Book Description
A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game.
The award-winning first book in the Learn to Play Go series by Janice Kim 1 dan and Jeong Soo-hyun 9 dan, two masters of the 4,000-year-old Asian game of strategy. Takes the complete beginner step-by-step all the way to playing real Go in one afternoon. Suitable for kids, demystifying for adults. Includes a complete Go set with 9x9, 13x13, and 19x19 playing grids and punch out
Customer Reviews:
Loved it.......2007-09-19
Great book! Helps you progress quickly with many examples and exercises. I intend to buy every book in the series!
A great help.......2007-06-08
This book has been everything I had hoped for in a beginners tutorial. It presents a little bit of an over view of how the game ought to be played plus some simple down-to-earth techniques. As a bonus, it includes a paper board and stones so the student can examine the techniques (or even play a full game).
I haven't fully digested the book but I'm playing better, already.
A great way to introduce yourself to the game of go........2007-03-23
This book steps through all of the basic strategy of Go. It is well illustrated and written in clear and understandable terms. I reference this book and the others in the series constantly.
My only critque is that, as a series, the books tend to be a bit repetitive and do not delve much into more complicated strategy.
clear but not filling.......2007-03-23
The book is very easy to read. This might be an advantage or a disadvantage., depending on your needs.
(I'm not quite a beginner, so I bought the book number 5.)
Many pages just contain one diagram, which is fine, but does not make for a lot of content.
If you're a serious reader, I'd rather recommend "Elementary Go" series by Kiseido
Learn To Play Go Easily.......2007-02-01
Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-hyun have made and excellent book. I had wanted to play go for a long time, yet I did not know what book to choose. Learn to Play Go: A Master's Guide to the Ultimate Game was very helpful.
The book is organized into chapters, and at the end of each chapter, there are some problems for you to try yourself. The book is very easy to understand, and you feel very satisfied when you successfully answer a question.
You don't have a go board? No problem. There is a go set inside. It has a reversable mat with a 19 by 19, 13 by 13 and a 9 by 9 board. There are also 'stones' made out of a thick paper.
This instructional book has everything from ko and life and death, to information about go history and playing go on the computer. If you have never played go before, definately buy this book.
Book Description
The Way of the Moving Horse.
The second volume of the Learn to Play Go series. Fundamentals of good play. Teaches you how to choose the right moves according to the Korean school's strength vs. speed model. Includes a Go on the Internet section that helps you get on-line quickly, giving you access to a wealth of information, and the world's largest Go club, the Internet Go Server.
Customer Reviews:
Go!!.......2007-01-05
I purchased this for my nephew who has developed a passion for Go. I gave it to him but he issued a challenge at the board. Woefully out of practice, I read the book. Both he and I agree, the book is terrific. It is clear and concise. We both will be moving the next volumes.
Excellent introduction.......2006-11-25
Being new to playing Go, I found this book to be extremely helpful. It's simple but effective explanation of the three core phases of the game acts as a fantastic introduction to some of the most essential elements of play. A lot of concepts that were a bit hazy with me came into concrete solidity after reading through this book. I've read a lot of free instructional material on the internet, but Kim's coverage of the same material in this book is far more clear than any of those free sources.
Excellente présentation.......2005-10-24
Ce livre s'adresse aux débutants (genre 20 kyu) qui souhaitent améliorer leur technique de jeu. Il est très bien présenté et agréable à lire. Un avantage très pratique: la plupart des séquences de coups présentées sont courtes et peuvent être étudiées sans Go-Ban. Je vais acheter les volumes suivants en espérant qu'ils sont de même qualité.
This is the way to Go.......2005-01-17
Suppose you wanted to learn to play chess or bridge. Well, you would ask people to tell you the rules. And you would improve just by trial and error. But you might also need something you could use for a textbook or reference that would guide you through the steps to become more than a beginner. That's true in Go as well.
