Book Description
What would legendary Boston Celtics coach and 16-time NBA champion Red Auerbach say is the most critical quality for a person to be successful? Would his advice differ from 10-time NCAA championship coach John Wooden's? What would each say to a young person just starting out in pursuit of their dreams? What is the best advice they were ever given?
It took author Christian Klemash more than two years of research, persistence, and original interviews, but now he's ready to pass on the best advice you'll ever get. Only the rare individual has had the opportunity to pick the brain of just one legendary sports coach—let alone thirty-four of the best sports coaches of all time. Klemash gives sports fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to learn valuable life lessons from the most famous, intelligent, and victorious coaches ever. The legends span the sports world, from gold medal-winning gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi and three-time college football championship coach Tom Osborne to four-time World Series-winning baseball manager Joe Torre and hall-of-fame boxing trainer Angelo Dundee.
These coaches know how to teach top athletes about character and winning, how to manage pressure at crunch time, and how to bring out the best in their players when it matters most. How to Succeed in the Game of Life shares their insights into sports, life, and the most vital keys to sustain success.Featuring Exclusive Interviews with:
Red Auerbach, 16-time NBA World Champion
Bobby Bowden, College Football's All-Time Winningest Coach, 2-time National Champion
Scotty Bowman, 9-time Stanley Cup Champion
Bill Cowher, Super Bowl Champion
Tony Dungy, Super Bowl Champion
Dan Gable, 15-time NCCA Champion
April Heinrichs, Gold Medal Winning Coach of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team
Bela Karolyi, The World’s Greatest Gymnastics Coach
Bill Parcells, 2-time Super Bowl Champion
Emanuel Steward, Boxing Trainer of 30 World Champions
Joe Torre, 4-time World Series Champion
Bill Walsh, 3-time Super Bowl Champion
Lenny Wilkens, NBA’s All-Time Winningest Coach, NBA Champion
John Wooden, 10-time NCAA Champion
And More!
Customer Reviews:
A Great Read.......2007-08-26
Wow!Could not put it down.An extraordinay self help book.Gave it to my kids they loved it.Don't miss this one
What a great read!.......2007-07-25
I took it on vacation with me and I couldn't put it down. A great book for aspiring athletes and coaches as well as your average Joe who works 9-5. The coaches discuss a variety of topics from their childhood to how they motivate their players. Any easy read for all ages.
Game of life.......2007-07-24
I've read through Game of Life and I enjoyed it very much. There are so many things to take from this book, not just into sports, but also some reflections on life. I would recommend this book to everybody.
Coaching advise from athletic coaches.......2007-06-27
A fun read, especially if yoiu're a sports fan. I read it in search of things that would help my own ability as a coach in my company. Much of it is light stuff but the easy read makes it fun nonetheless and there are few golden nuggets laced throughout the book.
Overcome Adversity.......2007-04-12
Anyone looking for inspiration, either for their own life or to share with others, will find a gold mine of quotes here. This book isn't just for sports fans.
Book Description
Jerry Rice has been called the best pro football player ever. In spite of Rice’s legendary gridiron skills, or even his ability to transform himself into an instant ballroom-dance prodigy on ABC’s hit TV series Dancing with the Stars, the surprising fact is, a guy like Jerry Rice is made and not just born. In Go Long! Rice shares the inspirational lessons and empowering practices that have helped him attain success, both on the football field and off. Through the ups and downs of Rice’s life and incomparable career, we discover how self-motivation, determination, and humility are the keys to achievement and true fulfillment.
It’s been a long journey for Jerry Rice, from his childhood in Starkville, Mississippi, to a certain berth in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As a kid, he was always working toward something, even if he wasn’t sure what it was. Rice honed his hand-eye coordination by catching airborne bricks tossed by his siblings while on the job with their bricklayer father, and he ran–everywhere. From these humble beginnings, Rice blazed a path to greatness in college and the NFL–a trip that was fueled by tireless effort and belief in a few simple principles, among them that achievement is a voyage, not a destination; that modesty and perseverance, not talent, are what determine how far you will go; and that everyone should strive to be a role model. Rice even demonstrates these rules in action, breaking down the greatest games from his stellar career.
Go Long! is an inspiring book by a living sports legend. More than that, however, it is the story of how Jerry Rice awakened the champion within, illustration how we can unlock the greatness within ourselves.
