Seamless Integration of Scholarship and Experience
927874
We expect great things from Carta, and this title does not disappoint. Dr. Paul H. Wright has lived and taught in Israel for over a decade on the very topic addressed by this book: the relationship between the biblical stories, and "the" biblical story, to the land in which it unfolds. Wright offers the reader all the information on geography, topography, geology, hydrology, travel and trade, and much more, but not in the traditional format. The information is integrated into a retelling of the stories of major biblical characters who serve to unify the biblical narrative as a story of faith lived out in actual realities of time, space, weather, water, trade and social relations. Wright is well qualified for this task, having introduced countless students, including raw undergrads, masters students, and even somewhat jaded tenured professors to the role of the land as a character in the story of the Bible. Teaching at Jerusalem University College, just a bowshot from the Old City of Jerusalem, the author lives every day in the contemporary clash of cultures, languages, ethnicities, and religions that is uniquely Jerusalem. A keen observer of human behavior, Wright has an uncanny knack for using his contemporary knowledge of middle eastern life to illuminate the Bible. Those who demand technical, quantitative social analysis might be frustrated by this wealth of insight that comes not from books or articles, but from living every day in Jerusalem and Israel. But Wright's subjective intuitions enhance his presentation of the text, and of his portrayal of the land and life of the ancient biblical characters.

Wright's style is accessible to the non-technical reader, and the text is not burdened with footnotes or the clash of scholarly opinion. Indeed, on most points, anyone familiar with the text and the land will know Wright has stuck to the central, mainstream facts, though presented with great intuition and insight. Scholars might indeed wish for footnotes, if only to read for themselves the materials Wright has mastered. The bibliography at the end of the book provides a strategic selection of vital works that should provide interested readers with avenues for further study. Anyone really concerned and competent to assess the scholarly literature can pull down Carta's excellent volume "<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Sacred-Bridge-Carta-s-Atlas-of-the-Biblical-World/dp/965220529X/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Sacred Bridge: Carta's Atlas of the Biblical World</a>" for the technical details. Similarly, Wright's colleague Dr. Carl Rasmussen's very fine work,&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Zondervan-Atlas-of-the-Bible/dp/0310270502/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Zondervan Atlas of the Bible</a>&nbsp;would provide a convenient supplemental volume alongside Wright in the classical Bible Atlas format.

Few Bible atlases should be read from cover to cover. Most are reference books, "look up" resources. Wright's book, though, should indeed be read from front to back. It makes an excellent companion to a "Through the Bible" reading course, a Bible survey or introduction, or even a refresher for those of us who think we already know this material. Hearing it presented in an integrated, accessible, readable, and personally engaging manner is enough to commend this book to any reader.
4842578
The authors appear to make an attempt to thoughtfully include the latest information in the new editions while maintaining a smooth educational material flow.  The focus of the text remains as touching on a plethora of systems analysis related concepts.  However, I believe how all of these concepts truly fit together in a cohesive body of knowledge is ultimately left to reader to assemble.  The illustrations, figures, and tables are also excellent in the Kindle version.
3494629
Having read this book by Brian Godawa, my enjoyment of Theological scholarship has been reignited.  I really appreciate the way that Brian's work fills out the stories in Scripture which are difficult, if not impossible, to understand without knowing the background of those stories.  Plus, Brian connects all the dots linking different Scriptural passages in a way I'd never seen before.  His work helps me to realize just how synchronized the Bible actually is.  Great book.  I look forward to reading more of Brian's work.
1452517
Through the device of hundreds of clinical vignettes, this unique and compelling text beautifully brings alive dermatologic clinical-pathologic correlation.  The format:  multiple choice questions with photos on one page, answers later in the chapter.  The hook?  Differential diagnosis of generous depth and breadth, always referring back to the question choices, and then far beyond.  Chapters follow the usual sequence, seven inflammatory/infectious, five neoplastic.  Every paragraph is densely packed, with seamless blending of clinical and path.  The organization is masterful, with judicious use of bold type for easier searching, and endless summary boxes, tables, charts, diagrams, all customized to the diagnosis under discussion.  It's paperback, with high-quality paper and clear photos, and also a bargain.  The first chapter alone (97 pages of inflammatory diseases of the epidermis) is worth the price.  But they give you 12 chapters and 920 pages.  Don't be misled by the title---this book is for all derms:  residents, practitioners at any level/age, pathologists, and would be especially great for PA's (who usually get no path training).  It's hard to imagine how two professors alone could deploy this much scholarship while presumably holding down day jobs.  It would have been great to have "Challenge" back in '77 to supplement Lever at those University of Chicago put-you-on-the-spot dermpath sessions.  To mix metaphors, this is a Rembrandt flying under the radar and not to be missed.
1296480
The complete book is quite engaging, capturing the highlights of its topic without much editorial bias.  (As I prepare to teach this series, I also am reading "Christianity Through the Centuries" (Cairns) and A History of Christianity (Latourette) which are textbooks--so I have done plenty of comparative study.) It is thoroughly Christian, referencing scripture and tradition while imparting our complex history.