One problem with Go is that it is often hard for a beginner to have any idea what the score is. In bridge, you know the score. In chess, you can see if you are ahead in material. In Go, it is tougher to see how you are doing. It makes it that much more confusing for an untrained beginner.
And that is where we come to books on Go for the beginner. There are a variety of introductory books, such as the ones by Cho Chikun, or Kaoru Iwamoto, or Richard Bozulich, or Peter Shotwell (not to mention older ones such as those by Otto Korscheldt, or Edward Lasker, or Kaku Takagawa, or Arthur Smith). Some are by famous Go champions, some are not. But one can read any of these books carefully, play a few games, and still be a very weak player.
For a set of books that can take one from a complete beginner, teach one the rules, and get one to single-digit kyu strength (or close to it), I like Janice Kim's 5-volume set the best. And this is the second volume in it (second edition, 1998).
I think these books teach the fundamentals better than the other books I mentioned. In this book, one learns about making bases, running with attacked stones (that moving horse!), invading and reducing territory, and a little about attacking and defending. I liked the example of a ko fight where one side runs out of ko threats but still comes out ahead (although losing the ko) because the winning ko threat was to try to escape from a ladder (adding stones to the ladder was worth as much as the ko). And I liked the emphasis on preventing the "tiger's mouth" formation as a fundamental concept of contact fighting.
This book is really easy to read: one does not even need a Go board to understand it. And I thought it was a good idea for Kim to refer to White (generally the stronger player) as "she," and Black as "he."
The first book in this series is for total beginners, and it teaches the rules of the game. That material can be absorbed very quickly. After that, this book ought to be easily readable for anyone who is interested in the game.
Excellent second book of go.......2003-02-20
This was the second book I purchased for learning go (the first was Charles Matthew's 'Teach Yourself Go'). For the beginner, Go can be somewhat frustrating to get into. There is a plethora of books that will teach you the basic rules, but these can also be learned from a variety of web sites.
After these, the average beginner knows the rules, but not how to actually play. An opponant will play a stone right next to one of theirs, and they don't know how to respond... do I play above it? or on the other side? do I ignore it and play another hoshi (star point)?
This book teaches the reader about making jumps (how to expand on territory you're claiming or keep from being captured), base extensions (in order to stake out territory), and the basics of ko fights and contact fighting (what happens when stones are played right next to each other). If you've done a bit of playing and problem solving online, I would recommend picking up the next book in this series at the same time. As soon as you finish this book, you'll begin to see more patterns in games and understand that there is more you should be seeing behind the moves. As a result, you will probably want to study the game more, and the next book is really still a mid-level book.
My only complaint about the book would have to be just that. The niche it fills, for the reader who has learned the rules but isn't ready for serious study of go patterns yet, isn't filled unless you have both the second and third book in this series. These probably should have been published as one larger book. That notwithstanding, it's an excellent second (and third) book of Go.
As a side note, while the fourth book in this series is quite interesting, it is not as much of a prerequisite for studying other books, such as the Elementary Go Series, as book II and III.
Book Description
Jerry Rice has been called the best pro football player ever. In spite of Rice’s legendary gridiron skills, or even his ability to transform himself into an instant ballroom-dance prodigy on ABC’s hit TV series Dancing with the Stars, the surprising fact is, a guy like Jerry Rice is made and not just born. In Go Long! Rice shares the inspirational lessons and empowering practices that have helped him attain success, both on the football field and off. Through the ups and downs of Rice’s life and incomparable career, we discover how self-motivation, determination, and humility are the keys to achievement and true fulfillment.
It’s been a long journey for Jerry Rice, from his childhood in Starkville, Mississippi, to a certain berth in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a kid, he was always working toward something, even if he wasn’t sure what it was. Rice honed his hand-eye coordination by catching airborne bricks tossed by his siblings while on the job with their bricklayer father, and he ran–everywhere. From these humble beginnings, Rice blazed a path to greatness in college and the NFL–a trip that was fueled by tireless effort and belief in a few simple principles, among them that achievement is a voyage, not a destination; that modesty and perseverance, not talent, are what determine how far you will go; and that everyone should strive to be a role model. Rice even demonstrates these rules in action, breaking down the greatest games from his stellar career.
