A bigger difference than between this book and "History of Greek fire and gunpowder" can hardly be imagined. "The big bang" is written like a history book and therefore much easier to read that professor Partington's book. It describes the history of all explosives, from black powder to the H-bomb. It is surprisingly complete. The book treats, among others, black powder, smokeless powder, cordite, ballistite, nitroglycerin, dynamite, gun cotton, TNT, ANFO, picric acid, safety fuse, detonators, the A- bomb and the H-bomb. It is clearly an historical account, not a recipe book. The writer not only describes the technical- and chemical aspects of explosives but also tells the story of the persons, production methods and companies that have played a role. Also he gives information on the application of explosives in military use, mining, demolition and quarrying and on all the problems that have occurred in the course of time. Even the "gunpowder machine" (predecessor to the steam engine) is mentioned. Obviously the writer is from Britain, which shows in his discussion of the patent controversy between Alfred Nobel and the British government concerning the production of Cordite. Generally, however, he takes a very objective position. The writer has also placed the development of explosives in the broader context of social development and a number of interesting facts are mentioned. It seems that the publication of the Balfour declaration (which led to the founding of the state of Israel) was very much due to the fact that it was a Jewish chemic (Chaim Weizmann, the later president of Israel) who found a solution to the shortage of acetone in England during the First World War, thus helping the war effort. Acetone is essential for the production of Cordite, the main propellant for the British guns. Also controversial characters like Fritz Haber and Robert Oppenheimer feature in this book besides large industries like Dupont de Nemours and Kynoch. The development of explosives is not only important to the war industry and mining but also plays a vital role in the realization of important, prestigious public works like canals, tunnels and railroads. The explosives industry stands at the basis of much of the modern chemical industry. All in all "The big bang" is an excellent book to learn the history of this very specialized and sometimes controversial subject.

THE BIG BANG a History of Explosives was written by George I Brown, and not by Adam Hart-Davis. Adam Hart-Davis is an exceptionally fine presenter, with the BBC. He has a programme called LOCAL HEROES, and is an ex professor of a university, in the UK(I'm sorry I can't remember which one). Adam Hart-Davis writes a foreword of one page long. Mr. George Brown wrote the other 256 pages, and a wonderful piece of work he wrote. If you want to kill people, then your looking @ the wrong book, move along. Other than that the Title says it all really.

The book is a thematic history of explosives. The largest coverage is for gun powder detailing the history of its use in guns, bombs, rockets and mining. Then the further advances of explosives are covered up to and including nuclear explosives.

The author presents a technical work easily understood by this non-chemist. He also gives the very human background of the various inventors and users of the explosives.

What was most interesting to me is the fact that many of our most famous chemical producing companies started with the production of explosives.

Also interesting was the history of the development of safe explosives both for war and for mining purposes.

The book is well illustrated and easily accessable for the layperson and for the professional.

A very fascinating read. As a classic movie fan, I enjoyed reading about the existence of these films. The photographs and lobby cards provide a sneak peek into a historical time.

IN THE READING OF THIS BOOK I FOUND THAT IT GAVE A CLOSE SUMMARY OF THE BLACK MOVIE INDUSTRY,AS IT,WAS, AS NEW AS A BABY BOTTOM COMING INTO THE WORLD. FROM DAY ONE,I WISH THERE WERE MORE BOOKS OF THIS NATURE IN THE LOCAL LIBRARY,IN DOWNTOWN WHITE AMERICA, JANEEN CURRY

This book is timeless. I first read it in the late eighties and the subject matter still applies today. A must read for all African Americans who want to succeed in business.

This book is a must for all blacks entering corporate America. Being in corporate america in this day and age(2000). I feel the same mores and stigmas white america has portrayed blacks as in the 1800's still in this new millineum. This book is truly enlightening and is a source of light to let me know that the struggle is far from over. ALL BLACKS PLEASE READ THIS BOOK! FIND A COPY YOU MUST BE ENLIGHTENED.

