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I have to say that this is a true classic. It gives a very nice treatment of what is NP-completeness in a fashion that really defends the topic well. It gives nice illustrations to show different situations and how to deal with it. But after the first couple of chapters it does get a little out there with the proofs it does. It is still approachable, but it assumes that the reader is already familiar with the basics of combinatorial complexity, especially in reductions. I would only recommend this book to readers who has gone through such books as Introduction to Algorithms by Cormen et al. or Combinatorial Complexity by Papadimitriou and Steiglitz. Those two books are more for beginners and this book should be one to help anyone interested in NP-complete problems to get more practice and depth understanding. Overall a great book for anyone interested in the topic. The grand challenge is to reduce everything to at least something within the 150 problems listed on your own.

The book is excellent in explaining NP-completeness problem. Take it as a reference if you would like to do research in this field.

This is a rare example of a textbook where the authors actually go to the trouble of considering the fact that the intended reader is a non-expert. Published in 1979 and still the best.

The book arrived in time, in good condition, and adequate packing.

This is among the most eloquently written books that I have ever read in my life. Highly recommended.

The synopsis describes an ambitious project. The lives of four people changed on one Chinese New Years. Well, why not? Dickens had one character visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve.

However--we begin with a history lesson: "Twenty-six centuries before the Son of God died for the sins of man, the Yellow King had invented the calendar-and then he got busy." This kind of unforgettable opening line needs to pay off--and Mr. Smith did a virtuoso job at doing so.

We move on to our narrator, who I am guessing is the Peace Corps volunteer. He's on a 12-hour trip to Shanghai on a "Chinese sleeper bus, the kind that jerked and fumed like the Balrog in The Lord of the Rings." They're packed in like sardines, and he's grateful he's far away from the "carcinogenic cloud" of the driver's smoke, but the experience from the bus' rear shocks reminds him of the Whittier Earthquake.

When he wipes off the fog of the bus windows we see Shanghai in all its glory through his eyes:

"the place was out of Blade Runner. No flying cars, of course, but the towers were all . . . glass. Geometric shapes of glass in an Impressionist's palette of hues. Lime rectangles, blue trapezoids, sapphire cylinders. And unlike American cities, Shanghai had no historic high-rises, no Chrysler or Empire State Building, to counterbalance the ultramodern tackiness of its most famous skyscrapers like the Jinmao Tower, a 1400-foot ribbed dildo, or the Oriental Pearl Tower, a pink 1500-foot syringe."

You can hear this young man talking as you read. He's got a curious mix of ancient folklore and American snark that makes "Shanghai Carousel" a treat to read. As you can see from the lines above, Mr. Smith is also talented at evoking place with current metaphor and a unique linguistic style.

Ray Chen Smith's an author you should be looking for if you enjoy this type of cultural blend. I'm very disappointed "Shanghai Carousel" didn't make it to the Top 100, but I have no doubt Mr. Smith will find a publisher for this book and I'll be standing in line to buy it.

For anyone who hasn't set foot in the Middle Kingdom, they should know one thing about Ray Chen Smith's Shanghai Carousel: it's a much truer and genuine portrayal of China than most other books out there. Many authors today want to depict the mystical, mysterious China that is plausible to the outsiders, but for those people who have lived there, these are only shallow depictions that avoid reality. The details Smith dug up may force the reader to search the net looking for a city named Lishui or for obscure events in the Cultural Revolution, but in the end anyone who reads this book should feel satisfied that the author discarded the stereo-typical fairy tale depiction of China and recreated a version of China that is grounded in reality only gained from a deep understanding of the Middle Kingdom.

I found Smith's excerpt intriguing. The first bit introduced in the story gives it a folklore feel. However the reader is introduced to a character on a bus that passes by Shanghai--which Smith portrays with originality and hilarity. I found the main character rather chauvinistic so I'm guessing it's the "shallow Peace Corps volunteer" described in the synopsis. Who else would describe college coeds as "gazelles to wildebeests"? This entry definitely urges the reader to read more, if for no other reason than to laugh at the silly metaphors and one liners.