Go Long! is an inspiring book by a living sports legend. More than that, however, it is the story of how Jerry Rice awakened the champion within, illustration how we can unlock the greatness within ourselves.
Customer Reviews:
thumbs up.......2007-07-09
A quick read. Nothing too heavy. I'm a huge Niners fan and it was good to hear Rice talk about his career. The drive he had while playing and training is inspiring.
OK Typical Sports Bio.......2007-06-30
I enjoyed the book, but do not expect great writing or insights. This is one of those obligatory autobios that sports figures feel they have to write for their fans. I'd have liked to read more about Rice's growing up in MS. His coments on various fellow sprts stars was fun to reqd. ( He doesn't believe Barry Bonds either ). Quick read. Solid three stars.
Great book!.......2007-05-12
this was a great book, i rarly read but when i found out Jerry wrote a book I knew i'd have to have it. It was a very quick read, took me only 2 weeks to finish. It's also opened my eyes to the NFL and the way it works. One of the best books ive read
Good Story for the Non-Football Fan.......2007-04-01
Not every football memoir/autbio will be like Jerry Kramer's DISTANT REPLAY or have a subject as complex as Jim Brown. It was painful to hear Rice read his book (Audio CD) because he's not a natural reader mor speaker, but one can appreciate the path he laid for future players to emulate. I think this book is more geared towards the non-fan as opposed to the historian, NFL fan or Jerry Rice fan. I do think Jerry could've improved his reading skills for the CD edition or have someone else read the book, but it's a good story. As long as the book served its purpose, I can't complain.
- This review is for the Unabridged CD edition.
Go Long is a winner, all about life!.......2007-03-30
Excellent book, easy read. Very frank and honest dialogue produces a very refreshing look at the character and
makeup of NFL great Jerry Rice. He possesses "old school" values, rare for todays athletes and his humble
approach and its origins are clearly defined in his upbringing. Would highly recommend it for parents and players
of any sport as well as non-players as it explores more than the world of athletics and promotes a great
work ethic.
K.F.
Book Description
Volume V of this award-winning series reveals the fundamentals of shape and guidelines to correct opening and endgame play learned at the world's top Go training ground, the Korean Go Academy.
Templates for fighting in any situation
Guidelines to correct shape
Opening theory made simple
Principles of standard sequences, or joseki
Techniques for winning endgame
Test Yourself sections check your progress
Approachable for newbies
Customer Reviews:
Great.......2007-02-02
This book lays a great foundation for fighting in Go. The book teaches about the basic shapes of fighting and also explains ideas and concepts of the openning. There is an endgame section that I have not yet read, but if it is anything like the rest of the book it will be great.
Very Good Series.......2006-03-12
I have gone through all the previous volumes including this one, and found it to be an excellent tool to improve my playing. I have been playing for a few years and have used a lot of internet resourses, and have never seen some of the pearls presented in this series. The "templates of fighting" chapter and its use further in the book was eye opening. Complaints I have read by other reviewers, like "what does developing the centre mean?" show that this book is too advanced for their level of play, or have not read or paid attention to previous volumes.
Great book as part of the set.......2006-02-24
This is a very well written book, that makes lots of good points and demonstrates them well. It should not however be read without first reading and understanding the previous 4 books in the series. A medium kyu player should find this book helps improve them, while a beggining player will encounter only frustration.
Learn to Play Go.......2005-10-02
Excellent book on learning the concept of this game. A great beginning.
Learn to Play GO; Volume 5.......2005-09-30
The learn to play Go series are a well written must have if you want to learn to play Go. This fifth book in the series is a great addition. I am waiting patiently for the sixth book.
Book Description
The Dragon Style.
