Koncocoo

Best Acoustic Engineering

Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio (Sound On Sound Presents...)
Learn the subtle editing, arrangement, and monitoring tactics which give industry insiders their competitive edge, and master the psychological tricks which protect you from all the biggest rookie mistakes. Pick up tricks and tips from leading-edge engineers working on today's multi-platinum hits, including Michael Brauer, Serban Ghenea, the Lord-Alge brothers, Tony Maserati, Manny Marroquin, Dave "Hard Drive" Pensado, Jack Joseph Puig, Mark "Spike" Stent, Phil Tan, Andy Wallace, and many, many more . Amazon Exclusive: A Letter from Mike Senior on Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio , "The 'Why The Hell' Challenge". In all these cases I've started with real-world small-studio recordings and used widely available mass-market technology to remix it to a commercial level, all without ever setting foot inside a "real" studio. If you want that kind of transformation for your music, then you can find a detailed explanation of my method in Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio . The second reason you might want to take notice of these mixing techniques, though, is that they've been drawn not only from my own professional experience, but also from more than four million words of first-hand interviews with the highest-profile engineers and producers on the planet. Amongst many other things in Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio , I try to deliver a stout kicking to the following questionable (but surprisingly pervasive) pieces of received wisdom: Indeed, the two most celebrated mixing speakers of all time, the Yamaha NS10 and the Auratone 5C Super Sound Cube, both have extremely uneven frequency-response plots, but excellent time-domain performance. Those common experiences are just the tip of the iceberg, and it's only by learning to work around the fickleness of your own hearing that you can begin to get decent mix results reliably. Corrective processing can certainly produce unmusical results, but it's important to realize that it doesn't have to, even if you're just using the editing facilities built into your software DAW. Furthermore, almost every small-studio production I've worked on sounded more musical (and became a lot easier to mix) once careful timing and tuning correction had been applied. In that case, it's much better to start with those while your ears are fresh, and while you've still got lots of mix real estate and computer CPU power to play with. In fact, a lot of the established classic reverb units sound pretty unnatural (the AMS RMX16, say, or the EMT 140 plate), but that doesn't stop them from appearing all over the current charts. I call this the "silver bullet" myth--that comforting delusion that the only thing separating your mix from the ones you hear on the radio is some single esoteric process. The malaise can almost always be traced to a whole selection of minor misjudgments that have been made at various points in the arrangement, editing, and mixing process. It doesn't matter if you have to replace the drums with samples, stuff synth pads between the guitar layers, add new backing vocals, or remove certain instruments entirely--just as long as your final product sounds great enough to make the client a happy bunny.
Reviews
"Sure, you have to go and put in the hours and years of practice, but this book gives you a thorough rundown on how to avoid 90% of the sonic shortcomings that will stop you getting there."
"There are so many different ways that we can record and mix audio now; Computer/Analog, ProTools/Logic, Rock/Country. If you read this trying to understand the concept and idea rather than expecting him to tell you exactly what settings to use you can learn a lot. This is a great reference for people learning to mix as well as experienced people who just want to pick up a few new ideas."
"Too often I embark on new projects and buy all the gear only to find out that my interest and tenacity wains, leaving me with a lot of equipment that I end up selling cheaper that I purchased it for. You can get this knowledge free my trawling around the internet and joining forums, but it does mean you have to weed out the chaff from the grain as there is a lot of opinion out there."
"This book has everything you need to know, and nothing you don't. It is my go-to book if I'm having issues with a mix, and always seems to provide just the right advice."
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Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques Bk/online media (Music Pro Guides)
Recording Unhinged: Creative and Unconventional Music Recording Techniques dares you to "unlearn" safe record-making, to get out from behind the windshield, stick your head out the sunroof, and put the pedal to the metal! Sylvia Massy and her cohort of celebrity music industry producers, engineers, and recording stars discard fixed notions about how music should be recorded and explore techniques that fall outside the norm and yield emotionally powerful, incredibly personal, gut-wrenching, and even scary recordings. SYLVIA MASSY (Ashland, Oregon) has been producing, engineering, and mixing popular music for decades.
Reviews
"Thank you for a practical approach yo recording book, And writing it in laymens terms.. im buying a copy for every musician in my life.."
"This a coffee-table book well worth the read."
"Really enjoyed this book, read it, like devoured it."
"love this book, what a great read...and some very helpful info on recording and life!!"
"This book is interesting, funny, useful, and inspiring."
"Incredible and Whimsical."
"STOKED đŸ€˜đŸ”„!!!"
"Full of great techniques and interesting stories."
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Artist Management for the Music Business
Including key industry insights, exclusive planning guidance, management tools, and strategies for a successful career, Artist Management for the Music Business has the tools to support any new or experienced artist manager. Paul Allen is Associate Professor in the Department of Recording Industry at Middle Tennessee State University and co-author of Record Label Marketing , also published by Focal Press.
Reviews
"Great book for entrepreneurs wanting to learn the business or for an entrepreneur looking to gain more education on the subject."
"THE MOST DETAILED BOOK ON THE INDUSTRY THAT I HAVE EVER READ."
"Great info."
"This is an absolute necessity for music industry newbies!"
"Highly recommended for those who are seeking an understanding or to finesse current skills."
"My mom and dad likes this book because its tells them about the music industry and they will like to be my artist managers so everything will be okay for me and my Band."
"Wonderful insight into the development of a musical artist's career."
"Struggled to read this one...."
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Best Music

