Amazon.com
Bestselling author Nassim Nicholas Taleb continues his exploration of randomness in his fascinating new book, The Black Swan, in which he examines the influence of highly improbable and unpredictable events that have massive impact. Engaging and enlightening, The Black Swan is a book that may change the way you think about the world, a book that Chris Anderson calls, "a delightful romp through history, economics, and the frailties of human nature." See Anderson's entire guest review below.
Guest Reviewer: Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson is editor-in-chief of Wired magazine and the author of The Long Tail: Why the Future of Business Is Selling Less of More.
Four hundred years ago, Francis Bacon warned that our minds are wired to deceive us. "Beware the fallacies into which undisciplined thinkers most easily fall--they are the real distorting prisms of human nature." Chief among them: "Assuming more order than exists in chaotic nature." Now consider the typical stock market report: "Today investors bid shares down out of concern over Iranian oil production." Sigh. We're still doing it.
Our brains are wired for narrative, not statistical uncertainty. And so we tell ourselves simple stories to explain complex thing we don't--and, most importantly, can't--know. The truth is that we have no idea why stock markets go up or down on any given day, and whatever reason we give is sure to be grossly simplified, if not flat out wrong.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb first made this argument in Fooled by Randomness, an engaging look at the history and reasons for our predilection for self-deception when it comes to statistics. Now, in The Black Swan: the Impact of the Highly Improbable, he focuses on that most dismal of sciences, predicting the future. Forecasting is not just at the heart of Wall Street, but it's something each of us does every time we make an insurance payment or strap on a seat belt.
The problem, Nassim explains, is that we place too much weight on the odds that past events will repeat (diligently trying to follow the path of the "millionaire next door," when unrepeatable chance is a better explanation). Instead, the really important events are rare and unpredictable. He calls them Black Swans, which is a reference to a 17th century philosophical thought experiment. In Europe all anyone had ever seen were white swans; indeed, "all swans are white" had long been used as the standard example of a scientific truth. So what was the chance of seeing a black one? Impossible to calculate, or at least they were until 1697, when explorers found Cygnus atratus in Australia.
Nassim argues that most of the really big events in our world are rare and unpredictable, and thus trying to extract generalizable stories to explain them may be emotionally satisfying, but it's practically useless. September 11th is one such example, and stock market crashes are another. Or, as he puts it, "History does not crawl, it jumps." Our assumptions grow out of the bell-curve predictability of what he calls "Mediocristan," while our world is really shaped by the wild powerlaw swings of "Extremistan."
In full disclosure, I'm a long admirer of Taleb's work and a few of my comments on drafts found their way into the book. I, too, look at the world through the powerlaw lens, and I too find that it reveals how many of our assumptions are wrong. But Taleb takes this to a new level with a delightful romp through history, economics, and the frailties of human nature. --Chris Anderson
Book Description
A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear less random, and more predictable, than it was. The astonishing success of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. For Nassim Nicholas Taleb, black swans underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives.
Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans until after they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is that humans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focused on generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and time and time again fail to take into consideration what we don’t know. We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, too vulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, and not open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the “impossible.”
For years, Taleb has studied how we fool ourselves into thinking we know more than we actually do. We restrict our thinking to the irrelevant and inconsequential, while large events continue to surprise us and shape our world. Now, in this revelatory book, Taleb explains everything we know about what we don’t know. He offers surprisingly simple tricks for dealing with black swans and benefiting from them.
Elegant, startling, and universal in its applications The Black Swan will change the way you look at the world. Taleb is a vastly entertaining writer, with wit, irreverence, and unusual stories to tell. He has a polymathic command of subjects ranging from cognitive science to business to probability theory. The Black Swan is a landmark book–itself a black swan.
Customer Reviews:
good read, interesting arguments but a bit naive.......2007-10-09
i read both books by mr. taleb (black swan and fooled by randomness) last week. i enjoyed both, although i think he made the point about the futility of inductive reasoning more persuasively in the randomness book. both argue the same point with different emphasis. in black swan, he even undertake a bit of advising, akin to list of things to do so that you don't get harmed by black swans.
often, but not for too long, i get exasperated by his desire to grind an ax: his constant put downs on economists, mba's and journalists. i can see his point that math has a lot to teach to those ignorant of subtle complexities of probability theories, but the pompous (but quite entertaining) name calling is just not necessary. having said that, he did toned down a bit in the black swan book, so if you prefer something more spicy, read the randomness book first.
mr taleb has done a good job at presenting an interesting hypothesis, i am waiting for his scholarly works to prove he is not just exercising litearary rights to fill his pocket the lazy way.
things to watch for: when he goes over how useless econmists are, he makes broad assumptions about the neo-classical econ approach. this shows that he is rather naive of this "soft" science. one point in case, there is this concept called opportunity cost, it matters when making rational decisions. he just ignored it or perhaps was not aware of its central role in how economics study the world. simlarly, we all know that models make assumptions, some are more extreme than others. they serve a purpose, benchmarking. no one expects to find a perfectly competitive market (i think there is one close to it, the commodity market), but that is NOT the point.
in sum, highly enjoyable book. taleb is at his bests explaining intuitively statistics. does a good job in criticizing inductive reasoning, but a terrible job at justifying the put downs on economics.
