Make and test projects in engineering design: creativity, engagement and ... By Andrew E. Samuel

his is a book about the invention and testing of ideas. By describing how to generate engaging problem situations for engineering students to solve it inspires original currents of thought. Make-and-test (MaT) is a practical way of testing ideas that challenges the validity of the ideas themselves and the manufacturing skills of the participants. Much of the project work described makes use of such simple materials as balsa wood and candle wax with the occasional appearance of the more exotic: fibre-glass-epoxy composites, for example; the properties and uses of these are examined in depth. All of the inventions described are intended to be well within the range of ingenuity and skills of first- and second-year engineering undergraduates. They can also be useful in stimulating the problem-solving skills of professional engineering and architectural designers so that everyday design questions and more one-off and personal undertakings such as the periodic design challenges offered by professional engineering societies can be interpreted more creatively. The major part of the book is devoted to case examples based on the authorbs twenty-five years of experience in supervising MaT work but there are many opportunities and exercises throughout the text to explore new MaT projects. In essence, Make and Test Projects in Engineering Design encapsulates the experience of engineering design from the uncertainty of "Can I tackle this problem?" to the joyous "Aha!" when a solution is discovered. An invaluable teaching tool and resource for the engineering educator and all those planning and conducting make and test projects, this is the first book that formalises an important aspect of earlylearning in engineering design.

Eat the Rich: A Treatise on Economics By P. J. O'Rourke

In the Tradition of his contemporary classic Parliament of Whores, the man who The Wall Street Journal calls "the funniest writer in America" is back with Eat the Rich, in which he takes on the global economy. P. J. O'Rourke leads you on a world tour from the "good capitalism" of Wall Street to the "bad socialism" of Cuba in a search for the answer to an age-old question: "Why do some places prosper and thrive, while others just suck?" With stops in Albania, Sweden, Hong Kong, Moscow, and Tanzania, P.J. brings along his incomparable wit and finds targets for it wherever he goes. Book jacket.

Inkheart By Cornelia Caroline Funke, Cornelia Funke, Anthea Bell

Gr 4-8-Characters from books literally leap off the page in this engrossing fantasy. Meggie, 12, has had her father to herself since her mother went away when she was young. Mo taught her to read when she was five, and the two share a mutual love of books. Things change after a visit from a scarred man who calls himself Dustfinger and who refers to Mo as Silvertongue. Meggie learns that her father ...
More has been keeping secrets. He can "read" characters out of books. When she was three, he read aloud from a book called Inkheart and released Dustfinger and other characters into the real world. At the same time, Meggie's mother disappeared into the story. Mo also released Capricorn, a sadistic villain who takes great pleasure in murdering people. He has sent his black-coated henchmen to track down Mo and intends to force him to read an immortal monster out of the story to get rid of his enemies. Meggie, Mo, Dustfinger, and Meggie's great-aunt Elinor are pursued, repeatedly captured, but manage to escape from Capricorn's henchmen as they attempt to find the author of Inkheart in the hope that he can write a new ending to the story. This "story within a story" will delight not just fantasy fans, but all readers who like an exciting plot with larger-than-life characters. Pair this title with Roderick Townley's The Great Good Thing (2001) and Into the Labyrinth (2002, both Atheneum) for a wonderful exploration of worlds within words.-Sharon Rawlins, Piscataway Public Library, NJ
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Frankenstein By Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley

Gr 7-Up Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's classic tale is efficiently rendered in this recording. Though Shelley wrote Frankenstein for a 19th century ghost story competition, the title still conjures up visions of murder and mayhem. Shakespearean actor Ralph Cosham reads the sometimes arcane language with steady vigor and clarity, although variations in vocal style for each character would have been ...
More helpful. Well-marked CDs are numbered and include running times. The case is durable plastic, and the contents of individual discs are listed along with the track location of each chapter. A brief biography of the author is also included on the case. Narrated in a calm, undramatic fashion, this recording could be used as an audio supplement in middle and high school libraries where Frankenstein is taught. It also would be a worthwhile purchase for public libraries where classics are in high demand.-Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CT

Auto Repair For Dummies By Deanna Sclar

Forty-eight percent of U.S. households perform at least some automobile maintenance on their own, with women now accounting for one third of this $34 billion automotive do-it-yourself market. For new or would-be do-it-yourself mechanics, this illustrated how-to guide has long been a must and now it's even better. A complete reorganization now puts relevant repair and maintenance information directly after each automotive system overview, making it much easier to find hands-on fix-it instructions. Author Deanna Sclar has updated systems and repair information throughout, eliminating discussions of carburetors and adding coverage of hybrid and alternative fuel vehicles. She's also revised schedules for tune-ups and oil changes, included driving tips that can save on maintenance and repair costs, and added new advice on troubleshooting problems and determining when to call in a professional mechanic. For anyone who wants to save money on car repairs and maintenance, this book is the place to start.

Deanna Sclar (Long Beach, CA), an acclaimed auto repair expert and consumer advocate, has contributed to the Los Angeles Times and has been interviewed on the Today show, NBC Nightly News, and other television programs.

Treasure Island By Robert Louis Stevenson

While going through the possessions of a deceased guest who owed them money, the mistress of the inn and her son find a treasure map that leads them to a pirate's fortune.

The Canterbury Tales By Geoffrey Chaucer

Continuing his apparent mission to refract the whole of English culture and history through his personal lens, Ackroyd (Thames: The Biography, 2008, etc.) offers an all-prose rendering of Chaucer's mixed-media masterpiece.While Burton Raffel's modern English version of The Canterbury Tales (2008) was unabridged, Ackroyd omits both "The Tale of Melibee" and "The Parson's Tale" on the undoubtedly ...