Captivating biography! One of the best. In a class by itself!
Written before the popular Broadway play, "Copenhagen" by Michael Frayn, Pais' book covers the Heisenberg-Bohr meeting in 1941[the real one],--- and there is a lot more! We are fortunate that Pais has given us this, and several other wonderful biographies;-- the one about Albert Einstein stands out! It is especially fortunate that he has chosen to write for the general public. I can't think of anyone who did, or possibly could have done it better. His writing is captivating, and unique in its recreation of the times, and the social context of the scientific events. Pais further succeeds magnificently in bringing to life the many colorful personalities. This includes the young physicists born in Europe around 1900 who arrived in Copenhagen in the 1920ties to work with Bohr, some later to win the Nobel Prize,-- how he became a father figure to some of them,- Heisenberg, for example. And there are the other players,

Albert Einstein early on, and Pais himself later, in the drama of quantum physics of the Twentieth Century. Even if you might perhaps not be scientifically inclined, and if you choose to skip the physics sections, I don't think you will be disappointed.

Historical description of the development of nuclear and quantum physics, especially from the viewpoint of Bohr and colleagues, many who Pais worked with. Provides a non-technical description of many of the principles of modern physics.

I bought this book for my Dad and he loved it ..... BUT he's a retired scientist with an interest in and basic knowledge of quantum mechanics. He particularly enjoyed the explanations of this very weird branch of physics. As an example of the type of reader who may enjoy this - he's the only person I know who has read "A Brief History of Time" cover to cover.

Bernard Zlotowitz and Dina Maiben bring the story of young Abraham and his journey of self enlightenment to life. It is presented in a beautifully written fashion which is easy for young children to follow and appreciate. They bring out the religous history in a way that allows children to learn in an enjoyable manner.

The illustrations by Raquel Sweeny pulls you in and brings out the beauty of this very important message.

this book takes a traditional story and makes it interesting for children to read. it captures the child and brings him into this special world. Dina Maiben and Bernie Zlotowitz capture you from the dedication on (By the way everyone should check out Bernie's dedication). it is an insparational tale that i can only rave about.

Abraham's Great Discovery, a lovely children's book by Bernard M. Zlotowitz and Dina Malben, retells the Hebrew legend of Abraham. As a boy, Abraham begins to question his parents' point of view of spirituality. As children read this book (or as it is read to them), they will discover not only the classic story of early monotheism, but struggles we all encounter as we form our own beliefs and values.

My children have enjoyed listening to this book and reading it themselves. It helps them to see how the concept of one God was born and to understand the basic beliefs of Judaism.

I highly recommend this book to parents and children in general and to educators of young children in particular.

This, along with the book by Helen Gaines, is one of the best introductions to classical cryptology, but if you want to go further into contemporary cryptology, you'll need a more recent book. I like Applied Cryptology by Bruce Schneier.

For by far the best book on background but not for mathematics, try The Codebreakers by David Kahn.

All four belong on any crypto bookshelf.

Dr. Sinkov has been-there, done-that. He was in the first group of three mathematicians hired by William Friedman of the Army's Signal Intelligence Service (SIS) back in 1930. After two name changes, the agency became the NSA, and Sinkov became the Chief of Communications Security, and later, Deputy Director for Production.

Using only high school math, the good doctor takes us on a tour of cryptanalysis that is remarkable for it's clarity and completeness. If you don't start with Sinkov's book, you're doing it the hard way.

Sinkov's greatly consistent language is the first thing I have admired, second but not least the clear explanations, the algorithms and the attention that the book should be enough to make the average user understand everything. Many thanks to a true teacher that is at the same time a true expert.

Fine picture of an often-maligned woman. A few historial inaccuracies, but well written and enlightening. Follows the same path as the much newer book by Kay duPont, "Loving Mr. Lincoln: The Personal Diaries of Mary Todd Lincoln," which, in fact, Jean Baker endorsed.

As I have learned after reading, and watching many documentries,and books about the Lincoln family.I have learnd one unpleasent thing.Mrs.Lincoln has been horibely treated in history.
I rember a kind of quote in the Lincoln A House Divided special where someone said that she was more intelegent then most men she knew.
Mary was intelegent.She studied politacts and was a Bell in Kentucky.Though she did have ovbius emotional problems and fits of depressions--So did Abraham.However this is often over looked becaouse of his status.

I think this has to be one of my favorite matriels out there about Mary.An excelent read,with informtiove information.
A good sense of what Mary must have been like.Which is something that most books lack about Mrs.Lincoln.This book is a true gem.

