This is good collection of reference papers on various aspects of Quantitative EEG. This is an attempt to make EEG more "scientific" by trying to set up a framework of data to use as reference by the medical community as opposed to the more qualitative aspect of just looking at brainwaves.

This thesis is apparent in the first paper which is probably just gibberish for anyone not interested in the basis for the database. However, the remainder of the papers contain some very interesting observations and are worth reading. There is a good paper detailing the success of a group using QEEG for children with ADD and ADHD which would be a great reference.

That is, although the benefits of meditation have been noted for thousands of years there are many who feel that this is all magic now that we have science to rely on. Unfortunately for these folks they don't usually know enough to question scientific endeavors and blindly accept any sort of a study as the "truth". Well, now there is scientific evidence that meditation can have a positive effect on many problems including ADD and ADHD; hopefully this will keep a few kids off of drugs.

In the end, this book is a useful reference to those seeking a more comprehensive view of meditation. In addition to Freeman's work and Austin's "Zen and the Brain" (among other books) we of the Western scientific background are slowly beginning to legitimize what others have been saying for quite a long time...Better yet, find a master and buy a zafu, you won't regret it!

This book is unique and long-awaited by the small community of professionals in the specialized fields of Quantitative EEG assessment and neurofeedback therapy. Its various chapters, written by the acknowledged experts (Sterman on the basics, Lubar on ADHD, Peniston & Kulkosky on addictions, Ayers on traumatic brain injury, Rosenfeld on depression, etc.), contain a wealth of information that has never before been brought together in one place. People preparing for the BCIA Neurotherapy specialty certification exam will find it indispensable. Unfortunately, many of the authors write in thick, impenetrable academic styles that make the slogging harder than it needs to be.

This is the most comprehensive book on EEG biofeedback, Neurofeedback, Neurotherapy (all terms for the same basic approach.) It includes chapters by many of the leaders and pioners in the field and is an excellent resource for professionals / practitioners who wish to educate themselves
As organizer of the Winter Brain Meeting-- the world's largest annual conference on EEG biofeedback / neurofeedback, I've recommended this book to many people.

This is not a light read and is probably not something any but the most dedicated layman would enjoy. Jim Robbin's book, Symphony in the Brain is excellent for layman. It's a great book which primarily covers applications related to higher frequency brainwave training, such as ADD, epilepsy, etc.

Neither of the above books get into the more esoteric aspects of biofeedback, which many layman seek out, as "inner" explorers.
For those with that interest, I suggest Anna Wise's High Performance Mind and Elmer Green's, Beyond Biofeedback. My website also offers a lot of free info on applications, courses and meetings on EEG biofeedback and QEEG and you can find out about it in my "about me" section.

Let's get one thing clear from the begining, if you're looking for a comprehensive history of Burma/Myanmar with analysis on how it has become one of the most repressive nations in the world, this is not your book. Rather, Marshall's book is a sometimes witty, sometimes heartbreaking "in the footsteps of" style travelogue, in which he manages to travel around modern Burma/Myanmar, following the path of an obscure Victorian adventurer/explorer (and fellow Scotsman) who laid the groundwork for British colonial rule. The core theme is that in Scott's day, Burma was a little known area unpenetrated by the West and populated by a diverse assortment of tribes with varrying degrees of hostility-and some 125 years later Burma/Myanmar remains that way in many ways.

Marshall scoured Scott's unpublished diaries and other sources (all thankfully listed in a comprehensive bibliography) before embarking on four sparate trips. The most straightforward of these was a journey from Rangoon upriver to the old imperial capital of Mandalay and then into the some of the hinterlands. Another trip involved travlling through northern Thailand to the border, where ethnic Shan rebels are attempting to resist Burmese army genocide. A third trip took him from northern Thailand across the border and into the hills near the Laotian and Chinese border. And the most harrowing trip involved slipping across the Chinese border and into ethnic Wa territory where he searches for a legendary lake from which the Wa say they evolved from tadpoles. These trips are crisply related, intertwined with accounts of Scott's travels and life, and background history.

