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Telling Lives: From W.B. Yeats to Bruce Chatwin
Manufacturer: Papermac
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ASIN: 0333765524 |
Customer Reviews:
Great skater, average biography.......2004-05-16
Tara Lipinski is a wonderful skater, but this biography does not begin to do her justice. It is filled with errors that could have been easily corrected by either having an editor who knows something about skating or watching a videotape of the performances in question. Even the photos are nothing special. For a better book about Tara's career, try her autobiography, Triumph on Ice. Skip this one.
Feels Like You're There.......2003-04-16
On the Ice with Tara Lipinski is a great book. The author is Matt Christopher. He is a great writer. When I read this book I felt like I was there watching Tara skate on the ice. It was a great book and still is. So, whoever is looking for a sports book, this is the one for you to read!
A great book!.......2002-10-14
When tara was two she saw her first olympics on tv but at the age of four she being to take tiny tot roller skating lessons. Tara was very good also at roller hockey . When tara was six she being ice skating and tara loved it. Tara also stayed with roller skating but soon had to quit and her family moved to texes where they gave her a pony named Moonray . Tara loved her pony and rode him but he cost to much and her parents soon gave him up. When Tara was eleven she started going to competitons and won a lot she beated stars like Michelle Kwan. And in 1998 in winter Tara, fifteen, won the gold medal at the Olympics . Taras brilliant smile was always lighting up the ice rink.
Tara Fans.......2000-04-03
To all Tara Fans: This is a great book. It has much information that may have remained unknown, a timeline is included as are pictures. A great biography:)
Book Description
The world title...the U.S. national title...the Olympic Gold Medal...Tara Lipinski took the skating world by storm when she captured the gold at both prestigious championships at age 14. Now Tara reigns as today's youngest and most spectacular figure skating champion. Her dazzling triple loop-triple loop combination--the first ever performed by a woman or a man in competition--has become her trademark jump. And Tara's artistry and exuberance always shine through. At every performance, the crowd goes wild! Overnight, Tara Lipinski has become the adored star of figure skating.
In her autobiography, Triumph On Ice, Tara talks about her love of skating; the hours of practice, her friend Todd Eldredge and their coach Richard Callaghan; her family; and her many accomplishments outside the skating world. Tara Lipinski's enormous talent and golden triumphs have propelled her to figure skating's premier spot. As the song she uses in her favorite exhibition routine says, she's "walking on sunshine."
Customer Reviews:
The only thing I learned is how conceited she is.......2005-07-30
Large print, pictures, small vocabulary, Even though it's written by a 14 year old, but still should be much better than this. This book has showed me what's the real Tara Lipinski behind the fame.
Here're some quotes directly from the book:
"The audience applauded as I finished my program.
I felt like applauding too! After my terrible short program the year before at the Worlds, I ended up taking first.
Michelle also skated well. But she stumbledd comping out of the triple lutz in her combination. She came in fourth.
Irina Slutskaya was sixth."
What's the point of telling how the Michelle messed up? and Irina?
"No, it seemed as if the crowd was reacting to Michelle's scores, which had just come up. I looked at them too. They weren't great, and I was a little confused. (Later I found out that Michelle had fallen three times during her program. She'd had a bad day.)"
Ok maybe you want to tell us how Michelle didn't skated well, maybe how she fell... but we don't need to know how many times she fell! And adding "She'd had a bad day." at the end? We know you just want to say she sucks.
Tara keeps telling who came in after her at the competitions she won. I've never been a big fan of Tara Lipinski, and after reading this book, I will never be.
Tara Lipinski Triumph on Ice........2004-03-02
Tara Lipinski's autobiography is about her life and how she became a star. She was born on June 1o,1982. She became a champion when she started taking roller blading lessons. Then a friend came to talk to her mom, about trying ice skating. When Tara tried ice skating, she loved it. But then her dad got a new job in Texas, so they had to move. But her mom and Tara moved back to Delaware. Soon Tara got a new ice-skating coach, Richard Callaghan. Her mom and Tara had to move again to Michigan. In 1996 Nicole Bobek, an ice skater, drop out of the USA Figure Championships because of an injury. Tara won 3rd at the championship. Soon after Tara became the first skater to land the triple loop- triple loop combination. In 1997 at the age of 14, she became the youngest figure to win the World Championships.