Volume III in the popular Learn to Play Go series. What makes a world class player? Maybe not what you think.
Seven deadly Go sins - learn what to avoid
Eight secrets of winning play
Real games - even, high, and low handicap - analyzed in depth
Extensive glossary of Go terminology
Customer Reviews:
This is where Go starts to get hard.......2006-10-03
This review is very general and it not intended to address specific concepts within the book.
The first two volumes of the series were quite good because 1) They dealt with basic concepts that beginners can understand, and 2) the author's writing style is well-suited for beginners who want to learn with minimal pain.
This third volume was definitely a case of diminishing returns for me. It isn't that what is said in this volume is unimportant, but the topics dealt with in this volume are not as intuitive. Moreover, once you reach a certain level, you are probably better off reading books that are totally devoted to specific topics, such as the opening, life and death, and tesuji.
Great!!!.......2005-08-19
For the beginners, like myself, the book is fantastic! As a matter of fact, the whole series is brilliant: Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-hyun start with the explanation of the game's rules, and step by step walk you through the principles of its strategy and tactics. In this particular volume, three really-played games are reviewed with dozens of comments 'why-this-play-now-but-not-the-other-one', so after a wile you feel go is not anymore a dark jungle full of white (if you are just playing black) or black (if vice versa) monsters, like it used to be before, but a very logic stream of causes and consequences arising from a particular play.
Very useful are the problems at the end of each book or even each chapter, again, with very detailed answers and descriptions why the hell 'A' but never ever 'B'!
Absolute must for every beginner getting addicted to the game of go with, perhaps, one remark: when the say after reading all the books in the series you are ~10kyu, they are much too optimistic :-). At least - not on IGS. But never mind!
So, enjoy it. It really pays back!
Piotr Lewczuk, Erlangen, Germany
Perfect entry to upper kyus (20-15) and good refreseher for everyone else.......2005-08-04
Its rather surprising that the authors were able to condense so many useful proverbs into a single volume. The explanations are carefully thought out and explained, and they aren't based off impossible or labyrinthian setups, but positions than can and, as I have seen myself, arise in actual games. The self-testing section at the end of the book is precise and helps to reinforce the lessons presented, and yet simple enough that you don't require a board of your own to lay the problems out on. And even upper level players(10-8 kyus) would find this book useful as refresher. It was quite surprising how many knee-jerk reactions even I had that were brought up at some point.
The only problem I had with this book were the games they chose to review to illustrate the points made earlier in the book. While the games were simple and straightforward, thats all they were. Quite honestly, if the author did not say at the beginning that these were professional level games, I would not have believed that they were. But as far as criticisms go, that pales in comparison to how much good this book can do for players.
very basic; solid.......2005-03-24
I've been playing Go for two years, and I used to have weekly lessons from a high-ranking amateur. I read the first two books of Janice Kim's series when I was just beginning, and that was the right time.
I should've read this one at that time too. It's very basic. I agree with the reviewer who complained that the content was pretty slim. That's the point of view of a player with a bit of experience. If you're a beginner with a few extra bucks, this should be helpful for you. But if you're clever, or if you have some experience on the 19x19 board, I recommend skipping this one and moving on to "Basic Techniques of Go" or "The Second Book of Go." Those two books cover the same information, plus a lot more.
I read this book in one day, without a board, and there are only about two things I want to review later.
Tonight I'll start volume four...
Learning to Read.......2002-08-20
Having worked through the first two volumes of this series, the enterprising young player is anxious to start playing Go and stop reading about it. In addition, for some time and many players, that is sufficient. Certainly one has learned enough to live happily in the moment of conflict and capture, more than many players do. With concentration, comes a fair share of the victories and steady improvement.
Alas, this is not a perfect world. Go is a vast game, and few ever completely understand it. If a player is to improve, a time will come when he or she must study the game itself if they are to develop. Subtle bad habits of play become self destructive when facing stronger players. These latter also seem to have a magical ability to pull victory out of despair even under handicapping.
