Engineering Books

Molecular Biology of the Cell

Bruce Alberts, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 62 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

For nearly a quarter century Molecular Biology of the Cell has been the leading cell biology textbook. This tradition continues with the new Fifth Edition, which has been completely revised and updated to describe our current, rapidly advancing understanding of cell biology. To list but a few examples, a large amount of new material is presented on epigenetics; stem cells; RNAi; comparative genomics; the latest cancer therapies; apoptosis (now its own separate chapter); and cell cycle control and the mechanics of M phase (now integrated into one chapter). The hallmark features of Molecular Biology of the Cell have been retained, such as its consistent and comprehensive art program, clear concept headings, and succinct section summaries. Additionally, in response to extensive feedback from readers, the Fifth Edition now includes several new features. It is now more portable. Chapters 1-20 are printed and Chapters 21-25, covering multicellular systems, are provided as pdf files on the free Media DVD-ROM which accompanies the book.* And for the first time, Molecular Biology of the Cell now contains end-of-chapter questions. These problems, written by John Wilson and Tim Hunt, emphasize a quantitative approach and the art of reasoning from experiments, and -they will help students review and extend their knowledge derived from reading the textbook. The Media DVD-ROM, which is packaged with every copy of the book, contains PowerPoint® presentations with all of the figures, tables and micrographs from the text (available as JPEGs too). Also included is the Media Player, which plays over 125 movies—animations, videos, and molecular models—all with voiceover narration. A new reader-friendly feature is the integration of media codes throughout the text that link directly to relevant videos and animations. The Media DVD-ROM holds the multicellular systems chapters (21-25) of the text as well. By skillfully extracting the fundamental concepts from this enormous and ever-growing field, the authors tell the story of cell biology, and thereby create a coherent framework through which readers may approach and enjoy this subject that is so central to all of biology. * There is also a reference edition of Molecular Biology of the Cell, Fifth Edition (ISBN 978-0-8153-4111-6) that contains Chapters 1-25 entirely in printed format.

The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement

Eliyahu M. Goldratt, Jeff Cox

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: North River Press Amazon Marketplace: 147 new & used starting at $13.43

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Subjects -> Business & Investing -> Management & Leadership -> Production & Operations

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 299 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Goal Achieved! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Stories are one of the best ways to teach. Eliyahu Goldratt is a master at weaving a tale to teach a crucial concept in manufacturing.

The Goal is the story of locating bottlenecks and streamlining a manufacturing line. The story is full of twists and turns, a super consultant named Jonah who speaks in riddles and a cast of believable characters. To make the story even more believable it is spiced with real life problems at home that our hero Alex must solve simultaneously while he is desperately trying to save the plant he is responsible for from closing down.

Goldratt is on a mission to take manufacturing form an art to a science and this is his way of doing just that. The book is well worth the time for anyone interested in using critical thinking and common sense to solve manufacturing problems. Highly recommended!

The Re-Discovery of Common Sense: A Guide to: The Lost Art of Critical Thinking

Editorial Review:

Over 2 million copies sold! Used by thousands of companies and hundreds of business schools! Required reading for anyone interested in the Theory of Constraints. This book, which introduces the Theory of Constraints, is changing how America does business. The Goal is a gripping, fast-paced business novel about overcoming the barriers to making money. You will learn the fundamentals of identifying and solving the problems created by constraints. From the moment you finish the book you will be able to start successfully addressing chronic productivity and quality problems.

Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions

Dan Ariely

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 135 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Figure Out People By Identifying Patterns 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

In writing and speaking on the subject of human behavior, I often remind people the secret to dealing with a person's explosive anger. Although the anger may be unexplainable, the explosions are quite predictable.

Such is the framework of a relatively new discipline called behavioral economics, which is featured in Dan Ariely's book, "Predictably Irrational-The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions." Where standard economics presumes humans to be rational beings, Dan Ariely and the theory of behavioral economics portend we are not only fundamentally irrational, but that we make the same mistakes over and over.

