Interactive Decision Cases for Financial Accounting Cd-Rom: Guided Exploration Llc

The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey
Average customer rating:

common sense

A good read

A complete waste of time

Helpful Signs Along Ambition's Highway to Social Progress

Rise, Peak, Fall

The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey
James Champy , and Nitin Nohria
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Human Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Leadership | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Success | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Business Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Look Inside Health Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Exploring Leadership: For College Students Who Want to Make a Difference (Jossey Bass Higher and Adult Education Series)

The West Point Way of Leadership

Are You Ready to Succeed? Unconventional Strategies to Achieving Personal Mastery in Business and Life

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time

Think and Grow Rich!: The Original Version, Restored and Revised

ASIN: 0471530204

Amazon.com

Nearly everyone aspires to something--wealth, fame, happiness. But a few people aspire to changing an entire paradigm, the way the Wright Brothers did when they invented a glider with an engine, the way Nelson Mandela did when he endured decades of imprisonment to see his nation transformed, the way Thomas Jefferson did when he doubled the territory of the young U.S. by purchasing the Louisiana Territory from France for less than three cents an acre. All seem like obvious ideas in retrospect, but in fact all appeared quixotic at the time, as wrongheaded as the alchemy that had been attempted for 300 years without ever succeeding in turning a base metal into gold.

In Arc of Ambition, authors James Champy (Reengineering Management, Reengineering the Corporation) and Nitin Nohria see these visionaries as creators, but also recognize two other species of genius: capitalizers, who take great ideas and create great businesses or social movements from them; and consolidators, who lead these businesses or movements into maturity. All three types have the titular "arc of ambition." That is, they start with a great idea, realize it, cope with the success of it (the chapter on overreaching and squandering opportunity includes the cautionary tales of Newt Gingrich and Bill Clinton), and decide when and how to turn the product of their imagination over to others. Ultimately, The Arc of Ambition is the entire history of the modern world, of its politics and technology and art. Everything we know and either cherish or loathe starts as someone's ambition, and ends when the product of someone else's ambition becomes the dominant model. It's an interesting and entertaining way to organize the world, to look at the facts with new eyes. In that sense, the authors display the fruits of ambition even as they explain them. --Lou Schuler

Book Description

The Arc of Ambition is aimed at all those who dream of achieving greatness in any field. It is a handbook of lessons derived from the lives of great achievers past and present. The principles of this book come not from conventional psychology (clinical or theoretical) but from life experiences. They are derived from the authors long observation of ambitious people, both past and present in all walks of life.
The Arc of Ambition takes us on a journey through the creative process that transforms dreams into reality. Showcasing the life-changing experiences of dozens of contemporary and historical figures from the worlds of business, politics, science and the arts, The Arc of Ambition is an inspirational and practical guide to harnessing your ambition in order to live up to your highest potential and leave a legacy of accomplishment.

Customer Reviews:

common sense.......2006-07-11

"Consider Peter the Great," say James Champy and Nitin Nohria, authors of The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey. They're using ol' Pete to illustrate their principle of "change or die," one of the stages on what they call the "arc of ambition."

Good example, that. When he was merely 10 and presumably known as Peter the Pretty Impressive, the great-man-to-be succeeded his father and went on to become one of the most historically significant of the Russian czars. Credited by the authors with "pulling his reluctant country out of medievalism into the modern age," Peter the Great is just one of the big-time ambitious folk that they trot out to help them make a point.

And here it is: to succeed we need to be ambitious. Such ambition has three stages: a rise, an apex, and a decline. To successfully realize that ambition we must 1) see what others don't; 2) follow a steadfast path; 3) seize the moment; 4) temper ambition; 5) inspire with a greater purpose; 6) never violate values; 7) keep control by giving it up; 8) change or die; and 9) leave gracefully. Actually, much of the process is explained in quite practical terms, including the observation that "dreams alone are not enough. Acting on one's dreams -- that is the hard part."

There's one more hard part: reading this book and wading through one damn ambitious person after another. Peter the Great, Ted Turner, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Meg Whitman, Sam Walton, Ray Kroc, Thomas Jefferson -- and that's just a sampling. Hard to agree that Walton and Kroc are on the same plane as Gandhi and King.

