Book Description
Among the monumental characters who ascended to impossible renown and influence in the history of American politics, few are more fascinating than Boss Tweed; and few working historians could record in more vivid detail his astonishing career than Kenneth D. Ackerman—an investigative historian of the first order.
Ackerman's vibrant, accessible, and altogether captivating Boss Tweed is a biography of the legendary figure who "bribed the state legislature, fixed elections, skimmed money from city contractors, and diverted public funds on a massive scale." During his reign at Tammany Hall and then in a variety of elected posts, including as U.S. senator, Tweed wielded almost total control over New York State and City politics, before his unparalleled zealotry and remorseless disregard for the law led to his imprisonment. Yet, as the author shows, Tweed’s positive political contributions have been largely overlooked. From one of the most talented new historians to have emerged in recent years, this book presents a thrilling story of the master manipulator who tried to make all of New York the instrument of his own ruthless ambitions, and succeeded—for a time. More than sixty photos and political cartoons by Thomas Nast are featured throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting Character.......2007-07-11
William Tweed needed a book written about him. It is interesting to see how the city used to be run and how much more difficult it is to be corrupt today compared to then. Tweed changed america with his ways and I liked the fact the author points out in many ways he was the fall guy for many others.
Intriguing book, not as good as book on Garfield.........2007-01-12
I started reading Kenneth Ackerman's take on the notorious Boss Tweed after reading his superb book on James Garfield. Ackerman still shows a knack for bringing us back in time and we begin to understand the major personalities. Boss Tweed was a complex man, and at times I felt cheering for him to beat his eniemies who really seem worse than him. Nobody in this book has pure motives. The NY Times wanted fame and hated the Irish. Nast also hated the Irish and saw bringing down Tweed as a moral crusade, facts be damned. Tilden is seen as a two-faced wimpy man who did want reform but wanted to destroy Tweed more. Tweed himself was a thief but he did give back to the city he stole from, and he was the only major player in "The Ring" to have had major jail time. His associates in crime got off scot-free mainly due to a stubborn wish to damn Tweed.
A Lot To Like.......2006-12-18
I was impressed and entertained by this biography of William Marcy Tweed, the man who ran New York from the Civil War to the early 1870s. I was fascinated from the very beginning by the retelling of Tweeds role in quelling the New York draft riots. And he did it in such a quintessentially New York way: money! But what emerges is a remarkably three dimensional portrait of the man and his cronies in all their splendor. One of my favorite characters in this biography was Mayor Oakey Hall, the poet-politician who didn't mind a little kick-back or two.
The City came alive through the telling of this important, though little understood period of New York History. The "Gangs of New York" fantasyland version of the facts has done much damage to an accurate understanding of this period of our history. But Ackerman brings great writing and depth to the story of the Tweed ring and its speedy collapse. Interestingly, Tweed himself was the only member of the ring to go to jail. And while it is hard to argue that he didn't deserve it, it seemed a manifest unfairness to let the others off without any repercussions. Tweed, on the other had, spent the rest of his life in jail (except fr when he escaped to Cuba and Spain!)
The other part of the tweed story that was so intriguing was his everlasting popularity. He was the champion of New York's poorest and their loyalty to him was eternal. He was larger than life and projected a charisma that probably delayed his day of reckoning for years. This is a great telling of a great story of a fallen man. It is interesting to compare him to others who have this route, such as Nixon, Delay, Cunningham, and the like, and see how much of a difference there seems to be.
Tweed - The Boss of it All !.......2006-07-10
This is a great look at Boss Tweed, Tammany, Graft and everything else that was going on in the 1800's. I was happily surprised to see who Tweed really was. Comparing the book to the movie "Gangs of New York", Tweed did not give off the impression of being a very important man; Bill the Butcher stole that role. But after reading this book, you get a true inside account of who was really "pulling the strings" in NYC. Tweed was the cream of the crop in his world, and he had his hands in everything (a thief way before his time). Whether illegal or not - you have to admire his accomplishments. In a way, he was like the bad guy in a movie that you didn't want to see fall at the end, but he did. This book was very satisfying and I am now looking into some of Ackerman's other books as well.
