Directories Books

Ever wondered how Hell's Kitchen got it's name or why Bowling Green is called that? Well, finally there is a book that can answer these and many other place name questions. "Naming New York: Manhattan Places and How They Got Their Names" by Sanna Feirstein, and published by the respectable folks at New York University Press is a great, well organized book that discusses how most places in the borough of Manhattan got their names.

Chapters, which are divided by areas on the island such as Upper East Side, Inwood, and Harlem, discusses the origin of many street, park, and neighborhood names. The author, who briefly gives the origin of the place name in a simple sentence or two, apparently has done some deep research at a local library or archive in order to amass such an extensive list of information. With a great cover design and feel, the book captured my attention at a local bookstore. Overall, the book is a must for anyone who loves the City that Never Sleeps. It's a great book for a great price, which today can be a rarity.

I'm hoping that by the time you read this review, you will be able to take a look inside (right now, you can't). If you could, you would be able to see the exquisite layout and illustrations of Sanna Feirstein's "Naming New York: Manhattan Places and How They Got Their Names". It's a gloriously good-looking book.

But more important, Sanna Feirstein has gotten her facts right. When people think of the place names of Manhattan, they probably think of the grid and its numbered roads. Or that Manhattan is so modern, that all its place names begin with the Rockefeller era. WRONG! The island of Manhattan reaches further back in the history of American cities than any other one: the Wall Street area itself existed while Shakespeare's plays were first being produces. Manhattan, especially the older neighborhoods from Houston Street south to the Battery, are filled with twisting little streets whose names resonate with Manhattan's history. This book is where you'll find out why Houston Street is pronounced "HOW-ston". Where did Maiden Lane get its name from? Who was Barclay? This book will tell all.

This is a very informative book. If only it can tell me why New Yorkers pronounce Avenue of the Americas as "Sixth Avenue".

This book is great for everyone - from history experts to casual street walkers. I highly recommend it!!!

Even non-New Yorkers will enjoy the sweeping history that is brought alive when you peek behind street signs. From Broadway to Shinbone Alley, there's something fascinating about how New Yorkers have chosen to name their byways. Each section of town is presented with an introduction which outlines its place in the history of the city. Then each street is listed with an explanation of its name derivation. The mysteries of SoHo, NoHo, NoMad, and NoCa are explained. There are scores of beautiful illustrations. East side, west side, all around the town, Ms. Feirstein puts a human face on every corner of the Big Apple.

This book explains the origin of every named street in Manhattan, New York. A native of Topeka, Kansas may rightly be inclined to say "So what?" but, to anyone interested in NYC, this book will provide plenty of raised eyebrows of new found insight about "Gotham". The book is broken down into sections on Lower Manhattan, Mid-Lower Manhattan, The Villages, Midtown South, Midtown, East Side, West Side, and Upper Manhattan with additional sectional breakdowns in each group. A page and a half of historical background for each area is given along with a very basic map of the area. The story of the name for each street in the area is then explained in a couple well written lines. Many pictures are included of the persons or places named. The only detracting points are the paucity of effective maps detailing where some of the more obscure places are.

Highly recommended if you are into New York City history.

Great book if you're planning a trip to Ireland or if you just want to enjoy a pint in your own living room!

When I'm in Ireland -- which isn't nearly enough -- I try to avoid the trendy new pubs and stick to the joints where the local people go, where you're still likely to find a session in the corner, where the food is simple but hearty, and where the Guinness is pulled with pride.

Eric Roth, a Boston-based photographer, pays tribute to the "real" Irish pubs of Ireland in "The Parting Glass." Of course, there are thousands upon thousands of pubs to choose from, and the book had limited space, so after exhaustive research (read: going to lots of pubs) he picked 43 representative establishments to capture on film. Eileen McNamara, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Boston Globe columnist, went along for the trip and provided the text to support Roth's images.

