2 comments about Understanding Earth.

1. This is an amazing and wonderful book that will surely attract many new students who would otherwise not choose to study geology. It is full of colour pictures and photographs, written in an extremely entertaining style, and is also full of high-quality science put in perspectives that I have not seen in any other text. The authors truly have everything at their fingertips. The book comprehensively covers the full breadth of what the reader might infer from the title "Understanding Earth", including (in addition to geology) weather and climate, the evolution of life (concentrating mainly on microbes), biogeology, human impact on the earth, and study of the other terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus and Mars). The information presented is up to date and, astonishingly given its publication date, includes detailed coverage of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 impact of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans, and results of the latest space probes to other planets.



2. This is an excellent that explains earth processes extremely well and keeps your attention the entire time.

3 comments about Elements of Ecology (6th Edition) (Ecology Place Series).

1. a very readable text...interesting, well written, and full of colorful diagrams. a good introduction to a discipline i had taken for granted.



2. This is a must-read text for anyone interested in a general overview of ecology. The chapters are thorough yet concise and the topics are laid out in a logical progression.



3. I've never even heard of Mr. Robert Leo Smith. Is he a Nobel prize winner? The world's most renowned ecologist? What is so special about this book that it can justify a whopping $120 price tag? It's no secret college textbook authors reap from a captive market in students who are forced to buy texts for required reading, but this takes the cake. And it will lead me to find other courses that don't require a student's entire paycheck to unearth the secrets.

5 comments about GIS Tutorial Updated for ArcGIS 9.2: Workbook for Arc View 9, second edition.

1. My book got here on time for me to turn in my assignments for school and in perfect condition.



2. I bought this book as an alternative to a workplace-offered course that was going to cost me $300, and I'm glad I did. This book took me about a month to get through, working on in my free time, as opposed to the 2-day class, but I've come away with a much more extensive grasp of how to use GIS. The book is quite extensive in what it introduces you to, and is great for referencing if you're already an experienced ArcGIS user. It's obvious the book was originally designed to be used as a college textbook.
   My two main complaints are: some of the assignments require downloading information off the web, and it's extremely difficult to locate the information required for the assignment, and in several cases, was impossible, due to the ever-changing nature of websites.
   My other complaint is that there is no index, so you have to be very familiar with the textbook and table of contents to know what you're looking for in terms of referencing.
   I highly recommend the book, but I would suggest to ESRI to incorporate an index and dedicated companion website for it in future editions.



3. This manual is an excellent choice for anyone who wants to learn the ArcGIS enviornment. I teach this professionally, and often recomend this as a good source for material. I highly recomend this to anyone who is starting out in the GIS field.



4. This book is a complete and easy to understand tutorial for beginners or self-study readers, it explains through examples, so readers can easily understand the subject. Full of graphics, step-by-step instructions, CD data for working with the tutorials, and 180 days trial ArcView 9.2 Software, make this book a complete tutorial book. Highly Recommended.



5. 
   I am using this to get up to speed for a class next month. I expected a simple introduction, but it seems to go pretty deep with a lot of detail. This is my first time playing with GIS, and I am sold on ArcView.
   
   One comment about the book is that sometimes the directions are not accurate, which actually helps me learn the program a little more intimately. For example, when changing an attribute the directions say "Click Okay," but I needed to click "Apply" first. This is no big deal and actually makes me think a little bit more about what I am doing and why I am doing it.
   
   Overall, this is a good deal, especially getting a six month trial of the software, which will get me through next semester for less than half the price of the academic version.
   
   I also like that the practice excercises allow me to use a little of my own discretion. Again, this might not be a big deal for others, but I hate getting micro-managed. I tend to shut down and not realy learn a whole lot, until I start experimenting on my own, but the book's format allows me to make enough of my own decisions that I don't feel like I am trapped. I realize that this is probably more of a personality issue, but if you need to learn some GIS fundamentals and hate authority then this book might just work out for you.

5 comments about Earth: Portrait of a Planet, Second Edition.

1. This books serves as an excellent introduction to geology and earth sciences. It is extremely well written and explains difficult concepts well. Because it is written as a college textbook the examples and analogies given are drawn from common experience that are easy to understand.
   Among the best part of the book are the illustrations which are beautiful to look at and supplement the text expertly, again reinforcing concepts.
   I appreciated the way the author has integrated the broad theory of plate tectonics throughout all sections of the book. In particular he has expertly woven the theory of plate tectonics into the history of the earth's evolution and how that in turn has led to the evolution of life.
   This book is a great introduction for college students and for the educated layman looking to better appreciate and understand this wonderful place we call earth.



