1984 (Signet Classics)

Amazon.com

"Outside, even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold. Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere."

The year is 1984; the scene is London, largest population center of Airstrip One.

Airstrip One is part of the vast political entity Oceania, which is eternally at war with one of two other vast entities, Eurasia and Eastasia. At any moment, depending upon current alignments, all existing records show either that Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia and allied with Eastasia, or that it has always been at war with Eastasia and allied with Eurasia. Winston Smith knows this, because his work at the Ministry of Truth involves the constant "correction" of such records. "'Who controls the past,' ran the Party slogan, 'controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.'"

In a grim city and a terrifying country, where Big Brother is always Watching You and the Thought Police can practically read your mind, Winston is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. He knows the Party's official image of the world is a fluid fiction. He knows the Party controls the people by feeding them lies and narrowing their imaginations through a process of bewilderment and brutalization that alienates each individual from his fellows and deprives him of every liberating human pursuit from reasoned inquiry to sexual passion. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.

Newspeak, doublethink, thoughtcrime--in 1984, George Orwell created a whole vocabulary of words concerning totalitarian control that have since passed into our common vocabulary. More importantly, he has portrayed a chillingly credible dystopia. In our deeply anxious world, the seeds of unthinking conformity are everywhere in evidence; and Big Brother is always looking for his chance. --Daniel Hintzsche

Book Description

George Orwell's prophetic, nightmarish vision of "Negative Utopia" is timelier than ever-and its warnings more powerful.

Customer Reviews:

A clear prophetic warning.......2007-10-19

Besides the obvious obsolete year reference, one must understand that this story holds more truth and viability then commonly thought. Big brother is real. Not exactly in our society but in the very mold that our brains are wired. As we are all humanly capable of self-expression, we are equally capable of oppression of another through disagreement. In other words, it is in our nature to be unstable of mind and to use whatever means in winning the day. Everyone wants Utopia. Although, each of us have very different ideas of how to go about it. The result is chaos. The result is the nature of man. In 1984, Big Brother has harnessed that inner chaos we all possess to his advantage. Between drugs and insanity the world will never be at peace. The balancing of powers will never cease to change, although collectively people can recognize this flaw and feast upon it. The only way the self-elected elite can stay in power is by utilizing the power of human consciousness and fragility through whatever means possible in order to keep the masses at bay. Through confusion and brainwashing it is proven(in actuality as well) that the elite can control and warp the minds of the ignorant.
This frightening and prophetic book was indeed an eye-opener for me. As in reality, there are no happy endings, just an empty void of helplessness and a profound desire for help. Help, in which i feel, mankind will desperately need.
Lucas.

One of the greatest works of literature of all time.......2007-10-14

George Orwell's 1984 remains one of the seminal works of literature in the English language, and one of the most important. If you haven't read it, you owe it to yourself to read it and experience the world Orwell created (a world that bears an increasing resemblence, however shadowy, to our own).

dystopia utopia.......2007-10-13

This is what got me into literature. Not the Scarlet Letter or Grapes of Wrath or anything else really. I thankfully read this due to a recommendation from my English teacher and I've been on my way to appreciating literature ever since. Make sure you watch the movie Children of Men if you liked this book. They draw many parallels and both are amazing.

Maybe the most misunderstood novel of all time.......2007-10-11

This is a great book. However, it is not so much a political novel as so many people seem to think, as It is one of the great existentialist novels right up there with Notes From the Underground and Nausea.

Like Smith reading Goldstein's book, you don't learn anything new about political systems if you are even modestly well read, but you do learn much about human happiness in face of such systems.

The chief irony that seems to be widely overlooked is that Insoc did successfully create a society, in Oceania, of true equality. Despite the fixed class system, everybody was the same non entity in the eyes of the state, which after all were the only eyes that really existed. Winston didn't really exist, but neither did O'Brain; only Big Brother truly existed. It was a state where the collective oligarchy weren't enticed by luxury or comfort, so that the relative greater comforts of the Inner Party compared to the Outer Party, and the Outer Party compared to the Proles was not as relevant as the fact that the state existed for the sole purpose of perpetrating it's own power. Everybody in every stratum of society was the same nonentity in relationship to that power.

