X Books

I love these Official Guides for the X-Files. They tell the entire episode in just enough detail if you may have missed something or have not paid enough attention. They also have the "Backstory" so you could find out information you ay never have even heard of. They have quotes from the fabulous stars. I just wish they would have had more from and about the stars. Bt other than that they are fabulous. I have my rating as 5 stars but because of this I would pick four and a half if I could. They tell everything you need to know and more about the greatest show to ever air!

I love this book,I especially like the behind the scenes stuff, it's great.I recommend this book to anyone who is the biggest fan in the world to the show like me.It has a great picture of David Duchovny in front of the mirror (very cute). I have almost all of season 6 on tape so it was very interesting to read the behind the scenes stuff and see how they made the episode.I have all of season 7 on tape so I can't wait for the next book to come out.I am running out of blank tapes!

I admit to being a X-Files addict, and so this was necessary to try to understand the show. It, and its previous 1 through 4, have made my interest in the X-files grow as I finally got clues and tremendous answers in reviews and stories from many missed episodes. A lot of work obviously went into these books, and I wait eagerly for volume 6.

The End and The Beginning is just another great book in a great collection. It is one of the most descriptive guides yet, with great color photos and a play by play look at each episode from season 6. If you are a true X-phile, this book is a necessity. This is a great look at the series while Scully and Mulder were still on the same planet, so to speak.

This is definitely a must-have for any X-Phile, especially if you missed an important episode of Season 6. It contains a detailed summary of every episode in a mini novel-like form, with commentary about that episode. It's also great to have if you desperately want to view a Season 6 episode, but you didn't tape it. In this book, you can READ the episode. I know it's not the same as watching it, but it's something. And for all you 'Shippers like me out there, you can re-live all the greatest 'Shipper moments, like in the episode "Triangle."--the famous kiss, and Mulder's famous "I love you" line to Scully. And let's not forget the part in "The Unnatural" where Mulder teaches her how to play baseball, or in "Dreamland" where Mulder dances in front of the mirror while in the body of Morris Fletcher.

The book also contains colorful photos commemorating every unforgetful moment of the season. Now I can't wait for the next volume. I'm one of the unfortunate people who missed the Season 7 finale, where Mulder gets abducted and Scully announces to Skinner that she's pregnant . . .

Cooper deftly avoids the cheesiness associated with "women in prison" stories with believable characters and a storyline that easily hooks the reader. It was a quick read with the satisfaction of justice and a happy ending, without schmaltz. I've come to have lower expectations of small press titles, because it often seems apparent why they would have been rejected as large press offerings, but that's not the case here. This was my first Blayne Cooper book, but it won't be my last.

A very good read and the setting was a wonderful change of pace. A friend of mine works for the CDC and has done interviews with federal women prisoners and thought the "family" relationships and black market were point on. I liked the time spent on developing the characters and the twists and turns in the plot. One of the other reviewers mentioned that this novel was more "grittier" than the authors past novels, I liked that aspect and hope the author keeps it up in future books. I only have one caveat about the book; I was bothered slightly by two people with zero successful relationship experience making such giant leaps of maturity. All other aspects of the book were grounded in reality while the emotional quotient slipped by (duh, it is a romance novel).

Just a few days back, or were they hours only, I was exchanging a few lines with a very talented British author about how hard is to leave some characters behind because readers as well as writers end being fond of them and wishing that their stories would continue for more than a while. This is what a book deserves when it's so well written as "Hard Times". There's no need to write about the plot as other Blayne Cooper's readers have done so. You know... a women's correctional known as Blue Ridge. A few prisoners that happen to live there more than they could dream of and a newcomer that makes their lives a bit different than used to be before she arrived to the facility.

