To minimize Ms. Bundles' work as being merely a biography about a poor washerwoman who made her fortune in the then-unserved African American hair products market is to dismiss this wonderful work unfairly. "On Her Own Ground" is a wonderful portrait not just of Madam Walker's meteoric rise from abject poverty and cruel circumstances to unequaled wealth among the African American elite (and the non-African American elite, too), but about the politics of race and the politics within the African American leadership at the turn of the century. Simply put, Madam Walker was what was then known as a "race woman": A woman who used her money and influence to further the rights and opportunities of African Americans. Because of her immense wealth, she made herself a voice to be heard and a force to be reckoned with within the male-dominated African American leadership of her time (her refusing-to-be-denied quest to gain the respect of Booker T. Washington is sad, admirable and amusing all at the same time)and against the Jim Crow/"turn our heads and look away from racism" white leadership of the day. Her works on behalf of and huge donation to the black YMCA in Indianapolis, her $5,000 donation to the anti-lynching fund of the NAACP (the largest contribution to the NAACP at that time), and her charge that the Walker agents, the African American women who sold her products, not only better themselves but work towards the betterment of the race, made her a woman way ahead of her time. In reading this book, it made me question why my affirmative action generation has not accomplished nearly so much with so much more at our disposal.

On a different note, Ms. Bundles is not a historian and does not pass herself off as being one. Unlike many historians, when Ms. Bundles does not know a fact for certain, she clearly states so and offers her theories as to what might have happened during some of the gaps in Madam Walker's history. And, in an act of intellectually honesty that is becoming increasingly rare, she never passes off her theories as the only possible explanations of what could have occurred, allowing the reader to engage in conjecture on her own, which, in my view, is all the more engaging. A thoroughly enjoyable read which I predict will become required reading in college African American studies' curricula.

This is a thoroughly researched book on the life of the famous African American entrepreneur, Madam C. J. Walker. You'll enjoy reading about Walker and how she pryed her way into the National Negro Business League and gained the respect of Booker T Washington, the leading African American spokesman of that time. Through excerpts of correspondence between Walker, her daughter, Lelia and her attorney, F.B. Ransom, the spirit of Walker comes alive and gives the reader an authentic glimpse into the concerns, challenges and feelings Walker experienced. For those of us who lack business savvy, Walker's business strategies are enlightening and admirable, however, it is Walker's struggle to improve the social and economic conditions of African Americans that truly makes her a heroine.

On Her Own Ground details the life story of Madame C.J. Walker, best known for developing a line of hair care products. To know her only for this accomplishment would be short sighted, indeed. Born to slaves, Sarah Breedlove (her given name) was orphaned by age 7, married by age 14 and widowed with a small daughter by age 20. She was one of many women who took in washing to earn a living and to support her daughter. She began to experiment with hair salves when she noticed her hair was breaking and falling out. Tapping into a common problem for black women of the time, she began to produce and sell her discovery. This is also the story of a woman who was in the forefront of black educational and political movements of the early 1900's. She was friends (and sometimes adversaries) with many of the well known names of the time,including Booker T. Washington,Mary McLeod Bethune,and W.E.B DuBois. and a force behind providing educational and employment opportunities for African American women. Her daughter , who also helped run the family business was at the forefront of the Harlem Reniassance. Working against the prejudice of not only her race, but her sex, she built a family industry that exisits today ( although no longer in family hands).She built a home among the most wealthy of the time and enjoyed an income comprabable to any white, male executive of the time. A'Lelia Bundles has skillfully woven a complex portrait of a woman who shaped marketing techniques still used universally today. Using a wealth of family material (Bundles is the great-great granddaughter of Madam Walker)as well as other well documented sources, the author opens the door to a vibrant time in Black history, provides a historical context to help explain and compliment this amazing woman and tells a story so compelling that this is a hard book to put down.

