SPIN Selling

Book Description

The international bestseller that revolutionized high-end selling!

Written by Neil Rackham, former president and founder of Huthwaite corporation, SPIN Selling is essential reading for anyone involved in selling or managing a sales force. Unquestionably the best-documented account of sales success ever collected and the result of the Huthwaite corporation's massive 12-year, $1-million dollar research into effective sales performance, this groundbreaking resource details the revolutionary SPIN (Situation, Problem, Implication, Need-payoff) strategy.

In SPIN Selling, Rackham, who has advised leading companies such as IBM and Honeywell delivers the first book to specifically examine selling high-value product and services. By following the simple, practical, and easy-to-apply techniques of SPIN, readers will be able to dramatically increase their sales volume from major accounts. Rackham answers key questions such as “What makes success in major sales” and “Why do techniques like closing work in small sales but fail in larger ones?”

You will learn why traditional sales methods which were developed for small consumer sales, just won't work for large sales and why conventional selling methods are doomed to fail in major sales. Packed with real-world examples, illuminating graphics, and informative case studies - and backed by hard research data - SPIN Selling is the million-dollar key to understanding and producing record-breaking high-end sales performance.

Customer Reviews:

A classic and one of the very best.......2007-09-02

SPIN is a classic, one of the books that revolutionized professional selling. It amazes me to read some of the negative reviews of this book posted here. Some of this I attribute to lack of knowledge of the history of our "profession," which bears few hallmarks of being a profession yet. Can you get a four year college degree in SELLING, the one thing every business must do well to survive, let alone prosper? Except for programs at a small handful of universities around the country, the answer is NO. Do we have peer-reviewed journals in our profession? NO. Do we have accepted standards and professional certification? NO.

What Neil Rackham, a behavioral researcher, did for selling was huge. He applied the techniques of research and analysis to our profession. Until then, no one could say definitively that "always be closing" was bad advice. But in business to business selling, in high-tech selling to educated professionals, the "ABC's of selling" is only one of many pieces of bad information that passed for "wisdom" before Rackham showed them up for what they were. Such sales tactics are the reason salespeople have been saddled with negative stereotypes.

Some reviewers condemn Rackham by saying that companies cited, such as Kodak, IBM, and Xerox have suffered business reversals since this book came out. Sorry folks, but good salespeople using good selling techniques will not, alone, save your company. MANY companies that were at the top of their industries in the 1970s and 1980s are either out of business or have suffered serious reversals in the years since. That is a different issue altogether, and if you are looking for explanations try STRATEGY books like "Good to Great" by Jim Collins or "Strategy" by Michael Porter. Someone on this site said that IBM's loss of computer business to other PC makers was evidence of the failure of SPIN...totally ridiculous. IBM passed on the operating system that became DOS, which in turn became the engine fueling MicroSoft's ascent to the heights. In hardware manufacturing IBM ignored lots of evidence that a paradigm shift was underway and PCs were becoming commodity items.

The negative reviewers are looking for a silver bullet in many cases: SPIN will not transform you into a president's club winner by reading it. It is how you apply and practice it that will enable your success. Becoming expert in the use of this simple framework requires work and thought. What Rackham showed us is that the WORDS we use are important, along with HOW WE USE THEM. We must understand THEIR goals and focus on being part of THEIR success if we are to be successful in a sustainable, long-term partnership. Also that we must not be manipulative or treat other people (aka "customers" or "prospects") in ways we would not want to be treated ourselves. The acronym "SPIN" was coined before Washington politicians gave the word the negatie connotation it now has.

SPIN is not the only good refenence book for salespeople, but it is a landmark book, the result of research that has not, to my knowlege, been replicated since. It should be a held in great esteem by any sales professional. Rackham's concept of an "Advance" as an objective way to measure the progress of a sales call is, alone, worth the price of this book.

By the way, I have been in sales for 30 years, as a salesperson, sales manager, and director of training for a Fortune 500 company. I still have a lot to learn. But one thing I do know: there is tremendous value in this book for any salesperson with an open mind and the desire to continue growing, learning and improving as a sales professional.

Highly effective technique in high-touch Sales.......2007-07-19

This book is a simple guide to improve your effectiveness as a sales professional in high-value direct enterprise sales situations. Regardless of culture and language, people on the other side of the table from a sales person have an instinctive judgment to mis-trust any characteristic that seems contrived or unnatural. Genuineness is a pre-requisite. Therefore, like with any sales theory, rote learning and implementation of the theory is futile. Having said that, internalizing the fundamental premise of this book in my everyday life as a sales-person has been rewarding over the years and across geographies, cultures, languages and types of product/service being sold.

SPIN selling goes well with approaches that talk about Values-Based Selling, Solution Selling and Rackham's own Major Account Sales Strategy.

Huthwaite (Rackham) has done a phenomenal job of monetizing this simple concept by way of selling sales training and books. However, you may find the book too "salesy" at times. It is common idiom with any good speech, presentation or book; first you tell them what you are going to tell them, then you tell them, then you tell them what you told them. The book does a great job of steps 1 and 3, but leaves you wanting more in step 2.

The basic concepts about stages of a sales call, focus on customer needs and benefits, situation-problem-implication-need-payoff line of questioning, objection handling/prevention, sound closing techniques and post-sales are well articulated. The promise of increasing effectiveness in "major sales" is largely fulfilled. However, the emphasis on "it's based on research" goes unsubstantiated for the most part. You find the author insisting that "it's based on research" and providing simplistic graphs "based on research" than actually providing rigorous insights into the research. It also does not help that business theory is presented as a first person narrative. Blurs that fine line between theory-based opinion and opinion-based theory.

All said, the technique is highly effective and serves as a great foundation for approaching sales calls at various stages in the cycle. I've found myself going back to this book multiple times over the years. Always a good sign for books that you want to own rather than just read once.

How to Ask the Questions that Lead to Sales Success.......2007-06-30

The sales guru Zig Ziglar once said "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care." To me, that means that you've got to understand people before you can persuade them. If you're to understand someone, they have to talk to you. And the best way to get them to talk is to ask questions. But are there some questions that are more highly correlated with successful selling than others?

Published in 1988 and still one of the best researched sales books on the market, SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham has the answer: Yes, some questions do increase your chances of sales success more than others. More importantly, these client interviews- what SPIN Selling calls the Investigation stage- have the greatest effect on the outcome of the sale. The book outlines the four types of questions that salespeople ask during the Investigation stage:

Situation: What is going on here? How do things work?

Problem (Pain Points): What are the problems you are experiencing?

Implication (Implied Needs): What effect do these problems have on results (cost, quality, delivery, customer service)?

Need-Payoff (Explicit Needs): What improvement in results could you make by resolving these problems with these specific capabilities (perceived value)? Are there other benefits? How important are these benefits to you?

(From page 91) "The SPIN model taps into the psychology of the buying process: buyers' needs move from Implicit to Explicit. The questions provide a roadmap for the seller guiding the call through the steps of need development until Explicit Needs have been reached. The more Explicit Needs you can obtain from buyers, the more likely the call will succeed."

Following the model gets customers to tell you how what you're selling helps them. It makes you partners instead of opponents in the value discovery process. And by helping clients develop the benefits in their own words, you avoid objections and make it easier for clients to sell internally for you.

