Customer Reviews (3)

french virginia woolfe?
I see huge similarities and would love to know what effect Woolfe had on Sarraute:
But dry?Not on your life.
Look at the thoughts of the aunt as she sits down to write: she takes on the whole world with each word.
The young man at the party may be pompous, but his desire to lead his listeners "into the forest" with him, is touching: have you never tried to explain something that meant everything to you only to hear "pass the chardonnay please".
The doorway described at the beginning of this book is a doorway to the psychologies of the characters, not the words they speak, but the .00001 second of motivation that CAUSES them to say what they do...and if you examine any character in this light they, we, will be dramatic.
So I did find this book conducive to entertainment, just in a completely different way....

The trailing off gets old
I haven't gotten very far into this book...it's like...it's really hard to get into...I'm not sure why...I want to like it...I've heard good things...about the...writer...

This is how ellipses are used in this book.To distraction.Throughout the whole thing.I tried to look past it or get over it, but I couldn't.

I tried reading it straight through and couldn't, so then I flipped through and read whatever fragments of pages caught my eye.I could tell by doing this that Sarraute has interesting ideas in this book, and that her way of telling a story from a psychological standpoint is admirable, but it was like trying to talk to someone who trails off mid-sentence, every sentence.Even if they were the most fascinating person alive, I wouldn't be able to talk to them because it would bug me.

Maybe everyone who likes this book is a bigger person than I.I hope for poor dead Sarraute's sake that most readers are.That's why it's 3 stars instead of 2 or 1.I can tell if I were a more patient person and could stand the over-over-over use of ellipses for 250 pages straight, this book would be interesting.

An intriguing little read
Nathalie Sarraute isn't quite as eccentric and daring as I'd been led to believe before I got around to reading her. In fact her subject matter is decidedly traditional - it's just her approach that's so unusual. She discusses ordinary scenarios of human life - here, the life of a young man, his wife and his aunt - in terms of pure psychology, not of narrative.

The effect is that dialogue blends with stream-of-consciousness in a compelling flow. There's little traditional characterization; rather, Sarraute illustrates her characters solely through what they say and think. I don't know whether she intended literary revolution in works such as this, but it's inarguable that she does something fascinating and new here. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Product Description
The astrolabe was the most sophisticated astronomical instrument of the pre-telescopic age, and one of the most beautiful instruments of any age. Combining a simple observational tool with an elegant analogue computer, it was used for everything from time-telling to surveying, from casting a horoscope to converting among equatorial, ecliptic, and horizon coordinate systems. It was also one of the finest products of mathematically informed craftsmen. In medieval and Renaissance Europe it was emblematic of the astronomer's profession, and often of a nobleman's erudition. In the Islamic world it aided travelers with their daily prayers. Today astrolabes are among the most highly prized instruments of early science.

The Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum in Chicago is home to one of the world's three or four great collections of astrolabes. In this volume Roderick and Marjorie Webster, Adler Curators Emeriti, present the Western astrolabes from the Adler's collection. The earliest of these instruments dates from the thirteenth century; others are from the workshops of the greatest craftsmen of the Renaissance. All are described here and illustrated lavishly with photographs showing the front, the back, and additional details such as the maker's signature. Introductory essays by the Websters and Sara Schechner Genuth explain the use of the astrolabe and its role in cultural and social history, while the appendices and bibliography provide information essential to the specialist.

Inaugurating the multi-volume catalogue of the Adler's collection, this book lovingly documents the Western astrolabes, astrolabe-quadrants, and mariner's astrolabes at the Adler. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Alla scoperta delle radici della scienza
Conoscere la scienza implicita negli astrolabi non è solo impresa scientifica, ma anche operazione culturale. Si tratta di ripercorrere le radici culturali della nostra civiltà. Padre Dante Alighieri e il suo Paradiso diverranno più comprensibili. Il cielo più affascinante. ... Read more

Product Description
With glowing constellations on every page, young stargazers will love this

entertaining and easy-to-read introduction to astronomy. "The illustrations are

beautifully detailed and colorful."--(starred) Science Books & Films.




... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Dark Book
This is a book that my class loves to look at.I introduce it when we are studding the solar system.You turn off the lights and read the pages with a flashlight.Then turn off the light and you see the stars.It must be a completly dark room.It teaches about the constalations.

beginning star gazing
my son is 6 years old and has recently gotten interested in the world of science.stargazing and finding constellations has been a big interest ofhis.this book is easy for this age group to follow and changes subjectsfrequently enough that they don't get bored.they learn about the nightsky and some of the words are also easy enough that he reads some of ithimself.the only drawback of this book is the "man in the moon"picture seemed to scare my son a little but he still pronounces it hisfavorite book..."just not the scarey part"! ... Read more

Product Description
Eastern astrolabes from the Adler's collection are described in detail with numerous illustrations. ... Read more

Product Description
A twenty-first century look at our Sun, its planets, and their moons-including the latest research and technology on studying and defining the mysteries of space.
Over the last few decades our knowledge of the universe and what resides within it has expanded enormously. This exciting new book adds a modern sense of perspective to the stars above by comparing the very latest research and the most up-to-date technology with traditional beliefs-how ancient astronomers made sense of the heavens- presented in clear, easy-to-understand, exciting dialogue. With a twist of the wheel, the book's easy-to-use planisphere shows the positions of the stars at any time, on any day, and any latitude-complete with a description and examples on how to use it. The planisphere is a great way to chart the stars as you read through the book and discover the new solar system.

