It was a privilege to learn the subjects of SEM and TEM from the the author of this book himself (David Joy). This is an excellent book which starts from the basics and it depends on the researcher how deep he wanna go. The book provides in depth analysis as well if required. Great resource book.

Goldstein et al have written a book that serves as an excellent introduction to the SEM, and is also a formidable reference. When I took SEM at NC State University, it was taught from this book. Between our professor and this text, I learned the ins and outs of the SEM, and I keep the book within arms reach whenever I'm at work.

Goldstein covers everything from the basics of operation, through image formation, sample prep, usage in particular fields of study -- everything!

If you get one SEM book, get this one.

This is an excellent textbook for graduate students majoring in Materials Science. The text is easy to read, and accompanied by plenty of photographs and schematics, is easy to understand. Covers almost every aspect of SEM and X-ray micro-analysis e.g. underlying science, technology, and practical use. Each chapter begins at a basic level and gradually develops the subject to intricate detail, and depending on the level of study one may skip chapters or part of a chapter.

This is a superb and forceful presentation of the various reasons why the atheism and materialism that emerged with the scientific spirit is so completely inadequate for describing the fullness of human flourishing...including our moral judgments, our aesthetic experiences, our religious perceptions, and even for our scientific pursuits! This book suggests a new and coherent worldview wherein theologians and scientists are no longer suspicious enemies of one another, but fellow contributors to a more integrated understanding of human existence. Moreover, the book's portrait of a God without miracles, while not for everyone, is presented persuasively, so that even a detractor must appreciate the relevancy, adequacy, and coherence of this more liberal religious perspective. Finally, anyone interested in the philosophy of Whitehead will find that this book is not only a glorious and thorough introduction to process philosophy, but that it contributes significantly to the resolution of some of the mysteries and inconsistencies of Whitehead's own thought and that of his interpreters. This is Griffin at his best!

As someone who loves US history, politics, and psychology, I've always been fascinated by books which try to "psychoanalyze" Presidents and historical figures. Two books which have done this are Dr. James David Barber's "Presidential Character" and William Strauss and Neil Howe's "Generations", which looks at US history throught the prism of four generational types, which repeat themselves in cycles (they argue that the Baby Boomers are the descendants of the Puritans!). And this book, "Presidential Temperament", uses a system which should be familiar to many readers. The book's authors use the well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to "type" each of our Presidents. Many businesses and schools use the Myers-Briggs test, but for those who are not familiar with the system, it tests people on four different sets of preferences (Extrovert-Introvert, Sensing-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and Judging-Perceiving). Thus, there is an "ISTJ" type (quiet, reserved, methodical, thorough, practical, etc.); an "ESFP" type (outgoing, "touchy-feely", compassionate, idealistic, spontaneous, etc.), and so on. The test is not supposed to be used to judge or rate other people, as every type is useful and necessary to make our society function. In "Presidential Temperament" the Myers-Briggs test is applied to all of our Presidents since Washington. The authors use biography and history books to examine the childhoods, personalities, leadership styles, successes and failures of the Presidents to place them into one of three Myers-Briggs types: Artisans, Guardians, and Rationals (a fourth type, the Idealists, have never had a US President, according to the authors. Instead, leaders such as Gandhi and Eleanor Roosevelt fall into this category). The Artisans are the "SP" types - fun-loving, optimistic, tough-minded, and above all, action-oriented. They love the "action" part of politics - they live in the "here-and-now" and are great at dealing with crises. Among the Presidents in this category are both Roosevelts, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Bill Clinton. The "Guardian" types are the "SJ"s - they are tradition-oriented, generally honest and reliable, addicted to duty and "law-and-order". They are the good managers and administrators who keep things running smoothly, but they dislike change. According to the authors, George Washington, Woodrow Wilson, Harry Truman, and the first George Bush all fall into this category. The final category are the "Rationals" - they are "NT"s on the Myers-Briggs scale. They are the visionaries and strategists - they can marshall great forces to accomplish great things, but can be undermined by their distaste for showing emotion and "people skills" in public. They are extremely intelligent, but can come across as arrogant or aloof. Thomas Jefferson, both Adamses, Abraham Lincoln, and Dwight Eisenhower are all Rationals, according to the book. After "typing" each President, the authors then show how their temperament type affected their Presidency - Jefferson the Rationalist designing the University of Virginia and envisioning a continent-size United States, hence the Lousiana Purchase; Franklin Roosevelt the Artisan "Performer" dealing with the twin crises of the Great Depression and World War Two, etc. This is all truly fascinating, even if you don't always agree with the author's claims. However, the book is severely hampered by the numerous factual errors that I found. For example, in the chapter on Bill Clinton they listed his birthday as August 19, 1947 (it is actually August 19, 1946), and then later in the same chapter gave his birthdate as August 14, 1946. John Quincy Adams' birthday is given as July 11, 1967 (he was born in 1767), and Eisenhower's birthday is listed as October 14, 1880 (he was born in 1890). Woodrow Wilson is listed as having lived in Atlanta during the Civil War, but he actually lived in Augusta, not Atlanta. The chapter on William Henry Harrison even has an incorrect photograph - it has a large photo of James Buchanan labeled as Harrison! While these errors may seem insignificant by themselves, taken together (and there are numerous other inaccuracies, from presidential birthdays to biographical information) they cast some real doubt on the author's credibility and research. In short, while "Presidential Temperament" is a fascinating "psychological" look at our Chief Executives, the many historical errors left me wondering just how much "research" and editing the authors put into their arguments - and that overall makes the book something of a disappointment.

Profound understanding of what makes Presidents tick. This book answers nagging questions about our current and past Presidents. Most importantly, it provides in-depth understanding of what we voters should be considering when we evaluate the presidential choices before us. For example, how would McCain's personality contrast with Bush's? If our relationship with Russia heats up, would it be better to have McCain, Bush, or Gore in the White House? A must read for any thoughtful voter.

The authors provide us with extensive biographical information on each of the presidents, and a lucid, thorough explanation of how temperament infuenced the actions of each president; in the same political climate, leaders with different personality styles may well have made different decisions. The book is well written, interesting, and extremely relevent in a time when many Americans are questioning the character of their highest officals and preparing for a new presidential election. It gets a "two thumbs up" rating!