Fifteen years ago I did research in this area and had just completed a math degree. I thought it would be interesting to get back up to speed.
I found the book fascinating, tremendous work has been done in this field and this is a good broad treatment of it. For anyone who is into computer science but has never studied the brain it will be a tremendous eye opener.
But boy, was it hard work. I found I had to read & re-read sections just to understand some of the math involved. In fairness the book does cover everything you need but if you have never done college level math, or you have forgotten most of it, then don't tackle this book when you are tired!

This book is one of the two main books used in Caltech's Neural Computation class (the other is Introduction to the Theory of Neural Computation by Hertz, Krogh, and Palmer). This book covers a wider spectrum of learning models than most books, including Hertz, et al. It is still fairly mathematically rigorous, although not as much as Hertz, et al. It is ideal for somebody who wants a fairly mathematically rigorous description of the subject, but also wants something more comprehensive than Herts, et al.

Pam Spencer is determined to see justice done. Her wheelchair-bound brother deserves better than to be fired by the company which caused his accident in the first place!

Strapped for cash and unable to qualify for insurance coverage, Tom Spencer will never be able to afford the surgery he so desperately needs in order to walk again. So when his former employer, Bainbridge Corporation, takes out an ad in the local newspaper searching for a new heir to inherit the family fortune, sister Pam seizes the chance to right a past wrong, hoping beyond hope that her brash sincerity will win the day for them.

But Pam never reckoned on the hurdles that would be strewn along the path to Tom's future happiness; especially not the clause about having to move into the very same house as the incredibly sexy, utterly cruel disowned heir, Reese Bainbridge!

What worked for me:

I thought the overall premise of the book was intriguing, and the classified ad was a clever way to get all of the characters interacting with each other right from the get-go!

I genuinely liked Pam and could see from the start that she was a good person; one whom I'd want for a friend.

I can't go into it without spoiling plot points, but there was something revealed about Reese's history which I found rather touching. I only wish I'd discovered it earlier in the story so that I would have understood him and liked him sooner.

Size-wise Pam was a throw-back to the 1950s voluptuous pinup era, with a little extra padding besides.

What didn't work for me:

I wanted to like the hero. I truly did. Physically, he was the kind of guy who would knock me right off my feet. ;^) But he was so damaged.. so petulant and unkind to Pam at times, that I just couldn't see myself having the patience to untangle this gorgeous guy from his troubled past. (I would have gone nuts from having it out with him as often as Pam did.)

Well, I've mentioned before that there is currently a strong trend in featuring virginal or nearly virginal plus-size heroines in contemporary romances. I hope Ms. Ballard also has a book starring an extremely predatory curvy gal for those of us looking for a Mae West "Just-Let-Me-At-Him" type to live vicariously through. ;^)

Overall:

"A Worthy Heir" is a touching novel; a solid read for anyone interested in romantic stories about healing damaged family relationships.

Though there are some mildly sensual scenes, this book should still appeal to fans of sweet romances.

If you liked "A Worthy Heir" you might also enjoy "More to Love", "The Legacy Tree", "Carried Away", "Etta Mae's Little Theory", "His Seductive Revenge", "Love by the Pound", "Tales from the Heart", or "Teacher's Pet".

I like Pat's style of writing because it is simple but very pleasing to read. Pat proves that it doesn't have to take a week to read a book to be able to enjoy it. I don't usually like to read romance books because so much of it is complicated and fabricated. Pat has a way of making it sound real and honest. I have read all of Pat's book and have enjoyed every one of them.

I read the only information that Amazon had posted on this title, a seemingly dry academic table of contents, and decided to go for it. I was desperately curious to see what kind of analysis this was about Ballard, and my chance was richly rewarded. I do have one caveat: this IS a dense academic analysis. As an intense Ballard fan and possessing a graduate degree, I fell in love with the book. As author Roger Luckhurst points out, Atrocity Exhibition is a hard title to have a discussion about. If you've been searching for someone to analyze Ballard with, get this title and join Roger.

