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

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.

Average customer rating:

A Tale In The Dark
couldn't believe it..trash!
HE HAS DONE IT AGAIN
The best of Coelho's books by far (surpasses The Alchemist)
Eleven Minutes

Eleven Minutes: A Novel (P.S.)
Paulo Coelho
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0060589280
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Book Description

Eleven Minutes is the story of Maria, a young girl from a Brazilian village, whose first innocent brushes with love leave her heartbroken. At a tender age, she becomes convinced that she will never find true love, instead believing that "love is a terrible thing that will make you suffer. . . ." A chance meeting in Rio takes her to Geneva, where she dreams of finding fame and fortune. Maria's despairing view of love is put to the test when she meets a handsome young painter. In this odyssey of self-discovery, Maria has to choose between pursuing a path of darkness -- sexual pleasure for its own sake -- or risking everything to find her own "inner light" and the possibility of sacred sex, sex in the context of love.

This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.

Customer Reviews:

A Tale In The Dark .......2007-08-28

What pleases me in Paulo Coelho's work, and in this book in particular, is his ability to penetrate the psyche of characters and make a story evolve from that,and not from detailed descriptions of actions or places. If you compare him to, let's say, Emile Zola, where the characters from the gutters of society are usually vicious by nature (genes) or by the action of a decadent society, we will see in Maria, a prostitute, a being that suffers and dreams like anybody else, without this necessarily meaning that the author is condoning or condeming prostitution. The painter she falls in love with, a successful artist who is "tired of sex", is as unhappy yet full of longing as she is. And Paulo Coelho builds a beautiful and complex plot of how their chemistry evolves - even if it may wind up a little naive sometimes, since, personally, I haven't seen two people change into enlightened lovers so fast. But their innocence thriving in a cruel, loveless world, even despite their defenses, and their struggle to keep "real", is refreshing, and even edifying, even if not a fact of everyday reality. I don't think this book will please those who are looking for a realistic portrait of the dirty and dark side of life at Copacabana (a bar in Switzerland) or in Rio de Janeiro. But it will please those who believe literature isn't journalism, but rather an expression of an author's own subjective interpretation of love. Paulo Coelho is, before anything else, a poet. If you brake his text into verses, a poem comes out of it. He is giving you a sad reality just to have it tested against the power of the mystic poetry of his discourse. You will be able to let his personal poetry sink into you, if you manage to accept the author using prostitutes and "special clients" as ordinary people as his models - who, to him, are human beings capable of love and cynicism just like any one of us - not creatures of "low life".

couldn't believe it..trash!.......2007-08-18

It's hard to believe this is the same writer who wrote the Alchemist.
This book is trash. I have never dropped a book straight into the trash can before. Usually, I drop it in the mail to a friend (as I did with the alchemist) or keep it in my permanent library. I stopped reading this book 3/4 of the way through it. Then the next day I picked it up off the floor where I tossed it, flipped to the last two pages, read them, laughed, and dropped it right in the trash can.
This storyline is unrealistic. It's completely goofy garbage.. Comparing sacred sex to sex without love doesn't require such drastic measures, measures that are completely unrealistic at that. All this book is, is a steamy romance novel about sex, pornography in my opinion. There was nothing intellectual about the novel. Not even in the sense of being able to learn random facts. All it will do is leave an imprint on your mind of detailed sex scenes and then a ridiculously flimsy love story to go along with it that is highly unlikely. It seems like this book was written by a teenager. I am shocked it was written by Paulo Coelho.

HE HAS DONE IT AGAIN.......2007-08-09

As a writer myself, I am amazed by the talent and brilliance of Coelho. I do not believe you can learn to write like this. It is pure inspiration writing from a higer source that Coelho is in touch with. This book was certainly a masterpiece and enjoyable every second of my reading. Couldnt wait to come back to it after putting it down. 11 minutes discussed and explores the biggest area in all our lives sex and love. The story is enlightening and exquisitely crafted by the best writer that I have ever come in contact with. Thanks again Paulo, wish I had what you have. Perhaps it will come along in my search for excellence in writing. Highly recommended. Im now reading Coelos latest book. Ive read them all and will keep reading as long as he keeps writing.

The best of Coelho's books by far (surpasses The Alchemist).......2007-07-30

I am an avid reader of Paulo Coelho; his books are enlightening and inspirational to say the least. Eleven Minutes is by FAR the best one he has written thus far. This passionate book can be explicit at times, only because it has to be if it intends to effectively examine love, sex and relationships. Mainly, it explores the nature of love and lust, and the important difference between the two. While reading Eleven Minutes, I found myself laughing and crying with each passing moment. At the very last page, I felt completely fufilled and wise- as though everything I needed to know about love was expressed or at the very least touched upon in this book. READ THIS BOOK if you are interested in knowing what true love really is.

Eleven Minutes.......2007-07-12

This was the first book I've read by Paulo Coelho and I was amazed at how much this book changed my views on love and happiness. I greatly enjoyed every minute I spent with this book and I can't wait to read more of his titles. His characters are so witty and intelligent I feel like I'm listening to a conversation in my own house. I'd suggest this book to anyone.

Average customer rating:

Intensity-his mind was flooded with profound ideas
Reflections
Read and Reread
The correct understanding of Jung's compensation theory
An incredible chronicle of an amazing inner journey!

Memories, Dreams, Reflections
C.G. Jung
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0679723951
Release Date: 1989-04-23

Book Description

An autobiography put together from conversations, writings and lectures with Jung's cooperation, at the end of his life.

