Ford's "Chemical Magic" is a book which harkens from a past era when chemicals probably were more easily obtained than today. The reading is quick and fascinating, and his summaries of why things work are very nicely done.

The result of passing time is that some of the materials used in some experiments may be difficult or even impossible to procure. However, you shouldn't allow this to dissuade you from getting this book - the experiments you can perform will provide you quite a lot of enjoyment.

Caution, however, is in order: Some of the reagents used are corrosive, poisonous, or even explosive. I'd advise ensuring that an adult is present to supervise if you care to attempt those particular experiments!

This book describes chemical experiments that give visible and
surprising results suitable for stage demonstrations. Presented as
recipes with short descriptions of of underlying mechanisms (usually).
What caught my eye was the number of classic demonstrations common in
older books but now largely dropped from children's texts as too
dangerous in ingredients required, or fumes and energy relesed.
Many of the recipes are about buring or blowing up things (Yeah! ;-)

* sugar cube treasted with conc H2SO4 black thing
* zinc based powder that emits green smoke when spat on
(thanks for teaching me this one Max ;-)
* colored fire powders
* flour cannon (did not mention that old quaker oats tin useful here.)

I am in favor of teaching children how to safely perform dangerous
science experiments, as this is the only way to learn to do such
things properly, (since many will do them regardless) and anyway the
kids would be up to more hazardous pursuits if the modest risks of the
laboaratory are denied. If today's young people do not learn how to
play with fire safely, where will we get tommorws homeland defense
technologists to fight our nations Fovever War against religous
fanatics?

However I would not encourage experimemnts involving the burning of
mercury compounds (see the blue fire formula) and the use of
carcinogenic, flamable or persistently toxic substances like CCl4 or
fluid mercury anywhere but in a proper fireproof ventilation hood.
The book does mark experiments involving toxic (like CCl4)
sponateously combustible (white phosphorous!) and powwerful oxidizing
agents (my fav: Potassium Clorate). Unfortunately the short length of
the text did not permit a more detailed discussion of precausions one
sould take with such materials, like eye protection, long fuses and
electrical igniter/detonators, and saftely practices like using very
small quantities of reagents the first time, not permitting murcury to
spill in places it could release fumes over time or form amalgams with
other metals and never premixing oxidizers with combustables unless
one knows the combination is relatively stable in the environment in
which the mixture will be stored.

I reccomend this book as an antidote the boring...
libability concious [material] present in most high school texts, but
would also require students doing these experimentr to read some
detailed laboratory procedures text, and practice these techinuqwes in
a laboratory under experinced supervision. The most valuable lesson
then obtained is the attitude of cautious adventurousness that helps many
of us to have a joyful time in the lab while still retaining all ten
fingers.

The activities in this book are not intended for home use; however, they work great as class demonstrations and/or student activities. There are a lot of excellent attention-grabbing results which, if not utilized as part of a core curriculum, certainly provide a memorable "hook" that can be used to teach essential National Science Education Standards topics.

Anyone who lives in Florida must have this book. They'll be surprised at how many truly spectacular natural areas are accessible.

This book is excellent not only does it highlight the differences in Florida's nature spaces but it also divides the state into regions with a relevant 'map' which enables you to take the trek, and adventure itself! I intend to make great use of this as a nature photographer and enjoy the wilderness in my own 'backyard' so to speak.

I can give the book a fabulous review; I think it's the best of the "Florida's Fabulous . . ." series, and all have been good. However, my main purpose for writing is to tell you the correct name of the book is Florida's Fabulous Natural Places (not Nature Places) by Tim Ohr with Pete Carmichael, photographer. I had to go through several steps before pulling it up on your site because of the incorrect title. Thought you'd like to revise it.

If you're going into this asking for another "Forrest Gump" - Stop. Get rid of that notion and pick this title up with an open mind.

The characters are deep and the settings are extremely realistic. Groom makes the enviroment of the South come alive. He brings Beau Gunn's past alive in the telling of this intracate story woven with Groom's trademark writing style.

