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Book reviews for "Williams,_Robert_G." sorted by average review score:

Battleships: Allied Battleships of World War II
Published in Hardcover by United States Naval Inst. (1980)
Authors: William H. Garzke, Thomas G. Webb, and Robert O. Dulin
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Piling On
I'm adding my voice to the chorus of praise for the G&D books. The attention to detail is impressive. The authors go so far as to account for the different definitions of "inch"--an inch of armor in the Royal Navy was actually 0.98in, and this reflects correctly in the figures cited for the KGV, Lion, and Vanguard classes. In citing the damage inflicted on France's Dunkerque by exploding depth charges, the authors properly tally, not the amount of explosive in all the depth charges lying alongside the ship, but only the amount which detonated properly. Impressive work.
It should be no surprise that more recent revelations have overtaken G&D's look at Soviet designs. Still, the info they do present is generally representative of the design's actual properties. A similar state applies in the chapter on Dutch Design 1047.
The only caution requiring the reader's attention is that the occasional typo pops up to confuse the statistical information. This is a general caveat for all three volumes rather than this one in particular.

Unrivalled technical analysis
Among many books dedicated to capitol ships in the II WW, this volume is a very pleasant reading. It comes close to the experience of on the spot study of the design, construction and operational life of dreadnoughts of allied Navies, leading every naval buff to the very insight of the ship themselves. Each class is thoroughly illustrated, giving detailed information of ship's armament, protection systems, engineering and machinery. The best facet is the careful examination of operational career of each ship and the analysis of battle damage sustained by the ship according to testimonies, technical data and the most probable reconstruction of incoming shell trajectory. The damage studies are interesting since they are presented with extensive use of line drawings, further explaining the ships' innermost structural architecture. Another remarkable feature is the extensive chapter dedicated to Soviet wartime effort to build capital ships. It literally casts a light on the subject, providing many facts and photographs of this unknown page of II WW. Profiles, armor diagrams, shear,frame & body plans, line drawings are very accurate as they are results of blueprints' deep investigation.

This book is really an authoritative source for studying battleships from their inception to their final days.

Technical Analysis par excellence
Mssrs Garzke and Dulin have written a trio of detailed, comprehensive and objective analyses of the battleships of the World War II era (designs past 1930). In this volume, they analyze the capital ships of the Netherlands, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union. Overall, they rate the units of France as the best in the 35,000 treaty class due the Richelieu's fine protection and speed coupled with excellent firepower. The authors analyze the loss of Prince of Wales to Japanese air attack and the loss of Hood to Bismarck in intricate detail. For any wargamer or student of warships or naval history, this book is a must. Even designs contemplated but never laid down or completed are discussed, including the Lion class and French Alsaace class. A must read.


Battleships: United States Battleships, 1935-1992
Published in Hardcover by United States Naval Inst. (1995)
Authors: William H., Jr. Garzke, Robert O. Dulin, and Thomas G. Webb
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As detailed and exacting as can be
Every major class of battleship is described in meticulous detail. From design to outcome this book has it all.

Be warned, this book also contains extensive technical information, so if you are interested in narrative storytelling look elsewhere. This book is for the true devotee of battleships.

Good Book!
Quite a bit of detail about each individual ship organized in sections on a ship-by-ship basis. Lots of good photos and drawings.

