Amazon.com
The End of Oil is a "geologic cautionary tale for a complacent world accustomed to reliable infusions of cheap energy." The book centers around one irrefutable fact: the global supply of oil is being depleted at an alarming rate. Precisely how much accessible (not to mention theoretical) oil remains is debatable, but even conservative estimates mark the peak of production in decades rather than centuries. Which energy sources will replace oil, who will control them, and how disruptive to the current world order the transition from one system to the next will be are just a few of the big questions that Paul Roberts attempts to answer in this timely book.
As Roberts makes abundantly clear, the major oil players in the world wield their enormous economic and political power in order to maintain the status quo. Of course, they get plenty of help from the tens of millions of consumers, particularly in the U.S. and Europe, who guzzle oil as if there is an unlimited supply. And this demand shows no sign of abating--nearly half of the world's population lives without the benefits of fossil fuels and they desperately want to be among the haves. In countries such as China and India, where energy systems are already breaking down, Roberts discusses how they are looking to oil to fuel their race for development, in many cases ignoring environmental considerations altogether.
Though there is much to be pessimistic about, Roberts does uncover some positive developments, such as the race for alternative energy sources, notably hydrogen fuel cells, which could help to ease us off of our oil dependence before a full-blown energy crisis occurs. No one book could cover every aspect of what Roberts calls "arguably the most serious crisis ever to face industrial society," but The End of Oil is a remarkably informative and balanced introduction to this pressing subject. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
You live in this world. You use oil. You must read this book. The situation is alarming and irrefutable: within thirty years, even by conservative estimates, we will have burned our way through most of the oil that is readily available to us. Already, the costly side effects of dependence on fossil fuel are taking their toll. Even as oil-related conflict threatens entire nations, individual consumers are suffering from higher prices at the gas pump, rising health problems, and the grim prospect of long-term environmental damage. In this frank and balanced investigation, Paul Roberts offers a timely wake-up call. He talks to both oil optimists and oil pessimists, delves deep into the economics and politics of oil, and considers the promises and pitfalls of alternatives such as wind power, hybrid cars, and hydrogen. A new afterword brings the book up to the minute. Brisk, immediate, and accessible, this is essential reading for anyone who uses oil, which is to say every one of us.
Customer Reviews:
Fair minded and objective overview of big energy.......2007-09-23
Very readable....Roberts does an excellent job of presenting opinions fairly and from many pro/contra angles. He has fully immersed himself in his topic and the book is chocked-full of fascinating energy facts.
What to do about our energy future has become as politically polarized as abortion - Conservatives favor fossil fuels and the Moderate - Liberal folks want to go Renewable.
Roberts is bare-knuckled about what he feels the agendas are behind the current debate, which leads him to a (slightly) reserved pessimism about our chances of making it out of the mess we've made, by putting all our energy eggs in one basket. He does not hide his contempt for later-day politicians who can't see the forest for the trees and won't take action to avert the coming energy drought.
A must read, but with lots of salt........2007-08-14
This book is both well-written and well-researched. The analysis is sound, in so far as I understand this complex set of issues.
But I have serious doubts. First, I found the writing hysterical and humorless. Granted, he's a journalist, and this is subject is serious, but my first instinct on reading a book written like this is to call BS. I've seen too many books over the years on subjects like Japanese industrial dominance, the death of the whales, economic collapse, etc., to believe that mankind won't self-adjust somehow. To forecast the "end of civilization" in re: Diamond's Collapse, is to make lots of dubious assumptions about causation.
That is not to trivialize the real dangers he exposes with regard to our energy supply. The trifecta of petro-terrorism, climate change, and the energy lobby in DC is surely dangerous. Danger, however, does not spell Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. It spells real problems, that may limit our taste for luxury, but I don't think it's a given that a coming "perilous new world" will make Austin, TX the new Camden, NJ. (Camden's not even that bad).
I think it's instructive to look back to the two basic views on human nature undergirding our liberal legal system: Hobbes and Locke. Roberts seems to believe that a constrained energy supply will lead us to the war of all against all. I'm not so sure we're all that anti-social, and humankind's seen this discussion around 1550-1700. So, if the end of oil poses a crisis in wealth, we will all have to cope, but I'm not sure we'll all become like "dogs fighting in the street over pieces of meat", to quote from the oilman in Syriana.
Wake up call for Americans.......2007-04-15
A lot of these reviews are very good. I think the book is very informative and deeply researhed. I also recommend reading "Blood Oil", look it up.
Great book, but a little scary.......2007-03-15
An excellent, thorough and fair review of the global energy situation and the options for our future. It's just a little scary and frustrating that we really aren't doing anything about the challenges the author presents.
Fantastic! Eye-opening, timely, and useful guide for these times!.......2007-03-09
This book gives you a thorough history of our relationship to energy sources, and prepares us for the bumpy roads ahead. Highly recommended. I can now dive into current oil/global warming/energy issues and headlines with a greater understanding of the overall picture. Thankfully, since this was written, the Inconvenient Truth movie was released, and people are getting clued in to the realities of climate change.
