5 comments about The Joy of Mathematics: Discovering Mathematics All Around You.

1. This book could have been good if the author had done a careful job of writing the text, and perhaps if the illustrations were original, and above all if the author had understood the material she was writing about. Sadly these are often not the case with this book.

   Rather, this book gives every sign of being essentially copied from bits of many dozens of other books. All the illustrations appear to be low-quality xerographic copies from other books (clearly used without any permissions).

   But worst of all, the book is chock full of misstatements, misconceptions, and sentences that don't convey any meaning.

   This book gives the non-expert reader the impression that he or she is learning something, but a great deal of the time this is just the illusion of learning.

   I will list a few of the errors and illusory learning that I can readily find:
   ________
   p. 6: The illustration of the cycloid curve should show it to be in a vertical direction where one arch meets another; instead it is at 45 degrees to the vertical.
   ________
   p. 7: It is stated that when marbles are released in a cycloid-shaped container, they will reach the bottom at the same time. This phenomenon occurs for a bowl whose cross-section is an *inverted* cycloid, but that is omitted.
   ________
   p. 13: Both the "impossible tribar" and "Hyzer's optical illusion" are NOT mathematically impossible, contrary to what is written. (They can be constructed in 3 dimensions.) Twistors are mentioned but not defined, even in a rough, metaphoric way -- just not at all.
   ________
   p. 18: It is mentioned that pi cannot be the solution of an algebraic equation with integral coefficients, but there is no discussion in the book of what such an equation is.
   __________
   p. 19: Also, it is stated that the probability of two randomly chosen integers' being relatively prime is 6/pi. Not only should the correct number be 6/(pi * pi), but the idea of randomly choosing an integer is left completely undiscussed, although there is no known way to do this.
   ________
   p. 38: The Platonic solids (aka regular polyhedra) are discussed here, but although they are defined twice, neither definition is correct. (The author neglects to mention that the faces of such a solid must be *regular* polygons.)
   ________
   p. 45: The Klein bottle is discussed and illustrated here, but there is no mention that a genuine Klein bottle cannot be constructed in ordinary 3-dimensional space. (The familiar model of a Klein bottle depicted here is a self-intersecting version of the real Klein bottle, which does not intersect itself. This is much like the fact that a picture of a knot drawn in the plane must appear as if the knot intersects itself, though it does not do so in space.)
   ________
   p. 46: The illustration at bottom purports to show what the model of the Klein bottle would look like if it were sliced in half. The halves are erroneously shown as identical, but they should be mirror images of each other.
   ________
   p. 78: The title of this page is "Fractals -- real or imaginary?"
   This is an entirely misguided question that will only confuse the reader. All mathematical concepts are real within mathematics, and do not exist (except as approximations) in the real world.

   It's a worthwhile topic in the philosophy of mathematics, and could well have been introduced in this book, but it has nothing whatsoever to do with fractals per se.
   ________
   p. 91: Here the author attempts to describe a model of hyperbolic geometry (in a circular disk) devised by Henri Poincaré. However, she gets it exactly backwards, saying that objects get smaller as they approach the boundary of the disk.
   (She may have been well-aware of how this model works, but her prose is at best completely ambiguous.)
   ________
   p. 96: Here it is stated that it has been proved that knots cannot exist in more than 3 dimensions. Apparently the author is unfamiliar with an extensive and thriving field of higher-dimensional knots. (For example, a sphere can be knotted in 4-dimensional space.)
   ________
   There are many, many more such gaffes, but I fear I have gone on too long. I just wanted to make it crystal-clear that this book is riddled with erroneous and vacuous statements.




2. Sorry to say but this book is a dud. While the concept of presenting interesting mathematical facts is great the presentation is so brief, so wrought with errors, and so incomplete that the work is not worth perusing.
   
   Some of the "chapters" have answers at the back of the book and some do not. It appears that the author could not make up her mind wether this was to be a "math tricks" book or a "popular mathematics" presentation substantiated by theory.
   
   There are many other excellent books that are more fulfilling. Journey Through Genius comes to mind.
   
   All in all a disappointing work.



3. The widely divergent reviews reflect a lack of understanding of the purpose of this book. It is meant to touch on many mathematical ideas, not to go into depth on any one idea. My son read this at age 8, then at 10, and again at 12 - getting something more out of it every time. Many of the ideas intrigued and inspired him to seek out more information on his own, to research and understand more deeply. For that purpose, it deserves the highest rating.
   
