General & Reference Books

The New Way Things Work

David Macaulay

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( M ) -> Macaulay, David
Subjects -> Children's Books -> Reference & Nonfiction -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 37 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

"Is it a fact--or have I dreamt it--that, by means of electricity, the world of matter has become a great nerve, vibrating thousands of miles in a breathless point of time?" If you, like Nathaniel Hawthorne, are kept up at night wondering about how things work--from electricity to can openers--then you and your favorite kids shouldn't be a moment longer without David Macaulay's The New Way Things Work. The award-winning author-illustrator--a former architect and junior high school teacher--is perfectly poised to be the Great Explainer of the whirrings and whizzings of the world of machines, a talent that landed the 1988 version of The Way Things Work on the New York Times bestsellers list for 50 weeks. Grouping machines together by the principles that govern their actions rather than by their uses, Macaulay helps us understand in a heavily visual, humorous, unerringly precise way what gadgets such as a toilet, a carburetor, and a fire extinguisher have in common.

The New Way Things Work boasts a richly illustrated 80-page section that wrenches us all (including the curious, bumbling wooly mammoth who ambles along with the reader) into the digital age of modems, digital cameras, compact disks, bits, and bytes. Readers can glory in gears in "The Mechanics of Movement," investigate flying in "Harnessing the Elements," demystify the sound of music in "Working with Waves," marvel at magnetism in "Electricity & Automation," and examine e-mail in "The Digital Domain." An illustrated survey of significant inventions closes the book, along with a glossary of technical terms, and an index. What possible link could there be between zippers and plows, dentist drills and windmills? Parking meters and meat grinders, jumbo jets and jackhammers, remote control and rockets, electric guitars and egg beaters? Macaulay demystifies them all. (Click to see a sample spread of this book, illustrations and text copyright 1998 David Macaulay, Neil Ardley, published by Houghton Mifflin Co.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson

The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914

David McCullough

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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> Central America -> Panama
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Subjects -> History -> Americas -> Central America -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 131 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

On December 31, 1999, after nearly a century of rule, the United States officially ceded ownership of the Panama Canal to the nation of Panama. That nation did not exist when, in the mid-19th century, Europeans first began to explore the possibilities of creating a link between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans through the narrow but mountainous isthmus; Panama was then a remote and overlooked part of Colombia.

All that changed, writes David McCullough in his magisterial history of the Canal, in 1848, when prospectors struck gold in California. A wave of fortune seekers descended on Panama from Europe and the eastern United States, seeking quick passage on California-bound ships in the Pacific, and the Panama Railroad, built to serve that traffic, was soon the highest-priced stock listed on the New York Exchange. To build a 51-mile-long ship canal to replace that railroad seemed an easy matter to some investors. But, as McCullough notes, the construction project came to involve the efforts of thousands of workers from many nations over four decades; eventually those workers, laboring in oppressive heat in a vast malarial swamp, removed enough soil and rock to build a pyramid a mile high. In the early years, they toiled under the direction of French entrepreneur Ferdinand de Lesseps, who went bankrupt while pursuing his dream of extending France's empire in the Americas. The United States then entered the picture, with President Theodore Roosevelt orchestrating the purchase of the canal--but not before helping foment a revolution that removed Panama from Colombian rule and placed it squarely in the American camp.

The story of the Panama Canal is complex, full of heroes, villains, and victims. McCullough's long, richly detailed, and eminently literate book pays homage to an immense undertaking. --Gregory McNamee

The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes(Expanded and Revised 5th Edition)

Todd Downs

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Automotive -> Motorcycles -> Repair & Performance
Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Automotive -> Repair -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 61 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This revised, updated, expanded fifth edition is indispensable-with all the latest models, parts, and repair techniques, and terrific money-saving tips to keep any ride in tip-top shape
Since its first publication, Bicycling Magazine's Complete Guide to Bicycle Maintenance and Repair has sold over 400,000 copies. The fifth edition is guaranteed to remain the category killer. This long-overdue update is a must-have for weekend riders and serious cyclists alike.

Whether they own the latest model or a classic with thousands of miles on it, beginners and experienced cyclists alike can depend on this book to get their bikes out of the shop faster and keep them on the road longer. They'll discover information on:
o Building a dream bike workshop
o Disc brakes, both cable-actuated and hydraulic
o Dialing in front and rear suspension shocks for
comfortable rides
o The latest crankset and bottom bracket designs
o Overhauling freewheels and cassettes for peak
performance
o Specs on all the latest handlebar and headset sizes
o Servicing clipless pedals for maximum safety

With troubleshooting sections to quickly identify and correct common problems, 450 photographs and 40 drawings to clarify all the step-by-step directions so even the complete neophyte can get repairs right the first time, and Web sites and phone numbers of bicycle and parts manufacturers, this is truly the ultimate bicycle repair and maintenance manual-now better than ever in its fifth edition!

