A Forest of Voices: Conversations in Ecology

Book Description

This reader comprises 61 selections, substantial reading and writing instruction, and finely developed reading and writing apparatus. Providing a mix of genres and including both historical and contemporary perspectives, A Forest of Voices challenges students to examine in detail the multiplicity of environments that we interact with, the complexities of those environments, and our relationships to them.

Customer Reviews:

A Superb Collection.......2000-11-19

I want to applaud the editors of this volume for including a diverse set of viewpoints. A few other works of this type merely include the "typical" pieces of authors such as Thoreau. While these authors are included in A Forest of Voices, other not so well-known authors are found as well. Some of these authors argue the politically correct approach to environmentalism common in our society today. Others do not, thus providing an important balance of views. While I cannot say I agree with the authors in many of the pieces, I applaud the collection of works. As its apt subtitle suggests, A Forest of Voices does provoke stimulating Conversations in Ecology.

Book Description

Attachment to host cells or tissues is often the first step in the establishment of bacterial infections. A complex array of recognition, attachment, and virulence factors is involved in this process, which recent research has greatly illuminated. This comprehensive and authoritative volume discusses the specific cell and tissue-specific affinities of pathogenic microorganisms, including bioinorganic surfaces such as teeth, and is an essential reference for researchers and students of host-pathogen interactions.

Book Description

Complete Idiot's Guide to Planning a Trip Online shows you how to use valuable information and online resources to research and purchase travel and accommodations using the Internet. Learn tips for finding discounted airfares and accommodations and view a list of recommended Web sites offering travel-related content and resources. You receive no-nonsense discussion of the resources available for booking travel and gathering information related to travel planning, simple explanations of the terminology of shopping and researching online, and general travel advice including planning, domestic travel concerns and international travel considerations.

Customer Reviews:

jam-packed online travel planning info!.......1999-12-30

This book was extremely informative. I was already doing online travel planning, but this book opened up so many new doors to me. My wife and I were amazed and pleased to discover through reading this book that so much of the details and the leg work of planning our honeymoon could be done online. We found out how to connect with other newlyweds and travelers through a message board that the author recommended, and got the inside scoop on everything from restaurants, nightclubs, romantic/secluded spots in our destination, as well as currency exchange info. and travel safety tips. The best thing about the book, though, was the author's offbeat sense of humor and keen eye for topnotch websites. A must read for any do-it-yourself travel planner.

Book Description

Plant cell culture techniques are used increasingly in basic research for plant exploitation in industry, including for example, genetic engineering and micropropagation. The rapidly developing role of plant cell culture has necessitated this new edition of a widely acclaimed book. It covers a
wide range of methods central to the exploitation of plant cell cultures in fundamental and applied research. This thoroughly revised work retains the combination of giving and explaining the general principles involved with the concise description of specific protocols, with appeal to a broad
readership, that made the first edition so successful. Internationally recognized experts describe the techniques used for isolating and manipulating cell cultures, and the central importance in plant biotechnology. The book will be of major interest to researchers in plant sciences in general, and
specifically to botany, plant physiology, and biotechnology students.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book!.......2000-10-20

I had the opportunity of reading this book while I was pursuing graduate studies. This book is an excellent source of information for anyone working in this field.

Plant Cell Biology: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)

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Plant Cell Biology: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Book Description

Modern plant cell biology involves the integration of structural studies with biochemical and molecular analyses, allowing a detailed characterization of the fundamentals underlying such complex phenomena as growth and differentiation, and the ways in which plant cells respond to a diversity of external and internal stimuli. This book discusses both established techniques used in the field and also some of the new advances which are likely to have a major impact in the future. It begins with detailed methods and protocols for viewing, staining, and localizing cell components by a variety of microscopical methods. Subsequent chapters cover approaches to topics such as localizing specific nucleic acid sequences and proteins, protoplast research, wall analysis, study of the plant cytoskeleton, isolation and use of intact chloroplasts and thylakoids, and finally the measurement of ions and solutes within plant cells. Plant Cell Biology: A Practical Approach provides both newcomers and experienced researchers with a comprehensive practical guide to this subject. Together these methods will permit a better understanding of the relationship between plant cell structure and function.

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Plant Cell Biology: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

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Plant Microtechnique and Microscopy

ASIN: 0199638667

Book Description

With the 'post genomics' era comes an increasing demand for the techniques of cell biology, critical to interpreting the function and location of the cell's myriad proteins and macromolecules. In response, this second edition of Plant Cell Biology balances established techniques, including
classical histochemistry and electron microscopy, with new developments in the field. The book covers a substantial range of methods for working on living cells, including the application of fluorescent probes, cytometry, expression systems, the use of green fluorescent protein, micromanipulation
and electrophysiological techniques. Also featured are chapters on macromolecular location procedures involving immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridisation, and the book concludes with a range of biochemical techniques for the isolation of cytoplasmic organelles. The book provides advanced
students, postgraduates and researchers in the plant sciences with an invaluably comprehensive guide to the ever-growing field of plant cell iology.

