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1. FREE CULTURE HOW BIG MEDIA USES TECHNOLOGY AND THE LAW TO LOCK DOWN CULTURE - by LAWRENCE LESSIG 2004 ($15.00)
From Stanford law professor Lessig (Code; The Future of Ideas) comes this expertly argued, alarming and surprisingly entertaining look at the current copyright wars. Copyright law in the digital age has become a hot topic, thanks to millions of music downloaders and the controversial, high-profile legal efforts of the music industry to stop them. Here Lessig argues that copyright as designed by the Framers has become dangerously unbalanced, favoring the interests of corporate giants over the interests of citizens and would-be innovators. In clear, well-paced prose, Lessig illustrates how corporations attempt to stifle innovations, from FM radio and the instant camera to peer-to-peer technology. He debunks the myth that draconian new copyright enforcement is needed to combat the entertainment industry's expanded definition of piracy, and chillingly assesses the direct and collateral damage of the copyright war. Information technology student Jesse Jordan, for example, was forced to hand over his life savings to settle a lawsuit brought by the music industry—for merely fixing a glitch in an Internet search engine. Lessig also offers a very personal look into his failed Supreme Court bid to overturn the Copyright Term Extension Act, a law that added 20 years to copyright protections largely to protect Mickey Mouse from the public domain. In addition to offering a brilliant argument, Lessig also suggests a few solutions, including the Creative Commons licensing venture (an online licensing venture that streamlines the rights process for creators), as well as legislative solutions. This is an important book. "Free Cultures are cultures that leave a great deal open for others to build upon," he writes. "Ours was a free culture. It is becoming less so.
2. The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History - by Eli Maor 2007 ($16.47)
By any measure, the Pythagorean theorem is the most famous statement in all of mathematics, one remembered from high school geometry class by even the most math-phobic students. Well over four hundred proofs are known to exist, including ones by a twelve-year-old Einstein, a young blind girl, Leonardo da Vinci, and a future president of the United States. Here--perhaps for the first time in English--is the full story of this famous theorem.
Although attributed to Pythagoras, the theorem was known to the Babylonians more than a thousand years before him. He may have been the first to prove it, but his proof--if indeed he had one--is lost to us. Euclid immortalized it as Proposition 47 in his Elements, and it is from there that it has passed down to generations of students. The theorem is central to almost every branch of science, pure or applied. It has even been proposed as a means to communicate with extraterrestrial beings, if and when we discover them. And, expanded to four-dimensional space-time, it plays a pivotal role in Einstein's theory of relativity.
In this book, Eli Maor brings to life many of the characters that played a role in the development of the Pythagorean theorem, providing a fascinating backdrop to perhaps our oldest enduring mathematical legacy.
3. A History of the Classical Greek World: 478-323 BC - by P.J. Rhodes 2005 ($42.09)
This book gives an accessible account of classical Greek history, from the aftermath of the Persian Wars in 478 bc to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 bc.
The author describes the years which witnessed the flourishing of democracy in Athens; the establishment of the Athenian empire; the Peloponnesian War, which involved the whole Greek world; the development of Macedonian power under Philip II; and the conquests of Alexander the Great.
His account combines narrative with analysis, and deals with major social, economic and cultural developments as well as political and military events. Rhodes details the evidence on which his narrative is based, which includes inscriptions, coins and material remains, and outlines the considerations which have to be borne in mind in using this evidence.
4. Money and Power: The History of Business - by Howard Means 2002 ($31.64)
The dramatic story of greed, money, power, and the moguls and dynasties that have shaped business
From merchant ships to microchips, industry has been defined by the powerful business leaders who have caused seismic shifts in the growth of commerce. The companion book to the acclaimed CNBC documentary, Money and Power takes readers on a gripping journey following the movement of power from east to west-from the feudal estates of medieval Europe to the halls of modern finance, from the teeming streets of ancient Venice to the serene campuses of Silicon Valley-to tell the story of how business shaped the modern world, and how the goals of a few ambitious people paved the way to the wealth and prosperity shared by so much of the world's population today.
A dramatic narrative focusing on the groundbreakers throughout history-from St. Godric, the twelfth-century monk reviled for his love of money to Bill Gates, the contemporary embodiment of money and power-traces the roots of banking, industry, commerce, and power. Fever-pitch moments in the book center around pivotal figures such as Cosimo de Medici, Philip II, the Rothschilds, J. P. Morgan, the Rockefellers, Henry Ford and others. The authors also extract important lessons about the strategies and tactics used to build these business empires.
5. The Cambridge Companion to Thomas Mann - by Ritchie Robertson 2001 ($23.53)
Key dimensions of Thomas Mann's writing and life are explored in this collection of specially commissioned essays. In addition to introductory chapters on all the main works of fiction, the essays and diaries, there are four chapters examining Mann's oeuvre in relation to major themes. These thematic explorations include his position as a realistic writer concerned with the history of his own times and as a commentator on German and American politics; his controversial reputation as an intellectual novelist; the literary techniques that enabled his challenging fictions to appeal to a wide audience; and the homosexual subtext running through his fiction and diaries. A final chapter looks at the pitfalls of translating Mann into English. The essays are well supported by supplementary material including a chronology of the period and detailed guides to further reading. Altogether the volume provides an invaluable resource for scholars and students.
6. The Kennedy Years - by Joseph M. Siracusa 2004 ($68.87)
Kennedy is a revised edition of a title originally published in 1976 as part of the "Political Profiles" series (Facts on File); Clinton is a new work in this new series. Each volume begins with a lengthy introduction that summarizes major events of each administration, beginning with the election campaign. Following this is an A-to-Z section of approximately 350 profiles in the first volume and 250 in the second. These concise biographical entries include major political figures from each term of office and discuss the relationship of the person to the administration. The articles in Kennedy cover only U.S. personalities, while those in Clinton include important world leaders. The volumes conclude with a chronology of the administration; lists of the members of Congress, the Supreme Court Justices, Executive Departments staffs, and state governors; and primary documents, which include the texts of speeches and treaties. A few average-quality, black-and-white photographs appear in each volume. The inclusion of primary sources makes these titles particularly valuable resources for research. - Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
7. Gun Camera - World War II: Photography from Allied Fighters and Bombers over Occupied Europe - by L. Douglas Keeney 2001 ($7.64)
The air war over occupied Europe and Nazi Germany is illustrated from the unique and dramatic point of view of gun cameras mounted on Allied aircraft. The story begins as American bombers fall prey to Nazi flak and fighters and continues through the recapture of European skies as seen from American P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts and British Spitfires.
