This is a collection of magnificent pictures by America's premiere photographer, sadly marred by the pretentious twaddle of a chronic kicker from Tucson who faults everyone in the Southwest except his own redeeming presence.

It's beautiful work by Ansel Adams, well worth whatever you pay for the book. The pretentious twaddle by Lawrence Clark Powell is typical Tucson, people who manage to find fault with everything.

First, the pictures. Photography was part of my job for years, and I have visited probably half of the places included in this book. For example, consider the picture of White House Ruin in Canyon de Chelly, taken in 1942. I've taken dozens of photos of it, and hiked every foot in the vicinity. Nothing of mine comes close to the mastery of Adams beautiful black-and-white photograph. I suspect that even if I copied his picture as precisely as possible, mine would still look dull in comparison to his artistry.

Adams' mastery of the camera and the art of making prints is such that even in black-and-white, his pictures sparkle with a luminosity that puts color to shame. In recent years newspapers have wasted a great effort on color pictures. Adams' work shows how superior the old black-and-white photos could be in comparison to modern newspaper color. Any photo editor would weep to have such quality today. More's the pity the newspapers do not emphasize quality instead of glitzy novelty.

It's more than a book about the Southwest; it's a book about how to see nature and the world around us. Adams had an eye for natural beauty. I've no doubt he could find beauty and art even in a junk yard. He knew what to include in a picture, and how much to leave out, and the precise moment when it all came together. His pictures of cacti, aspens, rocks and adobe structures will cause anyone to look again and more closely at their surroundings, to appreciate the beauty of detail in a grander setting.

Sadly, the words fall far short of the pictures. Fifty years ago, Joseph Wood Krutch wrote in praise of the Southwest, "the combination of brilliant sun and high, thin, dry air with a seemingly limitless expanse of sky and earth [that] my first reaction was delighted amusement. How far the ribbon of road beckoned ahead! How endlessly much there seemed to be of the majestically rolling expanse of bare earth dotted with sagebrush!"

Such beauty still exists in the Southwest, even today. I have often driven such roads.

In contrast, Powell is an old grouch. The only things he finds to praise are his own presence and ruined adobes. He seeks the negatives, such as Gallup, New Mexico, where "the Indian may be seen in the stages of disintegration -- drinking, fighting, staggering and falling to the sidewalk and gutter. Here is the place to read 'Laughing Boy,' LaFarge's lament for a people debauched by an alien race."

Powell ignores the fact Gallup has established one of the nation's outstanding alcohol rehabilitation programs, far superior to anything in Tucson. His ugly words are a contrast to the beauty of Adams' photographs.

It doesn't matter. Buy the book for the photographs, they are worth it. Ignore Powell's whiney complaints. You'll get a gem in terms of wonderful pictures, and for laugh's you'll see Tucsonian political correctness run amok.

Physical Methods in Bioinorganic Chemistry is an excellent, useful tool for the begining student interested in the spectrroscopy of biologically related inorganic complexes. Each chapter focuses on spectroscopic techniques not usually taught in graduated level classes, but that are used often in the liturature. Topics include resonance raman, x-ray absorption, NMR, ENDOR, EPR, CD & MCD and many more. The chapters provide the physical basis for the technique at a level that is intelligent, but not too advanced to understand by the begining student. Case studies provide a useful guide to elaborate the real life applications of these useful techniques. This is an awesome book that describes in detail the spectroscopy you always wanted to know but were afraid to ask!

This is a beautiful and very excellent textbbook on physical signs of the skin written by Clifford M Lawrence from Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle upon Tyne and Neil H Cox from Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle, both experienced dermatologists.
The book has chapters with more than 700 full-color photographs of excellent quality and very instructive, informative tables and diagnostic tips and pitfalls in each chapter. The chapters are not divided according to diseases, but rather a logic and informative way to experience dermatology through the clinical features, like shape and pattern of lesions, colours, regional distribution and much more.The index is also very useful.
The chapters are detailed with such high quality illustrations that you feel the patient in front of you.
This is a very important book that should be found as a companion for every dermatologist, but the family physician, pediatrician and internist will also need it in their daily clinical work. Any medical library should not be without this book....

Ms. Kushigians book is quite the contrary to todays paper. It reminds me of the Barny show. By the way, my mom, Elizabeth Kushigian, just farted again!

Some of the finest vintage photojournalism of the Pacific Northwest I have ever seen. If you love the Rocky Mountains, Glacier National Park, wildlife and just a plain ol' view of life in the 50's, 60's and 70's, you will love this book! The photography is black and white, depicting gorgeous landscapes, dancing bears, walls of snow, flooded towns, a childs first haircut at the barber, rescued baby mountain lions, vintage automobiles and everyday life in a small Montana town. These are a collection of photographs taken by a photojournalist working for a small newspaper in Columbia Falls, Montana, just west of Glacier National Park. A wonderful view of the life of yesteryear. A collection of historical events. Every historian, photographer and person who appreciates the innocence of yesterday, captured in brilliant photographic images, will want a copy of this book!

Beejer is a pika (a small mountain living animal) that feels life is lacking. He longingly eyes all the other animals with their big bushy tails and wishes he had one! But a run in with a weasel makes him think otherwise.

This is a great book about wildlife in the mountains and being thankful for what you have.

I can't wait until Sally Plumb puts out another book, and it would be fabulous if Lawrence Ormsby works with her again! The illustrations are beautiful.

Published by NASA.Scientific & Tech Pub, 1983, Washington, DC, Trade Paperback, No Jacket, 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. ISBN: [0964553716]. 253pp. Profusely illustrated. A record of the voyage and discoveries of the Pioneer spacecraft, it's mission and it's discoveries. Includes information from Soviet studies of Venus, a chronology of the Pioneer mission and previous Earth-based discoveries and the NASA team responsible for this incredible project.

The Pirates of Pompeii is another great book written by the wonderful author Caroline Lawrence. The book comes after the second book The Secrets of Vesuvius and contains loads of new characters. The four main characters (Flavia, Nubia, Johnathen and Lupus) all have more exciting adventures throughout the book so make sure that you read it.

The cover to this book makes it look pretty dry, and editors have presented information in unnecessarily textbook style...But inside you will find a plethora of information about wealth management including tax-advantaged investments -- particularly into the hedge fund world. I found Barclay Leib's chapter particularly useful. He masterfully goes from a nice overview of alternative investing to the details of hedge fund manager selection, and ends by spending some time discussing actual fund of funds where the truly smart money resides. After reading this book, I now have most of my own money in hedge funds and fund of funds, and am pretty confident that the wealth I built up over a 27-year career is going to nicely and safely chug higher!

Out with Mutual Funds! All hail beta neutral investing with the true pros! This book is certainly authored by some of them.

Another great "over-my-shoulder" style book, this time for teams events. Reads like a novel - hard to put down. Get this along with "Play Bridge With Mike Lawrence" which deals with a pairs event.