Internet Books

Excellent product for anyone just starting to learn the guitar. It is everything it said it was and more. We are loving the book. Detail oriented.

I have all my students buy this book. Pictures and explanations are top notch.

I had a few lessons from a friend to get started many years ago. But I hadn't picked up the guitar much since. I was given a Les Paul electric guitar recently and picked up a copy of this book. Excellent resource for a visual learner. Tight integration of hundreds of photos and 'to the point', simple instruction. Maran recruited a top flight instructor (veteran college instructor and session musician) to put the content together. I'm going through it COVER TO COVER.

I have several guitar books as I have been learning to play for the past 2 years. I have alot of instructional books and learned bits and pieces. This book is an excellent resource and covers almost every topic in great detail. Everything from chords, picking, blues, rock and country guitar, guitar effects, amps, etc. Also includes instruction and pictures on repairing and maintaining your guitar, adjusting the action, changing strings, etc. A valuable resource and worth owning yourself.

Want to learn guitar from a book? There are plenty of slimmer guides on the market - but none with the depth and detail of Moran Illustrated Guitar, which packs in color illustrations of techniques. From playing different kinds of chords to power rock, single notes, slides, string muting and much more, Moran Illustrated Guitar packs in the step-by-step close-up color photos so it's hard to go wrong. An outstanding instructional which stands apart from similar-sounding guitar 'how-to' guides.

The book got to me in a timely manner. I'm very pleased and hope to do well on the exam.

I used this book together with the corresponding Training Guide, by the same authors (this was redundant because the two books essentially repeat each other - I could have just used the Training Guide.) I think these authors are amazing - they have ability to present everything in such an easy understandable way, that I didn't just memorize the stuff for the exam but actually understood it. Now my next one is 70-229 - SQL server exam, I wish Kalani had a book for that one as well...

This book is pretty good at explaining the needed topics. I only used this book to pass the exam and found it compact and accurate.

Two bad notes are since coriolis was bought out it is tough to get errata for this book and there are a few problems. The securit section is a bit weak so read some online stuff to fill it in.

Good luck ZoOnI

I skipped reviewing the Microsoft study guide and used this book as my primary reference in passing the exam. Each component on this exam (web services, windows services, enterprise services) has its own architecture and interface. This book did a great job of distilling that information in a way that was easy to understand. I especially liked how the chapters were organized to introduce a concept, and then show you the code for implementing it. I simply wrote my own example for each chapter and did well on the exam. I didn't get much use out of the study guide or CD, but the practice tests in the book are very useful.

This certification study-resource from Author Amit Kalani, served as a rather indispensable part of the revision portfolio for Exam 70-320 (XML Web Services and Server Components with C# .NET ).

Simply put, it is a very useful & sound comprehensive reference for Exam 70-320. It served me greatly in gaining both an overview of all the elements that would appear on the 320 exam, but also served well in my overall review and revision endeavours for the 70-320 Exam.

using this resource got me to the place where i felt i had covered the core objectives for the exam and was ready to move on to the next phase ie: having a go at tackling past question scenarios.

i was glad i bought it.

what i liked about this book :
- it is a comprehensive read at 344 pages -(ie: the 2 Testing chapters non factored)
- there are exam questions after every chapter, relating to that chapter and the exam objectives the chapter tackles
- Answers with explanations are provided with every question featured in the book.
- there is a CD with questions set in an application that simulates the exam room scenario
- The CD also comes with a .pdf, e-version of the book.

I purchased the book in question as a pair with the companion Exam Training guide -(equally written by the same authors: Amit Kalani + Priti Kalani) from Que press ISBN: 0789728249; and i basically have'nt looked back one second since taking that decison.

the two books complement each other very well and provide a very fine balance between the need to train & equip the reader with the strong hands-on .NET XML Web-services development skills he/she will require in order to thrive as a C#.NET web developper; whilst at the same time fully framing these necessary hands-on expertise , in the context & framework of the exam the reader probably seeks to take at the end of working/ploughing his/her way through the book.

