As a former student of Korzybski's 'General Semantics,' it has long seemed to me that the word 'Science,' as it is used today, is the greatest semantic catastrophe of the age; instead of 'Science' what we should be talking about is 'Science-1' or 'Science-2' or 'Science-3,' etc.

There are, in other words, many possible forms that science may take, both higher and lower, and if those of the ancient Indian Vedic culture or Heraclitus or Goethe are considered as types of Science-1, a reading of Thompson will very soon convince you that our own science, that of the modern age, barely rates a Science-3 designation.

If we consider that the author is himself a highly qualified mathematician and scientist with professional experience in fields as diverse as quantum physics, mathematical biology, and computer systems analysis, we may begin to feel that this is one of the most amazing books on science ever written.

Thompson is something of a paragon. Not only do his books carry an impressive (though lightly worn) freight of solid scholarship, but they are also extremely well-written and well-documented, and his style is both lucid and civilized: no-one could be more fair-minded when discussing the views of those with whom he disagrees.

It would take someone far more knowledgeable than me to do justice to this book, a book which takes the reader through a whole series of key concepts from quantum mechanics, physics, chemistry, biology, evolutionary theory, artificial intelligence, information theory, etc. Thompson's procedure is first to show us some of the more grandiose claims being made by various representatives from these fields. He then goes on to select specific concrete examples from each field for close scrutiny and to apply mathematics and information theory to their analysis.

What becomes apparent from these analyses is the shoddiness, the illogic, and the invalidity of so much modern scientific 'doctrine.' 'Science' emerges, not as the shining and glorious edifice of the modern scientists' imagination, but as a flimsy, tottering, ramshackle structure, much of which begins to look more like pseudo-science than science: it is a structure riddled with fallacies.

Thompson's analysis of modern science is, as I have said, eminently fair-minded. It is also thorough, though the book has been written in such a way as to make it approachable both by the mathematician and scientist and by the general reader. His proofs are detailed, rigorous, and fascinating, and I for one have not been able to find any weakness in his argument.

When Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 3rd Century A.D., the West effectively severed itself, not only from its classical past, but also from the East. The sad effects of this self-mutilation are still with us, and are nowhere more apparent than in the inferior science of the modern age. If we want to find a true example of Science-1 it follows that we will have to look elsewhere. Thompson, who besides being a scientist is also a Sanskritist, proffers as an example of Science-1 the Bhakti Yoga of Vedic India. Unlike our own reductionist and mechanistic science, Bhakti Yoga, for Thompson, not only satisfies all the criteria of a genuine science, but as a nonmechanistic science it is able to provide a valid, convincing, and true explanation of the most fundamental fact of human experience - a fact which mechanistic science has nothing to say about - the fact of Consciousness. Bhakti Yoga also offers a perfectly satisfying explanation for the existence of higher forms, forms which our mechanistic science desperately pretends come about by mere chance.

Whether you are scientist or general reader, you will find it well worth your time to read Thompson's book, a book far richer and more complex and fascinating than I've been able to suggest here. It is undoubtedly one of the finest and most interesting studies of science that I have ever read, though much of what it has to say will be unwelcome to many since few care to have it pointed out to them that the Emperor has no clothes.

Science-3, as Kierkegaard saw long ago, can only end in despair. Science-1 is what, as human beings, we are both fully capable of and entitled to if we can only succeed in overcoming our cultural limitations. Thompson is to be thanked for having shown us why this is necessary and one way in which it can be done.

The biggest trouble I have is trying to read this book in public. I laugh out loud and have tears in my eyes. I'm sure on lookers worry that someone should be calling the white coats out for me. The Lederer books are all a gem for anyone, but the more well read you are, the more you appreciate this digest of mis-statements and bloopers.

A comprehensive approach to gas tretment in the oilfield. Very practical, includes calculation methods, troubleshooting, equipment startup... all you'll ever need besides experience! Covers gas properties, sweetening, compression, dehydration, liquid separation, and lots more. Very little math skills required. An excellent reference and classroom book. Andres Philipps, Chem. Eng.

Rachel is scared by images of the nuclear bomb she sees on TV. She doesn't understand why grown-ups and countries can't use words, not violence, to solve their problems, as children are taught to do. She has a nightmare about bombs and initially feels helpless. But with her parents' love and encouragement, she comes up with an idea to plant a vegetable garden, and sell the produce, to raise money for war relief efforts. At the end of the story, she has a wonderful dream: People all over the world are holding hands, and surrounding the earth with peace and love.

The week after we went to war with Iran, I told this story to a group of children and adults (modifying the details slightly), and we ended by closing our eyes and imagining Rachel's beautiful dream. The story's empowering message is that, while war is tragic and complicated, each of us can make the world a more peaceful place by showing kindness and concern, solving our disageements by talking things out, and using our imaginations to envision a better world.

I read this book years ago and just reread it. The issues are always important. The author does a great job presenting a non bias view of the tragedy of a father killing a son because he can't cope with the son's drug use. The problem is here years later I want to know how the survivors have moved on with their lives and generally what has happened to them.