The authors' advice, while not startlingly new, is refreshingly commonsensical. So why muddy the waters by retrofitting all these historical figures (oh -- Leonardo da Vinci, too) to advise CEOs of growing companies? And are we really surprised that "Chainsaw" Al Dunlap, the fallen CEO of Sunbeam, is one who didn't temper his ambition?

A good read.......2006-01-26

What is the key to great achievements? How is it possible for some people to make a large and lasting impact on the people and communities around them? What is the secret to the spectacular success we witness in our hero's and great historical figures? Ambition is the key, say the authors. Despite this, most of us have an ambivalent attitude towards ambition. We often regard ambition as dangerous. Too much of it, or too little are viewed as character flaws. Yet, the authors contend, ambition creates more positive effects than negative. The authors have outlined nine steps for utilizing ambition to create success for yourself, your family and your business.

A complete waste of time.......2002-01-17

Not a single insight. Not a single "aha". Go read something else.

Helpful Signs Along Ambition's Highway to Social Progress.......2000-09-27

The Arc of Ambition is 'a handbook of lessons derived from the lives of great achievers past and present.' Think of it as today's version of The Prince for the ambitious in all fields of public endeavor. The authors tell us, 'This book is aimed at all those who dream of achieving greatness in any field.'

This book is rich, elegant, graceful and stylish . . . as befits a Wordworks product (based the note in the acknowledgments). That's the book's strength. The weakness is looking at the outward circumstances of achieving the desires of ambition while leaving most of the psychological wellsprings and ethical considerations alone.

The consideration of ambition begins with an insight into how things can be different. You are then advised to temper your pursuit of that insight with both optimism and perserverance for the unpredictable nature and length of your journey. Beyond that, you must act when circumstances make progress possible -- seize the moment, then! As you make progress, you must temper your ambition to create a balance of ambitious goals and disciplined execution. Then, inspire others with a vision of significance combined with shared benefits from greater victories. Whatever you do, avoid the temptation to violate your values. If you make this mistake, quickly acknowledge your error and make appropriate amends. To create greater results, establish autonomy for others so they can be inspired to take action and benefit from their close perception of what needs to be done. As time passes, you will need to make changes or your leadership will cause your efforts to shrivel in effectiveness. Finally, when your time is past, leave the field gracefully.

You are encouraged along these paths regardless of whether your role is as a creator of the new, someone who capitalizes and expands upon the innovations of others, or someone who consolidates progress in more efficient ways. In fact, the best part of the message is the encouragement for each person to learn the lessons of ambition. 'Ambition, we think, needs a better reputation.' ' . . . The art of realizing one's ambition can be learned.' The primary weakness of this encouragement is that the book lacks examples of people pursuing ambition in humbler ways. You only get the movers and shakers in this book. You get the subliminal message that you should be trying to change the world on a grand scale, or you are doing something wrong. Unfortunately, that subliminal message will speak louder than the overt one to those who may lack self-confidence as they begin reading this book.

Let me say a few good words about the examples. I was pleased to see that they were not all based in the U.S. and that some women were included. The book would have been better if the diversity of examples had been even greater. I liked the examples that I did not already know much more than the ones I did. Of 39 examples, only 6 were entirely new to me. I treasure each of them. I think you will, too.

The missing psychological elements show up often. Michael Dell recalls wanting to have his own building with three flag poles in front as a young person. Clearly, that sense of personal significance was important to his progress towards having the insights that led to Dell Computer. I missed that perspective in the other examples also because I usually find the psychology of leaders' motivations to be among the more interesting parts of leadership books. Alternatively, I was pleased that the importance of an inspiring purpose for those who work with the ambitious person was recognized.

There is also a subtle, but important point that the book misses -- the difference between being ambitious for others or a principle (such as Gandhi or Nelson Mandela), and being ambitious for oneself (such as the early Duke of Wellington). Both types of leaders are presented here, but no distinction is noted or discussed. The ability to make progress when in pursuit of a principle rather than self-interest makes all the difference.

The book contains the question, 'What good is ambition?' As practiced by the best, few would argue it can help make a difference in the human condition. What hope should first spring in our hearts to make this ambition the most valuable to all? The book still leaves that point unclear in the end. The tools of successful ambition are not the same as the inspiration behind the most useful ambition. Perhaps that inspiration, too, can be learned. I hope others will study that question.

