This second installment of the Danzig Trilogy was an overall disappointment. While Gunter Grass's flair for story-telling is all here, Cat and Mouse does not stretch into the varied themes touched by Tin Drum (..the first book of the trilogy). Cat and Mouse reads more like an early John Irving novel (..with a German/Polish twist) rather than profound literature (with all due respect to Mr. Irving, who has written some wonderful stuff in recent years).

Cat and Mouse is a story growing up (..mostly high school years) in German occupied Poland during WW II. The characters are quirky (..especially the boy with a protruding Adam's apple) and amusing. But this coming-of-age tale has been told better elsewhere.

Bottom line: read Tin Drum. Cat and Mouse will seem stale (and hastily written) by comparison, but fans of Gunter Grass probably won't complain much.

It is true that Grass is always a sweet read and this book is no exception. Do not be confused by the incorrect synopsis which is about a cheap American thriller. Grass has not lowed his high standards. He has written a moving, informative tale of youth in war-time Poland. The story is short, but powerful. Well worth a couple hours of your time.

I first read Cat and Mouse without the benefit of having read The Tin Drum beforehand, and I missed a lot. Cat and Mouse is the second book in Grass' Danzig Trilogy, three books that look at life in Danzig under the Nazi regime from three different points of view (the tales are told concurrently, and time can be fixed by seeing the same event from different points of view; for example, the picnic taken by the jazz trio and Schmuh in Book III of The Tin Drum shows up towards the end of Cat and Mouse, and Matern, one of the main characters of Dog Years, shows up in The Onion Cellar, where Oskar's jazz band is retained, in The Tin Drum).

Cat and Mouse is actually a novella, originally a part of Dog Years that broke off and took on a life of its own; on the surface it is the tale of Joachim Mahlke, a high school student with a protruding adam's apple (the Mouse of the title), and his fascination with a sunken Polish minesweeper after he learns to swim at the age of thirteen. It is also the story of Pilenz, the narrator and Mahlke's best friend. The two spend their high school years in wartime Poland, reacting to various things, and that's about as much plot as this little slice of life needs.

The interesting thing about Cat and Mouse is its complete difference in tone from the other two novels. Both The Tin Drum and (what I've read so far of) Dog Years have the same high-pitched, almost hysterical humor combined with a profound sense of teleology (not surprising given the apocalyptic nature of life in Danzig under the Nazis); Grass attempts to confront the horror with over-the-top slapstick, because only through that kind of comparison is it possible to make the reader understand. But while Cat and Mouse has its moments of the same kind of ribald humor, it is more dignified, in a sense, and closer to reality; enough so, at least, that when the book reaches its inevitable climax and denoument, one feels more genuine, or more human, reactions to the fates of Pilenz and Mahlke than one does to Oskar, the hero of The Tin Drum. Perhaps that is why it was segmented off from Dog Years; perhaps there was another reason. Whatever the case, it stands on its own and as an integral part of Grass' magnum opus.

Henry Corbin, one of the very few western scholars of Islamic Mysticism, and particularly of the Andalusian "Shaikh al-Akbar". L'"immagination créatrice dans le soufisme d'Ibn Arabi" is without doubt an intelligent penetration into the mysteries of Ibn Arabi's doctrines on theophanism, the doctrine of the "Fedeli d'amore" of Islam, and on the creative capacity of the soufi's heart. Of particular interest is the chapter on Divine Love represented allegorically in his "Tarjuman al-ashwaq" and its correspondance with the Convivio of Dante Alighieri. Corbin compares Ibn Arabi's beloved "Nizàm" with Dante's Beatrice. The parallel between the "Alchemy of Happiness" and the "Divine Comedy" of the Florentine poet is surely the key of this excellent book.