8. The Sleepwalkers: A History of Man's Changing Vision of the Universe - by Arthur Koestler 1990 ($13.60)
Bringing the history of cosmology--from the Babylonians to Newton--to life in a masterly synthesis, Koestler shows how the modern world-view replaced the medieval world-view in the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century.
Koestler has written a superb summary of the early history of science. The views expressed are certainly partial but it is almost impossible not to be transported by Koestler's prose into a world inhabited by Aristotle, Copernicus, Brahe, Kepler and Galileo. It is a wonderful exploration of the progress of science and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the history and philosophy of science.
9. Indonesia: A Global Studies Handbook - by Florence Lamoureux 2003 ($34.76)
A one-stop source for essential information on the history, geography, politics, religion, economy, and culture of the fourth most populous country in the world. It's the "little giant" of Southeast Asia, with beautiful temples, breathtaking scenery, and a rich culture. But it's also a widely dispersed island-nation with grinding poverty, endemic corruption, bloody secessionist movements, and growing Islamic militancy. Indonesia examines pre-colonial periods of the country's development, as well as its independence movement. It discusses the economic collapse of the 1990s and how the resultant civil chaos impacted Indonesia's present political and social problems, and its neighbors. This book also looks at the secessionist movements in West Papua and Aceh and the religious conflict in eastern Indonesia. In addition to current events, the coverage focuses on important individuals, from Javanese nobles to President Sukarno, who was a Japanese collaborator during World War II. This is the book to have for an intriguing and enlightening glance at Indonesia.
11. Astropolitik: Classical Geopolitics in the Space Age - by Everett Dolman 2001 ($47.95)
This volume identifies and evaluates the relationship between outer-space geography and geographic position (astrogeography), and the evolution of current and future military space strategy. In doing so, it explores five primary propositions. First, many classical geopolitical theories of military development are fully compatible with the realm of outer space. Second, how geographical position relates to new technology. Such evolution has developed through sea, rail and air power. Space power is the logical and apparent heir. Third, the special terrain of solar space dictates specific tactics and strategies for efficient exploitation of space resources. Fourth, the concept of space as a power base in classical, geopolitical thought will easily conform to the use of outer space as an ultimate national power base. Finally, a thorough understanding of the astromechanical and physical demarcations of outer space can prove useful to planners, and will prove critical to military strategists in the future. An optimum deployment of space assets will be essential on the current terrestrial and future-based battlefield.
12. Architecture and Art of Southern India: Vijayanagara and the Successor States 1350-1750 - by George Michell 1995 ($134.00)
George Michell considers the artistic heritage of the architecture, sculpture and painting of the Vijayanagara empire and the successor states. The period, encompassing some four hundred years, was endowed with an abundance of religious and royal monuments, which remain as testimonies to the history and ideology behind their evolution. In a previously neglected area of art history, the author presents an original and much needed reassessment, evaluating buildings, sculptures and paintings, illustrated by many previously unpublished photographs.
13. Imperial Germany 1871-1918 - by James Retallack 2008 ($16.14)
The German Empire was founded in January 1871 not only on the basis of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck's "blood and iron" policy but also with the support of liberal nationalists. Under Bismarck and Kaiser Wilhelm II, Germany became the dynamo of Europe. Its economic and military power were pre-eminent; its science and technology, education, and municipal administration were the envy of the world; and its avant-garde artists reflected the ferment in European culture. But Germany also played a decisive role in tipping Europe's fragile balance of power over the brink and into the cataclysm of the First World War, eventually leading to the empire's collapse in military defeat and revolution in November 1918.
With contributions from an international team of twelve experts in the field, this volume offers an ideal introduction to this crucial era, taking care to situate Imperial Germany in the larger sweep of modern German history, without suggesting that Nazism or the Holocaust were inevitable endpoints to the developments charted here.
14. The Greek Theatre and Festivals: Documentary Studies (Oxford Studies in Ancient Documents) by Peter Wilson 2007
($150.00)
A collection of essays, by leading international scholars, on the history of the Greek theatre, and on the wider context of festival culture in which theatrical activity took place in the Greek world. The emphasis is on the documentary material - inscriptions, archaeological remains and monuments - which provides so much of our 'hard' evidence for the activities of the theatre. Much of the important material discussed here is unknown except to specialists, and these studies offer access to its interpretation to a wider audience. They cover a wide range of time and place, from the earliest days of the Greek theatre to the Roman period, with special emphasis on the neglected Hellenistic period, which is especially rich in documentary evidence.
15. The New Cambridge Modern History: Volume 11 - by F. H. Hinsley 1962 ($30.00)
Material Progress and World-Wide Problems, 1870-98
16. U-BOOTE 1933-1945 The History of the Kriegsmarine U-Boats - by ean Philippe,Dallies Labourdette 1996
This is a complete breakdown of U-Boat activities, from the evolution of the submarines, their range, the description of French bases and all the facets of Allied anti-submarine warfare. Includes plans, color profiles and more than 300 photos drawn from German, French, British and American sources. Includes plans, color profiles and more than 300 pictures drawn from German, French, British and American sources
17. Conspiracy Theories - by Robin Ramsay 2006 (6.99)
Are you one of those who think the X-Files is fiction? This fully updated guide offers a concise, thought-provoking introduction to the ever-expanding phenomenon of conspiracy theories.
At one time, you could blame the world’s troubles on the Masons or the Communists. Now, we also have the Alien-U.S. Elite and the Alien Shape-shifting Reptile conspiracies to worry about. Conspiracy Theories—they’re all here, but not just lined up to be ridiculed and dismissed. For among the absurd conspiracy theories currently proliferating on the Internet, there are nuggets of real research about real conspiracies waiting to be mined. This book does the mining for you. Fully sourced and referenced, it is a serious examination of a fascinating phenomenon.
