5 comments about The Creation: An Appeal to Save Life on Earth.

1. Short and straight to the point:
   
   This book may be good as an introduction to conservation and what mainstream biologists think of it. It is nice to read and the concepts are easy to get. Since it is not an expensive book i recommend you to buy.
   
   The downside is that failed "atheism public relations" approach Dr. Wilson tries. If you change the words science and reason for phisicalism then you can really understand what he is saying to the (imaginary?) Pastor, which, in a few words is: "I respect you, but the things you believe are irrational." Is it really respect? He finishes with the played out arguments against Intelligent Design, a subject apparently he knows nothing of. Filter this and you will be fine.



2. I like Wilson's view that science and faith can and should try to meet on common ground. I didn't get the feeling that Wilson is a racist, misogynist, or eugenicist, as has been alleged by others--just a helluva biologist! I found it fascinating that the total weight of all of the ants is as much as that of all of the humans. Also interesting is the % of undiscovered species, from which so many advances in medicine are waiting to be found.No Time To Kill
   Bruce A. Roth
   Daisy Alliance
   www.daisyalliance.org



3. Dr Wilson is a master at explaining, in layman's terms, why we need to take care of the whole Earth, not just those organisms that are directly useful to people. This book should be required reading for all high school and college students.



4. Thanks for writing this book. It was truly inspiration for me. I don't write many reviews so I'm going to make this short and sweet. I'm about to start my last semester of college and will soon be receiving my B.A. in Psychology. However, I had no idea what I wanted to do with it afterwards.
   
   Typically students try to go to grad school, but I didn't know what field interested me enough to devote two more years too. Then I read this book and heard of Environmental Psychology. I've always been fascinated by our surroundings. How our natural and artificial environments affect who we are as people. In "The Creation", Wilson not only informs the reader that there IS a field of psychology that studies just that, but that many many studies have been done within that field and he mentions plenty.
   
   So thank you Mr. Wilson for writing this book and inspiring me to further my education! This is the only book of yours I have read, but it is certainly not the last. I can't say I will agree with everything you have to say as I learn more about your ideas and theories, but I know for a fact you hold these evidence-supported-ideas and theories with great confidence and passion for your subject and your species, which is DESPERATELY needed today.



5. If the title of the book was like the title of my review, I would give the book 5 stars. I found the Biology and biography part of the book interesting. But the problem is that this book's proclaimed purpose does not match with its contents. It is about what the evolutionary biology and how to educate people about it, not really appealing to anyone to participate in saving the life except calling that someone as a pastor. Why pretending to appeal to someone when you insult them? Protecting the complexity of the ecosystem is something that those who value lives accept without the biological reasoning. I read this book expecting a good scientist arguing it with some valuable insights into other party's position (in this case, pastors) and thereby motivating them to join the force achieving the greater good despite of fundamental differences in opinions(?).
   
   Be honest.
   
   I can't imagine a great pastor writing a book titled as my review and starting the first page with "Dear Biologist", and then forwarding with how the Biology sucks, why the creation makes more spiritual senses, how to educate the general public about the Creation without boring them, and finally how great spiritual leaders the author met in the seminary. And in between the pastor says "By the way, we have to take care of this great evolution and its complexity." If any pastor wrote such a book, I could not call the pastor great in the good conscience.
   
   Read this book if you are interested in the biology, especially the evolutionary biology and its education for the general public. Don't read it if you are looking for a insightful argument for the cooperation between the science and religion for the common great goal.

5 comments about Physical Chemistry: A Molecular Approach.

1. To be succinct:
   1) Thorough explanation of each subject.
   2) Subjects broken down into manageable chapters.
   3) Lots of worked problems.
   4) Lots of problems at the end of each chapter.
   5) Material presented in a logical, not necessarily historical, fashion.
   6) Layout is generally superior to other texts (spacious, not cramped)
   7) Get the solutions manual.
   
   Bear in mind most schools teach thermodynamics and kinetics, followed by quantum chemistry. This methodology is merely a reflection of the order of discovery, and not because quantum chemistry necessarily builds on thermo or kinetics. This text teaches quantum first, followed by thermo and kinetics. It's more logical to teach quantum first, but you can jump right into traditional physical chemistry with this text.
   
   Only recommendation:
   The publisher should package the book with the solutions manual. I'm a big fan of solutions manuals and a student is somewhat hobbled without one.