...That said, The Cater Street Hangman is enjoyable. The mystery is good-it's genuinely unclear who has been killing women in the area around Cater Street. And the characters, at least in this novel, are actually somewhat realistic. Charlotte, her heroine, is a bit tedious in her self-righteousness but Thomas Pitt, the inspector who is investigating the murders in the neighborhood in which Charlotte lives with her parents and sisters, is a good foil. He is straight-forward, unapologetic and seems curiously immune from the usual fallout created by the Victorian class system. I especially liked Emily, Charlotte's younger and highly ambitious sister. The Ellisons, Emily's and Charlotte's family are genteelly middle-class but Emily intends to marry up-and she manages to achieve it-even as the world in which the Ellisons live falls apart when a killer begins stalking the Ellisons and their neighbors....

This novel is the first featuring Thomas Pitt and Charlotte (Ellison) Pitt, and set in Victorian London. In some ways, the novel is a standard mystery, with the victims, suspects, police and other interested parties all involved, sometimes to the detriment of the investigation! What makes this novel stand above other contemporary novels set in the Victorian era is the author's obvious knowledge of that era and her attention to detail which makes the reader feel as if s/he has truly glimpsed what it must have been like to live at that time. I also thought that it was critical to spend a significant portion of the novel on the class system in Britain (London society in particular) during the late 1800s. This is more than mere background--it is crucial because the class system determines how the characters act and react to the murders around them, to the investigation, and to eachother.

I also liked the romance which developed between Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt, and found it entirely believable. Anne Perry pulls it off, despite Charlotte and Thomas being from different classes, because she had the foresight to make Charlotte something of a social misfit. She was honest. She said precisely what was on her mind without considering what the listener wanted to hear. She did not accept the double standard of behavior that her family, friends, and neighbors subscribed to (one set of rules for men, another more strigent set of rules for women). She read the newspapers and "unfeminine" books on topics such as military history to the shock and horror of her family and friends. All of these things made her, as her mother put it, "a liability on the marriage market". She would not attract a suitor of her own class (nor of the aristocracy nor gentry). The only option (not spoken of in the novel) is for her to marry down socially, but she also gains far more emotionally from her relationship with Thomas. She has found someone she can love and respect, and who loves and respects her in return. Thomas is also something of a social misfit as well. Anne Perry accomplishes this by making him a member of the servant class by birth, but because he was educated side by side with the Lord of the manor's son, he, too, does not quite "fit" neatly into one class or another. A good example of Thomas being not quite in the class that people expect is how his voice and appearance are described. In the Victorian era, as well as now, voice (and diction) are a good indication of class. Thomas, because of his education, did not sound like a servant or a tradesman (which is how policemen were ranked socially). The development of their relationship was also well done. There is no rush to sexual relations. The dislike that Charlotte and Thomas initially feel for eachother changes to respect, admiration, and finally each acknowledges their love for eachother. It was nice to see how Charlotte came to change her feelings about Thomas. The main characters actually get to know eachother beforehand!

The ending was also a bit of a surprise--the murderer was not the obvious suspect, and the reason for the murders was unexpected. This novel was enjoyable all around. Highly recommended.

I was aware of Anne Perry's historical mysteries and assumed I would not be interested in them since in general I prefer more contemporary mysteries. Then I saw A&E's production of The Cater Street Hangman and was captivated by it. I immediately bought the book and found it to be even better than the TV version - the characters have more depth and the plot is tighter and more credible. Anne Perry has a wonderful knack for creating characters. I feel as though I know (and like) Charlotte Ellison and Thomas Pitt. Charlotte is a wonderful creation: she speaks her mind, almost unheard of in the Victorian well-to-do world she inhabits. Thomas Pitt is an equally interesting creation and seeing the two of them pass beyond instant dislike to attraction and admiration for each other is very entertaining. We SO want them to get together. This is edge-of-the seat stuff which, together with all the wonderful details of life in Victorian London and an intelligent love affair, makes for a thundering good read!

I thought I had my trip to Ireland all planned out, including all the right guides to get me around without any problems. I purchased this guide along with the detailed version of Dublin and reviewed the books before I left. I was surprised to find just how many holes there were with the maps. It repeatedly seemed like what I was trying to find wasn't listed in the book or it wasn't on the map. The maps, I was really dissapointed to find, only cover small sections of the towns. I would not recommend them to people who are using them as a source for directions. It had a plenty ideas for the kinds of places you would want to see in Ireland, but I found there was much more out there compared to what actually made it into the book. I recomend it as a guide for the big tourist spots and to give an idea about what to expect, but I wouldn't use it for details.

