The Book Of Bromeliads And Hawaiian Tropical Flowers is a breathtakingly beautiful book and a complete compendium on gorgeous Hawaiian blooms that include Aechmeas, Billbergias, Cryptanthus, Guzmanias, Neoregelias, Vrieseas, Tillandsias, as well as other Bromeliad families. There are informative chapters on commercial, collector and hybrid Bromeliads, the growing and care of Bromeliads, diseases and pests of Bromeliads, cut flowers and live floral arrangements, landscaping and interiorscaping, orchids and other tropicals, as well as products and services for gardeners and horticulturalists with regard to growing bromeliads. This catalog of superbly photographed flowers is a simple joy to page through, with a glossary and "user friendly" index enhancing its value for personal, academic, and community library gardening and horticulture reference collections.

Not only does Ronald Florence give a vibrant account of the design and construction of the Hale telescope, he manages to make the reader share his fascination for an admirable project and an awe-inspiring science machine. The book is better than well written, it is captivating. Having been closely involved in a major telescope project, I can only state that his account of the production of the "giant eye" rings true. Rarely has a science writer shown so much understanding of the intricate processes, technologies, and human relations underlying a large science project. Still, there are a few disturbing inaccuracies in Florence's story. On a number of occasions, the author wrongly gives credit to the Palomar telescope designers for innovations that had been experimented long before, such as the principle of the support of the primary mirror, actually due to Lassel (Malta, 1861). The account of the in-situ finishing of the primary mirror sounds completely implausible, the metrology of the time (I saw the Hartmann screen on the occasion of a privileged visit in 1995) being of too low resolution to allow any meaningful verification of local refiguring as reported by Florence. The post-1950 period would also have deserved a somewhat broader and fairer account; the Russian 6-m may not have been a success comparable to the Palomar but paved the way for modern mechanical designs, and the advent of entirely new and far-reaching concepts, such as active optics, in the hands of European designers and suppliers is completely ignored. Still, the vision and the endeavour underlying the making of the Palomar telescope emanate from every page; it is a nearly perfect book about a nearly perfect machine.

Florence's narrative brings alive the fascinating saga of the great Mt. Palomar reflector, in its time the world's largest telescope and a pioneering example of "Big Science." The instrument's gestation period, beginning in 1928 and interrupted by the second World War, was so long that three of the principal figures didn't live to see it dedicated in 1948. Included in this group was the project's founding father, George Ellery Hale, for whom the telescope is named. The author uses Hale's remarkable abilities and seemingly unending physical and mental travails as a unifying theme throughout the book.

A renowned telescope developer and respected solar astronomer, Hale had the establishment clout and scientific connections to launch such a grand project and assemble a team to carry it out. While suffering from a chronic nervous condition that often left him isolated in a darkened room, he was nevertheless able to lead the program through its most critical periods and help rescue it from a multitude of financial and organizational crises.

The immense 200-inch (nearly 17 ft) diameter of the Palomar telescope's main mirror gave it twice the theoretical resolution and four times the light grasp of its Hale-inspired predecessor, the 100-inch reflector on Mt. Wilson. Everything about the 500-ton machine was Brobdingnagian, perhaps best symbolized by the fact that an observer at the prime focus actually sat inside the telescope tube, with plenty of clearance for starlight to stream past him to the mirror some fifty-five feet below.

In the hands of Florence, what might have been a confusing welter of facts becomes a coherent and utterly engrossing suspense story. He seemingly overlooks nothing about the relevant issues of Astronomy, optics, engineering, business, politics and personalities; yet there is no sense of overkill and one always feels eager to begin the next chapter. The dozens of interacting characters are portrayed with enough subtlety, irony and humor to make them seem real and familiar. I have seldom gotten so much pure enjoyment from a book.

A tale of modern engineering. The design and construction of the 200 inch Palomar observatory was possibly the first "big science" project of the modern era. Florence also provides much biographical information on George E. Hale, a necessity since the building of this telescope and the life of Hale were so intertwined as to be inseparable. Put simply, even if you have no background in astronomy or telescope-making, this book presents a story of a huge engineering undertaken. Nothing of the scale had ever been considered before and the designers and builders had to confront countless unique problems and invent new techniques along the way. This book is a classic in the history of modern astronomy, but enjoyable for anyone who loves reading about massive construction projects.

Earlier this month, I was asked to read this novel. Being a SciFi reader, I hesitated before opening the cover and before I knew what had happened, I was engrossed. The detail of the period was great (gotta love those old V-12 Packards!) and the characters were so real that you felt true emotions for them. You can see that the author has done his research on many different levels.

Believe it or not, I had the same "can't wait to sit down and read" feeling with _The Last Season_ as I did when I read Stephenson's _Snow Crash_ even though the subject matter is completely different. For me, that is saying a lot... Good work Ronald Florence! You can't go wrong this _The Last Season_!

The only reason this is a 4/5 is that I am reserving that for the author's first SciFi novel. :-)

In 1941, the war in Europe has captured the fascination of everyone in the Newport area whether they are part of the social elite, fishermen, or members of the Naval War College. The war has forged strange relationships. For instance, naval student and son of scions, Russell Westcott III noticed the beautiful young lady watching while he was winning a yacht race. He later learns her name is Sera and she is the daughter of a Portuguese fisherman living in Stoningham, Connecticut.

While Russell decides to make a play for Sera, her buddy Jake Werth wants her to see him as a lover not a friend. However, Jake knows he cannot compete with the charismatic, win at all costs Russell even as both attend the war college. Jake's role is to be a mole, trying to uncover who is giving away war gaming secrets. At the same time, a slickster wines and dines Russell into revealing those same secrets that he figures are nothing but silly adult games. As both Mike and Russell vie for Sera's affections, their adversarial roles will force a confrontation just as Pearl Harbor is around the corner.

THE LAST SEASON is a superb historical fiction work that brings Newport into clear focus just months before America enters World War II. The lead triangle is formed quite nicely in front of a vivid and descriptive backdrop. Although Jake's morality seems too perfect, readers will fully understand the motives of him, Russell and Sera. Ronald Florence provides a fabulous period piece that thrillingly turns THE LAST SEASON into a splendid novel that will leave genre fans seeking more works such as the authors' GYPSY MAN.

Harriet Klausne

This is a page-turner written with style. Initially, I was attracted by the period spy plot set in 1941 pre-war society Newport. However, equally engrossing are the portraits of racing boats (and the craftsmen who create them) and pre-war ethnic Connecticut village life. Normally a speed reader, I slowed down to savor the details. The picture of "society" reminded me of The Remains of the Day, except that Florence's boat races and chase scenes are more exciting.

After reading this book on vacation, I wondered how much of this story is factual. A truly interesting tale; a romance novel...with enough technical jargon to keep me interested! If you can find it, I believe you'll like it. Seth P. Wissner