Technology, Engineering & Agriculture Books

Book SynopsisHumans have always been fascinated by marine life, from extremely small diatoms to the largest mammal that inhabits our planet, the blue whale.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:“Provides a comprehensive overview of the bioacoustics of marine life. It is targeted for bioacousticians, and is intended to focus on areas of knowledge that they should master. … This book achieves its objective of providing that knowledge base. It also is a valuable information source for engineers and scientists with a background in acoustics, and who are interested in gaining insights into the bioacoustics of marine life. … a valuable information source on marine bioacoustics and is recommended.” (Martin L. Pollack, Noise Control Engineering Journal, Vol. 58 (6), November-December, 2010)“The book incorporates detailed qualitative and quantitative information and analysis of the sounds produced by marine life with a particular emphasis on marine mammals. … the book contains a vast amount of useful information supported by extensive experimental evidence. … The descriptions of experimental design, measurement, and analysis techniques make this a good starting point for someone planning further experiments in this domain. … I recommend this book to anyone searching for knowledge of marine bioacoustics.” (Adrian Brown, International Journal of Acoustics and Vibration, Vol. 16 (2), 2011)Table of ContentsPrinciples and Methodology.- Measurement and Generation of Underwater Sounds.- Transducer Properties and Utilization.- Acoustic Propagation.- Signal Recording and Data Acquisition.- Fourier Analysis.- Auditory Systems of Marine Animals.- Experimental Psychological and Electrophysiological Methodology.- Acoustics of Marine Animals.- Hearing in Marine Animals.- Emission of Social Sounds by Marine Animals.- Echolocation in Marine Mammals.- Some Signal Processing Techniques.- Some Instrumentation for Marine Bioacoustics Research.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is an evolution from my book A First Course in Information Theory published in 2002 when network coding was still at its infancy.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "This book could serve as a reference in the general area of information theory and would be of interest to electrical engineers, computer engineers, or computer scientists with an interest in information theory. Each chapter has an appropriate problem set at the end and a brief paragraph that provides insight into the historical significance of the material covered therein. … Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduate through professional collections." (J. Beidler, Choice, Vol. 46 (9), May, 2009) "The book consisting of 21 chapters is divided into two parts. Part I, Components of Information Theory … . Part II Fundamentals of Network Coding … . A comprehensive instructor’s manual is available. This is a well planned comprehensive book on the subject. The writing style of the author is quite reader friendly. … it is a welcome addition to the subject and will be very useful to students as well as to the researchers in the field." (Arjun K. Gupta, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1154, 2009)Table of ContentsThe Science of Information.- The Science of Information.- Fundamentals of Network Coding.- Information Measures.- Information Measures.- Zero-Error Data Compression.- Weak Typicality.- Strong Typicality.- Discrete Memoryless Channels.- Rate-Distortion Theory.- The Blahut–Arimoto Algorithms.- Differential Entropy.- Continuous-Valued Channels.- Markov Structures.- Information Inequalities.- Shannon-Type Inequalities.- Beyond Shannon-Type Inequalities.- Entropy and Groups.- Fundamentals of Network Coding.- The Max-Flow Bound.- Single-Source Linear Network Coding: Acyclic Networks.- Single-Source Linear Network Coding: Cyclic Networks.- Multi-source Network Coding.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresent State of Electron Backscatter Diffraction and Prospective Developments.- Dynamical Simulation of Electron Backscatter Diffraction Patterns.- Representations of Texture.- Energy Filtering in EBSD.- Spherical Kikuchi Maps and Other Rarities.- Application of Electron Backscatter Diffraction to Phase Identification.- Phase Identification Through Symmetry Determination in EBSD Patterns.- Three-Dimensional Orientation Microscopy by Serial Sectioning and EBSD-Based Orientation Mapping in a FIB-SEM.- Collection, Processing, and Analysis of Three-Dimensional EBSD Data Sets.- 3D Reconstruction of Digital Microstructures.- Direct 3D Simulation of Plastic Flow from EBSD Data.- First-Order Microstructure Sensitive Design Based on Volume Fractions and Elementary Bounds.- Second-Order Microstructure Sensitive Design Using 2-Point Spatial Correlations.- Combinatorial Materials Science and EBSD: A High Throughput Experimentation Tool.- Grain Boundary Networks.- Measurement of the Five-ParameterTable of ContentsList of Contributors. 1. The Development of Automated Diffraction in Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy; D.J. Dingley. 2. Theoretical Framework for Electron Backscatter Diffraction; V. Randle. 3. Representation of Texture in Orientation Space; K. Rajan. 4. Rodriques-Frank Representations of Crystallographic Texture; K. Rajan. 5. Fundamentals of Automated EBSD; S.I. Wright. 6. Studies on the Accuracy of Electron Backscatter Diffraction Measurements; M.C. Demirel, B.S. El-Dasher, B.L. Adams, A.D. Rollett. 7. Phase Identification Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction in the Scanning Electron Microscope; J.R. Michael. 8. Three-Dimensional Orientation Imaging; D.J. Jensen. 9. Automated Electron Backscatter Diffraction: Present State and Prospects; R.A. Schwarzer. 10. EBSD: Buying a Systems; A. Eades. 11. Hardware and Software Optimization for Orientation Mapping and Phase Identification; P.P. Camus. 12. An Automated EBSD Acquisition and Processing System; P. Rolland, K.G. Dicks. 13. Advanced Software Capabilities for Automated EBSD; S.I. Wright, D.P. Field, D.J. Dingley. 14. Strategies for Analysis of EBSD Datasets; W.E. King, J.S. Stölken, M. Kumar, A.J. Schwartz. 15. Structure-Property Relations: EBSD-Based Materials-Sensitive Design; B.L. Adams, B.L. Henrie, L.L. Howell, R.J. Balling. 16. Use of EBSD Data in Mesoscale Numerical Analyses; R. Becker, H. Weiland. 17. Characterization of Deformed Microstructures; D.P. Field, H. Weiland. 18. AnisotropicPlasticity Modeling Incorporating EBSD Characterization of Tantalum and Zirconium; J.F. Bingert, G.C. Kaschner, T.A. Mason, P.J. Maudlin, G.T. Gray III. 19. Measuring Strains Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction; A.J. Wilkinson. 20. Mapping Residual Plastic Strain in Materials Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction; E.M. Lehockey, Yang-Pi Lin, O.E. Lepik. 21.EBSD Contra TEM Characterization of a Deformed Aluminum Single Crystal; Xiaoxu Huang, D.J. Jensen. 22. Continuous Recrystallization and Grain Boundaries in a Superplastic Aluminum Alloy; T.R. McNelley. 23. Analysis of Facets and Other Surfaces Using Electron Backscatter Diffraction; V. Randle. 24. EBSD of Ceramic Materials; J.K. Farrer, J.R. Michael, C.B. Carter. 25. Grain Boundary Character Based Design of Polycrystalline High Temperature Superconducting Wires; A. Goyal. Index.

Read more less

Book Synopsis1. Into Quantumland; 2. The Heisenberg Bank; 3. The Mechanic's Institute; 4. The Copenhagen School; 5. The Fermi-Bose Academy; 6. Virtual Reality; 7. Atoms in the Void; 8. Castle Rutherford; 9. The Particle MASSquerade; 10. The Experimental Physics Phun PhairTable of Contents1. Into Quantumland; 2. The Heisenberg Bank; 3. The Mechanic's Institute; 4. The Copenhagen School; 5. The Fermi-Bose Academy; 6. Virtual Reality; 7. Atoms in the Void; 8. Castle Rutherford; 9. The Particle MASSquerade; 10. The Experimental Physics Phun Phair

