Groovy in Action introduces Groovy by example, presenting lots of reusable code while explaining the underlying concepts. Java developers new to Groovy find a smooth transition into the dynamic programming world. Groovy experts gain a solid reference that challenges them to explore Groovy deeply and creatively.
Because Groovy is so new, most readers will be learning it from scratch. Groovy in Action quickly moves through the Groovy basics, including:
Groovy on Windows
An additional bonus is a chapter dedicated to Grails, the Groovy Web Application Framework.
Early PDF chapters of Groovy in Action are available from the Manning Early Access Program (MEAP) at http://www.manning.com/koenig. As part of this program, readers can also discuss the early manuscript with the author and help shape the manuscript as it's being developed by joining the Author Forum.
Customer Reviews:
You can't live without Groovy. You just can't........2007-08-18
I am going to make this short, because I want to get ONE message across to you, loud and clear. If you are working with Java, you MUST take a look at Groovy.
I cannot overemphasize the coming importance of Groovy on the Java platform, not just in web development, but everywhere. Just try it already. You'll "get it." Just trust me and do it!
Groovy in Action is a first rate introduction and reference, and you really do need a book for this language. I don't recommend trying to go it alone with online reference material, though there is plenty there to give you a taste of why Groovy is about to become your new favorite language.
Read the other reviews. I'm not going to repeat a bunch of stuff here. But whatever you do, TRY GROOVY. You will quickly come to wonder how you ever got along without it.
Cracking stuff.......2007-07-20
Whatever you think about the merits of Groovy as a language, a serious contender on the JVM, or a complete mess, you couldn't hope to find a better advocate for Groovy than this book.
One of the secrets of GinA's success is that it assumes the reader is already proficient with Java development, including Swing, Ant and JUnit. It would also help to know about XML, SQL, HTML, JSP and a vague idea of how MVC applies to web apps. You don't need to be an expert in these areas, though. If you've sufficient knowledge to decode the preceeding alphabet soup of initialisations, you'll be ok.
The reward for possessing this background knowledge is that GinA doesn't waste time with trivial examples, and barrels through Groovy the language in the first part, leveraging your existing knowledge of Java to highlight the important differences in Groovy. In particular, the advantages of interpolating strings, simple hash and array construction syntax, optional typing and metaprogramming are stressed. The big win in Groovy over Java is the use of closures and their used in a block-based approach to iteration, which is as well motivated here as the material in, say, The Pickaxe is for Ruby.
The second part of the book provides examples of the Groovy library. It begins with an excellent chapter on Groovy's Builders, which provide a very neat, uncluttered syntax for putting together hierarchical structures. An obvious application is XML, and by extension Ant scripts, which appears to have some major advantages compared to the challenging readability of vanilla Ant. Even more impressive is the SwingBuilder example, which builds a GUI with the minimum of fuss and a complete lack of anonymous inner classes.
Beyond the Builders, there are also compelling chapters on templating HTML and server side Groovy (Groovlets), writing DAOs and DTOs in Groovy to simplify database programming, and a chapter on XML, which even manages to find the space to introduce Groovy for SOAP, XML-RPC and REST web services.
The final part of the book describes some non-core libraries and other applications of Groovy. The chapter on Groovy extensions to JUnit is interesting, although perhaps this is one place where it assumes too little on behalf of the reader. I would have assumed that the average developer sufficiently motivated to pick up a book on Groovy knows enough about unit testing and JUnit that more space could have been given to the advanced topics. Particularly appealing is the idea of testing Java code with dynamically typed Groovy unit tests, which would make mocking and stubbing more palatable; I would have liked more on that subject.
Another noteworthy chapter is the last one, which introduces the web app framework Grails. This has a different style to the other chapters, being a dialogue between two of the authors as they build a simple app. This reader admits to finding it a little bit naff, but it does usefully demonstrate the grails way (which is a lot like Rails).
If you have the slightest interest in Groovy, alternatives to Java on the JVM, or dynamic languages, GinA makes the perfect case for Groovy as a first class integration language for all the bits of Java where you really wish you were working with something like Perl, Ruby or Python. It's well-written, with good examples, clear explanations, and it's relentlessly practical, never forgetting its target audience. It's all the more impressive given lead author Dierk Konig's comment in the preface that English is not his first language. Kudos to him and his co-authors for what they've delivered.
One can only wish that every language had its GinA. Outstanding.