Book Description
Now a master quilter helps you explore the world of Lone Star quilts! Jan Krentz demonstrates, step by step, everything you need to know to make the Lone Star quilt of your dreams, from fabric choices to finishing touches. This guide includes nine colorful projects to get you started, along with a gallery of eye-catching Lone Star quilts to inspire creativity. Plus, rotary cutting saves you time, while imaginative additions such as appliqué and "designer diamonds" give these quilts a fresh, updated look.
Customer Reviews:
truly worth the money.......2007-08-13
This book is one that I would recommend to the intermediate to advanced quilter without reservation. The directions are very clear, the photos are fabulous and the options are endless using her suggestions for splitting diamonds and mix and matching the borders. This is a pattern book and reference book that you will return to again and again for inspiration. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT.
This book is a great one!.......2007-01-13
I took Jan's class and can see why she was voted teacher of the year. She is really great and the book is a very nice one. Do check her website for the corrections, I like the way she squares up the sections of the stars so they go together really nicely. I have 3 of them ready to quilt!
A good book on making eight pointed star quilts.......2005-08-27
This beautifully produced book concentrates on the theme of making star quilts - not 12 inch block pattern stars but those gorgeous large lone stars which cover a whole quilt top with one huge star made up of hundreds of tiny diamonds.
Rotary cutting and machine paper piecing methods are used in this book to create some particularly intricate quilts which include curved piecing and many sharp points to match. Some of the patterns included split the diamonds down the middle which further increases the complexity of the pieces - and the workmanship in the sample quilts is superb.
There is a large gallery of different quilts, many of which use very brightly coloured fabrics. I don't greatly care for the way very busy fabric prints are used in some of the pieces both in the gallery and in the pattern section. I feel that the busy floral prints obscure the intricate designs which are beautifully pieced and finished. Don't expect a lot of large bed quilt patterns either - although the quilts could be laid on top of a bed the average size of the completed patterns is 50 inches square.
Fabric selection and design is also discussed and there is a selection of different templates to help you begin creating your own original Lone Star quilt layout.
This is not a book for the beginner. The quilt patterns are pieces for the advanced worker who knows what she is doing. However it provides plenty of inspiration for the experienced quilter.
watch the errors!.......2003-12-05
those of us who have been making lone star quilts for a while will instantly know that the cutting chart in the back of the book is incorrect.....all of it! diamonds are measured one way, the strips to cut them, another. check the authors' website for corrections, but be advised, the chart is still wrong. Adding a half an inch to the size of a diamond does not give you the size of strip to cut. Her projects are probably OK though.
You CAN make these quilts!.......2002-08-18
Even though I have not made many quilts, I took the plunge and enrolled in a class for the Spiral Lone Star pattern from this book. Incredibly, the quilt truly did turn out to be "much easier than it looks" as promised by the teacher. Krentz has broken the intricate designs into workable sections and simplified the construction techniques for each section. These quilts will challenge you to explore color and movement in every piece, with thrilling and satisfying results.
Book Description
Hunter Star is an old-time block with a fresh new look, thanks to quilting expert Jan Krentz. Here are nine complete Hunter Star projects, all using Krentz's pieced or quick-fused methods. Choose from template piecing, strip piecing, half-square triangles, fusible web, and more. Krentz shows how to use the versatile Hunter Star as a block, for sashing, to create wreath or log cabin designs-the possibilities are endless!
Customer Reviews:
I agree with the other reviewers!.......2007-01-13
This is a must have for every quilter's library. Jan has done it again.
Great book with lots of construction methods.......2006-10-23
I saw Jan Krentz on HGTV's "Simply Quilts" and so I bought the book. The Hunter Star pattern is beautiful and Jan has several methods for putting the quilt together: paper piecing method, strip piecing method, fusing method, and colorwash method. Beautifully illustrated too with clear instructions plus lots of pictures of finished quilts for inspiration.
This one's a must!.......2006-02-20
The possibilities are available for every type of quilter. This book is a must in your patchwork library.
Hunter Star Quilts & Beyond.......2005-09-08
I love that this book has instructions for several techniques to build the Hunter Star as well as wonderful color photos of completed projects. It is one of the clearest how-to books I have ever read and used!
