Frank, Thomas

Thomas' Calculus (11th Edition) (Thomas Series)

Average customer rating:

Terrible Textbook
too expensive
its okay
Disappointed With 11th Edition
One of the better university mathematics textbooks

Thomas' Calculus (11th Edition) (Thomas Series)
George B. Thomas , Maurice D. Weir , Joel D. Hass , and Frank R. Giordano
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0321185587

Book Description

there

Customer Reviews:

Terrible Textbook.......2006-12-14

While I understand it is difficult to write an advanced math textbook without weird notation, this textbook seems to be written for PhD's who already know calculus. The examples in the chapters aren't always that good. The practice problems give very little practice. As one problem is completed successfully and you move on, the next problem has a little twist to it that isn't covered in the text. The student is left on his own to figure out how to negotiate the twist and solve the problem. You never feel like you've really practiced because you rarely get more than two or three basic problems solved. I believe it is a classic example of college textbook scam of using a new edition each year that adds a lot to some professor's wallet and little to the progress of the student.

too expensive.......2006-10-12

the content of the book is same as international edition which is avaible on ebay why pay this much instead of 55 dolar.

its okay.......2006-09-07

I would say this book is a little bit beter than average. The text is okay and the examples are relevant. The pictures really are relevant but generic. What it could use is some more real world examples. Stuff you might see in your engineering or science classes. Most of the examples are fairly generic. I am happy that I could use the same book for three semester too. I thought getting the student solutions manual would help. It doesn't go into as much detail as I like. The odds aren't always like the evens you do for homework either. I guess overall I think the book is good but a little on the bland side.

Disappointed With 11th Edition.......2005-11-26

I have no idea why the publishers of this book felt the need to update to the 11th edition. The organization of the topics made more sense and was in line with the traditional breakdown of the three semester series of calculus classes. In particular, the section layout in the new edition may force a student who used the 10th edition in first semester calculus to repeat material if they had to switch books for second semester calculus, perhaps at the cost of other material.

I suppose publishers have to make money, and the proliferation of used books impedes them from doing that. Hence, the publishers upate the text for continued renumeration, hiding under the guise of improved learning. I certainly did not find this edition to be an improvement!

Lastly, I'd like to caution the readers of this review against purchasing the "teacher's" or "instructor's" version of the 11th edition. Typically, these versions are evaluation copies that are not supposed to be resold. There may be changes to the text after the release of these versions unbeknownst to the purchaser. It certainly seems like a lack of ethics for a seller to peddle these copies to the public, and it is definitely a case of buyer beware.

One of the better university mathematics textbooks.......2005-04-11

This textbook is by far one of those actually worth buying. I struggled through that awful, miserable excuse for a calculus text by Edwards and Penney, and was a little more impressed with Stewart and Anton. But I pulled out of my calculus courses and decided to get a bit more preparation in before taking them again.

I started out with Calculus Made Easy by Silvanus P. Thompson and Martin Gardner, then went back to by old high school texts and made sure I understood everything. You don't need those huge, expensive Elementary and Intermediate Algebra texts; you can get away with Introductory Mathematics by Petocz, Petocz and Wood, published by Nelson/Thomson Learning (http://www.nelson.com.au). What you need to understand calculus is a good intuitive feel for algebra and to know *why*, not just *how*. There's a big difference.

Once you've spent a couple of months sweating over your algebra, geometry and trigonometry texts, it's then time to reap the rewards and learn calculus.

Thomas and Finney's Calculus and Analytic Geometry is extremely well written, with the right balance between applied mathematics for scientists and engineers and pure mathematics (proofs and stuff like that). If you're a math major, or intending to become a math major, then you'll want to use this book along with Apostol's Calculus and Spivak's Calculus.

One thing I learned the hard way was that putting off mathematics has the effect of slamming the doors in your face. Interesting and useful university courses are out of reach, career options are out of reach, and you're left in the dark when it comes to science and technology. The good news is that with a bit of hard work it will all suddenly fall in place. Mathematics is the foundation of all science and technology, and, of course, the foundation of the exciting new mathematics which will be the basis of technology 30 years from now! Do yourself a favour and pick up Thomas and Finney's Calculus and Analytic Geometry.

If you've ever struggled with awful calculus texts, you'll be pleasantly surprised by this one. (Remember, make sure you've got your high school algebra under your thumb).