We might readily think of 1984 as presenting us with a dystopia, but so far as we define a utopia by the standards of equality, justice and happiness, Oceania is decidedly an Utopia. And this presents us first and foremost with the existential dilemma that the perfect state is a monstrosity to which we insticntively recoil.

A Dystopian Vision.......2007-10-07

"1984" may well be the poster child for the genre of dystopian literature. Personally, I thought Orwell was most successful when it came to describing the society around Winston or the psychological struggle during the interogations. The love story was a weaker part of the book (for me).
Unlike Huxley's "Brave New World", Orwell dosen't try to go for dark humor but instead uses the society of fear to convey his views on totalitarinism to the audience. Personally I thought Orwell's characters weren't as interesting as those in Huxley's or Lewis's dystopian novels (C.S. Lewis wrote "That Hideous Strenght"). The concept for Room 101 was imaginative but almost seemed to give the Ocenaian officials an unrealistic advantage (personally, I feel some people could have overcome even fear). Perhaps I shouldn't get on to Orwell too much over this; after all Lewis's villans tried to overcome human nature in their own ways as well.
Overall, Orwell wrote an interesting work. It is even more interesting when one compares the totalitarianism of Oceania to that of the U.S.S.R. (notice that Big Brother and Goldstein have some resemblances to Stalin and Trotsky). I am currently reading a book far more chilling than Orwell's fiction. "The Gulag Archipelago" would make a very good companion to "1984" as it gives a picture of actual totalitarianism at the time when Orwell wrote his fictional masterpiece.

Wristwatch Annual 2007 (Wristwatch Annual)

Average customer rating:

Wow!
Wristwatch Annual 2007 review
If I only had the money........!!
Great book for the WIS
Buyers guide for horologists

Wristwatch Annual 2007 (Wristwatch Annual)

Manufacturer: Abbeville Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Watch
Watches International: Volume VII (Watches International)
Wristwatch Annual 2006: The Catalog Of Producers, Prices, Models And Specifications
Watches International Volume VIII (Watches International)
Complete Price Guide to Watches

ASIN: 0789209047

Book Description

Every year brings hundreds of new wristwatch designs, with aesthetic and mechanical changes and improvements, limited edition watches, and new producers, keeping this field exciting for collectors. Following the success of last year's book, the new annual features over 1,700 of the world's most luxurious wristwatches and provides color photographs and complete specifications for each watch. With Wristwatch Annual, collectors have a wealth of information close at hand: the book is arranged alphabetically by producer, and within each producer's section are specifications and materials for each watch, including price, movement, special features, complications, case, dial, band, and available variations of a particular model. A glossary and pronunciation guide help acclimate the reader to the world of fine timepieces, and, for prospective buyers, the addresses of all featured producers are listed together.

The elegant photography and layout will encourage people to peruse the year's offerings for aesthetic appeal as well. The range of styles, from classic to modern, reflects the inclusive nature of this book, which watch collectors around the world will find both a handy reference and required reading.

