Book Description
Geosystems is written, organized, and illustrated to give new learners an accessible, systematic, and visually appealing start in the study of physical geography. This edition includes the brand new Geography Animations CD.
A four-part organization of chapter covers the energy-atmosphere system; the water, weather, and climate systems; the earth-atmosphere interface; and soils, ecosystems, and biomes.
For individuals with an interest in physical geography.
Customer Reviews:
Fun to read.......2007-08-17
Fun to read?! A textbook!? That's right. I'm reading this for my own edification, not for a class, and I'm enjoying it. This book is amazingly well organized. It flows from topic to topic, and learning is enhanced. With most textbooks, you know the routine. Read it, hope the teacher can explain it better, then reorganize the material in your notes into some more understandable fashion. With Geosystems, it's just "read and learn."
I used to hate geography, now I love it. For more detailed info on this book, read the excellent Amazon reviews by steele and nmatzke.
Ignore the Dullards, This is a World-Class Book for Serious People.......2007-06-30
I picked this gem up at the University of Colorado bookstore. I do not have the time for a third graduate degree, but if I did, it would be in Environmental Science.
Unlike most textbooks, this hardcover version is worth every penny, and the paperback is a bargain. This is a large book, 8.5 x 11, crammed with photos, extraordinarily well organized, illustrated, and presented, and it includes a CD ROM that the previous owner never opened that I find to be priceless: a series of illustrations and animations keyed to every chapter, with a non-punitive self-test. Also provided free are an online study guide. Supporting materials include a Student Study Guide and a Student Lecture Notebook that provides illustrations and diagrams to be integrated into the class binder. All are identified by ISBNs, but if you miss page xviii, which outlines "the package," you will be unaware of the other resources.
Each chapter has the base material, a focus study, a news item, and more often than not, a career link. Each chapter ends with self-study questions. My bottom line: this book, taken seriously, *is* a self-taught graduate program in Geosystems.
The only think I do not see in the book, and it may be in the study guide, is "Recommended Reading." BUT a complete array of current sources are fully cited as easily visible footnotes on most pages.
The only gap in this book, and it could probably be quickly developed as a supplementary paperback guide and CD, is the avoidance of an integrated discussion of costs and consequences. The entire study of Geosystems is irrelevant unless it can be explained to people in "true cost" terms. While the book excels, for example, at showing the severe drop in aquifers across specific places, it does not provide a guide to calculating current and future costs to society for ignoring these problems and allowing corporations and individuals to continue to externalize to the public and to future generations, the costs of being stupid and greedy today.
First rate book. One of the most serious textbooks, one of the best illustrated, explained, supported, and presented, I have every seen. For serious adults and emerging adults only--this is not a book, nor a class, for dolts just trying to meet a requirement for graduation.
Other recommended book:
High Noon 20 Global Problems, 20 Years to Solve Them
The Future of Life
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming
The Ecology of Commerce
Ecological Economics: Principles And Applications
Valuing the Earth: Economics, Ecology, Ethics
Plan B 2.0: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble
Water: The Fate of Our Most Precious Resource
Pandora's Poison: Chlorine, Health, and a New Environmental Strategy
Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict With a New Introduction by the Author
A well done text. Top notch photos and diagrams........2007-03-21
I thought this was well organized and easy to understand for the most part. There were only a few parts (pages, really) that were sort of ho-hum. The diagrams and photos were top notch and really went well with the text. This text would be interesting to read just for the sake of it. I don't have another text to compare it to, which I imagine is a good thing. I've had other texts that were so bad that I only used them for the problem sets (Zill's diff eq text!) but the only external source I used with this book was the internet --and that was usually because something in the book sparked more curiosity.
I would have preferred more technical information (such as wave dynamics or quantative analysis) but I do understand this is an intro text and that I am a math geek.
Our instructor combined this text with the geography of the Pacific NW where I reside, and I certainly do look at the landscape quite differently after taking this course. For that, I give it a five.
Kudos to Christopherson for a well designed book.
