Test Equipment Books

This is one of the, if not THE most solid animal book there is. Packed with drawings (as all of Jack Hamm's books are)...very clear. It's the book I'd recommend first for someone who wants to learn to draw animals. I'm a professional working in animation and this is a book that all of my coworkers own.

While Jack Hamm is quite well-respected, I have to recommend The Art of Animal Drawing: Construction, Action Analysis, Caricature (Dover Books on Art Instruction, Anatomy) for anyone considering this book. While this book does have a lot of useful information (like demonstrating the position of the ankle in different animals), some of Hamm's drawings are lifeless, stiff, and sometimes downright awkward-looking. This is most likely due to the use of taxidermy models (in some cases photos of taxidermy models) as the base for his drawings. This is most evident in some of his more exotic animals where the faces look malformed.

Even by looking at the images provided here, there is a bit of a difference in the feel his sketch images when compared to his finished ones. This is more pronounced in the book itself when you see the book in its entirety. The poses for the finished animals are routinely a little bit unnatural looking, just like how the lion on the front is, if you look at him long enough.

Hamm's instruction itself is valuable, but the images he presents with them are not always the best. I have personally found copying the images in a drawing book to be a good study to understand an animal and get an idea of what it is and how it moves, and that is where this book falls short. Basically you end up copying a copy.

I would not hesitate to recommend this to someone looking for a couple of animal drawing books, but if you're only going to buy one, Hultgren is the way to go. I speak as someone who owns both. This book has some useful information in it, but Hultgren is the one I carry around with me. In conclusion, it's a good book, but not the best.

The book was in fair shape. A little disappointed because it was less than advertised condition. But not enough to make an issue of it. It was OK.

Helpful when you must insert animals into a painting or drawing; well put together and a good variety of animals.

Every artist should own this book, it has great instructions, and illustrations, of animal structure, shapes and design

I bought this book for several gifts, everyone is using recipes out of the book. I plan to give 2008 books next year.

I have tried several recipes and they are excellent. This will be a book to "read"/"do" start to finish....page by page. Awesome research. Thanks

We received this cookbook as a gift, and it has been a great addition to our cookbook collection! We didn't have any other ATK books, so the duplication is not an issue as it was for others. We have since received another ATK book which is also good, but not as pretty as this one. I like the photos of the dishes - it makes them even more appealing to try! Honestly, every recipe has been enjoyed - especially the almond sugar cookies, the Shepherd's Pie, and the beef stew. You will not regret this purchase!!

Um...America's Test Kitchen -- need I say more? I'm a huge fan of their TV show, website and cookbooks. I've made very few things out of this cookbook that were actually not good. But really almost everything in here is foolproof and quite honestly - this cookbook has turned me into a better cook. I highly recommend this for beginners AND experts.

Lemme preface by stating that I am incredibly exacting when it comes to my home, my kitchen and what I choose to serve to my family and friends. And that's why this book is so special and unique. Because I know without a shadow of doubt that anything published by Cook's Illustrated and Chris Kimball (the editor-at-large) is always going to be Perfect!

I suppose it was about 2 years ago when I first got turned on to America's Test Kitchen (the hugely popular cooking series produced by WGBH and the master-chefs at Cook's Illustrated Magazine.) I just got so sick of watching the Food Network dumb-down their programming and otherwise bastardize the domestic arts. And, if I had to watch that little overpaid hog make 1 more ludicrous concoction I was (literally) going to gag. So when I stumbled upon America's Test Kitchen on my local Public Broadcasting Service I was more than eager to soak up all of their valuable information.

Since then, I have purchased some of America's Test Kitchen DVD sets and many of their books. The Best of America's Test Kitchen - 2007 is my very favorite book, though. This book is useful and practical on so many levels.