Read more less

Book SynopsisExamples.- A Model for Longitudinal Data.- Exploratory Data Analysis.- Estimation of the Marginal Model.- Inference for the Marginal Model.- Inference for the Random Effects.- Fitting Linear Mixed Models with SAS.- General Guidelines for Model Building.- Exploring Serial Correlation.- Local Influence for the Linear Mixed Model.- The Heterogeneity Model.- Conditional Linear Mixed Models.- Exploring Incomplete Data.- Joint Modeling of Measurements and Missingness.- Simple Missing Data Methods.- Selection Models.- Pattern-Mixture Models.- Sensitivity Analysis for Selection Models.- Sensitivity Analysis for Pattern-Mixture Models.- How Ignorable Is Missing At Random ?.- The Expectation-Maximization Algorithm.- Design Considerations.- Case Studies.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: MATHEMATICAL REVIEWS "This book emphasizes practice rather than mathematical rigor and the majority of the chapters are explanatory rather than research oriented. In this respect, guidance and advice on practical issues are the main focus of the text. Hence it will be of interest to applied statisticians and biomedical researchers in industry, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, medical public health organizations, contract research organizations, and academia." "This book provides a comprehensive treatment of linear mixed models for continuous longitudinal data. Over 125 illustrations are included in the book. … I do believe that the book may serve as a useful reference to a broader audience. Since practical examples are provided as well as discussion of the leading software utilization, it may also be appropriate as a textbook in an advanced undergraduate-level or a graduate-level course in an applied statistics program." (Ana Ivelisse Avil és, Technometrics, Vol. 43 (3), 2001) "A practical book with a great many examples, including worked computer code and access to the datasets. … The authors state that the book covers ‘linear mixed models for continuous outcomes’ … . The book has four main strengths: its practical bent, its emphasis on exploratory analysis, its description of tools for model checking, and its treatment of dropout and missingness … . my impression of the book was … positive. Its strong practical nature and emphasis on dropout modelling are particularly welcome … ." (Harry Southworth, ISCB Newsletter, June, 2002) "This book is devoted to linear mixed-effects models with strong emphasis on the SAS procedure. Guidance and advice on practical issues are the main focus of the text. … It is of value to applied statisticians and biomedical researchers. … I recommend this book as a reference to applied statisticians and biomedical researchers, particularly in the pharmaceutical industry, medical and public organizations." (Wang Songgui, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 956, 2001)Table of ContentsIntroduction * Examples * A model for Longitudinal Data * Exploratory Data Analysis * Estimation of the Marginal Model * Inference for the Marginal Model * Inference for the Random Effects * Fitting Linear Mixed Models with SAS * General Guidelines for Model Building * Exploring Serial Correlation * Local Influence for the Linear Mixed Model * The Heterogeneity Model * Conditional Linear Mixed Models * Exploring Incomplete Data * Joint Modeling of Measurements and Missingness * Simple Missing Data Methods * Selection Models * Pattern-Mixture Models * Sensitivity Analysis for Selection Models * Sensitivity Analysis for Models * How Ignorable is Missing at Random? * The Expectation-Maximization Algorithm * Design Considerations * Case Studies

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the reviews: "… The notes and problems at the end of each chapter are very helpful. […] In the final analysis, the book is definitely worth owning. […] It is an extremely well written – but unusual – book that I highly recommend for all physicists." The Physics TeacherTrade ReviewFrom the reviews:"… The notes and problems at the end of each chapter are very helpful. There are many quotable passages … In the final analysis, the book is definitely worth owning … It is an extremely well written – but unusual – book that I highly recommend for all physicists." The Physics Teacher FROM THE REVIEWS:ELECTRONIC DESIGN NEWS"Even though this 296-page textbook targets sophomore EE students, it has a place in the libraries of experienced Electrical Engineers. It does a good job not only of teaching the underlying theory of radio, but also of entertaining readers.”CHOICE MAGAZINE”Intended as a companion for students familiar with college physics and calculus and studying electrical engineering using AM radio theory, Nahin’s work takes a unique teaching approach. The 21 chapters are divided into four sections, sprinkled with humorous cartoons to pique reader interest…The work contains many fascinating ideas…Upper-division undergraduate; faculty; professional.”THE PHYSICS TEACHER"The book is unorthodox in many ways, from its presentation of the sophisticated mathematics of radio within the general chronology of the discovery and advance of radio art and technology to the inclusion of problems at the end of the appendices (I’m not certain I’ve ever seen that before!)…He never talks down to the reader (an elegant vocabulary is used) and seldom will a reader be bored. The notes and problems at the end of each chapter are very helpful. There are many quotable passages…In the final analysis, the book is definitely worth owning…It is an extremely well written – but unusual – book that I highly recommend for all physicists.”Table of ContentsWhat's new in the second edition. A Note to Professors. Prologue. 1. Solution to an Old Problem. 2. Pre-Radio History of Radio Waves. 3. Antenna as Launchers and Interceptors of Electromagnetic Waves. 4. Early Radio. 5. Receiving Spark Transmitter Signals. 6. Mathematics of AM Sidebands. 7. First Continuous Waves and Heterodyne Concept. 8. Birth of Electronics. 9. Fourier Series and Their Physical Meaning. 10. Convergence in Energy of the Fourier Series. 11. Radio Spectrum of a Spark-Gap Transmitter. 12. Fourier Integral Theorem, and the Continuous Spectrum of a Non-Periodic Time Signal. 13. Physical Meaning of the Fourier Transform. 14. Impulse 'Functions in Time and Frequency. 15. Convolution Theorem, Frequency Shifts, and Causal Time Signals. 16. Multiplying by Squaring and Filtering. 17. Squaring and Multiplying with Matched Nonlinearities. 18. Multiplying by 'Sampling and Filtering'. 19 Synchronous Demodulation and Its Problems. 20. Analytic Signals and Single-Sideband Radio. 21 Denoument. Epilogue. Technical Appendices: Complex Exponentials. Linear Time-Invariant Systems. Two-Terminal Components, Kirchoff's Circuit Laws, etc. Thevenin's and Norton's Theorems. Resonance in Electrical Circuits. Differential and Operational Amplifiers. Order of Integration and Differentiating an Integral. Fourier Theorem. Hilbert Integral Transform. Table of Fourier Transforms. Last Words. Indexes

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntended as a companion for textbooks in mathematical methods for science and engineering, this book presents a large number of numerical topics and exercises together with discussions of methods for solving such problems using Mathematica(R).Trade ReviewFrom the reviews:"From a stylistic perspective the book strikes a comfortable balance between explanation and example which makes it easy to dip into and attractive to work through. For the eager reader there is always the promise of an interesting result after half an hour of labour. … The target audience of this book is likely to be a Physics undergraduate finishing his or her first year of study." (Dr. E. J. Grace, Contemporary Physics, Vol. 45 (2), 2004)"Initially this book has been designed as a companion to the undergraduate textbook ‘Mathematical methods’ … and later on developed into a self-contained introduction to the use of computer algebra system (CAS) Mathematica tailored specifically for undergraduate students in physics and related fields. … The book is written in a transparent manner and does not require any prior knowledge of physics for mastering computational techniques. … thanks to a massive array of carefully selected and nicely explained examples from undergraduate physics." (Yuri V. Rogovchenko, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1028, 2004)"This book is intended to be a companion for textbooks in mathematical methods for undergraduate science and engineering students. It presents a number of numerical topics and exercises together with discussions of methods needed for solving problems with Mathematica. … In conclusion, this very well produced and illustrated book is heartily recommended … ." (André Hautot, Gary J. Long, Physicalia, Vol. 26 (1), 2004)Table of ContentsMathematica in a Nutshell / Vectors and Matrices in Mathematica / Integration / Infinite Series and Finite Sums / Numerical Solutions of ODE's: Theory / Numerical Solutions of ODE's: Examples Using Mathematica