Customer Reviews:

Intensity-his mind was flooded with profound ideas.......2007-09-14

This book is sublime, a GEM. In his subjective view of the world -"with half closed eyes and somewhat closed ears, to see and hear the form and voice of being" he arrived at an inspiring insight about life: supreme meaning of being can consist only in the fact that is,not that it is not or is no longer; nature, the mystery of love, the psyche, life, human beings, a state of lively contemplation of images is divinity unfolded (the greatest of miracles)-being conscious of this can come to you not through emptiness, imagelessneess or wanting to be freed from nature or yourself.
Here's a passage of the book that reflects the quintessence of his wisdom:
No language is adequate for this paradox. Whatever one can say, no words reflect the whole; for only the whole is meaningful...love "bears all things" and "endures all things". These words say all there is to be said; nothing can be added to them. For we are in the deepest sense the victims and the instruments of cosmogonic "love"- a unified and undivided whole. Being a part man cannot grasp the whole. He is at its mercy. He may assent to it, or rebel against it; but he is always caught by it and enclosed within it. He is dependent upon it and is sustained by it. Love is his light and his darkness, whose end he cannot see. "Love ceases not"-whether he speaks with the "tongue of angels", or with scientific exactitude traces the life cell down to its uttermost source. Man can try to name love, showering upon it all the names at his command, and still he will involve himself in endless self-deceptions. If he possesses a grain of wisdom, he will lay down his arms and name the unknown by the more unknown- ignotum per ignotius-that is, by God. That is a confession of his subjection, his imperfection, and his dependence; but at the same time a testimony to his freedom to choose between truth and error.
If we understand and feel that here in this life we already have a link with the infinite, desires and attitudes change.

Reflections.......2007-07-08

Jung's work is often difficult to read. This is an excellent introduction to his thinking, and a fine outline of his life. Man and his Symbols is also a good intro to Jungian thought.

However, over long, somewhat pompous comments are really not appropriate. Jungians would call this inflation.

Read and Reread.......2007-05-18

This is a book that I read with intense interest, I walked around the house , this book in hand.

C.G. Jung is caught here , his childhood, his quirks. He remains a very fascinating man. This is the only book about C.G. Jung I've read.

I particularly liked the chapter 'Late Thoughts", though the book in whole is very curiosity inspiring.

Loved it.

The correct understanding of Jung's compensation theory.......2007-05-17

According to Jung, the unconscious tries to "compensate" the "lopsidedness" in the conscious attitude, and dreams are part of this process. He says: "The relation between conscious and unconscious is compensatory. This is the best proven rule of dream interpretation" (Collected Works, Vol. 16). The examination of Jung's dream interpretations reveals that what he calls "lopsidedness" is a harmful mistake, or a harmful mental/behavioral failure, and "compensation" means the correction of the mistake, or the termination of the mental/behavioral failure.

As I explained elsewhere, the compensation of the lopsidedness in the conscious attitude by the unconscious is only a particular manifestation of the general truth that all functions of the mind, or all of its "topographical parts" in Freud's words, complement each other and constitute an integrated system, in contradiction with Freud's theory of conflict. In fact, Jung's theory was produced as a reaction to Freud's conflict theory. Consequently, we can equally say that consciousness sometimes compensates the lopsidedness in the unconscious attitude. Besides, it is most natural to expect such cooperation to work even when it is not possible to talk about any lopsidedness in the conscious or unconscious attitude. I described this cooperation in much detail elsewhere in my chapter on cerebral lateralization.

Again as I explained elsewhere, Jung's conception of the function of dreams is basically correct and constitutes a very fruitful idea. But he did not apply this idea adequately to dream interpretation, apparently because he did not express it clearly and used instead obscure ideas like lopsidedness and compensation. His major mistake was to assume that every dream presented the compensated state of the lopsidedness, or the corrected state of the mistake.

Jung could be able to produce a correct theory of dreams if he tried to answer the following questions: (a) What is the content of lopsidedness in general but clear terms? (b) How does the conscious attitude become lopsided and why it cannot correct its lopsidedness itself? (c) What makes the unconscious fit to compensate the lopsidedness of the conscious attitude? (d) In what measure the unconscious succeeds or fails in doing the compensation work, and why? (e) Most importantly, how does the unconscious do the job of compensation, or the correction of the harmful mistake? It is evident that in the absence of especially the answer to the last question, it is not possible to discover all the thoughts expressed by a dream.

As I explained elsewhere, a complete dream contains three types of thought: (a) the presentation of the lopsidedeness, or the mistake, which is treated by the dream; (b) the explanation of the cause of the mistake, or failure, which is often in the form of the external attribution of the failure; and (c) the correction of the mistake, or the termination of the failure. A complete dream begins either with thought (a) or (b) and ends with thought (c). Thoughts (b) and/or (c) may be missing in a dream or may be implicit in another part of the dream, but thought (a) is always present in explicit or implicit form because it is the reason why the dream is produced. In reality, this understanding of dreams is implied by Jung's compensation idea, because the fact that the unconscious can compensate the lopsidedness in the conscious attitude means that the unconscious is rational enough to do that, and the above three types of thought are the ones produced consciously and rationally when dealing with failures in the waking state.

Jung was not able to see these facts, because he could not free himself sufficiently from Freud's influence. Just as Freud interpreted everything in a dream as meaning wish fulfillment, Jung interpreted every dream as presenting the compensated state of the lopsided that it treated. In reality, a dream may present the lopsidedness instead of its compensated state, as exemplified below.

Jung's dream about his patient (p. 133): In his dream, Jung looks up at his female patient who is "sitting on a kind of balustrade," "on the highest tower" of a castle "at the top of a steep hill;" he bends his head back too far to see her properly and wakes up with a crick in the back of his neck.

