Publications and Media Books

Many people look into becoming a consultant because they believe that they are going to be inundated with work (while still working regular hours) and make gobs of money. While there is work to be found and money to be made as an independent consultant, there are lots of challenges associated with the endeavour as well.

Those considering consulting must realize that as soon as they leave their regular job that job security is a thing of the past. Simply put, consultants are the first to be let go, the first ones to be blamed when something goes wrong, and the last ones to get recognition. Moreover, many companies limit what consultants can actually do (project wise and using legalities) so it can be difficult to gain the resources, networking opportunities, and future clients to keep your business stable.

Managing Projects as a Consultant is an audio recording of a convention lecture. The two speakers, both have practical experience as consultants, share with their audience the potential challenges and prospects of becoming a consultant. This lecture gives the listener insight into whether he or she has the personality, resources, and qualifications to become a consultant and also serves as an important resource for the individual looking for specific information on how consultants fit within other companies, how to find work, and what he or she needs to do to protect him or herself legally. At the end of the lecture, the speakers also take and answer questions from the audience.

Reviewed by Bette Daoust, PhD for Reader Views (8/06)

I found this audio CD fascinating as I have managed many project for a corporation as an employee and also worked with consultants that were brought in specifically for other projects. I was quite aware of the expertise consultants brought to the table and also quite aware that they were not always considered as part of the corporate team. We all looked at these consultants with a wary eye. Casey and Bruce have managed to tackle some of the issues involved when transitioning from an employee to a consultant, and what to expect on the job. One very excellent point was the fact that you will likely be doing 3 projects a year for different organizations, and that relationships with each of the teams is quite limited.

Other excellent points for discussion included the marketing and sales aspect of being a consultant. Although they did not dig into the details, you are certainly directed the right way. If you are considering a career as a Project Management consultant, listen to this audio CD first.

Book was barely read and arrived somewhat late from amazon.

A good book on survey methods. Easy to use for both upper division undergraduate and masters level graduate students. The publisher (Sage) is known for quality methods books, so this fits well in their catalog. A part of their Applied Social Research series. The author also has a decent book on how to write good survey questions.

While listening to this audio book, I was struck by something I heard recently about cats. Cats, this source said, have never been domesticated. Cats simply joined human communities centuries ago of their own free will, out of what they recognized to be a mutual self-interest. Humans stored grain, which attracted rodents in greater numbers than they would find in the wild, so they came, ate, and stayed.

Schwab uses dogs and cats to describe different types of projects, and the breadth of this metaphor was amazing to me. "Cat-like projects," Schwab says, are ones that are executed in dynamic, uncontrollable, fast time-to-market environments and can have unclear purposes, shifting goals, competing agendas, scarce resources and inflexible schedules. For historical reasons companies have assumed that they could use "dog-training techniques" to manage these "cat-like projects"--probably because "dog-like projects" came first, and defined the project management field. But guess what--it doesn't always (or even usually) work.

Schwab describes these particularly gnarly innovation-based projects as being not about counting the number of rivets that will eventually hold a bridge together, but more about "shared conjuring"--making it up as we go along, out of thin air. The "wickedness" associated with these types of projects exists because of our expectations--what Schwab calls "the supposed-to's." Schwab very adroitly debunks many of the myths and methods we commonly apply in our well-intentioned but none-the-less misguided attempts to manage these types of projects.

Schwab proposes, instead, a concept she refers to as a "project community." She then goes on to explain how this community forms and behaves, and what the role of the project manager is on these types of projects. A project community is not necessarily "domesticated"--you can't force people to work together toward a common goal, no matter how much power you might think you have over them. But Schwab describes how, by coming to understand some of the (actually very human) characteristics of a project's community, it is possible to nurture the process of self-discovery that is the foundation of motivation. This, in turn, helps the community coalesce in a form of mutual self-interest that will fuel a "purr." The "purr" is the flow of ideas, processes and practices that allow a group of people working together toward a common goal achieve more than the sum of its parts might at first suggest. This amplification effect, or synergy, is both at the heart of very successful innovation-based projects and the dream of every project manager and company.

