Stephen Hawking’s worldwide bestseller, A Brief History of Time, has been a landmark volume in scientific writing. Its author’s engaging voice is one reason, and the compelling subjects he addresses is another: the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, the history and future of the universe. But it is also true that in the years since its publication, readers have repeatedly told Professor Hawking of their great difficulty in understanding some of the book’s most important concepts. 

This is the origin of and the reason for A Briefer History of Time: its author’s wish to make its content more accessible to readers –as well as to bring it up-to-date with the latest scientific observations and findings.

Although this book is literally somewhat “briefer,” it actually expands on the great subjects of the original. Purely technical concepts, such as the mathematics of chaotic boundary conditions, are gone. Conversely, subjects of wide interest that were difficult to follow because they were interspersed throughout the book have now been given entire chapters of their own, including relativity, curved space, and quantum theory.

This reorganization has allowed the authors to expand areas of special interest and recent progress, from the latest developments in string theory to exciting developments in the search for a complete unified theory of all the forces of physics. Like prior editions of the book–but even more so–A Briefer History of Timewill guide nonscientists everywhere in the ongoing search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space.

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Stephen Hawking will be lecturing at the following locations:

11/7/05: San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 408 Alamden Blvd., San Jose, CA, 95110, (408) 277-5277

11/10/05: Paramount Theater of the Arts, 2025 Broadway, Oakland, CA, 94612, (510) 465-6400

11/16/05: The Paramount Theater, 911 Pine Street, Seattle, WA, 98101, (206) 467-5510

Tickets for "The Origins of the Universe with Dr.Stephen Hawking" are available through Ticketmaster.

Everyone's favorite adventurer/surgeon/rock star is back again just in time to save the world! Along with his Hong Kong Cavaliers, Banzai must battle more than one surprise arch enemy, each with their own motives, but all acting in concert to bring Banzai (and the universe as we know it) to his knees! All this sandwiched between a couple of great rock and roll guitar solos, a few surgical procedures, a crazy gun battle on land and air, Buck's one chance for the ultimate revenge, his soul in turmoil, all the chicks digging him, engineering synchronicity, pretty toilets, a human pickle and a giant sombrero! It just doesn't get more fun than this!

Rudeness. Crudeness. Thoughtlessness. Uncivilized behavior is everywhere. From the boss who publicly chews out her assistant and the student who bullies his professor to the sports fan who yells obscenities at the ballgame, there's little doubt that we live in an increasingly barbaric world. When author Steven Selzer was researching the subject of civility, he found that George Washington had written 110 rules of civility and decent behavior at the age of 14. Although these guidelines are 250 years old, they are still pertinent in today's society. By George: Mr. Washington's Guide to Civility presents the 110 rules with engaging and conversational commentary after each rule, describing how it can be applied in modern life. Interspersed throughout the book are anecdotes, sidebars, and quotes. The tips and principles in By George will enable readers to better handle interpersonal conflicts, conduct business, and manage everyday stress with grace and civility.Rule # 56Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.Rule # 40Strive not with your superiors in argument, but always submit your judgment to others with modesty.Rule # 37In speaking to others, do not lean nor look them full in the face, nor approach too near them. At least keep a full pace from them.Rule # 35Let your discourse with men of business be short and comprehensive.Rule # 22Show not yourself glad at the misfortune of another though he were your enemy.

Now that Bill Watterson has retired from drawing syndicated cartoons, the only way to get our Calvin and Hobbes fixes is through his book collections. The 10th Anniversary Book is particularly notable, because in addition to getting some of his most wonderful cartoons, we also gain a sense of Watterson as a person.

Approximately one-tenth of the book contains essays about matters great and small—from cartooning to life—and stories about the inspiration behind some of his greatest strips. Not surprisingly, Watterson shines through as a being of considerable integrity, and the cartoons gain in depth thanks to his commentary. And, of course, the cartoons in the other 90% of the book are alternately side-splitting hilarious or touching. Happy Anniversary, Bill, and good luck with whatever it is you are doing now!

Mikhail Filitov is a war hero and Red Army Colonel, but his CIA code name is "Cardinal." A chance encounter in a Moscow subway leads the KGB to begin a hunt—for the spy in top echelons of power. From the author of Clear and Present Danger, The Hunt for Red Octoberand Red Storm Rising, enter a world of high-wire, high-tech international intrigue that reaches from the bloody dust of Afghanistan to the use of lasers in space. The US and the USSR are negotiating a treaty that could lead to war—or peace—while their secret espionage armies are locked in the ultimate struggle. What the Cardinal knows could change the course of history. What a maverick CIA man named Ryan must do is outduel the KGB—and bring the Cardinal out alive!