This book rocks!.......2004-02-12
As with her first book, Lone Star Quilts and Beyond, Jan takes a traditional pattern and turns it into something beyond what the ordinary quilter has imagined. Her instructions are easy to follow, and if you don't like one method of block assembly, she gives five others to choose from. Not only does she make the piece work simple, she offers an inspiring gallery of Hunter Star quilts, certain to appeal to both the traditionalist and the art quilter, the beginner and the professional. Like they say in the movies, I give this "two thumbs up" along with the traditional 5 star rating. You won't be disappointed.
Book Description
In his classic study The Masks of God, Joseph Campbell conducted us on a fascinating global tour, showing how the seeds of myth grew in a similar fashion throughout the history of civilization. Before Campbell there was Sir James George Frazier who, in The Golden Bough--his pioneering study of magic, relgion, and folk custom--demonstrated how world mythologies exhibit "the effect of similar causes acting alike on the similar constitution of the human mind in different countries and under different skies." Now, in Beyond the Blue Horizon, eminent astronomer E.C. Krupp guides us expertly through a bewildering maze of cultures and civilizations--from the stone age to the present day--making clear that while the skies of these diverse peoples may vary, they speak nearly the same language. Beyond the Blue Horizon is a treasure trove of myths, legends, and stories in which people have, through the ages, attempted to understand the cosmos and its meaning for humankind. Collecting an astonishing amount of lore between the covers of a single book, Krupp explains why our ancestors were so intrigued by the heavens, and what their celestial stories meant. Readers will learn, for example, that many cultures saw a rabbit--rather than a man--in the moon, and that this moon-rabbit, as a symbol of sacrifice and rebirth, is a cousin of our own Easter Bunny; that to our ancestors, an eclipse challenged the stability and integrity of heaven and thus threatened order and life on earth; that the magical sleighride and chimney antics of Santa Claus echo the ancient journeys of shamans and witch doctors; that our "dog days" of July and August originated in Roman times with the summer appearance of Sirius, the Dog Star; and that the contemporary stories of UFOs reveal the mystery and meaning the sky still holds for us as we approach the twenty-first century. Of course, there is much, much more that will delight and intrigue; even readers familiar with world mythology will find plenty that is new and strange in Krupp's rich panorama. An epic, authoritative, and cross-cultural exploration with over 150 illustrations, Beyond the Blue Horizon tells how all civilizations searched the sky to understand to universe--and our own place in it.
Customer Reviews:
Extensive.......2002-07-07
Krupp has written a book that is comparable to Frazer's Golden Bough and Campbell's Hero With a Thousand Faces. He traces the evolution of sky myths from cultures around the globe. Krupp does an excellent job of capturing the meaning and beauty of these stories, and pieces them together in a well-crafted narrative.
Really Facinating Book..........2000-03-28
Beyond the Blue Horizon: Myths and Legends of the Sun, Moon, Stars, and Planets, is a very interesting and amazing read-- it confronts many possibilities of the place outside our blue sky, and gives the reader something to think about for long after the last page is read. Not only is this book worth reading for the pure fun of it, but it teachs you things that may come in handy at dinner table conversation. Facinating is the word that comes to mind... the myths about the stars and planets can sometimes be good bedtime stories, and over all, this book keeps you wanting more.
Book Description
The Kansas City Monarchs. The Chicago American Giants. The St. Louis Stars. The Newark Eagles. The Birmingham Black Barons. The Homestead Grays. The Cuban X Giants. For over 50 years, they were the Yankees, Cardinals, and Red Sox of black baseball in America. And for over a decade beginning in the mid-1940s, umpire Bob Motley called balls and strikes for their games, earning the opportunity to work with such legends as Satchel Paige, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, and Willie Mays. Today, Motley is the only living Negro League arbiter, and Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars is his revealing, humorous memoir.
Customer Reviews:
Ruling Over Monarchs, Giants & Stars: Umpiring in the Negro Leagues & Beyond.......2007-03-27
A must have book on baseball history, and what the Negro Leagues went through.
It's an amazing life that unfolds as you turn the pages. Hard to put down as
each chapter will leave you wanting more.
A must read!.......2007-03-26
It's great to focus on some great moments in history. Bob Motley has lived an incredible life. Well worth reading and admiring!
Memories From Behind The Plate.......2007-03-14
With a triple-play of anecdotes, humor and history, former Negro Leagues Baseball umpire Bob Motley and co-author/son Byron Motley present a unique perspective of the game from behind the plate and calling balls & strikes.
