History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings

Average customer rating:

A "Universal" treat!

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings
Douglas Florian
Manufacturer: Harcourt Children's Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Picture Books | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0152053727

Book Description

Blast off with Douglas Florian's new high-flying compendium, which features twenty whimsical poems about space.

From the moon to the stars, from the Earth to Mars, here is an exuberant celebration of our celestial surroundings that's certain to become a universal favorite among aspiring astronomers everywhere.

Includes die-cut pages and a glossary of space terms.

Customer Reviews:

A "Universal" treat!.......2007-05-05

I think Douglas Florian's new book, 'comets, stars, the moon and mars' is his most expressive yet.

Beginning with the poem "skywatch," two children look at the sky. The next poem is "the universe."

Die cut "planet" holes move the reader deeper and further through space. From "mercury" to "venus" to "the earth" to "the moon" the poems continue in order according to their distance from the Sun. Comets, black holes and the mystery of what lies beyond are also addressed. Florian's ability to weave facts and fun are on full display here.

The bright color palette echoes the amazing views from the Hubble space telescope. This generation of kids has grown up looking at Seymour Simon's books about the solar system and the Universe. They have seen the colors that are out there.

Check out the Harcourt page about the book and download Florian's Poetry Kit. The "Practical Poetry Pointers" are some of the most best tips for writing poetry with kids that I have ever seen.

You have Gotta-Have-It.

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)

Average customer rating:

Check and see
Suprise! Suprise!
Prescient St Augustine?
Something of a disappointment
Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy..

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
Anatoly T Fomenko
Manufacturer: Delamere Resources LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books

Historiography | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Medieval | World | History | Subjects | Books

German | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Spanish | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Chinese | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Mythology & Folklore | Encyclopedias | Reference | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Controversial Knowledge | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Celtic | Earth-Based Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Magic & Wizards | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

History | Fashion | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Art Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Children's Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Nonfiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Reference Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Science Fiction & Fantasy Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 2913621066

Product Description

`History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2` is the second volume of the most explosive and astounding tractate on history ever written - however, every theory it contains, no matter how unorthodox, is backed by rock solid scientific data. The book is easy and pleasant to read; it is well-illustrated, contains hundreds of charts, graphs and illustrations, copies of ancient manuscripts, and countless facts attesting to the falsity of the chronology used nowadays. You will be amazed to discover: - That the chronology universally accepted today and taken for granted is simply wrong; - That ALL methods of dating of ancient sources and artefacts known today are erroneous or non-exact; - That there is not a single document that could be reliably dated earlier than the XIth century; The Author refers to the Middle Ages as the Antiquity and proves mutual superimposition of the Second and the Third Roman Empire, both of which become identified as the respective kingdoms of Israel and Judah. Furthermore, he asserts that the famous reform of the Occidental Church in the XI century by Pope Gregory Hildebrand was the reflection of the XII century reforms of Byzantine emperor Andronicus who in his turn identifies with Jesus Christ. The Trojan war counted by Homer happened only as late as of the XIII century A.D. and the great poet actually lived in XIV century A.D. No stone in history of Antiquity is left unturned. Literally. This book is the beginning of a major correction to the chronology we live with.

Customer Reviews:

Check and see.......2007-06-21

I don't care what other people say of this book. Those affirmig it's fake, they hadn't ever read it. Or have some special reasons to do so. "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see..." This book won't make you feel comfortable. It'll make you feel free. It'll make you feel you're "not the only one" to feel you'd been lied to for centuries.

Suprise! Suprise!.......2007-03-22

Here is a serie of books which turns "the whole world" upside down. I learned a lot of it and I hope that a new book from A.T. Fomenko will follow very quick. A absolute must for everybody who is interested in history or even a little bit from it.

Prescient St Augustine?.......2006-02-05

We can so far divide the New Chronology into the following three parts:

a) The verifiable theory that proves consensual chronology wrong with the aid of astronomy, statistics and mathematics;

b) The new chronology hypothesis based on a new understanding of known historical facts and the most likely logical explanation of the most obvious inconsistencies inherent in the official version of history;

c) The history conjectures, that is experimental historical reconstructions based on assumptions that the authors believe to make sense in the light of their research and linguistic parallels - void of ironclad factual support to date.

