Best Privacy & Surveillance in Society
Longlisted for the National Book Award | New York Times Bestseller A former Wall Street quant sounds an alarm on the mathematical models that pervade modern life and threaten to rip apart our social fabric. Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination: If a poor student can’t get a loan because a lending model deems him too risky (by virtue of his zip code), he’s then cut off from the kind of education that could pull him out of poverty, and a vicious spiral ensues. A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2016. A Boston Globe Best Book of 2016. One of Wired 's Required Reading Picks of 2016. One of Fortune 's Favorite Books of 2016. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016. A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016. A Nature.com Best Book of 2016. An On Point Best Book of 2016 New York Times Editor's Choice. A Maclean 's Bestseller. Winner of the 2016 SLA-NY PrivCo Spotlight Award. “O’Neil’s book offers a frightening look at how algorithms are increasingly regulating people… Her knowledge of the power and risks of mathematical models, coupled with a gift for analogy, makes her one of the most valuable observers of the continuing weaponization of big data… [She] does a masterly job explaining the pervasiveness and risks of the algorithms that regulate our lives.”. — New York Times Book Review. " Weapons of Math Destruction is the Big Data story Silicon Valley proponents won't tell.... [It] pithily exposes flaws in how information is used to assess everything from creditworthiness to policing tactics.... a thought-provoking read for anyone inclined to believe that data doesn't lie.”. — Reuters. “Readable and engaging… succinct and cogent… Weapons of Math Destruction is The Jungle of our age… [It] should be required reading for all data scientists and for any organizational decision-maker convinced that a mathematical model can replace human judgment." “Indispensable… Despite the technical complexity of its subject, Weapons of Math Destruction lucidly guides readers through these complex modeling systems… O’Neil’s book is an excellent primer on the ethical and moral risks of Big Data and an algorithmically dependent world… For those curious about how Big Data can help them and their businesses, or how it has been reshaping the world around them, Weapons of Math Destruction is an essential starting place.”. — National Post. “Cathy O’Neil, a number theorist turned data scientist, delivers a simple but important message: Statistical models are everywhere, and they exert increasing power over many aspects of our daily lives… Weapons of Math Destruction provides a handy map to a few of the many areas of our lives over which invisible algorithms have gained some control. Weapons of Math Destruction should be required reading for anybody whose life will be affected by Big Data, which is to say: required reading for everyone. That’s why the catalogue of case studies in O’Neil’s book are so important; she’s telling us where to look.” —The Guardian “O’Neil is passionate about exposing the harmful effects of Big Data–driven mathematical models (what she calls WMDs), and she’s uniquely qualified for the task… [She] makes a convincing case that many mathematical models today are engineered to benefit the powerful at the expense of the powerless… [and] has written an entertaining and timely book that gives readers the tools to cut through the ideological fog obscuring the dangers of the Big Data revolution.” —In These Times. An unusually lucid and readable look at the daunting algorithms that govern so many aspects of our lives.”. — Kirkus Reviews (starred) “Even as a professional mathematician, I had no idea how insidious Big Data could be until I read Weapons of Math Destruction . O’Neil speaks from a place of authority on the subject… Unlike some other recent books on data collection, hers is not hysterical; she offers more of a chilly wake-up call as she walks readers through the ways the ‘big data’ industry has facilitated social ills such as skyrocketing college tuitions, policing based on racial profiling, and high unemployment rates in vulnerable communities… eerily prescient.”. — Publishers Weekly. — Paris Review “Through harrowing real-world examples and lively story-telling, Weapons of Math Destruction shines invaluable light on the invisible algorithms and complex mathematical models used by government and big business to undermine equality and increase private power. If you don’t want these algorithms to become your masters, read Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil to deconstruct the latest growing tyranny of an arrogant establishment.”. — Ralph Nader , author of Unsafe at Any Speed “In this fascinating account, Cathy O'Neil leverages her expertise in mathematics and her passion for social justice to poke holes in the triumphant narrative of Big Data.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So here you are on Amazon's web page, reading about Cathy O'Neil's new book, Weapons of Math Destruction. If clicks on or sales of related items go down, Amazon will know, and can investigate and adjust the model accordingly. Take a look at Amazon's model above: while there are calculations (simple ones) embedded, it's people who decide what data to use, how to use it, and how to measure success. Math is not a final arbiter, but a tool to express, in a scalable (i.e., computable) way, the values that people explicitly decide to emphasize. She highlights that when we evaluate teachers based on students' test scores, or assess someone's insurability as a driver based on their credit record, we are expressing opinions: that a successful teacher should boost test scores, or that responsible bill-payers are more likely to be responsible drivers. Unable to measure quality directly, the magazine built a model based on proxies, primarily outward markers of success, like selectivity and alumni giving. Predictably, college administrators, eager to boost their ratings, focused on these markers rather than on education quality itself. To take a very simple example, imagine that Cathy is about to publish a sequel to Weapons of Math Destruction. The model is pretty easy to understand and audit, which builds confidence and also decreases the likelihood that it gets used to obfuscate. This makes it easier for wealthier candidates to find jobs than poorer ones, and perpetuates a cycle of inequality. It is short -- you can read it in an afternoon -- and it doesn't have time or space for either detailed data analysis (there are no formulas or graphs) or complete histories of the models she considers. As more and more aspects of our lives fall under the purview of automated data analysis, that's a hugely important undertaking."
"I don't know if O'Neil has personally ever had to take a psychology test to get a job, worked under the Kronos scheduling system, lived in a neighborhood with increased police presence due to crime rates, been victimized by insurance rates adjusted to zip codes, and endured corporate wellness programs. Despised by the rank and file of companies that I've worked for, Kronos software contains many aspects and automates things that previously were done by people, mostly managers. Well, say you have a workplace policy that mandates chronically-late employees be written up for tardiness and eventually fired if they don't shape up. What tended to happen at multiple companies I worked for was that managers would look the other way when their buddies were tardy, and write up people they didn't like. Kronos changed that, because the system automatically generated write-ups for any employee that clocked in late too many times. Well I have been poor, or at least this country's version of it, and I have lived in very high crime areas where if you didn't shut your window at night chances were good you would hear a murder. O'Neil argues that many crimes, like drug use by affluent college students, go unpunished because the police are busy in the poorer neighborhoods. I agree, but police resources are limited and for mercy's sake they should be sent where people are being killed, not where a college student is passed out in his living room. My current neighbors many be committing as many crimes as O'Neil implies, but I'm not terrified to walk down the street, so I don't mind the lack of police presence. I just would have liked acknowledgement that wellness programs really do have benefits for some people, instead of a chapter painting them as some sort of 1984-style nightmare where we are all forced to be thin. Despite winning multiple Employee and Student of the Year awards in my life, I can't pass those tests. Here O'Neil misses an opportunity to convince owners of companies that the tests can cost them highly desirable employees. Offering real, concrete ideas of how the tests could be improved to benefit both workers and company owners would have been a harder book to write, but a much more useful one. I hovered on the edge of a four star rating for this book, until a chance conversation with a Japanese woman a couple days ago. My friend was not complaining, she thought the reforms overall a good thing, though her family had lost a lot from it."
