Product Description
This is the story of how we could have gone to space. Maybe how we should have gone to space. This is the story of the Ministry of Space: The black budget that financed the move into space. The deaths of the test pilots taken from the surviving Spitfire flyers of the Battle of Britain. And in 2000, the end of the Golden Age, as America and Russia begin moving into space. The secret revealed, and the destruction of a man who sacrificed himself for the Ministry of Space. Plus, a sketchbook section by Chris Weston and an all-new appendix by Warren Ellis revealing the facts behind the fiction! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

One of the best graphic novels I've read
This was an impulse purchase for me as a birthday present to myself and I enjoyed it very much.The art and story are fantastic. Warren Ellis weaves a very thought provoking alternate history.Everyone I've recommended it to has loved it as well.

O.K. but too short.
The story was compelling enough but it ends to abruptly. There are 58 pages of build up and 2 pages of resolution.

If Chuck Yeager had prevailed over Alan Shepard
The sort-of second installment in Warren Ellis' space trilogy(the sort-of first being Orbiter, which came out while Ministry of Space was still delayed, the final one being Ocean.)Unlike the others, which are pretty straight-forward science fiction tales, this one is an alternate history.The lynchpin of this divergence from our own is the Royal Air Force grabbing the top German rocket scientits in the waning days of WW2.They then destroy the German rocket complex to eliminate any potential backwards engineering from the Americans or Russians.Applying the spirit of the Battle of Britian to the space race, which, in this case has prety much no competition.

Like Orbiter & Ocean, the story is kind of weak in this book.It features lots of flash backs and exposition, but the actual story is just a historical overview of this alternate 20th century.However, unlike those books, the main character here is a truly unique and interesting individual, a classic English bulldog, who seems to create a space program out of sheer force of will and can-do spirit.

The visuals are as epic as you might expect for a space-focused book, combining traditional space imagery with WW2-era plane designs and 1940s serial sci-fi inspiried technology.

Ellis' afterword is almost more interesting than the book itself, explaning his own thoughts on the progression of the space program and how this book is his exploration of what it might have looked like if different mindsets prevailed.He also asks the intriguing question of, assuming that the expansion of humanity into space is worth whatever cost could be borne, what cost COULD be borne to bring humans into a true interplanetary society.This cost invovles a stagnating of social values(although the reason for that is always left a little unclear in the book.I presume it has to do with the government maintaining a kind of war-time control over everything to enable the necessary requisitions for the space program) or collaborating with monsters(as evidenced in the main character, and his absolute ruthlessness to finance & protect the space program).

The single most inspiring thing of the book is a throwaway line that Ellis has in the afterword.He says that he believes it is IMPORTANT for humanity to go out among the stars, and that the specifics of what flag they fly, what language they speak and what color their skin is matters littler compared to the importance of that.

Putting aside any selfish desire I have to see the stars & stripes raised under a red sky, I think he's right.

Scores high for the illustrations
Warren Ellis is a good writer but unsuitable for this comic. This book tells of an alternative future following WWII with Britain in the forefront of the space race. It is really an attempt to re-do Dan Dare in a mature style.

I really like the artwork. But I don't like this treatment of the concept. The cameo appearances by Churchill and a Werner von Braun-like scientist only adds to the historical burden of this all-too short storyline. Various elements are introduced without further extrapolation, such as using holocaust victim gold to support the funding (so now we know, big deal) and a final sequence showing segregation of black staff. What was the point of introducing this last element which has no bearing on the story? What was the story again? MOS was built up using holocaust victim gold. That is a story?

This was a potentially great new Dan Dare like comic with a very good artist. It should have been allowed to soar with real adventures. Instead, it is given a heavy intellectual and dull treatment. They should have used another writer.

Sorry, Warren. I Love You, Man... but Sorry.
Warren Ellis is the man. I loved his work on Marvel's Excalibur in the 90's, what I've read of his prose work seems solid and I keep up with his blog, mailing list and Freakangels webcomic without fail. But I can't think of any great writer that doesn't have at least one stinker, and this one is Warren's. There's just no freakin' point to it. Three issues worth of Britain beginning a space program after WWII and terraforming Mars in 2001. There's no major conflict, the characters aren't changed by the end of the story and nothing of great import occurs. Well, no one's perfect, right?
... Read more

Product Description
Planning Office Spaces is a clear, accessible book written to help designers and their clients understand the challenges to be faced when planning a new office. It explains what questions should be asked and shows the alternative solutions on offer and their advantages and disadvantages. Written by an expert team of authors the book is aimed at anyone involved in planning an office. ... Read more

Product Description

Understanding Space provides an excellent in-depth explanation of astronautic principles making it a must-have for undergrad aerospace students.

This is an introductory text in astronautics designed for managers and young engineers new to the space field. The study of astronautics and space missions can appear difficult at times, but our goal is to bring space down to Earth and de-mystify it, so each reader understands the big picture with confidence. It contains historical background and a discussion of space missions, space environment, orbits, atmospheric entry, spacecraft design, spacecraft subsystems, and space operations. This is a truly user-friendly, full-color text focused on understanding concepts and practical applications but written in a down-to-earth, engaging manner that painlessly helps you understand complex topics. It is laid out with multi-color highlights for key terms and ideas, reinforced with detailed example problems, and supported by detailed section reviews summarizing key concepts, terms, and equations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Really great book
The book was for a class where we are studying rocketry and building a Rocket for the NASA USLI competition....This book is or has been used by NASA to train some of their employees.It reads very easily and is understand with little effort.

A Must Have Space Explanation Book
I got this book for a master's class at Embry Riddle.After reading it at work, others recognized the book from their masters and bachelors classes at other universities.This book is an absolute must have if you want to learn about space history, space exploration, space travel, orbits, space environment, spacecraft systems, and much much more.The reading is very easy and the book is heavy on the math side.I would say a college level understanding of algebra is helpful to understand the math equations.Each section has a review portion, reference page, and problem exercises.It's a great book to understand space.

A must-have for new professionals and students in the field
I own an earlier edition of this book, which I bought after a friend and Air Force Academy graduate let me borrow his. Unless you are already a guru in all things space-related, there is probably something useful in this book.

It is a primer for the basics of orbit and attitude dynamics, mission designs, subsystems, launch and reentries, operations, as well as other topics. The math is all kept at the algebra level, which keeps it from discouraging readers who want to get concepts without getting tangled up in dense math.

Unlike many texts, this one is very well-illustrated, and written in a manner that actually makes it fun to read, including sidebars with descriptions of historical and current real world missions, as well as descriptions and diagrams of various current and future technology subsystems, including propulsion schemes. Few textbooks have ever held my interest as well as this one, and inspired me to seek out more detailed texts for some of the subjects.

Many times have I had to teach young new people the ropes, or to explain to outsiders asking me questions about something they aren't familiar with, and this book has always made it easier to explain things, especially with its ample illustrations.

If you are a professional in the field and have a stack of textbooks on the shelf by your desk, I recommend adding this one.

Arcjet graphics missing.
I bought this book sometime ago based upon the high ratings on amazon and my personal desire to assimilate the knowledge.

I have therefore only leisurely read one of the chapters that interested me and although the content is top notch, I am quite annoyed at the placement of an incorrect graphic cutaway on page 576, The cutaway in question is supposed to show how an Arcjet engine operates, but the cutaway is that of a thermal nuclear engine that was discussed, and portrayed, some pages earlier.

So in closing, this text may need extensive editting.

Very well written book on the subject
This book is really easy to read. The author has done a great job at presenting the history, the risks and the technologies that have allowed us to have missions in space. It provides a good understanding of issues that have to be resolved for a mission in space, such as near-zero gravity issues (problems such as outgassing), radiation (single event phenomena), heat transfer, etc. It also provides benefits of space missions, discusses different types of orbits, etc. Overall, this is a great book to give you a good understanding of space, space vehicles (i.e. satellites) and the issues encountered and the way we have or currently are addressing them as well as challenges for the future. ... Read more

Product Description
A stunning collection of personal observations that uses images of the American West to probe larger concerns in lyrical, evocative prose that is a true celebration of the region.Amazon.com Review
"Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what weare. We are often like rivers: careless and forceful, timid anddangerous, lucid and muddied, eddying, gleaming, still." Whethershe's reflecting on nature's teachings, divulging her experiences as acowpuncher, or painting vivid word portraits of the people she livesand works with, Gretel Ehrlich's observations are lyrical and funny,wise and authentic. After moving from the city to a vast new state,she writes of adjusting to cowboy life, boundless open spaces, and thealmost incomprehensible harshness of a Wyoming winter:

"Whenit's fifty below, the mercury bottoms out and jiggles there as iflaughing at those of us still above ground. Once I caught myself ontiptoes, peering down into the thermometer as if there were anextension inside inscribed with higher and higher declarations ofphysical misery: ninety below to the power of ten and soon."

