ERA Reviews

Though it certainly has its weaknesses and eccentricities (it's developed from late medieval sources), The Prymer, a translation of the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary and some other sources, is a wonderful invitation to daily prayer. This version of the office is focused on the psalms and the story the crucifixion. The office is easily adaptable to various needs, and the author includes a number of other psalm-focused devotions (for Advent, Lent, and Easter), a Lenten litany, and a special version of the office for use in times of grief. Marian devotions are included, but protestant users shouldn't find them excessive. A good, portable, personal prayer book.

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer, The Prymer: The Prayer Book Of The Medieval Era Adapted For Contemporary Use focuses throughout the day on the hours of Christ's passion and death and has been recommended to Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christian, and Protestant readerships. I am a Presbyterian, raised in both the Catholic Church and the Episcopal Church and find this book outstanding. I pray twice a day, once in the evening focusing on private issues and having a beautiful conversation with My Lord and in the morning for some disciplined prayer. I follow the seasons and pray fervently as those in the past. This book is an outstanding tool for me. I hope to have it memorized this year.

Centered in the ancient tradition of daily fixed-hour prayer, The Prymer: The Prayer Book Of The Medieval Era Adapted For Contemporary Use focuses throughout the day on the hours of Christ's passion and death. Designed for personal or communal use in a one-day retreat, a weekly cycle, or a thirty-day cycle of prayer, The Prymer also includes special prayers for the Christmas and Eater Seasons. The Prymer is exceptional and highly recommended to Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christian, and Protestant readerships.

As a Kellogg MBA student, this text was suggested reading for an IT Strategy course. My understanding of IT for strategic advantage was greatly enhanced through the readings in this book. I believe it is a must read for anybody who wants to know what some of the World's most successful companies are doing to enhance their current product with technologies currently available to everyone.

This book is a MUST HAVE for every manager or student who still believes that much has to be known about what is coming to us in the XXI Century. Anyone who has heard or met Dick Nolan, a Professor at the HBS, is very aware of his down to earth, creative, and witty mind. He will be part of Management History and this is not an understatement since, in my view, he already is. He brought, in 1974, IT to the minds of the Directors at Boradrooms by his "Stage by Stage Theory," nowadays commonly accepted by everyone. He foresaw the need for Strategy to meet IT and the Humanities. His previous 1996 book "Creative Destruction" led the way for others to recently follow the field, ideas, and even the book title. He went on to build Nolan Norton & Co., a Management Consulting Firm that everyone has been trying to copy without success. In this new book, once again, Dick et. al. compiled the best thoughts he alreday had before "the internet bubble." He waited to get this book published because he dosen't like to be seen as a forecaster. However, whatever he says, will be done in the future by every sustainable business. His thoughts and wisdom have created a school of thought from which even the Balanced Scorecard came to be a reality in 1988!

While attending Delivering Information Services at The Harvard Business School, and during the Session on "Case: Barnes & Noble vs. Amazon.com," I discovered this book. The book is now used in the course "Competing in The Information Age." This course is geared toward MBA students who want to work in the Technology industry.

What attracted my immediate attention was the course description which said that "class participation accounts for 50 percent of your grade." This book embodies The Harvard Business School "Case Method" which encourages interaction among the class participants. This is the context from which my reading interest expanded.

The content of the book is organized around "the big picture" and does not get bogged down into minutia. The content grows from other books by the editors: Globalization, Technology and Competition; Future Competition in Telecommunications; Reengineering the Organization: Transforming to Compete in the Information Economy; and Creative Destruction: A Six-Stage Process for Transforming the Organization.

The underlying theme of this book is the internet and how it is changing business.

This book has been an incubator for other books coming into the market with a similar title. For example, Scott McNealy, Chairman of Sun Microsystems, has co-authored "The Power of Now: How Winning Companies Sense and Respond to Change Using Real-Time Technology."

Another spawned title is "Adaptive Enterprise: Creating and Leading Sense-And-Respond Organizations", by Haeckel and Slywotzky.

The authors are able to influence discussion significantly on an on-going basis. Professor Bradley is Chairman of the Executive Program in Competition and Strategy Area at Harvard. This area includes high powered thinkers and lever-pullers, such Professor David Yoffie who is on The Board of Directors of Intel Corporation and whose case studies have sold over one million copies. Professor Noland is the current Faculty Chairman of Delivering Information Services which has been a big success story for decades.