18. The End of the World: The Science and Ethics of Human Extinction - by John Leslie 2006 ($26.61)
Are we in imminent danger of extinction? Yes, we probably are, argues John Leslie in his chilling account of the dangers facing the human race as we approach the second millenium. The End of the World is a sobering assessment of the many disasters that scientists have predicted and speculated on as leading to apocalypse. In the first comprehensive survey, potential catastrophes - ranging from deadly diseases to a high-energy physics experiment sucking away the atmosphere - are explored to help us understand the risks. One of the greatest threats facing humankind,
19. Tools for Radical Democracy: How to Organize for Power in Your Community - by Joan Minieri, Paul Getsos 2007 ( $19.77)
Tools for Radical Democracy is an essential resource for grassroots organizers and leaders, students of activism and advocacy, and anyone trying to increase the civic participation of ordinary people. Authors Joan Minieri and Paul Getsos share stories and tools from their nationally recognized and award-winning work of building a community-led organization, training community leaders, and conducting campaigns that changed public policy and delivered concrete results to tens of thousands of people. This how-to manual includes:Â
In-depth analysis of how to launch and win a campaign
Tools and guidelines for training people to lead their own campaigns and organizations
Insights for using technology effectively, building more powerful alliances, and engaging in the social justice movement
20. Polio: An American Story - by David M. Oshinsky 2005 ($23.75)
All who lived in the early 1950s remember the fear of polio and the elation felt when a successful vaccine was found. Now David Oshinsky tells the gripping story of the polio terror and of the intense effort to find a cure, from the March of Dimes to the discovery of the Salk and Sabin vaccines--and beyond.
Here is a remarkable portrait of America in the early 1950s, using the widespread panic over polio to shed light on our national obsessions and fears. Drawing on newly available papers of Jonas Salk, Albert Sabin and other key players, Oshinsky paints a suspenseful portrait of the race for the cure, weaving a dramatic tale centered on the furious rivalry between Salk and Sabin. Indeed, the competition was marked by a deep-seated ill will among the researchers that remained with them until their deaths. The author also tells the story of Isabel Morgan, perhaps the most talented of all polio researchers, who might have beaten Salk to the prize if she had not retired to raise a family. As backdrop to this feverish research, Oshinsky offers an insightful look at the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, which was founded in the 1930s by FDR and Basil O'Connor. The National Foundation revolutionized fundraising and the perception of disease in America, using "poster children" and the famous March of Dimes to raise hundreds of millions of dollars from a vast army of contributors (instead of a few well-heeled benefactors), creating the largest research and rehabilitation network in the history of medicine. The polio experience also revolutionized the way in which the government licensed and tested new drugs before allowing them on the market, and the way in which the legal system dealt with manufacturers' liability for unsafe products. Finally, and perhaps most tellingly, Oshinsky reveals that polio was never the raging epidemic portrayed by the media, but in truth a relatively uncommon disease. But in baby-booming America--increasingly suburban, family-oriented, and hygiene-obsessed--the specter of polio, like the specter of the atomic bomb, soon became a cloud of terror over daily life.
Both a gripping scientific suspense story and a provocative social and cultural history, Polio opens a fresh window onto postwar America.
21. On Global Order: Power, Values, and the Constitution on International Society - by Andrew Hurrell 2008 (18.99)
How is the world organized politically? How should it be organized? What forms of political organization are required to deal with such global challenges as climate change, terrorism or nuclear proliferation? Drawing on work in international law, international relations and global governance, this book provides a clear and wide-ranging introduction to the analysis of global political order--how patterns of governance and institutionalization in world politics have already changed; what the most important challenges are; and what the way forward might look like.
The first section develops three analytical frameworks: a world of sovereign states capable of only limited cooperation; a world of ever-denser international institutions embodying the idea of an international community; and a world in which global governance moves beyond the state and into the realms of markets, civil society and networks. Part II examines five of the most important issues facing contemporary international society: nationalism and the politics of identity; human rights and democracy; war, violence and collective security; the ecological challenge; and the management of economic globalization in a highly unequal world. Part III considers the idea of an emerging multi-regional system; and the picture of global order built around US empire. The conclusion looks at the normative implications. If international society has indeed been changing in the ways discussed in this book, what ought we to do? And, still more crucially, who is the 'we' that is to be at the centre of this drive to create a morally better world?
This book is concerned with the fate of international society in an era of globalization and the ability of the inherited society of sovereign states to provide a practically viable and normatively acceptable framework for global political order. It lays particular emphasis on the different forms of global inequality and the problems of legitimacy that these create and on the challenges posed by cultural diversity and value conflict.
22. Dispatches from the Edge: A Memoir of War, Disasters, and Survival - by Anderson Cooper 2006 ($16.47)
From one of America's leading reporters comes a deeply personal, extraordinarily powerful look at the most volatile crises he has witnessed around the world, from New Orleans to Baghdad and beyond. "Dispatches from the Edge of the World" is a book that gives us a rare up-close glimpse of what happens when the normal order of things is suddenly turned upside down, whether it's a natural disaster, a civil war, or a heated political battle. Over the last year, few people have witnessed more scenes of chaos and conflict than Anderson Cooper, whose groundbreaking coverage on CNN has become the touchstone of twenty-first century journalism. This book explores in a very personal way the most important - and most dangerous - crises of our time, and the surprising impact they have had on his life. From the devastating tsunami in South Asia to the suffering Niger, and ultimately Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Cooper shares his own experiences of traversing the globe, covering the world's most astonishing stories. In his first book, that passion communicates itself through a rich fabric of memoir and reportage, reflection and first-person narrative. Unflinching and utterly engrossing, this is the story of an extraordinary year in a reporter's life.