good stuff on "Peace Democrats" vs. Lincoln.......2006-03-27
Mr. Ackerman presents interesting descriptions of the "Peace Democrats" -- the so-called Copperheads -- many of whom lived in the New York area, and were enemies of Boss Tweed: Samuel Tilden (who received a majority of the popular vote in 1876, but lost the presidential election to the Republican Hayes), Horatio Seymour (the NY governor who declared the Emancipation Proclamation unconstitutional), Fernando Wood (the NY mayor who proposed in 1861 that the city secede from the Union!), and George McClellan (the retired general who ran against Lincoln as the war raged on, winning only three of the participating 25 states -- the president edging him in New York state by a single percentage point).
The Copperheads couldn't abide the military draft, the war, or the president who was attempting to defeat tyranny. Sound familiar in 2006?
The author, though, has an irritating compulsion to put the black hat -- not on Boss Tweed -- but on cartoonist Thomas Nast, who played a major role in toppling Tammany Hall. Mr. Ackerman gives other hints throughout the book of belonging to the school of "moral equivalence."
Nast (born in Germany and who died in Ecuador as one of our consuls there) won great praise from Presidents Lincoln, Grant, and Teddy Roosevelt.
Book Description
Seeing in the Dark is a poetic love letter to the skies and a stirring report on the revolution now sweeping amateur astronomy, in which backyard stargazers linked globally by the Internet are exploring deep space and making discoveries worthy of the professionals. Timothy Ferris invites us all to become stargazers, recounting his lifelong experiences as an enthralled stargazer, and capturing the exquisite experience when ancient starlight strikes the eye and incites the mind.
Reporting from around the globe -- from England and Italy to the Florida Keys and the Chilean Andes -- on the revolution that's putting millions in touch with the night sky, Ferris also offers an authoritative and magical description of what is out there to be seen, from the rings of Saturn to remote quasars whose light is older than Earth.
Astronomy is the most accessible and democratic of all the sciences: Anyone can get started in it just by going outside with a star chart on a dark night and looking up. A pair of binoculars suffices to see galaxies millions of light-years away, and a small telescope can probe what Ferris calls the "blue waters" of deep space. An accessible, nontechnical invitation to get to know the sky, Seeing in the Dark encourages readers to make the glories of the stars a part of their lives.
"The universe," Ferris writes, "is accessible to all, and can inform one's existence with a sense of beauty, reason, and awe as enriching as anything to be found in music, art, or poetry."
An appendix includes star charts, observing guides, and tips on how you can get involved with the night sky.
Customer Reviews:
A must for any stargazer!.......2007-07-18
Fantastic! This book is a perfect mixture of science and storytelling. This was educational and inspiring. I don't re-read many books, but this may be an exception. Loved it.
Good Overview of Astronomy.......2005-09-16
Many people, including myself, often marvel at the night sky to the point of seriously thinking of buying a telescope. The question that then arises is: What if I invest in a decent telescope, use it a few times to examine some of the celestial bodies, then eventually get bored for lack of knowing what to look at or to look for? This book attempts to help potential amateur astronomers dance around this sticking point. The author discusses the current activities of some professional but mainly amateur astronomers: what they look for, the equipment that they use, what they've found and what they continue to find. The book is well written and fun to read; it covers most areas of interest in astronomy and briefly describes what's out there. The book's only shortcoming is that it contains no figures, pictures or diagrams of any kind (other than star charts in the appendices); this is unfortunate since a few optical diagrams and pictures of the various items and people that are discussed would have complemented the text very nicely. Nevertheless, this is a great book that does much to encourage amateur astronomy. I heartily recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the night sky.
Every Man A Galileo.......2005-01-01
This is an informative and at times whimsical work about outer space, specifically who is doing the observing and what is being observed. The material goes considerably beyond the title, as only one chapter actually treats of near earth objects [NEO's] at depth, and I am still confused over the author's distinction between "amateur" and "professional" astronomers. With those caveats in mind, "Seeing In The Dark" is a fine overview of astronomy for those of us who have been out of school awhile and think of Pluto as the edge of the meaningful universe.