What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America

Average customer rating:

What's the matter with the Democratic Party?
Not particularly useful...
Excellent
biased, interesting, well done attack
Revealing

What's the Matter with Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America
Thomas Frank
Manufacturer: Owl Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080507774X
Release Date: 2005-04-14

Amazon.com

The largely blue collar citizens of Kansas can be counted upon to be a "red" state in any election, voting solidly Republican and possessing a deep animosity toward the left. This, according to author Thomas Frank, is a pretty self-defeating phenomenon, given that the policies of the Republican Party benefit the wealthy and powerful at the great expense of the average worker. According to Frank, the conservative establishment has tricked Kansans, playing up the emotional touchstones of conservatism and perpetuating a sense of a vast liberal empire out to crush traditional values while barely ever discussing the Republicans' actual economic policies and what they mean to the working class. Thus the pro-life Kansas factory worker who listens to Rush Limbaugh will repeatedly vote for the party that is less likely to protect his safety, less likely to protect his job, and less likely to benefit him economically. To much of America, Kansas is an abstract, "where Dorothy wants to return. Where Superman grew up." But Frank, a native Kansan, separates reality from myth in What's the Matter with Kansas and tells the state's socio-political history from its early days as a hotbed of leftist activism to a state so entrenched in conservatism that the only political division remaining is between the moderate and more-extreme right wings of the same party. Frank, the founding editor of The Baffler and a contributor to Harper's and The Nation, knows the state and its people. He even includes his own history as a young conservative idealist turned disenchanted college Republican, and his first-hand experience, combined with a sharp wit and thorough reasoning, makes his book more credible than the elites of either the left and right who claim to understand Kansas. --John Moe

Book Description

With a New Afterword by the Author

The New York Times bestseller, praised as "hilariously funny . . . the only way to understand why so many Americans have decided to vote against their own economic and political interests" (Molly Ivins)

Hailed as "dazzlingly insightful and wonderfully sardonic" (Chicago Tribune), "very funny and very painful" (San Francisco Chronicle), and "in a different league from most political books" (The New York Observer), What's the Matter with Kansas? unravels the great political mystery of our day: Why do so many Americans vote against their economic and social interests? With his acclaimed wit and acuity, Thomas Frank answers the riddle by examining his home state, Kansas-a place once famous for its radicalism that now ranks among the nation's most eager participants in the culture wars. Charting what he calls the "thirty-year backlash"-the popular revolt against a supposedly liberal establishment-Frank reveals how conservatism, once a marker of class privilege, became the creed of millions of ordinary Americans.

A brilliant analysis-and funny to boot-What's the Matter with Kansas? is a vivid portrait of an upside-down world where blue-collar patriots recite the Pledge while they strangle their life chances; where small farmers cast their votes for a Wall Street order that will eventually push them off their land; and where a group of frat boys, lawyers, and CEOs has managed to convince the country that it speaks on behalf of the People.

Customer Reviews:

What's the matter with the Democratic Party?.......2007-06-25

Midwesterners, and southerns especially, reject the left wing agenda of the Democratic party on moral issues which they do not consider trivial, as does Frank, but central to what has made America strong. They will not consider a Democratic candidate, or any candidate, that does not hold to their values, nor the economic policies of someone they do not trust. Whether this is benefit or ill is a matter of endless debate by economists, but this situation won't change until the Democratic party nominates a more centrist candidate.

I gave the book two stars because the issue is important and he has done a service by challenging us to think about what is happening to our country that is changing rapidly.

Not particularly useful..........2007-06-14

The problem with this book is that Frank, in typical liberal fashion, fails to realize the priority of religious beliefs and morality held by many conservatives. Frank cannot fathom that there are people who believe preventing abortion is more important than making an extra few dollars each hour, or that the right to own a firearm in order for the option of self defense is more important than relying on the state for protection.

Additionally, the book points out that the Republican Party's policies are less effective for the "working man," and yet it curiously fails to provide any facts to support the assertion. If you want something that states more of the same fluff usually spouted by the liberals, purchase this book. If you are a conservative--like myself--looking for an enlightening view into the liberal mind (I am beginning to believe this doesn't exist), or at least into the mindset liberals have toward the conservative viewpoint, you will be sorely disappointed.

Excellent.......2007-04-11

As someone who has relatives in Kansas that I cannot understand, this book sheds light on why they seem so strange. It still doesn't make me agree with their thinking, but as a recovering republican, I now see why right-wingers are so hell-bent on their beliefs.

biased, interesting, well done attack.......2007-03-02

Thomas Frank claims to have a PhD in history from U. Chicago,
an I have no reason to doubt it. This book contains some history.

The book is similar to serious music with its themes and variations.
The main theme: Evil Republican politicians complain about evils of society,
principally abortion, but also drugs, activist judges, leftist academics,
religous turmoil, bad taste in culture, whatever, They have no interest
in changing any of it. They organize the hicks to combat these things
because they know the dumb hicks will vote for the evil Republican
politicions if they just say they are opposed to these things. Without
these fake issues the masses would awaken to the class struggle and rise
up against their oppressors.

There are variations on the theme. Movies and music are just businesses,
like those other evil capitalistic businesses. Besides, that's what
everyone with any brains wants. Some conservatives are for vouchers or
other forms of school choice. That proves conservatives want to destroy
public education. Besides, there is no liberal bias on any college campus.
Frank converted from right wing Republican to left wing Democrat while
at U. Kansas, all by himself. That ought to prove it. There are religious
nuts in Kansas, so all religious opposition to anything should be discounted.
Ann Coulter is shrill, so anyone that is not happy with any liberal proposal
is irrational. There is more than one conservative think tank, so there is a
vast right wing conspiracy.

