One of the most valuable texts any general surgeon specially the postgrads must have. each chapter is heavily loaded with very good graphics, and the text is very easy to grasp. and it gives a large space to operative details and steps. personally i take one of the volumes with me on duties. The only thing is that it is increasing necessary for the authors to update this edition. laproscopy in many situations is still -on the pages of this edition- in the cradle!!, which is not the true case, and many indications for some investigations have changed. but after all this is medicine. if you have this text and keepon with Advances in Surgery or Surgical Clinics of North America then you would cover most of the defects.

Excellent text for abdominal operations, easy to read with clear illustrations, reviews procedures that established the foundation of surgery, nice sections on ulcer operations, highly recomended.

I am currently taking a Family Therapy course and I mistakenly bought this book. After buying the required text and examining the two, I decided that this one was a "keeper."

The authors are practioners in the field who have accumulated years of wisdom and knowledge about how the family functions. They do an excellent job of presenting the major treatment paradigms, without injecting their own biases into the explanation. I found this book to be immensely readable, and easy to digest and apply. I have been using this book more than the required text for the simple reason that it is very well organized, the theoretical presentations well thought out, and the writing style is warm and engaging.

I definately recommend this book. No way I will resell this one.

this was just great. for those of us who couldn't be there for perry lane, the bus trip, or the acid tests, this is a great account of the time. you don't realize how important kesey was to the movement until you read this. on the bus is really a quick bio of kesey. it helps you to understand how kesey took over where kerouac left off. you really feel as if you know kesey and neal after finishing this book. if you are a bohemian, beat, hippie, or any combination, then this is the book to get.

I bought the book after reading Electric Kool-Aide Acid Test for the third time. I really wanted to know more about what Mountain Girl, Cassidy, Gretchin Fetchin, and Babbs looked like, and scenes from the Trip. What a great book. I would recommend it to anyone who is reading, has read, or will be reading the book, Electric Kool-Aide Acid Test. This would be a great companion as your were reading it, and were exposed to the characters in the book.

Anyone who is a Kesey fan MUST read this book. It is basically the photo album which correlates with Wolfe's Electric Kool-Ade Acid Test. It gives more insight into the minds of the pranksters and others. I highly recommend this book to any who is interested in the counterculture. The book as well as the trip are truly legendary.

From William Clinton to anti-terrorism czar Richard Clarke to the bioterrorism mavens at USAMMRID and Johns Hopkins University-- the prediction is as unanimous as it is chilling. There will be a biological attack by terrorists --on U.S. soil-- within the next five to ten years.

And when it does, it will doubtless follow one or another of the scenarios detailed in Living Terrors. I've spent the past six hours reading it cover-to-cover, and it is an outstanding book-- the kind of thing that ought to be required reading at all levels of government and the general public. It is that rare combination of solid research and excellent writing to which all non-fiction should aspire.

I've extensively researched biological terrorism for a novel on the subject-- from Richard Preston to Ken Alibek to the works of Don Henderson of Johns Hopkins, and more. Living Terrors stands among the best of them. Frankly, since starting research on the subject back in November 1999, I've been shocked and appalled at just how vulnerable the world is --and remains-- to biological terrorism. Dr. Osterholm and Mr. Schwartz detail this onrushing catastrophe in a manner that is cautionary without sensationalism-- providing information that, when the inevitable microbe attack occurs, could nonetheless save American lives.

Buy --and read-- Living Terrors. And for your own sake, take this issue seriously, today.

Living Terrors is a book that should be read by all Americans. The
book is written by Michael T. Osterholm, Ph.D. and science journalist
John Schwartz. It is based largely on Dr. Osterholm's experience as
an epidemiologist, his expertise in biological weapons, and his
efforts to educate the public on the threats of bioterrorism. He
illustrates several points about the unique aspects of this threat by
beginning chapters with fictional vignettes about hypothetical
bioterrorists. The emphasis is on the general anonymity of the
perpetrators, ready availability of biological agents, and the
difficulty tracking the terrorist. He uses the subsequent chapters to
argue that the bacteria and viruses are readily available and the
technology for dispersing easily learned. He discusses estimates of
potential loss of life and economic damage from a bioterrorist
attack.

