New Books in the Library 2016: Week of April 25

In 1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a far-fetched space-fantasy epic. Some forty years and $37 billion later, Star Wars–related products outnumber human beings, a growing stormtrooper army spans the globe, and “Jediism” has become a religion in its own right. Lucas’s creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic; it is, quite simply, one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time. Yet incredibly, until now the complete history of Star Wars—its influences and impact, the controversies it has spawned, its financial growth and long-term prospects—has never been told.

In How Star Wars Conquered the Universe, veteran journalist Chris Taylor traces the series from the difficult birth of the original film through its sequels, the franchise’s death and rebirth, the prequels, and the preparations for a new trilogy.

Using a delightful assortment of examples--from ice cream scoops and poker hands to measuring mountains and making magic squares--this book empowers you to see the beauty, simplicity, and truly magical properties behind those formulas and equations that once left your head spinning. You’ll learn the key ideas of classic areas of mathematics like arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus, but you’ll also have fun fooling around with Fibonacci numbers, investigating infinity, and marveling over mathematical magic tricks that will make you look like a math genius!

Practical Algebra If you studied algebra years ago and now need a refresher course in order to use algebraic principles on the job, or if you're a student who needs an introduction to the subject, here's the perfect book for you. Practical Algebra is an easy and fun-to-use workout program that quickly puts you in command of all the basic concepts and tools of algebra.

Follow along with Noriko as she learns that calculus is more than just a class designed to weed out would-be science majors. You'll see that calculus is a useful way to understand the patterns in physics, economics, and the world around us, with help from real-world examples like probability, supply and demand curves, the economics of pollution, and the density of Shochu (a Japanese liquor).

Here is the most practical, complete, and easy-to-use guide available for understanding physics and the physical world. Even if you don't consider yourself a "science" person, this book helps make learning key concepts a pleasure, not a chore. Whether you need help in a course, want to review the basics for an exam, or simply have always been curious about such physical phenomena as energy, sound, electricity, light, and color, you've come to the right place!

Explains concepts such as velocity, acceleration, explosions, electricity, magnetism, circuits, and relativity with simple, clear, and funny illustrations.

Written by renowned experts in their respective fields, Schaum’s Outlines cover everything from math to science, nursing to language. The main feature for all these books is the solved problems. Step-by-step, authors walk readers through coming up with solutions to exercises in their topic of choice.

Presents a photographic representation of the over 100 elements in the periodic table; and includes facts, figures, and stories of the elements, data on the properties of each, and the year and location in which it was discovered.

Designed to provide students of non-civil branches of engineering with the preliminary conceptual knowledge about civil engineering.

In the first part of the book, you'll learn the fundamentals such as voltage and current theorems, Thevenin and Norton's theorems, op amp circuits, capacitance and inductance, and phasor analysis of circuits. Then you'll move on to more advanced topics including Laplace transforms, three-phase circuits, filters, Bode plots, and characterization of circuit stability. Featuring end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam, this book will have you in a steady state when it comes to circuit analysis in no time at all.

Military expert and author Paul J. Springer examines the many facets of cyber combat--from the threats of information exposure that American civilians encounter on a daily basis, to the concern of keeping up with the capabilities of China and Russia, to the inherent dangers in ignoring cyber threats.

The men of hula have swayed the heart of hula by reclaiming the masculine side of the ancient dance.This is the story of Robert Cazimero and Halau Na Kamalei.

Guidebook -- National Tropical Botanical Garden, Hāʻena, Kauaʻi