I Books

Excellent but I found the personal stories during their training were dull and boring. This is another Bush Did It Book and it is just too bad that the American public will never allow themselves to believe the content of this book or others like it. It is just too disturbing to the average readers formed view of the government.

Having worked as an OSI agent for a number of years, I can state with absolute certainty that this book not only feels and reads true, but that it is true...at least insofar as my experiences are concerned. Mr. Bucci's name circulated throughout many a classified briefing in my days, leading many of us to wonder if he was a real agent or merely a mythic character created to scuttle rumors and inuendos of clandestine operations hatched but never consemated. The only difference between Mr. Bucci and myself is that he had the guts--if not the stupidity--to write about his drug war experiences. Hell, writing this review alone has my ulcer trickling.

I echoe the sentiments of my fellow reviewers who commented that this would make for a very cinematic motion picture. I only hope Hollywood doesn't change a single word. Oh yeah, and a note to the editor, if you plan to release more copies in the future...and I strongly suggest that you do...add more to the ending (I felt left hanging a bit) and use the latest version of spell-check. Besides that little problem, however, this was the best, truly the best book I have ever read...and I read constantly!

Straight out of today's headlines...this book should go straight to Hollywood.

A good read, highly recommended!

My stomach hurt with laughter, my heart ached with pain and my body was ravaged with nerves. This book should come with a disclaimer: "Do not read if you have any health problems! If symptoms persist, put down and read again at a later date. The problem is, however, you can't put the darn thing down. When is his next book coming out? I can't wait! My HMO might feel otherwise, though. And not that it matters, but as an ex-DEA agent I now understand why I saw, or didn't see the thing I should have seen...if you catch my drift.

When Ken Bucchi's book was slipped to me last summer, I have to admit I was skeptical. I mean, come on. How many times have we heard about the CIA's complicity in the drug trade? After reading it, though, I was as hooked as the people who review the book below. It really is a gripping read, drips with authenticity (if you've been lucky enough to have met or talked with Ken, you KNOW the book is true) and begs to be turned into a movie.

This is our bible for all our rentals. The disc has all the forms you'll need, backed up by the part of the law that applies. If you have rentals in California, this should be your guide to staying out of trouble.

I have been a landlord for 12 years. Every few years I purchase a revised version just to be sure that laws haven't changed that I should know about. This book is a must if you have rentals in California. It is very easy to understand, it has all the forms you may need on CD and can be referred to quickly when questions come up. I feel I am a better landlord because of this book. I have also loaned it to my friends when they felt that their landlord had not be treating them fairly. They also found it very helpful. I wouldn't be without it.

I read through the book before renting my place, and it provided me with very useful tips on the legality of various aspects of renting one's place. It also had templates and forms which were very handy, in drawing up a lease, issuing a receipt or generating a checklist. I would recommend this book for any landlord, whether you are renting out one house or multiple.

If you're in the real estate rental business in the state of California you need this book to start out, survive, and thrive in this business. The NOLO books are written by lawyers for lay people.

The "California Landlord's Law Book: Rights and Responsibilities" covers all ground and gives you more than a legal or business understanding of real estate rental (rare but detrimental scenarios and important topics are discussed, such as Discrimination, Self-Help Evictions, Landlord's Liabilities for Dangerous Conditions and Criminal Acts, etc.)

This law book also contains all the forms you will need, both at the end as apendix and on a CD. The book is very thorough and every new edition stays abreast with the latest rental law changes in California. The only downside (unavoidable) is that every so often NOLO publishes a new edition thus somewhat outdaing previous ones.

This was the only book I needed to become a landlord in California. With the included forms on CD, I was able to easily create a lease for my tenants and feel confident that I was doing everything legally. I read the relevant sections of the book and will keep it on hand if any rental problems show up. I am very satisfied with the book selection.

I bought this book for my 4 year old after he had smashed his finger unusually badly in the door. This book was at the doctor's office and it helped him to focus on something besides what was happening with his finger. It was such a plesant experience, I thought it would be fitting to get one for his own library as a souviner. (We inscribed it with his name and the incident with the date.)

If you are a doctor or work in a doctor's office, with patients of any age, this would be a fabulous idea to have instead of yucky magazines.