Both the DVD and PowerPoint presentation are well-tuned to the book without being just the book in a different form. Even if someone was not a history buff, a leader could manage the participants through the study quite well.  I was not as impressed with the participant guide, and will probably use the PowerPoint handouts and the other materials on the resource CD.

It is a fabulous value for the materials, which are all contemporary in style and content; probably the best pre-packaged Christian study I've ever done.  Blessings to Timothy Paul Jones (author) !

<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-History-of-Christianity-Volume-1-Beginnings-to-1500-Revised/dp/0060649526/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A History of Christianity, Volume 1: Beginnings to 1500 (Revised)</a>
<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Christianity-Through-the-Centuries/dp/0310208122/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Christianity Through the Centuries</a>
600793
I bought this book because I have recently become quite interested in memory and learning. I am currently a college student, so my main goal is maximizing the effectiveness of my study time. I seem to be the exact 'target demographic' for this book, so I went in quite excited.

As an introduction, this book is an excellent resource. It really takes you through all of the different studies the authors have perused and tells you, specifically, what works and what doesn't. I've read some studies on spaced repetition and active recall in the past, but this book adds interleaved and varied practice, generation, elaboration, and a whole slew of other techniques that have been proven in experiments. I am very grateful that the authors provide ample notes and references to (almost) all claims they make, allowing you to go out and look at the studies yourself. I specifically recommend reading through "Studies in Retention" by Herbert Spitzer [1939] (find it by googling it). It is absolutely amazing how big a difference testing immediately after learning can make.

The authors adopt a structure for the book that I found to work quite well: a short introduction that presents the main points succinctly, followed by the meat of the book, containing all of the data and explanation to what was introduced. Finally, they end with a summary/practical advice for readers. This made reading the book quite easy and made the content seem well-organized.

However, I cannot give the book 5 stars because I see two major problems. For one, the book is overly verbose. Many times, the authors repeat and repeat what they say, constantly paraphrasing information they have already imparted on their readers. I'm not sure if it only seemed to me to be this way because I'm already somewhat familiar with the field, but they could have definitely done with some more editing. Also, I found many of the anecdotes similarly long and mostly useless. It's easy enough to just skim through these parts, but the book would have had more value to me if it had been cut 50 pages shorter.

The real problem that I have with this book is that it fails to mention ANY electronic spaced repetition system (SRS) currently available. SRSs do a fantastic job of scheduling spaced repetition automatically and forcing users to do active recall. With careful application, an individual could use an SRS to implement almost all of the suggestions contained in the book, theoretically maximizing their potential! (This is, in fact, what I aim to do.) And yet, the authors don't talk about Anki, SuperMemo, Mnemosyne, or any other of a host of software/web service packages that are now available online. I think this is a serious disservice to readers, especially considering they mention trying to use the Leitner system, a method that is quite a poor approximation of good spaced repetition. If any readers have read the book and are looking for the best way to start applying the techniques, I URGE you to look into some sort of spaced repetition software. My personal favorite is Anki.

In summary, I liked the book and think that those with a somewhat limited knowledge of effective study techniques will benefit the most from reading it. This is something that I wish I had read in high school and applied all throughout college. For those who go on to actually read the book, I hope you will look into using Anki or a similar piece of software to maximize your potential.
2499177
I started with the one-volume abridgement and was so impressed I bought copies for several friends and family members and then bought the original seven-volume edition which I am now reading. The author's writing skills are impressive and engaging and his scholarship is formidable. Unlike Kant who started with a theoretical ethical calculus based on reason alone and then reasoned top-down to his deontological ethical imperatives, Vollmann starts with concrete historical actors (and their victims) and reasons bottom-up to a series of highly contextual (but not merely relativistic) moral calculi. He occasionally does a Plutarch-like "parallel lives" presentation of two historical actors. The one on Lenin and Lycurgus is excellent but the one on Trotsky and Lincoln is a jewel. I have been teaching Ethics to graduate students for years and present some of the same situations this author does but without his rich historical context and finesse. Reading this book will greatly enhance my teaching not only of Ethics to graduate students but also Classical Literature, and Western Civilization to undergraduates. I did my doctorate in Germany and must compliment the author not only for his outstanding "anmarken Wissenschaft" but also for his "Sitzfleisch;" that is, his erudition, intellectual focus, and time-investment for gifting his readers with this magisterial seven-volume work.
Keep up the good work, William.
Prof Peter C. Patton
Oklahoma Christian University
Edmond, Oklahoma
3176363
Admission is an extraordinarily well researched book about the frenzied sequence of events prerequisite to that sacred letter of acceptance from THE College of one's choice. This book was quite the education in starting infants on the right track to commander not only the best college, but also providing access to acceptable associations to deliver entre into the preeminent circles of life.

