Resources Books

After readying this marvelous book, I found that Linux and Ubuntu is for everyone. Linux should not be a problem, if one follows this book and reads it cover to cover. This is a well written book that everyone should have, even for future reference. It goes into detail explaining every single topic regarding the Linux Ubuntu Desktop Edition 8.04 (Hardy Heron) and it does it in a concise and easy matter. I sincerely recommend it to everyone who wants to get into the Linux world, without reading nonsense technicalities that does not amount to anything.

Item was in great shape (infact it was new). Very fast delivery.
Would purchase from them again.

I was very uncomfortable with the idea of using linux but I wanted to try something new and this book really eases you into the process of learning to use linux without being overwhelming. It explains everything in easy to understand 'non-geek' language and is a good starting point if you want to learn more about linux and are a traditional windows user. After reading this book, I purchased many ubuntu and other linux distro books to help me understand linux more but I do not think I would have understood them that well if I had not read this book first. I would highly recommend it to "newbies".

It is nice to be able to look up the problems you come up against in a new OS. This book is well done and has been very useful for my conversion to Linux. It even came with a Hardy CD.

I wrote my original review for a discussion forum at:
http://www.certforums.co.uk/forums/thread26912.html

Not too long ago, I reviewed The Official Ubuntu Book, Third Edition published by Prentice Hall (July 13, 2008). The thing about reviewing a later edition of an already successful book, is that you need to make sure it updates to the current version of whatever it's describing, which in this case is Ubuntu 8.04, the Hardy Heron. I dinged the Benjamin Mako Hill, et al. book, primarily because it didn't address readers who were already dedicated Ubuntu users and who needed to know the ins and outs of upgrading vs. doing a clean install. I've since learned (and it wasn't addressed in the Prentice Hall book) that there actually is a direct upgrade patch from 6.06 to 8.04 (and this information was a little hard to come by). I needed that information, because performing that upgrade was the task I needed to perform. Rickford Grant's third edition book arrived at my home yesterday. How will this book appeal to the complete Ubuntu newbie vs. the experienced "non-geek" with upgrade needs?

Bottom line for "upgrade" people is that Grant dropped the ball as far as continuing to address his earlier readers who want to learn how to turn our "aging" Ubuntus into brand new Hardy Herons. I highly recommend picking up this text if you've never used Ubuntu before and have a burning need to learn how Ubuntu 8.04 will benefit you on the desktop (and it really will). For those of us with a few years of Ubuntu under our belts and who want to upgrade what we've already got, I guess http://ubuntuforums.org is the best place for us to get clued in.

Don't leave home without it! Make a difference in your world, but do it right the first time. Eaton and Hurst use their experience to guide the reader through every aspect of a vacation with a purpose to a developing world.

That's the only word to describe this book - for both leaders and team members. VWAP is always one step ahead, because they have 'been there' and 'done that'. From first-timers to experienced missions teams, this book is a MUST. It is THE way to maximize your group's mission trip experience.

That's the only word to describe this book - for both leaders and team members. VWAP is always one step ahead, because they have 'been there' and 'done that'. From first-timers to experienced missions teams, this book is a MUST. It is THE way to maximize your group's mission trip experience.

Very "real world", comprehensive guide to experiencing and leading a short-term mission team. My experience with it came from two trips to Bolivia. The first as a team member, and the second as a team leader. Both times I found it to be an invaluable resource for preparing myself and others as we ventured into a totally foreign culture.

Easy, we thought. Our church wanted to do a short-term mission trip. We had eager participants, all ready and willing to "go". We just didn't know what to do... or even where to go ... we'd never done this before!! Yikes!! To the rescue ... Vacations with a Purpose!!! The VWAP leaders manual provided insight from people who had lead teams before, practical training ideas and a checklist to get us started.

I recommend this book for those just getting started with short-term missions, as well as to those who want to learn how to do better teams.

Finally a book for organizations that is filled with stories of "right" practices! Izzo & Withers have successfully identified four of the natural forces facing today's world of work and six emerging values shifts based on generational differences.

An excellent tool for all HR professionals, leaders within organizations or consultants interested in developing the "best" in people and systems.

I would highly recommend this book as an additional to anyone's "favorite" bookshelf.

Finally a book for organizations that is filled with stories of "right" practices! Izzo & Withers have successfully identified four of the natural forces facing today's world of work and six emerging values shifts based on generational differences.