Read more less

Book SynopsisIntended for advanced undergraduates and beginning graduate students, this text is based on the highly successful course given by Walter Greiner at the University of Frankfurt, Germany.Trade ReviewFrom the reviews: "What makes Greiner’s volumes of particular value to the student and professor alike is their completeness … Moreover, Greiner greatly increases the value of his presentation by including something like one hundred completely worked examples in each volume. Nothing is of greater importance to the student than seeing, in detail, how the theoretical concepts and tools under study are applied to actual problems of interest to working physicists … Greiner’s lectures … are internationally noted for their clarity, for their completeness, and for the effort that he has devoted to making physics an integral whole. His enthusiasm for his sciences is contagious and shines through almost every page." D. Allan Bromley, Yale University "This softcover publication … is based on the author’s courses at the J. W. Goethe University in Frankfurt. … Although the textbook, by its remarkable completeness, seems to be intended for advanced students and aims to be a reference book for graduate students and teachers, it is sufficiently understandable and extensive to be used by beginners as a first introduction to theoretical physics. It does not only provide a survey of classical theoretical mechanics, but also a respectable amount of examples and problems … ." (Georges Kohnen, Physicalia, Vol. 57 (3), 2005) "This volume of lectures … deals with the first and more elementary part of the important field of classical mechanics. The subject is presented in a manner that is both interesting to the student and easily accessible. The main text is therefore accompanied by many exercises and examples that have been worked out in great detail. This should make the book useful also for students wishing to study the subject on their own. … A worthwhile purchase for graduate students in physics … ." (Current Engineering Practice – online, Vol. 47, 2004)Table of ContentsContents Foreword Preface I VECTOR CALCULUS 1 Introduction and Basic Definitions 2 The Scalar Product 3 Component Representation of a Vector 4 The Vector Product (Axial Vector) 5 The Triple Scalar Product 6 Application of Vector Calculus Application in mathematics: Application in physics: 7 Differentiation and Integration of Vectors 8 The Moving Trihedral (Accompanying Dreibein)-the Frenet Formulas Examples on Frenet's formulas: 9 Surfaces in Space 10 Coordinate Frames 11 Vector Differential Operations The operations gradient, divergence, and curl (rotation) Differential operators in arbitrary general (curvilinear) coordinates 12 Determination of Line Integrals 13 The Integral Laws of Gauss and Stokes Gauss Law: The Gauss theorem: Geometric interpretation of the Gauss theorem: Stokes law: 14 Calculation of Surface Integrals 15 Volume (Space) Integrals II NEWTONIAN MECHANICS 16 Newton's Axioms 17 Basic Concepts of Mechanics Inertial systems Measurement of masses Work Kinetic energy Conservative forces Potential Energy law Equivalence of impulse of force and momentum change Angular momentum and torque Conservation law of angular momentum Law of conservation of the linear momentum Summary The law of areas Conservation of orientation 18 The General Linear Motion 19 The Free Fall Vertical throw Inclined throw 20 Friction Friction phenomena in a viscous medium Motion in a viscous medium with Newtonian friction Generalized ansatz for friction: 21 The Harmonic Oscillator 22 Mathematical Interlude-Series Expansion, Euler's Formulas 23 The Damped Harmonic Oscillator 24 The Pendulum 25 Mathematical Interlude: Differential Equations 26 Planetary Motions 27 Special Problems in Central Fields The gravitational field of extended bodies The attractive force of a spherical mass shell The gravitational potential of a spherical shell covered with mass Stability of circular orbits 28 The Earth and our Solar System General notions of astronomy Determination of astronomic quantities Properties, position, and evolution of the solar system World views On the evolution of the universe Dark Matter What is the nature of the dark matter? III THEORY OF RELATIVITY 29 Relativity Principle and Michelson-Morley Experiment The Michelson-Morley experiment 30 The Lorentz Transformation Rotation of a three-dimensional coordinate frame The Minkowski space Group property of the Lorentz transformation 31 Properties of the Lorentz transformation Time dilatation Lorentz-Fitzgerald length contraction Note on the invisibility of the Lorentz-Fitzgerald length contraction The visible appearance of quickly moving bodies Optical appearance of a quickly moving cube Optical appearance of bodies moving with almost the speed of light Light intensity distribution of a moving isotropic emitter Doppler shift of quickly moving bodies Relativistic space-time structure-space-time events Relativistic past, present, future The causality principle The Lorentz transformation in the two-dimensional subspace of the Minkowski space 32 Addition Theorem of the Velocities Supervelocity of light, phase, and group velocity 33 The Basic Quantities of Mechanics in Minkowski Space Lorentz scalars Four-velocity in Minkowski space Momentum in Minkowski space Minkowski force (four-force) Kinetic energy The Tachyon hypothesis Derivation of the energy law in the Minkowski space The fourth momentum component Conservation of momentum and energy for a free particle Relativistic energy for free particles Examples on the equivalence of mass and energy 34 Applications of th

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis volume deals with controllability and observability properties of nonlinear systems, as well as various ways to obtain input-output representations. The emphasis is on fundamental notions as (controlled) invariant distributions and submanifolds, together with algorithms to compute the required feedbacks. Table of Contents1 Introduction.- 2 Manifolds, Vectorfields, Lie Brackets, Distributions.- 3 Controllability and Observability, Local Decompositions.- 4 Input-Output Representations.- 5 State Space Transformation and Feedback.- 6 Feedback Linearization of Nonlinear Systems.- 7 Controlled Invariant Distribution and the Disturbance Decoupling Problem.- 8 The Input-Output Decoupling Problem.- 9 The Input-Output Decoupling Problem.- 10 Local Stability and Stabilization of Nonlinear Systems.- 11 Controlled Invariant Submanifolds and Nonlinear Zero Dynamics.- 12 Mechanical Nonlinear Control Systems.- 13 Controlled Invariance and Decoupling for General Nonlinear Systems.- 14 Discrete-Time Nonlinear Control Systems.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is the result of our teaching over the years an undergraduate course on Linear Optimal Systems to applied mathematicians and a first-year graduate course on Linear Systems to engineers.Table of Contents1 Introduction.- 1.1 Science and Engineering.- 1.2 Physical Systems, Models, and Representations.- 1.3 Robustness.- 2 The System RepresentationR(•) = [A(•),B(•),C(•),D(•)].- 2.1 Fundamental Properties ofR(•).- 2.1.1 Definitions.- 2.1.2 Structure ofR(•).- 2.1.3 State Transition Matrix.- 2.1.4 State Transition Map and Response Map.- 2.1.5 Impulse Response Matrix.- 2.1.6 Adjoint Equations.- 2.1.7 Linear-Quadratic Optimization.- 2.2 Applications.- 2.2.1 Variational Equation.- 2.2.2 Control Correction Example.- 2.2.3 Optimization Example.- 2.2.4 Periodically Varying Differential Equations.- 2d The Discrete-Time System RepresentationRd(•) = [A(•),B(•),C(•),D(•)].- 2d.1 Fundamental Properties ofRd(•).- 2d.2 Application: Periodically Varying Recursion Equations.- 3 The System RepresentationR= [A,B,C,D], Part I.- 3.1 Preliminaries.- 3.2 General Properties ofR= [A,B,C,D].- 3.2.1 Definition.- 3.2.2 State Transition Matrix.- 3.2.3 The State Transition and Response Map of R.- 3.3 Properties of R when A has a Basis of Eigenvectors.- 3d The Discrete-Time System Representation Rd = [A,B,C,D].- 3d.1 Preliminaries.- 3d.2 General Properties of Rd.- 3d.3 Properties of Rd when A has a Basis of Eigenvectors.- 4 The System Representation R = [A,B,C,D], Part II.- 4.1 Preliminaries.- 4.2 Minimal Polynomial.- 4.3 Decomposition Theorem.- 4.4 The Decomposition of a Linear Map.- 4.5 Jordan Form.- 4.6 Function of a Matrix.- 4.7 Spectral Mapping Theorem.- 4.8 The Linear Map X ? AX+XB.- 5 General System Concepts.- 5.1 Dynamical Systems.- 5.2 Time-Invariant Dynamical Systems.- 5.3 Linear Dynamical Systems.- 5.4 Equivalence.- 6 Sampled Data Systems.- 6.1 Relation BetweenL- and z-Transforms.- 6.2 D/A Converter.- 6.3 A/D Converter.- 6.4 Sampled-Data System.- 6.5 Example.- 7 Stability.- 7.1 I/O Stability.- 7.2 State Related Stability Concepts and Applications.- 7.2.1 Stability of x = A(t)x.- 7.2.2 Bounded Trajectories and Regulation.- 7.2.3 Response to T-Periodic Inputs.- 7.2.4 Periodically Varying System with Periodic Input.- 7.2.5 Slightly Nonlinear Systems.- 7d Stability: The Discrete-Time Case.- 7d.1 I/O Stability.- 7d.2 State Related Stability Concepts.- 7d.2.1 Stability of x(k+1) = A(k)x(k).- 7d.2.2 Bounded Trajectories and Regulation.- 7d.2.3 Response to q-Periodic Inputs.- 8 Controllability and Observability.- 8.1 Controllability and Observability of Dynamical Systems.- 8.2 Controllability of the Pair (A(•),B(•)).- 8.2.1 Controllability of the Pair (A(•),B(•)).- 8.2.2 The Cost of Control.- 8.2.3 Stabilization by Linear State Feedback.- 8.3 Observability of the Pair (C(•),A(•)).- 8.4 Duality.- 8.5 Linear Time-Invariant Systems.- 8.5.1 Observability Properties of the Pair (C,A).- 8.5.2 Controllability of the Pair (A,B).- 8.6 Kalman Decomposition Theorem.- 8.7 Hidden Modes, Stabilizability, and Detectability.- 8.8 Balanced Representations.- 8.9 Robustness of Controllability.- 8d Controllability and Observability: The Discrete-Time Case.- 8d.1 Controllability and Observability of Dynamical Systems.- 8d.2 Reachability and Controllability of the Pair (A(•),B(•)).- 8d.2.1 Controllability of the Pair (A(•),B(•)).- 8d.2.2 The Cost of Control.- 8d.3 Observability of the Pair (C(•),A(•)).- 8d.4 Duality.- 8d.5 Linear Time-Invariant Systems.- 8d.5.1 Observability of the Pair (C,A).- 8d.5.2 Reachability and Controllability of the Pair(A,B).- 8d.6 Kalman Decomposition Theorem.- 8d.7 Stabilizability and Detectability.- 9 Realization Theory.- 9.1 Minimal Realizations.- 9.2 Controllable Canonical Form.- 10 Linear State Feedback and Estimation.- 10.1 Linear State Feedback.- 10.2 Linear Output Injection and State Estimation.- 10.3 State Feedback of the Estimated State.- 10.4 Infinite Horizon Linear Quadratic Optimization.- 10d.4 Infinite Horizon Linear Quadratic Optimization. The Discrete-Time Case.- 11 Unity Feedback Systems.- 11.1 The Feedback System ?c.- 11.1.1 State Space Analysis.- 11.1.2 Special Case:R1andR2have no Unstable Hidden Modes.- 11.1.3 The Discrete-Time Case.- 11.2 Nyquist Criterion.- 11.2.1 The Nyquist Criterion.- 11.2.2 Remarks on the Nyquist Criterion.- 11.2.3 Proof of Nyquist Criterion.- 11.2.4 The Discrete-Time Case.- 11.3 Robustness.- 11.3.1 Robustness With Respect to Plant Perturbations.- 11.3.2 Robustness With Respect to Exogenous Disturbances.- 11.3.3 Robust Regulation.- 11.3.4 Bandwidth-Robustness Tradeoff.- 11.3.5 The Discrete-Time Case.- 11.4 Kharitonov’s Theorem.- 11.4.1 Hurwitz Polynomials.- 11.4.2 Kharitonov’s Theorem.- 11.5 Robust Stability Under Structured Perturbations.- 11.5.1 General Robustness Theorem.- 11.5.2 Special Case: Affine Maps and Convexity.- 11.5.3 The Discrete Time Case.- 11.6 Stability Under Arbitrary Additive Plant Perturbations.- 11.7 Transmission Zeros.- 11.7.1 Single-Input Single-Output Case.- 11.7.2 Multi-Input Multi-Output Case: Assumptions and Definitions.- 11.7.3 Characterization of the Zeros.- 11.7.4 Application to Unity Feedback Systems.- Appendix A Linear Maps and Matrix Analysis.- A.1 Preliminary Notions.- A.2 Rings and Fields.- A.3 Linear Spaces.- A4. Linear Maps.- AS. Matrix Representation.- A.5.1 The Concept of Matrix Representation.- A.5.2 Matrix Representation and Change of Basis.- A.5.3 Range and Null Space: Rank and Nullity.- A.5.4 Echelon Forms of a Matrix.- A.6 Notmed Linear Spaces.- A.6.1 Norms.- A.6.2 Convergence.- A.6.3 Equivalent Norms.- A.6.4 The Lebesgue Spaces 1P and LP [Tay.1].- A.6.5 Continuous Linear Transformations.- A.7 The Adjoint of a Linear Map.- A.7.1 Inner Products.- A.7.2 Adjoints of Continuous Linear Maps.- A.7.3 Properties of the Adjoint.- A.7.4 The Finite Rank Operator Fundamental Lemma.- A.7.5 Singular Value Decomposition (SVD).- Appendix B Differential Equations.- BA Existence and Uniqueness of Solutions.- B.1.1 Assumptions.- B.1.2 Fundamental Theorem.- B.1.3 Construction of a Solution by Iteration.- B.1.4 The Bellman-Gronwall Inequality.- B.1.5 Uniqueness.- B.2 Initial Conditions and Parameter Perturbations.- B.3 Geometric Interpretation and Numerical Calculations.- Appendix C Laplace Transforms.- C.1 Definition of the Laplace Transform.- C.2 Properties of Laplace Transforms.- Appendix D the z-Transform.- D.1 Definition of the z-Transform.- D.2 Properties of the z-Transform.- References.- Abbreviations.- Mathematical Symbols.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe text illustrates the physical background and motivation for some constructions used in recent mathematical and numerical work on the Navier- Stokes equations and on hyperbolic systems, so as to interest students in this at once beautiful and difficult subject.Trade Review From the reviews: "… The book contains some of the basic ideas of fluid mechanics in a mathematically attractive manner...has the very advantage of providing the solution of the differential equations using the new and modern techniques...the material is very well presented both the mathematical arguments as well as the physical input." PhysicaliaTable of ContentsPreface.- 1. The Equations of Motion: 1.1. Euler's Equations. 1.2. Rotation and Vorticity. 1.3. The Navier-Stokes Equations.- 2. Potential Flow and Slightly Viscous Flow: 2.1. Potential Flow. 2.2. Boundary Layers. 2.3. Vortex Sheets. 2.4. Remarks on Stability and Bifurcation.- 3. Gas Flow in One Dimension: 3.1. Characteristics. 3.2. Shocks. 3.3. The Riemann Problem. 3.4. Combustion Waves.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis best-selling book is now available in an inexpensive softcover format.Imagine living during the Renaissance and being able to interview that eras greatest scientists about their inspirations, discoveries, and personal interests.Table of Contents1: Linguists: how to Talk to Machines.- • A Restless Inventor.- • The Uncommon Logician of Common Sense.- • A Clear Romantic Vision.- 2: Algorithmists: How to Solve Problems Fast.- • Appalling Prose and the Shortest Path.- • The Possibilities of Chance.- • Boundless Interests, A Common Thread.- • In Search of Good Structure.- • Of Time, Space, and Computation.- • A Good Solution is Hard to Find.- 3: Architects: How to Build Better Machines.- • A Delight in Making Things Work.- • Racing with the Speed of Light.- • The Biological Connection.- 4: Sculptors of Machine Intelligence: How to Make Machines Smart.- #x2022; The Power of Knowledge.- • A Twenty-Year Bet.- Epilogue: Secrets Of Success?.- Postscript: The Next 25 Years.- References.- Acknowledgments.