Jean Baker's biography of Mary Todd Lincoln is a well written work on an individual whose life was at once extraordinarily blessed and tragically cursed. Born in
Lexington to an upper middle class family with a long history in Kentucky, Mary was given both the traditional lifestyle of the young southern belle and the unusual
opportunity of an education. During a time when most women of her social class were almost invisible to the public world, Mary was better educated, more
outgoing, more inclined to express a personal opinion, and more ambitious than others of her set. To some extent these are the reasons she reached the White
House. They are also responsible for some of her social problems after leaving Washington. In fact, except for the early loss of her husband and children--a
common tragedy for many women of the time--most of Mary Lincoln's troubles were the outcome of her attitudes toward others and her extraordinary self
absorption. Even the loss of close family members merely presented an opportunity for her to assume the role of heroine in her own tragic drama, and she carried
her mourning to extremes rather than give up center stage. Focus became not the sad death of young men at the very beginning of their lives or of a national loss
of a great leader, but Mary Todd Lincoln's grief. When others refused to make her the center of their attention indefinitely, she apparently felt they were
unreasonable, and her outbursts alienated many who might have helped her far more and more readily than they ultimately did. To say that she was a woman with
great psychological and situation problems is an understatement.
Professor Baker tends to put a feminist spin on the events of Mary Lincoln's life, seeing her as a victim of the misogynistic, paternalistic environment of her times
and, as a woman ahead of her time, a prime target for male backlash. To some extent this may be--probably is--true, but not entirely. Certainly there were as
many, if not probably more, women who disliked her, some of them formerly close friends. In defense of the men and women of the mid nineteenth century, the
behavioral expectations of the day simply were what they were and putting their social mores on trial at this late date is not only unjust, it's pointless. Even in our
own society, which tolerates a far greater variance in behavior and where rapid communication allows us to share what's new more globally, there are still
behaviors that raise eyebrows. Like the society of Mary's day, we don't like to have our sense of what's "right" offended. To see this more personally, one has
merely to cross cultural lines, from say western to middle easter for instance, to feel the high dudgeon that the people of Mary's environment may have felt over her
breeches of expected behavior.
One of the figures in the story, most often vilified as the Bad Son, is Robert Lincoln. I had heard before the story of his consigning his mother to a sanitarium. The
book, while it makes of him just as much a villain, also provides enough details so the more critical reader might decern a less sinister view of these events. In his
defense I don't think that Robert Lincoln was quite the conniving, greedy man he is depicted--although I have to admit I've not read a biography of the man. He
certainly was able to provide a clear accounting of his management of his mother's funds. I suspect that he was merely a product of his age. That he was a very
rigid, conservative individual--as lawyers tend to be in any age--with political ambitions of his own can hardly be held against him. He certainly doesn't seem to
have used his mother's income to further his own agenda. From the author's own description of her, Mary Lincoln was self centered, outspoken, and eccentric.
She was also inclined to see others in black and white rather than in shades of gray, either for or against her, a friend to be clutched to her bosom or an enemy to
be driven away with every means available to her. Furthermore her shopping, which became the focus of her insanity trial, apparently was abnormal for the age. In
fact, even in our own time, excessive spending can be seen as a type of addictive or compulsive behavior and can and occasionally does lead to the bankruptcy
that Robert Lincoln feared would be his mother's fate if left to her own devises. Her 64 trunks--and the old Saratogas were not exactly carry-ons--of
possessions, weighing some 4 tons, would suggest that maybe her behavior really was a little out of hand. In his defense is the fact that he was surrounded by a
society that saw his mother's behavior as embarrassing if not outright insane and by advisors who agreed with his point of view and urged him to pursue the
course he did. That he should suborn perjury in an effort to bring his mother's behavior more in line with public expectations and her spending under better control
is tragic perhaps, but not necessarily evil. It might be pointed out that in growing up in the LIncoln household, there appeared to be only two methods of dealing
with mother, either rebel and fight for your own identity, as Robert Lincoln seems to have done, or allow oneself to be totally absorbed by her personality, as the
other sons seem to have done. Robert was never going to be his mother's favorite son. It might be pointed out, that he is also the only one to have survived her.
For those who are more inclined to understand the period itself, one of the more interesting aspects of Professor Baker's work is the clearer picture of the man
Lincoln that arises when he becomes a collateral, almost an incidental, character in the story. The events that lead to his death and ultimate cultural "deification"
are more evident, and his personality becomes more human. Factors in his personal life which may have effected his presidency are certainly much clearer.
Although I don't necessarily agree with some of Professor Baker's assessments, I think the book was very well written. It certainly kept my attention from beginning
to end. It is also very thoroughly researched. I think the chronicle of women's contributions to our world is far too under represented, and I welcome the addition of
this biography in partial remedy of that omission.

