Programs Books

I am entering this review to pick an argument with those who gives the book 4, 3, or 2 stars, based on their opinions to the tune of "yes, I quit smoking, but the book is horribly written", "...there are so many repetitions", "...the logic is faulty at places".

As if there were so many other (working!) books on the market, so many (working!) methods to stop smoking, that nobody should be subject to suffering through a less-than-perfectly-written book just to get rid of the habit. As if there weren't a huge pharmaceutical industry supposed to help people stop smoking (but not helping). As if thousands of physicians, hypnotists, acupuncturists, etc., etc., hadn't built their careers around our addiction to nicotine. As if many people weren't spending thousands of dollars on Nicorette, nicotine patches, hypnosis sessions, etc., with no lasting success.

Dear Smoker! If you are looking for a rigorous study of smoking/stopping smoking, or for a piece of fine reading on the subject, look elsewhere.

It absolutely SHOULDN'T MATTER to you how well the book is written. What does matter is that it works. While reading the book, there were moments when I thought the author was insulting my intelligence. A couple of times I wondered whether the publisher's main goal was saving on editors, so many repetitions and logic faults were "missed". All the reviewers who say "I quit but..." have their facts after "but" correct.

However, it's obvious that the book is written this way ON PURPOSE. It aims not at winning your admiration for the author's mastery of words, but at HAVING you stop smoking. That goal appears to get achieved in the vast majority of cases. And the way it's achieved is not by giving the reader the scientific info on smoking or telling anecdotes about successful quitters. It sort of re-tools the way the reader-smoker thinks about smoking and the process of quitting. For that the author employs methods of NLP (Neuro-linguistic programming). THAT'S WHY the text may seem weird to many readers.

My 5 stars go not to the author's style, not to the scientific facts presented in the book, but to the product that HAD GOT me stop smoking. That's after many attempts over a decade, using nearly all other well known methods. Had it been not a book but a pill, an injection, a nursery rhyme, or a hit on the back of my head with a club, had it cost not $10 but $1000, it would still get 5 stars from me and would still be worth the money.

This book made my mother stop smoking this past Februray. She's 58 years old, and smoked since her early teens. She was diagnosed with COPD (chronic obstrutic pulmonary disease) due to smoking on 6-06-06. Ironically between that date and being told that diagnosis and placed on Albuterol inhaler she only quit for a month. She continued- and her conditioned worsened when she came down with a bought of routine bronchitis that was inches away from walking phenumonea. Her lungs could not fight it off anymore. To top it off, The albuterol inhalers were reformulated and lost their effectivenss for some persons. After going into the doctors again for her bronchitis (I had to drag her there), and being placed on an excellent new medication for COPD called Spiriva, AND, convincing her to read this book- SHE QUIT, AND her lungs are dramatically improved within just several months time. She could even cut in half her other medications, and practically eliminated one altogether. Her phlem, cough- all that is better. She should have done this years ago. I'm 31 years old and I remember this was going to be a Christmas presant to me when I was 12. I feel through my persistence in taking her to the doctors (she is just not one to be worried about things like this as crazy as it sounds), getting her on that Spiriva, and me researching this site on this wonderful book FINALLY got through to her that these things are nothing but life destroyers. I believe you should quit not just because you know you should, but because you truly WANT to. Never give up on somebody or yourself for that matter. It can take a long time- but in this case persistance paid off- and this was MY Christmas presant to her.

I strongly recommend this book. My friend gave me this book when she quit after reading the book. I quit the minute I finished reading the book. Another friend of mine also did. I buy this book when I want to pass it on to a smoker friend of mine.

I read this book years ago and was very disappointed. The basic idea is that the tobacco companies are lying to you and you are lying to yourself thinking that you like to smoke and if you just realize this you will magically want to quit. I should probably give this book 2 stars since Carr was crafty enough to make millions on this book.