"The book takes a look at the rise of computer-generated approaches to the flood of personal data being gathered on us daily and takes a hard look at the unintended consequences of relying on them uncritically."
"PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!"
"Bought it for one of my daughters who is majoring in accounting and she loves it!"
"Thought the concept was great but unfortunately poorly executed by the author."
"I found the information to be fascinating, and important for everyone to understand."
"Gift."
Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination: If a poor student can’t get a loan because a lending model deems him too risky (by virtue of his zip code), he’s then cut off from the kind of education that could pull him out of poverty, and a vicious spiral ensues. — Longlist for National Book Award (Non-Fiction). — Goodreads, semi-finalist for the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards (Science and Technology). — Kirkus, Best Books of 2016. — New York Times, 100 Notable Books of 2016 (Non-Fiction). — The Guardian , Best Books of 2016. — WBUR's "On Point," Best Books of 2016: Staff Picks. — Boston Globe, Best Books of 2016, Non-Fiction. A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2016. A Boston Globe Best Book of 2016. One of Wired 's Required Reading Picks of 2016. One of Fortune 's Favorite Books of 2016. A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016. A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016. A Nature.com Best Book of 2016. An On Point Best Book of 2016 New York Times Editor's Choice. A Maclean 's Bestseller. Winner of the 2016 SLA-NY PrivCo Spotlight Award. “O’Neil’s book offers a frightening look at how algorithms are increasingly regulating people… Her knowledge of the power and risks of mathematical models, coupled with a gift for analogy, makes her one of the most valuable observers of the continuing weaponization of big data… [She] does a masterly job explaining the pervasiveness and risks of the algorithms that regulate our lives.”. — New York Times Book Review. " Weapons of Math Destruction is the Big Data story Silicon Valley proponents won't tell.... [It] pithily exposes flaws in how information is used to assess everything from creditworthiness to policing tactics.... a thought-provoking read for anyone inclined to believe that data doesn't lie.”. — Reuters. “Readable and engaging… succinct and cogent… Weapons of Math Destruction is The Jungle of our age… [It] should be required reading for all data scientists and for any organizational decision-maker convinced that a mathematical model can replace human judgment." “Indispensable… Despite the technical complexity of its subject, Weapons of Math Destruction lucidly guides readers through these complex modeling systems… O’Neil’s book is an excellent primer on the ethical and moral risks of Big Data and an algorithmically dependent world… For those curious about how Big Data can help them and their businesses, or how it has been reshaping the world around them, Weapons of Math Destruction is an essential starting place.”. — National Post. “Cathy O’Neil, a number theorist turned data scientist, delivers a simple but important message: Statistical models are everywhere, and they exert increasing power over many aspects of our daily lives… Weapons of Math Destruction provides a handy map to a few of the many areas of our lives over which invisible algorithms have gained some control. Weapons of Math Destruction should be required reading for anybody whose life will be affected by Big Data, which is to say: required reading for everyone. That’s why the catalogue of case studies in O’Neil’s book are so important; she’s telling us where to look.” —The Guardian “O’Neil is passionate about exposing the harmful effects of Big Data–driven mathematical models (what she calls WMDs), and she’s uniquely qualified for the task… [She] makes a convincing case that many mathematical models today are engineered to benefit the powerful at the expense of the powerless… [and] has written an entertaining and timely book that gives readers the tools to cut through the ideological fog obscuring the dangers of the Big Data revolution.” —In These Times. An unusually lucid and readable look at the daunting algorithms that govern so many aspects of our lives.”. — Kirkus Reviews (starred) “Even as a professional mathematician, I had no idea how insidious Big Data could be until I read Weapons of Math Destruction . O’Neil speaks from a place of authority on the subject… Unlike some other recent books on data collection, hers is not hysterical; she offers more of a chilly wake-up call as she walks readers through the ways the ‘big data’ industry has facilitated social ills such as skyrocketing college tuitions, policing based on racial profiling, and high unemployment rates in vulnerable communities… eerily prescient.”. — Publishers Weekly. — Paris Review “Through harrowing real-world examples and lively story-telling, Weapons of Math Destruction shines invaluable light on the invisible algorithms and complex mathematical models used by government and big business to undermine equality and increase private power. If you don’t want these algorithms to become your masters, read Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil to deconstruct the latest growing tyranny of an arrogant establishment.”. — Ralph Nader , author of Unsafe at Any Speed “In this fascinating account, Cathy O'Neil leverages her expertise in mathematics and her passion for social justice to poke holes in the triumphant narrative of Big Data.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So here you are on Amazon's web page, reading about Cathy O'Neil's new book, Weapons of Math Destruction. If clicks on or sales of related items go down, Amazon will know, and can investigate and adjust the model accordingly. Take a look at Amazon's model above: while there are calculations (simple ones) embedded, it's people who decide what data to use, how to use it, and how to measure success. Math is not a final arbiter, but a tool to express, in a scalable (i.e., computable) way, the values that people explicitly decide to emphasize. She highlights that when we evaluate teachers based on students' test scores, or assess someone's insurability as a driver based on their credit record, we are expressing opinions: that a successful teacher should boost test scores, or that responsible bill-payers are more likely to be responsible drivers. Unable to measure quality directly, the magazine built a model based on proxies, primarily outward markers of success, like selectivity and alumni giving. Predictably, college administrators, eager to boost their ratings, focused on these markers rather than on education quality itself. To take a very simple example, imagine that Cathy is about to publish a sequel to Weapons of Math Destruction. The model is pretty easy to understand and audit, which builds confidence and also decreases the likelihood that it gets used to obfuscate. This makes it easier for wealthier candidates to find jobs than poorer ones, and perpetuates a cycle of inequality. It is short -- you can read it in an afternoon -- and it doesn't have time or space for either detailed data analysis (there are no formulas or graphs) or complete histories of the models she considers. As more and more aspects of our lives fall under the purview of automated data analysis, that's a hugely important undertaking."