Ariely has plenty of fascinating research to back up his claims, including information on procrastination, a suggestive language technique called priming, a marketing technique referred to as "decoy pricing" and why, as a society, we steal from our own employers.

Stealing is a crime, so it's especially intriguing to learn that it's easier for most people to justify stealing when the pilfered item is one step removed from cash such as supplies.

Employee-related theft and fraud in the workplace costs American businesses around $600 billion annually. By comparison, all robberies, burglaries, larceny and auto theft cost about $16 billion in 2004.

There's a name for what people do when they buy clothes, wear them and then return the garments for a refund. It's a type of stealing called "wardrobing" and it costs retailers $16 billion per year.

This information has far-reaching consequences. The author is convinced that our irrational consumer spending habits can errantly convince someone that he is affluent.

Noting that Americans regard uniqueness as a positive character trait, Ariely notes that people with a need for uniqueness are sometimes willing to sacrifice personal utility for "reputational" utility.

One might think the concept of predictable irrationality to be rather depressing, but the author offers many suggestions for improving our situation, including self-control credit cards and a program called, "save more tomorrow," that allows employees to save a percentage of future salary raises.

It seems as though Ariely performs the bulk of his research on college students, who one might argue are even more irrational and less predictable than the rest of us.

"Predictably Irrational" is read by the Simon Jones in his great British accent. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Marketers, business owners and anyone who examines human behavior will find this book a very worthwhile read. -Michael Angelo Caruso, www.EdisonHouse.com.

Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition

Bruce Alberts, Dennis Bray, Karen Hopkin, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter Walter

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very good book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It's kind of hard to judge a textbook, especially when you're a student. But i can honestly say that this book is very straight forward. The diagrams are great, and especially if you read the diagrams as you're reading the book, they add a lot of depth and diversity to the reading. The text itself is not mundane...you won't fall asleep reading it. The CD it comes with is nice....but i tend not to use it that much...all it is, is just video clips. Overall i'd say this is one of the best, if not THE best, biology book i've used.

HOWEVER! Remember that this IS a bio book and it DOES get a little tedious at points

Editorial Review:

Essential Cell Biology, Second Edition contains basic, core knowledge about how cells work. It has a proven track record in providing students with a conceptual and accessible grounding in cell biology. The text and figures have been prepared to be easy-to-follow, accurate, clear and engaging for the introductory student. Each section follows logically from the previous one, telling a story, rather than being a collection of facts. Questions integrated throughout each chapter encourage the reader to pause, think about what they have read, and attempt to apply the new knowledge in ways that test their understanding. Based on user feedback, the Second Edition now offers increased coverage of genetics and more experimental background. It is completely up-to-date.

Building Construction Illustrated

Francis D. K. Ching

Amazon Price: $29.97 List Price: $49.95 Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 44 new & used starting at $27.08

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Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Architecture -> Building Types & Styles -> General

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Total reviews: 65 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The classic visual guide to the basics of building construction, now with the most current information

For nearly three decades, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the principles of building construction. This new edition of the revered classic remains as relevant as ever-providing the latest information in Francis D.K. Ching's signature style. Its rich and comprehensive approach clearly presents all of the basic concepts underlying building construction and equips readers with useful guidelines for approaching virtually any new materials or techniques they may encounter.

Laying out the material and structural choices available, it provides a full under-standing of how these choices affect a building's form and dimensions. Complete with more than 1,000 illustrations, the book moves through each of the key stages of the design process, from site selection to building components, mechanical systems, and finishes.
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Illustrated throughout with clear and accurate drawings that present the state of the art in construction processes and materials
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Updated and revised to include the latest knowledge on sustainability, incorporation of building systems, and use of new materials
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Archetypal drawings offer clear inspiration for designers and drafters
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Reflects the most current building codes and CSI Master Format numbering scheme

With its comprehensive and lucid presentation of everything from foundations and floor systems to finish work, Building Construction Illustrated, Fourth Edition equips students and professionals in all areas of architecture and construction with useful guidelines for approaching virtually any new materials or techniques they may encounter in building planning, design, and construction.

Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things

William McDonough, Michael Braungart

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Total reviews: 145 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Paper or plastic? Neither, say William McDonough and Michael Braungart. Why settle for the least harmful alternative when we could have something that is better--say, edible grocery bags! In Cradle to Cradle, the authors present a manifesto calling for a new industrial revolution, one that would render both traditional manufacturing and traditional environmentalism obsolete. Recycling, for instance, is actually "downcycling," creating hybrids of biological and technical "nutrients" which are then unrecoverable and unusable. The authors, an architect and a chemist, want to eliminate the concept of waste altogether, while preserving commerce and allowing for human nature. They offer several compelling examples of corporations that are not just doing less harm--they're actually doing some good for the environment and their neighborhoods, and making more money in the process. Cradle to Cradle is a refreshing change from the intractable environmental conflicts that dominate headlines. It's a handbook for 21st-century innovation and should be required reading for business hotshots and environmental activists. --Therese Littleton

iPhone: The Missing Manual: Covers the iPhone 3G (Missing Manual)

David Pogue

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Total reviews: 77 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Written by New York Times columnist and Missing Manual series creator David Pogue, this first-to-market update shows readers and tire kickers everything they need to know to get the most out of their new Apple iPhone. As beautiful as the product it covers, this full-color book helps readers accomplish everything from Web browsing to watching videos.

Author David Pogue's iPhone 2E Tips
The beauty of the new iPhone 3G is that you don't need one. Almost all of the juicy stuff actually comes with the iPhone 2.0 software and the online App Store, both of which run perfectly well on the old iPhone as well. That, incidentally, is also the beauty of iPhone: The Missing Manual, 2nd Edition. It covers both the old and the new iPhones, because it covers the 2.0 software, the iPhone App Store, and so on. Here are a few of my favorite tips from the book:

1) At the top of the screen, little icons indicate how you're connected to the Internet: an E for the vast but dog-slow AT&T Edge network, a 3G icon if you're on the faster but limited-area AT&T third-generation network, and radiating signal bars if you're on Wi-Fi. The tip here: The two cellular icons (E and 3G) disappear whenever you're on Wi-Fi. That's not a mistake. The iPhone assumes that Wi-Fi is faster and better than any cellular network, and if you're on it, you don't care about E or 3G (and it's right).

2) Unfortunately, 3G is a battery hog. If you don't see a 3G icon on your iPhone 3G's status bar, then you're not in a 3G hot spot, and you're not getting any benefit from the phone's 3G radio. By turning it off, you'll double the length of your iPhone 3G's battery power, from 5 hours of talk time to 10. To do so, from the Home screen, tap Settings->General->Network-> Enable 3G Off. Yes, this is sort of a hassle, but if you're anticipating a long day and you can't risk the battery dying halfway through, it might be worth doing. After all, most 3G phones don't even let you turn off their 3G circuitry.

3) More ways to save power: turn off more features. In Settings, you can turn off Bluetooth; Wi-Fi; GPS; "push" data; and the cellphone radio. Each saves you another bit of power.

4) When typing on the on-screen keyboard, you can save time by deliberately leaving out the apostrophe in contractions like I'm, don't, can't, and so on. Type im, dont, cant, and so on. The iPhone proposes I'm, don't, or can't, so you can just tap the Space bar to fix the word and continue.

5) To produce an accented character (like é, ë, è, ê, and so on), keep your finger pressed on that key for 1 second. A palette of accented alternatives appears; slide onto the one you want. (Keys that sprout these alternative versions: E, Y, U, I, O, S, L, Z, C, N, ?, ', ", $, and !.)

