This book is one of the best books that I've ever read. It does not concentrate on the stats or indeed particularly on the winners of the World Championship. It takes a personal look at the people, races and years that have shaped F1 from it's very begining. It is a great read for any F1 fan as Roebuck succeeds in not only jogging our memory of the past but also telling untold behind the scenes stories in detail not to mention a tinge of humour. I trully love this book, in fact I think I've read it cover to cover at least 3 times if not more.

Nigel Roebuck, one of the finest journalists to cover motorsport in general and Formula One in particular, presents in this book a wonderful series of sharp vignettes covering the entire period of the modern World Championship. Roebuck begins at Imola in 1994, when, as he puts it aptly, "everything changed" with the tragic death of Ayrton Senna and the introduction of knee-jerk "safety" improvements which have led only to boring racing and have not, as we learned earlier this season, prevented what are, given the nature of the sport, inevitable tragedies. Hard as it is to believe, the "turbo years" of the late 70s and 80s are beginning to look suspiciously like a final golden age, which they certainly weren't at the time, but, given the emasculation of tracks, over-dominance by a few teams, and drivers who do not understand the history of the sport and drive like they're the only man on the track, they're beginning to look pretty good in retrospect. But I digress. Between the covers of this book you'll find incisive portraits of several great drivers (among them Phil Hill, Piers Courage, James Hunt, Ayrton Senna, and Jochen Rindt), car owners (the great Rob Walker, who long after his car-owning days were over wrote wonderful F1 journalism for Road & Track when R&T was still a great magazine), and others associated with the F1 scene (journalist Denis Jenkinson, F1's official doctor Professor Sid Watkins, and current F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone). He also writes of several races - the great slipstreaming duel at Monza in 1971, the first win for Renault in 1979, Dallas 1984 which ended with Nigel Mansell trying to push his car over the finish line in the blazing heat. As an added incentive, there are sections of black and white and color photographs. More and more nonfiction books seem to be doing away with illustrations, and with F1 being the visual spectacle that it is, we can be glad that Roebuck and his publisher resisted this new and unfortunate trend. Turn to the section of color plates and feast your eyes on the first photograph - Fangio in the Maserati 250F at Monaco in 1957. The greatest driver, the greatest car, the greatest race; one picture says it all. Highly recommended to anyone interested in Formula One.

When I first saw this book's title, I nearly gave it a pass, thinking it was just one more in an already well-covered niche. But Nigel Roebuck's name was enough for me to chance it. (If you've read his columns you know he's always interesting.) This book is really unique. Despite the title, it's not an attempt to condense a history of 50 years of racing. It's more like a collection of essays about people and events that are not well covered elsewhere. I've read a LOT of books about F1 (cars, teams, drivers, ...) but each chapter of this book had new and intriguing things to say. It was a really enjoyable read, as well.

You aren't an ocean liner buff if you don't have this book! It is REQUIRED. You also ought to have every other book written by Miller and Braynard - the books they've worked on together and apart are beyond words. I have close to all in my private collection. Do yourself a favor and get them all - today! You won't regret it.

This book is really alot of fun to page through over and over again. It is a must-have for ship fans.

As a source of both information and rare photographs, few books can equal Picture History of the Cunard Line. This book includes many little known facts about some of the most famous ships in maritime history. Yet,while it recalls the careers of the better known Cunarders,it also addresses many of the Companies less remembered ships. The great Aquitania who's lengthy term of service included duties throughout both World Wars is finally given the attention it deserves. Virtually all of the companies intermediate steamers are reviewed as well. Because this book encompasses so many of Cunards' ships; and because it presents over 180 of the best photographs ever published on this subject, it should be a treasured addition to any collection. I highly recommend it to all readers particularly those with just a general interest in the subject.

The book is very will written and illlustrated. The capter on metallurgy is excellent; direct and clear with no unneccesary techno-babble. The expanded chapter contains wonderful tips on fabrication and repair. I have been in the metals industry for twenty-nine years, and this is the best welding manual I have come across. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned veteran, I think you will agree.