The Power of What We Do Not Know.......2007-10-09
Well written, informative and just a little out of the box. Taleb veers so slowly off the beaten path so as to allow the reader can adapt. In the end, the typical reader believes he/she "knew all that all along." Nice Work. Mastery.
Foggy premise presented by an arrogant author.......2007-10-08
Really can't understand all the great reviews of this book. The author THINKS he's witty, when he's really just showing off his arrogance. Trust me, he's no Larry David....as one other reviewer seemed to think.
But the real letdown of this book is his foggy writing, which is almost always a sign of foggy thinking. And to MAKE UP one of his prime examples (the author with the unpronounceable Slavic name) and then to continue to bring up other examples using "her" is simply lazy research and writing. If his premise is so true, surely he can find real life examples to share with us. He probably intimidated his editor so much that this really annoying writing style was not challenged by the publisher. A layperson can find many better books written on the subject of randomness.
Great book .......2007-10-08
Nassim Nicholas has written a very important book. The first chapters seemed a bit slow but once he got going (or maybe I got thinking) I could not stop. Anyone making any type of business, marketing, or investment decision and relies on prediction needs to read this book. My hat is off to him as a writer and a big picture thinker.
Very thoughtful and enlightening book.......2007-10-02
Taleb has a winner here. The book brings a new slant to what really drives almost every trend. Often the stock traders and predictors of political events are not just wrong, but dead wrong. The reasons for these mistakes and others are explained in entertaining fashion in this book "The Black Swan".
Book Description
Chase, Jacobs and Aquilano: Operations Management for Competitive Advantage, 11/e (CJA) provides a current and thorough introduction to the concepts, processes, and methods of managing and controlling operations in manufacturing or service settings. The text provides comprehensive coverage, from high-tech manufacturing to high touch services with a balanced treatment. Chase, Jacobs, and Aquilano also thoroughly integrates and discusses current issues such as globalization; supply chain strategy, E-business, and ERP. The concepts are illustrated by using abundant real world examples, articles, illustrations, problems and cases. Technology is integral to the success of this course, as such, CJA also provide students and instructors with an innovative array of leading edge technology learning and teaching tools.
Customer Reviews:
COMPLETE MISREPRESENTATION.......2007-04-06
This seller sent the wrong text with the wrong ISBN, even though it is an edition of this text, it's not what was advertised. Also, I paid for expedited shipping and received it non-priority along with making an extra donation who pocketed the difference. BEWARE!!!
If I could import the pics of what I was sent, I would
Excellent survey of operations management.......2007-02-07
This book is comprehensive, up-to-date and well-written. The 'technical notes' appended to some chapters provide a little mathematical underpinning to discussions of topics like queuing theory, SPC, and linear programming, but the emphasis is on practical applications and there are plenty of worked examples.
The target audience deserves to be much greater than aspiring or actual manufacturing managers. By setting OM within a strategic context, by addressing both services and products, and by covering the entire product lifecycle, this book equips anybody concerned with performance improvement in any business with an indispensable toolbox. It's virtually an MBA in a box.
Operations Management for Competitive Advantage.......2007-01-13
I was unhappy with this item because some important product information was omitted from the site, and I was unsure that I was ordering the correct edition of the book I needed.
Operations Management - Chase, et. al........2006-11-14
Great text book. I am very hapy with it.
Operations Mangement for Competitive Advantage.......2006-07-14
Great textbook for OM class. It has DVD and other supplemental applications that are helpful for learning more. I use this book for an online class and reading the materials are easy to understand. The authors are very knowledgeable and their examples are good. I especially like the videos on the DVD.
Average customer rating:
- DO NOT READ REVIEWS
- Sparks does it again
- I couldn't put it down!
- Dear John
- more the same
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Dear John
Nicholas Sparks
Manufacturer: Warner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Sparks, Nicholas
| ( S )
| Authors, A-Z
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Contemporary
| Romance
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0446528056 |
Book Description
When Savannah Lynn Curtis comes into his life, John Tyree knows he is ready to turn over a new leaf. An angry rebel, he had enlisted in the army after high school, not knowing what else to do. Then, during a furlough, he meets the girl of his dreams. Savannah Lynn Curtis is attending college in North Carolina, working for Habitat for Humanity, and totally unprepared for the passionate attraction she feels for John Tyree. The attraction is mutual and quickly grows into the kind of love that leaves Savannah vowing to wait for John while he finishes his tour of duty, and John realizing that he's ready to settle down with the young woman who has captured his heart. Neither can foresee that 9/11 is about to change the world and will force John to risk every hope and dream that he's ever had. Like so many proud men and women, John must choose between love and country. And like all those left behind, Savannah must decide to wait or move on. How do we choose wisely? How can we face loss-without giving up on love? Now, when he finally returns to North Carolina, John will discover that loving Savannah will force him to make the hardest decision of his life. An extraordinary, moving story, Dear John explores the complexities of love -- how it survives time and heartbreak, and how it transforms us forever.
Customer Reviews:
DO NOT READ REVIEWS.......2007-10-03
#1 I read reviews to see if people with similar taste in reading liked or disliked a book. I read the reviews of Dear John and realized that about every third review gives away an important plot detail. Kind of like people telling you parts of a movie before you see it. Please don't ruin the experience for others.