Thanks for all your kind reviews--even though I would suggest the Publishers Weekly and Amazon Top Reviewers read the novel all the way through very carefully (the 3 "largely irrelevant" short stories are VERY relevant since one of the novel's characters wrote them!). If you're interested in more short stories, please click on my profile and go to my personal website (www.raychensmith.com). Thanks a bunch, everyone!

Shanghai Carousel by R.C. Smith opens on New Year's Eve 2003...January 31st that is.

As per the synopsis (which made me giddy to read) this entire story is set in a single night--Chinese New Year 2003--from four perspectives.

While the excerpt was shorter than many, what was there for me to read maintained my piqued interest in the synopsis. A recollection of how/when the Chinese calendar began in a run up to the calendar that the world lives by today (not the Yellow King's but the Son of God's). A humorous observation is made about missing the first round of Industrial revolution (ah, dear Weber).

From there the voice of the story reveals its source as a young man traveling by bus to Shanghai. While many familiar pop culture references are thrown in and even a dash of corniness, the author writes a believable and interesting voice. I could listen to a whole story told by a voice like that.

With this simple but humorous writing likely (hopefully) to traverse the length of the book, I'd definitely continue reading on.

As I started to read Slaters Fall I was automatically enticed. You wanted to know what everyone was talking about. What happened?? I wanted to read more. I couldn't put it down. It left you wanting to know more. What was Carl trying to say to the officer??? Will definitely buy to see what will happen. Slaters Falls - Official ABNA Entrant

I enjoyed the preview of Slaters Falls. It made me laugh with some of
the references such as those to the board game Clue and to the priest
watching Passions & Guiding Light.

In my opinion, some of the descriptions were a little long (that's the
quibble I mentioned in the headline), but that can be easily fixed with
minor editing.

I really liked the tone of the excerpt being a "dramedy." (I don't
know if the whole novel is like that because I only read the excerpt.)
I think it works well in this kind of material because it gives a good
balance to the different aspects of the story.

I'm interested in seeing the rest of the novel because I want to see
what happens to the interesting characters that have already been
introduced and find out what other personality types the author is
going to create.

Mr Grant knows how to hook a reader. He gives you a reason to get into the story right away. Some books start out with so much back story, by the 10th chapter its starts getting to the point. I dont want to know everyting right away, who killed who and why, and now lets all go catch the killer. All of the ending is at the begining. I feel that when Mr Grant writes, its like watching a rose bloom. You see the outside petals slowly open up and cant wait for the whole rose to open. Thats how I felt when I started to read this novel. I cant wait to buy it and see how it unfolds.

Gripping right from the start never giving the reader a chance to get bored. I was so disappointed when I realized there was no more to read. I want to know what Carl whispered to the cop, what happened to Jeremy and what "secrets" are hiding inside. I can't wait to read the rest. Fantastic job!

If the synopsis doesn't grab you, the opening lines will. We get a picture of the character of the small town through brief points of view of its inhabitants as a life-and-death drama unfolds.

Of course, some of the townsfolk blame it on the music the kids are listening to nowadays. Then, there's the movies....

The inhabitants of Slaters Falls are gathered at the Bank, waiting for a tragedy to unfold:

"In a small town, bad news travels fast, but potentially tragic news travels at a speed second only to lightning."

My personal shero is the librarian, Ruth, who's at first the only one with any sense in the crowd. The descriptions of her are priceless as "prim and proper but capable of telling it like it is" and "able to quell a rowdy group of fifth graders with a single glance." Then, there's her dirty little secret:

"if they knew their prim and proper librarian had once, while she was a student at Wellesley College during a protest in the 1960's, removed her bra on Boston Common, marched topless through the streets, and burned the bra on the Massachusetts State House lawn at the foot of the statue of Captain Myles Standish."

Then, there's the priest. I've wondered what men of the cloth think in confessionals, too. Fr. Mulroy's ponderings gave just enough of a good laugh before the action started up in earnest.

Matthew W. Grant can dish and he does in this great small town mystery. He depicts his characters with accuracy and humor. His narrative seldom wonders off the point. His timing, both tragic and comic, is close to flawless. If the rest of the manuscript is as good as the excerpt, a quick polish would have "Slater's Falls" ready for submission.

Matthew, I very much enjoyed the excerpt so far and I'll be waiting for the book in earnest. I can't say I'd want to live in Slaters Falls, but I've very much enjoyed my visit. Thank you and good luck.

