A not inconceivable, cautionary short story of socialist political progression in the United States, narrated in the 1st person from the perspective o...moreA not inconceivable, cautionary short story of socialist political progression in the United States, narrated in the 1st person from the perspective of an information "archivist" turned rebel. Recommend to fans of fictionalized political works such as Ayn Rand's Anthem or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Human Legacy Project's undertones are reminiscent of both, though without the detailed grandeur or depth due to the brief format. (less)
Great sic-fi premise with an out-of-order story arc. Brainbox would have easily made a full-length novel with a more satisfying depth and final conclu...moreGreat sic-fi premise with an out-of-order story arc. Brainbox would have easily made a full-length novel with a more satisfying depth and final conclusion. (less)
A tiny book of home spun, in-the-trenches wisdom from a project manager that's clearly experienced the trials and tribulations of many development cyc...moreA tiny book of home spun, in-the-trenches wisdom from a project manager that's clearly experienced the trials and tribulations of many development cycles. For those familiar with routine issues faced by projects, Taylor's stories and advice will ring true in a concise, practical manner you'll want to pass around the office.(less)
Pros:
An excellent preparatory guide for those studying to take the Graduate Reentrance Exam. Reflecting now--after taking the "old" GR...morePros:
An excellent preparatory guide for those studying to take the Graduate Reentrance Exam. Reflecting now--after taking the "old" GRE CAT (Computer Adaptive Test)--I'm pleased that the book covered all major topics present in the exam via both thorough explanatory passages and ample practice problems.
Cons:
The electronic version lacks links in the problem/solution sections, which proves irritating and distracting as you cannot quickly "thumb" back and forth between problem and solution pages. Secondly, the rendering of some problem/solution content is.. funky. The intended presentation is usually clear, but nevertheless distracting.
Overall: Great value purchase with drawbacks common to most electronic conversions. Highly recommended for soon-to-be test takers looking for an electronic copy of a respectable study aid.(less)
A brief overview of apt, dpkg, Synaptic and Aptitude. If you're new to the lineage of Debian-based tools, pick it up. Otherwise, find something with a...moreA brief overview of apt, dpkg, Synaptic and Aptitude. If you're new to the lineage of Debian-based tools, pick it up. Otherwise, find something with a broader range of topics. (less)
I'm an ex-sysadmin with experience maintaining most of the popular Unix variants, and picked this up on a whim after being gifted one of Thomas's oth...moreI'm an ex-sysadmin with experience maintaining most of the popular Unix variants, and picked this up on a whim after being gifted one of Thomas's other books. While the content won't be new to veteran Linux geeks, it's a solid, condensed overview of all the core concepts one needs for a basic working knowledge of the Linux command line, focused on Ubuntu specifically. Recommended for novice and intermediate Linux users looking for good content on a budget. (less)
As a politically independent, fiscally conservative U.S. citizen, I empathize strongly with Crescenzi's concerns, and similarly engage in the Keynesia...moreAs a politically independent, fiscally conservative U.S. citizen, I empathize strongly with Crescenzi's concerns, and similarly engage in the Keynesian vs. Austrian financial battle of present day. But regardless of personal bias, I cannot entertain causal claims and economic predictions without some matter of factual evidence. The Keynesian Endpoint does not offer hard factual data--in either economic or political terms--to be taken as a credible mainstream Austrian paper, though I sincerely hope Crescenzi will hear these issues and address them in future writings. Passion without merit, no matter how well intentioned, will not sway the mainstream populous from destructive Keynesian policies.
If criticism of Keynesian economics piques your interest, consider instead checking out End The Fed (Paul, 2010), The Case Against The Fed (Rothbard, 2007), Meltdown (Woods, 2009), and/or many of the free LvMI book downloads (mises.org). (less)
An exceptionally well-versed and contextually argued editorial analogy of America's Octomom fascination versus the present financial crisis, as of 201...moreAn exceptionally well-versed and contextually argued editorial analogy of America's Octomom fascination versus the present financial crisis, as of 2011. Greif's command of the English language left me more enamored with his knack for writing more than the subject matter, though I certainly can't fault him for his clear ability to provoke thought in a manner far exceeding expectations for the "self-published" shelf.
