5 comments about Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design (Mcgraw-Hill Series in Mechanical Engineering).

1. As a senior ME student, I think Shigley's Mechanical Engineering Design may be a good reference book, but find it is a poor text. Most topics are covered quickly and equations presented with little or no emphasis on any engineering derivation. This will frustrate engineers who enjoy knowing why the equations work. Also many of the answers found in the back of the book are simply incorrect. This inhibits the value of the problems found at the end of each chapter. The book covers a myriad of engineering topics which makes it fine to pull off the shelf to find the correct equation to use. However as a text, it lacks the engineering and mathematical depth to help one understand why the equations presented are true and why they work.



2. As is quite apparent from the one review of the hardcover edition (and from my machine design professor repeatedly referring to this as a reference book), this isn't the best textbook from which to learn the material in the first place, but it has every formula you'll ever need (well, maybe not...). However, there is one very important fact to note if you are considering buying this book for a class. It is NOT identical to the hardcover 8th edition; all problems and examples are in SI units (often with significantly different numbers), and the problem numbers are not necessarily the same (one cannot help but suspect that this is intentional on the part of the publisher, since it means that the cheaper paperback edition cannot be easily substituted for the hardcover edition). If you will need this book for homework, be aware of this.



3. I think this is a really good textbook, though it is very pricey. Many of the tables that are in the book are very useful and the examples are extremely helpful. I only bought this book because I needed it for 2 classes and it will be one of the few books I will keep even after graduation.



4. This text book has been around for awhile and for good reason. I used it for my Machine Design class, and still use it occasionally for reference after graduation. It is a bit pricey, but it is one of the few textbooks I've held onto for reference in my job. It does contain quite a lot of information and presents it rather well. Not perfect, but a good text book overall.



5. The book is a most have for mechanical engineering students, it covers everything from mechanics of materials, to metallurgy, to basic design knowledge of dynamic stresses, statistics and much more. Been a student myself it's a great reference for many future curses.

5 comments about Schaum's Outline of Continuum Mechanics.

1. Not really a very good book on continuum mechanics. However, it
   does summarise some very important points and equations useful
   for quick reference. The exercise is not so great.



2. Better than most professors, but concepts are still difficult to grasp. Have you ever had one of those tennis ball machines go crazy at you? That is how continuum mechanics is, you constantly have things hurled in your direction and you don't know how to stop them. The concepts are very difficult to understand since I'm sure many professors have a hard time understanding the course material itself. The Schaum's outline helps very much in the sense that it slows down the hurling of material and it explains where many equations are derived from. This book stands out above the rest of continuum mechanics books in the sense that it offers solved problems, which is rare for such a theoretical class.



3. Like most other Schaum's series, the theory sections are condensed, which makes the part more like a compendium of continuum mechanics. The theoretical sections are thus good for a quick review of the material but not a good resource for "learning" the material. The biggest advantage of the book is that it provides an inexpensive summary of continuum mechanics.

   The downside of the book is that the solved problems are not similar to the type of problems one confronts in a typical continuum course. In most cases several problems (statement together with the solution) are presented in a single page, which shows that each problem has been solved in 1-5 lines. I personally don't like most of the problems presented here; however, the problems could be useful for warming up.

   A better book is "Introduction to the Mechanics of a Continuous Medium" by Malvern, which is the best I've seen in explaining the intricacies of the theory. Another good complement is Holzapfel's "Nonlinear Solid Mechanics: A Continuum Approach for Engineering", which contains both the theory AND some solved sample problems.




4. This is a great book to support all the information you can get in a single continuum mechanics class. It could be nice if it has a more detailed treatment of the mohr's circle because of his power in 2D and an approach to the analysis of shells and plates.
   Best regards and enjoy it!



5. This is a good source for supplemental problems and alternate explanations of some of the basic results and concepts in continuum mechanics. I typically recommend it to my students. Information/$ ratio is very high.

5 comments about Electric Motors & Drives.

1. The best book I have read on motors and drives. The narrative explains the concepts clearly, and the mathematics is basic and focused on the important points.
   
   I have been interested in electric automobiles and this book provides an excellent foundation on basic motors and the power drive systems.
   
   I highly recommend this book. Well worth the investment. Top notch for anyone's library.



2. I own several books on motors and drives, and have worked with industrial robots and their motor controls/feedback for several years. This book is the best resource I have found to clearly explain motor concepts, including the operation of the different types of motors, and the considerations surrounding the design of the drive electronics. Highly recommended.



3. It would be difficult to overstate how really good this book is. If you work with motors or want to know more about how electric motors work, BUY THIS BOOK. There is just enough math to make the explanations understandable without getting swamped (for an in-depth mathematical treatment, see Electric Machinery and Transformers (The Oxford Series in Electrical and Computer Engineering)).
   
   I especially found the chapters on the fundamentals of motor magnetics (Chapter 1), DC motors (Chapter 3), and induction motors (Chapter 5) the most enlightening because they clearly explain why/how motors work. These chapters only make the book well worth it's price.
   
   I would like to have seen a few example circuit schematics for a dc and/or an ac drive but these are probably topics better left for another book.