2. This book provides a clear and wonderfully interesting intro to geology. It is one of the best intro texts out there!



3. The sub-title 'Portrait of a Planet' gives you some idea of what this book is all about. It is almost a coffee table picture book, filled with photographs of the earth. Yet at the same time its first edition became the text book of choice at over 300 colleges and universities around the world.
   
   This is the brand new second edition. The new edition has taken comments about the previous edition, integrated them with the results of recent discoveries and more examples, photographs, art work, and text to make the second edition even better. Each chapter of the first edition was sent to an expert reviewer (a world leader on that particular subject) for comment.
   
   The biggest change in the new edition is to stress plate tectonics earlier and stronger to provide the underlying theory that covers most of current geologic thinking.
   
   I also like his explanation of the oil situation. He looks at alternatives and points out that we may well be living in a unique time of history.



4. This book is indeed the best introduction to geology you can ever get. It has the most fundamental knowlegde and at the same time it includes a higher level. So it is for all people with an interest in geology. If you are a student and even if you are a normal person with great interest this book will become your favorite. It combins beautyful pictures with nice drawings and great text. It gives a good picture of what it is like to be a geologist and what the work includes.
   Simply: you get the best of geology!! Injoy:o)



5. The book is in good condition but the shipping is too bad. O have to wait 2 weeks for it

5 comments about Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming.

1. Thank you for this book and the knowledge about what is actually being done about reinventing energy and kudos to environmentalists and scientists. We should impeach all of our senators and reps, not to mention Bush and CHaney and get some real, honest people in charge of our `world'.



2. Earth: The Sequel: The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming, is an excellent book and should be read by all Americans. It gives a good overview of the different types of alternative energy sources. It is a valuable resource for all of us to better understand the issues surrounding energy and global warming.



3. This book details the global crisis stemming from our energy usage and the related carbon emissions, and pushes cap and trade standards/policy as the optimal solution. Although the primary concern here is the environment, the economic & defense implications are also clear. Chapter by chapter, it delves into various alternative sources of cleaner energy by detailing accounts of multiple entrepreneurs and scientists in each field. The science gets a little technical for a layman at times, but I learned enough as I read to keep me going. Overall, I am much more informed for having read it, and hopeful that some of these new technologies will improve the future.



4. Overall, a very good discussion of technologies that, at some point, will help meet the world's energy needs. Unfortunately, too many environmental groups, like author Fred Krupp's Environmental Defense Fund, refuse to even consider nuclear power, a technology that is already available and widely used around the world to produce huge amounts of essentially greenhouse gas-free electricity. The book devotes about two pages to nuclear power near the end, but they read like a half-hearted afterthought. Nuclear is not 100% pristine and risk-free, but no energy source is, they all have pluses and minuses. Certainly let's pursue solar, wind and other renewables, but let's be realistic and explore all the options.



5. Fred Krupp's environmental activism has given him an extraordinary view of what it takes for business and greens to collaborate for mutual success. His group, Environmental Defense, shook up McDonald's with a consumer revolt over plastic containers and 10 years later Krupp shook hands with McD's CEO on having done the right thing for both the environment and business. In 2007, he helped negotiate a reasonable path forward for a dirty coal power plant. C-suite executives, their sustainability people and communicators have no better guide through the current war on carbon than Krupp's book.

5 comments about Geography Coloring Book (3rd Edition).

1. I've been a seventh grade teacher for 10 years and I still enjoy using these books as a resource in my classroom. Students learn the information through attention to detail and find uses for their completed materials in projects throughout the year.



2. It's amazing what you can learn by coloring maps. Lots of good geographical terminology along with excellent maps to color and learn from.



3. We use this book for our homeschooling and find it very thorough. It discusses geography in detail and illustrates geographical features very nicely.



4. I am about to contact this company about this book.
   
   What is the point of having an Atlas with incorrect information in it.
   
   They have Cyprus as being in Asia....Did someone move it without telling us?
   
   I have been to Cyprus 3 times and I can assure you that it is in Europe.
   It makes me wonder how many other mistakes are in this book.



