Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Cuts through the hype.......2007-10-13
This is an excellently written book, very easy to read,and with only one typo that I noticed. It starts with an excellent overview of physics from a technical point of view, without getting too technical,but a good basic understanding of physics is really needed to grasp what he is writing about, and shows the authors grasp of the technical issues, and then gets into a philosophical view of the state of physics and science generally. As an interested observer of science I have certainly noticed the lack of really big discoveries in the last twenty years or so, and this book confirms my view. Also being more of a creative thinker,rather than a conformist, a 'seer' as the author describes it,I can totally relate to the problems faced by people seeking a career in science, and the need to conform to currently popular programs and research where economic imperitives take precedence over original thinking,or even fundamental work, and where universities operate to build an image to attract students based on hype over substance. Its what put me off a career in science, and a university education, as I'm not interested in doing what others want in return for money,career,etc. The authors comment about some of the best scientists of the past being wealthy enough to support themselves in doing as they pleased is a very important point in showing that creative people are wasted if forced to do the work others want done in order to survive. Which basically leaves only those who want to conform and have an easy life and easy career path, who want to be technical experts rather than big thinkers or explorers of new concepts. It excludes most risk takers and entrepreneurs from a career in science,as you would end up bitter and unsatisfied. This book really just confirmed alot of what I thought, what should be common sense. And it makes an important point that only a few people think creatively,so it would not cost alot to employ these people and take a risk on them, in the hope that long term they will produce big things, while delivering very little of measurable worth in the short term. The book also goes into the sociology of science and scientists. Something I realised along time ago to my suprise was that scientists suffer from all the normal human flaws of bias and blindness, tribalism,etc that average people do,and often end up in religious type devoutness to their beliefs or tribe. I would have thought science would not attract such people, but it does,as the authors experience shows in confirming what I beleived just from watching science shows on TV,etc. Science would be an excellent career if not for the fact it suffers from the same B.S. that afflicts most human organisations and puts people like myself right off getting involved at all. The author is smart enough to realise that science must attract talent and compete with others for it,and his criticisms are done out of love for science and physics,not hate. It is interesting to see how carefully he treads in crisicising others, which just goes to show how religion-like science had become, and how risky it is to be a heretic, which so goes against what science should stand for,like open debate, constant questioning of all beleifs,etc, when ego's start getting in the way you might as well do something else, as its no better than any other politics or belief system. If you care about science this book raises many important points ,although I suspect it will find an audience with those that sympathise with its views and have no effect on those that need to learn from it most,as they will have closed minds and take all criticism as an attack to be defended against.A very enjoyable read.
A superb overview of the state of theoretical physics........2007-10-12
What a superb book. Lee Smolin starts by sketching our progress towards a unified theory, and then critically examines the claims of string theory to be the best contender for that throne. Having demolished our fuzzy belief that string theory has been somehow "proven," he then weighs in on the other candidates for a unified theory, namely quantum gravity and its cousins. These turn out to be little better supported by experimental evidence. The technical concepts are clearly presented, sans equations, as developments in a story peopled with fascinating characters: the great theoretical physicists of the last 50 years. As a non-math person, I found this narrative a positive pleasure to read. In comparison to other authors of books on physics for the lay public, Smolin really knows how to tell a story, without skimping the science.
The real depth of "The Trouble With Physics" becomes apparent when Smolin pulls back to focus on physics itself. Facing the fact that the academy is a human enterprise like any other, he subjects it to the same bold criticism that he applies to scientific concepts. Here are eyeopening revelations about the culture of conferences, recommendations, networks, and above all, the economic pressures that subtly favor "craftspeople" at the expense of "seers." It's a sorry indictment of our universities, the triumph of self-interest over vision, and Smolin explicitly includes himself in the great mass of insincere careerists who choose a safe research program over a risky one, to the detriment of scientific progress. One gets the sense that this book is, for the author, an atonement for having shortchanged his own creativity as a younger man.
