When I took rock mechanics at Berkeley we used Prof. Goodman's book (of course), but I have found this book to be far more user friendly and complete. Although an understanding of geology and earth processes is essential for the subject to be understandable, this book and the accompanying book of worked problems will teach you the subject well and thoroughly. I just wish they'd make the accompanying book of worked problems in paperback becuase it's too expensive!

This book really introduce to the reader in the basic principles of the rock mechanics apply to the engineering projects. The authors starts from the review of the rock as an engineering material, and relate this with the behavior of the rock masses as a materials studying in they the stress definitions, the strain concepts firstly from the intact rock point of view and after as a rock masses. Please note that the order of the development of the units is going with the support of the basic mathematical analyses as well as relation with the matrixes framework as is shown in the connections between the attributes discontinuosness, inhomogeneity, anisotropy and non elasticity. Another example of this is the definition of the architecture of the elastic compliance matrix, which gives to the reader a really easy view of the properties that, governs the behavior of the rocks as materials.

The book also introduce the concept of the rock engineering systems (RES) and linkage with the rock mechanics interaction, to become the introduction in temas such excavation principles, stabilization principles and others.

They divide the excavation principles in design and unstabilities. Is very important to understand the difference between the Design Rock Mechanics (DRM) and the Response Rock Mechanics (RRM).

The Design Rock Mechanics gives an approach of the behavior of the rock materials from the point of view of their intrinsic properties. However the Response Rock mechanics give an approach of the practical behavior of the rock engineering system due to scale effects, strain and other practical conditions that can change the behavior of the rock masses depending with the time and the engineering uses.

In conclusion this book is very good work tool in the understanding of the Engineering Rock Mechanics from the undergraduate and graduate points of view, because the easy on going terminology makes fruitful the reading for any public.

FABIO ANTONIO GIL ESCOBAR SPECIAL GRADUATE COURSE DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCE FACULTY OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING SHIMANE UNIVERSITY JAPAN

How many times could you honestly say that a book has
transformed your life? 'Conquer' is a book that has truly
transformed mine.

As someone who struggled against 'stuttering' since I was
little, this book freed me to look at the 'process' in a
whole new light. Never again will I think of 'blocking' (or
strategies to avoid blocking) as just a 'speech problem' for
I now see it for what it was, an outcome of a holistic
process resulting from various components of my mind-body
interacting in a certain way. Seeing it this way revealed
the leverage points that has for me resulted in a
fundamental transformation.

John's work opened up whole new areas of self inquiry for
me, the last two years of my life as been nothing short of a
wonderful and exciting journey of self-discovery, with John
as my trusted guide. I am now in the last stages of 'letting
go' and being that free and self-expressive communicator
that I dreamed I could be, and I owe my progress to John's
wonderful insights and direction including references to
other relevant reading material and attending various
recommended courses.

I could not say how many times that I have read this
book, I find myself quoting from it all the time and can not
seem to talk about 'stuttering' without saying "as John
says...". What else can I say, if you a person who stutters,
or a speech therapist, or anyone looking for more freedom of
self-expression - then buy this book!!

Reading this book will either cause you to breathe a sigh of relief knowing that someone else understand's the real issues behind stuttering (blocking) or you will walk away with a brand new perspective on what creates and reinforces stuttering.

John's insight on the mystery of stuttering comes from his own experiences as a person who stuttered for more than 25 years. Now recovered from stuttering, John shares his valuable insight and wisdom with us by revealing "The Stuttering Hexagon Theory".

Additionally, you will gain valuable information on public speaking techniques that are specially designed with the person who stutters in mind.

This book is guaranteed to change your thinking about stuttering forever. It is a must read!!

This is an excellent book with an extremely insightful and fascinating chapter written by Mark I. Gruhin. He is a very skilled writer and lawyer, and I look forward to his future writings.

Being a lawyer in NYC, I was very impressed with some Inside the Minds: Interne Lawyers. Although it is impossible to cover every Internet related topic, the book does a good job at covering some very interesting topics. In addition, the individuals portrayed in the book represent a good cross sampling of different talents related to Internet law. I particularly enjoyed the interview with Mark Fischer at Palmer & Dodge. If you are a woman, make sure to also check out Inside the Minds: Leading Women.

Can you help? PBS ran a series on this subject some years ago. I'd like to find a copy.

Any UK fans of M.John Harrison beware - this book was sold in the UK as "In Viriconium", so you may already have it. Don't be like me and splash out $27 on another copy!

That said, if you don't have this book you should get it - it is among the best novels I have ever read, and exists in a world between fantasy and reality, where you have to keep pinching yourself to be sure of where you are.

This slim volume is a good biography of Bunyan, a man whose interesting life is often overshadowed by his works of native genius. It is lively, readable, and written from a Christian perspective.

Especially good is Harrison's discussion of whether Bunyan was truly a Baptist or not.

Recommended.

For my senior project paper I chose to do the pictures and film of the kennedy assassination. This book helped a lot, and best of all it was not a boring to read. Read this book if you want to know more about the assassintion, or doing a project. Very good. The book by the way has much more information that this on the subject.

Like many in the Lecture Notes series this book provides comprehensive coverage of the subject. The important syndromes and most of the undergraduate syllabus are dealt with in a clear and straight forward manner making this as good a text for a first look as for last minute revision. More interested readers will find it a good launch pad for more in-depth studies. I recommend it to undergraduate medics as a book that should get you through finals with room to spare.

For baffling reasons, this book is not available in the U.S. It is a remarkable story worth checking out. It won the James A. Tiptree Award in 2003.

This collection of Sasse's essay written between 1927-1939 are thus particularly fascinating and enlightening as the context of the Nazi regime and intro to American Christianity way heavy on the author.

Here one will discover what it truly means to confess one's faith in light of pressure and temptation. Thus, the lonely way.

Confessional words from this studied church historian and exegete and ecumenist pour forth on observation of his own ecclesiastical scene as well as ours here in the States.

The opening essay is fascinating, since it entails Sasse's initial visit to America. His comments are penetrating and analytical, e.g. "This churchliness of life has a down side to be sure: the secularization of the church. ... Tkhey have opened their doors in part to modern civilization, which has endangered the purity and depth of the faith. Here is the reason for that superficiality of American church life which repulses us Germans." "The consequence of this, along with the concurrent leveling effect of American life, is an elimination of confessional anthitheses. .... All this has created a common religious atmosphere, in which the confessional lines are blurred. Thus fighting has been replaced by cooperation, one of the great American catchwords."

Delivered in 1928, an essay on the church as body of Christ is yet another of Sasse's confessional themes, strongly confessing the Lutheran substance of sacramental presence of Christ: "The church is the body of Christ, is identical with the body of Christ, which is really present in the Lord's Supper. The participation in the body and blood of Christ present in the Lord's Supper is synonymous with membership in his body."

Instructive thoughts and admonitions which provide more than ample reflective thought of their adaptation and input to current theological issues and ponderings.

A valuable resource for the church of the Reformation and those interested in listening in on this timeless saint of the Lord's literary output.