3 comments about Semiconductor Material and Device Characterization.

1. This book offers an outstanding review of various techniques of semiconductor device processing. It is the type of book that is an invaluable reference to the device engineer. It's breadth is outstanding.



2. Schroder has compiled an extensive and very nearly complete guide to modern characterization techniques that apply mostly to semiconductors and solid state devices, but also to techniques used in general materials analysis. We used this text in a graduate level course in EE and found it easy to read through and concise for use as a quick reference. Well worth the money.



3. This is an essential text for engineers, scientists, and graduate students working in the semiconductor field. It contains a thorough review of all major electrical, optical, and physical characterization methods that are commonly used. Descriptions of techniques are generally conceptually oriented, clearly stated, and do not rely excessively on equations. In addition, many useful figures are included to help explain concepts when introduced. Up to date references are included for essentially every technique mentioned.

5 comments about Mechanics of Aircraft Structures.

1. I was required to purchase this book for my Junior level A&AE Structural Analysis Course. Chock full of theory and derivations, it doesn't set forth a clear path for learning, but rather a thicket in which problems sets are solved by wildly searching backward in the book for equations and examples in order to help make some sense of the problem at hand. While the book is full of good problems, the concepts tested in the problems are not always clearly explained (What the heck is shear flow anyway?).
   
   This book is recommended as a junior or senior level structures text, but how well it is received depends highly upon the Professor's lecture style (Straight from the text?(=bad) or supplemental to the text?(=not as bad)).
   
   The Bad outweigh the Good.



2. I had to use this book in my structures class. I had no prior experience with structures before, and this book was unable to fill the gap. As a result, I've got a D in a class, and I will have to re-take it. If you have to use the Sun's book, supplement it with "Aircraft structures for engineering students" 3rd ed by T.H.G. Megson ISBN 0-340-70588-4. It follows the same notation as Sun (even some drawings are identical), and it's much, much, much more thorough. The Sun's book by itself can be useful only to people with prior experience with structures who just have to use this particular book.



3. This is the required book for my graduate class on structures. Its best if you already have a familiarity with the basic concepts of stress and strain, torsion, bending, etc. It has good examples, though, and the problems at the end of the chapter are not too hard (tho, they do required a lot of algebra and plug-and-chug). There are not selected answers in the back.
   If you're looking for a good basic book on structures, this one probably isn't for you.
   Also, they don't actually talk a whole lot about applications to aircraft structures. What the book DOES do is cover the basic theories that one would need to start to analyze aircraft structures. It does not cover design of aircraft structures.



4. This book was only a little help. It doesn't clearly explain the material. If you are learning only from the book, you will most likely be lost. It was an alright suppliment to the lecture and helped a little on homework, but I would not recommend the book if it is not required.



5. I won't go into much detail about the frustrating and inadequate nature of this book, as many others have already done so. Basically, all you need to know about this book is that it is a waste of time. The author rarely explains anything with sufficient detail and seems to expect you to already know an incredible amount about aircraft structures. My TA even told us that we had better come to class every day, because the textbook is pretty much worthless.
   
   I wondered why anyone would force students to waste money on a book that is cleary insufficient, but then I recognized the author's name. It seems the only reason why I am forced to buy this book is because the author is a professor at my school.
   
   Just stay away from this book if you can.

4 comments about The Ultimate Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars: Identification & Values.

1. This fourth book by the author is very disappointing. Is a re-hash of the older books with no new jars featured. The newer manufacturers are completely ignored. The jars featured in this book have already been featured in the other 3 books. Price values seem low and anemic.



2. Great book for the cookie jar collector. The book will help you place a value when getting ready to purchase a cookie jar for your collection.