But this is more than that, much more. If you happen to have watched "Bad Girls", the British tv series you might know what I'm talking about. Mainly the first four seasons. Relationships that imply power, love, hate, winners, losers, lovers, drug addicts, alcoholics, killers, victims, rapists, maniacs, loving mothers, lunatics,... well. You name them, you have them. But not all at once. Well told, with a plot in it, a good structure and with a great sense of characters' builder. Characters do talk too, you know? Well, at the beginning I said that there are always some of them that I want to stay longer. Lorna Malachi and Kellie Holloway make no exception to me. I love them already. Right now I have no idea whom I would take home because they are full of life, desire and even love.

To be honest, I don't really know the importance of having an editor. Apparently, it is vital in some cases for the book's sake. Blayne Cooper has had another great talented author as Katherine V. Forrest is as her editor this time. So, there it is. If you had any doubt in the beginning about "Hard Times" and "another prison story". Forget that, will you? Thanks.

I love Blayne cooper writing very much.especially Madam president and The first
lady.This book has a very unique topic.It's take
place in a prison.It's very strong and beautiful.The character are awesome.

I enjoyed watching Prisoners of Cell Block H when I was a pre-teen. Not knowing any other lesbians, the thought of going to prison to meet some or be in an all women environment seemed like a harmless daydream. While it wasn't a very well thought out fantasy at 11, it got me through some isolation and teenage angst. I have a developed a fondness for the prison genre. The gals on H were nowhere near as exciting or out as those in Hard Times. Breaking down the walls between the main characters was done well and over time. This romance wasn't an easy read at times due to some of the violence but it was well written and enjoyable, which is a given with Blayne Cooper.

Ordinarily, I'm not a big fan of the management genre. More aphorisms than pages is not a good combo.

Tim Warneka's *Leading People the Black Belt Way* takes its time to do the job right. Not surprising, perhaps, given how Aikido -- the martial art that provides this book's philosophical center -- rewards patience. Yes, the author provides schemas to help us remember key points, but he never races through them as if prepping Intro to Management students for an upcoming quiz. His goal for his readers is genuine understanding, not rote memorization of bullet points.

Tim's prose is extremely accessible. He talks of problems that managers and their teams actually face. When he introduces concepts from the management canon, he defines them in phrases that don't demand an MBA.

Each chapter begins with a brief "story" that illustrates the upcoming topic. Don't be surprised to find that you've stopped to reflect for a few minutes before you move on. It is the nature of stories to invite readers to contemplate meaning. Far better that you start to grasp these principles organically, rather than have the author bludgeon you over the head.

Tim brings a truly fresh perspective to the management text. I honestly believe that his mission is not simply to make managers get more from their workforce, but to actually improve the world. It's not just that happy workers are more productive workers, but that happy workers are happy. So are happy managers. What's refreshing is that he doesn't consider this naive. It's a worthy common cause.

Perhaps most indicative of Tim's take on both management and the world is his assessment of Ebeneezer Scrooge. We've heard this one so often we can recite it by heart: warm and fuzzy Bob Cratchit, good; cold and calculating Ebeneezer Scrooge, bad. What a refreshing take to see Warneka focus upon Scrooge's redemption. How the Scrooge at the *end* of The Christmas Carol literally embodies the managerial lessons that Tim tries to teach throughout *his* book. We should all be like Scrooge in the end: a good man and a good manager too.

Full disclosure: I have worked with Tim on a business project and know him to be the real deal. But so is his book. Stop enumerating habits and move your darned cheese -- *this* book can teach you a lot.

Leaders must tap into the tremendous emotional power of those they lead. Yes! In a field crowded with many good books on leadership, Tim Warneka has authored one that is fresh, unique and valuable. He dips his consultant and writer's ladle deeply into pools of both leadership and Aikido wisdom, with wonderful results. Having worked as an organizational change strategist and coach for two decades myself and having practiced the Japanese martial art of Aikido for over half that period, I can tell you that you're in for many surprises and bonuses in this book. By this I mean you will come away from your reading investment with many inspiring new ideas and lots of practical tools you can immediately put to work.

