The Hidden Land (The Secret Country Trilogy, Vol. 2)

Book Description

The five cousins are still trapped in the Secret Country, and must play their parts. When the King is poisoned, Ted-Prince Edward-must take the throne, even though he has no idea how to rule a country, battle magic, or inspire followers. Soon enough he will have to do all three because the Country is on the verge of war with the treacherous Dragon King.

Customer Reviews:

The Secret: Each Book Gets Better.......2006-01-08

I originally picked up this trilogy because it looked interesting and the other reviewers raved about it. Chapters into the first book, I began to wonder why it was so beloved. More questions than answers swam across the page, drowning me in confusion and frustration. I felt thrown into a sea without a life preserver. The language was too archaic at times, and I constantly felt I was not being given enough information to process the storyline.

I felt like I was plowing through the book with an old, tired horse in a massive field full of rocks while the burning sun beat down from above. Being a complete-ist, however, I trudged on and picked up book #2. Halfway through, I pleasantly discovered that my horse was more spry, the rocks had disappeared from the field, and I was wearing a broad-rimmed hat. I was still plowing, but it wasn't nearly as painful. By book #3, I had a tractor, cool breeze, and lemonade in my hand. The work was no longer a chore but a welcome vacation I found thoroughly enjoyable.

I can hardly account for the transition, but it did happen. I recommend the trilogy to those who are not afraid to persevere in the beginning to achieve a great reward in the end.

Hidden away.......2004-05-17

Pamela Dean's Secret Country Trilogy has only recently come back into the spotlight, when reprinted by Firebird Books. Now the second volume of this quirky epic is out: "The Hidden Land." It suffers from a bit of middle-volume syndrome, but it keeps up the pace and builds up suspense and plot for volume three.

In the first book of the trilogy, five cousins suddenly got swept away into the Secret Country -- a magical land of wizards, dragons, unicorns, nobles and kings, which they thought they had made up as a game. Now they have taken the parts they set down for themselves, ranging from sorceresses to crown princes -- and a person they never made up has shown up: the mysterious Claudia.

Now things take a not-so-unexpected turn, when the kids try to keep the King from being murdered. But the king dies anyhow -- and the question of whodunnit only makes things more complicated. Since he is the crown prince, Ted has to ascend the throne, but since he isn't really Prince Edward, he's uneasy about it. But despite his lack of experience, he must find a way to ready the Hidden Land for war against the Dragon King... even if he dies in the process.

Dean jumps headlong back into the story without missing a step. "The Hidden Land," like its predecessor, takes a lot of basic fantasy elements and whips them together into something fresh. Kids in a fantasy land, wizards, unicorns, evil dark lord, and plenty of other stuff. Don't worry -- Dean's sense of whimsy and mystery carries it through.

Her descriptions are detailed but avoid being grandiose. Dean takes the story seriously but doesn't make it pretentious. She also mixes together "ye olde" speak and modern English, keeping the medieval people from sounding like modern Americans, and Americans from sounding like ye olde medieval types. You can't forget that these scared, confused kids are not native to the Secret Country.

Ted is perhaps the character who grows the most in this book, since he's struggling to keep afloat as the new King. But all the cousins have become more confident and able. (In a few cases, they act oddly because of their adventures). Some are stronger, some are wiser, and some are just handling the situation well. But they are still portrayed as kids stuck in a fantasy game gone wild.

"The Hidden Land" suffers from the awkwardness of being in the middle of the trilogy. But it remains a budding classic, with its whimsically serious story and likable characters. Highly recommended.

AWESOME! This from a 26-year old, hehehe.......2004-03-29

I was going up and down the isle of my favorite book store when I stumbled on the interesting cover of this book. I picked it up going, wow, what is this about? I read the back cover. My heart raced suddenly. Could it be true? A book with such an interesting story idea like this? I didn't even read the first book but by instinct picked up ALL THREE books in the trilogy at once. Boy, was that a smart thing to do.

(...)

Good news!.......2002-02-06

Just passing on good news I've heard -- the series is to be reprinted starting in 2003! If you couldn't find The Whim of the Dragon, the third book, just wait -- relief is in sight!
Aside from that, it's a worthy follow-up to The Secret Country, but very much dependent on it -- don't try to read this alone. Good reading to you!

