5 comments about Vector Mechanics for Engineers: Dynamics.

1. It amazes me how someone could not find this text incredibly useful? It provides elaborate in-chapter examples, numerous practice examples, and a description on how to attack a given problem at the end of the chapter. I am a Senior and I can honestly say that this is the best text I have used.....



2. I used this book for the course of Dynamics in Civil Engineering. It was the textbook of my class. The examples are basic, and show you how to use the basic principles of dynamics to solve the more challeging problems at the end of each chapter. I enjoyed a lot this book, and I recommend it to everyone.



3. While the theory is somehow digestible, the problems are way too difficult and out of the real world. TO THE AUTHORS: When you imagine a mechanical system to be analyzed, try to make it real, not weird. Set as unknown the parameters that cannot be measured not those that can. Please, don't distort the engineering thinking of our students. (By the way: Fig. B.1 on page 1297 shows a crankshaft not a camshaft! Your solutions to problems 16.107 and 16.108 in the Instructor's Manual do not include the normal acceleration of the clamp. Energy Conservation when applied to Prob. 16.108 gives a term in omega^2).



4. I found this book difficult to read and the example problems did not help with the homework problems. I went to return this book after taking Dynamics to find out that an 8th edition is being released and the book store would only offer my $7.25 for a book I paid well over $100.00. The fact that an 8th edition is being release so soon tells me that this book is flawed and being rewritten.



5. I was unfortunate enough to use this book. If you are an undergrad run away. Yes if you study the book excessively it might help but it has crummy examples and getting specific information without reading the whole chapter 2-3 times is like pulling teeth.

5 comments about Mikoyan MiG-29 (Famous Russian Aircraft).

1. This is my second "Famous Russian Aircraft" book series purchase. The MiG-31 book I reviewed several months ago set a bar that this book on the MiG-29 BROKE! Any data from older versions of the MiG-29 that is not currently classified in Russia is in this book. Likewise Gordon has done a good job describing how the MiG corporation has evolved during the time of the MiG-29's production run. The only thing missing from this book is a good photo of the new MiG-29K for India and any sort of info on Laser Designator pods (references are made but all are vague) This seems to be normal for Gordon books and while there are two airshow pictures with LD pods in them no mention is ever made of name/designation etc.



2. Very complete, nice pictures and drawings and detailed description and history of every aspect of the aircraft,....the best mig-29 book so far!



3. This book is worth buying, a must have for all MiG 29 Fans.
   As a scale modeller this book provides minute details from photos taken from almost every angle
   The line drawing and 3 views are helpful too.
   
   Highly Recommended.
   
   Shailesh K.
   India



4. First Impression
   The MiG-29 Fulcrum is one of the more well-known USSR or Russian military aircraft to the West and a number of books were published during the past 10 years. This new book is published by Midland under the "Famous Russian Aircraft" label. Other books published under this label were MiG-31 (Dec 2005), Su-27 (Dec 2007) and MiG-21 (Apr 2008). This book is heavy, hardcover with dust-jacket, 512 pages (glossy paper) in total. It contains countless number of pictures (mostly colour), colour profiles and line drawing of all types of MiG-29 and variants.
   
   I also owned a copy of Yefim's earlier book (1999) "MiG-29 Fulcrum -Multi-Role Fighter" published by MBI. At the time, that book was already a great book covering every aspect of this aircraft. This new book by Yefim is a three-fold improvement and no other titles would contain more information/pictures on MiG-29 than this one. All the pictures, colour profiles and line drawings in this book are of the highest quality and just this aspect deserves more than 5 stars!!
   
