Online Books

I recommend this book to anyone just getting started in the multimedia industry!
(Heck, read it even if you are a pro, it's fanatastic!)

Clear concise overviews on the entire mulitmedia development process is what makes this book number 1.
This should be a required text book for any university offering a multimedia program! Way to go Ms. Lopuck!

Though very specifically directed at multimedia production, the ideas in this book also hold value for those interested in web design. The discussion of the production timeline is particularly good.

I recommend this book to my students. It gives an excellent overiew of multimedia tools and techniques. It is, however, a bit of a mixed bag. It covers a great many topics, but none in much detail. Although a bit vague, it is an excellent buy for any students of multimedia or any professionals who want better view of the big picture.
However most multimedia professionals might best spend their money on something more meaty.

The subtitle is somewhat misleading -- it's more about sex and alcohol than drugs, suicide, and that sort. I purchased this book out of curiosity -- what'd he have to say about sex tourism -- and found something far more profound and defintely more entertaining than I bargained for. This book is incredible, I didn't want to put it down and nearly read it in one sitting. I had no idea what anyone went through with a bout of alcoholism. It was very real, very tragic, and very mind blowing. However, if you're looking for a book about sex tourism, this might not be it. It's definately more about alcoholism. If you want to read something that'll leave you begging for more, this book is definately it.

Desperately Seeking Sex & Sobriety
A cautionary tale of Sex Tourism, Drugs, Alcohol, Prostitution & Suicide
Paul Pisces
Authors Online Ltd
40 Castle Street, Hertford SG14 1HR, England
www.authorsonline.co.uk
ISBN: 0755201140, $14.95, 136 pp, 2004

To begin, I would not recommend this book to anyone who is offended by sexually explicit language and descriptions, and if you are, you may not want to read my review.

This autobiography is about the author, Paul, who realized at an early age that he had an alcohol problem and liked beautiful women. In his search for sex and sobriety, he takes us from London to Amsterdam; to San Francisco; to Bangkok and Pattaya in Thailand; to Manila, Angeles City and Subic Bay in the Philippines. He takes us through his education, jobs, women and brothels in exotic places. I quote:

"Beautiful women fascinate me. They always have, they always will. It's my Achilles heel. I'll do almost anything to be in the company of beautiful women. To hold them, to touch them, to love them, . . .. I'll do anything - I'll even pay (within reason of course).

Wandering the red light area is interesting. It's prostitution at its most efficient. The deal can be done and the transaction executed in less than twenty minutes. I wander into a bar and order a whisky and lemonade. A petite Asian girl wanders over to me."

I thought Paul had good insight not to marry and have children (although he is still young enough, if he found recovery and a woman to love). Even though he's telling us what a . . . he is and that he's not a very nice man, I found it reassuring that he understood the concept of love and had feelings for some of the women with whom he shared himself. I found humor in this book, too . . . Paul's measuring stick for a good time . . . how many . . .s to the buck.

I don't personally see Paul's life as a waste (though others may)-nothing's ever a waste. Life is a guru and gives us puzzles to solve. When you can no longer take the abuse you are afflicting upon yourself, you stop or die. It's really a pisser to be addicted to something that controls you, and alcohol is a master at control. Paul followed what he loved . . . women. I'm sure he had lots of fun and good sex. Whose to say that wanting-to-be-with-beautiful-women is a wasted life? . . . especially for a man who does not feel he can be responsible for a family and children (considering our divorce rates and domestic violence problems).

For myself, I admire Paul's down-and-dirty honesty (even though the language may be considered objectionable) because it reflects real life, and real life is more interesting than fiction. I hope you can appreciate his honesty, too. As a woman, he has taken me to places I could never go and shared experiences I could never have. I personally believe that prostitution should be legalized. It's been around forever, which supports the premise that it must fill a definite need. If it were legalized, it could be taxed and health problems addressed with some control. Men have a need and there are women who want to fill it.

