List price: $19.95 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $12.61
Buy one from zShops for: $13.09
Used price: $10.00
Collectible price: $8.47
Buy one from zShops for: $32.47
The author thoughtfully and carefully traces the the first recognition of the dangers to human life of working in a high-pressure atmosphere. This danger turns out to be mostly at the bottom of rivers. The early book is surprisingly about bridge building, not pearl diving or underwater naval warfare. The history of the bends and the Brooklyn Bridge is especially compelling.
The bends are not what TV and the movies portray. The disease is crippling and horrible. The Brooklyn Bridge's designer John Roebling and his son Washington, who supervised the construction of the bridge, paid a terrible price for their brain child. I had no concept of the debt we owe the many anonymous laborers and engineers that went below the nation's rivers to lay foundations for the more glamorous stonework and steelwork above.
List price: $29.95 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $15.75
Buy one from zShops for: $19.64
matters, those interested in Florida's history and
any with a mind to understand religious communities,
this book is a MUST read. The varied articles are
revealing, stimulating, fascinating, well-written,
with marvellous footnotes and bibliography. Oh, if
all university, edited publications could be so good.
If this ever makes it to a reprint or paperback,
more varied and colour photos would just be the icing on the cake.
Used price: $14.99
Used price: $21.95
Collectible price: $18.00
Used price: $7.00
It's really fun looking up what "is written" in the Bible about certain subjects without spending too much time on finding what you're looking for. I CAN ONLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
For each category and subcategory the Bible is searched for relevant verses and those are listed within that subcategory. So, instead of searching throughout the Bible for verses related to a particular subject such as baptism they are aready collected for you. As expected, it presents the author's theology and supporting scriptures. Many people and groups differ on the interpretation of various verses and thus we have all the various denominations of today. Still, the author does focus on the most important of basic Bible doctrines such as salvation, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, forgiveness, prayer, faith and others.
A well designed book that is easy to use, I highly recommend it for anyone seeking knowledge of the Biblical basis behind many doctrinal beliefs.
Used price: $3.00
Collectible price: $5.88
Used price: $8.99
Reid methodically debunks one of the most commonly misunderstood aspects of mid nineteenth century life on the Overland trail. His exhaustive use of primary sources and his meticulous notes must brand this book as the definitive work on the subject of property and social behavior on the overland trail from a legal perspective. The weight of evidence regarding the relative lawfulness of the travelers is such that, as presented, nearly half way through the reader is inexorably swayed to its veracity. Reid presents not a modicum or even generous amount of proof, but a crush of evidence. The fact that he was only able to locate three specific journal entries of lawlessness regarding property, while it does not suggest there was not more, is significantly persuasive. The fact that he is able to logically illustrate that these cases of lawlessness may be shown as examples of how legal theory and values were imbued within the lawbreakers, is doubly clever.
Although not a scintillating read, Reid displays a certain deftness for keeping the readers attention through what could have been far drier material in the hands of one not so gifted with the pen. His assemblage of innumerable primary sources is a praiseworthy accomplishment. Quotes from primary sources are woven consistently and seemingly effortlessly throughout the text, creating a patchwork of storytelling by case study.
This is not to say, however, that this is an entertaining read for laity or even the armchair historian. Reid occasionally slips into legalese that may momentarily obfuscate the read for even the professional historian, but a standard or legal dictionary remedies this. Also, Reid believes the average American on the trail possessed a greater knowledge of the law then than previously thought. Although this may be the case, some of what Reid chalks up to proof of extensive legal knowledge seems no more than ordinary common sense on behalf of the traveler. In a broader sense, to be fair, Reid does not delve deeply into criminality other than in regard to property. But, conventional wisdom suggests that the two are closely linked and thus, Reid obliquely strengthens his argument by this subtle correlation. These few minor criticisms notwithstanding, as a work of legal historical scholarship, Law for the Elephant is nearly flawless and is a significant contribution to the historiography of the overland trail.
The book is especially successful in communicating Feynman's way of thinking, the processes he used in attacking problems. The essay entitled "Richard Feynman and the Connection Machine" by W. Daniel Hills is notably successful in this regard, and by itself justifies the purchase of the book. I found it especially interesting that Feynman was fascinated, as I am, by the potential of cellular automata for modeling fluids. Readers with the same interest should also consider purchasing Seek! by Rudy Rucker.
Five or so essays by other physicists who knew Feynman contain mathematics that is proably beyond the ability of the average reader (certainly mine), but even these contain gems of insight that reward readers who wade through them.
All in all, a most satisfying experience.
Used price: $3.55