After you finish this book, ask yourself what exciting purpose inspires you to take the ambitious journey to change the world in small or large ways. Then consider how you can balance that ambition with your other desires and responsibilities. At that point, place yourself on the arc of ambition and think about what may be holding you back. For most of us, it is probably lack of optimism and perserverance. I hope you will also read Learned Optimism and Half Empty, Half Full if that is the case.

Good luck and be ambitious!

Rise, Peak, Fall.......2000-08-04

When you approach your return shot in tennis the position of the ball-rise, peak, or fall-is a critical aspect of the strength and accuracy of your return. I couldn't help but use this analogy in the Arc of Ambition by James Champy and Nitin Nohria

Many perceive business to be a process that generates results, namely money or talent. Ambition is believed to be a process that generates success, namely a legacy, money or recognition. This process has three and distinct stages. The first stage is referred to as the rise of ambition which is the initial dream of an individual and the drive and tenacity that he or she must exert in pursuit of that dream. The second stage is the apex of ambition where individuals seek to build an organization bigger than themselves. Finally there is the decline of ambition, the time when every achiever must cope with leaving the situation and either beginning a new endeavor or setting different life goals.

Champy and Nohria acknowledge that there are dangers to ambition and that when it is a "self-centered" force pursing greed and power alone is dangerous and destructive for both the individual and the humanity in general. They know that this type of ambition exists. There book was written primary to foster a positive framework around ambition and to celebrate its potential when it is used positively to allow an individual to reach professional and personal goals as well as to drive the progress of humankind-be it in art, dance, science or business. We as a culture would remain static if were not for the great achievements of motivated individuals.

These authors utilize a vast array of individuals both historical and contemporary to demonstrate the common values and character traits that these "ambition models" demonstrated. Over the course of 10 Chapters, we are introduced to a cross-section of individuals who have made great strides in personal and human progress. Historically, we relive lessons of Peter the Great, the Wright brothers, and the philanthropy of Andrew Carnegie. Martin Luther King Jr. is acknowledged for the personal risk he took to reform the meaning of the American dream. We are reminded of the courageous and magnanimous Nelson Mandella and all that he has done and continues to do in South Africa. Of the modern economy we are exposed to Dhirubhai Ambani, a much respected entrepreneur from India. Michael Dell and William Gross are brought in as providing the template for modern technical ambition. Out of thirty-nine detailed accounts of ambitious individuals, there were only three detailed stories about ambitious women: Margaret Thatcher, Judy George, and e-Bay's Margaret C. Whitman. You do the math. I was disappointed that there were no historical models of ambitious women. The voices of Mary Wollstonecraft and Susan B. Anthony apparently were not ambitious enough to make the radar of these authors.

Another point that I believe was missed in this story was the fact that the models utilized had national or international acclaim. There was no call for individuals to acknowledge any of the many fascinating and ambitious people in our own neighborhoods. Just like the millionaire next door, you may be living next to a remarkable and ambitious individual that in small steps or in a quiet manner may be reaching remarkable personal and professional gains. They do, however, hit on the most important point which is that each individual is capable of seizing their ambition, "we believe that by gathering your strengths and knowing your potential, you will be able to determine your own destiny."

Are people only born ambitious or not? Or, can the qualities and traits that define an ambitious person be acquired with time and attention. This team seems to believe the later-that there are distinct aspects of ambition that can be learned, practiced, and ultimately developed. I want to leave you with the eight ways to elevate your ambition: 1. Achieve excellence in whatever you do. 2. Create great value. 3. Empower the individuals who work with you. 4. Improve the human condition. 5. Create fun and pleasure. 6. Invent the future. 7. Use profits for public good. 8. Improve the environment.

The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey
Average customer rating:
The Arc of Ambition: Defining the Leadership Journey
James Champy , and Nitin Nohria
Manufacturer: Perseus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000VXJJYO

Book Description

This all-new edition of the popular field guide provides photographs and descriptions of all species and subspecies of snakes of Eastern and Central North America from Texas to Manitoba, to the Eastern seaboard of the continent.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent for home and field use.......2007-04-07

Excellent book for novice and experienced alike. Tons of pertinent, useful information. This is a great book for educating entry level herpers. This is not a typical field book, having far more useful information for each species than most I have used. This is particularly helpful when dealing with similar species. More info on typical habitat, range, size, coloration, diet, etc. makes identification easier. A great addition to any library.

