5 comments about Physics.

1. I used this book for an introductory Physics class and it was very helpful in supplementing my professors lectures. There are some really good pictures and diagrams to help in understanding various principles. It was very clear and concise. The algebra was more helpful than any other algebra book I've had, however the author did cut some corners in procedures which made it a bit hard to follow at times.



2. This book is pretty good. I would have given it 5 stars if it were't for two reasons, both of which are typical of physics textbooks.
   
   1. Lack of solution manual. What's the use of problems when there are no solutions to check work?
   
   2. Labeling problems by difficulty. Once again this is a flaw of all the physics textbooks I've seen. Sometimes these labels are inaccurate. Either way seeing problem labeled difficult intimidates the student, who may very well be capable of getting the problem right.



3. It's just physics questions in a book without any information on the topic being asked. Thought it would provide information on best approaches based on the type of question asked etc. I can find physics Q&A online for free, there is no benefit to the book.



4. This has got to be one of the most useless textbooks I've ever encountered in any subject. Moreso than any other math or science text I've seen, the authors commit the cardinal sin of solving only the simplest possible problems in in their "explanations", leaving you to fit together the pieces on the other (often rather difficult) problems at the end of the chapters. And if you thought the solutions manual would save you, SURPRISE! It won't - it only solves every 6th problem or so and generally delivers strange and convoluted solutions to simple problems. As far as the text goes, its explanations are so watered down you'd think you were looking through a text intended for junior high school (or younger) students. It constantly touts some bogus web service called "WileyPlus", which seems to exist purely to make the lives of teachers easier at their students' cost (and which you have to pay EVEN MORE to access, even if you bought the book new!). To sum it up, this text is absolute trash and an insult to the subject matter it teaches. If some professor lists this text on his or her syllabus, pitch a fit.



5. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3UTSJS3YJZUZM

1 comments about Biological Science with MasteringBiology(TM) (3rd Edition).

1. I was pleased to find out that the book we ordered for our daughter was
   the correct one. This is the first time I ordered a textbook from Amazon.com and my concern was that the book would not be exactly like
   the one that was available at her school's bookstore. The condition of
   the book was excellent. I will definitely look for more textbooks next
   semester.

5 comments about The Drunkard's Walk: How Randomness Rules Our Lives.

1. This is an appropriate a bathroom reader. Nothing is decribed in much depth.
   
   Not recommended.



2. Have you ever flipped a coin 100 times to see the sequence of heads and tails that comes up? If you have, you know that there can be long streaks of heads and tails. Random results that end up 50-50 don't look that way in the short term.
   
   Human perception is such that we like to find patterns where none exist. I remember the CEO of a company I worked for would draw a trend line through one data point with great authority, totally unaware of what he was doing.
   
   More often, we judge by samples of behavior and time that are too short to be representative. Professor Mlodinow does a good job of showing how executives are often fired just before they get their best results, and how seldom the new executive does any better than the prior one.
   
   In sports, we get all excited about streaks. Professor Mlodinow dampens that enthusiasm by pointing out that like streaks can occur randomly. We need to check to see if the streak exceeds the expected degree of variation before deciding that something significant has taken place. (But don't stop cheering on your favorite team and players.)
   
   The book also provides lots of thumbnail sketches of the human side of those who have advanced the science and math behind our ability to measure and understand randomness. In fact, I don't recall a book on this subject with better anecdotes about the scientists and mathematicians. That's the reward in this book if you already know about randomness.
   
   If you know nothing on the subject, this book is the gentlest possible introduction.
   
   Enjoy!



3. It is always a pleasure to find an author who can write about complex issues and make the writing lucid and entertaining! Leonard does just this. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the forces which influence our lives...



4. Mlodinow's work is solid and entertaining, but I was surprised at his introductory anecdote of when he was drawn to studying randomness.
   