Featured manufacturers: Alpina; Svend Anderson; Angular Momentum; Anonimo; Arnold & Son; Audemars Piguet; Ball Watch Company; Baume & Mercier; Bell & Ross; Ernst Benz; Blancpain; blu; Rainer Brand; Martin Braun; Breguet; Breitling; Carl F. Bucherer; Buti; Bvlgari; Nouvelle Horlogerie Calabrese; Cartier; Chase-Durer; Chopard; Chronoswiss; Frédérique Constant; Corum; Cuervo y Sobrinos; Cyclos; d.freemont; Davosa; de Bethune; de Grisogono; deWitt; Doxa; Dubey & Schaldenbrand; Roger Dubuis; Dunhill; Ebel; Eberhard & Co.; Epos; Louis Erard; Eterna; Jacques Etoile; Fabergé; Carlo Ferrara; Formex; Fortis; Gérald Genta; Gevril; Girard-Perregaux; Glashütte Original; Glycine; Graham; Hanhart; Harwood; Hermès; Hublot; IWC; Jacob & Co.; Jaeger-LeCoultre; Jaquet Droz; Daniel JeanRichard; F.P. Journe; Urban Jürgensen; Kobold; Kurth; Maurice Lacroix; A. Lange & Söhne; Limes; Longines; Marcello C.; Meistersinger; Mido; Richard Mille; Milus; Daniel Mink; Montblanc; H. Moser; Movado; Mühle; Franck Muller; Ulysse Nardin; NBY; Armand Nicolet; Rainer Nienaber; Nivrel; Nomos; Omega; Oris; Panerai; Parmigiani; Patek Philippe; Piaget; Paul Picot; Polijot-International; Porsche Design; Rado; Auguste Reymond; RGM; Rolex; Daniel Roth; Scalfaro; Jörg Schauer; Alain Silberstein; Sinn; Sothis; Stowa; Swiss Army; TAG Heuer; Temption; Tissot; Tudor; Tutima; Union; Vacheron Constantin; Ventura; Vollmer; George J von Burg; Harry Winston; Xemex; Dino Zei; Zenith; Zeno.

With additional reports on: B.R.M.; DeLaneau; Hautlence; Jean-Mairet & Gillman; Jacques Lemans; Giuliano Mazzuoli; Louis Moinet; Officina del Tempo; SWI.

Customer Reviews:

Wow!.......2007-08-23

I bought this just to see all the awesome watches out there. Some of these are in the hundred thousands. Wow. Great pictures and company info. If you enjoy watches in the least you must own this catalog its huge and has hundreds of pictures of watches you will never own, unless you have a few hundred thousand sitting around.

Wristwatch Annual 2007 review.......2007-08-09

Great pictures, a must for any watch enthusiast. Side note. Some of the actual specifications are not accurate.

If I only had the money........!!.......2007-07-05

The photography alone of these world class timepieces brings out the male urge to splurge. It's like being a kid in a candy store, you want one of everything! I've read the '05 and '06 editions and this one does not disappoint. Nice feature: a guide to the pronunciation of all those Swiss, German and French names. Even if you don't speak any of those languages you can say the names like a native. Any watch aficionado will spend many delightful hours soaking up all the facts, figures and history presented here.

Great book for the WIS.......2007-06-14

I really like the format, usually get the new one when it's released.

Buyers guide for horologists.......2007-06-06

Informative book on horology. I will definitely buy this every year.

Cooking the RealAge Way: Turn back your biological clock with more than 80 delicious and easy recipes

Average customer rating:

an old dog, new tricks1
Unreasonable format
Very Good recipes
Great if you like Tofu!
REAL EASY AND YUMMY

Cooking the RealAge Way: Turn back your biological clock with more than 80 delicious and easy recipes
Michael F. Roizen , and John La Puma
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The RealAge(R) Workout: Maximum Health, Minimum Work
You On A Diet Workout

ASIN: 0060009357
Release Date: 2003-06-03

Book Description

Looking for meals that are delicious, healthy, and easy to make? How does Shiitake Mushroom and Asparagus Frittata with Smoked Salmon sound? Or a Roasted Red Pepper and Kalamata Olive Sicilian Salad? Or Pistachio Pilaf with Butternut Squash and Gingered Cranberry Sauce? They sound very tasty, but would you believe they can also actually help you control your genes, making your RealAge younger? You don't have to be at the mercy of heredity. It's true: These recipes and many more have been developed and tested by Dr. Michael F. Roizen, author of the bestselling RealAge, Are You as Young as You Can Be?, and Dr. John La Puma, who is also a professionally trained chef. With his RealAge program, Dr. Roizen has already helped tens of thousands of people turn back the clock. Now he and Dr. La Puma are cooking things up in the kitchen in Cooking the RealAge Way.

