News and Media Books

I personally have not read these books, but I have been purchasing them for my niece for special gifts, for her. After I gave her the first three books she said she really enjoyed them, because she likes horses alot. Then when I gave her a few more she was very excited because she didn't realize there were more in the series. In March I will have given her through book 10, so there are still more to come for her. I enjoy giving the gift of reading to children.

In 5th grade my AG reading teacher told me about the Heartland seires I used to not like to read but these books hve changed my mined!I am on #15 but Every New Day is my absolut favorite Heartland book! I love the new charachters and the new setting!! I loved the way Huten (amys moms freind) works with his horses and helps with Murcery I wish I could Give it thousands of stars!!!!!( I will Be sooooo Sad when I Have read them all but im looking faward to the nw series Chesnut Hill!)

This book is Very Good. In the book Amy takes a horse mucerey that once loved to jump but now he refuses even the tinyest jumps. When Amy can not figure out the problem she takes mucrurey to a guy (Huten) that once new Amy's mom. Amy had seen the man work his own horse and she thought they had a very speical bond. Once Amy is there it is almost time to leave and her and Huten haven't worked with mucerey one bit, instead Huten takes amy out on walkes and talkes about stuff. Read this book to find out if what happens. I would recomend this book to any horse lover(like me). I Really LOVED it.

This book is so cool. Whenever Amy and Ty are alone together, I just want to be with them!

go out and read it NOW!!!!!! This was my all time fav tied with new beginnings. amy goes 2 the appilachians with mercury, a horse that wont jump. the reason amy takes him is because she wonders if the ppl there could help mercury. when amy gets there, huten, a native american friend of her mom (,and a wise horse healer), doesnt seem 2 do anything 2 mercury. instead he helps her understand with strange sayings. but wat huten says is really true. go out and buy it NOW!!!! :) peace out,
a huge heartland fan

Just one read of Peter Miller's book, "Author! Screenwriter!" will broaden your horizen of writing possibilities. Don't just think screenplay, but consider formating that same story idea into a novel as well. And when you consider the odds, 100,000 to 200,000 books published per year, as compared to only some 1,000 stories produced for all of the Network Television, Motion Picture, Cable and DVD industries, Mr. Miller argues an interesting point. With over 30 years experience managing and producing writers, he gives insights into the industry that few others have even touched upon.

Definitely worth any writer's time and money. But regardless of one's writing goals, this book gives that big push every writer needs to encourage perfection and perseverance.

If you're serious about realizing your potential as a writer, this is the book you buy. Having successfully managed hundreds of books, Peter Miller truly is "The Literary Lion", and Author! Screenwriter! has left a huge impact on me as a professional writer.

Need an inside guide on how to write the perfect proposal or understand the delicacies of contracts? He's got you covered. Or maybe you really would like to take a look at some sample inquiries, be inspired by some success stories, have a better understanding of the do's and don'ts in a profession where millions of writers compete for the interest of professionals in the industry. Trust me, if you read this book it will never be far from your hands. Buy Author! Screenwriter! and you'll go back again and again to Mr. Miller's wellspring of experience and insight.

If you're like me, you want to be armed with the truth as a writer, and Peter Miller delivers. Read it, cloak your talent in its wisdom, and move forward. You'll agree that it's more than a book.

It may well be the key to your future.

The book is a must-have for a writer's bookshelf. But a companion DVD is also available with practical and pointed interviews that is well-worth seeking out.

Peter Miller's Author!Screenwriter! is direct and to the point, so I shall be also. This beautifully organized exposition provided me with more insight into the Book and Film industry than I have found in any other source. I could write much more, applauding the great chapters on the mysteries of film deals and the most helpful examples of project proposals in many genres -- but the bottom line is simple Author!Screenwriter! is definitive, the most helpful book on the subject.

I purchased Peter Miller's book at the recommendation of a colleague who knew I was in the process of writing a book proposal. Peter's book and DVD provide the reader/viewer with such clarity and direction. Peter provides wisdom and insights for the experienced and the novice writer in how to maneuver their way through the challenges, obstacles, politics and subtelties of the publishing industry. By the time you are finished reading his book and viewing his DVD you have a very clear picture of what lies ahead - no rose colored glasses, advice for the dedicated writer; you are clearer than you ever imagined you could be about what lies ahead. Buy this book if you are serious about our writing career.

Morgan is amazing in this book. I must say this book was my favorite so far. I havent read the fifth yet but this was actioned pack. I finished this book in one day.

Oh, my god. I liked Cal so much and he turns out evil. Such a dissapointment. The book itself wasn't though. I don't want to give too much away. But pretty much what happens is Cal and Selene turn out evil, Hunter turns out good.
I am so confused(sarcastic). Its a real page turner. Anyone who loves to read, read it.