But we the readers are the beneficiaries of Smolin's decision to lay all bare. I have read literally dozens of books on physics and cosmology, and this is the first one that has presented the human side of the story as a CONTEXT, rather than in a series of postage-stamp portraits. Smolin shows that tribalism and rent-seeking do as much to shape science as any ideas. It is a lesson that will lend an extra savor, and a much-needed depth of perspective, to every science book I read in the future.
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
Average customer rating:
- the berenstain bears trouble with money
- awesome book, awesome lesson
- Trouble with Money
- great book
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The Berenstain Bears' Trouble with Money (First Time Books(R))
Stan Berenstain , and
Jan Berenstain
Manufacturer: Random House Books for Young Readers
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The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Pressure (First Time Books(R))
ASIN: 0394859170
Release Date: 1983-09-12 |
Book Description
To earn coins for the Astro Bear video game, Brother and Sister Bear find ways to work for money. How they find the middle ground between being spendthrifts and little misers makes for a funny, realistic story.
Customer Reviews:
the berenstain bears trouble with money.......2006-02-02
i think this book is a really good book and i think that they have a problem with money and that they are really bad at that and i am to and my mom like tells me the same thing and it is cool just to have something that relates to my life and my mom tells me no don't spend all your money and stuff like that and that means i have a TEXT TO SELF and i love to read and it is cool. thats all i wanted to say. p.s. i love the bereanstain bear books they are so cool and i just love them and they are so cool i wish i could be a good writter just like you but you are a really good writter and if i could be like you i would but i am glad i am diffrent than everybody i love your books.
awesome book, awesome lesson.......2005-12-28
the illustrations are what got me interested in this book when I got it from a book club as a kid. It teaches a good lesson about money and how to not act spoiled, and the idea that money should not make you greedy
Trouble with Money.......2005-12-10
I like this book because it showed me not to spend all the money i receive for special occassions on things that i may not need but i want very badly. It showed me that i need to be very careful with money and that spending it on everything isn't always a good choice.
Alyssa Seifferly
great book.......2000-07-09
This is an excellent book it really helps kids learn about money. The illustrations are perfect for my four year old
Book Description
The new cub in the neighborhood, Lizzy Bruin, is the same age as Sister Bear--and she's also just as bossy. After a fight threatens their budding friendship, both cubs learn that you can't always have your own way if you want to have friends.
Customer Reviews:
AWESOME!!!!!.......2006-11-15
This book is great. It shows that even the best of friends can fight at times. Also to take turns and there are some things that cannot be done alone. Also to be forgiving of each other.
Learning to be a friend.......2006-06-22
Sister and Lizzie are best friends and do everything together. But sometimes Lizzie can be just too bossy. And sometimes Sister wants to do everything her way. When the two cubs start playing school, it comes to head over who gets to be the teacher. This story teaches forgiveness and understanding that to be a good friend it's about giving, not just taking.
Great conversation starter!.......2006-03-30
I kept the Berenstain Bear books from when I was a kid and now my 6 year old read them. The are all great books to start a conversation with your child about the topic.
In this one, a very familiar situation arises between young friends (both want control and get in a fight. Mama Bear talks with Sister and asks her to consider her friend's feelings. Then the situation is resolved when the friend comes over to return a favorite toy.
These books aren't meant to offer coping strategies or tell the kids how to handle the situation but they are great to help get a conversation started between parents and kids and start the problem-solving process in the child.
Caite's book.......2006-02-14
Friends sometimes can be mean but you can learn how to get along with them.just like in real life.
Wonderful!.......2005-12-15
The world lost a real gem of a writer when Stan Berenstain passed on November 29. Together, Berenstain and his wife, Jan, and eventually their two sons, created books featuring lovable but flawed characters who tackle just about every real issue that faces families.
All kids (and most adults) have some trouble when it comes to making friends and maintaining friendships. It's not always easy! This book can help open up a good dialogue with your kids about what friendship means, how to be a good friend, what to do when you have problems with friends, and so on. It tells the story in a gentle way that kids will find not only informative, but entertaining and even funny, as well. Wonderful!