Jung's interpretation based on the compensation hypothesis was this: "If in the dream I had to look up at the patient in this fashion, in reality I had probably been looking down on her." So, he assumed that the dream was telling him not to look down on her. This interpretation was based on the assumption that the dream scene represented what Jung had to do in real life, which means the solution of his problem, or the compensation of the lopsidedness in his conscious attitude. This interpretation contradicts the fact that Jung hurt himself in the dream by looking up at his patient and also by the fact that he considered his patient in real life "a highly intelligent woman." These contradictions can be eliminated by assuming that the dream scene represented the mistake that Jung was making in real life, or his problem, not its solution as he assumed. So, the correct message of the dream appears to be this: "You are making a mistake and hurting your interests by overestimating your patient." The implied advise was to stop overestimating her, which is the exact opposite of what Jung thought the dream was advising him. This interpretation is supported not only by the pain that Jung felt in the back of his neck at the end of the dream and his waking state evaluation of his patient as a highly intelligent woman but also by the fact that he was unable to realize progress in the therapy of his patient, evidently because he considered her a highly intelligent woman. This dream shows that the compensation hypothesis can cause a wrong interpretation even when the subject matter of a dream is approximately recognized, which is not always the case, and that therefore this hypothesis may also say nothing about the meaning of a dream. In such cases, Jung introduced obscure ideas in the interpretations, such as mandala, archetype, and collective unconscious, without explaining why these appear in the dream and what they precisely mean in relation to the dreamer's life. In fact, many of Jung's ideas are found "mystical." In opposition to this, Freud's interpretations are always clear and detailed but always wrong basically. But despite this fact, Freud's dream theory is more popular than Jung's, because it is found plausible due to the fact that it is produced by likening dreams to daydreams which mean wish fulfillment as everyone knows.

Jung's understanding of dreams needs to be corrected, or completed, also concerning the language of dreams. He criticized Freud's idea of dream symbolism saying that what Freud meant when he said "symbol" was "sign," and that a symbol was something more complex than a sign. Today the widely accepted view is that dream language is concrete-analogic, or concrete-metaphoric. In reality, most of Freud's dream symbols involved analogies, but many other writers abused the concept of dream symbolism and produced largely invalid dictionaries of dream symbols. Not only dream language but also dream cognition is concrete-analogic and therefore cannot use abstractions and logic. This is a consequence of the accepted view that dream thoughts are produced by the right brain which operates using concrete analogies instead of abstractions, speech, and logic. The verbal metaphors that are used in the waking state are also used in dreams in concrete pictorial form, because the source of both the waking state analogies, or metaphors, and dream analogies appear to be the right brain. Because of this, dictionaries of dream symbols can contain correct entries, but even the most common analogies can carry special meanings when used in dreams in relation to the dreamer's life experiences. Many otherwise correct dream interpretations by Jung and his followers are somewhat flawed because of they twisted the meanings of dream analogies in various ways. An example is below.

A man dreamed that as he came out of a meeting he put on somebody else's hat. Jung could say nothing about the relation of this dream to the dreamer's life experiences and claimed only that the hat represented the Mandela, which, according to him, is a concept present in every human mind. The analogic interpretation of this dream can be that the dreamer had easily accepted, or was in the habit of easily accepting, other people's ideas and views. This would be the presentation of a lopsidedness in his conscious attitude.

Jung was aware of the insufficiency of his theory and said: "There are still boundless opportunities for pioneer work in this field" (Collected Works, Vol. 16). Nevertheless, he and his followers produced many correct and nearly correct dream interpretations. Jung's readers can use his compensation theory better then he did by keeping in view the facts mentioned above and reading my books.

Jung's compensation theory can be seen as the solution of the problem of dream interpretation, and thereby of the problem of dream function, if the process by which compensation is realized and the analogic cognition and language of dreams are taken into consideration, both as explained above.

Cognitive-Behavioral Cybernetics of Symptoms, Dreams, Lateralization: Theory, Interpretation, Therapy

Theory Construction and Testing in Physics and Psychology

An incredible chronicle of an amazing inner journey!.......2007-02-24

I think Carl Jung was very ahead of his time and he was in sense an explorer like Columbus, except that his territory was the vast space of his own interior. My understanding of Jung is that he took his own explorations to the brink of psychosis in the service of understanding himself and the psyche. Whether you are a Jung fan or not, it has certainly been my experience that he has a lot of insight and wisdom to share with respect to the nature of the psyche.

This book is basically an autobiography and it is very dense reading. Jung was highly educated in a variety of fields and without some basic understanding of philosophy, major literary figures and mythology, it may be a difficult reading. However, if taken slowly, it is truly manageable and you will discover many gems.

I agree with some of the other excellent reviews that suggest that this volume presents Jung the legend more than being an objective account of his life. However, it offers a lot of insight into his thinking, major influences, etc. It is a fascinating story in itself.

I think this book is most useful and interesting to people who already know a lot about Jung. It is not the best introduction to Jung. If you want a good introduction, I would suggest Murray Stein's "Jung's Map of the Soul." Another concise introduction in Jung's own words is Aion. I would read one or both of these first before tackling this volume.

Rick Steves' Switzerland 2007 (Rick Steves)

Average customer rating:

Opinionated is OK, but...
Another great Rick Steves book!!
A good general book on Switzerland
Indispensable
A WARNING BOOK - Switzerland is EXPENSIVE

Rick Steves' Switzerland 2007 (Rick Steves)
Rick Steves
Manufacturer: Avalon Travel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Switzerland | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1566919681

Book Description

Who but Rick Steves can tell travelers the best way to visit Zürich, Gimmelwald, the Berner Oberland, Interlaken, Bern, Murten, Lake Geneva, and French Switzerland? With Rick Steves’ Switzerland 2007, travelers can experience everything Switzerland has to offer—economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves’ Switzerland 2007 includes:

• Opinionated coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights
• Friendly places to eat and sleep
• Suggested day plans
• Walking tours and trip itineraries
• Clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot

America’s #1 authority on travel to Europe, Rick’s time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Customer Reviews:

Opinionated is OK, but..........2007-10-08

I like Rick Steves's approach to travel, and much of this book is helpful. BUT: He purposely, and dismissively, leaves out the entire city of Geneva, calling it "boring." Well, when you're basing your trip in Geneva, that's not really news you can use. I think Steves's success has gone to his head -- this level of opinionated advice is useless at best, irresponsible at worst. If you want a comprehensive guide to Switzerland, try Fodor's.