Dale Biron
Principal
Core Action Assoc., Inc.
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Leaders are sometimes hard to find. Sure, there's loads of folks that have been to leadership workshops and programs to be indoctrinated with yet another leadership system. But as Warneka points out, "The world does not need one more leadership system. What the world does need is great leadership that draws on the wisdom of the body and recognizes the treasury of emotions waiting to be tapped within every organization."

Using references to the lovely and efficient Japanese martial art of Aikido, Warneka shows us the importance of the above statement. In a text that flows much like a well trained martial artist, we receive epigrams from a well known swordsman, the Tao, today's best and brightest leadership coaches and the ever important thoughts of Ghandi and Einstein. Along with all that we get examples of Warneka's tried and try methods, his well thought out "learning experiments", helpful Author's notes and an extensive bibliography/webography. And while you'll have loads of folks you'll want to buy a copy for, this book could stay in your briefcase or backpack for months and in your library indefinitely.

I could list the 5 core problems that face leaders today, the 4 tools of conflict management or the 7 solutions of black belt leadership that Warneka expounds on and offers solutions to, or I could tell you this:

Whether you're the president of your garden club developing your next fundraiser, a teacher dealing with stubborn union issues, or a Fortune 500 CEO, this book can help.

Heck, it can be helpful in issues that arise every minute of every day in every country on this planet. Working together and living together is what we do as a species, using techniques that borrow from the philosophy of yin/yang, the Gestalt Cycle of Experience, and the teachings of Joseph Campbell, just may help us become those leaders we so desperately need.

If you're looking for a goldmine of timeless leadership treasures, you'll want to add Leading People The Black Belt Way to your collection. This book is unique because Warneka weaves his vast knowledge of eastern philosophy through the basic principles of emotional intelligence. It's thought provoking and loaded with plenty gems of wisdom. He highlights key points with bolding, for easy reference later. Each chapter ends with a summary and a learning experiment to help you implement the key concepts.

The book's content is written around the framework of The Seven Solutions of Black Belt Leadership:
1. Know the Five Core Problems of Leadership
2. Understand Leadership as a Relational Process
3. Seek Harmony in Leadership
4. Lead People Rather than Pushing or Pulling Them
5. Cultivate Emotional Engagement
6. Practice Embodied Leadership
7. Follow The Black Belt Cycle of Leading People

Don't worry if you don't really understand the meaning from this list. Warneka thoroughly defines "what is meant" at the beginning of each chapter.

This book is a great investment because it's jam packed with hidden gems. It's so content rich that he could have easily broken it down to several smaller, simpler books. Warneka clearly put his heart and soul into this piece of work.

I'm an avid business book reader and I have to say that I found it to be on the difficult side to read. Each chapter is prefaced with an eastern philosophy based story, which I personally found a bit distracting. If you're going to read it cover to cover, consider taking it in bite-sized chunks to maximize the benefits. Read one chapter every 2 - 4 weeks, complete the experiments at the end, and give your self plenty of time to sift, sort, and learn from the material.

If you couldn't put down Daniel Goleman's books on emotional intelligence, you're likely to be thrilled with this book. On the other hand, if you found Goleman's books to be great reference material versus engaging and inspirational, you'll likely feel the same way about this one.

Regardless, it's a great addition to your business book library.

So begins Tim Warneka's excellent book on leadership. As a practitioner and teacher of aikido, I appreciate Tim's use of aikido as a metaphor and teaching tool. How can we acknowledge and make use of emotional energy? As leaders, we can no longer afford to ignore this question. In "Leading People the Black Belt Way," you will learn core problems facing today's leaders and how to engage and manage them. Through theory, parable, learning experiments, and real life examples, this book offers easily grasped, yet innovative concepts. Read, learn, and enjoy!

A colorful, engrossing story where real life is far more interesting than fiction as the author helps us relive his exploits. For war/aviation buffs, an adventure not to be missed.