Amit Kalani is a very good author. he is well known in the C#.NET world. and he has a way of making a typically difficult material to teach, clearly explained, and he reinforces this with ample examples and practise, so it sinks in and becomes proper knowledge. So for those starting out on C#.NET or others looking for a place to start the preparation for the MCAD.NET with C# or 70-320 exam, these Books could easily serve as the spot to take it from.

However, i would add but the small proviso that depending on where you are along the previous "C#" programming-experience scale, i'd say you'd do well to buy yourself a good companion C# programming language text to accompany you on your journey.

There are lots of books on Amazon that would serve you well in this function/capacity . the text i used to give me a helping hand is called the: "C# Bible" by author: jeff ferguson (et al); it has for ISBN:0764548344.i found this easy to read and got through the first 20 chapters of concise, easy to follow, C# language basics, with relative ease.

After working through the 70-320 ExamCram resource in question and using the Training guide counterpart to acquire deeper hands-on practise to cement the interface between :( knowledge of the .Net Framework1.0 XML Web-services development concepts as treated in the books), with that of proper programming competence;(ie:knowing your stuff); I was ready for the next phase ie: going on to tackle past exam questions

using Transcender and the Testking more than sufficed to ensure & assure success at the exam;

Take & Ace the exam with ease: 150minutes & 43 questions.

Success at the exam-level is assured by appropriate preparation; ie: tackling past questions regarding .NET programming & C# XML Web-services development related problem scenarios in order to sharpen your wits about choosing the right solution in any given problem scenario. this is the crunch of it. do that ,and u pass.

End of.

The passing mark is 700 ie: 70%. i sat the exam on Tuesday (31st October 2006); scored 98% ie: 984.

MCAD.NET requirements accomplished!

Good luck.

cheers :-)

This book has saved me a lot of time that I would have otherwise spent combing through huge Exchage reference books. As an Exchange Administrator, I have already found this book to be an invaluable asset in my reference library. Answers to many common administrative questions and "How To's" are easily found in this handy little volume. You gotta love its size.

Out of all the Exchange 2000 Server books I purchased, this one is the only one I used regularly. I have since purchased Stanek's Exchange Server 2003 book and it is equally as good if not better. For admins, it provides the essential details with clear, precise steps for implementing common features. For devs, it provides the cut to the chase info you need to get in there and get out quickly. I would recommend this very highly.

I bought this book for our Exchange admin when we were moving to Exchange 2000 from 5.5. Two months later I was going to be the one implementing Exchange and this book came to the rescue in a big way. As a total Exchange newbie I learned everything I needed (and now know) about Exchange from this book. Sure there are bigger books but not better books. If you are a Exchange guru, this book will be a little on the basic side for you. However, if you are anything less than a guru or if you are a new I would highly recommend this book.

I had a need to quickly resolve a problem with Exchange 2000 Server, having never worked with it before. This book was an excellent resource for that purpose. Not because it gave me the exact answer I needed (which I doubt many books would do) but because it clearly and concisely explained what you can do with Exchange 2000 Server and how to do it. It showed how to do things properly and from that it was fairly easy to deduce what was wrong.

Because the book is well structured (no excess verbage, no "chattiness") it's easy to read, clear and to the point. It gets to the point and stays on target.

All in all an excellent reference you'll use over and over and, I think, an excellent place to start learning Exchange 2000 Server. I find that this book tells what Exchange 2000 Server can do and how to do it. With that knowledge I think you'll be better grounded if and when you go for more in depth understanding of architecture and the like. After this book, if you want more in depth information you can move on to other (bigger) books but I think you'll get the biggest bang for the buck from this one..

This is excellent when used for quick reference and only for the experienced and knowledgeable. This is inappropriate for beginners since Exchange is intertwined with Active Directory. Without knowing all the implications of performing the various tasks outlined in the book, it can be detrimental to a company.

I read the reviews then bought Mr. Modem's book. Paul Harvey was right. This IS the book that takes the gobbledygook out of computers. I'm 72 years old. This book was fun, easy-to-read, and helped me greatly. I would recommend it to anybody. Thank you, Mr. Modem. Please write more books.

