Although the term stratification is something of a misnomer, which each of the authors of this edited book feel compelled to repeat (often in a tenous manner), this book represents a clear account of consciousness research from a primarily cognitive science perspective. The main focus is consciousness as conceptualised within the cognitive domains memory and perception. Each of the chapters is lucid, and in addition to providing consolidation of the extant research, several novel approaches/modifications to the 'problem space' are introduced. Consequently, this book moves beyond the typical critical review status that similar texts can be relegated.

I purchased this book to understand some aspects of secured transactions and related matters of the Uniform Commercial Code. While I am no lawyer, I have some knowledge of law as a banker. I found this book to be useful and well designed. The coverage is quite broad in scope and deep in time as well. Stone explains the impact of each provision in terms of the latest UCC revision as well as previous versions. He also provides several examples and the text is very well cross referenced with UCC provisions and related cases. The language too is simple without being condescending. I don't know about professional lawyers or law students but as a manager with some knowledge of the law, I found the book helpful in answering my questions. At the very least, it helped me build up some basic knowledge and better prepared me for the ensuing legal consultations.

Women of Substance was one of my all-time favorites.And Barbara Taylor Bradford followed that one with a number of books that, if not earth shattering "mind grabbers", were eminently readable. But in the last few months I have read several Bradfords that did not even begin to capture my interest. It is hard to believe that these books came from the same author. I have just finished The Women in His Life and was delighted to find a book that is right up there with Woman of Substance. You could almost tell from the first page that this was written by "the first Mrs. Bradford"! Wish the author would slow down, be less prolific, and give us more of what we know she can do.

The real dillema regarding ERP is that the real ex-post ERP is irrationally different from the the ex-ante ERP required for CAPM valuations. Prof. Cornell does explore this issue well for a general audience. However, this book does not diminish my skepticism of CAPM equilibrium valuations and ex-ante ERP estimators.

The author, Professor Bradford Cornell, gives an analytical, yet very readable, explanation and forecast of the decline of the stock market during the past couple of years. In this regard Professor Cornell makes a similar conclusion about the value of equtiies and slightly earlier than did Robert J. Shiller in his book, Irrational Exuberance. It is unfortunate that Professor Cornell and his book did not get the same attention that was accorded to Professor Shiller at the start of the stock market decline.

The thesis of the book is that the equity risk premium for stocks, which is the compensation given to equity investors for holding shares of risky common stocks, was below, perhaps much below, what was historically normal. This implied that investors came to view common stocks as being a much less risky investment than stocks had been in the past. Indeed, a quite common view of many investors before the recent fall in the stock market was the view that common stock were an appropriate vehicle for "savings" rather than just for "investment." The implication of this perception by some investors is that equities in general were likely to continue to rise in price over time and thus represented a "safe" or at least low risk vehicle for discretionary income that was not spent.

However, periods of relative low perceived risk usually do not last and are followed by periods of relatively higher perceived risk. The current period we are now in appears to be one in which the uncertainties regarding the stock market have increased and thus investors are now demanding greater compensation, that is, a higher risk premium, for bearing those uncertainties.

The reason the book does not get five stars is that the book misspecifies the constant dividend growth model equation that forms the basis for the author's explanation of the adjustment in the equity risk premium. However, this oversight should not prevent the reader from getting a great explanation of how the prices of common stocks adjust to risks from this fine book.

This book, with its many references, is a great guide to the academic literature on stock valuation. It was easy to read, very logical, and educational.

You are stranded in the woods, alone and scared. Bradford Angier's "How to Stay Alive in the Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter and Self-Preservation Anywhere" very well may save your life. Throughout the book, Angier gives important information which is also quite interesting. He covers main topics which are the focal point if each chapter. Most ideas and tactics are generally understandable, although the illustrations are downright ridiculous at times. The moments that leave you thinking "that was a brilliant idea" are often interrupted with common sense tips that make you wonder what age group the book is intended for. Detailed explanations of practical knowledge draw attention from several parts of the book, which results in numerous low points. In conclusion, this book makes for a decent read, but lacks the qualities which would make it a book that you would like to own.

Angier's book, How to Stay Alive in the Woods, is a must for all outdoor people. It describes, in detail, how to overcome almost any backwoods disaster. Those who like to take overnight hikes into wilderness areas should be prepared for anything, and this book does just that; it prepares you for everything. I have spent numerous weeks at a time trekking through Alaska, Northern Canada, and the Rockies and have read many books. This is the best wilderness survival book out there.