Book Description
Ferdinand Magellan's daring circumnavigation of the globe in the sixteenth century was a three-year odyssey filled with sex, violence, and amazing adventure. Now in
Over the Edge of the World, prize-winning biographer and journalist
Laurence Bergreen entwines a variety of candid, firsthand accounts, bringing to life this groundbreaking and majestic tale of discovery that changed both the way explorers would henceforth navigate the oceans and history itself.
Customer Reviews:
Magellan Iluminated.......2007-10-01
The author brings the voyage and the societal context of the journey to the reader. The book contains what is likely to have been all of the evidence available, yet is lively and interesting. Anyone who enjoys the superb biographies by Ronald Chernow will enjoy this, too.
Was going good, but lacked that little "something".......2007-09-30
It seems that the author was very well documented. It was very clear his effort in keeping a "balanced" position, and not to be too much "judgemental". The author tried his best to make us understand how things in the 16th century use to work (if anyone thinks that our times are tough, take a look at those days). And for all that, I am happy. But there was missing that little "I don't know what" that takes a "good" book, into a "great" book. Anyway, the book is highly recommended for anyone who wants to know about that amazing story of humankind.
Good, overall.......2007-08-15
Good book overall though I am troubled by a description of Magellan's ancestry. According to the author, on his mother's side, the family name is Mesquitas. The author suggests that that side of the family may have been Jewish because Mesquitas refers to a mosque in Spanish. Huh? Muslims pray at mosques, Jews at synagogues. The family may have been Moors, not Jews.
Are there more inaccuracies?
A Very Impressive Read.......2007-07-13
I'm really glad historians are beginning to write for people who aren't preparing for a test and simply want a book that's as informative as it is enjoyable. This is one of my favorite books of all time. It's really unforgettable. Some reviewers obviously didn't like this, but that's life. As for me, I couldn't put it down and was wanting more at the end. Here you'll see Magellan, warts and all--plenty of warts, yet so much a man of principle even when he was misguided. What's so amazing to me is that Bergreen shows Magellan realistically standing alone for what he believes all the while facing challenges (natural and personal) that would make the most steel-hearted man alive flinch in a second. This is a portrait of bravery and dedication to purpose like I've never seen before in a man who is most certainly not without his faults. Read it and enjoy.
As exhilarating as the voyage itself.......2007-06-25
This book makes Columbus and even Cook seem like mere amateurs in comparison. Magellan is the main man! Bergreen knows how to write the story of the great explorer with the hand of a novelist. It makes a fantastic read.
As a follow-up I suggest you read the book "1492 - The year China discovered America". It puts things in perspective, like how did Magellan know about the strait from the atlantic to the pacific that would later bear his name?
Book Description
What would legendary Boston Celtics coach and 16-time NBA champion Red Auerbach say is the most critical quality for a person to be successful? Would his advice differ from 10-time NCAA championship coach John Wooden's? What would each say to a young person just starting out in pursuit of their dreams? What is the best advice they were ever given?
It took author Christian Klemash more than two years of research, persistence, and original interviews, but now he's ready to pass on the best advice you'll ever get. Only the rare individual has had the opportunity to pick the brain of just one legendary sports coach—let alone thirty-four of the best sports coaches of all time. Klemash gives sports fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn valuable life lessons from the most famous, intelligent, and victorious coaches ever. The legends span the sports world, from gold medal-winning gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and three-time college football championship coach Tom Osborne to four-time World Series-winning baseball manager Joe Torre and hall-of-fame boxing trainer Angelo Dundee.
These coaches know how to teach top athletes about character and winning, how to manage pressure at crunch time, and how to bring out the best in their players when it matters most. How to Succeed in the Game of Life shares their insights into sports, life, and the most vital keys to sustain success.Featuring Exclusive Interviews with:
Red Auerbach, 16-time NBA World Champion
Bobby Bowden, College Football's All-Time Winningest Coach, 2-time National Champion
Scotty Bowman, 9-time Stanley Cup Champion
Bill Cowher, Super Bowl Champion
Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion
Dan Gable, 15-time NCCA Champion
April Heinrichs, Gold Medal Winning Coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
Bela Karolyi, The World’s Greatest Gymnastics Coach
Bill Parcells, 2-time Super Bowl Champion
Emanuel Steward, Boxing Trainer of 30 World Champions
Joe Torre, 4-time World Series Champion
Bill Walsh, 3-time Super Bowl Champion
Lenny Wilkens, NBA’s All-Time Winningest Coach, NBA Champion
John Wooden, 10-time NCAA Champion
And More!
Customer Reviews:
A Great Read.......2007-08-26
Wow!Could not put it down.An extraordinay self help book.Gave it to my kids they loved it.Don't miss this one
What a great read!.......2007-07-25
I took it on vacation with me and I couldn't put it down. A great book for aspiring athletes and coaches as well as your average Joe who works 9-5. The coaches discuss a variety of topics from their childhood to how they motivate their players. Any easy read for all ages.
