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Book reviews for "Mutchler,_David_Edward" sorted by average review score:

Who Built America?: Working People and the Nation's Economy, Politics, Culture, and Society: From Conquest and Colonization Through Reconstruction
Published in Paperback by Pantheon Books (1990)
Authors: Edward Countryman, David Brundage, Edward Countryman, American Social History Project, and Bruce C. Levine
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Who Built America Vol 2
The book takes a completely different view of our nation's history from the late 1800's through the late 19000's than the average history text book most of us read in high school. Side bars and tid bits add anecdotal highlights to the information covered in that section or chapter which keep it relevant and interesting. It was very refreshing to see things from the bottom up. i.e. What was happening with this or that wave of immigration that caused the City's and Urban areas to change in this way, that caused the political and religious environment to change in that way, that caused this person to be elected, that caused this law to be passed, that caused this backlash, that led to this conflict, that led to this resolution. Instead of - this war was faught and this official was elected and this country won. It is biased towards labor and labor's role in building this country, so if you want traditional conservative history, this isn't the book for you. But if you like to read some of the stuff they don't tell you in high-school history 101, this is it. I'll never look at labor disputes or the immigration question the same way again. I came away from the book with a greater understanding and retained more of how we got to the 21st century in America from the 19th century.

An excellent resource
When I saw this book, I bought it straightaway, because labor history gets short-shrift in American society. I'm sorry to see it's out-of-stock, but am unsurprised.

While this book is fairly mainstream in its orientation, it is very readable and thorough, covering the struggle of working people through the late 1800s to the early 1990s.

I consider this book a good starting point for people interested in working people's history. What makes it especially rich is the narrative flow and personal stories that appear throughout it, and the sidebars with songs and other miscellaneous information. This is the way a history book should be written.

An excellent source for US 20th century history!
Who Built America? Is an excellent look at US history in the 20th century from the foundation up. The authors provide relevant and insightful information about immigration, the working class, unions, and the political and military events that shaped our country. The events are thoroughly discussed in terms of cause and effect, and followed through with anecdotal side bars and highilights. Because the text follows a contextual historical line, the information is readily understood and retained. Who Built America? was used as the assigned text in a US History class I took. While I read it willingly as assigned in the class, it is a book I have returned to on numerous occasions since. I highly recommend Who Built America? for everyone and anyone who would like to know not just who was elected when, and what wars were fought with whom, but why and how it effects every one of us.


Biology Quick Review (Quick Reviews)
Published in Paperback by Cliffs Notes (1995)
Authors: David N. Knowlton, Cliffs Notes, and I. Edward Alcamo
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great for those with a decent background in biology
I purchased this book for the purpose of touching up my biology knowledge for a standarized test. I had already taken an AP Biology class in high school and a physiology course in college. This book was very effective in condensing an entire semester long course into a short 200 or so pages. It truly mentions ONLY the very fundamental concepts of biology. I would recommend this book to those who wish to review a biology course that they have already taken. This book is entirely too brief for those with no previous background information in the area. For certain topics that my high school and college courses failed to cover, I needed to rely on more thorough text books for further detailed explanations. Some aspects of biology are just too in-depth for these short cliff notes to cover. In conclusion, this book is a great resource if you are looking for a quick, to-the-point review!

GREAT!
WOW this book is so short, yet so great! it is just like my bio book (close to 800 pages) but only, its 208 pages and it is just facts, none of the needless filler. The TOC is also just like the one in my bio textbook, but agian, the info it leads to is MUCH MUCH MUCH quicker to grasp!


Blueprint for a Green Economy
Published in Paperback by Earthscan Publications, Ltd. (1989)
Authors: Anil Markandya, Edward B. Barbier, and David W. Pearce
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Brilliantly fluid overveiw, but a little dated.
"Blueprint for a green economy" is an excellent overveiw of the field of environmental economics. The author covers much hotly debated, technical (and now possibly dated) areas of environmental economics in a way that is easily accessable to the lay audience. The book explains efficient and affordable environmental policy at a national level(at a global level is explained in the sequel), and rejects the previous 'command and control' policies of the past.

However, what seperates this book from other books on the subject of economics, is its philosophical tint. In one of the most interesting chapters the author explains the "tyranny of discounting" and goes on to show that this may not always be a rational and equitable process for the valuation of future hapiness, or suffering. Indeed there are many forms of efficiency but these may not always be equitable. The implications being that current reduction of capital for future generations is not just.