Of course, I have my own favorite spots in Ireland, and sadly, they're not included here. And yet, of the 43 pictured, I've been to only a handful, and they ALL look a delight!

The book includes numerous large, colorful photos of pub facades and pub interiors. Too, you'll find distinctive pub signs and unique pub decor. Better yet, you'll see people manning taps and hoisting pints, people who make up Ireland's traditional pub scene as much as the Guinness-stained tables, peat fires, live music and pleasant conversation.

There are city pubs and country pubs, ornate pubs and plain, crowded and empty. Roth's photos are gorgeous, rich in color, detail and personality. McNamara's narrative is equally colorful, informative and evocative of the pub experience. Combined, they create a desire to dive through the pages, take a seat and order a pint.

Great photography. Great for Irish conversation. Makes a great gift.

This book is for those who want to be swept away on a marvelous journey through a land of incredible scenery interrupted by warm and friendly people invigorated by mouth watering blends of spirits served in the most welcoming places short of heaven.

This book made a wonderful gift for my husband this Christmas. He and I went to Ireland a few years ago to see a U2 concert at Slane castle. To this day, it remains one of my favorite vacations of all times, and this book rekindled those wonderful memories. So much so, that after browsing through the pages together, my husband and I are planning a return trip "across the pond" as a gift to each other! We're even planning some of our itenerary around these cool cities and pubs.

The photos are just beautiful and so are the stories of the owners, the bartenders, the patrons and pub histories. Neat facts are tucked in between the pages, making it more than a photo essay -- I learned that a special place called a "Snug" exists in the older pubs, where the women used to share a pint or two without the company
of men.

If you are looking for an unusual and thoughtful gift, I recommend this book. It would make a wonderful father's day gift, (or mother's day gift!), it would be great as a birthday present, a graduation present, a coffee table book for a new homeowner, or for any other occassion where you want to raise a pint in celebration. Cheers!

For those who fly, maintain, or just admire the F-14, this definitely deserves a place on your bookshelf. Filled with over 700 photos of Tomcats, including the bureau numbers of said planes, this is without a doubt the "year book" of the F-14. I only wish this book receives an update with even more photos of the remaining Tomcats in our inventory and where they stand today (book was printed in 1998).

Including information such as the planes that appeared in Hollywood films, squadron tail markings, as well as patches, you will not find a more complete reference title anywhere on the market. It is a bit pricey, but well worth the money.

I'm a former F-14 RIO (85-93), and was the FITWING Senior Flight Surgeon at NAS Oceana from 2000-2003 - I loved going through this book. I matched all the planes that I flew over the years with my log book. There were some discrepancies, but nothing major. I was involved with flying many of the aircraft to the desert in Arizone for their final resting place - And, finally, it was wonderful to be at the Final Flight and Retirement on the Beautiful Day at NAS Oceana in September. I met the author of the this book and bought a signed copy. Keep up the good work. MUGS

February 26/2006. For the last 7 years the Tomcat has served and excelled in different roles and big conflicts have been present in all this time. And now the Tomcat's service in the Navy is almost over. A couple of cruises I guess and that's it. Now is the perfect time to update this book. Then it would be like a Tomcat Bible.

A very detailed and fascinating roll call of the 712 F-14's built. Unfortunately, the book is current only through 1998.

This book could become the definitive Tomcat bible if it was updated to include all Tomcats through the final retirement in September and provide some coverage of the many ceremonies that took place as the Tomcat flew into the sunset.

There is not too much to read in the F-14 book, as it
is a "F-14 Roll Call" type book. This means it has a
photo of each and every F-14 ever made, and the final
disposition of each aircraft. If the aircraft was in
any special operations, that is mentioned also. For
photos, specific aircraft markingins, squadron
markings and F-14 history I thought the book was very
well done and excellent!

Even the 1992 addition is still one of my favorite books in my library of over a few thousand books.

He is thorough, the graphics & typesetting are excellently done (i.e.. easy to read), he gives price ranges and star ratings, which also help.