Portia Nathan, an admission representative for Princeton travels throughout the Northeast to ferret out the best of the current crop of high school students upon whom to bestow the promise of a ticket to Princeton. A paper trail of SAT's, extracurricular achievements, letters of recommendation, and parental subterfuge cram each student's folder. Apprehensively, the indispensable essay dominates the paper pile, and the weighted folder awaits the first reader's assessment. The process continues as the folder passes to the second reader, and on to the selection committee for discussion and final determination.

Lest we lapse into a coma, Korelitz is kind enough to include sub-plots, which reveal the undercurrents within Portia's seemingly stable life, which crumbles under the weight of a portentous secret.  While I was not surprised at the daily strictures today's high school students endure, not only at school, but also at home, I am grateful such mechanics were not the standard during my college application days.
1792929
Thomas Scanlon presents the reader with a narrative of Classical Greece that offers both eloquence, structure and may serve as essential reading for students, a comprehensive review for academics, and a timely reminder for strategists that history may not always repeat, but it certainly rhymes.

Prior to tackling Scanlons Greek Historiography one must understand the purpose of a historiography, which the Webster Dictionary defines as, the writing of history; especially :  the writing of history based on the critical examination of sources, the selection of particulars from the authentic materials, and the synthesis of particulars into a narrative that will stand the test of critical methods.

Bearing Webster in mind, Scanlon fuels his historiography using surviving works beginning with those prior to Herodotus, through the great historians of Classical Greece, and concluding with those of the Roman Imperial Area.  In chronological order, historians such as Herodotus, Thucydides, Xenophon and Polybius (just to name a few) are introduced to the reader, their works summarized, then placed into a historical context.  He does this with such deliberate eloquence that the reader feels he or she is viewing a master mason methodically construct a temple to Greek History using loose stones that are in themselves magnificent.

With Herodotus, Scanlon reminds the reader that the Father of History is breaking new ground and should be allowed some license for being a master story teller.  He introduces Thucydides as a historian that will leave nothing to fable, if it can be helped.  And with Xenophon  a student of Socrates  he illustrates how the human condition is so critical to capturing history.  He continues using this framework until his final chapters where he rewards the stalwart leader with well-developed and engaging conclusions.

This opinion appears to be widespread.  From the back cover, From Thucydides to Polybius, the volume considers pervading questions of causation, divine justice, leadership, civilization versus barbarism, legacy, and literary reception. Alongside sophisticated close reading, Scanlon provides thorough summaries that signpost key passages and highlight thematic links to help readers navigate their way through the original texts.

In closing, Scanlons Greek Historiography accompanied me on a recent trip to Greece, where I had the notion of visiting the great battlefields and City States so beautifully described by Herodotus, Thucydides, and Xenophon.  This book served as a magnificent review of what I was to see on my trip, as well as putting my experiences into a grand construct afterwards.  Scanlons writing and organization struck me as being not only perfect, but essential for students studying Greek History.  On that note, I would highly recommend the inclusion of this comprehensive volume for those undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees of this nature.
138735
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was very impressed by the breadth and depth of the scholarship. Its thesis is that, along with Kant's epistemological concerns, his interest in freedom was responsible for generating his mature philosophy. This is, I think, an under-appreciated fact amongst non-specialists in Kant. All we usually hear about is the revolutionary first Critique so this is an important thesis and opened my eyes to a major side of Kant's whole project.

The book also unearths the theological background to Kant's thinking that shapes the problem he is tackling: how humans can be free given they relate to a god who is also free. In tracing the dimensions of this problem and Kant's changing thinking about it, Insole provides exegetical illumination over a very wide range of texts (some as yet untranslated into English), accounts for the chronology of and shifts in Kant's thought, and offers careful reconstruction of the arguments.

It is very impressive scholarship: incisive and insightful, dealing with manifold of primary literature, opening up new aspects and nuances of Kant's thought. It also rehabilitates Kant within theology, as recent theology has been unfair to Kant in various ways. This was again very helpful as it not only offers a case study in the theological side of enlightenment philosophy but also offers a more nuanced picture of Kant than his famous attack on the proofs for God's existence suggests.