Schoolbook with pleasant pictures.......2006-11-04
I know I bought this book for a class I'm taking and while the data is something I need to learn what I really like about this book is all the beautiful photography both in the book and in the accompaning CD have on them.
The authors wife is a professional photographer and he uses that to illustrate the concepts with asthetics.
Is the book a bit of a hard read? Yes but again it's a college level textbook so this isn't surprising but if you have to buy it for class don't despair you'll have a book full of beautiful pictures of mother nature to look at well after the college class is done.
Book.......2005-10-28
I have still failed to recieve the Book Geosystems: An Intoduction to Physical Geography. This is the only book that i have not yet recieved out of the books i have ordered. It has been 2 months and still no book. I will be asking for a full refund if the book is not in my possession by the end of this month.
Thank you. . . Very Concerned Customer
Book Description
To understand timely issues such as natural disasters and environmental challenges—and to evaluate solutions to related problems—the average citizen needs a basic awareness of the scientific principles that influence our planet. This trusted book makes an often-complex subject accessible to readers with a strong focus on readability and illustrations.
Offers a meaningful, non-technical survey that is informative and up to date for learning basic principles and concepts. Includes a revised and expanded GEODe Earth CD-ROM. Updates and revises art and illustrations to include dozens of new high-quality, photographs carefully selected to aid understanding and add realism. Provides a wealth of new special-interest boxes, including "Earth as a System," "People and the Environment," and "Understanding Earth."
A useful reference for anyone interested in learning more about Earth's geology.
Book Description
Anatomy of Movement presents a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body.
In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author guides the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements of the body in dance, exercise and other physical disciplines.
Customer Reviews:
Great learning.......2007-09-12
This book was my text book for Pilates Teacher Training. I learned a lot from it.
Anatomy of Movement.......2007-08-16
This is a great book for learning the anatomy. DI used it to prepare for pilates instructor training. The descriptions and illustrations are very clear. The book also gives summaries of which muscles are involved in which movements.
Very Helpful.......2007-07-01
I find it really helpful to understand how our muscolar system works during yoga asanas
Must Have!.......2007-05-14
A MUST-HAVE for any student/teacher of any movement-based discipline. I refer to this book constantly. I also see it repeatedly in all the trainings and workshops I have attended.
Different approach to anatomy.......2007-04-10
This book is a much more artistic approach to anatomy. In my class we used it along with Muscilino's anatomy book, and it helped both sides of my brain wrap around the muscles and body parts. I think I will be a better teacher because of it.
Book Description
This mainstream, full-color physical anthropology text is the best-selling text in the market! While it continues to present a comprehensive, well-balanced introduction to the field of physical anthropology, this is a major revision and the book has shifted emphases in critical areas of biology, including molecular biology and genetics, to reflect the field as it stands today. Now, as a Media Edition, INTRODUCTION TO PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY automatically comes with the new BASIC GENETICS CD which responds to growing interest in genetic variation driven by advances in molecular biology enhance.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent, brand new and shipped fast.......2007-02-21
This was a good deal, it was brand new and it shipped very fast. I was impressed.
Book Description
Physical Metallurgy Principles is intended for use in an introductory course in physical metallurgy and is designed for all engineering students at the junior or senior level. The approach is largely theoretical, but covers all aspects of physical metallurgy and behavior of metals and alloys. The treatment used in this textbook is in harmony with a more fundamental approach to engineering education.
Customer Reviews:
May be great reference, but not good for learning.......2007-05-04
It has been three years since I had taken a material science-like course. So, I had hoped, that by opening this book, I would relearn the concepts I had forgotten.
Focus:
An intense look at the physcial metallurgy of metals, beginning with methods, going to crystallography, phase diagrams, and focusing on specific metals (iron-carbon, steels, etc.).
Good:
This book goes into great details. Metallography, crystallography are explained, many concepts are in great depth.