We have all of the "I Spy" books and it looks like we'll be starting to collect these too.

I love this author and illustrator. Wonderful series of books. Very vivid pictures; the manner in which it's written allows the books to be enjoyed by a wide age range. I bought all books by this author!

My 4-year-old grandson loves this book. He needs to have someone read the list of things to look for, but he will happily try to find the objects. He turns the page before it gets tedious so we finish the book quickly, but he will go back to it time and again. I believe that the mental effort is good intelligence training.

Great book for kids & adults will enjoy too. Not as difficult as "I Spy" but still has some challenges. Addictive - Fun!

My three-year-old son and I love this book. Some of the puzzles are beyond him but many or not, and I had a great deal of fun figuring them out on my own. I highly recommend this book to anyone with children, big or small.

Another hidden puzzle we found within the book -- on every page spread in the book, the little yellow-and-red "bead boy" (clearly visible on the title page) appears somewhere. The only place we HAVEN'T been able to find him is the "Magic Tricks" page....if someone spots him there, give us a shout out, OK?

Walter Wick books are a favorite of my 5-year old, and this one is a favorite of mine. The photos are absolutely beautiful and full of Christmas spirit. Although kids love the repetition of finding the same things over and over in hidden picture books, adults can get tired of it fast enough. But the photos in this book hold your attention like a coffee-table art book, making it a pleasure to find five Santas in the Gingerbread house for the umpteenth time.

I have the entire series of "Can You See What I See?" and my son at 4 1/2 really enjoys these. I bought his first book when he was about three. It has helped his visual skills so much that he can find some of the objects faster than I can.

We bought this for our three-year old daughter last year and she found it challenging. But at four she loves it. She insists we go through a few pages every night. I love how excited she gets when she finds something. My husband and I sit down and find items with her making for good family time.

This series of of books is terrific! Fantastic art work, and the book can be enjoyed by many ages. A definite "must-buy" for Grandmothers!

Approprately intriguing and challenging while this book is also in season and fun. I recommend it highly due to the invitation to interact with a young person while "reading" it and see it as one more way to stimulate initiative, observation, and awareness.

The praline recipe in this book is outstanding, as well as the cover recipe, the lemon-coconut pound cake. Both get rave reviews whenever I make them. The stories and pictures are also wonderful, and should bring up wonderful memories for anyone who grew up in the church.

I used to eat well at my church in Little Rock, AR. I loved how everyone had a signature dish that generated multiple requests for the recipe. You can now have your own signature dessert with this book!

The book is divided into the following chapters:
Cakes
Pies, Cobblers and Trunoers
Cookies and Candy
Custards and Puddings
Frozen Treats
Specialty Desserts
Beverages
Top It Off (Sauces)

You will get your money's worth with this book. There is a huge number of recipes! In the cake chapter alone there are 50 recipes. Unfortunately there are no pictures of the desserts, but the book is filled with images of the women who made them and their stories. This is a book to be treasured.

This book takes me back to my church socials. It contains the varied and quirky dessert recipes (buttermilk ice cream and Mississippi Mud Cake) that made the teas and dinners special. You should be able to find a number of recipes to use for your next bake sale, tea or dinner with family.

I liked the pictures and the author's comments. The recipes are plain and simple. This is an interesting and easy to follow cookbook. Good price.

Don't get me wrong this is a good collection of recipes not all of which are directly from church ladies.

However, as a baker I prefer to see a presentation- a photo of the finished product. This edition has too many pictures of the cooks and not enough of the cooking. I was not expecting a Church fashion show! Maybe the writer could compromise and in a next edition put the baker with her product?

The interior pages which were of a type of recycled non-luminious paper that was a bit hard on my eyes.

dw

I came across this book while weeding the large print collection. I took a moment to leaf through it, and I was amazed. This is a gorgeous book, filled with history, photos, and tasty recipes -- and the writing in it is very clever.

This is a special book, more than just a cookbook. I would highly recommend checking it out, but you better not read it hungry!

There are great recipes in this book that have become favorites of my family. If I could only have 5 cookbooks, this would be one of the 5. The Red Pepper Pasta, Fig Crostata and Conchilglie al forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio could not be lived without.