Six stars!.......1999-07-22

Nobody, nobody, nobody writes like Pamela Dean. Some writers have written as well, but no writer of prose has ever had a voice that somehow manages to feel like Tom O'Bedlam's song.

_The Hidden Land_ continues the story begun in _The Secret Country_ and finishing in _The Whim of the Dragon._ The protagonists are a group of kids of various ages, and the story is entirely suitable for either children or adults. I can't recommend it too highly; the writing sings. It's replete with literary allusions interwoven in a fashion entirely suitable to the setting and the subject.

Average customer rating:

Terrific Art Showcase by Al Williamson

Good info, but too heavy on the westerns

Al Williamson-Hidden Lands- An Excellent Package

Al Williamson: Hidden Lands
Thomas Yeates , Mark Schultz , Steve Ringgenberg , and Al Williamson
Manufacturer: Dark Horse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Drawing | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Drawing | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Classic Comics Illustrators: The Comics Journal Library (Burne Hogarth, Frank Frazetta, Mark Schultz, Russ Heath and Russ Manning)

Grand Master of Adventure Art: The Drawings of J. Allen St. John

RGK: The Art of Roy G. Krenkel

Wally Wood Sketchbook

Against The Grain: Mad Artist Wallace Wood

ASIN: 1569718164

Book Description

Al Williamson stands in rarified air, among the titans of the development of comics as an art form. Drawing from the tradition of the heyday of book, advertising, and comic-strip illustration, Williamson brought a command of craft and dynamics rarely seen, before or since, to a field that had largely valued speed over skill. As part of an amazing stable of young artists at E.C. in the 1950s, Williamson helped change the industry forever although much of his work of the era has remained hidden. This work includes a diverse array of fantasy, science fiction, westerns, war stories, and more that showcases the astonishing range of this master of the form. Al Willaimson: Hidden Lands at last uncovers these stories from his days at Atlas, E.C., Charlton, Harvey, Dell, and more - including collaborations with Roy Krenkel, Wally Wood, Frank Frazetta, and other top creators of the era - most of which have never been reprinted as well as a wide array of material that has never before been published, including fascinating sketches and works from his career's infancy and photos from the artist's personal scrapbooks. Covered in fascinating depth by writers Mark Schultz, Thomas Yeates, and Steve Ringgenberg and gathered from extensive, lively interviews with Williamson, Al Williamson: Hidden Lands is an essential volume for any fan of this giant of graphic fiction as well as for those interested in comics history of the classic era of pen-and-ink illustration.

Customer Reviews:

Terrific Art Showcase by Al Williamson.......2007-09-17

This is one of the best collections of work on Al Williamson that I have ever seen. One really gets a great look at some rather obscure works (at least I haven't seen them before:) by Williamson. Fans of Mark Shultz will really see a large pool of Shultz's inspiration in these pages. The Black and White reproductions really gives the reader to really enjoy the line work of this comic book master.

Good info, but too heavy on the westerns.......2005-05-25

This 222-page + index collection is an interesting but frustrating collection of Al Williamson's 1950s artwork. In addition to representative samples of illustrations and cartoon panels, the book discusses the artist's life from birth, his artistic heroes and collaborators, and the environment in which comic-book artists worked in the 1950s. Note that everything is in black and white.

29 complete stories are included. Mostly 4-5 pages in length, 11 are westerns (some written by Stan Lee) and 8 are science fiction collaborations with Roy Krenkel (9 if you count the reincarnation romance "The Lost Lives of Laura Hastings.") Another romance, a war adventure ("Helpless"), a `horror' story ("Lower Than Hell"), 4 adventures of "Jann of the Jungle," and two historical tales from the EC comic VALOR ("The Champion" and "The Cloak of Command") are also presented in their entirety.

Everyone to their own taste - but I would have preferred having the entire Williamson/Kirby collaboration "The Face on Mars" and Archie Goodwin's first story ("Hermit," with Williamson inking over Reed Crandall's pencils) instead of all the western and "Jann" adventures combined! Furthermore the EC stories, including the sci-fi thriller "Food For Thought" (from INCREDIBLE SCIENCE FICTION #32, 1955), are reprinted elsewhere - samples would have sufficed, and certainly the text-referenced splash panel from "Homesick" should have been included - not everyone can go look it up!