While Marshall certainly doesn't defend British colonialism, he does credit it for introducing modernity to the region and for creating a nation-allbeit juryrigged -from disparate tribes. Marshall lays Burma/Myanmar's current status as human rights disaster area and its herion-exporting based economy firmly at the feet of a military junta that seized power in 1962 and has held an iron grip on the country ever since. An iron grip that is assisted by ethnic Wa drug lords, whose operations rival that of their more famous Colombian counterparts. Burma/Myanmar's economy is wholy dependent on the exporting of illegal drugs by Wa drug lords in collusion with the military. Historically this has been heroin, but in recent years, mehtamphedamine and ecstacy production is said to rival the most sophisticated European operations, and the drug lords have branched out into music and software piracy. With the country's money and guns all linked together in such tidy self-perpetuating interests, it's difficult to see how the stanglehold will ever be broken short of outside intervention.

A great book about tragic events in a beautiful country. The author shadows the travels and travails of Victorian adventurer/administrator, George Scott. The result is a narrative that is readable and engrossing. Marshall presents a wealth of historical material in a relatively short volume (quite unlike the typical contemporary non-fiction book). He is at his weakest when he romanticizes Scott's relationship with the locals in Burma and skirts the excesses of colonial rule. He also neglects Scott's more patronizing and condescending writings about the people of Burma. On the other hand, Marshall presents a very readable account of comtemporary history in the country and a credible portarait of the current regime.

I have visited Burma in the past few years and Marshall's descriptions of people and places were quite evocative of what I saw. Hopefully, the same will be true for other readers, regardless of whether they have traveled there or not.

This is not an even-handed scholarly study of Burma -- thank goodness. It moves along just like a journey, in fits and starts, pausing here, rushing there.

Focusing on Sir George Scott, British Empire-builder of a hundred years ago, Marshall paints a vivid picture of Burma today. His writing is extraordinarily full of life, leading the reader from sympathy to outrage, from suspense to laughter. This is not a book you want to give to someone recuperating from surgery: Marshall is one of the funniest writers I have ever read, and would play havoc on surgical stitches.

One point I would like to debate: his discussion of the Kayan/Padaung families working for the Hupin Hotel in Yawnghwe/Nyaungshwe. I know the family that runs the Hupin personally -- several branches of the clan, actually, and count several of the staff among my friends. Yes, they are not running the hotel for their health, and yes, they are making a profit, but in all sincerity, I do not think their dealings with the Kayan are as heartless as Marshall depicts.

There are two families of Kayan by Inle Lake. Marshall met the ones hired by the Hupin, not those moved in by the government. The Hupin went into the mountains and made a deal with the family: they would build a house for them, give the men jobs in factories around Yawnghwe, the women would work for the hotel, and the kids would go to school at Hupin's expense. They are paid monthly salaries and medical expenses, and any weddings and what-not are paid for by the Hupin. Some of the children have reached high school, and are still going strong. Few children in the countryside get so much schooling. One little girl envied all the attention her big sister got from tourists because of the rings on her neck. The little girl raised such a fuss that her parents agreed to let her have rings on her neck, even though she had not reached the traditional age for that. BTW: she refuses to go to school.

The price for a photo with the Padaung is US$3: this is split 3 ways, between the guide, the hotel, and the Padaung (US$1 is a good day's wage for someone working in Yangon, a week's salary for the countryside.) The Padaung are free to go back to Kayah state. When they go, they bring handicrafts back to the hotel, which they sell to tourists; this money goes into their own pockets. My friends from the Hupin asked the Kayan to lower the price of the bracelets I was buying, and let me tell you, it was a struggle! These are not listless zombies meekly obeying a master's wishes.

Marshall describes a concrete compound. I am not sure what he is talking about, unless it is the area outside their compound, beyond the bamboo bridge. Their wooden house was built Kayan style, in accordance with their specific wishes. They are an extremely conservative tribe. Marshall makes much of the women not leaving their compound. The Padaung are shy people, and the women do not speak Burmese, so they are not willing to range far. Also, I have heard from separate, unrelated sources that there is a danger for Padaung women to roam, because there have been cases of their being -- not exactly kidnapped, but taken off for show in Europe.

Marshall says "the hotel staff member broke into a practiced spiel." We may not be talking about the same man, I did not speak English with the Padaung man I went with, but I suspect the "practiced spiel" may be memorized word for word by someone who speaks minimal English, and may not have confidence in leaving the beaten path.

