Most Popular Books by David West

Readers get a detailed look at the landscapes and creatures of the Lower Cretaceous period and the dramatic changes of life on Earth during that time. They explore the incredibly varied environments of this period including the Asian river plains and African watering holes. Along the way, readers also discover early mammals, amazing reptiles, and some of the strangest dinosaurs to ever roam the planet, including huge raptors and the feathered Beipiaosaurus. Through the use of colorful, cutting-edge artwork and helpful scale renderings, the fascinating facts in this book are brought to life in a vibrant, captivating way.

Spinosaurus, or the thorn lizard, lived almost 100 million years ago. Using its crocodile like teeth and sharp claws, the Spinosaurus stalked the prehistoric jungles and oceans in search of prey. This frightening reptile may have been the largest carnivorous dinosaur, even larger than the fearsome T-rex! Stunning graphics take the reader through a day in the life of the Spinosaurus, from breakfast to dinner. This fascinating volume also includes fossil facts and information about the period in which the Spinosaurus lived and the other dinosaurs of that time period.

In graphic novel format, describes the flying dinosaurs, Pteranodon, examining what their lives may have been like.

From steam-powered vehicles to modern-day marvels of architecture, the technology of the construction industry has drastically evolved over time. Readers of this engaging book see the amazing engineering behind diggers and other powerful construction machines. They�ll learn the anatomy of these mechanisms through detailed illustrations and intuitive diagrams. Complex parts and processes are explained in accessible language, ensuring that readers will follow along with ease. This visually rich approach to a high-interest topic makes this book stand out on any shelf. These mighty machines will transfix even reluctant readers!

Discusses the velociraptors, a group of dinosaurs that included small, bird-like carnivores that survived by forcefully taking what they needed and are believed to have been fierce hunters with several weapons.

The Middle Jurassic period was one of change in both the natural landscape and the forms of life roaming Earth. Readers take a close look at the diverse environments of this period including African forests and European coastlines. They also learn about the amazing creatures that inhabited these varied places, including the most unique dinosaurs to ever exist. Colorful, cutting-edge artwork allows readers to see incredible features of these dinosaurs in astounding detail, including feathers, spikes, and very sharp teeth.

This large herbivore could grow up to 36 feet tall and wandered the Earth during the Cretaceous period, 140 million years ago. This dramatic book follows a young Iguanodon who was separated from his family after a volcanic eruption. Danger and excitement meet this juvenile dinosaur at every turn as he tries to reunite with his family. Spectacular graphics and engaging text tell the story of the young Iguanodonu0092s journey. Fossil evidence and dinosaur facts accompany the story and show young readers the reality behind this thrilling narrative.

This introduction to philosophy in the Continental tradition covers the work of such major figures as Habermas, Foucault, Derrida, Heidegger, Sartre and Nietzsche. It situates their thought within a coherent overall account of the development of Continental philosophy since the Enlightenment.

The Upper Cretaceous period ushered in a time of incredible change on Earth. The end of this period saw a mass extinction event that destroyed all of the dinosaurs, but the years before that event featured more species of life on Earth than ever before. In this book, readers discover the incredible dinosaurs and other creatures that lived during this time, including the massive carnivore, Spinosaurus. They also explore the lush landscapes of the Upper Cretaceous including the Horseshoe Canyon of North America and African shorelines. Cutting-edge, computer-generated renderings of these creatures and environments make the prehistoric world intriguing and accessible to all readers.

Put the pedal to the metal! Readers will be racing to get their hands on this awesome inside look at cars. Detailed illustrations introduce readers to the anatomy of cars, showing their different parts and how they work, and clearly labeled diagrams show them the engineering behind vehicles. Complex concepts are explained in accessible language, ensuring readers will follow along with ease. This in-depth look at the mechanics of automobiles will give readers an appreciation for how this incredible technology has evolved. Fun and informative, this high-interest topic is sure to attract even reluctant readers.

What really goes on inside the body of a reptile? Curious readers will find answers to that and other questions in this fascinating book. Each reptile, including animals such as the chameleon, lizard, and snake, is introduced with a brief summary explaining some basic information, followed by a simple diagram showing the animal''s insides. Each diagram includes labels and captions explaining the key components of the reptile''s internal structure. Colorful illustrations accompany stimulating text that will engage and excite animal lovers and other inquisitive minds.