Game of life.......2007-07-24
I've read through Game of Life and I enjoyed it very much. There are so many things to take from this book, not just into sports, but also some reflections on life. I would recommend this book to everybody.
Coaching advise from athletic coaches.......2007-06-27
A fun read, especially if yoiu're a sports fan. I read it in search of things that would help my own ability as a coach in my company. Much of it is light stuff but the easy read makes it fun nonetheless and there are few golden nuggets laced throughout the book.
Overcome Adversity.......2007-04-12
Anyone looking for inspiration, either for their own life or to share with others, will find a gold mine of quotes here. This book isn't just for sports fans.
Book Description
In his bestselling book The Radical Leap, Steve Farber introduced readers to Extreme Leadership, showing them how to renew their passion and excitement and become committed to changing the world for the better by disregarding normal constraints.
Now, Farber takes readers to an even higher level of self-discovery in The Radical Edge. Management guru Steve is back, working with young Senior VP Cameron Summerfield, who has superstar sales skills but a severe and demoralizing leadership style. Along the way, both Steve and Cameron learn how taking responsibility for making the future markedly better than the present can improve the world. Readers will learn answers to these questions:
•How can people amp up their lives to amazing levels of achievement?
•If individuals assume personal responsibility, can customers, companies, and employees change for the better?
•Is it really possible to shake off inertia and transform your work—and your life?
""The best book you’ll read this year. Captivating from the first page and jam packed with invaluable lessons. This is a must read. The Radical Edge is terrific!"" --Jason Jennings New York Times bestselling author It’s Not The Big That Eat The Small – It’s The Fast That Eat The Slow, Less is More and Think BIG Act Small
""Farber’s style is disarmingly honest as he gives us a playbook for harnessing the power of the human spirit. Invite your team to read The Radical Edge and you’ll have a lasting framework to move your life and business forward."" --Simon Billsberry CEO Kineticom (#33 on the Inc. 500, 2005)
Customer Reviews:
High impact leadership starts with the leader.......2007-08-27
This weekend I picked up Steve Farber's The Radical Edge.
I really enjoyed the simplicity of this book. I'm finding that I enjoy the Leadership Parable format a lot more than the principle driven books. Steve Farber, Pat Lencioni, Ken Blanchard are all writing in this same vane and it's very enjoyable. As the reader I am found myself very engaged with the characters and with the drama that surrounds their lives.
I found that this book really focuses on the person more than the organization the person works in. I think that is an important principle because as a leader if you don't know who you are then you are just going to vacillate in your leadership, following the whims and fancies of the day. But if you really know who you are and what you want to do and where you want to do it, you will succeed.
This book has a lot of simple principles that I think are helpful and easy to initiate. The principle of the WUP (Wake-Up Pad) is great and something that I have been trying to do. Basically record what's going on around you. I'm not very good at it, but this blog and the journal that I've been using have helped.
I'm considering reading it again just to really cement the concepts in my brain. But I would highly recommend this book to anyone trying to be a better leader.
Just A Delightful Book.......2007-05-14
I found this book while wandering in a used bookstore. Looked good so I bought it and it sat in my car for about a month. I picked it up last week and could not put it down. The book is a fictional story, but it was capitivating. I wished the characters in the story were real, and that I could meet them and become part of their circle.
I was touched by the message of the book, and I believe that you will be as well. The characters in the book are what examples of whom I want to surround myself with.
Read the book and allow yourself to get lost in the story.
The Radical Edge: Stoke Your Business, Amp Your Life, and Change the World.......2007-05-13
The company I worked for bouught and read this book. It was highly enlightening and helpful to give you insight and suggestions on how to improve your work environment and personal life. If you enjoy a non-fiction book that has the spin of a real life soap opera than this is a good read for you!
Berry Berry Good.......2007-03-28
One of the best management books I've read; it's a quick read; it's an enjoyable read; it's an enlightening read
LIfe Changing Information.......2006-08-11
This book is all about changing one's life for the better, and it does just that. I felt like I was part of a great enterprise simply by reading along. The words and ideas fall off the page and into your mind with ease and aplomb. It's a quick read (four to five hours tops) but chocked full of great stuff: key points that are easily remembered and employed. I'm recommending it to all my friends, and even my enemies to convert then to friends.
Michael Behre
Book Description
Cutting Edge Advertising is the first and only book providing a step-by-step plan to create cutting edge print advertising for the twenty-first Century. Over 300 world famous print ads are discussed and analysed in depth by the people who created them - the Gods of advertising now, not forty years ago. Internationally respected names like David Abbott, Tim Delaney, John Hegarty, Gary Goldsmith, Bob Barrie, Neil French and Jeff Goodby - from the world's most admired advertising agencies - share their secrets in a carefully structured, inspirational journey through the contemporary truths of doing great ads.
