Digital Books

Food cravings, yes. I'm there:

>> JorG longed for the cool, refreshing taste of some real Gurmling beer, and he wanted his lips to burn from the spiciness of one of the round cheese pie things that Cindy had made for him when he was on Gurm 12. Sadly, there were no Stubian substitutes for either. <<

This second in series to REDNECK RIVIERA opened with a pleasant reconnect to the pervious story. The references to simple, tangy tastes bid me welcome, accompanied by my dripping drools. Then slips of songs added auditory appeal, "OoomPaPaMauMau."

(Amazon Shorts, as noted in my review of V. O. by Betty Dravis, are brain stimulants, especially for awakening Right Brain Singularities and sliding through ozone worm holes).

I enjoyed the enhancements here of the previous story, embellishments tacked on in the recap.

>> What kind of universe was it that let the inferior Gurmlings develop the most succulent taste treat JorG had ever eaten, and not given the recipe to the Stubians. <<

I'm not gonna say what that treat was, but, "When the moon hits your eye like a big ..." Florida oranges and pecan logs were slurped in, too, blending a sugar-high into the turbo-charged tastebud ambiance. Salt, pepper, sugar; staples from the earth.

THEN JorG came on with the BIGGER addiction. NASCAR. I could only guess what was coming down the track, but no guess was needed about one thing:

The RACE was going to split my sides, not in pain, but in "hee haws" bursting forth.

I suppose I don't have to warn you, if you like Redneck humor, that the hilarious slang would not be expletively deleted. Don't know if that style should be accompanied by a warning to gentility, or a come on ("along and listen to, a lullaby on Broadway," dee doo, dee du..."). If you're a Redneck you know what a "Come-along" does; it drags heavy items across gravel and weeds, into the scuffed bed of a pickup truck.

The race car JorG had built for Billy Joe was not for the squeamish:

>> There was a small laser hidden in the right front fender that billljo could use to shoot out the tires of any car racer machine that was in front of him. <<

That, of course, was only the start of the list of "add on's," some of which were accompanied by the disclaimer, "... or at least, that was the theory. Should work! ..."

You know those fluky "never say never" advisories? The ones which automatically contain reality altering "boosters"?

Here's a doozy of a "never" statement, made by JorG in TALLADEGA TWOSTEP:

>> What the h..., he put it in the trunk, and figured that it would never be used! <<

"It" was a tractor beam JorG wanted to add to the mechanical-terror-tricks in the "space-travel-enhanced" race-car he had designed for Billy Joe.

Here's another "never" example from COAL & COCA COLA, one of my true stories "coming soon" to the Amazon Shorts collection:

"I'll never see that match book cover again."

You gotta see JorG's vehicle. It had its deck stacked so high Tim Taylor would back off in horror. Primed for seam-bursting comedy, I opened a box of Kleenex and placed it beside my laptop, ready to laugh with tears a-rolling. One box wasn't enough. (Okay, I'm exaggerating, but only slightly.)

I was glad this story was longer than REDNECK RIVERIA; I was ready for more. I was also glad RIVERIA was short enough for a quick reading investment to determine Don Harpe's reliability as a tall tale comedian.

I'll be reading this whole series, but will probably not review the next ones. If you read these first two, you'll not need a push to continue. E. Don Harpe is good at setting up anticipation for long hauls of hilarity, and he Super Glues the rivets. You'll be wide-eyed and dialed-in, maybe zeroed-in, too.

BTW, thanks for the braking power on the cliche's rolling off my tongue (drooling on the keyboard). The brakes didn't work, but we tried. Reading Harpe's Redneck Shorts, you might need that braking power. He'll take you for a RIDE.

VRRRROOOOOOOooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Houston, we have a launch!

Linda G. Shelnutt.

What do you expect when good ole boy Billie Joe gets help from his Stubian friend JorG to enter a NASCAR race using a Stubian special that JorG brought with him. Was that really Elvis helping out on Billie Joe's pit crew? These and other humorous answeres await the reader in this imaginative sequel to "Redneck Riviera." A must read for those who love redneck humor.

After reading the hilariously funny Redneck Riviera, I wondered if Mr. Harpe could maintain that level of humor in a series. I was not disappointed! He surpassed my expectations with Talladega Twostep. Having an alien (JorG) speaking the "Good ol' Boy" language, and dressing in an Elvis costume was a stroke of genius. Once again I find myself wondering if the author can maintain the humor in yet another installment - but somehow I believe he will! Move over Jeff Foxworthy - E. Don Harpe is coming!