And agian this is one of my Favs!

This book is awesome just like the other ones.
Morgan is just starting to calm down when her she is haunted by a terrible thing that happened in a pervious book. Cal is acting strange and makes Morgan more nervous. Towards the middle of the book Morgans life is shifted when an unexpected visitor shows up.
This book is great and I couldnt put it down. Cate shows in Dark Magick that something is coming. You pracitcally feel it in the words. Its exciting and shifts the plot for the rest of the books.

The events at the end of the previous book have Morgan very upset. Is Hunter dead? Did she really kill him? Has anyone found his body? Every day and hour brings agony for her.

Cal becomes more mysterious. He is both closer and more secretive, and strange things are going on with his mother. Morgan becomes confused. But then she finds out Hunter is alive. She is relieved to know she was not responsible for someone's death.

In her confusion she must learn to try and trust Hunter and even his cousin Skye. What she learns makes her more confused.

Final confrontations reveal much about the characters and their plans. It is a good and tense story. Can't wait to see what happens next.

I purchased the Sweep series for my 13 year old daughter in the hopes that maybe she would read. "She hated to read." Well I was amazed, and could not get her to go to sleep, as she would spend the whole night, with a night-light on reading these books. She enjoyed them so much, and could not stop talking first about Cal and then Hunter, that I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Well after two weeks, a book a day, for a girl who hated to read, it sparked my curiosity, so I started reading, and was surprised to find out how enjoyable a Teen book about Teen Witches could be. I am not really into Wicca, but these books are really enjoyable. I am on my fifth book, and my daughter read each twice, and is know on the Circle of Three Series. I have to highly recommend these books to those parents who can not get their daughters to read. These are excellent stories, full of fantasy, horror, and fun.

It's now over 6 years since this book came out and it still has a tremendous amount of relevance. I am rereading it again and stop by every now and then in hopes that a new edition will come out. I have all the other Zeldman books and they are all useful, but nothing approaches how much I learned from this book. It amazes me how much of the content is still applicable. Anyone who's been doing this since the book came out can make mental notes about what has changed. A proponent of CSS before it was practical (really), Jeffrey seems to have planned a long shelf life for this book.

If you're a graphic designer who is entering web development (which is a large segment), it's still a must read, but beware the 4.x browser version suggestions, and don't bother to try and support tables any more. It's not necessary, and it's bad form for oh, so many reasons. Everything else in the book is absolutely essential for the transition. Your best bet would be to read it and ask questions from someone who's been developing websites for a long time (and is open to web standards).

And if you've been building these things for a long time, it's still a great book to revisit at least yearly.

You can't really go wrong with a Zeldman book, imho, at least so far. If he writes something on knitting, I can't guarantee it...

This book gives a good overview of Web Design till 2001.
People who are interested in where the web is coming from will like this book. If your are looking for how web design is done today anno 2005 I would like to recommend Jeffrey Zeldman book "Designing with web standards".

Even though some of the content in this book is outdated (such is the nature of a book based on the internet, which evolves daily), it is still a mainstay in my collection. I would recommend this book to anyone even remotely interested in web design.

Jefferey Zeldman teaches basic, foundation building principles that you will use almost daily during your tenure as a web designer. If your looking for a book to hold you by the hand and teach you how to perform specific actions with step by step coding, this isn't your book. Instead, it touches upon ideas and methods. Zeldman covers topics from designing good navigation to fundamental steps in working with a potential client.

I gave this book 4 out of 5 stars. It would have received a perfect score if it wasn't for some outdated material. Purchase this book, it should be a part of any collection.

A thorough, comprehensive and usable book for people trying to migrate from traditional media into the (sometimes) scary world of new media.

Jeffrey Zeldman's unique voice permeates the entire book, holds your hand, and gently guides you through the ups & downs of working with the web. His examples are concise and to the point, his writing style (as always) humorous and friendly, and, most importantly, you get the feeling that he truly loves this medium, and would like nothing more than being able to help another person discover just what the fuss is all about.

Should be on the shelf of every designer - no matter what your level of experience is.

This book opened my eyes to issues such as accesibilty, css and xhtml, I now have a site that is fast to load and easy to update. I found this book to be an easy read,[ I am neither a graphic designer nor a trained web designer] I really like Zeldman's writng style and will use some of his points in my classes web design for photographers. The mix of code and ideas was great and for once I just read the book rather than being tempted into turning on my computer and starting work.