George's Secret Key to the Universe

Stephen Hawking, Lucy Hawking

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Literature -> Action & Adventure

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 30 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Captivating 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

My 3.5 year old son is completely hooked on this fabulous book! We're plowing through it in just a few nights and he doesn't want it to end. I was floored when after the first night of my husband reading it to him he ran up to me excitedly the next morning and said "Mama, I know how stars are birthed, wanna hear about it?" And proceeded to give me a very sweet and stunningly accurate lecture on the topic!
I wish there were more books like this out there -- smart, not sassy and rude, fun loving, and adventurous!

Editorial Review:

Stephen Hawking, author of the multi-million copy bestselling A Brief History of Time, and his daughter Lucy explain the universe to readers of all ages. George's parents, who have always been wary of technology, warn him about their new neighbors: Eric is a scientist and his daughter, Annie, seems to be following in his footsteps. But when George befriends them and Cosmos, their super-computer, he finds himself on a wildly fun adventure, while learning about physics, time, and the universe. With Cosmos's help, he can travel to other planets and a black hole. But what would happen if the wrong people got their hands on Cosmos? George, Annie, and Eric aren't about to find out, and what ensues is a funny adventure that clearly explains the mysteries of science. Garry Parsons' energetic illustrations add humor and interest, and his scientific drawings add clarity; there are also eight 4-page full-color inserts of scientific photos.

Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature

Janine M. Benyus

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Subjects -> Outdoors & Nature -> Ecology -> General AAS
Subjects -> Outdoors & Nature -> Environment -> Ecology

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 41 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

This profound and accessible book details how science is studying nature's best ideas to solve our toughest 21st–century problems.

If chaos theory transformed our view of the universe, biomimicry is transforming our life on Earth. Biomimicry is innovation inspired by nature – taking advantage of evolution's 3.8 billion years of R\'9126D since the first bacteria. Biomimics study nature's best ideas: photosynthesis, brain power, and shells – and adapt them for human use. They are revolutionising how we invent, compute, heal ourselves, harness energy, repair the environment, and feed the world.

Science writer and lecturer Janine Benyus names and explains this phenomenon. She takes us into the lab and out in the field with cutting–edge researchers as they stir vats of proteins to unleash their computing power; analyse how electrons zipping around a leaf cell convert sunlight into fuel in trillionths of a second; discover miracle drugs by watching what chimps eat when theyᱥ sick; study the hardy prairie as a model for low–maintenance agriculture; and more.

Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives

John Palfrey, Urs Gasser

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Subjects -> Nonfiction -> Social Sciences -> Sociology -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The first generation of “digital natives” – children who were born into and raised in the digital world – are coming of age, and soon our world will be reshaped in their image. Our economy, our cultural life, even the shape of our family life will be forever transformed.

But who are these digital natives? How are they different from older generations – or “digital immigrants” – and what is the world they’re creating going to look like? In Born Digital, leading internet and technology experts John Palfrey and Urs Gasser offer a sociological portrait of this exotic tribe of young people who can seem, even to those merely a generation older, both extraordinarily sophisticated and strangely narrow.

Based on original research, Born Digital explores a broad range of issues, from the highly philosophical to the purely practical: What does identity mean for young people who have dozens of online profiles and avatars? Should we worry about privacy issues – or is privacy even a relevant concern for digital natives? How does the concept of safety translate into an increasingly virtual world? Is “stranger-danger” a real problem, or a red herring? What lies ahead – socially, professionally, and psychologically – for this generation?

A smart, practical guide to a brave new world and its complex inhabitants, Born Digital will be essential reading for parents, teachers, and the myriad of confused adults who want to understand the digital present – and shape the digital future.

Photovoltaics: Design and Installation Manual

Solar Energy International

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 28 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Producing electricity from the sun using photovoltaic (PV) systems has become a major industry worldwide. But designing, installing and maintaining such systems requires knowledge and training, and there have been few easily accessible, comprehensive guides to the subject.

Now, with Photovoltaics: Design and Installation Manual, a world-class solar energy training and education provider-Solar Energy International (SEI)-has made available the critical information to successfully design, install and maintain PV systems. The book contains an overview of photovoltaic electricity and a detailed description of PV system components, including PV modules, batteries, controllers and inverters. It also includes chapters on sizing photovoltaic systems, analyzing sites and installing PV systems, as well as detailed appendices on PV system maintenance, troubleshooting and solar insolation data for over 300 sites around the world. Used worldwide as the textbook in SEI's PV Design & Installation workshops, topics covered include:

The basics of solar electricity
PV applications and system components
Solar site analysis and mounting
Stand-alone and PV/generator hybrid system sizing
Utility-interactive PV systems
Component specification, system costs and economics
Case studies and safety issues

Photovoltaics guarantees that those wanting to learn the skills of tapping the sun's energy can do so with confidence.