Bad:
This is absolutely not a good book if you don't know much on the subject or are rusty (like me). A lot of time is spent on the intricacies on microscopy. Many of the concepts are presented in too much detail. I feel that instead of learning about the properties of materials and material selection that I spend most of the time learning about every detail involved in the creation of dislocations. While this is very informative, as an engineer, I need to be able to select apropos materials, not spout how an electron microscope works or the fine details in edge dislocation. Homework problems are odd. And would it hurt if the pictures could have been colored?
Overall:
Again, good reference. Bad at teaching or reteaching you material science.
Very good foundation.......2000-06-24
I believe that this book is an excellent text for understanding physical metallurgy for the beginner . This is also an excellent reference manual for later information.
Book Description
Physical Geology is a market-leading classic that has been used in classrooms for over 20 years. Updated to include the latest technology and most current information, Physical Geology is for both non-science majors and for students contemplating majoring in geology. The beautiful new art program and interactive writing style will grab students' attention and further their interest in geology.
Customer Reviews:
not the "most distinctive textbook in its class".......2006-02-25
A nice point about this book is how it gives the reader access to McGraw's website and the online resources that the casual vistor without the book does not have.
The blurb on the back cover says it is the "most distinctive textbook in its class". I'm not sure about that. It's certainly well written, accompanied by some gorgeous photos of places with neat geology, like the Grand Canyon. But "Essentials of Geology" by Lutgens et al also goes over basically the same material, as an example of a similar text. No doubt they could also claim that theirs is the most distinctive text.
Savings .......2005-10-03
Thanks a ton you saved me about $90.00 compared to my campus bookstore
Physical Geology.......2003-03-29
As a beginning geology student, I found this book to be a good start. It is well written and makes all of the concepts easy to understand. Great for learning basic geology.
Customer Reviews:
A Fair Attempt .......2007-08-04
Although the authors clearly have a deep command and even affection for their subject, the text in this book is often murky. It is a serviceable work for beginners, but certainly not for novices to the area of physical geography. More strict editing and a more "user-friendly" layout in the text are called for, although the graphics do a generally competent job of illustrating more difficult concepts. I would recommend this book with reservations.
BUYERS BE AWARE 8th Edition Published.......2004-09-01
Fall 2004 & Spring 2005 Students: the 8th edition of this book is published and comes with a CD, and, in some cases, a free world atlas. Check with your instructor for requirements. In any case, I wouldn't spend $100 for the 7th edition.
Haven't read the book yet, so no rating.
Very well-written and illustrated text with great photos.......2004-05-23
Obviously written by authors who have a deep appreciation for this subject and a desire to pass on their knowledge, this text is useful not just for students of physical geography, but for anyone wanting a deeper understanding of geopolitics, area studies, anthropology, world history, etc. For example, I would have no clue about the culture, history and politics of Central Asia/Afghanistan and vicinity (my area of interest) without having a comprehensive understanding of the physical terrain and climate of this region--and how its inhabitants have adapted to it. I would not have gained this understanding without reading this text.
My only complaint is that I had hoped for more emphasis on environmental issues. The authors may feel that this is beyond the scope of an introductory text; but problems such as the shrinking Aral Sea and tropical rainforest destruction are so widely catastrophic that I believe they deserve greater attention and understanding even at the introductory level.
still on my bookshelf.......2004-02-20
I remember this book from when I was an undergraduate, lo these many years ago (OK, so it was an earlier edition)! I'm glad to see it is still available and updated -- I enjoyed it then and I am using it now in answering the questions my children throw at me.
This is an excellent resource book. I probably wouldn't pick it up as a light read at bedtime, but if you are interested in this topic you could do far worse than to get _Physical Geography_.
Book is conundrum.......2003-11-03
Suffice it to say, this text is awful, an arduous task to understand and conceptualize. I'm taking a lower level geography course with this book as the primary text and find myself ready to punch a wall when attempting to read.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent beginner book for geology........2006-01-19
This book covers general geology and the fundamentals of earth processes and paleontology. From earthquakes to evolution, this book gives at least a superficial and fundamental view of each major topic. The images and diagrams are by far the most impressive part of this book. Full color diagrams, photos and drawings help to illustrate practically every page.