Cooking the RealAge Way offers more than eighty easy, healthful, and scrumptious recipes, all of which prove that nutritious meals don't have to be time consuming, filled with hard-to-find ingredients, ortaste like they're good for you. These recipes explode in flavor and are low in aging fats and sugar and high in Omega-3 oils, flavonoids, and antioxidants. Each recipe provides a detailed description of that meal's age-reducing benefits, and every meal of the day is covered -- from breakfast's melt-in-your-mouth Golden Banana Pancakes with Fresh Raspberries to the after-dinner pièce de resistance Chocolate Strawberry Sundae. The meals are so appetizing, you'll forget that they are good for you and make them again and again.

Cooking the RealAge Way also features:

The Kitchen IQ test -- use it to find out if your kitchen is aging you and how to stock your kitchen to make yourself younger with what you eat

The benefits of using fresh produce in season

The advantages of using the best herbs and spices -- and how to grow them in your garden

Tips on improving your family's eating habits

Easy culinary techniques, from blanching to grilling

Finally, a cookbook that both your nutritionist and inner gourmand will love.

Customer Reviews:

an old dog, new tricks1.......2007-09-27

I've been a cook for 'bout 40 years.
However in this book I learned a lot.
My husband is an Internist in Medicine,
so our family has been into healthy
eating for a lifetime.
You certainly make my healthy cooking
easy.
s. daugherty

Unreasonable format.......2007-05-14

A total waste of my money.

The format of the cookbook was confusing and frustrating--organized according to the season of the year, which may seem like a nice idea, but unrealistic. Trying to find something nice to cook for the evening's meal meant searching thru each season and then searching the dinners-only for that season. Finally, there just weren't many recipes offered.

I wish I could have returned the book, but then I'd have to pay shipping again and it just wasn't worth the time & effort.

Very Good recipes.......2007-05-09

This has a lot of great ideas for recipes that I intend to try. Very good book.

Great if you like Tofu!.......2007-05-07

The book looks great on the outside however many of the recipes are vegan style or tofu related.

REAL EASY AND YUMMY.......2007-04-17

The recipes in this book are indeed delicious and easy and I feel better when I eat the RealAge way. In fact, since eating this way I have more energy and my arthritis seems better. I only really have time to cook on weekends and one night a week but thankfully my husband helps on the other days. I just wish I had more time to cook but when I do I turn to this book as a guide! Pamela D. Blair, Author The Next Fifty Years: A Guide for Women at Mid-Life And Beyond

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
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They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies

ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time

Average customer rating:

An Unexpected "Couldn't Put it Down"
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
An interesting read, but not exceptional.
Not a boring science textbook
A Great Story

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
Dava Sobel
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140258795

Amazon.com

The thorniest scientific problem of the eighteenth century was how to determine longitude. Many thousands of lives had been lost at sea over the centuries due to the inability to determine an east-west position. This is the engrossing story of the clockmaker, John "Longitude" Harrison, who solved the problem that Newton and Galileo had failed to conquer, yet claimed only half the promised rich reward.

Book Description

During the great ages of exploration, "the longitude problem" was the gravest of all scientific challenges. Lacking the ability to determine their longitude, sailors were literally lost at sea as soon as they lost sight of land. Ships ran aground on rocky shores; those traveling well-known routes were easy prey to pirates.

In 1714, England's Parliament offered a huge reward to anyone whose method of measuring longitude could be proven successful. The scientific establishment--from Galileo to Sir Isaac Newton--had mapped the heavens in its certainty of a celestial answer. In stark contrast, one man, John Harrison, dared to imagine a mechanical solution--a clock that would keep precise time at sea, something no clock had been able to do on land. And the race was on....

Customer Reviews:

An Unexpected "Couldn't Put it Down".......2007-10-16

A "simple" invention that literally opened the world and a man who spent his entire life figuring our how to make it happen, made for a fantastic story ... and a rare book that I really couldn't put down.

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time.......2007-08-31

A mediocre book , the author clearly has no scientific knowlegde and drags the story out as if it was a Soap opera . No diagrams / drawings / patent descriptions are included , meagre technical information . NOT worth the effort of reading . this publication is an insult to the intelligence . ABSOLUTE RUBBISH . ( and I have read it ). William Asquith .

