Product Description
Why is it that Western science evolved as a thoroughly male-dominated enterprise?As philosopher Sandra Harding has noted, "women have been more systematically excluded from doing serious science than performing any other social activity except, perhaps, frontline warfare."In A World Without Women, David F. Noble provides the first full-scale investigation of the origins and implications of the masculine culture of Western science and technology, and in the process offers some surprising revelations.

Noble begins by showing that, contrary to the widely held notion that the culture of learning in the West has always excluded women--an assumption that rests largely upon the supposed legacy of ancient Greece--men did not thoroughly dominate intellectual life until the beginning of the second millennium of the Christian era.At this time science and the practices of higher learning became the exclusive province of the newly celibate Christian clergy, whose ascetic culture denied women a place in any scholarly enterprise.By the twelfth century, papal reform movements had all but swept away the material and ideological supports of future female participation in the world of learning; as never before, women were on the outside looking in.Noble further demonstrates that the clerical legacy of a world without women remained more or less intact through the Reformation, and permeated the emergant culture of science.

A World Without Women finally points to a dread of women at the core of modern scientific and technological enterprise, as these disciplines work to deprive one-half of humanity of its role in production (as seen in the Industrial Revolution's male appropriation of labor) and reproduction as well (the age-old quest for an artificial womb).It also makes plain the hypocrisy of a community that can honor a female scientist with a bronze bust, as England's Royal Society did for Mary Somerville in the mid-nineteenth century, yet deny her entry to the very meeting hall in which it enjoyed pride of place.

An important and often disturbing book, A World Without Women is essential reading for anyone concerned not only about the world of science, but about the world that science has made. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

One of Deborah Tannen's top 10 on women's issues
The Washington Post (Sunday, March 19, 2006) asked Deborah Tannen -- the author of "You Just Don't Understand," "Talking from 9 to 5", and "You're Wearing That?" -- to gather a shelf of her favorite books on women's issues. Her first choice was this book.This is what she said about it:

When I first read this book, I could talk of little else for a long, long while. Noble shows that the exclusion of women from Western scientific and educational institutions was not the inevitable outgrowth of historical forces. Rather, it came about because early universities were seminaries and early scientists were either clergy or steeped in a Christian clerical culture. The Latin church, with its hierarchical structure, used the stigmatization of women in its power struggle to gain control of the monasteries in which women and men prayed and studied as equals in the first millennium of the Christian era.

the common histories of the church and academic science
This is a historical examination of the inter-relationship between the history of the Catholic church and of academic science.The theme is that the tendecies towards misogyny and towards expecting monastic devotion toone's work can both be traced back to the clerical origin of academicstudy. ... Read more

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Design cropping practices that make the most of the contribution of AM fungi

Mycorrhizae in Crop Production is a comprehensive guide to the use of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in developing sustainable cropping systems. This unique book examines how AMF benefit crop plants in both greenhouse and field crop production. It's also a much-needed reference source on the management of the mycorrhizal symbiosis in non-English speaking countries where the development of AMF-based technologies is more advanced.

Mycorrhizae in Crop Production explores the form and function of AMF extraradical mycelial networks, the impact of those networks on plant uptake in macro- and micro-nutrients, and the interaction between AMF and plant pathogens. The book draws on research and applications in Latin America and India, where AMF-based technologies are a high priority in the development of horticultural production.

Mycorrhizae in Crop Production examines:

the nature and role of AM mycelia as plant providers
how AM fungi reduce the incidence of disease in plants
how AM fungi are best used in horticultural production
best practices for crop inoculation with effective AM strains
how AM biotechnologies are applicable in tropical crops
how AM inoculants are useful in soil rehabilitation
how the negative aspects of human activity on the environment has established a need for research in wealthier countries
and much more

Mycorrhizae in Crop Production is an essential classroom and field resource for academics and researchers working in crop production, plant pathology, microbial ecology, soil science, and the environmental sciences. ... Read more

Product Description
To keep the Christian message relevant in our rapidly changing times, it's vital that churches come to terms with how modern technology and scientific knowledge have changed the way we understand the world. And because preaching is the church's primary mode of communication (especially with adults), it offers a significant opportunity to shape how we think about the larger questions of our existence.