"I don't know if O'Neil has personally ever had to take a psychology test to get a job, worked under the Kronos scheduling system, lived in a neighborhood with increased police presence due to crime rates, been victimized by insurance rates adjusted to zip codes, and endured corporate wellness programs. Despised by the rank and file of companies that I've worked for, Kronos software contains many aspects and automates things that previously were done by people, mostly managers. Well, say you have a workplace policy that mandates chronically-late employees be written up for tardiness and eventually fired if they don't shape up. What tended to happen at multiple companies I worked for was that managers would look the other way when their buddies were tardy, and write up people they didn't like. Kronos changed that, because the system automatically generated write-ups for any employee that clocked in late too many times. Well I have been poor, or at least this country's version of it, and I have lived in very high crime areas where if you didn't shut your window at night chances were good you would hear a murder. O'Neil argues that many crimes, like drug use by affluent college students, go unpunished because the police are busy in the poorer neighborhoods. I agree, but police resources are limited and for mercy's sake they should be sent where people are being killed, not where a college student is passed out in his living room. My current neighbors many be committing as many crimes as O'Neil implies, but I'm not terrified to walk down the street, so I don't mind the lack of police presence. I just would have liked acknowledgement that wellness programs really do have benefits for some people, instead of a chapter painting them as some sort of 1984-style nightmare where we are all forced to be thin. Despite winning multiple Employee and Student of the Year awards in my life, I can't pass those tests. Here O'Neil misses an opportunity to convince owners of companies that the tests can cost them highly desirable employees. Offering real, concrete ideas of how the tests could be improved to benefit both workers and company owners would have been a harder book to write, but a much more useful one. I hovered on the edge of a four star rating for this book, until a chance conversation with a Japanese woman a couple days ago. My friend was not complaining, she thought the reforms overall a good thing, though her family had lost a lot from it."
"The book takes a look at the rise of computer-generated approaches to the flood of personal data being gathered on us daily and takes a hard look at the unintended consequences of relying on them uncritically."
"PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!"
"Bought it for one of my daughters who is majoring in accounting and she loves it!"
"Thought the concept was great but unfortunately poorly executed by the author."
"I found the information to be fascinating, and important for everyone to understand."
"Gift."
Most troubling, they reinforce discrimination: If a poor student can’t get a loan because a lending model deems him too risky (by virtue of his zip code), he’s then cut off from the kind of education that could pull him out of poverty, and a vicious spiral ensues. — Longlist for National Book Award (Non-Fiction). — Goodreads, semi-finalist for the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards (Science and Technology). — Kirkus, Best Books of 2016. — New York Times, 100 Notable Books of 2016 (Non-Fiction). — The Guardian , Best Books of 2016. — WBUR's "On Point," Best Books of 2016: Staff Picks. — Boston Globe, Best Books of 2016, Non-Fiction. A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2016A Boston Globe Best Book of 2016One of Wired 's Required Reading Picks of 2016One of Fortune 's Favorite Books of 2016A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2016A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016A Nature.com Best Book of 2016An On Point Best Book of 2016 New York Times Editor's ChoiceA Maclean 's BestsellerWinner of the 2016 SLA-NY PrivCo Spotlight Award “O’Neil’s book offers a frightening look at how algorithms are increasingly regulating people… Her knowledge of the power and risks of mathematical models, coupled with a gift for analogy, makes her one of the most valuable observers of the continuing weaponization of big data… [She] does a masterly job explaining the pervasiveness and risks of the algorithms that regulate our lives.”. — New York Times Book Review. " Weapons of Math Destruction is the Big Data story Silicon Valley proponents won't tell.... [It] pithily exposes flaws in how information is used to assess everything from creditworthiness to policing tactics.... a thought-provoking read for anyone inclined to believe that data doesn't lie.”. — Reuters. “Readable and engaging… succinct and cogent… Weapons of Math Destruction is The Jungle of our age… [It] should be required reading for all data scientists and for any organizational decision-maker convinced that a mathematical model can replace human judgment." “Indispensable… Despite the technical complexity of its subject, Weapons of Math Destruction lucidly guides readers through these complex modeling systems… O’Neil’s book is an excellent primer on the ethical and moral risks of Big Data and an algorithmically dependent world… For those curious about how Big Data can help them and their businesses, or how it has been reshaping the world around them, Weapons of Math Destruction is an essential starting place.”. — National Post. “O’Neil has become [a whistle-blower] for the world of Big Data… [in] her important new book… Her work makes particularly disturbing points about how being on the wrong side of an algorithmic decision can snowball in incredibly destructive ways.” — TIME. “Cathy O’Neil, a number theorist turned data scientist, delivers a simple but important message: Statistical models are everywhere, and they exert increasing power over many aspects of our daily lives… Weapons of Math Destruction provides a handy map to a few of the many areas of our lives over which invisible algorithms have gained some control. Weapons of Math Destruction should be required reading for anybody whose life will be affected by Big Data, which is to say: required reading for everyone. That’s why the catalogue of case studies in O’Neil’s book are so important; she’s telling us where to look.” —The Guardian “O’Neil is passionate about exposing the harmful effects of Big Data–driven mathematical models (what she calls WMDs), and she’s uniquely qualified for the task… [She] makes a convincing case that many mathematical models today are engineered to benefit the powerful at the expense of the powerless… [and] has written an entertaining and timely book that gives readers the tools to cut through the ideological fog obscuring the dangers of the Big Data revolution.” —In These Times. An unusually lucid and readable look at the daunting algorithms that govern so many aspects of our lives.”. — Kirkus Reviews (starred) “Even as a professional mathematician, I had no idea how insidious Big Data could be until I read Weapons of Math Destruction . O’Neil speaks from a place of authority on the subject… Unlike some other recent books on data collection, hers is not hysterical; she offers more of a chilly wake-up call as she walks readers through the ways the ‘big data’ industry has facilitated social ills such as skyrocketing college tuitions, policing based on racial profiling, and high unemployment rates in vulnerable communities… eerily prescient.”. — Publishers Weekly. — Paris Review “Through harrowing real-world examples and lively story-telling, Weapons of Math Destruction shines invaluable light on the invisible algorithms and complex mathematical models used by government and big business to undermine equality and increase private power. If you don’t want these algorithms to become your masters, read Weapons of Math Destruction by Cathy O’Neil to deconstruct the latest growing tyranny of an arrogant establishment.”. — Ralph Nader , author of Unsafe at Any Speed “In this fascinating account, Cathy O'Neil leverages her expertise in mathematics and her passion for social justice to poke holes in the triumphant narrative of Big Data. We need to reckon with technology.”. — Linda Tirado , author of Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America “Next time you hear someone gushing uncritically about the wonders of Big Data, show them Weapons of Math Destruction .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"So here you are on Amazon's web page, reading about Cathy O'Neil's new book, Weapons of Math Destruction. If clicks on or sales of related items go down, Amazon will know, and can investigate and adjust the model accordingly. Take a look at Amazon's model above: while there are calculations (simple ones) embedded, it's people who decide what data to use, how to use it, and how to measure success. Math is not a final arbiter, but a tool to express, in a scalable (i.e., computable) way, the values that people explicitly decide to emphasize. She highlights that when we evaluate teachers based on students' test scores, or assess someone's insurability as a driver based on their credit record, we are expressing opinions: that a successful teacher should boost test scores, or that responsible bill-payers are more likely to be responsible drivers. Unable to measure quality directly, the magazine built a model based on proxies, primarily outward markers of success, like selectivity and alumni giving. Predictably, college administrators, eager to boost their ratings, focused on these markers rather than on education quality itself. To take a very simple example, imagine that Cathy is about to publish a sequel to Weapons of Math Destruction. The model is pretty easy to understand and audit, which builds confidence and also decreases the likelihood that it gets used to obfuscate. This makes it easier for wealthier candidates to find jobs than poorer ones, and perpetuates a cycle of inequality. It is short -- you can read it in an afternoon -- and it doesn't have time or space for either detailed data analysis (there are no formulas or graphs) or complete histories of the models she considers. As more and more aspects of our lives fall under the purview of automated data analysis, that's a hugely important undertaking."