Motley, the last living umpire from NLB, worked games for more than ten years, starting in the mid-1940s. He had a flamboyant style which is captured in the photographs.
There are sections on established stars like the legendary Satchel Paige, young players who ultimately reached iconic status in Major League Baseball like Ernie Banks, Willie Mays and Henry Aaron, and trail-blazing females Connie Morgan, Toni Stone and Peanut Johnson.
"Nothing compares to the sound of an oncoming Satchel (Paige) fastball," recalls Bob Motley.
There are diamond gems like NLB players were the first to wear batting helmets. Willie Wells wore an old coal miner's hat to the plate because he was tired of getting hit in the head with errant - or aimed - pitches.
As enjoyable as Ron Luciano's The Umpire Strikes Back, the Motleys show that one of the game's most famous arbiters also oversaw a wealth of great memories that makes for a great read.
Ruling over Monarchs, etc........2007-03-09
I absolutely love this book. I happen to know the author, and that makes it even more special to me.
Book Description
A unique and necessary reference for amateurs and professionals alike, with comprehensive coverage of the thousands of celestial objects outside our solar system—but within the range of two- to twelve-inch telescopes. The objects are grouped according to the constellations in which they appear, and their definitions feature names, celestial coordinates, classification, and a full physical description, along with hundreds of charts, photographs, and other visual aids. These, together with a star atlas, will assist stargazers at every level of experience in finding and identifying celestial objects. This volume, Volume I of a three-volume set, consists of an introduction and the beginning of the alphabetical list of constellations, from Andromeda to Cetus. Also available are Volume II, with entries from Chameleon to Orion; and Volume III, which completes the sequence, from Pavo to Vulpecula, and includes an index. 1977 ed.
Customer Reviews:
Out-dated but absolutely essential........2006-09-03
Yes, the coordinates are badly outdated. But anybody can get updated coordinates for any of the many thousands of astronomical objects described in this encyclopedia of observing. What's totally irreplaceable are the descriptions and star lore associated with all the objects.
What Burnham has compiled here is nothing short of miraculous. I know of no serious amateur astronomers who doesn't hold these three volumes dear to their heart. If you are a serious amateur and you don't own them, you are missing out. If you are a beginner, the introduction to Volume 1 is alone worth the purchase.
No, they are not pretty, and the typesetting is straight out of the Jurassic, but once one realizes just how much information is here, one realizes that there are no substitutes.
One word review: "Essential"
Need all 3 Volumes.......2003-03-08
There isn't too much this book has left out when it comes to information about stars, galaxies, clusters, nebula etc... These 3 volumes are more like an enclyclopedia set. Any star or other celestial object you want to know more about will probably be here. In fact it would take you more than a lifetime to study and find all of the different wonders of the galaxy and universe that are listed in these volumes. I never realized just how many galaxies had been documented along with variables, eclipsing binaries, star clusters, double stars etc... If you see a star in the heavens that has a certain luster or location or interests you in some way just look it up in this guide and you will find out all kinds of things about it that other books don't delve into.
A book with overwhelming information..........2002-07-11
Being an amateur astronomer I bought this and the other two volumes recently and I have found it indispensible. Im writing this review keeping solely the tyro's in mind, since one knowledgeable in astronomy would have already had this book. If you are getting interested in astronomy, this is the book to buy - it will surely deepen your interest. Get the book and take a journey through the starts that Burnham offers you in the first few pages.
There are plenty of astronomy books for amatuers with fantastic photos. And sometimes it can be intimidating to know what to buy. Burnham's book is worth every penny (and it doesnt cost much either). It does not contain colorful photos (though contains plenty of b&w photos taken from Lowell/Palomar and other observatories). All 88 constellations are dealt with in detail. First a list of double stars are given in each constellation followed by details of each bright star (including spectrum analysis for some). The book is set in "type-writer" font, so it gives a special feeling of reading some research paper.
A unique feature of this book, which is probably not found in any other astronomy book I have come sofar, is that, it also contains a perspective of a given constellation or star by several different cultures. Most astronomy books stop with Greek and Roman myths - giving a feeling that no other culture was knowledgeable in astronomy. Coming from Indian background, I found it very intriguing that Burnham mentions several stories and myths from Indian folklore (including those that I heard from my granny!). For eg, Varahamihira (c 100 AD?) in his "Brihat Samhita" compares Ursa Major (aka called "Seven Sages") to string of pearls. I was surprised to see Burnham mention this.