Because the editors are so influencially "wired into" many large corporations and academic communities, I think this book will continue to show continuing influence, as evidenced by boopks spawned from the subject and title.

Anyone will interest in internet technology should enjoy this book as I did.

This is the forth installment of The Lost Era books and in it we meet the somewhat disfunctional crew of Enterprise-C. This book has a much darker tone than the first three books and is the least favorite for me. It spends a great deal of time exploring the problems of the various crew members before turning into a very good mystery story. For those readers who like reading about characters who have a mulitude of problems then this is the book for you. The back cover description gives one the impression that this story is mostly about an archeological find concerning Cardassians and that really isnt the case. A large portion of the book concerns the Enterprises XO named Halak. Garrett's husband and son are also featured. Though this book wasnt my cup of tea it was as finely crafted as the first three and I am sure there are those who will like it as much as they did the first three.

Finally, someone gives us Trek characters with real problems, real emotions, and real foibles. I loved this book, not just because I love Trek but because Bick's written some terrific short fiction including "A Ribbon for Rosie" (a prize-winner which always makes me cry), "Shadows, in the Dark" (another prize-winner that thought of putting Seven of Nine together with Chakotay before they became an "item"). She just did a great story in NO LIMITS, a New Frontier anthology, and she's got stories on SCIFICTION. Bick really knows how to put dialogue in the mouths of her characters so they sound like real people. I don't think I've ever read a Trek book where people were in real anguish and didn't always make the right choices, or like the ones they made. I loved that Bick was brave enough to make Garrett less than perfect, and have her know it, too. Yet Garrett was a hero, too. All Bick's characters were terrific, and it's hard to pick my favorite because I wanted to see more of just about all of them. In particular, I wanted to see what happened to Kodell and Bat-Levy. The way Bick handled their love affair was terrific and had me in tears. And, wow, the way she showed the psychiatrist character was super. Usually, counselors sound too canned, or silly, and personally I hated Deanna Troi because she always said things that were so obvious. But Tyvan was right on. He made mistakes, too, and in a way that made him human and not just a talking head.
I've loved all the Lost Era books. But I hope this is the beginning of a series of Enterprise C books, with Bick at the helm. She's a great writer.

Enterprise C finally gets a chance as full length novel! Captain Garrett and her crew are fighting the notorious Orion Syndicate. We get to learn more about the Captain and her crew. Making a single episode appearance in Next Generation's "Yesterday's Enterprise" Garrett left an indelible impression on many fans as a great leader in the tradition of Janeway and Kirk.

This Lost Era novel should be the start of an Enterprise C series. I found Ilsa J. Bick's portrayal of the characters to be just as inspired as any of the other novels in the series.

Sandy Antal has successfully presented a new analysis and insight into the events of the war for the old northwest during the War of 1812. Particularly noteworthy, is his illumination of the reputation of Henry Procter, a leader much aligned in the past for British failure in the theater. What Antal demonstrates, is that Procter's case was never fairly or objectively presented, both by American, but more importantly, by Canadian historians. Procter's actions, motives and reputation have been shrouded by a veil of misinterpretation, merely because the facts were unknown, unavailable, or ignored. Antal does much not only to save Procter's reputation, but to reassess British war aims, strategy and the Anglo-Native alliance. He has provided many pieces that have been missing to the puzzle of the events of the War of 1812. With those pieces, historians will have to reassess long-held beliefs regarding the campaigns in Michigan, Ohio, and Upper Canada. Antal also provides an "inside view" of the British and Canadian forces previously unavailable. Of particular note is his order of battle information and biographical notations of key leaders and participants. This volume is an heir to Gilpins' "War of 1812 in the Old Northwest" and Stanley's "War of 1812 Land Operations" as an accurate and well written book of the campaign in the wilderness. A must have for 1812 historians!

I am absolutely delighted with Mr. Antal's book "A Wampum Denied." This book attracts the many interests embodied within me: The "historian" with a desire to research and learn about events of the past. The "war enthusiast" with a lust for battle, tactics, and strategy. The "reader enthusiast" who rejoices as a well-written narrative comes to life before his eyes. The "student of management" who analyzes the leadership styles and skills of historical leaders to translate into effective leadership for today.