An interesting read, but not exceptional........2007-06-27

Dava Sobel's 'Longitude' makes for a quick, light read. The story covers an interesting slice of history, but Longitude hardy distinguishes itself as being a great book. The largest problem is that the "lone genius who solved the greatest scientific problem of his time," John Harrison, is not a man about whom very much is known. Everything that is known about him could be fitted onto one of the (paperback) book's 175 pages. It's a bit remarkable that Sobel was able to milk a book from minimal and disjointed known facts. The story is really about the longitude problem itself, and the Harrison 'enemies' long-running success in undermining Harrison's solution, a precision chronometer that could maintain accuracy under the widely varied environmental conditions encountered by mariners.

Sobel's 'Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love,' is, in every way, a better book. For those interested in a fast-paced historical exposition of "a lone genius" advancing science but meeting maddening resistance from England's celebrity scientific elite (yes, it's a theme that parallels Sobel's 'Longitude'), by all means secure a copy of Tom Standage's 'The Neptune File: A Story of Astronomical Rivalry and the Pioneers of Planet Hunting,' the story of John Couch Adams' startling genius and the developments of planetary astronomy from William Herschel to our current spectroscopic and mathematical hunt for distant exoplanets.

Not a bad book, but not great either.

Not a boring science textbook.......2007-06-23

Sobel brings science to life in this tell of the quest to solve the navigational conundrum of measuring position. Her writing is visual and fluid. The book tells a gripping story that brings in bits of politics, geography, economics, philosophy, and many other disciplines. It proves that fact can be stranger than fiction. This is a great read for anyone of any age and with any area of interest.

A Great Story.......2007-06-12

Longitude and latitude tell a sailor or aviator or hiker where in the entire world he or she is. If latitude is known, one knows how far north or south of the equator he or she is. But that's a circle all the way around the earth. To find the point on that circle, the sailor's longitude must be known. Without longitude, ships missed resupply islands in the south pacific by a couple of miles or by hundreds of miles - and never knew it. They crashed into rocks wandering around like you would in a dark room - the door is on the other side but, where?

The earth is round and, therefore, there are 360 degrees in the circumference. The earth makes one rotation every 24 hours and the sun stays put. That is, the earth rotates at the rate of 15 degrees per hour. So, if I know the time at some point in the world and I know the local time, I can calculate where I am on the circle of latitude. I can determine local noon and then I look at my very accurate clock and determine the time in, say, London. If it's four hours earlier in London, I know I am 4 x 15 or 60 degrees around the world from London. I shoot the sun with my sextant to find my latitude and now I know where I am.

The problem was - how do I know what time it is in London when I'm in the south pacific. Even on land, clocks were not even close to accurate - they'd lose several minutes a day. Many solutions were proposed - my favorites were the "sympathetic dogs" and the line of cannon firing ships. The dog solution involved having a dog in London and a dog on the ship. Since it was well known that dogs communicate telepathically, if the dog in London was pinched, the dog on the ship would feel it and yelp. So - pinch the dog at noon and - voila! That didn't work so the next idea was to put a string of ships across the oceans beginning in London. Put them at one mile intervals and have the crews listen. At noon a cannon would be fired in London and the first ship would fire its cannon. The second ship would hear it and fire its cannon. and so forth across all the oceans. When a cruising ship heard the cannon, the captain knew it was noon in London. Too many ships, too much money and what to do during a storm.

Harrison's first clock was accurate to 1/2 second per day. That's in the mid seventeen hundreds. That's better than most clocks and watches made anywhere in the world up to about 30 years ago. He ultimately made a large watch - about five inches across - that was able to keep London time so accurately the British Navy could go anywhere and find what they were looking for and the way home. But think of the problems - the ship is rolling and pitching so a pendulum won't work. The temperature and humidity change so the mechanism slows or speeds up or rusts. There were no computer chips or quartz crystals. And there were many important people saying, "God is the answer - look to the heavens."