Four months and still waiting . . . ........2005-03-25

In fairness, I haven't even read this book. I ordered it in November, and I never received it. Twice Amazon.com asked for permission to extend the date of delivery of my order. Twice I agreed. The third time I said enough is enough. Forget it. I just got my money back, minus the amount I should have obtained from giving Amazon.com an interest-free four-month loan. Each time I was asked to consent to an extension on the delivery date I was denied an explanation for the delay.

I understand that this is more of an indictment of Amazon.com than it is the book, so it is unfair for me to give it the rating I have assigned it. But I just wanted Amazon.com's customers interested in this book that if you want it, be prepared to WAIT!!! (Or look for the book on bn.com.)

Great Guide!.......2004-01-05

I just bought the 2003 edition of this book, and I must say it is great! The pics are very good! On some of the variable species, there are more than one photo to show you the different forms. The author provides great information on every aspect of the snakes' lives including size, reproduction, prey, habitat, and relative abundance. The book is very easy to read and is a steal at that price for 600 well written pages on North American snakes!- Anthony J. Chodan

Good, accessible guide.......2001-08-29

A very good reference and field guide to snakes from Texas to North Dakota eastwards, aimed at enthusiasts and accessible to the average reader. It builds on Tennant's earlier books on Texas and Florida snakes (which were excellent), and in fact the text of the species accounts is often lifted more or less directly from those books. This makes this book less than original, but the detail -- over 600 pages worth -- is very good. Lots of photos, though each are a little small. This book is thicker, more thorough and generally stronger than the companion western volume (Snakes of North America: Western Region). It also has a good bibliography. One quibble, though -- the range maps often do not extend into Canada (though the Canadian ranges of the relevant snakes are discussed in the text), which reduces the usefulness of this book for Canadian readers. Recommended.

Snakes of North America : Eastern and Central Regions (Field.......2000-08-09

Overall I thought this book was well written, very comprehensive, and quite easy to use. The copy I purchased has a problem with some of the pages being out of order. The Western guide I have has the range maps for the hognoses reversed. These may be a function of the printing company's sloppiness. However, I believe this book is an important addition to any serious amateur or professional herpetologist or budding herpetoculturist.

The Sportsman's Guide to Texas: Hunting and Fishing in the Lone Star State

Average customer rating:

The Sportsman's Guide to Texas: Hunting and Fishing in the Lone Star State
Dick Bartlett
Manufacturer: Taylor Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General & Anthologies | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0878335609

The Star Pupil: A Dot's Quest to Find His Place in the World

Average customer rating:

The Star Pupil -- Sky High Review

The Star Pupil: A Dot's Quest to Find His Place in the World

Manufacturer: Cherry Street Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0976492105

Book Description

Written with rhyme,fantasy and humor,The Star Pupil is a tale of a dot's quest to find his special calling. After excelling in school, he heeds his parent's advice to follow his heart and to always be himself. He travels the road and opens four doors that lead to the CITY, ZOO, LIBRARY, and COUNTRY. Each place offers exciting opportunities such as literary work(punctuation), computers(dot-com), dance(polka-dot), music(note on a staff), etc. At the end of his search he realizes that the answer had been with him right from the start...hiding behind the DOOR TO HIS HEART.

Customer Reviews:

The Star Pupil -- Sky High Review.......2007-09-23

"The Star Pupil" is a wonderful little story -- timeless and ageless. Everyone everywhere will relate to this beautifully woven tale about finding one's path - navigating life's twists and turns. "The Star Pupil," with it's very simple illustrations and very strong message stands head and shoulders above any other story of its kind -- and will be a wonderful reading experience for anyone -- young or old -- embarking on a journey of the soul. Take a few minutes with Carole Hamburger's book...and you very well may find that it helps you connect a few of the dots in your own life. Truly a gem of a story.....

