Average customer rating:
|
Externe Unternehmensrechnung (Springer-Lehrbuch)
Alfred Wagenhofer , and
Ralf Ewert
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Accounting
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Accounting
| Accounting & Finance
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Nonfiction
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
All German Books
| German
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 3540437541 |
Book Description
Die externe Unternehmensrechnung befasst sich mit der konzeptionellen Gestaltung und den Einsatzbedingungen von Informationssystemen, die an externe Adressaten wie Investoren, Kreditgeber, Arbeitnehmer, Geschäftspartner und die Öffentlichkeit gerichtet sind. Sie umfasst die Rechnungslegung, hier vor allem Jahresabschlüsse, sowie weitere verpflichtende und freiwillige Finanzberichterstattung. Im Mittelpunkt dieses Lehrbuches stehen Konzeptionen, Strukturen und Anreizeffekte der Rechnungslegung, die dem Verständnis der ökonomischen Wirkungen vorherrschender Institutionen dienen. Als spezifische Themen werden die Informationsfunktion der Rechnungslegung, die Ausschüttungsbemessung, Bilanzpolitik, Publizität und Wirtschaftsprüfung umfassend behandelt. Methodisch stehen informationsökonomische Ansätze und internationale empirische Studien im Vordergrund.
Book Description
Das Buch stellt den handelsrechtlichen Jahresabschluß von Kapitalgesellschaften in den Mittelpunkt und vermittelt die wesentlichen Lerninhalte hierzu. Besonderheiten des Einzelabschlusses von Einzelunternehmen und Personengesellschaften werden ebenso ergänzend dargestellt wie die Konzeptionen, Techniken und Probleme der Konzernrechnungslegung. Die zunehmende Globalisierung des Wettbewerbs sowie die wachsende Bedeutung internationaler Kapitalmärkte zwingt Großunternehmen verstärkt, ihre Rechnungslegung an "internationalen Standards" auszurichten. Das Buch trägt dieser Entwicklung Rechnung, führt in die Grundlagen US-amerikanischer und internationaler Rechnungslegung ein und verdeutlicht die wesentlichen Unterschiede deutscher und angelsächsischer Rechnungslegungsphilosophie.
Book Description
Most people in organizations tend to manage projects either as realists or humanists. You Don't Have to Do It Alone brings together the practical view of the realist and the people-oriented view of the humanist, combining the best of both approaches into one role: the "Pragmatic Involver." Covering everything from solving a nagging long-term problem at work that could save a company millions of dollars, to launching a community movement to improve local schools, the book shows how involving others in a project while maintaining one's focus on the nuts-and-bolts details can make big things happen. Using the authors' six major questions - each of which is explored in detail - You Don't Have to Do It Alone shows how success can be attained in a project on any scale, from redesigning a manufacturing process at a paper mill to creating an effective youth center.
Customer Reviews:
You Don't Have to Do It Alone: How to Involve Others to Get Things Done.......2007-07-16
You Don't Have To Do It Alone is the perfect resources for those looking to organize small or large community or other volunteer projects. This book takes the reader through all of the questions he or she should ask in order to determine if help is needed on a particular project. The reader is then guided through decisions about what skill groups are required for the job, deciding which individuals should be invited to join the project, and how to go about recruiting these particular people. This book even gives the reader some tips on how to keep the project on task while keeping participants happy and motivated.
You Don't Have To Do It Alone gives the potential project organizer some real useable tools to help make his or her project a success. These resources are versatile enough to use for a small hands on project or a larger project where the project manager must depend almost entirely on delegation of tasks. There are also several charts and checklists that the reader can use to plan, keep organized, and make best use of his or her resources.
The guide to working with others to accomplish your goals!.......2005-04-05
The book's subtitle gives the jist of its message. Its chapters address five fundamental questions: What kind of involvement is needed? How to know whom to include? How to invite people to become involved? How to keep people involved? How to finish the job? A chapter is devoted to meetings. A final chapter, "Where to Start," provides several options. The book includes helpful chapter checklists. This reviewer was fortunate enough to hear one of the authors, Robert W. Jacobs (aka Jake) present his ideas in person to the Human Resources Knowledge Network (see HRconsultant.com), and was impressed with the power of the approach this book offers. Without question, this is a terrific practical guide to getting the right people involved and achieving your goals, whether in business or other realms of life.
