Best Civil Engineering
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
Find Best Price at Amazon"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."
This bold, contrarian view, backed up by exhaustive research, introduces our near-term future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions. Examining human need by category—water, food, energy, healthcare, education, freedom—Diamandis and Kotler introduce dozens of innovators making great strides in each area: Larry Page, Steven Hawking, Dean Kamen, Daniel Kahneman, Elon Musk, Bill Joy, Stewart Brand, Jeff Skoll, Ray Kurzweil, Ratan Tata, Craig Venter, among many, many others. "This engaging book is a needed corrective, a whirlwind tour of the latest developments in health care, agriculture, energy, and other fields as well as an introduction to thinkers and innovators such as Daniel Kahneman, Ray Kurzweil, and Craig Ventor."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Abundance by Peter Diamandis revolves around the concept that our perception on life is based off of our own experiences, but collectively taken life has improved in many categories such as lifespan, economic wages, & number of conflicts in a given time period."
"It is an excellent place to start for anyone. interested in exponential technologies, the. future, artificial intelligence, global social. issues or business."
"A must read for all generations, I couldn't put the book down...."
"If you read nothing else this year, next year, the year after - read Peter Diamandis Abundance."
"We think the world today is worst than ever, this book will tell you how we are wrong, how we are better now and how Technologies are shaping our future, a future of abundance."
"The authors rightly point out that if you study any period of human existence on planet Earth, you will see both incredible advancements and terrible tragedies. Diamandis and Kotler define abundance as having a life of possibilities where the day is spent dreaming and doing as opposed to scrapping and scraping just to get by. The bulk of the book describes how science and technology will be used to address each of the challenges identified in the tiers of the abundance pyramid. Its contents leave the reader full of hope that science and technology will solve our problems and better life on the planet."
Simply put, you won’t find a more complete and up-to-date book on home wiring: from basic skills—including an overview of electricity and wiring safety; wire, cable, and conduits; boxes and panels; switches; and receptacles—to foolproof circuit maps for 30 common wiring set-ups and step-by-step walkthroughs of every essential home wiring and electrical repair project, this book teaches you everything you need to know. For a remodel, mark the mirror location, run cable, and position boxes before drywall installation. You can also retrofit by installing new boxes and drawing power from the existing fixture. The size of your mirror and its location on the wall may affect how far apart you can place the sconces, but 36" to 40" apart is a good guideline. Drywall saw, drill, combination tool, circuit tester, screwdrivers, hammer, electrical boxes and braces, vanity light fixtures, NM cable, wire connectors, eye protection. Make the opening large enough that you have room to route cable from the existing fixture to the boxes. Install the boxes about 66" above the floor and 18" to 20" from the centerline of the mirror (the mounting base of some fixtures is above or below the bulb, so adjust the height of the bracing accordingly).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted to know how three-way switches do their magic (it's the traveler wire), and I wanted to know tricks of the trade about how to put a switch in the middle of a "run" of lighting wires or at the end, and how would I properly tie into existing circuits."
"This book is PERFECT!"
"With this book I have learn so much about wiring my house have already done socket, wall switch, and run new wiring."
"great for a home owner, but always remember to get county to inspected."
"Great book for the basics, has helped me with a few home projects."
"Good book with pictures for basic remodel and initial installation."
"It is a great book with good quality pictures in detail."
"Makes it much easier than I anticipated."
Best Construction Engineering
Simply put, you won’t find a more complete and up-to-date book on home wiring: from basic skills—including an overview of electricity and wiring safety; wire, cable, and conduits; boxes and panels; switches; and receptacles—to foolproof circuit maps for 30 common wiring set-ups and step-by-step walkthroughs of every essential home wiring and electrical repair project, this book teaches you everything you need to know. For a remodel, mark the mirror location, run cable, and position boxes before drywall installation. You can also retrofit by installing new boxes and drawing power from the existing fixture. The size of your mirror and its location on the wall may affect how far apart you can place the sconces, but 36" to 40" apart is a good guideline. Drywall saw, drill, combination tool, circuit tester, screwdrivers, hammer, electrical boxes and braces, vanity light fixtures, NM cable, wire connectors, eye protection. Make the opening large enough that you have room to route cable from the existing fixture to the boxes. Install the boxes about 66" above the floor and 18" to 20" from the centerline of the mirror (the mounting base of some fixtures is above or below the bulb, so adjust the height of the bracing accordingly).