In 2005, two tragedies--the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina--turned CNN reporter Anderson Cooper into a media celebrity. Dispatches from the Edge, Cooper's memoir of "war, disasters and survival," is a brief but powerful chronicle of Cooper's ascent to stardom and his struggle with his own tragedies and demons. Cooper was 10 years old when his father, Wyatt Cooper, died during heart bypass surgery. He was 20 when his beloved older brother, Carter, committed suicide by jumping off his mother's penthouse balcony (his mother, by the way, being Gloria Vanderbilt). The losses profoundly affected Cooper, who fled home after college to work as a freelance journalist for Channel One, the classroom news service. Covering tragedies in far-flung places like Burma, Vietnam, and Somalia, Cooper quickly learned that "as a journalist, no matter ... how respectful you are, part of your brain remains focused on how to capture the horror you see, how to package it, present it to others." Cooper's description of these horrors, from war-ravaged Baghdad to famine-wracked Niger, is poignant but surprisingly unsentimental. In Niger, Cooper writes, he is chagrined, then resigned, when he catches himself looking for the "worst cases" to commit to film. "They die, I live. It's the way of the world," he writes. In the final section of Dispatches, Cooper describes covering Hurricane Katrina, the story that made him famous. The transcript of his showdown with Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu (in which Cooper tells Landrieu people in New Orleans are "ashamed of what is happening in this country right now") is worth the price of admission on its own. Cooper's memoir leaves some questions unanswered--there's frustratingly little about his personal life, for example--but remains a vivid, modest self-portrait by a man who is proving himself to be an admirable, courageous leader in a medium that could use more like him. --Erica C. Barnett
23. The Cold War 1945-91: 2nd Ed.- by Michael L. Dockrill, Michael F. Hopkins 2006 ($14.24)
Michael Dockrill's concise study of the early years of the Cold War between the Western Powers and Soviet Union has been widely acclaimed as an authoritative guide to the subject. In this second edition, he and Michael Hopkins bring the story up to the events of 1991, and also expand coverage of key topics.
24. The World Without Us - by Alan Weisman 2007 ($16.47)
A penetrating, page-turning tour of a post-human Earth
In The World Without Us, Alan Weisman offers an utterly original approach to questions of humanity’s impact on the planet: he asks us to envision our Earth, without us.In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how our massive infrastructure would collapse and finally vanish without human presence; which everyday items may become immortalized as fossils; how copper pipes and wiring would be crushed into mere seams of reddish rock; why some of our earliest buildings might be the last architecture left; and how plastic, bronze sculpture, radio waves, and some man-made molecules may be our most lasting gifts to the universe.The World Without Us reveals how, just days after humans disappear, floods in New York’s subways would start eroding the city’s foundations, and how, as the world’s cities crumble, asphalt jungles would give way to real ones. It describes the distinct ways that organic and chemically treated farms would revert to wild, how billions more birds would flourish, and how cockroaches in unheated cities would perish without us. Drawing on the expertise of engineers, atmospheric scientists, art conservators, zoologists, oil refiners, marine biologists, astrophysicists, religious leaders from rabbis to the Dali Lama, and paleontologists---who describe a prehuman world inhabited by megafauna like giant sloths that stood taller than mammoths---Weisman illustrates what the planet might be like today, if not for us.From places already devoid of humans (a last fragment of primeval European forest; the Korean DMZ; Chernobyl), Weisman reveals Earth’s tremendous capacity for self-healing. As he shows which human devastations are indelible, and which examples of our highest art and culture would endure longest, Weisman’s narrative ultimately drives toward a radical but persuasive solution that needn't depend on our demise. It is narrative nonfiction at its finest, and in posing an irresistible concept with both gravity and a highly readable touch, it looks deeply at our effects on the planet in a way that no other book has.
25. Drug Education Library - LSD - by David Petechuk 2004 ($28.70)
Once hailed as a cure for everything from schizophrenia to depression, LSD went on to become a notorious, illegal street drug associated with "hippies" and the counterculture movement of the 1960s. Although illegal LSD use declined in the 1970s, the hallucinogen made resurgence in the 1990s and remains one of the most poorly understood drugs in the world.
26. Who Rules the Net?: Internet Governance and Jurisdiction - by Adam Thierer 2003 ($12.00)
The rise of the World Wide Web is challenging traditional concepts of jurisdiction, governance, and sovereignty. Many observers have praised the Internet for its ubiquitous and "borderless" nature and argued that this global medium is revolutionizing the nature of modern communications. Indeed, in the universe of cyberspace there are no passports and geography is often treated as a meaningless concept.
But does that mean traditional concepts of jurisdiction and goverance are obsolete? When legal disputes arise in cyberspace, or when governments attempt to apply their legal standards or cultural norms to the Internet, how are such matters to be adjudicated?
Cultural norms and regulatory approaches vary from country to country, as reflected in such policies as free speech and libel standards, privacy policies, intellectual property, antitrust law, domain name dispute resolution, and tax policy. In each of those areas, policymakers have for years enacted myriad laws and regulations for "realspace" that are now being directly challenged by the rise of the parallel electronic universe known as cyberspace.
Who is responsible for setting the standards in cyberspace? Is a "U.N. for the Internet" or a multinational treaty appropriate? If not, who's standards should govern cross-border cyber disputes? Are different standards appropriate for cyberspace and "real" space? Those questions are being posed with increasing frequency in the emerging field of cyberspace law and constitute the guiding theme this book's collection of essays.
Contributors include: Vinton Cerf, Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Adam Thierer, Rep. Christopher Cox, Jack L. Goldsmith, David G. Post, Jonathan Zittrain, Michael Geist, Dan Burk, Bruce H. Kobayashi, Larry Ribstein, Robert Corn-Revere, Kurt Wimmer, Michael Greve, Fred Cate, Harold Feld, Eric P. Crampton, Donald J. Boudreaux.
27. The Age of American Unreason - by Susan Jacoby 2008 ($17.16)
Combining historical analysis with contemporary observation, Susan Jacoby dissects a new American cultural phenomenon--one that is at odds with our heritage of Enlightenment reason and with modern, secular knowledge and science. With mordant wit, she surveys an anti-rationalist landscape extending from pop culture to a pseudo-intellectual universe of "junk thought." Disdain for logic and evidence defines a pervasive malaise fostered by the mass media, triumphalist religious fundamentalism, mediocre public education, a dearth of fair-minded public intellectuals on the right and the left, and, above all, a lazy and credulous public.
Jacoby offers an unsparing indictment of the American addiction to infotainment--from television to the Web--and cites this toxic dependency as the major element distinguishing our current age of unreason from earlier outbreaks of American anti-intellectualism and anti-rationalism. With reading on the decline and scientific and historical illiteracy on the rise, an increasingly ignorant public square is dominated by debased media-driven language and received opinion.
At this critical political juncture, nothing could be more important than recognizing the "overarching crisis of memory and knowledge" described in this impassioned, tough-minded book, which challenges Americans to face the painful truth about what the flights from reason has cost us as individuals and as a nation.