One of the beautiful things about comics is that it is possibly the best medium for combining education and entertainment. No one knows this better than Larry Gonick, whose Cartoon History series spans many subjects. Whether you are a fan of history, comics, or Gonick's books, The Cartoon History of the Universe I is a great place to start. Part I contains volumes 1 to 7, from the Big Bang to Alexander the Great.

It may be foolish to consider Eric Raymond's recent collection of essays, The Cathedral and the Bazaar, the most important computer programming thinking to follow the Internet revolution. But it would be more unfortunate to overlook the implications and long-term benefits of his fastidious description of open-source software development considering the growing dependence businesses and economies have on emerging computer technologies.

The Cathedral and the Bazaartakes its title from an essay Raymond read at the 1997 Linux Kongress. The essay documents Raymond's acquisition, re-creation, and numerous revisions of an e-mail utility known as fetchmail. Raymond engagingly narrates the fetchmail development process while elaborating on the ongoing bazaar development method he uses with the help of volunteer programmers. The essay smartly spares the reader from the technical morass that could easily detract from the text's goal of demonstrating the efficacy of the open-source, or bazaar, method in creating robust, usable software.

Once Raymond has established the components and players necessary for an optimally running open-source model, he sets out to counter the conventional wisdom of private, closed-source software development. Like superbly written code, the author's arguments systematically anticipate their rebuttals. For programmers who "worry that the transition to open source will abolish or devalue their jobs," Raymond adeptly and factually counters that "most developer's salaries don't depend on software sale value." Raymond's uncanny ability to convince is as unrestrained as his capacity for extrapolating upon the promise of open-source development.

In addition to outlining the open-source methodology and its benefits, Raymond also sets out to salvage the hackermoniker from the nefarious connotations typically associated with it in his essay, "A Brief History of Hackerdom" (not surprisingly, he is also the compiler of The New Hacker's Dictionary). Recasting hackerdom in a more positive light may be a heroic undertaking in itself, but considering the Herculean efforts and perfectionist motivations of Raymond and his fellow open-source developers, that light will shine brightly. —Ryan Kuykendall

Usually, a police procedural compromises some facet of storytelling. Character development must be sacrificed to pacing and plotting, or forensic detail must be displaced by rapid-fire action sequences. But Sergeant Joe Dartelli is a captivating personality enmeshed in a balanced, suspenseful, and intelligently scripted serial murder mystery.

What makes this mystery so different is that many of its secrets are held within Dartelli's mind. From the opening pages, Joe is haunted by a supposed suicide case, the mysterious "Ice Man," who he suspects could be linked to his old mentor. Afraid of the truth, Joe struggles to explain away a new suicide while we watch the facts unfold within him. As an added treat, Ridley Pearson displays remarkable computer savvy as Dartelli's old flame, Ginny, hacks her way through to some of the most crucial parts of the puzzle. The author is not afraid to linger on small details—a woman's earrings or the temperature of a corpse—but he rarely overindulges in such description. Rather, he has written an excellent piece of fiction that happens to be a police thriller. Pearson, author of such previous works as No Witnesses, has produced a minor suspense masterpiece in Chain of Evidence. —Patrick O'Kelley

"While the CMM focus on goals and generality makes it widely applicable, this leaves the application problems largely in the hands of the users. Kim Caputo's book provides a pragmatic guideline for how to address the CMM in an organizational context. The many examples and frequent war stories make for enjoyable reading and provide practical insight into the problems and challenges ahead." -Watts S. Humphrey

The Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model (CMM) has been widely adopted by companies seeking enhanced quality and heightened productivity in software development. The CMM enables managers to measure their organization's capabilities against a recognized standard and to determine their relative level of software process maturity.

This unique book offers step-by-step instruction on how to put the CMM into practice and how to conduct software process improvement within your own organization. Drawing on her first-hand experience leading process improvement groups in a large corporation, the author provides sound advice on how to get started, points out the problems that are likely to be encountered, and offers workable solutions that have been proven effective in CMM implementation. This book is precisely the guide she would have welcomed when first performing this critical task.

The accompanying CD-ROM contains a range of templates, sample documents, and presentation materials that will facilitate the work of both new and experienced software process professionals.

Believed by many of our customers to be the best practical guide to writing commercial software, and Highly Recommended.

Now in its latest revised edition, Kenneth Davids's comprehensive and entertaining Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying, remains an invaluable resource for anyone who truly enjoys a good cup of coffee. It features updated information and definitions, a history of coffee culture, tips on storing and brewing, and other essential advice designed to improve the coffee experience. Coffee lovers everywhere will welcome this lively, complete guide to the fascinating world of America's national beverage.