I was given a copy of this book during the first month or two of 2007. After I let it sit on my night stand for 2-3 weeks, I finally got around to reading it. I made up my mind to give it a real chance by following the instructions/suggestions exactly. The book could easily be read in just a day or two, but I managed to drag it out over a couple of weeks. Even though I took it slowly, I did follow Carr's instructions (such as don't try to quit before finishing the book and never try cutting back before quitting, among others). He gives you a different perspective on the process of quitting that (for me, at least) worked surprisingly well. I selected a Monday afternoon two days after I finished the book to quit. To add a measure of insurance, I smoked two final cigarettes instead of one and smoked them quickly, back-to-back (to make sure the last cigarette I smoked would not be a pleasant memory). That was it. It's been over a year since I gained my freedom from smoking (after over 38 years of a pack a day). It was much easier than I thought it would be and this was due to the perspective I gained from reading Carr's book. I purchased another copy for my older brother a few weeks ago and hope he too will soon be rid of the addiction.

There is a reason that there are 200+ reviews for "heal your headache."
Pick up this book, and you feel like you've walked into a doctors office, the doctor is smiling at you, doesnt judge your years of persistent pain, really WANTS to help you, and most importantly ---has answers to all your questions, and KNOWS WHATS WRONG WITH YOU.
I am not yet headache free, I'm actually in a painful 2 weeks of withdrawl having given up caffeine, all drugs and alcohol (ok I lapsed once on maxalt but now i've thrown them all out), diet coke, and everything else on the list. Its especially hard because I'm a vegetarian, but with careful planning ahead, its actually a fun challenge to find recipes that work. Shallots or scallions instead of onions! I exercise regularly (when my head doesnt hurt) and i get my 7 hrs sleep. I figure 3 months of this diet is worth it if I can get my life back, if I can start planning weekends again, and accept invitations without wondering: but what if I get a headache? Thankyou, Dr you've really helped me. Whether I identify my triggers or not, your book makes nothing but sense and has given me hope that controlling my migraines is finally within my grasp.

I ordered this the same day I ordered the book on migraines and magnesium. I read the magnesium book first and started taking supplements, which helped immediately. Then I read this book one day when I was home sick, and immediately implemented the diet and stopped taking all my medications. Cold turkey. Yes, it sucked. I missed Diet Coke and coffee so much.

But very quickly, I was able to id what my triggers were. I have gradually worked a few of my favorite things back in. Yes, the diet is hard to follow, at first it seems like there is nothing you can eat! But with some diligence, it becomes easier. And I also lost a lot of weight quickly on the diet.

For me, the triggers I found were nitrates and MSG, which I did not know were in almost all restaurant food. That leaves me with only eating fresh food, basically....And wow, it tastes good.

I started the mild exercise and being diligent about getting rest as well. I like to work out a lot harder than "mild" exercise, so this is hard for me...but I hope to be able to work up to more exercise eventually. At any rate, it was worth any sacrifice to me to get rid of the pain that was ruining my life.

I recommend this book and the book on magnesium and migraines. You can get your life back and stop writhing in pain and nausea! I haven't had a migraine in over a month and I was getting them at least two times a week, often more, for 20 years.

I started getting headaches around the age of 9 from what I can remember and they prgressively got worse as I got older. In my early 20s I can remember having a headache every day. If I didn't have a headache, I wondered what was wrong. If I woke up without a headache I was sure to have one by the time I went to bed. I really had no clue as to what caused these headaches so often and they left me rather depressed and feeling hopeless. I missed work alot and I missed out on alot of good times with friends and family simply because I just didn't feel good. My headaches came with a wide varity of symptoms including nausia, vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, muscle tenderness, and an overall inability to focus. My mother used BC Powders constantly and I found for myself that BCs were about the only thing that would give me some relief. I had tried going to the ER and even the family doctor but they only offered short term fixes. I had also learned from my own experience and from other people and doctors that chocolate, caffine, and nuts could cause head aches and sometimes they did. It was very hard to pin point any one food because I seemed to always have a headache.

My mother called me one day and told me about this book. I was 24 years old when I first read it and it literally changed my life. I will tell you now though that what this book tells you you should do in order to get rid of your headaches is not easy. But I have to honestly say that if you will be willing to make some major changes in your diet, you will get your head pain under control. You also have to be willing to stop using quick headache fixes like BCs and Emitrex because these medications cause rebound.