2. I received the correct book in excellent condition (matching the seller's description) in the timeframe I was told when I purchased it.



3. This is one of the poorest textbooks I've ever owned. It is wordy yet it explains very little. And there is one really annoying aspect to this book:
   The authors only ever introduce an equation once in the text. From thereon, they refer to that equation as "equation 17-1" or whatever number they designate it. So you're constantly having to turn back pages and entire chapters just to find out what stupid equation they are talking about. They also embed all the important tables within random chapters instead of being in an appendix, so good luck finding any constants or any other figures that would be put in a table.
   Another bad thing about this book is that they made an update to it and added two chapters but didn't change the ISBN. So some people get the newer version with the correct number of chapters and some people will pay the same price for the book missing at least 2 chapters that they will need in their p-chem class (this happened to my girlfriend who has the older book and I have the newer one and we didn't discover this until the fourth test!). I hate this book with a passion. It has crappy black and white illustrations,and instead of writing fractions like ft/sec or mol/L they write ft*sec(-1) and mol*L(-1) and it gets quite distracting when they have several terms in the denominator. It looks like it was written in the 70's. I will say as a side-note that it's very much worth getting the solutions manual if you get this book. The solutions manual is pretty well-done.



4. For those students who are REQUIRED to derive everything on their PCHM exams, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! Excellent supplement to that weak and required text book of yours, for sure. Good luck! PCHMI (Thermo-C) PCHMII (Q. Mechanics-B)



5. It's great. It's quite in depth, though you have to accept some parts of the math if you don't already know differential equations.
   It's understandable even to me, and the last chem course I took was just AP, but it's also very challenging and in depth. Highly recommend.

4 comments about Master AP Chemistry.

1. Quite simply, there is no other AP review book that will prepare you for the AP Chemistry test as well as Master AP Chemistry, by Peterson's.
   
   While this book may be larger than the other study books (especially Princeton Review) it's because little is left out. For some, this book may be too excessive and detailed, but with colleges turning to accepting 5's as the only way to CLEAR college courses, this is the book to buy.
   
   I'm not saying this is the best book without a reason, I actually have/borrowed all the others books for AP Chem that are sold at my local Barnes & Noble. This includes: Princeton, 5 Steps to a 5, Cliffnotes, and Barron's. I found the other books to have annoying commentary (entirely unnecessary), to be TOO shallow, or to have an annoying layout.
   
   Master AP Chemistry has every bit of information needed: to survive the test (3) through the "Summing it Up" section at the end of every chapter; to show proficiency (4) through the "Summing it Up," Bolded Words, and practice tests at the END of the Entire book; and to show mastery (5)through everything above, the in-depth information in every chapter, and the tests at the end of each chapter.
   
   I happened to get a 5 on the AP Chem test, and that score has saved me from taking general chemistry as a Freshman in college with about, 400-500 other students (in each lecture hall.) I have no doubt that this book was what enabled me to get a '5', but I also must suggest three other important factors.
   1. A willingness to study and invest "Free-time" to pass
   2. A good/experienced teacher
   3. Practice/Old AP tests (Collegeboard's website and your teacher should have old AP tests)*Format changed this year on 'Reactions' portion, but old tests still do an ample job preparing*
   
   However good a study guide might be, you, the test-taker have to be accustomed to how the test "works," it's layout, wording, timing, subject matter, and the expectation that a normal 'A' (90%) on this test is unlikely, so you WILL miss questions and you can't let this bother you.
   
   Once again, Colleges are turning to 5's and no other book prepares students as well, but you're the one who has to open it and read it.



2. Very good book. It has the ability to retain my attention while giving me the info I need. Watch out though! There are some mathematical errors in the examples, but the answers are correct. Like in the beginning it has on accident a number in scientific notation as something like 3.3x20^5, when it should be 3.3x10^5. Other than those minor mistakes I am happy with it.



3. I read through most of this book, and did two of the practice tests, and some of the other chapter problems. There are some mathematical errors like the previous reviewer said, but they don't really subtract from your learning (though the book does lose credibility). It had a really good explanation of electricity/batteries and had a nice overview of organic chem. Overall it was an okay book, and I ended up getting a 4. I probably would have recieved the same score had I bought a different review guide though.