Read more less

Book SynopsisI First Quantization and Path Integrals.- 1 Path Integrals and Point Particles.- 2 NambuGoto Strings.- 3 Superstrings.- 4 Conformal Field Theory and Kac-Moody Algebras.- 5 Multiloops and Teichmüller Spaces.- II Second Quantization and the Search for Geometry.- 6 Light Cone Field Theory.- 7 BRST Field Theory.- III Phenomenology and Model Building.- 8 Anomalies and the AtiyahSinger Theorem.- 9 Heterotic Strings and Compactification.- 10 CalabiYau Spaces and Orbifolds.- IV M-Theory.- 11 M-Theory and Duality.- 12 Compactifications and BPS States.- 13Solitons, D-Branes, and Black Holes.- A.1 A Brief Introduction to Group Theory.- A.2 A Brief Introduction to General Relativity.- A.3 A Brief Introduction to the Theory of Forms.- A.4 A Brief Introduction to Supersymmetry.- A.5 A Brief Introduction to Supergravity.- A.6 Notation.- References.Trade ReviewFrom the reviewsFoundations of Physics, on the first edition:"... the dedicated reader...will be well versed in this fascinating area of theoretical physics."Physics Today, on the first edition:"...presents a pedagogical survey on string theory. It covers material from early developments to present-day research ... divided into three parts ... results of quantization, string field theory, and phenomenology ... an impressive effort..." FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS"Kaku’s book, at 568 pages, is a comprehensive, self-contained text on string theory…[It] contains useful summaries of mathematical topics such as index theory, cohomology, and Kahler manifolds. This is a book for the really serious student of string theory; the dedicated reader who emerges after page 568 will be well versed in this fascinating area of theoretical physics.”Table of ContentsI. First Quantization and Path Integrals; 1. Path Integrals and Point Particles; 2. Nambu-Goto Strings; 3. Superstrings; 4. Conformal Field Theory and Kac-Moody Algebras; 5. Multiloops and Teichmüller Spaces; II. Second Quantization and the Search for Geometry; 6. Light Cone Field Theory; 7. BRST Field Theory; 8. Anomalies and the Atiyah-Singer Theorem; 9. Heterotic Strings and Compactification; 10. Calabi-Yau Spaces and Orbifolds; 11.M-theory and Duality; 12. Compatifications and BPS States 13. Solitons, D-branes, and Black Holes; Appendices; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisI Fundamentals.- 1 Ordinary Differential Equations.- 2 Difference Equations.- II Local Analysis.- 3 Approximate Solution of Linear Differential Equations.- 4 Approximate Solution of Nonlinear Differential Equations.- 5 Approximate Solution of Difference Equations.- 6 Asymptotic Expansion of Integrals.- III Perturbation Methods.- 7 Perturbation Series.- 8 Summation of Series.- IV Global Analysis.- 9 Boundary Layer Theory.- 10 WKB Theory.- 11 Multiple-Scale Analysis.Trade Review"This book is a reprint of the original published by McGraw-Hill \ref [MR0538168 (80d:00030)]. The only changes are the addition of the Roman numeral I to the title and the provision of a subtitle, "Asymptotic methods and perturbation theory". This latter improvement is much needed, as the original title suggested that this was a teaching book for undergraduate scientists and engineers. It is not, but is an excellent introduction to asymptotic and perturbation methods for master's degree students or beginning research students. Certain parts of it could be used for a course in asymptotics for final year undergraduates in applied mathematics or mathematical physics. This is a book that has stood the test of time and I cannot but endorse the remarks of the original reviewer. It is written in a fresh and lively style and the many graphs and tables, comparing the results of exact and approximate methods, were in advance of its time. I have owned a copy of the original for over twenty years, using it on a regular basis, and, after the original had gone out of print, lending it to my research students. Springer-Verlag has done a great service to users of, and researchers in, asymptotics and perturbation theory by reprinting this classic." (A.D. Wood, Mathematical Reviews) Table of ContentsI Preface. 1 Ordinary Differential Equations. 2 Difference Equations. 3 Approximate Solution of Linear Differential Equations. 4 Approximate Solution of Nonlinear Equations. 5 Approximate Solution of Difference Equations. 6 Asymptotic Expansion of Integrals. 7 Perturbation Series. 8 Summation of Series. 9 Boundary Layer Theory. 10 WKB Theory. 11 Multiple Scales Analysis. Appendix, References, Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom freighters in motion and intricate machinery in the engine room, to the men who operate and maintain the vessels, these photographs represent a testament to the vanishing era of steam.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn important feature of the book is its illustrated glossary-appendix, which covers items of hull construction and equipment, rigging and gear, colour and carving, and includes notes by the builders and riggers themselves.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of how wine, as enjoyed by millions of people today, came to be.Trade Review"Rather than an eternal cultural verity, wine is the product of innovative discontinuities, according to this flavorful history.... [Lukacs’s] absorbing treatise shows just how much the grape’s bounty owes to human ingenuity and imagination." -- Publishers Weekly"Noted American oenophile Lukacs tells the story of wine over eight millenniums and around the globe. Themes of interest to oenophiles, from wine’s longtime disrepute in North America to England’s love affair with Bordeaux, and fascinating details—for instance, the unearthing of 26 casks of wine in King Tut’s tomb—heighten the pleasure of this engrossing narrative. A richly readable and authoritative addition to the literature of wine." -- Kirkus Reviews"In highly readable prose, Lukacs tells the story of winemaking’s worldwide history, recounting such ever-fascinating stories as the discovery of champagne and the creation of phenomenally unctuous and costly wines from what appear to be overripe, rotten grapes." -- Booklist"Just when it seemed that there was nothing new to be said about wine, Paul Lukacs tells an intriguing and original tale that is thoroughly enjoyable reading." -- Mark Kurlansky, author of Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man and Salt: A World History"Inventing Wine makes us grateful as wine lovers that we are living in the second golden age of wine, when the quality and choices far exceed anything possible before." -- Paul Jameson - New York Journal of Books"Paul Lukacs’s Inventing Wine focuses on how the perception of wine has changed over time, through wars, revolution, prosperity and deprivation. ... Inventing Wine is broader and more ambitious in scope than his previous books, looking at how wine and Western civilization grew up together." -- Dave McIntyre - Washington Post