Mr. Modem's book is filled with wonderful information for surfers of all ages! It's a terrific resource and so much fun to read. I couldn't believe I found myself laughing outloud while reading a computer book.

When my dad got his new computer a couple of months ago and wanted to start surfing the Internet, I let him borrow my copy and now I can't get it back from him. He's learned so much and is now a real pro.

My personal favorite chapter is the one on web sites. This is by far the best collection of web site URL's I've ever come across. I also learned so much in the chapter on search engines which has really helped me find what I'm looking for on the web much quicker.

Thanks, Mr. Modem, for writing such an educational AND entertaining book!

If you or anyone you care about is reluctant or afraid to get connected to the Internet because it seems complicated and time-consuming or because you think you can't teach an old pup new tricks, you should get connected to "Mr. Modem's Internet Guide for Seniors" first. Clear, concise, and all-encompassing, this guide anticipates a learner's questions, allays technical fears, and proceeds in an orderly way to cover what it takes to get up and running on the Internet. Best of all, Mr. Modem keeps it simple, safe, satisfying, and fun for those who did not get to attend Internet classes in a previous life. You can move through the chapters at your own pace and, in some cases, in your own sequence.

Although I have been surfing the Internet for a while, I found many useful tips, new links, and great sites in this guide. If I could have only one Internet guide in my life, Mr. Modem's guide would be that one.

Good work, Mr. Modem!

I bought this book as a holiday gift for my dad (who has always been a bit stymied by his desktop computer) -- he dove right into it & didn't speak to any of us for a couple of hours, so judging by that reaction, I'd have to guess that it was pretty readable for your average intelligent-but-techno-naive senior. Mr. Modem covers a lot of ground (how to get online with an ISP, how to use a search engine, etc.) without going too deeply into any particular topic. Instead, the book gives lots of URLs and places for the neo-surfer to try out his new skills. Hey, maybe Dad will even get the hang of Amazon.com soon ;-)

This is a great book for people intimidated by the Internet. Information is presented in a fun and friendly fashion. Nice work, Mr. Modem!

It gives children the chance to speak out without the noise while driving. It's a safe interactive program for wireless acess. Home networking and studying tips for children is awesome. My children love to be creative and has submitted request in childrens magazine that offers this type of program. It is good for mom's on the road.

Thank you,
Latamra Williams
Independant Beauty Consultant
Carson, Ca.

Mompreneurs Online is a great book for those who want to work from home but just don't know where to start and what to do. It is full of resources and success stories! A definite must-have if you want to join the Mompreneur industry!

Mompreneurs is a MUST HAVE resource for anyone wanting a home-based business. Everyone from start-ups to savvy entrepreneurs will benefit from their practical advice on working from home. It covers everything from discovering your passion, finding the right business, telecommuting, marketing, and work-from-home survival tips. Their "slice of life" interviews with real work at home moms offer valuable insight into conquering the challenges of working from home. Keep this one on your desktop for handy reference - you'll use it often!

I purchased this book because I wanted to add an online component to my home decorating business (and I am a mom of two great boys). This book has been very useful. Now that my online business is flourishing, I continue to look through the book for more ideas. It is the kind of book that the first read through you get the plans to implement, then you read it again and get different ideas to use. Because the publish date was 2001 and the Internet evolves ultra fast, some of the information is a little old but that is only for a small portion of the book. This book is also useful for moms trying to decide if an online business is right for them and what it really means to work from home, (like we don't work already). I also keep this book handy for the inspirational stories of moms like me.

Although this book has a lot of good information in it, this type of book should be updated frequently in order to keep up with the times. Most web sites are no longer in exsistance, and a lot of them are not legitimate either. The book tells you never to pay for information or in order to gain employment, however, most sites or potential employers listed require just that.

The organization and format of this text are excellent. If you have no background in Java servlets or JSP, this is a good gentle tutorial. However, it covers the topics in about the same level of detail as the free tutorials on Sun's Java site. Also, there are several chapters that are basically filler: HTML, NetBeans, JDBC, etc. If you are a professional software developer and need detail on the more challenging servlet/JSP topics, you'll need to look elsewhere (for example, Jason Hunter's aging but still excellent "Java Servlet Programming").

