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Books > Language & Literature > Biography & autobiography > Science, technology & engineering
The Skeleton Cupboard is Professor Tanya Byron's account of her years of training as a clinical psychologist, when trainees find themselves in the toughest placements of their careers. Through the eyes of her naive and inexperienced younger self, Tanya shares remarkable stories inspired by the people she had the privilege to treat. Gripping, poignant and full of daring black humour, this book reveals the frightening and challenging induction faced by all mental health staff and highlights their incredible commitment to their patients. Powerfully moving and beautifully written, The Skeleton Cupboard shares the tales of ordinary people with an amazing resilience to the challenges of life.
The year 2007 marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of one of
the Enlightenment's most important mathematicians and scientists,
Leonhard Euler. This volume is a collection of 24 essays by some of
the world's best Eulerian scholars from seven different countries
about Euler, his life and his work.
Walter Gautschi has written extensively on topics ranging from special functions, quadrature and orthogonal polynomials to difference and differential equations, software implementations, and the history of mathematics. He is world renowned for his pioneering work in numerical analysis and constructive orthogonal polynomials, including a definitive textbook in the former, and a monograph in the latter area. This three-volume set, Walter Gautschi: Selected Works with Commentaries, is a compilation of Gautschi s most influential papers and includes commentaries by leading experts. The work begins with a detailed biographical section and ends with a section commemorating Walter s prematurely deceased twin brother. This title will appeal to graduate students and researchers in numerical analysis, as well as to historians of science. Selected Works with Commentaries, Vol. 1 Numerical Conditioning Special Functions Interpolation and Approximation Selected Works with Commentaries, Vol. 2 Orthogonal Polynomials on the Real Line Orthogonal Polynomials on the Semicircle Chebyshev Quadrature Kronrod and Other Quadratures Gauss-type Quadrature Selected Works with Commentaries, Vol. 3 Linear Difference Equations Ordinary Differential Equations Software History and Biography Miscellanea Works of Werner Gautschi Numerical Conditioning Special Functions Interpolation and Approximation Selected Works with Commentaries, Vol. 2 Orthogonal Polynomials on the Real Line Orthogonal Polynomials on the Semicircle Chebyshev Quadrature Kronrod and Other Quadratures Gauss-type Quadrature Selected Works with Commentaries, Vol. 3 Linear Difference Equations Ordinary Differential Equations Software History and Biography Miscellanea Works of Werner Gautschi
It is rare for a complete biography of an Australian scientist, particularly of an Australian woman scientist, to be published. It is rarer for such a book to be co-authored by an American. Although scientists have written discourses on the history of their discipline, it is most unusual for a scientist to write a full length biography of a colleague in his ?eld. It is also uncommon for a man to write about an Australian woman scientist; most of the work on Australian women scientists has been done by other women. However, these authors, both distinguished researchers in the ?eld of radio astr- omy, became so interested in the history of their discipline and in the career of the pioneer radio astronomer Ruby Payne-Scott that they spent some years bringing this book to fruition. Until relatively recently, Ruby Payne-Scott had been the only woman scientist mentioned brie?y in histories of Australian science or of Australian radio astronomy. This book will be an invaluable resource for anyone interested in these disciplines. Being scientists themselves, the authors explain Payne-Scott's scienti?c work in detail; therefore, the value and importance of her contributions can, for the ?rst time, be recognised, not only by historians but also by scientists.
By addressing the enigma of the exceptional success of Hungarian emigrant scientists and telling their life stories, Brilliance in Exile combines scholarly analysis with fascinating portrayals of uncommon personalities. Istvan and Balazs Hargittai discuss the conditions that led to five different waves of emigration of scientists from the early twentieth century to the present. Although these exodes were driven by a broad variety of personal motivations, the attraction of an open society with inclusiveness, tolerance, and - needless to say - better circumstances for working and living, was the chief force drawing them abroad. While emigration from East to West is a general phenomenon, this book explains why and how the emigration of Hungarian scientists is distinctive. The high number of Nobel Prizes among this group is only one indicator. Multicultural tolerance, a quickly emerging, considerably Jewish, urban middle class, and a very effective secondary school system were positive legacies of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. Multiple generations, shaped by these conditions, suffered from the increasingly exclusionist, intolerant, antisemitic, and economically stagnating environment, and chose to go elsewhere. "I would rather have roots than wings, but if I cannot have roots, I shall use wings," explained Leo Szilard, one of the fathers of the Atom Bomb.
