Have you ever been far away from city lights and noticed the stars like diamonds in the sky? Many people have, and have been deeply moved and amazed by the experience. "Touching the Universe" chronicles the adventures of author Steve Coe as he shares his love of the night sky. Coe is willing to travel far and wide to view new vistas of the universe.

Each chapter in "Touching the Universe" contains Coe's observations of the night sky on each of the twenty nights he recalls in detail here. To set the scene for each of the nights, he discusses what led up to choosing each night; then he explains what he observed and learned as he perfected his observation skills.

Share with Coe the joy of getting away from the city lights and setting up a telescope under dark skies. Follow a comet as it brightens and forms a tail; see a star cluster or nebula that will take your breath away. Viewing the stars and galaxies that inhabit the night sky provides peace and calm in a way that isn't available anywhere else.

Brenda Currey Lewis was a typical, active child. But when she was seven years old her life changed dramatically. Generalized dystonia (dystonia musculorum deformans) turned her muscles against her. This rare neurological movement disorder causes muscle groups to tug and twist the body into abnormal postures. Brenda started walking on the outer edge of her right foot, and within a year she was wheelchair bound. The symptoms gradually spread through most of her body. For almost forty years Brenda has experienced uncontrollable muscle movements that have wreaked havoc in her body, but not her spirit. This is a story of resilience in the face of a little-known, confusing, and debilitating condition. The author takes you on a journey from skating rinks to surgical suites, from bicycles to wheelchairs, from doubt to determination. Brenda's quirky sense of humour makes this candid account of life with dystonia a thought-provoking and an entertaining read.

This is the story of the astronomer Milton La Salle Humason, whose career was integral to developing our understanding of stellar and universal evolution and who helped to build the analytical basis for the work of such notable astronomers and astrophysicists as Paul Merrill, Walter Adams, Alfred Joy, Frederick Seares, Fritz Zwicky, Walter Baade and Edwin Hubble. Humason's unlikely story began on the shores of the Mississippi River in Winona, Minnesota, in 1891 and led to the foot of Mount Wilson outside Los Angeles, California, twelve years later. It is there where he first attended summer camp in 1903 and was captivated by its surroundings. The mountain would become the backdrop for his life and career over the next six decades as he helped first build George Ellery Hale's observatory on the summit and then rose to become one of that institution's leading figures through the first half of the twentieth century. The story chronicles Humason's life on Mount Wilson, from his first trip to the mountain to his days as a muleskinner, leading teams of mules hauling supplies to the summit during the construction of the observatory, and follows him through his extraordinary career in spectroscopy, working beside Edwin Hubble as the two helped to reconstruct our concept of the universe. A patient, knowledgeable and persistent observer, Humason was later awarded an honorary doctorate for his work, despite having no formal education beyond the eighth grade. His skill at the telescope is legendary. During his career he photographed the spectra of stars, galaxies and other objects many thousands of times fainter than can be seen with the naked eye and pushed the boundary of the known universe deeper into space than any before him. His work, which included assisting in the formulation of Hubble's Law of redshifts, helped to set the field of cosmology solidly on its foundation. Milton Humason was one of the most charismatic characters in science during the first half of the 20th century. Uneducated, streetwise, moonshining, roguish, humble and thoroughly down to earth, he rose by sheer chance, innate ability and incredible will to become the leading deep space observer of his day. "The Renaissance man of Mount Wilson," as Harlow Shapley once referred to him, Humason's extraordinary life reminds us that passion and purpose may find us at any moment.

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - ON the death of Fleeming Jenkin, his family and friends determined to publish a selection of his various papers; by way of introduction, the following pages were drawn up; and the whole, forming two considerable volumes, has been issued in England. In the States, it has not been thought advisable to reproduce the whole; and the memoir appearing alone, shorn of that other matter which was at once its occasion and its justification, so large an account of a man so little known may seem to a stranger out of all proportion. But Jenkin was a man much more remarkable than the mere bulk or merit of his work approves him. It was in the world, in the commerce of friendship, by his brave attitude towards life, by his high moral value and unwearied intellectual effort, that he struck the minds of his contemporaries. His was an individual figure, such as authors delight to draw, and all men to read of, in the pages of a novel. His was a face worth painting for its own sake. If the sitter shall not seem to have justified the portrait, if Jenkin, after his death, shall not continue to make new friends, the fault will be altogether mine.

The #1 New York Times bestseller by Time's 2019 Person of the Year "Greta Thunberg is already one of our planet's greatest advocates." -Barack Obama The groundbreaking speeches of Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist who has become the voice of a generation, including her historic address to the United Nations In August 2018 a fifteen-year-old Swedish girl, Greta Thunberg, decided not to go to school one day in order to protest the climate crisis. Her actions sparked a global movement, inspiring millions of students to go on strike for our planet, forcing governments to listen, and earning her a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. No One Is Too Small to Make A Difference brings you Greta in her own words, for the first time. Collecting her speeches that have made history across the globe, from the United Nations to Capitol Hill and mass street protests, her book is a rallying cry for why we must all wake up and fight to protect the living planet, no matter how powerless we feel. Our future depends upon it.