Mostly as good as everyone says.......2007-06-22
What more can be said of a book extolled by dozens of reviewers, a book that seems to have matched its subject in ubiquity, a book that will likely become to Groovy what the "pickaxe book" is to Ruby? As much as I would love to be a lone voice (or rather a lone whisper) of dissent, the clarity, simplicity, and accuracy of most of Groovy in Action cannot be overlooked. Let no one be fooled by the size of the book - to learn the gist of Groovy, all you really need is a leisurely stroll through chapters 2 through 7 (chapter 1 is the mandatory introduction/history chapter which, in the frustrating tech book tradition, doubles as the "free sample" chapter). Of course, most of its clarity and concision GIA inherits from the language it describes. Still, it is encouraging to have a book that is as valuable a reference as it is a tutorial, and GIA shines in both capacities.
With all its accolades, GIA does have two caveats. First, it is getting closer and closer to being out of date. Groovy 1.1 is already in Beta, and it has an impressive list of features not covered in this Groovy 1.0 book: EJB3 support, JUnit4 and TestNG integration and annotations, just to name a few. I am reminded of Pragmatic Programmers' Agile Web Development with Rails, whose second edition shipped a year after its first. I sincerely hope GIA 1.0 buyers will not be similarly cheated.
The second caveat is the coverage of Grails. Grails may be the single most attractive Groovy application to date yet its coverage in GIA is flaky at best. The authors decide to abandon their polished, clear, and concise writing style and instead author the entire chapter as a bland conversation amongst themselves. In addition to failing to grasp the humor in such presentation, I find that this style hinders me from following along with the tutorial. It makes scanning back for missed steps or clarifications extremely difficult. Furthermore, vapid attempts at humor occupy space that could be otherwise devoted to some omitted topics, such as mapping domain objects to specific tables or using data sources. Coverage of these topics would have been far more valuable than the authors' purported beer garden conversations with a DBA named Martin.
Despite the pour Grails coverage and the looming Groovy 1.1, Groovy in Action is a must-have for anyone who is even mildly interested in Groovy or dynamic languages in Java in general. Coupled with the ease, clarity, and downright beauty of the Groovy language, GIA can turn even a passing interest in Groovy into a burning passion.
Programming literature.......2007-05-15
It is a Gordian challenge to write an interesting and readable book about nothing but a programming language. Dierk König and his co-authors actually did succeed in cutting the knot. They even accomplished much more: they added lots of insight about object orientation, programming language design and good software development. As long as I only had the PDF availabe, it served me as THE reference for all my questions about Groovy. Now the printed copy makes my commuting time worthwhile. Cover to cover. 700 pages of computer LITERATURE.
An amazing journey.......2007-03-29
The book contains a lot of Groovy interesting features, with samples tested to work,asides the writting style exciting to you to discover the new programming world open in front of your eyes thanks to the exceptional Groovy features.
I consider it as much as a Groovy bible.
Product Description
There are some things people dont get over easily pain from the past is one of them. Trauma changes people: It changes values, priorities, worldviews, and most of all
it changes how we relate to others. Painful, life-threatening experiences take people beyond the normal day-to-day life, leaving them stuck behind defensive walls that keep them from re-entering the world they have always known as home. So how does it happen? How do we lose the loving closeness with those around us? And better yet, how do we re-gain what pain has robbed us of? Down Range is not only a book explaining war trauma it is required reading for anyone seriously interested about how to make healthy transitions from war to peace. Bridget C. Cantrell, Ph.D. and Vietnam veteran, Chuck Dean have joined forces to present this vital information and resource manual for both returning troops and their loved ones. Here you will find answers, explanations, and insights as to why so many combat veterans suffer from flashbacks, depression, fits of rage, nightmares, anxiety, emotional numbing, and other troubling aspects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Customer Reviews:
Buy a copy for your shelf, and a copy to give to a friend........2007-06-11
This book is spectacular. Not everything in it applies to all combat veterans, of course. But it can be a lifesaver if you can get your loved one who has been through combat to read it. It saved the mental health and the marriage of a couple of friends of mine, and I'm grateful. I've ended up buying 6 copies because I keep finding people to give them away to.
It combines the 'I've been there too' perspective of a Vietnam veteran with the knowledge of a Ph.D, and it can be invaluable in helping veterans seeing that they are not alone, that they are not 'broken', and that help is available. It can help their loved ones to understand what the veteran is going through, realize that what seem to be insurmountable problems in their relationships may just be the veteran struggling to deal with his wounds any way he can.
Soldiers and families of soldiers: buy it and read it even if you don't think you'll need it. Read it so you have the wherewithal to help a friend in need, if nothing else.
And to combat veterans of OIF/OEF: if you get out of the service, immediately register at the VA. If you don't register w/in two years of discharge, your eligibility for health care, even for combat-related conditions, is severely limited. Register upon discharge even if you don't think you'll need the help... because you'd rather have the option and not need the help, than need it and be ineligible.