So, the author took a chance and exposed himself to the world, actually. It certainly took some courage. And though, as POD published authors, we may not sell many books, we evidently feel the need to share ourselves with others, even to the extent of expending many hours and much energy to get our book published. The bottom line certainly is not a profit margin. We all hope our books will be read, but that's not solely why we write them.

When Paul enquired if I would consider reviewing his book, he stated: "It is not a particularly nice book (I am in many respects a bad man) but it is an honest book." My take was that Paul is just a man struggling between his Apollonian nature and his Dionysian sexual appetites. There are many worse things in this life than alcoholism and patronizing prostitutes . . . war and greed to name just two.

Paul Pisces is an intelligent man. His story and the quality of his writing will appeal to readers looking for an honest, unique, provocative read.

Glad you're still with us, Paul, and thanks for the honesty . . . so refreshing!

Reviewed by Kaye Trout - April 21, 2006 - Copyright

I have met Paul Pisces and read his book before publication. He describes it as a cautionary story - it is a brutally frank account of sexual obsession and alcohol and should be required reading for every sixth-former.

I have had the privilege of being one of Dr. Dolinar's patients in Phoenix, while I lived there. I say privilege because he's definitely one physician that, unlike many others, takes the time during each visit, to talk with you and calm you down about any doubts or fears you might have. With this book, you can almost have the same opportunity. He put together a very comprehensive and solid text with the help of Betty Page Brackenridge, and this one differs from most of the other diabetes books you will run into in one main respect: it doesn't "cover the topic" in a theoretical, distant manner. It goes all the way through the basics and the more sophisticated topics dealing with insulin-dependence by means of a story, the story of Mike (a longtime diabetic who uses insuline) and his conversations and interactions with his doctor and diabetes educator. It makes it very easy for you as a diabetic to relate to the story, simply because you have been there, and "done that" before.

As for the topics covered, the book deals with Dynamic Insulin Dosing (one very important tool once you are on fast-acting insulin), and a detailed insight about the condition of diabetes borrowing from the metaphor of a fireplace in a cabin, and comparing its many elements to those of a human body: cabin=body cell, logs=blood sugar, keeping a steady flow of air=insulin, etc. Also there's extensive discussing about monitoring (things that you will want to learn about it) and hypoglycemia, and how to prevent it, identify it and treat it.

The part that I found most useful is where the book deals with "living" with diabetes: what do you do on sick days; how to manage grocery shopping and eating outside; what to do and not to do when travelling with diabetes; how to cope with/handle stress; what to expect with regards to insurance claims and much more. In short, the daily in-and-outs of a diabetic, all stuff that you will easily relate with and will have a great time reading and learning from it. As the ending of the book says, it's about "whether we have diabetes or not, we only have so much tread on our tires. And it's a matter of trying to get the most mileage possible out of the tread that we've got... Go out and live well!"

I work at Chronimed. Actually for Home Service Medical which is under the umbrella of Chronimed. We are a mail-order diabetic supply company and full service pharmacy. I started in November of 1997 and knew basically nothing about diabetes. This book helped me grasp what my patients are going through and helped me understand the disease and different types of diabetes. This is an excellent book for beginners who want to know about the disease in terms they will understand. This book is written perfectly for someone who doesn't know all the medical terms for the symptoms or treatments. It's a wonderful book!

This new 3rd revised edition offers things such as dynamic insulin dosing, insights into stopping or slowing the effects of diabetes, tips on using the new fast acting insuling Humalog, How foods impact blood sugar, suggestions on how to minimize sick days, how to get insurance reimbursement, and much more. A slim, easy guide and worth it's price.

Very comprehensive easy to read resource regarding cardiac drugs that is designed for health care professionals. I exceptionally like the links to updated information on the web site.