I am getting ready to take a trip and wanted to buy a good travel guide to Ireland. I looked at a number of guide books and they were all talk and little else. I picked up the DK Eyewitness Travel Guide about Ireland from Dorling Kindersley, the same people who do the CDs. It was the best guide book of the bunch. The photos, maps illustrations and narrative are all first class. I looked as some of their other guide books, such as New York, London and Paris, all first class. I plan to buy them all. I live across the river from NYC, and lived in New York state for over 35 years. I learned a number of things from the NYC book. Get them, you will be hard pressed to find better travel guides

This is the one travel guide to take with you. I am going to Ireland this coming Nov.and wanted a guide on where we will be going and what we will be doing and seeing. Took a look at a number of guides and was not happy with them. Most of them are too much "talk", Found the "Eyewitness Travel Guides from Dorling Kindersley, The Multimedia CD publisher. The book is great, as is their other Travel Guides. The 3D maps and cutaway illustrations are worth the price alone. I am going to buy there other guides as well. I live in NJ just accross from NYC and learned a few thing about the Big Apple I did not know. In short Buy it you'll like it.

This book is a complete and comprehensive guide to methods of technical analysis. These methods are covered in a concise and sinthetic way (perhaps very sinthetic), so you can't loose any word in the method of your interest. But I love this way. This contrasts with Kaufman's "Smarter Trading", a very wordy book that dissapoints me. This is the other side of the coin. Besides this, is the most comprehensive book you can find; if you are looking for a particular method possibly you will found in this book many sound variants of the original you've looking for. The best technical reference I've found, but don't spect too much than a reference.

Perry Kaufman offers a thorough and informative encyclopedia of trading systems and insights in a comprehensive guide of nearly 700 pages. The book is geared for a more advanced level of trader, as well as for someone interested in focusing on the mathematical foundations of building and testing trading systems. If you are looking for a detailed and mathematically-oriented approach to futures trading systems, then this highly quantitative book is for you.

The goal of Kaufman's book is "to give a you a complete understanding of the tools and techniques needed to develop or choose a trading program that has a good chance of being successful." He excludes commentary on market psychology and execution or trading skills in favor of focusing primarily on the development of a well-thought-out and tested system.

Kaufman has worked extensively in price forecasting, and he is a well-known technical expert in futures markets. He is a principal of an international investment firm and has written extensively on trading systems. Since he has an extensive background in futures trading and research, the futures markets remain the primary focus of the book. Any trader interested primarily in equity trading might find this book more advanced than necessary.

For anyone even remotely interested in learning about the complexities of trading systems, then this book does offer some interesting insights into how in depth some trading systems can become. For instance, the book explains techniques like trend and countertrend analysis, indicators, and various testing methods. Also covered are choice of data, diversification, time frames, trade selection, choosing a method of analysis, and testing.

As for the ongoing learning process that trading demands, I particularly liked the quote Kaufman uses at the beginning of the book. He quotes JRL as saying that "If you have a minute, I'll tell you how to make money in stocks. Buy low and sell high--Now if you have five or ten years, I'll tell you how to tell when stocks are low and high." Learning takes a lot of time, and if you have the time Kaufman's book is worth reading.

This is not so much an encyclopedia as it is a fairly complete compendium of various trading tools and strategies. Almost all such research focuses on the futures markets; the closest these get to the stock market is the S&P 500 index. This is true of technical analysis in general, so if you're interested in the stock market you will generally have to extrapolate.

Kaufman is a pretty able and knowledgeable reporter on the research results of others, but I have to say that in places the transcriptions are confusing, unclear and ambiguous. Even though the book is nearly 700 pages long, some of the coverage is too sparse -- while in other areas it seems too wordy. This 3rd edition could benefit from a start-to-finish re-organization/re-write, as some ideas are explained multiple times in various places and other ideas which are introduced early and deemed important are then ignored throughout the rest of the book. I'm thinking primarily of the basics of statistics and tests for significance; much of what might work at times is superfluous. My impression is that while Kaufman is very experienced in the markets and with trading systems in general, that he's a dilettante so far as really rigorous mathematics is concerned. Pick and choose among the many clever ideas here carefully. 3 1/2 stars.