Instant help.......2007-06-03
I found this book to be very enlightening. I am recently married to a soldier, and many of the things addressed in this book were very helpful in aiding my understanding of what he has gone through and is currently facing. My only complaint with the book is that it seemed to be poorly edited. I hope that a new edition comes out soon so that these errors can get corrected! Despite this, the content was very informative, and I feel will make me a stronger support system for my husband.
Spread The Word About This Gem.......2007-01-10
This is a short (156-page) must-read for personnel from all branches of the military (including reservists) who have been in a war zone. It is also recommended for family members (grandmothers and grandfathers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, wives and husbands) who are in relationship with the returning person. The message is timeless and vital to a healthy homecoming.
Great info for those families left behind........2006-11-11
This was a well written and very informative book about how to deal with those returning from combat. Though written from experience in Vietnam and with Vietnam vets, there is wisdom applicable to the family of any returning servicemember from any war. A must read for anyone with a loved one currently serving in a combat zone.
A Must Read for Servicemembers & Families.......2006-11-07
I recieved this book at a reunion/homecoming briefing that was held by the National Guard Unit that my fiance is currently serving with. I read the book in less than a week and found that it had a lot of information I had already known however it was put into a context that made it much easier to understand. I have already suggested it to some people I know who have loved ones serving overseas. Personally, I think this would even help those who have no affiliation with the military as well. I think that it would give them a better understanding of what it is like for our veterans who are now returning and also those who have returned from past wars as well.
Simply stated, this is a great resource and I found the information to be of tremendous value!
Book Description
Powerful Techniques to Relieve Shoulder Pain and Stiffness
Author Clair Davies' own case of frozen shoulder led him to undertake an extensive study of trigger points and referred pain that eventually resulted in his best-selling Trigger Point Therapy Workbook. Now this renowned bodywork expert and educator revisits the subject of frozen shoulder, offering the most detailed and comprehensive manual available for this painful and debilitating condition, a useful resource for self-care—with and without a partner—and for bodywork practitioners looking to expand their treatment repertoire.
Frozen shoulder, the syndrome name for several joint and tendon-related symptoms, is experienced as a loss of motion and pain in the shoulder and upper arm. It is most often observed in women between the ages of forty and sixty and individuals with type-two diabetes. Unlike traditional medical treatments for the condition, which rely on painkillers, steroid injections, and physical therapy and often do little to moderate symptoms or speed recovery, trigger point therapy can bring real and lasting relief. This gentle massage technique targets localized areas of tenderness in soft tissue. Put it to work for you to relieve pain, restore range of motion, and shorten recovery times.
A well-written exposition on a difficult subject. —Daniel J. Wallace, MD, clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Medicine
In this outstanding book, Clair Davies aptly explains the rational for the trigger point approach based on the teachings of Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons to the treatment of frozen shoulder. He presents his hypothesis well. It is time for the medical profession to accept alternative therapies in treating this condition, which does not often respond to routine medical care. —Paul B. Brown, MD, Ph.D., rheumatologist and clinical professor of medicine at the University of Washington
Clair Davies has done it again. He has written a wonderful book that provides insight and practical advice for the treatment of a common problem: frozen or stiff shoulder. He shows where the pain is, what the problems are, and how an individual can treat it, sometimes with the help of a partner. His illustrations and directions are clear. His case examples are helpful. This is a very useful book for those who have had rotator cuff injuries or other shoulder problems. —Robert D. Gerwin, MD, president and medical director of Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine, Baltimore, MD, and the Janet G. Travell, MD, Seminar Series
Mr. Davies has done an outstanding job of tackling and simplifying a difficult topic that challenges even experienced clinicians. His review of the functional anatomy and kinesiology of the shoulder and the central role of the muscles in the control of the shoulder is a welcome review for physicians and therapists. His simple diagrams and descriptions make this topic understandable to those without formal training as well. Most importantly he shows very concrete ways in which a patient or clinician may effectively treat trigger points, which in my view are the primary cause of shoulder pain and stiffness in the majority of cases. I highly recommend this book to patients with shoulder pain and to clinicians involved in the evaluation and treatment of patients with shoulder pain. —Bryan J. O'Neill, MD, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University
From a practical point of view, this is a really exceptional workbook, which could become a best-seller in its field. It is a wonderful overview concerning trigger points, which are the most common cause of frozen shoulder. I can recommend the book to all who are engaged in treating frozen shoulders, including medical doctors, therapists, and patients together with their partners. —Dieter Pongratz, MD, professor in the department of Neurology at the University of Munich Hospital, Friedrich-Baur-Institute, in Munich, Germany
The Frozen Shoulder Workbook is truly a remarkable and comprehensive text that will be indispensable for patients with chronic shoulder pain. Written from a layperson's perspective, it is very readable and well illustrated, but still has plenty of background science and anatomy to satisfy clinicians as well. The book outlines a thorough approach to myofascial pain in the shoulder region and provides multiple treatment strategies to address the clinical variations that are seen. I will highly recommend it to my shoulder pain patients. —Steven R. Shannon, MD, Pain and Rehabilitation Medicine, Baltimore, MD
Customer Reviews:
Book Review.......2007-09-30
The book was not quite what I expected...thought it would be more detailed in actual exercises, however, I applaud Amazons quick shipment as always
Too much information.......2007-09-21
I bought this book to help me treat my frozen shoulder. While the book probably offers some useful information, there's TOO MUCH OF IT. I'm in pain, just tell me what to do . . . to have to read through page after page after page to figure out what is relevant to my condition is overwhelming to me. I wish the author had kept the book, I don't know, more simple.