This isn't just a cookbook, it's a cookbook written by domestic artists who understand who their audience is and who also know the importance of practicality. This is a hardcover, 312 page book that measures roughly 11 X 8. The book also includes tons of full color pictures, diagrams and guides and tips. I also enjoy the smaller pictures included in just about every recipe that shows pictures of what the food should look like as you're preparing it (this helps so much!) The book includes a dust-jacket, but I always remove this simply because it tends to get dirty when I'm cooking. The actual cover of the book is almost coated with this shimmery-type of paper that is resistant to stains and splatters (this also helps a lot.) Oh, and 1 more thing I enjoy about the general make-up of the book is that it nicely stands up on its own, without any additional effort on my part.

The book includes easy-to-understand, step-by-step recipes that this cook can tell were written with care. Because America's Test Kitchen includes the names of some of the best brands (based on their extensive unbiased research) to use with most of the recipes as well. Each recipe starts out with an in-depth description of each dish; describing what could go wrong, what they changed and other points to look for. I have never used nor read any other cookbook that went to such great lengths as America's Test Kitchen! They really go the extra step to make sure their readers prepare only the finest recipes.

All of their recipes are second to none. I read the book cover to cover and I can honestly tell you that there is not 1 single recipe that was thrown in as "filler." This book was not simply slopped together (like so many cookbooks these days are.) No way. The experts at Cook's Illustrated would never stand for that. Every single recipe inside this cookbook has been tested, tweaked, and transformed into a dish that's not just beautiful to look at but also very simple to make.

There are a total of 10 chapters that are dedicated to recipes:
Starters & Salads
Soups & Stews
Vegetables & Side Dishes
Eggs & Breads
Pasta
Meat
Poultry
Seafood
Desserts
The Best of America's Test Kitchen - 2007 also includes a detailed introduction and an entire chapter dedicated to conversions (not to mention a very generous index; which I know is becoming a dying art in the literary world.)

What I also enjoy doing with large books like The Best of America's Test Kitchen - 2007 is to skim them for recipes that I may use. Since the book includes an informative index and table of contents it's easy to find anything that I may be in the mood to make. Next, I will either photocopy the page or just put a post-it on the page (depending on how soon I plan to make it.) Then I store the book in my media center in the kitchen so it's ready for the next time I want to use it. (This saves me time and makes the task of deciding on "what to make for dinner" seem much less daunting.)

These are some of my favorite recipes (that I have made, loved & serve to my family:)
Short-Order Home Fries (this was so easy) pg. 60
Potatoes Lyonnaise (very similar to the recipe above) pg. 62
Sweet Potato Casserole (made this last Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit) pg. 67
Glazed Pork Chips (I made this on my mother's birthday and she loved it) pg. 161
Chicken Kiev (a little bit of work, but it's so worth it!) pg. 161
Crispy Chicken & Potatoes (I make this for my family often and it's always a success) pg. 199

And, these are some recipes that I have marked to make in the near future:
Pan-Roasted Broccoli (note: they have another amazing broccoli recipe with fresh thyme & brown-butter, but that's in another book) pg. 46
Oven-Fried Onion Rings pg. 54
Stuffed French Toast pg. 77
Sloppy Joes pg. 154
Pepperoni Pan Pizza pg. 101

Besides Christopher Kimball, the main experts of America's Test Kitchen are Julia Collin-Davison (my favorite) and Bridget Lancaster. These 2 always have so many great tips. I think it was Julia who recommended (on the TV series) to line your cutting board with foil when you're cutting chicken (this saves me so much time!) And, Bridget turned me on to using Pam anytime I cook with something that may stick; even on those "nonstick" surfaces. I also enjoy the good-natured mean-spirited comments that Chris often makes to Julie and Bridget. They all have a wonderful chemistry together. The book does not include specific credits to any one person (besides the introduction, written by Chris) since it's more of a collaborative effort from the editorial staff at the magazine.