After experiencing the isolated life of a sheep herder,she writes, "Keenly observed the world is transformed. Thelandscape is engorged with detail, every movement on it chillinglysharp. The air between people is charged. Days unfold, bathed in theirown music. Nights become hallucinatory; dreams,prescient."

Ehrlich's gift is one of subtle precision. Shewrites beauty into the plainest of thoughts and meaning into thesimplest of ideas: "True solace is finding none, which is to say,it is everywhere." --Kathryn True ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Love of Wyoming
In 1976, after "suffering a tragedy", Ehrlich (born 1946 in California) went to Wyoming to make a documentary film. She stayed, working as a sheepherder and sheep shearer, got married and lived on a ranch for 17 years, past this book's writing. Wyoming is bigger than Great Britain but is only inhabited, then and now, by about 500 thousand people. The climate is harsh; the land is poorly suited to farming but better suited to ranching, an American Mongolia. Ehrlich tells about some of the ranchers and ranch hands she had met and retells their stories (a couple had my BS alarm go off, such as the one about a guy whose truck's transmission froze except for the reverse gear, so he drove home 8 miles in reverse), and writes about her own experiences on the land of few people but many sheep, horses, cows and wild elk, jackrabbits and bobcats. If you like American nature writing, this book is for you - but then you must have read it already.

Not Fast and Crowded
Gretel wrote about living in Wyoming after spending years of her life in a large city. She was trying to figure out why life is the way it is,and Wyoming is a place that still has natural rhythms, not the human manufactured pulse of cities, and the stress caused by a forced tempo of life. She used the open time of Wyoming and the closed space of her mind in conjunction to acquire some self-possession.

Characters in the book appear to go back and forth between the need and desire of solitude and social contact.Some sheepherders went to town to spend most of their yearly earnings purchasing excitement and intimacy.Fred said he wanted to be alone but read about the world and politics constantly.

I do see, or I could say it makes sense to me, that the healing of human emotion and spirit would be difficult to accomplish in a cramped and confined, stagnant space.There could be problems if there is no
room for growth of any kind to take place.Perhaps the perfect blend of comforting surroundings and emptiness would be ideal, but the problem is for each person is how to figure the best solution and locate a habitat for the most excellent kind of living.The book makes a person think about these kinds of things.

Enjoyable and Accurate Read
This book is stocked in the "Buffalo Bill Historical Center" in Cody, Wyoming.This was a good endorsement -- the museum is outstanding, and they certainly are an authority on accurate books about the region.

I was looking for a local read just to pass the time, but this book very quickly became a book I couldn't put down.Though travelling in Wyoming, I spend considerable time on a ranch in New Mexico and can attest that Erlich's descriptions of ranching, cowboys, and rodeos are more accurate than anything else I've ever read.The color and detail she gives the subjects are insightful without being gratuitous;she portrays the life of a rancher without blindly romanticizing the lifestyle; and she describes her personal experiences without making the book about her.

This is the type of book that causes the impulse to buy multiple copies to pass to friends.The book is an easy and enjoyable read - very accurate - and one that should last generations.

Stongly recommend.

Open spaces have always attracted me.
Wide landscapes and open land as far as the eye can see have always been a draw for me.The middle of a very large city can be so confining if you don't have the time/money to get out frequently and that is what this book does for me.
I read it 25 years ago and had since lost my copy and I'm glad Amazon had one ready to shoot to me.I'm in a different mindset (along with being 25 years older) but same feelings are here. Gretel Ehrlich's story is of personal loss and the strength to make it through.

Worth reading
I did not get my impressions of what a cowboy was from Hollywood. Instead I grew up in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming and talked to the people in this book every day on the streets of the small towns there. What this book did for me was to remind me of the childhood notion of manhood that I had and help me to strip away some of the garbage that had been piled on me by the Political Correctness movement of the late 1980s. ... Read more

Product Description
The study of human body measurements on a comparative basis is known as anthropometrics. Its applicability to the design process is seen in the physical fit, or interface, between the human body and the various components of interior space.

Human Dimension and Interior Space is the first major anthropometrically based reference book of design standards for use by all those involved with the physical planning and detailing of interiors, including interior designers, architects, furniture designers, builders, industrial designers, and students of design. The use of anthropometric data, although no substitute for good design or sound professional judgment should be viewed as one of the many tools required in the design process. This comprehensive overview of anthropometrics consists of three parts.

The first part deals with the theory and application of anthropometrics and includes a special section dealing with physically disabled and elderly people. It provides the designer with the fundamentals of anthropometrics and a basic understanding of how interior design standards are established. The second part contains easy-to-read, illustrated anthropometric tables, which provide the most current data available on human body size, organized by age and percentile groupings. Also included is data relative to the range of joint motion and body sizes of children. The third part contains hundreds of dimensioned drawings, illustrating in plan and section the proper anthropometrically based relationship between user and space. The types of spaces range from residential and commercial to recreational and institutional, and all dimensions include metric conversions.

In the Epilogue, the authors challenge the interior design profession, the building industry, and the furniture manufacturer to seriously explore the problem of adjustability in design. They expose the fallacy of designing to accommodate the so-called average man, who, in fact, does not exist. Using government data, including studies prepared by Dr. Howard Stoudt, Dr. Albert Damon, and Dr. Ross McFarland, formerly of the Harvard School of Public Health, and Jean Roberts of the U.S. Public Health Service, Panero and Zelnik have devised a system of interior design reference standards, easily understood through a series of charts and situation drawings. With Human Dimension and Interior Space, these standards are now accessible to all designers of interior environments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Good buy
I didn't actually see the book.I bought it for my daughter who is in college and had it sent directly to her, but she said it was great!It was a good buy!

Not the best, but worthwhile none the less
I bought this book for school.It's redundant and some portions don't make much sense.But anyone trying to design a space that is functional and takes human size and shape into account should take a look at this book.

Human Dimension/content review
Ideal for the Architect, Interior Designer, Furniture Maker and Cabinet Maker.
This book is a valuable resource to those that produce items for direct interface with human beings.It covers almost every type of human interaction that might need to be considered for the vast majority of common applications, as well as the direct human measurements that would need to be considered for the application. Measurement tables are well laid out and easy to use after a brief familiarization period, and the suggestions given for most applications is explained well enough that one can, with relative ease, apply the information to situations that may not be explicitly covered in the text of the book.
Measurements are given in both Metric and Imperial systems.
Diagrams are helpful for understanding the reasoning behind each measurement suggested.
If you need a general reference for direct human measurement and interaction with other people and objects, I would recommend this book.

a must have!
I am currently in design school and I will say that this is one book you will reference all the time and should be in everyone's library!

Very Helpful
As a new designer, I find this book very helpful and intriguing.It goes through the basic standards of human dimensions separating each chapter into antrhopometric dynamics and functions.Currently I'm in the Seating Measurement section and I had no idea about the amount of calculations involved in the act of sitting.Though this book was written in the 1970's, the information inside this book is still relevant for today.It's easy to grasp and it has many diagrams, tables, and figures to visually explain the content.Well organized book; very researched. ... Read more

Product Description
Visual note-taking relies on paring down thoughts to key words and pictures. This introduction to this technique illustrates how relationships among various concepts are highlighted and more information can be recorded on a page. This helpful tool can be used for personal self-expression, curriculum planning, group processes, and as a teaching strategy in daily lessons. Beginners are introduced to stroke-by-stroke exercises in drawing simple iconic figures that can be incorporated into one's mindscapes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A great way to teach
I just taught a university course and wished I had read this before I planned out my lectures.What a great tool for students to take notes.I found that even at the university level students are not good at learning while they take notes--they want the easy way out and just have the powerpoint slides to review.This method of teaching would go beyond just bulleting information.I would love to take a course in this method.My only difficulty is how to teach this way in a large classroom setting.The simplest way would be use an overhead projector, but I think an opague projector would be better--even better would be to combine powerpoint and this method.How to do this?I would also like training in how to use this method to illustrate information for illiterate populations in the developing world.Great book!