The music includes simple scales, dumb and dumber, evil and eviler. Anyone that
ever thought about voting for a Republican is dumb, doing so is dumber, and on
through holding several conservative views, to being a conservative in
Kansas. Democratic politicions are in there somewhere, for not enlightening
the great unwashed. Republican politicions are smart, shrewd, conniving,
hypocrites. They are measured on the evil scale, along with businesses and
the Great Satan, capitalism.

You might guess I do not agree with Frank's claims, so why three stars?
This is a very well done attack book. There are 42 pages of notes. You can
check his claims. Some will probably be complete and accurate. Most tell one
side of a story. Democrats should read this to pick up any ammo they might
have missed. Republicans that missed the meeting about how to subjugate the
masses should read it to learn what additional devious tricks they could be
using. Potential authors should read it to learn how write an attack book
with wit and sarcasm.

Revealing.......2007-02-28

What's the Matter with Kansas is an insightful book in examining why people, whose interests would seem to dictate a political persuasion of one side, are instead voting with the very interests they should be opposed to. That's the reason why the politics of Frank's native Kansas as well as the movement to the right among the lower and working classes seems so perplexing. To me the best part of the book is the examining of the history of politics in Kansas and how it has changed. That part of the book that drifts to the broader, more national observations of America's movement to the right is worth discussing, but causes the book to lose some of its potency, at least to me.

Its hard to imagine by looking at the political landscape today that Kansas was at one time a hotbed of radicalism or at least a state with more liberal propensities. This was the state that saw violent conflict between the Free-Soilers (those who moved in from the North) and the pro-slavery forces known as border ruffians from Missouri in the period just before the eruption of the Civil War. It was also a state that proved fertile territory for the Populist movement of the 1890s as well as other leftist groups in subsequent years. Within the last couple of decades, this state became enveloped by the far right and their cry of outrage over cultural issues like abortion, gays, liberalism in the media, the courts, government and etc.

Frank is effective in showing the reasons behind this transformation and the impact it has left. He's especially in tune with the seeming paradox that exists now in political associations in that those who really aren't terribly well to do and are suffering economically as a result of the runaway corporate power and greed that exists, are often supporting that very same corporate power and greed. I have found this hard to fathom as well. In Kansas, the Republican Party that dominates is divided between the Moderates (Mods as he terms them) and the Conservatives (Cons). And as Frank sees it, it is a class distinction.

It is the backlash, as Frank call it, that has caused this drastic change. It uses the tools of outrage over cultural issues, a sense of persecution at the hands of the liberal elite, etc., etc. Frank is on to something. And despite the fact that in recent years you have had more electoral victories for the far right and so would expect all these deplorable aspects of our culture to finally be resolved, the results don't bear this out. And despite this failure, as long as they preach the depravity of our culture and these liberal assaults on their values, they continue to get elected despite failing to deliver the goods. And as Frank states, they see no contradiction in their blind faith and praise of pure free-market capitalism and how that very system and those in it have in a way contributed to the issues that they so vociferously protested.

I could go on with the analysis in this book. Now some people will I'm sure be turned off by his partisan leanings and to be fair, there are extremists and intolerant folks in the Democratic Party as well as the Republican Party. Some will also no doubt say that there are many people who vote far right because of principles and Frank admits this as well. However, there are so many people who will allow a cultural issue or a feeling of outrage over a perceived persecution to trump all other issues that have so much more impact on their day to day lives. Frank's book is a valuable contribution to our understanding of this political movement seen in Kansas and in the country at large. An eye opener in many ways.

Gravity's Rainbow (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)

Average customer rating:

Sex and explosions, what more can you want?
You can't polish a turd!
All together now
A promising plot and some entertaining digressions undone by a sense of trying too hard
Waste of Words

Gravity's Rainbow (Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition)
Thomas Pynchon
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0143039946

Book Description

Winner of the 1973 National Book Award, Gravity's Rainbow is a postmodern epic, a work as exhaustively significant to the second half of the twentieth century as Joyce's Ulysses was to the first. Its sprawling, encyclopedic narrative and penetrating analysis of the impact of technology on society make it an intellectual tour de force.

Customer Reviews:

Sex and explosions, what more can you want?.......2007-06-11

What sets Gravity's Rainbow above other books, at least in my humble (but correct) opinion is that it changes your perception of how to tell a story. In this book we don't have a simple and straightforward storyline. We don't have just prose to tell it (there are many digressions in the form of songs and poems and details of the lives of inanimate objects). In the end, there is a story behind the madness, even if it's sometimes hard to see.

Also, a little tip. Tips don't work for everybody, but I think this is a good one. Re-read it. I don't think any human can read it once and get everything they can from it. Don't limit yourself to one reading and say "This is great!" or even the opposite. Do it again.