Insightful !.......2005-02-24
This book is great reading for anyone who wants to get more done through team or group efforts, from peer or cross-functional work teams to groups of volunteers. If you initiate or lead a project, this thorough guide takes you all the way through, beginning with your first decision: determining whether you should do your project alone or involve additional people. It helps you consider the trade-offs involved and the advantages and disadvantages. Then the four authors - Richard H. Axelrod, Emily M. Axelrod, Julie Beedon and Robert W. Jacobs, all organizational development consultants - lead you step by step through the process of finding the right people, inviting them to participate, getting them excited, keeping them involved and celebrating successes both along the way and when the project is done. We recommend this book to anyone who has to coordinate a group effort, from managers to corporate presidents. Almost anyone who does not work alone could benefit from applying the concepts in this book.
A short fast read of condensed wisdom.......2004-12-14
Most of us want to get involved with other people. There is a definite limit as to what you can do by yourself. This may be from the sheer magnitude of the task at hand, or it may be from a lack of skills. None of us can do everything it takes a team to have a sports team, to run a business, to have a church.
This slim little book is about getting others involved and moving along the way you want them to go. And if you really want the brief version, the checklist in Appendix A pretty well summarizes up the whole thing.
Bismark, I believe, said that people want to be led and it's the same in business or in starting a community theater. It takes someone with the idea, and the willingness to stick to it through the end, and the people skills to make it happen.
Here in this little book is the condensed wisdom of people who have made things happen. It's an easy fast read, and it should be read before you start something.
Worth twice the price.......2004-11-18
For 25 years and depending on my locale, I called myself a professional organizer, the archangel of lost causes, or the feminist with files. Now I work for an agency, and I read this book on the plane from Boston where I attended a conference of the American Association of Grants Professionals. Whether you are organizing a shelter for battered women, writing a community arts grant, planning for a change in public policy, acting as an officer in a community action agency, or heading a committee at your local church there is good advice here for you. I've done these things and even more oddball tasks and wish this book had come out earlier. It places a lot of information in one place that is useful for almost any manager.
If you just have time to check out the tools, they are indexed in the back and are well worth the price of the book and then some. In addition to gleaning bits from the chapters to meet my department's management objectives, I am planning to read selections from the "For Further Learning" list. The emphases on inclusion and transparency are among the finer principles that should be encouraged in any organization. The book is well written, concise and easy to use.
Book Description
Just what is the 'fear of crime' and how does it impact upon the lives of the citizens of late modern societies? These are topical questions in an era when politicians compete to diagnose and respond to our worries, when newspapers are sold on the hook of our anxieties and when fortunes are made promoting the latest security technology for the home and the high street. How can the social sciences contribute to this part of the self-understanding of our times? This book presents new empirical and conceptual work on the questions of fear, anxiety, risk and trust - both as problems of everyday living and as key themes in the culture and politics of contemporary western societies. The volume includes contributions from distinguished social researchers from Britain, the United States, Germany and Italy and will be of interest to academics and students in the areas of criminology and sociology.
Average customer rating:
- History and significance of ice in our solar system
|
Icy Worlds of the Solar System
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Solar System
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Astronomy
| Astronomy
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0521640482 |
Book Description
Scientists have only recently come to believe that the presence of ice is widespread in our solar system. Focusing on the occurrence and significance of water ice, and ices formed by other materials, this volume considers the implications of the reservoirs of water ice for the presence of life elsewhere in our solar system, and for habitability by human explorers who may venture to these distant worlds in the future. Pat Dasch is a consultant in the space industry specializing in policy and public outreach issues. She has written, published, and broadcast on a wide variety of space-related issues for the past twenty years. From 1997-2001 she served as Executive Director of the Washington, DC-based National Space Society.