Excellent overview of mindmapping
Mapping Inner Space is the first mindmapping book that I have purchased.There are many examples of mindmapping and many how-to guides on-line, but since mindmapping is most effective as a paper- or whiteboard-based process, having an actual book is helpful.Almost every left page has written text and the right page features mindmaps that illustrate the concepts discussed in the text or provide examples.There are color examples throughout the books.The mindmaps vary in quality, so you can see how complicated maps might look and also how quickly-drawn maps might appear.The application chapter covers many applications from using mapping as a daily and weekly planning process to problem-solving to sketching out your resume.There is also a chapter on creating your own symbols, again with several examples ranging from simple to complicated.In the short time I have had the book I have already used the visual mindmapping process to help memorize content.

Fun introduction to Mind Mapping
I love this book. It's very straight forward and makes for a really quick read. Theory and discussion are written on the left pages, while the right side contains full size, wonderfully hand drawn, mind maps featuring some topic or style or technique that is discussed next to it. The book is broken down contextually by chapters. First it teaches readers the basics, then it gets into a few good uses for maps, followed by teaching you how to build a personal symbology. The rest of the book discusses techniques and uses for mapping in educational environments, an adult's personal life and professional businesses. It also includes an extensive bibliography and resource listing.

An Excellent Resource for Teachers
As a teacher, I found this book invaluable. It offers numerous nontraditional and visual ways of presenting data, and can be used in any academic subject.

Nancy Margulies shows her creativity in other ways. She presents her ideas themselves in map form, and even suggests nontraditional resumes that summarize one's qualification in terms of maps. She includes simple sketches that can be used in maps, and these sketches, according to her, do not require artistic talent to draw.

Margulies stresses the fact that there is no right or wrong way to present information in these maps. And, of course, one has to practice mapping ideas in order to become comfortable doing so.

Who has the time?
I bought this book based on the 10 positive reviews it received.Unfortunately, my money would have been best spent on a Tony Buzan book.MAPPING INNER SPACE has serious downfalls.Mainly, all the mindmaps in the book are rich in color with excellent drawn pictures...how could I even attempt to duplicate this?Though the author states several times that drawing perfectly isn't required, her own examples demonstrate that her drawing skills are very superior.Also, the use of different colors made her mind maps frameable...how would have time during a meeting to draw such elaborate pictures?I would highly recommend that you buy one of Tony Buzan's earlier books on this subject...you won't feel so intimidated when you read them. ... Read more

Product Description
The Clone Wars have exploded across the galaxy as Republic forces and Separatists struggle to gain the upper hand. But while the Jedi generals work tirelessly to defeat Count Dooku and his rebels, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine is hatching his own dark plans.

The Separatists have launched a sneak attack on Coruscant. Obi-Wan Kenobi, wounded in battle, insists that Anakin Skywalker and his rookie Padawan Ahsoka leave on a risky mission against General Grievous. But when Senator Bail Organa reveals explosive intelligence that could turn the tide of war in the Republic’s favor, the Jedi Master agrees to accompany him to an obscure planet on the Outer Rim to verify the facts. What Obi-Wan and Bail don’t realize is that they’re walking into a deadly trap concocted by Palpatine . . . and that escape may not be an option.

Inspired by the full-length animated feature film Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the brand-new TV series, this thrilling adventure is filled with provocative, never-before-revealed insights into the characters of Obi-Wan, Anakin, Padme, Yoda, Count Dooku, and many other Star Wars favorites. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

Star Snores ... Wild Space ... ha
*Probably contains a lot of spoilers*
I typically avoid spoilers, but I want to prove you can sum up the entire plot in one paragraph.

Plot: Obi-wan convalesces after Geonosis. Obi-wan nearly gets blown to tiny bits; he's back to log more time with the healers. Bail Organa learns of a deep dark dirty secret: the sith are back. Half the book later there's a short firefight on the way to this evil planet thing with the laughable name Zigoola. (Sounds like where evil teletubby lookalikes ought to dwell.) More meaningless conversations pass and they finally reach the planet itself. They crash and have to walk to the sith temple. Obi-wan fights his memories the whole time on the planet. They call for help. Padme swoops in to rescue them. Back to the temple for Obi-Wan; healer master's got her work cut out for her again.

The boring plot doesn't make this a bad or painful book. As other reviewers have mentioned, the dialogue sounds off in a lot of cases. Bail and Obi-Wan bicker like 3rd graders on a thirty-hour road trip. The conversations are repetitive. (It'll be dangerous. Yes, but we have to go. You stay here. No, you stay here. - on and on until you feel ready to smack them both.) Anakin and Ahsoka have cameos but that's about it.

The writing style is somewhat painful. Fragments abound.

Delving deep into the characters is a fine idea, but hit the characterization at least.

"I wonder how many ill things are done by those who believe that what they're doing is right?"
"I wonder how many ill things are done by those who believe that what they're doing is right?"
The Clone Wars rages on.Anakin and Ahsoka are sent to defend the Bothawui system from General Grievous while Obi-Wan Kenobi must work with Bail Organa to retrieve information about the Sith.

I Liked:
There is a lot to love about this book, but the first thing I will discuss is characters.Karen Miller, newcomer to Star Wars novels, has perfectly nailed each and every one that she attempts.The first that comes to mind is Yoda.I was astounded, absolutely astounded, when she wrote Yoda so beautifully--I could hear his voice from the movie in my head!Too many authors just mix up the sentences so they are backwards, but I could tell that Miller took the effort to work out the sounds and make sure it sounded like Yoda.Yeah, he's curt, but take a look at Yoda from Empire; wasn't he a bit...quirky?Plus, this is during a war, not everyone makes bad jokes like they do in Jedi Trial.
For one of the first times in a novel (yay!), Padme actually stops being a plot device and starts being her own person, with her own point of view.Again, Miller perfectly captures Padme's voice and her motivations.I adored how she gave Padme a reason for loving and sticking with Anakin: "Because her love could save him"!Also, Padme gets to show WHY she is supposedly such a great politician, acting as an intermediary for Bail and Obi-Wan.And I love it when she tells Anakin to stop trying to protect her from everything, to let her be her own person!You go, girl!(And take THAT, Bella Swan!)
Before I get to our major protagonists, I want to talk briefly about Anakin and Ahsoka.Anakin is well done here, a capable, yet confused Jedi.And Ahsoka is definitely more earnest, but fallible Padawan than the annoying Mary Sue from the movie.
As for Bail and Obi-Wan: they make the most amusing Odd Couple.I enjoyed their banters, because when they argued, you learned things about them.Such as "there is more suffering experienced by those Force-sensitives denied Jedi training than any Padawan you might meet".Or perhaps this: "the more systems the Separatist entice...the more suffering and fear the Republic experiences...the longer it takes the Jedi to end this conflict--the harder [the Jedi's] pedestal is going to rock.Especially if it's perceived that you're not suffering like everyone else."Or how about this one: "[Politicians] have a disconcerting habit of making up rules that don't then apply to you" (this one really resonates with me, as it seems to apply aptly to the Solo-Skywalker clans in the early 90's books).Tid-bits about Obi-Wan's past, revealed in the amazing children's series, the Jedi Apprentice series, make their way here, showing that Miller does her homework.We get to see how attached Obi-Wan is and how he struggles, and in that way, get to compare it to Anakin's struggle.As for Bail, we finally get an understanding of Leia's words, so long ago: "Years ago, [Obi-Wan] served with my father in the Clone Wars."He is a politician, but he is devoted to the Republic.
This is very much a character novel, meant to show the growing relationship between Obi-Wan and Bail, so the plot is very muted: an intelligence collecting mission to the Outer Rim, leaving plenty of time for our duo to spend hours cramped in a small ship and argue or trudge along on a deserted world.I thought I might be bored or might be upset that there wasn't more fighting sequences, but honestly, they would just clutter the book up.We need the time to figure out how Obi-Wan and Bail become friends.Throwing a needless lightsaber duel or big scale war would just undermine this and take much needed time away from this development.Plus, too many people associate action with dogfighting or lightsaber duels.In this book, Bail and Obi-Wan are stranded on Zigoola and have to make their way to a Sith Temple.Their travels are action.Their trials and struggles along the journey are action.No, it doesn't include blaster fire and people dying, but it is still action.
As for Miller's writing style, I found it enjoyable to read.It was brisk, clear, nicely written, easy on the eyes and good for going through it quickly.A perfect combination, if you ask me.