An excellent tool for all HR professionals, leaders within organizations or consultants interested in developing the "best" in people and systems.

I would highly recommend this book as an addition to anyone's "favorite" bookshelf.

I had eagerly anticipated this book after having read John Izzo's first book, "Awakening Corporate Soul" co-authored with Eric Klein.

Many books on changing values and cultures often provide the reader with mostly theory, jargon and academic research. This book bridges the gap between theory and practice in a user friendly manner. The book is full of examples of companies and individuals making a difference in their workplace and relating this to the changing values of the workforce. It is an easy, captivating read.

This book has helped me understand the workforce in our organization better and in doing so has helped me to be a more responsive leader. However, this book needs to be shared with others in your organization. Every manager would do themselves well to have this book in their library.

ARE YOU READY FOR THE SHIFT? (Your company's retention rate could depend on it)

SIXTH ON THE GLOBE & MAIL'S BEST BUSINESS BOOK LIST IN CANADA

Partnership. Balance. Synergy. Community. These are some of the values shaping the work ethic that is transforming the workforce. An understanding of this transformation is essintial for business leaders who want to attract and keep the very best employees.

VALUES SHIFT defines how and why our work ethic is changing, and it focuses on the six major shifts people expect from work. As well, if offers practical ideas on what companies and managers can do to retain and inspire the people they need and value.

Based on leading-edge research and experiences with more than 200 companies, John Izzo and Pam Withers help people understand these shifting values and highlight companies that are responding successfully.

"This book explores the six values in depth and offers some eye-opening examples of companies that have responded in innovative ways" NATIONAL POST

"Well written and informative!" WILLIAM BRIDGES, Author of JOBSHIFT and MANAGING TRANSITION

"As books on employee retention go, this one is a treasure...packed with inspiring examples of companies that are achieving retention against the odds; it's entire concept is groundbreaking." CANADIAN BUSINESS FRANCHISE

Though pitched primarily to business leaders, anyone interested in the changing workplace will relate to this book. The authors do an excellent job of presenting their case: it's tough to find good employees who will stick around. Family, the economy, society, and technology have caused workers to re-examine their lives, and they're the ones now with the power.

So how do employers keep good employees? Learn about and listen to what employees want, and create a great place to work. The book outlines six expectations employees have: balance and synergy, work as a noble cause, personal growth and development, partnership, community at work, and trust. The major theme, though, is values: workers want a workplace they can believe in.

The authors present examples of companies across North America currently meeting (and often surpassing) their employees' expectations, to superb retention results. Quizzes at the end of each chapter help business leaders put what they've learned into action, and profiles of company leaders bring a human element in. CEOs, ignore this book at your peril: this is the future of work.

Virtual Vintage stands out from most other books on the vintage-resale-thrifting topic -- even though it is geared to the online market. First, the writing is both excellent and entertaining; I found the book hard to put down.

Additionally, the authors also offer some good tips -- laced throughout the text -- on HOW TO WEAR some of this old stuff. As much as I love vintage fashion, and have collected it for several years, I am often at a loss as to how to WEAR some of the pieces, or how to incorporate my vintage "finds" into my real-life wardrobe. So far, few books actually address this issue, and tend to focus instead on buying, selling or simply "collecting" vintage fashion.

This book is thorough and carefully put together -- like a great outfit. I hope the authors write more on this topic, and maybe put together a how-to guide to vintage fashion.

Kudos!

A WONDERFULLY fun book -- to read, to refer to, to give as a gift to alll your girlfriends! Endless information, up-to-date resources, very knowledgeable and savvy and the only book you need about vintage on the net. I hope it gets a new edition every other year or -- knowing the net -- EVERY year; I'll keep every edition, because none will ever be obsolete. These authors know their audience, know their subject, know their territory. A book you'll read again and again and never, ever, finish. :->

Usually I don't "read" antique guide books, but a couple of pages into this one and I was hooked. In Virtual Vintage you'll find common sense tips on buying and selling vintage on-line, the A to Z of navigating eBay (I learned several new tricks) and lots of design and fashion tips. The book presents useful info including international size conversion charts, how to remove stains from clothing and must-see Hollywood films for clothes lovers. It was so well done I wanted to learn more about Virtual Vintage's two women authors and how they came to write this surprisingly literary guide book.