Fomenko's theory complies with the most rigid scientific standards as a whole:

It gives a coherent explanation of what we already know.

- It is consistent: independent lines of inquiry all lead to the same conclusion.

- The predictions it makes are confirmed empirically.

Fomenko goes by the following axioms:

- Chronology is the basis of history;

- Human evolution has always been linear, gradual and irreversible;

- The "cyclic" nature of human civilization is a myth, likewise all the gaps, duplicates, "dark ages" and "renaissances" that we know from consensual history;

- The accumulation of geographical knowledge as reflected in cartography is a gradual and irreversible process;

- The chronological distance between a given manuscript and the events described therein is proportional to the amount of distortions it contains;

- There is no "useless" information in authentic ancient sources.

Why the mainstream historians do not shower mathematician Academician Dr.Prof Fomenko with thanks and laurels?

The Russians:

Because Fomenko asserts that there was no such thing as the Tartar and Mongol invasion followed by three centuries of slavery, providing a formidable body of documental evidence to prove his assertion. The so-called "Tartars and Mongols" were the actual ancestors of the modern Russians, living in a bilingual state with Arabic spoken as freely as Russian. The ancient Russian state was governed by a double structure of civil and military authorities. The hordes were actually professional armies with a tradition of lifelong conscription (the recruitment being the so-called "blood tax"). Their "invasions" were punitive operations against the regions that attempted tax evasion. Fomenko proves that Russian history as we know it today is a blatant forgery concocted by a host of German scientists brought to Russia by the usurper dynasty of the Romanovs, whose ascension to the throne was the result of coup d'état, charged with the mission of making their reign look legitimate. Fomenko proves Ivan the Terrible to be a collation of four rulers, no less. They represented the two rival dynasties - the legitimate rulers and the ambitious upstarts. The winner took it all! Over some 30 years of controversy, Russian historians have made a most remarkable transition - they were initially accusing the young mathematician Fomenko of anticommunist dissident activity and attempts to deface the historical legacy of Soviet Russia; nowadays the middle-aged mathematician is accused of adhering to "pro-communist Russian nationalism" and defacing the proud historical legacy of Great Russia.

The Westerners:

Because Fomenko blows consensual Russian history to smithereens, successfully removing a crucial cornerstone from underneath the otherwise impeccable edifice of World History. Fomenko adds insult to injury, wiping out one by one the Ancient Rome (the foundation of Rome in Italy is dated to the XIV century A. D.), the Ancient Greece and its numerous poleis, which he identifies as the mediaeval crusader settlements on the territory of Greece, and the Ancient Egypt (the pyramids of Giza become dated to the XI-XV century A. D. and identified as the royal cemetery of the Global "Mongolian" Empire, no less). The civilization of the Ancient Egypt is irrefutably dated to the XII-XV century A. D. with the aid of the ancient Egyptian horoscopes cut in stone. He was the first one to decipher and date all such horoscopes, coming up with mediaeval dates in every case. English historians rage at the suggestion that the history of Ancient England was de facto a Byzantine import transplanted to the English soil by the fugitive Byzantine nobility. To reward the English historians who consider themselves the true scribes of World History, the cover of the present book portrays Tintoretto's Jesus Christ crucified on the Big Ben.

The Chinese:

Because Fomenko wipes out the Ancient History of China outright. No such thing. Full point. The compilation of the so-called Ancient Chinese History is reliably datable to the XVII-XVIII century only. It is perfectly recognizable as the Ancient European history, reworked and transcribed in hieroglyphs as yet another historical transplantation, this time performed on the Chinese soil by the loving Jesuit hands. The Chinese are the next in line to go berserk. Chinese history is inevitably bound to get both more ancient and more eventful, proportionally to the growing involvement of China in the world affairs. Chinese historians will keep on finding valid proof of prehistoric Chinese spaceflights until the Politburo orders them to shut up.