Richard S. Levick and Larry Smith have delivered the definitive book, at least for now, on crisis communications and litigation PR. (Brief disclosure: I have met and chatted with both of them, but this review is, I hope, unaffected by any personal contacts.)

Levick and Smith don't hold back in describing some disastrous public relations gaffes by major companies, and they also give credit to corporations that understood how important the "court of public opinion" can be. These authors also know how to write: the book is free from marketing and PR jargon, and is easy and even fun to read. As a media relations professional and former reporter and editor, I have put this book on my desk next to my computer.

The authors also recognize the importance of blogs - both as tools that a company or law firm's opponents can use and as tools that are well suited to defense as well.

The recommended use of "message points," though hardly original with Levick and Smith, reaches a high plateau here. Their recommendations for pharmaceutical companies, antitrust defendants, even asbestos makers, are not merely plausible but convincing.

Sometimes a firm needs to stand tough and fight the battle in the media. Sometimes it needs to stand down. Levick and Smith help explain the difference.

This would be a five-star review except that the authors' constant use of brief stories -- in a different and jarring typeface -- as sidebars in the text is off-putting and even a bit amateurish. Sometimes, it's even hard to follow. The fact that they must put "continued" lines into their book ("See page 147") should have been a tip-off that the typography here is not ideal.

Still, this is a terrific book.

Don't buy this book for your PR department. Buy it for your attorneys.

Levick bridges the gap between the need for an organization to speak publicly during a crisis and its legal department's desire to keep the corporate yap locked tight. An attorney himself, Levick understands perception trumps fact, and that at crisis time the real battle won't happen in a court of law; it's already happening in the court of public opinion.

Filled with insights and strategies for short-circuiting a media assault from newspapers still in print to online bloggers, "Stop the Presses" is a must-read for those who think they know crisis communications.

Levick also explains the critical need for advance preparation, on-going media awareness and outside legal and communications counsel in a crisis, three steps lacking in too many organizations.

A clear winner.

Dennis Dean
The Dean Group

It's rare that a book can serve as an "insurance policy," but Stop The Presses comes as close as any I have read. Nobody relishes the idea of a crisis situation befalling them or their business--but crises do strike--and by definition, they are unexpected. If a company's management has read, or even browsed those neat little gray "So Don't Forget" boxes at the end of each chapter of Stop The Presses, it will have taken the first step on the road to preparedness.

Ricard Levick and Larry Smith make this sometimes frightening topic eminently readable, and fill the pages with useful, do's, don't and "don't forgets." Their experience is evident all through the book. No book is a substitute for the right advisers and advice, but this one covers many of the crises and legal/regulatory troubles with just enough explanation to start readers on the path to the right kind of actions.

As I stated at the start: it isn't quite an insurance policy, but for $30, it might just save your reputation or your company. And that's probably the best $30 you could spend. Buy it; read it; and hope you never need it. You'll sleep better at night.

After having devoured this book, I can highly recommend reading it.

It is easy to read and offers lots of very practical advice on how to master or even prevent crisis. Richard and Larry have apparently broad experience in helping troubled companies in times of difficulties; and they share their knowledge with a good portion of humor, many real world references and examples, and very helpful appendixes.

Their emphasis on "prevention" made it clear to me how important it is for nearly every company's "survival" to anticipate the potential for crisis and to set up early the required structures. I liked in particular the reminder - or wake up call for many of us - on how important it is to become part of the blog community.

This book should be bed side lecture for everybody who manages communication on behalf of any size and type of company, in particular outside counsel, members of legal and PR departments. It is a great 1x1 on crisis management but also offers lots of depth.

I immediately thought of British Airways' management who should have read this book before opening Heathrow's new terminal and entering into disaster. They would most probably be better off today!

Stop the Presses (2nd Ed.) is a reference book, but it can only be considered a primer for anyone needing to respond to crisis and litigation. I especially like appendix. Most readers will find them helpful.

I grew up on the south side of Chicago during the 80s and had many friends who were "taggers" and got up every chance they got. They had spray-cans, hollowed-out deodorant sticks somehow replaced with ink, fat markers, Griffin, and who knows what else. Though I myself wasnt a graffiti artist or writer or tagger, this book is a great ride down memory lane for those of us who grew up on the streets. For those of us of a certain age, this book, "Subway Art", along with movies like Breakin' I AND II, Beat Street, original hip-hop and old school house music were all of a specific time and place. This book will make you want to break out the Pumas with the fat laces, bring out the tile and start back-spinnin', but it is also one of the the earliest, most definitive and detailed books on graffiti ever.