Chapter 1: historical theories in geology as well as the basics of geology from the rock cycle to geologic time.
Chapter 2: minerals, rock properties and types of rocks.
Chapter 3: basic scientific organization of life and fossils.
Chapter 4: environment and its relationship with life.
Chapter 5: sedimentary rocks, soils & environments including glaciers, lakes, deserts, rivers and the ocean.
Chapter 6: geologic time, stratigraphy basics and dating methods.
Chapter 7: evolution basics, concepts of extinction, evolutionary trends.
Chapter 8: plate tectonics - evidence, consequences and general mechanisms.
Chapter 9: orogenesis (mountain building) - processes, introduction to structural geology.
Chapter 10: introduction to geochemistry - chemical cycles, isotopes, atmospheric trends related to weathering rates, climate-related isotopes and mineralogy.
Chapter 11 - Chapter 20 each deal with a major phase in geologic time from the creation of the planet to the movement of the plates to the great ice ages and finally to the modern era.
The CD, while helpful, essentially contains the same information as the book. I personally did not find it any more or less helpful than the book itself.
As a text book, it's decent!.......2005-11-04
Earth System History, Second Edition was my textbook for Geology 1001, and to my surprise I could actually read it without falling asleep. This is not to say that it is a page turner, but the pictures are interesting and Stanley skips a lot of the cheesy textbook speak. I'm not sure I would buy this book if I wasn't required to, but if geology is your thing- it would be great.
It is wonderfull !.......2000-03-20
Everybody that is interested in historical geology and paleontology must have this book. It is clear with a lot of informations, has beautifull pictures and a fantastic CD ROM. One of the best I bought last year !
Book Description
The only book that integrates the foundations and the most current innovations in the field from the ground up
. Over the past twenty years, this field has rapidly evolved from the study of physical anthropology into biological anthropology, incorporating the evolutionary biology of humankind based on information from the fossil record and the human skeleton, genetics of individuals and of populations, our primate relatives, human adaptation, and human behavior . Stanford combines the most up-to-date, comprehensive coverage of the foundations of the field with the modern innovations and discoveries.
Customer Reviews:
A bit of family history revealed .......2007-06-22
Although published as a textbook for university students, this volume is an excellent read for anybody wishing to understand the course of evolution. The authors have assembled a wealth of material, organised it in an effective manner and presented it with outstanding prose skill. Lead author Craig Stanford, whose books on primate behaviour are well-known, is joined by neurologist and geneticist John Allen and anthropologist Susan Anton. The trio brings many years of experience to the task of explaining human origins.
After a brief introduction explaining what is meant by "Biological Anthropology", the authors provide a fine survey of the basic mechanisms of natural selection - DNA and genetics. Their depiction of how the genome is formed and how that structure builds the elements needed for natural selection to operate is an outstanding brief summary. Using available chemicals, DNA's mechanisms to build cells are explained, supplemented by vivid graphic images. From the process of cell building, the authors move on to show how the completed organism must deal with its environment, which includes other creatures, plant life and climate conditions through adaptation down succeeding generations. The authors describe the various factors leading to producing new species, isolation, elapsed time and new conditions. They also address the issue of how fossils and conditions are recorded in time and how researchers use a variety of techniques to determine age and place.
The species of concern, of course, are the primates. The sudden demise of the great reptiles that had ruled the Earth for over 150 million years opened new vistas for the life that survived the catastrophe. Little, fur-bearing creatures moved into niches that allowed rapid change. Many varieties emerged, but noteworthy among them were shrew-sized omnivores. Spreading over the land and forests, some of them developed new traits that would ultimately lead to us. The origin of the primates is lost in the mists of time, compounded by the paucity of fossils and lack of agreement on what typifies a "primate". The earliest proposed species bears the ungainly name of "Plesiadapiforms". The authors describe the traits suggesting these were our earliest ancestors, while explaining what is lacking to establish a firm identity. Each of the points they introduce is enhanced by the contending researchers' arguments over lineage.