   I love baseball and revel in its stories. The tale of Roger Maris' star-crossed home run-filled season in 1961 has been written about so much that even someone too young to recall its details, like me, has now read enough to know the facts. Too bad that Mlodinow doesn't.
   
   Aside from the odd suggestion that athletic feats are as random as flipping a coin, I could accept the interest Mlodinow had in studying whether the Maris accomplishment in 1961 -- breaking Babe Ruth's 34 year old home run record by hitting a 61st home run -- was as out of character as it seemed.
   
   Mlodinow provides a basis -- Maris' rate of hitting home runs in his "prime" years -- and then explains logically how the rate during the record-setting year was not much out of character. He embellishes the point by explaining -- via randomness theory applied to baseball -- that it was reasonable to expect that someone -- Maris or someone else -- would have broken the Babe's record.
   
   Made sense to me.
   
   Until I researched those "prime" years and found that they could not be depicted by the numbers Mlodinow offered. In fact, they undermined his thesis.
   
   Maris' 1961 season was exceptional, but so was his 1960 season and his 1962 season. In baseball terms, one might characterize his "prime" years as the peak of his career arc. Lots of good players exhibit the same characteristics -- they improve until they reach a peak and then gradually decline. Most of our lives mirror this arc, albeit over a much longer period than the prime of a baseball player.
   
   Mlodinow should know that baseball and its fans live and die by easily found statistics. I simply went to baseball-reference.com, looked up the numbers for Maris, opened up an Excel spreadsheet and computed what Mlodinow said was a given.
   
   I'm sorry to say this baseball example was shabbily researched.
   
   The rest of the book is much more fascinating, but I wondered if it, too, was built on overstated and unverifiable numbers. All aspects of life are not as well-documented as baseball. That is our loss.



5. Great book, received from Amazon in poor condition when book was said to be "new"

1 comments about Biology.

1. Good book, I hate the evolution aspect and Ignorant aspect on what God really says.

5 comments about The Craft of Research, Third Edition (Chicago Guides to Writing, Editing, and Publishing).

1. The internet has utterly revolutionized the art of scholarship. Seeking a cicerone through the electronic morass, I lighted on this book, as a colleague assured me it was "a classic in its field."
   
   What I thought this book was, then, was a guide on various websites, the ins and outs of the many publication styles, databases, catalogs, and other information that was previously in-print only but now can be accessed at home. So I assumed this book would have subsections on the different databases and resources available for geology, psychology, French literature, etc. It would discuss and review -- essentially guide you through -- in an over-arching way, the avalanche of resources that have now come online.
   
   This book is nothing like that.
   
   Instead, this book is intended, it seems, to get you in the proper frame of mind for doing research, to get you in the research "spirit." I found the whole thing so obvious and general as to be useless -- even for a first-year college student.
   
   In this volume you can find such helpful suggestions as:
   
   "Look for problems as you read." (p. 69)
   
   "In a research report, your goal is not to stuff your claim down your readers' throats, but to start where they do, with what they know and don't know." (p. 113)
   
   "Once you state your claim, say why it's significant." (p. 236)
   
   "Your report will only be accurate only if you double-check your notes against your sources." (p. 103)
   
   "Avoid using an Internet source unless you know that it is reliable and can persuade your readers to think so too." (p. 84)
   
   "You need a problem to focus your attention on those particular data that will help you solve your problem." (p. 60)
   
   The thing I would like to know is, what moron is out there writing research papers who isn't aware of this stuff? The writing is only a notch above such statements as,
   
   "Libraries usually have many books and journals that can help you."
   
   "The more carefully you read a source, the sharper your understanding will be."
   
   "Capitalize the first letter of every sentence."
   
   "Make sure your name is on the first page."
   
   I mean, how dumb are we gonna get?
   
   (citations are from the Second Edition)



2. This book provides a wonderful introduction for graduate students embarking on their first research project. I use it every year in my classes. No matter what the field, students will find helpful advice on how to pick a research question and how to evaluate evidence. Invaluable!



