Reviews (5)

A Fabulous Historical Page Turner!
I am having a hard time putting down Ian Toll's "Six Frigates" to write a female's point of view...this is truly a page turner, an enlightening and very refreshing review of our early naval history which reads like a novel, pulling one into the action and times on each page - even if you are not a naval/history buff.I await with great impatience Mr. Toll's next venture.

A Much-Needed History
Ever since reading Patrick O'Brian's depiction of the battle between the USS Constitution and the HMS Java in "The Fortune of War," I've wanted to learn more about the United States's own naval history from that period.Surprisingly, though, I was unable to find many published works on the subject.Finally, Toll's "Six Frigates" has arrived, and it's exactly the sort of book I was looking for.
Don't read this book at sea!
I read "Six Frigates" sailing south down the coast of Australia from Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday group.
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Subjects:  1. 18th century    2. 19th century    3. Frigates    4. History    5. History - General History    6. Military    7. Military - Naval    8. Military - United States    9. Naval operations    10. Tripolitan War, 1801-1805    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. History / Military / United States    14. Maritime history    15. Naval forces & warfare    16. USA   

Editorial Review

The appeal of Dava Sobel's Read more

Reviews (235)

Stunning Tale of Old Whaling Days
I just finished this last night...wow! The narration is lively and keeps the pace of the story while the author imparts a great deal of information that could have been dull but is not. The prose is so vivid that I could not eat while reading the passages about dismembering the whale; I could almost smell the burning oil and feel the slick decks. Amazing that men made a living this way! I can hardly wait to start Philbrick's MAYFLOWER.

The short reveiw
Here is all you need to know so as not to spoil the story:
Excellent Account and Audio Read
This review refers to "In The Heart Of The Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick, Unabridged Audio edition, read by Scott Brick
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Subjects:  1. Essex (Whaleship)    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: American    5. Latin America - Mexico    6. Maritime History    7. Pacific Ocean    8. Ships & Shipbuilding - History    9. Ships & Shipbuilding - Shipwrecks    10. Shipwrecks    11. United States - 19th Century    12. History / United States / 19th Century   

Reviews (3)

Lives up to the Pirate Soul Museum!
Croce's Pirate Soul book is an amazing achievement in that it captures a large part of the history, interactive entertainment and pirate lore residing within Croce's one of a kind Pirate museum in Key West, FL. This is no small feat given the quality and scope (over 500 authentic artifacts) of the museum and is a testament to Pat's emerging presence as the foremost pirate expert. Whether you wish to relive your Pirate Soul museum experience or get a taste of the world's largest collection of pirate artifacts, this book is a must read!

the perfect pirate book!!
this book is a major WOW!everything you'd ever want to know about the golden age of piracy while making the trip so fun and hands on.i just keep going back through it and finding more and more "stuff"!i love just leaving it out on my coffee table -- no one is shy about playing with it and talking about it. a great gift this holiday season for all pirate lovers.

Brilliant interactive adventure and wonderful learning experience
Croce has introduced a whole new way of learning about Pirates that children and adults can enjoy.This book makes the experience of reading to your child truly enjoyable.The numerous 3-D representation of Pirate artifacts is a great way to tell the story.The playing cards, fold-out map and the Henry Every's "Wanted" poster are brilliant additions to this book.My children (all ages 6 and below) were fascinated by the history and Pirate culture.There are many imitations, but this book is the real deal!!!!!Buy it for you, your child (as a treasure/keepsake) and for a relative!!!!Worth every bit of the price!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Maritime History    6. Navigation    7. Reference    8. Travel writing    9. World history: c 1500 to c 1750   

Editorial Review

One of the most beautifully crafted books I have ever read, with some of the most poetic prose passages I could imagine, such as the following, resonating with a stately and timeless quality so absent in our modern life: Read more

Reviews (97)

FEMALE AFRICAN BUSH PILOT IN THE 30's GIVES INSIDE VIEW
Beryl Markham's book West with the Night is a true story of how she lived and worked in Africa as a push pilot back in the 1930's -- almost amazing for a woman...what an experience alone-- what an adventure-- but her writing -- ahhh that's something amazing in itself....from dealing with the Blackwater Die to the lion who almost ate her to search for a Libyan port and a fallen colleague-- a beautiful book...each chapter is written almost like a true short story....she's a beautiful writer and to think this is a piece of our women's past that is here to still cherish-- belongs on the shelf of every women's studies office...great for a young woman to read....especially great gift to a chick going off to college.