Once past the vague beginnings, the team offers insights into how ape transformed into human. The physiological trends, such as jaw structure and teeth are outlined. Each of the fossil examples of pre-human hominids is examined critically with the important elements indicating its lineage in the human story assessed. From a lonely skull in a desert to remote caves, creatures that one day would lead to you and me are revealed. At some point, one or more of the ape-like animals stood upright. Demonstrating what a major step this was, with changes in spinal column, head position and posture, the new form proved to be even more adaptable than its predecessors. Not the least of the advantages gained, they note, is the ability to travel long distances with minimal energy expenditure. As much as we've learned, the authors remind us of the many questions remaining. The actual number of species, where and how they lived, and how many lineages did the ape ancestor lead to over the millennia?
Emerging "modern" forms bring new challenges in understanding. Although early apes sent offshoots out of Africa, it was the hominids that proved to be the most ambitious travellers. Homo erectus spent over a million years traversing Asia, leaving fossils in far-flung sites across the continent and in the islands southeast of the mainland. Their remains have been dated to as recently as 25 to 50 thousand years old. The recent find on the island of Flores suggest an even more recent descendant. A new species, Homo sapiens, and its own diaspora out of Africa follows. Its most significant aspect, the development of intelligence and language is thoroughly examined. A major change took place leading to the one species with the highest proportion of brain size to body weight. Coupled with changes in physiology, our species created a new form of intricate communication abilities. The brain also went through changes in organisation. Which factor made the greatest contribution to human behaviour patterns is the concluding segment of the book. It is that aspect of our history that remains most contentious and the authors examine the various views surrounding that issue. It's a fitting conclusion to this in-depth and comprehensive study. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]
Amazon.com
If Albert Einstein were alive, he would have a copy of The Road to Reality on his bookshelf. So would Isaac Newton. This may be the most complete mathematical explanation of the universe yet published, and Roger Penrose richly deserves the accolades he will receive for it. That said, let us be perfectly clear: this is not an easy book to read. The number of people in the world who can understand everything in it could probably take a taxi together to Penrose's next lecture. Still, math-friendly readers looking for a substantial and possibly even thrillingly difficult intellectual experience should pick up a copy (carefully--it's over a thousand pages long and weighs nearly 4 pounds) and start at the beginning, where Penrose sets out his purpose: to describe "the search for the underlying principles that govern the behavior of our universe." Beginning with the deceptively simple geometry of Pythagoras and the Greeks, Penrose guides readers through the fundamentals--the incontrovertible bricks that hold up the fanciful mathematical structures of later chapters. From such theoretical delights as complex-number calculus, Riemann surfaces, and Clifford bundles, the tour takes us quickly on to the nature of spacetime. The bulk of the book is then devoted to quantum physics, cosmological theories (including Penrose's favored ideas about string theory and universal inflation), and what we know about how the universe is held together. For physicists, mathematicians, and advanced students, The Road to Reality is an essential field guide to the universe. For enthusiastic amateurs, the book is a project to tackle a bit at a time, one with unimaginable intellectual rewards. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Roger Penrose, one of the most accomplished scientists of our time, presents the only comprehensive and comprehensible account of the physics of the universe. From the very first attempts by the Greeks to grapple with the complexities of our known world to the latest application of infinity in physics, The Road to Reality carefully explores the movement of the smallest atomic particles and reaches into the vastness of intergalactic space. Here, Penrose examines the mathematical foundations of the physical universe, exposing the underlying beauty of physics and giving us one the most important works in modern science writing.
Customer Reviews:
Really good!.......2007-09-19
If you are mad about science that a book you MUST have. I am an electrical engineer and at least 60% of the book had new contents for me so.... READ IT!
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe.......2007-09-04
This is a book over one 1000 pages! My daughter asked me: Is the road to reality indeed so long? We both laught...and after a while I braged about it: With Roger Penrose help, the 1000 pages road to reality may be the shortest! However, I found out later on, that it may indeed be the shortest, but only if you have your own five stars shining above you...