28. Beyond UFOs: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Its Astonishing Implications for Our Future - by Jeffrey Bennett 2007 ($17.79)
The quest for extraterrestrial life doesn't happen only in science fiction. This book describes the startling discoveries being made in the very real science of astrobiology, an intriguing new field that blends astronomy, biology, and geology to explore the possibility of life on other planets. Jeffrey Bennett takes readers beyond UFOs to discuss some of the tantalizing questions astrobiologists grapple with every day: What is life and how does it begin? What makes a planet or moon habitable? Is there life on Mars or elsewhere in the solar system? How can life be recognized on distant worlds? Is it likely to be microbial, more biologically complex--or even intelligent? What would such a discovery mean for life here on Earth?
Come along on this scientific adventure and learn the astonishing implications of discoveries made in this field for the future of the human race. Bennett, who believes that "science is a way of helping people come to agreement," explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion, defuse public rancor over the teaching of evolution, and quiet the debate over global warming. He likens humanity today to a troubled adolescent teetering on the edge between self-destruction and a future of virtually limitless possibilities. Beyond UFOs shows why the very quest to find alien life can help us to grow up as a species and chart a course for the stars.
29. Saints (Pocket Essentials) - by Giles Morgan 2008 ($6.59)
Saints and the concept of sainthood have had a dramatic and lasting impact on society.Their influence can be found in both
profound religious contexts and within the secular everyday world in which their cultural presence often goes virtually unnoticed.
For many people the saints serve as direct intercessors between themselves and God but it is arguable that, even
for those without strong religious beliefs, they form part of an unconscious cultural tradition that is deeply embedded in the
collective psyche. Although saints developed from, and are most closely linked to, Christianity there are clear parallels
with many of the ideals and values that they represent in other world religions. Even more significantly, it is possible to find
fundamentally similar concepts in a range of pre-Christian beliefs and religions. Put simply, the concept of the holy man or
woman is an ancient one.
30. The Initial Mass Function 50 Years Later - by Ed Salpeter 2005 ($249.00)
The Book contains the proceedings of a Conference intended to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the IMF concept by Ed Salpeter along with Ed Salpeter's 80th birthday. It summarizes a vast amounts of information, and updates the Herstmonceux book on the IMF,(eds. Howell and Gilmore, 1998 - ASP publ).
The book collects many long reviews on IMF determinations in the Galaxy, in galaxies, and in the Early Universe as well as deep implications of the IMF on star formation theories and on the physical conditions of the gas before and after star formation. It provides basic information needed for the coverage of these important quantities in graduate courses of Stellar Evolution, Star Formation, Interstellar Medium, Galactic Dynamics, Formation and Evolution of Galaxies.
The book covers all aspects of the current researches in this field, as testified by the large number of contributing scientists.
31. Athenaze: An Introduction to Ancient Greek Book I - by Maurice Balme, Gilbert Lawall 2003 ($31.20)
Combining the best features of traditional and modern methods, Athenaze: An Introduction to Ancient Greek, 2/e, provides a unique course of instruction that allows students to read connected Greek narrative right from the beginning and guides them to the point where they can begin reading complete classical texts. Carefully designed to hold students' interest, the course begins in Book I with a fictional narrative about an Attic farmer's family placed in a precise historical context (432-431 B.C.). This narrative, interwoven with tales from mythology and the Persian Wars, gradually gives way in Book II to adapted passages from Thucydides, Plato, and Herodotus and ultimately to excerpts of the original Greek of Bacchylides, Thucydides, and Aristophanes' Acharnians. Essays on relevant aspects of ancient Greek culture and history are also provided.
New to the Second Edition:
* Short passages from Classical and New Testament Greek in virtually every chapter
* The opening lines of the Iliad and the Odyssey toward the end of Book II
* New vocabulary and more complete explanations of grammar, including material on accents
* Many new exercises and additional opportunities for students to practice completing charts of verb forms and paradigms of nouns and adjectives
* Updated Teacher's Handbooks for Books I and II containing translations of all stories, readings, and exercises; detailed suggestions for classroom presentation; abundant English derivatives; and additional linguistic information
* Offered for the first time, Student Workbooks for Books I and II that include self-correcting exercises, cumulative vocabulary lists, periodic grammatical reviews, and additional readings
32. Desert Survival Handbook : How to Prevent and Handle Emergency Situations - by Charles A. Lehman 1998 ($8.95)
This easy-to-read handbook provides the reader with the basic survival skills necessary to deal with emergencies in the desert. The author uses a variety of scenarios to illustrate survival techniques. Lehman also stresses the importance of considering "what if" to prepare for potential emergency situations.
33. Why Is Uranus Upside Down?: And other questions about the Universe - by Fred Watson 2008 ($24.95)
Have you ever wondered what dark matter is or why galaxies collide? Or why the Moon is gradually drifting away from Earth? Space is really, really big, as Douglas Adams once pointed out, and there is no better guide to it than Fred Watson, astronomer to the stars.
Fred Watson has taken the many, many questions that have been asked by listeners of his popular, long-running radio shows, and answered them in Why Is Uranus Upside Down?
How can you identify the constellations?
Does the Earth wobble?
Could you dump nuclear waste into the Sun?
What makes planets round?
Where's the nearest black hole?
Are there other universes?
Can we ever know everything?
This highly entertaining and informative introduction to our planet and the Universe we live in is a must-read for enquiring minds of all ages.
34. The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine 3th edittion 2008 ($540.00)
The Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine is a medical reference product designed to inform and educate readers about a wide variety of complementary therapies and herbal remedies and treatments for prevalent conditions and diseases. Gale believes the product to be comprehensive, but not necessarily definitive. It is intended to supplement, not replace, consultation with a physician or other healthcare practitioner. While Gale has made substantial efforts to provide information that is accurate, comprehensive, and upto-date, Gale makes no representations or warranties of any kind, including without limitation, warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, comprehensiveness, or timeliness of the information contained in this product. Readers should be aware that the universe of complementary medical knowledge is constantly growing and changing, and that differences of medical opinion exist among authorities. They are also advised to
seek professional diagnosis and treatment for any medical condition , and to discuss information obtained from this book with their he alth care provider .
35. Global Sustainability: The Impact of Local Cultures, A New Perspective for Science and Engineering, Economics and Politics - by Peter A. Wilderer, Edward D. Schroeder, Horst Kopp 2005 ($155.00)
This first book to focus on cultural diversity as a key element of sustainable development in the context of science and engineering provides cross-disciplinary information and assistance in understanding our world in transition. As such, it furnishes the global scientific community and decision makers in governmental and non-governmental institutions as well as in industry with much-needed information on how the various factors affecting sustainable development -- including culture -- depend on and interfere with each other.