The Arabs:

Too bad. Islam with all its key figures is datable to XV-XVI century A. D. Arabic historians may find consolation in the crucial historical role of the Ottoman Empire in the XVI-XVII century. The trouble is that this empire was initially a Christian state, with Hagia Sophia identifiable as Temple of Solomon, according to Fomenko! We can only guess if the acquisition of Alexander the Great (a Macedonian and a Christian) as the founder of the Muslim World Empire will make Fomenko's theories more acceptable to the Arabic mainstream. He certainly does not spare any holy cows at all, claiming The Stone of Qa'Aba in Mecca to contain the lost Arch of the Covenant.

The Divinity:

Despite of reiterated statement that his theory is all about chronology and not Religion, Fomenko stirs up a whole condominium of wasp nests. His collection of anathemas, fatwa, and other condemnations from all parties concerned is already considerable. Little wonder, considering that the history of religions à la Fomenko looks as follows: the pre-Christian period (before the XI century and JC), Bacchic Christianity (XI-XII century, before and after JC), JC Christianity (XII-XVI century) and its subsequent mutations into Orthodox Christianity, the Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, and so on.

According to Fomenko we know strictly NOTHING about the events that predate the X century A. D.

St Augustin was prescient when he spoke unto us: "be wary of mathematicians, particularly when they speak the truth."

Something of a disappointment.......2005-09-09

After having read the first volume of this expected series of 7 volumes I was triggered by the thesis of these authors that ancient Greek and Roman history did in fact take place in the Middle Ages. So I started studying medieval history of the Middle East - also known as Islamic history - to find out if the opponents of the ancient Greeks and Romans - the Acheamenid Persians, Sassanids, Scythians, Egyptians, etc. - also have their duplicates in medieval history. My search was disappointing: none of the many medieval Islamic dynasties seemed to correspond to the ancient middle eastern rulers.

However, I did find a close correspondence between Herodotus' Persian kings and medieval events:

- the defeat and capture of an Anatolian king - the Lydian Croesus - by the Persian conqueror Cyrus is identical to the defeat and capture of another Anatolian king - sultan Bayezid - by the Asian/Mongol conqueror Tamerlane;
- the Persian conquest of Egypt by the cruel tyrant Cambyses reds almost exactly as the Ottoman conquest of Egypt by Selim the Grim (note the nickname!);
- Darius the Lawgiver of the Persian Empire looks very much alike to Sulayman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver in Islamic history;
- Xerxes, whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by the Greeks at the naval battle of Salamis, looks like Selim II (the Sot) whose main claim to fame is to be defeated by a Spanish-Italian alliance at the naval battle of Lepanto.

I should have expected Fomenko et al. to arrive at similar conclusions, however, they claim that the Persian kings are the alter egos of the Angevin kings of Sicily whose biographies do not contain the exploits of the Persian kings.

The similiarities I indicate lead to the conclusion that Herodotus must have written his Histories at the close of the 16th century. But this is extremely late, given that Herodotus is "the Father of History", so therefore all other "ancient" histories must have been fabricated even later. Yet, the founders of modern chronology - Scaliger and Petavius - laid their foundations also at the close of the 16th century and had the full corpus of ancient histories already at their disposal.

It seems to me that Fomenko has to address these inconsistencies, maybe in the forthcoming 5 volumes?

Another critique of their book is that the correspondencies between different rulers are often based on a superficial comparison of the biographies; upon a more thorough comparison many details appear that do not correspond at all.

Finally, the authors rely heavily on the works of Gregorovius (1821-1891!!) - his medieval histories of Rome and Athens - as the source of medieval history; these works are - at least in the West - hoplessly outdated and have been superceded by more up-to-date works (for instance, Julius Norwich's trilogy on Byzantine history is not even cited).

Romulus courts Helen, Paris founds Rome, Moses goes to Troy.........2005-07-30

If you agree with Fomenko that Roman chronology is basically the foundation of the entire edifice of global chronology; you would also certainly agree that despite its numerous gaps and inconsistencies, Roman history is the best-documented field of ancient history, and thus a reference scale. But how well is the actual date of the Eternal City's foundation known?

Firstly, Rome is supposed to have been founded by the Trojans who had to flee after the fall of Troy. Some claim Rome to have been founded by Aeneas and Ulysses shortly after Troy had fallen; others are of the opinion that there was an entire dynasty that ruled for 500 years between the fall of Troy and the foundation of Rome.