It is my opinion that "Gone The Sun" would make a better movie than Forrest Gump. The mixture of the South and the sixties always makes a great storyline. If you like history and great storylines, than READ THIS BOOK!

finished reading the paperback. Once again Groom defines his characters so the readers relate to them and adds realism to his endings. The main story line is about a enterprising, assertive journalist. But his relationship with his father will allow people to relate to the character.

Naturally, a detailed history of the English speaking peoples would take a great many volumes, more than the 4 in Churchill's work. Not surprisingly, it's a little sparse in detail in some places. This is not generally a problem, since details about politics and battles from the 12th century are not well documented anyways. This work does an admirable job hitting the highlights, and it is very easy to read. It is logically set out, with some maps (I would have liked more) to help clarify certain situations.

I especially liked the earliest two volumes. While they cover the most ground in terms of years (and are therefore the least detailed), they cover the time that most people know the least about. Thus, it was almost like hearing the stories for the first time (or, at least, unfiltered through the words of Shakespeare).

There are some questionable choices of material, however. For instance, the French revolution is covered in detail. While an important event, it did not happen to English people directly - a statement of the results and the reaction in England would have sufficed. Contrast this with the very sparse (2 pages, I think) coverage of the Jacobite Rebellion of 1746 - this was a major event for the Scottish nation (at least, for the Highlands), and does not receive appropriate consideration. There are numerous other instances of questionable emphasis - virtually nothing is said of the colonisation of America until the American Revolution, and Ireland, Scotland, and Wales are only mentioned when in conflict with England. Are they not also "English Speaking People"?

These are minor flaws, however. All in all, I recommend picking it up if you see it in a used bookstore somewhere. It doesn't have the personal feel of Churchill's "Second World War" set, but it is a fascinating and enjoyable romp through the ages.

This is an EXCELLENT book. With his fine writing skills, Churchill teaches nearly 1,000 years of history in an educated, interesting, moving, suspenseful, and even entertaining manner. He also offers beautiful photographs of certain historical figures. One thing he does very well is that he gives a scholarly view of historical figures (like King Henry VIII) who are subjected to harsh and inaccurate views. My only complaint about this book is that he speeds over some things that should have been given more attention. (Just make sure this is not your only book on the subject.) If I was teaching history, I would most probably have my students buy this. Letting this book go out of print (in my opinion) was a MAJOR MISTAKE!

I have read and interviewed 86 authors (of every genre possible) for our Library radio station WYPL here in Memphis since the inception of our 'Book Talk' program in 1993. Unfortunately it was never my good fortune to know or talk to Prime Minister Churchill. I first read "The History of The English Speaking Peoples" as a young man shortly after WWII. The physical reading of this monumental work is an excercise in sheer pleasure as you are dealing with not only a word merchant without peer but one of the greatest intellects of the twentieth century. If you want to see your English Language used at its most agreeable consonance, but straight to the point like a rapier, then understand that Churchill is probably the best example we have had since the Bard. Churchill hadn't the time to do the background research for the four volumes so his staff did it for him. They gave him their notes daily and this amazing man dictated every word to his secretary. If you write, as I do, you understand this MO as a nearly impossible feat -- and in view of the quality of his thougthts and his writing -- a stupendous task. Originally a set of four (and very expensive now if you were fortunate enough to find them) they have now been combined into one large book which you still have trouble finding. I bought this one for my nephew as a result of a conversation he and I had had about the 'package' of 'rights' that each of us here in the United States enjoys as (we think) our entitlement. In the first three hundred pages alone Mr. Churchill traces back, in lucid, electric prose, the history of British Common law for nearly two thousand years and shows us how that protective mantel was drawn over us thread by thread, piece by piece and step by step. The rest of the book is full of the cultural protein of the politics of time -- but I warn you, you must be careful reading this work. Mr. Churchill is addictive and he has about twenty thousand other pages out there just as meaty. Rus Morgan author of "Blackberries Got No Thorns", "The Voodoo Vortex" and "Luci".