If you don't have this book, you are NOT a Battleship person
Bill Garzke and Bob Dulin have outdone themselves again. When I was the structural project leader to direct the hull and armor redesigns for the reactivation of the Battleship NEW JERSEY at Long Beach Naval Shipyard (the planning yard for the Battleships), we used their earlier edition of this book as our general guide. Two members of my design team brought in their personal copies and kept them handy so I could include excerpts from them for official Navy memos and instructions. The Naval archives were sorely lacking detailed chemical and heat treating records of the Class A and Class B armor of the Battleships. A quick phone call to Bill Garzke gave me an armor expert on the west coast that had all the data our designers and welding engineers needed. Thanks, Bill. I owe you one. The only thing I have found missing from this edition is the fantastic Gibbs & Cox scheme D Battleship that was half Battleship and half Aircraft Carrier and was actually bought by the Soviet Union in WW II, but never built. In this edition, perhaps the most important section is the one devoted to the disasterous incident of turret II on the IOWA where 47 men were killed. The authors go into meticulous detail as to actual facts and almost every conceivable theory as to what caused the deflageration (not an explosion). However, they are properly cautious as not to force their personal opinions on the reader. Yet they give enough detail, including histories of past turret incidents on other Battleships, so the reader can draw his own conclusions. There are a few typos and descrepancies between the text and the illustrations. For example, the text correctly identifies the powder in the propellent bags as D846 where the illustrations identify it as B846. Also, the elevation sketch indicates that the heavily armored turret bustle hatch was blown off when in fact it was the turret bustle hatch ACCESS PLATFORM below the bustle (overhang) that was blown over the side. But these are miniscule descrepancies only an "insider" like me would know (I was tasked to write a repair procedure). All in all, it is unthinkable that any true Battleship historian or lover would be without this book. Actually, both the 1976 and this 1995 edition should be in every Naval Architect's library. Richard A. Landgraff DREADNAUGHT CONSULTING Long Beach, California


Malicious Resplendence: The Paintings of Robt. Williams
Published in Hardcover by Fantagraphics Books (1998)
Authors: Craig Stecyk, Walter Hopps, Gary G. Groth, and Robert Williams
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No better book of this sort
A must have for aserious Williams fan. Considerd by most to be the founder of this genre. Exceeded my expectations.Xlnt value.

Retinal Delights
Immerse yourself in this mind-bending collection of original art. A full compliment of drawings, sketches, comic book covers and paintings round out this look at the career (still going strong) of Robert Williams. The paintings are lavishly reproduced on high-quality paper stock and the over-sized dimensions of this book are perfectly suited to appreciate the artist's awe-inspiring technique. A MUST for any fan of underground art, culture and surrealism!

America's greatest living painter.
I have been a follower of Robert Williams' work for about 8 years. I own all but one of his previous books and was under the assumption that "Malicious Resplendence" was a collection of new work only. Thankfully I was wrong, and completely blown away. Not only does this huge beautifly hard back show his most recent paintings, the book is actually a collection of his entire history of art. Robt.Wms is truly a master painter in the classic sense, a painter of our century who can actually stand up to the vision and draftsmanship of the greatest painters of history


Shakespeare as Political Thinker
Published in Hardcover by Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) (01 June, 2000)
Authors: John Alvis, Thomas G. West, John E. Alvis, Laurence Berns, Allan Bloom, Paul A. Cantor, Louise Cowan, Christopher Flannery, Robert B. Heilman, and Harry V. Jaffa
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Fantastic book on Shakespeare
This winter break I went on a Shakespeare buying spree, and this book is one of the fine gems I found. A large, but fascinating book, this work of great scholarship and excitement takes the reader on a whirlwind tour of Shakespeare, even into rather obscure corners of his works (Trollius and Cressida, Timon of Athens). This book is a must read for any would be deep thinker about Shakespeare.

The New Shakespeareans
Shakespeare as Political Thinker is a must for everyone interested in the political thought of William Shakespeare. This reprint will finally allow new comers to become familair with a commonsensical approach to Shakespeare's plays. The introductory chapter by John Alvis is worth the price. Perhaps the best Shakespearean critic alive, Alvis has an uncanny ability to show Shakespeare's moral seriousness without making the bard an unquestioning adherent to any political school or theological creed. Many of the essays that follow are also well done: Jaffa's chapter on Shakespeare's entire corpus, Laurence Berns' meditation on Lear etc.

The second printing of Shakespeare as Political Thinker gives hope to those interested in relearning ancient wisdom and pays tribute to its inspiration, Shakespeare's Politics (Allan Bloom).