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I wanted to know how three-way switches do their magic (it's the traveler wire), and I wanted to know tricks of the trade about how to put a switch in the middle of a "run" of lighting wires or at the end, and how would I properly tie into existing circuits."
"This book is PERFECT!"
"With this book I have learn so much about wiring my house have already done socket, wall switch, and run new wiring."
"great for a home owner, but always remember to get county to inspected."
"Great book for the basics, has helped me with a few home projects."
"Good book with pictures for basic remodel and initial installation."
"It is a great book with good quality pictures in detail."
"Makes it much easier than I anticipated."
Best Environmental Engineering
This bold, contrarian view, backed up by exhaustive research, introduces our near-term future, where exponentially growing technologies and three other powerful forces are conspiring to better the lives of billions. Examining human need by category—water, food, energy, healthcare, education, freedom—Diamandis and Kotler introduce dozens of innovators making great strides in each area: Larry Page, Steven Hawking, Dean Kamen, Daniel Kahneman, Elon Musk, Bill Joy, Stewart Brand, Jeff Skoll, Ray Kurzweil, Ratan Tata, Craig Venter, among many, many others. "This engaging book is a needed corrective, a whirlwind tour of the latest developments in health care, agriculture, energy, and other fields as well as an introduction to thinkers and innovators such as Daniel Kahneman, Ray Kurzweil, and Craig Ventor."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Abundance by Peter Diamandis revolves around the concept that our perception on life is based off of our own experiences, but collectively taken life has improved in many categories such as lifespan, economic wages, & number of conflicts in a given time period."
"It is an excellent place to start for anyone. interested in exponential technologies, the. future, artificial intelligence, global social. issues or business."
"A must read for all generations, I couldn't put the book down...."
"If you read nothing else this year, next year, the year after - read Peter Diamandis Abundance."
"We think the world today is worst than ever, this book will tell you how we are wrong, how we are better now and how Technologies are shaping our future, a future of abundance."
"The authors rightly point out that if you study any period of human existence on planet Earth, you will see both incredible advancements and terrible tragedies. Diamandis and Kotler define abundance as having a life of possibilities where the day is spent dreaming and doing as opposed to scrapping and scraping just to get by. The bulk of the book describes how science and technology will be used to address each of the challenges identified in the tiers of the abundance pyramid. Its contents leave the reader full of hope that science and technology will solve our problems and better life on the planet."
Best Hydrology
A key figure is William Mulholland, the self-taught engineer who created an unprecedented water system, allowing Los Angeles to become America's second-largest city, and who was also responsible for the design and construction of the St. Francis Dam. An Amazon Best Book of January 2016: How does a man-made disaster that killed 500 innocents near a burgeoning metropolis become a historical footnote? "Jon Wilkman retells the harrowing story of the St. Francis Dam break with ardent imagination and scholarly insight. His book is essential reading for anyone interested in the human consequences of the unrestrained quest for water and electricity in twentieth-century America." "Wilkman demonstrates a balanced perspective on Mulholland’s lifetime of labor, acknowledging both the good and the bad that the man’s actions wrought. Moreover, the author ties the events at the St. Francis Dam to the contemporary American experience -- with a high demand for water in a severe drought, combined with the aging and failing infrastructure of dams, waterworks, and energy grids, Wilkman convincingly argues that the United States is primed for another such disaster." "The St. Francis Dam failure was one of the pivotal events in U.S. history that forced policymakers to consider how public safety and environmental impacts would fit into national growth and the insatiable need for water. It is a fascinating technological detective story and a compelling human drama, including the impact of a powerful engineer’s overconfidence and the loss of hundreds of innocent lives."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Wilkman masterfully brings to life the now all-but-forgotten story of the St. Francis Dam, 50 miles north of Los Angeles, which suddenly collapsed one spring night in 1928, releasing more than 12 billion gallons of water that wrought death and destruction as it roared to the sea. Wilkman tells Mulholland’s story fairly and accurately, and he tells all of it—the St. Francis Dam and Mulholland—against the backdrop of the overarching story: Water in the West. In recounting the story of the St. Francis Dam and its failure, Wilkman splendidly puts all of the strands together and makes the dam disaster of long ago relevant to today."
