ET Books

Morison is the place to start for learning what happened on and around Guadalcanal. The atmosphere of inevitable Japanese defeat is not present, unlike the later volumes that describe island garrisons, cut off from any air and sea resupply, who simply await annihilation by U.S. forces.

The eventual logistical, technological, air and naval supremacy of the United States, combined with the excellent strategy of the pincer movements of Macarthur on one hand, and Nimitz on the other, led to the inexorable rolling up of the Japanese Empire. What makes studying the campaign for Guadalcanal so interesting is that it occurred before this supremacy was achieved, where U.S. and Japanese forces were on more or less equal footing. The Japanese garrison on Guadalcanal, unlike their later island garrisons were not cut off from air and sea support and were able throughout much of the campaign to bring in reinforcements via the "Tokyo Express."

What started out quite incidentally, after Japanese troops were observed building an airstrip, grew into a six month ordeal where Marines and Japanese troops squared off on the island, while U.S. air power ruled the day and the Japanese navy ruled the night. The most poignant of Morison's accounts are of the nighttime surface engagements in and around Savo Island and Iron Bottom Sound.

I haven't read the other books in this series, but was recommended this volume by a friend who is a WWII Navel battle fan. I wanted a good overview of the battle, why it was important and just what the heck went on here. So to start I'm aghast at my poor knowledge of this battle. It was nearly as critical to the history of the USA as Gettysburg. Two giant navies met here, neither really wanting this island but both unwilling to let the other side have it. Yet again it shows what crap the USA had for torpedoes. I can't tell you the number of fish fired vs how many actually found their target and did any damage. It was pitiful. The Japanese navy had superior tactics, better torpedoes but didn't fully grasp the significance of the island to the USA and so let the Marines dig in and own the place. Granted holding it was incredibly tough but it was possible and the imperial army was stretched to it's limits to keep it supplied thanks to the US navy. But it came at a huge cost in ships and sailors.

If you don't know anything about Guadalcanal this book is a great place to start.

This is the 5th book of a 15 book series and is the best one so far. Any serious student of WWII should read this series as a primer to prepare him or her for further readings from newer sources as it becomes notable on how light in detail these books are but then again consider that they were first written in 1948 and many of the sources were still classified or unknown then. One case in point is the chapter on the Battle of the Eastern Solomon's where Mr. Morris describes the attack on the American carriers and states that Shokaku sent some torpedo bombers along with a foot note saying that the numbers sent was not yet available yet I obtained the number along with the name of the lead pilot from John Lundstrom' s "The First Team and the Guadalcanal campaign"book which made for some fun research. Now that I have read this book I will take a break from the series in order to learn more details of the Guadalcanal campaign and read "Guadalcanal: The definitive account of the landmark battle." by Richard B. Frank.

Morison' works are priceless.

The maps are Very good. This is a wonderfull lead in to Frank's work, "Guadalcanal".

Morison's books are perfect for entrees into more specific books regarding the landings and land action of the island campaigns.

Highly recommended.

The volumes in this entire series are all highly readable and present a picture of our nation starting from a dismal reality in the Pacific to ultimate victory by virtue of the courage and sacrifice of men of the US Navy, as well as of the British and Dutch. The Naval battles of Coral Sea and Midway and the subsequent invasion of Guadalcanal and establishment of the "Cactus Air Force" made up of whatever American planes that were available to fly on any given day turned the tide in the Pacific, though with 3 more years of fighting to come. The loss of the Astoria, Quincy, and Vincennes on the night following the invasion hastened departure of much of the supply train and of the carrier covering group which left 2 days earlier than planned due to the loss of Cruiser protection, those 3 of the Northern Group as well as the Australian Navy Canberra of the Southern group. Our 2 radar pickett destroyers, Talbot and Blue, were positioned in their cross channel watch so as to miss seeing the Japanese Cruiser fleet enter the harbor and surprise was complete. The IJN suffered no losses during the action, but I believe they subsequently lost the Furutaka on their return to Rabaul. This bears historical checking for accuracy.

The remaining 6 month struggle for Guadalcanal is inspiring and very tragic for the conditions and imminent threat of death endured by those brave men. I was deeply moved by the courage and sacrifices of the US Navy and US Marines. 59 years after the fact I also feel (grudging) admiration for the men and weapons of the IJN.