It is for intermediate students or professionals. So you must know some basic linear algebra although it provides some. You can not check your solutions because it does not provide solutions manual. I did not try it`s software. Good for OR. I found it`s instructor`s solutions manual ISBN: 0-534-230-490. You can find it (online). You can find it`s instructor`s manual from w.ecampus.com, w.abebooks.com, w.opamp.com or w.alibris.com So you can check your answers.

P>Totally useless information is pounded into your skull with solutions to less than a third of the problems.

Good luck with this one. If it wasn't required to buy, I never would.

This is a very didatic book for students who want to learn Operations Research. I read it and it was very important for me in college.

I thought this was a sex manual, it's not. It's really a summary of a bunch of articles and books thrown together. Better and possibly cheaper to read the original sources. I didn't find it terribly helpful but you might want to get it for your son when he turns 16 if you have a good relationship with him.

Too bad did the reviewer (too cowardly to give his/her name) who called my book a summary of other articles and books doesn't know what he/she's talking about. Winston and I personally spent more than a year of our lives doing original research and writing for this book. First rule of writing: write what you know. That goes double for reviews. The second rule is, if you don't know what you're writing about, keep your fingers off the keyboard. Sorry if this sounds snappish, but I have zero tolerance for this brand of stupidity.

As the mother of a teenager and a very sensual person, I found this book to be very helpful in many situations. Though a woman, it has helped me in a couple of quandaries. I really like the format used. I have recommended this book on the discussion board I lead, "Talking to Kids About Sex," through iVillage TWN's Parent Soup Community. I have also recommended it to many friends.