Overall, although the book is over a decade old, it is still both interesting and relevent for anyone that cares about the future state of the world.

The best route towards environmentally responsible economies
I am glad such a precious book of reference on how to manage the economies in a more socially and environmentally sustainable way, if that is ot a pleonasm, has had more recent editions. Its first edition became my general guide in the nine years I have served as the directing officer of the Bahia State Environmental Agency. The results from the ideas presented in the book were just very good. Hence, the book can be classified by me as "overwhelming". I could say much more, but let me stop here with the wishes that the authors continue researching ways to promote ecology and economy with hand-in -hand systems, as foreseen by the words of Franklin Roosevelt's, as shown in with bronze letters placed on beautiful and shiny red granite planes at the FDR Memorial, in Washington, D.C.. Best regards to all, Durval Olivieri.


The Bonehunters' Revenge : Dinosaurs, Greed, and the Greatest Scientific Feud of the Gilded Age
Published in Hardcover by Houghton Mifflin Co (12 October, 1999)
Author: David Rains Wallace
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Science and Scandal
Rather than presenting just another account of the infamous Cope-Marsh "fossil war," Wallace has placed the conflict in a journalistic context, exploring the role New York Herald editor/huckster James Gordon Bennett played in the animosity between the two great paleontologists. A wonderfully detailed and readable book, with only a very small number of minor scientific errors to detract from its value. This probably won't be remembered as the definitive work on the subject, but it's a good place to start.

Comprehensive history of America's greatest scientific feud
This marvelous volume by David Rains Wallace is a balanced, thorough, and insightful recounting of the greatest, most needless, and most tragic scientific conflict in American history: the Cope-Marsh feud. I say "balanced" because most writers, especially those with an environmentalist/naturalist bent like Wallace, have tended to side with Othniel C. Marsh over Edward D. Cope. The reason isn't hard to find. Cope's feud with Marsh eventually [pulled] into the controversy John Wesley Powell, a major benefactor to Marsh and impediment to Cope, and occasioned Powell's fall from power. Environmentalists rightly consider this a tragedy, because perhaps no one in American history possessed the depth of understanding about the geological and geographical logic of the entire area west of the hundredth meridian than Powell. Had Powell remained in power longer, perhaps many of the great tragedies associated with the development of the American West could have been avoided. Most other evaluators of the feud tend to be biographers of either Cope or Marsh, and those side with their subject. But Wallace is able to look beyond the effect the Cope-Marsh feud's effect on Powell and beyond partisan loyalty to any single participant to achieve a fair evaluation of each.

Wallace begins with a biographical narrative of both Cope and Marsh, from their family origins and early interest in science, to their maturation as paleontologists and their initial encounters with one another, and on to their growing competition with one another and eventual implacable conflicts and feud. Wallace shows how this really was not primarily a scientific controversy, but a conflict between two very different personalities. Both men were exceedingly gifted, both immensely competitive, and both were extremely neurotic. Of the two, Cope emerges as the more sympathetic, if only because he strikes the reader as the more likable of the two. Marsh is less sympathetic because of the ruthless way he attempts to cut Cope off from all governmental support for his research, and the manner in which he attempts to keep Cope, who was probably the more gifted paleontologist, on the scientific periphery. In fact, Marsh comes across as a completely unlikable person; not even his closest acquaintances seem to have liked him. If Cope emerges as more congenial, he also comes across as more manic, more paranoid, and obsessed.

In the end, one is left with a feeling of disgust at both Marsh (especially Marsh) and Cope's massive stupidity in the entire conflict. Although they had some scientific disagreements, most of their antagonism was generated by who was able to get the most fossils, and the efforts of Marsh to cut Cope completely out of government funding. One is left with a sense of regret that the two great founders of American paleontology were unable to coordinate their efforts and be collaborators instead of competitors.

Anyone enjoying this book might also enjoy Deborah Cadbury's TERRIBLE LIZARD, which tells the story of the birth of paleontology in England at the beginning of the 19th century, a few decades before Cope and Marsh. Sadly, that book also tells the story of a needless feud, with Gideon Mantell taking the Cope role and Richard Owen the Marsh one. The two books make great companion volumes, and jointly make a magnificent introduction to 19th century paleontology.