The resources are abundant, yet not too much to be overwhelming (for us who have a difficult time deciding where to go).

Phenomenal book!

Doing one holiday from each chapter.....

this book brings excitement into my life each time I look at it. I use it for ideas about what adventures might interest me, as well as, for specific outfitters. I like the reviews and grading system of the outfitters. I also appreciate the inclusion of price expectations. It was published in 1992 so it is getting dated but still very useful. I logged on hoping for the revised edition only to find that it doesn't exist.

Please, please come out with an updated edition! This book is THE place to look before you plan any type of activity. I used it to get information before going skydiving, ballooning and snowmobiling. Unfortunately the book's data is getting old. We need updates!

I am the author of the original Ultimate Adventure Sourcebook. A new edition from National Geographic Books is in production and will be released in mid-2000. It will contain most of the features of the first edition, together with up-to-date web site listings and many, many new adventures, from bungee-jumping to family vacations.

She did it again! Carolyn Schneider's book is a "gift" for shoppers, people who want to sell items and for just browsing. I cannot begin to express my joy in having this wonderful source of information. I travel a great deal both in the US and abroad and this book is just a font of information. Thanks to Carolyn Schneider for a great book.

The reason this book is getting "FIVE STARS" from everyone is because it takes a DIFFERENT approach. It is specific. She names national thrift store "chains," ie the Discover Shops, Goodwill etc. and lists other outlets all over the U.S. and in other countries. Covering this much geography, is a FIRST that I have ever found. For those of us that travel, this is a Godsend. She even has a section on "Bargains on the Internet." There is a section on "resources" (other books, and addresses to write for info.etc.)Then, there's a section for the "trade" with bargains on display pieces etc. For those of us that have collections, these display pieces are a "must" and they're expensive. This is the first resource I've seen to get these at bargain prices.This book is a GREAT source of information for the bargain shopper.

I came across this book while I was recently browsing in a book store and then looked in the computer. This book provides wonderful information for smart shoppers worldwide. I cannot begin to express my joy in finding such a great book. I have visited a number of the stores in different places. Not only did I find many great "buys" but each store was so interesting. I would like to thank the author for the time and effort put forth in this book. Great idea!

I LOVE TO SHOP! I LOVE TO SAVE MONEY! THIS BOOK IS THE ANSWER TO MY PRAYERS! I FOUND SOME INTERESTING STORES TO SHOP IN AND ALSO WAS ABLE TO CONSIGN ITEMS, SUCH AS PAINTINGS I HAD IN MY CLOSET, MY CHILDREN'S ICE SKATES,BIKES AND CLOTHING. I HOPE EVERYONE WHO LOVES TO SHOP AND LOVES TO SAVE MONEY BUYS THIS BOOK!

I LOVE SHOPPING! I LOVE SHOPPING AND SAVING MONEY! THE ULTIMATE CONSIGNMENT & THRIFT STORE GUIDE IS THE ANSWER TO A SHOPPER'S PRAYERS. I HAVE FOUND SUCH WONDERFUL BARGAINS IN STORES LISTED IN THIS BOOK. I LOVE DESIGNER CLOTHING AS WELL AS VINTAGE CLOTHES. THIS BOOK HAS ENABLED ME TO LOOK CHIC AND SAVE A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY! I EVEN FOUND SOME BEAUTIFUL FURNITURE. THANKS TO MS. SCHNEIDER I LOOK LIKE A MILLION, FEEL LIKE A MILLION AND AM SAVING TOWARDS A MILLION!