One innovative way for preachers to address these concerns is through popular science fiction. Because many of the genre's stories deal with the impact of science and technology on individuals and cultures, they often have implicit religious implications. Pulpit Science Fiction is a fascinating collection of creative story sermons that shows how you can use elements drawn from science fiction to boldly proclaim the Christian faith. In addition to 14 imaginative & science fiction parables, a pair of essays are also included that illustrate how references to science fiction films and stories can be utilized in preaching.

Story titles include:
* Improving The Species -- Genesis 6:1-4
* Exiles -- Ezekiel 34:11-16, 23-24
* Time Travel -- Mark 1:12-15
* The Aliens Are Puzzled -- John 10:11-16
* Burying The Seeds -- John 12:20-33
* The Signal -- Ephesians 3:7-12
* erhero: Sort of a Sequel -- Hebrews 12:1-2
...and seven more!

George Murphy has extended Christian parable telling into the 21st century with a series of preachable stories. These engaging, sometimes poignant, and often provocative tales spotlight particular theological themes from scripture. Comments following each pulpit-tested story help to contextualize it in relation to literary sources and the liturgical year. This book is a remarkable gift to those charged with proclaiming the Word to that spacefaring species, Homo sapiens.
Jim Miller, Senior Program Associate
Program of Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion
American Association for the Advancement of Science

George L. Murphy is a graduate of Ohio University, Johns Hopkins University (where he earned a Ph.D. in physics), and Wartburg Theological Seminary. An adjunct faculty member at Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Murphy is also a Lutheran pastor who now serves on the staff of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Akron, Ohio. He has been widely published in both scientific and religious periodicals, and has received two awards from the Templeton Foundation for his papers on science and religion. Murphy is the author of Toward A Christian View Of A Scientific World and Cosmic Witness (CSS), The Trademark of God (Morehouse-Barlow), and The Cosmos in the Light of the Cross (Trinity Press International). He is also a member of the writing team for the online preaching resource The Immediate Word. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

confuzed young man
I think the author is a very confused young man.As a Christian Scientist, I am appaled at the misunderstanding of what Christian Science is by both the author and his mother. Given that the Christian Science practitioner called by the family failed so siginificantly to help either of them, she should have been fired for non-performance of her job. I applied Christian Science--CORRECTLY--to heal a painful heel that a doctor told me I'd have to live with for the rest of my life.(The heel pad was destroyed. I was carrying a 35 lb backpack.Every step was agony. I healed it in 15 minutes by focusing on the Lord's Prayer, and on God's presence and power. Next day I hiked 7 pain-free miles still carrying the pack.) Christian Science DOES work when correctly applied--which it is clearly obvious the author and his mother and their practitioner didn't do.

magnificent study of spiritual torture
I LOVE this book. Being a former Christian Scientist myself, I've suffered the tortures of the damned thanks to Mary Baker Eddy. The book Simmons writes should be required reading for all recovering ex-Christian Scientists.

The only thing I would like to have seen more of is a more detailed picture of Simmons' father. It would help the reader understand more clearly the whole family dynamics of such a religious saga.

I salute you, Thomas Simmons, for your courage and your willingness to share your journey!

Still too close ....
It is interesting to compare this book to Blue Windows, the
other member of the very small literature of memoirs by
people brought up in Christian Science.I did not like
the Unseen Shore as much for several reasons.

First, the author is still too close to his subject.His
anger is palpable throughout the book and gets tiresome by
the end.It is also a bit unfocused - much of what he blames
on Christian Science seems, from his story, more appropriately
assigned to his parents, who were unable to love him, at least
in a way he could appreciate, and unable to love each other.
His anger gets in the way of telling the story as well.He is
so mad at his parents and at Christian Science that the reader
simply can't understand why he stuck with it.When I got to
the section near the end where he indicates that he seriously
thought about becoming a Christian Science practitioner, I
found myself incredulous.It did not seem possible given
the story of his life related up to that point.Simmons
thinks he has attained prospective and peace, and perhaps
he now has 10 years after writing the book, but the text
belies his belief that he had it at the time he was writing.