3. The "Ultimate Collector's Encyclopedia of Cookie Jars" by the publishers of the old Cookie Jarrin' Newsletter, Fred & Joyce Roerig, I found a pure pleasure to peruse for weeks. It displays, in some of the finest photography of all the cookie jar books, many of the cookie jar classics. Along with smile fetching standbys (ABC Coffee Pot, McCoy Cookie Cabin, Twin Winton Sheriff Bear, etc.) are a feast of the best jars from the best producers.
   From American Bisque are the "Flashers", Little Audrey, Herman & Katnip, Baby Heuy, along with Umbrella Kids, Davy Crockett ((both) and Mohawk Indian (Little Mo). Brayton's Goose Woman, Maid and Ring Master are there. There's a picture of the old Brush Pottery Building along with their rarest including: Hillbilly Frog, Little Red Riding Hood, Hobby Horse and Puppy Police. On to California Originals there's their fun standards (Scarecrow, Little Red Riding Hood, Rabbit on a Stump, etc.) to their greats such as Snow White, Pinocchio(s), Bambi and the full color Woody Woodpecker. The section on McCoy is always fun with the Roerigs and this one does not disappoint. It begins with a full page Tony Veller and goes on to charm us with Two Kittens in Low Basket, Multicolored Leprechaun, Frosted Christmas Tree, Hillbilly Bear, Cookie Tug, Drum Majorette, two varieties of the Train Engine with Smoke, and a smorgasbord of their most popular jars. Again with Metlox there's the best of their regulars and a good mix of their "hard to find" jars including Ferdinand Calf, Flamingo, Mammy Scrub Woman, and Little Red Riding Hood. The Twin Winton chapter displays the entire Collector's Series, Shaggy Dog, and a good selection of their standbys. Conspicuously absent is any description of the Twin Winton Company. There's actually more dialogue on Don Winton in the Hirsh section than there is under Twin Winton. Treasure Craft's section focuses on their U.S.A. made jars with the exception of three jars made in Mexico. Even so, most of my Treasure Craft favorites are included.
   Among others there fun sections on Dorrane of California, Abingdon, L.A. Pottery, Cardinal, Maurice of California, Hull (including thier impossibly rare Little Boy Blue), Maddux, Roseville, Helen Hutula, RRP, Sierra Vista, NAC, Regal China and Shawnee. Among current producers/importers there's Clay Art, Vandor, Enesco, Fitz & Floyd (although their Table of Contents says Fritz & Floyd), and Lefton. Surprisingly missing here are Vandor and Warner Brothers. The "Unknown/Miscellaneous" section is only 2 pages long. Also absent are any of the studio producers (J.D. James, Corl's Kilns, The New Rose Collection, Happy Memories, Austin Curtis, Star Jars, McMe, etc.).
   To cover what's missing in the book would require several more pages. But the selection of cookie jars is what it is; the Roerig's opinion of what are the ultimate cookie jars and I enjoyed every page. There are updated prices that are as good as I've seen. Overall the jars covered are done so well that it's truly agonizing that the great producers are gone (McCoy, ABC, Twin Winton, Metlox, and on and on).
   I give the book my highest rating within the scope of what it strove to achieve. The jars included and the jars left out are a study in what the Roerigs are about. Always an interesting journey.



4. I only wanted the book to identify and price an old cookie jar I have, so I really can't give much of a review, but I was dissapointed that the book didn't have more info (only the price) on my cookie jar.

1 comments about Nanostructures & Nanomaterials: Synthesis, Properties & Applications.

1. 'Nanostructures and Nanomaterials' is a concise, informative introduction to the topic. Very useful.
   
   Shipping was quick, only a few days.

5 comments about Fundamentals of Applied Dynamics.

1. I used this text for an undergraduate dynamics class. I treat my textbooks as references and get the concepts from lectures.
   
   This textbook is the most worthless I've ever purchased. The author drones for pages at a time before reaching a concept, and although he seems to find himself very entertaining, I'd be much happier with something clear and concise.
   
   The example problems in the text are very unsatisfying. They are convoluted and never quite seem to be completely finished.
   
   I found myself referencing Ogata and leaving this one on the shelf.



2. I am a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering Department at Texas A&M University, College Station. To keep my knowledge and concepts of dynamics up to date, I have been referring to this book and I find it is one of the most well-written textbook, with thoroughly worked out examples and clear explanations. I have enjoyed reading this book. The way in which author has clarified and applied the Indirect Approach(Lagrangian/Hamilton Formulations) for the equations of motion formulation is very illustrative and clear of all ambiguities. This is a great favour of author since this approach is particularly powerful and extremely important for complicated electro-mechanical systems in particular and all dynamical systems in general.
   
   Finally, I respectfully disagree with Mr.Daine (from Boston, MA) to have made such ignorant and un-educated remarks about such a brilliant piece of work. I believe Mr.Daine has been looking for some short-cut type, particular problem solving textbook that will never lay the foundations but solve some limited problems of immediate interest, never illustrating the complete framework. In other words, telling the truth, but not the whole truth. That is how any subject, with dynamics no exception, becomes obscure and horrible to students. But this book is all about laying the foundations and making you enjoy the process of learning, while never straying away from the main objective of all engineering analysis: Design. Hence it is a great book.



3. I use this book as a reference sometimes for basic mechanical problems, and I really like the first few chapters with the historical reviews. The book is well thought out and methodical which is needed to do the calculations.



4. The Author's clear lucid descriptions enables you easily grasp some difficult concepts.
   
   A didactic gem!!!



5. Although Dr. Williams is an engineering genius, he has trouble laying out a clear and concise solution. I just took my first undergraduate dynamics class, and found it easier to teach myself the material rather than try and sift through all the confusing prose that Dr. Williams considers educational text.
   