After reading "The seal of saints" by Mr. Chodkiewickz, I got curious about Mr. Corbin's books in general and this one, Alone with the Alone" in particular. In the book " The seal of saints" Chodkiewickz is highly critical of Corbin in assesing a "Shia" core for Suif's in general and great Shiekh in particular. I am no expert in these matters but from my studies of suffism and Shiism, I see about a 80% overlap between the two. Suffism has much more in common with Shia beliefs than it has with our Sunni beliefs. I always wondered why Shiism has added " I bear witness that Ali is Wali of God" to the call for prayer, I didn't get the significance of this addition until I read Mr.Chodkiewickz's fine book on Ibne' Ul-Arabi's doctorine of Sainthood. Not that I agree with the Sufi or Shia assertion in this regard, it violates my Sunni beliefs, but at least I have an appreciation for the concept. I respect Sufis, though I am not an advocate , well at leats not yet. I tend to agree with Corbin that Shiism and Suffism seem to be twins, or at least distant causins. Reading some of Sheikh's work in Arabic, I came across passages that had strong Shia tone, one wonders if these passages were added to the book or was written by Sheikh himself. If written by Shiekh himself, then knowingly or unknowngly, Sheikh must have been influneced by Shii thoughts. Whatever the case maybe, this is an excellent book, I recommend Mr.Chodkiewickz's book as well. I think everyone should read about all point of views and arrive at their own conclusion.

One of the best books on esoteric Persian thought I've ever read; immensely scholarly and yet largely readable, though very rich and thick with insight in places you'll want to slow down and really absorb. (A newcomer to Ibn 'Arabi's writings, I'm reviewing this book from a depth-psychological point of view.)

If you've read my other reviews you know I'm a relentless critic of unreadable writing, much of which is symptomatic of a narcissistic unavailability better dealt with in therapy than through a publisher or fan club. Corbin is not easy to follow in places, but it's the concentration of the material that makes for more careful study--and makes more careful study worthwhile.

I was particularly moved by the image of the saddened God breathing out a sigh at being unknown, a sigh that made space for humans to reflect God back to God and thereby become the "secret treasure." Corbin's criticism of "becoming one with God" mirrors Buber's of "doctrines of absorption": both praise a dialog between person and the Divine rather than a reduction of one to the other.

Note to students of James Hillman: while many of Hillman's ideas can be found here (the heart as an organ of soulful perception, for instance), Ibn 'Arabi makes a clear, non-Hillmanic distinction between Forms (Images) of God and the ineffable true God that shines through the Forms like light through stained glass. This distinction does not exist for archetypal psychology, which collapses the archetypal image into the archetype itself and regards extra-psychic activities as outside its purview.

This book is a complete, up-to-date book about all the changes a girl goes through during puberty. It is an extremely helpful resource covering topics such as breasts, body hair and odor, getting your period, acne and skin care, romantic and sexual feelings, taking care of your body during puberty, and much more. The book helps you make guesses on things like when you will start puberty or get your period. Also, this book features over 50 drawings to explain nearly all the topics. Not only that, but the book is filled with qoutes from real girls and women who explain what it was like for them to go through all these changes and how they felt about it. You'll also get advice and info. on what type of pads or tampons are right for you, different diseases such as AIDS, eating disorders, signs that you will get your period soon, and much more. Included in the back of the book are resources, websites, and phone numbers for girls going through puberty and other changes. This book is a must-have for all girls going through puberty, and one of the only guides that explains EVERYTHING you need to know. (If you're a boy, or a parent of one, you'll probably like "The What's Happening To My Body: Book for Boys, also written by the same authors.)

My mother bought this book for me when I was ten. Her mother had never explained any aspect of puberty or menstruation to her and she was afraid of giving me confusing or incorrect information. I remember reading this book cover to cover at least five times and going through it again as I was a teenager and had questions. I developed earlier than most girls and this book was a reassuring source of information. It not only taught me a lot about my body and what was happening, but was a boost to my self-esteem because it talked about differences as being o.k. I haven't read the new edition, mine is 15 years old, but I can't imagine anything better for a mother to give her daughter as she enters puberty. It opened a line of communication between my mom and me about a topic that is not always easy to discuss with your parents at that age. I would recommend this book to ANY parent for his/her daughter.

Are you a girl who is worried, wondering, scared, curious, or scared about the changes your body is going through? Well, look no further. This is a fantastic book for girls who are entering or are in puberty, and a terrific guide for parents to read if they want to help their child. The information is very clear, accurate and easy to understand. A well-drawn picture illustrates the change easily. Also, for girls who want to know, there is even a chapter about puberty in boys! Topics included are periods, breasts, hair, caring for your body during puberty, and so much more. I read this book from cover to cover and I just LOVED it. Read it1 You will not be dissapointed!

...then he might write something like "The War in 2020."

Sure, Japan Inc isn't so scary any more. Yeah, we're proving now (January, 2002) that we can take on radical Islam and win. OK, so our military isn't quite as hollowed-out as we'd feared. And maybe we're still the tech kings of all the known universe.