Ultimate Sales Model for Business to Business Selling.......2007-06-25

I speak around the world on lead generation and SPIN Selling" to give you a roadmap on how to master business to business selling.

There is no other resource I can think of where you can "easily perfect" your selling approach and strategy.

Neil gives you step-by-step plan that anyone can follow in their quest to excel at selling their products or services.

The one caveat is I would adopt the "SPIN" Model to "SPAIN" with the "A" emphasizing "Agitate" to put more focus on what the problem is costing your prospect without your specific solution.

I would also add that the SPIN Field Book is a great resource.

Joe Heller, Trust Cycle Selling

Great book.......2007-06-09

Great Book. Good buy for any sales professional who has to use the phone at work.

Average customer rating:

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Selling Guide
Better than the standard Spin Selling Book
Practice makes perfect.
Nice book, but too easy after reading SPIN Selling
Indispensable part of the salesman's library

The SPIN Selling Fieldbook
Neil Rackham
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0070522359

Book Description

Strategies and tools that guarantee big-ticket sales!

Neil Rackham's national bestseller SPIN Selling revolutionized high-end selling. Now, The SPIN Selling Fieldbook shows you how to actually put into practice the proven tools and techniques outlined in that cutting-edge guide. After a review of the SPIN method of selling, Neil Rackham zeroes in on the critical SPIN® questioning behaviors. He shows you how to apply the tools and techniques to your own selling situation, using practical, skill-building exercises incorporated into each chapter. Addressing the sales of services as well as capital goods, the Fieldbook provides you with a hands-on implementation guide for applying SPIN in a wide range of businesses from localized companies to large multinationals. Real-life case studies of sales forces at leading-edge companies such as Motorola, Johnson & Johnson, and AT&T help you explore additional techniques that go beyond the basics to boost sales with even the toughest customers and clients.

Customer Reviews:

The Ultimate Step-by-Step Selling Guide.......2007-06-25

I speak around the world on lead generation and marketing strategy. Neil did an outstanding job crafting "The SPIN Selling Fieldbook" to give you a roadmap on how to master complex sales strategy.

There is no other resource I can think of where you can "easily perfect" your approach and positioning sales strategy.

Neil gives you step-by-step plan that anyone can follow in their quest to excel at marketing their products or services.

The SPIN Selling Fieldbook gives you valuable "hands on" tools. I recommend the "SPIN Selling Fieldbook."

It is an invaluable resource that any salesperson or sales executive should have in their personal library.

Joe Heller, Trust Cycle Selling

Better than the standard Spin Selling Book.......2007-06-09

This field book is better than the original book was. If you are going to buy just one of the two you should probably just buy the field book. It allows you to apply the ideas very quickly.

Practice makes perfect........2006-11-14

Usually is not enough to read a book to have the knowledge, you need to practice, and that is what this book helps to, giving you ideas on how to put SPIN method into practice.

Nice book, but too easy after reading SPIN Selling.......2006-08-09

I bought this book together with SPIN Selling. I read the Fieldbook after reading SPIN Selling. If you've already read SPIN Selling, this book is not going to tell you much new things.

If you would read the Fieldbook instead of SPIN Selling, then I think the Fieldbook is not thorough enough, at least if you compare it to SPIN Selling.

In general I think the audience of this book is perhaps college students, or clever highschool students, but not really experienced salespeople. Maybe that's also because of the cartoons every now and then which make the book look like it's meant for younger people.

What I expected when I bought both books was that the Fieldbook offerd some transcriptions of salescalls, and an explanation of why certain aspects are wrong and how this could be improved using SPIN Selling. This was not really the case, it was more like a simple summary of SPIN Selling. So not really the Fieldbook I expected.

Anyway, the book is not bad, but I would not recommend to buy both SPIN Selling and the Fieldbook together. Also, if you're a serious and experienced salesperson I would recommend SPIN Selling. If you're new to sales or if you're still in college, I would recommend the Fieldbook.

Indispensable part of the salesman's library.......2006-07-19

This book is a practical guide for implementing the principles learned in the original book about 'Spin selling', however it is not necessary to have read the other book to make good use of this one. I think the SPIN methodology is a most valuable contribution from Mr. Rackham to the field of large sales and this book gives sound help to implement it.

The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina

Average customer rating:

Too much sarcasm
BRAVO!! Succinct yet complete, and thoroughly absorbing.
Hubris Without Limits
Best Yet on Iraq and Bush
A Soldier is Surprised When He Wakes Up One Morning

The Greatest Story Ever Sold: The Decline and Fall of Truth from 9/11 to Katrina
Frank Rich
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 159420098X

Book Description

New York Times columnist Frank Rich examines the trail of fictions manufactured by the Bush administration from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina, exposing the most brilliant spin campaign ever waged.

When America was attacked on 9/11, its citizens almost unanimously rallied behind its new, untested president as he went to war. What they didn't know at the time was that the Bush administration's highest priority was not to vanquish Al Qaeda but to consolidate its own power at any cost. It was a mission that could be accomplished only by a propaganda presidency in which reality was steadily replaced by a scenario of the White House's own invention-and such was that scenario's devious brilliance that it fashioned a second war against an enemy that did not attack America on 9/11, intimidated the Democrats into incoherence and impotence, and turned a presidential election into an irrelevant referendum on macho imagery and same-sex marriage.

As only he can, acclaimed New York Times columnist Frank Rich delivers a step-by-step chronicle of how skillfully the White House built its house of cards and how the institutions that should have exposed these fictions, the mainstream news media, were too often left powerless by the administration's relentless attack machine, their own post-9/11 timidity, and an unending parade of self-inflicted scandals (typified by those at The New York Times). Demonstrating the candor and conviction that have made him one of our most trusted and incisive public voices, Rich brilliantly and meticulously illuminates the White House's disturbing love affair with "truthiness," and the ways in which a bungled war, a seemingly obscure Washington leak, and a devastating hurricane at long last revealed the man-behind-the-curtain and the story that had so effectively been sold to the nation, as god-given patriotic fact.

Customer Reviews:

Too much sarcasm.......2007-09-10

Too much sarcasm from start to finish. It's a far-left view of the Bush administration where author Frank Rich seems to be visibly upset at any Republican administration. He uses references to Jon Stewart's, The Daily Show along with Saturday Night Live numerous times to back his opinions on current political events. In my view, an author of his age background and experience should not have written this farcical, liberal montage of jabs at the office of the President of the United States. Better luck next time Frank.

BRAVO!! Succinct yet complete, and thoroughly absorbing........2007-08-23

By his piece-by-piece dismantling of the façade that is the Bush administration, Rich offers the most plausible and perhaps definitive explanation of Bush-Cheney-Rove & Co.'s rush to war, leaving an unparalleled trail of destruction - Manhattan, New Orleans, Iraq, our constitution and civil liberties, our treasury, our international prestige, and perhaps our way of life - so massive in scope we may never recover from the hubris, deception, cynicism, incompetence, and lawlessness wrought by this gang of crooks.

Approximately since LBJ, television has had the effect of focusing then magnifying the character flaws of our presidents, until, appropriately, professional actor Reagan came along and made the camera work for him. With personal guru Rove behind the curtain directing Bush's every move, word, and decision, W. shamelessly honed this skill to big-brother perfection, until the façade could no longer outpace the complete lack of substance - character, wisdom, intellect, ability - beneath. The consequences of Bush being so exceptionally unqualified for the ultimate responsibility he so unlikely attained became too much for even the Wizard to keep up the ruse. And it all came crashing down.

