Worthwhile Introduction
589938
IMO this book provides a good introduction to the subject.  The presentation is pretty dry but he covers the basics
of important topics such as DCF analysis.  A good feature is that each chapter ends with a short quiz so that you can test
your understanding.
2385606
First the good.  This is a fairly good introduction to many elements of the lives of the ancient Celts.  (The Celts are properly thought of as a culturo-linguistic grouping rather than a group of ancient nation-states.)  The author is obviously an archaeologist and approaches a lot of questions from this perspective.  A great deal of emphasis is placed on material culture which, is fascinating in its own right, but leaves us with a rather incomplete picture of Celtic life.  (Studies in comparative law, mythology, and ritual structure are also important but largely ignored here.)

The book is fairly useful and worth studying as an introduction to Celtic studies generally, but it doesn't really go beyond the introduction level.

A second issue comes with the focus on material culture.  Certain important elements, such as the importance of Celtic tribes raiding eachother, get underemphasized yet these are where the main advancements in Celtic warfare came from including the 4-pommeled stirrup, etc.  This may leave the reader with an impression of a more unified Celtic confederation than actually existed.

All in all, this is probably the best introduction to Celtic material culture that is written.  It is accessible and wide-ranging, but not quite comprehensive nor without blindspots.  On the whole, I would recommend it.
3967318
For a short introduction to Hinduism this book feels fairly comprehensive.  It is well-illustrated, clearly written, and offers a fairly broad and sufficiently deep introduction to Hinduism.  If you are looking for a short introduction text this will suffice, but it may not be the only one you want for the semester (because it is after all fairly short).  All in all, however, I found it competent, succinct, and pass along a high recommendation.
2187813
There is quite an appealing selection of books from this publisher, but judging from the ones I have read through, this is the first one to read.  Some of the material was familiar to me from my internet browsing, but the articles chosen for this small book have continuity and are some of the best.  They are definitely worth having for perusal in printed form.

Some schools of yoga can be faulted for withholding commentary on any or all others.  This is probably out of some trepidation of misunderstandings and antagonism.  These authors touch upon the topics of other teachers, both controversial and popularly acclaimed.  The tone of this book would set a good agenda for relations between schools.  Of course, there is a theme of including Babaji's Kriya Yoga for that part of the intended readership, but the topics also are applicable to beginners.  There are at least two yoga cultures-- the "strictly fitness" kind, and yoga the form of spirituality.  The controversial "Crazy Wisdom" teachers are discussed.  I appreciate that these authors overlook neither the cultures nor cults that are out there.  More to the point, though, I appreciate that the authors put things in our cultural context, even if it's implicit for some passages.