Phil Whitley, author of KEECHIE

As an Amazon Shorts writer, something about Talladega Twostep, perhaps the title, held definite intrigue. With a penchant for good writing and a sucker for hilarity, I felt that JorG, a Stubian green with authentic pint nostalgia, indicated possibility. The story is well written. E. D. Harpe is a comfortable writer whose avid imagination I could easily enjoy.
Eugen M. Bacon
Author, The Hybrid/ The Firemaker: A Hybrid Story

After I read the first E. Don Harpe story, Redneck Riviera, on Amazon, I was hoping for a second, and when I saw Talladega Twostep, I was hoping it would be as much fun and as many laughs as the first one. I wasn't disappointed. Talladega Twostep is well written, it's a laugh a minute, and may even be funnier than Redneck Riviera. This series will give the rest of the redneck humor world a run for it's money! Great story, and now I'm waiting for number three.

Fremont County, Colorado's native daughter Linda Shelnutt, whose heart is rooted in its familiar soil but whose mind soars literally to the stars, has given us another in what she calls her 'visceral history' series. What I call it is her quest to publicize and pay tribute to the American Common People... to explore their inner nobility and devotion...and thereby to make an important point:

It is the little people of this land...who work hard...pay their taxes... and contribute by the example of their daily lives that is the source of the greatness of our country and the ultimate worth of the communities which make it up.

In past stories she has shown us the worth and honor present in the lives of individual coal miners, truck drivers, malt shop operators and bakers. In this piece she introduces us to Frank and Irene Witty...morticians.

No doubt they heard the words of the above title many, many times in their years of service to Linda's small community of Florence and its environs. What comes through most is that they ACTUALLY HEARD THEM... each and every time.

These simple people were the way I remembered doctors, pharmacists, lawyers, store keepers and policemen back in the Fifties. They were invested body and soul in the people and community they served. And let's not forget the milkman, breadman, laundry man and pastry man who delivered to your door. Remember them?? They were the family friends you said 'hello' to on the street. By its eloquent title this piece captures the core of their philosophy: these cold dead remains were somebody's loved one. they shared the grief of the survivors and helped them heal. They lived honorably and practiced what could be a mind-numbing profession with empathy and caring.

Linda presents her case with skill, exploring the downside of these good peoples lives as well as the triumphs. The humor and the foul-ups. What emerges is a portrait of American deceny that blends nicely into the growing composite of her community she's presenting for America to see.

Her overall message? To me it is "what a precious treasure we have in this country...the American People...why are we losing our way with today's bureaucrat infested, over-lawyered, flabby, empty society our rush to the "global economy" to the neglect of our own skilled labor force and the callous way we treat one another seems inevitably destined to bring about?"

These good people stand as a simple, eloquent tribute to the way it should be...to the way it could have been.

And Linda's concluding passage will bring tears to your eyes...tears of happiness...maybe even regret...certainly pride that this country produced such people. FIVE STARS John W. Cassell

John W. Cassell is the author of five books on the American Counterculture of the 1960's and 1970's, as well as numerous short stories primarily in the military fiction and adventure genres. He recently retired from a career in law enforcement and criminal prosecution that spanned from 1971-2006.

Almost all those who have reached adulthood have been through the experience of attending a funeral...this story is about a mortician and his wife, and their lives in a small town in Colorado.

Frank and Irene prepared people's loved ones for their final formal ceremony on earth....their own funeral. As they explain it, sensitivity to the grief of family and friends was what they believed to be the real key to a successful period of grieving from the moment of death to the burial, entombment, or cremation. Rural America of the early and mid twentieth century was known for intensely personal funerals, warm and supportive. After all, the deceased had usually lived in the community all of his/her life, and many of those attending the funeral actually had attended elementary school, Junior High, and High School in the community with the person in the coffin. And, what a difference there is between the funeral of one who dies young and a person who dies well along in years. Truth be told, it really can't be a total surprise to anyone when a person over the age of seventy passes on...the shock comes when a person under the age of thirty dies, and the sense of loss and wasted promise is keen. Such funerals required a degree of sensitivity and compassion that can't be taught...it must be a part of who you really are deep in your heart!

During life's most difficult and saddest times, it's comforting to know there will be people like Frank and Irene to lighten our burden.