Those times when your project is "curled up and purring in your lap" are memorable for a project manager. Listen to this CD several times, and augment it with a companion volume, The Blind Men and the Elephant: Mastering Project Work," by David A. Schmaltz, Schwab's business partner and husband. Schwab and Schmaltz make a great team, and will help companies--and especially project managers--learn how to reduce the angst which can accompany an attempt to "inflict" inappropriate management methods on these potentially very exciting and rewarding (that's why we do this kind of work--right?) projects.

Reviewed by Regan Windsor for Reader Views (2/07)

Have you ever had a project that could be characterized as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and inconsistent? If so, chances are you've struggled through what Amy Schwab characterizes as a Wicked Project. "Taming Wicked Projects" will arm you with the skills to recognize the type of project you're attempting to manage and what you can do to work with, rather than against, the flow of the project.

On the project continuum at one end is what you can characterize as manageable, consistent, predictable, traditional projects. These are what Schwab refers to as the Dog Projects. At the other end of the continuum are those Wicked Projects - or Cat Projects to follow the analogy.

The first step is distinguishing where on the spectrum your project lies - is it a Dog or a Cat project? Some questions that can help you in determining this include:

How clear/ unclear is the purpose?
How stable/ unstable are your goals?
How scarce are the resources?
Is the schedule fixed?
How familiar is the technology?
What is the scope of the project focus?

If you determine it is a Dog-like project you have unlimited resources and techniques at your disposal, your schedule might actually be meaningful, and your work breakdown structures might actually work! You will have a predictable environment - and the traditional project management techniques such as critical path and PERT will be of great value.

If it is a Cat-like or Wicked Project you will be more successful in taming the projects than attempting to manage them. Some suggestions for "Taming Wicked Projects" include:

Embracing them for what they are - challenging and unpredictable!
Pay attention to the context - the project will become clearer as the project progresses - patterns will develop.
It is essential to focus on managing the project through a project community with the Project Leader as a facilitator rather than a manager.

Try to move some of the uncertainties toward stability - understand which of the drivers are moving the project toward Wicked.

"Taming Wicked Projects," part of "The Project Management Audio Library," provides essential information for Project Managers or Business Leaders finding themselves in consistently unstable and/or uncooperative projects. It is often the simplistic realization that a spectrum of projects exist, or the understanding that some projects are not built to follow traditional methods, that provide those moments of clarity, enabling us to see beyond the management of a project and toward the facilitation of a goal. "Taming Wicked Projects" provides great value for the small time commitment it demands in return. A must have for project and business leaders!

This is an excellent book about the Web and Web culture. It's much more readable than other books in this area and it covers an impressive range of topics. Would be very useful on courses in this area, I would expect, but I read it as a 'lay' reader and found it both educational and enjoyable!

David Gauntlett has compiled an excellent and wide ranging book of/about World Wide Web studies.His introduction is energetic, ambitious and cheeky. His enthusiasm is refreshing and contagious, and his points about the lack of web-specific publications, and about the dearth of interesting media studies, are accurate.I'm not sure that he's right about web studies as the antidote, but this book might just shame you (me) into building a website, particulary if you are writing about/ teaching/ studying the web.

The book is divided into Four Parts. 'Web Studies'; 'Web Life, Arts and Culture'; 'Web Business', 'Global Web Communities, Politics and Protest'.There are several chapters in each, which were selected from 140 proposals. The structure works well, with issues from web design to commercial futures to web crime to web democracy all getting careful analysis. It is a splendid resource for teaching undergraduate courses; and deserves to be much quoted in postgraduate work and research.

Not only does the book concentrate on the Web rather than the vaguer or larger categories of the virtual, the cyber or the Internet, the different chapters raise theoretical issues by presenting specific case studies.The web and Indian Diaspora; BBC goes Online, artists on the web. I especially liked 'The Teacher Review Debate' which stimulates thinking about power relations on and off the web. No ungrounded abstract generalities here, no cyberhype, no virtual thinking. What a relief! At last! Hooray! Gripping reading.

At the end of each chapter is a list of useful websites, so be prepared for an hour or seven of web surfing along with your favourite chapters. The writing styles vary with the authors, and all are polished and approachable.