I deeply feel that the Hupin is more than fair in its dealings with its staff, whether they be Burman, Shan, Chinese, Kayan, or others. When I told the Hupin family what Marshall had written about them, they were quite hurt. Frankly, they are making enough money from tourists, they do not feel the need to exploit the workers. Marshall went to Burma expecting to see the disadvantaged being exploited, so when he saw the disadvantaged, he assumed they must be getting exploited. In the case of the Hupin, I can vouch that he was wrong.

All in all, though, this is an excellent picture of Burma, including parts most of us will never see. I hope Marshall is hard at work on his next book. This is an author to keep an eye on.

This is the book I refer to when baking for someone who hates whole grain bread (my usual baking). James Beard has some wonderful and unusual recipes. I particularly recommend the saffron and sour cream bread recipes. However the book has some serious flaws. His whole grain recipes lack variety and imagination, and his recipes as a whole tend to the unhealthy - i.e. lots of butter, oil, sour cream, etc. in most recipes. So for someone looking to bake healthy breads, this isn't the book for you. If you want a better book for whole grain baking, try "The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book", which does a magnificent job, and doesn't require that you bake white bread first to do a good job with whole wheat.

This book comes highly recommended, as this is my only bread book. I have not found the need to refer to other books. The collection of recipes and the tips for baking bread have been quite complete. I have tested a lot of the recipes, and most of them have come out excellent.
I have had to warn those who have borrowed this book to reduce the salt. On his own admission, James Beard seems to like his bread salty.
Despite this however, it is a truly comprehensive book. And yes, it does tell you very nicely that each time you bake bread it almost always comes out different. Beard actually encourages you to try his recipes to find them out yourself. I have, and I am happy I have this book!

Breadmaking can be great fun once you know how to do it, but for a novice, it can seem more time and frustration than it's worth. When you're struggling to make that first loaf, James Beard reminds you not to be too hard on yourself. After all, he notes, bread doesn't come out perfect every time, even for the best bakers. Just keep experimenting and you'll eventually get it right.

Beard's reassuring words and sound advice certainly worked for me. I've found his recipes easy-to-follow and the results tasty. Every good food writer has his or her quirks. Other reviewers have commented on Beard's liberal use of butter. I'll warn you that he also has a real affinity for salt (and admits as much in a footnote to his basic white bread recipe). I've noticed that similar recipes in other cookbooks call for half the amount of salt that Beard uses!

In any case, these things are a matter of taste and the recipes are easily adjusted to suit your own. The important thing is that Beard teaches the basics better than anyone.

This book covers an interesting life story and has great detail, but unfortunately much of that detail has nothing to do with Mr. Fleming's life, instead focusing on the bloodlines of every British person he ever met. A typical sentence would read "While at the party Ian met John Blankenship of Eddileshile, who would later become the Duke of Ipswitch and marry the Dutchess of Flem, whose mother, the Dame of Foppishnich, once had lunch with Sir Henry Handllberg" - and NONE of these people would have had anything to do with the story, the party, or Ian Flemming. It is as if a Flemming biography was inadvertantly been mixed with a "Complete Peerage of the Brittish Isles" and they went ahead and published it anyway. If you must, get the print version, so you can skim over the irrelevant stuff that pops up every other sentence - if you listen to the Audible audio version (like I did) you will find it had to follow and boring to boot.

In a fashion, Mr. Lycett's biography is as detailed as Carlos Baker's biography of Ernest Hemingway. Nearly every movement of Ian Fleming's adulthood is covered. What is revealed is not a pleasant personality. Ian Fleming was a selfish, egocentric fellow who was very much a rake and a cad, especially in the years before World War Two. Scion of a wealthy family, he was a true-to-life example of England's decadent ruling class as much as the Marchmont family was in Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited.(Interestingly, Fleming's wife, Ann, was friends with Waugh though Waugh did not know Fleming very well when Brideshead was written). Lycett paints an unflattering portrait of this ruling class. The ruling circle which Fleming was part specialized in divorce, arrogance, selfishness, the lapping up of assorted luxuries. They lacked fidelity and self-discipline. It is also noteworthy that in the middle of the Depression, Fleming was so set in society that he seemed to be able to vacation at a whim and not lose his job. Fleming would have died a spoiled cad if not for the discipline of war, in which he served well as an intelligence officer. Egocentric as always, Fleming later claimed to have drawn up the blueprint for the American O.S.S., later known as the C.I.A.. During the war, Fleming fell in love with Jamaica. This love led eventually to Fleming's routine of writing a James Bond novel each winter at his place, Goldeneye, in Jamaica during his ordinarilly 2-3 month winter vacations. The James Bond pop phenomenon was slow to take off and by the time that it did, Ian Fleming's health was in severe decline due to years of a diet of cigarettes, large amounts of alcohol and greasy foods. The Bond novels will never be known as great literature but they are tersely written in fine, spare prose. The plots are usually ridiculous but, after all, they were to be fun books, not serious literature. Sadism is laced within many for Fleming was a sexual sadist. What is most fascinating about the biography is the chummy relationships within the British ruling class where Fleming would have the homosexual Noel Coward as his best man, rent Goldeneye to Prime Minister Eden after the Suez fiasco and Fleming's wife, Ann, would carry on an affair with Labor Party boss Hugh Gaitskill with Fleming's acceptance.

