Customer Reviews:
Great book, tell your friends.......2002-07-23
I had to read this for an anthropology class prior to visiting Cameroon, little did I know how accurate it would be, I don't even think I grasped the whole story the first time because I had never been in that culture. This is an excellent work, fast reading and very informative. Good for anyone who wants to learn about Cameroonian culture or just another view of the world in general.
This book is multiple faces of postcolonial Camaroon........1999-05-23
Your Madness, Not Mine - A Review. "We're the matches that will light the gunpowder that has been lying cold like ash. If we don't take a step who will . . . ?" This definitive assertion and rhetorical question, posed by an enterprising Beba woman in Juliana Makuchi Nfah Abbenyi's collection of short stories,Your Madness, Not Mine,is evocative of the author's own project which in many ways is as potent and innovative as the above metaphor. To read Makuchi, a Cameroonian woman writer, and postcolonial intelligentsia in the West, is to land at once in a rich, complex and contradictory world, bubbling with tensions ensuing from gender conflicts, polyglossia and constant shiftings of center / periphery, self / other dichotomies. In a span of nine short stories, Makuchi guides us through the contours of her native African land which shares the patriarchal history with the rest of the world, while exposing its own unique gender quarrels, compromises, and victories. The first story, "The Healer", for instance, plays upon the myth of motherhood that is upheld as the major or sole criterion of womanhood in most cases. It shows how a society that sees barren women as a curse, can end up shoving them into the hands of wicked charlatans who cheat them ruthlessly and drive them insane. The title story also has a woman domesticated and deprived of individual freedom by her typically patriarchal husband despite being educated and capable of making financial contributions to the household. But if these are stories of women's biological pathology and gender vulnerability, then in "Election Fever" we have a story of women's manipulative and conniving powers. The grandmother in this story takes her entire family by surprise when she secretively joins many (opposition)political parties and accepts bribery in the shape of cash and Pakistani rice. She also instills a lesson on flippancy and exploitation that leaders and followers mutually play as part of the political game, in her young granddaughter who accompanies her to party meetings. "Bayam Sellam" however, is the story that presents the traditional strength and entrepreneurship of Camaroonian women in the shape of market women. Descendants of strong willed mothers and grandmothers, these market whizzes possess the solidarity and business acumen required to call up a strike and force the government into declaring a state of emergency. If the women in Makuchi's world are economically and politically aware and active, than her men are by no means lacking behind in this arena. They have their own share of pondering and debating over the postcolonial scramble that Camaroon has become since independence in 1960. Hailing from that part of central Africa which has been thrice colonized (Germans, Britishers and French, all had their share of plunder of this land) and is still struggling to wrench free from the clutches of the neocolonial beast gnawing in the shape of capitalist America, the men in these narratives are often concerned about the grim socio-economic fate that awaits them. "American Lottery" and "The Forest Will Claim You Too" are two such stories which delineate the myriad of home grown as well as imposed problems that jitter the heart of this country. Government corruption in particular, and elitist callousness in general, French aggression and racism, in addition to the economic exploitation by next door neighbors like Nigeria, deforestation or "environmental genocide" by both French and Asians, leading to other social hazards like "timber babies", and loss of ancient herbal medicinal provisions are some of the ailments that contribute towards breaking the backbone of Camaroonian economy, and falsifying its persistent efforts towards modernization. No wonder Makuchi blatantly points at the devaluation of the CFA (the Camaroonian currency) and the escalating inflation scenario to be the root cause behind the brain drain that America is enjoying today. The implicit question that lingers right under the narrative surface seems to be: If the "Third World" youth is often eager to have a way out of this labyrinthian hole and aspires for that alluring land of promises, who is to blame? Nonetheless, it is relieving to find that not all Camaroonian youth are attracted to the West. Peter and his friends in "American Lottery", for instance, are well aware of the dilemmas of identity loss, alienation and frustration that are quick to follow the fate of those who turn their face away from the poverty and confusion of motherland in the hope of totally adopting and assimilating a foreign culture. The same densely packed story depicts local riots, curfews and rebellions to be amongst other things that keep Camaroonians perpetually involved in their country's future. Like her themes, Makuchi's images and metaphors are often drawn from both indigenous and foreign sources. So we have palm and plantain, wrappa and nsaa, juxtaposed with the image of the Marlboro man with his will - o'- the - wisp pose and foreign embassies with their whining twining queue of locals. Her stories, with both rural and urban settings also often break into poetic strings of thought and are embellished with sprinklings of the Beba language, some pidgin, Anglophone as well as Francophone diction. Reading these superb pieces of fiction has definitely been a very enriching experience for me. If you are looking for thought provoking yet lucid, and passionately written fictionalized theory, or theorized fiction, then this is the text for you.