Tara Lipinski taght me that if you do not give up on your dreams, they will come true.
Outstading!.......2002-01-20
OUTstanding! This book is great! It made me belive that I could be a figure Skater I just love this book. I would to anything to meet Tara.
TaRa TeLLS iT LIkE iT iS!.......2001-09-20
I bought this book cuz of tara and TARA IS SO OPEN IN THIS BOOK! Its incredible for young skaters. A tRuE iNsPiRaTiOn!
hjgfffffffffff.......2001-07-18
this was a great book for tara lipinski fans. Yeah Baby!
Average customer rating:
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Tara Lipinksi:Queen Of The Ice
Bill Gutman
Manufacturer: Millbrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0761312870 |
Average customer rating:
- I'm an ice skater and I am really inspired by the book.
- Great book! About 2 of the best skaters ever!
- Shows rewards when one overcomes challenges.
- AWESOME
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Tara and Michelle: The Road to Gold
Wendy Daly
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0679889302
Release Date: 1997-09-23 |
Book Description
Just in time for the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, here is a double biography of the two young women at the center of the hottest rivalry to shake the ice-skating world since Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. It all began last year when 14-year-old Tara Lipinski unseated then-champion Michelle Kwan, first at the U.S. Championships and then, a month later, at the World Championships. With eight pages of full-color photographs, this timely, behind-the-scenes book highlights both girls' hard work, fierce dedication, and good sportsmanship as it sets the scene for the battle for the gold medal in Nagano--and in the hearts and minds of readers around the world.
Customer Reviews:
I'm an ice skater and I am really inspired by the book........1998-04-13
I ice skate too. I have been ice skating since I was 8 or 9 years old, and believe me I know what it feels like to be at the rink 4 days a week!! This book has really inspired me to keep up my goals for ice skating.
Great book! About 2 of the best skaters ever!.......1998-03-17
I am a normal 12 year old girl,so I think that this is a great book that shows what the the life of a young famous skater is really like.
Shows rewards when one overcomes challenges........1997-12-24
If you ever think about giving up before you achieve your goal, then you should read this because this book shows value of keeping at it, despite many hardships and difficulties one encounters. Both of these young girls can be real inspirations for others, and not necessarily girls. Do read this book!
AWESOME.......1997-10-18
The book was very good. I am a girl the age of 12, and I have a normal life. This book showed me what the life of a skater is like. Different! Every girl my age should read this book beofre the winter olympics to see what Tara and Michelle went through. Write a review telling me what you think!
Book Description
At the age of 14, Tara Lipinski became the youngest figure skater to win the World Championship title. Tara's own words, accompanied by thoughts from her parents, coach, choreographer, and others close to her, turn this stunning pictorial into a colorful, remarkably candid visual journey of a skating phenomenon and her Olympic experience
Customer Reviews:
Snooze-a-thon with a hint of self-glorifying........2003-04-20
How concieted can you get? This book does nothing but glorify it's subject and belittle her competitors. To add, the writing in this book is minimal. It's more of a picture book for the elementary school student as it has little literary value. If you want a book on figure skating, buy Culture on Ice instead.
A picture book.......2003-03-10
This book is 145 pages long, and nearly every single one of those pages is a picture. Some of the pictures have words written on them, but this is a picture book. Don't get me wrong though, these pictures do a good job of showing Tara's preparation for the 1998 games, and her experiences while she was there. You get a good look inside her training, and her mind set entering the games.
So, if you want to see a LOT of pictures of tara, and get a somewhat limited idea of her life, buy this book, but if you're looking for an autobiography...this isn't one.
Tara-Ice Princess.......2001-10-21
I think this is a great book! They could of put a little more writing in. But then again it was great the way it is! Tara is a wonderful skater and it is cool to see pictures of her on her way to reaching her goal! I love this book!
Totally Tara? Indeed!.......2001-09-23
Why is figure skating my favorite sport? Actually, there are several reasons. First, it is a truly international sport. Also, it has both athletic and artistic sides to it, and it is performed to a great variety of beautiful music. And most of the female competitors look like fashion models, with glamorous costumes that only heighten the illusion. And then there are the rivalries, which range from friendly (The Battle of the Brians, for instance) to highly acrimonious (Tonya vs. Nancy, "Pasha" vs. Maia), giving the sport its gossipy appeal.