I really like this cookbook, but am I the only one who thinks it's odd that their chicken stock recipe says that it makes 2 quarts when in fact it's more like 2 gallons?

This is a fabulous cookbook. Many, many delicious recipes with easy to follow instructions. This book is a classic that you will use over and over again to prepare loads of great Italian foods.

After eating at Al Forno's several times in the late 90's I bought the book. I was brought up in the restaurant business and new my way around the kitchen though my style was pretty basic. These recipes brought me into a more creative phase. I have made almost all of them. They are easy to follow with great tips and advice on how to succeed. My kids who are grown now, grew up eating Pasta in the Pink and Penne with tomato cream and 5 cheeses. Another favorite is the Chicken stuffed with bruschetta - made on the grill is best. Oh..and the grilled pizza! Have fun!

I buy many cookbooks. If one reciepe is delicious and worthy of repeating in my entertaining I consider it a good cookbook. This book has many reciepes that I use over and over. They are easy to prepare and delicious to eat.The reciepe for Polenta is the Best!
I often buy this book to give as a gift...good reading and if you want great food to produce...

This is a very moving account of a heartbroken man who was betrayed by a person he loved dearly. The pain, the trauma, the love, the anger, the frustration is evident in every single well-written sentence. This book is not only a window into the mind of one of the best British writers of the late 19th century. It is also a timeless lesson on what can happen when one falls in love with someone who doesn't truly appreciate what they have before them. Of course there are other lessons to be learned in this book but rather than point them out here, I'd much prefer you pick up a copy of "De Profundis" as soon as you can.

Not actually a "letter," though it had to be originally presented as such for him to be allowed to write it while in prison, *De Profundis* is Wilde's masterpiece--one has to have really lived and really, really suffered to have written it and it's amazing that he achieved it.

I only very recently read it--and "got" it. It rings true to me, and is very, very moving and "profound." It ain't summer beach reading.

Wilde is still and will probably always be best known as a "Personality"--that and the author of a couple of decent period plays, a short novel, a few stories, and lots of forgettable poems and such. But THIS--THIS is IT.

He really WAS a great writer, it turns out, after all.

So many people concentrate on De Profundis' accusations cast towards Alfred Douglas. Yes, it's true that the letter was written to him and that Wilde is ruthless in letting Douglas know exactly what he thinks of him but that's not why De Profundis is a great piece of work. It is great for three reasons. Number one - It contains the best account of the life of Christ. Christ as the romantic artist is the only account that has moved me to tears and the only account I can personally embrace. Number two - it is chock full of the Oscar Wilde voice and wit and as a result it reverbates as a true work of art and number three - It is ultimately a work that celebrates the things in life worth feeling - failure, love, injustice, strength and forgiveness.

Don't waste your time with the accusations towards Douglas. He is unimportant. Oscar Wilde is what's important and De Profundis is Oscar Wilde bare.

Ah, me...one doesn't know which to be more irritated
and exasperated with: whether it be Walt Whitman doing
his dissembling shuck-and-shuffle about the children
he had sired (to throw off a probing, serious John
Addington Symonds) -- or Oscar, in this "j'accuse," which
he should have spoken while looking in a mirror, rather
than writing it on paper to Lord Alfred.
This is without doubt a fascinating, horrifying,
and yet in places humorous, "piece de Miserere mei"
(to combine a bit of French with Latin).
If one chooses to believe Oscar, his only fault
was weakness in "giving in" to Lord Alfred. Oh,
come now. Blinded by Eros, reason flies out the
door...if ever reason was in control. There are
some sentences which are devastatingly revealing,
but Oscar doesn't seem to see it. "The trivial in
thought and action is charming. I had made it
the keystone of a very brilliant philosophy expressed
in plays and paradoxes." Ye gods, and little fishes!