You can't polish a turd!.......2007-06-09

The one and only reason I bought this book was that Neil Gaiman mentioned it in the book American Gods. I was thinking wow, if Gaiman thought enough of this book to mention it, then it must be worth reading. Well, it wasn't!

You ever get the feeling that someone is just writing to read how eloquent he can be? This is that book. This is the emperor's new clothes. I am the kid that says, "Hey, what is that fat stinky man doing running around naked?" Why are all the other people saying he looks so great? Freakin Sheep!

I would have given it zero stars if that had been an option.

All together now.......2007-06-02

Yes, let's make ourselves feel good by writing a s#$% review of a great novel. What to do on a weekend night to empower the pathetic? Why don't we write a lousy review of Joyce, Proust or Pynchon. That will make it all feel better. If you don't like this type of literature, don't read it. My favorite review, though, is not about Pynchon. It was that guy who allegedly read all of Delillo's "Underworld" because he though it was about the Mafia. He should be a Pynchon character.

Okay so here's what's it about. It's about an apocalyptic period time, whichever you choose. There's this guy named Virgil or Leopold or Slothrop who sez let me take you down to this place where we may be now and there is this smell of sulfur . . . And somehow there is a sense of redemption anyway even if there is no sequel called Paradiso.

A promising plot and some entertaining digressions undone by a sense of trying too hard.......2007-05-30

Thomas Pynchon's 1973 novel GRAVITY'S RAINBOW is often looked upon as the author's magnum opus, a 900-page monster that, in constructing its fairly straightforward story, plunders all the riches of history and many of the sciences that its author found fascinating.

The plot is simple: in the last days of World War II British intelligence notices that a map American lieutenant Tyrone Slothrop has made of his sexual conquests in London corresponds exactly to where German rockets subsequently hit. An obscure branch of the British military specializing in all manner of ESP, voodoo, and Pavlovian crackpottery--Pynchon is playfully referring to how much money was thrown at all kinds of war-winning proposals--tries to discover how exactly Slothrop can predict the rocket, but Slothrop breaks away from his handlers and heads off to discover his destiny. Pynchon digresses from the main plot extremely frequently. From a 5-page tour of the awful English candies of yesterday to the creation of a new alphabet for Turkic speakers in the Soviet Union, from the tropes of Westerns to Herero religion, references abound to all manner of obscure subjects.

The novel has a reputation for being "difficult" and full of obscure references, but this is largely exaggeration. The reading public shouldn't have trouble following a long main plot of wartime intrigue and shifting between a wide cast of characters--after all, Neal Stephenson's similar and similarly huge novel Cryptonomicon was a best-seller. Most of the digressions are understandable for anyone with a solid university education.

In the end I found the novel disappointing. I did, indeed, read the thing, Pynchon fans, so don't accuse me of not having what it takes to make it through there. My reasons for not liking GRAVITY'S RAINBOW are somewhat similar to those of Pulitzer board members that overturned the 1973 award, calling the novel "unreadable," "turgid," "overwritten," and "obscene". Unreadable it's not, I got through it as have many. However, the problematic parts of the novel are turgid, overwritten, and obscene at once. Most digressions are entertaining, but often Pynchon throws in long passages of foecal humour or unusual sexual fetishes in a transparent attempt to be shocking and boundary-pushing. Unlike a William S. Burroughs, who wrote could sincerely write out-there stuff, Pynchon's risque writing is calculated and lame.

Much of the novel is impressive--and I especially like the surprise ending and the Finnegans Wake-like circle the book makes--but its failings were pretty big for me. I wouldn't warn all readers away from GRAVITY'S RAINBOW, as evidentally many do like it as a whole, but one can risk disappointment with Pynchon's work.

Waste of Words.......2007-05-29

If you like rambling verbiage that not only obstructs but obliterates the point, you'll love this author, whose neurotic word dribblings are gnosticed by critics to be visionary insights.

I bought two Pynchon books, Mason & Dixon and Gravity's Rainbow, based on a favorable review by Tom Robbins, an author I have greatly enjoyed. Robbins says Pynchon is a wordsmith. True, but I seek to read words that convey, not convolute or contort, meaning.

I made a mistake. I did not read the Mason & Dixon excerpt provided by Amazon, which clearly records the author's quixotic style. Had I looked before I leapt, I would have never purchased any books by this author. Clearly, the fault is mine.

I am a reader who enjoys being bluntly told what the author thinks, being led into imagination and interpretation, and a reader who is most appreciative of learning a new point of view. However, I feel deceived if led into nothingness. It's like viewing a `painting' of a blank canvas titled Untitled. Critics tell me I'm unsophisticated to not get-it. I know - I'm being duped.

The one positive fact I can report is that the book Gravity's Rainbow is made of heavier paper, weighing more pounds than books the same size. This is a marketing ploy to `give weight' to the title. A cute contradiction.