Customer Reviews:
History and significance of ice in our solar system.......2005-03-23
This is an recent, well-written, and very readable book about ice in our solar system. Pat Dasch clearly did a fine job as editor.
There is an introduction by Jonathan Lunine. We see the significance of solar system ice as the source of the Earth's water and of life. Robert Bindschadler then has a section on ice on Earth. He explains that Ice is 2 % of the Earth's water. Glaciation began 2.3 billion years ago, when the Earth was half its present age. And there's much more on the nature and history of our planet's ice.
There's clearly no reason to study ice on Venus, so Bryan Butler discusses the potential for finding ice on Mercury and the Moon. He thinks it is likely that ther are significant ice deposits on Mercury in permanently shaded regions in polar craters there. And there may be some on the Moon as well.
Next is a section by Tobias Owen on the role of icy planetesimals and indigenous rocks in providing our Earth with an atmosphere. After that, Michael Mellon discusses the nature of the Martian polar caps. Ice can exist only near the poles on Mars; nearer the equator, it simply sublimates. Paul Schenk then covers the solar system's icy satellites, including the terrain of the Jovian moons. And John Stansberry tells us about Triton, Pluto, and the Kuiper Belt.
The final chapter is by Dale Cruikshank, on comets. As we discover, comets appear to have supplied the Earth with a significant amount of water.
If we humans are going to explore the solar system, the amount of water on these surfaces may be of critical importance to us. In addition, the mechanisms that cause Earth to have as much water as it does may be present in other stellar systems, which could indicate something about the chances of life elsewhere in the Galaxy.
This is an interesting book for laymen and scientists, and I recommend it.
Book Description
The Kuiper belt is one of the most exciting regions for exploration and scientific research in planetary science. In
Icy Worlds at the Edge of the Solar System, a series of chapter-length essays will each focus on an important aspect of our growing understanding of the Kuiper Belt. The book will be written with aesthetics as the primary driver rather than a more didactic pedagogy, describing basic concepts through the use of colorful analogies and metaphors before introducing the unsolved and intriguing questions that motivate researchers.
The first chapter will detail the hunt for planets after the discovery of Pluto, starting where many other books leave off. The discovery of Chiron in 1978 was the first hint of what we now know to be the Kuiper belt and Centaurs. Although other bright objects including UB313 could have been discovered at the same time, it was not until the invention of the CCD and its application to astronomy in the early 1990s that 1992QB1 was eventually revealed. We now know more than 1000 KBOs.
The second chapter will look at the exquisite structure in the solar systems "terminal moraine", while the third chapter will take on the perplexing diversity of colors and albedos seen in the Kuiper Belt. The fourth chapter will relate the fascinating hypothesis by Hal Levison and Alessandro Morbidelli that explains not only the origin of the Kuiper belt, but traces the early migrations of the giant planets as they interacted with the remains of the protoplanetary disc and with each other. Chapter 5 will detail the surprising number of binaries that are being found in the Kuiper belt while the final chapter will cover the definition of a planet by explaining that objects in the Kuiper belt represent, in some ways, the most "normal" objects in orbit around the Sun and that the Earth and giant planets are unusual exceptions to this norm.
Average customer rating:
|
Industrial Applications of Microemulsions (Surfactant Science)
Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Industrial & Technical
| Chemistry
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Physical & Theoretical
| Chemistry
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Chemical
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Physical & Theoretical
| Chemistry
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0824797957 |
Book Description
"Fills a void in the literature by presenting the basic concepts of microemulsions, essential to understanding their industrial significance, and comprehensive descriptions of the most useful commerical applications. Discusses important issues related to enzymatic reactions and nanoparticle formation. Charts the enormous advances that have occurred in the field over the past decade."
Book Description
Racing the Antelope
"The human experience is populated by dreams and aspirations. For me, the animal totem of these dreams is the antelope, swift, strong, and elusive. we chase after 'antelope,' and sometimes we catch them. Often we don't. But why do we bother? I think it is because without dream 'antelopes' to chase we become what a lapdog is to a wolf. And we are inherently more like wolves than lapdogs, because the communal chase is part of our biological makeup."