   I did not give 5 stars because there are some instances where I did find errors, these do not detract from the purpose of the book, but they are annoying to those of us who try to delve deeper. What I consistently found myself doing is researching from the internet and other print resources. But the idea originated from the overview in the book.
   
   Many recreational mathematics books are inaccessible to beginners or math phobes. This book allows you to sample many, many ideas without feeling overwhelmed by details you may not understand. If you want details, you go explore the world opened up by the book.



4. if the discoverable arithmetic of the everyday natural world interests you, try this; and then you may want to explore her other work along this line.



5. My appreciation for Theoni Pappas is enormous as for an observer and admirer of the world around her and mathematician. These factors cannot be separated, as at first you have to do more than just look around, but you have to have a beautiful mind of a child and be an intellectualist at the same time, not just to take things for granted, but as a child be curious and ask questions and finally as an intellectualist and mathematician find answers to them.
   Yet, there is more to it. It is so, as the author popularizes mathematics. She answers the basic questions about role of mathematics in our lives. Most people associate mathematics as calculating especially money, yet in mathematics the theory models or formula are created, and it occurs that they find application in our material world sometimes even centuries afterwards. Let us look at some examples in the book "The joy of mathematics": - earthquakes and logarithms- connection lies in the method to calculate earthquakes' magnitudes by means of Richter scale, which is logarithmic, - the catenary & the parabolic curves- who takes as an obvious phenomena- the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco- it looks gorgeous, but what it looks like is connected with construction equations, which contribute to the fundamental thing, that it really is invulnerable and cannot be destroyed by the mass itself, as well as additional natural forces. Even Galileo noticed the curve to be parabola, - Thales & the Great Pyramid- Egiptians' calculations of the height of a pyramid were based on shadows and similar triangles, -the Dome of Milan -Gothic plans incorporating the application of geometry and symmetry in architecture, and lots of stuff like that. If you like to notice more around you, astound your friends, you should read such books, as there is more beauty around you than what you just see.

5 comments about Java(TM) Puzzlers: Traps, Pitfalls, and Corner Cases.

1. You really have to be a language weenie to care about many of these. If you're looking to become a better programmer, or simply to be entertained, this probably isn't the right book.



2. This book was so much fun to read but more importantly it surprised me a couple of times ... which is what i expected when i got it ...
   
   Cutting it short, if you are looking for some puzzlers ( some real ones ) get this book, at least you'll have some fun ...
   
   Regards
   Vyas, Anirudh



3. Completing the puzzles in this book will increase your knowledge of the Java language spec. This book was written by 2 of the world's foremost Java experts.



4. This book presents several problems that maybe even expert Java developers never thougt about. Some of them are only curious corner cases, others present tricky behaviours of the language that every developer must be aware of to avoid unwanted behaviours. I warmly suggest this book as a complement to "Effective Java", by the same author.



5. This is an amusing and at the same time amazing book that helps avoiding some very dark corners you might not have been aware of when programming in Java. I used FindBugs to test for some of the pitfalls described in the book in some codebases we had and did I find errors! Go get yourself a copy.

No comments about Life: Picture Puzzle - The Amazing Box Set (Life (Life Books)).

5 comments about Everything Scrabble.

1. The authors need to update this work. It still uses the words contained in OSWD 3. Anyone playing with a OSWD 4 knows that words like "Qi" and "Ki" are permissable and this edition of EVERYTHING SCRABBLE doesn't take that into account, so anyone using this version will be at a great disadvantage.



2. I was very pleased with my purchase of the above mentioned book. Fast shipping and well packaged.



3. Everything Scrabble is a very useful resource for any Scrabble player who wishes to take Scrabble to the next level. This book will teach you very useful two and three letter words, all the need-to-know 'Q' and 'Z' words, and can reshape the way you look at your Scrabble tiles. It is a bit lengthy- you can't really sit down with it and read it in an hour; instead, it's designed to take each chapter in steps to improve your skills overall. Everything Scrabble is very informative and interesting and definitely a good buy.



4. We gave this as a gift to our daughter-in-law who loves playing Scrabble. She told us at least 4 times how much she liked it. So I'd say it's a winner!



5. I bought this as a gift for my Mother. I do not believe she has used the book yet. Shopping was efficient on your web site. Purchase came quickly. You are excellent!

2 comments about Collage, Assemblage, and Altered Art: Creating Unique Images and Objects.