--- John Michael O'Loughlin

I just finished reading, This is Someone's Loved One: An Undertaker's View. A revealing story about a man and wife who spent decades caring for the remains of loved ones who passed on. As with other writings by the author, Linda G. Shelnutt, the story is masterfully written.
On a personal note I have been to many funerals, some family and many friends. I have also, as a police officer, observed what goes on in the rooms where the dead are prepared for burial; sometimes even being subjected to autopsy. Respect was always foremost in every case.
In this story you will meet Frank and Irene Witty, the "undertaker" and his wife. Both tell of a life committed to honoring the dead and providing a indispensable service. In addition, Frank and his wife gave solace to those left behind.
The author, through her professional writing ability, took me on a tour that even I learned from. Questions that I have always wanted to ask, but was afraid to, were answered.
A must read, for we all lose loved ones and have a need to know what process takes place when the hearse arrives.
Great work, Linda!

Richard Neal Huffman (my wife's name, Jane Huffman, is listed but I wrote this review).

The Bear And I

"This is Someone's Loved One: An Undertaker's View" is the chronicle of two selfless people who dedicated their lives to easing the grief of others. On the surface, it is the telling biography of mortician Frank Witty and his wife Irene, but dig a little deeper and you find a parable about love and sacrifice from an exclusive and unique class of inspired artisans.

With this story, Linda G. Shelnutt has created another riveting account in her ongoing series of documentaries detailing the lives, loves, needs and dreams of the middle class working man and woman of America; decent and unpretentious people who sometimes work in the shadows of obscurity, but who help raise up their neighborhoods and communities just the same with their unflinching commitment to integrity, distinction, and each other.

Ms. Shelnutt is a great writer, but she also understands the subtleties of her primary objective. A great biographer never makes the story about the narrator, but about the subject; she never allows herself the conceit of rising above the people whose humble lives she is recording. With straight forward, honest prose, she draws the reader into a world where her subjects have struggled without protest, lays bare their deepest emotions and, by extension, the emotions of her audience as well.

Take for instance, Mr. Frank and Irene Witty, who buried over 4,000 dearly departed over the course of their long careers. Since so few of us look forward to dying, that's an awful lot of reluctant clients!

"You've gotta be some kind of nut to stick your nose in all that," Frank concluded with a half smile. His sense of humor was quick and lifting as his tears were ready and real. He and Irene repeated that many people they assisted during the death of loved ones had become family. Having buried 4,000, that gave him an extended group.

A medical examiner working in a metropolis with a population that exceeds 500,000 people could go an entire career without ever having to perform their grisly work on someone they knew; the Wittys, working in the small town of Florence, Colorado during the late `40's through the early `90's, had the unenviable responsibility of laying to rest many friends and acquaintances, the family of friends, the friends of friends, and, sadly, the children of friends. Most people despise the sound of a shrilling telephone, but imagine having a job where the sound of a ringing phone portends the death of someone - possibly someone you know - almost every time it rings. Death has no schedule, so the Wittys were always on call; when you're a mortician, every shift is a graveyard shift.

Like Frank Witty said himself, "You've gotta be some kind of nut to stick your nose in all of that."

Frank Witty was a mortician by title, his wife was a beautician, but they were both so much more than that. They were artists, psychologists, theologians, magicians and grief counselors. Neither of them had a happy job, but together, they helped people through the distressful process of burying a loved one. A funeral is never easy for the people who are left behind, but the Wittys did as much as they conceivably could to ensure that the proceedings went as smoothly and as painlessly as possible. `We Care' is a slogan many impersonal businesses prop up on their door; the Wittys had it engraved into their very souls. People could not help but react favorably to the warmth of their spirit, despite the depressing circumstances of their meeting.

With "An Undertaker's View," Linda G. Shelnutt takes the reader gently by the hand, leads them beyond the black curtain, and introduces them to a world not often explored in mainstream non-fiction. She lifts the veil on the secrets of embalming, dressing and casketing (always with good taste), and the delicate art of applying make-up to imbue a body with the verisimilitude of life. Often times, especially in the cases of people who have died from a wasting disease, Frank and his wife can make the deceased look better lying in state than they appeared in their hospital bed prior to passing away. In this case, the Wittys are able to give hope and joy to the grieving; it is far easier to believe a loved one is in a better place if they look healthy and at peace in their coffin.