The second half of the book describes a hypothetical
smallpox attack on the city of Chicago. Most Americans over the age
of thirty have some recollection of smallpox vaccinations they
received as a child. The wild form of smallpox was eradicated in 1977
and the World Health Organization recommended discontinuing
vaccinations against it in 1980. The only remaining smallpox was in
laboratories in the United States and the Soviet Union. The authors
present evidence here that other countries have this agent and that
the combination of high infectivity, high lethality, and low immunity
make it lethal if dispersed by a terrorist.

Living Terrors also
focuses on systems and logistics that need to be addressed. Both
antibiotics and immunizations are effective in specific situations,
but there are currently not enough doses to have much of an impact in
the event of an attack. Civil defense preparedness is also lacking.
The type of response needed for a chemical weapons release is compared
with biological weapons. Early identification of the infectious
disease is critical since many of the diseases appear to be similar to
upper respiratory infections. Quarantine and respiratory isolation of
individuals affected with smallpox is also the best initial
intervention to prevent subsequent waves of infection. The more
specific issue of containing patients in negative air pressure rooms
is contrasted with the fact that there are only 60 such rooms in the
state of Minnesota's 144 hospitals.

The associated public health
issues of decreased bed capacity and physician time to devote to these
issues are discussed. One of Dr. Osterholm's recommendations involves
increasing the "slack" in the system. He points out that
for smaller disasters, such as plane crashes, the current systems are
deficient and these deficiencies would be greatly amplified in a
bioterrorist attack. Many physicians have never seen a case of small
pox or anthrax and would benefit from the appropriate training.
Appropriate training programs exist, but don't target local health
systems.

The legal responses by both local officials and federal
officials as well as law enforcement are discussed. Large epidemics
are inherently disruptive to public health and law enforcement
systems. The authors point out how the different perspectives of law
enforcement and medicine (preserve the crime scene vs. do whatever is
medically necessary) can lead to non-productive and at times
embarrassing conflicts during public health emergencies. They also
discuss the current legal landscape as it applies to a large epidemic,
referencing the work of legal scholar Terry P. O'Brien. Several
problems with the current the policies about the government response
to a terrorist event are described.

Dr. Osterholm ends the book
with an "eight point plan" to improve readiness in the case
of a bioterrorism attack. He encourages a realistic appraisal of the
current situation and concrete steps to improve readiness both within
the government and the medical community. This book is a compelling
read from a number of perspectives. At the level of government's
ability to address difficult problems, we find that very little seems
to be going on. Funds are targeted for the wrong purposes and local
officials seem to be waiting for federal guidance that never comes.
On another level we are introduced to terrorists that act unilaterally
and with no provocation. A situation where a random act of aggression
can become a biological catastrophe seems plausible. As a
psychiatrist, I am interested in the thinking behind terrorism
specifically what would cause a person to murder large numbers of
people. The book does not explore the consciousness of terrorists
except to suggest that there are no common threads. We are left with
the problem that it is impossible to predict the person capable of
this rare, but devastating behavior.

I liked the layout of this
book. It is written to maintain the interest of the casual reader,
but also includes fairly detailed footnotes. Those footnotes cover
official documents, scholarly references, and articles in the press.
I have an interest in bioterrorism and found that the references were
more comprehensive and relevant than those I had been able to find in
the medical literature. The authors have done a service in outlining
the scope and nature of the current problem. It is up to the rest of
us to make sure something gets done about it.

George Dawson, MD

This book should be read by every public health, medical and emergency response professional throughout the world. In addition, it would sure be helpful if the media, government officials and military experts also took a crack at it. We might finally have a chance at coming up with a rational and practical response to this likely diaster. Dr. Osterholm is out there...some would say he has crossed the line with hype. Unfortunately, as an infectious disease physician, I have followed his work for the past 20 years and he has challenged us on numerous occassions with predictions that have all come true. I hope he is wrong (but I really don't think so), but if he is not, his book contains the only rational discussion of the issue of bioterrorism in print today and without a doubt the only plan for what we must do to prepare ourselves. Finally, its a book the makes sense to average citizen. I had to fight my teenage son all weekend for the only copy in our house.