In 1981, Bernd Heinrich, a lifelong runner, decided to test his limits at age forty-one and race in the North American 100-Kilometer Championship race in Chicago. To improve his own preparations as a runner, he wondered what he could learn from other animals--what makes us different and how we are the same--and what new perspective these lessons could shed on human evolution. A biologist and award-winning nature writer, he considered the flight endurance of insects and birds, the antelope's running prowess and limitations, the ultraendurance of the camel, and the remarkable sprinting and jumping skills of frogs. Exploring how biological adaptations have granted these creatures "superhuman" abilities, he looked at how human physiology can or cannot replicate these adaptations. Drawing on his observations and knowledge of animal physiology and behavior, Heinrich ran the race, and the results surprised everyone--himself most of all.
In Racing the Antelope, Heinrich applies his characteristic blend of scientific inquiry and philosophical musing to a deft exploration of the human desire--even need--to run. His rich prose reveals what endurance athletes can learn about the body and the spirit from other athletes in the animal kingdom. He then takes you into the heart of his own grueling 100-kilometer ultramarathon, where he puts into practice all that he has discovered about the physical, spiritual--and primal--drive to win.
At once lyrical and scientific, Racing the Antelope melds a unique blend of biology, anthropology, psychology, and philosophy with Heinrich's passion for running to discover how and why we run.
Customer Reviews:
An Unique Perspective.......2004-03-30
This is a great little book. It's title doesn't fully convey the complete story which includes one man's quest for a life-time-in-the-making run.
While Bern Heinrich's description of his quest pertains to ultra-marathoning, I found the principles he brought out equally applicable to lesser efforts. His vignettes of the natural endurance abilities various animals and insects are useful to ponder as one tries to squeeze a little extra performance out of a marathon. I found his observations of mankind's natural abilities and their comparisons to wildlife very interesting. I also found his commentary of his thoughts and tactics in preparation for and during his actual 100k race identical to some that I've had during my own endurance runs.
All in all, a unique read for the experienced runner who doesn't need another "how to" book on running.
Distance Running.......2002-11-19
This was a thoughtful venture into the science of distance running. The authors presents us with this scientific material (the physiology of endurance running) in a digestable manner. His prose is excellent for a scientist.
I'd Rather Eat Worms than Deplete.......2001-12-02
Anyone (like myself) who likes to run longer distances (and likes ~bugs~ to boot) will just plain enjoy reading about Heinrich's passion for the simple, elegant and primordial sport of running. Heinrich has woven his autobiography with scientific inquiry...his vocation (biology) is what gives this book about his avocation (running) an interesting bent. Heinrich talks about antelope, birds, toads, dogs and cats etc. and investigates what those animals can teach us about running, and what humans do or do not have in common with these animals regarding stamina, endurance, and even focus. I think that this book gives the reader / runner something to think about and be inspired by in an abstract way rather than serving as a ~step-by-step process~ on how to be a better runner. This is not some boastful read for the old-fart jock club (which by age I would qualify for), but an inspirational life story ~and~ scientific investigation regarding the human spirit, our primal / animal need to run (well, some of us anyway) and the drive to pursue our dreams (that goes for all of us!).
Very entertaining book.......2001-10-18
I can't disagree with the other reviewers that say this book is original and intense. However, I'm struggling to find out how my running can benefit from Heinrich's advice. The problem I have with the book is that it's disorganized. It starts off comparing the physiology of animals and humans' running ability, and ends with Heinrich's triumph at the big ultramarathon. I'm not sure what message the author and publisher are trying to convey to me. I was totally enthralled though with the discussion of the physiology of animals. I guess I was hoping for more details on how a runner can best prepare for an ultramarathon.
Don't Forget We are All Animals!.......2001-09-22
Racing the Antelope is one of the finest books on running I have ever read. Heinrich draws us in with his anecdotes as an ultramarathoner and enriches us with his deatiled knowledge of biology and physiology. The technical aspects are informative yet not too heavy. Any experienced or even beginner runner can profit from his examples. Well done!!