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow a scientific outsider came up with a revolutionary theory of light and saved untold numbers of lives.Trade Review"Theresa Levitt interweaves the personal triumph of the French physicist Augustin Fresnel with his pathbreaking work on the nature of light in her fascinating recounting of how the coasts of the world were made safe for the world’s seafaring vessels through a mix of genius, ingenuity, and perseverance. The story has a fascinating American coda." -- Joyce Appleby, professor of history emerita, UCLA, and author of The Relentless Revolution: A History of Capitalism"It is rare that we see a lighthouse-related book, historical in nature, with the level of research that was put into A Short Bright Flash. Theresa Levitt’s superior work has illustrated the genius and ongoing legacy of Augustin Fresnel, whose brilliance not only saved lives but had an everlasting impact on the development of world trade, and whose advanced ideas are still implemented in today’s modern culture." -- Jeffrey S. Gales, executive director, U.S. Lighthouse Society"With his frantic pace of invention and early death, “he’s just like those romantic heroines of 1830s Paris burning themselves up through their passions,” said the historian Theresa Levitt, whose new book is A Short Bright Flash: Augustin Fresnel and the Birth of the Modern Lighthouse." -- Eva Kahn - New York Times"Fresnel indeed lit up his country and the world." -- Joanne Baker - Nature"[F]ascinating book…Levitt’s writing captures the mix of scientific rigor and cultural shifts in a way that mirrors the sea voyages of the day—a journey fraught with uncertainty, but in the end, guided to success by Fresnel’s lighthouse lenses." -- Matthew Tiffany - Minneapolis Star Tribune"University of Mississippi history professor Levitt details the birth and golden age of a maritime icon in this fascinating book." -- Publishers Weekly"Homage to the man who turned feeble-and-far-between harbor lights into a global multitude of brilliant beacons. …Levitt’s scrupulous scholarship and contextual setting serve readers well." -- Kirkus Reviews"Combin[es] matters of biography, science, engineering, technology, art, history, economics and politics seemingly effortlessly and definitely seamlessly. An excellent book and a joy to read." -- Henry Petroski - The Wall Street Journal

Read more less

Book Synopsis"The improbable triumph of the humble Malbec—the Seabiscuit of grapes." —Benjamin Wallace, author of The Billionaire's VinegarTrade Review"This well-informed chronicle captures the distinctive nature of winemaking in a country challenged by an unforgiving climate and political and economic instability." "[Vineyard at the End of the World]... excels at telling the personal stories of struggling and speculation." "An artfully written story of how a poorly developed wine culture grew into one of the best wine regions in the world... This engaging, important, and accessible book fills a gap in the literature of wine culture and history." -- Lisa Ennis "Mount's impressive history... provides ample regional and global color in a lively addition to wine literature." "A definite must-read for Malbec drinkers everywhere, and Argentine wine fans." -- Lettie Teague "The rise of Argentine wine and the improbable triumph of the humble Malbec-the Seabiscuit of grapes-is one of the great untold stories of globalization. As Ian Mount shows with great energy and feeling, the tale is as much about people and their dreams and obsessions as it is about the delicious drink that motivates them." -- Benjamin Wallace, The Billionaire's Vinegar "Ian Mount takes wine lovers on an intoxicating adventure. Anyone intrigued by how Argentina has amazed the wine world will love this gripping tale of invention, breakthrough and revelation. I enjoyed this wide-ranging book tremendously." -- Vivienne Sosnowski, author of When the Rivers Ran Red "The Vineyard at the End of the World is a fascinating account of wine-world alchemy: what happens when the old world and the new world meet on the Argentinean frontier. This book will convince you-as if there were ever any doubt-that, for international wine lovers, the golden age is now." -- Tilar Mazzeo, bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot "Ian Mount has found an important void in the current library of wine books: Mendoza and Malbec. The history is fascinating." -- George Taber, bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe author of Physics for Future Presidents returns to educate all of us on the most crucial conundrum facing the nation: energy.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA visual history of the electronic age captures the collision of technology and art—and our collective visions of the future.Trade Review"Fascinating…. [A] fantastically geeky visual tour of tech industry history as seen through the lens of the commercial art that helped popularize it." -- Meg Miller - Fast Company"Attentive readers of Prelinger’s lively chronology will come away with an appreciation of how the visual representations of technology are integral to our understanding of it." -- Chris Rasmussen - Bookforum"Unusual and insightful…. Filled with retro tech-industry ads, magazine covers and other commercial artworks, this erudite book takes readers on a cultural history tour that sharply reveals ‘art’s ability to touch the intangible and render it visible.’" -- John Wilwol - San Francisco Chronicle"[An] unusual and compelling study." -- Nature"An essential and eye-popping visual history of electronics, a glimpse of the electronic infrastructure captured in the brief moment before it miniaturized down to a scale too small for the eye to see, disappearing from our ordinary view forever, even as it burrowed into our buildings, streets, vehicles and even our bodies." -- Cory Doctorow coeditor of Boing Boing and author of In Real Life and Information Doesn’t Want to Be Free"A highly original cultural history of 20th-century technology examined through the lens of commercial art…. Sophisticated in its grasp of science and technological history but also accessible to general readers." -- Kirkus Reviews"A tour de force of the computer and electronic age that takes readers on a fascinating voyage that spans everything from graphic renderings of theoretical space gondolas to depictions of transistors as the route to utopia. Like Trevor Paglen’s exploration of the visual aspects of secrecy, Megan Prelinger’s Inside the Machine provides readers with a unique window into the history of electronics and computer science during the Cold War, and beyond. Merging science with art, Prelinger challenges our linear notions of scientific progress, helping us see a new dimension to our modern technological world." -- Sharon Weinberger, author of Imaginary Weapons: A Journey Through the Pentagon’s Scientific Underworld"Because electrons are mostly invisible, our visualizations of them tell us more about our dreams than about electrons. This cool and unusual book gathers our earliest collective dreams about circuits and electronics and makes them visible. It got me thinking about our assumptions for tomorrow. I love it when a book like this makes me see the world differently." -- Kevin Kelly, senior maverick for Wired magazine and author of What Technology Wants