Excellent source.......2007-08-29
This book is very clearly written and helps one in detail to overcome shoulder and neck pain,
rotator cuff injuries.......2007-08-06
This book gave me another insight of the muscles that we can overlook. I was certainly able to help my clients better with their overall range of motion.
Excellent book...helped me alot.......2007-07-23
I had tried everything to relieve my impossible shoulder pain. The trigger point method must be tried to be appreciated. When it came to the point where regular massage was making me worse instead of better, I went looking for an answer. A friend suggested the trigger point method becuase she got relief from a lifelong problem with her neck. I purchased both books in the hope I could relieve enough pain to be able to have mobility again. This book gave me all the information I needed to help myself feel a whole lot better...as well as compliment my other therapies.I would definately recommend it to anyone who has been unable to deal with muscular pain in a meaningful effective way. Try it, it works.
Customer Reviews:
TOP SECRET.......2005-03-07
At first glance this may seem like any other trading book however I can assure you after much exhaustive computer analysis there is much more here than meets the eye. What many people do not know is that the exact methods which Toby Crabel uses for managing billions of dollars are disclosed within this book. I have in my possession due diligence documents which state his exact trading methodology and markets. I have pursued and collected almost everything that is available on the subject of Toby Crabel and his career. This book deserves a very slow in-depth and at sometimes painful read through over and over and over again! Of course it helps to be a computer guru so that you can make complete sense of all the patterns and become confident in them. Mark Brown www.markbrown.com
Great book in 1990, but not unique anymore.......2004-05-25
Well I bought this book in 1991, when I was just learning about technical trading. The ideas were mostly unique then, or at least had not been published together yet in one volume, from what I know.
The main ideas in the book have to do with expansion and contraction in volatility and moves off the open (Opening Range
Breakouts).
Toby is a successful hedge fund manager, having worked for Victor Niederhoffer before starting his own company. Toby's
returns are good, but his risk management is far better. Toby's funds have grown primarily due to his excellent risk management
skills as opposed to his returns. In layman's terms this means that he hardly ever loses money but he doesn't make much for his clients. This is actually fairly unique and he should be commended for finding this niche in the business.
I should say that I do know both Toby and Victor, although they are just industry acquaintances, not friends, and I have not seen them in a many years.
For young struggling traders, the ideas in this book are available cheaper in other books or on the internet. They are also known as volatility breakout strategies. I suggest you pay not more than $200 for this book. If you can't buy it for less
than that, look elsewhere.
If you are a collector, than feel free to pay up for this
book.
Crabel manages $2 Billion for a reason.......2003-09-04
The book is basically a series of studies on reoccuring patterns in the stock and commodities markets. Crabel found that volatility is mean-reverting in the speculative markets. Just as night follows day, volatile markets follow quiet markets. There are more than a dozen robust volatility patterns evaluated and explained. The only real weakness I can see is that Crabel used point values instead of percentage values. This was a common mistake of professionals back in the early 1990's. You will need to convert these. For example, if the S&P 500 is currently meeting the criteria for one of the low-volatility "set ups" then place a buy stop 2.5 points above the open and a sell stop 2.5 points below the open. If filled set your mechanical stop-loss 1.5 points outside the current days existing range.
Well, 2.5 points was a reasonable move back in 1991 (when the S&P was trading around 400). But 2.5 points is just noise today. To adjust simply divide 2.5 points by what-ever the S&P was trading at back in 1991 to get a percentage. Then multiply this percentage by today's S&P level (around 1000). This will result is something like 6.2 points. Do the same thing for your stop-loss as well.
Crabel's logic was/is sound but the research in the book should have been based on percentage moves. These are what have held reasonably stable over time.
Also, to be successful you will need to be able to track at least 75-100 stocks. Otherwise you will not get enough set-ups to maintain proper diversification. Volatile, liquid stocks obviously work best. A program like Neovest or Radarscreen (Tradestation) will be very helpful.