Great reference as I'm using HTML on our website and with job postings. I needed something a little more in depth so that I can do fun things with them and this has been great. Some of it's a little over my head which is why I purchased a second reference. What can I say, I'm kind of a techie, office geek and I like to learn. :^)

HTML is the root and powerhouse of every site, and the only language key to every web site's existence. So THE ULTIMATE HTML REFERENCE is also a key source for any who would master HTML programming. One of the world's experts in HTML produces a comprehensive reference on the topic, packing scripting notes with explanations and examples. Any library catering to programmers - and any working Web programmer - as well as many seeking a clear reference introduction need THE ULTIMATE HTML REFERENCE.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

'The Ultimate HTML Reference' is exactly what it says it is. Detailing every HTML tag which is part of the WWW standard, this simple to the point text explains what tags are available and what they do. Detailing out browser compatibility, if its deprecated or not and a little text (a lot for some tags) get the user informed and on their way. Topics are broken up into 10 chapters: 1. HTML Concepts 2. Structural Elements 3. Head Elements 4. List Elements 5. Text Formatting Elements 6. Form Elements 7. Image and Media Elements 8. Table Elements 9. Frame and Window Elements 10. Common Attributes. For any web developer that still finds themselves turning to books wondering what something does, this is a great guide to have by your side.

My only two qualms about this book are #1 the design. sitepoint books have a great layout which is easy to read but the coloring in this book was a little drab. The blues are great but some orange (blue and orange are the official line colors) would have been nice to separate out concepts and points. Using grey and/or lightest blue looks alright but it doesn't have the WOW! factor that other sitepoint books do. #2 is I don't know if this needed to be a hardcover. It's a nice touch but no doubt one that raised the production costs of this book.

Overall a great addition for any and all web developers out there.

***** HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

I'm a old fan of the Sitepoint books (and sitepoint web site). Generally speaking, the books of Sitepoint are truly "delicatessen" books because the quality of illustrations, typography and richest content. This book is the best fully reference about HTML and XHTML that I know. I believe that is an indispensable book for anything interested in web standards.

For over ten years, I have enthusiastically promoted Dave Taylor's "Creating Cool HTML 4 Web Pages" book as my favorite HTML reference book. Its organization, code examples, and writing style are first-rate. I think I may have found a worthy replacement in Ian Lloyd's new "The Ultimate HTML Reference", though I say this with the understanding that this book is really intended for the hard-core HTML coder who needs a handy reference for one of those weird commands that didn't come immediately to mind. This can be a really useful reference for the super-advanced coder, though beginners can get a lot out of this book, too.

Unlike Taylor's book which was laid out in a format that permitted the user to start with simple tasks and build on them, The Ultimate HTML Reference is organized by HTML elements (Structural Elements, Head Elements, List Elements, Text Formatting Elements, Form Elements, Image and Media Elements, Table Elements, Frame and Window Elements, and Common Attributes) and the attributes within the elements (for example, Chapter 4, List Elements, is divided into the various attributes like dl, dd, dt, dir, li, menu, ol, and ul). It even provides a little instruction for basic Javascript commands like onkeydown, onmousedown, ondblclick, and others.

One of the appendices covers deprecated elements - that is, those elements and attributes that are no longer supported by the newest HTML and XHTML standards (but most browsers still permit their use, just the same). Another covers some of those special (read that annoying) proprietary and nonstandard elements (remember the "blink" command in Netscape--that only worked in Netscape?).

The organization of the book makes it very easy for individuals with at least some HTML coding experience to locate the elements and attributes they need, and describes in just enough detail how to apply them. While there aren't as many examples as I might like, there seem to be enough for most users. What I do like is the compatibility chart that goes with each attribute. The chart displays compatibility (Full, Partial, and None) of the attribute against several versions of the most currently popular browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and Opera.

Within the book's first 25 pages, readers receive preparation for upcoming changes to the HTML standards, as XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language, a hybrid of HTML and XML--eXtensible Markup Language--a highly structured, rules-based markup language) begins to take over. XHTML tightens up some of the structuring that was missing in HTML, which makes the code much more readable and easier to modify as needed, and if you need to transition to full XML (for things like content management systems), much of the work has already been done. HTML 4.0 and earlier code, in comparison, can be really sloppy, but it still renders just fine in most browsers. For example, in HTML 4.0, capitalization is optional, and line endings don't need to be terminated in a formatting attribute, like "".