This book presents the full-length versions of some of Lincoln's best oratory feats. Great Speeches contains fifteen of Lincoln's best along with his famous letter to Mrs. Bixby, who lost all five of her sons during the war. Here is an excerpt as only Lincoln could create:
"I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours, to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of Freedom."

What you get from the book is a fabulous primary source from which to quote our sixteenth president. What you do not get is a lot of analysis on his underlying motivations. Although a short essay at the beginning of each discourse helps place Lincoln's words in historical context, you will not find a wealth of scholarly insight into why Lincoln gave each particular speech and what the implications were to the nation. Nevertheless, Great Speeches helps the reader understand this incredible man in a manner unbiased by the opinions of others.

Highly recommended for anyone wishing to learn more about President Lincoln and some of the issues he faced during a time of incredible national upheaval.

I am hesitant to say much of anything about a historic figure as iconic as Abraham Lincoln, simply because I feel that there is very little to say that hasn't been said, and said better, already. Two brief points, then:

1) In addition to being one of our greatest presidents, Lincoln was also one of our greatest WRITERS. Certainly as a rhetorician he has had few peers - Dr. King is the only American who springs to mind.

2) If you're think about buying this, JUST DO IT. Jeez - it's only a buck fifty. What have you got to lose?

PS Here's a great big "THANK YOU" to Dover Publications for making this and other fine books available at such an economical price. I don't know how you guys do it, but please, DON'T STOP!

First, I would have to say that this book, i.e., Great Speeches (Dover Thrift Editions) [UNABRIDGED] by Abraham Lincoln is by no means an easy read and would have suited better as an audiocassette or a CD. However, as one starts to read his great speeches, e.g., His "Farwell to Springfield" speech, Gettysburg address and annual messages to Congress (or the moving letter to Mrs. Bixby regarding the deaths of all her five sons); then one starts to understand the true genius that this former President was blessed with. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in either history or public speaking: since it is a great aid for both.

I have not read the book in its entirety just yet I have read the first 5 sections in the book and I have found them somewhat tedious. The book is filled with diverse topics which only a few have been able to stimulate my interests.

This book provides insight into the tender moments Abraham Lincoln had with his wife Mary. Mary Lincoln does not come across as a shrew or a nag but as a loving wife that from time to time yielded to frustration and had to bear the personnal loss of two sons. Each time, Abraham seemed to know when to comfort her or when to leave matters unsaid.

I read and re-read this classic. Through Irving Stone's elaborate descriptive words, I feel, see and live what Mary Todd "Molly" did. I can smell the oranges, feel the velvet dress, and experience the political turmoil of the times prior to and during the Civil War. I don't even consider this book fiction. I am a romantic at heart, and she showed true devotion and undying love for Honest Abe. She taught me traits to look for in a man, and what to overlook. I am grateful to my father for giving me this book before he passed away.

I love Abraham! I do! But this calendar is essentially a 365 page pad that has 'some' abraham quotes which are used over and over again. Honestly, listen to a few of their tapes or CDs instead and buy a pad at staples. It's the placemat process on a 365 page pad and not worth more than [$$] if that. If you don't know what the placemat process is, go to the abraham-hicks site and look under the newsletters. It's in one of the oldest newsletters posted. You just write what you intend for the universe to do for you on this pad. It's a 'to do' pad. I'm not kidding! Really!

"There is nothing you cannot be, do or have" pretty much sums up the Abraham teachings perfectly.

For years, I thought life had to be a struggle, the world was full of wrongs to be righted and that we had to prove ourselves worthy in some way in our lives to something or someone - whether physical or non-physical.

The non-dogmatic, non-preachy Abraham teachings changed my view of the world completely.

Now I sit back and relax, let my thoughts and desires flow and life just gets better and better. I pretty much get everything I want these days and things I don't quite have in the bag yet are well on the way.

Even after just a year of playing with the Abraham ideas, I find myself looking at other people in the world and wondering why they make things so hard on themselves.

You see, life is a choice - and it is much more of a choice than many of us dare believe. And we can choose to live life the "hard" way with lots of suffering or we can live it the "easy" way with ever-increasing freedom, growth and joy.

I now know that every single little thing that every occurs in my day-to-day existence is something that I have deliberately created and I now know exactly how to control all those things.

Do yourself a favour - forget all the emotional/religious/psychological baggage you've been carrying all your life and just learn how the natural laws of the Universe really work.

One thing is for sure...you'll never go back!

The work of Abraham is truly unlike anything I have encountered. It is not only uplifting and empowering, but realistically attainable with "deliberate thought."