Spine in Sports
Published in Hardcover by Mosby (15 January, 1996)
Authors: Robert G. Watkins, Lytton, MD Williams, Paul, MD Lin, Burton, MD Elrod, and Neil, MD Kahanovitz
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an update philosophy for spine in sports
a great book for every serious scientist in the field of sports medicine.In next edition i would be pleasure to see more
photos and details in dynamic stabilization exercises in real situations and criteria for advancing in the rehabilitation
program ,especially for elite, Olympic level athletes in gymnastic.
The spine in sports open new horizons in philosophy and research on spinal disorders with safe return in sports.

an update philosophy for spine in sports
an excellent guide for treating spinal disorders in the field of almost all sport situations. In next edition i would prefer to see more photos and details from rehabilitation in real
situations,on dynamic stabilization exercises and criteria for advancing in the program for elite athletes especially in gymnastic.This book open new horizons in the philosophy of rehabilitation spinal injuries in sports.


States and Social Evolution: Coffee and the Rise of National Governments in Central America
Published in Paperback by Univ of North Carolina Pr (1994)
Author: Robert G. Williams
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2nd Prize- Bryce Wood Award- LASA 1995
John Sheahan, chairperson of the Bryce Wood Award Committee said, "Robert Williams' book is an extraordinarily good example of systematic economic and historical analysis used to answer an intriguing question. The question is how to explain the striking differences among Central American countries in the dimensions of democracy, political repression, and social concern. Williams goes deeply into their different responses to the rise of the world coffee market in the late nineteenth century, and explains clearly the view that these experiences have marked the political and social evolutions of the countries ever since."

A Must If You Want To Know The Role Of Coffee in Cen. Amer.
I have read dozens of books on the history of coffee and how it has shaped the lives of hundreds of millions of people, but in some respects this is the very best. Note: it is can be scholarly in the depth of its investigation, but for me that was all for the best. And it never reads like an "academic" piece, but rather is compelling, at least if you're already concerned about this topic.

This is one of the first books that I recommend to people who want to know why so many people who supply the world with coffee are so poor, and denied serious options to change their conditions. The reader should note that this book does not try to describe all coffee producting countries, rather just three, each of which has been profoundly shaped by coffee, but in ways distinct from one another. That demonstrates that there is nothing pre-ordained about societies that are economically dependent upon coffee production.


Adventures of the First Settlers on the Oregon or Columbia River, 1810-1813 (Northwest Reprints)
Published in Paperback by Oregon State Univ Pr (17 April, 2000)
Authors: Alexander Ross, William G. Robbins, and Robert J. Frank
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Six Stars!
An excellent first hand narrative with lively and descriptive writing by one of the first pioneers to help settle the untamed Northwest. Alexander Ross joined Astor's Pacific Fur Company expedition in 1810 and this is his story of the day to day struggles which he and the other men had to overcome. He left New York on the soon to be ill-fated, doomed ship the Tonquin, with a pompous and overbearing Captain Thorn. They sailed around the tip of South America, then to Hawaii and finally to the mouth of the Columbia River, all the while prevailing over many hardships during this voyage. Upon landing and without delay, the men began to construct the trading post Astoria. Ross' detailed descriptions of their adventures amidst the forces of Mother Nature, Indian relations, the Northwest Fur Company, geography, etc. makes this book a real page turner. They all had many obstacles to overcome, and as I said, his writing skills are exemplary. He devotes the last few chapters to the culture and customs of one of the local Indian tribes. The man was a keen and acute observer of all his surroundings and this is an energetic effort on his part to put it in writing.


The Child Clinician's Handbook (2nd Edition)
Published in Hardcover by Allyn & Bacon (01 August, 2000)
Authors: William G. Kronenberger and Robert G. Meyer
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Best child psychopath text available
I am a working Ph.D. level school psychologist and I use this book on a daily basis. It covers all of the primary psychological diagnoses of childhood and provides overviews of assessment and treatment. A great tool for those who work with children with mental health difficulties and/or teach psychopathology of children. An important supplement to the DMS-IV TR.