Note that the "Williamson" illustration for vol 1 #5 of VENUS is quite plainly at least inked by Krenkel, although not attributed to him.

Al Williamson-Hidden Lands- An Excellent Package.......2004-11-17

All I can say is --WOW-- This is easily the best package of Al Williamson reprint material since the original "Art Of Al Williamson"(some twenty years ago).It includes unreprinted stories from Atlas and ACG,unplublished artwork(Jann Of the Jungle #18 to name one),as well as sketches,panels and pages.
This collection reprints alot of the Atlas Westerns and some of the Atlas sci-fi as well as a romance(?)story.
The best part is that there is very little overlap with any of the previous Al Williamson collection(Art of,Sketchbook,or Adventures). The only way it could be better is if it were a hardcover.

Hidden Big Island of Hawaii: Including the Kona Coast, Hilo, Kailua and Volcanos National Park (Hidden Big Island of Hawaii)

Average customer rating:

Dull and low on information
Lightweight

Hidden Big Island of Hawaii: Including the Kona Coast, Hilo, Kailua and Volcanos National Park (Hidden Big Island of Hawaii)
Ray Riegert
Manufacturer: Ulysses Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Australia & South Pacific | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1569753415

Book Description

Hawaii remains as popular as ever, and this guide shows how to discover its least crowded island. Award-winning author and founder of the Hidden guidebooks series, Ray Riegert reveals how to best experience this magnificent island like a local. Hidden Big Island of Hawaii reviews the popular attractions -- such as diving coral reefs and scaling active volcanoes -- then invites readers to go further by exploring "hidden" spots other guides overlook, like an early morning fresh-fish auction, a rainforest zoo, and a secluded black-sand beach that has great surfing. From campgrounds and local burger joints to five-star resorts and gourmet restaurants, this comprehensive guide provides a broad selection of lodging and dining options, as well as information on outdoor adventures such as hiking, horseback riding, scuba diving, and snorkeling. Each title in the Hidden series offers readers the comfort of detailed maps, internet information for each listing, suggested itineraries, and walking and driving tours.

Customer Reviews:

Dull and low on information.......2007-08-08

I recently took this book on a trip to the Big Island. While it was definitely better than not having a guidebook at all, this book provides only basic information. In fact, we referred to the free magazines from the rental car company at least as much as we referred to this book. The writing style is dull, and the book is not organized in a way that makes it easy to find information. Zero photographs other than the one on the cover. In addition, I found some of the recommended restaurants less than satisfactory. If I had a suggestion for the publishers of this book, it would be to add some specific discussion on seeing the lava flows. I think a lot of the visitors to the big island are there because they want to see the lava, but it's not always possible. When we were there, the volcano wasn't doing much and there was nothing to see. A month or so later, they had such a big flow that the Park Service had to shut down part of the park. Seeing the lava is a hit and miss thing, as I found out. I still enjoyed the island immensely, but only after adjusting my expectations.

Lightweight.......2004-05-04

I've used the Hidden series before and liked them but this one is not up to speed. I found the pages to be light on information and the places that they recommended were where all the tourists go. In other words, "Hidden" was misleading. Better books are on the market.

Average customer rating:

Dolpo: Hidden Land of the Himalayas
Eric Valli , and Diane Summers
Manufacturer: Aperture
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

South Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0893812587

David Lubar Starscape Boxed Set: Contains 'In the Land of the Lawn Weenies', 'Flip' and 'Hidden Talents'

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David Lubar Starscape Boxed Set: Contains 'In the Land of the Lawn Weenies', 'Flip' and 'Hidden Talents'
David Lubar
Manufacturer: Starscape
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

Science Fiction | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Teens | Subjects | Books

All Children's Boxed Sets | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Boxed Sets | Formats | Books