Most people know what a frog looks like on the outside, but what goes on inside its body? With the help of this ingenious book, inquisitive readers will learn all about the internal features of frogs and other amphibians. Colorful diagrams show readers what the insides of animals such as newts, salamanders, and toads look like. Simple labels and captions help readers understand key functions of the different parts of the amphibians'' bodies. Vibrant illustrations paired with accessible text support the understanding of key concepts in this exciting must-have book for young animal lovers.

Introduces the class of dinosaurs known as long-necked herbivores, describing the time period in which they lived, their various types, and the physical characteristics of each type, including such examples as Amargasaurus, Europasaurus, and Titanosaurus.

Dinosaurs roamed the planet millions of years ago, but their gigantic size and fascinating physical features continue to amaze readers of all ages today. Many dinosaurs are known for their sharp claws, which helped them hunt and defend themselves against their prehistoric predators. This volume covers 10 sharp-clawed dinosaurs, presenting the captivating facts about them through clear, age-appropriate language. Readers will delight in the full-color graphic representation of each dinosaur, which encourages them to visualize what they’re learning. A timeline and glossary provide opportunities for additional learning.

The complete guide to the spacecraft and vehicles of the Star Wars six-film saga features 55 giant cross-section pictures and hundreds of smaller pieces of artwork and photographs that highlight engine details, weapons and lots more. Discover four brand new cross-sections inside, as well as sneak-peek looks at how the artists create these amazing pictures.

Farms are as important as ever, even in our high-tech world. Without them, we wouldn�t have produce, dairy, or meats! Readers of this engaging book will see how technology and nature combine to yield delicious harvests. They�ll get an inside look at the anatomy of tractors and other farm machines, learning their different parts and processes. Simple language breaks down complex principles and systems into manageable chunks of information. Intricate illustrations show readers the insides of these incredible mechanisms, encouraging curiosity for science and technology!

Beetles and spiders and bees, oh my. From time to time, everyone has come across at least one of these creepy-crawly creatures, but what goes on inside their little bodies that makes them do the things they do? With the help of this clever book, readers will learn the answers to that and other questions they might have about these interesting animals. Though mostly small, the insides of these creatures'' bodies are often quite complex. Simple, labeled diagrams and illustrations paired with accessible captions and text help readers understand the key workings and functions of these animals'' insides.

When Carrie arrives at her uncle''s race track, she finds the racing car she wants to drive doesn''t work. In fact, it''s in pieces! Luckily, her cousin, Elvis, is on hand to help rebuild it. Join them in their quest to rebuild the racing car, and along the way discover the science of the machine and what makes it work. This book is written in comic book format and pictures show how machines work.

Thinking Machine: The Story of Artificial Intelligence u200bu200bu200bu200bu200bu200bu200bWhat happens when machines start to think — or at least seem to? Thinking Machine takes you on a gripping journey through the history of artificial intelligence, from Alan Turing’s wartime codebreaking breakthroughs to the rise of ChatGPT and beyond. Explore the pioneers who dared to ask: Can machines be intelligent? Follow the dramatic milestones, including: The dawn of AI at the Dartmouth Conference The first conversational programs that fooled even their creators The winter of AI’s disillusionment and the rise of neural networks Breakthroughs in deep learning that transformed how machines see and understand the world Historic man-vs-machine showdowns like Kasparov vs. Deep Blue The explosive impact of big data and transformer models on natural language processing The ethical and philosophical dilemmas sparked by AI’s growing fluency and power Through vivid storytelling and expert insight, Thinking Machine reveals the cycles of hope, hype, and hard-won progress in AI’s evolution. It’s a tale of human curiosity, innovation, fear, and wonder — showing how artificial intelligence reflects our deepest questions about mind, meaning, and what it truly means to be human. Whether you’re a tech enthusiast, history buff, or curious reader, this book offers a compelling, accessible window into the machines shaping our future. Discover: How AI moved from theoretical math to everyday tools The pioneers who shaped artificial intelligence’s course The ongoing debate over whether machines can truly think The future possibilities and risks of human-like intelligence Thinking Machine is your essential guide to the fascinating past and uncertain future of AI — the technology rewriting the rules of intelligence itself.