#2 Nicholas Sparks is an amazing author. He is the king of romance, however he is not a soldier. He does not know the military, and while I praise him for the dedication of the book, his lack of knowledge is painfully obvious to the 3 military guys who read his books. It isn't that bad, and if you aren't in the Army or haven't been to Iraq, his descriptions are just fine. Above all, the story is incredible. It's a heart wrenching, tear-inducing, smile provoking, unconditional love type romance that he is famous for and does so well. It does leave you wanting a part two. The end is bittersweet and you don't know weather to be happy, sad, or both.
Sparks does it again.......2007-10-01
In this book there is a love like no other. This love goes above and beyond The Notebook. This shows there is a such a thing as unconditional love no matter how unlikely it may be. Not many people at all can be so unselfish. I couldn't put this book down. The story is so well written and the characters kept you involved in the story. There were times you want to scream, laugh and of course i cried at the end. To anyone who is a Sparks fan you will not be disappointed.
I couldn't put it down! .......2007-10-01
I can honestly say this is one of my favorite books (and I don't say that about many). It made me laugh and cry but mostly cry. It makes you think about love and life and the choices me make. I would recommend this book to anyone. It's a beautifully told story!!
Dear John.......2007-09-20
The book was great I could not put it down. Nicholas Sparks did it again, another great love stories.
more the same.......2007-09-16
I title this "more the same", that's exactly what it is. If you've read Nicholas Spark's other novels chances are you found this one as predictable as I. don't get me wrong Sparks is my favorite author. I look forward to each new book he has out. He has a talent for really making charaters come alive. However, unfortunaely for those of uswho do read all his books his writing style is becoming a lttle too transparent. I knew Svannah would end up with Tim from chaper one when they intorduced his character. Still worth reading, especially if you haven't read many of his books yet!
Average customer rating:
- excellent advise from someone who knows
- Re-Model Your Frame.
- Great for Cycling Dancers, and Everyone Else Too!
- Very informative
- A must read for fitness buffs
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FrameWork
Nicholas DiNubile , and
William Patrick
Manufacturer: Rodale Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
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ASIN: 1594860572
Release Date: 2005-06-16 |
Book Description
A renowned orthopedic surgeon provides the first medically proven fitness program designed to help prevent the #1 reason for doctor visits in the United States-bone and joint problems Fitness can't be just about a healthy heart or looking good in a swimsuit. After all, low cholesterol and a flat stomach won't get you very far if back or neck problems, or a worn out knee or shoulder, keep tripping you up. This first-of-its-kind program is designed to ensure that your frame can go the distance, with durability to match the muscle tone and conditioning we all want. And unlike other workouts, Framework starts with a unique self-test that uncovers potential problems with your frame, your workout, your nutrition, and more. It even combines diet and lifestyle advice with a balanced, customizable workout that acknowledges the fact that our bodies are all a little different and often need special attention. It teaches you to pay attention to what your body tries to tell you, and when it is being challenged by a special problem, whether it is a heel spur or stress on the job.
Customer Reviews:
excellent advise from someone who knows.......2007-10-01
I am very satisfied with this book. To some it may seem that there really isn't anything new but that is the point. This doctor is drawing on proven techniques, not trying to amaze you, however you get the added benefit of his expertise. I did the excersizes myself as instructed and found it relieved my lower back.
This book is worth the purchase because you get the wholesome guidance of someone who has in depth knowledge about maintaining the body's most important and basic structure. He also clears up myths about exercise, warming up, and stretching, and then gives you a workout that promotes the good health of your "frame".
Note however that the book does not go into detail for the hard core body builders who want a guide to work every tiny group of muscles. This is a guide to maintaining your body against the wear and tear of such activities.
I give it three stars however, because of my dissapointment in some of the photos (as seen on the front cover) that aren't appropriate or necessary. This is easily fixed by gluing the photo pages (between chapters) in the book together and removing them from the front cover if desired.
Finally I wish that the book had come in a different binding (perhaps spiral) because it is already falling apart.
Re-Model Your Frame........2007-06-15
'Framework' is a fitness program for your bones and joints and offers a complete workout combined with diet and lifestyle advice. It is divided up into three parts. Part one discusses why you need framework. Part two is the program and its components include cardio, core strengthening and flexibility, upper and lower body stretching and strengthening exercises, resting and recovering, diet, and decreasing stress. And finally, part three discusses various treatment options for when your frame fails (injuries). This is not a terribly detailed section, but rather offers the reader a general overview. All-in-all I felt it to be a worthwhile resource for anyone looking to give their aged or worn frame a tune-up. Also recommend Treat Your Own Rotator Cuff for more detailed info on rotator cuff tears and fixing many shoulder problems.
Great for Cycling Dancers, and Everyone Else Too!.......2007-06-09
This is a welcome book that takes a much more holistic view of physical health than just about anything I've read so far. Nutrition books only talk about nutrition, and while they do allude to the different nutritional needs of athletes, they really don't talk about those needs. Fitness books only talk about fitness, not taking past injury or chronic issues into account. Dr. Nick integrates all of it - almost as if the reader is a whole human being instead of just a bunch of muscles, just a digestive tract, or just a heart and a bunch of arteries.