An "intriguing and accessible" (Publishers Weekly) interpretation of the life of Galileo Galilei, one of history's greatest and most fascinating scientists, that sheds new light on his discoveries and how he was challenged by science deniers. "We really need this story now, because we're living through the next chapter of science denial" (Bill McKibben). Galileo's story may be more relevant today than ever before. At present, we face enormous crises-such as minimizing the dangers of climate change-because the science behind these threats is erroneously questioned or ignored. Galileo encountered this problem 400 years ago. His discoveries, based on careful observations and ingenious experiments, contradicted conventional wisdom and the teachings of the church at the time. Consequently, in a blatant assault on freedom of thought, his books were forbidden by church authorities. Astrophysicist and bestselling author Mario Livio draws on his own scientific expertise and uses his "gifts as a great storyteller" (The Washington Post) to provide a "refreshing perspective" (Booklist) into how Galileo reached his bold new conclusions about the cosmos and the laws of nature. A freethinker who followed the evidence wherever it led him, Galileo was one of the most significant figures behind the scientific revolution. He believed that every educated person should know science as well as literature, and insisted on reaching the widest audience possible, publishing his books in Italian rather than Latin. Galileo was put on trial with his life in the balance for refusing to renounce his scientific convictions. He remains a hero and inspiration to scientists and all of those who respect science-which, as Livio reminds us in this "admirably clear and concise" (The Times, London) book, remains threatened everyday.

Stories about American healthcare have been told in print, on film, on television and radio, and in every form imaginable. The story of American healthcare, however, has never been told in quite the same way as in Dr. Blair Beebe's Doctor Tales. Through lyrical and compelling narrative, Dr. Beebe uses fourteen tales to tell his story of how our healthcare structure evolved to become the most advanced, and problematic, system in the world. Beginning with the viewpoint of an impressionable twenty-one-year-old first-year medical student, he continues with numerous patient encounters in hospital settings, and ends with a fictional community's response to an avian influenza epidemic transposed from a real outbreak in the Far East. Doctor Tales draws from the lives of real doctors, nurses, and patients to show the changes that have occurred during the second half of the twentieth century that have led to spectacular new treatments, and equally stunning shortfalls in healthcare.

Combat Medic shares Corporal Vernon L. Parker's first-person account of World War II. Parker, like many other young men drafted in WWII, was transported from a simple, hard-working life in rural America in 1942 to a complex, stressful environment that would forever change his life. Nothing could have prepared him for the experiences he encountered as a combat medic and ambulance driver with the Third Army, led by "Blood and Guts" General George S. Patton, Jr. Parker was part of the D-Day invasion. After landing at Normandy, he spent more than ten months on the front lines, supporting the armored divisions through five major campaigns in France, Luxembourg, and Germany. A gifted storyteller, Parker presents a self-deprecating narrative filled with keen insights and colorful descriptions of day-to-day life with fellow infantrymen, officers, civilians, and enemy soldiers. As his saga unfolds, it describes the transformation of a naive and cocky country boy into a battle-weary survivor struggling to maintain his dignity, compassion, and humanity. In Combat Medic, Parker demonstrates a startling recall of events from decades ago, including detailed descriptions of people, places, and even conversations-indicating just how much of an impact those war years had on him.

This is a memoir in the form of adventures of an itinerant pathologist from medical college to cancer research and teaching. The book takes the reader from the streets of the old city of London and St. Bartholomew's Hospital to medical schools and research centers in several European countries, Africa, Canada and the USA. Although autobiographical the emphasis of the story is found in the biographical sketches of the many fascinating characters encountered in this journey. All of the events are true, and although some of the individuals identities have been protected most are named; indeed they are truly part of my journey. Attempts have been made to describe diseases, their operations and autopsies in non-technical language expressing the excitement of discoveries particularly in cancer research and experimental treatments. This is not a treatise or a textbook but the life story of those who have devoted years to following in the footsteps of disease. The book is directed to all who are intrigued by new adventures, travel and the desire to have a deeper appreciation of body, mind and spirit.

"Is medical education's mission to increase the earning capacity of the profession or is it to improve the public welfare and to advance medical knowledge?" To answer this question, the author has let the "great ones" of medicine's past address the reader directly. Flexner divided MDs into two groups: those in academic medicine and those in private practice and concluded that the two groups are inherently at war with one another. And, Flexner observed: without the faculty controlling patient beds, "the school cannot even organize a clinical faculty in any proper sense of the term." The author humorously discusses problems encountered in pursuing these lofty goals. Stories of growing up in South Alabama--getting a medial education--hospital work--a tour of duty at NIH--and thirty years in the Texas Medical Center spice these fascinating life-experiences.