Solar Energy International (SEI) has the nonprofit mission to respond to the need for renewable energy education. Based in Carbondale, Colorado, and active around the world, SEI is a link between people and renewable energy resources, providing information, education and training to people who want to shape a sustainable future. SEI is recognized by the National Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as dedicated independent provider of PV training programs that may be used toward attaining PV certification. Also, SEI is recognized as an Accredited Institution to offer PV training by the Institute for Sustainable Power (ISP).

I Want to Be an Astronaut

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( B ) -> Barton, Byron

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 22 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Preschool classic 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

As with all Byron Barton books, "Astronaut" is a preschool classic -- simple pictures, few words. I bought it for my 3-year-old grandson who wants to be an astronaut "because they get to wear helmets with their snowsuits." GrammaVona

Editorial Review:

Blast-off! Up into the shy goes the space shuttle. Into orbit, the astronauts get a taste of ready-to-eat food, experience zero gravity, go for space walks, and even fix a satellite. It's fun to fly aboard the shuttle...and then come back to earth.

`A young girl declares her longing to `fly on the shuttle into outer space.' The familiar acts of eating, sleeping, and working become intense and special as she and the rest of the crew go about their business. The illustrations positively glow in this simple, lyrical picture book that will have nearly everyone off and flying.' —SLJ.

Notable Children's Book of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Fanfare Honor List (The Horn Book)
Best Illustrated Children's Books of 1988 (NYT)
Oustanding Science Trade Books for Children 1988 (NSTA/CBC)

The Hundred Dresses

Eleanor Estes

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Subjects -> Children's Books -> Authors & Illustrators, A-Z -> ( E ) -> Estes, Eleanor

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 102 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Wanda Petronski lives way up in shabby Boggins Heights, and she doesn't have any friends. Every day she wears a faded blue dress, which wouldn't be too much of a problem if she didn't tell her schoolmates that she had a hundred dresses at home--all silk, all colors, and velvet, too. This lie--albeit understandable in light of her dress-obsessed circle--precipitates peals of laughter from her peers, and she never hears the end of it. One day, after Wanda has been absent from school for a few days, the teacher receives a note from Wanda's father, a Polish immigrant: "Dear teacher: My Wanda will not come to your school any more. Jake also. Now we move away to big city. No more holler Polack. No more ask why funny name. Plenty of funny names in the big city. Yours truly, Jan Petronski."

Maddie, a girl who had stood by while Wanda was taunted about her dresses, feels sick inside: "True, she had not enjoyed listening to Peggy ask Wanda how many dresses she had in her closet, but she had said nothing.... She was a coward.... She had helped to make someone so unhappy that she had had to move away from town." Repentant, Maddie and her friend Peggy head up to Boggins Heights to see if the Petronskis are still there. When they discover the house is empty, Maddie despairs: "Nothing would ever seem good to her again, because just when she was about to enjoy something--like going for a hike with Peggy to look for bayberries or sliding down Barley Hill--she'd bump right smack into the thought that she had made Wanda Petronski move away." Ouch. This gentle Newbery Honor Book convincingly captures the deeply felt moral dilemmas of childhood, equally poignant for the teased or the tormentor. Louis Slobodkin, illustrator of the 1944 Caldecott Medalist Many Moons, brings his wispy, evocative, color-washed sketches to Eleanor Estes's time-proven classic about kindness, compassion, and standing up for what's right. (Ages 6 and older) --Karin Snelson

The Anarchist Cookbook

William Powell

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 161 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

An angry kid's blog, circa 1970 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

When I was 16, back in the 1980's, my friend and I bought copies of this book to try and see what kind of explosives we could make. These recipes are dangerous, ineffective, and could potentially burn your house down. Smoking banana peels is not a good idea. Gunpowder is dangerous to home manufacture in any quantity. The recipes only partly work, the booby traps are a farce, and the whole book only makes sense to an immature mind that can picture fighting a guerilla insurgency against invading Soviet scum (moi, circa 1984). Fact of the matter is, children have access to far more dangerous ideas and images on the web than they do out of this book which if serialized and published as a blog, would have gotten the author some mild notoriety but nothing more so than young people airing ridiculous ideas and their body parts on line. As an adult with a child of my own, I can understand the why behind the book, the historical context around it, and the desire by many reviewers, including myself and the author, to just bury the book, but I don't think it needs any more attention than pictures of Barbara Streisand's house, Obama-girl, Britney-Lindsey-Paris, and leaked financial documents from a Swiss bank. Stop looking! Don't stop thinking.