Reflections on Symmetry: In Chemistry ... Elsewhere

Book Description

What do Schrödinger's wave functions, Escher's intricate tiling patterns and chemistry's latest marvel, buckminsterfullerene, have in common?

This stunning book, written by two world-famous scientists, introduces the reader to one of nature's most fundamental, and ubiquitous, phenomena: Symmetry.

Enormous in scope, this scientific tour-de-force covers topics as diverse as quantum mechanics, stereochemistry, Penrose tilings and Raphael's Madonna. The authors connect these apparently unrelated fields in a completely non-mathematical fashion, which should appeal to the general and specialist reader alike.

Lucidly written and beautifully illustrated, this book provides an eminently readable discussion of the omnipresent concept of symmetry, its application in all branches of science, and its perception in nature, art and elsewhere.

Reflections on Symmetry in Chemistry....and Elsewhere

Average customer rating:

Reflections on Symmetry in Chemistry....and Elsewhere
Edgar Heilbronner , and Jack D. Dunitz
Manufacturer: VCH Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Reference | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

Stereochemistry | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

This book provides a self-contained comprehensive exposition of the theory of dynamical systems. The book begins with a discussion of several elementary but crucial examples. These are used to formulate a program for the general study of asymptotic properties and to introduce the principal theoretical concepts and methods. The main theme of the second part of the book is the interplay between local analysis near individual orbits and the global complexity of the orbit structure. The third and fourth parts develop the theories of low-dimensional dynamical systems and hyperbolic dynamical systems in depth. The book is aimed at students and researchers in mathematics at all levels from advanced undergraduate and up.

Customer Reviews:

Great, advanced intro to dynamical systems.......2003-12-20

This is really one of the very best books on dynamical systems available today. Nearly every topic in modern dynamical systems is treated in detail. The authors have provided many important comments and historical notes on the material presented in the main text. The writing is clear and the many topics discussed are given appropriate motivation and background.

There are only two potential drawbacks. First, the prerequisites for this book are quite high. The reader should be familiar with real and functional analysis, differential geometry, topology, and measure theory, for starters. Fortunately a well-organized appendix collects the key results of each of the branches of math for the reader's reference. Second, many dynamical systems of interest to applied mathematicians, scientists, and engineers arise from differential equations. This book does not discuss in much detail the connection between ODEs and continuous dynamical systems. Other books (e.g. Perko) treat this connection more thoroughly.

For completeness, clarity, and rigor, Katok and Hasselblatt is without equal. If you work in dynamical systems, you should definitely have this excellent text on your bookshelf. Highly recommended.

Great book with lots of detail.......2001-05-17

This book is a comprehensive overview of modern dynamical systems that covers the major areas. The authors begin with an overview of the main areas of dynamics: ergodic theory, where the emphasis is on measure and information theory; topological dynamics, where the phase space is a topological space and the "flows" are continuous transformations on these spaces; differentiable dynamics where the phase space is a smooth manifold and the flows are one-parameter groups of diffeomorphisms; and Hamiltonian dynamics, which is the most physical and generalizes classical mechanics. Noticeably missing in the list of references for individuals contributing to these areas are Churchill, Pecelli, and Rod, who have done interesting work in the area of both topological and Hamiltonian mechanics. No doubt size and time constraints forced the authors to make major omissions in an already sizable book.

Some elementary examples of dynamical systems are given in the first chapter, including definitions of the more important concepts such as topological transitivity and gradient flows. The authors are careful to distinguish between topologically mixing and topological transitivity. This (subtle) difference is sometimes not clear in other books. Symbolic dynamics, so important in the study of dynamical systems, is also treated in detail.

The classification of dynamical systems is begun in Chapter 2, with equivalence under conjugacy and semi-conjugacy defined and characterized. The very important Smale horseshoe map and the construction of Markov partitions are discussed. The authors are careful to distinguish the orbit structure of flows from the case in discrete-time systems.

Chapter 3 moves on to the characterization of the asymptotic behavior of smooth dynamical systems. This is done with a detailed introduction to the zeta-function and topological entropy. In symbolic dynamics, the topological entropy is known to be uncomputable for some dynamical systems (such as cellular automata), but this is not discussed here. The discussion of the algebraic entropy of the fundamental group is particularly illuminating.

Measure and ergodic theory are introduced in the following chapter. Detailed proofs are given of most of the results, and it is good to see that the authors have chosen to include a discussion of Hamiltonian systems, so important to physical applications.

The existence of invariant measures for smooth dynamical systems follows in the next chapter with a good introduction to Lagrangian mechanics.