The book serves as a reference text for creatives, clients and colleges. No other single title covers the subject so completely - from research and strategy, through to conceptualising and crafting. For creatives in every agency of the world, the book provides a step-by-step methodology which can be applied immediately in their daily work. It means they can stop copying and start creating their own cutting edge work. By learning how to think like the masters, they can become masters themselves. For advertisers with brands to build, the book offers hundreds of insights into how the most internationally renowned campaigns were crafted. As more clients take direct control of their own advertising, the book arms them with vital methodology and a new way to think. In the author's words, "This is the book I wished I'd had when I started in the business." Unique features in the book include: 1. A chapter which demolishes the myths and formulae of how advertising should be done. For the first time in one book, world creative leaders explain why methodologies and precepts developed in the 1950s and 60s are no longer valid - and why many are actually harmful in today's context.
2. A chapter which explains how brand building has changed. Exciting new brands have emerged, displacing old ones. The strategists share their secrets and explain why a different kind of advertising is needed. 3. A chapter which actually tells you how to get ideas. No other advertising book has ever done this. The creative process is demystified. 4. Two chapters devoted to the craft of art direction and copy, where experts tell what to do and what not, which rules to break, and which rules never to. 5. A chapter of inspiring advice for everyone in advertising: how a cutting edge career can be nurtured and accelerated. The leaders of the industry discuss their own fears of failure, and what it takes to succeed.
6. No other advertising reference work provides 300 contemporary ads from the best agencies in the USA, UK, Europe and Australia. Details of how the ads are created and crafted are explained, sharing the decisions which had to be made along the way. The advice of the masters are expressed in simple, frank and (sometimes) provocative terms. 7. No other book of this kind addresses such issues as consumer psychology, how to strategise, how brands are being built; how cutting edge thinking can be applied to global campaigns; how to build a world class career and reputation.
Customer Reviews:
Valuable Tool for Many of Us.......2003-07-17
Cutting Edge Advertising-Jim Aitchison
Quoting liberally from several dozen of the advertising world's most acclaimed copywriters and art directors, Mr. Aitchison does a brilliant job of explaining how the best print advertising is developed. In the first few chapters he deals with the subject on something of a higher, philosophical plane. But promptly thereafter, he settles down into an almost tutorial approach; working his way from how to arrive at an insight, how to transform that insight into an idea, and finally, how to craft that idea into a great ad-visually and in its writing.
Being an Australian, he is well positioned to tap into the enormous volume of great print advertising that has come out of the Asian markets-Singapore, Honk Kong and so forth. But he also references many of the best print advertising that has come out of the U.S. and U.K.
And while we're on the subject of print, it's worth noting that although it is the author's avowed intention to provide readers with "how to create the world's best print....", much of what he says can easily be applied to any effort in marketing communications.
All in all, an extremely valuable tool for beginning copywriters and art directors. Not a bad one for their superiors, who sometimes struggle for the exact words to explain why an ad is or isn't working. And certainly worth reading by the clients who finance all this print advertising-cutting edge and, in far too many cases, ham-handed.
Good show!
Cut and thrust.......2001-02-14
Wit, wisdom, and style. Candid remarks. A warts and all approach, and a feel that gets under the skin of the beast called advertising. It's worth the purchase price alone for the tale of Neil French and XO beer ... a study in pure genius if you ask me, and I'm not just saying that because of a burning desire to become a copywriter, I'm saying that for one simple reason: it's true.
Yes, the reproductions could have been a little better in a few places, but it's what Hegarty, Barrie, French and Abbott (to name but a few), have to say that's more important, and the book is riddled with insights - so much so that many of the personalities simply leap off the page and slap you about the face.
As an aspiring creative it was comforting to read other reviews of this book from current players in SE Asia (reviews I read after having read the book), and I violently disagree with the reviewer who said the book was bollocks. What nonsense. And no, it's not "Hey Whipple, Squeeze This" - another marvelous book - nor could it be, for the simple reason that this book has a completely different voice.
From the seasoned pro to the up-and-coming young turk, this book has something for everyone. Regardless of how long you've been in the business there's an awful lot to learn, and I don't think this book can be faulted in any way other than a few dodgy bits of repro. If you're serious about the ad world this is probably one of the best books you could read. And read it you should - at least three times.
I came away from this book refreshed and energised. It's a text book, a reference book, a source of inspiration and something to go back to again and again. And if you can't be arsed with this book the world of advertising probably isn't for you.
A load of old tosh.......2000-11-15
Well I don't know about the rest of you, but I thought Cutting Edge Advertising was absolute bollocks. I did like the cover, though. Very clever the way the word advertising is put in the shape of a dagger.
If You don't Read It, You Missed It!.......2000-09-17
This is an excellent book.
Well-researched. Filled with new insights and creative philosophies about advertising in the Creative Economy.
The author is a practitioner in advertising, who has a passion for rules-breaking advertising.
I think this book will become a classic, when more people find out how good it is.
very good, but no 'hey whipple'.......1999-11-24
A very practical and inspiring guide to creating great ads. Not as good as Luke Sullivan's book, though.