Average customer rating:

this is a great book!
beautiful work of art
Amazing!
Get This!
The golden standard

The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation
Ollie Johnston , and Frank Thomas
Manufacturer: Disney Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0786860707

Customer Reviews:

this is a great book!.......2007-03-13

great shipping and good condition!
i think this book is very important for student who is studying animaion.

beautiful work of art.......2007-03-13

i bought this book for my husband as an addition to a large collection of animation/story board books. he loves it. every page is in its own right a masterpiece. i highly suggest this to anyone who has a love for animation, and a love for disney.

Amazing!.......2007-03-12

This book is amazing. What I have read so far contains history of Animation at Disney, and it is such a treat to read! Being an aspiring animator, this book is just awesome. If you expect to learn animation, this isn't the book, but if you want to learn Disney animation history and about the greats and the amazing old movies, this book is it.

Get This!.......2007-01-31

All I can say is if your an animation student, get this book. I got it when I started my course four years ago and it was an encouragment for my first year.

The golden standard.......2007-01-03

Every animator, wannabe animator, or animation fan should own this book. This book could be (and probably is) its own college-level course of "how to" animate.

This also makes a great coffee table book for the casual animation fan.

I also recommend "The Animator's Survival Guide" by Richard Williams.

Thomas' Calculus Early Transcendentals (11th Edition) (Thomas Series)

Average customer rating:

Brand new item!
Best Calculus Book I've Seen
Horrible book not enough examples
Poorly Organized
Terrible, needlessly confusing mofo of a book...

Thomas' Calculus Early Transcendentals (11th Edition) (Thomas Series)
George B. Thomas , Maurice D. Weir , Joel D. Hass , and Frank R. Giordano
Manufacturer: Addison Wesley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Discrete Mathematics with Graph Theory (3rd Edition)

ASIN: 032119800X

Book Description

Customer Reviews:

Brand new item!.......2007-02-16

Amazon does a great job at sending new items. The book was in perfect condition and original wrapper. The edges were of course intact for the way they boxed it.
Mailed as quickly as promised (1-2 business days for amazon prime).

Best Calculus Book I've Seen.......2006-12-04

My school uses Stewart's Calculus-- a very boring book with few challenging problems which is also poorly worded etc. I finally asked a professor which book is the best calculus book on the market. She gave me this one and, as I said in the title, this is a great book! As someone else posted, you aren't going to learn the calculus by scanning some pages; what you get out of your studies is proportional to how much effort you put into studying. This book offers a maximal constant of proportionality!

So, if you like the calculus and your current book doesn't discuss theory or is too elementary, buy this book. Or if your current book is poorly worded, buy this book. If you don't want to do work, then buy this book and tell yourself to stop being lazy!

Horrible book not enough examples.......2005-10-31

If you buy the book alone without the solutions manuals and you are taking calculus 1 2 or 3 you will have the hardest time in your life.Its ridicoulus how the examples in the book are general and when the problems arrive in the section they are mostly special cases where you have do to something absolutly different. For a student this book is a nightmare, maybe for somebody that has taken the class before or knowledgeble this book might be useful to practice hard problems. In my opinion, books like these should not be published for the purposes of teaching their content in universities.

Poorly Organized.......2005-06-10

This book does a decent job with defining theories and concepts, which anyone can do; however, when trying to provide or explain examples and solutions to problems it leaves you very short of how it is done. The solutions manual is highly recommended for this book (ISBN 0-201-66211-6). Throughout the semester my professor used selected problems throughout the chapters to practice on but lectured and provided examples from his own problems. Without a lecture, this book is very hard to work with.

Terrible, needlessly confusing mofo of a book..........2004-03-09

This atrocious textbook is by far the worst, most confusing textbook, and the volume most devoid of simple, useful explanations I have ever had to endure.
Most explanations and definitions are given in pure mathematical notation, which leaves you (for the most part) ready to crank out a number, but totally unsure of its larger significance.

Interestingly, most of the useful information is to be found in the Instructor's Solution Manual, where they actually work out all of the problems in the book. Why the hell they take the time to work out all the problems for the INSTRUCTOR, but give us students no such luxury is beyond me.
When the book's obtuse and esoteric explanation fails, it's very helpful to see how the pros did it, so I'd recommend buying the answer guide in addition to this book if you're forced to get it.

To its credit, this book does present a lot of pretty graphs, and makes a pretty decent cutting board or paperweight in a space-cramped dorm.