Lycett gives great insight into Fleming's character and also the world he lived and wrote in. Also, this book gives a great overview of World War II and the Cold War. I highly recommend this book to Bond fans and anyone else who enjoys reading about exciting persons, such as Fleming.

Ok, this might just be me, but I found this book extremely boring. The author did an OK job on making it bearable for girls, yet I would definitely classify this as a "boy book." I found it impossible to enjoy, although guys may like it. I don't like reading about animals. I like reading about people, and how they react to different situations, a position no animal could fulfil. My favorite books are The Phantom of the Opera and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. If you like those books, you will probably not like this one.

I have to admit that I have not really given Jack London his proper due up to now. Perhaps it is because I don't by my nature like outdoor adventure type stories, or perhaps it is because I associate White Fang and "To Build a Fire" with my youth. The fact is that Jack London is a tremendously talented writer. His understanding of the basics of life matches his great knowledge of the snow-enshrouded world of the upper latitudes. The Call of the Wild, despite its relative brevity and the fact that it is (at least on its surface) a dog's story, contains as much truth and reality of man's own struggles as that which can be sifted from the life's work of many other respected authors. The story he tells is starkly real; as such, it is not pretty, and it is not elevating. As an animal lover, I found parts of this story heartbreaking: Buck's removal from the civilized Southland in which he reigned supreme among his animal kindred to the brutal cold and even more brutal machinations of hard, weathered men who literally beat him and whipped him full of lashes is supremely sad and bothersome. Even more sad are the stories of the dogs that fill the sled's traces around him. Poor good-spirited Curly never has a chance, while Dave's story is made the more unbearable by his brave, undying spirit. Even the harsh taskmaster Spitz has to be pitied, despite his harsh nature, for the reader knows full well that this harsh nature was forced upon him by man and his thirst for gold. Buck's travails are long and hard, but the nobility of his spirit makes of him a hero--this despite the fact that his primitive animal instincts and urges continually come to dominate him, pushing away the memory and reality of his younger, softer days among civilized man. Buck not only conquers all--the weather, the harshness of the men who harness his powers in turn, the other dogs and wolves he comes into contact with--he thrives. The redemption he seems to gain with the fortunate encounter with John Thornton is also dashed in the end, after which Buck finally gives in fully to "the call of the wild" and becomes a creature of nature only. While this is a sad ending of sorts, one also feels joy and satisfaction at Buck's refusal to surrender to nature's harsh trials and his ability to find his own kind of happiness in the transplanted world in which he was placed. This isn't a story to read when you are depressed. London's writing is beautiful, poignant, and powerful, but it is also somber, sometimes morose, infinitely real, and at times gut-wrenching and heartbreaking.

The other stories are also powerful tales of survival (or demise) in the face of nature's harshness. I feel I am not alone in saying that I cannot recall most of the stories I had to read in school in my younger years but I distinctly recall "To Build a Fire." London's real, visceral language and description is hard to forget, as is the human pride and stupidity that characterizes the protagonist--London seems to be saying that we must respect and understand nature in order to survive and prosper. The protagonist's demise is more comical than tragic because of his lack of understanding and appreciation for the harsh realities of his environment. All of the stories bear the same general themes as the two I have mentioned. In each, man or beast is forced to battle against nature; survival is largely determined by each one's willingness or freedom to recede into primitiveness and let the blood of his ancestors rise up within his veins. Those who refuse to give in to their lowest instincts and who do not truly respect nature do not survive. I feel that London sometimes went a little overboard in "The Call of the Wild" when describing Buck's visions and instinctual memories of his ancestors among the first men, but his writing certainly remains compelling and beautiful, an important reminder to those of us today who are soft and take nature for granted that nature must be respected and that even her harshest realities are in some ways beautiful and noble, and that the law of survival applies just as much to us as it does to the beasts of the field.