The greatest rivalry of the late 90's, of course, was Tara vs. Michelle, as they battled on almost equal terms for the U.S., World, and ultimaltely the Olympic championships. This seemed to be a classic case of the "athlete" (Tara) versus the "artist" (Michelle) as each had the reputation (and higher scores, overall) in these respective areas (although both were great all-around skaters). The advantage, of course, would go to the "athlete" most of the time, since a fall on a jump is marked down much more severely than, say, an inferior leg position on a layback spin. Also, Tara benefitted from being the "underdog" in most of the big competitions, since there is always more pressure and distractions for the "favorite" to contend with. It also didn't hurt that Tara has the perfect body for figure skating (very short and pencil-thin), which no doubt contributed to her ability to rotate incredibly fast on jumps where she barely seemed to leave the ice. And switching coaches to Richard Callaghan was also a wise move, given his outstanding track record, not to mention having a hard-working and dedicated training partner and "role model" such as Todd Eldredge.
The words that seem to best describe Tara would, I think, be precocious (youngest U.S., World, and Olympic champion), focused (having the ability to "bounce back" after lackluster performances), and gregarious. In other words, when it comes to Tara's skating style and accomplishments, she gets 5 "stars" (as does Michelle Kwan, for that matter), but as far as this book goes, I would only give three. Although the photoghaphy is certainly very nice, there is very little text (116 pages to 26) and it is mostly superficial and, as is typical in a semiautobiographical book, tends to look only at the good side of Tara (for a more "in depth" and not nearly as flattering look at Tara, see Christine Brennan's excellent figure skating "storybooks", Inside Edge and Edge of Glory...
Great book!.......2000-10-24
This book is wonderful if you are a big Tara Lipinski fan. It showed Tara on the ice, at home, and just having fun. I loved every single picture in the book!
Average customer rating:
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Tara Lipinski
Terri Dougherty , and
Denis Dougherty
Manufacturer: Abdo Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1577653440 |
Customer Reviews:
Tara Triumph!.......2000-05-03
This book is very factual and has creative photos. I love how the author covers her experiences in a unique and informative way. This is a great item for a collector!
Average customer rating:
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Tara Lipinski: Superstar Ice-Skater (Great Record Breakers in Sports)
S. Ward , and
Stasia Ward Kehoe
Manufacturer: PowerKids Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0823956342 |
Average customer rating:
- An Ok Skating Book
- Awesome
- Not fiction nor fantasy, but a very helpful book.
- If You Like Both Tara and Michelle....
- A Gold Medal of Excellence for this Work
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Skating for the Gold: Michelle Kwan & Tara Lipinski
Chip Lovitt
Manufacturer: Perfection Learning Prebound
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: 0780781449 |
Customer Reviews:
An Ok Skating Book.......2004-04-20
I liked this book. It's about skating. This book really tells about skating for gold from 12 years old and on. It tells the challenges Michelle and Tara went through. I liked especially how Michelle started and the tricks she pulled on her father. This is a golden book.
Awesome.......2003-05-27
I personally thought this was a great book. It did have a lot of technical things, but there was a glossary as well. It had a lot of narration, but it also had some stuff in the skaters' eyes as well. There was just enough writing, but some pictures as well. There were featured chapters on each skater, but ones with them together. This book is a great buy if you want to find out about a competitive skater's life, or just find out about Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan's lives.
Not fiction nor fantasy, but a very helpful book........2002-03-03
I am a figure skater, I have been for 4 years now, and I am not reading this book, I am studying it. I think there is excellent advice and quotes that help me to realize why I skate, not to win, but have fun. Skating is as much physical as it is mental. I think this book really helps people to see the pressure skaters face before competing and how many people are depending on them to win. This book itself should take home the gold.