Average customer rating:
- Exceptional growth and real life stories, amazing.
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Women in the Mines: Stories of Life and Work (Twayne's Oral History Series)
Marat Moore
Manufacturer: Twayne Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
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ASIN: 0805778349 |
Customer Reviews:
Exceptional growth and real life stories, amazing........1998-12-19
The womens stories in this book show how one can rise above any circumstances. I is an inspiration to the strength of women, men, and families.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Oral History Review, published by Oral History Association on January 1, 1999. The length of the article is 2927 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: WOMEN IN THE MINES: STORIES OF LIFE AND WORK. (book review)
Author: Katharine Aiken
Publication:
The Oral History Review (Refereed)
Date: January 1, 1999
Publisher: Oral History Association
Volume: 26
Issue: 1
Page: 119(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Labour/Le Travail, published by Canadian Committee on Labour History on March 22, 1998. The length of the article is 958 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Women in the mines: stories of life and work.
Publication:
Labour/Le Travail (Refereed)
Date: March 22, 1998
Publisher: Canadian Committee on Labour History
Issue: 41
Page: 299-300
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Average customer rating:
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Introduction to Soil Microbiology
Martin Alexander
Manufacturer: Krieger Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Soil Science
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ASIN: 0894645129 |
Book Description
This second edition deals with the microbial populations and species in soil, their interrelationships with one another and the ecological factors of importance to microorganisms in soil. The text also considers processes that are of environmental and agricultural importance in terms of plant growth, nutrient cycling, and ecological processes. In addition, attention is given to matters concerned with biodegradation of organic compounds and transformations of the elements in soils.
Average customer rating:
- Very Good
- Make it a part of your personal library !
- Great book on Microbiology
|
Introduction to Soil Microbiology
Manufacturer: Delmar Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Soil Science
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Microbiology
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ASIN: 0827384351 |
Book Description
This is the ideal book for anyone with a beginning interest in soil science or microbiology. This comprehensive, easy-to-follow book describes soil organisms, explains what they do and why. It shows how they directly influence the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe. A must for anyone studying or pursuing a career in the natural sciences and environmentalism.
Customer Reviews:
Very Good.......2007-03-19
This is a very good lab. book, very complete. Is the best choise.
Make it a part of your personal library !.......2002-02-13
This book is well written one and contains a vast and updated knowledge in soil microbiology. The content of this book is easy to digest especially for individuals who are new to the field of soil microbiology. The text is enriched with easy to follow displays and figures. I strongly recommend my fellow students to get this reference and make it a part of their personal library.
Great book on Microbiology.......1999-12-16
This is one of the best science textbooks that I have ever read. It is intended for students and others who are interested in everyday microorganisms and the roles they play in the environment. Topics include the history of soil microbiology, metabolism, enzymes, soil macrofauna and microfauna, microbial interactions, soil as a microbial habitat, nitrogen and other nutrient cycling processes, carbon cycling, heavy metal remediation, bioremediation and composting.
What makes this book unique is the fun way that the information is presented (from fundamental to advanced topics). What I especially liked were the breakout sections that described especially interesting environmental "hot" topics (PCBs in the environment, Se in Kesterson wetland, vermicomposting, and many others) and simple microbial experiments (e.g. making sauerkraut at home, measuring denitrification, and many others) illustrating the role of microorganisms and other procedural steps of the methods. Another aspect that I really liked was that each subject was told in a short story format with enthusiasm and wit.
I would encourage anyone interested in natural sciences to get a copy of this book.
Anonymous Faculty.