One other way I use the book is to first locate some star in the telescope (by lazily moving it around), notice the color, constellation and other characteristics, then look into the book about the details and compare with what you saw. Thats a fun way of learning.
Though more experienced astronomers would observe that some Burnham's values are of older epoch, this should not really bother a beginner. Burnham has certainly packed a wealth of information into three volumes. Again this is a book that will accompany for life on observing the wonders that are up above the sky.
Great bathroom material for the Deep Sky Observer.......2002-03-20
Robert Burnham (NOT the former Editor of Sky and Telescope, BTW) from the 50's to the late 60's spent many years working for an observatory on the tedious project of "blink comparing" countless photographic plates. In his spare time, he made and recorded observations of thousands of the most interesting objects in the deep sky. In addition he compiled a library of observations from other great observers, as well as star lore, scientific data, and personal refleciton. The result is a hodge-podge, somewhat out of date, collection that nonethless facinates.
Thousands of objects are cataloged by constellation, and hundreds are described in detail. When arriving at an object that seems to be the most familliar of its class (M13 for globular clusters, Sirius B for white dwarfs etc,.) Burham provides an essay on that class of objects (state of the art for its time, usually the 1970s)- often including very useful cross-references to other objects in that class.
Most useful to the observer are the countless orbital charts of double stars.
These books are an addictive way to pass the time. Most of the essays on featured objects are a few pages long, and can be read in the short "in between" moments that life is filled with. For two years I had one or more volumes of this series of three books in my bathroom, so as to pass the time a bit more productively learning about the sky. Needless to say, some of my bathroom trips grew a bit lengthy as I found myself plowing through Burnham's collection of personal observations, scientific data, and historical tales.
A rare book to be cherished........2001-03-23
Robert Burnham, Jr., spent twenty years at Lowell Observatory participating in a proper motion survey. During his tenure, he wrote this mammoth 3-volume work covering nearly every object visible in 2- to 12-inch telescopes. Each chapter, covering one constellation (both northern and southern hemispheres), begins with a detailed list of all stellar objects (double stars, variable stars, and deep sky objects). Then, he delves, sometimes rather deeply, into the more significant objects of that constellation, bringing together history, philosophy, and science to describe each one. His chapter on Sagittarius, for example, includes a 25-page section on the dense portion of the Milky Way blending current 1970s science with wonderful passages from Greek and Eastern philosophies, Native American legends, and the history of science. His prose for each chapter reflects the content he covers: lyrical prose when describing the "personal" aspects of observing objects, and readable, accessible language to delineate the science behind what we know about objects in the heavens. Moreover, each chapter has photographs of many of the stars and nebulae with telescopes and cameras ranging from a 5-inch astrograph to the 200-inch Hale telescope of Palomar Observatory.
Yes, the book is thirty years old and a little out-of-date. And, the typewritten font looks homely. But that's part of its charm. Burnham initially self-published this very personal book from his kitchen table. Literally. (Astronomy magazine published a very interesting "self-interview" by Burnham in March, 1982 which provides some background on his struggles to get it published.) From a small-press run of looseleaf copies in binders, it became somewhat of a cult classic among amateurs because nothing as detailed like this had been published before. (True, T.W. Webb's "Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes" was available, but it was last published in 1917.)
I know of no other book that combines personal, reflective commentary on "mundane" objects like the Big Dipper (officially, the Ursa Major Moving Cluster), and clear, concise descriptions of variable stars, Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams, and finder charts for objects like 3C273, the brightest quasar visible to amateur-sized scopes. (Trust me: spend the 30-minutes or so tracking this last one down at a star party and you'll have a line of folks waiting to look at a faint star-like object, the light of which left 3C273 long before the earth was even formed.)
One side note: if you're interested in the rather tragic life of Burnham, search for "Sky Writer", an article by Tony Ortega, published in the Phoenix, AZ "New Times" newspaper for September 25-October 1, 1997. All readers of Celestial Handbook owe Ortega a nod for the herculean task of piecing together Burnham's life.