Are You Dumb Enough to Be Rich? The Amazingly Simple Way to Make Millions in Real Estate
Published in Paperback by AMACOM (2003)
Authors: G. William Barnett II and Robert G. Allen
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A great read AND a great roadmap to wealth
Have no illusions about this book -- Bill Barnett delivers on his promise! We tend to make life more complicated than necessary! Bill strips away all the fluff and gets to the point on what works in the real estate investing business. This book is
truly a manual to get you on the road to wealth.

Thank you, Bill
for this wonderful book. It is written in a light and entertaining way, I didn't want to put it down until I was through. Each chapter contains valuable warnings about pitfalls from the school of hard knocks which are also repeated at the end of each chapter for easy review. There are many great concepts about real estate investing out of which I particularly like the ABC offer strategy and the lockbox idea. To launch your career in this exciting business, the book concludes in a 120 getting started plan with lots of hands-on assignments.

I AM dumb-enough!
Bill Barnett offers non-stop suggestions throughout the entire book on how to improve your ability to buy, rehab-if-necessary, and market real estate. I've been a real estate investor for over 40 years and I learned an amazing number of new techniques and ideas by simply reading this book. I've also had the pleasure of meeting Bill personally, and he's a great resource to have on your team.


The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy: The Conspiracy and Coverup
Published in Paperback by Thunder's Mouth Press (1993)
Authors: William W. Turner and Jonn G. Christian LV
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WHO DID IT?
This book raises the issue yet again of a possible conspiracy regarding the 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy. The authors, to their credit treat the late Senator with respect; they do a good job of providing information about the Senator's professional and political career. In reading this particular work one comes away with a sense of the man who was killed in 1968; Robert Kennedy was considered by many to be Everyman's Advocate. He certainly was a man of strong convictions who appeared to be quite committed to his visions of a "more gentle" world; he was a man with whom many, particularly the disenfranchised could identify with.

The issue this work is concentrated on is the identity and motives of the assassin or assassins. The authors present a very strong and convincing argument of why they feel Sirhan did not act alone nor did he fire the fatal shot; the mysterious "girl in the polka dot dress" allegedly seen with Sirhan, and later allegedly seen fleeing the hotel minutes after the assassination, shouting "We shot him!" Did such a girl exist? If so, who was she and what was her involvement? As for Sirhan, there appears to be little doubt that he was involved to a certain extent in the death of Robert Kennedy; just how great that extent was and who else was involved remain open questions.

The biggest open question of all never knowing what Robert Kennedy would have accomplished had he not died. His untimely death in 1968 has left a painful void in history.

Clearly written, well done, but with what result?
Turner and Christian present a well documented, convincing story of why the RFK assassination needed independent review in 1970s or 80s. This book places a lot of questions at the feet of the LAPD, and perhaps also with the CIA. But the major question is why there was not more public outcry for a review of the investigation back in 1968 and the following ten years.

One wonders, now in 2003, what relevance is left to this book. After reading it, any reader should better understand how too blind a faith in our government and its agencies might lead to a loss of control over these agencies, with disasterous results. Will we allow history to repeat itself? At a time when significant diminishing of our individual freedoms is occurring, the histories of RFK and JFK might make us rethink how far we might want to go to battle terrorism. Even if you don't really buy-in to any of the conspiracy theories, the clumsiness of the investigations should provide plenty of reasons to want _more_ oversight of these agencies, not less.

A very convincing page-turner...too bad it's non-fiction
With all the "JFK Killed by Elvis" books on the market, one might overlook this wonderful book by Christiann and Turner. Like "All The President's Men", the book tells the story of a politician and journalist who dared to search for the truth in a maze of cover-ups and bold-faced lies. The authors provide convincing, simple evidence that RFK could not have been shot by only one man, let alone the feeble Sirhan Sirhan. Anyone interested in the RFK assassination, or in the political turmoil of the late '60's, doesn't know the whole story until they've read this fine book.


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