Ford Reviews

The Cult of the Atom is a frightening look at the inner workings of the Atomic Energy Commission, and it's successor, the Department of Energy. Very well researched, the author takes us on a journey of special interests, accidents, incidents, and the growing pains of a multi-zillion dollar industry. If evver you wondered about which side of the nuclear reactor debate to be on, this book will absolutely convince you. And if you wondered if Big Bu$ine$$ holds sway over government, this book provides ample insight. An economical addition to your favorite nukeheads' shelf!

This is the second volume in the Osprey Campaign series' detailed examination of the D-Day landings. In this tightly packaged volume, author Ken Ford offers considerable detail on the less well-known British and Canadian landings on Gold and Juno beaches on 6 June 1944. Overall, the volume provides a decent campaign narrative combined with a high graphic quality in terms of maps and photographs. This volume is not quite as good as the first volume in this series, which covered the landing on Sword Beach, and this may cause some readers apprehension as to what to expect from the remaining two volumes on D-Day.

Gold & Juno Beaches begins in standard Osprey format with short sections on the origin of the battle, a campaign chronology, opposing leaders, opposing armies and opposing plans. The author provides five 2-D maps (German defenses on Gold and Juno Beaches, Allied landings on Gold and Juno, and the situation at midnight on D-Day) and three 3-D "Bird's Eye View" maps (the British 69th Brigade landing on Gold, the Canadian 3rd Brigade landing on Juno, and the Battle of Villers-Bocage). The two very detailed maps of the German defenses are particularly useful and interesting. Three battle scenes are included: HMS Ajax bombarding the German defenses, the landing on Gold and the German evacuation of Ardenne Abbey on 8 June). The author provides 28 pages on the Gold landings, 22 pages on Juno and ten pages on the week after the landings. A detailed order of battle for both sides is also provided. The bibliography is overly succinct and includes several out-dated books on the subject while ignoring several more recent and worthwhile books, such as Robert Kershaw's Piercing the Atlantic Wall.

The author displays a bit of a jingoistic tone in this volume, beginning with his suggestion that the Allied units had "sky-high" morale and superb training, whereas the German defenders lacked these attributes. Certainly any comparison of units like the veteran British 50th Division against the third-string German 716th Coastal Infantry Division will find the defenders at a qualitative and quantitative disadvantage. However, Ford glosses over the fact that most German units were liberally sprinkled with combat veterans and only the static units were lower in morale and tactical competence. The panzer, panzer grenadier and mobile infantry in reserve were certainly equal to the British units in tactical competence, and possessed solid, reliable equipment. Furthermore, the author tends to denigrate the performance of the 716th Division on D-Day, yet this weak unit managed to delay five Allied divisions for the bulk of the day and fulfilled its intended role. Ford's description of the collapse of the German "crust" defense around mid-day on D-Day as a rout does not ring true, since if it was a rout why did the British and Canadians fail to reach their D-Day objectives? It was not the failure of the coastal defense units - which were always viewed as expendable - but the failure to promptly deploy mobile reserves that ultimately compromised the German Atlantic Wall.

Ford's discussion of the landings is decent, but there is not much analysis. For example, the British landed very little infantry in the first assault waves and relied on armored engineering vehicles to breach the main obstacle belt, which was the exact opposite of the American methods employed on Omaha and Utah. The British methods were highly successful and kept their losses at an acceptable level. Ford also really only addresses the assault waves and spends little effort discussing the follow-up forces and the development of the beachheads. Nevertheless, readers can easily follow the action using this volume's text and maps.

I Liked the calender but I want to see a calender with more 54 chevy's cars in it. I think alot of people will buy that. I need a calender that has nothing but 54 chevy's in it. That's All i can say about this calender.

The section on front disc brake repair disassembly of the front wheel drive hubs is explained well in words and pictures. If there is anything negative it's the electrical section - it leaves you asking more questions than it answers.

I like to find manual ford fiesta Ikon 2000 or 2001

It isn't by any means complete -- there are magazine tests of the Mustang that I know about that aren't here, but it's interesting. It makes for a good read for Mustang lovers.

This book is obviously derived from the factory Ford manuals, but in an effort to condense the information into a smaller book, the publishers left a lot out, crammed it all together with smallish type and poorly reproduced illustrations, and made it difficult to read. Overall it's a poor substitute for the OE manual. I do find it useful as a companion to the factory manuals, however. I can take this one out into the barn, use it as a quick reference for procedures I have already reviewed at length in the more detailed factory manual, not worrying if I smear grease on it. That fact, combined with it's relatively low cost (especially compared to the factory manual) allows me to give it a higher score than I think it really deserves. If you are thinking of this as a stand-alone manual, I'd give it only two stars and recommend finding an original Ford manual.

A little thin for the money, but still worth having. Has excellent exploded views, but sadly missing fastener torque values even for critical items.

I got the 89-98 edition (amazingly Amazon.Com doesn't have the updated edition for sale). It's practically useless for the 98 model because it doesn't list the correct engine power output, nor does it include various 98-up components that aren't found on previous models. Such components include the 4-bar link and watt's linkage in the rear suspension. However, if you have a Crown Vic made between 89-97 then this guide is good. Definitely worth the money if you don't want to shell out major bucks for the factory service guide. However, buyer beware - Chiltons is still Chiltons and it doesn't cover engine and transmission overhauls in enough detail.

This book is contains a series of eight environmentally related case studies designed as a supplement for a college course in a topic such as environmental geology, earth systems science, physical geography, etc. The case studies are well done and are intimately linked to a web site which further elicidates each of the issues in an interactive manner. A major problem with this book is its extraordinary cost, which may outweigh its potential benefits if used in a college course along with an expensive core textbook and lab manual.