"It’s just that I almost gave up on this book after a sluggish beginning, and wouldn’t want another reader to make the same mistake. While some of the early background material was slow, there was a lot of Los Angeles history I found interesting. Even back in 1928, when the population was just a few hundred thousand, city planners foresaw the need for water for both agriculture and its residents. Reading about the city’s efforts to acquire land and the additional steps needed to undertake such a massive engineering project bogged down the story in details that probably could have been left out. Fortunately, the very next chapter dealt with the dam break and subsequent flooding of the valley below. As it turns out, I had just watched the film San Andrea around the same time I started reading about the dam collapse. As dawn breaks, and the extent of the damage and loss of life is first realized, questions as to the cause of the collapse begins. The chief architect of the dam was William Mulholland, a respected director of the City’s Water Works department. I certainly was unaware of a series of dam collapses in China that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands."
"However, the rest of the country likely knows little. Often with this kind of history, a reader needs some background knowledge to understand the authors point. Not in this case: Wilkman gives enough background information that a reader will not only understand why the dam was built, and why it collapsed, but also understand the history of an important part of the country and the role water plays in that history."
Best Surveying & Photogrammetry
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
Find Best Price at Amazon"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."
Best Chemical Engineering
Deemed "the best history of oil ever written" by Business Week and with more than 300,000 copies in print, Daniel Yergin’s Pulitzer Prize–winning account of the global pursuit of oil, money, and power has been extensively updated to address the current energy crisis. Following on from there, The Prize , winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, is a comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil. Energy consultant Yergin limns oil's central role in most of the wars and many international crises of the 20th century.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It focuses on the effects of oil on the economies of both consuming and producing nations as well how access to oil affects the political power of nations."
"It makes no sense to export a precious finite resource, and it makes a lot of sense to use our enemy's supply first."
"This is the third copy of this book that I have purchased."
"The sentiments of various people and groups towards oil (good or bad) were negligible in the book which gave it almost a sterile feel. I now have a much stronger understanding of just how oil plays its enormous role in the global society. I can't say enough about how well this book informs its reader in an enjoyable and insightful way. It may at points be dry material, but in no way did i feel like this book was written over my head."
"Fascinating story from the time of ancient people using oil, oil tar, to drilling in Pennsylvania, drilling in the Near and Far East, etc."
"This is a long book, but if you want to write a comprehensive story of oil and its impact on the economy spanning more than a century, it's going to be long."
"This is one of the best histories of the Oil Business."
Best Nuclear Engineering
Mahaffey, a long-time advocate of continued nuclear research and nuclear energy, looks at each incident in turn and analyzes what happened and why, often discovering where scientists went wrong when analyzing past meltdowns. Although his latest work focuses mostly on radioactivity’s dark side, from its discovery in 1896 to its role in the recent Fukushima meltdown, Mahaffey nonetheless does argue persuasively that, by closely investigating its shortcomings, nuclear power can be made safer. Mahaffey guides us through more than a century of atomic research, includingmisadventures with radioactive elixirs ("The radium water worked fine until hisjaw came off," reads a 1932 headline) and long-forgotten accidents atenrichment plants...The compelling tales unravel like slow-motion horror stories,spiraling towards disasters we know are coming.PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (Starred Review) - 13 January 2014. Mahaffey, a former senior researchscientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute, employs his extensiveknowledge of nuclear engineering to produce a volume that is by turns alarming,thought-provoking, humorous, and always fascinating.KIRKUS (Starred Review) - 6 February 2014.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I think the biggest general takeaway from this is the surprisingly small impact from these accidents relative to other industrial accidents and the public perception of nuclear power."