Book Description
These study guides, part of a 16-volume set from noted Bible scholar John MacArthur, take readers on a journey through biblical texts to discover what lies beneath the surface, focusing on meaning and context, and then reflecting on the explored passage or concept. With probing questions that guide the reader toward application, as well as ample space for journaling, The MacArthur Bible Studies are an invaluable tool for Bible Students of all ages.
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- Major league advice for small timers...
- Good Basic Textbook
- Good Information for the Entrepeneur
- The umpteenth edition, still going strong
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Small Time Operator: How to Start Your Own Business, Keep Your Books, Pay Your Taxes, And Stay Out of Trouble! (Small Time Operator)
Bernard B. Kamoroff
Manufacturer: Bell Springs Publishing
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ASIN: 0917510259 |
Book Description
Most people dream about someday owning a business, but dreams are often no match for the reality of the red tape and regulations involved in actually getting a business up and running. Small Time Operator shows the way. The most popular start-up guide ever written, it covers every aspect of small business ownership, including getting the proper permits and licenses; financing; choosing a location; creating an effective business plan; whether or not to incorporate; recordkeeping; setting up a bookkeeping system; hiring employees; insurance; federal, state, and local taxes; dealing with the IRS; franchises; doing business on the internet; and much more. This new edition has been updated to reflect current changes in the tax code and business management principles. Clearly written and fun to read, the book breaks down the seemingly complex process of opening a business into a simple step-by-step procedure — and helps turn the small business dream into reality.
Customer Reviews:
Major league advice for small timers..........2007-08-06
This book's reputation proceeded it and I found it to be all I was expecting. It is thorough without getting lost in unnecessary detail, and when more is needed, or advice specific to a region or subject, he leaves the reader with clear guidance on where it can be found.
As a self-employed contractor, designer, millwork and furniture maker, my 37 years of experience has born out all his advice and I have made my share of - if not all - the mistakes he warns of. And done some of the right things. He comes as close as I've found so far to a source of advice on not just what's right to do, but what's practical, what's realistic and (even) what people can get away with.
I will be using "Small Time Operator" as an adjunct text for the cabinetshop management classes I teach at our local community college.
Good Basic Textbook.......2007-05-16
The book covers some business basics which makes it handy and useful for those venturing into new businesses but with limited background on how to start and run a business. The areas covered include the start-up process, marketing the business, bank accounts, bookkeeping, cash-flow forecasting, tax returns, business plans, legal entities, financing, import and export and insurance. The book is written in a simple and easy to follow style. Therefore I recommend it to budding entrepreneurs as it provides valuable advice that should help you start and nature a successful small business.
Those with some business background will likely find the book to be too basic and can therefore pass this one.
Good Information for the Entrepeneur.......2007-05-07
A great resource for anyone who is setting up or running a small business.
Has good practical information that the typical small business owner needs.
The umpteenth edition, still going strong.......2007-03-25
I've bought and given away several copies of previous editions of this book over the years. I just ordered this new edition because previous editions have been full of practical advice on setting up a business and giving it a good start. It's also a lot of fun to read, believe it or not! Check out reviews on amazon of the previous editions.
Book Description
The uneasy peace between the Empire of Videssos and the nation of Makuran was crumbling. War came, and the King of Makuran lay dead on the field of battle. Worse, a power-mad minister had seized the throne and the rightful heir had disappeared. Abivard, son of a Makuran lord who also had fallen in the same battle, realized that his only hope of saving his family and his land was to find the missing heir, though that would mean he would be branded traitor and become the target of every armed man who served the usurper-and of his nation's most powerful sorcerers.Note: The Time of Troubles I was originally published separately as The Stolen Throne and Hammer and Anvil.
Customer Reviews:
Civil War Tales .......2007-10-15
The Time of Troubles I (2005) is an omnibus edition of the Time of Trouble fantasy series, including The Stolen Throne and Hammer and Anvil. The civilized lands around the Sailors' Sea and beyond are dominated by the Empire of Videssos, with its capital at Videssos the City. To the west is its chief competitor, the Makuran Empire with its capital in Mashiz, and to the north are the nomads of the Pardrayan Plain.