This memoir shares one individual's journey and his testimony to the goodness of God. Entranced in the complexities of life, he was enjoying his childhood-until the accident ...

A head injury has these components: physical, behavioral, psychological, physiological, perceptual, emotional, spiritual, and cognitive.

Till Death Do Us Part explores struggles for dealing with the head-injured; physical aggression and rage and whether they can be overcome; family dynamics; hope for the head-injured community; and conflict tips.

In this book, you will read of some tragic behavior and its consequences. May you experience God's peace as the details are sewn together.

"With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26 NIV).

This is a cursory glance at my life. It hones in on the head injury (TBI) I suffered as a youth. It traces my development into young adulthood and enters into my married life. My relationship with Dana is briefly romanticized and the arrival of our children glorified. The union with my beloved bride started to change dramatically over time. Often with the distractions in life, I lose my focus and then my cool. My head injury was the source of these changes. It became the greatest culprit of all. Unfortunately, my wife fell victim to my relentless physical aggression, albeit unintentionally. As the story unfolds, for my wife the question would be her reaction-Till Death Do Us Part ... or not?

Bradley Carlson's muscular dystrophy causes brutal leg cramps that leave him crumpled on the floor. He can't climb stairs and curbs, and sometimes he can't even move.

But none of that stopped him from putting his best foot forward and walking through his home state of Wisconsin. He walked through 595 incorporated cities, trekking from Lake Michigan to the mighty Mississippi.

During his journey, he experienced his share of falls and challenges, but he also met incredible people, enjoyed special moments, and witnessed the breathtaking beauty of his home state, including waterfalls, desert-like dunes along Lake Michigan, and picturesque mountaintops and forest views.

Bradley didn't set out on this journey to raise money or hand out brochures. He simply did it to show himself and others that someone with muscular dystrophy can accomplish great things.

You'll laugh, cry, meet new friends, and discover new places in this inspirational memoir about one man's refusal to give up while seeing "Wisconsin 1 Step at a Time."

Michael Pupin's was a genuinely American story, the lifelong journey of a boy from rural Serbia, from a town so tiny it appeared on no maps, who became one of the greatest scientists of the early 20th century, changing the lives of people the world over with his technological innovations-he invented the therapeutic X-ray and made telephone communications practical and inexpensive-and helping to invent the modern world we know today. First published in 1922, Pupin's autobiography won the Pulitzer Prize in 1924, but Pupin's insightful and incisive words are their own greatest recommendation. American physicist and writer MICHAEL IDVORSKY PUPIN (1858-1935) was born in Serbia and emigrated to the United States as a teenager. As a professor and researcher at Columbia University, he invented sonar and made important discoveries in the fields of X-ray physics and telecommunications.

A physicist and an inventor, Jules Janssen (1824-1907) devoted his life to astronomical research. He spent many years traveling around the world to observe total Solar eclipses, demonstrating that a new era of science had just come thanks to the use of both spectroscopy and photography, and persuading the French Government of the necessity of founding a new observatory near Paris. He became its director in 1875. There, at Meudon, he began routine photographic recordings of the Sun surface and had a big refractor and a big reflector built. Meanwhile, he also succeeded in building an Observatory at the summit of Mont-Blanc. The story of this untiring and stubborn globe-trotter is enriched by extracts of the unpublished correspondence with his wife. One can thus understand why Henriette often complained of the solitude in which she was left by her peripatetic husband: "There are men who leave their wives for mistresses; you do it for journeys!" ... Basking in the glow of his success, Janssen was able to undertake the construction of the great astrophysical observatory of which he had dreamed. It was at Meudon that he had it built.

Ananda Kiamsha Madelyn Leeke became a pioneer in the digital universe twenty-seven years ago, when she logged in to the LexisNexis research service as a first-year law student at Howard University School of Law. She was immediately smitten with what the World Wide Web could do. Later, while attending the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, in 1995, Leeke found herself in an Internet cafe, where she experienced an interaction that changed her life.

Over time, through interactions and conversations both online and in-person, Leeke developed the concept of "digital sisterhood." Embracing this revolutionary concept led to a complete career reinvention that finally allowed her to embrace her enormous creative spirit. She found in her digital sisters true "sheroes" and virtual mentors. Her blogging and social media adventures highlight the lessons she learned in the process, the reasons she launched the Digital Sisterhood Network, and the experiences that caused her to adopt what she terms the "fierce living" commitments.

In her memoir, Leeke details her journey, sharing experiences and insights helped her and her digital sisters use the Internet as a self-discovery tool and identifying leadership archetypes that shaped her role as a social media leader.