Average customer rating:
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Electron Density and Bonding in Crystals: Principles, Theory and X-Ray Diffraction Experiments in Solid State Physics and Chemistry
V.G Tsirelson , and
R.P Ozerov
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Crystallography
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General & Reference
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History of Science
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Condensed Matter
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Mechanical Properties of Solids
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Materials
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ASIN: 0750302844 |
Book Description
Electron Density and Bonding in Crystals: Principles, Theory and X-Ray Diffraction Experiments in Solid State Physics and Chemistry provides a comprehensive, unified account of the use of diffraction techniques to determine the distribution of electrons in crystals. The book discusses theoretical and practical techniques, the application of electron density studies to chemical bonding, and the determination of the physical properties of condensed matter. The book features the authors' own key contributions to the subject as well a thorough, critical summary of the extensive literature on electron density and bonding. Logically organized, coverage ranges from the theoretical and experimental basis of electron density determination to its impact on investigations of the nature of the chemical bond and its uses in determining electromagnetic and optical properties of crystals. The main text is supplemented by appendices that provide clear, concise guidance on aspects such as systems of units, quantum theory of atomic vibrations, atomic orbitals, and creation and annihilation operators. The result is a valuable compendium of modern knowledge on electron density distributions, making this reference a standard for crystallographers, condensed matter physicists, theoretical chemists, and materials scientists.
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Structure and Bonding in Condensed Matter
Carol S. Nichols
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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Mechanical Properties of Solids
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Materials
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Nanostructures
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Nanostructures
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ASIN: 0521468221 |
Book Description
How can elements be combined to produce a solid with specified properties? This book acquaints readers with the established principles of crystallography and cohesive forces needed to address the fundamental relationship among composition, structure and bonding. Starting with an introduction to periodic trends, the book discusses crystal structures and the various primary and secondary bonding types, and finishes by describing a number of models for predicting phase stability and structure. Its large number of worked examples, exercises, and detailed descriptions of numerous crystal structures make this an outstanding advanced undergraduate or graduate-level textbook for students of materials science.
Customer Reviews:
Great Condition, Order it fast.......2007-02-06
The book came in great condition. However, if you need it for a class, you better order it after the first day of class, because it took a looooong time to get to me and other people in the class.
Average customer rating:
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Bonding and Structure of Solids (Royal Society Discussion Volumes)
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Mechanical Properties of Solids
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ASIN: 0521413168 |
Book Description
This textbook provides an up-to-date account of modern thinking about the electronic structure and properties of crystalline and non-crystalline materials in a form that is readily accessible to undergraduates in materials science, physics, and chemistry. In recent years the dominant role of the local atomic environment in controlling electronic structure and properties of materials has been recognized. The 'real-space' approach to electronic structure that this recognition has spawned runs through this book, and provides a coherent framework in which to study perfect and defective crystals and non-crystalline materials. This is the approach that those who have been worried by the conventional preoccupation with perfect crystals and band theory have been waiting for. The reciprocal space approach, exemplified in band theory, is also developed and powerful links between the two approaches are shown. Modern, first principles calculations, based on density functional theory, are now predictive tools in materials science and they are introduced and illustrated with relevant examples. Throughout this book the mathematical complexity is kept to a minimum. This therefore, is a textbook which provides a unique introduction to current understanding and predictive modelling of electronic structure and properties in today's materials.
Average customer rating:
- Prill skewers the inspirational film industry
- Keen perceptions
- Funny, with a bit of a point
- Not a Prayer
- A Waste of Everything
|
Second Coming Attractions
David Prill
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312181736 |
Customer Reviews:
Prill skewers the inspirational film industry.......2007-09-11
David Prill's first two novels won him a cult following among horror fans who appreciate his warped world view and macabre sense of humor. In The Unnatural, embalming took baseball's place as the national pastime. Serial Killer Days told the story of a small Minnesota town that actually celebrates the annual visits of a serial killer. This time out, Prill targets the Christian inspirational film industry, with the story of Good Samaritan Films, producers of such epics as The Man Who Rose Again and Three Strikes and You're Saved.