Now in a fully up-to-date seventh edition, Waite Thompson and Richard Gotlieb's The Santa Fe Guide continues to be the best travel guide available for the local sites and resources of Santa Fe, New Mexico. This little compendium of information on where to go and what to see is replete with recommended restaurants, sports events, transportation alternatives, as well as the cultural activities to be found both in town and at the surrounding Native American Pueblos. Highly recommended for both tourist and business traveler, the text is clearly presented and includes an informative summary of Santa Fe's colorful history.

Outstanding and most complete description of most important subjects in relation with the teaching of gynecological surgery, ideal for medical students and residents. Specially important, there is a chapter on ethics and gynecological surgery.

Dr. Thompson does a stellar job in creating a simple yet informative reference for travel and routine immunizations. This text is a must for health care providers who have limited time yet want to stay current on the latest recommendations for administering vaccines. Contraindications, legal recording requirements, adverse event reporting, and a resource directory are also covered. The text amazingly combines the ACIP Recommendations, AAP Red Book, ACP Green Book, and CDC Yellow Book all in one handy reference that's easy to understand. If there is any one single text to own on immunizations, this is it. Updated annually and far less expensive than maintaining other medical reference texts on vaccines makes this an the best deal in medical literature. With the ever increasing importance of vaccines as a form of medicine, this book is certain to become a staple of nurses and physicians nationwide. Reviewed by Brian Wheeler, Former Travel and Pediatric Immunization Clinic Manage

An amazing account of the ruthless acts of lawyers and how abusrd many of the new environmental laws are. A real eye opener.

In contrast to some of the other editions of the complete works of Shakespeare, this book really is value for money. All plays (and poems, etcetera) are printed in a lavishly, pleasing way, very easy to the eye (one of the biggest drawbacks of some editions is that they use a very small font to keep the number of pages to a minimum). As others have commented, not much can and should be commented on the works themselves, they have stood the test of time, and the (normal) spelling that is used in this edition makes each reading an enjoyable experience. All the plays are given a brief (and somewhat succinct) introduction, which is, at best, okay. The strange things, in this book, are, for example, the order of the plays, the way King Lear is printed in two versions (that differ only in small details), and the inclusion of fragments that are attributed to Shakespeare (a bit controversial to say the least). Still, if you want to buy a good, thorough, and well-researched edition of the complete works of Shakespeare, you will not go far wrong with this book.

Pretty much any edition of Shakespeare deserves 5 stars for content. I think the question most people must have is "Which edition?"

I purchased "The Complete Pelican Shakespeare" because I wanted a relatively portable, high-quality book featuring text that benefits from modern scholarship (including brief notes and glossary). I wanted an edition to read and to treasure.

I should say that I didn't need extensive commentary with the text (as in the Arden paperbacks). That bulks it up considerably, can be had in other places, and can be left behind once one has read a play once or twice.

While I'm no Shakespearean scholar myself, this edition seems to meet the editorial criteria quite well. The text appears to benefit from modern, authoritative editorship, the introductions are brief but useful, and archaic terms and phrases are defined on the page where they occur.

The binding is high quality, as is the paper.

This is the most portable of the modern hard-cover editions I've found, with the possible exception of the Oxford edition, which is thicker, but smaller in the other two dimensions. I decided against the Oxford because the binding is of lesser quality and Oxford has a relatively idiosyncratic editorial policy with which I don't entirely agree.

Sadly, this is still a pretty big book, just small enough for a good-sized person to hold up and read in bed, and too much for an airplane or trip to the park. I wish someone would make a truly portable version! There is no reason that the entire thing couldn't be compressed into the space of a smallish bible (for those with the eyes for it!).

This weighty tome brings together authoritative versions of the complete works of Shakespeare. The excellent and informative introduction provides the historical context for the plays, the author and the folios. It also explains well how the plays tended to evolve with re-writes and performances. I have not read all of the plays and sonnets, but of the Shakespeare works Henry V and Hamlet, for example, provide high drama with stories that are compelling and language that is unique, beautiful and powerful. While the Taming of the Shrew and a Midsummers Night Dream provide humor, and other plays provide tragedy and pathos. A thousand phrases from these great plays and sonnets have probably carried into modern usuage. Shakespeare is best enjoyed first as a play by fine actors, such as those of the Royal Shakespeare company, that can give life to the often archaic and unfamiliar words, phrases and language constructs that come late 1500s. Once you have been captivated by a good live performance, reading the text becomes a joy and the strange language an exquisit pleasure. Some movies based on Shakespeare are more interesting than others (Kenneth Branagh has been quite successful, while Mel Gibson and Sir Lawrence Olivier were less so to my mind) but a live theater performance is far better and the written word is probably a close second. If you are interested in Shakespeare then this is a wonderful book - the only one you need really. If you have children then you really should get this and encourage them to read it. I have started reading selected passages with my 5 year old son and he loves it, he is absolutely enthralled with the language -- be bold, try it.