If you are a media studies or cultural studies academic, if you are a media studies or cultural studies student, or if you use the web; you'll find plenty to interest you in this book. Passion, fun, fascinating theory and cocking a snook all in the one tome. I liked it a lot, really (and/not virtually).

For years I almost picked this book up, and finally did this year. I had just completed a dud of a thriller, Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box and was looking for something intelligent with a good reputation. I bought Snow and I couldnt put it down. A story so well thought out and developed, I wished I had bought it years before. I'm not big on courtroom novels (which is why I always passed on it), but this novel is so much more than that. In Ishmael, Guterson has wrought one of the most human, heart-aching genuine characters in recent memory. Bravo!

What I enjoyed most about this novel was Mr. Guterson's facility with descriptive language. I just loved the snow storm--though I also thought he had his characters moving around in it entirely too much--and I liked his casually elegant way of getting into his characters' heads and hearts to explain their histories.

So why only 3 stars? Because I was ultimately unconvinced by the book. By that, I mean that he wasn't as successful as he should have been in intertwining the book's themes of war, family, and racism (especially the latter). By the time the book ended, I didn't much care about the outcome. That's why I wasn't bothered by its truncated, too easy ending. The event that facilitates the ending was extremely contrived, and even drawn out too much.

Mr. Guterson has some serious talent, though. This book just didn't awe me as much as I thought (based on other reviews) that it would.

The clearest thing I'll take away from my reading experience of "Snow Falling on Cedars" is simply how fast it took me to race through it. I like to take my time reading books - especially if I find them enjoyable - but I found myself speeding through the chapters of David Guterson's debut novel at an alarming rate. It was nearly impossible to put down thanks to the clear yet sophisticated prose, the intriguing and well-paced "whodunit" aspect of the story and the slow unraveling of both the minds and motivations of the characters, which is exceptionally well done. So yes, I definitely recommend this book!

When the novel first opens, we are introduced to a range of people living on San Piedro, an isolated island in the Pacific South-West. All somewhat enigmatic at first - to the reader, as well as each other - we are gradually drawn into their lives, childhoods, relationships and personalities, as the community is drawn together over a particularly controversial murder case. Kabuo Miyamoto is on trial for the murder of the well-respected fisherman and war veteran Carl Heine, due to bad-blood between the two men, and the fact that Miyamoto was (by his own admission) the last man to see Heine alive, out on his fishing boat.

But it soon becomes clear that there is more to this trial than first appears: it is the anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbour, and there is an unspoken assumption that Miyamoto's Japanese heritage jeopardizes his chances of being acquitted. A large pile of evidence speaks out against Miyamoto, and his stoic demeanor does not help matters either, despite fighting on the side of the Allies in the War. From this starting point, Guterson draws in a wide range of characters related to the case: wives and family members of both the accused and the deceased, lawyers, witnesses, community members and figures from the past. Most prominently is the character of Ismael Chambers, a journalist investigating the case, who has his own particular link to Miyamoto - or rather, Miyamoto's wife Hatsue, a young woman who in her teenage years chose duty to her people and culture over a love affair with Ishmael. Embittered by her rejection and his experiences in the war, Ishmael cuts himself off from the people around him. Yet Ishmael discovers certain facts pertaining to the case that have a tremendous bearing on its outcome - should he choose to share them.

Guterson draws on the racial hysteria against Japanese-Americans during World War II, and the American government's decision to force Japanese citizens into interment camps for the duration of the War as the historical background for this novel. All over the island of San Pierdro runs distrust and suspicion, as well as bitterness in many Japanese families for the lack of support shown by their neighbours during their deportation to the mainland, and the fact that when they returned home, their lands and jobs had been lost. The main irony of the piece is of course that Carl Heine himself is of German descent, and therefore just as worthy (or rather, unworthy) of suspicion and prejudice as any Japanese citizen on the island.