Well, that's just an innocent 500 years long misunderstanding compared with what heretic Fomenko says, asserts, proves in his second volume: Second Roman Empire, Third Roman Empire, Biblical Kingdom of Israel, Biblical Kingdom of Judah, Holy Roman Empire are stories about basically same events, written from different points of view at different times. The underlying events have actually taken place during xii-xv cy. These histories have been written and perfected by multitude of highly talented humanist and clerical writers of xiii-xvi cy disguised as "ancients" with glorious names like Homer, Pluto, Thucydides etc..Chronology 2.0 beta..

Historians are kindly invited to report the bugs.

Average customer rating:

Thank you, Professor, for a charming book
Shape and Form - Geometry and Cosmology
Perhaps Osserman bit off more than he could chew...
comes up short
A Meaty Lil' Package

Poetry of the Universe
Robert Osserman
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Mathematics | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Mathematical Physics | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Fiction Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0385474296
Release Date: 1996-01-15

Customer Reviews:

Thank you, Professor, for a charming book.......2004-04-13

This is a charming book, with a graceful pace and engaging illustrations. The transparency and accessibility of this book are a gift to the reader, who is brought through complex material in a gentle way. I suspect that technically advanced readers may find some of the material fairly elementary, but may still find pleasure in the beauty of this book.

I should here confess that as a math major I took a course from Professor Osserman on linear algebra about 30 years ago. His teaching style then mirrored his writing style in this book--calm, understated, confident.

Additionally, I probably never thanked him at the time for giving me a great math experience during that course. (For non-mathematicians who haven't had such an experience, let me assure you that there is exhilaration in struggling with an initially complicated mathematical idea that suddenly becomes crystal clear.)

So, belatedly, if you're reading this review, Professor, THANK YOU!

Shape and Form - Geometry and Cosmology.......2003-10-13

This is a story of shape and form. The Poetry of the Universe answers two related questions: What is the shape of the universe and what do we mean by the curvature of space?

During the great period of global exploration the Europeans placed rigorous demands on maps, demands that stretched the capabilities of mathematicians. Robert Osserman offers a striking parallel between that endeavor and our modern efforts to unravel the form and structure of the universe.

Osserman's description of the evolution of abstract geometries is fascinating. We learn about the remarkable contributions of the combined genius of Euler, Gauss, Lobachevsky, Bolyai, Riemann, Minkowski, and Einstein to our new understanding of cosmology. Gradually, Osserman brings us full circle from the problem of representing a spherical (or elliptical) earth on a Euclidian flat map to the more difficult problem of representing an expanding universe characterized as a hypersphere.

This is a good little book and I can recommend it to a wide audience. Osserman conveys the beauty and excitement of mathematics without delving into equations. In parallel, he provides expanded footnotes in an appendix for the mathematically inclined. I suggest reading the appendix after completing each chapter, mathematically inclined or not.

In keeping with his title, he offers pertinent, often poetic quotes in each chapter such as: Euclid alone has looked on Beauty bare. Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas. The most distinct and beautiful statement of any truth must take at last the mathematical form. (By Edna St. Vincent Millay, Albert Einstein, and Henry David Thoreau.)

Perhaps Osserman bit off more than he could chew..........2003-10-01

I had the feeling while reading this book that Osserman had simply taken upon himself something that couldn't be done: describing the entire universe in 170 pages with sufficient clarity so that any layman could understand it.

Being one of those laymen, I must admit that I learned quite a bit from this book. Nevertheless, Osserman's jumpy writing style with frequent digressions makes for a sometimes frustrating read. I also noted a certain effort to make the "story" of the book conform to the title (which should have been something along the lines of "Curvature of the Universe").