Amazon.com
Geologically speaking, 1906 was a violent year: powerful, destructive earthquakes shook the ground from Taiwan to South America, while in Italy, Mount Vesuvius erupted. And in San Francisco, a large earthquake occurred just after five in the morning on April 18--and that was just the beginning. The quake caused a conflagration that raged for the next three days, destroying much of the American West's greatest city. The fire, along with water damage and other indirect acts, proved more destructive than the earthquake itself, but insurance companies tried hard to dispute this fact since few people carried earthquake insurance. It was also the world's first major natural disaster to have been extensively photographed and covered by the media, and as a result, it left "an indelible imprint on the mind of the entire nation."
Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.
Customer Reviews:
Things I should have read in geology class.......2007-09-24
A considerable amount of time was exhausted by Mr. Winchester in the research, writing and editing of this bestseller. If my geology course in college, which was a very long time ago, had a book of this substance, I may have spent more time reading and preparing for class.
The book does not lead right in to the California earthquake of 1906. You must read a few hundred pages from the creation of the world, the movement of the continents, the history behind the chosen name for San Francisco and other cities, the gold rush days, the segregation of the Chinese, then the climactic earthquake.
The book is more of a history and geology lesson than a book with a plot and characters that are followed from beginning to end. This is the book you want to read for that one up on everyone else when earthquakes are the topic at the dinner party (humor emphasized).
Plate tectonics for idio-dummees(R).......2007-09-02
(Trying not to infringe on any copyrights with the title up there)
Simon Winchester's book is an excellent, concise easy-to-read, summary of many disparate but inter-related topics: the development of San Francisco in the late 19th/early 20th Century; the history of white settlement in California; the birthing of the new science of geology; and, most importantly, the science of plate tectonics and the reasons why, when and where earthquakes occur.
Yes, the geology and earth sciences is not covered at a PhD level. It wouldn't be readable if it were. And the history of California is not examined in sufficient depth (no pun intended), but then the book would have to be 10,000 pages. The book strikes the right balance between breadth and depth, the personal and the historic, the academic and the understandable. If you've read Winchester's excellent "Krakatoa" book -- and if you haven't, what are you waiting for? -- you'll enjoy this similiarly-styled treatment of another geologic event.
Tremors and digressions.......2007-08-29
Many of the reviews here seem upset that the author "rambles", which frequently is code for not compressing a story into easily digestible quanta. If you have any patience at all, you'll enjoy this book. I honestly find Mr. Winchester's "digressions" enjoyable, and find they add color to what could be a dull narrative. The geology of earthquakes, the reaction of a city to a disaster, the technology that had recently been developed to detect earthquakes being put to the test (and found wanting) - these stories, while fascinating, are natural stories. This book manages to make even that insurance claims made after the quake and fire interesting and even a vital part of the story.
A Great Story by a Master Storyteller!.......2007-08-09
This is a wonderful book - endlessly interesting and well read by the author, who is a master storyteller.
"A Crack in the Edge of the World" touches on every aspect of San Francisco and the great earthquake of 1906. Author Simon Wincester provides an excellent background on the geological foundations of the event and the history of San Francisco. The earthquake itself is described from numerous eye witness accounts.
The author concludes with a warning that another huge earthquake in the region is only a matter of time. And he warns that the huge volcano that formed Yellowstone National Park (its last eruption was 1.5 million years ago and lasted 600,000 years) is also due to erupt, spelling catastrophe for the mid-western United States.
Geology, yes. Story , no.......2007-07-25
If you're interested in geology, this is the book for you. It's probably far more entertaining than most geology texts. However, if you expect a story of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, be prepared to wade through more than half of this tome to get less than 100 pages of the story marginally written. Mr. Winchester seems to have a penchant for taking jabs at everything he has a personal bias toward and not staying on the subject. Adding to the tiresome writing is the plethora of footnotes. From these alone a book could be written. Some are actually more interesting than the text. But they tend to disrupt any semblance of flow. A good editor would have been a wise investment. This is NOT a book one would want to read if they had the slightest interest in this historic event. Makes a good paper weight.
Book Description
This remarkable memoir transports us to the remote reaches of the Himalayas, to a place the Chinese call 'the country of daughters,' to the home of the Moso, a society in which women rule men. According to local tradition, marriage is considered a foreign practice; property is passed from mother to daughter; a matriarch oversees each family's customs, rituals, and economies. In this culture a young girl enjoys extraordinary freedoms-but the impulsive, restless Namu is driven to leave her mother's house, to venture out into the larger world, defying the tradition that holds Moso culture together. LEAVING MOTHER LAKE is a book filled with drama, strangeness, and beauty. Yet for all the exoticism, Namu's story is a universal tale of mothers and daughters-the battles that drive them apart and the love that brings them back together.
