*Chance in Biology* is one of the best science books I have ever read (and I have read quite a few of them). This book applies probability theory (along with other topics in math and physics) to biological phenomena. A big PLUS for this book is that the authors intentionally wrote the book to be accessible to an educated but nonspecialized audience.

I really enjoyed the authors' discussion of random walks applied to 'genetic drift' (the likelihood that offsprings' genomes will be different than their parents') and a surprising application of probability theory to elastic materials found in nature.

I also enjoyed their chapter on the probability of extreme phenomena -- which is an obviously useful topic that gets short shrift in many probability and statistics books I have seen. They even use baseball statistics in that chapter!

Another interesting part of this book was the discussion and the practice problems dealing with Bayes' Theorem. The concepts discussed in this book is something that all health care officials and lawyers should familiarize themselves with.

Some caveats about the book:

(a) The reader should be familiar with the 1st year of college calculus. While it is is possible that someone with only an understanding of algebra can get a lot out of the book, the calculus would help. I should note that you do not need to know a lot of calculus and someone who is 'mathophobic' could still get a lot out of the book.

(b) This book does not deal too much with inferential statistics. This book focuses in on probability, which is the cornerstone of statistics. However, when it does touch upon inferential statistics, it does a superb job.

(c) I wish the authors spent a little bit of time going over Markov Chains (random walks is a type of Markov Chain and the book does deal with that but without talking about MC explicitly). But that is a minor complaint.

Rounding out my praise for this book is the fact that most of the chapters have practice problems and ALL of the problems have solutions to them at the back of the book. I can't even begin to tell you how great having all of the solutions for all of the problems is for self-study/comprehension. The problems provided are no 'toy problems' either ... they are actually extremely helpful in not only testing one's grasps of the materials but also in illuminating and extending the points made in the particular chapter.

Other miscellanous positive things about *Chance in Biology*:

- a sample MATLAB program to simulate random phenomenon (in the solution to one of the practice problems)

- a chapter that deals with 'noise' .... interesting for those interested in Chaos

- authors make an excellent distinction between non-deterministic random/stochastic phenomena vs. deterministic Chaos

- many more good things!!!

Bottom-line: If you are at all interested in probability, applied math, physics, chemistry, or biology, you should buy this book.

Biology progressed from natural history to its great depth and breadth in part from the inclusion of truly quantitative ideas from math, physics, and chemistry. The mantle of greatest expositor of these ideas in recent times may have passed from Stephen Vogel (his excellent books are well worth reading) to Mark Denny. Here, with Steven Gaines, he takes us into extreme events, the limits of our ability to hear and to see, the elasticity of spider silk, and more. The math is demanding, but it should be; Denny and Gaines make no bones about it, but reward the reader. Denny's book, Air and Water, is equally a pleasure to read.

I was a skeptic...the operative word being "was"...of these types of materials. However, this tape changed how I look at relaxation and stress mgmt. I manage an Employee Assistance Program and so deal with stress in my work every day. I have found this to be extremely helpful in offering to my clients and/or playing at lunch and learns to help people understand that it's not some crazy hypnosis... It's simple relaxation, and it works. This tape starts off a little cheesy if you're not used to this type of thing, but once you allow yourself to get into it, it really works!! Don't use while driving!!!

By far Belleruth's tapes are the best in applying guided imagery to health and healing. Her tapes inspire as they help you focus your mind on healing your body. Highly recommended!

Many authors research their subjects. A select few, including Steven L. Herman, *know* their subjects. He is a journalist with extensive work and travel experience in Asia. The adventures of his protagonist are thus true to life, and yet the surprising twist of fate which befalls Lewis Cody shows the reader that Mr. Herman is a truly versatile author -- a journalist who knows his venue, and a compelling storyteller as well.

I have just had the pleasure of reading "Last Assignment" by Steven Herman. I found it to be worlds above the usual, run-of-the-mill novels that seem to be currently flooding the market.

It's a bit unusual in some aspects, but I felt this actually added to its charms. I admit this is probably a bit of a "guy's book" but I found it extremely entertaining anyway.

I suppose I ought to explain what I meant by a "bit unusual." The author writes in an engaging first-person viewpoint, as though he is telling the story to you directly. I personally found that to be a bit unusual, since I tend to like third-person narrators a bit better. In spite of my personal preferences, I found myself enjoying the narrator's voice nonetheless. In retrospect, as I said, this actually added to the book's appeal.