As I have said repeatedly, I especially love this book because everything is so easy and just generally saves me so much time. There are so many commercial cooking experts that claim to be "time sensitive" but I have never found one that really was; other than America's Test Kitchen. And, I think that's because they aren't trying to be anything besides what they are: an informative cooking organization that appreciates the domestic arts! In fact, I would have to say that roughly 80-90% of all of the recipes in this book include ingredients that every American household often has on hand! The basic staples of most of the recipes includes these items: unsalted butter, low-sodium chicken broth, Spanish onions, cream, whole milk, brown sugar, cayenne pepper and fresh garlic.

The only thing that is slightly confusing is trying to find some of the specific recipes from this book on the America's Test Kitchen TV show. Keep in mind, this is not a "companion book." When I finally realized that it was a lot less confusing because I was expecting to be a little more familiar with some of the recipes. The date "2007" does not refer to a season of the TV series; rather it is the date or "edition" that the book went on sale. As a matter of fact, some of the book-recipes (such as the Stuffed Rolled Flank Steak) have not even been on the TV series until the current season (season 8.) At the time this book came out, I believe the TV series was only in the seventh season. The eighth season of the series will come out in July on DVD.

These recipes are also advantageous because they all (at least the ones I have made) either double very easily or half very easily, too. Anyone who cooks for a busy household knows how imperative this is. And again, this is a rare trait.

I look forward to getting the America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook and their latest best-of DVD set that just came out recently. In the meantime, I am very satisfied with my latest cookbook. I also visit their Web site often in search of more recipes (they include a vast library of extensive recipes online) and most of these recipes are free; there is a charge for older ones, though. ...You cannot deny that America's Test Kitchen is the preeminent purveyor of superior recipes that your entire family will always savor. Remember, everyone can use a little ATK.

My husband bought this for me when he bought me Photoshop Elements, and it was immensely helpful! I am now very comfortable in Photoshop, thanks to the easy to follow instructions and visuals.

The volume's strong point is its voluminous visual to illustrate every phase of digital photography from equipment to printing paper. It also bridges the gap from optical to digital photography. Technical in presentation ... for the experienced phohtographer ...

A profusely illustrated with more than 1500 full-color photographs, step-by-step 'how to' guide for taking great photographs and then digitally enhancing them using Photoshop, "Digital Photograph" by Michael Wright is very highly recommended both for its comprehensiveness and for being so 'user friendly' in its organization and presentation. Covering Photoshop essentials in general, including Photoshop 7 and Photoshop CS in particular, "Digital Photography" addresses simple and complex retouching techniques, removing 'red eye' from images, cloning, hand tinting, restoring old photographs, photo montages, digital painting, adding text to images, special effects, storing images, creating photo essays, printing, file size, composition, color theory, bracketing, lighting, backgrounding, and so much more. "Digital Photograph" is a single volume instructional guide that is strongly recommended for anyone aspiring to enhance their photography through Photoshop technology.

More pictures, less words, better understanding! This book truly is a step-by-step visual guide for taking pictures, and then whipping them into shape in Photoshop.

This book is not about about how to take better digital photos. It's a book that gives step by step instructions on how to do numerous photo editing. If you're not experienced in PhotoShop, then I highly recommend this book. For a novice, it might be a good refresher for you.

One of the things I love about this book is it actually does give step-by-step visuals on the how tos. It shows you what the photoshop box will look like, tells you were to find the tools you need, etc.

If that's what you're looking for, then this book is ideal for you. As I said, if you're a novice, it's a nice refresher or quick reference book.

This is the one cookbook that has not gone on the shelf, but instead sits on the corner of the counter. So far I've made the beef burgundy, pan roasted chicken, smothered pork chops, lemon meringue pie, macaroni and cheese, nachos with salsa and guacamole, and more. I'd've done more in the past two weeks, but I do have a job to go to. These may not sound like extraordinary recipes - they're all in my Betty Crocker cookbook or Good Housekeeping cookbook - but this is the cookbook that tells you the how and why, what works and what doesn't work (based on their own testing, which is an interesting read in itself). One of the things I like most is that they make an honest effort and usually succeed at restricting themselves to ingredients found in nearly every supermarket. Serving sizes are extremely generous. I ate nachos for four days --- luckily, they were delicious.