This is THE indespensible source for Civil War maps. It has hundreds of them, from both sides, good, bad, and sometimes appalling inaccurate, produced by the men who actually fought there. You get to see what the generals saw, and sometimes its pretty appalling. Take McClellan's first map of the Penninsula for example, or Bragg's map of Chickamauga. On the other hand, you get Jed Hotchkiss's masterpieces from the Shenandoah Valley and some of the great maps produced on the Union side. One thing you notice is that, except for Hotchkiss, the Union had a pretty clear superiority as far as topography was concerned. Aside form the obvious uses for the historian, the maps are often extremely beautiful and artistic, unlike modern maps. There are a few minor problems. The first is that it is out of print and fairly hard to find, and pretty expensive if you do manage to find it (I paid $60 for a copy that was a little banged up). The second is that some of the maps are blurred and/or hard to read, and often run right through the seam of the book. I have also had problems with pages falling out completely. Anyway, if the high cost and sheer massiveness of this thing doesn't dismay you, and if you find a copy, buy and enjoy this masterpiece for a long time.

One had better know his roman numerals as index to the map chart are confusing!!!!!!!!!!

This book is a well thought out, logical approach to Critical Race Theory. The authors masterfully discuss and illustrate the concepts behind Critical Race Theory. A refreshingly honest approach without the paranoid Polly-Anna bent that has taken over some of the more high-profile personalities in the Critical Race Theory. I highly recommend this book to anyone who seriously contemplates race and the American society...

This book is a "must read" for anyone interested in the serious study of civil rights in the modern multiracial United States. The authors have collected readings from a group of influential legal scholars considering a wide range of civil rights issues, from affirmative action, employment discrimination and hate speech to immigration law, language regulation, gender and sexual orietnation. Tightly edited, the selections are accessible and fascinating. Each chapter has a concise introduction, placing the chapter's readings into historical and legal context, and concludes with questions and suggested readings. The book is quite an achievement and well worth reading by civil rights scholars and students alike.

I brought this book to work one day and my coworkers asked me to bring back again and again! During coffee breaks and lunch hours that week I learned more about my coworkers than I had in years of working with them.

Then I had with me one day at the beauty parlor. We had a ball! Talking about each other and the loves of lives through astrology was too much fun.

Read it and share it with friends.

In the African American community it is difficult to find many people who believe in the power of astrology. It is almost a tabu topic due to religious beliefs that are passed from generations ago. Thank goodness these authors looked past the tabu nature of this topic and gave some of us something to think about. This book is filled with ancient wisdom about personalities under the stars, relationships, success and failure. Astrology for African Americans can help answer many of the questions plaguing the community, like, What men and women work well together, why are some women agressive and successful and others are not, why are some of us lucky and others have to work for everything? This book was passed throughout my circle of friends and was the building block of an extrodinary and exciting book club of professional women looking for success, love and friendship. I want to thank these authors for forging friendships based on honesty, love and respect...under the stars.

Bette Davis is having problems in Hollywood. Warner Brothers won't provide the juicy parts she needs to broaden her screen career, and she wants to renegotiate her contract. Also, her marriage seems to be on the rocks. So naturally, she decides to sail to England to get away from it all. On the ship she meets Nydia Tilson, a prominent medium. And since Bette is looking for a place to live while in London, Nydia suggests she rent the mansion of her former fiancé, the famous archaeologist, Virgil Wynn. Bette is more that willing to do so.

Unfortunately, it appears as if someone is slowly murdering Virgil, who realizes this but with stiff British upper lip sits around fading away while planning to leave on his next (and probably last) archaeological dig.

Bette moves in the day Virgil that moves out for journey to Egypt. She also meets her next door neighbor a certain Mrs. Mallowan, who just happens to be a writer with a passion for eating apples.

The next morning Bette wakes to discover Virgil's dead body. Informing her neighbor of the situation Agatha Mallowan responds, "My specialité. A body in the library!"

The rest of the novel unwinds in true Christie-style with loads of suspicious friends, relatives and hired help. (Unfortunately, there's no butler who could have done it.)

As in all of his celebrity mysteries, Baxt has again thoroughly researched both the history of the era and the lives of Bette Davis and Agatha Christie. This results in a very believable and enjoyable work. This one set on my book shelf for a couple of years before I got around to reading it. So you might have a hard time finding a copy of it. If you do, grab it because it is a fun read.

