List price: $19.99 (that's 20% off!)
This might be a nice holiday gift for any stepdaughter.
As a longtime volunteer in an adult education school, I have tutored many students in math and reading. Most learned the hard way that they need an education. Hearing opportunity knock from behind a locked door, they return to gain a key to open that door, their graduate equivalent diploma. If every teacher, either new or tenured, read and apply the basics that Farley itemizes in her book, fewer people would need this subsequent one-on-one tutoring.
List price: $14.99 (that's 30% off!)
I'm a preacher--that's where my creative voice emerges. Janice's book was the catalyst that caused me to rethink my life, my faith, and my vocation. After working through the exercises, I signed up to do a Doctor of Ministry in Preaching, and quit my job. Now I'm waiting--creatively--to see what the Holy Spirit has up her sleeve.
The Rev. Sarah Gaede
List price: $18.95 (that's 30% off!)
The personal relationship of the author with Rwandans made it easier for a post-war visitor to understand what the average Rwandan had been through, and the section on "giving back," and what a traveller who had been affected by the country and people could do AFTER visiting the country is something that should be included in a lot of guidebooks.
The only bit of impractical information was that regarding traveller's checks. They are not accepted in banks unless one has an account there, and this is a bit of an obstacle to be surmounted (the national parks office does, and can help with other needs).
For the next two weeks Briggs and Booth did a superb job of guiding me along the dirt roads and winding byways (This is the "Land of a thousand hills"). They always explained clearly the world where I wandered. They consistently helped me uncover destination gems that I would have surely overlooked.
Most impressive were their cultural, economic and ecological commentaries. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to traveling with the Office of Tourism across this country while I was working on a medical project for the President's office. I can say that the insights and comments of Briggs and Booth regarding Rwanda are extremely competent and on the mark. Their insight alone makes this book a needed purchase for those that will visit or work in Rwanda.
The 1994 genocide is, of course, briefly covered and the history, heath, culture, people, planning and preparing sections are all informative and full of needed information. Also, for an outstanding book on the 1994 genocide do read; 'We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families' by Philip Gourvitch.
I found Janice Booth's caring and engaging story of her friendship over the years with Peter - a Rwandan Tutsi a wonderful and caring addition. This story is found in the preface and concluded in the epilogue.
The only notable shortcomings are the maps. In today's competitive world of travel guides, good maps are essential. The maps are very basic on only fair. That said this guide is a 'must have' for all who journey to this beautiful and bewildering destination. Highly Recommended. 4.5 stars.
List price: $19.95 (that's 30% off!)
The book is just what it claims to be, a step-by-step approach to writing a scientific manuscript intended for publication. The first chapter helpfully furnishes a checklist (Table 1.3) for preparing a research paper. The chapter is actually a summary of the rest of the book so a reader already in the process of writing can easily find which chapter they wish to skip to via Table 1.3.
In the subsequent chapters, the authors provide good advice accompanied by helpful tables, examples and exercises, although the figure chapter could have used more tips on actually preparing the figures. Examples of poorly prepared and corrected figures would be a useful study aid. One student suggested that the second chapter on computer use was not particularly informative for graduate-level students. Regarding the chapter on grammar (chapter 6), another student pointed out that in some scientific articles, ungrammatical sentences are not corrected in order to effectively deliver the point.
The overall use of informal expressions and phrases seemed intended to make the text livelier for English-speaking students, but was confusing for several participants with English as a second language. We would like to suggest that the authors take their own advice and refrain from using slang and jargon. Several of us liked Appendix 2 and thought it was a good read for those unfamiliar with the practice of journal editors.
Apparently the authors had intended to attract those who had not already submitted a manuscript to read their book, but Successful Scientific Writing contains many helpful pointers for published scientists and journal editors, as well.