I do wish they would include nutritional analyses. These recipes are all about taste and optimal preparation to ensure the best results; nothing particularly low cal or low carb and certainly not low fat here; and it doesn't purport to be a diet cookbook. That's okay, but it would still be nice to have the numbers. And it would be nice if they would test a few ways of cutting calories and/or carbs and/or fat while developing the best recipe.

As a novice, I also got tripped up in the pan roasted chicken because the recipe didn't give me even a clue as to how long the pieces would be in the oven; I guessed about 30 minutes but turned out to be 50 minutes to get to temperature, which threw off the timing on the side dishes...minor, novice issue.

Finally, I also subscribe to Cook's Illustrated published by the same people. In the Nov/Dec issue was an incredible recipe for pumpkin cheesecake (beg, borrow or steal it from someone). Their technique explanation ranted about the wonders of cooking a cheesecake in a waterbath. Indeed it made a great difference. But in this cookbook, there's a recipe for a New York Style Cheesecake with no mention of a waterbath. I'm not a pro, so maybe the different techniques deliver two distinct textures, but it was curious why both ways aren't discussed in the cookbook since they touted it in the magazine (or vice versa).

I've bought a couple pieces of their recommended equipment and believe they've been right on target there too.

It's an impressive book that has pursuaded me to buy both the Italian Classics Cookbook and the cookbook for the 2002 television series. Looking forward to receiving those soon.

As a beginner with cooking, this book has led me places I never thought I'd go. It has been a guide for the basics and an inspiration for the heights. And meanwhile it saves me money by steering me away from useless gadgets and fad techniques.

This is my third Amerca's Test Kitchen cookbook. In all of the meals that I have cooked using these books, I have never had a flop. As a male and a physician, I really appreciate the "clinical" approach to cooking that ATK applies. Want to make good, gooey chocolate cookies? Then try a dozen different methods and see what works best. They have used this method for all of their recipes, and the reaults are tremendous.

ATK avoids pretentious cuisine. They aim to make the best steak, best french-fries; things that my kids will eat. Yet, some of my favorite meals for guests come from the book as well. (Twice-coked potatoes with pesto...mmmm). Even though I live in a small town in a remote area, I have always been able to find the ingredients they suggest.

They have a "Consumer Reports"-like approach to rating ingredients and equipment. What a delight when Morton's table salt out-performs...sea-salt in blinded taste-testing.

I can't wait for next year's book to come out!

As someone who consider's themselves an elite "home chef", I stopped using recipe books years ago and just built on the basics that I'd gleaned from reading what I considered the "essential" cookbooks. Then, one stormy Saturday afternoon when the husband was at work and the kids were away at Grandma's, I stumbled on America's Test Kitchen on PBS. Needless to say, I loved what I saw.

Now I am a Cook's Illustrated fan. I have not come across anything done by these folks that isn't absolute quality cooking instruction - no matter what your level of cooking expertise. That's because ATK doesn't just write the recipes - they write articles and background about every recipe that breaks down each element of the recipe and explains why certain ingredients, techniques and equipment work so much better than others in producing the best tasting recipe. Even if you never follow an America's Test Kitchen or Cook's Illustrated recipe step-by-step, the things you learn just by reading the recipe books can be carried over into all of your cooking. If, like me, you are a non-recipe cook, there is still much to be learned here.

"Here in America's Test Kitchen" carries on the standard of excellence that Cook's Illustrated has established for itself. Detailed recipes that are actually essays about what goes into creating each recipe and why certain ingredients and methods are used will elevate the level of every home cook - regardless of your current level of expertise.