Customer Reviews:

A bit disappointed though!!.......2002-04-08

The book is not bad, but not really as good as I expected. After having read the extraordinary book "The illussion of life", I wanted more from the same drawer. I picked the villains book.
In the beginning Frank'n'Ollie explain why they did the book, and apparently it was made on command, I couldn't help thinking about that when I read it. The chapters in the book are very short, and there is too little information about how they decided to make their characters as they turned out. Each chapter begins with an (Too long) introduction of the characters role in the film. Of course you can not expect everybody to have seen every disney film that exists, but too much space in the book is used to explain things you already know if you've seen the films.
I would have prefered to know more about how the animators felt about their characters and how they developed the personalities, for instance the thin line of making the beast in "Beauty and the Beast" looking like a beast that you could still end up having feelings for. I would like to have seen more development drawings and sketches and even some animation continuity with some good examples of change in expression of the villains as well.
Some times you read about villains that actually ain't villains. The bear in "Fox and a hound" is actually no villain because it is just following natural instincts, but how about Chief, the big old dog in the movie, nothing about him? A book that is not deep enough. but still not bad. Guess I still shouldn't have read it after just finishing "Illussion of life".

Johnston and Thomas Together Again!.......2000-02-04

Anything by these two wonderful authors and amazing animators should be a must in anyone's collection. Yet, I am baffled that all of their books are currently out of print. I am sure one will not have trouble looking at a used bookstore for a copy of this. This book deals precisely with what the title says: The Disney Villians. In their usual classic and lucid style, the authors discuss the troubles they ran while devising a villian. One that is wicked, yet appealing to the audience. Going through their catalog of movies from Snow White to Aladdin, they discuss in detail what a villian is all about, and how the villian relates to the story, style and main character of each film. Whether one should be more realistic, or have harder edges, or what kind of mannerisms will this villian have. Highly reccomended for the animator and artist, as well as the Disney book lover as these are presented so well. For the enthuseist, which I also own, there is also a more expensive version of this book, hardcover with a slipcase, signed by each of the authors and a print of the filmstrip from Snow White.

GET IT when you can..........1999-05-14

Why did they do it? Frank and Ollie wanted to give a thorough insight into the making of believable, memorable animated characters. For all to learn from... and they did just that! Another MUST-HAVE from the makers of some of this worlds most entertaining animation.

A Worthwhile Read For Any Disney Fan!.......1998-07-11

Who better to bring us the history of the villain in Disney films than two people responsible for the creation of so many of them? Ollie Johnson and Frank Thomas' remarkable survey of the history of bad guys begins with the obligatory history of Disney animation and proceeds to describe all of the villains created from the earliest cartoon shorts to Aladdin. Concept drawings, poster art and stills from the film make up the many illustrations and each film is described along with interesting information on each villain discussed. The one drawback - an obvious one when dealing with so prolific a studio - is the fact that this book cuts off at Aladdin, missing the many sinister villains that followed, notably Scar, and Hades.

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Understanding Earth
John Grotzinger , Thomas Jordan , Frank Press , and Raymond Siever
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (7th Edition)
Lab Manual for Physical Geology by Jones
Exercises in Physical Geology (12th Edition)
Grotzinger, Jordan, Press, and Siever's Understanding Earth: Student Study Guide
Earth System History

ASIN: 0716766825

Book Description

More than any other introductory physical geology textbook, Understanding Earth is designed to bring the worldview of the working geologist to an audience not only new to this specific field, but in many cases to science in general. Students aren't merely presented with concepts and processes--they come to learn how we know what we know, and how that knowledge impacts their lives as citizens and consumers.

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From a teacher's perspective
For either grads or happily confirmed nerds
this book is the devil!
Not worth the trouble
Useful, but not Sufficient for Understanding Critical Theory

Critical Terms for Literary Study

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Falling into Theory: Conflicting Views on Reading Literature
Literary Theory: An Introduction
Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)
A Glossary of Literary Terms (Ise)
A Critique of Modern Textual Criticism

ASIN: 0226472035

Book Description

Since its publication in 1990, Critical Terms for Literary Study has become a landmark introduction to the work of literary theory--giving tens of thousands of students an unparalleled encounter with what it means to do theory and criticism. Significantly expanded, this new edition features six new chapters that confront, in different ways, the growing understanding of literary works as cultural practices.

These six new chapters are "Popular Culture," "Diversity," "Imperialism/Nationalism," "Desire," "Ethics," and "Class," by John Fiske, Louis Menand, Seamus Deane, Judith Butler, Geoffrey Galt Harpham, and Daniel T. O'Hara, respectively. Each new essay adopts the approach that has won this book such widespread acclaim: each provides a concise history of a literary term, critically explores the issues and questions the term raises, and then puts theory into practice by showing the reading strategies the term permits.

Exploring the concepts that shape the way we read, the essays combine to provide an extraordinary introduction to the work of literature and literary study, as the nation's most distinguished scholars put the tools of critical practice vividly to use.

Customer Reviews:

From a teacher's perspective.......2007-03-01

While I agree that this is not a text that delves deep into the theories of Lacan or Derrida or Fish or any of the others, it is not intended to do so. I have found it to be an excellent tool for introducing my high school Advanced Placement students to the world of literary criticism. Certainly some of the articles can get wordy or bogged down in "technical" detail, but literary criticism has never been for the reader who wants to skim and get the assignment "over with." Any critical theory takes time and patience to work through; critical theory questions ideas and requires a commitment on the part of the reader to think, question, and engage with the text. There are some essays that younger students simply do not have the skills for yet but there are others that are quite accessible to them. In particular, my students found the essays on Representation, Structure, Race, and Canon very interesting.