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Plant Cell Biology: A Practical Approach (Practical Approach Series)
Chris (Editor) Hawes
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OL4BDC

Book Description

Supersymmetry: Basics and Concepts provides an overall survey of supersymmetry from a unified and up-to-date viewpoint. The author's approach reflects the free logic that characterizes present day research rather than fact-bound induction. Main topics include: simple systems with supersymmetry taken from particle mechanics, the classical limit of supersymmetric quantum mechanics, the double cover of the Lorentz group and other group theoretical matters, and a representative sample process involving supersymmetric lepton-photon interactions.

Book Description

In 1879, the North West Frontier, India’s border with Afghanistan, provides the greatest opportunity for action and advancement for any officer in the British army. But it also guarantees the most risk. The Pathan warriors of the Afghan hills—notorious for their ferocity and cruelty—are a constant threat to the Queen’s men. But what worries the army most is the rumor that the tribes are planning an uprising. Captain Simon Fonthill is ready for a new challenge. Having cut his teeth in battle in the Zulu War, he accepts the hazardous mission of riding into the hills and passing vital intelligence back to camp. Accompanied only by his unconventional servant, "352" Jenkins, and an eccentric but fearless Sikh translator, Fonthill steels himself for what is surely the most dangerous posting of his career.

Customer Reviews:

A good old-fashioned ripsnorter of a tale........2007-08-23

It seems to me that today's historical fiction is geared more to the feminine reader or to those who enjoy reading historical mysteries. I'm not knocking either of those kinds of stories, but I much prefer the kinds of books full of action, with engaging characters who must inevitably struggle as two different cultures collide. It seems more real, more true to what things were like in that time. This book does just that. It has the sights and sounds and sensibilities of England and Afghanistan in the 1880's. It has a sincere hero who actually gets hurt and suffers and still perseveres. It has a terrific sidekick. Their are genunine moments of humor in their banter. And, as I said, it has lots of action - plausible, cinematic action. By plausible I mean our hero, Simon Fonthill and his acquaintances, make mistakes, act irrationally, while at other times they emerge heroic and resourceful. In other words, they are human and not cardboard superheroes.

They sound real, too. Wilcox did a good job with his dialogue. Each character has his/her distinct method of phrasing, while the narration, without resorting to Victorian excesses, seems authentic to the time period.

Finally, Wilcox raises a number of themes that are really quite modern. Themes on feminism, racism and tolerance, the xenophobia and cruelty within every culture, and, whether intended or not, some interesting parallels between what happened in Afghanistan in 1880 and what is happening there now.

All in all, I loved this book. Since it my first by Wilcox, I intend to read the other Simon Fonthill adventures. He's converted me, by Jove.

On the Road to Kandahar: Travels Through Conflict in the Islamic World

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Burke's Travelogue
Any collection serious about Middle East issues needs ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR.
Part Travel Book, Part Intellectual Travels, 100% Well-Written

On the Road to Kandahar: Travels Through Conflict in the Islamic World
Jason Burke
Manufacturer: Thomas Dunne Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Journalists | Professionals & Academics | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | Islam | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0312366221
Release Date: 2007-05-01

Book Description

A daring reporter’s quest through the “living history” of Islam amid the War on Terrorism.

In 1991, a British university student spent his summer break fighting alongside Kurdish guerrillas in northern Iraq. Now a prize-winning reporter and author of a book on al Qaeda, Jason Burke travels from the Sahara to the Himalayas and meets with refugees, mujahideen, and government ministers in a probing search to understand Islam, and Islamic radicalism, in the context of the “War on Terrorism.” Praised by London’s Daily Mail as “intensely personal and accessible,” this is the gripping story of a search for answers to some of the most urgent questions of our time: What drives Islamic fundamentalism, and how should the West respond? Are we so fundamentally different that we can’t coexist? Although much of his book concerns war and violence, Burke reaches the optimistic conclusion that extremist violence alienates its populations and so is doomed fail and wither away.

Customer Reviews:

Burke's Travelogue.......2007-09-28

I specifically picked this book up, after reading Jason Burke's "Al-Qaeda: Casting a Shadow of Terror", the most factual book on the events surrounding 9/11 I've ever so far. So, I had high expectations and was hopeful for further updates from his previous 2004 publication.