The main character of Second Coming Attractions is Leviticus Speck, son of Good Samaritan founder Noah Speck. Leviticus wonders if the films produced by Good Samaritan are relevant to today's Christian audience. Good Samaritan is not the powerhouse it once was, as evidenced by a declining market share and a challenge from an upstart, Blood of the Lamb Films. This new company produces films with grim anti-abortion messages, usurping markets that Good Samaritan once dominated.
Leviticus, obsessed with his rivals, is willing to do anything to thwart them. Introduced to a hot property that seems tailor made for Blood of the Lamb, Leviticus pretends his studio is interested in the project even though he has no intention of ever making the film. What follows is grim farce, as Leviticus and young screenwriter Nicholas Puckett collaborate on a script for an anti-abortion action film called "The Fetal Detective". The title character (nicknamed "The Unborn Avenger") is a trash talking, gun-toting fetus who dispatches his pro-choice enemies from the womb.
Once again, Prill creates convincing, sympathetic characters and places them in a world which, though ridiculous, is so fully imagined that readers have to buy in. Along the way, he demonstrates his talent for offbeat, off the wall humor, all the while delivering a message against intolerance and one dimensional thinking. Whether writing about a pistol-packing fetus, a support group for spouses of actors who portray deities, or abortion clinic violence, Prill writes authority and conviction.
Although Prill comes close to overdoing it at times (naming a character "Una Bonner" will probably make you groan out loud), he walks a fine line without becoming preachy. Nobody writes like Prill, and nobody covers the same bizarre terrain.
Keen perceptions.......2002-04-18
Critics of this short novel seem quick to be harsh towards its "lack" of powerful and satirical points to drive home, but as a former Fundamentalist Christian I found his keen perceptions of the extremist Christians to be dead-on and absolutely hilarious, partly because I've had first-hand experience with God's less logical and misguided creations. I found it to be a very engaging read and I am planning to pick up some of his other works. Definitely worth more than the 4 dollars I paid for it. I fully intend to pass this book on to my friends.
Funny, with a bit of a point.......2001-08-03
"Attractions" was not quite what I expected when I picked it up (from a remainders rack). I was expecting more of a satire of Hollywood, and less of the Christian entertainment industry. Still, it was a pleasant, and often very funny, read. No, this is not the Great American Novel. You will learn no great truths, or get any insights into the meaning of life. You will be entertained, nothing more or less. This is not reading for The Art of Literature - This is something to read on a summer afternoon in the park, or on a crowded flight, when you don't want to (or can't) give your full concentration to something more serious. Here's the truth of my recommendation: I came back to this page in order to see what else David Prill had written. If I'm willing to give him a second shot, it couldn't be as bad as all that, could it? (For comparison, some of my favorite authors are John Irving, Kurt Vonnegut, Martin Amis, & Don Delillo)
Not a Prayer.......2001-04-02
What a waste of a great premise. This subject is begging for a good satircal novel. This isn't it.
A Waste of Everything.......1999-09-08
A dubious use of good paper and ink, this satire has an interesting premise and takes it nowhere, fortunately the non-journey is quick, and the reader can move on to more profitable fare. The hype the St. Martin's publicist gives the book makes one wonder if she even read it... It starts as a moderately interesting look at the inspiration Christian film "industry" which makes it's point in the first thirty pages and then keep repeating, until there is enough paper to be bound into a book. Despite my personal predisposition to laugh at jokes about Christian "culture," this book is not nearly as funny as it (or the publisher) wishes it was.
Average customer rating:
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Second Coming Attractions
Manufacturer: St. Martin's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000GLO42S |
Books:
- Advanced ESR Methods in Polymer Research
- Alchemy: An Illustrated A to Z
- Allied Health Chemistry: A Companion
- American Interiors: New England and the South
- An Analysis of Depot Level Maintenance for the H-60 Helicopter Under an Integrated Maintenance Concept
- Atmospheric Corrosion
- Basic Concepts of Environmental Chemistry, Second Edition
- Basic laboratory studies in college chemistry,: With a supplement in semimicro qualitative analysis
- Bioactive Heterocycles II (Topics in Heterocyclic Chemistry)
- Biosupplynet Laboratory Research Notebook
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