I started life as a dancer. Honestly - my first ballet performance was on my fourth birthday. Well on my way toward a professional ballet career, I had to stop dancing at 16 due to chronic knee problems. These days I enjoy cycling because it's better for my knees and doesn't hurt my pointe-shoe deformed feet. With knee pain having recently thrown a monkey-wrench into my training for a big cycling event, this book contained welcome advice and instructions for how I can get back on my bike sooner, as well as how to keep my training from getting derailed again.
This book was very enlightening in regards to how the various muskuloskeletal problems of athletes on all levels get started, how to deal with them once they have started, and how to prevent them ending a career or even just ending one's enjoyment of an activity. I loved the specialized instructions about specific exercises and adaptations of exercises that can be done for the most common muskuloskeletal problems, as well as the advice about ways to maintain fitness even while rehabbing from an injury. The lessons in self-advocacy with doctors when dealing with an injury were very helpful - I think I'll be seeking out *the* knee specialist in my area quite soon, and now I know how to communicate with him/her what's really going on.
The section on nutrition I found lacking, as Dr. Nick basically recommends the diet the American Heart Association recommends, with some extra protein and fruits/veggies for athletes. The problem with this nutritional advice is that the American Heart Association's recommendations haven't shown themselves to actually prevent heart disease at all - in fact, patients who follow it continue to get worse according to some (read Dean Ornish, MD, and Joel Fuhrman, MD, for more info there). But honestly this is the only problem I had with the book.
I've spent a lot of time in doctors' offices - everything from my primary care doctor to an orthopedist to sports med specialists - and I've spent a lot of time in physical therapists' offices, and I've read a lot of books about fitness. Dr. Nick's book makes sense of it all.
Very informative.......2007-05-07
Extremely interesting and informative. If we could all follow Dr. Nick's credo we would all be much off, even on a small scale. I am a bit predjudiced tho, since he is my "Knee Doc "
A must read for fitness buffs.......2007-04-11
At 40 I'm getting back into shape, but notice considerably more aches and pains related to working out. DiNubile offers trustworthy advice for those of us who aren't as indestructible as we used to be. Framework has helped me identify and target problem areas and offers the best advice for getting the most from your workout without injury. If I could change anything about it, I would make it more concise. It gets wordy with case histories DiNubile has encountered throughout his sports star-studded career.
Amazon.com
If the prescriptions for getting rich that are outlined in books such as The Millionaire Next Door and Rich Dad Poor Dad are successful enough to make the books bestsellers, then one must ask, Why aren't there more millionaires? In Fooled by Randomness, Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a professional trader and mathematics professor, examines what randomness means in business and in life and why human beings are so prone to mistake dumb luck for consummate skill. This eccentric and highly personal exploration of the nature of randomness meanders from the court of Croesus and trading rooms in New York and London to Russian roulette, Monte Carlo engines, and the philosophy of Karl Popper. Part of what makes this book so good is Taleb's ability to make seemingly arcane mathematical concepts (at least to this reviewer) entirely relevant in evaluating and understanding everything from the stock market to the success of those millionaires cited in the aforementioned bestsellers. Here's an articulate, wise, and humorous meditation on the nature of success and failure that anyone who wants a little more of the former would do well to consider. Highly recommended. --Harry C. Edwards
Book Description
“[Taleb is] Wall Street’s principal dissident. . . . [Fooled By Randomness] is to conventional Wall Street wisdom approximately what Martin Luther’s ninety-nine theses were to the Catholic Church.”
–
Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker
Finally in paperback, the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about the markets and the world.This book is about luck: more precisely how we perceive luck in our personal and professional experiences.
Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill–the world of business–
Fooled by Randomness is an irreverent, iconoclastic, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining exploration of one of the least understood forces in all of our lives.
Customer Reviews:
Not as good as the Black Swan.......2007-10-01
I read the Black Swan and I loved it. So, of course, I had to read this book too. It turned out to be a rehash of the same material, but not told with the same conviction. In the Black Swan he pulls no punches. Here he has not quite gotten all his material together and you can feel it. If I had not read the Black Swan I would have liked this book. But, since he wrote a better one, I would recommend the Black Swan and not this one.
A MUST read.......2007-09-29
A great book that everyone can read and understand. Wonderful insight into the ramdomness of life.
Fallacies of inductive reasoning.......2007-09-02
If you ever felt a little queasy about that article in the paper - the one that connected all the dots and claims to have explained yesterdays news - then this is a book you must read. Taleb covers a lot of ground, at times in seemingly sporadic jumps, but each chapter is a mini research library in itself. The reviews for this book span the whole gamut, and I will not try to add to the noise short of saying that if you are interested in probability, in how it affects our lives, and how it skews our perception of the world, then you should judge the book for yourself - I happened to have read it twice.
It's a book - breath deep.......2007-08-31
A good read and many valuable insights that will keep you thinking long after you've moved on.
Attacking this author is besides the point; frankly, why should anyone care if he is or isn't a arrogant, ivy league brat, a walking contradiction that doesn't appreciate the "businessman"? The book is either worth the read or it isn't. My opinion - it has something important to add and does so in a fun, refreshing style to boot.