I Didn't Like:
All of these are very minor, but I wanted to at least bring them up again.
As I mentioned earlier, there isn't a lot of "traditional" Clone Wars action (not like in comparison to the Clone Wars movie adaptation by Karen Traviss), and this being a Clone Wars novel, some people may be upset with it.I really wasn't, but that's just me.Plus, as I explained earlier, a lot of the action here is different action, not war or battle action, but journey type action.
Some people may get a little tired of all the time Bail and Obi-Wan spend first en route to Zigoola and then en route to the Sith Temple.Again, I can understand, and I did get a bit tired too, but I realized that we are learning, watching, seeing Obi-Wan and Bail grow closer together.Plus, if I am tired, can you imagine how tired they must be?
The story begins with Yoda, Padme, Anakin, Ahsoka, and Obi-Wan and by the halfway mark, only Obi-Wan remains, with Bail included.I know Karen Miller was writing around a Clone Wars episode, but still it was kinda funny, a little off-balanced, almost.Fortunately, she brings back the characters towards the end and evens it out.

Dialogue/Sexual Situations/Violence:
"Stang" (yay, KM, for bringing back that curse and not making up a new one!!) and perhaps a few other Star Wars swear words.
Very notable here is the adult relationship, i.e. sexual relationship, that Padme and Anakin have.In the beginning of one chapter, it would be easy to imagine that both had just finished love-making or were about to.Definitely not typically seen in Star Wars, let me tell you.
Obi-Wan and Bail go through brutal, brutal trials to reach the Sith Temple.An explosion occurs in the judicial district on Coruscant.It is mentioned in passing how Bail's uncle and mother died.

Overall:
I am positively floored!I had to really be nitpicky and practically make up stuff to complain about.Karen Miller is an astonishing author and has beautifully captured the essence of Star Wars and the essence of the characters she is using.I am so glad she has joined the repertoire of Star Wars authors (she has done miles better than some of her predecessors!) and highly recommend this book!Go out, read it now!

Brought to you by:
*C.S. Light*

Jhaeman's Review
Of the many Star Wars books I've read since I began directing a role-playing game set in that universe, the best one I've come across is the recently-published Wild Space by Karen Miller. Judging by the cover, I was expecting a limp, kids-oriented tie-in to the animated t.v. series with a heavy emphasis on the clones. Instead, I found an engrossing tale of how Senator Bail Organa and Obi-Wan Kenobi forge a unique bond during a mentally-grueling and physically-punishing mission to uncover a rumored planet possessing Sith artifacts. One of the most surprising things about this book is how little there is in the way of "action scenes"--there's hardly a blaster fired or a lightsaber ignited in the whole book. Yet, the dialogue, the personalities, and the plot are more than sufficient to keep the pages turning. If novels tied to the animated series continue to be of this quality, I might just manage to forgive the annoying continuity mess the show makes out of Anakin's having become a Jedi Knight just weeks after the battle of Geonosis.

Two great characters transform into whiny babies!
So Obi-Wan Kenobi and Senator Organa are some of the most tolerant well spoken people in the star wars universe.
Well not in this book!
They act like spoiled children who moan and whine at each other.
Obi-Wan Kenobi makes wild generalisations about Organa simply because of his job.
And Organa is a whiney helpless character here.

Also the story is so boring you'll want to throw it out the window.
Still, it'll make it's money cause its star wars, but look for excitement elsewhere.

A great Clone Wars story!!!!
I absolutely enjoyed this SW Clone Wars title. Obi Wan Kenobi is my most favorite SW character, and I enjoyed how the author tried to show the relationship that is built between Kenobi and Bail Organa. A must read for all SW fans! ... Read more

Product Description
The fascinating world of space is vividly presented to young children here in a combination of remarkable images and simple everyday language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great First Encyclopedia for Space!
This book provides information that kids love and is great for ESOL students.My students often have a hard time getting information from a source they can actually read.These books help.I'm sure younger readers love them too.

Usborne Books are the best!
I love Usborne Books.I am hoping to someday own every one of them.They are great and they are truly helping my kids learn better and faster.

They are great books and I highly reccommend them, no matter where you get them.

Thank you so much.
... Read more

Product Description
An investigation into experiences of other realms of existence and contact with otherworldly beings

• Examines how contact with alien life-forms can be obtained through the “inner space” dimensions of our minds

• Presents evidence that other worlds experienced through consciousness-altering technologies are often as real as those perceived with our five senses

• Correlates science fiction’s imaginal realms with psychedelic research

For thousands of years, voyagers of inner space--spiritual seekers, shamans, and psychoactive drug users--have returned from their inner imaginal travels reporting encounters with alien intelligences. Inner Paths to Outer Space presents an innovative examination of how we can reach these other dimensions of existence and contact otherworldly beings. Based on their more than 60 combined years of research into the function of the brain, the authors reveal how psychoactive substances such as DMT allow the brain to bypass our five basic senses to unlock a multidimensional realm of existence where otherworldly communication occurs. They contend that our centuries-old search for alien life-forms has been misdirected and that the alien worlds reflected in visionary science fiction actually mirror the inner space world of our minds. The authors show that these “alien” worlds encountered through altered states of human awareness, either through the use of psychedelics or other methods, possess a sense of reality as great as, or greater than, those of the ordinary awareness perceived by our five senses. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Next best book on DMT..
I haven't yet read all of DMT: The Spirit Molecule, but from what I have read this is the next best thing. The cool thing about this book is it goes more in depth on what someone curious about psychedelic/entheogens should know if they want to have such an experience for themselves or are just curious of the health or philosophical implications.
I myself have undergone the sacrament that is N,N Dimethyltryptamine a number of times and I can tell you that this book has said so much in congruence with my own experiences that it's almost scary, but instead I am grateful.
There is still a whole universe to be explored, but this book signifies a step in the right direction.
It is a must have for anyone interested in psychology, neurology, pharmacology, sociology, consciousness, art, why they are here, and what it means to be human.
It's well worth the money in any case.

Transcending our Understanding of Consciousness
This book is not your typical "stoner type" purporting the transcendent information that can be rendered from the adventures that are experienced when utilizing the ontological (as I like to call them) technologies of entheogens; some may be relieved, but do not get comfortable yet, because what this is, is your SCHOLARLY and EXPERT types purporting the transcendent information that can be rendered from the adventures that are experienced when utilizing the ontological technologies of entheogens. I have to say that I am elated to see scholars that actually utilize theirs credentials to go against the grain of the Establishment and pursue something that is novel and innovative, rather than adhering fervently to what they have been spoon fed from textbooks; it is indeed those individuals that push the paradigm of what is conventional, and that fringe screams the taboos that shatter the virgin ears of those drones that wish to adhere to what they have been assigned-the ideological war begins.

This book is not all about drug induced altered states of consciousness; it digs down deep into the ontology of the human race and what it means to be sentient beings. The book itself should be considered as an essential piece of literature for developing a canon on this subject. The previous statement may cause some religious right wing fundamentalist to go ape-sh**, but this book has such a high level of ontological (a term I use to replace spiritual) resonance that it cannot be denied that level of vindication. This is beyond cogent in the defense of altered states of consciousness; the philosophical depth of this book is transcendent of measurement.

The book is presented in parts and is obviously a joint effort. The initial section is a series of chapters that is an overview of Strassman's scientific work from the FEDERALLY (yeah, Big Brother authorized it) sanctioned experiments with dimethyltryptamine, and his perspective on the nature of DMT. The second phase is a collection of chapters that brings forward an anthropological perspective of DMT and its use in indigenous tribes from Luis Eduardo Luna derived form his decades of studies with the substance, or substances containing it. Luna gives a detailed list of expectations and executions all deduced from his experience, after which he goes into a pontification of magic mushrooms. The third section of the book is navigated by Ede Freska which is, by my interpretation, the spear tip of book. His beginnings are that of the prototypical Eastside/Westside pitting that we see in similar subject matter of this stature that also interlaces the ideological turf war of Science vs. Intuition. Then he walks you through the study of plant consciousness (which I found really intriguing) and alludes to the level of consciousness in animals as well. Freska also delves into the Sitchin and von Daniken ancient astronaut theories and other perspective of the "gods" with a new perspective that I believe is quite tenable with the correlations of modern mythology and that of the archaic period. Lastly, we are introduced to Slawek Wojtowicz and he brings forward perspectives on past life regressions and draws forth interpretations of reality by utilizing our very fortuitously prophetic science-fiction.