Average customer rating:

Denatured Africa, (A star book)
Daniel Willard Streeter
Manufacturer: Garden City Pub. Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: B00085QYAC

Turkey Stearnes and the Detroit Stars: The Negro Leagues in Detroit, 1919-1933 (Great Lakes Books)

Average customer rating:

Good book about the all around climate of the Negro Leagues
The Stars are shining in Detroit
Statistics compiled were as close as I've ever seen

Turkey Stearnes and the Detroit Stars: The Negro Leagues in Detroit, 1919-1933 (Great Lakes Books)
Richard Bak
Manufacturer: Gospel Light Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Shooting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books

Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0814325823

Customer Reviews:

Good book about the all around climate of the Negro Leagues.......2006-12-28

If you read the title of this book you might think you are getting a detailed account of the the life of Norman "Turkey" Stearnes and the Detroit Stars, like you get from other books dedicated to a player's life, but this book is different. The story is more about the general environment of the Negro Leagues and race relations in the United States from 1919 to 1933. Great interviews with former Negro Leaguers and fans abound in this book, and the reader will get an idea of what life was like for both players and owners at this time. Readers will not only see Turkey Stearnes, but other greats such as Oscar Charleston, Ted Radcliffe, Andy Cooper, James Bell, Bill Petway, and Josh Gibson. The rosters and season stats for the Detroit Stars at the back of the book will be particularly interesting for anyone researching these players, and there are plenty of great photos as well.

The Stars are shining in Detroit.......2001-08-16

Mr. Bak provides the reader with an insightfull, yet entertaining historical account of a segment of Americana that is too often over looked. A must read for diehard baseball fans, or anyone sincerely interested in either the history of Detroit in general or of baseball in Detroit.

Statistics compiled were as close as I've ever seen.......1999-04-23

I am Turkey Stearnes' oldest daughter and I think that the book clearly shows that these guys were very great and my dad was the greatest of all time and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. This book helps to give him the recognition that he so justly deserves. I'm sorry that he is not here to see all that is happening with the Negro League players. This has been a long time coming. Thank You Mr. Bak.

Reader's Digest Select Editions (2000 Volume 2) Follow the Stars Home; Hunting Badger; The Quiet Game; Second Wind

Average customer rating:

Reader's Digest Select Editions (2000 Volume 2) Follow the Stars Home; Hunting Badger; The Quiet Game; Second Wind
Luanne Rice , Tony Hillerman , Greg Iles , and Dick Frances
Manufacturer: Reader's Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000EGZD70

Average customer rating:

A universe of little black beach balls
A mix of history and new theory
Good...if you understand that kind of thing.
Not for "establishment" types

Hunting Down Universe PB (Helix Books)
Michael Hawkins
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Astrophysics & Space Science | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Star-Gazing | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

Universe | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | History & Philosophy | Science | Subjects | Books

Cosmology | Physics | Science | Subjects | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0738200379

Amazon.com

Most scientists know, even if they don't admit it, that they are not completely objective, dispassionate seekers after truth. Astrophysicist Michael Hawkins rips off any remaining mask to reveal science, red in tooth and claw: "cosmology really is a seriously emotional issue, and can arouse irrational passions in otherwise intelligent and sensible men and women." Hawkins expounds his own cosmological theories (revolutionary if true, though by no means widely accepted) while giving a passionate tour of modern astrophysics, especially as expounded by Steven Weinberg and Fred Hoyle, and of the philosophy of science, including the theories of Richard Dawkins and Ludwig Wittgenstein. Hunting Down the Universe is not for the fainthearted or credulous, but you will not be bored.

Customer Reviews:

A universe of little black beach balls.......2005-01-24

The central theme of this scientist's theory is summarized in the last sentence of the book.

"The stars and galaxies that fill our view as we survey the depths of the universe are really just a froth delineating the massive, dark unseen structures beneath."

He is telling us that almost all of the matter of the universe is hidden from our view. All of the stars we see just account for 10% of the matter in the universe. The other 90% is invisible.

How does he arrive at this conclusion? A certain amount of mass is necessary to provide enough gravitational force to balance the opposite force in the universe, the force that drives stars away from each other. Without this mass, the stars would be hurtling off into space, not forming galaxies.

And the stars we can see only account for 10% of the necessary mass. What is the other 90%?

He answers this too. The other 90% of the matter of the universe is composed of black holes the size of beach balls and the mass of Jupiter.

What leads him to say that? He'll explain it all to you. It has to do with variations in the light of far-away quasars. He believes that this light is varying because it is being seen through the "lens" of a lot of little black holes that happen to exist in the line of sight between us and those quasars.

What is a quasar? What does baryonic mean? What is a black hole? What is inflation? There is a terrific glossary near the back of the book. It might be the best part of the book. You will learn a lot just from taking your time browsing through the glossary.

It is mind-boggling to me that all these millions of little black holes would have formed within the first millionth of a second of the universe's existence.

If there is a creator, she was certainly not hurried by our conception of time. She came from a place that isn't hampered by time constrictions.