Product Description
Single-volume edition of the trilogy consisting of This Star Shall Abide, Beyond the Tomorrow Mountains, and The Doors of the Universe. Noren knew that his world was not as it should be--it was wrong that only the Scholars, and their representatives the Technicians, could use metal tools and Machines. It was wrong that only they had access to the mysterious City, which he had always longed to enter. Above all, it was wrong for the Scholars to have sole power over the distribution of knowledge. The High Law imposed these restrictions and many others, though the Prophecy promised that someday knowledge and Machines would be available to everyone. Noren was a heretic. He defied the High Law and had no faith in the Prophecy's fulfillment. But the more he learned of the grim truth about his people's deprivations, the less possible it seemed that their world could ever be changed. It would take more drastic steps than anyone imagined to restore their rightful heritage.
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful Book! .......2006-04-28
Overall, I was really impressed with this book. At times it goes a little slow, but Engdahl made up for it in the wonderful plot of the book. The surprising things, is that Noran, the main character, would actually be considered a static character, which is not typical of an engaging main character. His views do not change, nor does his personality or goals throughout the entire book. What keeps the reading turning the pages is the strangeness, and the fact that this sci-fi book could in fact be based on events that could happen one day. Another aspect of the book that was really engaging was the originality of the ideas used. It was not the typical sci-fi book that included space-crafts, aliens and the like. The ideas were extremely original, and fact-based. The other reason I enjoyed the book so much was that throughout the entire thing there was a mixture of sci-fi writing, and science. Sections of the book were devoted to explaining the concept of genetic engineering, which if you are interested in, is used very well in this book. The fact that a good book can incorporate aspects of reality, in the form of genetic engineering, is amazing, and makes the novel that much more notable.
I would recommend this book for people who won't get frustrated with the sections that are very slow-paced, but who are dedicated to reading each and every page, because they all add to the entire meaning of the book as a whole. It is not a typical sci-fi book, so don't expect lots of space-ships and people from different planets, but instead look forward to a well written novel about a culture struggling to re-build its self. You will follow Noran as he struggles to find his place in a world that he feels is wrong, and corrupt. Be open to twists in plot, and strange themes brought up again and again throughout the book, and you may enjoy it as much as I did.
This Star Shall Abide -- Welcome back to a long out of print book!.......2005-09-02
Noren is a young man who is frustrated about the class stratified society that he lives in. When he decides to challenge the system, he finds himself on a perilous journey . . . facing truth as he has never imagined. When I read this story many years ago in junior high, I realized for the first time that it was possible to have a perspective on life that did not encompass a large enough view of the truth. This story challenged my views on the limitations of my own perspectives. It is science fiction at its best. This book is a compilation of the trilogy that begins with "This Star Shall Abide".
leaves an impression - a simple review.......2005-01-05
I first read these books (now book) over 10 years ago. They have remained among my favorite books. The book is appealing to people young and old. Ms Engdahl's writings have a way of staying with one always.
This trilogy serves as a thought provoking journey through the relationship between society, religion, and science. It starts out with one man challenging the foundation of his society, to him embracing it, and back to him challenging it yet again, but for a completely different and selfless reason. Ms. Engdahl paints a wonderful picture of a futuristic and simultaneously primitive world whose advances and way pique the imagination.
Ms. Engdahl throws a taste of her intergalactic society into the final installment, but no one recognizable from Enchantress from the Stars or The Far Side of Evil.
Children of the Star.......2003-08-21
Everything Ms. Engdahl writes is gold. Not only does this book have a great storyline and characters, it also is thought provoking. She centers around themes about the importance of spacetravel and innovations in science. Even if you aren't usually a fan of science fiction, you will love this book!
Unique, compelling, satisfying!!.......2003-01-24
Sylvia Engdahl's intelligence, thoughfulness and care in weaving this story have brought about a book unlike anything else I've read. The hero is never allowed the easy way out, the reader is never treated with condescension. If you enjoy grappling with big chunky issues of politics, philosophy and theology all rolled together, rites of passage, technological challenges, and a delicious flavour of ultimate conspiracy... do yourself a favour and read it!!