Risk Management 404.......2007-08-31
Hard to rate this book too highly. It is not without flaws and even the author describes is as something along the lines of a self-indulgent and eccentric essay (my words). That is of nonetheless part of its charm. This is an unorthodox look at a very important topic for our world.
It would be a mistake to come to this book as your first introduction to risk management, life, philosophy, probability or derivatives trading. It covers all of those topics and much, much more but this book is not written as an introductory read. You need to have some life experience and at least a working knowledge of risk management (in whatever field of endeavour you pursue). The joy of this book is it's ability to stretch your mind with new ways of thinking.
Taleb's fundamental premise is that we underestimate the role of luck (or Lady Fortuna) in our lives and he argues compellingly to that end with a range of interesting examples. The survivorship bias of 'successful' people is well illustrated using a number of examples to show how (for example) derivatives traders start and fail on a regular basis, eventually leaving only the ones who have been continuously successful. That although skill and experience are important, many wealthy trader have basically thrown 'heads' 20 times in a row (ie. survived 20 years trading). We then back-test their methods to find the 'secret of their success' assuming that it is more than luck which of course it usually (but not always is) but that we for the most part a) underestimate the role of luck and b) assume that what has worked in the past will continue to work in the future. He uses the black swan example (all swans were white until the discovery of black swans in Australia in the 17th century) to illustrate the point that even if the processes that trader has used in the past worked out, we need to keep challenging our thinking and continually learn anew. In a complementary but very different vein, have a look at 'Managing the Unexpected' by Karl Weick and Kathleen Sutcliffe. They give new meaning to the concept of mindfulness and how 'high reliability organisations' such as nuclear aircraft carriers use a 'Pre-occupation with Failure' to sustain mindfulness and avoid Black Swans.
Some reviewers seem to have found Taleb's style challenging (and yes he can be sarcastic) but overall I loved it and found it a compelling read. I have a Masters in Risk Management, trade options, help clients with risk management and international security solutions and am a better practitioner now for having read this shotgun blast of scattered but linked ideas. I thoroughly enjoyed the places that it took and continues to take my thinking and am just grateful that he took the time to share his thought with the rest of us.
Mandatory reading for anyone who manages risk (which is after all just about everyone). When you think you understand something about risk management, then it is time to read this.
Book Description
During and following WWII, a special multinational group of more than 350 men and women served behind enemy lines and joined frontline military units to ensure the preservation, protection, liberation and restitution of the world's greatest artistic and cultural treasures. This "band of unsung heroes," formally referred to as the Monuments, Fine Arts and Archives (MFAA) section, or commonly referred to as the "Monuments Men," worked tirelessly to track down, identify and catalogue millions of priceless works of art and irreplaceable cultural artifacts, including masterpieces by Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rembrandt and Vermeer, that had been stolen by Hitler and the Nazis.
The story of the Monuments Men, including their heroics and exploits in rescuing and safeguarding many of the world's greatest artworks for the benefit of mankind, has never before been fully revealed until now, with the publication of
Rescuing Da Vinci, an exhaustively researched historical account written by Robert M. Edsel. Mr. Edsel can best be described as a successful athlete and business entrepreneur turned modern day "Indiana Jones." Mr. Edsel has dedicated the last five years of his life to painstaking and far-reaching research to unravel the secrets of the Monuments Men and, in so doing, to make the world aware of their unprecedented contributions, both during and after WWII, and to ensure that these unsung heroes receive appropriate recognition from the United States government, as well as the broad public.
The detailed documentation, inventories and photographs developed and catalogued by the Monuments Men during and following World War II, have made possible, and continue to make possible, the restitution of stolen artworks of to rightful owners and their descendents. Long after WWII, many Monuments Men went on to become renowned directors and curators of preeminent international cultural institutions, including the National Gallery of Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Toledo Museum of Art and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, among many others, as well as professors at esteemed universities such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, New York University, Williams College and Columbia University. Others became founders, presidents, and members of associations such as the New York City Ballet, the American Museum Association, the American Association of Museum Directors, the Archaeological Institute of America, the Society of Architectural Historians, the American Society of Landscape Architects, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as respected architects, archivists, artists and musicians.
"Mr. Edsel's book is captivating in several respects, from the graphic, garish reminders of the faces of the great plunderers, to the singular beauty of the art they sought to steal. And it is a high and overdue memorial to the "Monuments Men," who did the herculean job of tracking down and repatriating the great art." -- William F. Buckley Jr.
Customer Reviews:
A wonderful book.......2007-10-09
This book shows and tells another side of war. It is the story told in picture of Hitler and his Nazi thugs pillaging Europe and stealing priceless art objects, painting, statures, books, even ancient scrolls then hiding them in caves and bunkers in Germany. What I loved about this book were the photos of US Army units rescuing those stolen art treasures then returned them to the towns, churches and cities. The author has done an exemplary job of finding photos and stories which has made this an important work. Photos I've never seen and story I have never heard about. I think this book needs to be in every high school library in the country. Students need to be shown how our American Army worked to recover all this lost art. His book made me proud to have serviced in the US army.