Rich also pays attention to the cultural context - our infinite indulgence for infotainment, the Enron values - that allowed these charlatans to lead us not just into temptation (endless wars, tax cuts and debt that will break us) but infernal damnation.

There's a case for impeachment and conviction on nearly every page. We can sit it out and pray that W. doesn't wreak more devastation before it's all over, or we can impeach him and Cheney now. That's assuming we can evict them both without them taking us down with them. More than Nixon and all the crooks before or since, these guys belong in prison.

Kudos to Rich for a thorough chronicle of our national nightmare since September 2001. Read it and weep for our country and all we've lost.

Hubris Without Limits.......2007-07-22

There can be little doubt that George W Bush is a lightweight. I can say this from a distance as I am not an American but simply an observer of events. It is a great shame that so many people judge America by his actions. This is most unfair. America is so much more than this simpleton.

I read "The Greatest Story Ever Sold" with keen expectations of gaining some insight to the machinations of American political life. Unfortunately, this was not to be the case. This book is very superficial. Even with the benefit of hindsight where we can see events with greater clarity than when they are actually unfolding, Frank Rich sheds little light on matters. This is unfortunate. He was working with such potentially great material.

We all know what a monumental error it was for Bush to land on an aircraft carrier with a "Mission Accomplished" sign in the background. This was hubris of immense proportions. A wiser head would never have been involved in such stupidity. I'm certain earlier presidents would have at least thought twice before going ahead. But not this man. His naivety is without bounds.

Where to now? Iraq seems like a giant vortex. Civil war has been unleashed and outsiders seem to hold no sway. Perhaps it is best to just stand back and let time determine an outcome.

Overall, Frank Rich's book has value only in so far as we are reminded of Bush's mendacity. But do we really need reminding? How could we forget?

Best Yet on Iraq and Bush.......2007-07-14

I've read one book after another in my effort to understand how America has gone so wrong so fast. This is the best, right up there with Fiasco and One Percent Doctrine. I look forward to Rich's next foray of book length and hope he will attack the most important and as yet unanswered question of this era --- in the face of a cheerleading national press corps, how did the American people nevertheless reject this war and its leaders even before Katrina,etc. had disclosed their utter incompetence, stupidity, and disdain for us all.....in the answer to this question lies the future of all that is decent in our nation.....

A Soldier is Surprised When He Wakes Up One Morning.......2007-06-20

Imagine if you were one of several soldiers wounded in the Iraqi war who woke up one morning to find that there was a letter to the editor in your newspaper that supported the war and had your signature on it, but you didn't write that letter, and knew nothing about it.. The letter was written by the PR team in your federal government. Or picture this: President Bush is standing at night in the now brilliantly lit Jackson square in New Orleans talking optimistically about the city. Well at least the square seems lit up nicely so we guess the electricity is back on. The speech ends, the flood lights go off, and the square is plunged into total darkness.

This is a book detailing how the government lied and created propaganda to further their cause in both the war, and in the aftermath of Katrina. It's a fascinating book because it follows a time line that shows clearly how the public comments made by public officials changed over time. In fact there is a 78 page time line appendix in the book that details these morphing statements date by date. The book tells about the fake reporters at press conferences, the fake news columnists, and the fake "news" articles that the government distributed to gullible media. As one government person stated, "we create our own reality." When Specialist Wilson asked Rumsfeld why he and his men didn't have adequate armor Rumsfeld said it was a matter of production and capability. That was a lie that was outed quickly when it was revealed that one supplier, ArmorWorks said it could quickly increase production by 100%. During the battle in Falluja we were told that there were 3000 Iraqi soldiers fighting the battle. Reporters on the scene said that the Iraqi soldiers showed up after the fighting was over, posed in their neat, clean uniforms and departed. Certainly you remember the frequent comments about the thousands of Iraqis that have been trained or are almost completely trained. Somehow they never seem to materialize.

You've probably heard a lot of this stuff, but Mr. Rich brings out the deceit of all the Washington shapeshifters in wonderful - or perhaps the word should be horrible - detail. You see the action flow, and learn about a lot of governmental skullduggery that will make you cringe. It's spellbinding reading.

Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War

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The disastrous results of self-assuredness and deficient critical thinking
A news story rehash
Bloated book with nothing new to offer
Important Stuff Missing
Atlas Shrugged

Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq War
Michael Isikoff , and David Corn
Manufacturer: Crown
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0307346811
Release Date: 2006-09-08

Book Description

March 2003: The United States invades Iraq.

October 2006: The world finds out why.

What was really behind the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq? As George W. Bush steered the nation to war, who spoke the truth and who tried to hide it? Hubris takes us behind the scenes at the Bush White House, the CIA, the Pentagon, the State Department, and Congress to answer all the vital questions about how the Bush administration came to invade Iraq.

Filled with new revelations, Hubris is a gripping narrative of intrigue that connects the dots between George W. Bush’s expletive-laden outbursts at Saddam Hussein, the bitter battles between the CIA and the White House, the fights within the intelligence community over Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction, the startling influence of an obscure academic on top government officials, the real reason Valerie Plame was outed, and a top reporter’s ties to wily Iraqi exiles trying to start a war. Written by veteran reporters Michael Isikoff and David Corn, this is the inside story of how President Bush took the nation to war using faulty and fraudulent intelligence. It is a news-making account of conspiracy, backstabbing, bureaucratic ineptitude, journalistic malfeasance, and, especially, arrogance.

Customer Reviews:

The disastrous results of self-assuredness and deficient critical thinking.......2007-10-03

Michael Isikoff and David Cron have put together a compelling, detailed report of the faulty case for going to war with Iraq. If you want to know the story behind the various pieces of faulty intelligence that the Bush administration used to sell the war, this is the book for you.

This is a great case study for what happens when arrogant self-assuredness is married to deficient critical thinking.

It may very well have turned out that we would have eventually had to go to war with Iraq. But there was no compelling reason to do it at the time we did, and the reasons the Bush administration cited for going to war were all faulty and the information to suggest it was faulty was available all along, just ignored.

A news story rehash.......2007-09-11

Unless you haven't read the newspapers for the last 4 years or so, this book is not worth the effort. A rehash of their and others work.

Bloated book with nothing new to offer.......2007-09-06

This title presents the reader with a basic rehash of public reported on stories regarding the administrations rush to war. After reading it, there was hardly anything new, rather there was a summary of all the events that took place regarding the WMD case and the subsequent investigations.

I have to say that the book made no compelling characters stand out, nor did it make anyone, aside from perhaps Karl Rove seem the bad guy. In fact it's annoying habit of making everyone seem equally guilty serves to cut hard edge out of the book. All in all I kept on reading expecting something new to come up or some succinct revelation to appear yet in the end all we saw was a rebroadcast of old news.

Important Stuff Missing.......2007-08-22

I see this is a best-selling book by two prominent journalists. It is shocking, then, that there is no mention in the book of either the "Downing Street Memo" from July 2002 which documents the fact that Bush, at least as far back is middle of 2002 (and many contend even earlier - when the Bushies came into office in January 2001 - wanting war with Iraq), had decided to go to war with the small details like the "cause" or "justification" for the war to be left up to the spin-meisters and Karl Rove.