Virtual Vintage has a section that rates many of the dot com vintage sites for content, ease of use and return policies. Virtual Vintage is considerably more user friendly than most other antique/collectible guide books that I've seen... I am also fond of the book because it gave my vintage site a great review! I will certainly recommend this book to my web customers.

Usually I don't "read" antique guide books, but a couple of pages into this one and I was hooked. In Virtual Vintage you'll find common sense tips on buying and selling vintage on-line, the A to Z of navigating eBay (I learned several new tricks) and lots of design and fashion tips. The book presents useful info including international size conversion charts, how to remove stains from clothing and must-see Hollywood films for clothes lovers. It was so well done I wanted to learn more about Virtual Vintage's two women authors and how they came to write this surprisingly literary guide book.

Virtual Vintage has a section that rates many of the dot com vintage sites for content, ease of use and return policies. Virtual Vintage is considerably more user friendly than most other antique/collectible guide books that I've seen... I am also fond of the book because it gave my vintage site a great review! I will certainly recommend this book to my web customers.

Virtual Vintage covers the world of online vintage fashion. If you are new to buying and selling vintage fashion online, its a great place to start. If you are not new, it still had plenty of tips that I didn't think about before.

The book is much more than online vintage fashions. It also goes into detail about what to look for from different designers, periods, etc. It has chapters on how to repair and care for your vintage fashions. The back of the book includes a directory (with summary) of online retailers to check out.

I found this book easy and enjoyable to read cover to cover rather than just as a reference. The authors write in an informative yet enertaining way.

The only negative thing I would have to say is; when will there be an updated version??? Some of the online sites and eBay information is dated, as is to be expected in a virtual world.

The commentary, questions and answers by Vos in this book are very good. I only saw a couple of problems in his comments. Going through the Catechism with my family and Bible Study group using this book as a guide has been a tremendous blessing on all of us and our relationship with God.

This is the book that I wish I had a long time ago. Very well written. Easy to understand. It's written in a "catechism on the Catechism" format. Lots of questions and answers on each question in the Westminster Larger Catechism.

While the Larger Catechism itself is an outstanding work that carefully and succinctly explains our Christian faith, this is a work that takes each question and breaks it down further. Insightful commentary and fitting Scripture citations round out each selection and make this an easy to use resource for quick reference. Highly recommended.

This book is a treasure! Compiled from Vos' articles in "Blue Banner Faith and Life," this commentary on the Larger Catechism lays open an often-underused resource of Reformation theology. Vos proceeds through each question, giving helpful Bible references, and then organizes his comments in a question and answer format. With a little adjusting, we were able to use this for family worship - it took us two years to get through, but what a blessing!

I have a large number of books on Reformed Theology including a number of books which seek to use the Westminster Confession and Catechisms as a springboard to explain the intricacies of Calvinism, but even with all that at my disposal I find this work is something special. The clarity of thought here is miles beyond anything else I've found. The format is simple: A question from the catechism, the relevant scripture passages identified and summarized in a single sentence, then a series of brief questions and answers on the passage. The Larger Catechism of the Westminster Confession has unfortunately been rather neglected, both in churches and in the written word (Thomas Ridgely's two volume commentary is the only other I can think of, and it's much too complex for most readers) but this volume makes all the theological complexities crystal clear. A must read.

The teachings here are mostly beliefs of historical Presbyterian churches and Calvinists. I believe there has been modification in beliefs among certain of the Presbyterian Churches and other Calvinistic religions, softening selected teachings in this book.
The book however, is among those every serious Christian should read, along with The Westminster Confession of Faith, Reformed Baptist of 1689, Book of Concord - Lutheran Confessions. Nothing helps you more in understanding religious differences and truths than to study the history of the Reformation. Today's TV evangelical churches are in serious need of another reformation as people are being misled with doctrines of Freud, feeling good, becoming properous, and entertainment. It is not Biblical (or possible) to make a personal decision to believe as faith is a gift of God. In additon, faith comes from sound doctrine in the form of Biblical scripture, not man's doctrines. The Bible warns of this pitfall, and your soul is at risk if you fail to understand this, 2 Peter 3:15-16. There exists a serious lack of spiritual knowledge and doctrinal discernment. The key to salvation is Grace through Faith, itself a gift of God. Finally, reading and studying the Bible is the most important thing a person can do.