Also, the book is a unique combination of an overriding plot along with smaller, "mini-plots." This, too, was unique and actually made the book more like real-life.

In the middle of reading this--because the author and publisher claim the book was based on real-life events--I checked on the web for some places where the story supposedly took place, and they really are actual places. I thought that was pretty cool, especially since he writes about some really out-of-the-way places. I felt like the author really knew what he was talking about and you could tell he's actually lived in the places he writes about.

Anyway, a great book! I'd highly recommend it to anyone!

Regulation of Securities: SEC Compliance and Practice is a useful handbook on securities compliance for public companies. The Second Edition adds a new chapter on going private transactions, and seems to expand and update the previous material fairly extensively.

The book is not an academic treatise. There are no lengthy footnotes, and no theoretical discussions about what the securities laws might be or should be. Rather, the book answers real-world questions in a straightforward manner, gives contextual background, provides illustrative examples, and points you to the most relevant primary sources if further information is required.

There are 12 chapters:

1. Introduction to securities regulation (including a section on EDGAR)

2. Periodic reporting under Sections 13(a) and 15(d)

3. Reporting of beneficial ownership under Sections 13(d) and 13(g)

4. Insider reporting under Section 16(a)

5. Short-swing trading and exemptions under Section 16(b)

6. Tender offer disclosure requirements

7. Proxy solicitations under Section 14(a)

8. Securities fraud under Rule 10b-5

9. Use of electronic media

10. Selling restricted and control securities under Rule 144

11. Private resales to institutional investors under Rule 144A

12. Going private transactions under Rule 13e-3.

This is a good book to consider for any corporate governance library.

I would give this book high marks as a thorough but very readable guide to complying with SEC rules and regulations on a day-to-day basis for public corporations, corporate insiders and their counsel.
I actually like the question and answer format, which makes it fairly easy to find the exact information you are looking for. The index and tables are also well done. The other nice feature is that the book not only gives the rules and how to comply with them (for example, periodic reporting, Rule 144, short-swing profits, insider trading, etc.) but also the rationale behind the rules and historical background.
Overall, a good investment and a five-star rating.

There are certain phrases that the families of soldiers never want to hear: "wounded in action", "missing in action", "killed in action", and "prisoner of war." But every time the United States enters a conflict, it is almost inevitable that some wife or husband, some mother or father, or some child will hear those words. They are words that many of us will never really understand. Even with the advent of imbedded reporters and glamorized battle coverage on television, there are some aspects of war that the average American simply cannot comprehend. But in 1993, the family of CW4 Michael J. Durant would learn about the true horrors of war.

For those who have read Mark Bowden's BLACK HAWK DOWN or seen the movie, Chief Warrant Officer Michael J. Durant is a familiar character. He was one of the Black Hawk pilots shot down in the United Nations' peacekeeping effort in Somalia. Fortunately for Durant, he was not killed in the crash or the frenetic firefight that ensued. Rather, he was dragged through the streets with a fractured leg and broken back, loaded into a pickup truck, and held hostage by a Somalian militia. During his ten days of captivity, Durant was held in filthy "prisons", shot by angry militiamen, and given only aspirin for the pain caused by his wounds. But during his entire ordeal, Durant and his positive attitude survived. In fact, even his captors were eventually mesmerized by him in a somewhat reversed kind of "Stockholm Syndrome." They gave him a radio through which he kept up with the peacekeeping efforts and received dedications from other soldiers in his unit. They fed him more food than he could eat, bathed him, and allowed him to read his Bible. It was in that Bible that Durant first wrote IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES, scribbling codes in the margins so that he would remember all of the harrowing details.

IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES is much more than Durant's story of being a prisoner of war. While that would have made an excellent book in and of itself, Durant goes further, giving the reader insights into the rest of his military career. IN THE COMPANY OF HEROES is exceptionally written and gives the reader profound insight into the ugliest parts of war. It is a story that everyone should read and learn from --- not only about war, but also about the human spirit and its willingness to survive in even the harshest of situations.