This source has one significant advantage over many other texts. For each article, there is an immediate application of the technique to a well-known piece of literature. I know that my students reading of Appiah's essay on race dramatically impacted how they interpreted Shakespeare's play Othello and then later Schuyler's novel Black No More. While neither my students nor I always agree with what the critics are saying, I have found the book a great starting point for discussion.

For either grads or happily confirmed nerds.......2005-09-13

I am impressed by this text, with one caveat. At my school it is used as a graduate level textbook and that is probably the appropriate level.

I am an undergrad and I enjoy this book immensely. I'm constantly finding explanations (finally!) for most of the indecipherable ideas embedded in the critical articles I have to use for literature papers. It's giving me the language to interrogate texts and making my reading experiences much more meaningful. This book gives me food for thought for days.

But if it's brain food, it's definitely health food, maybe even crunchy and vegan. There is some truth in the other reviewers' impression that the essays can come out on the pretentious side. This stuff is hard on the modern entertainment-loving brain, unless your brain is entertained by a challenge. I love this book, but I pace myself to about a chapter a month. Since there are 28 chapters, it's going to take me about 2 years to get through it!

The book it is an excellent compendium of complex ideas. The ideas are never cheated of their complexity and their originators are never given short shrift. It can be gotten through in a semester, but only by using selections. Don't be afraid of this book. It's even reasonably priced. But if you try to foist it on undergrads, you might be buying a rebellion.

A better text for a fast and dirty overview could be Peter Barry's "Beginning Theory: An Introduction to Literary and Cultural Theory." ISBN: 0719062683. I was taught this book at another school and it's great if you're looking for conversational, succinct, 12-page chapters on all the major schools, in chronological order. But you won't get a deep understanding from Barry's book, and it will only frustrate those who actually want an understanding they can take away long after they put the book down.

this book is the devil!.......2003-11-12

this book is the devil! i am using it in a lit studies course and loathe every second i waste reading these essays. they seem to be written mostly by stuffy university professors who are attempting to sound like they know what they are talking about. It is not a dictionary, nor does it help the reader properly understand a term. If you are curious about a word that is discussed in the book, i suggest looking it up in the dictionary. it's easier. and you'll actually learn what the word means without having to search through thick sentences that really make no sense and large words that you know the author just pulled out of a thesauraus.

Not worth the trouble.......2002-09-12

This book is an anthology of essays describing some important aspects of literature and criticism. It's a really good idea, but badly done here. The book identifies itself as 'a landmark introduction to the work of literary theory' and claims to be suitable for 'the reader beginning to learn about critical theory.' A more accurate description might be, 'written by stuffy, self-important old people for same to enjoy.'

The editors seem to have taken great pains to select works written by people who feel a need to choose the longest word they can find to represent an idea; if a suitably long word does not exist, they combine a word with prefixes and suffixes until they are satisfied. There is no reason to write like this, especially if you're trying to teach someone something. The chapters of the book can be translated into speaking man's English to good effect, and every one of the 28 critical terms really is simple enough to explain without the comically frequent fallback on Latin phrases and words.

I don't know why so many people think this is a great book. Maybe because it's filled with words like 'prosopopoeia,' which is, I'll admit, a valid English word, but a little bit limited in its general use among readers beginning to learn about critical theory. The flow of the essays becomes stinted by the necessity of referring to a dictionary at every fourth word and then translating the resulting mess into a sentence that normal people understand.

In short, this is a bad textbook. The authors have hidden very simple concepts behind such a thick wall of confusing use of language and terminology that the reader becomes a gold miner, chipping away at the useless mountain of words before him to extract what little vein of content he can find.

Useful, but not Sufficient for Understanding Critical Theory.......2001-06-07

This book offers a very interesting, concise look into many of the terms employed by contemporary literary/critical theory. I would suggest anyone read this book if they want a short introduction to some of the thoughts employed by contemporary critics when analyzing a piece of literature. It is not, however, sufficient as an introduction to that theory. I would suggest supplementing this text with several primary sources--people who want to speak intelligently about Foucault or Derrida or Lacan or Saussure should read their primary readings. If one decides not to, one comes out with the impression that these literary critics could give the last, or at least the most authoritative, word on their topic. This is, of course, not necessarily so. Use this book, it is an exemplary secondary source on literary theory, but supplement it with primary readings to get a more nuanced impression of contemporary thoughts about literature.