"Public concerns are considered simplistic, but nothing critical is said about these high-tech dangerous systems sometimes being run as casually as a local car repair shop. Then after the spill Bob and I had to think fast, so we mopped up the nuclear waste and dumped it out back where it won't bother anybody."
"Really great read; lots of info, well written."
"This book is a better read than Chuck Hansen's Us Nuclear Weapons the Secret History which was way to technical and not for the laymen."
"A good, if technical, overview of the history of nuclear power and reactor design flaws and accidents."
"One learns a lot about nuclear physics."
"The author managed to explain the complex chains of events that lead to each of the failures detailed within quite clearly, I never felt this book was talking down to the audience or dumbing things down excessively."
"Finally, the author wraps up with a discussion on the future of the nuclear industry and what he believes are smart choices on nuclear alternatives (not non-nuclear alternatives, but alternate approaches to nuclear fission/fusion)."
Best Mechanical Engineering
Digital technologies—with hardware, software, and networks at their core—will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human. These include revamping education so that it prepares people for the next economy instead of the last one, designing new collaborations that pair brute processing power with human ingenuity, and embracing policies that make sense in a radically transformed landscape. “Offers important insights into how digital technologies are transforming our economy, a process that has only just begun.”. - Reid Hoffman, cofounder/chairman of LinkedIn and coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Start-up of You. I’ll encourage all of our entrepreneurs to read it, and hope their competitors don’t.”. - Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz. Long after the financial crisis and great recession have receded, the issues raised in this important book will be central to our lives and our politics.”. - Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Second Machine Age gives many examples of specific technologies like robots, AI and autonomous cars, and also lots of data showing how the economy is being transformed. The authors also make a strong argument that the way economists measure things, especially in terms of GDP, no longer does a good job of capturing what prosperity really means in the information age. There are lots of policy suggestions including reforming education to pay teachers more but also make them accountable, jump starting entrepreneurship, better job matching technologies, investing more in basic scientific research, upgrading national infrastructure, expanding skilled immigration, implementing smarter taxes, expanding the earned income tax credit (EITC), etc."
"There'll be nothing earth-shattering here for readers who follow technology trends or even who read WIRED magazine, but the book looks at all these things through a somewhat different lens (its impact on human work) than the tech press usually does, and I didn't find myself skimming even when they were covering developments with which I'm already very familiar. Their short-term prescriptions are sensible enough (basically: take steps to encourage general economic growth) but, as the authors themselves point out, these won't address the underlying problem, identified by Keynes among others, of technological change outpacing the ability of large segments of the workforce to retrain for new jobs."
Best Industrial Engineering
The Curies' newly discovered element of radium makes gleaming headlines across the nation as the fresh face of beauty, and wonder drug of the medical community. Written with a sparkling voice and breakneck pace, The Radium Girls fully illuminates the inspiring young women exposed to the "wonder" substance of radium, and their awe-inspiring strength in the face of almost impossible circumstances. "Kate Moore's new book will move, shock and anger you" -- The Big Issue Kate Moore is a Sunday Times bestselling writer with more than a decade's experience in writing across varying genres, including memoir and biography and history.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In The Radium Girls Kate Moore tells the story of these young women, seemingly so fortunate, who were poisoned by the jobs they felt so lucky to have. After some of the women died and more became ill the companies making large profits on radium rushed to dismiss any hint that the work was unsafe. Eventually publicity stemming from lawsuits filed by some of the victims (using their own scanty resources) focused enough attention on the problem that governments felt compelled to set safety standards and regulations. The safety regulations and restrictions which were finally put into place hardly seem adequate, and the Epilogue and Postscript giving details of the women's later lives, as well as an account of another industry that made careless use of radium as late as the 1970s, are especially harrowing."
"This is one these books that will stay with you long after you finished reading it."
"One of the best books I have read in a long time!"
"I learned so much from this book."
"This was such a heartfelt story bringing to life the stories of such brave women and their suffering."
"This a book that should be read by people of all ages and occupation."