Frank and Irene honestly cared for the bodies that came under their careful ministrations. They treated them with honor and with dignity. Linda G. Shelnutt does the same for Frank and Irene Witty, acting like their literary mortician as it were, dressing them up, laying them out, placing them on view one final time, so that we may all come together to celebrate and honor the lives of these two people who gave and sacrificed so much so that others would suffer less.

Let us hope that the Funeral Director who took care of their final arrangements treated them with as much respect as they treated their clients, or with as much care as Ms. Shelnutt treated them.

ERO

"This is Someone's Loved One: An Undertaker's View" is the story of the life of Colorado undertaker Frank Witty and his wife Irene. Frank worked for over forty-five years as a licensed embalmer and judging from this story he was the perfect man for the job. While he is self-deprecating (saying he wanted to be a doctor but was afraid he'd be dead before completing the training so he became a mortician), he has a nice gentle sense of humor and is filled with compassion. Irene also seems to fit perfectly into the role of being an undertaker's wife, even fixing the hair of the deceased. People who had to bury their loved ones were fortunate to have the Wittys to help them.

Using the image of weaving a tapestry of their lives, author Linda G. Shelnutt does a wonderful job of making the reader feel as if they knew the Wittys. Frank's story is especially interesting as he was essentially on call all the time (death doesn't follow a schedule) and yet never complained and always had compassion and respect for all the dead and their families. In particular he got upset when someone referred to a body as a "stiff" or otherwise disrespected the body. Both Frank and Irene have a nice sense of humor, but never at the expense of the deceased, like when Irene, who fixed the hair of the deceased, mentions that while she had a lot of work, she never had any complaints. One of the most interesting parts of the story is when the Wittys talk about the tradition different cultures have when burying their dead - it was fascinating to read about how the Chinese, Orthodox Jews, and others honor their dead. Reading the story you get the impression that Frank cared for each and every person he buried and his eleven-year-old niece summed it up well when she said, "Uncle Frank makes all his people die with smiles on their faces."

Linda Shelnutt has a nice way with words, which shows in the way she uses the tapestry images as she weaves in the details of the Witty's life throughout the tale. She wraps up the Witty's tale so nicely that I had tears in my eyes twice - the first time with the story of a visit that hummingbirds made to a grieving widow and the second time when reading the very last sentence.

Well done.

I put off starting to read Lynn's exerpt until I could give it my undivided attention, and I am glad I did! The first chapter pulls you in and won't let go! I want very much to know "what happens next!"

The Short is excellent and very written. The characters are believable as to what he is supposed to be.

i so love lynn v. sadler's work. lynn is elizaPress Publication's editor's pick for WRITER OF THE YEAR, 2007--and had offered this extraordinary story to our press--unless, of course, it wins here--and if it does, this prolific, award winning writer has hundreds more to choose from.... What i love about lynn's stories is that by reading them, complicated characters and rich, authentic, smart experiences are made visceral for the reader. i love that every piece of hers makes me smarter--reveals some actuality gleaned from academic research turned into something useful, inspirational and good. i love the energies between her characters, their loyalties and musings. i love the places i could never get to without the ways she creates them in words. i love the generosity of this writer--spilling out into classics of the modern kind. i love the wit and veracity of each imagined being created wholly through her words. i love the texture of time and space this well traveled author brings alive in her writing.

this is an extraordinary story as are all the ones she shared with us at elizaPress. to date, our books are sold exclusively through www.lulu.com/writressworder--and lynn has a significant body of work shared in all of them.

vote for her! pick her! she is a famous author waiting to be recognized! she is a clearly gifted storyteller--and one for OUR time.

with a wholehearted endorsement for this writer's work,

elizaBeth Benson-Udom
Founder & editor
elizaPress Publications
www.writressworder.com

First, a disclaimer, we have over the years published two of Dr. Sadler's pieces. Her novella, "Foot Ways", was published last year. And in 2006 we published her poem, Again--'Les Fleurs du Mal' in "Bardic Tales and Sage Advice". So I suppose one could say I am very familiar with her work. I feel it important to state this up front in the interest of disclosure.

The excerpt of Dr. Sadler's novel does a fine job of highlighting her strengths as a writer. Sadler has an exceptional ability to create a strong sense of place for the reader. Using both distinctive sentence construction and authentic dialogue, readers are pulled into the world of her characters and can immediate develop empathy for them.