--- Reviewed by Melissa Brown

Night Stalkers Don't Quit. And Michael Durant and his whole team of Task Force Ranger most certainly never did. Durant's tenacity, perseverence, and sheer will to survive through indescribable adversity prove a testament to his unwavering duty to his country and his fellow 160th Special Ops Night Stalker comrades. Durant, although bruised and battered almost beyond recognition, incredibly survived against all odds after losing his whole crew and 2 of the most valiant and selfless soldiers America will ever call her own: Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon.

Durant tells how rightfully disappointed he and his team were that they were refused permission to finish their mission for which 17 lives were lost in Somalia. When asked to come to The White House to visit President Clinton, Durant wisely demurred. Clinton, whose administration sent its young men into harm's way to participate in a highly dangerous mission without giving them the proper tools requested in order to assure victory, dropped the ball big time in Somalia.

As Durant so aptly states, "Trust and empower your people to do their jobs, then stand behind them." Too bad Clinton failed to do so.

I read "Black Hawk Down" and thought I knew the Michael Durant story. I was mistaken. Durant's new memoir provides many insightful details of his nearly two-week captivity (and its aftermath) not found in Mark Bowden's classic account of the Battle of Mogadishu. The book is an emotional roller-coaster. We are inspired by the heroic selflessness of Gordon and Shughart (the Delta Force operators), and Durant's own courage and stoicism throughout his painful confinement. Most often, he is preoccupied with concern for the well-being of his wife and infant son, as well as tortured anxiety over the fate of his colleagues at the crash site. Rarely is there hint of self-pity or rancor toward his captors. Indeed, he forges an interesting bond with his chief minder, finding ways to communicate despite language and cultural barriers. Especially uplifting is Durant's account of his Red Cross visitor, an event followed immediately by his negative experiences with a pair of international journalists, one French (it figures!), the other Canadian. A definite downer. The story's emotional nadir, however, is the chilling account of Durant's ordeal at the hands of the unruly Somali mob, including a vile, nauseating revelation about how his cheekbone was fractured.

"In the Company of Heroes" was a difficult book to put down. It should not be missed, even if you've read "Black Hawk Down."

Outstanding! Mark's style of writing is so engaging, down-to-earth, and motivating --I couldn't pull myself away! I've been behind the scenes on several film projects and can't believe they had the audacity to shoot without knowing what Mark shares in this book. My highlighter is nearly empty! When it comes to marketing a project, ignorance is certainly not bliss! Mark's book is an absolute MUST HAVE if you plan to DO something with your film other than show your parents!

With the information I gleaned from this text, I can now rival the Hollywood marketing machine in promoting my movie! I learned how to research, contact and get results from the media best-suited for my independent film, as well as what NOT to do when working with these people. Also, the book taught how to move around the traditional distribution system and get copies of my movie into video stores, libraries, Best Buy and others. Good stuff!

I couldn't believe the amount of information in this great new book. Bosko covers absolutely every angle of independent film distribution, from finding your movie's hook, to creating a presentation package, to researching and contacting the correct distributors, making a deal, and maybe, most importantly, what to do when all that fails (self distribution). Bosko never shys away from telling of his own misfortunes in this trade, and it helps the reader relate and learn as they go. Plus a huge appendix and offer from Bosko to email him direct anytime - what a great resource!

One gets quite a lot for one's money with this one-volume encyclopedia. It's impressive how the editors at Merriam-Webster are able to make a book that is so comprehensive and concise at the same time.

There are a couple of odd things about it, though. Many of the articles cover topics that concern current events, with articles on recent celebrities like Jerry Seifeld and companies like Microsoft. Unfortunately, such current topics must come at the expense of other less current topics. This excessive concentration on current topics could make the book date quite rapidly.

Also, many of the articles have been lifted straight from the Encyclopedia Britannica. This would not have been a problem if the editors had taken advantage of the opportunity to revise the articles to bring them up to date, but unfortunately they didn't do so in many cases. The net result of these two editorial decisions is to give the book a straight-from-the-headlines feel for one article, and then an ancient feel for the next.

This conveniently-sized encyclopedia is a portable and inexpensive desktop reference to put alongside your dictionary. The volume includes 25,000 entries, 1,300 photographs and illustrations, 350 maps and diagrams, and thankfully includes pronunciations of some words and names. Developed with , the reference features clear and concise entries of about 100-300 words.