3. Although there are many books on writing research or term papers, I have not found anything else which brings together material on planning, reasoning and writing the research paper as well as this book. Ignore any reviewers who make this book out to be a simplistic text. It is an excellent work on well reasoned writing that even most graduate students can benefit greatly from reading. As a professor of a graduate class on Research and Writing, I have recommended and required this book for several years. The book guides the reader from an idea of a topic, to defining a question, to formulating the conceptually signifcant research problem. It briefly covers finding, evaluating and using primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Then a major portion of the book is devoted to understanding effective reasoning in the writing process. This is based quite a bit on professor Stephen Toulmin's practical approach to effective reasoning and argumentation. The Craft of Research diagrams and explains claims, reasons, evidence and warrants. It has detailed illustrations of warrants and when to use them, as well as how to challenge them. The book has other sections on organizing, drafting,and revising a paper. It also has a chapter on communicating information visually using tables, graphs and charts. Rather than focusing on the simple mechanics or obvious steps in writing a serious research paper, this book concentrates on the more difficult tasks of clearly defining the conceptual problem and addressing it with in depth, effective reasoning.



4. I read this book about a month before I submitted my dissertation (in U.S. history) and it convinced me to completely rewrite my introduction. That experience left me kicking myself for thinking I was too advanced for these sorts of guides and for not consulting this book earlier. The sections on formulating a topic (how to turn a general interest into a question/problem to be researched) and warrants (how to match claims to evidence) are especially helpful. Make no mistake about it, this book can help researchers at all levels, and I have had many students, both undergraduate and graduate, tell me how happy they were that they took my advice to read this book.



5. Have you ever faced a blank computer screen and were at a complete loss of what you should write about for a 10-page research paper due the next week? Or maybe you knew what you wanted to write about but didn't know how to start? Or maybe you had all your sources, wrote out a draft and realized that no one cares if The Great Gatsby illustrates the three Aristotelian elements of a tragedy?
   
   The Craft of Research helps students and researchers solve dilemmas like these and more. The authors dissect the anatomy of a research paper and create step-by-step stages that guide you all the way from choosing a topic to polishing your final product.
   
   The major sections of this book address how to form a good research claim that your readers will care about; how to find and evaluate sources; how to support your claim with evidence, reasons and warrants; and how to prepare, draft and revise your paper. The authors use simple and clear language, and if that's not enough, they provide easy-to-understand visuals and diagrams to help make their point.
   
   The authors also cover useful areas such as ethics (why you must always cite even when just discussing an idea of another writer's), the Internet (when it's acceptable to use web-based sources), and visuals (why 3-D graphs are a bad idea).
   
   Sure, some of the advice they provide you may already know, but as the authors cover nearly everything to do with research papers (albeit in a generalized way), there's something for everyone. It's also nice to have a guide that will remind you of everything you learned in your freshman English classes. Clear, concise, and accessible, the Craft of Research is one of the best books on research.

3 comments about Anatomy & Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function.

1. I am in college, currently taking my 2nd term of Anatomy and Physiology as a pre-requisite for nursing school. This textbook has been fundamental to my understanding of this course, both for this term and last term (and I plan to use it next term, as well).
   
   The clincher is that this is not the required text we are using for my class. A friend just happened to give me this Saladin book when she heard I was taking A&P and so I am using it as a companion text. Little did I know how much I would come to rely on this book; I really feel lucky that it was given to me.
   
   The text my school uses is Martini's Fundamentals of Anatomy Physiology, which, to be fair, is also a very good text book. But there is something about the way Saladin writes and the way he organizes his thoughts about the subject matter that makes it so much easier for me to understand.Often, I will read my required textbook and be totally lost, not "getting it." This is especially true when I am researching information to answer essay questions for my exams. Then, I will read the same topic in Saladin's book and a light bulb will go off -- it will finally all make sense. I've even thought about writing a personal letter to the author to express my gratitude.
   