Pleasantly short and inspirational, in Godin's typical style, though notably lacking thought regarding any specific way to actually BE that graceful, ...morePleasantly short and inspirational, in Godin's typical style, though notably lacking thought regarding any specific way to actually BE that graceful, idyllic leader: that is, aside from criticizing the status quo. Thoughtful? Yes. Constructive in any tangible way? No.(less)
For those looking for a broad yet deep introduction to genetics in a single book, "Genetics: From Genes To Genomes" delivers on both account...moreFor those looking for a broad yet deep introduction to genetics in a single book, "Genetics: From Genes To Genomes" delivers on both accounts. Hartwell, Hood et. al. are well known authorities in the field, and you'll be hard pressed to find another textbook at this level of content value in the foreseeable future.
Unfortunately, good things seldom come cheap--as you've undoubtedly noticed by the three digits to the left of the decimal point--but short of actually enrolling in molecular biology curriculum, you'll be well served by this book, and I wholly recommend it.(less)
A very thorough, condensed overview of log cabin and general "woodsy"-type home construction, written for the man considering building a mod...moreA very thorough, condensed overview of log cabin and general "woodsy"-type home construction, written for the man considering building a modest retreat from the ground up. Covers everything from foundations, septic/sewer, framing, siding, and roofing in great detail, as well as a variety of other topics.
A book title starting "How To..." needs a clear, concise, matter-of-fact and occasionally surgical approach to topic and outlining and concept description, and Manson delivers.
Overall: 5 of 5 for fully delivering on my expectations. Recommended to do-it-yourself'ers contemplating the ideal of building a small weekend getaway by hand.(less)
Written for children, but heartwarming for adults. Positively delightful for all ages. Recommended to all that appreciate uplifting illustration and n...moreWritten for children, but heartwarming for adults. Positively delightful for all ages. Recommended to all that appreciate uplifting illustration and narration.(less)
Good content, but way too short. I would classify this as more of a notebook of terms and basic concepts than a book. Worth a dollar or two for the hi...moreGood content, but way too short. I would classify this as more of a notebook of terms and basic concepts than a book. Worth a dollar or two for the high-level lunch hour review of DNA, RNA and proteins, but that's all you'll get.(less)
It's unfortunate that the publisher of this Kindle-ized version spent so little time proofing the port that I'm fairly certain that they did not even ...moreIt's unfortunate that the publisher of this Kindle-ized version spent so little time proofing the port that I'm fairly certain that they did not even open it on an actual Kindle device. Images and captions are interspersed semi-randomly throughout the text, as if someone performed a single copy/paste from the free PDF version and called it a day.
The atrocious typesetting ruins otherwise good content. Do yourself a favor by temporarily putting down your Kindle and grabbing PDF version instead: available for free directly from the National Institute of Health (NIH).(less)
Immature humor can work when cleverly execution executed in a well-framed context that engages ones interest before and after the poop joke. Regrettab...moreImmature humor can work when cleverly execution executed in a well-framed context that engages ones interest before and after the poop joke. Regrettably, Thompson fails on both accounts, with a painfully juvenile and repetitive parity in the most thought-deprived amateur sense.
As a new kitten owner and past dog owner, Complete Kitten Care has provided a thorough overview of the feline ownership experience. This is a no...moreAs a new kitten owner and past dog owner, Complete Kitten Care has provided a thorough overview of the feline ownership experience. This is a not a brief "how to potty train"-type book, but a deeper explanation of kitten psychology, sociology, life stages, needs, motivations, and expectations: and only after all these things, training. Shojai is clearly an expert at the subject, and her notes come from a place of sincere love and compassion for the best interests of cats, even when confronting controversial issues such as declawing and destruction of unwanted animals.
This is a book for the surrogate kitty mom/dad that wants an easy-to-read crash course in kitten love. In terms of useful information per dollar, it's money well spent, especially considering the level of commitment required to care for an animal over the course of a lifetime.
"In the United States, the number of graphic designers has increased tenfold in a decade; graphic designers outnumber chemical engineers by four ...more"In the United States, the number of graphic designers has increased tenfold in a decade; graphic designers outnumber chemical engineers by four to one. Since 1970, the United States has 30 percent more people earning a living as writers and 50 percent more earning a living by composing or performing music. Some 240 U.S. universities have established creative writing MFA programs, up from fewer than twenty two decades ago.[5] More Americans today work in arts, entertainment, and design than work as lawyers, accountants, and auditors.[6]"
In A Whole New Mind, Daniel Pink delivers well grounded, lucid predictions of how the industrialized, factory-oriented United States will--if not must--become one of innovation, creativity and design. Pink explores the historical motives driving traditional American emphasis on left-brained logical, analytical thinking--deemed "high concept" thought--and differentiates this from right-brained "high touch" thought, typically associated with abstract, holistic, intuitive skill sets.