The "Arsenal of Democracy" had agreed with the European allies that European victory was the priority issue, and that men and materiels for the Pacific war were scant for the first year or so and in many instances outmoded.

The entire series is excellent reading for those interested in history and their American heritage. I have had the entire series for about 50 years. The current pricing scheme at Amazon is a true bargain, and I recommend the series without reservation. The sadness is that such an event ever occured to generate this excellent historical writing.

It's guaranteed the entire series of "Petit Nicolas" can bring you all the joy / laughters / tears (joyful one) + a total satisfaction. You never have enough after reading and always want to read it again and again. Try the original French version for it's using the "easy understanding" child French. Vive "Petit Nicolas"! J'adore Goscinny Sempe!!!

Our French class is enjoying the escapades of this charming little boy and his friends.

This is the best book ever It helped me a lot while learing French it's much easier and funnier than any other book i've rea d in french It makes french seem fun

I too found this book at a (used) bookstore and immediately fell in love with the characters, however oblivious they are of the trouble they cause. And the french is definitely navigable by even the lowest-level speakers!

I spent the past year learning French and found this book at a local bookstore. It is HYSTERICAL! It has made learning and maintaining French truly an enjoyable experience. There is so much wonderful humor in this book. I am excited to learn there are more in the series. The situations are funny, nothing is too precious, the kids seem to act like real kids and those poor adults...! I wish I could find an English version to send to my nephew. This is great reading and if you disagree, je vous donnerai une claque!

A really cool little book. Worth the price. Great colors and fun information. DVD works well.

My sisters and I loved reading the book and looking at the pictures. We saw the pictures come to life when we watched the DVD. We think that all kids will enjoy learning about ocean life if they have this book.

This title was originally purchased for the library that I work in. I reviewed the title for the collection and enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy for my nephew. It is very informative as well as entertaining. The still photography and video are exceptionally well-done. I think it's a book and movie that kids will enjoy over and over.

Cynthia

The Ocean Life From A to Z Book and DVD is much more than I hoped when I purchased it. I was not sure how good the DVD would be due to the low price. I was delighted to see not only a very beautiful and thorough book with georgeous photos and lots of scientific information, but an equally well-done full-length DVD. The main program on the DVD goes through the ocean telling all about many wonderful creatures and how tings work, showing multiple (in most cases) examples for each letter of the alphabet. The cinematography is excellent, and many creatures I had never seen before, even though we have studied the ocean a lot in our home-school. The DVD even has two extra little movies that are especially enjoyable for children. They get to see other children swimming and playing in the water as the narrator encourages them to pretend "you are a dolphin", etc. The second extra program is a chance to meet the photographer/diver. She is really passionate about the ocean and relates well to kids! It also tells about conservation and encourages good stewardship of our natural resources. This product is extremely well-done for children! I love it too (not a bit boring for adults). My just-turned 5 year-old and almost 9 year-old sons both love it! This is one of those things that stretches both up and down in age suitability. I would guess it would be enjoyed by very young to older kids (3 - 12+ ?). It is helpful for learning the alphabet, but is sooo much more. It is thorough, as each letter usually shows more than one type of creature. I highly recommend this for curious kids who love to learn and appreciate the beauty of God's creation. (This product is not religious by the way, but I am.) Katie, home-school mom of 3 sons

Many science and nature videos aimed at children offer little more than pretty pictures. Most A-B-C films merely recite a list of words chosen to match the letters, dressed up with brief and painfully dull commentary. Imagine our delight (no, our amazement) at this combination of spectacular videography and deep. instructive narration. Annie's voice and narrative pace are well suited to young viewers, but she delivers a great deal of information in a way that respects a child's ability and desire to learn. Every creature she introduces is described in ways that make it clearly, fascinatingly different from the others. Our son insists that we be quiet so he can hear every word.

On top of all this information quality, the videography is simply gorgeous. I don't know how she finds such crystalline water and beautiful subjects but these are the best underwater images we've ever seen. We cannot recommend this highly enough.

As an eager but somewhat overwhelmed newcomer to the world of ambient music, I've found this overview to be informative & invaluable. It's constructed like many ambient pieces: layers of information & exotica that overlap, shade into one another, and in many ways recreate in prose the experience of the music. Yet at the same time, there's a clarity & focus to the writing, which becomes apparent as the reader flows from one topic to the next. By the end, I'd not only gained some real knowledge & understanding, I'd been given some excellent starting points for further exploration. An exemplary volume, highly recommended!