The book serves as an orientation for beginners, and as a reference for anyone with a roughly comparable path.  It's aptly titled, though one could say that assorted portions could have been subtitled Insights From Those On The Path, Insights Along Your Path, or Insights Into the Path.
3003854
A great introduction to the subject which can be used in many ways: for self-enlightenment, for a formal introduction, for teaching... cogent and clear.
4971739
Word on the Street is an accessible introduction to the descriptivism of modern linguistics -- and this is most certainly a book written for the general audience, not for students of linguistics.  Much of the book is taken up building McWhorter's argument for the basic linguistic equality of all spoken idioms/languages/dialects, which is to say the capacity every spoken language has to articulate all the finest and most specific aspects of human experience.  This is all very well and good, an easy introduction for the lay reader, and a strong basis from which McWhorter then proceeds to argue (1) that Standard Black English is neither more nor less than a spoken variant of English, on par with any other, and (2) that the contortion of the public education system to deliver instruction in variant 'non-standard' forms of English or other languages is not helpful in overcoming the basic obstacle that underperforming inner-city children face in school -- namely poverty, and the lack of emotional and intellectual resources that it engenders.
There are two troublesome aspects to this book, which might be a bit confusing for the lay reader.  First, McWhorter doesn't sufficiently distinguish between the written and spoken forms of a language -- the two are manifestly different, both in the ways they're used as communicative media and in the ways they evolve over time.  Second, it's not entirely clear why he argues on the one hand that Shakespeare should be 'translated' into modern standard English, so that it can be more accessible to theater audiences and schoolchildren; and on the other hand that the 'translation' of texts into Black English is counterproductive in helping children with little Standard English exposure to learn to read.
All of this aside, I recommend the book: McWhorter writes well, and his axe-grinding (as another reviewer put it) at least gives one something to think about.
3689518
This book is a good introduction into Ron Wolfson's thinking about the importance of pervasively welcoming people to your congregation. It lacks the broader scope of his later book "Relational Judaism" in which I found more to chew on (could be too much at times). It provided a great place to start and welcoming is critical to the sustainability of congregations.
4731755
Dense, in a good way. It is not so much an instruction manual or even cookbook of techniques, rather it's more a set of listings with some fleshing out. Would love to see a fuller treatment of the subject, but this is a very nice introduction.
2114370
This is a nice, fairly hefty introductory book about Ruby.  It's not as comprehensive as some, but not as limited as many others.  It is very easy to read.  It might be a good first introduction if you've never programmed in Ruby before.  As an advanced user I've found it is reasonably useful to keep around as a reference.  It's the only Ruby book I keep at work right now, and I've usually been able to find answers to many of my questions on syntax when needed.  Sometimes it's just nice to use a book instead of searching on the web.
4410716
This is a helpful book for someone new to the world of financial and retirement planning, but also enjoyable for those who already have a foundation. The author breaks his chapters into vignettes almost, several within each of his 12 chapters, each of which corresponds to the month he originally wrote the post (it seems some content comes from his blog or notes he has taken over the last few years). He gives context so you know when that thought or entry occurred, but there is some interesting insight into the financial crisis and individual mistakes we tend to make when trying to be wise with our money. A quick and worthwhile read - I finished most of it on a plane ride.
1026644
Mr. Friedman has produced a reasonable summary of the Gurdjieff ideas and praxis, informed principally (and largely with accuracy) by the extensive Commentaries of Maurice Nicoll. The author has strung together the sections of the book in a logical fashion, although, as Ouspensky once said, the ideas seem to have an organic logic all their own.

Practice is emphasized over theory, though of course some minimal structure is needed for ones personal work to be profitably organized. This need is adequately addressed, but there appears to be a significant departure from principle in the paragraph introducing the Enneagram at the end of the Chief Feature section.

While Im no defender of any orthodoxy, and the theory of personality types is duly noted as being outside Work ideas, it is worth the time to make a couple of points about this. As a relatively advanced topic, the Enneagram is given woefully superficial treatment by this association with so-called personality types. Type in work jargon refers to essence, rather than personality. Even if a relation of acquired personality to inborn essence could be speculatively advanced, and those categories enumerated as given here, what benefit would that have for the potential growth of understanding? Worse than none, as this kind of increase in knowledge is almost tailor-made to arrest the kind of unbiased efforts leading to being which are acknowledged by Friedman as paramount.

Since Mr. Friedman states on page one his motive in writing is to see if this re-organization of Work ideas can improve his own application of them to his life, I hope that he and his other readers can take my caveat in the spirit of helpfulness intended for it. As for me, I am probably going to get the most benefit from the authors generous sharing of his experiences in trying to apply these ideas in his own life.
2434126
This book is an excellent introduction, which is what it is meant to be. For the record, I have a degree in physics and have worked on a number of robotics projects, but my background in mechanical pursuits is pieced together from various places - so, I picked this up at the library because it looked interesting and I wanted to see what I had missed along the way.

The overview is good, and I feel like the book gives you just enough knowledge to start experimenting (which is where you will really learn, anyway). There are some good example projects to get your mental gears turning (sorry for the pun) and the various resources referenced are invaluable.

The one thing I would've liked to see: A chapter or book level summary that presents a snapshot of the information you're likely to reference. There are a couple of tables (the one comparing CAD packages, for instance) but I think the book could benefit from more - on the covers, or in an appendix for instance. I'm thinking specifically of a list (maybe comparison?) of all the numerous resources mentioned, or a collection of the basic equations that were used. What I'd really love is something that could be photocopied and put up in the workshop for quick reference.