5. You often want a current map that you can easily reproduce, draw upon, color, scan or modify. The news talks about unfamiliar countries every day and you vaguely recall where this or that is. This Atlas is similar to the biology coloring books and is extremely handy for use in the office, schools or refrigerator. Geographers like maps. Where people may communicate verbally or in text, geographers often feel more comfortable once an area has been identified graphically. From a printed map we can internalize the information and carry a mental map with us, and always be able to come back to the printed map. "Just show me the map and I will know what you are talking about" is a common phrase and is exactly why television news media make use of GoogleEarth photomaps every day. We are visually creatures who just want a simple representation of what we are referring to. This is a valuable resource for K-18 schools, business, churches and reference. I use mine almost every week.

5 comments about Undaunted Courage : Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West.

1. I will keep it simple. Next to the Holy Bible ~ best book I ever read. I have since then read several of Stephen Ambrose's books and highly recommend them. He and his family put many years of research in before writing any book. I have travelled across the country all the way to Cape Disapportment as a result of reading the book and following the trail. Everything Mr. Ambrose claimed in the book is accurate, very interesting, and provides us a heritage for our country that everyone should be proud of.



2. What I liked best about this book is that it reads like a neighbor telling you all about his favorite nephew. Ambrose's descriptions and judgments and asides have almost an avuncular feel. If this is not your thing, the book will probably bug you.
   
   What I liked least about this book is Ambrose's unquestioning high regard for Jefferson, but since Ambrose's attitude reflects that of Lewis's, I can go with it.
   
   The outtakes of the journals, the excellent maps, and the good-natured commentary combine to make me LIKE the characters. I feel familiar with them after reading this book. I am impressed by their accomplishments, and feel I know them as people much better.
   
   It is also clear that Ambrose knows the areas where Lewis and Clark explored. Many of his notations tell how the area described look to present-day canoers or hikers, and he gives highway exits and directions to some of the less-remote campsites and overlooks. Ambrose's love for the beauties of western America comes through, and they add to the fond tone of the book.



3. Historical novels are one of my favorite types of text, and I have been an avid reader of Stephen E. Ambrose through his World War II works. Every American child knew about Lewis & Clark and the Louisiana Purchase (Thank you Schoolhouse Rock), but this book brings to life the true and amazing task these men went through to help open America into the vast and great nation she is now.
   
   After the 1803 Louisiana Purchase from France, President Thomas Jefferson, a man of knowledge and curiosity himself, issued a continental exploration Corps of Discovery to travel to the Pacific Ocean. If you could imagine walking across your own state, now imagine walking (horse/canoe allowed) across the country, no roads, no cellphone, no Walmart, no bathrooms, no electric lights, wild animals...the grizzlies read like monsters, potential attacks from hostile natives, the weather...it is unimagenable that any human could have survived or endured such hardships!
   
   It is important to realize that Lewis and Clark were the leaders, but also traveled with a large group of brave men, unique and talented in their own respects, including the female Native American Sacagawea and her baby, plus the sad tale of York, Clark's slave who shared the pain, dangers, and loyalty, but received none of the rewards, promises, or respects afterwards...this subject raises my ire, so I will not continue on York's betrayal by Clark.
   
   Regardless of whether you read this as pure history, this book reads like an adventure tale like Krakauer's Into Thin Air, a testament of man versus nature, the book is also a cultural exploration as the "White man meets the Red man" no disrespect meant. On so many levels this book will offer insight, information, and entertainment that few books balance so well. So you might as well read a good tale and actually improve your own academic knowledge.
   
   Thank you and keep reading.
   John Dae Min



4. Read this as a first edition hardback---my Amazon reviewing is a little behind, to say the least---outstanding book. The best book on L&C in print. Ambrose collaborated on a book with Nat'l Geo that is spectacular as well. OUTSTANDING from cover to cover.
   If you read only one book on the topic, read this one---and prepare to be hooked.



5. I would recommend this book/audio to anyone.
   It is fasinating to any one interested in US History and elploration of American. The book manymaps to relate to during yoour read. I later listened to the audio a year later and I really enjoyed it so much the second time through. I had read book reviews before and this one was claimed to the best about Lewis and Clark. Thumbs up!

4 comments about Essentials of Geology (10th Edition).