Featuring a contribution by the President of the Club of Rome, HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal, this is vital reading for all (natural) scientists, engineers, economists, ecologists, environmental organizations, and consultants.
36. The Earth and the Moon - by Linda E. Telkins 2006 ($37.50)
Earth belongs to a group of small, inner solar-system planets, including Mercury, Venus, and Mars, which all consist of a mantle made of silica-based minerals above an iron-rich core and crusts that show evidence of meteorite bombardment and volcanic lava flow. Beyond these basic similarities, and despite their similar formation processes in the inner solar system, these four planets are strangely different from one another.
While the Earth's surface temperatures are relatively constant, Mercury goes through daily cycles of heat high enough to melt lead and cold deep enough to freeze carbon dioxide gas. Though the study of geology started with the Earth, making it the standard against which other planets are compared, "The Earth and the Moon" compares the Earth equally with other planets to clearly display the similarities and differences between the various orbiting bodies. This volume discusses the fundamental aspects of the Earth as a planet, including its size, mass, orbit, surface appearance, atmosphere, and the causes of its seasons. This volume also covers the evolution of the moon in relation to the geological features of the Earth and the history behind the successful space missions to the moon. Perfect for those interested in understanding the science and history behind the exploration of the Earth and Moon, this volume presents an unbiased view of this exciting topic.
37. Planets, Stars, and Galaxies - by Gordon Ritler 2007 ($30.00)
The attempt to understand the universe's seemingly endless mysteries is a great adventure that can provide one with fascination, frustration, and continual wonder and amazement. Planets, Stars, and Galaxies takes readers on an incredible full-color journey through the vast solar system. This engaging title tackles the questions students studying science are eager to know: How large is the universe? Is it infinite or finite? What is its structure? Is it possible to visit other worlds, and if so, what similarities might they bear to our own world?
38. Star Gods of the Maya: Astronomy in Art, Folklore, and Calendars - by Susan Milbrath 2000 ($24.95)
"This book is destined to become a standard reference work on Maya archaeoastronomy.... [It provides] a basic, sound, and utterly comprehensive introduction to the subject of ancient Maya astronomy."
—Andrea Stone, Professor of Art History, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee Observations of the sun, moon, planets, and stars played a central role in ancient Maya lifeways, as they do today among contemporary Maya who maintain the traditional ways. This pathfinding book reconstructs ancient Maya astronomy and cosmology through the astronomical information encoded in Precolumbian Maya art and confirmed by the current practices of living Maya peoples.
Susan Milbrath opens the book with a discussion of modern Maya beliefs about astronomy, along with essential information on naked-eye observation. She devotes subsequent chapters to Precolumbian astronomical imagery, which she traces back through time, starting from the Colonial and Postclassic eras. She delves into many aspects of the Maya astronomical images, including the major astronomical gods and their associated glyphs, astronomical almanacs in the Maya codices [painted books], and changes in the imagery of the heavens over time. This investigation yields new data and a new synthesis of information about the specific astronomical events and cycles recorded in Maya art and architecture. Indeed, it constitutes the first major study of the relationship between art and astronomy in ancient Maya culture.
39. Full Meridian of Glory: Perilous Adventures in the Competition to Measure the Earth - by Paul Murdin 2008 ($21.07)
The Paris Meridian is the name of the line running north-south through the astronomical observatory in Paris. One of the original intentions behind the founding of the Paris Observatory was to determine and measure this line. The French government financed the Paris Academy of Sciences to do so in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. It employed both astronomers – people who study and measure the stars – and geodesists – people who study and measure the Earth. This book is about what they did and why.
This is the first English language presentation of this historical material. It is attractively written and it features the story of the community of scientists who created the Paris Meridian. They knew each other well – some were members of the same families, in one case of four generations. Like scientists everywhere they collaborated and formed alliances; they also split into warring factions and squabbled. They travelled to foreign countries, somehow transcending the national and political disputes, as scientists do now, their eyes fixed on ideas of accuracy, truth and objective, all enduring values – yet when the reception given to their own work was concerned some became blind to high ideals and descended into petty politics.
To establish the Paris Meridian, the scientists endured hardship, survived danger, and gloried in amazing adventures during a time of turmoil in Europe consisting of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic War between France and Spain. Some were accused of witchcraft. Some of their associates lost their heads on the guillotine. Some died of disease. Some won honor and fame. One became the Head of State in France. Some found dangerous love in foreign countries. One scientist was killed in self defence when attacked by a jealous lover, another was himself killed by a jealous lover, a third brought back a woman to France and then jilted her, whereupon she joined a convent...
The scientists worked on practical problems of interest to the government and to the people. They also worked on one of the most important intellectual problems of the time, a problem of great interest to their fellow scientists all over the world- the theory of universal gravitation. They succeeded in their intellectual work while affecting politics and the affairs of state; their endeavours have left marks on the landscape, in art, and in literature still visible today.
40. The Monthly Sky Guide (6th Edition) - by Ian Ridpath & Wil Tirion 2003 ($14.57)
The latest edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's popular guide to the night sky is updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2007. With one chapter for each month of the year, this is an easy-to-use handbook for anyone wanting to identify constellations, star clusters, nebulae, to plot the movement of planets, or witness solar and lunar eclipses. Most of the features discussed are visible to the naked eye and all can be seen with a small telescope or binoculars. Ian Ridpath has been a full-time writer, broadcaster and lecturer on astronomy and space for more than twenty-five years. He has written and edited more than 40 books, including A Comet Called Haley (Cambridge, 1985). Wil Tirion made his first star map in 1977. It showed stars to the magnitude of 6.5 and was issued as a set of maps by the British Astronomical Association in 1981. He has illustrated numerous books and magazines, including The Cambridge Star Atlas (Cambridge, 2001). Previous Edition Pb (1999)
41. The Monthly Sky Guide (7th Edition) - by Ian Ridpath & Wil Tirion 2006 ($12.80)
In full colour throughout, the seventh edition of Ian Ridpath and Wil Tirion's famous guide to the night sky is fully revised and updated for planet positions and forthcoming eclipses up to the end of the year 2011. The book contains a chapter on the main sights visible in each month of the year, and is an easy-to-use companion to the night sky. It will help you to identify prominent stars, constellations, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies, to watch out for meteor showers, and to follow the movement of the four brightest planets. Most of the sights described are visible to the naked eye and all can be seen with binoculars or a small telescope. The Monthly Sky Guide offers a clear and simple introduction to the skies of the northern hemisphere for beginners of all ages.