Customer Reviews:
A life much less ordinary.......2007-02-17
The lifestyle and cultural norms of the Moso people "one of fifty-six Chinese nationalities" of Tibet, who "number about 30,000" are much different than those of most developed countries. The women tend to engage in a series of monogamous relationships, resulting in matriarch family units with several half-sibling children. This one fact might cause people to describe them as sexually promiscuous and immoral. Others might look at the matriarchal, matrilineal Moso as an intriguing social entity not bound by the social constraints of most cultures. Although the Chinese government has encouraged marriage, the Moso people are overwhelmingly undeterred. Mothers tend to prize daughters, as through their offspring the family lines continue. Children may never learn the identity of their fathers, and if they do, will refer to them (as all men) as "Uncle." Children ideally remain with their maternal relatives their entire lives, dying in the same dwelling in which they were born. Men are needed "to herd the yaks in the mountains, to travel with the horse caravans to trade in the outside world, and to make the long journey to Lhasa to study the holy Buddhist scriptures and become lamas." Girls shift from childhood to womanhood by participating in a post-menarche "skirt" ceremony. They then move from a communal room to their own special chamber and are encouraged to engage in sexual relationships. Leaving Mother Lake is the story of Namu Erche, a member of the Moso tribe, who lived a life less ordinary. Her mother, "curious and restless," defied the norms of the tribe by moving from her own mother's home to settle in a village two days' walk distant. Namu cried so much as a young child that three attempts to trader her to other families were unsuccessful. An elder sister was instead traded for a male cousin, who was raised as her brother. At eight, she was sent to yak-herd with a great-uncle. Several years later she returned to her mother's home to participate in her skirt ceremony. When a group of Han Chinese visited her village to record traditional songs, they noticed her singing skills and chose her along with two others to participate in a singing contest. Successful in their first endeavor, they again succeeded in a bigger contest. Changed by her big city experience, she ran away from home to follow her dreams. She returned home, but only for a visit, after several years at a musical conservatory. Although Namu's story is fascinating, the writing seems overly simplified. Other good memoirs about lives less ordinary include: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt, The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.
Amazing how things are different in some parts of the world.......2006-04-05
Living in China, I wanted to experience a little about its culture. I have lived in some other countries (in the "western" world) and living here has both been a challenge and a great experience on how things are different from "my" western side of the world.
Then, I stumble across this book and it's even more amazing the way her (Namu's) life changed from the childhood in the Moso country to living among the han chinese (don't think these people are the same), learning their culture, their language and writing ( I myself know how difficult this is, I've been struggling for 2 years), and even go live abroad in the west. This is amazing, I wonder how she must have changed and how much she has learned from all this. It's really incredible.
This book is easy reading. Besides, it's not a sad story, like the ones we've been reading about women in China of the cultural revolution, etc. I really enjoyed it. It's so good she shared her story with us.
A small but incredibly beautiful world.......2006-03-05
A candid, insider's view of the fascinating woman-centered Moso culture of southwest China. Yang Erche Namu is a strong-willed, ambitious girl who wants to leave her village and make it in the outside universe. Yet her descriptions of Moso traditions, especially of her initiation into womanhood, show a culture of incredible beauty.
A small but incredibly beautiful world.......2005-05-29
A candid, insider's view of the fascinating woman-centered Moso culture of southwest China. Yang Erche Namu is a strong-willed, ambitious girl who wants to leave her village and make it in the outside universe. Yet her descriptions of Moso traditions, especially of her initiation into womanhood, show a culture of incredible beauty.
Excellent Book.......2005-05-24
I really enjoyed this book about a culture so different from my own. As a mother, I was shocked by some of the events in the book like swapping children and sending a young girl to live with an "uncle" in a remote area.
Book Description
No profession pits man against nature more brutally than king crab fishing in the frigid, unpredictable waters of the Bering Sea. The yearly death toll is staggering (forty-two men in 1988 alone); the conditions are beyond most imaginations (90-mph Arctic winds, 25-foot seas, and super-human stretches of on-deck labor); but the payback, if one survives can be tens of thousands of dollars for a month-long season.In a breathtaking, action-packed account that combines his personal story with the stories of survivors of the industry's most harrowing disasters, Spike Walker re-creates the boom years of Alaskan crab fishing--a modern-day gold rush that drew hundreds of fortune-and adventure-hunters to Alaska's dangerous waters--and the crash that followed.
Customer Reviews:
Great read!.......2007-09-02
This book is a great add-on, if you are a fan of the deadliest catch on the discovery channel. It gives a true account of how the crab boom started and the crazy amount of money you could make in just a 29 day season. I really enjoyed this book and would recomend it to anyone who likes to read about adventure situations.
Sincere and full of insight.......2007-08-28
I literally devoured the book. If you love the sea, and had some experience with it, it will be very easy to fully understand the powers that these people where facing. The story shows in a very plain manner the continuous struggle of mankind in order to take advantage of the earth's resources. It shows many aspects of human nature: Love for the sea. Thirst for adventure and freedom. GREED, and what men can face in order to satisfy it. And (something that people who have been in the sea for a while completely understand), the incredibly simple and strong relationship that develops between crewmates.