1. The work profiled here leans more toward fine art than craft, which is a welcome diversion. Worth the purchase for some really fresh altered book depictions.



2. I have only thumbed through this book so far, but it looks like it has the information I was looking for. I needed to know the basics of assemblage and materials to use and that was explained very well.
   Would reccomend this book.

5 comments about Design Your Own Coat of Arms: An Introduction to Heraldry.

1. This book provides a very elementary introduction to Heraldry. The basic layout of a Coat of Arms is discussed, including a very brief history, along with the rules of placement and description for the major elements. The author also includes some discussion of the prevailing Heraldry of countries around the world, including medieval countries. The appendixes include elements for the user to trace or imitate when creating their own Coat of Arms. Lastly there is some contact information for organizations involved with Heraldry.
   
   The book lacks depth. It provides nothing resembling an exhaustive list of elements; only a few basic forms and styles are covered. Further there is nil discussion concerning the meaning of the elements presented. The most a reader can learn is that crowns and lions rampant are symbols of Royalty, and some of that we have to infer. The work feels directed to early middle school children and should probably be marked as Young Reader.



2. In this book there is more historical information, and descriptions. Great for older children that can draw well.



3. Great book for beginner Heralds!!!



4. Perfect resource guide for my unit on the Middle Ages. Very quick shipment and in perfect condition. Great job!



5. a very good book, as it explains heradlry terms, and makes it simple to create your own device.
   
   pity amazon so hard to deal with if not in america

2 comments about Mensa Challenge Your Brain Math & Logic Puzzles (Mensa).

1. If you love puzzles, this book is a **must have**! This is hands down the best puzzle book I have ever worked. There is a wide variety of puzzles and they are all unique, not your standard logic problems. Prepare to be challenged, these puzzles are definitely for the puzzle solver at heart! What a great mental workout!



2. A great book for those of you who are preparing for a puzzle competition and are looking for an exercise book (as I was when I bought this one). Despite it is only 96 pages, it has a great variety of puzzles, mostly contest types.
   
   There are around 10 to 20 puzzles of each type, and these are:
   
   - Alternate corners
   - Battleships (classic, crowded, hexagonal, minesweeper, numerical, ocean view, semicircular)
   - Corral
   - Deja Vu
   - Dominoes (domino hunt)
   - Eminent domain
   - End View (like ABCD)
   - Fences (including big field fences and pentomino fences)
   - Hex Loops
   - Lighthouses
   - Minesweeper
   - Number place
   - Nurikabe
   - Oxtails
   - Clouds
   - Skyscrapers (only the 'number of buildings' type)
   - Snaky tiles
   - Spiral galaxies
   - Spokes
   - Square Roots
   - Tents
   
   The level of difficulty is pretty good, at least for the puzzles I tried.
   The only drawback is that most of the puzzles are too small, especially the Fences. I've seen books where the puzzles on the answer pages are bigger than these ones. It's not like they are so small that makes it impossible to work them out, but still pretty small. What I'm doing on other books and will on that one too is to scan the puzzles, cut the white spaces and print them back again on larger sheets. This way you are not ruining your book when drawing and erasing and you can print (and solve) certain pages as many times as you like.
   
   Highly recommended.

5 comments about Deadman's Poker: A Novel.

1. The problem with some author's today is that they decide (or their publishers encourage them) to write a 2 part-er. Then, they do not let you knw this on the cover (probably so if you read the paperback, you can then buy the hardcover). The problem with these books is that the 2nd part usually spends a lot of time covering the same ground as the first book, and (as reviewers already state for book #2 - Deadman's bluff - you do not even need to read this one to appreciate that work!).
   
   Otherwise this would get 4 stars. Swain's writing is much better, and his plot points no longer carry the huge unbelievable stretches of imagination (like actual mind reading monkeys) that his earlier works do. One good aspect of Swain's books is that the author allows us to enjoy Vegas while at the same time not hiding his personal distain for the gambling mecca.
   
   I recommend this, as long as you know it is #1 of 2 and though side plot points will be solved, the main case will not until you read "bluff."