"I don't know if O'Neil has personally ever had to take a psychology test to get a job, worked under the Kronos scheduling system, lived in a neighborhood with increased police presence due to crime rates, been victimized by insurance rates adjusted to zip codes, and endured corporate wellness programs. Despised by the rank and file of companies that I've worked for, Kronos software contains many aspects and automates things that previously were done by people, mostly managers. Well, say you have a workplace policy that mandates chronically-late employees be written up for tardiness and eventually fired if they don't shape up. What tended to happen at multiple companies I worked for was that managers would look the other way when their buddies were tardy, and write up people they didn't like. Kronos changed that, because the system automatically generated write-ups for any employee that clocked in late too many times. Well I have been poor, or at least this country's version of it, and I have lived in very high crime areas where if you didn't shut your window at night chances were good you would hear a murder. O'Neil argues that many crimes, like drug use by affluent college students, go unpunished because the police are busy in the poorer neighborhoods. I agree, but police resources are limited and for mercy's sake they should be sent where people are being killed, not where a college student is passed out in his living room. My current neighbors many be committing as many crimes as O'Neil implies, but I'm not terrified to walk down the street, so I don't mind the lack of police presence. I just would have liked acknowledgement that wellness programs really do have benefits for some people, instead of a chapter painting them as some sort of 1984-style nightmare where we are all forced to be thin. Despite winning multiple Employee and Student of the Year awards in my life, I can't pass those tests. Here O'Neil misses an opportunity to convince owners of companies that the tests can cost them highly desirable employees. Offering real, concrete ideas of how the tests could be improved to benefit both workers and company owners would have been a harder book to write, but a much more useful one. I hovered on the edge of a four star rating for this book, until a chance conversation with a Japanese woman a couple days ago. My friend was not complaining, she thought the reforms overall a good thing, though her family had lost a lot from it."
"The book takes a look at the rise of computer-generated approaches to the flood of personal data being gathered on us daily and takes a hard look at the unintended consequences of relying on them uncritically."
"PLEASE READ THIS BOOK!"
"Bought it for one of my daughters who is majoring in accounting and she loves it!"
"Thought the concept was great but unfortunately poorly executed by the author."
"I found the information to be fascinating, and important for everyone to understand."
"Gift."
Best Colorado Travel Guides
Including hikes near Fort Collins, Boulder, and Colorado Springs, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Denver and Boulder is the only guidebook that pinpoints great hikes that are also close to home.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Some good hikes that I didn't know about!"
"Great book with so many great hikes!"
"It had lots of great options with varying degrees of skill for different hikes in and around Denver and Boulder."
"Very informative and well illustrated.very well pleased!"
"Can't wait to get some of these hikes in."
"This is a great book."
"Great great book!"
"This book has it all - from moderate to aggressive hikes, hikes for kids, dogs, horses, whatever your pleasure."
Best Library & Information Sciences
The lessons in this illuminative text are grounded in theory, but made accessible through numerous real-world examples — ready for immediate application to your next graph or presentation. Together, the lessons in this book will help you turn your data into high impact visual stories that stick with your audience. At JPMorgan Chase, she has helped improve our capabilities to explain complicated analysis to executive management and the regulators with whom we work. If you are a beginner in visualization, or if you struggle to produce good charts in your everyday job with tools like Excel, Tableau, Qlik, and the like, this is a great place to start learning the core principles ." Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic understands this and has written a straightforward, accessible guide that will help anyone who communicates with data connect more effectively with their audience. ".
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"People wanting a basic introduction to presentation graphics would be. well served by this book by Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic. Knaflic's encouraging message. is that MS Excel and PowerPoint can be quite enough software for good. graphics, but you will need to go beyond the defaults and work at the. details. The subtitle flags a focus on "business professionals"; the content. tactfully implies junior people presenting with PowerPoint to. time-challenged bosses at brief meetings. Examples show how mediocre graphs can be improved by reducing clutter, killing the key, better use of color, and similar standard tricks. A splendid case study on avoiding spaghetti graphics (lots. of tangled lines) stands out, and the problem and the ideas deserved. more. What's not here includes Cleveland dot charts, histograms and box plots. even among the staples of good introductory statistics courses, let. alone (say) use of logarithmic scale, always one of the first graphical. devices for many sciences. But that. reference level could easily be some value not zero, such as parity. between men and women, or the mean of a variable, or 32 degrees. Fahrenheit to separate freezing and non-freezing temperatures. A tighter copy-editor would have signalled that. "leverage" (used as a verb about 70 times) was too much of a personal. favorite, while "de-emphasize" for "tone down", "utilize" for "use" and. "incredible" for things all too credible are among several other. repeated tics."
"A very good introductory book to the world of storytelling with data and data visualization."
"I'm halfway through the book and it has already proven to be thoroughly valuable."
"Cole presents a very clear and effective approach to building visualizations that can tell a story with minimal amount of clutter."
"I also had the honor of attending a live presentation with Cole."
"While I like to think that my visualizations are pretty good, when you are teaching people (or convincing them to change) you have to know WHY the visualization looks good and is effective."
"Recommended by a work colleague, this book does what it claims; clearly explains how and why you can create more appealing data charts."
"Great, basic concepts that any data viz, data science or analytics person should be aware of."
Best Children's Studies Social Science
This edition of New York Times bestselling and Newbery Medal-winning author Neil Gaiman’s modern classic, Coraline —also an Academy Award-nominated film—is enriched with a foreword from the author, a reader's guide, and more. “Coraline is by turns creepy and funny, bittersweet and playful…can be read quickly and enjoyed deeply.” (San Francisco Chronicle Book Review). “Gaiman’s pacing is superb, and he steers the tension of the tale with a deft and practiced narrative touch.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Do not be deceived by the idea that Coraline is considered a " children book"."
"The issues I had with the book was that the middle just seemed to be there to make the book longer. The middle of the book seemed to repeat its self over and over which made the book get a little boring.The end of the book felt so rushed that it was hard to keep up with."
