Topping explores their world, encompassing interview extracts, cast and crew biographies, series fandom on the Internet and, of course, the highlights of the show. Written by the author of the bestselling, acclaimed Buffy and Angel Fan Guides, this book fully does justice to the second-highest rated new show on any network in the 1999-2000 season in the US.

Customer Reviews:

Good guide for first two seasons, wish it had third.......2005-07-12

I've got a copy of Topping's "The Complete Slayer", that covers all 7 seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer plus the Kristy Swanson movie, based on that purchase I decided to order this book from Amazon. If it follows that book in form and layout it will be an exhaustive guide to the first two seasons of Roswell, giving details most people would never think to look for. It should be well worth owning, especially with the DVD sets out for purchase now.
I'm guessing that the only real fault to be found in the book is the lack of the 3rd season, if Topping hasn't done an update in the three years since the show ended I doubt he will do one. It ought to be a better book than "Crash Into Me" by Robyn Burnett (the exception being that one does cover third season).

Another Topping show guide.........2003-06-28

Keith Topping has become an expert in crafting fun to read episode guides on our favorite tv shows (see his Buffy guide). Roswell has been off the air for several years but lives on in syndication (Sci-Fi) and picks up new fans (like me!) with every showing. This guide is great to read along with the episodes- it helps you get the very most out of each show.

This guide covers all the essentials of Roswell including:
**cast bios
**list of episodes
**episode description including- synopsis, quotes, guest appearances, errors
**internet (Roswell is the one show where fans really made a difference, saving it from cancellation time and again, and sparking the creative tobasco mail in)
**novels (few know that Roswell was based on teen novels)

The only reason I gave this 4 stars was that it didn't cover the other seasons- with Roswell off the air (hope to see a movie!) , the author should update his guide to cover the entire series. (of course, after he writes the updated Buffy guide to cover all 7 seasons of BtVS--why are all the good shows leaving???)

Good but not great.......2002-12-23

Topping is always original, witty and high on irony. Reading his books can be more entertaining that the programme he is commenting on. For this reason, this is an excellent buy and well worth every penny (or cent) you spend. Topping writes a detailed account of every episode, yet more importantly he discusses issues that are raised, and is not frightened of being controversial or critical. While this is highly recommended, if you want to see Topping at his best, read his guide on buffy. It will blow you away.

Keith Rocks........2002-10-26

Hey there, I'm Becki Ablett featured in the acknoledgements of this book :) It's a great buy for all Roswell fans featuring an in depth, quirky, all round kick[in] guide to every episode from season one to two.

We want more!!!.......2002-06-09

This is the ultimate guide for seasons one and two. I have seen all of the episodes, but felt compelled to watch them again as I read each of the episodes in the book. Using the book I was able to see things I hadn't noticed when I watched the episodes for the first time. Each episode is broken down into eleven sub-topics including an episode synopsis, quotes, mistakes, and the answers to those 'where have I seen him/her before' questions. It's all in there, every Roswell fan should have a copy. The only thing left to say, as an obvious fan myself, is will there be another book to include season three?!

Amazon.com

If you're looking for thorough, at-home training in any Adobe application, the Classroom in a Book series is a good choice. Slow, deliberate pacing is a hallmark of these well-written books. Readers work through a wide variety of projects using professional-quality graphics and fonts (supplied on a companion CD-ROM). Rather than the personal "avoid-the-mistakes-I-made" quality of many how-tos, the series employs a more serious tone befitting books that are recognized as part of the official Adobe certification training.

Readers begin with a Quick Tour tutorial that briefly covers all of the basics--working with tools and palettes, placing graphics and text. It's a great first dip in the water for those coming from QuarkXPress. From there, the lessons focus in more depth on specific areas: the work environment, setting up a new document with master pages, working with colors and gradients, importing and linking graphics, drawing with vectors, adjusting typography and editing text, creating tables, working with XML, exporting to PDF, color management, and much more. The lessons work best when followed sequentially; each includes many smaller tips that become helpful in later lessons. Sidebars feature handy information from the user's guide. (Although a trial version of the application does not come on the CD-ROM, it's available for download at Adobe.com.)

It's the Photoshop- and Illustrator-type features within InDesign that make it so much more fun to use than rival Quark. This book shows you how to do cool things with transparencies, blending modes, feathered edges, and drop shadows, a lot of which is new to version 2.0. There are also exercises that cover less wow-inducing (but just as time-saving) tools for creating indexes and making tables.

Frequent illustrations and screen shots help readers monitor their progress. Chapter summaries and review questions let beginners test their confidence in the material before moving on, and allow experienced users to skip material they already know.

The book has a few minor errors, a couple of which might just be platform related. Despite these, Adobe InDesign 2.0 Classroom in a Book is the best way to learn a powerful application that makes print design a breeze. --Angelynn Grant

Book Description

Untitled

Adobe InDesign 2.0 Classroom in a Book brings the company's officialtraining series to your desktop.

Adobe InDesign 2.0 Classroom in a Book is a hands-on workbookstructured as a series of lessons--tested in Adobe's own classrooms andlabs--that you can follow on your own time, at your own pace. Forbeginners, there are step-by-step lessons that cover the fundamentalconcepts and features you need to master the program. If you've been usingInDesign, you can skip straight to the many sections on advanced features.Every chapter is sprinkled with professional tips and techniques and endswith a review section that reinforces what you've just put into practice; aCD full of project files provides everything you need to complete thelessons. Adobe InDesign 2.0 Classroom in a Book covers what's newand improved in InDesign 2.0: XML import and export, transparency, tablecreation, long document support, a superior printing interface, native MacOS X support, and tighter integration with Adobe LiveMotion, Photoshop,Illustrator, and more.