This is a classic of cardiovascular medicine. In its newest edition Opie's book is excellent in many ways: first, it is a small book, almost a pocket-book, and loaded with concise yet precise infformation. It is the kind of book you can put in your black bag and you can belive it will be valuable anywhere, from the ICU to the ambulatory. There are many excellent chapters on drugs, all of them with an solid pharmacological basis, each chapter is an great review of the subject. But the best of this book is that it is very practical: it goes straight to the problems more commonly found in the cardiology office or in the ICU, with the big advantage of being small and portable. An must-have book for physicians intrested in cardiology and in cardiovascular drugs pharmacology, also excellent for residents. Hope we have an new edition of this great book soon!

I happened to see this book with a cardiology resident..owing to its sleek size he was carrying it in his pocket. Although the edition was 5th, i was so impressed with the chapters on beta blockers, ace inhibitors..Not only every chapter covers the basic pharmacokinetics and dynamics of each group in detail, but each drug has been considered individually as well. Add to it, the references to the clinical trials conducted, the book is indispensable. Especially the last chapter "which therapy for which condition", is a section for quick reviews before grand rounds. I made up my mind that very instant..this book is a MUST have!

This books were brand new I paid very little money for the book. The books were both worth more than the price.

ECGs Made Easy with Online ECG Companion is an excellent value. The text alone sells for the same price in book stores, and with this you get 1 yr access to the Elsevier companion website, plus the pocket guide to carry easily.

Hits all the right points for one to know in order to be thoroughly knowledgeable about EKG readings. Easy to read and the questions at the end of each chapter are helpful. Does an excellent job explaining a difficult topic. Excellent choice for nursing students who are just learning.

This book has some intense information on how to maximize an interviewing process. I will definately use it's techniques in my Naturopathic Consultation Practice.

I've been using this book for years in the MA program in counseling at NYU in our intro counseling skills course. I use this book to supplement the IPR video tapes by Kagan. My students have really enjoyed using the book. It allows real practice of counseling skills. Each counseling skill is broken into chapters: A client makes a statement and then there are three possible ways that the counselor can respond. It clearly explains why the one answer is correct and the other two are not. (I have my students cover the answers so they have to guess which one is correct.)
If you are looking for a book to practice counseling skills, I highly recommend this book.

Cogent, lucid, concise, this book promises to be a fine choice for both psychology and business majors. The comprehensive evaluation of answers to interview questions in each chapter invites students to develop effective listening skills as well as help them perfect successful questioning techniques.

The chapters on attending behavior and questioning are especially well done, providing a wealth of applicable techniques. Also, the emphasis on ethics is an especially cogent addition, given our current cultural climate.

I highly recommend this book for any course in counseling techniques.

Kathleen Barlow, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of English and Communications
Chair of Academics
College of Professional Studies
Indiana Tech

This is a great starter book for collectors of all kinds. Just the Web site recommendations alone are worth the purchase price. I found a super wholesale distributor for flea market sellers (like me) that I didn't know existed!!! I've since placed an order for dolls, collector knives, etc. at rock bottom prices!!! Another thing I really like about this book is its breezy and witty approach to things. The author gives us histories of so many collectible items. I'm not a postcard collector, for instance, but I found reading about them fascinating. This book is just plain fun!!!

This book is worth getting for all the cool websites it lists, but as a bonus you get gobs more good stuff. It's an interesting intro to collectibles of all kinds. There's practical information and fun historical tidbits about collecting and collectibles. I learned a lot of things I didn't know. I'll be an educated consumer when I visit the flea markets and garage sales in my town. This book totally rocks! As they say on ebay: A+++++

I have purchased other books in this series that have been rather skimpy and--the truth be told--boring. But the COLLECTIBLES edition is anything but. I picked up a healthy helping of tips and techniques on collecting (and have visted some of the super recommended Web sites). But I also learned a great deal about history through the collectible items featured in the book--like stamps and coins. The political items chapter was fabulous. And I love the cool collectible pictures throughout the book. The variety was neat. This is just a fun and informative book!!!

This book was a great one to start out with if you'd like to know how to do what everyone (it seems) is doing on the net these days. Learning the basics isn't that hard, and this book does a good job with it.