4. By far the best drive book I bought. I recommend this book to everyone. From beginner to expert. It is well explained.



5. This truly remarkable book has done much to elucidate the fundamental principles of motors and drives in the plainest terms. The focus is on DC motor and induction motor. It also covers stepper motor and synchronous motor. Its explanation of the induction motor is second to none. The mechanisms are explained clearly not shrouded in the complex mathematical formulation.
   
   I was initially disappointed to find scanty discussion on brushless DC motor, but soon I realize that once I understand induction motor, synchronous motor which BLDC motor is a subclass is relatively trivia.

1 comments about U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945 (Specialty Press) (Specialty Press).

1. This is a solid book written by someone who took the time to track down all those little details that airplane buffs want to know. There are nice write ups of all the planes listed in this book, and the pictures are first rate. There are lots of planes that I've never heard of, and it was interesting to see all the work the DoD was doing during the war.
   
   If you are interested in WWII or experimental planes, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this book. You'll be very happy with your purchase.

5 comments about Airport Planning & Management.

1. Airport Planning & Management is an excellent reference for any student of airport management or aviation.

   The book details just about every facet of how an airport is run. From airport site selection to runway design and everything in between, Airport Planning & Management just about covers it all.

   The chapters are all well written and extremely well organized. Any aviation enthusiast who is interested in how airports are run will find this a valuable reference.




2. Like many young men, and I daresay women, I was drawn to airport management after exposure to Burt Lamcaster's sterling portrayal of a harried airport manager in the Ross Hunter classic AIRPORT. Lancaster showed us that a man could handle a million problems all at once, if he had the right combination of grit and gray cells. It wasn't only the glamor, it was the idea of helping people get through their day--even when the people in question were six or seven miles up in the air--that made me consider airport management as a major at school.
   
   Other factors prevented me from achieving my goal, but I continue to pick up textbooks and manuals to keep abreast of the way airports have changed over the last 35 years. From a technical point of view, one of the best resources for the lay manager is the Alexander Wells book AIRPORT PLANNING & MANAGEMENT (AP & MANAGEMENT) co-authored with Seth Young, both of them prominent in the field--and the airfield--today. This book brings you thoroughly up to date on the way the skies (and the terminals) have changed since the day of infamy, 9/11. Their information is laid out with dispatch, not a wasted word between them. In addition, they know their stuff, that's for sure. Over five hundred pages and I could detect only a few minor inaccuracies.
   
   If you were assigned to develop your own airport in some understaffed part of the world, this would be the volume you would bring with you. If you were limited to bringing one textbook with you. Of course, the old joke among airport planning students is, what CD would you bring? Why, Briano Eno's MUSIC FOR AIRPORTS of course.



3. A very good book,most 'freindly' and understandabale, offers wide spectrum of airport's infrastructure as well as its economic aspects. Recommanded forb thse intersted in aaition in general and airport planning in particular.
   Hiilel Avihai



4. As an aviation professor, I wanted a book that offered a comprehensive but relatively basic overview to the many aspects of airport management. Airport Planning & Management is an easy read and its format makes it easy to refer back to areas of the book for review. It has a good balance of charts, diagrams, and graphics. It is a great book for students that want a well-rounded understanding of airports and their operations. It is also a great book for anyone who just want to know how airports work!



5. Good Afternoon All,
   This is an outstanding book to give you a foundation if you decide to have a career in airport management. Having a book like this is a big help in knowing what to expect if you're giving the chance to run an airport. Like a mayor of a city, governor of a state you'll be back countless decisions to make sure things go right, and knowing you've got stakeholders and shareholders who need to know what's going on.
   If you need a book to make sure your heading in the right direction for being a airport manager, then this is the book for you.

5 comments about Interior Lighting, Fourth Edition.

1. While I was studying Interior Design at Parsons a number of years ago, I had Gary Gordon as a Lighting Design Instructor. He was by far one the best teachers that I had. He is very knowledgeable and has the unique ability to easily communicate the many aspects of both design and lighting. I highly recommend any publication he has authored.



2. This is a required book for an introductory lighting class I'm taking. Since we are solely relying on this book and it isn't supplemented with lecture material, I find that, without familiarity with lighting terminology and concepts, it is very difficult to understand -- very cryptic with the seemingly overused language of the field. While the author may be very knowledgeable, I feel the book is not very well written and the target audience is, perhaps, not intended to be, essentially, the layman. I don't find the organization of ideas and concepts to be clearly laid out or communicated well and, as they unfold, and I come to understand what the author is trying to say, wonder why it was made so difficult -- is that all he means, geesh and why didn't he tell me that earlier. It would be easier to understand the general concept of things first, even in plain English perhaps, and then go on to a more technical description to learn the language of the field and get the details. Just seems to make simple things very complicated, especially with the language, flow of ideas, and phrasing.
   
   I also find a lot of the graphic figures and photo examples need some clarification or more details. A picture's supposed to be worth a thousand words, not be cryptic and time-consuming to understand.
   
   Sorry, I would not recommend this for students who are not primed first. Especially the younger ones.



3. This is a great lighting design book, lots of graphical explanations, lots of useful information, a must-buy for any kind of interior designer!