It's a story about something we take so easily for granted today. Our throwaway watches are more accurate than anything imaginable when Harrison started. An atomic clock measures time to the billionth of a second and we think nothing of it - but without those clocks we would have no satellite communication, no weather satellites, no space program. It's a story about a man who didn't know the answer but was determined to find it. Harrison had no computer, no modern machine tools, no precedent. His story is absolutely amazing. And it is told wonderfully by Dava Sobel. I've read it three times and have enjoyed it each of them.

Average customer rating:

An old standby continues moving along
Pocket Watches
Informative Guide to American watches
Good Price Guide
Great - But

Complete Price Guide to Watches
Tom Engle , Richard E. Gilbert , and Cooksey Shugart
Manufacturer: Tinderbox
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Wristwatch Annual 2007 (Wristwatch Annual)
Wristwatch Annual 2006: The Catalog Of Producers, Prices, Models And Specifications

ASIN: 1574325531

Customer Reviews:

An old standby continues moving along.......2007-08-17

This used to be considered the bible of pricing of vintage watches - it is a tremendous piece of work - however many models are missing and prices
need updating as the economy has changed very much in a few short years.
However for the beginner there is no better book to learn and have
a handy reference to save money and not lose it when buying an old watch

Pocket Watches.......2007-07-19

The book is not perfect, but it is a great bargain for the money. It is reasonably easy to use and yet detailed in the descriptions and explanations. I was able to pick out my watches and establish a value very quickly. I used it for all my eBay purchases. I do recommend this book as a great reference for pocket watches.

Informative Guide to American watches.......2007-07-13

This is a practical guide to watches and their prices. It dwells mostly on American pocket watches, and in this aspect it is most informative. It is less so on European pocket watches and wrist watches, but still manages to cover a lot of ground. The pricing seems accurate as a guideline.

Good Price Guide.......2007-07-08

An excellent guide to watch values. Strongest for American Pocket Watches and weaker IMO for European Pocket watches and for wrist watches, particularly Quartz.

Great - But.......2007-04-16

I appreciate the amount of information in the book and the author's time invested in the update.

One of my major interests is in the Hamilton 992B pocket watch. I noticed that the author drastically changed the dates of manufacture related to the serial numbers. This is very disappointing. The 992B has not been made for 40 years. Why is the author changing the information?

I wanted to purchase a 992B for the year I was born. This reference book has let me down in having assurance of when that actual date was. The 992B serial number for my birth year was 490,000-495,000 now it is 516,000-520,000.

This lends me to loose trust in the book as a reference. Was the former information incorrect or the current information? At least an explanation on why the change was made could have been provided.

The Bottom Line: It is an excellent reference but the watch collecting information presented is subject to change - so don't depend on it.

Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements: Embracing All Those Which Are Most Important in Dynamics, Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Pseumatics, Steam en

Average customer rating:

Brief but good
507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices
very helpfull book
I was SO excited about this book. When it finally arrived, part of me died.
Go for it - You won't be sorry

Five Hundred and Seven Mechanical Movements: Embracing All Those Which Are Most Important in Dynamics, Hydraulics, Hydrostatics, Pseumatics, Steam en
Henry T. Brown
Manufacturer: Astragal Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1879335638

Book Description

Over five hundred simple mechanical movements from America's first one hundred years of the Industrial Revolution. For those who share an interest in mechanical things, this book is addictive. Through the use of simplified, concise drawings, here are 507 of the small components which make up complex machinery in areas as diverse as C.R. Otis's safety stop for the elevator, Pickering's governor for a steam engine, Arnold's escapement for watches, compound parallel rules, piston rod guides, the grasshopper beam engine and a self recording level for surveyors. The list goes on and on in fascinating variety, with each movement explained and illustrated.

Customer Reviews:

Brief but good.......2007-09-06

This book is very brief on the explanations of each mechanism. They are basically 4 to 6 small mechanisms in 2D per page with their explanation in the opposite page, so expect the small print.

You have to imagine how they work which forces you to use some imagination. It is a good book for a 3D brain workout.