That said, useful book, it does what it sets out to do and is aimed well at the target audience. Even if you've been in the biz for a while, there might be a couple of resources in there that you haven't used before, or maybe an idea that makes you think about something in a new way.
3564479
This was a very useful introduction, and one that i think needs to be read twice to capture details missed the first time around.
4626403
The major topics that Bray highlights in this volume are drawn from the first article of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. He addresses faith and scripture, the nature of God, God as Father, God as almighty, God as creator, creation itself, and things seen and unseen. The first article is the shortest and most likely the oldest article of the Creed. With that being the case, Bray traces much of the theology from this section back to the earliest Christian writers. Of course, since the later patristic authors tended develop their theology more thoroughly, they are often cited as well. The book is a little short when compared to the volumes in the sister series (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture), but it also covers a very short portion of text.

While selecting sources for the patristic commentary, Bray sought to choose texts that not only represented the early Christian doctrine, but ones that were also valuable to spiritual formation of the modern reader. The main goal of the book is to "foster the edification of Christian believers" (xli), although Bray also notes that the book should prove helpful to scholars and others less interested with that goal. The book follows the trajectory of the "classical church fathers" and so voices from other forms of Christianity at the time are omitted--which is not surprising because it is a commentary on the Nicene Creed.

The sampling of texts used in the commentary are easy to navigate and the selections are generally very relevant. The selections are also nicely footnoted with pointers to source material, cross references, and explanatory notes. Unfortunately, there aren't notes on the translation of the Greek and Latin texts themselves, and those interested in the original languages will have to consult other editions. The commentary functions as a hybrid between a concordance of topics pertaining to the Nicene Creed and an anthology of primary sources of patristic authors. It's definitely a useful volume to locate sources on the theology of the writers known as the Church Fathers. I see this this book as a helpful starting place for further inquiry.
2633653
Though a simple chronology summarizing secondary sources, this overview is helpful as a fair yet friendly introduction to Merton, a good starting point that could encourage,empower, and guide further study . Geared for a pious Catholic who has limited information or even concerns/confusion about Merton, the tone is at once generous and measured.
256516
This is an interesting introduction to various weeds and plants (not mushrooms) that you can forage for anywhere from common suburbia to the backcountry trails. I enjoyed it, and Wiltens' illustrations are clear black-and-white field sketches. The book has no photographs, but in plant identification, photographs only tell part of the story and don't let you highlight or emphasize a particular feature of a plant, like the "tiny hairs" that the observer must identify to know the difference between an edible tasty plant and hemlock. It's not comprehensive-- Wiltens even says as much in the introduction, insisting that readers should positively ID against three different field guides (though without recommending any reputable ones), and being a slim volume means it's good for carrying in a backpack, but can't provide all the details. I think a section on common preparations would have made the volume more concise, instead of breaking it down and repeating instructions for leaching for each plant needing it (for instance).
471581
In this short and very readable introduction, Sardar covers all the well-known traditions of the Muslim faith (praying, fasting, etc) but also offers an overview of more complex issues like Islamic philosophy, Islamic attitudes to science, and the origins of fundamentalism. This book would be a great starting point to a general reader who just wants to see what islam and Muslims are all about-- and the book especially shines in its discussion of key concepts like khalifa (guardianship of the earth) and the driving force of social justice and fairness that lie behind many Muslim practices. (For example, who knew that early Muslims established zoning laws in their cities to protect the environment?)

But Muslims have often failed Muslim values, and Sardar is not afraid to admit it. It sounds ironic at best to talk of fairness and social justice when we see images of jailed dissidents in Iran, or of the Taliban's gruesome tactics in Afghanistan. But, Sardar argues, the faith itself is not at fault, nor are those images representative of Islam as a whole. He points to a liberal Muslim network in Indonesia or to the work of female Muslim theologians who are able to reread the holy texts in a different light. And really he'd only need to point to the vast Muslim majority, who might be more or less orthodox, but who only want to live in peace. Muslims now are asking critical questions, Sardar argues, and breaking with some of the fossilized traditions to create a way of living that's more in tune with how Islam was originally intended: "Liberal humanism is not a Western invention; rather it has deep roots in Islamic history."

At barely 120 pages, you can't expect this book to go too deeply into the complex issues it discusses. I understand that. Still, no matter how much I liked Sardar's message, I felt frustrated at times by the lack of source material: no footnotes, no sources cited, nothing except a very short suggested-reading list at the end of the book. This seems like a shortcoming to me, and it means that if you really want to learn about any of the topics he discusses, you'll have to do some further study. But maybe that's the point of a short introduction like this: to give just a little bit of background and then encourage the reader to look deeper.