In these pages you'll find the evolving understanding of the solar system. A detailed overview examines how we read the night sky; constellations and the zodiac; motion of the planets; comparative sizes and locations; where the asteroid belt is; comets; satellites; theories of planet formation; and much more.

With over 200 full-color photographs and a 4-page gatefold of the galaxies, this beautifully illustrated guide will fill you with awe at the mysteries of space.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Practical and Pretty
This is an excellent introduction to man's view of the solar system throughout history. There is enough information given in an engaging writing style to interest both adults and children. Fantastic illustrations throughout. The planisphere which makes up the front cover is a very handy pull-out, a usable piece of equipment, as after reading about the constellations, enquiring minds will want to find them for themselves in the clear night skies.The book gives a balanced view of what man has thought about the solar system since man has been looking up at the stars and gives glimpses of what is just upon the horizon of our discovery.

It is a great book to purchase and read with a special child in your life - the gift of wonder.

Excellent introduction
Whatever you do, take no notice of Imbach's dismissal of this book on the basis of his misinformed attack on a single paragraph: that is quite the most extraordinary 'review' I have read for many a year. Sutherland's book is a well-written and trustworthy introduction to the solar system.

basic book with planisphere
a good, brief introductory book of contemporary astronomy for the layperson and students from middle-school through high-school ages.the basic planisphere built into the front cover is a worthwhile feature.many sidebar boxes/pages for drawing attention to topics and concepts.copious and excellent illustrations.

Disturbingly anti-science
Don't trust any of the "science facts" in this new introductory astronomy book. In 2006, Pluto was officially no longer designated a true planet in our solar system. This book was undoubtedly released to illustrate that fact. Unfortunately, the book is contaminated with serious scientific dishonesty.

On page 37, there's a text box with the heading "climate of fear". This is a term often used by deniers of climate science, and the three sentences in the text box proved that's the case. The greenhouse effect is described without mentioning the primary culprit in its variation, carbon dioxide. There is an implication that climate scientists are just "fear" mongering. Most egregiously, it suggests that solar activity variations produced the ice ages, a theory that has been discredited for decades. Milankovic cycles make up the leading theory for ice ages. But neither solar activity nor Milankovic cycles can have much impact on comparatively quick decadal climate change. The most reasonable cause of our current global warming is the effect of greenhouse gases.

There seems to be no good reason for this bogus climate change section to be stuck in a short astronomy book. Could the publisher have insisted on it? Neil deGrasse Tyson should be embarrassed to have contributed his cursory foreword. Probably he wrote it without knowing what the exact contents of the book would be.

The book is pretty, but the anti-science attitude throws its entire contents in doubt.

Rating: 1 star.
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Customer Reviews (1)

experiment in the practice of writing vs. enjoyable read
sarraute's contribution it the nouveau roman and the radicalisaton of the traditional novel is beyond question, what is doubtful is whether such formal experimantation is conducive to enjoyment of the book as entertainment. interesting but dry ... Read more

Product Description
An imaginary tour through an amazing planetarium reveals the wonders of space, introducing young readers to the moon, the sun, gravity, comets, asteroids, and the stars. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Another Complete Museum in a book.
The second entry in the Bank Street Museum book series is called Planetarium. The Museum that explores our solar system. Unlike a real Planetarium this kind of Planetarium in bookform is laid out in a museum tour format threw a space museum. All the Bank Street Museum books are laid out like museum tours. This one explores the nine planets. Each page is a hall about one of the planets. IE Hall of Venus, Hall of Mars, ect. There is even a Hall of Gravity, Hall of Spaceflight. You ride an imaginary rocket threw the museum and land on models of the Sun & moon. There is a pull out poster in the back of the book. Other titles in this Museum series include Dinosaurium, Oceanarium, & Floratorium. ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn how space objects are projected onto the big domed ceiling. Discover fascinating facts about the stars, the sun, the moon and the planets. Enjoy the magic of the night sky in this trip to the planetarium. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an OCR edition without illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from GeneralBooksClub.com. You can also preview excerpts from the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Original Published by: Printed at the office of the Western Argus in 1832 in 269 pages; Subjects: Astronomy; Juvenile Nonfiction / Science & Nature / Astronomy; Nature / Star Observation; Science / Astronomy; ... Read more