Unique and Innovative.......2002-06-20
What the readers here say is true. I bought a used copy for about 1100 a few years back and was well worth it. An absolute tour-de-force of ideas and studies that are in use by Toby Crabel himself (he runs a hedge fund). The primary method he uses (ORB) is actually used by the majority of Hedge Funds today. I do reccomend that the reader check other auction sites for better deals.
Presents Unique Ideas Not Seen In Other Books.......1999-08-15
Toby Crabel has written a great book. The patterns he discusses are great for swing trading and day trading. You will learn about narrow range days, inside days, bull hooks, bear hooks and so on. These patterns can easily be translated into most commercial trading software. This is one of the few books I like. Even if you decide not to trade these patterns they can still be helpful in predicting market behavior. Please do not think that Mr.Crabel discusses double tops and double bottoms, head and shoulders and all that other garbage. However, you will find very unique ideas that you probably never considered. I find it very interesting that the least reviewed trading books on this website are often the best ones.
Book Description
At last, the first comprehensive consumer ratings guide to every manufactured home builder and their brands, with at-a-glance up-to-date listings that provide key information home shoppers need to make an informed buying decision.
All 79 U.S. builders evaluated
More than 300 brands and series described. Plus,
An annotated construction rating chart with 56 criteria you can use to evaluate any home—before you buy.
John Grissim's bestselling The Grissim Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land has been hailed as the definitive resource for navigating the tricky waters of the manufactured home marketplace. Now, he has written a companion guide that takes a close critical look at every manufacturer and the brands they build, providing up-to-date, essential information together with authoritative, no-nonsense insights that have made him a respected industry observer and voice for the home-buying consumer.
Each manufacturer's listing includes: • Company background/history • States where sold • Principal market niche/target customer • Retail price range • Who they compete against • Construction rating on a 1-to-10 scale • Brands and series described • Description of a popular model • What distinguishes brand from competition • Number of dealerships • Warranty structure • Availability of in-house financing/insurance • Web site rating and evaluation • Grissim's comments
Exhaustively researched, and containing much information that many manufacturers would prefer you not know, The Grissim Ratings Guide to Manufactured Homes not only tells you who's who in the manufactured home universe—enabling you to compare and evaluate their products—it will help you be informed, empowered and confident as you make the many decisions involved in the purchase of your new home.
Customer Reviews:
Knowledge is power.......2007-05-23
This seems to be an excellent book. The truth will be when I'm ready to buy a home. I feel so much more knowledgable! It's easy to understand and well illustrated.
an "A" for effort.......2007-04-13
we purchased this relatively inexpensive paperback--inexpensive, based on the effort this writer put into research and readable format--and based on the glowing reviews we saw here on amazon. i fully appreciate the need for this kind of book and for the writers best intentions.
however, i'm here as a reader who relied on his construction ratings (the introduction credits the writer for these construction ratings) to buy not one, but three 'homes of merit' manufactured homes. this enabled me to see that despite receiving a healthy construction rating (7) in the price range, the manufacturer wasn't able to sustain a consistent product in a) the plant where carpeting was laid crookedly in one home, and quality of kitchen counters were not matched from one home to the next, the refrigerators were not the same cubic foot size or manufacturer, leaving the impression they picked them up at a discount house, b) the placement of the homes on the property (one cannot be matched at the top where the two halves come together), c) the subcontractors who install air conditioners (with tubing reversed in one home so that exhaust was expelled into the home)--this after delivering the a.c./heat pumps much later than contracted for--awkward when renters are also contracted to move in. even more awkward when the steps are not delivered or built, and the keys either don't work or are interchangeable from home to home--all of these occurred.
this is only the beginning of a long list of things that are not rectified by a manufacturer who knew it was our intention to purchase more homes. so while i commend grissim for his efforts to catalog the myriad considerations in buying a manufactured home, based on my own experience, i have to say the construction ratings for homes of merit are optimistic, to say the least. let the buyer beware.
Must Read Book for Anyone Buying Mfg Housing.......2007-02-16
This book has excellent (and recent) information regarding all manufactured housing builders in United States and is exceedingly helpful by rating the builders as to how they construct their product. The history of each company also clears up a lot of the confusion in knowing what brand belongs with what builder. It even gives information about which model names are high end/mid/low range within each builders line of models. The helpful information about which options should be upgraded according to financial ability helps buyer have an idea what to consider when ordering their new home.
Good source to compare MH manufacturers.......2006-08-23
Excellent book for comparing different brands/manufactureres of New Mobile Homes. I've found it very useful while searching for a used home to buy. I would like to see something like this for older models and obsolete brands but this one goes a long way. I now know which manufacturers sell in my state, What their typical prices are, How well they are constructed on a scale of 1 to 10. It does not break the value down to specific models but there is a chart i can compare with what ever home I'm looking at to see how it compares with the others.
If I had found this book at the library I would go out and buy my own copy.