Plains dwelling nomads had long ago conquered the civilized lands between the two rivers. The Makuran empire -- ruled by the King of Kings -- is a successor to that original empire. The capital in Mashiz sits far to the east of the Makuran plateau, where it can more closely oversee the land between the rivers and the Videssian Empire.
In The Stolen Throne (1995), Avtokrator Likinios of Videssos is pressing the Kubratoi nomads, trying to drive them from Videssian lands. To divert the attention of the Makuraners, he bribed the Klamorth nomads north of the Makuran Empire into raiding across the Degird river into the northwestern province of Makuran.
In this novel, Abivard is the son of diqhan Godarz of the Vek Rud domain. He asks for insight into the future from his local soothsayer and receives a strange foretelling. Tanshar isn't even aware that he had spoken and so cannot explain his own words.
War is expected at any time. Then the red flag is brought to Vek Rud and Abivard is allowed to ride to war with his father. All the Makuran noble castes are warriors, so naturally he is excited and pleased to be going to war.
Yet Peroz King of Kings loses this war. Peroz is killed, along with most of the warriors in his army. Abivard escapes death by a fluke and survives to return home.
His mother Burzoe advises him to do two things: marry his betrothed Roshnani and arrange the marriage of his older sister Denak. He sends messages to both domains and both marriages are consummated. Abivard is pleased to learn that his new wife is both good looking and smart.
Soon a messenger comes asking Abivard to swear allegiance to Smerdis as King of Kings. At first he is puzzled, for his father had mentioned Sharbaraz as the heir. After the messenger explains that Peroz's son had abdicated the throne, Abivard swears fealty as diqhan of Vek Rud.
Denak had married Pradtak, diqhan of the Nalgis Crag domain. About a month later, Abivard receives a letter from her stating that Sharbaraz is being held prisoner at Nalgis Crag and that he claims to be the rightful King of Kings. Suddenly affairs are no longer simple.
In Hammer and Anvil (1996), Avtokrator Likinios of Videssos is overthrown by one of his generals and his family is wiped out. Sharbaraz King of Kings decides to take back the lands relinquished to Likinios while punishing the usurper Genesios.
In this novel, the Maniakai had been banished to Kalavria by Likinios after Sharbaraz was restored to his throne and then they had been left in exile by Genesios. The elder Maniakes is Governor of the island and the younger Maniakes is his deputy. Their residence is within the fortress above Kastavala, the main city on the island.
After half a dozen years on the island, the Maniakai spot a ship heading toward the harbor and the younger Maniakes goes down to the quay to learn the news. The ship is carrying passengers, grandees from Videssos the City. They all want to talk to Maniakes the Elder.
Kourikos is the spokesman for the group and also the father of the younger Maniakes's betrothed Niphone. When the elder Maniakes comes into their presence, the grandees all fall into a full proskenesis before him. They have come to ask him to overthrow Genesios and take the throne of the empire.
Genesios has been a very bad Avtokrator, killing his supposed enemies right and left and ignoring the depredations of the Kubratoi and the Makuraners. He is widely hated and feared, but admired by none. The basic question is whether anyone will defend his right to the throne.
Maniakes the Elder refuses to try for the throne, but he offers his son as an alternative. The grandees agree to back Maniakes the Younger for Avtokrator, but not without inner doubts. The younger Maniakes and his cousin Rhegorios sail with most of the ships and troops of Kalavria to overcome the current Avtokrator.
This series takes place in the same universe as the other Videssian series. It occurs about 150 years prior to The Misplaced Legion and about 650 years before Krispos Rising. The geography is reversed and otherwise distorted and historical sites are renamed.
This series presents a modified -- and enhanced -- version of actual historical events, but the character names and some relationships are changed. However, little is actually known of this period in Byzantine history, so there is plenty of room for creative expression in the dialogues.
The major cultural themes in these tales differ significantly from the actual empires. For example, the Makuran religion involves four Prophets instead of a single Prophet -- i.e., Zoroaster -- and the Videssian religion has Phos -- the Sun God -- as its major deity. Still, the everyday occurrences of daily life in both empires are much the same.