I love to read about music, but there are so few good music writers it seems. This book approaches the development of incidental, ambient, experimental, avant garde, and world musics in a way that mimics the music itself - with random bursts of observations, anecdotes, interviews, and just plain bizarre missives. I encourage anyone with a sense of adventure and an open mind to grab a copy.

There is a similarly-titled double CD which came out to accompany the book, but I can't see it on Amazon. It is as eclectic as the book and features a lot of the artists interviewed and mentioned - Sun Ra, Aphex Twin, and others. I have played the CD to death and would recommend it. You gotta respect a compilation that puts The Beach Boys right next to African Headcharge, or My Bloody Valentine next to Brian Eno - and makes it work so well.

The book also features a list of albums and artists in the appendix, which I found useful as a way of doing further research.

Another book in a similar vein is Kodwo Eshun's "More Brilliant Than The Sun", though it focuses solely on the innovators in electronic music.

If you like ambient, or....atmospheric music of any sort you should give this book a chance as it a nice erudite survey of the various genres and musicians that are linked to..or been influenced by ambient music. It is not a linear survey thru time, but rather this book reminds me of a map which Toop rolls around visiting here and there with a few jumps now and then as he discusses how in the last 100 years "music has reflected the world back to itself and to its listeners". The writing is enjoyable, and full of poetry, such that I kept finding myself underlining odd bits and pieces every few pages and I wound up compiling them for myself for future reference. There is also a nice bibliography and discography at the end of the book.

Incredible in many ways, Toop's book attempts to trace a quiet revolution in twentieth century music. One cannot deny the impressive breadth of his knowledge, from Stockhausen to Miles all the way to Future Sound of London and their ilk. His writing is quite often beautiful, if occasionally one feels like he is writing too many words to actually say anything.

Ultimately, however, I leave the book feeling a bit underwhelmed. Ironically, it is the book's very eclecticism that works against it. I personally did not see the connectionsbetween, say, the music of Kraftwerk and Toop's (admittedly fascinating) discussion of the sound of the Amazon jungle. These disgressions ultimately make the book useless as a survey. Of course, I doubt that it was meant to be so, but Toop fails to make the kinds of connections that have given books by Greil Marcus and others a fascinating unity.

Perhaps, though, this is the point. Much like the ambient music that serves as the centerpoint of the book, this book simply floats by, not asking you to make any conclusions. It is probably best read in bits, before bed or in the bathroom, where the individual moments of brilliance can be better appreciated. Very ambient, indeed.

David Toop is both a musician and writer, having done ambient music, dub music with the likes of Prince Far I, and of course numerous written articles on ambient and experimental aspects of popular music. I'd have to say that this book is perhaps one of the definitive studies on this musical genre, covering the aesthetics, listening practica, concepts, influences, directions, and so on of this growing musical field in a very inclusive and insightful style. This is perhaps one of the best written companions to everything ambient, as well as influences on ambient music from as far afield as Sun Ra and Karlheinz Stockhausen. Anyone interested in knowing more...either in scope, or deeper within...on ambient should obtain a copy of this book.

this book will revolutionize the way sociologists look at (evolving) organizations...lots of examples and an excellent organization of topics.

Organizations Evolving is a gem. Writing with grace and clarity, Professor Aldrich establishes how diverse literatures ranging from transaction-cost economics to intepretive theory are premised on evolutionary foundations, and explores their convergences. He deftly synthesizes cutting edge research to illuminate how variation, selection and retention processes unfold at multiple levels within and outside organizations. This book is an exceptional accomplishment and is compulsory reading for all organizational researchers.

