This book is very challenging. As you go from the first page to the last you see it gets more difficult. A must for all beginners in Calculus.

This book moved me to tears at times -- it tracks two relationships: a young girl in Minnesota and her affair with a dark-skinned musician, and an old couple -- both great characters -- Mattie and Frank, who start out in an old people's home and end up living with the young couple. The writing is excellent, the characters well-drawn. I'd love to see this book as a movie or even a TV series. I give it 5 stars.

An interesting and quite detailed story of Indira's life, and the Nehru's in particular.
Katerine Frank narrates facts and hearsay with impartiality, leaving the readers to come to their own conclusion.
The most interesting part is the gradual introduction of Indira into Indian politics and her ascent up through the coteries of the congress party, which she ruled with an iron hand at the end of the struggle.
By reading this book, One would be able to better admire indira's strong handling of foreign affairs, and the aggressive strength she showed in making india have a say on the world political map. In particular, her role in the formation of bangladesh, and the transformation of india into a nuclear power.
Leaders such as these are nowhere to be seen in india today.This book is a fitting tribute to this great personality.

I would definately recommend this book to anyone who whats to get a good insight into the life of Indira Gandhi. This is has a lot of interesting information about Indira and her family.

I found this book to be an absolutely fascinating introduction to 20th century Indian history through the story of an absolutely fascinating woman. Indira's early years as part of the most prominent family in India post-independence were chaotic--her education was haphazard, her health very poor, her sense of security forever damaged by periodic visits to jail by her father and even once by her tubercular mother. Her life goals were confused--she longed for anonymity as those around her pushed her into the limelight. Her marriage was troubled and she had children against the advice of her doctors.

Indira's political life began in my opinion with her decision to separate from her husband and live with her father and become his "right hand woman," plus the advent of anti-biotics which cured her own TB for good. She became strong and accustomed to power, but never overcame the fear and suspicion of others and fear of disorder which so tragically played itself out in her own political career.

This book is over-sympathetic to Indira during her years in power. Taking advantage of certain constitutional provisions which thank god have no equivalent in the US, she systematically dismantled local governments which were the backbone of this country that is fractured by ethnic and religious conflict. She surrounded herself with loyal but not very wise men, and as the older generation of politicians retired from public life, a new generation of leadership failed to emerge in the corrupt, authoritarian atmosphere she created. She allowed her son Sanjay to roam uncontrolled and sat by as he knocked off enemies, took enormous bribes and payoffs, and perpetrated some of the worst injustices of the Emergency. She was voted out of office in 1977 but amazingly voted back in in 1980, in part because her years in power had allowed her to keep the opposition weak, disorganized and divided.

In fairness Indira was faced with intractable problems--conflict in Assam, Sri Lanka and Kashmir, war with Pakistan, unimaginable poverty, illiteracy, Muslim-Hindu strife, the caste system and the tragedy of untouchability, drought and famine. Unfortunately her reaction to these was to eliminate opposition and protect her own position, and in later years do nothing as she was overwhelmed by paranoia and a clear sense of her own imminent assasination.

And yet the people loved her. On a recent visit to India I visited Gandhi's house and the garden where he was assinated--it was peaceful and uncrowded. Meanwhile long lines awaited those seeking admission to the garden where Indira was killed and her memorial. She styled herself "Mother India," and was idolized by the poor. She spoke to their needs but tragically did little to help them.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Indira, or those looking to gain some understanding of the modern history of India.

This personal memoir of building two Frank Lloyd Wright houses is intriguing. Herbert and Katherine Jacobs offer a frank, honest account of their experiences. I have read this book twice. I think the glimpse of the personality of Frank Lloyd Wright is the most fascinating part of this book. You comprehend what a "pain" he was to work with and then you realize that he had the big picture and was trying to create a "timeless work of art" and the Jacobs' were just "not getting it". They didn't seem to understand that to make things work out correctly they needed to follow the details of the plans. Parts of the book, including chapters 18 and 19 are a trip down memory lane for them and offer the reader little information about their building experience. The black and white photos which illustrate this book were shot from 1936 to 1959. This is not a coffee table book like 50 Favorite Furnishings by Frank Lloyd Wright , and 50 Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright by Diane Maddex. This book makes me curious about the famous architect whose style is timeless. An architect who could design a house of beauty and style for the common man -"the Usonia".

This personal memoir of building two Frank Lloyd Wright houses is intriguing. Herbert and Katherine Jacobs offer a frank, honest account of their experiences. I have read this book twice. I think the glimpse of the personality of Frank Lloyd Wright is the most fascinating part of this book. You comprehend what a "pain" he was to work with and then you realize that he had the big picture and was trying to create a "timeless work of art" and the Jacobs' were just "not getting it". They didn't seem to understand that to make things work out correctly they needed to follow the details of the plans. Parts of the book, including chapters 18 and 19 are a trip down memory lane for them and offer the reader little information about their building experience. The black and white photos which illustrate this book were shot from 1936 to 1959. This is not a coffee table book like 50 Favorite Furnishings by Frank Lloyd Wright , and 50 Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright by Diane Maddex. This book makes me curious about the famous architect whose style is timeless. An architect who could design a house of beauty and style for the common man -"the Usonia".