Beautifully Written
West With the night is Beryl Markham's memoir of life as a bush pilot in 1930s Africa. The beautifully written prose paints evocative pictures of the Serengeti in the reader's brain, and each paragraph is dense and satisfying. A wonderful read, especially for fans of Out of Africa - and some of the same people are mentioned in this book.
Probably the most beautifully written book I have ever read.
The exceptional wordcrafting in West With The Night brings Africa alive and makes it almost a personal experience. Beryl Markham was a most interesting individual and her life growing up in Africa is the beautiful background for this book. I have only reread one book in my sixty-some years and this is it. I enjoyed it at least as much the second time around.
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Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Aviation - History    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Great Britain    7. Markham, Beryl    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Women    10. Women air pilots   

Editorial Review

Abraham Lincoln, who had worked as a riverboat pilot before turning to politics, knew a thing or two about the problems of transporting goods and people from place to place. He was also convinced that the United States would flourish only if its far-flung regions were linked, replacing sectional loyalties with an overarching sense of national destiny.Read more

Reviews (207)

a wonderful journey back in time
we loved this book - transported back to a time where our country was expanding - highly recommend

Very Well Written, Factual and Fulfilling!
Stephen Ambrose did a great job of explaining the complicated details that led to the miracle of the transcontinental railroad. Anyone who appreciates herculean feats and the web of intrigue surrounding their beginnings, eventual birth and their effect on our great country will love this story. A true five star book.

The Great race
An engrossing story about the companies and the men behind the building of the Railroad from Omaha to Sacramento. The US Government with its hands tied in the Civil war, sets up a competition between 2 private companies Union Pacific and the Central Pacific who start laying tracks from Omaho and Sacramento. The book details the progress through each state, with insight into the leaders and the workforce behind the construction. Then it reaches a fast pace once we enter Utah where the two tracks meet.
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Subjects:  1. 19th centurry    2. 19th century    3. Central Pacific Railroad Compa    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Railroad construction workers    8. Railroads    9. Railroads - History    10. U.S. History - Civil War And Reconstruction (1860-1877)    11. United States    12. United States - 19th Century/Old West    13. United States - Civil War    14. United States - Reconstruction Period (1865-1877)    15. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    16. History / United States / General    17. Railway transport industries    18. Trains & railways: general interest    19. USA    20. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (12)

A Must Companion to O'Brian
Currently deployed to Iraq....Having read three of his books without this companion, I can tell you that I was missing out on a great deal of the language and the history. Buy this with the Lexicon and O'Brian's series are impossible to put down!!
Great Reference
I bought a second one of these for my son, who recently started reading Patrick O'Brian's series.This is an excellent reference for anyone who wants to learn about the Royal Navy of the late 18 / early 19th century.Highly recommend.

good, but lacking in depth
I suppose I may have expected too much.I was a little disapointed in the lack of depth and detail.The various graphics, pictures, etc are great.An interesting coffee table book for O'Brian mavens and a good place to start in looking for more about the Napoleanic era of the Royal Navy. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Military    4. Military - Naval    5. English    6. Literary reference works    7. Maritime history    8. Novels, other prose & writers: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (2)

Father of the Queen of the Skies
There have been many books written about the 747, but none of them tell the human side of taking one of the largest aircraft off the drawing board and into the skies in two years time.Joe Sutter is the consumate engineer, he engages you in a voice that keeps you interested all of the way through the book.He does it in such a way that makes you feel that maybe you where there.Boeing bet the company on the 747, if it had been a failure the company would probably be a footnote in history.The company put their trust in one single man, who claims he and Boeing grew up together.Joe also includes the stories of many others along the way, he never takes credit for himself but always makes you aware that it was a team effort.In fact he leads off with a disclaimer that if he remembered it wrong he was sorry.
Joe SutterIS " one of the great ones "
The above partial quote is plagerized from Joes book as he quotes Charles Linderbergh comments about the 747 which in its entirety was " This is one of the great ones "
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Subjects:  1. Aeronautical engineers    2. Aircraft Design And Construction    3. Aviation - General    4. Aviation - History    5. Biography    6. Biography & Autobiography    7. Biography / Autobiography    8. Boeing 747 (Jet transports)    9. Design and construction    10. Historical - General    11. History Of Specific Companies    12. Personal Memoirs    13. Scientists - General    14. Transportation    15. United States    16. Biography & Autobiography / Historical   