The first story is obviously loosely based on events in the Sassanid and Byzantine empires, probably around 590 AD, when Chosroes Abarvez was raised to the Sassanid throne. He was opposed by Bahram, an experienced general, and Chosroes fled to the Byzantine frontier. He was given asylum in Hierapolis by Emperor Maurice. Both claimants to the Sassanid throne offered concessions, yet Maurice backed Chosroes II. The Byzantine army helped restore him to the throne within a year of his flight.
The second tale is more closely based on the history of the Byzantine Empire. It starts with the overthrow and murder of Maurice in 602 AD by Phokas, one of his generals. Then in 610 AD, Phokas was overthrown and Heraclius ascended to the Byzantine throne.
Highly recommended for Turtledove fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of exotic cultures, military combat, and unexpected romance.
-Arthur W. Jordin
Repackaging of 2 older Videssos novels.......2005-10-10
With this book and The Time of Troubles II, the 4-book Time of Troubles novels are being republished. Volume I contains The Stolen Throne, which is told from the Marukaner Abivard's point of view, and Hammer and Anvil, which moves to the Videssian Empire six years later. Abivard starts off his novel as a diqhan, a landholder in the frontier area, who ends up helping the rightful King of Marukan regain his throne. In order to defeat the usurping King, Abivard must join forces with the Emperor of Videssos, and a price will be paid for that cooperation.
Hammer and Anvil has protagonist Maniakes, who leads an insurrection against the bloodthirsty Videssian Emperor (who gained the throne by murdering the previous Emperor, the very one who helped Abivard in the previous novel).
Once again the books closely follow the history of the Byzantine Empire, with magic overlayed here and there. This is the same formula, history meets fantasy, used in the Darkness series (which retold World War II as a sword and sorcery epic) and the Peachtree trilogy (The US Civil War). Turtledove, as always, does it well.
I can't give the book (the two novels) five stars because the characters are too similar to Turtledove's other heroes: logical-thinking straight-talking types married to women much like themselves. The characters observe repeatedly that war kills people, that women do battle in the birthing bed, and that people are people the world over. The books are enjoyable but don't make the leap to profound.
Average customer rating:
- A repackaging of two older Videssos novels
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The Time of Troubles II
Harry Turtledove
Manufacturer: Baen
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Binding: Hardcover
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Similar Items:
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The Time of Troubles I
-
Bridge of the Separator (Videssos)
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Legion of Videssos (Videssos Cycle, Book 3)
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Krispos the Emperor (The Tale of Krispos, Book 3)
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Krispos Rising
ASIN: 1416508996 |
Book Description
Abrivard, marshal of Makuran, has been given an impossible task by his King: destroy the mighty Empire of Videssos. Even as he pondered how to obey, Videssos's legions are on the march, attacking Makuran first. Abrivard finds himself fighting a defensive war, putting his great battle skills to the task of driving the invaders from his home, the land of the Thousand Cities. But even as he struck back at the invader, he realized that force of arms alone would not carry the day, for Videssos's powerful sorcerers were the stuff of legend, and a strong sword are could not stand against a potent battle spell which could strike the mightiest warrior dead from miles away . . .
Customer Reviews:
A repackaging of two older Videssos novels.......2005-10-10
With this book and The Time of Troubles I, the 4-book Time of Troubles novels are being republished. Volume II contains The Thousand Cities, which is told from the Marukaner General Abivard's point of view, and Videssos Besieged, which is told by his counterpart (and foe) the Videssian Emperor. Abivard has come up in the world since the first book in the series (see Time of Troubles I for The Stolen Throne). Now the General to King Sharbaraz, Abivard finds his problems have gotten more difficult. While he has successfully invaded all the Westlands of Videssos, he cannot find a way to cross the sea into the capital. Meanwhile the Videssan army is now striking back, using their navy to place troops wherever they wish. King Sharbaraz expects Abivard to win more and more battles while offering fewer resources and troops. And his wife Roshnani, while always offering able counsel, contines to urge big changes in Marukan society.