This magnificent volume is the companion piece to the recent exhibition at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, showcasing the prints of one of America's foremost contemporary artists (and Provincetown resident) Mazur. The catalogue raisonne is as good to look at as it is to read: all of his prints from 1956 to 1999 are fully illustrated, and essays have been penned by four leading authorities, covering various aspects of Mazur's life and career. Richly produced, and rich in reference.

The newly published book, The Prints of Michael Mazur, extends research into the field of monotype printing and printmaking in New England in general. Mazur's exploration of the figure is competent as illustrated by his tour de force, Dante's Inferno series, and his landscapes, which progress towards a poignant abstraction, furthers the use of color, and extends the issue of scale in the printmaking world. This book is an excellent teaching guide. Professor Kurt Wisneski, author of Monotype/Monoprint: History and Techniques

An easy and maths free introduction to the world of A.E. However, some of the more silly and irrelevant cartoons might distract the reader.

All in all, not a bad introduction to A.E. (In fact a damn good place to start discovering relativity). My grouse is that it does not cover all of A.E.'s works. The treatment of relativity touches the tip of the ice-berg only, so to speak.

Still, it really makes you want to read more about A.E.'s works, at least for this reader.

This book is about the Theory of Relativity and a bit about how it was developed. The author done a wonderful job in teaching it in a very easy way and also showing the details of the theory (not being only superficial), like equations etc. You see, the deduction of the equations he done in a great way that everyone can easily understand (it's not like the appendix in the Einstein's book about relativity which I never understood). Of course this "deduction" is not formal, but it helps a lot to understand how it works and how they got to the theory.

Einstein for Beginners acts more as a visual representation of Einsteins work. An easy to read format for anyone interested in knowing Einsteins theories without the mind-boggling formulas. I would suggest this as a place to begin. A nice read, although the theories one still needs to comprehend. The author, Joseph Schwartz puts it in a perspective that both challenges and educates. Highly reccomended!

A book for the uninitiated, I believe. It's good for me, anyway, that am uninitiated: to tackle with Talmud is just like having the fight Jacob had, when he became Israel (Genesis, 25-29). We don't want it to wrench our mind's hip - thus we need to be led by the hand, carefully and wisely, so that we're not frightened by the task... I think this work achieves its aim: it introduces to Talmud without scaring you off, and you start enjoying it, appreciating the profundity of thought and using it to your benefit. Talmud is teaching, and teaching needs to be done gradually and serenely, otherwise the task becomes ominous and discouraging. Here instead, you "swim" at ease and learn to cope with life - you don't need to be Jewish for that!

While I always viewed the Talmud as being an ancient, archaic document, the authors really bring the text alive and apply it to every-day life. I was really eased into Talmud and hte book served as the perfect stepping stone to futher studying--something I am pursuing rigorously. Thanks Katz and Schwartz!

This book helps to make sense of the many layers of the onion of Jewsih thought. It puts into everyday terms the thoughts and views of our sages.

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Some books give lots of facts and dates, others concentrate on opinion and discussion. This one does neither: little factual information, plenty of opinion, but leaning over backwards so far to avoid being controversial that you won't learn much.

Also bear in mind that this book is not designed to be read; it's a class book with "thought provoking" questions at the end of each chapter of the type "What do you think of....?". Another way for the author to stay non-committal.

Finally, it's expensive.

I've been reading and comparing a few global history texts, and this one is in another class. If you're wanting a chronological narrative treading the traditional origins, greek, egyptian, indus valley . . . pattern then this text will not please you. If you're after a well written and presented text combining a good synthesis of fact with thought provoking analysis then this IS for you! I can see perhaps why lecturers might go for other more factual texts if they want to look at the global past in different terms to this one, however I think they can't go wrong with the themes Stearns and co. explore. Its got that perfect balance of fact and analysis. The boxed features and lengthy document extracts fit in well, and the lists of sources are well worthwhile.
So yes, you WILL learn a lot from this book because instead of just providing a series of events, people, terms and dates to rote learn it will get you thinking about the themes of global history, and encourage you to compare, contrast and evaluate. Its also one of the few "World History" texts that isn't a Western Civilization history with a few extra chapters thrown in. It really looks at the whole world with a fresh view, including a variety of cultures and experiences. In the Classical era you'll recieve valuable insights into nomadic peoples, providing the opportunity to understand differing means of organising society and allowing worthwhile comparisons that actually enhance understanding the more well trodden ground of Greece, Rome etc. Other fascinating coverage in this vein includes chapters about migration and the spread of peoples (Africans, Slavs and Polynesians), a whole chapter on the Mongol empire and the independence and nationhood movements of Latin America. I reiterate that these other perspectives are introduced in a way which enhances the overall understanding of world history, and are certainly not arbitary "pc" insertions. The authors do not shirk from showing the rise of the west, and the positives and negatives of imperialism. However it also allows us to see the limitations, and non-inevitability of this rise.
If you insist on reading a solely factual survey text, Traditions and Encounters by Bentley and Ziegler will do a great job, however for any student or enthusiast of World History, this book will open your eyes to new perspectives and really encourage you to engage your braincells!