The Call of the Wild is about a dog and his adventures. The writing of it and the action that takes place is excellent.

This text is very insightful and wounderfully written, however, I would consider using this book solely for lectures and theory. There are very few examples and and many topics are simply glossed over. If you would like to have a great deal of "head knowledge" in regards to PowerBuilder, this is the text for you. If you are a hands on developer, this book will leave you stranded, smart, but stranded! If you have a need to go into a meeting knowing all the buzz-words and PowerBuilderees, buy this book.

If you want to develop systems for your clients, keep surfing!

The author did say that "this is not a tutorial", he's right, it's not a tutorial, it's not even a reference text. Save your money!

I almost did not buy this book. I read the reviews and the book received a pretty bad review from one reader. Fortunately I found it in the book store and took a look at it - I was impressed. This is a pratical book for experienced developers, not Sybase promotional literature. It covers a lot of advanced material (with examples) and the authors seem to speak from experience. I took a look at the reviews again an noticed the poor review was from a reader in public school. So I guess I you should not buy this book if you are learning PowerBuilder. I DO recommend the book for experienced developers.

There are in-depth chapters on distributed PowerBuilder applications and building multi-lingual applications. These two topics are of interest to me. The chapters walked me through all the steps to distribute an application and to make our application multi-lingual. There are a lot of samples and the code is really simple to follow. There is also a lot of coverage of other "Enterprise" issues.

What is that fine line between overcoming and understanding one's own racial or ethnic background, or staying enveloped in it throughout one's life? How can we assist those still in those situations in meaningful and respectable ways discover other available life options? This book addresses those unpredictable twists and turns as some people have experienced - and still comptemplate - both of these situations.

This book could just as well been written about a person in the rural South struggling to break out of the small-town mentality imposed upon him/her. Different obstacles exist, but still need to be negotiated. How do you learn there are other life options when others are attempting to categorize you because of your pigmentation or dialect?

This book's stories describe some of these struggles. The message received is, that hopefully, each generation gets a little bit better in effectively, compassionately dealing with these situations so the next generations will not have to, and can tackle other social problems more threatening to all life.

James Clay has captured the struggles a Black America and through each has tacked on a much needed lesson. This book is different in the sense that not every thing turns out "hunky-dorie" but as in life if you look you can see where you went wrong and take measures to correct them. This book points that out. Without being overly preached to you can take to heart its messages and use them throughout life. This book is one of the most inspirational I have read in a long time, it is well written, and easily read--you won't put it down until it is done!

As I read the Rockwood Files, I took a long walk down memory lane. Having grown up on Chicago's Westside in a neighbhorhood similiar to the one in this collection of short stories, it was hard to keep in mind that the book is fiction. The characters came alive for me, in that they reminded me so much of where I come from. The book not only re-connected me with my past, but also ushered me right into the present. I felt as though I could personally relate to the people, places and circumstances portrayed.

Each short story depicted the characters' real life encounters, their hardships and struggles along with realistic and believable conclusions. The author shared day to day activities, hopes and dreams as well as accomplishments and disappointments of the each character in a way that reminded me of life in general.

In short, I thoroughly enjoyed The Rockwood Files and place it high on my list of recommended reading. Looking forward to reading this author's next publication.

It's been a while since I've read a straight out thriller, and I didn't regret reading this one. To be honest, I'm the kind of reader who tends to "lurch" through books...read 50 pages, set book down for a few days, read another 50, etc. Gideon had me turning the pages and coming back every day until I finished it, so I must say that I found it engrossing.

The plot had some good twists but wasn't so complicated that I needed 3x5 cards to figure out what was going on. There were a few memorable characters, good villians, decent hero...if a bit stereotypical. Good action, high body count. Overall, I think most people would find it very entertaining.

One other opinion...the identity of the Closer was laughable. Still makes me chuckle when I think about it.