507 Mechanical Movements: Mechanisms and Devices .......2007-05-12

good book for someone that can identify mechanical parts, movements, and processes from diagrams only. the book has very little text to explain diagrams

very helpfull book.......2007-05-09

a practical book showing the most common movements explained in an easy and direct way.

I was SO excited about this book. When it finally arrived, part of me died........2007-03-14

This book is a collection of previously published thumbnail sized drawings. The book catagorizes the drawings, but not clearly. The drawings are really quite inconsistent, and the explanations are minimal. There is only one drawing per mechanism... so really it should be called Five Hundred And Seven Odd Drawings Which You May Enjoy; However, You Will Never Reference One Of Them.

When I say the drawings are inconsistent, I'm alluding to the fact that they were pulled from different sources, and it REALLY shows.

This book is TINY. Wait... I shouldn't have made "tiny" so large. It might confuse you.

I'm sure that the author put time into this book. And in all fairness, it is inexpensive. The value just isn't there though.

This book is the antithesis of Macaulay's The Way Things Work. It is "Things: They Might Work, But Who Knows How?"

There are other editions of this book, and maybe they are better.... but really we all know they're not.

Go for it - You won't be sorry.......2007-02-28

This baby is a real gem at ~8 bucks. Lots of really neat stuff and from the late 19th century. This is a great little book if you are trying to get some inspirational ideas. I think that the diagrams are neat - they look like woodcuts.

Rolex Wristwatches: An Unauthorized History (Schiffer Book for Collectors)

Average customer rating:

Great Rolex reference, but not much in updates for 3rd edition
Simply the Rolex bible
The best Rolex reference history book.
Very kind of Rolex watches.
Rolex Wristwatches Book Review

Rolex Wristwatches: An Unauthorized History (Schiffer Book for Collectors)
James M. Dowling , and Jeffrey P. Hess
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764324373

Book Description

The name of Rolex is recognized around the world. It has become an icon of beauty, quality, accuracy, style, and taste. While there are other fine manufacturers of timepieces, none has reached this pinnacle of public respect and acclaim. The watches produced by Rolex over the last 90 years are celebrated in this lavishly illustrated new volume. Mssrs. Dowling and Hess, acknowledged Rolex authorities, have captured their beauty in full color photography. They accompany the most thorough and extensive history ever written of the company. Information for collectors and current market values of the watches makes this a truly useful volume and one that will be cherished by watch lovers around the world., 392 photos , 9" x 12", Price Guide

Customer Reviews:

Great Rolex reference, but not much in updates for 3rd edition.......2007-08-19

For a comprehensive Rolex history with pictures, this is one of the best books out there. I definitely recommend this book for the Rolex enthusiast. Because it focuses mostly on history, the pictures are mostly of vintage models.

I own the 2nd edition (published 2001) and was excited when I saw the 3rd edition available (published 2006). I thought maybe there would be updates on the newer watches especially the 50th Anniversary Submariner and Day-Date (the green ones). To my disappointment, the 2nd and 3rd editions appeared to be identical except for the price guide at the end of the book. Yes, it's nice to have updated numbers, but I feel an updated edition should mention some updated watches as well.

A printing error on page 383 was not corrected in this 3rd edition either. That page shows a picture of an upside down Seadweller, but the print below the picture says "The Yachtmaster."

If you already own the 2nd edition and don't care for an updated price list, there's no need to spend $75+ for the 3rd edition. However, the 3rd edition is a good purchase for the first time buyer.

Overall I give the book 5 stars, but I'm giving it 4 stars here because of the lack of updates for the 3rd edition.

Simply the Rolex bible.......2007-08-18

Not much to say about the book. It has evertthing a Rolex collector will neeed.
The best pictures published on watches, ever, No book comes close.

The best Rolex reference history book........2007-08-15

Its worth every penny if you want a reference book on Rolex. No book comes close.
The pictures and quality are fantastic, It is a reference book and not a book that is light reading, its full of heavy detail on every Rolex ever made up to 1999.
Another edition should be due about now, for updates.
I 100% recommend to any Rolex enhusiast, Rolex dealer or Rolex collector. There simply is no book with more detail on the market.