I was at a point where I was willing to do ANYTHING to stop my headaches. I was amazed that 99% of them came from food and as ready as I was to make whatever changes it took, I still struggled. It took me about 2 years before I put a real belief in what this man has to say about your diet and your headaches. It took so long because I was really in denial, I didn't want to give up things like ice cream (milk is a big trigger for me) or tomatos. (I love pasta) Vinigar was another big one that took me a very long time to let go of. Now that I am able to be fully honest with myself about my headaches and my diet, I only suffer from headaches about once or twice a month and that's amazing considering I used to have a headache on a daily basis.

I am sure this book would be helpful to anyone who gets headaches more than they would like to. If you get headaches alot, be prepared to have to take some serious responsibility for yourself! It's worth it in the end.

Anyone who suffers from migraine headaches should read this book and try Dr. Buchholz's program. I have had migraine headaches for the last ten years. Things were getting worse with the medications to relieve the headaches providing relief followed by rebound in an endless cycle. This program broke the cycle and I believe that anyone who wants to get relief from migraines should read this book and try the program. It will help!

I am 32 and have had headaches consistently since I was a kid. I always thought it was due to neck or back problems and had no idea that the foods I was eating and the headache medication I was taking was most of the problem. Since reading this book I have gone from having a headache almost every night to having only one or two headaches a month. The key for me has been following most of the dietary changes Dr. Buchholz recommends, and getting off of the migrane prescription medication I'd been taking.
Dr. Buchholz' system is based on his years of experience as a neurologist. The book begins by explaining his view that nearly all headaches are migranes and that even though it may seem like our headache is due to sore neck muscles or tension, that the tenseness we feel is actually a neurological symptom of the headache itself. He then goes on to outline how we can reduce our occurrance of headaches by eliminating or reducing certain foods in our diet. I had no idea that any foods were giving me a headache, but I learned from this book that many times the migrane will come hours after we've consumed those foods, so it's difficult to tell what caused it. I can't recommend this book highly enough. I never though I would have the quality of life that I have now, and it's worth it, even though I have eliminated some foods I really loved.

This is the ultimate Simpsons fan's book. It has all of The Simpsons seasons 1-8 in air-order, so you won't have any problem finding them. There are a lot of pictures and colors as well. There are even a list of Homer's D'ohs, Couch Gags, and Chalkboard Gags for every episode. This is well worth the money you pay for it; definitely should be bought by any simpaholic.

I bought this book when it first came out, and have re-read it often (fully, and partially) since then. It is an excellent reference for any "Simpsons" fan for the first eight seasons of the show. The pages are full of episode summaries, quotes, and trivia facts from the show. It also offers profiles of characters, and a list of who does what voice. A great source if you cannot remember what guest celebrity voiced a character or any other information like that. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys the "Simpsons" and wants to know more about the episodes.

Almost everything you could ever think to ask about The Simpsons is in this book. What was Bart writing on the chalkboard in "that one episode"? It's in here. The plots, inside jokes, behind the scenes tales and more await in this excellent resource for fans. This book harkens from the Conan O'Brien-era prime of the series, up to about the late 90's, when the quality (sadly) slipped big time. This was the golden age of The Simpsons, back before the series "became a cartoon." (Anyone who was a fan back in the day knows just what I mean.)

The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family is probably the best book on the Simpsons that I've read. It includes, and I am taking this right from the cover, characters, episodes, and secret jokes you might have missed from seasons 1 thru 8. The book was created by Matt Groening and edited by Ray Richmond. It details each episode and even has extras: The Shorts; Homer Says, "D'oh..."; Homer Says, "Mmm..."; Couch Gags; Seen around Springfield; An Itchy & Scratchy Filmography; Who Does What Voice; and Merchandising, Thy Name Is Krusty.

The books dedication even reads:
TO THE LOVING MEMORY OF
SNOWBALL I:
WE HOPE THAT
THEY CHANGE YOUR CATBOX
IN KITTY HEAVEN MORE OFTEN
THAN WE DID DOWN HERE.

My favorite saying in the book is on p. 64, "When Flanders Failed":
"Hey, Barteleeboobely, care for a steak-a-rooney?" Homer, to Bart as he cooks on the grill that used to belong to Fladners.

I definetly reccomend purchasing this book.