First, I found the book to be highly "readable" in a number of ways, including its integration of literature and examples related to organizations of all sizes and ages. This approach created a dynamic "feel" to the book and a sense that the organizations we study are much more "moving targets" than stationary ones. Second, I confess that I am one of those readers who peruses the last section or chapter of a publication first to see where the author is going. I found that the final "invitation" section piqued my interest on a number of intriguing issues for future scholarly work (e.g., challenges of human resources in emergent organizations; the impact of collective organizational action versus individual organizational action) and I am confident others will find this section useful as well in contemplating future research programs. The "invitation" section also offers useful ideas that appeal to a variety of disciplines...for instance, I am already contemplating how I might collaborate with some of my academic colleagues in human resource mgt. and/or org. behavior. Third, since I am currently working on projects related to organizational legitimacy and legitimacy building, I focused my initial reading on sections related to these subjects, and found that Aldrich has, not surprisingly, extended the literature on legitimacy in some interesting and useful ways. For instance, at one point he discusses the potential for tensions to arise between, on the one hand, individualistic action that builds the legitimacy of a new firm, and, on the other hand, mutualistic or collective action that builds the legitimacy of a new population or community of rganizations. Finally, speaking of legitimacy, his purposeful attention throughout the book to organizations at all stages of development (e.g., emergent and existing) helps further legitimize scholarly interest in smaller and/or newer organizations. This is a quality contribution to the field of organization research.

Aldrich is a leading figure in organizational sociology. The organization is, with no doubt, a domain of sociology. But organization is not the object only sociology, especially because the company is the dominant form of organization under capitalism. The firm has been the object of various disciplines. Since the firm is an organization, if one studies the company, he participates in organizational studies. Organizational sociology has also zeroed in on the firm, rather than other form of organization. So now organizational sociology is not much discernible from economic sociology in the empirical research. Both have focused on the firm and the market as research domain. Most universities in the States offer both specialties as one course rather than separate course. Moreover, such a blending of field is intensified as more and more researchers from various disciplines take the firm and market as their research agenda. we¡¯ve seen the ascendance of organizational economics over past decades, breaking decades of ignorance of firm in economics. One-of-a-kind move could be spotted even in political science. ¡®Varieties of Capitalism¡¯ (2001), edited by Peter Hall and David Soskice, for instance, is a example of such a trend. In this book they examine the influence of national regulatory system on the business system and competitive advantage. Now the organizational study is increasingly interdisciplinary affair in social sciences. The more come into play, the more divergent the field become. Aldrich identifies seven perspectives in organizational studies: ecological approach, institutionalism, interpretive approach, organizational learning approach, resource dependence approach, transaction cost economics, and evolutionary approach. The diversity of approaches is not only tolerable but also necessary, given the interdisciplinary nature of organizational studies. But seven perspectives in only one field is too much. So Aldrich attempts to launch the overarching framework based on evolutionary approach, while preserving the value of other approach. The advantage of evolutionary approach lies in its simplicity. It consists of only 4 principles: variation, se4lection, retention, and struggle. Each relates to the other with if-then clauses. But they are abstract in nature. The specific accounts of events should be provided by other niche approaches. Evolution is the name of process, not of substance or what takes place in the field. This is the overall architecture of the book. It seems Aldrich succeeds in the ambitious project to provide the umbrella framework linking competing perspectives under one roof. In doing so, he reviews tons of researches to validate the effectiveness of his proposal. It seems to work with empirical studies. But the devil lies in details. He dumps too many into the limited space in cursory manner. So reader has some difficulty in following through the lines. Overall framework of the book is reasonable, and that it must be the breakthrough in organizational studies. But reading through it is another matter. It¡¯s a painful travail.

Howard Aldrich's ORGANIZATIONS EVOLVING is truly a tour de force. Those who know his 1979 ORGANIZATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTS are familiar with his sharp insights into the field of organizations and his lucid writing. In ORGANIZATIONS EVOLVING, Aldrich develops a compelling, broadly evolutionary, perspective on organizations that integrates the best ideas from diverse organizational theories. He makes the best, most sophisticated, case yet for an evolutionary perspective on the organization.

The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made for two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. This is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

This is a wonderful book about these brilliant guys.

I found that this book is out of print, but the other day a found a copy at Virgin Store San Francisco. They have two copies left. 6.17.04---selling price $40.00

The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made by two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. Even like an object, this is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

The art of Pierre et Gilles shows beauty, sensual, intimate, contemporary and quality works made for two individuals that becomes an author in a perfect union. They create fantastic worlds with photography and paint. Their works talks about their dreams, lifes, obsessions, pleasures, pains, loves, friends, interests. They shows a unncommon vision of the contemporary world through topics related to religion, sexuality, mithology, personalities, and their own lifes. This is one of the most beautiful art books ever made, every single detail have been realized carefully.