4. This is an excellent reference for any designer. The text is in simple language and makes lighting concepts very easy to comprehend. I actually enjoyed reading it and will be a better lighting designer because of it.



5. I thought this book gave a great overview of both the physics of light and the principles of good lighting design.

4 comments about Modern Control Systems (11th Edition) (Pie).

1. I am taking a 1 semester long control course from EE department.
   This is the book we use. It features numerous mistakes and skimpish explanations. It also skips a lot of derivations of concepts. Very weak text for the course. I am not sure of the alternatives but it is not hard to imagine something better.
   It is also virutally identical to the previous editions - i get by just fine with the 9th edition which i obtained for $15 used.



2. Taking control theory course at my school where the book is required. As a student introduced to the theory for the first time, this book has been no help at all. Explanations are very limited and I find myself re-reading the same page numerous times just to figure out how did the author came up with derivations. Text is often too dry without any real world connection (essential for engineering students - at least for me). If this text is required, prepare to spend a lot of time with your professor. This is NOT a good book for intro course.



3. This book is one of the worst I've had in Engineering school. The explanations are weak, only going over the simplest version of a concept. Just wait until your professor actually assigns problems from the book. The problems are difficult and complex, and there are zero answers in the back to verify your answers. So, you have no clue if you're doing it right. If your professor is not very helpful, you're in trouble.



4. This book covers a lot of ground and does a so-so job explaining the topics. Plenty of reference tables and examples though.

5 comments about Atomic Zombie's Bicycle Builder's Bonanza.

1. This has a lot of cool ideas but isn't as cool as it looks.



2. Fantastic book!! It has a permenent home on the coffie table. I'm already collecting enough old bikes to urk the misses! The book is realy worth the money and you'll read it all the way through in the first sitting, I did!I hope there's a second edition in the works too!!!



3. It's a fun book but I had higher expectations hoping it would bring bicycling to the level of Jesse James and choppers. But it's nothing more than welding scrap (crap) together.



4. Really fun book. Full of projects and enough information to get you started on them. My only warning: The book won't really teach you to weld, and you won't be able to do any of the projects if you can't weld.



5. It's well written, but the bicycle designs are horrible. I was expecting more of an overview on classic bike building. It's more about taking junk bikes, and turning them into crazy designs that are inferior. This would be great for junior high, or high school kids.

5 comments about Feedback Control of Dynamic Systems (5th Edition).

1. It is a good textbook about feedback control design. A lot of examples from the engineering world are useful for undergraduate students. It well written and easy to read.



2. Beware of the International Version it is not the exact same as the Hardcover version just with a softcover. There are less problems, and problems are numbered differently. Those are the only differences found so far, as of two weeks into the semester of an advanced controls course.



3. Vague, poor/loose structure, plenty of discussion but fails to teach. The material is at a high level (senior or above), but that's not my quibble with this book. There are excellent alternatives though on control systems, most notably Norman Nise (currently in 5th ed.) and Ogata. (My bacground is in ME and EE, master's level.)



4. The Good:
   This text does hit on most of the topics in controls. It's manageable if you have a good instructor.
   
   Wide breadth.
   
   The Bad:
   The writing seems to go out of its way to be unnecessarily cryptic. It performs variable changes every chance it gets, skips steps in the examples (which are light in and of themselves). The figures in the last sections link back to the first. If you find yourself saddled with a hard-to-understand instructor (foreign-language Ph.D students come to mind), get the exercises from someone else and pick up Ogata's Modern Control Engineering (I literally understood Root-Locus more from twenty minutes of reading Ogata than two hours of wrestling with this text).
   
   Poor depth. Avoid.
   
   A note: You WILL require MATLAB. Don't try this material without it.



5. This text provides good coverage of the material.
   
   One neat feature of this book (fourth edition) is intros at the beginning of each chapter that explain the motivation for learning the concepts presented in that chapter.
   
   Note that the subject matter is not easy, so the first time controls student should be prepared to read each section of this (and any controls text for that matter) carefully - and not just skim it.

5 comments about Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers 11th Edition.

1. IT seems this book is a CD for use of a Wireless Area Network (WAN), so how can it possibly be hardcover? And why is is three times more expensive than the normal edition, but still looks like it is the same 10th edition material on CD ONLY?



2. I think its very useful handbook. A must have for all fresh graduates.



3. This belongs on my desk. Katrina took my previous copy. I feel better having it within arms reach.



4. I purchased this, along with Lineburg's Mechanical Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam when I took my PE Exam. I cracked it open a few times while studying and once during the exam. I didn't find what I was looking for and I almost NEVER use it during my work. I am in the process field, pumps, pipe, etc. I use Lindeburg's manual at least twice a week. Skip this book and buy something more specific to your specialty. It's far to generic to be useful to me.



5. This is a timeless Mechanical Engineering Handbook. I used it in college, and I use it when needed. The handbook is very general and does provide a lot of useful information. The key to this handbook is knowing where to look for information. Descriptions and explanations are kept brief and to the point. I like this. The explanations are just enough to help you understand the basics subject matter and point you in the right direction.