It is hard pressed to find anyone who does not like the animated series "The Simpsons". "The Simpsons" is one of the longest running tv series and one of the funniest tv series in history. Unfortunately the last few seasons have been rather inconsistent and lacks the creativity and magic of the earlier episodes, nevertheless the show is a lot smarter and cutting edge than most tv series nowadays. Thank heavens I can relieve the earlier episodes with this official guide to the popular tv series. "The Simpsons: a complete guide to our favorite family" covers the first eight seasons. This is a really excellent comprehensive guide to the show. As a big fan of the first several seasons, I love this book. I loved reading all of the couch gags from the first eight seasons. I didn't realize there was so many until I read them all. I also dug reading the highlights of each episode. I also loved reading the brief bios on the lesser known but equally funny characters like Cletus, Tattoo Annie, and Lionel Hutz. There is a great list of the actors and the cbaracters that they give life to. If you love "The Simpsons" and the first eight seasons, this book is a must have. It is a true testament to Matt Groening as well as the legacy of the show.

This book must be required reading for anyone developing in C++. I count this book as essential as Bjarne Stroustrup's "The C++ Programming Language"; these two books are a necessity.

Mr. Stroustrup's book could be considered a technical reference to the C++ language. This book I consider as a technical reference for how to use the C++ language.

The book was well written. I found the book to be easy to read and the index to be exhaustive enough for the book to be used as a quick reference.

Is this a great book? I have been asking myself that question ever since I found out that Scott Meyers does not write (or has not written for a long time) production code in C++. With that said, book is a great theoretical treatise on how to make your C++ code better but it is not a "cookbook" which will be immediately useful in day to day tasks. This is not necessarily a bad thing; such approach will encourage deeper understanding of issues at hand and that will lead to better code.

A good book in an informal language to take a look at the most importance topics to avoid many common errors during the programming in C++. Widely used in the industry.

By far one of the best books I own. It really is a must-have.

This is a great book which covers a lot of useful topics for every C++ professional. I have been programming in C++ for a while so some of the topics Scott Mayers discussed were already familiar but I still picked up a lot from this book. From a beginner to intermediate programmer, this is a must have. Advanced programmers probably have this book already (or its previous editions). Otherwise, if you bought this in order to learn something new then you are not really "advanced", are you?

This book assumes that you already used C++ and understand its fundamentals. Scott's goal is not to teach the fundamentals but to advice readers on how to use the language effectively - generating good, efficient, re-usable, portable code. On this goal, he was successful. Its pretty much like when I was learning Japanese. I understood the fundamentals and word translations but in order to effectively communicate in that language, I had to be familiar with proper sentence construction, various formalities (some words are not appropriate for certain settings or people) and word dynamics as well. In a sense, this book (or Scott) is your sensei to good C++ programming.

Some more suggested reading to complement Scott Mayer's series:
Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series)
and
Modern C++ Design: Generic Programming and Design Patterns Applied (C++ In-Depth Series)

I am only about half way through this book and already have learned numerous things about the design of Java as a language and about proper usage of said language. This book is going to be a staple in my programming library and a book recommended to anyone I know working with Java. I am also looking forward to the second edition which is slated to be released in May sometime.

An indispensable, insightful, and well written Java book to add to your reference library. The second addition is due out May 25, 2008.

I ask all of the developers I manage to read this book, after having been introduced to it by a coworker. Great tips, and helpful in clarifying some of those "gut feel" things that come up during pair-programming.

It is incredible to read Joshua's insights. Forget about being a Java Guru or something like that. This book is pure joy to read if you are detail oriented, perfectionist or a student of art of programming in general.

I have started this effort of creating a distilled version of this book coupled with my own reflections at: [...]. To any curious reader though, any such effort is not a replacement for the book itself. It is a masterpiece.

- Kedar Mhaswade

I've been using Java since 1995 and have owned this book since 2001 and it's the only Java text I still turn to. I recommend every Java developer, no matter what level you're at, read this book and read it again every year for the remainder of your career. I doesn't matter who you are or how experienced you think you are -- you will learn from this book. I give "Effective Java" my highest recommendation. I cannot wait for the Second Edition.

I love Camryn Mannheim and her book. I'd give this a 4.5 if I could, because since she wrote the book, she's lost quite a bit of weight and puts the reasoning for it on being a mother.