6) Even if you've engaged the silencer switch on the side, the iPhone still sounds any alarm you've set. Good to know.

7) You probably already know that you can rearrange your Home screen, and even set up multiple Home screens (up to 9). Just hold your finger down on any one icon until they all begin to wiggle. Now you can drag them to rearrange them (even onto the Dock of four special icons at the bottom), or drag off to the right to create a new Home screen. And what if, in the process of downloading and then deleting new App store programs, you wind up with unsightly gaps on your Home screens? Here's a quick way to consolidate them onto a smaller number of full Home screens, without gaps: tap Settings->General-> Reset->Reset Home Screen Layout. If you'd put 10 programs on each of four Home screens, you wind up with only two screens, each packed with 20 icons. Any leftover blank pages are eliminated.

8) If you come to the iPhone from another, lesser GSM phone, your phone book may be stored on its little SIM card instead of in the phone itself . In that case, you don't have to retype all of those names and numbers to bring them into your iPhone. In Settings->Contacts, the new Import SIM Contacts button can do the job for you. (The results may not be pretty. For example, some phones store all address-book data in CAPITAL LETTERS.)

9) If you've indulged yourself by downloading some goodies from the App Store, then you may find yourself wondering where you're supposed to adjust their preferences. Turns out they often get stashed away in a completely different program—in Settings. That's where Apple encourages software authors to locate their own setting screens. For example, here's where you can edit your screen name and password for the AIM chat program, change how many days' worth of news you want the NY Times Reader to display, and so on.

10) Don't type http://www or .com when entering Web addresses. Safari is smart enough to know that most Web addresses use that format—so you can leave all that stuff out, and it will supply them automatically. Instead of http://www.cnn.com, for example, just type cnn and hit Go.

11) Don't type .net, .org, or .edu, either. Safari's secret pop-up menu of canned URL choices can save you four keyboard-taps apiece. To see it, hold your finger down on the .com button. Then tap the common suffix you want.

12) The iPhone can now geotag the photos you take with it. Geotagging means, "embedding your latitude and longitude information into a photo when you take it." After all, every digital picture you've ever taken comes with its time and date invisibly embedded in its file; why not its location? So the good news is that the iPhone can geotag every photo you take. How you get to see this information, is a bit trickier. Once the photos are synced to your computer, you can view the geotag information in iPhoto (the Get Info command reveals latitude and longitude), Preview (the Inspector window shows a map), Picasa (use the Tools->Geotag menu to see the photo's location in Google Earth). Unfortunately, the iPhone strips away the geotags whenever you send a photo by e-mail. That's a good argument for using the free downloadable program AirMe instead of the iPhone's built-in camera program. It avoids that geotag-stripping problem and many others.

Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction

William D., Jr. Callister

Amazon Price: $162.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 111 new & used starting at $69.41

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Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Good book, though much overpriced 4 out of 5 stars.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful.

The quality of Callister's educational approach on basic Materials Science is out of question. His long time experience in the area is reflected by the success of the prior editions of this book. As Materials Science evolves quite fast -almost day by day- textbooks need to adapt. In this respect, Callister has demonstrated to be on top of the wake always.

My concerns arise when I compare this edition with the prior one and find very few enhancements in terms of the text itself. The only noticeable aspect in the printed edition is the use of more colors in the graphs. The publisher (Wiley) tries to justify the steep price of this book by placing online additional perks for educators and students. Honestly, although I may sound "old-schoolish," I believe that all that is unnecessary and cannot justify overpricing this resource.

As a college professor of a minority school, I do not feel fine by requiring this expensive book to my students. Yes, it can -in time- become a reference for the students; but then, as a reference, the web perks will become unusable since Wiley will keep changing them with newer editions. Most likely, due to its price, most of the students will try to sell their copies. Indeed, they will realize that there are better "reference" texts than this one.