Neither is the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) mentioned in the book. The PNAC is the Neo-Con, war-mongering think-tank which had advocated war with Iraq as far back as 1997-98.

It is sad that the Mainstream Media and the journalistic establishment has almost completely ignored the Downing Street Memo and the Project for a New American Century in their coverage and analysis of the Iraq war and the Bush administration. An even better book in this regard is Armed Madhouse: From Baghdad to New Orleans--Sordid Secrets and Strange Tales of a White House Gone Wild

Atlas Shrugged.......2007-08-15

Whatever you think of Mike Isikoff's ultimate contentions & analysis regarding the adventures of Team Bush in the Middle East, you gotta admit the title is just killer.

Isn't it? HUBRIS. Wow. Just---wow.

No, stay with me on this: think of your worst, most hated Enemy (no silly, I admire your partisanship you Kos-Sack you, but it can't be Bush---at least not for *this* little mind-exercise).

Now imagine that Enemy getting you fired at work, sneaking into your house & introducing the sneaky snake to your wife (or the Great Oscillating Cavern of Tempation to your hubby), then killing your cat, burning your house down, & dancing up and down on the ashes.

Got that in mind? Good: now consider the word you would come up with to describe your Enemy's actions. Got that word in mind? Yes? Now: honestly, would it be 'Hubris'?

Yes? Great! Keep reading.

Isikoff has cobbled together an unsurprising critique of Bush war policy, which centers in on the primary flaw of BUSHIDO: the Bush guys, unlike the Clinton guys, did something against Saddam Hussein and Islamic terrorists. Doing something in America these days---whatever it is---is dangerous. Risky.

This isn't really a nation of big tough he-men risking it all to make the world safe for big-D Democracy anymore: it's more like a bunch of trousered knats spending lotsa time flaunting their Lance Armstrong 'livestrong' love bracelets, cycling around in their girly-girly little tightpants, and jogging.

So as you can see, in the New America(tm), the old-fashioned BUSHIDO was doomed from the start. Isikoff's book is lovingly, brutally detailed, & pretty much supports the contention that Bush should have done absolutely nothing. Maybe lobbed a cruise missile or two 'over there', but that's about it. It's also boring.

But never mind that: if you don't groove on the title, you'll really be down with the cover art. Yeah, buy it for Reservoir Dogs-esque cover art. Dig it. Quentin Tarnantino couldn't have crafted a better shot of the BUSHIDO team ambling down a stretch of Dark Territory into the next big gunfight. You can just about hear the strains of "Little Green Bag" as Condi, W., Rummy, & 'Shotgun Dick' Cheney stride down the Road to pull off that one last Job, or to face down that Bad, Bad Man.

HUBRIS! The old Greek tragic flaw that brought down great heroes, like Oedipus, or Agisthus, or Agamemnon, or Jimmy the Greek.

HUBRIS! Fortunately Curious George's case of hubris isn't quite as nasty as, say, Oedipus, whose version of the old greek disease impelled him to whack Dad, nail Mom, and gouge his eyeballs out.

HUBRIS! But it's bad, evidently, really bad, because now we're mired in the much and quicksand and blood and sludge of Iraq, and the world really hates us, a stark turnaround from the morning of 9/11, when the Nasty Cowboy hadn't invaded anybody and the world loved us all.

Why not just say what you want to say, Isikoff? Why not just call your book "Axxholes"? Why 'Hubris'? Why weaken the whiskey? Why not just come out and say what you think, guys? How about "Dumbaxxes"? Or better still, "Lying Nazi Pigs"? Or better still, "Big Ugly Poopyheads"?

Isikoff brings the same eye for detail found in his book "Uncovering Clinton", back in the day when Isikoff was famous for rooting around in Bill Clinton's underwear drawer and saving fluid samples.

Fortunately, we don't get any stained blue dresses here, but we do get the usual whack-a-Bush talking points: basically 1) the Bush administration either manufactured evidence claiming Saddam had a WMD program; 2) All the Kings Men were either too sycophantic or too incompetent to investigate such claims and 3) consequently, we now find ourselves embroiled in the GREATEST MILITARY DISASTER OF ALL TIME! Yeah.

Anyhoo, though, there are a few mysteries raised by all of this Sturm Und Drang, signifying NICHT. Among them:

1)Alright, Isikoff skirts the line of calling Bush a liar, but only barely: the whole point of "Hubris" is that the Administration knew better---so if it wasn't mendacity they were guilty of, it was close to it. So Bush lied, fine.

But if you accept that---that Bush positively *knew* there were no WMDs in Iraq, and pushed for invasion anyway---then didn't he know the later revelation that Saddam didn't have a WMD program would make him look silly, or mendacious, or both? I mean, if he's gonna lie about the WMD program to begin with, why not have a couple of trusty guys in the black helicopters plant a few nukes on the scene, after the fact?

2)If the yardstick by which our success is measured is largely temporal---that is, our troops are still *there* dangit---then why are we still in Europe, Japan, & Korea? God knows Europe is a total basket-case, Japan is cranking out manga---have you seen that stuff, especially with the tentacles?---and they have Video-gamers Anonymous in Korea, so let's bring AlL the boys home, now!

3)Isn't it a bit of a stretch to contend that Saddam was a WMD virgin, given all the NOOK-lear proms in the region he'd gone too?

I guess that's one mystery too many for me. Poor planning, sure. But Greek Tragedy? I don't think so. I'm for readability, credibility, a touch of nerdability, and truth in advertising: a wonkish analysis would have been just fine in my book.

But from its stupid title, to its mind-bendingly dull writing, to its even duller thesis, to its complete lack of strategic imagination, "Hubris" gets a big fat "F". Or better yet, in the Greek spirit, "P." For Polymachus, Python, or Prometheus, you ask?

None of the above. For "Poop".

JSG

Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

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Very Informative
It is bible for understand NMR
Good NMR text
A must have for any aspiring NMR jockeys
Clear first introduction to NMR

Spin Dynamics: Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
Malcolm H. Levitt
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0471489220

Book Description

NMR spectroscopy is one of the most important and widely used techniques for the identification of compounds. Based on an established course this core text offers a truly modern and updated approach.

Provides a comprehensive introduction to the subject
Includes a multi-disciplinary approach, concentrating on basic principles and concepts
Contains chapters of worked examples and problems to encourage a fuller understanding of topics
Offers a pedagogical approach, starting with quarks and nucleons, and moving on to cover NMR imaging, COSY (Correlated Spectroscopy) and NOESY (Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy).

As a core subject in many science disciplines, this text will appeal to a wide range of students, as well as practising scientists and technicians. Assuming only a basic knowledge of complex numbers and matrices, it carefully and lucidly aids readers to fully understand this challenging subject.

Customer Reviews:

Very Informative.......2007-01-04

Coming from a purely Physics background, this book is great at explaining in simple English without sounding like it is talking to a complete idiot. I don't appreciate books that are condescending, and this one is not. Very good, well written, and highly recommended!

It is bible for understand NMR.......2006-11-10

It is a distinguished book for beginer to under stand NMR from theory to experiment step by step.