Mr. Antal presents the events surrounding Colonel Henry Proctor in a thorough, thoughtful, and objective manner. As I read "A Wampum Denied", I was able to understand the many psychological, logistical, and personality challenges that became significantly influential in both the failures and the successes of Colonel Proctor as he coordinated his military leadership between elements of the British Right Division, the Canadian Militia, and the Indian confederacy. I gained tremendous insight into the "unseen battles" faced by Colonel Proctor, such as cultural concerns of the Canadian citizens and the French Canadien settlers in Michigan; increasing logistical and strategic pressures from the Native Americans under his charge; and especially the political and strategic dichotomy between Colonel Proctor and his superior officers (with the exception of Major General Isaac Brock).

As a researcher, I truly appreciate the thoroughness of Mr. Antal's own research for his book "A Wampum Denied" and the detailed bibliography and notes found within. In my opinion, Mr. Antal was able to take the findings of his extremely comprehensive and exhaustive research and present his information in a delightful narrative that flows smoothly from beginning to end in rich detail. (The illustrations are exceptional!)

Mr. Antal's book "A Wampum Denied" increased my understanding and awareness of the important events that helped to shape the future of the Detroit frontier and has become a permanent addition within my library.

I highly recommend "A Wampum Denied: Proctor's War of 1812", by Mr. Sandy Antal, for anyone who enjoys reading an exciting story for enrichment, entertainment, or both. You will not be disappointed in the added value you will receive.

Sandy Antal's book is a superb revisionist study of Major General Henry Procter's defense of Upper Canada during the War of 1812. Unlike most historians, Antal presents Henry Procter as having been a resourceful, intelligent, and daring military leader who provided an excellent defense of Canada despite overwhelming disadvantages. Antal also provides ample evidence that Procter based his military activities on a strategic plan of creating a Native American buffer state to preserve British interests in the North American West.

Antal's writing style makes for a smooth and entertaining read. The book is also interesting because it is not a biography of Procter or a traditional campaign history book. Instead, Antal writes about the war by examining the perspectives of all the different types of participants; soldiers, Native Americans, politicians, and local citizens. Antal also explains the socio-economic and ethnic environment in which the war took place. Major General Procter is always at the center of discussion, but Antal's approach provides a broad understanding of Procter's circumstances during the war.

The real strength of Antal's argument involves the use of compelling primary source evidence. The letters written by Issac Brock, for example, indicate that Procter ought be credited for preparing the Canadian conquest of the Michigan Territory. The evidence portrays Procter as an extremely credible soldier who was neglected by his superiors during the war. Antal's evidence also provides a compelling argument that Procter fully supported the Native American cause. Antal even provides evidence that Procter admired Tecumseh of the Shawnees. This idea is completely new among scholars and historical fiction writers.

Scholars and avocational readers who are primarily interested in Native American history, however, may be disappointed with Antal's approach. Unlike most books written in the last ten years on the subject, Antal's book does not glorify Tecumseh or his cause. Instead, Antal considers the issues of other Native American leaders on an equal level with Tecumseh. Consequently, readers learn about Tecumseh's influential limitations from both Procter's perspective and that of other tribal leaders such as the Wyandotte chief Walk in the Water.

The end result is a world in which Henry Procter constantly struggles to fight despite having unreliable Native American and militia support for his small, sick, and starving army. Antal's telling of the story makes every one of Procter's successes seem like a spectacular and miraculous victory. Procter's failure appears to have been nothing short of inevitable. This book ought to read by all those interested in the War of 1812 and the Old Northwest.

This book was a real find...All the details leading up to the the initiation of this "forgotten" conflict are covered in clear, lucid ways that let the reader know what was happening to drive the country to war, but, conversely, it doesn't get bogged down in un-necessary detail. For such a short book, Hickey does a remarkable job with covering the political, military and (most welcome to me) social climates of the early 19th century. We learn all about the early U.S. economy and how important it was to have the good trade relationship with England and France that we initially had and how the subsequent naval conflicts with these countries affected that commerce. The other issues that led to the initiation of war, that were so complex, are covered clearly and concisely (no easy task...other books on this subject delve into much unnecessary detail that only cloud the issue leading to much confusion). All the important strategy (on the English and Native Indian side as well as the U.S. side)and battles are woven into a well balanced account. Additionally, the maps that are provided only add to that understanding. The stunning events of Fort McHenry, the burning of the White House and Andrew Jackson's battle of New Orleans are given their proper due along with lesser known conflicts along both Lakes Erie and Ontario. Finally, the political maneuvering on the part of the U.S. delegation at Ghent get a "to-the-point" summary that clearly lets the reader know what all the issues were that ended the war. Hickey is not bashful about stating that this war was, at best, a draw and that the U.S. "won" by not losing and that the diplomats at Ghent were ultimately responsible. Overall, I'm sure that the long version of this book went into much more detail on the battles and diplomacy, but, for a summary, you won't find many accounts better.