Every girl remembers her first real love, whatever age she was, and this is all about Cara's first love, first time and possibly first heartbreak - Tony sounds like he'll be trouble. Cara's charm is in her wide-eyed innocence, and I hope to have the chance to find out just what is going to happen to them. The dialogue is charming and the characters are believable, with a breezy writing style, which shows genuine potential.

Aside from an awkward sentence in the very first paragraph, I found this excerpt to be utterly charming. There's not a female among us who has not done some absurd things in order to be close to the object of our affections. Standing in the freezing cold in a muddy soccer field in the hopes that the guy will notice you is a perfect example. I would have liked it if Cara would have explained in a sentence or two, why she was still a virgin at her age, since in today's world that would be considered 'quaint'. Also, why was Tony so content to give her lots of time. That said, I thought all the characters were interesting and well drawn, and the setting well described. I loved the American roommate who was disappointed in all the American stuff on TV. I've been to Dublin, but I missed that, so I'm hoping that as we get further in to the story, there is more description of the area, and more of the simple contrasts between the two cultures in matters of every day life. I would definitely read more; I suspect Tony is going to turn out to be not the Prince Charming Cara had hoped for.

This short story says exactly what girls, who aren't quite sure what they're missing and know that they want something more, are feeling. While you have an idea of what is going to happen, you know that there is more than meets the eye... which is exactly why you want to know more to see if it's true... can a woman find her soul mate by hanging out on the soccer field, or is there a little bit more that must be done to find true love??

Tony's Wee Girl begins strongly, with Cara's overpowering feelings for soccer star Tony. Ms. Eblen describes Cara's flustered state so well, I found myself feeling it, too. This story took me back through the years.

I really enjoy the way Ms. Eblen reveals Tony's flaws in a matter-of-fact way, without having Cara--who's clearly older and wiser at the time she tells the tale--second-guess herself or try to explain away her past behavior. The feel here is a hundred-percent genuine.

I'm hoping about halfway through, Cara will meet someone else--someone who'll appreciate her as Tony seems incapable of doing.

There are girls like Cara and guys like Tony all over the world, it seems, and I applaud Ms. Eblen's ability to convey this type of relationship with insight and honesty.

Real characters and smart dialog made this a brilliant story. The reader can see Cara's mistakes but so cleverly written that we understand why she herself cannot. Cara quickly becomes real to you, your friend, that you want to pull her aside and give her sage advice before it's too late. Wonderful story. I would love to see more from this author.

Toro Loco 39
a
Review


Reading the excerpt from Toro Loco 39 left me stunned by its force and flow. With skill and artistry, the author weaves a seamless work of literary art. Set in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Korman's storytelling magically places the reader on the scene, in the story. Time, place, characters, events ring with simple, yet profound clarity. The writer's interplay between narrative and dialogue moves the reader deftly through history without ever losing the vital sense of the present. Only writers who know their craft could pull this off.

Clean, economical and insightful writing delivers a moving and intriguing read. With such formidable gifts, author Korman leaves me wanting more.

While reading this excerpt I began to see, smell and feel Spain again. Something in the rythm of his prose, in the tragic character and dramatic quest of the main character brought it too life. I've seen the Spanish countryside, have been to a bullfight and even ran with the bulls, and this tale, though fiction, exposes the underlying current in the culture that is still in my memory and that still calls me back. Read this. Sip it. Savor it. It's real. I want more....

From God's Eye, Toro Loco 39 flows down through the ages to the leaking straw bed of Don Tuco, an old bullfighter in his 60s. But not just any bullfighter; a man with scars and aching wounds, a mix of failure and arrogance. A perfect mark for the Devil's work. Ruin takes time . . .

And time is what captivates here. For what's exceptional is not simply the beauty of the writing, but Korman's mastery of setting, character, and pace. Don Tuco's character unfolds amid a vivid landscape of lyrical prose, yet we effortlessly absorb the premise of this novel in all of 13 pages. The effect is that the reader slips easily into Don Tuco's world. Leaving it is another matter.

Some have said the end is in the beginning. So we see what is to come: "The final need. Life over death. One to live, the other die." Others have said, the Devil's greatest trick was convincing the world he doesn't exist. Read: and judge for yourself.