Good NMR text.......2004-10-05

This is an excellent text book written by a chemist. Author handles some of hardware stuff as well as physical chemistry of NMR based on quantum mechanics. This text provides us with clear pictures of NMR phenomena. Some detailed explanations about basic NMR pulse sequences are excellent for everybody who studies this field.

A must have for any aspiring NMR jockeys.......2004-01-18

For those studying biomolecules with NMR, the unofficial bible is of course the maroon colored Cavanagh book. Though this is an excellent book, it isn't the best suited book for beginners. This is where Levitt's book comes in: this is by far the kindest introduction to NMR that I have seen, with heavy emphasis on understanding the concepts first and the formalism later. The book is full of useful diagrams, detailed analogies, and exercises for the reader where other books only show equations. So borrows someone's Cavanagh first, and if you get stuck after 20 pages then order yourself a copy of Levitt and you won't be disappointed. If you already have studied NMR and are looking at how to apply it to proteins, then Cavanagh should suit you fine.

Clear first introduction to NMR.......2002-07-27

This book could simply be stated as an excellent attempt to introduce the foundations of NMR. It is a very good primer on all theoretical aspects that are essential to an understanding of the subject.
It offers a methodical, step-by-step approach. Useful tools and consistent terminology are the most attracting feature of this volume. It is well-illustrated; and controversial issues are highlighted in the "Notes" sections at the end of each chapter. It has illustrative problems at the end of each chapter, with solutions provided at the end.
Interestingly, the appendix covers many important aspects that are needed at a more advanced stage. Useful tools for the understanding of NMR are developed at appropriate stages. These include: the box notation for coherences, populations, density matrices and transitions; the origin of NMR spectra from individual coherence terms in the density matrix; origin of 2-D NMR signals as well as many important concepts in Fourier Transform NMR are described. The origins of relaxation enjoy a very readable and simplistic approach in the last chapter.
Whenever simplistic approximations are used, the author never claims of completeness or rigour. Distinction is made between terms that are physically correct and terms that are sometimes misleading, but enjoy widespread use in the NMR spectroscopy convention. The essential tools in quantum mechanics are outlined, product operator descriptions are used frequently and repetitively, that enhances understanding and provides more practice. Pictorial representations have been given where possible, a view-point beginners like myself find very useful.
One drawback, is a careful side-lining of the very important technique of using pulse-field gradients, although their cousin technique, named pulse-cycles is quite elaborately explained. I hope, the next issue of the book would also cover up this important technique.

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One of my favorite authors
Bolitar is Awesome !
Another Entertaining Bolitor Tale
Well Up To The Author's Usual Standard
Won Me Back

Back Spin (Myron Bolitar Mysteries)
Harlan Coben
Manufacturer: Dell
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0440222702
Release Date: 1997-07-07

Book Description

Kidnappers have snatched the teenage son of super-star golfer Linda Coldren and her husband, Jack, an aging pro, at the height of the U.S. Open. To help get the boy back, sports agent Myron Bolitar goes charging after clues and suspects from the Main Line mansions to a downtown cheaters' motel--and back in time to a U.S. Open twenty-three years ago, when Jack Coldren should have won, but didn't. Suddenly Myron finds him self surrounded by blue bloods, criminals, and liars. And as one family's darkest secrets explode into murder, Myron finds out just how rough this game can get.

In novels that crackle with wit and suspense, Edgar Award winner Harlan Coben has created one of the most fascinating and complex heroes in suspense fiction--Myron Bolitar--a hotheaded, tenderhearted sports agent who grows more and more engaging and unpredictable with each page-turning appearance.

Customer Reviews:

One of my favorite authors.......2007-09-29

I discovered Harlan Coben by buying his latest book, The Woods. I loved it and then went on the hunt for all thirteen of his previous novels, which includes his Myron Bolitar novels. Deal Breaker is the first one of that series (there are eight) written over 15 years ago. It took me a awhile but I found them all, including his stand alone novels. He is now one of my favorite writers along with, James Patterson, Richard North Patterson and Vince Flynn to name a few. You will not be disappointed in any of Harlan Coben books.

Bolitar is Awesome !.......2007-08-27

Harlan Coben spins a dramatic series with Myron Bolitar that out does Evanovich's Plum. It's intelligent and yet funny, funny. I intend to read the entire awesome Bolitar series.

Another Entertaining Bolitor Tale.......2007-07-17

As usual, Coben delivers an entertaining Myron Bolitor tale, this one set around golf. Interesting characters and plot twists abound as Myron tries to get to the bottom of the kidnapping of the son of Jack and Linda Coldren, both professional golfers.

The secondary story revolves around Jack's attempt to win the U.S. Open despite his son's kidnapping. In addition, by capturing the Open title, Jack would redeem himself by winning the very same tournament that he lost under mysterious circumstances many years before.

While Bolitor is a very engaging hero, his assistant Esperanza steals many scenes with her dead-on intuition and her wise-cracking style. The plot twists come fast and furious, but Coben may have overloaded the story with plot twists this time. A potential five star story dropped to four stars by having one or two unnecessary twists. Still a very entertaining read.

Well Up To The Author's Usual Standard.......2007-06-25

Harlan Coben continues to prove that he is one of the best thriller writers around at the moment. A page turner is a much used phrase but in this case it is really appropriate. The author's books are always so well structured and his character's well rounded. He is obviously comfortable with his style and ability and this transmits itself to the reader making the reading of his books sheer pleasure from start to finish. Coben has now got a string of best selling crime novels behind him and all I can say is that I hope he continues to write for many years to come. The author lives in New Jersey with his wife and four children.

For Myron Bolitar, sports agent, his client, superstar Linda Coldren comes first and if that means looking into the kidnapping of her son, so be it. He also knows that he might have to go tip toeing around people at the top of the food chain, so to speak. The boy was born and raised in top society , but he was last seen in a down town flea pit of a hotel in Philadephia.

Myron's search for the boy takes him to both sides of the social divide and when the family skeletons start to appear out of the closet Myron starts to find out how difficult life can be, even holding on to it is a mammoth task.

Won Me Back.......2007-05-13

I had read One False Move and enjoyed it but it didn't make me what to dive into the series. I likes this one a lot better. It kept moving and all the characters had important roles to play without becoming so intertwined that you couldn't tell them without a scorecard. I am a hard grader so 3 stars means a good read. There are actually some funny moments in the books as opposed to most jacket reviews that use words like zany and outragious without actually knowing what they mean. It was set in suburban Phila, my home area, so I was partial to the book from the start but that didn't color my opinion. I'm going to get some more Bolitar books.

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Not Free SF Reader
Wilson Gets Better and Better
Best. Science Fiction. Novel. Ever. (or at least in top five)
I Can't Wait For The Sequel
Good old hard SF is back!