"Young Coraline is indeed a very brave young heroine, empowered and very clever in the face of what the dangers are and lurk furtively in fairy tales! Young readers will find the adaptation to a two-dimensional situation easier to digest than an older, less flexible reader where the blurred realities are more burdensome. "Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.""
"I began to read Coraline with no expectations beyond a hope of being mildly entertained; it is, after all, a children's book, and I was checking it out to see if my son might enjoy the storyline."
"Coraline finds herself in a parallel world with a mom who wants her to stay."
"Movie great but graphic novel explains more and captures the complete story, spooky fun with very good graphics and colir."
Best Social Sciences Methodology
Personalize Learning - MySearchLab delivers proven results in helping students succeed, provides engaging experiences that personalize learning, and comes from a trusted partner with educational expertise and a deep commitment to helping students and instructors achieve their goals. Engage Students — Chapter objectives, chapter quizzes, Lab Manual, and eText within MySearchLab help to engage students in the material. A lab manual is included in MySearchLab to help engage students in the research process. After researching in the areas of cognitive style and (what was then known as) hyperactivity, he became a postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina's Bush Center for Child and Family Policy.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"However, there are several MAJOR errors throughout the book that could cause a lot of confusion."
"Extremely detailed presentation of what research is, the types of research, and how to do various types of research."
"Exploring Research is a howto reference aiming to guide reseachers and academics to make a good research."
"I had to purchase this textbook for SFL 290 at BYU Provo."
"Hard to skim in some areas."
"For being about a topic that really makes my head spin (statistics and research) It was actually not bad."
"Somewhat helpful in learning about evidence based research in education, as opposed to anecdotal "evidence"."
"Best, most straightforward and readable book out there of its kind I've found."
Best Philanthropy & Charity
Katie, a charismatic and articulate young woman, adopted. thirteen children in Uganda and has established a ministry, Amazima, that feeds and sends hundreds more to school while teaching them the Word of Jesus Christ. "Kisses from Katie" is another wonderful reminder that 'big' things for the kingdom do not come from age or experience, but as an overflow of a deeper love within. "With reckless abandon, Katie Davis followed her heart to care for orphans living in extreme poverty in Uganda. "Katie Davis has the story that makes radio talk show hosts stop in their tracks and say with deep disbelief, 'No, she didn't.'. At the age of nineteen, Katie Davis left the upper-middle-class life to move to Uganda, start a nonprofit organization, and begin the adoption process for thirteen daughters who needed a mother. "I was profoundly moved, challenged, and convicted as I read "Kisses from K"atie, and I came away wanting to know Jesus the way that Katie does. This is an honest and compelling account of one young woman's journey of obedience to a Jesus who loves the whole world, especially the forgotten and the marginalized. But if you stand willing to act upon belief, here you will encounter the full heartache and joy that await any person who ventures near to God's heart through adoption and other ways of loving the orphan in distress." Her devotion to the Lord and her love for His children challenge me to give sacrificially, serve selflessly, and live out my salvation with radical abandon!"
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The story of a young woman following her heart to serve her Lord in. a far off land."
"Amazing adventure of a young woman who falls in love with kids in Uganda."
"One of my all time favorite books!"
"Katie is an inspiring woman of courage and faith."
"A religious Sister gave it to my wife and I before leaving to Kenya to help at a girls school, and this book really inspired us!"
"As a parent of young adults who went to college and started their lives by marrying and getting decent jobs, I was asking myself, what would I have done if my child would have chosen to do what Katie did?"
"Does that mean God wants me to leave behind everything that is familiar to me to care for the poor and the orphaned on another continent? But she is confident that she is firmly in the palm of God's hand as she builds her family through adopting these daughters. It is altogether real that God wants to use us right here, right now, in our own comfort zone....or maybe just stepping out of it a little."
"Great book that demonstrates how God works and gives new passions to those who are obedient and open to what He has for them."
Best Social Sciences Research
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A timely and important new book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection HELLO SUNSHINE BOOK CLUB PICK “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. “[Brown’s] research and work have given us a new vocabulary, a way to talk with each other about the ideas and feelings and fears we’ve all had but haven’t quite known how to articulate. “With a fresh perspective that marries research and humor, Brown offers compassion while delivering thought-provoking ideas about relationships—with others and with oneself.” — Publishers Weekly.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I started working toward being an Amazon Top 1000 reviewer about a year ago. And I chose it, because sad though it is, my reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are the last place in this entire world where I am willing to communicate, in any capacity, with other human beings. So lonely that as I type this I feel like crying, even though I accepted this as my reality a long time ago. I struggle to call and make appointments because it requires talking to strangers, and for this reason I also can't go to the grocery store, or the gas station, or any other list of a hundred places that normal people go to have normal lives. You see, I decided five years ago that I was done with fitting in, and that I'd rather be lonely and alone, than to continue immersing myself in a world I found caustic. I saw people ripping each other down through the medium of social media because they didn't have to look that person in the face, and see how their comments hurt them. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but as the years have passed, I've cut myself so far off from humanity that it feels like I'm the only person left in my world. But I didn't know how else to express the impact this book had on me, without first talking about how much pain I've been in, and how nefarious my reasons for reading it in the first place. I expected to write an honest, clinical review discussing its contents from a dispassionate point of view. But instead, here I am, still clumsily attempting to convey my feelings in the hopes that some part of this review might encourage even one other person to read this book."
"This is the best of all of her books, as well as a prescription for being alive now, of being a citizen, a human being, a kind and caring and loving person--now--at this time in history. I read it yesterday and today in two sittings and am going back again and again to the writing, the ideas, and the inspiration to me to life more authentically and to be able to connect with others in deeper and braver ways."
"I've only listened to the first chapter of the book so far and I've been in tears three times."
"This is the book that I needed now."
"I could read and re read this author all day."
"We hate the idea that we are afraid to talk to our own children but don't want to lose our connection nor go against our deep beliefs."
"Her style is a simple, comical one - that brings simplicity to the complexity of the human condition."
Best Social Work
This bestselling work for professionals and students is the authoritative presentation of motivational interviewing (MI), the powerful approach to facilitating change. The companion Web page provides additional helpful resources, including reflection questions, an extended bibliography, and annotated case material. This book is in the Applications of Motivational Interviewing series, edited by Stephen Rollnick, William R. Miller, and Theresa B. Moyers. MI has fundamentally changed the way we think about working with less motivated clients, especially in today's health care climate, with its emphasis on evidence-based brief treatments. --Scott T. Walters, PhD, Professor and Chair, Department of Health Behavior and Health Systems, University of North Texas Health Science Center; member, Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). It is a 'must-adopt' text for courses in psychology, counseling, social work, mental health, addictions, and health care more broadly." " Motivational Interviewing is one of the few texts that I can assign to my MSW students year after year for my Clinical Practice course and know they will love it as much as I do. I have had more positive feedback from students regarding this book than any other text I've used, and it is wonderful to watch the light go on in their eyes as they gain understanding about behavior change and how MI works. ( Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions 2012-09-09). "Highly recommended to all practitioners in health settings and to clinicians supervising and teaching others." ( Community Mental Health Journal 2012-09-09). "This approach is one that can be powerfully used by occupational therapy practitioners who are working in mental health and substance abuse settings, or any psychosocial behavioral health setting....In preparing professional students for practice, I view this approach as foundational to their effectiveness in building motivation and strengthening commitment to change with their clients." The book illustrates clinical case examples to prepare psychiatrists who work in all different types of settings....This is a user-friendly, engaging, and comprehensive text that should be required reading for all practicing clinicians."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Buy it."