Read more less

Book SynopsisA journey inside the minds that build our world.Trade Review"Anyone trying to interest America’s young people in technical careers should read Applied Minds…. Writing with a liveliness that reflects the energized, creative, problem-solving people he talks about, Madhavan, a biomedical engineer, presents a completely engaging survey of what engineers do—and why you wish you could do it, too." -- Nancy Szokan - Washington Post"Engineers are titans of real-world problem-solving, yet are strangely invisible, notes biomedical engineer Guru Madhavan. In this riveting study of how they think, he puts behind-the-scenes geniuses such as Margaret Hutchinson, who designed the first penicillin-production plant, centre stage." -- Nature"Engaging…[and] insightful." -- Sybil Derrible - Science"The heroes of Guru Madhavan’s compact book about the logical habits of engineers are not the usual suspects of the iPhone era. With barely a mention of Wozniak or Jobs, the author takes us back to an earlier time so that we can witness the solving of problems that have long since gone away." -- Jon Gertner - Wall Street Journal"A real pleasure to read, and lots to learn." -- Tim Harford, The Financial Times's Undercover Economist and presenter of BBC Radio 4's More or Less"This thoroughly engaging book demonstrates that engineering thinking is truly multidisciplinary, multinational, and multicultural. Through its diverse cast of engineers and wide-ranging examples of their achievements, Applied Minds leaves little doubt that our world is a better place because of the engineers who inhabit it." -- Henry Petroski, author of To Engineer Is Human and The Essential Engineer"An unabashed celebration of engineers and their ‘plug and play’ thinking tool kit…. Applied Minds is worth sharing with young engineering students." -- Robin Tatu, Prism Magazine, American Society of Engineering Education"In this smart, insightful, and fascinating book, Madhavan shows how engineers turn problems into opportunities. The engineering mind-set is something we should all study and embrace. It applies to every aspect of life." -- Walter Isaacson, author of The Innovators and Steve Jobs

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow Darwin found universal evolutionary truths in simple yet ingenious home-spun experiments.Trade Review"If you’ve ever fantasized walking and conversing with the great scientist on the subjects that consumed him, and now wish to add the fullness of reality, read this book." -- Edward O. Wilson"Darwin’s Backyard, is a passionate but balanced celebration of the Victorian scientist’s lifelong obsession with enquiry and how the fields and meadows around his home were a microcosm of the wider world... Costa more than achieves his stated goals of revealing the evolution of Darwin’s insights and the relevance of his methods now." -- Nature"It is a charming book about Darwin’s homespun experiments..." -- Times Literary Supplement"...excellent Darwin's Backyard... James Costa has written an intimate and big-hearted book. In its pages, readers will discover the real Darwin, a complicated man behind a revolutionary theory." -- Science Lives"With Darwin's Backyard, Costa has written an intimate and big-hearted book. In its pages, young readers will discover the complicated man behind the revolutionary theory." -- Science Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs Diane Ackerman writes in her brilliant new book, The Human Age, our relationship with nature has changed radically, irreversibly, but by no means all for the bad. Our new epoch is laced with invention. Our mistakes are legion, but our talent is immeasurable.Trade Review"An ode to the planet we’ve created for ourselves… Rarely grim, and the overwhelming spirit is one of relentless optimism." -- Nathanial Rich - New York Times"[Ackerman] raises the bar for her peers…her penetrating insight is a joy to behold." -- Publishers Weekly, Starred review"Ackerman has established herself over the last quarter of a century as one of our most adventurous, charismatic, and engrossing public science writers…she has demonstrated a rare versatility, a contagious curiosity, and a gift for painting quick, memorable tableaus drawn from research across a panoply of disciplines. The Human Age displays all of these alluring qualities…The Human Age is a dazzling achievement: immensely readable, lively, polymathic, audacious." -- Rob Nixon - New York Times Book Review"Diane Ackerman’s vivid writing, inexhaustible stock of insights, and unquenchable optimism have established her as a national treasure, and as one of our great authors. You’re now about to become addicted to Diane Ackerman." -- Jared Diamond, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs, and Steel and The World Until Yesterday"In this amazingly illuminating book, Diane Ackerman explains our future with her typically intoxicating blend of scholarship, wisdom, grace and humor." -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Emperor of All Maladies"Diane Ackerman writes with brilliance, zest, and high style. In a difficult time, we need to hear this voice of human affirmation. It's important. It matters. I read The Human Age and thought, Yes! This is the way to look ahead." -- Jonathan Weiner, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Beak of the Finch and Long for this World"The Human Age allows us to consider whether or not we will accept destruction or restoration as our legacy. I cannot imagine a richer text of image and insight, rendered with grace, intelligence and stamina." -- Terry Tempest Williams, author of When Women Were Birds"With this stirringly vivid, darkbright manifesto, Diane Ackerman summons us to the wager of sheer possibility: life against death, delight still (if only just barely) trouncing despair." -- Lawrence Weschler, author of Everything that Rises, Pulitzer Prize finalist"A book to dip around in—skimming some parts and perusing others with care—as your interest guides you, enjoying Ackerman’s profound sense of mind play as you go." -- Ben Dickinson - Elle"A hard look at the impact that humans have had on Earth… thought provoking." -- Kyle Anderson - Entertainment Weekly"Fascinating… Ackerman offers a cross-cultural tour of human ingenuity … Her words invite us to feel the hope she feels." -- Barbara J. King - Washington Post"Part immersion memoir and part journalism… The Human Age is also many parts poetry." -- Beth Kephart - Chicago Tribune"[A] thought-provoking analysis of our connection to the earth… A lens that magnifies and clarifies the fascinating, far-reaching effects humans have had on our planet and ourselves." -- Lee E. Cart - Shelf Awareness"Ackerman is a gorgeous writer and perceptive observer. Here she writes with great empathy about the human plight." -- Kate Tuttle - Boston Globe"A humdinger of a book… Ackerman is optimistic, even exhilarated, and frequently giddy about the future of humanity." -- Jon Christensen - San Francisco Chronicle"Exquisite and startling." -- Tim Flannery - Harper's Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisA journey into the surprising science behind our flavor senses.Trade Review"Fascinating…Flavor, as Bob Holmes demonstrates elegantly, exists nowhere but in the mind of the eater." -- Wall Street Journal"Endlessly fascinating. A terrific book." -- Bill Bryson"I learned a lot while reading Flavor. Bob Holmes is a genial, well-informed guide to the rapidly evolving world of flavor and food design. From microbreweries to research labs, he captures all the key players: their personalities and passions come through clearly in this engaging tour of the field." -- Avery Gilbert, author of What The Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life""In this mouthwatering work....Holmes turns the kitchen into a laboratory....As [he] runs through terrific experiments and describes strange technologies, he makes food science fun and approachable."" -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Fascinating....Foodies who enjoyed Mark Schatzker’s The Dorito Effect, Michael Pollan’s Cooked, and Michael Moss’s Salt Sugar Fat will gravitate toward this scientific yet accessible and humorous take on food and wine." -- Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo the uninitiated, celestial navigation appears to be a somewhat frightening exercise in mathematics.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Readers will rejoice... in the physical discoveries, ancient and modern, that create and govern the artifacts inside of which readers spend most of their natural lives."—New York Times

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe authors examine buildings of all kinds, from ancient domes like Istanbul's Hagia Sophia to the state-of-the-art Hartford Civic Arena. Their subjects range from the man-caused destruction of the Parthenon to the earthquake damage of 1989 in Armenia and San Francisco.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJames Lovelock proposes that all living species are components of that organism, as cells are components of the human body.Trade Review"This book describes a set of observations about the life of our planet which may, one day, be recognized as one of the major discontinuities in human thought. If Lovelock turns out to be as right in his view of things as I believe he is, we will be viewing the Earth as a coherent system of life, self-regulating and self-changing, a sort of immense living organism." -- Lewis Thomas

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of the zipper is the triumph of an ingenious novelty over the practical world.Trade Review"How the ingenious zipper, a newfangled, unwanted novelty, became a ubiquitous part of daily life is the story told in this engaging chronicle peopled by a colorful cast of characters." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book Synopsis"Without the invention of the transistor, I'm quite sure that the PC would not exist as we know it today."—Bill Gates

Read more less

Book SynopsisA tribute to the skill and ingenuity of a versatile craftsman.

Read more less

Book Synopsis“Few people know the real story behind the building of Apollo, but Mike Gray has managed to capture the drama and excitement of those urgent times. This is a fascinating book full of lessons about what America can achieve with vision and teamwork.” —Buzz Aldrin

Read more less

Book SynopsisTrade Review"...perfect summer reading, especially if you happen to be spending the summer by the sea, or on it." -- Adam Kirsch - New York Sun"Leviathan is an exhaustive, richly detailed history of industrial American whaling...Dolin succeeds admirably at what he sets out to do: tell the story of one of the strangest industries in American history." -- Bruce Barcott - New York Times"Starred Review. Engrossing account...at once grand and quirky, entertaining and informative." -- Publishers Weekly"Mr. Dolin handles this long, complex tale with great skill, both as a historian and as a writer (the bibliography and illustrations are splended too)...Leviathan is thoroughly engaging." -- John Steele Gordon - The Wall Street Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of the explosion and contamination was and still is suppressed in the Soviet Union and, the author contends, by the CIA and other Western intelligence organizations fearful of public resistance to nuclear power plants. Now, after an intensive study of Soviet scientific articles (written to disguise the fact that they were about the Ural explosion) and after many interviews and reports from friends in the scientific community as well as from witnesses, the author has pieced together the story of what actually happened. He analyzes the extent and consequences of the contamination and draws forbidding conclusions about the possibility of similar disasters in the rest of the world.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA riveting account of the unexpected relationship between nature and scientific design.