The title refers to Ballard's nebulous place between mainstream and science fiction, the "angle between two walls." Luckhurst points out the attempts that have been made to categorize Ballard, but that's the last thing he is attempting to do here. Instead Luckhurst focuses on several of the major themes and processes at work inside Ballard's fiction: surrealism, globalism, catastrophe. The chapter analyzing Vermilion Sands was amazing. Reading Roger discuss the readability AND unreadability of Ballard's work, I knew I had found a kindred Ballardian. Hardcore fans, this is the second most required about-Ballard title after the Re/Search #8/9 Ballard book.

This is an excellent text on neonatology. It is quite expansive, yet has enough detail. I am a pediatric resident, and for me it serves as a good reference text. I highly recommend it for those who are looking for a complete neonatology textbook.

While this isnt the best western ever written, its definetly worth reading. This is a gritty realistic western that is refreshing as the main character actually gets hurt, he isnt immune to bullets like some westerns i've read. He even misses his shots occasionally! The author doesnt use excessive detail on surroundings etc., enough to get his point across. I highly recommend it, as this book is a very realistic portrayal of how the west really was. Not everyone liked everyone, people die, good and bad! If you like happy endings, this isnt exactly the book your looking for. I hope to see more books from Mr. Laing. The main cons about this book was it seemed to end to soon. :-)

This book is an upbeat look at aspects of post-career life, of finding new interests and an informative and practical guide to leading lives that are longer and more rewarding totally based on your personal experiences. To believe that a curtain drops on life at age 60/65 leaving nothing to do but play golf makes no sense at all. Not only does that attitude fail to bring personal satisfaction it is inconsistent with recognized theories of human development. The book demonstrates practical methods for you specifically to avoid a damaging mind-set, details proven methods to adopt and nurture new attitudes, and specifically how to supplement your income based on your area of personal expertise - and new areas as well. Ways to make this a period of grace and growth rather than decline and decay.

I used a copy of this book to find accomodation during a 3 week holiday in Italy. I can recommend it if you are looking for something a little off the beaten track at a reasonable price. Most areas have many entries and in September it was easy to find a place to stay even in Rome and Florence. Take a mobile phone and you can arrange your stay while traveling on the Italian railways.

This book is one of the easiest books to understand on a technical level. Anyone with a beginer to intermediate level technical background of webdevelopment would greatly apperciate this book. It shows you the steps with corresponding pictures of how to use Dreamweaver 3. Very, very good book that will teach you Dreamweaver in a day or two. I read this entire book in one day and started my business that same week. One week later I'm making $500 a day. Thanks

An excellent read. This is the life story of one of the Greatest marine geologists and explorers of our time. From top secret navy submarines to luxurious ocean liners to deep sea marine life this man has seen it all, this book helps to explain what wasn't in the other great books he has written, it is a personal account of everything he went through to get where he is now. It was one of the best books I have ever read and a must have for all fans.

Ballard's 1987 novel "The Day of Creation" is a sinuous odyssey through a surrealized Africa drunk on the potential of Western technology. Ballard's narrative voice is rich and engaging, the fluctuating exterior and interior landscape rendered with delirious conviction. "The Day of Creation" reads like a particularly brutal 20th century fable, deftly pointing the cool lens of technology on our secret fascination with the Dark Continent.

"The Day of Creation" has been compared to Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness." But Ballard's novel is at once deeper and more topical; by infusing his story with a compelling and unlikely romance, Ballard reveals a sensual versatility lesser writers would gladly kill for. Read as an adventure story or as erotic allegory, "The Day of Creation" is a pleasure.

The imagery in this book is very engrossing, and after reading particular chapters I put the book down and could vividly see the Mallory River flowing before me, Noon swimming in its flowing currents. Even with this imagery, though, I find that the characters were very poorly developed for Ballard, and that though it was written in the first person I did not get into the mindset of Dr. Mallory as I was able to get into the mind of James Ballard in "Crash". A reccomended read, yes, but read a few of his others first.

What I liked best about this novel was the images that Ballard was able to evoke. To be honest, I started reading it and lost interest. I picked it up some years later and was hooked. He truly can create amazing pictures in the mind unlike most writers. It is perplexing to me to see a book like The Firm getting such good reviews and being read by millions when this one is hardly even a footnote, when this book is superior in just about every way. It is not his best. I would say Crystal World, High-Rise and The Drowned World are his best, but this is a very original novel.