"Great book!"
"I love this book."
"Great book - great technique."
"Just exceptional."
"Not only does it provide useful information, it gives numerous scenarios that help you visualize the process."
"Great and easy read!"
"Loved this book!"
Best Human Sexuality
• Key scientific discoveries in the fields of psychology, physiology, and sexology. • The Internet and couple-friendly pornography. • The importance of sex to our growth as people and partners. • Maintaining a fulfilling sex life as we get older. “[Succeeds] in bringing The Joy of Sex up to current standards.” — The New Yorker. “An intelligent sex manual that is serious without being solemn.” —Desmond Morris, author of People Watching and The Human Sexes: The Natural History of a Man and a Woman.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I had this book when it originally came out about 40 years ago."
"Times are changing and this book reflects the changes of the past 40 years or so."
"Very informative- well written."
"A great gift for anyone to take to a bachelorette party that is far more useful than any silly party favors!"
"ok but less new information than I expected."
"Generic information that isn't helpful or useful."
Best Urban Planning and Development
One of the most acclaimed books of our time, winner of both the Pulitzer and the Francis Parkman prizes, The Power Broker tells the hidden story behind the shaping (and mis-shaping) of twentieth-century New York (city and state) and makes public what few have known: that Robert Moses was, for almost half a century, the single most powerful man of our time in New York, the shaper not only of the city's politics but of its physical structure and the problems of urban decline that plague us today. "The most absorbing, detailed, instructive, provocative book ever published about the making and raping of modern New York City and environs and the man who did it, about the hidden plumbing of New York City and State politics over the last half-century, about the force of personality and the nature of political power in a democracy. This is a study of the corruption which power exerts on those who wield it to set beside Tacitus and his emperors, Shakespeare and his kings." "In the future, the scholar who writes the history of American cities in the twentieth century will doubtless begin with this extraordinary effort." "The feverish hype that dominates the merchandising of arts and letters in America has so debased the language that, when a truly exceptional achievement comes along, there are no words left to praise it. Important, awesome, compelling--these no longer summon the full flourish of trumpets this book deserves. "Required reading for all those who hope to make their way in urban politics; for the reformer, the planner, the politician and even the ward heeler." The most unlikely subjects--banking, ward politics, construction, traffic management, state financing, insurance companies, labor unions, bridge building--become alive and contemporary. It is like one of the great Russian novels, overflowing with characters and incidents that all fit into a vast mosaic of plot and counterplot.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This was a tip from New York Magazine on "How to read 'The Power Broker'": Buy a cheap paperback version, tear it into thirds, read one third at a time."
"This was a monumental accomplishment as Moses controlled all municipal building in NYC for years and had a stranglehold on power even over numerous mayors. What I found fascinating was Moses’ expert manipulation of the system of government in NY which gave him a stranglehold on power for years. I would have liked more information about Moses’s family but it may have been trimmed since the book was whittled down considerably before publishing."
"As someone has lived in New York City for many, in a neighborhood Moses wanted to tear down to build a freeway, The Power Broker is a fascinating insight into the city in its current form. His editors at the time thought no body would read such a long book so they cut several chapters, including Moses's battles with Jane Jacobs."
"This book is a truly fascinating study for those interested in the urban history of New York, political power, or urban development."
Best Poverty
From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility. Vance’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother, struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, and were never able to fully escape the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. “[A] compassionate, discerning sociological analysis…Combining thoughtful inquiry with firsthand experience, Mr. Vance has inadvertently provided a civilized reference guide for an uncivilized election, and he’s done so in a vocabulary intelligible to both Democrats and Republicans. [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it…a riveting book.” ( Wall Street Journal ). “[ Hillbilly Elegy ] couldn’t have been better timed...a harrowing portrait of much that has gone wrong in America over the past two generations...an honest look at the dysfunction that afflicts too many working-class Americans.” ( National Review ). Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”, offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Drugs, crime, jail time, abusive interactions without any knowledge of other forms of interaction, children growing up in a wild mix of stoned mother care, foster care, and care by temporary "boyfriends," and in general, an image of life on the edge of survival where even the heroes are distinctly flawed for lack of knowledge and experience of any other way of living. Second, the author's growing realization, fully present by the end of the work, that while individuals do not have total control over the shapes of their lives, their choices do in fact matter—that even if one can't direct one's life like a film, one does always have the at least the input into life that comes from being free to make choices, every day, and in every situation. I hate to fall into self-analysis and virtue-signaling behavior in a public review, but in this case I feel compelled to say that the author really did leave with me a renewed motivation to make more of my life every day, to respect and consider the choices that confront me much more carefully, and to seize moments of opportunity with aplomb when they present themselves."
"I never heard of the author until I saw him on Morning Joe a few days ago but I looked him up and read several articles he wrote for various publications so I bought his book. He suggests that tribalism, mistrust of outsiders and "elites," violence and irresponsibility among family members, parents without ethics and a sense of responsibility, terrible work ethics, and an us-against-them mentality is dooming the people who live that way to becoming poorer, more addicted, and more marginalized."
"I grew up without running water in Boone County, WV, and wound up with a degree from Harvard Law School."
"I escaped inner city Baltimore (see The Wire) due to luck, the ability to do well in school and a few good teachers.Instead of trying to describe my early life to my family and friends, I will give them this book."
Best Linguistics Reference
From Mary, Queen of Scots, trapped by her own code, to the Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allies win World War II, to the incredible (and incredibly simple) logisitical breakthrough that made Internet commerce secure, The Code Book tells the story of the most powerful intellectual weapon ever known: secrecy. In the information age, the fear that drives cryptographic improvements is both capitalistic and libertarian--corporations need encryption to ensure that their secrets don't fall into the hands of competitors and regulators, and ordinary people need encryption to keep their everyday communications private in a free society. Similarly, the battles for greater decryption power come from said competitors and governments wary of insurrection.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A very thorough, detailed (perhaps even so not exhaustive) coverage of a very complex subject."
"The various techniques for creating and breaking secret messages throughout history are explained well and made more interesting by the historic contexts of those techniques."
"I'll be honest I'm a complete novice and just picked this book up because it really drew my attention."