The 365 Day Calendar allows you to organize and prioritize your daily goals and objectives while leaving space for you to stay focused on wishes & desires that have been milling around in your mind for much of your lifetime. The words of Abraham on the back of each day only add to the power that your own wanting can bring to you.

Because writing is such a powerful point of focus, deliberately writing down on a consistent basis what you want and why you want it simply opens your channles for deliberate positive manifestation & funnels the awesome energy & power of the universe into the very personal life experience that you are living.

I highly recommend this tool as a creative means for continually reminding yourself of what is most important to you and why.

I thoguth the title was misleading - I was expecting this book to actually be about meditation. It is more like a research reference on the subject. I think it should be called: A History of Some Rabbi Guys and their Students, With Some Allusions to Meditation Techniques Here and There.

This is a very good book for those that are competent in the basic terminology of Kabbalah. If you're not, you will struggle with this text. This book gives the reader a very broad appreciation for the art of meditation through a broad compilation of the various Kabbalistic literature that is unaccesible to most people and nearly impossible to taste if your language is only English. This book covers all of the major schools and their most noticeable differences and provides enough "meat" to contemplate the various methods of meditation themselves. This book is not an expositon on the Bible, but it is biblicaly based although not readily apparent. If you're looking for your first book on meditation, don't start here, this isn't a beginners text. Instead try Kaplan's other book, "Jewish Meditation." However, if you're ready to take a deeper look and wan't to gain a broader perspective on the various methods, this is an excellent text.

"An exciting masterpiece. So rationally writen and explicitly put that it leaves one flabbergasted for life. By far a work of a wizard."

Clearly, Kim has given much thought into the penning of this novel. The circumstances are chillingly plausible, much like Tom Clancy's pre-9/11 novel, "Debt of Honor". Yet while one looks back at the events in that book and thinks, "Was Clancy onto something before anyone else?", here we have a chance to look at "Beneath the Plains of Abraham" and look ahead to our future - like Ebeneezer Scrooge - and say, "Is this the way it MUST be, or do we have a chance to yet change it?".

All Kinrade's novels touch a central theme: if circumstance be right, possibility emerges. Never does this theme play out clearer than in this book.

Rereading the book for the third time, I am brutally cognizant that the internal political problems we in Canada face must be addressed, yet the underlying fear exists that the only way to address them may be the terrible reality which so many other nations have had to endure: civil war - perhaps not in our lifetime, but menacingly just beneath the surface nonetheless.

A truly timeless Canadian novel that time will give its rightful place.

AS A MEMBER OF THE MARITIMES, I WAS HAPPY TO READ THIS BOOK. BEING ABLE TO CONNECT TO THE PLACES MENTIONED ALLOWS ME TO BRING A NEW MEANING TO THIS BOOK. THE DRAMA AND THE REAL LIFE QUALITIES OF THE CHARACTERS COMPARES TO TOM CLANCY AND KEITH DOUGLASS.

Mr. Kinrade puts a real-life possibilty into play here with superb description. I totally enjoyed it!

I thought I was buying a book about funny things that have happened in the name of science, but that was not the case with this book. It's just a collection of not-so-funny articles that have appeared in the magazine "Annals of Improbable Research". They are not funny, and, you won't learn anything new about the scientific world. So, if you want to have a laugh while reading true stories about scientists, do not buy this book.

As a scientist, I really enjoyed reading about the many funny quirks of scientific experimentation. Perhaps without these eccentricities, there would be no innovation! Great book!! If you enjoy "behind-the-bench" humor, I would like to suggest yet another book filled with hilarious situations and lots of candid, satirical wit on the life of scientists and their managers in high-tech R&D industry, from the point-of-view of the technical staff. This new, insightful American satire is entitled, "Management by Vice" by C.B. Don and is highly recommended as an entertaining, adjunct-read to the incredible "Annals of Improbable Research".

This book came home with my spouse about a year ago to be placed in my "reading" pile. I never could figure out what he was snickering at until I was looking for an article for math class. What a find! As a student teacher I've used "Aerodynamics of Potato Chips" and "Taxonomy of Barney" for evaluation of scientific study and an introduction to scientific inquiry. Most recently a classmate used "Aerodynamics of Potato Chips" with a group of middle school students who were interested in the distance of the standard toss as defined by the article (much to the horror of the custodial staff). From this initial investigation, the class moved into a more formal study of aerodynamics. This book is science educators dream! Fun and interesting articles that refocus attention, demonstrating that anything can be done scientifically, if one puts their mind to it. Its also an insight into the humor of science as who better to make fun of science than those who do it?