It bewilders me that science has been tweaking the chemicals of the brain utilizing pharmaceuticals and society accepts this due to the "experts-and-corporations-know-best" attitude, which obviously by now is insidious, but when one inquires to use a natural plant that our human culture has been experiencing for thousands of years, possibly eons, in his/her own home to journey on an introspective panorama of his/her psyche then we must sound the alarms and release the hounds!

The one thing that should be served as a caveat is that if you have no experiential overlap here then you will think all of this is quite devoid of any credibility, especially when you get to the section of Strassman's portion of the book called "Subjective Effects". LOL! If you have never experienced any of this you will be like "WTF?!"

By far, the most prudent aspect of this book is the fact that scholars are coming out of the closet in support of the profound information that can be extracted from these very surreal, but real, experiences.

The book itself is a trip, but without the DMT.

* The book also has three intermissions about every third of it that has a collection of some very eccentric and abstract art (of which I will be purchasing some copies of).

Definitely something new here
I read Rick Strassman's book DMT: The Spirit Molecule and thought it was completely fascinating; I was anxious to read this one.Although the section by Dr. Strassman is mostly a recap of what he wrote in the other book, the material by the other authors is new territory, and wonderful. Definitely worth getting and reading; I am convinced that once more people connect to this inner landscape and the power it contains, we will be able to take our next step as a species.

THANK YOU
I have read all three books featuring Mr. Strassman's writtings and found all very enlightening. I experienced a new perspective and subsequent understanding and hope he keeps on sharing with us.

Comfort to sufferers of alien abduction experiences?
Dr. Strassman's concept that the experience of alien abduction can be related to spontaneous DMT release, combined with Dr. Frecska's theory that DMT can open up information channeling (and these experiences resemble to shamanic initiation) may provide comfort to alien abductees.The authors' approach gives validity to abduction reports (in some way those are more than mere illusions), but at the same time abductees do not have to worry that their experience literally happens in ordinary reality (regardless how real it may feel).Besides the effort of rational interpretation, putting alien abduction into a spiritual-shamanistic framework opens the way for therapy-transformation.
The authors of this book are in line with others like John Mack and Jacques Vallée, who have suggested that the dichotomy, 'real' versus 'imaginary', may be too simplistic; that a proper understanding of spiritual phenomena may require a reevaluation of our concept of the nature of reality.
... Read more

Product Description
The "Silver Bible" -- thoroughly revised, updated and redesigned

Interior designers, architects, and other design professionals can still turn to the field's beloved "Silver Bible" for a wealth of information related to the design and planning of residential and commercial interiors. But now, Time-Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning, Second Edition goes even further to truly make the classic interior design reference the standard in its field.

From standard furniture dimensions to architectural woodwork details, you'll find a vast array of time-saving data and details. Editors Joseph DeChiara, Julius Panero, and Martin Zelnik have brought together contributions from well-known architectural and interior design firms to give you details derived from actual designs and working drawings, showing various solutions for typical design problems encountered in interior architecture.

You get a wide range of typical layouts and residential spaces, offices, conference rooms, and reception areas, in addition to details of bars, restaurants, and public toilets. This exciting new edition includes new international examples and metrification – and provides you with full coverage of healthcare spaces, educational spaces; home offices; videoconferencing spaces; green design; project forms and schedules.Two outstanding sections cover historic styles and woodworking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

Very helpful book
I bought this book in college because it was part of my required text for my degree in Interior design.I have been out of school for 4 years and I still keep it at my desk or nearby when I am doing drawings.I recommend this book to anyone who is in the design industry.The details and information in this book saves the designer from having to go through multiple books looking for specific details.

excellent condition, very good price
This is a great reference book for designers and architects. It arrived very timely,in excellent conditions and I could not ask for a better price.

An encyclopedia for interior designers
This book is packed with info on furniture design, drafting tips, and use of theme for virtually every type of space. Perfect for students! Accompanied by plenty of illustrations to reference.

Great price and perfect condition
This textbook was required for my Basic Drafting class.It was cheaper to go through Amazon than my school's bookstore.I recieved the textbook in great condition and in time for class to start.Very happy with this seller.

Time-Saver Standards for Interior Design and Space Planning
HUGE ASSET! This book has everything in it and has been extremely helpful. It is a big book, therefore, it is not easy to carry around. I take it to school occasionally-I have chosen to lug it around in a rolling cart--most helpful for all those books and drawing tools, etc.One downside, sometimes the print is so small you may have to have a magnifying glass to see what is written.
Purchasing this book on Amazon saved me a lot of money. I highly recommend this book for Interior Design students and Designers. ... Read more

Product Description
Seventh-grader Jason narrates the events of his year, from school, hair, and pimples, to mothers, little brothers, and a girl. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (44)

nostalgia
This is one of those books I randomly grabbed from the library and ready cover to cover when I was probably 10 years old(35 now). The only specific things I recalled about it was the football physical which I had already been through and the word 'gonads' which I had never heard before, and last chapter titled "girl" which had a surreal effect on me at the time, a sort of genetic awakening. Despite not remembering much specifically, the charisma and confidence of the main character is kind of the basis of the character I played when I wrote and played songs for my garage band, I always wondered where he came :) The language and subjects are not for the weak minded:)

perfect seventh grade voice
Jason narrates his first year of seventh grade, the joys and horrors of entering puberty, of his first crush on the pretty cheerleader, of building his space station, of dealing with his friends and family (particularly his stepfather and little brother). Spinelli, as always, perfectly captures the voice of young adolescence, the consciousness beginning to grasp mature and adult ideas, but still with the understanding of a child (particularly Jason's dealing with other religions and races, not to mention women, which no longer fall into easy categories). Humorous, exciting, and true, the young adult novel will appeal to middle school ages. Jason's voice is right-on: an impulsive, observant, silly, "good kid" trying to find his place in middle school. If there is one complaint, it is that the novel is not a strong as Spinelli's others (Maniac Magee, Crash, and Wringer are stronger in terms of theme and plot). Grade: B+

Cornwall, New York Sixth Grader
I'm a sixth grader.This book was interesting and funny to read.Jason is a seventh grader who has a goal to build a space ship in his bedroom in the midst of all his experiences of the seventh grade.Jason had a fun relationship with his friends and had nicknames for each of them. There were many adventures that Jason experienced throughout the year.My favorite was the camping trip he went on with his class.The author writes in a way that kids our age can relate to what Jason is experiencing.Some of the things that happened were so funny because they are so easy to imagine happening in real life.

The author lets the reader know all about Jason's family and his relationship with each of them.This book is like no other book that I have read.My least favorite part of the book was someone died.That part was also very scary and heart breaking.Other than that, the book was so much better than I thought it would be.
R.A.S.

i dont think so
In the bokk Space Station Seventh grade by Jerry Spinelli a kid named jason wants to build a space station.Ididnt really like this book because the author made the main idea hard to present.I thought that the author jumped around from one subject to another.For example one chapter was talking about football then the next was about halloween.The author focuses on other subjects and doesn't realizes theres not enought infiormation about the main idea

Spinelli's First
Written over 20 years ago, "Space Station Seventh Grade" was author Jerry Spinelli's first published book.Oddly, he had not originally envisioned it as being written for juveniles, but instead submitted it to publishers as being written for adults.(The remnants of its adult's oriented writing can still be seen by the rather harsh language used throughout the book).It was rejected by all adult publishers, however, almost by chance juvenile publishers embraced it.Thus started the career of one finest authors of children's/young adult fiction.

"Space Station Seventh Grade" follows the first year of middle school for Jason Herkimer- a suburban Pennsylvanian everykid.The book follows Jason from the sad end of summer to the terrors of middle school where 9th grade monsters prey upon 7th graders, where one has to take a shower after gym, where Home Economics is a subject, and where his teenage hormones start to wreak havoc upon him- creating pimples, making him act up and become a discipline problem, and making him go ga-ga for cheerleader Debbie Breen.

We are also introduced to Jason's homelife- he lives with his mother, his stepfather- Ham (who lives up to his name), his younger sister Mary, whom he can't stand, and his annoying young half-brother, Timmy.Meanwhile, his father lives alone in a big city where he indulges in his passion for kosher food.Jason also has an ecletic group of friends- fellow WASP Richie, Korean American Peter, African American Calvin, and Irish American Dugan.Jason is also an avid, but not particularly gifted athlete, and his interests revolve around dinosaurs and space travel which has led him to build a giant model space station.

"Space Station Seventh Grade" contains many themes that have popped up again and again in Spinelli's other books- a love of athletics, interest in space, sibling antagonism, snow days, unrequited crushes, and the importance of individuality represented here by the character of Marceline McAllister.