   I highly recommend this textbook to anyone who wants a clear and easy to understand approach to anatomy & physiology. I feel Anatomy & Physiology: The Unity of Form and Function, by Kenneth S. Saladin, has been essential to my comprehension of anatomy & physiology; I'm not exaggerating when I say that being able to count on this book has helped me to keep making A's in this class!



2. The book arrived in poor condition. Although it was new it had a knocked/torn corner on the cover, and a number of the pages were ripped and bent. I believe this is because of the packaging not adequately protecting the book during transit.



3. this was a great buy. im very excited about using this book. it came on time and and perfect condition as promised. extremely satisfied. thank you very much!

5 comments about Rapid Review Pathology: With STUDENT CONSULT Online Access (Rapid Review).

1. Dense book but Goljan includes pretty much all the salient path you need to learn for the boards. A great adjunct to First Aid if you can handle it.



2. ...don't try to use this for your pathology review if you are only allotting yourself a month TOTAL for board review, and you haven't been through it before to highlight the key information. It is far too much material to get through. I spent 9 half days (4-5 hours each day) on pathology and came out of it feeling like I hadn't retained anything due to the density of the book. I think it's EXCELLENT and very well-organized, but it's far too much if this is your first complete pass through it. I ended up giving up and switching over to BRS Path because it was so much more concise. I did, though, go back through RR after reading BRS to look at images and read through the margin notes, which I found to be extremely helpful. I think for many people this will be a great resource because it's complete; you almost don't even need to read extra physio stuff! But for students who have limited time to prepare and/or who haven't read through the book during the course of the year, this may be too much.



3. I bought Goljan's RR after having listened to his audio files throughout my M2 year. When it came time to review path for boards I realized I didn't like BRS path. RR has colored pictures, 2 tests at the end of the book (didn't do them, i was using a qbank online by then) and the outline format is great. The wide margins with notes was what I liked best (lots of room for me to write too). Definitely look at a copy before choosing a path review book!



4. I've heard some say this book is too detailed for a quick review, and they would rather stick with FA. They must of missed the memo that in medical school you have to know everything and know it in detail. This book is the real deal. If you know these concepts and can work them from a few angles you will surely do well on the boards. If you just read FA you're in trouble. This book should be mandatory!!! It might take a while to get through some chapters but don't fret, stay persistent and it will all come together. This is BY FAR the best book for review, read it a couple times and do a bunch of questions and you're set.



5. this book is amazing. it's tough for some to get used to the outline format, but once you do, you realize that it covers everything that's important in a very organized, readable fashion. there are good applicable pics and charts, along with big margins to write extra notes in. i wish i used it during my first year of medical school (i got it in the beginning of 2nd year).

5 comments about Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight.

1. If your goal is to read a book that will provide you with peer reviewed articles cited, scientific studies referred to, etc. before you try the diet then you should save your money because you will not find these things here. If all you do is read the book, and you want hard science, look elsewhere.
   
   BUT, if you are willing to experiment with your diet based on anecdotal evidence only because you want to feel and look better than you have in years, buy this book.
   
   In the past I have had trouble with weight and also a great deal of trouble with PMS. For years I have tried to find answers to the problem, but nothing ever did the trick. I would try to eat "healthy" foods, whole wheat homemade baked food, light meats like chicken, soy, lentil soups... things that I thought were good for me. What would happen is that I would feel so tired all the time and gain weight. Terrible! The times I gave up and ate red meat were the times I was my thinnest, but I never got rid of the PMS.
   
   Recently my doctor said I should remove yeast from my diet entirely which meant a lot of foods had to be eliminated. Once again I did a lot of cooking - but because my diet was so restrictive I really noticed how certain foods made me feel. Anything with wheat in it made me feel just awful. I mentioned this to my doctor who then asked my blood type... and so I bought this book.
   