Many mammals are unique, especially when it comes to what''s going on inside their bodies. Kangaroos, bats, elephants, and other mammals each have special internal body parts that help them function every day. This book gives readers a look at these animals'' interesting insides. Colorful diagrams, paired with simple labels and descriptions of the animal''s key components, provide a unique and accessible take on important life science curricula. Curious minds will be satisfied and excited by the insight they gain from this thrilling volume.

Readers will enjoy learning all about frilled dinosaurs, perhaps some of the coolest creatures of prehistoric times. This book explores dinosaurs that spread their frills wide to make themselves look big and scary to predators. Readers will find fun facts about each dinosaur, from the well-known Triceratops to the amazing Archaeoceratops. Each dinosaur is described through information-rich text and a descriptive picture, so readers can grasp important facts about anatomy and behavior. Readers are sure to be thrilled by those freaky frills!

From the Mark I to the powerful turreted tanks of World War Two and the modern missile-firing, troop-carrying light tanks of today''s armies, twelve dioramic scenes reveal how the invention of the tank during World War One changed the face of warfare forever.

Presents detailed labeled drawings, with background text, of the various spacecraft in the Star Wars movie, "The Phantom Menace."

THE STORY: Since the sudden death of his favorite student, high-school teacher Larry Morrow has been falling asleep at his desk and dreaming. The school''s guidance counselor is hanging inspirational posters designed to help everyone process their

Though Horace is a great poet, much loved and imitated in the past, he is very little read today. This is partly because he has never been translated into readable English that is also faithful to the Latin original. David West here provides such a translation of one of Horace''s greatest works, and supports it with a basic commentary that will help newcomers to Horace--whether students or general readers--to understand how the poetry works.

Four exciting games: Pirates search for hidden treasure; Medieval Knights race to rescue a beautiful princess; fearless Astronauts try to escape from an alien spaceship; a scary Mummy chases a group of explorers through the tombs of ancient Egypt. Includes an integrated spinner, press-out counters, and storage pockets.

Find out everything about the characters, weapons, starships, droids, and creatures from Star Wars.

This paper considers regression-based tests for encompassing, when none of the models under consideration encompasses all the other models. For both in- and out-of-sample applications, I derive asymptotic distributions and propose feasible procedures to construct confidence intervals and test statistics. Procedures that are asymptotically valid under the null of encompassing (e.g., Davidson and MacKinnon (1981)) can have large asymptotic and finite sample distortions. Simulations indicate that the proposed procedures can work well in samples of size typically available, though the divergence between actual and nominal confidence interval coverage sometimes is large.

Your brain controls every part of your body, from head to toe. It converts sound waves into noises recognizable to your ears and upside-down images into right side-up pictures recognizable by your eyes. This imaginative book looks at all aspects of the human body from the vantage point of this amazing control center known as the brain. Full-color illustrations.

We develop regression-based tests of hypotheses about out of sample prediction errors. Representative tests include ones for zero mean and zero correlation between a prediction error and a vector of predictors. The relevant environments are ones in which predictions depend on estimated parameters. We show that standard regression statistics generally fail to account for error introduced by estimation of these parameters. We propose computationally convenient test statistics that properly account for such error. Simulations indicate that the procedures can work well in samples of size typically available, although there sometimes are substantial size distortions.

6 copies of one bookEngage your students as they develop their inference, comprehension, and vocabulary skills through this high-interest, graphic nonfiction reader. The content is correlated to national Social Studies curriculum standards.

Text and illustrations present characters from episode I of "Star Wars" and the technology they use, including Qui-Gon Jinn and his wrist hologram projector, the space freighters of the Nemoidians, and the lightsabers of the Jedi Knights.

Explore the epic Star Wars saga through incredible cross-sectionsMore than 100 magnificent cross-section artworks bring the vehicles of Star Wars to life. New cross-sections, amazing detail, and comprehensive text make this the ultimate reference to the craft of a galaxy far, far away....SEE- Poe Dameron''s X-wing in action- The terrifying power of Darth Vader''s TIE Advanced x1- Obi-Wan Kenobi''s fast and agile Jedi starfighterDISCOVER- The inner workings of Rey''s speeder- The advanced technology of the Rebel Alliance''s U-wing- The devastating weaponry of the Death StarEXPLORE- The famous corridors of the Millennium Falcon- The brutal design of the Knights of Ren''s Night Buzzard - The mighty and fearsome Final Order Star Destroyer© & TM 2020 Lucasfilm Ltd