42. Astronomer's Computer Companion - by Jeff Foust & Ron LaFon 1999 ($31.56)
For anybody with an interest in astronomy, and owns a pc or mac, this book is a must have. At first, I thought it would be rather "dry" reading. But, I soon found it to be written in very easly understood language that even a laymen like myself could understand and enjoy. It has a wealth of info. on web addresses on almost any aspect of astronomy; I was amazed at how many there are! And, it has lots of pictures of stars and galaxies, which I personally like.
Surprisingly, the "Astronomer's Computer Companion," written in late 1999, is actually aging well. A good majority of the web sites it references still do exist and are helpful. Jeff & Ron's writing style is easy to understand and also easy on the mind without crossing the line into outright fluff.
This book is most useful for the armchair astronomer who has good access to a computer and the internet and who doesn't want to waste a lot of time aimlessly going through search engines. Jeff & Ron have done the work for you and again, surprisingly, the work still stands up well even in the face of a very quickly changing field.
43. A Skywatcher's Year - by Jeff Kanipe 1999 ($33.00)
If you have ever watched shooting stars graze the sky or wondered about a particularly bright point of light near the horizon, then this is the book for you. A Skywatcher's Year is the authoritative guide to visible bodies in the night sky throughout the year. Through fifty-two essays, Jeff Kanipe guides you to celestial events and phenomena that occur or are visible with the naked eye and binoculars for each week of the year. He acquaints you not only with up-to-date astronomical information on stars, nebulae, meteors, the Milky Way, and galaxies, but also conveys the beauty and wonder of the night sky. Covering both the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere, A Skywatcher's Year helps readers find prominent stars and constellations, bright star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies, and explains how and when to observe prominent annual meteor showers. Kanipe also examines the most frequently-observed celestial body, the Moon, and the intriguing lore surrounding it. A rich and jargon-free look at the sky through the four seasons, this engaging book will give new dimensions to backyard star-gazing.
44. Spacefaring: The Human Dimension- by Albert A. Harrison 2001 ($4.00)
The stars have always called us, but only for the past forty years or so have we been able to respond by traveling in space. This book explores the human side of spaceflight: why people are willing to brave danger and hardship to go into space; how human culture has shaped past and present missions; and the effects of space travel on health and well-being. A comprehensive and authoritative treatment of its subject, this book combines statistical studies, rich case histories, and gripping anecdotal detail as it investigates the phenomenon of humans in space-from the earliest spaceflights to the missions of tomorrow. Drawing from a strong research base in the behavioral sciences, Harrison covers such topics as habitability, crew selection and training, coping with stress, group dynamics, accidents, and more. In addition to taking a close look at spacefarers themselves, Spacefaring reviews the broad organizational and political contexts that shape human progress toward the heavens. With the ongoing construction of the International Space Station, the human journey to the stars continues, and this book will surely help guide the way.
45. Multiwavelength Cosmology - by Manolis Plionis 2004 ($195.00)
The recent scientific efforts in Astrophysics & Cosmology have brought a revolution to our understanding of the Cosmos. Amazing results is the outcome of amazing experiments! The huge scientific, technological & financial effort that has gone into building the 10-m class telescopes as well as many space and balloon observatories, essential to observe the multitude of cosmic phenomena in their manifestations at different wavelengths, from gamma-rays to the millimetre and the radio, has given and is still giving its fruits of knowledge. These recent scientific achievements in Observational and Theoretical Cosmology were presented in the book.
46. Dayside and Polar Cap Aurora - by Per Even Sandholt, H.C. Carlson, A. Egeland 2002 ($169.00)
The auroral emissions in the upper atmosphere of the polar regions of the Earth are evidence of the capture of energetic particles from the Sun, streaming by the Earth as the solar wind. These auroral emissions, then, are a window to outer space, and can provide us with valuable information about electrodynamic coupling processes between the solar wind and the Earth's ionosphere and upper atmosphere. Studying the physics of these phenomena extends our understanding of our plasma universe. Ground-based remote-sensing techniques, able to monitor continuously the variations in the signatures of aurorae, in combination with in-situ satellite and rocket measurements, promise to advance dramatically our understanding of the physical processes taking place at the interface of the atmospheres of the Earth and the Sun. Decoding their complexity brings us closer to reliable prediction of communication environments, especially at high latitudes. This understanding, in turn, will help us resolve problems of communication and navigation across polar regions. Aurorae have been the object of wonder and scientific curiosity for centuries. Only recently, however, have we been able to detect, with sensitive instrumentation, noontime aurorae, and persistent aurorae deep within the polar cap. This book is the first to provide a morphological and theoretical framework for understanding these dayside and polar cap aurorae. The book also communicates the excitement of discovery, as it details the nature of these newly revealed auroral displays. It is a fascinating voyage of exploration, one appropriate for students of nature, wherever and whoever they may be.
47. Adventures in Order and Chaos: A Scientific Autobiography - by George Contopoulos 2005 ($129.00)
The field of Order and Chaos had a remarkable expansion in the last 50 years. The main reason was the use of computers, and the development of new theoretical methods that we call now 'the theory of chaos'.The author describes this fascinating period in a relaxed and sometimes humorous autobiographical way. He relates his interactions with many people in dynamical astronomy and he quotes several anecdotes from these interactions. He refers also to his experiences when he served in various international positions, such as general secretary of the IAU and chairman of the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics. In recent years the theory of chaos has been extended to new areas, like relativity, cosmology and quantum mechanics and it continues expanding in almost all branches of physics. The book describes many important ideas in this field in a simple way. It refers also to problems of more general interest, like writing papers and giving lectures and the interaction of authors and referees. Finally it gives some useful prospects for the future of dynamical astronomy and related fields.
48. The New Cosmology - by Matthew Colless 2005 ($125.00)
This volume presents a comprehensive introduction to modern cosmology from an astrophysical viewpoint. Key features of the book are: breadth of topics covered, from quantum cosmology to recent observational advances; up-to-the-minute inclusion of many recent results, e.g. from the WMAP satellite; the level of the work, suited to both students and professionals in the field.