If you really want to learn how to weld and not just shoot sparks around the room to impress your friends, get this book. Welding is not simple as it might seem. To choose the correct process, weld safely and KNOW what you're doing is not easy. Where Galvery and Marlow make this book a winner is in the title. They bring the welding essentials into a reader friendly format. The explainations are concise and clear. The illustrations compliment the text. Stuck in an overcomplicated textbook? Help is here. This one is a keeper. Glad I bought it.

This is the book for all weldors, students and journeymen alike. With its bilingual Spanish/English Glossary of Terms, it takes books of this kind to a new dimension, recognizing the need for this kind of aid. It is the clearest book on the elements of welding that I have ever read, and I have read books on this topic for nearly 40 years. Simply put, every interested person will benefit from the book--and at the same time, believe it or not, every interested person will *enjoy* reading it. A grand example of how to write a book that informs its audiences.

If you are a ship expert, or just want to find a little information, this is for you. Braynard and Miller did a spectacular job! They wrote enough info. so you know and understand each ship, but aren't so detailed that the book bores the reader. This book is a must have for anyone interested in ocean liners.

This is the book to get if you're into ocean liners! It contains loads of great information about the ocean liners of the past and present, and whets the appetite for more!

I think the "Fifty Famous Liners" series (books 1-3) are the most concise and informational descriptions of the worlds most famous liners a terrific buy for Liner enthusiasts! Andrew Oliva (aoliva@odin.cbu.edu)

I bought this book from Amazon.com based on the Star rating. I did not know if it was really valid. It is!

This book about Frank Lloyd Wright's designs give a conceptual overview to the evolution of his style. It is excellent for the novice, non architect (which I am). I have been able to visit three of his homes based on the directory in the back. It has also opened up other venues to help me arrive at a FLW inspired house that I am about to build. It is worth the cost if you are looking for the best single source of his work that I have been able to locate outside of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation

This is an expensive book but you need only buy it once and you will have readable plans and details of more than 470 Wright buildings. I love his work and have several books about the great man but I find that plans in other books are sometimes unreadable because of the reduction to fit on the page. William Storrer has redrawn them all and taken nearly all the black and white photos. These are to Wright's specification: exterior shots to be in a natural context and include foliage, interiors should be taken with natural light and from a seated position and as Storrer says, this last condition excludes most contemporary color photography of his work. Also included is a ZIP code index of the buildings if you want to visit and see the outside, lucky Illinois and Wisconsin have the most.

Brillliant though this book is I really wanted to see Wright's work in color and I can recommend 'The Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright' by Thomas A Heinz, an inexpensive 448 page book with a color photo of every building.

Both authors are experts on Wright and if you have these two books (and a table to support their weight) you will hardly need to buy any other books on America's greatest architect, then again I liked Doreen Ehrlich's 'Frank Lloyd Wright Glass' and Carla Lind's 'The Wright Style: the interiors of Frank Lloyd Wright' and......!

This book is indispensable for anyone serious about Wright or american or modern architecture. It contains detailed plans of every known work, and insightful commentary. If one could purchase only one book about Wright, to understand both the scope and detail of his whole work, this would be it.

This book starts off with a great and fair introduction to the two stories that are to be told by William Oates of the Confederacy and Frank Haskell of the Union. Written by Glenn LaFantasie the lengthy introduction writes about both Civil War authors Oates and Haskell. He is careful in explaining that each man's history, background and present situation which may have had an effect on their writing. After the introduction William Oates of the 15th Alabama structures his story first by giving an historical view of the army movments north and south as a prelude to the battle of Gettysburg. His writing of such a history could probably have been eliminated while his story of marching to Gettysburg and his role in the battle should have taken precedent. Oates offers his controversial view of the battle which is interesting in many ways. Not only does he tell his story but he tells it painted his way. Being a reader of many Gettysburg related books, it is easy to find fault with some of Oates' story. Though this is what makes this book interesting. We need to know what Oates considered and thought was how things went instead of guessing. We need something to stand on and his story though it may not be accurate is very descriptive and essential for understanding the battle.