Pierre et Gilles set a new standard when it comes to their combination of photograpy and painting. No wonder photographers like David La Chappelle try to knock off their style (imitation is the highest form of flattery). I found this massive coffee table book to be thorough, entertaining, titillating, and funny. I would recommend it to anyone interesting in modern "pop" art and portrait photography. The imagination of these two is priceless as is this collection of their work.

I got this and some other books to get my son ready for HS Honors Chemistry over the Summer. It is just the right level. The many detailed worked examples are clear and there are lots of extra problems to practice on. I looked at quite a few others including Schaum's more general "General Chemistry" and this was the best.

This is a superb self help textbook which provides concise, clear and easy to understand material. The solutions are really simple to follow. I truly recommend to anyone who needs a guide to his or her chemistry studies.

A few years out of high school, I was working construction and decided that it was time to go to college. After doing an agonizing reappraisal of my finances, I realized that I could not afford to either take the time off work or pay a great deal for tuition. I had recently read a brief article in an issue of Reader's Digest that described the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests. Realizing that this would be an option for college credit and then discovering that there was a CLEP test for chemistry, I purchased this book and began studying.
It was very hard at first, balancing the chemical equations was a form of algebra problem far beyond those I was familiar with. Nevertheless, I persevered in two ways. I managed to work my way through the book doing nearly all of the problems and I also passed the CLEP chemistry test with flying colors. I then went on to get a chemistry major and only once did I slip below an A.
While I don't belittle the amount of time and effort I put forth, it was the quality of this book that got me through. While the problems were hard, they were still doable and once done, you have learned the material. No higher praise can be given.

Over the passed few months, I have been buying a lot of chemistry help books to help me survive college chemistry. I have bought the more popular ones like Chemistry for Dummies and the Complete Idiot's Guide to Chemistry. Both of these books are ok, but the part that they really lack is that they didn't adequately help me in the math of chemistry. In fact, it's actually kind of misleading to read these books, and then take a chemistry class. Because these books brush over the math of chemistry so much that I was led to believe that chemistry didn't have that much math in it. But nothing could be further from the truth! When I took my first chemistry class, I felt like I had more math than I did in my actual math class. And, unfortunately, both Chemistry for Dummies and the Complete Idiot's Guide to Chemistry didn't help out too much in this area (and to make matters worse, the FEW examples of math based chemistry problems they had were ridiculously easy.)

I was fed up. I had spent money on two chemistry books that were near worthless as far as helping me out with the math. And when it came to chemistry 102, Chemistry for Dummies might as well have been cast into a fire.. as it doesn't seem to cover much of anything passed chemistry 101 (just look up "enthalpy" in the index... it doesn't even merit a mention in Chemistry for Dummies!). After I told my professor about my problem, he showed me Schaum's Outlines for College Chemistry. I thought, "Oh great, another worthless chemistry book." But then when I flipped through it, it was like a dream come true. Not only does it cover just about every single topic from chemistry 101 AND 102, it also has page after page after page of examples of math based chemistry problems, and it breaks the problems down so that I could teach myself how to work the math problems.

And incase anyone is wondering, yes it does explain the main topics in chemistry. So it's not just a straight math book. The explanations are a little dry compared to Chemistry for Dummies and the Idiot's Guide to Chemistry, but this book is so infinitely awesome in every other way, that this is easily forgivable (besides, the Dummies and Idiot's book may be more fun to read, but they do so at the sacrifice of information, and are often overly simplistic).

As far as I'm concerned this is a TRUE chemistry help book. It is by far the most complete chemistry help book I have ever seen. Remember this: chemistry is not a spectator sport. It is a lot of math, and math must be practiced over and over until it is mastered. Chemistry is not a subject like biology where all you have to do is "read it and memorize it". If you're looking for a good chemistry help book, then I don't think you have to look any further than Schaum's College Chemistry.

This has got to be just about one of the best Schaum's outlines available, and that is saying a lot, since there are many good ones. I picked up a copy for self study due to a domino effect - I was attempting to learn molecular biology, which caused me to review my college biology, which in turn meant remembering my college chemistry.