This is a very good text for a beginning JSP/Servelet developer. Very clearly laid out, with copious examples, well orgranized, slanted to a novice Servlet developer. You cant go wrong with this text. Additional benefit is a chapter on how to use the NetBeans IDE.

Java can be used in countless applications and websites with very little problems from the viewer; an ideal component for a designer. The second edition of "Murach's Java Servlets and JSP" is a complete and comprehensive technical guide for those who wish to master the program and use it to its very fullest. Covering just about anything one can do with the program, and enhanced with a web address that can be accessed for further resources for programmers, "Murach's Java Servlets and JSP" is a top pick for community library collections.

This book takes you through a well structured learning journey of JSP, Servlets and related technologies such as Netbeans, Tomcat and MySQL for developing complete web apps. The book has provided me with the skill and confidence to start building my own web-app. The book finishes with a completed e-commerce example that builds on the earlier work, and gives the reader a basis for their own future development.

The book provides comprehensive details on how to set up the environment for developing and deploying web-apps, with the installation of Netbeans, MySQL, libraries etc covered in the appendices. The set up is generally a difficult part of learning a new computer concept and this book explains this very well.

The material, the downloaded code, and exercises are well integrated and provide for a comprehensive learning experience. I was able to successfully complete the vast majority of exercises readily.

I have ordered the Murach Java book as I found the JSP and Servlets book very useful.

COMPARED TO HEAD FIRST
***********************
I am a big fan of the Head First series, a series which has taught me everything I know about Java, XHTML, CSS, Design Patterns Ajax, OO Design etc. I love it. But as a novice, I found Head First Servlets and JSP: Passing the Sun Certified Web Component Developer Exam (SCWCD) difficult to get into. Mainly because the HF book is directed towards accreditation, and contains some curved balls to prepare for the exam that distracted me from learning.

Instead, I did the Murach book from cover to cover, and skim read the HF book (partially because I am in love with that bossy HF girl!). The HF series is more fun and engaging, but for JSP and Servlets I found the Murach approach worked best for me. While the Murach book is as as well written and presented as can be expected of a more traditional text book, it is not as interactive as the HF series. I therefore found completing the exercises in the Murach book important for engaging with the content.

Murach does a better job than HF on the MySQL and IDE side of things. HF probably covers the nuances of the Servlets more comprehensively.

I recommend both, depending on what you need.

Hi guys, if you are looking for a book that guides you step by step thru servlets and jsp's this is the book you should buy, the method that is used in this book is learn and practice, for me this kind of studying is very proactive and it is better than just reading a bunch of pages with just a final example.
So do not hesitate to buy this book, this is the only one you need.

"Working hands are better than praying lips"

When Tamsyn, Josh and Rob come across a sinister e-mail on the internet, they have no idea they will get caught up in a plot to blackmail an international theme park corporation. As they set off for summer vacations around the world, Josh and the others hope the warning is a hoax. But when more e-mails arrive, it seems "Icarus" is deadly serious. Their worst fears are confirmed when a one of them witnesses an explosion on the famous "Meteor" ride. With time running out and lives in danger, It is up to the Internet detectives in England, New York, Toronto and Perth to discover the identity of the blackmailer before some one gets hurt.

This was the fifth title in the eight book Internet Detective series. These are interesting, fast-paced books that are great for introducing kids to computers. I would recommend "System Crash" to eight to twelve year olds. If you enjoyed this, I would suggest reading the other Internet Detective books, especially #2 Escape Key, and #7 Virus Attack, which I think to be the best of the ID books.

"Net Bandits" is the first in the 8 book Internet Detective series about kids around the globe teaming up to solve mysteries via the World Wide Web. After reading this several years ago, I became interested in the internet and went on to purchase the remaining seven ID books.

What Happens? This books main purpose is to set the scene for further books, introduce and connect the characters, etc. Josh and Tamsyn are pupils at the Abbey School with different views on the internet. When Tamsyn begins receiving e-mails from the mysterious Z-Master, it is the beginning of what will become a desperate race against time to discover his identity. With the help of kids in New York, Perth and Toronto, Tamsyn and Josh attempt to decipher a cryptic e-mail that will lead them to a boy in danger...