As a boy I was intrigued by astronomy and at age 10 owned an off-the shelf hand telescope that, in my recollection, simply made the bright stars brighter. I once tried to observe the crescent of Venus through my mother's hand mirror and a magnifying glass. I did get to see the rings of Saturn, finally, through the 8" telescope at the Buffalo Museum of Science, and to this day I divide the world into those who have seen that spectacle firsthand and those who haven't. Popular astronomy in the 1950's was lunar and planetary: the supposed canal system of Mars, for example, was still an issue of debate.
I lost my interest in the 1960's when astronomy became less optical and more electronic. Real observations and photos of heavenly bodies are egalitarian. Spectroscopic charts, radio waves, radar exploration and the like required time, sophisticated education, and money. Every decade or so something would catch my fancy: Apollo 11, Viking, Pioneer, Hubble, Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, Cassini. But why should an amateur like myself spend money and time at something already being done with more precision at Arecibo in Puerto Rico or Mt. Palomar in California, or from a satellite in space, for that matter?
Timothy Ferris argues in so many words that the modern astronomical-industrial complex, so to speak, is too big and too expensive to perform some of the most critical work of present day astronomy. The author provides a plethora of examples, such as planetary weather. Most planets have atmospheres with characteristics not entirely unlike the earth's own. The atmospheres of the large outer planets [and in at least one case, a planetary satellite] have predictable patterns of wind currents and even storms that produce lightning. Mars, we have come to realize, has significant dust storms and seasonal markers. To monitor these systems, however, requires daily observations over months and years. With the crush of competition for seat time for the monster telescopes and the costs involved, such meticulous and time consuming planetary observations are gradually falling into the hands of the dedicated [and exquisitely patient] amateur backyard astronomers. The older, smaller, and midrange telescopes have come into a new age of usefulness, where persistence is of equal value to optical power. And, as the author observes, the marriage of a modest telescope with digital photography, computer controls, and Internet access to professionals, has created a formidable network of information gatherers.
Nowhere is the amateur's value of more importance than in the discovery and tracking of NEO's, asteroids whose orbits regularly criss-cross the earth's. Observation of these dangerous bodies and forecast of collisions is extremely difficult for several reasons. NEO's are hard to see [in some instances, at the 29th magnitude], only small tracks of their orbits are currently known, and they are notoriously vulnerable to gravitational influences from the earth, the sun, and even Jupiter. Science has developed a public coding system for risk from each known object, and I would venture a guess that readers will find particular stimulation from Ferris's discussion of the "Torino Scale." [As I was reading this work, I checked the day's "Torino forecast" on NASA's web site, the very day that NASA used a "Torino 4" rating for the first time, for Asteroid 2004MN4. As this occurred the same day as the Asian tsunami, little or no press coverage was devoted to the event, though astronomers around the world focused on the potential risk of a 2029 collision. The odds for 2004MN4 were downgraded to Torino 1 a few days later.]
Suffice to say that NEO's are the "high needs child" of space observation, and every verifiable observation by an amateur astronomer enables NASA and international tracking systems to add another fraction of certainty to a body's orbit. Ferris intersperses observational details of heavenly bodies with interviews of the men and women who do the observing. His use of the word "amateur" is stretched like taffy. Some of these unsalaried observers have spent six-figures in outfitting their equipment or, in some cases, pursuing doctorates to expedite their work. Some have walked away from lucrative professions and made wholesale disruptions in personal and family life on behalf of serious stargazing. In some cases "amateur" does not do justice to what is more appropriately an "obsession."
Ferris summarizes what we have come to know about planets, stars and galaxies in the past few generations of advanced study. Again, if one has not addressed astronomy systematically since school days, this work is an excellent primer on our current state of understanding the heavens. There is a thorough 25-page appendix that treats of basic stargazing information, including issues of light pollution, choice of equipment, and basic star charts, as well as a summary of periodicals and web sites. I regretted that there are no photos of any kind in the book, so we never get to see with our own eyes the quality of work produced by the amateurs in our communities. Perhaps the author was deliberately setting out to pique our curiosity, for yesterday I found myself investigating the features and price tag of a small telescope at the Brookstone's in my local mall. It's been a long time since I've done that.