   A good textbook contains the background (perhaps theory), procedure, and solved examples of problems to teach a student a particular technique of solving a problem. I found this book contains far too much background and theory and far too little of the straightforward solved examples.
   
   Although this may be a wonderfully written book for a graduate student or professor to "brush-up" on their knowledge, it lacks in its ability to start from scratch and actually lay out the fundamental technique. Dr. Williams has written this book with the MIT graduate student as his ideal reader.

5 comments about Thermal Physics.

1. Baierlein is chatty and presents the material in a friendly manner, however too often the material is simply glossed over and the results presented in a purely qualitative manner.

   In particular, his development of the early quantum theory has gaps in it, or rather, it is presented in a convoluted manner that does more harm than good.

   Also, the last chapter, on critical phemonena covers a difficult subject in a totally unacceptable manner.




2. Baierlein gives a great introduction to thermal physics. He emphasizes the how and why and writes in english, i.e. this book is not a collection of formulas.

   He does a very good job of explaning statistical mechanics, providing insiteful discussions of the Maxwell-Boltzman, Einstein-Bose, Fermi, and canonical distributions. Great description of the chemical potential. Easy to understand discussion of entropy and multiplicity and also of the partial and exact differentials used in thermal physics.

   IMHO, it is the best introduction to the topic available. A similar book, but not as well written is "Thermal Physics" by Kittel and Kroemer. Of course if you are looking for a reference on Statistical Mechanics, chock full of mathematics, try Reif, Reichl, or Landau.




3. This is by far and away the best book on introductory thermal physics I've read. It is written in plain and clear English and the development of concepts and the required mathematical framework is language-based rather than formula-driven.

   The first three chapters give a beautifully concise overview of the basic concepts of first-year thermodynamics, with a very clear introduction of the concept of entropy. The highlight of the book is perhaps the development of the chemical potential and the Helmholtz and Gibbs free energies.




4. While a nice, non-intimidating introduction to the field with an emphasis on physical insight and "back of the envelope" reasoning, it is NOT suitable as a graduate level text for statistical & thermal physics, contrary to what is stated on the back cover. I would say that if one were to use this and Reif as a combo as an undergraduate, one would get a good picture of the field from both a classic and a well done modern presentation.

   For graduate studies, by all means look elsewhere. McQuarrie, Kubo, Huang (if need be), heck, digging up the Dover reprints by Hill and Wannier wouldn't be such a bad idea, really.




5. This textbook on applied statistical mechanics is intended for use by advanced undergraduates in physics and astronomy. The first five chapters (plus chapter 7) are a gloss of basic thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. The rest of the book applies statistical mechanics to various topics: photons and phonons, fermions and bosons, chemical equilibrium, phase equilbrium, etc.
   
   The book presumes a familiarity with thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, and statistical mechanics. Because the author presumes a familiarity with many of the concepts that he considers, he sometimes introduces terms and even variables without defining them. What's more objectionable is that throughout the book the author reasons by "handwaving" arguments instead of rigorous logic; that is, he argues that his results are plausible but he doesn't prove them. Although the book is intended for astronomy majors, there is almost no mention of astronomical topics in either the text or the problems. Furthermore, some chapters offer few references for further study. There are better texts on statistical mechanics.

4 comments about Pens from the Wood Lathe: Step-By-Step Instructions for the Wood Turner.

1. A very clear and concise presentation of what is required for making excellent writing instuments. Great color photos of all materials and instructions of each step in the selection of woods, and hardware, how to drill, match and assemble the components. The number of ways to varie the appearance of the instruments. He does not go into the discusion of lathes. He concentrates making pens and pencils and the variations that can be created. I have his other book, "UNIQUE & UNUSUAL PENS from the wood lathe" and I refer to them quite ofen for new ideas. I also refer to "TURNING PENS AND DESK ACCESSORIES" by Mike Cripps which I also use



2. 64 pages, full color, 9 gallery pages. Step by step pictures with detailed text on how to make pens/pencils on the lathe. This book was a must for making my first pen, and a great reference as I have progressed. Pens include: Standard twist (and pencil), Dome-top, Rollerball and Fountain, Cigar pen, Flat-top click pen, Flat-top twist pen, and desk pen.



3. I picked this book up on the recommendation of a friend. I've advanced to the stage where I'm getting pretty good at making dowels on an expensive lathe, and was feeling like I needed to find something that made me feel more productive. If I've got it figured right, my first pen will cost me about $4,000. After that, hopefully, economy of scale should set in (I hope). If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm pretty good in a wood shop, but an absolute newbie at turning.
   