Videssos Besieged is again told by now-Emperor Maniakes, who is losing support as the war continues to falter. Tax revenues are almost non-existant with the Marukan army occupying most of the West, and the Kubrati invading from the North. Now he's losing the support of the priests and the people for committing incest; he married his first cousin and he's quite happy about it. Turtledove shows us his background as a technical writer in spending far too long describing a magical spell in forging a document that's just a fantasy version of cut and paste using an actual (squeak!) mouse.
Once again the books closely follow the history of the Byzantine Empire, with magic overlayed here and there. This is the same formula, history meets fantasy, used in the Darkness series (which retold World War II as a sword and sorcery epic) and the Peachtree trilogy (The US Civil War). Turtledove, as always, does it well.
I can't give the book (the two novels) five stars because the characters are too similar to Turtledove's other heroes: logical-thinking straight-talking types married to women much like themselves. The characters observe repeatedly that war kills people, that women do battle in the birthing bed, and that people are people the world over. The books are enjoyable but don't make the leap to profound.
Book Description
Illus. in full color. Brother and Sister Bear's parents always seem to be nagging them about something, so the cubs decide to show how their parents annoy them by creating a play entitled "The Trouble with Grownups." Then Mama and Papa put on their own role-reversal skit, and everyone winds up learning something about themselves.
Customer Reviews:
A change of perspective........2002-09-09
The book opens with Papa and Mama Bear in grumpy moods. Papa yells at Brother for taking the sports section of the paper, Mama yells at Sister for talking on the phone too long, Mama and Papa yell at the cubs for playing with their food and for not giving them notes from school on time. The cubs go to school the next day and have to prepare for the Parent's Night Talent Show. After talking with their friends, they decide to put on a play called The Trouble With Grownups, which is the hit of the night. The show reminds the parents what it was like to be a cub. In the morning, the parents switch roles with the cubs so that they can see what it's like to be a parent. At the end they remind the cubs that they will probably be parents someday too, which gives the cubs something to think about.
The book never explains why Mama and Papa are so grumpy. However, most children can probably relate because people don't always explain why they are in a bad mood. However, Sister Bear's creation of a bowl from mashed potatoes for gravy was a brilliant example of creativity and it seemed more confusing to me that she got yelled at about it.
As a sidenote, I enjoyed this book a little more than I thought I would because it also briefly explains all the work that goes into putting on a play.
Overall, this is a good book for both parents and children to read together; it may help children see what it's like to be an adult and it may help parents remember what it's like to be a kid.
The Trouble With Children.......2001-04-27
The Trouble With Grownups is a good childrens book that every child must read. It will teach them the importance of respecting their parents and show them that even though they may think their life is hard.Their not alone parents also can have a ruff time. In this book brother and sister bear learn this and learn how they've been acting. Their parents start acting like them to show them what it would be like the other way around. I to read this as a child and I to learned my leason. Kids have it to easy these days maybe if they read this book it will teach them the importance of parents and respect.
The Trouble With Children.......2001-04-27
The Trouble With Grownups is a good book that every parent should read to their child. Brother Bear and sister bear feel that their parents are to hard on them and let them do nothing. Like most kids they don't relize that it's hard being a parent to. Brother Bear and sister bear get a taste of their own medicine when their parents start acting like them. Finally the cubs relize what things their parents can go through. I think this is a good book because it can teach a child the means of respect in words they can understand. This is a fully illistrated well written book. I to read this as a child and it help me understand the importance of parents and respect. Every child should pick up this book and read it because maybe it will teach them to me a little better to their parents.
Trouble With Kids.......2001-04-27
The Trouble With Grownups is a book that teaches you about the hard leason every child has to over come, that yes sometimes their parents will say,"No" or "Don't Do That." This book is a great book to read to your child. It will help them understand that parents have a hard time as much as children do. It is a fully illistrated book that has a great story that can capture the child's imagination. I to read this as a child and it helped me to respect my parents and family. The greatest part in this book is when the parents turn around and start acting like children, to show the cubs how hard it is to be a parent. Maybe, if every parent did this we would have more respectful children. All in all this is a great book to read and highly recomend people to read the other Berenstain Bears books.