In any case, for those (like myself) with a passive interest in cosmology and very little prior knowledge, this book is not a bad starting point. Having finished the book, I at least know where to begin looking for more information about the topic.

comes up short.......2003-02-28

The hype on the back cover, from the publisher, likens this book to the "literary bestsellers" of Watson and Thomas. However, the great shame is that this book won't last. Ultimately, the book is quite exasperating, not for the conceptual challenges it poses, but for the sloppiness of the writing a key junctures: often it is impossible to understand what is meant from what is written. On at least three occasions, I am certain that Osserman used inappropriate words. I entirely blame the editors for this failure. It is a shame because it ultimately renders the book incomprehensible to the non-specialist. I would recommend Brian Greene's recent book over this one, though the subject matter differs somewhat: Greene takes in string theory and the unified field challenge, while Osserman focuses on multidimensional space and cosmogony. Maybe it is worth reading Osserman to get a sense of the art of such books, to appreciate the quiet brilliance of Lewis Thomas. Sort of like drinking bad wine in order to really appreciate the good.

A Meaty Lil' Package.......2000-12-07

This is a marvelous little tour through the development of geometry and its ties with our ever-evolving conception of space. In fact, what tickled my cortex most here was Osserman's adeptness at conveying the strength of this tie. One feels a definite Yin-Yang interplay here, an enlightening example of how ideas are born of real-life problems, the solutions to which beget further physical inconsistencies that in turn spawn further ideas, and so on, and so on. And after being guided through the history of this mathematical development, it becomes easily clear as to why it is so difficult (in fact practically meaningless) for us to visualize a shape for our Universe. You understand why it is pointless to use conventional three-dimensional thought (what we all live with day-to-day) as a lever to comprehend the bigger picture. All of this is sewn so well into this neat little pocketbook, that it is practically a reference you wish to carry with you at all times. He misses the mark in at least one place when he stretches his discussions to include and touch upon other branches of science. His comment that our ability to see in a narrow swatch of the electromagnetic spectrum is a "quirk of physiology" is an air ball demonstrating his ignorance of photochemistry. But such shortcomings, which are extremely few, do not taint the grand picture that he has painted for us. The style is very approachable and I would highly recommend this work to anyone who seeks to grasp the whole enchilada.

Manilius: Astronomica (Loeb Classical Library No. 469)

Average customer rating:

A review of the Astronomica of Manilius edited by G.P Goold

Manilius: Astronomica (Loeb Classical Library No. 469)
Manilius
Manufacturer: Loeb Classical Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Parapsychology | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Look Inside History Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Religion & Spirituality Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0674995163

Book Description

Marcus Manilius, who lived in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius, is the author of the earliest treatise on astrology we possess. His Astronomica, a Latin didactic poem in five books, begins with an account of celestial phenomena, and then proceeds to treat of the signs of the zodiac and the twelve temples; there follow instructions for calculating the horoscoping degree, and details of chronocrators, decans, injurious degrees, zodiacal geography, paranatellonta, and other technical matters. Besides exhibiting great virtuosity in rendering mathematical tables and diagrams in verse form, the poet writes with some passion about his Stoic beliefs and shows much wit and humour in his character sketches of persons born under particular stars. Perhaps taking a lead from Virgil in his Georgics, Manilius abandons the proportions of his last book to narrate the story of Perseus and Andromeda at considerable length.

In spite of its undoubted elegance, the Astronomica is a difficult work, and this edition provides in addition to the first English prose translation a full guide to the poem, with copious explanatory notes and illustrative figures.

Customer Reviews:

A review of the Astronomica of Manilius edited by G.P Goold.......2000-08-12

This book is part of the Loeb Classical Library series that produces academically edited translations (with the original language) of ancient texts. The Astronomica is a 4,500 line poem on astrology and stoicism written between 7-25 A.D by the Roman poet Manilius.

The translation of the text is excellent, G.P. Goold, being a distinguished classical scholar. Accompanying the translation is a detailed introduction that examines various aspects of the poem; its date of composition, its sources, the astrological procedures used and its history.

This is a text intended for scholars or for those with a serious interest in history. Those looking for astrological guidance would do well to look elsewhere as the poem is a poor astrological guide.

The book begins with an introduction, explaining the basic of astronomy and providing some historical background to astrology. This is followed by a series of astrological procedures. Each of these contradicts each other and none are given in their entirety. It is an astrological smorgasbord rather than a `how to' guidebook. Against this background the poet explains the importance of the philosophy of stoicism.