Thank you for writing this book
SPOILS OF WAR.......2007-09-21
This is one of the most fascinating books i have ever read. The period images are amazing, just the photo of italian masons bricking up Michaelangelo's iconic David is worth the purchase. After reading this book I was stunned that so few art treasures were destroyed. I had no idea that much of the treasures at the National Gallery of Art in D.C. was stored at Biltmore because of its remote setting. I was also blown away to see the images of workman removing winged victory from the Louvre, I just had no idea all of this went on leading up to the war and during the war. The German pillaging of the great European art treasures is disgusting of course, especially the art they looted from the weathy Jewry like the Rothchilds and others, some of which even to this day are trying to get back art work that is rightly theirs. I highly recommend this great book to anyone interested in art, history, art history, or frankly has an inquisive mind. I want to thank the authors for a job well done.
What were they thinking!!.......2007-08-10
This was a fascinating and disturbing account of the massive Nazi looting and subsequent recovery by the Allies. It is a story told mostly by pictures to the tune of about 20 pages of pictures for each page of print. It is promoted by the publisher as the biggest non-told story of WWII and he might be right; it diminished the German war effort and probably shortened the War. It was also about the massive and admirable effort by the so-called Allied `Monuments Men' to recover and redistribute the loot back to their rightful owners after the War.
Germany stole millions of art objects from occupied countries, and even from its own ally Italy, on the pretext of saving it from the `barbarian' invaders from the West. Monuments weighing tons, like the `Burghers of Calais' from France and the `Winged Lion' from atop the column in Florence's San Martin Square, were somehow lifted and hauled away. Also, 5000 church bells were stolen from Europe and 300 trolley cars were removed from Amsterdam. In short, they looted everything they could get their hands on, and they were good at it. There are good pictures of the bells and the trolley cars.
In Slavic countries such as Russia and Poland, the plundering was accompanied by an attempted systematic destruction of the culture itself; `inferior races' in Hitler's mind didn't deserve a history. The siege of Russia was particularly bad; 6000 hospitals were destroyed, and 86,000 elementary and secondary schools were destroyed. Decency had taken a long vacation in Germany.
Hitler was a master at destroying things. He destroyed a lot of Europe and Russia, and even extended his `scorched earth' policy to his own country when Germany was near defeat. Thankfully, that order was not faithfully carried out.
How could a country justify destroying the culture of another country? What were the people of Germany thinking when they elected this maniac as Chancellor in the 1930's? Why did they blindly follow him?
What were they thinking!!
I recommend this book.......2007-05-13
If you enjoy WWII history and art, this is a book that should be in your collection. It is full of wonderful photos that you will not find elsewhere. If you have ever wondered about what happened to the great masterpieces of art during WWII, this is the book to buy. Amazon also has a great price.
Great Book!.......2007-04-14
What a great story. Incredible photos too. Quality of the pages is very good. I'm actually surprised it's only $35 after getting it.
Book Description
Destined to become a market classic, Dynamic Hedging is the only practical reference in exotic options hedging and arbitrage for professional traders and money managers
Watch the professionals. From central banks to brokerages to multinationals, institutional investors are flocking to a new generation of exotic and complex options contracts and derivatives. But the promise of ever larger profits also creates the potential for catastrophic trading losses. Now more than ever, the key to trading derivatives lies in implementing preventive risk management techniques that plan for and avoid these appalling downturns. Unlike other books that offer risk management for corporate treasurers, Dynamic Hedging targets the real-world needs of professional traders and money managers. Written by a leading options trader and derivatives risk advisor to global banks and exchanges, this book provides a practical, real-world methodology for monitoring and managing all the risks associated with portfolio management.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb is the founder of Empirica Capital LLC, a hedge fund operator, and a fellow at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences of New York University. He has held a variety of senior derivative trading positions in New York and London and worked as an independent floor trader in Chicago. Dr. Taleb was inducted in February 2001 in the Derivatives Strategy Hall of Fame. He received an MBA from the Wharton School and a Ph.D. from University Paris-Dauphine.
Customer Reviews:
Dynamic Hedging...goo stuff.......2007-06-13
Great book, very easy read as it is written in a conversational tone. Covers all the issues associated with derivative trading in an intuitive manner.
Good Work.......2006-10-24
Definitely for pros. This book is one of the fewest which is concentrated on the hedging compared to the tons which explain pricing. The other pro of the book is you don't need to be a quant or a PhD guy to understand the book. If this seems what you are looking for, i recommend you get it.
the best book in options.......2006-03-24
This book is a really useful and practical introduction in derivatives from a guy who knows what he is talking about.
Plenty of illustrations and stories from real life. Mathematics is quite informal, and hence the book may not be used for PhD programs - it's a good master's level... good for a guy who wants to start trading options.
FOR EXPERIENCED TRADERS.......2006-02-27
VERY INFORMATIVE, WRITTEN BY AN ACTIVE TRADER, MANY USEFUL TIPS TO BE APPLIED ON THE JOB. ALL IN ALL AN EXCELLENT BOOK. PROVIDES REAL HELP AND KNOWLEDGE, MUST BE READ BY ACTIVE TRADERS.
