Ecodesign: The Sourcebook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)this book is cool - lots of pictures, the text is brief. there is a good mix of concepts and production products ( concepts are always more fun to look at and have more pure ideas. production parts show how it all works in the real world). in fact, the best part of the book is that it finds positive things about a lot of products. it isn't demanding that we stop using plastic or batteries - just finds the best examples of products that use them wisely.
One important section is buried in the back. pages 327 - 330 give eco-design strategies. the are brief desicriptions of how to design an "eco" product. for example, one says "self-assembly: designs that are assembled by the consumer, therefore saving valuable space in transport and storage". most writers would take several pages to say the same thing.

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Wine Analysis & Production Review

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(More customer reviews)This book is must have for anyone who is in wine production business. The authors discuss viticultural considerations as they relate to winemaking as well as sensory evaluation and the importance of each analyte in the spectrum of winery operations. I bought this book with "Successful wine marketing" and have greatly benefited from these two books.
Here is the content of the book: Preface o Introduction o Sensory Analysis of Juices and Wines o Grape Maturity and Quality o Hydrogen Ion (PH) and Fixed Acids o Carbohydrates o Alcohols and Extract o Phenolic Compounds and Wine Color o Nitrogen Compounds o Sulfur Dioxide and Sorbic Acid o Volatile Acidity o Metals, Cations and Anions o Sorbic Acid, Benzoic Acid, and Dimethyedicarbonate o Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen o Tartrates and Instabilities; Fining and Fining Agents o Sanitation o Basic Principles of Microbiology in the Winery o Cork o Analytical Methods
I strongly recommend this book to winemakers and wine marketers. It is a classic!

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This accessible volume provides practical information on wineanalysis and production. It covers the full range of techniques, fromquick screening assays to wet chemical and instrumentation analysis,as well as interpretation of results. Emphasizing a step-by-stepapproach to procedures, the authors:
- examineanalyses commonlyperformed in the United States, Europe andAustralia:
- discussviticultural considerations as they relatetowinemakeing as well assensory evaluation and the importance ofeach anolyte in the spectrumof winery operations:
- presentnew procedures including 'quick'qualitative tests for the presenceof various constituents:
- exploreupdated information onsensory evaluation of wines, use of enzymes inwinemaking, healthaspects and more, and - offer a chapter featuringlaboratoryprocedures, listed alphabetically and extensivelycross-referenced.
International in scope, Wine AnalysisandProduction is essential for winemakers and laboratorypersonnelworldwide. Students of enology will find it an incomparableresource.

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Small Things Considered: Why There Is No Perfect Design Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is written by someone who has written other wonderful books about what it means to be an engineer. The topic of this book -- the design of everyday items -- should offer sufficient scope for another interesting book. And indeed, the book has lots of interesting information in it. The main thesis (that design is always imperfect, and the reasons why this is so) seems as if it ought to be sufficiently engaging to hold my attention through a book-length engagement with it.
Alas, the book is so poorly written that it fails on all levels. I gave it three stars because it was quite educational. On the other hand, given the author's track record and the inherent interest of the topic, three stars is an enormous disappointment. Finishing the book was hard, and I would not blame anyone who just gave up. Perhaps the author had a half-book worth of content and was forced to bulk it up to make the required word count? I don't know what happened, but I can't really recommend the book unless you are desperate to know how the paper cup came to be invented.

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