Average customer rating:
- A Good Premise
- Fascinating, mature Sci-FI
- Posing as SF
- Great characters no surprises
- makes the reader think about his real purpose in reality
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Beyond the Veil of Stars
Robert Reed
Manufacturer: Tor Books
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Binding: Hardcover
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Reed, Robert
| ( R )
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Beneath The Gated Sky (Beyond the Veil of Stars)
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The Well of Stars
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Marrow
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Sister Alice
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Down the Bright Way
ASIN: 0312857306 |
Customer Reviews:
A Good Premise.......2007-05-12
The book started off a little slow , but I like the premise of becoming an alien, even though the other aliens know the posers are different. I think Reed is an excellent writer, having read Marrow, The Well of Stars and The Cuckoo's Boys.
Fascinating, mature Sci-FI.......2004-07-28
Mr. Reed is one of the better "new" sci-fi writers in the field... if you like original ideas, shape-shifter plots, or that "high lonesome" feeling of old Bradbury novels, this might be for you.
Don't bother applying if you feel sci-fi is best as a "blaster wielding, green alien slug fest"... this novel and its follow up will make you ~think~, and perhaps dream, of alternate realities.
After reading both books in this (so far short) series, I have been completely haunted, and have re-read both books numerous times since. Quite original - devastatingly believable.
Posing as SF.......2002-01-10
This novel did not work for me. The plot was built around a silly premise, and several idiotic notions. Cornell, as a character, seemed like a two-dimensional cardboard cut-out, and gave me absolutely no sense of feeling for him. At the end, I felt like I had been stuffed full of too much Sweet 'n' Low - the book had a few good ideas and themes stuffed in behind the rest, but not nearly enough to constitute anything of any real worth. However, out of everything bad I've said about the book, it earns an extra star because of the author's writing style. While I didn't enjoy the book, I did like the style of writing the author used to elaborate on those ideas. Unfortunately, this is one of Reed's better novels. Which isn't saying much.
Great characters no surprises.......1999-07-07
Good writing and characterization but not much on plot and definitely no action. Don't be fooled by the interesting looking cover. The surprises didn't surprise. It's like a 1st contact story that condenses the contact to 10 pages after 300 pages of setup and then ends abruptly with nothing happening in between.
makes the reader think about his real purpose in reality.......1998-02-18
"beyond the veil of star" a book solely for those who haven't forgotten what dreaming was all about. The world of dreams has no defined landscape exept the mind which is limitless, robert reed takes me back to a childlike state in the nostalgia of this book.
Amazon.com
Lawrence M. Krauss's publishing record reveals his knowledge of dark matter, cosmic strings, baryon number violations at the electroweak scale -- and the mysterious, sometimes bogus TV "science" that the Star Trek generation cut its teeth on. Krauss's previous book, The Physics of Star Trek, was readable, educational, and clever, never talking down to the layman or trivializing physics.
In this equally amusing companion volume, Krauss analyzes more science in Star Trek and the next generation of sci-fi movies and TV shows. Can telekinesis exist? How about ESP? Like Fox Mulder of The X-Files, we want to believe, and Krauss finesses these issues, allowing, after much discussion of gravity and electromagnetic forces, that "there is little doubt that undiscovered forces...exist at some level." He's a bit harder on the alien spacecraft of the movie Independence Day, arguing that objects so large inside our atmosphere would exert a downward pressure of 450 pounds per square inch, and that the saucers could therefore crush skyscrapers simply by hovering over them. "Of course," quips Krauss, "this wouldn't have made for spectacular previews of coming attractions." Whether you're a Trekkie, an X-phile, or a serious student of physics, you'll like this book.
Book Description
In the bestselling The Physics of Star Trek, the renowned theoretical physicist Lawrence Krauss took readers on an entertaining and eye-opening tour of the Star Trek universe to see how it stacked up against the real universe. Now, responding to requests for more as well as to a number of recent exciting discoveries in physics and astronomy, Krauss takes a provocative look at how the laws of physics relate to notions from our popular culture -- not only Star Trek, but other films, shows, and popular lore -- from Independence Day to Star Wars to The X-Files.
- What's the difference between a flying saucer and a flying pretzel?
- Why didn't the aliens in Independence Day have to bother invading Earth to destroy it?
- What's new with warp drives?
- What's the most likely scenario for doomsday?
- Are ESP and telekinesis impossible?
- What do clairvoyance and time travel have in common?
- How might quantum mechanics ultimately affect the fate of life in the universe?