It is quite unusual to find a book on the Internet written by someone for whom english is not a second language. And it is even more unusual for an author to not assume that you are already well-versed in the subject. Especially useful is McDonnell's section on search engines, which lists their websites and explains how to use them. For example, she tells you how to "...monitor what's being said about your favorite hot topic in the thousands of discussion groups on the Internet... you can easily search by subject, newsgroup name, date, or writer of the posted messages." I keep this book right next to my computer and use it almost every day.

There are a number of helpful Internet guides available in print today that target a variety of reading audiences. One of the better ones published in recent years for beginners is Sharon McDonnell's The Everything Internet Book. She offers a broad treatment of the Internet scene.

Readers will not thumb through this book for long before realizing that it covers just about every possible aspect of the Internet. Beginners will learn how to find an Internet Service Provider (ISP), how to install and use the leading Web browsers, e-mail programs, and plug-ins, how to search the Internet, how to send e-mail, how to design Websites, and how to select good domain names and avoiding registering the wrong ones!

McDonnell provides her readers with warnings of some of the pitfalls and dangers of operating online. She warns readers of computer viruses, of how easy it is for rumors to spread online, snooping, privacy, and legal issues. Employees for instance, are advised to think very carefully before composing and sending e-mail correspondence from their computers at work. Parents will learn how to keep their kids safe from online dangers as well.

McDonnell offers a number of valuable resources her readers can access for additional assistance. Many of the chapters include references to other helpful books and Websites. Readers are invited to grab free Web graphics, shareware programs, and loads of tips and advice made available online by others. A directory listing at the back of the book offers access to some of the better sites online today.

McDonnell does a great job opening up the world of the Internet for beginners. This is an excellent guide for anyone to get started with. Adults and children alike will benefit from the instruction offered in this fun, humorous, easy-to-read, and delightful guide. Great for gifts and classroom use!

If you like Michael Connelly, you'll enjoy Raymond Benson's Evil Hours. Unresolved questions about her mother's murder lead Shannon Reece to explore the seamy secrets of her home town. Along the way, Shannon must come to terms with her personal demons as she questions just how much she really needs to know.

Raymond Benson is known for writing the continuation James Bond novels, so when I picked up this, his first non-Bond book, I expected a tightly crafted fast moving mystery thriller. I wasn't disappointed. But what did surprise me was how darkly moving EVIL HOURS was as a neo-noir crime drama. I've heard other reviewers liken this book to Twin Peaks, and while I do see similarities, I think that's selling this book a bit short. I was reminded more of intense real-life crime dramas like The Onion Field and The Thin Blue Line. Benson's masterful use of detail makes the book so believable that, by the end, it has evolved from a mystery thriller into something that's very tragic and profound. And darn right creepy in a "this-only-happens-in-real-life" sort of way. The emotional reality of the book is what sets it apart from other thrillers by better-known authors, and what makes it surpasses even Benson's Bond books as a work of fiction (suggesting a bright future for Benson after Bond). By the end of this book -- with the ultimate revelation and CHILLING reenactment of the crime -- I found myself creeped-out and moved at the same time. Wild. This book was a real experience and one I would recommend highly, especially if you're a fan of character driven true-life crime. It would also make a terrific film.

Raymond Benson, author of the recent James Bond novels, has given us something completely different: a novel that reminds me of that movie "Lone Star" or similar-- it takes place in a small Texas town and is the story about a murder, or a mystery of a murder, and how one woman searches for the truth about what happened. The narrative is interesting, moving back and forth from the present to the past, and slowly revelations are unravelled. I found it to be haunting, moody, and compelling.

Great ideas that have worked very well for me!

This money-saving book is helping me pamper my poodle the way she deserves. When I bring home the discount brands of dog food or doggie treats, her nose turns up before it's even out of the bag. This helps me find ways to afford the quality stuff. Plus it offers a lot of other advice on good buys for your pet.

I got the greatest collie for free and am now using other ideas from the book to get free dog food and toy samples, and cut rate vet visits. I really recommend this book to all animal owners and lovers.