Fritchey does a masterful job allowing the general public to view the deception that has gone on with so-called conservation organizations in the Gulf, and Atlantic, in order to achieve their selfish re-allocation objectives. From making commercial fishermen red herrings for the "alleged" slide in fishery stocks, to the ouright grab of resources for themselves, these allocation organizations have lied, perjured, and extorted the public's resources right out of the public's reach. In so doing, they have driven a wedge between the user groups, and deprived the non-fishing public access to the most regulated fishery resource in the world. Meanwhile, the marsh habitat that these resources depend on are being lost at an ever increasing rate daily. A truly spectacular job connecting the dots that have led to the ruin of many hard working, tax paying, American fishermen, and have left the marsh habitat they depend on in sad shape. Britton Shackelford

Wow, what a great book. It is sad that this is an account of true events. Unfortunately, these events are still taking place all over America's coastal states. Wherever Exxon's faux conservation group the Coastal Conservation Association shows up, they make it there mission to destroy the commercial fishing industry, and reallocate fish stocks to their wealthy membership. With Exxon's record profits and friends all the way to the white house it hasn't been hard for them to do. The argument the Coastal Conservation Association uses, is that more money is generated by wealthy sportfishers then by lowly commercial fishers and seafood consumers. Therefore all fish should be protected for their membership's exclusive enjoyment. Sounds simple, but this puts thousands of people out of work and denies the consumers their right to the fisheries resource.
This is truely a David and Goliath story. David being the inshore finfishermen whom represents the Free American Spirit that refuses to die and Goliath being Exxon who represents corprate greed.
Read this!
I Understand the sequel is being written as I type this. Can't wait for it to come out!!

I'm doing a research paper for english and I chose the net ban as a topic. My father used to be a commercial fisherman on the Florida coast. He was put out of business after the net ban was put into effect in 1995. He's always had theories about why the ban was passed. He read and loved the book Wetland Riders and with his information, and the facts I got from the book I was able to write a strong paper against the net ban. The book was great and was a lot of help. Anyone who's been affected by Net limitations in any state should read this book.

I'm Robert Fritchey, the author of "Wetland Riders." I fell in with South Louisiana's traditional coastal finfishermen in 1980, deciding after graduate school that I would earn my living only from renewable resources. A lifelong sport fisherman, my addiction to fishing and the outdoor life led me to the Bayou State's rapidly vanishing coastal marshes, where I earned my livelihood netting redfish and other wetland-dependent species of fish through the 1980s.

"As the 1980s opened, fishermen worked freely, under few restrictions other than those imposed by nature," I wrote in the book's preface. "But earning a living as an inshore finfisherman became progressively more difficult--and finally next to impossible. What happened?"

"Wetland Riders" details my own search for the answer to this question. But my interests were more than academic--in 1988, Louisiana's anglers--prodded by a Texas-based sportfishing organization which has since gone national--claimed the redfish for their own exclusive use. By taking the fish from us fishermen--and the seafood markets and restaurants--the sportsmen began to devalue Louisiana's threatened coastal wetlands. I wrote "Wetland Riders" as an educational tool, to circumvent a biased media and inform the public directly, as a prelude to getting back our fish.

Equipped with my experience as both a sport and commercial fisherman, I investigated the escalating fish fights between the recreational and food-producing industries which, I learned, were occurring around the coasts of America.

I also learned that the underlying cause of the sportsmen's aggression against our traditional seafood harvesters lies deeply embedded within our emotional human nature. In the book's introduction, I quoted a true sportsman, a Texan who-- in the 1930s--also sought to quell the destructive friction between these two environmentally important industries: "When the average sportsman sees a net fisherman make a good catch he is overcome in many cases with a feeling that must be experienced but cannot well be described." That feeling, unfortunately, is envy, an emotion that can easily overpower rational thought.

The number of recreational fishermen began to steadily increase following World War II, and exploded during the 1980s and 1990s, as financially successful Baby Boomers and their children took up fishing. A critical mass of these anglers have proven more than willing to be organized into a political movement which imperils our domestic seafood industry.

As old Claude McCall--one of the 7 net fishermen that I profiled in "Wetland Riders"--explained, "There needs to be regulation, but not the kind we have now. The management that's being used now just tries to knock the commercial fisherman down. We'll wind up with almost no domestic production of seafood; it'll all be imported.

"How about if we get in a war and can't get imports? We'll have to eat steak, I guess."