Second, Simmons overgeneraliyes his own experience of growing
up in Christian Science.I did too, and although I am no longer
active in the Church, my own experience was completely different
from his.It is still the case that most of the loving, caring,
real people I have met in my life are Christian Scientists.
Yes, I met some people like his parents too, but they are
everywhere.Simmons seems to have an almost mystic view of the
well-being of persons who were not raised in Christian Science
(and, relatedly, of the healing powers of modern medicine).
I recognize both these views, but they are wrong and come from
being an outsider looking in.Simmons should go to Chicago
where the whole cultural atmosphere seems dominated by the, at
some point, very tiring whining of persons lamenting their
working class Catholic upbringings.The overall lesson is that
relying on one data point to make statements about a large
population is pretty much always a bad idea.

To conclude, a positive note.Even though it wasn't done when
he wrote the book, looking in on Simmon's spiritual journey,
even through the light fog of over-intellectualization that
likely comes from being a professor (another characteristic
this reviewer shares with the author), is a moving read, and one
that leads to useful thought for the reader.

A well-crafted, but modest memoir
This is a narrowly focused and very personal account of escaping the disembodied ideology/religion of Christian Science, to discover a kind of pesonal authenticity that seems to have left Simmons a sort of "pick and choose" delicatessan theist. So narrow and introsepctive is the approach that the reader is unaware that Simmons' struggle was going on during the denouement of the Vietman War, the turmoil of Watergate, the onset of postmodern culture in the 1970s and its reaction: the 8-year Reagan presidency.

The strengths of this book are his closely observed family dynamics - the parents, especially the mother, were committed Christian Sicentists, and they are revealed as sad and isolated figures in the end. Simmons also is very good at restrospective analysis of significant events in his adolesence and young adulthood. The reader feels compassion for his vulnerability in print and admires his dogged honesty to break out of a system that is neither Christian or scientific.

In addition, the book via its personal insights tracks the onset of serious decline of Christian Science in the 3rd quarter of the 20th century, a time when medical science was making enormous strides in eliminating disease and alleviating human suffering. It seems the only Christian Scientists I meet today are at least over 50 years old. If you want to see a fading American version of the ancient Gnostic heresy, you need look no further than Christian Science.

So why only 3 stars, a "gentleman's grade," for this little well-crafted book? In the end Simmons has written a respectable memoir of his spiritual journey, but within a bit too narrow of a framework. For a real 5-star account where the reader gets the "big picture" of a fully-realized and complex spiritual journey within the protagonist's times, I encourage you to delve into Thomas Merton's masterpiece, THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN.

In closing, now that THE UNSEEN SHORE is freely found in second-hand book stores, you can also save some $ on his little jewel. It will be a worthwhile read if the subject has piqued your interest.

A beautiful and touching memoir
I thought this book was wonderful -- beautifully written, very personal, revealing and deep.Due to its subject matter (the book is critical of the Christian Science church), I could see how it might not be palatable to many "true believers" of this religion.But those with no religious axes to grind will undoubtedly find this book a wonderful read and an eye-opener about the experience of growing up in a Christian Science household.Readers who are able to appreciate the book on more than the theological level will find it a lyrical, poetic, and deeply personal discussion about many things -- growing up, having a family, coming to terms with life and with the past.Give it an open-minded read.You'll be glad you did. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Inspiring
Here is a fairly comprehensive statement about Christian Science healing.It includes an explanation of how Christian Science prayer works as well as an indication of what such prayer can do.A favorite of mine tells of a woman who was given the Christian Science textbook by a physician to read when she was a prisoner of war in Austria in September, 1942.After only a few months, her thinking about herself was so transformed that she was able to simply walk out of the prison.In this inspiring story we learn how she lived in the wartime with no id, no food ration card, and no place to stay.No authorities questioned her.She learned to hear God's directives which were ongoing.In 1943, she survived intensive bombing, and was led to administer first-aid to persons injured by the bombing.She stayed in Austria even during the brutal occupation of the invading Russians--unharmed. ... Read more