This book contains some of the best recipes I've ever had. The BBQ Rib recipe prepared with a dry rub and slow cooked over a smoky grill is simply the best rib recipe I've ever made - spicy, smokey, fall of the bone tender with a wonderful crisp skin on the outside. At a recent 4th of July party, these ribs and the ATK buffalo wings were a huge hit. And the cookie jar favorites - chewy, flavorful double chocolate cookies and ginger cookies are family favorites. The recipes here aren't always the quickest, the cheapest or the lowest in fat and calories, but if you are looking for the best in flavor and texture, with America's Test Kitchen you can't go wrong.

I have been watching this series on PBS and the book is just a delightful. The receipes are pretty easy to follow, ingredients are available in most grocery or gourmet shops. Plus they have done all the testing and we get to prepare the perfect combinations! Highly recommend it, especially as a gift!

I just bought a camera phone 3 weeks ago, and this book has saved me! Well, not literally. But it has been a big help. It's a pretty hefty 300+ pages with easy to follow steps. And it's geared to non-techies like myself.

Now I know how to work the camera, but I still take $#!++% photos!

at last I have a book that I can give to my technology-impared friends and family! thanks for getting me off the hook, john frederick moore!

This is a book made for the person (like me) who's basically intimidated by technology, afraid that any attempt to utilize this or that fancy feature will spell nothing but frustration and futility in the end. It doesn't have to be that way. I was given a camera phone as a present, and until I found this book, it stayed in its box. I was that intimidated. (Let's just say my experience with user manuals hasn't been good.) The first thing that struck me about this book was the clean writing. Moore has a knack for making complicated things seem really simple. This book is comprehensive and straightforward and has lots of helpful visuals to add further clarity. I can now begin taking advantage of my phone's features without fear. It's terrific.

As someone whose technological literacy is only slightly better than a mushroom, I was hesitant to use and intimidated by my new cell phone camera. Despite the salesperson's assuarnce that "anyone can use it," I knew I'd be the addled exception. Thank God for this book! Not only is it well-written and interesting, but it's for people like me - who need lots of extra help. Because of this book, I'm happy to say, I now love using my cell phone camera and have become quite the master at it - even giving my friends advice and "tutorials." I take great photos with my cell and have captured and shared lots of great memories I would have otherwise missed. Thanks for the great, helpful read!

Disclaimer on the star rating: I don't have a camera phone, but my mom does. And my mom called, a lot, to ask how to use this, that, etc. So I bought her this book, and my time spent on those calls have been cut to almost nothing!

Clear direction, illustrations and well written instruction mean that even my mom can master her phone. Of course now I spend even more time downloading the pictures of my neices and nephews she captures on her phone, but it is time well spent! And seeing the results my mom is getting....well, a picture phone might be in my future as well.

Just what I wanted. Delivered quickly as always. Enjoyed the cookbook almost as much as I enjoy watching the show. Worth the price and the short wait to receive it. You came through again, Amazon. 5 Gold Stars for you!

It's difficult to go wrong with America's Test Kitchen. I love their recipes--and the equipment ratings are extremely helpful.

I've only made about six items from this book--but all have turned out extremely well.

I highly recommend this book.

The scrappy, fun America's Test Kitchen books, companions to the top-rated TV series of the same name, tend to compare to the more staid Best Recipe series the way classes at the local adult education center compare to college courses -- not necessarily as deep or down to earth, but a lot more varied and just as informative. This, the third Cooks Illustrated book devoted solely to the TV series, carries on the fun of last year's party-and-comfort-food oriented book and the original ATK Cookbook with an emphasis on things that might fall into the category of diner and cafe food.

Organized by episode like its predecessors, Inside America's Test Kitchen goes down home with pan-roasted chicken and a quickie ragu bolognese, revisits Chinatown with beef and broccoli (a followup to last year's Kung Pao shrimp), and has fun with ethnic home cooking like cassoulet (trimmed down for weeknight use) and pollo fra diavolo. Trips to your local luncheonette include blueberry pancakes, Denver (i.e western) omelettes, the German Apple Pancake (i.e. the Baby Apple to New Englanders), corn muffins, and lemon cheesecake; even the espresso bar makes an appearance with chocolate chip cookies (including reviews of prepared cookie doughs) and a full frontal assault on the often-sawdusty oatmeal scone (flour choice is critical).