While Oates offered his view of the 15th Alabama's fight to take Little Round Top, a great story is to follow written by Frank Haskell. Unfortunately, Haskell tends to waste the immediate structure of the battle like Oates had earlier. He tells the readers where such a corps was placed, who was advancing, etc. This boring non-relating story he tells doesn't tell about him or his action in the battle. After this quick and non essential tale of the battle of Gettysburg, Haskell finally gets to his involvement in the fight. This is where Haskell gets interesting. He is very fair on his descriptions and how he associates with other Generals during the conflict. His tale of Pickett's Charge and the carnage is excellent. I really liked Haskell's discipline in not reacting to telling about a battle on the field that he didn't take part in or had not witnessed. His graphic tale of Pickett's charge and the movements covered certainly placed myself right along with him on the field. He builds up Day #3 of Gettysburg very well and comes to a complete end to his story without dragging the reader.

For the novice reader of the battle of Gettysburg, I wouldn't recommend this book as it is not generalized enough to understand without reading more of the basic battles of the three day saga. For the advanced reader looking for more historical insight written by two soldiers that were actually there, this is an excellent book and I recommend it completely.

Gettysburg is a well written book by two soldiers who fought in the battle. COL William C. Oates fought for the Confederate side and LT Frank A. Haskell fought for the Union side. Each soldier captured his side of the battle in great detail. The stories are well written and easy to read. It is very interesting to read about the different viewpoints of the battle. COL Oates gives a great analysis of why the Confederates lost the battle and how they could have won it. I highly recommend this book for all fans of the Battle of Gettysburg.

In order to fully appreciate this minute by minute account you should first see the movie"gettysburg" and visit the national park. The detail of how the soldiers were placed comes to life and even more amazing is the recounting of how the soldiers felt, what they were thinking and the general's strategies in leading their men. I highly recommend the audio tapes of this book.... If you've been there, if you've studied the battle, you will be completely mesmerized!!!

I bought/read this book for a research paper for a Politics of East Asia class I took this last semester (Spring 03). It gives a very good account of the causes of the wars. It is not a military strategy book so don't expect details of the battles, but it goes into great detail about the negotiations and behavior on both sides; it gives accounts of the battles just not detailed strategies. After I read it I loaned it to my father to read and he enjoyed it as well. I recommend writing down the names of the 'players' as you come across them because the British colonial hierarchy plays a major role and after a while you'll be bombarded by names that you may not have heard for a while. It is a bit long, but it is to the point and well written - buy this book and you won't be sorry.

This well written narrative describes the roots and actions of the two Opium Wars (1839-42, 1856-1860) fought primarily between Great Britain and China. It's not a pretty story, and it's not a story familiar to many Americans.

The gist of the problem for the British was that Britain had an insatiable demand for tea and silk, but there was virtually nothing the Chinese wanted to import from Britain. Therefore British traders in Canton imported opium from British-owned plantations in India, creating millions of Chinese opium addicts (including the emperor himself). Not only did drug dealing more than offset their negative balance of payments, it eventually generated nearly 10% of British tax collections.

The first Opium War erupted in 1839 when the Chinese officials 'got serious' about suppressing the opium trade and resulted, among other things, in the British navy and numerically small but well-armed ground troops opening various Chinese ports by force and obtaining possession of Hong Kong. The second Opium War, in which French navy and army forces joined, resulted in the conquest of Peking and the destruction of immense artistic and cultural wealth when the Summer Palace complex was looted and burned. In fact the words 'loot' apparently came into the English language in the first Opium War from a Hindi word 'lut'. Queen Victoria even named a Pekinese dog sent to her from the sack of Peking 'Lootie'.