I didn't like to read any books before, but after I have read this book , I become more and more interested in reading. I started to have motivation to read as many books as in my life.
" A Study in Scarlet " ( written by Conan Doyle ) is the first full-length novel appearance of Sherlock Holmes. And I know Sherlock Holmes is very famous detective in fiction. Therefore, I choose this book.I like Holmes's deduction the most. He has great power in observation and understanding in all types of crime. He is full of knowledge that can help him to solve the problem and he likes violin and opera. If his brain contains anything apart from these , he must try to forget them all as quick as possible.

I am quite interested in mystery. If you don't know which book is good to read , try to read the story about Sherlock Holmes . You must like it .

A Study in Scarlet is a good detective story, but certainly not Doyle's greatest. But it bears the distinction of being the novel which introduced the world to the legendary Sherlock Holmes. First appearing in 1887, it was not to be the greatest story about Sherlock Holmes, but it was the first. Doyle first introduces us to John H. Watson, a medical doctor recovering from duty in Afghanistan. Watson needs a room-mate, and a mutual acquaintance introduces both him and us to Holmes. So we come to know both Holmes, Watson, and the memorable 221B Baker Street.

Watson's first impressions of Holmes are merely that he is a man enshrouded in mystery and eccentricity, and Watson politely restrains his curiosity by avoiding asking too many intrusive questions, despite the parade of strange individuals that come to their apartment to consult Holmes, and despite his bemusement at Holmes' passion for playing the violin and his egotism. Watson's perplexation at Holmes' character and profession is slowly unravelled in the second chapter which Doyle appropriately titles 'The Science of Deduction'. Watson observes that 'his zeal for certain studies was remarkable, and within eccentric limits his knowledge was so extraordinarily ample and minute that his observations have fairly astounded me 'His ignorance was as remarkable as his knowledge. Of contemporary literature, philosophy and politics he appeared to know next to nothing ' That any civilized human being in this nineteenth century should not be aware that the earth travelled round the sun appeared to me to be such an extraordinary fact that I could hardly realize it.'(p11). Holmes apparently is brilliant at identifying a stain on your trousers, but completely ignorant about the most elementary contemporary political events.

Ironically, Watson's inability to deduce Holmes' profession proves that he lacks the very ability that he is seeking to uncover in Holmes: deduction. For Holmes doesn't just excel in specialized knowledge, but especially in the science of deduction and logic. By utilizing the skills of observation and analysis Holmes asserts that logic could solve all virtually all problems. In his words: 'From a drop of water, a logician could infer the possibility of an Atlantic or a Niagara without having seen or heard of one or the other. So all life is a great chain, the nature of which is known whenever we are shown a single link of it. Like all other arts, the Science of Deduction and Analysis is one which can only be acquired by long and patient study, nor is life long enough to allow any mortal to attain the highest possible perfection in it. Before turning to those moral and mental aspects of the matter which present the greatest difficulties, let the inquirer begin by mastering more elementary problems. Let him, on meeting a fellow-mortal, learn at a glance to distinguish the history of the man, and the trade or profession to which he belongs. Puerile as such an exercise may seem, it sharpens the faculties of observation, and teaches on where to look and what to look for. By a mans' finger-nails, by his coat-sleeve, by his boots, by his trouser-knees, by the callosities of his forefinger and thumb, by his expression, by his shirtcuffs ' by each of these things a man's calling is plainly revealed. That all united should fail to enlighten the competent inquirer in any case is almost inconceivable.' (p14-15). Watson calls this science of deduction 'ineffable twaddle', but as we know, this is the vintage Holmes we love and the very core of his being. Not only does he prove it to Watson by remarkably deducing that Watson had served duty in Afghanistan, but by collaring the criminal in a murder case.