Sadler takes a non-linear approach to plot development, often jumping between the past and present as her characters move throughout the story. As the character of Deona Martindill considers her actions, we follow her thought processes back and forth between the present and the past. Deona Martindill's memories of her childhood don't just provide background filler for the story. They are a integral part of the story.

I am a fan of Dr. Sadler's storytelling technique. She has an original style that captures the essence of her characters and the world in which they live. The excerpt provided for her entry showcases her talents. We all wish her the best of luck in this competition.

Other works by Dr. Sadler
Foot Ways
Bardic Tales and Sage Advice

Though the first paragraph was slightly complicated, I soon fell into the easy rhythm of the story and, as it went along, became increasingly intrigued as to where the author is going. The lifestyle described is interesting because it is so different from any experience I have had, yet I was easily able to become attached to the main character and be concerned for her immediate future (since her eventual future is suggested in the first paragraph). I got the feeling that this story will go backwards and forwards, from its introduction of older age back through her adolescence, then forward again to her future and hopefully to some sort of redemption or salvation, as the title suggests. In all of this I am intrigued. Also, the author clearly knows how to write, a talent that sadly is not fully shared by all entrants in this contest.

Comes at a time when we all need to evaluate the imbalance that certain technologies may bring to our lives at the detriment of our human relationships.

"Too Many Machines" is a humurous commentary on the sad-but-true condition of a large part of the human family in a technocentric modern world. With insights as clear as Katie Gates', perhaps a few of us will realize our demise before it's too late. This little poem may help parents take a fresh look at their kids -- one unvarnished and unadulterated by the artificial lights of an LED screen. It is a great reality check for the parents of young children, as well as a good read for adolescents who find themselves in the insideous grip of electronic gadgetry.

Kate Dunlap
North Carolina

This short Seussian work hits home -- especially since it was written 20 years ago! Poignant.

Too Many Machines is a clever, prescient adult poem. Katie predicted some people's attitude creatively. Her writing skills are fantastic.
I am passionate about my machines, consider some my best friends, and couldn't face life without them. Am I alone?
I still have personal interaction with loved ones and not such loved ones.
Machines have changed our culture, no doubt about it. And this change has caused most of us to change with them. I won't detail all the changes, but I will say the positive changes out-weigh the negative in my life.

Katie got to the heart of it. People today are wedded to their computers, ipods, iphones, etc. They think they are part of a "community" but they never talk to other humans in real space.
It is possible to have face-to-face relationships without interruptions from cell phones or instant messaging. And what a boon to creativity and imagination.
Go Katie girl!

I liked this book a lot. I am not a video engineer - however, I need high performance hardware and I need to understand how to connect it all. I needed to understand what it takes to put together a networked high performance system of relational databases (emphases on high performance and databases) - SAN's, NAS's, RAID's, etc. This book describes it at the correct level.

I was looking for a general overview of SAN's, NAS, DAS, and other high throughput fast storage and networking descriptions. This book has it without overwhelming you with 8B/10B encoding and modulation nonsense.

As a systems integrator in the broadcast and professional video industry, we face issues associated with the converging IT and professional AV media environments on almost daily basis. To date, we have had to build our own knowledge base to address these matters and have found no one source that appropriately deals with these merging industries - well this book addresses these issues head on.

Personally, I found this book really "hit the spot" as it relates to the broadcast and media industry as it stands today (as well as in the near future). I found this book to be up to date and topics discussed exceedingly relevant. Although this book tackles a broad array of topics, from media network deployment and management to video system fundamentals and architectures, the information covered was well presented and logically organized which made it a very comfortable read.

This book is a must for anyone (IT managers, as well as network and video engineers alike) who have an interest in producing, managing, and distributing video media.

This book is of interest to any technical professional working with video. In the past, we could view the world of IT as of increasing value but not central to a video system. No longer. This book comprehensively lays out the myriad of technologies and issues to be considered as we incorporate the power and economy of IT servers and networking ever more broadly into our broadcast and production facilities.

Last year at a Hollywood Post Alliance meeting a senior technical production executive said to an audience of technical professionals, "If you don't have a strong foundation in video, networking and IT....you will not work in our business any longer."

What he was really saying is, go out and get Kovalick's book and read it. And then read it again.

As a professional who serves the pro-video and broadcast market, I've been eagerly awaiting my copy of Video Systems in an IT Environment. I just received my order a few weeks ago from Amazon.com and I've now had a chance to absorb several chapters -- with more to come.