Reviews (6)

Blends humor with adventure
SEAWORTHY: ADRIFT WITH WILLIAM WILLIS IN THE GOLDEN AGE OF RAFTING tells of a sixty-year-old who set out across the pacific Ocean on a homemade balsa raft with only a parrot and cat for company - in the heart of typhoon season. He survived on very little and spent four months at sea before arriving safely in British Samoa, besting Thor Heyerdahl by two thousand miles. Ten years later he did it again, crossing from Peru to Australia - and four years later he was on the Atlantic in a boat. SEAWORTHY blends humor with adventure in recounting his journeys and any boater will thrill to his many experiences.
Kon-Tiki solo
It's hard to image now, but when Thor Heyerdahl's set out "Kon-Tiki" in 1948, most people said he was crazy and was sure to die - so when he lived to tell about it, becoming a world-wide celebrity, it set off a raft of imitators in the 1950s and 60s, which Pearson calls the "Golden Age" of rafting.
An Absorbing Ship-Shape Tale!!
A gripping tale of a Sisyphus-like quest to cross the oceans on primitive rafts.William Willis survives (for a while, at least) despite his own bumbling ineptitude and lack of planning, at least until the sea has its way with him.Was it courage or a huge act of selfishness?
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Subjects:  1. Adventure and adventurers    2. Adventurers & Explorers    3. Biography    4. Biography & Autobiography    5. Biography / Autobiography    6. Biography And Autobiography    7. Biography/Autobiography    8. General    9. History - General History    10. Maritime History    11. Seafaring life    12. Voyages and travels    13. History / General   

Subjects:  1. Armed Forces    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History - Military / War    5. History, Military    6. History: American    7. Media Studies    8. Military - United States    9. Military history, Modern    10. Sources    11. United States    12. United States - General    13. American history    14. History / United States / General    15. Maritime history    16. USA   

Reviews (4)

A 69-year-old mystery is one step closer to being solved
Everyone knows that Amelia Earhart did not finish her around-the-world flight in 1937 - and that is about the ONLY thing that anyone interested in finding out what happened next can agree on. Did she and navigator Fred Noonan crash at sea? Were they executed by the Japanese after a secret spy mission? Did Amelia somehow survive and end up living in the US under an assumed name? Was that Star Trek: Voyager episode the true solution?
A Fact-Based Theory About Amelia's Last Flight
Unsolved mysteries are a surefire way to get published and possibly turn a fast dollar or two.All it takes is a theory about what happened, bolstered by assertions presented as facts and some talent for writing the story.That's why the market is saturated with books that promise the reader "the True Story".
You Gotta Read This Book!!!!
I have been obsessed with finding out what really happened to Amelia Earhart for a number of years, and have read at least 20 -30 books written about her disappearance.
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Subjects:  1. Adventurers & Explorers    2. Aviation - History    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. History    6. History: American    7. Pacific Area    8. Search and rescue operations    9. United States    10. United States - 20th Century    11. Women    12. Women air pilots    13. Aerospace & aviation technology    14. Aircraft: general interest    15. Biography: historical    16. USA    17. World history: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (22)

Inside the Titanic: A Giant Cut-away Book
My 8 year old grandson is a Titanic nut. He has taken every Titanic related book out of the school library. When I gave him this book he was like estatic, "This is the best book ever Grandmom!" We are now making a Titanic model from a huge piece of styrofoam using this book as reference. The book is easy enough for him to understand (especially the cut aways) but has enough info to keep an adult interested.

Giant Cut-away Book
It was a very interesting book. As the title indicates, it shows numerous cut-away pictures of the inside of the Titanic. It was nice to see where dining rooms, sitting rooms, the gym, the pool, etc were in relation to each other and the cabins and state rooms of the passengers. Good book for middle school aged children.