The story itself consists in two parts: the first part introduces us to Holmes and Watson, and describes the murder of Enoch Drebber and his secretary Joseph Stangerson, and several failed attempts of Scotland Yard detectives to solve it, concluding with Holmes unmasking the real perpetrator, to the complete astonishment of all present. The second part is a flashback, explaining the background and motives for the murder, as finally Holmes relates the observations and deductions that led him to solving it. In short, 'the crime was the result of an old-standing and romantic feud, in which love and Mormonism bore a part.' (p103)

But what is fascinating about 'A Study in Scarlet' is not so much the mystery, but the man: Holmes himself. Doyle would later learn to eliminate some of the excess baggage present in this story (such as the extended flashback) and focus on Holmes and his deductions. The characterization of Holmes as an eccentric man driven by logic is wonderfully created for the first time in this novel. Already here is the foundation of the Sherlock Holmes that would become so successful in all of Doyle's later stories. A few quotes illustrate how the tone of the deductive Holmes is set: 'In solving a problem of this sort, the grand thing is to be able to reason backward. That is a very useful accomplishment, and a very easy one, but people do not practise it much.' (p99-100) 'There is no branch of detective science which is so important and so much neglected as the art of tracing footsteps.' (p100) 'You see, the whole thing is a chain of logical sequences without a break or flaw.' (p102)

Here the successful formula is already established: Scotland Yard is baffled, so is his foil the bumbling doctor Watson, and so are we the readers. Holmes has long solved the mystery before we have even begun identifying red herrings, and it is when he sits by the fire and explains to Watson the process of deduction that we curl up in delight. The partnership between the super-sleuth Holmes and his beloved side-kick Watson all starts here, and if you love Sherlock Holmes, you won't want to miss it!

This is where it all began, the very first Sherlock Holmes story. If you want to read all 60 Holmes adventures in chronological order (as you should) then by all means make this the first Holmes book that you ever read. They are all literary masterpieces, and this was the first one! Out of the 4 Holmes novels, I would rank this third, behind the Valley of Fear and the Hound of the Baskervilles. I will spare you the plot details, you can do that elsewhere. Just get and read this book and it will start you on a fascinating and extremely entertaining journey through Conan Doyle's world of Sherlock Holmes, one of the most widely recognized, and best, figures in all of literature.

Enjoyed this fourth Jane Whitefield novel. I love the character--her strength, brilliance, logical thinking, ability to strategize and come up with great plans. Glad her husband's character, Carey MacKinnon, was part of the plot more than he was in the past. However, thought the ending was a little strange, the villains as it were. It could have been just one (Quinn)without the second--(Christie) that seems tacked on and too melodramatic and unnecessary. It was very clever until then. However, the book was a good suspenseful read. Even though it seems as if Jane Whitefield is going into retirement for real this time to have a family, it would be a real letdown for her fans. This is one of the better-written mystery series and one of the most interesting characters. To Thomas Perry--please do not let Jane Whitefield retire. It would leave too big a gap in the field of good mysteries and good and unique women major characters. Keep writing about Jane Whitefield--h! er fans plead.

Please Mr. Perry don't let Jane retire, not yet. I can't get enough. I became a fan when I just happened upon "Vanishing Act" the first Jane Whitefield novel. I quickly read and then went in search of anything else I could get my hands on. I was lucky enough to read Dance of the Dead and Shadow Woman in quick succession. Then I had to wait several months for "The Face Changers". Most books leave you feeling "tired of them" after you've read about the same character, but Thomas Perry is a master at giving you just enough to make you want more and more. I am now in search of all of his early works - again, please Mr. Perry don't stop now.

Thank you, thank you.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE Thomas Perry's novels. They are all incredible. I stumbled upon Shadow Woman, then went back and read the first two of the Jane Whitefield series. I am an AVID mystery/thriller reader, and read an average of 2-3 books a week. I've been reading for years now, and Thomas Perry is my favorite author in this genre, and he clearly stands above all the rest, when it comes to suspense, spy tricks of the trade, and intricate plot.

As with some of the other reviewers, I was THRILLED to see that Jane Whitefield hadn't retired and grabbed this book off the shelf right away. While this novel was well written and well-constructed as usual, I thought it wasn't nearly as creative or suspenseful as his other novels.

I was totally disappointed, for example, at the discovery of the identity of the "Face-Changer." It was a real let-down after all that build-up. It was no one that would make the situation more of a 'stake' for Jane.

Also, I felt that more could have been done with the "identity-tampering" theme. The final show-downs Jane had with the enemies weren't nearly as huge or intricate or exciting as her other ones.