I read a prepublication copy of Branches and I can't wait to read it again. It was written from the point of view of my parent's generation but there are so many people and situations I recognize in this book it may as well have been written just for me. The characters are recognizable and they represent what happened to all Americans, not just African-Americans, since the civil rights movement. I highly reccommend this book.

This 2001 collection of essays from 22 living theologians is a celebration of the 70th birthday of a pastoral human being who is a renowned transcontinental scholar of our times. It is obvious that Fr. O'Collins' deep faith in Jesus Christ has personally touched each writer as they participate in his enthusiastic search for truth. The book is a theological treasure that will find a warm welcome in global circles. While I did not receive any new insights, the work tied together numerous concepts that are fundamental to Christian theology. I would highly recommend this "Festschrift" for Adult Lifelong Learning groups as well as for College courses. For all who engage in "faith seeking understanding," it treats many topics that provide stimulating reflection and discussion. It leaves one immersed in an experience of a lived community of believers. Happy Birthday, Gerry!

There are times that I think my life was or still is hard. Well, I'm a black female who grew up in a middle-class home with two teachers as parents. College was as automatic as sleeping and eating. But, for these young men in the book "The Pact", college was as uncertain as winning the lottery. I always knew that our young black boys growing up in the inner-city had it super hard, but this book allowed me to see another side of our young brothas. They all have dreams as little kids, even though they don't see anyone in their neighborhood to emulate. Somehow, someway, Sampson Davis, Rameck Hunt and George Jenkins all found the determination to succeed and become doctors. Their positive story is proof that just one person can make a difference in a kid's life. Everyone needs someone to look up to; someone to follow.

We all have gifts we can share. Read this book and feel blessed that someone in your life took the time to mentor you and be there for you; not everyone has that in their lives. I am so proud of these young men! Not only are they smart and positive, but they are cute too! What a great combination! God has truly blessed them and their family.

What a refreshing book. Thanks to Tavis Smiley for recommending it on the Tom Joyner Show.

"The Pact" is an incredible book! I just finished reading the remarkable journey completed by Drs. Sam Davis, George Jenkins, and Rameck Hunt. It's an easy, quick read ~250 pages.

If you're not familiar with their story, they are 3 young, African-American men from Newark that establish a pact at 17-years old to become doctors. Over the years, they run into many obstacles (peer pressure, arrest, finances, and family issues) that tend to dissuade so many young people from pursuing their dream. With the "I got your back" support of each other, mentors they encountered throughout their journey, and God they become doctors despite how many people had presumed their future would turn out.

Dr. George Jenkins, probably the most focused in the group, knew at a very young age that he wanted to be a dentist. In high school, the three friends attend a college presentation offering full scholarships to minority students interested in the medical field. Knowing that neither he nor his friends could afford college THIS OFFER would be their ONLY way to attend college...the formation of the pact.

Surprisingly, after completing college and med school, Sam and Rameck were still unsure if they wanted to be doctors. Sam saw business/management as his future and Rameck wanted to be an actor (he'll settle on being a rapper). (If I didn't know the outcome, I would have been in suspense until the bitter end waiting to learn if they became doctors.) The death of an important person in each of their lives confirmed that medically helping others is what they were meant to do in life.

If you're in the education field or work closely with children in your community this is an excellent book to pick up when you...

- feel like what can I do to get through to this person
- need a testimony that success is not by luck but achieved through faith, perseverance, and support from others
- need a roadmap to better mentor a person in need

"The Pact" is an amazing story of inspiration and motivation to get (primarily) black teens to see beyond their environment, current situation, and look ahead with a plan for tomorrow. "The Pact" also displays the need for adults to begin mentoring children before they reach their teens. The book concludes with the doctors providing the "how-to's" to make a pact work.

This book is a must read for ALL ADOLESCENT MALES!! It is a strong testimony to the power of friendship and perseverance despite circumstances. Each young man had someone in their family who directly or indirectly motivated them to persevere. They had to make some very uncomfortable choices, but were able to keep their "eyes on the prize." Affirmative Action programs continue to serve a real purpose in our society. This book has become a mandatory read in my classes. To the one who still holds to the "...because I'm Black" statement. My question to you is "How long are you going to be Black?"