Another great Rick Steves book!!.......2007-08-12

Rick Steves continues to provide great travel books. The Switzerland 2007 book, like all his other books, tell you everything you need to know to help you plan a trip to Switzerland. He tells you all about the typical tourist sites but he goes farther than that. Rick tells you how to find the "backdoor" locations. These are usually small towns or lesser known attractions that the average tourist would probably not be aware of if it wasn't for Rick's books. One backdoor that he mentions in this book is the small quaint town of Gimmelwald which is close to Interlaken. Visiting towns like Gimmelwald gets you out of the big cities and shows you what life in Switzerland is really like. He also recommends hotels and restaurants that are affordable and full of charm. I travel as often as I can and always read Rick Steves books before I go. You can trust what he says and what he recommends. He has not lead me wrong yet! Buy this book and you will not regret it.

A good general book on Switzerland.......2007-08-10

As usual, Rick Steves provides solid suggestions for restaurants, hotels, and sights, and much of his information is dependable. I was disappointed, however, by his rather condescending attitude toward Zurich, where I recently spent a week on business. The city is lovely, and there are a lot of inexpensive options that don't involve spending a lot of money in this generally pricey city. One of the "must visit" restaurants he recommended turned out to be mediocre and very expensive and he has very little on the Kunsthaus, one of the best museums in Europe. If you want a book with a more balanced view of Switzerland, I recommend Frommer's or Lonely Planet.

Indispensable.......2007-07-27

Just got back from Lausanne where we used "Rick" aka "The Bible" alongside Lonely Planet. Rick's information was more accurate and complete. It's great to have more than one guidebook but if you only want to carry one, choose this. The only downside is that the city maps are not drawn to scale and are very hard to follow.

A WARNING BOOK - Switzerland is EXPENSIVE.......2007-07-13

The first question: Where are the pictures? As a born Swiss (living in the U.S.A.) I read it anyway. It's a lot text about (almost) everything and it's also a "Price List CH 2007". Probably you'll find this book in your library, that's for free . . . .

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.

The Eiger Obsession: Facing the Mountain that Killed My Father

Average customer rating:

In Dad's Shadow
Living in the shadow of the mountain and one's father
A SON FACES HIS FATHER'S DEATH, OBSESSION, & HISTORY ON THE EIGER DEATH WALL

The Eiger Obsession: Facing the Mountain that Killed My Father
John Harlin
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0743296907

Book Description

In the 1960s an American named John Harlin II changed the face of Alpine climbing. Gutsy and gorgeous -- he was known as "the blond god" -- Harlin successfully summitted some of the most treacherous mountains in Europe. But it was the north face of the Eiger that became Harlin's obsession. Living with his wife and two children in Leysin, Switzerland, he spent countless hours planning to climb, waiting to climb, and attempting to climb the massive vertical face. It was the Eiger direct -- the direttissima -- with which John Harlin was particularly obsessed. He wanted to be the first to complete it, and everyone in the Alpine world knew it.

John Harlin III was nine years old when his father made another attempt on a direct ascent of the notorious Eiger. Harlin had put together a terrific team, and, despite unending storms, he was poised for the summit dash. It was the moment he had long waited for. When Harlin's rope broke, 2,000 feet from the summit, he plummeted 4,000 feet to his death. In the shadow of tragedy, young John Harlin III came of age possessed with the very same passion for risk that drove his father. But he had also promised his mother, a beautiful and brilliant young widow, that he would not be an Alpine climber.

Harlin moved from Europe to America, and, with an insatiable sense of wanderlust, he reveled in downhill skiing and rock-climbing. For years he successfully denied the clarion call of the mountain that killed his father. But in 2005, John Harlin could resist no longer. With his nine-year-old daughter, Siena -- his very age at the time of his father's death -- and with an IMAX Theatre filmmaking crew watching, Harlin set off to slay the Eiger. This is an unforgettable story about fathers and sons, climbers and mountains, and dreamers who dare to challenge the earth.

Customer Reviews:

In Dad's Shadow.......2007-10-12

This book is up there with Houstons K2 the Savage Mountain and Krackauers Into Thin Air. John the III doesn't seem to be as obsessed and reckless as his father. I came away from the book feeling that his father cared more about climbing than anything else. At one point he told his wife he felt oppressed by his children and only felt alive when they were not around. I thought that very strange. The other incident that bothered me was when Harlin the III made friends with a young climber named Chuck and took him climbing with him. He pushed Chuck pretty hard, hard enough to where Chuck fell off Mount Robson and killed himself. Harlin the III pointed the dead body out to the authorities and hightailed it out of town, that friendship lasted all of two weeks. That incident struck me as very strange. Overall the book was an entertaining read.

Living in the shadow of the mountain and one's father .......2007-04-06

An absorbing tale of adventure and exorcising personal demons. John Harlin III is an outdoorsman and mountain climber and successfully navigated climbing the face of the Eiger, where his own father had died some forty years earlier. Notwithstanding the book's subtitle, the mountain did not kill his father, a broken rope led to his father's fall.

In any event, the reader does not get the impression that the younger Harlinis obsessed by any particular Oedipal complex. We can empathize with his plight of living in the shadow of an iconic, larger-than-life mountain climber. At one point in his life, he is tormented by the question, "What have you done in life, other than be the son of a famous man?"

We may all overtly or subliminally have the challenge of surpassing the accomplishments of our fathers. John Harlin III provides a touching memoir of struggle and transcendence, freeing himself from the haunting memories of his father's unsuccessful attempt to climb a mountain that became his obsession.

