adsorption, neutron diffraction, physisorption, adsorption isotherms, MgO(100), spectre of diffraction

A long-awaited but worthy successor to the book considered by many to be the bible of porous materials characterization: "Gregg & Sing" (2nd Edition, 1982). This collaboration between the Rouquerols and Ken Sing has created a detailed handbook covering not only important theoretical aspects, but copious experimental and application information too. Adsorption calorimetry gets more attention than before (not surprising given the Rouquerols' affiliation), as do "new" materials such as MCM's and "new" calculation models like DFT (Density Functional Theory) and Monte Carlo simulation. Importantly, there is a great deal of coverage given to adsorptives other than nitrogen (the most common but not necessarily the most appropriate in all cases). Hundreds of references are given for follow-up reading in areas of special interest. Anyone seeking a reliable, broad, yet highly informative coverage of adsorption methodology for porous materials characterization should invest in this title.

This is not a costume book in the usual style of "how to design your own medieval garb" but it is a good introduction to the crafts involved in making clothing in the late Middle Ages and the attitudes of the people wearing those garments. It is a social history rather than a manual, and it is very interesting. My only complaint is that a great number of the illustrations are from the early 16th century and so are better examples of transitional styles than purely medieval ones.

If you're looking for an overview of the evolution of style in the Middle Ages, this is not the book for you. If, on the other hand, you're looking for an overview of how clothes were perceived in medieval society and culture, you will find this book useful There are no patterns and only a few illustrations in this slim volume; the focus is instead on the people who made and wore medieval clothing. I think it tries to cover too much ground for such a short book, but I still recommend it to anyone who's trying to put medieval clothing into its cultural context.

This looks like a wonderful book. It guides the reader through a seris of exercises designed to relieve the stress of pregnancy, preparation for birth in water, and recovery using the techiques from Yoga. Lot's of beautiful pictures.

If I didn't know so much already, I would have gone away thinking
Beria was a great moderating influence on the most bloodthirsty
government of the 20th Century. But then I recall he was the very top man of the terror organization of this government; that requires volumes to record it's crimes and victims. Sergo is a good son, and could teach our liars in D.C. a thing or two about spin!
Nevertheless, this book is fascinating reading.

This isn't a terribly great book. It doesn't explain things easily for students like it should. It's a good book...but not for beginner French students.

In 1580 Pope Gregory XIII commissioned this gallery with 42 large panels that represent Italy. Maps on the right side show the Adriatic side of the peninsula; those on the left side show the Tyrrhenian and Ligurian coasts. The quality of the paper and reproductions is excellent. Each map is discussed, and close-ups show the art and craft of the cartographers and artists. The author claims that this is the largest cycle of geographic images in Europe. This is a book to linger with; no matter your nationality, it may make you homesick.

This book is an eye-catcher for any professor. It is very comprehensive and breaks down things which seem very logical to someone who already knows French. As a student of French I found this book to be difficult. Consequently I used other books to learn French. Then I referred to this book to get a more comprehensive understanding. This book has some pretty good exercises.

I was severly disappointed with this book. Maybe if the author had named the book "An Overview of the Early Years of Court During the Reign of Louis XIV" I would not have been so let down. The author spends relatively little time focusing on Athenais and too much time on the other court players. I came away not having learned anything new about this intriguing woman. Further, the impression I got is that the author did little new, in-depth research and just spewed out well-known facts, dates, and names. While it is not a terrible book, if you have any prior knowledge of the reign of Louis XIV, then I would not recommend this book as it is only a reiterration of commonly known facts.

I found this book to be spectacularly unfulfilling. It had neither the depth to be considered as a scholarly work nor the level of characterization for a fictionalized history.

The main character remains, throughout the work unknown and undeveloped. Most of the information presented appears to be a fairly standard summation of previous works which is not assisted by the author's tendency to jump erratically from period to period with little regard for continuity.

In summary, not a book which could be recommended.

Having enjoyed the recently published "Versailles," the fictionalized autobiography of Marie-Antoinnette, a friend gave me this for Christmas. But this is a very different book--a very well-researched, scholarly work on the court of Louis XIV. The character of La Montespan is interesting enough, although a little hard to understand fully due to the lack of primary source material--i.e., her letters. Rather, I found this book fascinating for its details of court life. Being the King's mistress was not always easy--it was a confined life, yet one was constantly on public display and the subject of constant intrigue. One always had to preserve the fiction of beauty, youth, and passion. Pregnancy, although frequent, was hidden; after a birth the barely recovered mistress is compelled to appear before the court that very evening in full court dress. Children are whisked away and kept out of sight. Accompanying the King into battle was also part of one's duties, and this meant long, cold, rigorous rides in open carriages without interruption for anything, including meals and the call of nature.

The court was ultimately a device for the King to retain a tight grip on power--physical presence was an absolute requirement for access to the privileges of aristocratic rank--for the King to say "I haven't seen him" was a fatal blow. Requiring attendance at all times was a way of keeping unruly nobles under control and within sight. Living at court didn't mean living in luxury--one fought for a clean corner to sleep, causing aristocrats to spend huge sums builing homes near Versailles, not to mention he spending on the necessities to keep up appearances--clothes, jewels, carriages.

It is hard to get a grip on what these people were really thinking as they led this unbelievably artificial and uncomfortable life. In an interesting footnote the author explains why surviving letters are often unreliable--they were often written for public or posterity or the King's spies consumption.

Read this book for a fascinating glimpse of the era. As other reviewers note, it is uneven in spots, and you can get lost in the tangled relationships, the titles of the aristocracy, and the endless plots. If you're willing to breeze through some of the endless detail, it's a great read.

This is really one of the worst textbooks I was ever confronted with. The texts are all so stereotypical, the grammatical explanations are absolutely not coherent. I was really glad that I knew French before starting this course. The book didn't teach me anything. On the contrary, it unnecesarily complicated everything.