The background to the original book is as follows. It was composed in the last years of the first Roman emperor, Augustus, and completed in the reign of his successor, Tiberius. It discusses the stoic form of astrology that subordinates all aspects of life to fate. Every action of everyone and everything is entirely controlled by fate. The only solace the poem offers is that via astrology we can learn our fate and thus brace ourselves for the bad and look forward to the good. Near the end of the book we are also told that we (humans) are divine or at least share some link with the stoic god and that some form of divine destiny awaits us.

Possibly the book was intended as some form of political statement. The emperor Tiberius was an ardent astrologer who devoted much time to the calculation of horoscopes of prominent men to determine if they were potential rivals. If they were they then met a fatal destiny. Tiberius was also responsible for expelling astrologers from Rome, no doubt to keep a monopoly for himself. This suggests that Manilius had some imperial support for his work.

Nothing of Manilius is known apart from his sole work. We can only conjecture that he was wealthy enough to have the time to devote himself to the work and had an abiding interest in the field of astrology.

Amazon.com

The 150-plus poems and drawings collected in Douglas Florian's Bing Bang Boing speak to children's great fascinations, from the gleeful disgust of eating bugs to the jittery unrest of perhaps one day bumping into an unexpected monster. Yet it is Florian's creative wordplay that truly distinguishes this text. Take "Commas," for example:

Do commas have mommas
Who teach them to pause
Who comfort and calm them
And clean their sharp claws?
Who tell them short stories
of uncommon commas
And send them to bed
in their comma pajamas?

Bing Bang Boing is officially recommended for grades 4 to 6, but there is plenty in here for children as young as 5 years old, particularly thanks to Florian's exuberant black-and-white line drawings. While a few of the poems seem slanted for adults ("Welcome to suburbia / where life is so superbia"), the majority of this work will charm and engage a wide range of youngsters. With its goofy, fun-to-say title and its wealth of poetic experience inside, this playful collection is certain to become a family favorite along with Florian's well-loved Insectlopedia. (Ages 5 and older) --Jean Lenihan

Book Description

Meet Genny Glubber, who’s fat like blubber, and Mr. Giles, who has seven smiles, and Little-Naughty-Nasty Ned, who glued his brother to a bed. Come along and join the fun--this book has a poem for everyone!

Customer Reviews:

Badda Bing!.......2007-07-18

Bought Bing Bang Boing book and say, Badda Bing!! Great service, good product and speedy service! thanks

So funny!.......2006-11-10

This is a great book of poetry to have in a classroom! My 6th graders love it and so do I! My children's lit. professor recommended it as a must have when building a classroom library of poetry books and I agree!

A Reader from Minnesota.......2004-05-10

Recently purchased and returned "Bing Bang Boing" and "Laugh-eteria". These were returned because of poems such as "They Put Me in the Stupid Class" and "Genny Glubber" which tells of all the things wrong with a 'fat like blubber' girl with a 'face that leaves people panic-stricken' but in the end says 'how I love her.' This is not to say that all of the poems in these two books are like this, and many are quite fun. My suggestion is to look at his other books (which I have purchased) such as "Lizards, Frogs & Polliwogs", "Beast Feast" and "Insectlopedia". In addition, another fun book is "Summersaults" which is a great series of poems about summer. You will not be disappointed by any of these purchases.

Filled with funny poems!.......2003-07-07

Douglas Florian writes about all sorts of things in his poems: anacondas, squares, elephants wearing pants, and much, much, more! His poems take all different shapes and sizes too: circles, squares, people, and many other fun shapes. If you like to read nonsense poems, you'll absolutely love this book. Bing Bang Boing is good for grades 2-4.

Great Book.......2000-01-20

I liked this book and thought it had some good poems like Chess Mess and Melt Down.

Average customer rating:

all about the moon
For Moon Lovers Everywhere.....

When the Moon is Full: A Lunar Year
Penny Pollock
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 0316713171

Book Description

This lunar guide describes the folkloric names of twelve moons according to Native American tradition and showcases their defining characteristics in short verse and beautifully detailed hand-colored woodcuts.A question-and-answer section includes information about the moon's surface, an explanation of a lunar eclipse, and the true meaning of a blue moon.