   The Book
   A brief description of the 12 parts of this book:-
   (1) Taking Shape - Design and concept (30 pages)
   (2) Learning To Fly - Prototypes and testing (16 pages)
   (3) The Family Starts Growing - Production and deployment (40 pages)
   (4) The New Generation - MiG-29 in Service (18 pages)
   (5) Pushing For The Navy - Russian Navy MiG-29 (40 pages)
   (6) New Lords, New Upgrades - (20 pages)
   (7) The 21st Century Generation - (52 pages)
   (8) The MiG-29 In Action - (56 pages)
   (9) The MiG-nificent Displays - Aerobatics (36 pages)
   (10) The MiG-29 In Detail - Close-up photos and line drawings (106 pages)
   (11) The MiG-29 vs The Competition - (18 pages)
   (12) The Operators - Fulcrum in foreign services (68 pages)
   
   As I said on the Su-27 book under the same label, I do not think there will be a better book on MiG-29 in the market for some years unless Yefim decides to do a revision in a few years time. All Russian military aircraft enthusiasts should not miss this one. This is a highly recommended item for a long time to come.



5. A beautiful and complete book about Mig 29 History. Lots of pictures and detailed descriptions.
   
   A book to have, with the complementary the SU 27. Bad luck, not enough French aircraft analyzed with so much passion and professionnalisme.

5 comments about LabVIEW 8 Student Edition (book only).

1. Good book and software. I am currently a physics student taking a class that uses this software. I am fairly impressed with both the book and the software. If you plan on buying the full version don't bother with the student version. If however you are like me going to school and don't plan on buying the full version anytime soon then the student version is well worth the money.
   Book is pretty easy to understand. It is almost a little too basic and slow moving but it is fairly thorough which is good.
   It is nice to have the student version software so I can follow along with the examples in the book and try the exercises without having to head up to school to the lab.



2. The book was in brand new condition and arrived within the time frame as promised.



3. To get started learning about LabView, I ordered a copy of the Student Edition of Labview 8 in October. It arrived, I installed it, everything was happy for a bit. Then I upgraded to Leopard. The installer complained, claiming the media was bad (I was very careful with the media, and even copying the media works fine & without error).
   
   I called in to NI to see if they had any ideas.
   
   They explained that LabView version 8.5 came out in August (remember I purchased this from Amazon in October; I'd unfortunately made the assumption that Amazon would be carrying the latest edition), and 8.2, the version that came with the book I bought, is not supported on Leopard. And apparently NI's policy, at least on student editions, is to require customers to purchase the new revision rather than offering upgrades.
   
   I'm assuiming Amazon is still only selling the 8.2 edition (there's nothing I can find to indicate this book/software are 8.5).



4. This is a book and smart software to learn and work. Very good for engineering students and labs.
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0131999184/ref=cm_cr_rev_prod_title



5. I am a software engineer, new to Labview. I bought this one a few months ago for a limited-scale project at work. I now think that if I could get only one kit to get started with Labview, this would again be it.
   
   The book has a nice balance of simple and intermediate techniques. It is pretty concise yet has good scope of coverage. The included Labview Student edition is Excellent and includes a ton of examples and many of the advanced features of the full product versions of Labview to get you introduced to some more meaty capabilities.
   
   I highly regard reduncance in learning, but I knocked one star off the top because it is slightly too redundant, recycling thru previous material a little bit too much for my taste. The chapters appear to assume that there has been some time since your last session and you have forgoten a chunk of the last one. Or maybe they just wanted less linkage and interdependence between sessions. But do not let that stop you from getting this resource.

5 comments about Theory and Design for Mechanical Measurements.

1. I used the 2nd edition of this book while in engineering labs at Clemson and now use the 2nd and now 3rd edition in my test engineering work. I find myself being able to go into it and pulling out enough information to get me going on a new test design project. The stuff on uncertainty cannot be found elsewhere and useful. One of the better real-world texts.



2. By the middle of the second chapter I realised that a monkey proofread this book. I couldnt believe there were as many stupid mistakes as there actually were.
   Buy it only if you're not actually going to read it.



3. This book is well written but it does require that you pay attention and think. I found this book to be very useful to understand engineering measurements. After three engineering coop internships, I enjoyed some rationale for methods I learned in practice. Lots of examples. Some of the Labview programs were helpful. One of the more useful texts.



4. I would recommend this book to every beginning engineer and experimentalist. The book is full of examples, derivations, and lots of questions. It does require that you actually read it to get anything out of it, but the best feature is the online material, with MATLAB programs, videos, and additional material. I have found this book is very enjoyable to teach out of, and given future opportunities I will use it much more.