If You're Looking for a New Home, Read This book!.......2006-04-28
If you have any questions or doubts about buying a manufactured home, buy this book! I thought I had done exhaustive research (well, I had!) on manufactured housing, but this book is an excellent and necessary tool to use during the process. During a meeting with a dealer, I used the Guide as a reference and the dealer finally asked me if he could see it. He flipped through a few pages and then wrote down the author's name and the title and asked me where I bought it! After reading the Guide, I visited two dealers in New Mexico that I originally passed by and I am seriously considering the product of one. And, trust me, I am so well informed now by reading and studying this Guide and it's companion book, The Complete Buyer's Guide to Manufactured Homes and Land, that no dealer will ever think I'm a dumb broad they can take advantage of! Thank you, John, for writing these books.
Customer Reviews:
Stunning black and white masterpiece.......1999-05-22
Published in 1979, Yosemite and the Range of Light is 116 impressive prints demonstrating the mastery of Ansel Adams. The book contains poster classics like "Clearing Winter Storm, Yosemite Valley, 1944, Moon and Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, 1960, and Winter Sunrise, Sierra Nevada, from Lone Pine, 1944." Non students of Mr. Adams will discover many "unseen" photographs that are beautiful in their own right but did not have the mass-market appeal of his classics. Too valuable to be a coffee table book, this collection is the archetype for fine art books. My copy is a family treasure.
Customer Reviews:
Invaluable.......2000-10-30
I got an earlier edition of this book in Physical Therapy school and it was invaluable in teaching the finer points of goniometry. I constantly used it as a source of information, until I became comfortable with measuring joint range of motion. Since I am now working in the inpatient arena, I mostly repeatedly measure knees, but refer back to it when I need to brush up on another joint. It has clear pictures and overall is a great reference book for anyone who has to evaluate joint ranges of motion.
Book Description
Based on the most recent scientific, demographic and financial data available, "Beef Production and Management Decisions, Fifth Edition" examines the biological, ecological, financial, and marketing issues impacting the beef industry today. Harnessing the authors' industry and academic experience, the book explores the demographics, structure, challenges and segments of the industry from a balanced point of view. A must for any professional library, this paperback edition includes concepts of beef quality assurance and devotes chapters to the management of information, the traditions of the business and the future of the industry.
Systems philosophy that looks at the biological, ecological, financial and marketing issues impacting the industry. Discusses each segment of the production and processing chain from a management/decision-making perspective. Identifies the significant biological and economic principles that contribute to the profitable and sustainable production of beef cattle. Written by a leading researcher and consultant in the field.
This book provides a well of resource and reference material intended for the industry professionals and affiliated professional managers with a detailed evaluation of the demographics, structure, challenges, and segments of the beef industry.
Customer Reviews:
Rancher rates it the best.......2007-03-08
I have been a cattle rancher for over 30 years and this is the best reference book I have ever found to help me in my operations.
A GREAT up-to-date text for students or aspiring ranchers!.......2003-12-30
If you are considering cattle ranching or producing beef in a feedlot this book will be invaluable to you or your students.
I found the inclusion of general management advice to be especially valuable.
The data provided to analyze the income potential of various types of production considerations also is appreciated.
If you can buy only one book regarding beef production, buy BEEF PRODUCTION AND MANAGEMENT DECISIONS. If you can afford a second book, purchase STOREY'S GUIDE TO RAISING BEEF CATTLE.
Amazon.com
With the very first sentence of the first story in this remarkable collection, Annie Proulx demonstrates what makes her great: images sharp as paper cuts conveyed in language so imaginative and compressed it's just this side of poetry; a sense of character so specific it takes only a sentence to establish a whole life; and the underlying promise of something utterly unexpected waiting just up ahead.
In the long unfurling of his life, from tight-wound kid hustler in a wool suit riding the train out of Cheyenne to geriatric limper in this spooled-out year, Mero had kicked down thoughts of the place where he began, a so-called ranch on strange ground at the south hinge of the Big Horns.
"The Half-Skinned Steer" chronicles elderly Mero Corn's journey back to Wyoming for his brother's funeral. As he drives west, details of his eventful trip are interspersed with recollections of his youth on the ranch--most notably a tall tale he heard told long ago about a sad-sack rancher named Tin Head and a butchered steer. This is vintage Proulx, a combination of isolated landscapes, macabre events, and damaged people that adds up, in the end, to a near-perfect story. It's no surprise that "The Half-Skinned Steer" made it into John Updike's Best American Short Stories of the Century.