Still, I hold Perry up to very high standards -- his own (that he has set in other Jane novels)! So this book is still excellent!!! A HIGH RECOMMENDATION to all. Beautifully written and detailed without slowing down at all.

And I agree with the latest reviewer -- THOMAS PERRY, IF YOU'RE READING THIS, PLEASE DON'T RETIRE JANE!!! I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF YOUR JANE NOVELS!!!

It explains every tool and function. Most importantly it has "real world" tutorials to show how each tool fits into the modeling, animation, rendering, and effects workflow.

The offical maya manual explains functions well, but leaves you guessing as to when those functions can be actually used. I suppose that is part of the challenge of being a 3d artist, but if you're lazy like me and like to be held by the hand of professionals instead of wasting many hours/days experimenting, get this book. you'll cover ALOT of ground in very little time(compared to A/W's expensive maya encyclopedia).

I'm looking forward for the 3.5 Complete revision from the authors!

This is an excellent book. I have already recommended it to my character animation class at the School Of Visual Arts.

Mastering Maya Complete 2 is a well rounded, well written presentation of maya that goes far beyond simple instruction. The authors offer that (unfortunately) rare commodity in books of this type: insight.

It is obvious that the authors have sorted through maya's extensive tool set and found what works ELEGANTLY. We are the beneficiaries.

This book is like having a certified alias instructor right next to you! I literally created an animation--complete with particles--within an hour of reading this book. Unlike the manuals, that bog you down with "do this, do that" techniques; this book takes you by the hand and explains everything in a coherent manner; it gives you real-life examples, the way you would use it in a real-time project setting. Excellent, excellent book if you're a beginning to intermediate Maya user--it far exceeded my expectations; my only regret is not having found out about this book sooner. BUY IT, READ IT, USE IT!

When I first saw Resident Evil in [retail store], I was instantly attracted to it. Resident Evil has quickly become one of my favorite games ever. To read a book based upon the deep and lively ideas of the game appealed to me greatly.

However, as time has passed, I have grown more jaded to this series. Book one was much loved by me and I thought Perry did a very good job of turning the game into a book. But somewhere along the line I think she lost intrest. The newest book, Code Veronica, is based on the...THE game of the series and it just doesn't do justice to its origins.

One of my major peeves about this book is the writing style. Villians all seem to be the same...Mostly insane and bloodthirsty. True, the game portrays them as this but where is the cold calculations of Alexia and the brutal efficiency of Alfred? They are so...One dimensional. As for the hereos, I didn't feel that the Chris Redfield of the game would have liked his book counterpart. The book version cusses randomly and moves about his objectives without thought. Sure, I would scream obsanities if I was shooting at a zombie...But when I was just walking around and talking? This aspect began to really draw me down when applied to Claire and Leon. I just didn't think they were well portrayed.

As a "somewhat" writer myself, could I have done a better job...maybe. Perry has her action sequences down and she does write very well. But compared to some of the people who put out books, the Resident Evil series is a poor one. If I were to make a suggestion on this, I would say read books one(Resident Evil) and three(Caliban Cove), by far the best. Also read four(Umbrella Conspiracy) as it has some good personal writting by Perry. But stay clear of the others. They just don't tell the same story as the games and you may even feel a little robbed by the experience.

The only Resident Evil game I played was Two, but after I read
this, I knew what the game was about, I had also read Underworld
(4) and Nemisis (5) and I like to say I'm a true fan of this
seris.
In this one Claire is caught by Unbrella and brought to a far-
away island called Rockford and meet's a prosoner called Steve
Burnside who's kind of a bigger verison of Shreey Birkin.
But this a great book and what I heard it doesn't quiet fallow
the game but who care's? It's pretty damn close.

OH MY GOSH! This Resident Evil book is one that will keep you on the edge of your seat! When I began reading it, i didn't know what i was getting myself into... IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT IT DOWN!! The plot of the story is:
Claire Redfield, a young college student, is looking for her brother, Chris Redfield. After her time in Raccoon City, she thought she would never have to come across something like that again... However, after getting taken to Rockfort, an island, and her nightmare becomes once again reality. Zombies are roaming the island, as well as hunters (the creatures), bandersnatches, and of course... THE DOGS! She comes across new friends such as Steve, and new enemies such as the Ashford twins, Alfred and Alexia. Will she make it out alive? Well, i won't ruin it for you... if you want to know more about it... read the book... I TOTALLY RECOMMEND IT!!