Very kind of Rolex watches........2007-02-05

Rolex watches, it is high cost watches. Very cool Item, very very high cost performance ! Don't kiss me !

Rolex Wristwatches Book Review.......2007-01-21

This great book gave me details about Rolex and their watches that I could not gather anywhere else. I learned basics about the watches that the Rolex dealers are unable to answer. If you own a Rolex, you should own this book.

Average customer rating:

WOMEN LOVE WATCHES, TOO!
Beautiful Book
Gene Stones' "The Watch"
The Watch
I love this book

The Watch
Gene Stone
Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0810930935

Book Description

The Watch is a survey of the best vintage and contemporary menÂ's wristwatches that is as visually compelling as it is informative to read.

A well-made manÂ's wristwatch combines inspired design, technical innovation, and precise craftsmanship. Vintage watches are filled with sentiment and history, and are often passed from wrist to wrist across generations. Today, designers use cutting-edge techniques and materials to create some of the most complex miniature machines ever attempted.

Ranging from Patek Philippe and Rolex to Seiko and Swatch, and covering fifty brands in depth, the book provides essential wisdom on buying, collecting, and maintaining these timepieces. Illustrating the text are more than 500 photographs of menÂ's watches, including remarkable details of dials and movements, selected for their beauty and diversity from collections around the world.

Customer Reviews:

WOMEN LOVE WATCHES, TOO!.......2007-08-10

I'm a woman who has loved watches for over 35 years. This book has beautiful pictures, but, I could not find a single woman's watch. It was disappointing. Did I miss something? I returned it!

Beautiful Book.......2007-07-09

A beautiful book featuring beautiful wrist watches including some from both American and high end Japanese manufacturers.

Gene Stones' "The Watch".......2007-05-12

I found this book to be one of the most informative, easy to understand, loaded with excellent pictures, variety of horological subjects, etc.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves watches

The Watch.......2007-05-12

This is another great watch book. There are pictures of watches from all over the world not only Swiss. Big photo and in color you really get to see what they truly look like. They are all a work of art. A must have.

I love this book.......2007-04-09

This book is like my bible. I study it and read it regularly and it always cheers me up on a rainy day when I look at the beautiful pictures of watches. Sounds like I need a life, right? Whatever, get this book!

Average customer rating:

Great
Excellent
Excellent reference book.
Excellent work by Gerd-R. Lang of Chronoswiss

Chronograph Wristwatches: To Stop Time
Gerd-R Lang , and Reinhard Meis
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Automatic Wristwatches from Switzerland: Self-Winding Wristwatches
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ASIN: 0887405029

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2004-03-04

This is a great book for those interested in chronograph watches. The pictures are very good and the detail on the movements is exceptional. The format of the book is rather large, but not too thick. Quality printing and binding. Nearly a must-have for watch collectors and horologists.

Excellent.......2004-02-28

This book is geared to the watch collector and repairer, which is exactly what I was looking for. It has an excellent description of the major dials and movements with nice large pictures. The information is detailed, in-depth and informative. A professional book. It is large format, not too thick, but the glossy pages (which is a good thing) make it heavy. For the collector / repairer of chronographs, this is a must-have book.

Excellent reference book........2002-02-12

Overall an excellent book on chronographs, which is a cross between a coffee table book and a reference work. As a collector, I refer to it a lot.

Unfortunately, the translation is poor, and there are many inconsistencies which can make it hard to follow descriptions: for example, the same component in the chronograph mechanism may be referred to by several different names. Also, the final editing of the English version leaves a lot to be desired, especially in a book of this price. Having said this, it's still a very good book, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Excellent work by Gerd-R. Lang of Chronoswiss.......1999-08-24

This book illustrates the intricacies of chronograhs in great detail and with much attention given to not-so-well-known facts. Master Watchmaker Gerd-Ruediger Lang is the founder and manager of Chronoswiss Uhren GmbH in Munich, Germany and his attention to detail can both be found in this book and in his watches, which are famous throughout the world.

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