In the chapter, "It's Not Me, It's Him!," I revealed that, "The collective impact of great numbers of recreational fishermen, each landing just a few fish, quickly adds up." Indeed, virtually every species of fish that is currently defined as "overfished" is being harvested by both recreational and commercial fishermen. And data presented in this chapter reveal that, in many fisheries, the recreational sector is responsible for harvesting a far larger slice of the pie than the food-producing sector!

As I investigated why this fact is not publicized, I described in "The `Con' in Conservation" the first attempt by a media conglomerate to expand their "educational program" beyond the sportsmen, to 30 million members of the general public. The campaign typified the recreational media's tactic of focusing blame on our family fishermen while avoiding any responsibility by sport fishermen.

In "The Recreational Fishing Industry: Something of Value?" I deconstructed the incredibly diverse recreational industry that is displacing our traditional commercial fisheries. Many of our commercial fisheries are centuries old, and predate recreational fisheries. They have achieved sustainability by merely harvesting fish which they send out to consumers in urban areas, thereby bringing only money into their rural communities. The tourism-based recreational industry, on the other hand, brings people into coastal communities which spurs coastal real-estate development.

The co-existence of both industries leads to a natural tension, a sort of two-party system where each "party" limits the impact of the other, though in different ways. As we go to a one-party system, the astute reader may envision the future of these old fisheries.

In "Conservation Through Use: Resource Management for the Twenty-First Century," I advocated sharing hotly-contested finfish species on an equitable basis, and cite the precedent for such an action. Upon the increased allocation of fish that commercial fishermen and consumers would receive, I proposed a per-pound severance tax. Inspired by the self-reliance, resourcefulness and optimism of our inshore fishermen, I suggested that taxes on our product be used to establish a local, sustainable source of revenue for a stewardship action fund dedicated to slowing the loss of fishery habitat.

As noted in the update to the book's second edition, "1998: New Players, Same Game," sportsmen in the mid-1990s benefited from a multimillion dollar national "fish crisis" campaign, which eerily failed to mention any negative impacts by the vast sportfishing industry. Amid that backdrop, well-heeled sportsmen demonized and outlawed nets, destroying some of the largest traditional food fisheries in the country, including Louisiana's.

Mr. Fritchey drew on his background as a commercial fisherman and his impressive skills as a researcher to put together this compelling story behind the story of the so-called "fish conservation" movement that's become so popular with the mass media today. In Wetland Riders he's exposed this blatant resource grab for what it really is; a well-coordinated and well-financed assault on the U.S. consumer's right to fisheries resources that belong to us all. From consumer to commercial fisherman to someone who enjoys the ambiance of coastal communities without boardwalks and amusement parks and tee shirt shops, if you have any connection to the seafood industry at all you owe it to yourself to read this book.

Simply a must read for church boards. Avoid the pitfalls of typical church boards and enable a pastor to lead, boards to govern, staff/volunteers to manage and put your members into ministry. What more could you want? Kaiser teaches the system that allows it to happen.

I found this book to be both exciting and challenging. It is based upon some serious success in the American Baptist Church of the West where turn-around has become the norm. You might want to also read Paul Borden's "Direct Hit" which gives you some background to this success. Borden provides the story, Kaiser in this book provides the nuts and bolts of why to and how to give your church the "win."

I now rank "Winning on Purpose" among the top 10 books on church organizational life that I've read. The foundational premise is that Christians are to make disciples of Jesus. The way a local church organizes for ministry can hinder or assist in that mission.

Kaiser dares to suggest that pastors, church boards, and the membership of the church are to be accountable for the mission. Accountability does not restrict or lay guilt on these persons, but in proper relationship to one another frees them to lead and serve in ways that will give them every opportunity to fulfill their God-given mission.

The author does a good job of describing the limitations of how many traditional churches are organized. He is even better at defining and describing Accountable Discipleship through an organizational structure that can be adapted to a variety of traditions. It may well be the limitations of publishing did not allow him to go into more detail about how to move from a traditional, ineffective organizational model to the effective model he promotes. I would benefit from more suggestions about how to lead a church (as quickly as possible) from the former to the latter.

Nevertheless, "winning on Purpose" should be taught in seminaries and continuing education seminars. It should not just on the book shelf of any pastor or church leader, but in their hands and a matter of urgent prayer and discussion in churches that have a desire to grow -- and a willingness to do what it takes to make disciples.

I love the book in and of itself. It is very clear and concise as to both theory and process for pursuing the Accountable Leadership process.

My one bug with the book is that there is little in the way of any Biblical study and underpinning to this. I find that too bad because it is a good organizational model that can be demonstrated from Biblical principles. It would have been immensely helpful to have more on that end.