This is a fabulous book! Incredibly good! Buy this book!

G. GORDON LIDDY

This story takes you back to a time when the world was a much larger place. Men and machines were the means to accomplish great deeds. Computers did not tell you how and when to do everything. Men actually flew by the seat of their pants and when they made a mistake they were quite often the only one's who ever knew. Laugh at the funny side of combat and feel the heat of tears when a friend is lost. Don't miss this wonderful story.

Bill Band has managed to capture the essence of a bygone era and make it live for those of us who weren't there. An exciting read.

Bill Band has told this story in a manner in which the reader understands what went on in this little understood albiet important theater and why it happened that way. It is a personal account which is engaging and well told. I'll bet Mr Band has more stories to tell .. and I hope he does.

Blackbelly is a novel of unexpected depth from an author who understands how to tell a morality story without beating a dead horse--or sheep, in this case. Heather Sharfeddin's prose is straightforward, non-judgmental and honest from first word to last. And her characters, Chas McPherson, the proud loner who wants to do right by his dying father, and Mattie Holden, an unassuming nurse looking for a chance to start fresh, ring as true as any I've encountered--on or off the page--in recent memory. Blackbelly is a story of loneliness, repressed needs, and bigotry in a small town. Sprinkled with a hint of the supernatural, a few bible quotes and a layer of underlying tension, it resonates like a clanging cow bell. We haven't heard the last from this outstanding wordsmith. Salmon Run

I read Sharfeddin's book between Hemingway and Terry Kay. She more than held her own against these two great writers. From the first chapters I was drawn in and felt like I was a part of the story. I was impressed with Sharfeddin's ability to capture the lead male character so well. How did she get into the mind of a male so well? Maybe I don't want an answer.
This is an enjoyable book that reaches deep to capture emotions we all face but often hide from. Through this book we can learn a little more about ourselves, our society, and others. I recommend this novel.

I know Heather Sharfeddin personally. I raise Blackbelly Sheep. I grew up in rural Idaho just a few miles from where Heather grew up. With all that being said, I loved this book. I read it in one day just days after it was released. I didn't want it to end. I still think of the characters and wonder how they are and what they are doing. As I was reading the first few pages, I kept thinking how amazing it was that Heather was the writer and that I knew her. It was not long before she took me away from that and led me into the lives of her characters. I am buying this book for almost everyone on my Christmas list. One of the best reads ever--and I read a lot!!

Have you ever hit a dry spell with the books you read? When everything you pick up is missing that special something that hooks you in and holds you until the last word?
I was in just such a dry spell when I picked this book up after having seen in reviewed in the Idaho Statesman. I am so glad I did!
I will wait as patiently as possible for this author to write another novel.

This book is a real page turner that is masterfully written. I am eagerly awaiting a second novel from this author.

Halcyon Daze is an engaging account of a young woman's adventure from her fairly naive and sheltered life in Kansas to her more exotic, exciting, and erotic life in San Francisco. Her new friends include a whacky set of characters that join her in exploring sex and sexuality and, along the way, discover new aspects of themselves. She emerges from her experiences still not completely clear on life's exact purpose and her role in it-who ever is?-but undoubtedly more open to and aware of all that it has to offer. It is an interesting book that may make you blush at times and will definitely make you laugh at loud with its wit and sarcasm. It will captivate you with its characters and their exploits and keep you turning the pages out of curiosity and enjoyment.

I found this book to be funny and fun and very interesting. Loved the poems before each chapter. Colorful characters and some very interesting places. Very creative mind. All in all the book is great.

Halcyon Daze by Palmer Owyoung is a debut novel that "marches to a different drummer", -- just as its twenty-something protagonists do as they seek to find themselves. Halcyon Daze tells of Kalani Smith's adventures as she and those she encounters strive to find meaning in their lives. Halcyon Daze is commended as a superbly written, surreal vision quest, offering paths for future travel and mind-expanding perspectives on life itself along the way.