Great book for kids
My five-year old son recently became obsessed with the Titanic, so I was very pleased to see that there are actually books written and illustrated with children in mind.However, the illustrations and the information in this book were interesting to me as well!Very well done - highly recommended for kids of all ages! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - History - General    2. Children's Books/Ages 4-8 Nonfiction    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. History - General    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. North Atlantic Ocean    8. Shipwrecks    9. Titanic (Steamship)    10. Transportation - Boats, Ships & Underwater Craft    11. Fiction    12. Juvenile Nonfiction / History / Modern    13. Pop-up & lift-the-flap books   

Features

• Illustrated

Reviews (7)

Moving
This is a story of ultimate forgiveness told firsthand by Ernest Gordon.The things he and his fellow prisoners of war experienced are near incomprehensible....and out of such despair comes the forever life-changing love they experience through Christ, Who is the example they start to follow in showing similar self-sacrificing love and kindness to their neighbors - even to their enemies.
Not your typical POW story
While Earnest Gordon's story contains enough description of the atrocities inflicted on him and his fellow POW's by the hands of the Japanese in Southeast Asia during WW2, this does not read like your typical POW story. By typical, I mean a blow-by-blow account (literally at times) of the grueling, horrific experience of Allied soldiers during the war. Though there are passages of such description that aptly set the stage for the story, this book is more about the way in which Gordon and his fellow prisoners of war created the Kingdom of God in the hell of mankind.
fantastic story
Ernest Gordon's first-hand account of being a POW in WWII.Gordon, a Scottish soldier and later Presbyterian minister and Chaplain of Princeton University, was captured by a Japanese warship and placed on the crew that built the bridge over the river Kwai.The account is well written and interesting from a historical perspective, but also engaging from a spiritual one as Gordon tells about his own transformation while imprisoned, as well as that of his fellow prisoners.If you are interested in history and biography told through the eyes of faith, then this makes an excellent read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography / Autobiography    2. Burma-Siam Railroad    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Gordon, Ernest    6. Japan    7. Military    8. Personal Memoirs    9. Personal narratives, British    10. Prisoners and prisons, Japanes    11. Prisoners and prisons, Japanese    12. Prisoners of war    13. World War, 1939-1945    14. Christian Interest    15. English    16. Inspiration / Motivation / Biography & Autobiography    17. Religion / Christian Life    18. Transportation / Railroads / History    19. True stories: Second World War    20. WORLD WAR, 1939-1945_PERSONAL NARRATIVES, BRITISH    21. WORLD WAR, 1939-1945_PRISONERS AND PRISONS, JAPANESE    22. World history: Second World War   

Reviews (3)

Compendio completo... tal vez demasiado
Si algo es evidente en esta producci�n de Yang H. Huang es que, si bien el texto abarca muchos niveles sobre el tema de los pavimentos, act�a m�s como el marco te�rico del software desarrollado por el autor que como un intento de substituir, o por lo menos actualizar, obras tradicionales en el tema como el libro de Yoder y Witzckac. General Help
Overall, the book is helpful.It starts off discussing the general pavement types, design methods, and roads tests.Included in this section are the results of findings which, although not something I consider in everyday design, are items that are interesting enough to promote thought in my designs.All in all, I found almost all the chapters useful as they cover stresses in flexible and rigid pavements, rigid and flexible pavement design, drainage design, pavement performance, as well as a few other issues. pavement analysis and design
o livro faz uma abordagem de forma racional e cient�fica dos m�todos mecan�sticos para dimensionamento e an�lise de pavimentos flex�veis e r�gidos, representado um guia para o engenheiro estrutural que pensa emabordar os pavimentos pelo m�todo mecan�stico. Ainda � um guia para uso dossoftwares kenlayer e kenslabs, fundamentais para an�lise de tens�es edeslocamentos em pavimentos de concreto e asfalto. � o livro de consultasfundamental nessa �rea, sem a menor d�vida. Uma obra indispens�vel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Design and construction    2. Engineering - Civil    3. General    4. Pavement Design    5. Pavements    6. Structural analysis (Engineeri    7. Structural analysis (Engineering)    8. Technology    9. Technology & Industrial Arts    10. Transportation    11. Highway & traffic engineering    12. Technology / Engineering / Automotive    13. Transport: General Interest   

Subjects:  1. Railroads - History    2. Transportation   

Reviews (82)

The gossip keeps on entertaining
Book two in the gossip girl series finds Blair Waldorf getting ready to lose her virginity to her boyfriend Nate.This is the second time the couple has planned a romantic evening for such a momentous occasion, and soon becomes the second time that they are interrupted.To Blair's shock and horror, they are interrupted by her mother who informs them that she is getting remarried to a man Blair loathes and the wedding will be in 3 weeks - on Blair's birthday!!For Blair this is the icing on an already rotten cake as she is suspicious of Nate's loyalty and worried about college applications.
gossip
At first I didn't like the second as much as the first because alot of the details are recycled from the first. I was like: I already know this! But then something happened. Aaron happened. And he is a breath of fresh air added to the story. And how Blair reacts to her mother remarrying is totally funny and tragic also. Then Nate cheats on her. Wow that subplot was wonderful! I loved it. And I also loved that Serena and Dan DIDNT work out. It really makes sense.