I enjoyed very much reading this book
Working on the Edge (crab fishing).......2007-08-20
I bought this book for my husband because he loves the tv show - actually, so do I! Anyway, he loved the book and is already asking me when I am going to order him more Spike Walker books. By the way, my husband doesn't usually like to read so I was particularly impressed that he liked this book.
Working on the Edge - a review.......2007-07-23
This book about Alaskan crab fishing is somewhat dated, but it gives a wonderful first-hand account of what crab fishing was like 20 + years ago.
Solid.......2007-07-23
This book offers its reader the opportunity to experience the life an Alaskan crabber at a slightly more in-depth level than just "Deadliest Catch." It is a narrative that sequencely takes you through the exciting "glory days" of the crab industry. The book is full of interesting facts and insights; however, the style flows like a suspense as you await each amazing event of these true stories.
Average customer rating:
- Too Much Fluff
- Great Book! Terrible Proofreader!
- Excellent primer on CSS
- Solid and Worthwhile Introduction to CSS
- Beginners only - and wait for next edition
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Cascading Style Sheets: The Designer's Edge
Molly E. Holzschlag
Manufacturer: Sybex
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Similar Items:
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250 HTML and Web Design Secrets
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Integrated HTML and CSS: A Smarter, Faster Way to Learn
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Creating Cool Web Sites with HTML, XHTML, and CSS
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Core CSS: Cascading Style Sheets (2nd Edition)
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Web Designer's Reference
ASIN: 0782141846 |
Book Description
CSS is finally supported by all modern web browsers, empowering Web designers to do what they've been hungering to do for years: control layout more precisely, use color more effectively, and expand typographic options beyond the frustrating limitations of the past. So where to begin? Where can you get design-focused instruction on CSS while learning the technical details?
Cascading Style Sheets: The Designer's Edge is precisely the resource you've been looking for. Written by renowned web designer Molly Holzschlag, this book begins with an in-depth look at structured markup, both XHTML and CSS. It then explains how to use CSS to achieve specific design goals involving typography, color, layout, and more. Finally, it deconstructs a series of impressive designs, showing you how the authors used CSS to maximize their efficiency and get exactly the right effect.
Key topics you'll learn about include:
* Writing valid XHTML
* Authoring effective CSS rules
* Working with classes and IDs
* Validating your CSS
* Creating great typographical designs with CSS
* Using CSS for backgrounds, borders, and color
* Creating multiple link styles
* Using absolute positioning
* Working with relative positioning
* Positioning with float
* Creating great CSS layouts
Customer Reviews:
Too Much Fluff.......2005-11-15
At first glance, I was attracted to this book by its sleek page design. The information is well-organized, sections and chapters are clearly labeled, and there are full-color images included. But upon reading through just part of it, I was disappointed by the amount of pure "fluff" that is included! There is too much info about the history of the internet and html, which I think most people reading this book will already have a handle on. Also, code samples are repeated multiple times, adding a few lines each time, which is totally unnecessary. Finally, there are WAY too many typos! I think a monkey was the editor.
Another complaint I have is that the book doesn't get into the really fun, unique things that you can do with CSS. For a book that claims to be aimed at designers, the samples given are amazingly dull. Don't expect to be wowed! Only in the last two or three chapters are some more advanced techniques shown, and there is no code or explanation of how it's done. (Although a website IS given, and it is accessible at the time that I write this.) Maybe if the book wasn't so redundant about the basics, there would have more room to explain!
Now, having aired my complaints, there are some things I like about the book. Having thumbed through several other CSS manuals, including the much touted Eric Meyers books, I was struck by this books clear explanations and step-by-step examples. It is appropriate for beginners, who won't want to be presented with pages and pages of code. Pictures and colorful borders/highlighting liven up the text.
In sum, I definitely wouldn't pay list price of $45 for this book, but a nice used copy would be great for the beginner CSS writer.
Great Book! Terrible Proofreader!.......2005-08-26
This is perhaps the best book I've seen on style sheets. It isn't overpowering in an attempt to cover EVERYTHING. The author does an outstanding job of showing just how simple style sheets can be. Many other books leave you with the impression that CSS is just another complex web discipline. For me, something very simply expressed in this book suddenly made me "get it" - The fact that background images and colors can be applied to ANY block-level element. This opens up all kinds of design possibilities. My site's table-based layout was so deeply nested that you had to search long and hard just to find the appropriate table data cell to place a sentence in. With this book, which has an entire chapter devoted to deconstructing a table-based layout and reconstructing it with CSS, I was able to reduce my site's pages down to a fraction of their original size, and now the mark-up for those pages looks more like an easy to read text document than a nightmare of table tags. The site looks exactly as intended in all browsers I've tried and has a pristine and sharp appearance. The changeover was fast and easy, and now, because of CSS, changes are as simple as changing a sentence in a document.