The Chef's Compendium of Professional Recipes
Published in Hardcover by Butterworth-Heinemann (1992)
Authors: John Fuller, Edward Renold, and David Foskett
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A good thorough and very organized book.
I found this book a few years back in a second hand bookstore. So far it has become one of my preferred cookbooks. It has most of the "classical" recipies. The only faults are that it leaves many techniques undescribed and that it has a rather inconsitent translation to metric measures.

No Nonsense Recipes
I have recently replaced this old standard with a new, updated model. It is important to know a little about cooking and the basic French techniques before trying this book. It then becomes the most concise, precise and thorough guide to virtually anything you want to prepare. It has stood the test of time. If you agree that the single most important cookbook in your library is The Joy of Cooking then The Compendium would be number two. A great collection of most classic recipes without all the rhetoric.


Edward's Exploit and Other Thomas the Tank Engine Stories (A Random House Pictureback)
Published in Paperback by Random House (Merchandising) (1993)
Authors: Rev W. Awdry, David Mitton, Terry Permane, and Wilbert Vere Awdry
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Good kid's story
This being the first "Thomas the Tank Engine" book I've ever read. I recognized some stories as word-for-word narrations from "Thomas" videos, but since I haven't seen ALL of the video or TV stories, some stories were new to me. My sons are big Thomas fans, so I know they'll love these books when they get them for Christmas!

Good story book
This is a good Thomas story book. There is a TV series about Thomas. Then there are vediotapes about Thomas and there are a whole lot toys about Thomas. Chilren like them all. When I bought this book, ha, my three young ones fought for it. And I had to read to them one by one in turn. And I have other Thomas book too. They just can get enough of Thomas.


A History of Modern Psychology
Published in Hardcover by International Thomson Publishing (1999)
Authors: Duane P. Schultz, Sydney Ellen Schultz, R. John Huber, Cynthia Edwards, and David Heining-Boynton
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Adequate, yet not overbearing summation of modern psychology
Schultz and Schultz offer a wonderful summation of the history of psychology. Many history of psychology texts are large and burdensome, but Schultz and Schultz sift out the waste and offer the facts. Interesting anecdotes about psychology's pioneers are offered, and the social climate surrounding the perspectives of each school of thought is also mentioned. All in all, this is a great book to have in the collection for the average historian of psychology. The authors, unfortunately, do present the information in a rather bland display. More color and layout effect would be useful and appealing. Furthermore, the chapter on the impact of women and minorities in psychology should not just be thrown on the end of the book ... it should be integrated throughout. Other than those two drawbacks, however, the book is wonderfully done.

At the Front of the Pack: An Appraisal of the Text
"The focus of this book is the history of modern psychology, that period beginning in the late 19th century when psychology became a separate, independent discipline. Although we cannot ignore earlier philosophical thought, we concentrate on issues that relate directly to the establishment of psychology as a new and distinct field of study. We are presenting a history of modern psychology, not of psychology and all the philosophical work that preceded it" (Preface).

The text is thorough in its task, recounting the movements of each school of thought and integrating a knowledge of the social context in which they evolved, recognizing that no such movement can develop as an independent entity, avoiding the philosophical climate of the times. The book "discuss[es] the contributions of the pivotal figures who shaped the field, noting that their work was influenced by the times in which they flourished and by the context of their own life experiences" (Preface).

The text also discusses "each school of thought in terms of its connection to the scientific ideas and discoveries that precede and follow it. Each school evolved from or revolted against the existing order and in its turn inspired viewpoints that challenged, opposed, and eventually replaced it. With the hindsight of history, we can trace the pattern and the continuity of development of modern psychology" (Preface).

The text is comprehensive, thorough, and illustrative in its presentation of modern psychology's evolutionary pathway, an excellent choice for undergraduate course study in the field.

The seventh edition was published in 2000.


How to Drive an Indy Race Car (Masters of Motion)
Published in Paperback by Avalon Travel Publishing (1992)
Authors: David Rubel, Gregory Truett Smith, James Westwater, and Edward Keating
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Wish I'd had this book when I was a kid!
If you know a kid who's interested in racing, there's no better introduction to big-time motorsports than this book. It takes young readers (probably age 8 and up) inside the world of Champ Car racing, with thorough discussions of the drivers, cars, teams and events. When I was a kid, I had little concept of racing beyond the Indy 500, but a book like this would have added immensely to my understanding of the sport. The book's only shortcoming is that the information is somewhat dated now, but its young readers probably won't mind a bit.