He addresses the debate between the Big Bang and the Steady State theories, and he believes that the Big Bang necessarily supports the existence of a creator while the Steady State does not. I don't really see his point there.

If you choose to believe in a creator (and I can't think of a reason why you should back away from that idea, except for being utterly fed up with the nonsense of Noah chasing around the arctic to kidnap polar bears and haul them to the Middle East in a damn hurry) you are pretty well stuck with her (the creator) even with the Steady State theory. Wouldn't she have been the one who made the stars in the first place? That's her job, no?

This book also leaves us with the cheery thought that the world's scientists tend to be stubborn, jealous, impressed by status, rarely objective, and a bunch of annoying crapheads. Thank you for letting us know. It renews my faith in humanity.

A mix of history and new theory.......2000-07-31

British astrophysicist Hawkins presents his theory as to what makes up the missing mass (dark matter). Primordial black holes - small massive objects that are all but invisible to any attempt to perceive them. They are detectable only by their gravitational influence, which Hawkins believes he has found by examining the variability of light from quasars. All quasars apparently have this variability, which to this point has always been accepted as intrinsic to to the quasar.

Hawkins treats us to the theory only after 130 pages of his own views of the evolution of cosmological thought, complete with his take on the feuds, backbiting, and troubled waters of academic squabbling. His insights are interesting and his book a pleasure to read, but I had the troubling impression that I was being treated to someone else's dirty laundry all the while, though that's the way science works I suppose. Among opinions he expresses that ring true is that of the "HST bias," that results which come from HST observations are somehow given automatic priority over those of ground-based observations, a bias which is clearly not always warranted.

The most interesting part of his book, for me, was his detailed descriptions of his own observational programs - using a series of Schmidt plates of a single patch of sky, accumulated over a period of years, to search for faint variable stars. His hopes were to find microlensing events to bolster his theory. He ended up finding lots of previously unknown quasars, and finding new patterns of quasar variability spanning years, not months or weeks.

Hawkins is an unabashed UK promoter. I had to grin at many of his descriptions of the superior astronomy of the UK. He has a lot to brag about though.

Good...if you understand that kind of thing........1999-05-18

Pretty good if your scientist! It isn't really a good source of information about blackholes, but if your looking for a nice scientific debate...this is the book for you! It mostly discusses arguments. Thats about it. See what you think.

Not for "establishment" types.......1998-06-10

Hawkins spends the first nearly two-thirds of the book going over some of the history of cosmology and astronomy and the personalities of some of the great historical figures. He clearly shows that if an idea is not acceptable to the "community" (of astronomers, cosmologists, physicists, etc.), it will most likely be rejected out-of-hand regardless of its potential validity or usefulness. The last third of the book is an explanation of his own theory of the missing matter question. While this book is interesting and historically enlightening, Hawkins spends a good deal of time taking pot shots at the powers -that-be. It is evident after the first couple of chapters that his theory is not taken seriously enough. One cannot help but agree with Hawkins that certain scientists are unpublished and/or unpopular because their ideas conflict with or diametrically oppose the accepted main stream. This close-mindedness and protectionist attitude toward scientific theories needs to be made public and Hawkins expresses himself in a manner that is not off-putting or whiney; he is always professional. If one is looking for a good, easy to read insider's view of historical and current astronomy, cosmology and physics, this is a good book with which to start. I gave it a 9 only because it took him so darned long to get to his theory.

Hunting the Snark and Other Short Novels (Five Star First Edition Science Fiction and Fantasy Series)

Average customer rating:

Hunting the Snark and Other Short Novels (Five Star First Edition Science Fiction and Fantasy Series)
Michael D. Resnick
Manufacturer: Five Star (ME)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 078623878X

Follow The Stars Home / Hunting Badger / The Quiet Game / Second Wind

Average customer rating:

Follow The Stars Home / Hunting Badger / The Quiet Game / Second Wind
Luanne / HILLERMAN, Tony / ILES, Greg / FRANCIS, Dick RICE
Manufacturer: Readers' Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000ARKXFU

Product Description

A Series of 4 condensed novels

Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, the Quiet Game, and Second Wind Condensed

Average customer rating:

Follow the Stars Home, Hunting Badger, the Quiet Game, and Second Wind Condensed
Reader's Digest
Manufacturer: Readers Digest
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K0KUQ4

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books