XHTML also imposes more stringent rules on quoting. Every attribute value must be quoted. For example, quoted attributes like class="gallery" are mandatory in HTML 5.0 and newer. HTML 4.0 code permits code like class=gallery.

The author takes pains to differentiate the older HTML vs the new XHTML, and if you haven't started coding in XHTML, be prepared to break newer browsers on their way to a computer near you. Not today, but maybe a year or two (or three) from now, the older HTML formats will begin to disappear as XHTML becomes the new standard. If you want to read more about the differences between HTML and XHTML, check this page out. But I digress...

What surprised me were the number of new attributes and elements that I had not used before that are a part of XHTML as well as newer releases of the HTML specification. It turned out to be very useful in a recent office project where we converted one of our product manuals to HTML--a project that had plenty of tricky points to deal with.

What this book only briefly touches is Cascading StyleSheets (CSS), which are used to apply more advanced and creative formatting to web pages. That said, CSS is completely out of scope to this discussion, though it may be good to know that the same publisher, Sitepoint, has a companion volume, "The Ultimate CSS Reference", by Tommy Olsson and Paul O'Brien, also $44.95. I was so impressed, I bought a copy for myself. I've already discovered that The Ultimate CSS Reference is equally valuable to a web programmer's arsenal of reference materials. A Javascript book from Sitepoint is also in the works.

A companion website contains everything in the book, fully hyperlinked and searchable, as an additional valuable resource. It's free, to boot. The free companion site to the CSS reference book can be accessed at http://reference.sitepoint.com/css.

What can I say? This book replaced Taylor's book as my primary HTML reference at home and at the office. It's well worth the 45 dollar price-tag. I can only find fault with the fact that it doesn't have enough chunks of sample HTML and illustrations of how the HTML will render. Most of my loyal readers (?) know that I'm pretty tough with my ratings, but taking that really small negative into account, I give this book the MyMac Magazine rating of 4.5 out of 5.

I found this book by chance while browsing amazon.com; complete chance. What luck, what amazing luck! This is truly the most useful book in existence for any poet young or old, amateur or professional. Not only is the list of publishers ENORMOUS but the book provides you with inside contact information as well as what type of poetry each publisher wants, all organized so it's easily located in the book. There's also an excellent brief section on etiquette when submitting and other formal things that give you an inside track on the editor. No poet can live without this book. Buy it now, it's WELL worth the price!!

I use this book to send submissions of my poetry to various magazines. The biggest help has been in introducing me to magazines that are not available at your average bookstore. The other thing is that I had no idea of the format of a submission before I first picked this book up. I have at least gotten read a couple of times, even if I did get rejection slips. Don't let this book scare you. There's so much information here that it's a little overwhelming. I have the 2001, but I would recommend buying the latest edition. You might even want to wait and buy the 2003. Also, hang in there. Being a poet in 2002 is a little difficult I know.

This book is an indispensable resource for both the beginning and the established poet. It is simply packed with ways to make your voice heard. 100% updated every year, you cannot go wrong with this bbook.

Poets faithfully depend on Poet's Market for their #1 reference. Market guidelines by the thousands are readily available. As an editor of a literary magazine, I can tell you candidly, that its greatest advantages for the poet of 2000 are Poet's Market inclusion of: the subject index, poetry websites, publications that accept e-mail submissions, and chapbook publishers. Poet's Market 2000 gives the poet a bona fide chance at publication.

There's too much competition for a poet and not enough time to waste knocking at the wrong door with the improper product. You've got to click on the advantage...be at the right place at the right time. I always suggest studying Poet's Market to my contributors. Submission procedures and needs change...stay in tune with a fresh copy of Poet's Market.