"At first I thought it was another Sex in the City type book, I was very wrong.It was a great book and I was looking for more even after I finished the last
page...encore!"

Kalani Smith struggles to find release from her cocoon-like
existence. Born in Hawaii, of Chinese, Native American and
English descent, she lived briefly in California, and for the
last 23 years has hibernated in Hiawatha, Kansas. Kalani has
always felt displaced in Hiawatha, and has never felt a
connection with the people or the city.

On a day in June, a perfect setting for a wedding, Kalani is
realizing that on her next birthday she will be 30 years old,
that she is bored with her life, and that she has yet to
experience her first orgasm. As she listens to the minister,
she has a surreal moment, a turning point, and she knows it's
time to spread her wings.

Juxtaposed against her tumultuous past, Kalani is bold and
timid as she leaves her groom at the altar and embarks on a
journey she hopes will exploit her dream of becoming a writer.
Searching for stability and a place that feels like home, she
leaves Kansas with no destination in mind. In Arizona she
encounters a Native American woman who shares a Navajo ritual
with her that promises to clear her mind, light her path, and
show her how to find her own truths in the world. Kalani
arrives in San Francisco and joins an eclectic group of
characters; All searching for themselves and trying to make
sense of the world that surrounds them. The author leads them
on a surrealistic adventure in the Nevada desert, hoping
they will find a new perspective on life.

HALCYON DAZE, the freshman novel by Palmer Owyoung is an
offbeat, witty story, told with vivid imagery as he artfully
lets readers wander through the visions in his character's
minds. This book has the freedom and flair reminiscent of the
flower children in the sixties. It is an interesting read.

Reviewed by aNN Brown
of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This is one of the best books in the history of modern man. The pictures alone are enough to keep returning to it over and over and over. I found the tome very informative as it eloquently exposes the under-workings of the CON.
Any library, private or public, is incomplete without this remarkable book.

Getting this book will be the difference in eternal salvation or going to work tomorrow. Get it now, before it's too late. This is your last warning, we're watching you.

If the Book of The Subgenius left your brain nearly distroyed. The sequal will finish the job!

If only Saddam had read this book! If he did, then the Iraqi's would be patrolling New York City right now!

"Bob" gives Jesus a wedgie!

"Bob" give Mohommad a "wet willie!"

"Bob" is the punch line to a joke that was never spoken.

"Bob" is the whoppie cushion at the Black Tie Dinner of reality!

"Bob" is the pie! "Bob" is the arm of Moe! "Bob" is the pie fight at the end of the Three Stooges Episode!

The end times are a'near! Get right with "Bob" now!

I bought this one too, now I'm even crazier!
Thanks again, "Bob"!

that I had to buy THREE copies of the first book, because it would 'disappear' when I lent it to friends. I certainly wore out the binding of each copy myself, because it was one of the funniest books I'd ever read hands down. Naturally, when the sequel, "Revelation X" hit the shelves, I needed to have it, even though I knew I'd already given enough money to these raving hucksters(I mean, I loved the Church-bought the mebership and all). While not as side splittingly funny as the first one, this is still light years ahead of any other humor books. Each SubGenius book is literally crammed with things to read and look at, artwork and rants and gag philosophy from embittered nerds all over the world apparently, all about the mythical figure of Bob Dobbs and his plan to save us from the maw of the Conspiracy that is perpetuated by so-called normal people to destroy noncomformity. Obviously, if you are the shy, intellectual type with a truckload of inner rage and a brain that no one appreciates or understands, then this is your bible. Women Subgenii take note: there's a chapter devoted just to you. Enjoy one of the last decades' coolest in-jokes.

i've read o lot of casefiles and this is one of the best!the hardys are at this space camp and start to investigate things like faulty equipment.they have a bomb put in their car!it's a cool book!

I think that this book is great because it had action and detail. My best part is when the bugs are eating the loggers and Humphreys! I would like it better on tv.