That does not diminish my rating since what the book proposes to do it does very well. I highly recommend this book to church leadership both staff and lay leaders.

In Winning on Purpose, I found a pretty decent strategy to coach and nurture a church along the path toward God's vision for the church as recorded in Revelation 7--a multitude from all nations and tribes and peoples and languages gathered in worship.

Lyle Schaller says, "Leadership is figuring out what needs to be done and then doing it." This book will help pastors who want to pursue a multiracial future but aren't sure how to get there.

Kaiser begins with an argument for accountable leadership. The book moves through formative missional verses, including the Olivet Discourse, which ground the missional church in the justice and mercy of God. Throughout the book, Kaiser uses soccer as a metaphor for accountable leadership. The book is worth a read for this analogy, if nothing else. It gives a very relevant backdrop to the idea of winning on purpose; here's a little taste: "Plays exist for wins, not the other way around. The purpose of a play is to score. If a team does not score goals, it makes no difference how well or how cleverly they are able to execute plays. By not scoring a goal, the team has ultimately failed" (p. 58).

The book is organized around four key questions.
* Do we really want to win?
* Do we understand the game?
* Do we know what position to play?
* Do we have the right equipment?

The tools section of this book is chock full of real tips and tools for real leaders; there is even a guide to develop accountability assessments. For instance, Kaiser says a board that meets more than once each quarter will be tempted to manage rather than govern. I believe it was George Bullard, writing for the Alban Institute, who first articulated that pastors are there to lead, boards are there to govern, and staffs are there to manage. Kaiser gives real, implementable flesh to the bones that Bullard provided through his research.

I did find Kaiser's definition of diversity a little challenging. "For starters, a team is a community of servants who share the same mission and vision (unity) and are responsible for different roles (diversity) in fulfilling it" (p. 83). It's interesting to see a non-ethnic, non-cultural use of the word "diversity." On the other hand, it is another reminder of George Yancey's thought that "the multiracial church is not an ends to a mean," but rather a container to unleash the reconciling work of God here on earth.

I have not had a chance to actuallu use this book.....but I love the details and pics. They will help a great deal when we start our remodeling of the outside.

Excellent book covering all aspects of mobile home ownership. I purchased an old mobile home for storage use. The book lists by chapter the materials needed by name, description, with complete detailed description with photos on how to complete repairs. I plan to do repairs on the roof, floor, walls, and insulation myself. I am woman 68 years old with basic cut and hammer skills and on a limited budget. The directions, tips, and step-by-step instructions are very informative. I now know what to fix first, how to do it, and what I need to complete the repairs. The tips are very useful, and I will use them. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK!! Barbara J Brown, Stilwell,OK

We are trying to leveling our mobile home. The book gave clear and precise instructions on the process - both for older and new homes. I would recommend it to anyone owning a 10 year or older mobile home.

This book is great!

These are hard times, and the one place I could afford, call home sweet home, and save money with was a mobile home. My place is great, but it's 20 years old and needs major and minor remodeling. It also needs a tie-down and this book/author gave such a simple and thorough description and illustrations of what that involves. Thanks!!!! Now I know how to talk to contractors and make sense.

By the way, I am a middle aged female and this book answers so many of my questions. Get this if you want to repair, buy, whatever, a mobile home! Thanks : )

I am very impressed with this volume. I am needing skills to inspect older mobile homes and get beyond the knee-jerk reaction that they are old and ugly. Mr. Krigger's expertise with this kind of housing and respect for it is extremely useful as a place to start. Then he takes the reader through all the component portions of the housing--how it was build, what its common weaknesses are and how to look for problems--before going through how to address the issues and make the repairs. I am finding this approach very useful in acquiring the new skills I need in moving from stick built to this type of housing.

Who killed Martin Luther King Jr.? This question will forever go unanswered, but it will be a constant reminder of the power of conspiracies and counter-conspiracies that permeate our democratic process. While Beal does not provide the answer, he creates characters who present an intriguing story as they set out to avenge the death of Dr. King.