"Awesome book could not stop thinking about it for weeks such a long fight these woman had n some did not make it sadly."
"I have not read many of these types of books about real life stories about history and I found this fascinating."
Best Automotive Engineering
Over the last twenty years Life in the Fast Lane has become a staple of Formula 1 literature. In essence a monthly diary of a Benetton grand prix mechanic, this essential book gives a behind-the-scenes account of daily life in the trenches of F1, each page written throughout the tragic and turbulent 1994 season.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's like receiving a tour of a great art museum not from a weary docent but a renowned painter who goes on to reveal the secret techniques of brushstroke and color choice over a couple of pints at your favorite local."
"It's written from an often forgotten perspective of the F1 mechanics, ironic in that they are the ones closest to the action after the driver. A particularly poignant passage involves the great Michael Schumacher leading the Spanish GP while he is managing the race strategy via radio transmission so that his team, Benetton, can get their second driver in the points, all while fending off a hard charging Williams challenging for second."
"I enjoy Steve Matchett’s books very much, if you like Formula 1, motorsports he is a must read."
"From pre season testing through an intensely personal perspective of the terrible events at Imola on through the end of Michael Schumacher's 1st World Championship, it was riveting."
"After hearing much insightful information from Steve over his years of Formula 1 televisión broadcasting, it was refreshing to read this insider’s view of the 1994 season."
"Insightful look at Formula one and the dedicated people not behind the wheel."
"Great insight into the behind the scenes aspect of F1."
"BTW, my wife has the Amazon acct and purchased them for me, for Christmas, and she did a damn fine job..lol."
Best Reference Engineering
Upgrading to a General license--which conveys extensive HF privileges—only requires passing a written examination. Procedures and Practices. Rules and Regulations. Components and Circuits. Radio Signals and Equipment. Digital Modes. Antennas. Propagation. Electrical and RF Safety. ARRL's mission is based on five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Using this process with a clean copy of the pool questions I got to mostly "blue" and a couple of "greens"...and easily passed the three test."
"Great information laid out in a plain to understand method that logically moves you through the subject matter in a way that you actually learn."
"I already have the Tech book and I used that and the practice exams on line to pass my Tech exam."
"Hypertext jumps from the subject to questions and answers was flawless."
"Excellent book."
"The book was so simple and easy to follow. This book will go over various topics and then at the end of the chapter it will just say, "Please review questions in section etc, etc, etc before continuing to the next chapter" I hate flipping back and forth between reading material and question pools in the back of the book. In the end this book will work and some of you might just say I have a different way of learning than others which is true."
"Very comprehensive and clear."
"Brand new and is current..."
Best Engineering Measurement
What is Kodi and some history of this open-sourced program Description and information for the Amazon Fire TV devices Installing Kodi Media Center on the Amazon Fire TV devices (using the wizards and manually) Navigating the Kodi website Common Kodi features and how they are used Popular Kodi add-ons Using XML files to customize certain Kodi features Content Sources available to load content into Kodi Troubleshooting, Tips and Suggestions for using the media center with the Fire TV devices, as well as other devices. Kodi, Kindle OwnersAmazon Prime, how to install to Kodi, Amazon fire tv stick, free TV Series,Fire Stick, tips and tricks, streaming, Amazon Fire TV Stick User Guide, smart device, beginners guide, main functions, personal control, step-by-step guide, quick guide, Fire Stick benefits, Fire Stick functions, Fire TV, Movies, TV, Apps, Games & More, install Kodi with ES File Explorer, from Newbie to Expert, Best Kindle Fire HD Apps, free Movie.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I like this book this book has proper guidence about how to install kodi on firestick.I have not proper knowledge before reading this about kodi.This book help me so much about getting the proper knowledge about the service.Very informative book for me to maintain my tv services."
"Very interesting book."
"Lots of very useful and helpful info re Kodi, but to do the install I had to go to a couple of Kodi websites to get up-to-date detailed instructions, so deducted one star."
"Good information."
"it is just what i needed."
"Easy to understand and works great."