Proulx achieves similar results with many of the other stories in Close Range, including another prizewinner, "Brokeback Mountain," the bittersweet story of doomed love between two cowboys who "can't hardly be decent together," yet know "if we do that in the wrong place we'll be dead." But Proulx is careful to add some leavening to the mix. In "The Blood Bay" she indulges her taste for the gruesome with a morbidly amusing retelling of an Old West shaggy-dog story, while "Pair a Spurs" is the sad-funny rendering of divorce, Wyoming style. The author is a true original in every sense of the word, and her evocation of the West is as singular and surprising as that of Cormac McCarthy or Ivan Doig. Close Range is Proulx at her best. --Alix Wilber
Amazon.com Audiobook Review
Pulitzer Prize-winner E. Annie Proulx forays through the underside of America's beloved Wild West in Close Range, a collection of stories about hardship and more hardship in Wyoming territory. Understanding that the West's infinite spaces tended to inspire neither introspection nor contemplation, but a violent and insatiable restlessness, Proulx's eight stories are dark reflections on the lives of a handful of characters striving to define themselves against the unforgiving landscapes. The three professional actors chosen to read the text give strong, resounding interpretations of the macabre tales. (Running time: 6 hours, 4 cassettes) --Natasha Senjanovich
Book Description
From the Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling author of The Shipping News and Accordion Crimes comes one of the most celebrated short-story collections of our time.
Annie Proulx's masterful language and fierce love of Wyoming are evident in these breathtaking tales of loneliness, quick violence, and the wrong kinds of love. Each of the stunning portraits in Close Range reveals characters fiercely wrought with precision and grace.
These are stories of desperation and unlikely elation, set in a landscape both stark and magnificent -- by an author writing at the peak of her craft.
Customer Reviews:
I really like Proulx's prose.......2007-10-02
I took this book and Into the Wild by Krakauer with me on a 3 day backpacking trip in the mountains. Read Proulx.
Proulx's prose is a great engine with horses to spare!.......2007-08-25
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for The Shipping News and known for vigorous mercurial prose, Annie Proulx takes readers on a journey of speed and destiny in Close Range. Her ability to uncover and dissipate the dead waters of American culture, providing a rich love of character and story in the process, is replete with momentum and artistry. Her stories burn like bonfires in the darkness of a vast literary plain.
'Brokeback Mountain' and then some.......2007-08-13
Annie Proulx supplies interesting subjectivity in extreme and/or interesting environments. Initially reader response to her work was favorable. Recently critical response seem to have fallen, (every interesting new writer cannot remain a new writer forever), but encountering this collection the reader is struck immediately by the liveliness of the writing. One knows that the anticipated enjoyment will pan out.
Does a son go to a bullriding school in California just to spite his mother? She feels that, with all of her hard work of raising him, betrayed. Two years later Diamond sits with his younger brother at the kitchen table. He tells his younger brother rodeo is like a magic show.
A man works on the range near Laramie. He saves. Next he sends for his family. He stakes a homestead claim. The Tinsleys are less lucky than the Dunmires. There is some terrible misery in store for the Tinsleys.
Aladdin has three children. One, an overweight girl, stays home and works on the ranch. She thinks the tractor is speaking. She marries the son of the cattle dealer. Aladdin crashes his new plane.
Someone asserts that half of the hands in Wyoming are women. Bison, it seems, are half the trouble of cattle. Later the lands are sold. It is supposed to revert to the state of nature. Someone runs a lodge for Japanese tourists.
'Brokeback Mountain' is in this collection. Ennis and Jack have signed up with Farm and Ranch Employment. They are herder and camp tender near Signal. The summer range is National Forest land on Brokeback Mountain. Yes, indeed, the story has cinematic features.
Proulx is unique.
Home On the Range.......2007-07-05
You have to hand it to Larry McMurtry for having seen the potential in this little story which did nothing for me when I read it. It goes to show that reading itself is a talent, not to mention writing. I found this a rather thin read, never anticipating its extraordinary visual or dramatic possibilities. It is a text book case of the art of adaptation. Proulx has expressed her satisfaction with the film version, saying that she felt that it had been translated unchanged to the screen with just a few minor changes. The film, of course, is gorgeous. Here I found the prose as thin as that mid-western air. Still, McMurtry saw it all, bought the rights, and the rest is history.
Proulx has a way with Words.......2007-05-06
I found Proulx's interpretation of Wyoming ranching life as harsh, grim, stark, disturbing. It's as if Wyoming was left to nature alone - not much influence from "civilization." Her writing is in a word: FLAWLESS. She is one of those folks who can offer a man's whole life story in a sentence or two - with out really missing anything. Truly a gifted writer. I love her style, though the stories were often heartbreaking and grey. In fact, I could not picture any of the stories in color - they were all shades of sepia and grey. On an odd note, Proulx really is a funny one about characters' monikers. A super quick read, but lasting characters.
Book Description
In America’s battle against al-Qaeda and their allies, the goal of the Navy SEALs is to be the best guns in the fight—stealthy, effective, professional, and lethal. Here for the first time is a SEAL insider’s battle history of these Special Operations warriors in the war on terrorism.