Hal Leonard Guitar Method, Complete Edition: Books 1, 2 and 3
(Guitar Method).
Reviews
"Great product to learning guitar methods."
"If you try to learn guitar yourself, it is not an easy book, it needs more detail for beginner."
"My daughter's music teacher recommended this book and it has helped my daughter learn the basic skills she needs to get to the next level."
"Arrived way ahead of scheduled and was in excellent condition."
"This is a tightened up version of the Essential Elements Guitar book."
"As advertised and an interesting twist in the included CDs in that they use various guitar types(Eletric/acoustic.jazz) and backgrounds."
"I honestly would like the Complete Edition better if there was another DVD for books 2 and 3 and more tunes that I am familiar with."
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Best Dance Music

Dance Music Manual: Tools, Toys, and Techniques
With Dance Music Manual , you’ll get coverage of every aspect of dance music production―from designing sounds to compression, from effects to mixing and mastering―and go even further, with advice on publishing and promoting your tracks. Alongside holding seminars across the UK on producing club-based music, he has written numerous articles and reviews for leading music technology magazines and authored a distance-learning course for Music For the Media.
Reviews
"If somewhat poorly written."
"If you want to learn how to create or produce music with today's sounds, a music production platform like Ableton and this book will get you started in the right direction."
"Short answer: If you want to become a better dance music artist, and/or producer, and feel you need to read a book to get a better grasp of everything involved, buy THIS book. and this book hits the mark every step of the way, even diving into music theory, mixing, mastering, and promotion - all of it starting with "sound theory". This book is written in a style that any beginner will be able to pick up, but Rick doesn't assume you are an idiot, nor does he water down any subject like a lot of "intro" books do without imparting any practical knowledge. It's like Rick wrote a small book on each subject and then distilled them down to only the most important and essential concepts and then made each a chapter of this book. It is truly impressive (and a gift) that Rick tried to tackle so many subjects related to Dance Music and cram it all into 1 book, and for the most part he does it with flying colors. And, while this book doesn't cover some specifics of live performance or mixing on headphones, it absolutely covers gear setups from cables to mixers to audio units as well as in depth explanations about mixing and mastering which more than cover the needed skills. This book provides a STRONG, holistic foundation of knowledge to build upon, is a reference book that will get used and worn out and is, at times, an inspirational piece. This book won't write music for you, nor replace a lot of hard work, nor make you a star, but if you want to do all those things, this book will give you a GIANT push in the right direction and provide an entire framework to work with in accomplishing those goals. Yes, there are other books out there that go into each subject Rick covers in "The Dance Music Manual", but really, if you had to buy one and only one book on this subject, this is the book you need. One final note: If you already produce and/or gig for a living, perhaps you won't get much out of this book as a beginner, but even experienced professionals MAY be able to glean some knowledge from this book that they didn't have before."
"I'm a hack musician and this book has really helped too fill some of the gaps in my swiss cheese like musical education. As someone who doesn't do music production full time, this book serves as a great read cover-to-cover and also as something of a practical reference."
"HOWEVER, this book is still very helpful to those individuals as well."
"The most complete guide to electronic music making!"
"I learned a couple of things on my own, but reading this book fills in the gaps that once stopped me producing."
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Best Bridge Engineering

Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 15th Ed
This prep course provides expert instruction, a structured syllabus, PPI's #1 selling review materials, and convenient online viewing from the comfort of home or on the go. The extensive index contains thousands of entries, with multiple entries included for each topic, so you can find the topics referenced no matter how you search. Civil Breadth: Project Planning; Means and Methods; Soil Mechanics; Structural Mechanics; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Geometrics; Materials; Site Development Construction: Earthwork Construction and Layout; Estimating Quantities and Costs; Construction Operations and Methods; Scheduling; Material Quality Control and Production; Temporary Structures; Health and Safety. If you are preparing for the PE exam in civil engineering, the following suggestions may help. Newer editions mean that the codes, standards, and regulations on which the exam is based are not represented in the older edition,that the exam body of knowledge has changed, and/or the exam format and policies have changed. This means knowing the order of the chapters, the approximate locations of important figures and tables, what appendices are available, and so on.
Reviews
"That said, as far as I can tell this is pretty much the only comprehensive reference available for the exam so rather than talk more about the CERM itself I wanted to break down some things that helped me use the manual to study and pass the PE exam the first time: 1) Download and print out a copy of the index for the CERM from the PPI website, bind it separately, and use that to look stuff up while studying and taking the exam to avoid constantly flipping around in the manual between the index and the chapters. I left all my tabs and flags in the CERM after finding out I passed since it makes the book look real salty and reminds me of the pain I went through studying and taking the exam. The PM exam was the similar but about 25% of the questions couldn't be answered out of the CERM and needed an outside reference (master's level stuff in my opinion and I don't have an MSCE so I just did what I could and guessed the rest). I know this sounds obvious but I first attempted studying with stacks of textbooks from engineering school in addition to my CERM and quickly realized it would never work. The CERM and a few other things were enough to get me through the WR exam and I am neither a water resources engineer by practice nor the kid from Good Will Hunting. It helped me get into the mode of studying a lot (I kept records and including 56 hours of class I spent about 250 hours preparing for the exam over about 3.5 months, did nothing the two weeks before the test due to burnout and a work trip during which I was not going to study in the hotel at night), helped me realize I wasn't the only one fighting my way through the pain and misery, and helped me learn enough to get by in areas that I had little to no college coursework on (e.g. transpo, econ, etc)."
"I didn't study with the CERM but I used it as a back-up reference."
"Absolutely a must if you are taking the Professional Engineering Examinations."
"Used the book along with a review course and passed the test the first time."
"The index is top notch; with a few key words you can find information or formulas to solve almost any problem."
"I highly recommend this book for the exam and as a general reference for other engineers like myself."
"a good reference book for civil engineering practice."
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Best Structural Engineering

Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down
For anyone who has ever wondered why suspension bridges don't collapse under eight lanes of traffic, how dams hold back--or give way under--thousands of gallons of water, or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper, a bias-cut dress, or a kangaroo, this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questions. "Here we have the conversation in the unbuttoned mood of a learned engineer with wide sympathies about his art, its history, its range, and the silly things which happen.
Reviews
"Tough read due to it jumping around a bit, but very informative."
"It shows very complex and deep concepts in a way everyone with minimum engineering knowledge is able to understand."
"Outstanding read that provides an explanation for how things are built - both by man and nature."
"This book talks lots about engineering principles."
"Good reading, intro to engineering, mathematics, and answers to the why of structures, that a layman might ask...just go with the flow."
"This is an excellent book, a great introduction to materials and mechanical engineering that is engaging and funny."
"This book provides a wonderful insight into how the world around us works, from an engineering perspctive."
"Absolutely a must read for anyone interested in how the world works."
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Best Environmental Engineering

Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body & Ultimately Save Our World
Through fascinating and accessible interviews with celebrity chefs, ranchers, farmers, and top scientists, this remarkable book, soon to be a full-length documentary film narrated by Woody Harrelson, will teach you how to become an agent in humanity’s single most important and time sensitive mission. That’s why I’m so happy to discover Kiss the Ground , which offers a fascinating, easy-to-follow blueprint for how eating in ways that nourish and regenerate the soil can not only help reverse global warming but also bring greater vitality to our lives. Kiss the Ground both informs and inspires, as it connects biology and geography and species diversity to the yearnings of the human heart.” (Marianne Williamson, #1 New York Times bestselling author). If you care about your kids, about the food you’re feeding them and about the future of the planet, you need to read this book.” (Vani Hari, New York Times bestselling author and creator of FoodBabe.com). With clear, accessible language, wit and humor, this book gives readers powerful tools to overcome humanity’s greatest challenge." “Kiss the Ground re-imagines conventional wisdom and adds to our armory in our existential duty to slow and reverse climate change.
Reviews
"a excellent book about preserving our planet while eating well."
"I found it fascinating as it distilled consumer and agricultural practices, past and present, and painted a clear picture of the present/future impact on us all."
"Fun, wide ranging and important."
"Great for those looking to understand the need for regenerative agriculture and soil health."
"A must read for everyone who wants to learn more about how soil is so important to the planet."
"As the Savory Global Network Coordinator and a Savory Hub leader in California, I work with people passionate about regenerative agriculture each day, so I thought there was a chance that a book about this topic might not surprise me. Complex concepts related to climate change, soil science, agriculture and food production are brought into focus through his excellent writing. When we are eating nutrient-dense foods grown in regenerating soils, we (or at least I) naturally eat less (of everything, not just meat) because the food is more satisfying. Holistic Planned Grazing, one of the pillars of regenerative agriculture, allows for soil to increase its water-holding capacity."
"Kiss the Ground is one of the most timely books you can read."
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Best Transportation Engineering

FE Civil Review Manual
Michael R. Lindeburg PE’s FE Civil Review Manual offers complete review for the FE Civil exam. Since 1975, he has authored dozens of engineering reference and exam preparation books.
Reviews
"Overall great preparation book."
"Very helpful manual!"
"Only used this to study and passed!"
"It may give you enough that if you are solid on all of this, you will pass the FE regardless of what's missing."
"Ill start studying it intensively and report back after completing it."
"Good book, contains a lot of useful problems."
"A number of questions do not seem to reflect the formulas in the in the NCEES manual and it's not explained where they got certain values."
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Best Highway & Traffic Engineering

Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 15th Ed
This prep course provides expert instruction, a structured syllabus, PPI's #1 selling review materials, and convenient online viewing from the comfort of home or on the go. The extensive index contains thousands of entries, with multiple entries included for each topic, so you can find the topics referenced no matter how you search. Civil Breadth: Project Planning; Means and Methods; Soil Mechanics; Structural Mechanics; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Geometrics; Materials; Site Development Construction: Earthwork Construction and Layout; Estimating Quantities and Costs; Construction Operations and Methods; Scheduling; Material Quality Control and Production; Temporary Structures; Health and Safety. If you are preparing for the PE exam in civil engineering, the following suggestions may help. Newer editions mean that the codes, standards, and regulations on which the exam is based are not represented in the older edition,that the exam body of knowledge has changed, and/or the exam format and policies have changed. This means knowing the order of the chapters, the approximate locations of important figures and tables, what appendices are available, and so on.
Reviews
"That said, as far as I can tell this is pretty much the only comprehensive reference available for the exam so rather than talk more about the CERM itself I wanted to break down some things that helped me use the manual to study and pass the PE exam the first time: 1) Download and print out a copy of the index for the CERM from the PPI website, bind it separately, and use that to look stuff up while studying and taking the exam to avoid constantly flipping around in the manual between the index and the chapters. I left all my tabs and flags in the CERM after finding out I passed since it makes the book look real salty and reminds me of the pain I went through studying and taking the exam. The PM exam was the similar but about 25% of the questions couldn't be answered out of the CERM and needed an outside reference (master's level stuff in my opinion and I don't have an MSCE so I just did what I could and guessed the rest). I know this sounds obvious but I first attempted studying with stacks of textbooks from engineering school in addition to my CERM and quickly realized it would never work. The CERM and a few other things were enough to get me through the WR exam and I am neither a water resources engineer by practice nor the kid from Good Will Hunting. It helped me get into the mode of studying a lot (I kept records and including 56 hours of class I spent about 250 hours preparing for the exam over about 3.5 months, did nothing the two weeks before the test due to burnout and a work trip during which I was not going to study in the hotel at night), helped me realize I wasn't the only one fighting my way through the pain and misery, and helped me learn enough to get by in areas that I had little to no college coursework on (e.g. transpo, econ, etc)."
"I didn't study with the CERM but I used it as a back-up reference."
"Absolutely a must if you are taking the Professional Engineering Examinations."
"Used the book along with a review course and passed the test the first time."
"The index is top notch; with a few key words you can find information or formulas to solve almost any problem."
"I highly recommend this book for the exam and as a general reference for other engineers like myself."
"a good reference book for civil engineering practice."
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Best Earthwork Design Engineering

Civil Engineering Reference Manual for the PE Exam, 15th Ed
This prep course provides expert instruction, a structured syllabus, PPI's #1 selling review materials, and convenient online viewing from the comfort of home or on the go. The extensive index contains thousands of entries, with multiple entries included for each topic, so you can find the topics referenced no matter how you search. Civil Breadth: Project Planning; Means and Methods; Soil Mechanics; Structural Mechanics; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Geometrics; Materials; Site Development Construction: Earthwork Construction and Layout; Estimating Quantities and Costs; Construction Operations and Methods; Scheduling; Material Quality Control and Production; Temporary Structures; Health and Safety. If you are preparing for the PE exam in civil engineering, the following suggestions may help. Newer editions mean that the codes, standards, and regulations on which the exam is based are not represented in the older edition,that the exam body of knowledge has changed, and/or the exam format and policies have changed. This means knowing the order of the chapters, the approximate locations of important figures and tables, what appendices are available, and so on.
Reviews
"That said, as far as I can tell this is pretty much the only comprehensive reference available for the exam so rather than talk more about the CERM itself I wanted to break down some things that helped me use the manual to study and pass the PE exam the first time: 1) Download and print out a copy of the index for the CERM from the PPI website, bind it separately, and use that to look stuff up while studying and taking the exam to avoid constantly flipping around in the manual between the index and the chapters. I left all my tabs and flags in the CERM after finding out I passed since it makes the book look real salty and reminds me of the pain I went through studying and taking the exam. The PM exam was the similar but about 25% of the questions couldn't be answered out of the CERM and needed an outside reference (master's level stuff in my opinion and I don't have an MSCE so I just did what I could and guessed the rest). I know this sounds obvious but I first attempted studying with stacks of textbooks from engineering school in addition to my CERM and quickly realized it would never work. The CERM and a few other things were enough to get me through the WR exam and I am neither a water resources engineer by practice nor the kid from Good Will Hunting. It helped me get into the mode of studying a lot (I kept records and including 56 hours of class I spent about 250 hours preparing for the exam over about 3.5 months, did nothing the two weeks before the test due to burnout and a work trip during which I was not going to study in the hotel at night), helped me realize I wasn't the only one fighting my way through the pain and misery, and helped me learn enough to get by in areas that I had little to no college coursework on (e.g. transpo, econ, etc)."
"I didn't study with the CERM but I used it as a back-up reference."
"Absolutely a must if you are taking the Professional Engineering Examinations."
"Used the book along with a review course and passed the test the first time."
"The index is top notch; with a few key words you can find information or formulas to solve almost any problem."
"I highly recommend this book for the exam and as a general reference for other engineers like myself."
"a good reference book for civil engineering practice."
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Best Seismic Design