Real book for traders.......2004-06-27
really great to figure out the intricacies of options. if you need something more conventional just get hull; this book is by someone who does it for a living and has different intuitions than what you get in the ivory tower.
some of the points are great but may need more updating
Book Description
The new edition of Garber and Hoel's best-selling text focuses on giving students insight into all facets of traffic and highway engineering. Students generally come to this course with little knowledge or understanding of the importance of transportation, much less of the extensive career opportunities in the field. Transportation is an extremely broad field, and courses must either cover all transportation modes or focus on specifics. While many topics can be covered with a survey approach, this often lacks sufficient depth and students leave the course without a full understanding of any of the fields. Garber and Hoel's text focuses exclusively on traffic and highway engineering. They begin with a discussion of the pivotal role transportation plays in our society, including employment opportunities, historical impact, and the impact of transportation on our daily lives. This approach gives students a sense of what the field is about and an opportunity to consider some of its challenges. Later chapters focus on specific issues facing transportation engineers. Using a pedagogical tools such as worked problems, diagrams and tables, reference material, and realistic examples demonstrate how the material is applied. The new edition has been updated to reflect recent changes in guidelines set forth by HCM 2000 and AASHTO. Professional engineers have also found this material helpful, making it a great reference for practicing engineers in the field.
Customer Reviews:
Correction for earlier posted review.......2006-08-29
My review of "Traffic and Highway Engineering" posted March 31, 2003 was mistakenly attached to this Newer "Revised" Edition of the text. The original review, for an earlier version-ISBN: 0534387438, was left while I was an undergraduate student of West Virginia University's Civil Engineering program.
I am not familiar with this Revised Edition and therefore cannot comment on it. Thank you Dr. Martinelli for pointing out this error.
Very comprehensive and well written.......2005-12-03
As the transportation professor at West Virginia University, I take issue with the review from Braxton Lewis (one of my former students). This book does not have errors and we have been using it at West Virginia University for 12 years and will continue to do so.
The book covers all the major concepts needed to prepare students for advanced courses in transportation. Each chapter is well-written and gives just the right level of detail and technical content.
One very nice feature is that the book includes the charts, tables, etc from the desigh guides where appropriate. This way, the concepts are presented cleanly without students having to fumble through the various codes and design guides as they try to learn the concepts.
Errors up the Yin Yang!.......2003-04-01
Errors in both text and involved mathematics make this book a horrible waste of my money. I see this as, "lets fix one error on each edition, and continue selling the heck out of it to university students." Well, at least West Virginia University will no longer use this one.
manual.......1999-10-21
can you send me manual of traffic and highway engineering . isbn 0-534-95-338-7
Average customer rating:
- Old and busted
- Usefulness
- buy the book, forget the CD-ROM version
- This book is a must!!!!
- ABD EL MOHSEN SOLIMAN
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Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture
Charles W. Harris , and
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Similar Items:
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Time-Saver Standards Site Construction Details Manual
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Site Engineering for Landscape Architects
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Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards
ASIN: 0070170274 |
Book Description
Newly designed and containing a full 40 percent completely new content, Time-Saver Standards for Landscape Architecture, Second Edition, continues to be the most complete source of site design and construction standards and data. It is fully metric, to meet Federal and International requirements. It features increased coverage of: Site storm water "best management" practices · New urban tree planting and xeriscape concepts · Earth retaining structures and pavement design · Land reclamation, including soil and vegetation restoration · Metric site layout practices, including recreation facilities · Energy and resource conservation · Natural processes and site construction procedures · New expanded construction details · Simplified construction materials data. Over 50 sections provide concise tables, checklists, "Key Point" text summaries, and illustrations to provide an invaluable information resource for offices and classrooms throughout the world.
Customer Reviews:
Old and busted.......2007-05-05
I have always found this book to be cumbersome, difficult to navigate, poorly organized, and lacking in sufficient detail. But of course for years it was basically the only game in town, so everyone relied on it. Those days are over. I recently purchased Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards, and it is an outstanding book. If you're trying to decide which one to buy, definitely get Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards instead. And even if you already own Time-Saver Standards, do yourself a huge favor and buy Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards anyway. It covers everything that Time-Saver Standards does plus numerous other topics, all with much better explanations and details. To top things off, it has FAR more graphics and the entire book is better organized an easier to navigate than Time-Saver Standards.
Usefulness.......2006-07-16
As a practicing L.A., I have bought several McGraw-Hill Construction Books. I get a similar result each time: They seem on first look to fulfill the promise, but I found they don't well serve the need in real life. I get far better use out of Architectural Graphic Standards, and I'm looking forward to Wiley's Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards.
buy the book, forget the CD-ROM version.......2005-03-28
I've got the book and was hoping the CD-ROM would enhance using the book, but it doesn't. The content is very slim compared to the book, and the CAD drawings that are included are also of very limited use. Don't bother with the CD-ROM version of TSSLA.
This book is a must!!!!.......2004-02-06
A great book to have. It was a required text for my site technology classes. Kept referring to it. Lots of information. It should be on everyone's bookcase if you're a Landscape Architect student or already in the profession. I highly recommend it.