Great to read, recommended to re-read.......2007-08-26
This is an excellent book, if you take the time to understand the material. In my opinion it is well worth the time reading every page.
Sir Roger is as Confused as the Rest of Us.......2007-08-15
Roger Penrose feels comfortable in his Platonic mathematical world and he recognizes how useful complex analysis is to quantum theory. But, like everyone else, he is at a loss to explain things just when they become interesting.
He cannot explain to his own satisfaction how that the universe came to be so specially ordered at the moment of the big bang. He cannot explain in a mathematically elegant way how or why that the wave function collapses upon an observation being made, with a new wave function being thus created. He seems mystified by complex numbers in a way that is reminds one of Pythagoras. He speaks in a gushy way about how "magical" they are. Nevertheless, he cannot even be sure that perfect circles or pi or straight lines exist in reality. He is Platonic, despite modern philosophy's rejection of Plato's theory of forms. He gingerly avoids any metaphysics and/or religion. And, he feels that one can learn about our universe by studying pristine mathematical models, despite the fact that R. Feynman and others have said that the only road to truth (the real road to reality) is through experimentation. Feynman wisely stated that he could calculate things very precisely, but he could not explain things in common sense, everyday terms. Are we really going to do better than him?
Perhaps things are as one physicist said " ..not only strange, but stranger than we can contemplate". We are physically not equipped to explain things.
A book with a message.......2007-07-11
Other reviews focus on whether the book is easy to understand or not, or wheter it is too big or not. And it would seem that
the only purpose of the book is to put all togheter the physical laws mankind knows.
But this is a book with a message. A message that takes very long to transmit and Penrose chose to start from the very begining.
A significant part of the physics as it is known today is exposed in a long (900 pages) preamble, but Penrose wants to tell
us that he believes that the road to the Theory of Everything that is standard in today's physics leads nowhere.
If you have read "The Emperor's new mind" you know that Penrose's ideas are not mainstream in today's physics. But if you are
interested in cutting edge physics you'll also know that there is a growing number of physicists that believe that the field is on crisis. Let me sumarize Penrose views:
- The standard interpretations of quantum mechanics are wrong. Even the decoherence approach.
- Infactionary cosmology cannot be right.
- Superstring theory is just a beautiful mathematical construction with no connection to the physical world. His point of view is similar to Smolin's ("The trouble with physics").
I'm not at all an expert on the field, although I studied quantum mechanics in the University, and I'd say that at least Penrose has a very strong point. He is not able to provide but hints of alternative theories but this does not lower the merit of the book.
He also explains standard areas of mathematics and physics such as complex number calculus, Maxwell fields or group theory in a non-conventional but brilliant way. For example, it includes a beautiful demonstration of Pythagoream theorem. The chapter about the standard model of particle physics is particularly helpful; nowhere else can be found a concise and understable explanation of it.
And yes, the book is difficult, but if you don't understand the mathematics, just keep reading.
Books:
- High-Resolution X-Ray Scattering: From Thin Films to Lateral Nanostructures (Advanced Texts in Physics)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- Independent Component Analysis
- Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (The Mcgraw-Hill Series in Civil and Environmental Engineering)
- Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd Edition)
- Introduction to Elementary Particles
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- History: Fiction or Science
- Everyday Pasta
- Captain Blackman: A Novel
- Black Shoe Carrier Admiral: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Sea, Midway & Guadalcanal
- Cagney
- Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer
- Ecological Engineering and Ecosystem Restoration
- Resort Development Handbook
- Career Planning: A Developmental Approach
- Austria Business Intelligence Report
General
| Earth Sciences
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Rand McNally Goode's World Atlas 21st Edition
Applied Physical Geography: Geosystems in the Laboratory (6th Edition)
Geosystems Student Lecture Notebook: An Introduction to Physical Geography
Places and Regions in Global Context: Human Geography
Applied Physical Geography: Geosystems in the Laboratory (5th Edition)