Korman takes us from the Dark Ages to a man who has known great love and great tragedy, and faces a final reckoning, as the Devil's work is never done.

In that brief period of time when the subconscious rules the soul, the dream state between sleeping and waking, Tuco meets the bulls of his celebrated matador days. It is two years after the Spanish Civil War and his town of Ebrito is in ruins. In his dream three bulls, white, red, and black stand on a hill and wait for him. With this foreshadowing we are introduced to the inner life of the old man who lives in the rubble of his ancestral holdings with only a horse for company. With vibrant visualizations -- the greasy smear of smoke, blood running over tiles, flies choking the drains of his walled town -- the author makes it impossible to ignore the horrors of war. Slowly we are introduced to a cadre of characters -- a priest, an innkeeper,a woman of ill repute, a mysterious revolting man, and finally the guardia civil who gives him orders to find bulls for the soon to be redacted bull fights, or lose his ancestral holdings. This brilliant, moody, gut wrenching excerpt has completely hooked me into Tuco's tale. I absolutely must read the rest of Tuco's story.

1939, Civil War is over in Spain. Don Tuco, once a breeder of bulls and a famous matador himself, is haunted by the spectacle of the honorable beasts he once fought. He nurses his wounds and cares for what little stock the revolution has left him outside a town that is rendered almost a ghost town by war.

Tuco rides his old nag into town to find an emissary from General Franco, trying to find him. His commentary on the state of bullfighting is but one among an excerpt full of beautiful lines:

"As if they all didn't know that since the war no bull had lowered its head for the kill in three years. What place for the nobility and tragedy of a spectacle when 10,000 men died in an afternoon at the pleasure of a General?"

General Franco wants the bullfighting ring to reopen and the bloodsport to commence again. The question is, will Don Tuco do it?

Keith Korman's language resonates with both the pain of an old injured fighter and the cries, the dust, the blood of the bullfighter's ring. Reading "Toro Loco 39," I remembered the first time I picked up "Don Quixote" in high school and fell in love with the rhythm of Cervantes' speech. Not only does this excerpt begin well, Mr. Korman gives a solid ending, which earns him extra points.

In my opinion, the excerpt needs no editing to be submissible for publication and should advance to the next phase of the competition. Congratulations, Mr. Korman, and good luck.

Jeff Howe, in his short "The Train" takes the reader on an adventure. It is from the beginning not an ordinary adventure, but one filled with surprises and intriging twists. We try to know the main character, Jason, but find out that he is hard to know. It is at first revealed that perhaps Jason is an uncaring individual content to live in his own world. Yet, soon we find out that Jason is very caring as evidenced by his immediate concern for the little boy riding the train.

Through the course of this story Jason's emotions are thrown about. He must navigate through a complex maze of feelings brought by several, one after the other and seemingly unrelated, dramatic events.

Jeff Howe, in the end, ties the pieces together effectively and for me at least, lets us know that the train ride is never really over.

This is a story that spellbinds the reader into reading the next page. Good work, Mr. Howe. Five stars.

Reviewed by Charlie Moore

Where author Jeff Howe really distinguishes himself is scene setting and mood. You start off thinking the protagonist is taking an ordinary train ride. Fifteen minutes later you're saying "get the number of that truck!" You literally don't know what hit you, You just know you've been hit...hard.

The ride and the fellow passengers seem to deteriorate by the minute, until with a chill down your spine you realize this is something quite different than what you first imagined. To pull off that illusion so superbly requires talent, lots of it.

Brilliant scene setting, beautifully orchestrated tension and fear. This train goes all the way after all. Bravo, Mr. Howe!

This is the second work by Jeff Howe that I have read and I now count myself a fan. In this surrealistic train ride Howe proves himself a writer's writer, with each sentence being a pleasure of reading in and of itself, and not merely part of the means to plot's end. The author mixes suspense, reflection, stream-of-consciousness, along with O'connor-like observance to insure that the reader is always intrigued but held in limbo, never knowing where the train is going or where it will stop. Just like a train, it will cause you to speed up and slow down your pace with each fluctuation in prose, an device highly condusive to keeping the reader hanging on the edge of the seat. The ending is a possibly supernatural twist, or is it? Still as I am writing the review, I am pondering its depth, thinking that I've gotten it, but wondering if you've got something else that may have escaped me...