Overall, "Space Station Seventh Grade" is an entertaining depiction of middle school life.It's told with Spinelli's trademark humor which is one of the big reasons he has became such a success, and this book has some very funny parts.However, it does contain a shocking "Bridge to Terabithia" moment with a supporting character meeting a tragic death.It's aged fairly well- granted kids today may not know what a pocket football game looks like, but Spinelli wisely avoided references to pop culture which would have immediately dated his book.

However, if there is one criticism I have with Spinelli's portrayal of seventh grade is that he doesn't really touch upon the overwhelming peer pressure to conform and bullying that results when one doesn't that exists at that age.When I look back on my school days, I now like to remember grade school as a halcyon time and high school as a lot of laughs, but I do not have any rose-colored views of my middle school years which I remember as just a horror show of kids viciously picking on each other over the stupidiest stuff!Although Marceline is something of an outcast for her individualism, Jason seems remarkably untouched by any pressure to dress or act a certain way which is not how I remember middle school. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

Low-Cost Priceless Guide Worth Hundreds of Thousands
It's been my pleasure to know the author of this book ever since he hunted me down after my review of Wave Rider: Leadership for High Performance in a Self-Organizing World, and I have also had the benefit of being a participant in a number of Open Space sessions run by, among others, Peggy Holman, author of Engaging Emergence: Turning Upheaval into Opportunity and the older The Change Handbook: The Definitive Resource on Today's Best Methods for Engaging Whole Systems.

I cannot over-state the value of this book to anyone who has a complex and expensive problem but cannot afford to get the author there personally.While the book is no substitute for the genius, the intuition, the experience, and the sheer "quiet energy" that the author can bring to any endeavor, it is not just a starting point, it is more than enough to get you through your first self-organized event, and the results are sure to astonish as well as excite about the potential benefits of having the author lead the next session.

Here is how it works in a nut-shell, and I put this into the review because I am not happy with the minimalist marketing information the publisher has provided but happy that Look Inside the Book is activated--use that feature!

1)Everyone who cares is invited to a meeting in a space large enough to accommodate the group.Many events will charge a fee to cover the space, the food, and the travel costs of the facilitators, some event can be free especially if internal.HOWEVER, the diversity of who is invited (i.e. including outsiders, clients, journalists, the lowest ranking maintenance people), THIS MATTERS.

2)The outcome of the meeting is stated at the beginning.At lunch this week Harrison talked about one meeting focused on reinventing an aircraft door, something that would normally take years and hundreds of thousands of dollars if not millions.A group under his direction did it in two and a half days, and the humble tarmac guy responsible for actually turning the handle from the outside to open the door make a key contribution.

3)Everyone can propose a topic for discussion.Smaller meetings can have the topic read before posting, otherwise they are all posted for viewing over the self-organizing period where people sign up for the topics they want to join in discussing.

4)Spread over a day or more, the topics take place, and the topic proponents take notes and either keep a wiki updated or submit a final report, but these days, not only isthe wiki kept "live," but people can participate from all over the world.

5)Out of all of this comes another session in which the outcomes of the individual meetings are separated into do now, next step needed, or dismiss for now.From that comes both an action plan and personal commitments of, by, and for the group to get 'r done.

There are a few other techniques that work, such as World Cafe or Dynamic Facilitation of Citizen Wisdom Councils, see links below, but I have to say that in the ten years I have been embraced by this community and adopted it as my own toward the goal of creating a World Brain and Global Brain, Harrison's conceptualization remains for me the easiest to understand, the easiest to implement, and the most powerful in terms of outcomes from within--We are the power, We are the collective intelligence, We are the best possible synthesizers, aggregators, evaluators, and "deciders" of what will work best for We.

Among the handful of books I would recommend in addition to this one
Society's Breakthrough!: Releasing Essential Wisdom and Virtue in All the People
The Tao of Democracy: Using Co-Intelligence to Create a World that Works for All
Reflections on Evolutionary Activism: Essays, poems and prayers from an emerging field of sacred social change
The World Cafe: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter
Emergence: The Shift from Ego to Essence
Conscious Evolution: Awakening Our Social Potential
Collective Intelligence: Creating a Prosperous World at Peace

Cell phones--and especially SMS--and the Internet--and especially back office aggregations and mapping of SMS or Twitter--have made the revolution that man could not complete without a digital noospere such as envisioned by Pierre Tielhard de Chardin.The World Brain or Global Brain is in its infancy, but it now exists in a manner completely separated from, autonomous from, governments and organizations.The "We" in back into humanity, and the year 2012 will in my opinion be the year of the great convergence and emergence.

Creating Space for Dialogue and Action
How many conferences or seminars have you been to where the most stimulating parts were the coffee break discussions between sessions? Harrison Owen, the originator of Open Space Technology, designed a strategy to power the whole event with the passion and energy of coffee break discussions.

Open Space is a facilitation strategy that enables groups of 5 to 2000 to create their own agenda and self-organize to dialogue about the important issues of large complex theme. The event participants are invited to identify issues or challenges related to the larger theme that they have real passion for and for which they are willing to take responsibility. With this self-organized agenda, participants move into groups to work on literally dozens of issues in a safe, open environment. This collaboration turns into greater understanding, innovation, and action.

Open Space has been used in business, government, and the social sector in 134 different countries over the past 20 years. The beauty of Open Space is the simplicity of how it functions and results in engaging all participants with a voice in what they are passionate about and willing to work on. The philosophical roots of empowerment and self-organization in Open Space will be refreshing to those tired of a command and control style meeting.

This book is a complete guide to what Open Space is, how to determine if this approach is appropriate for your event, and details on how to successfully facilitate an Open Space event. The book is very engaging and readable. I'm new to Open Space so I wanted details, but I also wanted it quickly so I could understand the flow of the process.

After reading this book I'm ready to dive in and try Open Space myself.

Action from Chaos
For some time I've been interested in how to effectively tackle complex problems.While I've picked up and learnt techniques and approaches myself over the last few years,it was great to find a 'Complex Problem Solving 101' text.I wouldn't go as far as to say this is a definitive text, but for anyone who wants to learn the principles and basics, this is a great place to start.

A highly recommended book for both personal and community library business collections
Organizing meetings can be a bit of an arduous task when the amount of participants reaches nearly two thousand. "Open Space Technology: A User's Guide" introduces a new concept for businesses to follow known as open space technology, where groups can self-organize in a short amount of time. To implement the technique into one's business, "Open Space Technology" lays out a step by step guide including all the resources one needs to get ideas off the ground. The third edition features a survey of open space technology's current usage around the world and an updated list of resources. A highly recommended book for both personal and community library business collections. ... Read more

Product Description
All together in one beautiful 3 volume set are C.S. Lewis' "Out Of The Silent Planet", "Perelandra", and "That Hideous Strength. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (35)

great series
Since I am a C.S. Lewis fan, I looked forward to reading these books.They were better than I had even anticipated--full of meaning for life (the struggle of good and evil) in the midst of an engaging story.The same main character (Dr. Ransom) appears in all three.The last one ("That Hideous Strength")was so fascinating that I could hardly wait to pick it up.These books require a thoughtful reader.

Excellent Fiction
The C.S. Lewis space trillogy in my opinion is one of the more enjoyable works that C.S.Lewis wrote. It is a fantasy written to an older audience than the Chronicles of Narnia and like the rest of his fiction works has a numerous ties to christian theology. The three books in the trillogy, Out of the Silent Planet, Peralandra, and That Hideous Strength follow chronologically but any one of them could be read on its own and make sense. My favorite is Peralandra as it deals with the fall of man in the garden of eden while remaining a well written story in its own right.
I greatly enjoyed the format of the volume I purchased where all three books were in one hard bound edition, that is mostly preference and the series is also available as individual hard and soft bound books and, I think, a soft bound volume.

Loved it in the '70s and love Lewis now
Like the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis's Space Trilogy is timeless. The story brings allegory to a new art.