I knew very little about the War of 1812, so bought this book to get a short introduction. I found it so readable that I finished it in one sitting. The book omits the kind of detail that bogs things down and causes the reader to lose sight of the "forest for the trees", but does give the reader a real sense of the times and of the sequence of events and their relationships. Highly recommended as an introduction.

This is a remarkably informative book that is essential reading for anyone interested in early 19th century U. S. history. Prof. Hickey has condensed his longer book by the same title into this little gem. He lucidly describes how the U.S. undertook a war against Britain with unclear national objectives, poor to no military planning, and partisan, divisive political actions in Congress. Moreover, President Madison wasn't up to the task of leading the nation during wartime. During the war's course, the British burned the public buildings in Washington, D.C. and strangled U.S. maritime enterprises, although U.S. successes in the Battle of New Orleans and naval battles on the Great Lakes helped establish the U.S. as a military force to be reckoned with.

Prof. Hickey has written a well researched book that has current day relevance, even though the War of 1812 isn't exactly a hot topic. As Hickey relates, going to war without clear objectives and preparation is a recipe for very tough times.

This book will invite the obvious comparisons to "The Glory of Their Times". That book was a collection of memories of men long since gone about a time in Baseball even longer gone. There was a reverence apparent in the recollections of those men that conveyed an image of a game uncorrupted by modern outside distractions. Of course, the iron rule of the owners and the "whites only" standard are just two contradictions to that image. However, there was a poetry to "The Glory of Their Times" that stays with you and clouds away those inconsistencies.

"We Played the Game" concerns a more recent time with the recollections of retired players, many of whom are still with us. It has the first-person history that "Glory" has but they apply to events that many people still recall. Where "The Glory of Their Times" is poetic, "We Played the Game" is active and interactive. It follows each season in each league through the eyes of at least one player on that team. There were 65 retired players who contributed their recollections. Due to the different tenures, military service, and trades, there are some teams in some years without a first-hand perspective. However, there are very few such omissions. The greatness of this is how the reader comes to taste the whole season in each year and in each league. Not just from the point of view of who won but also from the point of view of who lost. There's a lot of history in this book and it reads very well. Take one season at a time and enjoy a more vivid picture of the past than any newsreel would ever show you.

Reviewer Brislen has done a fine job of highlighting the virtues of this baseball compendium, and I recommend that readers read his review first. I have only a few points to add. Because the number of contributers is limited (65) and unevenly spread across the 17 year period, some teams and years are better represented than others. So readers wishing to follow the course of a single team or concentrate on a particular focal year may be disappointed. As to the negative side of the game--when they occur, the dislikes, criticisms, or revelations by the players are usually aimed at management, not at each other. Thus, for better or worse, those readers looking for a gossipy Ball Four writ-large may also be disappointed. Among players, there are two other recurring topics in addition to salary concerns : (1) drinking, some teams and players (usually unspecified) had a history generally unmentioned on the sports pages, and (2) race relations, the narrative presents an inside look at another subject generally untouched by sports columns of the time.

The year 1964 may mark the end of the great Yankee teams and the end of the Golden Age as recounted in the book, but its political context is also relevant. It's one year after the Kennedy assassination and one year before the great Vietnam build-up, two epochal events that have come to define an end to our national innocence. They also usher in a generational change marked by a greater willingness to challenge authority and the rules. In baseball, this rebellious spirit leads to an overturning of the restrictive reserve clause that tied players to a single team, and more subtlely, to an undermining of the working class ethic that so many fans found endearing. The pluses and minuses of these two key elements comprise something of an underlying theme that weaves in and out of the narratives, and lends the book broader historical significance.

Still and all, what lifts this work above so many others is the opportunity editor Peary provides to so many marginal and obscure players to tell their story, ones which really do constitute the fabric of the game, and how basically decent and attached to baseball these men are. Coming away from their stories, the reader begins to understand why this game alone, with its very unfashionable appearance and rhythms, has worked its way into the soul of a nation.