2. I really like Swain. I really like Valentine. I even kinda like his kid. I'm not too sure about this novel. You see it's not finished. There's some strange, fatal method of winning at poker - maybe like what killed that Russian spy_ but after a lot of novel we do not yet know. Nor does Tony. I sure hope no one climbs up a rope and disappears in the follow up. You see, there is an old con man who makes and wins absurd bets with gamblers in Las Vegas. I suspect the chances of getting away with those bets would be about the same as not experiencing leg breaking ,cause they are on the order of "Betcha I can tell you where you got them shoes." So here we are anticipating a resolution to the surefire poker win and are only half the way there while being entertained with side shows. Maybe Swain needed some cash and had only half the novel done. After all, the carnie makes as much geeking as on the midway. I hope that's it cause now I am waiting for the follow up. Hooked I guess.Decide for yourself. Double or nothing. Watta bet!!!



3. Based on the first third of this book, I would give this 4 stars. The characters were interesting, and I was enjoying myself. Then the story really slowed down, with lots of side stuff. Then I figured out I would need to get the next book Deadman's Bluff to finish the story. So minus 1 star for taking a single 1 book story and splitting into 2 books to extort money. And clearly, it would have been 2 short books so filler was added. Another minus star for boring side stories; the Rufus scammer character is interesting in moderation, but after the fly, horserace, golf, ping pong, cat, x-ray vision, etc. scams, it was tiring. They didn't add anything, other than the mildly entertaining "how he tricked the Greek" variety. But they were too long as side stories, and it was ludicrous that the main character and his tacked-on "love" interest kept saying "there's no way he can do this" over and over again. Look, Rufus is a grifter, he will win not by playing by the rules. No reader was saying "yeah, there is no way" rather it was, "ok, what dumb trick will he use." So the dialog seemed contrived to try to make these side stories more dramatic. Didn't work. And in the end, the way that the tournament cheating was done, you probably will have figured out, and it isn't very "wow" to justify buying and reading 2 books. Even though my review sounds negative, I was impressed with the beginning of this book, and I assume that the rest of this book and the 2nd one were boring because the author (editor/publisher) were trying to stretch this out to sell twice as many books. If you just read this book and not the 2nd you really will be unhappy (1 star happy). However, given the good beginning of this book, I'm going to try Mr. Lucky and give this author 1 more chance. I think he is better than whomever told him to stretch this thin story to two volumes. The author seems to have a great sense of gambling, Atlantic City, and grifters. If these 2 books were 1, and tightened up by dropping a ton of Rufus stuff, this would be 4 stars!



4. The writing is great and the build up to the end is great but there is no payoff. We have to buy the next book to figure out what is going to happen (I think). Frustrating and disappointing.



5. Another in the author's series of novels featuring Tony Valentine, who consults with casinos and law-enforcement about gambling scams and scammers.
   
   In this tale, he and his son Gerry go to Las Vegas to discover how a blind poker player is scamming a poker tournament, which is being televised nationally by an ESPN-like cable sports network.
   
   A few of the regular characters reappear, and there are two great new ones--a female reporter for the network, who Valentine develops a relationship with, and a 72-year-old grifter named Rufus, who among other "wagers" bets a mark that he can beat a horse and jockey in a 100-yard race.
   
   There's a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor, with one chapter concluding with a plea to bring over a flamethrower. Wait for it.
   
   Warning: at the end of the novel Valentine is halfway to the solution, but the sequel, "Deadman's Bluff," has been published. Some may object to this carving-up of a single tale, but really--the side stories are as interesting as the main plot, so I, for one, don't much mind.

No comments about Pokemon Ranger: Shadows of Almia: Prima Official Game Guide (Prima Official Game Guides).

2 comments about THE WORLD ENDS WITH YOU Official Strategy Guide (Official Strategy Guides (Bradygames)).

1. I love having lists of items for RPGs and this guide provides plenty. Details for clothing and buttons are very well laid out. The guide also provides a walkthrough for hte game but I have not used that enough to give a good opinion. If you like having details for items in RPGs then this is a great accessory to a terrific game.



2. The guide is decent and helps you get through the game The World Ends With You. Includes an easy to follow walk-through as well as appendices to useful information about Threads, Noise database, Pin guide. Gives you information about the extra missions after you clear the game. I found the Pin guide most useful.
   
   This guide is not with out a few flaws such as incorrect information about pin evolutions and stating repeatedly that certain pins come from "big" noise when it should have said "pig". Not a big deal though the guide in it's entirety is helpful and the flaws are easily spotted and don't affect your ability to play the game well.
   
   I should also mention that the walk-through is only partially spoiler free. There are a few times when reading the walk-through will spoil a few story elements but it does keep some of the more important spoilers a secret.