I just finished an intro to systems analysis class that used this book as a textbook. While the basic tools of analysis haven't changed since this book was written, it is hopelessly outdated when it discusses any technology or software. It contains a lengthy discourse on the relative merits of dot matrix vs. daisey wheel printers, and when discussing CASE tools and 4GL's only 1 of the companies it talks about is still in existence. Even those things in the book that are still relevant are presented in a mind-numbing 'text-book' like way, and always required further explanation from our instructor. My textbook was published in 1995 which is several ages in the biz so look else where for a good intro text until they update this one.

I just finished an intro to systems analysis class that used this book as a textbook. While the basic tools of analysis haven't changed since this book was written, it is hopelessly outdated when it discusses any technology or software. It contains a lengthy discourse on the relative merits of dot matrix vs. daisey wheel printers, and when discussing CASE tools and 4GL's only 1 of the companies it talks about is still in existence. Even those things in the book that are still relevant are presented in a mind-numbing 'text-book' like way, and always required further explanation from our instructor. My textbook was published in 1995 which is several ages in the biz so look else where for a good intro text until they update this one.

While I am generally in favor of treating children like adults and helping them to become independent, the advice contained in this book could create a sociopath in a single child family and complete civil war in a household with more than one child. The author's advice with respect to issues of sexuality would be frightening to most parents.

The book itself is actually OK if what you want is a history of the Beale Papers, but please note that the book does not contain a solution to the ciphers.

Apart from the history of the Beale Treasure, the author goes into an in-depth description of how he discovered "clues" to decode the ciphers. I found the book disappointing because the evidence for these "clues" seems to be quite weak .It seems as though the author is "clutching at straws",looking for evidence which really isn't there. Unfortunately these "clues" only lead to more questionable "evidence". There is certainly no solution to the treasure code given in the book, which is not what the title suggests.

The book is a collection of articles, book excerpts, etc, from some of today's "leading intellectual thinkers" on the subjects of Race, Class, and Gender. Sadly, it was written to be used as a textbook for use in a college course on the subject of diversity.

I say sadly because it argues solely for the view that whites (men in particular) are racist and oppressive, whether they know it or not, and that all people of color and white women are oppressed. Any material that is cited as corroborating evidence that their claims are true is discussed from the viewpoint that any such material is correct and does not need examination. There are articles that discuss "findings" and what they mean but never is the actual data included.

All the views on race/gender stem from a distorted and limited view of class developed early in the book concerning Marxism. They assert that class is made of 2 groups, the worker and the ruling (traditionally called proletariat/bourgeoisie). Of the ruling class (bourgeoisie) it is said they control all the means of Production, Education, Justice, etc..., and that all values in a society are the values of the ruling class and seek only to further the interests of the ruling class and are consequently thrust upon the worker class. Of the worker class (proletariat) it is only mentioned that Marx said they would rebel and upon defeating the ruling class they would develop a more egalitarian society.

With this "understanding" they apply the 2 group, oppressor/oppressed, majority/minority model, to the issue of race. Keeping what was stated as characteristic of the ruling class (controls all means of Production, Education, Justice, all values in a society are the values of the ruling class and seek only to further their interests) they assign the white race the role of oppressor. In this model whites are slated to be the aggressor that must be overcome. Then they do something that defies all intellectual honesty and completely undermines their credibility, as if they had any by proposing such a simplistic view of the world already.

They define the oppressed class as consisting of ALL WHITE WOMEN AND ALL PEOPLE OF COLOR. This defies logic because anything that benefits white men will naturally benefit white women. Plantation owners were wealthy and owned slaves. Their wives lived lives of incomparable luxury as a result and even avoided raising their own children by having a black slave woman (a mammy) look after, care for, essentially raise their white children for them while they pursued social activities for their own pleasure. Though this is true only of a plantation owners wife. Nearly all white people never owned a slave, nor were they wealthy, and lived harsh lives by anyone's estimation. What about those whites. The authors of any of the articles would probably say they still benefited in some way or another and in some of the articles actually do assert this was the case. Evidence of this is seen as unnecessary and no discussion is provided or wanted concerning this portion of the issue.

They then examine the issue of gender (correctly called sex ). Using the same model and keeping all the qualities imbued to that of their respective classes, they assign men to the role of oppressor and women to oppressed. If you bear in mind that of the oppressor class it is said "all values in a society are the values of the ruling (oppressor) class and these values seek only to benefit them," you can understand why feminists believe a single mother household to be superior, or at least as good as, to that of a 2 parent father-in household. No evil oppressing man around to imbue our children with those values that only benefit men. Then if Marx was right, lacking those values that oppress, we will create a more egalitarian society. Equality for everyone!! What simplistic drivel.

If you are buying this to use as a textbook in a course that requires it, drop the course and find another that doesn't deal with diversity, they all approach the subject the same way.

If you're buying this for any other reason, buy it used and cheap and only because you want to understand where the diversity crowd has went wrong. There is no truth, no understanding, no common sense to be found here. God save us all!

Voices from the American Civil War could be, in many ways, an excellent resource for a teacher. The publisher suggests its use in grades 4 - 10. The textual organization is excellent. Grouped by year of the war, each of the two dozen or so chapters has background information, an introduction to the main personnage in the story, a lively, fast paced short incident, and a brief afterword.

Then, for each chapter, there are questions that test knowledge gained, suggestions for further research, ideas for reality games and further thought provoking questions.

The main character of each brief story is presented as a real person with birth and death dates and some added biographical material. These dates and this material, however, do not always seem to check out, especially in reference to John Mercer Langston and a character named "Mary Livingston" who seems to be based on Mary Livermore of the Chicago Sanitary Commission. If these well known and easily verified historical personnages are presented incorrectly, what is the reader to think of the others?

I would have loved to recommend this book. I find its flaws extremely disappointing.