As other reviewers have noted, this book is more a travelogue and personal memoir of Jason's travels around the world, then analysis on the Middle East. Admittedly, I'm impressed with what he has slept on, ate, smelt, seen, and knows. But, there was nothing ground breaking here. If you're looking for a fun(relatively speaking) walk through the Middle East since 1990, then this book may entertain you.

I have to say, one turn off to the book, is the sense of condescension Mr.Burke seems to have with Islam. Compassion yes, but condescension as well. It shows up in all of his interviews and conversations throughout the book. It left a bad taste in my mouth.

A much better travelogue through Afghanistan (albeit, without the political analysis), is Jason Elliot's "An Unexpected Light".

Any collection serious about Middle East issues needs ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR........2007-08-09

ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR: TRAVELS THROUGH CONFLICT IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD could have been featured in our Travel Shelf section - but it's so much more, and shouldn't be limited to a leisure travel-reading audience alone. Jason Burke spent a decade among Muslim people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Thailand and other areas: his guide explores their culture and concerns, blending first-person experiences and encounters with interviews with a wide range of people, from Taliban officials and a former torturer for Husseun's intelligence service to a suicide bomber and an American sniper in Iraq. It's these varied encounters from different cultures in the area which offer eye-opening insights and cultural revelations not to be missed. Any collection serious about Middle East issues needs ON THE ROAD TO KANDAHAR.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Part Travel Book, Part Intellectual Travels, 100% Well-Written.......2007-07-25

This is an excellent and informative book that's also a joy to read. Burke reports for Britain's "Observer" and he spent a decade covering stories in places such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Algeria, and Turkey. He often found himself in the middle of complex acts of violence, and this book is part travel memoir and part intellectual memoir as he struggles to understand what it all means.

I look for a few specific things in a good piece of travel writing. First, it needs to be well written, and Burke crafts strong, clear, concise, fast-flowing writing. He writes like a journalist, which means he trades flowery metaphors for sharp, direct statements. His descriptions of characters and places capture both the details and the mood, which ends up being vital to the points he wants to make. I also want a writer with insight. The author certainly needs to show insight into the cultures he encounters, but if self-exploration is also a goal, he or she also needs to show personal insight. Without insight I'd rather read a Lonely Planet guidebook. I liked Burke's approach. He is honest about his knowledge of other cultures, and he admits what he thinks while also staying aware of his lack of understanding. He describes violent acts and acknowledges that the deeper conflicts often prove to be too old and twisted for him to fully grasp. As for personal insight, Burke goes looking for that only in order to understand the conflicts he experiences. He might explore his own reactions under enemy fire, but it's only to better understand the nature of violence. This isn't a work of "spiritual travel" or a man's search for meaning, but it recognizes that any questions about the nature of violence require an understanding of your own nature. Finally, I have to like the author. Reading a travel book is like sharing a journey, and Burke seems like a cool guy--impressed with his travels without becoming arrogant, tough without going macho on the reader, and knowledgeable without needing to be an expert. He never once annoyed me, which is a bit of a rarity in travel writing (and in real travel).

As for the ideas in "On the Road to Kandahar," I think it's fair to say that Burke ends up with more questions than answers. More accurately, he ends up with the same deep questions and only some preliminary answers, but he also learns how complex and troubling the original questions were. He wants to understand what motivates violence in the parts of the Islamic world he has visited, and what the end result of it all will be. The travel writing helps collect information for the first question. He talks to would-be suicide bombers, Kurdish resistance fighters, and Taliban sympathizers--many of them unlikable and unsavory characters--and tries to get at their motivations. He tries to piece it all together into a coherent understanding. He brings up the stress of change, and how the clash with modernity causes conflict in previously peaceful cultures. He discusses al-Qaeda's philosophies and how satellite television and the internet have allowed these philosophies to modify the grievances of local cultures. He explores how cultures react after they accept violence as an answer, and after they see the results of that violence on other cultures and on their own culture. He realizes that 99% of the world simply wants to get by and live life--to raise children and enjoy friendships and have enough to eat and drink each day.

And, finally, he sort-of comes to an optimistic conclusion--that cultures end up turning against violence. He sees much of the conflict in the Islamic world as a short-term answer (even if "short-term" means one hundred years), a trial attempt to solve problems with suicide bombers and violent revolution, and sees it all fading away once the cultures turn against it. I say "sort-of" because Burke is far from convinced, especially after experiencing the closeness of the London bombings. In the end, it's the best answer he has right now. And, in the end, it's this combination of intellectual honesty and optimism--and its telling in an exciting and engaging way--that helps make this such an outstanding book.

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Road to Kandahar (SIGNED)
John Wilcox
Manufacturer: Headline
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GTSX2C

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Road to Kandahar
John Wilcox
Manufacturer: HEADLINE (HODD)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K1YVCW

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