When struggling writer Carl Granville is approached by a successful editor at the funeral of his agent he is excited to learn that she has a project in mind for him, if he chooses to accept it. She wants him to ghost-write a fictional novel based on real events that will potentially earn him a fortune. The only problem is that she wants it done fast. Real fast. He will have to turn a series of diaries, letters and articles into explosive fiction within just a few weeks. Carl accepts.

However, within a few days, Carl begins to get uneasy. He's not entirely comfortable with what the diaries are disclosing - in effect, the murder of a small child - and is unsure whether he really wants to continue. But then, two people close to Carl and brutally murdered, including the editor who originally approached him, and Carl, with no evidence at all to support his claims and no alibi, finds himself to be the prime suspect. Carl quickly realises that he's in great danger...there's someone out there who doesn't want this book written, and they're prepared to go to grave lengths to ensure that it isn't...

Excellent thriller. That's really all I can say. Human characters, great writing, and an absolute snake of a plot. It twists and turns and shocks in ways that would make Jeffery Deaver proud. The plot is original enough, and adds a nice twist to the accepted "innocent-man-on-the-run" formula. The protagonist is a wonderful every-man, and very easy to like. I can only applaud this tense, exciting thriller from the pen of David Handler and Peter Gethers. It's very rare that books written by two people actually work, but Gideon is certainly one of the exceptions. This book should please all thriller fans, and I'm very much looking forward to reading "Icarus", which sounds equally thrilling...

i have no idea what book 'just average' from ny read but it certainly wasn't THIS one!!!! this was non-stop action!!! i wanted to devour this in just one sitting but i FORCED myself to slow down and to savor each and every word of this literary roller coaster....amazingly original plot and you actuallly get 2 for 1.....a book within a book.....i got so hooked on the one that he was ghostwriting that i almost didn't care to get back to the real book...almost.....and what characters!!! each one was developed more completely than in any other book i've read in years...and i read 3 books a week on the average!!! just when you think that you've got it alllllll figured out, whammo!!!! you get hit between the eyes and scream out WHAT???? holy cow, these two guys had better hurry up and get their next one, SLASH, out soon....verrrrry soon!!! only bad thing about this book is the fact that the publisher is doing virtuallly nothing to promote which is reallly dumb when they've got a complete total gem of a book on their hands....guys, if i were you i'd renegotiate my contract as far as promotion!!! then again, this book is gonna go to the top fast just thru word of mouth....MY verrrrrry big one!!! thanx peter & david for such an amazing book!!!! write faster!!! please??

Alpern has collected a comprehensive array of images and information both past and present that illustrate the breadth of work by Carpenter and Candela. Their buildings still house the privileged members of New York's social set that these apartment houses were designed for. Netto's intro is overwrought, pretentious and obviously included to lend a certain cachet from a card carrying member of Park Ave society. The book is a good visual reference, yet somewhat anticlimactic in it's format.

Alpern has written several books about New York apartment buildings and this is his best. This time he focuses exclusively on the genius of two ground-breaking designers, James Carpenter and Rosario Candela. If you are not adept at reading floor plans (of which there are many), it might not be immediately obvious what defines the genius of these two architects. It is the innovation of their layouts and the graciousness of their spaces that made apartment house living so desireable, allowing for the migration from town house to apartment building. Regardless, everyone will still enjoy the exterior and interior views of these great New York buildings and get a sense of how the rich really live. Alpern raises our awareness of the apartment house type in the City to a higher level, just as others had focused on the greatness of NYC's commercial structures.
Each building is described in detail and there is some chatty material about who lived where, who bought what, and maybe a little more of that would have added fun to the book. There is a chronology of all the buildings and I would have liked to have seen thumbnail pictures of the buildings next to the timeline, since the book is organized geographically. It is otherwise an excellent and elegant study of the complete apartment house works of these two great designers.

Candela and Carpenter were two of New York's most noted architects of the inter-war era, specializing in luxury apartment buildings. Architectural historian Andrew Alpern has assembled a reference text of their buildings, organized in geographic sequence. In this book, a typical building has two pages dedicated to it. One page consists of a floor plan, and the facing page has a photo or rendering of the exterior, combined with a one-to-six sentence description. Also, there are several brief essays at the beginning of the book.

I enjoyed this volume, which Alpern has directed at a very narrow segment of readers, but it's not for everyone. This is a volume for architectural enthusiasts who are intrigued by room arrangements. Others might be better served by a book broader in scope (including some by this same author).