Average customer rating:
|
Run for Your Life. (Biology).: An article from: American Scientist
Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Automotive
| Books on CD
| Books on Cassette
| Crime & Criminals
| Current Events
| Economics
| Education
| Foreign Language Nonfiction
| Government
| Holidays
| Law
| Philosophy
| Politics
| Social Sciences
| Transportation
| True Accounts
| Urban Planning & Development
| Women's Studies
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Science & Technology
| Subjects
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
General
| Nonfiction
| HTML
| Formats
| e-Docs
| Formats
| Books
ASIN: B0008EBZ0C
Release Date: 2005-07-29 |
Average customer rating:
|
Bennett Cerf's Out on a Limerick: A Collection of over 300 of the World's Best Printable Limericks
Bennett Cerf
Manufacturer: Harpercollins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Comic
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
British & Irish
| Single Authors
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Humor
| British
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Satire, General
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Foreign Languages
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0060914513 |
Book Description
In plentiful detail from a huge range of historical sources, Secrets of the Samurai plots the development, principles and effects of the samurai culture of feudal Japan. Authors Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook have furnished details on the weapons, techniques, strategies and principles of the samurai's martial art, rescuing this vanishing lore for modern readers who may wish to incorporate it into their own martial arts training. Yet this best-selling book is predominantly a panoramic survey of the tumultuous early struggles of warlords contending for political ascendancy, shiftless samurai who terrorized the countryside, and those formidable warriors who protected the goods, well-being and values of their neighbors.
A definitive study, Secrets of the Samurai will fascinate anyone interested in this ancient tradition.
Customer Reviews:
A great addition to any library.......2007-08-23
Having read Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere by Oscar Ratti and Adele Westbrook, I looked forward to reading this book and adding it to my library. While Aikido was the newer of the two books, it was my first exposure to these authors. I had grown fond of their academic, though dry at times, writing style as well as their tendency to research their topic in great detail. I was hoping this book would live up to that standard, and I was not let down. In Secrets of the Samurai Ratti and Westbrook explore in great depth the historical roots and many practices of the samurai culture of feudal Japan. To lend some context or background for the focus of this book they include an introduction that contains a brief time line of the era, as well as some meaning to the words bujutsu (the group of methods employed by the military). The book then quickly moves into the structure of the Japanese military itself.
The authors go into great detail on the ranking system of the military, as well as it's relation to the government of the period. However it is not a book strictly about the rise of the samurai. Instead, the authors include a vast amount of detail about many topics surrounding the warrior class. Details such as the clothing that would be common for each rank or class, the armor the samurai would have adorned and the weapons they had employed. They do not limit their exploration to just the samurai themselves, choosing to also cover more obscure topics of the samurai culture, topics such as subcultures that existed within and around the samurai: ninja, Buddhist monks, and the women of the samurai for example. The use of simple sketches and drawings help to fill in the picture and are a nice inclusion.
While they choose to cover many topics, there should be no concern that the material is watered down. Instead, the main focus of the book is given great depth. The authors go into exhaustive detail about the many military tactics the samurai had used. Exploring fighting techniques does not limit itself to weaponry and armed combat. Instead a hearty portion of the book is devoted to many styles of martial arts. Great detail is given in techniques of unarmed combat, as well as the history of many styles and schools that the samurai would have been exposed to. Certainly they give an in depth look into the religious beliefs and spirituality of the samurai, as well as any influence Zen Buddhism may have had on these warriors. Having studied martial arts and eastern philosophy a bit myself I truly appreciated the coverage afforded the martial arts, and spirituality.
Westbrook and Ratti have clearly put a great deal of research into this comprehensive and indispensable text. Some have claimed that their sources lack any ancient Japanese texts, and while most of their sources are English, they do cull information from various Japanese sources. Surely this is not the end all of information regarding the samurai, but it is certainly a good place to start. While it may be a bit dry in reading due to its extremely academic nature, it comes as no surprise and the book never claims to be a page turner. It is however a wonderful asset to anyone interested in martial arts, feudal Japan, and the rise of the militant ethos of the samurai, and may allow at least a fair amount of insight into an old and very foreign culture. This book makes a great addition to a martial artist's library, and is a great value.