4. I've looked at many AP chemistry books to help me through my college chemistry class and to be truthful none of the other books helped at all. This book is excellent and contains many examples, though as previously mentioned there are some mistakes here and there. I just use it as a general guideline as what to do, so I tend to overlook the mistakes/typos because I covered it in class already. Chemistry is a fast paced class, and this is an excellent resource to turn to in times of confusion. Most of the chapters in here pretty much covered most of the basics we covered in class. (Just to make it certain to everyone, I'm not an AP chem student but rather a college chem student =] )

No comments about Organic Chemistry (with CengageNOW 2-Semester Printed Access Card).

4 comments about Biochemistry For Dummies (For Dummies (Math & Science)).

1. Did anyone review this book before it was published? The lack of arrows in the reactions, the labeling of two valines in the "cheat sheet," the structure of one of the valines is the same as the isoleucine, and leucine is left out. The book also mentions that mRNA for translation is directed to the mitochondria...a little confused on that one.
   
   Overall, the book is a good review for those needing to refresh, but full of typos and stupid errors.



2. Just what I was going to say. I have NO background in biochemistry, but the first thing I noticed in the book was that it had errors on the cheat sheet--the very first page. On the other hand, by messing that up I learned the material (it's correct in a chart later in the book) much better than if it had been right, so I guess I should thank the authors for that. The absence of arrows was beyond the pale. It makes it very difficult for me to trust the rest of the book when it has such obvious errors in it. I gave it two stars because it shows promise as an introductory book...once the egregious bugs are worked out in any subsequent edition.



3. I used Biochemistry for Dummies to study for the ACS Biochemistry final at the University of Mississippi. Before the exam, I border-lined a high "B" and a low "A". Using this book, I was able to study more efficiently in a shorter amount of time. Moore does an excellent job of explaining some of the most complex concepts of biochemistry in layman's terms. I ended up scoring well enough on the exam to score an "A" in my class. This book sums up a biochemistry text book in roughly 300 easy-to-read/skim pages. I didn't even open my text book. It was extremely helpful.



4. I sat down with this book tonight, opened the first page and immediately see an error! Further investigation into the contents show more incorrect information. After using Klein's Organic Chemistry as a Second Language series for organic chemistry, this book is a HUGE let down in terms of writing style and in terms of how error-prone it seems to be. I am very disappointed.

5 comments about Design of Wood Structures-ASD/LRFD.

1. Now in it's sixth edition, this book has become the standard text on the design and construction of buildings made of wood. While most wooden structures are residences, the book also covers multi story wooden structures such as apartment houses, commercial buildings with wooden roofs, and to a limited extent newer techniques such as glue-laminate beams.
   
   The book is suitable for use either as a text for a course or as a reference for self study. The sixth edition of this book was promoted by five major developments:
   
   1. Publication of new dual-format (ASD/LRFD) wood design criteria in the 2005 National Design Specification for Wood Construction.
   
   2. Publication of the new Special Design Provisions for Wind and Seismic (SDPWS) Supplement to the NDS.
   
   3. Publication of the comprehensive ASD/LRFD Manual for Engineered Wood Construction.
   
   4. Publication and increased adoption nationally of the 2006 International Building Code. ==5. Publication of updated load standards in the 2005 edition of Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures.



2. Excellent. Very well organized and numerous examples. I have followed this author from 3 of his previous editions of this book.



3. This book is easy enough to understand for beginner and detail enough for experienced engineer. Well structured, cover not only ASD but also the LRFD design. As a complement, reader should also pick up the NDS manual for reference of timber property. And also the ASCE 7-05 for design load.



4. The book came in great condition, looked like it hadn't even been opened. Very fast delivery. smooth transaction



5. We used this in our Timber Design class and it was fantastic. It covers both ASD and LRFD effectively. We also used the NDS as a course supplement in order to find stress values and other important design factors that are not in the textbook. Another supplement that would help is the Minimum Design Loads for Buildings And Other Structures (ASCE 7-05). All in all, a great textbook for students or reference guide for any practicing professionals.

5 comments about Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, Eighth Edition (Chemical Engineers Handbook).

1. I got the book in a very short time and the process was also quick. 2 years ago, I had a problem with an Amazon affiliated store and took me such a long time to get my money refunded but this time, Amazon did a great job.
   
   Thank you for shipping in time!