In my review of last year's book, Here in America's Test Kitchen, I pointed out that it was a keg party; if that's so, this is the hangover cure for the next morning. It's perhaps a bit difficult to top the fun factor of a cookbook that starts you off with the best buffalo wings ever, but with yet another cool factor that's off the charts, the ATK crew have at least equaled it.

I've bought a number of books published by Boston Common Press, and all of them, including this one, are superb cookbooks for the home cook. They explain exactly what to do and why to do it that way. In my experience, cookbooks of any sort (especially restaurant cookbooks by celebrity chefs) tend to suffer from poor writing and give uneven results. This one does not. To my palate, perhaps one out of every fifteen recipies falls flat, producing merely good rather than excellent results. Virtually everything is a crowd-pleaser.

The only caveat I have to add is that there is a certain amount of overlap between different Boston Common Press books and Cook's Illustrated magazine. If you own lots of their books or subscribe to Cook's, find a copy of this book at your bookstore and thumb through it to see how many recipies are redundant. Still, an great buy.

I liked the fact it didn't just tell me how to do something it told me why.

While there aren't many recipes (around 30)
all have turned out very well.

I just took a photography course and this book was one of the ones recommended. It is a little shallow, but covers all the basics and all the items covered in the class. It covers all the various topis from portrait to building photog as well as types of cameras, etc. If you want a basic book, this is the one to get. However, if you are looking for a lot of depth, keep looking. Then again, it is "Keep it Simple" so it delivers just what it says.

I have several photography books that I have had no desire to read from cover to cover. Then I found this one! This is by far the best photography book that I have laid my eyes on. I am reading it cover to cover and plan on reading it again. John Garret has written it in such a fun, simple way that really makes you understand photography. I've even learned more from this book than I have in a photography class that I have taken.
If you are just getting started in your photography adventure, I highly recommend this book! I hope John Garret can write a very good book on Digital Photography too, because I am now into Digital but this book really helped understand a lot of thing that is common between Film and Digital Photgraphy.

This is the first K.I.S.S. series book I've read, and thankfully, this author and publisher skipped the lame humor and fluff sometimes seen in the "for Dummies" and "Idiots Guide" books. Instead, they packed this well-organized book with well-written explanations, inspiring and instructive photographs and excellent color graphics that only enhanced my learning. I learned more from this book than from the twelve-session photography class I took at a local camera store. I highly recommend it to anybody interested in film photography.

I bought this book on a whim because I had just found my interest in photography, and I was done reading it two days later! Garrett makes all the concepts of photography understandable to those without any prior knowledge! I even found myself going through the book again and jotting down notes about film speeds and filters for easy reference later! I cannot wait to try out the things I have learned from this wonderful book! I only wish I had more to read! I recommed this for anyone who thinks he would not be able to understand the concepts of photography and the camera. This book is not written on a technical level so make this the first photography book you buy!

I have several photography books that I have had no desire to read from cover to cover. Then I found this one! This is by far the best photography book that I have laid my eyes on. I am reading it cover to cover and plan on reading it again. John Garret has written it in such a fun, simple way that really makes you understand photography. I've even learned more from this book than I have in a photography class that I have taken.

If you are just getting started in your photography adventure, I highly recommend this book!

Great addition to my office. Explains some tests we use infrequently-good to explain to patients.

This product is in amazing shape, thank you for being so eager to send it out so quick. It came just in time and I love the book. Thank you Jamie

I started using Fischbach in Nursing School and was re-acquainted with it when I joined the Air Force. I have never found anything at all close to the quality of the content. I had a copy at the hospital until someone else recognized the quality of it for themselves. So I immediatly went out and bought another. I'm afraid I need another one at work. I don't mind everyone liking them. I just don't care to be the sole supplier to the world. I guess I will have to chain it to the inside of my locker.
Thanks
Major H (retired)

This elaborated lab manual is very useful for reviewing all the procedures currently employed in clinical laboratories. It covered all the important aspects of investigative medicine like: microbiology, biochemistry, immunology, pathology, haematology and histology.
"Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Testing" provides diagnostic guidance; as well as conclusive interpretation to every aspect of clinical lab investigations.
It is a manual, which both trainees and experienced practitioners should pay attention to.