And this man dared to call himself a "Classicist?!"
Yikes!!!
The best exercise for the reader is to just take
many of the things which Oscar accuses Lord Alfred
of, and turn them toward the self-blind, self-
justifying Oscar, to see their devastating hitting
of the mark. Never having met the young man, but
only having the "benefit" of hearsay (mostly from
Oscar's literary defenders) Lord Alfred seems to have
been calculating, temperamental (using anger to get
his way), manipulative, etc., etc., etc. The best
description of him may be Wilde's referring to him
with the lines from Aeschylus' play AGAMEMNON,
about the lion cub being raised in a house and
being let loose to wreak havoc and ruin.
But Oscar bears his share of blame -- more than just
that of the "sin" of weakness which he constantly falls
back upon in his own justification. Even in the midst
of what purports to be some sort of penitent cry from
the depths of hell...Oscar still is ever the poseur:
"And I remember that afternoon, as I was in the railway
carriage whirling up to Paris, thinking what an impossible,
terrible, utterly wrong state my life had got into, when
I, a man of world-wide reputation, was actually forced
to run away from England, in order to try and get rid
of a friendship that was entirely destructive of everything
fine in me either from the intellectual or ethical point
of view...." Er, when was the last time that the
"everything fine" had last seen the light of day?
Was Oscar an "Artist," as he consistently claims?
Was he the wronged, harmed Artist? Perhaps only the
reader can decide that for himself. Without doubt
he was witty, acerbic, funny, cute, clever, perhaps
even charming (to some -- sort of like a Pillsbury
Dough Boy with flair and a clever tongue), perhaps
stylish (in a frumpy, velveteen sort of way). Was
he wronged by a predatory clinger and manipulator,
and a hypocritical social prudery and class power
play (Oscar is no Socrates--that's for sure!)? He
hardly seems worthy, in some ways, of being a poster-boy
for Gay Pride parades. More likely, he is a better
warning poster boy for the self-excusing, and never
take-responsibility-for-your-own-actions crowd.
But this is an incredible piece to read and think
about. There is some of it that is mordantly hilarious.

One of the most famous - and infamous - letters in all of literature, De Profundis is a strange little piece of work: either much more than it appears on the surface, or much less. It is something I think everyone should read, if only for its insight into the human character, particularly that of one under great personal suffering. Wilde wrote this extraordinarily long letter from prison to Lord Alfred Douglas, his friend, lover, and the man who - by all accounts - was the reason Wilde was in jail in the first place. Despite repeated assertions in the first few pages alone to the contrary, Wilde seems reluctant to blame himself. He clearly blames Douglas to the hilt, and harbors a certain bitter resentment towards him. And yet... he clearly still hold much dear affection toward - and even loves - Douglas. He still seems to be asking for forgiveness - despite the fact that, by all accounts hardly excluding his own, he was the man wronged. It is quite clear from reading this letter that, desite the view history holds of him, Wilde was clearly a man of very high moral character. Certainly, one would not put Wilde atop a pedastal as the zenith of ethics - he himself says that morals contain "absolutely nothing" for him, and clearly admits - and is proud of - his having lived the high life to the hilt during his youth - but Wilde was a man of principles, and he stuck to those principles to the tragic, bitter end. Perhaps you might say he carried them too far. One gets the sense in reading this letter - or a biography of Wilde - that, not only could he have stopped his immiment imprisonment, but could have severed his ties with Douglas completely - had he wanted to. Apparently, he had his own utterly compelling reasons for not doing so. Whatever the case, Oscar Wilde is one of the most fundamentally and perpetually interesting characters in the whole of history. A self-described man of paradoxes - Wilde was subsequently the true essence of his time, while also being far ahead of his time - De Profundis makes for required reading by one of the most endlessly fascinating individuals you'll ever read about, and also provides a startling - indeed, perhaps too much so - insight into human nature.

De Profundis, though long for a letter, is not a long work in the conventional sense. Consequently, as many editions of Wilde's collected works are available, buying this on its own may be deemed questionable. I highly reccommend purchasing a Collected Works of Oscar if you have not done so already - it's well worth the price - but, should you desire to have more compact editions of specific works, an edition such as this will be privy to your needs.

after reading this book. After all, they have tiny brains. My daughter (6) is very afraid of the dark and started talking about monsters when she was about 4. They would come and go, but were always very scary. Now she is an expert on them. She is still scared of the dark, but not because of the monsters. The illustrations and text are very funny. I enjoyed reading this book almost as much as she did.