I hated it when Carnie Wilson went from being a NAAFA member and spokesperson for loving yourself at any size to being obsessed with being thin. She's admitted to lying about why she had WLS and has made a snootful of money pimping it to others. She has been a major factor in the deaths of hundreds of (mostly) women who didn't make it after the surgery and her recommendation of it.

And I am very saddened by Mannheim's abandonment of her principals of fat-acceptance and the people who have supported her and her book.

Isn't there anyone out there who will stay committed to the cause and not cave in when someone runs some cash under their noses or threatens their career if they don't lose weight?

Ack. Love the book. Disappointed in Mannheim today.

I just happened into a copy of the book when I had a little time to kill, then I could hardly put it down. I enjoyed the book and the many reviews that have been written here. I normally write reviews on obscure books where there are only a few, if any, reviews so this is different for me and I doubt if i have too much to add. Beyond the self acceptance theme that has been much reviewed (I have fat issues and support Camryn's views (mostly)), I liked the book on many other levels. Of course I liked the humor and human interest of growing up in America. The struggle for success story is good too. I especially liked the unconventional approach to the book itself. Frnakly, I did not much the Cammy--fat dialogs, but I liked many of the other, unusual things like asides and notes to herself and others throughout. There were other quirky approaches that I really liked too. I really like the book and recommend it highly.

After reading the past reviews, I wonder if I'm the only man who read this book. The first thing that caught my eyes, I'll be honest, was the cover picture. Camryn is a gorgeous woman with very nice legs. She is also a person of deep character, who has persevered and triumphed despite the prejudices of our shallow society. She relates her struggles in a moving way, but avoids the whining, "why is the world so unfair?" tone that unfortunately characterizes some similiar works. If you want a glimpse into the mind of a powerful, beautiful and intoxicatingly magnificent woman, then you will enjoy this book.

Camryn Manheim is an sassy, award-winning actress and laugh-out-loud funny. This book is a personal account of her experiences of fat-ism and her journey to self-acceptance.

Manheim is a natural storyteller and, being overweight myself, there was a lot here to relate to, but although I enjoyed the book, there were no groundbreaking revelations for me here ... though it does make a pretty strong case against society's obsession with being thin, this book is in no way a "self-help" book (to be fair, it doesn't claim to be) and it didn't help me to "make peace" with my fat. It did however make me laugh a lot and that's reason enough to encourage others to read it!

Thank you Camryn, for speaking out for big women everywhere.

Camryn Manheim is a fat activist. Her experiences in a world where people are literally dying to be thin include getting in to the NYU Masters of Fine Arts program, gracing the cover of "fat" magazines such as Radiance and winning an Emmy for her performance on The Practice. She is a likeable, mature and attractive woman who has fought passionately for what she believes in. But does that make one a good author? In Manheim's case, it damn well does.

"Wake up, I'm fat," is a hilarious, bittersweet page-turner. This socially critical memoir mainly deals with one individual's struggles on growing up in our superficial world. Anyone who has ever felt like an outsider, be it because of their race, religion or looks, will immediately be able to relate to the amiable narrator.

Manheim manages to be honest about the ugly underbelly of today's beauty image and her struggles without sounding whiny. She uses dark humor and clever prose to describe how she got to where she is today.

Subjects such as erotic weight gain or personal ads are also dealt with in this book. They may make the reader feel slightly squeamish at first, but ultimately they just make this book a more interesting read. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about "the underdog being on top" or who simply likes a good story told well.

To review this book I will divide it into two parts.