As Stafford says that Churchill appreciated the value of good intelligence and how it could influence the outcome of any struggle .But on the whole I must express my profound disagreement on some of the information contained in this book. The LUSITANIA episode: Fortuitously-Magdeburg incident 26th August 1914- the Room no.40 of the British Admiralty cracked German Navy's tactical codes .Bulk of naval traffic related to the movements of U-boats and German High Seas Fleet it was able to read .Churchill as the First Lord of Admiralty was privy to this fact .What now follows is difficult to digest for a rational mind .If one were to believe the author the movement of U-20(which sank the American ship)was detected and all ships in the immediate vicinity warned of its presence.Message received by LUSITANIA but ship's captain instead of changing course continued with the voyage thus courting disaster. In other words author has implied the American ship was commanded by a mad man who sent her to the watery grave, a chain of reasoning difficult to follow.It looks as though Stafford wanted to defend the British leader from accusations of his detractors who have claimed the latter staged the incident to bring America on a collision course with Germany. It is very hard to accept Churchill's innocence in certain matters because I know him as a shrewd practitioner of Realpolitik .Desmond Morton ( an influential figure in the Whitehall corridors of power and later SIS officer )connived with Churchill to forge Zinoviev's letter which damaged Labour Party's electoral prospects in the early 20's. Coming to the Second World War, soon after the captitulation of France there came invasion hysteria . Now it must be said when it came to invading Britain the Nazi dictator was strangely reluctant . Early July 1940 Hitler disclosed his intention of invading Soviet Union to Schmundt his chief-adjutant and Von Brauchitsch the Army Commander-in-Chief .Churchill via ULTRA decrypts knew that much of German troop deployments along Channel coast was sham. Yet he kept up the invasion bogey because this was bringing public support. Later in January 1941U.S.Presidential envoy Harry Hopkins visit to war-torn Britain was stage-managed to draw American support for Britains' war effort. Author has demolished claims that Churchill sacrificed Coventry (heavily bombed by Luftwaffe on 14 November 1940) for protecting ULTRA. The target was identified very late but the argument that it was not brought to PM's attention sounds skeptical. Instead Crete was sacrificed .However I am of the view that Britsh Commonwealth forces could have defended the island without blowing ULTRA.The battle for Crete hinged upon the possession of Maleme airfield . A spotter aircraft could have been sent to show it had detected the approach of German aerial armada carrying elite paratroops instead of denuding Maleme defences for masking ULTRA.The exercise is cleverly contrived attempt to cover up British Middle East Command's lack of resolve in defending Crete.I endorse Stafford's view that British leader was not knowing Japanese plans to attack Pearl Harbor.However it is difficult to accept the naivete of US political establishment in this matter . Suffice to say the US intelligence had broken codes used by Tokyo to exchange information with Consul -General Kita in Honolulu.String of messages showing Japan taking unusual interest in Pearl Harbor were intercepted . One such message intercepted divided the place into five areas asked for exact location of Pacific Fleet warships and carriers . Washington correctly guessed this could be a grid system for a bombing attack.Had Roosevelt and his men been shrewd ,vigilant, the ensuing tragedy could have been averted The author has misinterpreted the train of events that led to the German intervention in the Balkans April-May 1941. It was Mussolini who dragged Hitler into the Balkan mess .On 28 October 1940 Italian troopsinvaded Greece . Invaders were soon bogged down which gave British the pretext to land troops in that country .Besides RAF bombers started operating from bases in Crete.They had the range to strike Ploesti in Rumania from where Wehrmacht drew bulk of its oil..British deployment also menaced the southern flank of German armies slated to take part in Barbarossa :invasion of Soviet Union .Germany intervened to neutralise the flank threat . Churchill's role in fomenting guerilla warfare in Nazi-occupied Europe forms underlying theme of this book. British leader's brush with partisans in the far reaches of the Empire during heydays of his youth made him advocate this mode of fighting. It must be said , however , in the final analysis the role of the guerillas in the victory over Nazi Germany appears minimal.Owing to reasons of geography guerilla warfare never struck roots in Europe,much of the continent lay inert under the Nazi jackboot.Exceptions being Greece , Yugoslavia where mountainous terrain favoured large -scale guerilla operations .Finally a few things I like about this book: Churchill during prewar years exaggerated the capabilities of Luftwaffe,failed to appreciate the role tanks would play in the coming war ,underestimated the threat posed by Japan . Information such as that he bought Spain's neutrality in the war through bribes , came very close to compromising ULTRA during the speech marking German invasion of Soviet Union , approved a plan to assassinate Hitler , 'Operation Foxley', came close to carrying it out. Upon reading this book I gained the impression that Stafford has condoned the British leader's misdemeanours ,author no doubt is a Churchill apologist. To me Churchill was the most reactionary politician thrown up by the Western World. He stroved to ensure the Britains' domination of the post war world .He resisted Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy not because they were fascist regimes rather to their interference with Britains' imperial interests. Neverthless a remarkable man ,patriot who presided his country's fortune at a critical time of her existence .To his credit it must also be said Churchill realised, unlike other leaders of the Conservative party, the threat posed by Nazi Germany could only be contained by entering into a defence alliance with the Soviet union .In June1940 he took the decisive step in his career by deciding to continue the war against Germany.

"Churchill and Secret Service" documents the life long connection between him and secret intelligence. The author traces this back to Churchill's experience as a journalist in the Cuban revolt against Spain. His romantic nature, combined with the undisputed effectiveness of the guerillas, instilled in him a faith in guerilla warfare and its requirement of good intelligence. The book continues through Churchill's association with "room 40" during WWI, and his continued receipt of intelligence reports during the years "in the wilderness". Naturally the bulk of the work concerns itself with the Second World War, the creation of SOE and the secret armies. The author delves into the "special relationship" between the UK and US and reveals in detail the serious conflicts between SIS/SOE and the OSS-an area that often does not receive much attention by historians. Churchill's second term as prime minister,and subsequent retirement conclude the work. What it shows is that Churchill, probably more than any other political leader, understood the value and the dangers of secret intelligence, and knew how to employ it (most of the time). His experience provides excellent lessons to those who collect or use strategic/operational intelligence,"intelligence was not an end in itself and did not belong to those who produced it." Would that our current intelligence structure followed this advice...

This is an excellent work from an author that thoroughly researches every detail of the subject before it is put to print. As all of Staffords work, the factual basis is unquestionable. Anyone that reads this work will have a deep understanding of the time period and the personalities involved.