Not loaded down with extra junk, this book describes the necessary survival methods of finding food, shelter and finding your way. The edible food drawings leave something to be desired (I recommend "Edible Wild Plants") but this a book that one should send to all their friends. Even if you never head into the woods, this book will teach you survival techniques great for any emergency.

I read A Woman of Substance, and liked the book, so when I came across Everything to Gain, by the same author, I expected a good read.

I was extremely disappointed. The book was not worth the time. There is nothing to hold your interest - no strong characters or character development, no interesting plot, no sharp writing or snappy dialogue.

In short, a waste of time...

Except that the main character's name is Mal (short for Mallory) and NOT Meg! Did you even read this lousy book?? I was bored to tears, only stuck with it because I promised someone I'd read it. Now I have, and what drivel it was. The first half of the book dragggggged on and on. The second half wasn't even remotely realistic. My advice is to stay as far away from this book as possible--it stinks!

What a heartfelt story "Everything to Gain," was. As I read this book some time ago now, I can see Meg's grief as raw as it was, like I was experiencing this situation myself. Losing her whole family was terribly tough. And day by day, she continues to suffer for a very long time until she is ready to kill herself; this is where the turning point comes in. You'll have to read the book to find out what I mean, as I don't want to say too much.

I was very disapointed when I read this book. I am a professional graphic designer and very interested in information design. This book is a paradox. A book about information design wrapped in ugly design. It is too big, too selfabsorbed and seems to be oldfashioned too. A group og designerfriend padding eathother on the shoulders. It is not woth buying, however the book: "Information Anxiety by the same author is great, but has ugly confusing design too, -I dont understand why!

Saul Wurman is one of these artistic types who use closely spaced white on black text. The book is therefore an example of bad design and extremely difficult to read. His examples might be good, but it is hard work to read about them. The book is therefore NOT a design guide for information. However, the pictures look nice, so you may want to leave the book around if you have no other means of impressing visitors.

Well, what can you expect of a book? And what can be expected of this book? In it I found a collection of some good responses (from press, to brochures, websites, interactive CDs, etc) to complex communicational problems, even when not all of them satisfy my aesthetic expectations, each work must be understood as "for who is it made", "in what media it will reproduce" and "what wishes to communicate". This book isn't a hip catalogue of what's cool, trendy or fashionable. The only short come of the book is that the comments are "just that" in most of the examples.

The authors have tried to cram all the theories and ideas of corporate finance in one single volume- they did a commendable job, but has made it too burdensome for MBA students who have to cover the whole book in a single semester. The initial chapters are a joy to read, but it all becomes unstuck when the reader reaches Part IV (Capital Structure and Dividend Policy). Then the authors become somewhat vague and make a heavy weather of explaining the important topic. That is the reason why I could not give five stars to an otherwise excellent book. The initial three parts viz. Overview, Value and Capital Budgeting, and Risk introduce novices gently to the basic concepts and tools. The writing is wordy, but very simple, and it never becomes irksome to the reader.The part on options is detailed enough to give the reader a basic idea of derivatives and will set him/her up nicely for future courses in advanced finance. On the whole, the book is much more detailed and easily acceptable than the other "classic" viz. Brealey and Myers. The best fact is that the authors are not writing for financial experts, but for people who are new to finance. Possibly, this is the best introductory textbook on corporate finance available today.

I am a student with science background. When I started my research on corporate finance, I had ZERO knowledge of investment and business ! I have tried very hard to swallow through the famous Bryley and Myers text recommended by my supervisor, and what I can conclude was : boy, is this how finance people write their text ? After beating about the bush for tens of pages, you still have no idea what they are talking about !

Thankfully this book by Ross and also another by Haim Levy save my day and correct my almost biased opinion about business academics (disorganized to the extent that can't even produce an honest and sincere introduction of finance with clarity and organized structure, that I sometimes wonder do these people know their work or not ?).

Really I don't know why some people discount Ross completely, because this is really one of the more decent and organized texts available about corporate finance. Anyone who wants to have serious learning about corporate finance should really take a look at Ross and also Haim Levy. Have patience and you will see where the author is leading you to. I am speaking from someone with ZERO background and experience in finance and business.

We use this book for both the undergraduate Intermediate Finance and MBA Introduction to Finance courses at University of Central Florida. This book is very easy to read no what your background in finance is. It serves as an excellent reference as well.

It seems there are a few people here who try to counterbalance each review that is awarded a 5-star rating with one that is a 1-star rating although their arguments do not hold water. My suggestion is to take a look at this book for yourself and simply return it if you're not happy with it. The fact the so many universities have adopted this text AND continue to use it says a lot.