Customer Reviews:
His convincing arguments against ESP, time travel and aliens visitations are based on reality.......2006-11-11
As a lifelong science fiction fan and one well-schooled in science, I enjoy the stories while acknowledging the holes in the scientific aspects. In this book, Krauss does an excellent job of explaining the scientific realities in the context of some of the wonders we see on the screen. Star Trek, in all of its many manifestations, is the primary focus. He also discusses the "X-files" television show and the movie "Independence Day."
One of the interesting points concerns the alien ships in "Independence Day." The mother ship was so massive that its mere presence would have had a significant affect on the rotation of the Earth and its orbit around the sun. This would have caused a dramatic climate change, which all by itself could have defeated the human race.
Krauss also explores the potential for ESP and telekinesis based on our current understanding of physics. While he acknowledges that we almost certainly do not know of all the forces operating in the universe, he uses the conservation of energy to predict how powerful the motive force for ESP would have to be. He puts forward convincing arguments that the energy expended in carrying out such actions is large enough that it could not escape detection. This is a strong argument against ESP, because that means the only argument in favor is to claim the existence of a force that cannot be detected by our current instrumentation. That is a very difficult argument to make, but it is an even more difficult one to refute.
This is one of those books that I started one afternoon and finished the next day, reading nothing else in between. As Carl Sagan used to say, "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence." If we assume that the laws of physics are universal and we understand them to a high level of accuracy, then his arguments are overwhelmingly convincing.
Beyond star trek by Lawrence M. Krauss.......2005-08-28
Very entertaing book. Anyone with a love for science and Star trk will enjoy this book. Highly recommended
Not as good as the original.......2003-10-15
This book expands on the theme of the "Physics of Star Trek": namely drawing upon the science of today to ponder the validity and feasibility of the sci-fi science. Like its predecessor though somewhat to a lesser extent, this book suffers from a lack of vision by adhering to today's understanding of science (see my review for that book). The end result is still a readable and nice introduction to important questions in modern physics using science fiction as an example.
I found this book somewhat less interesting than its predecessor. For one thing there is some repetition with "The Physics of Star Trek". Further, the most interesting issues have already been addressed in the earlier book, leaving the crumbs to this one. So, if you have read the first book, you might not be as excited by this one. Nevertheless it is still an enjoyable read.
A word of caution, despite the "Star Trek" in the title, there is very little Star Trek in this book. Instead, the author expands the comparison to cover other cinematic shows like "X-files" or "Independence Day" (the "Beyond" part of the title). While this is OK and does not diminish the interest of the book, pure Star Trek fans who buy this book expecting to read about Star Trek will be disappointed.
BEYOND BEAM ME UP SCOTTY...............2003-07-22
Author Laurence Krauss is Chairman of the Department of Physics at Case Western Reserve. He is also the author of several other books including THE PHYSICS OF STAR TREK. This book explores such topics as alien invasions, time travel, quantum reality and more in movies like X-Files, Star Wars, Indepedence Days and in other aspects of popular culture and life today. Divided into 15 chapters at 190 pages (including index) it's a fairly easy read or maybe you'd like to listen on the audio version from Amazon.
It would have been great to include a glossary since those of us that don't have a physics graduate degree might enjoy glancing at that prior to reading the text. As science fiction quickly becomes science fact, this book belongs on any techie's shelf.
Nice, but first book was much better.......2002-01-03
I am a big fan of books that use science to critically examine the (im)possibilities of Science Fiction. Lawrence Krauss did an excellent job in his 'Physics of Star Trek' book, but I am much less pleased by this sequel.
Because this book is not focussed on one SF series, it lacks the structure of the first book. Krauss seems to pick out at random some elements of science commonly used in science fiction and again at random refers to some movies or books using them.
While his analyses are usually sound and well written, they lack the thoroughness of the analyses in the first book. Where in the first book he examined every conceivable scientific road to make an SF phenomenon / machine work before considering it impossible, he now seems to stick to one or two explanations and when these don't work he discards the phenomenon / machine (e.g. faster than light travel or ESP). This leaves the reader with a lot of "Yes, but.." and "What if"'s.
In addition, I found the very frequent referrences to other esteemed scientists who are all geniuses and are all performing ground breaking science becoming irritating after a while. A book like this should focus on the science at hand and not the people that perform it. Of course scientists deserve due credit for their achievements, but people shouldn't be presented like they are the best thing that has happened to this world since the invention of toilet paper. Such praise is always subjective and does not belong in a book that attempts to be objective.
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