49. Astrology, Science and Culture: Pulling down the Moon - by Roy Willis & Patrick Curry 2004 (15.99)
Mainstream science has long dismissed astrology as primitive superstition. Yet, from daily horoscopes to personalized star forecasts, astrology still plays a crucial role in organizing many people's everyday lives. There has, however, been no convincing explanation of its appeal. Astrology, Science and Culture finally fills this gap. Willis and Curry tackle astrology's rich history, its problematic relationship to psychology, and its attempts to prove its own validity. They argue that astrology has its roots in the Neolithic culture of Europe and the Middle East but, far from being a relic of years gone by, it still challenges its opponents' unquestioning belief in conventional modern science. Groundbreaking in its reconciliation of astrology's ancient traditions and its modern-day usage, this book impressively unites philosophy, science, anthropolog
50. The Chronologers' Quest: The Search for the Age of the Earth - by Patrick Wyse Jackson 2006 ($23.82)
The debate over the age of the Earth has been ongoing for over two thousand years, and has pitted physicists and astronomers against biologists, religious philosophers against geologists. The Chronologers' Quest tells the fascinating story of our attempts to determine the age of the Earth. This book investigates the many novel methods used in the search for the Earth's age, from James Ussher and John Lightfoot examining biblical chronologies, Comte de Buffon and Lord Kelvin determining the length of time for the cooling of the Earth, to the more recent investigations of Arthur Holmes and Clair Patterson into radioactive dating of rocks and meteorites. The Chronologers' Quest is a readable account of the measurement of geological time. It will be of great interest to a wide range of readers, from those with little scientific background, to students and scientists in a wide range of the earth sciences.
51. Cosmic Rays at Earth - by Peter K.F Grieder 2001 ($214.00)
In 1912 Victor Franz Hess made the revolutionary discovery that ionizing radiation is incident upon the Earth from outer space. He showed with ground-based and balloon-borne detectors that the intensity of the radiation did not change significantly between day and night. Consequently, the sun could not be regarded as the sources of this radiation and the question of its origin remained unanswered. Today, almost one hundred years later the question of the origin of the cosmic radiation still remains a mystery. Hess' discovery has given an enormous impetus to large areas of science, in particular to physics, and has played a major role in the formation of our current understanding of universal evolution. For example, the development of new fields of research such as elementary particle physics, modern astrophysics and cosmology are direct consequences of this discovery. Over the years the field of cosmic ray research has evolved in various directions.
52. The Zen in Modern Cosmology - by Chi-sing Lam 2007 ($35.00)
According to Modern Cosmology, our Universe came from a primordial state 13.7 billion years ago, with no matter and very little energy. In other words, it was almost empty. Where do the stars and galaxies, and everything else in the present universe come from then? This captivating book provides an answer to this question, and explains the observations and evidence behind the assertion of an almost empty primordial universe. Aimed at a general audience, it assumes no prior knowledge of astronomy or physics. The emptiness of the primordial universe is reminiscent of the emptiness in Zen Buddhism. The similarities and differences of these two forms of emptiness are explored.
53. The Universe in a Nutshell - by Stephen Hawking 2001 ($23.10)
Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world.
Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book.
The Universe in a Nutshell
• Quantum mechanics
• M-theory
• General relativity
• 11-dimensional supergravity
• 10-dimensional membranes
• Superstrings
• P-branes
• Black holes
One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them. In this new book Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain in laymen’s terms the principles that control our universe.
Like many in the community of theoretical physicists, Professor Hawking is seeking to uncover the grail of science — the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos. In his accessible and often playful style, he guides us on his search to uncover the secrets of the universe — from supergravity to supersymmetry, from quantum theory to M-theory, from holography to duality.
He takes us to the wild frontiers of science, where superstring theory and p-branes may hold the final clue to the puzzle. And he lets us behind the scenes of one of his most exciting intellectual adventures as he seeks “to combine Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman’s idea of multiple histories into one complete unified theory that will describe everything that happens in the universe.”
With characteristic exuberance, Professor Hawking invites us to be fellow travelers on this extraordinary voyage through space-time. Copious four-color illustrations help clarify this journey into a surreal wonderland where particles, sheets, and strings move in eleven dimensions; where black holes evaporate and disappear, taking their secret with them; and where the original cosmic seed from which our own universe sprang was a tiny nut.
The Universe in a Nutshell is essential reading for all of us who want to understand the universe in which we live. Like its companion volume, A Brief History of Time, it conveys the excitement felt within the scientific community as the secrets of the cosmos reveal themse
54. Deep-Sky Wonders - by Walter Scott Houston & Stephen James O'Meara 1998 ($82.92)
Walter Scott "Scotty" Houston is a name many astronomers know well. Author of the Sky & Telescope Deep Sky Wonders column from 1946 until his death in December of 1993. He was a passionate amateur astronomer to the end of his long life. Houston's last column appeared in Sky & Telescope in July 1994 issue, and since that time, amateurs have had to scour back issues to excavate Houston's gold mine of observational knowledge. Enter Stephen James O'Meara. O'Meara has been on the staff of Sky & Telescope magazine since the late 70's, and was editor of Houston's column from 1990 until his death. O'Meara began the compilation by working with photocopies of the nearly 550 individual columns spanning Houston's career. He sorted, organized, and collated each of the works and produced a chapter for each month of the year, into which he inserted Houston's colorful prose, descriptive history, and observational commentary. O'Meara begins each section with some light annotation, but most of the words in this book are Houston's, and as a collection, they jell beautifully into a seasonal observer's guide that challenge Burnham's for the sheer elegance and depth of feeling that emanates from the pages. Upon receiving the book, I quickly turned my attention to a few of my favorite deep sky objects and marveled at the timelessness of Houston's descriptive prose. Before I knew it I had been reading for over an hour and could have spent several more lost in the beauty of Houston's finely knit web of description, quotes from other authorities, and the words of his readers. An example from his description of NGC2403, a little known but beautiful galaxy in Camelopardis
55. The Universe Next Door - by Marcus Chown 2002
In his work as Cosmology Consultant for New Scientist magazine, Marcus Chown often comes across mind-blowing ideas and in The Universe Next Door he explores 12 of the most extraordinary. He delves into regions of space where time travels backwards, the possibility that the many worlds theorem implies that we can live forever and invisible mirror-matter interacting with ours only via gravity. As he points out in the forewor