Best Materials Science
Miodownik studies objects as ordinary as an envelope and as unexpected as concrete cloth, uncovering the fascinating secrets that hold together our physical world. " Stuff Matters is about hidden wonders, the astonishing properties of materials we think boring, banal, and unworthy of attention...It's possible this science and these stories have been told elsewhere, but like the best chocolatiers, Miodownik gets the blend right." University professor Miodownik accomplishes a bit of a miracle here by making a discussion of materials science not only accessible but witty as well.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I purchased this book because it's my first year teaching 5th-grade science and I wanted to flesh out my curriculum with some interesting facts. The chapter on chocolate is nothing short of a love letter to one of mankind's most sophisticated and delicious engineering achievements (make sure you have some on hand while you're reading—trust me)."
"The author has the ability to use simple language and illustrations to explain the incredible complexity of the materials aound us with which we interact on a daily basis."
"I'm rounding up perhaps half a star."
"Author Mark Miodownik has written an enjoyable, clear, and very informative book on a potentially very dry subject - material science."
"The reason is that sunlight does not have enough energy to dislocate the atoms in glass but ultra violet light does. That is the reason can't get a tan thru a window."
"It gave me a whole to appreciation for the things around me, so much so that I later bought The Elements by Theodore Gray which does an exceptional job of visually exploring all the atoms in the universe so you can better appreciate the Periodic Table as a layperson."
"A amazing tale of materials that have shaped our modern world."
"Lots of stuff happened since my college years. This book provides some of the new stuff I missed or misunderstood reading the Science Section of the New York Times."
Best Computer Technology
Digital technologies—with hardware, software, and networks at their core—will in the near future diagnose diseases more accurately than doctors can, apply enormous data sets to transform retailing, and accomplish many tasks once considered uniquely human. These include revamping education so that it prepares people for the next economy instead of the last one, designing new collaborations that pair brute processing power with human ingenuity, and embracing policies that make sense in a radically transformed landscape. “Offers important insights into how digital technologies are transforming our economy, a process that has only just begun.”. - Reid Hoffman, cofounder/chairman of LinkedIn and coauthor of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Start-up of You. I’ll encourage all of our entrepreneurs to read it, and hope their competitors don’t.”. - Marc Andreessen, cofounder of Netscape and Andreessen Horowitz. Long after the financial crisis and great recession have receded, the issues raised in this important book will be central to our lives and our politics.”. - Lawrence H. Summers, Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard University.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The Second Machine Age gives many examples of specific technologies like robots, AI and autonomous cars, and also lots of data showing how the economy is being transformed. The authors also make a strong argument that the way economists measure things, especially in terms of GDP, no longer does a good job of capturing what prosperity really means in the information age. There are lots of policy suggestions including reforming education to pay teachers more but also make them accountable, jump starting entrepreneurship, better job matching technologies, investing more in basic scientific research, upgrading national infrastructure, expanding skilled immigration, implementing smarter taxes, expanding the earned income tax credit (EITC), etc."
"There'll be nothing earth-shattering here for readers who follow technology trends or even who read WIRED magazine, but the book looks at all these things through a somewhat different lens (its impact on human work) than the tech press usually does, and I didn't find myself skimming even when they were covering developments with which I'm already very familiar. Their short-term prescriptions are sensible enough (basically: take steps to encourage general economic growth) but, as the authors themselves point out, these won't address the underlying problem, identified by Keynes among others, of technological change outpacing the ability of large segments of the workforce to retrain for new jobs."
"That said if you have never read "Race" this book is just as good as the other."
Best Electrical & Electronics
Use with ARRL s online Exam Review for Ham Radio. Welcome to Amateur Radio. Radio and Signals Fundamentals. Electricity, Components, and Circuits. Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines. Amateur Radio Equipment. Communicating With Other Hams. Licensing Regulations. Operating Regulations. Safety. As you complete each chapter of this book, use ARRL's online Exam Review for Ham Radio to help prepare you for exam day. Once you've finished this book, use the online service to take practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that you'll encounter on exam day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Some of the other books that I see concentrate more on passing the test by learning the test questions than actually teaching the material."