Danny Peary has compiled an oral history that is simply as good an effort as has been done to date. The sixty-five players interviewed range from a few stars like Brooks Robinson, Del Ennis, Lew Burdette and Don Newcombe to solid career players such as Hank Sauer, Andy Seminick, Eddie Joost and Gene Woodling to guys just trying to hang on like Coot Veal, Ed Bouchee, Al Kozar and Bob Cain. The book covers the years 1947-1964 which many, including Peary have labeled the "golden era" of baseball. Most of the seminal changes of postwar baseball have been covered before of course in other works, but seldom in the words of the players themselves. At least not in the words of non-superstars. As you read the stories of these players you begin to realize the pressures they were all under in a time before free agency, long term contracts and huge endorsement money. Almost all of these guys, even the best, needed to have winter jobs to make ends meet. To understand the politics that could deny talented players opportunity in age of the reserve clause, read and reread the story of Al Kozar. In spite of the obvious disparity between today and then, one gets the feeling that ballplayers in that era seemed to enjoy the game more than their current counterparts. For all the inherent problems with the reserve clause, there seemed to be an innocence to the game that no longer exists. Any serious historian of baseball should not be without this book.

This is a very nice book. The costumes are very pretty, though they don't compare with the Southern books Mr. Tierney's done. The dolls aren't very pretty, in my opinion, but I may be prejudiced since I'm from the South. It includes a wedding dress for Christine and the family's attire for all occasions. The little girl, Annie is very cute. This would be good classroom material.

This book offers a good introduction into the clothing of the Civil War era family. The pictures have wonderful color and the descriptions are easily understood and informative. Although it is a paper doll book, I prefer to keep it intact and enjoy it that way. However, it would also make a great gift for a paper doll enthusuiast. It is a great book for kids and parents to enjoy together, as are all of the "American Family" books by Tierney. A great buy!

I don't like this series. Vol 1, 2 were used when I was in University

The series just gave you overview. It won't explain in details. You have to research on your own. Since silicon processing changes in very fast pace, these books may already be out of date (almost 4 years ago). But it is still good reference.

Basically, this book is just collection of the technical papers. I can find some articles are almost 'word by word' copied from the reference Journals and technical papers.

Neverless, it still saves a lot of time to go to the library and get the journals (This may be the only good things I can find. THe journals are not cheap. IEEE subscripts for site is over $20K. There are more than IEEE journals in these books). When I have to get journals in library, it took 'long time' to search and go to the shelf to get the journal I want.

However, I won't be very impressed in the book. As I said, this book is just summary of the reference journals. Sometimes (if not all the time), I can find the articles in the book are almost 'word by word' copied from the technical journals without any further explanation. I really doubt anyone knows the "details of physics" behind. But in the industrial, most people just trial and error, very little physics behind. I would say nobody cares too much physics, it took too much time to research and it is too difficult to keep up with new technilogies.

In my 25 years of semiconductor process development I have never come across such a complete and in-depth collection of device and process knowledge in a single place. Years ago we needed to spend many hours with the journals to extract the requisite information to supplement our laboratory efforts. These volumes synthesize the basics with the most modern techniques now employed in advanced technologies. In addition, many subtle processing difficulties are addressed as well which will be much appreciated by the researcher. Through the years I have purchased in excess of 100 text references and none comes as close to these in the total knowledge contained within. These volumes are intended for the researchers and engineers working in this field yet they are so very well written and easy to comprehend that any one with such an interest in this field can understand them. Study these volumes completely.

This book provides an outstanding presentation of Silicon processing technology that is technically current, rich in detail, and most importantly, factually correct. The new edition of this book appears to have been completely rewritten, and covers every important area of Silicon processing in a comprehensive manner. I especially enjoyed that fact that in each chapter of the book the basic principles underlying a technology are explained first, and these explanations are then integrated into descriptions of the relevant technology (i.e. PVD, CVD, CMP etc.).

The two Lithography sections are beautifully done, and contain lucid explanations of concepts that I have not seen anywhere else.

For anyone who is seriously interested in semiconductor manufacturing, this book is a "must have". No other volume even comes close to being this comprehensive.

The book was not the best textbook.....there is no study guide

This is one of the best book on global history, you can find every religion from east to west, north to south. You can read about all empires and kings, you can know all cultures and traditions. There is no other book which have reviewed and presented true picture of three major religions; Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

My daughter have to carry tree of these size books. Her school bag is 18 lbs. Why not divide all of these schoolbooks on two parts and make our kids happy. I believe school (elementary, middle and high) is not military training base.

Gregory Yamin