That still doesn't make this book any less scary or fun to read. The reason? It's just really well written, with living, breathing characters you really will care about. That's why Ralph Peters has a shelf life ten times that of Clancy -- and I'm a Clancy fan.

Oh, plus a techno-thriller second half that will keep you up all night.

This book is one of the best novels I have ever read. The WAR IN 2020 is an honest book which does not try to pull its punches.

Despite some of the themes being dated (written in 1990; the USSR exists in 2020 (sort of) AND the Japan as the enemy), the book was one of the first to take a hard look at the end of the cold war and its effects on islamic fundamentalism and the chaos in Central Asia (a common thread throughout many of his novels.) It also looks at the peace dividend and how these so-called savings get deferred to the butcher's bill.

The WAR in 2020 strikes a somber tone and does not come off with a triumphant flourish where the heroes get the medals and all the bad guys get theirs. The ending leaves you wondering what the [heck] everyone died for--unfortunately, it ends like most wars. Don't get me wrong, this book is an exciting novel with its fair share of action, but it does not cop out with a comic book ending that wraps up everything in a neat package.

This is a military fiction novel for thinking adults.

A Personal Commentary:

Ralph Peters seems to me, an under appreciated author. He is not as popular as Tom Clancy (they both showed up in the mid 80s) but I find him to be a literary and philosophically superior author. I think that Ralph does not constantly the sales Clancy does because he does not go near the nationalism trap that Clancy has fallen into. I hope that he continues to write more novels.

I had never read any books by this author, and picked up the book in a pile of used books. I am not a big fan of fictional war novels even though I have read the works of Harry Turtledove including the "Guns of the South" and the "Worldwar" series. I found this book more belivable and readable than the "Worldwar" series.

The book is dated, ( with recent events in terrorism in the world) but still comes across as a plausible story.

I am looking forward to reading more of this author's work.

Flight of the Buffalo discusses the fact that the business world has changed. To stay competitive business leaders must also change and change the way our businesses operate. The only things that are constant are that change will continue to impact the way business is done and the speed of this change will continue to increase. How do you satisfy (retain) that current customer, or acquire that next customer in this continually changing competitive environment? First, as a leader you must learn to learn and learn at a faster rate. The foundation for all change is learning. Second, it is important that changes be made to the organizational culture in order to accomplish the changes required by the organization to allow employees to lead. The culture needs to change to remove the mentality that we are all victims because we have no control over any of the tasks required to make the customer happy, to one in which we all have ownership of the problems our companies/customers face. There are a number of obstacles that stand in our way as leaders. Many leaders within our companies hesitate to empower their employees and give them responsibilities for fear that they will not have anything to do themselves. Anyone who struggles with relinquishing control and trusting their coworkers to share in the responsibilities of the organization should read this book.

Although the book discusses many important aspects of leadership and developing a culture in which employees do lead, the book lacks in two areas. First, many of the concepts presented in the book were repeated numerous times. As I read the book I felt like I had already read that page. Secondly, the book does not do justice to the concept of letting employees lead. It does discuss at detail how the leader's mentality has to change to effectively lead an organization where the employees lead, but it does not discuss when this is appropriate. The book is subtitled "Soaring to Excellence, Learning to Let Employees Lead," and it may have been the author's intent not to discuss the ramifications of this change on the employees, but instead focus on the real problem, the leadership, for which the author does an excellent job at detailing. After reading the book I am left with many questions: Does every company need to change to a flock of geese to remain competitive, or are there situations where the lead buffalo is a necessity to running the business? What if employees do not want to take on the responsibilities of leading the organization? Are there changes within the employee reward system to effectively deal with this change in the organization? How do we as leaders handle resistance to this new system? The book only brings us half way in our understanding of how to let employees lead.

Reading Jim Belasco is an exciting voyage to the very core of business. His common-sense leadership lessons have changed the way I lead. He presents an entirely new way to look at people, and teaches you through his inspiring pages how to transform your company into a more dynamic, accountable, enjoyable and profitable, 'live' organization. I have had the rare opportunity of attending a live Jim Belasco seminar, and can say he is not only an outstanding business author, but maybe the most powerful leadership speaker in America. Go ahead and order this great book (an all Jim Belasco's titles). It's a great reading and a terrific, smart use of your time.