It seems a shame to give away too much of the tapestry of relationships, prejudices and intrigues that go on in the small island community, as most of the enjoyment derived from this novel is discovering and sorting them out by yourself. There's always more than meets the eye to every single character, and no one is entirely faultless, nor entirely innocent during their lifetimes. Most poignantly of all is the theme of `chance versus choice' that runs throughout the story. Whether it be the war, a particularly nasty snow-storm or other impersonal forces, all of the characters are seemingly thrown to the winds of fate. When entities like prejudice and racism become so large that they cloud judgment and become a way of life, what hope do individuals have to overcome them? Guterson attempts to answer this question through the use of the courtroom drama and the personal lives of his protagonists, and manages to make the answer both optimistic and bittersweet, particularly in his final paragraph.

There are only two more things I need to note: first that San Piedro itself is brought to life through Guterson's poetic-prose, which is as beautiful as you'd expect from a book titled "Snow Falling on Cedars." The island becomes a character in its own right, in all its natural beauty: the scent of the cedar trees, the vast strawberry fields, the markets and enclosed houses - it's all there. Second is the characterization of Hatsue Miyamoto, who is potentially the most intriguing and important figure in the entire book. Guterson has no trouble characterizing a member of the opposite sex, and Hatsue holds a fascinating place within the novel, as a young woman caught between her regard for the white Ishmael and her loyalty to her own culture and upbringing. As a young girl she struggles with her appearance and her restlessness, and even though she manages to find a sense of serenity in her adulthood, we get the sense that she will always be striving between her desire to be an individual, and to take what is deemed her rightful place in her culture's society. Even though she does breaks Ishmael's heart during the course of the story (disrupting what many would consider a classic "star-crossed" romance), yet we are never led to despise her for this - in fact, we sympathize with her decision and understand it. In short: she's wonderfully complex and layered - much like the rest of this novel.

What amazed me about this book was the way the story was told. It's kind of a courtroom drama, kind of a romance, and very much a commentary on the state of a torn and divided nation after World War II. On the North end of Puget Sound there was a murder and the accused, Kabuo Miyamoto is a friend turned enemy of Carl Heine, now deceased.

The way it's told is the magic, as I alluded to earlier. It's like peeling layers on the silent man, Miyamoto and the entire island of San Piedro. Each person involved in the trial reveals their history and their secrets as uncovered by the narrator, newspaperman Ishmael Chambers. At first these secrets are far from the murder and the accused, but they throw a wide net and it tightens masterfully as David Guterson weaves a beautiful story. The two families go back, way back. Their stories are difficult and run through Japanese interment camps and bloody battlefields to end up on fishing boats and in strawberry fields.

Besides a tight, intricate plot, the setting is described perfectly - the smells, the tastes, the sounds of the Washington Coast. It's hard to believe that this is a first novel, it's that good.

- CV Rick, March 2008

Compelling and hard to summarize, this book struck me most for its amazing organization and its beautiful prose. Set on a fictitious Island, this book examines post WWII prejudice against Japanese Americans, covers a murder trial, and examines love and passion. The only fault I had with it is that at some times the descriptions of the things going on in the book struck me as a bit perverse.

This is not a full sized book and it's made from that onion-skin type biblical paper...and the covers are VERY weak cardstock. The book bows when I pick it up. I'm very unhappy. Had I known this about this particular edition I'd have gotten the hardbound one. This book is a keeper, meant to be read and dog earred etc...but I don't know that this one will be able to stand up to such use. I'm in the process of trying to reinforce and laminate the covers so at least they will be more sturdy. If this book is not that important to you, then it will be OK. But if you mean to use this book a lot, pay the extra for the better quality book. I wish I had.

This is a readable translation of Hebrew scriptures. It is easily understood in distinction to the KJV, but without the English poetry. It is far more authorative than KJV. The paperback version (mine) is easily held and convenient to read.

Let's get one thing out of the way. All Bible translations have a bias. The Bible: Authorized King James Version (Oxford World's Classics) was a protestant document through and through. While many claim to be easier to understand, most of them sacrifice ambiguity and humor in the interest of "clarity". The worst offenders change the Bible stories altogether.

This particular version of the Bible is Jewish. Note the name as Tanakh and not "Old Testament" since in Judaism there is no "New Testament". The stories are arranged by the title - Torah - Nevuvim - Khethovim - or Torah, Prophets and Wisdom literature (Job, Ruth, Song of Songs, etc.) One can quibble with this translation losing some of poetry (unlike The Five Books of Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy (The Schocken Bible, Volume 1) which strives to preserve the poetic verses and repetitive words so that English readers can get a true taste of the Torah as it sounds to a native Hebrew speaker) but this is a fine translation full of passion and storytelling.