First impressions: Wow! Substantial. Meaty. First of its kind. When you receive this book in the mail, the first thing you notice upon opening the package is the sheer weight and tasteful abstract art on the front cover. This is a hefty 600-page volume packed with hundreds of detailed illustrations and lots of examples. When it comes to understanding principles of modern networked media for video and audio, this Focal Press work deserves a prominent place in any serious video or IT engineer's reference library.

Although this book is oriented towards the professional media or broadcast systems engineer (as opposed to a video consumer building a home media network), the author does a nice job of weaving together the essentials of networked media from "A to Z" including a handy glossary of terms for those of us who can't keep our acronyms straight. I've known the author, Al Kovalick, who's a well regarded figure in the broadcast community. His breadth of knowledge is evident throughout each chapter, yet he writes in a witty, practical style that's both educational and fun to read (including some pretty subtle humor that will make an engineer chuckle). Without sacrificing depth, this book takes a complex technical subject and brings it down to earth, making it suitable even for less technical (but motivated) readers. I like the "It's a Wrap" section found at the end of each chapter that summarizes the salient points of each chapter.

Bottom line, this book is for you if you're seeking a solid overview of key engineering considerations when designing or recommending networked video architectures, including networking fundamentals, virus and firewall protection, video servers, NSPOF (no single point of failure) storage design including RAID and RAIN methods, as well as other innovative architectures. Several real-world case studies complement the teaching benefits including specific examples by leading-edge media companies and broadcasters.

Chapter Highlights:
Networked Media in an IT Environment
The Fundamentals of Professional Networked Media
Storage System Basics
Storage Access Methods
Software Technology for AV Systems
Reliability and Scalability Methods
Networking Basics for AV
Media Systems Integration
Security for Networked AV Systems
Systems Management and Monitoring
The Transition to IT: Issues and Case Studies
A Review of AV Basics

I find myself enjoying Waru alot. The plot is fast paced, refreshing, wickedly amusing and at times slightly twisted. Certain parts are just laugh-out-loud funny but never irreverent. Joe is a very likable thug and I love Yuushi with his huge glorious eyes. But Yuushi is certainly not as dewy-eyed as we think. This uke definitely has the brains and has his seme on the leash. Joe's father, Doctor Oizumi, is one interesting character, adding zest to the plot with his almost outrageous but absolutely necessary antics. I would have preferred there to be more explicit sex but the exceptional plot more than make up for it. This mangaka's story telling skill is wonderfully amusing and her artwork is pleasing and unique. A great addition to my collection indeed.

oh sweet lord! this yaoi rocks my socks.

First off, I never thought I'd like this one but I ended up loving it! I really did have a great time reading this manga, it is funny, sexy and it's not predictable like most mangas are. The thing i liked the most is that the uke is the evil one but he doesn't look like it and the seme is the good one even though he looks like the bad guy. And Costa Rica is mentioned so A++++

This is about a guy who is a good-for-nothing who wants to do something. The guy he kidnaps tells him later that he is gay...the main character's reaction shot is priceless! This author was one I was not too aware of, but this story makes me want to track down others by H. Yukari. BTW, the love scenes are very tastefully done (not explicit). SO very recommend this!

I liked this story. While it was interesting I found that I wasn't drawn into the story as in other works that I have read. If your looking for a quick read and some entertainment then this is okay but if you want a more engaging story look elsewhere.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and the drawings are well done. It's a litte fast pace but everything fits. I even like the fact the uke is the one controlling the seme for a change.

No review here since the book hasn't come out yet, but I am sure it will be an excellent source of information regarding its stated topic.


SWEATY B!

I've been searching for a book like this for quite a while. I was primarily looking for a book that explained how to use Windows Media Player. Other books would skim the surface but this one goes into detail for people who enjoy organizing and listening to their music in various ways. When the author finishes teaching you the in's and out's of Media Player, he's just warming up. The author then goes on to explain how to set up your computer for music to get the most out of it, how to record from analog sources into your computer, how to use portable digital players (such as I-Pod), ripping CD's and burning them, downloading and purchasing music, listening to the radio via your computer, and finally setting up your own computer-based, home recording studio and using it. whew!! I'm a professional musician and even I learned things from this book. Besides explaining the main topics of the book, Mr. Williams goes into detail well enough so that you don't feel like you are left hanging. Before this book came out you would have had to buy maybe three or four different books to cover the same information. It's well worth the price in my opinion. For someone who is wanting to get involved with any or all aspects of Digital Music and looking for a starting point, I highly recommend this book. Well done Mr. Williams.