If You Like Both Tara and Michelle...........2001-06-18
...as I do, this book would make a fair addition to your skating collection. The book was not bad -- it was an interesting read, but it didn't really tell me much that I didn't already know about both skaters. Tara and Michelle's individual autobiographies give you a far better look into their lives and their emotions throughout the especially eventful 1996-1997 skating season. The photos were good and it was a good overview of both skaters and their careers, but if you want the real story of these skaters as well, you should definitely pick up Triumph on Ice and Heart of a Champion to get the whole story.
A Gold Medal of Excellence for this Work.......2001-01-01
I was quite impressed with the deep metaphor used throughout the novel. The author used the metaphor of the ice skate to symbolize how we must shape the world for the better. Just as the blade of the skates skims across the cold and unaccepting ice of the rink, mankind must skim across the world, leaving a trail of happiness edged by cold hard steel. The zamboni that cleans off the ice, symbolizes negative forces that serves to erase all that we have created. Our dreams of gold and silver as shattered, just like Nancy Kerigan's knee years ago. I love the Olympics and I love how the author integrates these wonderful games into his work. The only problem with this book are the two main characters. The author has gone too far with these characters. They do not seem realistic. Sometimes authors can be too creative, this is apparant in the characters of Tara and Michelle. However, I recommend this book as a guide for everyday life.
Average customer rating:
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Spotlight on Young Phenoms
Manufacturer: Kids Books Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1561566020 |
Book Description
"This book is destined to be a bombshell in the field and perhaps far beyond the field." -Paul Buhle, coauthor of Tender Comrades: A Backstory of the Hollywood Blacklist As World War II wound down in 1945 and the cold war heated up, the skilled trades that made up the Conference of Studio Unions (CSU) began a tumultuous strike at the major Hollywood studios. This turmoil escalated further when the studios retaliated by locking out CSU in 1946. This labor unrest unleashed a fury of Red-baiting that allowed studio moguls to crush the union and seize control of the production process, with far-reaching consequences. This engrossing book probes the motives and actions of all the players to reveal the full story of the CSU strike and the resulting lockout of 1946. Gerald Horne draws extensively on primary materials and oral histories to document how limited a "threat" the Communist party actually posed in Hollywood, even as studio moguls successfully used the Red scare to undermine union clout, prevent film stars from supporting labor, and prove the moguls' own patriotism. Horne also discloses that, unnoticed amid the turmoil, organized crime entrenched itself in management and labor, gaining considerable control over both the "product" and the profits of Hollywood. This research demonstrates that the CSU strike and lockout were a pivotal moment in Hollywood history, with consequences for everything from production values, to the kinds of stories told in films, to permanent shifts in the centers of power.
Customer Reviews:
A Needed Light.......2001-06-24
Reviewer Everitt's remarks capture the book's essential value. Several points however merit emphasis. First, Horne's book brings out the symbiotic relation between the studios' desire for non-independent company unions, on one hand, and organized crime's desire for corrupt unions, on the other. By taking in one another's washing during the tumultuous events of '45 - '47, these two representatives of private capital maintained an alliance that defeated efforts by the Conference of Studio Unions to emerge as an independent union of movie-making employees. Horne the historian is detailed about this sinister and under-reported alliance. Second, by using abundant primary sources, the author debunks the nurtured image of CSU as a communist-led movement, a scare tactic still in its infancy following the anti-fascist WWII and, as the book shows, a tactic used to increasing effect by the corporate-owned press of the day. Belated communist support for CSU strikers was willfully twisted by these flacks into communist domination. Third, the inability of the CSU to cross racial and gender lines of the day is emphasized. This had the unfortunate effect of reducing potential for attracting outside allies, especially among aggrieved African-Americans and women's groups, though it's hardly surprising that prejudices within the union would reflect those of the larger society from which it sprang. It's fascinating to follow this dark underside of the Hollywood dream factory, though I did find time shifts in the narrative confusing at times. Nonetheless, Horne has focused his word-camera on a worthy and neglected real life drama.
Hollywood's buried history.......2001-02-04
Amazingly, this is the first comprehensive work written on a key event in American labor history -- an event that was headline news in the mid 1940's, and that among many other things set the stage for the passage of Taft-Hartley and propelled Ronald Reagan into politics. While countless historians have left no stone unturned in examining the Hollywood Blacklist, the story of the Hollywood studio strikes has long been relegated to footnotes and chapters in more general works. With this work Gerald Horne has shined a relentless light of painstaking scholarship on what may well be the most neglected event in American labor history. The footnotes alone are worth the price of the book and will no doubt entice many readers to follow these myriad paths deeper into the hidden corners of Hollywood history.