How could Nate do that?
Its funny how a old best friend you thought you can trust all of sudden just think you are this tramp when you came from another school. And your old best friend believe everything else from other people than personally asking her so call friend. Well she pretty much deserve what was coming to her. After all the time she has been such a bitch toward her old best friend. And once hell has over flown she finally lighten up and start talking to her old best friend. Blair is such a drama queen. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - General    2. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 10-12)    3. Fiction    4. Girls & Women    5. High schools    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. New York (N.Y.)    8. School stories    9. Schools    10. Social Issues - Adolescence    11. Social Issues - Dating & Sex    12. Juvenile Fiction / Social Situations / Adolescence    13. Maritime history    14. World history   

Reviews (2)

Very good
I am a train fanatic and I know a good reference book when I see one,and this book is one of the best I've ever seen.I have refered to this book at least fifty times at the railroad (whose name is undisclosed) that I work as a volunteer at.Simply an amazingly informitive book that I would recomend to any train fan of almost any age.

Large book but has some short comings
The book is a fair to good encyclopedia of trains.It has a large number of foreign engines.Most of the photos are taken from the front and one side and not in profile.The Little Joe appears to be a A-unit but is in fact an A-unit on both ends.The pictures are not very large.Profile drawings would be a good addition.Read more

Subjects:  1. Encyclopedias    2. Engineering - General    3. Locomotives    4. Railroads    5. Railroads - General    6. Railroads - History    7. Railroads - Pictorial    8. Transportation    9. Sale Books   

Subjects:  1. Automotive    2. Automotive - Customizing    3. Motor cars: general interest    4. Transport: General Interest    5. Transportation / Automotive / Customizing   

Subjects:  1. Ocean liners    2. Ocean travel    3. Passenger Ships    4. Pictorial works    5. Ships & Shipbuilding - History    6. Ships & Shipbuilding - Pictorial    7. Transportation    8. Photography / General    9. Photography; travel; history    10. Ships & shipping: general interest   

Reviews (9)

100 Years of Aviation
I am 12 years old and I found this book to be very informative. Though it is written on an adult level, it is easy enough for a preteen to follow. It gives extensive history on planes from the birth of flight to the present.I highly recommend this book.

WOW !!!
I bought this for my husband as a Christmas gift, and when it came today and I saw the quality and beauty of this book in person, I immediately went back to Amazon and bought two more for my Father and Father-in-Law.This book is a steal at that price and it is huge!Jam packed with gorgeous photos and a LOT of reading to go with the pictures.The book would be treasured by anyone interested in the subject and by far the best one they will ever own.If I think of any more men they will probably get one too!!

A Luxury
There are many pictorial histories of flight available (I can't imagine an all-text history of the same subject), but this one has to be the jewel in the crown.True, there is not much on the pre-flight days of Leonardo and baloons and weird contraptions that crashed into the marshes.But the rest is a sheer delight for the eyes and compiles enough information to make it more than just a collection of pictures.Pretty much anything DK Publishing does is first rate, sometimes a bit too polished for my taste.But this is a perfect vehicle for the DK Publishing magic touch, and they pull it off extremely well. And that paper!Great gift material. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Aeronautics    2. Aeronautics & Astronautics    3. Aviation - General    4. Aviation - History    5. History    6. Transportation    7. Transportation / Aviation / History   

Reviews (2)

Acomprehensive and thorough book
Myself and my colleague are both currently final year civil engineeringstudents at the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and have beenusing this book for the past year. We found it to be very comrehensive andeasy to apply to relevant practical models. A five star rating would shylydescribe this book. One of the best books I have ever studied
I bought this book when I was doing my masters course of Transportation Planning and found this book to be extremely usefull. Book is written in such a way so that every topic has been explained in a very easy language. I really enjoyed reading this book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Engineering - Automotive    2. Engineering - Civil    3. General    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Technology    6. Technology & Industrial Arts    7. Transportation    8. Transportation Engineering (General)    9. Transportation engineering    10. Civil Engineering, Surveying & Building    11. Technology / Engineering / Automotive    12. Transport: General Interest