A SON FACES HIS FATHER'S DEATH, OBSESSION, & HISTORY ON THE EIGER DEATH WALL.......2007-03-27

Five FATEFUL Stars!! "The EIger Obsession" is written by John Harlin III, the moutaineering son of the famous American Alpine big wall climber John Harlin II and recounts the Harlin family's involvement with life, love, death, and the world of climbing over the decades. He focuses mainly on the general climbing history of the Swiss rockface called "the Eiger" (aka "the Ogre") and the Harlin family legacy surrounding this imposing and unforgiving rockwall's routes, among others. John Harlin II, an audacious larger-than-life character, was the 28th person to die on the Eiger in an accident: by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was attempting his self-conceived "Direttissima'" (direct) route, "straight up" the center of the 6000 ft wall, with most of the climbing world aware of the attempts. Harlin joined a long line of famous climbers who were either successes like the famed Heinrich Harrer who was amongst four in the 'first to the top' group in 1938, or failures like the equally famous Toni Kurz, who with the other three members of his team dead including Hinterstoisser, was trapped by an ice storm and with a horribly frostbitten hand, he would die inches from rescuer's hands, tearing at the knotted rope that sealed his fate with his teeth. The elder Harlin fit both categories, success and failure. The stories are mesmerizing, as are the stories of the Harlin family coping with circumstance and the Eiger route attempts by the father and, decades later, the son.

Climbers all over the world, even those who have never been to Europe, can recite from memory the features of the Classic Route of the Eiger: "the Difficult Crack", "Rote Flüh" (Red Crag), the 'point of no return' "Hinterstoisser Traverse", "the White Spider", "the Death Bivouac", "the Swallow's Nest", "the Traverse of the Gods", and so on, up to the "Exit Cracks", recounted here in intense, vivid detail. Harlin tells us the stories and difficulties which drew many famous climbers to attempt the Eiger as a test of will and ability. Harlin II had already climbed the Classic Route and had been on the mountain many times, but his "Direct Route" 'upped the ante' considerably and Harlin assembled a 'crack team' that included Americans (himself and rock technician Layton Kor) and Europeans (Sir Chris Bonington and Dougal Haston) to climb it. The book details how after Harlin II perished, a combined team, cut off from retreat and having to literally finish the route to save their lives, did so while suffering greatly, and named the "John Harlin Direttissima Route" in his honor. Also how the family fared after his death over the years.

In the book, Harlin III, now a 50 year old expert climber in his own right, admits he has been obsessed by his father's death and the Eiger's 6000 foot deadly wall. "I can't go climbing without Dad's shadow hanging over me. And I love that shadow as much as it appalls me." With his own wife and daughter watching through the telescope at the world-famous Kleine Scheidegg, this book puts you on the mountain during the climb, as John Harlin III attempts to complete the Classic route and deal with it's many psychological implications. For many of us, decades after his father's death, this book finally gives closure to the John Harlin-Eiger story. Meanwhile the Eigerwand continues to lure climbers with the death toll now in the 60's at this point in time, and despite the recent availability of helicopter rescues, some of the unprepared and unlucky climbers will continue to perish. Kudos to John Harlin III for an excellent climbing and life experience book. My Highest Recommendation!! Five "White Knuckled" Stars!!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (James Bond Novels)

Average customer rating:

Super Reader
If you want to go old school
James Bond #11: The Spy Who Loves
Gambling, sex, violence, and drinking meet again in another classic bond book
Coming Face To Face

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (James Bond Novels)
Ian Fleming
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0142003255
Release Date: 2003-09-02

Customer Reviews:

Super Reader.......2007-08-04

James Bond is still hunting for Blofeld. After a year Bond thinks he is useless, and wants to quit. In Italy he saves a girl who was trying to kill herself. This leads to a relationship, and Bond learns that she is the daughter of a high ranking Italian gangster.

He has info on Blofeld. He is in Switzerland running a finishing school type or organisation, after having undergone plastic surgery. It is really a brainwashing organisation to get women to basically be terrorist weapon carriers.

Bond infiltrates Blofeld's organisation, gets out of there, and here Tracy helps him out.

He asks her to marry him, and she agrees.

Bond, with some of Tracy's dads' men, assaults Blofeld's organisation, but the supervillain gets away again, and has a nasty surprise waiting at Bond's wedding.

If you want to go old school.......2007-06-22

I enjoy reading spy novels, so I decided to go old school and read a Bond story. It took awhile for me to get into the book. Today's spy novels start with action, and the pace picks up from there. Not so with On Her Majesty's Secret Service. It starts slowly and is, at times, a little confusing. But once I got into the rhythm of Fleming's style, I enjoyed the book. Is it the best spy book I've ever read? No. Do I have a greater appreciation of the Bond stories? Yes. If you love to read spy novels, you should read at least one Bond book to round out your experience. After all, Fleming practically started the genre. But if all you want is to read the novel version of a Bond movie (although who could have liked the movie version of On Her Majesty's Secret Service?), then move on because you'll be disappointed. The books were written well before the movies. More thinking, less gadgets, and certainly less action.

James Bond #11: The Spy Who Loves.......2007-04-11

This is definitely one of the better Bonds since, like CASINO ROYALE and FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, the more formulaic elements are so well integrated in the story.

What I loved about FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was that the obligatory romance was the actual scheme of SMERSH to ensnare and kill 007. The characters were well-drawn and Bond doesn't come off as such an indestructible superman. His heart is broken in CASINO ROYALE, confused in FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE and then shattered in ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE. (It's also very cool that we learn that Bond annually visits the grave of Vesper Lynd as well as still checks into Casino Royale as well).

We meet Ernst Stavro Blofeld again, not because of some grandiose world-conquering plot, but because he wants the respect and nobility of a title. The College of Arms angle of the story should be the dullest part of the story but Fleming actually makes it interesting by revealing the desire of everyone--except James Bond--to be "somebody."