Spin
Robert Charles Wilson
Manufacturer: Tor Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0765309386
Release Date: 2005-03-10

Book Description

One night in October when he was ten years old, Tyler Dupree stood in his back yard and watched the stars go out. They all flared into brilliance at once, then disappeared, replaced by a flat, empty black barrier. He and his best friends, Jason and Diane Lawton, had seen what became known as the Big Blackout. It would shape their lives. The effect is worldwide. The sun is now a featureless disk--a heat source, rather than an astronomical object. The moon is gone, but tides remain. Not only have the world's artificial satellites fallen out of orbit, their recovered remains are pitted and aged, as though they'd been in space far longer than their known lifespans. As Tyler, Jason, and Diane grow up, space probe reveals a bizarre truth: The barrier is artificial, generated by huge alien artifacts. Time is passing faster outside the barrier than inside--more than a hundred million years per day on Earth. At this rate, the death throes of the sun are only about forty years in our future. Jason, now a promising young scientist, devotes his life to working against this slow-moving apocalypse. Diane throws herself into hedonism, marrying a sinister cult leader who's forged a new religion out of the fears of the masses. Earth sends terraforming machines to Mars to let the onrush of time do its work, turning the planet green. Next they send humans....and immediately get back an emissary with thousands of years of stories to tell about the settling of Mars. Then Earth's probes reveal that an identical barrier has appeared around Mars. Jason, desperate, seeds near space with self-replicating machines that will scatter copies of themselves outward from the sun--and report back on what they find. Life on Earth is about to get much, much stranger. Wilson has become one of the most exciting talents in SF todayIn Spin, he outdoes himself, juggling numerous philosophical, moral and scientific ideas, including a fascinating Martian civilization created by humans, but he never neglects the emotional underpinnings of what the Spin comes to mean to humanitySpin to paraphrase Bogie, is the stuff that (SF) dreams are made of. -- The Globe and Mail "Like most of Wilson's books, Spin is an intelligent and inventive page-turner, with compelling characters and enough surprises to keep readers guessing right to the end. I recommend it highly." -- The Times-Colonist

Customer Reviews:

Not Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

This really is pretty good, complete with 'holy crap' moment at the end.

The Earth is cocooned in a pocket of slow time, why?

Large scientific effort goes into looking at the problem, seen through the eyes of 2 of 3 childhood friends.

Naturally, all sorts of religi0ns go whacko, and religi0us whackos spring up, given the possible immiment death of the Earth, due to time differentials with the Sun.

This book is a lot more focused on a few characters, though, even a Martian.

Wilson Gets Better and Better.......2007-08-20

"Spin" follows three main characters for several decades after an unexplainable astrophysical event envelops the Earth within a temporal shroud. The stars are gone just like that, and time beyond the shroud--beyond the "Spin"--is advancing much more rapidly than time on Earth. This opens up some incredible opportunities for exploration, when, due to the time slip, a slow-moving rocket to another planet or into the far galaxy will have arrived and returned data within minutes of its launch. Also interesting and well thought out is the fatalistic psychology of the people on Earth, especially within the generation raised during the "Spin" who have never known any other way of life.

Robert Charles Wilson's early books described some fascinating science but his characterizations and plot development were weak. Wilson's skill has improved with each new book, though, and I believe that "Spin" is his best book yet. Not only does his science force the reader to think, but his characterizations are very strong and he has finally constructed an ending that is satisfying and complete; one that leaves open the opportunity for a new series.

Best. Science Fiction. Novel. Ever. (or at least in top five).......2007-07-15

_Spin_ by Robert Charles Wilson is the best. Science fiction novel. Ever. Yes, I mean that. I would put it up against _Dune_ , _A Fire Upon the Deep_, and _Ender's Game_, it is that unbelievably good. Or if it is not the best one ever, it definitely belongs in the top five.

Bold words I know and I run the risk of overselling the book but this novel is what other science fiction novelists should aspire to create. It has everything.

The basic premise - no spoilers here, you can get this from the back cover of the book - is that one October night the three main characters, three adolescents, Diane and Jason Lawton (fraternal twins) and their best friend Tyler Dupree are out on the lawn stargazing when the Moon and stars disappear, the sky become a flat black. Rushing inside, they learn that all satellite communications have been lost and the world is in a panic. News from the other side of the world is hard to come by, and the three wait with trepidation to see if the Sun will even rise in the morning.

It does, but it is a strange sun, an almost generic Sun, a perfect one without evidence of solar flares, prominences, or sunspots. An idealization of a Sun.

It becomes clear to the government, military, and scientists that a planet-spanning shield, a membrane, has been erected around the globe, completely blocking sight of the stars and Moon from the people of the Earth. The Sun that that people see, that is still driving the world's weather, ecology, and agriculture, is a simulacrum; for all intents and purposes, the real Sun but upon study obviously not an actual star.

It gets stranger though. The Spin membrane (the event comes to be called the Spin) has two highly unusual properties. One, it has produced a huge time discontinuity; for every second that passes on Earth, something like 3 years passes outside the membrane. Two, the membrane is selectively permeable. As obviously the Earth would be fried if 3 years of sunlight hit the planet every second, the "Sun" is a filtered representation of actual sunlight. Similarly, the planet is protected from similar accumulations of cosmic radiation. However, the membrane is permeable to manmade items, both coming and going. This is in fact how the unique temporal properties of the membrane were discovered, as survivors of the International Space Station fell to earth the first night of the Spin but claimed that they had been orbiting a frightening, black, blank world for three weeks! At first kept secret, this does eventually get out to the public.

The novel follows the next 30-odd years of history after the creation of the Spin membrane through the eyes of the three main characters. Each tackles the brave new era in his or her own way, each in ways that thoroughly flesh out the character, are true to the characters personalities and desires, and illuminate different aspects of the Spin Earth. Jason devotes his life to unraveling the mysteries of the Spin, trying to understand who did, what it means, and how to defeat it. Diane instead embraces religion, joining a different segment of the population who is trying to come to terms with the event through spiritual means. Tyler is in some sense the outsider, the unattached one, in the outside looking in as a child and still as an adult. He becomes a physician and travels between the two worlds, Diane's and Jason's.

The novel is also a love story, as Tyler nourishes strong unrequited love for Diane, who herself has strongly conflicted feelings for him in turn. As events in the Spin unfold, Diane and Tyler almost connect again and again but events in their personal lives - irrevocably tied up in the Spin - keep them apart.

It is an also an end of the world story. As 30-odd years pass on Earth, 300 billion years pass outside the Spin membrane. During that time the Sun has swollen and would be lethal to life on Earth if the membrane were to disappear. Instead of the Spin being seen as a prison, it instead becomes the only thing keeping humanity alive. But for how long? Will the membrane disappear, the Earth left to the blazing and merciless fury of a senescent Sun, the oceans boiling away, all life turned to cinders and ash? Or is something else in store? Humanity - and the main characters - struggle with the issue.

The novel continually adds surprises, with developments in the characters personal lives, how the world reacts to the Spin, and the absolutely fascinating and exciting things that are done to study and fight against the Spin, wonderful things that have you exited as you read them, going to yourself, "wow, I never thought of that." So many things happen, things I would love to tell you about, but I won't. Get the book and read it. Now. This is epic science fiction. This has fantastic writing. This has incredibly well-done characters. And it has a mind-blowing ending. Oh, and a sequel, _Axis_, due out in September, which I plan to get.

I Can't Wait For The Sequel.......2007-07-05

This book is high concept in the true meaning of the word, which is to say that it's literally a world stopper. One night the stars go out, all of them, because it turns out that an advanced alien race has put Earth inside a time shell for reasons of their own. It takes a while for people to figure this out, and meanwhile there is chaos and the economy goes to hell and new religions. The book follows Tyler Dupree, a doctor whose in the thick of things because he's best friends with a brother and sister who will ultimately solve the riddle of what's happening if not actually fix the problem itself. Time outside the shell is moving normally and millions of years pass outside while on Earth it's only been a few years, and the Sun is aging, and there are secrets and conspiracies and surprises. I won't tell you what, except to say that the entire book is great, very originial and real and suprising. The sequel should be amazing!