Great series
. I love anything to do with space so naturally when I found out C.S.Lewis had written a trilogy I bought and read all three. I recently wrote a song with my band Red Umbrella loosely based on the first book 'Out of the Silent Planet'. The song begins as our hero Ransom has been drugged and stowed on a spacecraft to who knows where...http://www.redumbrella.net/freeaudio/RedUmbrella_CrazyAcoustic.mp3

enjoy

Philosophical Sci-fi
I find this a very provocative science fiction trilogy.Lewis' view of cosmology and theology is neat, and the story, though somewhat dated, is interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
The USG Ishimura, the most famous of the Planetcracker class starships, is flung from orbit around Aegis VII after the disastrous events of Dead Space. It is lost somewhere in deep space, and both the Government and a powerful religious sect called "Unitology" believe it may still hold the Red Marker, an alien artifact that promises great power for either side, and both will stop at nothing to reach it first! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (11)

Inner Reaches of Outer Space
Campbell draws comparisons between the interweaving dark and light lateral nerves along the spine of the yogic cakras to the caduceus, the crucifixion of Christ, Sumero-Akkadian serpent-god,Ningishzida and twined serpent images in Aztec and Navaho culture as well as others.The common theme is of duality twining around a central spine, support or path.One of those twines or sides is inner and the other outer.We are what they twine around.
The depth of his insight is likeviewing a familiar landscape from place both higher and yet closer.Some sentences are very long and need to be deciphered more than read.That is most likely the result of trying to elucidate the ineffable.

Metaphors in mythology
Joseph Campbell has been my mentor for years. He brings our consciousness to another level with this one!!!

Campbell at his best
I know, I know, everyone will point to Campbell's astonishing Hero with a Thousand Faces, and his 4-part book series on different traditions, but I love this book. I think it's because it is Campbell in his later years, synthesizing all he has learned over decades of study, and applying it to the future. It also is one of the more accessible Campbell books in terms of folks who don't usually read high-end academic works being able to follow it without re-reading every other paragraph. (That is NOT a criticism -- Joseph Campbell packed a lot into each of his brilliant thoughts). Another book I'd recommend is the biography on him, "Fire in the Mind."

Mythology for the layman
Joseph Campbell introduces us to the world of mythology and reality making the case that for most of human history, they are one in the same.

I give this book 5 stars because it is the best presentation of this type of information for laymen I have found.

His writings have brought up the argument that what is lacking in America today is an education in mythology. This is something that would not only enhance an individuals life by adding value to our culture which is in my opinion too often dismissed as empty, but also would enhance our connection with our past and our future.

Joseph Campbell has influenced many people and many creative efforts. George Lucas credits Mr Campbell with making StarWars a better movie. In fact Mr Campbell's interviews with Bill Moyers (on many PBS stations) was taped at Skywalker Ranch. I found this link indranet.com/welcometoearth having searched for information about Mr Campbell.

In addition to those seeking anthropological or spiritual information, if you enjoy magical stories like Harry Potter or science fiction stories then you will enjoy The Inner Reaches of Outer Space.

Excellent, but little flaws.
Reading Campbells' work can indeed be an enlightening experience and "The Inner Reaches of Outer Space" is no exception...mostly. The book however strays dangerously close to the "New Age" in several places. In an early chapter he presents Kants' idea of a priori knowlage as proven fact (it is far from proven). In another chapter he lapses into a discussion that sounds suspiciously like numerology (Mr. Campbell, someone as smart as you should know that there is no connection between the number of bumps on a golf ball and hindu mythology.) These minor flaws aside, it is a brilliant book and a great summation of Campbells work. ... Read more

Product Description

A milestone in modern thought, Space, Time and Architecture has been reissued many times since its first publication in 1941 and translated into half a dozen languages. In this revised edition of Mr. Giedion's classic work, major sections have been added and there are 81 new illustrations.

The chapters on leading contemporary architects have been greatly expanded. There is new material on the later development of Frank Lloyd Wright and the more recent buildings of Walter Gropius, particularly his American Embassy in Athens. In his discussion of Le Corbusier, Mr. Giedion provides detailed analyses of the Carpenter Center at Harvard University, Le Corbusier's only building in the United States, and his Priory of La Tourette near Lyons. There is a section on his relations with his clients and an assessment of his influence on contemporary architecture, including a description of the Le Corbusier Center in Zurich (designed just before his death], which houses his works of art. The chapters on Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto have been brought up to date with examples of their buildings in the sixties. There is an entirely new chapter on the Danish architect Jorn Utzon, whose work, as exemplified in his design for the Sydney Opera House, Mr. Giedion considers representative of post-World War II architectural concepts.

A new essay, "Changing Notions of the City," traces the evolution of the structure of the city throughout history and examines current attempts to deal with urban growth, as shown in the work of such architects as José Luis Sert, Kenzo Tange, and Fumihiko Maki. Mr. Sert's Peabody Terrace is discussed as an example of the interlocking of the collective and individual spheres. Finally, the conclusion has been enlarged to include a survey of the limits of the organic in architecture.

Customer Reviews (6)

A dated manifesto whose time has passed
This book is vast in its ambitions, uneven in its analysis, and badly dated in its defense of modern architecture.Giedion's basic premise is that the Industrial Revolution caused a separation to occur between thinking and feeling, this separation was exemplified by what he considers derivative architecture during the 19th century, and that it is up to the modern movement to reunite these two spheres by combining emotions with a scientific approach to architecture, and by adding the dimension of time to its three dimensional depiction of space.His historical analysis is quite erudite, but his treatment of the major architects who founded the modern movement, particularly Gropius and Le Corbusier, verges on hagiography.For instance he considers Gropius' PanAm building in New York, and Le Corbusier's Carpenter Center at Harvard to be great works of architecture, when contemporary critics view these as among their worst.The only American architect given comparable attention is Frank Lloyd Wright.The book flounders at the end in its speculation about the future, praising Le Corbusier's advocacy of separating people from cars by building elevated highways, and housing people in slablike high rise towers.Considering that Pruitt-Igoe was already, at the time of his final revision to his book, failing in St. Louis as an approach to house poor families (it was later blown to smithereens as a total disaster), this advocacy of housing people in high rises rings hollow indeed.He also advocates separating functions in a city, at a time again during his final revision, when Jane Jacobs "Death and Life of Great American Cities" was revolutionizing city planning by advocating just the opposite.It is worth reading because it makes you think, but it is badly dated.

I like this book alot
This book tells the story of important buildings built since a long time ago, even bridges! Lots of nice pictures and drawings, especially of the real important artsy buildings built after WWII. You can learn alot about the history of world culture and architecture just by looking at the pictures! All my friends saw "Wow" when I show them this book! Wow!!

brief and to the point
90 per cent of books in a typical bookstore are not worth the paper they are written on.This is NOT one of those books. The concepts presented in this book are profound. It is the best book I own.

The seminal work on Modern Architecture
One cannot even presume to understand modern architecture until one has read Giedion's classic work. This book did more to shape the view of modern architecture than did any other book. Giedion provides an impressive survey of architecture down through the ages, illustrating those aspects which had an influence on modern architecture. One of his more illucidating chapters is "The Demand for Morality in Architecture," which underscores the content of this work.

The heart of the book is his chapter on "Space-Time in Art, Architecture, adn Construction," in which he examines the leading figures and movements in modern architecture, with the spotlight on Walter Gropius, Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto. These were the founding fathers. He examines the roots of their ideas as well as the influence they had in shaping the modern movement. This later edition also includes a chapter on "Jorn Utzon and the Third Generation," which Giedion felt had successfully carried the principles of modern architecture into contemporary society.

Giedion also explores the shifts in attitude toward city planning in the late 19th century and early 20th century, reviewing such seminal figures as Ebenezer Howard, Patrick Geddes, Arturo Soria y Mata, and Tony Garnier, which ultimately lead to the creation of C.I.A.M, the International Congress of Modern Architecture.

Giedion is unabashed in his support of modern architecture, which has made this book the favorite whipping post of post-modern critics. But, few have explored the subject as deeply as has Giedion. Don't rely on other interpretations of Giedion. Read "Space, Time and Architecture" before drawing any conclusions.

Excellent history
I enjoyed this book for the author's insights into how 20th century architecture, starting from certain antecedents in the 19th century, such as the early iron-reinforced concrete structures of William LeBaron Jenny, progressed through Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, the Bauhaus school, and so on, up to the style which he calls "the hanging curtain of glass."

Giedion shows how this spectacular 20th-century building originated around the turn of the last century and how it's modern variations represent a triumpth of this type of design.

The basic principle, as exemplified early on in the Carson, Pirie, Scott, and Co. building in Chicago, is that as stuctural members receeded from the outlying masonry walls into the interior skeleton of the building, this allows the architect to open up the facade with windows, skylights, and other penetrating elements in order to let the maximum amount of air and light into the building. Eventually no real supporting structural members need reside on the outside of the building, and the aesthetic result is the "hanging curtain of glass" effect... Whatever one thinks of this type ofbuilding, it has become a major landmark of 20th-century architectural design in cities all over the world.