   I think my friend was being kind. Dick Sing assumes you have some familiarity with small gouges, skews and scrapers, which I do, and does little or no explanation of the turning part of pen making. He focuses on the intricacies of the equipment that is peculiar to pen making (mandrels, drilling jigs, etc.). Truth is, basic pen making is not a challenging occupation, and Dick Sing offers lots of pictures and straightforward text. This could have been called Pen Making for Dummies. In other words, anyone who can make a dowel on a lathe should be able to follow this book. Even me.
   
   What is missing, though, is and real focus on creative pen making. But this I mean grooves, beads, and chatter work sort of things that can turn a pen into something other than a useful dowel. He does play around a bit with materials and an interesting desk pen, but for the most part this book is about kit making and not about custom pen making. Even so, it is a terse, but very useful, introduction.



4. Great book to get me started turning pens. A lot of good info and pictures. Covers all the basics well.

1 comments about Principles of Mineral Processing.

1. A very comprehensive reference book on the development and wizardry of separating and collecting "Things dug out of the Earth"(Descartes). It deals with older and modern methods, the evolution of equipment and plant and also typical individual integrated processes.
   The clear explanations are most useful for those interested in this somewhat obscure subject but it is an invaluable reference book for the desk of those involved in ore separation plant operation or design.//

3 comments about Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics (5th Edition).

1. I have taught dynamics at the university level, and have used several different dynamics books. This one is clear and well-written, but oversimplified, even for a one-semester undergraduate course. The selection of problems is poor.



2. I have taught dynamics at the university level, and I have used several different texts. This text is clear and well-written, but oversimplified, even for a one-semester undergraduate course. The problem selection is weak.



3. Overall this book is not horrible, but it's not great by any stretch of imagination. Some of the chapters are well explained, but there are also a couple of chapters, such as chapter 18, that are very unclear. There are too few examples in each chapter, and they usually fail to underscore most of the theory stated earlier, some even skip the steps that are being taught in the same chapter! Needless to say, this makes understanding the material frustrating at times. There are probably much better dynamics textbooks around.

5 comments about Heat Transfer.

1. In Holman's (the author) spirit I'll keep this simple. This text (along with Moran/Shapiro's introductory text in thermodynamics) is among the best textbooks met during the course of a civil, aerospace or mechanical enginnering study. The language used constitutes what should be an "industrial standard" for engineering textbooks. It keeps the level of attention peaking by avoiding loose talk and wordy explanations where this is not required. This is (academic) litterature in its truest sense. I own about 50 science/engineering texts within fluid mechanics, solid mechanics/dynamics, mathematics, physics and more. Among these, this book is top three - no small feat.



2. This book is a winner . Forget about any other substitute . In this detailed text you will find all you want about every ine of the multiple equations about the heat transfer , clearly and powerful illustrated . The level of the problems are gradually increased so when you decide to solve them you will become in a real gladiator in this topic .
   I recommend it deeply . Since I acquired it I noticed the little difference that makes the great difference . This is a heavyweight text and hardly you will find out another better than this .
   A must for Chemical , Mechanical and Industrial engineers!



3. The Good:
   - A nice amout of examples.
   - Whatever is explained is explained pretty well.
   - Friendly style of writing.
   The Bad:
   - No solution manual.
   - Some mistakes in the solved examples.
   The Worst:
   - There is no focus on the heat transfer sceince itself - the equations are "dumped" on you with no explanations/development or even some example experiments that were made to get to the equations. The focus is on application of the equations to engineering problems and methods of solving differential equations.
   
   The bottom line:
   This book will not give you an understanding of the heat transfer science, but the ability to solve heat transfer problems. If that's what you look for - this is your book. Otherwise, look for something else.



4. This is an awful choice for an introduction to this material. The text doesn't go into detail on the sections, and the examples can be better. Errors in the text can screw you up to.



5. When I was assigned the book I thought the worst thing about it was the obscene price. Then I saw the book. This is quite possibly the ugliest book cover I have ever seen. Did someone seriously pay someone else to make it? Ugh.
   
   Then I *used* the book. Oddly enough, I was taking two heat transfer courses at the time, a very conceptual one through the Materials Science department (Incropera text) and a very application-based one through Mechanical Engineering. [For the record, the ME course was an easy way to fulfill an MSE "tech elective" requirement.] This is the book used in the ME course.
   
   If you're actually planning to analyze heat and mass transport in your regular life, this is a great reference book, with tons of empirical formulas and constants and other wonders. If you're planning to publish papers in heat transfer, you may want to consider Frank Incropera's text to gain a solid mathematical understanding of the subject. There were several numerical errors that jumped out at me when I was using the book, especially considering that this is the ninth edition. Keep your eye for this sloppy editing and I think you'll find this book to be pretty okay.