Of course, my personal bias in favor of this translation began when I read it for class and fell in love with stories that I once thought of as only prologues to Christianity. Gone are the "proof texts" that litter many a Christian missionary reading. Isaiah is looking at a young woman and not a virgin about to give birth. Psalm 22 is talking about lions not the crucifixion of Jesus. But what makes this more interesting is how fun some of the stories are, particularly Samuel (the story of David) which is ultimately tragic but has some hilarious bits along the way including the Philistines being stricken with hemorrhoids in chapter 5 and making golden rat and hemorrhoid statues to honor the G-d of Israel. Most other translations wimp out and say that they died of "the plague". Sure, it's immature to look through a Bible for scatological humor, but if it's there, it's there. And it makes God Knows seem a lot less blasphemous in comparison.

In many ways, this is the redheaded step child of Bible translations. Artscroll has been cornering the market on translations and they like to use Rashi commentary in place of translation (which means a thoroughly awful castrated version of Song of Songs) and others prefer King James for poetry, but I still find this one to be my favorite. Maybe because of some of the weaknesses or maybe because in a field ripe with biases and agenda, this one tries to be non-biased as it can be.

I think this is a truly beautiful translation. I was also very happy with the quality of the book itself. Well worth every penny.

This has been a most welcome and very handy source for us whenever we seek English translations of Jewish sacred texts.

We also own the Stone edition of the Tanach: The Torah, Prophets, Writings, including all 24 books of the so-called "Old Testament," in Hebrew and English, with commentary. We also own The Torah: A Modern Commentary, which includes only Torah, better known as the Five Books of Moses, along with the readings' assignments to the Jewish holidays.

But this edition is by far the most used in our household, and we recommend it highly, to Jewish and Christian readers alike.

Just took the PE exam yesterday, and all I brought was this book and Lindeburg's reference manual. I used these two books exclusively to study, and found that they were sufficient to prepare me for what was on the test. I attribute this to the quality of the books and not to any pre-existing knowledge, because I was not a civil engineer in college, nor have I taken a PE review course.

By far the best review and in-test reference book for the PE. Didn't have to use any other book really for the civil PE national exam. Passed the first time. It even came a little bit in handy for the California survey exam, and to a little lesser extent the seismic. But overall a great reference book for the 8-hour. I still use it every so often at work to this day.

I've just started to use this book and the problems are tough! I thought my chances on the PE exam were quite bleak, but the goal of the book is to expose you to very difficult complex problems so that when you get to the exam you breeze through. I appreciate this method a lot and am sure to have the confidence to take on the exam. In comparison to the NCEES sample questions, I would consider this book the much better buy. The NCEES sample questions are good to have but these practice problems are a better way to prepare.

Good luck!

The 9th Edition CERM contains practice problems in it but no solutions. This book contains the same problems as those shown in the 9th Ed. CERM, and also contains the solutions. However, the solutions do not always give a clear indication as to why the method was chosen to solve the problem. Sometimes an equation is manipultated to solve the problem but the explanation is left out as to why that equation works, which leaves you to look through another reference book to confirm that it does or else believe the author but remain uncertain how he arrived at the new manipulated equation. There are definitely other reference materials out there that are better study guides and make better use of one's study time.

I haven't taken the PE exam yet. But it works as a good book for daily practice.

There were things I did like about this book. I like the little knitting instructions at the beginning of each chapter. I also agree with the author on the spiritual, meditative benefits of knitting. What I didn't like was the the way she talked about who she knows, what celebrities are knitting. Worst of all, how many educated, professional people are now knitting!! Do we need all these people's approval?
I am a proud blue collar, working class knitter!! I was disapointed that the author did not seem to interview any of us!! Yes, many of us have knitted for years. I am 50 and I learned to knit when I was 10, long before it was a hip, cool thing to do!!! I work at a local Super Walmart and many of us DO knit, crochet and needlework as a way to relieve stress. A church nearby has a knitting group that prays while they knit prayer shawls. All that said, I just wish she'd interviewed working class people as well as the professionals. It was more about "who" than "zen". I wish she had stuck with the spiritual and meditative aspects of knitting.