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ASIN: 0765354446

Book Description

Contains 3 Starscape titles from David LubarIn the Land of the Lawn Weenies Kids can be such monsters. Literally.From the award-winning author of Hidden Talents, two remarkable short story collections - Kidzilla and The Witch's Monkey together for the first time. Plus several brand new stories. Each hilarious and harrowing. A substitute teacher finds out she has some monsters for students. A group of kids attempt a levitation trick with hair-raising results. A neighborhood is so boring the grown ups are turning into....well....you know. And dozens more. So don't be a weenie! Read these stories!Flip If you could become anyone in the world, who would you be?Did you ever wish you could be anyone else but who you are? Twins Ryan and Taylor do it all the time. Now their dream is about to come true. They've discovered mysterious alien disks that allow they to "flip"--to become legendary heroes from the past. But who?Hidden Talents American Library Association "Best Books for Young Adults"American Library Association "Quick Picks for Young Adults"Martin Anderson and his friends don't like being called losers. But they've been called that for so long even they start to believe it. Until Martin makes an incredible discovery: each of his friends has a special hidden talent.Edgeview Alternative School was supposed to be end of the road. But for Martin and his friends, it just might be a new beginning.

Possess Your Promised Land: Learn to Defeat Your Hidden Enemies

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Possess Your Promised Land

Possess Your Promised Land: Learn to Defeat Your Hidden Enemies
Fuchsia Pickett
Manufacturer: Charisma House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0884199665

Customer Reviews:

Possess Your Promised Land.......2007-01-07

A must read for all who have been "hindered" in the possessing of God's promises--whether it is personal, physical, emotional or spiritual. This book informs you of the hindrances that you need to address in your life to overcome and POSSESS!

America's Hidden Wilderness; Lands of Seclusion

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America's Hidden Wilderness; Lands of Seclusion

Manufacturer: National Geographic Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0870446665

Dinotopia Lost-A Bold New Adventure in a Hidden Land of Huma

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Dinotopia Lost-A Bold New Adventure in a Hidden Land of Huma

Manufacturer: Turner
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Uncovering the Hidden Harvest: Valuation Methods for Woodland and Forest Resources (People and Plants Conservation)

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Uncovering the Hidden Harvest: Valuation Methods for Woodland and Forest Resources (People and Plants Conservation)

Manufacturer: Earthscan Publications Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Natural Resources | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Forests | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Agricultural Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Forests and woodlands provide an enormous range of goods and services to society, from timber and firewood to medicinal plants, watershed protection, destinations for tourists and sacred sites. Only when these are understood and valued can forests and their resources be properly managed and conserved.

This book shows how the complicated network of benefits can be untangled and sets out the different approaches needed to value them. It covers the analysis of plant-based markets, non-market valuation and decision frameworks such as cost-benefit analysis.

Mirage: Power, Politics, And the Hidden History of Arabian Oil

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An in-depth, essential pick for any collection
Excellent History of a Critical Part of the World

Mirage: Power, Politics, And the Hidden History of Arabian Oil
Aileen Keating
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Oil & Energy | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Middle East | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

ASIN: 1591023467

Book Description

At the close of World War I, the great oil reserves of the Arabian Peninsula lay hidden beneath the desert sands, and Westerners dismissed today's opulent Gulf States as uninteresting back lots among the vast real estate holdings of the British Empire. Although the British eventually discovered the petroleum lakes in Iran and then in Iraq, across the water on the Arab side of the Persian Gulf the entire peninsula was deemed worthless by world experts who insisted, "There is no oil in Arabia."

In this fascinating history of the discovery, development, and exploitation of Middle East oil, international journalist Aileen Keating tells a largely unknown story rich in drama, conflict, and comic interludes, revealing how the experts could be so wrong and why the fabulously rich oilfields of Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia remained untapped for years after they were discovered by a New Zealander named Frank Holmes.

Frank Holmes is still little known in the West, but since the early 1920s the Arabs of the Persian Gulf have honored him as Abu al-Naft—"the Father of Oil." The reasons for the official downplaying of Holmes's crucial role among British and American oil executives and government officials reveal a great deal about the fiercely competitive power grabs and injustices that have characterized Western petroleum development in the Middle East.

Keating's authoritative narrative is based on years of research in original archives across the world. She explodes many myths, including the widely held notion that oil companies and geological experts of the time really did know that there was oil in Arabia but kept the knowledge under wraps to keep competitors away. Keating also underscores the fact that the Arab sheikdoms after World War I were under the political jurisdiction of the Indian Raj (British rule from India), which helps to explain much about the political maneuvering that kept the Arab kingdoms from gaining independence and profiting from their own oil reserves for many decades.

Complete with maps and photos, a "who's who" of key persons, and copious notes, The Mirage is both a work of in-depth scholarship and an engrossing story of power and politics with striking relevance for our time.