Lots of facts, but not much depth to them. Essentially their conclusions are that de-regulation has been a fanstastic success. If you read "Airline Management Strategies for the 21st Century,(a better book)" draws different conclusions. I think some of their analysis is shoddy and kind of shallow. Still, its got some good facts, and worth a read.

I will admit that this book is not for everyone. The casual airline enthusiast may have some difficulty sifting through the econometrics. This book is written more for academics. However, the concise, clear, well-written style leads me to no other conclusion but to rate this as an excellent book. The hypotheses are clear. The data is explained. Economic reasoning is used to posit their point. If you wish to know how economists look at and measure deregulation, then this book is a good choice. Indispensable for grad students in economics studying transporattion and/or regulatory issues.

This is the Author's second book on the subject, and both books are excellent (they have written numerous journal articles on the subject). Their treatment of air fares and hubs is particularly good. Their bottom line findings: deregulation has increased economic welfare, and the financial turbulence the industry faced in the early 90 was the result of an oversupply of equipment (the major carriers didn't forecast the impending recession and consequently ordered too many planes). I highly recommend this book it is very well researched.

I must have every book Winston has written, and I've definitely profited by them.

This book is a little harder to grasp because (1) you are not moving THINGS but ordering your TIME and (2) you don't always have control over other people as you would your filing cabinet and closets. Winston does deal with time robbers and emergencies--which are some of those uncontrollable things, and give good hints for organizing your day.

I think it is a bit ambitious to include job changing in such a book , but since this is a task that you must make time for and that many people find hard to schedule because of inertia or unwillingness or the unpleasantness of getting going on a job search, I suppose it is just as well that this topic is covered. But for job hunting, you'd probably need a more specific book.

Winston dealt with the external clutter in our lives in her first few books. In this book she effectively tackles the internal clutter which leaves us feeling scattered and unfulfilled. She does this by performing "time triage" in the three main sections of the book. First, she deals with emergency situations in people's schedules, citing examples from her clients and offering suggestions and strategies on how to add time to your day immediately. Then she moves on to "Examine Your Personal Universe" and guides you through creating a solar system technique to help clarify what's really important in your life. Finally, she reveals methods for acting on what you learned about yourself in the solar system exercise. The book is clear and well-written. So why just 4 stars? Perhaps too much ground is covered too quickly, from cooperative housing to changing jobs, but her ideas are a good launching pad for effecting life changes. I needed more help with basic time robbers and did not get enough help there, but the exercises in values clarification were quite helpful. The book does live up to its subtitle: "Redefining Your Priorities in an Overwhelming World."

Heard the abridged version of GETTING OUT FROM UNDER by
best-selling organizational guru Stephanie Winston . . . it was so
good that I now want to go back and get the book so I can read
all her practical ideas . . . I've enjoyed Winston before (her GETTING
ORGANIZED is considered a classic in the field) . . . this latest
effort switches her from writing about "things" to helping you
restructure your life to meet the conflicting demands on both
your time and energy.

I appreciated the fact that she reminded me about the constant
need to TRAF; i.e., when you have paper, you can only toss it,
refer it to somebody else, , act on it or file it . . . this, of course,
is often easier said than done . . . but I shall try to do so! . . . in
addition, i appreciated being introduced to her BOAT acronym
for breaking very big life goals into a system of organized
tasks . . . all you need to do is brainstorm what needs to
be done, organize a strategy for getting it done, add tasks to
your daily list to get it done, and then time spread these tasks.

I read this in '99. It is a very hot and erotic story, I had never read anything like this before. I have just come back to get the next one, but I can see that it is out of stock. If your adventurous and have an open mind pick this one up, you won't be disappointed, and you won't be able to put it down either...

Very hot and erotic book, kept me glued to it the whole time, I did not want to put it down. This was the 1st book like this that I've read, and I'm pretty picky about what I read. Action orientated, sexy, and full of adventure.

The book was great.The characters were amazing and so were the graphics