ABD EL MOHSEN SOLIMAN.......2000-11-06
IWANT SEE PART FROM THE BOOK
Book Description
Professional Ajax 2nd Edition provides a developer-level tutorial of Ajax techniques, patterns, and use cases. The book begins by exploring the roots of Ajax, covering how the evolution of the web and new technologies directly led to the development of Ajax techniques. A detailed discussion of how frames, JavaScript, cookies, XML, and XMLHttp requests (XHR) related to Ajax is included. After this introduction, the book moves on to cover the implementation of specific Ajax techniques. Request brokers such as hidden frames, dynamic iframes, and XHR are compared and contrasted, explaining when one method should be used over another. To make this discussion clearer, a brief overview of HTTP requests and responses is included.
Once a basic understanding of the various request types is discussed, the book moves on to provide in-depth examples of how and when to use Ajax in a web site or web application. Different data transmission formats, including plain text, HTML, XML, and JSON are discussed for their advantages and disadvantages. Also included is a discussion on web services and how they may be used to perform Ajax techniques. Next, more complex topics are covered. A chapter introducing a request management framework explores how to manage all of the requests inside of an Ajax application. Ajax debugging techniques are also discussed.
The last part of the book walks through the creation of two full-fledged Ajax web applications. The first, FooReader.NET, is an Ajax-powered RSS reader. The second, called AjaxMail, is an Ajax-enabled email system. Both of these applications incorporate many of the techniques discussed throughout the book.
Professional Ajax 2nd edition is written for Web application developers looking to enhance the usability of their web sites and web applications and intermediate JavaScript developers looking to further understand the language. Readers should have familiarity with XML, XSLT, Web Services, PHP or C#, HTML, CSS. This book is not aimed at beginners without a basic understanding of the aforementioned technologies. Also, a good understanding of JavaScript is vitally important to understanding this book. Those readers without such knowledge should instead refer to books such as Beginning JavaScript, Second Edition (Wrox, 2004, ISBN: 978-0-7645-5587-9) and Professional JavaScript for Web Developers (Wrox, 2005, ISBN: 978-0-7645-7908-0).
Professional Ajax 2nd edition adds nearly 200 pages of new and expanded coverage compared to the first edition. Some of the new topics covered here include:
And of course the Second Edition retains and updates the core first edition content including:
- the range of request brokers (including the hidden frame technique, iframes, and XMLHttp) and explains when one should be used over another
- different Ajax techniques and patterns for executing client-server communication
- Ajax patterns including predictive fetch, page preloading, submission throttling, incremental field and form validation, periodic refresh, multi-stage download and more
- Syndication with RSS, Atom, and XParser
- JSON and creating an autosuggest textbox example
- web site widgets for a news ticker, weather information, web search, and site search
- Ajax Frameworks JSpan, DWR, and Ajax.NET Professional
- A Web-based RSS/Atom aggregator case study
- An AjaxMail case study
This book is also available as part of the 4-book JavaScript and Ajax Wrox Box (ISBN: 0470227818). This 4-book set includes:
- Professional JavaScript for Web Developers (ISBN: 0764579088)
- Professional Ajax 2nd edition (ISBN: 0470109491)
- Professional Web 2.0 Programming (ISBN: 0470087889)
- Professional Rich Internet Applications: Ajax and Beyond (ISBN: 0470082801)
Customer Reviews:
Not Happy.......2007-10-03
Wed 10/03/2007 5:15 pm. I'm not sure who writes these positive reviews, but an early example in the book ("The Hidden Frame Technique", starting on page 21) is obviously broken. The book shows "HiddenFrameExample1.htm" in an illustration but there is no such file in the ProAjax2ePHP.zip file downloaded from wrox. Judging by quotes on the internet probably from the first edition, I'd guess the actual file is probably GetCustomerData.php (?) but whether it is or not, that file has an obvious syntax error, missing paren in line 12 "if (is_numeric($sID) {". Of course if I were a php/ajax expert all this would be blindingly obvious; but I'm not, that's why I bought the book. I can't say I'm optimistic about the remainder of the text.
Very well written. Excellent resource........2007-07-27
I'm a senior ASP.NET/Web developer with no Ajax experience. This is my first Ajax book. I wanted to learn Ajax from the ground up, not just the Microsoft controls. Our ecommerce site is very highly trafficed and there's no forgiveness for inefficiencies. This book certainly fulfilled my expectations, but it also introduced me to some new worlds of concepts that I did not expect. For instance, the chapter on Ajax Patterns: It's a new way of thinking about Web Development. I'm very impressed with its content. The book is clearly written, the examples are excellent. I am learning a great deal from this book. Nice job guys!
powerful handbook.......2007-06-27
I really like this powerful handbook whick gives me detail tutorials in the field of AJAX practice.
excellent in several respects.......2007-03-23
Last year (2006), I plowed through practically every available book on Ajax. This one really stands out for its excellent historical overview of how Ajax grew to exist. It also is one of the few that covers the use of hidden frames and Iframes as an Ajax technique (it has been around longer but is still used widely). The writing is outstanding. If you can only buy one Ajax book, this one should be it.
A free copy of chapter 1, "What is Ajax?" is available online at [...]
Surprisingly easy to read for a programming book.......2007-02-20
The information you need to get started on ajax programming happens very quickly in this book. The way it is presented also helps a great deal. While it still has it's dry parts, this book was actually surprisingly easy to read(meaning I wasn't falling asleep after 5 minutes of reading)
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