2. Check out what that kid wrote on October 25, 1999. He gave the book one star. Someone find him and tell him how much of an idiot he is. He wrote the dumbest thing I have ever seen. Who the hell reads Perry's cover to cover. Is he really that dumb just go buy a book about making bombs if you want to "make bombs". Another thing any normal person would realize after the first million pages is that Chemical Engineers don't learn how to make bombs. what a retard. Oh yeah, good book



3. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook handbook is really a mixed bag, and how useful it turns out to be is really a matter of what kind of information you are looking for. I've always felt that this is the definitive book if you want raw facts and numbers. The entire volume is crammed with technical data that, for some, can't be found elsewhere. All the groundwork is covered; conversion factors, symbols, kinetics, interdisciplinary studies (several), thermodynamics, and just about anything else that coincides with the field of engineering. On a personal level, I've used it on several occasions when collecting field data, but its uses go well beyond that. For the sheer amount of information covered, the volume remains fairly well organized, and never veers too far from what you are researching.
   
   The downside is that it can often seem overwhelming to students or those with passing involvement or interest. Despite the dependable presentation, it can be difficult to understand for people who haven't been brought up to speed on the variation of the topic they wish to examine. Even though the all the data is present, understanding it won't be easy until you've familiarized yourself and comprehend the tables and usage. Some claim that the book was written primarily for academics, though I don't see that as true. Anyone can use the book effectively once they get the hang of it.
   
   Even though it might have some drawbacks, I truly can't see how anyone in the field of Chemical Engineering could not have this book on their shelf. It is the ultimate source of chemical data and interdisciplinary studies. If you don't yet own this one, I really can't see how you can go wrong in purchasing it.



4. As a Chemical Engineer, I reference Perry's Handbook weekly. The CD-ROM version is much more accessible to those of us in this new computer saavy generation. The searchability (index? what's that?) and interactivity make this a worth-while buy, especially if you don't already have a paper copy of Perry's. You can select data from a table and paste into other applications, instead of staring at the tiny print of a huge book and typing all the numbers by hand. You can also find topics quickly by the contents (which are linked to other parts of the book) and the search features. All in all, a good buy for me. WARNING! This is ONLY compatible with Windows machines. A Mac user will be able to see the information, but not use the search functions or the interactive data tables.



5. I just got a new computer with Windows Vista. When I tryed to run my Perry's Handbook Electronic Version, I got an error message: "The version of this file is not compatible with the version of windows you're running. Check your computer's operating system information to see whether you need an x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit) version of the program, and then contact the software publisher."
   DO NOT buy this product if you have Windows Vista!

4 comments about Organic Molecular Model Kit.

1. This product was very helpful, and fit the requirement of what I needed for my Organic Chem class. Even if you are not required to have a model kit, it can be very helpful in viewing all the different structures that need to be learned.



2. I bought this product so I could give myself a visual to look at while doing homework, and it has helped alot. The pieces are a little unusual but after you get the hang of it, surely is a great product.



3. The kit is a little "weird" at first, but once you see how everything fits together it's really very nice. The angles and rigidity of the plastic force ring structures into proper conformation.
   
   I'd recommend this to other organic students, definitely!



4. This product is not what I wanted and needed for my organic chem class. All it shows you is bond angles and a poor example of the orbitals (sp3, sp2, sp)which is helpful but insignificant. Soon I had to deal with isomers and conformers (molecular movement)and this model is practically immobile. Being able to visualize the concept is important and nearly impossible with this kit. Go for the more expensive ones with lots of pieces and flexible bonds.

4 comments about Green, Inc.: An Environmental Insider Reveals How a Good Cause Has Gone Bad.

1. Just ordered, so I can't comment on the text, but the reviews are making me skeptical. Sounds like she was idealistic and uninformed, and had her dreams dashed. She was there a year. I can understand the gut reaction (ugh, we are taking money from Exxon? I would feel the same way) but then you start thinking - would you rather they NOT give you some of their money? Just pollute and NOT do something to offset their evil? Yes, of course, we'd rather they be more environmentally responsible in all their activities and decisions, especially with regard to global warming. Better not to create the problem than to spend tons of money trying to deal with it. But that's not how life works, unfortunately.
   
   What really makes me skeptical, though, is the muckraking about six-figure salaries. The Washington Post series on TNC was much the same - insinuating that it is obscene to pay the CEO of a multi-billion dollar global corporation $350,000. See how inane that sounds? You are hiring people who have to have incredible management and fundraising skills, and who could earn 10, 20, 30 times as much in private industry. And then you ask them to live in a very expensive area, where $350,000 is not a lot of money. I mean, get real.
   