"The book is well written, and provides an excellent look at the history of cryptography and cryptanalysis, covering in detail the impact that these two competing disciplines played in the outcomes or many wars and key political events of post medieval times, It also provides a very accessible introduction into how cryptography works (i.e. it spares the reader the mathematical details of the more advanced algorithms)."
"Read it for history, entertainment, enjoyment, and a few laughs."
"Excellent book; very interesting, but I have to use a magnifying glass to read the small print."
"I had a lot of trouble understanding the mechanics behind symmetric key and more importantly asymmetric or public key encryption, but thans to his excellent examples and descriptions, I finally got it all figured out - just in time to pass my CISSP exam!"
"this looks super I got it for my grand son hope he loves it!"
Best Specific Demographic Studies
From a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, a powerful account of growing up in a poor Rust Belt town that offers a broader, probing look at the struggles of America’s white working class. They raised a middle-class family, and eventually their grandchild (the author) would graduate from Yale Law School, a conventional marker of their success in achieving generational upward mobility. Vance’s grandparents, aunt, uncle, sister, and, most of all, his mother, struggled profoundly with the demands of their new middle-class life, and were never able to fully escape the legacy of abuse, alcoholism, poverty, and trauma so characteristic of their part of America. “[A] compassionate, discerning sociological analysis…Combining thoughtful inquiry with firsthand experience, Mr. Vance has inadvertently provided a civilized reference guide for an uncivilized election, and he’s done so in a vocabulary intelligible to both Democrats and Republicans. [Vance] offers a compelling explanation for why it’s so hard for someone who grew up the way he did to make it…a riveting book.” ( Wall Street Journal ). “[ Hillbilly Elegy ] couldn’t have been better timed...a harrowing portrait of much that has gone wrong in America over the past two generations...an honest look at the dysfunction that afflicts too many working-class Americans.” ( National Review ). Vance’s memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy”, offers a starkly honest look at what that shattering of faith feels like for a family who lived through it.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Drugs, crime, jail time, abusive interactions without any knowledge of other forms of interaction, children growing up in a wild mix of stoned mother care, foster care, and care by temporary "boyfriends," and in general, an image of life on the edge of survival where even the heroes are distinctly flawed for lack of knowledge and experience of any other way of living. Second, the author's growing realization, fully present by the end of the work, that while individuals do not have total control over the shapes of their lives, their choices do in fact matter—that even if one can't direct one's life like a film, one does always have the at least the input into life that comes from being free to make choices, every day, and in every situation. I hate to fall into self-analysis and virtue-signaling behavior in a public review, but in this case I feel compelled to say that the author really did leave with me a renewed motivation to make more of my life every day, to respect and consider the choices that confront me much more carefully, and to seize moments of opportunity with aplomb when they present themselves."
"I never heard of the author until I saw him on Morning Joe a few days ago but I looked him up and read several articles he wrote for various publications so I bought his book. He suggests that tribalism, mistrust of outsiders and "elites," violence and irresponsibility among family members, parents without ethics and a sense of responsibility, terrible work ethics, and an us-against-them mentality is dooming the people who live that way to becoming poorer, more addicted, and more marginalized."
"I grew up without running water in Boone County, WV, and wound up with a degree from Harvard Law School."
"I escaped inner city Baltimore (see The Wire) due to luck, the ability to do well in school and a few good teachers.Instead of trying to describe my early life to my family and friends, I will give them this book."
Best Disaster Relief
In circumstances where medical personnel are overwhelmed and access to modern technology is limited or non-existent, The Survival Medicine Handbook(tm) is the essential reference book for every library. Here's just some of the topics covered: · MEDICAL PREPAREDNESS BECOMING A MEDICAL RESOURCE · THE EFFECTIVE SURVIVAL MEDIC · FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PREPARING · LIKELY MEDICAL ISSUES YOU WILL FACE · MEDICAL SKILLS YOU WILL WANT TO LEARN · MEDICAL SUPPLIES NATURAL REMEDIES · ESSENTIAL OILS · THE MEDICINAL GARDEN · THE PHYSICAL EXAM · THE MASS CASUALTY INCIDENT · PATIENT TRANSPORT · HYGIENE-RELATED MEDICAL ISSUES · LICE, TICKS, AND WORMS · DENTAL ISSUES · RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS · FOOD AND WATER-BORNE ILLNESS · DIARRHEAL DISEASE/DEHYDRATION · DEALING WITH SEWAGE ISSUES · FOOD POISONING · APPENDICITIS/ABDOMINAL PAIN · URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS · HEPATITIS · PELVIC AND VAGINAL INFECTIONS · WOUND INFECTIONS · ABSCESSES · TETANUS · MOSQUITO BORNE ILLNESS · FUNGAL INFECTIONS · HYPERTHERMIA (HEAT STROKE) · HYPOTHERMIA · ALTITUDE SICKNESS · WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS · TORNADO PREPAREDNESS · HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS · EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS · ALLERGIC REACTIONS ASTHMA · POISON IVY, OAK, AND SUMAC · RADIATION SICKNESS · BIOLOGICAL WARFARE · MINOR WOUNDS · MAJOR AND HEMORRHAGIC WOUNDS · SOFT TISSUE WOUND CARE · WOUND CLOSURE/OPEN WOUNDS · LOCAL ANESTHESIA AND NERVE BLOCKS · HOW TO SUTURE/STAPLE SKIN · BLISTERS, SPLINTERS, AND FISHHOOKS · NAIL BED INJURIES · BURN INJURIES · ANIMAL BITES · SNAKE BITES · INSECT BITES AND STINGS · HEAD INJURIES · SPRAINS AND STRAINS · DISLOCATIONS · FRACTURES · AMPUTATION · THYROID DISEASE · DIABETES · HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE · HEART DISEASE AND CHEST PAIN · ULCER AND ACID REFLUX DISEASE · SEIZURE DISORDERS · JOINT DISEASE · KIDNEY AND GALL BLADDER STONES · SKIN CONDITIONS · VARICOSE VEINS · CPR · HEADACHE · EYE PROBLEMS · NOSEBLEED · EARACHE · HEMORRHOIDS · BIRTH CONTROL, PREGNANCY, AND DELIVERY · ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION · SLEEP DEPRIVATION · ESSENTIAL OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS · A PRIMER ON PAIN MEDICATIONS · NATURAL PAIN RELIEF · STOCKPILING MEDICATIONS HOW TO USE ANTIBIOTICS, · EXPIRATION DATES. Joseph Alton, MD practiced as a board-certified Obstetrician and Pelvic Surgeon for more than 25 years before retiring to devote his efforts to his new mission: To put a medical prepared person in every family for any disaster. He is an actively-licensed Life Fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and a retired fellow of the American College of Surgeons, has served as department chairman at local hospitals and as adjunct professor at local university nursing schools.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Within the last 30 years, after working in the health field as a medical professional and obtaining a copy of the first edition of this very helpful guide, this book is outstanding in every aspect as a valuable reference to emergency situations, where no other help is available. Although I have collected hundreds of books that cover this topic, I felt this one is extremely useful for my daughter to have in her home."