Wow, this book just took me back to my days in the Bronx and the 2 line.
All the greats are in this one..Doing those T and B's and hitting the yards, and dodging the DT's Now those were the great days of the BRONX.
Long live
MIKE170..TAV 1..ALE..AJAX..SUPER SEX..BLADE..COMET..FUZZ..POPEYE..
MIKE 170....

I started doing graff back in the late 90's; I was 14 at the time and to be honest with you; like all great writers we were all toy's at one time but has time went by and we got better with our skills, we all have read this book at one time or another. On with the book review.
This book is just simply AMAZING...you have old school pieces from the Godfather of Graffiti: SEEN, BLADE (which he has painted 5,000 trains during the golden age of the MTA in NYC; since I saw the graffiti scene on the trains at the tender age of six and seven in NYC, I was simply amazed at that age on how people could sneak in at night and do this with spray-paint but I digress), LADY PINK, and the list goes on. If your just starting out in graffit, this is a great book on to connect letters, bubble letter's, block's, and some old school color schemes, though I would not call it the Bible of Graffiti, it is pretty darn close to it. Check it out.

This classic book, along with "Broken Windows: Graffiti NYC" is all you need to know about NYC graff. Anyone up needs both of these books. Knowledge is king!

Subway Art. What can I say? This, Style Wars, Beat Street, Break Dance... they all had their influence on me (& a whole generation) back in the day.

Hip Hop isn't what it used to be, though. Most of what we hear these days is mixed up with R'n'B, commercialised, repackaged and shipped for your dissatisfaction. If you ask me... when it comes to Hip Hop, stick with the old school.

I was brought up in Melbourne, Australia, and did quite a bit of graffiti there during the 1980s. Melbourne had plenty of weird & wonderful characters who were into graff back then. The vast majority have gone their separate ways. But there's always the rare psycho who's still bombing (I'm not referring to the younger generation - but to old school dudes who are still around). There's also those who got into graphic art and made a career for themselves out of graff.

I recommend checking out some of the original Vaughn Bode cartoons for yourself through a simple Google search.

Additional to this, I recommend Getting Up: Subway Graffitti in New York" by Craig Castleman. It has some pictures of trains and so on, but it is more for the reader. A copy was stolen from a local library near me - go figure.

And if you're ever in NYC... Check out the Hall of Fame. It's located on the corner of 106th Street and Park Avenue.

Outstanding product - comparable to the New Testament version. Would recommend it to anyone studying the Old Testament in the Bible. Listening to the words while reading the scripture is a easier way to understand the meaning of the message.

I brought this for my 16 year old grandd daughter and it really holds her attention.
My wife and I listened to it also and found it very good. It held our attention.

If you have trouble reading the bible this is great it's like listening to a play being acted out, only it's the bible word for word.

I absolutely LOVE this Bible. I have had the New Testiment for almost a year now. But I couldnt find the old Testiment for the life of me at a resonable price. I got it as a Birthday gift and havent stopped listening to it since. This is a great Bible for kids to listen to before they go to sleep so that they can fall asleep to something positive and they will actully soak it up faster than reading the Bible alone. Instead of falling alseep to cartoons or anything else of this world.

I have been trying to read the bible for years; I've tried many different strategies and was unsuccessful. I am so grateful for this format. To hear all my favorite actors read and project the emotions, the background sounds of animals and the crowds are great.
The actors speak as if they are experiencing the events they are reenacting. I have a better understanding of the context of where most of the phases and exerts that I have heard of most of my life come from. I am more engaged in listening then I was in reading it myself. I would recommend this for the sheer entertainment value alone.

This book literally launched my CG animation career. I later took a class in CG animation and modeling and the tutorials in this book were in that class. Its was an excellent class, since it helped you learn the book's content is covered in 3 weeks instead of 2-3 months of night time after work animation. But this book is $30 not $2k.
What a great book. It does assume you know the basics, so learn the basics first and then dive in head first.

not even worth giving it up to my dog to chew on.

I have read several books about 3D Max but I consider this book one of the best books ! and I have learnt a lot from it ...If you want to make professional media animations logos you have to own one !

I have read several books about 3D Max but I consider this book one of the best books ! and I have learnt a lot from it ...If you want to make professional media animations logos you have to own one !

Finally a book that merges great tutorial writing and impressive content. Going through this book, I was intrigued with every sentence. Not only did I want to read what Chismar had to say but I would learn things at random times. New techniques and tricks sprawl throughout this book, were at times I even felt a little guilty getting all this info for just a few bucks. Don't keep us waiting too long for the next one, John.

This book is awesome and very readable. Being so clearly written and straight to the point, it makes for a quick read and serves as a great reference.

While geared towards a business environment, the survival guide is written from a unique perspective which gives deep insight into the psychology of managers and coworkers.