Unlike most management texts, the Buffalo is written for all employees in any organization. The books's sub-caption is "Learning to let employees Lead" The Buffalo gets that across without ever using the buzzword, "empowerment," and it attacks the employee leadership issue with strong (and inspiring) emphasis on delivering great performance to the customer. The Buffalo also has the marvelous ability to tranform thought and to get those who read it - from CEO to employees on the line - to realize that change must start with them, and to ask themselves, "How and where do I need to change?" This is essential, for as consultants we go into most every company and ask the CEO if these things are happening in his/her company. Inevitably the reply will be, "Yes, Yes, we are doing a, b and c." Then we ask the employees, and they say, "No way, not happening" Both sides really want it to happen, but it seldom happens in companies. Why? First because it really isn't easy, and second because top management is in fact typically trying to "fix" the employees. The employees sense it, don't like it, and believe that "it's top management that needs to be fixed." It is extremely difficult for CEO's or consultants to break this circle, but the Buffalo can be an enormous help - if both top managment and the employees read it -and then teams are organized to address how to implement it. Yet even after top management and the employees have realized that change begins with themselves, to actually achieve employee leadership is still a challenge. Typical business press advice is that "CEO's must give up power." Incorrect and certainly not helpful. Here again the Buffalo shines, as in the second half of the book it provides exceptionally clear and practical examples of how one company did it - the systems they set up, and most importantly, how they measured their progress. Landmark book. Brooks Helmick Managing Director The IML Boston Group

"Tuva or Bust!" is the story of three friends in the 1980s, who were determined to travel to Tuva, a little known land in Central Asia, which at that time was part of the Soviet Union. Their original motivation? As Richard Feynman says in the first chapter, "A place that's spelled K-Y-Z-Y-L (Tuva's capitol) has just got to be interesting!"

The book chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Ralph Leighton, one of Feynman's longtime friends. Though the book is subtitled "Richard Feynman's Last Journey," it's really Leighton's story; Feynman is more of an inspiration and a supporting character. Over several years, Leighton and his friends wrote letters, researched articles, read books, and became more and more fascinated by Tuva, a tiny country in the middle of nowhere. They learned, among other things, that Tuvans practice three different types of steppe herding lifestyles, within a hundred miles of each other, and that Tuva is the home of throat-singing, a musical technique in which a single person produces two notes at the same time.

Leighton's narration is chatty, reminiscent of Feynman's autobiographical works; one suspects Leighton learned to tell anecdotes from his friend. However, Leighton isn't as inherently fascinating a narrator as Feynman. Also, Feynman's persistent cancer, which kept him from participating in several preliminary trips, and finally killed him shortly before Leighton received permission for a group of Americans to travel to Tuva itself, casts a pall over the book.

Still, this is a fascinating story -- a great example of what people can do if they really care about a cause, and don't realize precisely how little chance they have of succeeding. It is also informative, if somewhat superficial in its description of Tuvan culture; I now want to know more about Central Asian peoples, and Tuvans in particular. But while the chapter "Reflections 2000," included in the new paperback version of "Tuva or Bust!" is interesting, I really don't think it was fair of Leighton to mention a new idea for a Tuvan monument to Feynman, and refuse to give any details. Now I want another reprint!

When I was a kid in the 1950s I collected stamps and had quite a few from a mysterious little land called "Tannu Tuva". It always intrigued me because though I could find it on the old globe we had at home (made before the USSR swallowed the unfortunate Tuvans in 1944)I never heard the slightest news from there, nor did I ever hear of anyone going or coming from that little red country sandwiched between the yellow Soviet Union and green Mongolia. Time passed. A lot of time. Fast forward in fact, forty years. One day I saw a new book advertised--TUVA OR BUST. I could scarcely believe that somebody else in America remembered that hapless little country that once issued diamond and triangle stamps with yaks, camels, archers, and horsemen on them. Yet, they had it at our local bookstore. I bought it and read it as soon as I got home. What a treat ! I had never heard of Richard Feynman, not being a physics aficionado, but he turned out to be a great character. I enjoyed reading about his years-long efforts with Ralph Leighton to get to Tuva. They went through all kinds of trouble and interesting side voyages. I strongly recommend that you read this book. For me, reading the book was only a beginning. I listened to the plastic disc of Tuvan throat singing that came with the book, and subsequently bought tapes and attended Tuvan concerts by the group Huun Huur Tu in Boston. I also became a "Friend of Tuva". You can find their website on the net. I still drive around with my 'Tuva or Bust' bumper sticker. All of this stemmed from reading this delightful book on a faraway, unknown country and two people's adventures trying to get there. A very pleasurable experience.