1. If you are taking a Geology class, this book is very helpful. Its easy to read, and has many pictures.



2. This book is intended as a text for the collegiate course in physical geology. The course encompasses a general overview of the physical processes by which the Earth continues to develop, both gradually and by sudden events of great magnitude. Plate tectonics, volcanism, erosion, mountain building and shaping, mineralogy, mass wasting, the impact of man, glaciation, and all other manner of things are clearly discussed in nineteen separate chapters. The color photography and diagrams are remarkably good, and closely follow the text, which is a real boon, especially to a student who is hard-pressed for time. The coverage is up-to-date and accurate in all respects. Many of the photographs, such as the those of the eruptions at Montserrat, are very current.

   Given the fact that physical geology is the first of six courses required for any geology degree, and that any well-informed person should have no trouble understanding the contents of this book, I would recommend it to any reader interested in earth science, student or not.




3. The book has a wealth of information, I have enjoyed reading it, and using it in my class.



4. I honestly do not know how to rate this, because I still have not received this book. I already had my first test. So, I had to go buy this textbook from the bookstore on campus and was charged an outrageous amount. Also, I emailed the seller to see what the tracking number was and still haven't had response.

5 comments about Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History.

1. Much national attention was paid to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, and rightly so, but as Erik Larson so vividly illustrates in this book, there have always been harrowing storms. There has just not been, until recent years, the capability for extensive media coverage to keep everyone informed. In ISAAC'S STORM, Mr. Larson weaves a tense historical account of the approach of "the deadliest hurricane in history" to the then teeming city of Galveston, TX. The author also brings insight into the struggles of a fledgling national weather bureau, but the real heart of the book is the page-turning narrative of ordinary people dealing with the unbelievable effects of a monster storm.



2. Isaac's Storm,a non -fiction account of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane, reads like a book of fiction. Itis all true. If you are interested in the weather and how The U.S. Weather Bureau began, or if you love to vacation on Galveston Island this is a must read. Thunderstruck and Devil in the White City by this auther are also really good.
   J.S. Texas



3. I had never given much thought to the origins of weather forecasting. This book goes through much of the history (and the politics) of how it all began in the US through the life of weatherman Issac Cline, who, in being a perfect product of his time, makes it all fascinating . I did not want to put this book down. This book takes us back and forth between the history of weather and the creation and path of a dangerous storm that eventually devastates a Texas coastal town.
   Highly recommend!



4. Isaac's Storm, published in 1999, is the story of the most horrible hurricane in American history. While reading, I wondered if Hurricane Katrina had outstripped the Galveston hurricane described by Larson. It did not. The Galveston hurricane claimed at least 6,000 lives and the entire town. Hurricane Katrina, however, claimed less than 2,000 lives according to most estimates. While Katrina is the most tragic natural disaster of our age, our forebears experienced even worse. The Isaac of the title is Isaac Cline, the U.S. Weather Bureau's chief observer in Galveston. Larson weaves meteorological details of the storm with the story of Isaac and other Galveston residents as well as the bureaucratic failures that left the city vulnerable. The story is touching and, at times, horrifying. Larson clearly conveys the fear residents felt during the storm and the way it changed the lives of survivors forever. I cannot imagine living through such an ordeal. This is a wonderful precursor of Larson's later work, The Devil in the White City. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed that book.



5. Erik Larson has documented an extraordinary narrative of an epic storm which killed over 6,000 people and wiped out the City of Galveston, Texas.
   Here we find Isaac Cline employed as the resident U.S. Weather meteorologist failing to warn the residents of Galveston of an epic hurricane which was larger and more powerful than Hurricane Katrina which happened 105 years later.
   It's rather incredible that hardly any warning was given. Isaac Cline was a good man. He just made a great mistake. This is a gripping true tale. Larsen wrote a great book. Five Stars!!

5 comments about The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living.

1. William Kemp does an excellent job of explaining and organizing your options for renewable energy sources. Even for the beginner, this is an easy to read and understand, and can be used as a reference guide. I bought this book to understand my options for my new build.



2. I would have given this book a four-star rating if not for the preaching that permeated each chapter. I didn't buy this book to learn how to save the planet from evil, wasteful humans. Having written that, the author does a good job explaining varied methods to exist without relying on the commercial power grid. Descriptions on different methods/technologies to accommodate the want to be self-sufficient when it comes to electrical power are comprehensive.



3. Lots of useful info. Gives you a new way to look at the world.



4. Helpful and informative. Easy to understand diagrams and explanations in plain English (i.e. you don't have to be ultra-tech-savvy to understand it).



5. This book is a web site printed out in large type. Books printed thirty years earlier are more usefull.