I truly wish I had "Sink or Swim" for my first job. That would have helped me to avoid so many small mistakes which I was totaly oblivious to. It's just jam packed full of useful tips which coworkers usually won't tell you.

Even after two years in my current position, I found that reading this book gave ideas to naturally improve my professional image without any major effort or changes!

Definitely recommended for any professional employee - regardless of rank.

Within the first week of starting my new job at a startup internet company, I came across this book and it made all the difference. Working at a startup can often be disjointed, especially since we didn't have an office to call our own. By incorporating some of the advice in my weekly routines, I created a structure for myself that I continue to follow. The advice was clear, concise and right on.

This is definitely a must-read for anyone starting a new job.

Pay no attention to Jeffnc, the bitter reviewer from SC! I live in SF and have no idea who the Sidells are, but this book is fascinating! Follow everything they say week by week,a nd you'll get that "This is going very well" at your 90-day review just like me! What's more, you look not only super organized with this book on your desk, but also super-conscientious....I brought this book into a one on one with the boss, and I cracked the book and said "I'd like to talk about my career goals.." she asked me what the book was...she was impressed!

"Sink or Swim" is the book that I wish I had when I started in the working world over 18 years ago! It is a simple, step-by-step tool that shows new hires how to "get it right in 12 weeks". The week-by-week approach gives individuals the opportunity to set good habits and strategies that can be applied throughout one's career. This book has been very helpful to me as an HR professional in getting my recent college graduate new hires to better engage with the company and job they accepted within it! I would highly recommend this book.

This book is perfect for new college graduates or inexperienced employees starting new jobs. Milo and Thuy Sindell provide a wealth of information about proper business conduct and etiquette, including a checklist for recommended activities during your first 12 weeks on the job. Although the material is basic and somewhat repetitive (just like a start-up job), we think the book would make a great gift for anyone who is just beginning to learn the workplace ropes.

Remarkably unflinching - Kimberly Dozier's narrative voice in "Breathing the Fire" describes her road to recovery after being seriously injured on Memorial Day 2006 by a horrific car bombing in Iraq which killed four others, including the CBS cameraman and soundman she worked alongside. In meticulous detail, Dozier dissects the details of the bombing and day-to-day decisions around her medical care and rehabilitation, and punctuates them with her observations and feelings, allowing a rare peek into the mind of someone who has survived an extremely traumatic experience. Even after she learns how to walk again and returns to the newsroom - the author learns that there is no textbook for adjusting to a "new normal" and how to respond to people as they react to seeing a walking miracle. The book sheds light on the experiences of many struggling to recover from the wounds of war. You also learn what drew her to journalism and led her to be a foreign correspondent in a war zone. Readers are introduced to a wealth of supportive people who played pivotal roles in her recovery - from Iowa National Guardsman Staff Sgt. Jeremy Coke who tied the tourniquet on her leg after the bombing that saved her life, to her friends at CBS, innumberable medical and rehab personnel, her parents, and her boyfriend, Pete. Destined to become one of the critical memoirs chronicling the Iraq War.

I started reading this book and could not put it down. It is an inspiring work. Ms. Dozier has given the reader an honest appraisal of her experience to heal herself and heal the many others broken by the ravages of this war. Her story is told in a bipartisan manner, not at all political and should be read by all soldiers and all who care about our soldiers.

We all know war is not pretty and people get injured and killed. This book really brings home the reality of how those catastrophic injuries affect the lives of the injured. It also shows the incredible courage of Kimberly and her family as she recovers from her injuries and made me think we are not doing enough for our injured vets.

I would not have read this book had my husband not seen an interview on TV and bought it for me. What a loss that would have been. Kimberly puts you in Iraq, in the hospitals and therapy plus shares exactly what it was like for her both mentally and emotionally. I am definitely passing this book along to friends.

I read this book thinking, "I am not sure if I can relate to this". War stories are not my reading genre of choice. But, I had met Kim over the phone one day and so received an e-mail from her letting me and all her address book addressees that her book had been published. So, I ordered one from Amazon not quite knowing what to expect. This book is so NOT a war story. It is the courageous story of a woman with a goal who achieved that goal, a goal which led her into combat where a life-changing event changed her life forever, as well as so many other lives. I was drawn in the moment I started reading. Kim's writing is clear, concise, factual, with just the right amount of emotion and personality. She lets people in to her very personal yet very public experience without a hint of self pity or any reference to a "poor me" attitude. The book is an inspiring one about a woman of intelligence, bravery, dedication, and love who dared to follow her dream, went through a nightmare, and is today a source of strength to people chasing a dream or living with their own struggle.