The biological warfare passages may seem dated but I like revisiting the 007 books while keeping them in context: they must have been fantastic reads in the 1950s and 1960s. These books really anticipated the very modern threat of what Fleming referred to as "the man with the suitcase"...which contains an atomic device. Blofeld's plot in this book to attack England through its livestock with a virus is certainly something to think about in this day of Mad Cow and Bird Flu epidemics.

Although I'm only quibbling, I wished there had been more development between Bond and Tracy, the only woman to ever become Mrs. James Bond. After reading the novel, I felt as if I saw more of her in the movie! (The movie version of OHMSS is also one of the best).

Gambling, sex, violence, and drinking meet again in another classic bond book.......2007-01-25

I recently started reading all of the Bond novels and overall have enjoyed them a lot. While Flemings writing style is consistently solid the plots and characters differ greatly. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (number 11 in the series) shares with Casino Royale the title of My Favorite Bond Novel.

The plot is interesting and not *too* far-fetched (for a bond book - some are very cheesy), the characters are very likable and Fleming really nails the mood of "European decadence". This book, like Casino Royale and a few others metes out a healthy serving of bond's classic vices laced with action.

If you like less-than-serious action novels, then I would highly recommend this. Perfect for a long flight or drive

Coming Face To Face.......2006-11-16

This is probably Ian Fleming's most interesting and personal James Bond novel. This book precedes "You Only Live Twice" as it sends James Bond on a mission to track down the head of SPECTRE. This is a very well written novel and is very interesting trying to fathom what Fleming had been contemplating for his hero at that time in his life. I found this absorbing novel very difficult to put down once I started reading it as I did with its follow-up. If you do decide to read it I recommend that you read it before "You Only Live Twice." I will go one step further, if you read both of these novels then read "The Man with the Golden Gun" after you finish "You Only Live Twice." These three novels make up a sort of trilogy. One hint: "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" is very close to the movie version. "You Only Live Twice" and "The Man with the Golden Gun" movies have very little at all to do with the Fleming novels in any direct sense of plot and conflict. So don't be discouraged. I have read these three novels several times over.

Average customer rating:

If You Build It, They Will Come
Excellent Travel Resourse

Lonely Planet Switzerland
Damien Simonis , and Sarah Johnstone
Manufacturer: Lonely Planet Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1740597621

Book Description

The winter playground of St Moritz, outrageous clubbing in Zurich, culture vultures in Basel, cosmopolitan Geneva - Switzerland is three countries rolled into one. Our Helvetic experts help you break down the cliches and discover something a little bit different.

Museums, mountains, music - the lowdown on the essential sights.

From hiking to skiing, making the most of the stunning outdoors.

Recommended sleeping options from lakeside camping to chic city hotels.

Loosen your tongue - with four languages to choose from , we explain your Gruezis from your Allegras.

Know it all - William Tell and neutrality, global warming and cultural diversity : historical and current issues explored in depth.

Customer Reviews:

If You Build It, They Will Come.......2007-06-18

I recently found myself contemplating a trip to Basel and, never having been there before and, knowing I would be alone without even a gendarme to ask questions of, nor another human being, I thought I should find a Basel guidebook. Amazingly enough it seems there is no such thing available on Amazon so I went with this larger book, which deals with all of Switzerland--in fact, nearly all of Western culture in one fell swoop.

The authors of LONELY PLANET SWITZERLAND have convinced me for the present at any rate that Switzerland (Helvetia) is the most important country on planet earth, not that they suggest we rank countries by importance or anything. It is a handy guide in the sense that physically, the book is constructed so that you could rip out, as I did, the section on Basel and Aargau, and throw the rest of the book away, and the pages you need form a complete little fascicle, due to an amazing new wonder glue that holds different little chapbooksized sections together until you don't need them together any more. Thus armed with my guide, I went to Basel. The authors share not only hotels, restaurants, and train stations, they go all out to make you feel like you can do it too. I learned how to use the phone, where to shop for lampshades, how to buy a single stamp, where the best (and worst) Swiss-Indian cafes are, and what famous medieval scholar is buried in the tombs inside Munster cathedral. Why Erasmus of course!

They have cute sidebars like Basel's most famous guy, Albert Hoffman, still alive at age 102 or something like that--the man who invented LSD.

Later, I met a pair of Basellienne poets, one American born, one educated in the USA, who showed me their Basel, a charming tour of tombs, elevators, shops and bridges, culminating in a magical ferry boat ride across the Rhine from Big Basel to small. The afternoon was clear, like a glass of vodka, and I felt positively drunk with knowledge as I looked across the water and seemed to see my own back, walking away, mever to return.

Excellent Travel Resourse.......2007-01-07

Lonely Planet's guide to Switzerland was extremely helpful while travelling to the country. Great detail and updated information on items such as hours of operations and costs were extremely helpful. Additionally, information on excursions such as to Vaduz, Liechtenstein was very up-to-date and an easy read.

Euler: The Master of Us All (Dolciani Mathematical Expositions, No 22) (Dolciani Mathematical Expositions)

Average customer rating:

A great book
Charming but historically inaccurate.
Nice book for readers with a background in math
William Dunham has done it again!
" Euler, the anlysis incarnate "!!!!

Euler: The Master of Us All (Dolciani Mathematical Expositions, No 22) (Dolciani Mathematical Expositions)
William Dunham
Manufacturer: The Mathematical Association of America
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0883853280

Book Description

Leonhard Euler was one of the most prolific mathematicians that have ever lived. This book examines the huge scope of mathematical areas explored and developed by Euler, which includes number theory, combinatorics, geometry, complex variables and many more. The information known to Euler over 300 years ago is discussed, and many of his advances are reconstructed. Readers will be left in no doubt about the brilliance and pervasive influence of Eulerâ€™s work.