The first part is the story of Charlie's Angels from it's very first inception when it was about three "freelance crimefighters" calling themselves The Alley Cats to the final days of shooting when the show closed it production for good. There are a lot of interesting backstage tell-alls going on here featuring just about everyone connected with the show. We also have some pretty objectionable opinions on storylines and the direction of the series, as well as some pretty honest quotes from those that were involved. Very little was held back which makes this book an interesting read, but on the negative side there were a few cases which, unfortunately, sounded like one-sided gossip.
Example #1: the book, of course includes the story of Farrah Fawcett's abrupt decision to not return for season 2 and her subsequent lawsuit settlement which required her to make six more appearances. When she returned to film those episodes, she was "not warm to anyone," according to Cheryl Ladd. "She did not want to be there." Unfortunately, Fawcett was not interviewed for this book, therefore her side of the story was not included.
Example #2: Kate Jackson became increasingly unhappy with the direction of the show and by seasons 2 & 3, she started making a lot of demands which added a lot of tension to the set. Additionally, she apparently was not happy with the hiring of Ladd and the two actresses did not get along very well throughout the two years they filmed the show together. However, Jackson was not interviewed for this book, therefore her side of the story is not included.
In fact, one of the authors admits to having been friends with Jaclyn Smith for many years, and perhaps that is why the book is full of current quotes from Smith and Ladd, while anything from Jackson and Fawcett were lifted from previously published interviews printed while the show was still in production. Suspiciously, the story of how the network wanted to fire Smith after the pilot episode (and Aaron Spelling's fight to keep her on) is missing.
Anyhow, the book is still an interesting read, including the sections featuring Shelley Hack and Tanya Roberts. There are also brief resumes done on everybody associated with the series in their respective chapters. Kudos to that!

The second part of the book is an episode guide followed by commentary featuring small trivia and tidbits. The description of the episodes read more like an extended description you'd see in TV guide: enough to set up the plot but leaving enough out to not give anything away. In this case, I think that was wrong and made this section a very boring read. The authors should have included full synopsis from each episode (from beginning to end) - there'd be no need to fear that they would be spoiling anything since anyone who buys a book like this would've seen all the episodes anyway. Still, the commentary is interesting, making notes of notable guests stars and small little tidbits that you never knew, like: only in ONE episode of the entire five year run did all three angels appear in bathing suits together in one shot. Now that's trivia for the thinking man.

The bottom line is that the book should probably be taken for the same amount of entertainment that the TV show should be taken as - some shallow storylines mixed with some really good ones making for some guilty pleasures.

This is a great book. I'm a huge fan of the series and Farrah Fawcett. It's a great book for fans of the hit TV show,from the actresses profiles to the series episode guide and commentary. Great pictures too!

If you are a Charlies Angels fan, then this book is a must. It is full of everyhting you need to know about the show and the beautiful ladies that made the show a hit. Oh and let's not forget Bosley "David Doyle". I loved this show from the day it debuted til the last episode. I have also been a longtime pen pal to one of the authors Jack Condon Who I know for fact has met each one of the Angels personally and is friends with Jaclyn Smith. So I truly recommend this book to all Angels fans because, trust me Mr. Condon knows his Angels.

Ok I love Charlies angels as much as the next... but this book is lame. Just as I watched each week enjoying yet hoping the plots would get better this book is the same. Just reading and waiting for it to get better.
Basically there is nothing you havent heard before. I would sell my copy for a buck plus shipping.

This is such a fun book! Lots of rare photos of all cast members. I really enjoyed the stories and anecdotes from all the personal interviews with the different cast members. This book obviously took lots of time and effort to compile.
I was won over in the first few pages where proper hommage is paid to the Angels' predecessors in female crime-fighting : Anne Francis as Honey West and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel. Charlie's Angels was perhaps ground-breaking but these 2 women broke the ground for the Angels in the previous decade. After this bit of history, it was evident that the author really knows his subject matter.
Just tons of fun facts in this book! Nice filmographies of each cast member and a very cool reference section on all the merchandise created for the show.
There is also a review of each episode of the show. This may be my favorite part as the author points out various bloopers or script inconsistencies that make the show all the more endearing. I didn't know that Rossano Brazzi was an Olympic athelete! The only drawback about his book is that it's so much fun to read that it leaves you wanting more! Thanks for a job well-done Jack!

Very informative, and a lot of fun.

Along with brief episode descriptions and information there is a whole lot more fun stuff to be found in this look at the first couple of seasons of the tv show.

Informations on the various quips and references made by the characters, and also some quotable quotes will come in handy for fans, no doubt about it.

Plenty of other bits and pieces following the characters and their relationships.

Good stuff.