This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in Hollywood history, labor history, the Hollywood Blacklist, American radical history, and the history of organized crime in America. It should especially be read by anyone who earns their living as a worker in the film and television industry or is a member of IATSE and wishes to know the true story of their union's dark history.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from Video Age International, published by TV Trade Media, Inc. on November 1, 2001. The length of the article is 839 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: Simply Red. (Book Review).(Class Struggle in Hollywood 1930 - 1950: Moguls, Mobsters, Stars, Reds and Trade Unionists) (book review)
Publication:
Video Age International (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2001
Publisher: TV Trade Media, Inc.
Volume: 21
Issue: 7
Page: 12(1)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
Book Description
The Physics of Superheroesapplies the reality of physics to the fantasy of comic books. James Kakalios explores the scientific plausibility of the powers and feats of the most famous superheroes—and discovers that in many cases the comic writers got their science surprisingly right. Along the way he provides an engaging and witty commentary while introducing the lay reader to both classic and cutting-edge concepts in physics, including:
• What Superman's strength can tell us about the Newtonian physics of force, mass, and acceleration
• How Iceman's and Storm's powers illustrate the principles of thermal dynamics
• The physics behind the death of Spider-Man's girlfriend Gwen Stacy
• Why physics professors gone bad are the most dangerous evil geniuses! BACKCOVER:
Praise for The Physics of Superheroes
“Surprisingly enough, according to Kakalios, comic books get their physics right more often than you'd think.”
—The Boston Globe
“Writing with tongue firmly planted in cheek, Kakalios looks at classic comics with a physicist's eye. . . . Outstanding.”
—The Orlando Sentinel
“Kakalios, a University of Minnesota physicist and unrepentant comics nerd, offers up jovial, largely equation-free deconstructions of Ant-Man's shrinking ability, the centripetal acceleration of Spider-Man's swing, and the strength of his silk web.”
—Discover
“Wildly entertaining, yet scientifically accurate… Comprises a fairly solid introductory education in physics, sweetened with a history lesson in classic comic book superheroes.”
—Metro
“Offers a droll but sincere look at what Superman and Spider-Man can teach about physics. . . . Entertaining. . . . His explanations are lucid and smooth.”
—Science magazine
Download Description
"If superheroes stepped off the comic book page or silver screen and into reality, could they actually work their wonders in a world constrained by the laws of physics? How strong would Superman have to be to ""leap tall buildings in a single bound""? Could Storm of the X-Men possibly control the weather? And how many cheeseburgers would the Flash need to eat to be able to run at supersonic speeds? Face front, True Believer, and wonder no more! Because in The Physics of Superheroes acclaimed university professor James Kakalios shows that comic book heroes and villains get their physics right more often than you think. In this scintillating scientific survey of super powers you'll learn what the physics of forces and motion can reveal about Superman's strength and the true cause of the destruction of his home planet Krypton, what villains Magneto and Electro can teach us about the nature of electricity-and finally get the definitive answer about whether it was the Green Goblin or Spider-Man's webbing that killed the Wall Crawler's girlfriend Gwen Stacy in that fateful plunge from the George Washington Bridge! Along the way, The Physics of Superheroes explores everything from energy, to thermodynamics, to quantum mechanics, to solid state physics, and Kakalios relates the physics in comic books to such real-world applications as automobile airbags, microwave ovens, and transistors. You'll also see how comic books have often been ahead of science in explaining recent topics in quantum mechanics (with Kitty Pryde of the X-Men) and string theory (with the Crisis on Infinite Earths). This is the book you need to read if you ever wondered how the Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four can see when she turns transparent, if the Atom could travel on an electron through a phone line, or if electromagnetic theory can explain how Professor X reads minds. Fun, provocative, and packed with more superheroes and superpowers than an Avengers-Justice League crossover, The Physics of Superheroes will make both comic-book fans and physicists exclaim, ""Excelsior!"""