Editorial Review:

Building on the extraordinary success of six best-selling editions, Bill Callister's new Seventh Edition of MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING: AN INTRODUCTION continues to promote student understanding of the three primary types of materials (metals, ceramics, and polymers) and composites, as well as the relationships that exist between the structural elements of materials and their properties.

iPhone 3G Portable Genius

Paul McFedries, David Pabian

Amazon Price: $16.50 List Price: $25.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $13.37

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Total reviews: 9 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

You love your iPhone 3G and you've found out that it's mighty simple to use out-of-the-box, but you might not know that some of its most useful and powerful features are hidden away in obscure parts of the system. You've found out that your iPhone 3G doesn't get in your way when you're trying to be productive or creative, but sometimes it will do something (or force you to do something) that just makes you want to scratch your head in wonderment. You've found out that your iPhone 3G's robust design makes it a reliable device day after day, but even the best-built machines can have problems.

When you come upon the iPhone 3G's dark side, you might consider making an appointment with your local Apple Store's Genius Bar, and more often than not the on-duty genius will give you good advice on how to overcome the iPhone 3G's limitations, work around its annoyances, and fix its failures. The Genius Bar is a great thing, but it isn't exactly a convenient thing. You can't just drop by to get help; you have to make an appointment; you have to drag yourself down to the store, perhaps wait for your genius, get the problem looked at, and then make your way back home; and in some cases you may need to leave your iPhone 3G for a while (No!) to get the problem checked out and hopefully resolved.

What you really need is a version of the Genius Bar that's easier to access, more convenient, and doesn't require tons of time or leaving your iPhone 3G in the hands of a stranger. What you really need is a "portable" genius that enables you to be more productive and solve problems wherever you and your iPhone 3G happen to be.

Welcome, therefore, to iPhone 3G Portable Genius. This book is like a mini Genius Bar all wrapped up in an easy to use, easy to access, and eminently portable format. In this book you learn how to get more out of your iPhone 3G by learning how to access all the really powerful and timesaving features that aren't obvious at a casual glance. In this book you learn how to avoid your iPhone 3G's more annoying character traits and, in those cases where such behavior can't be avoided, you learn how to work around it. In this book you learn how to prevent iPhone 3G problems from occurring, and just in case your preventative measures are for naught, you learn how to fix many common problems yourself.

This book is for iPhone 3G users who know the basics but want to take their iPhone 3G education to a higher level. It's a book for people who want to be more productive, more efficient, more creative, and more self-sufficient (at least as far as the iPhone 3G goes, anyway). It's a book for people who use their iPhone 3G every day, but would like to incorporate it into more of their day to day activities. It's a book we had a blast writing, so we think it's a book you'll enjoy reading.

Look Inside the iPhone 3G Portable Genius (Click on Images to Enlarge)

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FE Review Manual: Rapid Preparation for the General Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (F E Review Manual), 2nd ed.

Michael R. Lindeburg

Amazon Price: $58.30 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Professional Publications, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 39 new & used starting at $58.25

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Total reviews: 92 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The Best-Selling Book for FE Exam Preparation
The FE Review Manual gives you the power to pass the FE exam the first time. Designed to prepare you for the general FE exam in the least amount of time, this review manual provides you with a complete and comprehensive review of the topics covered on the FE exam. Diagnostic exams on 13 separate topics help you identify where you need the most review, and the chapters that follow each exam provide the information you need to get up to speed in those areas. Over 1,200 practice problems give you experience in solving exam-like problems, while you can use the realistic 8-hour practice exam to simulate the actual FE exam.

Everything You Need to Succeed on the FE/EIT Exam Over 1,200 practice problems, with step-by-step solutions 13 diagnostic exams help you to assess your strengths and weaknesses An 8-hour practice exam, with 180 multiple-choice questions SI units throughout, just like the exam 50 short chapters create manageable study blocks NCEES nomenclature and formulas Sample study schedule Exam tips and advice from recent examinees