Now is the time to address the third volume 'The Dragon Style.' Despite the magical title, the purpose of this volume is to make a player aware if good and bad habits, and to begin to teach the fundamentals of strategy. To learn now one must begin to read. Read positions, read the games of others, sometimes even try to read minds. The majority of this book walks a play through several games in detail, carefully explaining the purposes of each move.
Really, this isn't hard work. With enough information to understand what each player is trying to do much can be learned from this study, It is, after all, far easier to see the whole game when it isn't the one you are playing right now. The problem, of course, is finding a source of games that are annotated intelligibly and enjoyably. Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-hyun provide some good examples. These will provide the basis for studying others.
There is nothing especially draconic about the 'dragon style.' It is sensible, thoughtful play that considers everything. Of course, this is easier to say than to accomplish. This book provides a good start along the path of reading games. If it has a failing, it is that it does not provide a list of good sources of games for study. Many are available, but not all analyses are suitable for all levels of players.
Book Description
Battle Strategies.
Volume IV of the Learn to Play Go series. Two top masters reveal the essential principles and techniques of good fighting, many explained in English for the first time. Designed for those who have completed the first three volumes, or the intermediate Go player.
Customer Reviews:
"Begin at the beginning...".......2007-08-21
Conceptually the game of Go has fascinated me for years. The rules and game play are simple - you can learn them in an hour or less. The strategy is so complex that it can obviously take a lifetime to master. Enter the "Learn to Play Go" series. It is a good idea to follow the Red Queen's advice, and "Begin at the beginning and continue on until you reach the end." Start with Volume One and continue from there. You will learn elementary strategies and techniques and continue to more advanced concepts. Excellent!
I have to add a plug - on of the things that was waiting for was a competent Go program, since you can't find opponents on a park bench. "iGo Sensei" for the Mac does just that, and it has a lot of teaching elements. If you use Windows you've got a problem.
Learn to Play Go Series.......2007-08-11
As a beginner, I am grateful for the wonderfully clear graphic design of this series, the warmth & wit of the author, and the clarity of her ideas. But a certain minimum amount of information is required to get a handle on any topic, and, most of the time, I'm not finding that forthcoming in this series. Instead of being shown a few examples of games where one player reduces or invades another's territory, for example, I'd have found it much more useful to get a basic overview of how to imagine territorial boundaries, which to pick as targets of attack, when to attack, where to play, how to respond, etc. I found the discussion of capturing races and the viability of eye space to be outstanding, but these were exceptions rather than the rule. By contrast, Bruce Wilcox has a two part computer tutorial ("Contact Fights" & "Sector Fights") that's amazingly practical and meaty; I can't recommend it highly enough; my advice to fellow beginners is to start with Janice Kim's volumes I & II, but then switch to Wilcox's "Sector Fights" followed by his "Contact Fights." In parallel, I'm finding it very helpful to work through books of problems; a great first book is Kano Yohinori's "Graded Go Problems for Beginners."
Broad in principle. Shallow in depth........2006-04-17
The most attractive quality of this book is its ease of understanding. It introduces important strategic concepts of go such as reducing Vs. invading in a way even the most recent beginner can understand.
The pitfall is limited depth. In contrast to books from the Elementary Go Series (In the Beginning, Tesuji, Life and Death, etc.), Kim's Vol. IV - Battle Strategies gives the reader markedly less learning potential.
In my case, after the first reading the ideas had been acquired and there was little worth referring back to. I haven't picked it up since I read it. Whereas, books from the Elementary Go Series continue to challenge me and improve my game even after the 3rd\4th readings, and I expect they will continue to for months to come.
I might recommend Kim's book to the recent beginner looking for a light read. It's also well suited for young players who would have difficulty concentrating on the more dense books of the Elementary Go Series.
Overall, an enjoyable read, a breeze to understand, but lacking in depth when compared to other books available with the same price and topic. In my case, it left something to be desired.