Customer Reviews:
Physics One O Fun!!!.......2007-09-25
Great book! I really enjoyed it on so many different levels. The Author wrote it like he knew you, liked you and respected your intelligence. He gracefully justified most mainstream hero's super powers, there actual feasibility in accordance with elementary Physics, and taught you all about Physics with you barley knowing it. However I must admit, you'll need either an intense love of Physics or Classical Superheroes, or a moderate interest in both. I had an interest in both. If you really do want to learn Physics though bring a pencil, paper and a good calculator. I did. Now the only thing standing in your way is a few dollars and some cool lessons about super heroes, and the powers they possess. (Evil Laugh) Hahahahahahaha! Enjoy
What a physics textbook should be!.......2007-08-18
This really could be a textbook to teach physics by. It is very well written and flows so smoothly, you won't realize how much you've learned. It covers every aspect of physics starting with simple forces and progressing to Quantum Mechanics all the while using superheroes as examples. I can only imagine that the author must be a great professor. I've been out of college for 15 years and I would go take his class. He finds the right combination of logic, humor, & scientific information to make this a great read. You could even skim over the more technical parts concering equations if you're not into the mathematics and still get a great understanding of the point he is trying to make.
I actually thought this would be more of a compilation of superhero examples from a comicbook point of view. I had envisioned a rough analysis of many superheroes involving each of their attributes & discussing what was & what was not correct about them in the comic book world. The book is actually very different from that focusing on really only a few main figures such as Superman, Spiderman, The Atom, & Ironman. The book is structured more or less as a physics outline as I mentioned above & it works out very well this way. Almost everyone is familiar with Superman & Spiderman in some respects and the beginning of the book focuses primarily on these two figures. By then, if you're still reading, it won't matter if you really know the rest of the superheroes by then anyway. The author provides enough of a storyline background (to satisfy comic book fans) and to tell you everything you need to know concering the physics aspect.
I don't think you really need a background in physics or comicbooks to appreciate this book, maybe at least an interest in one or the other. Either way it is very informative. Being a comic book fan from way back in the seventies it was great to hear some stories and characters mentioned again that I have been away from for a long time. And if you've taken physics classes, many moons ago as I have, you'll be surprised at how well the information is presented. I think the author explains Quantum physics better than anyone I've had teach it to me.
Intro to Physics, comic-book style.......2007-08-12
If you've been waiting to be bitten by a radioactive arachnid, struck by lightning while bathed in strange chemicals or be showered by a heavy dose of cosmic or gamma rays all in hopes of getting some cool superpowers, you're apt to be disappointed. Actually, you're apt to be dead, but even if you somehow survive the experience, it's unlike you'll be climbing walls, lifting cars or running past Mach One anytime soon. Forget the luck that would be required from a biological standpoint: the physics would make these and most other superhero powers impossible (and you're similarly in trouble if supervillainy is your goal).
James Kakalios's The Physics of Superheroes discusses the unlikelihood of various superpowers. He doesn't do so in an effort to debunk comics - in fact it's obvious he is a huge fan of superhero comics - but rather as a starting point to educate readers about physics. As a physics professor, he has seen that in introductory courses, students often relate to the subject more if it he puts in a context they can relate to. One can discuss gravity, for example, while discussing falling balls and the like, but it's more entertaining when Superman is brought into the equation.
And this book is definitely entertaining. Kakalios gives us a nice general overview of the world of physics for the layperson. The laws of motion and thermodynamics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics and other topics are illustrated through specific comic book examples. For example, what would really happen if you could shrink like Ant Man, run like the Flash or manipulate magnetism like Magneto. Sometimes the science is bad, but sometimes the powers are actually plausible if unlikely.
Kakalios's writing style is easygoing and has a healthy dose of humor, often poking fun at various comic cliches as well as the real world of scientists. It's often really funny in addition to being informative. If you know your physics already, you probably won't learn that much here, but you can still have fun with the comic book material. And if you don't know your physics, this is a good way to learn the basics. Either way, this book is worth reading for science and comics fans alike.