As low-paying factory jobs and increasing numbers of high-tech left-brained tasks gradually move oversees to our cousins willing to perform the same work for a fraction of American salaries, we shouldn't focus on preserving those jobs as much as *changing* our current ones: blending beauty, aesthetic and harmonious systemic thinking to create a culture of invention that cannot simply be outsourced to the lowest bidder.
Fascinating lay explanations of Einstein's relativity theories from the man himself, including contextual (and competing) information relevant to the ...moreFascinating lay explanations of Einstein's relativity theories from the man himself, including contextual (and competing) information relevant to the breakthroughs. No prerequisite mathematics knowledge needed, though comfort with basic kinetic Euclidian/Newtonian celestial motion (such as basic geometry and gravity) as well as abstract critical thinking skills are highly recommended.
Immature, non-sequiter ramblings more closely resembling an X-rated creative writing exercise than a publishable work of fiction.
If the tit...moreImmature, non-sequiter ramblings more closely resembling an X-rated creative writing exercise than a publishable work of fiction.
If the title of this book nevertheless piques your interest as it did mine, check out Max Brooks' The Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection From The Living Dead for a far more enjoyable and better penned read.
Overall: A liberal 2 of 5, provided only for sub-dollar pricing and the fact that I admittedly did finish it. (less)
A brief explanation by analogy of perhaps Einstein's most famous theory, sans mathematics, written by a colleague also credited with developing the th...moreA brief explanation by analogy of perhaps Einstein's most famous theory, sans mathematics, written by a colleague also credited with developing the theories. The metaphorical devices are designed to be accessible to the average reader, though a high school-level understanding Newtonian physics is required.
The Kindle version may be download for free from Amazon.(less)
As of this writing, the Kindle version is filled with triple question mark character sequences ("???") that occur so frequently as to make t...moreAs of this writing, the Kindle version is filled with triple question mark character sequences ("???") that occur so frequently as to make the book annoyingly unreadable. This is not a issue with the content per se, but until someone does a serious edit to address these quality issues, the book should be taken out of the catalog. I rarely, RARELY have to put a book down once I've started it, but couldn't even get through the 5th page of this edition due to this recurring defect.(less)
Yes, I realize this is in the "childrens" category. And yes, I'm a 29-year-old male. But I do periodically like to venture out of my comfort...moreYes, I realize this is in the "childrens" category. And yes, I'm a 29-year-old male. But I do periodically like to venture out of my comfort zone in semi-random directions in hopes of stumbling upon little-known treasure.
From purely an adult perspective, David and the Phoenix is a straightforward adventure story between a boy and a bird that is both a quick and easy read. I have to dock several points, unfortunately, as:
(1) The Kindle 3G version, at least, does NOT contain the illustrations. Illustrations are a large part of the fun of fantasy adventure books like this, and whatever the issue is with Kindle illustrations needs to be rectified before any other Kindle owner should consider purchasing this title. (2) The Phoenix is kind of... a jerk, and I just didn't care for his boastfulness. I emoted no sense of pity nor empathy for his situation and never really cared about either of the main characters.
The Richest Man in Babylon is a collection of allegorical insights into financial wisdom and wealth, told though parables of several generations of me...moreThe Richest Man in Babylon is a collection of allegorical insights into financial wisdom and wealth, told though parables of several generations of men living in ancient Babylon. The lessons taught bear striking similarity to those of Rich Dad, Poor Dad--that was published more than 70 years later--and fans of the later Kiyosaki/Lechter book will likely enjoy this older one written by Clason, published in the 1920's. I had minimal prior familiarity of Babylon prior to reading this book. While the forward does discuss the historical context of Babylon, the book itself is *not* about the city proper. It is about finance in a real-world, rags-to-richest sense.
The 3rd-person narrative and biblical lexicon and grammatical style took me by surprise, though once I saw past the dialog into the stories themselves, I found myself entertained and frequently nodding in agreement. Non-native English speakers *may* stumble on the character dialog. For example, "Never, in all the years of our friendship, didst thou talk like this before...", or, "There were skekels which I cast with careless freedom to the beggars; there were pieces of silver with which I did buy finery for my wife..." will read without much issue to native readers, though may prove distracting for readers not accustomed to archaic English writing.
A most excellent annotated overview of the U.S. constitution: perhaps the most important American document ever created. Includes raw annotated text, ...moreA most excellent annotated overview of the U.S. constitution: perhaps the most important American document ever created. Includes raw annotated text, notes on historical context, as well as interesting relevant tidbits regarding the men and women that contributed to it.
Overview: 5 of 5. Recommended to: Americans of all ages and statuses.(less)
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