FE Civil Review
Michael R. Lindeburg PE’s FE Civil Review offers complete review of all knowledge areas for the FE Civil exam. equations, figures, and tables for version 9.4 of the NCEES FE Reference Handbook to familiarize you with the reference you’ll have on exam day 16 diagnostic exams to assess your grasp of knowledge areas covered in each chapter concise explanations supported by exam-like example problems, with step-by-step solutions to reinforce the theory and application of fundamental concepts 7-day free web access to FE Civil Practice for additional review (only guaranteed on purchases from the publisher) access to a fully customizable study schedule to keep your studies on track a robust index with thousands of terms to facilitate referencing a guarantee that if you follow the guidelines described in the “How to Use This Book” section, you’ll pass the exam or we will refund your purchase*. Since 1975, Mr. Lindeburg has authored over 40 engineering reference and exam preparation books, and he has spent thousands of hours teaching engineering to students and practicing engineers.
Reviews
"Overall great preparation book."
"Very helpful manual!"
"In great condition, no noticeable marks or wear in any way."
"Only used this to study and passed!"
"It may give you enough that if you are solid on all of this, you will pass the FE regardless of what's missing."
"Ill start studying it intensively and report back after completing it."
"Good book, contains a lot of useful problems."
"A number of questions do not seem to reflect the formulas in the in the NCEES manual and it's not explained where they got certain values."
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Best Firefighting & Prevention

Essentials of Fire Fighting and Fire Department Operations (6th Edition)
Continuing the tradition of excellence in firefighter education, this new, expanded version contains the complete 20 basic chapters, as well as additional chapters including first aid and hazardous materials response to meet all of the requirements for Fire Fighter I and II levels of NFPA 1001Âź and NFPA 472Âź and OSHA 1910.120.
Reviews
"This book is an excellent choice for those getting into the fire service as well as those in the service looking to brush up."
"Great book!"
"Book I'm using for FF1 Academy, its nice because I can use the same book for FF2 Academy."
"Just what I needed for the fire academy!"
"i bought these so that my college and i can better prepare for the promotion in organization and i can say they are beyond expectation in regards to info."
"The essential manual for beginning fire fighters."
"Required for Wisconsin fire fighters for Entry level and Firefighter 1."
"Excellent, well written, informative text."
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Best Structural Dynamics

Dynamics of Structures (5th Edition) (Prentice-hall International Series I Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics)
An expert on structural dynamics and earthquake engineering, Anil K. Chopra fills an important niche, explaining the material in an approachable style with his Fifth Edition of Dynamics of Structures: Theory and Applications to Earthquake Engineering .
Reviews
"Condition of the textbook is good."
"Very nice book and chapters well organized."
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Best Surveying & Photogrammetry

Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
Vance spent over 40 hours in conversation with Musk and interviewed close to 300 people to tell the tumultuous stories of Musk's world-changing companies: PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX and SolarCity, and to characterize a man who has renewed American industry and sparked new levels of innovation while making plenty of enemies along the way. "Ashlee Vance's new book, 'Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future,' is a tremendous look into arguably the world's most important entrepreneur. Vance paints an unforgettable picture of Musk's unique personality, insatiable drive and ability to thrive through hardship." "Vance's lively book yields all manner of fascinating insights about Musk's companies, his vision, and his personal life." - Whitney Tilson Founder, Kase Capital Management There are few industrialists in history who could match Elon Musk's relentless drive and ingenious vision. A modern alloy of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and Steve Jobs, Musk is the man behind PayPal, Tesla Motors, SpaceX, and SolarCity, each of which has sent shock waves throughout American business and industry. More than any other executive today, Musk has dedicated his energies and his own vast fortune to inventing a future that is as rich and far-reaching as a science fiction fantasy. In this lively, investigative account, veteran technology journalist Ashlee Vance offers an unprecedented look into the remarkable life and times of Silicon Valley's most audacious businessman. Written with exclusive access to Musk, his family, and his friends, the book traces his journey from his difficult upbringing in South Africa to his ascent to the pinnacle of the global business world. In 1992, Elon Musk arrived in the United States as a ferociously driven immigrant bent on realizing his wildest dreams. After being forced out of PayPal, fending off a life-threatening case of malaria, and dealing with the death of his infant son, Musk abandoned Silicon Valley for Los Angeles. At a time when many American companies are more interested in chasing easy money than in taking bold risks on radical new technology, Musk stands out as the only businessman with enough dynamism and vision to tackle--and even revolutionize--three industries at once. Vance makes the case that Musk's success heralds a return to the original ambition and invention that made America an economic and intellectual powerhouse.
Reviews
"2 pages in, I decided I was in this for the long haul and sat on the floor, right there in the middle of the store. Because as you experience the story, as you see the challenges Musk went through to reach the pinnacle he's at today, the question nags at you. Musk isn't soft-spoken, or easy on his employees, or a man who kicks his legs up on his desk and snoozes while his companies mill around him. Vance shows how Musk is both the CEO and an employee of his companies, simultaneously the teacher and student. Vance takes you deep into the details, from Musk's childhood and lineage in South Africa, all the way to Canada and the United States, where the bulk of the story unfolds. When Musk looks at big businesses, he sees unmovable behemoths that refuse to change their methodologies. So we follow Musk's journey from his small start-ups, Zip2 and X.com, and move into his larger, more permanent ventures, namely SpaceX, Tesla, and SolarCity. Did you know SpaceX tested these rockets on an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and would fix problems they encountered in a matter of days, as compared to months by standard companies? I'm going to reread this book in a few weeks (probably after the scheduled June 19th third Falcon 9 landing attempt, this time on solid ground, as opposed to a barge). Anyone who wants a ridiculously thorough insight into Elon Musk's life and companies should read this book. This is an incredibly inspiring book, a important look into a game-changing business strategy, and a valuable lesson to the world."
"I loved the insight into Musk and how he operates, and you get a very broad and complete picture of Musk as a driven visionary that is absolutely set on delivering some of the most aspirational goals of any human in history. You also get some great insight into the overall ecosystem around Musk - his companies (SpaceX and Tesla primarily), relationships with other companies and gov entities, as well as the important people around him."
"Solid, well researched book about Musk's early life, early companies (Zip2 and PayPal), and current companies (Tesla, SpaceX and SolarCity). Throughout the book, Vance doesn't just let a startling assertion or quote stand still, he researches events to give the reader a balanced view of what transpired."
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Best Hydrology

The Fourth Phase of Water: Beyond Solid, Liquid, and Vapor
Professor Pollack takes us on a fantastic voyage through water, showing us a hidden universe teeming with physical activity that provides answers so simple that any curious person can understand. Mae-Wan Ho, Author, Living Rainbow H2O; Director, Institute of Science and Society, London. " Dr. Pollack is one of the pioneers in this field , and his discoveries can be expected to have important implications." " I blame Pollack for my chronic loss of sleep during the past week. Devouring his book has inspired in me a whole new burst of enthusiasm for science." Pollack has the uncanny ability to pinpoint the right questions and grasp the simple ideas." By the end I was so captivated by the implications that I wished I could begin again in science and follow the new path this work has shaped." Kathryn Devereaux, Science writer, UC Davis. " With balance and grace, Pollack seems to have come closest to presenting a 'unified field' vision of matter through the lens of water."
Reviews
"Doubt mainstream neutonians will endorse it."
"Very thorough text on an interesting theory."
"Very informative for scientist and non-scientist."
"This is an expansion on the previous "Cells, Gels, and Engines of Life" by the same author, and just as clearly presented."
"Great work, detailed and well documented research."
"Really eye opener."
"It arrived in time stated and as described."
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