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Content by Pumpkin King
Commentateur n° : 2,282
Votes Utiles:
27
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Reviews Written by
Pumpkin King
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Take Notes
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de Ronald Fry
Édition : Paperback |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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The best of the How to Study series, Jul 22 2003
If you get one book in the How to Study series, this should be it. It's the most useful and important. While his particular system for taking notes is annoying and illegible to me, his general strategies and suggestions are all sensible, his discussions on outlining, using index cards for research papers, and notes for oral presentations are all good.
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Preparing for an education, Jul 22 2003
The intended audience for this book is an older student who is going to college to earn some kind of undergraduate degree. It's probably unnecessary for those seeking higher degrees, but some younger students might benefit from reading it. The author is a Psychology professor and much of the book draws from theories of learning. You'll also see some psychoanalysis in the discussions of anecdotal stories. If you're not into that, it may be a problem. The author is best at discussing the broader issues concerning school such as motivation and knowing your support systems, while the details about writing a term paper, or overcoming math anxiety were thin and almost useless.If you're an adult, and you're anxious about going back to school, then I recommend the book. It'll soothe your anxiety and you'll be better able to evaluate your readiness for school. Otherwise, I'm not so sure you'll find it worth your while. If you want a book on how to study well, better ones exist.
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The Professional Chef
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de The Culinary Institute of America
Édition : Hardcover |
| Availability: Currently unavailable |
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The basics, Jul 21 2003
Here are the basics of cooking in a textbook. If you want to learn how to cook, this text can help you lay the foundation for your education. Covering everything from nutrition to food safety to knife sharpening techniques to types of food and recipes, this book is for those unsatisfied with stacks of cookbooks. Although it doesn't go too deep into any of the topics, it is a great reference tool that will not just enhance your cooking abilities, but also your knowledge of Western cooking in general.
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Coming Plague
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de Laurie Garrett
Édition : Paperback |
| Price: CDN$ 16.06 |
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| Availability: In Stock |
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Terrorism for your immune system, May 29 2003
This is a nonfiction work that reads like a Crichton novel. Indeed, if you've read "Andromeda Strain," this would be a good follow up. And it's probably scarier than Crichton too. Laurie Garrett tells the tale of microbes that get out of control and harm and kill humans. These viruses and bacteria caused the diseases that make life so miserable for people way back in history, though we in the United States today tend not to think much of disease thanks to the science, technology, and sanitation that have left us free to die of cancer and heart disease rather than malaria or bubonic plague. But there are still billions of people in areas of the world where they are vulnerable to debilitating or fatal infectious diseases, and even we in the industrialized world should be aware of the outbreaks that occur elsewhere. The quick spread of SARS across countries shows how, in the age of globalization, disease is not just a local, or third world, phenomenon. Garrett won't teach you too much about the ins and outs of epidemiology. For that, a textbook would be more appropriate. Her book is more about the people who research and study these diseases and the politics of infectious disease. She is constantly focusing on what is wrong with the systems we have in place and why we need changes. She often repeats the term "iatrogenic" referring to illnesses caused by medical procedures, doctors, hospitals, etc. Our negligence of systematic flaws is dangerous. You will come away from this book better informed, and with a tremendous amount of appreciation for those who serve public health on the front lines. They are a largely unacknowledged army, equipped not with guns, but with years of training, medical knowledge, and a will to to heal the sufferings of many unfortunate people.
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The first book to turn to, May 26 2003
If you want to learn about the Taliban, turn here first. Rashid gives you a clear picture of what the Taliban is, how it came to be, and why it came to be. It's a journalistic book, full of dates and names, but it's also a very engrossing tale of tragedy upon tragedy, and includes some interesting chapters on oil interests in Afghanistan.
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Great architect but the book could use some work, May 26 2003
Cardwell does a good job discussing Maybeck's life and work and his effect on Bay Area architecture. Unfortunately, the pictures are black and white and they lack the punch that other Maybeck books have because of that. If you're interested in Maybeck however, it might be worth reading what Cardwell has to say about him given his close, personal relationship with him.
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Good as an introduction to schizophrenia, May 26 2003
This book isn't for people who want in-depth coverage of schizophrenia. It's very conversational, written as a series of interviews, and is meant to introduce people who've been diagnosed with schizophrenia or who have found out that someone they know is schizophrenic, and has no idea what it's all about. As an introdruction to the disease, how it affects people, the medications prescribed, etc., it does a pretty good job of being informative without being scientific, and avoids being dumbed down. But for people who already know about schizophrenia, the contents should be familiar.
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A History of Greece to 322 BC
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de N. G. L. Hammond
Édition : Paperback |
| Price: CDN$ 77.85 |
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| Availability: Not in stock; order now and we'll deliver when available |
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Fat and fun, April 4 2003
Though this is a 650+ page history book, Hammond does a great job of telling the tale of ancient Greece with excitement in addition to providing detailed information. If you need a one-book history of Greece from its beginnings to the death of Alexander the Great, this will probably suit your needs. There are some pictures and maps, but if you actually want to know what's going on, an atlas of ancient Greece might help.
Interestingly, Hammond is especially thorough where battles are concerned and sometimes includes maps to illustrate the placement of ships or soldiers in a given battle. He is also adept at describing the intellectual and artistic achievement of the Greeks and fitting them into the narrative of events. The book is well organized and the table of contents show clearly what each segment of the book is about.
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Darkness described, Mar 23 2003
If you seek a book on depression, you are probably looking for clinical texts written by people in the health professions. You may hardly expect this slim book by novelist William Styron--a memoir, but also a literary self-analysis regarding his condition. DARKNESS VISIBLE is a revealing and engaging look into the life of a particular man who suffers this disease. Although I can only imagine how a victim of depression would respond to such a book, I would suppose it would offer something like companionship or camaraderie with someone who has experienced what they feel others can't understand, as well as a glimmer of hope if read to the end. As a reader not afflicted with depression, the book was a story that illustrated his philosophical dilemmas, agonizing psychological pain, and his experiences in a personal and thoughtful way. If it was not as entertaining as the novels of his that I have read, I'm certain it wasn't meant to be. But if you suffer from depression, treat people who suffer from depression, or are just interested in the affliction, you might be interested in reading about Styron's attempts to grapple with and understand this often fatal disease that strikes so many people.
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Fascinating case studies, Mar 11 2003
An entertaining book for readers who know about structures, and an educational book for lay readers, WHY BUILDINGS FALL DOWN is an interesting collection of case studies concerning building failures. Never condescending, but never too technical, it's a fun way to learn about architecture or structural engineering.
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