I bought this book and read and worked through the exercises from chapter one on quantities and units through chapter 17, acids and bases. At no time did I need to seek out another textbook to solve the problems. Everything you need as far as "lecture" is in the outline. All included tables, figures, definitions, explanations, and example problems are complete and excellent. None of the mathematics involved in chemistry calculations is difficult, but the rules can get involved and you need a good book like this one to explain all of the variations involved in solving problems.

Chapters 1 through 14 cover what you would normally learn in a two semester sequence of college chemistry. From that point on in the outline there are a series of miscellaneous topics. Of course, the one I appreciated the most was chapter 15 on organic chemistry and biochemistry, because it directly relates to what I needed to know so I could read the references to chemistry in the biology books without scratching my head. There are also additional chapters on thermodynamics and chemistry, acids and bases, metal ions, electricity and chemistry, and the chemistry of nuclear processes.

Whether you are a college chemistry student, or someone like me who needs to review the topic, I strongly advise you to pick up a copy of this inexpensive yet extremely clear and complete Schaum's outline. It also serves as a great reference after you finish your studies.

This book is a work of obscene art, naughty and brilliant. And though straight, I'd almost instantly fall in love with Shaalis.

It's great. But it's not for the sexually weak hearts. This book is best viewed with an open-mind and a love for erotic art. At first, I thought it wasn't going to argee with me but it did. It's very good and the stories will pull you in. The art is fanstastic and beautifully detailed. This is just my opinion on the book. If you do buy it, I hope that you will enjoy it.

Many of my favorite comix share the quality of appearing to be self-contained artifacts dropped in from a different world, like the encyclopedia volume in Borges' "Tlon, Uqbar, Orbis Tertius." They create little worlds with a totally persuasive ecology and aesthetic. Some examples of this have been THB #1 by Paul Pope, Louis by Metaphrog, New Hat by Tom Hart, and Cave-In by Brian Ralph (only the last of those is available through Amazon, unfortunately).

The Spider Garden and its sequel, Hydrophidian, overflow with this quality. Drawing on Japanese woodblock prints and Cyberpunk science fiction, Manning creates an engrossing world of intrigue and decadence.

It's worth emphasizing that Spider Garden is also extremely kinky and explicit fetish porn. It's rare that someone creates a work of artistically ambitions erotica where the sexual heat is not stifled by the author's pretentions, but here the intricate and subtle plot and the extensive sex scenes achieve a symbiotic relationship that increases the power of both.

Manning has only begun to explore the world he suggests in these books, and his output is notoriously slow. I hope to see many more volumes of this story before he ends the series.

Note: Unfortunately, like so many NBM books, the binding is lousy. The content bears repeated re-readings, but the spine does not.

Not as strong as his later book Transeptor, but Spider Garden is a cool dream world of bondage and domination. Buy it for the art...and you'll be taken to places that will fill your dreams for years to come.

the fetishism isn't cheesy. the sex isn't cheesy. the storyline is engaging and artwork is absolutely beautiful. it left me wanting more . . . and within two minutes of me showing my copies to various friends they were shoving money into my hands, begging me to order them their own books.

This book is exceptional for the beginning backyard astronomer. I found 25 objects in one weekend alone using this book. I'm up to 95 objects total with no doubt in my mind that the book will allow me to find the remaining 15 objects. In dark skies, the Telrad finder charts work extremely well. Over a dozen times I have literally been able to line up the Telrad finder per the book's illustrations and look into the eyepiece and see the desired target. In light polluted areas, where I do most of my observing and where the Telrad is not quite as useful, the star charts in the book provide just the right detail to find the target by either star hopping with a conventional finder or moving along lines of constant declination or ascension relative to a known star. Well worth the low $20 price tag.