Book Description

The glorious saga of the most celebrated legion of the early Roman Empire

In Nero's Killing Machine, the second in the author's definitive histories of the legions of ancient Rome, Stephen Dando-Collins brings the 14th Legion to vivid life. Drawing upon thirty-two years of research, he traces the legion's steps as they were wiped out while in the army of Julius Caesar, then reformed only to be savaged again. For decades the men of the 14th would struggle to regain their lost status, slowly climbing back to glory and eventually making a legendary stand against Britain's Queen Boudicca, vastly outnumbered but determined to go down fighting with honor. Uncovering new information about the legionnaires' lives and Roman military practices, Nero's Killing Machine is military history at its finest.

Praise for Caesar's Legion

"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X--arguably the most famous legion of its day--from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization."
--T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches

Customer Reviews:

It could have been good, BUT...........2007-06-14

But I was very annoyed by author's decision to use modern American military ranks instead of Roman ones. What prompted it I have no idea. Did he think it would make it more understandable for readers? Except which readers? I mean, don't you have to be at least somewhat interested in Roman history to decide to go and read a whole book on one particular legion? And if you are somewhat interested, I am fairly certain that terms - centurion, legate, legion, cohort, etc. do not confuse you!

I don't know about other readers, but personally for me this "replacement" made impossible to enjoy what otherwise would have been a very interesting read... I had read and liked Collins' book on Legio X (where author used proper terminology!), that's why I bought this book. I considered purchasing the next installment (about Legio VI), but decided against it. I just know, it will nug me again every time I'll read about brigadier general or lieutenant colonel walking around in crested helmets...

Other comments: worse book than previous one, though certainly this one is as good (maybe better) read.
very good read because has good and vivid descriptions of battles (Rebellion in Britain under Queen Baudicca being especially interesting).
Worse book because on more than few occasions when there is a gap in historical data about Legio XIIII, author fills us in what was going on in Rome in general, or tells us about exploits of other legions and makes assumption how Legio XIIII would have reacted to the news... There are probably thousands of books about Roman history - if your niche is to tell the story of one legion (BTW: great idea!), stick to it! I don't need to learn from this book a wikipedia version of Roman history of several decades...

The XX Legion would be jealous........2007-01-13

Mister Collins has done a very good job at telling the full history of the famous XIV Legion. Anyone can write a detailed history, with a little research and some discipline, but to use grave stones and other remains as a flash back into the personal lives of the participants, is extraordinary. The Roman's lived in such a remarkable, we should study them more to make ours better. This book is a must for the serious reader on Roman history.

Nero's Killing Machine.......2006-11-05

He makes the usual American mistake of calling the Roman legionaries as Legionares. Legionares serve in the French Foreign Legion.

A Roman Legion Comes to Life.......2006-04-11

Once again, author Stephen Dando-Collins demonstrates his exceptional writing talents. This book is his second account of a Roman legion; in this case, the 14th. He follows this Legion through its long and glorious history. Along the way, he describes in vivid detail its participation in battles against "Herman" the German and Queen Boudicca. These include the famous Battle of Watling Street where the Legion succeeded in defeating a British force that outnumbered it 23 t o 1. In addition to these many battles, the book also provides insight into the day to day life of a Roman soldier. The mundane administrative facts of running an army, such as recruitment, pay, retention, and discharge, are discussed in both a clear and entertaining fashion.
The greatest asset of this book, however, is the author's ability to tell history in a manner that is entertaining. This book is an easy read. The pace is quick and the reader will not want to put it down. The author provides the detail necessary to understand the story without getting bogged down in minutia. The more scholarly readers will be glad to see that the author lists all his sources in an appendix. The book also contain a handy glossary of well recognized Roman terms. Bottom line: This is an historically accurate work of non-fiction. Nevertheless, it reads like a fast paced novel. Good writing is difficult but Dando-Collins makes it look easy.

14th Legion.......2006-03-16

A very readable well researched book. A must read for anyone interested in Roman history.

Average customer rating:

very fast

Western Civilization: the Continuing Experiment Volume I: to 1715 (Dolphin Edition)
Thomas F. X. Noble
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books
All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0618561919

Customer Reviews:

very fast .......2005-09-26

The shipping was very fast and the book is in great condition!

Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment to 1715

Average customer rating:

Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment to 1715
Thomas F. X. Noble , Barry S. Strauss , Duane J. Osheim , Kristen B. Neuschel , William B. Cohen , and David D. Roberts
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin College Div
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment Brief Edition to 1715 (Western Civilization to 1715)

Average customer rating:

Western Civilization: The Continuing Experiment Brief Edition to 1715 (Western Civilization to 1715)
Thomas F. X. Noble , Barry S. Strauss , Duane J. Osheim , Kristen B. Neuschel , William B. Cohen , David D. Roberts , and Jennifer Hecht
Manufacturer: Houghton Mifflin Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Early Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

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ASIN: 0395885493

Book Description

While public anxiety about genetically engineered foodstuffs and BSE in cattle has developed in Europe, on the positive side there has been a rapidly rising demand for organic produce. As a result the organic sector has moved from a being marginal production fad to a serious subject of policy concern for politicians and public servants involved in European agricultural policy. In this book, three leading authorities on organic farming have produced a scientific overview for the layperson of the state of organic farming and policy towards it in Europe. Based on a review of a huge body of scientific research into all aspects of the sector, the authors provide in accessible terms a balanced, up-to-date and policy-relevant overview of organic farming today, assessment of its possible contributions to the environment, food quality, farmers' incomes, and rural development generally, the key factors that will impinge on the organic farming sector in future, and more.

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