On his honeymoon, in New York City, Rick Champion, once a member of the Black Panthers, learns of Dr. King's murder and vows to find the perpetrators. Rick and two co-workers start a successful software company that will help their cause. Things turn treacherous, even deadly when superior powers seeking world domination sabotage and destroy the company. An enraged, Rick plans a counter-attack. With his knowledge in the science of astrology he is able to devise an ingenious plan. He establishes a secret organization of prominent, African American men to assist him. However, Rick's revenge may come with a high price; his marriage is threatened when his wife discovers his overt involvement. With his marriage on the rocks and a 'Judas' in his secret organization, Rick is at an impasse. Will he become the powerful champion he wants to be, and is vengeance still his goal?

Ironically, this book is on the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination. Beal introduces powerful questions and several possibilities surrounding the hate-filled chaos of 1967. The writing is tight and the characters are believable. The story brings the nation's emotional upheaval back to the surface. Beal does an excellent job presenting his theories and suspicions; he will undoubtedly make readers think. The ending does not just happen, it explodes, and the fallout will change the political, social, and economic landscapes. Take a step back into history, experience ZEUS, THE AVENGER.

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

It took me awhile. I read the book. I liked the book. It was a good book. The book is well written. Its a good novel

coming up on the 40th year since Dr.Martin Luther King Jr was Killed this Book asks alot of Powerful questions and offers alot of takes and the Book is incredible. Reginald Beal does a fantastic job with this book. page after page word after word just will draw you in and make you re-read the book over and over again and again. I found myself reading this book at least once a week to pick up something new.a very strong welll written Book. a Must have and read.

I found this tale to be thought provoking and a page turner. This saga captured the nations emotional rollercoaster of thoughts & suspsions surrounding this compelling tragedy. The story was unpredictable and left me wanting more. I could not put this book down. It is a must read and an outstanding display of twists and turns. I look forward to another saga.

Lisa Ledell

Zeus: The Avenger by Reginald Beal is an intriguing story about Rick Champion and his plight to find out who killed Martin Luther King Jr. Rick is an employee of IBM and along with two of his best friends, Rick, they set out to start their own company and avenge the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Rick is a well-versed black man who will stop at nothing to prove that he is right, has special powers and believes in astrology. Stumbling across Angela Bourne, an astrologer, who taps into his psychic, Rick, is ready to take the bull by the horns. Angela opens Rick to the possibilities that he can turn his life around, and be able to foresee the future.

With guided stealth, Rick and his fellow partners embark on a ride of their lives that they will never forget. While a start-up company is always hard to keep above ground, these guys are faced with being black-balled, sued for millions, reputations tarnished and fighting for the freedom to belong. Heart-felt and emotional, the characters are realistically portrayed and believable even in this day and age. Can Rick hide behind his astrological profile of Zeus: The Avenger, or will he become the powerful Victor he commands to be? After thirty years of seeking justice for Dr. King's murder, will Rick forgo vengeance?

This book is filled with social and economic issues, as well as daily prejudices and belonging. Mr. Beal approached a touchy subject with this book, and left me wanting to know more. This book has a little bit for everyone, science-fiction, astrology, history, and mystery. I recommend this book to readers of all genres. And I look forward to Mr. Beals' next book.

Reviewed by: Cheryl H
APOOO BookClub

(...) this book was so cool. My teacher used to be a 3rd grade teacher so she has a lot of kid books. My friend and I were looking for a book and we found this one. We loved the kid in the big space suit. It was hilarious. So now almost every time at reading time we look for that book and we find it better and better each time. This book is so cool especially if you're in for a funny and short book. Even older kids who have a humorous side to them will enjoy this book.

-Allison G. (...)

My son, Christopher, is 7 years old, and is just facinated by space, and loves the movie "Apollo 13". I bought this book, and he just loved it. I couldn't be happier with it. He really enjoyed the pictures, and I could tell he was making sure that it was as accurate as the movie that he watches over and over. It's nice to see a book that excites a child like this one did.

We found this book at the library last night and it was such an instant hit I'm buying it today. The pictures and big and bold and whimsical and the rhyming is very nice. My 2-year-old daughter doesn't even know what a rocket is yet but she asked me to read this book first thing this morning.

Easy rhyming, rhythmic phrases, and cool space-related pictures in bright colors lend to repeats of this story almost every night! Our Son liked this book so much that he reached for it over and over for bedtime stories - even before he could talk. (One of his first words was ZOOM!) If you like space stuff, you and your kids will find Dan Yaccarino's "ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM..." a real pleaser!!

toodlers will love hearing this story over and over agin. i work in a 18 month old classroom to 2 yrs of age, my co teachers and i read this book to the kids all the time.the children and adults love it