An Unareliable Book Containing Fantasy Material.......2007-02-21
I am writing this review, because people are erroneously using this book as a source for research into pre-modern Japan. It should not be used for this purpose. It belongs to a genre which I call "gosh golly" books. I will proceed to comments relating to previous reviews.
1. The illustrations are modern and appear to have been drawn by a western artist. What it does not contain is reproductions of premodern woodblock prints, paintings, &c. or photographs of actual artifacts.
2. While it has a large bibliography, the works are pretty much exclusively in English and appear to be popular rather than scholarly publications.
3. This book contains descriptions of Japanese "martial arts" such as "tessenjutsu" which do not appear in reliable Japanese literature.
4. This book contains descriptions of highly improbable "martial arts" such as the supposed ability for a seated practitioner to kill an armed opponent by shouting at him.
5. The historical descriptions in the book betray a woeful ignorance. For example, chapter 1 includes a claim that Buddhism is "monotheistic". This makes me wonder how the authors managed to use the correct Japanese words for the military class and the court nobility. Saddly, the scattering of accurate information in this book makes it even less desireable as it lends credance to the book's fantasy elements.
6. One commentor recommended the books by Stephen Turnbull. If you are interested in more scholarly treatments of Japan's medieval period, I recommend consulting books by Marius B. Jansen, Paul Varley, John Witney Hall, William Wayne Farris, and Jeffrey P. Mass. Heavenly Warriors by Farris specifically deals with the origin of the buke class going beyond earlier work by Mass.
7. If what you are looking for is battle paintings, pictures of military artifacts, &c. then you should cosider ordering books from the Mook Series published by Gakken. These can be ordered online from amazon.co.jp. A representative title in this series can be found by entering the following ISBN number into their search engine: 4056042489.
In short. If you are seriously interested in Japan, please buy better books.
good refrence book.......2006-12-27
This book is not a book you site down and read, although you can if you want to. It is great if thers a spicific thing you want to look up, there are sections on swordmanship, archery, unarmed combat, wrestling, ninjutsu, spearmanship and more. each catagory has a sort of "hystory of" section befor the author talks about the techneecks and aplications of the weapon. also there are many diagrams showing some of the manovers used by the samuari. if you like the martial arts than theres a good chance that you will love this book.
A classic text!.......2006-12-05
For anyone interested in learning about Japanese martial culture, you will not likely find a more thorough text. You will gain an understanding of Medieval Japanese warfare, the various classes of warrior employed, and how the purely combat-oriented warrior-arts of Bujutsu became the more spiritually-centered Budo arts. There is a wealth of historical relevance to all of this, and it can be summarized as a result of the eventual unification and pacification of the various warring factions that made Japan such a dangerous place to be for hundreds of years. Although largely isolated from other nations, the Japanese developed advanced weapons, armor, tactics, and training entirely on their own. Much of the early history involves complex intrigues by competing feudal factions to control regions, gain power, and undermine rivals. This is very much the state of affairs in most world military histories, but Japan was unique in that most of the action was confined to their home islands, with actions almost exclusively against fellow Japanese. Japanese forces did initiate almost-successful invasions of Korea, and Japan itself was invaded quite un-successfully by Mongols in 1274 and 1281.
Much of the text centers on the Samurai class, but there is also much about the common soldiers who filled the ranks, performing their particular tasks based on the weapons employed. Monasteries went to war as well. Monks were formidable opponents...or valuable allies! There is a chapter on how the Ninja were employed, as Medieval special-operations and espionage agents. They were centuries ahead of their time in regard to many of the skills and techniques they utilized, some of which were only recently employed by modern special units in the 20th century.
The text is illustrated throughout by quaint pen & ink drawings from the authors.
If you are fascinated by Japanese military history, the most prolific author is Stephen Turnbull, undoubtedly the greatest western expert in this topic. He has written a large number of outstanding books on the Samurai, and other facets of warfare in their time and place. If you want to focus entirely on the Ninja, the modern practitioners of Ninjutsu, Grandmaster Masaki Hatsumi and American instructor Stephen Hayes are the best sources to read.