A great book for those cloudy nights!.......2004-11-24
I received my copy of this book as an early Christmas present from one of my "stargazing friends". Even tho' I had glanced at this volume on bookstore shelves , I usually bypassed it for books on starhopping , star atlases , or other "hard data" type publocations. I now lament my earlier loss , and have truly enjoyed this very well written and extremely informative book.
The author , Timothy Ferris , takes us on a wonderful tour of the solar system and "near space" in the second section of the book ; he then moves on to the Milky Way and the wonders of gaseous nebulae , open star clusters ,globular clusters , and planetary nebulae within our own galaxy in section 3.
Finally , in the fourth section of the book , the author deals with the imensity of the universe (as we presently are capable of understanding it) by moving on to galaxies , and galaxy clusters.
But it isn't all about the wonders of the Heavens , for Ferris intersperses some entertaining anecdotal material as well. Starting with a personal tale of how he became a stargazer-astronomer to passages about Steven James O'Meara and his phenomonal visual observing feats while breathing oxygen at 14,000 feet on Mauna Kea. We are introduced to Barbara Wilson , a mother and former housewife who excells in actually "seeing" the faintest of astronomical objects.
This is a great book for amateur astronomers at almost any level ; the author manages to communicate his passion for the skies and the fine art of observational astronomy in a warm and entertaining manner. It is an ideal book for a frustrating evening when the clouds roll in as the sun sets , thus postponing the observing plans of the day.
I rated this book 5 stars and give it my highest recommendation. No real warts on this one!
A match made in Heaven.......2003-12-17
The match being that of science and poetry. The author writes about the achievements of amateur astronomers, giving a wealth of information about astronomy, stargazing, and amateurs, all of which is written in a language so beautifully poetic. It is a masterpiece. The love of the author for his topic is evident on every page and it is contagious. This is a book that will fill you with wonder, and probably sweep you off your feet and onto the nearest dark ground with a starmap in hand!
Rich with information, written with passion, the book is fascinating, moving, and absolutely beautifully written.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2006-06-04
I have only been using this program for a month or two, but I am astounded at what my students can do with it. I have the entire kit (not just the book) and find it very effective.
Average customer rating:
- Start watching the sky!
- A picturebook introduction to a remarkable collection of constellations and star figures
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Seeing Stars
Dandi Daley Mackall
Manufacturer: Little Simon
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Constellations: A Glow-in-the-Dark Guide to the Night Sky
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The Night is Singing
ASIN: 1416903615 |
Book Description
Discover Orion the Hunter,
Draco the Dragon,
Cassiopeia the Queen,
and other familiar constellations,
and learn how to recognize
them in the night sky.
Constellations are outlined in sparkly foil!
Customer Reviews:
Start watching the sky!.......2006-12-04
My kids and I love this book. About once a month, we take it out at night and look for the constellations. The drawings are very clear about the actual stars in the shapes and only lay a picture over the pattern off to the side. It has nice simple rhymes...Next find the Big Dipper in seven stars there. It's part of the shape that we call the Great Bear. Very nice and this page has pictures of polar bears playing under a night sky. This is a favorite book in our home.
A picturebook introduction to a remarkable collection of constellations and star figures .......2006-07-14
With superbly drawn illustrations by Claudine Gevry, Seeing Stars by Dandi Daley Mackall is a picturebook introduction to a remarkable collection of constellations and star figures ranging from Orion the Hunter, to Draco the dragon, to Cassiopeia the Queen, to so many more, all tied together with a charming set of verses commenting on each featured star pattern. Providing a fun understanding of what can be seen when children look up at a clear night sky, Seeing Stars will captivate and entertain young readers with the deftly blending of informative illustrations and rhythmic texts. An ideal introduction to basic astronomy for preschool children and kindergarten students, Seeing Stars is very highly recommended, especially for parents and teachers searching for an informative and easy-to-read compendium of the endlessly enticing stars and constellations to share with children.