More people than you may realize suffer from the effects of schizophrenia, and there is no cure for this mental illness. "In Insight into Disability," author Doug Pargeter candidly reveals his battle with schizophrenia: how he learned to cope with the symptoms and gain control of his life through treatment, proper medication, and his devotion to the Lord. In this memoir, Pargeter shares his life story: growing up as one of five children in Seattle, Washington; serving in the air force; attending college; being married and having children; battling cancer; and living with schizophrenia. "Insight into Disability" provides a firsthand look at how mental illness affects all aspects of a personal life, such as maintaining relationships and being employed. Meant to inspire, "Insight into Disability" shares Pargeter's successes, breakthroughs, and triumphs over adversity. It communicates how his gift for writing song lyrics, which are interspersed throughout the book, contributes to his healing within. He describes how his relationship with God saved his life and how he became a changed man through his treatment.
'Possessed Mentalities is an honest account of a very painful tragedy. Two of Maxene Kleier's daughters developed schizophrenia; then one killed the other. Ms. Kleier recounts the circumstances and makes the reader realize how cruel the disease schizophrenia can be. She reminds us that many individuals, despite, modern medications, do not respond well and require extensive psychiatric monitoring. Ms. Kleier is brave to tell her story. I recommend it to all families with a seriously ill family member. - E. Fuller Torrey, M.D. Author of Surviving Schizophrenia and other outstanding books. Senator Bob Graham, February 9, 2005, when signing my copy of his book, Intelligence Matters, kindly wrote, To Maxene, to an author who really knows how to write. In person and in works, you demonstrate that indeed intelligence does matter. Maxene Kleier has written a book that will astound and educate you and finally broaden your knowledge of mental illness and what it is to be human. In a psychotic delusional state one of her daughters stabbed and killed another daughter who also suffered from mental illness. with a tragedy so immense and close. Maxene Kleier went on because she had to. We are the richer because she also went on to write a remarkably clear-eyed very readable account of what mental illness is and how she has fought to save her family and herself. It is a story of remarkable grace under pressure. - Mark Vonnegut, M.D., Author of Eden Express.
Nikola Tesla was one of the 20th century's great pioneers; his role in advancing electrical energy through the use of alternating current, and his stupendous engineering finesse, make this biography by journalist John J. O'Neill a fine read. Born in a Serbian village to a religious family, Nikola demonstrated an early interest in physics. The nascent science behind electricity - in the 1870s a mysterious, unharnessed force - became his passion. Though the young man's engineering aspirations were almost derailed when he contracted cholera, and later by Austro-Hungarian conscription, Tesla managed to enrol to study in Graz, Austria. A top-class student, tutors admiration for Tesla's gifts and boundless curiosity was tempered by concerns over his tendency to overwork. These attributes marked Tesla's professional life; an obsessively driven man, Tesla's gifts for invention were amply demonstrated and rewarded in the United States. As his ambitions grew in size and scope, Tesla was hailed as a visionary.
Horace Lennon was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1998. The Sixth Battle: A Story of Alzheimer's, Love, and Faith began as a journal of his death by dementia written by his daughter, Mary Lennon Koch. Throughout his journey, she records much of the sorrow and ugliness that accompanies Alzheimer's-along with an unexpected beauty arising through love and faith. As the disease progressed, Horace journeyed erratically backwards through time. The progression through his working and pastoring years was almost imperceptible. World War II followed, and he lingered there for extended periods. At the same time, he forgot his wife but not her love, and he was tormented with uncertainties about his relationship with God. Eventually he became like a little child and then grew as helpless as a baby. Even so, he understood love and faith to his dying day. Throughout his journey, the loving support that he received from his wife, six children, grandchildren, and extended family offers a testament to the love and faith of his family. No two Alzheimer's stories are the same. The purpose of The Sixth Battle is not to provide a checklist for the days after the diagnosis, but rather to offer an account of Alzheimer's to help others prepare for their own experience, and they experience similar situations and to share a story of love that transcends circumstances and faith that testifies there is more than what is seen here on this earth.