Jeff Howe's "The Train" gave this reader a journey, an anxious "All Aboard" feeling from start to finish. Subterfuge, suspense, and daring to believe are unveiled by Mr. Howe's pen. One may look at twilight in another vain than normal after reading this puzzle of the mind. Great read.
Robert A Meacham

Jeff Howe has a great way of pulling you right into his story. I loved the Outer Limits and the Twilight zone when I was a kid and when I began reading this story I felt I had boarded this train right with the main Character Jason. This train ride takes Jason on a journey he slowly realizes is different from all the rest he has taken. This next passage is from an old man he meets on the train.

"Do you know that if you take an action, you will never know the results of not taking that action?" the elderly man smiled. "Your actions put into motion things that may or may not have been better left still. Be careful, young man where you place your foot as you take your next step. Ahhh, looks like my station is upon us."

Jason doesn't realize it but he has crossed over into another realm...,or maybe he already was there and never knew it. You decide.

Reviewed by Vickie (Tory Lynn, Author of "My Charming Protector")

I have been working on each chapter every week and I can't wait to start the next one. Not only does it give great tutorials which are easy to follow but while you're reading it gives tooltips that make you work faster or even better, if something goes wrong how to fix the problem. I recommend this to anyone who is just starting to learn editing or just needs a quick refresher. A+

I went from knowing absolutly nothing about Final Cut Pro HD to knowing enough to be top of my class in Film Editing. The lessons go by quick to. Easy to learn and really hands on. I HIGHLY suggest buying this if you are interested in editing video.

Like the rest of the series, it gives basic how-to information for newbies. It's well written and concise.

This was my first Apple Training Series book, and it was a very good experience. Going into this I had never learned a software package, let alone a complex one, almost completely from a book, and this experience proved it possible for me. It's no-nonsense, as comprehensive as I would want as a beginner, with very few errors, and user friendly - much more so than the tutorial that came with my software. At times it was very challenging, but that's the complexity of the s/w. Pictorials may not be as colorful as in other books, but this quickly becomes a non-issue as they are more than adequate and offset by the clarity of the text.

After several attempts at learning FCP, it was this book that did the trick. Each lesson is clear and concise. Not to mention, the book follows a logical progression in what it teaches you. In the end, I recommend this book without any reservation.

Buen y serio trabajo con algunas fotos realmente magnificas. Profundiza mas que otras obras similares en aspectos técnicos sin olvidar darle también ese leve toque tecnico a aquellos capitulos que tratan temas mas basicos e introductorios. Resulta facil y agradable de leer al no tratarse de de un tratado cientifico-técnico sobre macrofotografia. Interesante y recomendable para aficionados y amateurs.

Some guides simply brag of the authors experience, others throw technical terms, shutter speeds and f-stops at the reader. A good guide should be wonderfully assembled to teach and inspire without arrogance. This book does that, providing a wonderful resource that even experienced photographers can learn from. Stunning photos and explanations inspire and teach. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to make their photos the best they can be.

After reading through this book twice I know this will be one of my favorites on the subject. There are many things to like about it. The examples are inspiring and informative. The content is varied but not shallow. And the layout and organization make it easy to follow.

Most of all I like this book because the author exhibits many of the traits I associate with great photographers. I can tell that he has wonderful vision, and that he spends many hours diligently pursuing it. I'm also impressed by the way he applies creativity, and uses low-cost items, rather than just instructing us to buy one of everything from the camera shop to make boring "me too" images. I recommend this book 100% to anyone seriously wanting to grow into macrophotography.

Closeup Shooting is filled with excellent advice for beginning photographers wanting to do close-up photography. Harnischmacher clearly explains the various types of close-up photography, ranging from 1:2 to about 6:1 image magnification. Unlike many photography writers, he seems to be aware that most of his readers are amateurs and do not have unlimited equipment budgets, so he takes care to show what can be done with limited or inexpensive equipment.