Part 2 of the book is a rigorous overview of hyperbolicity with a very insightful discussion of stable and unstable manifolds. Homoclinicity and the horseshoe map are also discussed, and even though these constructions are not useful in practical applications, an in-depth understanding of them is important for gaining insight as to the behavior of chaotic dynamical systems. Also, a very good discussion of Morse theory is given in this part in the context of the variational theory of dynamics.

The third part of the book covers the important area of low dimensional dynamics. The authors motivate the subject well, explaining the need for using low dimensional dynamics to gain an intuition in higher dimensions. The examples given are helpful to those who might be interested in the quantization of dynamical systems, as the number-theoretic constructions employed by the author are similar to those used in "quantum chaos" studies. Knot theorists will appreciate the discussion on kneading theory.

The authors return to the subject of hyperbolic dynamical systems in the last part of the book. The discussion is very rigorous and very well-written, especially the sections on shadowing and equilibrium states. The shadowing results have been misused in the literature, with many false statements about their applicability. The shadowing theorem is proved along with the structural stability theorem.

The authors give a supplement to the book on Pesin theory. The details of Pesin theory are usually time-consuming to get through, but the authors do a good job of explaining the main ideas. The multiplicative ergodic theorem is proved, and this is nice since the proof in the literature is difficult.

Excellent rigorous introduction to chaotic dynamical system.......1997-04-17

This remarkable book is by far the best rigorous introduction to many facets of the modern theory of (chaotic) dynamical systems. It introduces and rigorously develops the central concepts and methods in dynamical systems in a hands-on and highly insightful fashion. The authors are world experts in smooth dynamical systems and have played a major role in the development of the modern theory and this shows througout the book.

The book starts with a comprehensive discussion of a series of elementary but fundamental examples. These examples are used to formulate the general program of the study of asymptotic properties as well as to introduce the principal notions (differentiable and topological equivalence, moduli, asymptotic orbit growth, entropies, ergodicity, etc.) and, in a simplified way, a number of important methods (fixed point methods, coding, KAM-type Newton method, local normal forms, etc.). This chapter alone is worth the price of the book.

The main theme of the second part is the interplay between local analysis near individual (e.g., periodic) orbits and the global complexity of the orbit structure. This is achieved by exploring hyperbolicity, transversality, global topological invariants, and variational methods. The methods include study of stable and unstable manifolds, bifurcations, index and degree, and construction of orbits as minima and minimaxes of action functionals.

In the third and fourth part the general program is carried out for low-dimensional and hyperbolic dynamical systems which are particularly amenable to such analysis. In addition these systems have interesting particular properties. For hyperbolic systems there are structural stability, theory of equilibrium (Gibbs) measures, and asymptotic distribution of periodic orbits, in low-dimensional dynamical systems classical Poincare-Denjoy theory, and Poincare-Bendixson theories are presented as well as more recent developments, including the theory of twist maps, interval exchange transformations and noninvertible interval maps.

This book should be on the desk (not bookshelf!) of any serious student of dynamical systems or any mathematically sophisticated scientist or engineer interested in using tools and paradigms of dynamical systems to model or study nonlinear systems.

Excellent rigorous introduction to chaotic dynamical systems.......1997-04-17

Book Description

In its adventurous happenings–its abductions, duels, and sexual intrigues–A Hero of Our Time looks backward to the tales of Sir Walter Scott and Lord Byron, so beloved by Russian society in the 1820s and ’30s. In the character of its protagonist, Pechorin–the archetypal Russian antihero–Lermontov’s novel looks forward to the subsequent glories of a Russian literature that it helped, in great measure, to make possible.

This edition includes a Translator’s Foreword by Vladimir Nabokov, who translated the novel in collaboration with his son, Dmitri Nabokov.

Customer Reviews:

Nabokov edition? Hard (impossible) to tell........2007-04-11

A note of caution to those considering purchasing the Hard Press edition of "A Hero in Our Time." I bought this edition based on the reviews that mentioned the edition as having been translated by Vlad & Dmitri Nabokov. So I was surprised when I received the Hard Press edition (soft cover, with grayish-green panels on the top and bottom, and grey and white panels in the center; no picture on the cover, only the text of the title/author). NOWHERE in the book does it state that it was translated by Nabokov; indeed, the book contains absolutely no translator info whatsoever, leaving the reader completely at sea in determining who translated it (despite Amazon's description that it contains a "Translator's Foreword"). Instead, the book appears more like a manuscript submitted for review, rather than a publication. There isn't even any Library of Congress or ISBN info anywhere in the book, nor is there a publication date (usually included on one of the opening pages). "Page 1" is completely blank (other than to say it is "Page 1"); "Page 2" consists of a table of contents, and page 3 launches straight into the author's text (despite page 2's table of contents indicating that the book starts with a "Foreward").