Predictable.......2001-03-15
This presents the kind of "moral lesson" familiar to those who have read other books in the series. (The moral is presented as a rhyme on the title page: "Grownups and cubs get quite a surprise when they see themselves through the others' eyes.")
The book opens with some very grumpy parents getting angry (and petty) with their kids: Brother: "What eating him?" Mother: "...and furthermore, I'll thank you not to refer to your father as 'him.'" Five pages later, Father "roars" at brother, "Food isn't supposed to be interesting...it's supposed to be food."
The kids, who "had no doubt that their parents loved them, [but] they were a little difficult to get along with sometimes," then enact a play to show their parents what it all sounded like to them. Fine, and there's a few nice lines about getting costumes ready, but then the adults give their kids the same medicine they received: The next day, wearing oversized version of Brother and Sister's clothes, they complain, scream, jump up and down, and leave things strewn all over the living room. Yes, sinking to the children's level is ALWAYS a mature, adult way to handle your kids. (Please note sarcasm here.)
It's not exactly harmful, nor does the book pretend to be a parent's guidebook, but I found this version of "perspective-taking" contrived and annoying. The book isn't very clever, and the pictures are flat and lacking in imagination. Only for a real Berenstain Bears fan.
Book Description
A ten-year-old Lebanese boy balances his life in a war-torn city.
Customer Reviews:
A book of hope...............2003-07-30
My boyfriend lived in Lebanon during the time frame of this book. This book was close to the life he knew then. I bought the book for my sister's Arab American child. It is often difficult to find children's books with an Arabic theme. This is a wonderful one.
Touchable.......2000-06-02
This book will help children put themselves into Sami's war ravaged world. They will feel the angst of civil war and worry about Sami's safety in a book that makes readers feel as if they could reach out and touch the rubble in the streets of Lebanon. The book portrays the intermittent bombing and roller coaster of emotions faced by those who lived through the civil war. A wonderful mix of history and fiction which must be read.
Book Description
Sergei Feodorovich Platonov's Time of Troubles is a classic study of the years 1598-1613, a turbulent and decisive period in Russian history. Available for the first time in English, this work will be a valuable tool for students of the medieval as well as modern periods.
Platonov, himself a tragic victim of the regimentation imposed on Soviet cultural life in the 1920s, was born in 1860 and attained immense public and professional recognition in Russia as a leading historian. In his work he synthesized,, to a high degree, two major traditions of Russian historiography: the St. Petersburg "school," which emphasized the collection and rigorous use of primary sources, and the Moscow "school" with its socioeconomic and geopolitical approaches. Time of Troubles represents the finished product of a lifetime spent in research, writing, and teaching. In broad terms it treats nearly a century and a half of Russian history (1500-1648); in detail it scrutinizes developments in the Muscovite State from 1598 to 1613. Some of the major issues covered in this volume are: the growing consolidation of Muscovite absolutism and the formation of a national state; the expansion of Muscovy to the west and southeast; the demise of the boyar class and the rise of the service-gentry; the emergence of serfdom as the social basis of Muscovite society; the cataclysmic end of one dynasty, the House of Rurik, and the beginnings of another, the House of Romanov. For Platanov--who devoted most of his career as a scholar to the study of these dramatic years--the epoch marked nothing less than the great divide between medieval Muscovy and modern Russia, witnessing the downfall of an essentially patrimonial regime and its replacement, after fierce struggles, by a more modern state founded on a new constellation of social groups.
Customer Reviews:
An essential work for history lovers.......2002-05-25
This book is written by Russia's late expert in the country's history, which is one of the reasons why this book is important to every medieval history student.
It's quite easy to read- cause the author divides the book into many small chapters, which cover only one subject at a time. This is a huge asset, since many history book tend to rush from one subject to another- leaving the reader confused and irritated. So for those who don't like the thought of a dry treatise- don't worry it's very accesible!!!!
The author's knowledge is evident, it's written with security and straight-forwardness without unneccesary complications. There's no specific point of view, from which the book is written, so it gives a good, thorough review of this remarkable era in Russian history. Good for non-experts in medieval history- but also nice for historylovers!!
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