Less Organized, More Thoughtful.......2002-08-31
This is currently the last of four books written by Janice Kim and Jeong Soo-hyun. The first two volumes are designed to take a newcomer to the game of Go and help them achieve a modest but significant level of competence. The third volume is best suited to the player who has achieved some comfort with hand-to-hand combat and is ready to approach the more complex tactical and strategic levels of the game. This volume focuses on the middle game, where territory is truly lost or gained. A player must walk a tightrope between strategy and tactics in this phase while balancing attack and defense.
There is so much going on the board during the middle game that it is genuinely difficult to write a book that teaches more than a single facet of playing the middle game. This can make studying frustrating. What Kim and Soo-hyun have done is written an introduction to the middle game that, while it does not dig deep into the layers of complexity, provides a framework whereby the student can determine where best to focus. In doing so, they have achieved something unique.
The first half of the book focuses on the middle game itself. It opens with a section on invasion and reduction, followed by further material on battle strategies, attack, and defense. The second half discusses life and death. This includes the making of living shapes, the art of killing groups of stones, and handling capturing races. There is also a very good discussion on Ko fighting which goes into surprising detail. As is true of the entire series, the discussion is easy to understand, and examples are plentiful.
I should point out that the apparent organization of the book is a bit deceptive. The nature of the material is such that some serendipity is inevitable. Discussion of principles is mixed in with a lesson about a particular attack or tesuji. As such, this book needs to be read several times to get all of its contents fixed in one's mind. Some might consider this a fault, but I know of almost no other book that sets out to cover what this one does without falling victim to the same problem. For the player who understands that most improvement comes from hard work, this book is a real blessing. Highly recommended.
Customer Reviews:
I would not suggest this book until you are 15kyu.......2007-09-17
Being in a go club that sees many beginners I feel fairly qualified when I say this book will not help you improve rank until you are 15kyu (AGA/KGS) and really waiting until you are in the single-digit kyu range will give you the best rank improvement per time spent reading... I first read this book at 13kyu and was really stretching. I recently re-read this at 5kyu and got much more out of it. If I had to pick a perfect rank to read it at I'd say 7kyu.
All that said, the writing style is superior to every other go book I've seen and there may be merit in reading this without the goal of rank improvement. Many other reviewers have pointed this out as well, but you should know that if you are 15kyu you will not be able to follow many of the problems, and in the end you will probably still be 15kyu.
For those goaling for rank improvement, I would strongly suggest reading at most one chapter per day. You need to play games between chapters or else you will not correctly apply what you are learning. With most other intermediate go books (such as Tesuji or Life & Death) it is not as damaging to read it all in one sitting... but Lessons in the Fundamentals must have games played between chapters. It is painful to make yourself stop reading between chapters, but you should.
A book that everyone should get.......2003-01-16
I personally find this book very useful (at least for myself, but I believe as well for many of you guys). It is especially true if you read it the second and the third time. When I review my own game, I can find out a lot of mistakes which Kageyama has mentioned in the book. (Like forget to struggle to go ahead) There is a Go competition during summer, and I have just finished this book the third time. Some of the tesuji in the book is very useful.
I guess it will be good to learn the basic rule of the Go game and then play for a while. (may be a hundred game), then start reading this book. Then you can get the most out of it. (I believe Kageyama himself has suggested us to play for many games to get the feeling first. He mentioned player usually meet barrier at around 11-13kyu, 5-6kyu and 1-2kyu. So I guess if one train up to around 15kyu and then start reading this book, it will be very useful. And then review the book once a while. Get the fundamental idea in your mindset. And you will find Go even more interesting
An extremely well-rounded book.......2001-07-27
This book is an endless source of information. As you get better at go, you get more and more out of it. When I first started playing, I learned little from the book but I did learn valueble basic tactics such as the net and the ladder and so forth. Later, I learned useful tesujis and opening strategies. After putting the book down for about 3 months, and as my skill increased, I went over it again and found more useful info including a generaly good attitude towards go.