I read this book at just the right time in my life. It beautifully describes various ways in which knitting can bring spirituality into our lives. For many knitters, we already know this, consciously or subconsciously, but this is a beautiful reflection on the spiritual side of knitting that many of us have grown to love.

I read this book, picking through, to explore the spiritual side of how I was spending my time during the dark winter evenings... I enjoyed the stories; they were well written.

The book provides inspiration and sparks the creative side. The book explores the common link between knitting and meditation and how knitting can break many 'holds on daily life', such as bridging the generation gaps in family, unlocking your inner creativity in writing and other forms of expression. Also, the importance of making a handmade gift of admiration and love for someone. The connection with spirituality was a little on the light side (for me), but none the less I enjoyed reading this little book.

It's the perfect size to stash in your bag and take with you, for those moments when you can not knit!

3.5 to 4 stars

Bernadette Murphy gives true moments of insight and grace in this book, especially in her discussion of knitting in the Waldorf School curriculum. Unfortunately there seemed to be too many moments that felt like she was bragging to the reader, "I live in LA and see what FABULOUS the people I know!" Overall I liked the book, but I could have done without the detailed resumes of many of the interviewees. I didn't care what TV show or movie someone worked on. It didn't seem to have anything to do with spirituality (in fact, quite the opposite.) It really took away from the theme of the book.

This book, Zen and the Art of Knitting, was an enjoyable, quick read, but I felt a little deceived by the title. The book is mostly stories about knitting that come from interviews with knitters, but there is little in way of serious spiritual content. For those wishing to explore integrating knitting into a spiritual practice, looking elsewhere would be advisable. For those looking for a book of enjoyable stories about knitters, this one might be worth picking up.

This book focuses on the basics, leaving theory, history and more advanced topics to Steve's first book, Data Modeler's Workbench. Steve writes in a very easy to read style. Throughout the text, he provides exercises designed to get the reader thinking, with references to his Web site for insight into his own thoughts about the questions he has posed. In 12 chapters, the book progresses logically from defining what a data model represents to explaining entities, data elements and relationships, to the types of models, normalization and the physical data model. He then goes further to discuss approaches to building a model and validation techniques. All in all providing a comprehensive first look at data models for those who are not modelers and a quick reference for less experienced modelers. This quick read will be appreciated by any audience - from students to IT management to the business users of the final database design.

Upon taking on the role of Data Architect, I needed to get up to speed on data modelling, beyond the simple ERD (Entity Relationship Diagram) that is the staple of the trade. This is a small book, and even though it was clearly superficial, I actually took the time to read word for word, because I was hungry for something I didn't already know. Specifically examples of other types of models. This was the VERY basics, only useful to someone who knows nothing at all about data, databases, and data entities. If you are absolutely clueless, this might provide some basic foundation for further study, and I was unable to find anything better on Amazon. This is a topic that is not well documented, as best I've been able to tell.

If you study UML, you will get a better understanding of the mechanics (not the reasoning) in their data modelling chapters. I have yet to see a good model discussion that explains the difference between logical and physical modelling (this book's explanation was very light and zero examples), the role of the data owner, retention, security, how it's used in the applications, any of those architecture issues that should affect a model.

As the "new kid on the block" in my data architecture group, I attended my first DAMA conference in March. One of the sessions I sat in on was given by an IT manager for the Department of State in Washington. The speaker ended her talk with five things they did to make their project a success, and one of them was giving Data Modeling Made Simple to everyone in their department, even the business folks.

I made a note of this title and did not buy the book until recently, but I'm glad I did and wish I bought it sooner. I was able to read the book cover to cover during my lunch break in less than a week and picked up some great messages. Here are the techniques that make this book five stars:

1. The business card example - explaining data modeling with something so simple like a business card is a great method, and I should have bought this book back in March just for this example. A business card is chock full of data and is used to tie all of the data modeling concepts in the book together.