Using this book for over two years, I've found all the Messiers and learnt a whole lot from this book. The book starts off with briefly introducing the pre-requisites to stargazing, and the geometric estimation method for locating the deep-sky using a Telrad. The book also tells the story of Charles Messier, and the origins of the Messier Marathon. He then takes the reader on a tour of all the Messier objects. Since this book has its focus on the Messier Marathon, the sequence of the objects is based on his observing sequence during the Marathon. However, as Harvard points out, this book does not necessarily have to be used during a Marathon and can be used any time to locate any of the Messier objects. The finder charts proved to be extremely useful, and I found this book becoming the book I refer to the most. The advantage is, I don't have to flip through other star maps looking for the Messier objects I'd like to observe. Its all included in this book. Therefore, I used this book more than my star atlas while observing the Messier objects. There is a little bit of inaccuracy with some of the charts. For example, in the chart for finding M75, I found I had to extend a little further than the distance from the mouth of the teapot to the lower corner of its handle away from tau Sag. to get to M75. Perhaps it was my problem of not using a powered finder (only the Telrad), but I had to try 5 times before I was compelled to move my scope little further east and north when the dim glow of M75 slid into view. This situation is actually clearly demonstrated in any star atlas, M75 is definitely a little further than the estimate.(I did very careful measurements on a printout of a few star chart program and Harvard's estimation method got to 0.6 to 1 degree from M75 depending on the angle deviation from the gamma Sag. - tau Sag. line, so I'm guessing some people may have troubles) Nevertheless, this is a VERY minor complaint for Harvard's method is based on estimation. Getting as near to the object as possible with the simplest method is what matters. My suggestion to any similar situation is to use a star atlas beside this book too to help with objects that don't seem to show up on first or second attempt. Furthermore, if the object is not in view, do scan around a little (which Harvard did mention). In a real Messier Marathon, don't panic (as I did =) and keep in mind that the less detailed charts are mainly for estimation. Overall, an exceptional book, beautifully written and educating. A book that deserves to be on the bookshelves of all amateur astronomers!

this book is written with one purpose in mind-to get the reader(observer)through the Messier objects utilizing various, and well explained, star hopping techniques combined with in-scale drawings of the objects within their given constellations. It also has some very useful techniques for ligning up a telrad type instrument, calibrating the finder and eyepiece, as well as providing an observer's log for the objects and the Messier catalog. Great book and more than worth the money. Being an "advanced beginner" I have found its techniques easy to follow leading to some incredibly successful observations of these beautiful objects. I only wish it included the Caldwell Catalog, but that may have diluted its very narrow and detailed focus on the Messier objects. Highly recommended!

After trying run my first Messier marathon with charts that I had prepared myself, I wish I had had this book with me that night. I would have seen alot more. Using this book, I have able to locate many objects that I had not been able to find before with certainty.

This book is excellent resource that I now take along with my telescope to every star party. The charts and object sketches are well oriented to the practicing amateur astronomer. Also covered are telescope calibration, observing techniques, and site selection. The only drawback to this book that I have found so far has been that it is not printed on waterproof paper. So, I had to order another copy to cut up and laminate.

This is an extremely helpful book. I rate it among the very best for helping in your Messier Object search: At the April 2000 Messier marathon, I found 75 objects, and was on schedule to find 105, but I grew too tired to continue. On a recent star party in September, 2000, I found 45 objects before midnight, thanks largely to this book. Buy it while you still can!

I take this book with me on most of my travels. When I am on one of my quasi-diets it is very useful. It is small and concise. Occasionally I can't find some kind of food but for the most part everything is there. Even covers most pre-packaged and fast foods.

I really liked this book. I bought it to help count fat and cholesterol but it really is small and thin, perfect to carry around everywhere in my purse. And it has all the necessary information on tons of real, everyday foods.

This is a "must have" book. In seaching for a good book for my parents I was drawn to this one because it was written by Registered Nutritionists. Since my parents started using this book my mothers blood pressure has gone down and my fathers cholesterol has lowered. I was so impressed with the results that I gave one as a gift for my aunt with diabetes. I found it very easy to follow and convenient to carry with you. There is even a section for your favorite foods, medications and keeping track of your cholesterol, blood pressure, weight and other important information. I would highly recommend adding this book to your shopping list.

The Carbohydrate, Fat and Calorie Guide has been an immensely powerful and helpful tool in helping me to make healthier food choices. Because it is pocket-sized and easy to read, the guide is incredibly convenient and simple to use. It is the best and most practical Carb, Fat & Calorie Guide I have found on the market.

I have many books that count calories, fats, and carbs. They are usually too big to lug around or dont have many of our favorate foods listed as we know them, making them a chore to use. This is the only calorie counter you will need, its small and surprisingly has 99.9% of the foods we are eating at your fingertips. Unless u are a Doctor, this book will be fine for your everyday use. I have several other calorie books and this one is the one I USE daily.