Giedion's treatment of Robert Maillart's graceful, parabolic spanning bridge designs in the Swiss Alps and some other places,such as the Tavanasa Bridge in the U.S., which he specifically discusses as one of Maillart's most important achievements, is also very interesting.

Overall, Giedion's book is a fine treatment of an important and difficult period in the history of architecture, and is one of the most important books on architecture to be written in recent decades. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

No secrets reveled. But an excellent reference
this book is kind of like a manual without the dogma of being one. This book doesn't tell you how to do anything. It just presents facts and the such.

It has a lot of things that you should have memorized or at least have a simple knowledge of. It is great for students of both architecture and interior design because it has information useful to both.


My girlfriend is a layperson in the construction/ architecture field and she asked to borrow it. It has useful things like the differences in types of paint and other materials. Things that aren't really thought about all that much but are useful and important non the less.


I would recommend this book to add to one's reference library.

Brilliant and a must have for anyone in a design career
Color, Space and Style is a plethora of useful information, tips of the trade, ideas, and resources at your fingertips.

The content is easy to read and understand with well thought out categories.

Full color pages outline the design process from start to finish.

It is obvious a great deal of energy, time and effort went into its creation.A must read for anyone interested in interior design and design related fields, in fact would be an excellent tool in a teaching environment.

Bravo!

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Captain Invincible and his intrepid space-dog, Comet, are on a perilous journey back to Earth!

Customer Reviews (4)

Perfect!
1. I love the book, it's a great way to introduce 3D shapes.
2. The shipping arrived on-time.
3. I had no problems with the seller or the product! Thank you.

Sneaks in the geometry
For your little reader, this is a comic book about a little boy space hero, up past his bedtime.For moms and dads, this book introduces 3-D geometric shapes (spheres, cylinders, etc) and launches you into finding similar shapes around the house.

Contrived introduction of shapes in an unentertaining story.
3-dimensional shapes are named and described in a story about a boy and his dog pretending to be on a space adventure but their use in the story is very contrived. Example: when they go thru a meteor shower, they use the cube since "The radar beams from our directional cube will help us find a path to safety. Good thing the 6 square faces of the cube are working properly."About all you can expect from this book is a picture of 6 3-D objects and their names - not related in any way to where they really occur in the real world.I think my 5 year old, who likes space stuff was about as bored as I was.

Super book!
Set in a comic book format, this book has been a favorite of my 4 year old son since we bought it.A very simple book, and very appropriate for preschoolers. The writing is a little lame at one point, but my son doesn't care and thoroughly enjoys this book ( and he's learned some simple math concepts without realizing he's been taught). ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (6)

Not as good as I'd hoped...
I was hoping for something along the lines of Living Large in Small Spaces, which I recommend as far more useful. This lacks such features as floor plans and interviews with owners and renters. You can's really see how the arrangement pictured fits into a space less than 1000 square feet. It also seems to assume home ownership -- not always the case for people looking for tips on how to live in small spaces!And the tip format can seem didactic and overbearing. I also found that some tips and photos were repeated.That said, there are some very attractive pictures and useful ideas.

Small spaces at last!
I've been looking for ideas for small spaces and have found that too many authors think small is anything under 2,500 square feet.Delighted to have found a book that understands small!Worth close reading and examination.

Cons: More floor plans would be good.Some spaces don't look that small in the photos and others look staged with no room to actually use or walk thru the space.

nice pictures and ideas
I liked the pictures in the book and used them even more than I read the list of ideas that fill the book. I found that you do not have to create the exact same room they have in there, you can use the same principles and different items to create a more individual look. However, I think that most of the rooms shown here are not that small, making the book more applicable living in a small house or most regular size apartments. If you live in a studio for example,you may need to use some other references.

Fabulous Tips
This is an extremely helpful book that contains many suggestions for dealing with small spaces.I have a library of about 10 books relating to small space organization and design, and this is in the top 5.My biggest complaint is that few of the suggestions actually list suppliers of the items pictured.I was able to find a few of these items in Dwell magazine.

Lots of Ideas
I'm moving from a 2500 sq ft home in the 'burbs to what I hope to be a 750 sq ft apt in Manhattan. I have not found a better book to give me ideas of how to organize my space in such a way that my husband and I feel like we are in a home rather than an apartment that feels like a college dorm room. This is a good book. Lots of pictures and lots of locales - not all in the US which I found interesting. ... Read more

Product Description
When Improving Performance: Managing the White Space on the Organization Chart was published in 1990, it was lauded as the book that launched the Process Improvement revolution. This was the book that first detailed an approach that bridged the gaps between organization strategy, work processes and individual performance. Two decades later, White Space Revisited goes beyond a mere revision of that groundbreaking book and refocuses on the ultimate purpose of organizations, which is to create and sustain value.This book picks up where Improving Performance left off and shares what we have learned about process in the past 15 years since it was published and how the reader (primarily practitioners) can capitalize on these notions in their own pursuit of process excellence.

White Space Revisited is a comprehensive resource that offers process and performance professionals a conceptual foundation, a thorough and proven methodology, a set of remarkable working tools for doing process work in a more significant way, and a series of candid observations about the practice of Business Process Management (BPM). The book’s time-tested methods, models, tools, and guidelines serve to align people, process, and technology

White Space Revisited includes information on a wealth of vital topics and

• Describes the difference in impact of focusing on single processes vs. large scale improvements
• Provides an integrated step-by-step blueprint for designing, implementing, and sustaining process management
• Offers a detailed methodology for strategic and tactical process definition and improvement
• Spells out how to leverage the power of IT to optimize organizational performance
• Shows how to integrate the energy and value of Six Sigma, Process Improvement and Process Management into an effective Process Excellence Group

Customer Reviews (3)

Another Home Run
Once again, Geary Rummler and his team have provided superb guidance and cutting analysis. This book is one of the best I have read on the how to's of process and process management. Geary, Alan, and Rick lay out an extremely valuable framework (the Value Creation Hierarchy) and provide the tools and methods to define this framework. The book is well written, descriptive, and provides superior examples. I was especially taken with their discussions of how other "process" approaches have gone off track - right on the money. I've seen the same things myself in too many cases. If you truly want to learn how to approach process and organizational management, read this book!

The Rummler legacy lives on...
A+++...as a Process Manager/Consultant with over 20 years of experience across multiple industries, I consider this a "must read" for everyone within the process improvement community.

George Schultz
Business Process Mgr, MBA, PMP

A Must Read Book on Process and Performance Improvement
In 1990, after decades of work helping companies improve their business processes, Geary A. Rummer joined with his business partner, Alan Brache to publish Improving Performance:How to Manage the White Space on the Organization Chart.The book proved a seminal event in the development of the business process movement, still sells, and is often known as the"white space" book.The "white space" referred to in the title is the space between the departmental silos one finds on any organization chart - and the way on manages them is by defining business processes that flow across the various silos to produce and ultimately sell the organization's products and services.

This new book was written by Geary Rummler, his long time colleague, Alan Ramias and his son, Rick Rummler over the course of the past two years to provide an update on what they have learned since the first book was published in 1990.Given Rummler's importance in shaping the thinking of so many, this publication of this update will necessarily be a major event.

To my way of thinking, Geary Rummler was always the performance analysts' performance analyst.He didn't promote himself in the way that others did and was never as well known to the general public as process gurus like Edwards Deming or Michael Hammer.On the other hand, over the course of his career, he has done more to influence the way process improvement work is actually done today than anyone else I know.The quality control community owes the emphasis on defining processes at the core of Six Sigma to Geary's work at Motorola.Similarly, the IT community owes their current swimlane-based, customer-focused BPMN diagrams to Geary's efforts to create flow diagrams that business people could easily understand.And we all owe Geary thanks for his relentless emphasis on process change that improved corporate and human performance.

Over the years Improving Performance has been a bible to many process practitioners.Reviewers have consistently said that it was the best book to give to business mangers who were looking for an introduction to process.Predictably, this new book, summarizing Geary Rummler's latest thinking about process analysis, process management, and organizational performance, will be widely read by new managers who are trying to make their organizations more process centric, and by today's process practitioners who are trying to figure out how to fit all the various technologies together into a whole.

I was proud to be asked to write the Foreword to this book and recommend it to anyone who wants a comprehensive introduction to what process and performance improvement is all about.


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