I suggest this book to anyone who wants to keep playing go. It may not be useful at the time you get it, but keep skimming through and I gaurantee you will find useful information along the way.
Great book for post-beginner stage.......2001-06-02
Kageyama packs the book full of useful instruction, given in a chatty style with the occasional self-deprecating humour. While not a book for the absolute beginner, he surprises many readers by starting with ladders. But he shows that they are excellent training for reading (calculating) ability which also builds self-confidence during a game.
The book also covers strategic principles, typical endgame play (and a common mistake by handicap takers), josekis (corner openings).
Of course, in such a game full of complex possibilities, books can't solve everything. For example, I presume it requires experience way beyond his book to know whether a move is "proper" or "slack".
Kageyama is the man........2001-02-24
With his no-nonsense style, and quick wit, Toshiro Kageyama takes you thorugh 'the basics' of Good Go. Go, like mathematics, is a language (one of its many names is literally translated as 'handtalk'). Here, Kageyama is teaching us how to spell.
We are provided with easy-to-follow instruction and guided problems in chapters on Life and Death, Ladders (including spiral ladders); Territory and Spheres of Influence; How to study Joseki; Good Shape and Bad; Endgame Pointers; and my favorite, Tesuji (snap-backs and the like).
Kageyama also gives us a general feel for how the stones 'move' on the board, and the direction of play. These Lessons, and his writing style, combine with anecdotes from his professional career and television appearances to make this a wholly enjoyable book.
More on his style: The effect of Kageyama's writing is as if he's right there with you; very conversational. He will encourage and support, but he will also slap your hand if you are not paying attention. Make no mistake, his sole intention is that you express yourself, get better, and have fun along the way.
Beginners around 20 kyu and below:
You may want to concentrate on learning the alphabet, so to speak. But you should know that this book has some very simple 'words'. As soon as you feel comfortable playing on a 19x19 board, then find this book.
Book Description
Experience the mysterious and magical world of numbers as never before. This unique book investigates mathematical marvels such as why daisies always have 34, 55, or 89 petals, why the world's phone numbers appear in pi, and other patterns and paradoxes that will make readers look at numbers in a whole new way.
Customer Reviews:
It really IS cool!.......2007-01-02
As a homeschooling parent, I have read a lot of math books written for children. Go Figure! is one of the freshest and most fun! The pages are saturated with information, and my one complaint is that it feels a bit visually overwhelming. Don't let the colorful pages fool you, this book is very meaty and will take some time to digest. My son really enjoyed the section on ancient number systems. The chart on pages 24-25 compares Babylonian, Hebrew, Roman, Mayan, Hindu, and others. Readers can also learn about the golden ratio and phi, prime numbers, Pascal's triangle, buckyballs, and much, much more. There are nearly 100 pages of information here, geared toward middle school and up.
Brilliant book.......2006-05-11
I found this book incredibly interesting, and I'm no maths fan - I leafed through it while babysitting for a friend who has a son of 9, then I bought the book for myself! It is so well written and extremely funny in parts. I would recommend this book to anyone of any age. I guarantee you will learn something new.
A great book for all ages & levels.......2006-05-11
This is a truly awesome book, full of fascinating insights, entertaining all the way through and amazingly wide in scope, ranging from school math to jokes, puzzles, games and high-level topics like chaos. Note that the "mistake" mentioned in the first editorial review is not really a mistake but an old joke: How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the Ark? The answer of course is "none - it was Noah who built the Ark!"
FOR ALL AGES 7-70.......2006-03-21
THE BOOK WAS BOUGHT FOR A 7 YEAR OLD, BUT I SPENT AN ENTIRE AFTERNOON READING IT.
THE BOOK IS "WAY COOL' AND BEYOND AWESOME!