Read more less

Book Synopsis"A definite must-read for Malbec drinkers everywhere.”—Lettie Teague, WSJ.comTrade Review"Mount's impressive history... provides ample regional and global color in a lively addition to wine literature." "Gracefully interweaves history and geography with the harder sciences of agriculture, geography, and chemistry to tell a fascinating story." -- Katie Tuttle "This well-informed chronicle captures the distinctive nature of winemaking in a country challenged by an unforgiving climate and political and economic instability." "An artfully written story of how a poorly developed wine culture grew into one of the best wine regions in the world... This engaging, important, and accessible book fills a gap in the literature of wine culture and history." -- Lisa Ennis "[Vineyard at the End of the World]... excels at telling the personal stories of struggling and speculation." "A definite must-read for Malbec drinkers everywhere, and Argentine wine fans." -- Lettie Teague "The rise of Argentine wine and the improbable triumph of the humble Malbec-the Seabiscuit of grapes-is one of the great untold stories of globalization. As Ian Mount shows with great energy and feeling, the tale is as much about people and their dreams and obsessions as it is about the delicious drink that motivates them." -- Benjamin Wallace, The Billionaire's Vinegar "The Vineyard at the End of the World is a fascinating account of wine-world alchemy: what happens when the old world and the new world meet on the Argentinean frontier. This book will convince you-as if there were ever any doubt-that, for international wine lovers, the golden age is now." -- Tilar Mazzeo, bestselling author of The Widow Clicquot "Ian Mount has found an important void in the current library of wine books: Mendoza and Malbec. The history is fascinating." -- George Taber, bestselling author of The Judgment of Paris "Ian Mount takes wine lovers on an intoxicating adventure. Anyone intrigued by how Argentina has amazed the wine world will love this gripping tale of invention, breakthrough and revelation. I enjoyed this wide-ranging book tremendously." -- Vivienne Sosnowski, author of When the Rivers Ran Red

Read more less

Book SynopsisMeticulously researched historylook[s] at how wine and Western civilization grew up together. Dave McIntyre, Washington PostTrade Review"Fascinating." -- Eric Asimov - New York Times"Lukacs, well aware that his subject is often clouded with pretense, writes with an eye for pungent detail." -- The New Yorker"Thoughtful and provocative, this book shows that the history of wine is as complex as the history of human society." -- Esther Mobley - Wine Enthusiast"Rather than an eternal cultural verity, wine is the product of innovative discontinuities, according to this flavorful history.... [Lukacs’s] absorbing treatise shows just how much the grape’s bounty owes to human ingenuity and imagination." -- Publishers Weekly"Just when it seemed that there was nothing new to be said about wine, Paul Lukacs tells an intriguing and original tale that is thoroughly enjoyable reading." -- Mark Kurlansky, author of Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man and Salt: A World History"Noted American oenophile Lukacs tells the story of wine over eight millenniums and around the globe. Themes of interest to oenophiles, from wine’s longtime disrepute in North America to England’s love affair with Bordeaux, and fascinating details—for instance, the unearthing of 26 casks of wine in King Tut’s tomb—heighten the pleasure of this engrossing narrative. A richly readable and authoritative addition to the literature of wine." -- Kirkus Reviews"In highly readable prose, Lukacs tells the story of winemaking’s worldwide history, recounting such ever-fascinating stories as the discovery of champagne and the creation of phenomenally unctuous and costly wines from what appear to be overripe, rotten grapes." -- Booklist

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe story of a feast two years in the making, from the farmer who harvested the vegetables, raised the animals, and prepared the meal.Trade Review"I hung on every word. . . . Timmermeister has the knack of helping the reader imagine the tastes of the produce coming out of the earth and the smells of the dinner being made in the cookhouse." -- Kent Black - Boston Globe"The book shines…Timmermeister does not shrink from the honest truth." -- Publishers Weekly"“Delicious. . . . takes a realistic look at a world we’ve come to fetishize and glamorize." -- Nancy Leson - Seattle Times"Distinguished itself from the multitude of farm memoirs… with its scope and vantage point." -- Penelope Green - The New York Times"A former chef in the Seattle food scene turned small-scale dairy farmer, Kurt Timmermeister is in a better place than most to set the record straight about where our food comes from." -- Lindsay Abrams - Salon"We hear the phrase ‘farm to table’ often, but to understand what this truly means, read Growing a Feast." -- Shelf Awareness"Timmermeister’s narrative is an antidote to food cynicism." -- Chris Walters - Acres

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow a scientific outsider came up with a revolutionary theory of light and saved untold numbers of lives.Trade Review"Levitt's detailed history is worth ploughing through to see how important scientists and engineers have been in saving sailors' lives." -- Nature"An excellent book and a joy to read." -- The Wall Street Journal"...this books is expertly researched as well as skillfully written...a thoroughly enjoyable read..." -- World Lighthouse Society"A splendid read." -- The Tablet

Read more less

Book SynopsisA Splendid Table Staff Book Pick of the Year "Estabrook, a reporter of iron constitution and persistence, has dug deep into the truth about the American pork industry without losing his sense of humor and humanity." —Christopher Kimball, Wall Street JournalTrade Review"A beautiful and clear-eyed examination of the world of pigs and pig farming. With his engaging prose and soulful, riveting stories, [Estabrook] illuminates the complexities of the pig industry and the desperate need for reform." -- Alice Waters, Chez Panisse"Estabrook puts his substantial reporting, storytelling, and writing talents in the service of the pig. He documents the horrors perpetrated in America on this miracle creature, but he also describes the ways to break away from those horrors…Pig Tales appalled me, terrified me, and then filled me with hope." -- Michael Ruhlman, author of Charcuterie and Salumi"Estabrook tells two powerful stories here. The first is about the appalling ways in which Big Pig raises animals…The second is about how skilled animal husbandry and respect for the intelligence of pigs produces…a far more satisfying life for farmers and pigs alike. Pig Tales is beautifully written. It is also deeply touching." -- Marion Nestle, professor of nutrition, food studies, and public health at New York University, and author of Eat, Drink, Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Food Politics"Estabrook turns his keen journalistic eye to pig production…[and] provides balance in the engaging tales of farmers and processors who are thoughtful and eminently human…[A] must-read." -- Cathy Barrow, author of Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry"Before Tomatoland, I thought I knew about the American way of farming. Barry Estabrook proved that I was wrong, painting a devastating portrait of what was really taking place out in the fields. It changed the way I cook and eat. Pig Tales is even more illuminating, a window into the world of pigs and pig farmers that every American omnivore needs to read. You will never look at a piece of pork in quite the same way." -- Ruth Reichl, author of Delicious!"Masterfully blends storytelling with succinct explanations of policy and science…a must-read." -- Jim Romanoff - EatingWell"Cogent, level-headed." -- Nature"Excellent…a more balanced and nuanced complement to muckraking works on similar subjects by Upton Sinclair (The Jungle) and, more recently, Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation)." -- Peter A. Coclanis - Raleigh News & Observer"Estabrook demonstrates his skill with words to tell compelling true stories…authoritative yet approachable." -- Steve Weinberg - Seattle Times

Read more less

Book Synopsis"A marvelous recounting of the 1901 World’s Fair. Every chapter sparkles…The Buffalo-Niagara Falls extravaganza comes alive in these pages. Highly recommended!" —Douglas Brinkley, author of American MoonshotTrade Review"Wonderfully informative, evocative, illuminating." -- Buffalo News"A delightful read." -- Portland Press Herald"Lively." -- Christian Science Monitor"Required reading." -- New York Post"Engrossing…Creighton skillfully maintains objectivity, showing the good and the bad, the fair’s pageantry as well as its seedy underbelly." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Creighton shines." -- Booklist"While perhaps not quite as well known as the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago, the 1901 Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, was equally full of drama and intrigue…The Electrifying Fall of Rainbow City is the compelling story of an event that sparked technological advances and spurred new perspectives on social equality and race." -- Becky Diamond - BookPage"A propulsive, edge-of-your-seat ride." -- Lauren Belfer, author of And After the Fire"Utterly electrifying prose." -- Martha Hodes, author of Mourning Lincoln"An extraordinary portrait of the event… great storytelling and painterly in its color and detail." -- Mark Goldman, author of High Hopes and City on the Edge