"After the training material, there is an excellent glossary, the complete exam question pool (with correct answers indicated), as well as a supplementary chapter on choosing a ham radio. Excellent graphics -- lots of tables, charts, photographs, and line drawings. As much as I love my e-Ink Kindle, this is the sort of book that is better in paper and in a large format. Table of Contents for the course material -- Radio and Signals Fundamentals; Electricity, Components, and Circuits; Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines; Amateur Radio Equipment; Communicating With Other Hams; Licensing Regulations; Operating Regulations; and Safety."
"Even though you could simply memorize the questions from the FCC test bank, you'll be missing out on a great amount of information that's useful to the new ham operator."
"As a test preparation guide and desktop reference, its a good book to own."
"I passed my license after going through the multiple choice questions in the back.."
"I'm new to this HAM radio but am confident that this will be the reference that stays on my shelf as I get my first license level."
"This is a nicely laid out book that takes you through all of the material for the license exam."
"My only issue with the electronic format is that the images could be more readable inline with the text. This results in needing to zoom almost every image, where most of them could be otherwise read inline with the text."
Best Telecommunications
Use with ARRL s online Exam Review for Ham Radio. Welcome to Amateur Radio. Radio and Signals Fundamentals. Electricity, Components, and Circuits. Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines. Amateur Radio Equipment. Communicating With Other Hams. Licensing Regulations. Operating Regulations. Safety. As you complete each chapter of this book, use ARRL's online Exam Review for Ham Radio to help prepare you for exam day. Once you've finished this book, use the online service to take practice exams with the same number and variety of questions that you'll encounter on exam day.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Some of the other books that I see concentrate more on passing the test by learning the test questions than actually teaching the material."
"After the training material, there is an excellent glossary, the complete exam question pool (with correct answers indicated), as well as a supplementary chapter on choosing a ham radio. Excellent graphics -- lots of tables, charts, photographs, and line drawings. As much as I love my e-Ink Kindle, this is the sort of book that is better in paper and in a large format. Table of Contents for the course material -- Radio and Signals Fundamentals; Electricity, Components, and Circuits; Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines; Amateur Radio Equipment; Communicating With Other Hams; Licensing Regulations; Operating Regulations; and Safety."
"Even though you could simply memorize the questions from the FCC test bank, you'll be missing out on a great amount of information that's useful to the new ham operator."
"As a test preparation guide and desktop reference, its a good book to own."
"I'm new to this HAM radio but am confident that this will be the reference that stays on my shelf as I get my first license level."
"This is a nicely laid out book that takes you through all of the material for the license exam."
"My only issue with the electronic format is that the images could be more readable inline with the text. This results in needing to zoom almost every image, where most of them could be otherwise read inline with the text."
"This manual takes a complex and fascinating hobby and renders it boring."
Best Petroleum
Deemed "the best history of oil ever written" by Business Week and with more than 300,000 copies in print, Daniel Yergin’s Pulitzer Prize–winning account of the global pursuit of oil, money, and power has been extensively updated to address the current energy crisis. Following on from there, The Prize , winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, is a comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil. Energy consultant Yergin limns oil's central role in most of the wars and many international crises of the 20th century.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It focuses on the effects of oil on the economies of both consuming and producing nations as well how access to oil affects the political power of nations."
"It makes no sense to export a precious finite resource, and it makes a lot of sense to use our enemy's supply first."
"This is the third copy of this book that I have purchased."
"The sentiments of various people and groups towards oil (good or bad) were negligible in the book which gave it almost a sterile feel. I now have a much stronger understanding of just how oil plays its enormous role in the global society. I can't say enough about how well this book informs its reader in an enjoyable and insightful way. It may at points be dry material, but in no way did i feel like this book was written over my head."
"Although concentrated on the oil industry, this book is really an incredible history of the twentieth century, which makes a lot of sense considering the paramount of oil to that era and now."
"This is a long book, but if you want to write a comprehensive story of oil and its impact on the economy spanning more than a century, it's going to be long."
"This is one of the best histories of the Oil Business."