I began reading "Tuva or Bust" as a result of my admiration for physicist Richard Feynman. Although subtitled "Richard Feynman's Last Journey," "Tuva or Bust" is more about the efforts of the author, Richard Leighton, to get permission and the means to visit a Soviet republic formerly known as Tannu Tuva in the 1980's because "any country whose capital is spelled 'Kyzyl' must be worth visiting." The book is simultaneously an adventure story, a manual on how to do research and a loving (in a manly way) tribute to the genius of Richard Feynman. I learned more from this little book than from the last half-dozen tomes consumed. As an added bonus, (the hardcover edition, at least) contains a vinyl record with samples of Tuvan "throat singing" in which the singer produces two notes simultaneously!

Having read and reread Richard Osborne's book, several times, I am left disappointed each time. Either its the editor's poor job of proof reading, wit that just misses the point, or the failure to include philosophical hermenuetics (perhaps to avoid its connection with modern theology?). Yet, despite these failures, the idea of making philosophy accessable to the masses in an illustrative form is good one. I would hope that Osborne would try to write a second edition that laid off the wit a bit and present a good narrative of the history of philosophy. Till then I would suggest reading the works of Richard Palmer for a good, accessable introduction to philosophy.

One of those small books I've dog-eared since my purchase of it many years ago, Richard Osbourne's text and Ralph Edney's illustrations come together in a book that is one of the best and lightest summaries of some of the most complex ideas ever broached. This book has made me smile many times, and I even went to bat for it when one of my philosophy professors smirked at my possession of it (where else will you see a duck present Hegelian Dialectic, John Dewey playing a banjo, Wittgenstein as a chess piece, or a wedding between Marx and Freud?). While by no means a complete study, this book nevertheless egged me on when I began to take this subject seriously and when I wanted a full presentation of it minus some of the arduousness I know must come sooner or later. While there are many jokes throughout, the seriousness of the discipline is never lost, and the wealth of biographical capsulizations of the practitioners presented are remarkably accurate. While not as keen or as full a view as Donald Palmer's similar book-length intro to the subject, Philosophy For Beginners is still a worthwhile ride for those wanting to know what its all about as well as seasoned students who yearn for a rare whimsical treatment of their subject. (A point which I illustrate by keeping my copy in the car for curious passengers during traffic jams!)

This book was my most quoted book that I used on my way to a BA in Philosophy. This book will give one a solid foundation in Philosophy in about four to five hours. This is an Analytical philosopher's view point though.

The book goes through the history in a very concise, sometimes oversimplified method. It is a quick read. It also boils down ideas in an excellent manner most of the time.

I have to suggest that one should read the original philosophical text or a good reader to go further in a subject area. This book is a great jumping off point though.

Good luck and Thanks for your time.

As I read through the book, I kept waiting for the authors to unveil a secret to software success. As I reached the halfway point it occurred to me that there would be none. At least not for anyone that is already in the business. To set expectations, this book would be better suited to a reader from outside the industry.

For these readers, this well-written report adeptly summarizes knowledge gained from previously printed materials and personal interviews with the people that matter. Unfortunately, this access may have come at a price. The authors gloss over failures and accent the positive moves by these companies to such an extent that the reader may come away with a success-biased view of the software development business.

This book was exactly what I was waiting for. I good addition to my software industry book collection. I read the whole book in one go, easy to read and good examples

What does it take to thrive in an industry where "more than 60% of companies that make it to IPO eventually go bankrupt or create very little value"? Five young German business consultants decided they needed to know urgently, and have come up with some original conclusions. Not only are the winners significantly different from the also-rans, they are significantly different from successful companies in other industries. The book reads as though the the five authors split up the task of the book between them, and some sections are stronger than others. Whoever did the hard research and formed the major conclusions did a thorough and superb job - the reason for the five stars. The chapter on the technical aspects of producing good products were mostly derivative of Steve McConnell (" Software Project Survival Guide") and Fred Brooks ("Mythical Man Month"). The section on what it takes to attract good employees bordered on the silly, and the thumbnail sketches of such corporations as SAP, Baan and Platinum were uncritical to the point of reading like recruiting brochures. Who would I recommend the book to? Certainly, anybody who's thinking of starting a software company. I'd also recommend it to anyone wanting to invest in hi-tech, and any software professional who's job-hunting. Personally, I'm going to mail my copy to Judge Penfield Jackson.

