Books
Calculus Of Variations
L.E. Elsgolc, Addison Wesley 1962 (translated from the original in Russian),LOC 61-14038This book was recommended background reading for topics using functional analysis such as advanced quantum mechanics and quantum electrodynamics. As far as math books go, it is actually concise and clear. As we are about to embark on a few Feynman texts, this is a handy little item. Note there are paperback copies available at low cost but also many complaints of illegible print so get the Addison Wesley hard cover edition of you can find it.
From The Shadows
The Ultimate Insider's Story Of Five Presidents And How They Won The Cold War by Robert M. Gates, Simon & Shuster 1996 ISBN 0684810816Written by the new US Secretary of Defense, this book details his time at CIA and the NSC from the mid 1960's through his appointment as DCI in late 1991 and his view of the events and men who fought the Cold War. While there is an undercurrent through much of the book which leads you to believe it may be in response to an earlier autobiography by long time Reagan Secretary of State George Schultz, on the whole it was very informative. Gates, in addition to climbing the ranks of CIA, also served twice in the NSC and hence had direct access at the highest levels to both political decision makers as well as the most important military and economic intelligence on the USSR. Ironically, we had just finished the section dealing with the Ford presidency at the time of his death and because of this book knew Ford had much more on his plate than Watergate and cleaning up loose ends in Viet Nam. Beyond the historical importance, this is also a valuable resource into the thinking of the man now in charge of (hopefully) extracting some degree of success out of Iraq.