Very Hepful!!!!!!!!
This book helps you understand goes on in Indy Car racing. I recommed this book alot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Little People: Guidelines for Commonsense Child Rearing
Published in Paperback by Overland Press Inc (1990)
Authors: Edward R. Christophersen and David Graves
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A good primier for basic child-rearing!
As a school psychologist I am often asked which books are good in regards to behavioral concerns. I find the Little People book has some good basic techniques to teach and does it in a easy to read manner. I am always sorry that it is not easier to locate in the local bookstore because I want to buy it for friends.

Exellent resource, concise, easy reading, pullout section
The book focuses on common child-rearing behavioral problems and the easy solutions to fix them. It emphasizes catching the children in acts of good behavior instead of punishing them for bad behavior. I used the ideas put forth in the text with my own children and was delighted at how well the results showed. Anyone who is ready to pull their hair out with a specific behavioral problem concerning a child, should read this book. Not only does it offer solutions of how to turn behavior around, but it also has pullout sections for your particular concern that can be put in a convenient location. You will quickly find how to apply these methods in a broader sense to many aspects of child-rearing and socially accepted behavior. Written in small, easy to digest chapters and the author backs up his methods with proven results from his work in a behavior clinic for children


Quantum Fields and Strings: A Course for Mathematicians
Published in Hardcover by American Mathematical Society (1999)
Authors: Pierre Deligne, Pavel Etingof, Daniel S. Freed, Lisa C. Jeffrey, David Kazhdan, John W. Morgan, David R. Morrison, Edward Witten, N.J.) Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, and Et Al
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Definitely for mathematicians only
This book is an excellent compliation of articles written for mathematicians who want to understand quantum field theory. It is not surprising then that the articles are very formal and there is no attempt to give any physical intuition to the subject of quantum field theory. This does not mean however that aspiring physicists who want to specialize in quantum field theory should ont take a look at the contents. The two volumes are worth reading, even if every article cannot be read because of time constraints. All of the articles are written by the some of the major players in the mathematics of quantum field theory. Volume 1 starts off with a glossary of the terms used by physicists in quantum field theory and is nicely written. The next few hundred pages are devoted to supersymmetry and supermanifolds. A very abstract approach is given to these areas, with the emphasis not on computation but on the structure of supermanifolds as they would be studied mathematically. There is an article on classical field theory put in these pages, which is written by Pierre Deligne and Daniel Freed, and discussed in the framework of fiber bundles. The discussion of topological terms in the classical Lagrangian is especially well written. There is an introduction to smooth Deligne cohomology in this article, and this is nice because of the difficulty in finding understandable literature on this subject. Part Two of Volume 1 is devoted to the formal mathematical aspects of quantum field theory. After a short introduction to canonical quantization, the Wightman approach is discussed in an article by David Kazhdan. Most refreshing is that statement of Kazhdan that the Wightman approach does not work for gauge field theories. This article is packed with interesting insights, especially the section on scattering theory, wherein Kazdan explains how the constructions in scattering theory have no finite dimensional analogs. The article by Witten on the Dirac operator in finite dimensions is fascinating and a good introduction to how powerful concepts from quantum field theory can be used to prove important results in mathematics. A fairly large collection of problems (with solutions) ends Volume 1. The first part of Volume 2 is devoted entirely to the mathematics of string theory and conformal field theory. The article by D'Hoker stands out as one that is especially readable and informative. D. Gaitsgory has a well written article on vertex algebras and defines in a very rigorous manner the constructions that occur in the subject. The last part of Volume 2 discusses the dynamics of quantum field theory and uses as much mathematical rigor as possible. One gets the impression that it this is the area where it is most difficult to proceed in an entirely rigorous way. Path integrals, not yet defined mathematically and used throughout the discussion. The best article in Volume 2, indeed of the entire two volumes is the one on N = 2 Yang-Mills theory in four dimensions. It is here that the most fascinating constructions in all of mathematics find their place. These two volumes are definitely worth having on one's shelf, and the price is very reasonable considering the expertise of the authors and considering what one will take away after reading them.

Lots to learn...
These articles are great. Fills the ubiquitous need to retract the gap between then conceptual and rigorous framework of the subjects.

Physicists interested in the mathematical aspects of quantum field/string theory would do well to read these volumes as well.

Deserving, in my opinion, more than 5 stars -- many more!!


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