Product Description
1912. Contents: sketches from the early history of Mary Baker Eddy;Mrs. Glover Patterson Eddy's first knowledge of mind cure; Mrs. Eddy trains her first successful healer; malicious animal magnetism; romantic element in Christian Science; claims of Christian Science are monumental; commercialization of a revelation; Mrs. Eddy's philosophy; marriage; Jesus is not the Christ in Christian Science; problem of sin and reality; mother church; Christian Science healing. ... Read more

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Publisher: London : J. M. Dent ... Read more

Product Description
What makes a twister twist? Where does acid rain come from? Is it true that snow is sometimes green? Or even red? Can it really rain cats and dogs . . . and frogs?

Join popular ABC-TV weather forecaster Spencer Christian as he explores the amazing—and sometimes unpredictable—world of weather. Look inside a flash of lightning. Mix up your own instant rainbow. Find out how caves "sing" and if a tornado can actually pluck the feathers off a chicken.

It's an action-packed tour of the world's strangest weather events—with lots of easy-to-do activities that let you experience the secrets of nature up close. Plus dozens of fascinating sidebars, fun facts, and illustrations bring the world's wonders to vivid life. What's the weather? It's awesome!

For children ages 8 to 12

Also available in Spencer Christian's World of Wonders series: Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The World's Most Amazing Earthquakes, Volcanoes, and Other Forces ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Fun and interesting
The next time your kids (or you) are stuck inside - this is a great read about the weather.Funny factoids are mixed with real scientific information that make it comprehensible to children, but interesting for adults as well.

Great information!
I will be using this as a teaching guide for a thematic unit on weather. ... Read more

Product Description
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. ... Read more

Product Description
Eli and his friends have never seen a werewolf, or a troll, much less thought of them as being the good guys. But when a maniacal Dr. Moreau wanna-be takes their mountain valley home hostage just such a troll presents Eli with a mysterious living sword, an estranged Biblical artifact that cannot aid Eli until he unlocks its divine secret. It's time to choose sides as the powers of Heaven, science, and magic face off, with a young boy's faith, and the fate of two worlds, hanging in the balance! Faith... It isn't just BELIEVING anymore! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great book
I am very happy with this purchase. It was a birthday gift for my daughter and she loves it.

An awesome read
What a stunning book - it's full of great ideas and some very fun characters. The book combines mountain folklore, monsters, science, and faith with all the mystery, excitement, and landscape that make a great sci-fi fantasy. This book is the flip side of the coin to Harry Potter and the Golden Compass in that the main character Eli learns to use his faith in God, instead of magic, to fight evil. Once I started it, I couldn't put it down. I thorougly enjoyed it. ... Read more

Product Description
In the present ecological crisis, it is imperative that human beings reconsider their place within nature and find new, more responsible and sustainable ways of living. Assumptions about the nature of God, the world, and the human being, shape our thinking and, consequently, our acting. Some have charged that the Christian tradition has been more hindrance than help because its theology of nature has unwittingly legitimated the exploitation of nature. This book takes the current criticism of Christian tradition to heart and invites a reconsideration the problematic elements: its desacralization of nature; its preoccupation with the human being to the neglect of the rest of nature; its dualisms and elevation of the spiritual over material reality, and its habit of ignoring or resisting scientific understandings of the natural world.Anna Case-Winters argues that Christian tradition has a more viable theology of nature to offer. She takes a look at some particulars in Christian tradition as a way to illustrate the undeniable problems and to uncover the untapped possibilities.In the process, she engages conversation partners that have been sharply critical and particularly insightful (feminist theology, process thought, and the religion and science dialogue). The criticisms and insights of these partners help to shape a proposal for a reconstructed theology of nature that can more effectively fund our struggle for the fate of the earth. ... Read more

Product Description
Buddhist-Christian Dialogue in an Age of Science offers a fresh and exciting view on the ideas, themes, and people engaged in the three-way dialogue between Christianity, Buddhism and the natural sciences. Ingram's comprehensive yet accessible scholarship is uniquely solid in both religion and science, and has the gift of making complex theories understandable. ... Read more