"I was prepared to love the whole world . . . I learned to hate.".......2007-04-02

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS....

TITLE: A Hero of our Time

AUTHOR: Mikhail Lermontov

TRANSLATOR: Marian Schwartz

PLOT: In the land of the Caucasus, a traveling post from Tiflis meets Maxim Maximich, who becomes a storyteller when he talks of a strange companion of his: Grigory Alexandrovich Pechorin, a man who seems to be a plague to almost everyone he meets. This is a near-perfect plot for the modern anti-hero.

CHARACTERS: Pechorin is not your ordinary anti-hero. No, he is a betrayer of friends, a tormentor of womanly love, and a lover of deep dark secrets. And yet he is also calm and careful with the things he does. When he is kills Grushnitsky near the end, it's hard to know if we should cheer him for ending a betrayer's life or despise him for staying alive after begin shot at by Grushnitsky's seconds. When deciding whether to settle with the old or the young princess, it's hard to tell which one he would select later on, that is, until he breaks both hearts. The supporting characters (particularly Maximich) are very fine as they slowly realize what kind of person Pechorin really is.

PACING: The first half of this novel is a bit slow at times, but for the second half, almost everything runs smoothly.

THE WRITING ITSELF: I don't know much about the Russian language, but I have a sense that Marian Schwartz has created a perfect translation for "Hero of our Time". Adjectives were selected with proper care, and the imagery is written with goodness and graciousness. Some readers might need to keep a dictionary handy, for there are some words that can be beyond understanding.

OVERALL: Despite a strange choice for the book's photo cover, Lermontov's tale of unbalanced love, successful treachery, and shocking deaths deserves as much praise and recognition as Tolstoy's "War and Peace" and Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter." A-

Interesting and Entertaining With Some Slow Spots.......2006-05-01

Every book, novel, or novella must be judged on its own independent of the biography and fame of the author or whether or not the writing is new. As we look back almost 200 years, the question is whether or not it is still an entertaining fairy tale or is it just historically interesting?

Taking off the rose coloured glasses, I humbly suggest that as a work of art on its own it is good. Yes, it is very entertaining, but not quite as good as Lermontov's contemporary Pushkin.

This is a novella about 157 pages long. It is not that exciting to read, but it was entertaining. I guess one must judge it in the context of the time.

He was a contemporary of Pushkin, and the story is a bit like Pushkin's "Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin " but more elaborate and one continuous story, almost diary style. There is an excellent duel scene which must have inspired Chekhov's short story "The Duel." Overall, I thought it was good, but not quite as good as Pushkin. Pushkin has a certain flair or intangible and the present book rises to that level only in spots.

It has some entertaining moments, especially the duel scene and the opening chapter "Bela." But between the good scenes there is lots of filler writing. Clearly, this is great writing but it is thin on stories. For similar but better reading I would recommend "The Shooting party" by Chekhov. It is about the same length and is also a story within a story, or some of Chekhov's collected works such as "The Complete Short Novels" ISBN: 140003292X.

So, this is a worthwhile read and people interested in Russian literature must read it, but compared to what followed, or even Pushkin's "Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin " ISBN: 0192839543, I thought it was good, perhaps even excellent, but a notch slightly below Pushkin. It reminds me of some of Hemigway's writings: outstanding prose but sometimes weak stories.

Please, don't judge a book by its cover!.......2006-02-01

Yes, I realize this edition has one of the stupidest looking covers I've ever seen, particularly for a Russian novel. However, this is one of my favorite. The story starts out with a man being told a variety of stories about a man named Pechorin, which is enjoyable enough, yet Pechorin is one of the most amazing, entertaining, and brilliant characters in literature. When the story moves into his tale is when the story really picks up. He does a series of things that are entertaining as any in literature. A combination of stealing a native princess, getting the family killed, and ultimately getting bored with her is only one element. Getting a Russian princess to fall in love with him just to spite a companion is another element. If you don't like darkly humored anti-heroes, this is not the book for you. Pechorin does numerous things just to entertain himself that cost others, and it may not be for everyone. But certain quotes such as "Suffering is the first experience that allows me to take joy in tormenting others" and "I choose to despise women over loving them because life would be too much of a melodrama otherwise." Plain and simple, Pechorin is fun. He brings up some interesting intellectual issues, but overall, the main attraction to this book is the character of Pechorin. Anyone who's in the mood for a fun, darkly humored read needs to read this book. If that is not your taste, leave it on the bookshelf. Either way, I grew to love Pechorin and see him as the sly, mean-spirited side of me that rarely seems to surface.