This is an an excellent book, written by the owners on the construction of their two Wright house designs - Jacob I & Jacobs II Solar Hemicycle. Each chapter outlines the process of design, construction drawings , materials selection and construction itself, Owner built by the owners - to save money- it is full of b & w photos of each stage, and some of the plans. The book illustrates how the simple plans are put into action and reveal the intricate structural solutions that Wright developed. For the architect in you, you will mullover the photos and plans working out in you own mind how this was put together. Both extraordinary designs for their time, this book will inspire you to have a home like them.

Frank's account of the life of Lady Gordon is an interesting addition to the previous work by Lucie's great-grandson, Gordon Waterfield. Frank brings in elements not touched on by the 1937 bio, although Waterfield's account is equally as interesting. Both books do an admirable job of conveying the story of this remarkable and unconventional Victorian. If they pique your interest, be sure to seek out Lucie's own works. Gordon Waterfield's 1969 reissue of "Letters From Egypt" contains more of Lucie's letters than the original publication did. Lucie's daughter Janet also wrote bios of the family and her own autobiography, "Fourth Generation" is interesting in its self-portrait of Lucie's very odd eldest daughter.

Lucie Duff Gordon was raised unconventionally in an age that placed great premium on convention. As a young woman in Victorian London, she was part of a literary circle that included Dickens, Thackeray, Carlyle, John Stuart Mills, Tennyson and others. Lucie made a living by translating books into English - but her greatest literary work was brought about by the circumstances that lead to her death.

Seeking out a hot dry climate in a search for a cure for her tuberculosis, Lucie traveled to Egypt in the 1860. And there, in a house built on top of one of the ancient temples of Luxor, she made her home. Unlike some colonial British who recreated a piece of England in foreign lands, Lucie embraced the culture and people of Egypt. And she was, in turn, embraced by the people she met. Noor a la Noor - Light of the Light - was the name bestowed upon her by the people whose lives she touched. Her letters home, with their vivid descriptions of the life she found were published to great acclaim. Lucie died in Egypt far from her family but surrounded by her Egyptian friends

I picked up this book at a thrift shop - my usual venue for book purchases - solely due to the title. I knew nothing of Mary Kingsley prior to reading this absorbing account of her life. Her childhood and early adult life would give no clue to the extraordinary adventures she would have in Africa, culminating in her death while serving as a nurse with the British Army in South Africa. Rudyard Kipling said of her that she was "the bravest person I know" - I hope I have the quote correct. I cannot check as I gave my copy of the book to a friend who bears a striking resemblance to Miss Kingsley.

The first half of this text seems be be a bit simple. Many of the problems are confusing at best. The authors are not very clear on what they want. Many students in my class were frustrated by this time and time again. Still other times the questions were way to easy and never really chalanged the students. Basicly the first half does not provied a good solid base for Calculus. The second half is just flat out poorly written. It leaves the students constently scraching their heads wondering what the authors want. Questions are asked in such a way as to not make sence or not to follow the chapters very well. Chapt 7 is very much like this. Bad. The faculty agrees by having to put out an additional book of their own to help provide a better understanding of Trig.
Over all this book needs to be re-thought out. A poor choise for instructors wanting their students to get a solid base so as to takle more advaced math classes.

I like pictures of people on bikes. It makes me feel better because riding mountain bikes is fun. So when I work on functions, I feel happier.

Great book! It is especially good for understanding what different functions do, and how. This is very important for understanding calculus. Great examples, always linking functions with things in real life.

I've read a number of books dealing with this genre, but this was (by far) the most dry. It is extremely clinical, and reads more like a doctoral dissertation than a book. That's not to say that there weren't some interesting points made in the book, but you REALLY had to dig through the anthro jargon.

Franks cites other source a lot -- more than any other book I've read. Nearly every paragrah refers to an exterior source. I found this a little distracting.

Overall, I'm not sorry I read the book, but be prepared -- it does not wisk you along -- you really have to fight to glean Frank's points.

Although it seems unrealistic to expect complete objectivity from any biographer, Katherine Frank shows a level of bias toward her subject somewhat striking in the genre. Her descriptions of Emily Bronte are enthusiastic and warm, even when Emily's behavior (by her own description) warrants at least some kind of approbation, or at least evenhandedness. This unmitigated warmth is reserved for Emily alone, however; Charlotte, for example, is portrayed as living a constant struggle with conventionality which Emily gloriously escapes. Of particular interest is the expression of Emily and Charlotte's intense relationship. Charlotte consistently suffers in the comparisons with her sister -- at least by Frank's view. She doesn't seem interested in exploring Charlotte's suffering under Emily's emotional tyranny, even though she does describe it in detail. One gets the impression that Charlotte would do better in this biography if only she would care a little less about what others think. Their brother, Branwell, fares badly as well, and Frank's conclusion regarding one of Branwell's many pathetic attempts to be employed that he had been terminated due to a homosexual advance on his pupil seems strikingly unsubstantiated. Frank seems to come to this conclusion only because she can't think of any other. In the end, it's not that the reader can't see what Frank shows as part of Emily's character, it's that it's not the only thing to be seen.

Many of Frank's arguments were convincing to me--especially those regarding Emily's peculiar eating habits. All of her conclusions were backed up with sources, etc. Although I didn't believe this spin on the life of the Brontes word for word, I do think it was worthly of more than 1 star, hence my review. Check it out--you may disagree, but isn't that part of the fun?