Reading this book is a bit of an undertaking. It took me several weeks to slog throught the first 2-300 pages. The book is absolutely comprehensive (at least relative to other single-volume biographies), maybe overly so in parts. For example, I thought the author went into way more detail than I needed on the contents of the Princeton University library while Madison was a student there. The first third of the book was pretty dry in my view, and I was already thinking about what other bio of Madison I could find. Once the discussion turned to the Revolutionary War period and especially the Constitutional Convention, however, the book really took off for me and thereafter was an absolute joy to read. I could not have enjoyed the last half to two-thirds of the book any more than I did. It was fascinating and went a great way toward renovating my impressions of Madison which were damaged somewhat after reading bios of Washington (Flexner) and Adam (McCullough), which were not all that comlimentary. I have to believe that this is THE definitive one-volume bio of Madison. I just wish it was still available in HB from someone other than the Easton Press. On to James Monroe (Ammon)!

In this, the 250th anniversary year of James Madison's birth (16 March 1751), I hope people will want to read more, and know more, about "The Father of the Constitution" and one of the most important Founding Fathers. And for a serious, academic treatment (no, it is not 'pop' biography or 'easy' reading) of Mr. Madison's life, thoughts, beliefs, and accomplishments - this is the one book to read.

Yes, I happen to work at Montpelier, Mr. Madison's life-long home and the home that he and his wife Dolley shared during their marriage - and I can promise you that Dr. Ketcham's well-worn, tabbed (it looks like a porcupine) book is our 'bible' when it comes to James Madison.

There are other, quite good, books about Madison but this is the one for a thorough overview, from birth to death.

This is an absolute gem of a read. In addition to being an excellent education on Madison, I felt as if I were traveling on a rich historical journey back in time. James Madison was a man of integrity and brilliance, and the chronicles in this literary treasure allow the reader to appreciate the greateness of this indespensable founding father. As President, his patient handling of the War of 1812 was commendable, despite difficulties and inept generals, and after the conclusion of the conflict, the nation was more unified than ever before. It was a solid reinforcement of the independence gained from the revolution. There was no question of a challenge from Britain again. There is no doubt in my mind that Madison is the most underrated President. And of course his exceptionally brilliant knowledge, skill and leadership during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 led to the ratification of the nation's cornerstone. Every person who values freedom owes a great debt to this man. America was an experiment in Democracy, and without James Madison it may not have been secured. This is more than a book, it is an experience.

Being familiar with other texts by Hecht, Halliday-Resnick-Walker, and Giancoli, Serway gives a far superior explanation of physics and its applications. I used this book in highschool for AP Physics and greatly miss it while stuck with Halliday-Resnick-Walker(A book supposedly good enough to be used at Harvard). Serway's Physics for Scientists and Engineers is a definite must for any Engineering, Math, or Physical Science major.

Most of us engineering students started physics in high school, which is algebra based. Then we go onto college and the physics classes there use calculus. Now unless you are a math and physics super student, then you should probably buy this book. To me, it seems to just give enough calculus. Some other books - the one used in my school for example, gives too much calculus and confuse the heck out of me. But this book puts concepts as the number one priority, and caculus as the secondary priority. Once the concepts are conveyed to the reader, the calculus seems to fit onto the concepts kind of naturally almost. I like that approach, plus the fact that the author can really explain things really well makes this a great book for all students struggling in college level calculus based physics classes.

Good:
1) Many visual and applied examples.
2) Problems have levels of difficulty. Enough easy ones to solidfy the basics, plenty of difficult problems to fully understand the concepts, and some challenging problems to make sure you will never forget physics and obscure mathematical concepts you learned before.
3) Covers all fields of physics: mechanics, wave, thermodynamics, eletromagnetism, light, sound, and modern physics.
Bad:
1) This book is hard to carry. I've never seen a text book so thick and heavy.

Overall, this book is great preparation for studies in any field of science and engineering. Studying to be an chemical engineer, I found concepts learned from this helpful in all my chemistry classes, engineering mechanics, thermodynamics, materials, the list goes on and on. The effects of this book is everlasting; very worthy investment.