   In two days I found my energy levels and mood to be enormously improved. In 4 days the rash I have always had on my upper arms went away and my arms are a smooth as a baby's behind! Overall, my skin is softer and just healthier looking. I sleep deeper and awaken feeling good. My mood is so stable, I am not irritated or blue half the time - I just feel GOOD. My concentration is better, I feel sharper. As to wieght loss, I feel like I am losing but it is only day 7.
   
   Speaking of weight loss, many people speak about this as a diet book and talk about how much they have lost - but that isn't what this book is about. This is a lifestyle change, and I can tell you that if I can feel this good and yet remain my current weight I would still count myself as lucky. This type O will never miss wheat - or the other things I should not eat - and why would I? I do not remember the last time I felt this good. I don't pick up a hammer and start hitting my knee in spite of the pain, and I won't eat a bagel for the same reason.
   
   Can't recommend this book enough - why not try it?



2. I was really excited to buy this book because I had heard so much about it from friends and needless to say, I'm so glad I brought it for myself. It's very interesting and so so true. Now I know why I get certain reactions when I eat food that aren't right for my blood type. This book is a must have in my opinion.



3. Originally I heard about this book from my boyfriend's mother, who is a cancer survivor. I had tried numerous diets over the years, including Atkins, Weight Watchers, Fit for Life, NutriSystem and so on. The diets would usually work and I would lose weight (mind you, I am not even obese, just wanted to shed some excess weight). However, like most people I was tired of diets and fads that made me lose weight, just so I could gain it right back after eating "normal" again. I was much more curious about finding a permanent way of eating that would be beneficial to my health, and of course my waist line. I wanted to find a lifestyle change I could stick to.
   
   Being the naturally curious person that I am I figured I give this book and the "diet" a try. This was about 2 weeks ago.
   Originally some of the concepts or avoids were hard for me to fathom. I am NOT the typical type 0 but a B+ and also should not eat anything that contains wheat. Up to then wheat was the main part of my diet!
   
   The more I read the more I realized that a lot of the beneficial or neutral foods are the things I actually like and love already (thank god I can have all the dairy in the world). At first I could not even fathom not eating wheat products. I also cannot have chicken, which I really liked and I am supposed to eat venison, rabbit, lamb and goat/goat cheese, which I really hate. Luckily turkey and beef are neutral and salmon is beneficial, which makes the meat section easier for me.
   
   The findings so far have been astounding though. I have lost 6 lbs, my energy is higher than it has been in years, so are my moods! I feel "happy" and I am not constantly tired. I also don't have issues with indigestion like diarrhea, gas, and heartburn, which I have battled for over 20 years. Also, I do eat a lot, I just don't eat the stuff I am not supposed to eat and I am still dropping weight.
   
   Of course, a lot of the findings here are common sense. We should all avoid fructose corn syrup, processed foods and junk food but there is something to be said about how I feel on this diet. I am honestly considering staying on this plan until I die and I am only 38 years old.
   
   I am not concerned about lack of research. If I do something and it makes me feel great and seems to be beneficial on all levels, why would I need some scientist to validate it? I am also quite amazed at the overwhelming amount of 5 star reviews here! If this would be quackery, I would think the majority of people rating this book would have already discovered so.



4. This book attracted my attention as it focused on blood types. I've been following the recommendations for the past six years and it has helped address many of my issues without having to goto a doctor.
   
   I have also recommended this regimen to my husband and sons which they in turn have seen good results.
   
   More over this book now acts as a reference and I consult it many times each week.
   
   And that is why I have also recommended this book to many of my friends and relatives.



5. Let me first say that you need to read the whole book first. I know a lot of people that are excited to start and they are really dont read all the book. This is the only way that you are going to really the results that your body needs and want. I believe that is why a lot of people call the book a crock. Also please buy the companion book because it is great to take to the grocery store.
   