The text and illustrating photos are consistently on the same page or on facing pages. The graphic layout of the book is quite appealing. Each chapter opens with a full-page 3x3 grid on which there are about 9 close-up photos, typically of camera equipment. Each facing page within the chapter typically has a couple photos to accompany the descriptive text, and a larger photo whose technical aspects are clearly explained.

The section I found most useful was near the end. In it, Harnischmacher describes and diagrams the lighting used on a series of subjects. Each diagram shows the placement of the camera, the subject, each of the lights and their coverage, and any screens or reflectors that were used. Most books, even those whose main topic is lighting, don't use this simple but highly effective way of visualizing the lighting setup.

'Closeup Shooting: A Guide to Closeup, Tabletop and Macro Photography' is a wonderful book that will help you get the most of out your closeup shots that you want to look better and jump off the page at you! Shooting closeup is one of the hardest things a photographer can do. Just simply setting the camera to macro mode and pressing the 'shoot' button is rarely enough. Subjects like what is being shot, lighting, how fast the subject is moving, etc. etc. need to always be kept in mind and this book will tackle these issues and so much more! With over 100+ pages of material, this book is beautifully designed in a hardcover casing that yells out to the reader: LOOK AT ME!! If you are a serious or hobbyist photographer that is interested in taking closeup pictures or you simply want to get better at this facet of picture taking you owe it to yourself to pick up this book. I absolutely love this design and feel that this will make nearly any photographer become a BETTER photographer. Easy to recommend and a joy to peruse.

***** RECOMMENDED

This is an excellent guide to restoration of old photos and negatives. Everything you'd want to have explained, laid out in step by step detail. This covers most all of the situations you're likely to be confronted with. Highly recommended.

Although I am most heavily involved today in taking new photographs, I have an interest in restoring and repairing many old photographs that I have digitized with my scanner. This book is the best guide I have found for everything from minor fixes to full-blown reconstructions. It is highly recommended.

Is I said in the title, the book is very good, very easy to follow "recipes" and very educative regarding the methods used to clean up photos.

It covers very well all aspects about photo restoration and you can even learn about digital photography tricks if you truly understand the recipes.

The "step-by-step" photos are a remarkable plus: you can see all the process and how each step is applied and the effect over the test photo; very simple way to know you are doing the things well and to understand what you are doing.

The only thing I could mention in the negative aspect is that it is too "Photoshop" oriented, a very expensive software, so it is more directed to professionals o semi-professionals who do photo restoration as a living and not for hobbiests. Perhaps next revision can have some recipes adaptations to free software as GIMP or alike.

Once I started reading this book I had difficulty putting it down until I had finished it. It was so interesting to read how it would be possible to transform sometimes hopeless looking photos into beautiful photographs. It explains a lot about masking & curves adjustments & I feel that this book will be my restoration bible. Since I've had a computer less than a year & Photoshop for a few months, I didn't understand a lot of what I was reading, so I don't know if this should be a beginners first restoration book. It provides a sophisticated approach to digital photo restoration from scan to print.

This book is thoughtfully written with many good photo editing techniques that I haven't seen in other books. Worth the money. The author explains multiple methods for accomplishing similar results. A good book.

My professor used the 5th edition in the Digital Elec class many years ago. I write software but have been trying to make the transition to logic design ... picked up the latest edition for refresher

Great book

You can gain the basic digital logic design knowledge using this book in no time! that is not always sufficient for people who wants to get A grade rather you can just make it your introduction and so soon move to part two (that is up to your current course).
My advice is : get this book unless you have passed this level!

This is the best book to understand Digital Electronics with clear and simple explanations. The salient feature of this book is that it has lot of applications sprayed throughout which keeps the reader attentive and interested. A "Must Read" for graduate/undergraduate students in any university in the world.

I used this book for a course on Digital Electronics. Its great. The book has a great typeset, clear and crisp fonts that go easy on the eyes, well structured (such that you read what you need in order to understand the next chapter). The book is illustrated with apt diagrams. I would consider this book to be beginner-intermediate. This book is a good starting point for learn digital stuff, and a good reference after you learn digital stuff. Its hard to find a book as good as this one.

This is the best book to understand Digital Electronics with clear and simple explanations. The salient feature of this book is that it has lot of applications sprayed throughout which keeps the reader attentive and interested. A "Must Read" for graduate/undergraduate students in any university in the world.