A Nice Overview of Japanese Martial Arts.......2005-09-12
I approach this book not as a student of martial arts, but as a student of Japan and Japanese culture. As such, I was not looking for an overly technical, elaborately detailed survey of the theories and applications of the martial arts, but instead a broad overview that encompasses the ideas of the martial arts, and the practical application of those ideas with a generalized view. In that respect, this book does not disappoint.
Covered are all the basics of the art of Japanese warfare in the individualistic sense. First is an overview of the country and the time in which the warrior obtained prominence, setting the scene for the development of a unique figure in the history of worldwide combat. Then covered is the aspects of battle such as armor, weapons, various techniques (archery, swordplay, etc.) and finally an overview of the ideals and a bit of the philosophy of the martial arts, starting with the concept of Ki and going then from Bushido to Aikido and Judo to the ideals of Sumo. It is all covered, at least briefly.
The book itself is full of illustrations, though I found many of them distressingly lacking in detail. It would have been nice to have seen photographs of many of the items talked about, or at least more detailed and realistic diagrams. Yet, they do an adequate job of conveying the images of these items.
All in all, the book does its job. For this student, I was left wanting an even more indepth review. Or perhaps a section about warfare in groups (something the book never covers). Yet, for all of that, perhaps it's best that it does not. The authors are a bit droll, and certainly their understanding of the history and the technical aspects of armor or weapons are much stronger than their understanding of the theories.
But again, highly recommended, to students of Japanese culture, or those interested in the martial arts.
Average customer rating:
|
More Precious Than Peace: Fighting and Winning the Cold War in the Third World
Peter Rodman
Manufacturer: Scribner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
20th Century
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
Ideologies
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
| Communism & Socialism
| Radical Thought
General
| Political Doctrines
| Political Science
| Social Sciences
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0684194279 |
Book Description
Most people believe that science arose as a natural end-product of our innate intelligence and curiosity, as an inevitable stage in human intellectual development. But physicist and educator Alan Cromer disputes this belief. Cromer argues that science is not the natural unfolding of human potential, but the invention of a particular culture, Greece, in a particular historical period. Indeed, far from being natural, scientific thinking goes so far against the grain of conventional human thought that if it hadn't been discovered in Greece, it might not have been discovered at all. In Uncommon Sense, Alan Cromer develops the argument that science represents a radically new and different way of thinking. Using Piaget's stages of intellectual development, he shows that conventional thinking remains mired in subjective, "egocentric" ways of looking at the world--most people even today still believe in astrology, ESP, UFOs, ghosts and other paranormal phenomena--a mode of thought that science has outgrown. He provides a fascinating explanation of why science began in Greece, contrasting the Greek practice of debate to the Judaic reliance on prophets for acquiring knowledge. Other factors, such as a maritime economy and wandering scholars (both of which prevented parochialism) and an essentially literary religion not dominated by priests, also promoted in Greece an objective, analytical way of thinking not found elsewhere in the ancient world. He examines India and China and explains why science could not develop in either country. In China, for instance, astronomy served only the state, and the private study of astronomy was forbidden. Cromer also provides a perceptive account of science in Renaissance Europe and of figures such as Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton. Along the way, Cromer touches on many intriguing topics, arguing, for instance, that much of science is essential complete; there are no new elements yet to be discovered. He debunks the vaunted SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) project, which costs taxpayers millions each year, showing that physical limits--such as the melting point of metal--put an absolute limit on the speed of space travel, making trips to even the nearest star all but impossible. Finally, Cromer discusses the deplorable state of science education in America and suggests several provocative innovations to improve high school education, including a radical proposal to give all students an intensive eighth and ninth year program, eliminating the last two years of high school. Uncommon Sense is an illuminating look at science, filled with provocative observations. Whether challenging Thomas Kuhn's theory of scientific revolutions, or extolling the virtues of Euclid's Elements, Alan Cromer is always insightful, outspoken, and refreshingly original.