Customer Reviews:

An in-depth, essential pick for any collection .......2007-01-07

Any studying Middle East history or culture, particularly those at the college level, will find the weighty 560-page MIRAGE: POWER, POLITICS, AND THE HIDDEN HISTORY OF ARABIAN OIL to be a methodical and important survey of the discovery, development and use of Middle Eastern oil. From the history of discoveries and the reasons reserves in some countries went untapped for decades to the role of one New Zealander Frank Holmes in discovering and revealing these new sources, MIRAGE delves into the background and uses the author's original research from archives around the world in its in-depth revelation - which even includes maps, photos, and a 'who's who' of key people. An in-depth, essential pick for any collection solid in Middle Eastern studies and issues.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Excellent History of a Critical Part of the World.......2005-12-05

This book is written by an Australian international journalist now associated with the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Australian National University, Canberra. Thus Dr. Keating can be free of the political arguments currently going on in the US between the pro and anti Bush factions.

The title comes from the deliberate obscuring of the fact that the Arab areas of the Persion Gulf were virtual outposts of the British rule in India. This was not a happy situation for the people in the gulf and set the stage for the dramatic changes that were to come as the Americans came to the gulf and eventually superceeded the British interests.

At the end of World War I, when this books story begins, it was generally believed by the experts that there was no oil in Arabia. The book basically ends with President Roosevelt's statement in 1943 that 'I hereby find that the defense of Saudi Arabia is vital to the defence of the United States.'

In the twenty years between these two dates, there is a story of ambition, intrigue, folly, drama, conflict and even some comic interludes. None the less, this was the time that set the stage for the remainder of the century and for the future years. Here is the foundation for what is going on in that part of the gulf now.

The book is extensively researched, and written so well that the otherwise dull history is made very readable and interesting.

Book Description

Who names newly discovered planets? What exactly are black holes? Where are there the most earthquakes? When did the first Homo sapiens walk the earth? Why is the night sky dark? How does the fluoride in toothpaste prevent cavities? Since 1845, Scientific American has answered questions and provided the best information available in all areas of science. Now, Scientific American is proud to present an accessible, one-volume reference covering all the sciences. Whether you want to examine the tiniest microbes, the properties of the earth's core, or the farthest reaches of space, this handy desk reference is the resource to turn to for the answers you need. • Over 500 biographies of key science figures • Thousands of glossary terms • Hundreds of useful Web sites • Tables, charts, diagrams, and illustrations • Sidebars featuring fascinating facts, mnemonic aids, and quizzes • Essays exploring ideas in-depth

Customer Reviews:

Good, but not great.......2004-05-23

While this is a highly useful desk reference I was disappointed in some ways. There's lots of useful information here, but it's laid out in a rather drab and uninteresting format. And some of it seems a bit dated: some of the computer science information read like something out of a TIME-LIFE "Understanding Computers" book from the late 1980s.

On the positive side, the book is a great single-volume reference that makes looking for basic facts relatively easy and serves as a good way to refresh one's memory of things studied years ago. And even if you've not studied the topics formally the articles remain accessible for most people, particularly the kind of people who would buy such a book. Looking for dates of discovery? Important terms? Basic concepts? Charts of different measures? It's all here, and a whole lot more.

One of the things I find myself enjoying is that there is a lot of information on important scientists who made crucial discoveries. Want to know the big names in chemistry, physics, and astronomy? You can find them here. Beyond explaining science in its contemporary findings the book does a respectable job of putting science into a historical context.

The layout is quite drab. In looking at the colorful cover of this book, considering its substantial price, and combining that with my long experience of reading Scientific American, I was expecting some high-quality illustrations. All you get in this book is rather bland line-art. I wasn't expecting a "Golden Book of Science with Pictures" but high-quality illustrations of things like cells, plants, animals, and celestial bodies would have been a nice addition. Stylistically, this book is rather boring. But if you're of the school of thought that "boring=serious=good" (a highly dubious notion, but some cling to it) you may like this.

All in all, this is a useful book. It's the type of book journalists who cover science related news should have readily available. It would be a useful addition to any library. And with the proliferation of scientific discoveries in the news these days it's a useful reference that belongs in the homes of curious people who just want to understand a little more about what's going on in the world. There's a lot of useful information here and the binding is of very high-quality.