"Net Bandits" is an action-packed fast-paced adventure and great for the purpose of introducing and encouraging children to use the Internet. I would recommend it to children aged from about eight to twelve.

If you enjoyed this, I would suggest reading the other Internet Detective books, especially #2 Escape Key, and #7 Virus Attack, which I think to be the best of the ID books.

I bought this book on a lark for my 9 year old daughter. She burned through it in 3 nights( a big deal for a 9yearold) and she loved it. Besides an engaing story I found my daughter had learned many internet concepts as well as emoticons. The :) and ;) symbols you see all over emails. She just shot through book 2 and asks everyday for book 3(which is currently outta stocK) :(

¬

Neat! So that means 'not'. =) or is it :-) hehe... this is really great, and I already have two books in my collection of the series. I think it's neat how the author was able to put the picture of the computer screen into the story to make it seem real.

This book was the first Internet Detectives book I read , and now I purchased the whole series. One of the best books I ever read. A defenite winner for all internet fans!

This book was exactly what I was looking for. I have a personal blog on IT topics [...] that I was interested in optimising through SEO techniques and potentially generating a small revenue stream so that it paid for itself. This book has been a great help.

NBLEB doesn't tell you how to generate good product/service ideas, you'd need to buy a different book for that, but from the point of having a product/service it will tell you how to do everything you can to make it as successful as possible.

It's not a slick book but the content is great. It's worth buying for the content on SEO alone.

This book was a great read - I've been thinking about starting a small website and this book was the one to have in coaching me and making me get confidence in starting one. The author gives great advice and I think the best part was that he was sharing his experience and knowledge on a subject matter he is comfortable with but has been through himself. It is definitely one of the best books out there on the market to learn tips and tricks of e-business. I am not an internet guru and this book certainly taught me that it's not that hard to become one - putting in the time and effort is worth it in getting the most out of your website. If you're thinking about getting some information on starting your own e-business, this is the book to get. BUY IT NOW!!!! :)

If you are even thinking about starting an online business, then Ravi Jayagopal's book "No Business Like Business," is not only a must-read, but the first title you should read (unless you don't know the basics of how to build a website at all, then you probably want a beginner's HTML book).

Don't waste your time with the websites and spam promising easy internet riches; they won't give you all the information Ravi does, but they'll sure take a lot more of your money. Those sites can't even string together a sentence in a readable fashion, but even though Ravi is a professional techie, his command of effective writing is superb.

While the book is geared to newbies, it contains enough nuts-and-bolts information and links to resources to get you started. Ravi recommends sources for content, explains affiliate marketing, Google AdSense, list marketing, and so much more. He even recommends what software you will need to run your business.

Ravi Jayagopal will save you a lot of time, money, and frustration if you just take the time to sit down and read "No Business Like E-Business" BEFORE you dive headlong into your first e-commerce site.

I consider myself fairly Internet savvy! Like many others, I *google* and find information about things like website creation/hosting/e-business/blogging etc. When I *chanced* upon this book while browsing, what interested me was the *one stop shop* nature of this book with all the information I was looking for in one place! I just had a chance to read it today on a long flight! In one word I just loved this book! It's hard to keep a balance to address needs of a novice and a seasoned user. The author has made a sincere attempt to address both these needs (in my opinion). Here some of the information I found useful:
- What it takes design/host/run e-business website AND make money from it.
- email clients/improve browsing productivity this is for you!
- Want to know what blogging is check this book out?
- Wanted a list of all cool websites for internet e-business/blogging etc. this book lists some of these great websites!

The best part I liked was you don't have to start from the first page and go through the entire book. You can just pick a section which interests you and read that

I was generally browsing for books on ebusiness, and the attractive cover made me check it out. They say "don't judge a book by its covers". Fortunately for the author, he got me interested mainly because of the cover.

I googled the title, and found the author's web site, which is a pleasant yet very direct-marketing oriented site. I was impressed with the way the entire table of contents is published on the site, and the details in the TOC is what got me hooked into buying a copy (and the other reviews here, of course).