If you know your superheroes but not your physics..........2007-05-07
With such an intriguing title (and a recommendation from a tai chi classmate), I had to pick up this book when I saw it in the library. Unfortunately, I'm not really the right audience for it: the ideal reader is familiar with the characters referenced while not knowing the physics, while I know the physics but am wondering who the heck these superheroes are? Okay, Superman and the Flash, fine. But Ant-Man, the Atom, or Iron Man? So I was at a disadvantage.
Given that, I ended up finding the book a bit dry and long-winded, though with some entertaining and enlightening bits, such as the revelation that poor Spiderman killed his girlfriend through a misapplication of Newton's Laws. So if you know the superheroes but not the physics, read someone else's reviews and decide. But if you know the physics already, this probably won't excite you.
Really good!.......2007-03-18
I read this book and found it very interesting and full of scientific easy facts. And above all, they are all connected with the world of comics and cartoons (super-heroes above all) that is a world that I follow since I was about 11 years all.
Now I am a director and write and direct animated cartoon series, I have a background in Physics and for this reason I find this book one of the best I ever read.
Thank you, very nice (and interesting) work!!
Book Description
To Create a New World The Old One Must be Destroyed! Cast as monsters, villains and rogues, the novas of the Teragen are hated by Project Utopia, vilified by the media, and worshipped by misfits, outcasts and rebels everywhere. Led by the powerful and charismatic Divis Mal, the Teragen seek to create a new Eden for the Quantum born. But there can be no salvation without sacrifice. Once the Teragen deals with the fragile and unfit baselines, a bold new civilization of novas will blossom in their place. Aberrant: Teragen contains the history of the movement Utopia loves to hate, and the deviant personalities that drive it. It's also brimming with new powers, including the strange techniques used by Terats to deal with Taint. Are you nova enough for the secrets in this book?
Customer Reviews:
Arachnophilia.......2001-04-06
This book rates very highly on the 'I want to play one scale'. Whereas werewolves are designed as warriors, the werespiders are the regulators, taking on the tasks that the three primal forces of the universe have screwed up at. They serve all three and are dominated by none.
The alien perspective (spiders are a lot further from humans than wolves, reptiles or even sharks) is explored well. Werespiders aren't evil as such, just very detached and callous about others (if it's a choice between sacrificing their best friend or failing in their mission, well, time to look for a new best friend).
Their worldview is also explored with lots of interesting bits and pieces, such as the Ananasi-hunting monster stalking Australia and the dark fate of werespider metis (those with two shapeshifter parents) The retelling of world history is worthy of note, mainly because it's told from the point of view of the werespider goddess, Ananasa, who was actually there to witness it all.
Character templates, and non-player characters are also given (including the builder of the first human city and a collector whose hobby is the corpses of serial killers). Overall, a good, comprehensive book, and well worth a purchase.
An Unbalanced but fun race........2000-10-10
Most people think of the Spiders as working for the Weaver. The truth is they work as all parts of the Triat to correct it. The only confusing thing about them is that their aren't enough rules about how to kill a Spider swarm. This makes them nearly unstoppable and VERY hard to notice when they sneak up behind you. To make things even more unbalanced they can eat a persons brain and take over their body! That really isn't to pretty. All in all this book was well written stressing RPing over Rules.
Do you like Spiders?.......2000-03-31
Talk about aracnia phobia. This book tells you how to build and play a were-spider, now how cool is that! This should put the fear back into you world of darkness games
Book Description
Why we are on the cusp of a new economic era that will make the changes and challenges of the Information Era seem like child’s play
From the bestselling authors of
Blur—a defining book of the Information Age—comes a startling glimpse into the near future and the emerging economy that awaits us. It’s Alive foretells the jolt the world is about to receive as the science of molecular evolution races out of the laboratories and into the business world.
Think back to the early 1970s. Imagine the opportunities for your business, career choice, and investments had you received an advance report on the ways in which computer and information technology would revolutionize the world.
It’s Alive provides that opportunity today: a realistic and persuasive look into the future—the molecular economy—and how it is starting to overtake and reshape the Information Age. Today’s gene mapping and molecular engineering are equivalent to the introduction of transistor radios at the advent of the information economy. Solid-state technology moved from the labs into the business arena, providing in turn the transistor, the microprocessor, and the modem—and the information business. During the next ten years, molecular technology will follow the same pattern, moving from the lab and into the basic operation of the corporation itself.