Many times I found myself arguing against the assertions made about literature and theory in this book. I think, perhaps, that sometimes particular "American" critics fail to capture the fullness of the arguments by French theorists. This is not to say that "American" theorists "do not get it"; however, it should make you weary about simply accepting the presentation of the topics in this book. The ideas presented by literary theory are inordinately complex, and sometimes it takes actually grappling with the confusing language of the French, or of the translated French (though this introduces yet another problem) to actually understand what critics actually say about literature.

By all means, buy this book for a concise rendering of the issues. However, do not think for a moment that this book accurately portrays contemporary literary study in its fullness. There is so much more than this book initially communicates.

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Lacks Focus

This book talks about all the essentials of horse handicapping

Solid advice with a different approach

Interesting Perspectives from the Pro's

six secrets of successful betters

Six Secrets of Successful Bettors: Winning Insights into Playing the Horses
Frank R. Scatoni , and Peter Thomas Fornatale
Manufacturer: DRF Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Racing | Horses | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
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Exotic Betting: How to Make the Multihorse, Multirace Bets that Win Racing's Biggest Payoffs

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The Best of Thoroughbred Handicapping: Leading Ideas & Methods

ASIN: 1932910964

Book Description

Through extensive research and interviews, Scatoni and Fornatale have found that there are specific traits that these successful gamblers share. By combining elements of traditional business analysis with proven handicapping methods and practical lessons learned in the wagering trenches, these unique professionals have developed a model for consistent success. They not only understand the fundamentals of value analysis, money management, and betting strategy, but also have developed the discipline and mental fortitude that ultimately separate the knowledgeable enthusiast from the successful investor. After interviewing more than two dozen professional players, the authors have identified the six secrets that all of these successful individuals have in common. Whether you're a casual weekend player or a serious fan contemplating turning pro, al of the practical elements for success are candidly revealed in this truly fascinating journey into the gambling habits of the world's greatest players. Interviews with horseplayers Andrew Beyer, Paul Braseth, Dave Cascuna, Paul Cornman, Steven Crist, Ernie Dahlman, Steve Davidowitz, Cary Fotias, Brad Free, Len Friedman, Randy Gallo, Dave Gutfreund, Jim Mazur, Barry Meadow, Gerry Okenuff, James Quinn, Roxy Roxborough, Andy Serling. Other gamblers interviewed include blackjack expert Kevin Blackwood and poker champions Clonie Gowen, Howard Lederer and Amarillo Slim Preston.

Customer Reviews:

Lacks Focus.......2006-10-11

I thought this book lacked focus and detail. Its basically a collection of thoughts from a number of so called "Pros" who use various methods and comment on what I consider to be the basics. I didn't buy it looking for handicapping advice(which is fortunate it has none)but I did expect some detail about wagering based on the books title. Instead it is a bunch of philisophical ramblings from a few well known handicappers and some who chose not to be identified. You'll laugh,(not really) you'll cry, you'll kiss 20 bucks goodbye. I can't reccomend it.

This book talks about all the essentials of horse handicapping.......2006-09-06

This book uses the words from the mouths of successful bettors to tell the readers what the essential factors on horse handicapping and betting are. These essential factors include edge, track bias, record keeping, money management, and some psychological factors etc. This book is good in the sense that it offers the readers a quick look on the factors that lead to successful horse handicapping and betting. It is then up to the readers to explore in details each of these factors in other books so as to strengthen their horse handicapping and betting skills.

As an experienced horse player who have read over 20 books on horse handicapping and betting, I cannot find any more secrets from these successful bettors. However, this book refreshes me and reconfirms my knowledge again.

Solid advice with a different approach.......2006-08-09

This isn't a book that will greatly improve your handicapping, but it does explore the insights of professional gamblers and how they are able to make a living in the game. I found this was a more relaxing read than usual handicapping books that keep my nose in the pages for fear of missing some nugget of information. Though the subject matter is a group of professionals, it works for the recreational handicapper who gains a better understanding of what the pro's do to approach their business.

Interesting Perspectives from the Pro's.......2006-01-20

This book won't teach you how to handicap thoroughbred races. However, if you are already an experienced handicapper, it will give you some interesting comments to digest, all from well known professionals.

The six secrets aren't very secret anymore, but the views expressed are worth reading, and are particularly entertaining when the pro's disagree.

six secrets of successful betters.......2005-08-17

it kept my intrest , however i expected it to cover more of what type of plays these guys make at the track.

Bioinformatics for Glycobiology and Glycomics: An Introduction

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Bioinformatics for Glycobiology and Glycomics: An Introduction

Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Bioinformatics | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0470016671

Book Description

This book is the first dedicated to the bioinformatics of carbohydrates and glycoproteins. It provides a state-of-the-art overview and demonstrates the value of bioinformatics for glycobiology, not simply as a review of databases and tools but rather as an introduction to a new branch of glycobiology.

Efficient bioinformatics descriptions and tools can considerably enhance the efficiency of glycomics research, in terms of data quality, analysis and experimental costs. This book illustrates ways to use bioinformatics to enhance glycomics data mining and improve glycomics analysis.

Authors:

Authors

Authors