Perry's has been gathering dust on my bookshelf at home for years. I always think of it as the book to go to if you want to NOT find the answer to something. In my 20 year career and in my PE test effort, the only thing I ever used it for was to look up properties of substances. It is NOT friendly to the working engineer, since it quickly veers into arcane academic territory on every subject, or else is too general to be useful. This is a serious review of this book by a ChE PE, but I know this review will get panned by all, not because it is not useful, but because you do not agree with it.

This is the best book to show how distant are the theory and the practice of a Chemical Engineer.

Perry's Handbook has been found indispensable by chemical engineers, and a wide variety of other engineers and scientists, through six previous editions spanning more than sixty years. The NST/Engineers, Inc. reviewer, a Ph.D., PE favors the hardbound book as a desk reference, whereas he favors the CD format (ISBN# 0071344128) where a laptop or copying text or calculations are required. Users familiar with previous editions of Perry's will find additional text sections, tables, and figures. The reviewer did not detect deletions of any required material.

You will notice the increased use of SI units. Section 1, of thirty Handbook sections, "Conversion Factors and Mathematical Symbols", provides a rescue line for those of us much more accustomed to U.S., British, and older Metric units and who are not fully conversant with S.I. units. The first one-third of the Handbook lays the theoretical groundwork for a fuller understanding of its final two-thirds.

Section 2 provides physical properties data, including tables of constants for properties' correlations covering wide temperature ranges. Methods for the prediction and correlation of physical properties are explained. Section 3 summarizes mathematics through differential equations and statistics. Sections 4 through 7 may be considered short texts on "Thermodynamics", "Heat and Mass Transfer", "Fluid and Particle Dynamics", and "Reaction Kinetics".

In its eighty-four double column text pages, Section 8 covers the "Fundamentals of Process Dynamics and Control". It includes model predictive control, process optimization, unit operations control, process measurements, and concludes with controllers, final control elements, and regulators. Section 9, "Process Economics", takes the reader through calculations involved in investment and profitability decisions, cost control, and cost estimation. Starting with Section 10, "Transport and Storage of Fluids", and for most of the following twenty sections, the chemical engineering unit operations, details of more specialized theories and operating practices, calculation methods, interface studies between chemical engineering and other disciplines (i.e., Biochemical Engineering and Waste Management), and data specific to the topic being presented are given.

As previously stated, these latter sections, about two-thirds of the book, build upon an understanding of the fundamentals presented earlier. For example, Section 10; Section 11, "Heat Transfer Equipment"; Section 12, "Psychrometry, Evaporative Cooling, and Solids Drying"; Section 13, "Distillation"; Section 14, "Gas Absorption"; Section 15, "Liquid-Liquid Extraction"; Section 16, "Adsorption and Ion Exchange"; Section 17, "Gas-Solid Operations and Equipment"; and Section 18, "Liquid-Solid Operations and Equipment"; build on an understanding of Section 4, "Thermodynamics", Section 5, "Heat and Mass Transfer", and Section 6 "Fluid and Particle Dynamics". However, the book sections are all prepared to be rather self-sufficient so that readers without the earlier fundamental background can still gather useful working information.

The final twelve sections complete the review of unit operations and add important interdisciplinary studies. The sections are: "Solid-Solid Operations and Equipment"; "Size Reduction and Size Enlargement"; "Handling of Bulk Solids and Packaging of Solids and Liquids"; "Alternative Separation Processes"; "Chemical Reactors" (building on Section 7 "Reaction Kinetics"); "Biochemical Engineering"; "Waste Management"; "Process Safety"; "Energy resources, Conversion, and Utilization"; "Materials of Construction"; "Process Machinery Drives"; and "Analysis of Plant Performance";

Actually, a reasonable understanding of the contents of Perry's, including how to find and use the voluminous data, is equivalent to the text-based learning at the completion of a Master's degree in chemical engineering.