good russian entertainment, responsibly.......2005-06-24

The part that stands out most in my memory is when Pechorin is talking to his doctor confidant Wagner, because their relationship is the most ridiculous and excessive I've seen in a russian novel... Which is really saying something. Really, I can see why Lermontov would want to fabricate something entirely impossible within the boundaries of human communication (he was young - and romantic!) but rather than being repulsive, it was quite rapturous and surprising because Lermontovs talents could bestow a seriousness upon even the most far-fetched and ill-reasoned of ideas. Thus, the whole improbable nature of the story is lightened just enough to be compelling without being viscous or revolting.
However, a warning! It's a small book, but it took me three months to read, because I just couldn't handle how intense it was. I WANTED to read it faster, but I was incapable of it whatever my wishes. Quite often I'd read one particularly outstanding or profound or meticulously crafted sentence and say "that's it!" and throw the book down, rush out of the room.

Average customer rating:

A Hero of Our Time
Mihail Lermontov
Manufacturer: Anchor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: B000IO427K

Product Description

His only novel, he died at age 26. There was no hardback edition.

A Hero Of Our Time: The Story Of General Ermolov

Average customer rating:

A Hero Of Our Time: The Story Of General Ermolov
Mikhail Iurevich Lermontov
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1419101536

Book Description

This is the story of General Ermolov by M.Y. Lermontov.

Download Description

This is the story of General Ermolov by M.Y. Lermontov.

Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time (Critical Studies in Russian Literature =)

Average customer rating:

Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time (Critical Studies in Russian Literature =)
Robert Reid
Manufacturer: Duckworth Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Russian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Writing | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1853994243

Book Description

This monograph aims to offer an in-depth critical analysis of Lermontov's novel, in the light of the latest criticism on the work. A review of the critical reception of the novel from publication up to the present day is offered in the introduction, and there is a comprehensive bibliography of secondary sources. This is followed with analysis of the novels' five consistent stories, as well as its introductory apparatus, to produce new critical insights into the text. Particular stress is laid on the role of ethnicity in the novel, taking into account its role in the development of the Caucasus as a romantic topos in 19th-century literature. The book is part of a series of critical monographs aiming to provide an up-to-date guide, for students, teachers, and the interested general reader, to a range of Russian texts.

Wicked Irony: The Rhetoric of Lermontov's a Hero of Our Time

Average customer rating:

Wicked Irony: The Rhetoric of Lermontov's a Hero of Our Time
Barratt
Manufacturer: Duckworth Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1853992267

Book Description

Taking in turn each of the stories in A Hero of Our Time, the authors anaylse the rhetorical strategies devised by the narrators. In so doing, they determine the nature of the irony running through the novel, and reveal how A Hero of Our Time is one of the most convincing and compeling portraits of psychoticbehaviour in any literature.

Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time": A Critical Companion (AATSEEL)

Average customer rating:

Lermontov's "A Hero of Our Time": A Critical Companion (AATSEEL)

Manufacturer: Northwestern University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eastern European | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Russian | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0810116804

Average customer rating:

the human side of large egos making enormous decisions

Marshall, hero for our times
Leonard Mosley
Manufacturer: Hearst Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General of the Army: George C. Marshall, Soldier and Statesman

ASIN: 0878513043

Customer Reviews:

the human side of large egos making enormous decisions.......1999-09-14

I checked this book out of the library and was so impressed I am asking Amazon.com to find me a copy (it is out of print). It presents Marshall's strengths and weaknesses and those of Roosevelt, Churchill, Stalin, De Gaulle, Truman, MacArthur and many other powerful people from 1914 through 1959. Five stars!!! I am now going to read as many other of this author's books as I can find.

Average customer rating:

Clara Urquart And Peter Ludwig Brent
Enzo Sereni a Hero of Our Times
Manufacturer: Robert Hale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UK1RJS

Everett Alvarez, Jr.: A Hero for Our Times (Picture-Story Biographies)

Average customer rating:

Everett Alvarez, Jr.: A Hero for Our Times (Picture-Story Biographies)
Everett Alvarez , and Susan Clinton
Manufacturer: Childrens Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: School & Library Binding

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Asia | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Geroi nashego vremeni. THE HERO OF OUR TIME (audiokniga Mp3)

Average customer rating:

Geroi nashego vremeni. THE HERO OF OUR TIME (audiokniga Mp3)
Lermontov M.
Manufacturer: Media-kniga
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B000QG5KYE

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books