Nobody comes off well. The British are uniformly horrible, and the French only slightly better. Americans are not active belligerents (excepting one occasion when a US Navy captain intervenes, despite contrary orders, to help the British), but American traders and consuls are involved in drug dealing. And, yes, the Chinese are victimized, but many Chinese grew wealthy as opium importers (the authors describe one Chinese as the world's wealthiest man), most officials were corrupt, incompetent and uncaring regarding their citizens' welfare, and Chinese soldiers serving in the British army commit as many atrocities as the Brits and Sikhs.

While the British ignore this sorry episode and Americans are largely ignorant of it, the Chinese remember Western aggression and their victimization all too well. Opium plagued China for another century, although most was home-grown by 1900. On the eve of World War II 10% of the population was addicted, with 30% of Hong Kong's population addicted (Not the image of efficient British colonial administration, is it?). Massive opium addiction did not end in China until the Communists brutally cracked down on it after their 1949 victory. The authors conclude, 'The Great Helmsman just said no.'

I recommend this book as an excellent overview of 19th Century Western interaction with China and an important piece of knowledge for those who would understand Chinese wariness towards the West since 1949. The few reproductions of paintings and photographs are interesting, but the large scale map of China is inadequate to follow the complex series of military actions. There is a bibliography for those who want to study the subject further, although many of those books will be hard to come by outside a major university library.

I thought the book was well written and interesting. It tells an amazing story of China's history. The author includes interesting parallels to the 20th century as well. I recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about how the British sold Opium to China in the mid 1800s.

A wonderful audio tape. You feel his pain,and finally the truth comes out! No cover ups! If you love the Titanic as much as I do, this tape if for you!

In this great audio book, which is the companion to "I built the Titanic," Willam Barne's publisher has done an excellent job in editing the actual past-life regression sessions into chronological order. The result is like hearing Thomas Andrews tell the story, step by step, in his own words and his own voice.

So real, it sent chills up my spine.

This is not just a re-hash of the material on the first book. In There is new regression material here, plus an excellent interview with William Barnes, telling how bringing forth the past-life sotry has brought healing and peace of mind in this life. You can also hear a very clear difference between the voice of Tommie and the voice of Bill Barnes. So much more convincxing that a printed book!

I recommend buying both of these "Titanic" audio books -- they really should be considered a two-part set!

This book contains the actual past life regressions that brought forth Tommie Andrews and made him alive again. I can't get enough of the sound of of Mr. Andews speaking through the author. There are additional regrassions that weren't included in I Built the Titanic along with a terrific interview at the end, making this the perfect compliment.

This book is extremely enjoyable and informative. Not only did I love seeing the history of Big Moose Lake through the wonderful collection of vintage picture post cards, but I couldn't resist comparing each picture to the corresponding snapshots I've taken over the years! It is truly amazing how little has changed geographically in this incredibly scenic area of New York State. Scheffler and Carey, however, also do a great job showing the reader how social factors -- like fashion and entertainment -- have changed in the Adirondacks in the past 100 years. A wonderful tour of photographs that transport the reader around the lake and through time.

This book will be near and dear to anyone who has visited Big Moose Lake or the Adirondacks.

For the ones who have visited the region before, the book provides a trip back in time and describes how the popular vacation spot got it's start. The best thing about the book and the lake is that not many things have changed since the early 1900's. When reading or just looking at the pictures, travelers are able to take a quick trip around the lake they love whenever they please.

Very well written and practically laid out. Superior to Novak's, Kistner, or Danforth.

I found Comprehensive Gynecology to be the best text I have read in this field. It is clear and consise yet comprehensively summarizes the current literature on each topic. Each chapter begins with a glossary of terms and ends with an excellent point by point review of key concepts. The text covers basic sciences, comprehensive evaluation of the female, general gynecology, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology and infertility. The chapters are well organized and include a synopsis of the current literature. I would recommend this text to anyone studing for fellowship exams. I have also read Copeland's Gynecology and in comparison found Comprehensive Gynecology to be superior in organization and readability.