Unlock the Keys to the Universe.......2005-10-13
Without math, the pyramids would never have been built. ~ Johnny Ball
Go Figure! gives children the opportunity to unlock the magic of numbers through brainteasers, mind-reading games and magic tricks. This book also contains some of the puzzles that have stumped the world's smartest mathematicians.
The author, Johnny Ball introduces concepts to make math more fun and very easy to understand. Part of what makes this book quite enjoyable is the full-color pages filled with diagrams, pictures and explanations. The concepts are divided into four main chapters:
Where do Numbers come from?
Magic Numbers
Shaping Up
The World of Math
Children will learn about Roman numerals, infinity, secret codes, World News, how counting began, shapes, chaos and logic. Johnny Ball also answers the following questions:
Did Cavemen Count?
How many molecules are in one glass of water?
What do the symbols on a Babylonian clay token mean?
How did the Mayans count?
How do insects use prime timing to survive?
How did numbers evolve? See Indian numbers go from 10 symbols to what they are today. One was originally a horizontal line. Three, three horizontal lines. Which really helps to explain why three looks the way it does today. Really fascinating stuff even for adults to read about.
As someone who enjoyed writing words upside down on my calculator in school, I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining book about how math evolved through time. There is even a page comparing 1-100 in Babylonian, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Chinese script, Hindu, Hebrew, Greek, Roman, Mayan and Modern Arabic.
The Math quiz is fun and one example:
"Find two numbers that multiply together to give 1,000,000 but neither of which contains any zeros."
You may need to buy some food for the lessons on page 72. "How can you cut a doughnut into 12 pieces with only 3 straight cuts? How is it possible to push a large doughnut through a cup handle?
The book concludes with a list of "Who's Who in the math world and then there are pages of answers to all the questions.
One of the most entertaining books on math I've ever read. Definitely will be of interest to children who have any interest in solving problems or want to make learning about math way more fun.
~TheRebeccaReview.com
Book Description
XRX announces publication of the third book in its popular The Best of Weaver`s series: Fabrics That Go Bump. Weavers will love this intriguing collection of projects in fabrics that magically defy the flat plane, and bend, pucker, bump, and pleat. This comprehensive work begins with in-depth information about the unusual structures and fibers that add dimension. Inspiring photographs show an appealing range of projects: scarves, shawls, bags, totes, jackets, jewelry, and more. Techniques include collapse, pleats, seersucker, waffle weaves, cord weaves, and honeycombs. A wide range of special finishing and fulling tips are featured. Even more valuable than the project details is the confidence this wealth of information gives readers to continue to explore an exciting subject.
Fabrics That Go Bump gathers under a single cover more than thirty out-of-print articles from Weaver`s magazine and Prairie Wool Companion. For over twenty years, these magazines have served as primary sources of instruction, innovation, and inspiration in the world of handweaving. Other books in The Best of Weaver`s series include: Huck Lace and Thick `n Thin.
Books:
- Learning Maya 7: Foundation
- Lost Empires of Faerûn (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.5 Fantasy Roleplaying, Forgotten Realms Supplement)
- Mapping the World of the Sorcerer's Apprentice (Harry Potter) (Smart Pop series)
- Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty
- Minimus Pupil's Book: Starting out in Latin (Cambridge Latin Texts)
- More Art Puzzles By Number: From Easy to Mind Bending
- More Making Books by Hand: Exploring Miniature Books, Alternative Structures, and Found Objects
- Mortal Kombat: Armageddon (Prima Official Game Guide)
- Official Final Fantasy VII Strategy Guide
- ONLINE ACE: A WORLD SERIES OF POKER CHAMPION'S GUIDE TO MASTERING INTERNET POKER
Books Index
Books Home
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The Way of the Moving Horse (Learn to Play Go, Volume II) (Learn to Play Go Ser)
The Dragon Style (Learn to Play Go, Volume III) (Learn to Play Go Service)
Learn to Play Go Series Volume IV (Battle Strategies)
Learn to Play Go: The Palace of Memory (Volume V)
Go for Beginners