Received my copy in the mail last week, and I found that the meat of the book is in the following 4 chapters (at least for me, who is not a total newbie):

Chapter 5: How to earn a nice little paycheck from Google
Chapter 6. Traffic Generation
Chapter 7. Link Popularity
Chapter 8. SEO Case Study: Howtothrowyourvoice.com

The author makes some bold claims like "Link Exchange: A complete waste of time". I found that interesting, as I've never heard it put quite that way, but Ravi backs it up with a lot of narrative.

There is quite a bit about the different ways to make revenue online, how to accept credit cards online, and a lot of "inspirational" stuff.

The book struggles a little bit in trying to find a balance between writing for newbies, while also trying to cater to slighly more advanced folks who already have a web site (like me, at TekSG.com). I wish the author would have taken just one side (all "newbies" or all "advanced").

My only beef with the book is that it doesn't have enough screen-shots to support some of the technical chapters. Which is why I wanted to give it a 4-and-a-half-stars rating, but Amazon won't let me pick fractions. So, instead of giving the author the benefit here, I decided to do the right thing and give it a 4 star rating.

I have one and will give you information on the Hummel Silk Carpet.(The Book lacks this information)
On the back is a tag stitched to it saying:

M.J. Hummel
ORIGINAL HUMMEL SILK CARPET
HANDKNOTTED IN BEIJING, CHINA.

ARS AG, ZUG, SWITZERLAND

LIMITED EDITION :10 /50

Also there is a tag attached to the SILK CARPET written in both Chinese and English
ZHE JIANG SILK RUG

I am giving this information because the book does not have a picture of this HUMMEL SILK CARPET and not sure about the information I just posted.
VALUE UNKNOWN but it is Very Beautiful

not only is this a complete guide -- but it is so easy to use -- anyone owning or buying Hummel's should have this -- I only wish I could find Guides like this for my other collectables --

This book is very well illustrated, well layed-out, easy to use, and the pictures are very beautiful. It's full of information, explains more than I expected, and it is a MUST for Hummel collectors.

I have all, since the first publication, of Robert Miller's Price Guide to MI Hummel Figurines, Plates, Miniatures and More.
Mr. Miller has all the knowledge one would expect & want to find in his books after much research and many trips to Germany to gain this knowledge. This is THE HUMMEL BIBLE! I highly recommend this book to all Hummel collectors or to anyone interested in the collecting of fine arts. Very well written with explicit details about Sister MI Hummel's life in Massing, Germany & her schooling. Each known Hummel is pictured & tells of the Master Artist who molded each three dimentional figurine from the drawings by Sister beginning in the 1930's to the present TMK markings. A great investment for Insurance purposes when appraising your figurines by The Hummelking!

Even though it's proclaimed by expert collectors as the absolute source of information about Hummel figurines, Robert Miller's reference work is easy for amateurs as well. He provides insightful guidance in determining value and quality as well as interesting tidbits about production and variations in the figurines. His work is referenced by many sellers in internet auctions, but is also helpful in figuring out just what you already have. As a rank beginner, I had no problem in following his material and ascertaining the value of an inherited collection. It was also useful in helping me determine additions that I wanted to make to the collection.

This book is clearly written and user friendly. Biafore gives links to information sources, making it easy for the reader to get more information on each of the hacks. These links alone are worth the price of the book.

I've been trading for over twenty years, including a period as a floor trader on the Chicago Board of Trade. Even with that experience there are tips and tricks in this book I found useful to the point where I employ them daily. To be complete as a reviewer I will say there is a lot of pretty basic stuff from my point of view, but still well worth reviewing since some of it I had forgotten.

Well written, easy reading, well organized

Online Investing Hacks is an excellent introduction to the world of investment. Though the title does contain the word 'Online', I would say that the general information the book provides on investing is not limited to the online realm.

Overall, I was very happy with the book, and found it incredibly useful. Though I do have several investments (401K, some stock, mutual funds etc) I would hardly consider myself an authority on the subject. This book provided very detailed explanations and tips on various forms of investment, from CD's to Index funds, and everything in between. While the experienced investor might not glean much from reading this book, anyone just getting started will find it an excellent reference, and resource.