Good for High School Students and General Readers.......2004-03-20

This book, the "Scientific American Science Desk Reference" is a fine book about most of the major aspects of science. It is similar in approach and form to Isaac Asimov's New Guide to Science. But, Asimov hasn't gotten around to updating his book, most probably due to his death. This book is probably a little more accessible to the average reader.

I especially like this books coverage of all the major topics, mathematics, chemistry, physics, astronomy, biology, geology, meteorology, human and animal physiology, and technology.

The thing I like most about this book is its reliance on relevant history of the topic to teach it. There are charts and tables of the various time lines of when and who made discoveries in the various fields. The fine editors also included short biographies of the major people in each of the subjects, from the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers and writers, to some of the latest Nobel Prize winners.

My only quibbles would be the use of some terminology that seems loose to me. For example, it's use of the phrase "Earth Science" instead of geology. It does this to be open and accessible to the uninitiated, which is an admirable goal, but it is my belief that it can lead to fuzzy thinking in the long run. After all, "Earth Science" can apply to planets other than Earth as well.

My other major quibble is its inclusion of the Computer Sciences and Technology as a major topic, on par with, for example, Physics or Biology. As a computer geek professional this is something that I, on the one hand, like as it shows respect for my chosen field of endeavor, but that on the other hand, see as a very much useless to the average person. Much of the discussion of computers and technology will be out of date in a few short years. I really don't think the average person needs to know the formal difference between a mainframe, minicomputer, and microcomputer or the right and proper definition of an operating system. And the stuff about the Internet went out of the date about five seconds after it was written, let alone published. Again though, our editor's kind hearts were in the right place.

Staying with my quibbles of their computer section of a minute, I also want to point out that they are missing a few very important names from the field. They have Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, and even have two of our fields fine Internet pioneers listed with Marc Andreessen and Tim Berners-Lee, but Steve Wozniak and Doug Engelbart are not mentioned at all in the mini biographies section. Woz is as important as Steve Jobs, and Doug Engelbart was probably the single most important person in the field during the last 40 years. To quote Alan Kay, "I don't know what Silicon Valley will do when it runs out of Doug's ideas". Only now is the field stopping to recognize what Engelbart envisioned in what is now called "the Mother of all Demos", or "the 1968 Demo". Hypertext, networking, the Mouse, e-mail, online help, a Windowing environment, etc. were all thought up or anticipated by him in 1968. It is disappointing that Scientific American didn't note him in this section.

All in all this is a fine book though. It is worthwhile for those looking for something that is a good overview of science. I would make a great reference for any high school student looking for general science information.

Get This Book!.......2001-08-01

So you're not a physicist or a bio-chemist, or even a high school math teacher ... you still need this book. Perhaps you love quiz shows, or maybe just want to explain to your children how certain things in the world work. This is the book that can provide a great many answers about how things in this (and other) worlds work - and why.

I can't tell you how many times some technical subject was mentioned on TV or in a movie or the paper, and then a day later I picked up this book, thumbed to the appropriate page and found meaningful answers. A great reference tool to have around the house, in your dorm room or in the classroom. And generally speaking, you don't need to be a professor (of anything) to understand the explanations given in the book (though basic math skills help in some areas).

Scientific American Desk Reference.......2000-04-06

The Editor as usual has given an outstanding review of the book, and I would like to add a few thoughts. Scientific American, the journal, is probably the greatest source of scientific inspiration for the general public except popular science books. What the public may not know is that scientists also get considerable inspiration from Scientific American, although they usually do not cite it in their scientific articles because it is not monitored by their particular departmental bureaucracies and appeals to the general public rather than only specialists. An example of an article that most scientists would not find except through the Scientific American is the article "Quantum Teleportation" by Anton Zeilinger of the University of Vienna in the April 2000 issue of Scientific American. The ability and interest of Scientific American in communicating difficult and specialized science to the public and translating it and summarizing it for the public is nothing less than Creative Genius, and in my opinion Creative Genius (as opposed to Ingenious Followers or Follower Genius) usually goes together with interest in communicating with and translating to the public.

Scientific American Science Desk Reference

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Scientific American Science Desk Reference

Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J2ZVD0

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