Customer Reviews:

A great book.......2006-10-12

Don't be fooled by the brevity or put off by the high price of this book - it's worth its weight in gold. If you have a university level math degree and you want to do proofs again, this book is for you. I have been able to understand everything in the book as a result of Prof. Dunham's amazing ability to explain things. I did have to resort to the Internet on occasion to brush up on some trigonometry and calculus. I have been reading it slowly for 2 years now and I'm only half way through - sometimes I pull it out when I need some brain exercise. If you like math, you will like this book.

Charming but historically inaccurate........2006-01-26

Once again, the Ivy League establishment has got it all wrong. They continue to perpetrate error in the historical record just as they do in the scientific record with that preposterous theory of evolution.

First of all, Euler should not be credited with topology. Descartes had formulated, before Euler was born, the key topological equation F + V - E = 2.

The Greeks attached mystical significance to the five platonic solids. So much so, Euclid included the five regular solids in book 13 of his Elements as if it were the culimination of his work, as if the three-dimensionality were a culimination of the two-dimensionality of the earlier books.

These "regular" solids are three-dimensional objects: namely, the Tetrahedron, the cube, the octahedron, the dodecahedron and the icosahedron. They are "regular" because, on each, the faces are congruent. Furthermore, the face angles are equal. For example, a cube's faces are all the same size.

If we count the faces on the tetrahedron, cube, octahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron respectively, we get 4, 6, 8, 12, 20 respectively.

If we count the vertices of each respectively, we get 4, 8, 6, 20, 12.

If we count the edges respectivley, we get 6, 12, 12, 30, 30.

Now, create an array of the faces, vertices and edges:

F:4 6 8 12 20
V:4 8 6 20 12
E:6 12 12 30 30

Descartes noticed that F + V - E = 2. For example, 4 + 4 - 6 = 2. Or take the second column: 6 + 8 - 12 = 2. Descartes conjectured (as we all would) that this formula represents an invariant amongst all polyhedra.

Descartes died in 1650 A.D. when he was poisoned by some jealous Swede. Euler was born in 1707 A.D., some time after Descartes's death. Liebnitz had translated this work of Descartes which shows F + V - E = 2. And Euler is known to have read all of these Liebnitz manuscripts at the Hanover archives.

Why scholars persist in giving Euler credit for this equation boggles my imaginatino unless their reading is limited. If it is limited, then appellation of scholar for such men is unwarranted.

Pictures of the five platonic regular solids can be seen in Daud Sutton's little book "Platonic and Archimedian Solids."

Nice book for readers with a background in math.......2003-04-25

I really enjoyed reading this book that describes some background on Euler and his work. It is written in an informal style, so for people with a math background it reads like a novel.

The book is not suitable for people who want to learn more about the person Euler, but do not have a math background, because 75% of the book is about real math (equations). So if you don't enjoy reading equations, do not buy the book.

Summary: as enjoyable as the other Dunham books, although a bit more expensive (but still worth the money).

William Dunham has done it again!.......2002-03-25

With the publication of this, his third book, Dunham has once more shown himself to be a master himself of mathematical explanation. Unlike his previous two books, The Mathematical Universe and Journey Through Genius, which covered results by a variety of mathematicians, this book focuses on selected results that sprang from the remarkable mind of Leonard Euler, one of the most prolific and important mathematicians of all time. What sets Euler apart is not only the vast quantity of his output (the publication of his collected works, the Opera Omnia, spans six dozen volumes, or over 25,000 pages in all!), but also the breadth and originality of his work. Not only did Euler contribute to a wide array of mathematical fields -- from number theory to complex analysis to geometry -- but in many cases, he was the founder of those fields. For example, Euler invented the field of analytical number theory, and he was the first mathematician to recognize the importance of and to discover the important properties of complex numbers.

This book in many ways resembles Dunham's Journey Through Genius. As in that book, Dunham has selected 15 or so theorems to present in detail, and he makes an effort to keep the proofs similar in spirit to the original proofs. Although the proofs are complete and the book is full of equations, they are accessible to anyone with a high school level of mathematics education. But in addition to the proofs, Dunham also provides historical context, as well as commentary on how later mathematicians used and improved upon Euler's work. For example, we learn that Euler began to loose the sight in his right eye at the age of 32, and that despite his virtual blindness by the age of 65, he continued his prolific rate of output until his death at age 84.

The book's title is taken from a quote by Laplace, who said, ``Read Euler, read Euler. He is the master of us all.'' Indeed, if you have any interest in mathematics, you will almost certainly find yourself in complete agreement with Laplace's sentiments by the time you finish reading this wonderful book. ...

" Euler, the anlysis incarnate "!!!!.......2001-09-15

" Analysis incarnate " , no other more suitable words probably can describe the incomparable power of Euler, as his contemparies called him. Concerning the usual style of Dunham to write this stimulating book, other readers have made many comments and I think there is no need to repeat that. What I want is that Dunham to write another book, perhaps volume 2,3 etc and also write a thorough biography of Euler, one the greatest mathematicians in the history. ( To me, for mathematical ability, his should be at the same rank with Newton, Archaemedes, and Gauss, even Einstein concerning the mathematical and theroetical aspect, is below par compared with Euler )

Vintage Rolex Sports Models: A Complete Visual Reference & Unauthorized History

Average customer rating:

Cant miss this book for Rolex fans!
Everything you need to know about Rolex sports models.
Nice book to add to the collection
Nice book, although outdated?
A "must-have" for all fans of vintage Rolex sports watches

Vintage Rolex Sports Models: A Complete Visual Reference & Unauthorized History
Martin Skeet , and Nick Urul
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Switzerland | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0764322486

Book Description

This comprehensive and detailed reference guide to Rolex's sports model watches is an indispensable asset to watch collectors and dealers. The only work of its kind, it covers the history of the Submariner, Explorer, GMT-Master, Turn-O-Graph, Milgauss, and Cosmograph watches, from 1952 to 1990. The history of more than a hundred and forty vintage models is described in detail, with the watches shown in chronological order. Color photographs illustrate every watch model, with hundreds of diagrams providing clear and useful information. Twenty-two rare Rolex brochures from private collections are shown, in addition to numerous catalog photographs and the sale prices of sports models sold at Christie's and Sotheby's over the last four years. Also included is a current price guide for every model shown in the book. At a time when Rolex watches dominate the collecting market, this authoritative volume is an essential and timely addition to the library of the Rolex collector and dealer.