What a charming book. I picked it up in a bricks-n-mortar retailer who shall remain unnamed... then slammed it down before I let my fingerprints mar the surface and be forced to take out a loan to pay for it. I would recommend purchasing the book, chock full of informative, helpful, and timely advice-lets here and saving a pretty penny, though. It's not like I wanted to buy the store... just this excellent tome of digital wit that will help the user navigate the recesses of Al Gore's Internet (does he have that phrase copyrighted yet?) and remain out of prison and without "severe monetary penalties" (or, more succinctly, consequences and repercussions).

This is a pretty good reference book for anyone who is just getting into digital music.

It is particularly focused on the Windows Media player. There is also useful information regarding ripping and burning CDs, creating a computer jukebox, portable music players such as IPods, etc. The author also discusses the different formats for storing/playing digital music and the online services that offer downloadable songs for each.

Overall, I would say it is pretty good as far as being a beginning resource for one's digital music needs.

This book saved my life. Covered every aspect I needed it to.

This book shows the life of what the sisters of charity do and it is excellent. I say the pictures here touch your heart. Seeing all these pictures of the lives of the Sisters of Charity and Mother Theresa are great. Looking at what they do is more touching that just hearing it.

This is an assemblege of photography of Mother Teresa and her nuns doing their work in various locations around the world. Picture speak a thousand words, and this book gives a true sense of the daily works they do.

Collopy's volume on Mother Teresa is a spiritual journey even for the atheist. The compassion, humility and love that was Mother Teresa and lives on in the work of her Sisters is caringly portrayed in Michael Collopy's book. You see a rare side of Mother Teresa whose warm smile could light up a room. Collopy adds a tremendous dimension with his own recollections of speciifc instances noted in his photogrpahs. His own spiritual depth and the impact that Mother Teresa had on his life is apparent.

I am a photography major at Purdue University. I have the book and believe that Michael Collopy is a brilliant photographer. If there is anyone out there who knows how I can get in touch with him, please let me know. I want to do a report on him for one of my classes.

Collopy's volume on Mother Teresa is a spiritual journey even for the atheist. The compassion, humility and love that was Mother Teresa and lives on in the work of her Sisters is caringly portrayed in Michael Collopy's book. You see a rare side of Mother Teresa whose warm smile could light up a room. Collopy adds a tremendous dimension with his own recollections of speciifc instances noted in his photogrpahs. His own spiritual depth and the impact that Mother Teresa had on his life is apparent.

This story is not very long, but by the time you are done reading two things should come to mind: "There is always a silver lining to every dark cloud" and ""Judge not, lest ye be judged". Wendy Peterson was guilty. She judged all the indians as cruel and savages,yet in her darkest moments when despair was her only friend, it was an Indian who was her salvation. I wont say too much of the tale, except to encourage you to read it.

Too bad there isn't an amazon short genre called 'nostalgia' because this delightful piece would surely qualify. Remember those saturday matinee movie programs your exasperated parents would give you a quarter and order you to see? They always included a serial, each episode being about 30 minutes in length [I think...who had a watch??]. That's what this entertaining piece instantly recalled: a telescoped serial [to borrow a concept from Trotsky], complete with miraculous rescue by Good after a tumultuous battle with Evil...a happy ending...just pure entertainment all the way.

Sandra Waldron continues to prove herself an incredibly versatile writer, handling in her stride sci-fi, horror, mystery and now nostalgia written in the medium of nostalgia. From the days when we really still had our freedom and political correctness as a concept would have been un-American. I enjoyed it so much I almost expected to find out Ike was still in the White House and the last unhappy forty years for this country never happened. Five Stars John W. Cassell

I really should excuse myself from reviewing this story. It's just not fair. You put a western in front of me and I'll read it. You flip by one on t.v. and I'll ask you to go back. Now when you add the obvious storytelling talent of Ms. Waldron to the mix, well, I'm really hooked. She really shows range (pardon the pun) here as well. If you like westerns you'll like Yellow Butterfly, simple as that. In fact, even if you don't prefer westerns you'll probably like it.