"I have shown it to others in my family and they will be purchasing one also for their libraries."
"So, you can either walk around blindly and hope everything is sunshine and roses forever, or you can read this book, take the time to make a first aid kit, and live your life knowing if you do somehow walk across glass barefoot with no help to be found, this book will tell you how to sew it back up!"
"Great resource."
"Wonderful well presented book written in an easy to understand common sense manner."
"Dr Alton and Nurse Alton are great at conveying a tough to instruct upon subject, providing medical oversight in a disaster situation, to the general non-medical public in layman's terms and in a concise, comprehensive and well re-emphasizing manner."
"Much of the medical care in the past was good old common sense and some information on what to look for and how to treat."
"This book is written in plain English, very understandable even if you were not a medical professional..and if you are a medical professional, it will serve as refresher, and is of great help in Putting your thoughts in order and having a pretty good idea on what to expect ( not only off grid, but in case of war where reaching a hospital is next to impossible ) .. there is a list of references ( written and videos ) at the back , and suggestions of classes to take, very helpful."
Best Human Geography
• A New Republic Best Book of the Year • The Globalist Top Books of the Year • Winner of the Maine Literary Award for Non-fiction • Particularly relevant in understanding who voted for who in this presidential election year, this is an endlessly fascinating look at American regionalism and the eleven “nations” that continue to shape North America. Colin Woodard, an award-winning writer and journalist, is currently the state and national affairs writer at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram where he won a 2012 George Polk Award and was a finalist for the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting A longtime foreign correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor , the San Francisco Chronicle , and The Chronicle of Higher Education , he has reported from more than fifty foreign countries and six continents.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Whereas the first two-thirds were well-reasoned and well-supported, the last third devolved into stereotypes and generalities, and contained more than a few downright errors, particularly concerning the modern Deep South and Greater Appalachia. I could list at least a half-dozen factual errors in his presentation concerning the practice and influence of Evangelical Christianity in the Bible Belt, for instance, but would rather not bog down this review with nit-picking."
"Being from the area known as the "Far West" I felt that the author decided to spend virtually no time or effort in speaking to the El Norte, Far West and the Left Coast."
"One of the best books I've read on America and it's history."
"I have given it to at least 5 friends as a gift and the conversations it leads to are always fascinating."
"This is a fascinating, well-written book, introducing a conceptual framework that was completely new to me."
"The map on the "American Nations" cover showed me that I grew up roughly where the Deep South, Appalachia, and El Norte meet in eastern Texas. We said we were "Scotch-Irish" but seemed to have no knowledge of or interest in how we came to be there, nor did I ever know anyone who was aware that there were early Spanish missions in the pine woods of East Texas or that there had been a large Cherokee village not four miles from my home. Later I learned that my own family had entered the U.S. in South Carolina from Barbados in the 1680s; little is known about them except that they were poor whites, so now we know there is a good chance they were indentured servants to Barbadian slave lords. Now I have some insight into features of my county that have puzzled me for decades: why the tiny community where I attended school in the 1950s and 60s was clustered around its original plantation house, Cumberland Presbyterian church, and cotton fields (it was founded by a slave-holding family from Savannah, Georgia in the 1840s or 50s); why my neighbors had such casual contempt for blacks, Jews, Mexicans, Indians, Catholics, Chinese, and all other foreigners; why Ku Klux Klan actions were still fresh in older folks' memories; why blacks lived either in their own parts of town literally across the tracks or entirely separately in their own towns or isolated communities tucked away in the woods; why my parents were so puzzled that "our Negroes" seemed dissatisfied with our hand-me-down clothes and an occasional pig (I recall puzzled discussions of "What do they want?" ); why there was a deeply ingrained presumption that gentlemen rode horses and peasants walked, so any poor farmer that came into oil money bought horses immediately (Deep South cavaliers influence); why there was hardly any familiarity with or emphasis on attending college, and disdain for the (rare) "know it all college boy" (Appalachian ignorance and apathy influenced by Deep South resistance to education for the masses); why employers referred to employees as "hands"; why our relatives in far southwest Texas seemed to us to live in a different country (they did - El Norte), while relatives in Tennessee and business associates in Mississippi seemed to come from an earlier and more violent time; why Cajuns in south Louisiana and southeast Texas seemed like such an anomaly in the Deep South in their Catholicism and complete disregard of racial boundaries (New France egalitarianism); maybe even why some blacks in East Texas practiced a strange mixture of Southern Baptist services and voodoo lore - one local black church was even named the Voodoo Baptist Church, and the pastor roamed the area on foot wearing an animal skin cape and carrying a long shepherd's staff (West Africa via the West Indies). Lastly, I did not think Woodard unfairly favored the Yankees; his description showed the harsh, violent, and meddlesome parts of their Puritan cultural heritage along with the elements we still cherish (for much more detail see Fischer's "Albion's Seed"). The Deep South has been a reluctant participant in the U.S. federation and has routinely made threats to withdraw since the Articles of Confederation days; in the 2010 mid-term election we again heard southern politicians talk of secession."
Best Study of Pornography
Author Matt Fradd draws on the experience of porn performers and users, and the expertise of neurologists, sociologists, and psychologists to demonstrate that pornography is destructive to individuals, relationships, and society. Because recent research on pornography s harmful effects on the brain validates the experiences of countless porn users, there is a growing wave of passionate individuals trying to change the pro-porn cultural norm by inspiring others to pursue real love and to avoid its hollow counterfeit. Matt Fradd and this book are part of that movement, which is aiding the many men and women who are seeking a love untainted by warped perceptions of intimacy and rejecting the influence of porn in their lives. "The Porn Myth can help you to separate the myths from the facts about porn and to reclaim real love.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I'm halfway through this book and I'm already blown away by the amount of insight I've been able to gain into the problem of porn in today’s culture. Matt Fradd does an excellent job of providing a comprehensive historical background of the porn industry, as well as solid research to back its effects (e.g., erectile dysfunction, relationship problems, physiological/neurological brain changes similar to drug addiction that result in the need for a more extreme “fix”…the list goes on). As a parent I was particularly interested in protecting my children from the problems porn forces us to face, and after sifting through the book I have been given a solid foundation that I believe will help me foster a healthy and realistic understanding of human sexuality."
"I think anybody who want to know how porn affects society, and is still using porn or who has recover from porn should get this book."
"Exposing the truth is desperately needed in this area."
"nice book...prompt seller!"
"Porn myth is very informative and insightful as well as educational."
"Very good book,with a lot of details that are helpfull.I would highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about this subject."
"Great resource for our abstinence educators."
"Excellent, fact filled book."