My only complaint with this book is that it had a great number of errors in the manuscript: Things like "and" just appearing in the middle of a sentence out of context. It appears that nobody proofread this manuscript. If someone did, he or she needs to go into a different line of work. Proofreaders can't be skimmers. Although this was annoying, and a shame in a large, colorful work, the author's ability to convey the material still came through. Her work was five-star. Sybex's work on getting it ready for print was 2-star at best. Still, it is definitely worth buying and is truly a concise, problem-solving book.
Excellent primer on CSS.......2004-03-25
I grabbed this book at Barnes & Noble and sat in the cafe with a cup of coffee just to check it out. 2 hours later I felt like I had just learned an amazing amount of information.
When I got home I started reading the reviews of this book on Amazon and was dumbfounded by the criticism of this book.
This book is fantastic for the person who hates "computer talk" books. You know what I'm talking about... books that are written so dryly and by people who write so technically that you can barely understand anything you are reading.
This book is like a breath of fresh air. The fact that the author provides a history of SGML, HTML, XHTML, CSS and such is great because it gives you an underlying basis of knowledge, a foundation from which to grow.
Her style of writing is conversational, perhaps a bit repetitive but that helps drive home the concepts. I did not find it distracting at all. I like this style of writing because it helps me to learn better. The book takes a measured, logical approach to the subject. I put this book down realizing that I had LEARNED the fundamentals of CSS without any confusion whatsoever.
This book is not intended for people already familiar with CSS concepts. It is best for newbies to the subject. I've looked at a lot of CSS books and I would rate this as one of the best I've ever read. Even better than the knowledgable Eric Meyer books. I prefer this author's style of writing compard to Eric's. However, Eric's books are more comprehensive and are better suited for taking you to the next level.
The biggest negative with this book is that there are numerous typos and errors. an astute reader may pick them out quite easily but it is a very poor reflection on the publisher and that is why I can only rate this book a 4.
Solid and Worthwhile Introduction to CSS.......2003-09-05
For someone new to CSS (and whose genes are not coded in hexadecimal), this is exactly the right book. Instead of providing a semi-random survey of a given technology or an exhaustive listing of its syntax (as so many other computer authors do), this author seeks to provide her readers with an understanding of that technology. Using clear and simple examples, she leads her readers through HTML, XHTML, and CSS in a way that provides a beginner with a solid foundation for understanding how best to approach web page design with CSS.
With this understanding in place, the reader will then be ready to move on to the "Technical Reference Manuals of CSS" that many of the other reviewers of this book seem to wish they had bought instead.
Beginners only - and wait for next edition.......2003-08-19
This book is very beautiful, printed on high quality paper, with high quality screen shots. But it is boring, by repeating the simplest things over and over. If you need to be guided by hand and can't remember what was written on the previous page, you need this book. If you have the slightest idea about CSS already you should put your money elsewhere.
This book could easily be 30% (or more!) smaller. Every sample is repeated, adding one new line to the styles or HTML at the time. Even dummy text is repeated: one half page dummy text is repeated four times! I didn't buy this book to read poetry (or whatever it is).
At the end of the book there's a display of the "gurus" web sites - but not a single line of CSS to show what they did to achieve this! The author doesn't even use her own web site as an example. She could have shown how she built it and why (assuming she knows...?)
I'm sure the author knows CSS inside out (much better than I do). But this book is not for designers nor for implementers. There are no useful, complete samples - a total of seven pages deal with "Experimenting with layout"!!!
Things that are not addressed in this book:
Using alternate style sheets
How to use :focus
The future of CSS - a heads up on CSS2 would have been nice.
How to use attribute selectors (the book says: "The level of control that can be gained by using this type of selector is quite amazing when you think about it". I thought about it, but still think the book should have shown me why it is so "amazing")
How to create ANY layout - you can find the two mentioned on the web in 0.01 second using Google.
Finally, Sybex did a poor job proof reading this book (if they did it!). Beginners should not (and can not?) find and correct errors in code. I wrote Sybex to tell them about 12 specific problems between page 43 and 83 (there are plenty more). They replied "Sorry you didn't like it."
Book Description
World Climbing: Images from the Edge is a visual celebration of modern technical climbing by one of the sport's leading photographers, Simon Carter. Without Hollywood tricks or special effects, Carter gives readers a good, hard, honest look at contemporary climbing at its finest. This extensive work features more than 90 climbers. Spanning 12 countries--Australia, Canada, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the U.S., each of the 29 climbing areas opens with an introduction highlighting its appealing details. This book covers climbing from its easiest to its hardest but above all its best. World Climbing is an extraordinary photographic odyssey that is as inspirational as it is beautiful. Rich color, unlikely perspectives, and dizzying heights combine to mesmerize spectators and transport them into another realm.
2006 Winner of the Banff Mountain Book Festival Competition Award for Best Book - Mountain Image
Books:
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- The Land of Mango Sunsets: A Novel
- The Living Trust : The Failproof Way to Pass Along Your Estate to Your Heirs
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- The Soul of Baseball: A Road Trip Through Buck O'Neil's America
- The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fulfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On
- Tickle His Pickle: Your Hands-On Guide to Penis Pleasing
- Till We Have Faces: A Myth Retold
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