2. Normalization - this is a topic I used to struggle with before reading this book. Steve's simple steps in Chapter 8 are easy to follow and remember.

3. Data Model Scorecard - this is how Steve reviews a model. A template is provided that my company is using and so far the feedback is positive.

The one thing I think Steve should have included in the book is a comparison to other modeling notations. Steve uses information engineering (IE) notation and I would like to see a short side-by-side comparison with IDEFIX (which we use here).

Data Modeling Made Simple is easy to read and understand, and I think it is true that someone that does not have a technical background can also benefit from reading this book.

The word "pain" comes to mind when reading this book. I was
looking forward to find out what a "master" data modeler might have
to say and the knowledge imparted. I was disappointed within the first
couple of pages. The second huge word that comes to mind right
from the start is "confusion". Unless you are a database guru
you will find the explanations in the book utterly confusing.
To give an example: the concepts for candidate key, primary
key, alternate key, surrogate key and foreign key are all
explained within the length of 1 page! You tell me you've
mastered those concepts by reading only 1 page (page 30)?
Are you kidding me? What is the author thinking? Is this a
dictionary or a book to learn from?
Data modeling can be quite complex especially when it borrows from
data base concepts. When data modeling is made "Simple"
(as the book's cover states) then it becomes useless.
As useless as this book is.
Seriously! I'm not trying to knock it. I'm just being straight forward.
This book does not explain anything that a person can pick up
and say: "oh I understand that", "it's clear to me". Surprisingly
disappointed. Sad book. Is there something less than 1 star?
(And I actually read the reviews by the other people who gave it
5 stars before I bought it).

Mislead by other reviews. Covers only basics of ERD style modeling. Not current with any UML approaches. If you only do Oracle and have never modeled, this might be a good start. Would have returned it if I could.

basic and factual, tables of frequencies for contact, can't imagine having a shortwave radio without one... recommended

The information in each edition is updated from previous editions, however I would recommend saving them as part of a library for the vast amount of reference material covered. The radio reviews are quite helpful in choosing a new and or different type of receiver. Tom MI

This books' got it all, LW , MW , SW, FM, TV listings. What got me hooked on this book is the LW/MW radio listings. Shortwave guide is a great listeners data source. There is also better reviews on popular high end equipment. I have owned this book title since 1993. This is a great book if you
do all band DXing. The greatest addition is the FM US listings, for major cities , great for the road travellers, and
serious DXers. If you DX or chew the rag with the world, get
this book, you'll thank yourself. It may be in the library,
but you can't put it down once you pick it up. I have had this
book with me, and seriously the 2002 edition is a little worn
out, and I am really ready for the 2003 edition, and so forth!

I travel North America in a recreational vehicle, acquiring a new front yard every week, typically 250 miles from the preceding one. Each location brings a new set of domestic AM stations, many of which were not heard at the prior location. In the 1999 WRTH, most of the stations are not mentioned by frequency and/or call. None, that I'm aware of, commenced operation less than 12 months ago. All the requisite data is available free at the FCC web site, in easily converted text file format, updated daily. When WRTH has made its U.S. BCB lists current, I'll buy one.

The WRTH is the best reference book you can probably buy for a serious shortwave listener (SWL-er) or DX-er. The frequency listings and the broadcasters' information is the most complete one available in a book format. Two watch-outs:

1.- Information on local AM and TV broadcasters is incomplete and sometimes outdated. But anyway, this book's primary intention is not to give you details about your local TV or radio stations - for that purpose better buy "TV-guide".

2.- The SW frequency listings in the WRTH 2000 edition are missining information about tropical band (local) stations. The missing information is available via Internet on the WRTH site. The stations are correctly listed in the country sections, but omitted in the frequency summary.

The section about receiver reviews and propagation data are very complete and professional, much metter than Passport to Worldband Radio. The only missing part is information in which past editions of WRTH specific receivers have been reviewed or how to obtain a re-print of these reviews. I tried to contact WRTH by e-mail in numerous ocassions to get this info, without success.

In summary, WRTH is the best reference book for a serious SWL-er or DX-er, but it is more speciallized and limited in broad SW subject coverage than, for example, the Passport to Worlband Radio (also available on Amazon).