5. I bought this textbook so I wouldn't have to pay the University's terrible prices (more than twice the price actually). I received the book in the exact same condition advertised, very promptly, and for a much better price... I'm very pleased!

5 comments about Pump Handbook.

1. As an owner of the second edition, I looked forward to the revised update. The quality of the information is high. However, I was disappointed in the quality of the publication. Some of the graphs and charts seemed "muddy" with hard to read notations. Also, the binding and paper quality seemed to have slipped a little. This seems to be a trend. I own a number of texts from the 1950's. Their binding and paper quality is much better than that used today.



2. I am one of the four editors of this handbook. Please note the correct number of pages is 1765. The 2nd edition has the 1280 pages presently described. After the name Charles Heald add that he is an editor also. The 2nd and 3rd reviewers are referring to the 2nd edition of the handbook as they are dated before the 3rd edition was printed.



3. Handbook is a term which implies comprehensive coverage of a given subject, so often a term which is misapplied. Not so in this case however, this book is without a doubt one of the best sources of information on pumps and related system components currently in print. For anyone requiring a comprehensive pump resource, this is it. I would definitely recommend this one for the engineering library.



4. I can't confess as having read the whole book as it is very extensive, but from what I've read so far I can provide the following review.

   As an EPC Engineer with vessels/exchanger experience, I don't have much experience with centrifugal pumps. Therefore I bought the 3rd Edition of the Pump Handbook to quickly learn more about all kinds of pumps and bone up on pump basics. This book meets all my expectation for technical content to learn about pumps. The book provides detail explanation about all kinds of pumps, their parts, and provides disadvantage/advantage of each type. It even goes in detail on impeller design calculations.
   
   Sadly, this 3rd Edition is diminished by poor graphics. About 50% of the pictures and graphs are blurry and not printed too clear or focused. Maybe the 2nd Edition might be better in this respect. Otherwise, this is a MUST HAVE book for any Engineer or pump user to have.




5. As an owner of the second and third editions, I found the second edition's physical qualities (paper, printing quality, etc.) to be better than the third edition's. Mr. Messina is mistaken when he indicates that my previous review was based on the second edition. I had ordered (through Amazon) the book on a waiting list and got it shortly after it was published. It is sitting next to me as I type. The second edition is in my office.

1 comments about Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Student Study Pack with FBD Package (11th Edition).

1. It's what I needed for my statics class, much better price than anywhere else, at least.

5 comments about Mustang Ace: Memoirs of a P-51 Fighter Pilot.

1. Helped by fameds historian Eric Hammell, who helpe shape the original manuscript into a cohesive and envolving story, Robert Goebel, an eleven-kill ace in WWII, wrote a very pleasant book, from training in the United States till ace status in Italy and Europe. If you're into fighter pilot biographies, this one will not disappoint. But I dare to say: the best ever written was "THE BIG SHOW", by Pierre Clostermann.



2. In doing research for a book of my own, I have read -- and continue to read -- as many accounts of the air war over Europe as I can, from many perspectives. Mr. Goebel's book, which he was kind enough to personally autograph for me, is not just an amazing, technical account of the details to flying and fighting in what is arguably the most significant fighter plane ever developed, but also tell the story of the American spirit, as an individual, and collectively in the Armed forces, which represented an era that is the foundation of what we enjoy in a free land today. His ability to tell his story, and the story of those around him -- in America's and the world's most pivotal time in history -- is first class reading from a first class author, in addition to his being a first class gentleman and a first class American Ace. Set around the 15th Air Force's 31st. Fighter Group flying out of Italy, 'Mustang Ace' is great reading on every level. It brings both smiles and tears as you get close to real people who won or lost each day by their skill, their courage and crazy luck -- good or bad -- that often made no sense. If you like airplanes, WWII air combat history and personal achievement on a scale few can imagine, then there is nothing better. This is the real deal; an untypical story portrayed with the typical modesty of a real hero, a real Ace, from an elite group of men that have never been fully appreciated for what they did, and how they did it.