My boys love this book. My boys are like most 4.5 year old boys filled with imagination. There are always monsters in our house usually about 5 years old and under 4 feet tall. The pictures and illustrations are hilariously funny. Even us parents have enjoyed this book. The boys love to make up monster names in the back of the book. This is a book that will be read for many years in this house. And yes if you are wondering everytime there is earwax coming out your ears your imagination must be running wild.

My son checked this book out from the library. They loved it so much we ended up buying it. It takes any childhood fears of monters away. The book is fun and silly for children and adults.

My six year old thinks this book is great. I bought this and "Everything I know About Pirates" and he loves both.Recommended for boys aged 5-9.

This is just a plain FUN book!!! I loved it from beginning to end. I've got to get the one he did about Pirates now! The kids I've showed it to, loved it! The illustrations are well done and very funny. The text is hilarious!

This book is both informative and accessible. Preus does a good job explaining the conflicts between traditional Lutheran Christianity and contemporary Evangelical Protestantism. He can be a little repetitive at times, but that is due to the fact that in theology everything builds off of and refers back to what came before. Preus' discussion of vocation was also very helpful, as the contemporary views of discipleship often achieve nothing more than create stress-everything carries with it a significance that it just does not deserve. The emotional aspect of contemporary worship has also always bothered me. Preus does a great job illustrating the problems with basing one's faith off of transient sentiments. This book deserves a close reading and serious thought.

This book gives real practical do's and don'ts to Lutheran Theology and Practice from a man who experienced all the do's and don'ts himself. I love the book for its boldness and I would recommend any Lutheran layman to read it and learn from it. Pastors can learn from it too.

A most excellent book and a must read for all Lutherans and those who are toying with the whole "church growth" movement. Rev. Preus is no-nonsense, hard hitting, confessional and orthodox while reaching out in love to those in error. If you are concerned that the church is losing its ancient orthodox and catholic roots and is becoming the "church of what's happening now", you need to read this book! Buy one for your pastor, he needs to read this as well. Promote the book in your church as a most excellent replacement for "The purpose driven life."

This is a book that helps the reader understand why we worship as Lutherans the way we do. It goes into great depths to understand the theology behind our actions as a church and yet is not too hard to understand. The author has a good way of putting things down on a layman's level.

In his book, The Fire and the Staff: Lutheran Theology in Practice, Klemet Preus has provided the church an instant classic in pastoral theology. It is no exaggeration to say that a pastor can learn much that he needs to know to minister in the present American context from this single book, to say nothing of the potential of this book for catechizing our laity. If this book is read and taken to heart in our church, the impact will be palpable. In one omnibus volume Preus tackles the essential Lutheran teaching of the reciprocal relationship between doctrine and practice in light of the Reformation and its early controversies, American Lutheranism and its interaction with Revivalism and Evangelicalism, and the modern challenges of the Church Growth and Charismatic Movements.

Excellent topic coverage by what I consider to be the best mind in the field today!

One of the best written textbooks I have ever read, in any field. Crystal clear, and is a gold mine of knowledge.

This text is very good for those who start doing research in statistical signal processing. A lot of explanations, technical terms are well presented and consistent, plus a number of examples that help you to learn about different statistical signal processing concepts and algorithms. Research students can be beneficial alot from this text.

Without any hesitation, I consider this book as a masterpiece in the area of statistical signal processing. Kay takes the reader to the journey of estimation theory as if a science teacher takes his students to a field trip. The one special feature of this book is the convergence of thought that reader obtains upon reading the book. Kay lays a fundamental bridge between various estimators using his succinct style for describing the subject.

Few special areas require more attention in this book. For example the coverage of EM methods is very condense and requires more elaboration. Also there is no discussion on the estimation methods using higher order statistics.

Overall I consider this book as the best book I have read ever and I highly recommend this book to those who want to obtain an ever-lasting view on statistical signal processing.

I've had tough courses on statistical signal processing as a post-grade student. I am often confused in front of a problem and turning back to the notes taken in class doesn't help much.
When you read this book all gets bright. I am still wondering how some teachers can be so confusing while such good books do exist...
However don't count on it for in depth mathematical demonstrations, it starts with a practical problem and explains how to model things. Thus it is a bit bottom-up but anyway starting from a good graduate level in signal and stats.
I got this one at the library but already ordered a copy for myself and am planning to get part2 on detection.