Read more less

Book Synopsis“There’s nothing semi about Finn Murphy’s trucking tales of The Long Haul.”—Sloane Crosley, Vanity FairTrade Review"Like a Mark Twain behind the wheel, [Murphy] takes us on the road coast to coast and city to city with a voice that’s honest and direct and sometimes even poetic." -- Bob Ryan - Boston Globe"Rich [and] insightful.… A well-written story that rarely slows down." -- Nathan Deuel - Los Angeles Times"It’s a hoot to ride along with Murphy." -- Irene Wanner - Seattle Times"The Long Haul is funny and sad and wise, and it shows us the lives of people we depend on." -- Matthew B. Crawford, author of Shop Class as Soulcraft"Exquisite.… Murphy can cross class boundaries as smoothly as changing lanes on the highway.… Readers even passingly familiar with the burgeoning literary genre we might call hillbilly elegiacs… will find Murphy’s more nuanced perspective refreshing." -- Meghan Daum - New York Times Book Review"The Long Haul delivers because it is a survey of a culture fused to a working man’s memoir—and Murphy, smartly, avoids sentiment and lazy comparisons." -- Jeffery Gleaves - Paris Review"Like priests, movers shepherd us through life’s transitions; like cowboys, truckers drive the roads we’ll never know. Both see America in ways the rest of us don’t. In The Long Haul, Murphy… bring[s] us into his semi-mythic world." -- Joshua Rothman - The New Yorker"An adventure story and… a peek into an occupation whose practitioners we see rolling down the highway." -- Jim Higgins - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel"The Long Haul beguil[es] readers with wit, wisdom and observations born from decades in transit." -- Jason Blevins - Denver Post"Finn Murphy… bring[s] readers along for a rollicking ride through a trucker’s world and [provides] an insider’s eye, pairing it with an involving series of encounters." -- Midwest Book Review

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn inspiring vision for restoring the soil that feeds us all and turns agriculture into a solution for environmental crises.Trade Review"How can humanity feed its burgeoning billions when one-third of agricultural soil is degraded? Pondering that question propelled geologist David Montgomery on a three-decade, six-continent survey of farmland. The insights gleaned add nuance to his pointed critiques of agrotechnology and organic farming, but it's the findings on rapid soil restoration that compel." -- Nature"Brilliant, well researched, eloquent, and deeply hopeful." -- Denis Hayes, founder of Earth Day"David Montgomery... is one of our most eloquent and precise earth science communicators... [He] has a knack for opening our minds to large, critically important questions." -- New Scientist"A wise and grounded book — restored soils are the solution." -- Jules N. Pretty, Professor of Environment and Society, University of Essex, UK"Growing a Revolution presents a clear-eyed examination of a solution to the challenges we face in feeding the world. A joy to read with the bounce and flow of a great biography. I couldn’t recommend it more." -- Jerry Harrison, keyboardist and guitarist, Talking Heads"Montgomery has written another classic. Growing a Revolution is one of the most important books ever written—an engaging and revealing service to human society and our planet." -- Amir Kassam, professor of agriculture, policy and development, University of Reading, UK"This is a such an important book... thanks to those who told me to read it... Everyone interested in what we should eat and how we should farm should read it." -- James Rebanks

Read more less

Book SynopsisA sweeping, global history of the rise of the factory and its effects on society.Trade Review"An insightful history of giant factories... Mr Freeman rolls up his sleeves and delves into the nitty gritty of manufacturing. He successfully melds together those nuggets with social history, on the shop floor and beyond the factory walls, from union battles to worker exploitation and, in the case of Foxconn, suicides." -- The Economist"Freeman has written a superb account... The author’s sympathy, insight and exemplary anecdotes make this a marvellous book." -- The Guardian"... Behemoth is a tour de force, a powerful liberal retelling of the factory narrative at a time of Trump and all he represents, when it badly needs to be retold." -- Times Higher Education"Freeman does an essential service by publicising the continuance of a system whose foundations rest on a banal evil." -- The Spectator"... fascinating book..." -- The New Statesman"... [Freeman] lay[s] out two centuries of factory production all over the world in ways that are accessible, cogent, occasionally riveting and thoroughly new. The history of large factories, as Freeman outlines it, is the history of the modern world and most everything we see, experience and touch." -- International New York Times"Carefully researched and energetically written, Freeman’s book takes in the first factories in Britain and New England, the great mills of late-Victorian Pennsylvania, the rise of Fordism in the 1920s, the world of the industrial Soviet Union and today’s colossal factories in China and Vietnam." -- The Sunday Times"Rich and ambitious... More than an economic history, or a chronicle of architectural feats and labor movements, Behemoth depicts a world in retreat that still looms large in the national imagination." -- Jennifer Szalai - The New York Times"Fascinating... Freeman shows how factories have had an overwhelming influence on the way we work, think, move, play and fight." -- Scott W. Berg - The Washington Post"You may have no detailed knowledge of factories except that they can be converted into cool lofts. In that case, you’ll learn much from historian Joshua Freeman." -- Jonathan Rose - The Wall Street Journal"It is a book of epic scope." -- 5 Star Review - The Telegraph"... superb account... Almost every page contains a memorable fact or an intriguing thought... [Freeman's] sympathy, insight and exemplary anecdotes make this a marvellous book." -- The Guardian"[Joshua Freeman] handles his material 'with the seriousness it deserves' and if it 'can feel a little slow-going at times, that's partly because of the knottiness of the history Freeman lays out, as well as his honourable refusal to resort to simplistic notions of grand progress or portentous doom'." -- The Oldie

Read more less

Book SynopsisFrom the former president of MIT, the story of the next technology revolution, and how it will change our lives.Trade Review"... entertaining and prescient…" -- Science"Your amazing guide to the future of biology is the former president of the Aladdin's cave that is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology." -- Summer Reading 2019 - New Scientist

Read more less

Book Synopsis“[Dan Albert] has a way of bringing automotive history to life.” —Jason Fogelson, ForbesTrade Review"From the ‘in honor and in loving memory of’ dedication at the beginning to the final car crash at the end, [Dan] Albert never loses his clever, addictively readable voice." -- Jeva Lange - Week"The classic title hints at this witty take on the history, and future, of the American automobile." -- Jane Henderson - St. Louis Post-Dispatch"No matter what the future holds, you’ll be better prepared to understand, engage with and even shape it after you read Are We There Yet?" -- Edward Niedermeyer - Drive"Dan Albert is a unique voice in American letters—a historian of the car and its culture with a driver’s passion and a sense of the absurd. His wise, funny, erudite tour of the American car and road is part memoir, part history, part polemic. All of it is necessary. It’s like taking a long drive through the twentieth century with someone who can actually identify the sights." -- Keith Gessen, author of A Terrible Country"Written in a witty and infectious style, Are We There Yet? is a briskly paced guided tour of the economic, political, geographic, environmental, and aspirational influences cars have had on Americans, and vice versa. Dan Albert makes this history interesting and relevant in its own right while showing how it bears directly on the most recent automotive frontier: the much-anticipated driverless car. He reminds us how fundamentally intertwined the automobile, the built environment, and human nature have been, and that they will remain so for the foreseeable future." -- Kevin L. Borg, author of Auto Mechanics: Technology and Expertise in Twentieth-Century America"From Henry Ford to Elon Musk, from seat belts to self-driving cars, Dan Albert takes us on a kaleidoscopic tour of the automobile’s evolution, showing us how the future of transportation cannot be understood without investigating the past." -- Nathan Bomey, author of Detroit Resurrected: To Bankruptcy and Back"[Albert’s] prose is witty and smart, self-effacing and erudite.… An extremely engaging work of narrative nonfiction for those who enjoy popular historical and technology reads." -- Library Journal (starred review)"This is a perfect narrative for gearheads, but those who spend time behind the wheel will also surely enjoy the ride." -- Publishers Weekly

Read more less

Book SynopsisA long-haul mover’s rollicking account of life out on the Big Slab.Trade Review"The Long Haul can be almost shamefully enjoyable, allowing readers to have their fix of ‘fabulous-life-of’ porn and class outrage, too. . . . [T]he stories Murphy tells . . . my goodness, how astonishing they are, and how moving, and how funny." -- Jennifer Senior - New York Times Book Review"Like priests, movers shepherd us through life’s transitions; like cowboys, truckers drive the roads we’ll never know. Both see America in ways the rest of us don’t. In The Long Haul, Murphy . . . bring[s] us into his semi-mythic world." -- Joshua Rothman - The New Yorker"It’s [Murphy's] rich perspective as a mover that makes this story of trucking life so insightful. . . . A well-written story that rarely slows down." -- Nathan Deuel - Los Angeles Times"The Long Haul delivers because it is a survey of a culture fused to a working man’s memoir—and Murphy, smartly, avoids sentiment and lazy comparisons." -- Jeffery Gleaves - The Paris Review"A veteran driver’s informative, humorous and beautifully detailed memoir. . . . It’s a hoot to ride along with Murphy." -- Irene Wanner - The Seattle Times"There's nothing semi about Finn Murphy's trucking tales of The Long Haul." -- Sloane Crosley - Vanity Fair"Finn Murphy . . . bring[s] readers along for a rollicking ride through a trucker's world and [provides] an insider's eye, pairing it with an involving series of encounters." -- The Midwest Book Review"A rare, fascinating glimpse into the lives of big-rig pilots and the people they move… The Long Haul beguil[es] readers with wit, wisdom and observations born from decades in transit." -- Jason Blevins - Denver Post

Read more less