As a first-time buyer from Amazon.com, I was very impressed and happy with the service. Manual of Laboratory/Diagnostic Test was in good shape, excellent condition. I receive this book within 7 days. I will continue to do business with Amazon.com

Overall this is a great book for anyone that owns, rents or is thinking of buying a house. It has excellent illustrations with easy to read and understand explanations. It filled in many gaps in my knowledge about my home.

I was a little surprised that in section/chapter 4: Heating and Cooling that he never even mentioned evaporative coolers/Swamp Coolers. Granted, one has to live in a fairly dry climate to get the best use out of them, but surprise........ lots of people do.

I'm guessing he grew up on the east or west coast and never had much exposure to them, but they at least warrant mention.

Otherwise an excellent, well written book for those of us that are curious about "How it Works"

This books explains how a US single family house evolved to its current standard, including structure, plumbing, electrics, etc. The author is both knowledgeable on how things in our houses work and very good at communicating his knowledge to a lay person. Although there are a few "fix it yourself" or "complete guide" books that are good at providing quick solutions, this book will help you understand how some of the solutions work. The book is less than 200 pages and takes only a few nights to read. You will benefit from it for your whole life.

This is the book to buy before you read the how-to books.

It presents a concise evolution of the American home, explaining the rudiments of its construction and systems from the timber frame to the postwar eras.

The illustrations are excellent.

Beware, you may be tempted to subscribe to The Family Handyman.

I've looked at a lot of "home" type books and this is the best one that I have seen. It takes a home and explains in the simplest terms, how it works ('wonder where they got the name of the book?). The illustrations are absolutely top notch. Buy this book!

This book is a rare blend of the fundamentals of residential construction, expressed in the most friendly language. Duane has an unusual two-fold gift to understand all the technical aspects of our homes and the ability to communicate that expertise in the most approachable manner. It's like having the 60-year wisdom of a construction foreman and a dutch uncle in your back pocket. I have given copies of this fine book to all my nephews and several friends.

I started out my telecommunications profession as a cable puller for voice and data networking. I found this book to be simply the best for this subject matter. I used to have two copies of this book, one at my desk and one in my toolbox with me. I often referred to the book when talking projects with IT managers. It helped me and them with cabling. One of my last jobs as a senior field technicians was with a major bank and our company got the bid on the stipulation that we give the IT manager my worn copy of the book.

Those days are long gone but I still have this book. I highly recommend it to you and it is still current in subject! Get this book!

When I was a MIS manager at a Coca-Cola plant in Brazil, I was luck to come accross with this book in an airport bookstore, several years ago. It gave me the strong fundamentals to start really understanding what a LAN cabling system was about. It would be nice to have a second edition, but this is still the top introduction anyone can find in the subject. Even its story telling style helps, the book is so interesting that once you start you don't let go until you're finished. Congratulations to the authors.

This book has been a great resource for me. I have reccomended it MANY times to educators who are trying to understand wiring issues for their building or school system, and why they are important. It has been required reading in some of the Masters degree in Computer Education classes at Thomas College (www.thomas.edu) that I have been involved in.

The book is only slightly dated; I wish a 2nd edition would come out to cover more Fast Ethernet and "Enhanced Cat. 5" issues. Even without that information, the books engaging style makes it very readable.

I've had this book on my desk for more years than I care to admit. I've never seen a better book on cabling. I hope that their new book maintains the high standard that they have set for themselves here. This book is quite simply the best cabling reference there is. If you need to know it, it's in this book.