I thought it was a wonderful book if you've seen the show and i have you can almost see the episode in your head it's so good

I liked the story because the descriptions really make you feel like you're there. I liked the characters because you really got a feel of their personalities. The suspense was great.

It is the most exiting and thriling book I ever read. I love this series and I'm going to read more X-Files books. I really recomend this book to any person that loves mysteries.I bet you'll like it as much as I did.

Having perused many books on animation, illustration, etc. and having purchased a few I thought this was pretty cool. The coloring style may not be for everyone, but the book is helpful in many areas. I thought the quality of the work was not as good as GURU's book, and I would recommend that book over this one. That being said, you may be able to pick up different points from each, as I did.

There are a lot of books dedicated to Photoshop, for improving photos. Which is understandable since that's what Photoshop is mainly for. There are few books that go deep into the art possibilities. (and I have quite a few Photoshop books).

This book is heavy into comic related art, mainly, how to color comics and really make them pop. But don't let that stop you if you are not into comics. This book helps with taking simple line art and making into a good pieces of art or graphic quality. It covers scanning, stitching, layout, and it full of coloring tips from end to end.

Forget 2-dimensional line art. This book takes a basic line art and shows you how to make it fantastic visually. There are so many ideas here, it will keep you busy for quite sometime. Highly recommended.

I use this book as a teaching tool. Fantastic. If you are need to know digital color and the all the means (printing, and so on) you need this book. The best book of it's kind. Very well done.

I've just started coloring a comic, and I wish I had purchased this book before I started! It contains SO MUCH information, from scanning, to prepping your drawings for coloring, to flatting and finally to coloring itself. Sure, some of this may be in the Internet here and there, but never in one place and never, ever explained so well.

In addition to the valuable information on coloring, he also includes some invaluable scripts from Hi-Fi, which removes the tedious process of setting up your channels, etc., as well as a script for color holds and finishing up the page.

All I can say is this is the best resource I've found on computer coloring for comics. In fact, it was so good, I ordered copies for two friends.

This book is an excellent resource. The authors are talented colorists, but more importantly for the reader, they're people with real experience teaching others how to color comics professionally.

There are a hundred ways to do ANYTHING in photoshop -- what I love about _Hi-Fi Color for Comics_ is it stops to explain WHY they do it the way they're showing. I've colored a lot of comic pages and other illustrations over the years, and have my own way of doing things. I'm changing a lot of my approaches for the better because of this book.

The book covers Hi-Fi's "house style" of coloring, but the meat of the book is valuable for all styles of colorists. You've got to flat well, you've got to produce good backed-up blacks, all the rest. No matter what coloring style you're shooting for, my bet is you're going to pick up some valuable tips from this book.

And finally we have the included cd -- it's not just some sample files for practice and a couple custom brushes, it has a number of complicated photoshop actions that are serious high-quality time-savers for colorists. Any one of the actions would be worth the cover price alone.

Just starting out? This book will tell you what you need to know.
Experienced colorist? Boost your productivity, get this book.

I have learned so much from this book. The book is very well written and gets to the point in a simple and easy way to follow.

Had to consult the manual only once and found what I wanted. This manual is just about the only option should anyone need any help and prior to any calls to customer service.

No question this is the must have reference for mac products...bought the iPhoto and OSX Leopard manuals together...shipped fast too.

David Pogue has always been a favorite of mine. I have his earlier books on Apple OS-X 10.3, 10.4 and 10.5 and always found them to be very useful. The key to this type of book is in the index. You don't read a book of this nature, but instead you pull it off the shelf when you have a problem and for this the index is crucial. You need to find an immediate reference for your problem there in order to locate the solution and in this regard David Pogue has always been tops.

I can highly recommend this volume as well as the OS-X Missing Manuals by the same author.

Packed with great information, well organized and presented in a humorous fashion. I keep it right alongside my computer for reference.