3. We trained together in the FTC but were sent to different Squadrons,
   Wonderful memories!
   
   Woodbine 30



4. One of the most detailed accounts of being a successful ace fighter pilot. Mr Goebel's wartime experiences again show us all what sacrifices our veterans make.



5. It seemed to me to be a very true account of how it was back then, and I liked the way he wrote his account.
   
   Rinty

1 comments about Engineering Mechanics: Statics & Dynamics (5th Edition).

1. This combo on engineering statics and engineering dynamics is well-suited for a basic course in engineering mechanics. The explanations are very clear and easy to understand. The actual photographs of engineering equipment and photorealistic depiction of engineering structures help the student to visualise real world engineering mechanics. There is also a very extensive set of well-illustrated problems to develop the student's problem-solving skills.

4 comments about Solar Engineering of Thermal Processes.

1. The second edition of "Solar Engineering..." is a much expanded and updated version of the original, which was already a decent textbook. It covers almost everything there is to know about engineering of solar energy systems, and the presentation is clear and well organized. The division into "basics" and "applications" sections is a very sensible way to get oriented before plunging into the depth of a specific technology, especially since solar thermal applications tend to cover a wide variety of technologies. The gradual and systematic approach makes this book a very good textbook for beginners. The wide scope makes it also a pretty good reference source for practitioners who are looking for a specific bit of information.

   The new chapter on photovoltaic cells is a nice touch. While this is not a "thermal process," it is still important for any practitioner of solar thermal to know what's happening in the other corner of the field. A presentation of PV at the level that can be understood by non-physicists is a very welcome addition.

   My only complaint is that recent significant developments are not well represented (I guess much of this developed after the book was written, so this complaint is not really aimed at the authors). Topics such as non-imaging concentrators, high-temperature thermal receivers for Brayton cycle, and solar chemistry are either briefly mentioned or absent altogether. The more traditional applications such DHW are of course presented in detail, but their significance to the energy market remains negligible. I would prefer to see more on applications that have the potential to make a major impact. Hopefully this will be included in the next edition...




2. This is the textbook of fundamentals of solar energy engineering.



3. This is the best book to have an initial view about solar energy and its aplicattion.



4. This book is a must for the Solar Thermal Engineer. It is very comprehensive and covers a very wide range of topics. Excellent work by Duffie and Beckman.

5 comments about Engineering Vibration (3rd Edition).

1. I am currently teaching the introductory course in Mechanical Vibrations at California State University, Fullerton, and chose Dr. Inman's book after evaluating several different texts. The material is well organized, there are numerous practical examples, and the book is easy to read. The book contains substantial material on nonlinear vibrations, and numerical solutions, items that are of immense practical importance. Methods of solution are covered in three different software packages, MathCAD, MATLAB and Mathematica, which, when combined with the quantity of homework problems, allows the Instructor to tailor the class to his or her own preferences.

   Additionally, I am also a practicing engineer, currently employed by a manufacturer of vibration exciters, and have found the material on vibration testing to be accurate and informative. This makes the book valuable as a reference, as well as a textbook.




2. I think that it is a great textbook, which gives students a good balance between the theory and practice, with the nice emphasis of computer capabilities in the area of vibration. I like it very much and I am sure that many students in this country would share my opinion.



3. This book is terrible! It is wrought with errors and is not a wise pick for a textbook. I've checked out the 7 pages of errata that are related to this book and still find major errors that they have overlooked. This book looks like some hack of a professor threw together some half-@$$ed notes.



4. This text is very colored by the authors way of thinking. If you think like the author it may be good for you. If not, then it is very difficult to understand. Important information needed to understand the subject is missing from the book. Nothing is tied together and each new section is a new problem to deal with. Rao's book is much better; any other book would probably be much better.



5. This book is a good book for those who are interested in a beginning study or a reference for basic formulation. It has fantastic didactic and good exercises. So it's very good for undergraduate students. Following it's references may lead one to a bright specialization.