A favourite part of the book for me was the handling of Trendlenberg's 'neglected alternative', which Insole shows to be not so much neglected as intentionally refused by Kant because it falls foul not so much of Kant's epistemological concerns as his interest in freedom. For those not so into Kant but interested in theology, the later chapters discussing different versions of the relation between divine and human will, causation and freedom offers fascinating reading and masterly summaries of a great deal of complex material. The material is highly controlled throughout; the argument moves along at a good pace, neither too slow nor too fast. The writing is very clear as is the structure of the argument, so despite the subtlety of the material I never felt lost. Highly recommended.
4474493
An invaluable resource for both students and professionals looking to get a better picture of what cultural materialism is, how it differs from new historicism, and what scholars using this methodology have had to say about Shakespeare. Extremely up-to-date. I would recommend the first several chapters of this book to anyone who is looking to understand the nuances of these critical approaches, regardless of one's interest in Shakespeare. Not written for a non-specialist.
2796652
This academic publication consists of a collection of essays and surveys conducted by accredited scholars in their respective fields. It should however, come as no surprise that its intended audience is quite limited. The book is not intended for the layperson and may come off a bit too technical. That aside, I was extremely pleased with this title. It served me well in my research. The way in which it was organized made it possible to reference the desired materials without headache or concern. Most importantly, the research is up-to-date.
4694111
I have enjoyed this book immensely. Since I opened the first page the guide has traveled with me to work,  to comfy reading chair and  to bedside table.  I ehjoy picking apart the case studies to find the pieces that make up my daughter's skills,attributes and talents. The common application section has been a great resource for helping her figure out where to put all the extra information that had not been asked for, in addition to understanding the difference between the essay and personal statement.  I have recommended your book to a few of my friends who are also assisting their college bound children. It has become a great reference tool.
565759
When I began reading this book, I knew it was a textbook and expected the normal dry, wordy textbook in which information is buried under an avalance of prose.  I was delighted to find a work that was clear, complete, informative, and interesting to read.  I found that I looked forward to each chapter and subject.  The information is presented in prose, lists of important topics, and highlighting of certain need-to-know material in such a way that cross-refencing and finding previously studied material are amazingly accessible.  Added bonuses are the quotes before each chapter and the personal experiences at the end of each chapter.
The suggestions about organization, multitasking, and people management are so original and all-encompassing that I heartily recommend this book for everyone -- not only those interesting in planning events.
1314547
While known primarily for his scholarly essays on Robert E. Howard, Mr. Leno's latest work combines his knowledge of Howard with that of H. P. Lovecraft.  This magnificent piece reflects the tireless care that goes into all of Leno's research - in particular the Old Gent's correspondence and epistolary rivalry with Two-Gun Bob.

What readers will find refreshing is how Leno manages to write a book that appeals not only to academics who wish to poor over the literary bones of these epic writers of pulp era fiction, but also to those who simply enjoy the narratives of Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft.  There is a much-needed humanity in Leno's writing, which demonstrates the very real foibles experienced by each of these authors, and allows readers insight into their works that is sorely lacking in the less capable hands of some critics of genre material.

The overall presentation makes this very reader-friendly as the book is easily translatable to Kindle and phones.  I downloaded this to my Android and the pages are easy to see and the flow of text makes for a breeze to read.

I highly recommend Mr. Leno's fine work as an example of how REH and HPL scholarship should be presented - literarily, yet from a personable perspective.  Bravo.
4020806
This is an outstanding blend of scholarship backed by a depth of research and expertise, melded with a sensitivity to what an oracle means to people, and how it is properly to be used. Lynn has recreated and organized the Wang Bi text of the I Ching (Wang Bi was a scholar and writer in ancient China who died at a tragically young age but accomplished extraordinary things on a truly Mozartean scale--his version of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching is still the most read and cited version of that work, and his insight into the I Ching, thanks to Prof. Lynn, deserves as much study). For those who are drawn to the ancient oracle as an insight guide rather than a parlor game or fortune-telling tool, Prof. Lynn's presentation of the Wang Bi I Ching is an essential first step. I would further recommend the work of Carol Anthony ("Guide to the I Ching") and her latest exploration of the I Ching from the perspective of helping one's inner learning to inform and enrich one's outer life, which has been written with Hanna Moog: it is called "I Ching: The Oracle of the Cosmic  Way."
3547507
At first glance, this book resembles a survey course on how to use descriptive metadata to manage digital television assets.  Touching on all the basics of metadata from identifiers to schemas to preservation, this comprehensive overview is a must for anyone tasked with implementing a digital asset management project. It offers an introduction to all the emerging standards from the library sciences to industry organizations along with sample metadata sets from several repositories (CNN, UCLA Film and Television Archive to name two).

The real value of this book, however,  is in the collaborative efforts of the authors which created this unified whole.  This collaboration mirrors the future business partnerships that must solidify in order to realize the promise and potential of metadata:  the partnership between engineers, library science/information architects and archivists.  As represented by Mike Cox, Linda Tadic and Ellen Mulder, this clearly articulated book itemizes each component necessary to manage the digital representation of a fundamentally collaborative medium.