Used price: $10.60
Buy one from zShops for: $9.54
A very well-researched book, it is obvious that the authors have not only thought long and hard about the subject matter, but have also applied a very disciplined analysis to it. Although the authors are scholars, the book is not necessarily aimed at an academic audience. While challenging, it is still approachable by the lay person.
The text does not recommend any particular methodology for decision making, but instead provides a context within which different decision making methods can be understood and evaluated. It begins by analyzing the problems confronting all acceptable risk decisions, discussing '5 generic complexities' that negatively affect all forms of formal risk analysis. Then the authors provide '7 criteria for evaluating the acceptability of approaches to acceptable risk.' The remainder of the book is spent analyzing approaches to risk management on a spectrum of empirical to formal methods, using their 7 criteria.
I found it an extremely enlightening text with applicability beyond that stated by the authors. It sheds light on many of the 'formal' methods that have been developed for areas of concern to me, specifically in the Information Security field, which often tends towards voodoo analysis based on unstated assumptions and incomplete methodologies. Although it was written over 20 years ago, it still provides a great deal of utility and insight today. One of the text's final recommendations is that the field of Risk Management be made into a formal career choice, with all of the 'formal trappings'. It is a tribute to the foresight of the authors that this is exactly what is happening today, with the emergence of the Chief Risk Officer role, trade journals devoted to the generic concept of risk, and ever greater academic attention and career training in risk management.
List price: $30.00 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $8.88
Buy one from zShops for: $9.88
What is a geographer these days you might ask? If you were to read this book, you would have to believe that everyone who has ever read any postmodern thinkers on the subject of boundaries and/or space is a geographer. That means just about everybody, of course, as postmodernists are all about space and, dare I say it, spatiality. How soon will place be converted into platiality?
Despite my snarky comments above, I like this book. Some of it postmodern ideas are only rearticulations of stuff hardcore guys like Derrida are known for, except here is is told from the perspective of geographers. I'm not sure what makes these folks geographers exactly -- in fact a couple of them are teachers of medieval literature -- but, I am sure that the majority of these essays are thoughtful and thought-provoking. Particulary fine is Wilbur Zelinsky's "The World and Its Identity Crisis" which sketches out a (very) shematic history of the world and our place in it. Here's a quote:
"We find ourselves caged in a curious world of contradictions, of unprecedented personal and group anxieties. The freedom to comparison-shop among lifestyles, to rotate among multiple identities, this culmination of millennia of human struggle and progress, such power and flexibility, all this has failed to generate the bliss one might have anticipated or hoped for. Instead an increasingly large segment of First World populations, and incipiently others as well, has begun to wonder who or what they are, or should be."
Here he is quoting Zygmunt Bauman:
"Postmodernity is the point at which modern untying (dis-embedding, dis-encumbering) of tied (embedded, situated) identities reaches its completion: it is now all too easy to choose identity, but no longer possible to hold it. At the moment of ultimate triumph, the liberation succeeds in annihilating its object...Freedom...has given the postmodern seekers of identity all the powers of Sisyphus."
So, this collection offers the general reader a chance to check out what's going on in the new world of humanist geography. Essentially it's re-thinking the ways the world, space and place have been thought about, and are thought about, which is what most post-modern stuff does. Good illustrations, mostly good writing which in some cases opens up new territory, and in others, treads over old, but still interesting, ground.
Some minor corrections of panopticonman's comments, to contextualize the work itself. First off, humanistic geography is nothing new. Prior to this book, the most definitive statements on humanistic geography were produced in the mid-1970s, in a series of papers by Nick Entrikin, Yi-Fu Tuan, Ed Relph and Anne Buttimer (all of whom contribute to this volume), and a book titled "Humanistic Geography: Prospects and Problems." What makes "Textures" so interesting is that it is the first book in nearly 25 years to actually have the phrase "humanistic geography" in the title. In our (post)modern times, the very idea of 'humanism' has become less than fashionable, with some avowed postmodernists (see the Minca volume or "Place and the Politics of Identity") actually taking an "antihumanist" stance. Most of the contributors to "Textures" have wrestled with postmodernism before, and many would perhaps take issue with being labeled "humanists," but all have benefited from the work of Tuan and other humanistic geographers. So what you see in this volume is not so much work on postmodernism particularly, but rather on the viability and value of humanistic modes of inquiry in our postmodern context.
Secondly, this book offers a very particular representation of academic geography. As panopticonman noted, what binds all the essays together is the presence (explicit or implicit) of Yi-Fu Tuan. (In fact, the book has its roots in a set of paper sessions held at a national meeting of the American Association of Geographers in Tuan's honor.) The three editors are all former students of Tuan (Till was his last formal student) and several of the contributors are former students. As well, quite a few of the contributors are colleagues of Tuan. The contributing geographers include several emeriti professors, several who have been active in the field since "humanistic geography" first emerged (and, indeed, helped to shape that perspective), and several who have begun their professorial careers in only the last 5 or 6 years. In other words, you have presented here close to 30 years or more of academic geography's history. This volume, then, is a good indicator not only of contemporary work in geography, but the historical trajectory which geography has taken. Furthermore, beyond the discipline of geography, you have represented the fields of English and American literature, art history, philosophy and anthropolgy, marking the influence of Tuan beyond his formal disciplinary boundaries.