As interesting as this book is, it cannot be considered the definitive work on the controversial Cook. Bradford Washburn is one of the most important names in American mountaineering. His photographs rival Ansel Adams. However, in publishing this book at 91, with a co-author, he seems to have failed to source his material. Robert M. Bryce published several years ago an exhaustive treatment of Cook and his claims. He consulted Washburn, who wrote him a note warmly congratulating Bryce on his work when the book was published. However, when this book was published, which lacks footnotes, Washburn failed to credit Bryce in any way. This was a complete error, as his co-author admitted; he submitted a bibiography that identifies Bryce as a source. But when reached by the Washington Post, and asked to explain the omission of Bryce's book, Washburn told the Post, "I don't know Bryce" and "to the best of my knowledge I've never laid eyes on his book. But you've got to remember you're dealing with a 91-year-old guy here." The sad fact is that Washburn is probably telling the truth based on his present memory, but that memory is just not very good. Washburn's coauthor admits that he "naturally" drew facts and sequences from Bryce's book, since it was both the most comprehensive and the most recent biography of Cook. The entire controversy is well covered in a February 4. 2002 article in the Washington Post. Apparently the omission of any mention of Bryce was due to someone who lives at Washburn's retirement home retyping the bibliography.

There is no doubt that Washburn drew on a vast amount of his own research for this book, although how much he wrote and how much was written by his coauthor is not clear. It is also clear that he reached his conclusion concerning Cook's false claim to have climbed Mount McKinley long before Bryce started his work. This is not a case of deliberate plagarism, and it not clear that Bryce's text was copied. However, it is unfortunate, that such a distinguished career ends on this note.

Nevertheless, if you are really interested in this subject, and Cook is very interesting, you need to read Bryce's book. He has footnoted his sources, discussed the matter at greater detail and his conclusion seems irrefutable.

Pete did a wonderful job in this book, Cook clearly was a fraud. No more question in my mind. Hope Pete gets in touch with us soon, its been far to long. Great Work! Ron & Anita

Washburn is a thorough detective who leaves no doubt Cook was a fraud. His photography from airplanes, and the illustrations show the true scale of the mountains, peaks, glaciers, etc. surrounding McKinley. This makes it easy to understand why his companions back at camp immediately recognized Cook's claim as a lie. They knew he could not have covered all that distance, climbed that mother of all mountains, and then come back in so few days.

What fascinates me is how Cook got the public to believe it by working the media. His magazine stories and photos, books, lectures, all created the illusion that he had done something spectacular. But he had not! He only went camping ...

Washburn is a remarkable individual, a fine writer, and a photographer on a par with Ansel Adams. This work is a masterpiece from a mountaineering genius. It is too bad he had nothing more than Cook to use as a foil.

By the way - the publisher made a serious mistake using the smallest type font used for body text I have ever seen in a book. One could increase font size several points and still have generous margins. What were they thinking? This is tiny text! A flaw I'll try to overlook from this magnificent end to the Cook debate.

I read the book a number of years ago to learn pthreads.
I found numerous errors in the examples -- speaking
at work to a colleague I recall we laughed at this book --
It was such a disaster.

I may read the book again (over the last few years I learned a lot about
pthreads) and give a careful analysis of it.

I had a first printing -- there were gobs of errata on
Oreilly's site -- maybe they put in enough corrections so
the examples run -- but I'm amazed how shoddy the first printing was.

Stay away from it...

The short code snippets are horrible. If the author wants to save money and space by using code snippets, it should be checked and checked again for accuracy. There are numerous errors in the code. For example, on page 80, there is an example of condition variable usage. However, there are no function prototypes! This is just one of numerous obvious ommissions. Trust me, there are non-obvious errors too. If you're looking for an overview, this will do you fine. However, if you're looking for some decent code examples to look at, I'd suggest Butenhof's book instead.

Multi-threaded programming is difficult enough, why make it harder for yourself?

I found it too be an excellent overview. Its treatment of the issues associated with threads and signals I think was especially useful. My only complaint is with the Quick Reference in Appendix C. The reference provides no description of possible function call errors. While I admit the errors are dependant on the particular Pthreads implementation, however there are a core number of errors that would be common throughout all, or at least most, implementations. The point is if you are to do any actual programming, which I presume is the reason for a reference of function calls, you need to know what return values to expect. Providing no reference would have been better then providing a useless one.