Perfect for dormitory rooms, home offices and libraries, this essential volume is affordable,accessible, and authoritative.

Created in cooperation with Encyclopedia Britannica as well as a host of academic consultants, Merriam Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia is a one volume treasure of information. It holds more than 25,000 entries covering every facet of scholarship and discipline, such as the arts, business, geography, history, literature, medicine, philosophy, pop culture, religion, science, technology, and up to the minute info regarding computers.

Pursuing an area of interest is easy with alphabetically sequenced listings, and 70,000 cross references which lead to additional data.

A pronunciation guide with some 10,000 words increases fluency and self-confidence.

Graphics heighten interest with photographs, maps, diagrams, and tables, thereby enriching awareness as well as learning.

True to its reputation of producing high quality reference materials Merriam-Webster again offers a first-rate volume.

When I changed jobs to program from C++/Smalltalk to Java, this is the book I used the most for the first couple of months. Lots of useful information that is easy to find (each tidbit is pretty much stand alone). I still use it a lot.

"1001 Java Programmer's Tips" is the absolute best book on Java I have seen yet! I have about 5 Java books and this is the one I always reach for first. It has saved me zillions of hours of head scratching!

This book is just excellent, i've been programming JAVA, and i was always trying to find such a book. When i got it I just began reading it and the more i read the more successful code i could produce, This book is *PERFECT* just look at the reviews to figure it out. Buy it if you have heard about "Java language" !

For 25 years Industrial Light and Magic has woven magic into countless films, either subtle images through 'invisible' effects such as matte paintings or through eye-popping visuals that stand out vividly against the film backdrop. ILM has made it's mark on history, for not only have they been and still are the premiere effects house in Hollywood, they have innovated and invented more technology than any other studio, additionally they have won awards for the processing and compositing technology they have created. ILM had to be the best at special effects, because their flagship title - STAR WARS - demanded the best, because that's what Lucas wanted.

'Into the Digital Realm' isn't so much an abandonment of ILM of the traditional methods of special effects, rather a point of departure for the new technology and all of things that led up to it. Indeed, ILM's work on 'The Hunt For Red October' submarine work involved flying the submerged vessels from wires in a smoky room - effects do not get any more traditional than that. Released in 96, the book doesn't mention that Phantom Menace or even that the film is in production. It does have some revised images from the Star Wars special edition. As with the previous tome, this one is packed with hundreds of color photos, plus the same beautiful gate fold images.

If the center piece for the previous book was Star Wars, Digital Realms' focus is obviously Jurassic Park, because it was the first film to use CG on so large a scale, even more than Terminator 2, which ILM also did. Jurassic Park was also the test bed and showcase piece that convinced Lucas that computers had finally matured enough to bring what he had in mind to the screen for the new Star Wars films. More is the pity, because I came to loathe most of the aliens in the Phantom Menace. Digital Realm clearly explains in easy to understand terms how effects - both new and old - are accomplished, be it something as simple as making it appear as if buildings are actually much taller than they or having a velociraptor walk _behind_ a plant situated in the foreground. I have both of these wonderful books, and I strongly recommend them to anyone who is curious about ILM's history and the process of how effects are made.

An extraordinary book about an extraordinary company. You will know all you want to know about special effects wizardry. The book is well published, even watching its pictures is joyful.

If you want to know about special effects, this is the book. Simple as that.

When a life partner dies, the widow or widower is faced with a multitude of decisions at once, at a time of emotional depletion when even one decision is experienced as overwhelming. This book is a handy and well-thought-out compendium of ideas and insights and suggestions that can make the early months of loss more manageable.

The first chapter tackles the psychological: several compassionate stories are offered that make the complexities of mourning seem more "normal." These men and women got through it, and thus, so can you. The rest of the chapters cover financial issues, taxes, social security, and so on, including some thoughts about funeral arrangements.

Written by experts in their fields, these chapters offer up-to-date information and provide an excellent starting point for getting back on one's feet. An extensive Directory of Resources is valuable in itself.

This book helped guide me through a difficult time. It reads easy and follows like a recipe book. I would recommend it to any friend who has experience the loss of a spouse. The Author takes a very difficult subject and makes it understandable. Furthermore, I was able to get back to the business of taking care of business.

I loved the book. I got it for my mother after my father died. It helped her with the tough decisons she was faced with. Its worth the money