   So I am hoping this book turns out to be something more than uninformed silliness and muckraking and that it focuses on the more important question: just what are these groups accomplishing? It is hard to imagine that someone who's been on the inside for only a year, and who has no background or expertise in conservation and conservation science could make that assessment.
   
   But we'll see. Back after I actually read the book.



2. "Green Inc." is a good read and raises a lot of serious questions. I found myself surprised over and over again. It was hard to believe that the heads of these nature groups receive salaries as high as $800,000 a year. But it was even more disheartening to find out they hang out with corporate CEOs and board members and have all kinds of shady deals with oil companies, power plants and other big polluters. It's so sad that environmental groups that began with the ideal of protecting the Earth have devolved into groups that cover up for corporations that destroy places like the Amazon. Saddest of all is that we give money, thinking its going for environmental protection, when it's really being used to pay astronomic salaries and kick Native people off their land. "Green Inc." does an excellent job of explaining how these environmental groups have changed since they were first established. The book also does a good job explaining how globalization is taking a toll on the planet and how the corporations that give big donations to nature groups are some of the biggest culprits. All in all, a shocking tale.



3. This book is a very level-headed, thoughtful review of the world's top environmental organizations. I found it a quick read even though it is chock full of detailed statistics and tables with hard facts. I enjoyed the author's easy tone, and did not find it angry at all (as one description states), but rather very straight forward and matter of fact. I was also pleased to find that her sources are direct from reports and court records, not merely based on anecdotal information as "from an insider" might imply. "Brown Eyed NJ Girl's" comments give me the impression that she might have her own axe to grind; they do not reflect the book's actual content. I am astonished by the hard facts the author has offered us; at the discrepancies between the public image and the actual operating procedures of these environmental groups. One question really sticks with me: How is it that these environmental groups have grown and strengthened so much over the past 20 years, but that our environmental concerns have worsened? Rather than a scathing indictment I see this as a fairly reasonable question the author has posed. I have often wondered how these huge non-profits operate, and where my donations and good will are really going. Green Inc. gives you the facts and allows you to create your own well informed opinion.



4. This book is full of inacurate information. Much of it is pure fiction and highly unrecomended.

5 comments about Introduction to Organic Laboratory Techniques: A Microscale Approach (Brooks/Cole Laboratory Series for Organic Chemistry).

1. Though a complete laboratory text with 50+ experiments, lab techniques, tables of unknowns and spectroscopy, the organic faculty prepare our own lab manual to be followed. Pavia text becomes a close handy reference for lab techniques and setup. The techniques section, which include filtration, crystallization, distillation (simple, fractional, and steam), chromatogrpahy (column, thin-layer, and gas)... should be carefully studied before conducting experiments for beginning students. Unless your organic lab course follows almost exactly the outline of experiments in this text, you can check it out from the library and read it.



2. Pavia et al's Organic Laboratory Techniques (2nd Ed) is an astonishingly excellent book for the beginning student.

   In great (yet delightful) detail it describes a series of 60 varied experiments designed to acquaint the reader with a plethora of laboratory techniques, from Measuring Volumes and Weights up thru Chromatography and Spectroscopy.

   Particularly good are the many exceptionally clear drawings of laboratory apparatus, and rational behind the instrumentation. (Eg, do you know why you should put a trap in the aspirator hose, or for that matter how the aspirator (vacuum) works?) Sprinkled throughout are hints on how best to perform this, that or the other thing.

   A thorough reading of this gem will make you right at home in the organic chemistry laboratory, and indeed will practically make you an organic chemist in spite of yourself.

   In fact, if you are thinking of going to college, you might ask whether this text is used in the college's Organic Chemistry Lab course. If not, and you are interested in science, find a school that uses it! And if you are already in a lab course with another text, you would be well advised to get this eminently readable treasure also.




3. Book is flawless, not even scratches on the cover, cannot remember promptness of delivery.



4. Having owned the previous version of this book, I would have to say that the layout in this new version is much more linear and easy to follow. In addition to new experiments, the instructions are clear for a beginning organic lab student. That being said, however, the material that the book is constructed from is sub par...the pages are very delicate, seeming to be made of tissue paper...Over all, I would recommend this book for its content, but not for the craftsmanship.



5. Whats nice about this book is that the labs actually work, quite a change from gen. chem for me. All you need to know is included and you're not left confused about anything.