The watcher guides are great. But The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008 contains things even they missed. For Buffy collectors the Watchers Guides are must have and great reads. But for the avid fanatical BtVS fan who wants it all I highly recommend The Big Book Of Buffy Bites 2008. This book is up to date (2008 and season 8 info), and contains everything you could possibly want to know about Buffy the Vampire Slayer...and more. One feature I have not seen in any other book, is a detailed time line of all the slayers...from the First Slayer...all the way to Buffy. This was a pleasant surprise.

This isnt the best book if you're looking for a behind the scenes one. But it is great when it comes to quotes. Behind the Scenes is more in the 2nd volume.

This has an excellent array of quotes from seasons 1 and 2(which is what this book covers). It also has pretty good episode reviews, with some deleted scenes usually showing up along with some unknown facts.

But it also has some information that I found boring, which included a tour of Sunnydale.

But on the whole, not to bad of a book.

I like the books by Kenneth Topping a lot more than the official guides. They are more fun, more informative, and because they aren't "official" can be fans more than authors maintaining an official relationship with the show. But having said that, this and its companion volume are both really informative. And although I knew all the quotes anyway, it was a lot of fun reading them all. The best part of the book is the interviews with people you normally don't hear as much about, like set designers and associate producers and such.

Any serious fan of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER will want this book on their shelf, along with its sequel THE WATCHER'S GUIDE II. The first volume contains a wealth of information about the first two seasons, while the second does the same for Seasons Three and Four. Unfortunately, there has not yet appeared a volume for the last three seasons. Hopefully that will be forthcoming.

These volumes are valuable for a variety of reasons. First, the early sections give a summation of each major character along with a collection of humorous quotations. It then proceeds to an episode-by-episode summation, which is great because it provides a lot of information that is otherwise not that easy to obtain. But far and away the best part of the book--for me, anyway--is the final section, which contains a host of great and informative interviews with actors, directors, writers, and technical folk. This final section is great because while Joss Whedon is widely acknowledged to be the main creative force behind BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, he has always ruled with a light hand. BUFFY is clearly a team effort, and it is great to see the roles the various team players play in the construction of the series.

Although the final episode of BUFFY has been shot, I hope this won't dissuade the publishers from producing a final WATCHER'S GUIDE to cover the final three seasons. I ardently believe that BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER is the new STAR TREK. Just as STAR TREK managed to attract more and more new fans over the decades, I believe that BUFFY will have an ever expanding fan base, as more and more people are persuaded to give it a try. The shows of the seven seasons will be in syndication for years, each season will be available on DVD within the next year and a half, and spin offs like ANGEL and the other projects that have been mentioned will keep the interest in BUFFY alive for years.

This book was first published in 1993 and like with all Simpsons' merchandise and books back then changes to the show over time have left these items a bit dated. Published three years after Do the Bartman swept to the top of the charts this book represents The Simpsons' in the early 90s, when the show was more about Bart rather than Homer. Bart had a lot of catchphrases which have not continued onto modern times which are in this book for example in the first lines Bart speaks to the reader as he introduces forgery he tell us "Okay, Listen up man!" Obviously he no longer talks like this so the vocabulary of Bart is a bit dated but the Matt Groening humour isn't.

Bart teachers the reader about personal enrichment through his eyes teaching us how to cope with the different aspects of life such as School, Food, Health, Money, Work, Parents, Art, Culture, Science, Psychology to name but a few of the vast topics covered. Like the vocabulary a lot of other characters hadn't become mainstream or even created in the first few seasons when this book came out so in the school yard there are a lot of illustrations of kid characters we are unfamiliar with but these are little things in no way retract from the overall enjoyment of this book. With the book being so old too, like I did you'll probably find it for a cheap price in many a second hand book shop.

Bart Simpson's Guide to life is a wee handbook for the perplexed to learn how to get through life the way Bart does it. It includes scenes with other family members too like Lisa, Homer, Marge, Maggie, and of course Bart. It has different subjects including school, love, money, food, and after hours. The funniest scenes are forgery, how to cheat in school, and Bart's Dream Bedroom. My personal favorite scene is Bart's Dream Bedroom because it has a bunch of stuff in it that I like including an observatory with an intergalactic telescope, a wrestling celebrity bedtime reader, a personal fridge stocked with junk food, a giant comic book collection along the walls, a Spinal Tap World Tour poster, an electronic automatic wardrobe selector, a private basketball court, an E=MC2 snooze time sleep helper, a heavy metal band alarm clock, an alien life form chart, a Tinkle-Matic TM bed wetting sheet absorber, a waterbed with piranhas in it, a 50" thick lead door with a giant ant farm in it, two guard dogs in front of it, a little sister early warning detection system, and a thumbprint identifying lock.