Average customer rating:
- Very useful introduction to the observation of the night sky
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Seeing Stars: The Night Sky Through Small Telescopes (Patrick Moore's Practical Astronomy Series)
Chris Kitchin , and
Robert W. Forrest
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 354076030X |
Book Description
Seeing Stars is written for astronomers, regardless of the depth of their theoretical knowledge, who are taking their first steps in observational astronomy. Chris Kitchin and Bob Forrest - both professional astronomers - take a conducted tour of the night sky and suggest suitable observing programmes for everyone from beginners to experts. How is this book different? We are all familiar with the beautiful images of planets and galaxies obtained by spacecraft and giant telescopes - but what can you really see with a small telescope? What should you expect from a small refractor or reflector? And what is the effect of observing from a site near a city? The answers are all here, with many photographs that will illustrate exactly what can be seen with different instruments (everything from the naked eye to a 300mm telescope) - and from different locations.
Customer Reviews:
Very useful introduction to the observation of the night sky.......1998-09-18
A must have for owners of small telescopes, this book guides you through the different kinds of celestial objects and their observation. The authors show the view of an object through scopes of different sizes, which makes it easy for the observer to know what to expect from an object he wishes to observe.
Product Description
All about a spiny-skinned animal, known also as a starfish, that is a marvel of nature.
Book Description
Become a storyteller and navigator of the stars with this interactive introduction to the night sky. Shine the light from the flashlight through the star-punched cards to project ten different constellations onto a table or wall. Learn the exciting Greek myth behind each constellation's name, how to find it in the sky, and other fascinating facts about Cassiopeia, Pegasus, Orion's Belt, the Great Bear, and many more. Seeing Stars is a fun and educational kit perfect for stargazers of all ages.
Customer Reviews:
defective flashlight?.......2003-12-20
if you call Chronicle Books, the publisher, they will be happy to replace the flashlight for you. the customer service number is 1/800/722/6657.
A Disappointing Purchase.......2003-06-20
The cards and book that come with this are nice, but the credit card-sized flashlight is so flimsy and breaks so easily that it's not worth the money. My 7-year-old daughter recently purchased this book with her own money at a national park book store. The flashlight immediately broke, so she exchanged it for a second one. It didn't work either, but we didn't discover this 'til we'd already left the park and couldn't return it. My daughter was extremely disappointed and wished she purchased a different book with her hard-earned money.
I love this book.......2002-06-01
Wonderfully creative presentation. I love this book. It's great gift book for kids and adults!
A Great Gift Book!.......2002-04-07
This is a fabulous book, because it expands the notions of what a book can be, making it more fun and interactive. The storybook recounting the myth of the Andromeda constellation is enhanced by interactive cards and a flashlight that allow a kid to project the constellations on the wall of ceiling or a dark room. This makes it really accessible and entertaining. Very innovative.
A great gift book! I gave one to a six-year old friend and she loved it!
Whata gift for grandkids.......2001-11-02
I have tried it once on a young grandchild and his parents, with immediate success. It is an artful book that has the feature of allowing the reader (or the parent) to project the constellations using the flashlight and the cards that come with the book. There is mythology and entertainment at the same time. There may be more of these in some Christmas stockings this year. Besides, you come away with a cool flashlight.
Average customer rating:
|
Seeing Stars
W.B. White
Manufacturer: Rand McNally
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GY1EXC |
Book Description
Packed with a vast array of telescopic projects involving different kind of stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies which lie beyond our solar system. Takes a look at stars of diverse chemical or atomic ``brew'', old and new, tiny or vast, dense or tenuous; the ways in which they behave and much more.
Average customer rating:
- excellent introduction to serious astronomy for young folk
|
Seeing Stars: The McDonald Observatory Its Science & Astronomers
Mark Mitchell
Manufacturer: Eakin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Astronomy
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| Ages 9-12
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ASIN: 1571681175 |
Customer Reviews:
excellent introduction to serious astronomy for young folk.......1998-03-30
As a former President of the Houston Astronomical Society, I found the illustrations and clear presentation to be especially useful for young students - I'd say 6th - 8th grade. David Levy--the co-discoverer of the comet that smacked into Jupiter--wrote the introduction.
Average customer rating:
- wonderful book for children
|
Seeing Stars
Sharleen Collicott
Manufacturer: Dial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Ages 4-8
| Children's Books
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ASIN: 0803715226 |
Customer Reviews:
wonderful book for children.......1998-08-05
This is a wonderful book with incredible art work. Its full of colorful pictures and imagination. One of my favorite children's books!
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