The Hoff

Good old hard SF is back!.......2007-07-05

This is my first Wilson novel and I really enjoyed it. He is an excellent hard Sci-Fi author. Together with Robert J. Sawyer, they are two of the best science fiction writers on the market. Finally some quality hard Sci-Fi, up to the height of the good old masters of the genre. They both are as good as Arthur Clarke (in his best times), lots of innovation and clever extrapolation of hard science.

Wilson's imagination and creativity are unlimited. The plot is rich on modern scientific knowledge regarding astrophysics and biology. Relativity, the evolution of the universe after billions of years, seeded life on another planet (man made panspermia), terraforming, evolution in another planet, genetic engineering, synthetic biology, von Newmann machines, you name it, everything with scientific accuracy and detail, and a huge dose of imagination. And for those readers who always complain about Sci-Fi typical cardboard characters, Wilson produced some flesh and blood characters, description of the scenery is detailed and even a love story is central to the plot. But probably this is not so good for most die-hard fans of the genre, because as a result of his "improved" writing, the pace is slowed down to the point of boredom. For fans of hard SF a plot based purely on clever extrapolation of scientific facts is more important than characters, romance and literary value. Anyway, from time to time you can skip entire paragraphs and still follow the plot. The novel is good for both types of readers.

And for those who enjoyed "Spin", look forward for "Axis", due in September 2007. The adventure continues in Equatoria. It seems the Hypotheticals will be back with some novelties. The paperback version I bought has a little excerpt at the end of the book. I am looking forward to read this new one and some more of Wilson's novels.

Strips 'n Curves: A New Spin on Strip Piecing

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Strips and Curves
Beautiful creative fun!
Extraordinary beauty where least expected
Strips N' Curves
Excellent instructions

Strips 'n Curves: A New Spin on Strip Piecing
Louisa L. Smith
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1571201688

Book Description

Get ready for Louisa Smith's innovative new quiltmaking technique, and see basic strip piecing in a whole new light! The combination of straight lines and gentle curves helps you create zingy, one-of-a-kind quilts that look complicated but are simple to construct. Through three complete quilt projects, Smith shows you, step by step, how to draft your own curved templates, choose colors, lay out blocks that give your quilt drama and contrast, and more. You'll be hooked before you know it!

Customer Reviews:

Strips and Curves.......2006-11-07

This book is really good. It shows and explains things very well. I was in a group of people doing a class with this book and templates. It went well. Everyone's was different. And no one was having any problems understanding how it all worked. :)

Beautiful creative fun!.......2006-08-10

I have seen several wallhangings made from this book and the other Strips N Curves version and they are stunning. Each quilt is unique and leaves you looking into them for a long time trying to figure out how they did that. I haven't made one yet but am going to.
sincerely, LP

Extraordinary beauty where least expected.......2006-02-23

I live in Singapore. I purchased this book for my friends who had taken the class with me. We are all making second quilts we had so much fun. This book allows the quilter to use fabric pieces to advantage, esp those that might not be the right color or print for the quilt originally purchased for. Every quilt is unique. They are beautiful with monochromatic or complimentary color schemes. My favorites are the brights.

Strips N' Curves.......2005-09-30

Beautifully illustrated, well done instructions to make some very striking quilts. Had taken a class based on this book - I was very impressed with the outcome and not difficult at all.

Excellent instructions.......2005-09-12

Very pleased with Stripes N Curves. Instructions are very good, lots of in color examples and step by step instruction. Can't wait to start one of the quilts. Excellent way of using up pieces from my large stash.

Average customer rating:

Excellent
Essential for grad students in geometry/topology

Spin Geometry. (PMS-38)
H. Blaine Lawson , and Marie-Louise Michelsohn
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691085420

Book Description

This book offers a systematic and comprehensive presentation of the concepts of a spin manifold, spinor fields, Dirac operators, and A-genera, which, over the last two decades, have come to play a significant role in many areas of modern mathematics. Since the deeper applications of these ideas require various general forms of the Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem, the theorems and their proofs, together with all prerequisite material, are examined here in detail. The exposition is richly embroidered with examples and applications to a wide spectrum of problems in differential geometry, topology, and mathematical physics. The authors consistently use Clifford algebras and their representations in this exposition. Clifford multiplication and Dirac operator identities are even used in place of the standard tensor calculus. This unique approach unifies all the standard elliptic operators in geometry and brings fresh insights into curvature calculations. The fundamental relationships of Clifford modules to such topics as the theory of Lie groups, K-theory, KR-theory, and Bott Periodicity also receive careful consideration. A special feature of this book is the development of the theory of Cl-linear elliptic operators and the associated index theorem, which connects certain subtle spin-corbordism invariants to classical questions in geometry and has led to some of the most profound relations known between the curvature and topology of manifolds.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent.......2001-12-22

Who would have known that the equation discovered by P.A.M. Dirac in the 1920's would have the enormous appllications to mathematics that it currently has. This book is an excellent overview of these applications, written by two individuals who are responsible for the development of many of these. Dirac's theory of course had its origins in physics, and physicists, particularly those working in high energy physics, will find this book interesting and helpful.

The authors give a brief introduction and then move on to the representation theory of Clifford algebras and spin groups in chapter 1. The reader can see the origin of Clifford algebras and an introduction to the Pin and Spin groups. Clifford algebras are classified as matrix algebras over the real or complex numbers, and the quaternions. It is the representation theory of Clifford algebras however that has resulted in the impressive results outlined in the book Noting that the tensor product of Clifford algebras is not necessarily a Clifford algebra, the authors introduce a Z(2)-grading on a Clifford algebra, which results in a multiplicative structure in the representations of Clifford algebras. The Lie algebras of the Pin and Spin groups are discussed along with applications to geometry and Lie groups. By far the most interesting discussion though is on K-theory, which allows one to define a ring structure on vector bundles. Distinguishing a base point in the base space, relative K-groups are defined, and shown to be equal for the base space and its i-fold suspension. Bott periodicity results are stated but their proof is delayed until chapter 3. A detailed discussion is given of the Atiyah-Bott-Shapiro isomorphism and KR-theory.

The connection between spin and differential geometry is discussed in chapter 2. The first few sections is a review of standard results in the spin structure of vector bundles, such as Stiefel-Whitney classes and spin cobordism. For Riemannian vector bundles, each fiber has a quadratic form that gives rise to a Clifford algebra on the fiber. The question as to when a vector bundle over the Riemannian base space can be found that has fibers each an irreducible module over this Clifford algebra leads to a consideration of spin manifolds and spin cobordism, when the total space is chosen to be the tangent bundle. The Dirac operator acting on a bundle over this Clifford bundle allows the construction of all the standard elliptic operators such as the signature, Atiyah-Singer, and the Euler characteristic. The authors discuss these constructions in detail along with the notion of of Cl(k)-linear operators.

The Dirac operator can be viewed in Euclidean space as the square root of a Laplace operator, but over general manifolds it is the Laplacian with a correction term dependent on the curvature and Clifford multiplication. The Bochner vanishing theorems are discussed in great detail, along with the results on the existence of exotic spheres.