On June 9, 2009, Carol M. Maloney, a veteran teacher, experienced a transient ischemic attack in the left hemisphere of her brain. She helplessly observed her mind deteriorate to the point where she could not speak, walk, read, identify household objects, or recall her family. Maloney traveled between the worlds of the surreal and the logical. The stroke resulted in aphasia, the loss of communication and other functions of her left hemisphere. After eighteen months of rehabilitation, she was finally able to communicate with others by using her hand as a metronome. The frustration of having the words and sentences formed in her mind but being unable to share them caused frustration and depression. Her verbal abilities suffered, along with her reading and comprehension skills. Even so, hard work, strong will, and persistence has allowed her to reach out to other teachers to offer new insight into the minds of her beloved special-education and reading-disabled students. In this, her story, Maloney turns her experience into a unique opportunity to gain an understanding of her students difficulties and to share that knowledge with other teachers. Ms. Carol Maloney has written a compelling story that chronicles her amazing life before, during, and after her devastating stroke. She writes with frankness that touches one s heart. Her story will lend encouragement to those who have suffered a stroke as well as offer strategies to those who have a loved one recovering from one. Carol Maloney developed aphasia after her stroke. I am happy to say that she has survived and conquered both the devastation of her stroke and her aphasia. I know this first hand: she conducts amazing PowerPoint presentations to my graduate class at Rivier University each semester. She is an inspiration to all who want to improve themselves. In this book, Carol clearly describes the strategies that she used to help her become the functioning writer and speaker that she is today. J. Diane Connell, Ed.D.
A principal aim of this first biography of Robert Le Rossignol, engineer of the Haber process, is to bring new evidence to the attention of the scientific community allowing a re-assessment of the origins of the 'Haber' process. However, the scope of the book is much wider and goes beyond the discovery of 'fixation' to account for a life distinct from Haber, one full of remarkable science, cruel circumstance, personal tragedy and amazing benevolence, the latter made possible by Haber's generous financial arrangement with Le Rossignol regarding his royalties from the BASF.
There is no doubt that life is a bogus journey and it does not end well for any of us. However, join eye surgeon Pete Cackett on his eventful pathway through life and career in medicine and learn from his own unfortunate mishaps. Discover how it is possible to make your own journey less bogus, especially if you follow his advice and tips from his 'Hidden Curriculum'. This book is a celebration of life in all its glorious bogusness with plenty of humour and retro pop culture references along the way.This is a medical autobiography and is the first one which directly addresses the medical profession (doctors and medical students) and other allied health professionals. It covers many relevant issues and topics on working as a doctor, including those which many are reluctant to talk about such as private practice. It also includes advice gleaned from over 30 years in medicine as part of a 'Hidden Curriculum'. This guidance can be used by the reader to make changes to their own lives in order to create a happier and more successful existence.
'Rana el Kaliouby's vision for how technology should work in parallel with empathy is bold, inspired and hopeful' Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global 'This lucid and captivating book by a renowned pioneer of emotion-AI tackles one of the most pressing issues of our time: How can we ensure a future where this technology empowers rather than surveils and manipulates us?' Max Tegmark, professor of physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and author of Life 3.0 We are entering an empathy crisis. Most of our communication is conveyed through non-verbal cues - facial expressions, tone of voice, body language - nuances that are completely lost when we interact through our smartphones and other technology. The result is a digital universe that's emotion-blind - a society lacking in empathy. Rana el Kaliouby discovered this when she left Cairo, a newly-married, Muslim woman, to take up her place at Cambridge University to study computer science. Many thousands of miles from home, she began to develop systems to help her better connect with her family. She started to pioneer the new field of Emotional Intelligence (EI). She now runs her company, Affectiva (the industry-leader in this emerging field) that builds EI into our technology and develops systems that understand humans the way we understand one another. In a captivating memoir, Girl Decoded chronicles el Kaliouby's mission to humanise technology and what she learns about humanity along the way.
Robert F Christy was a legendary physicist, one of the key players in some of the most dramatic events of the 20th century. He was a student of Oppenheimer, who called him one of the best in the world. He was a crucial member of Fermi's team when they first unleashed the unheard-of energies of nuclear power, creating the world's first nuclear reactor on December 2, 1942. On the Manhattan Project he was the key physicist in the successful test of the world's first atomic bomb, the Christy Gadget, at Alamogordo on July 16, 1945. Almost immediately he turned his talents to promoting the peaceful uses of atomic energy. He successfully opposed atmospheric testing of atomic bombs and fought nuclear proliferation, a campaign that eventually led to the SALT talks with the Soviet Union. His favorite subject was astrophysics where he made fundamental contributions to the understanding of Cepheids, variable stars that are crucial distance indicators in the universe. Robert was equally fascinating as a man. In his mid-50's he became irresistably attracted to an astrophysicist, but they were a continent and a generation apart. Near his 60's they started a happy and fulfilling life together. He remained vigorous both mentally and physically into his 90's: he was still galloping his horse at age 93. Robert's story is one of overcoming obstacles, of hope, and of fulfillment.
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