“Down range” is what SEALs in Afghanistan and Iraq call their area of operations. In this new mode of warfare, “down range” can refer to anything from tracking roving bands of al-Qaeda on a remote mountain trail in Afghanistan to taking down an armed compound in Tikrit and rousting holdouts from Saddam Hussein’s regime. It could mean interdicting insurgents smuggling car-bomb explosives over the Iraqi-Syrian border or silently boarding a freighter on the high seas at night to enforce an embargo. In other words, “down range” could be anywhere, anytime, under any conditions.
In Down Range, author Dick Couch, himself a former Navy SEAL and CIA case officer, uses his unprecedented access to bring the reader firsthand accounts from the warriors in combat during key missions in Afghanistan and Iraq. Couch creates a pulse-pounding, detailed narrative of the definitive engagements of this war, while painting an unusually intimate portrait of these warriors in the field. The performance of the SEALs in difficult, changing environments—in the heat of the Afghan desert, in the snow-packed Hindu Kush, on the high seas, and in the urban chaos of Baghdad—has been nothing short of extraordinary. The SEALs, coordinating with other American forces, the CIA, and foreign special operations units like the Polish GROM, have once more shown their genius for improvisation and capacity for courageous action in leading the fight against this new and vicious enemy.
The first battle history of its kind, Down Range is a riveting close-up of some of America’s finest warriors in action against a deadly foe.
Also available as an eBook
Customer Reviews:
Not up to snuff.......2007-08-07
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Warrior Elite" and everything I enjoyed about that book was gone from this one. Dick Couch did a good job of making the trainees of BUD/S Class 228 personable, but "Down Range" is a very dry read. It might be due to increased security concerns and classified operational details, but I did not enjoy this book as much.
the filler thriller.......2007-06-21
Well, I picked up this book because I thought, "Sweet. SEALs, middle east, covert ops, what's not to love??" Well the book was more like a documentary or briefing most of the time. It focuses far too much on the development of a SEAL and their organization. If I wanted to read about that, I would've picked up a book about the making of a Navy SEAL. I was disappointed. The story really only had a few exciting parts and those tended to come towards the end of the book. Let's put it this way, he spends around ten pages telling what should've been an exciting mission aboard a ship, only to tell us that the men on board were not dumb enough to carry weapons. Hmph. If you are looking for enemy contact, look elsewhere.
Decent primer for casual military reader.......2007-05-19
Like some of the other reviewers here have commented, based on the background of the author and the notes on the book's cover, I was expecting a much more exciting read. The reality, however, is that Couch hides behind the excuse of "classified details" for most of this work. The early pages are all extremely redundant if you have ever read anything at all about the SEALs; there is nothing new there. And much of the mission details are very sparse and vague. I do "get" that the very nature of the work these men do requires secrecy, but I always feel a little taken when a book promises to divulge some of this information and then ultimately fails to do so. Couch hints more than once at a seething tension between the different service branches by taking every opportunity to make sure many pats on the back are handed out all around. It starts to feel very plastic and forced after a while. Overall I would not recommend this book to anyone who has done much reading in this genre. Frankly it's just boring, light on operational nitty-gritty, and way too easy to read. It took me about 4 hours to read cover to cover, and for $15 for the paperback I feel a little ripped-off. It's an okay way to get an overview for what these incredible men do for our country, but a waste of time for anyone who has a few books under their belt. I won't be reading any of Couch's other works based on this piece.
Depends on what your read first..........2007-05-18
If this is the first Dick Couch book read, it's a good one. Other people have commented that it seemed fluffy and not authentic (leaving out the bungling of bureaucrats and the inter-service rankling). I see that differently, I appreciate the way Couch focuses on the positive. There's no denying that those things happen but when you read Down Range, you get the best of who "we" are in this elite arm of the military. If you have read Warrior Elite or other Couch books, you will see plenty of overlapping detail. Bottom line: this is a good book by an author I really like, but not his best.
A good book, but not great..........2007-02-14
Down Range reads like a Pentagon de-brief, with little action. Couch, a former SEAL with extensive street cred (mainly Viet Nam) is a terrific writer and even gives over-due credit to the Air Force Combat Controllers, who are often overshadowed by SEALs and Green Berets. This book is detailed, but with the wrong details. I'd much rather read about the men on the tip of the spear, the real war fighters with guns in the fight, than the brass back at HQ calling the shots. Problem is, many of the brass are Couch's personal friends or former students.
The Warrior Elite is a great book, this is just good.
Books:
- Guinness World Records 2007 (Guinness World Records)
- Hebrew in 10 Minutes a Day® (10 Minutes a Day)
- Hidden Children
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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