Customer Reviews:

all about the moon.......2006-12-26

Each two page spread has a picture, the moon's name (Native American), a short poem and a short fact about the moon. At the end of the 12 months, there is a Q and A section about blue moons and why the moon changes shapes. A very kid friendly book about the different times of year.

For Moon Lovers Everywhere............2002-04-22

"Full moons come,/full moons go,/softening nights/with their silver glow./They pass in silence,/all untamed,/but as they travel,/they are named." Native Americans named each full moon after a special characteristic that the month brought. For instance, January was the Wolf Moon, because they believed wolves became restless in January, May was the Flower Moon, because that is when many flowers bloom, and October was the Hunter's Moon, because the moon rises early adding to the light of the setting sun and giving hunters extra time to hunt. Penny Pollack and Mary Azarian have authored a beautiful yearful of poetry, detailing the wonders and glories of the moon. Ms Pollacks gentle, quiet, original verses are eloquent and lyrical, and include the name of the month, the unique Native American moon name, and a simple explanation of the moon name. Ms Azarian's hand-painted woodcut illustrations of gorgeous nature scenes bathed in moonlight are evocative and offer a feast for the eyes. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, When The Moon Is Full includes an informative and entertaining two page spread of questions and answers about the moon, and is a lovely bedtime book the entire family can share and enjoy together.

The Cosmic Verses: A Rhyming History of the Universe

Average customer rating:

The Cosmic Verses: A Rhyming History of the Universe
James Muirden
Manufacturer: Walker & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

History of Science | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

From mankind’s ancestors to Professor Stephen Hawking, James Muirden cleverly and humorously examines our quest to make sense of the cosmos in wonderful rhyming couplets. If you’ve ever wondered about the universe, or wanted to broaden your horizons, here are the theories, discoveries, writings and sayings of Aristotle, Plato and Pythagoras, Ptolemy, and the Arab astronomers and mathematicians who flourished during Europe’s Dark Ages, Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Boyle and many more by way of Einstein and so to the present day…and now the education is fun! Here also are the thoughts of space scientists, alchemists, writers, and theologians all weighing in on the cosmos as, through Muirden’s delightful presentation, he spins the history of science on a new axis.

Here’s a short excerpt from The Cosmic Verses:
Pythagoras thought the world a sphere,
(a new and startling idea!),
but his enduring claim to fame
is through the proof that bears his name.
Draw any triangle that you dare,
one corner being nice and square:
the shorter sides call a and b,
the long hypotenuse call c…
then c2 equals you will find,
the squares of a and b combined.

Average customer rating:

Various Orbits
Thom Ward
Manufacturer: Carnegie-Mellon University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Poetry | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Average customer rating:

Galileo's Universe (Creative Editions)
J. Patrick Lewis
Manufacturer: Creative Editions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1568461836

Book Description

And so the man from Pisa probed, watched, measured, and tested. He used the dripping of water to gauge time, hand spans and arm lengths to find distance. Where Aristotle had asked why things moved, Galileo asked how.

History is full of explorers, inventors, and revolutionaries. Yet few discovered, created, or braved as much as an Italian math professor named Galileo Galilei. In the lively rhymes of J. Patrick Lewis and beautiful illustrations of Tom Curry, the life and achievements of this pioneer of the sciences are now celebrated like never before.

Poems and images, set in a magnificent pop-up design, take readers back four centuries to watch this true Renaissance man play with pendulums, peer into the heavens, and risk his life to make known the truths of our world. Galileo's courage in challenging the long-held beliefs of his time draws special attention in this book, as do his unconventional methods of research and discovery. Sure to be enjoyed by readers of all ages, Galileo's Universe is a tribute to an icon of curiosity and conviction.

J. Patrick Lewis has been captivating young readers with his bright and lyrical writing style for years. His list of children's books includes Creative Editions' The Stolen Smile, The Last Resort, and Swan Song. His books have earned critical acclaim from such publications as Publishers Weekly and garnered such honors as the Kentucky Bluegrass Award.

Tom Curry has been working as an illustrator since 1977. His award-winning illustrations, which often portray both the humor and despair unique to the human condition, have appeared in five children's books and such prominent periodicals as TIME, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and The Atlantic Monthly.

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books