Customer Reviews:
abstract reasoning.......2007-02-16
Professor Cromer makes the case for a particular type of thinking necessary in science. He claimed that only a small percentage of his students in his science classes could understand the abstract reasoning and critical thinking necessary to pass a rigorous science class. He laid the blame on not being introduced to science at an early enough age. He claimed that the early K12 teachers for the most part didn't understand science. In the last half of his book he offers prescriptions for correcting this situation. The book was written in the 90s and one can see the success of his book with the introduction of algebra on the high school exit exams. Also the success of Numbers on CBS fridays, which does for mathematics what he presribed for science. It is a very influencial book.
Great book on the history of scientific thinking.......2003-07-03
I enjoyed this book very much. I takes us on a trip down the path of human intellectual development that begins before we were human, when we were apes, through prehistory, ancient history, and up to the present day. I strongly recommend the book. However, the author says some things that I think are extremely unlikely, such as his idea that if the Greeks had not made certain mathematical discoveries they would probably never have been made. He makes some scientific errors, such as his idea about the maximum speed of a space ship which I am almost
certain is incorrect. There are a number of other errors in the book, but it is still a great book. Don't believe everything you read in this book, but do read it and enjoy it. It will make you think.
Why you will NEVER see an Extraterrestrial.......2003-04-18
Read this book!
If you wish to debate the X File's fan - read the book. If you just want to ruin their most recent UFO siting you only need to read Ch 9 Are We Alone?
The simple mathematics presented will assure you that the Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) was NOT Extraterrestrial!
Nearest Star with a slight chance of a planetary system - 6 light years ( 3.3 X10^13 miles).
Typical speed of a space ship (Apollo - 25000 mph | 7 mps) 10 miles per second.
Time in a sooped up Apollo space ship 100,000+ YEARS!
Think we could build a bit faster ship tomorrow - a resonable max speed of a rocket = 41 mps. See the end notes page 223 for ch 9 note 5. So divide 100000 yr by 4 and it is still too long 25,000 yr. by a factor of 1000!
Best short book about what science really is.......2000-09-09
I was delighted with this wonderful book. The author gives an all around explanantion about the origins of science and its nature, pointing out the misconceptions that are distorting science education. A great book for the professional scientist that usually never has time to ponder how science is distinct from the intuitive creativity of common sense and the educated person that wants to understand this activity that permeates our society but is basically not understood.
It Will Tickle Your Brain.......1999-07-15
Ever wonder why there seems to be so many people who do not use reasoning or logic? How come so many people hold contraditory concepts and somehow seem unbothered by the conflicting beliefs they hold? Well, this book helps to explain it in a historic and cultural examination. The book takes the reader through evolution to considerations about possible universe populations. It is a delightful book to quote and a joy to read again and again. You will like it.
Books:
- Finance for IT Decision Makers: A Practical Handbook for Buyers, Sellers and Managers (Practitioner Series)
- Financial Derivatives: An Introduction to Futures, Forwards, Options and Swaps
- Financial & Managerial Accounting w/CD-ROM, NetTutor and Powerweb
- Fireplace Incorporated: Company Business Simulation
- FutureNet: The Past, Present, and Future of the Internet as Told by Its Creators and Visionaries
- H & R Block 2002 Income Tax Guide: Preparing America's Taxes for Over 45 Years
- Handbook of Heavy Tailed Distributions in Finance (Handbooks in Finance)
- Handbook of Monetary Economics Volume 2 (Handbook of Monetary Economics)
- Hooper Financial Accounting
- How To Analyze Businesses, Financial Statements And The Quality Of Earnings -
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Bringing Out the Best in Yourself at Work: How to Use the Enneagram System for Success
- Art of the Japanese Garden
- A History of the French New Wave Cinema
- 101 French Proverbs
- A Gift of Fire
- Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America's Heart
- A Visual Introduction to Big Cats
- Study Guide, Corporate Financial or Financial & Managerial Accounting, Chs. 1-15
- Understanding Quickbooks
- Living Within Your Means