   A friend of mine that has cancer daughter bought her this book. I am so fortunate that I picked up the book off her coffee table and flip through the pages. The best thing that has ever happen to me and my husband. It meant for us cleaning out our food pantry. I am a O and husband is a B blood type. If you do this change you need to have your family on board. Especially if their is different blood types in your home.
   It is expensive at first, because you will have to give away or gradually stop using your avoid foods. We gave away a lot of stuff. My family started right away. I stopped coffee right away which if you know me I was a Starbucks addict. I still have a balance on my card which I will use for soymilk. I had already stop using splenda, boy after I stop their stock will go down(smile)
   We are going in our third week and now that we have all our food in the pantry.
   What I really like is I am never hungry. Before I started this blood type diet and I dont want to say diet because it is just a change of the way of eating. There is so much food to eat and I promise you will never be hungry. Before I started this process I felt 75% of myself. I am 50+ and now I can say I am 100% of energy in these short weeks. I have lost weight and I am going to start by exercising in a couple of days.
   
   Buy and Read this book, I wish I would have known about this a long time a go.

5 comments about Clinically Oriented Anatomy (5th Edition).

1. As 1st year med student, this book has been extremely helpful in bringing the gross anatomy lab memorization to actual practice. Clinical "Blue boxes" very helpful and interesting. Also lists muscles with innervations and blood supply very clearly.



2. Moore's Anatomy text was a great buy for me. I used it in my 2nd year anatomy course and am now using it in 3rd year anatomy. Diagrams are clear and concise and there also a variety of additional boxes which supply info about the types of disease/trauma states which significant impact on anatomy. A great buy for any biomedical anatomy major or medical student.



3. This book was helpful in understanding the clinical applications and benefits in knowing and understanding one's anatomy. It made the simple and complicated anatomical topics digestible, and it helped organize the body easily.



4. This is an excellent text no matter what health profession you are in. I very rarely read the text. The pictures accompanied with the tables are basically what I used. You would see the picture and have a table of origin, insertion, action and nerve. If you really want to go into depth then you can read it. Moore did a great look at and then I would recommend a real life atlas such as Rohen to compliment the cartoons with cadaver pictures.



5. Here is the low down. This book is not a book that you can even consider reading through! It is, however, one of the best references that you can buy. I felt like the text was clear and detailed on every anatomical part that I wanted to know about. In medical school, there were times that I needed to reference something because I didn't understand. This book did a great job of filling that roll. It is comforting to know that I have this one on my shelf, and I am still referencing it. The pictures are clear and informative, but it is a text. It is not an Atlas or a review. It will explain things to you in words with a few picutres to supplement. In hindsight, however, it wasn't necessary. It is nice to have, but you can do without if your class doesn't requre it.

5 comments about Pharmacology for Nursing Care.

1. Although I just started the Pharmacology class, this book has been very beneficial in helping me understand the concepts of pharmacology. I would also recommend the Lipincott or Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses 10ed. book to facilitate learning. So far the class has been pretty rough, so beware.



2. Although many nursing students would cringe at the thought of taking pharmacology, this text actually makes it easy. The author inserts many humorous comments throughout the text while making the necessary presented information easily readable and understandable. The included disc provides students with thought-provoking questions that test knowledge on each chapter. An excellent text overall.



3. I had another text for my pre-nursing pharmacology class, and after suffering through it, found this one. Even though I had already finished the class, I bought this and read it cover to cover. It's worth it. Not a lot of details on the chemistry, but it's great for the practicioner who needs the practical information. The background parts that discuss physiology and some chem are excellent to keep things in context.



4. Pharm was definitely my hardest subject during nursing school. I had a hard time keeping all the drug classes straight, but this incredible textbook gave me the exact tools I needed to understand the drugs. With Lehne's sense of humor (in chapter 1 she writes a note to the "chemophobes" - those of us who are scared of chemistry class!) makes this text book interesting and easy to read.



5. This classic text is simply the best. It's great for an undergraduate nursing pharmacology course, and it's also good as a review prior to advanced pharmacology for NPs. The text is well organized and gives a solid but not overly technical treatment of pharmacology. Definitely a must have for any nurse!