Not really. In addition to MAD magazine, this book was integral in my life as a kid through high school. It was given to me by my mom many years ago and I still keep it on the shelf next to my "big kid" books. It is fun to pull out and read a few pages from time to time. Heaven vs. Hell, Sex, Money, School, and everything in between.

This book taught me what auf Wiedersehen means. Go ahead, wiki it.

If you are a Simpsons fan, this is an important addition to your collection especially if you are like me and grew up watching the show.

Bart Simpson's Guide to Life is undoubtadly one of the best books to be based on The Simpsons that I have read.

The laughs keep on coming all the way through to the last page thanks to Matt Groening's pointed wit and satirical look at modern life.

A must for every Simpsons fan.

Not only is Bart Simpson's guide to life funny it also has great drawings, and comical jokes, such as the ingredient list on the back of the book. Buy it and you'll be reading it over and over again!

This is a great book, with one rather glaring error. Under the SETI entry, there is a picture of Pioneer's plaque. On the plaque, the Pioneer appears to be launched from the second planet from the sun. As we all know, the probe was launched from the third planet, Earth.

The COMPLETE encyclopedia of Star Trek info. A must for those fans who want to ensure an exhaustive Star Trek knowledge base.

If you consider yourself a Trekkie or just someone who is truely intersted in Star Trek this Encyclopedia is a must buy period.It has insight to every facet of the Series.From the Original to Voyager you'll know details to everything.You'll won't be able to just glance through it once.I consider myself a huge Trekkie and like to think I know alot about the Shows,but I'll find myself amazed when I discover details about a certain charecter of Episodes I've forgotten or never knew exsisted.Especially interesting is the Timeline parts of the book,The breakdowns of Ship commisions and Designs,information about Actors,Cuisine,backstories of Charecters.You name it and they have everything about it...well almost everything.

You have to realize this fact before buying this Encyclopedia is that it was made in 1999.It's been 9 Years.Alot of History has happened in Star Trek since then and if you don't realize this now,you'll be disapointed to discover that to information about Deep Space Nine's last Season,the last 2 Seasons of Voyager,The whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.All of this information is non-exsistant.And just imagine the frustration of people who actually owned this book through the years and reread it wishing it had all this wealth of new information.I honestly can't comprehend why Pocket Books would not release the Book with all of this missing information availible.Or make a CD-Rom of it.

This might sound like I'm ragging on the Book,but that would be impossible to do.Wiether or not this info is in this paticular Book doesn't really matter,because it extensively covers in scrutinizing detail of all the Series up to Deep Space Nine Last Season,Voyager's last 2 Seasons,the whole of Enterprise and Star Trek Nemesis.And believe me you'll be more than satisfied with that alone.

So,most definately buy this now and enjoy it and you will.But just realize it's outdated and once you do that then you can truely enjoy this Encyclopedia the way the Publisher intended you enjoy it:with wonderment and fun.

I bought this book in 2003, and it covered most of the bases then, but only the movies through 1998 ("Insurrection" IIRC; "Nemesis" is not covered.), and the 5th season of Voyager. It just covered the last season of DS9. And of course it has none of the "Enterprise" series.

There have also been events such as the Paramount auction of all the series and movie paraphernalia since then, and that could be a chapter all by itself.

I came on Amazon today expecting to see a new and updated version for sale, and was disappointed that the old edition is still all that's available.

Michael and Denise Okuda know everything there is to know about ST, and are the perfect people to update this. If I were shopping today for the first time I would say wait for the new edition, but buy a used paperback 1999 just to see what it's all about.

Keeping my fingers crossed that someone sees the demand for an updated version!

Nothing on the end of Voyager's Delta Quadrant wanderings? Nothing on Enterprise's backstory additions and newly-created anachronisms? Both this book and the related Star Trek Chronology need serious revamping. I appreciate the Okuda's insider Trekker style, but this reeks of willful blindness!