I enjoyed this sweet story. I was delightful to read and left me in a pleasant mood. Pat Wienstroer, Texas

I really enjoyed this little tale of the old west. Reminds me of my childhood when I'd go to the theater on Saturday afternoons and watch the then very popular westerns. I would like to see more westerns from Sandra E. Waldron

And we thought Joe McCarthy invented "McCarthyism!" Fascinating and well written. We not only learn that Attorney General Mitchell Palmer wrote the book on creating mass hysteria to assault anything one happens to dislike, but we gain a broader understanding of how easily attitudes can be swayed for egregious purposes in this country. Given that Young J. Edgar earned his stripes by implementing Palmer's plans, it's not hard to understand how he could so easily pick and choose the information he wanted to assail Martin Luther King, Jr. and scores of others he disliked. Ackerman did his homework and presented it very nicely.

I knew the content would be interesting and was pleasantly surprised to see the well crafted text. The paragraphs flowed from page to page and chapter to chapter. It was hard to put down. Well selected photos accompany the text and add even more understanding.

This is more than a bio of one man, it is a bio of the times. I did not know that Hoover cut his bureaucratic teeth on the Red Scare, so this book rounds out his portrait for me.

Ackerman's engaging prose brings to life the colorful people of the times. He presents Palmer in all his complexity. President Wilson is totally detached not only from the Red Scare but also the upcoming election where he has a son-in-law in contention. The totally obscure Louis Post is a true hero. Many great legal minds, Frankfurter, Darrow, Cardozo, Holmes and others play a role. I had not known of the eccentric millionaire socialist Lloyd before nor the colorful immigration official from California, Caminetti.

The most intriguing story of all, of course, is Hoover's. The reader learns how his character and style were formed. As a young man he got away with a tremendous breach of the US Constitution and he lied to his mentors. He knew how and when to be on and off the stage and who to play up to. He was probably given a pass for his presumed honesty, long hours of work and his youth.

I was struck by narrow the decision making. Only a few people held the reins than made life impossible for many. While the book doesn't spell it out, I would imagine people lost their homes (be they foreclosures or evictions) and children went hungry. None of the perpetrators suffered much. Hoover went on to great "success", Caminetti went on to comfortable obscurity and Wilson is heralded for his international vision. Palmer suffers somewhat but not in proportion to his deeds. The main hero is virtually unknown to history.

One line brought home to me how different the times were shortly after the First World War: ". . . a doctor told Edgar he needed to start smoking cigarettes to relax his nerves." But more important to this story of the Red Scare were the attitudes toward freedom of speech and individual legal rights that allowed wholesale abuses as the U.S. Government and the young, energetic J. Edgar attempted to remove every last threat of Communism through massive raids and deportations. As inconceivable as a medical doctor recommending cigarettes is the thought that running roughshod over legal rights on such a scale could happen without raising an immediate uproar in the press; what a difference 24 hour television news makes!

Understanding Hoover is critical to viewing the evolution of law and individual rights in America during the 20th century. For good or bad, he certainly had an impact during his half-century tenure and as Ackerman summarizes "Of all the experiences shaping him . . . none loomed larger that the Red Raids." The author gives us an excellent account of these events, the times, and important players including Felix Frankfurter, Oliver Wendell Holmes, and Clarence Darrow.

Post-WW ( period is not well understood in America and our history books hardly mention how fear and loathing of terrorists (anarchists and Bolsheviks) and their (real and potential) activities led to violent over-reaction by government. Suspension of rights and rule of law, warrantless break-ins and arrests, thousands of completely innocent citizens held without charge or access to counsel in sub-standard "holding" facilities, authoritarian override of law enforcement principles and practices without regard to rights (beating of those arrested, denial of access to medical services, denial of access by the press nad watchdog organizations, etc.
A very good book and very well-written!

An excellent biography of Hoover's early years--a time that is often eclipsed by the later years when Hoover was a well established bureaucrat. Young J. Edgar looks at the circumstances--surroundings and people--who led to the formation of the man. Ackerman's descriptions of the Palmer Raids of nearly 90 years ago can't help but make the reader think of post 9/11 America and the way "we" treat our own citizens and their "inalienable" civil rights. It really makes you think. America has to find a way to protect ourselves without losing sight of what makes this country great--freedom of speech, thought, religion etc. The freedom to ask questions and be different are two of the qualities that make America great. Pick up a copy of Young J. Edgar, learn about Hoover the man and the post WWI era, and let's try not to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.