An entire chapter is spent on index theorems, wherein the authors present the results in terms of the approach used by Atiyah and Singer, instead of the heat kernel methods of Gilkey and Patodi. Physicists might prefer the later approach, due to its connections with applications, but the abstract K-theory approach undertaken by the authors is elegant and their presentation is excellent. The role of physics in index theorems is a fascinating one though, especially the use of supersymmetry to simplify the proofs of some of the results. The authors do not discuss this approach, but point out, interestingly, that it does not work when one is dealing with torsion elements in K-theory. These cannot be detected using cohomology nor can the modulo-two invariants appearing in the index theorems be computed from local densities.

The last chapter is a long one and discusses applications in differential topology and geometry, emphasizing index thoerems and Riemannian manifolds of positive scalar curvature. The authors outline just when the indexes are integers (the integrality theorems) and use spin geometry to discuss the immersion problem for manifolds and the vector field problem. Exotic n-spheres again make their appearance, wherein it is shown that some of these have very few symmetries and are very asymmetric objects. A short introduction to elliptic genera is given. Interestingly, C*-algebras are briefly mentioned as tools to decide whether for every compact spin manifold with positive scalar curvature all higher A-genera must be zero. Spin-c manifolds are not treated, the authors instead concentrating their attention to Kahlerian geometry. In this context the Clifford algebra multiplication has a beautiful relationship with the complex structure. A brief discussion is given of the pure spinors of Cartan and twistor spaces. The theory of holonomy and calibrations, the later due to one of the authors, is discussed in great detail. The discussion begins in the consideration of when universal covering spaces are not Riemannian manifolds and their holonomy groups have been classified. The idea of a calibration arises from the consideration of submanifolds that are homologically volume-minimizing. These become calibrations when the integrals of p-forms on them are the volumes, and these p-forms have vanishing differentials on oriented tangent p-planes on the manifold. The authors give an interesting discussion of the relation between spinors and calibrations.

Essential for grad students in geometry/topology.......1998-12-23

As a graduate student in mathematics I survived on this encyclopedic work. Anyone interested in differential geometry or differential topology will eventually need something in this book.

Prerequisites are graduate-level algebra and analysis, and some topology and differential geometry. He introduces the subject of pseudodifferential operators and Sobolev spaces, but it's easy to get lost in that part unless you first read Shubin's book "Pseudodifferential operators and Spectral theory". Also, the quick shuffling of Lie group information can be disheartening if you're not used to it. Harvey's book "Spinors and Calibrations" is a more elementary book if this is the case.

This book touches on many important topics like the Atiyah-Singer Index Theorem, the Bochner method, Riemann-Roch, and mathematical physics, but you will probably want to supplement your reading with individual books on each of these topics.

Average customer rating:

no spin zone

Tells it like it is!

YAY! More condescending tones and hipocracy please!

Another A+ for O-Reilly

no!

The No Spin Zone: Confrontations with the Powerful and Famous in America
Bill O'Reilly
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, the Bad, and the Completely Ridiculous in American Life

Who's Looking Out for You?

Who's Looking Out for You?

Culture Warrior

The O'Reilly Factor for Kids: A Survival Guide for America's Families

ASIN: 076790849X
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Book Description

Bill O’Reilly is even madder today than when he wrote his last book, The O’Reilly Factor, and his fans love him even more. He’s mad because things have gone from bad to worse in politics, in Hollywood, in every social stratum of the nation. True to its title, The No Spin Zone cuts through all the rhetoric that some of O’Reilly’s most infamous guests have spewed to expose what’s really on their minds, while sharing plenty of his own emphatic counterpoints along the way.

Shining a searing spotlight on public figures from President George W. Bush and Senator Hillary Clinton to the Reverends Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to his former CBS News colleague Dan Rather, The No Spin Zone is laced with the kind of straight-shooting commentary that has made O’Reilly the voice of middle America’s disenfranchised.

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On the heels of his runaway New York Times bestseller (more than one million copies in print) Bill O'Reilly delivers another strong dose of no-holds-barred advice for America.

Bill O'Reilly is even madder than when he wrote his mega-bestseller The O'Reilly Factor—and his fans love him even more. He's mad because things have gone from bad to worse, in politics, in Hollywood, in every social stratum in the nation. True to its title, The No Spin Zone cuts through all the rhetoric that some of O'Reilly's most infamous guests have spewed to expose what's really on their minds, while sharing plenty of his own emphatic counterpoints along the way.

Shining a searing spotlight on everyone from Dubya to Susan Sarandon to Chyna to Dick Morris, The No Spin Zone is laced with the kind of straight-shooting commentary that has made O'Reilly the voice of middle America's disenfranchised. Examining Medicare with the same feistiness as the death penalty (which he opposes), The No Spin Zone delivers not only O'Reilly's opinion, but the documented attitudes of the country's movers and shakers as well. It demonstrates just why O'Reilly has become the most successful, the most controversial, the most beloved (by some), and the most disliked (by others) figure in television news today—and a culture hero to tens of millions of everyday Americans. And that's fact, not spin.

"[O'Reilly] is the Real McCoy. He's the best reporter I've seen in years . . . He is smart, well-read, has good values . . . and he is fearless in picking targets."
   NEWSDAY

"This explosive anchor can be articulate, bombastic, scornful, witty, iconoclastic, passionate, persuasive, and sarcastic."
   PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

"[O'Reilly's] brand of hard-nosed, regular-guy TV talk is here to stay."
   NEWSWEEK

"[The No Spin Zone] vibrates with O'Reilly's gruff Irish wit and elbows-on-the-bar social criticism."
   ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION

Customer Reviews:

no spin zone.......2007-09-20

Bill wrote a great book.No Spine Zone was terrific.My grandma read it to me and explained and answered my questions.
Thanks Bill for a great book.

Tells it like it is!.......2007-07-28

Nothing to do with politics people, just look at what he says. He tells it how it is, not trying to produce well crafted lies in order to make you think he knows what is best for you (libtards) yeah. So if you do not like living here then hop on a raft and paddle to CUBA!! Seriously, if you hate America so much, get to paddling! Bill does not say it is perfect, he just shows how stupid some of these powerful and famous people are. I wish someone would sneeze in Rosie's soup though she is getting annoyed.

YAY! More condescending tones and hipocracy please!.......2007-04-09

I absolutely loved Bill's use of alcohol to aid his research for this book! I think that Mr.O'Reilly is an icon of our time: a working class man who fights for the people. And by people I mean other $2000-suit-wearing, hypocritical conservatives who phone in lewd messages to their co-workers and who somehow still manage to have a show that attracts millions of other sheep every day. He truly has helped me see the light such as informing me about how hip-hop is the worst part of America, even though my original thought was that it might be overpaid douchebags who need to stop complaining about the constitutional cornerstones such as freedom of speech while declaring themselves patriots who fight for the people. Thanks for clearing that up once again Bill. O'Reilly in '08!

Another A+ for O-Reilly.......2007-03-23

Full of insightful information. Even when his critics are quite harsh, he shares positive statements about them as well as offering his perspective on the matter. Highly recommended, but only conservatives will enjoy it. Secular progressives will use it to take quotes out of context and spin them to use against him. Typical M.O. of S-P's.

no!.......2006-06-08

Bill, when will you just die?

if you read this feel free to email me
evan.fett@gmail.com

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