The format of the book is similar to the other books in the 100 * Hacks series published by O'Reilly. There are exactly 100 hacks, or topics, which are spread across 9 chapters. Each one is an individual entity and can be read and understood without reliance on any of the other hacks.

One minor annoyance I had with the book is that it is geared toward those of you who, for some reason or another, run Microsoft's Windows OS, or have access to Microsoft Excel. Luckily, of the Excel examples that I played with, Open Office's Calc program handled them with minimal tweaking.

I can easily recommend this book to anyone who wants to invest, but is unsure of what to invest in, or needs some tips on making the most of preexisting investments. Those of you who enjoy research and building your own stats and graphs will also find parts of this book rather intriguing, as it covers data acquisition and manipulation with Excel in great detail. It will make an excellent addition to my reference shelf, and I have a feeling it will be well thumbed through in a very short time.

It seems like everyone is involved in investing in some form or another. While I always felt like I should be investing too, it was never clear to me how to begin this process. After all, it's my money. How can I be sure I'm investing in something that will provide some sort of reasonable return? This book is an excellent resource in answering some of those questions and putting the new investor on the right track.

This book is written in the same format as the other "hacks" series by O'Reilly. This format is very easy to read, and the format makes it very easy to find answers. Rather then having to read the book from cover to cover, the reader can pick out topics they are dealing with, read the answer, and move on. Since many of the people interesting in a book of this nature will likely have little time, the book's format works to its advantage.

The book begins with some basic introduction to the stock market and tips for selecting appropriate stocks or mutual funds. The whole middle section of the book deals with data analysis. The author discusses how to understand a company's balance sheet (e.g. what that P/E ratio means), how to spot companies in financial trouble, how to pick a good stock, and even how to trade. There is also a good discussion on minimizing the effect of taxes on your little return on investment.

The author even goes further and gets into a discussion on financial planning. In addition to discussing debt reduction, the author also talks about IRA plans and different strategies for saving for your child's education expenses. I think my favorite part of this book was the discussion on different education savings plans. The author discusses the ins and outs (as well as tax consequences) of each of the plans, and provides some examples illustrating the fact that it's better to start saving earlier than later.

This is an excellent book, not just for its investing advice, but also for its sound financial planning. This is a great book for anyone who is interested in increasing their wealth, saving for a rainy day, or simply saving for future financial goals.

Online Investing Hacks by Bonnie Biafore (O'Reilly) is one of those books that can pay for itself in short order, as well as over and over.

Chapter list: Screening Investments; Hacking Excel for Financial Analysis; Collecting Financial Data; Analyzing Company Fundamentals; Technical Analysis; Executing Trades; Investing in Mutual Funds; Managing Your Portfolio; Financial Planning; Index

I worked at Enron from 1998 through 2001, and spent plenty of time during that dot.com era following my stock portfolio. I watched my Enron stock value go from incredible value to a point where it cost more to sell the stock than it was worth. I won a few bets (face it, that's what they were) on a few dot.coms and lost many more. What could have been an incredible nest egg, isn't. This book would have been a lifesaver if I had read and paid attention to it a few years ago. Biafore shows you how you can analyze and invest wisely using a variety of tools available to everyone.

If you're an Excel user, you'll find it an invaluable tool for analysis. She'll show you how you can use it to create financial charts (#13), calculate compound annual rates of growth (#26), and use rational values to buy and sell wisely (#36). #39 - Spot Hanky Panky with Cash Flow Analysis (using Enron as an example) would have literally saved me hundreds of thousands of dollars had I known about it. Even if you don't care about the investing tips, the hack on downloading data via Excel web queries (#7) was something I didn't know how to do (or that you could even do it!). The book has a little something for everyone.

As with all Hacks titles, you probably won't be interested in every single item. Some may not be applicable to your situation or may be too complex for what you care to handle. But all it would take is one hack to work out and change your investing for this book to pay huge dividends. If you do your own investing, you owe it to yourself to get this book.