Finally, I would just like to offer something moving (slowly but inexorably) towards panopticonman's question: what is a geographer, anyway? Certainly for many of the contributors to this volume (and including myself, though I am merely a reader of the book, and lack an authorial presence), Tuan does offer a model of the ideal geographer. His intellectual project begins with a simple supposition: that geography is the study (and, following Sack's analysis, the practice) of how humans transform the world into 'home.' Tuan has been concerned throughout his career to analyze how people have actively shaped their world -- nature, relations with other people, even 'raw' space itself -- in order to transform it into meaningful places. This project involves active (materialist), normative, and aesthetic dimensions; these various dimensions are explored, singly and in combination, by the contributors to "Textures." As well, Tuan has exerted a significant pedagogical influence on geography, exemplified in Entrikin's closing essay of the volume. Entrikin identifies Tuan as "the perfect humanistic geographer," focusing on Tuan's understanding of liberal education and humanism as a philosophical outlook on the world (as expressed most particularly in "The Good Life"). The purpose of humanistic inquiry, for Tuan, "is to develop the whole person, to create a good person, and in this way to cultivate humanity" (Entrikin here connects Tuan's project up conceptually with Martha Nussbaum). This volume, drawing on the force of Tuan's personality and perspective, contributes to the cultivation of humanity through its engagement with the material, moral, and educational directives and achievements of contemporary geography.
Used price: $15.84
Buy one from zShops for: $35.88
I never stopped to think about how a society's ideology or system of beliefs can alter the educational system. This book showed me just how much change did occur once the United States began to see the treatment of all of its people as equals as a necessity. If you are a teacher, student, or parent of a student in a public or private school, or you just have an interest in this country's educational system, then this book has a lot to offer you.
List price: $21.99 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $12.75
Buy one from zShops for: $12.90
Used price: $0.01
Collectible price: $0.01
Buy one from zShops for: $1.64
The book is an easy read. In fact, Martini could have fleshed out the book with more information and twists and the story would still be taught. What he managed to do is only admit critical elements to the story to make it a story and keep it engaging. I hope to read more of his works.
As the story begins Judge Acosta finds himself in a most awkward position of being accused of soliciting a prostitute. He is removed from the bench pending an investigation. But it doesn't take long before the leading witness for the prosecution against the Judge is found deceased...uh oh. The Judge is now in SERIOUS trouble...so much so that he actually contemplates something that he never EVER would have thought could happen in a million years: He hires the attorney that he despises, Paul Madriani. This murder/mystery/courtroom drama is impressive from beginning to its surprising and absolutely fantastic ending--in MY opinion this has Martini's best ending to date and certainly one of my favorites in fiction. The courtroom drama is clever, surprising and utterly compelling. Several laugh-out-loud moments, too (which came as a complete surprise to me) and an all-around tremendous plot. Easily one of the best in this particular genre I have ever read, and also ranks (again in MY opinion) as Mr. Martini's best novel to date (that includes 'The List' and 'Critical Mass'). Get to know Paul Madriani, the sooner the better, but I recommend starting with 'Compelling Evidence' the novel that debuted Madriani and continue from there. Highly Recommended.
Used price: $10.50
The storyline behind this courtroom thriller is absolutely fantastic. It took about 100 pages for the book to get really interesting, but once the story took off, I couldn't let go of the book. I can't wait to read one of his other books and I hope you enjoy 'Compelling Evidence' as much as I did.
Shortly before the appointed hour for their next meeting, however, Ben supposedly blows away the top of his head with a shotgun. No one really believes that Ben Potter killed himself though, and sure enough, we learn that not a shotgun, but a small caliper pistol like the one Talia owns was the true murder weapon. Guess what! Talia is charged with murder and Paul Madriani, assisted by "tell it like it is" Harry are her lawyers.
The drama unfolds with manageable twists, turns and surprises. The cops and the DA seemed convinced that Talia did it, but the reader is soon convinced that she's innocent, so the story has a "whodunit" element along with the courtroom drama. Martini sets his story in "Capital City" in an unnamed State, which I suspect allows him to mix and match actual legal rules and proceedings from different jurisdictions to suit his plot and courtroom activity. This is not obtrusive, at least for a non-lawyer.
It's a satisfying read; something to do while your waiting for the next Grisham novel.
List price: $44.95 (that's 30% off!)
Used price: $15.99
Buy one from zShops for: $21.19
Great new additions to vb.net such as regular expressions are largely ignored and the coverage of the .NET framework is very thin.
If you are an experienced vb developer you really should look for a book with more information on how to leverage your existing knowledge. Look for information on com interop and porting.
So for me to convert to VB .NET, it has to be quick and painless. And this book did just that. It cuts right through the red tape and gets straight to the core. VB .NET language are explored from A to Z. Aside from being labeled as a language reference, the authors go extra the mile to include dedicated chapters on significant topics in VB .NET that are new to VB such as class inheritant, new datatypes, .NET concept and framework. Not to mention the little details such as tips and gotchas added along side with the reference section which make this book quite enjoyable to read too.
I recommend this book for the VB fan, including those who are reluctant to convert to VB .NET like I was. This book is will ease your transition to VB .NET quickly and efficiently.
Used price: $1.95
Buy one from zShops for: $13.43
One criticism, however. As one who reads every word, I was struck by the half dozen or so grammatical errors that pull you up short and that you would not expect from a carefully edited Putnam book. Just one will illustrate: "We'll can tell him later." That aside I plan to recommend CRITICAL MASS to my friends as a must read just like THE JUDGE.