Chris Meyer and Stan Davis are our guides in understanding this new future. They show that not only biological systems evolve. The rules of evolution help explain the process of change in biology, business, and the economy, thereby providing a management guide to the business world around the corner.
It’s Alive is not science fiction or futurism. It bases its insights and predictions on the impact the molecular economy is already having in such diverse business environments as manufacturing, financial services, and energy. Through in-depth case studies of Capital One Financial, the U.S. Marine Corps, British Petroleum, and the biotech firm Maxygen, Meyer and Davis show how adaptive behavior works in the real world. As the rules of evolution combine with the connected economy, our business world will become unpredictable, volatile, and continually adaptive—in other words, alive.
Also available as an eBook.
Customer Reviews:
Thought Provoking...For a Business Book.......2006-04-29
I enjoyed reading this book. I found "It's Alive" forced me out of my comfort zone from time-to-time. While many of the concepts are abstract, the authors tended to amplify the message making the ideas easier to swallow. Do I think this is where the organizational America is heading? No, but, it will influence the thinking of those who pick up the book and make them stretch a bit more intellectually than if they hadn't.
Abstract, provocative but pragmatic.......2005-09-01
Compared with Davis & Meyer's excellent 1998 work 'Blur', the theme & concept of 'It's Alive' is much more abstract & provocative. 'The coming convergence of information, biology, & business' sounds like another 'management fad'; but as I enjoy 'Blur' very much, I gave the book a try & realized that my initial impression was wrong. Davis & Meyer managed to vividly elaborate their theme, with real-world examples & coherent arguments. I find their work to be highly pragmatic in guiding visionary leaders to shape their organization into an adaptable one.
I'm ready for the Molecular Age.......2005-02-06
Meyer and Davis say the way to succeed is to avoid planning (p.36), make lots of mistakes (p.149) and have as much sex as possible (p.81).
Information is a Growing Organism.......2004-12-24
"Library is a growing organism, said a Guru of information age, Dr. S R Ranganathan in his five laws of library science in 1930s. If library manifests the information content, and infromation, in turn, then simply manifests ideas, practices and thought.
The subtitle of the book is (The Coming Convergence of Information, Biology, and Business), then, not making any news in 2003. It is an age old fact, and those who forget history will be forced to repeat it.
Old wine in a new bottle? May be? Or is it a good way to constantly remind that the wolf is coming....
The book has a real value in its main title, and that's the value of information--not just in convergence that has suddenly manifested in New terminology or newer catchy phrases.
This book is, nevertheless, handy and telling precisely that informational value is just obvious, DONOT ignore it, nor dismiss it as trivia. Information has here a vocal and visual representation in scientific and technological domains.
The prediction of the book is straight forward: "During the next ten years, molecular technology will follow the same pattern, moving from the lab and into the basic operation of the corporation itself... The rules of evolution help explain the process of change in biology, business, and the economy, thereby providing a management guide to the business world around thecorner."
Packed with Knowledge!.......2004-03-01
Running a business these days feels like going on a blind date with the future. Most efforts to understand what lies ahead take on a rather breathless quality, lapsing into technobabble as they struggle to avoid the future's central truth: unknowability is its essence. Marshall McLuhan once observed that anticipating the future is like steering an automobile by looking into your rearview mirror. Yes, seeing where you've been does give you some idea of where you're going...but not much. That said, We strongly recommends this look into the crystal ball of technology. It's a clear improvement over most works of the future-shock genre. Soundly rooted in practical business applications, and presenting surprising examples and possibilities without resorting to mind-numbing jargon, this book will prove very useful to anyone savvy enough to realize that just improving your business is no longer enough.
Book Description
This digital document is an article from The Futurist, published by World Future Society on January 1, 2004. The length of the article is 1246 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.
Citation Details
Title: The coming of a Molecular Economy: the convergence of nanotech, biotech, and accelerated computing will bring on a new Molecular Economy, write the authors of It's Alive.(Book Review)
Author: Lane Jennings
Publication:
The Futurist (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 1, 2004
Publisher: World Future Society
Volume: 38
Issue: 1
Page: 55(2)
Article Type: Book Review
Distributed by Thomson Gale
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