While some may at first find this book to be daughting, or even uninformative, they would be surprised to learn that what the book presents is one of the most unbiased accounts of World History. As a student who was taught AP World History, I found the book to be incredible. Along with incredibly factual passages, the book also includes primary sources to aid learning. In additon, the book is completely unbiased; spending as much time if not more on African, Asian, and Western roots as it does on Rome, Egypt, or the Greeks. Also, the book spends extraordinay amounts of time discussing ALL of the civilizations of the world, not just the cut and dry topics that were explored in the years before. Despite what the other reviewer has said, this book is the most incredible source of history I have ever read, and should be standard in schools around the country. Regarding the expense, with a source as good as this, the cost is minimal. I found the book so helpful I actually purchased my own copy after I finished the cource.

My daughter was given this gift by her Hebrew School teacher. We read the book together and enjoyed the tales very much. I think I liked the illustrations more than she did though. Still, it's a nice batch of Jewish folklore for kids.

This book is truly one of the best books I have read in a while. I bought copies for all of my friends and realatives. I learned much about management and people in general. You may not like Eisner personally (I do) but you cannot argue with the success of the company. This book is a MUST read for anyone who even casually likes the Disney corporation. I came to understand many things about Disney that I did not know.

The book is very well written and a pleasure to read. If you have any interest in the entertainment industry, the book does not disappoint with vignettes of Eisner's experiences at ABC, Paramount, and finally Disney.

Anyone who grew up in the 70's and 80's will find it fascinating to read about Eisner's early career at ABC and Paramount, and his influence in some of the television programs and movies that shaped our generation. And for the fan of Disney, the book is a must read. You won't be able to put it down.

The only criticism I have of the book is that some of Eisner's stories were too short -- more details about his experiences would have been fascinating to read.

From a business point of view, I found the whole story about Eisner's reshaping of Disney -- his very human experience of seeking the job with the Disney board is well told by he and Tony Schwartz. He doesn't try to compare himself to Walt Disney, but instead relates on how he is trying to continue Disney's dream of what the company could be.

If you are thinking about ordering a copy, do it today! You won't be disappointed.

From about 1985 I was the senior executive assistant to Disney's Vice President of Strategic Planning, Lawrence P. Murphy. I therefore read this book with a special eagerness, and I was not disappointed. It teems with the wonderful people who make up the cast of top management at The Walt Disney Company headquarters in Burbank, California.

Mentioned herein are many, but not all, of the bright and driven executives who comprise Michael's well known "Dream Team", those brilliant businessmen and women who increased the company's market value from $2 billion to $75 billion in a scant 15 years. While many attempts have been made recently to explain the magic of Disney management (wouldn't everyone like to succeed this well), Eisner's book reveals a great chunk of the truth: As strategic planner Peter Murphy phrases it at one point, "We are a compulsive culture".

As important as smiling employees and customer satisfaction are, Disney management tests its own mettle on a daily basis, working incredibly long and hard upon every operations detail, research task, acquisition project and growth enterprise that captures its attention. No one can expect to duplicate Disney's success without emulating this crucial aspect of its management work ethic -- its people work tirelessly, passionately and often single-mindedly, and find immense joy and personal satisfaction in achieving the desired results.

This is a fine book and highly recommended for any executive who wishes deeper practical insights into how a brilliant but prudent Disney management team transformed the company's future.