This is a great book, to start your business. However, a major drawback is the entry in this book mostly of North America. Alright, that will be OK for starting as this is a very big market. But it is very competitive as well. I'd like to see the international entry grows more, much more in the future editions.

Second drawback --at least to my personal approach, it is hard to choose one company only by looking at the entry in this book. it's just not enough. I need to see their publication and their style, their choice of photos, etc in it. by knowing these, I can feel which one is suitable to my photography. A visit to their website is helpful but not suffice, let a lone by the description of what kind of subjects they accept. One term of "nature" for example has a very broad interpretation and varies from company to company. I found the interpretations are as many as your imagination and only a fraction fit my photography.

Simply sending submissions to the "fitted" company is a suicide in terms of cost, especially for int'l photographers.

Maybe it is only me who experience this, I don't know. but that is. Nothing can substitute of examining the company products first-hands and from time to time. Once again, this issue is important for int'l photographers reside outside of North America.

Despite these drawbacks, the book is very well written and must be very useful for many photographers

I gave this book to my daughter who is a photographer. She just loved all the information available on selling her photographs.

This is indispenable if you plan to sell your photos. Very comprehensive information. A must have for anyone really serious about photography.

I am a freelance writer/photographer and use the Writers Market for my articles. This book is as valuable to the photographer as the writers' book is to an author. A new channel for your work since everything you do is protected by copyright. Great to use during slow seasons.

This book is the most definitive and reliable guide on the subject. It has, if anything, become even more user-friendly and comprehensive over the years.

Jack does a great job of producing the addresses of players. Just that simple. If you want to write them, here is your resource. Buy it new, don't get it used because you will be throwing money away.

This book is indispensable if you're a baseball autograph collector. I've gotten hundreds of autographs over the years using Jack Smalling's books. And if a letter is returned to you for an out-of-date address, you can simply send a copy of the returned envelope (with old address) to Jack and if he has a new address he'll send it to you for free! He's a heck of a nice guy. I'd also advice anyone buying the book to get on his mailing list (address is in the book) for autograph auctions and sales. I have no relation to Jack other than a satisfied customer, but he's truly the best when it comes to baseball autographs.

One caveat, the edition for sale here on Amazon has been replaced by Vol. 11, which is available on the Baseball America website.

I have been using Jack Smalling's autograph handbooks for over 5 years (the version shown is edition number 10), and my autograph collection has grown exponentially. If you want to collect autographs of retired baseball players, then this is the book for you!

If you want free baseball players autographs via the mail... this is a must have book!

What a great book!!! A definate plus for any autograph collector. Very useful, easy to read, gives tips on how to write to a baseball player (past or present). An all around great book, if you love baseball as much as I do, you'll buy this book.

As a travel agent, each year's version becomes my 'desktop bible' for specific information on ships.

Sue Clark Koenig
Luxury Cruise & Travel
Denver

A thorough review of major cruise lines with analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of each line, and following, of each ship in the line. Well done and reasonably priced for a nearly exhaustive review of all kinds of cruises and cruise lines.

This is a great book for a first time cruiser like me. I did things a little backwards. Did my homework online, booked my cruise AND THEN bought this book. Everything the author suggested I had already done. Of course I could have save myself a lot of time if I had bought the book FIRST. I definitely would not have had to spend many hours online. Am looking forward to see if his suggestions work!

Lending libraries catering to travelers in general and the elderly who appreciate cruises in particular won't want to miss Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships 2008, a survey packed with independent reviews of cruise companies based on personal experience, not advertising or hearsay. Chapters do more than offer reviews of nearly three hundred cruise ships: they discuss what to look for in a ship and crew, how to compare the major lines for pros and cons, and where to find the best among different types of cruises. Simply packed with essential 'know before you go' detail.

I have been consulting the Berlitz cruise guide for many years, and find it a very valuable source of information. Even if I have cruised for more than 20 times, each new edition brings some revised and/or revelant information. Any serious cruise enthusiast should have the Berlitz book for consultation. Highly recommended.