Customer Reviews:

Cant miss this book for Rolex fans!.......2007-08-26

This book is completely stated sports models and really can help user when buying a vintage Rolex!

Everything you need to know about Rolex sports models........2007-08-23

A most impressively comprehensive and finely detailed reference that will prove to be of great usefulness and interest to me when handling Rolex watches, and when talking to and advising collectors and enthusiasts.

Nice book to add to the collection.......2007-08-18

Pictures are of good quality. A good book to add to the collection, each watch has good description and on the watch movement.
It is a limited market, you have to remember its a book on the vintage watches and not modern Rolex watches.
Saying that I would not be without it, But I am a watch Nut.

Nice book, although outdated?.......2007-08-15

Great book for watch enhusiast. Although it only takes us up to 1997, so I was dispointed, The pictures are good, the history covers the basics. I would recommend to add to the collection

A "must-have" for all fans of vintage Rolex sports watches.......2007-01-17

The authors describe this book as a "comprehensive and detailed reference guide to Rolex's sports model watches" and "an indispensable asset to watch collectors and dealers". Modest? No. Correct? Absolutely!

The book is divided into 18 chapters, starting with Rolex chronology and the tool watch concept, followed by chronological descriptions of all models in the Submariner, Sea-Dweller, GMT-Master, Explorer, Milgauss, Turn-O-Graph and Cosmograph model ranges respectively. More brief chapters are dealing with bracelets, boxes, paperwork, and movements. Statistical data in the form of production dates and a price guide is also included.

What I particularly like
First of all, the great advantage of this book is the fact that all watches depicted are from the authors' own collections - this has allowed them to photograph all watches in the exact same position and size, making comparisons between the different model variants very easy. This is important when comparing with other books on Rolex, that mainly use 3rd party photos.

All models are described in chronological order, with information on model number, production period, movement number, bracelet type and size, and some 5-15 lines of specifics for that particular model, pointing towards the - often small - details distinguishing it from previous or later models. I.e. for the 6263 Daytona such text reads: "In 1971 the 6263 model replaced the 6264 model. The model was available with either the standard or exotic dial, and had T Swiss T at the bottom of the dial. On this example, the word Cosmograph is written in a semicircle around the upper half of the lower recording dial." Essential knowledge, really ;-)

Secondly, all models are accompanied by a detailed profile drawing, allowing comparisons of the shapes of glass and bezel, as well as case thickness. Important, when you want to identify the "Superdome" glass profile.

Third, there are 40+ pages of reprints of vintage Rolex brochures, advertisments, owners booklets, catalogues etc. For Sea-Dweller afficionados it will be great to see the 1981 owner's booklet reprint on page 178, showing the 1665 with acrylic lens and 2000 feet rating, alongside the 16660 with sapphire crystal and 4000 feet rating. Later that year, the 1665 was discontinued, leaving only the 16660.

Last, but not least, I really enjoy chapter 18, "Watches sold at Auction" - 50 pages of pictures and details of Rolex watches sold at auctions at Christie's and Sothebys's, in the period 1997-2004. In 1998, a "Red" Submariner 1680 was sold for mere USD 2165. Read and weep... or start collecting right away.

Ahh - not to forget - this is a relatively new book, published in 2005.

Any drawbacks, then?
Not really - or at least nothing major. Although given the title "COMPLETE Visual Reference", one would expect the book to contain pictures of ALL known model variantions. This is apparently not the case, as the military issue of the Submariner 5513 is shown only with the special "high visibility" hand design - while Rolex collectors, as well as James Dowling's Rolex book, will tell, that the military models were also available with the standard "Mercedes" hands. This would have been nice to know, before one accuses eBay sellers of vintage Rolex watches for selling un-original or Frankenstein watches. I won't do that again...

One should note, though, that this books deals with "vintage" models only - that excludes any model currently in production, obviously. For the reason of comparing model evolution, I for one would like to see the current version (i.e. the one on my wrist) pictured alongside it's ancestors, in order to compare those small, but essential details on the dial layout. But then again...

How does it compare to other Rolex books, then?
This will depend on how BROAD one's Rolex interest is, and in which STAGE of Rolex ownership one is.

John Brozek's "Rolex report" provides excellent value for money for the first-time buyer of a modern Rolex, who doesn't want to get "eScrewed" - John's expression, not mine. Lot of stuff on identifying fakes, as well as tons of statistical data and pricelists - showing retail as well as wholesale amounts. Quite good to know the latter, when someone is offering you a never worn NIB Rolex for less... Why, it should make you wonder.

Many people praise James Dowlings book "The Best of Time" as THE Rolex book to get. Maybe so - but not my cup of tea. Far too much emphasis on the very early Prince and Bubbleback models and only brief descriptions of the tool watches.

For some buyers, the overall Rolex history in this book will be too brief, or the statistics on production dates incomplete (as they end in 1998). Do not despair - buy this book anyway, and read the rest on the various Rolex internet forums.

So, my personal view is, that if you are a current or potential owner of a "Professional" series model, Martin Skeet and Nick Urul's excellent book will give you the most relevant insights. It's certainly my favorite, and the one I would chose over all other Rolex books I have seen so far.

Buy and enjoy - You will not be disappointed!

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